Although Universal Pictures danced around Anthony Perkins a little claiming that Christopher Walken was interested in portraying Norman Bates in Psycho II, Perkins knew his time to play hard to get had come. Would they cast Psycho II without him? They wouldn't, and he knew it. As quickly as you can yell "Mother"! he was signed to reprise the role and the Bates Motel was back in business. And for the most part, the twenty-three year wait for the sequel wasn't for nothing.

After twenty-two years of psychiatric treatment, Norman Bates has been judged restored to sanity and is released. Vera Miles, reprising her role from the original, makes her displeasure about this known. Meanwhile Norman moves back home and takes a day job in a diner while a sleazeball hired by the hospital (Dennis Franz) runs the motel. At the diner Norman meets a young waitress (Meg Tilly) whom he invites home after she has a falling out with a boyfriend. Shortly afterward things start to happen: Norman sees "Mother" up in the window again, he gets phone calls from "Mother," he hears "her" voice, and complicating things are a few murders that Norman thinks he might be responsible for. Is Norman slipping again or is someone persecuting him? Or is there someone else in the house?

Psycho II received a generally positive reception and it has a professional look and fine cinematography, and director Franklin treats Hitchcock's material respectfully while adding some stylish touches of his own. Jerry Goldsmith's touching piano score is an ironic contrast to Bernard Herrman's frantic strings in the original film. Anthony Perkins is great in his role and comes across as a sympathetic character, more so than the original. It's interesting to note that in the original film the violence decreased as time went on, but here the violence increases throughout the film. But it's not nearly as bad as some of the early 80s slasher films. The premise for the movie is great and there is genuine suspense and scares, with plenty of mind tricks worthy of the original. The first half is pretty taut but then it starts to unravel in different directions, which is an unfortunate lapse. I don't think the ending is believable but it's certainly a surprise when you get there. Besides Perkins and Miles, Virginia Gregg also returned to lend her voice to "Mother."

Released by Goodtimes Home Video on DVD in March 1999, this is as bare bones as it gets: Presented in full frame 1.33:1 with Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound, there are no extras to speak of. Hopefully Universal will put together a DVD edition that this movie is worthy of.

Original director Sean S. Cunningham returns to direct the "last" installment. After being blown to bits by the FBI, Jason Voorhees' remains are sent to the coroner, who for some reason takes a bite out of his heart. The coroner then becomes possessed by Jason's soul; he becomes a killer, and then his victim, and the next, and soon the townspeople don't know who's a killer and who isn't. Despite Pamela Voorhees' claim in the original film that Jason was "her only child", it turns out that Jason has a sister, and Jason-hunting bounty hunter Creighton Duke believes that a Voorhees can only die at the hands of another Voorhees. And so it goes...

An admittedly watchable sequel; I was thrown off by Jason's "death" in the first ten minutes, and then not knowing who was "it" or not. Available in a gorier unrated version, the only "Friday" film released unrated so far. Then again, this is a New Line release, whom are much more generous than Paramount. Despite the second sequel to be tagged as "final", "Jason X" opened in April 2002.

As the paperback cover states, longtime Beatle insider Peter Brown dishes out the dirt, National Enquirer style. Written with the cooperation of the Beatles, their wives/girlfriends etc., there was nonetheless a backlash when they read what went to print (though they didn't deny much of it) and he was forever cut from the Beatles' inner circle. Lots of information about the drug and sexual habits of those cuddly Liverpudlians, as well as the antics of manager Brian Epstein. Nice to know these things, but I think I'll just listen to their music.

This novelization of "Halloween" should delight fans of the movie; it follows the movie to the letter and expands the storyline. After young Michael Myers murders his older sister on Halloween 1963, he's institutionalized and everyone who so much looks at the kid the wrong way has an "accident". Only his psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, isn't fooled by this charming sweet-faced lad and struggles to convince his superiors that minimum security is no place for the kid. But, hey, nobody ever sees the kid doing anything, so minimum security it is. His sentencing judge ordered him tried as an adult, but before his hearing the twenty-one year old Michael jumps the fence on October 30th, 1978. Loomis, livid as ever because no one listened to him, trails Michael back to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. While Loomis gets only lukewarm support from the sheriff, Michael robs a hardware store of a fright mask, rope, and a few knives, and sets out to relive Halloween of so long ago. He stalks teenage Laurie, Annie, and Lynda, who remind him of his sister. After killing two of them and one of their boyfriends, it's a fight to the finish between Michael and gutsy last one out Laurie Strode, who finally believes that there is indeed a "Boogeyman".

