tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post7843992777151976002..comments2024-03-15T20:14:57.052-04:00Comments on Direct to Video Connoisseur: Split Second (1992)Direct to Video Connoisseurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-65459831968788994402011-09-19T17:46:48.565-04:002011-09-19T17:46:48.565-04:00TJ my man, I will never call you dumb for choosing...TJ my man, I will never call you dumb for choosing sentimental reasons over money. Money isn't everything, and you're right, you have money to burn anyway that would've been spent on home furnishings.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-72629514035888269912011-09-17T16:36:59.514-04:002011-09-17T16:36:59.514-04:00You know, when I get an opening scene where a toug...You know, when I get an opening scene where a tough loner cop puts on sunglasses and walks down a corridor with a large gun while drums that would shame Hans Zimmer are blazing on the soundtrack (great scene!) AND an unknown, possibly/probably supernatural killer who rips hearts from people, I become strangely forgiving. This is just a genre that I really, really like, so...you know, this one simply just worked for me. One of those things.<br /><br />I think the DVD price is simply a case of short supply. If you look at some other HBO releases from that era (say, a minor release like Dance With Death), they also go for around $80 new. The same went for some Roger Corman films before his people made more copies and started selling the films themselves. Now, is there a market? I don't know if anyone's ever paid $80 for Dance With Death, but I do know a lot of people have bought Split Second for over $100. Those buyers are dumb since a region-free player and an R2 release together would be much cheaper. And I'm really dumb since I refused to sell my own "like new"-copy for $150 simply because I'm a collector and the thing is now something of a collector's item. But I'm single. I don't have to buy lamps and furniture. I can afford to be dumb, dammit!TJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02361258547048668035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-22618797840419642162011-09-17T09:09:30.129-04:002011-09-17T09:09:30.129-04:00I guess I'm a little more discerning in my mov...I guess I'm a little more discerning in my movies-- i.e. I want something to happen in them in the first 40 minutes, but I can see where people would enjoy this, because it had its moments.<br /><br />And maybe it's that cult status that has made the DVD such a premium. If you all came on here talking about the film being utter crap, I bet the price would go down.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-33764043684993401832011-09-16T16:18:23.494-04:002011-09-16T16:18:23.494-04:00I personally love this and have found out it has s...I personally love this and have found out it has something of a cult following. It has some really quotable lines, a brilliant score, great stuff. I can certainly see the problems you had with this and even agree with them, but this just worked for me, from beginning to end. Can't explain it, but it did. The original HBO DVD indeed goes for huge bucks these days despite being a VHS quality transfer with no extras. German DVD claims to be 16:9 widescreen, but they just took the 4:3-version (which wasn't full frame to begin with) and cropped the top and bottom, so I'd go with the Australian release. It's R0, but in PAL-system.TJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02361258547048668035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-16240083427117026922011-09-15T20:57:48.537-04:002011-09-15T20:57:48.537-04:00You know why the alien or whatever had no personal...You know why the alien or whatever had no personality? Because he was nonexistent for the first 40 minutes! This technically wasn't a sci-fi film for the first 40 minutes. I think the hardest part, is splitting the difference between the solid end, and the lackluster beginning.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-8417882231177224212011-09-15T19:57:58.328-04:002011-09-15T19:57:58.328-04:00Yes I was thrilled to see my team start off 1-0. ...Yes I was thrilled to see my team start off 1-0. However I never was a big fan of this, I think what the movie needed was to give the alien a personality. Like in I Come In Peace and Predator 2, such silent element works because it takes place relatively in the present. However anytime a movie is futuristic cyberpunk, it needs villains that are smart or savage in a futuristic way. The monster to me was very disappoiting.Kennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01664118447662130586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-33188180279628684122011-09-15T17:37:54.486-04:002011-09-15T17:37:54.486-04:00Crossworlds is on my radar, and Split Second has, ...Crossworlds is on my radar, and Split Second has, at the very least, put a lot of the Hauer stuff from the 90s back into the rotation, after I'd kind of forgotten about them while I looked at other stuff, so expect more Hauer in the near future. And Ed, I'm not saying you shouldn't see it again, just don't invest too much.<br /><br />Whoa, Kenner, coming back after being on hiatus for months, and you're already throwing chin music. "Overrated among B-movie fans". You must be riding the high of the great play from your Detroit teams. Nice to see you back.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-66354386456685748682011-09-15T15:46:42.870-04:002011-09-15T15:46:42.870-04:00Haven't seen this in a long time. Good review...Haven't seen this in a long time. Good review.Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10936818849749255253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-22907624073503931852011-09-15T14:26:35.466-04:002011-09-15T14:26:35.466-04:00I wasn't a big fan of this either. Too much li...I wasn't a big fan of this either. Too much like I Come In Peace and Predator 2. Plus the movie's Low Rent Blade Runner look was cheesy and dull. Rutger Hauer was greatt but I always say this one is overrated among B.movie fans.Kennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01664118447662130586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-61092426025146811072011-09-15T12:30:55.411-04:002011-09-15T12:30:55.411-04:00Always wanted to see it because a buddy recommende...Always wanted to see it because a buddy recommended it, but I havent been able to get my hands on it. Hauer rules, and will always rule. <br /><br />I did manage to see one of these straight to video movies he did in the nineties called Crossworlds, in which Hauer plays a dimension traveling dude who can stop an interdimensional war. I remember liking that one, you might want to give it a go if you havent already.Franco Macabrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10994905312221715861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-52021488779894468572011-09-15T08:24:50.718-04:002011-09-15T08:24:50.718-04:00Hey Dusty, great to have you commenting finally, b...Hey Dusty, great to have you commenting finally, but I'm glad you've been rockin' with us for a while and have enjoyed us this long-- hopefully I'll keep up the good work! And as far as <a href="http://www.mattmovieguy.com/2008/06/deathline-aka-redline-1997.html" rel="nofollow">Redline</a>, I enjoyed that one better than this one according to my review-- which you may have had trouble finding, because it's listed in tbe archive under it's imdb title, "Deathline", maybe I should switch that, because I couldn't find it in their either, and had to click on the Rutger Hauer tag.<br /><br />I can see why you enjoyed this one Guts and Grog, because it had plenty of great moments, I just wish it didn't bore me so much at the beginning, but like Ty said, really great Hauer, and that's nothing to sneeze at.<br /><br />Thanks for the trivia on Cattrall's hair J. Thursby-- I probably should've looked that up myself considering it was on imdb... You know what would've been better as far as Hauer's character went, is to just make him Dutch. I guess the idea in the movie though was that no one wanted to work in London, and Hauer was so bad everywhere else, he had no choice.<br /><br />I wasn't exactly a big fan of <a href="http://www.mattmovieguy.com/2007/10/death-machine-1995.html" rel="nofollow">Death Machine</a> either, but one thing it was was more consistent than this. It was always a sci-fi rip-off, not a boring suspense thriller, then a sci-fi rip-off.<br /><br />I agree Mr. gable on how awesome Hauer was, for me I just felt like it was material that kept being repeated. Yes, we get it, he likes tons of coffee and cigarettes. Yes, he'll use your pen to stir his coffee. Yes, he doesn't like his partner and is always trying to mess with him. That's great for twenty minutes, but at forty, I feel like I'm stuck in the Twilight Zone.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-7702434562801313452011-09-15T08:11:33.817-04:002011-09-15T08:11:33.817-04:00I love Split Second. It's not a perfect movie ...I love Split Second. It's not a perfect movie but it's a really laid back sci-fi actioner. I actually enjoyed the first half of the movie because of how intense Hauer was with the smoking and coffee. After the midpoint he just kinda gave it up. Then it was all about that pussy character trying to be something he's not. Which is fine, he had some pretty epic lines.Mr. Gablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10692611832324650463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-86172122053815418732011-09-15T06:09:12.937-04:002011-09-15T06:09:12.937-04:00Great review! Rutger was at his best here.Great review! Rutger was at his best here.Tyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188012325610596179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-36144002946071440752011-09-15T04:33:09.444-04:002011-09-15T04:33:09.444-04:00Got this on VHS a while back - a double pack with ...Got this on VHS a while back - a double pack with Wedlock. Not sure which is the better movie - both were a bit lacklustre. This movie obviously has a lot of problems with pacing. <br /><br />Also, the whole American cop in London thing doesn't really chime. It feels a little like the script was originally written to be set in America but got relocated for budget reasons.<br /><br />Definite vibes of Dolph Lungren classic "I Come in Peace" too - particularly with the mismatched Hauer and Neil Duncan. Also, Steve Norrington did the special effects on this - and went on to direct Death Machine, which has a bit of similar vibe.<br /><br />Just checked IMDB trivia, apparently Kim Catrall's shaved hair was because she'd just finished film Star Trek VI where she plays a Vulcan.Jack Thursbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03101157160144955486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-53550476637525185612011-09-15T00:06:54.894-04:002011-09-15T00:06:54.894-04:00Have I seen this? My gut is telling me that I hav...Have I seen this? My gut is telling me that I have...but I might be confusing it with another Rutger movie called Red Line. Have you seen that one? I'd be curious to see them back to back...and see how quickly I forget the double feature. <br /><br />Nice review, as always. This is a first time, long time moment for me. I've been reading your blog for years, and never commented.Dusty https://www.blogger.com/profile/10716220249953555521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-79465630003025769562011-09-14T23:31:41.791-04:002011-09-14T23:31:41.791-04:00Great write up. As you already know I love this bu...Great write up. As you already know I love this but I do see where your coming from. Good stuff regardless of taste preferences.Guts and Grog Reviewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121252117396939016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-77054649523301363962011-09-14T22:41:00.862-04:002011-09-14T22:41:00.862-04:00I'll have to check out your review RobotGeek. ...I'll have to check out your review RobotGeek. I agree about how great Hauer was, but the Sci-Fi genre mash-up/rip-off came way too late for it to save this film, or really for the film to be able to hang its hat on it. I wish we had more of that in the first 40 minutes, it would've been more fun for me.