The Our Gang Collection (52 Shorts 1938-1942) Review

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(More customer reviews)First off-the-bat, these are all 52 remaining Our Gang films, from 1938-1944, NOT 1942 as the description above reads. These 10-minute short films are the worst in Our Gang's history but I'm giving this collection five stars...and I'll tell you why. During the last few shorts during the Hal Roach period, Our Gang films began their downslide, as Spanky & Alfalfa were older and getting hammier in their acting. Once Roach sold the rights to MGM, the series took a nosedive - but they still had some good moments. The best actor from 1938-1940 was Tommy Bond (Butch) who is a more polished, natural actor; also, Sid Kibrick (Woim) is great as Butch's sidekick, even though his dialogue is limited to lines like, "yeah, Butch." But Spanky and Alfalfa became the worst "Our Gang" actors the older they got; Darla has moments of lameness too, but not to the extreme of Spank & Alf. Buckwheat was OK but was worse in the Gang's final years, 1942-1944. Porky left early, followed by Butch, Alfalfa, Darla (who was just starting to beautifully blossom) and finally, Spanky. They were eventually replaced by Mickey, Froggy & Janet; these last years (1941-1944) are referred to as "The Froggy Years" as one would complain about the awfulness of the films - but it's unfair to Billy "Froggy" Laughlin, as he was actually the series' saving grace. His acting was not as bad as we all thought - he actually pulls off some very funny moments, but we have to suffer through the awful, preachy plotlines to get to 'em....you also get to hear Froggy's REAL voice in a few of these films.
What else made these lame? Little things.
1) No Pete The Pup...the remainder of dogs were these little yappy dogs that always get under your feet with names like "Whiskers" and "Rover" - not big, lovable lugs like all the Petes during the Roach years.
2) New, lesser "Gang" members with names like "Fatty" (no fatter than Spanky) and "Happy" (who has one of the biggest sourpuss faces and is anything BUT happy).
3) Waayyyyy too many episodes had the gang putting on a show for one reason or another. Yawn. (Runnin' outta ideas?)
4) The opening/closing theme - a medley of "London Bridge Is Falling Down/Farmer In The Dell." If they had kept the original theme it really, really woulda helped.
5) Too many episodes where we, the audience, are supposed to learn a lesson. At certain points, some adult - a judge or equivalent of - looks right into the camera and addresses the audience with lines like "if each parent would take more time to teach their kids, blah-blah-blah." Also, too many "moral" episodes where the kids themselves get too preachy, especially Spanky; he becomes the "goody-goody" of the gang, which makes my heart sink. Mickey (Robert Blake) comes a close second. The worst of the bunch? "Time Out For Lessons," where Alfalfa learns that he should balance time between his football playing and schoolwork; after telling the gang "we're not gonna practice until we've done our homework" and his dad tells him to balance play with work, Alfalfa leaves to play football with the rest of the gang and utters, "FROM NOW ON, WE TAKE TIME OUT FOR LESSONS!!!" In real life, he'd probably be kicked off the team.
6) Terrible special effects. Scenes when gang members go flying through the air look amateurish with wires clearly visible.
So, why do I give this collection 5 stars?
1) This is the first, and possibly only time you'll have the chance to get this complete collection of the rest of the gang films.
2) It's also important that you watch and learn how NOT to treat a beloved series; either step up the quality or bow out entirely. Filmmakers should watch the "Our Gang" films beginning with the Hal Roach sound films (1929-1937) and then observe how the series deteriorated with these MGM episodes. A great, great filmmaking lesson is to be learned here.
3) For collectors of comedy films of this period, it's a vital collection.
4) The quality - video & audio - is top-notch.
5) It's very family-friendly - probably even more so than then the original Hal Roach films (still contain some racial humor but less than the Roach films).
So, yes, even with all it's flaws - AND THERE ARE MANY - it's still important for serious collectors. Five stars? Most definitely.

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PLAYBOY AFTER DARK - 2ND COLLECTION (1969) Review

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(More customer reviews)Just got volume two (after loving volume one) and its even better than the first! The Grateful Dead and Deep Purple really take you back to that "moment in time". I also particularly like that they have stuff from "[...] Penthouse"-- Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, and Count Basie are outstanding!
I know that there are tons of episodes out there, so please keep 'em coming, they're terriffic!

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Secret Agent AKA Danger Man Megaset (1965) Review

