Written by Hombre Divertido
On October 27th Warner Brothers released 316 minutes of cartoon memories from the seventies, though, not all of it is animated nor from the seventies. This new release not only contains some classics, but some you may not remember as well. It is important to remember the collection makes no reference to being the best of the seventies, and it certainly isn’t. Nonetheless, there is some interesting history here, as well as some voices to listen for.
The release contains 12 shows on two discs, but you won’t find the list of shows anywhere on the packaging. The main menu on the disk does supply the list, but can be frustrating to operate as selecting some episodes will return you to the menu unnecessarily, and selecting “Play all” excludes one episode.
The twelve shows included are: Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch, the story of three mischievous bears who live in a zoo and manipulate the zoo keeper; New Adventures of Gilligan, which continues the adventures of the castaways from the sitcom of the sixties; Sea Lab 2020, a futuristic series based on an underwater community; Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, which follows the exploits of the famous detective and his children who happen to be a rock group; Shazzan, the story of two teens who travel around on a flying camel during the time of the Arabian Knights and call upon a sixty-foot Genie when they get into trouble; Yogi's Gang, which follows the classic members of the Hanna Barbera library as they travel in a flying ark and meet people who teach them important lessons; Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, which consists of stories from the two classic Warner Brothers characters; Valley of the Dinosaurs, which tells the story of a family that travels back in time and is befriended by a Neanderthal family;
Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape Show, which consists of stories with the classic cat and mouse and stories with the 40-foot purple ape and his canine best friend; The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, a live-action series with four costumed characters who would introduce animated series and live-action serials; Inch High Private Eye, which followed the adventures of the diminutive detective and his assistants; and The New Adventures of Batman, which continues the adventures of the caped crusader. There is certainly something in this eclectic mix for everyone, but likely they all won't be satisfying.
From a story perspective, many are quite weak, such as the Inch High Private Eye episodes where the solution to the mysteries rarely made sense to anyone other than Inch High. The animation is poor in several of the shows, most noticeably in The New Adventures of Batman. Filmation had produced superior superhero cartoons in the sixties, and though these episodes have a smoother flow to the movement, it is easy to see the lack of attention to detail in this episode as the Bat Logo on the hood of the Batmobile changes color and disappears all together.
It is the historical aspects that make this release most interesting. Batman reunites the talents of Adam West and Burt Ward for the first time since the original series. Unfortunately the series also introduces the Bat Mite character, which was nothing more than annoying. Filmation’s New Adventures of Batman aired during the same season as Hanna Barbera’s Super Friends which marked a rare occasion in television history where the adventures of the same character were being chronicled on two different networks.
The Banana Splits Adventure Hour was created by Sid and Marty Kroft, and produced by Hanna Barbera. This is most interesting since this release includes Valley of the Dinosaurs, an animated series produced by Hanna Barbera that tells the story of a family on a rafting trip that gets swept into a prehistoric world. Valley premiered on the same day as Sid and Marty Kroft’s live-action series Land of the Lost, which coincidentally follows a similar story line.
The New Adventures of Gilligan reunites the original cast with the exception of Dawn Wells and Tina Louise. Jane Web would voice both the Mary Ann and Ginger characters. Sealab 2020 would be remixed to produce Sealab 2021, part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan marked the first time that the character of Charlie Chan was portrayed by an actor of Chinese decent, Key Luke.
Jodie Foster can also be heard on episodes of Amazing Chan. Along with Foster, other notable actor’s voices in this collection are Jackie Earle Haley, Ross Martin, Ann Jillian, Jay North, and classic cartoon vocal talents including Paul Winchell, Joe E. Ross, Daws Butler, John Sephenson, and Don Messick.
Not a lot of bonus material here. “The Power of Shazzan” tells the back-story of this classic cartoon. What it fails to reveal is that this series ended its original run in 1969, and thus does not belong in this collection. “Saturday Morning Wake-Up Calls” provides a brief preview of the contents of the DVD. Though it is somewhat of a waste, as it appears to be a commercial for a product already purchased, it is voiced by Casey Kasem, who was also the voice of Shaggy on Scooby Doo and Robin the Boy Wonder in the first animated Batman series and a legendary radio personality.
Bottom Line: The historical significance may be more than those who are looking for memories to sit back and enjoy with a bowl of cereal care about, and there are certainly better series from the decade, but Warner Brothers has put together a collection worth owning. Watching these series in small portions is just right. Having all the episodes of any of these series would only serve to remind us that all the stories of the shows we loved as kids were basically the same.
Valley of the Dinosaurs Clip From the DVD: “Such Luck”
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
MONSTERS, INC. (Blu-ray)
Written by Senora Bicho
Released in November 2001, Monsters, Inc. was the fourth feature-length feature film by Pixar Animation Studios. While it was a commercial and critical success, I didn’t think it was as entertaining for adults when compared to the previous films. I haven’t seen it since the theatrical release and was curious to see if I might enjoy it more this time around with the Blu-ray release.
The inhabitants of the city Monstropolis rely on the screams of children as its source of power. Monsters, Inc. provides the city’s energy through its scream-processing factory. James P. “Sully” Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at the factory. Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) is Sully’s rival determined to take over the top position. In order to obtain the screams, the monsters enter into teleportation doors that lead into a child’s bedroom. One night after business hours, Sully stumbles upon a door that hasn’t been properly stored away. While investigating the door, he inadvertently brings a child into the monster world. Children are considered toxic to monsters so as soon as the breach is discovered the city goes on high alert. Sully and Mike soon discover that the child is not toxic after all and realize it is up to them to protect her while attempting to get her home.
Both the video and audio presentations are amazing. Presented in 1080p and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the film is awash in brilliant, vibrant colors from the trees’ autumn colors to the entire spectrum of rainbow represented by the cast of characters. It’s very impressive the creative team went to the trouble of adding patches of purple on his bluish-turquoise hair, which is flawlessly rendered, as are all the textures in the film. From common walls to the monsters’ various skin types, they are all clear and realistic.
