MattBrady
08-06-2007, 01:23 AM
<i>by Steve Fritz</i>
<I>It’s time to do a final bit of catch up and push forward. So, another baker’s dozen of DVDs for your consideration. Let’s not waste any time</I>.
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1317969.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=right> <b>AYAKASHI SAMURAI HORROR TALES</b>: Yotsuya Ghost Story (Geneon)
This interesting anthology series has managed to come up with another intriguing installment. Ostensibly presented as a classic feudal Japanese play, it tells the tale of the wife of a poor samurai who commits all manner of atrocities to his wife and friends in order to get ahead. When his wife is horribly poisoned and then murdered, she comes back as a demon out for revenge.
Or so it seems. Like all previous entries in this series, the last chapter in this anthology carries an incredibly subtle twist that totally resets the curse. While some of the animation itself is a tad stiff, the voice acting, both in original and dubbed, more than make up for it.
In all, a worthy continuation of a truly under-appreciated series. Now I have to go dig up the third story.
<b>DOCTOR WHO</b>: (BBC)
• Robot
• Survival (2 DVDs)
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1328557.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=left> These latest entries in the continuing tales of our fave Time Lord both come with some interesting history attached. The first was the one that introduced what seems to be everyone’s favorite Doctor, Tom Baker, as the fourth incarnation of the time traveling Gallifreyan. <I>Survival</I>, featuring Sylvester McCoy as the seventh incarnation, was the last of the original run of the series, period.
Even though <I>Robot</I> was a weaker T. Baker episode, it has its merits, thanks mainly to his performance. Baker was incredibly charismatic from the get go, a necessity since he was following former fan favorite Jon Pertwee. His generally anti-authoritarian and generally funny elements of his persona fitted him like his great coat and even greater scarf. Baker also developed some immediate chemistry with his new companions Sarah Jane (Elizabeth Sladen) and the very new Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter). Even in this episode he had us.
What was wrong with <I>Robot</I>? Basically it’s a Frankenstein rehash with evil scientists who never come across as too big a threat. The robot also dated horribly. Not to fret, Baker would have adversaries and adventures that will make him still considered one of the best Doctors ever.
Reviewing <I>Survival</I> brings back sad memories for me. I interviewed McCoy shortly after completing these episodes. He had great plans in store for the Time Lord and acted like he didn’t know this would be his last turn on the regular series (he did a short spot in the Fox movie).
Now looking at this episode, one can see the writing was on the wall. Based on a story by up-and-comer Rona Munro, the basic plot was solid. So’s the acting, spearheaded by McCoy, latest companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) and old nemesis The Master (Anthony Ainley). You can also see the BBC cheapening the show any way they could. The effects and makeup any were low, even for Who standards. You can see they were cutting corners a lot of other ways, too. The whole production seems rushed and forced.
Aside the historical values of the shows themselves, extra credit must be given to both collections for all the supplementary materials the DVD provides. You get to see just how lucky all were when Tom Baker was found. <I>Robot</I> also has some nifty side docs and easter eggs to boot. As for <I>Survival</I>, the interviews with McCoy, Aldred and just about everyone else involved (except the late Ainley) are eye opening, particularly when I remember my interview with McCoy. As for Ainley, one interesting bit of added value is the footage from a Dr. Who video game he participated in before passing away. All in all, if you consider yourself fans of the good Doctor and all his companions, these are must-have disks.
<b>DRAGON DYNASTY</b> (Genius)
• Hard-Boiled (2 DVDs)
• Last Hurrah For Chivalry
No one denies martial arts cinema would be a much poorer place if it wasn’t for John Woo. In fact, the word <I>cinema</I> wouldn’t have been attached if it wasn’t for his efforts. He truly was instrumental in making the genre what it is today. Now Dragon Dynasty has released two of his best known works. Both are well worth the once over.
<I>Last Hurrah For Chivalry</I> (1979) is not Woo’s first film by a long shot. His first feature length film was <I>Fist of the Double K</I> (1973), starring another famous actor/director who hadn’t found his identity until later, Jackie Chan. While Woo’s gun play mastery is no where to be seen in much more wu xia <I>Chivalry</I>, this was the film where many of Woo’s other key themes and techniques began to flower. For instance, this was one of his first films to center around three males, with one betraying the other two. Woo signature themes of revenge and redemption were also in play. Most important is even if this is a costume drama, one can easily sub the costumes for gangster gear, swords with guns and a few other modernization and we would see a classic Woo film here. If some of the material seems a little muddy, things would get a lot sharper in the very near future.
