7/31/2011

The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2005) Review

The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2005)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Many people will look at this film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical spectacular, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA with mixed emotions. There are people who will be upset that Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, who played the original Christine and Phantom respectively, were not allowed to recreate their signature roles. There will also be people who'll be disappointed that this version is not a literal translation of the stage musical. Finally, we have the critics of both Webber and director Joel Schumacher, who have both been accused of wretched excess in previous projects in their individual careers. Taken as a film version however, this PHANTOM stands the test of time, not only as a wonderful musical film, but as one of the more faithful versions of Gaston Laroux's romance/horror novel.
Starting with a black and white prologue, the film tells the story of budding opera star Christine Daae and the two men who fight for her heart: the noble Viscount who she knew in childhood, and the mysterious Phantom of the Paris Opera House who hides his ugliness behind a half-mask while sponsoring Christine's career. Like the stage production, this film is awash in glorious colors and sets that would put many epics to shame. It's well balanced by solid performances that help propel the romantic, if melodramatic, story along.
Gerard Butler makes for a wonderfully dark and obsessive Phantom, while allowing the character to retain the audience's sympathy. Miranda Richardson is solid as the dour Madame Giry, who knows the Phantom's secret. Minnie Driver easily gets the most laughs as the over-bearing diva, Carlotta. (It's interesting to note that Ms. Driver's singing is dubbed in the film proper, while she actually sings the new closing credits melody "Learn to be Lonely.") Patrick Wilson makes for a stalwart, if somewhat bland, Viscount. But the strongest impression is made by the lovely Emmy Rossum. Only in her late teens when filming, she turns in a fantastic performance with a crystal clear voice that does justice to Webber's score. Joel Schumacher does a strong enough job in directing this film, allowing the music and the screenplay that he co-wrote with Webber to shine.
In the end, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is a delightful spectacle that does justice in its own way to both the stage original and Laroux's book. As such, this is a film I highly recommend.


Click Here to see more reviews about: The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2005)

Musical Drama based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated musical phenomenon. The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius (Gerard Butler) who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign of terror over its occupants. When he falls fatally in love with the lovely Christine (Emmy Rossum), the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star for the Opera, exerting a strange sense of control over the young soprano as he nurtures her extraordinary talents.DVD Features:Additional Scenes:"No-one Would Listen" Approx. 4 Mins.DVD ROM FeaturesDocumentary:Behind the Mask - The Story of the Phantom of the OperaEaster EggsFeaturette:The Making of The Phantom of the Opera in 3 Spellbinding Acts: Preproduction, The Director, Production


Buy NowGet 5% OFF

Click here for more information about The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2005)

Read More...

The American Film Theater Complete 14 Film Collection (The Iceman Cometh / A Delicate Balance / The Man in the Glass Booth / Butley / Luther / Rhinoceros / The Homecoming / Three Sisters / Galileo / In Celebration / The Maids / Jacques Brel) (15 D) Review

The American Film Theater Complete 14 Film Collection (The Iceman Cometh / A Delicate Balance / The Man in the Glass Booth / Butley / Luther / Rhinoceros / The Homecoming / Three Sisters / Galileo / In Celebration / The Maids / Jacques Brel) (15 D)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
KINO'S AMERICAN FILM THEATRE offers all fourteen titles in this prestigious mid-1970s stage-to-film series in one collection. Included are the finest works of the greatest playwrights, as rendered by top-notch actors and directors. Audio and video transfers of the restored movies is also first rate. It's a collection ideal for lovers of theater or for any fan of classy cinema. Highest recommendation!
By way of introduction to another theatrical collection, I'd like to recommend KULTUR's version of THE ICEMAN COMETH (starring Jason Robards Jr.), from their superlative BROADWAY THEATRE ARCHIVE series.SYNOPSES (listed alphabetically):
BUTLEY-- Concerns a moment of crisis in the life of an alcoholic college professor, who loses both his wife and male lover on the same day. Students, friends and colleagues take the brunt of the suicidal man's outbursts as he literally falls to pieces.
A DELICATE BALANCE-- Edward Albee drama about a dysfunctional Connecticut family is powerfully enacted by an all-star cast.
GALILEO-- Adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's story of the later life of the Italian Renaissance philosopher/scientist who was persecuted by the Church for his support of the Copernican theory that the Earth revolved around the sun.
THE HOMECOMING-- Another bleak story of a less-than-ideal family whose members are locked in an endless power struggle.
IN CELEBRATION-- At a British family reunion (parents' wedding anniversary), three sons argue while their mum and da try to ride out the storm.
JACQUES BREL IS...-- A show woven around 35 songs written by the famous mid-20th Century French troubadour.
LOST IN THE STARS-- Kurt Weill's last stageshow is a musical influenced by Porgy & Bess. Adapted from Alan Paton's "Cry the Beloved Country" by Maxwell Anderson.
LUTHER-- An exploration of the life of the man, who in the 1500s, changed the face of Christianity forever.
THE MAIDS-- Based on a true story of a French woman and her daughter who were brutally murdered by a pair of sisters they employed as servants. In this Jean Genet play, the housemaids dream up elaborate sadomasochist fantasies while Madame is away.
THE MAN IN THE GLASS BOOTH-- A Jewish death camp survivor who is now wealthy and living in Manhattan is arrested and put on trial for Nazi war crimes. Based on the Adolf Eichmann case.
PHILADELPHIA...-- Serio-comedy about the last few hours a young man spends in Ireland prior to his emigration to America.
RHINOCEROS-- Absurdist story written by Eugène Ionesco about the inhabitants of a small French town who transform into the horned beasts, all save one man, a heavy-drinking ne'er-do-well. This unusual study of philosophy, morality and culture reteams "The Producers" Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. Watch for a cameo by Anne Ramsey (Momma in "Throw Momma from the Train").
THREE SISTERS-- Three siblings lead empty lives after the death of their Army officer father. Chekhov play adaptation is directed by Laurence Olivier, who also has a minor role (Dr. Chebutikin). Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.
VOLUME ONE--
(7.3) Butley (UK/Canada-1974) - Alan Bates/Jessica Tandy/Richard O'Callaghan/Susan Engel/Michael Byrne
(7.8) The Iceman Cometh (1973) - Lee Marvin/Fredric March/Robert Ryan/Jeff Bridges/Bradford Dillman/Martyn Green/Moses Gunn
(7.0) Luther (UK/Canada-1974) - Stacy Keach/Patrick Magee/Hugh Griffith/Judi Dench
(6.1) The Maids (UK-1975) - Glenda Jackson/Susannah York/Vivien Merchant/Mark Burns
(5.8) Rhinoceros (USA/UK/Canada-1973) - Zero Mostel/Gene Wilder/Karen Black/Joe Silver/Robert Weil/Anne Ramsey
VOLUME TWO--
(6.9) A Delicate Balance (USA/Canada/UK-1973) - Katherine Hepburn/Paul Scofield/Lee Remick/Kate Reed/Joseph Cotten/Betsy Blair
(7.8) The Homecoming (UK/USA-1973) - Cyril Cusack/Ian Holm/Michael Jayson/Vivien Merchant/Terence Rigby/Paul Rogers
(7.0) In Celebration (UK-1975) - Brian Cox/Gabrielle Daye/Bill Owen/Alan Bates/James Bolan/Constance Chapman
(7.6) The Man in the Glass Booth (1975) - Maximilian Schell/Lois Nettleton/Lawrence Pressman/Luther Adler/Lloyd Bochner
(6.5) Three Sisters (UK-1970) - Jeanne Watts/Joan Plowright/Louise Purnell/Derek Jacobi/Laurence Olivier/Alan Bates
VOLUME THREE--
(6.6) Galileo (UK-1975) - Topol/John Gielgud/Patrick Magee/Tom Conti/Edward Fox/Mary Larkin/Michael Lonsdale
(6.3) Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (France/Canada-1975) - Elly Stone/Mort Shuman/Joe Masiell/Jacques Brel
(6.3) Lost in the Stars (1974) - Brock Peters/Melba Moore/Raymond St. Jacques/Clifton Davis/Paul Rogers
(5.5) Philadelphia, Here I Come! (Ireland-1975) - Donal McCann/Des Cave/Siobhan McKenna/Eamon A. Kelly

