Ellery Queen Mysteries Review

Ellery Queen Mysteries
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The 1975 Cult-Classic TV whodunit Ellery Queen starring the brilliant Jim Hutton is finally being released on DVD in its entirety, thanks to E1 Entertainment.
The series was based on the popular classic Ellery Queen mystery books from the 1930's. The show lasted only one season on NBC, but has remained a fan favorite.
Set in the post-WWII 1947, the show closely followed the format of the Ellery Queen mystery novels, which carefully laid out the clues before the reader/audience and invited them to attempt to solve the mystery before Ellery Queen presented the solution.
The show premiered March 23, 1975 with a telepilot, "Too Many Suspects," which was adapted from the book, The Fourth Side of the Triangle. Beloved veteran character actor, David Wayne, portrayed Ellery's crusty but loveable father, Inspector Richard Queen throughout the series. Wayne perfectly delivered folksy dialog ostensibly from the 1940's like, "Why don't we cut all the banana oil?"
Hutton (the father of actor Timothy Hutton) played Ellery to perfection, blending absent-minded goofiness with genuine emotional depth and boyish charm. Together, he and Wayne had the perfect on-screen chemistry, creating an authentic charm that remains undiminished after all of these years.
In all, 22 fun one-hour episodes followed beginning on Sept. 11, 1975, the last show airing on April 4, 1976.
In the early Queen books, just prior to the presentation of the solution to the mystery, a "Challenge To The Reader" was issued during which the suspects and clues were reviewed and the reader challenged to guess the solution to the crime.
This tradition was preserved in the series, when Hutton as Ellery turns from the scene to the camera and speaks directly to viewers. This occurs prior to the commercial break that led into the final act. Ellery provides a brief recap, then invites the audience to add up the clues, and to identify the guilty party.
The final act always employed the time-honored detective cliché of calling all of the suspects together (it was made famous by Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, who often gathered the crowd in together in the drawing room) with Ellery presenting the solution to the group, frequently upstaging and skewering the solution proposed by whichever rival sleuth was also in the episode.
Rounding out the cast was John Hillerman, who portrayed Radio Mystery Master, Simon Brimmer. Brimmer constantly tried to upstage the Inspector and also embarrass Ellery by solving the crime first -- and he always failed.
In addition, Ken Swofford portrayed yellow journalist Frank Flannigan; Tom Reese, as the stalwart and stone-face Lt. Thomas Velie, the Inspector's right-hand man; and Nina Roman, who portrayed the Inspector's secretary, Grace, in seven episodes.
The show as also known for its clever opening montage, in which an announcer relays that this so-and-so is about to be murdered. Who is guilty? Is it ...? Next, each suspect (guest star) is shown in a brief clip, speaking a short humorous phrase. It ends with, "Match wits with Ellery Queen and see if you can guess whodunit!"
The series was created by the writing/producing team of Richard Levinson and William Link, who also created the Classic TV mystery/police shows Mannix, Columbo and Murder, She Wrote.
"Too Many Suspects," the pilot episode, IS included in this six-disc complete series boxed set entitiled: "Ellery Queen Mysteries." The other 22 episodes included are: The Adventure of Auld Lang Syne; The Adventure of the Lover's Leap; The Adventure of the Chinese Dog; The Adventure of the Comic Book Crusader; The Adventure of the 12th Floor Express; The Adventure of Miss Aggie's Farewell Performance; The Adventure of Colonel Niven's Memoirs; The Adventure of the Mad Tea Party; The Adventure of Veronica's Veils; The Adventure of the Pharaoh's Curse; The Adventure of the Blunt Instrument; The Adventure of the Black Falcon; The Adventure of the Sunday Punch; The Adventure of the Eccentric Engineer; The Adventure of the Wary Witness; The Adventure of the Judas Tree; The Adventure of the Sinister Scenario; The Adventure of the Two-Faced Woman; The Adventure of the Tyrant of Tin Pan Alley; The Adventure of Caesar's Last Sleep; The Adventure of the Hard-Hearted Huckster; and The Adventure of the Disappearing Dagger.
In addition to these fabulous episodes, which have been completely remastered, E1 Entertainment has included a special collector's book in the set.
Guest stars truly included the cream of 1970's acting talent on the small and big screens, including: Kim Hunter, Ray Milland, Tim O'Connor, Gail Strickland, Joan Collins, David Doyle, Ray Walston, Anne Francis, Don Ameche, Susan Strasberg, Orson Bean, Dee Wallace, Lynda Day George, Tom Bosley, Pat Harrington Jr., Eve Arden, Bert Parks, Betty White, Robbert Loggia, Rene Auberjonois, Pernell Roberts, Jim Backus, Larry Hagman, George Burns, Hayden Rorke, June Lockhart, John Larroquette, Eva Gabor, Dean Stockwell, Tab Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Susan Stafford, William Schallert, Robert Alda, Arthur Godfrey, Ed McMahon, Bobby Sherman, Dick Van Patten, Tricia O'Neil, Cesar Romero, Dick Sargent, Bill Dana, Diana Muldaur, Noah Beery Jr., Troy Donahue, Vincent Price, James Sikking, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Edward Mulhare, Vera Miles, Victor Buono, Polly Bergen, Ken Berry, Norman Fell, Edward Albert, Kevin Tighe, Bibi Besch, Bob Crane, Juliet Mills, Gary Burghoff, Ronny Cox, and Walter Pidgeon.
(Important FYI: Here's a quick word about the "real" Ellery Queen in the literary world. "Ellery Queen" is actually the pseudonym used by two cousins, Frederick Dannay and Manfred B. Lee to write detective fiction. Some of the later Ellery Queen novels were ghost-written by Theodore Sturgeon, Jack Vance, and other prominent writers.
In their successful series of novels, Ellery Queen is not only the name of the author, but also the detective-hero of the stories. The writing team also wrote four novels under the name of Barnaby Ross about a Shakespearian actor/detective named Drury Lane. These novels were later reiussed under the Ellery Queen byline.
For a while in the 1930s "Ellery Queen" and "Barnaby Ross" staged a series of public debates in which one cousin impersonated Queen and the other impersonated Ross.
The early Queen novels encouraged the reader to attempt to solve the puzzle, with an explicit note in the text when the reader had all the necessary information.
There were many paperback novels written by "Ellery Queen" in the 1960s that did not feature the detective Ellery Queen. For instance, three novels featuring the governor's "troubleshooter" Mike McCall - The Campus Murders (1969, written by Gil Brewer); The Black Hearts Murder (1970, written by Richard Deming); and The Blue Movie Murders (1972, written by Edward D. Hoch) -- were published under the "Ellery Queen" byline. Jack Vance also wrote four of these book.)

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From the creators of Columbo and Murder, She Wrote' Match wits with Ellery Queen (Jim Hutton) in all 22 digitally restored, uncut and unedited episodes of this classic NBC series following the exploits of the famed writer as he assists his father, Inspector Richard Queen (David Wayne), in solving the mysteries that baffle the New York City police force.
Guest Stars include: Don Ameche, Dana Andrews, Tom Bosley, George Burns, Joan Collins, Troy Donahue, Anne Francis, Eva Gabor, Larry Hagman, June Lockhart, Robert Loggia, Roddy McDowall, Ed McMahon, Sal Mineo, Donald O'Connor, Dean Stockwell, Dick Van Patten, Vincent Price, Cesar Romero, Betty White, and many more!