The jazz score under the opening credits immediately prepares the viewer for how good the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 experience will be. Each instrument (clarinet, trumpet, piano, drums) is distinct and the bass thumps out the subwoofer. The directionality well positions the characters and items as they move about the scene. The dialogue is understandable no matter how wild the action gets, and the climatic door-storage chase sequence gets very wild.
The Blu-ray release includes all-new bonus material. “Filmmakers’ Round Table” provides behind-the-scenes information and anecdotes from some of the filmmakers. “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan” offers a look at the new attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. “Roz 100-Door Challenge” is a triva game aimed at younger viewers who wish to try and apply for a job at Monsters, Inc. There is also an audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, screenwriter Andrew Stanton and executive producer John Lasseter. However, these features alone do not create a compelling reason to buy the Blu-ray combo pack.
The original bonus material contained in the first DVD release is also provided. “For the Birds” is an Academy Award-winning short. “Mike’s New Car” is an Academy Award-nominated short. “Humans Only” contains information on Pixar and highlights the process of making the film from concept to completion. “Monsters Only” focuses on the company Monsters, Inc. and its staff. The set also comes with a standard DVD that includes the film and the original bonus material while a fourth disc provides a digital copy of the film.
As it turned out I happened to watch Pixar’s newest release Up over the same weekend as watching Monsters, Inc. There was no comparison on my mind; Up is a much more sophisticated, interesting, and thoughtful film designed for the entire family to enjoy. Monsters, Inc. is intended for a younger viewer with a simpler, shallower story based more on action. There is an attempt to address the real world issue of energy but it only touches the surface. While the characters are fun to watch and the its look is as good as any other Pixar film, it leaves something to be desired when compared to the other great films the studio has produced.
Released in November 2001, Monsters, Inc. was the fourth feature-length feature film by Pixar Animation Studios. While it was a commercial and critical success, I didn’t think it was as entertaining for adults when compared to the previous films. I haven’t seen it since the theatrical release and was curious to see if I might enjoy it more this time around with the Blu-ray release.
The inhabitants of the city Monstropolis rely on the screams of children as its source of power. Monsters, Inc. provides the city’s energy through its scream-processing factory. James P. “Sully” Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at the factory. Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) is Sully’s rival determined to take over the top position. In order to obtain the screams, the monsters enter into teleportation doors that lead into a child’s bedroom. One night after business hours, Sully stumbles upon a door that hasn’t been properly stored away. While investigating the door, he inadvertently brings a child into the monster world. Children are considered toxic to monsters so as soon as the breach is discovered the city goes on high alert. Sully and Mike soon discover that the child is not toxic after all and realize it is up to them to protect her while attempting to get her home.
Both the video and audio presentations are amazing. Presented in 1080p and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the film is awash in brilliant, vibrant colors from the trees’ autumn colors to the entire spectrum of rainbow represented by the cast of characters. It’s very impressive the creative team went to the trouble of adding patches of purple on his bluish-turquoise hair, which is flawlessly rendered, as are all the textures in the film. From common walls to the monsters’ various skin types, they are all clear and realistic.
The jazz score under the opening credits immediately prepares the viewer for how good the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 experience will be. Each instrument (clarinet, trumpet, piano, drums) is distinct and the bass thumps out the subwoofer. The directionality well positions the characters and items as they move about the scene. The dialogue is understandable no matter how wild the action gets, and the climatic door-storage chase sequence gets very wild.
The Blu-ray release includes all-new bonus material. “Filmmakers’ Round Table” provides behind-the-scenes information and anecdotes from some of the filmmakers. “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan” offers a look at the new attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. “Roz 100-Door Challenge” is a triva game aimed at younger viewers who wish to try and apply for a job at Monsters, Inc. There is also an audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, screenwriter Andrew Stanton and executive producer John Lasseter. However, these features alone do not create a compelling reason to buy the Blu-ray combo pack.
The original bonus material contained in the first DVD release is also provided. “For the Birds” is an Academy Award-winning short. “Mike’s New Car” is an Academy Award-nominated short. “Humans Only” contains information on Pixar and highlights the process of making the film from concept to completion. “Monsters Only” focuses on the company Monsters, Inc. and its staff. The set also comes with a standard DVD that includes the film and the original bonus material while a fourth disc provides a digital copy of the film.
As it turned out I happened to watch Pixar’s newest release Up over the same weekend as watching Monsters, Inc. There was no comparison on my mind; Up is a much more sophisticated, interesting, and thoughtful film designed for the entire family to enjoy. Monsters, Inc. is intended for a younger viewer with a simpler, shallower story based more on action. There is an attempt to address the real world issue of energy but it only touches the surface. While the characters are fun to watch and the its look is as good as any other Pixar film, it leaves something to be desired when compared to the other great films the studio has produced.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Monty Python - Almost The Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut)
Written by Pirata Hermosa
Forty years ago five highly educated Brits and an American lampoon artist came together to form one of the world’s funniest comedy troops. And to commemorate that union, a three-DVD set was released containing a six-part documentary ranging from their meager beginnings through their height of popularity up until present day.
Monty Python is such a huge name in comedy that everybody has already formed an opinion on their comedy. They either get it, or they don’t. If you’re one of those who get it, then you will enjoy this piece of Python history.
Being that it’s six hours worth of material, you really get a sense of what it was like behind the scenes. With all of the silliness going on, it’s a true learning experience as you discover that they are all college educated and honed their comedic skills at places such as Oxford.
There are also many pieces of interesting trivia that would satisfy and Python fan. John Cleese was embarrassed by his celebrity. Graham Chapman was an alcoholic who could barely remember his lines and nobody realized it. And some huge names in rock ‘n' roll (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, George Harrison) helped finance The Holy Grail and The Life of Brian.
The documentary is very interesting, but at the same time it comes across very sterile. Each person is interviewed against a black background and by themselves. There is never a moment when they are all together, which leaves a huge nagging question in the back of your mind. Why aren’t they together? They talk fondly of one another but not being in the same room makes you wonder if there are some issues keeping them apart.
Even so, there is enough sketch material scattered throughout the interviews that it keeps your attention and breaks up what could have developed into monotony. There is also a smattering of celebrity commentary throughout as such people like Seth Green, Bruce Dickinson, Dan Aykroyd, Simon Pegg, and several others comment on how important and influential their comedy was.
