I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have a chat with writer Sarah Morgan, about royalty, bananas, Muppets, tubes, Jaffa cakes, and Wrong Way Tony.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Sarah Morgan“:
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Drop Ken a line HERE.
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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
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…)
While there are certainly flashier characters from the original trilogy, like Darth Vader or Boba Fett, the true mark of just how impressive Hot Toys’ handling of the Star Wars license is turning out to be is their eerily pitch-perfect take on Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sideshow/Hot Toys, $219.99). From the perfect likeness of Sir Alec Guinness to the expertly tailored Jedi robes, this is the definitive 1/6-scale version of the venerable master. And because we’re gluttons for more, there’s no need to be content with just the figure itself, because they’ve plussed it with a swappable right arm that includes an in-built LED lightsaber that turns your display up to 11.
Pixar. Listen. Why do you want to make me cry? You’re absolutely brutal with the feels, and you know exactly what buttons to push. And you push them all with Inside Out (Walt Disney, Rated PG, 3D Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). From happy to sad and all the emotions in-between, which is rather fitting, as that’s what this film is all about, showing the interior emotional workings of 11-year-old Riley. And I’m not going to spoil any more of it, because if you haven’t seen it already, you should. Bonus materials include the Lava short, the brand new Riley’s First Date short, featurettes, and more.
As a new Pixar film hits theaters, that also means we get a brand new tome chronicling the artistic journey from concept to final picture with The Art Of The Good Dinosaur (Chronicle Books, $40 SRP), featuring loads of artwork and insight. And, in a first, a companion book has been crafted for the short subject that runs before the movie with The Art Of Sanjay’s Super Team (Chronicle Books, $24.95 SRP).
And because we’re not quite done with Pixar yet, they’ve helped to craft the perfect gift for budding filmmakers eager to have a journal in which to chart the progress of their own creative project’s journey with The Animator’s Sketchbook (Chronicle Books, $18.95 SRP), which contains discrete sections on Concept, Story, Color Script, Characters, and Worlds with plenty of room to doodle and design with helpful words of encouragement and visuals for inspiration along the way.
I’ll admit, I got swept up in the emotional wave of celebrating October 21, 2015 – the “future” date Marty and Doc (and Einstein & Jennifer) traveled to in order to do something about Marty & Jennifer’s kids. So, yes, bring on a brand new Back To The Future: 30th Anniversary Trilogy box set (Universal, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$49.98 SRP), which supplements all of the bonus materials from the last release with a brand new bonus disc featuring a Doc Brown short, a documentary on the restoration of the original DeLorean, 2015 commercials for Jaws 19 and hoverboards, and more.
The now-yearly specials are certainly building anticipation for a new feature-length adventure while managing to be fun-filled romps in their own right, and that’s certainly what last year’s Toy Story That Time Forgot (Walt Disney, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$14.99 SRP) is, as out heroes are deposited into an 80s action toy world full of delusional peril. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, the animated opening for the fictional cartoon Battlesaurs, featurettes, a karaoke video, deleted scenes, and more.
Whenever a new home theater technology arrives on the scene, there comes a home video release of a beloved property that’s meant to be the perfect showcase for said technology. With Dolby’s new Atmos sound technology, designed to make the viewer feel sonically immersed in the world they’re watching, the first television series to embrace it is HBO’s flagship show, Game Of Thrones. So what does that mean? That means we get brand new Atmos versions of Game Of Thrones: The Complete First Season and Game Of Thrones: The Complete Second Season (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$79.99 SRP each), packaged in lovely new steelbook cases featuring magnetic house sigils for the Starks and the Lannisters. Bonus features carry over from the previous releases.
While it seems this is the millionth release of the film on various media, you know in your heart of hearts that you’ll be purchasing Monty Python & The Holy Grail: 40th Anniversary Edition (Sony, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP) because you have always, and will always, purchase another edition of this film whenever the design to lob another one at fans. Which is often. And you know it’s true, and you know they know it. So buck up, and fork over the cash for this new edition, which includes all of the bonus features from the last edition, plus an all-new 30-minute Q&A with the Pythons who aren’t yet dead, hosted by John Oliver.
You have a lot of gadgets, gear, and gizmos to be carting around with you as cold descends on the land, so why not face the elements with all of your stuff safely stowed about your person with the SCOTTeVEST Hoodie Microfleece (Thinkgeek, $44.99), a hoodie which packs 10 pockets and a whole lot of warmth.
As someone who owns the vintage Making Ghostbusters, which explored the production of the original film, I was waiting for the day when someone would come along and offer up an updated and expanded look at the creation of the franchise as a whole, incorporating both films, the animated series, comics, video games, and more. Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History (Insight Editions, $50 SRP) does just that, while also being one of those books that incorporated reproductions of actual ephemera, including Gozer temple plans, the Ghostbusters’ business card, VFX notes, a Stay-Puft Marshmallows sticker, and much more.
You’d think there’d few variations left to mine in going meta on the slasher flick genre, but The Final Girls (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$30.99 SRP) manages to do it with a wink and heart, as a group of teen friends are mysteriously transported into an 80s cult film, Camp Bloodbath, that starred the late mother of one of the kids. Once inside the film, they must try and survive all of the tropes. Bonus materials include an audio commentaries, alternate endings, deleted scenes, featurettes, and more.
Yeah, well, don’t try and make sense of the Terminator timeline. By the time we’ve reached Terminator: Genisys (Paramount, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$52.99 SRP), the continuity is just a confusing mess of who did what when and for why and how does that huh whatever. So, really, the way to approach the return of an elder Arnold Schwarzenegger to one of his most iconic roles is just to take it at face value and ask, “Is it an enjoyable flick on its own merits?” And it mostly is. In an odd, kitchen sink kind of way. But, that’s fine. Just don’t try to make too much sense of it all. Bonus materials include a batch of behind-the-scenes featurettes.
There are a lot of elaborate hoo-has on what is ultimately a straightforward straight shooter, which is ultimately the strength of Nerf’s N-Strike SharpFire Blaster (Nerf, $15.99 SRP) – it’s a Nerf dart pistol that shoots pretty darn accurately. And, when you’re locked in heated backyard conflict, sometimes that’s just what you need.
Oh, Jurassic World (Universal, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$49.98 SRP). You are such a goofball of excess. While Jurassic Park took the premise of resurrected dinosaurs somewhat seriously, World decides to go full meta B-movie with the whole affair, in the age of Sharknado. I mean, Chris Pratt has a raptor gang. Which is not to say this isn’t all enjoyable. It’s just that it’s pure popcorn, b-movie enjoyable. Bonus materials include deleted scenes and featurettes.
Didier Ghez is a brilliant illuminator of the often unexplored corners of the art and artists behind the Disney films, and he’s brought that the unique and wonderful skill to They Drew As They Pleased: The Hidden Art Of Disney’s Golden Age (Chronicle Books, $40 SRP), which explores the works of a quartet of Disney’s first concept artists as the company’s horizons broadened rapidly in the 1930s.
PBS’s In Their Own Words is a unique spin on the biodoc format, which as the title suggests relies heavily upon quotes from the subjects themselves to guide the narrative, through archive footage and extensive interviews with intimates. Give a trio of cultural luminaries a spin, with episodes focusing on Queen Elizabeth II, Muhammad Ali, and Jim Henson (PBS, Not Rated, DVD-$24.99 SRP each).
I suppose every comic actor should get their chance to stumble into a redeeming dramatic part, and Jason Segel gets his portraying author David Foster Wallace in The End Of The Tour (Lionsgate, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP), about a road trip during which he’s interviewed by journalist David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg). Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, interviews, and featurettes.
It got a disastrous blink-and-you-missed-it theatrical release, which is a shame, because Aardman’s Shaun The Sheep Movie (Lionsgate, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) is a lovely, delightful little kid’s film that doesn’t feel like a kid’s film. It’s brill. Bonus materials include a flock of featurettes and more.
Sadly, it was our enjoyment of bombastic action flicks like Bad Boys 1 & II (Sony, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$26.99 SRP) that fueled the power and enduring pap of Michael Bay, as the seemingly innocuous purveyor of popcorn became the mad blowhard of endless awful pop culture bastardizations. But these two relics of a more innocent age are now packaged together in a 20th anniversary edition, loaded bonus features.
There’s nothing like the restoration of a pair of kitschy old-school genre films to make a cinephile go all warm and fuzzy, which is exactly the internal reaction generated by the restoration of the Vincent Price & Agnes Morehead thriller The Bat and Roger Corman’s A Bucket Of Blood (The Film Detective, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$14.99 SRP each).
Back when a pair of ideological rivals could have intellectual bareknuckle debates on the airwaves, the two greatest heavyweights were William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal. However intellectual it was, though, their verbal sparring, which began during ABC’s coverage of the 1968 Democratic and Republican Conventions, definitely laid the groundwork for the uncivil cesspit of television discourse we have today. To see exactly what I’m on about, check out the excellent documentary Best Of Enemies: Buckley Vs. Vidal (Magnolia, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.98 SRP).
I would probably have not given a tie-in book to the show Vikings the time of day if I hadn’t discovered it was written by author, historian, and all-around great bloke Justin Pollard, which automatically elevated The World Of Vikings (Chronicle Books, $35 SRP) into a book worth checking out, as it deftly weaves the historical truth behind the drama into its background on the production.
Very few sitcoms have gotten the high definition treatment, and particularly not one that goes back over 10 years, but now you can snag That 70s Show: The Complete Series (Mill Creek, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$149.98 SRP) looks pretty darn good, even more so because it’s presented in anamorphic widescreen. Certainly worth checking out, , as it’s also loaded with bonus materials, including new-to-Blu-Ray featurettes, in addition to the materials from the original DVD releases. Groovy.
A powerful look at an all-too-brief life, Matt Shepard Is A Friend Of Mine (Virgil Films, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP) is a documentary that revisits the events of the tragic hate crime that took his life, but more importantly uses photos and rare footage to celebrate his life.
Starting in a small Pudding Lane bakery and eventually engulfing the city of London, the disastrous events beginning September 2, 1666 are dramatized in The Great Fire (PBS, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP), a star-studded affair that brings the events to life, from the actions and reactions of the common man right up to King Charles II.
The main problem with the modern quasi-sequel Vacation (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) is that it has a mighty big family truckster to fill, and never quite manages to make enough of an impression that you’re not constantly thinking back fondly on the original, when Chevy Chase was at the height of his power and all of the creative powers behind the scenes were pure brilliance. So, yeah, while this is an affable trip down holiday road with Rusty Griswold and family, it just further reinforces how remarkable the original was. Bonus materials include featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.
Listen to a rocking set as Martha Davis & The Motels celebrate the legendary LA club’s 50th anniversary with The Motels Live At The Whiskey A Go Go (Vesuvio, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.98 SRP), featuring almost 20 tunes plus a clutch of bonus features.
SwaySway and Buhdeuce fly their rocket van from their Nickelodeon animated series into brand new comic book adventures in Breadwinners #1: Journey to the Bottom of the Seats (Papercutz, $7.99 SRP), which is just as bonkers as the show itself.
This weekend’s turn off your brain and hop on the rollercoaster low-budget action flick is Operator (Alchemy, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP), as a city devolves into chaos, sparked by the kidnapping of a 911 operator’s daughter and estranged police officer husband. And it also has Ving Rhames in it. Because Ving Rhames.
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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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have another chat with writer/performer Katie Willert, about Sizzler, office cosplay, chocolate sourdough, organizing, crystals, and pooh bear.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Katie Willert 3“:
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Check out our previous Chats!
A Bit Of A Chat with Katie Willert
A Bit Of A Chat with Katie Willert 2SUBSCRIBE
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Drop Ken a line HERE.
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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have another chat with the man behind MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER’S Crow T. Robot & Dr. Clayton Forrester, Trace Beaulieu. about Benjamin Button tastes, Stubby Kaye, Doctor Quabius, and Christmas.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Trace Beaulieu 2“:
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SUBSCRIBE
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Drop Ken a line HERE.
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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have a chat with actor/writer/producer Scott Adsit, about comics, improv, SNL, pilots, and heroes.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Scott Adsit“:
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Drop Ken a line HERE.
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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this very special Halloween treat, master storyteller (and living legend) Stan Lee reads Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”…
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume: Stan Lee reads The Raven“:
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(And be sure to listen to my BIT OF A CHAT with Stan!)
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes
Drop Ken a line HERE.
