Last Days on Earth (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Most people would think of this as depressing..but I found it very interesting. It reminds me that whatever little problems I have going on in my life..it could be worse and they're just not that important in the long run. The interviews were very interesting and the information was well thought out. I loved the CG graphics and explanations and overall just really enjoyed watching this.

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How smart are we as a civilization? Smart enough to control our own destiny and avoid the cataclysms that could end life as we know it? Using state-of-the-art computer-generated graphics and interviews with the world’s top scientists, Last Days on Earth takes viewers inside seven of the deadliest threats to humanity. Some have the power to render us extinct, others can destroy the planet; all could entail the end of our civilization. How likely are they to occur, what exactly would happen if they did, and could we survive?Last Days on Earth goes beyond science fiction to science fact, as it takes viewers on a roller-coaster ride through black holes, intelligent robots, asteroid strikes and deadly plagues. Viewers will journey from the outer reaches of the universe to the inner world of DNA.

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The Time Machine (1960) Review

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(More customer reviews)This review refers to the Warner Bros. DVD edition of "The Time Machine"(1960)......
I am so impressed with how this 43 year old classic Sci-Fi film looks and sounds on the DVD, that I am going to start with that this time. I wasn't expecting it to look as great as it did because the editorial review here gives it 3 out of 5 stars on both the picture and the sound. If you are a big fan of this film, or thinking of buying it as a gift for someone who is, you will not be disappointed with this transfer. The picture is presented in the original widescreen format,so you won't miss a bit of the action. To watch it you would think you went back in the time machine to 1960 and were viewing it for the first time. It is clear and sharp with vibrant color.The soundtrack is remastered in Dolby Dig 5.1 and is a welcome enhancement.The DVD also includes a terrific Behind The Scenes documentary called "Time Machine...The Journey Back". The film's star Rod Taylor hosts and fans will love this informative feature. You'll get a good look at how the actual machine was made and the journey that it has taken in the last 40 years as well as other interesting tid bits. This feature has it's own scene selections to choose from or you can just watch it straight through. The film may be viewed in French and has subtitles in English and French.(my only teeny complaint would be that the black bar area is not used for these subtitles, they are at the bottom of the film).
The story based on the novel by H.G. Wells is as captivating today as it ever was. You know the tale.....
George(Rod Taylor)has all the time in the world. He tells his friends an incredible story of his adventures traveling through the ages in a time machine that he has built. As his story begins, he starts out slowly traveling through the 20th century. He doesn't like what he sees. War and destruction seem to be the fate of civilaztion.He pushes foward, quickly, and the years fly by. Finally stopping in the year 802701,he comes across what seems to be a paradise on earth. Clean air,fruit growing in abundance, and a society of young beautiful people, the Eloi, who don't seem to have a care in the world. But even in this Utopian like civilazation there's trouble amiss.The Morlocks are running things from underground and they are just as scary today as they ever were.So it's up to our guy George to save this future civilazation from the evil Morlocks,and try to get back home to the year 1900 for an 8pm dinner appointment..whew,what a great story!
Directed brillantly by George Pal("7 Faces of Dr. Lao"/"Atlantis the Lost Continent"), the film also boasts the great talents of Alan Young, Sebastian Cabot, and the lovely Yvette Mimieux, as "Weena", who adds a little romantic interest to the story. The film was awarded a well deserved Oscar for it's special effects(also discussed in the featurette) for Gene Warren and Tim Barr.The movie is rated G, although the scenes with the Morlocks might be a little scary for very young children.
A great story, fabulous film and an outstanding DVD. So go back in time, with your old friend "The Time Machine"..enjoy...Laurie

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A time travel inventor travels to the future where the passive Eloi are in danger of becoming prey to subterranean mutants called Morlocks.Genre: Feature Film-DramaRating: GRelease Date: 13-MAR-2001Media Type: DVD

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Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks (Story 134) (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Resurrection of the Daleks" is the first of the stories available on DVD that I saw as a fan. I was only eleven years old and had only been watching the show (aired nightly on PBS) for a month. It made a huge impact on me and led, indirectly, to my sitting here on a perfectly pleasant September evening 19 years later, writing this review.
A lot of "Resurrection" is still effective today. I saw this story first the year that it debuted -- 1984 -- and, of course, a lot of the acting and special effects seem woefully dated today. What I like is the air of actual *menace* around these Daleks, as opposed to a string of predictable, less-than-memorable 1970s outings. These Daleks actually instill horror in their victims. They shoot on sight and play fast and loose with biological weapons. "Resurrection" is a violent, gruesome story whose impact is only slightly dulled by the two dozen badly-acted death scenes of random extras. One of the extras, referred to on the commentary track only as "the Geek", looks a lot like David Letterman. For what it's worth.
The DVD extras make this package the better of the two "DW" stories released in the US this summer. The obligatory text commentary, full of location filming dates and guest actor credits, also describes in detail the evolution of the story's script over the three years it took to get to screen. We learn how actor Terry Molloy (the third and final "Davros") spent hours practicing the voice, to make the character sound like Michael Wisher, the original (and best) Davros. Molloy truly is excellent playing a ranting wheelchair-bound villain in a latex mask (which, we learn, caused "lakes of sweat" to pool inside the oversized rubber chin), and would go on to play the role right up through the end of "Doctor Who" as a series.
The audio track is also a winner. Peter Davison (the Doctor) is back for his third DVD and is, as always, hilarious. Janet Fielding (Tegan, who makes her emotional departure at the end of "Resurrection") puts in her first DVD performance. She's done her homework, giving a lot of convincing detail, and still finds time to count the many furtive glances that co-star Mark Strickson (Turlough) shot to the camera as he strived to get more face time. Story director Matthew Robinson seems to remember the setup for every camera angle and every shot in the story, and lets us know it. Still, it's the level of detail and humor that puts this in the "above average" range of DW audio commentaries, after a rather dull recent run by actors and directors with distressingly porous memories.
Another good extra is the lengthy "on location" segment, which returns to the narrow, dank Thames waterfront alleys where the story was filmed. It's all gone upscale now. Robinson re-enacts old scenes by lurking in alcoves that have since become pastry shop windows. Also interspersed here is an interview with producer John Nathan-Turner, evidently the last interview he gave before his death last year. Also in the "deleted scenes" is the alternative cliffhanger to Part Two... which was actually the cliffhanger used when I first saw this story in the US in 1984. I like this "alternate" version better than the "official" one, as it ends a couple of menacing beats later.
The ultimate goal, I think, is to get as much of Davison's Season 21 output on DVD as possible. We have two of his six stories out now, and that's just not enough.