What many consider Woo’s classics start pouring shortly thereafter, reaching their incredible peak with <I>Hard-Boiled</I>. Chow Yun Fat is Detective “Tequila” Yuen and out to avenge the death of his partner. Co-Star Tony Leung is an undercover cop losing his values and identity attempting to bust the mob that took out Yuen’s partner. When the two intersect, the ensuing blood bath is like few that ever been put on the big screen. This film is still packed with its share of incredible battle sequences, especially its 30 minute closer set inside a hospital. It truly does deserve being considered worthy of standing there with <I>Bullet In The Head</I> and <I>A Better Tomorrow</I>. Even more important, after this Woo would leave for Hollywood, for better or for worse.
Dragon Dynasty goes all out in giving this edition of <I>Hard-Boiled</I> all any fan can ask for. There are a ton of interviews (the only one missing is Fat), makings of, commentary, the works. While <I>Hard-Boiled</I> is clearly the superior film, that doesn’t mean you should ignore <I>Chivalry</I>. Both continue the string of excellence that has become the DD legacy. With Jackie Chan’s <I>Crime Story</I> next in the queue, I don’t see them letting up any time soon, either.
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1328137.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=right> <b>DYNAMITE WARRIOR</b> (Magnolia)
YO YO GIRL COP (Magnolia)
While the previously reviewed D.Dynasty releases are must-haves for their martial arts historical value, it looks like Magnolia is about to start an equally critical line with these two releases right here. Where DD is mining great past films of the martial arts world, Magnolia appears to be going for the latest of the more cutting edge side of the genre.
Director Chalerm Wongpim won Thailand’s National Film Association Award for <I>Dynamite Warrior</I>. Not bad for a guy who not long ago was a cameraman on films like <I>The Protector</I> and <I>Ong Bak</I>. Got to give him credit, he’s come up with one heck of a plot.
Set in the 1890’s, <I>Dynamite Warrior</I> is part <I>Wild, Wild West</I>, some truly bizarre magic and twisted humor. The plot is actually a load of fun, concerning, of all things, buffalo rustlers and a guy who uses explosive rockets with his high-flying fisticuffs. The fight sequences may look a tad old fashioned, resembling early Shaw Brothers, but otherwise totally solid. The cast is also wonderfully bizarre. Lead actor Dan Chupong (<I>Born To Fight</I>) may not be as charismatic as Tony Jaa but he ain’t bad in his own right. Also of note are Somdet Kaewleu and Panna Rittikrai as two of Chupong’s primary adversaries, “The Thief” and the “Black Wizard.” While my review copy didn’t come with added features, they look pretty comprehensive.
As for <I>Yo Yo</I>, this film is based on a popular manga and TV series I hadn’t seen before, but now am going to check out. This film mixes bits of HK cop dramas, <I>La Femme Nikita</I> and even some <I>Heathers</I>. The film starts idol girl Aya Matsuura as K, who must infiltrate a high school that specializes in kidnapping kids, loading them with dynamite and then sending them out to the general public for, well, explosive results. Matsuura looks incredible in both her school uniform and her head to toe kevlar cat suit. Main villain Rika Ishikawa also looks incredible in her skin tight rubber and fishnet. When both go at each other, they use their primary weapons in ways that Duncan and Tommy Smothers never thought of.
Now if <I>YYGC</I> suffers from anything, it’s from trying to cram too much, from past references (apparently Aya’s mom is played by a former version of K) to fan service. Not that I’m going to gripe too much about that. Another interesting note is they say it’s from the creator of the classic <I>Battle Royale</I>. Actually, it’s the creator’s son, Kenta Fukasaku, who directed <I>Battle Royale 2</I>.
Still, this is a true popcorn film. It doesn’t try to do anything more than provide some hot girl fights and blow lots of others up. As long as you check your brains at the couch, you’ll do quite fine.
