Echo of Murder

Starring:James Belushi, Gregory Hines, Sean McCann, Shawn Doyle, Kenneth Welsh, Eugene Clark, Jack Wallace, J.J. Johnston, Aidan Devine, Lynda Gravatt, Debra Sharkey, Bill Duke, Bill MacDonald, Craig Eldridge, Matthew Cooke (III), Karen Glave, Karen Robinson, Quancetia Hamilton, Sean Bell, Michael Rhoades
Director: Charles Robert Carner
Studio: Showtime Ent.
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

GOOD SERIES.......2007-05-29

I LOVE MYSTERIES, COMPARED TO MOST THIS IS PRETTY TAME. BUY IT I KIND OF NICE TO HAVE A WHOLESOME CRIME SOLVER FOR A CHANGE.

Mystery Fun With Old Friends.......2007-05-14

Samantha and the gang are back for more mystery fun in another good entry from this movie series created by Michael Sloan and starring pretty Kellie Martin. Samantha Kinsey (Martin) runs the Mystery Woman Book Store with help from her pal Philby (Clarence Williams III). Philby's mysterious past with the government always comes in handy when she goes snooping into murder, as does her friend Cassie (Nina Siemaszko) in the D.A.'s office.

Philby is broken up about the passing of his old friend and Samantha decides to let a folk group from the 1960's her mom loved kick off their comeback outside the Mystery Woman. Before long both will be knee deep in mysteries which eventually intersect. The mystery, as usual, is a bit tame, but the fun is the continuing characters, who've become like old friends to fans. Philby might even have an admirer in the very pretty owner of the local Bed and Breakfast, Bonnie (Tina Lifford).

Some hi-tech bank robberies and some secrets from the past hold the clues to why someone was killed and, of course, Chief Connors (Casey Sander) is his usual lovable self, annoyed at Samantha's interference. Though Samantha initially butts heads with Connors, in the end he may not be far off the mark as to who commited the murder.

There is a really nice moment between Samantha and Philby at the end of this one, showing the special charm which always makes a visit with the gang as welcome and arresting as the wisteria covered trellace outside the Mystery Woman. Quaint fun for mystery lovers and Kellie Martin fans.

Another Charming Whodunit.......2007-01-24

Kellie Martin returns as Samantha Kinsey, the owner of the Mystery Woman Bookshop and part-time snoop. The MYSTERY WOMAN series has a charming quality about it because the murders aren't heinous or particularly violent. My wife appreciates that fact about them, and I get to play detective with her as we watch.

The pacing is both familiar and relaxed enough that we get to take turns pointing out clues (some we get, and some aren't clues at all but are our overactive imaginations) and put in our votes for who we think the killer is prior to the solution. The cast of characters are likewise familiar, but they're well rounded and just deep enough that watching them work together is fun.

As owner of the bookstore, Sam seems to know everyone in town. Philby (Clarence Williams III) has a mysterious background of his own. Sam thinks he was once a spy, and everything in the series seems to indicate that as well. He maintains a small office space inside the bookstore and keeps a clandestine group of friends.

In this mystery, a folk rock group from the 1970s called the Ramblers have reunited for a series of fund-raising concerts that will help fight world hunger. They're managed by a young PR guy who ends up getting killed, setting the murder investigation into play.

Before the dust has settled on the murder, the band members are fighting among themselves, and Carly -- one of the members -- confesses to the murder. However Carly has a long history of mental breakdowns and is soon ruled out -- at least for the moment -- as the murderer.

In the meantime, Philby is pursuing a case of his own. Bank robbers have started hitting banks using cutting edge technology. Even though he's retired from whatever it was that he used to do, he's brought in to consult. Before long, Sam and Philby discover that all the cities that had bank robberies were also on the tour list of the Ramblers. What's the connection? And who committed the murder?

Granted, some of the writing and characterization is simple, but simple is what you need so you can work on figuring out whodunit. I love watching the characters go through their familiar routines as they work out the puzzle. The town, though I've never heard it named, seems like a great place to live (except for the periodic murders!) and I'd love to wander through the aisles of the Mystery Woman Bookshop.

