Exploring The Relic
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2015
- A look into the atmospheric horror film The Relic.
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Movies, games, and the occasional editorial.
From A-Z list films, video games, and other overlooked goodness.
Schedule -
Monday - 1 PM EST New Main Show Episode
Friday - Unscripted reviews of movies currently in theaters and VOD
Also occasional episodes of Good Bad Games and other assorted stuff at random times. - บันเทิง
*This movie was really good for its time. The creature design was so awesome ✅😁*
One of the rare examples of a test audience not reacting well and the production reacting to it in a way that makes sense. These days they'd cut the story to death, force jokes, turn it PG-13 and just generally overreact.
blame the goverment for that... they decided that school shooting were caused by R rated movies... So movie house were forced to enforce no one under 18 rules in movie screenings..
Rather that blaming the gun violence on easy access to guns.
Kobe Wild Even still, that's operating under the assumption that R rated films can't make money when just making a good film that everyone wants to see will usually do better than a PG-13 husk of a movie that's dead on arrival. Hollywood makes stupid choices sometimes.
Sounds like the director was asking the right questions, and ignoring the unthought reaction from the audience.
Ya man so we just want to make a few teeny tiny changes to the plot
Director: ya sure what
Ya so I know this a war movie but no blood
Director: ok
And your going to need a black male lead
Director: but
And can edit the part were the woman is the villan and make her a empowered teen
Director:My god ...... were going to make millions
The most underrated monster movie of all time. The Kothoga monster looks incredible and is right up there with Stan Winston's best creations. I agree with the lighting in the film. It's a blessing and a curse. I still enjoyed The Relic.
Lone Wolf I thought he looked like Torca from Beast Wars.
I loved this film every since I saw this in the theater.
@@bromodragone8405 kinda does tbh but i don't really see that as a bad thing though anything i can relate to Beast Wars is a good thing cause it's a great cartoon and in general a more realistic Torca would be terrifying if you get the right artist
@Bartosz Sz. sometimes I wonder the visual effects would've looked like, had the guys from Industrial Light-and-Magic (ILM) had worked on the film (but still kept the CGI effects down to a minimum)
Do you agree the monster resembles gozers hell hounds from the 80s Ghostbusters movie
Noticed that The Relic was on Netflix and I gave it a shot, Damn solid movie, good lead characters and a fun as hell creature feature.
Thanks for the recommendation Cecil.
The Relic is my favorite horror flick of 1997 like Event Horizon.
Anyone else love the movie Screamers with Peter Weller?
It's great.
Hell yeah love screamers saw it in the theaters just like the relic, event horizon and like every other 90s sci fi and horror flick
Yes, absolutely.
Actually enjoyed that film
Love this movie, highly underrated. I think the main reason it doesn't get the attention it deserves is because a lot of horror fans see the 90's as one of the weakest decades for the genre and write it off as just another generic monster movie with nothing new to offer.
It's cliched and the plot is pretty basic, but everything about it is so well done. Great creature design, good cast with likable characters and the movie looks beautiful in HD (so much atmosphere!). It has also aged incredibly well.
Loved this movie as a kid. Still holds up well today.
i saw snippets of this movie all the time when i was a kid, it was constantly on tv , oh boy the 90´s
It was OK. Kind of derivative, but it delivered the monster action.
I said the same til I read the book
Word, Watching This Joint As I Type lol, Still Scared!
The jump scares still get to me.
One of my favourite films. And you're absolutely right - the Blu Ray transfer makes it a COMPLETELY different experience. I read the book before I heard there would be a movie, and adored it. The film does a lot of justice to the idea, despite changing the novel quite heavily, the biggest gripe for me was that they omitted one of the main (and for me, coolest) characters from the book, which was a shame because he was awesome. It's a shame they didn't make a sequel because the follow-up book, "Reliquary", was even scarier. One thing to add - you mention that the scene with the kids was added as a result of Hyam's childhood dream, but this was actually in the book. However, the scene differed from the film since in the novel, the situation ends badly for the kids...
I seen this in the movies, and loved it. I love Preston and Child. I have read all of their books.
I really liked this movie back in the day! It's an underrated gem imo.
Kothoga was such an awesome creature design.
Shade Draws I agree. I am glad that you brought up the design. I feel that it looks somewhat Lovecraftian, but I might be a bit loopyfied.
Pseudobadger I heard that Winston made the face look like a combination of terrifying insects and animals: a spider, lion, crocodile and scorpion merged into one.