Click Here to see more reviews about: The American Film Theater Complete 14 Film Collection (The Iceman Cometh / A Delicate Balance / The Man in the Glass Booth / Butley / Luther / Rhinoceros / The Homecoming / Three Sisters / Galileo / In Celebration / The Maids / Jacques Brel) (15 D)

All these DVDs are presented in their original aspect ration and are loaded with Extras - This star-studded 14 FIlm Collection Includes the Following Films:Eugene O'Neill's THE ICEMAN COMETH (1973) (2 DISCS) - Directed by John Frankenheimer - Starring Lee Marvin, Fredric March, Robert Ryan and Jeff Bridges. 239 minutes - A Majestic and Thrilling Achievement -- Charles Champlin, The Los Angeles TimesEdward Albee's A DELICATE BALANCE (1973) - Directed by Tony Richardson - Starring Katharine Hepburn, Paul Scofield, Lee Remick and Joseph Cotten. 132 minutes - A Superlative Record of Albee's Play, Enthrallingly Brought to the Screen -- San Francisco ExaminerRobert Shaw's THE MAN IN THE GLASS BOOTH (1975) - Directed by Arthur Hiller - Starring Maximilian Schell in His Academy Award nominated Performance. 117 minutes - Daring, Outragious, Utterly Provocative, Strikingly Effective -- Los Angeles TimesEugene Ionesco's RHINOCEROS (1974) - Directed by Tom O'Horgan - Starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, the stars of Mel Brooks' The Producers. With Karen Black. 104 minutes - Rhinoceros is a Fast Paced, Inventively Realized Film -- The Boston PhoenixSimon Gray's BUTLEY (1974) - Directed by Harold Pinter - Starring Alan Bates, Jessica Tandy and Georgina Hale. 104 minutes - An Extraordinary Success... A devilishly entertaining piece and showpiece for Alan Bates -- San Francisco ExaminerJean Genet's THE MAIDS (1975) - Directed by Christopher Miles - Starring Glenda Jackson, Susannah York and Vivien Merchant. 94 minutesJohn Osborne's LUTHER (1974) - Directed Guy Green - Starring Stacy Keach, Judi Dench, Hugh Griffith and Patrick Magee. 111 minutes - One of the Best Pictures of the Year -- The Denver PostDavid Storey's IN CELEBRATION (1975) - Directed by Lindsay Anderson - Starring Alan Bates, Brian Cox, Bill Owen and Constance Chapman. 130 minutes - Anderson and a superb cast have made a harrowing and satisfying suspense drama -- New York MagazineAnton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS (1970) - Directed by Laurence Olivier - Starring Laurence Olivier, Alan Bates, Joan Plowright and Derek Jacobi. 162 minutes - Four Stars... Highest Rating - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-TimesHarold Pinter's THE HOMECOMING (1973) - Directed by Peter Hall - Starring Ian Holm, Vivien Merchant, Paul Rogers and Cyril Cusack. 114 minutes - A Fine, Ferocious Film -- Time MagazineBertolt Brecht's GALILEO (1974) - Directed by Joseph Losey - Starring Topol, Edward Fox, John Gielgud and Tom Conti. 138 minutes - Taste, Class and a First-rate Cast -- VarietyKurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson's LOST IN THE STARS (1974) - Directed by Daniel Mann - Starring Brock Peters, Melba Moore and Raymond St. Jacques. 97 minutes - Brock Peters is Outstanding... his ending scene is a triumph -- Atlanta Journal ConstitutionBrian Friel's PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME! (1975) - Directed by John Quested - Starring Siobhan McKenna, Donal McCann and Fidelma Murphy. 95 minutesJacques Brel's JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS (1975) - Directed by Denis Heroux - Starring Jacques Brel and Elly Stone. 97 minutes - Infected With Spirit... Bitingly Relevant -- Variety

Buy NowGet 10% OFF

Click here for more information about The American Film Theater Complete 14 Film Collection (The Iceman Cometh / A Delicate Balance / The Man in the Glass Booth / Butley / Luther / Rhinoceros / The Homecoming / Three Sisters / Galileo / In Celebration / The Maids / Jacques Brel) (15 D)

Read More...

