Laserdisc Title: "FUTURE SHOCK"
Edition: Fullscreen Edition (Single Disc)
Directed By: Eric Parkinson, Matt Reeves
Starring: Vivian Schilling, Martin Kove, Scott Thompson, Brion James
Special Features: ---Director's Version: Contains additional footage and a behind-the-scenes documentary on "The Making Of Future Shock"---
Production / Year: 1993 Park Place Entertainment
Running Time: 98 Minutes / Color
Audio Format: Digital Sound, Digital Stereo, CX Encoded
Video Format: NTSC, CLV (Extended Play)
Miscellaneous Features: UNRATED VERSION
Distributed By: Hemdale Home Video
Catalog / Spine Number: 8169

IMPORTANT: This is a 12-inch Diameter Laserdisc, which is NOT the same as DVD and cannot be played on a DVD player!

Cosmetic Condition:
Disc (s): Excellent - Hardly noticeable to very light to very minor hairline surface swirls or light fingerprint marks
Jacket: Excellent - Original outer plastic shrink wrap still partially intact

Synopsis:

Footage from three separate horror projects was assembled for this semi-anthology, framed by the premise of a mad scientist (Martin Kove) who uses virtual-reality technology to delve into the phobias of three different subjects. The first tale, "Jenny Porter," describes a paranoid woman (Vivian Schilling) trapped in her house by a pack of mad dogs; "The Roommate" features Bill Paxton as a psychotic living companion; and "Mr. Petrified Forest" is the story of a death-obsessed photographer (Sam Clay) who experiences a surreal close call with mortality. There are a few inspired moments -- particularly in the final segment -- but overall the weakly plotted stories will likely fail to maintain viewers' interest. The unrated version contains several minutes of gory footage excised from the R-rated print.

There is more suspense and thrills in the first 45-minutes of this film than in almost anything Hollywood has made since "ALIENS." Writer / star Vivian Schilling skillfully melds three stories into a cohesive exploration of terror... which ranges from nail-biting suspense to sardonic humor. Recommend this to anyone who likes their thrills spiced with intelligence and style.

I found myself truly engaged, genuinely scared and repeatedly jolted by the most unexpected of frights occurring in the most normal of circumstances. I made it through the first hour before I realized that this video is actually a cleverly constructed anthology of sci-fi / scary films (three, plus a fourth "overall" sequence). The segment starring Bill Paxton is humorous, and the last segment from director Matt Reeves is imaginative and shows promise.

But for pure entertainment value and riveting suspense, you probably will be hard pressed to find ANYTHING on video that comes close to the skillful balance that writer and star Vivian Schilling brings to the first 60 minutes of this film. Given a bigger budget, and a film of her own, I suspect that Ms. Schilling could give Stephen King, John Carpenter, even James Cameron a run for the money as a storyteller and filmmaker. Check this out... even if you just watch the first hour.

THIS IS NOT A DVD!!! THIS IS A 12" LASERDISC AND WILL NOT PLAY IN A DVD PLAYER

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