The Moviezzz Blog

DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASES FOR 11-10-09

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Here are the DVDs and Blu-Rays releasing this week, Tuesday November 10, 2009.

DVD OF THE WEEK

UP - Releasing this week is Pixar's UP. Like most of Pixar's films, it is an instant classic. If you have kids, you’ve probably pre-ordered it. Even if you don’t, it is still a great film. On Blu-ray where it is being released along with Monsters, Inc. it looks even better. You can read my reviews of both films here.

DVDS RELEASING THIS WEEK

The Ugly Truth (Widescreen Edition) - Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler star in this romantic comedy.

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut - Hope you didn’t buy the previous DVD set of WATCHMEN, as yet another release is already on the shelf.

The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 7: 1952-1954 - Every time one of these THREE STOOGES sets is released, I tell myself “Ok, now is the time to get around to watching the Stooges”. They are now on volume 7. The sets have gotten nothing but glowing reviews. Yet, I haven’t seen one. Maybe I’ll wait for the complete box set that will probably eventually be released. Or Blu-Ray.

The Accidental Husband - A comedy with Uma Thurman and Colin Firth. Yet, no one has heard of it.

A Christmas Proposal - A Christmas film with Nicole Eggert and Tom Arnold.

The Christmas Clause - Another Christmas film, this one with Lea Thompson. Funny, Nicole Eggert and Lea Thompson were two of my favorite actresses of the 80’s / early 90’s and here they are with Christmas films debuting on DVD the same day.

Spread - King of Twitter, Ashton Kutcher’s latest. I guess Twitter didn't help the box office.

The Merry Gentleman - Michael Keaton stars and directs this film. He appeared on Letterman to promote it, yet it didn’t get much of a release. I always liked Keaton.

BLU-RAYS RELEASING THIS WEEK

The Ugly Truth [Blu-ray]

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut [Blu-ray]

Spread [Blu-ray]

Near Dark [Blu-ray]

Red Heat [Blu-ray]

Logan's Run [Blu-ray] - Reviewed here.

Heat [Blu-ray] - Reviewed here.

The General (1926) (Silent) [Blu-ray]

The Negotiator [Blu-ray]

TV ON DVD THIS WEEK

JAG (Judge Advocate General): The Ninth Season

Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days

The Untouchables - Season Three, Vol. 2

Nash Bridges: The Third Season

Justice League: The Complete Series

Keeping Up With the Kardashians: The Complete Second Season

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat I'm Fluffy

Dawson's Creek - The Complete Series (Seasons 1-6 Plus Series Finale)

Click on the title to read more at Amazon.

TV ALERT: Robert Altman's THE DELINQUENTS on TCM

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:54:00 +0000

I forgot to mention this earlier, but tonight / tomorrow morning at 3:15 AM EST on Turner Classic Movies, they are showing Robert Altman's little seen first film THE DELINQUENTS.

This isn't a typical Altman film, more of a B-movie he directed. But it should be of interest to his fans.

HEAT (1995) BLU-RAY REVIEW

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Michael Mann's HEAT is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of the 1990's. This police thriller is a favorite of many film fans.

Looking at it again, it still holds up. Possibly even better because of the cast, many of whom weren't quite as well known almost 15 years ago.

Aside from the legendary teaming of Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, there is Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Wes Studi, Dennis Haysbert, Danny Trejo, Henry Rollins, and even Jeremy Piven.

Finally on Blu-Ray, the film looks gorgeous. The scenes of night time Los Angeles look stunning.

The back of the Blu-Ray states that the film contains "New content changes supervised by Director Michael Mann.". The film runs 170 minutes, one minute less than the stated running time in other sources. Not having seen the film since the theatrical release, I was unable to notice what the difference was, if there was any.

WHAT IS ON THE BLU-RAY?

All the special features from this film, I believe, have been taken from the previous DVD releases as they all have a 2005 copyright.

The extras are:

A commentary with Michael Mann.

THE MAKING OF HEAT (59:13) - Making of feature divided into three parts TRUE CRIME, CRIME STORIES, and INTO THE FIRE.

PACINO AND DENIRO: THE CONVERSATION (9:54) - A talk about the famous scene.

RETURN TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME (12:02) - A look at the LA locations today.

DELETED SCENES (9:31) - Eleven deleted scenes.

THEATRICAL TRAILERS (6:44) - Three trailers for the film.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

As stated, HEAT is one of the most acclaimed films of the 90's. If you are one of those fans, you will love the Blu-Ray.

HEAT will be available on Blu-Ray on November 10, 2009 from Warner Home Video.

Finding A Lost Chaplin Film

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:24:00 +0000

The Guardian has a very interesting story about an antique collector buying an old film can on Ebay, only to find it contains an unknown Charlie Chaplin film. A mixture of Chaplin and animation, no record exists for the film.

A documentary is being made about the find. It appears to be taken from rough cut footage of Chaplin after he left Essanay studios.

Story via Cinematical

UP and MONSTERS INC Blu-Ray Reviews

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Pixar films aren’t known for the “auteur theory”, where the director is the most important person in the making of the film. The company is thought to be the creator of the film.

But both UP and MONSTERS INC were directed by Pete Docter. He can be seen as the man behind both films. And what films they are.

Pixar films usually fall into two categories. Either they are fun for the whole family, like something like TOY STORY. Or, they are more serious films that are sometimes more popular for adults, like RATATOUILLE and WALL-E.

UP and MONSTERS INC may be geared to the younger audiences, but there are moments of UP, especially the early sequences, that adults are sure to enjoy as much as any film released this year.

Now on Blu-Ray, it is safe to say they are some of the most stunning transfers of the year. Pixar films, being created digitally, look flawless when transferred to Blu-Ray.

You may remember that UP was released theatrically in 3-D. The DVD is only being released in the standard format. Don't worry about this. The 3-D really didn't add much to the film. In fact, it just muted the color tone. The flat version is the way to see it.

I received the Blu-Ray sets for the films. Both sets are made up of 4 discs. The film is on the first, there is a second with extras, a third DVD is a standard DVD of the film, and the fourth is a digital file for download.

Many of the extras on MONSTERS INC previously appeared on the DVD set.

WHAT IS ON THE UP BLU-RAY?

DISC ONE

Along with the film are the following extras:

PARTLY CLOUDY (5:46) - The short about clouds that played theatrically with UP.

