Taking a break...

Thanks to all the loyal Cultureshark readers out there for your support. I have, as the American Dream Dusty Rhodes might say, some BIDNESS to attend to and don't have the time right now to maintain the blog. I hope to return soon.

In the meantime, though, keep watching ClassicFlix for my reviews and my ongoing TV Time column.

Ok, wise guy, what SHOULD be on Hulu Plus?

I've been complaining about Hulu Plus for months, and ever since the streaming service announced the CBS library deal, I have nitpicked and clamored for more and different offerings than what we have received. Today I'm going to offer some suggestions for what should (and realistically could) be on there. For one thing, I'm looking for complete series runs or at least complete seasons, not the random assortment of episodes we are getting. That said, here are some CBS series I'd like to see join Hulu:

*The Phil Silvers Show/Sgt. Bilko: The series has looked a lot better on CBS' official DVD releases--a Best of and a Season 1--than on my AHEM set which is rife with 22-minute versions. A complete set is coming in the UK, and a certain licensor may be bringing it stateside late this year, but why not put the show on Hulu? It could use more classic sitcoms.

*The Wild, Wild West: It has been on Me-TV, and I think it was on RTV before the Paramount library left, but this has had a remarkably low profile in recent years. It's been complete on DVD for years, so it's not like you need to worry about cannibalizing video sales.

*The Fugitive: CBS finally got it right and did a gigantic complete DVD package a few years ago. Me-TV runs this, but it doesn't make a big deal out of it. One of the best TV series of all time deserves more of a presence.

*Perry Mason: Again, ME-TV shows it, it's complete on DVD--now is the time for a streaming presence. It would be particularly fun to have something like this on demand and be able to cherry-pick episodes with certain guest stars and whatnot.

*The Invaders: It's only two seasons, it's been complete on DVD for years, and I would think a cool genre show like this would be a nice add for Hulu.

*One Step Beyond: It's possible that the public domain cheapo DVD releases of this series killed sales when CBS finally decided to do a proper season one set, but I fear people just don't remember the series. It's not "Twilight Zone," but it doesn't deserve its current obscurity. Clearly no one else is interested in this. Put it online.

*Love American Style: I think I've read there is some kind of source material/elements issue preventing more DVD releases of this comedy anthology. Well, put 'em online. The show is dated, yes, and while that may slow video sales, it makes it a fun watch today. I'd love to be able to see these on Hulu.

*Love Boat: See what I said above about cherry-picking episodes with fun guest stars. I've seen some episodes online that look pretty darn good. Who knows what the DVD strategy is with this? It's not on any kind of fast track. Give Hulu access to these cheesy but iconic crapfest.

*My Three Sons: Even Me-TV only shows less than half of the series' long run, and nobody seems to want to show the black-and-white episodes with William Frawley. That's 5 seasons' worth! CBS screwed up the series by using abominable music replacement and splitting seasons, then gave up after two seasons. I'd really love to see the b&w Bub years since they aren't syndicated anymore.

OK, how about some more pie-in-the-sky scenarios? Here are some titles in the CBS/Paramount library that may have issues preventing their release. They certainly aren't coming to DVD anytime soon, so it would be great to see them online:

*The Millionaire: Me-TV showed some of these...right before I got Me-TV. The series is on someone's radar, I guess.

*The Lineup: The 1958 film is a blast. How about the San Francisco cop procedural series that spawned it?

*December Bride: This sitcom is way too obscure for something that had 156 episodes.

*The Defenders: I believe there is some kind of problem with source materials for this series. I don't know if that would preclude some kind of online streaming deal.

*Ben Casey: Warner Archive is putting out "Dr. Kildare" and is even streaming the first season on Warner Archive Instant. It would be nice to see this medical show back in circulation.

*Our Miss Brooks: Believe it or not, I have seen rumors that this show is being prepped for a possible DVD release. You know what? I don't believe it. But maybe we can see it on Hulu someday!

