Shatter

Starring:Stuart Whitman, Lung Ti, Li-Li Li, Peter Cushing, Anton Diffring, Yemi Ajibade, Liu Ka Yong, Pei Chi Huang, Liu Ya Ying, Wei Lo, James Ma, Chiang Han, Chiao Hsiung, Hark-On Fung, Hoi San Lee
Director: Monte Hellman, Michael Carreras
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

This is Really Ticking Me Off
Two movies: One superb, one awful. Split the difference

The Abominable Snowman/Shatter
Starring: Stuart Whitman , Lung Ti , Lily Li , Peter Cushing , and Anton Diffring
Director: Monte Hellman , Michael Carreras , and Val Guest
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0000W5H6U
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Customer Reviews:

This is Really Ticking Me Off.......2006-02-08

these double feature sets are going oop too "beepin" fast i mean look at the "Dracula Prince of Darkness/The Satanic Rites of Dracula,Quatermass and the pit/Quatermass 2" DVD Sets They went oop tooo fast i had to get the Dracula Double feature for 39.99 and the Quatermass DVD set is over 78 Dollers FORGET THAT but this too and to think i just saw this in print just a month ago
jeeeez

Two movies: One superb, one awful. Split the difference.......2005-06-06

This two-disc re-release has been out for nearly a year, but hasn't received a proper review yet. So here goes:

Both of the films on offer were released separately by Anchor Bay several years ago. Both went out of print as individual releases, but Anchor Bay put them back into print by repackaging them together -- presumably to move stock, but also to do latecomers to the world of DVD a favor. Anchor Bay has done the same for most of their transfers of British films made by the famed Hammer Studios. (If you're familiar with MGM's similar line of Midnite Movies, you'll have a sense of what I'm describing.) Each of the titles in these two-disc sets are exactly the same as the original single-disc releases; only the packaging has changed.

The overall quality of Anchor Bay's work is fine. They almost always provide excellent progressive transfers of well-preserved film elements -- usually offering nice extras and enhanced anamorphic transfers. Both of the films here have filmmaker commentaries, theatrical trailers, and half-hour episodes from a "World of Hammer" series narrated by Oliver Reed. (The commentaries are entertaining and worth a listen, but the "World of Hammer" episodes are a waste of time, being little more than film clip compilations.)

The films themselves are not very closely related -- except insofar as both were made by Hammer Studios and both feature Hammer regular Peter Cushing.

"The Abominable Snowman" is a superb fantasy-thriller about an expedition searching for the Yeti in the Himalayas. It features excellent performances and atmosphere, and a highly intelligent script by Nigel ("Quatermass") Kneale. It's similar in style and tone to the atmospheric horror films that Val Lewton made at RKO in the mid-1940s. I highly recommend "The Abominable Snowman," as it is directed by the vastly underappreciated British B-movie master Val Guest. This film is worth the price of the set alone (and it's considerably cheaper than tracking down the out-of-print single disc).

"Shatter," on the other hand, is a lackluster attempt to cash in on the kung-fu craze. The idea is actually pretty good: A hit man is double-crossed after carrying out a job and seeks revenge in Hong Kong. But despite being shot on location, the production values are just too cheap, and the music, direction, acting, and especially the editing are simply sub-par. (It's worth watching just to come back for the commentary, which is pretty honest, but don't expect too much.)

You can find fuller reviews for each film under Amazon's listings for the out-of-print releases. I just wanted to confirm that this set does indeed carry everything the old releases did, and it offers a good deal on "The Abominable Snowman," a film I keep recommending to fans of British cinema or intelligent sci-fi/horror.

