Alice in Wonderland: You'd think the actress who plays Alice would get some kind of rub from working with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, but I don't even remember her name. Is she even on any of the DVD packaging?
The Wolfman: Universal milks its classic horror franchise--er, revitalizes its classic horror franchise for a new generation. And all those naysayers who thought there were no new ideas to make a remake worthwhile? Well, look. They changed the name from "Wolf Man" to "Wolfman," didn't they?
Three Stooges Volume 8: It's Joe Besser time with this final volume, and that means that for Stooges fans who said they wanted ALL the shorts, it's put up or shut up time. Well, put up or shut up or get a finger in the eye. (Ladies and gentlemen, I just became the millionth writer to slip a "finger in the eye" reference into a blurb about the Stooges. What do I win?)
Babs Stanwyck Show Volume 2: This continuing DVD project is quite the curio considering for many people, "Barbara Stanwyck's show" was "Big Valley." Of course (and sadly), for many more, "Barbara Stanywck's show" is, "Who the hell is Barbara Stanwyck?"
Mr. Ed Season 3: You'd think that with them running in the same Hollywood circles, Mr. Ed and Barbara Stanwyck would have done a project together at some point, but not so according to my records. Wasn't anybody thinking in the sixties?
Foyle's War Set 6: Sometimes it's annoying when things or people retire or go away and then come back months later, but more Foyle is an awesome thing. More Foyle on DVD, and not hacked up by PBS, is even awesomer. As Foyle himself might say, "Mmm. Quite."
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Brooks on Books: "Cop Hater" by Ed McBain
I had long considered diving into McBain's 87th Precinct series of police procedural novels, but it was only recently I finally got around to it. I kind of wish I hadn't waited so long. See, the first entry, "Cop Hater," is OK, but it is a procedural, and I think knowing so much of the plot hurts the reader's ability to enjoy it.
McBain's (AKA Evan Hunter) debut effort establishes Isola, his fictional equivalent of Manhattan, and introduces the people that populate the 87th Precinct. It also kills some of them off. The story begins with a shocking murder and then builds from there.
Problem for me is, I saw the movie "Cop Hater" several years ago, and while that version telegraphs its ending somewhat, it arguably sets it up more effectively, making a key late twist more powerful. Regardless of which version you prefer, it almost kills the book to have seen the film and know what's coming. At least, it did for me. That's not always the case when going from movies to novels; I often can love a book even knowing the essentials of the plot and wishing I had read it before its screen adaptation. That's not so much the case here.
The characters, setting, and dialogue were interesting enough to merit another look-see at this series, and the inside look at police life--both personal and professional--is still potent even 50 years (and countless other police procedurals in various media) later. But I wanted to be hooked. I wanted to be pulled into the series enough to crave another book. That didn't happen. I expect I'll check out another McBain book at some point, but it may be a while.
McBain's (AKA Evan Hunter) debut effort establishes Isola, his fictional equivalent of Manhattan, and introduces the people that populate the 87th Precinct. It also kills some of them off. The story begins with a shocking murder and then builds from there.
Problem for me is, I saw the movie "Cop Hater" several years ago, and while that version telegraphs its ending somewhat, it arguably sets it up more effectively, making a key late twist more powerful. Regardless of which version you prefer, it almost kills the book to have seen the film and know what's coming. At least, it did for me. That's not always the case when going from movies to novels; I often can love a book even knowing the essentials of the plot and wishing I had read it before its screen adaptation. That's not so much the case here.
The characters, setting, and dialogue were interesting enough to merit another look-see at this series, and the inside look at police life--both personal and professional--is still potent even 50 years (and countless other police procedurals in various media) later. But I wanted to be hooked. I wanted to be pulled into the series enough to crave another book. That didn't happen. I expect I'll check out another McBain book at some point, but it may be a while.
Happy Memorial Day!
Have a great holiday everyone, and try to remember the meaning while you're enjoying those burgers and brats. I respect Memorial Day so much, I'm not gonna complain one bit that Turner Classic took a week off of the Bowery Boys to deliver its annual war flick festival.