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Boondocks : Season 1 (2005) Review

Boondocks : Season 1 (2005)
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Before I start the review, I'd like to tell anyone who's a fan of this show to BUY THE COMIC COLLECTIONS. They're even better than the show (which I love), and if this show introduced you to the Boondocks, then you should definately explore the comics that the show is based on.
The Boondocks might just be the best show on TV. First of all, it has some great, memorable characters. Huey Freeman, the 10 year old revolutionary that listens to too much Public Enemy...His younger brother, Riley, who is fascinated by gangsta rap, guns, and bling...Grandad, the guardian of the two boys, who's slightly disconnected from the modern times, but has enough sense to be the occasional voice of reason...Tom Dubois (his name is a play on "uncle tom"), his (white) wife, and his confused daughter, Jasmine, who are the Freeman's neighbors...Uncle Ruckus, the self-hating, caucasian loving black man...Ed Wuncler, the owner of almost all of Woodcrest...His grandson, Ed III, and Gin Rummy; 2 crazy crime obsessed white characters played brilliantly by Charlie Murphy & Samuel L. Jackson...And more
Another reason the show is so great is because it touches on interesting and controversial subject matters. It's a show that can really make you think - about social issues, religion, race, relationships, business, war, politics, and just society in general. Episodes about the R. Kelly trial, Martin Luther King Jr. coming out of a coma, ect., all show that there is no place Aaron McGruder (creator of the Boondocks) isn't willing to go. But the key here is EXECUTION. All of the episodes are executed extremely well. A lot of the idea's they've used on The Boondocks could have turned out to be really stupid episodes, but they do a great job at executing ideas. And lastly, the show is just FUNNY. Every episode makes you laugh at one point of another. That, and the fact that the show is incredibly smart and witty, are what truly make this one of the best shows on TV.
Even with all of that going for it, the music is the x-factor that makes this show even more appealing to me. From the dope opening track, to the constant MF Doom and Dangerdoom tracks being played during the show/promos (I remember most of the promos having the instrumental of 'Bada Bing' from the Danger Doom album in the background), the music sets an incredible tone for the show. Even if you're not a huge fan of MF Doom & Danger Mouse like I am, you should still appreciate the music used here.
Episodes From Season 1:
1. Garden Party - 8/10 - The Freemans are invited to a party at Ed Wunclers house. This one really had me hungry for more. It wasn't the greatest episode, but parts of it indicated that this show had the potential to be great.
Quotable: Riley: Man, I really liked that house. Oh well. I shot a n****!
2. The Trial Of R. Kelly - 10/10 - Riley goes to R. Kelly's trial to defend one of his favorite artists. This is where the series really started to take off. Tons of great moments, and hysterical lines.
Quotable: Riley: If I started peeing on you right now, would you A: Smile and ask for more, or B: Move the hell out the way!
3. Guess Hoe's Coming To Dinner - 8.5/10 - Huey & Riley know Grandad's new girlfriend is a prostitute, but he won't believe them. Wasn't the best episode, but it had it's moments. Katt Williams ('Next Friday', 'Wild N Out') makes a very funny cameo here as 'A Pimp Named Slickback'
Quotable: Grandad: Hold on there, Slickback.
A Pimp Named Slickback: No, it's "A Pimp Named Slickback."
Grandad: That's what I said. "Slickback."
A Pimp Named Slickback: No, it's "A Pimp Named Slickback." Like "A Tribe Called Quest"; you say the whole thing: "A Pimp Named Slickback"!
Grandad: Can't I just call you "Slickback" for short?
A Pimp Named Slickback: No, n****! It's "A Pimp Named Slickback!"
4. Grandad's Fight - 8.5/10 - Grandad gets into a fight with a blind man. I didn't like this one as much as most people, but it's still a VERY funny episode. The whole "n**** moment" thing was hysterical.
Quotable: Tom: Nobody's gonna call you a "Fruity boy" or "Pansy Pants" if you don't do this.
Riley: I will.
Tom: Right, well, Riley will.
5. A Date With A Health Inspector - 10/10 - Huey & Riley need to catch the "xbox killer" to get Tom out of jail. Probably my favorite Boondocks episode. The whole dropping the soap thing, and all the scenes with Ed II and Rummy make this a classic episode.
Quotable: Rummy: Well no we ain't find none. But I always say the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.
Riley: What?
Rummy: Simply because you don't have evidence that something does exist does not mean you have evidence of something that doesn't exist.
Riley: What?
Rummy: What country are you from?
Riley: What?
Rummy: What ain't no country I ever heard of. They speak english in what?
Riley: What?
Rummy: English mother f***er! Do you speak it?
Riley: Yeah.
Rummy: So you understand the words I'm saying to you!
Riley: Yeah.
Rummy: Well what I'm saying is that there are known known and known unknown. But there are also unknown things that we don't know that we know.
Riley: What?
Rummy: Say what again! Say what again, mother f***er! I dare you! I double dare you! Say what one more time!
6. The Story Of Gangstalicious - 10/10 - Riley learns that his favorite gangsta rapper isn't really a 'gangsta'...Definately one of the best episodes, and we can all learn a little lesson from this about CERTAIN rappers
Quoatable: Grandad: What's Thuggin' love? Is that when you're makin' love to your woman and right before that "special moment", you beat her in the head, grab her by the throat, and throw her down the stairs?
7. A Huey Freeman Christmas - 9.5/10 - Riley tries to kill Santa, and Huey puts on the school christmas play, which he has titled 'The Adventures Of Black Jesus'. VERY Funny episode, featuring Quincy Jones as himself.
Quotable: Riley (writing a letter to Santa):
Dear Santa,
You are a b**** n****--no wait... (erases the line)
Dear Santa,
You are a b**** ass n****. I heard the mall is hiring extra Security to protect you. That's a b**** move, Santa. I'm coming for that ass again untill YOU PAY what you OWE!
Sincurly Yours,
The Santa Stalker
8. The Real - 9/10 - The whole episode is a spoof on reality shows (Pimp My Ride, The Real World, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, etc.), and Huey is paranoid that a government agent is following him. Another great episode, featuring Xzibit as himself.
Quoatable: Grandad: So you're saying that the car stops, but the rims keep spinning? That's amazing!
9. Return Of The King - 9.5/10 - Dr. Matin Luther King Jr. comes out of a coma to discover how much things have changed after 30 years. This episode really has a great message, and it's a shame to me that Al Sharpton was so against it. If you actually paid attention to the episode, it wasnt offensive to MLK in ANY way.
Quotable: Dr. King: Oh, snap. No, they didn't. A boneless rib sandwich. What will they think of next? I know I shouldn't eat these. But they're for a limited time only.
10. The Itis - 10/10 - Grandad gets his own soul food restaurant, but the customers get addicted. This is another one of my favorite episodes.
Quotable: Riley: Whoa. This is what crack must feel like.
11. Let's Nab Oprah - 9/10 - The return of Ed III and Gin Rummy. Not as good as 'A Date With The Health Inspector', but still great.
Quotable: Huey: (narrating) Ed and Rummy kidnapped Bill Cosby... But, he was really annoying. So they put him back 15 minutes later.
12. Riley Wuz Here - 9/10 - Great episode, about graffiti, art and expression, with Huey experimenting on the effect of black television. The art teacher character is more than a bit weird...but I loved the message, and the ending of the episode.
Quotable: Riley: Don't tell Grandad I left.
Huey: (blankly staring at BET) We got any grape soda?
Riley: ...N****, you stupid.
13. Wingmen - 9/10 - Has a great message about friendship, companionship, and love. Not to mention, its very funny.
Quotable: Grandad: Huey, say something deep.
Huey: Huh?
Grandad: I ain't got all day, boy. Be deep
14. The Block Is Hot - The only Boondocks episode I didnt get to see...I'll update the review with feedback on it when I get the DVD (or catch the episode on adult swim)
15. Passion Of The Ruckus - 9/10 - Ruckus becomes a reverend, spreading the word of white jesus. This was a great episode to end the season with, and had a great ending...Can't wait for season 2
Quotable: Grandad: "You aint a Jehova Witness now, are you? 'Cause I'm in the Jehova Witness Protection Program.
The biggest problem I had with the show was that it didn't include maybe my favorite character from the comics, Caesar. Caesar becomes Huey's best friend when he moves to Woodcrest in the comics, and he's featured in most of the Boondocks comic strips. I figure (and hope) Caesar will be introduced next season, but thats pretty much the only beef I could find with this show. I'll be sure to pick this up the day it's released, and I would highly reccomend you do the same.

