Dinosaur (2-Disc Collector's Edition) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I thought a lot about this review.
I'm an animation buff, so I can well say that this film received the maximum rank on animation - the amount of details and thought that was put into every movement and shot is admirable, and the result shows. It is certain that the animators did an excellent job - even went down to details such as having the muscles of the dinosaurs vibrate when the foot hits the floor. Sometimes I actually forgot that this was an animation movie, and mistook it for a National Geographic feature.
The story, on the other hand, is rather disappointing. It seems like the development process stopped after the story became reasonable. The characters are only skin-deep, and it is frustrating for someone who had already seen a couple of movies before that this one brings nothing new to the screen. It's sad to notice so many 'deja vu's while watching, seeing so many thing that you have already seen before, especially that the main character - Aladar - is an orphan dinosaur raised by monkeys, carries a close resemblance to Disney's previous feature, Tarzan.
Two thumbs up for the music - it really hits the spot. The composer captured every moment so naturally that it fits like a glove. Nothing I say can convey the impression, so you might as well see it for yourself.
All in all, an amazing animation feature with a weak plot. This film - in itself - receives 4 stars from me, although if I had calculated my impression on the Collector's edition, I would have definitely lowered it to 3. It simply wasn't worth the extra money I added. The second DVD contains very little material, and I really expected more from a highly documented production such as this one to include more material. People purchase this item to get more information about the animation process, and I really feel like I wanted more. I really think that I should have bought the regular edition and saved some cash.

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Join the action-packed adventure of a group of dinosaurs overcoming enormous challenges through courage, loyalty and hope in Disney's DINOSAUR, a special effects phenomenon! Set 65 million years ago, DINOSAUR tells the compelling story of Aladar, an iguanadon who is separated from his own kind and raised by a clan of lemurs, including the wisecracking Zini and the compassionate Plio. When a meteor shower destroys their home, Aladar and his family follow a herd of dinosaurs heading for the safety of the "nesting grounds." along the way, Aladar befriends Baylene, an elderly brachiosaur; Eema, an unstoppable strachosaru; and Neera, a feisty fellow iguanadon. Together, they must stand strong amidst food and water shortages, the threat of carnotaur attacks, and Aladar's run-ins with the herd's stubborn leader, Kron. A landmark in filmmaking technology, DINOSAUR's theatrical quality is fully captured in this DVD, which features a digital-to-digital transfer that ensures the best possible picture and sound quality!

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Martian Successor Nadesico - The Complete Chronicles (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)The hero who became...an anime fan?
Yes indeed, Nadesico is definitely the most enjoyable anime series I've ever seen. So what exactly is Nadesico? Basically, it's a Mecha comedy. But in actuality, it's much more than that. Most comedies go for one kind of laugh. Some shoot for all kinds, but some of the jokes fall flat. I can honestly say that Nadesico is a brilliant show. It makes fun of EVERYTHING. It makes fun of Mecha anime, it makes fun of sci-fi, it makes fun of video games, it makes fun pop culture, it even makes fun of the fact that some of it's puns are totally silly. And seemingly EVERY joke is hilarious. Seriously. It would seem almost impossible that you would not find SOMETHING funny in this show (especially if you find the stereotype of a kid turned hero or a guy being chased by tons of girls funny). But wait, there's more.
Not only is this show hilarious, it also features great characters that (once again) know they are the stereotyped kind and have fun with it. The voices (even in the English dub) are absolutely perfect. They convey everything from serious drama to wacked out comedy perfectly without skipping a beat. And then there is the plot.
The plot may seem on the surface to be just a parody of all the Mecha shows that have come and gone in recent history. But look closer, and you'll find that the plot twists and turns as well as any. Seriously, when the story and drama kicks into high gear, I'd rank this show with Macross any day.
But, you may ask, is every episode the same thing? Mecha action and comedy? No, indeed. The variety in the episodes is truly staggering. You have TWO World War II themed episodes (one about tank battles, another about submarine battles), an episode out of chronological order, a standing in space episode, a talent show episode, and of course a showdown epsisode (to mention just a few). And every single episode is flawlessly executed. Even the review episode is a brilliant take on the episode reviews in all Mecha sagas.
And for what it's worth, the animation and music in this show are both EXCELLENT. Don't belive me? Just watch the into and ending. Sure, lots of shows have great intros, and lots of shows have great endings. But both?
All in all, this is one of the most brilliant shows I've ever seen. The only show I could maybe compare to it is the excellent CGI cartoon show "Reboot". In it's third season, it also features epsidoes with parody famous movies and pop culture, and it also has a great story, cool characters, and an awesome plot. If you love Mecha anime, you must have this show. If you hate anime, you still need to try it. It is very balanced show, and you're sure to find something to love. Yes, you've probably seen battles, animation, characters, and plot like this before. But in this world, there's no such thing as originality (or as Picaso said "Good artists copy, great artists steal". Nadesico makes no bones about it, they're stealing. And they're artists.

