NY Times on SNL and the Juggalos

The New York Times has a very interesting piece on the series of SNL shorts based on the Insane Clown Posse's "Gathering of the Juggalos" infomercials.

Apparently, Justin Long got a mention in the original SNL parody because he was the one who told the writers about it.

No word on if there will be a fest this summer. Will there be ventriloquists with stilts and their dummies with tiny stilts? Pitchforks? A screening of Facts of Life season 4 (out next week)?

THE FACTS OF LIFE SEASON 4 (1982-1983) DVD Review

THE FACTS OF LIFE was one of the most popular TV sitcoms of the 1980's. Maybe not in the ratings (it never broke out of the top 25-30 range), but it had a long life in syndication. It was regularly on afternoon television. NBC even aired it during the day for much of the 1980's. And, I watched it more than most sitcoms from the era.

I still remember that first Molly Ringwald season when it premiered in 1979. I was there through the years of Mrs Garrett's Edna's Edibles and even the later years with George Clooney and Cloris Leachman helping to run the Over Our Heads gift store.

The series was last seen on DVD when Sony released Season Three in late 2006. They then moved away from TV on DVD and the series seemed to be stalled.

I'm happy to say it is back on track. Season Four is now being released by Shout! Factory.

Season 4 was the 1982 to 1983 season. This was Jo and Blair's final year at Eastland before heading off with Mrs. Garrett to open up Edna's Edibles.

The season opened up with the two hour movie THE FACTS OF LIFE GO TO PARIS. This was a popular gimmick for many series. FAMILY TIES went to London a couple years later. It was always strange to see a shot on videotape sitcom appear on location in an episode on film.

Watching the series again, I was struck by how the 1980's seem to treat issues in a different way. For example, there is an early episode where Natalie writes an article in the school paper about a student who has an abortion. There is really no discussion about abortion in political terms. In fact, it is more about journalist ethics than anything else. I don't think this type of episode could air today without protests from both sides, or being so sanitized that it can't offend anyone.

Not that this was a political show. This was FACTS OF LIFE after all.

This is a 4 DVD set. The episodes in this season are:

THE FACTS OF LIFE GO TO PARIS (9/25/82) - The two hour film.

AIN'T MISS BEHOLDEN (9/29/82) - Jo may need financial help from Blair.

THE SOURCE (10/6/82) - Natalie writes an article about abortion.

THE SOUND OF SILENCE (10/27/82) - Tootie has hearing problems.

THE OLDEST LIVING GRADUATE (11/3/82) - An elderly woman wants to leave money to Eastland.

DIFFERENT DRUMMER (11/10/82) - Blair tutors a mentally challenged man.

DEAREST MOMMIE (11/17/82) - Natalie learns the name of her birth mother.

A WOMAN'S PLACE (11/24/82) - Jo gets promoted, over her boyfriend.

DADDY'S GIRL (12/1/82) - Blair gets audited.

THE BIG FIGHT (12/8/82) - In this pilot for a proposed spin off, Natalie visits a military school.

FOR THE ASKING (12/15/82) - Natalie plans to boycott a dance.

SEPTEMBER SONG (12/22/82) - Mrs Garrett gets a marriage proposal.

A ROYAL PAIN (1/5/83) - Royalty enrolls at Eastland.

MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION (1/12/83) - Jo is worried about the boy Blair is dating.

UNDER PRESSURE (1/19/83) - Mrs Garrett suffers from high blood pressure.

TEACHER'S PET (1/26/83) - Jo's favorite teacher is dying.

LET'S PARTY (2/9/83) - A special episode about drinking and driving

BEST SISTER: Part 1 (2/16/83) Part 2 (2/23/83) - Blair sister (THE BRADY BUNCH's Eve Plumb) wants to become a nun.

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (3/9/83) - Mrs. Garrett's cooking instructor from Paris comes to visit.

WHO'S ON FIRST (3/30/83) - Tootie is jealous of Natalie's new boyfriend.

HELP FROM HOME (4/6/83) - Jo once again may need financial help from Blair.

TAKE MY FINALS, PLEASE (4/27/83) - The girls study for finals.

GRADUATION: Part 1 (5/4/83) Part 2 (5/4/83) - Blair and Jo graduate.

The DVD also includes a 15 question trivia game. I got an A, with two wrong.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

If you are a fan, please buy it. After four years, it is great to see this series continue. Lets hope we see the rest of the episodes (it ran for nine seasons) on DVD.

THE FACTS OF LIFE SEASON FOUR will be available on DVD May 4, 2010 from Shout! Factory.

NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS (1958) DVD Review

NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS began as a popular book in 1954, written by Mac Hyman. In 1955, it was turned into a TV film starring Andy Griffith. Later that year, it made it to Broadway, also starring Griffith. It ran for two years.

In 1958, it was adapted to a film, once again with Griffith. And that film is now on DVD.

NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS features Griffith as Will Stockdale, the quintessential “country bumpkin”, living on a farm when he is hauled in (by Dub Taylor) for dodging the draft, a draft he wasn’t even aware of. He is sent to the Air Force.

The film follows his misadventures on the base. He takes particular delight in cleaning the latrines, a chore meant as punishment. He goes through a series of psychological tests, administered by Griffith’s future TV parter Don Knotts.

NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS still holds up quite well, thanks to Griffith’s winning performance. How can you not love Andy Griffith? This isn’t Sheriff Andy Taylor here. Griffith plays a character closer to Gomer Pyle (whose spin off GOMER PYLE USMC owes a lot to this film).

The film has some big laughs. The scene with the toilet lids is worth a rental alone for. Myron McCormick, Nick Adams and Murray Hamilton also star.

Interestingly enough, the material was also turned into a TV series very briefly in 1964 where it is said to have aired opposite THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. It did not last long.

Warner Home Video’s release has a very nice black and white transfer. There are no extras. It would have been nice to include the TV version, but that is already available on Criterion’s "Golden Age of Television" DVD.

SHOULD I BUY IT?



For fans of Andy Griffith, this should be a must buy.

MARCUS WELBY M.D. SEASON ONE (1969-1970) DVD Review

MARCUS WELBY M.D. ran on ABC from 1969 to 1976. It followed the adventures of a family physician (played by Robert Young). James Brolin played Dr. Steven Kiley, his partner.

With today’s talk of health care, the show seems like out of another world. “Doctor’s making house calls? Dr. Welby carrying around a little black bag and diagnosing people at will without worrying about insurance? What kind of socialized conspiracy are we seeing here?”

The show had enough of a following that in its day it was one of the most popular shows. In its second season, it was the highest rated show on television.

It is now being released in a seven DVD set from Shout! Factory.

This set features all 26 episodes from the the 1969 to 1970 season. What should make this of particular interest for film fans is that one of the episodes was directed by Steven Spielberg.

The set opens with A MATTER OF HUMANITIES, the 2 hour pilot TV movie that set up the series, with Welby hiring Kiley to run his practice with him. This aired on March 26, 1969. The show would begin in September of 1969 and run for the next seven years.

The episodes are:

A MATTER OF HUMANITIES (3/26/69) - The pilot film.

HELLO, GOODBYE, HELLO (9/23/69) - A woman has only a few months left to live.

THE FOAL (9/30/69) - Welby helps an autistic child.

DON’T IGNORE THE MIRACLES (10/7/69) - A woman wants to have an abortion after finding out her husband is cheating on her.

SILKEN THREADS AND SILVER HOOKS (10/14/69) - A man wants to film a documentary on his wife who has had a stroke.

ALL FLAGS FLYING (10/21/69) - A veteran wants to take a life threatening voyage.

ECHO OF A BABY’S LAUGH (10/28/69) - A woman has a difficult pregnancy.

THE WHITE CANE 911/14/69) - A blind man gets his sight back.

THE VRAHNA’S DEMON (11/11/69) - A diver learns he has emphysema.

MADONNA WITH KNAPSACK AND FLUTE (11/18/69) - A pregnant woman has mono.

HOMECOMING (11/25/69) - The doctors treat an LSD user.

LET ERNEST COME OVER (12/9/69) - A policeman wants to keep his condition quiet.

THE CHEMISTRY OF HOPE (12/16/69) - A boy with leukemia doesn’t know of his condition due to his parents waning to keep it secret.

NEITHER PUNCH NOR JUDY (12/23/69) - A priest has asthma.

DIAGNOSIS: FEAR (12/30/69) - A man goes to a faith healer rather than a doctor.

THE SOFT PHRASE OF PEACE (1/6/70) - A man is injured in a demonstration.

FUN AND GAMES AND MICHAEL AMBROSE (1/13/70) - A diabetic refuses to take insulin.

THE LEGACY (1/27/70) - A woman has a tumor and has to deal with her roommate, a heart patient.

DANCE TO NO MUSIC (2/3/70) - A scientist may have a hereditary disease.

GO GET ‘EM TIGER (2/10/70) - Dr. Kiley has to give a physical to a friend.

NOBODY WANTS A FAT JOCKEY (2/17/70) - A jockey has to lose weight.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHART (2/24/70) - Dr. Kiley has chicken pox.

THE MERELY SYNDROME (3/3/70) - A woman has seizures.

SEA OF SECURITY (3/10/70) - An oceanography student is told not to dive.

THE DAREDEVIL GESTURE (3/17/70) - Dr. Welby is told to keep a hemophiliac’s condition a secret. This is the episode directed by Steven Spielberg.

ENID (3/24/70) - A woman may be addicted to prescription drugs.

THE REBEL DOCTOR (4/14/70) - A doctor tries to keep his clinic open.

The only extra is a very nice booklet with an episode breakdown.

SHOULD I BUY IT?



While it may be dated by today’s standards, for those with memories of the show, this is a very nice set.

Remaking the 1980's - The Good And The Bad

It was announced this week that the sequel to the reboot of FRIDAY THE 13TH will be put on hold.

I enjoyed the reboot more than I ever thought I would. I would have been there to see the sequel.

Meanwhile, it was also announced last week that Breck Eisner will be directing a rebooting of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK.

I can't say this is a good move.

Without John Carpenter, or Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, there is no film.

The FRIDAY THE 13TH films have no auterist or cast limitations. Anyone in a mask can play Jason. Most of the films were directed by different filmmakers.

But Snake is Carpenter / Russell's character. No one else should play him.

Can Anyone Name This POW Comedy?