This Week in DVD and Instant Watching

The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete Series: I normally start this column with the most high-profile recent theatricals debuting on DVD in a given week, but the slate is pretty weak this post-holiday release date. There is no way I am going to give a reboot of "Endless Love," of all things, the top spot in my column.

Instead, let's celebrate Shout! bringing the complete "Bob Newhart" to DVD in one big collection...while trying not to fret about the fact that as of now, no single season releases of 5 and 6 are available for fans who bought the previous releases from Fox. And let's not fret about the fact that those last two seasons don't look all that great and were apparently not at all remastered or anything.

The fact is, this often underappreciated classic sitcom is now available in its entirety, with some bonus features to boot, and that's a good thing. It's a heck of a lot gooder than another "Endless Love." Hi, Bob!

Endless Love: Uh, yeah, in case you haven't guessed, I don't have a lot to say about this one. At least it's not another "Blue Lagoon."

Gambit: A remake of the Michael Caine/Shirley MacLaine 1966 caper comedy starring Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz and written by the Coen brothers...and ignored until getting out on DVD Memorial Day week. Yep, we have a major bomb threat here, folks.

Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou: Were you a little disappointed when this Wes Anderson film was originally released? Well, you were WRONG! See? It's a CRITERION, son. Show some respect.

Red River: All kidding aside, I wouldn't mind taking a gander at this Criterion release of the classic Howard Hawks/John Wayne Western. The BD/DVD combo package even includes a copy of the out of print paperback that serves as the film's source material. How cool is that? Most DVDs these days barely give you anything to read on the back of the box.

WWE Presents Greatest Wrestling Factions: I like how at some point the term "stable" became verboten in WWE, along with the not-PG-friendly "gang," so we get the ever-awkward "faction" term all the time. This DVD combines a weak-sounding documentary of sorts with a bunch of matches. It looks serviceable (if you like the matches) but uninspired at best.

Men of the Fighting Lady is new from Warner Archive, and it looks pretty good judging by the preview clip on the website. It's a 1954 Korean War flick in color with an all-star cast.

And in streaming...

Warner Archive Instant hasn't added anything since my last update. I'm hoping that by saying this, I will somehow cosmically trigger a massive update that goes into effect shortly after this is published.

Hulu Plus has added several international series: Australian dramedy House Husbands, Canadian Jason Priestly vehicle Call Me Fitz, and Reef Doctors (guess which country that's from). An intriguing add is Foyle's War, which recently left Netflix. Unfortunately, only two seasons are there, which is a lot less than Netflix had and even less less (does that make sense?) than Acorn TV has right now. Nothing new to report on the CBS shows front.

There is chatter that Hulu is in talks to revive "Community." Oh, I'll watch if it's on, but I think the show's pretty much done. I'd rather see Hulu use that money on buying more catalog programming. Tell you what, next week I'll offer a list of shows that could/should wind up there--and I'll make them CBS shows, which should take care of two of my gripes with one shot!

Netflix added a few new ESPN 30 for 30 documentaries, including Bad Boys on the Detroit Pistons, and I'm glad to see they are still acquiring those. There's also a documentary called The Source Family about a hippie cult group in 1970s L.A.  Another interesting add is Escape from Tomorrow, partially shot guerilla-style at Disney World, but from what I read, the story behind the story may be more compelling than the story itself.

This is a lame streaming update, I know, but I want to get the "This Week in..." posts a little bit more back on schedule, so we got to roll with what we have. Hopefully the weekend will bring lots of new content and next week there'll be a lot more to write about.

Instant Gratification Theater: Sly Stallone goes OVER THE TOP

We all have certain gaps in our film scholarship. Some of us have never seen a complete film by Bresson; others may have yet to experience Ozu. But it's not just world cinema that can elude us. I for one am unashamed to admit that many seminal works of the Hollywood canon have gone unwatched here at Cultureshark Tower. Fortunately, Netflix is available to help fill in the gaps.