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(More customer reviews)What was golden about "Secret Agent" in 1965 remains golden: it tackles the familiar spy-story themes---duty, honor, country; loyalty, brotherhood, betrayal---with a theatrical style, with romanticism, wit, and grace, often with deep human feeling. In 1965, when the moral norms in television and movies were starting to go to hell in a handbasket and the spy genre was characterized by the comic-book vulgarity of the James Bond films and the moral pessimism of John Le Carre, the strong moral tone and absence of promiscuity in "Secret Agent" were remarkable. That turned out to be a deliberate device, at the personal insistence of the star. Certain of the writers and directors seemed to recognize the possibilities and seize on them, deftly exploiting their star's unique characteristics to create some fascinating, unforgettable television.
With this reissue of the complete '65-'66 series on DVD---and now that things in the culture have gotten a lot darker---my own thanks go to Patrick McGoohan for that particular moment in his career: for the glowing, graceful Cold Warrior he made of John Drake; for his insistence on a principled approach to the character; for the enduring mystery of personality he brought to a small-screen hero.
Can't go to the theater? Watch McGoohan, with his strange quality of aggressive shyness, in a repertory of amusing impersonations: the tipsy playboy, the wheeler-dealer businessman, the shy schoolteacher, the crisp colonial officer, the langorous beachcomber, the insolent artist, the veddy English butler, the flirtatious German encyclopedia salesman, the supercilious physician ("It's Bailey-Carpenter---ehm---there's a hyphen"). The darkness of "The Prisoner" and 35 years of villain roles haven't dimmed the glow of this princely performance, or the image of the decent, thoughtful man behind it, who seemed to care so genuinely about his influence on the television audience.
Faulkner said, "The artist's duty is to lift up men's hearts and help them endure." The people who worked on this series did their duty.
So spend your money. This is great stuff.
M.E.M.

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He always fights fair. He rarely carries a gun. He never falls into bed with the girl. He is John Drake, a spy like no other.Before he made TV history with The Prisoner, Patrick McGoohan rocketed to stardom with his unforgettable portrayal of the principled Drake, a top operative for the British M9 Intelligence Agency. Stylish, suspenseful, and smart, SECRET AGENT's missions took Drake to the corners of the globe on the trail of international criminals, corrupt politicians and stolen secrets.This definitive DVD collection includes all 47 episodes of SECRET AGENT. From the opening strains of Johnny Rivers's classic theme song to the two rarely-seen color shows that brought the series to a close, every moment is here, digitally remastered and presented in the original CBS broadcast order.

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Leave It To Beaver: The Complete Series Review