Shade Draws So its like a chimera thats awesome.
Yes, very much as described in the novel. A blend of many DNAs.
Shade Draws I thought he looked like Torca from Beast Wars.
Saw this in theatre when it premiered and absolutely fell in love with it. I think it's important to see this one before reading the book, as they're almost two completely different stories and one of the main characters from the book is excised from the screenplay, although given the number of treatments and re-writes (and writers) the script went through, this isn't surprising.
When we purchased our tickets, the guy behind the counter remarked, "You're gonna love it. It's 'Alien' in the Smithsonian." He was right. :)
i honestly think this movie is massively unrated
Alexander Bilstien Agreed!!!!!! It terrified me as a kid, that's for sure!
Word!
YUP , THE CREATURE DESIGN IS ONE OF THE BEST I'VE SEEN NEXT TO THE ALIEN !
And the book is very good
@Michelle M. ah, beat me to it by a month
Man, I don't get tired of saying it, your channel is a blessing. I don't know how I didn't know this movie. It's incredible! I hope I'd have watch it as a child, I would have loved it even more.
I'll never tire of hearing it. Thank you!
I remember seeing this as a kid and it made a lasting impression on me, especially the decapitated cop and the cop who's cut in half. Haven't seen it since 97/98 but most of the movie is still pretty vivid in my head and I always thought it was better than the non-legacy it's left behind. Solid flick.
Well done on the review and backing this movie up. Gets quite a bit of unfair criticism, especially about the darkness due to transfer. Once again good job my friend.
Movie Junkie I
The Relic is one of my favorite movies. The creature is to me just as amazing looking as The xenomorphs. I'm glad you gave it a positive review. I've been looking for it on DVD but I've never found it.
Edgar G. Angel my brother and I found the DVD in the walmart bargain bin like two years ago
The most criminally underrated monster movie of all time. The Kothoga is truly terrifying and should be in the movie monster hall of fame. People love to compare it to the book(which is better) but the movie is still very fun to watch. The 90's was a big time for underrated horror movies(Relic, Bad Moon, Species, Cube, Wishmaster, Mimic etc.). Great review!
Word!
Mimic big up
I was 18 yrs old when this first came out. The creature gave me several nightmares. I remember a bright sunny day walking down a grassy hill..and then this thing comes down & out runs me, then grabs me..& tears my head off. But the real nightmare was my head was still alive..feeling digested inside its stomach.
Totally underrated - The Relic and Mimic were my fave Monster horror movies of the 90s I still re-watch them every so often
I think I remembered the tv commercials advertising it when it was in theaters. Such a relief it's nothing like the b-movies or the films on Syfy Channel!
I loved The Relic. It was the first horror novel I ever read, and the last horror movie I ever watched (I dislike getting scared).
@RyanLaVoisin No I did not. I think.
Ah man I love this movie! I'm so happy you gave it such a positive review. The effects are awesome, the story is good enough (for a horror movie), the acting is great.
I remember seeing this movie many years ago in a random videostore. Reading the synopsis on the back I was thinking it would be a lame Alien knock-off.
It's somewhere between Alien and Jurassic park, but still has some of its own twists and scares. Genuinly awesome film :)
Thanks! Really cool movie, a shame it is so overlooked.
I ended up watching the Relic somewhat by accident, as I've never heard of it before that, and holy shit is this movie criminally underrated
Yeah I remember it was one of the only horror movies in recent memory that genuinely creeped me out. And I just love the cinematography and use of darkness
Relic is definitely under-appreciated. All the characters had personality.
I saw it twice in the theater and bought it on VHS when it came out. I read the book too which I _don't_ think was better. The book was a bit long-winded and the movie was actually a tighter narrative. The cop was sort of a cartoon in the book being an albino with a sort of 6th sense. I actually think it's a rare case where the movie is a better experience.
Always enjoyed this movie. LOVE the darkness and light contrast. There is NOTHING wrong with it if set up correctly with the right Blu-Ray transfer. a 4K HDR pressing might even do it better.
The Relic & Mimic
2 of my 90's favorites
I liked this film, but as others have said, cutting out the fantastic Pendergast was a crime! But he's such an amazing character, he would have overshadowed everything else, which might be why he's absent. Although the creature design-style was great, I felt it was way too big - the reason it was able to sneak about the museum for years was that, in the book, it was a much less bulky and therefore more stealthy, critter.
mouseketeery Pendergast is interesting, but a massive self-insert by wearing by of the authors. Too much of a Mary-Sue who is should great at everything
@@turkishcoffeeguy I agree that the film made a good choice by taking out Pendergast as he was basically an action hero in a horror movie. But I also think they made the monster too big in the movie. For a lot of the plot to make sense it can't be much bigger than a human.