Case in point: Over the Top (1987) by Menahem Golan, released by Cannon and starring Sylvester Stallone. If you haven't seen this epic meditation on fatherhood, arm wrestling, and trucker caps, see it before June 1 because it is leaving Instant Watching at the end of the month.

I could dissect this film in the form of a conventional "review," but how arrogant would I be to dare attempt to cover ground that hasn't already been trod in countless other critical studies? Instead, let me offer a list of things that amuse me about "Over the Top":

1) Stallone seems relatively uninterested throughout the movie. I guess he really did do this just for the money. Somehow, though, his lack of intensity becomes part of the charm.

2) The child actor who plays Stallone's son Michael, David Mendenhall, didn't exactly tear it up here, but he had a prolific career doing animation voiceovers and has continued working to this day.

3) Sly's character, a big rig operator/amateur arm wrestling superstar trying to reconnect with his estranged son, is named Lincoln Hawk. Say what you will about "Over the Top," but Lincoln Hawk is an outstanding moniker. I wish there were a sequel just so that we could enjoy more Lincoln Hawk. Really, that name is too good to use on just one middling 1980s film. I'd like to think somewhere in a drawer, Stallone has a treatment centered on someone (not even necessarily this one) named Lincoln Hawk. Say it with me, out loud: LINCOLN HAWK.

4) One of the credited screenwriters (along with Stallone himself) is Stirling Silliphant of Route 66 and Naked City fame.

5) Pro wrestling legend Terry Funk appears, sadly not for long. Several years later, "Road House" would more fully utilize his talents.

6) Awesome scenes involving Lincoln Hawks big semi:
--He rams it through the entrance gate of his rich father-in-law's property.
--He teaches his 12-year-old son to drive it by just switching places with him, impromptu, on the open road and letting him do it.
--Best of all, when the father-in-law's hired goons kidnap Michael at a truck stop and zoom off in their own pickup, Lincoln, despite their significant head start, hops into HIS big rig and chases them down.

7) The climactic tournament is filled with guys flexing, grimacing, and grunting.

8) That tournament is DOUBLE ELIMINATION, meaning even if you get defeated, you have another chance. Symbolism, anyone?

9) "What I do is I just try to take my hat and I turn it around, and it's like a switch that goes on, and when the switch goes on, I feel like another person. I don't know, I feel like a--like a truck, like a machine."--Lincoln Hawk explaining his pre-match routine.

10) While we all know and love "Meet Me Halfway," Kenny Loggins' classic ballad that appears throughout the movie, it's arguably not the showcase song. 'In This Country" by Robin Zander of Cheap Trick opens "Over the Top" and is heard again in the immediate aftermath of the big match (you know there's a big arm wrestling match). while Larry Greene is heard over the end credits with "Take It Higher." All these  songs, incidentally, were written by Giorgio Moroder (music) and Tom Whitlock (lyrics), and so was Sammy Hagar's "Winner Takes It All," another single from the soundtrack. The only credited song not penned by that duo? Frank Stallone's "Bad Night."

Does this collection of 10 tidbits make you want to see "Over the Top?" Or have you already seen this iconic eighties hit? I am proud to finally be a member of the club. That's one more down from my bucket list. Next up, 'Floating Weeds!" Well, maybe after I finally get around to seeing all of "Cobra," that is.

On the radio: Rockin' in the grocery store

I have often said that one of the best and most underappreciated places to hear classic rock music these days is at the local grocery store. I wish I could cite a specific place or time I said that. I have, though; just trust me on that one.

Last month I was at Wegmans (no apostrophe, please) near closing time, and as I searched for some kind of dessert, I enjoyed the in-house sound system blaring Tom Petty's "A Higher Place" from his underrated 1994 "Wildflowers" album. This is a really good song, one you'll never hear on the radio anymore, one you may not have heard as much as you should have in 1994, but one you can hear while looking for a giant birthday cookie in a supermarket an hour before the joint shuts down.

