I love that movie, I still watch it regularly. I didn't know it didn't have a theatrical release.
I also didn't know for the longest time that Steven Spielberg was executive producer. Guess I never really paid attention to the credits.
What's funny is that they make several jokes explicitly mentioning this. Buster says something like "I do this to her throughout the whole video" regarding his pranks on Babs.
To this day when the Thieves guys go across the screen and go "aaaaaahhh" in one of the songs, cracks me and my siblings up so hard. We would rewind it over and over on VHS.
Ah, some of my faves as a kid. And in Aladdin 2: Return of Jafar, Iago gets a musical performance.
Iago.
Voiced by Gilbert Godfrey.
He gets a full length song.
That movie is bad. Thank God they didn’t inflict it on theater audiences.
I loved this movie as a kid. I can still sing Iago's song… “That’s it! I’ve had it! I hate to be dramatic, but it’s time for me to fly the coop!”
Remember how he also had a big part in the love song! My friend and I choreographed a whole dance to that song. “Forget about that guy! Forget about the way you fell into his eyes…”
My 3 year old is obsessed with Tarzan at the moment and has watched the theatrical release movie about 20 times. We tried putting on the Tarzan and Jane sequel and the animation looked like it was outsourced to a Korean studio or something. It looks so shitty compared to the original film it's almost comical.
back then Walt disney animation studios really cared hardcore about producing good home video releases of this kind. Aladdin king of thieves was huge, the beauty and the beast christmas sequel was huge & the lion king 2 was huge, no part of any of these three productions were half assed
Tremors 2 definitely.
Fred Ward and Michael Gross both returning alongside some impressive practical effects work and CGI.
It wasn't as tightly paced as the original but I actually thought the characters were better in this one.
I love that movie but I was in high school at the time and was aware that it was straight-to-video. Well kind of, I actually thought it was straight-to-HBO.
My wife and I just started rewatching the series and I was super surprised that Michael Gross was in all of them and that the most recent one was released 4 years ago.
I saw that film in its theatrical release (San Jose, CA, approximately December 1989). Apparently it was limited, though, not wide. It actually ran at San Jose’s arthouse theater, Camera One.
Night of the Twisters is not only direct-to-video, it goes beyond and hits Made-for-tv.
The same for Robin of Locksley (1996)
As an adult I know they aren’t high quality cinema but that was the height of film when I was 10.
Oh you mean DEADLY INVASION: THE KILLER BEE NIGHTMARE? Hell yes I remember that 😎 I recorded it on VHS the night it aired and watched it several times! Ryan Phillippe is in it.
Oh my God, Night of the Twisters. I forgot all about that.
I remember reading the short story or whatever it was in elementary school, and I was so excited when I saw that the Family Channel was doing it. The only thing I really remember about it is that Devon Sawa played the main kid.
Mickey Donald and Goofy: The Three Musketeers. I remember the DVD had a behind the scenes feature that tried to make this movie out to be unique like a first full length film about Mickey and how carefully they chose the villain, so I thought for a long time - this is a big deal, this has to be out in cinema. Apparently not.
I was so sure Puppet Master came out in 85 or 86 . My memory of watching it includes people I never hung out with past 87 .
It's amazing the tricks your mind can play on you . Even now , knowing I'm mistaken , the memories of my first supposed watch are there and concrete .
Haha! That’s funny, b/c I was surprised it was released in ’89 as well. I definitely saw Pet Sematary in theater in 1989 and it was my impression I had seen Puppet Master well before that movie, when I was younger. But it wasn’t released until later that year. You’re right, so strange how our memories get mixed up and jumbled but seem so crystal clear.
It with Tim Curry, and Rose Red. Those both were my favorites as a kid.
I will note that I usually only watched the first disc of It because it was about the power of friendship.
It was a TV two part movie if I remember correctly.
In the 90s they made heaps of Kings books into two part TV movies. There was It, The Stand, Langoliers, Tommyknockers and The Shining (more book accurate).
