The Relic Review - Off The Shelf Reviews

This week Gary and Iain review and discuss, The Relic (1997) by Director, Peter Hyams. Starring, Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore and Linda Hunt.
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[@TheUballe]

I saw this and Mimic in the theater. To this day, I often get them confused, because they were both dark as hell and released around the same time.

[@alexanderadonyae7937]

Facts lol

[@orangeballoffailureNYC]

Gentlemen - 10years and 1 day ago you reviewed the film Dead Man's Shoes. (with Tom) I will check back with you in 10 years and remind you of this review....We are the watchers of the shelf 👍

[@rosefarrell2440]

Was that your first review guys? If so congratulations on 10 years. I've only been watching u about 3 years I'd say and it's a joy. Long may it CONTINUE. So many I'd love too c u do.

[@VenusHeadTrap2]

The watchers of the shelf? Thats brilliant 😊

[@mrnaughtycat]

Dead man’s shoes filmed where I grew up the bad guys house was owned by a police man and we called him constible underpants coz he would get his paper in his underpants lo,

[@mrnaughtycat]

The ruined collage near the bad guys house has been turned into posh flats now so it’s not a poop hole anymore thst what people who I’ve watched the movie with a,always say when they see the scene

[@shawnledbetter114]

Man this channel is so underrated for anyone who has a passion for films and film making or movies reviews/breakdowns in general. Love the channel watched you guys for years keep up the work.

[@phoenixshroud]

Awesome review as always guys! 👊👊 The Relic is one of those great forgotten 90's gems that often gets muddled up with Mimic (both released in the same year) and ended up in my collection in the twilight of the VHS tape.

[@bruh_hahaha]

This movie is a forgotten gem. It needs a 4K physical release!!!

[@williamdavies7457]

Agreed 👍

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Best part? Penelope Ann Miller changing into her little black dress. Check her out in Carlito's Way if you're a fan.

[@bvaugh11]

I’d read the novel, ‘The Relic’ when I was young so I was excited to see the film. I saw it at the cinema and was shocked by how different it was but, at least, the film gave Clayton Rohner a solid role

[@winstonmontgomery8211]

Intro: Hello, I don't drink a lot but when I drink, I drink a lot.

[@michaelaurban4120]

I saw this when it came out back in 1997 at a drive in - as a double feature with Event Horizon. It was a GOOD night for horror 👍🏻! Thanks for the review guys!

[@useyourillusiongnr]

Great review guys! Only heard of this movie..never ssen it. Wishing you guys happy easter-holiday! 👍

[@Runeinc]

I LOVE The Relic, I rented this movie soooooooooooooooooo many times from the local Blockbuster back in the day that when they were rotating it out of the stock, the clerk offered to sell it to me at a lower price than normal ex-rentals. Dude was a bro. This and Mimic are a great double feature in my opinion.

[@MarcMcKenzie-qb6or]

I saw it in the theater because I loved the book so much. Yes, there were changes made, but Hyman's direction and cinematography made the movie one hell of a great experience.

[@warbaby32]

Still one of my favorite Helooween time movies... the novel is quite good too, as are most of the other Pendergast books. For me it also had a really strong connection to the game Parasite EVE, another all time favorite of mine. Very similar vibe.

[@RobocopReturns]

This is one of my “watch anytime” movies, along with The Thing and some other horror films. This film (like Ninja Turtles 2 and Robocop 2) might be considered “bad”, but I saw all with my mom in the 90s (my only other movie buddy) as a kid/teen, so there’s an emotional attachment. Man, the 80s and 90s had some serious classics.

[@waynemorris6907]

So glad you reviewed The Relic! I know it’s not perfect, but I absolutely love this dark, creepy monster movie. The 90s was an amazing time for creature feature horror, and I quite like the clunky, early CGI!

[@kowalsolosolo]

Oh,Penelope Ann Miller...I had a crush on her when I was a teen.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Carlito's Way?

[@dereksbooks]

Who didn't?

[@Chloe-vi5mb]

I love this film I really wouldn’t mind a remake either

[@winstonmontgomery8211]

Intro: Hello, I'm only happy when I'm mad.

[@bradjensen4927]

Fairly good movie. Tom Sizemore is PERFECTLY cast as D'Agosta. However, two changes that (for me) somewhat ruined it. 1. The Creature, in my imagination, from the book description and original cover, was more like a Primate/Velociraptor hybrid - highly agile, intelligent, and lethal - realistically capable of living and moving unseen in the dark passages of a museum. What we got in the movie - a ridiculous looking Hippo/Lizard, with spider mandibles? And, so huge, that the idea of it sneaking around a museum undetected was just ludicrous! And the fact that this thing was surviving by extracting and eating a tiny organ from the human brain, when it has a mouth the size of, well, a hippo...... 2. The omission of one of the greatest characters in modern fiction literature - FBI Special Agent Pendergast!

