Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 23rd, 2022
"Like a river flows, Surely to the sea, Darling, so it goes, Some things are meant to be ..."
Elvis Presley is often referred to as the King Of Rock and Roll, at least to his fans. There's no denying the impact that he had on the music scene. He was the first rock and roll star, to be sure. Colonel Tom Parker, his long-time manager and partner, created many of the marketing traditions that are commonplace in the industry today. He knew the value of his star, not only as a performer, but as a brand. For the first time, a musician's image and name started to appear on everything from bath towels to women's underwear. Fans are often split on their feelings for the self-styled Colonel, but Elvis would not have become the name brand he still is today without him.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 22nd, 2022
"Good evening. Let me welcome you to this parlor of paintings. We offer them to you for your enjoyment and edification. Feel free to dwell on them at your leisure and in your own good fashion, but kindly don't touch, because here they frequently touch back."
When I mention the name Rod Serling, I'll bet that The Twilight Zone is the first thing that pops into your head. And why not? It would be very hard, indeed, to argue against the impact that The Twilight Zone has had on television. To say that the series was a milestone in that medium would be an understatement of the worst kind. When Rod Serling brought his landmark series to CBS in October of 1959, television was still very new. No one was quite sure what the future held for that magical box. For five years Rod Serling would enter our living rooms with the most bizarre tales we'd ever seen.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 22nd, 2022
"It's uncensored, so language and sexual material is off the charts. So if that's not your style, you have been warned. No political correctness..."
It was the early 1990's, and record producer Russell Simmons got an idea and brought it to the folks at HBO. In a very short period of time, the half-hour show he created would become the highest-rated show in cable television history. He brought both the big names in black comedy as well as so many newcomers who have gone on to become big stars themselves. This was the days before streaming, and it came on Friday nights just as the folks who usually watch these things were out getting their entertainment live and in person. It was quite an accomplishment to get those folks to stay home and watch a half-hour television show instead. But that's exactly what happened, and while the series ended in 1997, in five short years it made both television and comedy history.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 1st, 2022
"It's a different world out there."
Ray Donovan: The Complete Series is out from CBS Home Entertainment, and it includes all 82 episodes and the television movie that was released to make up for the sudden cancelation without a proper sendoff for the Donovan clan. You get 29 DVD's, and the set includes all of the extras from the individual season releases. You do have to deal with those large overlapped spindles, so I suggest you create another environment to store them.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 1st, 2022
Next year we hope to return to our usual 31 Nights Of Terror. This year we are going to offer you some Halloween Spotlight titles that would be a great idea to pick up for the scary season. So... we're still your October Night Mayor and here's a great idea for Halloween from our friends at Film Detective.
"That's just the wind banging the door, pay no attention to it. Listen to this."
Enter The Film Detective.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2022
Next year we hope to return to our usual 31 Nights Of Terror. This year we are going to offer you some Halloween Spotlight titles that would be a great idea to pick up for the scary season. So... we're still your October Night Mayor and here's a great idea for Halloween from our friends at Paramount/CBS/Showtime.
“Tonight’s the night, and it’s going to happen again and again. It has to happen …”
What is going to happen is that Dexter: The Complete Series has come to Blu-ray. I can’t think of a better cable show to make the leap onto high definition. More than any show, I think I’ve been looking forward to this release. Imagine what it would be like to visualize Dexter’s world in such wonderful detail. Imagine no longer. Dexter’s here, and he’s got something to show you. Now that the series has finally gotten a proper resolution with Dexter: New Blood, it's time to have a complete collection on your shelf.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2022
Next year we hope to return to our usual 31 Nights Of Terror. This year we are going to offer you some Halloween Spotlight titles that would be a great idea to pick up for the scary season. So... we're still your October Night Mayor and here's a great idea for Halloween from our friends at Paramount/CBS/Showtime.
"You're traveling through another dimension. A dimension not only of sight and sound, but of the mind. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition. And it lies between the pit of one's fears and the summit of one's knowledge. You are now traveling through a dimension of imagination. You've just crossed over into The Twilight Zone."
It would be very hard, indeed, to argue against the impact that The Twilight Zone has had on television. To say that the series was a milestone in that medium would be an understatement of the worst kind.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2022
"Look at them praying for a miracle that isn't coming. Who knows? Maybe it's my curse to leave one betrayal behind only to find a greater one here amongst the stars. They could have stopped this, but none of them had the strength to do what must be done. But I do."
Crossovers have been big events in the CW Arrowverse shows. They would involve characters from all or most of the current shows, and the episodes would play across the shows themselves. The events were always huge so that they required the combined force of the many DC heroes. Times have changed, and now The Flash is pretty much the only Arrowverse show left on the air. That creates a bit of a logistic problem for the whole crossover event idea. Or does it?
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2022
"For more than two decades, families across America gathered around the television every Sunday night to watch The Ed Sullivan Show. Both the country and its music underwent an enormous evolution over the course of those years, and the show not only kept up with the times, it informed them. The long and winding road of music history is full of forks, but from the 1950's through the early 70's, one stop was essential: The Ed Sullivan Show."
You can say that again. Ed Sullivan's Sunday night variety show first aired June 20th, 1948 and left the air March 28th, 1971. Three years after the show ended, Ed Sullivan passed away, and with him one of the most iconic faces of the entertainment industry. Think about how much America and music changed throughout those years.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2022
"You think we just work at a comic book store for our folks? This is just a cover. We're dedicated to a higher purpose. We're fighters for truth, justice, and the American way."
In the 1980's The Two Corey's became somewhat of a Hollywood fad and worked well to bring the teens out to the movies. They did eight films together, and it all started with The Lost Boys. The guys' paths had crossed several times, with both being up for some of the same parts. But it wasn't until this film that they actually met, became friends, and started a trend. Unfortunately, times would not go well for either Corey. The life would take its toll, and Corey Haim died at a too-young 38 in 2010. Corey Feldman would not do much better. His own experience with sexual abuse in the industry bought him a hard time getting roles for a while, as the industry wasn't too happy that he was opening up these Hollywood closets.