I am going through a little bit of withdrawal, though, as it IS the first weekend in months without a Bowery Boys picture to enjoy. Oh, well, nothing a good bratwurst won't cure. Have a great one.
I am going through a little bit of withdrawal, though, as it IS the first weekend in months without a Bowery Boys picture to enjoy. Oh, well, nothing a good bratwurst won't cure. Have a great one.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Cultureshark remembers Gary Coleman
In the year 2010, it's tough to think of Gary Coleman without thinking of the health issues, the parental problems, the anger management thing, and the sundry embarrassments he's suffered over the years. When I came of age, though, the guy--well, the kid--was a superstar. I mean, he may not have been on the cover of every issue of "Bananas" that made its way to my school's book fair, but it seemed like it.
I watched way too many episodes of "Diff'rent Strokes" way too many times back in my misspent youth, even though for some reason--I swear I'm not making this up--even in my youth I had enough old man in me to think Conrad Bain was the coolest guy on the program. Years later, it was with great excitement that I learned the show was back on in reruns...and with great disappointment that I actually watched it. I think on 2 or 3 diff'rent occasions, I gave the show a shot and wound up thinking, "Did I really watch this so much as a kid?" (Conrad Bain was still cool, though.)
Gary Coleman's kidness, which was so appealing to other kids at the time, wasn't enough to compensate for the shameless mugging and sass that grated so much when I was an adult. Maybe that's why the show never seems to latch on in reruns nowadays, whether it's on TNN (remember that?), Nick at Nite, or BET. But Gary was just doing his job, and the show was huge at the time. Even now I find it hard to believe there isn't a place for it somewhere.
As for Gary, yeah, his Arnold Jackson is hard to take even in 22-minute doses, but in recent years, I've seen his guest shots on "Buck Rogers" and "America 2Night," as well as his starring role in the TV movie "The Kid with the 200 I.Q." You know what? He's pretty entertaining and appealing in those appearances, which makes me think we have to give him some slack for what he did on "Strokes," where after all he was a franchise, a meal ticket, and a catchphrase machine before he was old enough to drive.
As he aged, I never quite knew what to make of him. Sometimes, he came off like a pretty cool guy who had come to terms with his rise and fall as an A-list TV star. Other times, he came off like a bitter misanthrope who was too scarred by Hollywood/his folks/his own personal demons to live a healthy life even without his well-known physical difficulties. Sometimes he seemed both. Mark Evanier posts an amusing anecdote about TV animation legend Joseph Barbera's miserable pitch meeting with Coleman about a planned Saturday morning cartoon for NBC. Evanier writes:
Barbera got the deal. Barbera always got the deal. But first, he said, he had to listen to about an hour of little Gary Coleman telling him how they should rerun Space Ghost, how Gary didn't like the Godzilla cartoons, how Gary thought Scooby Doo was getting stale, etc. Then he had to sit there as Gary rejected pitch after pitch, lecturing J.B. on how to create a good cartoon show.
I don't know about you, but though the point of the story is what a pain in the rear the kid could be, I have to laugh and almost admire the chutzpah. I don't know what kind of animation ideas Coleman had for his own show (which wound up being no winner, but then, how many of Hanna-Barbera efforts from that era WERE?), but he sure had a point about Scooby being stale, Godzilla 'toons being weak, and Space Ghost being ripe for reruns.
So I want to remember all of Gary Coleman, the good, the bad, and the so cute it was almost ugly, and I hope an enterprising corporate TV channel does something besides show a "Diff'rent Strokes" marathon (although even that is looking doubtful right now). Run the TV movies. Run the cartoons. Heck, run "Space Ghost." But run something. Maybe it's just because I grew up at a certain point in time, but I think Coleman was a big enough star--even if for a short time--to merit some recognition as more than just a perpetual punchline.
I watched way too many episodes of "Diff'rent Strokes" way too many times back in my misspent youth, even though for some reason--I swear I'm not making this up--even in my youth I had enough old man in me to think Conrad Bain was the coolest guy on the program. Years later, it was with great excitement that I learned the show was back on in reruns...and with great disappointment that I actually watched it. I think on 2 or 3 diff'rent occasions, I gave the show a shot and wound up thinking, "Did I really watch this so much as a kid?" (Conrad Bain was still cool, though.)