Chaos in Motion (2008) Review

Chaos in Motion  (2008)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought Dream Theater's Chaos in Motion off another website and for some reason they shipped it early and I got it today. Here is what I think about it.
I have every Dream Theater DVD to date, but this one lacks the quality of Live at Budokan or Score. I didn't know that this was going to be raw footage until I read the back of the case. The video quality looks decent, but if your expecting the look or nice camera angles of the past concert DVDs, you might be disappointed.
There are plenty of extra features on disk two that run well over two hours. There is a 90 minute documentary about the band's 35 country tour, some music videos and Mike Portnoy takes us on and behind stage in two short, but enjoyable segments. I really loved the documentary. You get to know the band, the crew and what life on the road is like.
The main thing Dream Theater does well with these DVDs (and they put one out about every two years) is the fact that they all feature different songs. The songs on here won't be found on the previous releases, which is nice for the fans.
The concert footage is good, could be better, but with a whole disc of extras, this is a must for anyone who likes Dream Theater.
Disc one
Intro/Also sprach Zarathustra
Constant Motion
Panic Attack
Blind Faith
Surrounded
The Dark Eternal Night
Keyboard Solo
Lines in the Sand
Scarred
Forsaken
The Ministry of Lost Souls
Take the Time
In the Presence of Enemies
Medley:
I. Trial of Tears
II. Finally Free
III. Learning to Live
IV. In the Name of God
V. Octavarium

Disc two
"Behind The Chaos On The Road" 90 minute Documentary
Promo Videos: Constant Motion, Forsaken, Forsaken (In Studio), The Dark Eternal Night (In Studio)
Live Screen Projection Films:
The Dark Eternal Night (N.A.D.S)
The Ministry Of Lost Souls
In The Presence Of Enemies Pt. 2
"Mike Portnoy Stage Tour"
"Mike Portnoy Backstage Tour"
Photo Gallery


Click Here to see more reviews about: Chaos in Motion (2008)



Buy NowGet 10% OFF

Click here for more information about Chaos in Motion (2008)

Read More...

7/30/2011

The First Churchills (1971) Review

The First Churchills (1971)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Anyone seeking to widen their acquaintance with either history or historical drama need look no further than this wonderful BBC set from 1969.
Based on Winston Churchill's Marlborough: His Life and Times, this production is virtually faultless in scripting, acting, direction, costumes and just about everything else. All the settings are completely believable (putting French television's Les rois maudits into unfavourable contrast); even the battle scenes are convincingly done, although the cast is not huge.
But dominating everything is the magnificent performance of Susan Hampshire as Sarah Churchill, which justly won her an Emmy; right now I can't think of a more commanding performance in any medium, even Paul Scofield's Thomas More. Neither are any of the supporting cast less than first rate -- I must make particular mention of Margaret Tyzack's lonely and rather pathetic Queen Anne, John Standing's lovely sympathetic Sidney Godolphin, and a host of delightfully repulsive political back-stabbers and other minor characters.
I do not have Churchill's huge Marlborough opus to hand, but I do have The History of the English-Speaking Peoples, and in nearly nine hours the only historical error I noticed was a brief glimpse of a lute with machine-heads.
If you loved Elizabeth R and I, Claudius, then this saga of the most brilliant soldier of his day, sandbagged by dim-witted monarchs and spiteful politicians, will not fail to fascinate you too.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The First Churchills (1971)

Based on Sir Winston Churchill's biography of his ancestors, the first Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, this classic BBC miniseries is a tender love story played out amid the intrigues of the 17th-century English court. At a time when most marriages were made for money and position, Sarah Jennings and John Churchill married for love. And their love lasted throughout their long lives spent at the epicenter of political power in England. He was a military genius who never lost a battle. She was the intimate friend of a princess who later became queen. This addictive drama follows them from their budding romance in the bawdy court of King Charles II through five decades and five monarchs from the tumultuous House of Stuart. The popularity of The First Churchills helped establish Masterpiece Theatre as a venue for the best of British drama. Starring John Neville (The Adventures of Baron Munchausen) as John Churchill with Susan Hampshire (Monarch of the Glen, The Pallisers) in an Emmy®-winning performance as the tempestuous Sarah. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE an exclusive interview with Susan Hampshire, photo gallery, cast filmographies, and full-color insert with a sampling of the real love letters of Sarah and John Churchill, glossary of historical figures and terms, and House of Stuart family tree.

Buy NowGet 25% OFF

Click here for more information about The First Churchills (1971)

Read More...

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Skydivers Review

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Skydivers
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This film contains things that an impressionable young mind should not be exposed to. Adultery. Murder. Elderly, lustful pharmacists. Swing Choir.
Yes, it's another trip into cinema's nether regions with the folks from MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000, and this time they have a doozy on their hands.
To explain this movie is almost impossible--It was co-written, produced, and directed by one Coleman Francis, who earned most of his show-biz money playing the Man at Bar or the Third Soldier. And was so bad that even Russ Meyer (Russ Meyer! )wouldn't give him more than bit parts. Francis' only distinction as a filmmaker is the odd nature of his editing. Most directors use editing to help move the story along and generate tension. Francis used editing to recreate the sensation of an epileptic fit--people jump from one end of a room to another without taking a step, whole chunks of dialogue disappear, people explode from stasis into violent action, all of which contribute to the general feeling that every nerve ending in your brain is misfiring at once. Top all of this off with a long, pointless party sequence featuring every show-biz oddball that Coleman could round up, a crowd that might have made Fellini's mouth water, right down to an amazonian blonde who's almost a dead-ringer for Anita Ekberg. Alas, Marcello Mastroianni is nowhere in sight . . .
And then there's the swing-choir competition initiated by Dr. Forrester. I would go into detail, but this is a family audience, and the details are too grisly for young minds.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Skydivers



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Skydivers

Read More...

