- Actors: Neil Dickson, Alex Hyde White, Peter Cushing, Fiona Hutchinson, Marcus Gilbert
- Directors: John Hough
- Format: PAL
- Language English
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: PG
- Studio: Slam Dunk Media
- DVD Release Date: 8 Oct 2007
- Run Time: 133 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000W22220
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 47,291 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Product Description
Advertising executive Jim Ferguson is attending a business party in present day New York when he is suddenly thrown back in time. He finds himself in a dogfight, flying over a First World War battlefield in 1917. Later he meets the mysterious Mr. Raymond who explains that Jim has a 'time twin' who can call on him in times of great need. This 'time twin' is flying ace Captain James 'Biggles' Bigglesworth and Jim must help him and his friends battle against a new deadly German super weapon that could change the whole course of the war.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
One of the great turkeys of the 80s, this unholy mess of a film is a prime example of how much can go wrong with a movie in its development stage. In a desperate attempt to make it "relevant" to American yoof, the makers add a narrative frame of a modern New Yorker who is summoned through time to join Biggles whenever the latter is in danger in First World War Europe. The main plot, which concerns a mysterious sonic superweapon, might have passed muster in an episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. but is bizarrely inappropriate to this setting. The end result is that the role of Biggles himself is pushed into a supporting position, and the film will appeal neither to Biggles fans or to anyone else. The most memorable thing on this DVD is the "making-of" featurette, in which the cast put their bravest faces on as they contemplate the ruins of Beckton Gas Works and their own careers.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
I bought this dvd out of nostalgia for one of my favourite movies from my childhood in the eighties but found it had dated badly and the picture quality was muddy and dark and the sound was absoulutely appalling, (sub VHS level) and it was not even presented in widescreen!. A terrible release and only worth buying if you love the film!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
For those unfamiliar, the Biggles books were a long-running series of boys own style adventures about a WW1 British pilot (the series ran long enough to take in WW2, post-war secret service adventures and even a series of Kiplingesque prequels about his childhood in India), and terrific fun they were too. The movie was in development for more than a decade (at one point a hideously miscast Dudley Moore was mooted for the lead after hitting it big in 10) and the finished film looks like they finally just decided to make something, anything because they'd spent so much money in development.
The end result is the biggest misconceived fiasco of a potential franchise until Working Title's 2004 Thunderbirds came along and turned a weekly sci-fi disaster movie series into a bad kiddie flick. So, to appeal to an audience with no interest in the series and to alienate anyone who was, the plot centres around an American TV dinner promoter who finds himself traveling back in time to 1917 to help his 'time twin' Biggles destroy a secret German weapon that could help them win the war and change the course of history. If that isn't bad enough, it comes with a woefully wrong score by Stanislas that sounds like a BBC Radiophonic attempt to do New Romantic via Kraftwerk, a complete absence of dogfights, poor action scenes, weak comic relief, lazy direction from John Hough and terrible writing (the 'love' story is related entirely as backstory by one of Biggles' sidekicks). Peter Cushing is fine in his last film role and the film does have one deliriously demented line of dialog - 'Get us out of here before they realize you're not a god, you're just an American!' - but is definitely best avoided by lovers of the books.
At least the original UK DVD from Prism included plenty of extras, but Slam Dunk's reissue drops even those. Poor show, chaps
The end result is the biggest misconceived fiasco of a potential franchise until Working Title's 2004 Thunderbirds came along and turned a weekly sci-fi disaster movie series into a bad kiddie flick. So, to appeal to an audience with no interest in the series and to alienate anyone who was, the plot centres around an American TV dinner promoter who finds himself traveling back in time to 1917 to help his 'time twin' Biggles destroy a secret German weapon that could help them win the war and change the course of history. If that isn't bad enough, it comes with a woefully wrong score by Stanislas that sounds like a BBC Radiophonic attempt to do New Romantic via Kraftwerk, a complete absence of dogfights, poor action scenes, weak comic relief, lazy direction from John Hough and terrible writing (the 'love' story is related entirely as backstory by one of Biggles' sidekicks). Peter Cushing is fine in his last film role and the film does have one deliriously demented line of dialog - 'Get us out of here before they realize you're not a god, you're just an American!' - but is definitely best avoided by lovers of the books.
At least the original UK DVD from Prism included plenty of extras, but Slam Dunk's reissue drops even those. Poor show, chaps
Most Recent Customer Reviews
great adventure
a great aventure film with really good music from Jon Anderson (from Yes)
Biggles time travels to help a friend, and goes from a byplane to a jet helicopter.... Read more
Biggles time travels to help a friend, and goes from a byplane to a jet helicopter.... Read more
Published 11 months ago by amanda
biggles adventures in time
great movie part of it filmed at beckton gas works, neil dickson is a great underrated actor. such a shame there was never second movie. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Parker Hall
Bigglesworth
Great pity that they never persevered with this idea of reviving interest in Biggles. Good harmless fun and adventure which appeals to all children in the 10 - 14 bracket - and a... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Robert M. Hughes
Biggles
I brought this as a present for my older brother, we both enjoyed watching it again as it was a throwback to our childhood.
Published 21 months ago by Joanna
Fun adventure from the 1980's
Full frame feature, not a bad copy just not too sharp either.
Fun action film, which has very little to do with the books except the title character & his... Read more
Fun action film, which has very little to do with the books except the title character & his... Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2010 by Andy B
Fiction that borders on reality
I'm not sure the author would have relished his fictional hero buzzing around in time, having dedicated his endeavors to combating the Huns of World War One in his Sopworth Camel;... Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2009 by Mr. C. J. Berry
confused
well it was a good movie, but the i couldnt find the special features on my disc. there was supposed to be a "making of biggles" on it but i couldnt find it. Read more
Published on 14 May 2009 by Maree
a mad idea that somehow worked
this film is a proper popcorn eighties extravaganza. leave your brain in the kitchen and enjoy. i saw it in the cinema when i was five and loved it then, it all made sense to me as... Read more
Published on 21 April 2009 by ac
One of the true classics of the 80s
This is probably one of the true classics of the 80's, portraying the battle between the two famous fighter pilots of WW1: Biggles in his Sopwith Camel, and his notorious arch... Read more
Published on 19 July 2008 by Christian Lowensprung
Captain James Bigglesworth, "Biggles" to his friends, saves...
We're on the Western Front in 1917 and the Germans have nearly finished work on a breakthrough secret weapon. Read more
Published on 30 May 2008 by C. O. DeRiemer
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