[@betht3037]

I LOVE Agent Pendergast; It's a entertaining book series.

[@unropednope4644]

The creature wasn't that big throughout the whole movie. It grew to that big by the end. Do you really think that huge beast fit in that small bathroom at the beginning?

[@bradjensen4927]

@@unropednope4644 Still a stupid looking design

[@MarcMcKenzie-qb6or]

Yeah, I missed Pendergast--and I just finished the latest novel featuring him BLOODLESS (which is a GREAT read!), but I did like the design of the Kothoga in the film. As much as I loved the novel RELIC I...had a bit of trouble picturing what the monster was supposed to look like. Completely agree with you about Sizemore's casting as D'Agosta. He was perfect--in fact, I can't help but see him when I read the later Pendergast novels featuring D'Agosta.

[@randallbesch2424]

The ship docking reminds me of Dracula and the Demeter.

[@NegativeAirsoftTech]

Nobody ever notes that the two dogs are called "Caster" & "Pollux"...

[@Armageddon-yt3so]

YES! FINALLY! After waiting years to see you guys tackle this film, it was definitely worth the wait! I LOVE this movie! I remember seeing this as a kid one day, then going to school the next day and, the look on my teachers face when I tried describe the movie to her? Priceless XD. But yeah this is one of those movies for me where if I'm in the mood to watch something, but I don't know what to watch, I'll throw this one on and it never gets old for me. Not to mention the Kothoga gave me Nightmares as a kid. Especially that heavy, wheezing breathing noise it made. Shudders lol. Years later I did eventually read the book Relic and its sequel Reliquary. I thought they were really good.

[@EV87_]

This movie is dope. My dvd of it is a relic Edit: would like 4K plz

[@tjenahoj]

Good stuff shelfers! I like this movie! It is one of those movies that seems to take place entirely in some cellar or sewers (Mimic, Bone collector, Hellboy 2, Split Second, Alligator 1980 ). Lots of interesting characters. Big fan of Penelope Ann Miller, amazing beauty imho. Great to see Tom Sizemore in a lead (back in those days I always mixed him up with Michael Madsen). Great to see Linda Hunt not playing a man (even though se got an Oscar for that in that very good Mel Gibson movie). Great locales too I have heard this museum is one of the largest in the world spanning blocks of streets in the city. Far from perfect though, mainly it is for me one of those movies that are so dark I barely know what is happening (only other movies that happened to me is Dolph Lundgren Punisher, some of the Lone Wolf and cub movies, Eric Bana Hulk, this one and the ending of Edge of tomorrow). I seem to remember there was some controversy over this back in the day. Hopefully there will be a lighter copy some day or you guys already know of one :)

[@JoeyMartz]

Awesome! Needed a pick me up for my mood/affect today. I've been depressed. So thanks for that, gents. J from NJ USA

[@LondonPredatorAngler]

remember watching this at the pictures on a sunday binge ticket with mates and loved it!!!

[@markusvesa2763]

I really like this movie. Too dark sometimes, but cool consept, great tension&atmosphere. And i like that we don't see the creature right away.

[@AubreyTheKing]

This movie has always been on my list and I still haven't watched it yet! This movie does look good! I've heard SO MANY good things about it! It's a hidden gem I still need to see! The gore and the creature looks amazing! That's the 90s for ya! Great review on this one guys! I'm seeing The Relic soon!

[@foxlancaster4044]

Natural Born Killers and Strange Days, too. Tom Sizemore was great.

[@5bags]

Hey Gary, are you excited for Alien Romulus which is definitely not going to suck!!! This is the one Gary, no more let downs .....I just hope its in Italian or better yet focuses on the lost language of Latin in space 😀

[@colinthedogfromspaced9365]

It looked and felt like an X-Files monster of the week episode.

[@1kylecurry]

An underrated cult movie. Below radar & entertaining.

[@kellypanda4243]

I'd recommend checking out the book and it's sequel Reliquary (as well as the rest of the series) if you enjoy this movie. One of my all time faves. I understand why they left him out but I still wish they had included Agent Pendergast, he's awesome in the books.

[@randallbesch2424]

I never confused Mimic with The Relic.

