Body Heat (1981)
89%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
6 nominations total
Made from classic noir ingredients and flavored with a heaping helping of steamy modern spice, Body Heat more than lives up to its evocative title
Body Heat is the kind of movie that makes you want to take a cold shower after watching it. With its steamy ambiance and hot performances from William Hurt and Kathleen Turner, it’s no wonder it’s still regarded as one of the steamiest movies of all time. John Barry’s noirish lounge music and the constant cigarette smoke only add to the film’s sultry atmosphere. It’s pure noir that may force too much on the final thought of Hurt’s character, but it’s still a movie that dazzles in each of its frames. Just make sure you have a fan nearby.
Production Company(ies)
Mediopolis Film-und Fernsehproduktion Skyline Productions, Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Lake Worth, Florida, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 53m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 28, 1981 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 24, 2006
Genre(s)
Crime/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A Preston, Mickey Rourke, directed by Lawrence Kasdan, written by Lawrence Kasdan, produced by Fred T Gallo, crime, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Gary Arnold, James Berardinelli, Ian Nathan, Dave Kehr, Richard Corliss, Nell Minow, Yasser Medina, Kenneth Turan, David Nusair, Mike Massie, Alberto Abuín, Diego Galán, John Barry, film noir, steamy, lawyer, affair, Florida, businessman, criminal, bomb maker, double-crosses, treacherous, R rating, Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros
Worldwide gross: $24,058,838
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,061,163
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,122
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,839,821
US/Canada gross: $24,058,838
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,061,163
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 856
US/Canada opening weekend: $564,593
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $1,902,277
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,213
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $9,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $30,323,595
Production budget ranking: 1,154
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $16,329,256
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $34,408,312
ROI to date (est.): 74%
ROI ranking: 1,045
Kathleen Turner – Matty Walker
Richard Crenna – Edmund Walker
Ted Danson – Peter Lowenstein
J.A. Preston – Oscar Grace
Mickey Rourke – Teddy Lewis
Director – Lawrence Kasdan
Producer – Fred T. Gallo
Writer – Lawrence Kasdan
Director(s)
Lawrence Kasdan
Writer(s)
Lawrence Kasdan
Producer(s)
Fred T. Gallo
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
6 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (1)
There’s no mistaking the fact that Kasdan loves the tawdry genre he’s working in.
May 9, 2017
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
April 30, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Still regarded as one of the steamiest movie’s of all time, Body Heat is a fantastic exponenet of how noir has developed.
February 8, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Lawrence Kasdan’s 1981 noir fable is highly derivative in its overall conception, but it finds some freshness in its details.
February 8, 2008
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Though Lawrence Kasdan’s film is set in today’s South Florida, its characters move through an atmosphere that suggests the confluences of decor and demeanor in a 1940s film noir.
February 8, 2008
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
September 18, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
In his directorial debut, Kasdan crafted an erotic thriller that, in addition to building a low-key homage to film noir, lights up the screen like a cigarette butt with hot performances from William Hurt and Kathleen Turner. [Full review in Spanish]
December 18, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
Body Heat sizzles, smolders, burns.
November 3, 2021
Kenneth Turan
New West/California
…an atmospheric drama that benefits substantially from its moody, steamy ambiance and proliferation of top-notch performances…
October 17, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
John Barry’s noirish lounge music creeps into every other scene, cigarette smoke wafts through every room, and shadows tend to fall across everything.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Pure noir, which may force too much the final thought of Hurt’s character – he’s dumb, but he’s still a lawyer – but that dazzles, never better, in each of its frames. [Full Review in Spanish]
September 10, 2019
Alberto Abuín
Espinof
Body Heat won’t disappoint those who follow it with innocence. It’s a movie made with a certain exuberance. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 21, 2019
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)…
Plot
Ned Racine is a seedy small town lawyer in Florida. During a searing heatwave he’s picked up by married Matty Walker. A passionate affair commences but it isn’t long before they realise the only thing standing in their way is Matty’s rich husband Edmund. A plot hatches to kill him but will they pull it off?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Body Heat.
Lawrence-Kasdan.jpg
Chip n Dale Park Life
Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life
85%RT Audience Score:
Starring: Matthew Geczy, Kaycie Chase, Bill Farmer, David Gasman, Sylvain Caruso
Disney+
Year of Release
2021
Technical Specs
Color: Color
Sound mix: Dolby Digital, Dolby
Aspect ratio: 16:9 HD
Language(s): English
Country of origin: United States
Original premiere: 07/29/2021
Newest season premiere: 07/29/2021
Season Finale:
10/13/2021
Genre(s)
Animation, Comedy, Music, Reboot, Remake, War
Keyword(s)
Childrens Animation Digital Animation, Reboot Digital Animation, Remake, Disney Television Animation, Xilam Animation, TV Shows from 2021, Movies from United States, English Language, GLAAD Media Awards Nominees, Emmy Awards Nominees, PGA Awards Nominees, Critics’ Choice Awards Nominees, Critics’ Choice Awards Winners, Golden Globes Nominees, Golden Globes Winners, SAG Awards Nominees, SAG Awards Winners, DGA Awards Nominees, WGA Awards Nominees, WGA Awards Winners, GLAAD Media Awards Winners, NAACP Image Awards Nominees
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Matthew Geczy
Geczy
Chip
Voice
Kaycie Chase Chase
Dale
Bill Farmer Farmer
Pluto
David Gasman
Butch
Sylvain Caruso
Donald Duck
Cindy Lee Delong
Clarice
Voice
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Executive(s)
NA
Awards & Nominations
NA
Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)
Disney
Stream Now
(Click to Watch)
Coming soon…
Arthur 1981
Arthur (1981)
83%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Arthur is a delightful throwback to the screwball comedies of the 1930s, complete with witty banter, zany situations, and a charmingly drunken protagonist. While some critics may dismiss it as a one-joke comedy, those with a heart of stone will surely be won over by the irresistible charm of Dudley Moore’s performance. The film’s messy finale may seem inextricable, but it ultimately proves to be a spectacularly fitting conclusion to this sparkling entertainment. And let’s not forget that theme song, which will be stuck in your head for days – but trust me, it’s worth the torture. Overall, Arthur is a must-see for anyone who loves classic Hollywood romance and comedy.