If you want a quiet mystery filled with dialogue and a little action, a fiesty grown-up version of Nancy Drew, and without the romance element that can get in the way of the puzzle, the MYSTERY WOMAN DVD movies are great. I've bought and watched all three that have been released so far and have enjoyed all of them.

Average customer rating:

"I think we need to hire a plumber..."
Great afternoon movie
Solid Entry

Mystery Woman: Snapshot
Starring: Kellie Martin , Clarence Williams III , Nina Siemaszko , Casey Sander , and Patty McCormack
Director: Georg Stanford Brown
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FDEVAC
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Customer Reviews:

"I think we need to hire a plumber...".......2007-04-24

Kellie Martin fans will love this warm and fun series of mystery films. "Snapshot" is a good entry with just the right balance of whimsy and murder. While they are a bit pedestrian, the look and setting of the series and a great cast make for an enjoyable time.

Samantha Kinsey (Kellie Martin) owns the Mystery Woman Book Store and seems to always get involved in some very real mayhem, much to the chagrin of Chief Connors (Casey Sander), who would rather not have her nosing around his cases. When her friend Barbara (Patty McCormick) claims to have been swindled out of half her brother's fortune upon his death, then is shot down while entering her home, Chief Connors thinks it was just a burglery gone bad.

Samantha, however, has other ideas, and with the help of her mysterious pal Philby (Clarance Williams III) sets out to discover why her friend was killed. A roll of film Barbara entrusted to Samantha with a picture of her brother's vintage Bently may hold the clue. Philby's mysterious past comes in handy, as does her other pal, Assistant D.A. Casandra (Nina Siemaszko).

Kellie Martin's abundant charm and a nice supporting cast drive this as much as the mystery itself. There is a fun side story and some amusing moments as Philby, for once out of his element, tries to fix some very old pipe problems in the store. George Stanford Brown, familiar to television fans as one of "The Rookies" way back when, directs this one quite nicely so that the most is made of what's here.

Created by Michael Sloan and written by Joyce Burditt, it's hard to go wrong with pretty Kellie Martin in the middle of it all. Mystery fans will find this a very pleasant distraction on a Saturday afternoon.

Great afternoon movie.......2007-01-24

I love these amature mystery sleuth movies. There's nothing complicated about this one in particular, which makes it perfect for a cold and rainy day (with lots of popcorn and butter!)

Great movie!

Solid Entry.......2006-06-21

MYSTERY WOMAN: SNAPSHOT details the murder of one of Samantha Kinsey's book club members. Barbara Sommers, one of the town's wealthy, has always been a conspiracy junkie, believing in UFOs and coverups. At the reading of her late brother's will, she finds out that she's left with none of the family company. Barbara insists that a conspiracy is in play, that she's being robbed of what's hers, and that her brother was murdered. After leaving a roll of film with Sam that Barbara tells her contains a clue to the murder, Barbara goes home and is murdered. Sam and Philby, the ex-CIA agent that was her father's friend and who shares her love of doing investigations that aren't quite legal, take up the chase for the murderer.

Kellie Martin (E.R.) stars as Samantha Kinsey. So far, A&E have made eight MYSTERY WOMAN movies, but not all of them have made it to DVD. The series was created by Michael Sloan, a staple in the mystery/adventure TV field. Georg Stanford Brown stars as Philby and even directs this one.

As a mystery, SNAPSHOT was so-so. There weren't enough suspects and the field narrowed pretty quickly once the initial murder kicked the play off. Still, Sam and her cronies are endearing characters and it was fun to watch them work.

Some of the usual confrontations with the local police was missing, and the stakes never truly rose above the solution of the murder. Philby even has his own little mystery to solve while he works on the pipes in the shop, but the solution comes out of left field and the viewer never had a chance at it.

MYSTERY WOMAN: SNAPSHOT is another great little mystery to watch in the casual comfort of home with a fellow sleuth. Perhaps the mystery will solve too quickly, with even the twists and turns telegraphed, but the characters are fun to watch and still worth the price of admission.