[@williamdavies7457]

So glad u guys reviewed this movie been waiting ages ! Its one of my favourite underrated monster movies ! Great review as always guys! 👏

[@Kaiyanwang82]

The boat travel is another reference - it reminds closely the Demeter in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Similar situation.

[@NickElliott-xn4bg]

Every Thursday a treat to behold! 👊

[@slapwagon]

shelf life! ❤

[@boshrek4759]

Still waiting for a boutique company to release a Special Edition Blu ray. I’m still holding on to my DVD. Also need NECA to release a 7” scale action figure for this. One of the missing pieces for many of our collection. Great review

[@G_Elektrik]

I remember watching random tv and found this movie, is a good monster movie with interesting things going on, and the clasic style of keeping the monster hidden and build the horror until the big reveal, i think even if dont look as good as modern movies is a movie worth to watch nowadays

[@misterwillguitar]

yes sir! I also get mixed up between which movie is which with Relic and Mimic - am going to keep watching and see if I can remember! thanks for the review as always you legends!

[@misterwillguitar]

AHA SIR!!!!!!!!!!!! YES I remember this one - the creature eating the amydela! I remember the shock when it graphically showed one of the SWAT team having his head removed by the creature.........fantastic movie!!!

[@apollyon9-11]

26 Jaffa cakes ,I believe you ❤

[@TheBeird]

The Relic aka Who Turned Out The Lights? Not a bad little creature feature

[@MrDman21]

That T-shirt is hilarious 😂

[@JulietMcArthur]

I absolutely love your videos, thank you for making these :)

[@randallbesch2424]

The one part I found ridiculous that the Kathoga didn't just eat the head by meticulously extracted the brain for the hypothalamus only. Otherwise it was good. There should have been more movies.

[@randallbesch2424]

The kathoga plant, green spined water lily with nacarat fungus laden with Mbwun retro-virus that is the mutagen. Mbwun is the God, Kathoga is the son.

[@johndenver3002]

JAMES WHITMORE ALSO DIES BY A GIANT ANT IN THE MOVIE THEM! , 1954

[@davebooshty299]

10:25 Whittimore.

[@beerme2096]

I loved this movie, Mimic and Deep Rising as a kid

[@jeffn4836]

I always had a crush on Penelope Ann miller

[@aintsam9952]

I used to love this film until I read the novel it’s based on. That book and its sequel, Reliquary are incredible. Don’t get me wrong, I still like the movie, but it feels empty with out Special Agent Pendergast, Bill Smithback, Special Agent Coffey, George Moriarty, or Mbwun(the creature the Kathoga tribe created with the mbwun plant).

[@sean5558]

It was so good and I noticed it wasn’t until Reliquary you find out the identity of who Mbwuyn really was before transformed . And the subterranean mutants that were being fed the leafs was something else . Also loved the character of Special Agent Pendergast that was an all around genius badass who became a main character in all their other novels

[@aintsam9952]

@@sean5558yea Reliquary had a chapter that takes place on a subway train that reminded more of that metro scene in Predator 2 or Mimic. Also, they should’ve killed the two kids off in the beginning like the book. I’ve read both Relic and Reliquary multiple times. Still very good reads. well written.

[@DarthPyrusTheVirus]

I still listen to the soundtrack frequently. John Debney went harder than ham on this.

[@jayhinds7547]

Not seen this film in forever, needs a revisit 👌🏾👊🏾

[@mattmidgley4275]

Great work boys 👊👊

[@Jay-mu4xl]

In a post apocalyptic desert wasteland you see a lone wanderer in the heatwaves of the horizon, siphoning petrol from the wreckage of his last road battle. Carrying the tank of petrol past the corpses of the desert ghouls, the lone wanderer walks to his custom built battle-buggy and fills her up. After the last chug of the tank, he sets it in the boot and sits in the drivers cockpit, opening up a metalic rectangular device with a spinning penny sized satellite dish whirling on the top. Focusing his attention on the device, he sees on it's screen, Gary and Iain from OTSR, introducing their show from a time near forgotten. The lone wanderer has plenty of past to forget, but knows there are some things worth remembering, and as the planet moved into the radioactive age, so did OTSR. They will be with us forever. Have a good one, Shelfers. 👊

[@barricade1391]

What a fucking great film Arguably one of the greatest creature features ever

[@alexdarko80]

I remember very clear seeing this movie when it came out in the big screen. Very dark movie, very dark.

[@barricade1391]

It’s funny you mention about the penny I’m the exact same to this day

[@M85619]

I've been subbed to you guys for at least 10 years now...crazy

[@kasparalmayer471]

I get the sense this film took inspiration from Parasite Eve (the novel from 1995)

[@Whiskeytosparrow]

Great choice for a review!!!!