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BOONDOCKS:COMPLETE SEASON ONE - DVD Movie

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The Twilight Zone: Vol. 22 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 22 (1959)
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Volume 22 contains four stories.
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE features a handsome businessman, by the name of Arthur Curtis. He engages in business-like banter with his business-like secretary. He says things like, "Are the Manson contracts ready yet." He refers to his upcoming vacation with his wife, "It's the first vacation that Maryanne and I have had in years . . ."
But while dialing his office phone, the man is suddenly confronted with the fact that one wall of his office has been replaced with accoutrements of a movie set--movie camera, director, stage hands. The businessman retreats to his secretary's office, but she's changed. "Where ya goin'?" she asks, her feet propped on top of her desk. The businessman is confused, and exclaims, "I don't know you! I don't know any of you!" At this point, the music features violins playing theremin-like sounds, accompanied by scary deep-throated bassoon sounds. Early in the story, we learn that "Arthur Curtis" is merely a character in the script of the T.V. show being filmed.
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE contains plenty of eye-candy for automobile enthusiasts. We see early model Ford Thunderbirds, Chryslers with big fins, a Corvette Sting Ray, a Studebaker, etc. Pure eye-candy.
The plot of A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE is basically the same, but not quite as good, as that in PERSONS OR PERSONS UNKNOWN (vol. 32). FOUR STARS.
BACK THERE is a history time-travel story, just like those in the 1960s television series, TIME TUNNEL. In BACK THERE, the protagonist goes back in time to the evening of Abraham Lincoln's assassination. BACK THERE starts out in an exclusive men's club, called The Potomac Club.
The opening words are as follows. One man says, "What's your point?" Another man replies, "That if it were possible to go back in time, there'd be nothing in the world to prevent you from altering the course of history."
The main character, actor Russell Johnson, leaves the club, but as soon as he shuts the door, has a dizzy spell and finds himself at the same location, but about 100 years earlier, on the eve of Lincoln's assassination in the year 1865. Russell Johnson tries to warn the townspeople of what will happen. He even encounters John Wilkes Booth, and tries to warn him. Eventually, Russell Johnson returns to the present time. He finds some differences, but not the differences he was hoping for. For example, the man originally the butler in The Potomac Club has turned into one of the business executives (one of the members of the club). BACK THERE has an excellent ironic ending. FIVE STARS.
ONE MORE PALLBEARER deals with nuclear war. The main character wants to get even with three people who were mean to him when he was a younger. For example, he wants to get even with a high school teacher. The plot in ONE MORE PALLBEARER is forced, things don't really click well, and it is hard to have any feelings (e.g., sympathy, dislike) of any kind for the main character. TWO STARS.
RING-A-DING GIRL is a typical, average Twilight Zone episode. The story begins at a resort, where an actress is on the phone, arranging a jet plane trip to Rome. A violin makes a scary theremin-sound, as the actress looks at her ring. In looking at her ring, a face materializes. It is the actress' sister. The sister begs the actress to come home. In the next scene, at the sister's home, the actress and the sister have a joyous reunion, and talk merrily about life in general. They comment about the forecast for a storm. There is discussion about the town picnic, set for later on in the day.
The actress looks again at her ring, and another face materializes and asks her to come home (actually, at this point, she is already at home). The actress faints, and when she revives, she looks in the ring once more, and the school janitor materializes in the ring and begs her, "Help us, help us." Much of the story is spent discussing whether the actress will go to the town picnic, or if she will give a 1-person show in the school auditorium. Eventually, the storm arrives. The story has a nice ironic ending. (The story could have been written to be more convincing or more forceful. I would recommend, for example, increasing images of the jet plane approaching storm clouds. This would result in a better build-up, in a better conveyance of feelings of impending doom.) THREE STARS.
Overall, volume 22 is a very good disc. But there are better volumes of the Twilight Zone. I recommend volume 2 (Time Enough at Last; Nightmare at 20,000 Feet), volume 3 (Kick the Can; Steel), volume 8 (To Serve Man), volume 9 (Nick of Time), volume 32 (Printer's Devil), volume 29 (Penny for Your Thoughts), and volume 39 (Mister Bevis; The Silence). Volumes 2, 3, and 32, might be the greatest of them all.


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This volume includes: "A Word of Difference" (Episode 23, March 11, 1960)--Arthur Curtis (Howard Duff) thinks he's an average businessman living a normal life. Or is he an actor playing a businessman in an office that's really a set?
"Back There" (Episode 49, January 13, 1961)--Russell Johnson is Peter Corrigan, a man who travels back in time to the date of President Lincoln's assassination. Will his presence have any impact at all--can he actually change history?
"One More Pallbearer" (Episode 82, January 12, 1962)--Eccentric millionaire Paul Radin offers the use of his bomb shelter to three people who wronged him. But the price--an apology--may be too high.
"Ring a Ding Girl" (Episode 133, December 27, 1963)--Hollywood film star Bunny Blake gets an unusual gift from her hometown fan club: a ring that shows old friends' faces, letting her know she's needed back home, where she's about to play the biggest role of her life.

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The Twilight Zone: Walking Distance/ Kick the Can (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Walking Distance/ Kick the Can  (1959)
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WALKING DISTANCE is probably the best episode ever produced. Gig Young acts out Serling's prose so perfectly that he speaks for every man that ever wished he could go home again. It is a very moving episode. Bernard Herrmann's score intuitively picks up the emotion and heartfelt sincerity that Serling wrote into this story. This was Rod Serling's, Bernard Herrmann's and Gig Young's finest work for any medium. I think it is the finest piece of work ever put on film. KICK THE CAN is thematically similar and also very moving. It examines what it means to grow old and if one must give up the very things that makes us who we really are. It too is a very heartfelt episode, sincere and remains one of the best.

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Northern Exposure: Aurora Borealis (1990) Review

Northern Exposure: Aurora Borealis  (1990)
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"Aurora Borealis" (Season 1-Episode 8, August 30, 1990), is sub-titled "A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups." Strange things are happening in Cicely, especially for Chris and Joel. Chris (John Corbett) is working on a sculpture but is drawn to a stranger in town, Bernard (Richard Cummings, Jr.). After talking about Jung and the collective unconscious Chris and Bernard start acting alike and end up talking alike. When Chris encounters Bernard, and Jung, in his dream they discover the truth: the two are brothers. Meanwhile, Joel (Rob Morrow) is returning from a house call on a forest ranger when his truck breaks down. Suddenly, a strange hulking figure appears from the woods, scavenges some things from Joel's truck and beckons for the doctor to follow. Thus Joel encounters Adam (Adam Arkin), the mysterious figure everybody in Cicely has been talking about. Turns out Adam is a superb chef. But the next morning Adam is gone and when Joel returns to town, no one will believe his strange tale. A landmark episode of "Northern Exposure" that introduces two of the most fascinating recurring guest stars in the show's run. Perhaps even more imporant, Dr. Fleischman finally meets somebody who complains more than he does. "Aurora Borealis" was written by Charles Rosen and directed by Peter O'Fallon. Did you know?: In Sweden "Northern Exposure" was known as "Det ljuva livet i Alaska," which translates as "The sweet life in Alaska."

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The Twilight Zone - Vol. 34 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone - Vol. 34 (1959)
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Maybe it's because I AM in the advertising business. Maybe it's because I'm a nostalgic romantic who yearns for the "simpler days" of a hundred years ago (which is why I enjoyed Jack Finney's "Time and Again" novel so much). Maybe it's just because I enjoy Rod Serling's writing so much.
Don't know. All I know is that "A Stop at Willoughby" is one of my all-time three favorite TZ episodes ("Time Enough at Last" and "Walking Distance" being the other two).
Sharing a theme similar to "Walking Distance" (another episode about a burned out advertising executive who gets to step back in time), "A Stop at Willoughby" is the story of a harried, "average" man caught up in a lifestyle that pushes him to ulcers and dreams of days gone by. While on board a train returning home one evening, he dozes off only to be awakened by the conductor calling out the stop -- "Willoughby" -- a place not even found on the map. Of course, it's summer in Willoughby. And the townspeople are happy, slow-paced and friendly...a life the ulcerated ad-man wishes he could step into.
Of course, he does. And there's a typical TZ twist at the end.
I bought this DVD just for "A Stop at Willoughby." And it's a good thing, too. Althought the episode "Twenty-Two" is interesting (especially watching Lost in Space's Jonathan Harris in the role of a doctor), it's not even close to Willoughby's finesse.
The third episode -- "I Dream of Genie" -- is interesting only because Andy Griffth Show's Howard Morris stars. Other than that, it's nothing worth remembering.
If you're a middle-aged advertising executive, you need to see "A Stop at Willoughby." Or, then again, maybe not. That first step is a doozy.

