Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Very First Alvin Show Review

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(More customer reviews)Dave Seville: "I'm proud of you boys, Alvin. It took a while, but you finally got around to releasing The Alvin Show on DVD. Fans have been waiting a long time.
A: That was our first show on TV, Dave.
D: I still remember your first single. It was "The Chipmunk Song", also known as "Christmas Don't Be Late" in 1958 on Liberty Records. You were named after three of the executives there. But TV fame came when you got your first TV show in 1961, and on evening prime time on CBS. The folks at Format Films gave you a great, modernistic, stylized look. They were renegades from UPA Studios, as were so many of the artists and animators working in late '50s and early '60s TV.
A: The next season we moved to Saturday morning and kids kept us there for five years.
D: That was amazing since there were only 26 episodes, but they kept rerunning them as they were so popular.
A: Then in 1979, the show was rerun on the Saturday line-up on NBC, we had so many fans.
D: Do you remember why you were so popular? A radio DJ played a speeded-up punk song, and the next year, we recorded an album of Chipmunk Punk. That, and Urban Chipmunk, the next album, both went platinum.
A: And we made a Christmas special in 1981, and returned with a new show, "Alvin and the Chipmunks" in 1983 on NBC. Notice I have starring billing.
D: Or you did until 1988, when it was retitled, "The Chipmunks".
A: Now we're releasing it all on DVD to keep up with the demand from the fans.
D: Yes, the only show not on DVD was the original "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Fans got to see it when it was shown on Nick in 1994, and on the wonderful show, Weinerville on Nick. Did I spell that right? Anyway, your fans beseiged Viacom to release it on DVD. And here it is, all 26 episodes.
A: Uh Dave.
D: What is it Alvin?
A: It might not be quite 26.
D: Good point, Alvin. You probably couldn't get all 26 episodes on one DVD, and the studio might want to test viewer response before releasing a complete set. How many on this volume? Ten? Twelve?
A: Uh, we thought we'd put one of the later shows on to show how we've changed.
D: Grown up, I hope. There are already lots of the later shows on DVD. What episode did you choose?
A: A Chipmunk Reunion.
D: Good choice. That was shown as a half hour special on NBC in 1985. But it would fit better with the '80s cartoons.
A: We also included a video of our different styles through the ages, and the different kinds of music we've done. I'm the star.
D: Fans do like bonus features. How many episodes of The Alvin Show did you actually include?
A: Uh, one.
D: One? You only included one episode? The title on the cover is "The Very First Alvin Show". Fans will think it's the whole series, or at least a few episodes from your first TV series.
A: It is the first show, the one with Stanley the Eagle.
D: Fans have been waiting for this show and you only gave them one episode? Get over to Viacom and tell them fans want all 26 episodes on DVD. Allllviiiiiiin!!!!!

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The very first broadcast show of the classic Chipmunk series from 1961 that started it all, never released before on VHS or DVD! The Chipmunks humor, mischief and music are on full display! The DVD includes this classic episode, plus two additional episodes, “Rockin Through The Decades” and “A Chipmunk Reunion.”

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Land of the Giants - The Full Series (The Giant Collection) (1968) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm reading the reviews about people complaining about the price and I won't dissagree that it is too high. However the package is stamped as a limited edition which means that the series might be re-issued in individual packages like the other Irwin Allen shows after a while, but who knows. My guess is that a good part of the price is simply the packaging. The extra's are not a big deal, but this is the stuff you get with limited editions, so if you think it's to high you may want to wait it out and one of two things can happen. Either they re-issue it later at a lower price or not at all. It's anyone's guess.
I've checked some of the discs and I own the original Columbia House DVD's as well, and these look better than what Columbia released. The picture quality is excellent! That said there is a problem that another reviewer mentioned, and that is the first 3 episodes of the second season have the wrong theme music on them. 'The Mechanical Man' 'Six Hours to Live' and 'The Inside Rail' all have 2nd season intro's with the 1st season music. These episodes are available on the Columbia House versions and the intro's on those discs are correct.
Except for that, I've found that these discs play well and look good, but I've still to see the entire run. Except for the price, this is not a bad set and if you can get it cheap I recommend it.
Note: Land of the Giants is best enjoyed in production order rather than broadcast order. These discs as well as others always list the shows in broadcast order and often the network that originally aired the show (abc) screwed up the order terribly. I'm a long time Irwin Allen fan and I know he is not the best at character development or continuity, but what little there is is lost when the episodes are run out of order.
Try this: The first 5 episodes should run like this - 'The Crash' 'The Weird-World' 'The Trip' 'The Bounty Hunter' and 'The Golden Cage.' The character of Mark especially changes gradually and you see them slowly adapting to there new surroundings. Because the series was originally aired out of order the second episode 'Ghost Town' is way out of place. It is actually the 14th episode!
If you are a die hard fan this doesn't matter, but if you only marginally like the show try watching it in production order. It will make a difference!

