TORONTO – I’ve come from the deep South to the Great White North to wear computer monitors on my face.

My involvement in the Virtual Reality world has led me to the Immersed 2014. This is a town built on SCTV, the Kids In the Hall and the dashed dreams of Leaf fans. For two days, it was the entry point for the future of computer technology experience.

The subtopic in nearly every conversation was “How can we make sure VR doesn’t end up in the same wastepile as 3D HDTV and Google Glass.” The big message was that VR needs to make sure it doesn’t have to rely on big companies to control its fate. TV manufacturers were all pumped up about 3D HDTV since it would bring the gimmick of the movies to your house. But they didn’t seem to notice that first consumers had an issue with keeping track of the 3-D glasses. Think of all the times you lose your cable remote. Over half of the time, you find it under your ass. Now this isn’t a great place to find your regular glasses. Consumers weren’t hot on wanting to crack 3-D lense with their butts. And studios and cable channels weren’t hot on creating real 3-D content. Sure ESPN wanted to make 3-D sporting events, but sports have a very limited rerun audience. Their 3-D channel seemed to rerun the same five college football games for the entire year.

What ruined Google Glass? Google. They were overpriced at $1,500 a pair and a monthly fee to stay hooked up. It basically did less than the average smartphone for ten times the price. Plus they quickly became the wearing option of complete assholes. Nothing said “Douchebag Alert!” than a guy with the Google Glass walking up to Starbucks. Only one person at the conference dared to wear Google Glass and it seemed to be an ironic nostalgic statement than cutting edge technology.

VR needs to control its own destiny. Sure Oculus Rift (powered by billions from Facebook) is the big company in the middle of this revolution. But luckily it has made itself open source so outsiders can easily create content. I quickly learned during the Oculus has plenty of competition from other headgear including the Totem. The biggest competition of Oculus is your cellphone. The cellphone seemed to be the most immediate outlet since you could use folded up cardboard to glimpse into an unseen dimension. Most people felt this was a great introductory space for the curious who are overwhelmed at the thought of buying the headgear and getting their PC upgraded to handle the virtual world. While it doesn’t offer the same resolution or eyeball space, it does offer a glimpse. It lets people know the future is coming.

The Oculus Rift will be the Christmas gift of 2015. Judging from the amount of companies creating programming, people will be celebrating New Years Eve in a virtual world. This is going to be bigger than the Christmas your dad finally sprung for AOL. Although it should be less frustrating that five nights of busy signals on the 56K modem.

I already know how much Oculus has come to dominate the conversation since nothing gets ears perked up faster than when I say, “I was playing Alien Isolation in the Rift.” The guy at Game Stop starred in my eyes to get a glimpse of what it’s like to be killed by alien in a 360 degree environment. Games will be truly revolutionized in the environment. Luckily there was also talk about the psychological effect of being attacked in a 360 space. Will there be true PTSD victims from video effects? Will these immersive moments enhance your nightmares? There’s not TV frame to remind you that it’s not real. Some college professors will be making a fortune with their pontifications. But that’s another gravy train.

What was nice about the conference was that it wasn’t too large. I had the chance to meet nearly everyone attending, presenting and demoing over the course of 2 days. Conversations were less product pitches and more questions of how it can be altered to fit another project. This was a place where the word “hack” wasn’t a scare word.

Even though Oculus Rift didn’t send a representative (that we could identify), there were plenty of tales that have leaked out of the new Wonka factory. None of which I can feel safe to report her simply because they might have been in metric. The biggest one was the hint that Oculus was aiming to put out their first consumer headgear before next Christmas. But you never know. This is a project that needs to be near perfect since it can’t end up being ridiculed like Google Glass. The Oculus Rift has the chance to be the most revolutionary addition to your computer since the mouse.

The biggest thing that must be done to make sure VR survives is to keep it away from douchebags wearing Google Glass.

TURNTABLE LUST

This was seen at the Kubrick Exhibit at TIFF. I wiped my drool off the camera lens.

GIVING THANKS ANYWAY

PLYMOUTH, MA – For all the BS about the war on Christmas, conservative media doesn’t seem to give a crap that Thanksgiving has been reduced to a barely existing holiday. Fox News will publicly shame anyone who says Happy Thanksgiving in the middle of November since that’s not “Merry Christmas!” Major retailers have even given up waiting for Black Friday.
They want to open up their front doors before Santa wraps up the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This is wrong!

Thanksgiving dinner should be about enjoying company and not plotting how to hit the Walmart to get cheap plastic crap for ten cents less. Thanksgiving is not Christmas’ starting pistol. Thanksgiving doesn’t have a chocolate in the advent calendar.

Let Thanksgiving be Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the day and don’t see it as anything else besides Thanksgiving. Don’t even think about the pilgrims if their history is rather bothersome. They probably wouldn’t enjoy the day since they’re rather be dying of dysentery. Maybe you’ve had a crappy year and are sick of everyone in your immediate circle of family and friends. Then you really need to just find a nice restaurant that’s open on Thanksgiving and tip the wait staff for not making you eat lasagna for one at home. You can be thankful for the fact that you’re not going to care about Christmas during Thanksgiving. One holiday at a time must be your motto.

What are we thankful for this year? Here’s a few things I’m thankful for in 2014:

Miley Cyrus keeping up her weirdness. She has truly taken her Disney image and messed with it until it’s an art project worthy of a MOMA exhibit. Is she drugged out of her gourd? Maybe. But she’s doing more with her messed up mind than 99 percent of the other folks who get stoned on the weekend to blow off steam.

Raleigh’s School Kids Records is a thankful place to visit. How cool is this record store? Along with the vinyl, they have a beer on tap. That’s right, you can browse and booze. Plus on weekends, they have live music acts after dark. I’m thankful this concept didn’t exist when I was in college since I would have flunked out from being drunk while drooling over King Crimson imports from Japan. Is there a King Crimson microbrew? That’d be a cool name for a red beer. Not sure if I’d order the Larks Tongue in Aspic Stout. Owner Stephen Judge tipped me off to the brilliance of Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds of Country Music album. Which I passed on the favor by insisting Apple legend Steve Wozniak go see Sturgill in concert. I hope that the Woz will be thankful for me telling him about Sturgill.

Adam West being alive when Batman came out on Blu-ray last week. Getting to see the high definition remasters is a major bliss. There’s so much more detail in the Batcave and Julie Newmar’s Catwoman. It’s like I’m watching Batman with brand new eyes. Plus this is the 20th anniversary of Adam West hosting the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day marathon.

The ultimate way to be thankful on Thanksgiving is to reconnect with the event that made this day so special all those years ago. Naturally I’m talking about the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day marathons that ran from 1991 to 1995 on Comedy Central. Before every channel ran marathons of their most popular show for days without any reason, MST3K was allowed to run like the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon without a donation number. It became an event in my house, to the complete and utter frustration of my mother. What made it extra special was that before each episode, there was a new sketch that tied it all together. This wasn’t just a bunch of shows tossed onto the air to save a programmer “thinking time.” This was a reason to set the VCR to record 10 minutes at the top of every other hour. We didn’t want to miss a segment in case the turkey nap turned into turkey sleep.

Thankfully this Turkey Day (which can include Christmas) can be celebrated with a boxset of MST3K. Here’s some details from Shout! Factory:

The Turkey Day Collection Box Set, available November 25th, features four never before on DVD episodes,Jungle Goddess The Painted Hills The Screaming Skull and Squirm. The set is stuffed with bonus features, including exclusive new Turkey Day episode introductions by Joel Hodgson, a new interview with Squirmstar Don Scardino, new featurettes Undercooked & Overstuffed: Inside the Turkey Day Marathon, Bumper To Bumper: Turkey Day Through The Years, This Film May Kill You: Making ‘The Screaming Skull’ and Gumby & Clokey; as well as four exclusive Mini Posters by artist Steve Vance!

A video with information about all of Shout! Factory’s Turkey Day activities can be seen here:

Let us give thanks to the Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXXI The Turkey Day Collection boxset. It’s more juicy than a Butterball and tasty than sweet potato pie. The big bonus feature is all three of the bonus bits from the Turkey Day marathons that featured Joel, Mike, the Bots and the Mad Scientists. In less than an hour, you can watch an event that took three days to digest in the early ’90s. How come that wasn’t a fact in Cosmos? But it is the reason to buy this boxset and cherish it for every Thanksgiving. Like you mom does with those cheesy pilgrim candles that never get lit up? Although you can get lit up while watching Jungle Goddess. This is a film that make Tarzan look authentic. Basic plot is a white woman’s plane crashes in the heart of Africa. She finds herself being worshipped by the locals. Somehow she still needs to be rescued. This is truly a film about white people problems. Joel and the Bots have a field day with the nonsense on screen. The Painted Hills features Lassie in a revenge flick. He’s out to kill the man who killed a miner. I suspect that Lassie beat Bruce Dern for the role. The Screaming Skull gets plenty of quips thanks to the joy that can come from a skull puppet. It’s amazing how a film that wants to pay tribute to Hitchcock can’t get work its way to a Brian DePalma tribute. Squirm remains the greatest film about what happens when electricity turns worms into killing machines. This should have been prime Oscar bait. The joy of this collection remains its exploration of The Turkey Day marathon. There’s even a documentary about how the brains at Comedy Central actually thought it up. That executive is not the same guy who signed off on Brickleberry.

The ultimate joy of MST3K on Thanksgiving is that it’s about Thanksgiving and turkeys. This isn’t about rushing out to go Christmas shopping. It’s about sharing the rich bounty of badness that these filmmakers once shared with theatergoers.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Pretty Peaches launched the career of Desiree Costeau as the bubbly fun and curvy superstar. She hit at the right time with her Dorothy Hamill haircut. She’s goes out to Virginia City for her dad’s second marriage. But she loses her cool and hits the road. She wrecks her Jeep and gets a bad case of amnesia. Her rescuers take extreme advantage of the situation . They get her to think she doesn’t own the Jeep. She attempts to get her memory jogged via an enema. When she dances at a club to earn money, things get way out of control. The finale involves Peaches reuniting with her family at an orgy. This film was considered way out there for 1978. A lot of taboos were broken. Over the years, the film has been snipped to avoid certain details that might upset more prudish viewers. The folks at Vinegar Syndrome have an uncut version on their remarkable Blu-ray. Desiree dazzles in 1080p. There’s also a DVD in the set. The bonus features include trailers of other films made by director Alex de Rezny. There’s also a vintage interview with de Rezny as he recounts his adult career. There’s also an interview with a reverend who was part of the San Francisco film scene. He had saved de Rezny’s film archive when his widow was going to dump it all. Vinegar Syndrome has already put out the two sequels that didn’t star Costeau.

Peekarama: Fantastic Orgy & Champagne Orgy is a double feature from director Carlos Tobalina that pretty much are about orgies. The first one has a little plot since it’s about a woman who wants to make adult films. The lack of real structure allows Carlos to use outtakes from Her Last Fling (recently released from Vinegar Syndrome). The big star is John Holmes. Champagne Orgy pops open the bottle when Carlos has finished a film. He invites everyone over for a wrap party that turns out to be a movie unto itself. Amazingly funky soundtrack that will bring out the libido beats.

Christmas Evil is the only holiday themed film that should be watched on Thanksgiving night. That is if your family wants to hear John Waters give the commentary track. Waters is gleeful as he talks with director Lewis Jackson. He’s the number one fan of the film so it’s amazing. The movie is about the horror of what happens when a little boy wakes up early to see Santa Claus. Turns out mom was doing a lot more than giving the jolly man in red her cookies. It’s a nasty scar left on the child, but it’s hard to tell. He grows up to get a job at a toy factory. He loves Santa and wears red pajamas. However all is not well. He’s going to track down the naughty children and make them pay for their sins. The film has the feel of an ’80s art house slasher flick as St. Nick gets his revenge. The ending is brilliantly bizarre. This film is a notch above Silent Night, Deadly Night. This should be part of your Festivus viewing pleasures. There’s plenty of bonus features including interview with director Lewis Jackson and star Brandon Maggart. The audition tapes, storyboards and deleted scenes to show how much work went into the film. There’s even the Comment Cards from test screenings including one viewer who just wrote, “Why?” People weren’t so thrilled at Santa going nuts with killer toys. There’s even a red band trailer. “Christmas Evil, the night he dropped in” is a great tagline. Just a thrilling

Vinegar Syndrome is having a great sale if you order directly from their website vinegarsyndrome.com.

SCREAM FACTORY

Tales From the Crypt & Vault of Horror is a double feature of anthology films made by legendary English horror production house Amicus with directors that also worked for Hammer. Both movies have segments taken from the famous E.C. comics series. They also feature all star casts including a few future superstars. Tales from the Crypt was directed by Freddie Francis (The Doctor and the Devils) back in 1972. Five people are getting a tour of an historic cemetery. Little do they know that they share a common fate. Joan Collins stars in a freakish holiday tale where she kills her husband during Christmas Eve. Things get extra complicated since there’s a madman on the loose dressed as Santa and looking to put heads in his sack. Ian Hendry (from the original The Avengers) has a bad drive with his wife. Peter Cushing (Star Wars) is a garbage man who hates his neighbors. Patrick Magee (A Clockwork Orange) leads a revolt at the home for the blind. The end of this movie features the original version of The Crypt Keeper. The film was a hit so naturally Amicus went back for more with the sister comic The Vault of Horror as the inspiration. Roy Ward Baker (Scars of Dracula) takes the helm for this anthology. Five people in an elevator get off at the wrong floor. What brought them to this point? Their stories will tell all. Terry-Thomas and his gap tooth rule once more. Tom Baker (Doctor Who) is a painter who uses voodoo to get back at art critics and dealers who have been making a fortune off his work. A man goes nuts while trying to figure out the Indian Rope trick. A man finds out that a small town is more than the usual tourist trap. The big bonus of this Blu-ray is an uncut version of The Vault of Horror along with the snipped version that appeared on the old Midnite Movie Double Feature release.

DVD SHELF

The Expendables 3 is so full of major action stars, the cover cast photograph spills over onto the back of the box. Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Jet Li, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren,Kelsey Grammer, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Robert Davi, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, and Arnold Schwarzenegger all squeeze into 126 minutes of a movie. Thank goodness nobody tried to open up a Planet Hollywood during the filming since they’d only have Scott Baio lingering around to pimp their t-shirts. The story is once more a ripping tale of soldiers of fortune who have no problem taking on an entire country. Mel Gibson plays an evil arms dealer who is arming the worst of the worst. Harrison Ford wants the Expendables to nab Mel and put him on trial at the Hague. Mel must suffer for the sins of The Beaver. This isn’t easy since Mel is inside his heavily armed fortress in Uzmenistan. This is perfect over the top action from a bunch of actors who need quite a few breathers while being chased by bullets. The real star of the movie is tough guy Kelsey Grammer. He’s able to finally let out all his rage that he needed to give that dog on Frazier. There’s no bonus features, but there is access to the Digital Ultraviolet copy.

History Presents The Definitive WWI & WWII Collection is the best way to spend the Thanksgiving holiday if you want to get away from football and remember when fighting wasn’t symbolic and ruled by instant replays. This collection of 20 DVDs pretty much sums up the last few years of History Channel’s focus on the Great War and the Bigger Sequel. There’s 44 hours worth of TV viewing about the explosive years. The boxset includes the specials History of WWI: The First Modern War, Dogfights, D-Day in HD, WWII in HD, The Color of War, Ultimate WWII Weapons, Patton 360° and The World Wars. There’s more knowledge here about both World Wars than what you’ll get in high school history. This is perfect for your dad or even grandfather who has to remind you of the days your ancestors had to fight the Huns. Both wars get brought together in the insightful The World Wars miniseries.

The Hundred-Foot Journey combines my two great passions: food and Helen Mirren. The woman who stole Red and my heart in Caligula plays the owner of an extra fancy French restaurant that’s properly located in France. She’ lives to create the elegant meal in the countryside effort. It’s so French. However her world is about to get rocked when the abandoned restaurant comes alive with the smells of India. It’s a culture class on the street especially since the Indian restaurant has no problem going over the top to promote itself. Luckily they are very colorful in their schemes so it’s not like a Dave & Busters is inside. The Blu-ray brings out the beauty of the food. You shouldn’t watch this film with an empty stomach. The bonus features include The Hundred-Foot Journey With Steven Spielberg & Oprah Winfrey. “The Recipe, The Ingredients, The Journey” – Enter the enchanting world of the film on set with director Lasse Hallström, producer Juliet Blake, author Richard Morais, cast, crew, chefs and composer A.R. Rahman. “On Set With Oprah Winfrey” as she tours the Maison Mumbai and the “Hundred-Foot Journey” to the Le Saule Pleureur. Finally you can learn how to make Coconut Chicken with Chef Anil Sharma. Eat up!

Power Rangers Megaforce: Robo Knight Before Christmas is all the excitement you want for the holidays. Haven’t you had enough of Santa? Don’t you want to see how the Power Rangers celebrate the holiday? This has a fun twist as Robo Knight finds himself donated as a Christmas gift. But this isn’t merely an easy take of a secret Santa gone wrong. Robo Knight is being shipped to Africa. It’s up to Robo Knight to give the holiday spirit to a strange land. He also might need to come home. The DVD had a digital copy included. There’s also two other episodes: “Team Carnival” from Power Rangers Wild Force and “The Spirit of Kindness” from Power Rangers Jungle Fury.

The Jeffersons: The Complete Series – The Deee-luxe Edition brings together all 11 seasons that made George and Weezie live in the sky. The show was a spin-off of All In the Family since George was Archie’s neighbor for several episodes. Even though the two guys had the same dream of making it in America, George really did make it when his dry cleaning business became a major chain. He was able to afford to move out of Queens, cross the bridge and arrive in prime Manhattan. He was a success story, but his story didn’t end with signing the lease. His tale was just beginning as he had a whole lot of new problems. The biggest was how to deal with Mr. Bentley. Why wouldn’t George want to walk on the back of an Englishman? The show proved able to handle issues of race, class and economics while still making people laugh. The first episode is a carefully constructed tale about how the Jeffersons are now different from where they came from. Weezie befriends a maid working in the building. However she hasn’t the heart to tell the maid that she’s also not hired help. What happens when Weezie is told by George to hire a maid is a bit sad and rather hysterical. Yet they also have just good goofy sitcom episodes. The Jeffersons proved that no matter how high you get in a building, you can still have first floor problems. The bonus features include the “original” pilot which was an episode of All In the Family when the Jeffersons made the big move. There’s also an interview with creator Norman Lear about the series. He’s still wearing his goofy hat. There’s the spin-off series featuring Florence the Maid with Larry Linville from M*A*S*H*. Finally there’s the first two episodes of the sitcom E/R that had George Jefferson hanging around the waiting room. This is a great boxset for people who are ready to move on up to a deee-luxe apartment in the sky.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/12/19/party-favors-virtual-thanks/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/11/17/party-favors-hub-a-bub/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/11/17/party-favors-hub-a-bub/#respond Mon, 17 Nov 2014 04:07:19 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18201 Joe Corey marks the passing of Hasbro's cartoon network...]]>

PAWTUCKET, RI – While various media sources mourned the death of Saturday morning cartoons, few seemed to notice the end of The Hub.

What was The Hub? After decades of hearing parents whine about toy companies turning Saturday mornings into their catalogs, Hasbro took over its own cable channel to highlight all their wonderful toys in action for 24 hours 7 days a week. For three years, Hub was the source for My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Littlest Pet Shop, G.I. Joe and Transformers. All the toys that I’ve stepped on since my daughter doesn’t get the concept of toys wanting to sleep in their toy house. The channel finally gave The Aquabats a TV series. And The Aquabats TV show was truly the lovechild of The Monkees and Ultraman. They even revived The Animaniacs so new generation could try to takeover the world. Hasbro launched Family Game Night which turned their line of Parker Brothers board games into a new Price Is Right. And now The Hub is gone.

What went wrong? Supposedly there’s just way too many channels aimed at kids. There seems to be at least a dozen variations of Disney and Nickelodeon on the cable box. In my area, the Hub was on an upper tier. But that didn’t prevent kids from going crazy over the new version of My Little Pony. It does sting that they had a channel that didn’t merely run the same repeats as every other channel with one or two original shows to give it identity. Can anyone really tell FXX and Esquire apart with the bug in the corner?

The channel hasn’t entirely vanished. Hasbro sold back the controlling share to their partner Discovery. It’s now known as Discovery Family which sounds about as fun and entertaining as “Your Great Aunt Wants To See You!” And not the fun great aunt who blows your mind with tales of doing too much acid in San Francisco and hooking up with the roadies from the Jefferson Airplane. This is the great aunt who gives you slacks with Bible verses along the zipper to shame you into peeing while sitting down. Discovery Family is still running most of the same shows as The Hub. But as my daughter screamed, “That’s not The Hub!” It’s not as painful as the orbital decay and death of Trio, but it still stings.

BEST COUNTRY RECORD OF THE YEAR

In an odd twist, while Taylor Swift dumps country to embrace an ’80s pop sound, Sturgill Simpson turned an ’80s hit into a country classic. He gets underneath the slick veneer of When In Rome’s “The Promise.” Give it a listen and you’ll swear this was the original that was modernized all those decades ago.

Sturgill’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Music is a masterpiece of country music especially for people who don’t like the micro-oxygenated Nashville sound. A blissful mix of heartbreak, determination, nostalgia and now. He’s on tour this fall and early spring so get out there and soak in Metamoderness of Sturgill.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Maleficent is Disney’s reworking of Sleeping Beauty that gives quite a bit of sympathy to the evil Maleficent. She wasn’t born bad. Once upon a time she was a winged fairy who flew around the Moors. She had fallen madly in love with a boy named Stephan who ultimately betrays her. He severely stabs her in the back in order to get his name on the list of future King. When Stephan becomes King, he has a fancy party to celebrate the arrival of his daughter named Aurora. So now people understand why Maleficent had a serious issue with the King. But this isn’t merely a fairytale revenge flick with a real motivation. And there are liberties taken with the original Disney movie. Angelina Jolie is perfectly cast as Maleficent. She’s able to alter the mythology of the evil fairy who originally was seen as just ticked off that she didn’t get invited to a party. Elle Fanning holds down her part of the screen when faced with Angelina. Her Princess Aurora is doesn’t come off as snoozy. It’s good to see Sam Riley in a role that doesn’t make him a cult rock star out of Manchester. Far as reworked fairytales go, this one works for me and my daughter.

The Blu-ray comes with a DVD and a Digital HD access to the film. You can take this fairytale everywhere which is good news for a parent. The bonus features include plenty of deleted scenes. There’s short pieces about the special effects and reworking the story to give a little motivation for certain deeds. There’s a whole segment on the various head wraps that Maleficent wears. Here’s Elle Fanning talking about getting to be Aurora.

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks is a more musical sequel to last year’s Equestria Girls. The movie takes us back to the alternate universe where the Ponies look more like real girls even though they still have their various pony characteristics. Turns out there’s trouble in Canterlot high with a trio of musical gals who seem to feed off the anger of others. They’re called the Dazzlings. The Equestria Girls need help from Princess Twilight since they fear something is up with the Dazzlings. The normal school music night has been turned into a Battle of the Bands. If Princess Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and the other Equestria girls don’t win the musical competition, something evil might happen. This one features a lot of songs that are bound to get fans humming along. There’s demonic battle in the third act that frightened my daughter. The Blu-ray includes the DVD and a way to get a digital copy. There’s an audio commentary and six prequel shorts to set up the action. There’s even a sing-a-long for “Better Than Ever,” “Battle” and “Rainbooms Battle.” Here’s Josie’s reaction after seeing the film in the movie theater.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Raw Force is a brilliant piece of out of control exploitation cinema. The film dares to unit the twin titans of grindhouse superstars Cameron Mitchell (Without Warning) and Vic Diaz (The Big Bird Cage). The Burbank Kung Fu Club is ready to go on a big adventure. They’re heading to Warrior Island in the Pacific. Why? Because according to legend, this is the burial ground of martial arts fighters who screwed up royally. What’s worse for these fatal fighters is that they’ve been brought back to life by cannibal monks. But even before the Club gets to their destination, there’s a lot of action on the high seas. First it’s a throwdown in the Philippines. Cameron Mitchell doesn’t perform his usual three day stint on the shoot. He’s here for the long haul. While on the sea, they get attacked by pirates in all out affair. There’s naked kung fu moments. Jillian Kessner of Firecracker fame plays a cop who uses more than her nightstick to subdue. The voyagers make it to Warrior Island. Little do they know what’s in store when they encounter a group of monks led by Vic Diaz. They are cannibals who only like young ladies. This is turning into the worst package cruise ever, but the most exciting exploitation film of 1982. The bonus features include a phone interview with Not of This Earth‘s Jim Wynorski about re-editing the film before release. Director Ed Murphy explains how he ended up at the helm of this masterpiece. Along with the Blu-ray is a DVD in case you want to watch this while on your own Kung Fu cruise.

Dracula Sucks is an all star version of the X-rated vampire film. This was what people watched before True Blood. Renfield has issues sleeping after the death of his father. So he’s checked into a clinic run by John Leslie and Kay Parker. While recovering, he’s lured to a nearby place to bring back Country Dracula Jamie Gillis) from the grave. Will the vampire suck the county dry? Along for the fun is Annetta Haven, John Holmes and Seka. That’s like an adult version of The Love Boat without pants. Strangely enough, Jaimi Gillis is more seductive with a full beard. The big bonus feature is the recut version that was shipped out as Lust at First Bite. This was put out to take advantage of the release of the more family friendly Love at First Bite mainstream vampire flick. It has a lot of alternate footage so you’re not merely watching a snipped R-rated version of the original. It’s more like a second and shorter pass at making the movie in post-production. An interesting note is that cinematographer Hanania Baer would be behind the camera for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. Bill Mangold gives an audio commentary that sheds light on this vampire production.

Hot & Saucy Pizza Girls puts John Holmes in charge of the greatest pizza joint ever opened in 1978. He has an all girl staff that delivers hot pies using skateboards to speed up the process. What makes his operation the best in the area isn’t the crust, but the extras that the ladies deliver. Among Holmes staff is the innocent eyed Desiree Cousteau and Candida Royalle. The pizza place has its issues including staff stalkers. But that doesn’t stop Holmes and the ladies from serving up the best deep dish in the region. Along with the trailer is a revealing interview with producer Damon Christian. He tells an amazing story about how John Holmes burned down the pizza joint at the end of the shoot. There’s also tales from doing business with people that might be mobsters. Filmmaking students can learn a lot from Damon’s life experience making this Pizza Girls epic. They also have the trailer on the DVD.

Peekarama: Red Heat, The Mad Love Life of a Hot Vampire & Peeping Tom is a trio of adult action from director Ray Dennis Steckler. Most people would almost recognize the name since also made The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies which ended up on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. None of this films will be aired on basic cable. Red Heat is an adult murder mystery. While a crew is making an adult feature film, someone is snuffing the cast and Best Boys. It’s a naked Whodunit. Mad Love of a Hot Vampire is Dracula’s brides going out for a drink. But they don’t merely want to suck a few necks. Peeping Tom is about a peeping Tom. The big plus for this film is a lot of footage of early ’70s Las Vegas when the town was losing it’s sixties sheen and gaining that ’70s smut feel. These films carry Steckler’s normal production quality. They’re rather rough affairs. You won’t be seeing Tom Servo cracking wise in the bottom of the screen.

Peekarama: Carnal Haven & Her Lust Fling is another double feature from Carlos Tobalina. He was very prolific in an industry where you didn’t spend Kubrick time making a feature film. Carnal Haven is the classic approach to an adult filmmaking with the theme of education and therapy in order to save a marriage. Sharon Thorpe and Ken Scudder are the Masters and Johnson characters that run their specialized clinic. Their techniques have an amazing success rate. They even cure a couple where he’s a dog and she’s a drunk. How come Dr. Drew doesn’t teach the 69th Step on Couples Therapy? There’s quite a few stars including Joey Silvera, John Leslie and Desiree West. They all learn the secret of the Inca Knot. Her Last Fling is like a really dirty version of Love Story. Sandy Pinney gets the news that she’s got a terminal disease and there’s no hope. So what does she do? She blows her life savings and lives large in Las Vegas. She blows it all and a little more in a debaucherous time. But she also falls in love with a guy in the midst of her carnal cravings. How can she find love when there’s so little time left? Paul Thomas, Desiree West and Candida Royalle are part of this warped Make A Wish moment.

WEIRD AL-MANIA

UHF: 25th Anniversary Edition captures Weird Al Yankovic at his matinee best. He’s a loser with big dreams that won’t be fulfilled in the fast food industry. Through a twist of fate and a family connection, he gets hired to run a UHF station that’s considered the ratings loser in the market. They get constantly slaughtered by the huge network station run by Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Al revolutionizes the channel by refusing to compete with the big boys. Instead he comes up with the bizarre and freakish to lure views to channel 62. The first major change is by allowed the station’s janitor (Seinfeld‘s Michael Richards) to host a kiddie cartoon show. The janitor’s warped way of doing things immediately connects with kids and grown ups that are rather childish. This is just the launching point for other creative shows like Wheel of Fish that allows Gedde Watanabe to not merely be a dick joke in Sixteen Candles. How good is this film? You’ll ignore the fact that no man in his right mind would want to hook up with Victoria Jackson. Plus Fran Drescher’s voice isn’t so grating. The movie is a Weird Al overdose of spoofs and satires involving music, movies and TV. Al even does his best Sly. The Blu-ray is loaded with goodies. There’s the recent Weird Al panel at the San Diego Comic-con. It’s like being there without waiting six hours in line. There’s a bunch of deleted scenes although Al spares the ones that were extremely lame. They have the music video for the theme song. There’s lots of promotional materials including pictures of the VHS of UHF.

The Compleat Al was a great way for Weird Al to show off his beloved videos in 1985 under the guise of a bogus biography. This originally aired on Showtime as a special. It came out on VHS to the approval of geeks. But after being out of print since the 20th century, the DVD has arrived with all the nonsense, weirdness, tall tales and an occasional fact. This is more fun than Al’s Behind the Music special. The movie mixes real moments with things like Al’s performance at Monterey Pop that ended with his accordion on fire. We get the inside scoop from Doctor Demento. There’s even quite a few clips from his Al TV takeover of MTV. Al discusses his secret meeting with Michael Jackson that led to “Eat It” getting approval. Amongst the fun are Al’s early music videos including “Eat It,” “I Lost on Jeopardy,” “Like a Surgeon” and “Dare to Be Stupid.”

SCREAM FACTORY

The Doctor and the Devils brings together the unlikely talents of Mel Brooks, Dylan Thomas, Freddie Fisher and Timothy Dalton. The story is based on the morbid tale of Burke and Hare. These two gentlemen discovered amazing paydays in Edinburgh, Scotland. Future James Bond Timothy Dalton plays a doctor at a medical school that’s having a major crisis. There’s an overflow of anatomy students and a lack of corpses. He’s getting sick of cutting up farm animals during classes. Jonathan Pryce (Brazil) and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) are two low lifes who hatch a plan to get rich by finding corpses to unload at the school. Trouble is that it’s hard to find people who are dead and want to donate their bodies to science. The duo decide to be self-starters and murder their future product. This leads to plenty of gruesome and comic moments. Dalton is torn with his new suppliers. His pal (Room With a View‘s Julian Sands) doesn’t trust him. But he can’t lose students to the rival med school run by Patrick Stewart (X-Men & ST:TNG). Things get extra touchy since Sands is hanging out with a hooker (Twiggy from The Muppet Show) so he gets to know way too much about how the bodies are being located. Where does Mel Brooks come into this? Turns out Mel produced it for his company. That wasn’t too outlandish a project since Mel had made David Lynch’s The Elephant Man. The Doctor‘s director Freddie Francis was the cinematographer for The Elephant Man. Freddie had also directed a few films for Hammer and Amicus so he understood completely how to make this movie appear a touch horrific yet classy. Sadly the film didn’t do amazingly well at the box office since none of these brilliant actors were major stars in 1985 except Twiggy. The bonus features include a 15 minute documentary where Mel Brooks explains how he put it together with the other producers. There’s an audio commentary with Steve Haberman discusses the historical facts of Burke and Hare along with all the movie factoids.

Monkey Shines was George Romero’s attempt to scare moviegoers with a living ape and not a bunch of zombies. Jason Beghe (Californication) is a fit type of guy who gets hit while jogging. This leaves him a quadriplegic. While he can operate his mechanical wheelchair, he needs help for simple things. Along with a nurse, he gets a trained monkey. The two bond fast. However their connection comes with a major price. Turns out the monkey is willing to do Jason’s worst desires. This includes going after his girlfriend (Northern Exposure‘s Janine Turner) among others. Can he stop the monkey? Can anyone believe this is happening? How can such a cute monkey be a rabid killer? Can the monkey take over Jason’s mind? It’s a film that remind you to be careful around service animals. The movie was met with a lot of resistance when it came out from people who dealt with monkey. In the interest of full disclosure, I used to work with executive producer Gerald S. Paonessa at the North Carolina School of the Arts. He brought George to the school where we talked about his films. George was quite shocked at the protests against the film. The bonus features cover this issue along with Romero’s battles with Orion executives. There’s a fine documentary that covers the entire film and its legacy. Romero gives an audio commentary that lets him say more about his movie. Along with deleted scenes, there’s the alternate ending that Orion used on a reissue to make up for them screwing up the original ending. While this isn’t a collector’s edition, it really is. You might not want to watch this with a monkey. You don’t want to give them any ideas.

The Dark Half brought together George Romero with Stephen King. The duo created a movie about a man with dual identities. Timothy Hutton seems to be a likable kinda guy. He has a family. He teaches at a college and he writes a book or two. Turns out Hutton wrote a few more books under the name George Stark. He decides to stop writing as Stark and even hosts a fake burial for the fake writer. Except out from the grave comes the real Stark. He’s not happy that he’s been killed. He’s ready to get his revenge on Hutton. Hutton is great as both the sincere nice guy and the extra slimey Stark. Romero told a group of us that when they made the movie, Hutton had two different trailers to use depending on which character he was playing that day. He really got into the Stark mode. Stark’s trailer was constantly trashed. He even had his girlfriend (one of those 3 named actresses from the ’90s) show up dressed in hooker garb when he was in Stark mode. It helped Hutton’s performance so this method weirdness was worth it. The bonus features include a commentary track from Romero. There’s a documentary that covers the troubled productions. Romero talks about having to alter the ending because the birds weren’t being cooperative. There’s deleted scenes, the original electronic press kit and the storyboards. Once more a collector’s edition from Scream Factory in all, but package art.

Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings is the unexpected sequel to Stan Winston’s original horror film. The original didn’t do too well in theatrical release, but was a good renter in the age of video. Thus is made sense for a producer to crank out a straight to VHS sequel. Back when there were videostores in the mid-90s, people would pick up the sequels when they were having movie nights. Whether it be Jaws, Godfather or Where the Boys Aren’t, renting a pile of the same films was not unusual. So Stan Winston’s monster was brought back to life with Jeff Burr directing. The new cast does not resemble the old one. They went extra young on this one with Amy Dolenz (The Monkees‘s daughter) and Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster) in the leads. They’re running with some bad boys of the ’90s. The kids get in trouble and stupidly use the magic to revive a woman not knowing about Pumpkinhead. The creatures arises and has a field day with the new breed. The film was released straight to VHS and even the DVD was full frame. But now you can see it properly framed for 1.85:1. Director Burr’s commentary explains how the production was in full motion by the time he was hired. “Recreating the Monster” as the effects crew discuss working with Pumpkinhead. There’s behind the scenes footage that’s mostly interviews. This is a fun addition to have next to Scream Factory’s Pumpkinhead Blu-ray.

Nightbreed:The Director’s Cut allowed Clive Barker the chance to finally release the version of his 1990 horror film that was butchered by the studio. This isn’t merely extra footage, but entire scenes were recut with alternate takes. It’s not the film you saw on VHS back in 1992. Enjoy.

DVD SHELF

Sgt. Bilko, The Phil Silvers Show: The Complete Series finally delivers all the greatness that was the ultimate hustler show. All four seasons are finally in one boxset so I no longer have to set the DVR to record the show in the wee hours on Me-TV. The glory of Phil Silvers is here for all to worship. His Sgt. Bilko character remains the greatest hustler in the history of the world. Even stuck on a remote base in Kansas, Bilko schemed to control the world and take every penny from his privates. Why? Because if he didn’t, someone worse would rip them off. The show set the tone for military comedies to come. If your only exposure to Bilko is that crappy Steve Martin movie, you have been ripped off. Sit back and enjoy the blissful greatness of Bilko. There are a lot of bonus features including vintage interviews with Phil Silvers. His daughters talk about growing up with a man considered a comic genius who wasn’t a comedian. There’s various specials including an episode of the short lived The New Phil Silvers Show.

The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story is tawdry TV biopic madness at its prime. What happens when you give a bunch of hormonally amped up teens their own show, money and attention? A parents nightmare and a viewers dream is what you get. The best part of the film is that you get all the tales of Dustin Diamond without actually having to experience the real Dustin Diamond. The production goes into overdrive with the late ’80s fashions. It’s like an MTV Music Awards exploded on this cast. I’m now awaiting The Untold Hangtime since rumors about that show had most of the cast driving hard on each other.

M Squad: The Complete TV Series – Special Edition is what made Lee Marvin a TV badass before he made the leap to cinema. He plays Lt. Frank Ballinger of the Chicago police’s murder investigation unit. Thus the “M.” He’s completely no nonsense during his investigations. But unlike Dragnet, when Frank meets with resistance, he’ll rough up a suspect. The series ran on NBC from 1957 to 1960. Count Basie ended up doing a swingin’ theme song. There’s a great jazz vibe to the soundtrack to give Frank a sophisticated edge. The boxset has all 117 episodes of gunshots, corpses and intrigue. The Besides Lee Marvin there were guest appearances from cinema tough guys James Coburn, Charles Bronson and Burt Reynolds. The black and white action and Pall Mall cigarettes give it a fine film noir atmosphere. This is a perfect boxset to have with Peter Gunn, The Naked City and Mike Hammer. What’s interesting is that M Squad is what got spoofed into Police Squad! The theme music, the opening credits, the monologue and Marvin’s character being named Frank all played into the short-lived comedy. The bonus DVD features Marvin’s guest spots on Wagon Train, Checkmate, The Virginian and Lee Marvin Presents Lawbreaker.

Annie Oakley: The Complete Series is a touch of classic cowboy action that ran from 1954 to 1957 in syndication. The series wasn’t completely based on the Wild West legend. This Annie Oakley played by Gail Davis isn’t on the road with adventure shows showing off her sharp shooting skills. She’s a good natured gal with pigtails and a few six-shooters. She lives with her brother Tagg (Jimmy Hawkins) and their uncle Deputy Sheriff Lofty Craig. Like all good western characters, Annie had a great horse named Target. Most of the action had her helping out her uncle when it comes to keeping the area safe for law-abiding citizens. Easy to imagine my nana getting into this show when she finally got a television in the house. There’s plenty of great guest stars on the 81 episodes. Alan Hale Jr (the Skipper on Gilligan’s Island) L.Q. Jones (The Wild Bunch), James Best (Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on Dukes of Hazzard), Denver Pyle, Fess Parker, Slim Pickens and Keye Luke all got to ride around with Annie. What makes this collection great and worth grabbing for you TV western lovin’ loved ones is the bonus features that give the show a complete sense of context. The bonus features include the commercials from when the show was sponsored by Wonder Bread and Twinkies. “Pig-tails and Six-shooters” breaks down how the series brought a woman into the TV westerns. They have an audio interview with star Gail Davis. There’s a montage of all the Annie Oakley toys and coloring books that came out during the run. She was the Dora the Explorer of her time.

Quncy, M.E.: Season 7 is the penultimate release from the time when Jack Klugman made being a coroner a sexy job. Quincy lasted long enough on the air that he became the father of the elderly mysteries at this point. He’s Matlock‘s daddy. The show’s big push was exposing little known medical conditions and dangers into the public forum. Remember this was before America was overloaded with cable channels. This season opens with “Memories of Allison” when he finds an unconscious woman at a job fair. “Slow Boat to Madness” features the recent issue of passengers getting sick on cruise ships. Keep your eyes out for a youthful Tim Stack (Son of the Beach), John Riley (Scrubs) and Mimi Rogers. “Dead Stop” has truckers dumping toxic loads in future superfund cleanup sites. “Bitter Pill” has high schoolers popping away. Simon Oakland (Kolchak: The Night Stalker) is part of it. “Guns Don’t Die” puts Quincy on the trail of a murder weapon being passed around by killers. “Smoke Screen” has Philip Baker Hall (Boogie Nights) as a fire chief looking for an arsonist. “For the Love of Joshua” was the big show of the season as it dealt with a kid with Downs Syndrome who might have been allowed to die by a doctor with an agenda. Among the stars are Tyne Daly, Allan Arbus, Clu Gallagher, Colleen Dewhurst and Ellen Travolta. “The Shadow of Death” features a Vietnam vet with PTSD. “The Face of Fear” features the seductively frightening Jonathan Frakes (Dark Shadows). “The Mourning After” focuses on a kid dying as part of a college hazing ritual. This is still an issue in America. This is just another batch of fine murdering mysteries centered around Quincy and Sam (Robert Ito).

Ancient Aliens: The Complete Seasons 1-6 gathers together 82 episodes that ponder if things on Earth were manipulated from above. The show is a bit of In Search Of…. mixed with a major conspiratorial straw. The show covers a wide range of subjects that somehow come back to various alien encounters. Did the Aliens really live on Mars? Did Aliens communicate with Einstein? Did Aliens abduct the real Paul McCartney? Did aliens get squeamish watching Alien Autopsy? It’s all here for those who love their little green men. The series turned Giorgio A. Tsoukalos of Legendary Times Magazine into a superstar with his frazzled haircut and constant feeling that it was aliens. This really does make me wonder if the folks at the History Channel are getting great ratings on alien planets when this is beamed beyond the moon. There’s 23 DVDs packed with more encounters than a church retreat. The best part of the show is that you’ll get a real appreciation for the architecture of the ancient world even if it was all done by aliens.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/11/17/party-favors-hub-a-bub/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/11/17/party-favors-thats-a-print/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/11/17/party-favors-thats-a-print/#respond Mon, 17 Nov 2014 04:05:58 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18200 Joe Corey takes a cinematic journey to the heart of film...]]>

BEVERLY HILLS – Very often love letters show up at the most inopportune times. Such is the sad fate of Julia Marchese who loved her job as the box office queen at the New Beverly Cinema so much that she made a documentary about the place. Her movie has become historic since by all accounts, Quentin Tarantino is gutting the heart of the revival cinema. The director who at one time was the charitable donor has taken control of the place. Many of the long time people have been shown the door including the original owner’s son. Julia basically got chased off the property by Tarantino’s people screwing with her hours.

Julia has put her documentary online so you can enjoy it at home. It was shot in 35mm so might be able to see it projected. Although probably not at the New Beverly Cinema.

Out Of Print from John T. Woods on Vimeo.

Out of Print is rather frustrating since my immediate reaction is to fly to Los Angeles and spend the weekend hanging out at the New Beverly. But now I know that the cinema magic shown in the film is gone. Tarantino has brought that to an end as he took control of his toy. How does Tarantino let someone go who has written an amazing, passionate love letter about everything Mr. Oscar Winner supposedly holds dear? There’s a report that he has replaced butter with Golden Flavoring. So that ought to be a hint. Who know what the future holds for the New Beverly, but thankfully Julia captured what is now an end of an era.

SCREAM FACTORY

The Vincent Price Collection II arrives just in time for Halloween with another 7 Blu-ray transfers from the Prince of Horror. The films are a mix of AIP and other studio’s that wanted Price to spook people in the seats. First up is The Raven. This was when Roger Corman broke out the comedy during his Edgar Allan Poe series. Price plays a magician who battles with Boris Karloff. Peter Lorre and Jack Nicholson get caught in the crossfire of spells. There’s an introduction and outro made by Price when this was run as part of a PBS movie series. The Comedy of Terrors brought back Price, Lorre and Karloff with the added bonus of Basil Rathbone. Price is an undertaker who is cutting corners by reusing coffins. Business is slowing down so Price schemes for a way to fill his funeral parlor with local corpses. This was directed by Jacques Tourneur (I Walked With A Zombie). The Tomb of Ligeia was the final Price-Corman-Poe film. It’s also the first one shot with a sunny disposition. Price has lost his wife Ligeia. He meets a new woman and falls madly in love with him. Little does he know that his wife doesn’t believe in “Till Death Do We Part.” The dead wife haunts the new wife. Price has an amazing pair of sunglasses in the film.

The Last Man on Earth is essential viewing. This is the film that was recently remade in the rather blah I Am Legend with Will Smith. This is the tale of how Vincent Price is one of the last humans on the face of the Earth. All those that roam at night are a vampire race. Price is holed up in his house and fights them off at night. He does his best to find a cure to restore humanity. But the vampires have had enough. The black and white film was shot in Italy. Price is immortal in the role. Dr. Phibes Rises Again brings back the twisted Dr. Phibes. Price is doing his best to revive his wife (Caroline Munro). He needs to reach a hidden spot under a pyramid. To get there, he has to kill a lot of people in freak ways. This should be considered a precursor to the Saw movies. The Return of the Fly is better than The Fly. There’s a better edge to this film that combines the mad scientist with the crime flick. Price as to worry about his nephew using the transporter device that merged man and fly. Naturally it happens. But to get things ugly, there’s an underworld crime element. So the monster needs to hunt down and kill a double crossing lab assistant. The black and white film is fulfilling. House on Haunted Hill is the classic William Castle tale of people stuck in a spooky place. The Blu-ray transfers of all the films give them new life on home video. Bonus features includes 20 minutes of Price trailers, segments on writer Richard Matheson, biographies on Price, tales of working with him and quite a few audio commentaries. This is another primo Price collection that will allow you to enjoy his fearful legacy.

The Squad is a highly effective military spookfest from Columbia. The film does a fantastic job at creating the unsteady atmosphere as a squad of nine soldiers touch down at an isolated military post to investigate what happened there. Things get tense very fast with the fog and shadows around what appears to be abandoned posts. Even worse for them is they can’t get outside communications going. They fear something is lurking around them. The tension keeps building as their numbers dwindle. Can they really kill what’s out there? The paranoia explodes on the screen. The Blu-ray transfer makes the fog looks dense as the soldiers do their best to see clearly. The bonus features include the trailer and a behind the scenes featurette.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon was one of my favorite films from last year’s Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. The documentary takes us through the amazing life of a man whose highlight of his life wasn’t just the fact that Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin got high in his hotel room. He found himself as the manager and mastermind of Alice Cooper. He’s the man who put panties on a vinyl record and tossed a chicken to Alice on stage. The amount of pills and booze he could ingest allowed him to outlive a few of his acts. But he’s not a complete wildman. He made sure Groucho Marx’s final years weren’t a financial nightmare. He revolutionized the way celebrity chefs were treated with his deals at the Food Network. He gave us Anne Murray. He’s just a cool guy. Now you can experience his lifestory thanks to the best movie ever made my Mike Myers (Love Guru). Sadly there’s no bonus feature that lets you relax and enjoy the ocean view of Shep’s Hawaiian house. But I’m working on that detail.

Houdini brings back Adrien Brody in a role that he was born to assume. He really does give off an amazing Harry Houdini vibe in this History Channel biopic. The movie tracks how he went from doing magic tricks in brothels to becoming the greatest escape artist in the World. He is the word for any sort of impossible to conceive escape. The movie does show how he made the locks open. Brody doesn’t try to escape being Houdini. He knows how to bend and twist to achieve Houdini’s greatest stunts. The movie covers quite a bit of territory including his constant battle against those who claim they communicate with the dead. The Blu-ray includes the original version and a cut that’s 20 minutes longer. Odd are that you’ll watch the extended cut instead of the broadcast version. There’s also four featurettes that deal with the real man.

Obvious Child allows Jenny Slate to escape the curse of being a one and done cast member on Saturday Night Live. She stars as a stand up comic who is having a bad time. After her boyfriend breaks it off, she thinks she’s getting lucky with a guy. Except she also gets pregnant. Now here life and career is really in flux. What’s she going to do? Is she going to tell the guy? Can she make this part of her material? This is one of those indie films that allows a young talent to flourish in a role that doesn’t require them to dress as a superhero to show their human side. Slate is amazing in the lead. Polly Draper beings back her thirtysomething charm. The bonus features include the original short film version of the movie. There’s audio commentaries from the director Gillian Robespierre (what a cool last name) and Slate. There’s a behind the scenes featurette.

Thunder and the House of Magic is an animated family film about an abandoned kitty that gets adopted by an usual family. His new owner is a magician with his menagerie of magic critters and toys inside the huge house. Little Thunder is shunned by the old timers, but quickly gets into the family. He has to help stop the magician’s scheming relative that wants to sell his valuable house. It’s going to take a lot of effort and a touch of magic to kill the real estate deal. It’s a fun film for kids with plenty of action moments.

DVD SHELF

WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete Series is finally out on DVD. Plenty of folks suffered through the butchered first season that Fox put out seven years ago. But Shout! Factory has come to the rescue with a version that might not be musically complete, but is musically competent. “Jennifer’s Date” has Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded” returned to newsman Les Nessman’s transformation moment. That alone makes this boxset a great way to remember the show that was the precursor to MTV as the fictional radio station promoted real musical acts with snippets of songs and posters hanging around the DJ booth. WKRP was an extremely special show since it represented the last great sitcom from MTM after giving us The Bob Newhart Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The show’s ability to mix the dramatic with comic moments makes it more than just a chucklefest like other sitcoms of the late ’70s and early ’80s that have slipped off the playlist over the decades. Having worked at a college radio station and hung out with real radio people, WKRP is more realistic than Hardcore Pawn. The episodes give a great insight to how a radio station worked back then. It also predicted the sad rise of Clear Channel nation that destroyed the soul of so many radio stations. The boxset contains all 88 episodes (two of them were hour long specials) from the four seasons it lasted on CBS.

For those concerned about music replacements, Shout! Factory has cleared about 80 percent of the original songs that played. They were able to replace most of the lost music with genre clones. During “Turkeys Away,” Pink Floyd’s “Dogs” originally played in the studio. Somehow Pink Floyd’s people didn’t want to play ball which is a shame since when was the last time you heard a track from Animals on your Clear Channel monolith? The song gets replaced by a clone with the same tone including a barking dog. Thus Mr. Carlin’s joke makes sense. Rewatching the episodes made me realize how amazing Loni Anderson was in the role of Jennifer. She wasn’t merely eye candy. She had a natural comedic talent that made Jennifer not look like a gold digger, but a woman who knew how to enjoy life and get a lot of blenders from guys. Another revelation was just how great Jan Smithers was at making Bailey such a shy character with grand plans. The duo were more than the new Ginger and Mary Ann on the screen. The bonus features include the cast reunion at the Paley Center where they announced Shout! Factory was putting out this boxset. There’s also time with Gary Sandy as he remembers his time as programming director. He still has great hair. Normally people complain when a boxset comes out that they already bought the first season. You’ll want to replace that first season boxset with WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete Series. This is a great Christmas present for your uncle who gets cranky that Antenna TV only runs WKRP on Sunday nights.

The Red Skelton Show: The Early Years 1951 – 1955 takes us back to the dawn of network television. Red Skelton was already a comic star of movies and radio when he became a pioneer of TV. The show was a smash success and kept him on the air until the early 1970s. One of the anomalies of Skelton’s career was that he never syndicate his older TV shows. This made sense in that Red didn’t need to compete with his younger self. By the time he was off the air, TV stations were aching for color shows to run as syndication. So for decades his early shows lingered in the vaults. Thankfully his estate has finally brought out several of the episodes to share on DVD. The 11 DVD set includes 90 episodes that appear complete. They show off Red as so completely relaxed in front of the camera that it feels like he just thought up the entire show on the fly. He does all his characters including Clem Kadiddlehopper, the boxer Cauliflower mcPugg, Willie Lump Lump and the clownish Freddie the Freeloader. The half hour shows go fast as Red spends quite a bit of time trying not to crack up. He’s got plenty of guest stars including Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney and Vampira. Peter Lorre creeps up. Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis drop by to yuck it up before their break up. What’s the point of having your own show if Bob Hope won’t arrive? The bonus features include “America’s Clown: An Intimate Biography of Red Skelton” that gives details about the comedy legend. There’s also a special episode that has Walt Disney, Judy Garland and Bing Crosby. This is a fine comeback for a guy who stuck around so long on the TV dial.

The Big Valley: The Final Season brings to an end the Barkley family’s home on the range. This was a great family show with hard edge mom Victoria (Barbara Stanwyck) ruling the family that included Peter Breck, Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man) and Linda Evans (Dynasty). The final season had a good batch of episode including “In Silent Battle” where Adam West (Batman) woes Linda even though he’s got a dark secret. In a weird coincidence, the telegraph operator is played by Olan Soule who would go on to voice Batman in the Super Friends cartoons until Adam West took back the role. “They Call Her Delilah” stars hottie Julie London. She even sings. “Presumed Dead” revives the career of Gavin MacLeod. Riding over from the Ponderosa on “Run of the Cat” is Pernell Roberts. In a Six Million Dollar Man preview, Richard Anderson (Oscar Goldman) arrives for “The Long Ride.” “The Prize” features the FDA required visit from Bruce Dern. “Lightfoot” is Joe Don Baker. Anderson and Gavin come back for “Alias Nellie Handley.” “The Royal Road” is graced by Harold Gould, the dean of thespians. The 26 episodes are spread over 6 DVDs. The big bonus TV historian John Griffiths giving background on the series. Big Valley fans should be pleased that they now have all the episodes on DVD. Lee Majors would mosey over to The Men From Shiloh after this series went off the air.

Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season lived up to the hype as it brought the creatures of the night into a Victorian era Monster Mash. The Showtime series promised to bring a lot of things back from the dead. First we get Timothy Dalton in his meatiest role since James Bond. He’s explorer Sir Malcolm Murray. He’s no longer poking around Africa since he has a major quest. He must find the vampire creatures that abducted his daughter Mina Harker. Helping him on his quest is Vanessa Ives (Casino Royale‘s Eva Green). She’s possessed in more than one way. Vanessa is the most complicated and frightening figure on TV. She goes into trances that will make you cringe in fear of which way she’ll go next. This is a pretty big feat in a show full of vampire creatures and Frankenstein monsters. The biggest resurrection in the series belongs to Josh Hartnett. After vanishing in an abyss of cute films, Josh has returned to the living as a Wild West show shooting expert. He gets hired by Sir Malcolm to plug a few undead critters. He also ends up getting tangled up with a dying hooker played by Billie Piper (Doctor Who). The show nails the proper atmosphere needed for a Victorian era horror story. There’s a lot of flesh on the screen since this is a Showtime series. The biggest shocker is that there’s only 8 episodes for the first season. This is a great show to binge watch before Halloween hits the Witching Hour.

Eternals brings the work of Neil Gaiman (Sandman) and John Romita Jr. to motion thanks to Marvel Knights animation. The comic book was originally started in 1976 by the legendary Jack Kirby. This animated special is from when Gaiman wrote a limited series back in 2006. Eternals deals with a group of eternal superheroes who have forgotten their pasts as they becoming absorbed in modern life. They get woken up to discover that their age old enemies are mounting a comeback. It’s a fine complicated tale with plenty of mythos action along with physical action. The animation once more preserves the original artwork as it gives it a sense of motion. All of Gaiman’s words are spoken by the characters. Will this series get stepped up to become the next Guardians of the Galaxy for the Marvel movies? Do really wish Marvel Knights could be allowed to animate Gaiman’s Sandman series, but that’s with Vertigo. Drats.

The Hercules Collection contains six movies from the ’60s when Italian Cinema was cranking out the barechested hunk epics. After Steve Reeves smashed the international box office with Hercules, every producer with a spaghetti stained tie went into overdrive with tales of ancient times when men were men and women wore sheer sheets. The Loves of Hercules gives us real life couple Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield being Hercules and a woman he loves. Jayne does her best to stay in the toga. The Trojan Horse has Steve Reeves not playing Hercules, but anytime the man is shirtless, he’s Hercules. Medusa Against The Son of Hercules looks like an AIP movie when the monster arrives. The Conquest of Mycenae stars former Tarzan Gordon Scott. The Triumph of Hercules pits him against seven guys who look like they escaped from Madonna’s pool party. Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun brings the legend to South America as he must save women from being sacrificed by the Incas. This one might not be based on fact. Overall the six titles are fun to watch when you’re in a Roman mood. It’s sad to think that movies are no longer a great place for bodybuilding hunks to become superstars. The movies are in pan and scan since most were released to American TV.

Mad Men: The Final Season Part 1 marks what seems like the comeback of Don Draper (Jon Hamm). He ended up crashing hard at the end of season six when he gave up his carefully crafted lie of a life to admit to all his childhood in a brothel. This led to him being forced into exile from his advertising firm. As the series returns, Don demonstrates that he’s not out of the game. He’s using a pal as a cover to submit pitches to the firm. What Don doesn’t know is that his sweet office space has been taken over by Lou Avery (Allan Havey). This uptight old Madison Avenue pro is the anti-Draper. He’s drab, uninspiring and a whiner. The guy does have a dream to come up with a cartoon like Underdog. This gets him in trouble. Don discovers that in order to get back into his office, he has to sign a brutal agreement. If he screws up this time, the company will take away his shares and send him packing. Can Don handle this humbling action? The most frustrating part of this split season is there’s only 7 episodes. They’re holding onto the final 7 for the Spring of 2015. Even such a short season is more satisfying than any network show with 22 episodes. The bonus features include historical pieces about what was going on in gay culture in the late 60s and the Chicago Eight trial. There’s even a bit about Robert Morse’s big song and dance moment as Bert Cooper makes a memorable exit from the building.

Perry Mason: Movie Collection Volume 4 is the last full boxset of Raymond Burr playing the iconic defense attorney. Burr was getting close to the end of his life, but he wasn’t going to stop freeing the innocent and getting the guilty bastards exposed. He’s not quite as mobile in these 6 made for TV movies. But he still has Della Street (Barbara Hale) as his secretary. There’s also plenty of murders happening all around him. “The Case of the Glass Coffin” makes Peter Scolari (Girls & Bosom Buddies) a magicians whose worst trick is knocking up his assistant. The now pregnant employee uses this as leverage to screw with the act. During a charity performance, she shows up dead at the end of a trick. Luckily Perry Mason is in the audience and ready to take on a new client. “The Case of the Fatal Fashion” makes Valerie Harper (Rhoda) a mean magazine writer who gets to discover if the Devil wears Prada when she’s murdered. “The Case of the Fatal Framing” fakes the death of David Soul (Starsky and Hutch). He’s an artist who unfakes his death when paintings are falsely attributed to him. “The Case of the Reckless Romeo” features the death of Geraldo Rivera. Talk about a give the people what they want episode. “The Case of the Heartbroken Bride” ruins a wedding party with a homicide. Luckily Perry Mason was at the ceremony. “The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal” brings Morgan Fairchild on a tale of real backstabbing at a cosmetic company. There’s only two more Burr starring episodes left in the vault along with 4 substitute episodes to wrap things up in Volume 5.

My Little Pony: The Original Series takes us back to a time before Friendship is Magic. This show has a different set up than what kids enjoy on The Hub. The series is more wild with the ponies not exactly living the complete human lifestyle. They roam Pony Estates. They do have plenty of foes including grundles doing their best to ruin the four legged fun. They even have human friends that aren’t Equestria Girls. This series ran from 1986 to 1987. My daughter Josie wasn’t too put off by the changes of this early series. She immediately wondered why Minty wasn’t brought into the new show. The boxset has all 65 episodes spread on 4 DVDs.