If you’re looking for a movie that’ll make you feel like you’re back in the 1930s, then Arthur is the one for you. It’s a classic screwball romantic comedy that’ll have you laughing and swooning at the same time. Sure, some critics might say it’s a bit overrated or hit-and-miss, but who cares? With a heart of gold like Arthur’s, you’ll be rooting for him all the way. Plus, that theme song is so catchy, you’ll be humming it for days. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride with Arthur and his antics.
Production Company(ies)
BenderSpink (DEFUNCT), Langley Park Pictures (DEFUNCT), Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 37m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Aug 30, 2005
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Dudley Moore, John Gielgud, Liza Minnelli, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jill Eikenberry, Stephen Elliott, directed by Steve Gordon, written by Steve Gordon, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Gary Arnold, Variety Staff, Richard Schickel, Roger Ebert, Scott Sublett, Mike Massie, Cole Smithey, David Nusair, John J Puccio, PG rating, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, coming of age, millionaire, arranged marriage, love, butler, New York City, playboy, drunk, rudderless, waitress, Queens, fortune
Worldwide gross: $48,147,945
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $33,035,397
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $40,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $143,113,822
Production budget ranking: 243
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $77,066,793
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
John Gielgud – Hobson
Liza Minnelli – Linda Marolla
Geraldine Fitzgerald – Martha Bach
Jill Eikenberry – Susan Johnson
Stephen Elliott – Burt Johnson
Director(s)
Steve Gordon
Writer(s)
Steve Gordon
Producer(s)
Robert Greenhut
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (35) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (31) | Rotten (4)
One of those rare contemporary entertainments that can be used to contradict people who habitually complain, “They don’t make ’em like they used to!” This time they have.
May 1, 2018
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Arthur is a sparkling entertainment which attempts, with a large measure of success, to resurrect the amusingly artificial conventions of 1930s screwball romantic comedies.
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Moviegoers are hereby alerted to some good fun.
August 22, 2008
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
So little care has gone into the characterizations, the structure, and the situations that the film merely feints at significant comedy.
April 1, 2008
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Overrated one-joke comedy.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Only someone with a heart of stone could fail to love a drunk like Arthur Bach.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
All in all, Arthur is great. Steve Gordon writes funny lines like we have not heard from the screen since the thirties.
May 23, 2022
Scott Sublett
Washington Blade
Unexpectedly, the somewhat messy finale (one of those classic comedy conundrums that seems unthinkably inextricable) manages to be spectacularly fitting.
March 24, 2021 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
As a piece of froth about the fantastically rich, Arthur has been compared to the Depression comedies of the Thirties. Well, second time around we are a bit more wised up and have a right to expect something with more edge.
March 29, 2018
Duncan Fallowell
The Spectator
That song will be stuck in your head for days, but “Arthur” is worth the torture.
October 9, 2017 | Rating: B
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
…suffers from a hit-and-miss quality that wreaks havoc on its momentum…
April 9, 2011 | Rating: 2.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Arthur has endeared himself to millions of viewers over the years.
March 25, 2011 | Rating: 6/10
John J. Puccio
Movie Metropolis…
Plot
A wealthy, perpetually drunk playboy named Arthur reluctantly prepares to enter into an arranged marriage with an heiress, but falls in love with a waitress from Queens and risks losing his fortune if he backs out of the engagement in the comedy film “Arthur.”
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny or odd about the film Signed in.
Steve-Gordon.jpg
An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
87%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
3 wins & 3 nominations total
Terrifying and funny in almost equal measure, John Landis’ horror-comedy crosses genres while introducing Rick Baker’s astounding make-up effects
An American Werewolf in London is a howling good time! This movie is a perfect blend of horror and comedy that will leave you both scared and laughing. The special effects may be a bit dated, but the transformation scene is still a marvel to watch. John Landis did an excellent job of mixing wacky and terrifying touches to keep moviegoers eerily disarmed. If you’re a fan of creature feature filmmaking, this movie is a must-watch. Just be prepared to feel a bit uncomfortable in your own skin afterwards!