Years ago, sometime in the early to mid 80's, I saw a film, or maybe even a TV episode, on cable.

It was a comedy from the 50's or 60's. It was the sort of film that Bob Hope would star in, that type of comedy.

The premise had four people stranded on an island during WWII, two American and two Japanese. One of the sides manages to capture the other. They then realize, due to the Geneva Convention, they have to feed their prisoners. But, there is no food on the island. So, they let the prisoners escape, and try to get captured themselves so they have to be fed.

It goes on and on like this.

I have no memory of the title, and only saw it that once. But I just remembered it and thought I'd throw it out there.

Anyone recognize it?

SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS: THE 1980's Volume 1

Warner Brothers SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS series has been one of the more entertaining sets in the past few years. Each 2 DVD set features several hours of cartoons from a different decade. There have been two volumes of the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Now, they are entering the 1980’s, the decade I knew the best.  The cartoons are mostly from the Hanna Barbera / Ruby Spears library.

In the 1980's, the cartoons moved away from the well known characters of earlier decades. It wasn't so much Yogi Bear and friends as it was more action oriented cartoons. Many of the lighter cartoons were blatant product promotions.

The majority of the cartoons here are from the mid to late 80's, when I had grown out of Saturday Morning Cartoons. There were a few I saw an episode or two of, but there were others that I have no memory of whatsoever.

That said, others are sure to remember them. And even if you didn’t, the set is once again a lot of fun. While some may hope for complete series sets of some of the series here, for many, would you really want them?

The episodes on the set are:

Disc One (Total Run Time: 2:15:34)

GOLDIE GOLD AND ACTION JACK -  This is a sort of a futuristic female version of Richie Rich in an adventure show. Released in 1981, I have no memory of this.

CHUCK NORRIS KARATE KOMMANDOS - Introduced by a live action Chuck Norris, this Ruby Spears series from 1986 is another adventure series with Norris, along with his ninja and sumo fighter friends fighting evil. Aparently only five episodes were made.

THE COMPLETELY MENTAL MISADVENTURES OF ED GRIMLEY - Martin Short's character from SCTV and SNL got his own series in 1988. It features the voices of most of the SCTV gang (Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Catherine O’Hara and Dave Thomas) as well as Jonathan Winters, Rene Auberjonois and Arte Johnson. The cartoon also features live action segments with another SCTV character, Joe Flaherty as Count Floyd.

THE FLINSTONE KIDS - From 1986 is this reworking of the Flinstones characters. I remember the Captain Caveman cartoons more than the Flinstone Kids..

MR. T - Much like the Chuck Norris cartoon, this 1983 cartoon features live action introductions with the star of THE A-TEAM (who really deserves a comeback). Like Chuck Norris, Mr. T and a group try to save the world from evil.



Disc Two (Total Runtime 2:09:40)

THE BISKITTS - A cartoon about a group of miniature dogs living in medieval times from 1983.

MONCHHICHIS - I remember the Monchhichi dolls, my sister had them. Yet this 1983 cartoon based on the little monkey like creatures that live in a tree, I have little memory of.

GALTAR AND THE GOLDEN LANCE- A Conan like cartoon from 1985, with wizards and spaceships and dragons. Again, zero memory of this, but Helen Hunt is billed as one of the voices.

DRAGON’S LAIR - A 1984 cartoon based on the laser disc video game that was quite popular in the arcades in the mid 80’s. The cartoon has a bit of the “What do you choose” aspect of the video game.

THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN - A fairly popular 1980 cartoon of a futuristic world (caused by a worldwide catastrophe in 1994).  One of the creators calls is Tarzan in outer space.

THE KWICKY KOALA SHOW - A throwback to the earlier days of Saturday morning animation, with wacky animals, this 1981 cartoon may be best known as the final cartoon of the great Tex Avery who passed away during the prodcution.

EXTRAS

There is also a documentary on Disc One, LORDS OF LIGHT - THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN (18:30). This is an overview of the series, with new interviews with the Joe Ruby and Ken Spears.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

Absolutely. While this may not be the golden age of Saturday Morning Cartoons, they sure are fun to watch. Let us hope for a Volume 2 with more recognizable cartons (anyone else want to see PAC MAN again?)

MAD MAGAZINE Coming to Cartoon Network!

Well it's about time.

MAD MAGAZINE will be getting its own animated series on The Cartoon Network. The new lineup will also include a revamped LOONEY TUNES cartoon.

From the Hollywood Reporter today:

MAD: Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and using the iconic MAD magazine, published by DC Comics, as inspiration, MAD is an animated sketch-comedy series utilizing a chaotic mix of animation styles and twisted humor to pull back the curtain and expose the truth behind movies, TV shows, games, pop culture and, of course, curtains! Classic MAD magazine characters and features such as Alfred E. Neuman and Spy vs. Spy pop up, and no subject matter or individual will be safe from MAD’s barrage of parodies and sketches. In the end, viewers won’t get even, they’ll just get MAD! Sam Register (Teen Titans, Ben 10, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) is the executive producer. Kevin Shinick (Robot Chicken) and Mark Marek (KaBlam! The Andy Milonakis Show) are the producers.

This isn't the first attempt at bringing the magazine to a TV screen (Not including MAD TV which had little to do with the magazine).