Disc 1 is divided into three parts.
- “The Not-So-Interesting Beginnings” which explores how they started off as young men in college, started working for the BBC, and eventually managed to start Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
- “The Much Funnier Second Episode” discusses the first season and brings in other current comedians to discuss the impact the show had on them and society as a whole.
- “And Now, The Personal Sordid Bits” shows how their success also brought down upon them the intervention of the BBC censors and how after their second season John Cleese wanted to leave.
Disc 2 is also divided into three parts
- “The Ultimate Holy Grail Episode” is a complete overview of how they wrote, directed and funded the film
- “Lust For Glory!” was the original name for the film that became The Life of Brian, and in this segment you see how the film was made.
- “Finally! The Last Episode (Ever) (for Now…)” as Monty Python gets ready to film The Meaning of Life, they are splintering apart and going their separate ways. The final segment also deals with the loss of Graham Chapman and his death from cancer at the age of 48.
Disc 3 contains a number of their classic sketches: “The Dead Parrot,” “The Spanish Inquisition,” “Fish Slapping Dance,” “Ministry of Silly Walks,” “The Lumberjack Song,” “The Cheese Shop,” and “SPAM.” It also includes extended interviews from the five surviving members and all the extras that were cut out of the documentary.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Hammer Glamour by Marcus Hearn
Written by Fantasma el Rey
Based in the United Kingdom, Hammer Film Productions has long been known for their Gothic horror movies, often re-imagining the 1930s Universal Monsters to much success. Movie fans in general will be familiar with Hammer for some reason, be it through their brand of horror, film noir, sci-fi or Raquel Welch’s pre-historic bikini. Throughout their long history Hammer has been known for their lovely women stars and co-stars, affectionately known as the Hammer Glamour. Now author Marcus Hearn has put together one hell of an introduction to the hotties of the Hammer world and titled his book simply Hammer Glamour.
This hardcover coffee-table book is packed with 160 pages of gorgeous women in provocative poses on great movie sets as they invite fans from all over the world into the Hammer house of horrors. Hearn does a magnificent job in his brief introduction giving a quick history of Hammer Film Productions. The book provides good overviews of the ladies’ careers before and after their Hammer days. The stars are alphabetized and given a page, sometimes two, of info to go along with their awesome photos.
The beauties are given a full page of one of their best shots as well as two or three smaller pics that fill out the info page. The bright color and stunning black and white photos allow the ladies and their wonderful costumes to live again. Most photos were taken on location or on the wonderful sets Hammer created. Also included is a list of the Hammer films they appeared in, making for another great reference for Hammer films to see.
The beauties that Hammer Films used throughout the years are all here including the above-mentioned Raquel Welch along with Ursula Andress, Eva Bartok, Vera Day, Suzan Farmer, Barbara Payton, Stefanie Powers, Janette Scott, Barbara Shelly, and a very young Nastassja Kinski to name but a few of the over fifty profiles featured. Besides Welch’s steaming shot on hot rocks there are absolutely fabulous photos of Yutte Stensgaard in a very Marilyn Monroe-like pose on red satin sheets (here shot on a vampire’s bed), Caroline Munro in thigh-high black boots as a vampire vixen, and Valerie Leon in a black bikini/lingerie piece that’s just incredible. There’s a lot of that by the way: bikini, lingerie, low cut, cleavage shots, and tons of high boots and hemlines. Some of these starlet’s names are simply alluring as is the case with Olinka Berova, Carita, Ingrid Pitt, Catherine Von Schell, and Victoria Vetri; these names have flair and roll of the tongue.
Marcus Hearn delivers a fascinating look through his photo selections and interesting sketches of the women and people tangled in the Hammer web. Hammer Glamour is a must for Hammer film fans as well those interested in beauties of the silver screen, pin-up girls, and overall knock-out photos of hot women in timeless poses. Never mind the $29.95 price tag. Pick it up for the hotties and cherish it for the bits of movie history and gossip it provides.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
THE WILLIAM CASTLE FILM COLLECTION
Written by Fantasma el Rey
William Castle, "the master of ballyhoo" knew what people wanted and how to hook them into buying a ticket. A wizard sideshow barker from the old school that filled seats and made a profit from his low budget horror films. He had a knack for finding the gimmick and pitching the hell out of it. This new five-DVD set offers eight gems, originally released by Columbia Pictures in the late '50s and early '60s, each running at a "fun" time of about 90 minutes. So join me, if you dare, as I take a peek at The William Castle Film Collection.
Castle's films didn't make a fortune but they made enough that the studio kept bringing him back to do more of what he did best: low-budget, gimmicky, spook movies. Hitting with Macabre and House On Haunted Hill in '58 and '59 Columbia brought him in to produce and direct. The films here aren't in chronological order but their placement does make sense in an odd way.
Disc one pairs 13 Frightened Girls (1963) and 13 Ghost (1960). Girls is a laughable look at the spy world as a young daughter of an international diplomat secretly, and unbeknown to daddy, gets involved with his intricate affairs. While getting chased by "Reds", she narrowly avoids death, capture, and becoming too entangled in the web of deceit that is being a secret agent. She also has 12 friends that attend the same Swiss boarding school to help her along the way, thus the title.
13 Ghost is a standard haunted house story, inherited by an unknowing family somehow related to the recently deceased that promised "13 times the thrills! 13 times the chills! 13 times the fun!" The gimmick here, 'cause Castle nearly always had one, was his use of "Illusion-O," a handheld piece of cardboard that had two transparent colored strips that would be used at the proper time. One was blue, to see the ghosts, the other red if you didn't want to see the ghosts, mostly pointless as the ghost would appear no matter what.
Disc two's Homicidal (1961) and Strait-Jacket (1964) are dominated by strong stories and the glue that is gore. Homicidal is an obvious "homage" to Hitchcock's Psycho with certain scenes filmed very much the same way. Our lead gal is a hot blond and our creepy male lead is an oddball with something not quite right about him. The twist at the end and the actual showing of stabbings put this one just over the Psycho edge. The gimmick is the "fright break" 45 seconds before the climax of the film which allowed folks to leave and get their money back but they had to hangout in the "coward's corner" for the remainder of the picture.