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Johnny Mathis Live - Wonderful, Wonderful - A Gold 50th Anniversary Celebration (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered my copy from Amazon in early November, but the company manufacturing the dvds is so overrun with orders for it that the "mass release" date has been postponed until February 27th!! Depending on the type of shipping method chosen, it might not arrive until sometime in early March.
I have watched this special on both PBS stations (in segments, during pledge drives) and on HDNET (short version, uninterrupted). The dvd coming from Amazon will have more songs from the concert at which this was taped (October, 2006). IT IS FANTASTIC, LIKE BEING AT ONE OF THE CONCERTS, BUT THE CAMERA BRINGS YOU ONTO THE STAGE! YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY WHEN YOU FINALLY GET IT AND WATCH, I CAN ASSURE YOU!!! I just hope that it works in your dvr! I think it is even better than the A&E Live in Concert that everyone already loves!!

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JOHNNY MATHIS LIVE:WONDERFUL WONDERFU - DVD Movie

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Tom Brown's Schooldays (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Tom Brown's Schooldays" was originally published in 1857. Thomas Hughes had attended Rugby School, an English public school for boys from 1834 to 1842, but it seems the title character was based on his older brother George. The book is considered the first in the genre of school novels, spawning a host of imitations during the Victorian era, the most successful of which would be the Harry Potter novels of the 21st century. The BBC did a mini-series version of "Tom Brown's Schooldays" in 1972, where as this 2005 television adaptation by ITV runs only 93 minutes. I was going to say that this was by far the shortest BBC literary adaptation I had ever seen, but it turns out it was by ITV.
The relative short length of this production is especially interesting since it omits the chapters at the start of the novel dealing with the childhood of Tom Brown in his home in the Vale of White Horse. There young Tom spends days riding his pony and leading a happy, carefree existence, before being sent to the living hell of his schooldays. Instead, the script by Ashley Pharoah takes the two major stories that make up the actual school days, Tom being bullied by Flashman and Tom being told by Dr. Arnold to look after young George Arthur, and weaves them together instead of having them comprise separate parts of the story. So in this version Tom Brown (Alex Pettyfer) shows up at Rugby School and immediately becomes the target for the bullying Flashman (Joseph Beattie, and, yes, this is the character that George MacDonald Fraser made the "hero" of his "Flashman" historical novels). Meanwhile, headmaster Dr. Thomas Arnold (Stephen Fry) is trying to reform the rowdy school into a more Christian place, insisting that he will take the students at their word, just like he would a grown man, a policy that Flashman will sorely put to the test.
The conflict between Tom and Flashman is at the heart of this version, featuring an escalation of effronteries by the older boy that exceed what is in the novel. Flashman's big crime in the novel was to get exceedingly drunk, and Pharoah's script comes up with bigger and badder things in this version to expedite the villain's demise. The problem is that while I like the way the script makes Flashman's bullying a lot more threatening to a contemporary audience, the twist regarding George Arthur (Harry Smith) changes the ending way too much. Instead of thinking of the lessons that young Tom Brown has learned from his schooldays, I am watching the final credits wondering if this is supposed to be an implicit rejection of George Arthur's Christian idealism. Just because I appreciated some of the major changes in the story does not mean that I do not think there are certain lines you should not be crossing over, and I have to round down because of the line this one crosses at the end.
Young Pettyfer does not have to do much as Tom beyond reacting to the indignities heaped upon him by Flashman and the others and coming to the defense of Tadpole (Dane Carter) and other younger classmates who are the prey of the older bullies. Beattie plays Flashman with great relish, both when he is bullying the little boys and when he lies right to the face of Dr. Arnold. The key performance is that of Fry, who does a nice job of playing restrained anger when he finally lowers the boom on Flashman. My favorite scene is when the good doctor learns a lesson in irony as to what happens when you believe a liar and do not believe someone who is telling you the truth. But primarily "Tom Brown's Schooldays" is about a bully getting what is coming to him, and I hope the kid who terrorized my life when I was the same age as Tom got his own comeuppance sooner or later. At the very least, I would like to believe that Hughes is completely right on that score.

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This new adaptation of Thomas Hughes' famous novel tells the tale of a young boy's courage in the face of vicious bullying. Set in Rugby Public School during the mid-1800s, the eponymous Tom transforms from timid, homesick schoolboy to courageous student as he learns to confront his fears, stand up for his friends, and hurdle the obstacles of adolescence.