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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
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…)
Strike that godawful Fantastic Four film from your mind with a piece from the brill folks at Sideshow, who have managed to capture perfectly the might and majesty of the one true ruler of Latveria with their Doctor Doom Premium Format Figure ($389.99). This 1/4-scale mixed media monarch stands atop his high-tech battlements, surveying lording over his domain. Thankfully, this piece captures the classic styling of Doom, right down to his sidearm, and features a fully-poseable cape and hood (wire-lined) so you can adjust for your desired dynamic look. And, for the true comic book nerds, the exclusive contains a swappable head featuring his old-school facemask design.
Wow. The Complete Peanuts: 1997 to 1998 (Fantagraphics, $29.99 SRP) represents the 24th, and penultimate, volume collecting the entire 50-year run of Charles Schulz’s brilliant comic strip. No longer groundbreaking, by this point the strip was a warm blanket, comfortable in its humor and still very much able to bring a smile and a laugh. This volume also sports an introduction by Paul Feig, producer of the new Peanuts Movie.
While I’m still wary, I admit that my position on the upcoming Peanuts movie has softened considerably, to the point that I’m now actually looking forward to seeing it. A large part of the impetus for that change of heart can be found in the pages of The Art & Making Of The Peanuts Movie (Titan Books, $34.95 SRP), which does an excellent job of detailing just how much reverence the filmmakers had for adapting Charles Schulz’s style and tone.
The folks controlling the mighty Carson archive have dipped back into the vaults for the next batch of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: Featured Guest Series (Carson Entertainment, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP each), each volume of which devotes an entire disc just to episodes featuring a specific luminary. The second three volumes in the series spotlight Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and Burt Reynolds. These releases include the full, uncut shows, along with commercials. They continue to be truly wonderful time capsules. And once again, I repeat my request – Can we please, please, PLEASE get a Jim Henson-centric volume? PLEASE?
It’s been a crime of Biffian proportions that we’ve been without a proper book celebrating the making of the Back To The Future Trilogy, but now we’ve been gifted with two must-have volumes. First is the unauthorized, wholly candid We Don’t Need Roads, and the second is the officially sanctioned Back To The Future: The Ultimate Visual Guide (HarperDesign, $50 SRP), which is one of those keen making-of books that also incorporates reproductions of props and ephemera from the film, from the “Save The Clock Tower” flyer to the letter Marty wrote Doc Brown to warn him about the Libyans.
I think we’re all in agreement that NERF has pretty much gotten their whole NERF dart thing pretty well sorted when it comes to their various NERF guns. So how do they put a new variation on their delivery system? Howzabout a slingshot? With a pullstring release, the single-fire Nerf N-Strike Elite SlingStrike Slingshot (NERF, $10.99 SRP) is a pretty fun piece of kit. While it certainly isn’t a rapid-fire weapon, it has remarkable range and accuracy.
The key to measurement is accuracy, so the eTape16 (Thinkgeek, $34.99) is just what the anal-retentive DIY nerd ordered, because it makes accuracy easy. Accurate to 1/16″, or 1mm, it’s one of those great gadgets you’d never thought you’d need until you use it for the first time and can’t imagine what you’d do without it. Probably just sit in a sad stupor, probably.
It’s raining Rickles, as Time Life has gone and delivered The Ultimate Don Rickles Box Set (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP), featuring both volumes of The Don Rickles TV Specials and the complete two-season run of his 70s sitcom CPO Sharkey. Bonus materials include new introductions, outtakes, rarities, and more.
Featuring all 107 episodes completely unedited, My Favorite Martian: The Complete Series (MPI, Not Rated, DVD-$99.98 SRP) is exactly the kind of high-concept, loveably goofball show that somehow made it on to the small screen in the 60s, whose appeal lies squarely on the shoulders of the endearing chemistry of Bill Bixby and Ray Walston, as his Martian “uncle” Martin. Bonus materials include home movies, cast commercials, interviews, animation & effects reels, pilots, and more.
Based on the WWI memoir of Vera Brittain and starring Alicia Vikander and Kit Harrington, Testament Of Youth (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) paints a portrait of that conflict from a unique perspective not often seen in accounts of that period, namely a female perspective. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and a featurette.
Have you ever wanted to see the three films of the original trilogy summed up in a dozen words with a dozen vignettes, all constructed out of felt? OF COURSE YOU DO. And that’s just what Star Wars: Epic Yarns delivers in the most delightful way in its trio of books, for A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return Of The Jedi (Chronicle Books, $9.95 SRP each).
And if that weren’t enough unbelievably cute Star Wars for you, then there’s also the special edition boxed release of Jeffrey’s Brown’s Darth Vader and Son & Vader’s Little Princess (Chronicle Books, $35 SRP), which also contains a pair of exclusive art prints.
You know, if it weren’t for Adam Sandler’s half-hearted performance, Pixels (Sony, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$45.99 SRP) would probably have been a big, goofy, totally fun popcorn flick. However, with Sandler barely managing to show up, any scene he’s in sucks the life from this high concept film about aliens attacking earth while in the form of old school video game characters. But Peter Dinklage is great. And the effects do look spiffy in 3D. Bonus materials include featurettes and a music video.
Combining comedy, drama, short films, commentary, music, animation, and a highbrow sensibility, PBS’s Great American Dream Machine (S’More, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) was experimental television both ahead-of-its-time and yet could never be done today. See for yourself, with this release of over 12 hours of material from its 1971-1973 run, with pieces from Charles Grodin, Chevy Chase, Kurt Vonegut, Albert Brooks, Martin Mull, Henry Winkler, Andy Rooney, and many more.
Few shows in recent memory have been as visually and artistically creative as Pen Wards Adventure Time, so it’s only right that fans can snag Adventure Time: The Original Cartoon Title Cards Volume 2 (Titan Books, $19.95 SRP), which collects together the memorable title card artwork featured at the front of every episode in seasons 3 & 4.
And speaking of the current renaissance on Cartoon Network, you should also definitely pick up The Art Of Regular Show (Titan Books, $29.95 SRP), which is jam-packed with designs, sketches, backgrounds, and more from Shannon O’Leary’s oddball series.
When a trained military dog is sent from Afghanistan to the U.S. and the family of his killed-in-action handler, the titular canine, Max (Warner Bros., Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) forms a bond with his handler’s younger brother. And then they solve a mystery. Really. It’s like an old-school live action Disney film. Bonus materials include a pair of featurettes.
As his latest big screen adventure hits and the current actor portraying him has voiced his desire to move on, now’s the prefect time for Bond Vs. Bond: The Many Faces Of 007 (RacePoint, $28.00 SRP), author Paul Simpson’s unofficial guide to the actors who have played Britain’s number one spy, and their interpretations of the character, through the years.
Time and distance have done little to make 1999’s television fantasy miniseries event The 10th Kingdom (Mill Creek, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) any less of an odd duck, as the technology simply wasn’t there at the time to do such an ambitious fairy tale of magical lands meeting our world. Finally having it presented in high definition widescreen improves the experience, though. And it does have John Larroquette. And John Larroquette makes everything better. Bonus materials include a making-of featurette and an isolated score track.
I find her music disarmingly infectious and her live shows ridiculously energetic, and that’s all on display in her massive arena shows, captured on Katy Perry: The Prismatic Tour (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP), which also contains bonus behind-the-scenes featurettes.
We’ll probably never get a Pirates Of The Caribbean TV series, so the closest we’ll come is the pirates a-plenty series Black Sails (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$59.99 SRP), whose second series arrives with a chest of featurettes.
Because the success of The Fault In Our Stars means that every thing that author John Green wrote will get a green light, his Paper Towns (Fox, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) arrives, starring Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne as a pair of childhood neighbors whose burgeoning romance leads to an unexpected cross-country mystery that proves something or another in an utterly charming way. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, featurettes, and a gag reel.
If you’d expect George Miller’s visually memorable Mad Max: Fury Road to have an equally eye-popping book packed with the film’s visual development artwork, your expectations would be met with The Art Of Mad Max: Fury Road (Titan Books, $39.95 SRP).
While the film may have been DOA at the box office, there’s no denying that there’s enough Guillermo del Toro visual flair and attention to detail there to justify Crimson Peak: The Art Of Darkness (Insight Editions, $50 SRP), a full-on making-of book featuring loads of artwork and tons of interviews with everyone involved in the production.
From their turn-of-the-20th century rise in power to their height of control in the 50s, The Making Of The Mob (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP) charts the history of organized crime in the Big Apple, using archive footage, interviews, dramatic re-creations, and visual effects. Bonus materials include additional scenes and featurettes.
In 1946, Salvador Dali and Walt Disney began collaborating on an animated film. Postwar difficulties at the Disney studio eventually derailed the project and it was shelved, but it was revived decades later by Walt’s nephew Roy. The story of its origins, development, and revival are detailed in Dali And Disney: Destino (Disney Editions, $40 SRP), a lavish book filled with Dali’s production paintings, development artwork for the film, and more.
A streamlined relaunch of the venerable franchise, Transformers: Robots In Disguise – A New Autobot Mission (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$14.43 SRP) features the first 5 episodes of Bumblebee leading a team of Autobots tasked with rounding up Decpticons let loose on earth after the crash of their prison ship. The disc also contains a bonus behind-the-scenes featurette.
Frank Zappa was bizarre. His music was bizarre. But both were eminently compelling. See for yourself in the newly-recovered Roxy: The Movie (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$25.98 SRP), a document of 4 shows Zappa gave in 1973 which was thought lost to the ages due to massive technical problems with the sound, but now miraculously restored for your enjoyment.
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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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have another chat with master thespian and interweb bon vivant James Urbaniak, about high school productions, commercials, difficult people, and The Venture Bros. Recorded live at DragonCon 2015.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & James Urbaniak 4“:
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SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes
Drop Ken a line HERE.
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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
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…)
He’s a genius and a swell guy, so of course I’m going to recommend Terry Gilliam’s “Pre-Posthumous Memoir” Gilliamesque (HarperDesign, $40 SRP), which reasonably accurate journey through his mostly-remembered life and career, packed with photographs and art culled from his archives. So, get it. It’s wonderful.
There have been plenty of Generation 1 (y’know, proper) Transformers toys released over the years, but it takes the miracle workers at Hot Toys to strip the been there, done that of it all by crafting their own take on the Autobot leader. Their Optimus Prime (Starscream Version) ($344.99) stands a foot tall, and looks exactly like you hope he would, with the added bonus of being incredibly articulated. The unique spin I mentioned earlier comes from the fact that this Optimus has just taken down Starscream with extreme prejudice, commandeering his wings and blasters and also claiming the head of his fallen foe. Because it’s Hot Toys, the figure also has a nifty light-up feature on not only his eyes, but also the Matrix of Leadership in his chest. Is this thing cool? Yes. Yes, it is.
And speaking of Sideshow Collectibles, photographer Daniel Picard has taken several of the figures they’ve released over the years and used them to create some absolutely magical photographs by dropping them into exquisitely crafted tableaus that run the gamut from funny to poignant. Those photographs have been collected together into a hardcover coffee table book, Figure Fantasy (Insight Editions, $125), which features a foreword from Simon Pegg and an afterword by Kevin Smith. The deluxe hardcover limited collectors edition, available exclusively from Sideshow.com, sports an attractive slipcase, and includes a card of authenticity signed by Picard, as well as three digitally signed and embossed fine art photo prints.
Disney’s slow trickle home video release of their high-profile animated films has always been painful for those of us who want to own everything right now, compounded by the fact that I’ve gone through this dance with VHS, DVD, and now Blu-Ray. After what seems forever and a day, another long-awaited diamond has made it out of the rough with the high-def arrival of Aladdin (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$40.99 SRP). In addition to the bonus materials found on the original DVD release, this Diamond edition adds a tribute to Robin Williams, Genie outtakes, featurettes, and more.
I had been hearing for months just how must-see wonderful the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy (Lionsgate, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP) was, and I began to fear that such glowing praise was setting me up for quite a bit of disappointment. Well, my fears were unfounded, because the flick really is wonderful, with both Paul Dano and John Cusack portraying, respectively, the 60s and Landry-influenced Wilson of the 80s with aplomb. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes.
Its spin-off has faded into the sunset, so it’s the perfect time to circle back and re-experience where it all began with Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Complete Series (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). The 16-disc set contains all 3 seasons (Books), plus a trio of bonus materials including audio commentaries, featurettes, animatics, and more.