Apparently told to hold the gimmicks for Strait-Jacket, Castle went out and found something even better, Joan Crawford. After seeing What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? Castle had to create his own and hired Psycho author Robert Bloch to cook up a story that featured the aging Crawford. She plays an older women returning home to her daughter after being locked up for 20 years in an asylum for hacking up her husband and his lover with an axe. Upon her return, more folks begin to get whacked and who is to blame? That's right ol' Miss Crawford or is she? This one is enjoyable all the way to its twisted, axe-swinging end.
On disc three we venture into The Old Dark House (1963) and meet Mr. Sardonicus (1961). As the title implies, The Old Dark House is about just that and not much else. An American car salesman in England gets involved with a family of kooks in an old, rundown mansion and is almost killed as he investigates who is bumping off the others. Tom Poston (from TV's Newhart) makes this spooky comedy enjoyable but overall this one is passable.
Mr. Sardonicus takes us back to England, this time in a gothic tale set in 1880s London and is the story of a once decent fellow, Baron Sardonicus, forced to do ghoulish deeds. His face hideously frozen in a bizarre smile (very reminiscent of The Man Who Laughs), he attempts to pressure a talented doctor into restoring his good looks or suffer the consequences. Meanwhile, Sardonicus tortures young girls from the village with leeches and other devices as he gets his jollies and hides his true face behind a mask. A good film that finds Castle reaching back to the past and putting us in a setting much like the Universal monsters roamed. The gimmick here is The Punishment Poll, a card given to the crowd with thumbs up or down to decide the fate of Mr. Sardonicus. Castle appears and makes the tally himself.
Disc four is all comedy, intended or not, with The Tingler and Zotz! Tingler is a dumb movie with an outrageous plot that somehow Vincent Price gets to work. A lobster-like creature lives in the human spinal cord and is only active during fright but by screaming it's stopped and can no longer do harm. Price, a doctor, captures one. It gets lose in a theater and runs amuck leading to the gimmick of Percepto. Some seats where rigged to vibrate at a key moment in the film and gave the audience a "scream" or a giggle. Price and the really bad creature make this dumb flick fun.
Zotz! tells of an absentminded professor (Tom Poston) who comes across an ancient coin with magical powers. He tries to tell his fellow staff members, who laugh at him, and the government, who laugh as well. But they stop laughing when the "reds" show up and kidnap our hero who uses the power of the coin to thwart their efforts. He and the coin return safe and sound. It's an all-right comedy with some funny moments when watched at social gathering. Those who went to see this got a "magic" coin; tales tell it did nothing.
Finally there is a bonus disc with the documentary Spin Tingler! The William Castle Story featuring interviews from many people who knew or where influenced by Castle, including his daughter Terry, John Waters, Roger Corman, John Landis, and Joe Dante. We get a further look at Castle's adventures in life, movies, and what made him tick, his wife and family. The special feature on the documentary is a cool audio commentary by producer/director Jeffrey Schwarz and Terry. It's a great look at the life of a man who directed many films of all genres and could turn nothing into something.
The featurettes on the four other discs are pulled directly from this documentary and edited to focus on a specific film and/or gimmick. Along with those featurettes are other making-of pieces, vintage promo shorts, alternate opening sequences, and a bunch of original trailers. The set also includes two good episodes from the Castle-produced TV series Ghost Story (1972-73). So hurry, hurry, step on out and get your copy to enjoy and witness the ghoulish glory that is The William Castle Film Collection.
William Castle, "the master of ballyhoo" knew what people wanted and how to hook them into buying a ticket. A wizard sideshow barker from the old school that filled seats and made a profit from his low budget horror films. He had a knack for finding the gimmick and pitching the hell out of it. This new five-DVD set offers eight gems, originally released by Columbia Pictures in the late '50s and early '60s, each running at a "fun" time of about 90 minutes. So join me, if you dare, as I take a peek at The William Castle Film Collection.
Castle's films didn't make a fortune but they made enough that the studio kept bringing him back to do more of what he did best: low-budget, gimmicky, spook movies. Hitting with Macabre and House On Haunted Hill in '58 and '59 Columbia brought him in to produce and direct. The films here aren't in chronological order but their placement does make sense in an odd way.
Disc one pairs 13 Frightened Girls (1963) and 13 Ghost (1960). Girls is a laughable look at the spy world as a young daughter of an international diplomat secretly, and unbeknown to daddy, gets involved with his intricate affairs. While getting chased by "Reds", she narrowly avoids death, capture, and becoming too entangled in the web of deceit that is being a secret agent. She also has 12 friends that attend the same Swiss boarding school to help her along the way, thus the title.
13 Ghost is a standard haunted house story, inherited by an unknowing family somehow related to the recently deceased that promised "13 times the thrills! 13 times the chills! 13 times the fun!" The gimmick here, 'cause Castle nearly always had one, was his use of "Illusion-O," a handheld piece of cardboard that had two transparent colored strips that would be used at the proper time. One was blue, to see the ghosts, the other red if you didn't want to see the ghosts, mostly pointless as the ghost would appear no matter what.
Disc two's Homicidal (1961) and Strait-Jacket (1964) are dominated by strong stories and the glue that is gore. Homicidal is an obvious "homage" to Hitchcock's Psycho with certain scenes filmed very much the same way. Our lead gal is a hot blond and our creepy male lead is an oddball with something not quite right about him. The twist at the end and the actual showing of stabbings put this one just over the Psycho edge. The gimmick is the "fright break" 45 seconds before the climax of the film which allowed folks to leave and get their money back but they had to hangout in the "coward's corner" for the remainder of the picture.
Apparently told to hold the gimmicks for Strait-Jacket, Castle went out and found something even better, Joan Crawford. After seeing What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? Castle had to create his own and hired Psycho author Robert Bloch to cook up a story that featured the aging Crawford. She plays an older women returning home to her daughter after being locked up for 20 years in an asylum for hacking up her husband and his lover with an axe. Upon her return, more folks begin to get whacked and who is to blame? That's right ol' Miss Crawford or is she? This one is enjoyable all the way to its twisted, axe-swinging end.
