Customer Reviews

Tremors Attack Pack (Tremors/ Tremors 2 - Aftershocks/ Tremors 3 - Back to Perfection/ Tremors 4 - The Legend Begins)

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Certainly the jewel in the Tremors series of movies between 1990 and 2004 is the original. It's funny. It's scary. It's suspenseful. It's got a great cast. It's fun to watch! And this DVD release gives you the three follow-on sequels for almost the price you'd expect to spend for the original cult classic by itself.

In the original 1990 "Tremors", you have Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward as the leading characters. Their performance together is (almost) on par with John Travolta and Sam Jackson in Pulp Fiction; the dialogue between these guys is priceless. They truly come across as buddies for life.

The story is simple: a B-movie-esque scenario where giant man-eating subterranean monsters (big wormlike things called aptly named Graboids) start plucking man and animal from the surface in a remote desert town. Bacon and Ward are trapped by the underground beasts with little known Finn Carter and mercenary neighbors (Michael Gross) and his wife (Reba McEntire). The result is a fun story of everyone saving themselves and finding a way to kill the monsters before the monsters eat them all.

Tremors 2 is very entertaining. Another fun movie and an above par sequel. But gone is the realistic notion that the original movie carried with "these-people-are-trapped-and-have-no-choice-but-to-fight-the-monsters-themselves". Instead remnant cast members Ward and Gross (instead of the military or some superior entity) are commissioned to dispose of the reappearance of the Graboids. Kevin Bacon is a huge loss to the the comradery factor that the original held. The flick moves a long well, has a good story, it's still scary and suspenseful, and has a great surprise twist when the Graboids mutate making this somewhat of an original in its own right.

The next two movies, Tremors 3 and Tremors 4 are fair. I could easily spend less time and be as entertained by the much shorter SpongeBob Squarepants 10 minute "Alaskan Bull Worm!" tribute episode to the original Tremors.

Tremors 3 is the better of the two with another mutation twist, and an entertaining story. Michael Gross is back as Burt, but you really have to turn a blind eye to the why-hasn't-anyone-called-the-frickin'-army factor. Tremors 4 is a prequel to the original that is difficult to sit all the way through. There is really no need to elaborate on #3 or #4, because they are both so predictable based on the first two that you can easily guess what they are about and what happens.

A cool thing about all of them is that creator, writer, producer and director SS Wilson is on board for all four flicks to hold everything together better than other films that spawn one too many sequels.

All in all, as I said earlier, the original Tremors alone makes this a very, very worthwhile addition to any collector's movie library, in-genre or out. The addition of Tremors 2 makes this purchase a very easy Add to Cart. "But be advised, Burt, there are two more...I repeat...two more mother-humpers".

PROS

- You get all 4 movies in one box, a great value at about ~$5 per movie!
- The first movie is the best but you'll probably also like the fourth (which is a prequel) and either the 2nd or 3rd if you haven't seen any of them yet.
- Inside is a coupon for $10.50 off a ticket to Peter Jackson's King Kong which opens in theaters 12-14-05 (valid until 1-1-06).

CONS

- Despite the claims on the packaging for 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, all four movies are presented in 1.78:1 NON-anamorphic widescreen. In fact, the video transfers are exactly the same as those on the previous DVDs.
- All 4 movies are on TWO discs - which of course means both discs are double-sided. ARGH. If you're not the type of person to handle optical discs carefully, forget buying this, you'll probably scratch everything up right away, no offense.
- To make matters worse for two double-sided discs, the DVD case Universal came up with is absolutely atrocious. It's one of those double-inset ones, where you've got sub-impressioned spaces for the discs, so you can actually see both discs simultaneously, but in order to remove the disc on the lower inset, you have to remove the disc on the upper inset first because it's on top. And doing that without touching the lower disc is easier said than done. Universal couldn't use one of those convenient double-flip panel DVD cases instead? This approach is just plain aggravating.
- The cardboard slip case that houses the actual DVD case is designed backwards, so the DVD case slips out from the left, instead of the right!
- Four movies on two discs screams cheapness. Why didn't Universal just put together all four DVD sets to make a four-movie mega-package?

