Reviews

You have never seen a film like this. From the opening titles you know this is going to be something special - they ooze class. The casting is perfect, the dialogue crisp and the action sequences are breathtaking. Much maligned by the intelligensia but a true example of cinema at its most deeply affecting. The athletic performance by the leading man makes this film a must see.

I think all of us will be able to relate to the exploration of taboo themes - in any other director's hands this could have been sleazy and exploitative. It is pitched so well it is a credit to cinema's power to provoke and stimulate thought.

This film will change your life. In the early 80's, audiences left cinemas in a state of shock, unable to cope with their daily lives having been exposed to the vision of this film.

Taking the seemingly unpromising pulp 30's serials as its starting point this film weaves an elaborate web of plot, counter-plot, intrigue, deception and betrayal - most of this lost on the "average" viewer. It is of course an example of cinema as Opera (in the true Wagnerian sense) with Queen's landmark soundtrack - notably making a sly nod to their influence with their rendering of his wedding march from Lohengrin.

This film contains some of the most emotionally stripped-bare performances ever committed to film. It is so rare that a director finds actors so devoted to his vision. It is a genuine ensemble piece, with each element enhancing and complementing the others.

We so often talk of cinema landmarks - Kane, The Godfather, A Bout de Souffle. One film however is too often overlooked by "serious" film critics. I am talking of course about the classic Doc Savage (M.o.B.)

This film is not only exciting but also seriously explores the issue of exploitation of the developing nations by US imperialism. Not to mention kung-fu.

It also possessed the greatest soundtrack in film history (until of course Queen's breathtaking work on Flash Gordon). Although a bit of a rarity, this film is well worth seeking out - it will repay the effort of your search ten-fold.