Yeah, so, you’ve got a bunch of old NES and SNES cartridges lying around from your childhood, and you’d love to be able to play them, right? Of course you would! And how about making the ability to play portable, as well? That’s exactly what you get with the Retro Duo Portable NES/SNES Game System (Thinkgeek, $99.99), which not only allows you to play on the built-in screen, but also allows you to output the video to your TV screen. How cool is that? Now, dust off your copy of Bionic Commando and get gaming!
Not only has Shout Factory brought the long out-of-print and ridiculously priced on the secondary market Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 1 (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$44.99 SRP) back into print, but they’ve also remastered the episodes (fixing a lot of quality issues found in the original Rhino release) and also loaded it with new bonus material, including featurettes, a Q&A with Trace and Frank, and theatrical trailers.
When most comic fans think of Donald Duck, they think of the comic book work of Carl Barks. The folks at IDW are looking to expand the appreciation of Donald’s comic adventures with the very first collection of Donald Duck: The Complete Newspaper Comics – 1938-1940 (IDW, $39.99 SRP). Featuring 750 consecutive strips by the great duck artist Al Taliaferro. It’s a beautiful addition to any library, and hopefully we’ll get the whole run.
And because Halloween is right around the corner, Fantagraphics has used that perfect timing to release volume 13 of their marvelous Carl Barks Library, Donald Duck: Trick Or Treat (Fantagraphics, $29.99 SRP), with its lead feature being the restored version of Barks’s adaptation of the witchy 1950s Duck cartoon. As usual, the volume is packed with additional stories and supporting essays, and continues to be a must-have for fans of Barks and the Disney ducks.
If you’re looking for a pretty darn perfect way to introduce a young kid to the wonderful wonders of Carl Barks’s Disney duck tales, Fantagraphics has hit upon a handy little reformatting style for some of his classic stories, presenting them in a 5×11 style that’s perfect for carting about. Joining the already available Donald Duck: Ghost Of The Grotto (Fantagraphics, $12.99 SRP) are The Golden Helmet (Fantagraphics, $12.99 SRP) and Sheriff Of Bullet Valley (Fantagraphics, $12.99 SRP). Get them all, and hopefully they’ll keep on putting them out!
While their cinematic universe is a drab, depressing antiheroic wasteland, the DC Comics television universe as been evolving into a lovely, interconnected, heroic bastion of enjoyable tales. While the third season of Arrow (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$60.10 SRP) doubled down and expanded into a comfortable rhythm, the real gem of the new season was the wonderfully nimble first season of The Flash (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$60.10 SRP), which is everything its dour cinematic cousin is not. Which is a very, very good thing. Bonus materials on the sets include featurettes, deleted scenes, commentary, and gag reels.
I desperately wanted to love Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). I love Brad Bird. I love the futurism of the past. I love Disney. But nothing quite seemed to gel into the perfect vision I had for this film, which is deeply ironic, given it’s flawed optimism and ultimately problematic message – which is, essentially, that most of us are not special, and never will be, but we have to believe in the exceptionalism of others in order to save us. So, yeah. Honestly, if this film had taken place entirely in the world Tomorrowland with the adventures of young boy genius Frank – you know, essentially the futuristic adventures of Hogarth Hughes – than I would have been giddy. Can I have that film? Bonus materials include deleted scenes, featurettes, and animated prequel short, and more.
The impending arrival of the new animated film on the big screen means we’re getting a deluge of books featuring and celebrating his creations, and one of the most beautiful is Chip Kidd’s Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz And The Art Of Peanuts (Abrams ComicArts, $40 SRP). Leave it to Kidd to craft another of his signature tomes packed with rare and beautifully shot and presented ephemera from across the strip” 50 year history, from bizarre merchandise to discarded strips.
A hearty thank you to the home video gurus at Warner Bros., who have used their mojo to shake loose and release a quartet of oft-requested catalogue titles from Paramount and get them in the hands of fans in glorious high-def. Those titles include the Harrison Ford building a barn vehicle Witness (Paramount/Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), Clint Eastwood’s Escape From Alcatraz (Paramount/Warner Bros., Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), Nicolas Cage & Sam Rockwell in Matchstick Men (Paramount/Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), Matt Stone & Trey Parker’s marionation masterpiece Team America: World Police (Paramount/Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), Morgan Freeman in both Kiss The Girls (Paramount/Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP) & Along Came A Spider (Paramount/Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), Robert DeNiro & Ed Burns in 15 Minutes (Paramount/Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), and James Stewart & John Wayne in the classic The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Paramount/Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP).
Try and avoid the increasingly creaky Modern Family and instead focus your attention on the genuinely fresh and funny Fresh Off The Boat (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), which manages to avoid culture clash tropes and instead focuses on what’s important – smart comedy well-performed. Bonus materials include a trivia track and a gag reel.
Yeah, I was certainly one of those fans who was deeply worried that the show wouldn’t be able to stick the landing at the end of its run, but the seven episodes of Mad Men: The Final Season Part 2 (Lionsgate, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.97 SRP) managed to pull it off, delivering not only a fitting bit of positive closure for the deeply flawed Don Draper, but also for most of the supporting characters as well. Bonus materials include audio commentaries and a handful of featurettes.
Biding time patiently for the next full season high-def release? Partake of Adventure Time: The Enchiridion (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, DVD-$19.82 SRP), collecting 16 episodes from the current season, every one of which is full of adventure to pass the time.
Knowing that his artists, who had been toiling away on Mickey Mouse shorts and Silly Symphonies, were not quite ready to tackle something as artistically ambitious as their first feature, Snow White, Walt Disney arranged for what essentially was an in-house art school, organized by Chouinard instructor Don Graham. Featuring lecturers like Frank Lloyd Wright and Alexander Woollcott, the long-filed and rarely seen notes from those presentations have been collected together with context and copious illustrations in Before Ever After: The Lost Lectures Of Walt Disney’s Animation Studio (Disney Editions, $40 SRP), and every one is a gem.
It’s the fall and a new season has begun, which means we also get the release of the previous season with the arrival of South Park: The Complete Eighteenth Season (Comedy Central, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). The 2-disc set contains all 10 episodes plus the regular batch of Matt & Trey mini-commentaries, deleted scenes, and #socialcommentary.
A zombie medical resident who works at the morgue, eats brains, and solves murders with the psychic information she gleans while eating those brains? From the guy who gave us Veronica Mars? Sure, I’ll watch that show. And you should watch the complete first season of iZombie (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), because it’s all of those things. Bonus materials include deleted scenes and a Comic-Con panel.
The Peanuts gang ventures into international territory in Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which is newly remastered for its 35th anniversary, and finds Charlie Brown and gang spending two weeks in France as exchange students. The disc also contains a newly-produced making-of featurette.
From the work of Bill Theiss on the original series through the work of Robert Blackman and Michael Kaplan on the modern shows and films, Star Trek: Costumes (Insight Editions, $60 SRP) is a comprehensive and lovingly-crafted celebration of the art and artistry that went into clothing the not-too-distant future. Packed with photos and design artwork, it’s a lovely tome for any fan.
Tell me 20 years ago, and I never would have believed you if you’d told me that Bobcat Goldthwait would turn out to be a filmmaker crafting some deeply fascinating films, the most recent of which, Call Me Lucky (MPI, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.98 SRP) is a documentary about his mentor, comedian Barry Crimmins. In it, Goldthwait presents a painfully inspiring portrait of a man who transformed his childhood abuse into a rage-filled stage persona and a nurturing relationship with the next generation of comedians, one of which was Bobcat himself. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and a trailer.
As finales of NuWho go, the two-parter Doctor Who: Dark Water/Death In Heaven (BBC, Not Rated, 3D Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP) certainly wasn’t a high water mark, but it did give us a fully realized take on a female version of The Master, and watching Peter Capaldi continues to be a joy, even if the material he’s being given still isn’t quite clicking. But the real reason to pick up this release is that they’ve gone back and made it 3D, which we’ve only seen done with Who for the 50th anniversary special. So, for novelty alone, this disc is worth a spin.
As a film San Andreas (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) is just as much a disaster as the seismic catastrophe its plot hinges upon. But we don’t watch films like this for any other reason than it’s full-on disaster porn, with oodles of special effects of things breaking and exploding. Oh, and this one adds The Rock to that mix. And who doesn’t like The Rock? Even if his actions in this film are incredibly selfish and mightily unheroic. But still. THE ROCK. And all of that crumble boomy looks snazzy in 3D. Bonus materials include audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.
There are enough dour and depressing aspects barnacled on to the Batman universe that sometimes it takes a bit of real world joy to brighten up the impact of the Dark Knight, and that’s what we get from the documentary Batkid Begins (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$28.98 SRP), about the town of San Francisco fulfilling the wish of a 5-yerar-old boy who had fought through Leukemia, and who just wanted to be the real Batman.
As much guff as Keanu Reeves has gotten for his acting and film choices over the years, his performance in Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (Criterion, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP), as one half a hustling duo alongside River Phoenix, is unassailable. And now Criterion has done a beautiful high-def restoration, packed with a documentary, interviews, featurettes, and more.
I know my nephews, huge fans, probably would have begged to see Regular Show: The Movie (Cartoon Network, Not Rated DVD-$14.98 SRP) in the theater if it had actually gotten a theatrical release, but it didn’t, so they’ll instead enjoy this feature-length adventure at home. Which is just as good, really. Certainly cheaper and more comfortable.
While they’ve been available as separate collections of episodes, all of those separate discs have now been brought together in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete First & Second Seasons (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). Nickelodeon’s modern take on the well-loved franchise is a truly beautiful series, which makes it that much more baffling that it can’t manage to get an equally nice high-definition release. Here’s hoping this is the first step towards that.
If you’re a fan of arthouse cinema – also known as, ya know, really good films that contain almost no CG, aliens, or superheroes – then the curated collection of 10 films put together by the award-winning team at Indiepix, running the gamut from comedy to drama to documentary, is right up your alley. The specially assembled lot includes Artois The Goat, Candyman: The David Klein Story, Evergreen, The DeVilles, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, Frontrunner, The Axe In The Attic, Jack Taylor Of Beverly Hills, Shooting Stars, and Echotone (Indiepix, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP each).
Remember in the 1990s, when every year seemed to bring a new batch of Jackie Chan movies? Well, Warners aims tom remind you, with the high definition debut of a pair of those 90s Chan flicks – Jackie Chan’s First Strike (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$9.98 SRP) and Rumble In The Bronx (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$9.98 SRP).
What do you do when your main character left the male stripping world at the end of your first surprisingly successful film but you really, really want to make a sequel? You use the old “Getting the band back together for one last hurrah” trope, and that’s exactly what we get in Magic Mike XXL (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP), which brings Mike back to what he does best when his former cohorts convince him to join them in a big finish at a competition in Myrtle Beach. Because, of course they did. Bonus materials include a pair of featurettes and an extended dance scene.
Just like the documentaries on World Wars I & II before it, there’s something undeniably fascinating in seeing history come to life merely by introducing color to what has always been black & white, and when it comes to photography, Blood & Glory: The Civil War In Color (History Channel, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP) is about as far back as we can go. Bonus materials include additional interviews with historians and descendents.
We haven’t gotten a proper Christmas episode out of the current iteration of the characters, so we’ll have to go to the last series for a festive Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga Christmas (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$9.99 SRP). The disc sports a trio of episodes sure to put you in the holiday spirit.
A film like Skin Traffik (Alchemy, Rated R, DVD-$19.99 SRP) is exactly the kind of pulpy throwaway you’d find yourself watching at 3am on Cinemax. Starring Gary Daniels as a hitman out to liberate a woman under the control of a vicious pimp played by Mickey Rourke, it’s everything you’d expect from one of those late night action flicks.
When you’ve exhausted sequels, go back and make a prequel, which is just what Insidious: Chapter 3 (Sony, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) does, as we go back to the time before the Lambert haunting to the tale of a young teen attempting to contact her dead mother and encountering more than she bargained for. Bonus materials include featurettes and deleted scenes.
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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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, Ken Plume has another chat with actor Hal Lublin, about rivers of ranch dressing, shrinkage, and cold-calling.
