Change Your Image
golfermj
Reviews
Green Acres (1965)
seasons 4,5 and 6 on DVD
I have seasons 1,2 and 3 of Green Acres on DVD.Why have the they not released seasons 4,5 and 6 on DVD.The first 3 seasons were released in relative rapid succession,but now the releases of the next 3 seasons of Green Acres on DVD seem to have stopped.The 6 seasons of Hogan's Heroes have been released,each season released about 5 to 6 months apart.Whats up with Green acres.And what about all 5 seasons of Get Smart,another great TV show from the same era.In addition,what about all 5 and half seasons of Laugh-In ,and what about the great variety show- The Hollywood Palace,which was on a.b.c television from 1964 to 1970.Finally,when are all 4 seasons of The Man From U.N.C.L.E TV show going to be released.I had read that this was in the works for release on DVD but now nothing.
Moby Dick (1956)
widescreen version - please
Until today,June 2,2007 i had thought that a widescreen version of this film did not exist.I wondered if it was shot in widescreen by John Huston back in 1955 or 1956.Now, as i type this commentary, i am surprised to be watching this 1956 version of "MOBY DICK" in widescreen on Turner classic movies. I hope that a new DVD is released of this movie, in this widescreen format.I have the full frame version on DVD,but widescreen is a must.In my opinion,it is this film or "12 O'Clock High" that Gregory Peck should have won the Oscar for best actor.Peck is certainly very good in "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" but he is dynamic in "MOBY DICK".He dominates the screen and is great as Captain Ahab-one of the great characters in novel history.John Huston's "MOBY DICK" is a wonderful adventure film aided by a terrific music film score.The film also has a great look about it and is a realistic looking period piece.Huston takes the meat of Melville's big novel and makes a top notch movie.P.S. once again- Kudos for Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab.
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
The casting of Burt Lancaster of "Ernst Janning"
Burt Lancaster is my favorite actor.Having said this,my thoughts and feelings on Lancaster playing the role of the aged German Jurist"Ernst Janning" are mixed.Clearly,Lancaster was not the best suited actor to portray the role of Janning.Lancaster,was i believe 47 years old when he made "Judgement at Nuremberg".Some may think he was to young. The character of Janning was probably 15 or 20 years older than that.However i believe that The age make up on Lancaster was at least fairly effective.In addition,The German accent that Lancaster employs is sometimes OK but mostly only fair.i have read that Larry Olivier was considered for the role of Janning.Perhaps Olivier,who was several years older than Lancaster and who later employed thick German and Jewish accents in films like "Marathon Man" and "The Boys from Brazil" would have been better in the role.I believe that Lancaster was cast in the role for the reason of star power,in fact "Judgment at Nuremberg" may have been one of the first or the first movie to have the so-called all star cast banner to it.Lancaster is just on several big name stars in this film.The all star cast movies were popular in the 1960s and the 1970s.Less than 2 years later, Lancaster would be cast in the "The Leopard",playing the role of an Italian Prince.He was cast because 20th century Fox,who was assisting in financing the film, wanted a big named actor for the lead role for box office draw.Once again, Olvier was considered for the role,but he was not considered box office draw by 20th century Fox-Lancaster was, so he got the role despite not even attempting to speak with an Italian accent.Most reviews of Lancaster in "The Leopard" were very good and in fact,he looks great in the movie.He is a towering physical figure of machismo and he emotes so well.I believe the same can be said of Lancaster in "judgment at Nuremberg".Lancaster's Janning is not a wimpy, small statued,chair bound, pencil pusher of a man.In Lancaster,Janning is a big,,powerful man,but also a man of great intellect.In the final scene between Lancaster and Spencer Tracy in Janning's cell,Lancaster towers over Tracy.During The lengthy speech by Janning towards the end of the film,Lancaster's intensity and passion is true, and if you want to see great acting without saying a word, watch Lancaster's facial expression when Spencer Tracy states his final words to Janning.I have great respect for Burt Lancaster as an actor because he attempted to stretch himself as an actor,he took risks by making unconventional films but also conventional films.In the end, his good films far out number his bad films and his good performances far outweigh his not so good ones.
The Pink Panther (2006)
remakes and more remakes
What do All of the following Steve Martin films-"The Pink Panther","Cheaper By The Dozen","The Out-Of Towners","Father Of The Bride","Father's Little Dividend","Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and The Little Shop of Horrors have in common.Well aside from the fact that Steve Martin is in all of them,the other common factor is that they are all remakes of earlier films.Also,"Sergeant Bilko" is a film adaptation of an earlier television series.Has any other actor made this many remakes.I wonder if Mr.Martin realizes how many remakes he has been apart of,and if it was intentional on his part to do so,For the record,i have not seen his version of "The Pink Panther".Steve Martin is a talented guy, but i can not imagine him as this character-the role will always belong to Peter Sellers.
The Heroes of Telemark (1965)
nice scenery, but not much more
If you want to truly appreciate the story of events concerning the efforts of the United States and Great Britain in preventing Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich from building an atomic bomb,I recommend the book "Blood and Water"by Dan Kurzman.It is a great read and a great true life adventure,and details in great detail the long and difficult series of efforts that were made to prevent the Nazis from manufacturing "heavy water", that in turn would generate nuclear power and lead to the atomic bomb."The Heroes of Telemark" is an OK movie,but that is all.Perhaps its best asset is some fine photography and the cast is OK,but the film does not really deal with the real life men involved in this story."Kirk Douglas" is suppose to be a Norwegian,but he is all American.the real heroes were Norwegian.this lack of realism hurts the film.An actor other than Douglas would have been better in the role,perhaps an actor who at least attempted an accent.Then we have the cornball romance between Douglas and the female lead that wastes time.the film does not due justice to the men who may have saved the world.Instead of a gritty,realistic and tragic adventure.-we get pure Hollywood hokum.This film is watchable but thats all.I would like to see one todays great filmmakers make the real deal movie on this subject .P.S. in retrospect," Marlon Brando",who was good with accents or "Robert Shaw" would have been better in the "Douglas" role.Neither was Norwegian, but they would not have been so Hollywoodish.
