Journey Into DVD: The best handball sequence in cinema history?

Is there a better name for a movie than APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER?

I mean, apart from MEGAFORCE?

Let's just leave that one alone. Appointment to Danger may not be the best film noir (or nourish film) of the studio era, but it may have the best handball sequence. Picture it: Alan Ladd vs. Jack Webb. Danger is the subtext, but handball is the game!

 

I know what you're thinking: How could anything top the glorious theme of...MAIL? And the glamorous yet perilous world of the U.S. Postal Service?

Does THIS answer your question?

How about when we get out on the court?

Things soon get a little contentious:

Then they get downright VIOLENT!

This should be an Olympic sport.

Jackie go night-night!

"I told him I had a good kill shot."

Now, after this kind of action, who wants to see shots of mail?

Oh, OK, we'll take one more look before we end this post:

Journey Into DVD: Charle Brown and Friends

(Editor's Note: 'Mooners Monday will return next week. On Monday.)

This is a single-disc repackaging of material from the Peanuts: 1970s Collection DVD set. It consists of 3 half-hour animated specials originally aired on CBS in the late 1970s along with a featurette.

It's great to see the holiday-themed Peanuts specials every year, but there were tons of other ones on TV back in the day. It's a shame they don't get much play, and it's also a shame that Warner Brothers has released these in confusing subpackages rather than going with affordable comprehensive collections, BUT if you  look hard enough, you can find the old stuff and enjoy it today on DVD.

This particular disc reminds you that the Peanuts specials were weird. We sort of chuckle at the quirks of the holiday ones because we've seen them over and over again, but when you revisit some of these lesser-known efforts, you scratch your head sometimes.

The first special is What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown! There may not be too many children's animated specials prominently featuring the word "nightmare," but does it really surprise you that Peanuts would give you one of them?

This is a bizarre half-hour focused on an odd dream Snoopy has. It starts when Charlie Brown, apparently in one of those moods, decides he wants Snoopy to guide him around like a sled dog. When his pet isn't up to the intense  physical exertion needed to do that, Chuck berates him and says he's too civilized, etc., etc.

Snoopy often comes off as aloof and not all  that likable in the specials, but here Charlie is a real jerk, and it's no wonder his poor dog has a nightmare about actually becoming a sled dog. 



The day Charlie went from proletariat to bourgeoise

Snoop has all kinds of adventures, including working in, performing in, and playing poker in a saloon, before he "goes savage"  to become the lead dog in a pack. If you ever wanted to see Snoopy give menacing growls, bare his teeth, and get into a fierce struggle with a "realistic"-looking dog, here's your chance!

I think *I'm* having nightmares after seeing these images

The other two specials are more conventional. It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown spotlights a football game, and it's refreshing to see a team sport besides baseball. It may be a mistake watching it right after Nightmare, though; after seeing Charlie act like such a tool in that one, I was actually rooting for Lucy to pull the football away from him so he would fall on his duff.

Oh, and how old are these kids? First Kiss delves into the anxiety caused by boys and girls exchanging a smooch, but to do so, it sets up big football games, homecoming courts, and all the things you expect to see from a high school.  Actually, even many high school probably don't have the budgets to do all the stuff Charlie's school does in this one.

You don't see these kinds of parades on Thanksgiving, these days

You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown shows Chuck entering the Junior Olympics, specifically the decathlon, and screwing things up in classic Charlie fashion. Along the way, we see the Masked Marvel, a surprising bit of business from Marcie, and even a Bruce Jenner reference.  My favorite line is Peppermint Patty, trying to encourage her pal, calling Charlie "Chucko." His puzzled "Chucko?" response is classic.

Why, Marcie!

Added value comes in the form of the 18-minute featurette You're Groovy, Charlie Brown: A Look at Peanuts in the 70's." No, this is not footage of the Peanuts gang gettin' down to the sweet sounds of fuzz guitar. It's more a general overview of the strip, the production of the specials, and especially creator Charles M. Schulz. It's a nice look at Peanuts, though, and a welcome bonus on the DVD.

These aren't on the level of the perennial holiday favorites we've come to know and love, but they represent a significant portion of the Peanuts legacy and are part of TV history as well. These specials are fun, if a little out there at times, and deserve wider exposure.

Journey Into DVD: It's a Universal Picture!

One thing about Universal Vault Series MOD (Manufactured on Demand) DVDs: They get a lot of films that would otherwise not be seen out to the viewing public. Well, they are hard to find and more expensive than conventional releases, but until we get a Universal Movie Classics channel (say....), this is one of the best avenues we have to catch some of these old Uni and Paramount pictures.

 

 

Another thing about these DVDs is they have zero extras--no trailers, not even a decent menu. So if you put the disc in your player and go get a sandwich, by the time you get back, it may be 15 minutes into the movie.



Frontier Gal (1945) is the kind of Western I imagine contemporary reviewers described as "rollicking." It has a saucy Yvonne DeCarlo, Sheldon Leonard as the villain, and Rod Cameron giving an entertaining performance as an unrepentant chauvinist who storms into a town looking for revenge.

Cameron floats the idea of marriage to DeCarlo  to get her to, uh, welcome him his first night in town, and whaddyaknow, the next day he's all like, "Eh, I don't think so." He really is kind of a jerk, and it's hard to feel too sorry for him when he is forced at gunpoint into a wedding.

Years later, after a stint in jail, when a little girl is involved and when his former fiancée enters the picture, he doesn't straighten out and do the right thing by all mature adults concerned. At least, I don't think he does. I can't be sure because with 5 minutes to go, right in the middle of a climactic action sequence, the DVD started skipping/freezing, and I had to go online to READ how the movie ended!

It's a shame because I was enjoying the heck out of what I saw up to that point.  It's the kind of movie in which a bar fight breaks out and Andy Devine comes in and starts throwing clubbing, plodding forearm blows that totally clean house. Then Devine goes over to the bar and gets what looks like a 256-ounce beer. I recommend Frontier Gal, but make sure you get a disc without a big discolored spot near the edge.

Supernatural (1933) is like a bunch of different movies in one. It's a horror movie, a crime movie, a thriller, a bit of a love story...Carole Lombard and Randolph Scott are the top names in the cast, but Vivienne Osborne is vivid as convicted man-strangler (3 times!) Ruth Rogen.

There is a sort-of mad doctor AND a phony spiritualist in this one, and Rogen manages to transfer her spirit into the innocent body of Lombard's Roma Courtney so she can try to kill the spiritualist! There is a good amount of stuff going on in just over an hour, and it's a unique and compelling little movie I haven't seen discussed.

Actually, it's a Paramount picture!

I was disappointed by Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948) with Burt Lancaster and Joan Fontaine after wanting to see it for years. I just never got into it. I don't have a lot to say about it, but it just wasn't for me. I'm still glad it made it to DVD, though! Just don't see it before checking out Frontier Gal and Supernatural.

Journey Into DVD: The Stork Pays Off

It's tough to have a real "journey" with a Columbia Classics DVD. There's no featurettes, no audio commentaries, no trailers, no nothing. The Stork Pays Off doesn't even have a menu. Insert DVD, watch movie  RIGHT AWAY. I must admit, though, the jarring lack of a menu and the disappointing (even in 2016) lack of special and not-so-special features is almost worth it to avoid an FBI warning.

