CLASSIC TV CHRISTMAS COLLECTION (2010) DVD Review

The Christmas Episode was a popular TV standard. Various TV characters would have a special episode where they all learned the true meaning of Christmas.

Several studios have begun to release DVDs of the best Christmas episodes from various TV shows. Warner Home Video is releasing CLASSIC TV CHRISTMAS COLLECTION through the Warner Archive.

This 4 DVD set contains Christmas episodes of various Warner TV series from the 60's up until the 1990's. The episodes in the set are:

DISC ONE

DR KILDARE "An Exchange of Gifts" (12-24-64)

THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER "Gifts Are For Giving" (12-23-70)

WELCOME BACK KOTTER "A Sweathog Christmas" (12-15-77)

DISC TWO

EIGHT IS ENOUGH "Yes, Nicholas, There Is A Santa Claus" (A two parter airing 12-14-77)

DISC THREE

ALICE "A Semi-Merry Christmas" (12-18-77

CHiPS "Christmas Watch" (12-15-79)

PERFECT STRANGERS "The Gift Of The Mypiot" (12-16-88)

DISC FOUR

MAMA'S FAMILY "Mama Gets Goosed" (12-23-88)

SUDDENLY SUSAN "The Walkout" (12-19-96)

VERONICA'S CLOSET "Veronica's Christmas Song" (12-18-97)

All the episodes look good. As with most Warner Archive titles, there are no extras.

The only problem, seeing shows like EIGHT IS ENOUGH and ALICE on DVD makes you wish that the full series was available. Just hearing the theme songs again, for shows that were all over syndication in the 80's but haven't been seen since, makes you want to watch the show again. Maybe we will see those in the Warner Archive in the future.

THE CLASSIC TV CHRISTMAS COLLECTON is available now through the Warner Archive.

WALT & EL GRUPO (2010) DVD Review

WALT & EL GRUPO is a documentary chronicling a little known era of Walt Disney studio history.

After the success of SNOW WHITE, the Disney studios were, financially, doing quite well. Walt built a new studio for the animators.

But then the war in Europe broke out causing a decline in the foreign revenue for his films. Then, the animators went on strike.

Amid what he calls one of the worst times of his life, in 1941 Walt is recruited by the government to go on a goodwill tour of South America. With both Germany and the US trying to get the continent to side with them, Walt was thought to be the perfect ambassador for the country. He was to travel in Argentina, Brazil and Chile, with a group of writers and animators from the studio and use that material for a future film.

Using archival footage of the trip, along with letters sent home by family members, this is a very interesting look at this period in history, before Pearl Harbor. Like an actual trip to South America, this is a leisurely journey. It might go on a bit too long, with some interview segments not adding much to the overall story. But when it focuses on Walt and the trip itself, it is very good.

The DVD contains a few short deleted scenes. Most valuable is the inclusion of SALUDOS AMIGOS, the cartoon that was the direct result of the trip. This is the original version of the film. Earlier DVD releases have removed scenes of Goofy smoking.

WALT & EL GRUPO is available on Walt Disney Home Video.

WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY (2009) DVD Review

After the passing of Walt Disney in 1966, the studio began a long and slow decline. Disney still released animated films, but by the late 70's and early 80's, the culture of the studio had become stagnant.

While I still have a fondness for this era of Disney that was led by Walt Disney's son in law Ron Miller, with THE RESCUERS and PETE'S DRAGON being favorite films when I grew up, for the most part, it isn't considered to be a highlight in the studio's history.

By the early 80's, the studio was in trouble. Animator Don Bluth had left the studio (and would go on to make THE SECRET OF NIMH) taking many of the animators with him.

Then, in 1984, after a corporate battle, Roy Disney brought in Michael Eisner and Frank Wells to run the studio. Also coming onboard was Jeffrey Katzenberg.

WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY follows this entire era. Directed and narrated by Don Hahn, an animator on the lot from the pre-Eisner era, who would go on to produce BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the film chronicles the success and failures, egos and battles that went into creating the modern era of Disney animation.

