Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 7th, 2009
This season finds the protagonists well beyond high school, now having adventures in the adult world. So writer Lucas, in the midst of promoting his book, proposes to Peyton. Brooke fights to save her clothing business from the clutches of her mother From Hell. Piece of work Dan is flattened by a car and then finds himself in the hospital, helpless, badly injured, and at the mercy of a sadistic nurse out for revenge. Basketball player Nathan doesn't know that his mother is having an affair with one of his friends. And on we go, and I haven't even mentioned the episode that's a fantasy construction of Lucas', relocating the entire cast and setting to the 1940s.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2009
“You know those shows that say don’t try this at home? This is one of those.”
Scare Tactics is really nothing new. In 1948 one of the very first television shows to air on network television was a converted radio program originally called Candid Microphone and renamed Candid Camera for television. It was the brain child of Allen Funt, who began the idea while in the armed services, secretly recording fellow servicemen in awkward positions for his Armed Forces Radio program. The idea was a hit and was television’s first hit program. Funt would hide his 16mm cameras and put people in awkward situations with the intent to make them feel and appear foolish. The stunts in those days were pretty simple. A talking mail box or strange acting workers. It was all in good fun and everybody got a laugh.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 6th, 2009
Written by Adrienne Ambush
Growing up, I wasn’t really a fan of the cartoon Transformers; I was actually more of a Muppet babies kind of girl, but the minute I hit play on my DVD player I was instantly transported back to a time when nothing else mattered to me except for what was on TV and what time dinner was going to be later that night.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2009
“Welcome to The Hundred Acre Wood, where voices come together in joyful celebration and, the seasons gently turn like pages in a book. A time of giving, shared with good friends and a silly old bear named Winnie The Pooh.”
“Oh Bother”A.A. Milne was quite an eclectic writer. He wrote murder mysteries that even appeared on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. From that fertile mind would also come a place known as the Hundred Acre Wood. In that select place some of literature’s finest characters had the greatest adventures any boy could imagine. And adventures are certainly no fun on your own. Young Christopher Robin was joined by Piglet, Tigger, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, and, of course, Winnie-The-Pooh. Who didn’t fall in love with that silly old bear… Winnie-The-Pooh. OK, so maybe Dahmer or Bundy might have been exceptions. Still, anyone growing up in the last 30-40 years who isn’t a psychopath has had a love affair with Winnie-The-Pooh, all stuffed with fluff.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 5th, 2009
“In 1982 controversial film director Wilson Wyler Concannon released his only film, The Hills Run Red. Because of its graphic depiction of sadism and murder the film was quickly pulled from theaters. All known prints vanished and no cast member was ever found. Over the years film historians attempted to find the film, but all that remained was a crudely made trailer. Director Wilson Wyler Concannon was never heard from again.”
Believe it or not, The Hills Run Red was a project saved at one point by the Man Of Steel himself, Superman. Okay, it’s not like the famous Kryptonian hero actually swooped in and rescued anyone on the project, but he does deserve some credit for the film’s ultimate release.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 5th, 2009
The idea of a British television series being adapted for American screens is really nothing new. Lately a lot has been written about the phenomenon as if it’s some recent trendy invasion of English telly. We’ve been watching British hits since at least the 1970’s. In those days it was the sit-com that got the most attention from across the pond. Till Death Do Us Part and Steptoe And Son became All In The Family and Sanford And Son, respectively. Both shows became even bigger hits here in the states and are remembered by more folks on both continents than the originals today. The latest hit from England was The Office. Unfortunately, Life On Mars was never destined to join those Anglo/American success stories.