It's cool that Sony is even bothering to release unassuming "minor" pictures from the archives like 1941's The Stork Pays Off, which doesn't even have enough reviews on IMDB to display a user rating. ClassicFlix lists it as a Columbia Classic, another site calls it a Sony Screen Classic by request, and the  top of the packaging calls it part of the "Choice Collection." So what IS this movie? It's a fun, brisk effort headlined--yes, headlined--by Maxie "Slapsie" Rosenbloom, and that alone merits a video release. I recommend you check it out if you can get it at a discount and/or rent it from ClassicFlix.

It's the story of a gangster who has his trio of goons take over a night club, only to discover it's actually a nursery. Once he sees what's going on, Deke Foster falls for the proprietess, divorced mother Irene, and instructs his goons to maintain and grow the daycare operation. Of course Deke and Irene fall in love, but there are enough other things going on to fill 68 minutes without too much strain.

Stork may not be a classic, but it sure feels like a Columbia. I mean, even the fonts used on signs in the movie remind me of those used in the titles of Three Stooges shorts. Rosenbloom, Horace McMahon, and George McKay have lots of comic business as Foster's lieutenants, and a lot of their bits wouldn't be out of place in an old two-reeler. How can you not be drawn into a movie that opens with hoods named Brains, Photofinish, and Ear to the Ground pulling off a protection racket?

Much as I enjoy Rosenbloom's predictable  (I mean that in a positive sense) performance as malaprop-spouting "Brains," the actual story leads are Deke and Irene, played by Victory Jory and Rochelle Hudson. The two are likable enough, but there is zero chemistry between them, and I never buy Jory's character's transformation into earnest father figure/romantic partner/upright citizen.   It seems like the kind of role, say, Richard Conte would have been great in paired with someone like Lynn Bari at Fox, but then again, why recast the movie? I'm not bowled over by the romance, but director Lew Landers spends as much time on the light comedy as he does on that aspect, anyway.

In fact, things happen quickly in this story. When Deke demands his charges go to night school to be better role model for the children, bam, we go to an extended scene set at night school.  We have a good time, too, as Brains exercises some goofy wordplay to confound the teacher (character actor Byron Foulger with amusing exasperation).  Later, a political situation comes up, and, hey, Deke decides to run for local office to become respectable.

The 68-minute film somehow seems to have a lot going on and yet not much of a main plot at the same time, but it's an entertaining diversion nonetheless. Rosenbloom and his colorful cohorts are a delight, with McKay standing out as a guy who talks in horse racing lingo all the time, even to the kids at the daycare center. The Stork Pays Off isn't necessarily something I want to pay 20 bucks for, but it would be great to see it on TCM, and I appreciate that Sony released it, even if through its ultra-bare-bones manufactured-on-demand line.

Journey into DVD: Roundup of movies I got at the liberry

That's right, my local library. It's not just for renting space out to community groups too small to rent out a school auditorium or HOA office anymore! it has books, magazines, and even DVDs.

Ocean's 13: Well, it was better than Ocean's 12. I mean, much better than Ocean's 12. It's pretty much just what it wants to be (what it should be?): a fun heist film. The gang gets back together to screw over Al Pacino's character, who has just screwed over Elliott Gould's character. It is a credit to Gould that his character (admittedly, one already well established in the Oceaniverse) leaves a far bigger impression than Pacino's, but come on. We all wanted to see an over-the-top Al shouting down all the A-, B-, and C-listers in the cast. Instead, he's just...effective at playing at a prick who deserves to have his casino ruined. In essence, fans of the series won't be disappointed, but fans of Extreme Pacino might be. I enjoyed Ocean's 13 but can't think of any particular reason to watch it again.

Admission: It's not the movie's fault that the studio sold it as a delightful romantic comedy (remember that cute scene of Tina Fey and Paul Rudd in those rustic shower stalls?) when it's more of a dramedy (or even just a light drama) about self-identity. It may be my fault for not getting what I expected and feeling a little thrown off. It IS the movie's fault for not being sharper, funnier, or more interesting.

Just because it isn't the kind of generic romantic comedy the marketing might have indicated doesn't mean that it is an intelligent film by default. It's thoughtful but never all that compelling. Fey's admissions officer at Princeton finds herself screwing with the process in order to help a boy who Rudd's character believes is the son she put up for adoption years ago.

I'm not sure "Admission" ever knows what it wants to be, and the result is a muddle. It doesn't quite make any solid points about elitism of the university system, and in fact at some point you just wonder, "Who cares if the kid gets into Princeton? He can go to some less snooty school and get a decent education." I'm sure a lot of people will want to like this just because it stars Fey and Rudd, but those two deserve better.

Midnight in Paris: I watched this before the Dylan Farrow scandal kicked back into high gear during the Golden Globes. I feel like we have to at least address that whenever we talk about a Woody Allen movie right now--well, not that "we have to," but rather I feel I need to. I have an opinion, but I can watch the movies while distancing myself from that opinion. Borrowing a movie from the library makes it easier than paying 11 bucks to see it in a theater. Plus Woody's not even in this one.

I don't have a strong opinion about "Midnight in Paris." I was expecting something magically charming or at least charmingly magical. Instead I got an amusing but not all that substantial fantasy about nostalgia. Owen Wilson made an enjoyable enough Woody substitute though and even an acceptable enough romantic novelist type. But the ending was anticlimactic, and why do we have to kiss Paris' ass all the time, anyway? I liked this a lot more than "Vicky Christina Barcelona," but I didn't think it was all that big a deal.

X-Men First Class: OK, let's end on a high note after 3 lukewarmish mini-reviews. This one is fantastic, easily the best of the franchise, and I'm irritated I didn't see it sooner. I don't know how well it holds up "in continuity" with the other 3, and I don't care. This is a prequel that brings new life into the series.

The casting is fine, especially James McAvoy as Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender as Magneto, and their relationship is credible and absorbing. On the villain side, well, January Jones as Emma Frost is a misfire, but Kevin Bacon at least seems to be having a great time as Sebastian Shaw.

I like how "First Class" sets up the X-Men while also combining elements of Cold War history. I really was kind of "eh" at the prospect of Bryan Singer bringing more of these movies to the big screen, but with Matthew Vaughn directing, I think they have hit on the right formula. Action, intrigue, and superheroes--I strongly recommend this one and look forward to May's "Days of Future Past."

Journey Into DVD: Kids movies aren't just for kids anymore!

Some of the best movies I've seen lately come from the Children/Family aisle. Having two kids can actually expose you to some fine cinema. Of course, 2 of these 3 are ones that, due to various circumstances, I saw without my kids. But they liked them, anyway!

Monsters University: Another fine effort from Pixar. I prefer the originals to the sequels from the company because you just can't beat the joy of discovery that accompanies a Pixar movie that introduces you to a brand-new universe. Well, this one was pretty good. And of course the "Toy Story" sequels are great. Hmm, maybe I need to rethink my policy on Pixar sequels.

