RE-UPLOAD - CLIFFHANGER (1993) - Retrospective / Review

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/ ollieh82
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/ oliverharper1982
Originally published September 2013. Had to re-edit due to a copyright claim by SME.
Cliffhanger Bluray goo.gl/MN4W9G
Cliffhanger expanded soundtrack www.lalalandrec...
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[@OliverHarper]

Cliffhanger Bluray goo.gl/MN4W9G Cliffhanger expanded soundtrack www.lalalandrecords.com/Site/Cliffhanger.html

[@domg7727]

Oliver Harper thought you might mention the sadistic helicopter pilot laughing at the Sarah falling to her death. Blink and you will miss it.

[@MrSuckeragi]

This movie just reminds me of the Parody in Ace Ventura :) oh that poor racoon!

[@bigkj2.027]

I intend on checking this flim out I’m intrigued

[@joeyservo]

Couldn't disagree more about Lithgow. He's utterly chilling as the bad guy in this.

[@kennethwilkinson2095]

Get off my back quayland!

[@TheMaxbrooks]

Remember that time Lithgow gave a poor performance? Never, ever happend, he's solid gold. Ok his accent was a little wonky but he was stone cold in Cliffhanger.

[@justthisguy1948]

@@TheMaxbrooks daddy’s home 2

[@mrbee4life182]

Yeah he was awesome in it

[@jacksonjacob7791]

I don't really see Christopher Walken being a very good fit for this movie

[@xiaural2]

The actress that plays the girlfriend that falls was so great. She gets me every time. I used to fast forward her scene sometimes because I felt for her.

[@janewick1082]

My stomach still jumps, even when seeing the clip in the yt video.

[@conorm2524]

Lithgow was brilliant in this. I love his line: "WALKAH! You resilient bawstid!" Haha

[@RS-do1of]

Loved that line... good old days when every bad guy had a British accent. I also liked Craig Fairbrass-“you like soccer.... I was fucking good striker..”

[@nickmattio3397]

John Lithgow can do no wrong EVER.

[@claytonlamb8019]

Nick Mattio I think it's his best work.

[@malbowz1257]

Except that movie where he plays a gay dude.

[@scottknode898]

Nick Mattio originally Christopher Walken was cast in the role of Qualen and dropped out before production started, Lithgow was cast at last minute.

[@truthseeker3503]

Lithgow adding the c in amp in this and Rooker playing himself for the 100th time but a fabulous film!!

[@DirtySouthJR]

Rooker truly played himself in the timeless classic "Slither"

[@at3479]

I've been meaning to give this a rewatch again. Such a return for Stallone and I think Renny Harlin is a good director despite the crap scripts he gets.

[@burningexeter4365]

I've been indifferent to Renny Harlin from day one. He has done good movies but the major flaw with him is he's a Paul W.S. Anderson-type where he's a studio yes man. He's had better scripts to work with like The Long Kiss Goodnight, Deep Blue Sea, Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger and Rambling Rose.

[@joonaslehtonen5372]

@@burningexeter4365 And Long kiss goodnight, Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger are all classic action movies. Die Hard 1, 2 & 3 are great films, yes the Harlins one is the weakest of the three but 4th & 5th film cant stand next to the three originals. You can put Die hard 2 in the same league as Die hard and Die hard 3. It delivers. Long kiss goodnight is one of the last real action films.

[@burningexeter4365]

@@joonaslehtonen5372 I really liked THE LONG KISS.

[@MrLarryQ]

Glad to see Oliver gave this a good review. I saw it in the theaters in 1993, expecting little (given Stallone's prior flops, as mentioned here) and was very pleasantly surprised. I haven't seen it since and so am a little hazy but I thought Lithgow was a terrific villain here.

