Knots Landing - The Complete Second Season

Written by Senora Bicho

Knots Landing, a drama centered on the lives of four marriages in a small suburb of Southern California, was created as a spin-off for the hit show Dallas. It started off slow in the ratings and not as popular as Dallas, but it ended up being on the air longer, and running from 1979 to 1993, and received more critical acclaim. As time went on it became much more of a soap opera and season two started this trend with the addition of Abby Cunningham (Donna Mills).

Starting off with a bang, Sid Fairgate (Don Murray) is arrested for raping a hitchhiker. While in the midst of fighting the charges, Sid discovers that his younger sister Abby is divorcing her husband and is considering moving to San Diego. Sid’s wife Karen (Michele Lee) hosts a dinner for Abby and invites all of their neighbors, although it is very obvious Abby is much more interested in the husbands in attendance and flirts openly with all of them. Val Ewing (Joan Van Ark) is drawn to Abby’s daughter and spends most of the evening reading to her while her husband Gary (Ted Shackelford) ignores Abby’s advances. Kenny Ward (James Houghton) invites himself to the party in an attempt to make up with his wife, Ginger (Kim Lankford), after she caught him cheating at the end of the first season. Laura Avery (Constance McCashin) is excitedly telling everyone about her new real estate job her corporate attorney husband Richard (John Pleshette) allowed her to take after he wanted to borrow money from her father. This party was a very ingenious way to provide new viewers with an opportunity to meet all of the main players at once while giving returning viewers a recap.

Abby stays in town to help fight Sid’s rape charges and in the process becomes fond of Knots Landing and the inhabitants, deciding to make it her home instead of San Diego. Initially, everyone gets along great but soon Abby’s conniving ways come to the surface and trouble ensues. The rest of the season includes Gary’s battle with alcoholism along with his involvement in organized crime, Richard losing his job, Ginger ending up pregnant, and Val’s fight with cancer. There are also relationship struggles that include plenty of adultery and an overabundance of lying and scheming.

Season Two also includes some visits from members of the Dallas cast. J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) and Kristin Sheppard (Mary Crosby), infamous for being the culprit who shot J.R., show up to cause some mayhem, and Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) also comes to town to support his brother Gary.

Knots Landing is exactly what you would expect: melodramatic moments, beautiful women in tight clothes, and outrageous storylines. There is nothing particularly exciting or engaging in this season. Abby adds an interesting dynamic to the show and is the highlight. I am looking forward to the release of the later, more popular seasons, especially once William Devane joins the cast. Season Two definitely has some soap-opera moments but it isn’t nearly as much of a guilty pleasure as what is to come.

Max Fleischer's Superman: 1941-1942

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Max Fleischer and his brother Dave had the honor and challenge of bringing Superman to the silver screen for the very first time. Fleischer’s cartoon studio was known for Popeye and Gulliver’s Travels by the time Paramount came to them asking if they would take on the project. They did and in so doing put on film Superman as much of the world would come to know him. This two-disc DVD set contains all seventeen theatrical shorts from 1941 to 1942.

With a bit of hesitation the brothers accepted the project of animating the Superman comic books. Already a radio hit, the problem was how to make the cartoon move swiftly, remain action packed, and hold the audience’s attention for about nine minutes while making it all seem more realistic than other cartoons of the day. The Fleischer Studio had already perfected the use of rotoscoping (drawing over filmed live action) so making Superman realistic didn’t take long to figure out. Adding to the cartoon appeal were the radio voices of Joan Alexander and Bud Collyer, Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman, as the public had grown to know them. On radio and in the comics Superman was really only able to leap or hop from place to place, thus the line in the opening about being “able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.” Since jumping around would look a bit silly on film, the Fleischers got permission to make Superman fly.

The first short, “Superman” a.k.a. “Mad Scientist,” sets the pattern and flow of the episodes that follow. Daily Planet reporters Lois Lane is sent on a story along with or followed by fellow reporter Clark Kent and winds up in trouble. She will either be taken hostage/prisoner at first or she will “stumble” into the situation because she hides out or sneaks into the best place to get the story. But have no fear as Kent/Superman are nearby and can hear her scream. So in swoops Supes and gets beat around for a bit, saves Lois while trying to curb further destruction by the bad guy, and finally captures the villain, mostly through his super strength and sometimes outsmarting them.

