Posted in: Release Announcements by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2011
As we draw the curtain of the Summer 2011 movie season, most of us are already looking forward to the big movies of Summer 2012. One of the biggest films of that season has to be The Avengers.
Bang it here to see the second trailer for The Avengers:
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 11th, 2011
We continue Synapse Week here at Upcomingdiscs for our 31 Nights Of Terror. The great folks at Synapse will be featured plenty this week with reviews and giveaways. For now they have given us 2 copies of Frank Henenlotter's classic farce Frankenhooker on high-definition Blu-ray to give away to 2 lucky readers. It's a terrifying tale of sluts and bolts. To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Contest is now closed Winners are James Erkles & Eric King
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 11th, 2011
"Cal Lightman sees the truth. It's written all over your face. It's also in your voice, your posture, the words you choose. Give him five minutes and 20 questions and he'll know whether you went off to Argentina to cheat on your wife, lied about a well-timed stock sale, or murdered a one-night stand."
I spent quite a few years as a detective. My specialty turned out to be in the interview room. When some of my fellow detectives had a suspect they couldn't break, they often called me in. It was my job to get the person talking. You see, the company’s insurance recovery from the theft was based on how much I could get the thief to admit they had taken over and above whatever they just got busted for. I have to admit that I rather enjoyed the job. I was able to read the person's emotions well enough to gauge how my approaches were making the suspect feel. The key was to be able to separate the truth from the deception. Well, it turns out there's a science behind what I just took as instinct. Apparently, our faces and body language are almost impossible to control, and anyone who could read and translate that language would be nearly impossible to deceive. I don't recall consciously looking for any of these things. I could just tell. After watching a season of Lie To Me, I'm not so sure that there wasn't more to it than just instinct.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 11th, 2011
It's hard to believe that one of the most popular comedy shows of the 1950's was not really a show at all, at least not in the way that we think of a television series today. The show began its life in 1951 as a segment on the popular Cavalcade of Stars. At that time only Jackie Gleason and Art Carney starred in their familiar roles. Alice was played by Pert Kelton. The series took its more recognizable look when it became part of The Jackie Gleason Show in 1955. That's also when Joyce Randolph joined the series as Trixie Norton. The series would take up a half hour of the slot. The second half was taken up by a larger variety of pieces, usually a series called Stage Show. The show would come and go, with other cast members coming and going over time. Even Art Carney had left The Jackie Gleason Show at one time, only to return in 1957 to the role. The show's history is a complicated one to which entire books have been devoted over the years. It wasn't until syndication that the series was really a show unto itself. The original 39 episodes were joined with nearly 70 re-edited versions of the other various incarnations of the show have made up what most of us today think of as The Honeymooners. The final original versions of the show ended in 1971; both Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph were gone by then, replaced by Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean respectively.
But this show that wasn't really a show had legs. The syndicated versions became hugely popular, and new generations of fans were being indoctrinated with each new package. The show even survived on pay television at Showtime for a while in the 1990's when the 70 newly-formed "Lost Episodes" first aired. But the fever just never died. The show would influence a large number of series that would follow. Even the animated world of cartoons wasn't safe. The Flintstones would come along and become a prehistoric cartoon show that was basically the same down to the characters. Fred and Barney couldn't have been closer to Ralph and Norton if their names had been the same. Today, comedians constantly recall The Honeymooners and Jackie Gleason as their inspiration. To more than one generation of television viewers, Gleason really was "The Great One".
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2011
We start Synapse Week here at Upcomingdiscs for our 31 Nights Of Terror. The great folks at Synapse will be featured plenty this week with reviews and giveaways. For now they have given us 2 copies of Bruce Campbell in Mania Cop on high-definition Blu-ray to give away to 2 lucky readers. You have a right to remain silent...forever with this classic gore-fest. To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Contest is now closed Winners are Eric Eisenberger & Philly Bob
Posted in: Random Fun by Gino Sassani on October 8th, 2011
The 7th of October marks the 162nd Birthday of one of horror's greatest writers. Edgar Allan Poe was born on that date and what a treat for horror fans for centuries to come.
Poe was the first person to gather at the gravesite of Thomas Jefferson while groups from The University Of Virginia argued over their position in the procession to the grave.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2011
"I guess if this is the first you're hearing about it, I know how this must all sound."
