We've done three roundups of Mill Creek Entertainment's great public domain collections. They here, here and here. And as we continue to watch them, we find more interesting (and sometimes forgotten) films in them. Here's a run through of a few more:
Western Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection
Tales of Terror 50 Movie Pack Collection:
Dark Crimes Collection: 50 Movie Pack:
Suspense Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection:
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Public domain treasures, part 3
Friday, April 13, 2007
Lookin' back with Larry King
Larry King Live - The Greatest Interviews: 
Both men were famous for one-on-one direct interviews with famous people, both in entertainment and politics.
The difference, however, is their style. Where Murrow was the consumnate journalist, with little emotion and dedicated to asking the questions that need to be asked, King has always been the neighborly guy who just wants to ask some questions, not all of them hard-nosed.
That's quite evident in this new three-disc set, celebrating King's 50 years in broadcasting, that features highlights from his CNN show. The names on the box really don't begin to cover all of it, since, unlike the Murrow and other sets, the discs aren't chaptered and the interviews, featuring over 300 celebrities from entertainment and politics, are all too brief moments with each one.
That's not to say that the helter-skelter format of the set doesn't work. Surprisingly, it does. On the first disc, Hollywood legends, there's everyone from Marlon Brando to Paul McCartney to Ringo Starr to Lauren Bacall to Bette Davis. Disc 2 features interviews with all the presidents from Nixon to George W., with most of the First Ladies also on board. That disc also includes coverage of various news events from 9/11 and the O.J. trial to the revealing of the identity of Watergate's Deep Throat. Disc 3 features entertainers, comedians and newscasters such as Oprah, Dan Rather, the cast of "Friends" and Regis Philbin.
It's too bad the set is weighted so heavily with entertainers. The political interviews on disc 2 are King really at his best. His moments with Ronald Reagan bring out the best of both men.
This set won't have the impact or staying power of the Murrow set (which is superb). King's relaxed charm (he reportedly does no preparation for interviews) makes him a welcome visitor in millions of American homes now, though. He's no Murrow. But King does get his guests to open up, even if, at times, he seems just a bit too friendly. Maybe it's because he's in the right place at the right time.
Or maybe he does what Murrow did -- ask the right questions.
SHORT TAKES: Two great Quinn Martin shows recently debuted on DVD and we recommend them highly. First is the classic The Untouchables - Season One, Vol. 1
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
New Walt Disney Treasures
The Walt Disney Treasures website indicates more of these sets are in the works. Personally, we're waiting for "Dr. Syn Alias the Scarecrow," but we'll take what we can get.
New street dates
Highlights from the latest batch of forthcoming releases:
April 17: Laverne and Shirley: The Complete Second Season
April 24: The Queen (Buena Vista)
April 24: Déjà Vu (Buena Vista)
April 24: Ironside: Complete Season One (Shout Factory)
April 24: Moral One: The Unholy One (Warner Home Video/date change)
April 24: The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, Vol. 1 (Alpha Video)
April 24: Forgotten Noir: Vol 4: The Man from Cairo & Mask of the Dragon (VCI)
April 24: Forgotten Noir: Vol 5: FBI Girl & Tough Assignment (VCI)
April 24: Forgotten Noir: Vol 6: I’ll Get You, Fingerprints Don’t Lie (VCI)
April 24: Night at the Museum (Fox)
April 24: The Odd Couple: The Complete First Season
May: Three's Company: Capturing the Laughter - Janet's Episodes
(Anchor Bay)
May 1: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (Shout Factory/see press release below)
May 1: Dreamgirls (Paramount)
May 1: The Drew Carey Show: Complete First Season
May 8: That '70s Show: Season 6 (Fox)
May 15: M*A*S*H*: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen (Fox)
May 29: Beauty and the Beast Second Season (Paramount)
May 29: Scouts to the Rescue - starring Jackie Cooper (12-chapter serial) (VCI)
May 29: The Royal Mounted Rides Again - starring Bill Kennedy and George Dolenz, father of Monkee Micky Dolenz (13-chapter serial) (VCI)
