Justice League - Secret Origins (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)As the ads for the original comic book said, Just Imagine! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and more on one team. Well, actually as a child of 1970s, I can imagine it quite easily. On TV, it was called The Superfriends. But in the comics, these heroes were The Justice League. Now, they are back!
This DVD is the first three episodes of a new cartoon series which at the moment isn't being shown in my country of Canada.
First the good, the cartoon is exciting. It's a fast-moving plot -- which as others have stated owes a debt to Wells's War of the Worlds (as well as some Justice League comic books, where the invaders were White Martians and Apellaxians.)
For an action-driven movie, the character interplay is very good. Flash is an impulsive joker, Green Lantern a military type, Hawkgirl a fierce warrior. Relatively simple characterization but they blend fairly well.
And I like the composition of the team. With several Green Lanterns to choose from, they picked John Stewart. I see that a former reviewer complained about this. Well, essentially, GL is just a name and a power. So, why not pick the black (or African American, as Americans say) one? The same with Hawkgirl? I really don't see the big deal here. It makes sense. After all, Kryptonians and Thanagarians and Martians --- well, that really isn't diversity.
My problems? Well, the plot is a bit thin. I think this comes from being a "widescreen" (well, full frame in this case) epic battle. But the bigger problem? I know who John Stewart is (originally a social activist with a chip on his shoulder, and an architect). I know who the Wally West Flash is. But I doubt the non-comics reader does. Sure, the DVD has a character bio section. But I think with newcomer Wonder Woman, someone could have given her a brief description of the heroes. It's called Secret Origins, but really, the only origin we get is J'Onn J'Onnz's origin. I'm not even sure anyone ever calls Green Lantern by his superhero name once.
But if their names don't come through, their characters do. Much more sharply than they did on the old Superfriends.
Still... my biggest problem? That it doesn't contain all those cool adventures I've been hearing about? Manhunters? The Injustice Gang? A Pseudo-Earth 2? Metamorpho? Bring them on!
Oh, and as for the person who said this was DC's answer to the X-Men? Well, the Justice League came first.

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WHEN GLOBAL CATASTRPHE STRIKES, SOMETIMES THE JOB IS TOO BIGFOR A SINGLE HERO. THIS IS WHEN THE WORLD'S GREATEST SUPERHEROES ANSWER THE CALL TO JOIN THE JUSTICE LEAGUE. MEMBERS OF THE JUSTIC LEAGUE MUST LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TOOVERCOME A DANGEROUS ARRAY OF INTERSTELLAR INVADERS.

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Batman and Robin - The Complete 1949 Movie Serial Collection (1949) Review

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(More customer reviews)How does Bruce Wayne convert his car into the Batmobile? Why, he simply puts up the rag-top, of course! Yeah, okay, so the 1949 Batman Serial was not exactly "cutting edge" or "mind-blowing" or "good", but it has its charm. The dialogue is ridiculous, the fight scenes are clumbsy, and the costumes are ill-fitting at best, but for some reason, I absolutely love it. This floppy-eared incarnation of the Dark Knight is more a film noir private investigator than the shadowy, rooftop avenger that we know today. He and the Boy Wonder spend less time lurking in the Bat Cave and more time beating up the Wizard's greasy haired, fedora wearing thugs. Oh...and the Wizard! This guy is actually a pretty good villain. He is cloaked head-to-toe, has blank, glowing eyes, appears from time to time as a phantom, and remains a mystery through most of the serial. Pretty creepy dude, if you ask me, and a fitting opponent for Batman and Robin. If you're thinking about buying this one, take off your critic's hat and enjoy this gem for what it is: an old-school Bat-brawl. It's fedora bashin' fun!