Casino Royale (1967) Review

Casino Royale (1967)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Finally this comedic take on the James Bond series makes its way onto DVD, and for completists and fans of James Bond this DVD promises not only the 1967 version of Ian Flemings first 007 novel but also an edited down version of the very first James Bond movie, the 1950s CBS TV movie that starred Barry Nelson as James Bond (thats right, Sean Connery was NOT the first actor to portray 007). Made for an American audience, the character of James Bond is a CIA agent in that show and Leiter is the British intelligence agent. That movie, which is listed as a special feature on this DVD, also starred Peter Lorre as the villain Le Chiffre. Made in the days of live television this entertaining oddity is worth watching for the bloopers alone.
Years later, the rights to "Casino Royale" made it into the hands of another movie producer who, convinced that any attempt to make a serious version of "Casino Royale" would be doomed without the talents of Sean Connery, decided to make the remake as a comedy instead. With Peter Sellers playing James Bond and Orson Welles taking on the role of Le Chiffre everything seemed to be going fine until a script dispute caused Sellers to walk out on the project. Left with half a movie the producers were in trouble and they scrambled to save their production. One needs to understand this background to the movie to understand why it turned out the way it did. In it's final version it seems truly confused with several actors portraying the role of James Bond and several directors (including John Huston who also cameos as M) taking a crack at it. There is even an early appearance by Woody Allen and former Bond girl Ursula Andress. For me personally, the Peter Sellers scenes are especially brilliant and very funny and David Niven plays the perfect gentleman spy. The action comes thick and fast and in addition to Andress there are a number of actors familiar to devotees to the rival EON productions. This movie is truly unique among the Bond canon and should be enjoyed as such.
NOTE: This review is NOT for the "Casino Royale (40th Anniversary Edition)" DVD despite the fact that Amazon lists the review on the product page for that 2007 DVD (note the 2002 date of this review).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Casino Royale (1967)

Welcome to Casino Royale, the ultimate psychedelic secret agent satire! Packed with girls, guns and gags galore, this "very funny picture" (The New Yorker) delivers "laughs all the way"(Cue)! Starring Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Joanna Pettet, Orson Welles, Daliah Lavi, Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr, William Holden and others, and with an original score from Oscar® winner* Burt Bacharach, this groovy spy movie is "even farther out" (LA Herald-Examiner) than all other spoofs combined!British Intelligence is waning in every possible way! When the diabolical SMERSH begins killing off Her Majesty's Secret Service, super-agent James Bond (Niven) recruits six more "James Bonds" to confuse and conquer their enemies. But it won't be easy. They'll have to face an army of irresistibly sexy female operatives, exploding robotic fowl, parachuting Indians and a germ that makes all women beautiful but kills all men over 4'6"!*1981: Original Song (with Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross, Peter Allen), Arthur; 1969: Original Song (Lyrics by Hal David), Score, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Buy NowGet 60% OFF

Click here for more information about Casino Royale (1967)

Read More...

7/29/2011

RiffTrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space - from the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (2009) Review

RiffTrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space - from the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (2009)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
If you like MST3K, then you'll love this. Having rediscovered these over the past year, I've filled my library with these and other MST3K alumni material (new and old). The kids like 'em, too.
This is the first Rifftrax I've watched. I think they're dead on with the commentary. Looking forward to getting more.

Click Here to see more reviews about: RiffTrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space - from the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (2009)



Buy NowGet 3% OFF

Click here for more information about RiffTrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space - from the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (2009)

Read More...

Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Unrated Widescreen Edition) (2006) Review

Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Unrated Widescreen Edition) (2006)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Talladega Nights is a very, very funny movie that spoofs Nascar without actually making fun of it and its fans. In fact, this movie can actually appeal to people who don't even care for Nascar.
Will Ferrel teamed back up with Adam McKay (the duo who produced/made the great Anchorman) to make this story that plays a lot like if Days of Thunder had been approached as a comedy instead of a dead serious (and unintentionally funny) film.
While other people are focusing on the film itself, I would like to focus on the this whole mess of the PG-13 theatrical cut being released in wide and full screen along with (what is unfortunately a common practice) a "UNRATED/UNCUT" versions that boasts "13 additional minutes of footage".
Now, for one thing, the theatrical cut was 108 minutes and actually could have used some more tightening. This is a 100 minute movie at most. I don't have a problem with people putting footage back into a DVD version of a movie if it's stuff that belongs and actually makes the movie better.
This is a case, in which it doesn't. The additional 13 minutes cause some scenes that were funny in the theatrical cut to drag on until they're at an interminable length in some cases. The added footage actually dilutes the humor in places.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
But the alarming thing about this so called "UNCUT" version is that the movie actually ELIMINATES A FEW MEMORABLE SCENES THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE THEATRICAL CUT.The scene in which a young Ricky steals his mom's car while she's in a convenience store is gone, which totally destroys the whole part in which Ricky volunteers to drive his team's car by saying "I wanna to go fast".
Also, the scene in which Ricky calls Lucious at Lucios' car wash to tell him he's racing again at Talladega is gone as well. This scene showed just what Lucious and his pit crew had been up to during Ricky's hiatus from racing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

If they had left everything in the theatrical cut and just added footage, I maybe could have lived with it. But the fact that they cut footage out is a travesty and false advertising to people who loved the movie in theaters.
Most of the added footage just grinds the movie to a halt and like I mentioned before, as funny as the movie is, it was still about 8 minutes too long even in the theatrical cut.
There are very few cases in which I feel that an extended version of a movie was superior (lord of the rings trilogy, 40 year old virgin) and in most cases it's just a case of DVD producers putting out an early cut or something of a movie that was tweaked after the fact during test screenings.This is how the unrated cut of Talladega Nights comes across.
So, if you loved the movie in theaters, just stick with the PG-13 theatrical widescreen cut. If you haven't seen the movie before, I would see this cut first before testing out the unrated cut. Many will share the same opinion that I have about this.
I'm really sick of pointless "unrated" cuts coming out that just shoe horn back in footage that was taken out for a good reason to begin with.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Unrated Widescreen Edition) (2006)

TALLADEGA NIGHTS:BALLAD OF RICKY BOBB - DVD Movie

Buy NowGet 50% OFF

Click here for more information about Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Unrated Widescreen Edition) (2006)

Read More...

