Gargoyles
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Movie Reviews of Gargoyles
Movie Review: gargoyles
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw this movie a long time ago and I liked it. so when I saw that it was out on dvd I bought it.Movie Review: From 70s TV Comes an Ancient Evil
Summary: 4 Stars
A made-for-TV flick that originally aired on CBS in November of 1972, GARGOYLES tells the story of an anthropology researcher (Cornel Wilde) who, with the assistance of his adult daughter (Jennifer Salt), travels to the Arizona desert to investigate an unusual skeleton discovered there. However, when the duo try to transport the bony remains away from the discovery site, they are pursued by a number of gargoyle-like creatures who want to reclaim the unearthed skeleton, and the scientist and his daughter soon find themselves at the locus of an age-old battle between mankind and an evil race of garrulous reptilians.Yes, it's cheesy. But for many horror fans who grew up in the 1970s, it's one of those guilty pleasures that, in spite of any intrinsic sense of good taste, will always have a special place in their nostalgic little hearts--right there next to Wacky Packages stickers and CRACKED magazine. And to be honest, it's really not all that bad, especially when compared to a lot of the other tripe spewed by the one-eyed monster during the "ME" decade.
At times GARGOYLES can be really atmospheric, especially during the night scenes in which the titular creatures attempt to reclaim the bones of their dead, but at other times it is blatantly ridiculous. The first half of the film actually plays better than the second, as the viewer is then offered only brief glimpses of the nightmarish reptilians as they swoop down on moving autos or attack folk in secluded buildings. The "magic" quickly dissipates, however, when the creatures finally appear in full view and the audience can easily see the Gargoyles for what they really are--a group of actors and stuntmen in unconvincing rubber suits. The one exception to this rule is the make-up job on the Gargoyle king, played by former professional football player Bernie Casey. This character looks like a greenish incarnation of Satan himself, and when combined with the eerie vibrato of his voice, he never fails to invoke plenty of gooseflesh.
In spite of the hokey premise of the plot and the rubber-suit monsters, GARGOYLES is definitely a must-see for serious horror fans. There are some genuinely spooky moments, especially early on, and the film is also historically notable for being the first major professional gig for make-up FX master Stan Winston. (Considering the masterful work he's produced in the years since--everything from Cicely Tyson's "aged" skin in TV's THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN to EDWARD SCISSORHANDS to several incarnations of the TERMINATOR--it's not unreasonable to assume that he was responsible for the outstanding make-up of the Gargoyle king and not the rubber suits.)
The DVD from VCI is short on extras, and the image has that same softness common to older TV shows that are transferred to disc. However, the digital transfer was made from the complete, uncut version of the film that was apparently screened only in Europe, and that means that even long-time fans of the show in North America may actually see a few bits they didn't see initially on CBS or during the film's numerous syndicated reruns. Definitely worth picking up a copy.
Movie Review: Alot to like, Alot to dislike.
Summary: 4 Stars
I was born a year after this movie came out, but I can remember seeing scenes from this through out my childhood. I remember my big sister talking about it and when it came on,and I saw that lead Gargoyle, I thought that this must have been the most horrifying and terrible movie ever made. well flash forward about 37 seven years, and now that I'm building my DVD library, I remembered this one. Only problem is that it's was going for like 72 dollars! Yeah right. It certainly is NOT worth that price. I ordered it on VHS just so I could watch the whole thing again. I enjoyed certain aspects of it, Like the beginning, when they talk about Lucifer,and ancient evils, that really sets a creepy mood. The scenes at the old coot's shed are good. The Gargoyles themselves range from genuinely Scary, to downright goofy looking. One scene when the leader Gar guy brings the human girl back to their caves, and his female Gargoyle mate acts jealous, he sort of caresses her then smacks her on her A$$. I burst out laughing, and all creepiness was long gone. I like movies from the seventies, with their sideburns, and period clothes,not to mention cops that wear cowboy hats are always fun! I recommend this old flick to any monster genre fans,it is a good time, but not for the price it's going for right now. This is a five to six dollar movie, don't pay a fortune for it.Movie Review: The End Of The Age Of Man?
Summary: 4 Stars
'Gargoyles' is a made-for-television movie from '72. I fell in love with this film immediately. How could anyone resist, ancient creatures thought to be nothing more than myth and legend are living in an isolated American desert region patiently breeding in the darkness of caves and caverns watching their numbers grow as they await the day to step out into the light of day and wage war against mankind as they did in aeons past. Now that's a storyline I can get into!
Cornel Wilde plays the part of a university professor specializing in demonology who uncovers the gargoyle community with his daughter played by Jennifer Salt (I had a crush on her for awhile).
Good, old-fashioned '70's entertainment that was able to frighten the viewer without having access to all the special effects one has come to expect today.
Movie Review: Very Scary
Summary: 4 Stars
I remember my brother, sister and I all cramming together in a big chair to watch this movie every time it was on TV and get scared every time.
We used to drive from San Diego to Tucson several times a year, so the thought of something like gargoyles living out in the desert at night was very real to us. We used to drive over at night and could always imagine something landing on the roof of the car, like the gargoyles do in this movie. To this day, whenever we hear a strange noise while driving, we say it is the gargoyles.
It is kind of cheesy when we watch it now, but it holds such strong memories for me of us kids all stuffed together in a chair with the sole purpose of getting scared.