The Prophecy (1979)

John Frankenheimer updates the mutant-monster films of the 1950s with a modern environmental twist in this well-meaning but cliché-ridden late-'70s horror film. Robert Foxworth is so earnest it hurts as a rabble-rousing ghetto doctor who packs up his pregnant wife (Talia Shire) and heads out to the Maine woods to investigate claims of environmental pollution. That's the least of his concerns when a gooey mutant grizzly goes on the rampage and he joins forces with Native American activist Armand Assante (wearing his humorless resolve like war paint) to get out of the woods. Frankenheimer is a good director saddled with a bad, blunt script, and like a pro he delivers the requisite gore and even racks up the tension in a terrific opening chase. But even he can't overcome the clumsiest collection of deformed woodland creatures to claw their way through a monster movie. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

I Challenge all of you.....!

Yes i do. Can anybody really name a good monster movie in the last 10 years, aside from king kong or maybe something from the Aliens series that is beeter than this late 1970's man in a monster bear suit flick? I doubt it..unless your a superficial, shallow, has no film history education type video game absorbed fool..ah, there are so many of you nowadys..HaHaHa.

I saw this when i was 10, and recently dug in my collection to watch it today. Basically a giant mutated bear terrorizes allot folks in the maine wilderness...no not corny at all...man, this was what "Monster Movies" used to be all about.

Very, very good acting...a young Armand assante, Talia shire and Richard A. Dysart....plus robert foxworth who always kind of annoyed me, but a good actor as well. So I ask you so called "film experts"..with all of these new computer graphics..and effects..name me a good monster flick, with some really good acting...(okay if you say King Kong, then i'll give you that)... that is better than "Prophecy". Nothing beats good old fashioned FX...make-up...and actors in giant bear costumes..believe me.

Prophecy had some beautiful cinematography..some wide camera shots..of the wilderness and some believable set pieces. The suspense was very good, there were plenty of scenes where the actors fleeing from this beast instilled some intense emotions...and their individual performances...were excellent for a monster flick.

No i wouldnt say cheesy...no i couldnt say that, it wouldnt be fair at all. The story line might have been typical, you know the whole environmental pollution theme..but it worked well. And the conflict between the Native Americans and the loggers was well done too...with the help of some good acting from Armand Assante.
The make up was very good...yeah i said it, give me some serious monster make-up FX over some fake looking CGI effects anyday..There was some minimal gore..but the presence and wrath of the mutated bear whacking the hell out of people made you say "Oh S!*t..." without having to see so much blood and guts.

Just the feel of this flick was enjoyable! It was scary..and fun...it was one of those movies i remember, and still would ..talk about it for hours with my friends afterwards.

I dont know what happened to monster flicks. Does anybody who makes them..try to understand what it takes to make a good one anymore? It's not fun watching a bunch of blond haired chicks and hollwood "Ken doll" types try to act in a monster movie. Why not get a good script..throw some good veteran actors in the mix..and create some suspense..use some real make up effects..and you might have something. Still not following me?..dig this..find "Prophecy" and watch it once or twice...because this a formula for a monster movie that works!
April 9, 2008

Politically correct horror movie?

I like a good,solid, horror flick as much or better than the next fanboy.

Unfortunately,Prophecy: The Monster Movie is a shining example of what occurs when you bring environmental political correctness into the mix.

No mad scientists or supernatural creatures of the night.
Instead we get a mercury poisoned grizzly bear that attacks a couple of scientists in the wilderness of the northeast.

Stupid script and wooden acting make this the worst movie I have ever seen in all of my years upon the earth.(And I have seen some bad ones).
I originally saw this in a theater and this was the first time I walked out and told the management I wanted a refund.

I can't even imagine the zealots from Earth First sticking around and watching this dead fish rot on screen.

I would be hard pressed to choose between having to watch this movie or have somebody use a hot soldering iron to burn their initials on my scrotum.

