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Firestarter

Firestarter

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent thriller
Review: I had first seen this film in bits and pieces when I was four. I thought it was okay. Recently, I rented the film and found that I really, really like it. I just bought the book and was shocked to discover how faithful the movie stays to it.

I love little Drew Barrymore. Watching her in this movie when she was eight years old, I wish that she was my little sister. David Keith is excellent as Charlie McGee's father. I've never seen him in anything else besides this film. George C. Scott portrays John Rainbird very well. He steals every scene he's in with a wonderfully twisted performance, whether it be trying to be friendly with Charlie, or talking to Martin Sheen about disposing of her.

I've heard many comments about laughable dialogue and acting. I'll admit that I have chuckled once or twice at some of the lines, but that's because I like those lines; I don't hate them. I especially chuckled a lot at the scene in which Rainbird fakes that he is afraid of the dark. My most favorite line is spoken by Freddie Jones (Dr. Wanless), which regards Charlie's power and how it could destroy the earth.

After reading comments by people in which they say that the film is silly and laughable (especially Leonard Maltin's review), I cannot understand that these people do not feel any emotion towards Charlie McGee. What I mean is, after all the trouble she's been through, her parents are both dead, you just can't help feeling sorry for her. Every time I watch the film, I am in tears at the end because nothing left in her life. The music during the end credits is what really gets me. It's a beautiful, sad tune that makes you think of Charlie's face.

I wonder exactly how this film was received upon its theatrical release in 1984. I was only two at the time, and I don't remember a thing from 1984. I really wish I had seen it in the theater. How did the film do at the box office? I imagine that it was not a big hit, given the fact that it is so underrated and virtually unheard-of today. I imagine this is the reason why Universal gave the home video rights to Image Entertainment. Image produced the DVD, which unfortunately is a simple re-packaging of the 1997 letterboxed laserdisc. The transfer is not anamorphic, and the audio remains mono. It just does not do justice for the film. I feel that the film would greatly benefit from a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, especially in scenes where Charlie blows things up. I had also hoped for deleted scenes and outtakes. Stephen King's novel offers many scenes that may have been filmed and cut, given the fact that the film stays nearly 90% faithful to the novel. I have always felt, as do some other people, that the ending in the movie was too brief. The book's ending is much longer. I would be really interested in seeing footage cut from the ending.

In closing, I recommend this film to all Sci-Fi buffs. Try to look past the so-called "laughable acting and dialogue" and try to let your emotions through. I hope that this film regains its popularity. It is very good, but it is too underrated.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Take Jeff Shannon's review with grain of salt !
Review: I have never forgotten this movie from the first time I saw it and I try to watch it from time to time and I always end enjoying it. In the future, I will now take Jeff's opinion with a grain of salt, since he referred to this movie as laughable. Honestly, I love this movie and hope that this movie receives a better technical treatment on a future DVD release. This film is a classic whether jeffy boy wants to face it or not.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My kind of movie, I love Charlie's powers!
Review: I saw this movie when it first came out and I loved it then, and I still love it now! just recently, I rented the movie. I saw it like 10 times durring the 5 nights I had the video! Call me a FAN! I love Firestarter because of an innocent child who was just trying to live a normal life like any other normal girl. I think there is nothing wrong with having special pyrokinetic powers, it was just too bad that "The Shop" was after her, and didn't want to leave her alone! But in the end, things seemed to work well for her. I think the movie has charactor and is full of suspense and energy! I hope someday Hollywood comes out with a second part, that would be so cool, more "fire"! I also just bought the book by Stephen King, I'm so excited that now I can finally read the story! I would recommend Firestarter to anyone that loves the supernatural. I do.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I saw this in the theater
Review: I was 8 at the time but I remember thinking how the material was made better by the wonderful performances. I don't think this was scary as much as a drama. Drew Barrymore is wonderful here. She plays Charlie with just the right mix of maturity for what she has been though and childlike innocence. Who didn't cry at the end for Charlie? Who didn't love her lighting up the army guy who didn't want to take responsibility for his child? If I had one complaint it was the movie ends on such a down note but if Barrymore had not been playing the part I don't think I could care. David Keith was also excellent. He was very big at the time after coming off an "officer and a gentleman" and he has done some good stuff since, but the career hasn't been totally the same.