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Trapped in a time corridor, the TARDIS veers off course, emerging in London's deserted docklands. In the far future, a prison ship in deep space comes under attack. These two remote events are linked by one terrible purpose. Davros, the ruthless creator of the Daleks, has been liberated after 90 years of imprisonment to assist in the resurrection of his Dalek army. He's their best hope for finding the antidote to the deadly anti-Dalek virus devised by their longtime robotic rivals, the Movellans. Davros sets about his appointed task with a secret agenda of his own - one that may force the Doctor to descend to Davros's level of evil. DVD Features:Audio Commentary:Actors Peter Davison and Janet Fielding and director Matthew RobinsonDeleted ScenesFeaturette:On Location; archive featurettesOther:5.1 Sound MixProduction Notes

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Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth (Story 10) (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)There are those who consider Doctor Who to be at its very best when the errant Time Lord is visiting Earth and dealing with alien threats that are Earthbound. Doctor #3 himself, the late Jon Pertwee, often stated this story genre to be his favorite, and judging by the number of Earthbound stories from the show's lengthy history, many agreed. The latest two releases on DVD from the BBC archives are united in their "Earth invasion" theme, but both have taken an interesting and indeed unique slant on the alien invasion of London twist.
The "Dalek invasion of Earth" was the last adventure made in the first season production block, way back in 1964, albeit held over and broadcast as the second story in season two. The adventure is significant for many reasons, mainly because it featured the departure of one of the original Tardis crew, and also because it was the first "sequel" to feature in the show, featuring the return of the enormously popular Daleks, created by Terry Nation. Set almost 200 years in the future, the adventure mainly takes place in central London, allowing for much location filming around familiar sights, which adds to the realism of the story. It was the first real use of extensive location filming in the show's history and was well worth the effort to take the show out of the studio and bring a more epic quality to the production. The closing sequence featuring the Doctor (as played by William Hartnell) bidding farewell to his granddaughter Susan, played by Carole Ann Ford, may also be one of the entire series most poignant scenes.
All six of the original black and white episodes have been painstakingly restored to almost their original broadcast quality, with many enhancements to some of the laughable special effects added as an option. Potentially, it's the other bonus material that may prove the most interesting to fans and casual viewers alike. The commentary from the surviving cast (Carole Ann Ford and William Russell) together with the producer and director is first class. The on-screen captions also go a long way to fleshing out the background to the production. Almost the entire guest cast appear in newly shot interviews airing their reminiscences, plus there are all sorts of behind the scenes programme's, trailers and other goodies gathered onto a 2nd disc.
The same is true of the companion release, "The Talons of Weng-Chiang." Made twelve years later, in glorious colour, this six part series took another twist on the Earth invader theme by taking the Doctor, this time played by Tom Baker, and his companion Leela back into Victorian London to deal with a sinister alien menace. For many, this story is often regarded as one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) story of the Doctor Who canon. And I'm not going to disagree. The production values alone would be enough to set it apart, but the wonderful script, incredible design and superlative acting by the entire cast adds a special magic to the show that few other Who adventures have ever matched. Like the earlier Dalek story, it also marks the end of an era, since this was the last adventure produced by Philip Hinchcliffe. Quite honestly - the show was never the same again!
Again, there are all sorts of goodies available on a 2nd disc to accompany the restored six-part adventure. A documentary on the history of Doctor Who televised at the conclusion of the serial is just one bonus worth having; the commentary from the cast and crew is another. It's great to hear Louise Jameson (Leela) making her DVD debut, and it's a real shame Tom Baker himself did not take part.
Both stories are excellent additions to the growing Doctor Who library, clearly demonstrating the changing production values and story making not only of this particular show, but also British TV drama in general. I'd highly recommend them and look forward to the next two releases in 2004.