DUG’S SPECIAL MISSION (4:40) - Sort of a prequel story featuring Dug.

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE (22:17) - A making of featurette, focusing on the locations used in the film.

ALTERNATE SCENE - THE MANY ENDINGS OF MUNTZ (4:56) - A talk about the different ways to conclude the story of the Muntz character.

DISC TWO

There are several short documentaries each focusing on a different character GERIATRIC HERO (6:24), CANINE COMPANIONS (8:26), RUSSELL: WILDERNESS EXPLORER (9:00), OUR GIANT FLIGHTLESS FRIEND, KEVIN (5:04), HOMEMAKERS OF PIXAR (4:38), BALLOONS AND FLIGHT (6:25), COMPOSING FOR CHARACTERS 7:37).

ALTERNATE SCENE - MARRIED LIFE (9:15) - A look at different versions of the marriage montage.

UP PROMO MONTAGE (6:00) - Footage used in promoting the film.

GLOBAL GUARDIAN BADGE GAME - Game

WORLDWIDE TRAILERS - Two trailers for the film.

WHAT IS ON THE MONSTERS INC BLU-RAY?

Disc one contains the film, along with an audio commentary, and the following extras.

FILMMAKERS ROUNDTABLE (21:35) - The filmmakers talk about the film.

MONSTERS INC. - RIDE AND GO SEEK - BUILDING MONSTROPOLIS IN JULY (7:58) - A look at the Tokyo Disneyland ride that is based on the film.

FOR THE BIRDS (3:21) - The short that played with the film theatrically.

MIKE’S NEW CAR (3:46) - Short featuring Mike.

DISC TWO

ROZ’S 100 DOOR CHALLENGE - Game.

PIXAR FUN FACTORY TOUR (3:46) - A tour of the studio.

There are also several documentaries based on the storymaking process: STORY IS KING (2:03), MONSTERS ARE REAL (1:30), ORIGINAL TREATMENT (13:40), STORY PITCH BACK TO WORK (4:36)

There are 5 deleted scenes, or BANISHED CONCEPTS as they are called.

There are storyboard to film comparisons.

In a section entitled MONSTERS ONLY are more games, a music video, and even a segment of a Japanese game show with the cast playing Paper, Scissors, Rock.

There are also several short features with the cast in training videos for working at Monsters Inc.

SHOULD I BUY THEM?

These are Pixar films. Need I say anything more? Yes, buy them.

UP and MONSTERS INC will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on November 10, 2009

Armond White and PRECIOUS

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:17:00 +0000

Everyone's favorite contrarian, Armond White of the New York Press, has a field day taking down PRECIOUS. A few of the choice comments from his review

His opening line "SHAME ON TYLER PERRY and Oprah Winfrey for signing on as air-quote executive producers of Precious. "

He continues:

"But Perry and Winfrey aren’t all that keep Precious from sinking into the ghetto of oblivion like such dull, bourgie, black-themed movies as The Great Debaters or The Pursuit of Happyness."

"Not since The Birth of a Nation has a mainstream movie demeaned the idea of black American life as much as Precious."

"The hype for Precious indicates a culture-wide willingness to accept particular ethnic stereotypes as a way of maintaining status quo film values. Excellent recent films with black themes—Next Day Air, Cadillac Records, Meet Dave, Norbit, Little Man, Akeelah and the Bee, First Sunday, The Ladykillers, Marci X, Palindromes, Mr. 3000, even back to the great Beloved (also produced by Oprah)—have been ignored by the mainstream media and serious film culture while this carnival of black degradation gets celebrated. It’s a strange combination of liberal guilt and condescension. "

I haven't seen the film yet, so don't have an opinion. But, let's just say, MANY disagree with Armond here.

But he sure is fun to read.

LOGAN'S RUN (1976) Blu-Ray Review

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

LOGAN'S RUN is now over thirty years old. Released in 1976, the film was recently forced to enter the "Carousel", to experience a rebirth.

That rebirth is now the LOGAN'S RUN Blu-Ray.

Set in 2274, Michael York plays Logan 5, whose job it is to terminate those that try to flee from society upon nearing their 30th birthday. But when he finds out he is about to turn thirty, he must flee himself, with Jenny Agutter. Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Roscoe Lee Browne and Peter Ustinov also appear.

When the film was released, it was in the pre-STAR WARS style of science fiction. The look of the film is one of its biggest assets. Today, the sets look a lot like Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland. That isn't a complaint, why isn't more architecture like that?

I seem to remember the short lived 1977 TV series more. The film, while it has its moments, is never quite up to its potential. But this won't be a problem to those fans who grew up watching and rewatching the film.

The Blu-Ray is very nice. It does show a bit of wear, but is quite colorful.

WHAT IS ON THE BLU-RAY?

Released on DVD several times in the past, the Blu-Ray keeps the same extras from the previous releases.

There is an audio commentary with star Michael York, director Michael Anderson, and costume designer Bill Thomas.

A LOOK INTO THE 23rd CENTURY (9:18) - A very interesting 1976 featurette on the making of the film, featuring a behind the scenes look at the filming with interviews with the cast and crew on set.

IS IT WORTH BUYING?

Looking the best it ever has, LOGAN'S RUN is worth picking up.

LOGAN'S RUN will be available on Blu-Ray November 10, 2009 from Warner Home Video.

TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL, April 2010

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Turner Classic Movies will be holding a film festival in Hollywood on April 22-25, 2010. Screening more than 50 films, with introductions by experts, such as TCM's Robert Osborne, and stars involved, it sounds to be quite interesting.

Here is the press release.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM), the authority in classic film, will stage the network’s first film festival April 22-25, 2010, in the heart of Hollywood. The TCM Classic Film Festival will be a landmark celebration of the history of Hollywood and its movies, presented in a way that only TCM can, with major events, celebrity appearances and screenings of classic movies. The network is inviting fans from around the country to join this new festival and share their passion for classic film.

All screenings – more than 50 in all – will include special introductions to provide context about each film. Specific details about TCM’s unique, interactive fan experience will be announced in the weeks and months ahead, including appearances by actors, actresses, directors, producers and other key figures.

