Customer Reviews

Black Moon Rising

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4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This review is for the Black Moon Rising DVD with UPC 013131549690 and ASIN: B000WC38DM, from Starz / AnchorBay. DVD Release Date: December 18, 2007.

There are several versions of Black Moon Rising available on DVD. Please be aware that many have VERY poor transfers, are full-screen (cropped), and some are even missing the opening computer "text" that sets up the plot. I've purchased three versions on DVD and this one (The 2007 release) seems to be the only one that finally gets it right.

Black Moon Rising is based on a story by John Carpenter, who is also listed as a co-writer of the screenplay. If you're looking for a good action B-Movie from the 80's, Black Moon Rising should be at the top of your list. Here's why....

Perfectly cast; Tommy Lee Jones totally owns the role of "Quint", a character that should have seen many more big screen adventures. Linda Hamilton, fresh off her "Terminator" success, delivers a fine performance as "Nina", a professional car thief. Film and TV veteran Robert Vaughn (The Man From UNCLE, Magnificent Seven) makes an excellent villain. Even the supporting cast (Bubba Smith, Richard Jaeckel, Lee Ving) are right on target!

I cannot review this movie without also mentioning the OUTSTANDING score by legendary tv and film composer Lalo Schifrin, who is perhaps best known for having created the "mission impossible" theme. I must also mention the incredible "Black Moon" car, which looks absolutely great!

The weakest link within the film is a screenplay that could have used a rewrite, and a few special effects in need of a bit more work. But in the end, it's the cast, music, and overall "style" of the film that more than makes up for the low-budget and script problems.

Black Moon Rising is a low-budget, 80's B-Movie that is certain to entertain! And with this DVD release, we finally get a decent, unedited transfer of the film!!

JM

There are several versions of this DVD available. The newest release is;

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
DVD Release Date: December 18, 2007
ASIN: B000WC38DM

Look for it here on Amazon.

This release is also by Starz / Anchor Bay (DVD Release Date: January 30, 2001), but apparently some people have had skipping issues with this version (see the other reviews). Also, avoid the other releases which are cheap for a reason; most are full screen and poor quality transfers. Some even have the opening "computer text" removed.

I own three DVD versions and my recommendation is to go with the newest (2007) release!

JM

It happens. Wrong time. Wrong place. Who Knows? But sometimes even movies released into regular circulation from the major studios fall through the cracks. This is definitely one of those. Tommy Lee Jones as the industrial spy is as cool and calm as he's ever been. Linda Hamilton is as good as she's ever been and Richard Jaekel turns in another steady performance. The plot is clever and tight enough to satisfy most and the directing by Harley Cockliss (whatever happened to him? This seems to be his only outing) is tight and well paced. This is just a good action thriller, and it has one of the best fist-fight scenes ever. It isn't quite up to the budget of the newer "high concept" titles like Enemy of the State or The Rock, but it's every bit as nifty as those. Jones' performance alone is worth the price of the rental so grab a pizza and a six pack and go for it. Note: The "Guy Factor" is real high here, so all you testosterone-laden males out there are virtually guaranteed a good time.

A previous reviewer stated that this movie was loaded with guy stuff. While this might be true, 90 minutes or so of Tommy Lee Jones (and a couple great love scenes) works for me! Killer fight scenes too. This was a very enjoyable movie. Unfortunately, done before Jones was really appreciated. What took everyone so long?

Is he good, or is he good - best love scene with the best guy in it. Good work, Tommy!

Because it features a character portrayed by Bubba Smith, who is probably the only onscreen persona in all of Hollywood who can appear to intimidate Tommy Lee Jones.

This is the classic John Carpenter action movie. It's one of his original film efforts circa 1986, it features a Tommy Lee Jones, as a thief under contract by the US District Attorney's office. He is charged with retrieving vital records kept at a company and things go sideways upon his escape.

While he is retreating from the theft he is seen by a man from his past. He hides the records in a special prototype car called the Black Moon as he tries to evade his pursuers. And in traditional John Carpenter style the car he hides it in gets stolen by carjacking specialist Linda Hamilton. Jones follows her to a warehouse filled with stolen high priced autos which happens to be owned by suave criminal Robert Vaughn.

If you are a Carpenter fan you'll find a pleasurable film experience in Black Moon Rising. The snappy dialog, the old 80's clothing and the really cool chases made even more spectacular by Carpenter's attention to detail make this a definite must see film.

As with others here, I loved this movie from the first time I saw it. However, I suspected the DVD was a bootleg copy when it first began to play, and so I then popped in my VHS tape. Sure enough, the very first scene, which is only about 30 seconds long, is missing on the DVD. It's critical because the scene sets up WHY the rest of the movie is important... a telex message advising a government operative to use any freelance methods necessary to retrieve accounting files from a company guilty of [...].

Additionally, the sound quality of the DVD is quite bad on my copy, starting out extremely loud and then becoming too soft.

I too hope this movie is tidied up and then re-released. I wish I had waited...

I had the opportunity to see this at a movie matinee back in 1986. The audience's reaction to the film was pretty much the same as mine:

* Tommy Lee Jones' performance was the best thing about the whole movie. After years of being typecast as anti-social, sociopathic, and sometimes even psychopathic characters in movies like "The Executioner's Song," "Eyes of Laura Mars," and "Rolling Thunder," Jones was finally given a chance to display his lighter side here. And boy did he deliver. If you loved his performances in later films like "MIB" or "The Fugitive," then you know what to expect from him here. Oddly enough, despite this film's many shortcomings, it was ""Black Moon Rising" that made me a Tommy Lee Jones fan.

* The first twenty to thirty minutes of the film were surprisingly good. The story opened briskly, there was some very sharp dialogue (some of it written by John Carpenter, who had originally been hired to direct), and one solid (and underrated) car chase between Jones and Linda Hamilton.

* The last twenty minutes, where Jones breaks into the high security building to steal back the supercar, were also quite good. There was some great stunt and special FX work, including one action scene that had the audience cheering, as well as a solid, good ol' fashioned, bare-knuckled brawl between Jones and villain Lee Ving.

So what's wrong with "Black Moon Rising"?

Sad to say, pretty much everything in between. After a promising start, this movie goes straight down the tubes and becomes downright BORING. Talk, talk, talk, and very little action. The plot at this point seems to be just spinning its wheels. I still remember the sounds of audience members around me literally stretching and yawning during those long, dry stretches, Jones' presence notwithstanding.

So what's the final verdict? Unlike most movies that are good all the way through or bad all the way through, this one is a mixed bag. At least on DVD you can instantly skip the boring scenes... and believe me, there are a lot of them. But otherwise I wouldn't buy "Black Moon Rising" unless I had money to burn.

One last thing. Some reviewers have mentioned Hamilton's love scene with Jones? Forget it. It's a complete yawner, like much of the film. To those viewers hankering to see Hamilton get hot and heavy, I'd recommend you check out her love scene with Michael Biehn in "The Terminator" instead.

This was and has been one of my all time favorite movies, and to find it on this version of DVD? Incredible. All those commenting naysayers of the plot, the cast, etc - I doubt they were movie nuts of the time as I was. This was new, fresh, the combination of Tommy Lee Jones and Linda Hamilton...absolutely magical. The music score? Unprecedented. If you haven't seen this movie? If you are too young to have seen or even know of it? Invest your money in a terrific movie, with top notch action and love scenes included. And the CAR?? Still hotter than fire.