Gary Coleman's kidness, which was so appealing to other kids at the time, wasn't enough to compensate for the shameless mugging and sass that grated so much when I was an adult. Maybe that's why the show never seems to latch on in reruns nowadays, whether it's on TNN (remember that?), Nick at Nite, or BET. But Gary was just doing his job, and the show was huge at the time. Even now I find it hard to believe there isn't a place for it somewhere.
As for Gary, yeah, his Arnold Jackson is hard to take even in 22-minute doses, but in recent years, I've seen his guest shots on "Buck Rogers" and "America 2Night," as well as his starring role in the TV movie "The Kid with the 200 I.Q." You know what? He's pretty entertaining and appealing in those appearances, which makes me think we have to give him some slack for what he did on "Strokes," where after all he was a franchise, a meal ticket, and a catchphrase machine before he was old enough to drive.
As he aged, I never quite knew what to make of him. Sometimes, he came off like a pretty cool guy who had come to terms with his rise and fall as an A-list TV star. Other times, he came off like a bitter misanthrope who was too scarred by Hollywood/his folks/his own personal demons to live a healthy life even without his well-known physical difficulties. Sometimes he seemed both. Mark Evanier posts an amusing anecdote about TV animation legend Joseph Barbera's miserable pitch meeting with Coleman about a planned Saturday morning cartoon for NBC. Evanier writes:
Barbera got the deal. Barbera always got the deal. But first, he said, he had to listen to about an hour of little Gary Coleman telling him how they should rerun Space Ghost, how Gary didn't like the Godzilla cartoons, how Gary thought Scooby Doo was getting stale, etc. Then he had to sit there as Gary rejected pitch after pitch, lecturing J.B. on how to create a good cartoon show.
I don't know about you, but though the point of the story is what a pain in the rear the kid could be, I have to laugh and almost admire the chutzpah. I don't know what kind of animation ideas Coleman had for his own show (which wound up being no winner, but then, how many of Hanna-Barbera efforts from that era WERE?), but he sure had a point about Scooby being stale, Godzilla 'toons being weak, and Space Ghost being ripe for reruns.
So I want to remember all of Gary Coleman, the good, the bad, and the so cute it was almost ugly, and I hope an enterprising corporate TV channel does something besides show a "Diff'rent Strokes" marathon (although even that is looking doubtful right now). Run the TV movies. Run the cartoons. Heck, run "Space Ghost." But run something. Maybe it's just because I grew up at a certain point in time, but I think Coleman was a big enough star--even if for a short time--to merit some recognition as more than just a perpetual punchline.
Cultureshark remembers Dennis Hopper
When I saw Dennis Hopper in "Blue Velvet," I was too young to remember him as a youthful counterculture icon, but I was old enough to appreciate him as a middle-aged nut. Auteur this and "Cahiers du Cinema" that, but to me the highlight of the movie by far was when Hopper's Frank Booth asks, "What kind of beer do you drink?" and, when told "Heineken," thunders, "Heineken? F--- that s---. Pabst blue ribbon!"
Maybe it speaks to my own ignorance as a film scholar, but this moment stayed with me and my friends longer than any other element of David Lynch's joint. We went around saying that whenever possible, and sometimes when it shouldn't have been. Even before we were of legal age, we enjoyed prized opportunities to say the line when someone had or offered a Heineken. It was probably old by the time we did so, but who cared? It was funny stuff.
I feel like walking down to a seedy neighborhood bar, one established no later than 1959, and enjoying a PBR while munching stale peanuts and watching pro bowling on the 13" black and white TV on the wall. I won't do this, but I feel like it.
Maybe it speaks to my own ignorance as a film scholar, but this moment stayed with me and my friends longer than any other element of David Lynch's joint. We went around saying that whenever possible, and sometimes when it shouldn't have been. Even before we were of legal age, we enjoyed prized opportunities to say the line when someone had or offered a Heineken. It was probably old by the time we did so, but who cared? It was funny stuff.