In 1974, MAD created an animated special, done in the style of the magazine.

Here it is from YouTube



Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

Whether it aired or not is still a subject of debate. MAD editor William Gaines and several reference books have stated the special never aired (due to advertiser complaints). When the special was mentioned on a well regarded Animation Blog recently, several readers swore they saw it back in 1974.



MAD didn't have much better luck with film, releasing MAD MAGAZINE PRESENTS UP THE ACADEMY. I'll refer you to my old story about it here (and I should also mention, I saw the DVD yesterday for $3 at Big Lots). That is one of my favorite behind the scenes film production stories.

Will they get MAD right? Stay tuned.

FORGOTTEN FILM: NORMAN...IS THAT YOU? (1976)

1976’s NORMAN...IS THAT YOU originated as a Broadway play about a Jewish family, starring Lou Jacobi and Maureen Stapleton. It ran for 12 performances in 1970. It was then rewritten for TV star Redd Foxx.

Redd Foxx plays Ben Chambers, an “old fashioned man” as the Smokey Robinson opening song states. He is leaving Arizona after his wife (Pearl Bailey) has run off to Mexico with his brother. Ben is headed to Hollywood to see his son, Norman (Michael Warren of HILL STREET BLUES).

What Ben doesn’t know is that Norman is gay. This is the 1970’s, so it is played for laughs. Laughs that may make the film kind of offensive today. Norman’s boyfriend is played by Dennis Dugan (now the director of Adam Sandler films). He camps up the role quite a bit. Foxx’s character isn’t happy with the news and tries to “convert” him, even bringing by a hooker (played by CLEOPATRA JONES herself Tamara Dobson).

Again, the subject matter and the way it is handled today may be troublesome. But if you can accept it like an ALL IN THE FAMILY episode, the film has its moments. The main reason it works today is because of Redd Foxx. This would be his only starring role in a film and he is quite funny, as he usually is.

Also in the film to add to the 70’s nostalgia is Wayland Flowers and Madam as residents of Norman’s apartment building. They even show part of their act, a bit more risque than THE HOLLYWOOD SQUARES.

I didn’t even pick up on this until the end, but the Mexican desk clerk in a couple scenes is none other than Sergio Aragones, the Mad Magazine cartoonist (you know, the guy who does the cartoons in the margins?). In one of his scenes, I noticed a character was reading a MAD paperback in the foreground of the shot. I guess that makes sense now.

This was the sole theatrical directing effort from George Schlatter, legendary TV producer of ROWAN & MARTIN’S LAUGH-IN among many other shows.

NORMAN IS THAT YOU was shot on video and converted to film for theatrical airings. The print shown on TCM was quite worn and beat up. Perfectly watchable however.

Briefly released on VHS in 1999 (with used copies going for up to $50), the film has been very hard to find in recent years and rarely shown. Released theatrically by MGM, the title is now owned by Warner. It might make a good candidate for the Warner Archive program.

THE WIRE - One Of The Greatest TV Series Of All Time

One of the reviews of THE WIRE stated it very simply. There are two opinions of THE WIRE. There are those that think it is one of the greatest TV series of all time. And, there are those that have never seen it.

I’ve now finished watching the series.

It is indeed one of the greatest TV series of all time. It is easily the greatest of the past decade.

And the thing is, I didn’t expect to feel this way. When I first started watching it, it was only out of obligation. But, I was quickly hooked and didn’t want it to end. I was at times going through four episodes a night, like a great novel.

If you haven’t seen the show, and please believe me, you should see it, I will keep this spoiler free, not even talking about what characters appear after the first season.

Here is a brief overview of the series.

SEASON ONE - The Major Crimes Unit in the Baltimore Police Department is created, made up of a group of unwanted detectives and officers from around the Department. Dominic West plays Jimmy McNulty, Wendell Pierce is Bunk, Sonja Sohn is Kima, Seth Gilliam is Carver, Domenick Lombardozzi is Herc, Clarke Peters is Freamon, Jim True-Frost is Prez and Lance Reddick is Daniels.

Their target is the Barksdale Organization, a drug dealing operation from a set of inner city apartments run by Stringer Bell (Idris Elba).

This is one of the best seasons in that it is the most focused, the smallest. You really get to know the characters, and the locations. The courtyard where the characters congregate becomes a character of its own.

SEASON TWO - This season focuses on the dock workers, and their union, while continuing the storylines from the first.

This is another fabulous season, arguably the best in that it takes an almost Dickensian scope, with all the new characters and storylines. Amy Ryan, who would go on to be nominated for an Oscar for GONE BABY GONE, joined the cast as a cop. Chris Bauer (now on TRUE BLOOD) is fantastic as Frank Sobotka, head of the dock workers union.

SEASON THREE - Here it expands to the political aspect of Baltimore, with the Mayor and City Council playing a big role. Aidan Gillen joins the series as Tommy Carcetti, a politically ambitious city councilman.

Season three may have one of the most interesting segments, as far as the sociological aspects of the show, with a storyline devoted to the attempt at decriminalizing drugs. Season three also introduces “Cutty” (Chad Coleman), who is just released from prison and tries to create a new life. Will he go straight? Get back into the game?