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After their sub-orbital space craft is drawn into a space warp, the passengers and crew of the Spindrift, crash into a planet where everything is 12 times its normal size!

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The Dick Van Dyke Show - Season One (5 Disc Box Set) (1961) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just bought this set (along with Season 2) and can't say enough good things about it. First, when Image says the episodes are "restored" -- they mean it! Picture and sound quality are excellent. Next, these are the FULL-LENGTH episodes, completely unedited. The first episode I played had a scene in the middle of the show that I'd never seen before (not on TV Land, not on Nick at Nite, not in local syndication). Running time of each episode is at least 25 minutes & 30 seconds -- wow. Another episode I played even had the original network footage at the beginning, with Dick Van Dyke saying, "Welcome to our new time slot." Amazing. Then there are the bonus features -- audio commentaries (interesting ones!) and new interviews and original TV commercials and Emmy Awards footage and more. Finally, the packaging is very sleek and looks great. Do yourself a favor and buy this. Do ALL "Dick Van Dyke Show" fans a favor and buy it so that Image will release Seasons 3 through 5.

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Trip into the living room of comedy writer Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) along with his lovely wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore), wisecracking coworkers and nutty neighbors.Winner of 15 Emmy Awards, this groundbreaking series is consistently ranked among the top TV comedies of all time and renowned for its topnotch cast and stellar writing.Now enjoy the first season's entire 30 episodes, each digitally remastered to its original full-length version.
30 episodes on 5 discs: The Sick Boy and the Sitter, The Meershatz Pipe, Jealousy, Sally and the Lab Technician, Washington vs. the Bunny, Oh How We Met the Night That We Danced, The Unwelcome Houseguest, Harrison B. Harding of Camp Crowder MO, My Blonde-Haired Brunette, Forty-Four Tickets, Tell or Not to Tell, Sally Is a Girl, Empress Carlotta's Necklace, Buddy Can You Spare a Job?, Who Owes Who What?, Sol and the Sponsor, The Curious Thing About Women, Punch Thy Neighbor, Where Did I Come From?, The Boarder Incident, A Word a Day, The Talented Neighborhood, Father of the Week, The Twizzle, One Angry Man, Where You Been Fassbinder?, The Bad Old Days, I Am My Brother's Keeper, The Sleeping Brother, The Return of Happy Spangler.

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The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Third Season Review

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(More customer reviews)For years I have been making do with various collections of episodes, with only a poor instrumental theme bearing little resemblance to the original theme song. Now at last this wonderful show is being released in full season sets with the original opening and closing theme songs. Some reviewers have applauded the presence of the original sponsor messages on these discs. Personally, I don't like them, but the great thing is that you have the choice of playing the episodes with or without the advertising. Some of the difference may be that as Americans, the other reviewers remember the shows that way, with some nostalgia. For me, living in a country where cigarette advertising on television has never been legal, my fond memories are of the version without the ads.
This is a great set of my favourite season of a fantastic show, complete with all the original music , photo gallery and an excellent special feature, "The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies". Every episode is packed with laughs; the Hillbillies are still as funny and as wonderful as I remember them from my childhood.
Contents are:
Disc 1
Jed Becomes a Movie Mogul
Clampett City
Clampett City General Store
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
Dr. Jed Clampett
Back to Marineland
Jed, the Heartbreaker
Disc 2
Teenage Idol
The Widow Poke Arrives
The Ballet
The Boarder
The Boarder Stays
Start the New Year Right
Clampett General Hospital
Disc 3
The Movie Starlet
Elly in the Movies
Dash Riprock, You Cad
Clampett A-Go-Go
Granny's Romance
Jed's Temptation
Double-Nought Jethro
Disc 4
Clampett's Millions
Drysdale's Dog Days
Brewster's Honeymoon
Flatt, Clampett and Scruggs
Jed and the Countess
Big Daddy, Jed
Cool School is Out
Disc 5
The Big Bank Battle
The Clampetts vs. Automation
The Brewsters Return
Luke's Boy
Jed, the Bachelor
The Art Center
The Legend of the Beverly Hillbilles
Photo Gallery

