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Enemy Mine [1985]


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £2.98 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Enemy Mine is, in essence, a sci-fi remake of John Boorman’s Hell in the Pacific (1969), only instead of a US pilot and a Japanese naval officer stranded on a Pacific island during WWII, here we have a lizard-like Draconian (Louis Gossett Jr.) and his mortal enemy, Earthling Dennis Quaid, both having crash-landed on a hostile planet during a brutal space battle. Forced to rely on one another for survival, they overcome their differences and become fast friends. (You can almost hear them break into an off-key version of "It's a Small World".)

German director Wolfgang Petersen, so brutally honest with his film Das Boot, turns warm and cuddly on us with this intergalactic buddy movie. Although the script sets us up for an intriguing encounter, it ultimately settles for a simple and sentimental resolution. Noteworthy set design and strong performances, especially by Gossett, push this beyond mere mediocrity. His performance is fascinating, as he must speak in an alien tongue, which he maintains with artistry and consistency.--Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com

On the DVD: Enemy Mine on disc is presented anamorphically in its original 2.35:1 theatrical ratio with a vivid Dolby 4.0 soundtrack. Thankfully picture and sound are excellent, since the extra features are lamentably poor, consisting merely of the theatrical trailer and three (yes, three) "behind the scenes" still pictures. The disc is also equipped with multiple language and subtitle options.--Mark Walker


"Zammis get four, five?"
Review date: 2008-08-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

Dennis Quaid has made many films but this, I think, is one of his best. Quaid plays Willis E Davidge, a fighter pilot in an interplanetary war with the Drac, a race of reptilian creatures. During a fierce space battle, Davidge is forced to crash land on a harsh uninhabited planet, during which his co-pilot is killed. But Davidge is not alone - the Drac he was dogfighting has crash landed there also.

In order to survive, Davidge and the Drac, Jeriba Shigan, have to put aside their hostilities and learn to work together and much of the first half of the film chronicles their efforts to do so, often with hilarious results. However, things change when Jeriba annouces that he is pregnant and then dies when the birth goes wrong, leaving Davidge to bring up his offspring, Zammis.

The two leads have to carry much of the film on their own and do so admirably. Louis Gossett Jr is especially convincing as the alien, Jeriba Shigan, perfectly capturing the language and mannerisms of an alien species. Special mention must be made of the excellent make-up for this character, which serves to enhance the otherworldly illusion. Quaid just manages not to be upstaged by his co-star, putting in an energetic and sympathetic performance. The action packed finale, as Davidge rescues Zammis from the clutches of the scavengers, is particularly touching.

Enemy Mine is a film you can sit back and enjoy without having to tax your brain too much, but don't let its simplicity fool you - there is a moral contained within that we could all benefit from. It's an entertaining and thought provoking little movie - try it and see!

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Reviews


A film that almost never was
Review date: 2007-11-16 Rating: 8 out of 10

I hate being nostalgic about movies, but I do remember a time when imagination was evident in every part of a production, when film posters were dynamic, visceral and iconic, when films looked like they were shot on film and not an HD camera with a sunset tint, when scores were done by orchestras instead of synthesizers and death metal guitars and, most important of all, when the lack of CGI technology forced the filmmakers into achieving visual effects through more practical means. The 1980s were filled with such movies and, looking back, I am glad that I grew up in that decade. Children now are exposed to altogether soulless movies.

Set in the late 21st Century, Enemy Mine has humans reaching out into the depths of space after achieving world peace. But a rival species, the alien race of the Drax, don't take to kindly to humans poking about the galaxy and an interstellar war kicks off. A human pilot (Dennis Quaid) and a lone Drac (Louis Gossett Jnr.) crash land on a remote desert planet and learn, the hard way, to stick together if they want to survive. Despite their ultimate conflict they discover that they are not all that different from each other and neither yet both are to blame for the war.

Enemy Mine suffered from severe problems during production. Apparently the original director, Richard Longcraine (Wimbledon, Richard III), shot the entire film on location in Iceland before being replaced by Wolfgang Petersen who re-shot the whole film all over again but changed the story somewhat in the process. So, in reality, there are two completely different versions of Enemy Mine. One which was released into cinemas that has become a classic in its own right and another that only exists in the vaults of Twentieth Century Fox. I would love to see this alternate cut.

The fantastic photography and production design look very, very good for a film from 1985. Some of the effect shots and matte paintings are simply gorgeous and the cutting between desert locations and desert sets is almost seamless. This isn't like an episode of the original Star Trek series in which the cast simply take a half hour drive to a bit of desert outside of LA, the desert locations with the matte painting backgrounds look utterly authentic.

If you like the look and feel of films like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth then you'll appreciate the fantasy of Enemy Mine. I know I am going to sound like an old coot but they just don't make films like this anymore. Everything these days seems to be geared towards the average ASBO teenage boy. In ten years time I honestly think that films will be no more than a test card that offends and stimulates no one.

I will consider myself lucky that films like this were once made and that they were a part of my formative years.

The DVD is in pretty damn good 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 4.0 sound and some slight extras.

A Hidden SciFi Treasure
Review date: 2007-07-25 Rating: 10 out of 10

My view is that this film does look a little dated. But you should not let this put you off. The acting and the makeup for the alien is outstanding, probably one of the best I can recall. Its a touching and sentimental film.



Enemy Mine - EXTENDED CUT
Review date: 2007-04-23 Rating: 8 out of 10

I loved this movie as a kid and bought it on DVD recently. First off - it's a great transfer - nice to see the widescreen print of this movie. But better still is that this is a good 10 minutes or more longer than the version released on video back in the 80s. Now it's been a long time since i've seen this so I might not be 100% accurate but the bulk of the new scenes are mainly emotional bonding scenes between the 2 leads and also later we get more of Zamus growing up with Will. There are also just a few little scenes that have been added here and there that were probably cut for pacing reasons. Anyway, it's great to see an extended cut of this little 80s sci-fi gem. Recommended.

People are People
Review date: 2007-04-10 Rating: 10 out of 10

This Film will never look that Dated,a Heart Warming Tale of courage under fire,and resilience in the face of Adversity......A great Film to watch after the Pubs have chucked out,you will question your Values,as to what you would do with a fallen Enemy.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Richard Marcus
Brion James
Louis Gossett Jr.
Carolyn McCormick
Dennis Quaid

Creators:
Dennis Quaid (Primary Contributor)
Louis Gossett Jr. (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036009195
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2002-07-11
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 89 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1985-12-20
Language: Czech (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: Greek (Subtitled)
Language: Hebrew (Subtitled)
Language: Hungarian (Subtitled)
Language: Icelandic (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: Polish (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Turkish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Dubbed)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)

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