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Terror on the Britannic (Juggernaut)
RRP: £12.99
Our Price: £2.79 (subject to change)
Not a bad movie.
Review date: 2008-09-23 Rating: 6 out of 10
This is not a bad movie - considering that similar scenarios have been done over and over - only the scene was set differently here.
If you can stick with this (it can seem a little overlong at times) it is well worth seeing Roy Kinnear playing an exceptionally good role as 'Social Director Curtain'. Some touching moments with one of the lady passengers aboard The Britannic. There's none of what you might expect in this - no real panic and no overly sentimental scenes of 'goodbye' or deep-seated confessions - just ordinary people on board quite 'stunned' really, and so from that perspective, this is pretty unique.
Not quite sure why this movie has two titles - 'Juggernaut' by far being the best and original, and the one I prefer. Its alternative is a little misleading.
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Reviews
Terror on the high seas
Review date: 2006-07-10 Rating: 8 out of 10
Terror on the Britannic a.k.a. Juggernaut is a simple yet powerful and effective suspense drama. Taking the generic 70s disaster element away for the moment, and you are left with a tension-filled character study. You are captivated by the 2 sections of the film; Anthony Hopkins on the hunt for 'Juggernaut' and of course Richard Harris's demolition team. The script is intilligent and reflects 70s Britain perfectly. The only problem i have with this DVD is that of the extras, or should i say the lack of extras. The transfer is pleasing and for the price it is very highly recommended.
One of the best thrillers of the 70s
Review date: 2006-03-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
Juggernaut was more or less lumped in with the disaster movie genre when it came out in the mid-70s, possibly because the making of the film itself seemed so disastrous. Originally a Bryan Forbes film, Forbes was briefly replaced by Don Medford (who had also briefly taken over The Guns of Navarone after Alexander MacKendrick was fired and before J. Lee Thompson was hired) before Richard Lester took over. While it’s easy to spot some of the typical Lester touches (such as poor offscreen jokes added during the dubbing sessions), it’s so unlike most of his other films that you constantly find yourself wondering who directed what.
Regardless of where the credit lies, the end result is a terrific thriller, with Richard Harris’ bomb disposal team parachuted to Omar Sharif’s liner with several bombs aboard while Anthony Hopkins tries to track down the extortionist in London. The bomb disposal scenes are genuinely tense, the characterisation surprisingly strong enough to undercut potential clichés and Alan Plater’s dialog quite superb, with the film offering both the required suspense and a neat little state-of-the-nation address of Britain in the early 70s. Really rather terrific.
MGM/UA's DVD has a nice transfer, but unlike the R1 disc (which includes the original trailer), comes with no extras at all.
is it the blue wire...or the red wire...
Review date: 2005-04-24 Rating: 8 out of 10
With the ever present ticking of a clock and nerve-wracking machine sounds, this is a taut, nifty disaster thriller, with the cruise ship HMS Britannic sailing to America, unknowingly with 7 bombs scattered aboard, set to explode; they have multiple booby-traps, and the saboteur wants not only money but revenge against the system that in his twisted mind feels slighted him.
The cast is great, with Richard Harris as the head of a demolition team, David Hemmings as his right-hand man, Omar Sharif as the ship's captain, and Anthony Hopkins as the man in charge of finding the bad guy (whose wife and children are aboard the ship); Shirley Knight, Ian Holm, and Roy Kinnear round out the cast.
The direction by Richard Lester, better known for his comedic musical films with The Beatles and not thrillers, is fast paced, with some superb effects; I especially like the suspenseful moments when the demolition crew arrives on the scene, parachuting into the stormy sea.
The screenplay by producer Richard DeKoker is intelligent, raising this film up from the average production in this genre, and the cinematography by Gerry Fisher excellent. The score by Ken Thorne is also good, but mostly one can only hear the tick...tick...tick...of the bomb.
Total running time is 109 minutes.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Ian Holm
Omar Sharif
David Hemmings
Richard Harris
Anthony Hopkins
Creators:
Richard Harris (Primary Contributor)
David Hemmings (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070027570
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-05-23
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 106 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1974
Language: English (Original Language)