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Join superheroes Batman and Robin in fifteen action-packed episodes of one of the most thrilling adventure serials of yesteryear. The Dynamic Duo careens from one nail-biting cliffhanger to the next as they combat The Wizard, a villain with all of Gotham City at his mercy. This action adventure was originally shown in movie theaters in 1949, one chapter at a time, in weekly installments.Item Type: DVD MovieItem Rating: NRStreet Date: 03/22/05Wide Screen: noDirector Cut: noSpecial Edition: noLanguage: ENGLISHForeign Film: noSubtitles: noDubbed: noFull Frame: yesRe-Release: noPackaging: Sleeve

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Batman - Return to the Batcave (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this a few weeks ago and I must say it was very interesting. While not nearly as funny as the original Batman show, I liked the flashbacks to what was going on in Adam West's and Burt Ward's respective lives during those days! Some may have been shocked by Adam and Burt's former womanizing but to me, that humanized even more in my eyes and I applaud them for having the guts to admit that.
Anyway, for those familiar with the old series, this is a fun romp as they try to solve who stoled the Batmobile! Still, I wish they could've done it a few years earlier while the two other main villians were still alive. By that, I am refering to Ceasar Romero (The Joker) and Burgess Merideth (The Penguin). Since this film was made, Frank Gorshin (The Riddler) has passed on though I am not sure about Julie Newmar as I think she's still alive (I know that Earth Kitt still is as she's also a former Catwoman).
On a personal note, I also have to applaud whoever picked the actors that portrayed the younger versions of Adam and Burt (especially Burt as it was dead on)! I noticed they did had to pad the stomach a bit for the actor who played Adam West because was physically in much better shape than Adam ever was! LOL!
I also liked the hip-hop version of the old Batman theme. It was an updated take on it BUT still true and respectful to the old theme as well as the more disco type one they played when Adam and Burt first put on their costumes for the first day of shooting. While I have nothing against rap and such, many times they tailor it to "being real" and that nonsense! I am glad whoever made those two pieces of music stayed true to the spirit of the show.
Finally, the references to Lyle Waggoner, the man that ALMOST got to play Batman! I liked seeing that rare footage of his screen test and the fact they almost went with the OLD SCHOOL costume (which was the same as Adam's only it was a big black bat on the chest/must like you see now on the Justice League Unlimited cartoon)!
If you buy this feature, then may I recommend you buy BATMAN - THE MOVIE from the 60's with it. And if you do, watch the movie first and I would recommend watching it at least once with the alternative commentary with Adam and Burt as much of what they talk about on that DVD is on the "Return" DVD! This way, you'll have a better understanding of "Return To The Batcave."
On its own, its a great experience for those who remember the series fondly but may be hard for newer fans to follow. I'd recommend it to die-hard Batman fans or to those that really want to know about the 60's TV show.

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Zorro - Zorro's Fighting Legion - 12 Episodes - 3 Pack VHS (1939) Review

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(More customer reviews)Read the horrid reviews (as usual) for the Madacy product, then grab this Hal Roach Studios/Image version of this classic Republic Serial, perhaps second in fame only to THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL. This version is meticulously mastered from the original camera negative with fine grain shots substituted wherever necessary. Where Madacy "simply" eliminates(!) the beginnings and ends of each of their twelve 16mm chapters, making it more into a herky-jerky feature film that runs 3-1/2 hours (then making you buy TWO separate discs in order to obtain the whole story), this Hal Roach Studios version is absolutely complete--four hours on one disc (double-coated, no turning over!) and boasts trailers for six other top serials to boot. All from 35mm, with the visual power and dynamic soundtrack range the use of those elements brings to the table. This is the one you've been waiting for, so get the best possible version. (Same for ROBINSON CRUSOE OF CLIPPER ISLAND, ZORRO RIDES AGAIN and ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP, also mastered from the original 35mm nitrate camera negatives and fine grains. They're all being released by Image in the coming months.) As the reviewer from the Knight-Ridder Newspaper chain recently published "Do yourself a favor--wait for the Hal Roach Studios version from Image--it's the real deal". I concur. It's worth the little bit extra you have to pay to be able to see the picture and hear the sound the way it was all meant to be presented. ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION is worth the money for the twelfth chapter alone, with it's great unmasking scene (but, no peeking till you've built up to it by watching the first eleven!). You'll love it.