<b>GUNSMOKE: SEASON ONE</b> (Paramount) (6 DVDs)
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: SEASON TWO</b> (BCI) (4 DVDs)
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1323592.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=left> When I was a kid, around 8:00 p.m. I remember having to surrender any claim to the TV so my dad and granddad could get their fill of westerns. So I admit I’m approaching these two collections under the veil of nostalgia, but that’s how it goes.
To me, the big question really is why it’s taken Paramount so long to start issuing the <I>Gunsmoke</I> collection. As every <I>Simpsons</I> fan knows, the adventures of Marshall Matt Dillon and the town of Dodge City holds the record for the longest running scripted series in the history of television (not counting all the different Disney anthologies). Have to admit, James Arness struck a heck of pose as the steely eyed, stony jawed giant of Western justice from the very first episode, where he actually took a bullet in the opening episode. The rest of the cast and stories are pretty much what one would expect from horse operas, except for some interesting details.
I mean just about everyone will expect to see these initial 39 episodes in black and white. This was 1955 after all. On the other hand, I had always thought of <I>Gunsmoke</I> as a one-hour drama, so it’s something to see all the originals were 30 minutes each. It was also something to see Dennis Hopper in the cast as Matt’s young deputy, Chester Goode. As it happened, he had left the cast by the time my brain could remember watching the series. Another thing was just how low-budget the sets were.
On the other hand, Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake) and Doc Adams (Milburn Stone) are just as I remember them. The bad guys were truly bad and Dillon always got his man and then would promote L&M’s while extorting his fans to “live modern.” So in all, this set is kind of like comfort food. Nice in small doses but you wouldn’t want to make a regular diet of it.
Now <I>Wanted</I> is much more interesting. As Hollywood historians know, this was the series that would make the career of Steve McQueen. In this series he played the seemingly unconventional bounty hunter Josh Randall. A quick scan of this collection and it’s easy to see why McQueen’s star would rise to incredible heights. Here he displayed the same reserved humor and smarts of a later character he would play, Captain Virgil Hilts in <I>The Great Escape</I>. Having a number of soon-to-be other superstar actors surrounding him, whether it was Martin Landau, DeForrest Kelly or Dyan Cannon didn’t hurt either.
Like a lot of shows at that time, there were episodes that were absolutely brilliant, and others where you knew they were scrapping for material. Probably the weirdest one is where McQueen must hunt down a killer elephant (entitled “The Monster”). Still, by the end you can see that McQueen was starting to show some disinterest himself. They would only make one more season of the series after this because he became so difficult to work with CBS released him from his contract.
Still, it’s interesting to see both these shows one more time. It wouldn’t be too long before my family would get a second TV, and I was also allowed to stay up after 9:00. What’s interesting about that though is while I would be seriously immersed in the den reveling in shows like <I>Star Trek</I> and <I>The Outer Limits</I>, I would occasionally go out to the kitchen for a snack. Sure enough, I could here the themes to these shows coming from the living room. Don’t tell me if you don’t have a similar story in your life.
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1332693.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=right> <b>HOT FUZZ</b> (Universal)
Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg caught the attention of genre fans when they came from no where (OK, the UK) and produced the zombie hit <I>Shaun of the Dead</I>. That only left them with one gnarly problem, how to follow it up.
There answer was <I>Hot Fuzz</I>, which I have to admit gave me the most laughs since the days when the Zucker Brothers and Leslie Nielsen concocted Lt. Frank Drebin in the first <I>The Naked Gun</I> movie. Pegg plays Nicholas Angel, a cop so good he’s making the entire London Police force look bad in comparison. Rather than frag him (how uncivilized), they send him off to the most peaceful British countryside town they can find, where they hope he will drown in obscurity. That’s when the grisly and outrageous murders start up.
Got to admit, the first half of the movie, where Pegg learns his fate as well as what’s the “greater good,” had me on the floor laughing out loud. It does lose a little steam when his redemption comes lock stock and two smoking barrels. Still, this second half does carry enough smart jokes and inside references to keep my attention throughout.
In all, it’s a really smart comedy and bodes truly well for Wright and Pegg. Here’s to hoping the duo get to do another one.