June 5: CHiPs: The Complete First Season (Warner Home Video)
June 5: Hogan's Heroes: The Complete Sixth Season (Paramount)
June 5: Mission Impossible: The Complete Second Season (Paramount)
June 12: Diagnosis Murder: The Complete Second Season (Paramount)
June 12: Walker Texas Ranger: The Complete Third Season (Paramount)
June 12: The Nancy Drew Movie Collection: With Nancy Drew, Detective; Nancy Drew, Reporter; Nancy Drew,Troubleshooter and Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. (Warner)
June 19: Perry Mason: Second Season, Vol. 1 (Paramount)
June 19: Lucille Ball Film Collection: With The Big Street, Critic's Choice, Dance Girl Dance, Dubarry Was a Lady and Mame (Warner Home Video)
June 26: Cult Camp Classics Vol. 2 - Women in Peril June 26: Cult Camp Classics Vol. 3 - Terrorized Travelers June 26: Cult Camp Classics Vol. 4 - Historical Epics
June 26: Gomer Pyle, USMC: The Second Season (Paramount)
June 26: Queen of Outer Space (Warner Home Video)
June 26: Trog (Warner Home Video)
June 26: Land of the Pharoahs (Warner Home Video)
June 26: The New Adventures of Superman (Warner Home Video)
June 26: The New Adventures of Batman: The Complete Series (Warner Home Video)
July 24: Star Trek: The Fan Collective (Paramount)
July 31: Popeye the Sailor (Collection of 60 Fleischer cartoons)
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The press release for Shout Factory's upcoming Ozzie and Harriet DVD set. As the press release says, the sets previously available have been horrible quality. This one, as is most of Shout Factory's stuff, is worth waiting for:
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet was one of the longest-running and most-loved family situation comedies on television and, until now, was only available on home video in bootlegged, unofficial DVDs of dubious quality. All that changes on May 1, 2007, when Shout! Factory’s four-DVD box set, produced in tandem with the Nelson Family, The Best Of The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet, arrives in stores digitally re-mastered and packed with bonus material for $34.98 (S.L.P.).
Endorsed and presented by the Nelson family, this box set represents 24 of the most memorable episodes from the show’s 14 season run. It takes audiences through the boys’ teenage years, college graduation, weddings and career launches – with Ricky becoming a teen idol before our very eyes in the episode “Ricky, The Drummer,” with his very first televised performance, “I’m Walkin’.” The series also makes the progression from the black and white era into color broadcasts by the final episodes.
The Nelsons embodied the idyllic nuclear family for generations before and after the show’s run and The Best Of The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet marks the first time that the Nelson family has endorsed a DVD. David Nelson, along with the family of Ricky Nelson, dug into their family archives to add personal gems to the home movies collection. As a result, Shout! Factory’s lovingly assembled box set celebrates the seminal family comedy with a wealth of bonus programming, including episode and home movie commentaries by David Nelson and Ricky’s son Sam, authentic Nelson family home movies, a “Ricky Sings” feature to play only his performances, “The Ozzie & Harriet Story” featurette about their early careers, an audio presentation of the first radio show to feature David and Ricky, and a Nelson Family trivia game. Additionally, the set boasts seven Ricky Nelson performances including “I’m Walkin’,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Believe What You Say,” “Trying To Get To You,” “Cindy,” “You Are The Only One,” “I Am Not Afraid” and “Just A Little Bit Sweet.”
DVD CONTENTS : DISC ONE
The Fall Guy – Season One, 10/24/1952
Oz advises David to stand up for his rights and not to let people take advantage of him, but the advice backfires.
David’s Birthday – Season Two, 10/23/1953
David Nelson has an unexpected visitor at his seventeenth birthday party.
Optional Audio Commentary with David & Sam Nelson
David’s Engagement - Season Three, 9/23/1955
David has matrimonial plans with his steady. Ozzie and Harriet realize that David will get married someday, but think that he is too young to tie the knot.
A Ball Of Tinfoil – Season Four, 11/25/1955
Harriet decides there is too much junk accumulated in the Nelson garage, attic and cellar. Ozzie rents a trailer to haul the stuff away to the junkyard but discovers this is only the beginning of his problem.