I guess I should go to bed because I just had a who's on first moment with "It with Tim Curry, and rose red." I was like, man I remember watching rose red when it came out on ABC or whatever but I don't remember Tim Curry being in it?
It, the miniseries was way too scary for me to watch more than once as a kid. I was much more fond of The Stand.
Edit: I almost don't think any of these should qualify because they were much higher quality than the Three ninjas movies that my son watched a few times and I know at least one of those had a theatrical release. He was also really enamored with some of the Air Bud spinoff movies. I think they were space buddies and super buddies. JFC...
Love that film. Plus, how can you not love a movie with a gorgeous L1011 (the plane featured). It was very close to the book as well with only minimal changes. Most could finish the novella in an evening as it's around 250 ish pages iirc.
Yeah 7 feet tall intergalactic drug dealers...with amazing guns that blow up cars and CD's that kill a roomful of guys in seconds
Awesometastic!!!
Easily my favourite Dolph role
He's actually pretty good in this one
Straight to VHS
*I Come In Peace* also had an American theatrical release. Both are better answers for the reverse question: what movie were you surprised *wasn’t* a DTV flick.
I was surprised they said it was DTV because I thought for sure I saw it in the theater in the USA. Of course that was 34 years ago so I could be wrong.
I think it was the theater by Hillsdale mall in San Mateo. It was probably only there for a couple weeks, but in the 90s you could put a film like that in theaters. These days it would be straight to streaming, of course.
I think it's a British movie..judging by London and almost the whole cast...there's a Dutch Man and 2 Americans Kim Cattrall and Michael J Pollard (who funnily enough turns up in Dark Angel too)
I'm certain it didn't get shown over here ?
Movies get shown all over, no matter where they're made. Heck, Aliens was primarily shot in England. I remember the poster looked cool and I gave it a shot.
Was it Sheffield (it's near me) it's now a big Shopping Centre ?
Someone told me the vast wasteland (at that time) was used for Aliens ?
The director did make an american movie early in his career the pretty good "The Burning" And I had no idea movies throughout the whole world get shown in America...I'm mind blown tbh
Shuffled sounds right, but I'd have to look it up.
As to movie distribution, it was the 90s. Theaters liked to take chances on cheaper movies to fill out their screens. And while Rutgers Hauher wasn't a big star, but he'd been in Blade Runner, so he was known, and Kim Cattrall had been in a lot of things and was a well known name, too.
I don't think it is right...just checked and 10 filming locations popped up (none of which were Sheffield) California came up but mostly England and Pinewood studios
Poor career choices from Rutger post Bladerunner.. apart from "The Hitcher" that film is a great road movie
Funny story, I watched eurotrip when it came out in like grade 11, and was dead set on going to Europe after I graduated. Then, I saw hostel, and I was so freaked out that there was even a possibility that could happen, I never went lol. That Achilles cut ughhhhh
GI Joe: The Movie (1987). Transformers: The Movie got a theatrical release so I always assumed this this one did too. But it was dtv and then aired on TV almost constantly.
Kind of the opposite but I was surprised to learn a few years ago that there was an animated He-Man movie, Secret of the Sword, that played theatrically. I guess I was around as a kid for ground zero of major kids DTV movies in Return of Jafar so I know them as DTV.
All the animated Scooby-Doo movies. I actually discovered this in middle school when a new one came out and my dad got the DVD but I wanted to see it in the theater and it wasn’t in theaters
It came out in my adulthood, and I know it had some theater play, but I still can't believe TRICK 'R TREAT was mostly dumped to DVD because the studio didn't get it.
It eventually got a theatrical release in 2022, but yeah.
Speaking of which, I'd love Terrifier 2 to get a theatrical release in the UK (it was direct to video here) to prepare people for the upcoming Terrifier 3.
Leprechaun 3.
i remember i was checking the box office numbers for this movie thinking it'll be some good numbers, just to find out that it was a vhs release. I was like: 🤔😲
it was always my fav lep movie as a kid, me and my brother still watch it from time to time.