Elvis: That's the Way It Is (1970)
What about the outtakes
The original 1970 release of "Elvis:thats the way it is" and the 2001 version are both good quality films,but i prefer the 2001 version because it focuses on Elvis exclusively.The 1970 version got sidetracked with Elvis fans and Elvis fan clubs.Despite 2 complete films,and additional footage in the 2001 version,we still have yet to see all of the film footage that was filmed by director "Dennis Sanders" and cinematography"Lucian Ballard". Many of these film outtakes were released in 3rd generation versions and were being sold on internet. I did not purchase any of these because i want class and first rate quality produced products,not bootlegged material.Having said this,i sure wish that M.G.M. or Warner Bros or whoever owns the rights to all of this great Elvis performance and concert film footage,would release this material in a special deluxe DVD edition with all of the film footage included.Its a shame that almost 37 years have passed and the mainstream public has not been able to see this footage.Elvis looks great during this period of his life and he is clearly enjoying life.The rehearsal footage is fun,but the real treat is the concert footage,filmed on stage at the International Hotel in august of 1970,Elvis,wearing neat looking jumpsuits,looks fantastic. At his best, Elvis was as great a live entertainer that has ever lived,and as great a vocalist that has ever sung.I can think of no other singer who sang as wide a variety songs as Elvis did. From rock and roll to rhythm and blues to country to gospel.He was amazing.Evis is the greatest legend in the history of the entertainment business and the greatest pop culture icon of all time.He changed the world we live in.He is the greatest cultural force of the 20th century.Excuse me for getting sidetracked on Elvis, but then again,all you have to say is Elvis - no last name is needed,there is only one Elvis, and Elvis:thats the way it is " represents Elvis at his best.
The Appaloosa (1966)
pedestrian western
when you consider that this movie was released in 1966,in the midst of the Sergio Leone-Clint Eastwood western trilogy and the same year as the groundbreaking-action classic"The Professionals","The appaloosa" is a dated film.Sergio Leone and Richard Brooks were exceptionally good film makers and could tell a good story.Sidney J.Furie made top notch spy thrillers with Michael Caine in the Harry Palmer films,but Furie seemed to out of his league making a western."The Appaloosa"is a slow moving ponderous film with little excitement.the novel by Robert Macleod is superior. the first two or three chapters of the book take place at "the battle of adobe walls"-a real life incident that took place in 1874 in which a small group of buffalo hunters held off a large band of Indians.this entire sequence was not included in the film due to Marlon Brando refusing to be in a movie where his character was killing Indians.in addition,Brando did not like Indians being portrayed as nothing but savage killers.or at least, this is what i have read.one positive addition that the film has that the novel does not have is the arm wrestling contest between Brando and John Saxon -with an added-creepy danger to the contest.also in the film's favor- both Brando and Saxon are good.Brando is low key and brooding while Saxon hams it up-also Anjanette Comer is very lovely.the film deletes the Indian wife of Brando's character and the role of the town sheriff in the novel is reduced to one quick short mini scene.the novel is a rugged western with good action.the movie is not.they should have been more faithful to the book-it would have made a better movie.still, the movie is worth a look and has a fine music score and some nice photography in addition to some solid performances, but it lacks excitement.
Zulu Dawn (1979)
widescreen version - please
i saw this movie on television about twenty years ago,but i can't remember if it was the 98 minute version or the 113 minute version or the 115 minute version.in addition,it was not presented in the widescreen format, which needless to say is a must.about a year ago "zulu dawn"was released on DVD,but in the pan-scan - full screen format.i did not purchase it because it was not presented in widescreen.the version i saw two decades ago was very good and staged some of the best battle scenes i have ever seen in any movie.it also was a very good period film,with much attention to detail and much realism.it is an outstanding war film and in its own way on par with "zulu".burt Lancaster and peter o'toole head the cast.both are solid and if i remember correctly,Lancaster employs a British accent to add to the realism of his real life character.so you have two great stars in a great historical war movie.now all we need is the 115 minute WIDESCREEN VERSION PLEASE.thank-you.
Ulzana's Raid (1972)
a terrific movie
"ulzana's raid"is as good as any western that has ever been made savage,brutal,violent it is, but is also one terrific movie.a gem of a film by a great film director - Robert Aldridge. a great script by an Englishman, Alan sharp i believe is his name.solid acting by all.special kudos have to go to Burt Lancaster as the tough, grizzled veteran army scout-MacIntosh.Lancaster does not look like an actor playing in a western movie.he looks the part and lives the role, as if he were an army scout in Arizona during the 1880s. Lancaster has the best lines in the movie and and for a man who was, i believe 58 years old at the time he made this movie,he rides a horse and handles firearms like real westerner.there are 3 or 4 different versions of this movie that have been shown over the years since its release in 1972 as different distributors have cut scenes they deemed to violent and shocking."ulzana's raid"deserves to be released in a special directors cut edition with all of the footage Aldridge shot,restored,and all of the different versions combined,and of course in "widescreen" format.i heard a rumor that such a version may exist.i hope so,but if not true,please universal pictures,do justice to this great western film and lets have that widescreen directors cut special edition.one last comment.if you love western films and you have not seen "ulzana's raid".see it,they don't make them any better.