Oh, and be sure to check out & e-mail www.doinimprovwithmarkgagsgagliardi.com.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Hal Lublin 8“:
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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…)
Granted, we still have seen no sign of Drax, but the release of both Starlord and Gamora a few months back did nothing but build an incredible anticipation for the arrival of the characters all of us really wanted. I mean, those others are great and all, but anyone who fell in love with the film certainly fell in love with Rocket Raccoon & Groot ($359.99). And the Hot Toys 1/6-scale figures perfectly capture the galactic duo, right down to the whiskers on Rocket and the exquisite detailing of Groot’s bark. The sculpting is complemented by the by-now expected incredible paint-ops. These guys are simply wonderful. As far as accessories, you get a swappable angry face for Groot, Rocket’s really big gun, and not one, but two variations on little potted Groot. Awesome.
Now that we have cleared the Elmo storm that threatened to capsize the venerable institution known as Sesame Street, we’re able to refocus on the show’s true heart and icon, Big Bird, and the incredibly gifted performer who gave soul to both the bird and his emotional counterpoint, Oscar The Grouch, Caroll Spinney. The vehicle for this celebration is the brilliant documentary I Am Big Bird (Cinedigm, Not Rated, DVD-$19.97 SRP), and to say anything more beyond a hearty push for you to go see it, immediately, should not be needed. So go see it. Bonus materials include a far-too-small clutch of additional scenes.
To say that Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros., Rated R, 3D Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) is better than it has any right to be is not an exaggeration. That it is better by a long, long, longshot – I’d daresay it’s even great – is simply astonishing. These kinds of reboots aren’t supposed to work, but leave it to mastermind George Miller to craft the perfect gonzo revival of his original apocalyptic vision. Bonus materials include behind-the-scenes featurettes.
While the recent must-have sets culled episodes from the show’s later seasons, we thankfully cleared whatever red tape hampered the release of The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP) so we can finally view selections from the venerable show’s first 5 seasons. While I wish it was comprehensive, the 6-disc set contains 16 uncut episodes from across those 5 years, along with bonus material from Carol & the gang., including featurettes, interviews, and a blooper reel.
As slaves to all of our USB rechargeable devices, it would be supremely helpful to be able to figure out which ports and cables will juice those devices to full capacity in the fastest time possible. Well, now you can figure out the answers to all of those important questions and do something about it with the Power Practical Meter and Fast Charge Cable (Thinkgeek, $9.99). That’ll sort ya.
While the legendary Carl Barks will always be foremost among the many comics creators working with Disney’s ducks, not the least for his creation of Scrooge McDuck, the second position in my heart goes to Don Rosa. Taking his inspiration from Barks, Rosa was able to craft incredible epics for a new generation of fans, full of intricate details and mythology that embraced the legacy of Barks’ classics. The fine folks at Fantagraphics have been following up their wonderful Carl Barks Library releases with the third volume in their Don Rosa Library, Uncle Scrooge And Donald Duck: Treasure Under Glass (Fantagraphics, $29.99 SRP), which collects another batch of Rosa’s Duck Family work, along with additional essays and insights. And it is GREAT.
The folks controlling the mighty Carson archive have dipped back into the vaults for a series I sincerely hope has some legs, because I’m loving their The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson: Featured Guest Series (Carson Entertainment, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP each), which devote an entire disc just to episodes featuring a specific luminary. The first three volumes in the series spotlight Don Rickles, Robin Williams, and David Letterman. These releases include the full, uncut shows, along with commercials. They truly are wonderful. Now, can we please, please, PLEASE get a Jim Henson-centric volume? PLEASE?
Pixar has had two of them already, but this is the first time that the modern shorts from the House of Mouse get their own spotlight with the Walt Disney Short Films Collection (Walt Disney, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), which brings together a dozen shorts from the last 20 years, some for the first time on home video. Included in the collection are some real gems, especially Goofy’s How To Hook Up Your Home Theater. There’s also a bonus featurette on the process of making a short.
Listen, I never thought we’d see any seasons, let alone get to the point where we’d see the release of the second and final season of Don Rickles short-lived 70s sitcom CPO Sharkey (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP), where Rickles did his best take on a Navy veteran who was one part Bilko and one part Archie Bunker, forced to deal with new recruits. As if that weren’t Rickles enough, Time Life has gone and sweetened the pot with The Don Rickles TV Specials: Volume 1 (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$ SRP), featuring two uncut network specials from the 70s packed with guest stars. Here’s hoping Volume 2 comes quickly.
It’s rare to get a science fiction film that doesn’t fall apart under its own pretension (I’m looking at you, Tomorrowland), so it was a pleasant surprise to find Ex Machina (Lionsgate, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP), which manages to present a fresh spin on old AI tropes that give us a thriller centered around what makes something truly sentient. Bonus materials include featurettes and interviews.
It’s unfortunate that it’s not a Blu-Ray release, because it is a beautifully shot series, but The Last Man On Earth: The Complete First Season (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) is still worth picking up because its tale of the titular man, played by Will Forte, is a sublime bit of post-apocalyptic farce. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, deleted scenes, a Q&A panel, and a gag reel.
I’m still not a fan of the character design and animation, but the first season of Star Wars Rebels (Walt Disney, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$45.99 SRP) managed the nigh impossible – it made me interested in Star Wars again. No small task, considering how smothered my enthusiasm was by the prequels. Taking place in the gap between those prequels and A New Hope, it shows the rise of what would become the Rebellion. Bonus materials include a clutch of featurettes.
And if that’s not enough Star Wars to keep your adrenaline going, why not enjoy the delightfully daft take on the canon with LEGO Star Wars: The New Yoda Chronicles (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP), which features 4 complete stories starring Luke, ghost Obi-Wan, and everyone’s favorite green Jedi master. Bonus materials include featurettes and an alternate ending.
For years, Berkeley Breathed, creator of the legendary Bloom County and Outland, swore that there would never be a comprehensive release of the strips he produced during his college years. Despite pleading fans desperate to complete their collections with these proto-Breathed rarities, he was adamant it would never happen. Well, guess what? He changed his mind. So now, the fine folks at IDW, who have released the complete runs of Bloom County, Outland, and Opus, have now released Academia Waltz (IDW, $39.99 SRP), and it brings together all of those college strips, plus additional bonus material.
As we barrel towards the holiday season, are you looking for the perfect gift for the Harry Potter fan in your life? And a practical one, at that? How about the Harry Potter: Gryffindor Deluxe Stationary Set (Insight Editions, $34.95 SRP)? The box contains a 192-page blank journal featuring the Gryffindor house heraldry, a wax stamp (with two wax sticks), letter-writing paper, envelopes, and a paperweight. It’s a pretty sweet little set full of things you can actually use.
Warners opens their vault to bring a trio of catalogue releases to Blu-Ray for the first time, with the high definition debut of Free Willy (Warner Bros., Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), Blast From The Past (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP), and my personal favorite, Innerspace (Warner Bros., Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP). Blast From The Past includes the theatrical trailer, while Free Willy sports the Michael Jackson music video, an interview, trailers, and a montage. Finally, Innerspace contains an audio commentary and the theatrical trailer.
Cartoon Network is the current home for some absolutely wonderful creator-driven animation, and the perfect example of that is the beautifully executed miniseries Over The Garden Wall (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, DVD-$14.97 SRP) about a pair of brothers lost in a strange forest. And that’s all I’m going to tell you, so go watch it. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, and the original pilot.
After he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, music legend Glen Campbell decided to embark on a national goodbye tour across America. What was supposed to have only been 5 week tour turned into a year-and-half, and the poignantly triumphant documentary Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me (Virgil Films, Rated PG, DVD-$19.99 SRP) charts his journey through the tour and the mounting challenges his disease.
As they mine their IP catalogue, I was not terribly fond of Disney’s recent dour live action take on Maleficent. Maybe that’s why I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I wound up enjoying director Kenneth Branagh’s take on Cinderella (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$36.99 SRP), which actually manages to be pleasantly evocative of their animated original while comfortable making the transition to live action. Bonus materials include featurettes and the animated Frozen Fever short.
Keen for the kind of middling heist movie you might have seen on a lazy Saturday afternoon on HBO? And makes the unlikely pairing of Hayden Cristensen and Adrian Brody? Look no further than American Heist (Lionsgate, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP). It’s your classic “one last heist” tale, with the pair playing criminal brothers, one of whom has tried to turn his life around while the other was in jail. And now… Yeah… One last heist.
If there’s one thing we can thank the new Goosebumps movie for, it’s that it got Sony to release a trio of high-def special editions for their modern kiddie classics The Indian In The Cupboard, Zathura and Jumanji (Sony, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP each). All three contain new bonus materials, including featurettes and a sneak peek at Goosebumps.
It got off to a bit of a rough start, but there’s a very definite quirky charm to be found in Clarence: Dust Buddies (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, DVD-$14.97 SRP), the second collection of episodes from the Cartoon Network series. The disc contains 12 episodes, but sadly no bonus features.
Disney animator/director Eric Goldberg, best known for his work on Genie in Aladdin, was recently tasked with creating as series of black & white portraits in the style of the legendary Al Hirshfeld, featuring classic Disney characters from Mickey to Baymax and beyond. Those portraits have been collected in An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg Draws The Disney Characters (Disney Editions, $40 SRP).
Fans of DC superheroes in their animated incarnations have a one-two power punch of titles to pick from, with the wonderful romp that is LEGO DC Superheroes: Justice League – Attack Of The Legion Of Doom (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$ SRP), which is all the fun we’ve come to expect from a LEGO anything, and the kiddie-friendly Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP). While Monster Mayhem is packed with bonus shorts, the sole feature on Doom is a featurette on sound design –but it does come with a nifty Trickster minifig!
Ten years after it failed to find an audience during its initial run on HBO but managed to build a healthy cult following, Lisa Kudrow returned as B-list TV star Valerie Cherish in The Comeback (HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), the entire 21-episode run of which is now collected in one place, along with audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and a featurette.
The fourth season of Once Upon A Time (ABC Studios, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$45.99 SRP) is the one in which Disney woke up and realized it was high time they stuck their moneymaker into the franchise, heralding the arrival of the Frozen crew to the shenanigans in Stroybrooke. It was awkward. But then they also brought Maleficent, Ursula, and Cruella. So, there was that, too. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, bloopers, and deleted scenes.
We’re 5 seasons in to The Walking Dead (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$69.98 SRP) and Team Rick are no closer to doing anything right or finding any permanent happiness in their depressing march towards their eventual deaths. Yeah, that about sums it up. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, and deleted scenes.
On a scale of sane to crazy, the first season of Gotham (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$60.10 SRP) buries the needle. The drama is a modern spin on classic camp that owes more to the 60s Batman than to any other genre show currently on television, which is aided and abetted by a cast that surely understands they’re in a bizarro universe just this side of Schumacher. Which is to say watch this hot mess. It’s mesmerizing. Bonus materials include featurettes, unaired scenes, and a gag reel.
You want a solid B movie starring formerly “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as a fixer alongside war veteran turned assassin Michael Jai White? Well, that’s Chain Of Command (Lionsgate, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP), which manages to hit all of the schlock sweet spots, from ham-fisted dialogue to delightfully wooden performances, all wrapped up in a ludicrous plot.
Based on the Thomas Hardy novel, Far From The Madding Crowd (Fox, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) casts impossibly delightful Carey Mulligan as headstrong Victorian Bathsheba Everdene, an independent woman sorting through the advances of a trio of suitors. Bonus materials include featurettes, deleted scenes, an extended ending, and more.
Take an in-depth look at director Joe Wright’s cinematic trip to Neverland in The Art Of Pan (Insight Editions, $45 SRP), packed with interviews and art taking readers on a magical journey through the film’s production.
For the first time in almost 30 years, Jeff Lynne’s ELO performed live for a massive audience in London, captured in the concert film Jeff Lynne’s ELO: Live In Hyde Park (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP). As a bonus, the disc also include a documentary on the history of Jeff & ELO, plus a bonus interview.
The comedy was, by design, of the truly cornpone caliber, but the real joy of digging into the 3-disc Hee Haw Collection (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$12.95 SRP) is the time capsule of legendary musical acts. Performers featured in the set include Tennessee Ernie Ford, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette, and more, plus bonus interviews.
The best I can say about the comedic teaming of Reese Witherspoon and Sophia Vergara in Hot Pursuit (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) is that it’s at least watcahable, if uneven and ultimately disposable. Still, Witherspoon’s uptight police officer transporting federal witness Vergara is probably as close to seeing Officer Flick as we’ll get. Bonus materials include featurettes, a gag reel, and an alternate ending.