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Xiaolin Showdown - Season One (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)It took me several days to write this review, seeing as how I'd have to admit to zillions of online strangers how much I love a kid's cartoon. I swear I don't usually watch this stuff! It's not my fault! I just can't stand any more reality shows!
All right, down to business. Other reviews have covered the basics so I'll gloss over them quickly. Four kids--Clay, Kimiko, Raimundo and Omi--are brought to a temple in China, to train as warriors and locate magical artifacts. These artifacts were de-powered and hidden all over the world thousands of years ago, but are regaining their magical potency one by one. The young warriors must find them before they fall into the wrong hands. Those hands belong to an evil boy genius, his nagging ghost mentor, and a host of other interesting villains.
The artifacts give powers to whoever is holding them at the time, and I have to applaud the creators coming up with such an assortment of pleasing things. They can let you talk to animals, stretch yourself like chewing gum, summon a whirlwind, blast fire, or fool with the workings of space and time. Most artifacts require skill and discipline to use correctly. Some give you a new ability, but take away one that you already had. Others backfire. A few are too dangerous to be used at all. The characters have to think about using them; they can't just flail them around.
But the show isn't just about finding and mastering weapons--it's also about finding and mastering yourself. And while cartoons that moralize really rub me the wrong way, I approve this time. The characters learn to find the rational way to approach a problem, and even better, consider how their own strengths and weaknesses factor into a situation. A presence of forethought, more than skill or luck, is responsible for the good guys' victories. That's what sets Xiaolin Showdown head-and-shoulders above most other kid's shows.
Speaking of forethought, it has a glorious absence in the monks' adversary Jack Spicer, who is now my new favorite 'villain'. If this show was done live-action, I'd accuse Jack Spicer's actor of stealing the show. A cape-swirling, self-styled "Evil Boy Genius", Spicer builds armies of robots, grins and rants, chickens out, gloats and whines about the pitfalls he encounters on his lonely path to greatness. Brilliant yet foolish, egotistical, star-struck, greedy and impulsive, he is Daffy Duck trying his best to be Ming The Merciless. He's not much of a villain, but a perfect troublemaker and hilarious to watch. He's too haphazard--and a bit too nice--to be the evil genius he wants to be, but when he gets his act together, watch out. He has a little knowledge, and it's dangerous.
But Jack Spicer never stops to think about anything, and this begins and ends with him being chewed out by his ghostly sidekick, Wuya. Wuya is the squidlike, floating spirit of an ancient witch, who has teamed up with Jack Spicer for lack of a better partner. She's the brains of the outfit, but very much hampered by the fact that she's not solid and can't do things for herself. She can't force Spicer to do anything, just yell and egg him on, and she would clearly love to smack some sense into him.
None of the villains can get along with each other when they team up, and they double-cross, back-bite and dump each other constantly. The importance of compassion and teamwork is drawn clearly here--if you can't find a way to work with others, you're not going to get anywhere. And the good guys also do less-than-admirable things to each other, out of jealousy or anger, with similar results. Just *saying* they're 'good' is not good enough; the heroes have to learn to walk their talk.
The series explores the idea that humans are neither totally good nor totally bad, and yes, I know, it's just a simplistic cartoon...but the results are pretty interesting. Certain characters cross the good/evil line in either direction, and query each other or themselves on their true natures, especially after Volume One. This is the main reason WB needs to come out with Volume 2 on DVD. Ahem.
You can probably tell that I think this show goes beyond battles, but the fights are great too. When two people want to claim the same artifact, a Xiaolin Showdown is declared and the combatants fight using whatever artifacts they already have. But that, to me, isn't the interesting part; the battlegrounds are. Declaring a Showdown suspends the laws of reality while it's fought, and everything changes to a surrealistic landscape that never fails to amaze me with it's sense and creativity. These showdowns take place in space, in giant pinball machines, in a forest of impossibly tall trees--even a common haystack gets a fever-dream makeover. I love these sequences and, frankly, always wish that the animation was higher-quality so I could enjoy it even more.
Well, that's enough. It's a really good show with heart, brains, humor, a believable theme, magic shiny things and robots and stuff. Hang on for a good wild ride.

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Xiaolin Showdown: The Complete First Season follows the adventures of warriors-in-training Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo and Clay as they search the globe for Shen-Gong-Wu, ancient artifacts that hold both good and evil supernatural powers.Tune in as Dojo, the 40-foot dragon, leads the warriors in a fight against evil boy genius Jack and his robot army who are on the hunt to gain Shen-Gong-Wu and harness their powers for world domination.The race heats up as each artifact is found and a Xiaolin Showdown – an intense winner-take-all double-dare – shapes up.Blending cool martial arts, magical powers and stunning action, these high-stakes matches will take you beyond the edge of animated excitement and fun!Includes all 13 action packed episodes from the entire first season on 2 discs.

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The Supremes: Reflections - The Definitive Performances 1964-1969 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Please if any of you had read a review by a A J Wilson, claiming that this was a special edition with 3 discs, and an extra 17 performances. This is not true! it is exactly the same as the cheaper American version. Why they advertise this copy as the "Definitive DVD collection" as opposed to the American copy of "Definitive performances collection" is beyond me. I ordered this copy after seeing the review by A J Wilson, only to find its exactly the same as the cheaper American copy.