This is not a "talking head" documentary. All the key people were interviewed, including Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Roy Disney. All of their views are heard as voiceovers played over archive footage from the era. It seems the animators were having a lot of fun with home movies and video throughout the decade (look for a young Tim Burton at an animation table in footage from 1980).

This is a surprisingly honest look at the studio. Ending in 1994, with the passing of Frank Wells, and Katzeneberg leaving the company, this is yet another excellent documentary on Disney.

The DVD contains over thirty minutes of deleted and additional footage about the film and different aspects of the story. There are also three wonderful tours of the studio, shot by animators, in 1980, 1983, and in 1990.

WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY should be a must see for all Disney fans.

WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY is available on Walt Disney Home Video.

THE BOYS: THE SHERMAN BROTHERS STORY (2009) DVD Review

THE BOYS: THE SHERMAN BROTHERS STORY is a documentary on Robert and Richard Sherman. The duo were the in house music composers for Disney, writing the music for everything from MARY POPPINS, THE PARENT TRAP, to the theme parks. Yes, the duo are responsible for "It's A Small World".

As a big Disney fan, I've known about the two for years. As I put on the film, I was expecting another appreciative look at the genius of the two.

The film is made by the sons of Bob and Dick, Greg and Jeff Sherman.

Very early into the film, after a brief introduction, the filmmakers talk about attending the premiere of a stage version of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, which the duo were also responsible.

The cousins mention that the brothers sat on different sides of the theatre, with their families. And, even though the families lived seven blocks from each other, this was the first time the cousins had spoken in forty years!!

With that revelation, I was hooked. What happened? How could the brothers have such a difficult family relationship yet have created so many great songs?

Through interviews with the two brothers, the at times cantankerous Bob and the more easygoing Dick, Greg and Jeff tell a wonderful and fascinating tale. Also interviewed are fans and co-workers. Clips of all of their songs are heard. I wasn't even aware they did the music for non-Disney fare like SNOOPY COME HOME and CHARLOTTE'S WEB.

The DVD contains over a half hour of extras, mostly deleted scenes. There is also THE SHERMAN BROTHERS JUKEBOX where you can click on various song titles and get clips of the brothers performing them.

For Disney fans, music fans, heck just about anyone, this should be a must see. I went into this thinking I knew the story, and I was wrong.

THE BOYS: THE SHERMAN BROTHERS STORY is available on Walt Disney Home Video.

FANTASIA AND FANTASIA 2000 (2010) Blu-Ray Review

FANTASIA is the ultimate Walt Disney film.

While SNOW WHITE and PINOCCHIO may be favorites of many, FANTASIA still stands today as a perfect example of everything that Disney was trying to do. From the bold experiments with animation to the use of his characters, if you want to get an idea of who Walt Disney was, this is the film to see.

Long before MTV, Disney took various classical compositions and set them to animation. Most famous is the Mickey Mouse starring "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" with Mickey battling runaway mops. But there is something here for everyone. There is "The Nutracker", "The Rite of Spring" and the unforgettable "Night on Bald Mountain".

While some may consider FANTASIA 2000 as just a reworking of the original, Walt Disney's goal was always to have the original film a sort of work in progress. As the years went on, it would be rereleased with new segments added and others taken out. Unfortunately, with the original not being a success at the box office, they had to put it all on hold. The 2000 release kept the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" and added segments like a New York set "Rhapsody In Blue" by Gershwin based on Al Hirschfeld drawings, Beethoven's Fifth, and even "Pomp and Circumstance" with Donald Duck.

Having seen the original film various times over the years, in a theatrical rerelease, on laserdisc and the previous DVD, I put on the Blu-ray without having seen it in a few years.

While the set contains both FANTASIA and FANTASIA 2000 on different discs, on starting up FANTASIA I thought a mistake had been made. The opening, with the musicians warming up, looked like it was shot yesterday. Did they accidentally put FANTASIA 2000 on disc one? No, this was the original.

The film looks better than it ever has. In fact, I think the original looked better than the sequel.

The Blu-ray contains several extras. The most notable is on the disc for FANTASIA 2000.

