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Featured CED VideoDisc No. 16 - Spring 2000

 


Megaforce

Megaforce CED This is my favorite "bad" movie on CED, falling into the "so bad, it's good" category. Looking over the comments in the Internet Movie Database, it appears that some people agree with me, while others consider Megaforce to be just plain bad.

The IMDb has a Bottom 100 listing for the worst 100 movies of all time, and as of April 2000, Megaforce just barely makes the list at #98. It's telling that only three CED titles are in the Bottom 100, the other two being Yor, the Hunter from the Future and The Lonely Lady. By comparison, the Top 100 (part of the Top 250 listing) still contains 49 CED titles nearly fourteen years after the last CED's were pressed. RCA did a good job of securing film rights, and the quality of CED title material was often a factor in choosing it over LaserDisc back in the early 1980's. I remember a posting on Usenet a number of years ago where the author stated he immediately choose CED over LaserDisc upon walking into a store to purchase a VideoDisc system. He said the choice was simple because the featured new release on CED was Citizen Kane while on LaserDisc it was Coast to Coast.

The plot of this CED revolves around Megaforce- "A phantom army of super elite fighting men whose weapons are the most powerful science can devise." Megaforce is led by the aptly named Ace Hunter, played by Barry Bostwick (currently on Spin City). In many respects this is the quintessential action flick circa 1982 (RCA released their first stereo players about the time this came out), as Ace sports the "Eighties Afro" popular at the time and the Megaforce team are attired in skin-tight uniforms reminiscent of ABBA in the early 80's. If you can't stand watching the whole movie, at least check out a couple of the cheesiest scenes. My favorites are the "sensual" skydiving scene 32:56 into Side 1 of the disc, and the flying motorcycle scene 32:05 into Side 2. This begins right after Ace says "Oh listen, I just wanted to say goodbye and remind you that the good guys always win, even in the eighties"; one of the more memorable quotes from the movie.

A couple of stars from past Featured CED's also appear in Megaforce. Michael Beck was the gang leader in The Warriors, and the late Persis Khambatta played the bald navigator in Star Trek: TMP.

Megaforce was an early example of the Introvision film process where live actors are integrated with miniatures using a front projection technique. Introvision was used much more effectively for the train wreck scene in the remake of The Fugitive, and it has since been supplanted by CGI.

The reminder of this CED feature contains two tables that show the IMDb Top and Bottom 100 movies as of April 2000. The titles of movies available on CED have their rank numbers in bold. Titles that could not exist on CED, based on their release date, have their rank numbers in red.



IMDb Top 100 Movies, April 2000 (1 is best)