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Gang Busters-13 Episodes (1942) Review

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(More customer reviews)VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures presents a film based on the radio program by Phillips H. Lord "Gang Busters" (1942) (Dolby digitally remastered), with 13 Chapters based on a real radio show in which unsolved crimes were reenacted in the hope of catching the criminal, stories were combined with original and completely ficitional...dedicated to law enforcement officers throughout the nation, in grateful recognition of their unending war against crime..story line has twists and turns as "The League of Murdered Men" with mad scientist (Ralph Morgan) at the helm...is there a mysterious death stimulating drug that presumes a person dead only to be resurrected by this mad man Prof. Mortis (Morgan)...will Lt. Bill Bannister (Taylor) and Det. Tim Nolan (Armstrong) stop this gang of misfits who is terrorizing the city...can Vicki Logan (Hervey) and Happy Haskins (Davies) who work for the local newspaper, get in the way or be of some assistance bringing the villains to justice...what is this strange hideout in a subterranean cell that is located beneath the city's subways...don't touch that dial or leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "Law and Order"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.
Under director's Ray Taylor and Noel Smith, associate producer Ford Beebe, Original screenplay by Morgan B. Cox, Al Martin, Vic McLeod, George H. Plympton, dialogue director Jacques Jaccard, musical score by Ralph Freed, Charles Previn, Heinz Roemheld, Hans J. Salter, Frank Skinner and Franz Waxman...the cast includes Kent Taylor (Lt. Bill Bannister), Irene Hervey (Vicky Logan), Ralph Morgan (Dr. Clayton Maxton aka Prof. Mortis), Robert Armstrong (Det. Tim Nolan), Richard Davies (Happy Haskins), Joseph Crehan (Police Chief Martin O'Brien), George Watts (Mayor Hansen), George J. Lewis (Joey Morrions aka Mason), Ralf Harolde(Halliger-henchman), John Gallaudet (Wilkinson-henchman), William Haade (Mike Taboni), Vic Zimmerman (Ted Lane, alias Barnard), Johnnie Berkes (Mr. Grub ), Pat O'Malley ( Police Chemist Crandall), Eddie Dean (Blair, Police Lab Tech), William Desmond (Rogan's Death Witness), Karl Hackett (Henry, crooked watchman), Carleton Young (Highway Patrolman)........great stuntwork by Carey Loftin, David Sharpe, Tom Steele, Ken Terrell and Dale Van Sickel....meanwhile back to our Universal Serial which is always good till the last drop and this serial is no exception...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features.
CHAPTER TITLES:
1. The League of Murdered Men
2. The Death Plunge
3. Murder Blockade
4. Hangman's Noose
5. Man Under Cover
6. Under Crumbling Walls
7. The Water Trap
8. Murder by Proxy
9. Gang Bait
10.Mob Vengeance
11.Wanted at Headquarters
12.The Long Chance
13.Law and Order
BIOS:
1. Kent Taylor (aka Louis William Weiss)
Birth Date: 5/11/1907 - Nashua, Iowa
Died: 4/11/1987 - Woodland Hills, CA
2. Irene Hervey
Birth Date: 7/11/1909 - Venice, CA
Died: 12/20/1998 - Woodland Hills, CA
3. Robert Armstrong (of the film "King Kong" fame)
Birth Date: 11/20/1890 - Saginaw, Michigan
Died: 4/20/1973 - Santa Monica, CA
4. Ray Taylor (Director)
Birth Date: 12/01/1888 - Perham, Minnesota
Died: 2/15/1952 - Hollywood, CA
If you're into vintage serials as I am, why not pick up a copy of the following titles from VCI Home Video:
VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS:
1. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe)
2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan)
3. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon)
4. Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford)
5. The Phantom (Tom Tyler)
6. Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane)
7. Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke)
8. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)
9. Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon)
10.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)
11.Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd)
12.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe)
13.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton)
14.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr)
If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...check out another release from VCI Entertainment and Republic Pictures present Zane Grey's "King of the Royal Mounted" (1940) (digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences...is there a discovered substance called "Compound X", which may cure infantile paralysis...has Tom Merritt stumbled on such a rare find...is there a war between Canada and sources known later as the "Father Land".....get out there as they're going fast, this is the one you've been waiting for.
Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Gang Busters" (1942), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '30s, '40s & '50s...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just the way we like 'em
Total Time: 255 mins ~ VCI Entertainment 1731 ~ (1992)

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