Production Company(ies)
RKO Radio Pictures,
Distributor
Live Video, Polygram, Universal Pictures, Vestron Video, MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Crickadarn, Powys, Wales, UK
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 37m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 21, 1981 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 15, 2009
Genre(s)
Horror/Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, Jenny Agutter, John Woodvine, Brian Glover, David Schofield, directed by John Landis, written by John Landis, horror, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Anton Bitel, Gary Arnold, Tom Huddleston, Toby Young, Peter Bradshaw, Robert Hanks, Anthony Arrigo, Matt Brunson, Allison Rose, Kenneth Turan, Matthew Pejkovic, R rating, George Folsey Jr., Live Video, Polygram, Universal Pictures, Vestron Video, MCA/Universal Pictures [us], werewolf, makeup effects, transformation, backpacking, Britain, wolf attack, violent nightmares, mutilated friend, suicide, full moon, man to beast, hospital, nurse, doctor, chess player, dart player
Worldwide gross: $30,678,488
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $103,364,673
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 994
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,272,047
US/Canada gross: $30,565,292
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $102,983,283
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 730
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,786,512
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $12,757,851
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 874
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $33,692,884
Production budget ranking: 1,083
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $18,143,618
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $51,528,171
ROI to date (est.): 99%
ROI ranking: 939
Jenny Agutter – Nurse Alex Price
Griffin Dunne – Jack Goodman
John Woodvine – Dr. Hirsch
Brian Glover – Chess Player
David Schofield – Dart Player
Director(s)
John Landis
Writer(s)
John Landis
Producer(s)
George Folsey Jr.
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
3 wins & 3 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Makeup Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (62) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (55) | Rotten (7)
David’s writhing discomfort in his own skin marks not just the monstrous metamorphosis in and of genre, but also that deep sense of estrangement experienced by any well-meaning if gauche tourist tripping up on local lore and mores.
October 29, 2019
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
I suspect Landis hoped to keep moviegoers eerily disarmed with an unpredictable mixture of wacky and terrifying touches. Unfortunately, his own touch… is so slack and uncertain that the movie ends up dramatically shapeless.
May 9, 2018
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Not just gory but actually frightening, not just funny but clever, ‘American Werewolf…’ has its flaws, but these are outweighed by the film’s many, mighty strengths.
October 30, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Tom Huddleston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
But in a “comedy horror” picture, the “horror” bits aren’t supposed to be this scary. He would have been better off dispensing with the comedy altogether.
October 30, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Toby Young
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Scary-funny is an acquired taste. For me, it tends to be a recipe in which you can’t taste either of the constituent ingredients. The big man-to-wolf transformation scene is still a marvel.
October 30, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Some of the special effects are a little creaky now, but the snap of Landis’s editing and the razor’s-edge balance of horror and comedy are still fresh.
October 30, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Robert Hanks
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
If you’ve never owned this film on home video before, then this is the edition to buy. If you want the best possible video quality, this is the edition to buy.
May 16, 2022 | Rating: 4.8/5
Anthony Arrigo
Dread Central
Until it derails at the end, John Landis’ tongue-in-bloody-cheek thriller does a nice job of mixing its horror with humor.
March 20, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
I don’t think anyone could argue that Landis is an excellent filmmaker, and An American Werewolf in London is a prime example of his talent.
March 15, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
There is something inexpressibly fresh and zany in this kind of macabre humor, a delighting in the sheer movie nonsense of it all, that makes American Werewolf a wacky marriage of the sophomoric and the surreal.
November 3, 2021
Kenneth Turan
New West/California
A howling good horror comedy that continues to be the high standard in creature feature filmmaking.
October 30, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Matthew Pejkovic
Matt’s Movie Reviews
…what a modern film should be; the story is simple and uncontrived, the scope personal and intense, and stakes small but engaging…
September 21, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com…
Plot
Two American college students are on a walking tour of Britain and are attacked by a werewolf. One is killed, the other is mauled. The werewolf is killed but reverts to its human form, and the local townspeople are unwilling to acknowledge its existence. The surviving student begins to have nightmares of hunting on four feet at first but then finds that his friend and other recent victims appear to him, demanding that he commit suicide to release them from their curse, being trapped between worlds because of their unnatural deaths.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film in the Fresh Kernels database.
John-Landis.jpg
Friday the 13th Part 2
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
52%RT Audience Score: 48%
Awards & Nominations: 3 nominations
Friday the 13th Part 2 sets the template for the franchise to follow with more teen victims, more gruesome set pieces, and fewer reasons to keep following along
Friday the 13th, Part 2 is a classic slasher flick that’s perfect for a night in with friends and some popcorn. Sure, the acting is a bit rough and the plot is just an excuse for some gruesome murders, but that’s what makes it so entertaining! Plus, who doesn’t love a good villain? Jason Voorhees is the ultimate horror icon and this movie is where he really starts to shine. So grab a drink, turn off the lights, and get ready for some sado-masochistic fun!