<b>MYRNA LOY & WILLIAM POWELL COLLECTION</b> (WB) (5 DVDs)
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1327170.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=left> Probably the classiest duo to ever grace the golden screen, Myrna Loy and William Powell will always be remembered as Nick and Nora Charles and the <I>Thin Man</I> movies. What many don’t realize is these two masters of comedy and mystery were paired in a number of other films, which Turner Classic now presents in this truly handsome boxed set.
Yes, the powers that be tried to keep Loy and Powell churning out the screwball comedies, but every so often they managed to get together to do something a tad different. The furthest from the <I>Thin Man </I> sets is the film <I>Evelyn Prentiss</I>, where the team managed to mix some serious soap opera in the form of a straight-up legal thriller. But the real treat here is the duo’s first team up, <I>Manhattan Melodrama</I>, where Powell and Clark Gable vie for Ms. Loy’s affections. Yes, you’ve seen this type of film before, with Powell and Gable play childhood chums who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and then one goes straight while the other slowly but surely heads for the electric chair. Yet it manages to give all three principles plenty of room, and you can’t really fault Hollywood for giving the film an Oscar in 1935.
Still, where this collection really earns its stripes is in the supplemental materials included. You have to remember that Loy and Powell were big stuff in their day, both individually and collectively. The set comes chock full of news reels, Looney Tunes parodies, even Powell reading a radio play version of another film here, <I>Love Crazy</I>. So yes, by all means, if you love classic Hollywood, you can’t have a complete library without a <I>Thin Man</I> set. Still, if you want to show how truly savvy you are, you should have this box set right beside it.
<b>MY HERO: SEASON TWO</b> (BBC)
THE TICK V. SEASON TWO</b> (DISNEY) (2 DVDs)
Got to love it when superheroes where their spandex just a tad too tight and it effects their brains. I’ve been a big fan of this sort of parody since I first saw <I>Mr. Terrific</I> and <I>Captain Nice</I> way back when. What’s also grand is to see creators still haven’t stopped coming up with ways of sticking it to the metapowered, as displayed by these two sets here.
Now if you don’t have a copy of the first season of <I>My Hero</I>, then you are truly never worthy of owning a copy of <B>Action #1</b>. Ardal O’Hanlan did an incredible job of standing the Superman mythos completely on its head as the bumbling George Sunday, better known to the world as the heroic alien ThermoMan. Emily Joyce was equally superlative as the love of his life, the very down-to-earth Janet. With this second collection it’s now well-established that these two are a very loving couple. So where do they take the series? Why to the logical conclusion of marriage, childhood and even an arch-nemesis and a superpowered rival for George’s affection. What counts is <I>My Hero</I> doesn’t skip a beat with its loopy humor and constant skewering of both the sitcom and comic book conventions. I especially love the way the couple always manage to get the best of whatever situation is presented to them. A true keeper.
As one can imagine, anyone who loves comics must, just MUST, love Ben Edlund’s interpretation of all things superheroic. You’d be kicked out of San Diego Comic Con or bask in the glowing smile of Stan Lee if you didn’t.
Now this set collects NEARLY all of the second season of the animated series. Unfortunately the powers that be won’t let us see one particular episode. Entitled “Alone Together,” the series had the mighty blue master of bluster going up against a space travelling cosmic entity who likes to dine on planets. Gosh guys, can you really hold a grudge for that long? Then again, this is the crew that “killed” Captain America. An appropriate punishment should be denying them any access to <b>Amazing Fantasy #15</b> (not that the current crew at the Big M ever read it).
On the other hand, being character introduction was now a moot issue thanks to season one, Edlund and company not only continue to thrill us with the further adventures of giant of justice. Mickey Dolenz, who voiced Arthur in the first season, was pulled for the even better Rob Paulsen, but the rest of the cast is back and in top form, particularly Townsend Coleman as The Tick himself. And if tattooing the moon appeared to be the ultimate blow against the empire in the first season, what career criminals such as El Seed and Brainchild have in store for the big guy will keep you howling for more.
But putting aside the people who really do wear there spandex way too tight for their own good (like the guys who won’t let us see “Alone Together” again), these two sets are, in their own way, a great reason to have superheroes. Without superheroes we wouldn’t have shows like these. For that alone, we’ll let them keep their capes and cowls for the time being.