On disc three we venture into The Old Dark House (1963) and meet Mr. Sardonicus (1961). As the title implies, The Old Dark House is about just that and not much else. An American car salesman in England gets involved with a family of kooks in an old, rundown mansion and is almost killed as he investigates who is bumping off the others. Tom Poston (from TV's Newhart) makes this spooky comedy enjoyable but overall this one is passable.
Mr. Sardonicus takes us back to England, this time in a gothic tale set in 1880s London and is the story of a once decent fellow, Baron Sardonicus, forced to do ghoulish deeds. His face hideously frozen in a bizarre smile (very reminiscent of The Man Who Laughs), he attempts to pressure a talented doctor into restoring his good looks or suffer the consequences. Meanwhile, Sardonicus tortures young girls from the village with leeches and other devices as he gets his jollies and hides his true face behind a mask. A good film that finds Castle reaching back to the past and putting us in a setting much like the Universal monsters roamed. The gimmick here is The Punishment Poll, a card given to the crowd with thumbs up or down to decide the fate of Mr. Sardonicus. Castle appears and makes the tally himself.
Disc four is all comedy, intended or not, with The Tingler and Zotz! Tingler is a dumb movie with an outrageous plot that somehow Vincent Price gets to work. A lobster-like creature lives in the human spinal cord and is only active during fright but by screaming it's stopped and can no longer do harm. Price, a doctor, captures one. It gets lose in a theater and runs amuck leading to the gimmick of Percepto. Some seats where rigged to vibrate at a key moment in the film and gave the audience a "scream" or a giggle. Price and the really bad creature make this dumb flick fun.
Zotz! tells of an absentminded professor (Tom Poston) who comes across an ancient coin with magical powers. He tries to tell his fellow staff members, who laugh at him, and the government, who laugh as well. But they stop laughing when the "reds" show up and kidnap our hero who uses the power of the coin to thwart their efforts. He and the coin return safe and sound. It's an all-right comedy with some funny moments when watched at social gathering. Those who went to see this got a "magic" coin; tales tell it did nothing.
Finally there is a bonus disc with the documentary Spin Tingler! The William Castle Story featuring interviews from many people who knew or where influenced by Castle, including his daughter Terry, John Waters, Roger Corman, John Landis, and Joe Dante. We get a further look at Castle's adventures in life, movies, and what made him tick, his wife and family. The special feature on the documentary is a cool audio commentary by producer/director Jeffrey Schwarz and Terry. It's a great look at the life of a man who directed many films of all genres and could turn nothing into something.
The featurettes on the four other discs are pulled directly from this documentary and edited to focus on a specific film and/or gimmick. Along with those featurettes are other making-of pieces, vintage promo shorts, alternate opening sequences, and a bunch of original trailers. The set also includes two good episodes from the Castle-produced TV series Ghost Story (1972-73). So hurry, hurry, step on out and get your copy to enjoy and witness the ghoulish glory that is The William Castle Film Collection.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
GENESIS II
Written by Pirata Hermosa
In 1973 writer/producer Gene Roddenberry with the help of director John Llewellyn Moxey introduced another view of the future to the public in the shape of a made-for-TV movie. In 2009, Warner Brothers has made it available as part of their Archive Collection, and as common with the collection there are no special features.
People familiar with Roddenberry through his famous creation Star Trek know that he has a very optimistic look into the future of mankind. In Genesis II you can see sparks of that hope for the future, but it’s quite a bit darker.
The year is 1979 and NASA scientist, Dylan Hunt (Alex Cord), has come across a major breakthrough. Long-distance space travel has always been a hurdle for astronauts. In order for them to explore the vast expanse of space they needed a way to keep from dying of old age before they reached their destination. But Dylan has found the answer and has been able to successfully place lab rats in suspended animation for 10 years while the rats age only one day.
Once a discovery has been thoroughly tested, the next step is to test it on a human subject. That volunteer is none other than Dylan himself. Just moments after entering suspended animation, an earthquake strikes the underground facility in Carlsbad Canyon, burying the entire facility and leaving him trapped inside the pressure chamber.
Expecting to only be asleep for a few days, Dylan awakens in the year 2133 when a group of people called the PAX discover the hidden chamber and revive him from his long sleep. While he slowly recovers from the effects of his 154-year slumber, Dylan learns that there have been a lot of changes to the world. The planet has been devastated by nuclear war and only a handful of human settlements remain.
In order to help with his rehabilitation and teach him about the ways of the new world, the PAX make a huge mistake by assigning Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley) to be his caretaker. She may have voluntarily joined the PAX, but she is actually a spy sent by the Tyranians, a group of mutated humans that live near the ancient city of Phoenix.
After poisoning Dylan’s mind against the PAX, Lyra-a takes him to meet her people. At first the Tyranian society seems to be one of culture, comfort and luxury, but it doesn’t take long for Dylan to see that they rule with an iron fist and have subjugated regular humans to work as slaves. And when he finds out that the true reason he was brought there is to fix their failing nuclear reactor he organizes a slave rebellion.
The premise of the story is an interesting concept, but it really fails due to the limited format of a 74-minute TV movie. There is not nearly enough time for the audience to become acquainted with the new world and connect with all of the different characters to form any type of attachment. The most obvious example of the rushed plotline comes at the end when Dylan stays behind to save his friends from capture, but then manages to escape, return to the PAX, and destroy the reactor in about a minute. Even a strategically placed commercial break wouldn’t be able to slow down the pacing. It feels like an entire chapter is missing.
For Roddenberry fans it’s a nice addition to your collection. Not only does it give you a glimpse into other concepts the creator of Star Trek had, but there are a number of interesting production techniques they both share. The font used on the cover and in the credits is exactly the same, automatic doors make a familiar whooshing sound, the Tyranian stim weapons sound like a phaser on overload, and the background music has that same futuristic tone that leaves you feeling like Captain Kirk could stroll in at any moment.
