Product Description

MESMERIZED (DVD MOVIE)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #143646 in DVD
• Brand: WESTLAKE ENTERTAINMENT INC
• Released on: 1986-01-01
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Formats: Color, Digital Sound, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 94 minutes

Customer Reviews

FAR FROM MESMERIZING...
The premise for the film is intriguing. It is based upon the Victoria Thompson murder trial that took place in New Zealand during the late nineteenth century. Victoria is raised is some sort of orphanage from birth. At the age of seventeen, it is arranged for her to marry Mr. Thompson, a weird, older man whom she has never before met. She dutifully marries him, and when she comes of age goes to live with him in his home, which is run by his two creepy servants. Victoria soon discovers just how weird her husband really is. She ultimately takes the bull by the horns and finds herself standing trial for his murder by the time she is nineteen years old.

Jodie Foster places the role of Victoria Thompson, as if she were doing so under duress. She takes a character that is potentially sympathetic and makes her merely pathetic, leaving the viewer cold. John Lithgow fares somewhat better, as he does a credible job playing the weird Mr. Thompson, doing the best he can with the material with which he has to work. The film, unfortunately, is choppy and poorly edited, the story so muddled as to be nearly incomprehensible. The direction seems to be almost nonexistent, as it looks like it is every man for himself.

This film was originally released under the title, "Mesmerized". Word about the film must have traveled fast, as bad news so often does. When the film was released for the home market, it was retitled as "Shocked". Now, it has been released again, this time under its original screen name. The only thing shocking about this film is that it was ever released in the first place. It is a complete travesty. All in all, this video is not worth buying. The only reason this film was not rated one star was due to John Lithgow's performance. If you are not a John Lithgow fan, deduct one star.

Not totally horrible...
I got this DVD at the Dollar Tree for $1 and so went in not expecting much from it. I was pleasantly suprised by it being better than I expected it to be... I like Jodie Foster, which is the reason I bought it and watched it. I think she did a good job for what she had to work with, which was a pretty dull script. The costuming and sets were all pretty top notch, as was most of the acting. John Lithgow, who played her husband, did a good job, in that he gave me the creeps. There was pretty good chemistry between she and her brother in law, making you believe they could be 'in love'. However, I only give it three stars because the editing was not so good, it jumped around too much and didn't explain very well... I am happy I've watched it, but I wouldn't pay more for it than I did.

LAME, LAME, LAME
Thankfully I only paid $1 for this DVD at the Dollar Tree Store. I thought it was a stupid script and stupid movie. First of all, this movie is based in the 1800s and Jodie Foster is introduced to some ol' [...] fellow through the orphanage women where she has been raised in. They marry and this fellow gets off staring at her through a peep hole while she undresses. But the viewer never sees anything whatsoever except for her taking off like 2 underskirts and she still has the clothes piled on her. Then we see him getting off as she trims his nose hairs and his eyes are rolling to the back of his head in arousement. Took everything I had to sit through it since I did not want to let my $1 go to waste but I should have. 94 minutes of my life wasted. UUGGHH!!!!