Robert Osborne, TCM’s primetime host, will be the official host of the festival. “Classic movies are something that link the past to the present and form a vital part of our culture,” Osborne said. “This new festival will give those who love movies a way to connect with each other. It is a first-of-its-kind chance for TCM fans to experience the network in-person, meet others with the same interests and immerse themselves in a wide array of classic films.”

Hollywood and its history will be celebrated throughout the TCM Classic Film Festival. In addition to screening classic films, from newly restored masterpieces to silent classics and undiscovered gems, the festival will tell the story of Hollywood through films, guests and special events throughout the weekend.

TCM will be partnering with Vanity Fair magazine – creator of the Penguin book Vanity Fair’s Tales of Hollywood, edited by Graydon Carter – to bring the book to life. Writers from the magazine, along with actors and filmmakers, will tell behind-the-scenes stories of many of Hollywood’s greatest films.

In addition, the TCM Classic Film Festival will honor the nation’s pre-eminent organization devoted to preserving Hollywood’s legacy, The Film Foundation, which will be celebrating its 20th year of preserving and restoring classic films. Several films restored by The Film Foundation will be showcased at the festival.

Hollywood has put its own spin on the movie industry over the years, from escapist musicals to downbeat film noirs. Because there has been no greater subject for Hollywood to explore than Hollywood itself, the festival will highlight some of the best films from this category.

As TCM examines Hollywood’s history, the influence of foreign-language films on American filmmaking also will be explored. The festival will screen important film imports that have had an unquestionable impact on the direction Hollywood has taken. TCM also is proud to offer a sneak peek into the network’s most ambitious original programming effort to date, Moguls and Movie Stars, a multi-part documentary about the history of the Hollywood film industry. The project, co-produced by Bill Haber’s Ostar Productions, is slated to premiere on the network in fall 2010.

The TCM Classic Film Festival will be held Thursday, April 22, through Sunday, April 25, 2010, in Hollywood. Festival passes will go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 18, at www.tcm.com/festival. Prices will range from $500 to $1,200 for four-day passes.

The festival will involve several venues in a central area of Hollywood, including screenings at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the Egyptian Theatre. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Oscar® ceremony, will be the official hotel for the festival as well as a key venue for festival passholders.

TCM, the producer of the festival, has brought onboard as consultants Bill and Stella Pence, a couple well-known in industry circles as co-founders of the Telluride Film Festival. “As dedicated fans of TCM, we think a destination film festival for network devotees is a logical and welcome step,” Bill Pence said.

Stella Pence said the TCM Classic Film Festival will be a unique proposition. “There are a great many film festivals around the world, but only TCM is so perfectly poised to do something truly original when it comes to classic movies,” she said.

Turner Classic Movies is a Peabody Award-winning network celebrating 15 years of presenting great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world. Currently seen in more than 80 million homes, TCM features the insights of veteran primetime host Robert Osborne and weekend daytime host Ben Mankiewicz, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests. As the foremost authority in classic films, TCM offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, along with regular programming events that include The Essentials, 31 Days of Oscar and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, along with hosting a wealth of materials at its Web site, www.tcm.com. TCM is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

WALT DISNEY TREASURES: ZORRO SEASON ONE AND TWO DVD Review

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

To Disney fans like myself, Christmas comes a month early with the annual release of the Walt Disney Treasures series.

Each November, the studio goes into their archives to release a themed collection of shorts or films. From animation to television, the sets are some of the greatest releases of the year. Released in limited quantities, they regularly go out of print and go on to sell for multiples of their original releases, meaning, you have to buy them while you can.

When I saw that this year would only see two releases, rather than the usual three or four, I was a bit disappointed. And with both of them devoted to ZORRO, I wasn't as excited as I have been in previous years.

ZORRO, airing on TV from 1957-1959, with four hour long films airing in 1960 and 1961, was a bit before my time. I knew the character and even had the 45 record of the theme. But I didn't have any special memories of the show.

Putting on the DVDs, I was hooked. This holds up so well that I could see it still airing on prime time TV. Heck, it is better than most of what is on prime time TV today.

You know the story, don't you? It is Zorro.

If not, Guy Williams plays Don Deigo De La Vega, a man returning to California to find his hometown taken over by Captain Monastario. By day, Diego pretends to be a mild mannered bookworm, not a threat to the Captain. At night, he becomes Zorro, defender of the oppressed.

Williams is terrific in the lead. To many, even though others played the character, he IS Zorro. The series shows us why.

What is on the DVDs?

Both the Season one and Season two sets are six DVD sets each. They feature all the episodes.

On the first disc of both seasons is a brief introduction by Leonard Maltin. In it, he talks about the show, and what the extras are going to be on the disc. The introduction is different for each set. The rest of disc one is made up of the episodes.

Discs two through five on both sets contain the rest of the episodes.

On Disc six of both sets are the extras.

Each season contains two of the four hour long ZORRO episodes. These were made after the show was canceled (due to a dispute with the network over ownership). Even though they all came after the second season, they are split up into the two sets.

SEASON ONE also contains

THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF ZORRO (12:26) - An overview of the Zorro character and the series.

EXCERPT FROM "The Fourth Anniversary Show" (3:16) - From September 11, 1957, Walt Disney introduces the Mouseketeers to Zorro.

SEASON TWO contains

BEHIND THE MASK (7:52) - A profile of Zorro star Guy Williams.

A TRIP TO THE ARCHIVES (10:55) - Leonard Maltin and Guy Williams Jr. tour the Disney archives to look at Zorro memorabilia.

Each set also comes with a collectible pin.

SHOULD I BUY THEM?

If you remember Zorro, by all means, pick this set up. If you have never seen the Disney version of Zorro, you may be in for a treat. The show holds up very well.

Due to the limited number of copies being printed, if you are interested in the series, get it while you can. There are only 30,000 copies of each being printed. Judging by how previous releases in the series sold out quickly, including some that were printed with even more copies, this one is sure to go fast.

THE WALT DISNEY TREASURES ZORRO SEASONS ONE AND TWO will be available on DVD November 3, 2009 from Walt Disney Home Video.

UNDER THE RAINBOW Finally On DVD!!

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:52:00 +0000

UNDER THE RAINBOW is the infamous Chevy Chase / Carrie Fisher / Billy Barty 1981 comedy about the little people who were starring in WIZARD OF OZ.