SEASON FOUR - This time, we look at the schools and how the “corner kids” are created. Without giving anything away, one character, who I wish I could write more about because he gives a truly excellent performance, goes into teaching.

Another season candidate for the series best. This time, it is a lot more personal season, focusing on the home lives of the kids and what the influence of family and education is on their decision making.

SEASON FIVE - In the final season, they introduced the media into the series, this time showing the Baltimore Sun and their reporters covering the city.

As much as I hate to say it, I had a lot of problems with this season. The central police storyline involves a character doing something STUPID. Their reasons are right, and many of the characters are opposed to it, that doesn’t stop it from continuing the whole season. Also, the newspaper storyline was a bit too “ripped from today’s headlines” like a LAW AND ORDER episode. Not that it doesn’t work, but it was a bit predictable, something THE WIRE usually isn’t.

That said, this is still a very good season. The secondary characters are again interesting. Clark Johnson is excellent as the newspaper city editor. And I just noticed that Tom McCarthy, who played a reporter, is the same Tom McCarthy who wrote and directed two amazing films, THE STATION AGENT and THE VISITOR.

The good thing about season five, with it being the final season, it does wrap things up well. There isn’t a SOPRANOS like stunt ending. There is closure. Some of the characters get happy endings. Some are tragic. But, there is an ending here, not an annoying cut to black.

The entire series is interesting because it never plays by the regular rules of TV. It expects its audience to be intelligent. While most TV shows will show Scene A which leads to Scene B which leads to Scene C, here, they might eliminate Scene B, maybe even Scene A, and expect that the audience knows what happened just from showing Scene C.

It also doesn’t play things in black or white. Some of the drug dealers are portrayed in very real, human terms. These aren’t just bad people, even though they are at times doing horrible things. We get to understand why they are that way, what society has done to them. They all play by their own rules.

All the secondary characters are fully developed. From Bubblies (Andre Royo), the junkie informant, to the feared Omar (Micheal K. Williams), and the hit man and woman team of Chris (Gbenga Akinnagbe) and Snoop (Felicia Pearson). No less than Stephen King has called Snoop one of the scariest female characters ever. Hard to argue that.

There is also Michael Potts as Brother Mouzone, the bowtied assassin who is more interested in his reading material than anything else around him. And I have to mention Dukie (Jermain Crawford), Poot (Tray Chaney), Proposition Joe (Robert Chew), Clay “Sheeeeeeee-it” Davis (Isiah Whitlcok Jr) and the excellent J.D. WIlliams as Bodie. I could go on and one but I won’t.

THE WIRE demands you pay close attention. Characters from previous seasons appear in little scenes that you might not even pick up on. For example, in Season five, a character, unseen since season two, pops up to yell at a character. Unless you saw season two, and remembered him, you may not know why he was yelling.

In listening to part of the commentary to one episode, I was told that the character on the screen, an ex-junkie in a meeting, had appeared in two previous episodes. I didn’t recognize her without the commentary, but as soon as they mentioned it, I immediately did.

Plus, in one season, you see a character sitting in a gay bar. It is only a less than five second shot, that I actually had to rewind the see if it was really him. No mention of this is ever made again, but it adds to the background and the audience’s understanding of the character.

Honestly, I don’t know how the show worked as a weekly series. It is so rich, with so much going on, it demands to be watched all together. Unlike many hour long series, it holds up as a full story, and doesn’t feel like so many series today that it is being made up as it goes along.

Again, if you have never seen THE WIRE, please do so. I will go so far as to say no film in the past decade is as rich, as socially relevant, than this series.

It is truly one of the greatest TV series of all time.

LOCAL HERO Director Bill Forsyth Returns to Pennan Scotland

If you can't already tell from the image currently on this site's title screen, Bill Forsyth's LOCAL HERO is one of my favorite films of all time.

On Youtube yesterday, I happened to find this video.



BBC Film Critic Mark Kermode (who seems to love the film as much as I do) returned to Pennan, Scotland where the film was shot, bringing along Forsyth. It was his first time there since filming 25 years before.

The two even host a screening for the town (where only six residents live year round). Through it, Forsyth gives a bit of director's commentary.

A wonderful tribute to one of the greatest films ever made.

Also in Forsyth news, yesterday, the New York Times had a bit on Forsyth in the US hosting a screening of some of his work.

And, his last film to receive any type of release in the US, BEING HUMAN with Robin Williams, will soon be available through the Warner Archive.

Now Warner, please issue LOCAL HERO in Blu-Ray!

FRONT OF THE CLASS (2008)

I watch a lot of movies. Most I forget entirely after seeing. The good ones stay with me.

The 2008 Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie FRONT OF THE CLASS is a film that shouldn’t have stayed with me. It is a typical Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie, with the overly earnest characters, music score to tug on every heartstring, and predictable storyline.

Yet, the film was just about perfect in what it was trying to be. I remember it more than some of the films that have landed on my ten best lists in the past few years. In fact, I even watched a rerun of it this past weekend on the Hallmark Channel and felt the same way.

The story was based on the true story of Brad Cohen (played by Jimmy Wolk). Brad is a college graduate who is trying to get his dream job, as a teacher. The one problem, Brad has Tourettes Syndrome, where he involuntarily makes noises and has little tics. Treat Wlliams and Patricia Heaton play his divorced parents.