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QUICK DVD STATS:
Number of Episodes -- 234 (Plus the Original Pilot Episode)
Number of Discs -- 37 (Single-Sided)
Video -- 1.33:1 Full Frame (B&W)
Audio -- Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English only)
Any Bonus Stuff? -- Heck, yes! (Details below)
Subtitles? -- No (But each of the episodes is Closed Captioned in English)
"Play All" Option? -- Yes
Are These Episodes Complete and Unedited? -- Yes! (With a very minor "but"; details below)
DVD Distributor -- Shout! Factory (The set is copyrighted by NBC Universal)
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On June 29, 2010, a very pleasant thing happened -- something that many people probably didn't think would ever happen in their lifetime -- the audio and video company "Shout! Factory" released to the public "LEAVE IT TO BEAVER: THE COMPLETE SERIES", a spectacular 37-Disc DVD collection that includes all 234 episodes of what I consider to be one of the best and most rewatchable television series of all-time.
And Shout! has treated The Beav with expert care too, make no mistake about that fact. These 234 shows (plus the pilot episode, entitled "It's A Small World", which is also included in this mega-set) look and sound fantastic on these DVDs. All of the episodes were filmed in black-and-white, and the restored B&W prints that are presented in this collection are sensational.
To quote Brian Ward, the producer of this DVD boxed set:
"These episodes are complete and look better than you've ever seen them before. They've been restored and remastered from the original film elements. I've honestly never seen 50s television look this good. For those that bought the original seasons 1 & 2 released a couple years ago, these are leagues above those transfers. They really are something." -- Brian Ward of Shout! Factory; January 27, 2010
These shows do, indeed, look gorgeous on these DVDs, but I will add this note about the video quality --- The majority of the episodes in Season 1 and Season 2 of this set appear to me to have pretty close to the same video quality as the Universal DVD releases of those two seasons which came out in November 2005 and May 2006 [Season 1; Season 2].
Those two Universal sets have pretty good overall picture quality too, but most of the scenes that were filmed indoors are peppered with an abundance of grain. The scenes shot outdoors, however, look perfect and free of almost all grain.
This Shout! set mirrors those Universal video characteristics for the first two seasons, with the indoors footage being speckled with much more film grain than is found in any of the last four seasons. There are exceptions to this though, with one exception being the first-year episode "Brotherly Love", which looks quite a bit better in this Shout! set than it does in the 2005 Universal release, with less grain visible in the Shout! version.
Some of the shows from Season 1 also look darker on the Shout! DVDs when compared to the Universal edition (particularly the episode "Captain Jack"). So it would certainly seem as though Shout! has not used the exact same prints of the shows that Universal worked with in 2005.
But once I got to Season 3 of this Shout! set -- WOW! Simply magnificent in all respects! Almost all of the grain in every episode has been completely eliminated for the final four seasons. It's remarkable how blemish-free these new high-definition DVD prints look. Almost as if they were filmed yesterday. They look that good.
The highest praise I can muster goes to the Shout! people for taking the time and effort to do this classic TV sitcom the "DVD justice" it richly deserves.
One of the things that I immediately noticed when watching some of the episodes from Seasons 3 through 6 (which were filmed after the Cleavers moved into their new house on Pine Street in Mayfield) was the chair in the living room, the one in which dad Ward Cleaver is often seen sitting while reading the newspaper.
The chair's bold and unique fabric looks particularly bright on these remastered DVDs. The pattern practically jumps right off the screen, illustrating just how superb these DVD transfers really are. It might even be a good idea to wear sunglasses when watching those living-room scenes from now on. :)
Each episode is presented complete and uncut, just as they were originally aired on network television in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The average length per episode is about 25 minutes and 45 seconds.
A few episodes clock in at about 24:55. But then there are still others that exceed 26 minutes. So, I think it's probably safe to say that these episodes are just about as complete as we're ever going to get.
And Shout! DVD producer Brian Ward has also assured fans that all of the episodes in this set are uncut -- "The episodes are complete" were Mr. Ward's exact words on May 26, 2010 (via a post Brian made at the Shout! Factory Community Forum).
There is, however, one small section of one episode that is missing. And I'd be willing to bet that it's missing by pure accident. It's the preview (or "teaser") that was originally aired at the very beginning of the episode "The Black Eye". That short preview, narrated by Hugh Beaumont (which is when we hear Hugh say, "And that's our story tonight on Leave It To Beaver"), is nowhere to be found in this Shout! set. It is there, however, in the Universal 2005 DVD set.
The reason I said it's missing by "accident" is because of the way the order of most of the show openings for Season One have been rearranged. The short preview scenes that were part of the first-year episodes were (I think) originally aired PRIOR to the opening titles. That's the way they are presented in the 2005 Universal DVD set anyway.
But in this Shout! set, the majority of the preview clips are shown AFTER the opening credits. There are seven exceptions, however. The following seven episodes are presented as they originally aired, with the teaser coming prior to the opening titles: "Music Lesson", "The Perfect Father", "The State Vs. Beaver", "Beaver Runs Away", "Party Invitation", "The Bank Account", and "Lonesome Beaver".
This is a real mystery to me. I can't figure out why in the world the people who were responsible for remastering these episodes would have decided to reverse the order of the teasers and opening credits for about 80% of the first-season episodes in seemingly willy-nilly fashion, while choosing at the same time to leave the teasers where they should be in the first place (at the very beginning of the show) on 7 of the 39 episodes. It doesn't make a bit of sense. It almost looks like somebody at NBC Universal was being deliberately spiteful.
~big shrug~
Anyway, my guess would be that when someone was fiddling around with the chronology of most of these show-opening segments, somehow the preview/teaser clip for the "Black Eye" episode was never re-inserted and was inadvertently cut out completely.
Here's another oddity that I noticed about the first-season previews -- In this Shout! set, the preview segment for the episode "Brotherly Love" is completely different from the one that can be found on the 2005 DVD. The narration by Hugh Beaumont is identical in both DVD versions, but the video is totally different. Weird, huh? I had no idea that more than one preview segment existed for any of the episodes in Season 1. (It kind of makes the 2005 Universal DVD set for the first season of LITB seem a tad more valuable now, since there's something unique about a portion of it.)
-------------------------------------------
THE SHOW:
"Leave It To Beaver" premiered on CBS-TV on Friday, October 4, 1957, and continued on network television for a total of six seasons, finishing up in 1963. Each of the six seasons consisted of exactly 39 episodes, a hefty number when compared to current seasonal standards.
CBS carried the show for the first season only. For the final five years, "Beaver" was a part of the ABC-TV schedule.
The LITB storylines were always very simple and uncomplicated, which is probably a big reason why it is so charming and appealing. No major earth-shattering disasters ever befall the Cleavers. Nobody ever gets hurt (except an occasional scraped knee), the parents (Ward and June) rarely fight about anything serious and never threaten to leave each other, and above all, these characters really seemed to care about each other, without getting too sappy about it.
All of the above-mentioned traits helped make "Leave It To Beaver" what it was each week in 1957, and what I believe it remains today: a good, clean, fun, uncomplicated half-hour of entertaining television.
Starring Jerry Mathers as Theodore (Beaver) Cleaver, Tony Dow as his brother Wally, Barbara Billingsley as June, and Hugh Beaumont as Ward, the excellent cast of "Leave It To Beaver" was a well-chosen group in my opinion.
While it's true, I suppose, that the acting was a bit on the "stiff" side on many occasions, I still think that this ensemble did quite well on this show. A sense of true believability and realism finds its way quite comfortably into each of these episodes.
Toss into this cast grouping the very funny Richard Deacon, who portrayed Ward's friend and co-worker, Fred Rutherford, plus Ken Osmond as the ever-sarcastic Eddie Haskell, Frank Bank as Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford, Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, and all of Beaver's and...Read more›

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The Little Rascals 6 Disk Collector's Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This looks to be a copy of the cabin fever DVDs. Not much details under the product description.

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Secret Agent (aka Danger Man) - The Complete Collection Megaset 2007 (1965) Review

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(More customer reviews)Don't get the other megaset confused with this one - this is the real deal. Every episode of the series is on the DVD set, not just half! The quality is great and rather compact since they used the thin cases.