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Episodes: "A Stop at Willoughby" (Ep. 30, May 6, 1960) - Advertising exec Gart Williams (James Daly) cracks under the pressures of his job. But, in this classic episode, he dreams about a peaceful town named Willoughby. "Twenty-Two" (Ep. 53, February 10, 1961) - Liz Powell (Barbara Nichols) is terrified by a recurring nightmare involving the number 22. Her doctor (Jonathan Harris) reassures her that it is just a bad dream, yet Miss Powell is soon to learn differently. "I Dream of Genie" (Ep. 114, March 21, 1963, 50 min.) - George P. Hanley (Howard Morris) never had much success in life. But when he rubs a magic Arabian lamp and a genie (Jack Albertson) emerges to grant him one wish, he imagines all kinds of possibilities.

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The Twilight Zone, Vol. 40 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone, Vol. 40 (1959)
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TWILIGHT ZONE VOL. 40. Vol. 40 contains three episodes, CAVENDER IS COMING, a comedy featuring Carol Burnett, PASSAGE ON THE LADY ANNE, a mild-mannered drama about a ship voyage, and BRAIN CENTER AT WHIPPLE'S, an Orwellian drama that takes itself a bit too seriously.
CAVENDER IS COMING begins with a mediocre angel who is given one more chance by his supervisor to do some good for the mortals. The angel is given one day to bring happiness to a mortal. In this case, the mortal is an unemployed young woman who really has no job skills and is slow at learning technical skills. At any rate, the comedic aspects of this drama feature involve ineptitudes of the angel and ineptitudes of Carol Burnett. For example, the angel tries to make Carol Burnett happy by making the city bus, carrying both of them, change into a limousine. However, the angel flubs up, and instead it turns into a horse and carriage. Carol Burnett tries to learn simple hand signals during her first day on the job as an usher in a movie theater. But she finds herself confused and treats the viewer to an array of amusing expressions found in greater quantities in only one other film, namely, FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF. FIVE STARS for CAVENDER. And hurray for Carol Burnett and her great repertoire of charming expressions.
The theme of an angel coming down to earth to help mortals is frequent in TWILIGHT ZONE. This theme occurs in SHOWDOWN WITH RANCE MCGREW (vol. 26), where the angel of a real gunslinger teaches an actor playing the same gunslinger a lesson. This theme also occurs in A PASSAGE FOR TRUMPET (vol. 4), where an angel convinces Jack Klugman that he has things to live for. The theme occurs in A GAME OF POOL (vol. 3), where an angel (Jonathan Winters) returns to earth to play a game of pool with Jack Klugman, only to lose the game. Also, the theme occurs in A NICE PLACE TO VISIT (vol. 29), where a petty thief is escorted to heaven by an angel (Sebastian Cabot). The thief finds the heaven to be quite heavenly, but instead it is hell. This story takes the same twist as Jean Paul Sartre's NO EXIT. Most charming of all is ONE FOR THE ANGELS (Vol. 14) where Ed Wynn plays a salesman who sacrifices himself to save the life of a little girl by playing a clever trick on an angel who's original job was to escort Ed Wynn to the promised land. The Twilight Zone episode closest to CAVENDER is MISTER BEVIS (vol. 39). MISTER BEVIS features a Pee-Wee Herman character who is unable to keep a job, not because he is unskilled, but because he goofs off too much. The Pee-Wee Herman character is visited by an angel. The angel proudly educates Mr.Bevis about Mr.Bevis' successful and accomplished ancestors but, is unable to convince Mr.Bevis to get serious about any career.
PASSAGE ON THE LADY ANNE is a typical Twilight Zone episode. The hour passes by pleasantly enough. There is a surprise ending. Much better shipboard stories in the Twilight Zone series are JUDGEMENT NIGHT (vol. 13) and THIRTY FATHOM GRAVE (vol. 20). THREE STARS for PASSAGE.
BRAIN CENTER AT WHIPPLE'S, which stars Richard Deacon, is an Orwellian story much like THE OBSOLETE MAN (vol. 13), starring Burgess Meredith. In BRAIN CENTER AT WHIPPLE'S, Richard Deacon is busy automating his manufacturing plant, installing computers. We are all familiar with electronic card readers for unlocking doors at work. In this Twilight Zone episode from 1964, we are treated to a light-activated card reader for opening a door. The story focuses on arguments and complaints between Richard Deacon and a former elderly supervisor of the plant, regarding the ethics of firing workers and replacing them with computers. Richard Deacon is a fascinating actor and, in his hands, his character is believable and always of interest.
In case you were expecting a bunch of humorous twists to this story, forget it. The plot is not a comedy, but a tirade against automation. BRAIN CENTER AT WHIPPLE'S does have a humorous surprise ending. The story might be fun to watch more than once. But BRAIN CENTER AT WHIPPLE'S is not quite in the eternally-charming league of certain other as T.Z. episodes, such as, CAVENDER IS COMING, ONE FOR THE ANGELS, TIME ENOUGH AT LAST, NICK OF TIME, KICK THE CAN, STEEL, A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, or MISTER BEVIS. THREE STARS for BRAIN CENTER.


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Episodes: "Cavender Is Coming" (Episode 101, May 25, 1962) - Carol Burnett stars as Agnes Grep in this tale of a klutzy usherette "rescued" from a poverty by a guardian angel. This charming episode was considered as a pilot for a new TV show. "Passage on the Lady Anne" (Episode 119, May 9, 1963, 50 min.) - In an effort to save their marriage, a young couple book passage on an old ship, which long ago was reserved for lovers. Former passengers, all now over 75, have gathered for her final mysterious voyage. "The Brain Center at Whipple's" (Episode 153, May 15, 1964) - Callous factory owner Wallace Whipple (Richard Deacon) automates his plant, putting thousands of men out of work. Smugly self-satisfied, he has no regrets...at first.

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Abbott and Costello: Funniest Routines, Vol. 1 (2008) Review

Abbott and Costello: Funniest Routines, Vol. 1 (2008)
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Abbot & Costello: Funniest Routines Vol 1 is a great collection of classic routines from my favorite comedy team. There is close to an hour and a half of comedy on the disc, and they're the type of bits the whole family can enjoy.
There's a wide variety of stuff here, and it all looks great. Two of the bonus features have been colorized, the rest are presented from a great B&W print, that is probably the best one I've seen. The bonus features that are presented in color are the Trailer for "Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein" and a Campbell's Soup commercial. Here's hoping for an all out colorized version of A&C Meet Frankenstein!
For the curious among you, here's a list of the included routines:
-Hole in the Wall
-Mustard
-The Magic Act Bit
-Aspirin
-Army Drill
-Niagara Falls
-Jonah and the Whale
-7 X 13 is 28
-The Piano Bit
-The Lemon Bit
-The Dice Game
-Who's on First?
DVD has truly been a blessing to us fans of old time TV. This, and Volume 2, are a great way to have some classic Abbott & Costello routines available to enjoy whenever you want.

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UFC Presents The Ultimate Fighter - Season 1 (2005) Review

UFC Presents The Ultimate Fighter - Season 1 (2005)
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NOTE - This is reviewing the show only, as I have yet to see the Extra Features.
REVIEW
Now this is what reality television was meant to be. First off, the focus on what the show is about is dead-on. Sixteen men, who actually qualify to be here, are brought to train with and against each other in hopes of becoming a UFC fighter. The challenges, in which the winners gain the strategic advantage, are fun to watch and result in some good fights. The fights themselves would be worth the DVD alone, especially if they include the legendary Light-Heavyweight bout that finished the show (best of UFC ever!).
But with the fights come good drama, and none of it feels forced. You see, you will learn to love the competitors. You will appreciate the religion of Diego Sanchez, the cool style of Forrest Griffin, and the intelligence of Nathan Quarry. You will also meet some unpleasant fighters like the cocky Josh Koshcheck, the bitter Bobby Southworth, and the troubled Chris Leben. The important thing to note, though, is that even the semi-annoying fighters in the big house aren't unreasonably annoying. With their attitudes comes real emotions and skills that few of us possess. These men are not caricatures, but a magnificent study of how the imbalances of egos and skills clash both in and out of that intimidating octagonal arena.
The coaches are Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell (who fought 1 week after the show's finale), who are strong, wise, approachable, and skilled mixed-martial-artists. Both of these guys bring different but equally effective styles of coaching. Also present is UFC president Dana White. This guy is not executive hogwash. No, this man is not afraid to come down hard on the fighters, and speak bluntly about the 16 guys competing for those contracts. The only problem is that he doesn a little too much commentating with his interviews, but he is insightful and very smart.
What might the unintiated not like about this DVD collection?
Well, this is a show about fighting. If you don't really dig boxing or wrestling, then perhaps this isn't for you. It is a lot easier for me to recommend this First Season as a UFC fan, and martial-arts learner. But this show isn't about violence. The 16 fighters, the coaches, and Dana White all make it clear that UFC fighting is a job with no room for uncertainty. Professional fighting requires calculation, strategy, hard work, mental/emotional stability, and physical conditioning. I watched this entire season with a friend of mine who hates fighting, but she still grew to appreciate what these men do for a living, and loved that the unfit challengers didn't stick around very long.
This show exemplifies the perfect balance for reality TV. It's a competition, but it isn't too focused on being a game show. It's got lots of interviews and fighter-feedback, but is not too interested in the secret alliances or betrayals that have foreshadowed and ruined countless reality TV shows. The fights are good, but there is even intercut opinions to explain why the fighters did what they did in that ring, and why they were or were not smart with their game plan. The crew of this show took the time to edit enough so that fight-fans and martial artists could understand the terms and didn't get bored, and also enough so that newcomers didn't feel confused. I've always liked the UFC, but now I love it. This show has propelled the Ultimate Fighting Championship to new heights, and has rightfully earned its reputation. I'm not fond of reality TV that much (except for WWE's Tough Enough 1 and 2...see a connection here?), but "Ultimate Fighter" is an outstanding work of television, and has been followed by a good second season worthy of the franchise. This crew knows what its doing. I'll even go so far as to say that any fan of TV in general should check this DVD-set out. You want originality, emotional depth, hard-hitting competition, and non-censored television...you can have it all in one package! DO NOT PASS THIS UP!