Captain Salty And The Submarine – Season Five, 10/10/1956
Ozzie finds out that a kiddie program, Captain Salty and the Submarine, holds a great deal of interest for adults as well. It is not at all surprising that several other fathers in the neighborhood share his enthusiasm.
Ricky, The Drummer – Season Five, 4/10/1957
This is Ricky’s night. He gets to play drums in a name band, do a bop dance with a party girl, and sing a rhythm and blues recording to an enthusiastic audience. Ricky performs for his first time on the show.
Featurette:The Ozzie & Harriet Story - The Journey Into Television
Ricky Sings:“I’m Walkin’”
DVD CONTENTS : DISC TWO
Tutti Frutti Ice Cream – Season Six, 12/11/1957
Recollections of Ozzie’s high school days bring a sudden rage for tutti frutti ice cream. There is a happy scene in an old fashioned parlor where Ozzie, Harriet, David and Rick sing to the accompaniment of Ozzie’s banjo and Harriet’s dancing.
Optional Audio Commentary with David & Sam Nelson
The Trophy – Season Six, 1/1/1958
The Nelsons enter the family decathlon at the annual Men’s Club picnic. The deciding event is the cross-country obstacle race, which Ozzie must win if he is to uphold the honor of the family and win the coveted trophy. In this episode Rick also sings, plays guitar and does a sensational dance.
Ricky Sings:“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”
Closed Circuit – Season Six, 3/26/1958
Ricky sets up a closed circuit television studio in the basement.
Top Gun – Season Six, 4/2/1958
Ozzie regales the neighborhood kids with his story of his great-grandfather “Six-Gun Nelson.” They corner Ozzie into a shoot-out with TV Western star “Tex Barton” at a supermarket opening.
Rick’s Riding Lesson – Season Seven, 11/19/1958
When Ricky meets a beautiful riding instructor (Venetia Stevenson) at the local stables, he decides to take some riding lessons. He makes a deal with her — he’ll teach her how to play guitar if she’ll teach him how to ride. There is much fun at the Chuck Wagon party where the gang sings “Cindy.”
David, The Law Clerk – Season Eight, 10/21/1959
David applies for the position of clerk in a law office. However, when Ozzie, Harriet and Ricky try to be helpful, they almost cost Dave the job. In a dream-filled night, David vividly pictures a hilarious courtroom scene in which he plays all the characters.
Ricky Sings: “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”
“I Believe What You Say”
“Trying To Get To You”
“Cindy”
DVD CONTENTS : DISC THREE
The Circus – Season Eight, 1/27/1960
David’s duties as a law clerk take him down to the circus where he becomes more than slightly interested in one of the circus glamour girls. In the flying trapeze act presented by David and Ricky, they don’t use doubles but actually perform their own stunts.
Optional Audio Commentary with David & Sam Nelson
His Brother’s Girl – Season Eight, 10/19/1960
Fraternal bonds between David and Ricky are suddenly threatened when Dave finds himself attracted to his brother’s girl. The situation is further complicated when the young lady in question shows her true feelings and the eternal triangle takes shape.
Rick Counts The Ballots – Season Nine, 12/28/1960
Rick’s ability to keep a secret is put to the test when he finds himself in charge of counting the ballots for the “Campus Queen Contest” — especially since his girlfriend, one of the leading contestants, is determined to learn the results.
Optional Audio Commentary with David & Sam Nelson
Ricky Sings:“You Are The Only One” (duet with Linda Bennett)
“I’m Not Afraid”
The Newlyweds Get Settled – Season Ten, 10/12/1961
While David and his new bride June (played by his real-life new bride June Blair) are away on their honeymoon, Harriet, with Ozzie’s assistance, decides to fix up their apartment for them. However, with the return of the newlyweds, Harriet suddenly becomes worried that she has overstepped her rights as mother-in-law.
The Fraternity Rents Out A Room – Season Ten, 10/19/1961
When the best room in Rick and Wally’s fraternity is vacated, they vote to rent out the room to take in funds for their fast-dwindling treasury. Wally Cox guest stars as the professor who disrupts the easy-going fraternity life.