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BEVERLY HILLBILLIES:OFFICIAL THIRD SE - DVD Movie

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The Monkees: Season 1 (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)What do you actually get for shelling out this much money?
Here are the good things to say about this set, and Rhino's work on it:
1. They actually released it, and it has all the episodes of the first season included in order, with the original songs, and in vibrant color. This earns it most of the points, and is the only real reason to buy this.
2. It includes commercials, and the pilot episode with Boyce & Hart singing the soundtrack, and text trivia screens about each episode.
Here is what I see wrong with this set in no particular order:
The commercials and Boyce & Hart pilot are pretty bad quality copies. The box set video, while mostly vibrant throughout, still includes dust and hairs sometimes. The audio quality never gets above mediocre, and sometimes is either tinny and harsh, or muddy and mushy. The Rhino Monkee audio CDs sound terrific, as do most Rhino CDs. I have not been at all impressed with any Rhino audio on other DVDs so far, and these DVD 5.1 soundtracks are worthless--and the mono isn't much better. Why couldn't they have just done a decent plain stereo mix from the master tapes Rhino had access to for all the Monkee CDs?
I agree with a previous review comparing what was done with the old Beatles Anthology audio and video, and should have been done on this set. The volume levels are all over the place in this set too. The dialog is mostly quiet so you crank it up to hear, and then the romp music is too much louder. But what is really bad, the menu music level just blasts in comparison to the episodes. So, because you can't just set it to play all the episodes at once, the menu comes back after each one and you turn it down while the menu plays, then turn it back up for the episodes, and so on, very annoying.
No commentary from Dolenz, but if he had as little to say as what is included from the others, we're not missing much. This is some of the most boring and uninformative commentary you will ever sit through. As implied in other reviews, basically any of us could have given these commentaries (many of you much better)--and we weren't even there! You may as well say there is no booklet either, something this small and uninformative in a set this big, at this cost, is unbelievable. The Monkee CD booklets put this to shame.
The most outragious aspect of this set, and the single reason Rhino so overpriced it for what little work they actually seemed to put into the episodes--the packaging. We are paying for AIR. The expensive (probably about a third of the cost at least) 3 inch deep box holding six discs and a booklet that are 3/4 inches deep. That's 2 1/4 inches of premium wasted shelf space for air. The cute sleeves inside don't protect the discs, they scuff them sliding in and out--so you have to supply your own safe way to store them yourself. Nice way to give people value for their money Rhino.
Yeah, I'll still get season two reluctantly when it comes out--because I want all the episodes. But I hate rewarding Rhino anymore for lackluster work packaged in an over-sized, overpriced, impractical holder.
We deserve better, and I feel we have already paid for better, but didn't get it.

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Available for the first time on DVD! All episodes are in chronological order by airdate. The Monkees scored four consecutive #1 albums and a half-dozen Top 10 singles. The Monkees Anthem "Daydream Believer" voted #3 teen idol song of all time by VH1 viewers. Original Monkees episodes are still being shown on VH1 and a new Monkees show is being developed for the fall 2003 network schedule. "I'm A Believer" was recently popularized in the feature film, Shrek. The Monkees have a dedicated fan base that continues to collect all things Peter, Davy, Micky and Mike. 5.1 audio. Play song romps feature. Commentary on Episode 1 by director James Frawley and Davy Jones. Separate commentaries on Episode 3 by Peter Tork and Monkees creator and director Robert Rafelson. Separate commentaries on Episode 10 by Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. Commentary on Episode 12 by Michael Nesmith. Commentary on Episode 14 by director James Frawley. Commentary on Episode 15 by Davy Jones. Monkees Pilot (16 mm version). Monkees Discography. Vintage Monkees Kelloggs commercials. Separate commentaries on Episode 32 by Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and songwriter Bobby Hart. Interview with songwriter, Bobby Hart. Monkees Memorabilia Gallery.