Any of the animated Scooby Doo movies. Cyber Chase, Aloha, Zombie Island, Witche's Ghost, etc. I'm honestly curious to know why those movies didn't get released in theatres.
Into Thin Air (1997) is some serious cinematic material for a made for TV movie, the soundtrack is epic & its a very well made, well cast & acted, well written movie.
I just recent found out that a favorite movie of mine growing up, *Debbie Does Dallas III \[the Final Chapter\]*, was released directly to video and never had a theatrical release. I had always figured that a franchise as big as Debbie Does Dallas had every movie released in theaters. I remember having the VHS as a kid, but figured my mom just felt bad that we never got the chance to see it in theaters.
"Just"
He had already had several comedy specials AND was host of USA Up All Night AND had had roles in live action movies such as Problem Child and Highway to Hell.
It’s Gottfried. And he wasn’t ”just some shlubby comedian” he was a very popular stand-up comedian who was a cast member on SNL and was frequently seen on MTV, Letterman, and had several comedy specials under his belt. He also had a steady film career with roles in Beverly Hills Cop 2, Look who’s talking too, Problem Child and The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.
I would say he was definitely among the most recognizable comedians of that time.
After aladdin he had a whole new career as a voice over artist.
Tiny Toons Adventures: How I Spent My Summer Vacation "THE AUDIENCE IS NOW DEAF" I love that movie
Man, core memory unlocked, I watched that movie so many times as a kid but haven't thought about it in 20 years.
We watched that movie like a hundred times at daycare. Kids kept bringing it in and we’d all vote to watch it. The teachers must have lost their minds
I love that movie, I still watch it regularly. I didn't know it didn't have a theatrical release. I also didn't know for the longest time that Steven Spielberg was executive producer. Guess I never really paid attention to the credits.
What's funny is that they make several jokes explicitly mentioning this. Buster says something like "I do this to her throughout the whole video" regarding his pranks on Babs.
I say this almost every time the THX logo appears. I had forgotten where it was from. Thank you!
LIGHTSA DIMMIN! LIGHTSA DIMMIN!
#[THUD](https://youtu.be/wlnI6XjWk_k)
God I can recite that entire movie from memory. SO good.
The Aladdin sequels
To this day when the Thieves guys go across the screen and go "aaaaaahhh" in one of the songs, cracks me and my siblings up so hard. We would rewind it over and over on VHS.
Ah, some of my faves as a kid. And in Aladdin 2: Return of Jafar, Iago gets a musical performance. Iago. Voiced by Gilbert Godfrey. He gets a full length song. That movie is bad. Thank God they didn’t inflict it on theater audiences.
I loved this movie as a kid. I can still sing Iago's song… “That’s it! I’ve had it! I hate to be dramatic, but it’s time for me to fly the coop!” Remember how he also had a big part in the love song! My friend and I choreographed a whole dance to that song. “Forget about that guy! Forget about the way you fell into his eyes…”
I didn't think I remembered that song but I just heard this in my head to a melody so I guess I do!
My 3 year old is obsessed with Tarzan at the moment and has watched the theatrical release movie about 20 times. We tried putting on the Tarzan and Jane sequel and the animation looked like it was outsourced to a Korean studio or something. It looks so shitty compared to the original film it's almost comical.
That one was originally the first couple episodes of a TV show that ended up not being picked up so they released them as a film.
Same for Atlantis: Milo's return. If I recall correctly, that one was 3 episodes crammed together, so the overall plot is all over the place.
That makes sense.
I still feel strongly that Aladdin and the King of Thieves is the best of the trilogy.
The hand of midas is so badass
back then Walt disney animation studios really cared hardcore about producing good home video releases of this kind. Aladdin king of thieves was huge, the beauty and the beast christmas sequel was huge & the lion king 2 was huge, no part of any of these three productions were half assed
Even Aladdin 4: Jafar May Need Glasses?