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Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard (and herreplacement Cindy Birdsong) conquered the charts and then the world throughtheir TV appearances. Their looks, their charm and of course their greathits burst from the screen and won over even the harshest critics.Now thefans can have it all over again -- the original "Dreamgirls" doing theirthing unlike any group before or since. The Supremes: Reflections, produced for UMe by Historic Films, is anextraordinary DVD collection -- their greatest hits on video in any formfor the first time. Included are not only the classic appearances from theEd Sullivan Show and Hullaballo, but incredible rare footage not seen sincefirst aired more than 40 years ago. As a fabulous bonus, a click of thesub-title button will also reveal entertaining and revealing trivia abouteach clip.Then there's the DVD extras, the icing on the cake: additional rare clipsof "Baby Love" and "Stop! In The Name Of Love," early footage of the triodoing their first top 40 hit, and uncut footage from the documentaryAnatomy Of Pop that includes an interview with Berry Gordy. As with allother UMe/Motown DVD collections, all audio has been significantlyupgraded; where the group has lip-synced to the record, you'll now hearremastered stereo right from the Motown vault.1. Where Did Our Love Go (The Steve Allen Show, September 24, 1964) 2. Baby Love (Shivaree, 1965) 3. Come See About Me (Teen Town, February 1965) 4. Stop! In The Name Of Love (Murray The K - It's What's Happening!, June28, 1965) 5. Back In My Arms Again (Mike Douglas Show, November 3, 1965) 6. Nothing But Heartaches (Hullaballoo, September 13, 1965) 7. I Hear A Symphony (Mike Douglas Show, November 3, 1965) 8. My World Is Empty Without You (Anatomy Of Pop - The Music Explosion,1965) 9. You Can't Hurry Love (The Ed Sullivan Show, September 25, 1966)* 10. You Keep Me Hanging On (Promotional Film, 1966) 11. Love Is Here And Now Your Gone (The Andy Williams Show, January 22,1967) 12. The Happening (Live In Stockholm/Swedish TV, April 20,1968) 13. Reflections (The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special, December 3, 1967)14. In And Out Of Love (Live In Stockholm/Swedish TV, April 20th, 1968) 15. Love Child (The Ed Sullivan Show, September 29, 1968) 16. Someday We'll Be Together (The Hollywood Palace, October 18, 1969) DVD Extras 1. Baby Love (Top Of The Pops, October 15, 1964) 2.Stop! In The Name Of Love (Shivaree, 1965) 3. When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes (The Supremes InCarr'e, Amsterdam, October 14, 1964) 4. My World Is Empty Without You (Original Clip w/ Narration, Anatomy OfPop, 1965)

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Surviving Gilligan's Island (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)This show was perfection. Anyone who enjoys the classic show Gilligan's Island MUST see this Documentary. The re-enactments were great. Much better then just showing pictures and old clips. It shows how the show was created having look alike characters play the parts of the original cast. These actors were very entertaining. Especially when I wasn't too excited about seeing new actors filling the roles. But it turned out to be perfect. The DVD menus and extras are themed very closely to the show and make for some fun amusement. This just makes me want all 3 seasons from the original series on DVD even more. I cannot wait for that day to come. All Gilligan Island lovers must own this DVD.

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Tony Bennett - American Classic (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)To accompany his lustrous "Duets" CD, perennial crooner Tony Bennett recruited some first-rank talent behind and before the cameras to help him produce this remarkable TV special to commemorate his 80th birthday. It is at once a throwback to the network variety specials from the 1960's and 70's (before pay-cable rendered them obsolete) and a reinvention of the format incorporating biographical elements within the context of mini-video performances. The result aired on NBC earlier this week as an hour-long special. Without commercials, the program scarcely runs forty minutes, but it remains a superbly crafted showcase for a timeless singer. Thanks to Rob Marshall's innovative conception and immaculate direction, the show follows a roughly chronological timeline of Bennett's career with nine starry-eyed duets connected by brief snippets of his professional milestones.
Things start on a high note with Bennett in an empty theater singing Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" joined by a mellifluous-sounding Barbra Streisand, his most accomplished partner for the evening. In a jazz nightclub setting, he is surrounded by the acrobatic Tony Bennett Dancers and swings though "Sing, You Sinners" with a confident John Legend. In a recording booth at Columbia Studios, Bennett sings his first hit, "Because of You" accompanied by smoky vocals from k.d. lang and a languorous trumpet solo by Chris Botti. Visually, my favorite part of the program is the black-and-white recreation of the 1960's-style variety show complete with dancers in sailor tops and Capri pants. In this segment, Diana Krall joins Bennett on a finger-snapping "The Best Is Yet to Come" followed by a sonorous version of "The Shadow of Your Smile" given a samba-accented makeover by Columbian rock singer Juanes.
The inevitable Vegas sequence features a bevy of feather-fanned showgirls. In this milieu, Bennett is joined by Elton John on a jaunty "Rags to Riches", by new-jack crooner Michael Bublé on a swinging "Just in Time" (whose Dean Martin-style behavior may rankle the more feminist-minded), and finally by a surprisingly stationary Stevie Wonder leaning heavily on his melisma on his own "For Once in My Life" (which includes his trademark harmonica interlude). To show his popularity with the current crop of chart-toppers, Bennett is joined by a retro-styled Christina Aguilera and the dancers in full Fosse mode on "Steppin' Out". It all ends appropriately with a shimmering solo of Bennett's signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".
Providing the spoken interludes between the performances are Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, John Travolta and Robert DeNiro. At about 45 minutes in total, the extras on the DVD actually last longer than the special itself. They start with a 2 1/2-minute trailer and go right into footage of the dancers rehearsing their four production numbers. What follows is an extensive making-of featurette which features interviews with Marshall, choreographer John DeLuca and other key members of the creative staff interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage.

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Tracks:1."Smile" Barbra Streisand 2."Sing You Sinners" John Legend 3."Because Of You" k.d. lang and Chris Botti 4."The Best Is Yet To Come" Diana Krall 5."The Shadow Of Your Smile" Juanes 6."Rags To Riches" Elton John 7."Just In Time" Michael Bublé 8."For Once In My Life" Stevie Wonder 9."Steppin' Out With My Baby" Christina Aguilera 10."I Left My Heart In San Francisco" Tony BennettProduct Description: TONY BENNETT: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC is a ground-breaking television eventthat takes us on a musical journey of this legendary entertainer's life. Re-creating thevenues of Tony's career, from the downtown Greenwich Village club where Tony was discovered, to theColumbia recording studios of the early 60's, from rat pack Las Vegas to CarnegieHall, Tony will be joined for each show-stopping number by the myriad of superstars thatappear with him on his Duets album. In a bold re-invention of the form, each set piece was filmedas a small movie by an Academy Award-winning team, lead by director Rob Marshall (Memoirs OfA Geisha, Chicago.) Seamlessly woven throughout the program will be introductions andnarrative insights. This event invites us to celebrate the life of who Frank Sinatracalled "the greatest singer ever." As the special ends, Tony Bennett will take the empty stage,this time alone, and deliver his signature classic, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco."