The fun lays in watching the various villains Superman faces and takes on. Not only does he nab mad scientists (“Mad Scientist,” “The Magnetic Telescope”) but foreign threats such as the Japanese and Germans (“The Japoteurs,” “Jungle Drums”) along with crime lords, who impersonate Superman, and organized thieves (“Showdown,” “The Bulleteers”). It gets better as the Man of Steel does battle with giant/supernatural beasts like a thawed out T-Rex, a giant circus gorilla gone crazy, ancient Egyptian mummies brought back to life, and underground-dwelling birdmen (“Artic Giant,” “Terror On The Midway,” “The Mummy Strikes,” “Underground World”). Superman must also deal with the Earth itself, either manipulated by humans or on its own be it stopping an earthquake or redirecting the lava flow of a volcano (“Electric Earthquake,” “Volcano”).

The animation overall is great with vivid colors, and the humans, animals, and all things mechanical move very well and appear very realistic either in main focus or in the background; the landscapes and other scenery also look great. The kicker is the stereotypes of the ‘40s. It’s one thing to have robbers in classic mask and thick, five o’clock shadow but the Japanese are outrageous as they all have buckteeth and talk like Mr. Moto. I mean there’s not much to do about it or cry over; I simply think its funny the way that Hollywood saw these people in that day. I personally am not offended as it’s just a cartoon and the product of a different time, so laugh and get over it. The DVD packaging even states that this collection is intended for the adult collector and is “not” suitable for children. Go figure.

We don’t get to see too many of Superman’s skills other than his X-Ray vision, super strength and new ability to fly; he mostly uses his muscle to clear his way and win the day as he saves the girl, stops destruction, and puts an end to the villains short reign of terror. We do however get to witness Lois Lane fly a plane, drive a train, shoot machine guns, and still end up writing a hell of a story.

The two bonus features are a fascinating further look into the creation of not only the Fleischer shorts but also Superman as a myth throughout time. Both are filled with info on the effect that these cartoons had on the comic and recent cartoon versions. They are two good pieces even if they are a bit short at only about thirteen minutes each. Well worth the time for collectors and fans of all types from the average viewer to the diehard comic books guys to the movies buffs and just plain ol’ geeks.

Jim Gaffigan: King Baby

Written by Musgo Del Jefe

Jim Gaffigan may be the funniest and yet most invisible comedian around today. Few people I talk to can recognize him by name and he's only vaguely familiar by face. These people will find out about Jim's brilliance in a few years and they'll be the one's trying to tell me that I've got to catch this hilarious comedian. King Baby is a stand-up routine filmed in Austin, Texas. It's a follow-up to the great Beyond The Pale special that gave us the oft-You-Tubed "Hot Pocket" routine.

Jim Gaffigan has an easy style. He balances observational humor with shorter stories. The topics are broad and not going to suffer with age - no political satire here. He spent much of his first special talking in a higher, softer voice that was the voice of a disappointed audience member. He's toned it back in this special and it works even more effectively. The thing that really hits you about halfway through the performance is that it's clean. I had to check the DVD to see if I had the "edited for TV" version, but it clearly stated that it was Not Rated and that "This program is recommended for Mature Audiences". It's refreshing to get through the 71 minute set and realize that it rarely veered off into even PG-13 category and yet it appeals to adults.

Some of the topics include . . .

BOWLING. "For most of us bowling is the activity you do after you've done everything else . . . no one's ever jealous when they heard you went bowling." This section is a great lead off to the act. Jim's able to hit on lots of his strong points - the combination of laziness, nerdiness, and food. The jokes seem a little dated mainly because bowling seems to be an activity that has fallen out of favor with youth today.

ESCALATORS. "How about those people that take the stairs right next to the escalator. 'What are you drunk? This thing is free.'" Once again, Jim hits on our essential laziness. The scenarios are so simple and yet he makes the jokes seem fresh. Much of this act feels right out of a Seinfeld routine - that's a compliment.

