Customer Reviews

Fathom (Widescreen)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An Esequensial masterpeice. A polar landscape of our time! Never have I been so overwhellemed and so exuberated as I have become from watching this film. It is so jam-packed with emotion. I laughed, I cried, I wet my pants. What else can I say? I loved this movie! Never before has the presence of aliens and former Presidents been blended so well to create such a wonder for eyes to behold. If I could control the world everyone would own this movie!

It's not possible for me to think clearly when I'm watching a film starring Raquel Welch. However, when it comes to Raquel, I don't mind a befogged state, so FATHOM is a film I've truly enjoyed the five or six times I've watched it thus far. That I would like this film this much surprised me, as I obtained the DVD as one of the films included in the 5-disc RAQUEL WELCH COLLECTION, which I bought mostly for MYRA BRECKINRIDGE, about which I'd heard so much but had never seen. My sheer enjoyment of FATHOM, then, was lagniappe. It's a delightful farce, very light entertainment, and typical of the pop culture feature films of that period. And Raquel's almost constant screen time, combined with the fact of her jaw-dropping pulchritude, makes this an easy film to watch again and again. Admittedly, my affection for FATHOM is slightly nostalgic, as it is so fluffy, it reminds me of my own innocence during the time this film was produced. Also Raquel was the reigning screen goddess of my generation, her rise to stardom synchronous with my puberty. I assume if you're considering buying this DVD, you're motivated by similar affections. Let's fact it: This is not LAWRENCE OF ARABIA; the only art on the screen is what Nature itself embodied in the person of Ms. Welch.

And that's enough art for me. The rest of it is just plain fun. To my taste, this is a sort of extended video, and, instead of it showcasing some MTV rock star, it permits me an uncluttered appreciation for this phenomenally beautiful and graceful woman. If you're a Raquel fan and you're looking for an opportunity to indulge your membership among her fandom, this is a film you'll enjoy. You'll find it a very relaxing, G-rated, escapist fantasy starring the premier screen goddess of our time. It'll be time well spent.

I LOVE this film. Raquel welch is so good in it. This is a great movie for the whole family.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I have always liked this film! Raquel Welch (a very under-rated actress IMHO) is very good here as a amateur sky-diver who gets caught up in the spy game in Spain. The new DVD has a wonderful anamorphic widescreen transfer. It is sharp and colorful and sounds great (the music is quite good). The only extras is a poor looking trailer for this film (full screen) and trailers for Fox's other spy spoof releases, "IN LIKE FLINT", "OUR MAN FLINT", etc. I think it is time to re-evaluate Miss Welch's career and admit that the lady has talent. Start by checking out this film and the wonderful "THREE MUSKETEERS" and "FOUR MUSKETEERS" from Anchor Bay and "FUZZ" with Burt Reynolds and Yul Brynner on MGM DVD. You won't be sorry you did!

It takes real dedication and confidence in one's craft to rise above the leering nature of the script and deliver a layered, subtly nuanced performance. Ms. Welch's sacrifice for art is evidenced by her willingness to flatten her chest and let her leg hair grow for the stunt scenes involving a mad bull.

Seriously, though, I enjoyed the film. A lot. It had some good twists in the silly yet straightforward manner manner of many 60's caper-ish films, a fast pace, some decent writing, some suspense, and nice location shooting.

But it probably would not stand up so well to repeat viewings, as what I enjoyed the most was definitely the skimpy outfits on display. There's nothing like a green bikini to gloss over a movie's shortcomings.

But you knew that.

Raquel Welch is delightful in the sexy spy spoof FATHOM. FATHOM has just been given its long-awaited DVD release along with the similarly-themed MODESTY BLAISE, OUR MAN FLINT and IN LIKE FLINT.

Fathom Harvill (Raquel Welch) is a dental hygienist-turned-skydiver who is recruited by a bumbling investigator and his young sidekick Timothy (Richard Briers) to uncover a man (Tony Franciosa) and his Chinese girlfriend (Greta Chi), who have reportedly stolen military secrets and encoded information that could potentially end in the earth's destruction.

Fathom ends up in a series of near-fatal encounters as the enemy changes at every turn. Fathom, to her horror, discovers that in order to survive she can trust no-one.