Production Company(ies)
Jolly Film Constantin Film Ocean Films,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Camp Ken-Mont/Ken-Wood, Kent, Connecticut, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 27m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 1981 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 3, 2009
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
Friday the 13th, Part 2, horror, R rating, directed by Steve Miner, produced by Steve Miner, written by Ron Kurz, starring John Furey, Amy Steel, Adrienne King, Kirsten Baker, Stuart Charno, Warrington Gillette, box office performance, budget, reviewed by John Corry, Gary Arnold, Variety Staff, Jeremiah Kipp, Time Out Staff, Roger Ebert, Matt Brunson, Federico Furzan, Brian Costello, People Staff, Sky Staff, genre, slasher, teen victims, gruesome set pieces, Jason Voorhees, Camp Crystal Lake, head counselor Paul, mother’s revenge, drowning, murders, plot holes, tension, suspense, blood, gore, chilling, audience reviews, critic reviews, Tomatometer, streaming, theaters, DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Paramount Pictures, collection, franchise
Worldwide gross: $21,722,776
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $73,190,297
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,174
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 7,981,494
US/Canada gross: $21,722,776
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $73,190,297
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 902
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,429,784
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $21,663,796
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 613
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,250,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $4,211,610
Production budget ranking: 1,938
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,267,952
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $66,710,734
ROI to date (est.): 1,030%
ROI ranking: 119
John Furey – Paul Holt
Adrienne King – Alice
Kirsten Baker – Terri
Stuart Charno – Ted
Warrington Gillette – Jason Voorhees
Self – Steve Miner (Director/Producer)
Self – Ron Kurz (Writer)
Director(s)
Steve Miner
Writer(s)
Ron Kurz
Producer(s)
Steve Miner
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (44) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (32)
The plot is an excuse for joining together horrors, all of the sado-masochist kind, and the acting is rudimentary at best. It probably will make a fortune.
February 9, 2019
John Corry
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Director Steve Miner and writer Ron Kurz introduce more potential victims than they have time or invention to knock off.
February 9, 2019
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Producer-director Steve Miner doesn’t move in and out of scenes with the flair of original producer-director Sean Cunningham nor is he able to create the same nauseatingly realistic murder situations.
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Friday the 13th Part 2 never aspires to be termite art.
February 4, 2009 | Rating: 2.5/4
Jeremiah Kipp
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
This first sequel to Friday the 13th opens with mild panache… The script then jumps five years, assembles a new set of victims at the summer camp, and repeats the gory carnage as before.
January 26, 2006
Time Out Staff
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
This movie is a cross between the Mad Slasher and Dead teenager genres; about two dozen movies a year feature a mad killer going berserk, and they’re all about as bad as this one.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 0.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Basically a lazy retread of the first film.
August 21, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
A terrible sequel that only serves a purpose of establishing a villain. [Full review in Spanish].
June 30, 2020 | Rating: 1.5/4
Federico Furzan
Cinelipsis
Violence, gore, sex, drinking/drugs in slasher sequel.
November 9, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
Brian Costello
Common Sense Media
One monster’s company, II’s a crowd.
March 11, 2019
People Staff
People Magazine
Gory with a hint of humour, this pretty much does what it says on the tin.
March 11, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
Sky Staff
Sky Cinema
There are no real surprises, just plenty of methodical murders, with graphic impaling being the favourite.
February 9, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
Alan Jones
Radio Times…
Plot
Months after Alice beheaded psycho killer/mother Pamela Voorhees at Camp Crystal Lake, survivor Alice is still traumatized because of the murders. But there is one problem: Mrs. Voorhees’ son Jason never drowned and died, so he saw Alice behead Mrs. Voorhees. Jason finds Alice soon and murders her. Five years later, a camp counselor-in-training program begins at Packanack Lodge, right near Camp Crystal Lake. As teenagers in the program start snooping around Camp Crystal Lake, they start getting killed violently one by one.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Friday the 13th, Part 2.
Steve-Miner.jpg
Excalibur
Excalibur (1981)
77%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
2 wins & 10 nominations total
John Boorman’s operatic, opulent take on the legend of King Arthur is visually remarkable, and features strong performances from an all-star lineup of British thespians
Excalibur is a movie that’s like a medieval Star Wars, but with more flames and mist. Some critics think it’s too much, while others think it’s just right. Personally, I loved the magic spells and the cinematography that made the Dark Ages look modern. It’s like Monty Python meets a stainless steel stunner. If you’re into knights and swords and stuff, you’ll definitely want to check it out.
Production Company(ies)
American Zoetrope Zoetrope Studios,
Distributor
Orion Pictures, Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 59m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 10, 1981 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 16, 2007
Genre(s)
Adventure/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
Loading…
Worldwide gross: $34,971,136
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $117,827,842
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 946
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 12,849,274
US/Canada gross: $34,967,437
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $117,815,379
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 649
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,519,706
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $15,228,193
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 781
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $11,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $37,062,172
Production budget ranking: 1,013
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,957,980
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $60,807,690
ROI to date (est.): 107%
ROI ranking: 911
Geoffrey Rush – John
Barbara Hershey – Valerie
Kerry Armstrong – Sonja
Rachael Blake – Jane
Vince Colosimo – Nik
Director – Ray Lawrence
Producer – Jan Chapman
Writer – Andrew Bovell
Director(s)
John Boorman
Writer(s)
Thomas Malory, Rospo Pallenberg, John Boorman
Producer(s)
John Boorman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
2 wins & 10 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (90) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (66) | Rotten (24)
Excalibur is full of visual fustian — flames in the night, mist rising ominously from the ground, bits of klutzy magic. Yet, despite all the rhetoric, the movie never takes off.