There was an extra spring in my step as I bounded through the bakery, and though it vanished when I couldn't find a giant birthday cookie, I still enjoyed the tune. I wasn't the only one; some dude cleaning up his station was whistling along and grooving. It used to be you could count on a steady does of Chuck Mangione to go along with your groceries, but now you can expect actual rock music in this kind of shopping outlet.

Wait, does this mean classic rock is old and, worse, that...I'M old?

NAHHHH.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that if you are frustrated by the lack of radio options on your dial, stop by your local supermarket. You might hear something you won't hear many other places. You might even find a giant birthday cookie. Just don't count on that one.

First Impulse: CW's The Flash

Welcome to a series of posts in which I share my snap judgments after seeing trailers and clips hyping the upcoming slate of Fall network TV premieres. First up, we get a 5-mintue extended first look at "Arrow" spinoff "The Flash," coming to us from The CW (Motto: We are, too, a real network!)

I'm a Flash guy from way back. When I was growing up and devouring comics, he was my favorite character--well, right behind Superman. And Batman. And of course Spider-Man. Well, he was right up there, dadgum it! I enjoyed the underrated 1990s live action series on CBS. And while I haven't yet seen "Arrow," I've kind of been meaning to. Yes, folks, don't try to do the math on this yourselves: What this adds up to is, I'm looking forward to this new series.

This clip starts off in horrible fashion, though, and I'm not even counting the ad I have to sit through on Hulu before it starts--an ad before an ad! First we see the hero as a youngster witnessing his mother's murder in mysterious circumstances. That's not so bad in and of itself, but it instills some dread in me because I fear that the show will be saddled by some kind of ponderous mythology with Barry Allen trying to solve this mystery until the ratings start to sag. I don't even care about how faithful/unfaithful it is to the comic source material; I just don't want the show to go that route. We even get Jesse L. Martin telling an older Barry he can't keep chasing legends. This might make a great arc and something to come back to now and then, but please don't make it the driving force of the series.

That aspect is less evident as the trailer continues and Allen becomes Flash, so maybe it's just part of the build to his becoming a superhero. Let's back up to the one outright groaner in this thing: After young Barry gets beaten up by a group of bullies and bemoans that he "just wasn't fast enough," Flash-to-be's mother leans over and telling him, "It's better to have a good heart than fast legs."

Oh, brother! Talk about obvious. Viewers of course need to know that every hero's destiny is not only preordained, but foreshadowed by a sage piece of parental wisdom. Who can forget that classic moment when Mrs. Banner told Bruce, "It's better to have a good mind than invulnerable green skin and unimaginable super strength"? Or the time when Garrett Morris' mom said to her son, "It's better to have good comic timing than the proportionate strength of an ant?" The preview moves along quickly enough I can almost forget that clunker, but part of me still worries that line is indicative of the level of scripting on this show.

The good news is that soon enough TV's Ed, Tom Cavanaugh, shows up as a scientific genius of some sort, and Barry gets his powers and becomes really fast. The super speed effects look credible and actually kind of cool, even. Flash uses his speed to do a really cool speedy thing. Martin helps bring some gravitas to a series that will likely need it with such a young cast, none of whom really stand out in the trailer.

Best of all, it looks like we won't have to sit through an interminable artificial delay while the powers that be keep the superhero out of costume. Evidently, our guy dons his duds in the first episode and goes up against a genuine super villain. So this is a superhero show that isn't afraid to be a superhero show.

The first minute of this clip is not promising at all, but once things pick up, it looks promising enough. I can't say I'm super pumped up for it, but I am guardedly optimistic and will give "The Flash" a chance this Fall. I still might need some prodding to get on board "Arrow," (Green Arrow does make an appearance), but maybe this will be the push I need.