The Little Penguin Pororo’s Racing Adventure is a wintertime speed flick. It’s a zippy tale about a little penguin who dreams of hitting it big in the world of snowmobile racing. These are not your normal skimobiles since they are like mini-rockets going across the snow. The movie features the vocal talents of Rob Schneider, Drake Bell, Anthony Anderson, Jon Heder and Jay Mohr. The action looks like it’ll be an amazing Oculus Rift game. A fine little film to watch while waiting this winter’s first snow storm.

NYPD Blue: Season 07 makes Detective Andy Sipowicz an emotional wreck. The previous season had his wife and police partner die. He has to keep it together for the sake of his son. He still doesn’t quite trust his new partner Danny Sorenson (Rick Schroder). Making matters worse is he’s got to go hard on Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) who is a cop that might have killed a suspect. Johnny Drama is in hot water and Sipowicz can’t stick to the Blue Silence. Things get worse at the police department when people attempt to set Sipowicz up on dates. The guy needs a little release in the tense times. There’s plenty of other ongoing stories including how Andrea Thompson’s estranged husband is part of an investigation. But this season’s success is completely on the shoulders of Franz. He completely transforms himself into a man on the edge of losing it with all that life has dished at him.

Alpha and Omega: The Legend of the Saw Tooth Cave is a spooky tale perfect for Halloween fights. A pack of young wolves are eager to be see what’s inside the ominous cave that looks like it has fangs. But their parents aren’t up for them going on such a foolish adventure. Guess who wins this battle of the wills? It’s a fine entry in the CGI series about the little wolfpack. For right now, this is a Walmart exclusive. The DVD includes access to the UltraViolet stream and download.

Lalaloopsy Babies: First Step brings even younger characters to the show about stitched together kids. The dolls flashback to their early days when they were fresh felt and buttons in the nursery. They share their first few adventures when they bonded as friends forever. While this is considered a movie, the action only lasts 45 minutes so you can start this a little bit before bedtime for your young one. My daughter was glued from start to finish and now wants a Lalaloopsy Baby for Christmas or any holiday before Christmas.

SlugtTerra: Return of the Elementals has new characters join the gang. This show dares to expose you to Slug Fu! That’s the slugslinger’s martial arts. This movie is all about the slug action. The Elementals are five slugs that have amazing powers that must be brought together to save Slugterra. There is an enemy that is doing it’s best to eliminate these special slugs. This is a movie that is perfect for the slug freaks in your life.

Pawn Stars: A Very Vegas Christmas Special unites the Rick Harrison empire for one special day. In this case, it’s for the holiday party. Chumlee wants to bring together the casts of American Restoration and Counting Cars with the employees of Pawn Stars. It’s a sweet, well meaning wish. The episode has people remember the best and worst deals from the previous year. The bonus features include Pawn Stars “Another Christmas Story” and American Restoration “One Horse Open Sleigh.”

The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams: Once Upon A Starry Night is the Christmas special that aired after the second season had wrapped up for the mountain man show. Grizzly thinks he’s going to have a quiet Christmas when he finds a lost boy and girl in the woods. He brings them back to his house to feed and shelter them. But now he’s got to head out and find the kids’ parents that are probably lost in the wilderness. Instead of a quiet Christmas, he must risk his lives to save a family. Ken Curtis (Gunsmoke) and Don Galloway (Ironside) guest star.

The John Wayne Collection is a two disc set from Timeless Media Group with five movies starring The Duke. McLintock is Wayne’s version of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Wayne gets to share the screen with Mauren O’Hara and Yvonne De Carlo (The Munsters). One of the ladies gets spanked. Jerry Van Dyke shows up with a banjo. The Desert Trail has Wayne accused of robbing the Rattlesnake Glutch Rodeo. Can he find the real bad guys before he’s hung high? Angel and the Badman is about a gunslinger who gets healed by a Quaker family. Can he give up his life of violence? Or do they need his gun to keep them safe? Paradise Canyon and Rainbow Valley also put Wayne back on a horse. The extras include interviews with Harry Carey Jr, Iron Eyes Cody and Yakima Canutt. There’s a documentary about John Ford. The big thrill is 40 minutes of great John Wayne trailers. This is a great stocking stuffer for dad.

The Soul Man: The Complete Second Season puts more preaching from Cedric “the Entertainer” on the air. “Get Thee Behind Me” starts the season with Cedric fighting a physical that involves a colonoscopy. He doesn’t want anything in his butt. “My Brother’s Keeper” sends their child Lyric to a boarding school. “Love Thy Neighbor” exposes what sort of parties Jamie Kennedy would throw if he lived next door to a minister. “Music and Lyric” puts the family in hot water when daughter puts a wicked rap on the internet. Will the congregation get down with the rap? The 10 episodes of this season allow Niecy Nash to expand as the minister’s wife who wasn’t expecting a holy life.

Life of Crime adapts Elmore Leonard’s The Switch with an all star cast. The book came out in 1978 so it’s predates Ruthless People. This is the tale of Tim Robbins who wants to dump his wife, Jennifer Aniston. Why? Because he’s sleeping with Isla Fisher. He fears the cost of divorce. But then a miracle occurs. His wife gets kidnapped by John Hawkes and others. They want a million dollars or they’ll kill her. As if Tim Robbins is weighing the options. The kidnappers aren’t happy that Tim wants them to do the dirty work. Also in the cast is Mark Boone Junior with all his eyeballs. Will Forte is part of the commentary track. There’s also access to UltraViolet so you can stream or download the film.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/11/17/party-favors-thats-a-print/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/09/21/party-favors-mentalflix/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/09/21/party-favors-mentalflix/#respond Mon, 22 Sep 2014 00:29:09 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18162 Joe Corey says his final farewell to a once good friend...]]>

LOS GATOS – It’s been nearly a year since I killed my Netflix account and I really don’t miss it as much as others feared. There was a strange pang in my gut when I went online to cut the cord. A deep chill went down my spine from the future pain of not seeing red envelopes in my mailbox every again. But it had to be done.

I was a serious Netflix junky when I joined in the early Aughties. I used the 3 out plan as if it was the 8 out plan. Because of my situation, my mailman would drop fresh titles in the slot around 10 a.m. and I could have 2 or all three in the 5 p.m. mailbox that evening. I had memorized the pick up times for every mailbox within two miles of my house. I became good pals with Teddy the Mailman. We’d talk a bit while he sorted all the deliveries into the apartment mailboxes. He gave me the tip to tape a “Knock Please” directly over the front doorbell so people wouldn’t wake up the newborn daughter. We exchanged Christmas gifts instead of me just leaving a seasonal tip.

Some people used Netflix rentals to burn their own copies of films. That wasn’t me
I was an avid viewer. A cinema and TV junky who lived for his daily fix. Netflix fed my habit like no other and at a reasonable price. After dealing with the $4 a day VHS rental, Netflix’s low monthly price was salvation. It really was an all you can eat buffet of images. I watched more films in those early years than my time at film school. Unlike VHS, DVD promised me proper aspect ratios so I was really seeing the film instead of a pan and scan glimpse. I was finally able to make a huge dent in the Psychotronic Film Guide. It was so easy to dig through an entire director’s work or pick through a genre. I could catch up on TV shows that I’d only heard about, but never glimpsed because of lame local TV programmers. My queue had 300 titles and I could turn those over in months instead of years.

In the beginning of our relationship, Netflix did its best to grab up all the DVDs that were being put out by major and minor distributors. They even had copies of the documentary I associate produced. Once I learned the secret of sending in DVDs on Saturday to ensure the new release titles arrived on Tuesday, it was bliss. This was heaven and the reason why I rarely stepped inside the local videostores to rent anything off the shelf. When all those stores shut down, I didn’t shed a tear. There would be no blues sung for Blockbuster as it went belly up. I was too busy drowning in a sea of red Netflix return envelopes.

But then Netflix CEO Jeff Hastings began to destroy all the things that made his company something I would defend in public. Slowly he stopped stocking all the titles that were coming out on DVD. The fresh cult items weren’t popping up on the queue. The ones he did have started to disappear. The maybe we’ll get it portion of my list grew rapidly as rare DVDs became extinct. He made deals with the major studios to stop offering new titles until a month after their release in retail stores. Somehow he wanted me to think that this was an amazing deal that I would embrace. Even when the new titles were offered, there seemed to be fewer copies offered. It would take months to finally have a fresh title come off the queue. Odds were high it’d arrive the same night of the HBO premiere. Hasting’s big focus was the streaming service.

This was the future of the company since it turned them into a true entertainment machine like Time-Warner, MTV Networks and Starz. You want to watch a movie without commercials, you could cut the cable TV cord (although not your cable modem) and just let Netflix entertain your evening. No longer would you have to wait days to see your movie or TV show. It was instant gratification. Netflix even makes its own shows like HBO and Showtime including “House of Cards,” “Orange Is the New Black” and the new season of “Arrested Development.” The original shows wouldn’t be made available to the Netflix members that just wanted to rent shiny discs. The DVD portion of the company became a burden to Hastings. He had to tolerate those old luddites who weren’t going to leap into the future of streaming. But he didn’t have to love us anymore.

While nobody at Netflix is going to admit it, the company seemed bent on making the DVD renter get frustrated and swap over. The company was sick of paying postage and employees that worked at the warehouses receiving and shipping the DVDs. So they let quality go to Hell. This is the same business strategy employed in the late ’80s by record companies when they screwed with vinyl to make sure we’d be happier just paying a little more to get the album on CD. Netflix would wait an extra day before claiming they’d received a DVD from me. I know that this was being done since I would send 2 discs in the same envelope and yet they arrived a day apart at the warehouse. More and more DVDs would show up looking like they’d been used as a beer coaster or with cracked inner holes. The quality control seemed to be a forgotten element. The lack of new titles became frustrating. Red Box would tease me at what I couldn’t get from Hastings. Netflix just wasn’t fun anymore. Which is the big reason why I went online and killed my membership.

I didn’t go cold turkey. A friend had left their password in my smart TV so I could watch the streaming version. But instead of being my new best friend, Netflix streaming became an annoying neighbor that teased me with promises and only came up with excuses when it counted.

The streaming version of Netflix became equally frustrating as the DVD version. Anytime my kid would ask about a movie that wasn’t in my personal stash, I’d naturally search for it in the Netflix catalogue. Instantly I’d be told that it didn’t exist, but they’d suggest something that the kid never desired as a substitute. Even the grown up titles seemed as frustratingly limited as the OnDemand selections offered by Cinemax. Every day a movie I wanted to watch would no longer be offered. Often I’d try to binge watch TV episodes only to get the second show to refuse to load up. Or the resolution quality would drop to VHS levels. Sure it was enjoyable to catch the new season of Arrested Development and the first season of House of Cards. But the seasons were short and you could watch them all in a day or two. Then what was I supposed to do for the rest of the month? Most of the time was waiting for that stupid “loading” bar to crap out on me. When my friend canceled their streaming account, I didn’t feel the need to even use the free trial month to extend the experience.

Netflix is embraced as the future of entertainment delivery, but for me, the company is in the past. It doesn’t feel like the brave solution for television. Hastints is the lame local TV programmer who acts like he’s so superior in taste when he’s purely pedestrian. But since he’s appealing to pedestrian crowd, Netflix won’t worry about falling down anytime soon. For me, I’ll just now mourn the loss of Dave’s Videodrome because it’s time to realize the destruction that I contributed to happening in a disruptive moment.

NFL SET FOR FALL

The NFL is riding high. The ratings at amazing. They make billions off their TV contracts. There seems to be no limit for growth. Except the ceiling is about to be hit. Think that’s unthinkable? Look at what happened to NASCAR.

The big thing that drives the sport appears to be Fantasy Football. It doesn’t seem like ESPN can do a single real player update without telling the viewers how it’ll affect their Fantasy Football team. Notice that sports announcers won’t reflect how a coach’s decision to go for a field goal instead of a touchdown will affect a betting line. Somehow Fantasy Football where a billion dollars is wagered by fans wanting to win their league isn’t viewed as a gambling operation by EPSN and the NFL Network. But Fantasy Football at its core is all about the money. Instead of picking if a team wins or loses, you get to create a mutual fund of players from different teams that can all be winners even if their team sucks. The person with the winning “team” gets the big bucks. At some point, people are going to tire of the fantasy game. This will happen the same way people tired of Boy Bands, MySpace and Robot Fighting. Their mothers will call them up for tips on who to draft and the game loses all its charm.

The second big threat to cause the league to go downhill is a reluctance for parents to let their kids play football. Mothers are finally understanding that concussions aren’t cool. That overbearing coaches who have the kids practicing in 100 degree weather with the warning that “water is for pussies” aren’t colorful. That junior high kids shouldn’t have the knees of an 80 year old grandmother. If Mom doesn’t want junior to be a football hero, who will be the NFL player 10 years down the road? The concussion business is only going to get worse as research gets clearer. We are now being told of guys who played 10 years in the pros getting brain damage that leads to depression and suicide. A few reports have gotten out about guys who only played in college having Hall of Fame symptoms. But there’s a lot of men who are suffering that merely played in high school. I know a couple men who have the same complaints as the pros of memory loss and depression, but never got a scholarship to a SEC school. They have fond memories of high school where their coach demanded they lead with their helmet during tackles. They had more concussions that dates with cheerleaders. They were told to walk it off when they had their bell rung.

When Robin Williams killed himself, did anybody ponder if his time playing high school football contribute to his depression? The family probably didn’t care about getting Williams’ head scanned for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. But he did play back when coaches didn’t give a crap about the health of students. Remember that most concussion occur during practice when players have to give their all so the coach knows they’re ready to play and not be on the bench.

The NFL is doing its best to make people ignore the whole concussion business by attempting to pay attention to it. The other night Roger Goodell and a few concerned mothers had a lame infomercial on the NFL Network insisting that it’s good to let your kid play football. It had all the in-depth sincerity of Vince pimping the Shamwow. Goodell wants to calm everyone’s fears without having to really do any of that science business. He must keep the feeder chain intact. He needs those Pop Warner kids to keep on coming. How about this, before a parent wants to decide if their kid should play football, maybe they can take a peek at Earl Campbell’s knees.

The Ray Rice ugliness is also causing people to question the point of football players. Goodell thought he was being a badass for suspending Rice for a whole two games after knocking out his future wife in an Atlantic City elevator. During a preseason game, the Baltimore Ravens fans gave Rice a big standing ovation when he hit the field. Who knew throwing a knockout punch at a loved one could make you beloved. The NFL spends so much time and money trying to make women embrace the sport. And yet the sport only suspends a guy for two games for beating up a prime demographic? Then when the inside the elevator footage gets leaked out, Goodell and the Ravens finally take what Rice did seriously. Maybe it was the whole spitting on a woman twice before knocking her out that got to Goodell? Such hypocrisy should be expected for a multi-billion corporation doing its best to protect the brand. Goodell learned nothing from Penn State. He did the least he could do to hide a nasty situation. The Ravens wanted their player back on the field. This is the same team and league that had no problem with Ray Lewis being part of a double homicide. ESPN now has to act like they were duped by their semi-support of Ray Rice. EPSN also had no problem hiring Ray Lewis and letting him talk about Ray Rice. Sure Lewis claims his situation is different. Lewis’ victims didn’t get to marry him.

NASCAR used to think it was never going to stop growing in popularity. It was poised to be the next NFL. Now their ratings are slumping. Fans are no longer coming out to the race track. NASCAR keeps changing their championship to excite the meh fans. And their star racer ran over a driver on a dirt track. Now it’s the NFL’s turn to realize the game can change.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Graduation Day is an early stab at the slasher genre during the time of Friday 13th and Prom Night. The school year is wrapping up at Midvale High School, but there might be a few less students collecting their diplomas at the commencement ceremony. There’s a killer on the loose and it’ll be a bit of time before anyone realizes that these aren’t independent accidents. Who could have killed the school’s top female track star? There’s a lot of suspects especially ones still wearing leisure suits in 1981. The big star of the film is Christopher George (Rat Patrol) as the school’s driven track coach. The film was produced by Troma who had it originally distributed by Columbia Pictures. The movie was a huge hit back in 1981 when the kids were aching to see fellow students hunted down and killed by mysterious strangers. Today’s teens much prefer The Hunger Games where they get to hunt down and kill classmates. While Vinegar Syndrome has cleaned up the image for Blu-ray release, they’ve maintained the gritty feel to the low budget production. You’ll feel a bit dusty when the killer wanders through the dirty boiler room of the school. The musical moments really get to shine at the dance scene. The bonus features include interviews with star Patch MacKenzie, Director, Herb Freed, producer David Baughn and editor Martin Jay Sadoff. Baughn gives a commentary track along with one from The Hysteria Continues.

Peekarama: Cry for Cindy, Touch Me & Act of Confession is a triple feature from director Anthony Spinelli. The three films have a little fetish for everybody looking for a Times Square flashback. Cry For Cindy copes with the suicide of a call girl. What drove her to such a decision? Her funeral turns into stories about Cindy and the various things she did to make clients happy. Touch Me is a rather feel good story from Spinelli. A bunch of hot couples meet up for their encounter group. Except they do more than sit around in chairs, drink coffee and whine about their day. These people are ready to undress and face their mental issues that prevent them from experiencing total pleasure. This film seems like a great episode of HBO’s After Dark documentary series. Act of Confession is a fine piece of nunsplotation. A young woman gets ready to become a full time nun in the convent. To prepare herself for the major event, she makes sure she’s ready for a life that pays little mind to the libido and the desires of the flesh. Don’t watch this with your Holy Roller Great Aunt in the room. This one was transferred from the only surviving 16mm print so it’s a bit more grainy than the first two films. This give the movie the perfect forbidden feeling. The three films are spread over 2 DVDs to keep them looking better than when they were released in the early 1970s.

Peekarama: Mai Lin Vs. Serena & Oriental Hawaii is a double feature from director Carlos Tobalina. Mai Lin vs. Serena is a rather meta movie. The two starlets are in a competition to see which one of them can earn the right to star in Carlos Tobalina’s next major adult film. The two ladies do their darndest to top each other in how they can heat up the screen. Jade Wong and Herschel Savage get into the various demonstrations of pleasure. The joke of course is that both ladies are going to win since this is Tobalina’s movie. It’s kinda like Survivor except much more interesting than a bunch of unwashed people in the wilderness. Oriental Hawaii is a precursor to AirBnB. And older couple decide to make a little cash renting out the rooms in their house. They tell their grown children to share rooms or else. Well the else turns out to be an orgy with the new renters. They score a couple of college girls in the guise of May Lin and Jade Wong. These two women aren’t afraid of doing more than renting a bed in the house. Both films feature their trailers.

Prisoner of Paradise once more gives us that wonderful Polynesian sets that Bob Chinn gave introduced us to in Sadie. This time the set is being used for completely evil purposes. The new residents are Nazis operating in the Pacific. The only two things that can stop their evil plan is John Holmes and…John Holmes’s johnson. Holmes gets to flex his acting muscle by playing a sailor who ends up stranded on an uncharted island in ocean. He figures he’s just got to deal with the Japanese. But no. There amongst the islanders is an output of Hitler’s dream. Mainly a fat Nazi guy and his two hot assistants including the platinum blonde beauty of the legendary Seka. The things John Holmes has to do to save American in World War II should have given him a Presidential Medal of Something from Bill Clinton. Jade Wong also appears as one of the non-Nazis. Chinn’s wonderful set does its job of making things look more realistic than the normal adult feature period piece set.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

The World Wars is the History Channel’s interesting way to connect World War I and World War II. The group biography follows how the major figures of World War II were transformed by their experiences in World War I. If you’re like an average student, World War I is the overlooked war. Mainly this is from an education system where American History classes ran out of school days right after the Civil War. World War II was something that always got attention on the weekends thanks to McHale’s Navy and Hogan’s Heroes. But World War I just lacked the public relations push to matter. Part of it can be blamed on the lack of color footage. Trench warfare just never had the same pull like an atomic bomb. But this great conflict which was original as “The War to End All Wars” shaped the men such as George Patton, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Benito Mussolini, Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle and Adolph Hitler. This is not a six hour mini-series that will sum up everything you need to know about both Wars. People who were not listed previously will not get that much coverage. It is important to recognize what past experiences allowed Patton to view battles that gave him the attitude that powered his tank corp. There’s an hour worth of bonus footage that was cut from the film so your dad will want to watch it again. It’s good to see the History Channel didn’t try to connect all of these historically significant leaders to items being sold on Pawn Stars.

DVD SHELF

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Complete First Season is a rather amazing bit of action television. The series picks up where The Avengers left off. Although this is a semi-alternate universe where the major superheroes are only discussed. The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. must deal with the up and coming superheroes. The crew is led by Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). This leads to a major mystery since Agent Coulson didn’t do so well during The Avengers. There are a few cameos from the big Marvel movie stars including Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders). The team hopes around the world in a special plane that includes Coulson’s prize Corvette. The show works because it’s able to get audiences used to characters that just might crop up in the upcoming Marvel major movies. There’s a major geek out moment when Patton Oswald appears. The show allows viewers to get a greater sense of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s work atmosphere when Captain America isn’t in the building. As the season progresses, the office politics grows nasty. Turns out some people at the company might have lied on their resumes and still are working for their evil corporation. The final episodes see Coulson and his youthful crew fighting against other people in business suits for control of their destiny. The show works on the same level as The X-Files and The 4400 when it comes to dealing with the unknown in human form.

Here’s a little behind the scenes action that’s one of the bonus features on the boxset.

Prisoners of War: Season Two is 14 more episodes of the series that Showtime’s Homeland is based on. If you’re a fan of Homeland, don’t avoid this show for the fear that it’ll somehow spoil the adventures of Carrie Mathison. The folks behind Homeland have not been merely translating the Hebrew scripts. Prisoners of War starts out differently with two Israeli military POWs returning home with the remains of their friend who was on a secret mission in Lebanon. The season starts off with the stunning news that the remains don’t belong to the dead soldier. The show focuses on the two men attempting to regain their former life after 17 years away. The duo also have to deal with what they’ve become at the hands of their captors. Are they a threat to Israel? It’s a riveting show that will elevate your Homeland experience. The dialogue is subtitled for those who don’t understand Hebrew. There have only been two seasons produced and aired of the series so you’ve caught up with the viewers in the Holy Land. Supposedly Season three is being written at this time. The bonus features include interview with the actors and a commentary track from the show’s creator Gideon Raff.

Dynasty: The Final Season – Volume One & Volume Two brings to an end the feud between Carringtons and Colbys. How could this have happened? The easy answer was that the Reagan era was coming to an end. The easier answer was that ABC no longer wanted to pay for the expensive production that wasn’t scoring the massive ratings. The sad answer is that Dynasty had one of its best seasons with a producer poached from Dallas figuring out how to make compelling narratives even with major cast issues. Linda Evans had already announced that she was bowing out this season. Joan Collins’ pricetag meant the show could only afford her for 13 of the 22 episodes. The new producer and his crew set to work with these major restraints. They figured out the proper gimmick for Linda’s Krsytle to spend more time in the show without appearing in episodes. John Forsythe (Bachelor Uncle) spends a lot more time with the kids on the show. This is a good move since it means more time with Heather Locklear and Emma Samms. Plus they bring in Stephanie Beacham as Sable Colby to sizzle in Denver. Now that Dynasty has wrapped up, can we see the two seasons of The Colbys get released on DVD?

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella: 50th Anniversary Edition brings the classic TV to DVD. This is a simply lovely production that aired on CBS. This musical is perfect for those who dream of going from scrubbing the floors to being the loveliest girl at the royal ball. Lesley Ann Warren is perfect as both the ashen girl being kept down by her stepmother and stepsisters and the transformed beauty. The music is grand on a Broadway scale. Ginger Rogers and Walter Pidgeon are stellar as the King and Queen. Celeste Holm is magical as the Fairy Godmother. Stuart Damon is so fetch as the Prince. There’s such a joy that comes from the musical that’s still irresistible after half a century. The show was shot on videotape, but looks rather sharp. The DVD’s bonus feature is a featurette with Warren and Damon discussing their magical fairytale romance before the cameras.

My Little Pony – Friendship Is Magic: Spooktacular Pony Tales are six episodes that are perfect for little one wanting equine scares for the Halloween season. “Boast Busters,” “Stare Master,” “Luna Eclipsed,” “Sleepless In Ponyville,” Caste Mane-ia” and “Bats!” will make you shake your hoofs in fear. There needs to be a warning that small kids watching this DVD set will come up with a more complex Halloween costume than originally planned. My daughter is now hinting that she wants to be Rainbow Dash and a vampire at the same time. The big bonus feature is a sing-along song that’s perfect for the kids to scream out when it comes time to go trick or treating.

Perry Mason Movie Collection has released the three double feature DVDs individually that were boxed up for Volume Two. Double Feature 4 includes: “The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel” puts Perry and Della Street (Barbara Hale) on the cover of a tabloid for an alleged affair. Robert Guillaume (Benson) is the publisher spreading such a lie. When he ends up dead, Perry must find the real killer. William Katt (The Greatest American Hero) is Paul Drake Jr, Perry’s main investigator. “The Case of the Avenging Ace” puts Larry Wilcox (CHiPs) in cuffs for homicide. Erin Gray (Buck Rogers) and Patty Duke (The Patty Duke Show) are tangled in the military intrigue. Double Feature 5 includes: “The Case of the Lethal Lesson” and “The Case of the Lady in the Lake” which busts David Hasselhoff for killing his rich wife. What? The Hoff? There’s more hunk on the screen with the arrival of John Beck (Rollerball). Still it’s the young Hof in serious trouble and not a cheeseburger in sight. Double Feature 6 includes “The Case of the Musical Murder” has a Broadway director dying and an underling behind bars. Somehow Jerry Orbach and Debbie Reynolds might be part of the encore for elimination. “The Case of the All-Star Assassin” has a hated pro sports team owner found dead. Nobody loved the guy. What sort of major sports team owner can be so hated? The star guests include Deidre Hall, Bruce Greenwood (Exotica), Shari Belafonte and Pernell Roberts. Volume 4 with the next 6 cases is due out October 7.

State Trooper: The Complete Series brings the excitement of cases from the Nevada State Police. The show recreates major crimes that get covered by Officer Rod Blake (played by Rod Cameron). The series ran from 1956 to ’59 so it reminds us of all the glorious crime that happened during those Happy Days. Rod gets a little help from local sheriffs played by Robert Armstrong and Don Haggerty. If you’re a fan of vintage crime show, this will be pure law and order bliss over the course of 104 half hour episodes. There’s plenty of guest stars wrapped in the lawbreaking. You’ll get a glimpse of Claude Akins (Sheriff Lobo), Lee Va Cleef (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), Deforest Kelley (Star Trek), Jeanette Nolan, Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty) and Carolyn Jones (The Addams Family). Even though State Trooper had more than enough episodes to keep itself in syndication for decades like Highway Patrol and Dragnet, this is my first exposure to the show. Perhaps it was kept off the air by the Nevada tourism mob. Why would they want America knowing about all the crime about Las Vegas and Reno? The cool bonus DVD gives us various Westerns that had Rod Cameron guesting including Tales of Wells Fargo, The Men From Shiloh and Alias Smith and Jones. Timeless once more has introduced me to a show that TVLand forgot.

The Curse of Oak Island: Season 1 is the History Channels’ series about a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia. Rick and Marty Lagina have bought up most of the island. They’re obsessed with the story of buried treasure on their property. The legend has it that seven people must die on the island for the secret location to be reveled. So far only six people have dropped dead on the rock. Sadly History Channel didn’t go Battle Royale on the Lagina brothers with a Thunderdome edict that only one brother shall live. The brothers do their best to find the treasure without beating to death an unsuspecting hobo either. They explore various landmarks on the island including the mine shaft. They even go to major terraforming extremes to uncover unseen territory. They find out quite a bit about the property during their explorations over the five episodes. The DVD set includes 25 minutes that weren’t shown on TV as the big bonus feature.

Burning Blue is a trip back to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in the military. The movie plays out Tarantino’s hunch that Top Gun is gay cinema on the downlow. Two top U.S. Navy pilots get drawn into one military investigation only to have the true nature of their relationship exposed. Can their military conduct breaking forbidden love survive the crash and burn? The movie does a fine job of mixing the dangers of being a military pilot with the fear of allowing others to know their true desires. The bonus features include a commentary track from director DMW Greer. There’s several deleted scenes and a featurette. The DVD includes the ability to access the Ultravoilet stream and download.

Transformers: Beast Machines – The Complete Series is the follow up series to Transformers: Beast Wars. The show ran in 1999 for 26 episodes that deal with Optimus Primal and his crew returning to Cybertron. Instead of getting a hero’s welcome, they find a rather deserted place. What has happened? A deadly virus has struck and they quickly learn has infected them. Thankfully they are saved by a rebooting into technorganic warriors. This is good because Megatron had taken control of the streets using evil robots. Besides the usual battles outside, the Transformers must deal with the organic issues in their technological bodies. The series does its best to be a bit more adult entertainment and less motion catalog for moving more Transformers products. The CGI looks impressive for its time.

The Big Sleep is best remembered by me as playing in the same Twin theater as Star Wars back in 1978. There was not much desire in me to see a remake of a Humphrey Bogart classic. Robert Mitchum (The Friends of Eddie Coyle) was not going to keep me from seeing Han Solo. So I wrote it off. The film received a bit of a revival when Ray Regis ran it one night back at the NC School of the Arts as part of his Film Noir class. I will not fault my younger self for dismissing it. This is a film that requires a bit of age since Mitchum on the cusp of losing his prime. Director Michael Winner is best known for Charles Bronson flicks such as The Mechanic and Death Wish does his best to transfer the plot to England. The movie sticks with Raymond Chandler’s tale of a family being blackmailed and needing private detective Sam Spade to stop it. The cast is star studded. Jimmy Stewart is the father of Sarah Miles and Candy Clark (The Man Who Fell to Earth). Joan Collins (The Bitch) is part of the scam. Oliver Reed (Gladiator) and Richard Boone (Have Gun – Will Travel) might want to trump Spade. The adaptation doesn’t suffer by making the action take place in the ’70s instead of flashingback to 1930s. They also are able to have things be a bit more edgy on screen than what Bogart was allowed. It’s R rated for a reason. The bonus features include a trailer, a vintage behind the scenes and a commentary track from Winner who passed away back in 2013. The movie works well for fans of Film Noir who want to see something more contemporary with a little color.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/09/21/party-favors-mentalflix/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/09/21/party-favors-welcome-back/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/09/21/party-favors-welcome-back/#respond Mon, 22 Sep 2014 00:28:43 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18161 Joe Corey has got him on the spot...]]>

BERLIN – There’s a comical joy when Me-TV and Antenna TV announce their upcoming Fall season’s schedules and viewers freak out. The two channels run shows from the ’50s to the ’80s so they really aren’t offering anything new. These two channels have done a fine job of attracting the audience that TVLand has ignored. They’re shuffling the deck of classics with a few semi-forgotten titles that deserve a larger audience. Even when they drop a show, odds are that it will return in a few years.

However viewers freak out with every change. Thanks to social media, all the ‘”how dare you mess with my show” complaints are easily accessible. Each tease about a “new” show coming to either channel (and Cozi-TV) are greeted with a mad battle between viewers. It’s a mini-“Save Star Trek” movement when Adam-12 vanishes from the dial (although it’s going to another digital substation). People freak out when their show disappears from Netflix streaming, Hulu or other services as if any of these outlets will contain the same shows until the day you check out of the hospice.

Rarely does anyone chime in with “Guess I’ll have to buy the complete series on DVD.” Which ought to be the proper response to anyone who care enough about the show to whine directly to the station. A lot of times the complete series on DVD isn’t that expensive. All five seasons of Charlie’s Angels currently can be nabbed for $25. If you need your Farrah fix, it’s all ready to be enjoyed without 20 commercials for medical supplies and cheap insurance. Or are you addicted to reverse home mortgages?

It’s understandable that people would be upset at the removal of shows that haven’t been released on DVD. And it’s hard to fault people for not recording all the episodes since the DVR has made that impossible. The replacement for the video recorder won’t record 100 episodes of the same show. Even if it did, they hard drive would crash and everything vanishes at once. You’re stuck staring at a blank screen. It’s painful. I’ve had it happen. All those episodes that have yet to see the light of a shiny disc. But the number of shows that aren’t on DVD will be getting incredibly small in the coming months. A lot of wish list items are pre-order realities before Christmas.

CBS DVD is packaging together a bunch of shows for complete series boxsets including Charmed, Family Ties, Beauty and the Beast, The Tudors, Reno 911! and Taxi are due out before the Christmas rush. Those boxsets alone give you a wider variety of programming than 95% of all cable channels that seem to exist with reruns of their top show.

Batman The Complete Series Limited Edition Blu-ray (Nov 11) is an answer to my prayers since they started putting out Blu-rays. A few people are grousing online that the boxset is priced too high. We’re talking about a chance to see Julie Newmar in high definition. I’m already crying at her impending beauty in a 1080p resolution. Those curves in her Catwoman suit are going to slice apart my TV screen. Don’t call my house when this arrives in the mail. I will be ignoring the world as I worship the feline goddess.

Pee-wee’s Playhouse: The Complete Series (Oct. 21) brings the most insane Saturday morning show to blu-ray. This is the only kid show where I’ve been told by a puppeteer that they were doing drugs while making it. Why doesn’t this get rerun on normal TV channels? The answer is simple: It’s not normal. The Blu-ray promises to bring out all the color insanity and details that couldn’t be exposed on the DVDs.

WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete Series (Oct. 28) is another set that was screwed up and abandoned after only the first of its four seasons came out a few years back. But now it’s back and Shout! Factory has been doing it’s hardest to clear the various songs that played on the series. The original season one DVDs were chopped up to the point of pure pain. There’s excitement in getting to see the full Dr. Johnny Fever epic. Not to mention the joy that is Loni Anderson in her prime.

Sgt. Bilko – The Phil Silvers Show: The Complete Series (Nov. 4) promises to let my DVR do less work since it’ll no longer have to record Bilko in the wee hours on Me-TV. Bilko was given a compilation and single season release before being backburnered. What a tease for one of the great military comedies. Now all four years will be in a single box. No more waiting to see if the next season will be released.

The Jeffersons: The Complete Series (Dec. 9) gives us all the love of George and Weezie in their deluxe apartment in the sky. This promises to be a heavy box since the show lasted 11 seasons. No news if there will be a bonus feature dealing with Sherman Hemsley’s love of prog rock bands.

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series is already out so you can get your complete Sweathogs fix. This was also a show that originally had the first season released in 2007 and then was abandoned. Fans were rather upset at the absence of the three remaining seasons. Shout! Factory has stepped in to give it a complete boxset. But cease the whining and bitterness. Welcome Back, Kotter takes us back to a time when Brooklyn was not run by douchebag trust fund kids wearing tiny hats and worshipping Lena Dunham. The Brooklyn of 1975 was a rough affair. Mr. Kotter (Gabe Kaplan) was an aspiring teacher who had his worst nightmare happen by being assigned to James Buchanan High School. This was the same school that he had terrorized as a student. Even after all these years, his old gang the Sweathogs still has memorable members. Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta) was the handsome goofball in charge of them. Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo) was the class clown with a laugh only Fran Drescher could love. Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington (Lawrence HIlton-Jacobs) was the suave athletic member. Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes) was the neighborhood threat with a note from his mother for all excuses. It’s funny to think that TV stations and concerned viewers feared this quartet would glorify gangs in school. These guys were lovable lunkheads instead of violent, drug dealing hoodlums. The show became an immediate sensation since they were a little more edgy than the gang on Happy Days.

The boxset has all 95 episodes that were made over it’s four year run. The first three were the glory days. They’d open with Gabe telling a family related joke to his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman). The catchy theme song by John Sebastian would give the flavor of Brooklyn life. Gabe would show up at school and get the business from the Sweathogs and Vice Principal Mr. Woodman (John Sylvester White). Gabe would do his best to inspire the Sweathogs. Eventually something would stick on them to make them better people. It was an entertaining formula.

The fourth season is a portrait on how everything can go wrong to a successful show and kill a shot at the prized fifth season. The first thing that happened was John Travolta becoming a major movie star. He dominated theaters with Saturday Night Fever and Grease. Unlike Michael J. Fox, Travolta wasn’t going to waste a hot year playing Vinnie. He only made it to 8 episodes. Kaplan got into a nasty contract fight with executive producer James Komack which also limited his appearances. For some reason they decided to make Julie work at the school. They also brought on the New Orleans relocated Beau De LaBarre (Stephen Shortridge) to take up Barbarino’s desk space. This was not a good move since Shortridge looked older than Mr. Woodman. Making matters even worse, Komack replaced the entire writing staff. The show was moved from its timeslot to make space for Mork and Mindy. The season was such a disaster that Nick at Nite held back on these episodes when they reran Kotter. But it’s a good thing to watch the episodes since they’re such glorious disasters. It’s easier to watch them on DVD since you don’t have to sit through all the commercials to get to the Brooklyn messes. Unlike earlier boxsets from Shout!, there are few bonus features. Hegyes and Palillo died in 2012 so they weren’t around for commentary tracks. Kaplan was probably busy playing Poker. The two bonus features are from the original season one release. A short documentary interviews most of the cast about the show. There are also the screen tests for the Sweathogs. Delving through the boxset, it’s easy to feel welcomed back.

SCREAM FACTORY

The Legend of Hell House is an impressive haunted mansion flick from 1973. A rich old man wants to know if there’s life after death. He pays scientist Lionel Burnett (Clive Revill) a fortune to spend a week in the “Mount Everest of haunted houses.” Lionel brings along two psychics. Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin) is a spiritual psychic who is new to the game. Ben Fischer (Planet of the Apes‘ Roddy McDowall) is a physical medium who was the only one to escape a previous visit to Belasco House. Burnett’s wife also joins him since she loves him. Turns out that Emeric Belasco was a rich hedonist who had no limits to what he enjoyed in his mansion. He doesn’t want to merely scare the ladies in his house. He wants to ghostly seduce them. This is an erotic possession. The script was written by Richard Matheson based on his book. He gets away with quite a bit of naughtiness for a PG rated film. This isn’t for teens. The film has a great Hammer Horror feel with the fog wrapped around the mansion and the proper amount of cobwebs. The bonus features include an interview with director John Hough and audio of Pamela Franklin talking about being seduced by a ghost. Legend is legendary.

Without Warning dares to show what happens when four groovy teens take their van up to the lake and encounter an invasion of character actors. David Caruso, Lynn Theel, Tarah Nutter and Christopher S. Nelson refuse to listen to Jack Palance (Ripley’s Believe It or Not). They have no idea that Cameron Mitchell and his kid have been attacked by living alien throwing stars. They should have known that Larry Storch (F Troop) and a pack of Cub Scouts were taken over by the alien. The teens just want to have a little fun in the water. But very quickly they learn that sometimes you need to listen to over the top actors. Besides the alien lurking in the woods, the kids have to deal with Martin Landau (Mission: Impossible). He’s in full losing it Vietnam Vet mode. When him and Palance go at it, this is the second coming of King Kong vs. Godzilla. They made Neville Brand (The Untouchables) look like a minimalist performer. The film is great in a cheesy ’80s kids in trouble with aliens mode. What’s amazing is that Palance and Landau would both win Oscars years after their thrilling face off. The film looks fine thanks to the cinematography talent of Dean Cundey. He went on to shoot Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and Roger Rabbit. What’s interesting is that this is the first time Without Warning has been legally released on home video. How can a horror/sci-fi film from 1980 had missed out on Beta, VHS and laserdisc? This is a movie whose cult is based on odd HBO screenings and a lot of passed around hometapes. The film does need a major warning that your HDTV might be damaged by the extremely pasty skin of David Caruso.

Pumpkinhead: Collector’ Edition is what happened when special effects wizard Stan Winston was finally given a chance to direct his own creation. Winston was on a hot streak in the ’80s with his creature creations for Aliens, Terminator and Predator. So people were eager to see his own horrific vision. He brought along Lance Hendriksen (Aliens) to give his vision a good start. Lance is a simple guy living out in the boonies running a gas station with his son in the middle of nowhere. Naturally a bunch of loser kids from the city come out to go nuts on their motorcycles. Something goes wrong and Lance is furious. He wants revenge against the yuppie scum. He goes to a witchy woman to conjure a beast that will do his will. Lance discovers that while Pumpkinhead can do his bidding, there’s a harsh price. Pumpkinhead has a good old time tracking down the kids. The bonus features help elevate the movie. “Pumpkinhead Unearthed” is an hour long documentary about what went into letting Stan finally direct. “A Tribute to Stan Winston” lets his associates remember how he made them part of his team. Stan passed away back in 2008. The screenwriter and members of the effects team contribute the audio commentary. Pumpkinhead has run as part of Cinema Overdrive and was a great crowd pleaser.

Motel Hell: Collector’s Edition is a film about quaint hotels and artisan food. The film has built a great cult following over the years simply because of the amazing title. Who wouldn’t appreciate that spin on the videostore shelf? The film combines the joys of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho which makes sense since both movies are about Ed Gein. The Motel Hello is run by Farmer Vincent (Mr. Burn’s favorite star Rory Calhoun) and his sister (Porky’s Nancy Parson). Beside offering a sweet place to rest your head, Farmer Vincent has the best smoked meats around. What’s his secret? John Ratzenberger (Cliff on Cheers) learns the hard way. The Farmer harvests weary travelers on the road. He just doesn’t go all Cannibal Holocaust on the people. He has his way of getting things just right. Farmer Vincent has trouble when takes a liking to one of his victims (Nina Axelrod) . He nurses her back to health, but this might be the death of the Farmer if she uncovers his secret operation in the barn. Rory is great as the cannibal bed and breakfast links guy. Wolfman Jack does a supernatural job as a tv preacher in a white suit. Director Kevin Connor does the audio commentary to discuss the tone of the film. He also talks on camera for interviews that include the writers, producers and cinematographer. A piece pays tribute to Ida Smith. There’s also chats with actors remembering their time in the barn. The transfer looks so much better than the Midnite Movie Double Feature DVD. Also includes a Blu-ray.

Phantom of the Paradise: Collector’s Edition is the ultimate way to enjoy an amazing musical that deserves its cult following. Brian de Palma and Paul Williams (Smokey and the Bandit) teamed up for a tale of the evils of the rock and roll industry. Winslow Leach (William Finley) is a serious singer songwriter whose musical based on Faust catches the ear of recording wiz kid Swan (Paul Williams). But their partnership ends quick when Swan steals the songs and gets Winslow stuck in prison. Winslow escapes and attempts to stop the pressing of his music. This goes wrong and the disfigured Winslow ends up haunting Swan’s Paradise theater. The only thing he desires is for Phoenix (Jessica Harper) to sing his songs. Swan wants the overpowering Beef (Gerrit Graham) to belt them out. Like all creative differences, this won’t end nice. The Blu-ray gives more bonus feature than a hardcore Winnipeg fanatic would desire. A French documentary covers the film with the key cast and crew. There’s new interviews with de Palma and Williams. There’s an additional interview with Williams done by Guillermo Del Toro. They have alternate takes. They show the original Swan Song footage that had to be covered up after Led Zeppelin’s Peter Grant disapproved. This is a must buy for fans and people who are intrigued by the trailer.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Drive In Collection: In Search of Bigfoot & Cry Wilderness delves into the ’70s fixation with sasquatch that ended up with him being a regular on The Six Million Dollar Man. And the creature is back with people on cable channels looking for him. This double feature shows where he’d been originally tracked. In Search of Bigfoot is a documentary about Bob Morgan’s three month expedition in the Washington woods looking for footprints, clumps of fur and feces. He talks with people that claim they’ve encountered the hairy creature. But it doesn’t seem like he’ll have a spotting. Cry Wilderness is a fictional account of people meeting Bigfoot. This is a weird film about Bigfoot spiritually linking with a kid. Somehow the creature knows when the kid’s dad is in trouble. The film is weird which makes sense when you realize it’s from the same people who gave you Night Train to Terror. Both films are safe for family viewing if you have bigfoot fanatics in the house.

Peekarama: The Ultimate Pleasure & I Am Always Ready is a double feature from director Carlos Tobalina. The movie has a plot about a couple having relationship issues. She’s rather cold. He gets hot when a guy dies in his cab and leaves behind a suitcase full of cash. He eventually uses it to get them treatment. This therapy mainly consists of her taking a drug and getting freaky with the staff. Who can’t see that sort of care working out for all involved? Paul Thomas (Jesus Christ Superstar) has a role. This film has the strangest moment when the “AIDS Ambulance Service” arrives to pick up a guy in San Francisco in 1977. Talk about a company that needed a new name in a few months. I Am Always Ready sounds like the motto most of the actors on this film told the director to get the part. A rich woman decides to make her own adult movie and top it off with her hooking up with John Holmes. The real highlight of the film is when the Gong Show‘s Unknown Comic pitches in. The woman sounds like Rona Barrett.

Peekarama: Gail Palmer’s Tropic of Desire & Fantasy World brings us back to the question: Did Gail Palmer really make these films? Seems that Bob Chinn was the man behind the woman. Tropic of Desire has amazing sets that appear to have been repurposed from Chinn’s Sadie (also available from Vinegar Syndrome). There’s no real issue with them reusing the sets since they looked good the first time around. Now they’re used to create a brothel on a tropical island. The sailors arrive for a good time. The plot doesn’t overburden the action. There’s intimate scenes with the couples hooking up to swing music. It’s rather sophisticated feel. Fantasy World uses some of the sailors set up to take us on a liberty break in San Francisco. Fantasy World is a dirty theater that lures guests onto the stage to live their fantasies. Paul Thomas sings the theme song. This double feature shows Chinn and his crew cared about making things look good on the screen. The bonus features are trailers for both films.

Peekarama: Purely Physical & Cathouse Fever explores the early ’80s output of Chris Warfield. Purely Physical tells of a young woman who gets a job as the night clerk at a motel. Turns out most of the people checking in aren’t using the beds for sleeping. Fans of the classics will enjoy the scene with Aunt Peg. She does a solo scene after night clerk refuses to join in the fun. Eventually she decides to take advantage of her employee discount. Cathouse Fever is a disease that needs a telethon to help pay for tab at the Bunny Ranch. An update secretary (Becky Savage) quits her job and moves to Nevada to live the dream of being a legal hooker. It doesn’t really look like they left Los Angeles to make the film. There’s some fun with sound effects in a few scenes to pump up the comic moments. The joy in the film is how they rip off Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever” in the trailer. The spoof improves the song.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the post-Avengers outing for the military superhero. This movie quickly has become one of my favorites of the recent Marvel outings. Captain America (Chris Evans) is having a bit of an identity crisis. He’s getting frustrated with his work with S.H.I.E.L.D. He doesn’t like how Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) doesn’t give a full picture of their missions. Agent Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johnansson) always has her own orders. Before he can get too frustrated at the organization, someone does an ambush on Fury in the middle of D.C. traffic. A hitman known as the Winter Soldier is in town and means business. He kills Fury and Robert Redford takes control of the agency. It’s a conspiracy film where Redford might be the puppet master instead of the exposing agent as he did in All the President’s Men and Three Days of the Condor. The action is extremely over the top which is great. Captain gets a fighting pal in Sam Wilson. Anthony Mackie). The man knows how to work a wingpack. Eventually he becomes the Falcon. Mackie was at NCSA when I was there. It’s good to see an alumni getting to soar on the big screen. The film is a complete thrill ride with Captain America at the helm. It’s been a good year for Evans between this and Snow Piercer.

Rosemary’s Baby stars Zoe Saldana is the 3 hour miniseries that ran on NBC. This is a good version to watch if you don’t want to explain Roman Polanski to your children. The miniseries changes things around so that Rosemary (Zoe) and her husband (Patrick J. Adams) are now living in Paris instead of New York City. They’re still a young couple eager to make it in an expensive city. They quickly fall in with a rich and powerful couple that are eager to help them in various ways. Of course little does Rosemary know what’s expected in return. She’s excited to finally be pregnant, but gets anxious that their new friends want the baby. Saldana does a fine job stepping into Mia Farrow’s iconic role. The Blu-ray comes with a Digital HD Ultraviolet access so you can watch it from a hospital’s maternity ward.

The Quiet Ones is another spooker from the revived Hammer films. The story takes us back to 1974 when Hammer was still making flicks with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. In place of them we get Jared Harris (Mad Men) as a professor leading a group of students on an experiment. They want to find out if a young girl is possessed, evil or just stuck with an unknown disease. They break out the cutting edge media recording devices of ’74 to capture this on film. It’s got quite a few jolts as the girl gets to unleash on her observers. This is supposedly based on a real event. Director John Pogue gives a commentary track. There’s also a documentary about making the film and the opening. There’s a digital HD ultraviolet stream and download in case you need a fright away from home.

DVD SHELF

Newhart: The Complete Fourth Season marks the first time the show didn’t have any major changes. The cast was set for the rest of its 8 season run. Bob Newhart turns Dick Loudon into a man who runs a rustic Stratford Inn, writes a book and hosts a talkshow on a local TV station. Even with so much to do his wife Joanna (Mary Frann) has time to make changes in their life. Handyman George (Tom Poston) keeps up his strange ways. Stephanie (Julia Duffy) keeps dodging her housekeeping duties. Michael (Peter Scolari) keeps up the trouble with his yuppie ways. Don’t forget frequent visits from Larry, Darryl and Darryl. “Pirate Pete” makes Bob a substitute for the kiddie show host. However Bob’s changes to the format screw things up at the station. “Candidate Larry” puts an unlikely candidate for mayor on the ballot. He promises a critter in every pot. “The Geezers in the Band” reminds Bob that he’s getting old when his wild jazz pals arrive for a timid time. “Write to Privacy” has Stephanie read Michael’s diary. “The Shape of Things” introduces America to Stephancizes. This episode has Mary Frann in spandex. This is another fine season for a sitcom that really does go up there with The Bob Newhart Show.

Martial Arts Movie Marathon 2 includes four more Hong Kong action films that will enhance your Chop Socky diet. The Fate of Lee Khan is the classic tale of fighters during a Civil War having a major throwdown. This is another installment in the Angela Mao Ying retrospective Shout! Factory has been doing. Shaolin Boxers is the classic tale of a school training fighters with the hopes of taking on the goons that are making villagers live in fear. James Tien of Fist of Fury and The Big Boss is the star. The Young Dragons marks the arrival of John Woo as a feature film director. If you forget his recent junky Hollywood pics, this is an exciting thing to see. He’s grasping his bullet ballets that made The Killer and Hard-Boiled amazing masterpieces. A gang terrorizes a small town and kills the cop. His daughter vows revenge on the goons. The Shaolin Plot is about a fighter who lies in order to get his hands on various guides to fighting. He might have gone too far when he arrives at the Shaolin Temple in disguise. Sammo Hung and Tien star in the film. This marathon is a great way to spend the time between weekend football games.

Perry Mason Movie Collection Volume 3 is another 6 episodes from Raymond Burr’s return as the greatest lawyer ever. Secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) and investigator Ken Malansky (William R. Moses) are his main support team. “The Case of the Poisoned Pen” exposes a bestselling author as a book thief. He’s so evil that even Cindy Williams (Laverne and Shirley) is considered a suspect. “The Case of the Desperate Deception” lets Perry Mason meet Ian McShane (Deadwood) in England. “The Case of the Silenced Singer” puts Rex Smith in a grave his widow as the prime suspect. Angela Bassett and Vanessa Williams get to share the screen. “The Case of the Defiant Daughter” teams up ’60s spy idols Robert Culp (I Spy) and Robert Vaughn (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.). “The Case of the Ruthless Reporter” brings back Philip Michael Thomas (Miami Vice) as the sports anchor who might have killed someone at a TV station. “The Case of the Maligned Mobster” makes Perry prove a kingpin didn’t kill his wife. There’s still two more sets of Perry Mason movies to come. It’s nice to see Raymond Burr bringing the role into the ’90s.

Gunsmoke: The Tenth Season – Volume 1 & Volume 2 brings the show to it’s halfway point since it lasted two decades on the air. They still haven’t reached the time the show used color film. These are still hour long black and white episodes. The 36 episodes from 1964 focus on the major figures of Dodge City: Marshall Matt Dillon (James Arness), Doc (Milburn Stone),Kitty (Amanda Blake), Quint Asper (Burt Reynolds) and Festus (Ken Curtis). “Blue Heaven” has Kurt Russell (Overboard) as a runaway kid coming into town. “Crooked Mile” has Quint bullwhipped by George Kennedy. Why? Cause George doesn’t want his daughter spending time with him. “Hung High” brings Robert Culp to an execution. “Jonah Hutchinson” features Richard Anderson (Bionic Woman) dealing with family issues. As mandated by the FDA, “Innocence” features Claude Akins (Sheriff Lobo). ‘Song for Dying” gives Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man) a chance at Dodge City greatness. Strange to think that there’s still another season of black and white episodes. CBS really didn’t like color televisions.

Escape to Grizzly Mountain isn’t quite a Grizzly Adams movie, but it really is. It’s a time travelling tale about Jimmy (Miko Hughes) wanting to save a baby bear from a circus. He finds a time tunnel that can take the bear back to 1841. Trouble happens though when a woodsman named Jeremiah (Dan Haggerty) comes through to modern times and gets to experience a shopping mall. Remember that Dan Haggerty isn’t playing Grizzly Adams. He’s a whole different character who will appeal to fans of Grizzly Adams.

Home Is Where the Heart Is about two people with wounded dreams uniting down in Texas. A hometown girl returns after her Hollywood dreams don’t turn out. She arrives at her mother’s funeral and gets the shock of a half-sister. Even more traumatic is that she’s now the legal guardian. The only thing making her feel good is an ex-NFL player. The two seem to bond over their fates. They come up with a way to revitalize their town. Except the plan hits a snag when something really goes wrong. John C. McGinley has a supporting role. He still has his Scrubs charm. It’s a fine family drama about broken dreams and saving what means the most to you.

The Men From Shiloh Special Edition wasn’t a new Western series. This was the final season of The Virginian complete with The Virginian (James Drury) as part of the cast. This ninth season has a bit of change in that the Shiloh Ranch has a new owner in Colonel Alan MacKenzie (Stewart Granger). He’s an Englishman so there’s a bit of learning the ropes in his storylines. There’s also an immediate change in the opening titles to reflect the arrival of the Spaghetti Westerns. This show was a bit more able to deal with it since it ran in a 90 minute timeslot. They made 24 feature films for the final season. The producers were able to hire Ennio Morricone to compose a new theme song. Along with keeping The Virginian, Trampas (Doug McClure) was back. In a surprise, they brought on Lee Majors as Roy Tate. Majors had just wrapped up The Big Valley so he knew his way around a horse. He grew a mustache for the role so people wouldn’t confuse him for Heath Barkley. The show dealt with the four figures not quite working together. There were plenty of guest stars. Desi Arnaz appears in “The Best Man.” Janet Leigh arrives for Jenny. Anne Francis makes her mole felt in “Gun Quest.” James Gregory and Ricardo Montalban team up for “Last of the Comancheros.” The show did well in the ratings so there’s no slippage in script quality. The name change without the Virginian riding off made it an odd way to go out.

Locke is a driving film on all levels. Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) gets behind the wheel and his life completely changes. He plays Ivan Locke, a family man who is well respected in the concrete game. Except in barely 90 minutes, he abandons his job and family to do what he considers is right. He also thinks he can put everything else right. His solitary journey across England has him talking to his wife, boss, son, co-worker and the woman that’s changing everything for him. Hardy does a exceptional job in keeping up the energy in basically a one man show on wheels. This ought to be considered the prequel to Hardy’s upcoming turn in Mad Max: Fury Road. There’s a digital copy so you can watch this while driving the same roadways as Locke. Writer-director Steven Knight contributes a commentary.

The Marx Brothers TV Collection contains what the brothers did in the ’50s and ’60s on television. Groucho, Chico and Harpo weren’t content with just being faces on the late night movie with their classic comedies. They still had plenty to offer on various TV shows as guest actors and just being guests. “The General Electric Theater: The Incredible Jewel Robbery” is the last time the brothers appeared in one show. The special has Harpo and Chico on a confusing crime spree that pays off in the end. Also at the end is a visit from Groucho that blows away the quiet production. The 3 DVD collection has dozens of show that the brothers can turn upside down without much effort. They brothers end up on celebrity sports shows about golf, pool and Bridge. Jack Benny has an episode where he sneaks onto You Bet Your Life to take money from Groucho’s duck. Chico’s failed musical show that featured him owning a hang out next to a college features a young Andy Williams. They dig up the English version of You Bet Your Life. There’s so much here that is fantastical to watch after only reading hints about them in Marx Brothers biographies. If you own all the movie boxsets and the You Bet Your Life collections, this is a must buy.

Decline of an Empire will best be remembered as the final film made by Peter O’Toole. This might also be the final film of Edward Fox (Edward and Mrs. Simpson). In a sense this is the end of empire since there will be no more times for O’Toole to be an ancient ruler. He’s not the lead here. The film follows Constantine (Jack Goddard) who joins the Roman Legion so he can travel the world and locate a missing friend. Turns out he’s good at being a soldier. He quickly rises up the ranks until he’s in control. He discovers his friend is being held hostage by a rival. He braces his army for an all out attack of West vs. East. This is the story of St. Katherine of Alexandria.

They Came Together is a romantic comedy from the director of Wet Hot American Summer. Paul Rudd (This Is 40) and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) are a couple that aren’t supposed to fall in love. He works for a giant candy company. She runs a small candy store. He wants to smash and destroy her. But romance gets in the way. The film does its best mock the conventions of the cute meet. The movie has a lot of familiar faces in odd roles. How often does anyone say “romantic comedy co-starring Michael Shannon (Man of Steel)? Women should be warned that the movie dares combine the hunky talents of Christopher Meloni, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and John Stamos. Jack McBrayer might make your date lose interest in you. The bonus features include the table read from the San Francisco Sketchfest. Director David Wain and Michael Showalter laugh it up on the audio commentary.

Tarzan is a CGI and modernized retelling of the Edgar Rice Burroughs tale of the boy raised by apes. This version has the Greystone family visiting Africa in a helicopter. It crashes and only their young son survives. He thrives and becomes a beast in the wilderness. Years later, he meets Jane. She enjoys her new friend. The problem is other humans are also in the jungle. They’ve got major weapons and hard hearts. Tarzan must save his human and animal friends from these outsiders. The CGI looks good. The action isn’t too intense for an elementary school aged child. The bonus features include a piece on making the film and what actors did to play gorillas. There’s also a Digital Ultraviolet copy for streaming.

Mumfie’s Quest the Movie brings back the tale of a little elephant on an awfully big adventure. Mumfie hits the road for kicks, but finds a greater purpose when he meets Pinkey. Her mom is stranded on a rather depressing island. They take that direction to not only reconnect with her, but to bring a little joy to her location. It’s a big mission that’s only slightly smaller than Mumfie’s heart. The film originally came out in 1994 although odds are high that this was long before the target audience was born. This is old hand painted animation which is always fun to share with a little one.

Romance Classics contains 3 BBC-A&E mini-series that made people flock to the cable network. Pride and Prejudice was a major event when it aired back in the mid-90s. Jane Austen’s tale of Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle) and Mr.Darcy (Colin Firth) was packed with restraint and passion. This was one of the first VHS sets that people rushed out to buy instead of merely wait to rent the various tapes. Ehle and Firth’s romance holds up after all these decades. Victoria & Albert about the love affair involving Queen Victoria. The production is well cast with Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones), Nigel Hawthorne and Jonathan Pryce (Brazil). Will she be wooed by Prince Albert? Strange to think his name would be linked to prank phone calls and private parts being pierced. Neither of these events are part of the film. Edward & Mrs. Simpson is about the American woman who was able to make King Edward give up the throne. Edward Fox and Cythina Harris bring the unexpected passion to small screen. This is a trio of British lust that will keep your TV set busy for a blustery weekend.