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The Ultimate Fighter – Season 1 is a reality TV show where 16 contestants are trained by two legendary UFC competitors, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, and must live together while battling for a pair of Ultimate Fighting Championship contracts.

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The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 3: 1940-1942 (2008) Review

The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 3: 1940-1942 (2008)
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This release may be a good sign of things to come with seven months between volumes 1 (Oct 2007) and 2 (May 2008), and only three months between the upcoming volume 3 and volume 2.
The shorts included should be:
1940
You Nazty Spy!
Rockin' Thru the Rockies
A Plumbing We Will Go
Nutty But Nice
How High is Up?
From Nurse to Worse
No Census, No Feeling
Cookoo Cavaliers
Boobs in Arms
1941
So Long Mr. Chumps
Dutiful But Dumb
All the World's a Stooge
I'll Never Heil Again
An Ache in Every Stake
In the Sweet Pie and Pie
Some More of Samoa
1942
Loco Boy Makes Good
Cactus Makes Perfect
What's the Matador?
Matri-Phony
Three Smart Saps
Even as IOU
Sock-a-Bye Baby
"A Plumbing We Will Go" is possibly the best comedy ever made by the Stooges and alone is worth the price of admission. Here the Stooges attempt to repair the plumbing in a wealthy household. Of course they don't know what they're doing, as is always the situation. They end up crossing the electrical system with the plumbing with some hilarious sight gags resulting. You'll also see the Stooges taking advantage of Moe's strong resemblance to a certain German leader as the Stooges exit the depression and enter the war years.

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The Golden Age of the Three Stooges continues in this exceptional third chronological collection. These 23 shorts from 1940-1942 are all digitally remastered for the highest quality in sight and sound, and this collection is even more special as it features an historical first: Moe Howard was the first American to portray Hitler on film, in 1940's "You Nazty Spy", which was Moe's personal favorite. It also contains the outstanding 1941 sequel, I'll Never Heil Again. Moe as a vicious dictator - who would have thought?! With biting satire and merciless wit, the Three Stooges gave the world a brave new perspective on the absurdity of evil and the world powers of the time. This collection also contains Curly's favorite, "A Plumbing We Will Go", which features the brilliant sight gag of a burst of water flowing from a new television set just as it's broadcasting a live report from Niagara Falls. The Three Stooges Collection Volume Three will soitenly keep you entertained as Larry, Moe, and Curly portray a variety of characters in their own inimitable way.

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Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre: The Complete Collection (2008) Review

Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre: The Complete Collection (2008)
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Koch Vision presents "SHELLEY DUVALL'S FAERIE TALE THEATRE: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION" (1982-1987) (1387 mins/Color) (Dolby digitally remastered) -- Brought to you on seven discs the fairy tale event of the year arrives with Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre: The Complete Collection, the ultimate DVD collection for both kids and parents alike --one of the most acclaimed and universally beloved series ever produced -- is family entertainment like none other --- From the Brothers Grimm to Hans Christian Andersen, twenty-six of the most beloved stories of all time are brought to life by A-list actors (in some of their most unique and memorable roles) as well as master directors including Tim Burton and Francis Ford Coppola among them --- You'll in seeing Robin Williams as the Frog Prince,Eric Idle as the Pied Piper, Billy Crystal as one of the Three Little Pigs,Jennifer Beals and Matthew Broderick as Cinderella and her prince, Bernadette Peters and Christopher Reeve as Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming, Susan Sarandon and Klaus Kinski as Beauty and the Beast, Paul Reubens as Pinocchio, James Earl Jones as the Genie inside Aladdin's lamp, and Carrie Fisher as Thumbelina.
Each one of these stories is literally hand crafted by the directors (some of them famous directors like Francis Ford Coppella) and Shelley Duvall to reflect a certain style --- An example being the Sleeping Beauty tale was set in Russia with the sets and costumes designed to look like scenes from classic Russian motifs, the music from the Russian ballet --- Another being the direct rip off of the classic Jean Cocteau film "Beauty and the Beast".
All of these were designed with the intent of entertaining not only children but adults --- Some of the best moments in these are only things that adults will understand --- Christopher Reeve does a fantastic job in his multi-role part in "Sleeping Beauty" as does Malcolm McDowell as the Wolf in "Little Red Riding Hood" --- McDowell infuses the character with a subtle dark sensuality --- His chemistry with his then wife Mary Steenburgen is strong.
Probably the best one of all is the "Three Little Pigs" with Jeff Goldblum (as the Big Bad Wolf), Valerie Perrine (as a ravishing piglette), and Billy Crystal(as one of the three little pigs) --- The writing in this one is completely off the wall as well as it should be --- So enjoy with a loving heart and the mind of an innocent child.
Under the production staff of:
Series Directed by
Peter Medak (5 episodes, 1984-1987)
Gilbert Cates (2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Robert Iscove (2 episodes, 1985-1987)
Mark Cullingham (2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Series Produced by
Shelley Duvall .... executive producer / producer (7 episodes, 1983-1987)
Bridget Terry .... producer (5 episodes, 1982-1986)
Fred Fuchs .... producer (5 episodes, 1984-1987)
Series Writing credits
Rod Ash (7 episodes, 1983-1987)
Mark Curtiss (5 episodes, 1983-1987)
Charles Perrault (2 episodes, 1983-1985)
Mark Curtis (2 episodes, 1984-1986)
26 Spellbinding Episodes:
1. "Alladin and His Wonderful Lamp"
2. " Beauty and the Beast"
3. " The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers"
4. "Cinderella"
5. "The Dancing Princesses"
6. "The Emperor's New Clothes"
7. "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"
8. "Hansel and Gretel"
9. "Jack and the Beanstalk"
10. "The Little Mermaid"
11. "Little Red Riding Hood"
12. "The Nightingale"
13. "The Pied Piper of Hamelin"
14. "Pinocchio"
15. "The Princess and the Pea'
16. "The Princess Who Had Never Laughed"
17. "Puss in Boots"
18, "Rapunzel"
19. "Rip Van Winkle"
20. "Rumpelstiltskin"
21. "Sleeping Beauty"
22. "The Snow Queen"
23. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"
24. "The Tale of the Frog Prince"
25. "The Three Little Pigs"
26. "Thumbelina"
the cast includes:
John Achorn ... Comedian / ... (12 episodes, 1982-1987)
Shelley Duvall ... Host / ... (10 episodes, 1982-1986)
Patrick DeSantis ... Ensemble / ... (9 episodes, 1982-1987)
David McCharen ... Alfred / ... (7 episodes, 1984-1987)
Charlie Dell ... Arturo / ... (4 episodes, 1982-1985)
Donovan Scott ... Cubby Bear / ... (3 episodes, 1982-1984)
Mark Blankfield ... Derrick Van Bummel / ... (3 episodes, 1983-1987)
Jean Stapleton ... Fairy Godmother / ... (3 episodes, 1983-1985)
Bud Cort ... Music Master / ... (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Maysie Hoy ... Housekeeper / ... (2 episodes, 1983)
John Salazar ... Juggler / ... (2 episodes, 1983-1986)
Vincent Price ... Narrator / ... (2 episodes, 1984)
Rene Auberjonois ... King Boris / ... (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Joseph Maher ... Narrator / ... (2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Bobby Porter ... The Goblin (2 episodes, 1983-1985)
Jerry Hall ... Pansy / ... (2 episodes, 1983)
Anjelica Huston ... Marguerite / ... (2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Eric Idle ... Narrator / ... (2 episodes, 1982-1985)
Michael Richards ... King Geoffrey / ... (2 episodes, 1982-1984)
Paul Dooley ... Father / ... (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Phil Fondacaro ... Bernard / ... (2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Jane Alden ... Agricultural Princess / ... (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Tony Cox ... Bubba / ... (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Daniel Frishman ... Boniface / ... (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Brandis Kemp ... Mama Bear / ... (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Nancy Lenehan ... Georgette / ... (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Peter Risch ... Bruno / ... (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Mitchel Evans ... Barrister Fish / ... (2 episodes, 1984)
Stan Wilson ... Jaques / ... (2 episodes, 1984)
Barrie Ingham ... Finnance Minister / ... (2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Roy Dotrice ... Peter Vanderdonk / ... (2 episodes, 1987)
SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. Bonus Shorts - Lost Episode: "Faerie Tale Theatre's Greatest Moments" ("Grimm Party")
2. Featurettes - Vintage Faerie Tale Theatre Presentation Reel (Hosted by Shelley Duvall)
3. Trailers - B-Roll Promo Footage
4. Collectible Book - 112-page Storybook with an Introduction by Producer Bridget Terry
5. Limited Edition - "3-In-1" Faerie Tale Theatre Game (Custom Playing Cards, Memory Match, and Trivia)
Great job by Koch Vision --- looking forward to more high quality titles from their film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.
Total Time: 1387 mins on DVD ~ KOCH 6544 ~ (9/02/2008)

