Customer Reviews

Max Headroom:Original Story [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This, the original British movie, is truly great (also very funny, very scary, very prophetic) - it is archetypal cyberpunk, and was hugely influential, even outside the sci-fi/hacker/geek world. It could perhaps be described as Blade Runner meets Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The music video series that preceded it was weird and funny, the interview show (which I haven't seen) sounds intriguing (especially the William Shatner interview!), and the US series actually lived up to the movie.

But - I've searched all over the internet for Max Headroom on DVD, and all I can find are choruses of people wailing "Why isn't this on DVD?" When the big brains who own the shows actually put them out on DVD, they're going to make a mint.

(Taps foot impatiently...)

Meanwhile, this will do as a stop-gap. Watch and wonder.

Like most people who have seen the original Max headroom shows (the British pilot and the US series), I am amazed at how farsighted a lot of it was. The shows talked about hackers, firewalls and suchlike as long ago as the 1980's.

The thing I most noticed was the way that the Max Headroom series has obviously been copied in later, more recent films, and in particular, the Matrix.

The use of a remote character who is guided by an operator, a near future story, and (this is the killer) a regular character who looks *exactly* like Morpheus (Rick) shows how close the two are stylistically. Funny how nobody else has seen this. Must be down to the no-DVD issue...

In any case, no Sci-fi collector's collection is complete without this. You might have to look hard for the full series though.

Final thought...Hollywood is awash with superhero films, and searching for the next character to convert to the big screen is a task many are probably involved in. I think they could do far worse than Max Headroom. Strapline: "The matrix with humor". Couldn't be worse than Revolutions.

S

Please oh please we want this in digital format. This was a fantastic sci-fi series with the best on screen character out there Max Headroom, complete with his own computer glitches. I first saw this in Australia on TV and would love to have a DVD collector set.

"20 minutes into the future". Strange how things turn out isn't it? In a post apocalyptic society where everything is owned by the corporations (sound familiar) you find a dedicated team of investigative journalists out to expose the underhand tricks by said corps to brainwash viewers of their adverts (to get even more sales) by showing outlawed "blipverts". Adverts with subliminal suggestions that overload our brains with info and cause the viewer to, erm... pop!.

What a treat for retro fans and old crumblies like me that just won't let go :o) Oh yes, great 80s style soundtrack too - and, the good guys win - sort of. Well, at least the hyper geek, Bryce, gets his :o)

Not your regular sci-fi but a good romp none-the-less and it's short enough (barely an hour) that makes the story gallop along at a fast enough pace that even if you hate it, you won't get bored.

Having been a child of the 80s i grew up with the shows and films like Max Headroom. I to as a UK citizen believe the producers of this show should produce not only the original film, with extras (would be great). But to bring out the series on dvd, would be a winner without a doubt.

So come on Mr Producer Sir, listen to us all, from every continent of the world give us Max as we want him on a little digital disc, now is that too much to ask for ???

I agree with he unhipp guy. Why is it that when something new and refreshing comes on tv it doesn't last. Max Headroom was one of our alltime favorites. Maybe it's powerful tv networks hit the tv industry too close to home. Wish they would start it up again. It was thought provoking. We can now sort of see Max's world already. You go in a restaurant and there is a tv on whether you want to see it or not. I don't get cable and find very little worth watching on regular tv. I'd certainly like to have all of Max Headroom on DVD.

sorta like Nirvana's Nevermind closed out Rock and Roll. Nothing worth my time happened since. I'm really shocked it's not on DVD. Oh well, that's one more reason why I'll never get rid of my VHS player.

I have always thought that this version of "20 Min. Into the Future" is the best one.
Very gritty and with a lot of computer elements reminiscent "Brazil".
I was very happy to find it as my old 'off the air' recording had worn out. I'd love to see a DVD version of this.

I saw the movie when it first was available and always wanted to see it again. Now I can watch it as often as I wish.

I totally understand how people are feeling. I keep hoping they'll bring the Series back. For now, I just want it on DVD. If you find the address on who to write to, please let me know.