Average customer rating:

Great Fun For Mystery Fans
I loved it!
Nancy Drew Grown Up
Charming Bookstore Sleuth

Mystery Woman: Mystery Weekend
Starring: Kellie Martin , Clarence Williams III , Nina Siemaszko , Casey Sander , and Julianna McCarthy
Director: Mark Griffiths
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EWBO7W
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Product Description

She's an avid mystery lover and bookseller, for whom crime has been comfortably confined to the pages of her favorite novels -- until a real-life murder turns a weekend of fun and games into a chilling whodunit... The quaint mystery bookshop bequeathed to Samantha Kinsey may be struggling, but the idea she's concocted for the weekend should drum up some killer publicity -- a book signing by three very popular and very competitive mystery writers; Maura Hobbs, Angela Cooke, and the reclusive Clare Beckman. Unbeknownst to Sam, Clare is using this "mystery weekend" to make the shocking announcement of her retirement. Just as Clare poses for a final career photograph, an ear-shattering gunshot rings out. Clare manages to dodge the bullet, but later falls victim to a cleverly planted poison. Wading through a long list of suspects and motives, Sam manages to uncover a convoluted plot of blackmail, greed, and deceit -- a real-life mystery that would have thrilled Clare...had she lived to see it unfold.

Customer Reviews:

Great Fun For Mystery Fans.......2007-02-01

This series of films from Hallmark Entertainment is delicious fun for mystery lovers and Kellie Martin fans. Martin is Samantha Kinsey, the owner of the Mystery Woman Book Store who finds herself involved in her own favorite pastime. There is a warmth and sense of fun to the story in this one and a fine atmosphere just right for light entertainment.

Samantha is making plans for a "Mystery Weekend" for her avid customers sure to please them. At her weekly "Thursday Night Mayhem" event, however, the very reclusive and prolific mystery writer, Clare Beckman, just misses being shot. Samantha's close friend and Assistant D.A., Cassie (Nina Siemaszko), is shot in the arm instead, and the mystery begins.

One of Samantha's elderly customers is the obvious suspect, at least to Chief Connors (Casey Sander), but Samantha has other ideas. There are two other female mystery writers present at the shooting whose jealousy is hardly masked. And when bee venom is used by someone to finish the job, Clare's trophy boyfriend might have motives also.

There is a real sense of fun as Samantha starts questioning people to get to the bottom of things. Clarence Williams III of "Mod Squad" fame is simply terrific as Samantha's pal, Philby, with a past so mysterious he has access to the Prime Minister! Pretty Nina Siemaszko is endearing as Samantha's best friend, helping her best bud and getting into hot water while fending off a hunky lawyer trying to romance she and Samantha at the same time.

It's all tied to a 30 year old murder. And as Samantha knows, everybody loves a murder. Mystery lovers won't be able to get enough of Samantha and her buds sluething around. Martin looks fantastic and it's great to see her find a fun project like this one. It's a great premise executed with just the right sense of mischief. A great find.

I loved it!.......2007-01-08

I happened to see this DVD at the library today and thought it looked interesting and I was right! What a great mystery! I am now looking to purchase the entire set. It's a good, clean, fun show. Loved it!

Nancy Drew Grown Up.......2006-09-19

This movie is a little bit too Nancy Drew. The characters are stock suspects, and the action is rather contrived. "Mystery Woman" is anything but edgy. Whatever edge the plot may have had was neatly gone over with pinking shears. So we end up with good, clean family entertainment that some might relegate to the pile of "chick flicks."

Nevertheless, it was a relief to get out of the rawness and irresolution of daily life and to spend some time in this polished hardwood mystery-fans bookstore. And it was good to see Clarence Williams III on the screen again.

The bookstore is the kind of business we all dream about having; and Clarence Williams is the kind of business partner we all wish we could have. He's smart, mysteriously well-connected, and supportive. After each draining homicidal attack, Mr. Williams is ready to go brew a tea for himself and his partner. For many of us, that is the ultimate wish fulfillment.

What more could you ask out of a "cozy?" A bookstore, a dead body, and a cup of tea...