[@Life-Row-Toll]

In junior high school, I asked a friend if I could barrow his _Cliff Hanger_ VHS as I hadn't seen it yet. At home, I started watching it and was so confused as Jim Cary to trying to save a raccoon. The next day, I got the actual VHS. When I started watching it, I was like WTF? He gave me the wrong video tape again!... Little did I know haha

[@moviefanatic22]

this is one of the few movies I grew up with as a kid! mentioning the other Renny Harlin films, I would love to see you do a retrospective/review on his other films, yes that includes "Cutthroat Island" now mind you and anyone who sees this comment, and I don't care what anyone says! I grew up watching "Cutthroat Island" and it was at first my favorite Pirate movie before Pirates of the Caribbean came into play! so I know a lot of people say it's a bad movie, but honestly I don't see anything wrong with that movie at all! so I would like to hear your opinion on that movie if possible! thank you!

[@YesYouAreAbsolutelyCorrect]

Great movie and always a pleasure to rewatch.

[@JoelCraike]

Cliffhanger is my number one favorite film of all time

[@frankcatlin9311]

9:02 Pretty sure fruit bats are tropical and tend NOT to live in the cold areas... hence the word "fruit". Not a lot of bananas or mangos in the Rocky Mountains, last I heard

[@RossKempOnYourMum01]

They were drawn there by John Lithgow

[@LikeMothsToAFlame]

Ever thought of doing a retrospective review of Luc Besson's 'Nikita'? I reckon it would be a good one to do, especially as it would be a bit different as I don't think you've done many French movies (can only think of 'The Fifth Element').

[@skwisgarskwigelf7191]

The scene at the beginning where the woman falls to her death scared the shit out of me when I first saw this as a kid

[@rogersjgregory]

John Lithgow is superb in Cliffhanger, and it’s my favourite role of his. This is definitely Renny Harlin’s best movie, followed by The Long Kiss Goodnight and Die Hard 2.

[@artofdrinking]

Fuck sorry about your videos constantly being taken down! Keep up the good work

[@jezwotton2126]

I echo Joey servo. Lithgow is so memorable as the chief henchman with great one liners like : " kill a few people and they call you a murderer, kill a million and you're a conqueror - go figure!"

[@Johnny_Thunder]

Great action movie, even the bad guys had character and were likable in their own way. One of Slys most underrated movies.

[@JoelCraike]

Cliffhanger is my number one favorite film of all time

[@starwarsroo2448]

So that's where Bane got that idea from

[@Martsigras]

I have never seen Last of the Mohicans so I can't comment on the sound for that, however to me the music in Cliffhanger is eerily similar to Predator despite it being a different composer

[@icebergthegamer]

I really love this movie lol. Sound design was pretty good too. They nailed the sounds of the carabeaners lol

[@cmonhitme419]

OLIVER HARPER 2020 ! HARPER FOR PRESIDENTE!!!!

[@StruggleoftheOutsider]

Gotta say I love "Oscar," it's a great flick, & "stop or my mom will shoot" is a decent 90's comedy. If you aren't a Slave to popular concensus, which in hindsight is often the victim of trends & the whims of groupthink, a lot of films that are derided have great merit, & some that are celebrated are just assembly line junk.

[@ButteredToast32]

This movie was Die Hard on ice.

[@jamesl.anderson1384]

4:07 4:21

[@jonnes__4657]

Stallone couldn't afford a jacket in winter time in the mountains and he can jump 20 meters and more... really funny. .

[@irzaahmadov86]

Can u do The Barbarians (1987)?

[@thehumblewolf]

Ok but you can’t shoot a gun from under ice water, SURLEY??

[@thetruth7633]

Good movie, should have been Rambo - the mountaineer years

[@juevosrantsyoutube]

do tomb raider 1 + 2 with angelina jolee

[@trustobey1016]

Evil Frank

[@jasontanner6547]

It's pretty good but uncomfortably sadistic at times, unnecessary for this type of movie.

[@mushtaqjakhrani8301]

1993pm13856

[@j.b.booker7912]

Lithgow was badass in this! really menacing. especially having come in last minute.

[@j.b.booker7912]

that being said i can totally imagine Walken saying those lines. "Your friend! Just had the most expensive....funeral. In history!"

[@Grandmastergav86]

Nitsuj Rekoob Lithgow is just a class act all round really

[@runningsuperska]

The way he says "Damn you Walker!!" at the end is hilarious.