<I>It’s time to do a final bit of catch up and push forward. So, another baker’s dozen of DVDs for your consideration. Let’s not waste any time</I>.
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1317969.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=right> <b>AYAKASHI SAMURAI HORROR TALES</b>: Yotsuya Ghost Story (Geneon)
This interesting anthology series has managed to come up with another intriguing installment. Ostensibly presented as a classic feudal Japanese play, it tells the tale of the wife of a poor samurai who commits all manner of atrocities to his wife and friends in order to get ahead. When his wife is horribly poisoned and then murdered, she comes back as a demon out for revenge.
Or so it seems. Like all previous entries in this series, the last chapter in this anthology carries an incredibly subtle twist that totally resets the curse. While some of the animation itself is a tad stiff, the voice acting, both in original and dubbed, more than make up for it.
In all, a worthy continuation of a truly under-appreciated series. Now I have to go dig up the third story.
<b>DOCTOR WHO</b>: (BBC)
• Robot
• Survival (2 DVDs)
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1328557.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=left> These latest entries in the continuing tales of our fave Time Lord both come with some interesting history attached. The first was the one that introduced what seems to be everyone’s favorite Doctor, Tom Baker, as the fourth incarnation of the time traveling Gallifreyan. <I>Survival</I>, featuring Sylvester McCoy as the seventh incarnation, was the last of the original run of the series, period.
Even though <I>Robot</I> was a weaker T. Baker episode, it has its merits, thanks mainly to his performance. Baker was incredibly charismatic from the get go, a necessity since he was following former fan favorite Jon Pertwee. His generally anti-authoritarian and generally funny elements of his persona fitted him like his great coat and even greater scarf. Baker also developed some immediate chemistry with his new companions Sarah Jane (Elizabeth Sladen) and the very new Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter). Even in this episode he had us.
What was wrong with <I>Robot</I>? Basically it’s a Frankenstein rehash with evil scientists who never come across as too big a threat. The robot also dated horribly. Not to fret, Baker would have adversaries and adventures that will make him still considered one of the best Doctors ever.
Reviewing <I>Survival</I> brings back sad memories for me. I interviewed McCoy shortly after completing these episodes. He had great plans in store for the Time Lord and acted like he didn’t know this would be his last turn on the regular series (he did a short spot in the Fox movie).
Now looking at this episode, one can see the writing was on the wall. Based on a story by up-and-comer Rona Munro, the basic plot was solid. So’s the acting, spearheaded by McCoy, latest companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) and old nemesis The Master (Anthony Ainley). You can also see the BBC cheapening the show any way they could. The effects and makeup any were low, even for Who standards. You can see they were cutting corners a lot of other ways, too. The whole production seems rushed and forced.
Aside the historical values of the shows themselves, extra credit must be given to both collections for all the supplementary materials the DVD provides. You get to see just how lucky all were when Tom Baker was found. <I>Robot</I> also has some nifty side docs and easter eggs to boot. As for <I>Survival</I>, the interviews with McCoy, Aldred and just about everyone else involved (except the late Ainley) are eye opening, particularly when I remember my interview with McCoy. As for Ainley, one interesting bit of added value is the footage from a Dr. Who video game he participated in before passing away. All in all, if you consider yourself fans of the good Doctor and all his companions, these are must-have disks.
<b>DRAGON DYNASTY</b> (Genius)
• Hard-Boiled (2 DVDs)
• Last Hurrah For Chivalry
No one denies martial arts cinema would be a much poorer place if it wasn’t for John Woo. In fact, the word <I>cinema</I> wouldn’t have been attached if it wasn’t for his efforts. He truly was instrumental in making the genre what it is today. Now Dragon Dynasty has released two of his best known works. Both are well worth the once over.
<I>Last Hurrah For Chivalry</I> (1979) is not Woo’s first film by a long shot. His first feature length film was <I>Fist of the Double K</I> (1973), starring another famous actor/director who hadn’t found his identity until later, Jackie Chan. While Woo’s gun play mastery is no where to be seen in much more wu xia <I>Chivalry</I>, this was the film where many of Woo’s other key themes and techniques began to flower. For instance, this was one of his first films to center around three males, with one betraying the other two. Woo signature themes of revenge and redemption were also in play. Most important is even if this is a costume drama, one can easily sub the costumes for gangster gear, swords with guns and a few other modernization and we would see a classic Woo film here. If some of the material seems a little muddy, things would get a lot sharper in the very near future.