Charming Bookstore Sleuth.......2006-06-05

Samantha Kinsey owns the Mystery Woman Book Store, and occasionally runs into murder mysteries of her own. During Mystery weekend, a chance for fans to gather and meet their favorite writers, writer diva Clare Beckman puts in the first appearance in almost fifteen years. No one knows why she's avoided the limelight. Arriving fashionably late, Clare immediately seizes everyone's attention, makes the announcement that her latest book is her last, and is promptly nearly murdered. Samantha ends up on the suspect list, alongside her most treasured patron. In short order, things go from bad to worse as the mysterious killer succeeds in killing Clare Beckman. With the police certain they've got the killer in custody, it's up to Samantha, her partner Philby -- who used to be a spy, and her assistant district attorney friend Cassandra to track down the real murderer.

This is the second entry in Hallmark Entertainment's MYSTERY WOMAN movie series. Kellie Martin stars as Samantha Kinsey, bringing a lot of experience as an actress as well as directing some of the series' entries. Created by Michael Sloan -- who's created or written for HARRY-O, COLUMBO, THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW MYSTERIES, McCLOUD, THE EQUALIZER, and LA FEMME NIKITA, the series is off to a promising start.

Samantha Kinsey is an enjoyable sleuth. She's an everyday woman, with just a touch of something extra. Her curiosity about mysteries is a deeply rooted passion, and in her movies she's given a good chance to exercise it. Although there's no real drama involved in this movie, there is a good storyline that will keep avid mystery fans guessing up until the final moments. The story plays fair with the clues and the background to solve the murder. Doubtless, the writer, Joyce Burditt, wound the plot largely around British mystery maven Anne Perry's real life, which only came to public light in the last few years. The dialogue is quick and fast-paced, and the subplot involving Samantha and Cassandra's interest in the new lawyer in town is great fun.

The only real drawback to the DVD version is the lack of extras. These days all DVDs come with a little more than the movie, and interviews with the cast would have been a nice addition.

MYSTERY WOMAN: MYSTERY WEEKEND is highly recommended for the armchair sleuthing couples who want to while away a lazy hour and a half over the weekend playing guessing games with each other. This series doesn't have the intensity of something like FOYLE'S WAR, but it is an engaging effort well worth the visit.

Average customer rating:

The Only Witness
Starring: Kristy Swanson , Vincent Spano , Vladimir Kulich , Bruce Boxleitner , and Tony Todd
Director: Tom Whitus
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OIOPL8
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Average customer rating:

Interesting side of the Atlanta Child Murders

Echo of Murder
Starring: James Belushi , Gregory Hines , Sean McCann , Shawn Doyle , and Kenneth Welsh
Director: Charles Robert Carner
Manufacturer: Showtime Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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A Stranger in Town
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Retroactive

ASIN: B00005KA74
Release Date: 2001-08-07

Description

In 1981, Atlanta was terrorized by the brutal Atlanta Child Murders. A shocked and panicked nation launched the largest manhunt in U.S. history. A lone man was accused and convicted, and the case was closed. Four years later, though, a magazine editor and his best reporter investigate charges that the original investigation was marred by incompetence, abandoned leads and tainted evidence. It seems only the truth will silence the lingering echo of murder.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting side of the Atlanta Child Murders.......2002-07-21

This is an interesting 'true-crime' movie. The infamous Atlanta Child murders of 1979-1981 were suspiciously all pinned on Wayne Williams. This film shows the journey of two reporters from Spin Magazine (not exactly a credible source of criminal investigation) who travel to Atlanta to look deeper into the case. Quite a few conspiracy theories emerge. One theory, based on testimony from the locals, is that the kids were all involved in a child porno ring connected with the city's leaders, and were all killed to keep it from being uncovered. The primary theory that the reporters pursue is the organization of a white-power, ku klux klan group that murdered the children out of racial bias. The controversy occurs when a lead detective throws this out because he thinks it will start a race war if it's true. There are interesting demographics here because Atlanta was a thriving city and had a black mayor.
Drawbacks to the movie are present. Hines and Belushi do a bang-up job of overacting and consistently threaten the story with their poor drama skills. Also, hardly anything is said about Williams and his conviction, so I couldn't really tell if the arguments being made had any value. Nonetheless, an interesting movie with lots of information.

