Soon on the shelves -- upcoming DVD releases (Revised 1/3/08)

From Warner Home Video:
1/1/08 Shoot 'Em Up
1/8/08 All-New Superfriends Hour: Season 1 Vol. 1 (Warner Home Video) 1 1/8/08 Aviator, The
1/8/08 Broadway Melody of 1929
1/8/08 Cimarron (1931)
1/8/08 Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane
1/8/08 I am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and Peta
1/8/08 The Life of Emile Zola
1/8/08 Lovejoy: The Complete Season Two
1/8/08 Mrs. Miniver
1/8/08 NFL Greatest Super Bowl Moments: XLI Update
1/8/08 Personal Best
1/8/08 Two and a Half Men: The Complete Second Season
1/8/08 The Waltons: The Complete Sixth Season
1/8/08 What's New Scooby-Doo: Complete Third Season
1/15/08 Alex Haley's Queen
1/15/08 All Creatures Great & Small Complete Collection
1/15/08 Allo 'Allo!: The Complete Series 7
1/15/08 Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown Deluxe Edition
1/15/08 The Marva Collins Story
1/15/08 The New Adventures of Old Christine: The Complete First Season 1/15/08 The Royle Family: The Complete Second Season
1/22/08 ER: The Complete Eighth Season
1/22/08 Hustle: The Complete Season 4
1/22/08 NHL: Just Like Me - Profile of NHL legends and the new crop of NHL stars 1/22/08 Torchwood: The Complete First Season
1/22/08 Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume Five
1/29/08 Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Sixth Season
1/29/08 Martin Scorsese Presents: Val Lewton
1/29/08 NFL The Leaders: Breaking Racial Barriers in the NFL
1/29/08 The Val Lewton Collection, The (w/ Martin Scorceses Documentary)
From Sony:
1/15/08 Earth Vs. Flying Saucers
1/15/08 It Came From Beneath the Sea
From A&E:
1/15/08: Criss Angel Mindfreak: Complete Season 3
From Paramount:
1/1/08: The Tudors: The Complete First Season
1/8/08: Gunsmoke: The Second Season, Volume One
1/8/08: Rob & Big: The Complete Seasons 1&2 - Uncensored
1/8/08: The Naked Brothers Band Season One 2 Disc Box Set
1/8/08: Zodiac Director's Cut (2-Discs) DVD
1/15/08: Clue
1/15/08: Dora The Explorer: Undercover Dora
1/15/08: Dragonlance
1/15/08: Oswald's Ghost
1/15/08: Sabrina, The Teenage Witch: The Third Season
1/22/08: Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book 3: Fire Volume 2
1/22/08: Hawaii Five-O: The Third Season
1/22/08: The Odd Couple: The Third Season
1/29/08: JAG: The Fifth Season
1/29/08: Pioneers of Television
1/29/08: SpongeBob SquarePants To Love a Patty
Also
1/22/08 Make Room For Daddy Season 6
From Disney:
1/22/08 The Game Plan
1/29/08 Hannah Montana: One In A Million
1/29/08 Twitches Too: Double Charmed Edition
From Shout Factory:
1/22/08 Swamp Thing: The Series Video
1/22/2008 Medabots: The Complete First Season
From Rhino:
1/29/08 Barry Manilow – Songs From The Seventies (DVD)
From Universal:
1/1/08 Seaquest DSV Season 2
Also:
1/1/08: Weird Science: The Complete Seasons 1 and 2
From Warner Home Video:
2/5/08 Americanizing Shelley
2/5/08 Black Woman's Guide to Getting Married
2/5/08 George Lopez: America's Mexican
2/5/08 Legion of Superheroes: Volume 2
2/5/08 Perfect Strangers: The Complete First & Second Seasons
2/5/08 Third Watch: The Complete First Season
2/5/08 You've Got Mail: Deluxe Edition
2/12/08 Batman: Mask of Phantasm Batman and Mr. Freeze: Sub Zero 2/12/08 Battle of the Bulge Featuring Bone Crusher
2/12/08 Beatrix Potter Collection
2/12/08 Blade: The Series
2/12/08 Dallas: The Complete Eighth Season
2/12/08 Joan Crawford Collection Vol. 2
2/12/08 NBA Street Series - Volume 5
2/12/08 Tell Me You Love Me: The Complete First Season
2/12/08 Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle & Mr. Jeremy Fisher & Other Stories (Beatrix Potter)
2/12/08 Tale of Pigling Bland and Other Stories (Beatrix Potter)
2/12/08 WB Home Entertainment Presents: Academy Award® Animation Collection 15 Winners, 26 Nominees
2/12/08 Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Presents: Academy Awards® Animation Collection, 15 Winners