Salt (Deluxe Unrated Edition) (2010) Review

Salt (Deluxe Unrated Edition)  (2010)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
There are 3 versions of Salt available for viewing, the Theatrical, Extended, and Director's Cuts. They run 1:39:56, 1:40:58, and 1:43:59 respectively (credit to Interzone_Records for the correction). Here are the major differences as compared to the base Theatrical Cut, e.g. Theatrical vs. Extended, and Extended vs. Director's Cut. Note, SPOILERS follow below, so read at your own risk. There are a few major, significant differences between the versions.
The Director's Cut makes the most sense plot-wise, and includes some better character development, in my opinion.THEATRICAL vs. DIRECTOR's CUT
*****************************************************
1) Evelyn Salt's opening interrogation scene in North Korea is longer and more brutal. The soldiers force a tube down her throat and subject her to more intense questioning, followed by several kicks to the abdomen.
2) Extended scene of Orlov training little kids who will be future sleeper agents. As the kids finish a race through the woods, Orlov asks which kid was first, and which was last, whipping the last kid with a riding crop.
3) Abduction of Michael (Salt's husband) by Orlov's thugs is shown.
4) Additional scene where Michael tells Salt about a new species of spider that he has discovered.
5) Childhood scene between Salt and Schnaider at Orlov's training camp.
6) Salt's husband is NOT shot in the Director's Cut; rather, he is slowly drowned and Salt is forced to watch. Michael's death is much more harrowing in the Director's Cut.
7) Salt kills Orlov with a broken bottle, and the stabbing is shown in more detail, rather than off-screen.
8) Salt's rampage through Orlov's freighter HQ is more graphic.
9) Gunfights depict more bullet holes and blood, but nothing overly gory.
10) Winter kills the president in the Director's Cut, whereas in the Theatrical cut, Winter only knocks him unconscious. I always thought the Theatrical cut never made much sense, because the President would easily be able to identify Winter as the traitor.
11) At the end of the movie, there is a voiceover that subtly suggests that the vice president is actually one of Orlov's sleeper agents, setting the stage up for a sequel. This voiceover is not present in the Extended Cut.EXTENDED CUT vs. DIRECTOR's CUT
*****************************************************
1) The changes listed above in the Director's Cut are also done in the Extended Cut, with the exception of the differences below.
2) The President is only knocked unconscious in the Theatrical Cut (and killed in the Director's Cut). In the Extended Cut, Winter attempts to make his way towards the unconscious President, who is being wheeled away on a stretcher, in order to kill him.

3) The biggest difference in the Extended Cut is that Salt doesn't kill Orlov until the end of the movie. So the entire sequence in the Theatrical and Director's Cuts where Salt annihilates Orlov's thugs on the barge is missing.
At the end of the Extended Cut, she is being interrogated by Peabody, where she fakes suicide and is taken to a hospital. She subsequently escapes from the hospital, finds Orlov (back in Russia somewhere), and kills him.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Salt (Deluxe Unrated Edition) (2010)

Angelina Jolie stars in Columbia Pictures' Salt, a contemporary espionage thriller. Before becoming a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor, and country. She will prove loyal to these when a defector accuses her of being a Russian sleeper spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture, protect her husband, and stay one step ahead of her colleagues at the CIA.

Buy NowGet 55% OFF

Click here for more information about Salt (Deluxe Unrated Edition) (2010)

Read More...

7/28/2011

Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One Review

Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I remember seeing this show in syndication years ago as a child and teenager, and I had no idea Mr. Powell had had such a diverse career. Starting out as a crooner in Busby Berkeley musicals in the 1930's, evolving into a star in film noir, and then transitioning to television in a number of shows including this one from the golden age of TV westerns in the 1950's. He was in good company with other stars such as Robert Montgomery, who hosted his own first-rate TV show in the 1950's.
This show is not really a series. Instead it was in the mold of the weekly playhouse kind of show that was so popular in the 1950's. Each episode stood alone and featured different stars each week, some being quite popular figures from the silver screen. The show first used material from Zane Grey, but as time passed material had to come from elsewhere as well. The following is a listing of the episodes of that first season as well as the stars that were featured.
1.01 - You Only Run Once- Robert Ryan, Cloris Leachman
1.02 - Fearful Courage- James Whitmore, Ida Lupino
1.03 - The Long Road Home - Mr. Powell, Ray Collins
1.04 - The Unrelenting Sky - Lew Ayres, Phyllis Avery
1.05 - The Lariat - Jack Palance, Constance Ford
1.06 - Death Watch - Lee J. Cobb, Bobby Driscoll
1.07 - Stage for Tucson - Eddie Albert, Mona Freeman
1.08 - Quiet Sunday in San Ardo - Wendell Corey, Gerald Mohr
1.09 - Vengeance Canyon - Walter Brennan, Ben Cooper
1.10 - Return to Nowhere- John Ireland, Steven McNally
1.11 - Courage is a Gun - Mr. Powell, Beverly Garland
1.12 - Muletown Gold Strike - Rory Calhoun, Barbara Eiler
1.13 - Stars over Texas - Ralph Bellamy, Gloria Talbott, James Garner
1.14 - Three Graves - Jack Lemmon, Nan Leslie
1.15 - No Man Living- Frank Lovejoy, Margaret Hayes
1.16 - Time of Decision - Lloyd Bridges, Diane Brewster
1.17 - Until the Man Dies - Stuart Whitman, John Payne
1.18 - Backtrail- Mr. Powell, Catherine McLeod
1.19 - Dangerous Orders - Jack Elam, Mark Stevens
1.20 - The Necessary Breed - Sterling Hayden, Jean Willes
1.21 - The Hanging Tree - Robert Ryan, Cloris Leachman
1.22 - Village of Fear- David Niven, George D. Wallace
1.23 - Black Creek Encounter- Ernest Borgnine, Jan Merlin
1.24 - There Were Four- John Derek, Dean Jagger
1.25 - Fugitive - Eddie Albert, Celeste Holm
1.26 - A Time To Live - Ralph Meeker, Julie London
1.27 - Black is for Grief - Mary Astor, Beulah Bondi, Chester Morris
1.28 - Badge of Honor - Gary Merrill, Tom Tully, Robert Culp
1.29 - Decision at Wilson's Creek - John Forsythe, John Dehner
1.30 - Man on the Run - Scott Brady, Nancy Hale
Each episode is 30 minutes in length and features such diverse talent as James Garner at the beginning of his career and Chester Morris near the end of his career. Mr. Powell stars in three of the thirty episodes. VCI, though not widely known, has taken part in some quality restorations before, so I am hoping these great western dramas will be carefully restored.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One



Buy NowGet 6% OFF

Click here for more information about Zane Grey Theatre Complete Season One

Read More...