In 1973 writer/producer Gene Roddenberry with the help of director John Llewellyn Moxey introduced another view of the future to the public in the shape of a made-for-TV movie. In 2009, Warner Brothers has made it available as part of their Archive Collection, and as common with the collection there are no special features.
People familiar with Roddenberry through his famous creation Star Trek know that he has a very optimistic look into the future of mankind. In Genesis II you can see sparks of that hope for the future, but it’s quite a bit darker.
The year is 1979 and NASA scientist, Dylan Hunt (Alex Cord), has come across a major breakthrough. Long-distance space travel has always been a hurdle for astronauts. In order for them to explore the vast expanse of space they needed a way to keep from dying of old age before they reached their destination. But Dylan has found the answer and has been able to successfully place lab rats in suspended animation for 10 years while the rats age only one day.
Once a discovery has been thoroughly tested, the next step is to test it on a human subject. That volunteer is none other than Dylan himself. Just moments after entering suspended animation, an earthquake strikes the underground facility in Carlsbad Canyon, burying the entire facility and leaving him trapped inside the pressure chamber.
Expecting to only be asleep for a few days, Dylan awakens in the year 2133 when a group of people called the PAX discover the hidden chamber and revive him from his long sleep. While he slowly recovers from the effects of his 154-year slumber, Dylan learns that there have been a lot of changes to the world. The planet has been devastated by nuclear war and only a handful of human settlements remain.
In order to help with his rehabilitation and teach him about the ways of the new world, the PAX make a huge mistake by assigning Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley) to be his caretaker. She may have voluntarily joined the PAX, but she is actually a spy sent by the Tyranians, a group of mutated humans that live near the ancient city of Phoenix.
After poisoning Dylan’s mind against the PAX, Lyra-a takes him to meet her people. At first the Tyranian society seems to be one of culture, comfort and luxury, but it doesn’t take long for Dylan to see that they rule with an iron fist and have subjugated regular humans to work as slaves. And when he finds out that the true reason he was brought there is to fix their failing nuclear reactor he organizes a slave rebellion.
The premise of the story is an interesting concept, but it really fails due to the limited format of a 74-minute TV movie. There is not nearly enough time for the audience to become acquainted with the new world and connect with all of the different characters to form any type of attachment. The most obvious example of the rushed plotline comes at the end when Dylan stays behind to save his friends from capture, but then manages to escape, return to the PAX, and destroy the reactor in about a minute. Even a strategically placed commercial break wouldn’t be able to slow down the pacing. It feels like an entire chapter is missing.
For Roddenberry fans it’s a nice addition to your collection. Not only does it give you a glimpse into other concepts the creator of Star Trek had, but there are a number of interesting production techniques they both share. The font used on the cover and in the credits is exactly the same, automatic doors make a familiar whooshing sound, the Tyranian stim weapons sound like a phaser on overload, and the background music has that same futuristic tone that leaves you feeling like Captain Kirk could stroll in at any moment.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (10th Anniversary Edition DVD Gift Set)
A cat will spend time playing with a ball made of string, but that doesn’t make it quality entertainment. A child may watch Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (10th Anniversary Edition), which hit shelves on September 29th, but it is not quality entertainment simply because it is as poorly constructed as a ball made of string.
Taking stories, some of which that were poor on their own, and combining them into one film when they obviously don’t go together can only result in poor storytelling. Unfortunately that is the case here as “Ground Piglet Day,””A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving,” and “Find Her, Keep Her,” are combined to form Seasons of Giving.
Disney has taken this convoluted story and packaged it perfectly for the very young. The Anniversary release includes a small Christmas stocking with Pooh and Tigger on it, and the single-disk includes as Bonus Features two episodes of the television show The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and two games in which the viewer can decorate a Christmas tree and color a picture. So, there is plenty here for the kids to play with, and the really young certainly won’t ask the obvious questions. Why does the animation look different from story to story? Why are some of the voices different? Why does Christopher Robin have an accent in one story and no accent in another? Where are Kanga and Roo for most of the film?
Jim Cummings as the voice of Pooh is fine, though more enjoyable in the feature than in the television show, as the latter gives Pooh too much dialog, and the delivery is inconsistent. This release gives the viewer both Cummings and the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger, and though Cumming’s performance is adequate, escaping the shadow of Winchell will be a challenge. Similarly, John Fiedler has been the voice of Piglet for decades, so having Steve Schatzberg as Piglet in part of the production is distracting.
Though some adults may overlook these obvious flaws of technical continuity, the poor storytelling will make most unhappy. Storytelling has always been a strong point for adventures featuring the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods, but that is not the case here, as the opening story of lost calendar days, makes little sense, and sets the tone for the rest of the Seasons of Giving.
Recommendation: Obviously it is hard to steer parents away from getting this for their kids. The stocking is quite cute, and it is an inexpensive gift that will provide a few hours of viewing, but the family deserves better from Disney, and there are better Winnie the Pooh stories out there. Don’t let the addition of the collectible stocking lure you into buying a product not good enough to stand on its own. Some anniversaries should not be acknowledged.
Taking stories, some of which that were poor on their own, and combining them into one film when they obviously don’t go together can only result in poor storytelling. Unfortunately that is the case here as “Ground Piglet Day,””A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving,” and “Find Her, Keep Her,” are combined to form Seasons of Giving.
Disney has taken this convoluted story and packaged it perfectly for the very young. The Anniversary release includes a small Christmas stocking with Pooh and Tigger on it, and the single-disk includes as Bonus Features two episodes of the television show The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and two games in which the viewer can decorate a Christmas tree and color a picture. So, there is plenty here for the kids to play with, and the really young certainly won’t ask the obvious questions. Why does the animation look different from story to story? Why are some of the voices different? Why does Christopher Robin have an accent in one story and no accent in another? Where are Kanga and Roo for most of the film?
Jim Cummings as the voice of Pooh is fine, though more enjoyable in the feature than in the television show, as the latter gives Pooh too much dialog, and the delivery is inconsistent. This release gives the viewer both Cummings and the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger, and though Cumming’s performance is adequate, escaping the shadow of Winchell will be a challenge. Similarly, John Fiedler has been the voice of Piglet for decades, so having Steve Schatzberg as Piglet in part of the production is distracting.