Average customer rating:

what can i say?
Ruined by bad performances!
Whew...
A Different Opinion
PLEASE, please, please save your money

Shatter Dead
Starring: Candy Coster , Marina del Rey , Stark Raven , Floura Fauna , and Daniel "Smalls" Johnson
Director: Candy Coster , and Scooter McCrae
Manufacturer: Sub Rosa Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005B62X
Release Date: 2002-05-01

Description

When the Angel of Death impregnates a mortal woman, the dead stop dying. But these zombies are not out to destroy the living; their only desire is to return and be back among us. And now a bloody war has broken out between the living and the dead, bleeding the final survivors from our broken world. Amid this fetid landscape of zombie massacres rises Susan (Stark Raven), a lone woman desperate to get back to her boyfriend and a life of some sanity. And she's not about to let anyone, living or undead, get in her way? New York Filmmaker Scooter McCrae's (Sixteen Tongues) bold new take on the zombie genre won the prestigious Best U.S. Independent Feature Award at the Italian FANTAFILM Festival, which helped solidify its status as a modern horror cult classic. Are you ready to feel the Final Wraith of God?

Features:
-Region 1
-Full Motion Menus
-Three Director and Crew/Talent Commentary
-Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
-Shock Reel/Trailers Sub Rosa Movies
-Original and Bonus Trailer
-Tour of the Shatter Dead House
-and more!

Customer Reviews:

what can i say?.......2007-02-03

I think I found a lobotomised monkey once with more acting skills than these folks. Actually i think the director tried to hire him but the monkey refused stating "the film didn't meet his standards". actually i think the monkey was the director, split personalities and all that...?

How did they film this movie? camera phones were not around back when this was made, but its to shoddy to come from a hand helm vhs video cam, unless they got the camera from a crackerjack box, but then again I read in an interview saying the cracker jack corporation refused to let them use there cams, cause the film didn't meet their standards.

Im to lazy to give a review on the story, which is probably the way the screenwriter felt about having to write it.

Yes this is probably the shoddiest review you'll ever read but this film doesnt deserve anything but shoddy. although i think i spelled a few words correctly so i feel i have done this film too much justice.

Ruined by bad performances!.......2006-02-14

This could have been a interesting little addition to the mostly crappy shot-on-VHS subgenre of low-budget horror films. It's got an original take on the zombie mythos----concious, intelligent,
non-cannibalistic zombies----and a fair amount of style considering it was shot using a video camera.

But the lead actress is so untalented and wretched that she utterly ruins the movie! She shows no facial expression, and mumbles all of her lines in a very nauseating mush that reminds one of drug addicts or mentally retarded people.

None of the other actors are in the least bit capable either, but at least they TRY to act. This woman is, beyond a doubt, one of the worst performers I've ever seen on film (tape?) and every moment she speaks on screen is torture.

But then again, some people have said she did a good job! So who knows. The director is talented, and there are some nice moments in the film. You might like it, but I'm betting you won't.

Whew..........2005-06-14

Okay guys. This is my first "official" movie review for Amazon. I must say, I picked a hell of a movie to start out on. This had to be, the most confusing, pointless, and utterly insulting waste of time that I have ever unknowingly volunteered for.

Not only did the graphics fall incredibly short of par, I have expected for a stage-hand to walk on-screen, or for a mic to appear above her head. I'm not sure what to say for the plot, becuase I have yet to catch hint of one.

I'm sorry that this is so short, but that movie has left me speechless. I have watched literally thousands of movies, and not one of them compare to this... Thank God!

P.S. It has one star, because there isn't a lower rating.

A Different Opinion.......2005-05-01

I wanted to give a different opinion since several reviews were negative.

Shatter Dead is NOT a zombie movie like the Romero movies or 28 Days Later or the Dawn remake. All those are GREAT movies, but this one is different.

This is an artsy movie. The opening segment supposedly explains things, but if I hadn't read the box, I wouldn't have understood. Don't expect horror. Expect creepiness and bizarre stuff, but I don't think anything in this acually scared me.

Why four stars? It's weird. And weird like too many bigger-budget films are not willing to be. I recommend it.

PLEASE, please, please save your money.......2005-01-13

This was honestly one of the single worst movies I have ever seen... and I have seen "Ax 'em," so you know that this movie is bad if I say it ranks with that stinker.

If you are looking for absolutely horrible acting, terrible plot, sub-par lighting, awful editing, bad effects and any number of other undesireable elements, your search has ended. This movie has all the bad stuff and none of the good. I cannot think of even one redeeming element to mention... well, it was better than "Ax 'em," so it has that going for it.

This movie was not even as good as "Hatred of a Minute," which was absolutely horrible.

Do not buy or rent this "movie."