The comical script is played dead-seriously with this stellar cast which also includes the fabulous Clive Revill as Fathom's masterly-foil Serapkin. Welch is luminous in what is regarded as her best film of the 60's, and the film is ably-directed by Leslie Martinson. (Single-sided, single-layer disc).

I just got my copy of "Fathom" on DVD ..being a huge Raquel Welch fan,and of 60's spy capers i have patiently waited for this movie to finally come on the market.I saw this movie originally when i was 14 years old,and i tried to see if i could get it on video & DVD,but it wasn't avalible.
Probably because of the nastolgia for 60's spy movies,in part due to the sucess of Austin Powers,these gems are finally being re-released i couldn't be happier!
I really enjoyed this film alot,beautifully shot in Spain,i enjoyed chracters,the sets,cars,the costumes,gadgets,and the music..and ah-em ... Raquel Welch,especially in the lime green bikini peddaling the catamaran.
In today's very graphic, sex-voilence action films,Fathom is refreshing,a throw back to the care-free 60's.
I've been turned on to alot of 60's movies,because of the current tastelessness.. of contemporary Hollywood films,Fathom,the Avengers,early Bond flicks,are the perfect antidote for me.
The whole time i was watching Fathom i could image Austin Powers sitting down next to me saying "yeah baby" whenever Raquel would appear on film.
This movie is a must have for any collector of 60's spy movies,and of Raquel Welch.
Definatly recomended.
The plot is easy to understand,no complicated Tom Cruise "Mission Impossible" here,the bull chase is definatly original in Fathom.Greta Chi who is also very sexy like Raquel in this film is her nemesis,and pulls it off very well...

The first entry in the FATHOM franchise has all the action and sense of good fun that later entries in the series so often lacked. Iconic sex symbol Raquel Welch is in fine form as a skydiving dental hygienist (!!!) recruited by a top-secret government agency to (what else?) save the world. It doesn't bode well for the defenders of all that is honourable and decent, but with Welch on the case as Fathom Harvill, Mother Earth is in good hands.

A very enjoyable spy movie that won't change your life,but will entertain the guys for sure.Wifes and girlfriends will say:you only bought this because you can look at RAQUEL WELCH bikini clad,and they will be right.She was obviously at the prime of her beauty;her legend is justified there.The film is good clean fun with no erotism.So girls if you want your guy to stay at home one night,buy him this movie for father's day or on his birthday.Beware of the inevitable comparaison with a true beauty.Maybe this will force you to start a diet.Sorry,no offense.Oh yeah,about the story,it starts with FATHOM in the sand...No kidding!

It's nothing but a vehicle for Raquel, and a very bad one at that. She's shown in bikini a lot, so if you like the idea of that then it might be worth a watch, if you can tolerate bad acting for 99 minutes. The acting by everyone is very stiff and phony, the script is ridiculous, and there's not a single laugh to be found in it, even though it's allegedly a 'spoof' (the villain looks like the eye-patch guy from "Thunderball", so maybe it's supposed to be a Bond spoof, but if so, it fails even more than words can describe.) This movie involved both the director and writer of the 1966 "Batman" movie, but the humor and cleverness in that film is not in "Fathom", although they obviously tried for the same type of film. I didn't figure on much from this movie, and I like and appreciate sixties films in general, but it delivered even less than I expected. Their first problem was casting Raquel as a skydiver. We see the obvious stunt double doing the hard stuff, then shots of Raquel in a parachute, her hair blowing, against a phony background. Instant disbelief. This is not Fathom the rogue skydiver, this is Raquel Welch, the actress who doesn't have a clue how to skydive. I like to have at least SOME belief in the characters when I watch a movie, but to watch this one, you have to shut off your mind completely and become a total idiot. Raquel looks fantastic, and the soundtrack contains some very good music (almost non-stop, and the only reason for the 2 star rating), but the terrible acting put such a damper on the thing that I could barely make it through it. All the actors recite their corny dialogue as if they're reading from cue cards, with a little bit of 'acting' thrown in, because, well, they're actors (I guess). Raquel tries, but there's nothing good to work with and frankly, I doubt anyone cared - she's just there to look good, and boy does she. It's a shame there's not even a bit of intelligence, sophistication, or successful humor in this film, with the notable exception of the music, which is at various times all of the above. I doubt that even diehard sixties fans and cornball lovers can put up with this failure, unless they're just watching it to look at Raquel, and that was probably the motivation then as now. Skip it unless it's given to you for free.