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Andre Rieu - Tuscany (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)It seems like every Andre Rieu special has something unique to offer. Each one has a certain style and flavor, based largely on the audience he is performing in front of. The songs Andre and his orchestra perform in this concert are well tailored to the Italian audience. Overall, the music is beautful and just plain magical. Classical music doesn't get any better than this. It's another home run performance for Andre and his orchestra.

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1. The Godfather (Love Theme) 2. Strangers In Paradise 3. Romance Anonyme - Jeux Interdits 4. Once Upon A Time In The West 5. Chanson d'Amour 6. O Mio Babbino Caro 7. William Tell Overture 8. Opera Potpourri 9. Italian National Anthem 10. L'Italiano 11. Marina 12. Roses From Tyrol 13. Lagune Waltz 14. The Rose 15. Italiana 16. Barcarole 17. La Paloma 18. Light Cavalry 19. All Men Shall Be Brothers (Ode To Joy) 20. Radetzky March 21. Vino 22. La Montanara 23. I Love You

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I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Special (Aniv) (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I LOVE Lucy. "I Love Lucy" is the greatest show ever, but this botched special celebrating the series' 50th anniversary was just bad. Who cares what Andy Garcia, Cher or Roseanne have to say? I would like to have seen more focus on William Frawley and Vivian Vance, whose on-screen chemistry with Ball and Arnaz really helped to make "I Love Lucy" so funny. It goes to show you that the days of wonderfully funny shows like "I Love Lucy" are long gone. Not one person in Hollywood today is talented enough to hold a candle to the producers and creators of "Lucy" and this [bad] attempt at a two hour special to celebrate it is a mockery of the show's half century contribution to laughter.

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Cher - The Farewell Tour (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Cher has been singing for over 40 years and she did it very good and I think that she'll continue doing it. So in 2002 she decided to start what it was going to be her Farewell Tour.
This show is similar as her 2000 Believe Tour but with more production and quality (with this I'm not saying that it was bad, it was very good actually but this is way much better).
On this show you can see Cher performing all her hits plus others that were on the program but weren't added to the final cut of the concert that was recorded in the American Airlines Arena in Miami Beach. As every Cher show you'll see lots of costumes changing, specail effects, lots of dancers and all Cher's Extravaganza. She has been very clever doing it now that she can do it very good without showing weakness of any kind.
Some of the songs here are her #1's "Gypsies, tramps and thieves", "Dark lady", "Half-breed" and "Believe" plus her other hits like "If I could turn back time", "Just like Jesse James", "I found someone" and "Song for the lonely".
She covered once again as the opening number U2's "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" (which honestly sounds better on her).
And finally among the special features you'll find the new "If I could turn back time" video, 3 extra live songs, Cher's special version of West Side Story (not big deal) and behind the scenes.
Very good Cher you did it again.

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CHER:FAREWELL TOUR - DVD Movie

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The Diary of a Nobody (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Mr. Charles Pooter, the diary author in "THE DIARY OF A NOBODY", is a nobody, but he simply fails to notice. He is content with life, almost. He presents his diary in a verbal (in this DVD)format, speaking directly to the camera. He most enthusiastically orates about his common middle-class social and family events (the very ones he's written in the diary.) He feels assured the world will eventually enjoy his written diary--when published. Is he the Suburban Snob of 1892? Certainly it's perfected pompousness.
I can not imagine "THE DIARY OF A NOBODY" being as funny without hearing and seeing Pooter (Hugh Bonneville) presenting the diary in dialogue. It's strictly British humor, but at it's Victorian finest. Bonneville's ability to project emotion and expressions is near perfection. Hugh Bonneville can say as much with a lifted eyebrow, an eye roll, a gesture, or a voice change, as what is provided in the script.
In Pooter's written (spoken in this DVD version) accounts, he makes the occasional joke--usually unappreciated by others. A time or two Pooter laughs so hard at his own merriment that he resembles Red Skelton's famous moments of belly-laughing at his own humor.
Pooter loves his 'Home Sweet Home' which is near the rail tracks. He had just moved into the new rental as the diary began, April of 1891. The diary ends in May of 1892. The home is called The Laurels (even though it has no laurels growing, but Pooter and his wife, Carrie, might plant some). It is London, suburbia, Victorian, and the train traffic makes the house quake frequently. But Pooter adjusts. The many views of the 6 or 7 rooms, as well as Pooter's employment location, provides a complete, delightful look at London Victorian living in a middle-class dwelling. Furnished with period pieces and accents, right down to the tea cups and boot scrapper (which is a constant complaint). And the Christmas holiday tops off the Victorian aesthetics. WOW!
So what does Pooter write about? Lupin, the not-so-perfect son and his engagement with a not-so-perfect, older, fatter, uglier, Miss Daisy Mutlar. Spouse spats. His boss, Mr. Perkupp, and Pooter's downns and upps with Perkupp. Social engagements gone afoul or well. Costs, especially with drinks. Stocks, encouraged by his son. Bad lobsters. Friends, Cummings and Gowing, and their comings and goings. And that darn boot scrapper.
The DVD features explained that the term "Pooterism" (taking oneself too seriously) evolved from this work first published in a magazine (1888), then book in 1882 (still in print today), this film via BBC (2007), and now this DVD. The book was written by brothers, George & Weedon Grossmith, biography also in the bonus stuff.
Plus more, but no subtitles--BOOGER!
4 episodes totaling just shy of two hours. In the end my wife and I had enjoyed actor, Hugh Bonneville, as Charles Pooter so much, we finally ceased smiling and laughing. Why? It was over. Sad to see it end.
If you like the subtlety of British comedy, then you'll LOVE this CLASSIC British humor book brought to film/DVD. An astonishing one man show. Listen to Pooter's words, watch him, "For he's the jolly good fellow."