75 Years of WWII contains 4 of the History Channel’s specials about the war that changed the world.D-Day in HD gives a clear view of the day the Allied Forces attacked the French coast. They’ve gone back and found the best footage of this messy and chaotic day. The special gets descriptions from both sides of the battle line. Bloody Santa Cruz delves into to the Pacific theater when the USS Hornet went down. Enterprise Versus Japan focuses on the turning battle when the aircraft carrier took out a large chunk of the Japanese navy. Ultimate WWII Weapons dips into the technological advances created during the battles. It ends with the atomic bomb. This collection is a fine way to grasp an understanding of what went on during these monumental battles of WWII.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/09/21/party-favors-welcome-back/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/08/03/party-favors-at-the-movies/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/08/03/party-favors-at-the-movies/#respond Mon, 04 Aug 2014 01:13:16 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18141 Joe Corey contemplates Roger Ebert and LIFE ITSELF...]]>

CHICAGO – Sometimes two things you’re trying to review overlap in an unexpected and astounding way. Such is what happened when watching Life Itself a documentary about Roger Ebert and poking through Herzog: The Collection boxset. Ebert gets quoted from his review of My Best Fiend, Werner Herzog’s documentary about his relationship with Klaus Kinski.

“My Best Fiend is about two men who both wanted to be dominant, who both had all the answers, who were inseparably bound together in love and hate, and who created extraordinary work – while all the time each resented the other’s contribution,” wrote Ebert.

Ebert could have used those words to describe his relationship with Gene Siskel. While Steve James’ documentary is primarily about Ebert’s life, Siskel’s biography is also presented. The duo became inseparable. They changed the way Americans viewed movie critics. Yet they were far from a couples act. They were more Ali-Frazier than Abbott & Costello.

What made them special is that they really did hate each other for the longest time. They worked at rival Chicago newspapers and neither one wanted to play the schmuck. Roger worked at the Sun-Times and made movies with Russ Meyer. Siskel was the main man at the Chicago Tribune and palled around with Hugh Hefner. Roger won a Pulitzer. Gene owned John Travolta’s suit from Saturday Night Fever. Roger was fat. Gene was bald. Ultimately they were a critical Laurel & Hardy with vengeance in their souls. When they were put together on a local Chicago PBS station to review movies, what they lacked in TV ready technique, they made up in a fireworks show. This is what made their show special since the animosity was real. This wasn’t pro wrestling. After the cameras were turned off the duo didn’t hit the bars as pals. Life Itself digs up amazing outtakes of them turning on each other during promo shoots. The two don’t crack each other up so much as stab each other in the back for each blown take.

The duo didn’t seem to be able to truly enjoy their success together. Which might have been a good thing since that’s what made the show popular. There have been numerous clones of Siskel & Ebert since they arrived in 1975 and none of them had any real impact. Why? Because the other shows featured people who were professional to each other since they wanted success. There’s talk of how Siskel lived in fear that Ebert would pull the plug on their TV show and go solo. Ebert eventually got his wish of being free of Siskel when his co-star died in 1999.

Steve James doesn’t do much to explore the post- Siskel era when Ebert looked for a new buddy for At the Movies. Richard Roeper doesn’t get much profile in the documentary. I didn’t have a chance to ask James is this omission was just a case of not enough time or he didn’t want to mess up the narrative. Roeper worked with Ebert for close to a decade on the show, but the show lacked the spark. Mainly because Roeper was a co-worker at the Chicago Sun-Times. He knew that Ebert was the top dog. Eventually Roger’s loss of his jaw and voice made him quit the show. I had written Ebert that he ought to hire Michael Lerner to play him on the show. The two looked like brothers. But Ebert never wrote back on that idea.

Roger Ebert was the last newspaper movie critic. When he died last year, everyone rushed to write his obituary. His was the an obit on the peak of a pink slip mountain filled with forgotten newspaper film reviewers. In the world of draconian cuts at newspaper chains, the movie critic was the first to put their belonging in a box and get escorted past the presses. Reporters were often jealous of the staff movie critic since they got to spend a majority of their work day at a movie theater instead of working for a living. Nowadays the movie reviewer in your paper is yanked off a wire service or a local that gets paid a flat fee to email over their review. There will probably never be another Ebert level reviewer in Chicago or any other major city.

Life Itself does a fine job documenting the decline of Ebert’s health. Numerous operations for cancer ends up with him missing his lower jaw bone when James arrives in his hospital room. It is strange to see the movie critic begin to resemble a Tom Savini-Rick Baker creation. But even without the ability to talk, he’s still Ebert in his eyes. What doesn’t get discussed with Ebert is his decline in being able to elevate small films.

Personally the most frustrating moment in the film is the arrival of Ramin Bahrani at Ebert’s hospital room. I worked with Ramin at the NC School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. Back then, he was a serious douchebag. Even when he was trying to appear nice, he came off as such an Ivy League douchebag. Did I mention he was a douchebag? He was. But somehow he’s become a filmmaker who gets plenty critical and festival love. Ebert pushed Ramin’s poorpolitation flicks hard over the years. But odds are high that even the limited audience that will see Life Itself will wonder who is Ramin when he appears in the film. They certainly didn’t show up for At Any Price, his major flop about genetically modified corn starring genetically modified corn Zac Efron. A slight few will remember Ramin as the director who terrorized his child star in Chop Shop. The closest he had to a hit was Goodbye Solo which even with a serious push from Ebert couldn’t clear a million bucks at the box office.

I had a little hope that Ramin had somehow become the soulful cinematic genius since I last saw him at the end of the 20th century. But that isn’t the case. Ramin shows off a puzzle Ebert had given him. This is a puzzle that had passed along by various famous people included Marilyn Monroe. Ramin is such a major douchebag as he shows it off. He’s the least important of all the owners of this puzzle. He might as well nabbed it on eBay. It’s rather painful to think that this will be the end of the line for the puzzle since Ramin will probably be buried with it. At least Ramin showed up at Ebert’s hospital room.

It rather hurt to notice that Ebert lost the ability to champion a small film that didn’t have a serious marketing budget into a hit. Ebert couldn’t warn people from wasting their money on a crappy Hollywood film that had a massive marketing campaign. In the end, the only thing Roger Ebert had the power to champion was Roger Ebert. In a world where newspaper film critics were a vanishing breed, survival can’t be completely mocked. Luckily for Ebert, he has his widow and Steve James who will make sure his legacy isn’t dumped at paper drive. Life Itself is a poignant view of who lived by his thumb.

PSA

Will the person who took Casey Kasem’s body please return it to the funeral home? You have until the count of 40.

WERNER TIME

There will be a bigger review of Shout! Factory’s Herzog: The Collection in the next column What needs to be said right now is that the boxset contains 16 of his films on Blu-ray. This is a mix of his documentaries and his dramas including all 5 of his movies made with Klaus Kinski. The German filmmaker is an adventurer with a camera. This boxset will turn your large screen HDTV into the best retro house in the world. Aguirre, the Wrath of God brings out the lush jungle in the 1080p transfer. Grab this collection quick since it is a limited edition run.

SCREAM FACTORY SHOUTS

Ginger Snaps: Collector’s Edition reminds us that young ladies can be werewolves too. The Fitzgerald sisters aren’t so happy stuck in Canadian suburbia. They are goth gals to the extreme. Brigette (Emily Perkins) and Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) spend their free time staging and photographing themselves in death scenes. They hate their classmates. The only exciting thing in the town is an unsolved series of dogs murdered in backyards. The girls have had it with the school’s queen bee. They plot revenge, but before they can put their plan in action, Ginger gets attacked by a supernatural creature. She heals quickly from the attack. Others things change on Ginger including her libido, unwanted hair and a tail. She’s becoming a werewolf. Brigette does her best to save her sister. She even befriends the local dope dealer who might know about a few way to turn the curse. Ginger Snaps strikes the right balance of fear and comedy that was previously achieved in American Werewolf in London. The film wears its Canadian nature proudly. It feels like a David Cronenberg After School Special. There’s also a DVD in the combo box. The creative team of John Fawcett and Karen Walton are now behind the BBCAmerica hit Orphan Black. The bonus features include a documentary about the movie. There’s also a round table of women discussing the impact of the movie. Fawcett and Walton give commentary tracks. There’s deleted scenes that have commentaries so the filmmakers can explain why they didn’t make the cut. Video shows the auditions and scenes being worked out. If you’ve been a fan of Ginger Snaps since it snuck over the border and arrived at Blockbuster (remember that place?), this collector’s edition will be a fine addition to your prestigious collection.

Southern Comfort isn’t a Scream Factory release but it ought to be viewed as a horror film. A group of National Guard Troops are doing their weekend warrior training in the Louisiana swamps. Included in their ranks is Peter Coyote, David Carradine, Fred Ward and Powers Boothe. They get assigned their mission as part of a massive war games. Since they’re stuck in a watery swamp, they borrow a few unattended boats to get to their position. Instead of asking permission, one of the crew fires his rifle at the locals. He thinks it’s funny since they’re only packing blanks in their magazines. However the cajuns don’t notice. They return fire with real ammo. This attack leads to a fatality and loss of map and compass. Even though the Guardsmen are in their home state, they are lost in enemy territory. The cajuns aren’t happy. The film was made in a time before spice racks were filled with cajun seasoning so they were a rather unknown culture in America. This was made during that time that director Walter
Hill was on his hot streak. Southern Comfort has a bit in common with his The Warriorswith a gang of men stuck in a bad place. Except the Warriors could figure out their escape thanks to the subway map. The Guardsmen are as good as dead as their green uniforms stick out from the local color. Thankfully Hill didn’t get a chance to ruin Southern Comfort as he did with that lame director’s cut of The Warriors. The bonus features include a documentary with cast and crew discussing their time in the swamp.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Peekarama: All Night Long & Tapestry of Passion delivers on the promise of Big 2 Unit Show since this is a double feature of John Holmes. All Night Long is the classic tale of two men doing their best to prove they’re the best. John Holmes and Rick Lutze have their reputations on the line as they go all out. It’s like speed eating without pants. There is an award show so make sure you’re properly attired. Tapestry of Passion gives us John Holmes in his iconic role of private investigator Johnny Wadd. This is what Boogie Nights spoofed. This latest case might once more be the last for Wadd. He must track down the person who killed John Leslie. The case is a bit complicated since he might be the victim of a murder cult. The prime suspect turns out to be a true black widow killer. She poisons her victims and then wears them out until they drop dead in bed. Wadd proves to be Sam Spade without pants that slow down his investigation. Vinegar Syndrome has once more done their best in restoring these grindhouse features. Both films have their original trailers.

Peekarama: Erotic Adventures of Candy & Candy Goes to Hollywood is a double feature from Gail Palmer. She’s a real woman who appears in her trailers although there’s rumors that Bob Chinn really called the shots. Gail is not the star of her two Candy films. That honor belongs to Carol Connors who had a role in Deep Throat. She’s a blond with the hairstyle used in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. She’s a virginal girl who wishes she could be bad in Erotic Adventures of Candy (1978). She has plenty of fantasies, but doesn’t want to go against her father’s wishes. Her libido gets the best of her with a gardner and this leads to her father getting checked into a hospital. Even with such trauma, Candy wants to keep up the fun. She goes off the deep end with an encounter with John Holmes. Candy Goes to Hollywood (1979) has her looking to be a star. She’s willing to do anything to please anyone with a part for her. She doesn’t need a casting couch. There’s even a Gong Show spoof that features the Unknown comic and Wendy O. Williams doing the ping pong ball trick. Candy hooks up with a faux Johnny Carson. Both films have fine production budgets and happening soundtracks. Carol Connors does a fine job bringing the tale of Candy to the big screen.

MST3K MADNESS

Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXX is the 30th boxset from the beloved series that dared to talk back to the movie. While it’s hard to get a real count, that does mean way over half of the beloved 197 episodes have now come out on DVD. The XXX does not signify that this has the more adult features. Although Crow and Tom Servo appear to be not wearing any clothes in several scenes. The Black Scorpion is the last of the first season one episodes to arrive on DVD. This means we get to say goodbye to Larry (Josh Weinstein). For a long time, MST3K was supposedly not happy about rerunning their first season on the Comedy Channel. But now fans can enjoy them all including the grand finale. The Black Scorpion is best remembered because King Kong‘s Willis O’Brien did the special effects. In order to save money, he brought a few creatures back from Kong. He did a great job for a low budget film about giant scorpions running around Mexico. They ended the first season on a high note. The segments include a really bad history of Mexico that mocks the limited knowledge of the Bots. Joel really gets his Spanish wrong. The big bonus features is the history of the movie including how O’Brien got involved. Outlaw (of Gor) (season five) is a fantasy field day. A college professor can travel through space to a distant world called Gor where men are men and women are slave girls or evil queens. He takes a buddy with him to experience this strange world. Mike and the Bots can’t get enough of this D&D universe. The bonus features explore the Gor novels written by John Norman. They also interview Bud Cardos and producer Harry Alan Towers. Most of the film was made in South Africa when it wasn’t cool. Producer Towers points out that he had the white and black members of the crew eat together which wasn’t something done in that country back then.

The Projected Man (season 9) is the classic tale of a scientist who creates a transporter device. Naturally something goes really wrong when he tries it on himself. He’s not happy with the outcome. This episode is best known for being the end of the great chase between the Satellite of Love and Pearl in her VW Microbus. The SoL is now attached to Pearl’s castle. Pearl, Bobo and the Brain Guy now have a home. There’s a fun routine when the Bots come up with a device to transport Mike’s most precious objects. There’s a bonus feature that explains how this film came about. It Lives By Night (season 10) brings us the threat of werebats! A couple hiking in the desert during their honeymoon end up with the husband being bit by a bat. But he gets something worse than rabies. He needs blood and doesn’t care where it comes from. Pearl sprays Mike and the Bots in hopes of making them mutants. Mike and Crow get into a mustache growing contest. This is just another collection that will fill your night with quips.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Black Dynamite: Season One brings the over the top retro fun of the movie to the animated mayhem that’s Adult Swim. The movie was a tribute to the low budget ’70s black action films that made legends out of Jim Brown, Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, Jim Kelly, Rudy Ray Moore and Pam Grier. The animated version really ups the fun. The Blu-ray has all 10 episodes and the pilot episode. “Just Beat It or Jackson Five Across Yo’ Eyes” puts Black Dynamite on a security detail for Michael Jackson. While it seems like the future King of Pop is being abused by his father, a more dangerous story comes out. “Bullhorn Nights or Murder She Throats” has him going undercover to make sure the first interracial adult film gets made. Who would stop that feature film? “Taxes and Death or Get Him to the Sunset Strip!” makes him protect Richard Pryor from himself. “A Crisis at Christmas or The Dark Side of the Dark Side of the Moon” puts him on a NASA mission with O.J. Simpson. Can he survive being in orbit with the Juice? “Seed of Kurtis AKA Father Is Just Another Word For Motherf#@ker” is a disturbing time with living puppet Kurtis the Frog. This isn’t a regular Sesame Street adventure. Black Dynamite is high energy and retro rush on the screen. There’s just something so addictive about a show that takes place inside a Whorpanage. The Blu-ray includes Digital HD Ultraviolet.

DVD SHELF

Under the Skin gives an alien performance from Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers). She’s going around Scotland seducing men like a Trainspotting groupie. Elements of the film really give the feeling found in The Man Who Fell To Earth except Scarlett isn’t quite as human as Bowie’s Thomas Newton. What is she doing on Earth? Why must she kill other people? This is not the kind of movie you watch with that guy who has to constantly ask questions when there’s a silent moment on the screen. You’ll be answering more questions than a presidential spokesperson in that case. They might go quite a few times in the film since Scarlett gives us a view of what’s she’s like inside her skin. In the glory days of VHS, this would be a part of the videotape that would be stretched thin thanks to overuse of the pause button. You might want to spring for the Blu-ray if you have a thing for her Marvel action. The bonus features include a featurette on the movie and the Ultraviolet stream and digital download. And because I care, here’s the red band trailer.

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn starts off with the traumatic news that Robin Williams only has 90 minutes to live. Sadly he does not use this time to apologize for Patch Adams or return to stand up. His character Henry Altmann is a complete dick and he thinks other people like him for being a douchebag. When Mila Kunis (That ’70s Show) examines him, she gives him a ticking clock of mortality. This leads him on a race to say goodbye to those who should have mattered more in his life. He wants to patch things up with his ex-wife, Melissa Leo (Treme). He really wants to get on the good side of his spiritual brother played by Peter Dinklage. These scenes allow Dinklage to remind us that he can play comic moments without being around by hookers and heads on pikes. Can Williams set things right before he dies? Or is he doomed to just be remembered as a jerk? Fans of Game of Thrones must be warned that Dinklage has combed hair. The bonus features include a gag reel and an Ultraviolet access.

No Vacancy is another reminder why if you have plans to go to Las Vegas, book a flight with Southwest Air. Do not drive through the desert if you have any desire to live. Do not check into out of the way motels that have secluded rooms around back. Why? Because you’re just signing your own permission slip for death. That’s exactly what happens to seven friends who are looking for a party weekend in Sin City. Instead they have SUV issues. Sure the high desert locals are very helpful. But it turns out that they have motives for wanting to get their motel rooms all booked up for the night. Very quickly their hospitality turns into Motel Hell 2.0. What’s really interesting is that this film comes from writer/director Christopher Stokes who previously made the dance epic You’ve Been Severed. Now he’s made You’ve Been Severed. This is the perfect film to show your buddy who thinks flying to Vegas is a waste.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga Classics contains the tops 10 fan-favorite episodes as tabulated by reviews on TV.com. So if you didn’t rate your favs, it’s your own fault. The collection of the original animated series arrives just as the Michael Bay big screen version arrives this summer. These really are my favorite moments with the pizza eating sewer dwellers. Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo and Leonardo have been kicking mutant ass for 30 years. The bonus features include a look back at the turtles, artist interviews and diehard fans discussing their devotion. I still remember buying one of their first comics when they were over-sized affairs. The comic book guy told me Radioactive Hamsters was going to be a bigger sensation. Never bet against the cold blooded reptiles controlling the imagination.

Hercules: Hero, God, Warrior brings together 3 specials from A&E and the History Channel. Fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000 will delight in Biography’s “Hercules: Power of the Gods” since Jack Perkins introduces the special. You can see who Mike is always spoofing on the DVDs. The other two specials are “Clash of the Gods: Hercules” and “In Search of History: The Greek Gods.” After watching all three episodes, you’ll know more about the mythology than from the Rock’s upcoming Hercules movie. They dig through conventional knowledge and archaeological digs. This is a properly educational experience.

Once Upon A Time in Vietnam stars Dustin Nguyen of 21 Jump Street fame. There’s a battle between a quiet little town and a crime boss who wants absolute control. He won’t settle for anything less than full submission. An employee of the emperor shows up at the town looking for deserters. While he hates the crime boss, he uncovers that the main defender of the villagers is AWOL from the emperor’s army. Can he capture this man or will he fight with him against the crime boss? What is a priority in the soldier’s heart? The movie was written, produced and directed by Nguyen. What’s interesting is that as a child Nguyen left Vietnam as the communists took over. Now he’s returned to make this major fantasy film. The DVD comes with interviews and a way to get access to the Ultraviolet stream and download.

Stage Fright is the perfect horror film for those wanting a slasher film that takes place at a drama-riffic stage camp. Who doesn’t want to see an episode of Glee mixed with the cast of Hostel? There are those moments when a person has had enough of the singing and dancing. And that person is at a drama camp. But is it Allie MacDonald? While she’s stuck cleaning up in the kitchen, she’s really a talented performer. Her dad (Meat Loaf) is holding her back. But she wants to be in the big end of camp production. She has to overcome the trauma of her talented mother (Minnie Driver) being murder. Once the killings take place at the camp, she fears the killer wants to ice her too. This is a fine movie for watching after you’ve wrapped up your time at an arts camp.

NYPD Blue: Season 06 marks the transition from Jimmy Smits to Rick (not Ricky) Schroder. It’s an emotional changing of the detectives since Smit’s Detective Bobby Simone doesn’t merely transfer to another part of Manhattan. He starts the season feeling rather out of it. After a few more cases, he gets rushed to the hospital. He’s in a near fatal condition. He needs a heart transplant. Will he survive the surgery and retire early? Since he’s out of commission either way, Detective Danny Sorenson (Schroder) arrives from Narcotics. He doesn’t have a good reputation. Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) has to deal with the bumpy partner change. Things get worse for him later in the season when his girlfriend gets marked for death by a mobster. He seems ready to emotionally meltdown as God (or Steven Bochco and David Milch) turns on him. This was a big season for the already huge cop show.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/08/03/party-favors-at-the-movies/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/06/22/party-favors-the-final-countdown/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/06/22/party-favors-the-final-countdown/#respond Mon, 23 Jun 2014 02:04:32 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18124 Joe Corey remembers Casey Kasem...]]>

HOLLYWOOD — The only fitting death for Casey Kasem was for him to be pushed off a 40 story building by an old man in a rubber mask. It would have tied up his life. Sadly our last vision of Casey is him being wheeled in a stretcher while his wife threw hamburger at the EMTs. It was a bumpy exit for a man who made his living with a smooth voice.

It was a sad day when Casey finally passed away after a long struggle,. His voice had an impact on my life. As an army brat growing up on bases in West Germany, Casey’s American Top 40 was important when it aired on Armed Forces radio. It was the best way of knowing what was really popular music on the other side of the ocean. Most of the musical experience around the base involved lederhosen slapping. My parents weren’t cool enough to take us to see Kraftwerk or Neu! Casey made sure that we knew the 40 songs that were in heavy rotation. Even upon returning to America, Casey remained a good thing to hear. It was 4 hours of radio without having to hear the same Eagles song twice. His prime was at a time when pop radio provided a fine mix of rock, pop, soul and country. This was before Clear Channel destroyed radio by turning your markets’ stations into a segregated demographic penal colony. You could grow up knowing about the Rolling Stones, Chic and Eddie Rabbit.

The best thing about Casey’s legacy is that he wasn’t part of the corrupt musical world. He merely read the Top 40 as listed in Billboard magazine. He had no pull over who was #1. Bands could never hate Casey because they didn’t give him enough payola. Nobody had to deliver a dumptruck of cocaine at Casey’s pool to hear the timpani before their song is announced. That’s not to say labels couldn’t bribe various elements that got a song on the charts. Casey was above the dirty business of payola as he counted down. The only thing he picked was the music for the long distance dedication segment. He seemed honest about those musical moments and their tales of regret, lost love and dead pets. Who knows how many labels had secretaries write heartbreaking letters to nail down the heartbreaking exposure for a band. Here’s Casey’s first big long distance dedication as a girl talks about her stalking George Harrison. This story-song was a minor hit for Casey.

Perhaps the most shocking part of Casey’s countdown career was when he entered the music video era with American Top 10 on TV. After years of hearing the guy, it was kind of a shock to see a dweebish guy in a sweater. That was him? Although this is true of any disc jockey not named Wolfman Jack. I’m happy to find a clip that has Casey talking about Eddie Rabbit so you can get a taste of Casey on the small screen.

The second biggest thing Casey did was provide voices for two of my favorite cartoons. He was Shaggy on Scooby-Doo for nearly half a century. Forget Dick Clark, Casey was the world’s oldest slacker teenager. He also provided the voice of Robin on Super Friends. His Robin wasn’t the wimpiest person in the Hall of Justice thanks to Aquaman.

Casey also acted for American International Pictures which is bonus cultural cool points. He played a hardcore biker in The Glory Stompers. He rode as part of Dennis Hopper’s gang. He was passing out a few hits with bullets at the drive-in. Casey also appeared in The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant. Sadly he was neither head. Shame they didn’t give him a chance to have him share a body with Wolfman Jack.

Over the past few years, I’ve grown to appreciate Casey’s work thanks to WKIX-FM running vintage American Top 40s from the ’70s and ’80s on the weekends. The episodes are perfect at capturing of what was really playing on the radio way back when. There are musical moments that must have been sponsored by more cocaine supplied at the Scarface fantasy weekend camp. Today’s classic rock and oldies stations are revisionist history. They remove the music that might have been a hit back then, but isn’t seen as cool anymore. They don’t want you to enjoy Eddie Rabbit with your hourly play of “Brandy.” They turn bands that had a few Top 40 songs into One Hit Wonders. One hopes that Casey’s original broadcasts are preserved at the Library of Congress since it is history for your ears.

Casey Kasem won’t be missed simply because his voice will never leave us. His old shows are perfect time capsules of an era when pop music mattered. His voice will always be on Scooby-Doo reruns since that show will never vanish from the dial. His long distance dedications still strike a chord with people eager to be healed by the magic of Abba. What is nice is knowing that when Casey went to Heaven, he must have been first greeted by Snuggles.

PEAKING TIME

Sure Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery isn’t due out on Blu-ray until July 29, but I’m aching for all the extras. Now David Lynch teases us with his chat with Leland Palmer. The resolution and color timing for the Blu-rays appear to be jaw dropping.

SCREAM FACTORY

The Monkey’s Paw features what’s often considered the grossest of “lucky charms.” Who thinks that it’s a cool to hang onto the chopped off and crusty part of an ape? But maybe the dream that it gives you three wishes if a bigger allure than its gross nature. Jake Tilton (Transformers‘ C.J. Thomason) gets his hand on a monkey’s paw. But he doesn’t really get to enjoy his first two wishes since they involve bringing back an annoying coworker (Tony Cobb) from the grave. As in anything that gives wishes, there’s a serious curse blowback. Things get nasty as the pressure rises for that third wish. Jake’s not jake with the deal. Corbin Blue and Charles S. Button join in on the supernatural nightmare. The Monkey’s Paw is a Chiller network original production. There’s a good tension in the film as the dream of three wishes turns into the nasty reality that Jake has three wishes based off a dead monkey’s paw. It’s a fine little horror film. The bonus feature is a commentary track with director Brett Simmon, cinematographer Scott Winig and Thomason. There’s also a behind the scenes featurette.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Sugar Cookies launched the cinematic careers of Oliver Stone and Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman. This film deserves special treatment and thankfully the guys at Vinegar Syndrome has delivered it. This Blu-ray transfer makes this look better than any Troma film has ever achieved. The luxury treatment is worth the effort to give a clear view of Mary Woronov (Death Race 2000 & Rock N Roll High School). She’s the man character in this psychological revenge drama with a kink twist. A model gets tricked into suicide by a dirty film director. Woronov might be a lover to both. She gets back at him by turning Lynn Lowry (Radley Metzger’s The Score) into the dead girl. What is the end game? No need to give it away. Woronov is amazing in the role the 1080p makes her dazzle even when taking a bath. The bonus features include video interview with Kaufman, Lowry and Woronov. Turns out Woronov’s ex-husband directed the film. She wasn’t happy when he cast himself in a stag film hooking up with another woman. Woronov deserves a Kennedy Center Honors. There’s also a DVD so you can watch Sugar Cookies in standard definition.

Runaway Nightmare brings true glory to a truly independent film made during the late ’70s and eventually finished in the early ’80s. Filmmaker Mike Cartel digs deep into the kind of weirdness that would never escape the development hell of a Hollywood studio. This movie is what would happen if Samuel Beckett had made a movie for Roger Corman. There’s a pure absurdist nature to the film. Two guy are running a worm farm in the desert. During their time under the sun, they notice a crate being buried nearby. When they dig it up, they find a nude woman. They rescue her, but their reward is being captured by a female cult. Will they survive? Who tried to bury the girl in the first place? What about the worm? Can anybody think of the poor worms that are missing these two guys? While the topic seems to suggest massive adult content, there’s not much skin on the screen. You show this to your grandmother if you want to freak her out. There’s some weird timing that makes Runaway Nightmare compelling viewing. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack is only being released with 1,000 copies. Order this one quickly if you desire to explore the weirdness. The big bonus feature is director Cartel’s commentary. He’s got plenty of stories about the process of making the film. They also include the “nude” moments that were hacked into the video release to spice things up for rental action.

Peekarama: Baby Rosemary & Hot Lunch is a double dose from director John Hayes. These are two films that used the marquee to lure in the unsuspecting. Baby Rosemary is not quite Rosemary’s Baby. Rosemary (Sharon Thorpe) is still a virgin even though her boyfriend is John Leslie. She’s about to leave town for a teaching job when she show up at her dad’s motel to say goodbye. However a couple gives her a major traumatic moment. Then things get extra strange when her dad returns from the grave and she finds herself attracted to a guy who hasn’t been the nicest of men towards her. It’s just a poor mess for her. Hot Lunch provides no cooking tips. John Martin (Pretty Peaches 3) gets fired from a crummy diner and dumped by his wife for his inability to boogie at the disco. His divorce lawyer finds him work. He ultimately does jobs on a few of her clients including the adult icon Desiree Cousteau. This is goofy adult action from that time when plot mattered. Both films must have gotten in plenty of confused viewers thanks to the marquees.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

True Detective is perfect to watch on home video since it’s an 8 hour movie that deserves to be seen on one long weekend marathon. The cop show mixes the best elements of Twin Peaks, The Wire and Hill Street Blues. Detective “Rust” Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Detective Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) investigate a homicide scene in a rural part of Louisiana. The body has been ritually marked and displayed including a set of antlers. This will not be a simple case and these are not simple detectives. Marty depicts himself as the by the book family man. He turns out to be neither. Over the years covered in the series, his approach to life gets torn apart. Rust has it even worse as elements of the case overtake his life. Even when they have their suspects and glory, he senses that things aren’t over. He becomes a haunted man who loses himself in metaphysics and Lone Star beer. There is a richness to all elements on True Detective. McConaughey and Harrelson are serious in the cop roles and not merely playing stoners on patrol. The show is the ultimate reason McConaughey won the Oscar. He sealed the deal by creating a cop who loses himself in the case instead of making another crappy romantic comedy. The 1080p Blu-ray looks amazing since most people who watch the series only saw it in 1080i. You can really get into Adam Arkapaw’s cinematography as the atmosphere goes between normal cops to supernatural. This series is an amazing feat for writer Nic Pizzolatto and director Cary Joji Fukunaga that puts them in the company of those great European TV shows that are treated as cinema such as Das Boot and Berlin Alexanderplatz. True Detective is the best movie of the year. Bonus features on the Blu-ray include commentary tracks that let T Bone Burnett chime into the conversation. The Inside the Episode pieces add a touch of understanding. Do not watch them until you’ve seen the episode.

Vinyl is based on a true rock ‘n roll story. Once upon a time in the ’80s there was a band called The Alarm. They had a few hits even though their most enduring mark was their spiky haircuts. The band reunited and wanted to release a new single. No major label wanted to deal with old musicians with new music. It’s a Logan’s Run situation. The movie fictionalizes the events. In this case Johnny Jones (Phil Daniels) doesn’t get discouraged when he’s ignored by the industry. He plots how to make them interested in the song by giving it pure youth appeal. He gets a bunch of young kids to mime along with the record. He pulls a Milli Vanilli. The record companies now think the song is great. The song does become a hit. Everything appears to be going great until the kids decide they want to be a real band. Can the truth destroy everything? It’s a fun rock movie. Being based on a real story makes things not feel so outlandish

DVD SHELF

I Spy: The Complete Series brought espionage back to the nuts and bolts business instead of high tech gadgets. While every other show was doing its best to make the new James Bond, I Spy wanted to remind us that ultimately the intelligence game is about people. The show picked two amazing people to lead the investigations. Robert Culp and Bill Cosby roamed the globe using the cover of Kelly Robinson (Culp) as a tennis pro and Alexander Scott (Cosby) as his trainer. At the time, Cosby was merely a stand up comic, but he immediately grasps the acting tone necessary to pull off an amazing buddy show. Him and Culp come off as tight friends as well as fellow field agents. Unlike Mission: Impossible, I Spy really did take the production around the globe for exteriors. They didn’t merely resort to stock footage. Culp and Cosby were in Hong Kong, Mexico City, Greece, Italy and other foreign locations. They were the original version of Anthony Bourdain. The mixing of real footage with sets back in Hollywood might have made I Spy the most complex production schedule until Game of Thrones. But this little touch makes it even more special of a series. When the show started airing in 1965, there were plenty of TV stations (especially in the South) that didn’t like the idea of white and black spies working as peers. The show only lasted three seasons. NBC shifted the timeslot in the third season where it was smushed between The Big Valley and The Carol Burnett Show. This is a shame since Cosby and Culp are great in the roles. They have the ability to go from glib to serious without coming off as spoofy. The 82 episodes in the boxset are addictive and fun. Don’t let that crummy remake movie with Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson taint the original.

The Angela Mao Ying Collection brings another six titles from the Fist Lady of Golden Harvest Films. She and Bruce Lee were the superstars for the new Hong Kong studio in the early ’70s. She’s known as Lady Whirlwind since she had no problem throwing punches and kicks at a mob of men. The Tournament (1974) and The Himalayan (1976) are two films that deal with men having to win major fighting matches. When Taekwondo Strikes (1973) puts her in Korea with Sammo Hung. They must help the locals against the occupying Japanese. Broken Oath (1977) is a revenge drama that forces a pregnant mother to plot from behind prison walls. A Queen’s Ransom (1976) is George Lazenby plotting to kill Queen Elizabeth during her trip to Hong Kong. Angela is part of his evil hit team. Strange to think of James Bond looking to take out his former boss. Stoner (1974) was supposed to be Bruce Lee’s follow up to Game of Death. It was going to team up Lee with George Lazenby and Sonny Chiba. That’s right, a movie starring Bruce, James Bond and The Street Fighter. But after his death, the budget was slashed and Sonny stayed in Japan. Golden Harvest made the movie with Angela as the mysterious woman investigating a religious cult that might be pushing a drug that seems like ecstasy on the kids around the world. Lazenby is an Australian cop who flies to Hong Kong to tear things apart. He doesn’t look too bad using his kung fu moves even if he fights phonetically. This collection allows a new generation to realize that Angela Mao Ying kicked as much cinematic ass as the boys.

Joe has nothing to do with me. Although it was directed by a classmate and written by an old instructor. Longtime readers of this column will recall the numerous times I offered Nic Cage $20 to play me in my parents’ Christmas video. Sadly that is not a bonus feature. What gets me about this low budget film is that there seems to be a dozen producers and not one of them is named Joe. As a Joe, I find this rather disheartening. How can you make a movie called Joe and not have at least a token Joe? This is not a remake of Peter Boyles’ Joe. Instead Nic Cage plays an ex-con who must help out the abused Tye Sheridan (Mud). The kid works on his tree poisoning crew. For the most part the kid is tortured by his violent alcoholic father played by a real life alcoholic Gary Poulter. The guy didn’t have to dip to hard to deliver this problem. He drowned in a puddle after the film wrapped. It’s rather frustrating that Cage does his best to not crank out another piece of Jerry Bruckheimer crap and it’s rather ignored by viewing audiences. Maybe he should have been begging to star in True Detective 2? Basically Joe is another dip into povertiplotation for director David Gordon Green. What’s odd is that Prince Avalanche was about trees that burned down. Now there’s trees being mass poisoned here. You might not want to watch this film with a tree hugger.

The Soul Man: The Complete First Season brings a little Gospel twist to TVLand. Cedric the Entertainer (Kings of Comedy) is a major Las Vegas entertainer who gives up Sin City to preach at his father’s church in St. Louis. Can he make the transition from glitz to Jesus? Even more questioning is his wife (Reno 911‘s Niecy Nash) having to downgrade her life. “Lost in the Move” has their daughter begging to be the focus of MTV’s Sweet Sixteen. “The Ballentine Hands” brings on Tamar Braxton as a choir singer ringer for a big competition. “Preacher’s Block” guests Anthony Anderson as his old songwriting partner.” J.C. Carpenter’s Gospel Show” marks the arrival of Cee Lo Green as a superstar preacher. He got his start singing backup for Cedric. “Loving Las Vegas” takes the family back. Tim Reid (WKRP) plays a casino manager. All 12 episodes from the first season are in the boxset. The bonus features include interviews with the cast and crew and a music video. It is a little bit of a musical show.

Blood Ties takes us back the a time when Brooklyn was a land of bad asses. Clive Owen (Children of Men) is released from prison. His Billy Crudup (Waking the Dead) is a respected cop. He does his best to help his brother go straight, but does Clive have the tools to not take the criminal path? Who could have fathered two opposite sons? Why it’s James Caan (Rollerball). Clive even gets the good loving of Mila Kunis (That ’70s Show). Also in for the love is Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Returns) and Zoe Saldana (Star Trek). The film was directed by Frenchman Guillaume Canet so it’s a ’70s crime flick filtered through a European eye. I respect Clive Owen’s sideburns. They should have been cast in The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

Bushido Man: Seven Deadly Battles is a recent martial arts quest film. In this case you have Toramaru (Mitsuki Koga) forced to go after seven combatants in order to collect a certain prize. What’s the secret to him getting ready for all those big battles? He must figure out what his opponents eat. Once he knows what goes inside them, he can focus on opening them up with his blade. It’s a Game of Death set up since each of his opponents have different fighting style. There’s a lot of variety to the dining choices and the buttkicking tussles. The bonus feature is a making of featurette.

Transformers Animated: The Complete Series revived the show from 2007 to 2009 on the Cartoon Network. The show retells the story of how the Autobots came to Earth. Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Bulkhead, Prowl and Bumblebee locate the Allspark in space. While they want to take it home, they get attacked by Decepticons. This ultimately leads to the crashing on Earth. This leads to the robots learning the local culture and continuing the battle with the Decepticons. There’s an issue with the Allspark that makes for more action as the seasons continue. The 42 episodes have more Transformers arriving on Earth. They just won’t stop. Among the voice on the show is Tom Kenny (SpongeBob) and Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick). The bonus feature is audio commentary.

Fracknation is a documentary that attempts to “answer” Gasland. This is always a tricky thing to do without looking like you’re heat stealing. Phellim McAleer explores the method of hydraulic fracturing to release natural gas and petroleum. Does it really destroy the well water and cause sink faucets to release dangerous gas? He seems to think that Gasland‘s claims are overblown. Which filmmaker is right? Maybe we need to refer to the great Richard Feyman who wrote in The Meaning Of It All about how sometimes science isn’t wrong so much as the ability to measure results aren’t quite there yet. Maybe the stuff that slowly working its way back up? What’s the deal with all the earthquakes? Fracknation makes the case that poor people who allow their land to be fracked are able to survive on their royalties. Do we really know what the price is yet for the land that has been altered by the process? The creation of energy is a dirty nasty business. Even giant windmill generators have serious issues for people living near them. While Fracknation tries to explore with a journalistic objective attitude, it comes off with too much of a chip on its shoulder trying to prove it doesn’t have a real agenda. Can either film really sum up a real conclusion?

Duck Dynasty: Season 5 is another batch of episodes about the Robertson family. You might know them from being plastered on every item sold to humanity. Their marketing has made them bigger than Disney characters. You can’t escape their glare in Walmart. Sure they made a fortune with their Duck Commander hunting brand, but they’re Oprah rich thanks to the show. They’re back for 10 episodes of down home Louisiana family charm. “Boomerang Becca” introduces Willie and Korie’s adopted daughter Rebecca. She had a fashion internship in Los Angeles and now wants to start her own company. Maybe she can put her relatives on camo items? “Willie’s Number Two” has the gang protest when the boss hires a cousin to be his assistant. “Life of Si” puts a camera on the old guy to record his day. Strangely enough, it doesn’t feature hours of other people taking video of him. Willie gets lost trying to go to the LSU football game. “Stand By Mia” is an hour long special with Jim Hacksaw Duggan. There’s bonus deleted scenes and a few featurettes.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/06/22/party-favors-the-final-countdown/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/05/26/party-favors-talking-mad/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/05/26/party-favors-talking-mad/#respond Mon, 26 May 2014 23:49:08 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18113 Joe Corey puts forward a dynamic choice for a Mad Men spinoff...]]>

MANHATTAN – When the “new” season of Mad Men runs next year, AMC needs to have Talking Mad like they did with Talking Bad and Talking Dead. But they do not need to call up Chris Hardwick to host the show. There’s already a Mad Man who can handle the duty.

Who? How about Lou Avery? Lou? Yeah, Lou! Well not exactly Lou. Allan Havey who plays Lou is your Man to talk to the Mad Men cast. Why? Because as far as I’m concerned, Allan Havey is the true King of Late Night TV.

Back in 1989, Allan Havey was Don Draper for cable TV viewers. He hosted Night After Night on the Comedy Channel (before it merged with HA! to become Comedy Central). His late night talkshow was hip, cool and cultish. He did things on his talkshow that Steve Allen never imagined. He’s the real father of The Daily Show. You want a little taste of prime cut Allan?

Besides myself, do you know who was glued to Havey’s Night After Night? A young boy in the midwest named Jon Hamm lived for the shag and bag. Who do you think Hamm would want to talk about the impact of Don Draper after the final episode: Chris Hardwick or Allan Havey? Doesn’t Hardwick have enough shows on TV now? Here’s another sample of what Havey can bring out of a guest:

AMC needs to just give Havey the hour after the show. Have the guests walk into Lou Avery’s office. Reunite him with Nick Bakay as the Shagmaster General. And just let the love flow. If you don’t hire Havey and go for Hardwick, I curse the suits at AMC with Spotted Dick.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Peekarama: Deep Tango & Young Secretaries is a double feature of semi-spoofs. Deep Tango combines the glory of Deep Throat with Marlon Brando’s Last Tango In Paris. It really does make fun of both films unlike the recent Deep Roots. They have several spoofings scenes including the meeting on the train platform. The most hilarious is the mocking of the classic butter scene. This time the filmmakers introduce the french bread to the action. They even have a theme song that you can dance to. Young Secretaires seems to be a play on the Young Nurses movies. This is the simple joyful plot of a bunch of bosses getting some action from their nubile assistants. But are they getting the upperhand on the old guys? The films are from 1974 so don’t get shocked by the vintage grooming.

Jungle Blue goes ape with its legit home video debut. This adult feature was the strangest attempt to draft on Dino DeLaurentiis’ King Kong and almost predicts Bo Derek’s Tarzan. A group of explorers head deep into the jungle on a treasure hunt. The group meet a loin cloth wearing Tarzan-esque guy. While that’s not unusual in the adult world, the ape man has a gorilla pal who doesn’t mind doing more than throwing feces at the ladies. You think Ron Jeremy is hairy, wait until you see this Kong go king on a few females. This movie proves that bizarre adult action wasn’t invented in 21st century Gonzo videos.

Peekarama: Pretty Peaches 2 & Pretty Peaches 3 – The Quest is double feature directed by Alex deRenzy. Don’t worry that you’re not getting the original Pretty Peaches since neither of these films will feel like you’re missing out on story. And Desiree Cousteau doesn’t play Peaches in either of these sequels. Basically she’s a girl who goes through a series of carnal mishaps with odd characters as she seeks enlightenment. Pretty Peaches 2 has Siobhan Hunter hitting the road after her mother seduces her boyfriend (Peter North). She visits a bizarre set of relatives that includes Ron Jeremy in a frightening suit that might blow out the color in your HDTV. Jamie Gillis arrives as a dirty version of Medea. Pretty Peaches 3 – The Quest stars Keisha on the road to see a televangelist played by Jamie Gillis. Things go weird for the gal and she ends up with the guy who played Sticks on Happy Days. Keisha (Beer League) does a fine job in the role. She has an amazing naive look while still being able to deliver her lines. Don’t worry too much about starting in the middle of the series since both Pretty Peaches stand up on their own.

SCREAM FACTORY

Nosferatu The Vampyre is a retelling of the original vampire flick from the legendary Werner Herzog. The film is based on F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu except Werner gets to employee color and sound to his undead version of Dracula. Klaus Kinski (Aguirre Wrath of God) is perfect as Count Dracula with his natural creepy nature adding to the makeup effects. Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) heads out to Transylvania to show off real estate to the Count. His client merely is interested in a picture of Harker’s wife (Isabella Adjani). This leads the Count taking a boat trip that ends up bringing lots of rats to the German town. While the Count drains the blood from the townspeople, his own heart is stolen by Mrs. Harker. This is an extreme art film in the horror genre. The music is good and creepy. Herzog doesn’t go for cheap scares on the screen. The film holds up well after 35 years. Herzog shot the film in English and German (although French actors were dubbed in both cuts). The dual movies are here. Herzog gives away his secrets on the commentary track. There’s also vintage featurette on the film. Herzog looks so young.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

The Honeymooners “Classic 39” Episodes deserves an extra edition of the Brooklyn Bugle. One of the all time classic sitcoms finally looks more elegant that the rundown apartment that hosted so much of the action. Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) wants to escape his life as a NYC bus driver. He comes up with amazing schemes to become rich. His best pal Ed Norton (Art Carney) works in the sewer yet lives a little sweeter one flight. The only thing keeping Ralph in check is his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows). She is the only thing that can bring silence from his big mouth. Ed’s wife Trixie (Joyce Randolph) is Alice’s biggest fan. The show as a proper sitcom only lasted for 39 episodes. Jackie Gleason started the characters as a sketch on his variety show. CBS wanted the show as a sitcom, but after a while, Jackie wanted to do more than Ralph. He revived his variety show and did a few more Honeymooner sketches. These episodes are scared for TV fanatics. They’ve been repeated for over 60 years and still seem fresh. This is the best the episodes have ever looked. Fans will react with joy to the extra resolution. The details will be amazing. Bonus features include early anniversary specials and Jackie’s legendary 60 Minutes profile with extra footage. This Blu-ray will take you to the Moon.

The Andy Griffith Show: Season 1 takes you back to Mayberry with a Blu-ray glow. Growing up in North Carolina, the series is often confused with a book of the Bible. There’s a state law that Andy Griffith must be shown once a day on the TV. But we never saw the show so cleanly as these 1080p resolutions. It’s like you’re really in the jail cell. The first season is great because Elinor Donahue (Father Knows Best) plays Andy’s sweetheart Ellie. This was her only season so cherish her. Barney Fife remains one of the greatest characters on TV. Now you get to see even more of Don Knotts’ face. Cancel your acting lessons and merely watch these episodes. This will teach you everything about the approach to creating laughs. The bonus features included the Return to Mayberry TV movie. They also have the backdoor pilot when Danny Thomas got busted by Andy in Mayberry. There’s also Ron Howard’s family home movies from the backlot. This is a reason why your country aunt needs to buy a Blu-ray.

I Love Lucy: Ultimate Season 1 is the ultimate view of Lucy. Do I really need to explain I Love Lucy? Cause it is the building block of every sitcom. They want to be as good as I Love Lucy. They want a cast as fantastic. They want to have as many episodes. They want to be in syndication for decades. This is a black and white series that’s still beloved by an audience that now demands everything in living color. They accept a crazy redhead who has grey hair on the screen. The show will now keep going thanks to the HDTV transfers that brings out the subtle genius of William Frawley. This is the way to experience her zany schemes. The bonus features include plenty of her My Favorite Husband radio shows that set up the TV show. The original pilot is included. There’s screen tests, audio commentaries, original openings, Philip Morris commercials and lots of background facts. This is what Lucy fans have been craving to possess. This is the perfect Mother’s Day gift no matter when you give it to her.

The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete Series finally allows fans to get seasons 5 & 6. Don’t get bitter because the big reason to upgrade is that this collection doesn’t have flipper discs. All the episodes are on the same side of the DVD. Shout! Factory has imported all the original bonus features from the Fox releases including the commentaries and gag reel. The new bonus features include a roundtable chat that reunited Bob, Peter Bonerz (Jerry the Dentist), Jack Riley (Mr. Carlin) and Bill Daily (Howard). “The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary” special from 1991 expands on the ending of Newhart. It’s a clip show with a purpose as Bob deals with his dream of life in Vermont. The most important find is the original pilot for the series. While elements of the script were rewritten into other episodes, they didn’t take air the pilot. Jerry has a different job and Bob spends more time dealing with his neighbors. The Bob Newhart Show ran for 6 seasons with 142 episodes and never had a down season. Bob played Bob Hartley, a Chicago psychologist who had a rather interesting group of patients. A major part of the comedy came from the group therapy session that allowed the various personalities to give each other the business. Bob had the ultimate TV wife in Emily (Birds‘ Suzanne Pleshette), She had the ability to keep him in check yet still needed his help when necessary. “Fly The Unfriendly Skies” has her joining Bob and his therapy group to overcome her fear of being in the air. This was one of the best sitcoms to ever aired and to have it complete is a thrill.

Rawhide: The Eighth and Final Season brings to an end the endless cattle drive. Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) had been promoted to Trail boss when Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) rode off into the sunset (and drowned while making a movie in Peru). Sadly Yate’s run at the top only lasted 13 episodes. Why did the show end so abruptly? My only guess is that the producers must have been resistant to breaking out the color film since CBS was finally going color in 1965. Odds are high that Clint Eastwood didn’t start a “Save Rawhide campaign since he was becoming an international star in Spaghetti Westerns. He would soon board a plane to make The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The episodes are still good. “Encounter at Boot Hill” brings a showdown with Simon Oakland (Kolchak: The Night Stalker) and Timothy Carey (Paths of Glory). “Walk Into Terror” strides with Claude Akins (Sheriff Lobo), Bruce Dern and Raymond St. Jacques (Come back, Charleston Blue). Rip Torn (The Larry Sanders Show) is your “Escort to Doom.” Rowdy get threatened to hang in “Hostages for Hanging.” Helping with the lynching is Warren Oates (The Wild Bunch) and Robert Blake. “Duel at Daybreak” puts Charles Bronson against Eastwood. “Crossing at White Feather” ends the show with Rowdy hiring the wrong man that leads to the herd in jeopardy. It was a quick and painless end for the drovers. But they’ll forever be remembered for keeping those doggies movin’.

The Revengers reunites William Holden and Ernest Borgnine a few years after their triumph in The Wild Bunch. This is not a sequel. Holden is a rancher who goes off on the hunting trip. He comes home to find his life has been destroyed. He wants to get revenge on the men who destroyed his family. He “hires” a crew of outlaws to go after the outlaw. Among the cut throats are Borgnine and Woody Strode (Spartacus). It’s a fine Western to give dad on Father’s Day.

Happy Day: The Fifth Season brings three of the major moments in the series history: Leather Tuscadero, Mork from Ork and Jumping the Shark. “Hollywood” was a three part special that took the Happy Days gang out to California. A movie producer thinks he can turn the Fonz into the next James Dean. But things don’t quite go according to plan. This leads to the semi-infamous TV moment when the Fonz gets on water skis to leap over a caged shark. Will he get his thumb chewed off by Jaws? Many people have turned “Jump the Shark” into the moment that a show ceases to be cool. But that’s not right since “Fonzie – Rock Entrepreneur” marks the arrival of Leather Tuscadero. She’s Pinky’s rocking younger sister. She’s not welcomed by the law because of her troubled youth. But the Fonz wants her to play. Rocker Suzi Quatro rules the role. The biggest real event of the season was “My Favorite Orkan.” Mork (Robin Williams) arrives in Milwaukee and wants to take Richie (Ron Howard) back to his planet. It’s up to the Fonz to save his buddy from being alien abducted. Soon after Mork and Mindy would become another hit and turn Robin Williams into a superstar. As much as folks want to write the series off after the Shark Jump; introducing America to Robin Williams and Suzy Quatro kept it cool.

LA Law: Season Two marks the arrival of Blair Underwood as the suave lawyer Jonathan Rollins to the team at McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak. He give Jimmy Smits and Corbin Bensen a challenge for staff hunk. Also on the floor is Larry Drake who was so good at playing Benny, the clerk that people thought he was his character. The 20 episodes keep up the sexy escapades at the firm. “The Lung Goodbye” brings up the subject of suing tobacco companies. Shannon Tweed gets divorced which means she’s free to marry Gene Simmons. “Auld L’Anxiety” makes Grace (Susan Dey) beg a witness to testify against a nasty group. “The Bald Ones” brings the FDA’s required dosage of Jeffrey Tambor (The Larry Sanders Show & Arrested Development). “Chariots of Meyer” pits Grace against James Earl Jones. Is it a fair fight between Darth Vader and Laurie Partridge? LA Law remains a smooth and slick peak into the people on the Bar.

Perry Mason Movie Collection – Volume 2 brings six more cases from Raymond Burr’s return to his iconic legal role. He’s a little bit heavier and mobile, but he hasn’t lost a step in the court room. “The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel” puts Perry and Della Street (Barbara Hale) on the cover of a tabloid for an alleged affair. Robert Guillaume (Benson) is the publisher spreading such a lie. When he ends up dead, Perry must find the real killer. William Katt (The Greatest American Hero) is Paul Drake Jr, Perry’s main investigator. “The Case of the Avenging Ace” puts Larry Wilcox (CHiPs) in cuffs for homicide. Erin Gray (Buck Rogers) and Patty Duke (The Patty Duke Show) are tangled in the military intrigue. “The Case of the Musical Murder” has a Broadway director dying and an underling behind bars. Somehow Jerry Orbach and Debbie Reynolds might be part of the encore for elimination. “The Case of the Lady in the Lake” busts David Hasselhoff for killing his rich wife. What? The Hoff? There’s more hunk on the screen with the arrival of John Beck (Rollerball). Still it’s the young Hof in serious trouble and not a cheeseburger in sight. “The Case of the All-Star Assassin” has a hated pro sports team owner found dead. Nobody loved the guy. What sort of major sports team owner can be so hated? The star guests include Deidre Hall, Bruce Greenwood (Exotica), Shari Belafonte and Pernell Roberts For those of you who haven’t picked up Volume 1, the six titles have now been released as double feature single DVDs. These separated titles include Double Feature 1: Perry Mason Returns/The Case of the Notorious Nun, Double Feature 2: The Case of the Lost Love/The Case of the Shooting Star and Double Feature 3: The Case of the Murdered Madam/The Case of the Sinister Spirit. Volume 3 with another 6 cases is slated for release on August 5. For those curious, Burr made 26 Perry Mason movies.

Martial Arts Movie Marathon is a collection of 4 post-Bruce Lee Hong Kong action films from Golden Harvest. These films have all the buttkicking glory you’d expect from a Kung Fu Theater on TV. All the movies are anamorphic so they fill your home big screen. You can also choose between the Chinese soundtrack and the English dub. There are English subtitles for those wanting the authentic experience. The Skyhawk has Kwan Tak Hing as the legendary Wong Fei Hong. He has to battle a few local crime lords to get justice. Hing played Wong Fei Hong for years in movies. The Manchu Boxer is about a tournament run by an evil warlord. A travelling man is forced into the fight. Sammo Hung and Liu Yung get into the ring. The Dragon Tamers is the second movie directed by John Woo (The Killer). This is back when John Woo meant exciting cinema. It’s a good old battle of good vs. evil with fists flying all over the place. Woo’s getting a feel for his dynamic cinema. The Association is not about the NBA. This association is in charge of a major prostitution organization. Angela Mao Ying (Hapkido) must fight to free herself. Fans of Angela Mao Ying will be excited to know that six of her ’70s prime films will be out in The Angela Mao Ying Collection on June 17 from Shout! Factory. Consider this a revival of her career on your DVD player. This marathon is worth enjoying until the break of day or your nose.

Transformers: Energon is the second part of The Unicron Trilogy (following Armada). The series originally aired way back in 2004. Which it turns out was a decade ago. For the casual fan, Energon is the big power source. Once again, the Autobots and the Decepticons are going at it. Megatron wants to have a major comeback and somehow use the Unicron to claim victory over the Earth. There’s plenty of action and exciting soundtrack music. It’s more exciting than any of the Michael Bay movies. The 51 episodes are spread over 7 DVDs.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/05/26/party-favors-talking-mad/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/05/17/party-favors-frame-up/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/05/17/party-favors-frame-up/#respond Sat, 17 May 2014 04:23:56 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18106 Joe Corey returns with a look at this year's Full Frame Documentary Festival...]]>

DURHAM — The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is a four day festival that can leave you emotionally drained like a ten day festival. The ticket takers ought to be passing out Kleenex along with audience award ballots. There’s no shame in crying during a screening because these are real stories about real people. This isn’t merely an actor doing their best to make you sob to win an Oscar. These are real people that sometimes you befriend in the course of 80 minutes. When they hurt, you hurt. When they smile, you smile. And when something goes really good or bad for them, you feel it deep inside yourself.

Once again the festivals selection committee put together a program of the quality non-fiction films from recent festivals and world premieres. This was four days to indulge. From my talk with filmmakers, people are thrilled to get to take part in Full Frame. Quite a few were recovering from SXSW. There were horror stories of being unable to get into screenings and concerts down in Austin. The good part about Full Frame was that even if a movie sells out and you can’t get in with the Last Minute line, you’re a quick dash to the last minute line for another film. Plus Durham has better BBQ.

Here’s a rundown on the films I caught over the four days and few interviews:

Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart recounts how the school teacher in New Hampshire became a national sensation when she was charged for having students kill her husband. This will be worth watching on HBO in the near future. Most of the people involved in the first trial to go gavel to gavel on TV investigates how media played a role in blowing things out of proportion. There are quite a few revelations including how one of the killers would get coked up in prison before being taken to the courtroom to testify. This allowed him to cry better when recounting. The biggest revelation is how Smart can’t get a fair appeal since everyone views her by the two Oscar winning actresses that played her on TV and on the big screen. This woman isn’t Helen Hunt or Nicole Kidman. The documentary has a few key players recounting fictional scenes from the Hollywood adaptations as fact.

The Notorious Mr. Bout is also the case of a man not getting a fair trial thanks to an Oscar winner. Viktor Bout is a Russian citizen who made a fortune with is air cargo fleet in Africa. He quickly was declared “The Merchant of Death” because his business was linked to selling guns to various militias. Lord of War starring Nic Cage was a fictional version of his life. He was finally arrested by the DEA in a sting operation. But was this guy really the monster portrayed by Nic Cage. Filmmakers Tony Gerber & Maxim Pozdorovkin tap into Bout’s home videos to show a man who was more Paul Blart than Lord of War. Was he selling tons of weapons in Africa? Or merely a businessman who didn’t care what his clients wanted to load in the back of his planes? It’s hard to tell. Bout doesn’t come off as a cold blooded Russian mobster. Although if you want to be able to truly get a fair trial and appeal, avoid letting an Oscar winner play you in a film. I sat down with Gerber to discuss how he hooked up with Bout, his wife and the director of Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer. Here’s a chat with Gerber.

Watchers of the Sky delves into the area of Mr. Bout with people who are concerned with genocide. There are too many people who think genocide was just a one time thing that happened during World War II. But it turns out that there’s been a lot of politically and culturally motivated mass killings over the decades. It’s still going on in Sudan. But since nobody wants to get truly involved in “national issues,” major countries do their best to avoid using the “G” word. Why exactly is the head of Sudan treated so well by the Chinese and Bout made a target by the United Nations? Perhaps because his gun running didn’t feature any debt beyond the price for services rendered? Rafeal Lemkin coined the word genocide and did his best with the United Nations to make it a real crime. The movie follows four people doing their best to stop it. Lawyer Benjamin Ferencz took the Nazis to task for their actions and now he lobbies United Nations representatives. It is a tough film, but enlightening. While I didn’t get to see E-Team, there was a lot of praise about the portrayal of Human Rights Watch members that enter warzones to document the crimes against humanity.

Our Man in Tehran is Canada’s setting the record straight when it comes to the events covered in Argo. This is a very even handed approach to the events that led to six American embassy workers hiding out at the Canadian embassy in 1980. Unlike Ben Affleck’s version of events, Our Man sets the stage as to why the Iranian Revolution took place. When the Shah requests to come to America for medical treatment, Jimmy Carter knew there would be a hostage situation. The president was pressured by his advisors to not abandon the royal ally. This eventually led to students taking control of the embassy and ultimately Carter losing reelection. Unlike Argo, the Canadians were more than background extras in getting the Americans smuggled out of the country. Ambassador Ken Taylor and his staff gets to tell the full story. The big ending of Argo was a Hollywood vision. I had a chance to talk with directors Drew Taylor & Larry Weinstein along with executive producer Elena Semikina. There’s a great little story about how Ben Affleck wanted to narrate the movie for them.