2/12/08 World of Peter Rabbit & Friends, The (Beatrix Potter)
2/19/08 Easter Bunny Is Coming To Town: Deluxe Edition
2/19/08 Father Ted: The Definitive Collection (DVD)
2/19/08 Helen Mirren at the BBC
2/19/08 In the Valley of Elah
2/19/08 Les Miserables (1995) (BBC)
2/19/08 Michael Clayton
2/19/08 My Dog Skip/ Shiloh 3: Saving Shiloh (DBFE)
2/19/08 Peanuts: It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown Deluxe Edition 2/19/08 Riverdance: Live from Radio City Music Hall: Collector's Edition 2/19/08 Swordfish/Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (DBFE)
2/26/08 Justice League: The New Frontier
2/26/08 Justice League: The New Frontier Special Edition
2/26/08 The Smurfs: Season 1, Volume 1
From A&E:
2/26/08: Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 World Series Collector's Set
From Sony
2/5/08: Across the Universe
From Shout Factory:
2/5/08 Maggie And The Ferocious Beast Recipes For Trouble
2/5/08 Maggie And The Ferocious Beast Rain Showers & Spring Flowers
2/5/2008 Comic Relief: The Greatest…And The Latest
2/5/2008 Kurt Cobain: About A Son
2/19/2008 Punky Brewster: Season Four
From Paramount Home Video:
2/5/08 Beauty and the Beast: The Third Season
2/5/08 Best of Comedy Central Presents
2/5/08 Black Rain / Fatal Attraction Double Feature
2/5/08 Blackout
2/5/08 Blue Hawaii / Paradise, Hawaiian Style Double Feature
2/5/08 King Creole / G.I. Blues Double Feature
2/5/08 Soul Food - The Series: The Third Season
2/5/08 The Hours / Heartburn Double Feature
2/5/08 The Hunt for Red October / K-19: The Widowmaker Double Feature
2/5/08 The Jewish Americans Standard DVD
2/5/08 The Talented Mr. Ripley / School Ties Double Feature
2/12/08 Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav: Uncensored!
2/12/08 Family Ties: The Third Season
2/12/08 Girlfriends: The Third Season
2/12/08 Into the Wild Special Edition DVD
2/12/08 Into the Wild Special Edition HD
2/12/08 Into the Wild Standard DVD
2/12/08 Things We Lost in the Fire Standard DVD
2/12/08 Things We Lost in the Fire Standard HD
2/12/08 Wonder Pets: Save The Dinosaur Standard DVD
2/19/08 Blue's Clues: Blue's Room: Shape Detectives/Beyond Your Wildest Dreams 2-Pack
2/19/08 Blue's Clues: Blue's Room: Shape Detectives/Beyond Your Wildest Dreams 2-Pack
2/19/08 Charlotte's Web (1973)/Charlotte's Web 2 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Charlotte's Web (1973)/Charlotte's Web 2 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Dora the Explorer: Super Silly Fiesta!/Nick Jr. Favorites 4 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Dora the Explorer: Super Silly Fiesta!/Nick Jr. Favorites 4 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Dora the Explorer:Big Sister Dora/City of Lost Toys 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Dora the Explorer:Big Sister Dora/City of Lost Toys 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Drake & Josh: Go Hollywood/Suddenly Brothers - Volume 1 2 Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Drake & Josh: Go Hollywood/Suddenly Brothers - Volume 1 2 Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Flushed Away Spring 2 Pack w/Tattoos DVD
2/19/08 Flushed Away Spring 2 Pack w/Tattoos DVD
2/19/08 Jakers!: Treasure Hunt on Raloo Farm Standard DVD
2/19/08 Max & Ruby: Springtime for Max & Ruby/Afternoons with Max & Ruby 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Max & Ruby: Springtime for Max & Ruby/Afternoons with Max & Ruby 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Nick Jr. Celebrates Spring/Blue's Clues:Blue's Room: It's Hug Day 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Nick Jr. Celebrates Spring/Blue's Clues:Blue's Room: It's Hug Day 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Rugrats: Tales From the Crib: Snow White/Three Jacks & a Beanstalk 2-Pack Standard
2/19/08 Rugrats: Tales From the Crib: Snow White/Three Jacks & a Beanstalk 2-Pack Standard DVD
2/19/08 Shark Tale / Antz 2-Pack Spring 2-Pack with Tattoos DVD
