The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the FRED Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support FRED by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)
Criminally unavailable on DVD in any proper and suitably loving presentation until now, the loveable chaps at Shout Factory have released The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$29.93 SRP), which brings together 18 episodes of the legendary comedian’s television show not seen since their original broadcast over 50 years ago. As if the material itself weren’t brilliant enough, the episodes have also been fully restored. Bonus materials include interviews, bits from Benny’s television specials, and Hearst newsreels. If that weren’t enough Benny for you (such a thing is not possible!), if you order direct from Shout you get a special bonus disc of The Horn Blows At Midnight – the live TV adaptation of the feature film, starring Jack as the trumpeting angel sent to destroy Earth.
And what better Jack Benny chaser is there than Craig Ferguson: I’m Here To Help (New Wave Dynamics, Not Rated, DVD-$12.95 SRP), the late night wonder’s latest stand-up special. And if you only know Craig from The Late Late Show and haven’t seen his stand-up before, treat yourself to this outing, as it starts strong and never lets up.
The art of animation reduced down to its most primal level is the magic to be found in Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men: The Flipbooks (Disney Editions, $60.00 SRP). The box set contains 9 squarebound flipbooks – each picking an iconic character or scene animated by Walt Disney’s legendary cadre of artists – Ward Kimball, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Woolie Reitherman, Les Clark, John Lounsberry, Eric Larson, Milt Kahl, and Marc Davis. They’re beautifully presented and deeply illuminating… So much so, that I’d love additional sets in an ongoing series.
While the show in many ways hasn’t aged very well with very uneven seasons, kudos must once again be paid to Paramount for the absolutely stunning restoration and high definition remastering job they’ve done for Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 4 (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$129.99 SRP). It’s remarkable to see how different the show feels utilizing the original 35mm film elements rather than the video masters originally used for broadcast, plus the upgraded visual effects. To add to the package and the original DVD bonus features, they’ve again added a nicely candid trio of documentaries, plus deleted scenes, promos, a pair of audio commentaries, and a gag reel. And while you’re at it, be sure to pick up the single disc release containing both the season 4 cliffhanger finale and season 5 premiere, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Redemption (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP), which also adds a wonderful little documentary featurette on Next Gen‘s Klingon origins and legacy.
After the abomination of the first film, it’s with great relief that, while not a particularly good film, GI Joe Retaliation (Paramount, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$54.99 SRP) scores a great deal of points in my book simply for trying to actually bring to screen visual elements and characters that made the original animated series such a mental mindworm in many a child of the 80’s… And yes, I mean Cobra Commander. So while it’s not great, it’s fun, and worth a spin for its move in the right direction. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes.
Toddlers can take another ride on The Magic School Bus with a pair of new releases – The Magic School Bus: In A Pickle (Scholastic, Not Rated, DVD-$12.95 SRP), which focuses on microbes and molecules, and The Magic School Bus: Revving Up (Scholastic, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP), featuring 3 discs of construction, farms, and energy.
I guess it all had to end eventually. Sadly, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) brings to a pathetic close the last remnants of the Bruce Timm-era animated DC universe by ringing in the arrival of DC’s relentlessly imbecilic “New 52” universe with a bloody, gratuitous thud. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and bonus cartoons.
The budget-conscious folks at Mill Creek, mindful of just how precious your hard-earned money is, have dropped another clutch of reasonably-priced catalogue films and documentaries – the Charlton Heston narrated series Secrets Of War (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), the oil industry documentary The Prize (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), the organized crime documentary Gangster Empire: Rise Of The Mob (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), The Korean War (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), the 12-movie collection Flying Fists Of Kung Fu (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), the 12-movie collection Kickin’ It Shaolin Style (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), and the 4-movie Benji collection (Mill Creek Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP).
For many years now, the folks at Diamond Select Toys have been putting out some quite lovely prop, action figure, and ship toys from the classic Star Trek franchise. Now, they’ve upped their game with the newly introduced Star Trek Select line – deluxe 8″-scale figures featuring interchangeable parts and diorama sets. Star Trek Select: Captain Kirk (Diamond Select Toys, $24.99 SRP) features an additional Khan figure and section of engine room set from their classic showdown in the episode “Space Seed”. The Star Trek Select: Spock (Diamond Select Toys, $24.99 SRP) gives you the ability to recreate the legendary Vulcan’s mindmeld with a Horta in “The Devil In The Dark”. Here’s hoping they get to more vignettes featuring other members of the crew.
And finally this week, we’ve got another truly stunning piece from the fine folks at Sideshow Collectibles. Well, technically it’s two pieces in one piece – namely the Premium Format R2-D2 & C-3PO ($749.99 SRP). That’s right – Sideshow has added the iconic droid duo to their already impressive line of 1/4-scale Star Wars premium format figures, and the results are incredible. Beyond the accurate sculpts and suitably weathered Tatooine scuffed paint jobs (the Sideshow Exclusive edition opts for their pristine appearance), the figures go above and beyond with light features on both characters – All of the dome lights on R2-D2 and C-3PO’s eyes. You even have the option of displaying them with their magnetic restraining bolts on. If you can pick these guys up, you won’t regret it.
So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…
-Ken Plume
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