June 17, 2022
David Denby
New York Magazine/Vulture
TOP CRITIC
Boorman reveals a wonderfully individual gift for embodying the mystical and the magical.
January 3, 2022
David Robinson
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Excalibur is brilliant but ponderous, sincere but overwrought — a medieval Star Wars foundering somewhere between play and prophecy.
January 3, 2022
Jack Kroll
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Despite its visionary imagery, the movie lacks the archetypal resonance that is a main ingredient of satisfying myth-making… In Excalibur, there’s plenty to look at, but nothing to believe in.
January 3, 2022
Owen Gleiberman
Boston Phoenix
TOP CRITIC
This stilted reenactment of the Arthurian saga finds Boorman evolving into a modernist parody of Cecil B. De Mille, whipping up a kitschy custume spectacle.
December 30, 2021
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Some of the more exquisite intellects among us may find it excessive. The rest of us can call it wonderful.
December 30, 2021
Henry Allen
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Although Boorman was not afraid of weighty images, none of his excesses is really excessive. His images reveal an aesthetic of the supernatural that is necessary to the story of Excalibur.
May 3, 2022
Jean-Philippe Domecq
Positif
Excalibur is a miracle of pacing and seductive rhythm.
January 3, 2022
Lawrence O’Toole
Maclean’s Magazine
The film is held together by Boorman’s singular eye — he and his cameraman, Alex Thomson, are sensitive to the mood of season, to the endless ways light can fall in the forest.
December 30, 2021
Philip French
Observer (UK)
While Boorman’s wide-ranging selection of stories makes sense, his switches in mood and style do not. Mockery and gore seem too closely inter-spliced for either to be effective.
December 29, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Robert Alan Ross
Tampa Bay Times
The film dazzles and scintillates on-screen, marrying the magic spells of Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur with the equally spellbinding cinematography of Alex Thomson to retell these beloved tales from the Dark Ages in a manner most modern.
December 29, 2021
Rick Chatenever
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Part Star Wars, part Monty Python, the film adds up to a whole sharper than its point. On any battleground, Excalibur is a stainless steel stunner.
December 29, 2021
Bruce R. Miller
Sioux City Journal…
Plot
The myth of King Arthur (Nigel Terry) brought once again to the screen. Uthur Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) is given the mystical sword Excalibur by the wizard Merlin. At his death, Uthur buries the sword into a stone, and the next man that can pull it out will be King of England. Several years later, Arthur, Uthur’s bastard son, draws Excalibur and becomes King. Guided by Merlin, Arthur marries Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi) and gathers the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur’s evil half-sister Morgana (Dame Helen Mirren) sires a son with him, who may prove to be his downfall.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
John-Boorman.jpg
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
90%RT Audience Score: 81%
Awards & Nominations: Won 4 Oscars
38 wins & 24 nominations total
It may be too “dark” for some, but Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom remains an ingenious adventure spectacle that showcases one of Hollywood’s finest filmmaking teams in vintage form.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a wild ride that will have you on the edge of your seat. While some critics may argue that the plot is incoherent and the film is mean-spirited, it’s hard to deny the sheer entertainment value of this movie. Harrison Ford brings his A-game as the resourceful and swaggering Indiana Jones, and the action is nonstop. Sure, there may be some tonal miscues and a clumsy love story, but who cares when you’re watching Indy battle it out with a cult of evil priests and dodging booby traps left and right? This film may not be as classic as Raiders or the Last Crusade, but it’s still a must-watch for any action-adventure fan.
Production Company(ies)
Wiedemann & Berg Filmproduktion, Bayerischer Rundfunk ARTE
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Sidi Bouhlel, Tozeur, Tunisia
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 58m
-
Language(s):English, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, Nepali
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 23, 1984 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 13, 2008
Genre(s)
Adventure/Action
Keyword(s)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Adventure, Action, PG, Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, Roshan Seth, Philip Stone, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by George Lucas, Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, produced by Robert Watts, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kathleen Carroll, Patrick Gibbs, Richard Corliss, James Berardinelli, Eric Henderson, Todd McCarthy, Brian Eggert, Matt Brunson, Mike Massie, Joshua Starnes, Danielle Solzman, audience score, gem, kidnapped young boys, East Indian village, night club singer, 12-year old boy, vintage form, ingenious adventure spectacle, Hollywood’s finest filmmaking teams, dark, mean-spiritedness, racism, sexism, jingoism, serials, macabre tale, tonal miscues, clumsy love story, memorable parts
Worldwide gross: $389,925,971
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,313,773,039
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 61
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 143,268,597
US/Canada gross: $248,159,971
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $836,122,504
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 27
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,305,823
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,984,713
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 494
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $18,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $60,647,191
Production budget ranking: 670
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $32,658,512
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,220,467,336
ROI to date (est.): 1,308%
ROI ranking: 87
Kate Capshaw – Wilhelmina ‘Willie’ Scott
Ke Huy Quan – Short Round
Amrish Puri – Mola Ram
Roshan Seth – Chattar Lal
Philip Stone – Captain Blumburtt
Director(s)
Steven Spielberg
Writer(s)
George Lucas, Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz
Producer(s)
Robert Watts
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 4 Oscars
38 wins & 24 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (69) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (11)
Spielberg has come up with another rousing piece of entertainment.