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DOCTOR WHO:DALEK INVASION OF EARTH - DVD Movie

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Sliders - Third Season (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)First this is an honest to goodness review of the boxed set. There's no speculation here as to what's in the set. The first two seasons of "Sliders" found the series looking for its "slider legs" so to speak. By the second short season the series had found its niche and a solid direction for the series. Both seasons had their fair share of strong episodes. The third season was the first full one with 25 episodes produced. While there were about as many quality episodes here as seasons 1 & 2, we get a number of the series best episodes here including one where Dr. Arturo leaves the group permanently in a moving episode. Regardless, season three had a number of strong episodes ("Rules of the Game", "Number 1 Fan", "The Exodus" Parts 1 & 2 and "The Guardian" are a few highlights). I'm not going to go over the plots of the episodes (there's too many to do justice to the series)but you can find synposis of each at the tv.com website.
Image and sound quality are exceptionally good. The series looks great with vivid, bold colors and features nice use of the Dolby Digital Surround format (evidently Universal must be thinking of the other "Sliders" produced on an alternate Earth as they list the soundtrack as being in mono in a number of places). Extras are light for season three with only a gag reel (provided by one of the fan sites). There was more material that another fan site had and would have offered Universal for free if they had been contacted in time (at least according to Gord Lacey at tvondvd). I'm hoping he's right as, perhaps, we could see this material on the mixed fourth season boxed set.
We do get as a bonus episodes of "Earth 2" and "Cleopatra 2525" ("The Man Who Fell to Earth", no it isn't related to Nichoas Roeg's movie, and "Quest for Fire Power" respectively)which is designed to get "Sliders" fans to purchase those series as well. While "Earth 2" had its moments, "Cleopatra 2525" never appealed to me all that much.
The packaging has improved with a digipak plastic container holding the discs. They no longer appear to "hover" in their container like the first season set (the design of which many fans disliked)but the digipak plastic container has its own challenges. Personally, I'm going to be putting mine into four slim line cases as these discs are dual sided and, as I experienced with "The Outer Limits", suffer damage so much easier than single sided dual layered discs.
Overall, season three had a good run of great episodes. While the quantity of episodes was up the quality didn't increase with more episodes so there's about the same ratio of good to so-so episodes here. At least this set is more reasonably priced and that's good news.

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Mastermind Quinn Mallory (Jerry O'Connell) returns for more fantastical adventures as he continues traveling from universe to universe in the complete Third Season of Sliders. Along with comrade Wade (Sabrina Lloyd), physics professor Arturo (John Rhys-Davies), and Rembrandt "Crying Man" Brown (Cleavant Derricks), Quinn explores new and mysterious Earths and along the way encounters tornadoes, droughts, wizards, warlocks and even his own younger self. Featuring TV's hottest guest stars, including Apollonia Kotero, Corey Feldman and Danny Masterson, Sliders will rock your world. All 25 thrilling episodes of season three are here in this 4-disc set and available for the first time on DVD! Sliders: The Third Season. Will they ever make it home?

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Doctor Who: The Time Meddler (The William Hartnell Years, 1963-66) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Season Two.
Another amusing gem from the prolific Dennis Spooner. This is regarded as the first of the pseudo-historicals, and is one of my favourite season two stories.
I can never feel anything but sorrow for the Monk at the end of this story as he's left stranded. I know he was a rogue, as witnessed by his Tardis full of stolen art treasures, but he did help the ancient Britons build Stonehenge with the aid of his anti-gravitational lift, after all.
"Carry on" film star Peter Butterworth plays the part of the monk with amusing relish. I would have loved to have seen him as a regular recurring.....I hesitate to use the word villain, so I'll say character instead.
And by being "shades of grey" in temperament, as opposed to the "black and white" pantomine personality of another Time Lord renegade from the seventies and eighties, makes the Monk a far more interesting and entertaining character in the process.
Here's an example, when the Doctor asks him why he behaves the way he does, the Monk replies with glee,
"Doctor it's more fun my way...". No heavy intellectual reasoning, just, it's more fun. That made a refreshing change from the pretentious reasons of some other sci-fi shows. This story was the first for the series to undergo a format change, as the Doctor takes a more pro-active role, and the actions of the companions had a lesser impact on the outcome of the stories.
As for The Monk, he is the kind of character that would go back in time just for fun, and etch some contemporary comment on some ancient artifact just to give future archaeologists headaches.
Not an evil character as such, just extremely naughty.
Although there's no worlds to save, (just a particular time-line) and no companions die this is still an enjoyable slice of early Who.
From the season with the highest overall ratings ever.
~~~~
DVD extras.
Commentary:~ Verity Lambert, Peter Purves, Donald Tosh, Barry Newbury.
Verity Lambert Obituary.
Photo Gallery Subtitle Production Notes.
English subtitles.
pdf files of Radio Times billings.
"The Lost Twelve Seconds" - 12 lost seconds recreated using off-air audio recording and the script.
Stripped for action - a look at the first Doctor's comic strip adventures.
Restoration featurette.
Coming soon trailer.
Originally aired:~3 july - 24 july 1965.
~~~~
Trivia:~ In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode; "The Neutral Zone", as Dianna Troi helps a woman from the past search for living family members the computer screen flashes up a family tree with the names William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker.
Maybe some Trek writers were closet Whovians?