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Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre brings to life twenty-six of the most magical fairy tales of all time. Directed by such masters of cinema as Tim Burton and Francis Ford Coppola, and star-powered by Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Mick Jagger, James Earl Jones, Howie Mandel, Christopher Reeve, Susan Sarandon and more, this collection is an unparalleled treasury of best-loved tales of enchantment, adventure and wonder. Contains 26 Spellbinding Stories Digitally Restored and Re-mastered! Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp Beauty and the Beast The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers Cinderella The Dancing Princesses The Emperor's New Clothes Goldilocks and the Three Bears Hansel and Gretel Jack and the Beanstalk The Little Mermaid Little Red Riding Hood The Nightingale The Pied Piper of Hamelin Pinocchio The Princess and the Pea The Princess Who Had Never Laughed Puss in Boots Rapunzel Rip Van Winkle Rumpelstiltskin Sleeping Beauty The Snow Queen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Tale of the Frog Prince The Three Little Pigs Thumbelina ALSO INCLUDES ENCHANTING EXTRAS: Lost Episode: "Faerie Tale Theatre's Greatest Moments" ("Grimm Party") Vintage Faerie Tale Theatre Presentation Reel with Shelley Duvall B-Roll Promo Footage AND EXCLUSIVE COLLECTOR'S ITEMS: Photo-Rich 112-Page Storybook "3-In-1" Faerie Tale Theatre Game (custom playing cards, memory match and trivia)

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Seinfeld Seasons 1-6 Pack Review

Seinfeld Seasons 1-6 Pack
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I bought this as a gift to my girlfriend and we have both watch the first 4 seasons in sequence (not all at once). The product is of great quality and you can see people put alot of work into it. Not a hasty production. It is full of extra material and interviews and making of and deleted scenes. The pictures in the cases are all different and it is all done very well.
I strongly recomended if interested.

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Be the Master Of Your Domain by reliving your favorite scenes in this complete collection of Seinfeld seasons released to date. All 110 memorable episodes from the first six seasons are packed with brand new special features and extensive added value. This DVD pack is a must-own for serious fans of the award winning show.

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The Outer Limits Original Series Complete Box Set Review

The Outer Limits Original Series Complete Box Set
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This is my second review in as many that has given a zero to the poor packaging and contents and higher marks to the show itself.Let's take a look at the show first and then we'll take a look at the rest.
This is one of the top Sci-Fi shows ever to appear on television.Created by Leslie Stevens and Joe Stefano the show made its' premiere in Sept. of 1963 and WHAT a premiere it was."The Galaxy Being" certainly scared the living begeesus out of me and I will never forget that.The whole look and feel was totally different and it definitely was not The Twilight Zone but a deep and darker version of it.Nothing that intense had been seen on TV before and nothing would equal it's impact for many years.The show was directly helmed by the team of Stefano and Stevens with Dominic Frontieres' great scoring in the background through all of season one.When Season two arrived all three had departed and were replaced by others.The format underwent minor changes but it basically stayed true to its' roots.The entire story is detailed wonderfully in the "Outer Limits Companion" by David Schow and Jeff Frentzen.
Some prefer one season over the other but there is much to recommend both.Season one has its' "Galaxy Being","The Zanti Misfits","Second Chance" ,"Production and Decay of Strange Particles" and "A Feasibility Study".Season Two "The Inheritors-Parts 1&2","Keeper of the Purple Twilight" and one of the entire series top eps "The Demon with the Glass Hand".The series is filled with many well known actors like Cliff Robertson,Ted Knight,Robert Culp,Ed Asner,Eddie Albert,Robert Duvall and so many more.There is also a huge Star Trek connection as William Shatner,Leonard Nimoy and James Doohan would all make appearances,along with many of the future shows supporting actors.The ep "Production and Decay..." contains at least five future Trek actors at once,including Leonard Nimoy!
The show never had a big budget and many of the shows today look dated as a result but in quite a few like "Demon...",the props are totally minimal and it is the great script,direction and acting that more than compensate for any shortcomings in the special effects department.That the show could do so much with so little at times,is a testament to the skill of everyone involved.
It is so unfortunate it only lasted two short seasons as the show should have gone many more.As one ep in the first season states:"Maybe young people are the only ones who listen and understand-you can't reach a closed mind".And so it was,as the almighty ratings beast dictated to the head network honchos just how they ought to proceed with shows;promising or not.The biggest shows' fans were the younger gen of the time who did write in frequently praising the show but it was the adults in the end who controlled the decision making of what to watch and they weren't generally impressed with the show;at least not enough for ABC to continue with it.To top this,in the second season it was put up against the ever popular(among the entire family) Jackie Gleason Show;and Gleason wasn't going anywhere.The show may have been cancelled but it has continued in syndication ever since staying in the collective memories of those who first saw it and gaining new fans along the way.
Now let's look at the presentation.The one thing positive about this new set is the price.The original release about eight years ago broke the series into two release sets and both at the same price(at least $10 higher than this set per season!).Everything else goes down hill from here.MGM has decided in their "wisdom" to re-release this set again in the double sided disc format.BAD choice,period.As I stated in my other recent review Universal and MGM(among others) have a fondness for this type of release;it is cheap and yields the greastest profit.DVDs are notoriously scuff and scratch prone and that alone should preclude any such release of this type if these companies actually cared about the product and consumers.
The second thing about this "new" set is...that it isn't.I do not see any difference in the transfer of this product onto DVD from the original release sets."A Feasibility Study" was particlularly grainy in the first release and it remains so in this one and all other eps with any excesses in this area are also the same.So the question presents itself:"Why?".Why would MGM not remaster these eps like they should be,after all this time?
I can certainly recommend the series itself as a groundbreaking one of its' day,as many of the eps still hold up very well,despite the budgetary restrictions.But it gets a zero as far as release presentation goes.It certainly is cheaper than the original release sets but it is just a simple re-packaging of the material on hand.Shame on MGM.

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Misused inventions, interplanetary communication, and warped time peculiarities permeate the 1960s science fiction anthology program The Outer Limits. Created by Leslie Stevens, the program gained a rabid cult following and influenced a myriad of sci-fi that would follow, including a second Outer Limits series in the 1990s. This is the complete collection of all episodes of the original series.