June 24, 2015
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
With the action nonstop there is no time for mere acting, much less for a coherent plot.
December 26, 2013
Patrick Gibbs
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Again you will savor the Indiana Jones schizophrenia: by day a bow-tied, bespectacled archaeologist; by night a resourceful swaggerer, whom Ford brings to life as a modern blend of Bogie and the Duke, with just a glint of misfit psychopathy in his eyes.
January 13, 2010
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s not the darker turn that makes The Temple of Doom uncomfortable at times; it’s its mean-spiritedness.
June 10, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
The reality is that this is the film that comes closest to reflecting the racism, sexism and jingoism that fuelled most of the serials that originally sparked Spielberg and George Lucas’s impressionable young imaginations.
May 21, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Pic comes on like a sledgehammer, and there’s even a taste of vulgarity and senseless excess not apparent in Raiders.
May 5, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The risks taken on Temple of Doom, though initially disparaged, delivered an incomparable escapist yarn nonetheless.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Easily the most underrated film in the franchise, with its dark tone working perfectly in the context of its often macabre tale.
June 19, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
The film as a whole feels like an insignificant episode in Indy’s life, instead of an influential chapter in the evolution of the action genre.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 5/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Speaks to a bravery to experiment which Temple of Doom embraced one last time.
June 24, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Joshua Starnes
VitalThrills.com
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom may have some impressive features but it’s nowhere near as classic as Raiders or the Last Crusade.
May 25, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
Some tonal miscues and a clumsy love story can’t derail action this good, this breath-taking.
September 18, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Christian Toto
HollywoodInToto.com…
Plot
The year is 1936. An archeology professor named Indiana Jones is venturing in the jungles of South America searching for a golden statue. Unfortunately, he sets off a deadly trap but miraculously escapes. Then, Jones hears from a museum curator named Marcus Brody about a biblical artifact called The Ark of the Covenant, which can hold the key to human existence. Jones has to venture to vast places such as Nepal and Egypt to find this artifact. However, he will have to fight his enemy Rene Belloq and a band of Nazis in order to reach it.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found on Fresh Kernels about the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Steven-Spielberg.jpg
Superman II
Superman II (1981)
84%RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 7 nominations
The humor occasionally stumbles into slapstick territory, and the special effects are dated, but Superman II meets, if not exceeds, the standard set by its predecessor
Superman II is like a superhero version of leftovers – it’s not as fresh as the original, but it still gets the job done. The special effects are the real star of the show, and the return of the main characters and the Zod storyline make it worth a watch. Plus, who doesn’t love a good “kneel before Zod” moment? Overall, it’s not the most inspired sequel out there, but it’s still a fun ride for fans of the Man of Steel.
Production Company(ies)
Margate House Films,
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 7m
-
Language(s):English, French, Russian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 19, 1980 Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2001
Genre(s)
Adventure/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Sarah Douglas, Jack O’Halloran, Terence Stamp, directed by Richard Lester, written by Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, Adventure, Fantasy, Action, PG, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Patrick Gibbs, Derek Malcolm, David Robinson, David Denby, Bruce McCabe, Gary Arnold, Philip French, produced by Pierre Spengler, Warner Bros., Superman, General Zod, Kryptonian, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Otis, Perry White, Ursa, superhero, love story, special effects, Richard Donner, Richard Donner Cut, continuity, Clark Kent, slapstick, humor, sequel, 1980, Warner Bros
Worldwide gross: $108,185,706
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $364,508,841
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 417
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 39,750,146
US/Canada gross: $108,185,706
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $364,508,841
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 141
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,100,523
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $47,508,728
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 249
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $54,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $181,941,572
Production budget ranking: 145
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $97,975,536
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $84,591,733
ROI to date (est.): 30%
ROI ranking: 1,243
Margot Kidder – Lois Lane
Gene Hackman – Lex Luthor
Ned Beatty – Otis
Jackie Cooper – Perry White
Sarah Douglas – Ursa
Director(s)
Richard Lester
Writer(s)
Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman
Producer(s)
Pierre Spengler
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (57) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (10)
Alas for good intentions, the new mixture turns out to be much as before, which I didn’t rate very highly.
June 17, 2022
Patrick Gibbs
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Dick Lester’s Superman II makes a groaningly slow start but finally ends up a better movie than Superman I. Of course, it has to be because more of the same would look a bit second-hand another time round.
June 17, 2022
Derek Malcolm
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Superman’s adventures, certainly, could be no sillier — suspending our disbelief, of course, by the expertise of the technology, the prettiness of the art work, [and] the effacing charm of Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder.
June 16, 2022
David Robinson
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Superman II is easily the best spectacle movie of the season.
December 31, 2019
David Denby
New York Magazine/Vulture
TOP CRITIC
The problem is that the film is too unwieldy to maintain any consistency of humor or tone. Whenever the relationships start to develop, the film has tobreak away for a stunt, leaving you feeling depressed and depleted.
April 27, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
What seems to have been lost is the straightforward heroic exuberance of the original film, despite Reeve’s gallant and endearing efforts.
October 4, 2017
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Superman II appears to have been made from discarded scraps retrieved from the wastepaper-basket at the Daily Planet.