What many consider Woo’s classics start pouring shortly thereafter, reaching their incredible peak with <I>Hard-Boiled</I>. Chow Yun Fat is Detective “Tequila” Yuen and out to avenge the death of his partner. Co-Star Tony Leung is an undercover cop losing his values and identity attempting to bust the mob that took out Yuen’s partner. When the two intersect, the ensuing blood bath is like few that ever been put on the big screen. This film is still packed with its share of incredible battle sequences, especially its 30 minute closer set inside a hospital. It truly does deserve being considered worthy of standing there with <I>Bullet In The Head</I> and <I>A Better Tomorrow</I>. Even more important, after this Woo would leave for Hollywood, for better or for worse.
Dragon Dynasty goes all out in giving this edition of <I>Hard-Boiled</I> all any fan can ask for. There are a ton of interviews (the only one missing is Fat), makings of, commentary, the works. While <I>Hard-Boiled</I> is clearly the superior film, that doesn’t mean you should ignore <I>Chivalry</I>. Both continue the string of excellence that has become the DD legacy. With Jackie Chan’s <I>Crime Story</I> next in the queue, I don’t see them letting up any time soon, either.
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1328137.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=right> <b>DYNAMITE WARRIOR</b> (Magnolia)
YO YO GIRL COP (Magnolia)
While the previously reviewed D.Dynasty releases are must-haves for their martial arts historical value, it looks like Magnolia is about to start an equally critical line with these two releases right here. Where DD is mining great past films of the martial arts world, Magnolia appears to be going for the latest of the more cutting edge side of the genre.
Director Chalerm Wongpim won Thailand’s National Film Association Award for <I>Dynamite Warrior</I>. Not bad for a guy who not long ago was a cameraman on films like <I>The Protector</I> and <I>Ong Bak</I>. Got to give him credit, he’s come up with one heck of a plot.
Set in the 1890’s, <I>Dynamite Warrior</I> is part <I>Wild, Wild West</I>, some truly bizarre magic and twisted humor. The plot is actually a load of fun, concerning, of all things, buffalo rustlers and a guy who uses explosive rockets with his high-flying fisticuffs. The fight sequences may look a tad old fashioned, resembling early Shaw Brothers, but otherwise totally solid. The cast is also wonderfully bizarre. Lead actor Dan Chupong (<I>Born To Fight</I>) may not be as charismatic as Tony Jaa but he ain’t bad in his own right. Also of note are Somdet Kaewleu and Panna Rittikrai as two of Chupong’s primary adversaries, “The Thief” and the “Black Wizard.” While my review copy didn’t come with added features, they look pretty comprehensive.
As for <I>Yo Yo</I>, this film is based on a popular manga and TV series I hadn’t seen before, but now am going to check out. This film mixes bits of HK cop dramas, <I>La Femme Nikita</I> and even some <I>Heathers</I>. The film starts idol girl Aya Matsuura as K, who must infiltrate a high school that specializes in kidnapping kids, loading them with dynamite and then sending them out to the general public for, well, explosive results. Matsuura looks incredible in both her school uniform and her head to toe kevlar cat suit. Main villain Rika Ishikawa also looks incredible in her skin tight rubber and fishnet. When both go at each other, they use their primary weapons in ways that Duncan and Tommy Smothers never thought of.
Now if <I>YYGC</I> suffers from anything, it’s from trying to cram too much, from past references (apparently Aya’s mom is played by a former version of K) to fan service. Not that I’m going to gripe too much about that. Another interesting note is they say it’s from the creator of the classic <I>Battle Royale</I>. Actually, it’s the creator’s son, Kenta Fukasaku, who directed <I>Battle Royale 2</I>.
Still, this is a true popcorn film. It doesn’t try to do anything more than provide some hot girl fights and blow lots of others up. As long as you check your brains at the couch, you’ll do quite fine.