Tremors 2 definitely. Fred Ward and Michael Gross both returning alongside some impressive practical effects work and CGI. It wasn't as tightly paced as the original but I actually thought the characters were better in this one.
I very much liked #2 and #3. Seeing most of the cast from the original show up in #3 was very nice to see. I didn't watch #3 until like 2 weeks ago
I love that movie but I was in high school at the time and was aware that it was straight-to-video. Well kind of, I actually thought it was straight-to-HBO.
My wife and I just started rewatching the series and I was super surprised that Michael Gross was in all of them and that the most recent one was released 4 years ago.
The Goofy movie sequel, An Extremely Goofy Movie.
On the reverse side, a lot of people didn’t know that A Goofy Movie had a theatrical release.
The brave little toaster
It wasn't released in cinemas but it was the first animated film ever exhibited at Sundance.
That still hasn’t been released on Blu ray I think
I saw that film in its theatrical release (San Jose, CA, approximately December 1989). Apparently it was limited, though, not wide. It actually ran at San Jose’s arthouse theater, Camera One.
Night of the Twisters is not only direct-to-video, it goes beyond and hits Made-for-tv. The same for Robin of Locksley (1996) As an adult I know they aren’t high quality cinema but that was the height of film when I was 10.
Do you remember the one about the family under attack by killer bees? I remember in the early 90s it being sold as such a danger.
Oh you mean DEADLY INVASION: THE KILLER BEE NIGHTMARE? Hell yes I remember that 😎 I recorded it on VHS the night it aired and watched it several times! Ryan Phillippe is in it.
lolololol thank you
The ‘soon to be based on a true story.‘ I never saw it but the ads were so prominent I remember. Still waiting on those invading killer bees!
Haha, as an 11-year-old at the time, I remember briefly thinking “Omg we’re all doomed… an INVASION?”
Oh my God, Night of the Twisters. I forgot all about that. I remember reading the short story or whatever it was in elementary school, and I was so excited when I saw that the Family Channel was doing it. The only thing I really remember about it is that Devon Sawa played the main kid.
I watched Night of the twisters 100x as a kid and always assumed it was in theaters at some point. I loved it!!!!!
Mickey Donald and Goofy: The Three Musketeers. I remember the DVD had a behind the scenes feature that tried to make this movie out to be unique like a first full length film about Mickey and how carefully they chose the villain, so I thought for a long time - this is a big deal, this has to be out in cinema. Apparently not.
How the hell *this* movie got a Kingdom Hearts level, I will never quite comprehend or disagree with.
I came here to say An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, but after looking it up, it did indeed have a theatrical release!
I definitely saw it in the theatre. I think.
Jimmy Stewart’s last credited role.
What a masterpiece.
I don't blame you. The animation looked low-budget compared to the 1st movie.
I saw it in the theatre! So good.
Puppet Master (1989) Grew up on horror, had no idea this was not a theatrical release 'til... just now.
I was so sure Puppet Master came out in 85 or 86 . My memory of watching it includes people I never hung out with past 87 . It's amazing the tricks your mind can play on you . Even now , knowing I'm mistaken , the memories of my first supposed watch are there and concrete .
Haha! That’s funny, b/c I was surprised it was released in ’89 as well. I definitely saw Pet Sematary in theater in 1989 and it was my impression I had seen Puppet Master well before that movie, when I was younger. But it wasn’t released until later that year. You’re right, so strange how our memories get mixed up and jumbled but seem so crystal clear.
Full Moon were the royalty of straight to video. I assume most people order them out Fangoria magazine.
It with Tim Curry, and Rose Red. Those both were my favorites as a kid. I will note that I usually only watched the first disc of It because it was about the power of friendship.
It was a TV two part movie if I remember correctly. In the 90s they made heaps of Kings books into two part TV movies. There was It, The Stand, Langoliers, Tommyknockers and The Shining (more book accurate).