The film, directed by Steve Rash who would later direct CAN'T BUY ME LOVE, was a fixture on cable in the very early days. However, I don't think it has aired since 1985. It was like the studio realized that it was in very poor taste and hid it away.

I saw the film dozens of times in the early days. I can still remember lines from it ("The pearl is in the river") yet I haven't seen it in over 20 years.

Now, it is getting a release via the Warner Archive. It was just listed today.

Also being released today, the Gilda Radner concert film GILDA LIVE, Alan Rudolph's MADE IN HEAVEN, and Ryan O'Neal's SO FINE.

TCM 's JOHNNY MERCER: THE DREAM'S ON ME

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

One of the musical events of the year takes place this Wednesday, November 4 on Turner Classic Movies.

TCM will be airing the new documentary JOHNNY MERCER: THE DREAM'S ON ME.

This film, executive produced by Clint Eastwood and directed by Bruce Ricker is a fascinating look at the life of one of the great American songwriters of the 20th century.

Just a few of the well over 1,000 songs he wrote include such classics as "Hooray for Hollywood” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” “That Old Black Magic” "Moon River" "The Days of Wine and Roses", "Emily" and even “One For My Baby”.

Filled with interviews with friends and fans, clips of his songs used in films, and lots of footage of Mercer himself over the years, this special is not to be missed.

Did you know that "One For My Baby", later made famous by Frank Sinatra, was first performed by Fred Astaire in a little known film THE SKY'S THE LIMIT? It was! That film, and many others talked about in the documentary, will air throughout the month of November.

Even if you weren't all that familiar with Johnny Mercer going in, you will have a new appreciation for his work when it is over.

JOHNNY MERCER: THE DREAMS ON ME premieres November 4, 2009 at 8 P.M. EST on Turner Classic Movies

MICKEY'S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS (2001) DVD Review

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

MICKEY’S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS: SNOWED IN AT THE HOUSE OF MOUSE is a spin off of the Disney series THE HOUSE OF MOUSE.

THE HOUSE OF MOUSE features Disney characters hanging out together. Snow White may be standing with Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp might be talking with Chip and Dale. All the characters from recent films are there to.

MICKEY’S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS has all the Disney characters together snowed in, telling stories. The stories are made up of Christmas cartoons from Disney past.

Donald and his nephews appear from DONALD ON ICE, Pluto, Mickey and Chip and Dale appear in PLUTO’S CHRISTMAS TREE, there is a NUTCRACKER cartoon, as well as the classic MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL.

This is more for the younger audiences, not familiar with the cartoons.

The better way to go is to pick up the recent DISNEY ANIMATION COLLECTION RELEASE (reviewed here) that also featured MICKEY’S CHRISMAS CAROL and several other Christmas themed cartoons.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

Previously released in 2001, this appears to be the same disc, with different artwork. It even opens with a preview for ATLANTIS, saying it comes out in 2002.

THE HOUSE OF MOUSE (23:07) - The premiere episode of the series.

THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS (2:32) - A Disney sound effects man teaches a group about sound effects in cartoons and reads a story utilizing them.

There are also Sing Along Versions of “Deck the Halls” and “Sleigh Ride”.

SHOULD I BUY IT?  

If you already own the DVD, it isn’t worth upgrading. If you have kids new to Disney, it might be worth picking up.

MICKEY’S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS will be available on DVD November 3, 2009 from Walt Disney Home Video.

PLASTIC MAN: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (1979-1981) DVD Review

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Jack Cole’s PLASTIC MAN was a different sort of superhero. The character was originally a criminal who, after having acid spilled on him, was able to transform into any shape possible.

The character first appeared in 1941, in Quality Comics. When Quality Comics went out of business, DC Comics picked three of their characters to bring into their brand. Plastic Man was one of these characters.

To many such as myself, I wasn’t familiar with the history of the character. I only knew him for the TV series, THE PLASTIC MAN COMEDY / ADVENTURE SHOW. This Hanna Barbera seres ran for 35 episodes, from 1979 to 1981. It aired after SUPER FRIENDS.

The cartoon was a lot sillier than the original comic. Plastic Man’s best friend was named Hula Hula after all.

Now, Warner Home Video has released the entire series on DVD.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

This is a 4 DVD set, featuring all 35 episodes. There are ten episodes on the first three DVDs and five on the last

There are two extras.

DISC ONE

PLAST-TASTIC: A BRIEF HISTORY OF PLASTIC MAN (14:07) - A very good overview of the comic book, but little is said about the history of the TV show.

DISC TWO

PUDDLE TROUBLE (10:06) - An unaired 2006 pilot for an attempted revival of the series. The animation style, developed by Tom Kenny and Andy Suriano, is very different, closer to a Cartoon Network program.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

  Those with memories of the show may enjoy looking back on it.

PLASTIC MAN THE COMPLETE COLLECTION is available now on Warner Home Video

DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASES FOR 11-3-09

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Here are the DVDs releasing this week, Tuesday November 3, 2009.

DVDS OF THE WEEK

Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro - The Complete First Season and Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro - The Complete Second Season - This year, the Walt Disney Treasures release is devoted to Zorro. Two volumes with both seasons, along with all the hour long films and other extras. I should have reviews soon. I will say for now that they are a whole lot of fun.

To those who might want to wait on ordering the sets, I should warn you, last year's Disney's Treasures release of DR. SYN sold out really quickly and is now going for $100 or more on Amazon. If you are a Disney or Zorro fan, get it while you can.

North by Northwest (50th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Book) [Blu-ray] - Hithcock's classic makes it to the new format. Looks great and the film is better than ever. Reviewed here.

DVDS RELEASING THIS WEEK

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Two-Disc Edition)- I had every intention to see this theatrically. I just never got around to it.

I Love You, Beth Cooper - Highly underrated comedy. It wasn’t as good as Larry Doyle’s book, but definitely deserved to do better theatrically than it did.

Food, Inc.. - I also had every intention to see this documentary theatrically. This time, it wasn't my fault. The film never opened near me until just last week where it opened at the second run theatre.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 - The big budget remake with Denzel Washington and John Travolta. It didn’t get much of an audience.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Law of Desire, Matador (1986) - The Pedro Almodovar films come to DVD.

Aliens in the Attic - Family comedy.

Eddie Izzard: Live from Wembley - Stand up special

Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Vol. 1 (The Big Heat / 5 Against the House / The Lineup / Murder by Contract / The Sniper) - Box set.