Yeah, I prefer Monsters, Inc., but so what? The world can always use more good family-friendly movies, and more to the point, so can my DVD shelf. As a parent, you really appreciate quality because your kids are gonna want to watch it again and again and again. I've seen at least parts of this film 4 times already, and it actually improves with each viewing. The voice work is excellent, with returning Billy Crystal and John Goodman matching their outstanding job as the main characters. Joel--yes, Joel--Murray stands out as an older college student who joins the boys in a fraternity. The character design is great, too, especially the new character of Johnny J. Worthington III (Nathan Fillion), who simply just..looks like the smug blueblood leader of the rival frat type he is supposed to be. The story is solid and finds a clever way to get our characters to where they are at the beginning of this saga (Oh, yeah, this is technically a PREquel, but for my purposes, it seemed more right to refer to it as a sequel). And it's funny.

If I hadn't seen the first one and loved it so much, I might rate this one even higher. The difference to me is that "Monsters Inc." brought me to a whole new world and a whole new way of looking at elements of the existing world, whereas the sequel takes that world and puts a school comedy spin on it. Doesn't matter, though. I look forward to seeing this dozens more times and eventually starting to dread it.

Wreck-It Ralph: Now, this movie takes a "new" world--the inner universe of video games--and makes it fresh and exciting. It's also clever and also brings plenty of heart to the proceedings. The big standout, though, is the voice work. John C. Reilly is perfect as the title character, a video game villain who breaks stuff but wants to be something more. His voice-over at the beginning of the film is one of the funniest things I've seen in a movie in years. It's subtle, but it's hilarious, and though the dialogue is brilliant and establishes the character, it's Reilly's performance that makes it. I also want to praise Sarah Silverman and Alan Tudyk for voice acting that is as vivid and amusing as the cool visuals. This movie is a real delight and has to be up there with the best animated movies of recent memory.

The Muppets: OK, I finally got around to seeing the Jason Segel reboot of the franchise, and, hey, what took me so long? This one is great! I mean, it's entertaining, funny, warm, and I am kind of upset it wasn't really huge instead of "just" a hit.

Retooling the Muppets for a new generation could have gone terribly wrong, but Segel doesn't strain for edginess. Instead, he makes a few subtle references to changing times, but he stays true to the characters and doesn't pander to try to make teenagers and hipsters want to see it. Maybe that's why it wan't really huge.

One of the smartest things Segel does is he includes a human love story (with co-star Amy Adams, who as always is the most adorable thing ever) but gives it just enough attention to make it relevant while never upstaging or interfering with the Muppets. He creates a new character, Walter, who isn't in himself all that remarkable yet blends in well because of that normal quality. Debuting a new Muppet could have been another pitfall, but instead it works. The best thing I can say about "The Muppets" is that it feels like The Muppets and still feels fresh.

If nothing else, this one is worth it for Chris Cooper's spirited turn as the movie's big villain. He's so good you want more of him, but again I think Segel got the balance right and didn't overexpose him. My favorite scene in the movie involves Cooper doing something I hadn't seen him do before, and, yeah, the movie's a few years old, but I am not going to spoil it. After all, it was a surprise to me!

These are 3 amazing movies, all good for the whole family. I may have to give "Turbo" and "Planes" a shot on DVD.

Journey Into DVD: Easter Fun 3-Pack

First of all, I love how companies think that slapping the word FUN on something automatically makes it so. I guess it can't hurt, right? Maybe if you have a box set of, say, Vietnam War documentaries coming out, you don't want to put the word all over that package, but otherwise, why not?

Second, conflicting info on the packaging makes it difficult to discern whether this is called "Easter Fun 3-Pack" or Easter: 3-Pack Fun" or maybe even "Pack Fun Easter 3." Each of those titles is clunky enough to amuse me.

I picked this up for the kids (OK, really for myself to watch with the kids) at a certain major retail chain location (OK, maybe I should say THE major retail chain) after spotting an endcap of $5 Easter DVDs. Now, some of you out there may be saying, "Hey, Easter's all but over. Why are you writing about this DVD set NOW instead of a few weeks ago when it might have done us some good?" And to those people, I say...Hey, look, isn't that George Clooney?

Boy, was I relieved when I saw a Rankin-Bass oldie on that rack, because it meant I could skip over the Dora the Explorer collections and get something I might actually be able to enjoy with my little ones.

You see, the first DVD that caught my eye was "The First Easter Rabbit" from 1976. "I haven't seen that in years!" I exclaimed to myself, but no less enthusiastically for being internal. And for 5 bones? It's only a half-hour, but it might be worth it. Then I kept looking, and I saw 1977's "The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town." ANOTHER one I hadn't seen in years! And also for 5 bucks, but this one was longer and even had a few bonus shorts.

Well, I looked some MORE, and then I saw a DVD set that had BOTH those Rankin-Bass classics in one package, complete with the extras. And guess how much it cost?

Well, no, it was actually 10 bucks, but 5 was a darned good guess.

And, hey, this 3-pack throws in "Yogi the Easter Bear." I had never heard of that, but I was going to get the other ones anyway, so as a throw-in, sure, I'll take it. So I threw that in with my groceries and prepared for some fun. Some Easter 3-Pack Fun, that is.

Here's the bad news about this set: The "extras" are not vintage stop-motion animation shorts, as I hoped, but live-action modern shorts that just illustrate the concept. Nothing of real value here. There are some commercials on the other discs, too, but overall, just don't buy this for the bonus features.

More bad news: "Yogi the Easter Bear" is not a hidden gem from the glory days of Hanna-Barbera, but a weak 1994 revival which offers the voice talents of Jonathan Winters but little else. Most attempts at "hip" humor fall flat, like when an abducted Easter Bunny tells a thug to unhand him because "I'm a card-carrying member of the Mythical Creatures Anti-Defamation League." The special isn't a catastrophe or anything, but it's forgettable and also not the reason to get this set. I sure wish Warner Brothers had left this one off and included the Rankin-Bass special "Here Comes Peter Cottontail," which I did not see anywhere on that endcap.

Now for some good news: My kids love the Yogi Bear special (Note to self: Get some real Yogi on DVD for the kids to enjoy sometime). More importantly, the Rankin-Bass stuff holds up well and DOES justify the 10-spot. Now, first when we started watching them, I was unimpressed, finding them a mere shell of their predecessors in the R-B holiday pantheon. I was comparing them to the Christmas classics instead of judging them on their own merits. To oversimplify it in a massive way, "First Easter Rabbit" is akin to "Frosty the Snowman," with similar hand-drawn animation and Burl Ives narrating, and "Comin' to Town" is a remake of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," with stop-motion animation and Fred Astaire narrating.

Are the Easter versions the equal of the Christmas originals? No, they're not. But then, I've been enjoying those ones for years and I never lost that link. Maybe if CBS hadn't bailed on airing these Easter 'toons so long ago, I would love them more. I'd still see them as derivative, mind you, but maybe I would have embraced them quicker.