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The Jetsons: Season Two, Vol. 1 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Fans of all ages need no introduction to Hanna-Barbera's Classic TV series `The Jetsons,' but may be confused by the origin date of this fabulous DVD release: 1985!
That's because the "original" Jetsons, which debuted Sept. 23, 1962, lasted for only one season on ABC, but became much more successful when it eventually ended up in syndication. (Those episodes have already been released on DVD. The Jetsons - The Complete First Season)
That successful syndication led to a brief revival in 1985 with all-new episodes. The new series, referred to as `Season Two,' boasted more advanced animation, which had richer color, along with attempts to add content to make it seem even more futuristic than its parent show.
The first 21 Episodes from 1985's `Season Two,' have been collected here for the time in this three-disc boxed set from Warner Home Video. Jetsons-Season 2 V01
In addition, a special featurette, `Jetsons: Return to the Future,' is also included that focuses on the evolution of the series. Among those interviewed is animation expert Mark Evanier.
`The Jetsons' was originally conceived following the iconic success of Hanna-Barbera's `The Flintstones,' which featured a `modern' Stone Age family. Hanna-Barbera decided to turn their Bedrock success on its ear, creating a similar family cartoon, but changed the setting to their vision of the Space Age - the 21st century!
The Jetsons originally lived Orbit City, a city where the houses were literally way, way up in the air, like Space Age needles. The family included George, his wife, Jane, and their children Judy and Elroy, along with their beloved dog, Astro. A very sweet robot housekeeper, Rosie, equipped with an unexpected personality, soon joined the family.
So, the Jetsons lived the `average' life in Hanna-Barbera's future, which incorporated flying space cars, instant transport tubes, various robots and a host of other bizarre gadgets to make their lives a breeze. But, the wonderful thing about The Jetsons was that, regardless of the technology, their problems were the same ones faced by families of all ages.
In the original `Season One,' George worked at Spacely Space Sprockets, run by his pint-sized, ill-tempered boss, Cosmo S. Spacely. In `Season Two,' new characters were introduced, including a a second pet for the Jetsons named Orbitty, whose spring-like legs and suction cup feet enabled him to suspend himself on anything and in any direction. Orbitty is also able to change color to reflect his emotions.
The `Season Two' episodes collected here, along with the second-half of the 1985 episodes yet to be released, also aired in syndication, and generated the same level of success as the original episodes had. As a result, a second revival occurred, leading to 10 more episodes, referred to as `Season Three,' finalizing the episode series in 1987!
In addition, `The Jetsons' prompted two TV movies: The music-themed `Rockin' with Judy Jetson,' and then a true Hanna-Barbera crossover, `The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones.'
In 1989, `The Jetsons: the Movie' hit the big screen with its only film, which depicted the finale of the entire series. An important note, this movie is being released on DVD for the first time from Universal Studios. The Jetsons: The Movie It's being dedicated to the memories of George O'Hanlon, the voice of George Jetston, and Mel Blanc, THE master voice animator, who was also the voice of Mr. Spacely. Ironically, this movie was the final voice project for both men.
The 21 episodes in this DVD boxed set from `Season Two' are: Elroy Meets Orbitty; Rosie Come Home; Solar Snoops; Judy's Birthday Surprise; Super George; Family Fallout; S.M.A.S.H.; The Mirrormorph; Mother's Day for Rosie; Jetsons' Millions; Fugitive Fleas; Rip-Off Rosie; Far-Out Father; Astro's Big Moment; The Cosmic Courtship of George and Jane; Fantasy Planet; S'no Relative; Instant Replay; Haunted Halloween; Future Tense; and The Wrong Stuff.
We fans can only hope that after all of this time, the remainder of `Season Two,' and the 10 episodes comprising the final `Season Three,' will be released onto DVD very, very soon!

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Meet George Jetson and his quirky family: wife Jane, son Elroy and daughter Judy. Living in the automated, push-button world of the future hasn't made life any easier for the harried husband and father, who gets into one comical misadventure after another!

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Walt Disney Treasures - Your Host, Walt Disney (1954) Review

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(More customer reviews)Disney DVD has announced 6 episodes that will be included in this collection:
1) "The Fourth Anniversary Show" : 1957 DISNEYLAND season opener, originally aired 9/11/57 on ABC.
2) "Where Do Stories Come from?" (1956) a nice little behind-the-scenes show about the Disney animators and their inspiration.
3) "I Captured The King of the Leprechauns" : this last DISNEYLAND episode of the 1958 season was a big promo for the Darby O'Gill movie, originally aired 5/29/59 on ABC. *** This has already been released as a bonus on the Darby O'Gill DVD. ***
4) "Kodak Presents Disneyland '59" : a long thought lost TV special, not part of the DISNEYLAND series. This is well worth getting this set for!
5) "Back Stage Party" sort of a behind-the-scenes wrap party for Disney's 1961 movie "Babes In Toyland" starring Annette.
6) "Disneyland 10th Anniversary Show" : from the 1964 season of Wonderful World Of Color, originally aired 1/3/65 on NBC. *** Sadly, this EDITED presentation is identical to the show's previous appearance on the Disneyland USA Treasures tin, missing several minutes of Tiki Room footage. *** Sure that older DVD is out of print, but It is disappointing not to have a new to DVD episode included here, or a complete version correcting the previous error. There are SO many episodes in which Walt plays a major part, this DOUBLE DIPPING is regrettable! ***