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The TARDIS seems emptier without Barbara and Ian - at least until the Doctor and Vicki discover that the astronaut Steven stowed away before they left Mechanus. Steven's skepticism toward time travel pushes the Doctor to confront him with living proof. Shortly after landing on a beach in England, they discover a Viking helmet, but Steve remains unconvinced. Instructing Steve and Vicki to wait with the TARDIS, the Doctor seeks further proof. Heedless of the Doctor's warning, Steven persuades Vicki to explore the cliffs above the beach, where they find an abandoned wristwatch. Meanwhile, the Doctor investigates a ruined monastery, where he encounters an electric toaster, a gramophone playing ecclesiastic chants, and a monk who traps him in an alcove. Eventually, the Doctor realizes that the famous Battle of Hastings is only a few weeks away. That should provide ample proof for Steven, but who is this mysterious monk, and what is his interest in the events of 1066?

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Doctor Who: Mark of the Rani (Story 140) (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)England, 1826--the toil and drudgery of the coal miners is emphasized with the opening elegiac music. Jack Ward and his companions go to the bath house to wash, but suddenly, gas seeps through the walls, sending them to unconsciousness. They reemerge alive, but with red circles under their ears, and acting violently. They kick a food stand, knocking down its contents and a young boy.
The Doctor and Peri are en route to Kew Gardens, but the TARDIS is pulled of course to 1826. There, they try to find the source of the time disturbance and trace it to the Rani, who like the Master is a renegade Time Lord and an old classmate.
This is a semi-historical story, as they meet George Stephenson, the engineer whose Blucher locomotive hauled coal from Killingworth colliery. The Doctor tells Peri: "How would you like to meet a genius?" She says, "I thought I already had."
The Rani, who has been taking the brain fluid enabling men to sleep throughout history, treats humans as "walking heaps of chemicals." "There's no place for the soul in her scheme of things." Result: the men become restless and violent. When the Doctor argues that humans haven't done any harm to her, she counters with: "They're carnivores. What harm have the animals in the fields done them, the rabbits they snare?... Do they worry about the lesser species when they sink their teeth into a lamb chop?" Point to the Rani there. She's so callous, the Doctor angrily tells her "They should never have exiled you. They should have locked you in a padded cell!"
The Master is also here. Not only has he improved his compressor so that its victim totally vanishes, he wants to use the Rani's skills to continue his feud with the Doctor. The Rani has nothing but contempt for the Master and even mocks the rivalry between them: "It obsesses you to the exclusion of all else.", "You're unbalanced--no wonder why the Doctor always outwits you." She even says of his schemes: "It'd be something devious and overcomplicated. He's be dizzy if he tried to walk in a straight line." Indeed, the Master is a bumbler here compared to the clever and efficient Rani. I wouldn't want to tangle with the Rani.
The interior of the Rani's TARDIS alone is worth watching this episode, as is a feature of it revisited at the end of The Two Doctors. Let's see, goofs and other things: The cliffhanger to Part 1 is effective, there's a small added scene when the cliffhanger is repeated in Part 2, which elicits a "Oh, come on!" Peri has a nice apricot dress, but as for that yellow top... urgh! And the Luddite riots ended in 1816, a decade earlier.
Kate O'Mara makes the Rani more formidable than the Master and easily carries this story. Other honors go to Gawn Grainger as Stephenson and as Terence Alexander as Lord Ravensworth, head of Killingworth. One of the Sixth Doctor's best stories, with the harsh 1820's replicated remarkably well.

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The Doctor, the Master and another renegade Time Lord converge in 19th century England at the height of the Luddite rebellion.

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Doctor Who - The Complete First Season, Vol. 3 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)It is worth noting that the two-part episode included on this disk, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, set in London during the Blitz, won the 2006 Hugo for best science fiction Dramatic Presentation Short Form -- and have the kind of dramatic quality that will hold up long after most contemporary science fiction will seem cheesy and dated. The courage and decency of characters that you really come to care about,the originality, in video anyway, of the ideas,and the superb dialogue and acting make this well worth watching.

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Christopher Eccleston's Doctor is wise and funny, cheeky and brave. An alien and a loner, his detached logic gives him a vital edge when the world's in danger. But when it comes to human relationships, he can be found wanting. That's why he needs Rose. From the moment they meet, the Doctor and Rose understand and complement each other. As they travel together through time, encountering new adversaries, the Doctor shows her things beyond imagination. Includes The Long Game, Father's Day, The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances.

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By Dawn's Early Light Review

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(More customer reviews)Teen actor, Chris Olivero, and Hollywood legend, Richard Crenna, deliver outstanding and believable performances in this coming of age movie about a bratty, California kid, Mike Lewis (Olivero), who is shipped off to visit his grandfather, Ben Maxwell (Crenna), in Colorado. While there, the argumentative and often smart-aleck Lewis, stirs up enough trouble for the town and his kindhearted grandfather. After several confrontations, the disrespectful grandson decides he wants to return to his spoiled lifestyle in Los Angeles. His grandfather agrees, but decides the two will travel to California by way of horseback. A disgruntled Lewis, tries his hardest to come up with every excuse to avoid the trek to the Pacific coast, but finds himself on the losing end of the battle. Shortly after their journey begins, they meet up with a group of Ben Maxwell's longtime friends, who together, take Maxwell's grandson on the journey of a lifetime by exposing him to down-to-earth western values and hard-working morals. After many trials along the trail, lessons are learned and Lewis and his grandfather discover something about each other they never expected. The film is laced with thought-provoking topics, incredible chemistry, outstanding performances, and certainly the greater values in life that founded our nation. Just short of Oscar caliber for Crenna, this film is highly recommended for all! A great film with good, clean humor, and patriotic family values!

