Customer Reviews

Goliath Awaits [VHS]

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

 

 

I was extremely disappointed with the video copy of "Goliath Awaits". The original movie - I believe it was made for television - was more detailed. The video, in fact, deletes an entire section about the importance of the documents that went down on the Goliath and the U.S. senator that went down with the ship. It leaves a blank space in the film. I wish they had left it alone and made the video the same as the film version. The story is interesting and with the fairly recent discovery of the Titanic time relevant. What if someone had survived underwater? I honestly not sure that whoever edited this film actually watched it first. Bad editing of the plot gives this a 3.

The movie was a very good undersea drama that was 3 hours and 20 minutes long. "Showtime" and "The Movie Channel" used to run this movie in it's full length with a break in the middle. The VHS and Laserdisc versions of this movie have been cut and edited so poorly it ruins the movie. This movie should be released in it's full length. (Maybe they will do it for DVD). Let's hope so. I rated it a two only because of the bad editing in the Video. The movie itself get's a Five!

In 1939, luxury passenger liner Goliath was torpedoed and sank with presumably all hands lost. Discovered in 1981, the salvage crew was a bit startled to find some 337 survivors aboard. It turns out that the heroic crew took measures to "hold the water back" and special pumps were rigged to clean their remaining oxygen. Once aboard, the salvagers discover a quasi-utopian society run by Captain Christopher Lee - but his dicatatorship has more than a few dark secrets.

Engrossing undersea adventure stretches credibility paper-thin but certainly scores points for originality. I haven't seen the condensed video version, but try to catch the complete version on TV or cable.

What would have happened had Dr. Robert Ballard found people living on the Titanic? It is with this premise in mind that one should consider the story of the Goliath. Torpedoed and sunk in the opening days of WWII the British passenger liner Goliath went down with some 300 people aboard. Now skip to 1981 when Mark Harmon (in one of his earliest leading roles) and Robert Forester lead a salvage expition to the ship only to find themselves involved in international intrigue, murder and deep sea adventure culimnating in a struggle between those that want to leave the Goliath and those that wish to stay with their leader (played superbly by Christopher Lee) that is very entertaining. Look for John Ratzenberger in a pre-CHEERS role as one of the salvage divers. While some of the acting seems forced and some of the dialog is awkward, the movie is entertaining and enjoyable and should not be taken too seriously. But by all means wait for the price to go down. I think you will enjoy this movie. It is different.

i will just start off by saying...I LOVE THIS MOVIE!...i watched it when it originally was first shown on tv, and then got a copy on vhs (that i had to pay over $100 for, back when these things were still rare)...now, we have entered the century of dvd's, and yet, this film was incredibly left behind...what they should have left behind was the terrifically horrendous TITANIC, which was more like a high school play compared to this movie...and, of course, with the new version of POSEIDON out (reviving the cult status of the original terrific flick), you would think that someone would get on the stick and get this puppy into production again...Christopher Lee, Mark Harmon, Emma Samms, Frank Gorshin...this was intelligent, and totally believable, given it's 'unique' concept...the acting was great, the sets were perfect, and the script, uncut, couldn't have been more sound...and, if the only way you can view this is in vhs form, i say, dump your dvd, throw away your ps2, trash your xbox, and get back to the basics...

I seen most of this movie many years ago. On a tv mini series. It was great. lots of twists. Been waiting to get a copy for myself so I can see the few parts I have missed. This movie has kept me waiting to see the whole thing for over 15 years

Always have liked Mark Harmon and when this movie originally aired I watched it. I always hoped it would come out on video. The only thing that would make it better is if it came out on DVD and the deleted parts would be added back in. Still would recommend this movie to other viewers.

I watched this movie because a friend recommended it to me and was not dissapointed.Just a great idea that was realised,usually these movies can't keep you interested for the sort of time this does.Later I was able to get it as and ex rental for $2,what a bargain but now my video player has died I am hoping they release it on DVD.But just a fun movie for all ages.

I bought this VHS version of Goliath Awaits! without bothering to first read any of the customer reviews. Big mistake. Had I done so, I might have discovered that this was a "condensed" version, which means that it was edited (in fact about an hour was cut from the film,) and I would never have bought it. 'Cause if there's one thing I can't stand, it's having a good movie cut all to hell. And they sure ruined this one! But I won't despair, because I know that Justice Awaits! There's got to be a special place in Hell for those who edit good movies, and the people at Vidmark and Columbia who did this piece of butchery will surely see it.

I bought Goliath Awaits on tape, clearly edited down to an hour and a half from its original three hour run (airing over two nights back then). That was quite a hack job.

I've read another review that an entire subplot with John McIntire and Jeannette Nolan having a letter was removed. Yes, it was.

Also removed was much of Christopher Lee's explanation about how the atmosphere was maintained.

Another scene cut I always remembered was the diver emerging and the camera is from the diver's view and we see figures standing along the edge and suddenly the diver is shot and killed. This was removed.

I guess alot with Carradine was deleted as well.

What we do end up with is a young, overly-enthusiastic Mark Harmon.

And I had completely forgotten about this "disease" that afflicted the injured with a low, virtually nil, survival rate.

What we are left to enjoy (or try to enjoy) is scenes of Robert Riker, Jean Marsh, Alex Cord, Frank Gorshin, Carradine. Can't help but think this thing, with these people, should have been better.

The editing job is noticeable. I think there is a moment, possibly with Samms, where she is grieving one moment, then right off, she's chirping happily about something else.

Still before one can start to grumble about the plot or pacing, the movie will be over (I do recall watching it back then how it seemed unmercifully long, even then) so perhaps the editing job is for the better here.