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Information Exchange => Reader Comments => Topic started by: Ken Begg on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM



Title: The Wraith
Post by: Ken Begg on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
I saw this in the theater with a whole gang of friends.  How lame is that?  I do remember that the soundtrack was (as Andrew indicates) a very big deal, back in the era where that sort of thing was just starting.  However, if I'm recalling this correctly, the songs are never allowed to finish--they start and then are suddenly clipped off halfway through. I remember being annoyed by that.

Maybe I'm wrong, but frankly I'm not interested enough to take a look at it again and check.


Title: The Wraith
Post by: Greenhornet on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Saw it, couldn't even laugh at it.
Another Thing To Watch For: His shotgun has a metal FOLDING stock and a FIXED plastic stock. You would have to remove one to use the other, so it does NOT "look cool" like it's supposed to.


Title: The Wraith
Post by: Helmuut on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Bad movie... yes, but entertaining... to the extent of being a wonerful Saturday afternoon / family out of town / work caught up / raining outside / eighties flick to fall asleep to on the couch (I do cherish my free time).

But back in the day, Keri... well it didn't get much finer than that when I was a teenager. The bikini/river scene... (looks over shoulder for wifey)... nice is an understatement.

And for a teenager who's into enduros and hopped-up cars, the movie did a half-way decent job of holding a kid's attention...

The "muut meter" says it was an entertaining flick. Might have to go pick this up at the bargain bin. Then again, I'm quite nostalgic.

Helmuut


Title: The Wraith
Post by: onionhead on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
That's Sherilyn Fenn, of Boxing Helena fame, as Keri.  Gena Rowlands' and John Cassavetes' son Nick is on hand as the rascally Packard Walsh.


Title: The Wraith
Post by: Shuvcat on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
I'm a sucker for evil-demon-killer-car movies.  Only detriment is Sherilyn Fenn acting like a total helpless dingbat, but other than that it's awesome.  The opening sequence looks like it was inspired by every high-school hot-car inspirational-phrase poster, airbrush strokes and all.  And Skank-- a dude who gets high drinking OIL??  Sheesh.  There's an idea...

HOW did the younger kid not realize Charlie Sheen was his brother? For crud's sake, if you're back from the dead why even bother looking like a completely different guy??  Leave the logic at home if you want to enjoy-- and only then you will. :)


Title: The Wraith
Post by: AkiraTubo on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
I actually like The Wraith quite a bit.  I give it four slimes, stopping just short of a full five.  The soundtrack is great, the races are fun, and the characters are one-note but serve their purposes well.  Plus, Sherilyn Fenn's rather awesome breasts are in there.

Nick Cassavettes makes the movie for me in many ways.  With his jacket off, he's as intimidating as ... a tall, lanky guy who needs a tan.  However, he is physically bigger than almost anyone else in the movie so he comes off as a credible threat.  He can't act worth a damn but I think he knows it and has fun with it.  His line delivery and tough guy act are so off the mark I can't help but be amused whenever he says or does anything.

On a side note, I got to see the real Dodge Interceptor -- or more likely, a replica -- at a car show shortly after I saw The Wraith in the 80s.  It was just a fiberglass body on a rolling frame (I'm not sure it even had an engine) but, it was the car from The Wraith!  Woo-hoo!

(Note: there are at least two instances when you can see that the blower on the bad guy's yellow Trans Am is a fake.  There is one loving close up in particular where you can tell it isn't turning while the engine is running.  Oops!)


Title: The Wraith
Post by: I luv dolma on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Saw this stinker on the WB when I was 10 or 11 years old (i'm 20 now). It kind of reminds me of Death Race 2000. My grandmother was really into it. She was like, "What's going to happen next? What's going to happen next?" Seriously. But then again, she spends her afternoons watching Spanish soaps...and she doesn't even understand the Spanish language.