CAMPING. "Some places you have to pay to sleep outside . . . that's got to be offensive to the homeless people". Another topic that seems a little dated but Jim makes the topic a riot. The set is highlighted by his jokes on avoiding being eaten by a bear.

BEAN BAG. The best part of this track is actually his take on futons. "It's a couch that turns into a bed. The most disappointing Transformer of all." This track makes me laugh almost as much as any other in the special.

BACON. The topics of futons, bean bags, and beds leads to the anchor section of the special. This long take on bacon is amazing. The fact that he can get so many minutes on the topic is made only funnier by the fact that he keeps mentioning how long he's going on about bacon. And it makes me want to have some bacon. "Wanna know how good bacon is? To improve other food they wrap it in bacon." This track is the one that you'll be talking about for years afterwards. "You know bacon's bad for you when a doughnut is a better choice." He even worms a great religion joke into the middle of the bacon routine.

DEODORANT. One of the few series of jokes that doesn't work well (except for the bacon references). I appreciate him once again trying to work in jokes on everyday items.

DUNKIN' DONUTS. Back to the food humor. This set on cities and their food is hilarious and the one Jim used on many of the talk shows to promote this special. "I don't know how Dunkin' Donuts stays in business - they sell 3000 donuts and they make, what, 30 bucks." Once again, simple jokes that are funny and comfortable.

CATSUP. Next to "Bacon", this is the signature piece of the routine. Once again, it's a simple idea that flows from a couple pieces on fast food. It starts with a bit on catsup packets and moves into a discussion of catsup in general. "What about those people that don't use catsup. What are they called? Al-Queda." This is a great finale.

WAFFLE HOUSE. Like any artist, he finishes with his strongest piece "Catsup" but for his encore, he still has a quick strong piece that will leave you laughing until the next special. I found this one the best structured. Unlike the rapid-fire single-line jokes of the previous bits, this one builds like a narrative with the biggest payoffs at the end. "Here's something you'll never hear in a Waffle House - 'Nice job cleaning up!'" It's a great way to end this routine.

This is a truly fun special. Like the comfort foods that he makes fun of, Jim's style seems so natural. The biggest compliment I can give him is that while all the jokes are new, they seem like something you must have heard before. They're just that easy. It's not that easy to make the mundane an entertaining topic. Pop in the DVD and you'll be hooked.

The disc has a number of specials in addition to over 30 minutes not seen in the Comedy Central special. The "Pale Force" episodes from the Conan O'Brien show are forgettable, as are the "Our Massive Planet" internet episodes. The interviews are interesting because they show Jim just having fun but he never seems to be as comfortable as he is on stage just talking about the things we encounter everyday.

MARLEY & ME - 3-Disc Bad Dog Edition (Blu-ray)

Written by Senora Bicho

When I saw the first trailer for Marley & Me, I was not aware that it was based on a popular autobiographical book written by John Grogan, who also worked on the screenplay. I thought it looked silly and had no interest in seeing it at all. Once I heard about the book from a friend and some good things about it, I started to change my mind. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are not my favorite actors but I do usually enjoy them, so when the chance to review it came up, I thought it would be a nice break from my usual crime fare.

John (Wilson) and Jennifer (Aniston) Grogan are a young married couple on the rise. They are both journalists but Jennifer is the more successful of the two. After getting settled in their new home, John gets nervous about starting a family. Close friend and womanizer Sebastian (Eric Dane) advises him to get a dog first. John takes the advice and surprises Jennifer with Marley, an adorable Labrador puppy named after Bob Marley. The pup is trouble from the start: he makes a mess of the house, never listens, and is generally out of control. In an attempt to get Marley to behave, the Grogan’s enroll him in obedience school but after he is quickly kicked out they must figure it out on their own. Kathleen Turner makes a brief appearance here as the trainer and I wish it would have been a larger role because she is terrific.

One day John’s boss Arnie (Alan Arkin) offers him a twice-a-week column until he can find a replacement. John is stumped on what to write about and uses his life with Marley as his first subject. Arnie loves it because of its personal touch. John continues along those lines and he gets the column permanently. Now settled in his job and comfortable with life with Jennifer and Marley, John decides it is time to go ahead and start the family. The rest of the movie takes us through the ups of downs of the Grogan family.