Detective Sam Tyler (O’Mara) is hot in pursuit of a serial killer who has abducted his partner and lover. When he steps out of his SUV he is struck by an oncoming car. On his ipod David Bowie is singing his obscure track, Life On Mars. When Tyler wakes up he can still hear the song in the background. But this time it’s coming from an 8-track deck in a mint vintage 1970’s car. Turns out there’s a reason the car is so cherry. It’s actually brand spankin’ new, and Tyler is no longer in 2008. It’s 1973. Strangely, he still has his identity here. A police officer identifies the car as his. At his 125th Precinct, he’s recognized as the transfer from Hyde. His disorientation earns him a few introductory sucker punches to the gut by his new boss Lt. Gene Hunt (Keitel) who doesn’t like people coming into his station house barking out orders. It turns out he’s joined a special forces kind of team that also includes Detective Ray Carling (Imperioli) who feels passed over by Tyler. He was in line to be the new second in command. Detective Chris Skelton (Murphy) is a green detective who warms us fastest to Tyler. Also working more or less for the team is policewoman Annie Norris (Mol) better known in the squad as “No Nuts Norris”, because she acts more like a man, believing that a woman can be a detective. It seems whatever powers that have planted Tyler here have thought of everything. He has an apartment with a free spirit hippie neighbor named Windy (Ferrin), appropriately named as she kind of breezes her way in and out of his life. Eventually Tyler decides to temporarily accept his situation, hoping to figure out why he’s here and how he can get back home.
Posted in: Brain Blasters by David Annandale on October 4th, 2009
When The Exorcist was first released, Pauline Kael opined, in her New Yorker review, that the film was the best recruiting poster for the Jesuit order since Going My Way. There is more than a grain of truth to her statement, given how cool all the priests are in the film, but there is more. As many critics have pointed out, the film has a rather reactionary streak: after all, it isn't hard to see the film as a nightmare depiction of female sexuality, presenting it as something monstrous that must be contained at all costs. And after all, what parent hasn't, at some point, envisioned the teenage years as a form of demonic possession, with their sweet little angel transformed by evil forces. So here's a film that confirms to them that, yep, the offspring's misbehaviour isn't normal, but evil. It is this side of The Exorcist that is, perhaps, being parodied by Beyond the Door. It is certainly being exploited by today's entry in the demonic possession sweepstakes, The Antichrist (1974).
Posted in: Brain Blasters by David Annandale on October 3rd, 2009
So I guess this column should join in with the Halloween fun. I'll be popping in and out with various short film musings and recommendations, some of which might run the risk of being rehashes. If so, I apologize, but my reasoning is that the film deserves to be fresh in your mind for the season. First up: Beyond the Door (1974).
Posted in: Contests, Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on October 2nd, 2009
First Look Studios has graciously given us two copies of Infestation on DVD to give away as part of our “31 Nights Of Terror”.
To enter to win a copy of this Zombie madness, just follow these two steps...
Contest is now closed. The Winners were: Bruce Hamilton and Anne Taylor. Congratulations!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 2nd, 2009
“In the future, a computer program called Skynet will declare war on the human race. Machines have traveled back in time taking human form to terminate John Connor, the future leader of the resistance; Sarah Connor, John’s mother, teacher, and protector; Cameron, a terminator reprogrammed to defend them at all costs; Derek Reese, John’s uncle and a commanding officer with the resistance. Together they fight to stop Skynet from ever being created. The battle for our tomorrow starts today.”
Well actually, to be perfectly honest, it started back in October of 1984 with the release of James Cameron’s blockbuster Terminator. It was the story of a future Armageddon and a machine sent back in time to make sure it happens by killing the mother of the unborn leader of a future resistance. No one saw the success coming, but come it did. With just over a $6 million budget the film brought in over $38 million in the domestic take. That’s not a lot by today’s mega tent pole release standards, but it was huge in 1984. Add another $40 million in overseas box office, and you get quite a return on that money. And so as inevitable as the film’s prophesized Doomsday, a sequel was unavoidable. The film also made a star of an Austrian born bodybuilder who had only television and one film to his credit by that time. A star and a huge franchise was born. The man behind the film, James Cameron, was just as unknown, having helmed a cheesy Piranha sequel as pretty much his only calling card. Who knew then that Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron, and the Terminator universe would all go on to become household names. Cameron would go on to bring us Aliens and Titanic. Arnie would become THE action star of the 90’s and end up, of all places, as the Governor of California. Only in America.
![Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - The Complete Second Season [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/terminator-the-sarah-connor-chroni-large.jpg)
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