Though some adults may overlook these obvious flaws of technical continuity, the poor storytelling will make most unhappy. Storytelling has always been a strong point for adventures featuring the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods, but that is not the case here, as the opening story of lost calendar days, makes little sense, and sets the tone for the rest of the Seasons of Giving.
Recommendation: Obviously it is hard to steer parents away from getting this for their kids. The stocking is quite cute, and it is an inexpensive gift that will provide a few hours of viewing, but the family deserves better from Disney, and there are better Winnie the Pooh stories out there. Don’t let the addition of the collectible stocking lure you into buying a product not good enough to stand on its own. Some anniversaries should not be acknowledged.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
THE STEPFATHER (1987)
Written by Senora Bicho
The Stepfather is a thriller loosely based on the real case of John List. I was a 14-year-old when it was released and remember it being pretty creepy. I haven’t seen it in many years and was curious if it would still be as spine-chilling as I remembered.
It opens with a blood-covered man who has apparently just murdered his family. He cleans himself up, takes his bloody clothes, and leaves town. One year later, he appears as Jerry Blake (Terry O’Quinn) and is recently married to widow Susan Main (Shelley Hack). Susan’s 16-year-old daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen) dislikes Jerry and blames him for creating distance in the relationship with her mom. When Stephanie gets expelled from school, she suggests going to boarding school in an attempt to get away from Jerry, but he won’t allow it. Jerry continues to try and win Stephanie over, but she continues to keep his at a distance.
The brother of Jerry’s last wife, Jim Ogilvie (Stephen Shellen), convinces a reporter to run an article on the slaying of his sister, which surfaces at a neighborhood BBQ. Jerry becomes enraged, and Stephanie witnesses a tantrum in the basement. She becomes suspicious and writes to the newspaper asking for a picture of the suspected murderer. Jerry intercepts the photo when it arrives and reacts with another violent outburst.
Ogilvie continues to investigate his sister’s killer and Stephanie confesses to her psychiatrist that she is frightened of Jerry, who continues to unravel as the film moves towards its climatic conclusion.
A couple of special features are included on the DVD. There is an audio commentary with director Joseph Ruben who later went on to direct Sleeping with the Enemy, The Good Son and The Forgotten, three intense thrillers worth seeing. “The Stepfather Chronicles” is a new featurette with interviews and behind-the-scenes information on the film.
O’Quinn is absolutely frightening as a man teetering on the edge. The film gets its first-ever DVD release on October 13th. There is also a remake being released in theaters October 16th with Dylan Walsh in the lead role. Walsh has large shoes to fill as O’Quinn’s performance is the reason the original works so well.
The Stepfather is a thriller loosely based on the real case of John List. I was a 14-year-old when it was released and remember it being pretty creepy. I haven’t seen it in many years and was curious if it would still be as spine-chilling as I remembered.
It opens with a blood-covered man who has apparently just murdered his family. He cleans himself up, takes his bloody clothes, and leaves town. One year later, he appears as Jerry Blake (Terry O’Quinn) and is recently married to widow Susan Main (Shelley Hack). Susan’s 16-year-old daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen) dislikes Jerry and blames him for creating distance in the relationship with her mom. When Stephanie gets expelled from school, she suggests going to boarding school in an attempt to get away from Jerry, but he won’t allow it. Jerry continues to try and win Stephanie over, but she continues to keep his at a distance.
The brother of Jerry’s last wife, Jim Ogilvie (Stephen Shellen), convinces a reporter to run an article on the slaying of his sister, which surfaces at a neighborhood BBQ. Jerry becomes enraged, and Stephanie witnesses a tantrum in the basement. She becomes suspicious and writes to the newspaper asking for a picture of the suspected murderer. Jerry intercepts the photo when it arrives and reacts with another violent outburst.
Ogilvie continues to investigate his sister’s killer and Stephanie confesses to her psychiatrist that she is frightened of Jerry, who continues to unravel as the film moves towards its climatic conclusion.
A couple of special features are included on the DVD. There is an audio commentary with director Joseph Ruben who later went on to direct Sleeping with the Enemy, The Good Son and The Forgotten, three intense thrillers worth seeing. “The Stepfather Chronicles” is a new featurette with interviews and behind-the-scenes information on the film.
O’Quinn is absolutely frightening as a man teetering on the edge. The film gets its first-ever DVD release on October 13th. There is also a remake being released in theaters October 16th with Dylan Walsh in the lead role. Walsh has large shoes to fill as O’Quinn’s performance is the reason the original works so well.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Written by Pirata Hermosa
With the crumbling economy, millions of people out of work, rampant looting and martial law instated in every city across the nation, the citizens of the United States do the unthinkable. They vote in Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) as President.
While the country makes a remarkable recovery under his watch and superheroes who once fought against him are lining up to work for him, there’s still a couple who just aren’t buying his new-and-improved image. And when Lex’s biggest rival, Superman (Tim Daly), won’t bow down to him and take orders, he frames the Man of Steel for the murder of Metallo (John C. McGinley) and places a $1 billion bounty on his head.
Even though Superman has every superhero and every super-villain chasing him in order to collect the reward, he still has the Dark Knight (Kevin Conroy) watching his back. Together the two must fight to stay alive and prove that Lex was behind the murder. But while the heroes are being hunted, Lex has to deal with a giant meteorite made of Kryptonite that is threatening to destroy the entire planet.
The plot seems to really be stretching for a reason to put Batman and Superman together and also to fulfill every comic book fan’s wet dreams. Not only do they get to see them work as a team, but then they get to watch them take on anyone and everyone. That includes the Justice League and the Legion of Doom.
While the storyline is certainly more adult than you might expect, the death of Metallo is somewhat jarring and has some unexpected results. When the death of an actual super being occurs, the question of how much power does everyone really have starts to wander into the viewer’s mind. The murderer easily kills Metallo, yet Superman couldn’t even dent him. Then when that same murderer confronts Superman, Superman isn’t really hurt. Once the mind starts wandering like that, the entire illusion begins to fall apart. How many times can Batman, who is a normal human, be beat up, thrown around, and have his ass kicked and still be able to walk away without a scratch? And why does a small amount of Kryptonite affect Superman so much from afar, but yet a Kryptonite bullet next to his heart doesn’t seem to be that much more difficult for him to withstand. Granted it is a comic book, and you’re always going to need that willing suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy it.