The video is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen and appears free of any digital issues or manipulation. It has a great picture, especially for a movie that you wouldn’t think would place a high priority on cinematography, but then the cinematographer is Florian Ballhaus, who is following in the footsteps of his talented father Michael Ballhaus. The color scheme uses a lot of bright colors, which is natural to Florida. The fleshtones stay true and consistent throughout.

The audio is presented in DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio does a great job recreating the source, although admittedly there wasn’t a lot for it to do in this drama. The dialogue is clear as it comes out the fronts and while the surround fills in occasional ambiance. For the most part, the subwoofer gets the night off, which eliminates a potential pun.

There are several extras included in the Blu-ray DVD set but calling it a 3-disc set is very deceiving. One disc is a digital copy and one disc is a bonus DVD copy. “Finding Marley” showcases the work of the trainers involved in the making of the movie. “Breaking the Golden Rule” is a featurette that includes interviews with the cast and crew. “On Set with Marley: Dog of all Trades” provides Marley’s the opportunity to talk about the making of the movie. “When Not to Pee” is about one particular scene. “Dog Training Trivia Track” includes tips on dog training that can pop-up during the movie or that can be watched individually through the special features. There are also deleted scenes with director commentary, a gag reel and an informational piece on animal adoption.

Marley & Me is completely forgettable. There is nothing special or original about it; it is exactly what you would expect. The actors fill their roles competently no more no less. If you are looking for a nice family movie with some touching moments, this is for you but I would suggest you rent it, watch it on cable, or buy just the movie. The extras are not worth the cost of the set.

The Last House on the Left: Unrated Collector's Edition (1972)

Written by Puño Estupendo

Most people that I discuss horror films with are surprised whenever I say that I'm not a big fan of Wes Craven's movies. I know, I know, he's this big deal legend of horror and all that, but I just don't like his films. I generally think they're either boring or they just don't do anything for me. Sure A Nightmare on Elm Street was awesome when it came out (before it turned into the ridiculous franchise that it did) but I outgrew it. The Scream movies were anything but horror in my opinion because they didn't scare me, and I always thought that the actors and actresses in them treated the movie like they were intentionally slumming in the genre just to be "cool."

In having this conversation many times over the years, I save the most surprising fact until the moment is right. After going round and round about my non-fan status, I drop the bomb by saying "Except for The Last House On The Left; that one is awesome!" Even the most desensitized of people are known to not be able to watch that one. An unflinching tale of rape, torture, murder and revenge, Last House has a disturbing level of true horror that is only topped by the feelings you're left with after the movie has ended.

Two young women run into the wrong group of people while trying to buy some weed before going to a concert. They're abducted and subjected to every sort of nightmare that people fear when they think about that situation happening. The perpetrators of this crime later find themselves in the home of the parents of one of their victims. The parents realize what has happened and (in facing their horror) seek revenge against their guests, unleashing a ferocity all their own.

What you can't sum up in a plotline is how visceral and grotesque the feelings of this film are. Originally released in 1972 and shot with a very grainy, amateurish look and style, this movie hits beats and emotions that I don't believe I've ever seen matched before or since. It's very simple to throw the phrase "disturbing" around when talking horror, but this one earns it. I'm hard pressed to think of a film (other than documentaries) that bring the emotional strength of how repulsive and soul-crushing true violence is.

You are witness to these acts, voyeurishly standing outside them and unable to intervene. Last House holds the camera and stares at the events when your conscience wants you to look away. Maybe it's gratuitous, maybe it's even violence to the point of pornography, but maybe that's it's true lesson. The film seems to possibly have reached this point accidentally in some ways (as explained in the supplementals) but what gives the final product validation for its excesses is that it never glorifies the violence. It's heart-wrenching and brings up feelings that you might not know you had inside you.