Supermensch allows Mike Myers a chance to reclaim his cinematic soul with a documentary about a man who emotionally rescued him. Shep Gordon’s story starts when he bails on a career helping troubled teens after a few hours. He hops in his car, checks into Los Angeles motel and gets knocked out by a woman he tried to help. A few days later, he’s in his hotel room smoking dope with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison. That it turns out is not the greatest story of his life. Jimi would get Shep to manage Alice Cooper. The shock rocker and Shep have been together ever since. Shep understood how to outrage the world through Alice’s antics. He’s the one who brought the chicken on stage in Toronto. Shep put panties on a vinyl record. Shep wasn’t always so dirty. He launched the career of Anne Murray. He revolutionized the way soul singers get treated on tour. He invented the celebrity chef. He managed Groucho Marx to straighten up the legend’s money issues. Even though Shep has done so much and helped so many, he really wishes he had a kid. Shep spoke after the film. Mostly he hates that today’s kids merely want to win a TV contest so they can become superstars overnight. Nobody wants to get experience. Shep came off as such a great guy. I do hope he can find a woman that wants to have his baby. Myers didn’t make the screening because his wife was due to deliver.

Summer 82 When Zappa Came to Sicily is a heartwarming version of the Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter. Filmmaker Salvo Cuccia recounts how astonished he was when it was announced that Frank Zappa was going to play a concert in his hometown of Palermo, Sicily in 1982. Except at the time, he was in the military stationed in Germany. His dad of all people wanted him to see the concert so they drove back. But this isn’t merely about a father and son road trip. The key is that Zappa was videotaping everything on his Italian tour. This footage is amazing with the band getting the grand tour from Massimo Bassoli, a fan who became a tight friend with Zappa. What neither Frank, Massimo or Salvo knew was that the concert was going to turn out to be an Altmont level disaster minus a body count. There was a reason why bands didn’t play Sicily. But this film isn’t merely a recounting of the night of police going nuts. There’s the tale of Frank Zappa visiting his father’s home in a nearby fishing village. His parents appeared to have so little when the left for the promise of America. His widow and children return to the town to see Frank honored. It is a masterful weaving of music, culture and family. Dweezil is brought to tears by the experience. The best news is that the movie represents the family finally opening up the vault to let people see Frank’s shows. I spoke with Massimo Bassoli about his time with Frank and the fact that more footage of the tour should be released when Summer 82 comes out on home video.

20,000 Days on Earth is an unconventional semi-autobiography of musician Nick Cave. The man who set the screen on fire in Wings of Desire gets to play a bit of an angel as an imaginary day in his life explores his entire life. Director’s Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard channel Ken Russell as Nick works with the Bad Seeds on a few new songs that get turned into major numbers at the end of the film. Nick also drops by his personal archive to remember his time with the Birthday Party. Blixa Bargeld pops up in a car to explain why he had to exit from the Bad Seeds. Bandmate Warren Ellis becomes a key figure for Nick in collaborations. The movie isn’t that informative informationally, but gives us a sense of what propels Cave to be a creative force.

The Case of the Three Sided Dream delves into the music and life of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. To a certain degree, Kirk gets reduced to a blind musician who had the ability to play three instruments at once. But he wasn’t merely a one-man band gimmick. He had a true purpose of blending so many instruments at once on stage. Director Adam Kahan places Kirk’s music front and center with so many musical performance. The beauty that Kirk could create flourishes between tales from those who knew him. Kirk’s big moment comes when he comes up with a protest to get more jazz on TV that leads to a spot on The Ed Sullivan Show with Charlie Mingus. I had a chance to talk with Kahan after the screening. At the moment he can only afford the music rights to run the film at festivals so don’t sit around waiting for a home video release. There are quite a few upcoming screenings for those around the country.

Evolution of a Criminal is an extremely personal film for Darius Monroe. He breaks down what drove him to rob a band with two high school classmates. He apologizes to his victims. He really opens up with self examination. He also gets an idea of who snitched him out to the cops, but there’s no retribution in the finale. Spike Lee is associated with the film which should get it a wider release.

The Great Invisible is a reflection on the Deepwater Horizon disaster off the coast of Louisiana. It’s the reason why BP keeps running those annoying ads about how great things are on the Gulf Coast. Well it turns out things aren’t great for everybody. Besides breaking down what went wrong on the floating oil well, we see the effect on people whose lives depended on oil and seafood. The film looks great (classmate Adam Stone was part of the cinematographers), but David Wingo’s slow score did lull me to sleep a few times. Can filmmakers pick up the musical pace? When you are seeing a bunch of films at a festival, there are times when your body wants to take advantage of being in a dark room and grab a nap. Please don’t give us a reason to lull our eyes shut.

Butterfly Girl proved to be the big surprise of the festival for the inspirational and heartbreaking beauty found in a Texas teenager. The movie stood out immediately with its opening song being a rockin’ honky tonk number. A father and his daughter speed down a lonely highway. Dad has a bar band. His daughter Abbie Evans sells concessions. She seems like a normal teenager, but has a major issue. Abbie Evans’ skin can be easily rubbed off. This condition has made her quite delicate. She desires of going off to college. She wants to be held by a boy. But can she handle it? She debates the physical and emotional toll of having reconstructive surgery to restore her hand. It’s all so much for her, but she wants to grow up.

They have been plenty of documentaries over the years that seemed aimed toward teenagers. Butterfly Girl is the first that should truly appeal to teenage girls. There aren’t any talking heads or authoritative asides. The camera follows Abbie as she deals with her life and dreams. This is a young adult novel with a real young adult at its core. A generation that grew up watching MTV documentaries is ready for Butterfly Girl. Abbie’s charm shines through out the 75 minutes. She’s irresistible. I spent quite a bit of time with director Cary Bell and producer/editor Jessica Miller, but didn’t have a chance to interview them on camera. We would have been in tears the entire time so it’s best you just see Butterfly Girl and experience its beauty in person.

Once again the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival delivered the best of documentaries and fine Carolina BBQ.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Lust for Freedom is the classic ’80s tale of a female undercover cop (Melanie Coll) who gets the blame when a sting operation goes bad. She quits the force after the death of her fellow officer and lover. During her sabbatical, she picks up a panicked hitchhiker. Turns out the mysterious woman has broken out of prison. Coll gets taken back to the prison to fill out some paperwork. Turns out that the place is being run for wicked purposes by the sheriff. The ladies are being turned into hookers among other things. Coll gets drugged and put behind bars. They want to send her down to Mexico as a sex slave. Can she escape her plight or will she have to wait until she showers with the other female inmates? Lust for Freedom is as hilarious as an episode of Sledge Hammer although it’s hard to believe director Eric Louzil was going for a comedy at the time. The heavy metal band doing the theme song were robbed of Oscar glory. Among the inmates is GLOW wrestling’s Matlida the Hun! She has a chance to shine in the ring. The bonus features include Louzil’s commentary track. He swears it was a fun film that had a sense of humor. Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman talks on camera about how Eric Louzil did amazing work with Kevin Costner on Sizzle Beach. Troma redid the film in post to make it feature a female lead. Lust for Freedom marks the first time Troma has hooked up with Vinegar Syndrome. Does this mean we’ll be seeing restored and remastered Toxic Avenger Blu-rays?

Drive-In Collection: The Jekyll and Hyde Portfolio plus A Clockwork Blue is a double dose of historical adult action from director Jeffrey Haims. The two films from the early ’70s exhibit the tried and true way of making X-rated films that cash in on the popularity of big studio productions. The Jekyll and Hyde Portfolio brings the kind doctor and his chemically induced alter ego to a countryside sanitarium. How long can his madness stay contained to the staff and patients? The film is like a community theater production with a lack of wardrobe budget. It’s hard to think of an audience eager to see a dissected frog with their ribald tale. A Clockwork Blue has nothing to do with Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. But there had to be a few guys who snuck into the theater hoping it was a sequel since A Clockwork Orange was given an X rating originally. Nothing in Blue references Orange. This movie is about a time travelling Homer witnessing sexual perversity throughout history. The American Revolutionary war gets a laugh from “The British are coming!” moment. It’s a dirty living history exhibit. Oddly enough the film seems R-rated in its carnality. There’s also a limited 1,000 Blu-rays of the double feature which is good since both films have a fine restoration work to the image.

Marilyn and the Senator reminds us that no matter what year, there’s always horny politicians in Washington D.C. What’s amazing is that the movie is 128 minutes long. But leave it to a politician to keep things going beyond the normal time limit. There’s actual location footage shot in Washington D.C. The action however takes place in low rent rooms with clunky early ’70s furniture. There’s plenty of fur on the beds. Director Carlos Tobalina does his best to make this look as large of a budget as any bloated government project. The plot is worthy of a senate investigation. A sitting senator agrees to knock up a female CIA agent for the sake of national security. Why hasn’t any sex scandal senator used that defense for their actions? The women look rather good for the budget. The Political creepy guys look like they were taking a coffee break from their Congressional gigs. There’s a commentary track from star and co-writer William Margold. He has quite a few amazing memories of the film. He doesn’t think much of Tobalina as a director, but he was a nice guy. There’s talk of glory holes. He also talks nasty about his neighbor. He complains that one actress only got the part because she was the director’s talentless mistress. Margold’s commentary is pure gold and the real reason to buy this DVD.

Blu-ray Heaven

Sophie’s Choice is remains the most heartbreaking of Meryl Streep’s performances. She’s Sophie Zawistowska, the girlfriend of Nathan (Kevin Kline) in post-World War II New York City. Stingo (Peter MacNicol) is a writer pal who ponders why she does thing. Little does he know about the horrors she went through while in a Nazi concentration camp. It’s an emotionally draining film based on William Styron’s novel. This an essential movies to watch. The Blu-ray brings all the details to her past. There’s a new roundtable talk that includes Kline and Streep discussing the film. Director Alan Pakula has a director’s commentary that covers so many aspects of the film. He passed away in 1998 so it’s good that he can testify to this powerful film. The special edition also includes a DVD of the movie.

DVD SHELF

Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series is Christmas at the end of April. This was the drama that changed how TV cop shows portrayed police work when it debuted in 1981. Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll allowed the police to be more than just authority figures. The people wearing the badges had their own issues. They didn’t get along all the time. They didn’t mind playing a little dirty if it mean surviving their patrol. They liked to get laid. The show was revolutionary when it first aired. It also proved to be a ratings loser. Luckily NBC believed in it. After winning a ton of Emmys, viewers gave the show a chance. It lasted seven seasons as part of NBC’s Must See TV lineup. Rewatching it 30 years later, HSB remains an elite show. There’s a richness to the characters and actors that has only been matched by The Wire. The storylines of the officers could be self-contained to an episode or last weeks gives the show a special quality. Captain Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) seems to have everything under control, but he can’t keep his ex-wife Fay (Barbara Bosson) off his case when he fall behind on child support payments. At least he has the semi-comfort of attorney Joyce Davenpot (Veronica Hamel) as his girlfriend. Sgt. Phil Esterhaus (Michael Conrad) is the calm force inside the station as he wraps up roll call with “Let’s be careful out there.” Detective Belker (Bruce Weitz) is the plainclothes madman who might bite suspects. Lt. Howard Hunter (James B. Sikking) is the know it all head of the SWAT unit who even at his most superficial moment has more depth than S.W.A.T. The glue of the show are officers Renko (Charles Haid) and Hill (Michael Warren). Their hot and cold relationship rewrote TV rules for buddy cops. How good is the show? Jeffrey Tambor had a recurring role as a judge.

It’s been rather difficult over the years to enjoy Hill Street Blues. Even with 100 plus cable channels, it hasn’t been a hot property to run with Scrubs and Family Guy. Home video wasn’t a solution. Nearly a decade ago, Fox abandoned putting out the DVDs after the second season. Shout! Factory has given all seven seasons to us. Now viewers can appreciate the entire life of the Hill Street station unfold. The bonus features include a great documentary that allows Bochco and others explain how the show evolved. Two big facts revealed is that Fred Silverman was the executive who wanted the show in production and it’s based on a police station in Pittsburgh. There’s an early interview with many of the cast members plus a gag reel. Four episodes have commentary tracks. The only element missing from the set is a DVD with all 13 BeverlyHills Buntz episodes. Oh well. Although most people would rather be arrested than re-experience the sitcom version of Buntz. Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series represents when a network wanted to make a police show that wasn’t routine protocol.

Newhart: The Complete Third Season shifts the focus on the show from Stradford Inn to a local TV station. Dick Loudon (Bob Newhart) has gone full time hosting “Vermont Today” while still squeezing in time to write books and run his historic bed and breakfast with his wife Joanna (Mary Frann). The first major change is that Kirk has fled the town and wants Dick to sell the Minuteman Cafe in “Tell a Lie, Get a Check.” Can he really unload the dump on Mr. Hand (Ray Walston) from Fast Times At Ridgemont High? Michael (Girls‘s Peter Scolari) puts his best television producer attitude to work for making the place sound great. The love affair between Michael and Stephanie (Julia Duffy) grows with the proper level of red hot vapidity. Larry, Darryl and Darryl get more appearances as they get closer to Dick. “Dick Gets Larry’s Goat” puts them all at odds when livestock gets loose and eats Dick’s latest book. Things get nasty. “The Fan” has Dick get his own superfan. But can he handle the attention? Will Joanna lose her cool? The glue of the show remains George (Tom Poston). His caretaker antics are an ever giving well of comic love. Rediscovering Newhart is almost like being able to sneak away for a weekend at the Stradford Inn. Keep in mind that Shout! Factory releases The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete Series on May 27 and Newhart: The Complete Fourth Season on August 19.

Dynasty: The Eighth Season, Volume One & Two brings us back to a time when rich people were so much more entertaining since they didn’t feel the need to spend millions on depressing political ads to prove their worth. “The Siege” opens the season with Bo Hopkins (the Guy Who Isn’t Jerry Reed) holding the Carringtons hostage. Can they escape his insane desires? He takes them to an oil rig. Things get weird for the family in “The Aftermath” when Fallon (Emma Samms) talks of her UFO experience. Is this a hint that Linda Evans was really from Outer Space? “The Announcement” has what any billionaire would do after his family has been in an intense hostage situation: Run for governor of Colorado. What was Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) smoking? Alexis (Joan Collins) decides to ruin his campaign in “The Surrogate.” She’s such a party pooper. Dana Carrington (Leann Hunley) wants a baby by a surrogate. Don’t go asking Alexis to carry a baby. Later in the season Alexis finds a video showing Blake at a brothel. Sadly it is not a Dennis Hof owned cathouse. Otherwise he could just say he was visiting an HBO superstar at work. I’m not going to mention anything that is in “The Spoiler.” Hate to ruin that episode for you. The second half of the season has more campaign intrigue. Do you think Donald Trump uses these episodes as “research” for his lame attempts at being a political candidate? There’s 22 episodes spread over the 6 DVDs.

Laverne & Shirley: The Final Season has very little Shirley content. Seems that off screen, Cindy Williams was pregnant. Instead of writing this into the script, Shirley was written out of the show. “The Mummy’s Bride” has her marry an army doctor named Walter. It’s a comical wedding since Walter has a minor accident so the nuptials are held in a hospital room. How will she let Carmine (Eddie Mekka) know that their romance is over? “Window on Main Street” puts the girls on display at their store. But can they handle the attention? The answer is found in “The Note” when Laverne comes home and finds Shirley’s stuff is gone from their apartment. Where has her pregnant pal gone? Overseas with her new husband. This leads to the new opening with just Laverne. It’s weird to see the non-Shirley moments. At least there’s “The Playboy Show” with a not-so-elderly Hugh Hefner in his pajamas. Star Wars fans will enjoy seeing Carrie Fisher in a Playboy bunny outfit. “Death Row” almost gets Laverne in the electric chair. Lenny (Micheal McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) are her only hope at freedom. Adam West (Batman) sticks his landing in “The Gymnast Show.” Jay Leno yucks it up on “Do The Carmine.” Carmine does get a farewell before the final episode on “Here Today Hair Tomorrow.” He’s heading to New York City. It’s interesting to see the show without Shirley. She did add a bit to the fun. The bonus features include a gag reel and the promos for when they went into syndication.

Nurse will make you want to take a warm sponge bath after viewing. Everyone’s favorite Boardwalk Empire trainwreck Paz de la Huerta wears sensible shoes as she walks the hallways of All Saints Hospital. But she’s not a nice nurse. She’s got plans to heal one of her fellow nurses. This film combines the creepy feeling of an Argento film with a Roger Corman produced Nurse flick. Paz is amazing in the role of the psycho sister of mercy. This is a perfect movie to watch when you’re contemplating out patient surgery. There’s a director’s commentary and a video diary. You’ll get to hear a few tales about Paz. You can also enjoy the film on your next visit to the waiting room thanks to a Digital Ultraviolet copy of the film. DId I mention that I’d be nervous about Paz taking my temperature rectally? Cause she might go there.

Date and Switch is an intriguing tale of sexual confusion. The movie starts with the common plot of two high school seniors promising to help each other lose their virginity before they graduate. But there’s a major twist when one of the two comes out as gay. Even worse, the other guy has the hots for the gay pal’s girlfriend. Can they really follow through with the pact? There’s plenty of great supporting cast appeal including Gary Cole, Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. No hints if Nick Offerman is involved in the big getting laid solution. But wouldn’t he do that in real life? Dakota Johnson is the real stand out in the comedy. Bonus features include a commentary from director Chris Nelson and writer Alan Yang and a featurette about proms. There’s also a Digital Ultraviolet version of the film.

Mr. Magoo: The Theatrical Collection 1949 – 1959 is a long awaited joy. Over the years, Mr. Magoo has become an outlaw cartoon thanks to critics complaining that the movie mocks blind people. Magoo isn’t blind. He’s a rich guy who refuses to wear his glasses to correct his nearsighted eyes. The collection has all 53 of the UPA shorts including the two that won the Oscar. It’s amazing how his character design changed. In “Ragtime Bear,” Magoo is a major jerk and looks it. He’s overbearing and demands everything happens as he can’t quite see it. The transfers look restored to give a luster to his bumbling adventures. Magoo’s voice (Jim Backus, best known as Mr. Howell on Gilligan’s Island) sounds crystal clear on the audio tracks. Along with the shorts is the theatrical feature 1001 Arabian Nights. This version of Aladdin has Magoo playing Aladdin’s uncle. He merely wants Aladdin (The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis‘ Dwayne Hickman) to stop being a punk kid. He wants to marry the princess, but she’s promised to Wicked Wazir (Fracture Fairytale‘s Hans Conried). Can a nice lamp solve all his problems? The bonus features includes a documentary of Magoo. It delves into UPA Pictures too. Leonard Maltin gets his own time to discuss the cartoon series. “A Princess For Magoo” is a vintage featurette about how UPA Pictures made the feature film. This should please cartoon fanatics with the live action footage from the studio.

Moonshiners: Season 2 is all about keeping the legacy of Otis Campbell alive in the Southern wilderness. This reality show follows the good old boys that don’t hanker for none of that store bought liquor. They want their white lightning produced the way their pappy squeezed it out of the sour mash. It’s rather nice that these folks have stuck with making liquor instead of going into the world of Meth. Although sometimes they come up with plans that remind you why they haven’t been able to turn their operations into legit moonshine operations . You’d be amazed how many moonshines are being sold at liquor stores these days. But those drinks supposedly have a zero chance of making you go blind. Where’s the fun in safe moonshine? Break out the Mason jar for 14 episodes of outlaw sippin’ and backwoods wisdom.

Prince Killian and the Holy Grail brings the best selling Spanish graphic novel to the screen. Killian (The Borgias‘ Sergio Peris-Mencheta) gets a major duty during the third crusade into the Holy Land. He must retrieve the Holy Grail from the clutches of a wicked lord. He’s not going to do the mission alone. Along with two pals, he has a hot Viking princess on the team. This Spanish production has a lavish feel to the knightly action. The movie can be heard in Spanish and English. There’s English subtitles. The Spanish track has the better mix.

Martial Arts Double Feature: Hapkido & Lady Whirlwind is a double dose of Angela Mao Ying (Enter the Dragon). She has a charming presence on the screen as well as swift moves. Lady Whirlwind is a tale of double revenge. Chang Yi gets beaten up by his former gang members who think he’s dead. But he’s able to recover so he can get back at them. Before he starts his pain tour, Angela arrives looking to kick Chang’s ass for what he did to her sister. Is she going to give him time to get his revenge before she gets her revenge on him? There’s enough butts to be kicked all over the Dyali Scope screen. Hapkido is an international buttkicking. Angela, Carter Wong and Sammo Hung are Chinese students studying Hapkido in Japanese occupied Korea. There’s a severe culture clashes taking place. The trio get into trouble with a Japanese martial arts school. They are a peaceful folks so the don’t want trouble. But trouble comes for them with furious fists. When Angela finally has to take on the Japanese teacher, the guy fights dirty with a sword. Can she win? She does look good battling it out. Lady Whirlwind The bonus features include interviews with Angela, Carter Wong, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. They have the original English openings to both films along with the trailers. Shout! Factory is going to release The Angela Mao Ying Collection with six more of her films on June 17.

Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac – Sanctuary finally brings the popular anime series to home video in America. The Japanese series is about a group of young boys that get assigned to protect the goddess Athena. Well first they have to survive the extremely difficult training process. Over a 100 enter, but only handful attain the goal. They become the Saints of Athena. Things get even messier when those at the top must battle each other for the “Gold Cloth.” The 1986 series was a massive hit in Japan. The 73 episodes are spread over 11 DVDs. The episodes are in the original Japanese with English subtitles so expect to multitask while watching the adventure unfold. The series has been converted into a popular video game series. Here’s a clip from that.

Wolverine: Weapon X – Tomorrow Dies Today is another series of comics brought to motion thank to Marvel Knights Animation. Things get weird when cybernetic robots arrive in the city killing superheroes on their first day and the parents of heroes not yet born. Who is behind this carnage? Wolverine doesn’t care since he’s flying around the globe getting drunk with Captain America. Eventually the duo must team up with other superheroes to confront this menace that appears to be coming back in time from the future. The animation takes full use of the original six comics written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Ron Garney. Another great way to catch on Wolverine without worrying about smudging the pages of your friend’s comic books.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic – A Dash of Awesome has five episodes focusing on the rainbow maned pony with wings Rainbow Dash. Being the father of a five year old daughter, My Little Pony is now her life. God help me if I approach a checkout lane that has MLP toys or dolls. And yet, I’m often entertained when she put in the DVD and sits next to me. It’s addictive to older viewers. Although she swears I’m a Rarity. But I know I’m a Pinkie Pie. This collection contains “May the Best Pet Win!,” “The Mysterious Mare Do Well,” “Read It and Weep,” “Daring Don’t” and “Rainbow Falls.” The bonus is a Sing-Along. And your child will sing-along.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/05/17/party-favors-frame-up/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/03/21/party-favors-cable-con-queso/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/03/21/party-favors-cable-con-queso/#respond Fri, 21 Mar 2014 04:01:35 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18078 Joe Corey taps into El Rey...]]>

DURHAM – Can you smell the reality in the air? I’m not talking about those painfully staged reality shows on TruTV. What’s just around the corner is the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, NC. From Thursday, April 3 to Sunday, April 6. This is the friendliest and most relaxed film festival in the world. Because most of the screenings take place within a single complex, there’s no racing all over the city to find obscure screening rooms. You don’t have to worry about the weather. The hotel rates are reasonable. You just show up, pick out the films and watch away. That’s a lot less troublesome than Sundance, Toronto and SXSW. Plus you can always have sweet NC BBQ.

The film’s big tribute is to Steve James. The filmmaker got major notice and robbed of Oscar glory with Hoop Dreams. We interviewed him a while back about his ESPN movie about Allen Iverson. Doug Block gets the opening night slot with 112 Weddings. He deals with couples whose weddings he had previously shot. How are they doing after all these years? I’m curious having worked a few weddings in the past. Joe Berlinger will be there to talk about Metallica Some Kind of Monster. I want to ask what Lars’ tears smell like.

There’s a lot of films including quite a few free public showing. It’s a great day trip. You can get details from visiting http://fullframefest.org/ Please guess what films I’ll be viewing. Remember if you see me, I don’t have any of the Freddie buttons to hand out. But I might have a few uneaten pretzels that I’ll gladly share.

EL REY FOR EL ME

For the first few weeks that El Rey Network appeared on my cable box, I kept thinking it was a competitor for Univision. I took enough Spanish in college to know that it’s Spanish for “The King.” So it seemed it was Spanish. Then one boring morning, I flipped it on to see what Starsky and Hutch sounded like dubbed in Spanish. Turns out David Soul was giving the business to Paul Michael Glaser in English.

What’s the deal with this channel? Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez is a part owner. The man who gave us Sin City and From Dusk Till Dawn finally has a way to reach people 24 hours at a time. He’s high octane guy who hangs with Tarantino. So you’d expect a high octane channel. His first big thing is turning From Dusk Till Dawn into a series. A smart move since the viewers should enjoy vampire strippers. It’d be like HBO combining G String Divas with True Blood. Although that seems to be the only high profile project being promoted. Although one show is what too many cable channels offer in marathon binges.

Most of the broadcast day consists of Dark Angel, Starsky and Hutch, Texas Justice (a court show from the ’00s) and The X-Files. It’s kind of strange since the channels was given carriage space by Comcast to reach a Latino audience. They do offer soccer from Mexico and lucha libre.

Is the channel really going after the Latino audience? Or fanboys that like to eat at Gingoagogo? Are you like BBCAmerica showing The Matrix because you need the easy ratings? I know the channel is young and there’s not been exactly a treasure trove of English language TV shows featuring Hispanic stars. You can run the Jimmy Smits seasons of LA Law and NYPD Blue. Why not have a Smits Sunday for the ladies?

The biggest bonus of the channel is all the Shaw Brothers action flicks. So far I’ve been seeing a bunch that weren’t even released on the Dragon Dynasty DVDs. This makes them must DVR. But there’s a big problem because El Rey’s website currently sucks. I went there to see the schedule and there was none. There were a bunch of embedded videos of Robert talking about what the channel was going to be like. Seeing how it’s been on the cable box for three months, you might want to upgrade from potential to what viewers need to be experiencing.

The channel needs hosts. Give it a few real faces and now merely a flaming logo. It’d be cool to have a videostore clerk giving us the importance of the various Shaw Brothers and other cult films you’re running. Sure the channel wants to push the Grindhouse image, but the harsh fact is that 99 percent of your viewers who saw these films found them on a VHS tape in Dave’s Videodrome or other shady rental joint.

SCREAM FACTORY SHOUTS

Darkman: Collector’s Edition brings Sam Raimi’s edgy superhero masterpiece to high definition with a bonus bonanza. Raimi wanted to make The Shadow. When he was told no, he created his own superhero that looked at the evil in men’s souls. Liam Neeson (Taken) is a scientist trying to make a breakthrough in artificial skin. His ex-girlfriend (Fargo‘s Frances McDormand) gets Liam tangled in a fight between her boss and a gangster. Liam’s laboratory gets lit up and he’s presumed dead. But the doctor is merely burned beyond recognition. He barely recovers and uses his not quite their fake skin to get revenge on everyone involved. It’s a movie that plays bigger than its budget. The star of the show is Larry Drake as the diabolical gangster. He was playing the brain damaged janitor on LA Law so this role was a shocker to TV viewers. The bonus features range from brand new interviews to vintage media packages. Director of Photography Bill Pope gives a master class on the audio commentary. They even allow the henchmen to have their own featurette. The make-up and special effects get fully explored. This was a landmark moment when Hollywood didn’t resort to a comic book character to make a comic book movie.

Slumber Party Massacre remains one of the best films in the mad killer interrupts a fun night flicks. Michele Michaels wants her friends on the basketball team to hang out for the night. It was the ’80s when such events were commonplace. But little did she know that something worse than nerds looking for panties would crash their affair. An escaped mental patient with a drill is ready to add to his body count. What’s really amazing about this film is that it was written by feminist novelist Rita Mae Brown and directed by Amy Jones. Jones gave up a chance to edit E.T. But let’s face it, would you rather say you cut E.T. (which everyone will give your credit to Spielberg anyway) or declare you made Slumber Party Massacre? She made the right choice. The big bonus feature is the first part of Sleepless Night that covers the making of this film. The high definition transfer adds to the creep factor as the body count adds up.

Beneath is what I really wish happened at the end of American Pie. A group of kids head up to the lake after graduating from high school. They’re ready to party. What they don’t realize is that they’re also ready to be lunch for a massive creature under the water. They find themselves stranded on a leaky boat and being picked off. The movie originally aired on Chiller. The bonus features include director Larry Fessenden talking about Jaws.

Bad Dreams & Visiting Hours gives an HD upgrade to the original DVD release put out a few years ago. Bad Dreams brings back my ’90s crush on Jennifer Rubin. She’s the only survive of a religious cult that had a mass suicide via fire. She comes out of her coma only to discover that the crisp remains of the cult leader wants her to join them in the embers. It’s an uncomfortable supernatural battle between her and the demons of her past. Andrew Fleming (The Craft) makes this memorable. Visiting Hours has William Shatner in a supporting role. Lee Grant is attacked by a stranger and rushed to the hospital. Little does she know that attacker wants to finish the job and a couple night watchmen aren’t going to stop him. Can the Shatner come to her rescue. The bonus features include a new interview with Jennifer Rubin. Screenwriter Brian Taggert walks us through the creation of Visiting Hours. It’s a double feature worth watching in the emergency room.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Enemies Closer is good old Jean Claude Van Damme dishing out the Van Dammage. He’s doing a major stretch here as he plays a Canadian. He’s out to find a missing drug package. Did I mention he’s the bad guy? Even more outrageous in this film is Orlando Jones (MadTV) playing a semi-bad guy. He looks good kicking ass. But can the 7-Up guy really go foot to face with Van Damme? Once famous director Peter Hyams gets to have a little fun in the Canadian wilderness with his stars. This a film that demands a few cases of Labatts be cracked open to add to the enjoyment.

VINEGAR SYNDROME PEEKS

Peekarama: Sadie & The Seductress is a double feature directed by Bob Chinn. Sadie is Chinn’s version of Joan Crawford’s Rain. He updated the tale of a hooker on Borneo to the Vietnam War era. But she’s still the hooker dealing with the Holy Roller politician. This is a great discovery. The Seductress is about a couples who hook up for a wild nights with others. What they don’t know is that the fun is being photographed. Who is blackmailing these people who just wanted to live a Penthouse Forum fantasy? Both films have their original trailers.

Peekarama: The Altar of Lust & Angel on Fire were directed by Roberta Findlay. Turns out Roberta was a woman and a cinematography of lustful epics. The Altar of Lust explores the events that turn a woman into a lesbian. This one ought to be given a review in Psychology Today. Harry Reems has a big role in turning this woman against men. She’s ultimately asking a psychiatrist to make her straight again. Angel on Fire has a jerk get hit by a car after dumping his pregnant girlfriend. As punishment, he’s returned to Earth as a woman. She discovers how bad it can get when she hooks up with Jamie Gillis. He’s perfect once more. Why wasn’t this edgy actor allowed to crossover to rough and tumble cinema? Odd factoid: Gillis graduated with honors from Columbia University. Finally an Ivy Leaguer worth celebrating.

A Saint, A Woman, A Devil is an X-rated version of All About Eve from the co-writer of Raging Bull, the book. Peter Savage has a lot of fun with a woman with multiple personalities and a raging libido. There’s no stopping her when she flips her personality. My favorite part of this X-rated version is the thanks to the NYU Undergraduates who worked on the film. How come this isn’t one of those movies NYU loves to promote as an accomplishment? Joanna Fields is amazing in the split roles. However she doesn’t seem to have done anything major after this. What a shame. You’d figure one of those NYU film students would have used her in their feature film debut.

DVD SHELF

Power Rangers: Seasons 13 -17 covers the versions that aired from 2006 to 2009. First off is Power Rangers S.P.D. The Power Rangers run a Police Academy to train the new generation. The Earth has changed to an alien melting point that wants to cripple the planet. Guess who has to keep saving the world. S.P.D. stands for Space Patrol Delta. Power Rangers Mystic Force returns to the concept of five teenagers in a sweet town of Briarwood having to fight an army of darkness. This time it’s the evil Morticon throwing all he has at them. The kids have Magi Staffs and Mystic Morphers. Power Rangers Operation Overdrive is a battle for the Crown of the Gods. Turns out the mythical hat is real. But there’s a few jewels missing. An evil force wants them to control the crown. Naturally it’s up to five new kids to save the universe from such a fate. Power Rangers Jungle Fury has three students looking for a new Master after their original one is killed and a pal gets possessed by a demon. They ultimately become the new Power Rangers. They use animal Kung Fu techniques. Power Rangers RPM is a world ravaged by a computer virus so humanity breaks down. The only thing protecting the last of humanity from the evil computer is the Power Rangers. They have cool combat vehicles. There’s a bonus disc that covers the prop master, cast members memories and major fans. This is an overload of Power Ranger action.

Rawhide: The Seventh Season – Volume 1 & Volume 2 brings to an end the time Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) spent riding the range with the endless cattle run. Turns out that Gil was quitting the show to dedicate his career to feature films. His fate would not come close to co-star Clint Eastwood. Little did he know that his first big role after Rawhide would be his last. He’d drown during a stunt in Peru. There’s 30 episodes show him in his iconic role. The big amazing episode of the season is “Canliss.” Why? Because it has Dean Martin playing a gunman trying to go straight with his new bride. But he gets offered one less job at an amazing price. Can he resist a deal that can set him up for life? Dean is always a natural in his cowboy roles. This is one of his finest. The next season he’d be on TV with his variety show. There’s a lot of future stars of The Wild Bunch making cameos. The show would only last a half season with Clint Eastwood in the lead. But it didn’t hurt Clint a bit because he was becoming a star everywhere but America with A Fist Full of Dollars. Eric Fleming will always be keeping those doggies rollin’ thanks to this collection.

Flashpoint: The Final Season brings to an end the greatest series about Canadians with guns. They’re as dangerous as Americans when armed. The final 13 episodes put the Strategic Response Unit (SRU) on their toes until the end. Kind of sad knowing that this was the end of Enrico Colantoni (Just Shoot Me) getting to really shoot people as Sgt. Greg Parker. Plus there’s former Power Ranger Amy Jo Johnson is a real adult role. “Broken Peace” has them dealing with a divorced husband wanting to give his ex-wife a lead alimony check. “No Kind of Life” has proof that Canadian healthcare systems aren’t close to perfect. “Sons of the Father” tracks a serial killer through his brother. Damn shame this show ended since it had the coolness of S.W.A.T. with the heart of Due South.

LA Law: Season One brings back the original show that changed the rules of legal dramas. Before LA Law, legal shows were aped Perry Mason. The lawyer’s life outside of the case wasn’t given much screen time. All that mattered was the courtroom. LA Law got audiences demanding to know what was going on in the lawyer’s bedroom. They wanted their legal briefs on the floor. The series starts off with a dead lawyer and a shooting in the office. This is not an easy viewing legal drama. The season has Jimmy Smits as the new lawyer who isn’t afraid to rock the firm. My personal favorite element is the return of Susan Dey in a role that’s more impressive than her time in The Partridge Family. Perfect show to binge watch on a rainy spring day. The 22 episodes are spread over 6 DVDs.

The Practice: The Final Season isn’t quite the end to the series. Sure it brought an end to several of the lawyers like Ellenor (Camryn Manheim) and Eugene (Steve Harris). But the show ended its eighth season by allowed Alan Shore (James Spader) turn the series into Boston Legal. This means for the final season we get a taste of Denny Crane (Star Trek‘s William Shatner). This is the season that won Shatner the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama. Do you understand how this changed the way we viewed honored actors? Who could have ever guessed Shatner would be a hardware king at the Emmys? The season starts with the law firm dealing with major partner splits. The series focuses on if the remaining lawyers can keep their office afloat. Are they ready to be a unit? Not to spoil the 22 episodes, but it’s a massive struggle.

Breaking Amish: Season One takes a quintet of religious kids from their country life to the heart of New York City. This would have been a major shock in 1977. But the newer and cleaner New York City isn’t quite the urban jungle. Although there’s got to be a culture shock when they enter the Times Square Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. They still have a lot of things to bowl them over. Can they remain pure to their beliefs or will they embrace the life of the English? Can they deal with the lack of barn buildings in Soho?

The Red Skelton Show: The Lost Episodes has 16 episodes from his early TV series. Instead just doing a series of sketches, Skelton would perform a sitcom as one of his characters including Clem Kadiddlehopper, San Fernando Red and Freddie the Freeloader. He lines up plenty of great guest stars for his fun including Eve Arden, Vivian Vance, Sebastian Cabot, Jackie Coogan and Buster Crabbe. The bonus features include two episodes where Red couldn’t make the show. His fill in hosts were Danny Thomas, Arthur Godfrey and Jackie Gleason. These are hilarious dips into the Golden Age of Television that are must see TV for people who want a time when TV comedies weren’t dominated by Chuck Lorre.

Grizzly Adams: The Renewal is a special TV movie that deals with an Easter theme. If you need a family TV special for the holiday, why not embrace Dan Haggerty, Denver Pyle and Ben the bear? Grizzly must help out some nearby settlers and Indians to protect their religious ceremonies. Of course nowadays we have pundits on Fox News doing this work. But none of them are as heartwarming as Haggerty. Who needs bunnies when you have a giant bear looking for eggs?

Drawing With Mark is a series with illustrator Mark Marderosian giving lessons to viewers on how to improve their artistic skills. Something Fishy!/A Day at the Aquarium makes the subject aquatic. Instead of merely sitting in his studio, Mark takes the viewers to Woods Hole Science Aquarium to get an eye for what they’re trying to capture. He wants you to go beyond the simple fish. Good to Grow!/Life on the Farm puts Mark with the animals. What kid doesn’t like a little help figuring out how to make their figures more realistic? The good part about watching on DVD is that you can pause the frame and get a true sense of how he’s making the animals appear on the page. There’s also bonus art projects including making an Origami fish and a horse puppet.

Terry Fator: Live In Concert lets you know what the winner of America’s Got Talent has been doing on stage in Las Vegas. Fator took over Danny Gans’ mantle when he arrived at the Mirage. Like Gans, he understands how to do a great impersonation. But instead of merely acting them out, he brings them on stage with his puppets. He also has a few of his own characters. Think of him a Jeff Dunham without the terrorist jokes. Odds are high you might want to check out his new show if you’re wandering down the Las Vegas Strip. He’s the hottest thing in that town since Dan Tanna.

Nurse Jackie: Season Five brings back Edie Falco as the stressed out emergency room nurse. With her marriage falling apart and her job not going well, she must maintain her sober lifestyle. The influences lead to her to become a patient in her own hospital. Is she going to be one of those “know it all” patients? Of course. You might want to buy this boxset quick since Showtime starts airing the sixth season on April 13. Try to watch this without drinking. No matter what, Jackie’s life is trauma.

Mortal Enemies is pure buttkicking cinema. Two orphans cross paths years later when one is kidnapped by pirates. Don’t need to give away the big twist, but it’s a shocking reunion for the duo. Is their brotherhood enough to bond them once more? Robin Shou and Verdy Bhawanta are good at the throwdown action.

Traci Long is back with more installments of her Longevity Series. The latest three videos including Defining Shapes, Step Forward & Staying Power. You’re going to be burning some calories keeping up with her routines. Defining Shape focuses on creating lean muscles with a total body strength workout. Step Forward is a high energy step workout. She uses all sides of the step to keep you in motion. Staying Power is all about boosting your cardio routine. Long has a good connection with the camera as she goes through the routines. Learn to burn before its bikini season.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/03/21/party-favors-cable-con-queso/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/02/26/party-favors-hammer-time/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/02/26/party-favors-hammer-time/#respond Wed, 26 Feb 2014 06:27:17 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=18038 Joe Corey chats with SLEDGE HAMMER creator Alan Spencer about his new series BULLET IN THE FACE...]]>

BRUTEVILLE – Alan Spencer is best known as the creature of the ’80s cult TV series Sledge Hammer! The series was noted for elevating the level of violence found in a network sitcom. He returned in the 21st century with Bullet In the Face which took casualty comedy to a higher level. The IFC series featured a notorious criminal who has the face of the cop he killed grafted onto his mug. The police give the hitman a chance to hit back at the underworld empire that had marked him for death. Over the course of six episodes, this epic revenge comedy plays for laughs between trigger pulls. Eddie Izzard and Eric Roberts play the mob bosses calling the shots in a city over run by criminals.

The Party Favors had a chance to call up creator Alan Spencer to chat about the short series that’s just been released on DVD from Shout! Factory. The first question dealt with his approach to making a show that’s only six episodes long.

“Because it was ordered straight to series, we didn’t make a pilot like we did Sledgehammer,” Spencer said. “We were using a new paradigm. Which is very interesting because we used to make a pilot, then they’d evaluate it and whether or not to order a series. Creatively and economically it makes more sense to go straight to series. Take that money for a pilot, spend a little bit more and get the whole thing. I got a six episode order with the caveat that I write them all. Which I did.”
Because of the six episode order, Spencer didn’t follow the conventional production technique of treating each episode as a separate entity.

“It was not shot one episode a week,” he said. “It was shot like a movie out of sequence. I knew it was going to be shot that way in advance so I wrote for that. When I met Eddie Izzard, he thought it was a very interesting character. He said, “Why did you make him agoraphobic?” I said, “So I could shoot you for five days in the same location.” I figured out ways to maximize getting our big guest stars. I was repeating locations. It also gave us more latitude for the bigger things we were doing.”

Shooting in Montreal during the wintertime was something that required quite a bit of latitude.
“I was also eliminating exteriors since that was out of our control. The weather was so wild up there in Montreal. One day it was sunny, the next day it snowed. It was schizophrenic weather to match my personality. It’s the only time I’ve been in a hotel where I saw my breath in the lobby. The heater was barely putting a dent in the cold. I would have rather stayed at the base in The Thing or Ice Station Zebra. It definitely cold and it was beautiful too.”

I joked if being in the cold of Canada made him feel like he was stuck in a David Cronenberg movie.
“A little bit. Certainly when I was catching a human head when I did a cameo. There was real gore in it. It’s very eerie to look at a prosthetic human head that looks very real. The actor did the life mask the day before and he’s not on the set and you’re holding his head. You get really worried that the make-up people are method actors.”

Turned out the head was fake and the actor was alive after all. Montreal did prove to be a perfect location to be the sinister Bruteville.

“The city itself has various locations that resemble different parts of the world. But it’s heavily Americanized. When I first arrived at the hotel, the concierge said, “Have you seen all our fine local restaurants?” I’ve seen Five Guys, McDonalds and Subway. They call it Five Guys in Montreal. I thought they’d call it Five Monsieurs.” Alan did get to eat at non-chain restaurants. “Really great food in Montreal.”

The city of Rocket Richard and Ken Dryden proved worth of Bruteville’s stature. One person outside the city didn’t like the fictional town’s slogan.

“I called it a melting place of crime so it was more Eurotrash. I wanted it be various nationalities and cultures in there. It’s interesting that the place was called Bruteville, A Melting Pot of Crime. One of the network executives didn’t like it. He didn’t give a reason why. It defines the town and explains the city. It explains to the people why they’re hearing all these crazy accents. Once it aired, people were quoting it.”

Oddly enough, there wasn’t too many objections at the network to the level of violence in the series. Was Spencer amazed at what he could get on the air?

“I wasn’t amazed, Spencer said. “I knew I could do it since there’s big difference between 1986 and now. I’m amazed at how much violence I can get away with in real life now.”

His original series had to be lightened down as it made it through pre-production. “Sledge Hammer! was originally written as a feature film that would have been R-Rated,” Spencer said. I made it as violent or maybe a little more violent than a Dirty Harry film. It went to HBO where it was still was R-rated. Then it was picked up by the ABC network where we toned it down. It was still considered at the time as out there, extreme and very off beat. The level of violence I was dealing with, people wouldn’t have blinked in an hour drama show because they deal with that all the time. Breaking Bad has a decapitated head on a tortoise. But for dealing with a half hour comedy, it was considered unusual. I don’t know what it says about me that this is all normal. When I was a kid, I watched Get Smart. It frequently had people getting shot and stabbed in it. That’s what a normal sitcom looked to me. People getting physically harmed and I’m not talking about Two and a Half Men with people getting harmed off camera.

There was a little controversy when IFC ran a trailer featuring severed heads during afternoon episodes of Malcolm in the Middle. “The parents get upset for the kids. But the kids have no trouble.”

Spencer is charmingly proud about the attention his creative violence receives. But he knows it gets tougher every year to get noticed.

“It becomes increasingly harder to shock people because we get desensitized. That was something I was saying about Bullet in the Face with this unrepentant character and the world of violence. The PTC put out a report about all the violent shows on TV and the amount of acts of violence per hour. It was amusing that we ranked highly and we were the only comedy. I’m really proud that even in the half hour form, we held our own against hour long shows and their violence. We got the press from it. We were between the Walking Dead and Breaking Bad. I was very proud that counts of violence per half hour is my specialty. ”

Spencer had no desire to take the series longer than the original six episodes.

“I only had a deal for six. At one time, the network gave a note, “In case we do more, hold back.” I don’t do that. I go for broke. I wrote the final episode as if it would be the final episode. Even though I put a little question mark to make it ambiguous. But if you watch it closely, there is an ending. There is a resolution. I just don’t spell it out. Versus the first season of Sledgehammer where I knew the show wasn’t coming back so I blew up the world. Then I had to figure what to do when we got a second season.”

Having all six episodes on a single DVD will allow folks a chance to watch the series in an evening sitting which seems to be the craze according to Netflix streaming.

“It’s easier to binge watch these six,” Spencer said. “Nobody watches a TV show week after week unless it’s a reality or contest. Everybody waits and watches it unfold in its sum total. That’s fascinating.”

Spencer was about to meet with a production company over an unscripted series idea. “It’s such a burgeoning field.” However he’s hesitant to call it “reality TV. “I don’t know how you can call it reality when people are being filmed. I can call Bullet in the Face a reality show since it’s my reality.”

A major difference between Sledge Hammer! and A Bullet In the Face is the speed of response from viewers. Twitter has changed the game.

“It’s very interesting to see the immediacy. Back in the day when I did Sledgehammer, people had to write fan letters and use snail mail. And it took longer since they had to cut the letters out of the newspaper. That’s the kind of fan mail I would get. On Twitter, it’s immediate. You do a #bulletintheface and see what people were saying. Although a lot of them just put WTF. My Twitter following shot up 10,000 and some of them were real. ” His twitter handle is @mralanspencer. Feel free to follow him.

SCREAM FACTORY SHOUTS

Cat People: Collector’s Edition brings back my crush on Nastassia Kinski in 1080p resolution. Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) tackles Val Lewton’s original movie with a horror as sleek as its black panther stars. This movie still rocks with its tale of an African tribe where women were mated with the big cats (and we’re not talking Ernie Ladd). Kinski arrives in New Orleans to see her adopted brother (A Clockwork Orange‘s Malcolm McDowell). He goes out for the night and doesn’t come back. Why? Because he turned into a black panther and mauled a hooker. Instead of going to jail, the panther is locked up in the zoo. Kinski finds him while visiting the Crescent City’s tourist spots. She gets involved with zoo keeper John Heard. Can she really hook up with the guy? It seems her people have a knack for turning into panthers after getting frisky. This edition includes interviews with Schrader, Kinski, McDowell and music legend Giorgio Moroder.

Die, Monster, Die! brings together Boris Karloff and H.P. Lovecraft. This adaptation of “The Colour Out of Space” takes place in England. Nick Adams (Frankenstein Conquers The World) arrives in a remote town to see his girlfriend’s family. What he doesn’t know is there is something extra evil and glowing lurking in the basement. This is Meet the Parents with a Lovecraft twist. Karloff is her father and he’s up to his mad scientist ways. There’s strange creatures and plants lurking around the creepy old house. It’s a messed up haunted house movie courtesy of American International Pictures. It’s good to enjoy Karloff in HD. The bonus feature is the trailer.

The Beast of Hollow Mountain & The Neanderthal Man Scream Factory Double Feature is a prehistoric twin bill. Beast is the better of the two since it features the special effects work of Willis O’Brien. He’s the man who manipulated the original King Kong. Now he’s back with the tale of the last T. Rex roaming around a swamp in New Mexico. A few cowboys get up the nerve to see the king of the dinosaurs in person. He proves tougher than an Apache attack. The Neanderthal man takes the mad scientist out to the country. Seems that a saber tooth tiger is roaming the wilderness. How could this be? Turns out it’s a project of a scientist who has no problem experimenting on people. This is how he turns his maid and himself into early humanoids. This is a fine Creature Double Feature worthy of being announced on WLVI-56 in Boston.

Night of the Demons Collector’s Edition brings forth one of those classic titles that would stand out on the shelves at Phar-Mor’s VHS rental department. This movie is a classic for doubling up the evil in a party house. A bunch of kids want to get wild on Halloween so they bust into an abandoned funeral home. This is normally enough of a scary place to get Demons bounding out of the dry wall. But it turns out that the house was also owned by a mass murderer. What good can come from having a séance at such a site? None. This is good for viewers eager to see the partygoers have their fun turned into a raging nightmare. Demons take control of many of the kids. The special effects are good and gruesome. There’s a nipple effect that will leave you wincing in pain. The bonus features are packed. Director Kevin Tenney and his actors and producers contribute two commentary tracks. There’s interviews with all the major players. The original video trailer that lured kids to rent the weirdness is included. There’s also a DVD to go with the Blu-ray.

Witchboard reminds people that communicating with the dead to liven up a party might turn bad. The host wants to impress his friends that he can talk to the spirit of a dead 10 year old boy. Everyone gathers around the Ouija Board to speak to the other side. But the conversation turns ugly when a drunk disturbs the spirits. The next day Tawny Kitean (Tom Hank’s fiancé in Bachelor Party) uses the Ouija Board to get the dead to locate a lost object. What she doesn’t know is that the nice boy talking to her has been replaced by an evil demon. You know that just means trouble is going to happen. Mostly this happens in the form of Tawny getting possessed by the demon. Can she be saved and the evil Ouija Board destroyed? I feel bad they didn’t do a sequel about a possessed Magic 8 Ball. There’s a lot of great ’80s hair on the screen. Witchboard was directed by Kevin Tenney, the man behind Night of the Demons. It’s nice to see him get the top notch treatment from Scream Factory for his legendary VHS legends. There’s a lot of bonus features although no evil Ouija Board in the Blu-ray case.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Star Trek: Enterprise – Season: Three is when the show finally established itself as more than just another cookie cutter from the Star Trek franchise factory. They roughed up the show by introducing a worthy enemy in the Xindi. Unlike all those other sweet and misunderstood aliens, the Xindi arrived at the end of season two with a massive arrival. They tore apart Florida worse than Bugs Bunny . In the past, Star Trek shows kept their stories to one or two episodes. The Xindi dominate the entire season. Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and crew are scooting around the unchartered galaxy looking to track down and face off with the enemy. The show is a lot more brooding with the intensity jacked up. There’s a major fear that the Xindi are coming back to finish off the planet. There’s also a time travel episode, but mostly this season is about Enterprise coming into its own. Sadly viewers had tuned out the previous season and weren’t coming back to the UPN. At least they can now catch up on what they missed on these Blu-rays. The bonus features include a nearly 90 minute documentary exploring how the show shifted its tone. They ported over all the special features from the previous DVD release. This really is the start of the show.

DVD SHELF

Wolverine Vs. Sabertooth brings Jeph Loeb and Simone Bianchi’s comic book series to motion as part of the Marvel Knights Animation universe. This is a main card battle that tops a UFC fight. Two mutant enemies are not backing down on this battle. It does seem that only one of them will emerge from this Thunderdome beatdown. There’s plenty of blood splattered across the screen. It’s more fun to watch the action his way than in the comic book. The motion and slashing is fierce. Another prime battle between Wolverine and a worthy opponent.

Power Rangers Megaforce: The Mysterious Robo Knight is the latest installment of the saga. Troy, Noah, Emma, Gia and Jake must defend the world from more evil monsters from outer space. Luckily they don’t have to do it completely alone. They have the Robo Knight arriving in the nick of time. Their big weapons are a Vulcan Cannon and Lion Zord. The boxset has the episodes “United We Stand,” “Harmony and Dizchord,” “Who’s Crying Now?” and “Robo Knight.” The big bonus is a Mega Bloks Micro Figure of the Red Power Ranger from this series. You can watch and play!

You’re Next is a great film for why you should avoid your parent’s wedding anniversary. A family gathers at a remote estate to celebrate mom and dad being together for so long. What they don’t know is that somebody wants to put an end to their streak. Who is it? The killers are wearing animal masks and using crossbows to attack. It’ll make you just mail a card to your parents when their special day comes around.

Frankenstein: The Real Story brings together three of the History Channel’s specials about the iconic monster. “In Search of the Real Frankenstein” gets into the science of bringing animals and corpses back to life. Was Dr. Frankenstein on the right track when he harnessed the lightning? “It’s Alive! The True Story of Frankenstein” looks at the movies revolving around the creature. There’s been plenty of them from the silent era onward. They even cover Young Frankenstein. Frankenstein deals with the stories that could have influenced Mary Shelley’s book. All three specials are fun watching for the Franky fans. The specials are subtitled.

Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars explores the new wave of air attacks. The remote control drones have taken over security duties since they’re relatively cheap, have no chance of pilot death and can tote heavy weapons. It’s like a big old videogame as they snoop around the air. Director Robert Greenwald and his crew go into Pakistan to meet people who have been victims of drone attacks. Is this weapon convenience turning foreign countries against America? Can some man at a remote computer terminal determine what’s really happening on his video screen?

Greedy Lying Bastards reminds us that a corporate press release shouldn’t be taken as the truth. The documentary directed by Craig Rosebraugh and produced by Darryl Hannah looks at who is pushing the anti-climate change agenda. Are major corporations backing scientists that are willing to publicly act contrary to mounting evidence to create uncertainty? Of course there’s coverage of the Koch brothers. The movie explores how companies factor profits over damage to people and land. It’s a tough look at “Kind hearted” private businesses that love running PSAs making themselves look so wonderful.

Counting Cars: Season 2 Volume 2 gives more tales of Danny “The Count” Koker and his Las Vegas creative car crew. The 13 episodes include quite a few guest stars. “Zombie Truck” has him working on a vehicle for rocker Rob Zombie. How do you make a car that impresses a man who wrote a song about the Dragula? “One Love, One Car” lets the Count fix up Bob Marley’s old Mercedes. Can he make things right and proper for the icon’s cruising mobile? He also fixes up quite a few cars for ordinary people. This spin-off from Pawn Stars does a fine job at letting folks know what’s the cost and effort of bringing a car back to life. They include 35 minutes of bonus footage on the DVD.

African-American Leaders Past & Present is a five film documentary collection from the History Channel. This is a fine set for people eager to celebrate the lives of five major men. “Civil War Journal: Frederick Douglass gives plenty of facts about the man who escaped slavery and struggled to free others. “Who Killed Martin Luther King, Jr.” ponders if it was a bounty that led to that fateful day in Memphis. “Malcolm X: A Search for Identity” gets into the revolutionary’s actions. “Thurgood Marshall: Justice for All” follows this lawyer to a seat in the Supreme Court. “Barack Obama” gives the early rise of our current president.

Duck Dynasty: Season 4 captures the sensation of America’s favorite family that made themselves endearing with their bushy beard and country wisdom. These episodes were made before the recent “he said what?” controversies involving Phil Robertson. The family is noted for being extremely rich thanks to their duck calls. Of course the family has become extra rich thanks to massive endorsement deals that have made them their own industry. They had Chia Pets last Christmas season. They are massive stars, but the show does its best to keep them simple folks. Basically the show is a modified sitcom without a studio audience or laugh track. They just bobble around and do their best to impress the folks in Middle America.

My Little Pony: Classic Movie Collection contains 4 movies from the earlier version of the show. This isn’t the same animation or voices as the Friendship is Magic version. While there is Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Spike the Dragon, you also get Minty. The movies include “The Princess Promenade,” “Dancing in the Clouds,” “The Runaway Rainbow” and “Friends Are Never Far Away.” It’s a fine set for Bronies looking for the early work involving their favorite ponies.

Crossing Lines: Season One is an international police series. William Fichtner is an ex-NYPD detective who comes to Holland. Why? Because he’s hooked on drugs. He does have a job at the carnival. But he finally gets control of his demons to become a member of the International Criminal Court located in the Hague. The 10 episodes show him going around Europe tracking brutal criminals that need to be taken before the court. Donald Sutherland appears as part of the team. It kind of throws back to the old ITV shows with its use of great locations and international goons.

Semi Colin is a documentary about graphic novelist Colin Murray. The man’s comic books are rather erotic. Director Damien Lay explores the artist who hid his desires for decades until rather late in life he released The Lady and the Vampire, Riveria Moon Goddess and The Palace of a Thousand Pleasures. The books have become collector’s items. Murray is kind of like a dirty version of Grandma Moses. While the film seems to be a great addition to Crumb. This is a strange tribute to a man who finally stopped listening to others and pursued his dreams.

The Contradictions of Fair Hope is a documentary about what black communities in the south did after the end of slavery. Many of them joined together to form “benevolent societies.” These groups helped address those who needed major help. The film goes to a place in rural Alabama which still has their society in effect. They’re called “The Fair Hope Benevolent Society.” There’s a lot of preaching as members deal with the sins of the world and heavenly aspirations. Whoopi Goldberg narrates the movie.

Hazel: The Complete Final Season wraps us Shirley Booth’s domestic career as the maid that controlled everyone. This fifth season starts off with the shocker that the Baxters have moved to Iraq and left their son Harold (Bobby Buntrock) with her. She’s moving in with Mr. Baxter’s brother Stephen (Ray Fulmer). He’s in the real estate business. His wife Barbara (Lynn Borden) is not prepared for Hazel to take over her house. Hazel will not merely do as she’s told. It’s only a matter of a few episodes before she whips these next Baxters to do her will. The 29 episodes change up the previous shows by having stories dealing with odd real estate deals. Hazel gets into flipping property action long before all those cable shows. It’s rather sad when it comes to an end. Hazel knew how to take care of a family. Although I still question why nobody seemed to know what happened to the original Baxters. They just took Hazel’s word for why they left so suddenly.

Perry Mason: Movie Collection – Volume 1 has the first 6 TV movies that brought back Raymond Burr in the role of the greatest attorney on TV. “Perry Mason Returns” revitalizes the character who had become a judge. Why would he give up his robes? Because his old secretary Della Street (still played by Barbara Hale) is up on murder charges. Perry’s not going to let some punk young attorney handle her case. She’s been framed by a killer in her dress. Paul Drake Jr. (Greatest American Hero‘s William Katt) is Perry’s new investigator. In a confusing bit of casting, Richard Anderson (The Six Million Dollar Man) is a suspect and not a cop. The TV movie did well enough for 25 more of them. “The Case of the Notorious Nun” is an unholy homicide. “The Case of the Shooting Star” is a special effect gone bad. “The Case of the Lost Love” gets Perry’s old flame put on the fire. She’s being blackmailed and her husband might have offed the creep. “The Case of the Sinister Spirit” conjures up Robert Stack (The Untouchables) and Dwight Schultz (The A-Team). “The Case of the Murdered Madam” has four guys getting blackmailed by the woman holding the little black book. Who was the John that pulled the trigger? These are six movies worthy of letting Burr return to the courtroom. He has a beard for this go around.

Instructions Not Included proved to be a smash indie hit. A major Casanova gets a massive surprise when a former lover dumps a daughter on his doorstep. The guy can’t be stuck with a child. He heads to Hollywood to return the gift. While in Tinseltown, he gets a gig as a stuntman. Although the biggest stunt is him growing up to become a father. How does he react when the mother return? The film does a fine balance of comedy and heart.

House of Versace lets Gina Gershon work her lips to their fullest potential. She portrays the legendary Donatella Versace who was forced to run the family’s fashion business when her brother was gunned down. This is what you crave from a Lifetime Original movie. There’s a lot of jet set and eurotrash action. Gershon gets to put Donatella through her drug issues and emotional breakdowns. She not only survives, but thrives. Although it’s hard to watch the film without remembering Showgirls.