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A grandfather (Richard Crenna) has his hands full when his Los Angeles-based angry teenage grandson is, against the boy's wishes, sent to stay with him on his Colorado Ranch. The boy's insistence on being defiant leads to his desecration of the American flag, to the public humiliation of his grandfather - which prompts the patriarch to grant the boy his wish - to be returned to Los Angeles. The catch is they will travel together from Colorado to L.A. -- on horseback like old-time cowboys! The result is a bittersweet journey in life lessons set against a beautiful, rustic backdrop of country.

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Quantum Leap - The Complete Third Season (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Quantum Leap" hit its stride during the third season. The show had dramatic episodes just as powerful as season three but this was the most consistent season for this classic TV series. During the third season Sam leaps into a KISS type rock star (complete with dramatic make up and with Scott Bakula doing his own singing!); into himself at 16 where he must change an event in his own past; Sam also leaps into a Navy Seal in Vietnam serving under his older brother where Sam faces a unique dilemma. Is Sam there to save the life of his older brother (who is fated to die the next day), insure the success of the mission or for some other mysterious reason? The series at its best managed to convey the best elements of drama: Sam never knows why he's there and what he has to correct which leads to many emotionally powerful and genuine feeling moments during the third season. What brought the best episodes home were the performances by the series two mainstay performers the marvelous Scott Bakula ("Enterprise") and acerbic Dean Stockwell as Al who appears only as a hologram and must guide Sam with information from the future.
If Sam Beckett had been able to truly leap back through time during his life time he would have been able to foresee the licensing agreement issues that prevent his TV series from having the original music in it and prevented it from being replaced. Some of the original music survives but it depends on how instrumental it was to the episode. By the way, Bakula's nice performance of "Imagine" is intact for "The Leap Home Part I".
Aside from an occasionally grainy or soft episode, "Quantum Leap" looks exceptional here. While there are still analog flaws in the form of occasional dirt and irregularities in the prints used, the colors are bright, image quality sharp and vivid (with the exception of those episodes using stock footage). The 2.0 stereo soundtrack also sounds quite crisp and vivid. Dialogue is, for the most part, very clear and the music comes across with nice presence.
I was hoping that Sam would figure out how to hide some extras from the past for Universal to find when transferring this to DVD. We get an episode guide on disc three that lists which episodes are on which discs (which might be an extra if it served any useful purpose such as having trivia about each episode). We get an onscreen synopsis for each episode before playing the episode and a synopsis on the back of each slimline DVD holder. The big difference here is the redesigned packaging. Gone are the accordion holders which threatened to scratch the dual layered, dual sided discs for each season. Instead, we get individual slimline holders for each disc along with a synopsis on the back of the holder giving a brief description of each episode (much like the DVD version included as well). Missing, however, are some of the promo photos that adorned the accordion style holders. I miss them. It's a pity that Universal chose not to adorn the inside of the paper sleeves in each slim line holder with photos for the inside. It does appear that these are the uncut original episodes as they aired on NBC.
This is an area where Universal continues to lag behind just about every studio. Would it have hurt Universal to provide commentary by Scott Bakula (particularly since he recently filmed a cameo for the new "Quantum Leap" TV show), Dean Stockwell (he appears in the new show as a regular) or even creator Bellisario? "The Leap Home" parts 1 and 2 would have been a perfect set for commentary tracks.
"Quantum Leap" continues to look nice in its DVD transfer but it seems that Universal is rushing out "product" which really does a disservice to the fans. This particularly set was designed to coincide with the release of "Enterprise" on DVD and the last two episodes of "Enterprise" airing on UPN. Synergy can be everything but it can also add up to nothing particularly when "product" is rushed out to meet a predestined release date or tie in. Universal, please do it right for the last two sets of the series. This fine series and its fans deserve better.

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Item Name: Quantum Leap - The Complete Third Season; Studio:Universal Studios

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Ghost Boat (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first read the book back in the 70's and thought it would make a great movie. I had thrown the book away and then was able to find it again, even though it was out of print, and read it again in 2002. This movie pretty much follows the book and in some ways goes beyond the book. This movie was done as a mini-series but it was put together great.

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Jack Hardy (David Jason, A Touch of Frost) is the sole survivor of a mysterious submarine disaster in World War II. Now, in 1981, the ill-fated submarine has resurfaced, miraculously intact, but what s waiting for the new crew under the grey waters of the Baltic Sea turns out to be much worse than the Russian submarines they were expecting. Hardy fights for his life as the forgotten events of 1943 start to have deadly consequences for the modern day crew of the submarine. Wherever this submarine has been all this time, it s brought some bad luck back with it.

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Restless Spirits (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very pleasantly surprised by this film.I was expecting the usual insulting kiddie fair but instead got a well-made, subtle and heart-felt ghost story.The cast in this is very good,with the excellant Marsha Mason turning in another fine performance,and the actors playing the spectral pilots are witty and convincing.Also Juliana Wimbles is a real find.The beautiful young actress finds the fiesty spirit and wounded heart of the girl who discovers the spirits of two missing pilots,and the relationship she develops with them,and how they eventually help each other find what they have always been searching for is surprisingly moving,but not in a bombastic way.This is a very small film,and could easily fall through the cracks,but give it a chance.I think this,along with "Fly Away Home" is a rare example of films that are ideal for kids,but can also be enjoyed by intelligent adults.

