Gore Vidal's Lincoln

Customer Reviews:

Another look at who Abraham and Mary Lincoln were.......2007-08-04

I have read Gore Vidal's book many years ago and I obtained a copy of the movie by recording the TV series. But because VHS tape is not very permanent...I decided to order the dvd. The movie follows pretty close to the book. Sam Waterston is an excellent Lincoln. I have seen my fair share of Lincolns over the years with the only other one I like and that Henry Fonda in his portrayal of "Young Mr. Lincoln". The movie moves along with great characters portraying such people as Seward, Chase, Gen. Winfield Scott (John Houseman was an excellent choice). And of course Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Lincoln. All in all, I have certain videos or movies that I can watch over and over again once a month or so. I heard a interview of Sam Waterston regarding his portrayal of Lincoln and that he had to work at that "Western" accent as well as the high-pitched voice that describes Lincoln's speaking. I recommend it to anyone.

Gore Vidal's Lincoln.......2007-08-01

The movie is wonderful. Lincoln is observed by all those who knew him, including his future assassins. It is historically accurate and the actors performances are incredibily authentic and realistic.

Backstairs in the Lincoln's White House.......2007-02-24

Much of Abraham Lincoln's life has been accounted for and reaccounted for a thousand times over. The facts play around in our minds, much without emotional anchors to hold them down. Prolific and outspoken writer Gore vidal penned a "fictional" account of Lincoln in his marvelous book, which a few years later, adapted into a made-for-TV movie. The result, then as now, is an intriguing insights into the personality of the Lincoln family.

The movie starts with Lincoln slinking into Washington DC, for fear of a secessionist uprising in Balitmore, under disguise, for which he was much aligned. Constrasted with Mary's arrival, with hoopla and a thousand suitcases, shows the underlying dichotomy in the famous first couple. Jumping from historical event to historical event, the drama digs a bit deeper into the effects of the events on the family. By the time you've finished the movie, you felt like you've not only have a deeper understanding of the Civil War, but of the Lincolns as well.

Sam Waterson nails, absolutely nails, Lincoln. We see all sides of him. It must have been a daunting role to play. We have solely deified Lincoln, almost erasing his humanity. Waterson brings it back in full force, with all the humor and sadness needed. At first, hearing that Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Todd Lincoln seems like a joke. Who would ever thought that Mary Richards could play someone Hay and Nicolette called "Hell Cat?". But she does. Her decent into madness at the death of Willie is heartbreaking. Richard Mulligan's performance as Sweard is canny, and the ever stalwart Ruby Dee plays Mary Lincoln's dressmaker Mrs. Keckley with all of the sassiness and care required.

I rated this movie four stars, not for content or for acting, but for the DVD transfer. It's simply on the verge of being terrible. The picture quality lacks any quality at all. It appears fuzzy and smoky on my screen quite a bit. As for any special features, forget it. This wasn't ever enough to detract from my enjoyment in watching the show, but this DVD looks like a hack job for sure.

However, Gore Vidal's Lincoln deserves a place in my video library as an interesting examination of a well-known time; well-acted, and tells a great story. I recommend this to anyone wanting an insider's look of a fascinating man and family.

A True Lincoln Portrait.......2007-01-10

Gore Vidal presents the noble yet tragic figure of Abraham Lincoln in a very accurate fashion. Being a professor of history, I appreciate the realism in Vidal's presentation of both the people and events in the story. The struggles Lincoln faced as a politician, president, husband and father are well-developed by Vidal through his dramatic writing. The viewer comes to feel a sense of identity with Lincoln, who is portrayed not only as a great man in history, but also as a man much like you and I might associate with in our everyday lives. While staying fairly true to the historic Lincoln and events of the time, the film's dramatic presentation keep the interests of the viewer who might not necessarily be a history buff. The high quality of Vidal's work actually encourages the viewer to take a further look into other historic representations on film, from which there are many to choose.

magnificent film.......2007-01-09

Brings Lincoln during his presidency back to life. For Lincolnfans a real must.