That disc contains DESTINO. This is a short animated film started as a collaboration between Salvador Dali and Walt Disney in the mid 1940's. The six minute short was abandoned for various reasons and the production art shelved away in the Disney archives where it went unseen until the 1970's. In the 1990's, Roy Disney teamed up with a group of animators, including the still living Disney animator who worked with Dali on the preliminary sketches, to complete the film. It finally premiered in 2002 and was nominated for an Academy Award.

DESTINO is clearly a Dali short. I see little influence of Disney. There is also a full length documentary DALI AND DISNEY: A DATE WITH DESTINO (running 1:22:18) on the lives of Disney and Dali, how they got together, up through the decision to finally complete it. The short and this documentary are worthy of their own release. The fact that they are just an extra on this set makes this even more of a must buy.

Other extras on the set include

DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM (4:05) - A look at the Walt Disney museum in San Francisco.

THE SCHULTHEIS NOTEBOOK (13:51) - A feature on the "Rosetta stone of special effects animation", a notebook kept by an animator containing a step by step outline of how each sequence of FANTASIA was filmed. This was only discovered recently, in the home of its late owner that was willed to a group of nuns.

MUSICANA (9:20) - A featurette on an attempt in the 1970's by a group of Disney animators to continue on the FANTASIA story, with drawings of several sequences.

Both films contain audio commentaries by Disney historians, including those from the previous 2000 DVD version containing audio clips of Walt talking about the films as well as Roy Disney.

For serious Disney fans, this set could be the Blu-ray of the year.

Do not miss it!

FANTASIA and FANTASIA 2000 is available on Walt Disney Home Video

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1974) DVD Review

My three favorite Christmas specials have always been RUDOLPH, A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS and 1974's TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

Of those, TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS may be the least known. While premiering on CBS and shown there regularly in the 70's and 80's, it hasn't appeared on the network in years. It does turn up on cable channels, but its showing isn't an event like it used to be.

It was always an odd sort of cartoon. When I first saw it in the 1970's, I couldn't quite understand what this cartoon about mice and clocks really had to do with the poem it is based on. Yet over the years, I have grown to love it.

Previously available on DVD as an extra with FROSTY'S WINTER WONDERLAND, it is now getting its own release. Warner Home Video is releasing it in a remastered version.

A Rankin / Bass production, the story is about a mouse who writes a letter that he doesn't believe in Santa. Because of this, all of the letters to Santa from Junctionville, the town where the letter writer was from, are returned. Can Christmas be saved? George Gobel voices Father Mouse and Joel Grey is the Father. The film does end with a retelling of the famous Clement Moore poem.

The music by Maury Laws features "Even A Miracle Needs A Hand" and "Christmas Chimes Are Calling", two songs which have stayed with me over the years. In fact, upon receiving the DVD, I have been unable to get "Even A Miracle" out of my head.

The only extra on the DVD is an animated feature on Christmas traditions from around the world.

If you have never seen this special, it may take a few viewings to really appreciate it. But if you are a fan, you will be happy with this release.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is available on Warner Home Video.

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE (2010) Blu-Ray Review

When I first heard that Disney was making a feature film, loosely based on "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of FANTASIA, I didn't have high hopes for it. The cartoon, where Mickey battles a group of runaway brooms, is a classic. How can that short segment be made into a film?

Well, the film THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE does a pretty good job, expanding on it, and paying homage to the segment.

Jay Baruchel (UNDECLARED) stars as Dave, a college student. He ends up being recruited by sorcerer Balthazar (Nicolas Cage) who believes that Dave is his chosen apprentice. The two team to fight off the evil sorcerer Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina).

A Jerry Bruckheimer production, directed by Jon Turteltaub (NATIONAL TREASURE), this is a slickly made film. There are some great FX and nice location work in New York City.

For FANTASIA fans, there is indeed a take on the famous sequence that is entertaining.

Rated PG, this is fairly safe for families. There are some action sequences that might be too intense for the youngest audiences. But for the most part, this should be fine for most kids.

The Blu-Ray contains several extras.

