Bear Island (1979)
DIRECTOR: Don Sharp (Curse of the Fly, Psychomania) (based on a novel by Alistair MacLean)
STARS: Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark (Blackout), Lloyd Bridges, Lawrence Dane (Rituals), Christopher Lee (Horror of Dracula)
SYNOPSIS: Growing up on cable television in the 80's made me a big fan of, mostly PG-rated, action epics based on Alistair MacLean novels. Films like Where Eagles Dare, Fear is the Key, When Eight Bells Toll and of course Ice Station Zebra. Big manly films with lots of great actors, shoot-outs, fiery explosions, fist fights and hard action. HBO played Bear Island on a loop in the 1980's. Donald Sutherland is part of a team studying the effects of global warming at a former WWII U-Boat base on Bear Island. He has another motive as it was the last place his Nazi father was ever seen alive. Sabotage and murder enter the plot as someone is preventing Sutherland (or anyone) from snooping around. This all takes place in a freezing cold remote setting similar to John Carpenter's The Thing. The highlight is a lengthy hover boat / snow mobile chase through icy mountains that would be right at home in a James Bond film! It's fun seeing Christopher Lee in a non-horror role and Canadian actor Lawrence Dane (Rituals) gives a memorable performance. Released in the US in a poor pan & scan VHS version this one is in the essential WIDESCREEN format.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Don Sharp (Curse of the Fly, Psychomania) (based on a novel by Alistair MacLean)
STARS: Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark (Blackout), Lloyd Bridges, Lawrence Dane (Rituals), Christopher Lee (Horror of Dracula)
SYNOPSIS: Growing up on cable television in the 80's made me a big fan of, mostly PG-rated, action epics based on Alistair MacLean novels. Films like Where Eagles Dare, Fear is the Key, When Eight Bells Toll and of course Ice Station Zebra. Big manly films with lots of great actors, shoot-outs, fiery explosions, fist fights and hard action. HBO played Bear Island on a loop in the 1980's. Donald Sutherland is part of a team studying the effects of global warming at a former WWII U-Boat base on Bear Island. He has another motive as it was the last place his Nazi father was ever seen alive. Sabotage and murder enter the plot as someone is preventing Sutherland (or anyone) from snooping around. This all takes place in a freezing cold remote setting similar to John Carpenter's The Thing. The highlight is a lengthy hover boat / snow mobile chase through icy mountains that would be right at home in a James Bond film! It's fun seeing Christopher Lee in a non-horror role and Canadian actor Lawrence Dane (Rituals) gives a memorable performance. Released in the US in a poor pan & scan VHS version this one is in the essential WIDESCREEN format.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Don Sharp (Curse of the Fly, Psychomania) (based on a novel by Alistair MacLean)
STARS: Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark (Blackout), Lloyd Bridges, Lawrence Dane (Rituals), Christopher Lee (Horror of Dracula)
SYNOPSIS: Growing up on cable television in the 80's made me a big fan of, mostly PG-rated, action epics based on Alistair MacLean novels. Films like Where Eagles Dare, Fear is the Key, When Eight Bells Toll and of course Ice Station Zebra. Big manly films with lots of great actors, shoot-outs, fiery explosions, fist fights and hard action. HBO played Bear Island on a loop in the 1980's. Donald Sutherland is part of a team studying the effects of global warming at a former WWII U-Boat base on Bear Island. He has another motive as it was the last place his Nazi father was ever seen alive. Sabotage and murder enter the plot as someone is preventing Sutherland (or anyone) from snooping around. This all takes place in a freezing cold remote setting similar to John Carpenter's The Thing. The highlight is a lengthy hover boat / snow mobile chase through icy mountains that would be right at home in a James Bond film! It's fun seeing Christopher Lee in a non-horror role and Canadian actor Lawrence Dane (Rituals) gives a memorable performance. Released in the US in a poor pan & scan VHS version this one is in the essential WIDESCREEN format.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R