Thanks For Sharing is about what happens when a sex addict falls in love. Is this just going to unleash the beast and destroy his pledge? It’s a crazy romantic comedy about people who just want to get it on. This has an A level cast with Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow Josh Gad and Pink (as Alecia Moore). The movie has its charms since it’s from the people behind The Kids Are All Right. Did I mention Carol Kane is in it?

Living By the Gun i s a fine cowboy flick with plenty of shots fired. It’s the classic tale of a man returning home to avenge the death of his brother. This ultimately leads to a young girl wanting her revenge for the situation. There’s plenty of ruthless action and hot lead zipping around the screen. Like the Highlander, there can be only one. There’s more guns in this movie than a season of Pawn Stars.

Joanie Loves Chachi: The Complete Series, Seasons 1 & 2 brings back the time when this young kids ran off to Chicago in search of fame. The Happy Days duo wants to be big time recording stars. What Joanie (Erin Moran) and Chachi (Scott Baio) didn’t count on was Al (Al Molinaro) being part of the picture. But he has the new fancy Chi-town restaurant that needs a band. The first season was only 4 episodes, but proved to be a major hit. This seemed like it would be another Laverne & Shirley. Would America have a love affair with these two foolish lovers? Sadly the second season is only 13 episodes. The show was dumped onto an 8 p.m. Thursday slot. Even with a visit from the Fonz, the show didn’t last half a season. Erin and Scott sang original songs on the show. The trouble was that their music sounded more Peaches and Herb than Beatles. They just weren’t right for the time. When is the last time this aired on TV? Now all 17 episodes are out on DVD for those who still have a crush on Joanie. There is a lot of Chachi’s exposed chest. For those extra curious, Al Molinaro is still alive at 95. Why hasn’t the Kennedy Center honored him?

Laverne& Shirley: The Seventh Season could be considered the final true season. This was the last time the whole cast was around for the full season. The girls are still faking it in Hollywood with big dreams while working at a department store. “Most Important Day Ever” has Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) in the talent agency game. They would go on to form CAA in the ’80s. “The Defiant One” brings out the amazing Richard Moll (Night Court). Did you know he isn’t really bald? Charles Grodin plays himself in “Friendly Persuasion.” Jeff Goldblum (The Fly) buzzes on “Watch the Fur Fly.” Goldblum still refuses to admit he died in New Zealand. It’s a double Harry on “Star Peepers” when both Harry Dean Stanton (Paris, Texas) and Harry Shearer (The Simpsons) arrive. Shearer would team up with McKean to form Spinal Tap. “Perfidyin Blue” scares me. Shirley fears Laverne wants to kill her. The final season has Shirley leave the show quickly. She was as good as dead. I’m still impressed they were able to clear the Beatles stand up in their apartment. There’s a gag reel as the bonus feature.

All Is Lost is the return of Robert Redford to bad ass cinema. He plays a rather quiet guy who heads out on his sailboat for a solo journey. What could go wrong by himself? Pretty much everything goes wrong. Even without a Gilligan, Redford appears cursed by the elements. His boat gets a huge hole from an unexpected source. A storm makes things worse. He can’t call for help because of another screw up. Somebody up there hates him. But he’s not going to give up even as the sharks sniff him out in the big open ocean. The film is the perfect survival at sea flick. Imagine Hitchcock’s Lifeboat as a quiet one man show. Shame he didn’t get an Oscar nomination, but that shouldn’t stop you from wanting to spend a nice night on dry land watching what can go wrong above the waves.

Seal Patrol is pure men on a mission adrenaline rush. A group of ex-Navy SEALs now offer up their services for those who can afford and deserve their military expertise. In this case it’s Eric Roberts (Bullet in the Face & Star 80) who has to make the call. Roberts heads a company about to make a major breakthrough in energy. But something went wrong at the secret lab and now the brainy scientist is about to go boom. Can the ex-Seals get down to save this person and save humanity from a bleak future? There’s a lot of explosions to make your sound system really go boom.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/02/26/party-favors-hammer-time/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/01/10/party-favors-holiday-leftovers/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/01/10/party-favors-holiday-leftovers/#respond Fri, 10 Jan 2014 22:10:17 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17985 Your humble editor posts an ever-so-slightly delayed holiday edition from Joe Corey...]]>

NORTH POLE – Shout! Factory is a pop culture gem from the people who original ran Rhino Records during its glory period. While the DVD market over the last decade has died down, Shout! Factory has come up with ways to excite those who haven’t sold out to the streaming concept. Mostly through putting out complete sets of great cult TV shows. Seeing how this is the 10th anniversary of Shout! Factory, let’s just give a rundown of the Top 10 DVD/Blu-ray sets you ought to have from them in your collection.

10. Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: The Complete Series brings us all the fun of a love struck high school and his beatnik pal.

9. Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection picks up where Rhino left off on the legendary TV movie series. Shout! Factory has been surprising fans with their amazing bonus features that dare to explore every aspect of the series. They’ve been able to release quite a few films that fans thought would only exist as VHS tapes made off the Comedy Channel.

8. Get A Life: The Complete Series is Chris Elliot’s groundbreaking show about a man who just wants to stay a paperboy.

7. Max Headroom: The Complete Series takes us a few minutes into the future.

6. The Ernie Kovacs Collection is two volumes of the TV pioneer who took comedy into the video age.

5. Scream Factory is the horror genre line that ought to be considered the National Registry of scares. They’ve brought out Blu-rays of Cat People, Night of the Comet and…

4. Roger Corman’s Cult Classics series did a fine job of reviving all the low budget thrills from the Oscar honored producer. The Blu-ray of Rock N Roll High School brings the Ramones into your living room.

3. Steve Martin the Television Stuff takes us back to the time when he was a Wild and Crazy Guy.

2. The Sarah Silverman Show: The Complete Series is a fine case of a show without a mute button.

1. The Larry Sanders Show: The Complete Series was the show that made a lot of people fall in love with HBO comedies.

SCREAM FACTORY SNOWY FESTS

The Beast Within is a deep fried Southern horror film that drips with a lot of sweat. A couple get their car stuck in the Mississippi mud. On their walk to safety, they get attacked by a beast. She gets pregnant from the rapist, but keeps the kid. Seventeen years later her son has a major medical issues. Except the family doesn’t know the true extent of their son’s condition. He’s got a monster lurking inside him. He won’t be stopped. There’s rather gross special effects when the kid transforms to expose his true self. There’s quit e a few familiar faces on the screen including L.Q. Jones, R.G. Armstrong, Luke Askew and Ronny Cox. Screenwriter Tom Holland would later go on to write and direct Fright Night and Child’s Play. Space Age Bachelor Pad legend Les Baxter composed the score. Bonus features include a commentary track with Holland and a second one with director Philippe Mora and actor Paul Clemens.

Crawlspace reminds us once more that If Klaus Kinski is in your building, you might want to move. Who would agree to live in his building? Turns out some women just don’t recognize the situation. Or maybe he just has a great move in deal. Klaus doesn’t merely collect the rent. He has set up a bunch of crawl spaces so he can sneak around and see exactly what his tenants are doing. This is some brilliant over the top ’80s horror. Kinski gleams as he doesn’t have to be restrained in the frame. The best bonus feature is “Please Kill Mr. Kinski.” This is director David Schmoeller’s documentary about how things got out of control on the set. There’s plenty of video footage from the set. It’s as entertaining as the film. There was a plot to kill Kinski for the insurance money. Schmoeller also has a commentary track. There’s an interview with make-up artist John Vulich.

4 Cult Movie Marathon: Volume One is a quadruple feature containing Invasion of the Bee Girls!, The Devil’s 8, Unholy Rollers and Vicious Lips. Bee Girls is a great flick about female research scientists who get a buzz about their work. They are going around killing their male counterparts. The film stars former Price Is Right model Anitra Ford. The Devil’s 8 is a Dirty Dozen plot reworking. A fed agent busts six guys out of prison so they can be his operatives in a fight against moonshiners. Fabian gets to toughen up his image. Unholy Rollers is the star of the set. Claudia Jennings is a gal who finds a taste of fame in the world of roller derby. However she learns the hard way that just because she’s loved on the track, she can’t be replaced. Can she keep her ego in check? The film had to have a few of the songs replaced. Vicious Lips is a strange flick from Albert Pyun (Captain America). An all -girl band from outer space comes to Earth to be in a talent show. It’s almost a film that seems like a sequel to Liquid Sky. The mix is fine although Unholy Roller is the reason to relish the collection.

4 Cult Movie Marathon: Volume Two presents the foursome of Angels From Hell, Chatter-Box, The Naked Cage and Savage Island. Angels From Hell is a biker flick about the creation of the biggest, baddest motorcycle gang ever put together. Can they make the law fear their outlaw ways? He uses his skills learned in Vietnam to ramp things up. Chatter-Box is about a woman who finds herself speaking from her va-jay-jay. She becomes a disco sensation with her new singing voice. This is a raunchy comedy from 1977. The big star of the film is Rip Taylor. The Naked Cage is another trip inside the women’s prison. Two cellmates clash until they team up during a hot prison riot. Savage Island is a film that sliced up Hotel Paradise and Escape From Hell with a few new minutes starring Linda Blair (The Exorcist). It’s cheesy fun. This is just a nice collection of battered grindhouse cans.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

Russ Meyer’s Fanny Hill with The Phantom Gunslinger is a double feature of films produced by Albert Zugsmith (Touch of Evil). Fanny Hill adapts the classic dirty novel for the big screen. While people are used to the nudity of Russ Meyer’s later work, Fanny Hill is more bosom teasing than exposed skin. A young orphan woman must find a way to survive in the world. Her naïve nature allows her to be lured into the world of prostitution. The Phantom Gunslinger is a crazy Western with Troy Donohue as a spiritual cowboy. The film looks amazing with surreal moments. Troy has to save the town from a bunch of outlaws. The big bonus feature is an interview with Fanny Hill‘s Ulli Lomell. Historian Eric Schaefer talks about the double feature.

Wakefield Poole’s Bible! dares to bring together the world of erotica with stories from the Holy Book. This is one of those strange films that a X-rated theater would book in order to prove they have religion. Wakefield Poole brings to life the kinky twists of the Good Book. He gives us a carnal version of Adam & Eve. There’s also the tale of Samson & Delilah that is more than Technicolor. The transfer brings out the ’70s colors and production design. There’s a lot of bonus features explaining so much of the production. Poole introduces the film and gives a complete audio commentary. They even have the costume tests reel.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

World Series 2013 Collector’s Edition brings together all the games from this year’s Fall Classic between the Boston Redsox and the St. Louis Cardinals. This was an unexpected series victory for the Redsox. The press were still focused on the team falling apart in the previous two seasons. But none of them figured David Ortiz would be as dominate in the Fall. Now you can chart the entire progress with this boxset that contains all six games. You’ll get to stare at the weirdness of the obstruction charge. Rewatching the good games can be a rush for fans. Redsox fans might skip games 2 & 3. What’s great is the option to watch the games with the radio broadcasts instead of the Fox News crew. They also include all 11 walk off wins during the regular season. As a bonus, you also get game six of the ALCS when the Redsox took down the Detroit Tigers in a bit of an upset.

DVD SHELF

The Gene Autry Show: The Complete Television Series, Collector’s Edition brings together the singing cowboy’s series. What’s amazing is that is also stars Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram) from Green Acres as his sidekick. Gene was the clean cut cowboy with a sweet voice. He’s the reason Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer is a hit. The set has all 91 episodes from its five season run. There’s also plenty of other shows that Gene produced with his company. This is a perfect boxset for fans of the oater.

The Best of The Universe is the History Channel’s H2 series about the edges of the Solar System. Think of this as a primer for Cosmos. The episodes covered in the set are “Death Stars,” “The Day the moon Was Gone,” “It Fell From Space,” “Catastrophes That Changed the Planets,” “Nemesis: The Sun’s Evil Twin,” “How the Solar System Was Made” and “Crash Landing on Mars.” The series really explores the topics with plenty of scientists.

The Best of Ancient Aliens: The Greatest Mysteries features the show that swears everything man has ever done is the work of aliens. This remains the strangest show run on the History Channel since it seems to feature a lot of people who don’t trust real history. But you get to marvel at the strangest haircuts. The episodes here include “Aliens and the Third Reich,” “Alien Tech,” “Angels and Aliens,” “Unexplained Structures,” “Aliens and Mysterious Rituals,” “Aliens and Ancient Engineers,” “Aliens, Plagues and Epidemics” and “Aliens and Lost Worlds.” It’s a good film to watch when you’re drinking green beer.

Night Train to Lisbon is Jeremy Irons in a bit of a late life romance. He’s a college professor who drops his life after a chance encounter with a Portuguese woman. He quits his job and heads to Lisbon to locate an elusive author. This is a bit of a male version of a Lifetime movie except it’s a guy who throws away his sad life in order to get his groove back. There’s a great supporting cast with Tom Courtenay, Bruno Ganz, Lena Olin, Charlotte Rampling and Christopher Lee. The big bonus feature is an Ultraviolet version of the film.

The Hunt gives Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) a chance to shine. He’s a divorced dad fighting for his kid’s custody. He thinks his life is turning around when he meets someone new. However his life gets swung around into a major nasty battle. It’s a gripping drama from director Thomas Vinterberg. In a time of superhero flicks, it’s good to see someone still has a grip on earthbound men.

Shaolin Warrior is a buttkicking tale of a wannabe monk. There’s a lot of kinetic energy is this tale of young man who wants to train at the Shaolin Temple. They don’t want him, but he does his best to prove that he is worthy of being a student. Can he really be up for their harsh training techniques.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/01/10/party-favors-holiday-leftovers/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/01/10/party-favors-adams-family-values/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/01/10/party-favors-adams-family-values/#respond Fri, 10 Jan 2014 21:35:09 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17984 Joe Corey chats with Josh Mills about HERE'S EDIE: THE EDIE ADAMS TELEVISION COLLECTION...]]>

ANTWERP – While the rest of the world is preparing for Christmas, Josh Mills is celebrating Mother’s Day with Here’s Edie: The Edie Adams Television Collection. The DVD set contains the two seasons of variety specials his mother made after the death of her husband Ernie Kovacs. How is Josh feeling on the eve of releasing these episodes that have been secure in the vault since the early ’60s.

“I’m great because it’s finally coming out,” Josh said. “I’m really happy.”

While many variety shows have been chopped up in order to be released on DVD, the 21 episodes are uncut and include Edie’s original ads for Muriel cigars. Here’s Edie and The Edie Adams Show were revolutionary as a variety show on so many levels. Edie brought top notch talent to the small screen including Bob Hope, Spike Jones, Bobby Darin, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Sammy Davis Jr. The first season had her shooting all over the place including New York City, Las Vegas and London. Even more important was that it allowed Edie to call the shots. How difficult was it to bring his mom’s legacy to DVD without massive snips of performances and guest stars?

“The great thing about this is my mom was actually the producer. In terms of having the contracts, we have all that. We could see what we were allowed to do. In terms of music clearances, we found a really good partner in MVD Music Video Distributors. They basically took care of it. It was a perfect storm. I’m really psyched they took care of that since that was a big hurdle.
Music was an issue on the Ernie Kovacs Collections with songs clipped away from quite a few episodes.

“When we did the Shout! Factory stuff, they were great,” Josh said. “But one of the things that was our error, was that when we first started talking to them, they asked us about stuff. We said there wasn’t that much music, but frankly there was.” They didn’t quite have the budget to clear all the musical moments in The Ernie Kovacs Collection. “I felt really bad since we had to take my mom stuff out because she did most of the singing in the show. When we talked to MVD, we knew exactly what we had to cut out of the Kovacs boxsets. (MVD) were like, ‘Put it all in.'”

There are dozens of Edie’s musical moments from Ernie’s early TV shows included as bonus features. This means that if you own the two volumes of The Ernie Kovacs Collection, you’ll need to pick up Here’s Edie to completely appreciate what Edie Adams brought to the show. My favorite saved moment is when Edie impersonates Marilyn Monroe singing “The Ballad of Davy Crocket.”
“It showed my mom had a flair for comedy in the 1950s that people don’t give her a ton of credit for,” Josh said. “That was a bold thing to do in the 1950s and fairly hip too. Marilyn was Marilyn, but not many people would dare to make fun of her at that point. I can’t believe that’s my mom sometimes.”

Even with truncated appearances on the Kovacs episodes, Edie’s legacy grew thanks to the previous collections that allow her musical and comedic abilities shine next to Ernie.

“People were noticing how good my mom was,” Josh said. “Now, Here’s Edie is shining a little light on her as well. And we still get her collaboration with Ernie in there.”

Here’s Edie is amazing in allowing people to see her as a talented singer, a funny comedian and a gracious host. The series happened during the time when Edie was in a major money crunch. Turns out Ernie didn’t believe in paying taxes. After his death, Edie was stuck with a massive IRS bill. She went into overdrive booking live shows and movie parts in order to retire the debt.

Here’s Edie came about thanks to the people behind Dutch Masters cigars wanting to continue their relationship with Ernie Kovacs’ widow. They made her a rare offer in the history of sponsorships in order to publicize Muriel Cigars.

“What was great about it was Consolidated Cigar Corporation came to my mom after Ernie died and said, we’d like you to do this other brand,” Josh said. “They essentially let my mom do exactly what she wanted with zero interference which is unheard of. They let her do what she wanted because the sales were so good.”

This business relationship proved very fruitful as it lasted decades.

“She used to joke in her act my contract with Muriel is longer than Jack Benny and Jell-O,” Josh remembered. ” Her contract went into the ’90s. Muriel was a brand that wasn’t doing much at all. She was sexy, but she also had a wink in her eyes. They were selling them to regular Joes. Because my mom was a good looking lady, they sold so well.”

The fact that so much of “Here’s Edie” is about cigars makes it a show that can’t be rerun on ME-TV or Ovation without editing out all the sly product placement. There’s no way a channel would be permitted to run the creative commercials Edie made to promote her sponsor. The DVD is the finest way to enjoy the show without fear of the FCC’s mandates.

“You can’t promote tobacco on television so there’s no way you’re going to see them on television,” Josh said. “The people that bought Consolidated were gracious and let use the commercials. They also let us use the commercials on Ernie’s show. This is seeing it like you saw it in 1962.”

The freedom Edie had with her sponsor allowed her to be very experimental in both her guest selection and locations. “New York” really brings her to the Big Apple with Duke Ellington and Peter Falk. She appears on stage in Las Vegas with Eddie Fisher. She hits a Wild West town with Dan Rowan, Dick Martin and Hoagy Carmichael. There’s an episode devoted to the Bossa Nova while the first season wraps up with Bob Hope as the focus. This was part of the joy of having the Consolidated Cigar Corporation footing the bill.

“When I talk to people and try to explain it, I say, ‘It’s a variety show from another dimension.’ It’s not like Carol Burnett or the Smothers Brothers. It’s Sir Michael Redgrave on London Bridge doing a Shakespearean soliloquy. It’s Peter Falk doing something. It’s comedy. It’s Vegas Show. It’s all over the place. How did this happen?”

This truly was a case of a performer getting creative freedom and a company that wasn’t looking to crank out cheap entertainment.

“They were gracious enough to work around her schedule,” Josh said. “That’s why you see on her show a show in London because she was promoting some things. She was in Las Vegas doing her act. They let her bring camera into her nightclub act. They did things in the Nevada desert. They were great to her and she rewarded them with great sales.”

Since Edie was calling the shots on the show, she found herself hiring quite a few people connected with Ernie’s crew . Barry Shear (Across 110th Street) directed several of the Here’s Edie episodes after his time in Kovacsland. “My mom really wanted to work with him because she was flying by the seat of her pants and needed some help. And as the producer, she knew she could trust him. Barry was the guy to go to London to shoot some stuff. Barry was the guy to make sure you got what you wanted.”

However there was a touch of network interference when they discovered Edie was smashing the glass ceiling on television.

“The network said, ‘Whose gonna be the writer and whose gonna be the producer?’ She said, I will. They basically said, ‘No. You need to have a man.’ She said there was a guy who showed up and didn’t do much around the set. He kinda went away. He got a nomination for an Emmy. She did face a lot of that stuff. But at the same time she hired herself as the costumer. She would hire people she really liked to do all her gowns. She had a hand in almost everything in it.”

Turns out that the costumes and the gowns would get even more use with Edie’s time on the road.
“Having the issues with the IRS, my mom realized she could pay everybody back,” Josh said. “The thing was when she put these things together, she would work her gowns into her acts.” Josh told a story about how a Muriel commercial had a giant “EDIE” that was lit up. Afterward the huge prop was shipped to Vegas for her show in the big room.

Nearly a decade after Ernie’s death, his bill to the IRS was paid off. Was there a big celebration after the final check was mailed to the tax man?

I don’t remember if there was a party,” Josh said. “It was a burden. A huge weight was lifted from her shoulders.”

What’s amazing is that even though these shows were done to pay off Ernie’s debt, Edie didn’t crank out the usual variety show. She proved inventive and made quality matter when it came to the guests. Edie didn’t settle for good enough.

“The musical director she got and the people she got conducting were the best in the business,” Josh confirmed. “She always wanted the best. She really put a lot of effort into it.”

The show was shot on videotape instead of film. While Josh wasn’t sure why this happened, it might have had something to do with how Ernie shot his shows on video. Maybe it was a format Edie was most comfortable around. What sort of shape were the 50 year old videotapes?

“They were surprisingly good,” Josh said. We (Josh and co-producer Ben Model) always went back to the Master if we could. There was one episode that we had to use the dub. There’s a great group of guys at the CBS tape vault who did a fantastic job restoring this.”

The most touching moment of our talk came when Josh spoke about what really drove him to put together this collection of his mother’s work.

“If for nothing else, this is a great thing for my daughter to see that her grandmother did these amazing things,” Josh said. “If I get nothing out of this in any other way, I’ll at least my daughter to see what her grandmother was really like.”

Although a lot of other people should also enjoy what Edie Adams brought to television in the early ’60s.

SHOUT IT OUT

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman: The Complete Series is the Christmas gift for TV lovers. For decade people have been wanting to see the late night soap opera spoof, but nobody wanted to completely cooperate. TVLand didn’t run it too long during their Kitschen timeslot. Sony put out a DVD set with the first 25 episodes and promptly back burnered the series. Then a Festivus miracle happened! Shout! Factory put all 325 episodes in a massive boxset. Now you can get all the action of Fernwood. The show was revolutionary when it hit syndication in 1976. Mary Hartman (Louise Lasser) became an icon with her hairdo of massive bangs and huge pigtails. She represented the housewife who feels like cleaning products can bring happiness to their desperate life. The show is a real soap opera since it aired Monday through Friday. The pacing reflects what you would have seen on an episode of Guiding Light back in the Bicentennial. The first episode takes Mary into a dark place when there’s a killer in the neighborhood and her father gets busted for being a flasher. She fears her marriage is destroyed when her husband Tom (Greg Mullavey) gets his cheating ways exposed. Her mother (Dody Goodman) drives her nuts. Her best friend Loretta (Mary Kay Place) dreams of being a major country singer. Her husband Charlie (Graham Jarvis) does all her can to let her live the dream. It all makes for an addictive time in the small town of Fernwood where stuff like this isn’t supposed to happen. Lasser couldn’t take the physical and emotional strain of the character which is why it sort of ended. They brought it back for another 26 weeks as Forever Fernwood, but somehow without Mary’s hairdo, things didn’t seem the same. The show was a big trailblazer since right after it ended, ABC began to air Soap.

The bonus features include Norman Lear, Louise Lasser and Mary Kay Place speaking about the impact of the show. There’s also a focus on the Mary prolonged nervous breakdown scene. The greatest of the bonus features is 10 episodes of Fernwood 2 Night. This was the legendary faux talkshow that was filmed in a living room with Martin Mull as the host and Fred Willard as his sidekick. The duo are hilarious as they sit behind TV trays doing their best to appear hip sedate town. Band leader Happy Kyne is really Frank De Vol, the composer behind the themes to The Brady Bunch, Get Smart and Family Affair. The show aired during a break in Mary Hartman‘s schedule.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: 25th Anniversary Edition celebrates the movie that revolutionized talking to the screen. Sure there were other TV shows where the horror host talked during the movie. Most of them made normal goofy jokes. None of them every cracked a joke about Karen Finley and sweet potatoes. MST3K opened up the spectrum to quips. They could go for the simple dumb joke to the most elite of references that would soar above the heads of young viewers. Why? So the viewers of 25 years ago would be able to rewatch the show today and get the “new” jokes. In order to celebrate 25th anniversary, we get a monumental boxset inside a collectable tin. Moon Zero Two is what happens when Hammer studios gave up horror for a shot at Science Fiction. The movie was made around the same time as 2001 although the effects come off as Space: 1999 in training. Star Catherine Schell was on Space: 1999. This is a first season episode with Larry as Dr. Forrester’s assistant. Joel and the Bots joke about the moon landing and zero gravity. The Day the Earth Froze (season four) is another one of the international offerings. This is based off a tale of a hero in Finland. The budget is amazing. The story gets a bit confusing to Joel and the Bots. This turns out to be good for the audience. The short is “Here Comes the Circus.” This inspires the Bots to become a clown act. Gypsy does her own impersonation of Gypsy Rose Lee. The Leech Woman (season eight) is about getting local medicine from Africans. A woman discovers the secret of youthful skin. Instead of being Oil of Olay, the secret ingredient turns out to be sacrificing young men. The Mike and the Bots have to battle prairie dogs in the Satellite of Love. Tom Servo gets fixated on The Beverly Hillbllies. Gorgo (season nine) brings together all the stuff you like about giant monster films including a stomping of London. Leonard Maltin is part of the fun. What makes this boxset so special is all the amazing bonus features. First they have Mitchell and The Brain That Wouldn’t Die that featured the switch from Joel to Mike as the host. This was a much smoother transition than the Darrens swap on Bewitched. A three part documentary Return to Eden Prairie explores the strange development of the little show that became a massive cult success. All that matters is that Beez McKeever gets to talk about her work on the series. There’s a documentary that gives all the details you’ll ever need about Gorgo. Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl) updates us on her activities since MST3K ended. I’ve heard rumors that she knows Ken Plume. There’s even an interview with one of the stars from The Brain That Wouldn’t Die. Hard to believe it’s been 25 years since the show started to sneak into the lives of smartalecs around the world. This is a great way to mark such a historic occasion.

Scream Factory Presents TV Terrors: The Initiation of Sarah & Are You In The House Alone?! – takes us to 1978 when network TV movies did their best to spook the folks at home. The Initiation of Sarah is the classic tale of a young girl going to college and discovering her true talent with the help of an amazing mentor. However instead of Sarah (Moving Violation‘s Kay Lenz) being a prodigy for biotech, she’s got witch powers. Her sorority mother is a witch that wants her to develop her supernatural powers for evil. Sarah’s encourage to seek revenge on those that give her a hard time at the university. This of this as the precursor to American Horror Story: Coven. Are You In the House Alone? is another reminder of what can go wrong when your parents don’t take you along. Kathleen Beller has it worse when she’s babysitting a neighbor’s kid and keeps getting nasty phone calls from a stranger. Can she handle the attention? Who is doing this to her? Among the suspects are Blythe Danner, Alan Fudge, Tony Bill and a really young Dennis Quaid. It’s great that these two TV movie can be watched on TV once again.

Saturn 3 reminds us that in space, Harvey Keitel loses weight and his Brooklyn accent. Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett are isolated in a research lab on Saturn’s third moon. They like their private life with limited human contact. They are researching ways to grow food in such remote and desolate climates. It’s their own version of Eden. But then a snake arrives in the form of Harvey Keitel. They don’t know it, but Harvey is not the guy that was assigned for this visit. The original person fell to pieces. They can’t check up on the guy since they’re in the midst of an eclipse that cuts off their ability to communicate with the outside solar system. Harvey doesn’t come alone. He brings along a really creepy robot that doesn’t have a human-like head. It’s a massive torso and dangerous arms. Harvey is fixated on Farrah Fawcett. Who wouldn’t be since this was 1980 when she still had her Charlie’s Angels glow. The film didn’t do too well when it was originally released, but it’s fascinating to watch with three iconic acts battling it out. Martin Amis (London Fields) wrote the script. Stanley Donen (Singin’ In the Rain) directed his version of dystopia in Outer Space. The weirdest thing about the film is how they replaced Harvey Keitel’s voice. Why? Luckily Roy Dotirice is interviewed to explain why he was called in for a few hours to give Harvey a British voice. There’s also an interview with special effects artist Colin Chlivers. The audio commentary super fan Greg Moss and critic David Bradley explain the production. The big treat on the Blu-ray is the deleted “romance” scene where Farrah puts on a more revealing costume after she and Kirk drop what looks like ecstasy. This outfit was teased in the trailer, but snipped from the film. It might have been a bigger hit with that moment included. There’s also a DVD with all the content in case you’re stuck on a moon of Saturn without a Blu-ray player.

The Horror Show dares to make us imagine that Lance Hendrickson (Aliens) can be haunted even though he looks like the guy who would be spooking. He’s a police detective that becomes a major hero when he stops the notorious Meat Cleaver Max. This killer has claimed dozens of victims with his butchering skills. But even on death row Max isn’t ready to stop. Sure they put him in the electric chair and give him the juice, but Max survives the first massive jolt. Even when they think he’s dead, Max proves he’s not ready for Hell. His ghost won’t leave Lance alone. No matter what Lance is doing, Max’s face appears to scare him. Now who could make the audience believe Lance could have the heebies? Well it’s the raw beauty of Brion James (Blade Runner). It’s hard to tell if Max is a ghost or Lance is just completely going nuts. This does have the most disturbing poultry dinner since Easerhead when Lance loses his grip while sizing up the turkey. That scene makes it perfect to watch with grandma after Thanksgiving dinner. The film was produced by Sean S. Cunningham, the director of Friday 13th. The bonus features include a chat with actress Rita Taggert and special effects expert Kane Hodder. The film was originally released as House 3, but it’s got little to do with House except the family does live in a home.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

The Blue Hour w/Naked Night & Three In a Towel is a tribute to Grads Corp that distributed exploitation films in the ’70s. The Blue Hour really is an art film. Tanya flashes back to her early life in some rather beautiful cinematography. It’s like she’s one big Kodak commercial. Parts of it are just too beautiful for the roughness in the scenes. This is not the conventional grindhouse production. You can almost imagine buying popcorn to take in the film. Naked Night is a black and white flick about a young girl in the big city being turned into a bad girl She fears turning into a hooker since that’s the reason for her mom’s suicide. There’s a good about of sleazy moments from the time your grandmother swore this stuff didn’t happen. The girl can’t help the fast money and easy attention of being a hooker. Since this is from the nice era of cinema, the men only pay her to smooch. Even the morning after the orgy scene has the guys wearing boxer shorts on the floor. “Three In a Towel” is a nude fest from 1969. Thrill to the sight of out there flower children losing their top in the San Fran sun. It’s semi-sweet innocent fun with a guy who swears women can’t resist him on this special day. He’s right. There’s a trailer for Three In a Towel.

Gameshow Models won me over with the simple concept of finding out what was required to show off prizes on TV. Oddly enough, the movie isn’t really about gameshows or models. This isn’t like one of those sexy stewardess films from 1976. Turns out the main character is a John Vickery, a smut writer who grows jaded of the outlaw life after five years. He gets himself a conventional haircut and lands a job working in publicity. But is he really ready to sell out for this world of illusions. The game show angle happens when he has to help cast models. Dick Miller (any Roger Corman film) is the host of the show wanting more from his ladies than their ability to frame a fridge. He has naked behind the question holes. Thelma Houston appears as a singer needing a pop to launch her career. Why wasn’t this film only about gameshow models? Well you learn that secret with the bonus feature being a movie called The Seventh Dwarf. This was the original version of the film before the distributor changed the title, shot new scenes and chopped out the original focus. Dick Miller and the gameshow was not part of the original cut. It’s about Vickery dealing with his life at the PR firm. This boxset should be watched by any indie filmmaker curious if they could let a distributor make a few changes to get their film into a theater.

Drive-In Collection: The First Time & Oriental Babysitter is a double feature from director Anthony Spinelle (Suckula). The First Time (1978) is a contemplative piece when an adult actress (Mimi Morgan) remembers the events that led to her career. Her co-star thinks she’s been in the business for a while, but this is her first movie. Where did she get her gift for showbiz? Strangely enough, she spent no time studying at a dinner theater. Seems a lot of her talent comes from attending wild parties. There’s a touch of kink when they break out a whip for the kitten to wield. A hypodermic scene is really bizarre. A young Joey Silvera gets into the action. The love theme is amazingly poppy. Why don’t today’s adult flicks have such snappy music? Oriental Babysitter(1976) stars Linda Wong as an Asian child care provider. Turns out that when the parents get home after a night out, they’re making her work hard for the tip. Her first encounter with a parent is rather rough. A later gig has her hook up with the dad. When mom discovers them in bed, she joins in on the fun. This one is light on the plot and heavy on the action. This is a double feature that might have played a sticky Tenderloin cinema in San Francisco.

The Candidate with Johnny Gunman is a double feature about power struggles in politics and crime. The Candidate (1964) puts Ted Knight (Too Close For Comfort and The Mary Tyler Moore Show) on the road to the U.S. Senate. Oddly enough, his campaign manager (Eric Mason) is the man with troubles keeping his zipper up. What was he thinking hiring Mamie Van Doren as his secretary? She gets pegged as a pimp. He can’t stop getting into trouble when he also hires the delightful June Wilkinson as his new secretary. There’s no stopping the guy. His wild life eventually rubs off on his client. Ted Knight really does look like a guy who ought to be in the senate. Strangely enough this is the first time The Candidate has been legitimately released on home video. You’d think the legions of Ted Knight Kultists would have demanded the movie decades ago. A true neglected gem of a political film that should be watched with Rachel Maddow. Johnny Guman (1957) is a film noir about crime in New York City. There’s quite a bit of location filming for those who enjoy seeing Manhattan from this era. A female writer looking for a fun night at the Greenwich Village street fair. She gets more than food on a stick. She ends up hooking up with a wanted mobster. The law only knows him a Johnny G. She gets to know him as the love of her life. But how long can their affair last when there are cops wanting to put him behind bars? Not to mention the gangsters looking to rub out Johnny. A fine film for those eager to catch a ’50s crime flick that hasn’t been rerun to death on TCM.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Five continues the amazing upgrade of the science fiction series as it enters the high definition universe. The series at this point had become truly embraced by fans of the original Star Trek instead of scoffed as something for the youngsters. The season kicks off with the cliffhanger resolution to “Redemption II” that featured Worf doing his best to clear his family’s name from a slur. There’s also a power struggled for the Klingon High Council that needs a little federation help. Communication issues is a theme for the season. “Darmok” has Picard needing to figure out a way to talk to an alien captain else the two of them are doomed. “Silicon Avatar” forces the crew to figure a way to contact the Crystalline Entity. There’s a little family drama when Worf deals with his son in “New Ground.” There’s a few great guest stars to spice up the crew. Ashley Judd beams in for “The Game.” The crew gets hooked on the video game. Can there be a cure for deep space Pac-Man Fever? “A Matter of Time” makes Matt Frewer (Max Headroom) time travel to warn the crew of a nuclear winter that must be prevented. Or is he trying to cause one? The massive guest star appears in the two part “Unification” episodes. Who could it be? How about Leonard Nimoy as Spock. The Federation fears that Spock has gone over to the Romulans. Why would he do that? What is going to happen? This was the highest rated event during ST:TNG original broadcast back in the ’90s. You can never go wrong with a Spock cameo. Even when the guy is selling cars, he delivers the good. The season wraps up with “Time’s Arrow.” They find Data’s head in an Earth archeological dig. What is the meaning of this discovery? Season Five kept up the quality that fans expected from the syndicated juggernaut. The bonus features include deleted scenes, original episode previews and a gag reel. Four of the episodes have audio commentaries. There are features on the music and a remembrance of the series from cast & crew. Once again the folks supervising the HD upgrade have done a fantastic job of bringing the show into 1080p for the Blu-ray.

2013 World Series Champions – Official 2012 World Series Film is this year’s shocking underdog success story. Spoiler Alert: The Boston Redsox won the title. Who would have guessed that ending? Not me. The Sox had been in a season and a month slump that first knocked them out of the 2011 playoff picture and then put them in the cellar for 2012. During the off-season they appeared to pick up a bunch of free agents who couldn’t quite pass physicals so they were given one year deals (Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino and a few others). The had a bullpen with a few closers that ended up on the disabled list. And their Patriot’s Day game ended with the Boston Marathon bombing. But the team had a refuse to lose spirit that came straight from David Ortiz. For a team that was criticized for not having any real leadership as they fell apart, Papi finally took over and luckily he had players in the dugout that didn’t resist his inspiration. They also found out that Koji Uehara is a prime shut down artist in the 9th inning. Things looked rocky in the World Series when they faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals. That was the team that ruined The Impossible Dream team in ’67. The Sox fell behind 2 games to 1. But then I changed bars to Raleigh’s Fox and the Hound to watch the games on the big screen. And the Sox not only won the next three games, they clinched the title in Fenway Park. It was the most unexpected of outcomes after crawling from the wreckage of beer, chicken, videogames and Bobby Valentine. The Blu-ray brings out the beauty of Ortiz’s dominating performance. Along with highlights from the games, the bonus features include the clinching celebrations, the World Series parade on Duck Boats and several features on Ortiz and Dusting Pedroia. After going 86 years without a World Series, title, the Redsox have won 3 in the last decade. They’re like the 21st Century New York Yankees. Maybe Spike Lee should design a ballcap for them?

DVD SHELF

Danguard: The Movie Collection is classic Japanese anime from 1977. This epic nearly six hours long film is from Leiji Matsumoto, the creator of Space Battleship Yamamoto (aka Starblazers). There’s something weird happening when the planet Promete enters the solar system. The World Space Institute sends ships to great and investigate the near entry into the intergalactic neighborhood. However something goes hideously wrong on the expedition mission. But this failure doesn’t completely dissuade the plan although they take a little bit more time to visit Promete. They don’t’ merely want to send ship, but ships that can be turned into robots. It’s an action packed space opera full of aliens, spaceships and robots. The English dub is rather perfunctory.

The Capture of Grizzly Adams brings back Dan Haggerty’s iconic role to give viewers the ending they craved when the show was canceled after its second season. Unlike Deadwood, the fans got to find out what happened to Grizzly. The story goes that he was accused of a murder he didn’t commit. Instead of being like The Fugitive and running around the country working odd jobs, Grizzly went into the frontier and lived off the land. He kept a semi-low profile and hung out with a giant bear. But was this really the way it all ended? Of course not. The man had to get one last chance to prove his innocence. He gets that in this movie. He can’t avoid civilization for that long. He gets a message that his daughter is in trouble. This leads him back, but he can’t maintain a low profile. He gets busted by Chuck Connors (The Rifleman). He wants to Grizzly to pay for his crime. Grizzly wants one last shot at justice. His big hope lies in the heart of Kim Darby (True Grit). It’s a fitting finale for the series. If you bought season 1 and 2, you’ll need this to bring that sense of closure to the legendary mountain man. You can also see Haggerty get roasted on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts boxset.

Wings of a Warrior: The Jimmy Doolittle Story is a documentary about the legendary Air Force pilot. He’s most famous for leading a raid into the heart of Tokyo in 1942. This attack let the Japanese know that they were beyond the reach of the Allied Forces after Pearl Harbor. As a commander he had few peers with his more than 20 missions. But the War Hero did more than military heroics. He once held the record from flying coast to coast. He was also vital in the development of flying with only instruments instead of following landmarks. The documentary explores his life from his birth in Nome, Alaska. He’s the only person to get the Medal of Freedom and the Medal of Honor. Director Gardner Doolittle (Jimmy’s third cousin) does a fine job at putting his relative in historical context. Here’s a bit of newsreel footage from Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo, but not a clip from the movie. The .

Primitive is about the things that can go wrong from hypnotherapy. In this case young Martin Blane (Matt O’Neill) goes under only to not merely tap into his true feelings, but unleash his primitive side. What really triggers this transformation is a trip to his mother’s funeral. Is his inner rage have a method to its mayhem? Is it really him going around ripping him apart in a primal creature form? Or is he the perfect patsy for a psychopath with bad dental work? Reggie Bannister brings the goods once more. You might remember him from being Reggie in the Phantasm movies. He was also in Bubba Ho Tep. The effects are from Tom Devlin from SyFy’s Face Off competition show. Director Benjamin Cooper and Matt O’Neill provide a commentary track to discuss what they did during production. There’s a piece on Devin’s work to make the nightmare creature. Reggie Bannister shares some time with us. There are a few outtakes. Plus you can watch a stream of the movie and download it off Ultraviolet.

(Impractical) Jokers: The Complete First Season lets Sal, Joe, Q and Murr drag people into a more disturbed version of Candid Camera. The four friends swap off during their various stunts at feeding the others lines to push their victims deeper into the madness. This is the first 17 episodes that have aired on TruTV. Nothing seems to be off limits to these guys and they do their best to top the other guy. They like to fake working at places to see what they can do to get the customers to freak out. The fact that they’re friends helps it more believable that they would be willing to follow through with the goofy stuff that comes over the earpiece. The boxset includes deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage and interviews with the friends. There’s also five episodes with audio commentaries where the foursome are still giving each other the business.

Battle Ground is a good old World War I trench film. During a raid into the no man’s land, a few allied troops must survive the Germans. The trio isn’t exactly all for one and one for all when they do their best to survive in the hellscape of mud, metal and ammo. Even worse is that the clock is ticking since there might be another assault on their miserable turf. They either must get back to their trench or accept this godless stretch of turf as their shallow grave. It’s a gutty little film that looks amazing. The bonus features include a featurette on how they recreated the trenches without digging a massive budget hole. Directors Johan Earl and Adrian Powers provide a commentary track to break down what they did during the production to make it look and feel realistic.

Red 2 brings back America’s favorite retired secret agents. Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren are joined by Anthony Hopkins in a nuclear thriller. Mary-Louise Parker is once more caught up in the explosions and shoot outs as she attempts to help Bruce. She gets a meatier role this time around. All that matters to me is that we get to see more of Helen Mirren being the elder badass. Forget her being knighted or winning an Oscar, Helen deserves to be enshrined in the Badass Hall of Fame. She’s the world’s most dangerous grandmother. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a KGB agent who might be helping out Bruce. But there’s a chance she’s going to betray them since she is KGB. This is as good as the first film and a little better since it has more Helen Mirren.

Tracie Long: Focus Series gets you ready to work off the pounds before you need to make a New Year’s resolution. Each DVD contains a 30 minute workout that has chapters in case you need to review a move. Power Up is aimed at moves that will increase your current fitness level. This is supposed to replace your cup of Starbucks when you need a jolt to wake up on Monday morning. Equipment necessary are a Step and Mat. Lift Higher is aimed at boosting your butt. The focus is on your lower body. There’s routines devoted to make you feel the burn in your bum. You need to get a set of dumbbells to press off the pounds. Kickback is all about putting a boot into your lazy day. A lot of cardio routines as wants you to burn calories putting your extremities into play. Tracie Long keeps up the energy for the 30 minutes so viewers will want to match her move for move. Pick these up before you hit the frozen turkey aisle.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2014/01/10/party-favors-adams-family-values/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/11/04/party-favors-all-ears/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/11/04/party-favors-all-ears/#respond Mon, 04 Nov 2013 06:05:32 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17932 Joe Corey looks at the legendary producer Arif Mardin...]]>

ISTANBUL – Arif Mardin’s name might not sound familiar, but his musical work is stuck in your head. Ever try to escape the funk of the Average White Band’s “Pick Up the Pieces?” That’s Mardin. The longtime producer at Atlantic Records worked the controls on hits from the ’60s until the early 21st century. The 12 time Grammy winner might be the most successful producer for the duration of a career. He’s a guy whose discography includes The Rascals, Aretha Franklin, the BeeGees, Scritti Politti, Hall & Oates and Norah Jones. The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story documents his final project and his entire life. The movie is out on DVD from Shelter Island.

Mardin might slip under the radar compared to famous producers. He didn’t have a sound like Joe Meek or Phil Spector. He didn’t get miles of publicity like Rick Rubin. He was a rather unassuming man who never went out of fashion. He was able to innovate so that he wasn’t completely stuck in an era. He brought out the disco and falsetto in the BeeGees. He mixed it up for Chaka Khan’s hip hop epic “I Feel For You.” Even after he was retired by Atlantic records, Arif arrived on the Grammy stage with Norah Jones’ Come Away with Me. This is a man who didn’t stop making music until the end.

I had a chance to talk with his son Joe Mardin who co-directed the documentary and co-produced his father’s final album, “All My Friends Are Here.” The film does its best to explain the secret to his dad’s longterm success in an industry that went from the British Invasion to house music.

“He was a modernist, but he was grounded in traditional music,” Joe said. This was how he could traverse the classics, jazz, pop, hip hop and new wave. He got his studio start at Atlantic doing arrangements for groups. Eventually this allowed Ahmet Ertegun to put Arif in the studio as a producer with the Rascals. This collaboration led to “Good Lovin” and “Groovin.” He was a producer who knew what the artists needed to take the song up a level.

Joe explained, “As Felix Cavaliere says in the film, ‘We’d work out something the day before. Then Arif would say I’ll write something. Don’t worry about it. This arrangement would come in with strings and horns and things we weren’t expecting.'”

We spoke a bit about producers tinkering with a band while they’re in the studio.

“By the time they were making a record like “I Feel For You,” there was a lot of tinkering going on,” Joe said. “A lot of different musicians contributions being tried out and experimented with. The way that the “Chaka Khan…Chaka Khan” Melle Mel sample happened was they had put the sample into the machine and you pressed the button and it would trigger the sample. Arif’s finger slipped on the button and so all of a sudden it went “Chaka Khan…Chaka Khan.” And it was an ‘Oh, we’re onto something here.'”

The movie does a fine job of putting Arif with his contemporary peers that follow the same musical philosophy. “One of the things I’m proud of in the film is the summit between Arif Mardin, Quincy Jones, Sir George Martin and Phil Ramone,” Joe said. “How these great producers were advocates for the artist. If they managed to get something in that maybe had a little bit of a signature; fine. As long as it served the artists. Ultimately they were looking to get the best out of the artist and the song. ”

“Norah expressed concern that working with such a legendary figure that maybe he’d impose his own judgments or values on the project. He said, ‘Look, I work for you. I work in service of the artist and try to realize what you want to realize musically and artistically. But he added, ‘I’m not a yes man. If I’m not happy with the way something is going, I’ll say it. I work for you,'” Joe related. “It was always with the artists in mind. What would show them in the best light.”

One of the astounding facts in the film was that even though Mardin was with Atlantic for nearly 40 years, he only discovered on artist toward the end of his tenure. Did Mardin wish he could have done more A&R work at the label?”

“My father was happy to be more in the studio and having to be out looking for artists and wining and dining,” Joe said. “He wanted to be making the music more than anything else. When you look at his discography, there really wasn’t that much time.”

The Greatest Ears in Town has a connection to Muscle Shoals about the Alabama town with the two legendary studios. “I remember as a child hearing frequently, “Dad, where are you going?” “Muscle Shoals.” He did a Cher record there.

What’s amazing about Arif’s story is that he didn’t get sucked into the debauchery that normally accompanies being part of hit records at the primetime of the music industry. “We had a very stable home life created by both of our parents. He wasn’t in the rock and roll lifestyle. He loved being in the studio and creating and being with musicians.” Watching the footage of him in the control booth hints that his big vice seemed to be good take-out food. “And the Mardinis!” Joe pointed out.
There’s a lot of musicians who miss Arif’s special way of mixing up a martini.

The lack of demons or a massive fall and comeback did concern Joe. This is a world where people want those VH1 Behind the Music tales of drugs, sex and near suicides. Arif was an anomaly for a rock and roll success story.

“That was the dilemma when we were editing the film was there wasn’t a rehab or third wife or the kids going into rehab. Our family wasn’t like that,” Joe said. “Without having that, we really had to show the other things that hopefully keep people’s interest for an hour and a half.” Sadly there is a major drama in the film when it’s disclosed that Arif is battling cancer while finishing his album. This what spurred Joe into bringing a videocamera into the studio to capture his father at work.

“We had started recording the album in November of 2005. By March of 2006, I was kinda saying, we better start documenting these things. Who knows how much longer we’re going to have him,” Joe said. “I enlisted Doug Biro who had made a wonderful film about Herbie Hancock called “Possibilities.” Doug came in and started shooting the sessions with various camera people. We didn’t know exactly what we were going to be doing, but we knew that would be the beginnings of this film about Arif.”

The process of working on the album was hard for the son.

“It very emotionally taxing,” Joe admitted. “When it dawned on me that we were going to lose my father before he would had the opportunity to finish this album that he referred to as his “life’s work.” It included elements of composition he had composed over a span of 50 years plus new pieces. When it hit me that I was going to have to finish this without him; that was very hard. Finishing the album was a huge challenge. Fortunately my father and I discussed a lot of elements of music and the album in his last week.

“I would joke with people that maybe if he didn’t trust me so much, maybe he would have lived longer. He knew that between me and Michael O’Reilly, our engineer, that the music had reached the point that it was in good hands. He felt that it would be completed in the way he liked for it to be completed. But it’s still very sad to me that this extraordinary, accomplished, successful man didn’t get to put the finishing touches on his final masterpiece”

Even after the album was completed, there was the documentary for Joe to finish.

“Being in the editing room month and after month watching the footage was very draining. ” “I had to look at it and make sure it was working. It was an honor, but it wasn’t very easy.”

One person who made the process a little bit easier was Darryl Hall from Hall and Oates. Arif was behind the board when the duo recorded “She’s Gone.” Darryl considered Arif his musical father. Darryl was to take part in the all-star title song on the project, but the timing was unfortunate.

“Darryl was so wonderful,” Joe said. “The session that Darryl comes in does his part on “All My Friends Are Here” was the day after my dad passed away. I asked T Bone Wolk, ‘We lost Arif. If Darryl feels it’s too heavy, to go in and record the day after, we can reschedule.’ Word came back, ‘No. Darryl is up for it.’ My mother was saying, ‘My father would have wanted you to continue and not postpone it.’ Darryl came by and he was just brilliant, accommodating, creative. It had the potential to be the hardest session of my life, but because of Darryl, it was one of the easiest.”

The film interviews so many stars that worked with Arif over the decades. Turns out it wasn’t too hard for Joe to find eager participants. “The wonderful thing about a lot of those interviews is that I’ve known so many of these people since I’ve been 10 years old,”

The Greatest Ears in Town really gives Arif Mardin his due. What’s amazing is that he never went out of fashion during his nearly five decades behind the mixing board.

NETFLIX BLAHS

The media and Wall Street has a huge boner for Netflix streaming as the future of television. Sure they’ve done well since the disaster of splitting the service. A lot of cable cord cutters have decided that Netflix is their only legitimate source for movies and TV shows. They’ve gotten into original productions that have brought them glory. So why am I not sold on this future?

Maybe it’s because way too many times I’ll think of a movie or TV show and Netflix doesn’t have it. Or even worse, the kid wants to see a title and it doesn’t’ exist in the selections. Often times even if I find a title listed, I spend a few minutes watching the Loading Bar before it kicks me back to the previous selection menu. Is this their cute way to act like they have a title or is the system screwed up? It’s more frustrating that back when I’d try to fine tune the cable box to get a hint of what was showing on the Playboy Channel. Half the time I’m better off looking for a movie on Youtube.
Call me a luddite, but I’d rather have the DVDs or Blu-rays for a movie or TV show that I enjoy. And I don’t’ trust the cloud. Most streaming services that allow you to “buy” movies have an amazing little clause in their licensing agreement that points out that they cancel your membership and deny you access to your films. Why? Because you didn’t buy the digital content. You bought unlimited access to the content through the service. Unlimited until it’s cut off. Don’t give up your shiny discs.

BRUCE IN A BOX

Bruce Lee: The Legacy Collection gives the martial arts legend a fitting boxset for his Golden Harvest films. There are DVDs and Blu-rays for The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon and The Game of Death. These are the restored HD transfers from Asia that so many people had been pleading to see in America. While this boxset was supposed to come out in the middle of the summer, the wait has been worth it. Bruce Lee shines on the HDTV as he kicks so many asses across Hong Kong, Rome and Thailand. The Big Boss has Bruce arrive in Thailand looking to work with relatives at an ice factory. Turns out the place is a front for a drug running operation. The owners don’t like it when the employees discover their profit making side business. It’s up to Bruce to stop these criminals. Fist of Fury is a period piece when Japan had taken control of part of China. Bruce must defend his martial arts school against a bunch of prickish Japanese martial artists who won’t back down. Way of the Dragon sends Bruce Lee off to Rome to battle mobsters that have invaded a relative’s Chinese restaurant. This is best known for the major fight between Bruce and Chuck Norris in the Colosseum. They are the last true gladiators to fight to the death inside the ancient wonder. The Game of Death was a movie project finished after Bruce’s death. They slapped together a plot involving an actor who fakes his death to find out who is trying to kill him. It’s hilarious to see what they did to fake Bruce into scenes including a cardboard head. What matters is that the Blu-ray has Game of Death Revisited which gives the 35 minutes of real flight footage Lee shot for the movie. The best is his battle with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This is so much better than the movie. There are quite a few documentaries in the boxset about Lee’s life. “Bruce Lee: The Man and the legend” focuses on his funerals in Hong Kong and Seattle. It’s a very intimate portrait of how those close to him mourned his passing. Steve McQueen makes an appearance. Amongst the bonus features is Bob Wall talking about his work on Way of the Dragon and The Game of Death. The former martial arts champion is brilliantly intense as he talks about having to rough up his co-stars if they weren’t delivering the proper fake fighting techniques. Bob Wall is on my short list of people who you need to sit next to on a long airplane flight.

The original DVD boxset of Bruce Lee films had prints that looked like they had been used by Lee as punching targets. These transfers are so much cleaner. You can get all the detail of the bird’s nest on Chuck Norris’ chest. There will be a few whiners wondering why the boxset doesn’t have Enter the Dragon? He made that movie for Warner Brothers so you’ll have to buy the Blu-ray for that separately. The DVDs and Blu-rays are housed within a large book with plenty of photos and promotional material from all the films. This is a great way to experience the cinematic genius of the iconic fighter who’s still the best in the world even 40 years after his death.

SCREAM FACTORY DELIVERY

Night of the Comet: Collector’s Edition is one of the great teen flicks from the ’80s. Imagine The Walking Dead if all that was left to fight the zombies were a Valley Girl and her cheerleader sister. It’s that cool. This is like End Times At Ridgemont High. Everyone in Los Angeles is excited about an approaching comet. It becomes the party sensation of the decade with people eager to see this heavenly event. Regina Belmont (The Last Starfighter‘s Catherine Mary Stewart) and sister Samantha (Chopping Mall‘s Kelli Maroney) miss out on witnessing the streak. While this might seem like a bad thing, something evil happens to those that got a peek. The lucky were burned into piles of ash. The unfortunate became zombies. A handful of lucky humans were about to survive without any issues. But now they must fight for survival in the deserted city. While a mall that doesn’t require you to pay sounds like a Valley Girl’s dream, there are nightmares lurking in the food court. The movie deserves its cult status. There’s a proper level of apocalyptic action. There’s three different audio commentaries that give Stewart and Maroney a chance to remember. They also are interviewed on camera for “Valley Girls at the End of the World.” Robert Beltran recounts being “The Last Man on Earth?” Photo galleries give a peak at faking a deserted Los Angeles. A perfect film to watch while waiting for the pumpkin pies to cool.

Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear is an anthology of horror with five tales aimed at your head and hands. The movie opens up with a superb title sequence showing a victim being tortured and having his senses removed. “Smell” sniffs the dangers of the good life. A slug of a guy gets offered the ultimate musk from a demented Avon lady. Turns out the stuff does turn around his life at work and with the ladies. However there’s a minor side effect. The big effect however makes him want to keep using the scent. “See” opens with the sci-fi conceit of an optometrist that has created a machine that allows him to see what’s in his patients’ eyes. He has to deal with one violent patient since he can’t quite take his evidence to the cops. “Touch” is the best of the bunch when a blind kid must travel through the woods to find help for his parents trapped in a car wreck. Trouble comes when the friendly farmer turns out to be a raving psycho. “Taste” is a horror comedy about one of those bad job interviews. “Listen” is a faux-documentary about a song that drives people to kill. Strangely enough it’s not sung by Susan Boyle. The anthology reminds me a touch of Tales From the Darkside in tone although with a little extra gore than network TV allowed back then.

Assault on Precinct 13: Collector’s Edition brings out the magic of John Carpenter’s masterpiece. This tells the classic tale of people stuck inside an outpost under siege from a mysterious enemy. Although instead of taking place in Saharan desert or the wild wet, the attack takes place in Los Angeles. A police precinct is being deactivated. There’s even less than a skeleton crew manning the place. While normally this doesn’t matter, a local street gang has decided it’s the perfect night to exact their revenge on the law. The people stuck inside the jail are completely unprepared for the onslaught. Can they survive the night? Is the law and order cop willing to arm his prisoner? Carpenter really ups the tension in the film. A true masterpiece from the guy who’d soon deliver Halloween. Carpenter does an audio commentary plus a video interview about the film. Actress Nancy Loomis Kyes discusses what it too to keep up the pressure on screen. The trailers and radio spots pump up the excitement. Of course what’s a real keeper of this Scream Factory release is the cover art from the Great James Rheem Davis. It’s a alteration of his poster from the Cinema Overdrive screening in Raleigh. Hopefully thousands will love the artwork since I have one of the original prints hanging on my living room wall. The Blu-ray is a must get for fans of Carpenter.

John Carpenter’s Body Bags Collector’s Edition contains a movie that was supposed to be a Showtime series meant to rival HBO’s Tales from the Crypt. During the production, the pay channel decided it didn’t want a series. Thus the three complete episodes were spliced together to become a horror anthology movie. This explains why Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) seems to get shunned having directed the middle segment and not getting to share title credit with Carpenter. “The Gas Station” locks Alex Datcher inside the cashier booth for the overnight shift. As she starts her first shift, she’s given the startling news that a dangerous inmate has escaped the local mental hospital. She fears all of her customers are the killer. Sam Raimi and Wes Craven have cameos. “Hair” makes Stacey Keach goes nuts about his balding head. He fears Sheena Easton will dump him. He’s willing to do anything including seeing a doctor that has Deborah Harry as his nurse. This was directed by Hooper. Mark Hamill is a big league pitcher who gets into a car wreck that ruins one of his eyes in “Eye” He’s eager to get his vision back so he agrees to a revolutionary eye replacement surgery. The side effect is a chance of seeing what the dead guy saw with the eye. For Hamill, he sees through the eye of a killer. He fears the killer is going to take over his mind and body. John Agar, Roger Corman and Charles Napier pop up. This would have made a good series for the early ’90s. Carpenter is fine and twisted as the morgue attendant host. Hooper helps out with the bodies on his installment. There’s plenty of bonus features include a DVD version of all the stuff on the Blu-ray. John Carpenter and Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds and King of the Nerds) provide a commentary track on “Gas Station.” Carpenter returns with Stacey Keach (Titus and Mike Hammer) to review “Hair.” A featurette breaks down how it went from shot to anthology movie. It’s just a shame that Carpenter couldn’t have had the series so he could have started a bone feud with the Crypt Keeper.