Average customer rating:

BIZARRE, LAUGHABLE COMMENTARY + HORRIBLE FILM = GUILTY PLEASURE?
Pretty good action fare, for non-discriminating fans.
Call him Mr. Shatter!
Quite good for fans of Stuart Whitman.
Downhill fast

Shatter
Starring: Stuart Whitman , Lung Ti , Lily Li , Peter Cushing , and Anton Diffring
Director: Monte Hellman , and Michael Carreras
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005YKIG
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Customer Reviews:

BIZARRE, LAUGHABLE COMMENTARY + HORRIBLE FILM = GUILTY PLEASURE?.......2005-09-10

Everything is great on this DVD except the film. The transfer is crisp and the widescreen is perfectly set. Stuart Whitman just wasn't right in the part and frankly the whole movie was sloppily produced on many levels and they all show. Whatever gets past us, however, will be shouted to us by the uncredited director of about half the movie [only the good scenes, Hellman says], should we choose to hear the audio commentary.

Okay, many films are awful. What makes this film worth commenting on? That's it exactly. The commentary by Monte Hellman and Stuart Whitman is a hoot. Whitman is alone making his audio track in a hotel room and is trying to recall the movie, now some 3 decades behind him, with obvious difficulty. Meanwhile, the uncredited director [by choice, no doubt] is explaining to the moderator how awful the film was and which scenes he did, because he claims after he quit things just got worse. Stuart Whitman's audio is added in here and there as though he were with them. However, after a few minutes, you realize that these guys are not on the same page or even at the same place. Also, Hellman rants about how they had to shoot the scenes as early as possible, "before Whitman had too much to drink". Hellman also goes on to explain how many of the martial-arts actors and production people asked him why Whitman was on the picture. To this he answers, "Whitman was attached to the project before I got started". All the time in the background, Whitman's comments are pouring in a little blurb here and there, like, "there I am in action again". Obviously he had no clue that he was being ridiculed rather cruelly.

After 30 minutes of intermittent audio distractions by the commentators, I had no idea what was going on in the movie and had to start the DVD all over again. Again, I got lost in the commentary. Finally I just had to give up as there was not much to see on the film and I honestly felt very bad for Stuart Whitman being ridiculed and a little guilty for enjoying it a first. This "fun" was entirely at Whitman's expense, so fans might not like to see it. I know I wouldn't. You may, of course, view the film without the commentary. That is your choice, but then all you have is the film -- a very bad film.

Pretty good action fare, for non-discriminating fans........2004-12-27

If you are looking for a prime example of a film that's surprisingly decent in spite of itself, this is it! I've heard all the negative comments regarding "Shatter", from the low budget to the casting of Stuart Whitman. The low budget does show at times, but this film still has a better look than many of the martial arts opuses of the 70's. Whitman has had a history of these kind of tough guy roles, usually in westerns like "The Commancheros" and "Rio Conchos", and does solid work here. And Cushing and Anton Diffring add the expected Hammer polish to the works. The action scenes move at a nice clip, which cannot be said for many films of the era. This is not "Enter The Dragon", but it's better than some of the others.

Call him Mr. Shatter!.......2004-02-09

Back in the 70's, England's Hammer Studios contracted with the famous Shaw Brothers to produce a few movies in Hong Kong. Only two ever came from the union, this tepid movie and the much better Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires (1979). I think the idea behind this movie was to combine the action of kung fu, whose popularity was in full swing thanks to Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon (1973) and the grittiness of Mario Puzo's The Godfather (1972). This hybrid fell short of this lofty goal. Actually, it didn't even come close to the mark, as this movie really sucked rotten eggs. I hesitate to mention this movie with those two, truly wonderful achievements in cinema history, but I wanted to give you an idea of what you're in for here.

Craggy faced actor Stuart Whitman, probably best known for his television work from the early 50's through the 70's, stars as Shatter, a hit man contracted to kill an African dictator. He completes his assignment, returns to Hong Kong to collect his fee, only to discover the double cross is on and finds himself in the position of being a marked man. It turns out he was hired through his normal channels, but only by someone who intended on using Shatter as a patsy, and now he is wanted by various governments and mafias. As Shatter tries to sort out the mess, he meets a master martial artist Tai Pah (Lung Ti). Shatter makes a deal with Tai Pah, promising him half the money he intends to collect for his services render if martial artist will help keep Shatter alive long enough to get the money. This offers the showing of much martial artistry, and while interesting; it didn't really seem to be on par with some of the other Shaw Brothers' releases.