Average customer rating:

Wow, Burce would have been really mad at this movie
Bruceploitation: The Worst Of All Time
Kung Fu Crap at some of its best!
WELL, THIS WAS A VERY UNPLEASANT WAY TO SPEND MY MONEY TODAY
A strangely enjoyable film with a grossly misleading title

Bruce Lee Fights Back From the Grave
Starring: Bruce Lea , Jun Chong , Debby Tebora , Deborah Dutch , and Su-cheon Bae
Director: Doo-yong Lee
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Description

The image of a kung-fu fighter meets a black angel of death.

Customer Reviews:

Wow, Burce would have been really mad at this movie.......2006-09-21

I mean the trailers have his grave like blowing up. They show this at the start of the movie, and then the movie actually starts. The kung fu is decent at best and the story is not worth going over. It is your standard modern day boring kung fu story and left me wishing I hadn't wasted 90 minutes on this when I was finished with it.

Bruceploitation: The Worst Of All Time.......2004-09-07

I would've voted this one as worth ZERO stars but Amazon wouldn't let me. Having picked up this film on sale for $5.99 and watched it(only once before leaving it in the halls of Ga Perimeter College without a 2nd thought), I'm going to keep it short & sweet: no Bruce Lee(or Bruce Lee lookalikes for that matter), no graves, no Black Angel of Death, no plot, no choreography, and NO SENSE! And on top of that, the synopsis on the backside of the cover is FALSE. Therefore...I crown this DISGRACE the WORST BRUCEploitation film of all time. DON'T SPEND A CENT ON THIS ONE.

Kung Fu Crap at some of its best!.......2004-05-11

I don't know what is wrong with most of the other reviewers here. Actually, I suppose I do know what is wrong: you couldn't figure out how to enjoy this movie. And that's your right, I guess, so whatever. But I totally loved it. Of course it is a low-budget, horribly-filmed, poorly acted, campy piece of 70's movie garbage. But if you aren't expecting that to begin with, then you are clearly daft. What else would you expect from a movie thus named?

However, low quality as it may be, for people who enjoy such movies, this is quite nice. I have seen rather a number of these kinds of horrible martial arts flicks, and I must say I generally get some kind of kick from them, whether it be the horrible dialogue, the strange dubbing, the astonishingly wild plot, or at least some good fighting. This film ranks right up there with "Clash of the Ninjas" and "Kung Fu Zombie" as one of my favorite. Why, you ask? Are you really interested in why?

This film features a laughably terrible transferal to DVD. Everything is wildly blurry. It was so bad that I thought I was actually watching it in a tiny theatre in the 70s. Contrary to most people's preference, I found this endearing. They could have maybe cleaned it up, but they chose to keep the feel of the original release there. It isn't like you really need it to not be blurry- most of the blur is just depth of field blur from the camera having too large an aperture in many shots.

But let's see... What else does this film offer. And mind you, I'm being serious with all of this.

One thing I really liked was the relationship between the star and the superbly attractive damsel. Feminists would hate this movie, because the female lead spends most of her time being caught or nearly killed while the hero- a man- keeps saving her tail. I don't care about everything being PC all the time, so I thought this was kind of funny and cute. I'd like to rescue some beautiful girl, too. But the way these two characters interact is quite bizarre, and I found it intriguing. She instantly likes this guy, but he is too focused on other matters at hand to pay any attention to her. This does eventually bite him in the end, though, and it is sad.

The plot of the movie is interesting for this type of genre where things are usually fairly cut and dry- set 'em up and knock 'em down. This story is a tale of betrayal, subterfuge, and manipulation that keeps going until the very end. The pacing of the movie keeps things flowing, as well- there are few lagging points in this story. And I also enjoyed the tone of the film, which was rather serious. It was a serious drama speckled with bits of kung fu fighting. And, while the acting and film quality maybe have been some of the very worst, I don't think this film would have the same feeling if these things were better. It would not have the same charm if it was all well acted- more than likely, this movie would just blend in with lots of other well-acted crap from the 70's. As it is, the recipe produces something not quite reproducible, and therefore, to me, unique.

The kung fu was also good, but that is not the main reason I watch these movies, paradoxically enough.

If you are going to spend your time trying to watch these types of movies, you might as well look for things to enjoy. Once you learn to look at them correctly, you will find the true and priceless value of their existence.

