The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
After a groundbreaking first season, it was during the sophomore season of The Muppet Show (Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$39.99 SRP) that the show hit its golden age. Fozzie, Gonzo, and Miss Piggy – all brand new characters that launched with the show – are now fully the characters we know and love. The humor – under the direction of head writer Jerry Juhl – is brilliant, both sublime and visceral at the same time. And the guest stars begin rolling in – including Elton John, Peter Sellers, Julie Andrews, Steve Martin, and more. Thankfully, this time Disney did it right and got all of the necessary music clearances, which means we avoid the ugly editing that happened in the first season set. Bonus features are a mixed bag, though – with so much to choose from, and none of those gems chosen, the only real keeper is the first of the two original Muppet Show pilots, The Muppets Valentine Special. Sadly, there’s no trivia this time (here’s hoping for its return on season 3). I hope the wait for season 3 is not nearly as long, and they get a Muppet expert in there to help them realize what bonus materials should be on these sets.
It had been slowly encroaching for the past few seasons, but with was during the 10th season of The Simpsons (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP) that the once unassailable really began slipping its gears. Writing that had once been innovative and fresh became inbred and derivative of itself, which would soon settle into the rut that persists to this day. I don’t know if it was exhaustion or just overconfidence, but it really is a shame. Having said that, the set is worth picking up for the usual complement of bonus materials, including commentaries on every episode, commercials, animatics, and more.
As much as I prefer reading the Harry Potter books, I’ve found Jim Dale’s audiobook performance of Rowling’s increasingly massive tomes to be nothing short of delightful, and Dale wraps up his impressive vocal feat with the final installment in the Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Random House Audio, $79.95 SRP). By all means, give it a spin and marvel at Dale’s skill to bring so many characters to life.
While the UK has had their very own special edition of the early 80’s cult classic for years, it’s only now that the US has their very own remastered, feature-laden special edition of Flash Gordon (Universal, Rated PG, DVD-$26.98 SRP). The “Saviour Of The Universe” edition features a paltry clutch of bonus features – a featurette on artist and Flash fan Alex Ross, an interview with writer Lorenzo Semple, Jr., and an episode of the 1936 serial. Sadly, this is still missing some of the great bonus features from the UK edition – so you might want to pick that up, too, and keep this for the great picture quality… It’s a shame Universal couldn’t have done this one completely right.
It’s time to get dangerous, courtesy of the second volume featuring that superheroic mallard of mystery, Darkwing Duck (Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$34.99 SRP). The 3-disc set features the middle 27 episodes of the series run, and is a welcome addition to my growing shelf of Disney Afternoon delights. My only hope, though, is Disney can see fit to get off their lazy asses and try to get some bonus features on these sets. If BCI can do it with Filmation shows, why is Disney so second rate with these classics?
MST3K alums Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy return with the second installment of their brand new skewering of schlock films, as The Film Crew tackles Killers From Space (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP), which stars Peter Graves as a scientist who uncovers an alien plot to take over the Earth. The disc also features the Film Crew’s “Did You Know…?” segment and outtakes.
It’s not quite the carefree fun of the late 80’s cartoon, but the big screen CG TMNT (Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$28.98 SRP) – that’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, if you don’t cotton to acronyms – is still a pretty darn faithful affair, and in many ways skews closer to the source material than the original live action flick. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, an alternate opening, a deleted scene, storyboards-to-CG comparison, interviews, and more.
If you’ve been holding off on getting your swingin’ mitts on the cinematic output of one Elvis Aaron Presley, then you’re in luck – as both Warner Bros. and Paramount have packaged the titles they control into two nicely comprehensive box sets. Paramount has the Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection (Paramount, Rated PG, DVD-$69.99 SRP), featuring King Creole, G.I. Blues, Blue Hawaii, Roustabout, Girls! Girls! Girls!, Fun In Acapulco, Paradise, Hawaiian Style, and Easy Come, Easy Go. Team that with Warners’s Elvis: The Hollywood Collection (Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$49.98 SRP) – containing Charro, Girl Happy, Kissin’ Cousins, Live a Little, Love a Little, Stay Away, Joe, Tickle Me – and their new special editions of Jailhouse Rock and Viva Las Vegas (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP each), and you’ve got an incredible set of flicks starring the King.
