Beverly Hillbillies: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (1962) Review

Beverly Hillbillies: The Ultimate Collection,  Vol. 1 (1962)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This restored set has some very nice extras and the restoration of the episodes will make you put those PD DVDs in the trash can.
The only complaint is, why only 26 episodes from the 36 episode first season. One of the missing episodes is show #13 "Home For Christmas", which MPI is putting on a "Christmas with The Beverly Hillbillies & Petticoat Junction" DVD. Unfortunately, it interrupts the flow of the continuing story line. In the pre-Christmas episode the Clampetts are in Beverly Hills. Then jump to the post-Christmas episode and the Clampetts are back home in the hills.
Otherwise we are getting the first 27 episodes, minus the Christmas show, of season 1.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Beverly Hillbillies: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (1962)



Buy NowGet 54% OFF

Click here for more information about Beverly Hillbillies: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (1962)

Read More...

Thriller: Terror in Teakwood (1960) Review

Thriller: Terror in Teakwood  (1960)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
True fans of Horror who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s love this show. Even Stephen King, in his book DANSE MACABRE (p. 216 of the oversized paperback), calls this "the best horror series ever put on TV." The show's host, Boris Karloff, was obviously no stranger to the genre, and he even starred in several notable episodes.
This episode, "The Terror in Teakwood," tells the story of a pianist and composer who is obsessed with proving to the public that he can best his late rival. He is eventually able to perform his rival's most difficult pieces, but only when wearing the severed hands of the deceased rival like a pair of gloves. Of course, such gruesome acts ultimately lead to the jealous pianist's demise....
This is a particularly eerie and morbid episode, so fans of the genre should definitly find here those chills they seek. Also worth noting is that the episode was directed by Paul Henreid, who is well known to fans of classic cinema as the actor who played Victor Laszlo in 1942's CASABLANCA.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Thriller: Terror in Teakwood (1960)



Buy NowGet 87% OFF

Click here for more information about Thriller: Terror in Teakwood (1960)

Read More...

Dark Shadows DVD Collection 3 (1966) Review

Dark Shadows DVD Collection 3 (1966)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have Dark Shadows volume 1 & 2, went through a period of time for awhile when I was trying to tape them off the Sci-Fi Network but these dvds are the answer to a prayer - I canNOT wait for collection #3, and in all sincerity I am glad they are spacing them apart as they are - easier to afford each one as it's released, as I buy a LOT of dvds as it is!!
The amazing thing about "DS" is that it is so addictive; no matter your opinion on soap operas, or horror yarns, there is NOTHING like "Dark Shadows" to keep you enthralled and always waiting for the next chapter - I know some have complained that the quality of the dvds isn't prime, but to me the fact that each show looks as it did when it was on television adds to the sense of nostalgia and creepiness the show had for me as a child - but with the everlasting dvd quality! I applaud MPI and their WISE decision to bring us the best of all soaps in dvd form! My only "negative" is, I hope that, when done, MPI will go back and release the individual first 200 episodes, as well.
Oh, and to the person complaining that they're only putting on two months per set - Good Lord, we are talking 40 episodes each, about 14 HOURS per set!! As someone with a busy schedule and tons of dvds and tapes, that's plenty for me between sets - and the only way to keep the cost per set even as low as it is!
LONG LIVE BARNABAS!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dark Shadows DVD Collection 3 (1966)



Buy NowGet 56% OFF

Click here for more information about Dark Shadows DVD Collection 3 (1966)

Read More...