2/19/08 Shrek 2 Spring 2 Pack w/Tattoos DVD
2/19/08 Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron / The Road to El Dorado 2-Pack Spring 2-Pack w/Tattoos DVD
2/19/08 SpongeBob Squarepants: Home Sweet Pineapple/SpongeBob Goes Prehistoric 2-Pack
2/19/08 The Prince of Egypt / Joseph: King of Dreams 2-Pack Spring 2-Pack w/Tattoos DVD
2/19/08 Walker, Texas Ranger: The Fourth Season Standard DVD
2/26/08 Backyardigans: Tale Of The Mighty Knights Standard DVD
2/26/08 Caillou's Family Favorites Standard DVD
2/26/08 Max & Ruby: Berry Bunny Adventures Standard DVD
2/26/08 The Fugitive: The First Season, Volume Two Standard DVD
From Disney:
2/5/08 Aristocats: Special Edition
2/5/08 Snow Buddies
2/12/08 Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive: Star Of Isis (Vol. 4)
2/12/08 Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive: Pink Emerald (Volume 5)
2/19/08 Little Einsteins(TM): Race For Space
2/19/08 Handy Manny: Fixing It Right
From Warner Home Video:
3/4/08 Ben 10 Season 3
3/4/08 Doctor Who: Ep. 81 - Planet of Evil
3/4/08 Doctor Who: Ep.104 - Destiny of the Daleks
3/4/08 Forbidden Hollywood Collection Vol. II (TCM Archives)
/4/08 Horton Hears A Who: Deluxe Edition
3/4/08 The Other Boleyn Girl
3/4/08 The UCLA Dynasty
3/11/08 Dinosaurs Unearthed (NG)
3/11/08 Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1976
3/11/08 Michael Palin: New Europe (DVD)
3/11/08 Nancy Drew (2007)
3/11/08 One Foot in the Grave: Season 3
3/11/08 Stompin'
3/11/08 Tom and Jerry: Tales Vol. 4
3/11/08 Wiggles: Pop Go the Wiggles
3/11/08 Extreme Alaska: Denali National Park (NG)
3/18/08 The Pebbles And Bamm-Bamm Show
3/25/08 Bonnie and Clyde
3/25/08 Bonnie and Clyde: Special Edition
3/25/08 Bonnie and Clyde: Ultimate Collector's Edition
3/25/08 Greatest NBA Rivalries Volume I
3/25/08 NBA Boston Celtics 1985-86
3/25/08 NHL All-Access (2008)
3/25/08 Warner Gangsters Collection Volume 1
3/25/08 Warner Gangsters Collection Volume 2
From Paramount:
3/4/08 Human Giant: The Complete First Season Standard DVD
3/4/08 The Love Boat: Season One Volume One Standard DVD
3/11/08 Lil' Bush: Resident of the United States - Season One Standard DVD
3/11/08 Love American Style Season 1, Volume 2 Standard DVD
3/11/08 South Park: The Imaginationland Trilogy Standard DVD
3/11/08 The Mod Squad: The First Season, Volume Two Standard DVD
3/18/08 BET Hip Hop Awards 2007 Standard DVD
3/18/08 Go Diego Go!: Moonlight Rescue Standard DVD
3/18/08 The Untouchables: Season Two, Volume One Standard DVD
3/18/08 The Wild Wild West: The Fourth Season Standard DVD
3/25/08 Baldwin Hills: The Complete First Season Standard DVD
3/25/08 Wings: The Sixth Season Standard DVD
From Disney:
3/4/08 101 Dalmatians Platinum Edition
3/4/08 My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Friendly Tails
3/4/08 The Rookie Blu-ray™ Hi-Def
3/4/08 Disney Baby Einstein™ Babys First Sounds
3/11/08 Disney Baby Einstein™: Baby's First Sounds: Discoveries for Little Ears
3/18/08 Johnny and the Sprites: Meet the Sprites
From Warner Home Video:
4/1/08 Doctor Who: Ep. 70 - Time Warrior, The
4/1/08 John From Cincinnati: The Complete First Season
4/1/08 Terry Jones: Medieval Lives
4/1/08 The Return of Swamp Thing
4/8/08 Broadway Melody of 1936/Broadway Melody of 1938
4/8/08 Kismet (1955)
4/8/08 Private Life of a Masterpiece: Collection
4/8/08 Private Life of a Masterpiece: Impressionism and the Post Impressionists 4/8/08 Private Life of a Masterpiece: Masterpieces of Sculpture
4/8/08 Private Life of a Masterpiece: Renaissance Masterpieces
4/8/08 Private Life of a Masterpiece: Seventeenth Century Masterpieces
4/22/08 My Boy Jack (2007)
From Paramount:
4/15/08 Melrose Place: The Fourth Season Standard DVD
4/15/08 Nick Jr. Favorites: Lullaby Time Standard DVD
4/15/08 SpongeBob SquarePants Pest of the West Standard DVD
From Warner Home Video
5/13/08 Legends, Icons & Superstars of the 20th Century
1/1/09 Brando: The Documentary

