Meteor

Rating:
Summary: Poor story and terrible special effects
Review: Meteor was a disaster film that turned into a real disaster.
The film was a box ofice bomb and one of the reasons for this was it's terrible special effects caused by budget problems.
Even for the time it was made,they were very poor and in fact one snowslide special effect was borrowed from another film.
Although it had a top cast of actors,the film had a poor script. Save your money.

Rating:
Summary: Disaster Movie that quickly became a Disaster
Review: Ok this is worse than average - what's going on?? - Sean Connery, Karl Malden, Natalie Wood, Brian Keith, Henry Fonda..........and the list goes on. Even Ronald Neame in the directors chair can't sum up the pedigree of his previous two movies (Poseidon Adventure, Odessa File) with this A list of stars, or the giants of MGM at the helm. It's 1979 - so let's get in some social comment, Sean Connery is an astro physicist who teaches at M.I.T and has a real distaste for the military (his former employers) for whom he designed a Space Missile Platform to avert astral disasters. They swiftly procured it and pointed it at the pesky Russians naturally (this was the height of the cold war remember)and Martin Landau is unintentionally amusing as the "don't trust the Russians" maniacal General usurped by Connery's team. Trouble is, there's now a giant Raisin on a collision course with Earth - (I say that, because that's what the special effects make it look like every time you see it swirling toward us), and there aren't enough missiles to stop it. Further more the missiles are pointing the wrong way, and we'll have to ask the Russians to help (heaven forbid). They of course deny that they have a similar platform, and we must overcome the political tug of war games first, this is to run down the survival clock, and add to the tension, I assume!! This was way before Armageddon, and Deep Impact - and was actually a fresh idea, then for the popular disaster flicks of the time. The problem is that most of the picture centers on this East/West Collaboration, and the nail biting of whether we'll get the missiles pointing the right way in time, or whether Connery & Ms Wood will get it together. There is also the worry of some astral chaff ahead of the Raisin that causes a few explosions, and flattens a Swiss Ski resort, but nothing brings any real tension for the viewer. The script is dire, and Brian Keith playing Connery's Russian opposite is completely wasted - doing about as much for the Russian accent, as Dick Van Dyke did for the Cockney accent in Mary Poppins. I saw this on it's release in a huge Cinemascope theatre, and was mildly impressed (I was younger then!), but the sad fact is that the Sfx just weren't up to the job then, and look laughable now. This movie is proof that a good list of actors can get almost anything off the cutting room floor - which was probably where this should have stayed. Even nostalgia buffs will want to avoid this one.

Rating:
Summary: Thought "Armageddon" was too Hollywood?
Review: The world is under attack by an asteroid knocked in our direction by a rogue comet. Only this flick came out in 1979, when Hollywood was under two delusions - the cold war fantasy that required the Soviets and the Yankees to pool their resources and save the world (using the very weapons they built to destroy it); and the Hollywood fantasy of a better world through all-star miscasting. In this flick, Sean Connery is Dr. Paul Bradley, the genius behind Hercules, a top-secret orbital platform loaded to the teeth with nuclear missiles. Designed to hit incoming asteroids, Hercules was co-opted by the military, and its missiles pointed downward upon Russia. When the asteroid Orpheus is blown into smithereens by the rogue comet, pieces find themselves on a collision course with earth - the largest is over 5 miles wide, but the smaller pieces are devestating enough when they come down. Bradley, who angrily left NASA after Hercules was taken over by the military, is convinced to return by its smooth talking director (Karl Malden), but soon has some bad news of his own. Hercules, with all of its missiles, isn't enough. Luckily (in the scheme of things, this is a lucky break) the Russians have had some space-born missiles of their own. It only takes cutting of some red tape and the required cold-war truce before the wily Russian scientist can come over and help align his floating missile pad with Hercules. Along the way, smaller meteors wipe out the Swiss Alps and Manhattan, and trigger a tsunami that sweeps Hong Kong away, while the American brass stews at having to accommodate Russian scientists.