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Combat - Season 4, Conflict 1 (1962) Review

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(More customer reviews)We are now at the apex of the COMBAT series when the show reached its' peak as this season has the best episode ever produced. There are a few episodes that seem variations on previous Combat themes, but overall the fourth season holds up well...Of the cast members, Jack Hogan as Kirby does his best work in three pivotal episodes, especially in Hills are for Heroes which I consider one of the greatest war movies ever made. I will discuss this episode in the COMBAT SEASON 4 CONFLICT 2 review. For now, here are some of the hits and misses of season 4...
1. The Leader - Kirby must lead a group of disgruntled soldiers as they prepare for a German counterattack....one of the shows where Jack Hogan shines...
2. Retribution - Jack Hogan is 2 for 2 as Kirby, when he discovers that his future Brother-in-law was beaten to death by a sadistic German Officer. Hogan's acting is top notch as he seeks revenge.

3. The Raider - a tense drama as Saunders needs to discover which of the German prisoners is actually the Officer who knows the whereabouts of a captured Hanley.
4. Finest Hour - It is a treat to see the fine French actress Luise Rainer in a morality play regarding honor and sacrifice.5. Main Event - Jack Carter plays the manager of contending boxer and tries to protect his "investment" from the dangers of war. Jack Carter is at his conniving and sleazy best.
6. The Old Men - Simon Oakland portrays an replacement with bad knees, as he and other older replacements join Saunders squad.7.The First Day - Four "Green" soldiers are put in Saunders squad. If this seems familiar to THE OLD MEN, well, I guess it is, but it is still well done.Those are a few of the fine episodes which are included in this season 4 compilation of COMBAT. There are however some, not so stellar episodes.
1. The Linesman - Jack Lord is a know it all radioman who accompanies Saunders squad on a mission. It is the overdone "Arrogant Officer Humbled" theme.
2. Hear No Evil - There are actually good portions of this episode where Saunders loses his hearing. The scene which illustrates how he became deaf is well done. There is a silly section involving a dog however which brings the episode down, and if you are a dog lover, you may become unsettled.
3. The Farmer - Dennis Weaver loves animals more than Humans. Just plain dumb.
So, should you buy this set? Yes, most certainly, for there is much to enjoy in this collection. If you are planning to buy both volumes of this season 4 DVD set, but are only planning to buy one at this time, then I advise you save buying SEASON 4 CONFLICT 1 for now and quickly purchase SEASON 4 CONFLICT 2 because, as I mentioned previously, one of the finest war movies was produced when HILLS ARE FOR HEROES hit the small screen. I will comment on this fantastic episode in the CONFLICT 2 review.
Recommended without reservation.