The fact is, though, I DID embrace them after that first viewing (Oh, yeah, there were multiple viewings; I mentioned I was watching them with my small children, didn't I?) The songs aren't as catchy and the voice work isn't as vivid, even with familiar actors like Paul Frees and Stan Freberg reporting for duty. "The First Rabbit" somehow mixes the holiday with "The Velveteen Rabbit." But the songs are catchy if forced, and the specials are fun. It is enjoyable seeing the writers strain to come up with Easter songs that don't invoke religion, as well as trying to create practical explanations for traditions like coloring eggs. I mean, the longer special includes a ditty about trying new foods that includes this verse:

The first man to eat a pickle
Said, "This cucumber's rather dill"
The first man to find a salt mine
Thought the worth of it was nil"

The cartoon shows these events, followed by the two guys selling salty pickles out of a jar. So commerce wins the day, as always, because these two gents were willing to put strange things in their mouths,

As in most Rankin-Bass efforts, there are little offbeat touches that carry the day. For example, "Comin' to Town" features a 7-year-old boy king named King Bruce, which cracks me up for no reason that I can explain. And, yes, the kids enjoy these, too.

Maybe after Easter, this set will be even less than $10 at a store near you. See? It's not too late to write about this set! I got my money's worth out of the set through nostalgia alone, but my kids also got into the Easter Spirit with this specials, and I may have started a new family tradition. If CBS won't do it, DVD can.

10 Biggest Revelations from Paul McCartney's Commentary Track on "Magical Mystery Tour"

10) The nonsensical, plotless spectacle wasn't scripted.

9) During production, no one really paid attention to how post-production would go.

8) The Beatles wanted to go out on their own and do something unique and innovative--an art film, really.

7) But of course they also wanted to pack the film with old comedians and character actors they liked, plus all of their buddies.

6) Paul encouraged each of the others to contribute their own ideas (Translation: "Don't blame me for goofy stuff like the spaghetti scene").

5) The romantic beach sequence with Buster Bloodvessel and Aunt Jessie--one of the most tender, evocative, non-hallucinogenic in the film--was originally banned by the BBC for being "too weird."

4) McCartney was surprised to hear that Steven Spielberg and classmates studied "MMT" in film school. Who would have thought even a Beatle would have to resort to a deft humblebrag every now and then?

3) But Sir Paul, reminiscent of Michael Jordan in his Hall of Fame induction speech, is still peeved enough by critics' responses to the project to close his commentary by giving them a sarcastic "thank you."

2) The artistic significance of the stripper sequence? The Beatles liked seeing girls take their clothes off.

1) Paul can actually remember any of this despite being on an extended "Magical Mystery Tour" of his own for the better part of the late sixties.

It may read like I'm teasing Macca, and it may sound like I'm teasing Macca, but don't let that fool you; I really am teasing Macca. In all seriousness, though, I do admire him for recording a commentary track for the DVD. He didn't have to do that. Surely he wants to get his spin on the project out there, but still, in an era of general decline in bonus features, this is a delightful extra that adds value to the disc.

As for "Magical Mystery Tour" itself, I enjoyed watching it with my dad, then my friends, though it's a self-indulgent and often frustrating piece of work. Viewing it today only makes you wonder why there isn't more footage of the four guys interacting and less of the supporting cast. But they wanted to do step outside the norm, and I think if I put myself back in their era and mindset (Note to authorities: I am not doing so by ingesting illicit substances of any sort), I understand it.

To me, any footage of the Beatles in their day deserves a look--maybe not repeated viewings, but at least one. Plus there's some great music. The DVD shows some effort, too, with the commentary and featurettes helping put it all into context, though the recent BBC documentary that aired on PBS apparently did a lot more of that (and, sadly, is not here).

Journey Into DVD: Semi-Tough

If ever a DVD presentation of a movie cried out for a special edition, or at least a package offering some kind of bonus material to elaborate on the filmmakers' intentions, it would be "Semi-Tough." Unfortunately, all we get on the current disc is the original trailer. Yippee!

See, Michael Ritchie's 1977 film adaptation of the classic sports novel veers quite a bit from the source material, and I'd like to know why. The movie is OK, with some moments of insight and wit, but it is nowhere near the brilliance of Dan Jenkins' book--at least from my perspective. But maybe I'm missing something. So a featurette or two, if not a commentary, would be nice.

The book, which I raved about a year and a half ago, is more about football. Oh, it's about life and love and all that sort of thing, too, but it always feels like a football book. In the film, the sport really is in the background for large chunks, and the screenplay devotes much of its energies and screen time to social commentary on America in the seventies--specifically, a takeoff on trendy self-help movements like Werner Erhard's est (Erhard Seminars Training). Now, I was too young to have been lured into the grasp of est, but I read enough of my dad's "Mad" magazines to get a general idea of what it was about. Still, I wasn't around then, so maybe I'm lacking a certain sense of the day that would elevate "Semi-Tough" for me.

Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson play pro football teammates engaged in a vague love triangle of sorts with Jill Clayburgh, who plays the daughter of the team's owner. The movie takes us on a detour into an organization called B.E.A.T. (Bismark Earthwalk Action Training) as Kristofferson's Shake Tiller joins the movement. Then Burt's Billy Clyde Puckett (a classic name if I've ever heard one, and one that should have translated into a classic movie character) joins up as well...or does he?

Eh, I'm sure the commentary is very cutting, but I'm not as interested in this material as I am in what Jenkins gives us in his hilarious novel. As an example of what Ritchie sacrifices by emphasizing the B.E.A.T. storyline, I give you T.J. Lambert. The novel's Lambert is a brute but also an acclaimed master at the art of flatulence. The movie's Lambert is a hulking figure, and he does get to dangle an innocent woman off a rooftop, but do we see Brian Dennehy lighting up the screen with an array of impressive farts? No, we don't. Talk about a wasted opportunity...

But here is something Ritchie gains by using the Walter Bernstein screenplay: The eternal awesomeness of Bert Convy as the Erhard stand-in, Friedrich Bismark. When Burt and Jill experience the B.E.A.T. training, we see Bert Convy enter the room and tell the attendees they're a bunch of a--holes. At this point, I'm able to cast aside my disappointment with the rest of the film and recognize that here is something to enjoy. Now, here is an example of why it may be better to watch Semi-Tough with a modern, non-1977 perspective.

See, I suspect most moviegoers in 1977 saw Convy merely as the actor, game show host, and amiable showbiz personality he was. But if you grew up on Convy not just on "Tattletales," but on "Super Password" and "Win, Lose, or Draw," you know the man as an authority figure. Sure, he may have flubbed a clue every other episode. Granted he may have given off the aura of someone who never had total control of the games over which he presided. I will concede that by "Win, Lose, or Draw," his status as a proud member of the Burt Pack may have overshadowed his status as respected statesman of television. But those of us who grew up on Bert Convy knew--and we know--better. Bert is The Man, so when we hear him tell people they are a bunch of a--holes, we believe that they really are a--holes. Hell, we might even be tempted to join B.E.A.T. ourselves, even though the movie itself questions it and even though, well, frankly, it doesn't exist. Simply out, Bert wins out over Burt, if not within the story, within the hearts and minds of the viewers.

Yeah, His Burtness is at his cocky best, if you like that Burt, and there are some good scenes. But the plot brings down "Semi-Tough" way more than it should considering what great stuff it had to work with, and as a result the mind wanders and latches onto things like Bert Convy calling people a--holes. I wish there were more info on that DVD that might raise my appreciation of what everyone was going for here, but the sparse disc leaves me thinking "Semi-Tough" is a disappointing adaptation of a superb book.