[@supastar25]

He knocked it out the park...a memorable villain

[@SimoExMachina2]

He also played a terrific villain in Ricochet (1991). Such a diverse talent being able play anything between comedy (such as in Third Rock from the Sun) and these nasty psycopaths.

[@psalm37v4]

Love this film, especially the terrifying opening sequence. One thing I thought about after watching it a few times....Hal is mad at Gabe and blames him for Sarah's death, yet he is the one who brought her up there knowing she couldn't climb very well. I think he should blame himself! After nearly 1 year, he still can't realize that? Yeah, ok. JS

[@therealKINDLE]

They just don't make films like this anymore, which is a shame. Because you can watch these over & over again. Great review. I would like to officially request you re-do Dune in the future! lol! FUCK SONY.

[@iidirectxii7545]

I wish there were more movie's like this these day's. Personally think there's too many superhero movie's, I'm so burnt out with them. But they make money so you can't blame Hollywood.

[@ozbej5988]

Agreed mate

[@1francosvizzero]

i live near these mountains :) a great place to live ....in summer!

[@GuitarLessonsBobbyCrispy]

Great exciting movie, I've seen it many times, but the scene that stands out like a sore thumb for me is when the two teenagers are base jumping from the top of the cliff. Then it cuts to the next scene and the teens are a couple of miles in the air free falling. How high was that cliff they jumped from anyways? lol.

[@journey4109]

Indeed, this movie is pure 'hollywood' in his glory. Exciting moments, fantastic views, stunts keep along with very dumb script.

[@IndyCrewInNYC]

My cousin and I saw this around Xmas time as kids on cable. It's been a tradition on Xmas day ever since. Timeless classic. Lithgow was both hilarious and stone cold evil. And Travers was so over the top we thought he'd have an aneurysm! Smashing job as always Oliver!

[@VenusHeadTrap2]

None of your FUCKING BUSINESS -Travers

[@martiniusafricanus1558]

Another classic by the great Oliver! That Cliffhanger video game was too difficult though, I never made it pass the avalanche.

[@KRRZ350]

John Lithgow will always be the dad in Harry and the Hendersons to me

[@theSammyM333]

For me he will forever be The High Commander.

[@agent_orange1976]

He is Trinity...

[@yrooxrksvi7142]

Lord Farquaad anyone ?

[@24cptjohnson]

@@theSammyM333 DICK Solomon 😄

[@RainBird88x]

Any plans to do a retrospective on Serenity (2005) ?

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

its die hard on a mountain

[@timtwoface]

I used to watch this on VHS religiously and just saw it today for the first time in over a decade. Still a great action movie, 90s-era or otherwise!

[@adankseason]

I was really young when I saw this in the theatre. Brought my gf. It was my first date. I was 10 or 11 at the time and I like the movie. Haven't seen it since.

[@CaptainCanuck1975]

I liked this movie (just finished watching it again, actually); it was well-done. My problem with the movie is that it never tops its opening 20 minutes; the rescue sequence is a genuinely heart-pounding scene the first time you see it, and the hijacking scene was well-staged and has that great wire stunt. But no action sequence after that even comes close to those two. John Lithgow had some really good lines as the villain. They were also the only good lines in the movie; much of the dialog is atrocious, especially in the first half of the movie. Michael Rooker deserved an Oscar for delivering the "He'll be the one wearing a helicopter" line with a straight face. Once the bullets start flying there's not much time for talking, thankfully. Still a good movie though, and it has one of the all-time great action film trailers. It just kind of shoots its load too early.

[@matth1831]

I love Cliffhanger, but I also love Oscar. I still to this day don't understand why people don't like it. I think it was really funny, and I've seen it so many times I can almost quote it word for word.

[@dnasty312]

Oscar is hysterical 😂 even Siskel and Ebert thought so 🖒🖒 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot? 😝

[@kevjohn2006]

I forgot how gorgeous Janine Turner is/was. 😍😍

[@lluu79]

She's so hot 🔥

[@dnasty312]

12:58 *Long Kiss Goodnight* would be a great review!

[@Sliider36]

stallone was such a fckin legend in the 90s.