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McHale's Navy - Season One (1962) Review

McHale's Navy - Season One (1962)
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Join Lt. Cmndr Quinton McHale and his fun-lovin' squadron of rule-bending goof-offs and gamblers aboard the PT 73 on its award-nominated maiden voyage of 36 episodes in the 45th anniversary release of McHale's Navy - Season One!
Starring the unsinkable talents of Ernest Borgnine (a real-life navy veteran) as skipper McHale, Tim Conway (The Carol Burnett Show) as klutzy Ensign Parker, Carl Ballantine as con man Lester Gruber, Joe Flynn (The Rescuers) as blustery, fun-spoiling Capt. Binghamton, and Bob Hastings as his jittery aide Lt. Carpenter, McHale's Navy is one of television's longer-lasting military comedies (and a classic B&W sitcom favorite of mine), with 138 episodes aired over four seasons (1962-1966).
Digitally restored and remastered by Shout! Factory, McHale's Navy - Season One is a 5-disc (930 min.) set featuring all 36 episodes in Full Frame (1.33:1) video and English mono, plus the following Special Feature: "The Crew Remembers": Shout! Factory hosts a very special 45th anniversary reunion of the crew, including stars Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine, Edson Stroll and Bob Hastings. Here are how the discs will be configured, plus original airdates:
Disc 1:
"An Ensign For McHale" (10/11/1962)
"A Purple Heart For Gruber" (10/18/1962)
"McHale And His Seven Cupids" (10/25/1962)
"PT 73, Where Are You?" (11/1/1962)
"Movies Are Your Best Diversion" (11/8/1962)
"Operation Wedding Party" (11/15/1962)
"Who Do The Voodoo?" (11/22/1962)
Disc 2:
"Three Girls On An Island" (11/29/1962)
"McHale's Paradise Motel" (12/6/1962)
"The Battle Of McHale's Island" (12/20/1962)
"The Day They Captured Santa Claus" (12/27/1962)
"Beauty And The Beast" (1/3/1963)
"The Captain's Mission" (1/10/1963)
"Send Us A Hero" (1/17/1963)
Disc 3:
"The Captain Steals A Cook" (1/24/1963)
"The Ensign Gets A Zero" (1/31/1963)
"The Big Raffle" (2/7/1963)
"One Of Our Engines Is Missing" (2/14/1963)
"The Natives Get Restless" (2/21/1963)
"The Confidence Game" (2/28/1963)
"Six Pounds From Paradise" (3/7/1963)
Disc 4:
"Washing Machine Charlie" (3/14/1963)
"Nippon Nancy Calling" (3/21/1963)
"One Enchanted Weekend" (3/28/1963)
"The Mothers Of PT 73" (4/4/1963)
"H.M.S. 73" (4/11/1963)
"A Wreath For McHale" (4/18/1963)
"Portrait Of A Peerless Leader" (4/25/1963)
"Instant Democracy" (5/2/1963)
Disc 5:
"Camera, Action, Panic" (5/9/1963)
"Alias Captain Binghamton" (5/16/1963)
"Parents Anonymous" (5/23/1963)
"McHale's Millions" (5/30/1963)
"The Hillbillies Of PT 73" (6/6/1963)
"The Monster Of McHale's Island" (6/13/1963)
"Uncle Admiral" (6/27/1963)McHale's Navy - Season One
March 20th!

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From 1962 to 1966,McHale s Navy was the ABC networks must-see comedy series. With an amazing cast, including Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine (Lt. Commander McHale), comic genius Tim Conway (Ensign Parker), the one-of-a-kind comic talent of Joe Flynn (Captain Binghamton) this series remains second only to M*A*S*H as a truly funny military sitcom.Veteran seaman Quinton McHale is commissioned into the Navy Reserve at the start of WWII. He becomes Skipper of the Torpedo Patrol (PT) Boat #73 stationed on the island of Taratupa in the Pacific. Assigned to his command are six free-spirited, good-hearted swabbies who love to have fun. McHale and his men are constant irritants to their base commander, Captain Wallace B. Binghamton. Binghamton is forever trying to find a way to get rid of McHale and his rule-bending crew, while McHale & Co. are forever scheming to keep him from succeeding. Despite their hilarious party-boy shenanigans and utter disregard for Navy regulations, when duty calls, the crew of PT 73 does its job and does it well.With its talented stars, great writing and solid supporting cast, including Gavin McLeod (Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Love Boat), McHale s Navy is classic television at its finest and funniest.Bonus Features:* The Crew Reunion Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine, Bob Hastings and Edson Stroll reunite and share their memories of the show.* A special Colorized episode.

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Girlfriends - The Third Season (2008) Review

Girlfriends - The Third Season (2008)
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To this day, Girlfriends remains one of my favourite comedies. It's great the way they all interact and share laughs and fights and gossip like real girlfriends do. I feel the show keeps progressing well; not slowing down like other programmes out there. It still feels fresh and it still makes me laugh all the time.
Here is the way the episodes unfold on the four discs -
COMING TO TERMS - Singles Welcome. Joan throws a party hoping to find someone and totally strikes out. Then, she decides to hit the road and starts training for a marathon. It's been weeks and Maya still can't get Darnell to open up.
GETTING OUR ACT TOGETHER - A pastor helps Maya and Darnell pick up the pieces of their marriage. Maya finds the therapy doesn't do nearly as much good as an afternoon in ed. It's bottoms up when Lynn lowers the bar as the world's most inexperienced bartender.
SECRETS AND EYES - A birthday plan of Joan's exposes something about birthday girl Toni she didn't want anyone to know - her real age. Then after a bungled botox treatment, Toni turns to a plastic surgeon to make her feel younger.
STAR CRAVING MAD - Joan has a love/hate relationship with an actor she met working out. Then William's sister has a couple of surprises. First, she's gay, and second, she wants him to be a sperm donor for her girlfriend.
DON'T LEAVE ME A LOAN - Lynn's got an outstanding loan that's killing her parents' credit rating, so now they want her to get a job and pay up. Then, Lynn's friends rally and help her get her head together for her interview.
INVASION OF THE GOLD DIGGER - Everyone hates William's obnoxious girlfriend Monica. She even talks him into abandoning a case he has agreed to work on with Joan to further his own ambitions at the office. Meanwhile, Toni clicks with Dr Garrett, a plastic surgeon. There's just one problem ... his height.
BLINDED BY THE LIGHTS - Ellis' new movie has its big premiere and Joan's invited as long as she doesn't act like they're together and helps him retain his single status. Then, he tries to do damage control by doing a magazine interview with her.
HANDLING BAGGAGE - Darnell us caught with another woman at Red Lobster. Maya thinks now that they've both crossed the same line, it's time to sit down and decide where their relationship is headed.
THE MOMMY RETURNS - Sandy, Lynn's bio-mom, shows up unexpectedly at Joan's place. They become fast friends until Lynn is shocked by Sandy's actions. Then Lynn quits her job to work on a film about sexuality.
A LITTLE ROMANCE - Todd protects Toni and she loves him for it, but she still can't wrap her head around being with a short guy.
SANTA v MONICA - To pump up Jabari's belief in Santa, William plans to don the big red suit. Then, Monica plans for him to host the yuletide party for the partners on the same night. It's a Christmas conflict with no easy out.
TAKE THIS POEM AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING - Lynn gets the hots for a poet until she finds out he hasn't been hot for anyone in five years. Meanwhile, William struggles to get the girls to forgive him after the Christmas fiasco.
HOWDY PARTNER - It's Joans vs William for partner at the firm until there's an upset on both sides and the company brings in someone from the outside. They both want to walk out, but will they have the guts to go through with it?
SINGLE MAMA DRAMA - Joan feels that Maya's friendship with another single parent, the cleaning woman at the Law office, is going to hurt her chances with Darnell. Lynn pulls a bogus birthday con to get cash gifts from her fellow workers.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY ... BABY? - When Todd gives Toni a tasteless Valentine, she's worried that he only wnats her because she's an African-American. Ellis wants Joan to have the most romantic Valentine's Day ever, but everything changes when he finds out that his former girlfriend is pregnant and he's the father.
SEX, LIES AND BOOKS - Maya's feeling so lost and alone after moving, she doesn't even notice the fine guy next door. To lift her spirits, Todd and Toni talk her into going on a date with Todd's buddy, but the evening turns into a complete fiasco.
A STIFF GOOD MAN IS EASY TO FIND - When Toni lets the M word slip out, the talk of marriage causes a relationship crash. Toni disappears, leaving Todd to beg for help from her friends. When they show him that Toni truly cares for him, he's forced to face how he really feels about her.
RUNAWAY BRIDESMAID - William, Lynn and Maya pool their resources to be able to afford something special on Joan's gift list. Jealous over Toni's plans to marry, Joan tries to lose herself by gearing up for a major marathon.
THE PACT - Joan goes ballistic when Reesie, the woman who moved in on her boyfriend, is asked to be Toni's bridesmaid.
WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS MY NAME - Maya sees Darnell in an old familiar place, but finds out everything's changed. William takes a shot at his lifelong fantasy ... to dance on Soul Train.
TOO MUCH SHARIN' - William is still hot and heavy with Sharon. Joan tells Sharon she knows about them, causing Sharon to immediately dump William. Livid, William wants nothing to do with Joan, causing Maya to wonder what's really going on.
BLOOD IS THICKER THAN LIQUOR - Toni is petrified that she will mouth off to Todd's parents about how much she dislikes that they are Jewish. Meanwhile, William feels his friendship's in jeopardy when his buddy starts seeing Maya.
THE FAST TRACK AND THE FURIOUS - Maya's hope for big bucks leads her to pressure William to hire her as his helper. During a trip with Toni to Virginia, Lynn finds out a frightening fact about Sandy's well-being.
THE WEDDING PART 1 - All is not well on the way to the church. Toni is furious at the distracted Joan for not being there for her and bans her from the ceremony. Uncomfortable with their history together, Sivad forces Lynn to leave.
THE WEDDING PART 2 - I do, I don't, I just don't know. As the wedding approaches, an angry Todd disappears. Joan begs to be back in the wedding party.
That is the third season in a non-nutshell. It's such a great show and I am busting for season 4 to come out because I don't think they showed season 4 onwards here in Australia (of course). This programme is really enjoyable and I highly recommend it.