Aquatic evildoers beware, for The Adventures of Spongebob Squarepants (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP) collects the episodes featuring undersea heroes Mermaidman and Barnacleboy! Ha!
The story of newlywed senior citizens Alan (Sir Derek Jacobi) and Celia (Anne Reid) continues in Last Tango In Halifax: Season 3 (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP), as the pair of childhood sweethearts building a better-late-than-never life together faces complications from revelations about Alan’s past, as well as drama from their adult daughters.
While the rest of the show would manage to make even Aaron Spelling slightly embarrassed, the first season of The Royals (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) was quite canny in casting Elizabeth Hurley as the Queen of its bickering, backstabbing dynasty. It’s trashy in all the right ways.
The premise of The Returned (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP), based on a French series, is an intriguing one, as the dead of a small town mysteriously return, sometimes years after their passing, as if nothing had happened. It’s just a shame that this adaptation took so long to find its footing and finally do something with that premise, because by the time it did, it had already lost most viewers. Still, despite its cancellation, it’s worth giving this first and only season a spin, if only to see glimmers of what might have been.
Kids in need of a lesson can learn one with their Nickelodeon friends with Let’s Learn Kindness (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), featuring episodes from Wallykazam, Bubble Guppies, Dora The Explorer, Team Umizoomi, Blue’s Clues, and Ni Hao Kai-Lan. Then they can hang with Dora classic for a batch of big tales in Dora The Explorer: Dora’s Double-Length Adventures (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP) and the older skewing Dora And Friends: Doggie Day (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP).
We’re nearing the end of the summer, so you know what that means – It’s time to binge-watch all of the DVD releases of your favorite TV shows in order to prime for their return in the coming weeks. With that in mind, dig into The Good Wife: The Sixth Season (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$55.98 SRP), Criminal Minds: The Tenth Season (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$55.98 SRP), and Elementary: The Third Season (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$55.98 SRP). All three releases contain commentaries, featurettes, gag reels, and more.
Nickelodeon has a pair of new compilation releases to keep the kiddies occupied, and with titles like Celebrate Fall (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP) and Puppy Palooza (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), you can guess what the episodes in each are centered around. Shows in the sets include PAW Patrol, Bubble Guppies, Fresh Beat Band, Wallykazam, Blaze And The Monster Machines, Dora The Explorer, Blue’s Clues, Team Umizoomi, and Mutt & Stuff.
Holidays mean we’re increasingly bombarded by themed collections of nearly every known intellectual property, which means that we even get Power Rangers: Trickster Treat (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which bundles together a handful of ostensibly Halloween themed episodes culled from the various Power Rangers iterations.
Dig in to two nifty series from the Beeb with the release of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: Season 1 (BBC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$ SRP) and Orphan Black: Season Three (BBC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP). Both sport an array of bonus features, including commentaries and featurettes, but sadly there’s no crossover special. Yet.
Fans of the ever-growing NCIS franchise can binge to their heart’s content on the previous seasons of all three of the currently running shows with NCIS: The Twelfth Season (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$34.99 SRP), NCIS: Los Angeles (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$34.99 SRP), and NCIS: New Orleans (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$ SRP). Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.
Because I have absolutely nothing to hide and have no shame about it, I’ll admit that I had Care Bears as a kid. Both figures and stuffed animals. I also had Get-Along Gang figures. And a Shirt Tales doll. Which is all to say, don’t judge me. And I won’t judge you if you want to pick up Care Bears: Mystery In Care-A-Lot (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), a Halloween-themed tale of bears. Caring. About things. NO JUDGEMENT.
There is an audience for Entourage: The Movie (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP). I suppose. It’s probably the same audience who watched Entourage: The TV Show on HBO. And, presumably, enjoyed it. So, for them, there’s this big screen continuation of the tinsletown misadventures of Vincent Chase and his merry men. Plus that guy that Jeremy Piven plays. The jerk. Of course, I speak of Piven. I hear his character’s awful, too. Bonus materials include a clutch of featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.
So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…
-Ken Plume
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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have a chat with author and performer Stephen Toulouse about comas, nostalgia, Star Trek, and montages.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Stephen Toulouse“:
[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-stephen_toulouse.mp3]
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes
Drop Ken a line HERE.
##
You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.
Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.
Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.
VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE
KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #225: Cart Before The Hoarse – Ken & Dana return with a bit of dumpster diving.
[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #225 (MP3 format)[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/snydecast/ken_p_d_snyde_cast-225.mp3]
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Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunesGot something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.
##
Heya folks! Ken Plume here.
As has become an annual tradition, I will find myself well busy at this year’s annual DragonCon convention in Atlanta, GA, which runs this very weekend (September 4th – September 7th).
In hopes you’ll stop by one of the many panels I and FRED will be doing, please find my official schedule below…
Be sure to ask me for a free FRED badge! Or a coveted KEN PLUME CLUB badge! Oh, and a FRED trading card… Try to collect them all!
Improvisation in Film, TV, & Animation
Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: Centennial I – Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: Improv skills play many roles in entertainment. Learn more in this panel and Q&A with working improv actors.Title: Quiet Time with Doc Hammer
Time: Fri 01:00 pm Location: A601 – A602 – Marriott (Length: 1)
Description: An hour with The Venture Bros.’ own Doc Hammer.Title: I Am James Urbaniak – “LOVE ME!
Time: Fri 02:30 pm Location: Grand Ballroom East – Hilton (Length: 1)
Description: Urbaniak on his life & career as a “modestly successful character actor” & beloved internet presence.Title: From Croach to Carlsberg
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: International North – Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: Gagliardi & Lublin of Thrilling Adventure Hour & Welcome to Night Vale leave no audience question unanswered!Title: Gonzo Quiz Show & Doin’ Improv
Time: Fri 05:30 pm Location: Imperial Ballroom – Marriott (Length: 2.5)
Description: Celebrity guests in a gonzo game face flurries of fast, furious improvised comedy.Title: Terry Jones Signing Session
Time: Sat 01:00 pm Location: Piedmont. – Sheraton (Length: 2.5)
Description: Mr. Jones will be signing for 2 hours in lieu of a Walk of Fame appearance. [Signing fee will apply.]Title: Gonzoroo III: A Musical Quizodyssey
Time: Sat 08:00 pm Location: Atrium Ballroom – Marriott (Length: 2.5)
Description: Music, geekery, comedic delights, & surprises galore! A big ol’ concert followed by a big ol’ quiz show!Title: 57 Minutes with Terry Jones
Time: Sun 11:30 am Location: Grand Ballroom A-F – Sheraton (Length: 1)
Description: Terry Jones amuses, entertains, & answers questions on Monty Python!Title: Reel Crime
Time: Sun 01:00 pm Location: Grand Ballroom West – Hilton (Length: 1)
Description: MST3K’s Bill Corbett, Trace Beaulieu, & Frank Conniff defend cinematic guilty pleasures.Title: Terry Jones Signing Session
Time: Sun 02:30 pm Location: Piedmont. – Sheraton (Length: 2.5)
Description: Mr. Jones will be signing for 2 hours in lieu of a Walk of Fame appearance. [Signing fee will apply.]Title: An Hour with Scott Adsit
Time: Sun 02:30 pm Location: A601 – A602 – Marriott (Length: 1)
Description: Join the voice of Big Hero 6’s Baymax and star of 30 Rock for an hour with YOU.Title: Venture Bros.
Time: Sun 04:00 pm Location: Atrium Ballroom – Marriott (Length: 1)
Description: An hour with Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer, James Urbaniak and others.Title: Gonzo Quiz Show IX: That Darn Cat
Time: Sun 08:30 pm Location: Regency VI – VII – Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: Teams of celebrity guests are led through a series of panel-show games that are truly gonzo.Title: FRED Presents: Doin’ Improv
Time: Sun 10:00 pm Location: Regency VI – VII – Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: Celebrity guests turn stories into improvised madness, all starting w/suggestions from YOU.Title: Terry Jones: A Very Naughty Boy Live!
Time: Mon 10:00 am Location: Grand Ballroom A-F – Sheraton (Length: 1)
Description: Monty Python’s Terry Jones will talk about the making of Life of Brian!Title: Terry Jones Signing Session
Time: Mon 01:00 pm Location: Piedmont. – Sheraton (Length: 2.5)
Description: Mr. Jones will be signing for 2 hours in lieu of a Walk of Fame appearance. [Signing fee will apply.]Title: You Know More Than We Do
Time: Mon 01:00 pm Location: Centennial I – Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: An hour with the folks behind Mystery Science Theater 3000.Any questions about any of this? Ask me on Twitter @KenPlume
Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.
Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.
Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.
VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE
KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #224: Shanghai Surprise – Ken & Dana return with a piano strapped to their handlebar.
[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #224 (MP3 format)[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/snydecast/ken_p_d_snyde_cast-224.mp3]
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunesGot something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.
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In this episode, Ken Plume has another chat with actor Hal Lublin, about Mr. T, Disneyland, terror, and making magic happen.
Oh, and be sure to check out & e-mail www.doinimprovwithmarkgagsgagliardi.com.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Hal Lublin 7“:
[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-hal_lublin_7.mp3]
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes
Drop Ken a line HERE.
##
You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
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…)
Because every major character that ever graced a frame of a Marvel film will eventually make its way into eerily lifelike form from the soul-capturing wizards of Hot Toys, they’ve turned their spotlight on the War Machine (Sideshow Collectibles, $339.99) version of Tony Stark’s bestie James Rhodes, as seen in Avengers: Age Of Ultron. This incredible figure is also part of Hot Toys’ line of diecast figures, which incorporates metal parts into the figure, making an already impressive figural representation that much more wowza. And how great is it that we get an alternate head sculpt with a Don Cheadle portrait?
Slowly but surely, the high definition releases of Adventure Time (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.97 SRP) are catching up with the currently airing episodes, as the complete fifth season arrives looking and sounding pretty snazzy. In addition to all 52 episodes, bonus materials include animatics, a featurette, and a special snail hunt.
Walt Disney Records tip-top Legacy Collection continues to roll along with the release of Randy Newman’s score and songs from Toy Story (Disney Records, $14.99 SRP). The real treat, however, is the bonus disc containing Newman’s original song demos, including a couple of tunes that doesn’t make it into the film.
It’s a long, long dry spell until the next season starts, so fill that time with a roll down memory lane with the 2-disc Doctor Who: The Daleks set (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP), which collects the Dalek-centric episodes from across Nu-Who, as well as the Tom Baker 4th Doctor story “Genesis Of The Daleks” and a brand new documentary on the extermination-happy mutants.
In what I can only hope is a precedent they expand upon, the purveyors of preservation at Criterion have released a high definition special edition of producer Franics Ford Coppola’s underrated children’s classic The Black Stallion (Criterion, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP). Bonus materials include 5 short films, interviews, a trailer, and more.
Season 7 of Robot Chicken (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP) hits with a 2-disc set positively jam-packed with bonus features, including audio commentaries, featurettes, cut sketches, and a bonus Christmas episode (with bonus commentary). Bonus!
Bruce Timm returns to the animated DC universe with a far darker alternate universe take on the familiar triumvirate of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in Justice League: Gods And Monsters (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP), as the trio serves a harsh kind of justice to keep their world in check until a government task force investigating a mystery arrives at their door. Bonus materials include featurettes, bonus cartoons, and more.
After being run out of the city by an invasion of the Krang, our half-shell heroes take back the town in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Return To NYC! (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). The depressingly standard definition single-disc release contains 6 episodes, plus 7 “Mutation Of A Scene” shorts.
It’s Office Space in hell, but the chief reason to recommend the first season of Adult Swim’s Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP) is that it has the good sense to cast Dana Snyder in a supporting role. Good taste like that should be rewarded. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, deleted scenes, screen tests, promos, the original short, and featurettes.
Adam Goldberg is the titular musician in the midst of a mid-life crisis in No Way Jose (Sony, Rated R, DVD-$26.99 SRP), relegated to playing birthday parties and kicked to the curb by his fiancée, as he follows to the indie movie path to righting his life. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and outtakes.
Who doesn’t love a brilliant and incredibly beautiful BBC nature documentary? Both of those adjectives certainly apply to both Planet Ant (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), which delves into the tiny world of the titular insect, and Shark (BBC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.98 SRP), a look at the iconic apex predatory of the deep.