Cheers,

Gregory Scott

WELL, THIS WAS A VERY UNPLEASANT WAY TO SPEND MY MONEY TODAY.......2003-12-27

I JUST BOUGHT THIS TRASHY-A** MOVIE TODAY, AND I GOT DONE WATCHING IT JUST 30 MINUTES AGO. AND I'MA TELL YOU THIS, I WANT BACK THE 84 MINUTES THAT I WASTED ON THIS MOVIE! I COULD'VE BEEN DOING SOMETHING MUCH BETTER DURING THAT TIME! ANYWAY, HERE'S THE PLOT; A CHINESE MARTIAL ARTIST [BRUCE LEA] ARRIVES IN LOS ANGELES. SHORTLY AFTER HE ARRIVES, HE FINDS OUT THAT HIS FRIEND HAS DIED UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. THINKING IT WAS MURDER, HE SETS OUT TO FIND THE PEOPLE THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS FRIEND'S DEATH. ALL OF THE FIGHTS WERE BORING AND MINDLESS. AFTER WATCHING THIS MOVIE AND AFTER SEEING HOW BORING BRUCE LEA REALLY WAS IN THIS MOVIE, I NOW TEND TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT BRUCE LI. BRUCE LEA IS AS WORSE OF A KUNG FU STAR THAN BRUCE LI EVER WAS! AND TRUST ME, BRUCE LI HAD SOME VERY VERY BAD MOVIES OUT. BUT THIS, THIS IS JUST TOO STUPID FOR IT'S OWN GOOD. I USUALLY DON'T DO THIS, BUT SINCE I REALLY DON'T WANT ANYONE TO PICK UP THIS MOVIE, HERE'S A SPOILER; HIS FRIEND ACTUALLY FAKES HIS DEATH TO GET HIS HANDS ON SOME SERIOUS DRUG MONEY. HE APPEARS AT THE END OF THE MOVIE AND HE FIGHTS BRUCE LEA IN THE FINAL FIGHT. NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE END, YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID! BUT IF YOU STILL WANNA SEE THIS, I CAN'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU!

A strangely enjoyable film with a grossly misleading title.......2003-10-15

Bruce Lee Fights Back From the Grave - it's a great title for a movie, isn't it? Unless you're just slapping that title on the final product and opening the film with a shot of somebody jumping up out of the ground in front of a fake Bruce Lee tombstone, knowing full well that this movie hasn't the first thing to do with Bruce Lee and that it's all just a scheme for making more money by exploiting the name of the legend. Strangely enough, I don't even mind because I have some sort of obsession with Bruceploitation movies that compels me to watch and usually enjoy any of them I can get hold of. I do have a problem with the plot summary that usually comes attached to this film, however. I knew going in that the film had nothing to do with Bruce Lee, but those without such knowledge are told that Bruce comes back and fights the Black Angel of death in some sort of supernatural kung fu story. Folks, this doesn't happen - no Bruce Lee, no graves, no Black Angel of death. I can't even be sure of whom the star of this film is. The actor is billed as Bruce K.L. Lea but is often referred to as Bruce Le; Bruce Le happens to be my favorite Bruce clone, but I can't make the actor in this film look like the Bruce Le I have come to know in other movies.

I can't really list any good things about this film, yet for some reason I really enjoyed it. Our hero Wong Han comes to America to see his old friend and fellow kung fu teacher, only to learn that the guy just committed suicide. With no place to go, he bunks down in the school, only to be attacked by a great big axe-wielding black man; afterwards, he finds himself at the police station being berated for what he claims is self-defense. A mystery man bails him out, only to ask Wong to help him find a certain young lady. Wong refuses, but almost immediately he finds himself saving the girl in question from being raped; it turns out that she just happened to be his dead buddy's employee and only friend. Deborah Chaplin plays Susan, and I have to say that the lady is just gorgeous and mesmerizing. Wong's luck seems to be changing as Susan locks on to her new hero. Of course, bad things are afoot. Apparently, the Village People or a horrible facsimile thereof were involved in Wong's friend's demise, and these folks keep attacking and kidnapping Susan. Naturally, Wong has to fight them and find out the truth behind his friend's death. The plot jumps around like a cat walking on a bed of hot coals, but a surprise or two at the end does offer some proof that a plot of some sort actually did exist. The ending is quite a downer, I must say.