There is a collection of featurettes: MAGIC IN THE CITY (12:53) on the locations, THE SCIENCE OF SORCERY (10:15) & MAKING THE MAGIC REAL (11:46) on the FX, FANTASIA: REINVENTING A CLASSIC (10:13) on remaking the cartoon sequence, THE FASHIONABLE DRAKE STONE (2:09) on the character's fashion, THE GRIMHOLD: AN EVIL WORK OF ART (3:46) about the nesting dolls in the film, THE ENCANTUS (2:23) on the book of spells, WOLVES AND PUPPIES (3:07) features the animal actors, THE WORLD'S COOLEST CAR (1:32) is about the Rolls Royce in the film.

There are five deleted scenes (running 7:47) as well as a collection of outtakes (3:14).

The DVD contains one deleted scene as well as a making of feature (made up of footage from some of the featurettes).

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE should be entertaining for family audiences.


THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE is available on Walt Disney Home Video.

The Dukes: Animated Series From The Warner Archive

THE DUKES OF HAZZARD was such a hit that, in 1983, it became a Hanna Barbera animated series.

Now that the live action series has had its complete run issued on DVD (minus the spin off ENOS), the Warner Archive is now releasing the animated series. The 4 DVD set will feature all 40 episodes.

They are taking pre-orders for it here. If you are one of the first 400 to order, you may get it signed by Roscoe P. Coltraine himself, Mr. James Best!

THE SEARCH FOR SANTA PAWS (2010) Blu-Ray Review

The Buddies films have been very popular with kids, even though many adults may not be aware of their existence due to the films going direct to video. The films are about, to put it simply, talking dogs that help people.

Last year saw the release of SANTA BUDDIES. I thought it was a cute film. After reviewing it, I passed it along to my niece Emily (then aged 6) and nephew Jimmy (3).

The two LOVED the film. They would watch it over and over again. They set up chairs in their basement to make it look like a movie theatre and then invited all of their friends over to see it. It became a favorite.

Now, there is a sequel, THE SEARCH FOR SANTA PAWS. This is sort of the origin story of Santa Paws, Santa's dog.

The story begins with Santa receiving word that Mr. Hucklebuck, a toy store owner in New York City, has passed away. He was responsible for so much of the Christmas spirit in the city that Santa heads to see how the city is doing without him. He brings along Santa Paws, a gift from Hucklebuck.

The toy store has been taken over by Hucklebuck's grandson, James Huckle (John Ducey) who has dropped the buck from his name, since he thought it was silly. He and his wife Kate (Bonnie Somerville of NYPD BLUE) want to sell the store but are told that there is a stipulation in the will that they can't sell until they have a profitable Christmas season. They decide to stick it out.

I won't give too much of the story away. Let's just say it involves magic, and amnesia, and muggings, and singing orphans.

And it all works.

Even for an adult, this is, well, I'm going to use that word again, a very cute film. It is perfect for Christmas.

How is it for kids? Who better to ask than Emily and Jimmy. I had them watch it and write a review.

EMILY (age 7) "This movie was the best. It reminded me of ANNIE. The voices sounded familiar. There was a very crabby orphanage lady. She wasn't nice at all. This movie was even better than ANNIE. I liked the ending the most. That movie was the best."

Jimmy (age 4 - review dictated) "Movie was good. Liked the ending. Puppy almost got in fire - made me sad. Liked magic powers. Didn't like orphanage lady."

Jimmy wondered where Rudolph was, as the reindeer appear but Rudolph isn't with them.

When asked how many stars they would give it out of 4, Jimmy gave it four stars, and Emily gave it six.

So, if they are any indication, kids are going to love this film.

The DVD and Blu-ray contain a few extras. There is a storybook, a sing along track, a music video and some deleted scenes.

If you have a "Buddies" fan in your family, this is a perfect Christmas gift.

THE SEARCH FOR SANTA PAWS is available on Walt Disney Home Video.

MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935) Blu-Ray Review

The Winner of the Best Picture Oscar, 1935's MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY is a genuine classic. All three of its stars were nominated for Best Actor Oscars. And it is widely considered to be the best version of the story on film.

Now, it is on Blu-Ray.