Eve of Destruction is an android gone wild story. Eve VIII is made to look like her creator (The Fourth Man‘s Renee Soutendijk). She has been programmed to have the same actions and inflections of Dr. Eve Simmons. The corporation sends the mechanical woman into the outside world as a test to see how many people she can fool into thinking it’s just another human being. However the experiment goes wrong when she interrupts a bank robbery. She gets damaged to the point where she abandons her programmed route. She’s become a killing machine and can kill even more if her atomic power source explodes. Gregory Hines (The Cotton Club) is assigned to track down the android and shut her down before she blow up. His partner for the mission is the creator (also Soutendijk). He thinks he can fine Eve If he knows what Dr. Eve would do next. Eve of Destruction makes a great double feature with Scream Factory’s recent release of Dark Angel (“I” Come in Peace). There aren’t any bonus features outside of the trailer. This is probably due to Hines and director Duncan Gibbins having died and Soutendijk going back to Europe.

George A. Romero’s Knightriders dares to mingle Sons of Anarchy with A Knight’s Tale. Instead of a zombie future, we’re told of a time when knights rode around the country jousting on their motorcycles. This is not an alternative universe. Instead it’s just a bunch of hardcore members of the Ren Fair circuit. Ed Harris (The Right Stuff) goes by King William as he leads his merry band of bikers. He’s happy with the way things are going, however economic realities are starting to take hold. A promoter wants to take their tournaments to the next level, but at a price. Also William must deal with a rival biker (Dawn of the Dead‘s Tom Savini) claiming the crown. It’s an epic tale of power struggles and dealing with being an outsider to the present tense. This is epic storytelling from Romero with 145 minutes of length to give us the saga of King William. It’s a great film to watch with your Warcraft and Cosplaying buddies. The numerous bonus features include a commentary track and a featurette that has Romero, Savini and Harris talk about the days of Ol’ when men wore as much metal as their Harley Davidson hog.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

The Gambler brought the magic of Kenny Rogers’ hit song to the small screen in the spring of 1980. There was only one person who could play the gambler and that’s Kenny Rogers. He was in his prime with the bright white beard and no creepy plastic surgery results. He became a true western star when this aired in primetime. His gambler did a little more than just sing a song at the Poker table. He’s a loner drifting around the Wild West from table to table collecting his winnings. He gets a message from his long lost son and decides it’s time to be a dad. But the journey to be a dad is long and bumpy. Along the way he meets a cowboy named Billy Montana (Rocky Horror Picture Show‘s Bruce Boxleitner) that needs a few lessons in how to play the game. He didn’t know how to hold ’em. This naturally leads to the recounting of all the rules from the Gambler. The duo have to help a hooker before confronting Clu Gulager. It’s just a good old fashioned Western that inspired quite a few sequels. Shame Kenny didn’t try to go big screen with the character. During the ’80s, Kenny would run clips of his upcoming Gambler movies as an intermission.

Syrup brings us a tale of how you can use high level marketing to make people think they need worthless crap. Scat (Evil Dead‘s Shiloh Fernandez) is the new face at a Madison Avenue advertising company. He’s got big dreams, but finds it hard to get them up the corporate ladder. He’s a big time dreamer since he also has a major desire for Amber Heard (Drive Angry). Not only is she above his pay grade, she’s also a lesbian. But he’s a man who thinks he know how he can sell anyone anything and why can’t this philosophy work on a woman who doesn’t want a man in her bed? This is the first true romantic comedy aimed at MBA programs. “It’s not real. It’s marketing” are words to live by. The bonus features include an interview with producer/costume designer Sophia Banks-Coloma and the special from AXS TV about the film.

DVD SHELF

Mad Men Season 6 drags Don Draper (Jon Hamm) under the cultural changes. He’s losing his golden boy status as a new breed of man is arriving in 1967. He perfected himself as the perfect Madison Avenue creature for the Kennedy era with his haircut, suits and gravitas. He seemed ready for the new frontier. Then Beatlemania hit and he became part of the old guard. His tales of American values have been undercut by Eastern philosophy and drug use. He’s still fighting wearing sideburns. Making matters more complex is that he hasn’t a chance to transform once more. In order to land a major client, his firm must merge with a rival. When they land the account, he finds himself frustrated at the pace as they arrive in the big leagues of advertising. Things are bad at home as his wife (Jessica Pare) is getting well known as a soap opera actress. Don finds himself having a fling with his neighbor’s wife (Freaks and Geeks‘ Linda Cardellini). One of their trysts turns into a 50 Shade of Don as he does his best to take control of her to feel like he has control in his life. Roger Sterling (John Slattery) proves he’s not the joke of the partnership. Joan (Christine Hendricks) wants to be more than a silent partner in the firm. She put in a lot to land that Jaguar account. Don’s identity becomes an issue when his apartment gets robbed. The burglar tells Sally (Kiernan Shipka) that she’s a relative. Since Sally has no idea of her father’s real past, she can’t protest. The end of the season has Don at what seems like the end of the line. Is he going to jump out the window like the man in the opening credits? It’s another fine season in the vast novel that is Mad Men. This remains the most addicting suave show on TV. Bonus features include what it took to recreate 1967-68 on the set and Timothy Leary’s LSD experiments.

Gentle Ben: Season One brings back the magic of a young Clint Howard (Ron’s brother). He’s a kid growing up in the Florida Everglades. His dad (McCloud‘s Dennis Weaver) is a game warden who gets to skip around the swamp in a fan boat. That’s kinda cool. What really makes Clint’s life amazing is his trained raccoon and pet black bear, Gentle Ben. What kid wouldn’t want to roam the woods with his bear instead of a lame dog? Of course having a pet bear does unnerve a lot of people who don’t think that they can really be tamed creatures. Clint is out to show how bears are really nice unless you’re covered in honey. The most dangerous thing in the swamp is hillbillies. “Fish and Chips” has a Simon Oakland (Kolchak: The Night Stalker) as a poacher who might want to deal in bear paws. Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights) crashes a plane in “Voices from the Wilderness.” Weaver and Reynolds were both ex-Gunsmoke castmates. Ron Howard (Arrested Development) also shows up as an evil hillbilly kid in “Green Eyed Bear.” Ron wants to kidnap three bear cubs to sell on the black market. How can Opie and Richie Cunningham be so cruel? Even Tom Poston gets to play evil in “Trophy Bear.” There’s only two seasons of Gentle Ben so hopefully the other 28 episodes will be released soon. The big bonus feature is Clint and his father Rance giving commentaries on a few episodes. They bonded during their time on the Florida location. This is still a fine family show that ought to be watched with a small dose of Flipper and Grizzly Adams.

Power Rangers: Seasons 8- 12 contains Lightspeed Rescue, Time Force, Wild Force, Ninja Storm and Dino Thunder. It’s a huge box of the Power Rangers series that ran from 2000 to . Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue picks up from Lost Galaxy. Turns out the city of Mariner Bay has a major foundation issue. Is it a fault line? Nope. Beneath the sweet little town is an ancient demon burial site. Turns out the construction has woken up the evil. The only chance the town has is for the head of the police force to recruit 4 kids along with his daughter to the Lightspeed Ranger program. Ultimately a sixth kid is recruited to become the Titanium Ranger. It’s a major real estate battle over the course of 40 episodes. Power Rangers Time Force involves the evil Ransik from the year 3000 coming back to 2001 to put his 1,000 years of crime knowledge to work. Humanity’s best hope is uncovered at a dig. It’s the Quantum Rangers Morpher. A group of kids get the powers so they can try their best to keep Ransik from ruling the world or at least their little town. This also lasted 40 episodes on Fox Kids. Power Rangers Wild Force is the most fantastical of the installments. A boy that grew up in the jungle returns to what seems like boring Turtle Cove. He discovers that above them is a floating island of Animarium. Him and the other rangers have to battle the evil Orgs. The special episode to celebrate this 10th season involves all 10 of the Red Power Rangers appearing together. Who could have imagined this long of a lifespan since kid programming was notorious for having maybe 3 seasons before they’d be abandoned to reruns. Power Rangers Ninja Storm has a different atmosphere since the production was moved to New Zealand. The kids who get the power to morph are part of the Wind Ninja Academy in Blue Bay Harbor. Unlike previous series, there’s only three Rangers at the start. Although their numbers are bolstered as they fight Lothor. Dana Carvey contributes voices to the big battles. Power Rangers Dino Thunder brings out Mesogog, a villain who wants to take the world back to the age of dinosaurs. The local kids want to go back to the Flintstones. They fight him using the powers of various dinosaurs. “Legacy of Power” celebrates the 500th episode of the series. At this point, couldn’t they make a Power Rangers cable channel? Along with a booklet that covers all the cast members, a bonus disc gives more insight to the series. There are featurettes that focus on ADR sessions, tales from cast members, memories from the Titanium Ranger and a look at the internet fandom. This is a great boxset for viewers that really got into the show with the arrival of the 21st Century.

MADtv: The Complete Fourth Season marks the moment when the show divested itself from the humor magazine outside of the title. No longer was Alfred E Neuman part of the graphics. He was replaced by Michael McDonald who made loyal fans not worry that the show would slip. He became such a reliable force that it’s strange to think that he wasn’t part of the original cast. son Saturdays. He was such a natural fit with Alex Borstein, Nicole Sullivan, Phil Lamar, Arie Spears and Will Sasso. This is the prime cast for the rival to Saturday Night Live. This is the reason it gets rerun to death on Comedy Central. Bornstein’s Ms Swan is a sensation at this point. The studio audience demands her to put on the apron. The same is met with Sullivan’s Vancome Lady. Sasso’s dead on impersonation of Steven Seagal . They merge Beverly Hills 90210 with the Halloween movies to create the best show on Fox. Magic Johnson tries to come back from The Magic Hourwith his own courtroom show. Gary Coleman attempts another comeback. The Halloween Special features musical guest Kiss. They still had all the original members and not two guys wearing Ace and Peter’s outfits. Wrestling fans will delight when Bret “The Hitman” Hart guest stars. “The Son of Dolomite” returns the Rudy Ray Moore action hero to the public’s attention. Jerry Springer and Donny Osmond get dragged into the fun. The 25 episodes are worth rewatching as they take us back to what was funny way back in 1999. Little did they know what Y2K would hold for civilization.

Action-Packed Movie Marathon Volume Two gives four flicks that are out to give a powerful dose of mid-’70s and ’80s excitement. Bamboo Gods & Iron Men is another epic from the Philippines starring James Iglehart (Death Force). This time he has to bust criminals that are dealing with a major explosive device hidden in a Buddha’s belly. Vic Diaz has a small role. Trackdown warns young women what can happen when they move to Los Angeles and meet Erik Estrada. For one girl, he steals her suitcase and leads her onto the path of being a hooker with Anne Archer. Luckily her brother is rancher Jim Mitchum (Robert Mitchum’s son). He’s out to liberate her using his McCloud skills. Scorchy suggests that Connie Stevens is America’s hottest undercover agent. She’s out to stop a drug ring that circled by William Smith (Hawaii Five-O). The film was made in Seattle, but isn’t so misty. The star of this marathon is Gary Busey’s Bulletproof. His McBain is a perfect over the top macho cop. The guy removes his own bullet wounds. He’s that tough. He’s the only hope the government has for recovering a top secret assault vehicle that’s in the hands of terrorists. Henry Silva (The Manchurian Candidate) gets to play the heavy. But he has to hope of going beyond Busey’s maverick cop attitude. The four films are spread over two DVDs so the picture looks fine as things get hairy for the stars.

Girl Most Likely lets Kristen Wiig do what she does best – play a delusional character who just might find a piece of footing in reality if everyone else around her isn’t in their own goofy world. Wiig dreams of becoming a big time playwright. She has the fantasy about winning that fat Tony Award. She’s always been pegged as a future success. However the burden of expectations crash inside her. This puts her in a mental ward. Her only hope at getting out is being taken home by her mother (Annette Bening). Turns out Mom is more insane than her cellmates. Adding to the nutty nature is mom’s new man Matt Dillon (Drugstore Cowboy). He’s also in his own little reality with his fictional background. Adding to the weirdness is that it takes place in New Jersey. If you laughed through Bridesmaids, you’ll enjoy another round of Wigginess. Certain critics complained that the film played like a sitcom which means it’s perfect to watch on home video. The bonus features include a gag reel, two short features about making the film and deleted scenes. There’s also Ultraviolet access to the film so you can watch it anywhere including New Jersey.

Ice Road Truckers: Season 7 brings us another winter season in the arctic for hauling loads into the remote world. The History Channel show needs a bit of a major gimmick to keep it from being just another year of trucking in the snow. While that is exciting since there’s always that chance of seeing a truck crack through and submerge mid-journey, people need to be able to see the game upped. Thus Hugh “The Polar Bear” Rowland brings a new element of tension to the frozen North. He goes all in to open up his own trucking firm. The Polar Bear dares to threaten Polar Industries for domination. To make things even more interesting, Alex Debogorski and Lisa Kelly drive for the old company. Ultimately it’s not about a team competition and more about the driver versus the unforgiving Arctic winter. How many loads can they all handle during the short season? Will someone press the gas pedal too far and lose control on a treacherous bend? Will the History Channel editors use the same underwater shot of a tire on the ice more than twice an episode? The 12 episodes on 3 DVDs cover the competition. The show is still a bit exciting with its mix of extreme working and human interest. There is about 30 minutes of extra footage that wasn’t originally aired.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: A Pony For Every Season let each of the six key ponies have the spotlight in six episodes. “Wonderbolt Academy” admits Rainbow Dash for training. She meets Lightning Dust, her natural rival. Which pony will end up at the top of the class? “Look Before You Sleep” puts Rarity in library slumber part with her friends. Can they sleep with so many tomes around? “Apple Family Reunion” goes overboard when Applejack wants bring her kin together. However she goes too far in setting up major events to dominate the day. “Keep Calm and Flutter On” rehabilitates Discord with the help of Fluttershy. “Winter Wrap Up” cleans up Ponyville before Spring arrives. Twilight Sparkle has to slept up the campaign. “Too Many Pinkie Pies” explains why cloning yourself isn’t a great idea. Pinkie Pie wants to hang out with everyone at once. The bonus is sing-along fun. What’s strange is knowing that Anthony Bourdain knows too much about My Little Pony thanks to his kid.

Little Brother Big Trouble: A Christmas Adventure is the sequel to The Flight Before Christmas. This is a little more complicated than the average Christmas special involving Santa’s magical reindeer. Niko is somewhat upset that his mother has remarried and he’s stuck with a stepbrother, Jonni. But that feeling is quickly forgotten when the stepbrother is kidnapped by evil eagles. Niko must rely on the help of Tobias, who isn’t a great help since the old reindeer is nearly blind. But he does have the background of working for Santa. There’s a lot of revenge aspects in this holiday tale. But all this can be explained since this CGI animated feature film was made in Finland. The reindeer design is good and goofy. The bonus features include the process of making a CGI feature film.

Bratz Babyz Save Christmas: The Movie will make any parent ponder the thought: They make Bratz Babyz. Thankfully the feature length cartoon is a lot more family friendly than the Bratz. They also look like they’ve eaten a cheeseburger. The kids have to do a major good dead instead of being bratty. During a trip to the mall, they get the shocking news that Santa might be having a delivery issue this Christmas. Turns out there’s major issues in the North Pole. The Baby Bratz appear to be the only solution. They scramble to the land of Santa in order to become certified elves. Besides doing elf jobs, they must defend Santa’s workshop from those who wish to destroy Christmas. It’s not really as bratty of a Christmas special as the tile would suggest. There’s no sarcasm in their attempt to make the world a happy place on Christmas morning.

Bonnie & Clyde: Justified is another view of America’s favorite crime couple. During the depression Clyde Barrow (Jim Poole) and Bonnie (Magic Mike‘s Ashley Hayes) captured the media’s attention with the bank robbing exploits. They didn’t mind sharing their loot with the broke families that were all over America. They were like Robin Hood and his gunmoll in the imagination of the time. But they were still bank robbers and killers wanted by every lawman in the nation. What the couple didn’t count on was Eric Roberts (Star 80) on their trail. Dee Wallace (E.T.) gets into the hunt. The low budget production does a fine job of getting a feeling for the time. The bonus feature is a Ultraviolet version of the film to stream or download from the Cloud.

Bonnie & Clyde: The Real Story includes two History Channel specials about the crime duo. The special mix authentic items with recreated moments to flesh out their cross country crime spree. “Bonnie and Clyde: The Story of Love and Death” is the old Biography episode from 1995. Is that really 18 years ago? Good old Jack Perkins (not MST3K‘s Mike Nelson dressed as Jack Perkins) hosts this special that explains how these two came together and quickly became the hottest couple in America in the media. The archival footage talks about their bloody ending when their car was riddled with more bullets than an episode of The Untouchables. “Man, Moment, Machine: Hunting Bonnie and Clyde” was an interesting History Channel series from 2005. This is less about the outlaws and more about the guns that were used to kill them. Expect to learn a lot about the Browning Automatic Rifle.

WWII 3-Film Collection brings together three History Channel specials in one boxset. WWII in HD brings a new level of clarity to the archival footage. The producers dug through vaults and uncovered more military footage from the European and Pacific theaters. There’s a lot of good images that puts you in the middle of firefights. The footage is from the various countries to give the view from both sides of the front. This is a 10 part special. WWII in HD: The Air War takes the camera up in the air for dog fights and bombing runs. Once more you get a fresh perspective on the combat in the sky. WWII in Space is an interesting special that uses CGI to let you see how various battles were fought from above. It gives a great sense of strategies from the various generals. This is perfect for those wanting to get a better understanding of what happened during World War II.

Stan Lee’s Superhumans: Season Two searches for people that just might have real life mutant skills. Marvel Superhero UberCreator Stan Lee sends Daniel Browning Smith around the globe to meet and investigate these people with special skills. Are they really genetic freaks like Scott Steiner? Daniel ought to know if they’re lying since he’s the World’s Most Flexible Man. The show does it’s best to give an update to That’s Incredible. “Unbreakable” has a Shaolin monk take a drill to his skull. A man from Ghana drinks more water than a human can supposedly handle. “Shins of Steel” is a man who can’t be threatened by mobsters with baseball bats. A man can put his hands in a cougar trap. There’s a lot of gross things like a guy who can pull a car with his eyelids. There are also women put to the test including a lady who climbs like Spider-man. Stan Lee will be the judge of that claim. Stan Lee does his best to find the X-Men. that walk amongst us.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/11/04/party-favors-all-ears/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/10/11/party-favors-lucky-number-77/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/10/11/party-favors-lucky-number-77/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2013 04:18:55 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17905 Joe Corey takes a look at the icons of 1977...]]>

RALEIGH – The time warp took me back to 1977 over the course of a fortnight, all the icons were coming to town. In those days, I was able to see an acting icon, a western legend, white boy jazz smartasses and the greatest stand up of his generation. I still feel like I’m back in Junior High except I can buy booze this time around and don’t have to beg for a ride from my mom.

Things flashbacked when I wandered to the downtown Red Hat Amphitheater for a glimpse of Steely Dan. I didn’t buy a ticket since I had a late night meeting down the block from the venue. The plan was to sneak inside to catch a song or two. The show started like an early bird dinner at 8:15 p.m. without an opening act. By the time I got to the gate, five songs were over. They shut down the box office so I couldn’t buy a ticket if I wanted to spend $50 to sit on the mini-lawn. But this wasn’t a pain in the ass moment. The venue is outdoors so all could be heard clearly. The fence is only five feet ten inches tall. This gives a clean view of the Dan without heads blocking. Not being close to the stage didn’t bother me since it eliminated the shock of realizing Donald Fagen and Walter Becker aren’t merely throwbacks to the ’60s. They’re in their ’60s. Although even at that distance, Fagen looked like he was doing Ray Charles at a Vegas Legends show. Their sound is still youthful except when Becker takes the lead. He’s got the voice of a Walmart Greeter at this point. Then again, he never quite had the range of Carl Wilson.

Originally I was just going to watch a song or two. I’d skip home after hearing Fagen declare they’re doing Everything Must Go from start to finish. They avoided their comeback material which made me a member of the knothole gang for the next 90 minutes. It was a fine night to steal a Steely performance. The biggest disappointment was when they dusted off “Razor Boy,” they had the three background singers take the lead. While they have very lovely voices, they lacked the sardonic edge required in the lyrics. Towards the end of the show, a really nice woman was doing her best to poke her nose over the fence. She kept shouting for them to perform “Katy Lied.” I didn’t have the heart to correct her that the album Is Katy Lied. The song is “Doctor Wu.” They never heard her request. What mattered most was that they played “Josie.” Here’s a video of that moment that someone else took. Bonus points if you can guess why I chose this song.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dropped by Raleigh the following Friday to sign copies of his young adult novel Sasquatch In the Paint (co-written with Raymond Obstfeld). As die-hard Celtic fan, you’d imagine I’d show up to heckle the former Los Angeles Laker. But Kareem is more than the sky hook. He’s had an amazing acting career. He fought Bruce Lee in Game of Death. He co-piloted Airplane. He barely escaped Slam Dunk Ernest. Thus I grabbed my daughter and we got in line at Quail Ridge Bookstore. The following is video of our encounter. I apologize in advance that the framing is really off. My defense is that I aimed the camera where I usually do when filming someone at a table. Turns out on Kareem, this angle is his chest. This is what most NBA guards saw when they drove the paint on him. My initial question about him putting on his socks comes from the HBO special on the UCLA dynasty during Coach John Wooden. Just off camera I show him a copy of the upcoming The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection boxset from Shout! Factory. This brings Bruce’s Golden Harvest movies to Blu-ray.

Steve Martin arrived the next day to perform as part of the Wide Open Bluegrass festival. He was at the Red Hat Amphitheater, but this time tickets were purchased. Before he came on, we marveled at the work of the Infamous String Dusters. They were tight. Now that Mumford and Sons is taking a break, please consider the String Dusters as your new favorite band.
People will often whine that they wish Steve Martin would return to stand up. But if you watched him on Steve Martin: The Television Stuff, you realized that he was always mixing his banjo playing with his comedy. All he’s done is given his stage time a proper balance so there’s more music than talking. He hit the stage with The Steep Canyon Rangers and Edie Brickell. I was able to capture his first minute on stage:

Watching Steve Martin on stage proved he’s more than that schlock movie actor who can’t stop making those crappy Pink Panther and Cheaper By the Dozen movies. He’s still a comic genius as long as he stays away from Shawn Levy. By the end of the show, I gave up my plans to protest his lifetime Oscar on the grounds of The Big Year. Give the man whatever honors his heart craves. Although if he makes Pink Panther 3, I will hire Ninjas to steal his lifetime Oscar and will melt it down to make a Cable Ace Award.

Topping off the evening was dropping by a bar to say howdy to Randy Jones, the legendary Cowboy from the Village People. He was still glowing from his recent marriage. We chatted for a bit about his various projects. He’s amazingly busy in a world that can’t get enough disco. There’s no video of our encounter. Oddly enough, I still haven’t taken a photo with Randy after all these years even though he’s the king of candids.

What did I learn from my encounters with the icons of 1977? It was a good year to be an icon.

VINEGAR SYNDROME TIME

Night Train to Terror leaves the station with one of the great musical numbers of the ’80s. “Dance With Me” goes up there with anything from Footloose. The outfits of the performers deserve to be stashed at the Smithsonian. You almost forget there’s more movie as the kids dance around the clumsily constructed train set. Also on board for the ride is God and Satan. The duo fight over the souls of three characters. To be more precise, they form a framing device around three shorter films. The shorts include organ harvesting, death cults and interning for Satan. You automatically know what kind of movie this is since it stars Cameron Mitchell (The High Chaparral). There’s also a part for John Phillip Law (Barbarella). The movie was written by Oscar winner Phillip Yordan (1954’s Broken Lance) so it’s not the normal scruffy horror flick. His son Byron Yordan sings the song. So it’s a family affair on the screen. This is one of those films that has only grown in cheese factor with the ’80s style filling in the plot issues. The bonus features include the original trailer. There’s a commentary with co-producer Jay Schlossberg-Cohen where he explains how this semi-anthology came together. The film wasn’t a hit, but has gained a cult following over the years thanks to home video. The Hysteria Continues contributes a commentary that brings up the history of the film. The DVD includes the movie Gretta. Editor Wayne Schmidt does an audio interview about his work on Gretta. Did this run on USA’s Up All Night when it ran obscure flicks? All that matters is that if you’re having a Big ’80s Movie Festival at your house, you should run Night Train to Terror after Slumber Party Massacre II.

The Oral Generation is all about the tongue. This is one of the unsung epic titles of the X-rated theater era. Who wouldn’t want to see this on the marquee? Maybe Michael Douglas. Because the film is barely an hour long, the producers at Vinegar Syndrome have put together a two hour presentation that you might have seen at that theater your Aunt Anna wanted to shut down. “Clinical Sex” has the classic educational voiceover except this time the doctor explains why he has to hook up with his patient as part of the treatment. He also has his nurse help out. “Anyway You Like It,” “Naked Sexes” and “The Different Sex” round out the shorts. Before the movie, there’s a clipped scene from Oral that features a red haired woman and her extremely pasty lover. Oral Generation starts with a narrative about how this is a time of sexual liberation thanks to Times Square theater. These people would be amazed by what you can find on the internet. The film’s focus is on modern techniques of love that women can use to please men. Remember to take notes. The transfer of the movie is better than any of the XXX theaters ever projected on their messy screens. This is an adult DVD from a bygone era.

Drive-In Collection – The Virgin and the Lover & Lustful Feelings are as naughty as they sound. This is another double feature of New York City based adult films directed by Kemal Horulu. He’s having a bit of a revival thanks to Vinegar Syndrome also buffing up his films for the double features The Sexualist & Wendy’s Palace and Vixens of Kung Fu & Oriental Blue. He’s back with two more epics from the sticky floor cinemas of the ’70s. The Virgin and the Lover (1973) is the original version of Mannequin. A filmmaker has only love in his heart for his dressing dummy. But he imagines she’s flesh. It’s amazing how much better this film is when you don’t have Andrew McCarthy dragging around the dummy. Jennifer Welles is back and on her back. Lustful Feelings (1978) is the classic story of a woman going the extra mile to help our her lover. In this case Jaime Gillis has a massive drug debt so Leslie Bovee ends up hooking. Well at first she thinks she’s just posing for gentlemen magazines. But this just eases her into high paying profession of prostitution. Gillis has such an amazing edge in his role. It’s like he’s the lead in an X-rated Scorsese movie. Kemal Horulu is finally getting the career retrospective two pictures at a time.

SCREAM FACTORY

All Night Horror Marathon lives up to the promise of a long night of scares with 4 films inside the box. What’s the Matter With Helen? (1971) is from the genre of insane aging actresses. Debbie Reynolds (Princess Leia’s Mom) and Shelly Winters (Lolita) go out to Hollywood in hopes of being the big new stars of the 1930s. But things are bound to get dramatic with those two actresses sharing a bedroom. The Godsend (1981) has a mysterious pregnant woman drop by a family’s house. The woman vanishes leaving her daughter behind with the family. The kid might have issues after she gets older. The Vagrant (1992) reminds people to fully examine a house during the due diligence period. Bill Paxton is a hotshot yuppie who buys his dream house. What he doesn’t know is there’s someone else living under the roof. Things get bad when the mystery roomie leaves stuff in the fridge. The Outing (1987) is the dark side of staying in a museum . What goes wrong? How about school children unleashing an evil genie trapped inside a lamp. This isn’t a lovable Robin Williams type genie. This one wants to do evil things. This set is exciting since it delves into the MGM catalog which means it’s a double dose of their old Midnite Movies line. This is a great way to spend an overnight during Spooky Season.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Curse of Chucky brings back everybody’s favorite doll that’s possessed by the soul of a serial killer. You get to choose between the R-rated and Unrated version of the movie. Why would you want less of a Child’s Play sequel. This is the sixth film in the series. A mother and her wheelchair bound daughter (Fiona Dourif) get an unexpected knock on the door. The FauxEx man has a big box for them to sign for. What’s inside? Neither of them ordered a giant Chucky doll. The mother gets freaked out by the doll and tosses it in the trash. That’s not a good idea since in the middle of the night, mom goes nuts and stabs herself to death. Her grieving daughter is now stuck with the doll. The girl’s older sister shows up with her huge family. This is just the proper recipe for more victims for Chucky. A fine twist is that the girl finds information about the homicidal Chucky doll online. It just would be wrong if rumors of a talking, killing doll didn’t have devoted websites. The girls have to figure out how to stop the doll without looking like they’re nuts. It’s brisk fear inducing film that will make you throw away your sister’s American Girl Dolls. The bonus features include deleted scenes and a gag reel. There’s a documentary about making the film and a commentary track with the director, main puppeteer and Fiona Dourif. The movie is a bit of a family affair since the voice of Chucky is her dad Brad Dourif.

The Eagle Has Landed is a mega size World War II adventure from the pages of Jack Higgin’s novel. The Nazis are ready to pull out a major gambit. What could this nefarious plot involve? How about sending an elite unit into England to kidnap Winston Churchill? And they don’t just send any Nazis. The crack unit is led by Robert Duvall (The Godfather), Michael Caine (Batman Returns) and Donald Sutherland (Kiefer’s dad). This is a fail-proof plan since what British soldier would think Michael Caine was really a Nazi? This was always a great film to catch on the late show. Now it looks even better in Blu-ray (there’s a DVD in the boxset, too). This was John Sturges’ final film. He understood men on a mission movies with his resume including The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven and Ice Station Zebra. Why doesn’t Struges have more directorial respect? The man ought to be treated as a legend. There’s plenty of bonus features including vintage interviews with the stars and visits to the location. Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz recalls his time on the project .

A Hijacking reminds us that more than one cargo ship has been hijacked by Somali pirates. A Hijackingis about a Danish ship that didn’t have the same Navy Seals arrive like in Captain Phillips. The MV Rozen gets boarded in the Indian Ocean. The movie take the point of view of the cook on the boat. But unlike Steven Segal’s character in Under Seige, he’s really a cook and not an ex-military super soldier. In a major sense, there is more suspense in the movie since we don’t know who it ends. There was no wall to wall coverage and breakdowns of the rescue. We’re following the lowly cook who is normally the expendable crew member in a big Hollywood production except when they’re played by major action heroes. Pilou Asbaek has the look of the good hearted piece of dead meat. Will he be able to make it to the end of the film or will he be shot and dumped into water by his kidnappers? Things get naturally tense without so much in jeopardy.

Exploding Sun is the final installment in Doomsday Series. They go full throttle with the disaster as big as the sun. In fact the sun is what’s going to bring about the end of the world this time. The first privately owned spaceship with passengers is launched off toward the moon. This should be a great event. The president’s wife hitches a ride on this revolutionary travel advance. But there’s no chance to soak in the moment. Instead solar flares have gone out of control. Not to give away the big moment of the nearly 3 hour movie, but something gets sent to the sun that makes life on Earth extra hot. Can we be saved? Well do you think J.A.G. star David James Elliot would let us down? Of course not. Julia Ormand (MadMen) also hopes we don’t get turned into burnt bacon. Hard to think if they could have upped the ante on Doomsday during this ReelzChannel series that tops most of the SyFy original movies.

Barabbas brings back the Biblical epic to TV. Barabbas is noted as the criminal who the crowd wanted freed instead of Jesus. While not much was said about the guy in the Gospels, there’s enough speculation to make a thrilling three hour miniseries. The miniseries is based on the novel by Nobel Prize winner Par Lagerkvist. Billy Zane (Titanic & The Phantom) p lays the thief who gets to live with the burden that he was given amnesty so that the Son of God could be sacrificed on the cross. It’s a rather heavy role, but the normally glib Zane is up to the task. During the scene where the Romans give the crowd the choice, Zane has the insecure look down. He eventually sets himself off on a road to redemption. The production design brings out the story so it looks quite appealing in Blu-ray. This is the perfect thing to watch when your relatives come over during the holidays.

DVD SHELF

The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Fourth Season brought the Clampetts into the world of color. Finally in the Fall of 1965 CBS decided to make more color shows. While several shows including The Fugitive had issues with hues, The Beverly Hillbillies were able to change the film in the camera without ruining the feel of the show. The big change for the Hillbillies this season was the lack of shooting on location at the Mansion. The story goes that TV Guide published the address and fans flocked to see the place. This upset the real millionaires that lived behind the gates. The fourth season launches with “Admiral Jed Clampett.” Mr. Drysdale wants him to buy a boat, but Jedd might end up owning a battleship. “The Private Eye” has more double naught spy action involving Jethro. “Possum Day” and “Possum Parade” features Sharon Tate as part of the secretarial pool. “Sonny Drysdale Returns” is the final return of the greatest lifelong student. Sonny (Louis Nye) has to get serious about life and marry Elly May. Nye appeared in one of Steve Martin’s Comedy specials featured on Shout! Factory’s Steve Martin: The Television Stuff. “The Beautiful Maid” brings out Julie Newmar as a Swedish accent needing to learn how to be country. She ought to win an Oscar after studying Granny up close. The Official Fourth Season boxset is only available through Walmart. You can order it online in case you fear it won’t be stocked in their DVD section.

Petticoat Junction: The Official Third Season is the best season of the series. Why? Nearly half of the episodes featured guest appearances from the new residents of Hooterville. Normally this show is about Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan), Kate (Bea Benaderet) and her daughters Billie Jo (Gunilla Hutton), Bobbie Jo (Lori Saunders) and Betty Jo (Linda Kaye Henning) running the Shady Rest Hotel that’s midway on the railroad track between Hooterville and Pixley. But now they have new neighbors when Oliver Wendell Douglas (Eddie Albert) and his wife Lisa Douglas (Eva Gabor) check into the hotel while the Haney Farm is being fixed up for them. That’s right, it’s Green Acres crossover action. As part of the cult of Green Acres, these episodes are so revealing. It’s almost like a lost season as it shows Mr. Douglas constantly dealing with the scheming Uncle Joe. He helps the guy get out of jury duty. He also foolishly hires Uncle Joe as a contractor for fixing up the farm house. Mr. Drucker continues to have double duty on both shows. If you only buy and watch one season of Petticoat Junction, this is the essential viewing since it sheds more light on the early days in town for the Douglas family. This boxset is also a Walmart exclusive that’s best ordered online.

Rocko’s Modern Life: The Final Season brings to an end the greatest animated cartoon about a wallaby stuck in a strange town. The fourth season was noted for creator Joe Murray stepping back from his show running duties. Steve Hillenburg took over. “With Friends Like These” makes Rocko (Carlos Alazraqui) decide between Heffer (Tom Kenny) and Filbert (Mr. Lawrence). Why? Cause he only has one spare ticket to a big wrestling match. Who deserves it? “Sailing the Seven Zzzzzz” lets Ralph Bighead (Joe Murray) dream of being a pirate. “Ed Good, Rocko Bad” is a race for O-Town’s dog catcher. “Mama’s Boy” has Heffer finally move to his own house. But will his partying ways get in the way? “Magic Meathead” has Ed Bighead use a Magic 8-Ball for advice. This is a time honored tradition for stock picking. “Turkey Time” is the Thanksgiving special. Rocko wants to save the turkeys. You should buy this DVD set just so you can have an actual Thanksgiving special to watch in November instead of being nailed with pre-Christmas specials. The show was cut by Nickelodeon in 1996 which was a shame. But don’t feel too bad for Hillenburg since he’d be back shortly with his little cartoon idea: SpongeBob SquarePants. The big bonus feature is a live cast reading of Wacky Delly with Murray and the voice cast. Be thrilled to see Tom Kenny’s face. For those of you who haven’t been collecting the show by the season, you can grab Rocko’s Modern Life: The Complete Series.

The Neighbors: The Complete First Season is the ABCFamily series about a family that moves to the suburbs only to realize they are way out of town. Marty and Debbie Weaver (Jami Gertz) have found the perfect house in a gated New Jersey community. They fear their big city ways are going to make them look out of place. But that’s before the Welcome Wagon arrives. Turns out all the neighbors are named after sports superstars. It’s like an ESPN theme park. They realize something is messed up with the bizarre behavior. Turns out the neighbors are aliens who have been waiting a decade for the mothership to take them home. But they might be stuck on Earth. They do have the ability to snap into their real form with a handclap. It’s an interesting doubles match with two groups of people that feel like outsiders in the neighborhood. The first season has 22 episodes spread over 3 DVDs. You might want to get a fresh pie before watching the first episode.

Littlest Pet Shop: Petacular Escapades is another Hub show that my daughter is addicted to watching. For those who haven’t had their child demand marathons, the animated series is about Blythe Baxter and her dad moving into an apartment over the Littlest Pet Shop. While anyone with a nose might see this as a bad move, it does make for a fun cartoon series. This compilation DVD has 5 episodes from the first season. “Blythe’s Crush” has her return the keys to a boy she swears likes her. Does he? Back at the pet shop, a parrot claims to be a big time hero. Is he faking it to impress the other critters? “Dumb Dumbwaiter” gets the girl and the animals trapped inside the building’s dumbwaiter. Those mini-elevators are so tempting to crawl inside. “Lights, Camera, Mongoose” exposes your child to the musical numbers found in Indian cinema. Blythe gets sick and loses her ability to communicate with the pets on “What Did You Say?” “Terriers & Tiaras” makes you cringe at the pet pageant scene. This is worse than Honey Boo Boo on GoGo Juice. The show is cute as it lets the tiny animals play big.

My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas is part of the Classic My Little Pony Movies. This is not based on the new character designs that air on the Hub. Even though this holiday special was made in 2005, it almost looks like a product of the ’80s with the Friendship Is Magic character design. Minty screws up and breaks the “Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane.” This is the only way Santa knows how to find Ponyville. Her attempts to fix the problem don’t work out so well. This means she must hop a hot air balloon to go visit Santa and beg forgiveness. But it’s not an easy flight to the North Pole. The special episode is 45 minutes long so plan accordingly with bedtime for the kids. The bonus features are sing-along versions of “That’s What I Love About Christmas” and “Nothing Says Christmas Like a Pair of Socks.” The last song is so true. You now know what to get that Brony in your life.

The Frozen Ground is an all-star dramatic recreation of the hunt for Alaska’s most notorious serial killer. Nic Cage is Sgt. Jack Halcombe. He’s on the trail of guy who has been kidnapping women in Anchorage and taking them out to the cold wilderness to dump their bodies. It’s not a good thing. A break in the case happens when Vanessa Hudgens escapes from the killer. She thinks she’s safe, but the killer doesn’t like loose ends. Also featured in the movie is John Cusack in a role that might make you forget his time soaking in the Hot Tub Time Machine. 50 Cent sticks out in the frozen city. This is the kind of movie that will test your HDTV since the higher resolution will bring down the temperature of your family room by 10 degrees. The bonus features include a commentary track with director Scott Walker, deleted scenes, behind the scenes and history of the real case. You can also get a streamed version of the film through UltraViolet.

Dead Before Dawn puts a twist on zombie and demon possession films by giving us demon possessed zombies. Devon Bostick doesn’t heed the warning of Christopher Lloyd (Taxi) to not go near a dangerous item in his occult store. Naturally the kid doesn’t just touch the item. He drops and breaks it. This unleashes a massive curse in the area. Instead of just having people get possessed by demons or turned into zombies, this time the town is overrun by Zemons! The good news is that there’s a chance they can reverse the curse, but it has to be done before sun up. If they fail, the Zemons will infest the world like World War Zemon. I blame Christopher Lloyd for all of this ugliness. If he had properly secured the cursed statue, the kid wouldn’t have busted it open. Would it have been too much to lock it up in a man-size safe? The bonus features include a behind the scenes featurette and the trailer. The original film was presented in 3-D. You get a sense on the 2-D DVD as to what objects should be flying at your eyes.

Redemption lets Jason Statham (The Expendables) stretch a bit in his action role. He’s an Afghan war veteran who returns home on to have no center of balance. He’s completely falling apart and things get worse as he turns to drugs and booze to help himself. He ends up living on the street. He gets a little bit of support from a nun. He also stumbles into another man’s life that allows him to escape the streets. Instead of becoming completely straight, Statham picks up work in the underworld. He shakes down people that owe major amounts of money. Somehow the violent life gives him direction. He lives off that buzz of beating down those that deserve it. This is Statham at his focused prime. He’s allowed a full character without sacrificing his fight scenes. This is more of his Charles Bronson best instead of the remake of The Mechanic. There’s a short behind the scenes featurette as the bonus. There’s also a way to watch the movie on Ultra Violet.

The Garfield Show: A Purr-fect Life packs another six episodes of CGI feline action into a compilation DVD. The newspaper comic strip action is given a 3-D feeling on the small screen. “The Art of Being Uncute” features a reverse cat show where the ugliest cat gets the prize of six months in Greenland. Garfield is bent on getting Nermal that big prize and thus out of the house for quite some time. “History of Cats” ticks off mice how have their accomplishments stolen by Garfield. Will he get historically accurate? “Meet Max Mouse” is an outside troublemaker willing to bust the mice-cat truce. “Garfield Astray” has him lose his memory. Nermal gets his revenge by making Garfield a completely different cat. “Black Cat Blues” get Garfield cursed. “Pampered Pussycat” is Garfield having to teach royalty how to live. The bonus is five shorts that barely last a minute each.

Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters – Predacons Rising gives more to the story of the robots that transform into cars.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/10/11/party-favors-lucky-number-77/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/09/20/party-favors-tow-licked/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/09/20/party-favors-tow-licked/#respond Fri, 20 Sep 2013 12:47:26 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17869 Joe Corey uncovers the Tru lies about LIZARD LICK TOWING...]]>

LIZARD LICK, N.C. – TruTV lies.

When the channel announced Lizard Lick Towing as part of its reality show lineup, the Party Favors called up to see if we could interview the stars. The Party Favors headquarters is based in Raleigh, North Carolina which is a short drive from the bustling intersection that is Lizard Lick. We were eager to promote a series that would show America the joy of living in the Sweet Spot of America (trademark pending). The fine folks at the channel and the show’s production company seemed eager to hook us up with Ron Shirley for a chat. But somehow things cooled off quick when they discovered we were pretty much spitting distance of the Lizard Lick Towing yard. They let my calls go to voice mail. Why the change of attitude? Was there a reason why they didn’t want to drum up a little support in their home market? I’ve been dissed by the best (I’m thinking of Michael K. Williams). It just comes with the territory.

Then the show came on and I realized the answer: Lizard Lick Towing is a massive fraud being flung at America. You know those people who swear the whole Moon Landing was faked on a soundstage? Lizard Lick Towing might as well be repo-ing cars on Mars. My entire area is being turned into a massive redneck fantasyland. How did I spot the fake nature of the show so quickly? Ron Shirley and Bobby Brantley have to repossess a car owned by a guy working at a tattoo parlor on Hillsborough Street. Things get nasty when the owner and his thug friends attack. It gets rough enough for ambulance to get called for a pick up. I was quite shocked to see such local violence depicted on TV. I immediately checked the news reports to find out when this incident occurred. But there was nothing. I wrote a news contact who works the crime beat and they reported back that the whole thing was staged. What? The City of Raleigh has spent millions to revitalize the Hillsborough Street area. They’ve changed up the roads, added rotaries and hired people to keep safe from undesirables. It’s across the street from NC State University. Yet as far as Lizard Lick Towing fans are concerned, it’s as dangerous as the Eight Mile neighborhood that’s home to Hardcore Pawn. There is publicity a city doesn’t need to buy with TV productions.

Another episode with major false depictions had Ron and Bobby get work being Ric Flair’s bodyguards. The Wrestling legend was coming to Raleigh for a “charity” event. Parts of this episode was filmed a few blocks from my house. First off, they have them going to Ric’s hotel. Ric stays at the snazziest of hotels when he comes to party in Raleigh. It’s a known fact. He met one of his wives at the also nearby North Raleigh Hilton. But the hotel Ron and Bobby visit seems a bit off. First thing is an establishing shot of Durham right near the ballpark where the Durham Bulls play. Why would the Nature Boy be in Durham for a Raleigh charity event? Who knows if it was really Durham or just an editor grabbing some b-roll? What matters is that the hotel is an office building with a few baggage carts littered about the main lobby. As a guy who works on reality shows, I applaud this ingenious move by the producers. Hotels are a pain in the ass to shoot inside. Guests keep wanting to check out and refusing to sign the model release. There’s way too much signage that requires clearance. Faking a hotel is a great solution. Since the scene features Bobby and Ron beating up two other security guards, they don’t need guests calling the cops. It’s just a touch of Hollywood magic. But this is supposed to be a reality show.

Under normal circumstances, there’s a plug for the charity for being so nice to let the production shoot at their event. The episode just calls it a charity without even saying what Ric wants stomped out with the support of fans. Maybe it was for people who were nearly getting hit in the head with metal chairs. Was there really a charity event? Ask yourself what are the odds that Ron and Bobby spot a car marked for repo in the parking lot? Naturally this leads to a fight and Ric Flair being ticked off that his charity event is being ruined by the two guys who have a show on TruTV and brought a camera crew to record the event. Ric had to sell less reality when he was in Raleigh making Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling episodes. What are the odds of getting into two fights in the same evening at a classy hotel and a charity event in my town? Zilch is the proper answer. According to Lizard Lick Towing, Raleigh is become a penal colony full of violent people who don’t like to pay for their cars. This show is more fake than Homeland which also shot in Raleigh.

Another episode had a massive fight on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street that required an ambulance. For those unfamiliar with my fair city, they’ve paid millions over the last few years to beautify this historic road that cuts past NC State University (where Scotty McCreedy goes to school). And in a few minutes, Lizard Lick Towing turned it into the South’s version of Detroit’s Eight Mile. You know that saying that there’s no such thing as bad publicity? That was started by a bad publicist. Because this show really brings down the neighborhood worse than a Honda Civic on cinderblocks.
That’s not saying that Lizard Lick Towing isn’t a real company. Ron, Bobby and Amy Shirley work there. It’s a real company. It’s in the Yellow Pages. But the part of it you see on TV is about as real as an episode of Charles In Charge or Eastbound and Down. Ron wears those Bible inspired baseball jerseys, but he’s not witnessing to the truth to the TV world. It saddens me to see him play fast and loose with the town I call home.

Of course our state legislature hasn’t exactly been ridding America that we’re not a bunch of backwoods hicks. Their recent decrees to override science, institute a state religion and square dancing after passing voter suppression laws have been a ridicule bonanza for MSNBC, CNN and the Daily Show. I double anyone watching these reports would imagine North Carolina is the 10th largest state in the union and might end up in the #8 slot if these antics don’t derail growth. The only good thought is that between Lizard Lick towing and elected officials, we’ll still not top the crazy of Florida. But we’re coming after them with a truckload of Ernest T. Basses. Why would anyone want to locate their company in North Carolina knowing we’re a pack of toothless, meth loving, non-car paying hillbillies on the prowl for Ned Beatty?

Of course there’s no way to sue TruTV for massively lying to America about their fake programs. Their slogan is “Not Reality. Actuality.” Entertainment head Steve Koonin told the L.A. Times, “Notice we don’t say it’s reality. We call it actuality. This is our version of reality.” TruTV’s slogan is really a legal disclaimer. So those of us who have to be embarrassed by how Koonin and his ilk present our reality, we just have to suffer.

ROAST-LESS

Seems nobody stole my jokes for the James Franco Roast on Comedy Central. This is a good thing since it was the lamest roast yet. It was like an extension of his Oscar hosting except he got to sit down for most of it. Has anyone noticed that Andy Samberg didn’t really have any SNL characters outside of his not live musical moments? How is he going to survive with 22 minutes of playing a man-child cop? I’m predicting Brooklyn Nine-Nine is going to be the other half of Assy McGee.

PARTY FAVOR PARTY TIPS

Flair Bartending allows you to go beyond the basics taught during mixology classes. Scott Young is ready to transform you from someone who just pours liquor to the artist who entertains with their every move behind the bar. If you are the least bit curious as to what it takes to turn you into a 21st century Tom Cruise from Cocktail, buy and study this DVD set. Young puts you through over 7 hours of training and techniques. The key to his method is that this isn’t all about showboating. You’re not going to slow the drinks down if you follow his advice. You’re gonna impress customers with you moves and how fast it goes from your fingers into their throat. Are you ready to step up your game? Even if you just want to be a party bartender at your next big grilling, Young’s four part Flair training will help. There is a lot of practice involved. Flipping bottles of booze does require a bit of dexterity. You’re going to have to sweat to achieve perfection.

How to Be the Life of the Party is perfect for people who want to impress their Flair Bartender. Young is back with a big bag of tricks. Do you know how to balance an egg on its end? Can you stick a bottle to the wall? How can you light a match with one hand? Want to learn how to read minds? Scott Young is back to make you the do more than just drink and whine about Kardashians. He even breaks down various games you play with straws. Over the course of three hours, you’ll learn the secret of all those games people pulled on you. This is perfect for people eager to show off their mad skills while watching the football game at their favorite watering hole. You might want to skip a textbook purchase to get lessons that will matter to you for the rest of your life.

SCREAM FACTORY BLU-RAY REPORT

The Amityville Horror Trilogy brings back the reason why you should always question a too good to be believed real estate price. Why was the huge house with the “cool” attic windows going for a cheap rate in Amityville, New York? Was it a problem with termites? Was there a slight flooding issue? Did it have aluminum electrical wiring? Nope, it was because the previous occupants were slaughtered, an earlier owner was a devil worshipper and it might be right over an Indian burial ground. All three of these red flags never seem to appear on Zillow. Which is why James Brolin (Mr. Barbra Streisand) and Margot Kidder (Superman) buy the place thinking they got a bargain. What they got was a deal with the devil. This is normal for buying a house. They get a sense that something is wrong when a priestly Rod Steiger (In the Heat of the Night) attempts to bless the joint only to get violently ill. Flies begin to become a problem. There’s plumbing problems and holes in the walls that might be bleeding. Things not covered under a homeowner’s policy. Can the family save their house? How can they expect to unload on a bigger pair of rubes? Amityville Horror was a massive hit in 1979. If you adjust it for inflation, the movie made as much as Ironman 2. It was the crowning box office glory for American International Pictures. Naturally there had to be a sequel thus we get Amityville II: The Possession which goes back a homeowner. This is the story of the people who didn’t get to move out. Burt Young (Rocky) is the doomed slob who can’t grasp what’s going wrong in the house. Rutanya Alda is his wife. Once again a priest has issues blessing the house, but nobody sees that as a major warning sign like a foundation crack. It’s a harder film to watch since we know the sad fate of Burt Young and his family. While it wasn’t as big of a hit as the original, it didn’t stop them from making Amityville 3-D! The folks at Scream Factory bring both the 2-D and 3-D version to the Blu-ray. Be thrilled as Tony Roberts (Annie Hall) comes out of the screen as he’s scared out of his pants. Tony is a writer who thinks the whole Amityville Horror house is a crock. So he buys the place and investigates the supernatural and horrific stories. Guess what he discovers? That there are things more disturbing that a Home Owners Association. The 3-D effects are extra cheesy thanks to director Richard Fleischer (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) play it up. At least he has a fine cast with Candy Clark (The Man Who Fell To Earth), Tess Harper (No Country For Old Men) and Meg Ryan. There are plenty of bonus features including commentary tracks with a parapsychologist and the author of Growing Up Haunted – A Ghostly Memoir). There’s a documentary about the first film with Brolin and Kidder giving their view of the massive hit. Candy Clark recounts her time in 3-D. The 1080p transfers of all the films make the house ready to move into. This is the perfect collection for people who were wondering why critics were comparing this series to The Conjuring.

Cockneys Vs. Zombies is a brand new film from England that brings to us two groups of people that are rather difficult to understand. The Cockney language seems devised to just confuse anyone who isn’t the speaker with constant slang. At least with zombies, you can occasionally make out a plea for brains. What do Cockney people even call brains? While a construction crew is demolishing property on the End of London, they knock in the door of a graveyard. The forgotten tomb is full of the living dead ready to bite and convert the locals. This turns into an all out zombie attack in the area. Seems hope exists only in the gangster-esque Alan Ford (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch). The big concern for the survivors is to get to a retirement home to save Richard Brier (Good Neighbors or The Good Life) and Honor Blackman (Goldfinger). This leads to the dream pursuit of a zombie going after an elderly guy using a walker. I’ve been waiting for such a moment and they do it so right here. This is a funny take on the zombie flick without losing its walking dead attitude. This is also Brier’s final film. He ought deserves a lot of respect as the TV father of the self-sufficiency movement. Hopefully he will move enough to escape the onslaught one last time. Bonus features include two audio commentaries, a behind the scenes special and a digital copy that can be downloaded until Sept 31, 2014.

John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness: Collector’s Edition is a religious spookfest from 1987. Donald Pleasence (Halloween) is a priest who receives a key and a dark secret from a dying priest. He and Victor Wong (Big Trouble In Little China) discover a mysterious substance inside an abandoned church. They immediately set out to investigate with a group of graduate students including Jameson Parker (Simon & Simon) and Lisa Blount (Needful Things). They must figure out what’s inside the sealed jar. Why does it have an effect on the homeless people wandering around the church. Can it truly rock a priest’s core religious beliefs? It’s got plenty of scares as the goo gets out and into the investigators. Plus you get to fear the sight of Alice Cooper holding a bike. There’s an audio commentary from John Carpenter. Fresh video interviews are provided with Carpenter and Cooper. The best is another installment from “Horror’s Haunted Grounds” with host Sean Clark taking us to the various locations. Turns out that the old church is now a theater. You can take in a show if you’re in Los Angeles. There’s even an Easter Egg.

George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead is the third installment of his zombie films A group of scientists and soldiers live in an underground facility as they attempt to figure out what is going on and is there a solution. One scientist is doing his best to retrain a zombie to become human again. But is there really any chance for these people deep in the Earth of escaping the undead? . After the sensations of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead didn’t quite have that huge of an impact. But seemingly it is the film that has the largest impact on The Walking Dead. Tom Savini comes up with astounding effects once more. The bonus features let Romero set up the film better. “World’s End: The Legacy of Day of the Dead” is a nearly as long as the movie. The director talks about issues that cropped up with the budget be cut back. There’s also a commentary track featuring Romero, Savini, production designer Cletus Anderson and actress Lori Cardille. Savini breaks out his vintage footage of how the effects worked on the set. Scream Factory does their best to elevate Day of the Dead to its rightful place in zombie cinema.

Scanners II: The New Order & Scanners III: The Takeover are completely David Cronenberg free. Producer Pierre David made these without the director. They have little to do with the original film other than the concept of people that are Scanners and can blow up your head if they focus hard enough. Scanners II: The New Order has a young man (David Hewlett) move to the city to work as a vet intern. He can no longer control his scanner ability. During a robbery, he blows up the gunman’s head. This leads to him to helping out the cops. What cop doesn’t want a guy who can blow up heads during a stand-off? Can’t do ballistics on a brain wave. But it turns out his contact in the police force wants him to do more than fight crime. He sees the scanner as a fast track to take control of the town. Is the boy from the countryside able to realize he’s being used by a city slicker? Scanners III: The Takeover is a whole new set of scanner characters. A female scanner uses her abilities to takeover a company. She has serious ambition. The only person who can stop her is her brother. One of these siblings is going to blow up real good. Pierre Davis would later introduce us to the Scanner Cop series. These two titles were always poking out of the shelf at Videorama.

Psycho II: Collector’s Edition brings back Anthony Perkins in the role that made him a cinematic icon: Norman Bates. Decades after he went on a killing spree disguised as his mother, he’s released from the mental institution as sane. Can this be true? It is. Norman is returning home so he can run the Bates Motel once more. There are a lot of people who think he’s still nuts including Vera Miles. At first Norman has to work as a short order cook since Dennis Franz (NYPD Blue) is running the motel as a no tell motel. But things get confusing for him since he starts to get notes and phone calls from his mother. Is the old Norman back? Meg Tilly (Jennifer’s sister) tugs at Norman’s heartstrings. But can he really find a love greater than the one he had for his mom? There’s an audio commentary from screenwriter Tom Holland (who’d go on to make Fright Night) where he talks of reviving Norman Bates without Alfred Hitchcock being around. There’s the original electronic press kit with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Mills and director Richard Franklin sounding exciting about spending another night in the Bates Motel. The Blu-ray brings out the detail of the old house.

Psycho III: Collector’s Edition brings us Anthony Perkins’ time in the director’s chair. Not to spoil Psycho II, but Norman Bates isn’t locked up. He’s back to his old hobby of stuffing animals while working the Bates Motel. Things seems slow until freelance journalist (Roberta Maxwell) blows into town wanting to do an article on the insanity defense. Norman isn’t too keen on spilling his secrets. Norman gets mixed up with an ex-nun (Diana Scarwid) who is dealing with the death of her mother superior. She relates with Norman which might not be a great thing. There are people who want to put Norman over the edge. Screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue gives a commentary about his time working with Perkins as an actor-director. There’s a video interview with Katt Shea (director of Poison Ivy) about minor role that just kept growing. Brinke Stevens discusses her body double performance. There’s also talk with Michael Westmore, the special effects wizards. While this film has its issues, it’s a lot more interesting than Gus Van Sant’s remake of Psycho. When is the last time you remembered Vince Vaughn thought he was Norman Bates?

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Bates Motel: Season One takes us back to Norman Bates’ childhood when mother was a bit more mobile. When this series was first announced, it drew the normal reaction of “Is Hollywood all out of ideas?” Did someone jokingly say, “What about instead of Muppet Babies, we make Norman Bates Babies?” Thankfully the series isn’t a massive joke or a lame exercise in expanding a product line. The surprising power of the series is all thanks to mother (The Departed‘s Vera Farmiga). She’s a devoted single mother who only wants the best for her sons. Norman (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory‘s Freddie Highsmith)and his half-brother Dylan (Chloe‘s Max Thieriot) are a bit of handful. Max is the more troubled of the two. Neither of them are too happy when mom moves them from Arizona to White Pine Bay, Oregon. She has dreams of running a little motel and nothing is stopping her. Although the deal goes bad quick when the former owner drops by to sexually attack her. Norman fights the guy off and mom delivers the finishing blow. It’s rather touching how they turn homicide into a family project. Norman finds a notebook of a psycho’s plans for his victims. Can he stop the guy? Or does this turn into a teachable moment? Later in the series Norman learns taxidermy from his girlfriend’s dad. That’s going to be a hobby that will stay with him for the rest of his life. They keep up the tension of Bates family adventures in the new town. Vera is the star of the show as she keeps her boy in line. The series did well on A&E so there will be another 10 episodes in 2014. The Blu-ray brings out the charm of the early days at the Bates Motel and the 1960s décor. The bonus features include deleted scenes and their panel at the Paley Center. An extra bonus is postcards featuring a few of the sketches featured in Jiao’s notebook.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movie: Collector’s Edition allows the world to see Crow T. Robot in 1080p. That’s right, this is your only real chance to see the Satellite of Love and Deep 13 in high definition since the original TV series was made in standard def. This was the cinema event of 1996 when you could go to a movie theater to see a movie about people sitting in a movie theater watching a different movie. It was a Meta-movie experience. The movie allowed Mike, Crow, Tom Servo Gypsy and Dr. Forrester to be bigger than life instead of their bigger than your TV set normal. Dr. Forrester is extra brutal in his cinematic torture this time around. He forces Mike and the Bots to watch This Island Earth. While some hail this as a science fiction classic, it’s rather dull in major parts. There’s a lot of action involving putting together various electronic devices in order to talk to aliens. This is about as exciting as hanging out at a Radio Shack on Wednesday night. This also gives them plenty of time to make quips. The best involve barely in the film Russell Johnson. They jab at his future gig on Gilligan’s Island as the Professor. There’s a lot more ship action since they can afford to go beyond the single shot Cambot moments. There’s a bit of excitement as the Satellite of Love nails the Hubble Space Telescope. And there’s a sneaking fear that this might be the film that finally destroys Mike and the Bots. Unlike the earlier barebones editions, the collector’s edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack gives the full details and context of the movie. There’s the original supped up electronic media kit that went into cool video effects overdrive. There’s documentaries about Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movie and This Island Earth so you can become educated on both the movie and the movie within the movie. It’s a story of frustration for MST3K The Movie, but what it ultimately did was allow the show to stay together while making the change from Comedy Central to SciFi Channel. What really matters is that you can bask in the glow of a 1080p Crow T. Robot. Just a shame TV’s Frank didn’t stick around so we could see his hair with such resolution.