I thought the film was certainly an improvement over the original trilogy of awful X-Men films, which is not much of an accomplishment, so I was more curious than excited to see what director Bryan Singer had in mind for his X-Men: Days Of Future Past – The Rogue Cut (Fox, Not Rated, Bluy-Ray-$29.99 SRP), which offers up an extended edit of the film, as well as over 90 minutes of new bonus features.
I can’t quite figure out who the more cartoonish characters are in Scooby-Doo And Kiss: Rock And Roll Mystery (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP), in which Mystery Inc. teams up with Schlock Incorporated to solve a mystery in the Kiss World Theme park. Bonus materials include bloopers and cartoons.
Nicholas Sparks works his soft focus, mealy-hearted magic again with The Longest Ride (Fox, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), in which a former champion bull rider attempting a comeback (Scott Eastwood) crosses paths with a college student and are inspired to be insipid together.
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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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have a chat with writer Ben Blacker about Thrilling Adventure, sweatpants, horror, and sticking the landing.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Ben Blacker“:
[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-ben_blacker.mp3]
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes
Drop Ken a line HERE.
##
You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
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…)
While the conversation about the 1/6th-scale figure market usually focuses on the work being done by the ridiculously skilled artisans at Hot Toys and Sideshow, quite rightly, there are a few companies that have come on the scene in the last few months that deserve collector attention. Of course, it helps that the folks at StarAce are being distributed by the folks at Sideshow, because it means easy accessibility to their remarkably awesome line of Harry Potter figures, starting right at the ground floor with the Philosopher’s Stone versions of Harry Potter (StarAce/Sideshow, $185) & Ron Weasley (StarAce/Sideshow, $185). As you can see, this is the youngest versions of Dan Radcliffe and Rupert Grint iconic roles, with head sculpts perfectly capturing the youthful exuberance of that first film. Both figures sport a nice clutch of accessories. Harry’s got his wand, broom, the Philosopher’s Stone, the Sorting Hat, and Hedwig, while Ron gets his wand, broom, homemade sweater, Scabbers, and the Wizard Chess board and pieces. These are a great start to what is shaping up to be a lovely line.
And speaking of companies making their mark, ThreeZero has done a stunning job capturing Peter Dinklage’s likeness for their 1/6th scale Tyrion Lannister (Thinkgeek, $129.99), as seen during his brief tenure as Hand of the King in Game Of Thrones‘ 2nd season. I mean, honestly – This figure is just plain awesome.
Patience has been rewarded for fans of Hayao Miyazaki, as his brilliant animated classic Spirited Away (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$36.99 SRP) finally makes its high definition debut, looking spectacular and featuring a bevy of bonus features, including featurettes, storyboards, trailers, TV spots, and an intro from John Lasseter.
A cult cult classic, Wet Hot American Summer (Universal, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP) finally gets a bit of the respect it deserves with its high definition debut via an extras-packed special edition, just in time for the forthcoming Netflix prequel series. Bonus features include a live reading, highlights from the 10th anniversary event, audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, and more.
Leave it to Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman to do for the spy genre what they did for superheroes in X-Men: First Class by injecting a bit of vim and vigor into their adaptation of Kingsman: The Secret Service (Fox, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), which reinvents Colin Firth as a kick-ass action hero. Bonus materials include behind-the-scenes featurettes and image galleries.
There’s a special kind of joy to be found when cracking open and becoming invested in a book a part of you knew always should have existed but finally does. We Don’t Need Roads: The Making Of The Back To The Future Trilogy (Plume, $17 SRP) is such a “FINALLY” book, as author Caseen Gaines interviews cast, crew, and filmmakers alike in a lovingly researched attempt at a definitive history, in which it most definitely succeeds.
Celebrate America’s birthday with the most comprehensive restoration and stunning presentation of a musical classic with the high definition debut of 1776 (Sony, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP). Re-instating nearly all of the once-excised material, and then some, the disc presents both a director’s cut of the film, as well as an extended cut. Bonus materials include an all-new audio commentary, deleted/alternate scenes with commentary, and screen tests.
Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy return with a brand new batch of short form hilarity with Rifftrax Shorts: Shorts Assemble! (Rifftrax, Not Rated, DVD-$9.95), featuring 10 new slices of fun with scary clowns, accidents, animals, nutrition, discipline, and more.
He still lives in a pineapple under the sea, but The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water (Paramount, Rated PG, 3D Blu-Ray-$52.99 SRP) finds our beloved Squarepants fighting a thieving pirate (Antonio Banderas) on dry land and in the 3rd dimension. It also features voice work from Matt Berry and Alan Carr, so deserves brownie points for excellent taste. Bonus materials include featurettes, storyboards, deleted scenes, sing-alongs, and more.
Every month brings a new clutch of iconic films given the high definition treatment by movie mavens at Criterion, with June’s must-have titles being Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King (Criterion, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP) and Bob Rafelson’s Five Easy Pieces (Criterion, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP), featuring one of those legend-making Jack Nicholson roles (and a memorable diner scene). Bonus materials include audio commentaries, interviews, featurettes, and much more.
Over the past year, Paramount has been providing a boon to coompletionist fans of beloved TV shows by releasing complete series megasets from their rather deep catalogue of classics. The latest programs to get the uber-massive treatment are The Odd Couple (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP) and Laverne & Shirley (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$79.99 SRP). Sadly, neither set brings any new bonus materials to the table, but they do carry over the pre-existing special features from the original individual season sets, including audio commentaries, intros, gag reels, and more.
Another month brings another sterling entry in Disney’s remastered and expanded Legacy Collection of soundtrack re-releases, with the latest being the film that out a creatively and financially shaky post-war Disney studio back in the black, 1950’s Cinderella (Walt Disney Records, $14.99 SRP). In addition to the original score, there’s also a second disc filled with demos and “Lost Chords” re-creations of deleted material, plus extensive liner notes.
I do enough traveling that I’m always drowning in cords and desperate to find the perfect combination of cords to streamline my terribly complicated existence. Thankfully, Thinkgeek has a pair of nifty items that have now made their way into my travel bag. First is the Trio Cable (Thinkgeek, $29.99), an all-in-one solution that features a trio of adapters – lightning, 30-pin, and micro USB – all connected to a single USB cord. And what if you have an iDevice and need some more distance? How about the 12-foot lightning connector Colossus Cord (Thinkgeek, $14.99).
Existing in the period between the departure of William Hanna & Joe Barbera and the short run from the legendary Chuck Jones, Tom and Jerry: The Gene Deitch Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$26.99 SRP) all 13 short subjects from this awkward, oft-maligned era. A bonus featurette with Deitch goes a long way to explain how ridiculously low budgets and other circumstances influenced his run.
Chris Vance returns as the titular high-octane deliveryman in the second season of The Transporter (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), which finds Vance’s Frank Martin with plenty of trust issues as he attempts to deliver his high stakes cargo. Bonus materials include interviews, featurettes, and more.
Liam Neeson further cements his reputation as a man not to be trifled with in Run All Night (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP), in which he stars as a fading mod hitman who finds his steps dogged by a relentless detective (Vincent D’Onofrio). Bonus materials include featurettes and deleted scenes.
Inspector Edmund Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) continues his struggle to tackle the seedy underworld of Edwardian Whitechapel in the 3rd season of Ripper Street (BBC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP), which launches in style with Reid and his team tacking a train heist.
Listen, I wouldn’t have pined for them, but both Tarsem Singh’s The Cell (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP) and Denzel Washington/Russell Crowe match-up Virtuosity (Warner Bros. Rated R, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP) are guilty pleasure catalogue titles that I” perfectly happy have made their high definition debut.Virtuosity is featureless, while The Cell contains commentaries, deleted scenes, a documentary, featurettes, and trailers.
The folks at Mill Creek open up the Columbia vaults for another batch of reasonably-priced catalogue releases, with James Mason & Helen Mirren in Age Of Consent (Mill Creek, Rated R, DVD-$9.98 SRP), Paul Muni in A Song To Remember (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), the 2-disc Bulletproof: Tough Guys Of Action collection (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP) – which sports Last Action Hero, Universal Soldier: The Return, The Russian Specialist, Into The Sun, The Stone Killer, Silent Rage, Shamus, & The Anderson Tapes – Dick Clark in Because They’re Young (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), Samuel L. Jackson & Milla Jovovich in No Good Deed (Mill Creek, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$26.99 SRP), and Nicolas Cage & Tommy Lee Jones in Fire Birds (Mill Creek, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP).
Get your reality fix this weekend with a pair of powerful documentaries, the first of which is director Robert Kenner’s Merchants Of Doubt (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$38.99 SRP), which lifts the curtain of spin and reveals the pundits-for-hire that shape modern American discourse. The other Doc is Wim Wenders & Juliano Ribeiro Salgado’s The Salt Of The Earth (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$38.99 SRP), which follows photographer Sebastiao Salgado’s journey around the world working on a massive photographic project.
I was wholly unaware that Joan Rivers hosted her own syndicated daytime talk show in the late 60s out of New York City, so it was with keen interest that I dove into That Show with Joan Rivers (Film Chest, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), a 4-disc set that collects 29 episodes from the show’s 1st season. Guests in the set include Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan, Vivian Vance, James Earl Jones, Lily Tomlin, and more.
Promoting the then-recent It’s Hard album, The Who: Live At Shea Stadium 1982 (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP) would be their last with drummer Kenney Jones and also their last major tour until 1989. It’s always nice to see a slice of music history from a band still very much a vital entity.
Finally getting a proper official release from the band’s archive, The Rolling Stones: The Marquee Club Live In 1971 (Eagle Vision, $29.98 SRP) is a 2-disc collection featuring a Blu-Ray video and audio presentation of their set, recorded at the legendary London club.
It’s a slight, toss-off little comedy, but Get Hard (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) works as well as it does because of the onscreen comedic commitment of stars Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell, the former playing a prison-wise mentor schooling convicted millionaire hedge fund manager Ferrell on how to survive an upcoming stint in San Quentin. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, featurettes, a gag reel, and more.
No one will ever mistake it for Citizen Kane, but there’s a certain affable charm to David Spade’s performance as the titular schlub searching for his parents in Joe Dirt (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP), which makes its high definition debut.
Even though outside success means that the days of Adam, Blake, and Ders are probably numbered, enjoy the merry misadventures of Workaholics (Comedy Central, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$21.99 SRP) in its fifth season. Two words: family funeral. Bonus materials include deleted/alternate scenes, outtakes, and more.
Mash together the world’s most famous cat & mouse combo with the globe-trotting adventurer Jonny Quest and you get the direct-to-video original feature Tom And Jerry: Spy Quest (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). I know, right? Who saw that coming? Bonus features include a clutch of shorts.
Keep the kiddies occupied over the long summer holidays with Nickelodeon’s 3-disc Bunch Of Play Dates (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP), which contains themed episodes from their clutch of toddler-centric favorites under the headers Dance To The Music, Rootin’ Tootin’ Wild West, and Once Upon A Rhyme.
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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In conjunction with Warner Bros., we’re giving away a copy of TOM & JERRY: THE GENE DEITCH COLLECTION on DVD.
Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, June 17th 2015.
No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.
No Purchase necessary to win.
Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
One entry per day, per person.
All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, June 17th 2015.
The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.
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…)
It’s long-established that HBO’s The Wire (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$199.98 SRP) is a brilliant piece of television that if you’ve yet to watch it, you must rectify such a grievous oversight immediately. And now you can do so in full high definition, remastered from the original 35mm elements. There has been some controversy and debate because, in addition to a stunning remastering, the series has also been adjusted from its original 1.33 presentation into 1.85 widescreen, in what series creator David Simon has dubbed an “alternate version”. So, does it work? It does. The show looks like it could be airing now. As far as bonus features are concerned, you get 22 audio commentaries, a trio of prequels, four behind-the-scenes documentaries – all from the original DVD releases – plus a brand new Paley Center reunion.
I was delighted to find out that the wondrous wonderkins at Sideshow were going to begin distributing the line of 1/6th-scale Harry Potter figures from StarAce, as it was one of those partnerships that seemed to make a ridiculous amount of sense. So, who is the first figure from this relationship to make its way to American shores? None other than the dark wizard himself, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named-But-I’ll-Name-Him-Anyway, Lord Voldemort ($190). As you can quite clearly see, the figure sculpt and paint ops are absolutely stunning, perfectly capturing Ralph Fiennes’ likeness as it was portrayed in the series. And the sculpt is complemented nicely by the costuming, with the added element of being able to affix additional poseable cloth pieces to simulate Voldemort’s occasional wraith-robe effect. Your accessories include both Voldemort’s bone wand and the elder wand (with optional energy beam attachments), flame for his hand, and a swappable head. It would have been great if they’d been able to include Nagini, but hey – he’s still great, regardless.