Title: The Wraith
Post by: Felicity on October 21, 2005, 03:14:20 PM
Not as entertaining as it could be, but still 1980s enough to be worth it for me. Charlie Sheen is 1980s. The car is 1980s. The soundtrack is 1980s. The punks are 1980s. As for the rest...meh. Also, it breaks one of my rules: it’s set in a small town. However, it gets points for following through on its revenge premise and not copping out with a revenge-is-useless moral.


Title: The Wraith
Post by: moviecollector on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
I saw this again like a few months ago, uncut on Showtime.

It was good for what it was. Cool black car.  
Its the soundtrack that is the best thing about this movie.  Great 80's music.

I do hope this is never remade though.


Title: The Wraith
Post by: Daniel on November 25, 2006, 04:09:03 PM
Eraserhead-ish hairtyle, and a Dune-Kyle MacLachlan lookalike.
Could they be Lynch-fans too?

http://www.badmovies.org/movies/wraith/wraith1.jpg


Title: The Wraith
Post by: patrick starfish on November 26, 2005, 03:27:55 AM
I thought the characters names were Gutter Boy and Skank?


Title: The Wraith
Post by: Adam on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
I give this movie 3 slimes.  Sice I'm a sucker for fast cars, see this movie at least once, this forget about it.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Cat on May 14, 2007, 09:27:44 AM
OMG - I got trapped into this movie this past Sunday.  Trapped is what happens when you unwittingly turn on the tv to a movie, and just can't stop watching no matter how bad it is.  You keep watching it like a horrible car wreck, waiting to see just how much worse it can get.

Now while I am a total car chick, I couldn't belive how terribly bad this movie was.

thank you for your page here, as I was able to show to my friends how horrible the movie I got trapped into this weekend really was.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Jack on May 18, 2007, 08:26:00 AM
This was one of my earliest DVD purchases.  I got a real kick out of all the crazy characters and the hot cars and the whole ridiculous plotline.  The babe was not bad at all either!  That one guy who was always snorting brake fluid was my favorite.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: mike on December 08, 2007, 11:52:37 AM
Hey genius, you're aware that the "stock dodge daytona" you mentioned beating a tweaked corvette was actually a stock shelby daytona GLHS. a 16 valve turbocharged cosworth 2.5 liter four cylinder producing 350 horsepower in a car that weighs a little over 2000 lbs is well within the realm of normal beating a 70's corvette. check the research.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Andrew on December 08, 2007, 12:31:37 PM
Hey genius, you're aware that the "stock dodge daytona" you mentioned beating a tweaked corvette was actually a stock shelby daytona GLHS. a 16 valve turbocharged cosworth 2.5 liter four cylinder producing 350 horsepower in a car that weighs a little over 2000 lbs is well within the realm of normal beating a 70's corvette. check the research.

Hello, genius.  Please provide some references, as you appear to be pulling facts out of the air and then telling me to "do the research" when you do not have it right in the first place. 

The "stock Dodge Daytona" does not appear to be a 1987 GLHS or 1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z, though the IMDb identifies it as the latter.  If it is, I cannot verify that by its limited appearance on the screen.  It most looks like a Dodge Charger from the same period.  However, I am not a Dodge car enthusiast and the "Lessons Learned" are intended to be amusing.

Nor did the 1987 GLHS have the amazing engine that you speak of, as it was rated at 175hp.  350hp?  Really?  They were supposed to be quick cars, due to their configuration and good power to weight ratio.  I still have doubts about one beating a tweaked Corvette.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Wally on January 04, 2008, 06:29:53 PM
So every web site I read on this movie mentions that the speedometer only goes to 70mph, or that he is only doing 55 when the police are in high speed pursuit.  When the camera does pan to Packards dash it displays the Tach, they never show the speedometer.  Hello!?


