Greetings from Amazon.com Delivers Science Fiction and Fantasy Video
Editor, Sam Sutherland FEATURED IN THIS E-MAIL: * Word for Word: Liam Neeson, Jedi Master in "Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace" * New and Notable: "Terry Pratchett's Discworld: The Wyrd Sisters," "Tom Clancy's Netforce," and "The Hidden" * Wayback Machines: Time Travel Classics * Editor's Choice: "Excalibur" * Advance Orders: "The Matrix," "The Invisible Man," and "Labyrinth" WORD FOR WORD ************* "The wonderful thing about the first 'Star Wars' was how the actors sold it. That was what made it work for me: their nonchalance. They had to make it seem like this reality was everyday stuff for them. I tried to do the same thing, to be kind of throwaway with it." --Liam Neeson on his jump to light speed as one of the stars of "Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace." Read Amazon.com's interview with Neeson at Science Fiction & Fantasy NEW AND NOTABLE *************** "Tom Clancy's Netforce" (NR) starring Scott Bakula and Joanna Going; directed by Robert Lieberman http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1573626449/entertainmentsit Bestselling author Clancy takes the producer's chair in this thriller, originally broadcast on network TV. This time, Clancy steps a few years in the future, where terrorism literally spins the Web in a shadowy collusion between organized crime and ruthless high-tech industrialists. Look for Judge Reinhold's variation on a certain centi- billionaire from Washington State, and supporting roles for Kris Kristofferson and Brian Dennehy. "The Hidden" (R) starring Michael Nouri and Kyle MacLachlan; directed by Jack Sholder http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0780613678/entertainmentsit A riveting, canny fusion of sci-fi and horror, this 1987 feature belies its modest budget and somewhat derivative story line (which evokes "Invasion of the Body Snatchers") through edge-of-the-seat direction, nifty plot twists, and a reliably (and appropriately) spacey performance by Kyle MacLachlan ("Dune," "Twin Peaks"). From the heavy-metal car chase that jump-starts the action to the creepy, unsettling denouement, you'll be glad you found "The Hidden." "Terry Pratchett's Discworld: The Wyrd Sisters" (NR) starring Christopher Lee http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000INBZ/entertainmentsit The world IS flat, after all, in Terry Pratchett's droll, fanciful fantasy cycle, which has proven a cult favorite in print. Now Pratchett's vision of this alternate reality arrives as an animated miniseries that captures the spirit of Pratchett's books and the humor of the three slightly batty witches who shape the story. WAYBACK MACHINES: TIME TRAVEL CLASSICS ************************************** Talk about reruns: the idea of traveling through time has fascinated authors since Mark Twain and H.G. Wells, and moviemakers have been trying to beat the clock since early in science fiction history. Amazon.com contributor Bryan Reesman goes reeling through the years to reconsider time- hopping features from "The Time Machine" to "The Terminator." Science Fiction & Fantasy EDITOR'S CHOICE *************** "Excalibur" (R) starring Nicol Williamson and Nigel Terry; directed by John Carpenter http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/630027179X/entertainmentsit Director John Boorman revitalizes the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in this stylish, darkly compelling conception of the Camelot myth. Lush Irish locales, riveting (and bloody) battle sequences, and a smoldering eroticism underscore an Arthurian story that contemplates the collision of paganism with an approaching new order. The great cast includes Helen Mirren, as well as early screen time for two young Irishmen named Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne. ADVANCE ORDERS ************** "The Matrix" (R) releases September 21 (DVD only) starring Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne; directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000K19E/entertainmentsit Here comes another irresistible inducement to plunge into DVD--the release of the Wachowski brothers' electrifying cyber-thriller, which spins its tale of virtual reality and alien infiltration into a giddy cocktail of videogame- influenced effects, balletic Hong Kong martial arts displays, and cosmic cool. As the hacker-turned-rebel Neo, Keanu Reeves regains the action-hero momentum he lost after "Speed," while pokerfaced Laurence Fishburne holds the twisty plot together with his grave charisma. As Neo is wont to say, "Whoa!" "The Invisible Man" (NR) releases August 31 starring Claude Rains; directed by James Whale http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6300185281/entertainmentsit Now you see him, now you don't, in H.G. Wells's classic tale of a scientist's experiment gone awry, which serves as a cautionary lesson about technology's capacity for corruption. Rereleased as part of Universal's nifty series of enduring horror movies from the '30s and '40s, "The Invisible Man" boasts a mesmerizing star turn by Claude Rains, who doesn't let invisibility (or miles of gauze) prevent him from dominating the story, and witty direction from James Whale, who gives the 1933 evergreen a fizzy energy in its depiction of the dotty villagers Rains terrorizes. "Labyrinth" (PG) releases September 21 starring David Bowie; directed by Jim Henson http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JPH5/entertainmentsit Buoyed by the generation-spanning success of the Muppets, and emboldened by the new horizons for cinematic effects, the late Jim Henson followed the ambitious, all-puppet fantasy of "The Dark Crystal" with this blend of live actors and Henson creatures. With a script from Monty Python's Terry Jones, David Bowie as the seductive King of the Goblins, and a lovely Jennifer Connolly in her screen debut as the plucky heroine, this is an alternately comic, scary quest that will appeal to kids as well as fantasy fans. ****** You'll find more great videos, articles, and interviews in Amazon.com's Science Fiction & Fantasy Video section at Science Fiction & Fantasy
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