Journey Into DVD: Gang Busters Volume 1

I'm sure glad I enjoyed this DVD because, oh, what an epic adventure it was getting a playable disc from Netflix.

Now, I may see a glitch or two on one of their rental DVDs every now and then, but they generally aren't so bad as to require a replacement. So I was suprised just before last month's Blizzardpalooza when I got a disc of the 1950s crime show "Gang Busters" which was not just unplayable, but unHOLDable. I mean, the thing was in 3 pieces.

I had to wait a few days for the replacement given the weather, and then when my mailma--uh, letter carrier arrived, I had to help him dig out access to our mailbox because of the Great Wall of snow and ice the plows and some of my neighbors had amassed. I handed him the bad one and took the sub. Later, after a whole lot more shoveling, I opened the new enevelope and found that Netflix had indeed sent me a different disc.

This one was in 4 pieces.

What are the odds of this happening? Big. Big, big odds. I thought Netflix would brand me a serial destroyer of their merchandise. "This guy HATES Gang Busters! Flag his account!"

Netflix was great about this, though, and even sent me a few bonuses discs while I waited for the second replacement. After all this, I sure hoped "Gang Busters" was worth it. More importantly, I sure appreciated that it was a 1950s TV show I was trying to rent and not something like "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Strippercise Workout." THAT would have been a fun title to repeat to the customer service guy.

I finally did get an intact copy, though, and fortunately, it was almost worth the wait (hey, I know it's not end-of-the-world-type stuff here, but that kind of hassle would only be worth it if the DVD contained lost Honeymooners footage or a montage of towering Ralph Kiner home runs or footage of my appearance in a production of "The Jungle Book" in elementary school).

Based on the vintage radio program, "Gang Busters" has one of the great opening sequences in TV history. We look through the barrel of a gun as it pivots toward us, followed by a frantic mix of animation and stock footage showing a searchlight atop an island scanning the ocean, convicts busting out of jail, cops firing guns...the whole thing is so much fun, you sit there and think, "Can the show possibly be as good as all this?"

Well, no, it can't, but it can be mighty entertaining for each half-hour or so. These episodes feature the show's original gimmick of a "real-life law enforcement official" introducing and narrating a specific case from his CRIME FILES. Then we get a nice little reenactment of the crime and manhunt (sometimes womanhunt). It's a fun show. Ultimately, crime doesn't pay and all that, but the series does seem to focus on the criminals as much as on the coppers. This particular disc offered a "Detour" reunion of sorts in "The Red Dress," which co-stars Tom Neal and Ann Savage in a suitably sordid tale.

Netflix stocks a Volume 2, but I'm almost afraid to ask for it. I did have success, though, with "Guns Don't Argue," a worthwhile but sloppily assembled feature-length collection of "Gang Busters" episodes spotlighting the "Public Enemies" of the thirties like John Dillinger and Alvin Karpis. It's pretty loose with the facts, but you shouldn't be expecting a documentary.

"Gang Busters" is a decent vintage crime show, one which merits further DVDs--and I don't mean breaking up existing ones into pieces to make multiples, either. Say, I wonder who IS out there busting 'Gang Busters" DVDs? If the show presented that case, the guy would be pursued and arrested or possibly gunned down within 25 minutes.

Journey Into DVD: The Lineup (1958)

If you've already seen the 5 movies included in Sony's recent film noir box, or maybe if you have DVD or VHS copies of your own, here's an incentive to go for the set: The commentary tracks. I recently enjoyed Don Siegel's "The Lineup" twice, the second time while experiencing a fantastic collaboration between Eddie "Czar of Noir" Muller and James "Greatest Living Crime Fiction Writer" Ellroy.

(If you're thinking of disputing me on the distinction I give Ellroy, don't bother. I got the label from an impeccable source--Ellroy himself in this very commentary).

The movie itself is a blast, and well worth a look-see in its own right. It's not so "noir" as one might expect, perhaps, and it's actually based on the old police procedural TV show of the same name (later known as "San Francisco Beat") but it's a great crime pic, filled with unsavory characters, outstanding location shooting, and a memorable performance by Eli Wallach as a sociopath trying to track down a missing heroin shipment. Thinking back now, some of Wallach's facial expressions stand out to me--just specific ones he gives in individual scenes--and I think that's a sign of a memorable performance. He really is a riot, but then Robert Keith and Richard Jaeckel also stand out to a lesser extent.

One of the hallmarks of "The Lineup" is the awesome late-fifties location shooting in San Francisco. It's a treat, then, to hear S.F. native Eddie Muller pointing out aspects of the geography, sites of interests, and other tidbits as the commentary track unfolds. The saddest threat that runs through it is the constant reminders of a past city that is no longer there in that form and never will be. Muller laments the loss of many of these locations as he points them out. Progress is progress, I guess. At least we have movies like this to preserve some of that history.

That's the saddest thread to me, but some of you might find Ellroy's obsessions sadder. Personally, I find the "Demon Dog" a fascinating observer, especially when he's paired with someone like Muller who is capable of steering the discussion on track as needed.

When Muller and Ellroy teamed up on a commentary for "Crime Wave" in WB's Film Noir Collection Volume 4, skittish Warner Brothers suits/lawyers reportedly censored a heap of it. Well, "The Lineup" is a Sony product, and, well...let's just say the Sony Standards and Practices Department is a helluva lot more mellow.

Throughout this audio commentary, you will hear profanity galore (including the glorious f-bomb), remarks about sexuality, drug references, and all sorts of other fun tangents. Ellroy being Ellroy, he often delves into his own interests, such as labeling seemingly every other character as a homosexual (not that he's always wrong in this regard, as there is some fairly overt stuff in the picture), referring to San Fran as "the Joan Zone" after a former object of his affection from the city, and--perhaps best of all--frequently expressing his fascist wish that police departments had more power; the power, for example, to bash a suspect in the head with a phone book in order to get information or, well, hell, just because.

At the beginning of one scene, Ellroy identifies a character--one we see for the first time, mind you--as homosexual within seconds (if that), and when Muller asks him about it, he just says it's his vibe. Later, as another character interacts with a little girl in a non-threatening way (at least on the surface), Ellroy is the one who "goes there," groaning something like, "Oh, on top of everything else, the guy's a pederast, too." Not that there's anything at all funny about that crime, of course, or even this scene the way it's filmed, but the the way Ellroy says this catches me off guard and cracks me up.

Muller strikes the right tone in dealing with his partner in crime here, indulging his comments without condoning them, often laughing with or sort of at them, too. The guys have a nice rapport that only enhances this bonus feature, and though Ellroy does go a little off the rails sometimes, he is strangely compelling, though Muller could have done an excellent track alone as well.

"The Lineup" is a great crime movie with a thrilling finish and several outstanding scenes. In addition to the great commentary track, there is a featurette about noir and the film's original trailer. I'd say this one is worth the cost of the DVD box set alone, but it's an expensive package, so I'm sure as hell not gonna say it's that good. But if you're interested in the other movies in the set for any reason, go ahead and get it if you can. "The Lineup" will not disappoint you.