Kung Fu Theater: Land of the Brave / The Great General Review

Kung Fu Theater: Land of the Brave / The Great General
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Luckily we have had much rain and I finally popped these movies in.
GREAT GENERAL-the movie opens with a narrator letting you know exactly what is going to happen and the entire plot. This is not a horrible thing but the movie is. Meng Fei stars as the son of a great general who makes him take his vows like all of the other soldiers so he can lead an army and help his dad as much as he possibly can. I think Steve Tung Wai is in this though he is pretty young and has a huge helmet on all the time. Him and Meng Fei have the one decent action sequence of the movie. Fan Mei-Sheng has a good performance but otherwise this movie is a total loss. Since it seems to be based off of a true story it might be watchable for some but the little action there was was very crude especially at the end of the movie. 1/5
Picture is full screened and quality is bad but but watchable. It is just extremely washed out.
LAND OF THE BRAVE-this was a nice little surprise. Not a great movie but Nick Cheung with one of his better roles. He plays it straight-faced throughout. You only get a glimpse of his charm and that is only when you first meet him. In the early 1900's Japan invaded China and in this movie I guess they haev their sights set on destroying an electrical plant. Cheung plays a worker at the plant who ends up being the leader of this band of people who look to stop the Japanese. The fighting is classic basher style and the end fight is great. Unfortunately all of the other fights are average and just like most bashers, the story is a tough watch at times. Though if you like old cheap kung fu flicks from 1971-1975 with plenty of nudity then this is right up your alley. 2.5/5
Picture on this is not too bad and is in a 16:9 format though the picture is a bit stretched.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Kung Fu Theater: Land of the Brave / The Great General



Buy NowGet 55% OFF

Click here for more information about Kung Fu Theater: Land of the Brave / The Great General

Read More...

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Shorts Vol. 2 Review

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Shorts Vol. 2
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The bad news: Tom Servo doesn't introduce the shorts so there's no transitioning from one to the next. More importantly NO "Mr. B Natural" in this collection. C'mon Rhino what are you waiting for?
However, this tape's got two of the best shorts MST's done, "What to do on a Date" and "Last Clear Chance". Apparently all we have to do on dates is find a decoration party for a garage sale (complete with Cokes and ice cream), a swim meet or a wienie roast. [If only I'd known this sooner-I could have saved the money taking girlfriends to Vienna and London]. Anyway, DID kids in the '50s really need a film to tell them what to do? I suspect this was made to prevent those "petting/make-out parties that kids nowadays are doing what with their hula hoops and lewd Rocking-and-Rolling".
"Last Clear Chance" has a death-obsessed highway patrolman dropping in uninvited to discuss fatal traffic accidents with a farm family that has no chores to do. Mike and the 'Bots rip this apart; you might have to watch it a couple times to get the jokes you missed while laughing.
The other 4 shorts are worth watching, especially the last one "Days of Our Years". A Kafkaesque nightmare of a safety film with a Reverend poking himself into railwaymen's tragic lives. A hoot. Buy This.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Shorts Vol. 2



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Shorts Vol. 2

Read More...

7/27/2011

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Wild World of Batwoman (1988) Review

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Wild World of Batwoman  (1988)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The MST3k guys do their usual wonderful job of taking an unwatchable movie and making it some of the best entertainment that you'll ever see. The film is absolutely ridiculous and it can't seem to figure out if it wants to be scary, serious, funny or hip. It ends up, of course, not being any of these things.
GASP as a scientist creates an atomic-powered hearing aid! THRILL as the same footage of the villain Rat Fink (yes, the main villain's name is Rat Fink) is used over and over again! SCREAM as the scantily clad extras dance awkwardly with each other (one wonders if they were paid per wiggle)! Where exactly this film went wrong is a question that one could spend many hours pondering, but it's much more fun to just sit back, relax, and watch Mike and the bots suffer through THE WILD WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN.
This episode also featured the short film, CHEATING. This is perhaps the epitome of every 50's educational short film ever made. To sum it up in words would not do justice to its sheer horribleness. It could cause death by laughter all by itself, but in the hands of the crew of the Satellite of Love, it becomes positively dangerous.
Note: For the very brave, the DVD version of this film also comes with the regular, un-MST3Ked version of the film. I do not recommend activating this feature without a parent, guardian or medical worker present.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Wild World of Batwoman (1988)



Buy NowGet 53% OFF

Click here for more information about Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Wild World of Batwoman (1988)

Read More...

Summer Stock (1950) Review

Summer Stock (1950)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a wonderful film! Especially for people who live on farms (Like me). This wonderful film was directed by Charles Walters who two years before directed Easter Parade with Judy and Fred (Also a great film).
28 year old Judy Garland stars as the hard working, determined, Jane Falbury. Who really just wants to run her farm. Or does she...
Chaos ensues when Jane comes home one morning to find 24 (Though it looks more like 50 on screen) people loading props, lights, and costumes into her much loved barn. Angry, overwhelmed, and upset, Jane is dumbfounded when she finds out her beautiful, ambitious, sister (Gloria DeHaven), has invited her boyfriend's show, (Gene Kelly), to put on his show: 'Fall in Love,' in which her sister is to play the leading part. Jane angrily tells them to leave. But when Jane's sister, Abigail, tells Jane she is selfish, Jane changes her mind and says that the actors may stay - on one condition: they must help her with the farm chores!!!
This movie contiues as Jane falls head over heels with Joe Ross (Gene Kelly), and show business.
Other cast includes: Marjorie Main, Carleton Carpenter, Phil Silvers and Ray Collins.
Other songs include: If you fell like singing sing, Howdy Neighbor, Memory Island, You Wonderful You, Get Happy, Dig, There's a star, and the HILARIOUS, routine with Gene Kelly and Phil Silvers: It's Heavenly Music To ME!!
Overall, Summer Stock is a Wonderful movie the whole family can Love and Enjoy!!!!!