June 16, 2022
Philip French
Observer (UK)
What new director Lester did right was bring back all the main characters and revisit the Zod story. He also captured the comic book feel in his storytelling…
January 31, 2022 | Rating: 6/10
Alan Ng
Film Threat
It’s a matching continuation, even if it’s an uninspired one, whose stale direction wasn’t dismissed in later years, prompting fired director Donner to release his own cut.
January 2, 2022 | Rating: 5/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
A very good film that denies the famous saying that second parts are never good. [Full Review in Spanish]
February 12, 2020
Alberto Abuín
Espinof
Like in each of these films, the best part are the special effects. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 15, 2019
Jesús Fernández Santos
El Pais (Spain)
Kneel before Zod, y’all. This is the best Superman movie of all time.
June 18, 2019
Leona Laurie
Geek Girl Authority…
Plot
Picking up where “Superman: The Movie” left off, three criminals, General Zod (Terence Stamp), Ursa, (Sarah Douglas), and Non (Jack O’Halloran) from the planet Krypton are released from the Phantom Zone by a nuclear explosion in space. They descend upon Earth where they could finally rule. Superman, meanwhile, is in love with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), who finds out who he really is. Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) escapes from prison and is determined to destroy Superman by joining forces with the three criminals.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Superman II on Fresh Kernels.
Richard-Lester.jpg
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
98%RT Audience Score: 96%
Awards & Nominations: Won 5 Oscars
37 wins & 24 nominations total
Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.
If you’re looking for a movie that’s got it all – action, humor, and some seriously impressive stunts – then Raiders of the Lost Ark is the flick for you. This adventure-packed film is seriously entertaining, and it’s no wonder it’s considered one of the best of all time. From the heart-pumping action scenes to the clever jokes, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready for a wild ride with Indiana Jones.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Sidi Bouhlel, Tozeur, Tunisia
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 55m
-
Language(s):English, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, Nepali
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 12, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 13, 2008
Genre(s)
Adventure/Action
Keyword(s)
starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Wolf Kahler, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, Philip Kaufman, adventure, action, PG rating, box office success, Frank Marshall as producer, reviewed by David Denby, Scott Cain, Zaki Hasan, Bob Thomas, Arthur Knight, Bruce McCabe, Allison Rose, Frank J Avella, Brian Eggert, Alan French, Dennis Schwartz, Matt Brunson, Indiana Jones, archeologist, occult, U.S Government, ark of the covenant, Ten Commandments, Hitler’s agents, Nepal, Cairo, bravura set pieces, sly humor, white-knuckle action, consummately entertaining, hair’s-breadth escapes, tension, great spirit of high adventure, good humor, museum, rousing action-adventure fun, perfectly cast Harrison Ford, enduring action adventure film, genre classic, original popcorn summer blockbuster, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Lawrence Kasdan, Philip Kaufman, Raiders of the Lost Ark
Worldwide gross: $389,925,971
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,313,773,039
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 61
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 143,268,597
US/Canada gross: $248,159,971
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $836,122,504
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 27
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,305,823
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,984,713
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 494
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $18,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $60,647,191
Production budget ranking: 670
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $32,658,512
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,220,467,336
ROI to date (est.): 1,308%
ROI ranking: 87
Karen Allen – Marion Ravenwood
Paul Freeman – Rene Belloq
Wolf Kahler – Dietrich
Ronald Lacey – Toht
John Rhys-Davies – Sallah
Director(s)
Steven Spielberg
Writer(s)
Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, Philip Kaufman
Producer(s)
Frank Marshall
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 5 Oscars
37 wins & 24 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Art Direction Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (89) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (85) | Rotten (4)
Spielberg has made a pure-fun extravaganza that is like a thirties serial, only grander, funnier, and blessedly free of interruptions.
June 17, 2022
David Denby
New York Magazine/Vulture
TOP CRITIC
Sensational… Under Steven Spielberg’s witty and brisk direction, “Raiders” depicts more hair’s-breadth escapes than would seem possible in a two-hour movie. This is a terrific moviegoing experience.
November 9, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Scott Cain
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
To quote the man himself in one of his sequels, ‘It belongs in a museum.’
June 15, 2021
Zaki Hasan
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Entertainment that propels the audience inexorably from one excitement to the next.
October 17, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
It’s all done with such a great spirit of high adventure and good humor that you don’t even begin to count the corpses… The finale suggests that Ford’s Indiana Jones character will soon be back with further adventures, and I’m all in favor of it.
June 12, 2018
Arthur Knight
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
Raiders is an assured, relaxed, impressive work. It’s almost impossible to resist. It’s no more substantial than cotton candy — but it’s easily the best piece of entertainment Hollywood has produced in 1981.
April 26, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
For Ford, portraying Indiana Jones offered some similarities to his role as Hans Solo while one major glaring difference was the addition of formal schooling.
June 14, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
Raiders of the Lost Ark is rousing action-adventure fun with a perfectly cast Harrison Ford keeping viewers enthralled for two hours.
June 14, 2022 | Rating: B+
Frank J. Avella
Edge Media Network
From scene to scene the picture surges with nonstop energy and craft.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Forty years since its release, Raiders of the Lost Ark remains one of cinema’s true masterpieces while spawning a worldwide phenomenon.