Everytime I've seen this movie, my brain is reeling long after it's over. The tagline of "Repeat to yourself...it's only a movie" may have been used to drum up business when it was released, but it ends up speaking volumes about it overall. Yes, it's only a movie. They're all actors on the screen and what you're seeing is not real. What's real are the emotions that are brought to the surface in the viewer, giving you pause about what you thought your opinion about violence was.

The DVD presents the film in a 1.85.1 widescreen ratio and, though it's cleaned up, still has its original homemade look to it (which I loved). Featuring a commentary track by some of the film's actors and several featurettes, I found that I enjoyed the disc quite a bit. Wes Craven is interviewed (as is producer Sean Cunningham) and explains the events leading up to the filming of Last House and I found that it really did shed a lot of light on this movie. The featurettes with Craven and the actors almost satisfy the conversation you want to have with them after watching the film. It was also nice to see star Davis Hess get some well deserved interview time. His face has become iconic to horrorphiles and I welcomed his chance for some screen time through the interviews.

At the risk of overstating the obvious, this isn't a film for the timid, but I think it has more than earned it's mark in cinematic history and should never be dismissed because of its subject matter. Even though it's not something that warrants repeated viewing over and over again, this is a great disc to have and I'm glad it's out there.

Lilo & Stitch - 2-Disc Big Wave Edition

Written by Hombre Divertido

On March 24th Disney released Lilo & Stitch in a 2-Disc Big Wave edition. This 85-minute animated film was a huge success when it was released in June of 2002, and is still an interesting and visually exciting film, but this new release appears to be, well, stitched together.

Lilo & Stitch take the E.T. formula and turns it upside down as the aggressive and nearly indestructible genetic experiment 626 escapes his prison sentence, makes his way to Earth, and is adopted by the also aggressive Lilo, who loves her unusual-looking dog. Take the antics of the two main characters, throw in Lilo’s overextended guardian and older sister Nani, a mysteriously stern, man-in-black social worker named Cobra Bubbles, and an alien comedy team sent to capture Stitch, put them all in the serene Hawaiian islands, and set all the action to some classic Elvis songs, and you have a film that children are sure to enjoy.

The film has some unusually violent tendencies for a Disney film, as Lilo is certainly not the standard Disney youngster. She hits, bites, and talks back, but the film is about growth and change as both characters display a well-crafted evolution in who they are and how they relate to their environment and those in it. There are some good messages to be found in this film, though parents may need to break it down for children, as the story is a bit busy.

The vocal talents of Daveigh Chase and Tia Carrere, as Lilo and Nani do a wonderful job of capturing the local dialect, as does Jason Scott Lee as the local boy interested in Nani. Co-writer/co-director Chris Sanders has fun creating the sounds emanating from Stitch; and David Ogden Stiers, Ving Rhames, Kevin McDonald, and Kevin Michael Richardson round out a talented cast of vocal artists who bring great energy to this project.

It is the look and sound of the film that will endear it to adults. The watercolors give this film a look that combines the beauty of classic Disney animation with the technology of today, creating images that jump off the screen and settings that draw the viewer in. The imagery is truly some of the best in the Disney vault, and it is hard to go wrong with a soundtrack full of Elvis songs. The entire soundtrack is worth owning as it contains great rock ‘n’ roll along with wonderful songs that are sure to transport you to the islands.

It’s almost seven years since the film hit the big screen and had its eventual DVD release, an animated television series would follow the next year, and then a straight-to-DVD sequel in 2005, so it had to be time for a new release. Disney certainly had enough time to put together something really special, so why does the 2-Disc Big Wave edition seem so thrown together? From no information as to which pieces of material are on which disc, to repetitive content, games listed as samples that aren’t, a ridiculously short hula lesson, and a painfully long documentary, this is a mess.

The reselling of a film on DVD is always about the bonus material, and there is certainly a lot here, but how about putting some effort into the presentation. The second disk is an embarrassment. It loads to an amateurish menu that leads to a documentary which follows the making of the film from inception to premiere, and is exhaustively thorough at over two hours. If that is not enough, the second disk also includes footnotes from the documentary and “Deleted Scenes and Early Versions,” though both features contain a lot of the same material.