For an end-of-the-world chiller, "Meteor" doesn't chill that much. The plot boils down to the Yankees and the Reds aligning their missiles - with the smaller meteors providing the action. Once the missiles are aimed - following extended special effects sequences complete with rousing music - it's a binary situation. Either the missiles will work or they won't. Who cares? The characters are pretty weak also - typical Hollywood miscasting: the strong-willed Karl Malden reduced to begging Connery for help, while the always fun Bryan Keith is anonymous behind a language barrier. The script gives Martin Landau the thankless role of the militaristic Gen'l Adlon, while Henry Fonda plays the bland President. Fonda does however have my favorite line: when told that Hercules won't be enough to finish the meteor off, and the US hasn't any other missiles in space, Fonda replies "well, where are we supposed to get them? Conjure them out of air?" It's a dumb line, but it's the stickiest this movie has. The special effects are incredibly scattershot - with the space scenes verging between outstanding and outtakes from Croft's "Space Nuts". (Effects depicting disasters on Earth are consistently bad). The score is interesting - using exaggerations of yankee and soviet themes to reflect the spirit of cooperation. If anything, I'd rent this flick and then get "Armageddon".

Rating:
Summary: Cooperating to Save the World
Review: This 1979 movie presents a real threat from Outer Space. An asteroid is hit by a comet and explodes into a million pieces. One piece destroys the observing space shuttle; another is heading for earth - a big one. Orpheus is five miles wide! Even if it only hit the Atlantic, the result would be a cataclysm creating another Ice Age and the possible extinction of most life. The problem is that destroying the asteroid would reveal the presence of nuclear rockets in space, a violation of numerous treaties!

The President addresses the nation to tell of this emergency, and Project Hercules as the solution. Cooperation with the Soviet Union is needed to destroy this meteor. But it is hard to change old ways. The film shows a meteor striking in Siberia, and creating earthquake-like tremors. (Something like this did happen circa 1911.) The first meteors enter the atmosphere and burn up harmlessly. But a bigger chunk hits a snow mountain, causing an avalanche that destroys a small village. One hits the Pacific and creates a tidal wave that wipes out Taiwan. The threat is real and imminent. There is one political problem: because of the difference in orbits, the Soviet rockets would have to be fired first. Trust is needed.

But a new threat arises: a "splinter" is headed for the Eastern Seaboard of the US. It strikes Manhattan, damaging the Twin Towers and other buildings. The command center is damaged, but most survive to escape by a subway tunnel. Then the river starts to break through and threaten the survivors; they muddle through to hear that Orpheus was destroyed.

This story recalls "Ragnarok" by Ignatius Donnelly which analyzed the common legends of mankind and explained them as the remembrance of a comet hitting the earth and causing great climatic changes. Read this 1883 international best seller for its pioneering story.

Rating:
Summary: Better than Deep Impact, less noise than Armageddon
Review: This is one of those movies that is a guilty pleasure, kind of like
"The Neptune Factor". Sure, it's bad. But that's half the
fun!

"Meteor" is one of the very first space-based
disaster films from the era of disaster films (Airport, Towering
Inferno, Earthquake). The effects range from good (rockets launched
from orbiting platforms), to terrible (Skylab as a deep space probe,
and a two-by-four building trying to pass as a skyscraper).

One of
the opening scenes, of a sailboat crossing a starfield, is
inspired.

Whereas Deep Impact had good effects, and Armageddon was
nothing but flash and NOISE, "Meteor" has a touch of
class. This despite the bad acting and cheesy effects.

Try this one
out. It's a fun watch!


Rating:
Summary: Better than Deep Impact, less noise than Armageddon
Review: This is one of those movies that is a guilty pleasure, kind of like"The Neptune Factor". Sure, it's bad. But that's half thefun!

"Meteor" is one of the very first space-baseddisaster films from the era of disaster films (Airport, ToweringInferno, Earthquake). The effects range from good (rockets launchedfrom orbiting platforms), to terrible (Skylab as a deep space probe,and a two-by-four building trying to pass as a skyscraper).

One ofthe opening scenes, of a sailboat crossing a starfield, isinspired.

Whereas Deep Impact had good effects, and Armageddon wasnothing but flash and NOISE, "Meteor" has a touch ofclass. This despite the bad acting and cheesy effects.

