The Prophecy | Robert Foxworth, Talia Shire | Political Correctness Leaves its Cradle

The Prophecy | Robert Foxworth, Talia Shire | The Prophecy DVD

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The Prophecy

	The Prophecy Robert Foxworth, Talia Shire Paramount, 2002 average customer review:based on 45 reviews view larger image
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A doctor and his wife travel to maine to research the effects of pollution caused by the lumber industry. They encounter several terrifying freaks of nature & a series of bizarre human deaths. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 08/22/2006 Starring: Talia Shire Armand Assante Run time: 102 minutes Rating: Pg Director: John Frankheimer

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.

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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.

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!

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Rubber Bear I Come Bouncing Back To You

Critics weren't too crazy about Prophecy. I think part of this is because it was directed by John Frankenheimer, a fairly respected director. Hell, he's the guy who made The Manchurian Candidate! Odd choice for a "Nature Gone Amok" type deal, but what the hey. Frankenheimer used this movie to get a message across about the environment(most of these kinds of films do to some degree). If you ask me, a director trying to make a point about something shouldn't use the B monster movie format to do it. What ever the point is plays second fiddle to the corniness onscreen, and in this case a giant mutant rubber bear. But hey, Frankenheimer would do it to us years later with his remake of The Island Of Dr. Moreau.
Robert Foxworth is an EPA official who travels to Maine with his pregnant(though he doesn't know) wife played by Talia Shire to investigate goings on with a paper mill. There's a war going on between the Native Americans(They call themselves "O.P.s" which stands for "Original People". Sounds like an Ice-T song, doesn't it?) who live on the land and the lumberjacks that work for the mill who want to start cutting into their side of the forest. The always reliable Armand Assante is the leader of the O.P.s. Well, as we all know, of course there's something wrong with the paper mill! The mercury they use is getting into the water and mutating the local wildlife. Big ass salmon, tadpoles and maneating raccoons are on the prowl. The worst case however is a bear that runs about tearing people to shreds. Actually it's supposed to be a hybrid of a bear and a bunch of other forest animals, but it pretty much resembles a bear. Foxworth and Shire have to team up with Assante and some of the O.P.s(This ain't no f****ng joke, this s**t is real to me, I'm Ice-T-O.P!! O.P. The Original People. O.P. The Original People) to destroy the bear.
Not a very highly regarded film, but I like it. It delivers what this kind of film is supposed to deliver. It's a good monster movie, a little too talky perhaps, but a good time. As other reviews have pointed out, the menacing bear is quite laughable. Did Frankenheimer really think this was a good idea? Did he really think this creature was scary looking? Did the actors have to do take after take because they kept cracking up when they were supposed to be terrified? Whatever the story, the movie is all the better for it because a creature like the rubber bear is what makes a movie like this enjoyable. Actually there are a few shots of the bear in which it actually looks pretty good. These shots are the distance shots of the bear. Some of those are pretty good.
But if you like the "Nature Strikes Back" genre of the 70s, this is a must see.

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