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Boondocks : Season 1 (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)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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Seinfeld: Seasons 1, 2 & 3 (Giftset) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Get Out! "Seinfeld" on DVD? He's already the Master of His Domain why would it need to be released it on DVD? Because the fans demanded it and justice can only be served if one of the most popular and best sitcoms can be viewed, uncut and with lots and lots of background material on this groundbreaking show. Just a warning this review is for the gift set which includes the salt shakers, playing cards and a copy of one of Larry David's scripts. That's the main difference between this gift set (that and the fact that it includes the two boxed sets including the first three "seasons"). The first season consisted of five episodes (including the pilot)while the second consisted of 13 episodes as the network decided to commit to the show when the show received solid ratings. The third season consists of 22 episodes. All the episodes are the uncut original episodes that aired on NBC (most of the episodes in syndication are usually trimmed by a minute or two). The boxed set has a slipover case. Inside the inside slipcase each disc is nicely housed in individual slim DVD holders. 15 commentary tracks (if I'm counting correctly)for both sets. Deleted scenes, unused stand up bits, promos, featurettes make this a generous set particulary when compared to the bare bones releases for other similar (although not as funny) series.
When "The Seinfeld Chronicles" (the original title) first aired as a limited series no one suspected it would be the next big thing. Seinfeld and his collaborator/co-creator/co-producer and frequent co-writer Larry David pushed TV comedy to its boundaries and then demolished them. They'd then establish new boundaries and demolish those. That's groundbreaking, important television. It's also what made "Seinfeld" unique. Sure, "Who's The Boss?" could be funny but it had to be about something where someone learned something in every episode. Seinfeld's and David's mantra "learn nothing and be about nothing" proved that TV touching on the absurdity of real life could be funnier than TV where the characters learned valuable lessons and became better people. In truth, that rarely happens in the real world and the fact that Seinfeld made fun of and played with that convention made it important. It helped that it was damn funny as well.
Looks like something here in a marvelous high definition transfer from Columbia-Tristar. The good news is that even though the show was videotaped, the quality of the picture and sound for most of those analog episodes continues to look great. The blacks are solid for a videotaped program and the colors are as real and true as they appeared over a decade ago.
For a show about nothing this boxed set spends plenty of time and space talking about the something special that made this an outstanding show. The hour long documentary has interesting, revealing tidbits including a shocker from Julia Louis- Dreyfus-she never saw the original pilot episode. In fact, she didn't see it until she prepped for the commentary tracks and interview for this boxed set. Larry David's acerbic dry fatalistic sense of humor (which informs his terrific show "Curb Your Enthusiasm" on HBO) along with the witty, informed but ultimately wacky observations of the rest of the cast and crew make this a marvelous documentary. Unlike the featurettes or documentaries on a lot of TV shows (any of the "Sex and the City" ones for example), to invert a famous quip by a famous writer, "there's there there". Substance for a show about nothing what an ironic twist but in reality "Senfield" was about something. It was about the absurd little moments that populate our lives but a little more twisted.
"Kramer vs. Kramer" allows the real life inspiration for Cosmo Kramer to comment on his fictional counterpart. Kenny Kramer comes across as wacky and weird as Cosmo but a little scarier in that he occupies real space. We also get outtakes, bloopers (watch Jerry and the cast screw everything up and make the screw ups almost as funny as the scripts) and deleted scenes from episodes that ran a little but too long. "Master of His Domain" features the stand up material that introduced much of the first and second season (before it was ultimately seen as unnecessary) that was shot but never featured in the show. You can well imagine which episodes they were intended for and guess pretty accurately without seeing any info on the subject. "Sponsored by Vandelay Industries" features the funny promo ads and trailers that NBC ran to promote the show. "Inside Looks" provides a glimpse behind-the-scenes as to what was really happening when various episodes were shot. There's also some discussion about improve on the set, what inspired the various episodes and the chemistry that the ensemble cast had together. We also have the chance to see trivia about the various episodes but, more importantly, two slightly different versions of the pilot episode that play a bit different as well. It's like entering the Bizarro Universe from Superman at times.
The boxed set of the first three seasons is the way to go. There's really not a bad episode among them and "Seinfeld", like "Star Trek: The Original Series" literally hit the ground running. Yes, the series developed but it's frightening how good and sure these first three seasons are. That's rare in TV. There's also a copy of Larry David's script for with comments about the script, playing cards and, more importantly, replicas of the salt and pepper shakers from "Monk's". It's pricey but, really, it's the best bargain considering the extra stuff you get. If you want just the series, though, picking up the first two boxed sets separately is more cost effective.
Sharp, witty and frequently funny observations pop up in the 15 commentary tracks for the episodes from the first three seasons. While all of them are good, those featuring David, Seinfeld and the rest of the cast work best. Why? Because we are familiar with all of them and it's like inviting friends into your living room to comment on their own home movies and embarrassing photos. In closing, Seifeld was certainly sponge worthy. Yada-yada-yada, yabba-dabby-doo, get out!


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Seinfeld Giftset (includes Seasons 1-3, Limited Edition Script, Monk's Salt & Pepper Shakers, Playing Cards)

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The Complete Thin Man Collection (The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man / Alias Nick and Nora) (1947) Review

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(More customer reviews)Warner Brothers' release of "The Complete Thin Man Collection" on DVD is a major windfall for fans of the legendry Nick and Nora Charles. Retired private eye Nick, and his ditzy, (I should be so smart), wife Nora, known for their witty repartee, ever-present cocktail in hand, and hang-over remedy at bedside, were originally created by author Dashiell Hammett. They are probably sleuthdom's most sophisticated couple - perhaps the most urbane pair in all of romantic comedy. Rumor has it, the characters were loosely based on Hammett and his longtime companion, Lillian Hellman. Played on the silver screen by William Powell & Myrna Loy, the chemistry and timing between the two is dynamite. Skippy, (the dog), plays Asta, their Wire-Haired Fox Terrier, who takes her job seriously as assistant PI.

The series' six Thin Man films, ("The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man"), revolve around the antics of Mr. and Mrs. Charles, their beloved terrier, and the mysteries they get finagled into solving, which usually involve at least one murder. Nora, a wealthy socialite married Nick, a PI who decided to give up his business to manage her financial affairs. They reside, temporarily, in a plush New York City apartment with a great view of the Manhattan skyline. Neither of them want to continue in the Private Investigation business, but trouble seems to find them, and they just cannot turn it away. Filmed smack in the middle of the Great Depression, Americans going through tough times seemed to love the frivolous Charles couple, and their slap-stick detecting style.

The first, and I think best film is "The Thin Man," completed in 1934 and directed by W.S. Van Dyke. Here the mystery takes a back seat to the couple's loving relationship, with an emphasis on shenanigans, wisecracking, martini sipping followed by morning-after hang-overs, more banter, etc.. Bottom line - an eccentric, tall, thin, moneyed inventor, named Clyde Wynant (Edward Ellis), has disappeared. He is the "thin man" of the film title. Nora convinces Nick to take on the case because she wants to see how a murder is solved - if the inventor has been murdered. Or, he might, in fact, be the murderer! Straight-forward, no subplots - just dashing Nick, elegantly amusing Nora, Asta, the martinis, lots of panache and several corpses! Great supporting cast, which includes: Maureen O'Sullivan, Minna Gombell, William Henry, and Cesar Romero.