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RESTLESS SPIRITS - DVD Movie

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FlashForward: The Complete Series Review

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(More customer reviews)So, one reads all the time about authors who have had their work adapted by Hollywood complaining about what a lousy job was done. Well, as the author of the novel Flashforward upon which this TV series is based, let me say that this is NOT one of those cases. Yes, they changed things, but I was consulted by Executive Producer David S. Goyer and Brannon Braga about the changes even before they had secured rights to my book, I served as consultant on every episode (and wrote the 19th episode, "Course Correction"), and I loved the series. The cast was phenomenal, the scripts were mostly excellent, and the whole thing looked fabulous. So many good episodes, but I suppose my favorites are "No More Good Days," "Scary Monsters and Super Creeps," "The Gift," and "The Garden of Forking Paths." Oh, and we got to pull off a television first: after years of Toronto masquerading as Los Angeles, L.A. got to stand in for T.O. in the episode "Revelation Zero." How cool is that?

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Hold onto your seat as you experience a show like no other. "The ride you are about to take will be worth every minute," raves Newsday.Out of nowhere, a mysterious flash causes nearly everyone in the world to lose consciousness and gain a glimpse of his or her life six months into the future. As one elite FBI unit attempts to solve the mystery, the rest of the world\'s population soon discovers that, when it comes to destiny, nothing is set in stone. Uncover the answers and delve even deeper into the mind-bending story with riveting bonus features, including a behind-the-scenes look at the phenomenal freeway disaster scene and inside stories about the series from the cast and crew. Relive every brilliant twist of the groundbreaking show\'s complete series – uninterrupted – in this 5-disc collection. It\'s a must-have for any FlashForward fan!

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Doctor Who: Revelation of the Daleks (Story 143) (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Doctor and Peri arrive on Necros, the 'planet of the dead', where there is a whole complex filled with people in suspended animation whilst the Great Healer works on cures for whatever diseases they are suffering from.
But before long the 'Great Healer' is revealed to be none other than Davros, sinister genetic engineer and creator of the Daleks. Having been abandoned by the original Daleks, he is engineering replacements.
This is not only the best Colin Baker story, but also one of the finest Dalek adventures ever made. There is a very grown-up feel about it with genuine suspence, sexual undercurrents and horror which is suggestive rather than tasteless. The whole thing is filled with strong characters such as bounty hunters (a space-age knight and his squire), a superbly cold-hearted female villain and a futuristically-weird DJ. Davros and the Daleks (with impressive new white casings) are at their dramatic best and the music and scenery are first-rate. Watch for one partically memorable scene involving a glass Dalek.
Highly recommended. Even if you dislike Colin Baker (though personally I think he was an under-rated Doctor who should have been given more time in the series), this adventure is still unmissable.

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The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Peri to the planet Necros, where the Doctor plans to visit his old friend Professor Arthur Stengos. But after an encounter with the Great Healer, Stengos is not quite the man the Doctor once knew. The Great Healer works in the catacombs beneath Tranquil Repose, the galactically-famous final resting place for the dead and the not-quite-yet-dead. In the upper chambers the busy workers prepare the deceased for their final burial, while deep below the Great Healer is using their bodies for a sinister project of his own. For the Great Healer is also known by another name - Davros, creator of the Daleks, who's using the bodies to build himself a brand new Dalek army. The Doctor attempts to stop Davros while Stengos' daughter searches for her missing father and the local DJ uses rock 'n' roll music as a defense against the Daleks. Many are searching for Davros, but the evil scientist has a plan that will eradicate all opposition and enable him to lead his Daleks on a new mission of universal conquest... This stylish adventure with its uniquely dark humor was first broadcast 23-30 March 1985.

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Black Adder V - Back and Forth Review

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(More customer reviews)Don't be teased: BACK AND FORTH isn't a fifth series of BLACK ADDER. It might be CALLED "BLACK ADDER V", but it's no such animal. It's a special, one-off film, much in the tradition of BLACK ADDER'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Like that predecessor, it takes the basic BLACK ADDER elements and uses them to its own purposes.
If this were truly the fifth series of BLACK ADDER, we'd expect to see the familiar cast of characters put in a single time period for a few episodes of mirth in the context of that time. Instead, perhaps inspired by Rowan Atkinson's own trip in the TARDIS, this is BLACK ADDER meets DOCTOR WHO.
The comedy, here, comes from sending Blackadder and Baldrick on a search for historical artifacts in a faulty time machine. As might be expected, they can't quite work the controls, so they go through the titular "back and forth" movements through time, meeting up with familiar faces from the series' (and Britain's) past.
It's great fun--much, much better than A CHRISTMAS CAROL at making multiple time zones work. Heeding the rampant criticism of A CHRISTMAS CAROL's "future" scene, writers Curtis and Elton have Blackadder only barely venturing into the future, here. Happily, they place Blackadder firmly in the past, with a wider range of actual historical (or at least legendary) figures than ever before. Blackadder's sharp criticism of historical greats like Shakespeare, Wellington, and Robin Hood will leave you laughing. But the best part is perhaps the ending, which holds unique satisfaction for long-time BLACK ADDER fans
Still, it's not a five-star effort. Just as in BLACK ADDER'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, the need to visit all these time zones means that the characters along the way don't get the attention they deserve. Writers Curtis and Elton are guilty here of taking the easy historical joke from each time period and then running like hell. It's not a HUGE sin, because the jokes are very, very good--but there's nevertheless a sense that Curtis and Elton would've done better by simply choosing one epoch and staying there.
Also, I think that while this filmed production has higher production values than its siblings, it's not necessarily the better for it. In particular, I would've traded all the sumptuous location shots for a studio audience. As a television series, BLACK ADDER had a very syncopated, rhythmic prose; as a film, it's missing the punctuation of a studio audience's laughter. It's not just that it's minimally less enjoyable to watch without the laughter, it also affects the actors somewhat. In some scenes, the actors just slightly lack the timing and the energy they've had on other BLACK ADDER projects.
Laying these two objections to one side, however, you really should get this film. While I think some of its humor is vastly improved by having seen the television series--and even better enhanced by knowing some British history ---converts to the cult of The Black Adder could certainly do worse than to start here.