The first DVD includes the 67-minute long film, and several features for upcoming and previously released DC Universe films: Wonder Woman - The Amazon Princess, Justice League - The New Frontier, and Green Lantern - First Flight. The disc also includes a look at the latest DC Comics’ event, “Blackest Night.”
The second DVD is entirely filled with features.
“A Test of Minds” – A critical look into the psyches of Superman and Batman and how their pasts have made them so different from one another but has made them both into heroes.
“Dinner with DC Universe and Special Guest Kevin Conroy” – Executive producer Bruce Timm, voice/casting director Andrea Romano, SVP of Creative Affairs Gregory Noveck, and long-time voice of Batman Kevin Conroy sit around a dining table and discuss how they came about creating the films and television shows that they’ve each been associated with.
First Look at Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths – The next movie in the DC Universe scheduled for release will pit the Justice League against their evil counterparts from a parallel universe, known as the Syndicate.
Bruce Timm’s picks from Superman: The Animated Series – “The Demon Reborn,” and “Knight Time.”
Overall, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is a fun film to watch. Not only is it cool to watch the duo stand up to just about everyone, but it’s also just as enjoyable to see them work as a team and how they truly are friends.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Wizard of Oz - 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition (1939)
Written by Musgo del Jefe
It's intimidating to sit down to write a review of The Wizard Of Oz. I put it right up there with reviewing The Beatles or Huck Finn. What do you say that hasn't already been said? How do you find an angle on something in its seventh decade? For full disclosure, I have to admit that this movie has been in my Top 5 films ever since I was probably five- or six-years-old. Movies have come and gone and this film has never wavered. When we got a VCR, it was the first film I taped off of TV and watched and rewatched. When it was released on VHS, I had the deluxe edition. And back again for another version for the 50th Anniversary. In 1999, I was put my money down for a bare bones DVD version for the 60th Anniversary. Just back in 2005, I purchased the three-disc Collector's Edition on DVD. Now, Warner Bros. has gone into full Oz-mode again for the 70th Anniversary of the film.
First, the film. This is not the film that I watched year after year on CBS in my youth. The print is vibrant and living. If you haven't seen the film in years or only on television, then you haven't seen this film. There isn't a better Technicolor film out there. Simply put, this film uses color as a character. The Sepia portion of the film is so well shot and the story is so captivating, that you are lulled to sleep almost by the soft browns and whites. Once the film turns to Technicolor, the primary colors warm over all your senses. The brilliance of the Yellow Brick Road, the poppies and the Emerald City are just a few of the colors that strike you upon viewing this restored feature.
Does the story of Dorothy Gale from Kansas still stand up today? After 70 years, it's a fair question. The movie unfolds at a relatively slow pace compared to many films of today. There are plenty of songs and plot development before you ever see your first Munchkin or dead witch. But the plot never talks down to the viewer. The story of a young, misunderstood girl looking for an escape from her everyday life is one that still plays well today. I always found that the distinct beats in the story were almost planned to play on television, although the movie was made almost 20 years before it would become an annual fixture on TV. Every 15-20 minutes, there's a natural breathing point, whether when a tornado hits the house or after meeting a new character. There's an ebb and flow to the story that many screenwriters could take a clue from today. Think of the juxtaposition of the relief of finding Emerald City and the surprise tension of the witch spelling out "Surrender Dorothy" in the sky above the city. There's still plenty to enjoy about this film today.
The basic two-disc release for the 70th Anniversary is notable really only because it is the first version available on Blu-Ray. Other than that, I'm more fond of the 2005 release with its Wicked Witch Of The West packaging. There really isn't a significant difference between the two versions. The extras that have been collected around this film range from specials that appeal to even the most casual fan like "Memories Of Oz" to ones like "Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration Of Oz" for those that are concerned that a stereo track isn't being faithful to the original mono soundtrack (my favorite trivia of that special - it took 91 hours to restore the first 10 minutes of the film).
There is a four-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition that is probably more to my speed and contains new material for the uber-fans. The Ultimate edition contains a documentary on the overlooked director, Victor Fleming, a special on the surviving Munchkins, a great AMC special MGM: When The Lion Roars, and even a made-for-TV film, The Dreamer Of Oz about the author L. Frank Baum. As I collect more editions of the Disney animated films, The Planet Of The Apes series, the Universal Monster films and the original Star Wars trilogy, the extras become more important to me. I appreciate that Warner Bros. hasn't really left anything from previous editions out of this collection. But I'm not sure that it feels like they've added anything significant for this anniversary release.
Feeling overwhelmed by hours and hours of extras? Start with the commentary by John Fricke. He is a true Oz historian and I've been hearing his Wizard Of Oz commentaries since the first LaserDisc release of the film. His commentary contains a good combination of historical perspective with trivial tidbits and it's mixed with archival interviews with the film's cast and crew. The other fun extra is the 1990's documentary, "The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz: The Making Of A Movie Classic". This is hosted by Angela Lansbury and provides a loving tribute to the film and plays even more to its cultural significance than the nuts and bolts of the commentary.
I am still paralyzed to write about this film. From the very first roar of the MGM lion, I'm a kid again when this film comes on. And it's not in the "I remember watching this when I was nine" type of way. It's the magic of The Wizard Of Oz that makes now feel like then. Only a handful of films can do that. This DVD release for the 70th Anniversary won't be the last. And it may not even be the best. But every household needs a copy of the film and maybe this one is yours. The Wizard Of Oz is the reason I keep coming back to films, the reason I'm raising my children to love film.
I think they couldn't have put it better than they do in the dedication of the film:
For nearly forty years this story has given faithful service to the Young In Heart; and Time has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion. To those of you who have been faithful to it in return . . . and to the Young In Heart we dedicate this picture.If that is you. This is your film. And I'll meet you further down the Yellow Brick Road.
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