"After The Thin Man," released in 1936 is a fine, fast-paced, fun sequel, and what it lacks in noir grit, it makes up for in verve. Again, the Depression is giving folks their fill of true grit in the real world. Humor, the opulence and luxury of the Charles' world, and lots of sexy, sophisticated banter between husband and wife are what brings weary people into movie theaters. This film has the debonair duo, looking into a blackmail turned murder case. The two have just returned to their beautiful California home, and find it inundated with Nora's relatives - all uninvited. Nora's cousin's husband has gone missing, and her upper crust family would rather he stay lost than cause a scandal. He was having an affair with a nightclub singer, and apparently extorting mega-bucks on the side. Oh, Nick and Norah find him all right! Dead! And, once again, Nora's finances are on the back burner. You'll never guess whodunit! A very young James Stewart is featured here...very briefly!

"Another Thin Man," (1939), and another excellent movie - more complex plot-wise, and perhaps wackier than the first two films! Baby makes three here, four, of course, with Asta. One year old Nickie Jr., is the latest addition and he takes-up lots of his Mom's time, distracting her from distracting Dad. The Charleses have been invited to spend the weekend at the Long Island estate of Colonel Burr MacFay, (C. Aubrey Smith), a friend and former business associate of Nora's father. The wealthy munitions industrialist is afraid that an old business partner is going to kill him. Phil Church, who once worked with MacFay, has just been released after spending ten years behind bars for fraud. The man holds a huge grudge against MacFay and has threatened his life. The usual gang of martini drinkers are out on the Island, and when MacFay dies, predictably, no one is too shocked. However, Nick and Nora are on the suspect list! Nick drinks less and detects more with this one! Virginia Grey plays the Colonel's daughter Lois, and Ruth Hussey plays Nicky's nurse.

"Shadow Of The Thin Man," (1941), takes Nick and Nora to the races, literally, when murder, racketeering and mayhem win, place and show-up at the track. Nick had absolutely decided against involving himself with any more sleuth work. He definitely wants to spend more time with Nora and Nicky, Jr.,...and Asta, too. Unfortunately, he cannot say no to the head of the New York Athletic Commission, who asks him personally to take the case when a jockey is murdered. There's a hilarious episode on a department-store merry-go-round in this one, and a huge brawl, started by Asta, at an elegant sea food restaurant. Great cast and characters, including famous acting teacher Stella Adler as Claire Porter, somebody's girlfriend. And young Donna Reed makes an appearance here as well.

"The Thin Man Goes Home," (1944), is the penultimate series' offering and the movie never fails to crack me up! They say "you can never go home again." This old adage is probably true because no matter how grown-up, sophisticated and capable one might be, you can be sure to be taken down several notches when returning to the old homestead. The Charleses pay a visit to Nick's home town of Sycamore Springs. And his parents browbeat the poor retired PI, (how undignified!). They so wanted him to be a doctor, just like his father! And he cannot find a stiff drink anywhere!! When a man drops dead on the front porch, however, Nick's folks are grateful for his chosen vocation. Excellent cast: Gloria DeHaven, Edward Brophy, Lloyd Corrigan, Leon Ames, and Ann Revere as the eccentric "Crazy Mary."

"Song Of The Thin Man," released in 1947 is the sixth and last film, and finds the Charleses looking into the mysterious murder of bandleader Tommy Drake. Sultry Gloria Graham sings "You're Not So Easy to Forget," by Herb Magidson and Ben Oakland. A fine supporting cast includes: Jayne Meadows, Keenan Wynn, Dean Stockwell, Ralph Morgan, William Bishop and Marie Windsor

This outstanding boxed-set comes with some great features, including a bonus 7th disc, entitled, "Alias Nick and Nora," with two documentaries on William Powell and Myrna Loy. Other highlights are two radio adaptations of the series, as well as comedy, musical and mystery shorts, and cartoons. How can you go wrong??
JANA

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The sparkling series featured the irresistible William Powell and Myrna Loy chemistry as husband and wife sleuths who solved murders with the aid of their wire-haired terrier, Asta. Set in the glamorous world of 1930s upper-class Manhattan, The Thin Man and its sequels established the standard for witty comedy, clever dialogue and urbane one upmanship. The 7-Disc set includes THE THIN MAN, AFTER THE THIN MAN, ANOTHER THIN MAN, SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN, SONG OF THE THIN MAN, THE THIN MAN GOES HOME, and the ALIAS NICK & NORA bonus documentary disc.

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Space Patrol (4 Early Tv Episodes) Vol. 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Space patrol ran from 1950-55. It was one of the best of several early 50's optimistic views of the dawning space/atomic age. More often than not, the scripts and plots were fairly routine, but the view of the future was marvelous. Ed Kemmer portrayed a marvelous heroic figure in Buzz Correy. Lynn Osborne did a great job as the psuedo-kid sidekick--though in real life he dated Marilyn Monroe. Virginia Hewitt and Nina Bara were years ahead of their time in portraying intelligent, capable women. Sometimes the shows got into social commentary (ie., "the Atomic Vault" in volume 3) that seemed daring for the time. A great nostalgia tour for those of us who remember. And a persuasive argument that others had boldly gone before "Star Trek." Roddenberry was a fan according to his authorized biography. You can still see bits of it in "Star Trek."