The first disk contains the feature as well as some pleasant and educational bonus features including audio commentary featuring producer Clark Spencer and directors/writers Sanders and Dean DeBlois, DisneyPedia: Hawaii – The Islands of Aloha, and the theatrical trailers that creatively inserted Stitch into classic Disney films such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin.

Whereas the documentary on the second disk was too long, some features on the first disc are far too short. The Hula lesson will disappoint kids as it could have easily been a terrific piece by providing some quality instruction rather than the three-minute glance that it is, “Burning Love” is nothing more than watching Wynonna standing in front of a microphone singing the song, and though “A Stitch in Time” is certainly long enough at three minutes, it makes little sense.

Recommendation: If you don’t own the wonderfully edgy Lilo & Stitch, than this is a fine way to add it to your collection. If you do already own the DVD, and really want to know more about the film, there is some quality bonus material here, but the presentation certainly could have been better as could some of the content.

The Riches: Season 2

Written by Senora Bicho

Season two of The Riches debuted on March 18, 2008 and consisted of seven episodes. The first season received critical acclaim including several Emmy nominations and was a ratings success as well. The second season received positive reviews but not the ratings; the series was canceled several months after the season ended.

The Riches is the story of the Malloy family, traveling con artists who have managed to steal the American dream after the accidental death of a wealthy couple. The season one finale included the arrival of Dahlia’s (Minnie Driver) cousin Dale (Todd Stashwick) looking for stolen money and Pete (Arye Gross), the best friend of the real Doug Rich, looking for answers.

Season two begins with the family on the run. They have drugged Pete and are about to take off for Mexico when they have trouble with the RV. Wayne (Eddie Izzard) and Dahlia go back to the house to get another car and Wayne decides to go in and bribe Pete. Dahlia takes off with the three kids and neighbor Nina (Margo Martindale) who has decided to run away from her boring life. Once back in the house, Wayne discovers that Dale has killed Pete. While Wayne is trying to figure out how to deal with Dale, his boss Hugh (Gregg Henry) shows up with a brilliant new moneymaking scheme. After some trouble ensues, Dahlia and the group are reunited with Wayne who convinces them to go back to Eden Falls for one last big score so that they can really live a normal life. The season ends with several cliffhangers that we will never know the resolution of which is disappointing.

All of the reasons that made season one so good are still in place in season two: an excellent cast, a well-written and interesting story, and unique characters. The heart of the show is a simple family drama about parents struggling with issues that arise with their children, relationships, and day-to-day suburban life. I thought season two was just as thought provoking and intriguing as season one and the performances just as brilliant. Minnie Driver is especially phenomenal; I can’t take my eyes off of her when she is on screen. Watching her character develop and the issues she faces and tries to overcome is the best part of the show.

There are certain aspects that I didn’t care for. I could care less about Hugh and his storyline for example, but overall the season is definitely worth watching. It is unfortunate that a show as original and well done as this didn’t make it while ‘The Bachelor” and other such nonsense continues to live on. If you didn’t get a chance to see season two when it aired, this is your chance to see what you missed.

The only special feature included is “Eddie Izzard: Revealed,” a featurette focused on Izzard’s character.

GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (1939)

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Gulliver’s Travels was Max Fleischer’s and Paramount Pictures answers to Walt Disney’s Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs and is just as visually pleasing if not as overall entertaining. The Fleischer brothers, Dave and Max, with their studio were pioneers of many of the innovations used to further the art of animation and it shows in the work that they achieved with their 1939 masterpiece. Dotted with song and comedy, Part I of the classic Jonathan Swift tale is brought to life and delivers its still powerful message while providing seventy-seven minutes of cartoon entertainment.

The “giant” Gulliver loses his ship during a rough sea storm and is washed ashore in the land of Lilliput, which is inhabited by tiny little people that fit into Gulliver’s hand. Discovered while passed out on the beach by the fussy Gabby, Gulliver is finally set upon by the Lilliputians at the request of the king and brought to town. Once awake and after their initial fright the Lilliputians take to Gulliver very well, cleaning, shaving, clothing, and treating him to a feast and festivities of song and dance. Gulliver is also persuaded to aid the people against the attacking army of the king of Blefiscu. Now the whole feud between the two kingdoms started over what song was to be sung at the wedding of the prince of Blefiscu and the princess of Lilliput.