Not to be left out, MGM steps up to the plate with their own Elvis: MGM Movie Legends Collection (MGM/UA, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), containing Kid Galahad, Clambake, Follow That Dream, and Frankie And Johnny.
Also getting the star treatment is ol’ blue eyes, courtesy of the Frank Sinatra: MGM Movie Legends Collection (MGM/UA, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), featuring 5 of the crooners big screen efforts – The Manchurian Candidate, The Pride And The Passion, Kings Go Forth, Guys And Dolls, and A Hole In The Head.
Start saving your pennies and order your very own copy of the massive – and I do mean *massive* – biography of the creator of the classic comic strips Terry & The Pirates and Steve Canyon, Milton Caniff, R.C. Harvey’s Meanwhile… A Biography of Milton Caniff (Fantagraphics, $34.95 SRP). Clocking in at almost 1,000 pages, it’s a fascinating and comprehensive overview of the man and his work.
The cracks began to show during the penultimate 8th season of Roseanne (Starz, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), as the comedy began to dip into odder and more surreal territory, beginning the erosion of the show’s blue collar values (values that would eventually fall away during the final season’s left turn into confusion). The 4-disc set features all 25 episodes, video commentaries, and a nice new interview with Roseanne.
Oh, the cheese of youth. That’s exactly what you’ll get with the endearingly goofy Super Friends: The Legendary Superpowers (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP). Watching all 16 episodes featured in this 2-disc set, children of the 70’s and 80’s like myself will find the chill shivers of nostalgia running up and down their spines. Bonus features include 5 audio commentaries, a look at the cultural diversity of the show, and a look at the show’s effect on the toy industry.
If you want to demarcate the point at which Shia LaBeouf made the transition from affable teen star to bankable Hollywood darling, it would be the suburban spin on Rear Window, Disturbia (Dreamworks, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.99 SRP). LaBeouf stars as Kale Brecht, who’s spending his three months under house arrest spying on his neighbors – a pastime that becomes something much more horrifying when he begins to suspect his neighbor is a serial killer. Is he right? Is he wrong? Is he next? See for yourself. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, outtakes, and more.
Turtle fans who want to relive their childhoods can do so via the just-released complete fifth season of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP), with three discs containing all 18 episodes, plus character profiles and a look back.
Even though it wasn’t his best work, watching the complete first season of 8 Simple Rules (Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$23.99 SRP) still made me miss the late John Ritter. Check out all 28 episodes in this 3-disc set, which features a bonus gag reel.
Though best known for their portrayal of sleuthing could Nick & Nora Charles in the Thin Man series of films, the Myrna Loy & William Powell Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP) collects 5 films they did together outside that series – Manhattan Melodrama, Evelyn Prentice, Double Wedding, I Love You Again, and Love Crazy. All of the flicks feature Warners by now standard remastered prints, vintage cartoons, and shorts. Aces.
Twelve more episodes come swinging into action in The Tick Vs. Season Two (Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$34.99 SRP), a 2-disc set of Tick-y goodness that, sadly, is missing episode #15 and any bonus features to speak of. Sad, but hopefully they’ll get necessary clearances – and a budget – before the series is fully released.
We’re seven seasons into Full House on DVD (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), and still no sign of what snooty, snobbish, spoiled adults the Olsen twins would eventually become. No, they’re still the loveable Michelle Tanner here… But the clock is ticking. The 4-disc set contains all 24 episodes of awkward pleasure.
While it’s still pretty much status quo during the seventh season of Home Improvement (Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$23.99 SRP), this season is at least notable for guest-starring Dan Aykroyd in what would ultimately prove a backdoor pilot to a failed spin-off series. The 3-disc set contains all 25 episodes, plus this season’s gag reel.
So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…
-Ken Plume
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