Me and Dick Cavett

I was surprised to accidentally discover that Dick Cavett regularly blogs for the New York Times.
Now Dick Cavett and I go way back.
Not that we ever met or encountered each other, you understand. (Yeah, I know. You saw the title and thought, "Here's some neat little gossip." Well, sorry to disappoint you.)
I was a regular viewer of Cavett's late-night show on ABC. So I guess you could say we did meet, in a way. Late-night host Cavett was witty, charming and hip, all in one neat little box.
The great thing about "The Dick Cavett Show" was the guests. In a day when Johnny Carson was still the King of Late Night," Cavett had some incredibile guests.
On one show, he had John Lennon and Yoko Ono by themselves. On another, he hosted a bunch of rock musicians who'd just come from the Woodstock Music Festival. On another, he interviewed Bette Davis in an empty studio.
It was this repartee and knack for intimacy with his guests that made him beat Carson in substance where he couldn't beat him in ratings.
(Many of the great moments of "The Dick Cavett Show" have been released on a series of wondeful DVDs from Shout Factory. We recommend them highly.)
Cavett's writing today is much like his show was then. He's still low-key and very modest, though he loves to make remarks at his expense.
In his current column, he wanders into the subject of coming back to TV.

"A goodly number of you out there have written varied versions of “Why don’t you come back on TV?” I’m not sure. It does help if you’re asked."

