Customer Reviews

Amazing Stories - Book One [VHS]

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

 

 

I can seriously relate to the characters in the mission. My grandfather was a tailgunner during WWII. Once he was sick and unable to go on a mission. His entire crew and plane were destroyed on take-off. And where would I be? Out of existance. Steven Spielberg directs the first in a series of Amazing stories, a story about heart and survival. Kevin Costner is the captain of a crew of airmen in WWII. The Bellygunner dreams one day of drawing for Disney, and hopes as soon as the war is over, to work in the land of magic.

Kiefer Sutherland, a more serious character and close companion, always keeps an eye out and protects his friend nomatter the cost. On one mission in flight over enemy lands, the plane is hit my enemy fire. The good news is they can make it back to base. But the tragedy is, the door to the bellygunner is stuck and the landing wheels are jammed. Sutherland has a tremendous decision to make, and is faced with a hard decision of his life.

In a tension mounting climax, you see how the dreams and ambitions of one man can change the lives of the others around him forever. Absolutely great.

The other story, The Ring, is funny as all get out. If the decision had been left to me, I wouldn't have stuck these two stories together because they are so different. I would wait a half an hour between the two so you can get the most out of them. Devito and Pearlman have a hard lesson to learn about love, and what it takes to rekindle it. Good stuff.

Maybe someone can explain why this truely Amazing anthology is not on DVD. Given the glut of tv series that have been released, that "Amazing Stories" remains locked away is criminal. [Oddly enough, the most interesting (if short lived) tv series ever made - Level 9, First Wave, Special Unit 2, Dark Skies, Prey, Swift Justice, Strange Luck - remain in blackout. Heck, Firefly, the Lone Gunmen, and Crusade made it to DVD and they lasted no longer than a number of these equally well made shows.] It's just a shame.

I remember watching this Amazing Stories premiere and being
rendered slackjawed for the entire episode. I can remember no
better television, ever. It was like watching 'Raiders of the
Lost Ark', '1941', and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' all
wrapped up in an hour of tension. This is a masterpiece worthy
of film.

...and the DeVito episode is pretty good too.

:)

Haven't got it yet. This may be because I sent 'em an Email explaining that I made a mistake ordering it on VHS and not on DVD. If they have not charged my account, that's OK with me. I will place a new order for the video on DVD soon. Sincerley Tom T.

Best episodes are on this VHS. It is becoming very rare and hard to find becuae the DVD series came out. The bonus to buying this VHS tape is that it has a story called, "The Wedding Ring" (see VHS cover)which is not on the DVD or any other tape at this time. It is a great story with Danny Devito and his wife (the short currly haired waitress from "Cheers" - not Diane) and they go a great job of spinning a great yarn. This is worth the money if you can still find it and if you still have a VHS player to see it on. Who knows when and if the DVD version will ever come out with BOTH of these stories, right now you can only get the frist of the two on DVD. Great stuff, take a look!
-Daniel

The first episode, "The Mission", is a very enetertaining tale that anybody under the age of 20 would enjoy. I consists of fighting in WW2 and of the lives of B-17 pilots. It is a miniature "Memphis belle" yet is in its own class. A B-17 has many gun turrets on it, and one is located on the bottom of the plane. In this episode of Amazing stories, the belly gunner's bubble is damaged, and he cannot get out. To make matters worse, the bombers landing gear will not go down, so the crew has to risk a belly landing, which would spell the end of our cartoon-drawing, luftwaffae-fighting, and caring hero, Kevin Costner. The ending is surprising, and has a bit of magic to it. This is, of course, my opinion. And the music by John Williams! WOW! amazing, to say the least. Especially when the AS theme surges as the gunner frantically creates his solution to the problem. If you wanna know how it ends, scroll down as far as you can go

The gunner, being a cartoonist, frantically draws his airplane, while John Williams them races and flares. He draws his plane, and adds a pair of balloony, cartoon tires to the landing gear, which results in an impressive bending of animation and live action, for the time. And thus, the B-17 lands safely, and the gunner is united with his lady, and the crew lives happily ever after.