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Patient7 on January 27, 2008, 12:01:53 AM
I saw this movie once, it was mildly entertaining as a bad movie.  I would have enjoyed it more but my mom walked into the room right as the nude scene started, seriously, she could have come in during any other time but ooooooooooooooh nooooo, she had to walk in during a nude scene.  :hatred:


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Tom Makulski on August 13, 2008, 09:09:59 PM
I saw the movie on a double date when i was 16. I thought  we were going to see a scary flick -  We had a blast - drinkin southern comfort and mountain dew .
I still watch the movie once a month - I love the 80's - the cinematography was
great - the camera work was good - Kari's a fox  and Packers crew of goons were so typical of what some of the guys in Detroit looked like at the time . Plus the famous " well beat em like a red headed step child"  a lot of said that for years!
Im going to see the car in Auburn Hills at the Chrysler museum it is only 45 min. from my house - just found out that fact today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Psycho Circus on August 14, 2008, 07:34:41 AM
Hey genius, you're aware that the "stock dodge daytona" you mentioned beating a tweaked corvette was actually a stock shelby daytona GLHS. a 16 valve turbocharged cosworth 2.5 liter four cylinder producing 350 horsepower in a car that weighs a little over 2000 lbs is well within the realm of normal beating a 70's corvette. check the research.

Man, who cares what the cars were, or how fast they could go or what some dumb speedometer said??  :question:
The film is to be watched and enjoyed. It's not a great film but it is entetaining and I personally really dig it.
Why are people picking apart silly little goofs or weird bits about parts of cars, that's boring and pointless. You can pick it apart for not being good film all you want, then you can class it as your opinion and b***h all you want. Don't try and get at other ppl, over stupid stock car tweaks and stuff. It's only a movie!  :lookingup:


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: ulthar on August 14, 2008, 07:45:58 AM
I really like THE WRAITH.  I don't know, I think I just have a soft spot for it.  I saw it when I was into anything horror/gore and watched it with a good friend of mine (he had already seen it, and 'recommended' it).

This movie passes the only test that matters to me: it's fun.  I couldn't care less about technical errors while watching this one.  I don't even notice them.  The story is intriguing enough, the way the bad guys get it are inventive enough and it's got fast cars and explosions - just the ticket for the young male full of spit and vinegar I was when I first saw it..

4 out of 5 on the fun-o-meter from me.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: drew_042001 on May 06, 2009, 12:40:47 AM
the Wraith is a GREAT movie.

One of my favorite movies of all time. great cast, the music is classic, and the racing scenes are awesome.



Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: annoymous on March 15, 2010, 04:28:25 AM
You know that I realized that The Crow ripped this movie off, the whole supernatural revenge thing. Oh well, it doesn't really matter The Wraith ripped off High Plains Drifter anyway, so The Crow is just using the same formula I guess.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: TooManyCustomers on December 30, 2010, 02:05:21 PM
 Loved this movie as a kid.. one of the cooler things to come on HBO back in the day.. and hey, it had boobies!!!!! (!) right around the time I first started noticing such things.. God bless Sherilyn Fenn...

But about other comments.. The Crow was based on a comic book written by Jay O'barr back in the late eighties, inspired by his friends who died in a car crash...  Though, come to think of it, he might well have seen this movie (who didn't) and subliminally incorporated it into his story and then...

*tinfoil-hat-wraith unfolds and attaches itself to my head*


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: AndyC on December 30, 2010, 07:54:02 PM
Hey genius, you're aware that the "stock dodge daytona" you mentioned beating a tweaked corvette was actually a stock shelby daytona GLHS. a 16 valve turbocharged cosworth 2.5 liter four cylinder producing 350 horsepower in a car that weighs a little over 2000 lbs is well within the realm of normal beating a 70's corvette. check the research.

Gotta love these people. :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Andrew on January 01, 2011, 01:25:29 PM
Hey genius, you're aware that the "stock dodge daytona" you mentioned beating a tweaked corvette was actually a stock shelby daytona GLHS. a 16 valve turbocharged cosworth 2.5 liter four cylinder producing 350 horsepower in a car that weighs a little over 2000 lbs is well within the realm of normal beating a 70's corvette. check the research.