Another month brings another sterling entry in Disney’s remastered and expanded Legacy Collection of soundtrack re-releases, with the latest being the 1955 animated classic Lady And The Tramp (Walt Disney Records, $20.99 SRP). In addition to the original score, there’s also a second disc filled with demos and “Lost Chords” re-creations of deleted material, plus extensive liner notes.
J.B. Kaufman’s epic Pinocchio: The Making Of The Disney Epic (The Walt Disney Family Foundation Press, $50 SRP) is an incredibly comprehensive tome that harkens back to the glorious making-of books of yore, full of rarities and providing a comprehensive insight into the films conception, development, production, and legacy.
As a child of the 80s, and a comic book fan, I was well and truly steeped in the Venn alignment of Larry Hama’s now-legendary run on Marvel’s GI Joe comic. That’s probably why I find IDW’s first class treatment of that run via their still-ongoing GI Joe: The Complete Collection (IDW, $49.99 SRP), which feature completely remastered archival presentations of those issues packaged in snazzy hardcover form, to be such a kick. The seventh volume has just hit, bringing us up to issue number #67, plus the 4th Yearbook and Special Missions #6-8.
If you’re keen on seeing Will Smith be all suave as a master con artist who gets involved with a young novice who then reenters his life years later as a master manipulator, upsetting both his game and his heart, then Focus (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) is the weekend viewing for you. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, an alternate opening, and featurettes.
While they’ve offered his iconic question mark sweater and scarf in the past, now you can finally complete his ensemble with the Seventh Doctor’s Umbrella ($34.99), featuring its instantly-recognizable question mark handle. Brilliant.
Tweak your pop culture sweet spot with another bit of throwback wonderment, as Diamond Select Toys releases the second in their series of deluxe “Legendary Marvel Super-Heroes” figures, Captain America (Diamond Select Toys, $80). Not only do you get a retro-tastic re-creation of the original Mego Captain America figure in its original costume, but you also get an modern-style costume and head, a Steve Rogers head & costume, and both versions of Cap’s shield.
The fine folks at Olive have delivered another batch of deep catalogue high definition debuts with the release of Terry Jones’s Erik The Viking (Olive, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Graham Chapman’s Yellowbeard (Olive, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), and the goofy 80s cliché Ski School (Olive, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP).
While Welcome To Me (Alchemy, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP) is a charming comedy, the real reason to plunk down to watch it is to sit and marvel at the unaffected charm of Kristen Wiig’s performance as an off-kilter woman who wins the lottery and decides to use the money to start her own talk show, much to the dismay of everyone else in her life. Bonus materials include a featurette, but sadly not another 90 minutes with Wiig.
Fantagraphics lovingly presented 7th volume of Floyd Gottfredson’s run on the Mickey Mouse newspaper strip, March Of The Zombies (Fantagraphics, $34.99 SRP). This volume brings the mouse’s adventures up to the second World War, with the focus being on Uncle Sam’s desire for Mickey’s “Lectro Box” laser weapon. Alongside their Peanuts collections, these books reinforce the assessment that no one is doing archival comic collections as well as Fantagraphics.
The modern Turtles recently made their triumphant comeback to the Big Apple, but you can flashback to their 3-part battle with the Shredder in the 2003 series with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: NYC Showdown (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP).
While many today know him for his design work, that the legendary Alex Toth produced a barely-seen comic book about a dashing pilot that could exist in the same universe as The Rocketeer will come as a giddy surprise. And it should, because Bravo For Adventure (IDW, $34.99 SRP) is beautiful fun full of derring-do and flair to burn. It’s a shame he was never able to do any more, but the folks at IDW have presented this one in proper deluxe form.
Hoping to cut the legs out from under all of those awful-looking public domain releases floating out there, CBS has released another complete season of beautifully remastered Cartwright adventures on the Ponderosa with Bonanza: The Official Eighth Season (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$69.98 SRP). Bonus features include audio commentaries, Chevrolet commercials, a vintage interview and featurette, a lost short film, and more.
Catch up with a pair of post-apocalyptic TNT originals with the complete fourth season of Falling Skies (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP) and the debut season of The Last Ship (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP). Bonus features include commentaries, featurettes, and the 2014 San Diego Comic Con panels for both shows.
We’re entering the home stretch of the long-running British staple with the release of Last Of The Summer Wine: Vintage 2004 (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP), as the aging cast still manages to evoke a warm chuckle at their outsize antics in the show’s 25th season.
This week’s soundtrack round-up kicks off with Murray Gold’s score to Doctor Who: Season 8 (Silva Screen Records, $29.98 SRP), the inaugural run for Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor. Then you can take a trip to tomorrow, today with Michael Giacchino’s score to Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland (Walt Disney Records, $13.58 SRP). And finally, check out my buddy Joe Kramer’s score to Dawn Patrol (Lakeshore, $9.49 SRP).
While I have a cultural awareness, I do not have an emotional attachment to the late 90s/early-aughts era of wrestling dubbed by the WWE The Attitude Era (DK, $25 SRP). But my friend Hal? HUGE attachment. Ridiculously so. So this book – full of photos, factoids, and behind-the-scenes insights and reflections from those involved – is for superfans like Hal.
If your kids have been pleading for the return of Dreamworks Animation’s racing snail, their calls have been answered with the small screen return collected in Turbo Fast: Season One (Dreamworks, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). The 3-disc set collects all 26 rip-roaring adventures.
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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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…)
The magic wonder-wand has touched Glen Larson’s original, non-grimdark tale of galactic refugees on the run from the Cylon empire, giving fans Battlestar Galactica: The Definitive Collection (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$149.98 SRP). Not only has every episode been remastered, but fans also get the option of watching it in either the original 1.33 or newly created 1.85 widescreen ratios. Both options look great, and the set lives up to its “Definitive” claim, as it also includes Galactica 1980 and Battlestar Galactica: The Movie. Bonus materials include a commentary o the pilot, deleted scenes, featurettes, and more.
Pulled from the sequence in Iron Man 2 where he has to save himself from being poisoned by his original design, the Tony Stark with Arc Reactor Creation Accessories (Sideshow, $199.99) gets bonus points for not being another of the 50 bazillion Iron Man suits featured in the films, and also for being a pretty good likeness of Robert Downey Jr. As for accessories – you know, outside of Tony’s ever-ready sunglasses – the biggies are the arc reactor, arc reactor core holder, and the pretty keen prototype for Captain America’s shield.
He may have been one of the stiffest, most awkward hosts ever to have risen to television prominence, but it was on the strength of his legendary (and soon-to-be-legendary) guests that he became an icon, and those incredible guests are why The Best Of The Ed Sullivan Show (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP) is a marvelous time warp. The 6-dvd set contains dozens of appearances from across the show’s 23-year run, including Elvis, The Beatles, Bobby Darin, Carol Burnett, The Smothers Brothers, and many more. Bonus materials include exclusive interviews with guests and the only surviving on-camera interview with Ed and Sylvia Sullivan.
For those that missed the boat on the stellar prop replica put out by Master Replicas ages ago but wanted something more robust than the plastic alternatives currently available, Thinkgeek’s Star Trek Phaser Remote Replica (Thinkgeek, $149.99) is exactly what you desire. As a screen-accurate reproduction of both the Type I and Type II phaser as featured in Star Trek: TOS, it’s pretty darn spot-on. That it also functions as a universal remote control is just downright super science. And glorious. Yes. Glorious super science.
Amazing we got to his centennial before getting a near-definitive documentary on a legend, but better now than never comes Magician: The Astonishing Life & Work of Orson Welles (Cohen, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP), a wonderful snapshot of the man and his remarkable work.
In the fallow period between the end of the Smothers Brothers’ show and the paunch of Saturday Night Live, the only destination on your dial to catch the hippest music and comedy acts was NBC’s Friday night staple, The Midnight Special (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP). Now, you can relive a healthy clutch of episodes via this 3-disc set, featuring a line-up of acts including Van Morrison, Santana, Heart, Jim Croce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, and more.
The 75th anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock’s final UK film, Jamaica Inn (Cohen, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP) features a brilliant new 4k restoration and a brilliant performance from Charles Laughton. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, a video essay, and the 2014 re-release trailer.
I loved to draw when I was a kid, and I would often find myself doodling beloved cartoon and comic characters. It should come as no surprise, then, that I own many dog-eared and much-loved “How To Draw” books released over the years by the folks at Walter Foster. For years, they’ve had Learn To Draw Mickey Mouse And His Friends (Walter Foster, $9.95 SRP), which featured step-by-step instructions on how to draw the modern versions of Disney’s core characters – Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Minnie, and Daisy. Ah, but now they’ve plussed it with a brand new hardcover collector’s edition, Learn To Draw Mickey Mouse & Friends Through The Decades (Walter Foster, $19.95 SRP), which shows you how to draw those selfsame characters at various points in their graphic evolution, from the earliest black & white designs from 20s all the way to the modern era, as well as including other rare artwork. Both titles are great.
As someone who has observed firsthand the kind of downward mental spiral the befalls Julianne Moore’s character after she’s diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s as the titular character in Still Alice (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP), it’s remarkable how much subtlety and nuance Moore brings to her portrayal of a linguistics professor, mother, and wife who slowly feels herself slipping away. Bonus materials include featurettes and a trio of deleted scenes.
Take a collection of musicians including Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett, Marcus Mumford, and more, add in a batch of recently discovered Bob Dylan lyrics, and as those artists to set them to music – that’s exactly the remarkable process Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP) documents.
While it’s not necessary to read Before Tomorrowland (Disney Press, $12.15 SRP) before you see Tomorrowland, doing so certainly helps to make sense of the backstory behind the creation of the distant interstellar colony featured in the film, and the secret society of geniuses that created it.
The wonderful work that Criterion has been doing with their restoration and high definition release of the Charlie Chaplin library continues with the release of one of Chaplin’s later works, Limelight (Criterion, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP), where he stars as a fading vaudevillian (and also is the only film featuring both Chaplin and Buster Keaton). Bonus materials include interviews, a video essay, a documentary, an archival recording of Chaplin, two short films, an outtake, and a pair of trailers.
Diamond Select and Art Asylum continue their stellar work releasing Star Trek‘s various iconic ships of the line with their beautiful scale replica of the U.S.S. Excelsior (Diamond Select, $60 SRP). First glimpsed as a state-of-the-art rival to the Enterprise in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, the ship as it’s represented in this model eventually came under the command of Captain Sulu in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and as such, the usual complement of sound effects here features 10 phrases spoken by George Takei’s Sulu, and a trio of ship SFX. There’s also a nifty light feature on the nacelles. The ships are really great, and a perfect addition to any shelf, desk, or table.
The story behind Star Trek‘s adaptation of Harlan Ellison’s script for the now-legendary episode The City On The Edge Of Forever, and Ellison” intense dissatisfaction with the changes the staff made to his vision, is well-known within the fan community. Thanks to IDW, those fans can now experience his version with the graphic novel adaptation of Harlan Ellison’s The City On The Edge Of Forever: The Original Teleplay (IDW, $24.99 SRP). While many of the elements are similar in a funhouse mirror kind of way, it’s a fascinating exercise and a unique tale well told, and given a brand new life.
It’s a shame that American Sniper (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) is as off-puttingly strident as it is, because it is a strong piece of filmmaking from director Clint Eastwood, anchored by Bradley Cooper’s performance as the titular solider who has trouble re-assimilating to civilian life after two tours in Iraq. Bonus materials include a pair of making-of featurettes.
Only the BBC could produce a show like Call The Midwife (BBC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$44.98 SRP), about a midwife from a privileged background who joins an order of nursing nuns in poverty-stricken East London in the 1950s. Nearing the 1960s in the show’s fourth season, social change approaches as new nurses arrive on the scene.
You can never have too many books exploring that legendary galaxy far, far away, so just try to refrain from devouring Ultimate Star Wars (DK, $40 SRP), a massive tome exploring the characters, creatures, locations, technology, and vehicles with photos, art, and information. Nerds! You know you want it!
Listen, I shouldn’t have to sell you on watching a film called Icetastrophe (Alchemy, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP), about a small town and a meteorite that threatens humanity. And it’s a low-budget cheese-fest. How does that not sell itself? Seriously!