The Claudette Colbert Collection (Three-Cornered Moon / Maid of Salem / I Met Him in Paris / Bluebeard's Eighth Wife / No Time for Love / The Egg and I) - Another box set.

TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Holiday (Christmas in Connecticut 1945 / A Christmas Carol 1938 / The Shop Around the Corner / It Happened on 5th Avenue) and TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Comedy (Arsenic and Old Lace / A Night at the Opera / The Long Long Trailer / Father of the Bride 1950) and TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Hitchcock Thrillers (Suspicion / Strangers on a Train / The Wrong Man / I Confess) and TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Family (Lassie Come Home / Flipper 1963 / The Incredible Mr. Limpet / National Velvet) - More of the fun TCM collection sets.

Will Ferrell: You're Welcome, America. A Final Night with George W. Bush - His Broadway show that aired on HBO. Some funny moments but, judging by the rave reviews from Broadway, it didn’t translate too well to TV.

Answer Man - A drama with a great cast, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Kat Dennings and Olivia Thirlby. Reviews were mixed.

Happy Holiday! - Barry Mailow sings.

BLU-RAYS RELEASING THIS WEEK

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut [Blu-ray]

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 [Blu-ray]

It's a Wonderful Life [Blu-ray]

Forrest Gump [Blu-ray]

Wings of Desire (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Forrest Gump [Blu-ray]

Aliens in the Attic (+ Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Star Wars The Clone Wars: The Complete Season One (TV Series) [Blu-ray]

Love Actually [Blu-ray]

A Christmas Carol [Blu-ray]

Rocky: The Undisputed Collection [Blu-ray]

Howards End (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

I Love You, Beth Cooper [Blu-ray]

Food, Inc. [Blu-ray]

Say Anything [Blu-ray]

Two Girls and a Guy [Blu-ray]

The Answer Man [Blu-ray]

TV ON DVD THIS WEEK

Star Wars The Clone Wars: The Complete Season One (TV Series)

Edge of Darkness: The Complete BBC Series - BBC miniseries

Here's Lucy: Season Two

Fraggle Rock: The Complete Final Season

Mickey's Magical Christmas

The Donna Reed Show: Season Three

Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series

Spin City: Season Three - Reviewed here

Merry Sitcom! Christmas Classics from TV's Golden Age

Dora the Explorer: Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure

Click on the title to read more at Amazon.

Martin Scorsese's Scariest Movies

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Happy Halloween!

Martin Scorsese has posted his list of the 11 scariest films of all time.

SPIN CITY: SEASON THREE (1998-1999) DVD Review

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

SPIN CITY was a very likable comedy, starring Michael J. Fox as the aide to the dimwitted mayor of New York (Barry Bostwick). The supporting cast included Michael Boatman, Alan Ruck (Cameron from FERRIS BUELLER), Jennifer Esposito and Connie Britton (now on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS).

Running for six seasons, from 1996 to 2002, season three is now being released on DVD. This is the season that ran from 1998-1999.

Season three had some of the memorable episodes, including Heidi Klum appearing (as herself) as Michael J. Fox’s girlfriend.

It also featured one episode I somehow missed. The February 23, 1999 episode entitled BACK TO THE FUTURE IV: JUDGEMENT DAY. What is so special about this episode? Fox’s BACK TO THE FUTURE co-star Christopher Lloyd appears. The two have several jokes about that film (Fox states “Wow, it’s like I’ve gone back in time” when he first sees him).

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

  This is a 4 DVD set with all 26 episodes. There are six episodes on the first three DVDs and eight on the last.

There are no other extras.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

Fans of the series will be happy to see this set. Fox’s natural comic timing makes this still a lot of fun.

SPIN CITY SEASON THREE will be available on DVD November 3, 2009 from Shout! Factory.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY IN THE 1970's

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

And now to continue with a new Moviezzz Blog tradition.

Every year in elementary school, from the late 70's when it was first shown through the mid 80's when my sister attended, the entire school was brought into the auditorium and sat on the floor while we watched the following Halloween safety film. This was before video, and they wheeled out the projector to show it on the big screen.

It got to the point that, by the 5th grade, we could recite it. My sister still quotes it to me.

Thanks to YouTube, we can now watch it year round.

Be safe out there.

Richard Schickel Takes On Robert Altman

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:56:00 +0000

In an L.A. Times review of the new Robert Altman biography, Richard Schickel went on an attack on Altman and his films.

He writes of Altman: "When he was not drinking heavily, he was smoking dope -- often doing both simultaneously"

He writes of the author Mitchel Zuckoff, "Zuckoff basically knows nothing about filmmaking and film history"

So, it wasn't a positive review.

The L.A. Times Hollywood blog has a story on it, and Alan Rudolph's response.

I was never the biggest Altman fan. For a "great" director, he made some truly terrible films. But even among the O.C. AND STIGGS, and his ruinous adaptation of BEYOND THERAPY, you can't discount something like THE LONG GOODBYE or NASHVILLE or SHORT CUTS.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY or How To Make A Movie For $11,000

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:04:00 +0000

The new ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY has a cover story on PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.

In it, they break down the budget for the film which took seven days to film..

The film cost a total of $11,558.

Of that amount,

The computer, a Dell PC, and the editing software, Sony Vegas (the Pro Version 9 goes for $511 on Amazon or you can find Vegas Pro 8for half that), cost a total of $4,000.

The camera, a Sony FX1 cost $3,000 (Amazonhas it listed new for $4,500 with used going for $1,900).

Camera equipment (everything from the lighting to tapes and microphone) ran another $1,000.

The cast was paid $1,500. (Since there are really only four people in the film, and two of them are only in a scene or two, I hope that they are all getting a cut of the profits.)

There was another $1,000 for accommodations for the cast along with travel expense.

Food cost $600.

Another $58 for props (the Ouija board, a cross, baby powder).

There was $400 for costume rental for a scene that ended up being deleted.

And that was it.

Pretty amazing.

Once again, congratulation to all involved.

BLACK ADDER: ULTIMATE COLLECTION - REMASTERED - DVD Revew

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, after Monty Python and before Ricky Gervais, British comedy snobs, like myself, would worship one man. Rowan Atkinson.