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The Blackadder cast returns after a 10 year absence for this special.The new 21st century Lord Blackadder and his scabby, but loyal, servant Baldrick wreak havoc as they tumble through the past in a time machine, with disastrous consequences.

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Return to the Planet of the Apes - The Complete Animated Series (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)The short-lived 13 episode animated Saturday morning cartoon revisited the Planet of the Apes but was a departure from the primitive landscape of the successful film franchise and live-action television series. Without the constraints of expensive live-action production, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, which animated the classic Pink Panther cartoons, had the freedom to illustrate the lavish technologically advanced simian world as conceptualized by Pierre Boulle in his original novel La Planète des Singes. On this planet, Ape City has all of the modern luxuries and conveniences of 20th century human civilization as astronauts Jeff Allen, Bill Hudson and Judy Franklin discover when they travel to the year 3979 and encounter an upside-down world ruled by a sophisticated society of talking apes and humans have lost the power of speech and live in exile in caverns. They meet familiar characters Nova, Cornelius, Zira, Doctor Zaius and General Urko (provided by the recognizeable cartoon voice of Fred Flintstone) and references are made to astronauts Taylor and Brent from the films. Beyond the boundaries of Ape City exists the hostile desert no-man's (or ape's) land of the Forbidden Zone and a monastic order of telepathic humans known as the Underdwellers led by Kraydor who live beneath the surface. Judy is taken captive by the Underdwellers after falling through a fissure from an earthquake where she is venerated as USA (pronounced Oosa) implying her metaphorical resemblance to Lady Liberty and the prophecy that she will help them restore the green planet that has been taken over by the militant apes.
Originally included as part of the expensive Ultimate Planet of the Apes collector's Ape Head set, Return to the Planet of the Apes is finally being released separately. The transfers on those DVDs from their original 16mm film prints were very dirty with excessive gate weave throughout and with mono 2.0 sound but they have now been remastered and restored exclusively for their individual DVD release.
Here is the breakdown of all 13 24-minute episodes on 2 discs:
"Flames of Doom" - Jeff, Bill and Judy travel through space and time and arrive on a strange planet that appears to be ruled by humans. As Bill is captured for study and Judy falls into a crack in the ground opened during an earthquake, Jeff is left alone to search for help but finds that the humans he meets are no more than primitive cavemen.
"Escape from Ape City" - With Bill under study in Ape City, Jeff takes refuge with Nova and the other humans in the desert caves but are forced to leave when General Urko launches an attack against them. With the help of Cornelius and Zira, Bill escapes and goes in search of Jeff.
"The Unearthly Prophecy" - With Urko advancing into the desert in search of them, Jeff and Bill are forced underground looking for help from the Underdwellers, a race of telepathic humans, but find a surprise waiting for them - Judy is alive!
"Tunnel of Fear" - Bill and Jeff sneak back into Ape City under cover of darkness to ask Cornelius and Zira for help. Avoiding Urko's troops and a giant mutant spider, they listen as Cornelius tells them about New Valley, a place where they'll be safe from Urko. But can they get the humans there in time?
"Lagoon of Peril" - To prove the existence of the talking humans, Urko demands that Zaius accompany him out to where Bill and Jeff's spaceship landed. With Cornelius warning them of this, Bill, Jeff and Nova set out to destroy their craft but something awaits them in the waters of the lagoon!
"Terror on Ice Mountain" - Within an ancient ruin, Cornelius finds an ancient book, A Day At The Zoo but he realises that such subversive literature could prove dangerous. So he and Bill set off for the mountains where a holy sect is rumoured to live, who could protect the book until the time is right to announce its discovery.
"River of Flames" - Kraydor and Judy contact Bill and Jeff asking for their help. The volcano over which the Underdwellers live is threatening to erupt and the lava is almost upon their reactor. Should the reactor fail, the entire planet is doomed. Bill and Jeff must reroute the lava before it is too late!
"Screaming Wings" - Bill, Jeff and Judy are on their way to the human settlements when they see human shapes in the desert! Are there really humans there or are they targets for Urko's new weapon - a WWII fighter plane?
"Trail to the Unknown" - With rafts to help move the humans on once more, this time to a lush green valley where they'll be left alone, Bill, Jeff and Judy find not only a wrecked spaceship but also its pilot, Ron Brent!
"Attack from the Clouds" - One night in Ape City, there's panic as a giant flying lizard attacks. Believing that the humans are behind this, Urko and his troops set off to capture both the lizard and those responsible for it. But Jeff, Judy and Bill have no knowledge of this creature until, that is, it attacks them!
"Mission of Mercy" - When Nova falls ill, Bill, Jeff and Judy realise that her only hope is that they contact Cornelius for a serum that will cure her. But with little aviation fuel left for the plane they stole from Urko, Bill and Jeff set out by road. Will they get the serum in time?
"Invasion of the Underdwellers" - Burglars are striking all over Ape City and there's a panic when reports come of it being the fault of the human Underdwellers. Judy contacts Kraydor, who denies responsibility, so she, Jeff and Bill set out to prove that the burglars are really Urko's troops, looking for support in one last great strike against the humans.
"Battle of the Titans" - After his framing of the Underdwellers, Urko has been relieved of duty and opinion in the Simian Council is swinging back towards the scientists. Cornelius believes that it is now time to present A Day At The Zoo and sets out with Bill to retrieve it. But the giant flying lizard is not finished with them yet!