Suddenly is a major thriller from Uwe Boll. The man who gave us Postal and Bloodrayne doesn’t have the greatest of reputations. He knows how to crank out films which often isn’t a good thing. This time he has Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) around to make this rather far-fetched story entertaining. Ray’s a former war hero who couldn’t handle the attention or recover from his time in battle. He’s become a drunk in a small town which isn’t good for his career as a cop. However he can’t get fired because the president is about to visit. Also visiting the town are a few strangers claiming to be secret service men. But are they? The only person who can save the president’s life is the barely sober Ray since nobody wants to believe that a sweet town can be a deathtrap. Michael Pare (Streets of Fire and Eddie and the Cruisers) is tangled in the plot. No matter how outlandish elements get, Ray keeps it interesting. This is the kinda of film that doesn’t make me want to fight Uwe Boll.

VINEGAR SYNDROME

The Doll Squad w/ Mission: Killfast is a high definition double feature of Ted V. Mikels movies on Blu-ray. Ted is a guy known for making movies with his harem of lovers. He also has an amazing mustache. He tried his hardest to make action films on a shoestring budget. He ultimately paved the way for Andy Sidaris to find an audience eager for more films featuring hot heroines and nearly macho guys. The Doll Squad is rumored (by Ted) to have inspired Charlie’s Angels. It’s not exactly about three women who have to quit being cops to get the respect as private investigators. But when a senator and a CIA agent are being blackmailed by an evil organizations, they call The Doll Squad led by Sabrina Kincaid (Francine York). Sabrina was Kate Jackson’s name. She attempts to put her team together, but someone is following her and killing her contacts. There must be a mole in the organization leaking out the information. There’s a lot of serious action and superimposed explosions to save on the cost of blowing stuff up. The best effect is Tura Satana from Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. She knows how to look fierce on the big screen. Mission: Killfast was released in 1991, but the production screams an early ’80s shoot. Nuclear detonators are stolen and there’s only one man who can save the world: Tiger Yang! He’s Ted’s answer to Chuck Norris except with a haircut as deadly as his fists. Tiger has retired from international intrigue to focus on his black belt classes. But he can’t resist his country’s call. The key to getting back the detonators is a blue magazine. This is the perfect excuse to combine kung fu with a little topless action. There’s quite a few bonus features including Ted commenting on Doll Squad and a video interview with Ted about Mission: Killfast. Francine York talks about her time leading the Squad. A vintage trailer for Doll pumps up the action. The jacket for the Blu-ray is reversible so you can make the box for the film that impresses you the most.

Good Luck Miss Wyckoff is an extremely classy exploitation epic revived on Blu-ray. The book was written by award winning playwright William Inge (Picnic). Polly Platt adapted the screenplay. Marvin Chomsky (Roots) directed Anne Haywood (The Fox) as the virgin teacher with an issue. Anne teaches at a Kansas college and lives with several other teachers at a bordering house. She doesn’t feel right and her doctor (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.‘s Robert Vaughn) tells her it’s early onset menopause. Basically if she’s not using it, her uterus doesn’t want to stick around. He sends her off to a shrink (Prince of Darkness‘s Donald Pleasance) to get help. He wants her to open up so that she can have a sexual desire. She seems on track to hook up with Earl Holliman (Police Woman). Unfortunately that doesn’t work out. Instead things go really weird with a black student (John Lafayette) who is on the football team, but must also work as a janitor to get his scholarship. He knows she wants it, but is too repressed to act. You know that tender romance found in Bridges of Madison County? That’s not here. This is a non-romantic film. You’ll drop your jaw when he loses his jumpsuit. The scene where their relationship is exposed is an extreme moment that you won’t be seeing in 50 Shades of Grey since it’s that messed up. Even more disturbing is seeing Carolyn Jones (The Addams Family) dropping the N Bomb with utter disgust. This is not a sweet tale of those innocent bygone days. It’s Unhappy Days for Miss Wyckoff. It’s a film that brings back that time when filmmakers were unflinching. The bonus features include a cut of the film from when it was reissued as The Sin. There’s also trailers, TV spots and a photo gallery. While actress Shirley Knight isn’t in the movie, she does talk about William Inge. Vinegar Syndrome has given a deluxe treatment to the movie with a Blu-ray, DVD and the soundtrack on a CD. The image looks great on the Blu-ray. You’ll be able to really absorb the detail of Miss Wyckoff’s plight.

Drive-In Collection: The Sexualist & Wendy’s Palace is a Kemal Horulu double feature straight from a sleazy Time Square cinema in the early ’70s. The Sexualist is a rather arty kind of movie for an X-rated flick. A hippie filmmaker and his chubby backer are making a film about astrological positions. They’re looking to be a touch of adult education in their hot action. Although beyond the plot is the arrival of a gay gorilla. It’s a rather gruesome ape suit on the guy that many viewers will find rather distracting. The comedy focuses on how unsuccessful the director has been in the past. But this one is going to be the hit that will make his pal’s $3,000 investment pay big returns. Or will it? The ladies in the film include Tina Russell, Barbara Benner and Jennifer Welles. Besides the trailer, they found five minutes of outtakes. This proves that some film was left on the editing room floor. Wendy’s Palace is about a hooker eager to move up the whore ladder. After getting busted while hustling in front of a sign for Hello Dolly, Wendy (Mary Poey) sets up a bordello. In a bit of a twist, the vice cop wants to hook up with her both professionally and emotionally. Can she make it in business and love in the Big Apple? There’s some sharp footage of Times Square from 1970 in the film. Check out the marquee for Patton. There’s a trailer for the movie. If you’ve ever been slightly curious about these kind of movies, this is a fine collection since Vinegar Syndrome has the transfer looking great. The fleshtones look fleshy instead of like a bunch of sunburned bodies.

Drive-In Collection: Blood Thirst & The Thirsty Dead is a combo that doesn’t come with a large drink. Blood Thirst has a series of bizarre murders taking place around Manila. Women are being strung up and bled out. The cop on the case is Vic Diaz (The Big Bird Cage). He’s not afraid to call up Adam Rourke (Robert Winston), an authority on sex crimes. He wants to solve a case and not merely make his career. Who is behind the vampire killings? It might be tied to Yvonne Nielson, a belly dancer who wants to shake the blood into Rourke’s midsection. Winston’s not a bad actor, but his career ended on this film that took nearly six years to get released on the low level theater circuit. The real star of the movie is the tailor who made the impressive business suits. The black and white photography adds to the attitude. The Thirsty Dead has another blood sucking cult on the loose of the streets of Manila. Guess who plays a cop in this film? How about Vic Diaz? He’s not given as big of role even with his experience tracking down blood suckers in the land of Marcos. Why are women being abducted off the streets of Manila? Because somewhere outside the city is a cult that stays young thanks to drinking blood. Things go bad when a cult member falls in love with his food. Can love overcome everything? It’s a fine Vic Diaz double feature.

Drive-In Collection: Death Force & Vampire Hookers come from Cirio H. Santiago, the Filipino Roger Corman. While he made a quite a few films that were distributed by Roger’s New World, Cirio had other that went to other independent distributors. Death Force is an epic for Cirio as it is nearly two hours long. Leon Isaac Kennedy and his two army buddies scheme to steal a fortune in gold from the Philippines. The robbery goes off without a hitch until the duo turn on Kennedy. He ends up stuck on a remote island with two Japanese soldiers. They help him recover and train him in the art of the samurai. Kennedy has to return to Los Angeles to hook up with his woman (Battlestar Galactica‘s Jayne Kennedy) and gets piece of revenge on his two army buddies. Keep your eyes open wide to spot Vic Diaz. He ought to get a lifetime Oscar for all his work in these movies. Vic’s even in Vampire Hookers. The big star is John Carradine (House of Dracula). He’s an undead pimp whose ladies go out at night to seduce U.S. sailors for a coffin party. He loves to quote literature before baring his fangs. Vic is a pansexual blood sucker. Carradine appears to be enjoying himself around his young female vampires. The sets appear to have been stolen from a junior high school’s production of Dracula. It’s a bit of a hoot with more Manila based vampire action. You can’t resist a film with a theme song that declares, “They’re vampire hookers/Blood isn’t all they suck.” This time Vic Diaz is on the other side of the neck. There’s a red band trailer for Vampire Hookers.

THE DVD SHELF

Elementary: The First Season reimagines Sherlock Holmes as a recovering drug addict living in America. Jonny Lee Miller is perfectly cast as Holmes since he’s a guy who looks pretty smart, but at the same time has the stare that lets you know he liked to party hard. The guy was Angelina Jolie’s first wife when she wasn’t playing the noble cause cards. The producers wisely landed Lucy Liu as the sensible Dr. Watson role. She’s one of the few actresses who have the power to say, “I’m not putting up with your crap” with the smallest of gestures. The 24 episodes of the first season have her arriving at Holmes’ apartment as a hired sober living companion. She’s not prepared for him or his messy life. But amongst the clutter, is a mind that can put together clues and solve crimes. His occupation is consultant with the police on seriously twisted cases. Besides the obvious bad guys, Holmes must battle with his own desires and demons. It’s easy to see him wanting to get messed up so that his brain can shutdown for a little break. He has an ex-lover driving him nuts. Towards the end of the season he finally gets a major rival with the arrival of Moriarty. This was one of the new shows from last season that was avid viewing because of the give and go between Miller and Liu. The bonus features include a feature about updating the character and a tour of the sets from Liu. They even toss in the webisodes.

The Haunting of Helena will make your children fear losing a single tooth. A single mother and her young daughter move into a new house. Things seem great until the daughter loses her first baby tooth. Instead being happy at getting a quarter under her pillow, she talks about a mysterious visitor who doesn’t completely sound like the tooth fairy. It’s not a cute little character with wings, glitter and a wand. There’s a gruesome element to the visits. Helena is an effective Italian spooker. It’s tempting to show this movie to the kid when she whines that somehow the tooth fairy didn’t leave enough for her old molars.

Hallmark Channel Movie Double Feature: Meddling Mom & The Sweeter Side of Life contains two tales of the troubles of relationships when others get involved. Meddling Mom lets Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman) help her daughter get married. Except the daughter doesn’t need that much help. The career minded daughter finally finds a guy who might be the one. But mom is in no mood to wait for true love to take its course. She wants a wedding soon. The Sweeter Side of Life reminds us of the painful taste of a nasty prenup. Kathryn Morris (Cold Case) finds her husband not merely dumping her, but destroying her financially thanks to that marriage contract. Things get so bad that she has to move to New Jersey. But she refuses to be defeated. Can her baking skills keep her from becoming a background extra on The Real Housewives of New Jersey? The real joy of the film comes in seeing James Best (Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard) in a big role. How come he doesn’t get a lifetime achievement award from SAG?

Grey’s Anatomy: Complete Ninth Season picks up with the cliffhanger that had a majority of the staff stuck inside a plane that was plummeting towards the ground. Instead of making this a minor event, the entire season is focused to the recovery of the doctors and the non-recovery of one of them. No need for me to spoil which character doesn’t make it through the first few episodes. One of the doctors does lose a limb. Another finds their marriage in jeopardy since it turns out their spouse signed off on going with the cheaper private plane charter company that had safety issues. One doctor needs an experimental surgery to restore his operating hands. Will anyone donate a major nerve? The whole hospital is in jeopardy of a massive lawsuit from the injured doctors. Grey’s gains a bit of narrative momentum with the focus on the wreck instead of merely who is having whose baby. There is still baby talk for longtime fans. The bonus features include bloopers and deleted scenes. The best is a feature on Jim Pickens, Jr. living the cowboy life. He’s got his own ranch and horses.

Ultra Q: The Complete Series is another moment of feeling like my childhood wasn’t as complete as it could have been. This series was the precursor to the legendary Ultraman. This almost the precursor to X-Files and Kolchak: The Night Stalker. A reporter, a pilot, his girlfriend, a scientist and a kid go zipping around Japan checking out monster incidents. They encounter massive giant monsters courtesy of Toho’s Godzilla collection. Why wasn’t this on TV in rotation with Ultraman and Space Giants? According to the sources, it was packaged for sale with Ultraman, but the US distributor just wanted to go Ultraman because Ultra Q was in black and white. This was in the late ’60s and it makes no sense. We were still enjoying Addam’s Family and The Munsters in black and white. Why wouldn’t we enjoy a repurposed Godzilla outfit that wasn’t in color? We were still monster mad kids in the summer of 1975. The show is rather good for being a TV version of a Toho production. If you like Godzilla and Gamera, you must embrace the glory of Ultra Q.

Lala-Oopsies: A Sew Magical Tale: The Movie is a story within the Lalaoopsy universe. This is a fantastical place beyond the already magical place. The film has a toy chest whimsy to the story about fairies and mermaids in a world that’s been stitched together. But this is not a simplicity life for the happy characters. There’s a massive crisis when the strawberry milk stops flowing. Like the spice in Dune, strawberry milk is the magic key to this world. The milk must flow! So the characters have to unclog the stream in a massive adventure. While this is called a movie, the running time is only 44 minutes long. This short running time should be a relief to parents wondering when they can get back to the football game. The bonus feature are two Lalaloopsy min adventures: “Too Close for Comfort” and “A Ruff Rescue.”

Delete is a movie and not an order to clear your hard drive. The Reelz channel mini-series envisions a future where an artificial intelligence creature takes control of the internet. It craves to shutdown humanity as it takes over defense systems. Has mankind become so reliant on computers that the world will be flung into anarchy and apocalypse? What is the solution? The big brains get together and come up with an attack plan that’s like fighting fire with fire. Although there’s a chance the entire thing will backfire and we’ll be slaves to our cyber overlords. There are a few stars in the production including Seth Green (Robot Chicken), Gill Bellows (Ally McBeal) and Matt Frewer (Max Headroom). This is a bit more cerebral than Ghost Shark on the SyFy channel. Delete on the DVD is the extended version so there’s a bit more crisis moments. The bonus features include interviews with the cast and crew.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/09/20/party-favors-tow-licked/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/08/20/party-favors-with-fire/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/08/20/party-favors-with-fire/#respond Tue, 20 Aug 2013 04:44:29 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17818 Joe Corey roasts James Franco...]]>

WINSTON-SALEM – I got a bone to pick with James Franco. A few months back he was having auditions for a movie he was making near my country estate. I can’t remember the name or the real plot. All that mattered was that Emilia Clarke was supposed to be playing a stripper. That’s right, the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones was going to be dropping her top to earn her money.

How could I let such an opportunity pass me by? I immediately decided to audition for the role of Tater, the assistant manager at the strip joint. This was the role I was born to play. I had been researching it for years. Every dollar I gave was to a stripper was to understand the character. It had nothing to do with carnal urges. It was all for art. So I put together an audition tape and had it ready to send to Mr. Oscar host. You will all agree that it shows off my thespian skills honed at the North Carolina School of the Arts when I studied with Danny McBride.

You must admit that this is the kind of audition that casting directors will be showing all their students as a way to hone their craft. The part was mine. I had already been pricing ski boots for Sundance. I was already imaging the tabloids going nuts with rumors of Emilia and my love affair. We’d be the next Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Although it’d more like them played by Lindsay Lohan and Mr. Fantastic in the Lifetime movie.

Then the fantasy died quick and swift. James Franco canceled the auditions and ceased any preproduction in Winston-Salem. It was over. My tangled affair with the Mother of Dragons had been nipped in the bud. My Cannes and Sundance awards stripped. What could I do? Well once they announced James Franco was their celebrity roast, I had a route for revenge.

The following are jokes that Carlos Mencia or Jonah Hill can steal for use on the stage. I don’t want your money. Just make sure if James Franco cries from shame, I get half of his tears.

James Franco, don’t’ think of this as a roast, but merely me trying to get back the 102 minutes of my life you stole with Your Highness.

James Franco, if you’re so famous, why aren’t you impregnating a Kardashian? Or is Bruce Jenner carrying your baby?

How does it feel to be the Jar-Jar Binks of Oscar hosts?

People think that you’re too young for such an honor. Well these people must not know that you started acting way back in the 20th Century.

In case you were wondering about the drug dogs sniffing you on the way in and agents who confiscated your party supplies, they weren’t DEA. It’s just how James replenishes his stash.

James Franco’s big breakout performance was playing James Dean. Now you look like a roll of Jimmy Dean sausage.

When James Franco came to Hollywood, he told his agent he wanted a role with balls. This led to an audition for the movie Castaway . James craved the role of Wilson. Sadly he lost to another airhead that let the producer blow him.

James, they canceled Freaks and Greeks 15 years ago so you can stop playing Daniel.

I was shocked when Freaks and Geeks got canceled. I was a major Geekazoid? Freaknick? I have such fond memories about how you almost hooked up with Angela. (Pause to realize wrong show.) That wasn’t your show? How about the time you opened a mall store with Mr. Belding? Not you? What about the time you and Dylan shaved your sideburns? You didn’t bootleg the Doobie Brothers concert with Rerun? Did you at least sing a Journey song?

It’s a shame Netflix doesn’t bring back Freaks and Geeks. You guys are still younger than the cast of Glee and all alive.

Anthony Jeselnik, I caught your show. Little did I know that James Franco has turned it into his latest film: As I Lay Dying.

Shame James Franco didn’t make William Faulkner’s Sanctuary. You’d make an Oscar-worthy corncob. (Wait a beat.) What? No Southern Lit majors in the house tonight?

(Stewardess comes out and offers James Franco a blanket and tiny pillow). The captain thought you might need these.

James, it’s great you brought your husband Seth Rogen to share this special occasion. What? You’re not married? Please. You two put Mr. Sulu and his husband to shame.

It’s not a bromance if you break out the lube.

When’s Milk 2 coming out?

James, you claim you’re not gay. But here’s a little test to determine your orientation. If you’ve ever wondered about the missing guy-on-guy sex scenes in Al Pacino’s Cruisin’ so much that you made a movie recreating them; you just might be not that straight. I learned that from Jeff Queerworthy.
James, Franco, I so want to blow you right now. I’m not gay. I just need the THC. I’m feeling nauseous as I think of your film career.

I don’t care if about your sexual orientation, but Andy Dick fears you cock blocking him in the bathroom.

When Pineapple Express came out, the critics called you the next Cheech and Chong. Really? You guys wish you were the next Rae Dawn Chong. (Pause.) What? No Commando fans in the house either?

What about your performance in Oz the Great and Powerful. You played a third rate talent with overinflated academic credentials out to con ticket buyers. Who said the hardest thing to do is play yourself?

Isn’t it ironic that you starred in Annapolis, the only college you’re not attending right now?
I was going to talk about your latest term paper, but…I…fell…asleep (snaps awake). The topic was “Why I’m an Exciting Person.”

Here’s a little SAT pop quiz. James Franco is to Judd Apatow’s Wit as Kermit the Frog is to Jim Henson’s… Fist.

A critic once said, “James Franco is Colin Farrell with a working shower.” Fooled him, didn’t you? James Franco proves you can make it in Hollywood without a comb and mirror.

James Franco understands what it’s like to grow up in the shadow of greatness. His grandfather’s Franco American! That means he gets paid every time you eat Spaghetti-Os. Sadly James receives no royalty when Andy Dick devours a beanie weenie.

Your co-stars from Rise of the Planet of the Apes couldn’t be here, but they sent you a special message. (Reach into rear pocket, pull out a fake monkey poop and fling it at James Franco).
James Franco claims he doesn’t smoke the evil marijuana. I told that to Willie Nelson and he said, (give big harsh exhale gasp).

(Person comes out dressed up in graduation gowns.) Diplomas for Mr. Franco! Diplomas for Mr. Franco!
It’s nice to know that an Oscar nominated serious actor views being roasted on Comedy Central is a great career move. You remember in the past when we roasted Streep, DeNiro, Pacino and Olivier? You now share an honor given to Pam Anderson, Hasselhoff, Shatner and Larry the Cable Guy. The good news is that you, James Franco have just punched your ticket for a Lifetime Original Movie: James Franco in The Amanada Bynes Story!

James likes to give back to the thespian community, but is very humble about it. He was the acting coach in Sharknado for the Hammerheads.

James Franco, who can forget your time on General Hospital? Now I feel guilty for reminding that person who was able to block out your time on General Hospital. Forgive me, Aunt Gertude!

We did our best to keep this a surprise, but I was able to arrange a little reunion with a special acting partner. Do you recognize this voice? (Silence.) Oh well. Let’s bring ’em out. (A girl comes out holding rubber right arm). He’s been extra busy working on hosting ESPN’s upcoming “One Armed Bandits Tourney.”

When you were making 127 Hours, did you start jerking off with your left hand in case you accidentally cut off your right arm?

When you made the low budget Spring Breakers, were you paid in grills or nookie?

James Franco is funding his next movie using Kickstarter. Shame you didn’t set up a Kickstarter so movie critics could donate to get you acting lessons.

James Franco was in the big hit Spider-Man. Proving he’s got a big brain, James can tell the difference between Tobey McGuire and Elijah Wood.

I’d say you’re a good sport for sitting through this, but I suspect you’re napping.

Feel the burn, James Franco!

SETH IS EVERYWHERE

Before he takes over the Late Show desk, Seth Meyers is sending fun to the computer on your desk. Here’s another installment of his series The Awesomes. You can watch other episodes on Hulu.

SCREAM IT OUT

This month brings three positively freaky Blu-rays from the fine folks at Scream Factory.
Dark Angel is best known in America as “I” Come In Peace. At least that’s how I remember the VHS box at Phar-Mor’s video rental section not to mention the kickass commercial that ran constantly on the late night slots for a month back in 1990. An alien arrives on Earth so that he can use humans to create a special drug. The supersized invader attacks with a flying circular saw blade that won’t stop till heads are popped. There’s only one man that can save the world from this menace: Dolph Lundgren (Rocky IV). Of course Dolph can’t do it alone. He gets stuck with Brian Benben (Dream On), an uptight FBI agent who won’t bend the rules. The duo get minor assistance from an intergalactic cop played by Jay Bilas. That’s right, the former Duke basketball player and current ESPN commentator is an alien! But don’t get too attached to him. Dolph is amazing as the Houston cop who is out to kill the alien that waxed his previous partner. He’s brute force and yet has those touching intimate moments with his coroner girlfriend (Betsy Brantley). The movie is pure buddy cop kick ass greatness with exceptional stunt scenes for a low budget flick. The big bonus feature is interviews with director Craig R. Baxley, Dolph Lundgren and Brian Benben. They recount so much from their sci-fi buddy cop days on the streets of Houston. They almost seem ready to make a sequel. The Blu-ray transfer brings out the end of the ’80s colors and hairstyles. Jan Hammer did the soundtrack to give it a Miami Vice flair. For those who prefer to call the film “I” Come In Peace, the jacket is reversible with the classic VHS artwork.

Q The Winged Serpent brings together the finest elements of a monster movie and a ’70s New York City cop drama. What more can you want in a pair of buddy cops than Richard Roundtree (Shaft) and David Carradine (Kung Fu). The duo seem to be working on two different cases in Manhattan. Someone has been popping the heads off skyscraper window washers. There’s also another killer peeling the skin off their victims. Little do they know that the two might be tied together. Turns out there’s a winged lizard thing flapping around the Big Apple and dining on the denizens. Why is it there? You’ll have to ask the mysterious Aztec cult. Michael Moriarty is a small time crook who discovers the creature’s nest in the top of a building. He wants to use this information to go straight or at least get a fat reward if the mayor will play ball. Candy Clark (The Man Who Fell to Earth) is Moriarty’s girlfriend. Director Larry Cohen (It’s Alive) gives just the right tough of horror to a cop flick. The Ray Harryhausen-esque animated monster is a more solid special effect than anything in Sharknado. Even though the legendary Samuel Z. Arkoff produced the film, it was released after he sold American International Pictures. The distributor who picked up the film couldn’t give it the AIP magic. Q has a cult following thanks to write ups in ReSearch magazine. This Blu-ray ought to bring more people the joy of Aztecs unleashed on the Big Apple. Cohen provides an audio commentary which details his sneaky ways of shooting in Manhattan without permits.

Double Feature: X-Ray & Schizoid delves into why doctors and psychiatrists can be bad for your health. The two films were originally put out by Cannon films during their glory days. X-Ray sends Barbi Benton to the hospital to review her test results. You think sitting in the waiting room is murder, she’s got to deal with a homicidal maniac in the doctor’s office. He’s killing the staff as he isolates her deeper and deeper into the decrepit hospital building. Why? Is this the psycho who killed her friend nearly 20 years before? Or has a new nutjob found her? Barbi Benton is best known for being Hugh Hefner’s girlfriend when he was making the West Coast version of Playboy After Dark. This was back when Hef wasn’t only dating blonds. She does get to strip down during one scene. This film is supposed to be a horror flick, but there’s enough comic elements to make it seem like a spoof of slasher films. The killer wears a doctor’s mask that keeps going in and out like he’s blowing bubbles. An interview with director Boaz Davidson lets him confess that he wasn’t much for scares since his biggest hits were comedies. As a spoof, X-Ray is hilarious. Schizoid scares you right off the bat with the idea of people seeing Klaus Kinski (Aguirre: The Wrath of God) for mental help. That’s just seriously wrong. Things go wrong for members of his all-female group therapy session. Someone is killing them and teasing a local reporter with the murders. Among the suspects is Christopher Lloyd (Taxi. It’s a fun little piece about the harsh penalties for missing your sessions with the shrink. The bonus feature is Donna Wilkes remembering her time with Kinski. There’s a DVD with all the stuff on the Blu-ray in case you want to watch the movies while waiting in the doctor’s office.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Double Feature The Hot Spot & Killing Me Softly take us back to those thrilling days of erotic murders. This twin title gives us a trio of dazzling beauty of Heather Graham, Virginia Madsen and Jennifer Connelly. The Hot Spot is a film noir from Dennis Hopper. Don Johnson is a drifting kinda a guy who arrives in a hot Texas town. He quickly lands work as a car dealer. He knows how to sell the undercoating. He likes to tease office girl Connelly. But he’s got his hands full with the dealer’s frisky wife. While he likes the ladies, he’s fixated on robbing the local bank. He dreams of being able to pull off the heist and hit the road with his favorite gal. But can he really get his wishes? While Killing Me Softly isn’t nearly as good, it does feature Heather Graham (Boogie Nights) stripping down and getting wild with Joseph Fiennes. This is the unrated cut of the movie so you get all the goodness from her having fun with scarves. This is why I upgraded to Blu-ray. You get to see Jennifer Connelly and Heather Graham in their prime giving it a Cinemax After Dark worthy performance. Here’s the Italian version of the trailer so you can feel sophisticated.

The Borgias: The Final Season wraps up the tale of Pope Alexander VI and his cutthroat family. This wasn’t supposed to be the wrap up season, but that’s just the way it worked out since the ratings on Showtime weren’t quite Game of Thrones or Tudors level. The season starts off with the Pope recovering from a poisoning. Catherina Sforza is ready to finish off the family, but daughter Lucrezia must rise to the challenge since her brothers are busy. The Pope puts on a grand inquisition against the College of Cardinals. He’s not trusting anyone anymore. Why should he? One of the Cardinals steals a large amount of cash from the Vatican bank and covers his tracks by torching the vaults. The final episode does seem a bit like an ending with a family unification on the horizon. It was a good series and it’s a shame that it didn’t get the proper ending. Unlike Deadwood, fans won’t have to guess how it was going to end. The script for the unproduced two hour finale movie has been adapted to prose and can be downloaded as an e-book. The Blu-ray brings out the rich production values in massive sets and equally massive wardrobe. The bonus features include Borgia Bloopers and the first episode of Ray Donovan.

Graham Parker & The Rumour: This Is Live is the complete concert the reunited band played on the set of Judd Apatow’s This Is 40. Parker and his band are the natural rivals to Elvis Costello and the Attractions. While Elvis sported the nerdy glasses, Graham went cool with sunglasses to show he was serious business. Both were talented and gained a cult following. Parker busted up the band for a true solo career in 1980. The subplot about Paul Rudd’s character trying to reunite and revive the Rumour was like the only part of This Is 40 that I wanted to see, but supposedly the moment was rather swift in the film. But now you can enjoy the nearly hour long set without being distracted by Paul Rudd on the toilet. Graham and his old bandmates are in fine form after taking off over three decades. The set includes the classics “Local Girls” and “Protection.” The big focus is their reunion album Three Chords Good which sound as fine as their older material. It’s great to be able to enjoy the only great thing to come out of This Is 40 without getting bogged down in a plot. Did Apatow fake a whole movie so he could film this concert?

Star Trek Enterprise – Season Two finally brings the Klingons and Romulans to the series that imagined a time before Kirk was captain. The man who runs this early version of the legendary starship is Captain Archer (Quantum Leap‘s Scott Bakula). His science officer is the Vulcan T’Pol (Jolene Blalock). For the second season Rick Berman and Brannon Braga contribute to a lot of scripts. Season opens with “Shockwave, Part II.” Can Archer get back his ship from the Suliban? “Carbon Creek” is another time early space travel history. This time we learn of Vulcans that ended up roaming around the Earth during the 1950s. This could have been a great Happy Days crossover episode like when Mork tried to abduct Richie. “Minefield” introduces the Romulans to the humans. Sadly it’s because the Enterprise gets stuck on a cloaked Romulan mine. Can they escape unscathed? “Dead Stop” spoils that adventure since now Archer must repair the damaged ship. “A Night in Sickbay” makes Archer go nuts while waiting in the hospital unit. They must not have Angry Birds in the future. “Stigma” has T’Pol catch something that other Vulcans must avoid. This might ruin her career. Captain Archer gets busted by the Klingons in “Judgment.” He’s put on trial of conspiracy. Better call Saul! “Regeneration” defrosts the Borg that have been trapped in Arctic Ice. “Bounty” has the Klingons offering a price for the return of Archer. “The Expanse” pits the Enterprise against an alien probe that’s already killed millions of Earthlings. They better save the Earth else how will Kirk live? The 26 episodes are spread over 26 Blu-ray discs. The bonus features include Commentary by Michael Sussman and Phyllis Strong on “Dead Stop” and “Regeneration,” Text commentary by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda on “Stigma” and “First Flight,” Enterprise moments: season 2, Enterprise profile: Jolene Blalock, Levar Burton: Star Trek director, Enterprise secrets, Inside “A Night in Sickbay, Outtakes, Photo gallery and Deleted scenes. This was the second of four seasons that ran on UPN. Remember that network? Oddly enough while it was a short run for the show, it was still longer than the original Star Trek.

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls turns Twilight Sparkle and her pony pals into humans. Not just humans, but teenagers in high school. This movie had a weekend release around the country a few months ago. The Blu-ray brings the fun home including a documentary about the movie, plenty of Karaoke action and a way to make yourself into a pony. There’s also a DVD and digital copy in the boxset. I can try to explain the movie, but I’d rather let a four year old girl breakdown what she liked about the film.

DVD SHELF

Ultimate Wolverine Vs. Hulk features the battle of the century between the Clawed Wonder and the Green Machine. The six part comic book caused a sensation with the no holds barred battle that lived up to the title. Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof puts two of the toughest comic book superheroes against each other without any pity shared between the two. Artist Leinil Francis Yu and colorist Dave McCraig bring the carnage to your eyes. Luckily their work is transformed by the Marvel Knights Animation process to put their dynamic comic book panels into motion. You can tell right away that this battle isn’t going to be a disappointment since it opens with Wolverine missing his legs. It seems that the execution of the Hulk by S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t that effective. Nick Fury hires Wolverine to track down and exterminate the Hulk one more time. Can he pull it off? This is better than Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat. Hard to imagine a live action version being a blissfully brutal as what’s achieved in this animation of the original comics.

Perry Mason: Season 9, Volume 2 brings to an end the classic black and white legal series that still gets plenty of play after over half a century. Perry Mason (Ironsides‘ Raymond Burr) gets his final 15 cases. This would be the end of his time with Paul Drake (William Hopper ) doing his legwork and almost the end of Della Street (Barbara Hale) working the desk. D.A. Hamilton Burger ( William Talman) must have been thrilled to no longer get slapped around in court each week. It’s just a shame that Lt. Drumm (The Six Million Dollar Man‘s Richard Anderson) didn’t last long enough to get a pension. “The Case of the Midnight Howler” features Daniel J. Travanti (Hill Street Blues) as an out of control late night disc jockey. He was an early Howard Stern. “The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise” makes a suspect out of Allan Melvin (Sam the Butcher on The Brady Bunch). “The Case of the Twice Told Twist” turns on Victor Buono (King Tut on Batman). Perry’s car gets stripped for parts. “The Case of the Unwelcome Well” gets pumped up by James Best (Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on Dukes of Hazzard. “The Case of the Crafty Kidnapper” makes me suspect Gary Collins (PM Magazine) and Cloris Leachman (Young Frankenstein) are in cahoots. “The Case of the Final Fade-Out” is a proper ending when there’s a murder on a TV set. Perry has to interview all the various tech positions on the set. Turns out all these people interviewed are longtime workers on Perry Mason. There’s a little goodbye star power with Dick Clark (American Bandstand), Denver Pyle (Dukes of Hazzard) and Jackie Coogan (The Addams Family). After 19 releases, the golden age of black and white Perry Mason is now available on DVD. This is a DVD shelf unto itself. There’s no news about the 26 made-for-TV movies that Raymond Burr made from 1985 until his death in 1993. But this should not be the end of Perry Mason.

Family Ties: The Seventh and Final Season brings to an end the Keaton family’s saga. No longer would the 80s have Alex P. Keaton(Michael J. Fox) to idolize. Although Fox would finally have time to focus on creating the greatness that was Doc Hollywood. Alex is still dating a pre-Friends‘s Courtney Cox on the show. Nick (cool guy Scott Valentine) remains attached to Mallory (Justine Bateman). “Heartstrings” is three episode focused on Steven (Michael Gross) having a heart attack. His doctor is Phillip Baker Hall (Boogie Nights). Is dad going to survive to the final episode? “”Til Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away” brings back ’90s sexiest man alive Dan Hedaya (Clueless) to play Nick’s dad. “Alex Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” brings the show to a close with the oldest son finally out of college and taking his first job. He can’t live at home anymore so it’s a lot of tears and memories as he packs up. Thus as the ’80s drew to a close, a light went out in the Keaton’s house.

Rapture Palooza is a twisted tale about what will happen to those stuck on the Earth after the good folks are raptured up to Heaven. Like another End Times movie, this film stars a cast member of Freaks and Geeks. It’s John Francis Daley as a bigger dweeb. The good part about bring left in the post-rapture world is that he’s still got his girlfriend Anna Kendrick (Up In the Air). The bad part is Anna is still a virgin and won’t change even with the Anti-Christ (Hot Tub Time Machine‘s Craig Robinson) now in charge. And the Anti-Christ has his eyes on banging Kendrick. Can Daley keep his lady pure? Can the Anti-Christ be anymore gross when he woos her? Also along for the apocalyptic fun is Rob Corddry (also Hot Tub Time Machine), Ana Gasteyer and Thomas Lennon. This is the perfect film to scare the Holy Rollers out of the living room. They cast Ken Jeong as God. Can anything be more scary? Corddry and Robinson crack each other up on the audio commentary. They also have a documentary, gag reel and deleted scenes. It’s just a fun way to imagine the end of the world.

Alyce Kills needs to be seen just for the performance of Eddie Rouse. I’ve worked with Eddie in the past on various project in Winston-Salem. It’s been nice seeing him pop up in major films such as American Gangster. Now he has a big role that allows him to dominate the trailer as the voice. Plus he got to work with Tracey Walter (Repo Man). He’s gets wrapped up with Alyce (Jade Dornfeld). She goes out for a fun night with her friend (Tamara Feldman). The fun stops suddenly when she pushes her friend off the side of a building. Luckily the friend survives, but Alyce loses it all with a massive paranoid fit. Sadly Eddie isn’t part of the cast interviews. The behind the scenes footage is shocking when you see how the movie was filmed. The days of renting the big package from Panavision is over. The only excuse you can have for not making your own horror film is a lack of friends who want to be killed. Luckily director Jay Lee had the smart idea to get to know Eddie Rouse.

Emperor delves into a time when General Douglas MacArthur had few rivals on the face of the Earth. MacArthur(Tommy Lee Jones) is set with the task of deciding how involved was Emperor Hirohito (Takataro Kataoka) when it came to Japan’s role in World War II. Culturally this is a tense time since at that point, the Emperor of Japan was considered a God on Earth. The fact that MacArthur is placing judgment on a God almost comes close to the military leader’s view of himself. General Fellers (Lost‘s Matthew Fox) is given the heavy work of finding the evidence. Will MacArthur put a God to death? The movie explores the remains of Japan after its surrender to the allies. It’s a find performance from Fox as the snooping general who actually has to work and not merely review troops. A fine film to watch with your dad on a rainy Saturday.

CatDog: The Final Season wraps up the Nick animated season that really brought together Billy West (Ren and Stimpy) Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) and Carlos Alazraqui (Deputy Garcia on Reno 911). Kenny and Jim Cummings give voice to creature that is half cat and dog. They’re a truly odd couple with the ability to more than run in circles chasing their tale. These are the final 8 seasons that ran during the fourth season it aired on Nickelodeon. “CatDog and the Great Parent Mystery” is their quest to find out how they were born. They track down their parents that turn out to be a frog and bigfoot. But there’s still no reason why they were born so weird. “Cat Gone Bad” has the Cat wanting to hang out with the cat neighbors that are beyond annoying to his Dog half. The show ended with “Meat Dog’s Friends” where Dog discovers where the stuff in his bowl comes from. He’s not sure if he can eat anymore knowing it could be his animal friends. The show is still a hoot after almost a decade off the air.

Care Bears: A Belly Badge for Wonderheart: The Movie is 65 minutes of the new CGI Carebears that airs on The Hub. Wonderheart Bear is eager to join the Cub Bouts. The only thing holding him back is the fact that Belly Badge isn’t considered active. She does what any kid in such a position does: fakes it. In this case she gets fake powers through a misplaced wish. Naturally this leads to a major disaster. She becomes the subject of an Amber Alert by ending up on top of a mountain during a severe weather event. This is not a good thing. Will she survive? Will she learn a lesson? Will there be musical moments to express the morality lesson? Of course, this is Carebears and not a Werner Herzog documentary. The bonus features are two music videos.

The Princess Twins of Legendale is from the people behind Lalaloopsy. Princess Dawn wants to live in a kingdom that lets the sun set once and a while. She conspires to visit the Forbidden Night World. This is an extremely dangerous voyage since the great divide between these spaces involves an evil sorceress. She discovers that she has a twin sister on the other side. Her name is Eve and has the same taste in music which makes them great for sing-alongs. The two royal sisters fixate on a plan to reunite the kingdoms so they can share in night and day action. The movie kept my preschooler happy for a while. The big bonus is five episodes of Bratzillaz. There’s more brat action in that show than tailgater at a Chicago Bears games.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/08/20/party-favors-with-fire/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/08/20/party-favors-dare-to-be-stupid/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/08/20/party-favors-dare-to-be-stupid/#respond Tue, 20 Aug 2013 04:14:58 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17817 Joe Corey meets up with Weird Al to discuss his new children's book, MY NEW TEACHER AND ME...]]>

LIZARD LICK — Bob Dylan spent 300 pages in his autobiography doing his best to prove that he wasn’t the voice of a generation. Sure he wrote “Blowin’ In the Wind,” but he’s not eager to claim counter culture icon status for the uprising of the Sixties. According to his book, he’s just a guy who plays a guitar and words come out of his mouth. On the other hand, Weird Al Yankovic can’t back away from being a true voice of a generation. Granted he represents a generation of smart asses, pop culture fiends, and adult-children who swear they know the real lyrics to a hit song. But we need a voice and it isn’t Chris Hardwick.

Weird Al was coming to town, but not for his usual blow out concert. He was appearing one night only at Raleigh’s Quail Ridge Bookstore to sign his latest tome: My New Teacher And Me (illustrated by Wes Hargis. Even with a massive summer storm approaching, the bookstore was crammed with fans of all ages eager to meet the man behind “Eat It,” “Fat” and “White and Nerdy.” Even after 33 years, Weird Al is not a nostalgia act. He’s still cranking out the hits without even spoofing a specific song. He was able to take a Doors sounding riff to create “Craigslist.” The late Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek’s brought the groove to the production.

This was my second chance to meet Weird Al. A few years back I’d seen him and the band live in Durham. After the show, my brother and I ended up passing his tour bus. We hung out a little bit waiting for him, but my brother said he needed to get home since he had to wake up early to get to his real job. We left. An old film school buddy met Al and posted the pic on Facebook. My brother got to wake up early, drive to work and promptly get laid off. My brother didn’t want to come with me to the book signing for fear of history repeating itself with his new job. But I was there and at the front of the line.

Originally I had planned on asking a few questions of Al on camera. But while standing there in line, I kept thinking of that jerk producer that does ambush interviews for Bill O’Reilly. Why would I want to be a prick like that to Weird Al? I heard Weird Al’s “Yoda” when it was only airing on the Dr. Demento Show. Weird Al has been a part of my life for at least 33 years. As I got closer to his signing table, it became obvious that there wasn’t much to ask Weird Al since we both know the answers. It would be nice to know which of the Barkers Beauties he dated in the ’80s. But he’s a gentleman and would never tell – unless there was video leaking. So when the time came to meet him, I gave him signed copies of my books “Quotable: The Most Inspiring, Uplifting, Comforting and Universally Beloved Words From Ann Coulter” and “Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters.” It’s a book signing, why shouldn’t someone sign something for him to take home? Then I told him the story of my brother getting laid off. It’s all heartwarming. A nice person videotaped the encounter for posterity. This is the most exciting minute of video that doesn’t feature a cat frowning.

The day after the signing, Weird Al tweeted the number of the payphone next to him at RDU airport so he could chat with folks. Weird Al is more than merely the spokesman of a generation, he’s also the listener of a generation. The Kennedy Center better honor him next year.

SUBMIT TO FULL FRAME

The fine folks at the Full Frame Documentary film festival have alerted me that it’s almost submission time. So get that non-fiction film about the history of historical stuff ready for showing. Here’s the deadlines in case you need more time to make it presentable.

2014 Call for Entries:
Regular Deadline / August 15 – October 15 / $40 Fee
Late Deadline / October 16 – December 6 / $60 Fee
For additional information or clarification of rules, please contact submissions@fullframefest.org.

JFK VS. THIS GUY

Scott Calonico’s You Can’t Always Get What You Want short film featuring LBJ’s phone calls was a hit at the last Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Now he’s back with a more involving production where he goes behind JFK’s telephone rant about a bedroom set up at an air force base. Here’s the teaser that explains it all and wants me to see the rest of the story:

And here’s me and Scott talking at Full Frame about You Can’t Always Get What You Want. He previews the JFK project.

VINEGAR TIME

Punk Vacation (Blu-ray + DVD) reminds us of those trouble punk kids could be in the 80s. A small California town in the desert east of Los Angeles gets uninvited guests. Turns out a bunch of punks on motorcycles have arrived looking for kicks. They’re all made up with nowhere to go outside of the local general store. When Rob Garrison (The Karate Kid gets ripped off by a soda machine, he goes full Cobra Kai. This leads to the store owner coming out with his shotgun to nip it in the bud. The mess goes out of control. Garrison ends up caught by the man. His punk friends don’t like it. The very hot in her make up Ramrod (Roxanne Rogers of 976-Evil) won’t cut and run. There’s a full out war in the town between the locals and the punks. Strangely enough it’s the locals that come off looking really boring as they attempt to put down the punk rebellion. This movie didn’t have that much national play or attention. Truly worth rediscovering as the genre of punks shooting it out with locals is very thin. A bonus feature on the DVD is Nomad Riders which was made around the same time by producer Stephen Fusci. The transfer was lifted from a videotape so it’s not quite as detailed. But the outlaw biker film is as entertaining as Punk Vacation. It has a Miami Vice synth score to make the action feel smoother. Fusci does a video interview to give context to his two productions. There’s also plenty of still photos from the shoots. A fine double feature to enjoy with your Harley nearby.

Drive-In Collection: The Vixens of Kung Fu & Oriental Blue are two New York based adult flicks that attempted to cash in of the Kung Fu craze of the early -70s. They must have been playing in Times Square next to The Chinese Connection. Both movies feature the talent of the edgy Jamie Gillis. Judging by his haircut, Jaime made these movies on the same weekend. Both films were directed by Bill Milling. The Vixens of Kung Fu opens with a hooker (Bree Anthony) being attacked by a group of guys including Jaime. She’s found by members of a Kung Fu group living outside of New York City. They help her recover and teach her the secrets of martial arts. When she’s fully recovered, she’s ready to reclaim herself. She also learns Asian erotic secrets to help with her day job. There’s a lot of nudity in the woods as the cast fights and gets down. Oriental Blue plays up the concept of human trafficking with an Asian flavor. Peonies Jong (The Vixens of Kung Fu) has a more involving role as a Dragon Lady hired to kidnap various girls for an international prostitution syndicate. Her main man to find the talent is Jaime Gillis. Jong has the secret formula that turns them from victims into willing sex slaves. Gillis gets on her bad side when he doesn’t want to turn over one of his recruits. It doesn’t end pretty which seems the norm on the semi-roughie adult features. The guys at Vinegar Syndrome have once more done a fine job at color correcting two very incorrect feature films.

SCREAM AND SHOUT

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adel Blanc-Sec is Luc Besson to the director’s chair instead of just contributing to scripts and producing the latest Liam Neeson flick. Adele Blanc-Sec (Louise Bourgoin) is an explorer like Indiana Jones. She heads down to Egypt to locate a special mummy. She has her enemies that want to bury her in a pyramid. But she’s too smart for their lame schemes. She escapes with her mummy in tow. At the same time Paris is having an issue with a giant pterodactyl flying around the city. How did it come alive? That’s the secret of an ancient Egyptologist who has a mental bond with the dinosaur. The mysteries all come together in a film that’s much more fun that the last few Mummy movies and the creepy CGI Tintin. There’s plenty of great special effects faces that are on par with Dick Tracy. The film is rather fun and plays with quite a few themes that Besson explored in Fifth Element. It’s great that the movie is finally getting released in America after three years. The movie is quite a bit French, but don’t let that alienate you. It does feature walking mummies roaming around the Louvre. The Blu-ray looks gorgeous on a large HDTV. The bonus features include a DVD and Digital copy of the film. There’s a making of featurette and deleted scenes. You can listen to the movie in French and English. You’re better off with French.

Swamp Thing still rates as one of the best comic book super hero movie. Wes Craven went to the murky terrain of South Carolina to give us the DC Comic character in his natural terrain. This isn’t just some Hollywood backlot with handfuls of Spanish moss glued to trees. You can feel the humidity of the remote laboratory run by Dr. Alec Holland (Twin Peaks‘ Ray Wise). He working on new compounds from vegetation found in the swamp. Alice Cable (Maude‘s Adrienne Barbeau) gets assigned to help Dr. Holland’s research. Before she can get settled on the compound, an evil force of mercenaries shows up eager to claim the scientific break throws. They’ve been paid for by Arcane (Octopussy‘s Louis Jourdan). When Dr. Holland is less than turning over his research, he gets exposed to an element that turns him into the Swamp Thing. He’s a big green superhero that must protect Alice from the evil. Can he stop his research from being sold to the highest bigger? The Blu-ray comes with a DVD. Director Wes Craven contributes a commentary track where he talks about all the challenges of not just making this on a Hollywood backlot. Make up artist William Munns also gets to talk about his work at keeping things looking good in the humidity. There’s interviews with Barbeau, Len Wein (creator of the comic book) and Reggie Batts. This is the PG version of the film with less Barbeau nudity. The R-rated version was accidentally released on DVD. Why not an unrated cut on the Blu-ray? According to some internet sources, Barbeau’s contract only allows the PG version to be released in North America. Swamp Thing is much better than Thor.

The Fog: Collector’s Edition is another Adrienne Barbeau film. This ghost story was John Carpenter’s follow up to Halloween with even more people coming home on a special night. A seaside community is excited about their 100th anniversary. Little do they know that their going to have guests wanting payback. The ghosts arrive in a thick fog with revenge. John Houseman sets the scene giving a spooky tale to the kiddies. Is it a night to beware? Of course it is. These aren’t just any ghosts attacking the town. They’re pirate ghosts looking to claim the lives of the living. Why are they doing that? You want me to ruin a good ghost story? A hint is that Hal Holbrook is the key. Being chased by the ghosts is not just Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween), but her real life mom Janet Leigh (Psycho). It’s amazing to see two generations of scream queens test out their pipes when the bumps arrive in the night. The bonus features are a mix of new and old. There’s an audio track with John Carpenter and the late Debra Hill discussing how The Fog was a budget step up from their previous efforts. There’s a new commentary with cast and crew led by Barbeau. “Fear on Film” is a vintage featurette about the show. “Horror’s Haunted Grounds” pays a visit to the film’s locations. You might plan your vacation around that tour. There’s plenty of trailers, tv spots and promo photos. The 1080p transfer was supervised by cinematographer Dean Cundey so it looks really good and sharp except when it’s foggy. There’s nothing too vague about this ultimate edition of The Fog.

The Incredible Melting Man is the movie that turned Rick Baker into a superstar of makeup effects with the public. How could this be? Baker was coming off Dino’s King Kong when he took the Melting Man as a gig since they paid him a huge fee. He didn’t think they’d do it. Being the highest priced person in the movie, made him the star. One version of the trailer is all about his creation of the creature. Baker was getting the treatment reserved for Ray Harryhausen. The film itself is about an astronaut that returns from a mission to Saturn. Something is causing his flesh to liquefy. He races around dripping all over the place. There seems little hope for a cure although he thinks eating other people might help him. The film is amazingly low budget. There seems to be no budget for extras. Everybody in the shot seems to be talking or being attacked by the Melting Man. There’s an audio track from director William Sachs. He’d go on to direct Galaxina and the Crown International sensation Van Nuys Blvd. Baker and Greg Cannom speak on camera about their involvement and their effects. Baker remembers the large tubs of goo he had to make for the Melting Man to ooze all over the locations. The advertising campaign scared me when I was a kid. Mom said to not worry since this was a movie and I wasn’t going to Saturn. Nowadays the media always covers flesh eating bacteria so the fear is creeping back. You don’t have to be an astronaut to melt. And now for your pleasure, the German trailer for the movie.

A Boy and His Dog: Collector’s Edition brings us the magic when the star of The Brady Bunch teamed up with the future icon of Miami Vice. There was a magic when Tiger the dog (the replacement for the original dog) was buds with Don Johnson in a post-apocalyptic nightmare world. The two have learned to survive in the wasteland that gets nastier each passing day. Things get nasty for the duo when Don gets led into an underworld complex by a girl who promises him a lot of stuff. He finds himself trapped in a nightmare that would fully be embraced by Glenn Beck. Jason Robards is the mayor. Although the strangest bit of casting is Alvy Moore as the town’s doctor. He’s best known as Hank Kimball, the county agent on Green Acres. This is a film directed by L.Q. Jones, best known for being one of the scummy bounty hunters in The Wild Bunch. This is his only feature film which is a shame since it’s a cult success. Tiger died shortly after this film was completed. L.Q. Jones is joined on the audio commentary by cinematographer John Arthur Morrill and critic Charles Champlin. The big bonus is Jones sitting down with author Harlan Ellison. Supposedly Ellison didn’t like the tone of the film, but the two have come to terms. “It’s an awfully good picture,” Harlan admits. Their 51 minute conversation covers so many aspects of the production. A Boy and His Dog is amazing to behold after all these years.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 is the mid-season of the show’s run. The ratings were high at the start of the year with so many people wanting to know the outcome of Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) being assimilated into the Borg in “The Best of Both Worlds Part II.” There’s family themes dominating the early episodes. “Family” returns the crew to earth where Picard hangs out in France with his brother. Dr. Cusher (Gates McFadden) lets Wesley (Wil Wheaton) see a message his late father had left him. “Brothers” unites Data (Brent Spiner) with his creator and his brother Lore. “Suddenly Human” lets Picard play Maury Povich as he informs an alien child that he’s really human. What’s the kid going to do? “Legacy” brings Tasha Yar’s sister onto the deck. She wants to bring sanity to her out of control colony. “Reunion” hooks up Worf (Michael Dorn) with his ex-girlfriend. He finds even more Klingon relatives. “Final Mission” marks the end of Wesley Crusher’s time screwing up the Enterprise. Wil would return for a few guest shots, but is now known for tormenting Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory. There’s a lot of memory loss episodes including “Clues” with the crew forgetting what happened for 30 seconds. But it might really be longer. Time is relative in outer space. “Qpid” has everyone’s favorite near god teases Picard with love. Can he finally break the human? The season ends with “Redemption I.” Worf quits Starfleet to fight in the Klingon Civil War. This two parter is also presented as its own movie with Star Trek: The Next Generation – Redemption on Blu-ray. The action is put together seamless for the complete Klingon Civil War saga. You won’t have to wait until season 5.

Eve of Destruction (The Doomsday Series) is a three hour mega-movie that deals with the horrible consequences about tapping into dark energy. Steven Weber (Wings) is a scientist who think he has the solution for electricity. What he doesn’t know is that this experiment was tried in Russia was a disastrous result. A power company worker from Russia remembers the night the electricity went out of control. He can’t stand seeing it happen again. Treat Williams is the boss who is semi-skeptical of the future event. The mini-series that ran on Reelz is much smarter than the original fare on Syfy. This comes off as more science fiction than Sharknado.

The Borgias: The Final Season wraps up the tale of Pope Alexander VI and his cutthroat family. This wasn’t supposed to be the wrap up season, but that’s just the way it worked out since the ratings on Showtime weren’t quite Game of Thrones or Tudors level. The season starts off with the Pope recovering from a poisoning. Catherina Sforza is ready to finish off the family, but daughter Lucrezia must rise to the challenge since her brothers are busy. The Pope puts on a grand inquisition against the College of Cardinals. He’s not trusting anyone anymore. Why should he? One of the Cardinals steals a large amount of cash from the Vatican bank and covers his tracks by torching the vaults. The final episode does seem a bit like an ending with a family unification on the horizon. It was a good series and it’s a shame that it didn’t get the proper ending. Unlike Deadwood, fans won’t have to guess how it was going to end. The script for the unproduced two hour finale movie has been adapted to prose and can be downloaded as an e-book. The Blu-ray brings out the rich production values in massive sets and equally massive wardrobe. The bonus features include Borgia Bloopers and the first episode of Ray Donovan.

DVD SHELF

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXVII brings a well-rounded collection of episodes from the series that perfected the art of mocking bad movie. All four major cast eras are spread over the selections. “The Slime People” is from the first season with Dr. Erhardt (Josh Weinstein) teaming up with Dr. Forrester (Trace Beaulieu) to torture Joel and the Bots. They find a tale of creatures coming up from the sewers to takeover Los Angeles. Today we call them reality stars. “Rocket Attack U.S.A.” is pure cold war love. Spies go to the Soviet Union to infiltrate those commie bastards. The mission backfires and an atomic bomb wipes out Manhattan. Thus no more Woody Allen films would ever be made. TV’s Frank is with Dr. Forrester on this one. There’s also a creepy reminder that Mike Nelson would soon be blasted into space during one of the breaks. “Village of the Giants” is another massive production from Bert I. Gordon (Food of the Gods). This time a bunch of teenagers out for kicks eat a special food made by a young Ron Howard (Eat My Dust). They are turned into huge problems as they dominate the sleepy town like Marlon Brando’s gang in The Wild Bunch. Mike Nelson and the Bots have a good time at the expense of some low budget special effects. There’s also a sad time as TV’s Frank gets laid off and replaced by Torgo. This isn’t a speedy changeover. “The Deadly Mantis” brings more Pearl Forrester to the scene. This time the Earth blows up thanks to a recreation of Beneath the Planet of the Apes. You do get a Beezer fix before the blast. But don’t fret, Mike, the Bots, Pearl and Bobo survive along with a print of The Deadly Mantis. This came from the time when Universal was in love with stock footage. Sure they have a great Mantis puppet, but so much of the film is defense department film of planes flying. They also abuse some Eskimo documentaries to make things feel authentic. The bonus features include interviews with two cast members from The Slime People and Village of the Giants. There’s a fine documentary about William Alland, the producer of Deadly Mantis and those classic Jack Arnold films at Universal. Trace Beaulieu reminds us that he’s worked since leaving Deep 13. This is a fine sampler of MST3K episodes since you get a taste of all the actors.

Here’s the regular trailer for Deadly Mantis.

Nicky Deuce marks the end of an era since this is the last time you’ll see James Gandolfini playing off his Tony Soprano character. He’s joined by plenty of his co-stars from the legendary mobster series including Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa and Vincent Curatola. How did Frank Vincent not sneak onto the screen? None of them are Nicky Deuce. Turns out he’s a kid (Noah Munck) from the suburbs who gets sent to Brooklyn for the summer to spend time with his grandparents (Schirripa and Oz‘s Rita Moreno). He does his best to fit in with the local kids by taking up a bit of a wise guy persona. He begins to suspect that his relatives are mobsters. How did so many actors from Sopranos end up in a Nickelodeon movie? Turns out that Schirripa wrote the novel and asked a few favors from his pals. Little did they know that this would be the last time to mob it up with the man once known as Tony. Nicky Deuce deserves to sit next to your complete Sopranos collection.

The Virginian: The Complete Seventh Season is the semi-penultimate go around for the TV series that had each episode be a feature length movie. Somehow this crew was able to crank out 26 episodes of the adventures around the Shiloh Ranch. The big new thing for this season is the arrival of David Hartman (Good Morning America). He’s a saloon worker who gets fired. He think he can cut it with The Virginian (James Drury) and Trampas (The Land that Time Forgot‘s Doug McClure). “The Saddle Warmer” has Sutton start off on a bad food when he breaks Trampas’ leg in an accident. Or is it? Later a woman shows up claiming to be his wife. Tom Skerritt (Alien) has a bit part. “The Orchard” brings Burgess Meredith to the ranch as a pal who always has a bad streak of luck. Ben Murphy (Gemini Man) might make things get tragic. John Saxon arrives with a black heart and a bullet for Trampas in “Vision of Blindness.” Saxon seeks revenge for the death of his brother. Ben Johnson (The Wild Bunch) wants a bit of calm. “The Wind of Outrage” reeks of the pure macho musk from Ricardo Montalban (Star Trek II). Ricardo gets to flex his acting muscles in the role of an ex-Canadian. Take off! “The Heritage” features Jay Silverheels in a non-Tonto role. “Ride to Misadventure” drives action past Harry Dean Stanton (Repo Man). “Crime Wave in Buffalo Springs” gets felonious with Yvonne De Carlo (The Munsters) and Carrie Snodgress (Diary of a Mad Housewife). “Incident at Diablo Crossing” makes Gary Collins a killer or is he?

The Virginian: The Final Season isn’t really the show’s final season. Turns out after season eight, NBC changed the show’s title to The Men From Shiloh. The tone of the show was changed to a Spaghetti Western approach with minimal ranch based action. They even hired Ennio Morricone to create a new theme son. So in a sense, this is the last Virginian before a major overhaul. The big change of the season is David Hartman hits the range and Tim Matheson (National Lampoon’s Animal House) arrives as Jim Horn. Season 8 takes us back to the time when Leslie Nielsen (Police Squad) was a hard ass in “The Long Ride Home.” He’s offered a full time gig at Shiloh. Can he stick around as a regular? “The Substitute” busts Champas for a murder. What chance will he get for justice since the sheriff is Ken Lynch (McCloud). “The Burgler” isn’t Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan’s Island). “Home to Methuselah” puts a lawman on the trails of outlaws. He doesn’t believe in prisoners. Timothy Carey (Paths of Glory) needs to fear this guy. “Black Jade” puts a cowboy hat on William Shatner (Star Trek). “You Can Lead a Horse to Water” gives us the FCC required guest visit from Strother Martin (The Wild Bunch). Joan Crawford stars in “Nightmare.” Which cowboy will give her wire hangers? Dennis Weaver of Gunsmoke and McCloud fame arrives for “Train of Darkness.” The Virginian was the third longest running TV series behind Bonanza and Gunsmoke although it might be the longest if you factor episodes lengths. “A King’s Ransom” pays off with Patrick Macnee (John Steed on The Avengers). He’s the leader of a kidnapping gang. The 24 episodes play more like a Western Film Festival rather than tv season. This is the perfect gift to keep dad occupied for several weekends.