Product Description

Based on Arthur Conan Doyle's First Sherlock Holmes Story.

Customer Reviews:

Two Holmes Stories in One Don't Add Up To Much.......2007-04-20

Canadian Muse Entertainment's "The Royal Scandal" is the third installment of their Sherlock Holmes series, directed by cinematographer-turned-director Rodney Gibbons and starring Matt Frewer as the world's most famous detective, and Kenneth Welsh as his sidekick Dr. Watson. The company produced three more made-for-movies about Holmes so far with the same stars and director - "The Sign of Four" "The Hound of Baskervilles" and "The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire," but "The Royal Scandal" is probably the most curious entry in the series.

For "The Royal Scandal" is actually amalgam of two short stories by Conan Doyle: "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans." Whatever the intention of mixing them together for one episode, the film is interesting in bringing together two memorable characters in the original's 60 stories - Irene Adler and Mycroft Holmes.

"The Royal Scandal" opens with a German Prince's request to retrieve a compromising photo of him and opera singer Irene Alder (Liliana Komorowska) who is actually a cleverest criminal. Holmes' investigation leads him and his partner Watson into the world of murder and international politics and conspiracies.

Anyone who is not a purist of Holmes canon would find the story a so-so entertainemt with a web of mysteries that keep us guessing even though you notice the plot is in fact a pretty generic one, with familiar plot devices that are seen in novels or films about espionage. The cast do their best, but they can hardly make us care what they do, or what they search.

As turning novels into films involve changes, we should not be too critical of the changes done to the source materials, but the fans of the original would resent the changes done in "The Royal Scandal." I'm not talking about the fact that they mixed two tales. I am talking about the fundamental nature of the characters. It is suggested that Holmes was, or still is, romantically attracted to Irene, and in the flashback he confesses his past events at the opera theater in awkward fashion. Even if the filmmakers ignore one of the original's premises, where for Holmes emotions are enemy to his ultra-rational mind - and they are entitled to change to create new image of the detective, I know - "Max Headroom"'s Matt Frewer is not the best choice to depict Holmes in romantic mood, let alone the best Holmes on screen.

Things do not get better with Mycroft, Sherlock's brother, who is reduced to a bureaucrat you meet in John Le Carre novels. Frankly I don't see the point of bringing in the character of Mycroft after erasing everything intriguing about his personalities such as his superb ability of analysis (as great as Sherlock) and his unique lifestyle. Here in this film he is just an overacting bore, with noting that interest us.

"The Royal Scandal" is not totally awful, but it is still true that it is not for those who have read the original books. Even though you haven't read Conan Doyle you know this is just an average mystery tale, which you would not likely watch again.

Frewer's least successful effort.......2007-03-04

Sherlock Holmes has been portrayed in at least 3 iconic series of films and TV productions: those of Wontner, Rathbone, and (best of all) Brett. Matt Frewer is known for his rather manic and off-kilter characters and characterizations. We might expect, therefore, that his performance of Holmes might treat the twilit (sic) lands between Baker Street and Bedlam. In this, he doesn't disappoint.

Anyone interested in purchasing this sitem should, however, be aware that it isn't exactly a new issue. It was originally part of a 4-item collection known appropriately as "The Sherlock Holmes Collection". Alas, this appears to be available through Amazon only from resllers and as of this writing at a rather excessive price. However, there are no doubt other sources, including used-DVD outlets (at one of which O secured my copy.

The third film in this collection is the current item, The Royal Scandal. This is actually a melding of "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Bruce Partington Plans" which does no particular favor to either. While some elements of the original plots remain, the resulting mish-mash converts 2 classically designed stories into an overly elaborated pastiche. Irene Adler, whom Holmes forever after referred to as "The Woman", becomes in this version a high-class blackmailer. In the film - not the original - he admires her because she had bested him on an other occasion (involving a sizeable theft). The photograph in question, instead of a relatively innocent formal photo of the King of Bohemia and Irene Adler, is made into a clandestine snapshot of a far more scandalous nature. Holmes is determined to obtain this for his client, now the Crown Prince of Germany, while his brother Mycroft wants to get it for his own purposes.