It does, Dick. Hell, if we had the power and the resources, we'd ask. We hope there's someone smart enough who will.
So thanks for your great show.
And we highly recommend his column. We're glad the New York Times was smart enough to give him the blog.
Maybe some bright network guy will look away from the reality show blitz that is flooding TV these days and give Dick another shot.
He deserves it. As do we.

If you're not done Christmas shopping

DVDs make a great and easy gift if you're still trying to decide on things. Here are a few recommendations from us:

The Sopranos - Season 6, Part 2 and The Sopranos - Season 6, Part 2 [HD DVD]: The final set of the series goes out with a whimper and not a bang. This one should have been loaded with special features, but isn't. The series, though, stands on its own merits. It wasn't always even quality, but it was heads above most other shows.

The McCartney Years: A comprehensive history of Paul McCartney videos. Completists complain it doesn't have everything and the live shows on the third disc are excerpted, but for most, this set works nicely.

Perry Mason - Season Two, Vol. 2: The most recent release of this fine series. Raymond Burr was steel jawed and tough as nails. A classic series.

Cult Camp Classics 1 - Sci-Fi Thrillers (Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman 1958 / Giant Behemoth / Queen of Outer Space): Warner Home Video released four of these sets in 2007. This was just the first. It contains "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" and "Queen of Outer Space". How can you go wrong?

Cult Classics 20 Movie Pack (4 DVD): And speaking of cult classics, this inexpensive little set has a collection of vintage exploitation films, including "Reefer Madness" and the infamous "Child Bride" (with the quick nude glimpse of its young star). They don't make 'em like this any more.
You can still get all of these by Christmas with one-day shipping.

"Dark Knight," part 3

Seeing the trailers in our last two posts have gotten us really wound up for "The Dark Knight". "Batman Begins" was so much beyond our expectations. It looks like "The Dark Knight" could be just as good. Here are a few more goodies from YouTube.


A teaser trailer.


Some silent footage of a Joker bank robbery scene. Most of the action takes place at the end.


More filming in Chicago

More Dark Knight stuff

Yesterday, we posted three official trailers from the "Batman Begins" sequel, coming in the summer. Here's a few more goodies.


A truck stunt, seen in one of the trailers, as it was filmed.


And a little more behind-the-scenes footage

And is that Heath Ledger as the Joker?

You can't keep anything a secret anymore ...

A teaser for "The Dark Knight"

Just happened to scout around on YouTube tonight for the trailer from the forthcoming "Batman" film called "The Dark Knight."
Good grief, Batman! There are a ton of videos there. Now, certainly, the majority are fake, but there are some vids with stills and at least a couple with footage that appears to be legit. The two posted here are, it appears, actual teasers.
Can't wait till next summer.

(For a little more info, MTV has a long article about the film here.)



Another "Dark Knight" teaser


This last one has the best look at the Joker. Cesar Romero he won't be.



Late addition: Here's the seven-minute prologue for the film. Not the greatest quality, but ....