Making Wally Study – Season Ten, 2/22/1962
Rick and his friends decide to enforce good study habits on Wally when they realize his grades are a threat to the scholastic standing of their fraternity. However, matters become complicated when Wally hits the books and Rick is elected to take charge of Wally’s girlfriend, Ginger.
Featurette: Original Promo for “The Circus”
Home Movies: David & Rick practice trapeze
Ricky Sings: “You Are The Only One” (duet with Linda Bennett) “I’m Not Afraid”
DVD CONTENTS : DISC FOUR
Publicity For The Fraternity – Season Eleven, 3/28/1963
Rick and his friends decide their fraternity is sadly in need of publicity go on a campaign to gain some campus recognition. When all their antics are ignored by the school press, they decide to take some drastic measures, which pay off a little differently that they had expected. Directed by David Nelson.
Optional Audio Commentary with David & Sam Nelson
The Swami – Season Twelve, 1/8/1964
When Rick successfully enlivens a fraternity party by disguising himself as a swami and telling fortunes, Ozzie and his friend Joe decide that the same act would prove a huge success at the Women’s Club dance. However, even a swami couldn’t predict the hilarious results arising from Ozzie in disguise... especially when Harriet and Clara decide to get in on the act.
Rick And Kris Go To The Mountains – Season Thirteen, 10/7/1964
When Rick, Wally and some of the fraternity members decide to hold a poker party at Kris’s (Kristen Harmon, Rick’s real-life wife) folks’ mountain cabin over the weekend, Kris assumes the wives and girlfriends are also included — the resulting situation is a hilarious mix-up with Rick right in the middle. Directed by David Nelson.
The Ballerina – Season Thirteen, 11/4/1964
Rick and some of his fraternity brothers consent to put on a comedy ballet act for the Women’s Club Annual Children’s Show. However, when the fellows get discouraged, Kris comes to the rescue by volunteering to perform the real thing. She shows her delightful capabilities as a true ballerina. In a dream sequence, she and Rick present an expertly performed excerpt from “Swan Lake.”
The Prowler – Season Fourteen, 10/13/1965 (color)
When Ozzie tries to get out of playing bridge with his neighbors, Joe and Clara Randolph, by pretending to go on a fishing trip, his scheme backfires and an embarrassing and hilarious situation is the result.
The Game Room – Season Fourteen, 3/26/1966 (color)
When Ozzie decides to buy a new pool table and convert David and Rick’s old bedroom into a game room, he meets with some opposition from Harriet. To get his way, Oz and his pal Joe come up with some sneaky strategies, including taking the girls to the Billiards-A-Go-Go. This was the last episode made in the series.
Featurette: Nelson Family Trivia Quiz
Ricky Sings: “Just A Little Bit Sweet”
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Here's Johnny -- a long time ago
The Johnny Carson Show (Shout Factory):
He wasn't always so smooth, though. The Carson on view in Shout Factory's "The Johnny Carson Show" is young and a bit nervous, maybe even a little self-conscious. But the qualities that made him such a favorite with audiences years later were there, even if they were still developing.
There was the boyish charm, the down-home, relaxed attitude and the genial humor, even if he was still a bit unsure of himself.
And there's a lot more of his stand-up humor in the 10 episodes of this early Carson work than "Tonight Show" viewers would see in his later years. That's because Carson's humor was a lot more of the show. He had guests, but not the parade of celebrities that begged to come on "The Tonight Show" in his later years. He did TV parodies of then-current shows such as Edward R. Murrow's "Person to Person" and "Dragnet."
Shout Factory's two-disc set includes some extras: an episode of his later ABC show "Who Do You Trust?" co-hosted by Ed McMahon, a rare episode of a 1956 CBS daytime show he hosted and a clip from a 1958 stint as substitute host of "The Jack Paar Show" -- in a role he'd replace Paar in in 1961.
Given the age of these films, the quality is rough. Compared to his later work, "The Johnny Carson Show" definitely shows Carson had some development as a comedian to do. But they're also fun to watch.