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GIRLFRIENDS is a sophisticated comedy series that invites viewers into the lives of four professional African American women living in Los Angeles who are struggling with the weighty issues of life - men, love, money -- and more men. As they search for happiness in all its elusive forms, the four girlfriends rely on each other for support, reality checks, advice and for the laughter that everyone needs to make it in this crazy place we call the modern world.

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The Shield - The Complete Third Season (2002) Review

The Shield - The Complete Third Season (2002)
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"The Shield" seems to up it a notch with every season. I remember watching the very first season and thinking to myself that there was no way this show could get any darker, more intense or more outrageous. I was proven wrong when I saw the second season, but yet again I made the wrong assumption and thinking there was no way in the world that the next season would be more devastating and brutal.
After seeing Season 3, I have finally learned my lesson and will no longer make that silly assumption. This is because "The Shield: Season 3" takes you even further down the rabbit hole that is this amazingly dark and take-no-prisoners cop drama that pretty much breaks all of the rules. You are given some deeply flawed characters... and yet, we still want to learn more about them and even care what happens to them.
After successfully robbing the money train, the heat is on the Strike Team more than ever. Vic needs to keep his team in line until the dust settles, but that proves to be an impossible task as emotions and paranoia run high among the other participants. Captain Aceveda is still trying to maintain his political career while taking care of The Barn, but something horrific will happen to him that will leave him never being the same again. Claudette is still striving for the position of the "top dog" at The Barn and doesn't make things easier for Vic when she decides to include a Decoy Squad, while keeping a close eye on Vic and his team. Still, Vic has other problems to deal with, and I'm not even talking about his family issues. The Strike Team is in constant danger of being the latest victims of the Armenian Mob, who is willing to kill anyone involved with the whole money train robbery. This is only a small part of the fun that lurks in this explosive third season.
The show is still extremely dark and brutal at times, but it still gets in a lot of the ironic humor in it as well. Fans of the first two seasons will most likely enjoy this new season, as each episode is engaging and addicting. The great writing and execution is still there and by the time you finish these 15 episodes, you'll want more. Michael Chiklis does an excellent job of playing "Vic," and even though there are times you really hate him, there are also times where you cannot help but root for him.
This show is not for those who get offended easily or are extremely sensitive. Just like the other two seasons, these guys pretty much get away with ANYTHING (the only exception I've seen is the usage of the F-word). This is definitely something you'd think you would catch on HBO. There's a lot of violence, language, disturbing situations and content, and there is a pretty horrible rape scene... but it's not what you would think. Anyways, just be cautious. If you can handle the first two seasons, then you shouldn't have too many problems dealing with Season 3. Extras included are commentary on selected episodes, deleted scenes and a making-of documentary.
"The Shield: Season 3" delivers the goods when it comes to addicting and mesmerizing TV. All of the episodes are highly entertaining and you will find yourself having a hard time putting the DVDs away. Once you start, it is VERY hard to stop watching. If you haven't seen the other seasons, then I'd recommend checking those out first, although it is possible to get the gist of what's going on without doing so. "The Shield" has definitely kept its edge, and Season 3 proves that big time. -Michael Crane

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"The Shield" made history with the most Emmy nominations ever for a basic cable drama.It won a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series and star Michael Chiklis won the Emmy and Golden Globe awards for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Get ready as this hard-hitting, award-winning cop drama returns with a vengeance for a pulse-pounding third season.

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The Road to Lourdes and Other Miracles of Faith (2007) Review

The Road to Lourdes and Other Miracles of Faith (2007)
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VCI Entertainment presents "THE ROAD TO LOURDES & OTHER MIRACLES OF FAITH" --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- Loretta Young (January 6, 1913 - August 12, 2000) was an Academy Award winning American actress --- Young made as many as seven or eight movies a year and won an Oscar in 1947 for her performance in "The Farmer's Daughter" --- The same year she co-starred with Cary Grant and David Niven in "The Bishop's Wife", a perennial favorite that still airs on television during the Christmas season.
Moving to television, she hosted and starred in the well received half hour anthology series "The Loretta Young Show" --- Her "sweeping" trademark appearance at the beginning of each show was to appear dramatically in various high fashion evening gowns --- She returned at the program's conclusion to restate to the viewer the moral of the story just seen. (Young's introductions and conclusions to her television shows, which were widely satirized at the time --- Her program ran in prime time on NBC for eight years, the longest running prime time network program ever hosted by a woman up to that time --- Young has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- one for motion pictures, at 6104 Hollywood Blvd., and another for television, at 6141 Hollywood Blvd (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Released to honor the 150th Anniversary of the apparitions at Lourdes -- Directors Rudolph Maté and Richard Morris.
1. "THE ROAD" -- featuring Loretta Young, Robert Brubaker, Joseph Cuby and Vinctor Francen --- Loretta Young stars as a spoiled American in Paris diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor --- Filmed entirely in France in 1959, the inspirational film was an episode of the Emmy Award winning series "The Loretta Young Show".
2. "THREE, AND TWO PLEASE (SISTER ANN'S CHRISTMAS)" -- featuring Loretta Young, Rachel Ames, Pat Lawless and Eugene Martin --- A heart warming story opens as Loretta Young portrays Sister Ann, head nurse in a busy hospital who works hard to make this a merry Christmas for two of her more difficult patients -- episode originally aired on December 16, 1956.
3. "SISTER ANN" -- featuring Loretta Young, Claude Akins, Donna Jo Boyce and Eleanor Moore --- What happens when Sister Ann (Loretta Young) decides to contribute her tiny fortune to a building fund for Mercy Hospital, her contribution goes to much more than just building an additional hospital floor -- episode originally aired on January 1, 1959.
4. "FAITH, HOPE AND MR. FLAHERTY" -- featuring Loretta Young, J. M. Kerrigan, Virginia Christine and Renny McEvoy --- Sister Ann makes an investment with money that isn't hers and brings big problems with it -- episode originally aired on May 8, 1960.
SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES:
1. Scene Selection
2. Trailers
3. Text Features: The 67 cures at Lourdes recognized as miracles by the Church; The Prayer of Bernadette
4. Christopher Lewis, Loretta Young's son, interview on the making of the Road to Lourdes
5. Linda Lewis, Loretta Young's daugher-in-law, on the continuing miracles of the Road to Lourdes
6. Classic TV Commericals
Great job by VCI Entertaiment --- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.
Total Time: 200 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment ~ (12/04/2007)

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