To sum it up,yes,it sucks.
February 11, 2008

Political Correctness Leaves its Cradle

A long-haired, beared doctor raves about how "nobody listens" as he treats an afro-american baby from rat-bites in a ghetto during the film's opening. Maybe it's because it's still the 70s, but the black actress playing the baby's mother exudes a certain vehemence when she laments about the "rich rats" who profit from her misery. The rest of this film involves deforestation, pollution, and anti-indian bigotry. As if that weren't enough, we have a potential abortion situation, as the wife of the hero who feels the world is just too bad a place to bring a life into agonizes over her decision on whether or not to tell him she is pregnant.

I remember how this movie got a slam-bamming from the critics when it first came out, and no wonder! When most movies include a politically charged issue, they tend to offend one side or the other, or they try to reconcile the 2 sides. But not this one; it boldy manages to offend both sides by un-subtly expressing (through Talia Shire's fellow orchestra member) her right to choose for her body (anathema to the christian right), what she decides is the killing of her child (bane of the liberal left). Later, when we see Talia's tearful reaction to the freak they find born of the pollution (coupled with her desire to have the baby), we wonder what the film-makers are trying to tell us.

Although this movie is riddled with cliche's and empty liberal slogans, it does show the baddy paper-mill executive as letting the pollution into the waters as the result of ignorance rather than maliciousness, and later, when the executive realizes what's going on, he tries to make good. This, and Talia Shire's later sarcastic reference to the hero's "too busy saving the world to listen" indicates that the film's bombast may have been intended as irony rather than political correctness. Besides, what intelligent person can argue against the need to preserve our natural resources? This film shows that political correctness isn't always wrong. The problem lies in the fact that this movie takes that message, pries our jaws open to shove it in, then kicks it down our throats. Even liberals seemed outraged at its heavy-handedness.

But most audiences are unconcerned with politics. I saw this one in the theatres when it came out, and the finale where the hero stabs the monster to death as it holds him up in front of it was probably more responsible for the bad press this film got than any politics.

I also remember that the audience was genuinely horrified at the discovery of the mutated baby creature. The scenes of our protagonists driving through the forest at night in the commandeered jeep as the headlights passed through the trees in the darkness presaged similiar filming in "the Blair Witch Project" and was rather creepy. The scene where the old indian watches the flames of destruction reflected 2X in his glasses as if they were his eyes is inspired. The acting is good, particularly Talia Shire, and although one may be hard-pressed to find a film-maker willing to admit it, the monster was quite influential with later horror movies, along with "Alien" and "the Beast Within".

Bottom line, forget the politics, keep an open mind as to the state of FX in the 70s, and you will enjoy this monster movie in a "B" movie kinda way. Many of us who grew up then see it through different eyes than modern audiences will, and I find this movie has worn rather well with the passage of time. Though not worthy of 5 stars, I give them here as to offset some of the unfairly harsh ratings given by others. January 12, 2008

The Prophecy DVD

The supplier was great. I received the DVD very fast. It was exactly the DVD I was looking for and the price was good. I'd order from this supplier again. November 21, 2007

Oozing Backwoods Cheese

Uh-oh...a horror movie with an environmental message? Not really. Instead of nuclear waste being responsible for creating a killer mutant, "Prophecy" lays the blame on plain old mercury. Either way it's just an excuse to get a gooey, pig-bear thing running around the last third of the film offing supporting cast members. "Prophecy" is not a good film. It's clunky, cheesy and at times maybe a little preachy. The monster is goofy (but in this day and age of too much CGI effects, a breath of fresh air), the too hairy cast is laughable. Talia Shire gets her one breakdown moment, just take her speech from "Rocky 3" where she gets all teary eyed screaming at Rock that he "Can't Win", and mangle the words a bit so she is talking about the gooey pig-bear and you get the idea. But for some reason, I found this movie enjoyable, and fun to watch. I think I can trace it back to the standout scene in which a kid tries to run away from the pig-bear while still zipped up in his sleeping bag....that may be the best scene of any horror movie ever!! Truly a laugh out loud moment, and well worth the purchase price alone. If you like your horror films a little on the cheesy side, you won't mind dropping the dough for "Prophecy". November 5, 2007

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