Carson fans will also want to hunt down a budget two-disc release by Timeless Media Group also called Here Is...The Johnny Carson Show
While on the subject of vintage talk shows, let's mention a couple of others. When Johnny Carson burst on the TV scene, the king of late night at that time was Jack Paar. Shout Factory has a three-disc set called The Jack Paar Collection
And there's Edward R. Murrow - The Best of Person to Person
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Here's a memory piece we wrote and that was published shortly after Carson died about the three times we saw Carson in person, once on "Who Do You Trust," the other two on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."
Viewing Carson was best from seat in studio audience (Originally published Jan. 26, 2005)
Watching Johnny Carson host ''The Tonight Show'' was seeing a master comic at work.
Over the years, I saw Carson do his magic in person three times -- twice on ''The Tonight Show'' and once on ''Who Do You Trust?,'' the game show he emceed (with perennial sidekick Ed McMahon as announcer) before he took over the NBC late-night show.
Watching Carson at home was, of course, like seeing an old friend. But seeing the show live was a different experience. When you were an audience member, the larger-than-life Carson heard you laugh at the jokes that were funny, as most of them were -- and your groans at the jokes that didn't quite go over. You -- we -- were the target of his witty retorts.
''Who Do You Trust?,'' which Carson -- who died Sunday of emphysema -- hosted from September 1957 to December 1963, was taped in New York. On a trip to visit an aunt in Jersey City, my dad took my sister and me -- we were in grade school -- to see several TV shows.
The ''Who Do You Trust?'' taping was filled with a lot of joking between Carson and McMahon, including a noisy mishap involving a washing machine being used in a commercial.
After the show, with no connections to anyone with pull, my dad somehow got us backstage to meet the very tall McMahon. We didn't get to meet Carson, though I recall seeing him stand a short distance from us. Little did I realize he would become the king of late-night television.
More than 15 years later, in 1977, as part of a honeymoon trip to Southern California, my wife and I managed to snag tickets to ''The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.'' After waiting a couple hours in front of the NBC Burbank studios, we were allowed in and discovered, to our surprise, how small ''The Tonight Show'' studio was in comparison to how it looked on TV. We were warned by the ushers not to yell anything out during the show, but that didn't stop the familiar sounds of ''hi-yo'' resonating when Carson walked out on the stage.
About six months later, we decided to go back to Southern California again, and because we enjoyed it so much, we figured we'd pay a return visit to ''The Tonight Show.'' We scored tickets to two shows, one on Monday, Carson's usual night off (with guest host George Carlin, a favorite of ours), and one the next night.
In the pre-show warm-up for the second show, producer Fred De Cordova announced proudly that Carson was in the building and would be hosting the show, which brought a big round of applause from the audience.
The audience got a few extras the home viewers didn't see.
The warm-up featured some extended music and jokes (often of a more risque variety than on the show) from De Cordova, McMahon, Doc Severinsen and members of the Tonight Show band. (Carson didn't appear until you heard the familiar ''He-e-e-e-e-e-re's Johnny.'')
During commercials, the lights on stage were turned off, leaving Carson and the guests in the dark.
One of the guests on that show was film star Ann-Margret. She and Carson chatted in the dark during the commercial break. With other guests, Carson might throw out the occasional ''How is everyone?'' to the audience.
But most memorable was something he apparently did at all tapings. Remember the famous golf swing he would enact after his monologue as the show faded to a commercial? Well, Carson would hold the pose, and after the camera light clicked off -- assuring he was not on the air -- he would say, ''Oh, shit.'' Of course, the audience, not expecting anything like that from the normally genteel Carson, burst out laughing.
That was the final time we saw ''The Tonight Show'' in person. Unfortunately, neither of the shows we saw had any moments that would have made ''best of'' compilations.
In 2001, I wrote a review about the newly released DVD collection of highlights from ''The Tonight Show,'' called ''The Ultimate Carson Collection Vols. 1-3.''
Though Carson himself wasn't available for interviews, his nephew, Jeff Sotzing, told me the words no Carson fan wanted to hear. ''He's retired; he's thoroughly enjoying his retirement. I don't expect him to do any new production whatsoever.''