Perhaps it kept growing everytime it ate
One of my favorite horror films from the 90s. I saw it in theaters in Phoenix back in 1997. Excellent flick.
I'm off to a bingewatch of GoodBadFlicks.
Sadly this is a film I avoided because I am a massive fan of the novel. The movie removes, as Howard Miller has already stated, the most interesting character in the novel: the enigmatic Special Agent Pendergast. The man is like a blend of Sherlock Holmes and Fox Mulder, with a dash of upper class Southern charm (think Frasier Crane if he hailed from New Orleans). He's mostly a supporting character in the Relic novels, but he eventually got his own series of spin-off books where he took on the lead role. Most of them are great horror-thrillers with a dash of sci-fi or supernatural thrown in.
If you do decide to ever pick up the books I highly recommend reading the "Diogenes Trilogy" of books. They're undoubtedly the best of the Pendergast books.
Perhaps they'll either do a remake of The Relic and bring Pendergast back or, preferably, a television series on HBO/Showtime or Netflix.
Though after seeing your video I'll definitely try and give the movie a second chance.
I really liked the relic, it genuinely creeped me out at times, Peter Hyams is a great director.
I enjoyed the book (the film cut out SO MUCH) but I also liked the movie. They're very different, but both nice and offer good scares.
Hell yeah, I love this movie! Good to know it's on Bluray now. The thing's breathing always creeped me out when watching it. And I love Tom Sizemore in this, especially when he's telling the mayor (I think) that if he doesn't shut the fuck up and do what him and his partner tells him they're not gonna be around to run for re-election.
I just finished the book yesterday, I loved it and it's a shame that the movie removes so many interesting characters and dumbs down the plot immensely. Judging by the meticulous nature of your videos I think you'll love it, Cecil.
I never read the book either, but really liked the movie. The ending of the book is supposed to be darker and more sinister, according to a freind of mine, since Dr. Greg Lee, who gets killed in the movie, lives and starts selling the hormon containing fungus on the leaves, which caused all the mayhem, as a new drug in the streets.
It would at least have opened the door to a sequel. But again, i liked the movie as it was, so its not that big a deal for me personally.
There are also soundtrack parts that seem quite similar to Alien. Love this movie. Oozes atmosphere and has a fascinating monster.
I love this movie and have been meaning to read the book forever! I got a copy out of the used book stack at my library years ago!
There're sequel books? I'd hope to see those adapted someday!
Hey, you ever seen Deep Rising?
i love the Relic - i often feel like it didnt get much love - but the actors and the story are all very good -
I love your exploring series, your delivery of non stop info keeps it entertaining the whole time. Keep up the great material!
Read the book... movie was good.. but they left out the main characters... Shame because Pendergast series in the books are really good. Different kind of thrillers. Actually could have become a wonderful series of movies.
I saw this one on VHS back when it first came out. Really enjoyed it at the time, but was not aware that it was too dark. I'd like to check out the blu-ray of it now, see what I was missing. Also, yes! Linda Hunt is amazing!
Speaking of Alien, have you ever considered exploring Alien 3? The assembly cut, of course.
I'm looking forward to the movie series where the xenomorphs run wild on Earth and only Scarlett Johanssen can kick their ass over and over.
Howard Miller, We're all glad you're not in charge of greenlighting films.
OOOH, good idea! It's a very debatable film. I for one like the film.
It's an unpopular opinion but Alien 3 is my second-favorite of the series. it really captured what made the first one great and the visual style is incredible in my opinion.
You’re not wrong about this movie being dark. I thought the brightness setting on my tv was fucked. Also RIP Tom Sizemore. You were one hell of an actor
I ordered a copy after seeing this. Very well worth the money. I'm always loving your exploring series.
I can't tell you how much I enjoy your video reviews. They are the most intelligent and entertaining on the net. Part of it is due to the fact that your videos is about the movies, and not the reviewer. Thank you and keep them coming!