Atkinson and writer Richard Curtis created some of the decades funniest moments. The two are probably best known for the creation of MR. BEAN. That almost silent character is still a classic, having continued in two recent films.

Not quite as well known at least in the US, although equally revered, is his character from the various incarnations of the BLACK ADDER series.

BLACK ADDER is sort of a comedy series for British history buffs. Based on historical events that may be unknown to the American viewer who doesn’t even know American history, each season of the series was set in a different era. From the first season set in the 15th century up to the final season that was set in the early 20th century.

Rowan Atkinson played the title character, who throughout the decades, plays a different role in the history of England. The cast included a pre-HOUSE Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Miranda Richardson, Tim McInnerny and Tony Robinson.

The series was previously released in a five DVD set in 2001, that I also had and was able to compare the two. The new release, THE ULTIMATE EDITION, is remastered and is now six DVDs. Much like the recent FAWLTY TOWERS release (reviewed here), the show was shot on video and hasn’t aged well. The show does look better than the previous release but is still a far cry from reference quality.

Most of the extras from the previous release are carried over with the exception of BLACKADDER SING-ALONG. I noticed that one carried over extra, BALDRICK'S DIARY, is ten minutes longer in this new release than the 2001 edition.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD

The six DVDs are housed in a wonderful case. Rather than the traditional cumbersome fold out case that most multi disc sets (like the original release) utilize, this opens like a book. Each disc is on its own thin but sturdy plastic page. You can flip to each disc and take it out. The case is housed in a standard sized DVD box.

Each season runs six episodes, and each disc is devoted to a different season, with two discs of extras.

DISC ONE

Featuring all six episodes of BLACKADDER I. Set in 1485, this 1983 series featured Edmund, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his adventures in the Middle Ages.

There is also an overview of the historic events in the series to explain it to audiences.

DISC TWO

Featuring 1986’s BLACKADDER II. This season was set in the late 16th Century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (played by Miranda Richardson in one of her funniest performances)

There are three audio commentaries.

DISC THREE

BLACKADDER III from 1987 featured Hugh Laurie as the Prince of Wales in the late 18th Century and Atkinson as his butler.

There are three audio commentaries.

DISC FOUR

Set in World War I, 1989’s BLACKADDER IV had the Blackadder character as a Captain in the army.

There are two audio commentaries

DISC FIVE

This disc is made up of the specials.

BLACKADDER’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (43:21) - Always loved this 1988 special, one of the better versions of the story.

BACK AND FORTH (33:35) - The series picks up in 1999 with this episode, filmed for London’s Millennium Celebration, featuring a time machine.

THE CAVALIER YEARS (15:04) - Set in 1648 this was a 1988 special filmed for Comic Relief.

BALDRICK’S DIARY (29:42) - A making of special that features several deleted scenes.

DISC SIX

BLACKADDER RIDES AGAIN - An hour long documentary on the series, complete with new interviews with the cast and crew, filmed around the world.

There are also interviews with the cast and crew Rowan Atkinson (23:40) Stephen Fry (15:02), Richard Curtis and Ben Elton (16:24) Tony Robinson (14:35) Miranda Richardson (4:57) , Hilary Bevan Jones (4:47) Hugh Laurie (4:39) Rik Mayall (4:22)

COSTUMES REVISITED (10:20) - Miranda Richardson, Patsy Byrne, Tony Robinson and Tim McInnerny return to the BBC to look at their old costumes. Miranda's reaction to one costume item is priceless.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

If you are new to the series, and don’t own the previous version, this is worth picking up as it is the most complete collection yet. If you own the previous version, while the remastering may not be enough to upgrade, some of the extras might.

BLACK ADDER: ULTIMATE COLLECTION - REMASTERED - is available on DVD now from BBC / Warner Home Video.

TCM and Universal Team Up For DVD Releases

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:16:00 +0000

This year, Warner began to release a series of smaller films direct to the audience via the Warner Archive.

Now, TCM is teaming up with Universal for their own releases. These DVD-Rs will be available via the TCM website

One of my new favorites, the Barbara Stanwyck / Fred MacMurray Christmas film REMEMBER THE NIGHT, is one of the first films being released.

Here are the details.

The launch of TCM/Universal DVDs will be divided into three initial releases:

Universal Cult Horror Collection (films also available as singles )

DVD Availability: Oct. 31

TCM Premiere of Murders in the Zoo: Oct. 31

Suggested Retail Price: Collection - $49.99; Individual Titles - $19.99

This collection will include five rarely seen horror gems from the Universal vault, most appearing on home video for the first time. Special features include over a hundred photos, posters and lobby cards, trivia, articles and more.

Murders in the Zoo (1933) – Censors had a heyday with this horror film about a zoologist and sportsman who uses his zoo animals to kill his wife’s lovers. Lionel Atwill plays the villain, with Kathleen Burke as his wife, a young Randolph Scott as the hero and the ever lovable Charles Ruggles providing comic relief as the zoo’s press agent. Among the men playing Burke’s doomed lovers is John Lodge, who later left acting to enter politics, becoming governor of Vermont.

Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942) – Lionel Atwill plays a mad scientist who places people into suspended animation and then revives them. When he is accused of murder following the death of one of his subjects, he flees on a ship, becomes stranded on a tropical island and soon becomes revered as a god by the natives. Una Merkel, Nat Pendleton and Claire Dodd co-star.

The Strange Case of Dr. RX (1942) – A mysterious killer bumps off acquitted murderers who have all been represented by the same laywer, played by Samuel S. Hinds. Lionel Atwill, Patric Knowles and Anne Gwynne co-star, with Shemp Howard (on hiatus from his work with The Three Stooges) providing comic relief.

The Mad Ghoul (1943) – This creepy tale follows a mad professor, played by George Zucco, who has discovered an ancient Egyptian gas that turns anyone who sniffs it into a heart-eating zombie. David Bruce plays the doctor’s assistant who gets dosed with the gas and goes on a murderous rampage. Evelyn Ankers and Robert Armstrong co-star.

House of Horrors (1946) – The legendary Rondo Hatton, whose acromegaly deformed his face and made him a frequent Hollywood villain, marked one of his last roles with this offbeat film. Martin Kosleck plays a mad artist who, after saving Hatton and making a bust of his face, uses the disfigured hulk to murder art critics. Hatton died of a heart attack the year this film was released.