Will he become a teacher? Will he change his students' lives forever?

Do you even need to watch the story to find out?

What makes the film work is the performance of the lead, Jimmy Wolk. Aside from his mannerisms, he gives one of the most likable lead performances of recent years. The fact that he isn’t already a movie star today goes to show you that maybe not enough people watched this. Apparently he has a few films and TV pilots in the works now, so hopefully he will get his chance. Honestly, if anyone else was in the lead, I don't think the film would have worked as well.

Director Peter Werner is a longtime TV director of shows like MOONLIGHTING, CALL TO GLORY to today working on GHOST WHISPERER and MEDIUM. He does a nice job with the material. There is a running bit in the film about Brad loving 80’s music, especially Milli Vanilli, that isn’t treated in a mocking way that I really loved about the film.

Based on a book by the real Brad Cohen, writer Thomas Rickman had in the past worked on the Raquel Welch roller derby film KANSAS CITY BOMBER, was a co-writer of Burt Reynolds’ HOOPER, COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER, wrote and directed the Tommy Lee Jones film THE RIVER RAT, wrote the miniseries of TRUMAN and THE REAGANS, and also adapted TUESDAY’S WITH MORRIE.

This could have been one of those “let’s teach the world about Tourette’s” films. Instead, it is a nicely made film about a character with Tourettes. Some can still find something to mock, if you are so inclined. But, to those that don’t have a problem with the Hallmark Hall of Fame series, this is one to look for.

It was released on DVD, but only by Hallmark to their stores. It is available at the Hallmark website and copies are available from third parties on Amazon. It does air on the Hallmark Movie Channel.

Is It Time To Revive Milli Vanilli

Twenty years ago, there was a band that was one of the most popular in the country. You couldn’t escape their music. They won a Grammy for Best New Artist.

Yet today, in this age where it is the norm for performers to lipsync, this band is hidden away.

Their CD is out of print.

Their music isn’t on iTunes.

Their videos are not on MTV Music.

Yes, I am talking about Milli Vanilli.

To remind you of them, let’s listen to a few hits, shall we?



“Blame it on the Rain”



“Baby Don’t Forget My Number”



“Girl I’m Going To Miss You”



“Girl You Know It’s True” (video can't be embedded but you can click through to see).

All of those songs reached number one on the US charts in 1989, except for “Girl You Know It’s True”, their first which only reached number 2. Mock them all you want, but how many #1 singles have you had? That is a pretty big accomplishment.

I may not have been the biggest fan, yet the duo was essentially the soundtrack for my senior year of high school. It was always on the radio while I was driving to and from school.

Sure, Rob and Fab didn’t sing the songs. But no one today sings their songs either. It is all processed.

I remember seeing the Rob and Fab interviewed on Entertainment Tonight, and only one of them spoke, since he said the other barely spoke English. Since you don’t hear accents when they were singing, a part of me knew they were faking. But I didn’t care.

It was at a local amusement park, Lake Compounce in Bristol CT, where the secret started to come out. During a performance, the vocal track jammed and started to skip, and the band tried to cover. I remember reading the review the next day and not being bothered by it.

We all knew what was going on. Or, should have known. We were played. Is that so bad?

So, let’s remember Milli Vanilli.

Let their music be released.

UNIVERSAL HD's "Rediscovered TV" - Reviving Forgotten Sitcoms

Universal HD has a new series REDISCOVERED TV. What they do is, on Friday nights, they have a line up of short lived TV series, airing them in order. These are shows that most have forgotten if they have ever seen in the first place.

One of the shows they are airing is WELCOME TO THE CAPTAIN. This is a series I raved about here a couple years ago, when it aired on CBS in February of 2008. It was put on the air during the Writer’s Guild strike.

The show was about Josh (Fran Kranz of DOLLHOUSE), a writer who won an Oscar for a short film and has been struggling for a follow up. He moves into an old Hollywood apartment building recommended by his friend (Chris Klein).

The building is filled with eccentric Hollywood characters. There is “Uncle Saul” (Jeffrey Tambor), a former writer for THREE’S COMPANY (or Tico as he calls it). He tells stories about the old days, like his “wooing” of ALICE’s Linda Lavin.

Raquel Welch plays Charlene Van Ark, a former starlet who seduces Josh his first night in the building. Al Madrigal often steals the show as Jesus (pronounced like the one from the Bible), the doorman.

Josh falls for a new girl in the building, Hope (the winning Joanna Garcia). Much of the episodes involve him trying to get her attention, even though she has a boyfriend. Valerie Azlynn (star of THE JOE SCHMO SHOW as well as a similarly funny but forgotten comedy THE LOOP) also lives in the building.

It only ran five episodes, yet had a lot of potential to grow into something more.

Also running in the series is BRAM AND ALICE.

BRAM AND ALICE, which was from some of the producers of FRASIER and seems to be filmed on an almost identical set to Niles apartment, aired for only a couple episodes in 2002. All nine episodes didn't even make it to the air before CBS cancelled it.

It stars Alfred Molina as Bram, an acclaimed writer living in New York. Roger Bart plays his assistant.

In the pilot, Alice (Traylor Howard) arrives. She is his daughter (from a one night fling with Catherine O’Hara decades before) that he has only met once. He agrees to let her live with him.