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King
King
A Civil Rights History Lesson
The struggle to do good
Finally, both MLK & MX are on DVD!

King
Starring: Paul Winfield , Cicely Tyson , Tony Bennett , Roscoe Lee Browne , and Lonny Chapman
Director: Abby Mann
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00066VTU8
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Amazon.com

The late, great Paul Winfield tackles the role of his career in King, an NBC miniseries originally broadcast over three nights in February 1978. Demonstrating a deeply inspired commitment to his performance as civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Winfield's voice and presence are different from King's, but he flawlessly conveys the physical and psychological essence of the man. In the six-hour telefilm written and directed by Judgment at Nuremberg Oscar®-winner Abby Mann, King is portrayed as a courageously devoted crusader for a just cause, whose commitment to nonviolent protest was a heavy burden he bore with miraculous poise and conviction, often at the expense of his health and well-being. Like Winfield, Cicely Tyson is uncannily convincing in her role as King's noble wife, Coretta.

From King's beginnings as a Baptist minister in the early 1950s to his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968, King recreates the pivotal events and speeches of King's life in meticulous detail, and many of those who participated in these historical civil-rights milestones appear in the film (including Rosa Parks, Ramsey Clarke, Ossie Davis, and singer Tony Bennett) or served as consultants during production. And while Mann's first and only directorial effort is somewhat dry and artless, his devotion to factual detail is apparent in every frame, making King the definitive dramatization of MLK's extraordinary life and legacy. The DVD bonus features include three substantial mini-documentaries that explore King's struggle, the civil rights movement, and the making of the film, featuring extensive interviews with Ossie Davis (who plays MLK's father in the miniseries) and civil rights leader Bishop Kenneth C. Unger. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Nominated for nine Emmy AwardsÂ(r), this "astute and compelling" (Variety) biographybased on the remarkable life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., takes an intimate look at one of the world's most public heroes during one of the most tumultuous times in American history. Starring Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson and Ossie Davis, King is a riveting tale that appropriately honors a true legend.In 1950s/60s America, the civil rights movement found its leader in a Southern Baptist minister. Using lyrical eloquence, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., motivated masses of peopleblack and whiteto demand equality by way of nonviolent protest. But in spite of his peaceful agenda, Dr. King was often the target of terrible violence. He was never swayedfrom his path, however; for by the time he was assassinated in 1968, Dr. King had already defined adream that would change a nation forever.

Customer Reviews:

King.......2007-07-03

Written and directed by Oscar/Emmy winner Abby Mann, "King" is a meticulous recreation of MLK¹s mystical odyssey from spirited young Baptist preacher to anointed spokesman for the vast non-militant wing of the Civil Rights movement. The revelation here is the extent to which King did not choose his thorny path, but was chosen, both by his own people and a higher power. Winfield and Tyson (who¹d starred together in the fabulous "Sounder" six years prior) are both superb as Martin and Coretta, and along with Mann¹s incisive script and a stellar supporting cast, they make "King" a powerful and enlightening experience.

King.......2006-08-15

Entertaining and educational. An excellent portrayal of a great american leader and how he changed history. I came away with a better understanding of U.S. history and of non-violent methods for creating political change.

A Civil Rights History Lesson.......2006-03-14

This series allows the viewer to see inside the private and public life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his family. Paul Winfield is an exceptional actor and his protrayal of Dr. King is outstanding. Viewers of this series will learn details of the courtship of Coretta Scott King through Dr. King's assassination. Most notable and enjoyable to see are the cameo appearances of all four of Dr. King's children throughout the series. It is a must see.

The struggle to do good.......2006-01-16

I've seen a few movies on King and have gotten something out of all of them. What I particularly enjoyed about this presentation is how it showed King's vulnerability, his concerns over where political activism would take his life, and how it would effect (even endanger) his family. That's a quandary for many activists, activists we'll never know the names of. I know lawyers who have challenged large polluting businesses and have received threats for their efforts. There are people all over this country/world challenging powerful interests in one way or another who encounter challenges similar to those that King did, or Jesus did.
This DVD provides a good depiction of how it is that people often choose to keep supporting efforts for justice, including people in the entertainment industry like Tony Bennett, and people who once were part of the establishment like Ramsey Clark - both of whom make appearances in the film.
I'm going to get a copy of this DVD and donate it to a Goodwill after all my friends and co-workers have seen it. I want to be sure that people with few resources have a chance to discover it.