Rank   Title
1Godfather, The (1972) 8.9/10 (23729 votes)
2American Beauty (1999) 8.8/10 (17181 votes)
3Shawshank Redemption, The (1994) 8.8/10 (34613 votes)
4Schindler's List (1993) 8.7/10 (27356 votes)
5Casablanca (1942) 8.7/10 (18496 votes)
6Citizen Kane (1941) 8.7/10 (15673 votes)
7Star Wars (1977) 8.7/10 (43926 votes)
8Godfather: Part II, The (1974) 8.6/10 (11450 votes)
9One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 8.6/10 (17985 votes)
10Dr. Strangelove (1964) 8.5/10 (15275 votes)
11Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 8.5/10 (24917 votes)
12Shichinin no samurai (1954) 8.5/10 (4420 votes)
13Rear Window (1954) 8.5/10 (9229 votes)
14Saving Private Ryan (1998) 8.5/10 (25738 votes)
15Empire Strikes Back, The (1980) 8.5/10 (30094 votes)
16Usual Suspects, The (1995) 8.5/10 (27254 votes)
17Psycho (1960) 8.5/10 (13303 votes)
18Pulp Fiction (1994) 8.4/10 (34921 votes)
19Silence of the Lambs, The (1991) 8.4/10 (23237 votes)
20North by Northwest (1959) 8.4/10 (8708 votes)
21Vita è bella, La (1997) 8.4/10 (9802 votes)
22Toy Story 2 (1999) 8.4/10 (5736 votes)
23Sixth Sense, The (1999) 8.4/10 (16204 votes)
24Being John Malkovich (1999) 8.4/10 (5495 votes)
25It's a Wonderful Life (1946) 8.3/10 (10818 votes)
26Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 8.3/10 (7339 votes)
27GoodFellas (1990) 8.3/10 (14535 votes)
2812 Angry Men (1957) 8.3/10 (6235 votes)
29To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 8.3/10 (7760 votes)
30Fight Club (1999) 8.3/10 (9563 votes)
31Matrix, The (1999) 8.3/10 (26755 votes)
32Vertigo (1958) 8.3/10 (8518 votes)
33L.A. Confidential (1997) 8.3/10 (18594 votes)
34Taxi Driver (1976) 8.2/10 (10625 votes)
35Maltese Falcon, The (1941) 8.2/10 (5322 votes)
36Paths of Glory (1957) 8.2/10 (2446 votes)
37Wizard of Oz, The (1939) 8.2/10 (10296 votes)
38Third Man, The (1949) 8.2/10 (4161 votes)
39Apocalypse Now (1979) 8.2/10 (14963 votes)
40Magnolia (1999) 8.2/10 (4077 votes)
41Raging Bull (1980) 8.1/10 (5771 votes)
42Wrong Trousers, The (1993) 8.1/10 (6396 votes)
43Singin' in the Rain (1952) 8.1/10 (5172 votes)
44Boot, Das (1981) 8.1/10 (5904 votes)
45Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957) 8.1/10 (5529 votes)
46Chinatown (1974) 8.1/10 (6131 votes)
47Green Mile, The (1999) 8.1/10 (6382 votes)
482001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 8.1/10 (19578 votes)
49M (1931) 8.1/10 (2215 votes)
50Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 8.1/10 (14354 votes)
51Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966) 8.1/10 (4570 votes)
52Clockwork Orange, A (1971) 8.1/10 (16579 votes)
53How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) (TV) 8.1/10 (3211 votes)
54Reservoir Dogs (1992) 8.1/10 (15780 votes)
55Lola rennt (1998) 8.1/10 (4891 votes)
56American History X (1998) 8.1/10 (8232 votes)
57Some Like It Hot (1959) 8.1/10 (4750 votes)
58All About Eve (1950) 8.1/10 (2678 votes)
59Alien (1979) 8.1/10 (16150 votes)
60Double Indemnity (1944) 8.1/10 (2471 votes)
61Amadeus (1984) 8.0/10 (11675 votes)
62Fargo (1996) 8.0/10 (20056 votes)
63Sunset Blvd. (1950) 8.0/10 (2905 votes)
64Blade Runner (1982) 8.0/10 (23830 votes)
65Manchurian Candidate, The (1962) 8.0/10 (3435 votes)
66Braveheart (1995) 8.0/10 (25591 votes)
67Sting, The (1973) 8.0/10 (6350 votes)
68Rashomon (1950) 8.0/10 (2190 votes)
69Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) 8.0/10 (2995 votes)
70Jaws (1975) 8.0/10 (11018 votes)
71Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948) 8.0/10 (2611 votes)
72Touch of Evil (1958) 8.0/10 (2676 votes)
73Insider, The (1999) 8.0/10 (2744 votes)
74Iron Giant, The (1999) 8.0/10 (2155 votes)
75Sling Blade (1996) 8.0/10 (7057 votes)
76Ran (1985) 8.0/10 (2819 votes)
77Aliens (1986) 8.0/10 (18767 votes)
78Modern Times (1936) 8.0/10 (2502 votes)
79Todo sobre mi madre (1999) 8.0/10 (1872 votes)
80Princess Bride, The (1987) 7.9/10 (16729 votes)
81Annie Hall (1977) 7.9/10 (5424 votes)
82Léon (1994) 7.9/10 (10579 votes)
83Graduate, The (1967) 7.9/10 (7278 votes)
84On the Waterfront (1954) 7.9/10 (2823 votes)
85Duck Soup (1933) 7.9/10 (2639 votes)
86African Queen, The (1951) 7.9/10 (4312 votes)
87Great Escape, The (1963) 7.9/10 (4335 votes)
88Glory (1989) 7.9/10 (6314 votes)
89Dogme 1 - Festen (1998) 7.9/10 (2429 votes)
90Ladri di biciclette (1948) 7.9/10 (1318 votes)
91General, The (1927) 7.9/10 (1298 votes)
92Se7en (1995) 7.9/10 (19376 votes)
93City Lights (1931) 7.9/10 (1643 votes)
94Full Metal Jacket (1987) 7.9/10 (10424 votes)
95C'era una volta il West (1969) 7.9/10 (2516 votes)
96Straight Story, The (1999) 7.9/10 (1561 votes)
97Deer Hunter, The (1978) 7.9/10 (6103 votes)
98Shakespeare in Love (1998) 7.9/10 (13777 votes)
99Strangers on a Train (1951) 7.9/10 (2026 votes)
100Return of the Jedi (1983) 7.9/10 (24521 votes)