Click Here to see more reviews about: Summer Stock (1950)

An entrepreneur tries to turn a New England farm into a theatre.

Buy NowGet 68% OFF

Click here for more information about Summer Stock (1950)

Read More...

Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition) (1977) Review

Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 and 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition) (1977)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I am one of those geeks who was ten years old when Star Wars came out (note: it was not originally called "Episode IV.") I watched it in the theater perhaps a dozen times. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.
This release contains two DVDs: the version that Lucas has been tinkering with, and on a bonus disc, the original movie in 4:3 letterbox, taken from the best-available videodisc masters.
About that "tinkering." The 2004 version of Episode 4 looks, for the most part, quite gorgeous. The _restoration_ that Lucasfilm did is impressive: the blacks are blacker, the whites whiter, the color richer, the contrast improved all around, and the soundtrack is great. The dirt and scratches are gone, the shaky color very solid.
However, at some point Lucas crossed over from "restoration" into making a new movie. That's fine; he has the right to do so. But for him to say that the original Star Wars is not really what he had in mind, when it was one of the most famous and popular movies in history and became entrenched in the culture -- well, I find that weirdly arrogant. And when he says, in effect, that his altered version _is_ "Star Wars" and the original _isn't_ -- well, hmmm. A movie is a historical artifact. There's a difference between preservation and tinkering. Mainly, that tinkering mostly is there to gratify the artist, while preservation serves the art -- and the fans of the art. Artistic creation is a fragile and uncertain process. For Lucas to assume that he knew exactly what made Star Wars great and presume to make it better misstates the amount of control that artists actually have over how their creations are received by the public.
Where you draw this line is slightly unclear. I think the cleanup of the backgrounds is fine. The improvement of the soundtrack to use the latest technology available is wonderful. I'm not sure why Kenobi's weird cry that drives away the sandpeople was replaced with a slightly different weird cry. He's redone some of the explosions twice now. I'm not sure why they all became pink in 2004. Why did he feel that Alderaan and the Death Star needed to explode in giant rings? Why do the lightsabers now give off blinding green flashes when they collide? Most of these changes are not improvements; they are just distractions. They tend to stick out like a sore thumb to fans who have seen the movie many times.
But there are more than just the small arbitrary changes, I'm not really happy with the addition of dinosaur-like creatures in Mos Eisley, and I'm really not happy with giving these little bits and pieces cartoonish _sound_ that sounds like it came from Episode 1. Star Wars, the original, had a different tone, a different mood, than Empire and Jedi and the whole prequel trilogy. It's a little darker. It's a world where rebels and stormtroopers are violently killed and Han Solo shoots first. Lucas is free to make that world happier and more cartoonish in his later films, but altering, and in some cases censoring violence from the original, is a very strange thing to do.
So, although I really admire the improvements to the image and sound in the 2004 edition, I generally prefer watching the original 1977 cut. For that, I'm sorry to report that the digital transfer, from the videodisc master, is only adequate. Many fans are griping that it is 4:3 instead of anamorphic 19:9. This means it isn't full-width on a widescreen TV. That doesn't particularly bother me, but I'm viewing it on an old TV, not a widescreen TV. It looks like a very good analog videotape, but we've recently -- and rather abruptly, in terms of years -- gotten used to DVDs of films that were transferred to the digital realm and mastered there. It's actually taken from the master for the analog videodisc. The audio is good, but again we now tend to compare it to all-digital productions. Negative comments on Amazon about the black level are on the mark; some of the space scenes make black outer space look brown, or gray. This is particularly evident when we see Vader's helmet in his tie fighter; his helmet is blacker than the black background of space. But that is true in the original film; it was noticeable in the theater on opening day. A number of the desert scenes have poor contrast and faded color; some of this is film deterioration, and some is because the contrast and color in some of the outdoor Tatooine scenes were never that good to begin with. There are noticeable scratches. The color is shaky in some scenes, particularly outdoor scenes, and flickers a bit. It looks like a film that is considerably older than it is. I've seen restored films from considerably earlier that look a lot better than this one does.
Here's the thing: it didn't have to be this way. We would have considered it to be a fairly good video rendering at one point in time. But our expectations have been raised considerably -- and, in fact, Lucas himself is largely responsible for raising those expectations, because of his constant embrace of new technology for delivering films to audiences. The 2004 DVD release has all those black level problems fixed. There aren't any visible scratches. The contrast is excellent. The colors are vivid. The missing dialog is restored.
So which version do I want to watch? Well, the answer is neither. I want to watch a version that doesn't exist: call it "Star Wars: the Nostalgia Edition." That version would be fully _restored_, but not _altered_. And it would have things like Han Solo's scene with Jabba available as a "deleted scene" special feature, along with all the other so-called lost footage such as the scene at Anchorhead, which introduces (and makes sense of) Luke's relationship with Biggs. It would have been presented with respect for the original work, not as a bonus disc given no special treatment. Instead, Lucas has disowned that picture.
And here's the thing: I'd be shocked if Lucas didn't have every scene, unaltered, from the first film in beautifully restored digital form. After all, wouldn't a restored original film have been the starting point for this whole process of remastering that led to the 1997 and 2004 versions?
So, I'm not actually advocating that we give up the advances in restoration that are evident in the 2004 release. But don't bother with the tinkering. The fans don't care about it. Keep the original death star cell block footage. Sure, the tunnel behind the actors is obviously a matte painting, and the perspective is off kilter when the camera angle changes. But you know what? I saw Star Wars at least ten times in the theater and I never noticed the problem -- because it isn't a "problem," it's an artifact of the budget and technology that existed in 1977. You notice it if you are looking at the frame cynically, not when you are immersed in the story. It might be an irritant to Lucas now, but it is the effect we grew up with. For the "Nostalgia Edition," let Star Wars be Star Wars.
Then Lucas can go on with his director's cuts, turning Star Wars into a 3-D cartoon until the sun explodes, for all I care. Just don't make me watch Greedo shoot first!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition) (1977)

For the first time ever and for a limited time only, the enhanced versions of the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi will be available individually on DVD. Plus, these 2-Disc DVD's will feature a bonus disc that includes, for the first time ever on DVD, the original films as seen in theaters in 1977, 1980 and 1983.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition) (1977)

Read More...

