So I went to a local comic book convention a couple of weeks ago and one of the things I love doing at these conventions is buying bootleg DVDs of obscure movies that aren't available (and not likely ever to be available) traditionally. Last time I got the Captain America movie from the early 1990s (which, in fact, DID get a regular release in the intervening time) and this time around it was the 1994 Fantastic Four movie, a movie pretty much made for a million dollars and crapped out pretty much as a "because we have to for legal reasons." So I watched it with a buddy tonight where we riffed and chuckled through it and, in the end, considering the constraints it had and the time... It wasn't too bad, overall I might say it's better than what came out in theaters a few years ago. Sure the production values are shitty, the acting is subpar and it's got some heavy flaws in it but, it's not too bad.
I got a bootleg video of this back in the 1990s - seems to me it must have been mid-1994, which is interesting given the date you cite for the film. In any event, I thought it was great fun and captured the spirit of the early comics quite well.
There are 3 DVDs that every self-resepecting DVD bootlegger must carry: the Star Wars Holiday Special, the 1960s Batman TV series with Adam West, & the 1994 Roger Corman version of Fantastic Four. (Early nudie work of Alyson Hannigan is also a plus.)
I'd say the 1991 Captain America should be in there, but that has an official release now. I'd love to get the Adam West TV series, but I'm not sure how I'll feel about having the TV edits of the episodes and still hold out a glimmer of hope that it'll get an official release some day.
The one bootleg I was finally able to track down was Rawhead Rex. I remember watching that as a kid (on my friend's laserdisc) and being completely freaked out by it. Well I finally saw it again... and needless to say, it is pretty damn awful, with one of the most ridiculous looking monsters ever.
I love this movie and pull it out to watch from time to time. This movie captures the heart and soul of the FF far better than the big-budget train wrecks ever did. And most importantly, they got Dr. Doom right. Arrogant, megalomaniacal and completely over the top. Second that. Elaboration would be appreciated.
I've never seen it. Maybe I'll check it out. I actually liked the 2nd FF big budget movie though I think Galactus should have been more of an adversary...Green Lantern also showed us "concept" bad guys dont work too well in action movies. RAMA
My buddy and I agree, as many, many, flaws as the movie had it seemed to "better capture" the F4 than the "official" movies did.
Pornstar Luna Lane (who'm board old schoolers may remember as the girl who adorned my avatar for a while) was at one time mistaken for nude pics of a certain Buffy alumni.