The movie was entertaining, but it completely cut out the most interesting character. Special Agent Pendergast was introduced in "The Relic" and the Preston/Child team went on to write several more good novels with Agent Pendergast as the main character. I wonder if "The Relic" would have had sequels if Pendergast had been included in the film. On the other hand, I think David Hyde Pierce would have been the perfect Pendergast, and there's no way to know if he would have been able to carry the character.
That's kinda why I'm still a little disappointed when seeing Relic all those years later. Pendergast was my favorite character. And the way he kills the monster in the original book was really brilliant. Not as Hollywood spectacular but still cool.
Am glad that the kids didn't die like in the book but maybe that was the reason they didn't think it was necessary to get the FBI involved.
Every time I think of David Hyde Pierce I think of the movie Down With Love. Would have been definitely interesting if they had gone that route but you know if they redid it now they'd get someone like Tom Cruise.
Howard Miller Despite the killings, the books are too adventurous and at times too humorous to turn them into the visual nightmare masterpiece that Relic became. There's also too much reasoning and dialogue better suited for a tv series design. Maybe one day, HBO, Netflix or Amazon will adopt the project.
yeah i came right to the comments to say this too. i was baffled as to why they left him out
I am sure it was to economize on the storyline.
Spike TV and Gale Anne Hurd (The Walking Dead) are in the works of producing a Pendergast series.
This movie used to scare the shit out of me when i was a kid. It's always nice to see awesome movies like this get recognition.
I love this movie! also in regards to your statement about not having read the book, I highly recommend it, and its sequels, they're very entertaining reads
Is it wrong to admit that even after seeing this when it came out, that this movie still gives me nightmares at the age of thirty-nine?
I swear I get on this channel to just watch one video and I end up watching these for HOURS! Damn you Lol
I fully support this lol :)
Still one of my favourite monster films of all time- the Kathoga engrained the fear of public toilets in me at such a young age- the close up where you only see the beast’s eyes..that scarlet, slitted predatory stare pierces right through you- this film is as underrated as ALIEN3 Xx
I was a kid when this came out. I used to go to the museum almost every other weekend. After watching this I didn't go for a while.
I swear studios ruin great films. Book had amazing characters that were cut out and the creature, named Mbwun in the novel and kinda close to the kathoga monster, was smaller, mansized. And ruined the possibility of a sequel. The books have a great connected universes, gwith spinoffs.
Truly one of my favorite movies growing up - loved every second of it! The 'wheezing sound' that the monster made was really creepy and effective at scaring you... well, at least when I was younger,
Always loved this film. Oddly reminds me of Christmas as that was the first time I saw it back in about 99.
Saw this movie one night when I was 12. Everyone was asleep and I fell in love with horror films bc of this! Thanx Cecil for your awesome insight on an incredible movie!
I remember watching my brother and my dad walk to the truck going to see this movie after being told I was to young to go and see it.
I was terrified of that exact same diorama as a kid. Felt like I would fall in and be lost forever, drowning as the whale and squid fought in the depths.
This director would dig my photography. I literally underdeveloped every roll just to get that high contrast dark feeling. Really helps with my grungey style.
This movie is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine
You always seem to pick the right kind of movies to review good job man.
Also you got me twice with that cat man.
One of my all time favorite movies, especially the part with the bridge and the old lady.
"..the movie's not as cerebral"
With the shot of the brain.
YOU should make movies.
:)
Great review and overall a very good channel, suprised that you don´t have more subscribers! Discovered your channel last night when I was looking for clips for the old movie "the time guardian" and have been looking at alot of your videos since then :). Iam a big fan of the book "the Relic" and I think you should try to take the time to read it, its an easy read and not heavy like many of Stephen Kings books. Happy new year!
this was my first real horror movie! at least the first that stuck in my brain as something special. thanks for reminding me what a great flick it was.
Great review as always Cecil! I find this extremely interesting and informative, don't quit. :)
One of my all-time favorites...
Great job as always ! you look at a movie for what it is and how you interpret it. you don't go by what the populace or the critics say and think. We need more channels that evaluate ( not review) not only the movies themselves but the history and production behind it.
I love this movie and the book series. Fun fact: this may be, retroactively, the oddest novel adaptation of all time, as it ADAPTED OUT THE MAIN PROTAGONIST, Special Agent Pendergast. In fairness, this novel features an ensemble cast, and Pendergast didn't fully become the main character of the series until the third novel. which was published after this movie. Pendergast was merged with D'Acosta in the movie. The books usually have a sci-fi horror twist, but they are primarily techno-thriller mysteries. There are currently 20 sequel novels to Relic, but only the second novel directly deals with the aftermath of Kathoga/Mbwun.