Clark Gable stars as Fletcher Christian, officer of the H.M.S. Bounty. He recruits sailors for a two year journey to Tahiti. Franchot Tone is along to document the Tahitian language.

The Bounty is led by Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton). Bligh runs a very tight ship. He hands out lashings without thinking. Even if the sailor is dead, that doesn't matter. They still need to receive their punishment.

On the return trip, Fletcher Christian has enough and leads a mutiny on the Bounty.

Clark Gable deserved his nomination for this film, as did the always underrated Franchot Tone. But the real star here is Charles Laughton.

The more I see Laughton, the more I realize he may be one of my favorite actors. He is always interesting to watch. Here, as the sadistic Bligh, he deserved to win the Oscar, but lost out to Victor McLaglen for John Ford's THE INFORMER.

The film, as seen today, does have some pacing issues. It slows down in the middle section, which coincidentally is when Laughton is offscreen. But it still is an excellent film.

The Blu-ray transfer is very good. It is not as grainy as many Blu-ray transfers of black and white films from the era.

The film is being released in a Blu-ray book, where the disc is housed in a hardcover book, featuring rare photos from the making of the film.

There are a couple vintage featurettes, one on the island featured in the film and a newsreel on the Oscar win.

MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY is available on Blu-ray from Warner Home Video.

How Well Known Is LOCAL HERO?

Last night on Turner Classic Movies, Michael J. Fox was the guest programmer. He chose as one of his favorite films Bill Forsyth's 1983 film LOCAL HERO. Fox claimed that it was a big inspiration for him to do DOC HOLLYWOOD.

Host Robert Osborne agreed that it was a great film and went on about how little known a film it is.

If you don't recognize the image in the banner at the top of the page, that is from LOCAL HERO. It has long been one of my favorite films. The film is about a Texas oil man (Peter Reigert) sent to Scotland to buy up the coast for an oil refinery. Instead, he falls in love with the town and all of its quirky inhabitants. Burt Lancaster plays the head of the oil company who is more interested in astronomy than the deal.

I hadn't seen it in a while, but tuned in last night. I had intended to just see how the transfer was on the HD version of TCM and then flip over to PARENTHOOD.

Two hours later, I sat through the whole film again.

I've said many times that this is one of my favorite films and this viewing confirmed that. It is easily in my top five of all time. I never grow tired of this film. I could watch it again this afternoon (and there are many great films that I refuse to watch even a second time).

If you haven't seen it, if it is a little known film to you, PLEASE rent it from Netflix.

Sadly, it appears the DVD from Warner Home Video is out of print. Used copies are going for over $30 as I write this. I guess a lot of people saw it last night as the price keeps rising every time I check. I would love to see a Blu-ray release. With the photography of the Scottish coastline and the Mark Knopfler score, this is a gorgeous film.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

The original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA was something of a favorite of mine when it first aired. I never missed it. I had the toys (including the viper that shot the pellets that were later banned for being too dangerous). I had a Starbuck action figure. I had the comics. Just a few weeks ago I was going through some stuff and found an old puzzle as well.

When a new version was announced, I was excited. But then I heard rumblings that the original cast was upset with it. When they mentioned the Cylons were human looking, and that Starbuck was a girl, I lost complete interest.

By the time the critics started raving about it, it was too late to catch up.

I finally finished watching the series on DVD.

My thoughts:

THE GOOD

SMART UPDATING - This is the way to redo a series. It takes enough of the show that it has the same feel, but modernizes it for new audiences.

STARBUCK - This was one of my big problems with the show before I saw it. Starbuck, played so memorably by Dirk Benedict, a girl? I only knew Katee Sackhoff from 24 where I couldn't stand her character so I was worried going in. Turns out, she is almost as cool as Benedict. A great character.

THE REST OF THE CAST - With one exception, this is a superbly cast show. Edward James Olmos makes it all look so easy, you forget just how good he is. I also liked seeing the original Apollos, Richard Hatch, back in a recurring role.  As he states in an extra on the set, he appeared in as many episodes of this series as there were in the original. 

