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…

(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)

There’ve been many, many attempts over the years, but I think we’ve finally gotten a definitive, comprehensive documentary about those 5 loveable English lads (and one American) in Monty Python: Almost The Truth – The Lawyer’s Cut (Eagle Rock, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP). With 6 hours of actual, bona fide documentary and scads of cut footage, I certainly walked away satisfied that I’d gotten as whole a picture of the group as we’re ever likely to get now. Bonus materials include the aforementioned bonus footage, plus memorable sketches and a Terry Gilliam picture gallery. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus material.

Haven’t you always wanted a monkey? Even if you don’t have a million dollars, you can still snag yourself a nifty little beanie version of Thinkgeek’s loveable mascot, Timmy the Monkey ($6.99). Perfect for desks, shelves, gifts, or even – imagine this – kids.

Previously available only in the megaset, you can now get the recent documentaries Before The Flying Circus & Monty Python Conquers America in Monty Python: The Other British Invasion (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP), and both are worth a look-see for fans.

A surprising and welcome arrival on DVD is the first volume collecting On The Road with Charles Kuralt (Acorn, Not Rated, DVD-$39.99 SRP) – the Emmy-winning travelogue that featured Kuralt, a motor home, and destinations and personalities across the breadth of the United States. The 3-disc set features 18 episodes, plus updates.

Certainly not a household name like Ford, Hitchcock, or Capra but deserving proper attention is the work of writer/director Samuel Fuller, which is celebrated in the new Samuel Fuller Collection (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$79.95 SRP). The set collects all 7 of the films he made for Columbia – It Happened In Hollywood, Adventure In Sahara, Power Of The Press, Shockproof, Scandal Sheet, The Crimson Kimono, & Underworld USA – with featurettes from fans Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, Tim Robbins, & Wim Wenders.

While not up to the audio-visual oomph of a modern series, there’s something about seeing the “best you’ve ver seen it” of The Prisoner: The Complete Series (A&E, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$99.95 SRP) in high definition. The show itself is still a gem, and the 5-disc set is packed with a feature-length documentary, featurettes, audio commentaries, commercial bumpers, an image gallery, and more.

Kids today have no idea what seemingly-endless cartoon fun Saturday mornings used to be before the rise of cable and home video. For just a taste of what it was like, Warners has put together both Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Volume 2 & Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Volume 2 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP each), 2-disc sets featuring over 5 hours of Hanna-Barbera and Warners cartoons that evoke memories of that bygone era. The sets also contain documentaries on Magilla Gorilla and Shazzan.

It’s an interesting storytelling device, to present the machinations of the Battlestar Galactica finale from the side of the Cylons – I only wish that I cared about the show enough to be interested in Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP). Still, there’s a massive fanbase, and this is for you. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and featurettes. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.98 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

Did you know that Barbara Stanwyck once had a TV show? Neither did I. But you can view the star-studded anthology series in the first volume of The Barbara Stanwyck Show (E1 Entertainment, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). The 3-disc set features 15 uncut episodes.

I was hoping the teaming of Woody Allen with Larry David would provide some kind of transcendent comedy, but Whatever Works (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP) winds up being just an adequate affair about a sarcastic misanthrope (David, naturally) whose life has a bit of sunshine shone in when a runaway (Evan Rachel Wood) lands on his doorstep.

Creepy kid genre? A surprisingly robust number of films. Add The Orphan (Warner Bros., Rated R, DVD-$29.98 SRP) to that list, as its driving force is the titular creepy kid, an orphan with dead adoptive families in her wake. Might be awkward for the new adoptive family. Creepy, right? Yeah. Bonus materials include additional scenes & an alternate ending. A Blu-Ray edition ($35.99 SRP) is also available with identical bonus materials.

As I dug into the suddenly teenaged animated escapades of Tony Stark in Iron Man: Armored Adventures (Genius, Not Rated, DVD-$26.96 SRP), I could never figure out exactly what made the age regression necessary, besides a foolish executive note that it must somehow make him more relatable to kids. Ummm – he’s a superhero in super-armor. Live with it. The first volume contains 6 episodes, plus music videos.

Yeah, I’m sorry – I still can’t fathom what the appeal of the adventures of Peter Pan’s formerly jealous, vixenish pixie is to young girls, but I’m sure they’ll snap up the bland, CG Tinkerbell And The Lost Treasure (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). It’s available in the now-convenient Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack, with bonus features including featurettes, deleted scenes, and a music video.

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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