Molina is great as usual. He is always the best part of just about anything he is in, especially the recent film AN EDUCTION.

Traylor Howard is natural comic actress. I first noticed her in the 90’s sitcom BOSTON COMMON. She would go on to do TWO GUYS A GIRL AND A PIZZA PLACE and most recently MONK.

The James Burroughs directed pilot was stronger than the follow up episodes, but not by enough to see it cancelled so quickly.

Honestly, both of these shows are better than most of what airs on network TV these days. It goes to show you that sometimes the best shows get buried.

The Problem With UNDERCOVER BOSS

UNDERCOVER BOSS continues to be one of the more popular new series. Premiering after the Super Bowl, the audience has stayed with it.

The premise is an interesting one. The CEO of a large company decides to “see how the other half lives” and disguises himself as an entry level employee. He then takes jobs in some of the other areas of operations while he is followed by a camera crew. The camera crew is said to be documenting the man as he is trying out entry level jobs.

In one episode, the head of 7-11 worked the over night and early morning shifts at different stores. In another, the head of Waste Management headed out and cleaned Port O Potty’s.

The problem with the show is that it is always so predictable. Each episode is the same. And, since this is essentially PR for the CEO and the company involved, I have trouble believing if much of what I am seeing is true.

In every episode, the CEO finds that all the people in these low level jobs are angels without halos, and are better than he is. They all have some touching story to tell about their life. The CEO is always moved by this. He is often invited home to see the family.

There is also that rare moment where he discovers something he is unhappy with. There is often the shot of the CEO sneaking outside to use a cellphone to call corporate and complain. This is all done in secret so that no one will know.

At the end, he calls in everyone he has met to reveal his true identity. To some, he gives them an extra couple of bucks to make himself feel better for taking home millions while they are struggling to get by, working much harder than he ever does.

I am all for a show that celebrates the working class of a large corporation. But with the corporation and its CEO so intimately involved in the production, I have trouble believing much of what I am seeing. Would they really show how bad things are? And are the mid level managers who are normally the ones who come off the worst, really showing their true colors with a camera crew nearby?

UNDERCOVER BOSS may be a popular show, but it isn’t a very believable one.

THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE (1986) "Mystery in The Mist" DVD Review

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

A version of the Sherlock Holmes story, only with mice. Basil searches for a kidnapped toymaker. Vincent Price voices the evil Professor Ratigan.

WHO MADE IT?

Based on the “Basil of Baker Street” books, the film was adapted by ten writers, most part of the Disney stable of animation writers (who also worked on OLIVER AND COMPANY and THE BLACK CAULDRON among others)

It was directed by the team of Ron Clements and John Musker(who would both go on to direct THE LITTLE MERMAID, ALADDIN and the recent THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG), Burny Mattinson (MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL) as well as Disney writer Dave Michener.

IS IT ANY GOOD?

THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE came about at the beginning of a rebuilding time for the Disney studios. Walt had been gone for over a decade and the studio was struggling. They had recently begun releasing PG rated films through their Touchstone label. And, Michael Eisner, Frank Wells, and Jeffrey Katzenberg had recently taken over the studio.

While well received by critics, the film isn’t quite as well known as THE LITTLE MERMAID and some of the animated films from later in the decades. For me, it was originally released when I had “outgrown” Disney animated cartoons, but I did see it theatrically during its rerelease in 1992.

At 74 minutes, this is a very fast paced film. It is one of the first Disney animated films to use computer animation. While the music may not be as memorable as later Disney films, this is more of an adventure story. And, its a pretty good one at that.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

Previously released in 2002, this is the new “Mystery in the Mist Edition”. While I don’t have the previous DVD, the new version claims to be an all new digital restoration. It does look quite good, clean and with bright colors.

It appears that most of the extras are the same, with the exception of two Donald Duck cartoons. The two, “Clock Cleaners” (which was shown theatrically with the 1986 release) and “Donald’s Crime” are on the Chronological Donald DVDs (which are sadly out of print).

Also on the DVD are:

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN SLEUTH (4:42) - A history of detectives. Geared to younger audiences.

THE MAKING OF THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVES (7:53) - A making of featurette, featuring interviews with Vincent Price, Roy Disney and others. Taken from the original DVD

“The World’s Greatest Criminal Mind” SING-ALONG SONG (2:00) - A sing along version of the song, with text on the screen to sing along with.

There are also the recent promotional extras for digital files and Blu-Ray.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

If you don’t already own the film, THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE is worth adding to your animation library.

FORGOTTEN FILM: HERE COME THE TIGERS (1978)

Sometimes, even though a film has been issued on DVD, it can still be considered a FORGOTTEN FILM. Such is the case with HERE COME THE TIGERS.

Back in 1978, when I was a baseball obsessed 6 year old, my mom took me to the movie theatre to see a new baseball film, HERE COME THE TIGERS. I used to think the title of the film was HERE COME THE TIGERS...THERE GOES THE LEAGUE, but that was the tag line.

The film was a standard BAD NEWS BEARS knockoff (which I don’t believe I had seen yet), with a ragtag group of kids joining a baseball team ending with the big game. Being released in 1978, there was a scene where the group goes to see STAR WARS. It was a low budget film, released by AIP, that most probably forgot soon after seeing.