Unless you've been in a coma like the lead character of The Walking Dead, you've been hearing a lot about this AMC television series of late. It's no wonder. I'm amazed that it's taken so long to see a zombie television series. The show has incredible visuals. There's a courtyard scene at the beginning of the pilot that is as impressive as anything you've seen in a movie. And when a character has to shoot a 6-year-old girl in the head, you understand instantly that this is going to be something unique.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2011
We all remember Ed O'Neill as Al Bundy from Married With Children. It's an iconic role that he'll never be able to shake no matter what he does for the rest of his life. After that series ended its 11-year run, he even attempted to get out of comedy and take more dramatic roles. I'm sure there was a deliberate intent to try to distance himself from Al. It's not that he likely didn't love playing the role. He just wanted to avoid getting forever typecast in the mold.Those efforts weren't all that successful. But now he's back where he belongs again in a pretty solid sit-com. He's not playing Al Bundy any more, although you won't have to look very hard to find some of Bundy in Jay from Modern Family.
I have become somewhat frustrated over the television comedy genre for a lot of years. It seems that they all take the same path no matter what the show's actual concept might be. It's usually the same jokes, just in a different environment. I don't have children, but I expect that it must be near impossible to sit down and watch a comedy with your family any more. If I were a stranger visiting this planet for the first time, I would quickly come to the conclusion that sex is about the only thing that's funny here. Thank God that once in a while something fresh comes along and swims against the current tide of innuendo and toilet humor. Modern Family is the kind of show you can enjoy with the entire family. And guess what? It's pretty darn funny on top of it all.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2011
Yes formed in 1968 and instantly became a pioneer in the area of progressive rock. The band utilized classical trends and ideas to create epic musical pieces that were often over 10 minutes in length. While that made AM radio success more fleeting, the band was huge at its peak, joining the ranks of Emerson, Lake and Palmer in the genre as one of the most endearing and enduring bands of the era. While there have been many musicians to come and go over the years, the most popular lineup includes Jon Anderson on vocals, Steve Howe on lead guitar, Chris Squire on bass, Alan White on drums and Geoff Downs on keyboards. Certainly, they haven't enjoyed the same amount of success in recent years, yet the band manages to survive in one form or another to this very day.
Eagle Rock Entertainment has given us a chance to drop in on our old friends and see how the last 43 years have treated the band in their Blu-ray release of Yes Symphonic Live. The concert takes place in Amsterdam in 2001 and is part of the band's triumphant tour with a full orchestra. It's something they hadn't really done quite like this before. The tour was intended to promote their latest release Magnification which features the return to the long-form songs and classical roots. It's likely the biggest concert tour the band has given in respect to arrangements and stage presence. They still appear to have a spark even if you won't find Howe or Squire moving about as frantically as they once did. Of all of the band members Anderson appears the least worse for wear and has incredible energy and a voice as strong as you remember from the glory days.
Posted in: Random Fun by Gino Sassani on October 5th, 2011
With this week's release of The Lion King on Blu-ray we thought we'd share this interview with the film's original directors. You'll find it is just full of wonderful information about, what I consider to be, Disney's best animated feature. Look for our reviews of The Lion King 3D Blu-ray and The Lion King Blu-ray soon.
Q - What is your opinion about Broadway Musical The Lion King directed by Julie Taymor?
A - Rob Minkoff: When I first heard that a musical was being contemplated for The Lion King I was concerned it would attempt to be too literal. Beauty & The Beast had already made the leap to the stage and it was very much a replica of the animated movie. I didn't think that kind of approach would work for The Lion King. When Julie Taymor was brought on board to re-imagine the musical for the stage it was put into the right hands. Her approach to re-conceptualize the show, utilizing her brilliant sense of stagecraft brought out its theatricality and made it a unique experience. When I saw the show for the first time I was delighted and gratified that our movie would live on, on-stage. And it hasn't disappointed having been running since 1997.
![Maniac Cop [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/maniac-cop-blu-ray-large.jpg)
![The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (3-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/the-walking-dead-the-complete-firs-large.jpg)
![Modern Family: The Complete Second Season [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/modern-family-the-complete-second-large.jpg)
![Symphonic Live [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/symphonic-live-blu-ray-large.jpg)