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The British comedy classic adapted by Emmy®-winner Andrew Davies
First published in 1892, The Diary of a Nobody has never been out of print, and Evelyn Waugh (Brideshead Revisited) proclaimed it "the funniest book in the world." As adapted by award-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies (Bleak House, Pride and Prejudice), this comic masterpiece leaps to life in all its quirky glory.
In a fantastic solo performance, Hugh Bonneville (Iris, Daniel Deronda) perfectly captures the small mind and large aspirations of Mr. Charles Pooter, a middle-aged, middle-class city clerk in late Victorian England who chronicles his daily domestic and social frustrations. Home improvements, petty humiliations, accidents involving an iron boot scraper, tiffs with his wife Carrie, pained encounters with their mildly rebellious son Lupin, visits from friends Mr. Cummings and Mr. Gowing: all are reported by the pompous Pooter in hilarious detail.
"I fail to see--because I do not happen to be a \'Somebody\'--why my diary should not be interesting," Mr. Pooter writes. No blogger ever said it better.
DVD FEATURES INCLUDE biography of authors George and Weedon Grossmith and Hugh Bonneville filmography.

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Get Ready: Definitive Performances 1965-1972 - The Temptations (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Truly an extraordinary DVD package which includes the very essence of the Temptations!
Most of the performances were lip-synched, but just to see them perform on these classic clips, you can truly feel the magic either for the first time if you haven't seen them during their glory days or if you are a nostalgic fan revisiting the past! Groovy shows such as the Hollywood Palace, The Ed Sullivan Show (of which I have many video clips of the Tempts on VHS) and Murray the K features the Tempts doing what they are known around the world for...doing their precise movements, singing their tight harmonies AND looking good doing it!
For me, the extras are what impress me, especially viewing the Tempts hard at work on SORRY IS A SORRY WORD, a taping for the CBS News segment, THE MOTOWN SOUND.
Otis's interview throughout the DVD and during the bonus feature is also another highlight for me. He was there through it all and is still around to tell us about the magic of the Temptations!
The acapella section on 15 of their biggest hits continues to awe and astound me! It is like they didn't need a rhythm section...the harmonies were that tight!
Complete with never-before released photos and another excellent essay by Rob Bowman, this is a must have!

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The first-ever official performance DVD of The Temptations with newly filmed interview footage with co-founder Otis Williams.• Original Classic live and lip-sync performances of their biggest Motown hits

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The Real Ghostbusters, Vol 1 (5 DVD) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally. After some meager single disc releases and a two-episode tease on the Ghostbusters Double Feature Gift Set (Ghostbusters/ Ghostbusters 2 and Commerative Book), The Real Ghostbusters finally makes a proper arrival on DVD, and does so in style. This isn't some hack release thrown together for a quick buck - Time Life and Sony really went all out to give RGB the proper treatment, including Steelbook packaging, visual commentaries, interviews with the key talents, and more.
As mentioned by other reviewers, you can already grab the complete series set from the Time Life website, which has all 5 volumes, an exclusive Firehouse box and bonus disc. But if you're low on cash or only want a little RGB to satisfy that nostalgia craving, Volume 1 arguably gives you the most bang for your buck out of all the volumes. This set packs 30 episodes, the first 13 of which are the classic ABC season 1 shows, including memorable ghosts the Boogieman, Samhain, and Sandman. The Ghostbusters go Hollywood, Janine gets a genie, and Peter tells the story of how Slimer came to live in the firehouse. The other 17 episodes start the Season 1 syndicated package, including the episode "Knock Knock." The animation is at its strongest, Lorenzo Music and Arsenio Hall are on the cast, and the writing is at its best.
Individual volumes or complete series set, The Real Ghostbusters is a must buy on DVD. The show holds up much better than most 80s fare, and is great for original and new fans alike.

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The entire first network season and the first part of the syndicated series are included in this spook-tacular, deluxe 5-DVD set, along with nearly three hours of exclusive bonus material, all packaged in a cool, SteelBook case.