The reason for the celebration in Red Sox Nation

The Boston Red Sox 2007 World Series Collector's Edition (8 disc/A&E): Didn't this happen four years ago? The Red Sox had a do-or-die hole to dig themselves out from against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series in 2004.
Fast forward to 2007. The Red Sox are again in trouble,
down three games to one against the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series.
But then, it happened. Josh Beckett pitches a gem against C.C. Sabathia in Game 5 to bring the Sox within one game. Then Curt Schilling, though not as dramatic as he was in the 2004 series in the famed bloody sock game, gets the win in Game 6 to tie the series. Then Westbrook pitches a tight six innings in Game 7, then the pen takes over and the Sox explode to win the ALCS and move onto the Big Stage, the World Series.
All that and more is what makes "The Red Sox 2007 World Series Collector's Edition (A&E), a new eight-disc set that makes a nice souvenir for any Red Sox fan and a crying towel for Indians or Colorado Rockies fans.
I say nice because it could have been much nicer. Four years ago, A&E started this series of collector's boxes with a 12 disc set after the 2004 World Series. It contained all seven games of the exciting ALCS between the Sox and the Yankees, all four games of the Sox's sweep of the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals and the World Series disc that was also released separately.
The first set was pretty basic and very complete. The games were presented in their entirety and included everything but the commercials.
The new set makes some trims. The first four games of the ALCS aren't included. Neither is the official World Series disc.
The biggest change, though, is that despite the fact the box labels the games as uncut, they aren't. Trims are noticeable in the video. Fade-ins to commercials, for example, are cut short. No action is missing, though. Completists will be bothered, but the trims seem so nit-picky you wonder why someone bothered to do them.
On the other side, though, the new box adds a nice feature missing in the 2004 set: the radio broadcasts for the Red Sox and Rockies' World Series games are available as alternate audio for the game broadcasts. A nice touch for the hometown fans.
Obviously, this set is targeted at Boston fans.
It's too bad it couldn't include more discs, but the set is nicely priced as it is (around $40 discounted).
And for any Boston fan still needing a refresher of the great 2007 postseason, it's (almost) all here.

Special edition watch

In which we try to give you information on some of the better limited edition specials:
Best Buy Music and Movies

Bourne Ultimatum: Steelbook cover.
Wal-Mart - Movies

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End": The widescreen single disc is bundled with the PC game.

"Live Free, Die Hard: Bonus disc with single disc versions called "Die Hard 4.1 - John McClane: Back In Action".

"Shrek 3" Single disc bundled with Beanie Baby.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix": Single disc version is bundled with a set of pins.
Search here for Amazon.com , Target and Borders Books DVD exclusives

Spider-Man 3 - 3 Disc Deluxe Widescreen Edition (w/Bonus Disc, Collectable Packaging and Production Notebook): Target has a three-disc set that includes cover art and production notes. (It's available through the link.)
(To search for these and more, use the links above and search under movies using the term "exclusive." And if you know of other good exclusives, add a comment.)

Following in the footsteps of the Beatles

The Beatles were quite a world traveling bunch even before they conquered the musical world in 1964. A series of DVDs by Artsmagic retraces those footsteps and gets fans back to where the Beatles once belonged.
The Beatles - Liverpool (Two-Disc Edition), The Beatles London, The Beatles, Hamburg and the Hamburg Sound and John Lennon's New York - A Magical History Tour all focus on Beatles sites in their home country, in Germany where they gained musical experience away from home, and in New York City, where John Lennon spent the final years of his life. Each of the discs features narration by Beatle fans and historians and guest appearances by Beatles associates.
"The Beatles - Liverpool (Two-Disc Edition)," hosted by Liverpool Beatle expert Spencer Leigh and Beatle historian Ray O'Brien, takes you to well-known and little known places in the Beatles hometown and is a pure delight. Along the way, they meet up with Bill Harry, editor of the influential newspaper Mersey Beat, which covered the Beatles early days in print, Allan Williams, better known as the man who gave the Beatles away and Kingsize Taylor, who performed on a Hamburg bill with the band. Harry and Williams have been interviewed numerous times for Beatle history projects, but their stories have an added charm here when coupled with seeing the actual places the Beatles spent their rise to fame. (By the way, all titles reviewed here have been released in two versions, a single "concise" version and a longer expanded. If you're a diehard Beatles fan, go for the longer versions. They're well worth the small extra cost.)