"The United States is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today." -MLK

Finally, both MLK & MX are on DVD!.......2005-09-19

Having enjoyed watching the movie "Malcolm X" with Denzel Washington in the title role, I wondered if a movie had been made about the other major figure in the civil-rights/human-rights movement of the 1950s & '60s, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. I searched Amazon's DVD section for him, & sure enough, there was a movie--with Paul Winfield playing the title role. Although the movie itself was made in 1978, the DVD's copyright year is this very year, 2005. The DVD bonus material includes interviews of Ossie Davis, who knew & admired both MLK & MX, as well as played Daddy King in the movie. I was amazed to learn that Al Freeman Jr (who played Elijah Muhammad in the MX movie) also played one of MLK's colleagues in the MLK movie, & that all 4 of the real King children (Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter & Bernice) played other characters in the movie.

Among the differences between the movie & the facts is that the church bombing in which the 4 girls died actually happened after, instead of before, MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech. Also, the funeral scene shows 4 caskets, whereas in real life one family opted for a separate funeral. As for the meeting between MLK & MX, it happened in Washington DC surrounded by reporters & photographers, not in Chicago behind a closed door; in fact, MX had already been killed by the time MLK went to Chicago. And of course, the names of a few characters were changed.

All in all, it's a wonderful movie, with 3 parts lasting about an hour & a half each. Now that I have DVDs of both MLK & MX, I keep them side by side in front of the rest of my DVD collection.

Abraham Lincoln (1930) DVD [Remastered Edition]

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WARNING--NOT RE-MASTERED!
This classic historical film, fully restored on DVD by A2ZCDS
Not A Documentary

Abraham Lincoln (1930) DVD [Remastered Edition]
Starring: Hank Bell , Hobart Bosworth , James Bradbury , Robert Brower , and Frank Campeau
Manufacturer: Tapeworm
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009H72X2
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Description

Abraham Lincoln remains on of the most enigmatic and influential personages in history. Young Abraham Lincoln refuses to be constrained to a country-yokel existence in his native Springfield, Illinois. His vision of a higher calling is actively supported by his lady love, Ann Rutledge Lincoln's success as a lawyer brings him to the notice of political kingmakers as a candidate for the Presidency. Personal tragedy strikes when Ann passes away - he marries the eccentric Mary Todd. Attaining the Presidency, Lincoln finds himself required to take a stand on segregation issues, his historical decision to free Southern slaves catalyzes the infamous Civil War. Compelling scenes of personal doubt - and victory over it - lead up to final victory…and the emancipation of the Western world from slavery. However, bigoted political detractors, headed by John Wilkes Booth take a drastically different viewpoint of this development...

Customer Reviews:

WARNING--NOT RE-MASTERED!.......2007-06-24

Do not be misled by the product description or the "reviews." This product most definitely has NOT been "digitally re-mastered." Suspicions abound once the packaging is inspected and none of the usual re-mastering info is present. Further suspicions are aroused by the blurb on the back which claims the director was "D. W. Dixon"; it was in fact legendary director D. W. Griffith.

The sound is so poor that several scenes are virtually indecipherable. The picture image is atrocious, and in fact this is one of the worst prints of this film--or ANY film--I have ever seen let alone purchased. On rare occasions TCM has shown this movie and whatever print they use is vastly superior.

This is all too bad as this is a very interesting and important film (in spite of too much lipstick on young Abe, but then again Griffith WAS a silent director trying to come to terms with talkies).

Let's hope that a) a REAL re-mastered version of this film shows up; and b) Amazon exercises a bit more caution in its description of products on offer.

The star rating is for this product, not the film.

Caveat emptor.