The kings could not decide, began to quarrel, and war was declared. Gulliver intervened only to stop any loss of life and not really to see one side win. After witnessing the young couples true love, Gulliver comes up with a plan to combine the two songs and bring the two warring kingdoms to peace again. Gulliver does help bring peace, but after the prince nearly loses his life while saving the giant’s, only then do the people of both kingdoms realize that fighting over a song is trivial and friendship is a better option. With all well again Gulliver and company build a small boat for him to sail off into the sunset on, back to the land of giants.

The film contains many great scenes and some good comic moments from the kings and mostly Gabby. Gulliver pulling ships together as they attempt to attack Lilliput is a sequence which has stuck in my mind since I saw the feature as a child on television as well the scene of the giant’s discovery. Gulliver himself is another aspect of the film that has always lived in my mind for the fact that he looks like a real human, through rotoscoping, and not a cartoon individual. The color is great and keeps the eye alive to the movements and scenery. The songs are okay, Gabby’s opening song and “It’s A Hap-Hap-Happy Day” are highlights. “Happy Day” is the centerpiece of the film and was used in numerous other Fleischer cartoons.

Entertaining even though the plot is, it’s a tad thin and the songs don’t pop the same way the Disney features do. Side by side with Snow White, Gulliver’s Travels does fall short. But with its antiwar message, goodhearted vibe and great animation, children should adore the film in the same way that generations before have.

As a DVD bonus there are two Gabby shorts (“Swing Cleaning” and “King For A Day”) that were pieced together from unused portions of the film and in that sense they are interesting but again lack the flair of other toon shorts of the time. A five-minute vintage documentary (“The Making Of A Cartoon”) on the Fleischer studios by the Fleischer studios is interesting to watch as we see the way animation studios used to work.

My one major problem with the disc is the menu. It’s hard to determine what chapter or feature you want to select or jump to; other than that the film and packaging are fine.

MOVING MIDWAY

Written by Fumo Verde

It’s a crapshoot the way I do reviews. I read a blurb, maybe see a trailer on website, but most times is a roll of the dice, sometimes you win and sometimes it’s a Drake Bell CD. Most of the time I can count on documentaries to at least bring a small piece of knowledge into my life that I absorb like a Shamwow and this little doc did just that.

I find nothing compelling about moving a house nor Southern white families tracing their roots back to nobles of old Europe or African Americans tracing their roots returning to those houses of those white people who used to own said people. There’s nothing wrong with any of it but I just didn’t think I would be interested. These are the times I love when I’m wrong. Moving Midway hooked me and I never left the monitor.

This is a story of a family, their house, and the slaves who built it. Director Godfrey Cheshire by blood is a Hinton. What or who is a Hinton? Let’s start from square one: John Hinton (1715-1784). This guy came to North Carolina with a land grant from the king of England in 1739 and it is his bloodline that runs through Godfrey Cheshire. Next significant Hinton to make this all possible was Charles Lewis Hinton (1783-1861). Family lore says he built the house at Midway Plantation for his son David. It’s called Midway Plantation because it was the midway point between two other plantations owned by the Hinton family. Charles Lewis Hinton also fathered a son from one of his slaves, and his name was Ruffin Hinton. So right there we have a story line of a family, black and white, coming together to meet each other for the first time. For a history freak like me, this was pretty interesting because you would think people would have issues with others, but everybody was cordial. If there were issues, Cheshire didn’t put it on the screen.

The other story being told was one that demythologizes the lore of a Tara type of plantation. Immortalized by Gone with the Wind, this legendary idea of a huge manor house on vast acres of land was made up. As filmmakers and historians have found out, the southern part of our nation is not covered with plantation houses and cotton fields, yet when the term “the old South” is muttered, this is the concept most bring to the forefront of their mind. It also explores films such as Birth of a Nation, which may be considered one of the greatest films ever by film historians and to this day the only movie which has out sold it was Titanic, or so the expert on the disc tells us, but it reeks with racism and fear of the black man. The ideas conveyed about the South of the past still shadow the South of present, and though time heals all wounds, money and progress can only patch the scars.