MOVIES SYNOPSIS

Sorry, not enough space for write-ups of each movie, but you can read up on them individually here on Amazon, each one has lots of customer reviews! To sum up, the first movie is about the Graboids, big monsters that lurk underground and lurch out when they feel something moving on the ground! Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward are hysterical! The 2nd movie has the "shriekers," the next evolution of the Graboids. The 3rd shows the "ass-blasters," the next next evolution. Gotta watch to find out why they're named that! Finally the 4th is set in 1889 and goes back to the origins of the Graboids.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Universal took some time to tweak the individual movies' special features for this package, so you'll find some additional stuff not on the previous DVD releases of the movies (some stuff was re-organized too).

TREMORS (1990) - Disc 1, Side A
- Newly added Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track, with optional subtitles
- BONUS MATERIALS
-- The Making of Tremors, 53:34, 10-part documentary with optional subtitles
--- "How It All Began" (pre-production)
--- "Building Perfection"
--- "The Mechanical Effects"
--- "The Cast"
--- "Photography and Editing"
--- "The Creatures"
--- "The Miniatures"
--- "The Cliff"
--- "The Ending" (features an alternate ending)
--- "Creature Featurette"
-- Outtakes, 05:12
-- Featurette, 03:58 (behind-the-scenes clips)
-- Theatrical Trailers, 04:03 (collection of the trailers, quite a few)
-- Kevin Bacon Profile, 03:02 (video interview on his role, with movie clips)
-- Michael Gross Profile, 02:33 (video interview on his role, with movie clips)
-- Reba McEntire Profile, 02:02 (video interview on her role, with movie clips)
-- Production Photographs, includes 16 stills
-- Tremors 2: Aftershocks Trailer

TREMORS 2: AFTERSHOCKS (1996) - Disc 1, Side B
- Audio presented only in Dolby Digital 2.0
- Tremors 2: Aftershocks Trailer (same one provided on Side A)

TREMORS 3: BACK TO PERFECTION (2001) - Disc 2, Side A
- Audio presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 (not listed in DVD menus though)
- BONUS MATERIALS
-- Spotlight On Location, 14:43, provides a behind-the-scenes and looks back at the franchise with interview clips from producers/crew
-- Trailers
--- TREMORS (same one provided on Disc 1, Side A)
--- TREMORS 2: AFTERSHOCKS (same one provided on Disc 1, Side A)
--- TREMORS 3: BACK TO PERFECTION

TREMORS 4: THE LEGEND BEGINS (2004) - Disc 2, Side B
- Audio presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 (not listed in DVD menus though)
- BONUS MATERIALS
-- Audio commentary track, with director S.S. Wilson (also directed Tremors 2) who gives an informative commentary and provides interesting bits on production and casting
-- You're on the Set of TREMORS 4: THE LEGEND BEGINS, 12:03, provides a behind-the-scenes and includes interview clips from producers/crew

I am a huge fan of the Tremors movies, and am very excited to see a box set funally being released. The first movie is excellent, the foundation for many good sci-fi/fantasy movies, the beginning is slow enough to actually introduce the movie, but exciting enough to have you hooked, then comes Tremors 2: Aftershocks, new setting, new challenge, new characters, same classic storyline and still has Micheal Gross as Burt Gummer, the match made in heaven for an actor to a part. Tremors 3: Back to Perfection, back to the original detting with a few new characters and yet another exciting twist and an all new way to save the day. Then comes Tremors 4: The Legend Begins, One of the only good prequels in movies to date. All this for only $26 list price? An excellent buy.

Like many fans, I grew up around these films. When I heard that they were to release a box set I was very, very excited. Upon getting this box set as a gift I was shocked to discover that...

1) The only season of Tremors: the Series is not included in this set and the Sci-Fi channel still has it locked away in their vault.
2) The majority of the special features are gone except for those of the first film and about half of the fourth film. The fourth film I had rented once and saw a very entertaining short film and I was shocked to discover it was no longer there.
3) The movies are on 2 duel sided discs, meaning that they are cheap and prone to damage if you are not extremely careful with them.