Hecho En Mexico (Made In Mexico) explores modern Mexico which the American media has reduced down to the border and the massive body counts thanks to drug wars. But there is so much more to this country. Director Duncan Bridgeman and his crew explore the vibrant arts and culture of the country South of the Border. There is so much color and rich music that gets expressed in 100 minutes of a travelogue. There’s a festive flavor to so much of the footage. You’ll be eager to get in the middle of a massive party down there. This is an intriguing view for those wondering what’s beyond the desert and the pharmacias. The DVD also includes access to the UltraViolet stream and download so you can watch the film as you fly to your vacation in Mexico. The film is rated R for dirty talk.

Gunsmoke: The Ninth Season, Volume 1 & Volume 2 marks the true arrival of Festus (Ken Curtis) and the departure of Chester (McCloud‘s Dennis Weaver). It’s a sad transition and oddly enough one that doesn’t get much thought about by people who started watching the show in the ’80s. Why? Because the average viewer under 40 thinks Festus has always been the sidekick of Marshall Dillon (James Arness). Chester had the unfortunate luck of being in290 episodes that were shot in black and white. Cable stations would rather just run all the color episodes starring Festus. These people also don’t realize that Burt Reynolds was a regular on the show as Quint since he too lacked color during his stay. The season starts off with a bit of a personality crisis as Ken Curtis arrives in Dodge City for “Lover Boy.” He’s a slick cowboy who gets involved with a woman who wants him to do wrong. Can he resist her charms to be lethal? “Prairie Wolfer” brings Curtis back as Festus. He’s hired to track down the wolves that are attacking cattle. But are they the real predators on the range? He needs Matt’s help to keep from being bait. He returns of “Once a Haggen” which turns into his trade off with Chester. Slim Pickens (Dr. Strangelove) gets arrested for killing a Poker player. Festus swears his buddy is innocent. He teams up with Matt to reveal the truth. This episode turns him into a regular. Chester sticks around for one more episode. “Bently” lets Chester doubt a dying man confessing to a crime that he beat in court. Chester thinks the guy is trying to cover. Dennis Weaver left the show to star in Kentucky Jones. While he bounced around in short lived shows for a while, he ended up on the long running McCloud while Gunsmoke still had 5 more seasons to go. And now here’s Ken Curtis showing off his pipes with a Western classic.

Filly Brown marks the movie debut and unfortunately the only performance of Jenni Rivera. The singer passed away in a plane wreck in Mexico last December. She plays an incarcerated mother of hip-hop singer (Gina Rodriguez) that’s on the cusp of breaking through. She has support from her dad (La Bamba‘s Lou Diamond Phillips. Trouble is that her major label deal seems to hinge on her turning her back on so many that have helped her along. They also want her to change her style to be more sexual than cerebral. She just wants to land a contract so she can help her family. It’s a film that would have played better in the ’90s when record companies mattered. Rodriguez brings the right amount attitude and uncertainty for her character. Rivera’s mom behind bars shows she could have had a long career in films. The big bonus is deleted scenes involving Rivera. Filly Brown played Sundance in 2012.

Power Rangers Samurai: The Ultimate Duel wraps up the series with the final four episodes. “The Tengen Gate” gives them the unfinished weapon of the original Red Power Ranger. They get told a story of a Nighlok King who cursed all around him. “Boxed In” has them doing their best to open up the Black Box so they can fight back properly. The Moogers are coming. “Broken Dreams” takes them into the Dream World. Things are getting more intense. Master Xandred destroys something major as revenge. “The Ultimate Duel” pits Deker against Jayden in a battle to the death. But can they really battle alone? Or does Jayden need the power of his Power Ranger companions? After this series, comes Power Rangers Super Samurai. While there are two more episodes to the season, they’ve already been released as part of Monster Bash Halloween Special and Christmas Together, Friends Forever.

War On Whistleblowers is a timely documentary from Robert Greenwald and his crew. You can’t watch the news without getting at least one story about the major whistleblowers who have exposed government and private sector secrets. Right now it’s all about Edward Snowden who exposed the extremes of NFS programs. The film dips into the tricky world of those who want to whistleblower. The movie starts with a defense department official who realized that Humvees were no defense against IEDs in Iraq. Many people wanted to swap to a vehicle that could handle a road blast better. But nobody in power wanted this changeover to happen. He leaked the non-classified information to the USA Today and it forced change. Military lives were saved. But the whistleblower was treated as a traitor. There’s another tale of military incompetence when the Coast Guard paid a fortune for new boats, but didn’t want to buy water proof radios. The film does a good job of making viewer not see those that leak government information as merely aiding the enemies of America. With Snowden and Bradley Manning in the news, this is a fine time to explore the subject. Greenwald provides a commentary track. There’s also extended interviews with plenty of the subjects.

RoboTech 2-Movie Collection: The Shadow Chronicles & Love Live Alive (premiere) is a double feature of Scott Bernard action. RoboTech comes from that mid-80s era of Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The show used to dominate a corner at my local Suncoast whether with videotapes, books and toys. The show got an extra push with the release of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles was released in 2008 to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary. The action picks up where the TV episodes ended. Invid has taken over most of the Earth, but the humans aren’t backing down. Luckily, it turns out the Invid have a greater enemy hunting them down. Can the humans survive the enemy of their enemy? Scott Bernard is in the middle of the madness. Mark Hamill (Star Wars lends his voice. Love Live Alive is sort of a new movie. It takes a look at the third season highlights through a Scott Bernard’s adventures. This set up works well for fans that haven’t seen the show in a few decades and just want a refreshing review of the action. There’s a lot of bonus features including Birth of a Sequel, Score Music Video, Select, !PoN Anime Podcast, Robotech 3000, Robotech 3000 Motion Capture Sequences, Scenes (w/optional commentary), Outtakes, Animatics (w/optional commentary), Trailers and Photo Galleries.

Spaghetti Westerns and More Spaghetti Westerns are part of Timeless’ “Movies 4 You” series that put 4 films on 1 DVD. There’s more than a handful of Clint Eastwood films that were made by Italian crews in the Spanish deserts. These two sets bring 8 entries that were shot during the height of the subgenre from the mid-60s to the mid-70s. Spaghetti Westerns contains the first two movies featuring Montgomery Wood (Giuliano Gemma) as Ringo. He was as big as Django and the Man With No Name in the ’60s. A Pistol For Ringo has Ringo saved from the hangman’s noose when he must rescue a family from outlaws. To pull off his mission, he has to join up with the outlaws. The Return of Ringo has him disguise himself as a Mexican outlaw to get revenge on a gang that really wronged him. Ringo: Face of Revenge gives us Anthony Steffan as Ringo. He’s on a treasure run with half of the map tattooed on a convict. They need the second half that’s on a sheriff’s body. Can they reunite the duo and keep all the loot? Shoot, Gringo…Shoot! could almost look like Ringo on the drive-in marquee. An outlaw has to find a man’s missing son to escape execution. This has actual American actors Brian Kelly and Keenan Wynn playing Americans. More Spaghetti Westerns has four films that focus on money and bullets. Blood For A Silver Dollar brings back Gemma. He’s returning from the Civil War. The locals want him to hunt down and kill an outlaw. But can he follow through with the hit when he sees his target? 10,000 Dollars for a Massacre brings us another Django entry with Gianni Garko. This time he’s on the trail of an outlaw gang. But he ponders taking over the gang and leading them on major heist. 7 Dollars On Red puts Steffan on the road after his son whose been kidnapped by bandits. Can he get his kid back before he becomes an outlaw? A Bullet for a Stranger lets Garko save two brothers who are suckers for outlaws. These two sets are fun to watch on a small screen since they’re rather low resolution versus Timeless’ recent Django double features. The good news is this helps you not notice the lips are out of synch when they talk in the dub track.

Touched By An Angel: The Eighth Season is the heavenly penultimate season. Valerie Bertinelli (One Day At A Time) goes full time with angels Roma Downey, Della Reese and John Dye. They’re out to fix the lives of those losing touch with their faith. Valerie arrives for “Holy of Holie.” They have to help a college professor find the Ark of the Covenant. Sadly there’s no bullwhip fighting. “The Perfect Game” deals with a father being overbearing on his baseball playing son. Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters) gets to be a part of the game. Major holy roller Kirk Cameron becomes “The Birthday Present.” Gloria Stuart (Titanic) gets involved in an abused kids case. “Heaven’s Portal” takes Angels to a rave where they get messed up. Peter Scolari (Girls) gets tangled into the E-venture. “When Sunny Gets Blue” brightens up a younger Zachary Quinto without his Spock ears. “A Winter Carol” has a fictional 9/11 storyline barely two months after the World Trade Towers came down. Blair Brown (Fringe) is trapped in emotional rubble. “The Blue Angel” has the painful friendship between Ernest Borgnine (McHale’s Navy) and Tom Bosley (Happy Days). Neil Patrick Harris bolts on his fiancé in “The Princeless Bride.” I wonder why NPH wouldn’t marry her? “For All the Tea In China” is a mega-special episode with Angela Lansbury playing a woman with a big secret. Only one more season for the stars to be Touched By An Angel.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/08/20/party-favors-dare-to-be-stupid/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/07/08/party-favors-yukon-ho/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/07/08/party-favors-yukon-ho/#respond Mon, 08 Jul 2013 06:12:52 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17761 Joe Corey experiences fair Alaska...]]>

ANCHORAGE – Drag queens are the new rock stars. They’ve officially replaced celebrity chefs as the new rock stars. The celebrity chefs should have lasted longer, but once Paula Deen had to cry on camera for forgiveness, their time was over. There’s no Rupaulogizes for a rock star. Rock stars haven’t been the new rock stars since the Doobie Brothers forgot to break up.

RuPaul’s Drag Race on Logo is the place where the new rock stars rise up and tuck back. While other reality based gameshow get stale, RuPaul’s been able to elevate the show after 6 seasons. Why? Because the contestants really know how to give each other crap and emotionally open up on camera. This isn’t merely pro wrestling acting. They speak from the heart and talk to the hand.

While Jinkx Monsoon won the title from the last RuPaul’s Drag, Alaska ThunkerF— proved to a plucky competitor. She grew on viewers over the season since at first she came off as a lesser version of her lover Sharon Needles, the previous winner. But she became beloved with her fashion sense, morbid sense of humor and her ability to impersonate Thurston Howell III. So when it was announced that she’d be appearing at the Pinhook Club in Durham, reservations were made.

The club was small, packed and hot. Kinda like being smashed into a Bikram yoga studio except there was no space to bend. But the bodies made space for Alaska to bring her cool 49th State to the stage. In person, Alaska looks like the lost personality Toni Collete hid from us on United States of Tara. Amanda Bynes must so jealous of Alaska’s ratty blond wig collection. She knew how to brighten up the room without raising the heat index. And the crowd responded with the oddest gift ever given that wasn’t stalkerffic. Here’s a little footage I shot:

Alaska did two sets during the evening. The one thing that wasn’t too obvious is her sweet comedic singing voice. She’s like Dean Martin in her ability to dismantle the serious nature of a song. She’s knows how to sell the punchline as you’ve seen in her musical tribute to Sarah Palin.

After the show, I tried to talk to Alaska. However the loud club music made it impossible to say much to her. So we merely posed for a photograph that will ruin any chance of me running for politician. It’s the kinda picture that Nancy Grace would demand get run on the air if I ever got in a minor issue. The photo would make the home viewers swear that I sunk the Titanic. That’s how guilty we look. But that’s the only proper response to someone with dangerous rock star appeal.

PEPPERONIS OFF

Appearing with Alaska was Miss Marry Wanna, a burlesque performer who is not a drag queen. But she’s fabulous in her own way. What way can that be? How about dressing up as a pizza slice and stripping off her ingredients? Here’s a little video for those needing an excuse to order a pizza at this hour.

Dean Martin would be so proud of her.

EMPTY LOCKERS

First they fired Dave Hester and now Barry Weiss is splitting Storage Wars for a spinoff series. Normally I’d suggest that the show can survive with new people, but everyone they’ve tested on the show has been an utter bust. It’s like they’re taking rejects from that TruTV Storage Stashers show. How do you just destroy a money making machine this hard? Maybe they can find Paula Deen in a locker?

PONYS ON THE BIG SCREEN

Thanks to the digital cinema, a movie distributor can be selective with their screening times without the burden and expense of striking 35mm prints, shipping them and having them shown only a few times a week. My Little Pony: Equestria Girls is having a selective release. In my area, the movie only plays around noon on Saturdays and Sundays at the Cineplexes. This makes sense since it takes the burden off a kids movie from packing in an audience at the 9:40 p.m. screening. The movie itself does have a twist worthy of a big screen release. Twilight Sparkle has her crown stolen by an evil pony who runs through a mirror into an alternate dimension. Even though her friends want to help, only Twilight and Spike the Dragon can go through the mirror. They arrive in a world where they are turned into a girl and her dog. It’s a major adjustment. She meets alternate version of her Pony friends in human form. To get her crown back, she has to win a school princess contest. But the evil pony has no plans on losing.

I dragged along the daughter so she can give her opinion of the movie. She really got into the film and the music. She did get a little scared during the final battle scene. Here’s her big review.

ORIGINAL HIPSTERS

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: The Complete Series allows fans to fully appreciate the ground breaking, wall busting teenage sitcom without having to wake up extra early to catch it on Me-TV. Dobie (Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine‘s Dwayne Hickman) was a girl happy high schooler eager to find that special gal. He also craved to be rich and popular. He’s constantly frustrated reaching for his dream. His father isn’t exactly making him a spoiled brat with his grocery store earnings. His only real friend is the immortal beatnik Maynard G. Krebs (Gilligan’s Island‘s Bob Denver). He does have an idea of the perfect girl in none other than Thalia Menninger (Sex Kittens Go to College‘s Tuesday Weld). She’s superficial and rather greedy which is just right for Dobie. Problem is that her boyfriend is Milton Armitage (Shampoo‘s Warren Beatty). He’s rich, cool and popular. While he’s Dobie’s rival, Milton also represents everything Dobie thinks he needs to be. But he’s constantly reminded that he can better than Milton by Zelda (Sheila James Kuehl). The key to the show is Dobie has no problem talking directly to the camera about his situation and desires. He sits next to version of Rodin’s The Thinker statue to hash things out.

Warren Beatty and Tuesday Weld only last the first season before they went off to become bigger star on the silver screen. But Milton’s legacy would continue with the arrival of his cousin Chatsworth Osbourne Jr. (Steve Franken). He proved to a greater snob looking to make Dobie look out of his league. The women that drove Dobie’s hearts nuts was a fine list including Marlo Thomas (That Girl, Barbara Bain (Mission: Impossible) and Yvonne Craig (Batman‘s Batgirl). The easiest charmer of the show is Maynard with his greasy mess of a sweat shirt and hip goatee. He’s all about the charms of the Jack Keroauc way of life except he doesn’t need to hit the road to find his kicks. He’s still enjoying his life in the hometown to split for Frisco or the Big Apple.

The producers understood the worst thing for a youth oriented show is having the young stars grow old. Thus the four season run produced 147 episodes. They also understood that there was no way people would want to see Dobie be the eternal high schooler. So things changed around. During the second season Maynard and Dobie get drafted into the army. In reality Bob Denver had been drafted. During the episode with Michael J. Pollard (Little Fauss and Big Halsey), Bob was off getting his physical. However he was given 4-F rejection and returned to the show. Luckily the TV army wasn’t so picky and thus he served. After their tour of duty, the duo returned home and enrolled in the local junior college. No need to put Dobie near 4 year college gals. The show finished its run with Dobie’s charm intact. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis remains one of the best sitcoms about teens.

The bonus features include the pilot that was cut back for “Caper at The Bijou.” Clipped from the show was Yvonne Craig (Batgirl on Batman). There’s an episode of The Stu Erwin Show that features Dwayne and Sheila. Three episodes of Love That Bob! star Dwayne as the cool kid to Bob Cumming. This is what lead to his gig as Dobie. There’s a Coke Time Special which lets Bob Denver make the girlies squeal as he and Edd Byrnes give hipster talk lessons to Pat Boone. Pat remains unhip to this day. A color Dobie routine lets Dwayne sing about his love for his teacher.
There’s also pdfs of scripts from Max Schulman.

PRYOR LEGACY

Richard Pryor: No Pryor Restraint: Life in Concert is the perfect boxset for anyone who wants to remember or discover the comedic genius. The 7 CDs and 2 DVDs focus on his time behind the microphone and not his spotty acting career. Over the course of 10 hours, Pryor changes from the next Bill Cosby into a comedy icon. He’s presented unfiltered by network censors or fettered by lame script writers. He’s a man who learned how to take the most painful parts of his life and make an audience howl at his pain. It really takes talent to make people not squirm at the story he set himself on fire in a suicide attempt. He makes the audience not feel guilt for laughing at one of the bleakest moments of his life. One of the final selections is his reflecting on M.S., the disease that would end his career and ultimately claim his life. Nothing was too personal for him not to share on stage. The 7 CDs pick the best moments of his dozens of Grammy award winning albums. They have also discovered unreleased routines and longer versions of familiar stories. Pryor is pretty raw with his language so don’t play these routines when Great Aunt Anna drops by the house. I won’t quote the titles of many of the routines since this column is not a Quentin Tarantino script. What makes this boxset essential is also the inclusion of all three major stand up movies Pryor did. Richard Pryor – Live In Concert was a major break-through since it allowed Pryor to be truly appreciated without having to tone down his material for network TV. The movie is hilarious in how Richard hits the stage before large part of the audience has returned to their seats for the intermission. He jokes about white audience members finding brothers in their seats. To show that his mocking of white audience members isn’t uncalled for, there’s a goofball at the front of the stage snapping pictures of Pryor. This guy is a massive goober who can’t take a hint when Pryor calls him out. He’s not even professional photographer since his camera is that little Kodak Instamatic your mom used. Shame there’s no bonus feature tracking down this guy. Pryor shakes off this interruption and slays the audience with takes on animals, funerals, boxers and Chinese food. He even talks about why he shot up his ex-wife’s car.

Richard Pryor: Live On the Sunset Strip was eagerly anticipated since the comic had notoriously sent himself on fire. Rumors had swirled that the flames from a cocaine freebasing accident. He attempts to set the record straight in his special way. He’s really working the crowd at Hollywood’s Palladium. Richard Pryor… Here And Now (1983) was his last major stand up film. “Slavery &Southern Hospitality” is a routine that could easily be given today in the wake of Paula Deen’s P.R. disaster. The film gives more than just Pryor on stage.

Richard Pryor: No Pryor Restraint: Life in Concert is a completely satisfying distillation of his live genius. This revitalizes his work after the tarnish his image took from The Toy, Brewster’s Millions and Superman III. The man truly had few peers when he hit his prime. His fearless nature made him dangerous yet extremely insightful. With the success of the Mel Brooks and Steve Martin collections, Shout! Factory must be the place where comedians need to visit to reclaim their legacy. Robin Williams ought to give them a call.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

The Producers is finally given the 1080p love. This was Mel Brooks’ first film and showed that comic writer wasn’t a joke when given the director’s chair. Zero Mostel is a producer of bad Broadway plays. He has a network of little old ladies that he seduces so the back his projects. Gene Hackman arrives to check the books and realizes that Mostel had slightly oversold the number of shares in a play. But ultimately this doesn’t matter since the play bombed and there was no profit to split up with the investors. This minor book keeping error turns into the seed of the greatest crime ever sold. Hackman realizes they can seriously oversell the number of shares in a movie, make the play for cheap and pocket the extra money when it gets shut down from lack of ticket sales. The duo seek out to produce the most horrifyingly bad spectacle in Broadway history. Can their plan work? The film remains pure genius thanks to how Mostel and Wilder work off each other with Brooks’ words. Dick Shawn’s audition remains legendary. The film became a Broadway musical, but didn’t bomb. The previously released Mel Brooks Collection on Blu-ray was missing The Producers. Now you can rectify that situation. The new transfer looks great. It brings out the detail in Gene Wilder’s hair. The bonus features include two documentaries about the making of the film. There’s also a deleted scene, production sketches and the original trailer. Here’s the trailer to let you know of the brilliant weirdness to expect.

Heavy Traffic marked Ralph Bakshi as an animation icon and not merely the guy who adapted Robert Crumb’s Fritz the Cat to the screen. This was his type of story. An underground cartoonist living in his parents’ Brooklyn apartment spends his days sketching and playing pinball. His life slips between live action and animation. Things seem to be going right for him when he finally gets a girlfriend. However it upsets his mobster father to no end that his new girlfriend is black. He gets so furious he attempts to use his co-workers to put an end to the romance. Will the son put up with this family feud? How much of this story is real versus a concept for the cartoonist’s next work? The amazing thing is a scene where Bakshi draws the Jawas years before Star Wars. Bakshi achieves a fragile dream state on the screen within the confines of gritty animation that blurs into reality. It’s a perfect film to get lost inside. The 1080p image brings out the details in his animation. When he does a scene using flip sketches, the blue pencil marks are easy to spot. There’s no bonus features although you can pick up Bakshi’s Unfiltered book to discover what it took to make the film.

Cohen & Tate is one of those obscure films of the ’80s that deserve a home video revival. This is a tight thriller about kid (Harley Cross) who witnesses a mob hit. His family gets put under witness protection except the cops are no help against hitman Cohen (All That Jazz‘s Roy Schneider) and Tate (Adam Baldwin, Animal Mother in Full Metal Jacket). The two men are hired to bring the kid to a mob boss for questioning. The kid does his best to escape the murderous duo since he might not survive the mob boss. His best chance at survival is to turn the hired killers against each other. Can the little kid pull it off? It’s really strange to have no memory of the movie being released, but at least I can rediscover it on Blu-ray so it looks theatrically proper. Tension looks so good in 1080p. Director Eric Red had just come off writing the scripts to Near Dark and The Hitcher so he knew how to create an unnerving road flick. There’s an interview documentary that mainly features Red, Cross and cinematographer Victor J. Kemper (The Friends of Eddie Coyle). Red talks away on the audio commentary. They found nearly 20 minutes of deleted scenes that include a few gruesome moments. Cohen & Tate is a film that’s worth reviving on a hot summer night.

The Kentucky Fried Movie is 82 minutes of comedy sketches from John Landis, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams. What happens when the director of Animal House hooks up with the creators of The Naked Gun? Mayhem. Lots of mayhem. In this case an R-rated sketch comedy that spoofs Bruce Lee and Irwin Allen. This was one of the classic midnight movies that ran in the late ’70s next to The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the local duplex cinema. Even after all these decades, KFM is finger licking good. “A Fistful of Yen” is the perfect spoof of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon. You’ll see the best mock Kung Fu fighting until Jackie Chan arrived in America. The massive highlights of the movie is Russ Meyer vixen Uschi Digard breasts pressing up against the glass of a shower stall during “Catholic High School Girls in Trouble.” This was one of the best comedy anthologies to come out during this era where performers could get good and raunchy. “The Wonderful World of Sex” remains pure gold. The bonus features includes the commentary track featuring Landis, ZAZ and producer Robert K. Weiss from the previous DVD incarnation. There’s also an hour long video interview with the Zuckers that guides you through their career that was devastated by BASEketball. The Kentucky Fried Movie deserves to be in your Blu-ray player for a midnight showing this summer. You can take my word or listen to producer Samuel L. Bronkowitz.

Here’s an interview I did with Bob Collins, who shot a few of the sketches in The Kentucky Fried Movie. He had previously worked with John Landis on Schlock. Collins would go on to win three Emmys for his cinematography including one for the pilot of Miami Vice. He’s responsible for the opening credit images. Thanks to Brett Clark for making the interview happen.

Tower Block reminds people that a good reason to move is witnessing a murder. The residents of the top floor of an apartment building refuse to leave and let their place be redeveloped. Even after they witness someone getting murder in the hallway, they don’t want to leave. They also don’t want to assist the cops in the investigation. This all comes back to haunt them when a sniper starts picking them off in through their windows. Who is getting an aim on them? Is it the previous killers or maybe the redeveloper wanting to force them out of the building via bodybags. The neighbors band together to uncover the killer. But will they figure it out before the last one gets picked off? You might want to watch this film with your curtains drawn and the lights off. The bonus features include a commentary track and behind-the-scenes interview.

The Power of Few brings the power of Larry King to 1080p. I’m not sure why he’s not given co-starring status with Christopher Walken and Christian Slater. The King is all over this film. Walken’s performance gets pushed when he has to tangle with the King. This is a fine little out of control movie that mixes a grocery store robbery with the Shroud of Turin heist. Rumors spread that people want to clone Jesus off the cloth. It is interesting to see Walken and Slater somewhat together again. They were the glue for True Romance along with James Gandofini. Now they have a chance to bring back the magic minus James. Instead we get Anthony Anderson sporting him some Mike Tyson face ink. The bonus features include interviews with the stars and deleted scenes. The 1080p image lets you play the game of following Walken’s eyes to where he’s hidden his lines on the set. The box features one of those smart phone scan squares so you can watch the trailer while browsing in the home video section of your favorite store.

DVD SHELF

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season 3 has all 33 from the final season of the original incarnation. “A Friend In Need” continues the battle between the Rangers versus Rita Revolta and Lord Zedd. However there’s even more evil when Rito Revolto arrives on the scene. He’s a bony scary character. This guy really tested small fans ability to stomach the action. As a wicked trio, they smash the Power Rangers by destroying their ThunderZords. But you can’t keep the Rangers down that way. They’re going to get some ninja powers somehow. This is the sad time when the Pink Ranger (Amy Jo Johnson) splits for a gymnastics career in Florida. How could she have left them for the life of being merely a gymnast? And isn’t she extremely old to be competitive in a sport that often features a fetus on the uneven bars? But there would be no missing Pink Ranger when a new girl takes on the identity. She’s Australian so all the boys like her accent and adventurous spirit. The most shocking part of these episodes is how Bulk and Skull no longer care about outing the Rangers identities. Why? Because they have a new dream of being cops. What’s the point of being a cop in this show since only the Power Rangers can keep things safe in the town? The series didn’t quite end with this season. The new version would be called Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers.

CSI: NY – The Final Season brought to an end the ninth season with only 17 episodes. They ended 3 episodes short of 200. How could they have been denied that milestone? What villain could have been so cruel? Perhaps the suspect is a network executive that can cover their tracks from Mac (Gary Sinise) and his crew? It was fun while it lasted. “Reignited” and “Where There’s Smoke…” has them tracking down an arsonist bent on revenge. They have to drag Rob Morrow (Northern Exposure) into the manhunt. “Unspoken” is a concept episode so that there’s no dialogue in the first half. They merely communicate through Green Day’s new songs. Shame they didn’t pick The Killers. “The Lady In the Lake” has the crew drain a lake while looking for a murder weapon. Instead they double their work by finding a different body. “Clue: SI” turns their investigation into a board game. “Command + P” uses a 3-D printer to make the murder weapon. That’s worse than being drowned in spam mail. “Seth & Apep” marks the final CSI crossover since CSI: Miami was killed last season. “Today Is Life” wraps up the series with a moment the fans have been waiting a few seasons to happen. No need to spoil, but it helps bring a little bit of closure without being too overly dramatic. There’s quite a few bonus features although no major farewells from the cast. They understand that this show can’t really end cause crime doesn’t stop in the Big Apple. There is a gag reel and a few deleted scenes for those wanting just a little more time with Mac. Hard to believe we’re back to just one CSI.

Matlock: The Ninth and Final Season brings to an end Andy Griffith’s amazing TV legal career. He was able to bring his successful show back to North Carolina and prove the state was able to handle episodic TV as well as movies. He blazed the trail that allowed Dawson’s Creek and Homeland to be Tarheel based productions. It’s sad that his time in the courthouse ended, but he had 17 more cases to go. This final season has him reduce his staff down to investigators Cliff Lewis (Daniel Roebuck) and Jerri Stone (Carol Huston). There’s no major guest stars this season as either victims or suspected killers. If you look very carefully, you’ll spot my brother Matt in the final courtroom scene for “The Scam.” He said that if you looks at Andy while he was on the set, you’d be fired. While this seems harsh, Andy needed to get work done and not have the people staring at him like he’s a steak on the grill. “The Accused” puts a journalist behind bars for whacking a mobster. “The Scandal” has an attorney kill her boss. She needs Matlock to prove the guy was sexually harassing people and she shouldn’t be the only suspect. “The Dare” lets Matlock solve the perfect murder that’s been set up by Terry O’Quinn (Lost). When it comes to the mystery of who ended Matlock, the answer is Andy. He was nearly 70s and was ready to end the grind and enjoy life in Manteo. At least now his complete Matlock legacy is out on DVD for people to enjoy with their hotdogs. The bonus feature is episodic previews.

Unforgettable: The First Season should have been the complete series except it’s going to be back on CBS this summer. The show was canceled at the end of its freshman run in 2012. A few cable channels were interested in keeping the show on the air, but the network stopped that when they remembered the show. Unforgettable follows the amazing memory skills of Carrie Wells (Without A Trace‘s Poppy Montgomery). She has hyperthymesia, which lets her remember everything about a certain date. The only day she can’t remember is when her sister died. Her skills are brought onto the police force by ex-boyfriend Lt. Burns (Nip/Tuck‘s Dylan Walsh). She had given up police work, but was needed for a big case. “Up In Flames” tests her amazing memory when she must remember the details of a crime scene that went up in smoke at the start of the investigation. “Golden Bird” features Marilu Henner (Taxi) as Carrie’s aunt. What’s interesting is that Marilu has hyperthymesia and serves as a consultant. The season ends with Carrie getting a lead on her sister’s killer. Unfortunately, the killer wants a bit of closure by going after Carries. The new season starts July 28, so you can watch all 22 episodes in case you’ve forgotten a detail or two.

Quincy, M.E.: Season 6 brings another 18 bodies onto his coroner’s office. There are few shows as charmingly addictive as Quincy. By this point Jack Klugman (The Odd Couple) had achieved a comfort level that made this feel like a reality show as he sliced open bodies. He had achieved a bit of respect from Dr. Robert Asten (John S. Ragin). Sam (Robert Ito) was still a bit leery of Quincy’s more unorthodox approaches to solve a case. Somebody has to give him a little resistance in the office to keep him from being a God amongst medical examiners. “Last Rights” has Quincy pressured to declare a kid drowned instead of overdosed on drugs so not to upset the mother. Can he lie like that? “A Matter of Principle” shows a bit of innovation when Sam comes up with a technique to measure bite mark pressure on a victim. “Stain of Guilt” has Quincy brought on set to be the technical advisor of a real murder depicted in the film. He gets in trouble when he starts to investigate what’s the real truth. Is this merely a ploy to get his name on the rewrite script by changing the third act? “Dear Mommy” gets Quincy wrapped up in a not so ancient mystery. There’s a smuggling operation that might be using a mummy their mule. “Headhunter” reminds people to not take aspirin since a stewardess gets worse than a headache. Quincy is just one of those characters that’s yet to be matched on any of the procedurals that dominate the networks. Only two more seasons until it’s all out on DVD.

MADtv: The Complete Third Season proved that the Saturday Night Live rival could swap performers and strengthen itself. People were concerned with the departures of Artie Lange (for rehab) and Orlando Jones from the cast. Little did folks realize the departures would quickly be forgotten with the arrival of Will Sasso, Alex Borstein and Aries Spears. The third season marked the last when the magazine played a part in the show. Alfred E. Neuman’s face would be less prominent. There would be no more “Spy Vs. Spy” cartoons after this season. Not every episode this season had a guest host. But where can you go after a season with Don Most, Pam Grier, Bret Hart, Phyllis Diller and Anna Nicole Smith? Who needed guest hosts when Ms. Swan arrived with her view of the world? Sasso scores right away with his amazing Kenny Rogers impersonation. There’s an I Love Lucy spoof that has Lucy and Ethel pushing cocaine for their pimp. Pam Grier introduces us to an all-black superhero show. There was a reason why people didn’t feel too guilty for turning over to Saturday Night Live halfway through watching MADtv back in 1997.

Wolverine: Origin finally nails down how the X-Man got his claws. For nearly 30 years, Wolverine’s past was kept a mystery without only a few elements cropping up in a frame or two of a comic book. Then in 2001, the secret of his past was revealed with the collaboration of writers Paul Jenkins, Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada. Illustrators Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove brought out the early images. Turns out Wolverine is much older than believed. He was born in Canada back in the late 1800s. He was a sickly boy. Turns out there was a lot of turmoil in his including a strange and vicious groundskeeper who might have a clue to his nature. The six part series was adapted by Marvel Knights Animation which means the original panels and artwork are brought into motion. The characters now speak instead of just float word balloons. This is good for fans of the Wolverine movies that aren’t much into sitting around and reading comic books for fear that they’re devaluing the investment. The bonus is a retrospective with the creative team.

Blood Runs Cold is an icy horror flick. Winona (Hanna Oldenburg) is a successful musician who just wants a little peace and quiet to recover from life on the road. She needs a bit of calm so she can recharge her creative energy. It’s a little woodshedding in a remote cabin during the deep of winter. Who would bother her in such a remote location? How about an ax wielding maniac who might be some supernatural undead creature that isn’t bothered by the cold? So much for working on that new album since Winona might be a deep cut herself. This is the kinda slasher film that is best watched during summer so you don’t walk out in the cold and keep looking for an ax carrying freak chasing after you. The special feature is a short about making the movie in Sweden.

The Jungle Book, Adventures of Mowgli: Complete Collection is all 52 episodes from 1989 Japanese series. Runyard Kipling follows the life of a little boy who is raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. Things go well until he gets a little bit too big. The wicked tiger Shere Khan wants to take out the boy for good. His only hope is for the panther Bagheera and Baloo the bear to get him back to the humans. They don’t want their pal turned into Tiger Chow. This isn’t quite the Disney version of the tale since there’s no big musical numbers and Mowgli has a haircut that gives him a wolf tail look. The Nippon Animation series has supposedly never been aired in America before so this is a treat for folks who have merely read about the series. The show does wrap up in the 52nd episode so you won’t be pondering how it ends. The series is presented in full frame. This is perfect for people who prefer their Kipling without songs or kids who just want more of how Mowgli survived in the jungle.

The Garfield Show: Pizza Dreams reminds us that the lazy cat doesn’t only live by eating lasagna. He can also handle a good pizza pie. Who doesn’t like pizza? Now they make pizzas glutten-free with non-dairy cheese and faux tomato sauce so diet restrictions won’t prevent that love. Garfield has no restrictions to his diet. He just wants big slices in his pie hole. There’s six 12-minute episodes on the compilation DVD which also feature Vito, the pizza restaurant owner and chef. Garfield outwits Jon’s cruel cat diet in “The Spy Who Fed Me.” An alien clicks off gravity in Jon’s house for the “Gravity of the Situation.” “Master Chef” involves hunting down the man who makes a perfect lasagna. Garfield fears that eating dog food will turn into a mutt during “Fido Food Felin.” Garfield does his best to take advantage of Vito’s speedy pizza delivery service in “Great Pizza Race.” “Love & Lasgna” brings the wrecking ball for Vito’s pizza parlor. Can a single cat save the man’s dreams and life work? The bonus feature is five short cartoons featuring Garfield torturing Odie and others in less than a minute. This should only be played in the car if you plan on picking up a pizza with the kid. It must be noted that Wally Wingert does the voice of Jon.

Martha & Friends: Summer Fun is another visit with the animated 10-year-old version of Martha Stewart instead of the 71 year-old one. She might be younger, but she’s still crafty. She enjoys sharing her entertaining skills with her young friends. “Martha’s Fourth” has her explain how to have a fun patriotic holiday no matter what the situation. “Martha’s Back to School Party” is a lot less wild than Rodney Dangerfield’s Back to School. She knows what can be done to excite classmates and her new teacher. There’s four short webisodes. There’s even Martha explaining crafts to the kids including Scrapbooking, card making, paper lantern constructing and s’mores. There are instructions on how to make a seashell wind chime. This is a perfect gift for grandparents to give their grandkids in the hopes of getting a cool wind chime in return.

Dynasty: The Seventh Season – Volume One and Volume Two brings 28 more episodes of back stabbing, cold calculating and brazenly open Carrington soap opera action to Denver. The season picks up with Alexis (Joan Collins) not satisfied with financially crippling Blake (John Forsythe). What is the guy to do to recover? Alexs boots him out of his mansion. Is he really that broke with Krystal (Linda Evans) by his side? His memory is rather week since he can’t tell that Amanda has swapped bodies so she’s now Karen Cellini and not Catherine Oxenberg. The press views him as a desperate man. The media swears he’s torched his massive hotel for the insurance money. This leads to him getting distracted and crashing his car. Krystle takes the worst of that accident. When doesn’t she? There’s a subplot about the family getting a heart. The big season cliff hanger is another wedding gone wrong. Who will survive to Season 8? Why would anyone go near a wedding with the Carringtons involved? Shouldn’t that be a massive warning? It’s like seeing Robb Stark’s name on the wedding seating chart. Don’t go! You can get both volumes packaged together.

Bonanza: The Official Sixth Season – Volume 1 & Volume 2 brings to an end the eldest Cartwright son’s time on the Ponderosa. Pernell Roberts wasn’t too happy playing Adam Cartwright. He was ready to bolt at the end of season five. Why would he split a hit show? Cause he wanted to return to the legit stage and play a multitude of roles. Being a Cartwright turned out to be a year round job with rarely a week off since if the show wasn’t in production, the cast was zipping around the globe promoting the series. It’s not like he had a Twitter account to do his heavy work. He wasn’t exactly pulling a David Caruso since he appeared in nearly 200 episodes by the time he rode off into the sunset. “Thanks for Everything, Friend” has Rory Calhoun save Adam’s life. But he quickly proves to be a pal with issues. Tom Skerrit (Alien) gets in trouble. George Kennedy makes another appearance in “The Scapegoat.” “The Underdog” is none other than Charles Bronson (Death Wish) as a part Commanche employee dealing with prejudice. People think he’s a horse thief. “A Good Night’s Rest” has Ben looking for a quiet place to sleep. The bonus features including Allan Sherman and Lorne Greene doing an early form of rap music. Lorne unleashes the power of “Ringo.” The good thing for Pernell is that he’d eventually return to TV as the star of Trapper John, M.D. that ran for 7 seasons. He’d also be remembered as a Cartwright since all of his episodes were in color so he didn’t get snubbed in syndication like Dennis Weaver’s contributions to Gunsmoke.

]]> http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/07/08/party-favors-yukon-ho/feed/ 0 http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/06/13/party-favors-armand-hammer/ http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/06/13/party-favors-armand-hammer/#respond Thu, 13 Jun 2013 06:23:56 +0000 http://asitecalledfred.com/?p=17696 Joe Corey chats with Armand Assante about GUIDO...]]>

MIAMI – When you take a phone call from Armand Assante, you imagine him basking on a balcony overlooking a silver sand beach. He must hold an unlit cigar waiting to light up once the conversation has ended. But I’m not quite sure where he was when he called the Party Favors hotline to discuss his role in Guido which will be released on DVD on July 2.

He plays an FBI agent on the trail of on Iraqi hitman (Alki David) working for the mob. The hitman has his own troubles as he’s transporting a corpse cross country with his landlady (Lupe Ontiveros of Goonies, Desperate Housewives and El Norte) sharing the ride.

Assante has been working in films since a small part in The Lords of Flatbush back in 1974. He made a major splash opposite Antonio Banderas in The Mambo Kings. Although lately he’s been appearing on TV with the spoof Fatal Instinct and Striptease. He’s been appearing steadily in films and TV shows for nearly 40 years. How did he get involved with Guido?

“I got a call out of the blue from Alki, whom I’ve never known,” Assante said. “When he sent me the script; I remember how much I like the quality of that project. I thought it was a very unique, funny dark, zany little movie about this immigrant. I thought, “Wow. What a wonderful way to move into a film noir adventure type story. I thought it was very cleaver.”

It took a little finagling for Assante to get into the movie.

“I was working on two or three projects at the same time,” Assante said. “So when my schedule fit to fit his, I flew out to L.A. and we shot constantly to get me out in a few days.”

I asked Assante how he crafted his FBI agent role for such an intense shooting schedule.

“I have worked a lot with federal agents and homeland security people in my own projects that I want to do,” he recalled. “I was very interested in doing a reality show on piracy. I have a lot of experience with these people and talk to them at length. The one constant thing I’ve found is there’s a methodology of deductive reasoning. It’s slow, methodical, thoughtful work often frustrated by the parameters of bureaucracy, law, legality, protocol. The sense of angst that the bureaucracy is so overwhelming that to take action to get anything done is the main source of frustration for these people. They’re very slow to act and not people who fly off the handle. They are repulsed by criminality and repulsed by a system that sometimes is not addressing it the way it should. That’s the one trait I noticed.”

Seeing how the Party Favors recently spoke with Ron Jeremy about his role in Guido, I asked Assante about his time with the Hedgehog.

“I never got to work with Ron,” Assante admitted “I completely forgot that he’s in it.”
Assante had fond memories of one of his co-stars.

“I met Lupe Ontiveros,” he said with glee. “She was so gracious to me. She told me was a longtime fan of mine. She passed away a short time after. The woman was in phenomenal condition. It was a reminder of how fleeting this whole experience of all of ours is. I was quite sadden by that.”

After building up a relationship, how was Alki David on the set?

“I really appreciated working with Alki,” Assante said. “He’s seasoned not only as a performer, but as a writer. He cared about the project. There was a real sense of synergy among us to help him as best we could under the time and circumstances.”

Billy, I’ve worked with on several projects. It was a delight to see him again. Although I saw him very little. He’s so gifted as an actor.

Out of pure curiosity, I asked him about working with Gary Busey. Over the last few years, the former Oscar nominee has been known for just getting goofy on various reality shows. Assante had one of the rarest of encounters with the Busey.

“I have to tell you he was an absolute gentlemen. That has to be a real juicy one,” Assante admitted to the normalcy. “We worked very quick. He was in the body bag and I was on the zipper. He was an absolute gentleman to me.”

Assante wanted the readers to know about a few more projects that he’ll have coming out in the near future. He’s a Gary Cole kinda busy actor. Argentina’s Ley Primera ( “First Law” ) written and directed by Diego Rafecas. A story based on real events about the plundering of the rain forest and its indigenous people, the Chaco Indians, in Argentina. Montivideo Taste of a Dream is Serbia’s sequel to its acclaimed and award winning Montivideo about the origins of the World Cup in Soccer. In 1930, America, Serbia, Brazil and Uruguay held the world of football in total suspense. The New York based Actor is as well featured in LionsGate’s Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn as well as in Kevin Breslin’s upcoming, Blowtorch. Last year, Assante’s 19 minute documentary on Kazkahstan Dialogue from the Steppes was awarded by the Gasparilla International Film Festival—- Best Documentary Short. The project is a synthesis of Armand traveling there over a period of four years studying its people and history. Armand last year produced a feature film in Kazakhstan as well entitled The Whole World at Your Feet.

Guido comes out on DVD and other home video platforms on July 2.

GAS STATION EATING

I have tasted the greatest friend oysters in the most out of the way place. The Chef’s Korner served me a plate of oysters that had the perfect texture of fried batter and oysters that melted upon impact. The divine diner is in an old gas station in the town of Ebony, Va. How do you get there? Get off at Exit 4 on I-85 in Bracy, Virginia. Take 903 towards Ebony. You can’t miss it since the Chef’s Korner is pretty much at the end of the road. http://www.thechefskorner.com/

DID YOU HEAR ME, ESQUIRE NETWORK?

After my quick diatribe about how the Esquire Network was launching with barely an hour of original programming a week, someone must have noticed since G-4 is still on the cable box. Why has the launch been pushed back to September 23? According to reports, they realized they only had an hour of original programming. I’m counting this as a victory for TV viewers that are sick on channels that beat to death a single TV show. What’s the point of 100 channels if they deliver barely enough shows to fill 5 channels? The funny thing is that original press releases claimed the new launch would be in the Summer except Fall starts September 22. Maybe Esquire Channel needs to hire back the fact checkers or unblock their Wikipedia function?

MADNESS IS COMING

Noel Fielding is in production making another series of Luxury Comedy. This could be a show that could air on BBC America if they weren’t too busy rerunning V For Vendetta. Speaking of that channel, I did get a notice from Donal Logue that he will be appearing on BBC America’s Copper series that starts June 23. He has a busy year battling in Five Points and Charming.

CINEMA DREAMS

Labor of Love is another brilliant cinematic unearthing from Vinegar Syndrome. During the cold winter of Chicago, Henri Charbakshi gets funding for his film. The movie is about a couple who can’t conceive so they decide to hire male hookers to knock up his wife. The backers have one stipulation that Henri not merely make an arty European kinda movie. They want a hardcore X on the film can. Henri takes up the challenge of altering his dream so he can get his cash. Luckily documentarians Robert Flaxman and Daniel Goldman come along for the ride. They get plenty of interviews with actors and actresses who are getting naked during the coldest part of the year. They also shoot behind the scenes footage of the sex scenes. Henri doesn’t quite create a space that’s get for erotic moments. The film is so low budget that they skipped renting a soundproof blimp for the camera. The actors romantic moments are greeted with the grinding sound of the film going through the gears. Henri is hilarious talking about his technique. He keeps talking about French New Wave and other master of European cinema. He should have been talking about Jess Franco and Henry Paris (Radley Metzger). This is like American Movie‘s daddy except with a little more talent. Flaxman and Goldman get so intimate to the set action that I almost went to the craft service table. There’s a great moment when an actor opens up about his sex scene with a much younger actress. While Henri Charbakshi’s The Last Affair was a major flop, his career wasn’t totally derailed. After several years, he emerged as Henri Charr, director of dozens of straight to video movies. He must have learned that one speaks of the French, but eats by emulating Roger Corman. The bonus features include Robert Flaxman answering questions on stage at a Cinefamily screening and the trailer. The finished The Last Affair isn’t a bonus feature. The film bombed upon impact. Luckily Labor of Love has been given a second chance at giving a true insight to the Boogie Nights dream in the ’70s. It’s like watching the Maysles Brothers going X-rated.

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

Oz The Great And Powerful revives the land over the rainbow courtesy of Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead). This is not another retelling of how Dorothy found her way home. Instead we get the tale of how the Wizard arrived as the leader of the Emerald City. In a bit of proper casting, James Franco (Pineapple Express) is the magician Oz. Franco is a bit of an overblown con man with his constant art projects that are more about concept and hype versus the execution. Franco’s enrolling at every college in America seems like something Oz would do. The movie starts out like The Wizard of Oz in a black and white world. Oz is part of a carnival performing his tricks with Zach Braff (Scrubs) as his sidekick in deception. Well he has to skip out of his performance when his sly ways come back with a vengeance. He escapes in a hot air balloon which gets sucked into a tornado. This leads him into a colorful world framed in Cinemascope. Turns out this new world has been waiting for a powerful magician with the name the same as the land. He’s ready to claim this title and live large. However he gets into girl trouble when it comes to three witches all fighting for the Technicolor turf. Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams) are not quite what they appear. Which one really is the wicked one since they all seem so sweet and lovely? Can Oz juggle the witches or will they burn him on the stake. For fans of the original movie, there’s plenty of flying monkeys. Braff gets to be a flying monkey and resume his flunky duties for Oz. There are plenty of bonus features including a second screen that gives views plenty of info. They tossed in a few bloopers, a feature on Danny Elfman’s score, How the China Girl was created, the production design, how one of the witches was turned green and Walt Disney’s fascination with the story. The movie was shot in 3-D so if you have the setup, consider getting the 3D Blu-ray package. You’ll crave to be caught by the tornado. There are numerous other packages. This review is based on the Blu-ray, DVD and Digital copy boxset. The DVD is great for keeping the kids occupied in the back of the car during a long trip through a tornado-less landscape.

Lifeforce: Collector’s Edition brings a blast from when Halley’s Comet visited the Earth back in 1985. Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist)brings us the frightening tale of Space Vampires that are brought to earth via the Space Shuttle. Scientists are amazed at the new E.T.s since one of them is a really hot woman (Mathtilda May) who enjoys being naked. This erotic alien does her best to suck the life out of London. While Lifeforce didn’t do well when it was released in the summer, the videotape rented rather well when word got out that the space vampire gal was naked for most of her scenes. There’s also a visit from Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) as a possessed victim of the space vampires. Humanity’s only hope for defeating the menace is none of other than Steven Railsback (The Stunt Man & Helter Skelter). Charles Manson has to save the world. The film’s special effects were done by John Dykstra (Star Wars) and the score by Henry Mancini (The Pink Panther). This was a rather huge production for Cannon Films. They shot it on 70mm. The transfer on the boxset brings out the richness of the format. Hooper is happy he got to supervise the color timing to make it look just right. What’s great about the Blu-ray is that you can watch the European cut that’s 15 minutes longer than the American version. There’s plenty of bonus features including the vintage behind the scenes featurette, trailers, and new interviews with Hooper, Railsback and May. There’s also a DVD. Lifeforce should have had a larger cult, but there’s no way it can be properly run on a UHF station. Now you can enjoy it properly on your home big screen.

Ninja III: The Domination is my favorite of all the Ninja films in the world. You don’t even need to see the first two Ninja movies to enjoy Ninja III. Why is this all true? This is a potent mix of martial arts action spiced with inadvertent comedy. Have you ever seen a Ninja attack a helicopter by jumping out of a tree? A dying Ninja takes possession of an innocent person in order to track down and destroy the cops that killed him. That sounds probably sounds mildly entertaining. The film becomes essential viewing because the possessed person is a telephone repairwoman played by Lucinda Dickey (Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo). She also has a part time job as an aerobics instructor. Things get hilarious when the cop investigating her encounter with the ninja shows up at her aerobics class to get closer. When he finally breaks down her resistance to his romantic means, he removes his shirt to expose a body that any furry would embrace. The Ninja’s sword glows and floats into Lucinda’s hand to get her to do the dirty work of revenge. At once point James Hong (Balls of Fury) arrives to exorcise the evil ninja out of Lucinda. The spirit won’t leave her and gives her Bride of FrankenNinja hair. She’s now a full time killing machine. The only chance to stop her is Sho Kosugi (star of the first two Ninja movies. This film is a laugher after a few drinks and with even more friends gathered around the TV. Lucinda and director Sam Firstenberg would unite to make Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo. Those two understood how to make cinema magic like Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. The bonus features are a DVD, a commentary with Sam and stunt coordinator Steve Lambert plus the original trailer. If you only buy one Ninja movie on Blu-ray this summer, let it be Ninja III: The Domination. She’s not out to save the center this time.

The Howling: Collector’s Edition is the ultimate version of the werewolf film. Finally getting to see it at 1080p brings out so many little details that vanished from VHS. Dee Wallace (E.T.) is a TV reporter looking to score a big scoop. However her source wants to meet at a peep show booth in an adult store. Something goes weird in the booth. Even though she survives, there’s a lot of trauma. Her helpful therapist (The Avengers‘ Patrick MacNee) sends her off to a beach front colony to recuperate. What she doesn’t know is that her fellow campers are werewolves including John Carradine. They want to convert her. The ending is still a powerful shocker with its attitude toward how we see things on TV. This was Joe Dante at his monster mad best. What makes this an ultimate edition is that many of the previous bonus features from earlier releases are her. This includes a commentary with Joe Dante and his cast reuniting, “Unleashing the Beast,” deleted scenes, more focus on Rob Bottin’s werewolf transformations. Executive Producer Steven A. Lane breaks down how he put the film together and the numerous sequels. He points out that he’s hasn’t become rich off the films, but it’s kept him active. There’s also a tour of the locations to see how some things haven’t changed since 1980.

Action-Packed Double Feature: Dirty Mary Crazy Larry & Race With the Devil is the reason to get an HD video projector and turn your driveway into a drive-in theater. This was at the time when Peter Fonda ruled action cinema. This double feature shows him as a man being pursued for totally different reasons. Peter Fonda is a hold up man in a grocery store robbery in Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. He’s got dreams of being a NASCAR driver which makes him a fine getaway driver. However he screws up the night before the heist when he sleeps with Susan George. She’s not as easy to shake as lawman Vic Morrow (The Bad News Bears). So it’s Susan and his partner Adam Roarke (The Stuntman) inside a supped up Chevy Impala. They tear up the countryside with Morrow coming after them in a helicopter. This film deserves more respect when people write their great cinematic car chases lists. Race With the Devil has Fonda going on a cross country camping trip with Warren Oates (The Wild Bunch). Loretta Swit (M*A*S*H*) and Lara Parker (Dark Shadows) play their wives on this R.V. journey. Things are going good until they camp near a Satanic ritual. The Satanists don’t like their human sacrifice being interrupted. They come after Peter and Warren. Can Peter Fonda escape in his RV? There’s a great conspiratorial “nowhere is safe and nobody can be trusted” vibe to the film. The Blu-ray transfers of both films bring out the grit of pursuit. You can feel the motors rumbling when you crank up the surround sound. The commentary tracks and documentaries featuring Peter Fonda are still here. It’s a perfect way to spend a hot summer night.

Dead Souls is a classic example of why there are no true bargains in the world of real estate. There’s always a price for paying less. Johnny Petrie (The Amityville Horror‘s Jesse James) gets a double surprise when he turns 18. He first learns that he was adopted. The blow of such a discovery is tempered with the gift of his natural family’s farm in Maine. He’s ready to learn about his true self. The place is a fixer upper since it’s been empty since his family was killed there. He also gets a sense that his real father might have not been a Holy Roller preacher. He might have dabbled in the dark side. The property just might be haunted and his return inside seems to have revived the evil spirits. This shocking film originally ran on the Chiller channel. The version on the Blu-ray includes 7 minutes more. The movie is based on Michael Laimo’s novel. The bonus features include a commentary track, bloopers and a tour of the set. Remember that you should always pay a fair price for a house else evil spirits will eliminate any discount you perceive.

DVD SHELF

Perry Mason: The Final Season – Season 9, Volume 1 begins the sad task of ending the great legal drama (until they brought back the show in the ’80s). Even though this is the final season, Richard Anderson (Oscar Goldman on The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman) is brought into the cast as Lt. Steve Drumm. He’s taking over for Lt. Tragg since Ray Collins after season 8. How could they end the show with Oscar Goldman on the scene? There’s 15 cases on the 4 DVDs. “The Case of the Laughing Lady” takes us to the women’s jail in Los Angeles. An inmate swears the real killer is a socialite she spots on a TV special. How could someone on TV kill anyone? Bernard Fox (Bewitched‘s Doctor Bombay) is part of the intrigue. “The Case of the Cheating Chancellor” involves Lee Meriwether (Barnaby Jones) as a mistress with an academic fetish. “The Case of the Hasty Honeymooner” quickly hitches Noah Beery Jr. (The Rockford Files) to a carefully selected bride. But does she really work out? Can any marriage survive a visit from Strother Martin (The Wild Bunch)? “The Case of the Runaway Racer” puts the pedal to the guest star metal with visits from Gavin MacLeod (The Love Boat), Michael Constantine Room 222 and Paul Winfield (The Terminator). Strange to think there’s only 15 more episodes left. The arrival of Richard Anderson makes it feel like the show is ready to go another 8 seasons. The gavel falls on Volume 2 on August 13. Then we get to wonder if the revived series hits DVD.

Rawhide: The Sixth Season – Volume 1 & 2 marks the time after Clint Eastwood came back from Europe with A Fistful of Dollars on his resume. Around the globe, Clint was the Man With No Name. However his Sergio Leone movies wouldn’t play in America until 1967. He was still Rowdy Yates around here. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t a mean shot with his gun. But he wasn’t the star. That honor belonged to Eric Fleming. He was in charge of driving those cattle across the heart of America. The 30 Incidents on this two volumes . “Incident of the Red Wind” has Clint rubbing the wrong way with Neville Brand (The Untouchables). He think Neville can’t find water and is going to kill off the herd. Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched) magically appears in “Incident at El Crucero.” Simon Oakland (Kolchak: The Night Stalker) proves to be trouble when he turns up in chains in “Incident of the Travelin’ Man.” James Sikking (Doogie Howser M.D.) wants him strung up. Another cinema icon arrives when Frankie Avalon (Beach Party) learns to be a man from hanging with Clint. “Incident of the Rawhiders” pre-unites Dukes of Hazzard stars James Best and Denver Pyle. “Incident of the Rusty Shotgun” blasts Claude Akins (Sheriff Lobo). “Incident of the Peyote Cup” is the best. Indians dose a drover with the natural LSD. It’s a freak out before the arrival of Flower power. Wonder how many kids in ’67 remembered this episode when they were offered peyote at a San Francisco concert? The season is a trip since Clint is clueless on the screen that he’s about to change the face of Westerns around the globe while working the range back in Hollywood.

Journey of the Universe distills the big theory of existence as cosmologist Brian Swimme takes a walk around the Greek island of Samos. How do you cram a 1.4 billion years into an hour long TV special? Very carefully. Swimme is engaging as he relates the script written by himself and Yale’s Mary Evelyn Tucker. “This story has the power to awaken us more deeply to who we are. For just as the Milky Way is the universe in the form of a flower, we are the universe in the form of a human. And every time we are drawn to look up in the night sky and reflect on the awesome beauty of the universe, we are actually the universe reflecting on itself. And this changes everything,” Swimme says. It amazing how he squeezes so many concepts into what feels like a leisurely journey. This documentary reminds me of Mindwalk. Journey of the Universe: Conversations is a 4 DVD follow up with talks hosted by Mary Evelyn Tucker. Scientists and major college professors expand upon elements mentioned in the original documentary. Think of this as the intermediate course for viewers who must know more. The first half of the talks focus on “The Emergence of Universe, Earth, Life and Humans.” The second section allows speakers focus on the future of the universe and what must be done to keep things form going out of control. What will make humanity and the Earth achieve a sustainable success in the coming centuries? There are a lot of factors discussed. Shelter Island offers the special and Conversations as a combined boxset and separately.

Ring of Fire is an oil company’s biggest nightmare. A drilling accident near a small town leads to a bunch of volcanoes exploding. Nothing ruins a pristine valley faster than hot lava pouring down from the former mountain tops. Naturally in the wake of such an Earth destroying disaster, the oil company must go into overdrive with their marketing department putting up walls of deniability to keep the lava flow from destroying the stock. The only hope to stop things from going completely apocalyptic is the work of two environmental activists. The locals are a bit more concerned about that neighborhood behind turned into New Pompeii. The three hour miniseries casts well with Michael Vartan (Alias), Lauren Lee Smith (CSI) and Terry O’Quinn (Lost & The Stepfather). There’s a lot of stuff catching on fire from the volcano damage to please the diehard disaster fans. This original ran on Reelz.

Snitch brings together Dwayne Johnson (formerly The Rock) and Susan Sarandon in a tag team that could have taken out the Road Warriors. Dwayne’s a good dad with a son dumb enough to get busted for a lot of drugs. What can he do to keep the kid from serving ten years in the big house? How about make a deal to go deep cover an infiltrate the Mexican drug cartel? If he can smash the underworld organization, his son will get sprung. Fans of The Wire get to see The Rock working with Omar (Michael Kenneth Williams). Can you smell what the farmer in the dell is cooking? It’s a fun over the top family drama turned action flick. The DVD will allow you to get a digital copy on iTunes and access the Ultraviolet stream. You can watch it everywhere. You might not want to watch Snitch on your iPhone while hanging out at the courthouse. The other bonus features include a making of, deleted scenes and the trailer. The audio commentary features director Ric Roman Waugh and editor Jonathan Chibnall. More editors should get to contribute to commentary tracks since they’re the ones who often make the film enjoyable.

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