This classic historical film, fully restored on DVD by A2ZCDS.......2006-05-03

"After watching this classic rendition of Abraham Lincoln's most important years (Abraham Lincoln from A2ZCDS), I know for sure that such a life has not been before and will not be again. He WAS a man - a real man who felt love, joy, despair and hurt just like you and I do. This is more than a historical film - this is an immortal tribute to this country's greatest statesman..."

Not A Documentary.......2006-04-27

I've ordered a few things from this company and most of them were historical documentaries so I sorta thought that this would be as well.

It's not - but that's not a bad thing. It's a work of historical fiction and its fairly well done. You get to see an interesting fictional interpretation of Lincoln - without a l ot of modern narative baggage.

The film is older - and looks it - but in some ways that adds to it's charm.

This is like the original version of the History Channel.

The Lincoln Assassination (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

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Possibly the most complete documentry on Lincoln's murder.

The Lincoln Assassination (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

Manufacturer: A & E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002V7NPM
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Customer Reviews:

Possibly the most complete documentry on Lincoln's murder........2005-01-09

I have always been a history buff. This period (Civil War Era) in particular. Thus, I read and/or watch EVERYTHING I can get my hands on pertaining to the subject. This 2-video documenary is by FAR the most informative program I've watched in relation to the murder of our 16th President.
The first tape pretty much sets the stage, Introducing the "cast of characters". Explaining the emotions of the time. It shows John Wilkes Booth was not simply "some crazy actor", as he is generally portrayed. He was not insane. Passionate, and VERY dramatic (he was a well-known actor,after all!) Hot-tempered and irrational. All the above. But not insane.
Anyway, the first tape details his original plan to capture Lincoln in order to bargain for the release of Confedarate prisoners. Well the war ended, And Lincoln announced he would free the slaves. This infuriates Booth. ("By God, I'll put him through!")The tape ends in Ford's Theater with Booth pulling the trigger....

Now, the second tape is where the "meat" is. It details the carnage in the theater as Booth makes his exit, breaking his ankle,(Is this possibly the origin for the phrase "break a leg"?) The death of Lincoln, the nation's mourning (in North and South) and the fates of those involved in the conspiracy.

In all the program is VERY detailed, complete with excerpts of letters, photographs of many "key" figures(including one of Lincoln in his casket) some actual artifacts(such as the actual knife conspiritor Lewis Paine used to attack Secretary of State Seward that night.), little known facts, and decendants of Booth and Dr. Mudd The "supposed" conspirator who unknowingly set Booth's broken leg.(his actual involvement is still debated today.)

In conclusion, this program goes DEEP into the assasination.

So get this!! The worst that could happen is you learn something!!!

The Last of Mrs. Lincoln (Broadway Theatre Archive)

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What Becomes A Legend Most
"I live from dream to dream--it is NOT better than death."
I Saw The Final Performance of "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln"
THE UNFORGETTABLE JULIE HARRIS
"it's not the years that age us, but the loneliness"

The Last of Mrs. Lincoln (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Starring: Macon McCalman , Jay M. Riley , John Furlong , Royce Wallace , and Patrick Duffy
Director: George Schaefer
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00006CXGV
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Amazon.com

Julie Harris brings depth and grace to one of history's most maligned first ladies in The Last of Mrs. Lincoln. This production, part of the Broadway Theater Archive series, has been adapted for television, but not intrusively. Television allows for cuts and multiple viewing angles, but the feel of a play is very much here. The scenario follows Mary Todd Lincoln and the ill-fated Lincoln family from the year of the president's assassination through the end of Mary's life. The occasional bet-you-didn't-know historical anecdote is thrown in to the dialogue, but otherwise Mrs. Lincoln works well as a play and never feels like classroom fare. Harris reveals Lincoln's stubbornness and tunnel vision where her family is concerned but also lends her sympathy and humor. Though clearly a difficult woman to live with, she is hardly the vicious harridan who has come down through the historical rumor mill. Harris is bolstered by an excellent supporting cast, including Michael Christopher as the much put-upon Robert Lincoln, a young Robby Benson as Tad Lincoln, and Patrick Duffy as Mrs. Lincoln's favorite nephew, Lewis. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

What Becomes A Legend Most .......2005-12-14

I first saw this play during previews of its disgracefully short Broadway run in 1973, and I knew serious theatre was in trouble when audiences simply didn't turn out for this magnificent and important play. I vividly remember that the first time I saw this show, shortly before the curtain rose, the ushers actually escorted members of the audience to better seats, moving us from the rear mezzanine to the front balcony. Without being asked! During previews! I don't ever expect to see that happen again in a Broadway theatre.

When the curtain rose, we were thrilled for a solid two-hours as Julie Harris, in one of the greatest performances I have ever seen on stage, convinced us that she WAS Mrs. Lincoln. The heartache, the loneliness, the humanity and the slow, gradual loss of her sanity were all conveyed convincingly and sympathetically. When I saw this show I was only 19 years old, yet it is one of the few Broadway performances I expect to remember for the rest of my life, mostly because of what happened the second time I saw it, toward the end of the run.

Business never picked up, and the show ran barely two months. We easily got cheap seats again, and at our second viewing, when the play ended, my boyfriend and I went to the stage door to see if we could get an autograph from Miss Harris. After a few minutes, a stagehand opened the door, and asked if we wanted to see her - of course we said yes - and he took us back to the dressing room area and asked us to wait. Imagine our thrill when Julie Harris emerged a short while later in a dressing gown, still in her makeup, and proceeded to speak to us for almost 45 minutes! She talked about the play, the history of Mrs. Lincoln, and especially how disappointed she was in the mixed critical reception that the play had gotten - "this brilliant piece that I am so privileged to appear in" is how I remember she put it. Of course, we spoke enthusiastically about the play and her performance, and I was genuinely touched when she said that she was glad to see that there were young people who could appreciate good theatre and good drama. In the end, I barely had the temerity to ask for her autograph (of course, I did) but she was so very gracious about it. I think that's the memory of the evening I cherish most - how down to earth she was, and how she took the time and interest to talk to two young theatre lovers. I remember seeing her on the Tony broadcast a month after the show closed (yes, she received the award for Best Actress in a Drama for the Last of Mrs. Lincoln) and in her acceptance speech she made it plain that she was disappointed in the critical and audience indifference to this great play. We agreed wholeheartedly, and we were happy that she had won, and that her performance had been vindicated.

When I became aware that there was a DVD of the PBS TV version (which I was never aware of until it became available) I pestered the manager of my local video store until it arrived.

Since then, I have watched the DVD three times, and the piece is just as exciting to me as it was when I saw Miss Harris perform it on stage. I heartily recommend it as both an excellent drama and an eye-opening history lesson. This is what good theatre is about, and this is what DVD's were invented for.

And Julie Harris is what legends are made of.

"I live from dream to dream--it is NOT better than death.".......2005-01-16

Written by James Prideaux and directed by George Schaeffer, this adaptation of the play for which Julie Harris won the Tony Award in 1973, is a stunning example of great theater commissioned for television. Seemingly without friends or allies after the death of Abraham Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln (Julie Harris) is at odds with the world. Her sister and southern relatives have always believed Lincoln beneath her. Congress has refused to reimburse her for installing central heating and indoor plumbing in the White House, and they have refused to approve her pension. The press uses her vituperation to their own advantage, and the fates have taken two of her sons before adulthood.

Julie Harris creates a Mrs. Lincoln who is full of passion and afraid of no one, a woman who is willing to go to any extreme to protect her husband's memory. Bright, often amusing, and very astute, she is also extremely vulnerable, sick with loneliness and worry, and too prideful to bow to politicians. As she moves to Germany, Chicago, St. Augustine, France, Spain, and ultimately back to Springfield, Illinois, always trying to find peace, her lack of contact with reality becomes obvious, though her commitment to her husband's memory never waivers.