Remember the Night (1940)

DVD Availability: Nov. 22

TCM Telecasts: Dec. 6 and Dec. 24

Suggested Retail Price: $19.99

This heart-warming holiday romance – penned by Preston Sturges – marked the first of four on-screen pairings of Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck and came four years before their iconic work in Double Indemnity. MacMurray plays a prosecutor who finds himself falling in love with a shoplifter (Stanwyck) during a court recess at Christmas time. The atmospheric film co-stars Beulah Bondi, Elizabeth Patterson and Sterling Holloway and was directed by Mitchell Leisen.

Remember the Night is rarely seen and received a brief home-video release on VHS. It is being now remastered and brought back to life so it can take its rightful place as a signature holiday classic. Special features on the DVD will include an introduction by Robert Osborne; still galleries, including behind-the-scenes photos; never-before-seen interview segments on the work of director Mitchell Leisen from the TCM Archives; and the original movie trailer, trivia, biographies and more.

Cary Grant Collection (films also available as singles)

DVD Availability: January 2010

Three early Cary Grant films will populate this boxed set:

The Eagle and the Hawk (1933) – This vivid World War I drama stars Frederic March as a disillusioned but fearless squadron leader and Cary Grant as his bullied gunner-observer. The gripping interpersonal drama, anti-war sentiments and outstanding aerial dogfights give this film an impact that remains vital today. Carole Lombard and Jack Oakie round out a top-notch cast. The great director Mitchell Leisen, who is billed as associate director, is believed to have directed most of this film.

The Devil and the Deep (1932) – This melodrama is headlined by Tallulah Bankhead, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant and Charles Laughton. The setting is the northern coast of Africa, where submarine commander Laughton is stationed and where his wife, Bankhead, is splitting her time between suitors Cooper and Grant. This marked Laughton’s first American film and one of his most underappreciated performances.

The Last Outpost (1935) – Cary Grant plays a British officer saved from a Kurdish tribe by fellow officer Claude Rains. But when Grant unknowingly falls in love with Rains’ wife, tragedy looms. Gertrude Michael and Kathleen Burke co-star under the dual direction of Charles Barton and Louis Gasnier.

Future Universal collections and titles for rollout on DVD and TCM include vintage films from Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert, Deanna Durbin, director Douglas Sirk and many more.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION BLU-RAY REVIEW

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Screenwriter Ernest Lehman has stated that, in writing NORTH BY NORTHWEST, his intention was to create "the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures".

Well, he succeeded. This may very well be the ultimate Hitchcock film. It takes all of the elements that make up one of his films, from the innocent man in the wrong place at the wrong time, to the elaborate suspense filled set pieces, to the use of music, and makes a just about perfect film.

When I received the Blu-Ray, I put it on, expecting to just check out the extras and watch the film the next day. Instead, as Blu-Rays often do, rather than going to the menu screen, the film started right up. With the opening strains of Bernard Herrmann's score, and the Saul Bass designed titles, I was hooked. I couldn't turn it off.

In case it has been awhile, Cary Grant, in one of his best performances in his fourth Hitchock film, plays Roger Thornhill. He is an advertising man in New York City. At the Plaza for a business meeting, he is taken by a group of men and accused of being someone else. When this all leads to a murder, and Thornhill is accused of it, he is on the run. Eva Marie Saint is a woman he meets up with. James Mason is the man behind it all. And Martin Landau is memorable as Mason's henchman.

The film is well known for the famous running from the plane sequence. While a great sequence, watching it again, I was struck by the lead up to that scene. Grant, alone on a deserted street, watches each car that approaches. Unsure of what he will encounter, the suspense of watching the slow approach of each car is just perfectly done.

The finale, set at Mt. Rushmore is also interesting in that, while the scene is as iconic a film sequence as the plane chase, it is also at the very end of the film. It is literally the last five minutes. And again, the lead up sequence, at Mason's home, is just as suspenseful.

On Blu-Ray, I shouldn't have to say it, but I will. The film is gorgeous. Restored from the original Vistavision elements, this 50th Anniversary release is beautiful.

WHAT IS ON THE BLU-RAY?

The disc comes housed in a beautiful full color 44 page page book. The book gives an overview of the film and the talent involved. I actually really like this type of housing. I wish more Blu-Rays were released this way.

While the film alone would make this Blu-Ray worth picking up, it is packed with extras.

There is an audio commentary by screenwriter Ernest Lehman.

There are two new documentaries THE MASTER'S TOUCH: HITCHCOCK'S SIGNATURE STYLE (57:32) and NORTH BY NORTHWEST: ONE FOR THE AGES (25:29). Each features directors such as Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, William Friedkin, Guillermo Del Toro and other discussing Hitchcock, the film itself and the influence on their work.

CARY GRANT: A CLASS APART (1:27:11) - A documentary that aired on TCM in 2003.

DESTINATION HITCHCOCK: THE MAKING OF NORTH BY NORTHWEST (39:27) - A 2000 documentary hosted by Eva Marie Saint.

There is also a Stills Gallery and Trailer Gallery (6:30).

The film is available with a music only track.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

If you have a Blu-Ray player and are a Hitchcock fan, this is a must buy.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST: 50th Anniversary Edition will be available on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 3, 2009 from Warner Home Video.

KELLI MARONEY: A Talk With the NIGHT OF THE COMET Star

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

While Catherine Mary Stewart was the lead in NIGHT OF THE COMET, where would the film be without the performance by Kelli Maroney as her sister? She was very funny as the cheerleader who tries to survive in a world of zombies. No word on if she inspired BUFFY.

Kelli got her start on the soap opera RYAN'S HOPE, and appeared in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. In 1984 she starred in NIGHT OF THE COMET.

I was able to contact her to ask her a few questions about the film.

How did you get involved with NIGHT OF THE COMET?

I was repped by the producer at the time. I read the script on an airplane and laughed out loud, much to my embarrassment. When I went in to audition, I really wanted to read for Reggie, but the producer said no. Of course, now I get why!

While a low budget film, it has the feel of a big budget film, with the look of a desolated LA. What was the filming like?

The powers that were always boasted that every single penny was up there on the screen. I guess that is true...it sure ain't in my bank account!