7/26/2011

Avia II (2008) Review

Avia II (2008)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
My sharp aquos looked good as soon as i got it out of the box. About a month later, i decided to take the plunge and purchase this calibration dvd. After viewing the test patterns and using the color filters, i noticed a significant difference in how much better the color is. i didn't notice so much of a difference in the other settings as far as sharpness and contrast go. Even after setting the brightness with the dvd, i ended up bumping it up just a bit for daytime viewing.
I didn't get much out of the audio adjustments on my surround sound system. i got more out of the adjustments from simply using my receiver manual and remote.
In the end, after seeing other folks LCD tvs, i can tell mine has been adjusted properly with the test patterns. This was something i didn't notice until i saw someone elses tv and it was obvious the saturation needed to be adjusted.
All in all, it was a good investment. Not quite sure it was worth the $35 or so i paid for it, but my tv looks even that much better now that i have used it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Avia II (2008)

From the makers of Avia and Avia Pro comes the definitive and easy-to-use tutorial for optimizing your home theater. This all-inclusive guide to home theater calibration for NTSC, HD-DVD, Blu-ray or PAL formats comes with more than 200 test patterns to achieve superior video quality and nearly 100 audio tones for 5.1 and 6.1 channels, plus Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus. Basic and advanced signals allow you to select the test pattern or sound tone needed for a specific calibration, and tutorials cover various home theater components, speaker types and placement, making connection and wiring, and using a sound meter and home theater environments.

Buy NowGet 20% OFF

Click here for more information about Avia II (2008)

Read More...

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - I Accuse My Parents (1945) Review

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - I Accuse My Parents (1945)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This DVD from Rhino offers up one the funniest -- and most charming -- episodes of the legendary TV show "Mystery Science Theater 3000," where they take on a 1944 drama/gangster movie/message flick called, "I Accuse My Parents." There are few episodes of the show I recommended higher for all-around quality.
For those of you unfamiliar with "Mystery Science Theater 3000," (MST3K for short) it is a ninety-minute show featuring a silhouette of a man and two robots (Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot) in movie theater seats projected in front of a bad movie. The hosts provide hysterical, satiric, and culturally-savvy wisecracks to accompany the movie. The episodes also includes sketches and songs and adds up to some of the most hilarious comedy you will ever see.
"I Accuse My Parents" is episode #507, from the last days of Joel Hodgson's run as host. Although the movie itself is actually not that bad, this episode comes at point in the show's development when the writers and performers were at the peak of the powers, and the result is one of the most hilarious episodes, and one that really grows on you with its sense of warm parody. It's a good episode for newcomers as well, since the film is average enough so that its awfulness doesn't distract from the wisecracks. (I've noticed that when I show an episode of the show to a friend who has never seen it before, the worse the movie being parodied is, the more my friend focuses on the movie instead of the hosts. This, therefore, is a good "training" episode.)
The camaraderie between the cast is quite wonderful here, and the warm, jocular style of the Joel years is at its strongest. After Mike Nelson took over as host (a few episodes later), the comedy style became more satiric and antagonistic toward the film. I love both hosts, but there is something rather magical and pleasant about the comedy of Joel's stint as host, and this episode displays that style perfectly. It is one of quintessential Joel Hodgson episodes.
The movie is a competently shot `B' programmer from low-budget studio PRC. Our hero is Jimmy, a really stupid high school graduate who has to get a job at a shoe store despite his skills at essay writing (he won an essay content and mentions it endlessly). While lying to impress a girl, Jimmy idiotically ends up getting into debt and having to go to work as a courier for a gangster, while he also romances the gangster's girl Kitty (played by actress Mary Beth Hughes, who also appears in another MST3K episode, "Last of the Wild Horses.") Well, pretty soon our poor fool is in trouble with the law and the mob and on the run. And when it all explodes in his face, whom does he accuse? Yep, the title gives it away: His Parents! And why? Because they drink and argue. See, it's all their fault.
What makes this episode so dang funny is not that the film is particularly rotten looking or the acting is awful, but because the film's premise and main character are so stupid. The hosts lance into the characters at every point: Jimmy's incessant lying ("I liberated France while you were out dancing"), Jimmy's constant bragging about winning an essay constant ("Welcome to the Annual Essay Awards Ceremony!") his alcoholic parents who keep throwing money at him ("I'm up here with the D.T.s, honey! Would you get the yellow lizard out of the bathroom?"), Jimmy's rank stupidity ("Sir, I just don't get the holy spirit. Is it a bird?"), and the extremely obvious gangster organization ("Organized crime, please hold...organized crime, please hold...). This is a very `character'-driven episode, and it's hilarious. There's also some great sketches between movie watching. In one sketch, Joel and the Robots psychoanalyze Jimmy to show that more than just `drunk folks' are behind his problems. (Crow, or course, determines that Jimmy is just stupid.)
This DVD is a laugh riot, and a quintessential Joel episode. It feels like plunking down on the couch and watching a film with your best buddies; I think that's the main charm of the Joel years of the show. Newcomers and old fans alike will want this classic. (There are absolutely no extras on the DVD, however, but the episode is such a gem, it doesn't matter.)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mystery Science Theater 3000 - I Accuse My Parents (1945)



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Mystery Science Theater 3000 - I Accuse My Parents (1945)

Read More...