Leigh also hosts "The Beatles, Hamburg and the Hamburg Sound," a special look at the Beatles' sites in Hamburg and their link to British rock 'n' roll. Sites visited include the Indra Club, the Star Club and the Kaiserkeller. The trip concludes with a visit by Kingsize Taylor, now a resident of Hamburg.
In similar fashion, "The Beatles London," takes you around various Beatle-related sites in the British capitol. It's hosted by Richard Porter, whose daily Beatle walking tours take tourists on a magical mystery tour that occasionally have been known to encounter some well-known people. Here, Porter takes viewers to Abbey Road, Decca Studios, where they tried (and failed) to get a pre-EMI record contract, and a few of their earlier homes. He's joined by a host of Beatle experts including Bill Harry, author Keith Badman and special guest Chris Dreja of the Yardbirds. Having led the walking tours, Porter is quite knowledgeable and uses that expertise to guide viewers on the DVD. Lovers of Beatle minutia will love the little-known facts that Porter and friends discuss.
"John Lennon's New York - A Magical History Tour" takes a special trip (over three hours of original footage) around the places in his life that were important to John Lennon during his years in the Big Apple. The Dakota, of course, is included, as is Strawberry Fields in Central Park and the Statue of Liberty, plus many lesser known places. Your tour guides are Trina Yannicos, editor of Daytrippin', and Susan Ryan, editor of the fan fiction webzine Rooftop Sessions. Their guests include photographers Bob Gruen and Allen Tannenbaum, John's Japanese instructor Tamiko Steinberg and musician David Peel, whose interview shows him to be every bit the unique person seen in his music.
Yannicos, in an email to us, commented on the interviews:

Yes, David Peel is quite eccentric. But once you get past that, you see he is a really sincere, nice person and you can see why John and Yoko were friends with him in the early 70s.
All the interviews were fascinating to me. I learned a lot from speaking with each person. The one that stood out was with Tamiko Steinberg. She is a hidden treasure! Here is someone who spent eight hours a day with John Lennon for two straight months. She got to know him quite well and she tells some great stories about her experiences with him.

To sum it up, these are fascinating DVDs. If you've dreamed of getting to Liverpool, London, Hamburg or New York and touring Beatle sites, this is a good way to plan your trip or see what you'll never get to.

It's (still) a wonderful life, Mr. Scrooge

Without a doubt, two of the more cherished holiday movies are "It's a Wonderful Life" and the 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol".
Both films have been issued in upgraded DVDs this year. Although we groused in a recent post about the habit of issuing films over and over, both of these upgrades are well worth it.
VCI's upgrade of A Christmas Carol (Ultimate Collector's Edition)(B/W & Color) (sometimes known as "Scrooge") is a real holiday present. It marks the first time that the original 35 mm film elements have been used. The difference is immediately noticeable in the sharpness and contrast of the new version to the old one.
The sound has also been upgraded. In addition to the original mono, the disc features a stereo surround sound track, an audio commentary featuring George Cole, who played the young Ebenezer Scrooge, and an audio narrative for the blind.
In addition, a 16x9 widescreen ratio version is also available, though we prefer the original aspect ratio.
The color version of the film that has circulated for several years is on disc 2, maybe the only criticism of the set, as is Seymour Hicks' 1935 version of "Scrooge," probably one of the dreariest versions of the Dickens story out there. It makes for a good comparison with the 1951 version.
Other special features include a photo gallery that includes shots of the original press kit, trailers, restoration comparison, a Charles Dickens featurette and a booklet. Suffice to say this thing is loaded with more than enough features to warrant buying it, even if you already have it.
Another holiday favorite that's been around a lot on DVD is "It's a Wonderful Life," which has reissued this year in It's A Wonderful Life (Two-Disc Collector's Set) (B/W & Color). The big sell with this set is not the black-and-white version, which looks good as usual, but the new color version, which looks much more lifelike and real than similar color versions floating around. This one is actually watchable, even for those who detest them. The extras include "The Making of 'It's a Wonderful Life'," narrated by Tom Bosley, a tribute to Frank Capra by his son, Frank Jr., and the original trailer.
These movies are true holiday classics. And these new DVD versions only make the holiday that much more enjoyable.

Warner Home Video has announced two more new upgraded DVDs: "Riverdance" and "Les Miserables." Both will be expanded to two-disc sets that will include new documentaries. They'll be out Feb. 19.