I do give credit where credit is due, as the plot, while fairly complicated, seemed well laid out, and also, the movie did follow it pretty much all the way until the end. Also, as the film was shot on location in Hong Kong, providing a sense of claustrophobia while in the city, but also giving some really beautiful views in and around Hong Kong. The biggest problem, in my opinion, with the movie was that it was just boring more often than not. The action would pick up, and then die out, making for a sense of herky jerkiness (stop, start, stop, start) kind of like driving a car with new brakes. While Stuart Whitman was a serviceable actor, I felt nothing for the character, cared not if he lived or died. The star power in this movie comes from veteran actor Peter Cushing and Anton Diffring, Fahrenheit 451 (1966) and Circus of Horrors (1960), although neither actor appears for any great length of time in this film, but fans of Cushing might find interest here if they're looking to complete a collection.

I commend Anchor Bay on their release, as the movie looks really good in this wide screen format, and there are even some real extras, like a commentary track, a trailer, and a couple of TV spots. There is also a featurette about various Hammer releases, which I've seen included on other Anchor Bay releases of Hammer films. Even with the extras, the best I could give this film would be 2 ½ stars, as it was just a difficult and uninteresting release to sit through. Oh yeah, listen for Shatter's own personal theme music, in that 'wak ki cha' style of the 70's. Nowhere near as entertaining as John Shaft's theme music, but somewhat interesting.

Cookieman108

Quite good for fans of Stuart Whitman........2002-07-02

The print is excellent but what makes this DVD worth purchasing is the audio commentary. The uncredited director Monte Hellman offers some insight into the trouble bound production. Stuart Whitman's commentary is recorded in a hotel room and is not as clear as I would have liked,though his stories are fascinating.

Downhill fast.......2000-12-19

In the early 1970's Hammer films saw their movies slipping, they tried new angles like adding more gore and nudity, but were still falling behind. They decided to join together with Shaw Brothers to make two joint productions that would combine the martial arts elements that Shaw Brothers used with some british actors and some of the elements Hammer was known for. The first result was Legend of the seven golden vampires or the Seven brothers meet Dracula as it called in the states once it was released several years after it was made. That film had it's share of good points and it's share of the bad, which is more than I can say for the second collaberation.

I wasn't expecting Enter the Dragon, but I thought it would have some decent action and maybe a fair spy - drama type plot because Hammer had put out some decent thrillers in the sixties. The plot is like a third rate 70's cop show, guys with lots of guns and very little charater or sense. The fight scenes are not of the terribly phoney variety, but just pretty lame and unspectacular with the sole exception being the final fight scene. It says something when you cannot make a tournament with fighters of varied styles the least bit interesting.

Customer Reviews:

BIZARRE, LAUGHABLE COMMENTARY + HORRIBLE FILM = GUILTY PLEASURE?.......2005-09-10

Pretty good action fare, for non-discriminating fans........2004-12-27

Call him Mr. Shatter!.......2004-02-09

Quite good for fans of Stuart Whitman........2002-07-02

Downhill fast.......2000-12-19

Product Description

Join Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman as they debunk, decode and demystify pop culture's most baffling urban myths and legends. Using modern-day science, they put each myth to the test, separating the real from the really out there. Can a car stereo destroy a car with just sound? Adam and Jamie pump up the bass to find out, while Tory, Kari and Grant hit the road to take on two tall tales from down under. In an incredible feat of mechanical engineering, Adam and Jamie rip out the entire interior of a car, build a giant sub woofer and then power it up by attaching it directly to the drive shaft. Get your earplugs for this one! Meanwhile, Tory, Kari and Grant drive through the outback at super-speeds to test the myth that driving faster provides a smoother ride. While there, the team finds the answer to whether you can stop your windshield from shattering when a stone kicks up...by bracing it with your hand.

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