It’s certainly not a classic, but there’s certainly laughs to be found in the first season of CPO Sharkey (Time Life, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), a largely forgotten 70s sitcom that starred Don Rickles as the Navy’s caustic answer to both Sgt. Bilko and Archie Bunker, with an often un-PC bent. The bonus features are limited to a single Tonight Show clip, but it’s a real gem, as it features Johnny Carson dropping in on the set of Sharkey to have words with Rickles.
Better late than never comes Breaking Bad: The Official Book (Sterling, $19.95 SRP), which is the perfect companion compendium to a modern television classic. With in-depth looks into every episode and character plus exclusive insights from the cast and crew (plus a brand new interview with creator Vince Gilligan), it’s definitely an addictive read.
Scott Glenn has always been an actor capable of holding my attention in anything he’s in, and he remains so as a serial killer hiding out in a small town as The Barber (Arc Entertainment, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$20.99 SRP). But when the son of a detective – who took his own life in frustration at his inability to solve the case – arrives in town, his carefully constructed cover is jeopardized.
Rescued from the mists of time, the classic newspaper strip adventures of the man of steel and the dark knight detective continue with Superman: The Silver Age Dailies 1963-1966 (IDW, $49.99 SRP) and Batman And Robin: The Silver Age Dailies And Sundays 1968-1969 (IDW, $49.99 SRP), which is the second of three volumes collecting the strip that was relaunched to coattail the success of the TV series. Oh, and while you’re at it, pick up the deluxe Superman: Sunday Pages 1946-1949 (IDW, $49.99 SRP), which are presented in all of their large format glory.
If, like me, you still mourn the passing of quality history-based content on The History Channel, the photo and info-dense World War II: The Definitive Visual History (DK, $40 SRP) is just the comprehensive coffee table paperweight for you. Presented by the Smithsonian, it covers the entire conflict, from the Blitzkrieg to the Atom Bomb.
It’s a bit frustrating that Nickelodeon still hasn’t given their beautiful new Ninja Turtles series proper high definition season sets like Cartoon Network has been doing for Adventure Time, because the show certainly deserves it. Until then, we’re getting standard definition single-disc releases like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Pulverizer Power (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), which features a trio of previously-released episodes featuring the titular misbegotten young man, who eventually winds up becoming Mutagen Man. And, in a weird curveball, they’re also dropping a 3-episode single disc release from the 2003 series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Search For Splinter (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP).
Fish out of water culture clash comedy is always fertile territory, and Greg Poehler’s Welcome To Sweden (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) is a sharp, witty venture into that territory focusing on Poehler’s Bruce, a New Yorker who follows his Swedish girlfriend home. The show smartly builds its characters first and hangs the culture comedy on it. Give it a spin.
Well, I mean, the best you can say for the direct-to-video animated special Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) is that it’s an unapologetically middling confection intended mostly to sell toys, and also has the good sense to cast Dana Snyder as the voice of The Penguin. So, it has that going for it. Bonus materials include DC Nation shorts, 2 bonus cartoons from the DC Comics Vault, and a Penguin featurette.
History buffs with fond memories of parking in front of the pre-Aliens and idiots heyday of The History Channel will lose themselves in Historic Tanks & Battles Of WWII (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, DVD-$17.98 SRP), a 3-disc collection of documentaries that are just what the title says.
A Russian family man tries to extricate itself from under the thumb of a corrupt mayor in the gripping import Leviathan (Sony, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP), but his attempts to fight back with the help of an old friend has unintended consequences. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, a featurette, Q&A, and deleted scenes.
When 3 soldiers – one Lebanese, one Israeli, and one American – are accidentally trapped together when a lockdown mechanism is triggered in a secret base, the trio are forced to either work together or die together in the dramedy Bordering On Bad Behavior (Inception, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP). And it stars Tom Sizemore. You can’t go wrong with Tom Sizemore. Right?
Kiddies can learn their math skills with Team Umizoomi: Meet Shark Car (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), featuring a quartet of episodes focusing on numbers, shapes, measurements, and more. And with that out of the way, they can tackle niceties with Max & Ruby: Sharing & Caring (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). For just entertainment value, the kids can then dive into Bubble Guppies: The Puppy And The Ring (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), Team Umizoomi: Umi Space Heroes (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$12.98 SRP), Dora’s Explorer Girls: Our First Concert (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$12.99 SRP), and Dora The Explorer: Dora Saves Fairytale Land (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$12.98 SRP).
Strawberry Shortcake and her friends both human and furry star in various canine-themed tales in Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Best In Show (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), featuring a trio of four-legged tails.
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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Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.
Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.
Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.
VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE
KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #223: A Taunt Of Flavor – Ken & Dana return with a hatbox full of love.
[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #223 (MP3 format)[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/snydecast/ken_p_d_snyde_cast-223.mp3]
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Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunesGot something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.
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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
In this episode, I have an impromptu chat with The Venture Bros.’ own Doc Hammer about snacks.
Hope you enjoy…
Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Doc Hammer 5“:
[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-doc_hammer_5.mp3]
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes
Drop Ken a line HERE.
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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.
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…)
While we’re all still eagerly awaiting the “any day” arrival of Rocket & Groot and the launch of the pre-orders for Drax, fans of those loveable intergalactic rogues the Guardians Of The Galaxy can snag a trio of fantastic figures to make the wait for a full set bearable. Not only can you get the team’s erstwhile leader, Star-Lord (Sideshow, $234, but you can pick up the green-skinned assassin Gamora (Sideshow, $199.99) and the Hot Toys take on the dancing fan-favorite Little Groot (Sideshow, $44.99). Star-Lord is the most feature-laden, coming with a light feature in his visored head, his trusty walkman and headphones, the infinity gem storage balls, and a swappable Chris Pratt head for all of your Parks And Recreation posing needs. Gamora has her long and short knives (for cutting!), and Groot features a trio of swappable heads and poseable arms. As we’ve come to expect from Hot Toys, the tailoring on the costuming is ridiculously exquisite, bordering on magical in their ability to pull off screen-accurate scaled reproductions. Just look at Star-Lord’s coat and Gamora’s leather togs.
The fine folks at Fantagraphics continue to do a stellar job presenting the works of the legendary Carl Barks for a brand new generation keen to discover the finest Disney Ducks comics ever created with the release of Donald Duck: The Pixilated Parrot (Fantagraphics, $29.99 SRP). Not only does this volume contain the titular tale, but its 200 pages are packed with long and short classics, plus the usual scholarly essays and context that makes these positively ducky. Yeah, I went there.
If they have to revisit Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) on blu-ray, at least they did it the right way, by presenting it via a brand new 4k restoration that looks absolutely stunning, plus a brand-new star-studded documentary about what it’s like acting the criminal for Scorsese. The set also includes ad8itional featurettes and materials from previous releases, plus a 36-page photo book.
It should come as little surprise that the brilliant Timothy Spall is brilliant in Mike Leigh’s biopic about Britain’s revered, emotionally complicated painter J.M.W. Turner in Mr. Turner (Sony, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP). Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and a deleted scene.
They’re not the best films ever made, but there’s a Technicolor delight to be found in the 5 flicks which comprise Warners’ new Frank Sinatra Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$69.95 SRP). Presented in brilliantly restored high definition, the set includes Anchors Aweigh, On The Town, Guys And Dolls, Ocean’s 11, and Robin And The 7 Hoods. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, vintage cartoons, vintage featurettes (fans of Warners’ wonderful old school movie night DVDs will remember them), a Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson excerpt, trailers, and more.
I’ve been a big fan of MiniMates going back to their original larger-scale debut, so I was happy to hear that they’d picked up the license to produce Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles MiniMates (Diamond Select Toys, $5.99 SRP each) based on the hit Nickelodeon series. The first wave of blind-bagged figures includes all four turtles, Shredder, two foot soldiers, and a chase translucent Michaelangelo.
It’s quite a challenge to follow up such a powerful first season, but the second season of Broadchurch (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) is a solid sophomore effort, and that rests wholly on the shoulders of David Tennant and Olivia Colman and a compelling mystery. Bonus materials include featurettes, interviews, and deleted scenes.
No longer do we have to content ourselves with the lackluster standard definition piecemeal releases of the gloriously vibrant pop-pop animated Teen Titans Go (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP), as the Warner Archive gifts fans a high definition release of the complete first season. Sadly, there’s not a single bonus feature, but at least it all looks great and I in one package.
I love diving into books where you spend every page thinking, “Finally! Someone put together an awesome book that I never knew I wanted until it existed!” Such is the case with Meet Mr. Product: Volume 1 and its companion Mr. Product: Volume 2 (Insight Editions, $17.99 SRP each), which combined are a visual encyclopedia of advertising characters spanning the bulk of the 20th century up until 1985, on everything from cereals to auto parts and from the Michelin Man to Charlie Tuna.
No one in their right mind would consider the latter-day Curly Joe features made by the Three Stooges to be the boys at their finest, but there is a charm and novelty to be found in The Three Stooges Triple Feature: Time Out For Rhythm/Rockin’ In The Rockies/Have Rocket Will Travel & The Three Stooges Triple Feature: The Three Stooges Around The World In A Daze/The Three Stooges Meet Hercules/The Outlaws Is Coming (Mill Creek, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$14.98 SRP each). It’s nice to see them all get the high def treatment, and also nice that Rhythm and Rockies are both Curly Howard-era features.
S.H. Figuarts are known for their ridiculously poseable action figures with a level of near-miraculous articulation. Combine that with two Nintendo superstars and you’ve got must-have, shelf-ready figures of Mario (Thinkgeek, $18.74) and Link ($54.99). While Mario comes with a Super Mushroom, a block, and a gold coin, Link has his sword (with optional energy effect), shield, a swappable face, and a nifty stand allowing for even more dynamic posing. Woo-hoo!
Ryan Gosling’s writing & directing debut, Lost River (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.98 SRP) really is a mess of a film. Equal parts pretentious and baffling in its attempt to be a deep character piece about a mother’s attempt to hold her family and town together, but instead is a must-see-to-believe misfire with a great cast, including Christina Hendricks, Matt Smith, and Iain De Castecker.
As a longtime Marvel comics nerd who owned every issue of the original Official Handbook Of The Marvel Universe, I mightily enjoyed the tech and geeky trivia packed into the official Haynes’ Marvel Vehicles: Owner’s Workshop Manual (Insight Editions, $29.95 SRP). Guided by S.H.I.E.L.D. head Nick Fury himself, it’s a peek inside everything from the helicarrier to the Green Goblin’s Goblin Glider. And yes, you even get the dune buggy Spider-Mobile.
Because they’re wonderful maniacs, Olive Films have dropped another clutch of catalogue titles new to high-def, including Abbott & Costello’s final film, Dance With Me, Henry (Olive Films, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Jodi Foster’s directorial debut Little Man Tate (Olive Films, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), the 1990 version of Lord Of The Flies (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Robert Townsend’s Hollywood Shuffle (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Paul Newman & Robby Benson in Harry & Son (Olive Films, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Nick Nolte & Judd Hirsch in Teachers (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Pauley Shore’s opus Bio-Dome (Olive Films, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Cooley High (Olive Films, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Jessica Lange & Tommy Lee Jones in Blue Sky (Olive Films, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), and Chuck Norris & Lou Gossett in Firewalker (Olive Films, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP).
Twomorrows has taken their long out-of-print stellar biography of a comics legend and expanded it into a must-have deluxe edition with Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (Twomorrows, $39.95 SRP). The hardcover tome is not only a detailed overview of Eisner’s life, but is also packed with rare artwork and photographs.
This week’s toddler time titles from the folks at Nickelodeon include Wallykazam! (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), sporting four enchanted adventures, and Let’s Learn S.T.E.M. (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), featuring 6 educational playdates with Dora, Bubble Guppies, Team Umizoomi, and more.
For the Hal Lublins of the world, who would kindly be characterized as rabid wrestling fans, the WWE Ultimate Superstar Guide (DK, $16.99 SRP) is a fully illustrated handbook of wrestlers past and present, with full bios, trivia, stats, and more.
Sometimes, you’re just hankering for a mindless action flick, and that’s exactly the sort of popcorn cleanser you’ll get from The Marine 4: Moving Target (Fox, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP), starring WWE superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin as the titular Marine, Jake Carter, whose private sector gig is to protect a high-value whistleblower against a team of mercs. Bonus materials include a trio of featurettes.
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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