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 11 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 11 (1959)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
THE FEVER from the First season aired on January 29, 1960 and was written by Rod Serling. Everett Sloane is brilliant as a married man who continually lectures his wife on the pitfalls of gambling after winning a trip to Las Vegas. Goaded into it Sloane puts a coin into a slot machine, wins and the cycle begins. This is an interesting episode, not necessarily against gambling but one that addresses the nature of obsession and the lengths of self-destruction that it can lead to. It also addresses a familiar TWILIGHT ZONE theme about man and his confrontation with the machines that he creates. THE DUMMY from the Third season aired on May 4, 1962 and was written by Rod Serling. Cliff Robertson plays a down-and-out ventriloquist who has dilutions that his mannequin may be getting the better of him. This is an interesting study into the mind of man and the manmade with a denouement that is riveting. THE AFTER HOURS remains just as fresh and effective as when it was first aired on June 10, 1960 and its lingering haunting imagery remains engraved into one's subconscious. Who can ever forget Anne Francis as Marsha. Her impeccable performance and exquisite face are indelible. "Marsha" that very name and the way it was repeated over and over was so eerily unsettling sending chills down one's spine. This episode when compared to WALKING DISTANCE demonstrates the great versatility of Rod Serling as a writer. WALKING DISTANCE is probably the best prose that Serling ever penned where every bit of dialogue was so heartfelt and moving. In THE AFTER HOURS Serling gives us a more visual tale where the storytelling is more dependent on the images. Serling gives us a story of two strikingly opposite worlds that co-exist within a department store. The vivid contrast and the realistic depiction of those two worlds is at the core of this story that has a strange tinge of melancholy about it. Thanks to effective lighting, production design, photography, Douglas Heyes' Direction and impeccable acting it succeeds on all levels and is one of the definitive episodes of the series. Your heart kind of goes out for Telly Savalas in LIVING DOLL. As much of a no-good creep of a stepfather Savalas is, you just gotta feel bad for this guy as he gets outdone by a doll, Talky Tina. The doll is almost as evil as he is and this becomes very evident in the final scene at the bottom of the living room staircase. A lot of the viewers' ambiguous feelings are the result of Bermard Herrmann's innovative score. It has a childlike quality that taunts and teases both Telly Savalas and the viewer. This is an excellent episode written by Charles Beaumont from the Fifth season and is one of the best and most memorable from the entire series. This is an excellent volume.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Twilight Zone: Vol. 11 (1959)



Buy NowGet 30% OFF

Click here for more information about The Twilight Zone: Vol. 11 (1959)

Read More...

Astro Boy - Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1 Review

Astro Boy - Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Largely unseen for over 30 years, most current audiences only know Astro Boy by its reputation and through various remakes. While contemporary anime may have greater technical polish, there's energy, imagination and a surprising amount of humor to these shows which is still unmatched. The sad news is the english masters and negatives were destroyed ages ago. The good news is thanks to fans and collectors worldwide the first 52 episodes are all accounted for with video from the Japanese masters married to english audio from a variety of sources. In a few cases the sound may leave something to be desired, but that should only make us all the more thankful for a piece of TV history which was very nearly lost to us for all time. This beautifully packaged set of 11 single sided discs displays very handsomely. Extras include an interview with Fred Ladd and two episodes of Tetsuwan Atomu in Japanese with english subtitles (Episode #1 & 20) to allow comparison with its original version. Buy it, whether to relive Saturday mornings of a bygone era or to experience firsthand THE show which started the anime revolution.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Astro Boy - Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1

ASTRO BOY, the series that launched the anime phenomenon, returns to the US for the first time on DVD in a stunning new collection! The very first anime ever produced, Osamu Tezuka's (KIMBA, THE WHITE LION / HI NO TORI / METROPOLIS) original 1963 - 1964 ASTRO BOY delighted children around the world with its touching stories and compelling characters. In the U.S., many will remember this popular children's series which aired on TV during the 1960s. Now, this groundbreaking series returns for the first time ever in a stunning new collector's edition that includes the first 52 episodes of the original black and white series as seen in the US, restored to pristine detail, and featuring never-before-seen footage and brand new exciting extras. The original boy-robot with 100,000 horsepower strength and courage! In the year 2000, Dr. Boyton creates a super-robot in his deceased son's image. He calls the robot Astro Boy. Astro Boy can swim oceans, leap over mountains, even fly into space on his own power. However, Astro Boy can't replace his son; Dr. Boyton becomes dissatisfied with the boy robot and disowns him. Astro Boy is befriended by Dr. Packadermus J. Elefun of the Institute of Science, who guides him through his adventures. Endowed with super strength, rocket-powered flight, a selfless heart and a kind demeanor, Astro Boy fights a never-ending crusade against the forces of evil! The special Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1 features the first 52 episodes of this great series, an entire DVD full of extra bonus material, including: Part 1 of an interview with series producer Fred Ladd, Original Japanese Episode #1 (with English subtitles), Original Character Art Gallery, Merchandise Gallery, and a Collector's Booklet featuring: "The History of Astro Boy", an "Osamu Tezuka Biography", and much more!