[@tohpingtiang4878]

I used to be a cliffhanger. Then I took a rock to the knee

[@starwarsroo2448]

Ronny Harlin ripped off a lot of Die Hard action scenes for this movie, but he did it damn well and it's Stallone's best movie

[@markuxx7409]

I really like this movie, the action was good, and some of the effects/stunts were really amazing. Definitely one of my favorites from Stallone.

[@Restless_Hermit80]

Michael Rooker is not a bad guy in this one.

[@TheWaynos73]

Wow. Christopher Walken was going to be the villian? Cool trivia note.

[@adankseason]

He was an excellent villan in True Romance.

[@scottknode898]

Wayne Shields Walken was originally cast as Qualen but dropped out before production and Lithgow was cast at last minute.

[@the_9ent]

The music reminds me of Predator

[@Lagos08]

I agree. There are some chords that sound similar

[@dustinhodges3665]

I’d love to see you do a retro review of “The Last of the Mohicans”, as you mentioned the similarity in the main title score cause of the same composer. Last of the Mohicans is one of my favorite movies/ movie soundtracks of all time!

[@dapeach06]

This movie feels SO much older than Jurassic Park. I always assumed it was an 80s movie. The score, the title lettering, and the color grading/picture quality/SFX all felt so 80s. Not to mention the ridiculous rock climbing techniques that were incredibly outdated when not just plain wrong

[@Somewhere-in]

This is a true guilty pleasure of mine. The opening is brilliant and the woman falling always gets to me. One of Sly's best action movies and far better then Daylight and I think better The Specialist or Assasins. Shame the sets were used as they're terrible.

[@oberstul1941]

I always like movie where the bad guy is that goofy alien from 3rd Rock From the Sun.

[@scottknode898]

oberstul John Lithgow was main villain Qualen but he was well known for his role on 3rd Rock On The Sun as Dr. Dick Solomon but he definitely play villains in his movies as well like in Ricochet as a psychopathic criminal.

[@AlexGraphicD]

People are giving this masterpiece of a movie such a hard time and trash all over it. I call it BS. The movie is awesome, I love every moment of it. This is pure example how the majority of people don’t know what’s good and bad from entertainment to politics and issues in society. So I’m not surprised, just like the majority votes for bad people to govern our lives, same way they glorify bad movies and trash the good ones.

[@DamnMixes]

It's a dumb action film with outstanding visuals and some great action scenes. The problem is some of the clumsiest villains ever 🤣 They completely mess up their hijack operation, they kidnap these two men, then give out their plan that they are gonna kill one of the guys as soon as he reaches them back, that plan of course backfires immediately, they can't pick not even one briefcase out of three. It almost feels like I'm watching parody film. You have to write a better script than that! Sorry but great visuals and some great acting from Lithgow or Stallone is not enough. In Die Hard the bad guys know what they are doing, they actually get to their goal and only way they can't escape is because McClane is one badass movie hero who outsmarts them. In this movie the bad guys keep failing over and over again 🤣

[@aevangel1]

Absolutely beautiful soundtrack, a nice piece of Americana, ranking right up there with Aaron Copland.

[@JoeyArmstrong2800]

I loved this movie. It's one of the last 90s action blockbusters I really dug.

[@JoelCraike]

Cliffhanger is my number one favorite film of all time

[@claytonlamb8019]

That first scene where his daughter is killed haunted me from childhood

[@kevinphilipsanders]

Cliffhanger on ITV4 9pm today or watch an hour later on ITV4+1.

[@adrianschagerl4486]

Could you review Beetlejuice? It's a great film with unique effects, funny actors and an amazingly weird and epic Danny Elfman score!

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Good god. Imagine dying in service of an action shlock movie from the 90's. *shudder*

[@d.s.o.c.7518]

I hope someday they release the uncut version! I had the Sega CD game and laser disk! The soundtrack was awesome but yeah it did sound like LOTM lol.

[@axelwulf6220]

The only thing that I actually believe wasn't necessary was the opening scene with the faulty climbing gear Even climbing experts say that the whole bit was completely stupid because there's safety redundancy In order for the whole thing to fail, several things need to go wrong all at the same time Everything else I'll take as Hollywood Make-believe Ruthless Thieves, but not a single one is competent enough to make this plan work Con Air made more sense

[@danielclawson2099]

I respect Stallone's fitness, and willingness to perform his own stunts. However, I never liked him on screen. I would much rather watch Lithgow, who has a much stronger "movie star" screen presence, to my eyes.