Gotta love these people. :bouncegiggle:

What's fun is that he pulled "facts" out of the air that are completely untrue.  The IMDb trivia currently says that the car was a 1986 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z.  That means that the engine is a 2.2 liter turbo that made 146 hp on a car with a curb weight of 2700 lbs.  The 0-60 mph is listed as 8-9 seconds.  In comparison, the Corvette probably has a small block V8, with a good guess being a 350 cubic inch engine delivering around 250 hp with a curb weight of 3550 lbs.  The 0-60 mph for the 1973 L82 Corvette is 6.7-7.2 seconds.

The truth is that the poster had no idea what he was talking about.

Years ago I had a 1969 Camaro with a really mean 350 engine.  It also had an insane rear on it:  a 12 bolt 456 posi with fat tires.  I've never seen a rear like that on a car since.  Despite it's weight, the Camaro could do 0-60 in about 6 seconds.  The problem was that I was hitting around 4000 rpm by the time I hit 75 mph, and that was with a 400 turbo transmission.  So, I had a 308 10 bolt that I used for normal driving.

The only problem with driving with a car like that around town is that the car doesn't like it.  She'd start idling rough.  To keep her running smooth, sometimes I had to take her somewhere and really wind her out.  Then she went back to purring with that nice low rumble you get from a classic Camaro with a mean engine.

**SIGH** I miss my Camaro.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: JPickettIII on January 01, 2011, 08:33:23 PM
I liked the movie.  Great cars, especially the Wraith, hot women and cool affects.

I want to own this one.

Later,

John


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: twentiesgirl on January 24, 2011, 02:07:27 PM
 :bouncegiggle:omygosh...sooooo funny...EXCELLENT review!


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: monster93 on February 18, 2012, 08:40:09 PM
Oh! come on this was a good one, maybe the performances weren't that good but I would say that the plot was good and also the context of the 80´s. I really liked this movie.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Mofo Rising on March 12, 2012, 04:22:59 AM
Not bad.

A silly little piece of '80s revenge with a story that could have been lifted straight from CARtoons Magazine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CARtoons_Magazine).

The last time I saw this movie was in the '80s when I was a goobery kid. I remember it being pretty cool with a cool car. At least, that's what the kids were talking about.

I just watched it again and liked it. I wasn't a car kid, and I'm now not a car adult. The racing scenes were decent, and there's a lot of muscle in the muscle-cars presented. Fact is, what really caught my interest in this movie is Sherilyn Fenn and the '80s rock soundtrack (and Clint Howard's Eraserhead haircut).

Worth watching again if you remember it from the '80s. Probably not if you don't, unless you want another excuse to look at Sherilyn Fenn, which I wouldn't blame you for.


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: andrehny on April 20, 2012, 09:22:11 AM
a typical 80's cool teenager movie, with radiophonic hard rock, bullies, hot cars, some nudie cuties, savage-donkey-punks stereotype and a sci-fi excuse.

they tried to done this well, but some bad-good dialogues/situations makes me laugh.
That's ok, it's a very entertaining movie.

It's like a less-debauchee-Troma to a wider audience,
and there's no technical kiss with Charlie Sheen...

 :thumbup:


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: AtomicHotWings on May 19, 2012, 01:57:46 AM
The Wraith's suit always reminded me of the the cyborg in The Vindicator. The latter is an awsome movie. :thumbup:

I have yet to see former but I remember looking at the vhs box a lot whenever we'd rent movies. I always found something else I wanted to watch more.

My favorite part of the review is the reference to The Apple. A film that is surely in my top 12.





Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: Trevor on February 19, 2014, 08:07:33 AM
That one guy who was always snorting brake fluid was my favorite.

 :buggedout: :buggedout: :teddyr: :teddyr:


Title: Re: The Wraith
Post by: startraveler68 on January 23, 2015, 02:48:44 PM
A nice big steaming hunk of 80's cheese, good for an edition of Insomnia Theater. It's amazing how far the cast got just reading off cue cards. And Loomis has got to be just about the most worthless law officer ever in modern film. I guess people stopped reporting their cars stolen because they knew he'd never investigate--the Wraith should have killed him too! I get the feeling though that this could have been a really GREAT movie if it had had a budget, a better cast, better writing, and better effects.  :wink: