hmgcpa52 Reviews

Hunters of the Reef (1978 TV Movie)

A Blast from the Past

[7/10 · 11 March 2015]

I first saw this made for TV movie in May, 1978. The other reviews did a fine job of plot detail. I enjoyed the movie because I had moved back to CT from FL in late 1977, and it brought back nice memories of Key West. The pace was very relaxed, as the characters were developed. Nothing heavy, just a nice pace.

I don't remember much about the movie, except William Windom was sort of a butler, pal of the main character. He was smoking his pipe while sipping a cognac. Very nice blend of Island living with a touch of romance, and a touch of deep sea danger! Certainly not Oscar quality, but a decent couple of hours spent relaxing watching a decent movie!

Disclosure (1994)

All in all, a decent movie

[8/10 · 22 December 2009]

I just recently read the novel, so I was excited about renting the movie version. I thought the movie was reasonably close to the book. The movie didn't get into the relationship between Meredith ( a blond in the book, played by Demi Moore) and the Donald Sutherland character. The book version of this relationship was somewhat creepy, but added weight to the interactions between the two.

I thought the characters otherwise were reasonably true to to the book version. I enjoyed Dennis Miller as a wise cracking colleague. He seems perfect for that role, and i know he has played it often.

I have to admit that Demi Moore looked awesome in the movie. She did a movie in the mid 1980's called Blame It On Rio. She was skinny and waif like. Boy, the wonders of modern surgery.

Blue Water, White Death (1971)

The Granddaddy of Them All

[6/10 · 14 July 2008]

I had first heard about this movie in the 1970's from a guy I worked with. He was a diver and boater, and loved the movie. I just finished viewing it at home on my Hi Def. I thought it was a decent movie. Good concepts, a little rough around the edges. Peter Gimbel seemed like an interesting character, kind of an NYC man about town. Probably a good guy to have a few beers with. As many people have commented, there are so many programs over the past twenty or thirty years that have dealt with sharks, that it is easy to forget that this was the first full length documentary dealing with the Great White. So, it deserves much respect as an historical piece. I was thinking that when these people were on the ship for that many months they missed a lot of 1969 things, Super Bowl III with Namath, The Village Gay riot, moon landing, Tricky Dick Nixon's first year in office (that was OK). And of course Woodstock. All for a fish.

The Enemy Within (1994 TV Movie)

Seven Days In May Light

[5/10 · 18 February 2007]

I have seen the original Seven Days in May no fewer than 15 times. I know, I need to get a life. However, the original cast of Lancaster, Douglas, March, Gardner, Houseman, Duggan, etc. was pure magic. The tension was palpable,and the chemistry was awesome.

That being said, The Enemy Within was a light, or lite, version of the original. Could there be more of a mis-casting than putting poor old Jason Robards as the Joint Chiefs Chairman. He looked like he had oatmeal drooling on his bib. Don't get me wrong, he was a very fine actor, and perhaps he could have pulled it off when he was twenty or thirty years younger.

The rest of the cast with the exception of the sultry Dana Delaney was weak. The plot was John Kerryesque nuanced. The ending was farcical.

I enjoy the idea of remaking fine older movies. Perhaps George Clooney can pull it off, as he did with the remake of Failsafe. However, The Enemy Within comes across as a poor man version of a classic thriller.

Executive Action (1973)

Technical Item

[4 December 2006]

If I'm not mistaken there is a scene where Burt Lancaster is watching JFK's motorcade live on TV. This never happened. The Zapruder tape was the only "complete" coverage of part of the motorcade. And the Zapruder film wasn't shown in full to the general public until 1975. Otherwise, I thought it was a good movie. It was released in theaters commemorating the 10th anniversary of JFK's assassination.

Other reviewers have made note of the popularity during the 1970's of Right-Wing, Big-Oil, and Disgruntled CIA types being part of The Conspiracy. There seems to be less interest in Left-Wing, Castro or KGB involvement, though, these could be worthwhile villains. After all these years, I'm still a sole assassin believer.

I also enjoyed the scene where Lancaster is dining at a greasy Mexican restaurant shortly before keeling over and croaking of a coronary. Ed Lauter was perfectly cast as a villain. The following year he played one of the bad guards in The Longest Yard. He is perfectly cast.