Seriously, we filmed at unGodly hours when we hoped no one else would be out and about. I remember one daily screening where the producer, Wayne Crawford, spotted some window washers!?! on a supposedly deserted building. So, it was a hoot.

Another time during the middle of the night, homeless dudes crashed our lunch line thinking it was a soup kitchen. We fed them.

One of the most memorable scenes is the two of you firing Uzis in the middle of the street. Did you go through weapons training for the film?

We did--everyone made fun of me because I always kind of squatted when aiming..but it was a funny character thing.

Later on, I was always the girl with the gun and it was always the same guy who was sent to teach the actors. He would say, "Her again?.....she already knows. Easy day for me."

What was it like to work with Catherine Mary Stewart?

She sucked. LOL No, seriously, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had and I am honored to count her as a friend to this day.

Do you still get feedback from fans of the film?

OMG---like, everyday. It is kind of weird. You never know what you are going to impact people with in terms of hitting an emotional or sociological nerve. We certainly hit it!

A big thank you to Kelli Maroney.

You can read more about her at her website.

You can read an interview with NIGHT OF THE COMET co-star Catherine Mary Stewart here.

This was written as part of the Films of 1984 Blogathon hosted by This Distracted Globe. You can read more bloggers talking about 1984 here.

NIGHT OF THE COMET is available on DVD from MGM Home Video.

CATHERINE MARY STEWART: A Talk With The Star of THE LAST STARFIGHTER and NIGHT OF THE COMET

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Catherine Mary Stewart starred in two of the memorable films of 1984.

In Nick Castle's THE LAST STARFIGHTER, released in July, she played the girlfriend of intergalactic warrior Lance Guest. Recruited by Robert Preston through a video game, he headed to the stars to save the galaxy. A favorite of many, including myself, the film was recently released in a 25th Anniversary edition on DVD and Blu-Ray.

November saw the release of NIGHT OF THE COMET. This low budget end of the world zombie comedy is a film that holds up just as well today as it did 25 years ago. Funny, suspenseful, Catherine Mary Stewart gives a wonderful performance.

My favorite moment of hers from the year, in NIGHT OF THE COMET, her opening complaint to the theatre manager. When she is told to check the theatre, she replies "Oh Mel, they throw things at me...Have you ever been hit with Dots? Milk Duds? Those things hurt!" and her subsequent annoyance at losing a high score on the video game Tempest.

I was able to contact her and ask her thoughts on the making of those two films.

“The Last Starfighter” was my first movie here in the States. All I can say is that it was a joy from the audition process to the actual filming. I was surrounded by such talent with Nick Castle as the director, Lance Guest as my leading man, Robert Preston and Dan O’Herlihy bumping up the caliber of our little film. Of course the cast of supporting characters were all well established terrific actors. For Chris Hebert who played Louis Rogan, Alex’s little brother, I believe it was his first film and he was fantastic. He was sure he was going to win an Academy Award. Very cute!

It was a tough shoot in that most of my scenes were shot at night so you have to adjust to a nocturnal existence, which is really hard and never (for me) a complete success. But as I said it really was a joy on that set. So upbeat and supportive. Little did I realize it would become the iconic film it did. I was completely oblivious at the time, of the behind the scenes computer technology that was being created from scratch. Only this year did I learn that they were developing ground breaking digital special effects, literally creating programs that had never been created, as we were shooting, scrambling to make a fast approaching deadline. Apparently technicians were in their booths working pretty much 24/7 to uncover “eureka” moments of digital calculations that set the foundation for digital special effects. Incredible!

The impact of this movie on it’s young audience in 1984 only became known to me about 3 years ago. I’ve been living in NY raising my kids and have sort of hovered on the periphery of the business until I decided to get back into it. I was auditioning for something in LA and the casting director was so excited to see me. He explained that as a boy he’d seen “The Last Starfighter” and it had been a pivotal movie for him in his childhood. It seemed to snowball from there and culminated in the 25th Anniversary release of the DVD where many of us involved in the film were interviewed for the DVD, and there was a celebratory screening in Santa Monica. It’s all a little surreal really, but I’m so proud to be involved with this charming movie that touched so many people and sent such a wonderful message while being pretty entertaining at the same time.

“Night of the Comet” was a completely different movie in terms of story and character, but I believe there was an important message that touched lots of young people as well. What was so unique about this film was the strong, young female characters. I think that’s what really attracted me to this role. I could really let the tomboy in me out, shoot uzies, fight zombies, ride motorcycles and be a strong independent rebellious young women where ultimately the “whole burden of civilization has fallen upon us.” Quite a responsibility! So much fun!

This movie was even smaller than “Starfighter” and I remember having to do my own hair and make-up on occasion, but we were all in it together and we were going to make it the best film we could. We had a very strong cast in this as well including Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, Geoffrey Lewis and on and on. As we were shooting there was some debate between the director/writer and the producers as to whether or not this was going to be a serious horror flick or more tongue in cheek. At times we played it both ways so they could choose how it would be finally edited. I’m very pleased it turned out the way it did because I feel it was the perfect combination of funny and scary. I really think “Night of the Comet” is unique in that way.

Both “The Last Starfighter” and “Night of the Comet” seem to have stood the test of time. I think the fact that they were complex movies with young lead characters, is something that you don’t see often, especially now. They both sent strong empowering messages to young people and those messages seem to have stuck with the original audience. Hopefully they will endure.

A big thank you to Catherine Mary Stewart.

You can visit her website, and become a fan on Facebook.

You can read our interview with her NIGHT OF THE COMET co-star Kelli Maroney here.

This was written as part of the Films of 1984 Blogathon hosted by This Distracted Globe. You can read more bloggers talking about 1984 here.

THE LAST STARFIGHTER is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Universal Home Video. NIGHT OF THE COMET is on DVD from MGM.

Get Ready For 1984

Moviezzz@aol.com (Moviezzz) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Tomorrow begins the Films of 1984 Blogathon hosted by This Distracted Globe. Film bloggers will get together and write about their favorite films from that year. Joe has a lot of great contributors lined up.

After Entertainment Weekly made note over the summer of all the great films that premiered in 1984, I went through and made a more complete list of them (posted here). It was an amazing year. Hard to believe it was 25 years ago.

I'll have a couple submissions for the blogathon. Without giving it away, I was able to contact both of the stars of one of my favorite films of the year. The first will be posted tomorrow morning.