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Popeye the Sailor: 1941-1943, Vol. 3 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Just a word of caution, these are from the wartime years and do contain non-politically correct wartime stereotypes.
This collection completes the Max Fleischer produced cartoons on disc 1 & some of disc 2. The Famous Studios B&W produced cartoons are also included on disc 2.
Disc 1 (all Fleischer produced)
Problem Pappy (1941) w/ Poopdeck Pappy
Quiet! Pleeze (1941) w/ Poopdeck Pappy
Olive's Sweepstakes Ticket (1941) w/ Olive, Swee'pea, Bluto & Poopdeck Pappy (1941)
Flies Ain't Human (1941)
Popeye Meets Rip Van Winkle (1941) w/ Rip Van Winkle & Chico Marx.
Olive's Boithday Presink (1941) w/ Olive Oyl
Child Psykolojiky (1941)w/ Swee'pea & Poopdeck Pappy.
Pest Pilot (1941) w/ Poopdeck Pappy
I'll Never Crow Again (1941) w/ Olive Oyl
The Mighty Navy (1941) - First true wartime themed Popeye.
Nix on Hypnotricks (1941) w/ Olive Oyl & Professor I. Stare.
Kickin' the Conga 'Round (1942) w/ Olive Oyl & Bluto.
Blunder Below (1942) - Wartime themed.
Fleets Of Stren'th (1942) - Wartime themed.
Pip-eye, Pup-eye, Poop-eye and Peep-eye (1942) w/ Nephews
Olive Oyl And Water Don't Mix (1942) w/ Olive Oyl & Bluto.
Disc 2
Many Tanks (Fleischer) (1942) Wartime themed
Baby Wants a Bottleship (Flesicher)(1942) w/ Olive & Swee'pea - wartime themed.
You're a Sap, Mr. Jap (Dan Gordon)(1942) - first Famous Studio cartoon. Wartime themed, BANNED FROM TELEVISION.
Alona on the Sarong Seas (Isadore Sparber)(1942) w/ Olive as Princess Alona & Bluto.
A Hull of a Mess (Sparber)(1942) - Wartime themed
Scrap The Japs (Seymour Kneitel)(1942)- Wartime themed, BANNED FROM TELEVISION.
Me Musical Nephews (Kneitel)(1942) w/ nephews
Spinach Fer Britain (Sparber)(1943) - Wartime themed
Seein' Red, White 'N' Blue (1943) - Wartime themed, BANNED FROM TELEVISION
Too Weak to Work (Sparber)(1943) w/ Bluto
A Jolly Good Furlough (Gordon)(1943) w/Olive, Bluto, Twinkletoes & Nephews. - Wartime Themed.
Ration Fer The Duration (Kneitel)(1943) w/ Nephews. - Wartime themed.
The Hungry Goat (Gordon)(1943) - Wartime themed
Happy Birthdaze (Gordon)(1943) w/ Olive Oyl & Shorty.
Wood-Peckin' (Sparber)(1943)
Cartoons Ain't Human (Kneitel)(1943) w/ Olive Oyl & Nephews. Popeye makes an animated movie using stick figures.

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POPEYE THE SAILOR:1941-1943 VOLUME 3 - DVD Movie