Journey into DVD: Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

To commemorate what would have been Dick Powell's 105th birthday over the weekend, I was thinking of watching the great "Cry Danger," but I opted instead for a few episodes of his 1950s western anthology, "Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre."

Ever since I got this set, I have admired the ridiculousness of that title. Not that it's ever a mistake to get a great brand name out there, and, hey, how can you resist TWO brand names on your TV show? It does sound awkward, though, doesn't it? I decided to embrace it rather than mock it, and as far as I'm concerned, this particular copy of VCI's DVD set is "Rick Brooks' Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre." If I ever sell this package, the next guy can figure out what he wants to call it.

The show is a lot of fun. Like many anthologies of the 1950s, "RBDPZGT" delivers a new prominent guest star each episode, and it's fun to just launch the episodes without peeking and enjoy spotting the familiar faces. The half-hour stories are efficient but carry some weight, and from what I've seen so far, this is a fine, entertaining TV oater.

I particularly enjoy "RBDPZGT's" structure. Each show begins with a brief scene, usually one loaded with tension, that establishes the story. Instead of getting a representative spot from the middle of the show, as one might expect, we get a distinct bit that gets things hopping right away. The first few times I watched these DVDs, I had to remind myself not to get lazy during that cold open because I would NOT be seeing it again!

Perhaps the best part of each half-hour is Powell's droll intro following the open. He comes out in some kind of western duds, stands in front of a scenic backdrop that wouldn't fool Mary Ingalls, and explains a concept related to the Old West, usually while holding some kind of relevant prop. Powell strikes the right tone, implanting the tongue far enough in his cheek to carry off the comedic bits but holding back enough in his delivery so as to avoid demeaning the material we're about to see. In fact, Powell, unlike Al Hitchcock, does not return after the story to send us out on a light note; in my opinion, this serves the show well, allowing the impact of the episode to sink in.

A great feature on this attractive VCI package is the inclusion of original series promos and teasers. I wish more companies would add these to their TV on DVD releases. I can't believe Paramount doesn't have tons of this kind of material sitting around. It would be cool to program a night of classic TV at my house, using these kinds of promos as filler. Yes, I know I'm a dork, but I'd like to do that. I don't understand why DVD companies can't add some of the cool stuff to their discs instead of making us go to YouTube. I imagine it kills the mood if you're running a classic TV DVD program, and all of a sudden you ask everybody in your den to crowd into the office so you can load an old commercial on Google Video.

There are some of those spots on RBDPZGT, and I am grateful to VCI. Hey, I'm glad VCI did such a fine overall job with this relatively unknown Western. I hope to see more seasons, and I hope every fan of this kind of material is aware this is out there and gives the series a look.

Journey Into DVD, or at least anoter blog: Golden Age of TV Noir

I was all set to write in depth about the latest DVD release from Johnny Legend, "Golden Age Noir," but then I read Vince Keenan's excellent summary and realized I didn't really have much to add. I pretty much agree with his assessments of the disc's contents. Go check it out. In particular, I enjoy his take on the rare "Counterpoint" episode included here:

"The show is set over three city blocks but features more walking than the Lord of the Rings trilogy."

So true, and even more hilarious if you see the actual program.

The DVD is well worth a look-see not necessarily for its "noirness"--the noir level is debatable in many of these 7 1950s TV episodes--but simply for providing 7 samples of old-school TV anthologies. Some context would have been nice, but it's still a cool package, offering several episodes of "Four-Star Playhouse," (including Cultureshark Icon Dick Powell), a little Edmond O'Brien, a little young Walter Matthau, and much more.

Journey Into DVD: Rifftrax 'Swing Parade"

Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy of Mystery Science Theater 3000 have been doing these Rifftrax--downloadable MP3 files that can be synced up to a DVD to serve as a wise-ass commentary track--for a few years. Now Legend Films has released a slew of these on actual DVDs. No downloading required--just pop in the disc and play. So easy even, well, _I_ can do it.

I hadn't heard any of the Rifftrax, but I enjoyed the same guys' work on the (apparently defunct) "Film Crew" DVDs, another variation of the MST3k formula. It wasn't quite as good as the original, but why bitch about it? It was still funny work, and the guys have a right to keep at it. I think the format has plenty of life in it, and even if "Rifftrax," at least judging from this one disc I've seen, doesn't reach the heights of MST3K, either, it's still entertaining.

For my first foray into "Rifftrax," I chose "Swing Parade of 1946," a Monogram picture starring Gale Storm and featuring three gents named Moe, Larry, and Curly in the supporting cast. If you're thinking that this movie doesn't need a wise-ass commentary track kind of treatment, you're absolutely right. I think a movie with that cast, plus a slew of musical performances-- directed by Phil Karlson, no less--deserves its own legit DVD release. But I'm not complaining about this because Legend smartly allows you to watch the movie without the Rifftrax treatment. So everybody's happy here, right?

I wondered how the gang would handle the Stooges, and fear not, fans, they mock the characters for being who they are, but they're never disrespectful, and they mostly laugh at the others around them, for example, the nightclub that employs them. So, really, Stooge fans, don't be upset that the boys are getting a send-up here.

The movie itself is not a groaner like you would think deserves this kind of treatment, though the plot is a bit weak. Storm is an aspiring performer who, desperate for work, unwittingly becomes a de facto process server for a rich father trying to shut down his son's (Phil Regan) club. When she goes to the soon-to-be-opening nightspot, she winds up auditioning, and after some hijinks, the son signs her up for his show, and she forgets all about the delivery she had brought. Love, laughs, and a word for music that starts with "L" (I can't think of one) ensue.

The movie doesn't add up to a whole lot, but there are all sorts of little elements that make it worthwhile regardless of the Rifftrax treatment. Though this was apparently filmed as Curly's health was starting to deteriorate, and it's by no means their film, the Stooges get to do some business here and there, including one of their plumbing bits with pipes going all over the place. Burly character actor Edward Brophy entertains as the Stooges' boss, the guy that actually runs Regan's club. John Eldredge, who I recognized as Corliss Archer's dad but has been in a ton of other stuff, is here as a small "s" stooge for Regan's father. And there are a host of musical performances from Louis Jordan and others--not all memorable, but amusing enough if that's your thing.

So with all this, the bar is pretty low for the Rifftrax guys in creating a worthwhile package. All they have to do is get in and make enough quality jokes to not irritate you, and you still have a decent DVD just on the basis of the original movie, especially if you're a Three Stooges fan. Fortunately, though, the gang goes well beyond that threshold, scoring with enough remarks to make their version an entertaining one as well. I look forward to seeing more of these Rifftrax DVDs, but I doubt other movies will be as compelling without the commentary.

Journey Into DVD: Davey and Goliath: The Lost Episodes.

Let me tell you why this recent DVD release is so disapointing. Come back with me to one quiet evening a few weeks ago when I put in my rental copy and sat back for an evening of "Davey and Goliath." My baby daughter was asleep, my wife was still at work--what better way to enjoy a few hours of solitude than with some quasi-religious stop-motion animation? Maybe not the most wild-and-crazy night, I grant you, but, hey, I like the show.

These weren't just any episodes of 'Davey and Goliath," these were the BANNED ones, the installments that, until recently, hadn't been on TV in years (I believe some of them still aren't shown). Yeah! NOW is this starting to sound like a wild night? You're darned right.