Go into this movie for its dramatic moments much more than any scary / King like chills. I would have loved a follow up and I still wish that if Barrymore want to get into the "superhero" biz she should develop it. And yes I watched the HORRIBLE Sci Fi movie -- for 10 seconds. Don't get that one.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: WOW!
Review: I'm a big Drew Barrymore fan, so naturally I loved this! It was so cool, it was thrilling, sad, freaky. She can make things catch on fire with her mind. Cool, huh? Well I think you'll LOVE it, I did.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: It was the worst movie I have ever seen.
Review: It was the worst movie I have ever seen.They should allow this movie to be sold in stores.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It's OK
Review: It's Stephen King's movie. It has a lot of famous actors and actresses. The best of all which was Drew Barrymore. At the age of not even ten she gives us the best performance ever. No wonder she is who she is today! Anyways,if you missed out from other reviewers what this movie is all about...well it is about this young girl that has supernatural powers. Her supernatural powers seem to be given to her by a government experiment given to her parents. And now she and her father are getting chased by the very same people.

It is an OK movie not wonderful - but if you enjoy King's books then it'll not be a waste of time to watch it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Get "Fired-Up" and see this!
Review: Mr. King, once again brings us a teriffic movie from his great mind! Too bad the DVD version is only letter-box, but VHS, in my opinion is better, but we all know DVDS are the best!Young Charlie Mgee(Drew Barrymore), plays a girl with a power called psyhokenesis (the ability to meditate fire into reality).Brought on from an experiment from her poor parents who needed the money, gave her the power. Now, young Charlie and her father Andy (David Keith), must be on the constant run from government-like agents called "The Shop" who want to experiment with their abilities, and the one man (George C. Scott) who wants to dispose of them when finished.Packed full with many stars, Martin Sheen, Heather Locklear, Art Carney, Louise Fletcher, Barrymore, Keith, and Scott, this movie will blow you away, "literally!"You will feel the intense flames from your big-screen as the pyro-crew sets up many realistic burning ,scorching scenes. Feel the Heat! Buy it and get blasted away with superior surround sound and a great soundtrack by the Tangerene Dream! You won't regret you did! Just remember the bucket of ice with your popcorn!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "goodness gracious great balls of fire" great movie !!
Review: My name is Steve by the way , Firestarter is one of my favorite movies , wonderful, and great movie starring a young Drew Barrymore from 1984 who does a amazing job at for a 8 yr old girl at the time, she was always starting out her acting career. Her name in the movie is Charlie in the movie and possess special extraoridinary power from telekineses and set things on fire she also can see things before they happen , like ESP ,which she got from genes mixed from a experiment before she was born from her parents. her mother died and is only with her father. Now the Shop, some kind of special organization or government wants her for testing and experimentation in the Shop and wants to keep her there.And What a CAst , ArtCarney ,MArtin Sheen and George C. SCott stars as Rainbird. Rainbird captures her and her father and brings them there and asks for their cooperation. they go through tests. Charlie does'nt want to be there at all. She only wants to be with her father. The ending is wicked and Explosive and very good. Nothing like movies from today so if you want a good fun thriller id get this one.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I Liked The Book and This Movie!
Review: Stephen King is a really good writer and one of my favorite of his books is Firestarter which I read when I was a teenager right before the movie came out so when I saw the movie I really liked it and thought that the entire cast was great, Drew Barrymore, David Keith, George C. Scott, Martin Sheen, Art Carney, Louise Fletcher, etc, and I highly recommend this movie! I would really like to buy this movie on DVD but I was disappointed to learn that the DVD is out of print and I have been hoping that this movie will get a new DVD release!


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