[@shaunmcleod9983]

I absolutely love this movie I got to see this with my dad at the theaters and the creature in this movie is one of the best designs I've ever seen I'm glad you guys are fans for this movie too.

[@lifeinthelabyrinth]

The Relic is absolute gold, one of my favourite creature features, saw it in the cinema back in 97, loved it!!

[@winstonmontgomery8211]

Intro: Hello, I could run a marathon but choose not to.

[@aleaanderson6600]

Regarding Margo and John Whitney, I think their "relationship" may have been workplace harassment, plus the sexism that tends to accompany it. Margo mentions that she sees no value in John's work and hates his soft science views (superstition being taken seriously as if it's "real science"). So, Margo recognizing John in his mutated form and his response by licking her lecherously could imply it. It might also add to why she tells him to go to Hell before blowing him up.

[@donaldleggett]

This movie holds a special place in my heart. Me and the Wife's first date.

[@sean5558]

I enjoyed this movie , but of course the book and the sequel were awesome

[@Avenuewriter]

As a huge fan of the novels, I found the film left a lot to be desired. Without Pendergast it lost a lot of magic.

[@teutonicAnon]

Look into doing The Woman in rhe Dunes (1964), just watched it and hit really is rather wonderful

[@kasparalmayer471]

Do you lads ever go to the Prince Charles Cinema in London?

[@Shadowman4710]

As ridiculous as this movie often is, I've always found it a lot of fun.

[@mongomongo7664]

I've heard of this film I haven't seen it but I have seen mimic film

[@Shadowman4710]

This one is big dumb fun.

[@leejones8582]

RIP Tom

[@tyronewilliamson5527]

we don't know what he does......he's an anthropologist......we don't know where he is.......he's in Brazil😅

[@mrnaughtycat]

I thought this movie was only a 15

[@iyona14granturismogt6gtspo7]

You guts aren't making the distinction between the directors Mimic was Del Toro who's parlor trick is killing kids,once I saw Mimic I knew the girl would die in Pan's Labyrinth.

[@randallbesch2424]

I never liked the kathoga exploding. I would have preferred it to survive but unconscious and the military gets it. Sequel!

[@johnm84]

Could you both do movie reviews for Silence of the Lambs Robocop Speed 8mm Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Goodfellas Bad Boys 1 2 and 3 and the Mortal Kombat movie that would be great thanks.

[@jdsantibanez]

Too bad they discarded the FBI Pendergast character.

[@UnCreativeDeconstructionism]

*Turn up*

[@MagikarpMaestro]

Year 7 of asking for a Jeepers Creepers review

[@jmaurice72]

Yeah buddy

[@edmonlessley4932]

Very cool 😎

[@davebooshty299]

19:37 Wittimore.

[@RioBroski]

I have it on vhs.

[@andrewblanchard2398]

👍👍

[@carlosarmandovegavazquez7038]

Man, I love these pre-Heidi Fleiss, drug abuse and amateur porn Tom Sizemore movies. He really lost his way, didn't he? So sad.

[@MrDman21]

You know this is fiction, Chicago is by a lake and not an ocean. There's no big ass cargo ships in lake Michigan 😆

[@bradjensen4927]

This is mainly because of changes in the script. The book takes place in NYC, however, the Museum in NY refused permission to shoot the movie there....

[@MrDman21]

@@bradjensen4927 true

[@BillBlazejowski]

This isnt Electric Dreams..

[@andrewblanchard2398]

the MATRIX movies SUCK

[@alejandrososa3969]

👀 🔥 🎞 🎥 🕰!!! Yo don’t knowbody know about relic like dat ! How y’all found out ?? .. I was 7 yr old whe this dropped seen it with my mom in theatre 🍿.. it was the era of : “Mimic” 🪳, “species” , & it was this other crazy one called x files movie too that went hard .. but y’all go watch “motel hell 🐷 “ that’s the vintage hidden 💎.. those 90’s sci-if themed movies was crazy back then but I still think the golden age of scary was the 04-06 chainsaw massacres !! & when they dropped the first interations of “saw” .. I watched y’all “the things “ reviews 👍 y’all did excellent one my best channels .. oh yeah house of thousand corpses was 🔥 too it scared me and lil brother shitless .. along with devils reject but fish boy didn’t make an appearance 🙄

[@thomasfreeman3660]

The movie is ok, but the books are AMAZING 🤌🏾