---

Check out our DVD Watch "A Christmas Carol" store featuring all the different versions of "A Christmas Carol" on DVD.

Just announced -- new "Bonnie and Clyde" upgrade

Warner Home Video has just sent notice that a new two-disc upgrade of "Bonnie and Clyde" is coming Feb. 19. There will be two versions: a Special Edition, retailed for $20.97 list price, with over two hours of extras, including "The Making of Bonnie and Clyde" documentary and Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway wardrobe tests.
An Ultimate Collector's Edition, for $39.92 list, will feature the Special Edition set above, plus a hardcover book with rare photos, a reproduction of the 1967 press kit plus a mail-in offer for a free poster.
Just as an aside, we have to wonder how soon someone will make the lower-priced version include things the higher priced one doesn't.

The many ways to say "Bah! Humbug!"

'Tis the season (don't you hate when a writer says that) for snowflakes, mistletoe and Christmas on TV and video.
And maybe the tale about Christmas that you've all been told more than any other is "A Christmas Carol." No matter where you're reading this, I'm sure there's a production of it within your reach.
Movies and TV have been no stranger to it, certainly. But there certainly are some that are better than others.
Many people (and critics) seem to prefer the Alistair Sim 1951 version. (The cast also includes Patrick McNee, who later played John Steed of "The Avengers", as a young Jacob Marley.)Sim, who died in 1976, was a Scottish character actor who besides appearing in "A Christmas Carol" (also known as "Scrooge"), played Miss Fritton, the headmistress in two of the St. Trinian's films. He also re-created the role of Scrooge in a 1971 animated version of "A Christmas Carol" shown on television.
Most reviewers call Sim's version the most faithful to the book. Personally, I think Sim's version, though quite watchable, is dry and lacking soul.
A version that is somewhat forgotten next to Sim's is Reginald Owen's 1938 version. In the tradition of many MGM films, Owen's is bouncy and has a lot of human touches, making it a nice family film. It was originally intended to star Lionel Barrymore, who played the role of Scrooge annually on radio, but he was forced to drop out of the film because of his arthritis. Gene and Kathleen Lockhart played the Cratchits. The film was indeed a family affair for the Lockharts as a young June Lockhart played their daughter.
For years it remained the most famous film version of the story, and the most lavish, though it only lasts 69 minutes. But its popularity was eclipsed by the 1951 film after it started making the rounds on TV.
In his later years, Owen, interestingly enough, can be seen in a couple of Disney films, "Mary Poppins" (he's Admiral Boom, the commander on the noisy "ship" at the beginning of the film) and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks."
Another that often is underestimated and overlooked, primarily because of its age, is the 1935 version known as "Scrooge" starring Sir Seymour Hicks. Of all the versions out there, this one has be to the scariest. Though early in the film, Hicks plays Scrooge as the usual grumpy old man, when confronted by the demons in his life, he is profoundly terrified. There's no whitewashing of the story here. For those who want the coldest and dreariest version of "A Christmas Carol," this is it.
There are, of course, many others. Two recent TV verisions starred George C. Scott and Patrick Stewart. Scott, whose career included playing the stalwart Gen. Patton, shows a multi-faceted side of his acting talents here and is just charming when Scrooge realizes the error of his ways. Stewart, however, is less effective. He comes off more like his Capt. Jean-Luc Picard character from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" early on and his transformation later is not convincing.
There are countless other versions, too. For us, it isn't Christmas until we've watched "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol." Magoo's version butchers the story, adds incompatible songs and theatrics. But, perhaps for sentimental reasons having seen it since its premiere on TV in the '60s, we love it and consider it one of the best versions.
So what is your favorite? We'll put up a poll and you are welcome to add your comments.

---

Check out our DVD Watch "A Christmas Carol" store featuring all the different versions of "A Christmas Carol" on DVD.