[@anakinchosen]

A Renny master piece,Lithgow proves again like he did in Richochet how memorable of a villain 🦹‍♂️ he plays.

[@gilrivera1813]

Hey Oliver, great work as usual. Any plans for a 1995 Ghost in the Shell Retrospective?

[@buddistjejus5825]

aISO called the oculosympathetlc neuron you can say remember this neliron it ascends along the interna carotid artery throIJgh the cavernous sinus which is a venolis plexIJS which drains b1ood from the eye the third order neuron nerve fibers the oculosympathetic fibers they innervate mIJ ers mliscle which is a sma11 smooth muscle in the eyelid responsible for a minor portion of upper eyelid elevation the sympathetic nerve also innervates the iris di ator mliscle which caIJses pupils to di ate becalise in a sympathetic response yOIJ are in a flght-or-night response and of coIJrse IJh these fibers also sliPP y the sweat glands becaIJse you sweat typica11y when you re in a

[@AsparagusVideo]

Lithgow is awesome in this, don’t know what you’re on about.

[@tonyhood713]

good movie

[@iidirectxii7545]

Tony Hood Agree, very underrated

[@chomar97]

This movie was the most violent I seen since Robocop. I remember how much blood would come out after every shot an stab. I didn't like when Stallone was running around an swimming with no coat in freezing temperatures it was too unrealistic even at a young age however I still loved the movie.

[@patrickwebb7311]

Cliffhanger looks like a really good film. I wonder if this' what Between the Lions parodied. Great video Oliver.

[@jamesl.anderson1384]

2:33

[@dnasty312]

Get him to a hospital... fast.

[@o_o_o_o_o-o_o_o_o_o]

Or my mom will shoot

[@man_of_salvation]

First I thought the soundtrack is from Jerry Goldsmith :) seems familiar

[@jamesl.anderson1384]

2:21

[@dvdmike007]

The pioneer special edition laserdiscs are amazing

[@jameshughes7947]

Check out 2:38 - GENIUS film making.

[@LetsGetitBoah]

Came here to see if people disagree about John Lithgow not fitting the role and wasn’t left disappointed.

[@shayZero]

This was my first R rated movie that I ever saw and it blew me away as a kid. Great cast

[@janewick1082]

OMG IF CHRIS WALKEN HAD DONE THIS PICTURE!!! EPIC!!!

[@sadderthanyou7793]

Some nice shots here and there, but the movie is just too dumb to enjoy.

[@keeperofwickets1781]

Fruit bats? Alpine fruit bats? Hmm. Curious.

[@genxtasy9914]

I liked Oscar and Stop or my mom will shoot!😔

[@MrSuckeragi]

I think this movie should be re-released/remade so that it could be fitted for I-MAX, it might be an even better experience if done with the current 3D technology

[@DOYLETWAT]

Frank was the real villain.

[@JoelCraike]

My favorite movie of all time

[@leadcounsel4869]

I think I wasted money on this garbage in the theater in the early 1990s. I think I might have walked out. Anyway, I did watch it entirely at some point. It is an ATROCIOUS film that insults your intelligence frequently. Def-defying climbing, jumps, escapes, heroes withstand subzero mountain temps in t-shirts and scale frozen cliff-faces with bare hands, etc. This movie sucked balls.

[@stephan2849]

Can’t. Hang. On. Much. LOOOOONGER

[@zaltmanbleroze]

They never made the sequel Cliffhanger: The Dam. But i'm hearing rumors of a reboot. Which I hope isn't true.

[@jasonpaz]

After this I always saw Lithgow as a bad guy. Could never take him serious in comedies

[@spotthefish5411]

One of Stallone’s best films

[@stephenflanagan5560]

Great review Oli as usual!! I'm 40 & only just watched this for the first time!! One of those 'always wanted to watch but never got round to'. I picked up the 4K for this release & it looks AMAZING!! 👍