Loved this movie as a kid
Good review. I really like this movie, it's my favorite Tom Sizemore role and with Timecop and End of Days my favorite Peter Hyams film. Practical effects still look quite good and both atmosphere and tension in the film are well directed, despite it having like you said very bad lighting which i never could ignore. Still a good movie though, and thanks for mentioning that bit about original ending and test screenings, i wasn't aware of that.
I used to have this one VS, but lost I during my most recent move (bloody moving guys). I recently read the original script and was surprised HOW different it was from the finished film. Its probably closer to the book than what we finally saw. There are extra characters and a sequel set up too. Don't forget James Whitmore was in classic monster movie THEM back in the 50's
I still remember seeing this as a kid for the first time with my late mother back in the day. Awesome flick, hard to believe it's been almost 20 years since it came out. Good times.
Was just looking up something from The Relic since Mimic is on Prime, and you came up. I thought this was pretty good and still holds up! Cheers!
To be fair he did say that he hated "unnatural" light. "Why do they use flashlights when you can see them and everything around them" so even if it is was on a set he'd go for "natural" light. In that there were always diegetic light sources!
I'm glad to see people still enjoy this movie.
Once again Im impressed with this channel, thank you for presenting a film Ive actually not seen(sure some monster and kill spoilers) but hell, now I get to watch it XD
what a great video. super objective and gives a beautiful insight to this film. I’m glad someone can appreciate the work of other people and pass that insight to others.
Thanks!
I always loved this movie. I have it in my movie files. I enjoyed the museum setting and the N.Y.C backdrop and the monster wasn't too shabby for its time.
Oh and the books were excellent
saw this as a kid in theater. It sparked the horror genre interest for me. Mimic is another great one.
Not sure if anyone has suggested or if it's been done already, newly subscribed and loving the vids man, but I would like to see a video for my personal favorite horror monster movies, Deep Rising.
Thanks for the sub! Oh yeah, Deep Rising is very requested. I'm not sure what time frame but I will get to it eventually. :)
So where's the deep rising review lol jk jk
Oh man, I loved this movie when I first saw it! Read the book and the first sequel, too. Both are pretty good suspense thrillers - the kind you would read on a plane or on vacation, in general.
Just ordered the Blu-ray of this one. Really need to watch it again. Thank you for reminding me and keep up the damn fine work! :)
Great video. I've watched this twice now and it's still great.
As a fan of the book series, I wish they would have continued the series. My only worry would be who would be cast to play Agent Pendergast. Tom Sizemore is perfect as D'Agosta!
This video convinced me to revisit the film. I fucking LOVED it. The new transfer is pretty remarkable, it's literally night and day. Was so intrigued by the film that I decided to read the book. Holy SHIT the movie doesn't even have the main character of the series in it. Keep it up, GBF.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the movie. I've heard the book series is terrific and its a shame they left out the main guy in the movie.
One of the best creature feature films I've seen. Absoutely loved this.
This one passed me by at the time. I remember watching "Turbulence" (or rather "Turbulencias") at a cinema in Mexico; the only thing that stopped me walking out on it was the cheapness of the ticket!
Just saw this on Netflix and it is still one of my favorite creature feature films from childhood.
I finally watched this on your recommendation on Netflix Streaming. Thank you. It was quite good. I'm debating purchasing the Blue Ray to see if the lighting is any better.
+Jeff Maziarz I recommend reading the book too. While I enjoyed the movie there was a ton of stuff they cut out, including one of the main characters!
Most under rated channel.
YES!! thank you for doing this
god damnit, im trying to sleep and ive been here for hrs...stop making good videos
What's that? More good videos? Lots more to come lol :)
seriously i was going to watch one vid and go to sleep, and watched 12
This movie always went hand in hand with Mimic for me, surprised you haven't 'explored' that one.
Both me and my parents LOVE(!!!!!!!!!!) this movie! And End of Days. Though, they love the latter a bit more than me.
Loved this movie when it came out and I was a kid. I think it holds up now
I remember watching it 3 times in theaters loved it. The ove ur videos too
The monster fx were A+. The setting was top notch. The dialogue and acting...well, it's a B movie. I had a blast with this film when it was first released. It's still a fun watch on a lazy afternoon.
Thank you for this! Ive been trying to figure out what this movie was called for years since i saw it as a small child. The search is over!
glad to help :)