Try this oneout. It's a fun watch!

Rating:
Summary: The first meteor-hits-earth movie - solid performances.
Review: This is the first movie (1979) to deal with the subject of a meteor hitting the earth and what the scenerio or consequences might be like. For its day, a very well done film. The acting is very good with performances by many well known experienced actors and actresses. By today's standards the special effects seem a bit like spliced in stock footage, but is convincing enough not to distract from the performances of the stars. The story is believable and engaging, as well as the realism the actors and actresses portray. The art direction is superb, as you feel you are really at the places the scenes depict; subway tunnels, missle control centers, etc. Though not a high-end "Sci-Fi Special Effects Thriller" like we may see today (sometimes devoid of believable or understandable plot and full of bad acting!), Meteor is very entertaining and generally a good watch; an example of solid filmaking where all the parts come together harmoniously...and who knows, it may have stayed within budget!

Rating:
Summary: Poor story and terrible special effects
Review: This movie has done one thing that no other film in all my years of viewing has ever done--it got me standing up, inches from my TV, screaming at it through most of the film. "No! No! Comets don't do that!" was the *least* of my screamed comments. Virtually anything and everything that had to do with astrophysics or astronomy in this film was not just wrong, but abysmally wrong. It's obvious whoever wrote the script didn't do a bleeding lick of research, nor did the people who put together the pathetic effects. If I'd seen it in a theater, Connery (drool) notwithstanding, I would have walked out and demanded my money back.

The cast? There was an absolutely wonderful all-star cast, who were burdened with a poor script and idiot plot. I did see chemistry between two of the actors, whom I would love to see perform together again. Not Sean Connery and Natalie Wood--Sean Connery and Brian Keith. These two played to perfection the two iconoclastic scientists for whom saving the Earth was more important than targeting "the other guys", and they really clicked as "comrades in arms". This film rates its one star for that chemistry alone; nothing else is worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Love/know astronomy? Hate this film.
Review: This movie has done one thing that no other film in all my years of viewing has ever done--it got me standing up, inches from my TV, screaming at it through most of the film. "No! No! Comets don't do that!" was the *least* of my screamed comments. Virtually anything and everything that had to do with astrophysics or astronomy in this film was not just wrong, but abysmally wrong. It's obvious whoever wrote the script didn't do a bleeding lick of research, nor did the people who put together the pathetic effects. If I'd seen it in a theater, Connery (drool) notwithstanding, I would have walked out and demanded my money back.

The cast? There was an absolutely wonderful all-star cast, who were burdened with a poor script and idiot plot. I did see chemistry between two of the actors, whom I would love to see perform together again. Not Sean Connery and Natalie Wood--Sean Connery and Brian Keith. These two played to perfection the two iconoclastic scientists for whom saving the Earth was more important than targeting "the other guys", and they really clicked as "comrades in arms". This film rates its one star for that chemistry alone; nothing else is worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Superb forerunner of recent hits
Review: When you see this, you may learn where some of the inspirations for ARMAGEDDON and DEEP IMPACT came from. Sean Connery gives a strong performance as a scientist trying to convince the military and government that a giant meteor five miles wide(apparently a rock from the producer's back garden was used and it shows!) is heading for Earth, preceeded by deadly fragments. After the talk comes some action and effects which were good for the time, and sometimes still look great even now. An avalanche in Switzerland, a tidal wave flooding Hong Kong, and as a preview of ARMAGEDDON, a huge fragment demolishes New York(although you can tell it's stock film in parts, even though it's kept to a minimum). And the space scenes towards the end of the movie are great! The characters are much more well-created and acted than in many films of this genre from the 1970s, particularly Connery(he makes anything worth watching when he's in it, with the obvious exceptions of ZARDOZ and HIGHLANDER 2: THE QUICKENING), Henry Fonda(as the President), Brian Keith not speaking a word of English except when he mocks the Brooklyn Dodgers(!), Natalie Wood as his interpreter and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE's Martin Landau as a caricature hot-headed Air Force general! Altogether, if you enjoyed DEEP IMPACT and ARMAGEDDON, don't miss METEOR. You'll be just as entertained!