Customer Reviews

Spellbinder [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Not just one of the sexiest horror movies ever but one of the sexiest Movies ever, period, and also among the scariest movies out there; why this remains unavailable on DVD is confounding (the site here has the same product listed as both a DVD and a VHS, but I believe the DVD part is a typo; I don't think they had DVD even on the drawing board in 1992 and "Spellbinder" doesn't show up on DVD searches).

Springing from a simple premise - while playing basketball one night Jeff (Timothy Daly) and a friend witness a beautiful young woman (Miranda, as played by Kelly Preston in one of her best roles) being attacked by a thug and come to her rescue. From this a romance develops between Jeff and the magical Miranda, which in turn leads to some of the hottest footage ever put on film. What elevates it (in addition to Preston's mind-blowing beauty) is how passionate and into one another the lovers seem to be; the stone-faced, mechanical love scenes in some lesser movies are ineffective (the characters seem to be thinking, 'ah, we got a half hour to kill. Why not? Whatever.') but here both the action and the affection are scorching.

The new idyllic life doesn't stay idyllic for long though, as the identity of the man earlier assaulting Miranda and his reasons come into the light. Miranda is on the run from a cult she became mixed up in that now wants her back as they've chosen her as a human sacrifice. If memory serves me correctly there were allusions to Wicca, although the cult is clearly not Wiccan but Diabolical in nature; the 'Wicca' angle may have been a hook they used to lure in unsuspecting recruits who would have wanted nothing to do with Satanism.

The less rational the scares become the more effective they are, as it leads to the conclusion that the cult not only worships the devil but is powered by him, or else makes the viewer question the perceptions of reality. One of the twists to the movie in the latter half I would have prefered to do without, but others may disagree. It certainly packed a punch. An extremely well-made production that desperately deserves to return from the relative obscurity it's drifted into in recent years; an essential for horror fans, an essential for Kelly Preston fans; and an essential for fans of burning white-hot sensuality.

An attorney (Timothy Daly) rescues Miranda (Kelly Preston) from being beaten up by her abusive boyfriend in a parking lot. Then the two fall in love. However, it turns out that she is a witch as well as a runaway from her coven and they want her back. It turns out to be a satanic cult and they spend the picture chasing the two lovebirds all over town. Ends with a good twist. This movie is wonderfully hammy although sure to offend Wiccans everywhere.

I'll tell you what, this was the movie that got me started on buying movies. Why? After I bought and viewed this movie, I thought all movies that I purchased were going to be of this quality. Sadly, I was mistaken. This is absolutely the best suspense movie I've ever seen. Period. This is a story even my strict christian grandmother enjoyed. Talk about a surprise ending, M. Night Shymalan may have learned a thing or two from this movie. I won't spoil it for you. Just go out and find it.

The story starts with a young lady being physically abused seemingly by man she knows. Her knight in shining amor saves her and takes her into his home and life. Unbeknownst to him, she's being persued heavely by a powerful demonic cult. They seem to need her for some type of sacrafise. Will they get it and if so, how? Excellent but not overpowering special effects and pretty decent acting make this a movie I can watch numerous times. If you enjoy suspense movies, this should be right up your alley. When will the DVD be available? Hurry hurry hurry with it please!!!

All I have to say is WOW! I had no idea what hit me at the end! I never saw it coming, this movie is a must see for all you thriller/horror fans. My friends and I went shopping to get each one of us a copy of this video, but couldn't find it anywhere, (what a shame!).We thought this movie was great because it was not a cheesy horror flick with man made creeps that keep coming back after you kill them, but based on what society thinks of the occult and the ways they operate.This is a classic!

this film i 1st saw on hbo in the late 1980s. very freaky film thru out. the last 30 minutes & the ending is a trip. very good mystery film

This is one of those movies that you catch on one of the cable stations late at night. Although I haven't seen it in years, I really, REALLY wish it would come to Blu-ray and DVD as suggested by many other reviewers/posters here at Amazon.

Kelly Preston's acting skills are a bit "overdone" but nonetheless, she manages to pull it off whereas Tim Daly and Rich Rossovich both shine. Audra Lindley - Mrs Roper from Three's company, does an AWESOME job as Miranda's mother in the office scene where she starts pulling out her hair! And Anthony Crivello as Aldice is also very convincing in his job as a satanist.

All and all, it was a VERY entertaining movie with a few corny parts tossed in for good measure, I presume. But definitely well worth the watch. The ending will shock and SCARE THE S&#T out of you!

"Spellbinder" is a suspenseful, clever and entertaining suspense-thriller of a movie that delves into the dark and malignant world of satanism. Timothy Daly stars as Jeff Mills, an attorney, who falls for a danzel in distress or is she something else? "Spellbinder" does a good job of keeping the viewer on the edge of his/her seat and interested in the movie's storyline from beginning to the very end. As a horror movie, "Spellbinder" really does not fit very well into this particular genre although there are some elements of horror in the movie. From a strictly horror movie fan's point of view, "Spellbinder" leaves a lot to be desired as actual scares are few and far between in this movie, although scene on the beach towards the end of the movie is certainly horrifying and shocking to the viewer. All things considered, this movie is an interesting and rather flambouyant look at the occult/satanism. If you are looking for a clever and entertaining little suspense/thriller with a powerful ending, you should definitely check "Spellbinder" out, but if you are looking for a pure horror movie, keep looking my friend. That being said, you could do a lot worse than watching "Spellbinder" late on a Saturday night. I found "Spellbinder" to be quite entertaining.

I watched this movie around 1995 or so and I loved it. The storyline was very well thought out and it will fool you from the beginning to the very end. It was real nice to see Tim Daly in a different kind of roll than his "Wings" character. He proves in this movie that his acting tallents go far beond comedy. Spellbinder in no way shape form or fashion got even close to the recognition that it should have. It I suppose flew under the radar of most with all the exceptional movies put out in the early nintys. I assure you you will not be in any way (EXCEPT with someones demise @ the very end)displeased with this purchase

You know the formula and can pretty much guess the end. But the journey is worth the trip alone.

Jeff Mills (Timothy Daly) saves Miranda Reed (Kelly Preston) from an apparent abusive situation. The pair falls in love. She charms everyone except Jeff's secretary, Grace Woods (Diana Bellamy); Grace suspects her of being more that what meets the eye.
Will Miranda's past catch up with them?
Can Jeff protect her from impending consequences?
Luckily he has the help of his lawyer buddy and a client that is held up in a bunker.

Naturally Jeff never minds his own business and worst of all no one "Stays in the car".

Unlike most horror films, Spellbinder... no, that would give the plot away. This has to be one of my two favorite films. It's a mystery, but it's not. It's a love story, but it isn't. If you're looking for twist in the the night, Spellbinder is the movie for you.