Before I get back to the DVD itself, I will show off a little bit and read your mind. You're wondering, "What the HELL could have made ONE Davey and Goliath episode undesirable on TV, let alone a whole disc's worth?" Pretty good, eh? And you even used the word "HELL," too.

Well, consultation with expert and good friend of Cultureshark Wik E. Pedia reveals the questionable stuff here consists of the usual staples of offensive TV programs--you know, language, nudity, and violence.

Of course, in this case, it's politically incorrect language (like referring to Native Americans as "Indians"), fleeting shots of Davey skinny sipping, and threats of violence or actual scuffling nowhere near that on the average episode of another show of that era like, say, "Mannix." This is kind of the odd thing about these episodes being pulled by the Lutheran Church (which financed and distributed the show): Only people who actually watch "Davey and Goliath" might be motivated enough to complain about this kind of stuff, and even then, is the Christian values crowd really all that worked up about whether or not a 40-year-old cartoon uses the phrase "Indians"?

There are other transgressions in these Lost Episodes, but as I sat down to watch the DVD, I wanted to forget about those I knew about and not learn about those I didn't. One of the disc's drawbacks (but not the main one) is the lack of bonus material or context of any kind. This certainly detracts from the package, but it makes it easier to go into the episodes cold.

I anticipated a fun experience of figuring out the naughty bits as I watched them. What would be the taboo moment that killed a given short in syndication? I enjoyed the show, anyway, but I figured this would give me a whole new level of enjoyment other than nostalgia.

So I started with the first episode, "Cousin Barney," and I waited for something offensive--even mildly offensive--to show up.

And I waited. And I waited. I waited some more. OK, these things don't go more than 15 minutes, but it felt like a while.

I didn't find anything objectionable, save maybe for the fact that this Cousin Barney character made a real ass of himself by screwing up the whole Hansen family's activities. What was the deal? I scratched my head trying to figure out why someone flagged the episode. I even went back and checked out a scene or two and kind of scanned through it, making sure I didn't miss anything.

I still found nothing. I felt like a real fool. Was I so insensitive, so jaded by modern-day "anything goes" sensibilities that I had lost my moral compass and couldn't pick out the no-nos in a children's cartoon?

Well, there was a good reason I came up empty. "Cousin Barney" is EDITED, as are some of the others on this disc. Apparently (again, credit to ol' Wik here), there was a sequence of the kids playing "Cowboys and Indians" that was removed, but instead of restoring it for this "Lost Episodes" DVD...nahhhhh, they just gave us the hacked-up version.

I suppose there is some point in this release. After all, some of the episodes have not been on TV in any form, so there is that. But why, oh, why. on a DVD--a product you have to purchase, rent, or (assuming you have good Christian values, of course) or otherwise obtain through a consentual exchange of goods and/or services, are we shielded from the "shocking" material?

The inclusion of edited episodes is, if not an outright travesty, a real bummer. It took the shine out of my evening. Whether that's proof of the DVD's weakness or my life's lameness is a different matter.

Journey Into DVD: Ghost Town (2008)

Here's the problem Ricky Gervais faces if he's going to be a movie actor: No matter what level of creative involvement he has with the film, whether he's a hired hand or not, we are going to expect it to be as good as "The Extras" and "The Office." We may understand on an intellectual level why this is unfair to everyone concerned, including ourselves, but unless it's something so clearly NOT like those two superior British TV comedies--paging "A Night at the Museum"--we are going to have to fight to lessen those expectations.

So with this in mind, I tell you that Gervais' 2008 film "Ghost Town" is not brilliant comedy at the A+ level of his famous television work. It's "merely" a very good, underappreciated romantic comedy from director/writer David Koepp. The movie has plenty of laughs, a good deal of charm, and Gervais is great in it. Yet it seemed to just float away into nothingness after its theatrical and DVD releases. I wonder if it's because people didn't want to see Gervais in something other than an A+ TV comedy...or maybe not nearly as many people saw "The Office" and "The Extras" as I'd hope. Still, this flick deserved more buzz, more critical praise, more anything that it got, and I urge you to check it out on DVD.

This film takes a huge risk at the beginning in focusing on some unlikable characters: Ricky Gervais being a prick and Greg Kinnear being Greg Kinnear. But eventually, you warm up to them--well, Gervais, anyway--and they change, and you find yourself rooting for them. I always say the most important thing in a romantic comedy is actually desiring the leads to be together, and Gervais and Tea Leoni make an appealing, surprisingly credible combination. Leoni, in fact, is so good you wish she had more to do--particularly verbally, as she does get a few physical bits--and you wish she did more movies, period.

Gervais gets plenty of laughs and does enough of an acting job to create a genuine character here in his misanthropic dentist who communicates with dead people. Kinnear's ghost asks him to help him finish up some business by keeping his widow, Leoni, from remarrying a guy he finds insufferable. Complications ensue. It's not revolutionary like "The Office," but so what? It's a funny movie with Ricky gervais being funny, and it's very good.

Let me also mention that while you can see where it's all going, that isn't always a bad thing when it's well done. Besides, Koepp and his stars create a perfect ending. It's really one of the most evocative final scenes I've watched in some time, a stellar capper on a delightful experience.

The DVD has some featurettes and such. If you're interested in the making of the ghostly special effects, you can learn more about that. The most prominent extra is the feature-length commentary of Koepp and Gervais. It's an amusing one that entertains throughout, but eventually Ricky's self-deprecation becomes exasperating. He also mocks the very idea of doing a commentary track, sometimes while Koepp is trying to explain something about the filmmaking. But fans of Gervais will enjoy this bonus, as they will the whole DVD package. Just don't expect "The Office" or "The Extras," and don't blame me if it's not quite like those, OK?

Journey Into DVD: Wonder Woman (2009)

The latest DC Comics animated direct-to-DVD feature, "Wonder Woman," is so good that it breathes new life into a comic book character often neglected despite her iconic status and despite periodic attempts to make her actual comics as vital as that persona. This excellent effort also makes me wonder if we really need that live action feature film that keeps getting teased, then dropped. After all, the cartoon tells Wonder Woman's story so well, what's the use of live action, except as an excuse to get a nubile starlet into that costume (admittedly, depending on the starlet, that in itself might be justification enough to greenlight a $150 million movie).

As a comic reader from way back, I'm tired of seeing origin stories on film, and I never thought any of Wonder Woman's were particularly exciting, anyway. Yet this movie effectively combines an origin with a solid new story to make a coherent feature that works on several levels. Maybe my only complaint is the length. At 70-minutes plus, the movie could have used a bit more time to flesh out a few things. Still, "Wonder Woman" says something about gender, isolationism, even reading (yep, and books, no less) while offering clever dialogue, fun action sequences, and impressive animation.

The casting is excellent, with Keri Russell a surprising but perfect choice. She captures the strength of the character, but importantly she excels with the playful side that makes Diana so appealing and not just an Amazonian warrior. Nathan Fillion deserves an award because we can credit him and the screenplay for actually making Steve Trevor interesting--something I believed near impossible. The supporting roles are also well cast, with a nice blend of voice-over vets and "name" performers.

