Sorry, this movie sucks

I wanted to but couldn't!

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

A scientific experiment conducted by the US Navy in 1943 to try and make the USS Eldridge invisible to radar goes awry. Two sailors (Michael Paré, Bobby Di Cicco) on board the ship are somehow sent forward in time to 1984. Once there, they get reluctant help from cutie Nancy Allen. I actually saw this years before I found out the Philadelphia Experiment was an actual event. Or rather, an alleged actual event. The original story is a lot less interesting as it has no Michael Paré or Nancy Allen. What's there to say about this movie? It's flawed and I can even see some calling it a turkey. But there's something very likable about it to me. Perhaps it's the stars or perhaps it's the subject matter. I'm a sucker for both Nancy Allen and time travel stories. It's a pleasant, entertaining popcorn movie and I got some kicks out of it.

I'm on a watching old movie kick. Although I'm not so sure that the 80's is all that old since I can still recall seeing this back then! Watching it now sure gives another perspective! First off were all females as whiney and annoying as Nancy Allen's character? Allison.. "Don't listen to him David, just don't listen. Tell me what's going on, just tell me. I can't just say things once, not only once? I repeat things in case you didn't hear it, just in case." And OMG did everyone smoke cigarettes? What were we thinking> I rather enjoyed the special effects of the time - not overdone - but made the point. The story was what the story was - and it is and has been a classic. Lot's of the actual written story was removed in place of lovey dovey and whiney stuff - but that's alright. I personally would have loved to see more 1980's stuff - here in 2013 - from the perspective of someone from years before. I'm seeing it from the past and he's seeing it from the future. I'm looking forward to a movie where women are more "modern" - not quite sure where or when that's going to be.

The Philadelphia Experiment (1984) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Nice bit of sci-fi and romance about two WWII sailors (Michael Pare, Bobby DiCicco) who take part in an experiment that will put an invisible shield around ships that will allow them not to be spotted by enemy ships. The experiment ends up going wrong and the two men find themselves in 1984 not knowing what went wrong but they meet a woman (Nancy Allen) who tries to help them. THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT is a pretty interesting little film that sadly just doesn't have the budget or performances to really work as well as it possibly could have. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN is a film that dealt with a few similar ideas and I think overall that film is much, much better but this one here still has enough going for it to make it worth viewing. I think the most interesting aspects deal with the sailor trying to come to terms with the fact that he's in an unknown place and soon he realizes that everything and everyone he knew is now gone. I thought the scenes with him trying to find someone from his past were the most interesting and made for some nice drama. The sci-fi elements are also pretty good as the mystery to what happened is something that keeps you glued to the film even when the special effects are making you want to gag. I understand this was a low-budget film but the effects here are beyond bad no matter when they were made. I found the performances to be mixed as well. I thought Pare didn't bring enough to the part and there were times that he came across pretty bad including a scene in a hotel where he breaks down. DiCicco is fairly good in his part and Allen is dependable as she always is. THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT has plenty of interesting ideas but one really wishes that the producers were given a bit more money to do something with it.

One thing for certain, there is controversy about this Experiment, and the only 'issue' I have is the audio. I had to crank the audio just to hear the movie. Also, the music well played, and my concern about launching "David" in the center of the vortex w/out the truck being taken up also. I rented the DVD of this movie from Netflix, but I was disappointed of the missing deleted scenes, or director's cut edition. Is there a way to improve the audio, and add all of the missing scenes? I would give it a 10! :) But our government knows what's best for its voters. :) I also wonder, if there is an updated remake of this movie, and keep the original cast and crew? I wonder if there are other projects the U.S. Navy has kept secret? Then again, less I know the less I have to testify. :)