 


IMDb Bottom 100 Movies, April 2000 (1 is worst)

Rank   Title
1Manos, the Hands of Fate (1966) 1.5 (1847 votes)
2Space Mutiny (1988) 1.5 (469 votes)
3Dis (1995) 1.5 (376 votes)
4Nuevos extraterrestres, Los (1981) 1.5 (177 votes)
5Howling: New Moon Rising (1995) 1.5 (158 votes)
6Wild Wild World of Batwoman, The (1966) 1.5 (148 votes)
7Girl in Gold Boots (1969) 1.5 (143 votes)
8Skydivers, The (1963) 1.5 (125 votes)
9Track of the Moon Beast (1976) 1.5 (124 votes)
10Godson, The (1998) 1.5 (53 votes)
11Hobgoblins (1987) 1.6 (577 votes)
12Troll 2 (1992) 1.6 (332 votes)
13Future War (1995) 1.6 (301 votes)
14Uomo puma, L' (1980) 1.6 (241 votes)
15Giant Spider Invasion, The (1975) 1.6 (239 votes)
16Eegah! (1962) 1.6 (215 votes)
17Blade Master, The (1984) 1.6 (173 votes)
18Zaat (1982) 1.6 (165 votes)
19Quest of the Delta Knights (1993) 1.6 (160 votes)
20Final Justice (1984) 1.6 (96 votes)
21Party at Kitty and Stud's, The (1970) 1.6 (67 votes)
22Catalina Caper (1967) 1.6 (52 votes)
23Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994) 1.7 (1148 votes)
24Riding with Death (1976) 1.7 (207 votes)
25Time Chasers (1994) 1.7 (177 votes)
26Quest for the Lost City (1990) 1.7 (122 votes)
27Uchu Kaisoku-sen (1961) 1.7 (107 votes)
28Fire Maidens of Outer Space (1956) 1.7 (86 votes)
29Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders (1996) 1.7 (79 votes)
30Werewolf (1996) 1.8 (353 votes)
31Night Train to Mundo Fine (1966) 1.8 (215 votes)
32Monster a-Go Go (1965) 1.8 (146 votes)
33Touch of Satan, The (1970) 1.8 (133 votes)
34Bat People, The (1974) 1.8 (99 votes)
35Zombie Nightmare (1986) 1.8 (90 votes)
36Angels' Brigade (1979) 1.8 (78 votes)
37American Ninja 5 (1993) 1.8 (51 votes)
38Mitchell (1975) 1.9 (410 votes)
39Soultaker (1990) 1.9 (164 votes)
40Parts: The Clonus Horror (1978) 1.9 (157 votes)
41Eye Creatures, The (1965) 1.9 (152 votes)
42Honor Thy Mother (1992) (TV) 1.9 (98 votes)
43Dracula Vs. Frankenstein (1971) 1.9 (80 votes)
44Toter hing im Netz, Ein (1960) 1.9 (76 votes)
45Busted (1996) 1.9 (66 votes)
46Leonard Part 6 (1987) 2.0 (733 votes)
47Baby Geniuses (1999) 2.0 (644 votes)
48Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) 2.0 (611 votes)
49Orgy of the Dead (1965) 2.0 (166 votes)
50Yusei oji (1959) 2.0 (135 votes)
51Folterkammer des Dr. Fu Man Chu, Die (1969) 2.0 (90 votes)
52Warrior of the Lost World (1984) 2.0 (59 votes)
53Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996) 2.1 (887 votes)
54Hercules in New York (1970) 2.1 (394 votes)
55Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (1985) (TV) 2.1 (287 votes)
56Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997) 2.1 (156 votes)
57Hercules (1983) 2.1 (113 votes)
58Theodore Rex (1995) 2.1 (113 votes)
59Bikini Bistro (1995) 2.1 (77 votes)
60Sometimes They Come Back... For More (1998) 2.1 (74 votes)
61I Accuse My Parents (1945) 2.1 (71 votes)
62Unearthly, The (1957) 2.1 (52 votes)
63Kazaam (1996) 2.2 (568 votes)
64Robot Monster (1953) 2.2 (196 votes)
65Horror of Party Beach, The (1964) 2.2 (147 votes)
66Screaming Skull, The (1958) 2.2 (118 votes)
67Beast of Yucca Flats, The (1961) 2.2 (114 votes)
68C.H.U.D. II - Bud the Chud (1989) 2.2 (113 votes)
69Shark rosso nell'oceano (1984) 2.2 (109 votes)
70Outlaw of Gor (1989) 2.2 (88 votes)
71Terror from the Year 5000 (1958) 2.2 (87 votes)
72Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love (1994) (TV) 2.2 (84 votes)
73Lonely Lady, The (1983) 2.2 (81 votes)
74Deathstalker III: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell (1989) 2.2 (81 votes)
75Skyscraper (1995) (V) 2.3 (202 votes)
76Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1982) 2.3 (185 votes)
77Knight Rider 2010 (1994) (TV) 2.3 (90 votes)
78American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (1989) 2.3 (90 votes)
79Daddy-O (1959) 2.3 (60 votes)
80Surf II (1984) 2.3 (56 votes)
81Sampo (1959) 2.3 (50 votes)
82Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989) 2.4 (1420 votes)
83Teen Wolf Too (1987) 2.4 (621 votes)
84Cool as Ice (1991) 2.4 (288 votes)
85Meatballs III (1987) 2.4 (216 votes)
86Tammy and the T-Rex (1994) 2.4 (100 votes)
87Hardbodies 2 (1986) 2.4 (91 votes)
88City Limits (1985) 2.4 (88 votes)
89Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II, The (1985) 2.4 (88 votes)
90Tobe Hooper's Night Terrors (1993) 2.4 (85 votes)
91Fever Lake (1996) 2.4 (66 votes)
92Carnosaur 3: Primal Species (1996) 2.4 (59 votes)
93Teenage Cave Man (1958) 2.4 (57 votes)
94Slam Dunk Ernest (1995) (V) 2.4 (56 votes)
95Going Ape! (1981) 2.4 (53 votes)
96Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) 2.5 (1629 votes)
97Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The (1994) 2.5 (445 votes)
98Megaforce (1982) 2.5 (295 votes)
99Laserblast (1978) 2.5 (229 votes)
100Ghosts Can't Do It (1991) 2.5 (150 votes)

 



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