I feel like walking down to a seedy neighborhood bar, one established no later than 1959, and enjoying a PBR while munching stale peanuts and watching pro bowling on the 13" black and white TV on the wall. I won't do this, but I feel like it.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
This Week in DVD
Dear John: No, this is NOT the 1990s Judd Hirsch sitcom, but some chick flick based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. I'm sure this film is filled with sadness, but what kind of sorrow can compare to that which stems from the complete absence of the Hirsch "Dear John" from today's cultural landscape?
The signs are everywhere: Jere Burns has a recurring role on "Breaking Bad." I saw the guy who played Ralph on "How I Met Your Mother" a few weeks ago. Now a movie of the same name hits video. The TV show is no classic, but I remember it as a funny enough effort at recapturing some "Taxi" magic. Isn't thinking about that "Dear John" much more appealing than pondering a Nicholas Sparks movie?
The Road: Say what you will about Nicholas Sparks novels, but they don't depress you with cannibalism. At least, I don't think they do. "The Road" aspired to be the feel-bad movie of the year, but nobody seemed to realize it actually came out, so the honor went to "Old Dogs."
Stagecoach (Criterion): Criterion makes the questionable decision of packaging the 1939 John Ford/John Wayne film rather than the definitive Willie Nelson/Kris Kristofferson version. This has already been out on DVD for years, but nobody complains about double dips when they come from Criterion. I'm just stunned that Netflix is carrying this edition.
Bing Crosby TV Specials: Speaking of Netflix, I really wish the company would see fit to stock these, which fit in my "love to see once, probably don't need to own" zone. This set features 4 of Der Bingle's TV specials from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, and I think it's great that Infinity is releasing these. Unfortunately, Netflix doesn't carry much from Infinity these days.
Royal Pains Season 1: I was scanning the new releases when I noticed the MSRP for this set: a whopping SIXTY BUCKS! So Amazon's price, even with a healthy 33% discount, is still a sky-high 40 smackers. USA Network's philosophy is "Characters welcome..." and so is your money.
Leverage Season 2: By comparison, this new DVD set is a bargain at $40 MSRP and a $27 price at Amazon for 15 episodes. The team of Timothy Hutton and his merry men and women should rob from whoever's collecting that "Royal Pains" dough and give to the poor.
The signs are everywhere: Jere Burns has a recurring role on "Breaking Bad." I saw the guy who played Ralph on "How I Met Your Mother" a few weeks ago. Now a movie of the same name hits video. The TV show is no classic, but I remember it as a funny enough effort at recapturing some "Taxi" magic. Isn't thinking about that "Dear John" much more appealing than pondering a Nicholas Sparks movie?
The Road: Say what you will about Nicholas Sparks novels, but they don't depress you with cannibalism. At least, I don't think they do. "The Road" aspired to be the feel-bad movie of the year, but nobody seemed to realize it actually came out, so the honor went to "Old Dogs."
Stagecoach (Criterion): Criterion makes the questionable decision of packaging the 1939 John Ford/John Wayne film rather than the definitive Willie Nelson/Kris Kristofferson version. This has already been out on DVD for years, but nobody complains about double dips when they come from Criterion. I'm just stunned that Netflix is carrying this edition.
Bing Crosby TV Specials: Speaking of Netflix, I really wish the company would see fit to stock these, which fit in my "love to see once, probably don't need to own" zone. This set features 4 of Der Bingle's TV specials from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, and I think it's great that Infinity is releasing these. Unfortunately, Netflix doesn't carry much from Infinity these days.
Royal Pains Season 1: I was scanning the new releases when I noticed the MSRP for this set: a whopping SIXTY BUCKS! So Amazon's price, even with a healthy 33% discount, is still a sky-high 40 smackers. USA Network's philosophy is "Characters welcome..." and so is your money.
Leverage Season 2: By comparison, this new DVD set is a bargain at $40 MSRP and a $27 price at Amazon for 15 episodes. The team of Timothy Hutton and his merry men and women should rob from whoever's collecting that "Royal Pains" dough and give to the poor.
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