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Family Matters: The Complete First Season (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally!!! How many days have gone by while fans eagerly waited for the release of this classic family sitcom on DVD?! Now fans who have waited patiently, like myself and my friends, will be able to own the complete first season of the Winslow's and their quirky neighbor Steve Urkle in Family Matters. The 3-disc set will contain the following 22 episodes originally airing from 1989-1990:
The Mama Who Came To Dinner
Two-Income Family
Short Story
Rachel's First Date
Straight A's
Baseball Blues
Body Damage
Mr. Badwrench
Stake-Out
False Arrest
The Quilt
Laura's First Date (Steve Urkle's Proper Introduction!!!)
Man's Best Friend
Baker's Dozen
The Big Reunion
The Party
The Big Fix
Sitting Pretty
In A Jam
The Candidate
Bowl Me Over
Rock Video
No news yet on any special features and some are wary of expecting any but just being able to own these episodes on a proper set should be more than enough to please fans. Though, any exec's out there with a say in the matter should be aware of how much us fans who have waited so long would appreciate a little something extra, a blooper reel would be great, even some sort of featurette or promotional material if not a commentary or two, just throwing that out there.
Anybody growing up or alive in the 90's knows the name Steve Urkle. Urkle became a household name and now fans can revisit, and newcomer's can finally be introduced to, the man who did do that. Though Steve Urkle easily became a star the show wasn't only great because of him, (in fact Urkle wasn't written in until the 12th episode but became so popular they made him a regular and fit him into some earlier episodes not yet aired), but it was also great because of Carl, Harriette, Laura, Eddie and the entire Winslow family and how audiences related to them and the issues they dealt with, which is an even rarer thing this day and age. I still remember the way Carl would drag out "Harr-i-ette" or how Steve would be told "go home Steve" only to then respond "I don't have to take this, I'm going home." This show is classic American sticom at it's finest and they just can't make them like this anymore. I don't know if it's because the world has changed or if they just don't know how to capture the innocence, comedy and family values the way sitcoms once used to. This show in particular had great stories that at their core taught us family does matter and it still does just as much if not more so today.
2010 is a great year for the 'Most Wanted TV Series on DVD' crowd, shows like Daria and Family Matters that fans have waited for patiently for so many years are finally getting released. It looks like all the online petitions and fans showing desire to purchase these great series has finally paid off. I have to give this show 5 stars and don't see any reason that this set won't deserve five stars, especially for fans who have waited so long for this "most wanted on DVD" series. Everybody get out there and buy this, it's the bigger love of the family!
Rather than further clutter up the review page I've included episode summaries in my comments section for those interested. Thanks for your time.

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Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Mill Creek Entertainment has done it again! After tackling TV Westerns, TV Crime Shows, TV Spies and Family TV Shows, this offering focuses on early television science fiction shows, with a bit of horror and the paranormal thrown in for good measure. There is quite a bit to savor in this set, so here's the rundown, by category:
Animated Series:
Captain Fathom - 3 episodes
Clutch Cargo - 1 episode
Space Angel - 9 episodes
Filmed TV Series:
Captain Z-Ro - 24 episodes
Flash Gordon - 14 episodes
Johnny Jupiter - 1 episode
One Step Beyond - 16 episodes
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger - 23 episodes
Thriller (Boris Karloff version) - 1 episode
Live Television Series:
Climax - 1 episode
Lights Out - 4 episodes
Tales of Tomorrow - 6 episodes
Filmed Dramatic Anthology Series:
G.E. Theater - 2 episodes
The Star and the Story - 1 episode
Your Jeweler's Showcase (Operation E.S.P.) - 1 episode
Unsold TV Pilots:
Captain Fathom (live action version)
Destination Space
Here Comes Tobor
The Shadow (Tom Helmore version)
The Shadow: Invisible Avenger (Richard Derr version)
Tales of Frankenstein
Public Service Film:
Stamp Day for Superman (cast of "The Adventures of Superman")
Movie Serials:
The Phantom Empire
Radar Men from the Moon
The Undersea KingdomWhile some may consider the inclusion of movie serials to be a bit of a cheat on this set, one can argue that movie serials (and radio) served as a starting point of sorts for the early years of episodic television and, of course, the serials did eventually make their way to television's airwaves. Perhaps the only major omission of a show with a paranormal flavor that is in the public domain and is not included in this set is Boris Karloff's limited series "The Veil" which, possibly, could have substituted for one of the serials. Regardless, this 12-DVD set includes a mixture of some very common, some not so common, and some downright rare shows. Arguably, the biggest "find" on this set is the inclusion of 24 episodes of "Captain Z-Ro" and, to the best of my knowledge, this set marks the commercial DVD debut of Boris Karloff's "Thriller," a series that many fans have long desired to see on DVD. Perhaps the inclusion of the "Thriller" episode "The Return of Andrew Bentley" might prompt further consideration for an official DVD release of this series in the future. And those who previously purchased Mill Creek's 4-DVD set of 50 "One Step Beyond" episodes will be delighted to know that of the 16 episodes included here, only one episode ("Where Are They?") is repeated from that earlier box set.
Among the unsold pilots, I enjoyed the second incarnation of "The Shadow" titled "Invisible Avenger," which was filmed on location in New Orleans in the late 1950s and was eventually released theatrically, and "Tales of Frankenstein." Don Megowan, who appears as the monster in "Frankenstein" also appears in the live action version of "Captain Fathom," which plays like a low rent version of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." One also wonders about the possibilities of "Destination Space" had it been picked up as a regular series by CBS. Though a bit on the talky side (especially in the middle scenes depicted on earth), the pilot featured solid performances from TV veterans like Harry Townes, Charles Aidman, Edward Platt, Whitney Blake and Gail Kobe, and had the backing of a major studio, Paramount.
As is the case with compilations of public domain shows, the audio/visual quality is all over the map and reflects a variety of sources such as kinescopes for the live shows and unrestored 16 millimeter syndication prints for many of the TV show episodes. While none of the episodes that I have viewed so far are unwatchable, this is definitely not a set for videophiles, nor those expecting state-of-the-art special effects. In fact, the special effects are downright primitive when compared to today's special effects and CGI. But considering the low budgets for most of these productions, it's obvious that the SFX people were trying to do the best they could with the limited resources available to them and that's part of the charm of watching these early Sci-Fi TV efforts.
The variety of the shows included in this set is so broad that there is bound to be something to appeal to almost anyone who even remotely enjoys science fiction. This set is highly recommended for classic/vintage TV fans and those who enjoy the early days of science fiction on the small screen. My rating is closer to **** & ½ for this release, just missing a full five stars given the variable audio/visual quality.