<b>GUNSMOKE: SEASON ONE</b> (Paramount) (6 DVDs)
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: SEASON TWO</b> (BCI) (4 DVDs)
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1323592.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=left> When I was a kid, around 8:00 p.m. I remember having to surrender any claim to the TV so my dad and granddad could get their fill of westerns. So I admit I’m approaching these two collections under the veil of nostalgia, but that’s how it goes.
To me, the big question really is why it’s taken Paramount so long to start issuing the <I>Gunsmoke</I> collection. As every <I>Simpsons</I> fan knows, the adventures of Marshall Matt Dillon and the town of Dodge City holds the record for the longest running scripted series in the history of television (not counting all the different Disney anthologies). Have to admit, James Arness struck a heck of pose as the steely eyed, stony jawed giant of Western justice from the very first episode, where he actually took a bullet in the opening episode. The rest of the cast and stories are pretty much what one would expect from horse operas, except for some interesting details.
I mean just about everyone will expect to see these initial 39 episodes in black and white. This was 1955 after all. On the other hand, I had always thought of <I>Gunsmoke</I> as a one-hour drama, so it’s something to see all the originals were 30 minutes each. It was also something to see Dennis Hopper in the cast as Matt’s young deputy, Chester Goode. As it happened, he had left the cast by the time my brain could remember watching the series. Another thing was just how low-budget the sets were.
On the other hand, Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake) and Doc Adams (Milburn Stone) are just as I remember them. The bad guys were truly bad and Dillon always got his man and then would promote L&M’s while extorting his fans to “live modern.” So in all, this set is kind of like comfort food. Nice in small doses but you wouldn’t want to make a regular diet of it.
Now <I>Wanted</I> is much more interesting. As Hollywood historians know, this was the series that would make the career of Steve McQueen. In this series he played the seemingly unconventional bounty hunter Josh Randall. A quick scan of this collection and it’s easy to see why McQueen’s star would rise to incredible heights. Here he displayed the same reserved humor and smarts of a later character he would play, Captain Virgil Hilts in <I>The Great Escape</I>. Having a number of soon-to-be other superstar actors surrounding him, whether it was Martin Landau, DeForrest Kelly or Dyan Cannon didn’t hurt either.
Like a lot of shows at that time, there were episodes that were absolutely brilliant, and others where you knew they were scrapping for material. Probably the weirdest one is where McQueen must hunt down a killer elephant (entitled “The Monster”). Still, by the end you can see that McQueen was starting to show some disinterest himself. They would only make one more season of the series after this because he became so difficult to work with CBS released him from his contract.
Still, it’s interesting to see both these shows one more time. It wouldn’t be too long before my family would get a second TV, and I was also allowed to stay up after 9:00. What’s interesting about that though is while I would be seriously immersed in the den reveling in shows like <I>Star Trek</I> and <I>The Outer Limits</I>, I would occasionally go out to the kitchen for a snack. Sure enough, I could here the themes to these shows coming from the living room. Don’t tell me if you don’t have a similar story in your life.
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1332693.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=right> <b>HOT FUZZ</b> (Universal)
Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg caught the attention of genre fans when they came from no where (OK, the UK) and produced the zombie hit <I>Shaun of the Dead</I>. That only left them with one gnarly problem, how to follow it up.
There answer was <I>Hot Fuzz</I>, which I have to admit gave me the most laughs since the days when the Zucker Brothers and Leslie Nielsen concocted Lt. Frank Drebin in the first <I>The Naked Gun</I> movie. Pegg plays Nicholas Angel, a cop so good he’s making the entire London Police force look bad in comparison. Rather than frag him (how uncivilized), they send him off to the most peaceful British countryside town they can find, where they hope he will drown in obscurity. That’s when the grisly and outrageous murders start up.
Got to admit, the first half of the movie, where Pegg learns his fate as well as what’s the “greater good,” had me on the floor laughing out loud. It does lose a little steam when his redemption comes lock stock and two smoking barrels. Still, this second half does carry enough smart jokes and inside references to keep my attention throughout.
In all, it’s a really smart comedy and bodes truly well for Wright and Pegg. Here’s to hoping the duo get to do another one.