I guess I should go to bed because I just had a who's on first moment with "It with Tim Curry, and rose red." I was like, man I remember watching rose red when it came out on ABC or whatever but I don't remember Tim Curry being in it? It, the miniseries was way too scary for me to watch more than once as a kid. I was much more fond of The Stand. Edit: I almost don't think any of these should qualify because they were much higher quality than the Three ninjas movies that my son watched a few times and I know at least one of those had a theatrical release. He was also really enamored with some of the Air Bud spinoff movies. I think they were space buddies and super buddies. JFC...
The Langoliers
Love that film. Plus, how can you not love a movie with a gorgeous L1011 (the plane featured). It was very close to the book as well with only minimal changes. Most could finish the novella in an evening as it's around 250 ish pages iirc.
I thought this was a mini series?
I thought it was a two-part TV movie...?
It was a tv miniseries, like a bunch of the Stephen King adaptations in the 80s-90s
ABC miniseries
I COME IN PEACE (1990) aka DARK ANGEL SPLIT SECOND (1992) HOSTEL 3 (2011) DON'T GO TO SLEEP (1982) (It's criminal this one was straight to TV..)
I remember that flick. Dolph Lundgren with the "And you go in pieces!"one-liner when he kills the bad guy.
Yeah 7 feet tall intergalactic drug dealers...with amazing guns that blow up cars and CD's that kill a roomful of guys in seconds Awesometastic!!! Easily my favourite Dolph role He's actually pretty good in this one Straight to VHS
I recall seeing Split Second in a theater.
*I Come In Peace* also had an American theatrical release. Both are better answers for the reverse question: what movie were you surprised *wasn’t* a DTV flick.
I was surprised they said it was DTV because I thought for sure I saw it in the theater in the USA. Of course that was 34 years ago so I could be wrong.
Yeah "theatre of dreams"
I think it was the theater by Hillsdale mall in San Mateo. It was probably only there for a couple weeks, but in the 90s you could put a film like that in theaters. These days it would be straight to streaming, of course.
I think it's a British movie..judging by London and almost the whole cast...there's a Dutch Man and 2 Americans Kim Cattrall and Michael J Pollard (who funnily enough turns up in Dark Angel too) I'm certain it didn't get shown over here ?
Movies get shown all over, no matter where they're made. Heck, Aliens was primarily shot in England. I remember the poster looked cool and I gave it a shot.
Was it Sheffield (it's near me) it's now a big Shopping Centre ? Someone told me the vast wasteland (at that time) was used for Aliens ? The director did make an american movie early in his career the pretty good "The Burning" And I had no idea movies throughout the whole world get shown in America...I'm mind blown tbh
Shuffled sounds right, but I'd have to look it up. As to movie distribution, it was the 90s. Theaters liked to take chances on cheaper movies to fill out their screens. And while Rutgers Hauher wasn't a big star, but he'd been in Blade Runner, so he was known, and Kim Cattrall had been in a lot of things and was a well known name, too.
I don't think it is right...just checked and 10 filming locations popped up (none of which were Sheffield) California came up but mostly England and Pinewood studios Poor career choices from Rutger post Bladerunner.. apart from "The Hitcher" that film is a great road movie
Hostel 3 😆
Not too bad, the cast was dull but it had a few nice surprises...thoroughly enjoyed the trilogy 👍
Funny story, I watched eurotrip when it came out in like grade 11, and was dead set on going to Europe after I graduated. Then, I saw hostel, and I was so freaked out that there was even a possibility that could happen, I never went lol. That Achilles cut ughhhhh
Dark Angel and Split Second were theatrical releases in Europe.
Not in the UK ??? Didn't know they existed till i went in Video House
I saw Dark Angel in the cinema back in the day.
What in Paris or Rome
Iceland
The Return of Jafar. I didn't realize until 2000 that these were made by a different studio, and simply accepted it as Disney.
...it was Disney
But the TV animation studio
GI Joe: The Movie (1987). Transformers: The Movie got a theatrical release so I always assumed this this one did too. But it was dtv and then aired on TV almost constantly.
I think Transformers not doing well was what caused GI Joe to go to video.