A very young Robbie Benson as Tad elicits great sympathy as he tries to help his mother while dying of tuberculosis. Michael Christofer as Robert Todd Lincoln, the scapegoat for his mother's rage, maintains his patient firmness with her but reflects the enormous difficulties of dealing with a self-destructive parent. Denver Pyle as a frustrated Senator Austin locks horns with Mary in a couple of dramatic and hot-tempered scenes, revealing his own love of power in holding up her pension. All the supporting players are outstanding, with a young Patrick Duffy, as her grand-nephew Lewis, a particularly charming addition.

The production belongs to Julie Harris, as Mrs. Lincoln, however. Nominated for an Emmy for this production, she portrays Mrs. Lincoln as a woman full of maddening contradictions, alternating between anger toward Congress and solicitude toward her sick son, between good-hearted protectiveness and a need to dominate, and between independence and complete helplessness. Her range of emotion makes Mary Lincoln live and breathe, and even when Mary is in the grip of her demons, Julie Harris continues to present her as a sympathetic character. A fascinating psychological study of a much-maligned First Lady, this production was a great moment in public television, fortunately preserved. Mary Whipple

I Saw The Final Performance of "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln".......2003-06-08

I was fortunate to be in the audience for the final performance of Miss Julie Harris in "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln" on Broadway. When the curtain came down and the thuderous applause began, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

What can one say about Julie Harris's incredible performance? The entire cast was wonderful, of course, but we're talking about one of the First Ladies of the American Theatre here. My heart broke (along with everyone in the audience) when Mrs. Lincoln wrote (aloud) a letter to her beloved nephew. I tried desperately NOT to shed tears, but the floodgates were shattered all over the theatre. People were sobbing openly. I had seen nothing else that season, but was convinced that Julie would win the Tony Award for best actress. She did.

Screams of "bravo!" greeted Miss Harris as she took bow after bow. I must put this performance along side Geraldine Page in "The Trip to Bountiful," Uta Hagen in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff," Cecily Tyson in "A Woman Called Moses," Jessica Tandy in "The Gin Game," Bette Davis in "All About Eve," and Gloria Foster in "A Hand is On The Gate."

THE UNFORGETTABLE JULIE HARRIS.......2002-11-28

I HAVE ALWAYS REGRETTED NOT SEEING MISS HARRIS ON BROADWAY IN THIS PRODUCTION. THE DVD WHICH I RECENTLY PURCHASED REMINDED ME HOW FORTUNATE THE WORLD OF THEATRE IS TO HAVE PRODUCED SUCH AN INCREDIBLE ACTRESS. THE PERORMANCES THROUGHOUT THIS PRODUCTION ARE OUTSTANDING AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ANYONE WHO TRULY APPRECIATES THEATRE AT ITS VERY BEST. AS ALWAYS, MISS HARRIS GIVES A PERFORMANCE WHICH COMPLETELY CAPTIVATES THE VIEWER. THIS IS NOT TO BE MISSED!

"it's not the years that age us, but the loneliness".......2002-09-06

This 1976 KCET production directed by George Schaefer is a re-creation of the 1972 Broadway play for which Julie Harris won one of her 5 Tony Awards.
Ms. Harris' performance will keep you riveted to the screen in this astounding portrayal of the ageing, troubled, and misunderstood Mary Todd Lincoln.
Exquisitely written by James Prideaux, it's a compassionate portrait of this first lady who's love for her husband made it so hard for her to live without him, and does give insight into certain things. It was Mary who installed many improvements in the White House (like plumbing !), and was never sufficiently renumerated for them by the government.

The final seventeen years of her life depicted are not all doom and gloom, thanks to the script, which is balanced with wonderful wit. I love the dialogue with Senator Austin (well played by Denver Pyle) in a sparse hotel room in Frankfurt, as well as the repartee with a malicious gossip (deliciously played by Kate Wilkinson) during her 1875 stay in Springfield.

The rest of the cast is excellent: Michael Christopher plays her son Robert, who was the only one of their children to live to full maturity, Robby Benson her beloved Tad (two other children had died previously), Priscilla Morrill and Ford Rainey play her her sister Elizabeth and brother-in-law Ninian, and Patrick Duffy their grandson, Edward Lewis Baker Jr.