The final story is about the house itself and how and why it moved. It seems the plantation was sold off due to a new interstate, which would come right through the backyard of the Midway house. To keep this “plantation feel” the heir of matriarch Mimi Hinton, Charles Hinton Sliver, whose job was to keep the myth/legend of Midway Plantation alive, felt it better to preserve the old house than to be run over by Target. How this move happens is also a sight to see, and Mr. Mike Blake is the man who makes it all happen. With years of experience Blake & Co. treat this house with kid gloves as they slowly hall it through the back lands of North Carolina.

This film, now on DVD, surprised me and I found that it tells more than just the story on the cover. It opens up doors and asks questions while showing us why certain ideas still remain. Two things didn’t surprise me. Number one comes from the white side of the Hinton family: the idea that the Hintons were definitely kind to their slaves because the entire family are so kind and nice, and everybody in jail is innocent, just ask them. Second, comes from the black side of the Hinton family—they wanted to know why the plantation land was divided up and given to all the members of the Hinton family.

Truth is all our bloodlines are connected and can be traced back to algae, it doesn’t mean I can lay claim to the pond. As we change, we still stay the same.

Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures - Season One, Volume One

Written by Hombre Divertido

In September of 1964 animation innovators and pioneers William Hanna and Joseph Barbara again broke all molds by bringing an animated action series to prime-time television. Though the adventures of 11-year-old Johnny Quest, his best friend Hadji, dog Bandit, father Dr. Benton Quest, and Roger “Race” Bannon would only run in primetime on ABC for one year, it would become a cult classic on Saturday mornings as the original 26 episodes would have a run on each of the three networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) over the next fifteen years.

In 1986 the series was re-tooled for a 13-episode run in syndication. The new effort included the original cast, plus Jesse Bradshaw, an independent, eighties teenage girl, and (heavy sigh) Hardrock, a subterranean warrior who was made of stone. This outing had some of the good qualities of the original series, but ultimately not enough.

In 1996 the Cartoon Network would bring the latest incarnation of Jonny Quest to television in the form of The Real Adventures. On February 17th, 2009 Warner Home Video released Volume One (13 episodes) of the first season in a two-disc set.

In The Real Adventures Jonny and Hadji are now teenagers and are joined by a young teenage girl, who in this case is Jesse Bannon, daughter of Race, who also participates in the team’s adventures along with Jonny’s father Dr. Benton Quest. Bandit appears in some of the episodes but is certainly not as prevalent as he was in the original series. Alas, Hardrock does not appear in this series.

The Quest Team continues to travel the world assisting others and solving mysteries. These new stories look and sound great on DVD, though, in certain cases the animation looks more like a computer game than an animated television show.

Generally it is the writing that let’s this new series down. The writers fail to appreciate the group dynamics that made the original series so popular, and many of the stories simply try too hard to be more than they should. The relationships between the team members were instrumental in the success of the original series, and are all but lost here, as the group is constantly split up and Hadji is under utilized.

A computer-generated world titled Questworld plays a key role in too many of the episodes as it simply serves to give children something to look at, but serves little purpose and often distracts from what should have been entertaining stories as in episode two “Escape to Questworld.”

The vocal talents are adequate in the show, though adults may find the extremely recognizable voice of George Segal to be distracting as Dr. Benton Quest. Robert Patrick as Race Bannon is also recognizable, but is overshadowed by his inconsistent performance that includes a southern drawl that seems to disappear and reappear from scene to scene.

The sole special feature in this release is the short documentary: “Jonny Quest Returns: Modernizing a Classic for a New Generation of Fans.” It is informative and entertaining as the various people involved in this project convey their respective goals in bringing Jonny Quest back to television, but it would have been more realistic had they given a more even perspective and conveyed the areas in which they failed.

Recommendation: Children may enjoy the look of the series, but adults will be annoyed with some of the ridiculous and convoluted storylines. Fans of the original series will be disappointed with what has been done to the classic ensemble chemistry that was Jonny Quest of the sixties.