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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Black and White (1932) Review

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(More customer reviews)Despite this being a seminal moment in DVD history having the black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons available in the best possible digital format, this Disney Treasures collection is not a complete set. As mentioned, this set will contain 34 black and white MM shorts, but they are only selections out of about 75 made between 1928-1935. Last year's "Silly Symphonies" collection was put together in a similar way with a little more than half of the 73 or so made. Rumors are that next year's DT series will include a "Mickey Mouse in Living Color Vol. 2", which means that host/compiler Leonard Maltin possibly intends to include second volumes of past and future collections in this series that don't contain everything in one set due to large amounts originally produced. When these MM black and white shorts were available on laserdisc years ago, they were also released in two volumes.
Here is a complete list of the B&W selections on this collection (year-by-year) straight from the Disney press release:
1928--"Steamboat Willie", "The Gallopin' Gaucho", "Plane Crazy" (actually the first official Mickey Mouse short--originally silent with sound added later and re-released following the success of "SW").
1929--"The Karnival Kid", "Mickey's Follies"
1930--"The Fire Fighters", "The Chain Gang", "The Gorilla Mystery", "The Pioneer Days"
1931--"The Birthday Party", "Mickey Steps Out", "Blue Rhythm", "Mickey Cuts Up", "Mickey's Orphans"
1932--"The Duck Hunt", "Mickey's Revue", "Mickey's Nightmare", "The Whoopee Party", "Touchdown Mickey", "The Klondike Kid"
1933--"Building a Building", "The Mad Doctor", "Ye Olden Days", "The Mail Pilot", "Mickey's Gala Premiere", "Puppy Love", "The Pet Store", "Giantland"
1934--"Camping Out", "Gulliver Mickey", "Orphan's Benefit", "The Dognapper", "Two-Gun Mickey"
1935--"Mickey's Service Station" (Curiously, "Mickey's Kangaroo" is not included here. This was really the last B&W Mickey cartoon done shortly after he premiered in color in "The Band Concert").
The press release has stated that, in addition to all the features mentioned above, there will also be rare footage of the only MM B&W pencil test known to exist. This pencil test was done for "The Mail Pilot." Also, new interviews were apparently done with the legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston for the documentary. Much-needed audio commentary (presumably by Leonard Maltin) has also been added to the poster gallery on disc 2 that was absent from last year's "Mickey Mouse in Living Color."
For those not acquainted with last year's "Mickey Mouse in Living Color": that collection collects Mickey's first three years in color between 1935-1938. Next year's rumored Vol. 2 will probably complete the color Mickey, going up to his last short under Walt Disney--"The Simple Things" (1953).
More rumors for next year's DT series: "Wartime Cartoons" (originally intended for this year) and "The Chronological Donald" (obviously the first phase of the many Donald Duck cartoons produced through the 1930's-1960's).

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Witness the birth of an American icon. This historic compilation chronicles Mickey Mouse's early career, from his landmark debut in 1928's "Steamboat Willie" to the last of his black-and-white shorts, "Mickey's Service Station," in 1935. Gain insights into Mickey's beginnings in new interviews with legendary Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. See the earliest visuals on record showing the creative birth of animation's most historically significant cartoon as well as the only black-and-white cartoon pencil footage known to exist. All of this and more is revealed in this homage to the mouse who captured the imagination of the world. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

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