<br /><br />And I was going to say Alien3, damn, that would've been a better guess!Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-32143314670856447232011-09-14T22:30:21.041-04:002011-09-14T22:30:21.041-04:00I believe they were opening up another theater for...I believe they were opening up another theater for either Alien 3 or Lethal Weapon 3; I can't remember which. It was one of the big ticket summer movies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-27934008033545075092011-09-14T22:18:06.744-04:002011-09-14T22:18:06.744-04:00Great review! I just reviewed this one myself abou...Great review! I just reviewed this one myself about a week back. <br />I actually had a good time with this one. Even though I hadn't seen it since it first came out, I had already put it in my head that it was a low-budget sci-fi mish mash of better films. So with that in mind, and the fact that Hauer was perfectly cast in the role, I enjoyed it quite a bit. His clothes, big guns and constant screaming for coffee was just awesome Rutger Hauer. <br />Sucks about the stateside dvd though. The Region 2 is fairly cheap and it's even in widescreen if you can believe it or not. I need to just break down and get myself a region free dvd player. <br />Great review!robotGEEKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00355070295108163031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-46190737020633304742011-09-14T21:53:13.365-04:002011-09-14T21:53:13.365-04:00Wow, $60 at FYE, I'm surprised they'd pric...Wow, $60 at FYE, I'm surprised they'd price something out like that. I was pissed that the local record store had Guns and Lipstick for $8, forget $60! And I love that Swamp Thing story, that's awesome.<br /><br />I forgot to mention in the opening that this did gross $5 million in the box office here in the States, so I'm glad you picked me up on that one. Too bad you weren't able to contribute to that-- were they devoting another screen to Last of the Mohicans?Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-69711700937559566712011-09-14T21:17:04.481-04:002011-09-14T21:17:04.481-04:00My local theater had this for like... 5 days. I re...My local theater had this for like... 5 days. I remember seeing it on the marquee on Tues, then when I went to see it on Weds. it was gone. The girl at the ticket booth said they only had like 3 people see it all week so they ended the run early to make room for more showings of something else.<br /><br />It's funny you mentioned the price gouging because the other day I saw Split Second used on DVD at FYE for $60. It's weird going through so many crap movies in the used bin for $4 and then there's a $60 one in there. I remember one time they had the R-rated Swamp Thing for $80 and the PG one for $8. I had the clerk convinced it was a typo and she was going to give me the R rated one for 8 but her manager came over and ruined things for me. Oh well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-56663863948625008092011-09-14T21:12:47.971-04:002011-09-14T21:12:47.971-04:00Good stuff. Yeah, the secondary market is interes...Good stuff. Yeah, the secondary market is interesting, because on the one hand, they have you over a barrel if you're going Amazon, because only a fraction of the people that own some of these more obscure titles are actually selling them on there; by the same token, if you're an opportunist and hit a lot of flea markets and whatnot, sometimes you can find these gems for a fraction of the cost-- it's just, it's always hit or miss.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-35552423845457982122011-09-14T21:00:48.648-04:002011-09-14T21:00:48.648-04:00I was actually lucky enough to find the DVD at Blo...I was actually lucky enough to find the DVD at Blockbuster for only 12 bucks, I knew how expensive it was on Amazon so I didn't hesitate to buy it, like you said, this was a pretty average film that gets better in the second half, shame it costs so much for the DVD, that's the most insane price for a film i've ever seen.venomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06632381738581803935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-5356760842782039102011-09-14T20:57:54.065-04:002011-09-14T20:57:54.065-04:00Ha, I agree, way too expensive. I was looking for ...Ha, I agree, way too expensive. I was looking for some Godfrey Ho stuff, and right now people selling the Full Metal Ninja VHS on Amazon are asking $150+. I'd like to see it, but that's ridiculous. I guess it's a sellers market for rarer titles like this.Jack Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08625347250065817665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196474091232449207.post-59757248509228105982011-09-14T20:49:41.514-04:002011-09-14T20:49:41.514-04:00In that case you may dig this one, because there&#...In that case you may dig this one, because there's a lot of Hauer, and he's really good. It's just that the first 40 minutes this movie spins its wheels, which was a bit much for me. And yeah, I'm not sure why the DVD is so expensive. It'd be one thing if it were a Criterion of Sid and Nancy, but Split Second? Is there really a market for that? Even for an OOP VHS that's steep by about $120.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.com