There is an edge here, but not a crass one. There are beheadings, nut shots, and suggestive dialogue, and none of it feels forced to avoid a "too-tame" MPAA rating. It's no kiddie flick, but it doesn't get out of hand, either.

The bonus disc offers 4 "Justice League" episodes and two featurettes that together are about 50+ minutes. They didn't blow me away like the extras in the "Superman: Doomsday" DVD set, but they were interesting.

I recommend this one even if you are not a Wonder Woman fan. It's not quite the stunner that "New Frontier" is, but it's a big step up from the preceding "Batman Gotham Knights," ranking right up at the top of the DC animated movies.

Journey into DVD: Quick first impression of Room 222

There is nothing bad per se about Shout Factory's new "Room 222" set except maybe the disappointing video and audio quality. The bad thing for me is that I missed out on that super-cheap pre-order price Amazon offered for a while. I rented disc 1 from Netflix this week, not having seen the show in a looooong time and having few memories of the reruns. I look forward to reading the thoughts of more learned individuals, but so far, this one really impresses me.

By the end of the first episode, I cared for the characters, was into the story, and just generally felt good about life in general. Aspects of "Room 222" may seem dated today--the first episode has a lot of that well-meaning liberal (with a small "l") humor of white people awkwardly trying to prove to noble black people how tolerant of black people they are--but I find its charm and gentle humor refreshing. It lacks what just about any sitcom today must have to get on the air: Edge.

"Room 222" deals with issues, but it deals with them in a respectful, earnest manner. The jokes, even the ones that mock educational conventions and institutions, are more sincere than cutting, as everyone's heart is in the right place.

If this sounds boring, well, I guess you don't like a lot of old TV. There's a place for sarcasm, snark, and shock, but "Room 222" is a welcome throwback, and if anyone wants to complain that the show is a little high-minded or it doesn't reflect "reality," well, fine. All I know is I find this version of the late sixties a pleasant one to experience, and I hope Shout brings more seasons to video. I can live with the subpar prints as long as they're uncut episodes.

Journey Into DVD: Step Brothers (2008)

Are you "over" Will Ferrell? I thought I was, too, but he was funny in the uneven "Semi-Pro," and he's hilarious in "Step Brothers," his latest collaboration with co-writer/director Adam McKay. These two brought us the awesome "Anchorman" and the not-as-awesome-but-funny "Talladega Nights." More importantly, they're rejoined by the great John C. Reilly, who disappointed me in "Walk Hard," but here proves again that he's a comic genius. I mean, GENIUS. His opening lines, when he whines about his dad not leaving him enough money for dinner later, are hilarious and pull me in immediately.

I could quote dialogue all post long, but you have to see the way it's delivered to appreciate it. As a director, McKay doesn't seem to do all that much but give the guys (and an excellent supporting cast led by Richard Jenkins) room to be funny. You may have heard this film is a one-joke deal: 40-year-old guys who still act like adolescents become stepbrothers and have to live together. Yeah, that's pretty much it. But the joke is a riot.

There isn't a whole lot of story here, and at times it goes to weird, dark places, but somehow it all works. We know there will be tension when Ferrell and Reilly move in, and we expect them to reconcile, but THAT happens sooner than we think, and THEN things turn again, and they turn to the point where one character basically tries to kill another one. These turns are ridiculously sudden sometimes, but the performances and the great dialogue sustain the whole enterprise. if a lot of it is improvised, it doesn't buckle under the strain of sloppiness or indulgence like some smiliar comedies. In a world in which Judd Apatow movies are wildly overpraised, this is one of the underrated gems of 2008, believe me. I will say, though, if you didn't like the other Adam McKay flicks, this probably isn't for you.

The DVD is worth a purchase not just because the movie is the kind that lends itself to repeat viewings, but also because it provides a heck of a lot of added value with its bonuses. The key extra is the audio commentary, which may be the single funniest I have ever heard. I don't want to give away details, but I'll just say it's a musical commentary. The director and the two stars sing their commentary, seemingly improvising it the whole way. and while they don't do it the ENTIRE length of the movie, they sure do it a lot. This might sound like another one-joke concept that would get old, but I think the high point comes a full half-hour into it when the commentary goes into a musical digression about...well, the drum kit scene is how I'll describe it. The track threatens to slow down when NBA star Baron Davis shows up as a participant for no apparent reason, but Davis is game enough to participate in the musical aspect of it.

There are deleted scenes and other goodies, but I recommend you to check out the Line-O-Rama feature, which looks like a collection of alternate line readings but offers some cool deleted material. If you've seen "Step Brothers," you might remember the children of Ferrell's biological Derek. In this feature, you see a lot of their hilarious lines. In particular, the little girl gives some outstanding readings of some cutting wise-ass remarks. Seeing this makes me wish she were a larger presence in the actual movie. Elizabeth Yozamp--remember that name.

Journey Into DVD: New Faces

I discovered Netflix carries Critics Choice's DVD release of "New Faces," a 1954 film of the 1952 edition of a long-running stage production. I've been curious to see this ever since I read a biography of Paul Lynde. See, Lynde made a name for himself in this revue, and he apparently got a lot of mileage out of a "Trip to Africa" monologue he performed which is recreated here.

After renting "New Faces," I can say my curiosity is satisfied, but that's about all. Unfortunately, this production is 100 minutes of mostly dull musical numbers and comedy bits with a perfunctory backstage romance storyline thrown in for the film. Lynde is barely here, and his big monologue is terrible. The apparent punchlines don't register, and it looks like Lynde is forcing his distinctive laugh in a desperate attempt to wring laughs from a weak routine. But then he did this many times on stage, so what do I know? Maybe something, or everything, is just lost in translation.

Mel Brooks is credited as a writer, but it's far from his finest moment. It's kind of fun seeing future sitcom notables like Alice Ghostley and Robert Clary, and Eartha Kitt provides some energy with her songs, but overall this is a dated production. Making viewing more difficult is the bad transfer, which looks like it came from a VHS dub (and for all I know, it did). The editing is awkward between segments, but I think that's part of the original presentation. Worst of all, this is shot in Cinemascope despite the "direction" which mostly makes us an audience in a theater watching a stage play.

The real treat of this DVD is an unexpected one: A complete episode of the Dorsey brothers' CBS program "Stage Show." This is another artifact I've long wanted to check out. The show is perhaps best known today for being the lead-in to the Classic 39 episodes of "The Honeymooners" the year that Jackie Gleason downsized his variety hour and paired half-hour versions of his most famous sketch with the Dorsey's musically-oriented show.

I guess this episode is a bonus feature, though it receives equal billing on the DVD menu. You get some big band music featuring the Dorseys, some action from Gleason's famed June Taylor Dancers, and Sarah Vaughn singing two numbers (including "Over the Rainbow).

And you also get Morey Amsterdam. He always makes me laugh, even when I'm not sure why. When he's introduced here, he turns around and asks, "Nice arrangement. Who made it, Marjorie Main?" His routine is old-timey, maybe even corny comedy, and I love it, especially compared to the unfunny comedy of "New Faces."

So there you have it: I didn't even know about the "Stage Show" episode, and it wound up making the DVD worthwhile for me.