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From the Oscar(r)-winning* creators of "The Pink Panther" comes this high-concept 70s cartoon that returns you to the heart of mankind's greatest adventure! Populated by familiar characters from the Planet of the Apes films and TV series – including Cornelius, Zira and General Urko – this classic animated series pits humans against a world of apes who are more advanced than ever!

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Dark Shadows DVD Collection 11 (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)This latest Collection 11 of the daytime gothic supernatural TV masterpiece, Dark Shadows, brings a very welcome turning point in the plot of the series, along with some unwelcome cast changes.
The truly dreadful storyline involving Adam (similar to Frankenstein's creature) who was played by Robert Rodan is thankfully almost over. This story almost sank Dark Shadows when it first aired about 40 years ago, causing viewers to tune out in droves, and I fear that it may have done the same to many of those viewing the series for the first time via DVD. But please rest assured, we HAVE hit rock bottom. The plot only gets better and better as Dark Shadows embarks on some of its best storytelling and acting of the entire series.
The 40 episodes collected here not only pretty much close the aforementioned awful story arc, but also restores everyone's favorite reluctant 175-year-old vampire, Barnabas Collins (played to perfection by Jonathan Frid), to his former glory. It also introduces the mysterious Quentin Collins (portrayed by David Selby) in a Turn-of-the-Screw type plot that is facinating as well as frightening. Child actors David Henesy, who played David Collins, and Denise Nickerson, who played Amy Jennings, are terrific and spooky as the children controlled by Quentin's malevolent spirit.
Sadly, this set also marks the departure of Alexandra Moltke who portrayed Collinwood governess Victoria Winters and whose character had been the lynchpin of the series. Moltke's departure left a permanent void in the show. It was her voice viewers first heard when the show debuted in 1966. In the first episode, Moltke, as the innocent but compelling governess, was traveling by train to Collinsport, Maine. The scene opens with a now historic audio prelude that began,"My name is Victoria Winters." The use of an audio prelude performed by a cast member continued throughout the entire series. Kathryn Leigh Scott, who played Maggie Evans, eventually became the Collins' family governess.
Other cast members including Joe Haskel and Jeff Clark/Peter Bradford (portrayed by Joel Crothers and Roger Davis respectively)also leave the series. (Davis would return for a short stint later playing a different character.)
This collection of episodes also interjects a werewolf for the first time to the deadly perils of life in Collinsport, a creature that would remain a staple with the series almost as long as vampires and evil curses.
If you've stuck with this terrific show through the forgettable Adam story line, you owe it to yourself to view these episodes before judging this remarkable series too harshly. It remains one of the truly great, groundbreaking TV shows of all time.

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Julia Hoffman discovers wound marks on Barnabas' neck and realizes he is under the control of a vampire. Roger Collins attempts to prevent Victoria Winters from marrying Jeff Clark after he dreams the wedding will bring doom to her. After Chris Jennings arrives in Collinsport to investigate the death of his brother, a werewolf attacks a barmaid at the Blue Whale tavern. Victoria warns Nicholas Blair to keep away from Maggie after learning he has proposed marriage. David Collins and Amy Jennings explore the closed-off section of Collinwood, where they discover a disconnected old telephone and the mysterious spirit of Quentin Collins. Convinced that the mansion is being possessed by evil forces, Professor Stokes calls in a medium to investigate.Bonuses: Includes exclusive interviews with creator/executive producer Dan Curtis and actors Marie Wallace, Nancy Barrett and Alexandra Moltke.Starring: Jonathan Frid, Joan Bennett, Louis Edmonds, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Nancy Barrett, Thayer David, Grayson Hall, Lara Parker, Roger Davis, Joel Crothers, David Henesy, Humbert Allen Astredo, Don Briscoe, Denise Nickerson, Marie Wallace, Robert Rodan, Clarice Blackburn, Betsy Durkin, Cavada Humphrey, Conrad Bain, David Selby, Terry Crawford and Alexandra Moltke

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