Buy NowGet 10% OFF

Click here for more information about Astro Boy - Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1

Read More...

Tom and Jerry - Spotlight Collection, Volume 2 (1946) Review

Tom and Jerry - Spotlight Collection, Volume 2 (1946)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
It has become something of a full-time job tracking DVDs, not because of the sheer number of discs being released, but because of the editing done to our favorite TV shows, movies, and cartoons on the format. One of the more spectacular examples in recent memory was the first Tom & Jerry Spotlight Collection, which featured 3 edited shorts and was quickly followed up with promises from both Warner Bros. and animation historian Jerry Beck that this error would be rectified.
Fast forward a year, and Volume 2 is announced with renewed claims that the shorts contained are uncut. While some of the shorts featuring the now-controversial character Mammy Two-Shoes have the original voice (which belies a reference to Hattie McDaniel of Gone With the Wind fame), others feature the redubbed "politically correct" voice that Turner created in the '90s. The bottom line here is that Warner Bros.' (or at least their children's video division) can't be trusted to produce an uncut DVD set (or even a restored set, as most of the prints here are the same ones seen on Cartoon Network and Boomerang), much less to be honest with their intentions. Of course, with a growing list of edited, time-compressed, and music-replaced cartoons on DVD, the average viewer quickly gets the idea that most studios view classic animation as disposable entertainment not worthy of a correct, well cared for release. And until we stop buying such shoddily-produced DVDs, that view will continue to prevail.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Tom and Jerry - Spotlight Collection, Volume 2 (1946)

Trends come and go; but the chase is eternal, just like the evergreen appeal of animaton's supreme cat-and- mouse team! This second Spotlight Collection of Tom and Jerry's cartoon capers boasts 40 restored and remastered shorts (including their screen debut Puss Gets the Boot, in which Tom was called Japser). This delicious assortment covers their golden years - including three Academy Award nominees* and six in their rarely seen widescreen CinemaScope - and includes spiffy, character-profiling Special Features. Get ready to duck, weave, jump and laugh and the hapless feline and the wily rodent take each other on.DVD Features:Audio Commentary:Audio Commentaries: Commentary on Saturday Evening Puss, Puss N' Boots, The Night Before Christmas, and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Mouse by Madtv's Nicole Parker and Animation Historian Earl Kress. Documentary:Animators as Actors: Actor's workshop of where the inspiration for character personalities come from.Featurette:The Comedy Stylings of Tom And Jerry:Tom and Jerry have kept audiences laughing for years. Find out who Hanna-Barbera drew upon to create this great comedy duo.Introduction:Tom and Jerry Introduction by Whoopi GoldbergProduction Sketches:1941 Pencil Sketch: "Midnight Snack": A side by side comparison with the color episode and the black and white pencil sketch of this famous episode.


Buy NowGet 58% OFF

Click here for more information about Tom and Jerry - Spotlight Collection, Volume 2 (1946)

Read More...

The Twilight Zone: To Serve Man /Judgment Night (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: To Serve Man /Judgment Night  (1959)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First seen during THE TWILIGHT ZONE's initial season, "Judgment Night" has everything: a script with a profound moral, uncanny direction (by John Brahm, director of some of the series' finest episodes) and photography, a bravura performance by Nehemiah Persoff, a moody musical score. And like so many of Rod Serling's most memorable episodes ("Walking Distance" and "A Stop at Willoughby" among them), "Judgment Night" seems to have been influenced by the author's own life - in this case, by his combat experiences in WWII and the trauma, complete with vivid and recurring nightmares, he suffered for the rest of his days.
If a TWILIGHT ZONE fan were asked to name the most famous of the series' titles, surely "To Serve Man" would be on the list. Like many more of Serling's most memorable episodes ("Time Enough at Last" and "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" among them), this one clearly reflects the anxieties of its era: specifically Cold War tensions and curiosity about mixed with fear of outer space. The stunning conclusion of "To Serve Man" is one of the most unforgettable examples in ZONE history of a "twist" ending; the episode's premise and conclusion, in fact, more than compensate for its lack of a strong, central performance such as Persoff gives in "Judgment Night."


Click Here to see more reviews about: The Twilight Zone: To Serve Man /Judgment Night (1959)



Buy NowGet 69% OFF

Click here for more information about The Twilight Zone: To Serve Man /Judgment Night (1959)

Read More...