<b>MYRNA LOY & WILLIAM POWELL COLLECTION</b> (WB) (5 DVDs)
<img src=http://images2.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1327170.jpg border=0 hspace=4 align=left> Probably the classiest duo to ever grace the golden screen, Myrna Loy and William Powell will always be remembered as Nick and Nora Charles and the <I>Thin Man</I> movies. What many don’t realize is these two masters of comedy and mystery were paired in a number of other films, which Turner Classic now presents in this truly handsome boxed set.
Yes, the powers that be tried to keep Loy and Powell churning out the screwball comedies, but every so often they managed to get together to do something a tad different. The furthest from the <I>Thin Man </I> sets is the film <I>Evelyn Prentiss</I>, where the team managed to mix some serious soap opera in the form of a straight-up legal thriller. But the real treat here is the duo’s first team up, <I>Manhattan Melodrama</I>, where Powell and Clark Gable vie for Ms. Loy’s affections. Yes, you’ve seen this type of film before, with Powell and Gable play childhood chums who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and then one goes straight while the other slowly but surely heads for the electric chair. Yet it manages to give all three principles plenty of room, and you can’t really fault Hollywood for giving the film an Oscar in 1935.
Still, where this collection really earns its stripes is in the supplemental materials included. You have to remember that Loy and Powell were big stuff in their day, both individually and collectively. The set comes chock full of news reels, Looney Tunes parodies, even Powell reading a radio play version of another film here, <I>Love Crazy</I>. So yes, by all means, if you love classic Hollywood, you can’t have a complete library without a <I>Thin Man</I> set. Still, if you want to show how truly savvy you are, you should have this box set right beside it.
<b>MY HERO: SEASON TWO</b> (BBC)
THE TICK V. SEASON TWO</b> (DISNEY) (2 DVDs)
Got to love it when superheroes where their spandex just a tad too tight and it effects their brains. I’ve been a big fan of this sort of parody since I first saw <I>Mr. Terrific</I> and <I>Captain Nice</I> way back when. What’s also grand is to see creators still haven’t stopped coming up with ways of sticking it to the metapowered, as displayed by these two sets here.
Now if you don’t have a copy of the first season of <I>My Hero</I>, then you are truly never worthy of owning a copy of <B>Action #1</b>. Ardal O’Hanlan did an incredible job of standing the Superman mythos completely on its head as the bumbling George Sunday, better known to the world as the heroic alien ThermoMan. Emily Joyce was equally superlative as the love of his life, the very down-to-earth Janet. With this second collection it’s now well-established that these two are a very loving couple. So where do they take the series? Why to the logical conclusion of marriage, childhood and even an arch-nemesis and a superpowered rival for George’s affection. What counts is <I>My Hero</I> doesn’t skip a beat with its loopy humor and constant skewering of both the sitcom and comic book conventions. I especially love the way the couple always manage to get the best of whatever situation is presented to them. A true keeper.
As one can imagine, anyone who loves comics must, just MUST, love Ben Edlund’s interpretation of all things superheroic. You’d be kicked out of San Diego Comic Con or bask in the glowing smile of Stan Lee if you didn’t.
Now this set collects NEARLY all of the second season of the animated series. Unfortunately the powers that be won’t let us see one particular episode. Entitled “Alone Together,” the series had the mighty blue master of bluster going up against a space travelling cosmic entity who likes to dine on planets. Gosh guys, can you really hold a grudge for that long? Then again, this is the crew that “killed” Captain America. An appropriate punishment should be denying them any access to <b>Amazing Fantasy #15</b> (not that the current crew at the Big M ever read it).
On the other hand, being character introduction was now a moot issue thanks to season one, Edlund and company not only continue to thrill us with the further adventures of giant of justice. Mickey Dolenz, who voiced Arthur in the first season, was pulled for the even better Rob Paulsen, but the rest of the cast is back and in top form, particularly Townsend Coleman as The Tick himself. And if tattooing the moon appeared to be the ultimate blow against the empire in the first season, what career criminals such as El Seed and Brainchild have in store for the big guy will keep you howling for more.
But putting aside the people who really do wear there spandex way too tight for their own good (like the guys who won’t let us see “Alone Together” again), these two sets are, in their own way, a great reason to have superheroes. Without superheroes we wouldn’t have shows like these. For that alone, we’ll let them keep their capes and cowls for the time being.