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Rawhide - Season Three, Vol. 2 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)CBS Television and Paramount Pictures presents "RAWHIDE: SEASON THREE VOL. TWO" (24 February 1961 - 16 June 1961) (779 mins/In Glorious Black & White) (digitally remastered in Dolby) -- Rawhide was a television western series that aired on the U.S. network CBS from 1959 to 1966. The show starred Eric Fleming and launched the career of Clint Eastwood --- The series ran for eight seasons on the CBS network on Friday nights, from January 9, 1959 to January 4, 1966, with a total of 217 episodes, all filmed and broadcast in black and white --- It was produced and sometimes directed by Charles Marquis Warren who also produced early episodes of Gunsmoke --- Warren based Rawhide on the movie Cattle Empire that he directed in 1958 and for which Endre Bohem was a screenwriter and Paul Brinegar, Steve Raines and Rocky Shahan were actors; all also worked in Rawhide --- Its premiere episode reached the top 20 in the Nielsen Ratings. It rose steadily in popularity until, towards the end of the series run, it was one of America's top ten shows --- Rawhide was the fourth longest-running American TV western, beaten only by nine years of The Virginian and Wagon Train, fourteen years of Bonanza, and twenty years of Gunsmoke.
The episode would be introduced, usually by some words from Gil Favor but sometimes by others --- The typical Rawhide story involved drovers, portrayed by Eric Fleming (Trail Boss Gil Favor) and Clint Eastwood (ramrod Rowdy Yates), coming upon people on the trail and getting drawn into solving whatever problem they presented or were confronting --- Some of the stories were obviously easier in production terms but the peak form of the show was convincing and naturalistic, and sometimes brutal. Its situations could range from parched plains to anthrax, ghostly riders to wolves, cattle raiding, bandits, murderers, and so forth --- A problem on such drives was the constant need for water, and the scout spent much of his time looking for it, sometimes finding water holes, even rivers had dried up - In some ways it was similar to the TV series Wagon Train that debuted in 1957.
Of all the western characters on TV, these were the only real cowboys, because they drove cows. There were also sheep boys who drove sheep, pig boys who looked after pigs, etc. The name cowboys became a generic name in western films and TV series --- The theme song's lyrics were written by Ned Washington in 1958. It was composed by Dimitri Tiomkin and sung by pop singer Frankie Laine. The theme song became very popular --- It was covered several times and parts of the song also appear in more recent movies like The Blues Brothers and Shrek.-- (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
List of Season, Episode, Title and Original Air Date:
1. Season 3, Episode 16: Incident on the Road Back (guest star Brian G. Hutton)
Original Air Date--24 February 1961
2. Season 3, Episode 17: Incident of the New Start (guest star John Dehner)
Original Air Date--3 March 1961
3. Season 3, Episode 18: Incident of the Running Iron (guest stars William Schallet & dwayne Hickman)
Original Air Date--10 March 1961
4. Season 3, Episode 19: Incident near Gloomy River (guest stars John Cassavetes, Leif Erickson & Rosemary De Camp)
Original Air Date--17 March 1961
5. Season 3, Episode 20: Incident of the Boomerang (guest stars Woody Strode & Patricia Medina)
Original Air Date--24 March 1961
6. Season 3, Episode 21: Incident of His Brother's Keeper (guest stars Jack Lord & Susan Oliver)
Original Air Date--31 March 1961
7. Season 3, Episode 22: Incident in the Middle of Nowhere (guest stars Cecil Kellaway & Elisha Cook Jr.)
Original Air Date--7 April 1961
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8. Season 3, Episode 23: Incident of the Phantom Bugler (guest star Jock Mahoney)
Original Air Date--14 April 1961
9. Season 3, Episode 24: Incident of the Lost Idol (guest star Claude Akins)
Original Air Date--28 April 1961
10. Season 3, Episode 25: Incident of the Running Man
Original Air Date--5 May 1961
11. Season 3, Episode 26: Incident of the Painted Lady (guest star Marie Windsor)
Original Air Date--12 May 1961
12. Season 3, Episode 27: Incident before Black Pass (Leonard Nimoy, Zachary Scott & Robert Armstrong)
Original Air Date--19 May 1961
13. Season 3, Episode 28: Incident of the Blackstorms
Original Air Date--26 May 1961
14. Season 3, Episode 29: Incident of the Night on the Town (Dan Hagerty & Grady Sutton)
Original Air Date--2 June 1961
15. Season 3, Episode 30: Incident of the Wager on Payday
Original Air Date--16 June 1961
BIOS:
1. Eric Fleming (aka: Edward Heddy)
Date of Birth:: 4 July 1925 - Santa Paula, California
Date of Death: 28 September 1966 - Tingo Maria area, Peru (drowned)
2. Clint Eastwood
Date of Birth: 31 May 1930 - San Francisco, California
Date of Death: Still Living
Great job by Paramount Pictures and their staff for releasing this long awaited edition with collectible Seasons with unforgettable episodes --- looking forward to more of the same from the rousing CBS Television vintage era --- order your copy now from Amazon their Western Classics -- all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 779 mins on 4 DVD's ~ Paramount Pictures ~ (12/09/2008)

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Rawhide is the tale of tail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) and rugged cowhand Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) driving cattle across the old west while meeting up with adventure and drama along the way.

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Freakazoid: Season 2 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)One of the prizes of the Cartoon Network/ Warner Bros. late '90s merger was that some of the best cartoons from Warner Bros. found a new home and ready audience on Cartoon Network. That round-up brought in a roster of well-known 'toons that began with the masthead, "Steven Spielberg Presents" which, like the Looney Tunes logo, promised unbridled zaniness. The flagship series was Animaniacs, soon eclipsed by the smartest and subtlest segment, Pinky and the Brain. Mix the two and you might get Freakazoid!
The show only lasted two seasons on WB. Unlike these other Tom Ruegger shows, this one never really hit its stride, from the first peaking higher and crashing harder than most shows on the schedule. Season two might be more even, but that's also a misnomer. There are more stock characters to play off of from season one, the writers have carte blanche to do just about anything they can think of, pop culture references go whizzing by at dizzying speeds, while the shows themselves may seem to drag if you don't get the joke.
The show doesn't take itself seriously, but cartoon fans, movie buffs, and animation afficianados will have a field day pointing out parodies and tracking down tributes. One show starts with a parody of Bob Clampett's '60s series, Beany and Cecil. Another plays off the musical Hello Dolly. The show is constantly referential, as when Freakazoid, the Brain and Wacko all go see Spielberg to ask who has the best show. In the five minute bonus commentary, one of the writers remarks that the storylines are somewhat non-linear, revealing a gift for understatement. One could also say the episodes are metafictional, were one writing a thesis, or one could just enjoy the show.
Animation in general is an undervalued art form, so it may not be immediately apparent how amazing this show was when wedged into the schedule of normal linear and fictional cartoons. Animation buffs will appreciate the commentary, a bonus appearing more and more on cartoon DVD sets. Freakazoid! was also unusual in that like The Simpsons, each show was one long episode (rather than two or three). This well-packaged single case includes 11 episodes (shows) on two one-sided DVDs, along with bonus commentaries and a trailer for Saturday Morning Cartoons, the first two sets in a DVD series of SatAm Hanna-Barbera cartoons from Yogi to the Jetsons, as seen on CN's Boomerang channel. The first disc also starts with a preview that is almost a mini-documentary on the animated Green Lantern from DC Comics and Warner Bros.
Arguably, this sort of humor may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the audience for it has long been underserved. The arguments rage on as to which is the best show, but fans of Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain may find a third contender to target the funny bone in Freakazoid!


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FREAKAZOID:COMPLETE SECOND SEASON - DVD Movie

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