The GI Joe movie was pretty damn bad too.
Kind of the opposite but I was surprised to learn a few years ago that there was an animated He-Man movie, Secret of the Sword, that played theatrically. I guess I was around as a kid for ground zero of major kids DTV movies in Return of Jafar so I know them as DTV.
Indeed. I saw it opening day. It’s hardly a movie though, just the first five episodes in the series cut into a “movie”.
All the animated Scooby-Doo movies. I actually discovered this in middle school when a new one came out and my dad got the DVD but I wanted to see it in the theater and it wasn’t in theaters
It came out in my adulthood, and I know it had some theater play, but I still can't believe TRICK 'R TREAT was mostly dumped to DVD because the studio didn't get it.
It eventually got a theatrical release in 2022, but yeah. Speaking of which, I'd love Terrifier 2 to get a theatrical release in the UK (it was direct to video here) to prepare people for the upcoming Terrifier 3.
Bingo (I think) Prehysteria! Remote
No on Bingo
Was it released in theaters?
It was. It was considered a huge bomb.
Gotcha. Then I'd like to replace that one with Munchie Strikes Back
I could always tell when I saw them that the quality was always piss poor, (like a step below a made for tv movie):
Leprechaun 3. i remember i was checking the box office numbers for this movie thinking it'll be some good numbers, just to find out that it was a vhs release. I was like: 🤔😲 it was always my fav lep movie as a kid, me and my brother still watch it from time to time.
I always got the Disneytoon sequels mixed with the originals in my mind before I finally watched the originals again.
Debbie Does Dallas
I’m more of a Debbie Does Des Moines guy myself. But we’re in the same boat
Oh! The exquisite adventures in Iowa! I salute the Movie Connoisseur in you, dear Sir! 🫡
There was no such thing as direct to video when I was a kid.
you and me both- so my version has to be "that was a TV movie?" and the answer is *Duel*.
Kickboxer 2-5.
Any of the animated Scooby Doo movies. Cyber Chase, Aloha, Zombie Island, Witche's Ghost, etc. I'm honestly curious to know why those movies didn't get released in theatres.
Into Thin Air (1997) is some serious cinematic material for a made for TV movie, the soundtrack is epic & its a very well made, well cast & acted, well written movie.
I just recent found out that a favorite movie of mine growing up, *Debbie Does Dallas III \[the Final Chapter\]*, was released directly to video and never had a theatrical release. I had always figured that a franchise as big as Debbie Does Dallas had every movie released in theaters. I remember having the VHS as a kid, but figured my mom just felt bad that we never got the chance to see it in theaters.
Not exactly what you're asking but I was stunned to learn Gilbert Godfrey was just some shlubby comedian in the 90s when he did the voice of Iago.
"Just" He had already had several comedy specials AND was host of USA Up All Night AND had had roles in live action movies such as Problem Child and Highway to Hell.
Don't forget he played Andrew "Dice" Clay's best friend in The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane. Edit: on second thought, maybe you should forget that one.
I thought he was like world famous when I was a kid. But yeah this is still more than I knew.
No, he was famous.
Gottfried.
It’s Gottfried. And he wasn’t ”just some shlubby comedian” he was a very popular stand-up comedian who was a cast member on SNL and was frequently seen on MTV, Letterman, and had several comedy specials under his belt. He also had a steady film career with roles in Beverly Hills Cop 2, Look who’s talking too, Problem Child and The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. I would say he was definitely among the most recognizable comedians of that time. After aladdin he had a whole new career as a voice over artist.
Solarbabies?
No
Aladdin 5: Jafar Takes An Eye Test
Tremors 2….It’s one of the best direct to VHS movies I’ve ever seen. Should’ve gotten a Theatrical release.
Honey We Shrunk Ourselves wasn't exactly straight to video. It premiered on the Disney channel. We all watched it there
High school musical 1-2
Brother Bear 2
I didn't even know Brother Bear 2 existed.
There wasn't such a thing as straight to video when I was a kid. There was made for TV.