Why I remembered it was, early in the film, my mom turned to me and said “Hey! This was filmed in Westport Connecticut!”, the town where we had moved from a few years before. The film was shot in and around the town. My mom kept pointing out different locations that she recognized.

After that, the film sort of disappeared. I only remember it showing up on TV once in the years since on some UHF channel. Since my father knew the town well, we always wanted him to see it. But, it was never shown.

I forgot about the film over the years until the early 90’s. I happened to remember it and looked it up in Leonard Maltin’s video guide. He had it listed, with a note saying it was also known as MANNY’S ORPHANS. I took note of that name and soon after, MANNY’S ORPHANS was to be shown on TV.

Excited that I was finally going to be able to see the film again, I waited to see it. The only problem, MANNY was a film about a ragtag group of kids joining a soccer team. Surely I didn’t misremember the film. It was also shot in Southern Connecticut which made it all the more confusing.

One of the reasons I will always love Leonard Maltin is because I wrote to him about the film after seeing MANNY, telling him that the alternate title was incorrect. Soon after, I got a personal letter back from him, thanking me for the correction and saying it would be updated in the next edition. It was (although in recent years, the film has been dropped altogether).

The reason for the confusion with MANNY’S ORPHANS, and one of the most interesting things about the film, is simple. They were both made by the same filmmakers.

And who made it? Sean S. Cunningham. He made this between his days making early horror films like producing THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and right before FRIDAY THE 13TH. He was out to make some money and trying all different genres to see what would be a success. MANNY and HERE COME THE TIGERS didn’t prove to be all that successful.

In fact, many of those involved with this went on to FRIDAY THE 13th, from Producer Steve Miner (who would produce FRIDAY and direct parts 2 and 3 and was also from Westport), composer Harry Manfredini (who would soon create the”Chi - Chi- Chi - Chi - Cha - Cha - Cha - Cha” theme to FRIDAY), as well as cinematographer Barry Abrams. While not involved in the FRIDAY films, the gaffer on TIGERS was none other than Wes Craven.

HERE COME THE TIGERS was quietly released onto DVD in 2005 by MGM, the rights holders today. It frequently airs on MGM’s TTVN Cable Channel.

Is it worth looking for today? Maybe not. It is just a BAD NEWS BEARS clone, and BEARS is a film that still holds up well. But, I will always remember it.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: Judi Bowker

Recently, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY had a sort of “What Ever Happened To The Cast of the CLASH OF THE TITANS”. They had mini-profiles of stars like Harry Hamlin, Burgess Meredith and Laurence Olivier and what they did after the film. Yet, nothing on one of the most memorable stars from the film.

Judi Bowker.

Judi Bowker memorably played Andromeda in that film. And to some, it may be her best known role.

Judi made her film debut in Franco Zeffirelli’s St Francis of Assisi story BROTHER SUN, SISTER MOON in 1972. This was Zeffirelli’s follow up to ROMEO AND JULIET.



This led to a run of TV series in the UK, including THE ADVENTURES OF BLACK BEAUTY and SOUTH RIDING and several other shows and TV series that didn’t appear stateside. And, she appeared in the 1977 feature film about colonialism EAST OF ELEPHANT ROCK with John Hurt.



In 1977 Bowker appeared in an acclaimed BBC version of COUNT DRACULA. She played Mina with Louis Jordan as the Count.

Then in 1981 came CLASH OF THE TITANS. A favorite of those growing up in the area, she played Princess Andromeda, who Harry Hamlin’s Perseus must save from the Kraken.

In the years after CLASH, the only time she was seen on the big screen at least in the US was in the acclaimed 1985 British film THE SHOOTING PARTY. This film about friends on the eve of World War I also starred James Mason, Edward Fox and John Gielgud. It was a favorite of the A&E cable channel in the late 80's.

But other than that, she wasn’t seen by US audience.

So, What Ever Happened To Her?

After CLASH, Judi Bowker returned to British TV. She appeared in several TV miniseries in the 1980’s. There were a couple TV movies in the 1990’s and 2000's.

Mainly though, she spends her time on the stage. She is married to actor, director and playwright Harry Meacher. The two have toured together in several shows. She has also served as a co-director on some of his theatrical projects.

So, she is still out there.

Doris Day Speaks!

Doris Day was one of the most popular actresses of the 1950's and 1960's. In the 1970's, she walked away from Hollywood, devoting the rest of her life to animal rights. She made a brief appearance in the mid 80's, hosting an animal show on television, but then disappeared again.

Because of this, she is a favorite target of tabloids. Just last week, one such outlet had a cover story that she is in very poor health, living as a recluse.

I'm happy to report that is not true.

On Saturday, Doris turned 86. To celebrate, her local radio station, KIDD-AM in Monterey, California devoted its yearly birthday tribute broadcast playing her music and having her friends call in.

And who else called? Doris Day herself.

You can listen to the broadcast here. Doris appears in part seven, at about the 2:30 mark. She speaks for about ten minutes, and sounds great.

The talk is very informal, a lot of it is just the two talking to each other about the show and the host's wife. But Doris does mention that she got a call earlier that day from Tony Bennett.

So, don't believe what you may read. Doris is fine.

Happy Birthday Doris!