January 14, 2022 | Rating: A+
Alan French
InSession Film
The popular action pic was a great commercial success despite its lunatic plot.
July 7, 2021 | Rating: B
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
One of the all-time greats. Harrison Ford is perfection-plus as Indiana Jones, so iconic a character that the AFI cited him as the second greatest movie hero of all time (just under Atticus Finch and just above James Bond).
June 19, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy…
Plot
The year is 1936. An archeology professor named Indiana Jones is venturing in the jungles of South America searching for a golden statue. Unfortunately, he sets off a deadly trap but miraculously escapes. Then, Jones hears from a museum curator named Marcus Brody about a biblical artifact called The Ark of the Covenant, which can hold the key to human existence. Jones has to venture to vast places such as Nepal and Egypt to find this artifact. However, he will have to fight his enemy Rene Belloq and a band of Nazis in order to reach it.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no mention of anything goofy, funny, or odd about the film or anyone in the cast in this particular Fresh Kernels entry.
Steven-Spielberg.jpg
Escape from New York
Escape from New York (1981)
84%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 4 nominations
Featuring an atmospherically grimy futuristic metropolis, Escape from New York is a strange, entertaining jumble of thrilling action and oddball weirdness
Escape from New York is a classic film that takes place in a dystopian future where New York City has become a maximum-security prison. The film follows the story of Snake Plissken, a former soldier turned criminal, who is sent on a mission to rescue the President of the United States. With its iconic anti-hero and thrilling set pieces, Escape from New York is a must-see for any fan of action and sci-fi films. Plus, who doesn’t love a good countdown-clock suspense sequence?
Production Company(ies)
DENTSU Music And Entertainment, Nibariki Nippon Television, Network
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Embassy Pictures, AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Fox Theater – 527 N. Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 40m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 2, 2004
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Kurt Russell, Ernest Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, directed by John Carpenter, written by John Carpenter and Nick Castle, action, dystopian, maximum security prison, Air Force One, hostage, criminal, Snake Plissken, Special Forces, freedom, president, Larry J Franco, Debra Hill, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Embassy Pictures, AVCO Embassy Pictures, R-rated, 1981, 1h 40m, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Anton Bitel, Phil Hoad, Arthur Knight, Joshua Rothkopf, Jaime N Christley, Nick Schager, Scott Sublett, MPAA rating, producer Larry J Franco, Debra Hill
Worldwide gross: $25,274,965
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $85,158,646
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,092
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 9,286,657
US/Canada gross: $25,244,626
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $20,215,730
Production budget ranking: 1,360
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $10,886,171
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $54,056,745
ROI to date (est.): 174%
ROI ranking: 701
Ernest Borgnine – Cabbie
Adrienne Barbeau – Maggie
Lee Van Cleef – Bob Hauk
Donald Pleasence – President of the United States
Isaac Hayes – The Duke of New York
Director(s)
John Carpenter
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Larry J. Franco, Debra Hill
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (10)
1997 is the year in which the film’s events are set, but far from being a bright, progressive future, it is a hyperbolic deterioration of 1981’s here and now
November 19, 2018
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
The film plays its social satire broad but strings it along a rail of self-awareness.
October 25, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Phil Hoad
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
It has got an intriguing premise, an effective cast, and it has been expertly mounted.
July 10, 2017
Arthur Knight
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
The movie proudly wears its affection for crusty Sergio Leone archetypes and countdown-clock suspense sequences; Carpenter was Tarantino long before Tarantino was.
July 23, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Most of the images are elaborate confections of urban blight, etched against a nearly unlit soundstage, and the sound mix, until the finale, is rarely louder than Snake’s elbow busting out an old windowpane.
July 17, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jaime N. Christley
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Has a surprisingly measured pace, its set pieces choreographed with a deliberateness at odds with the frantic nature of Snake’s quest.
April 14, 2011 | Rating: B+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
New York as surreal, existential hell was done much better by Walter Hill in The Warriors; Carpenter’s imagery fails to shock today’s jaded audiences.
May 23, 2022
Scott Sublett
Washington Blade
One of John Carpenter’s most popular films remains this futuristic yarn featuring an irresistible hook and an iconic anti-hero.
April 10, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Regardless of how much John Carpenter pays homage to Howard Hawks, or how much Kurt Russell’s performance is rooted in Clint Eastwood’s various onscreen characters, Escape from New York stands on its own merits and achieves something unique.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
What works is the tone, the character, and the deeply cynical attitude towards authority of all stripes.
October 24, 2021
Travis Johnson
Blunt Magazine
[O]ne of the standouts of director/co-writer John Carpenter’s damn-near-unmatched 1976-1988 run of stupendous filmmaking.
July 11, 2021
Justin Harrison
The Spool
A substandard-by-design, low-budget, accidental sci-fi epic that is too good to pass up.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
In the future, crime is out of control and New York City’s Manhattan is a maximum security prison. Grabbing a bargaining chip right out of the air, convicts bring down the President’s plane in bad old Gotham. Gruff Snake Plissken, a one-eyed lone warrior new to prison life, is coerced into bringing the President, and his cargo, out of this land of undesirables.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Kurt Russell as the lead character, Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal.
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