Well-written and paced, Curtis Richards expands on John Carpenter's storyline much better than any of the latter film sequels. We learn that Michael had a mentally ill grandfather who also had a poisonous rage against young lovers. Michael talks as a child and we get his third person viewpoint. We get Laurie Strode's thoughts on the evils of Halloween and then, when she gets confronted with them. Plenty of teenage chatter that's even better now that I read this as a adult. Unlike the movie, very little restraint with violence and sex. I wish Richards had written the "Halloween II" novel, because that one can't hold a candle, or a jack-o-lantern, to this one.

We deserve this. After countless...VHS and DVD releases, that awful 1980's colorized version, and that blasphemous 1998 re-edit (John Russo, I'm still not over you!), this is the edition that's a keeper. After violent fan reaction to the aforementioned, George Romero comes to the rescue with a beautiful transfer, THX certified sound, and enough extras to keep you busy for hours. Trailers, TV spots, the amusing parody "Night Of The Living Bread", interviews with stars Duane Jones and Judith Ridley, an insightful commentary by George Romero and cast, and footage from a "lost" George Romero film. As another reviewer pointed out, you have to use the >> on your remote control to go through the shooting script, photo gallery, cast members' scrapbooks, and the posters and collectibles, but it's still a treasure trove for "Dead" fans.

While John had "Imagine", George had "All Things Must Pass", and Paul and Wings had "Band On The Run", Ringo was practically in the bread line. By rock star standards, anyway. So his old mates pitched in to help the Beatle peacemaker with a hit record. With it's "Sgt. Pepper" type cover (look who's in the front row) the Beatle magic is still there. The humble Ringo belts out John's "I'm The Greatest", reminding us that Billy Shears is alive and well. Paul recorded the charming "Six O'Clock" and sent it to Ringo to add his lead vocal. And the first Starkey/Harrison collaboration "Photograph" was a chart-topper. I particularly like Ringo's own "Step Lightly" as well as the no-nonsense "Devil Woman". I'm not as sold on the hit "Oh My My" but I don't have any complaints. Bonus tracks include his hit signature tune "It Don't Come Easy" as well as "Early 1970", where he yearns to "see all three". Sadly, that never happened. And this success led Ringo to release an album a year during the 1970's. Shut my mouth.

1970's megaproducer Robert Stigwood hit a bump in the road when he tried to create a storyline out of characters from various Beatle albums. This has to be seen to be believed - George Burns with an electric guitar singing "Fixing a Hole"? Donald Pleasance singing "I Want You She's So Heavy"? Steve Martin makes a hilarious screen debut playing "Maxwell" from the "Abbey Road" track "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". Earth, Wind and Fire, Aerosmith, The Bee Gees and Peter Frampton are watchable in this assault on the senses that is now a camp classic. Lots of laughs and entertainment for bad movie fans, and I wonder why "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" hasn't done this turkey proper justice.

John Lennon posthumously narrates his life, with input by Yoko Ono, former wife Cynthia, sons Sean and Julian, and friend Elliot Mintz (those other three guys declined to participate). Film certainly captures moments; his youth, Beatlemania, Yoko, the "Bed-in", his deportation troubles, etc. But other unsavory elements aren't mentioned; such as his brief heroin addiction, and even though May Pang offers comment, his affair with her is only touched on briefly. Am I poo-pooing this? No. I'm just describing it. There's a few moments of uneasy premonition, such as when John laughs when a fan letter predicts an assassination attempt, or when he states that fortunately he doesn't know the future. Highlights include verbal judo between John and cartoonist Al Capp, as well as the music and a peek into his treasure trove of home movies. A must-have for fans, and a rough demo of "Real Love" opens the movie, which the other three Beatles completed in 1995.

After realizing that he's going to "stay this color", Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) leaves the black sharecroppers that raised him to find his way in the world. Navin is as dumb as they come, and in his travels he encounters a sniper, a carnival, his first love (Bernadette Peters), and his patented invention that revolutionizes eyewear! A hilarious rags-to-riches-to-rags story, and Martin is certainly an underdog to root for here. His only intelligent move was his invention, and even that went awry. Hysterical dialogue and situations still stand up wonderfully today.

High school science nerd Scott Baio develops telekinetic powers after mixing marijuana and plant food. He and buddy Willie Aames scheme to use it while gambling, playing baseball, and opening blouses...not necessarily in that order. Actually pretty funny (those who don't care for this sort of thing might want to pass) with a great supporting cast: Stuffy Robert Mandan as the principal, Sue Ann Langdon as a horny teacher, Heather Thomas as the snotty blonde bombshell, and Scatman Crothers is hilarious as the custodian. Baio's parents are particularly funny. Mindless fun for the "Porky's" and "Ridgemont High" crowd.