Customer Reviews:

Reunion of former agent with his agency is fraught with danger........2006-05-03

This science-fiction film stars Robert Conrad as Henry Stanton, a retired C.I.A. operative who is persuaded by his former supervisor (Robert Webber) to accept another mission, one in which it is hoped that he may be able to address a problem of a rogue agent, Robert Golem (Richard Young), who is homicidal, with his victims being Agency and high government officials. Stanton is accompanied in his efforts to locate the vicious renegade by another former Agency employee, now one of Golem's targets, Mary Cassales (Karen Austin) who reveals to her new partner that the killer as an almost indestructible robot, designed for assassination purposes, and that she was instrumental in its production. The script, by director Sandor Stern, contains some interesting material, and neatly explains Asimov's three laws of robotics, but elements of romantic love between the two protagonists and between Golem and a smitten woman (Jessica Nelson) seem extraneous, and a point of view is difficult to find throughout. Conrad is most effective during the film's first half, when he is able to use his deceptively simple naturalistic skills, and Austin always contributes a developed interpretation, with only a lack of any sensual chemistry between Conrad and her serving to somewhat hamper the narrative's rhythm. Stern directs well and the work never becomes dull; however, his scenario is rather serried with story lines and he loses his way as the picture moves along, inevitably giving most emphasis to a series of frenetic action scenes, most of which demonstrate the android's superhuman physical talents. Although obviously derivative, the score by Anthony Guefen is effective, and particularly so in connection with scenes meant to generate feelings of suspense, while Chuck Arnold handles the cinematography nicely and there is crisp editing as always by James Calloway.

Assasin.......2005-09-21

This movie is about scientists creating a bionic killing machine that (gasp!) turns on them, escapes, kills on his own, and needs to be tracked and caught by the scientist who created him. It's cheesey and very "80"'s but I love it! Well acted with actors we all know but not sure from where and even throws in a robot love scene! great!!!

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Assassin
Starring: Nick Angotti , Karen Austin , Jonathan Banks , Len Birman , and Chuck Courtney
Manufacturer: Legacy Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00022KM18
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Unsolved History ~ Plots to Kill Lincoln

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Unsolved History ~ Plots to Kill Lincoln

Manufacturer: Discovery Channel
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NNRC96

Product Description

Unsolved History is history the way it was! Through detailed examination of archaeological and forensic evidence, existing photographs, authentic artifacts, and carefully selected interviews from eyewitnesses and experts events are reconstructed and historical questions are finally answered. Before John Wilkes Booth fired that fatal shot in the balcony of Ford's Theater on the night of April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was the target of at least five other assassination conspiracies. Join the experts from Unsolved History as they use the latest forensic analysis techniques and stage dramatic recreations of historic events to shed light on each of these little-known plots. Learn about a secret plan to ambush the President-elect's coach as he traveled to Washington to deliver his inaugural address. Discover evidence of a Confederate scheme to kidnap Lincoln and use him as a bargaining chip at the post-Civil War negotiation table. Plus, historians reveal a crude plan to kill Lincoln with Yellow Fever, details of a land mine that was nearly buried beneath the White House and more. Finally, take a closer look at the one successful assassination attempt. Ballistics experts examine the available forensic evidence to determine just which firearm Booth used to shoot Lincoln, while historic documents expose the killer's connections to the shadowy Confederate Secret Service.

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Assassin
Starring: Nick Angotti , Karen Austin , Jonathan Banks , Len Birman , and Chuck Courtney
Manufacturer: Westlake Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Description

In this sci-fi thriller, Robert Conrad stars as Henry Stanton, a former goverment operative who is called out of retirement by his supervisor ( Robert Webber) to bring in a homicidal rogue agent, Robert Golem's (Richard Young). Stanton is joined by on of Golem's targets, Mary Cassales (karen Austin), who reveals that the renegade agent is actully an indestructible cyborg, a super weapon, created by a deranged scientist and programmed to terminate key goverment officals, including the President.

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