Holmes does his bit with the preacher disguise at Ms. Adler's house, in the end to no avail. As if Ms. Adler's character were not already sufficiently besmirched, her picture and negative found their way into the possession of Mycroft, who sees to it that the Germans receive copies that merely look like the originals - so, unlike "The King of Bohemia", she is unable to make the noble gesture of revealing her own marriage and promising never to use the photo. We may, I suppose, enjoy the joke on the Germans, inasmuch as the Crown Prince is presumably the future Wilhelm II (and is played that way), who is at the very least a right arrogant b*tch. And Holmes' name gets a bit of blackening by the fact that the film shows him stealing a photo of Irene Adler from her home, rather (as in the story) receiving it from the hands of the King of Bohemia as a reward.

We have here reached the nadir of Frewer's four efforts. Any producer who can trash the good name of Irene Adler and even throw a little soot Holmes' way has certainly got the Tabloid Touch. And it was a clumsy job, with muddled motivations and rampant silliness all around.

My review of the whole collection should be available under that title.

Average customer rating:

Possibly one of the poorest engineered DVDs I've ever gotten---Spoilers

Small Town Conspiracy
Starring: Zen Gesner , Jeanetta Arnette , William Morgan Sheppard , James Bates Jr. , and Patrick Cherry
Director: Ralph Clemente
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000MTEFSW
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Product Description

Based on a true account. In Pearl Harbor, no one saw it coming. In Florida City, one man did.

Customer Reviews:

Possibly one of the poorest engineered DVDs I've ever gotten---Spoilers.......2007-06-17

"Small Town Conspiracy" is supposedly loosely based on a true story that the body of a murdered Japanese woman found in Florida City led to the discovery that the US military knew about the Pearl Harbor invasion in advance and were suppressing this information. That President Roosevelt knew of the attacks on Hickam Air Force Base and allowed them to happen to break the US out of their isolationism has been a popular--and persistent--rumor throughout history. I won't speculate on whether those rumors are true or not. I will sum up the movie's premise and mention its quality and allow you to make up your own mind as to whether you want to watch it.

The story opens in Florida City, December 1941. Police Chief John Halloran is called out to investigate the murder of a young Japanese woman. The town doctor mocks him--the Chief doesn't have a clue about what forensics and what the girl's body can tell him.

Worse, John Halloran is seriously encumbered by an alcohol problem. He struggles through the investigation and when he gets a lead, Halloran manages to involve the old chief. Together, they start chasing down a conspiracy that could change the face of the nation.

Halloran ultimately discovers the US military possesses foreknowledge of the Japanese invasion on Pearl Harbor. Halloran attempts to stop the invasion by sending a message to the War Department which was never received.

The film sounded like it'd be an interesting mystery when my husband and I rented it. "Small Town Conspiracy" might have been good had the quality of the DVD been sufficient. We noted several problems:

The soundtrack was out of synch with the speaking and action--particularly noticeable was when a gun was fired out of synch

The soundtrack volume was very poorly engineered. It was impossible to find a good volume level. Music was too loud, speaking was too low, and any gunfire or mechanical noises almost shook the floor.

All in all, I'm grateful I only paid $4 to rent the film. I doubt a purchased copy would be better and I personally would not choose to buy this DVD.

Average customer rating:

Echo of Blue
Starring: Lisa Lamendola , Kimber Sissons , John Rhys-Davies , Julie McCullough , and Craig Patton (II)
Director: Zach Sternheimer
Manufacturer: Pathfinder Home Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008K78X
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Description

There is a rogue killer on the loose who slices up his prey and leads the corrupt city on a harrowing, wild goose chase. No one has ever lived to tell the story. Now with a dead body, a crazed assassin and a murderous partner, a beautiful woman must sift through the lies before she becomes the next victim! Stars Kevin West (Gone in Sixty Seconds, Bio-Dome, Houseguest), Art Lafleur (Santa Clause 2, The Replacements, Jack the Bear, Field of Dreams)

Average customer rating:

Echo of Blue - THRILLER (2003)

Manufacturer: Echelon Entertainment 2
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000A2N0MI

Product Description

A dead body, a crazed assassin, a murderous partner, and a beautiful woman who must sift through the lies before she's the next victim.

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