THE BAD

GAIUS BALTAR - As much as I liked the show, the film grinds to a halt every time that Baltar is the focus. Early seasons had him as a bumbling Hugh Grant like character, which breaks from the tone of the rest of the show. One of the more annoying characters. That said, in the final season, the humor is gone and he plays it straight, becoming one of the more interesting characters.

THE THEME SONG - Minor point, the original series had one of my favorite TV themes (that is heard a couple times in the series) of all time.  I'd rank it up there with the theme for STAR WARS. The new one has nothing of the sort.

OVERLY COMPLEX MYTHOLOGY - I'll be honest, when they started going on and on about Cylon mythology and the religious discussions, I zoned out.

TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS - There were several episodes that could have been made irrelevant if the ship had security cameras.

BSG was at its best in the episodes, especially in the first season, set on the Galactica. Fighting Cylons, the space battles, that worked. When they were on land, it lost me. In the third season especially, I found myself going for a week between episodes. In other seasons, I was going through a 4 episode disc a day.

While I can't share the sentiment that this was one of the best series ever on TV, as some suggest (especially when compared to something like THE WIRE which I reviewed here), it was, for the most part, a fun show.

NOTE:  When finished, I rented CAPRICA, the prequel.  I watched the first disc and sent the rest back to Netflix without watching.  Can't say I got into it.  

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA is available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

OCEAN'S 11 (1960) Blu-Ray Review

Time has been very kind to 1960’s OCEAN’S 11. Now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, it has been remade by George Clooney and is still seen as something of a classic caper film.

That is even though it may not be the greatest of films.

But with the cast, do you even mind?

Frank Sinatra plays Danny Ocean. He and a group of army buddies (including Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop and Norman Fell) decide to pull the ultimate heist. Right after midnight on New Year’s Eve, they will rob five Las Vegas casinos.

Having seen the film several times over the years, I always feel the same way. It takes a while to get going. The gang isn’t even together until the hour mark.

Yet, to see Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr together, it makes it worth staying with. There is a lot of great music, with the Nelson Riddle score, and Martin and Davis performing a couple numbers.

Now on Blu-Ray, the film looks great. Although sometimes a bit too good. Frank Sinatra’s fuzzy orange sweater in an early scene looks like a bit of a fashion mistake today. And the picture is so clear you can notice some of the problems with the overdubbing of the dialogue.

WHAT IS ON THE BLU-RAY?

All of the extras are taken from the 2001 DVD release.

There is a commentary with Angie Dickinson and Frank Sinatra Jr.

There is a excerpt (3:45) from THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNY CARSON with Frank Sinatra hosting sometime in the 1970’s and interviewing guest Angie Dickinson. The two discuss the film and especially the ending.

TROPICANA MUSEUM (1:39) - A look at a museum on the Strip.

LAS VEGAS THEN AND NOW - An interactive map of the locations in the film with video of each then and now.

There are also two trailers and an Easter Egg.

OCEANS 11 is available on Warner Home Video.

Jill Clayburgh (1944-2010)

Yesterday in the New York Times, there was an item that actress Lily Rabe was going to have to step out of the Broadway production of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE with Al Pacino due to a family emergency. At the time I remembered that she was the daughter of Jill Clayburgh and writer David Rabe.

A few hours later, I heard on the radio that Jill Clayburgh had passed away.

This was very sad news.

Earlier this year, I saw IT'S MY TURN and as usual whenever I see Jill Clayburgh in something, I remembered just what a wonderful actress she was. I immediately added several of her films to my Netflix queue to watch again.

If you look at the period from 1977 to 1982, she was one of the most popular actresses of the era. SILVER STREAK, SEMI TOUGH, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN, STARTING OVER, and I'M DANCING AS FAST AS I CAN are still popular. I recently watched FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER again and she and Walter Matthau are wonderful together.



As the 80's began, her career slowed down. This was most likely to her becoming a mom, with her daughter Lily Rabe being born in 1982. She would continue to act, but the era of the strong female character was over and so were the best roles. She went back to the stage, where she began, and did a lot of TV, including ALLY MCBEAL and most recently DIRTY SEXY MONEY.

She had been fighting leukemia for the past 21 years.

She left behind some fine films and will be greatly missed.