On the good side though, you do get all four films for the low price of 20 dollars. I love all of the tremors films (yes even the third one which gets a bad rap, even by me sometimes), I hope that some day there will be a fifth one and that even though the series deserves a much better box set, this one will do until the one day release the TV series and the rumored 5th film. Hoped this review helped.

This DVD is by far a much better improvement in the way of audio and video.
There was another review I read that said they aren't anamorphic and are the exact same transfers. I have no idea what DVD he is talking about because these movies are all anamorphic, all 5.1 (except tremors 2) and the first 2 have been remastered. They look brilliant compared to the earlier releases. I did a screen shot comparison and they are way sharper and cleaner.
Get this set if you love the movies and are looking to upgrade your previous DVDs.

"Tremors" is one of my hubby's favorite movies, so I bought the "Attack Pack" set as a Christmas gift for him. It had been a while since we saw #1 and #2 (never saw 3 & 4), so we had a "Tremors marathon" and watched all of them over the course of a few weekends. What fun we had!!!

The secret to enjoying all four movies is to have an open mind and just let yourself be entertained. Don't get hung up on comparing them with each other, don't pick at the details, just get your bowl of popcorn, sit back and get ready to have a good time.

Before I rate the box set and the four movies I would like to give you a brief history of my life with these films. When I was really young I use to always ask my dad to rent Tremors and we would all set and whatch it. But when I got a bit older and I could understand things better I became afraid and was scared of Grabiods coming up from underneath are house and eating me. Anyways after about two years I got the guts to whatch Tremors 2: After shocks. And Afterwards I was agian afraid of Grabiods and now Shriekers attacking me. Finally after about ten years of not watching them, me and my buddy Travis got to talking about Tremors and he asked me what Grabiods where. So I dicided to draw him pictures of them and after a few days I ended up creating a Tremors comic. So after becoming so involved with Tremors again I decided to watch the first film again. And after it ended, I bought it off Amazon and a week later I bought the third movie and then another week after that I bought the second. I had literly gone a 180 from fearing Tremors so long ago to become a huge fan. And when the fourth finally came out I had my family, my friend Travis and his brother hooked. Now after being a huge fan and watching the four films over and over I can finally rate them. The original Tremors is by far the best; with it's all star cast and great story line. The second best would have to be Tremors 4: The Legend Begins because it stays more true to the first and it shows how it all began. Tremors 2: After shocks would be third best since it stared Earl and Gummer and Tremors 3: Back to Prefection would have to be the worst since it's story is weak, its short and it takes the evolution thing a bit far. Overall this is a great pack of all four Tremors movies and if I hadn't boughten all of them aready I would buy this Attack Pack. Ps. Tremors 5 script has been finished and if Tremors 4 sales enough they will make a fifth. And one more thing it would be awsome if Universal would release Tremors: The Series on DVD.

Just a short review of the DVD set itself and NOT the movies: There were featurettes, deleted scenes and a short film on the original DVD of "Tremors 4: The Legend Begins", but they are, for no reason at all, not included in this Attack Pack (you only get one of the featurettes and an audio commentary). The Attack Pack also contains two double-sided flippers, not four discs.

However, the upside is that the first two films, "Tremors" and "Tremors 2: Aftershocks" are both anamorphically enhanced in this set, which they are not on standard, stand-alone DVD, and all bonus features for the first three movies ARE included.

I NOTICED THE MOST HELPFUL REVIEW FOR THIS PRODUCT STATES THAT THE FILMS ARE ALL NON-ANAMORPHIC! THIS IS NOT TRUE! THEY ARE ANAMORPHICALLY ENHANCED FOR WIDESCREEN TELEVISIONS!

This review is restricted to a technical flaw - I found the same problem (described previously) on disk 1 at 1:14 into the movie. The disk play froze and skipped forward about 10 minutes into the movie within about a 60 second period. I returned the entire set and received another in its place only to find the same issue at the same location on disk 1 again. Conclusion: there is a flaw in the recording process that the maufacturer needs to be made aware of.

My only disappointment with this set was that it came on two flipper discs rather than the ADVERTISED four. Maybe not a big deal for some, but if you keep your movies in megachangers like me, it's a PITA. Amazon, please correct your listing!

That said, the content itself is great, and a must have for these classics.