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Celebrate Walt Disney and his magical vision with this look back at several of the most memorable hours from his groundbreaking television shows. As its friendly, approachable host, Disney endeared himself to millions and became much more than an icon for family entertainment. He became Uncle Walt. Join Walt as he celebrates the rededication of Disneyland with a parade of celebrities and guest stars, the fourth anniversary of his weekly show featuring a surprise party arranged by the Mouseketeers, and a tenth anniversary program showcasing some of his talented Imagineers at work. And in a rare interview, Diane Disney Miller shares warm and personal memories of growing up with the man we all admired from afar.

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Father Knows Best: Season One Review

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(More customer reviews)Father Knows Best was a wonderful television program. A review of the show would get 5 stars. These reviews are not supposed to be testimonials or nostalgic trips back to one's childhood; they should be reviews of the product. That is the reason I am awarding this product a single star. There is no excuse whatsoever for a company to give the buying public edited versions of tv shows that have been in existence for so many years. I wrongfully assumed that since the Young family trust gave its blessing to this project that the dvd set would be top notch and first class. Shout Factory could not even present episode number one in its original form. The first show was barely 22 minutes with complete opening sequence and closing credits. The editing to trim the show by the three minutes was done with a hatchet that a child of four could notice. I suppose this is better than no Father Knows Best at all, but not by much. My advice is to check the manufacturer of dvd's and make sure that Shout Factory had nothing to do with it. Otherwise, you will receive less than you hoped for and less than you paid for.

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Copy: Maybe he didn't always know best, but insurance salesman Jim Anderson (Robert Young) of Springfield, Ohio, was America's favorite head of household. Father Knows Best premiered on CBS in October 1954 and has been part of the American cultural fabric ever since. Every week families gathered around the television set to join Jim, Margaret, "Princess", "Bud" and "Kitten" in their very first year as everyone's favorite 50's family. On DVD for the first time ever, this 4-disc set contains the Complete first season. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BONUS FEATURES*New cast interviews*Robert Young's home movies*Rare behind the scenes color footage*24 Hours In Tyrantland - special episode created for the U.S. government.*Window On Main Street pilot episode - Robert Young's very next TV series.

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Get Smart the Complete Series -- Seasons 1-5 DVD Box Set Review

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(More customer reviews)I paid twice as much to Time/Life a year ago for this as BestBuy has it today $109..and I don't feel ripped off at all...its worth every penny.
EACH season has a bonus DVD chock full of amazing stuff from commercials to appearances on other shows (Andy Williams) to numerous EMMY awards wins..and a fabulous ROAST of Don Adams...his Eulogy...goodness they did this thing right..and the packaging..WOW..even more fun and functional. This is the best set of a TV series I own and I own many. If you are only a casual fan I'd consider buying each season as they come out....they are cheap at $16 and do not have the bonus disc..which is essential viewing for true fans! The prints are great..each episode has an intro by beautiful Barbara Feldon (Agent 99) ...this is one of my treasures along with the Twilight Zone complete series. I've dipped into this over and over in the last year and have never once regretted the purchase. For a kid who grew up in that era its great on so many levels. With the economy as it is I felt compelled to review this set from the standpoint of value and I certainly think its a fabulous deal for fans.

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25 DVD set consisting of 5 separate seasons, each in its own colorful slipcase, all enclosed in a telephone booth slipcase. The set contains all 138 episodes of the Get Smart TV series, and has been remastered and restored for DVD. The set's special features conatin over 9 hours of bonus material including never before seen bloopers, interviews and commentaries, and an introduction to each episode by Barbara Feldon (Agent 99).

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I Dream of Jeannie: The Complete Series (1965) Review

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(More customer reviews)The episodes are great & I want to make it clear that I love this series. I have no complaints with the episodes or the quality of the episodes.
The problem is with the functionality of the nightmare packaging, the DVD indexing, the ear-blasting irritating audio on the Menu and inconsistent labeling vs menu designations. I recommend you read this before buying this cute set. You might change your mind and get a set with normal packaging after you read about the nightmare you will go through just to watch the DVD's.
The packaging is cute... if you don't ever plan to watch the episodes. However, if you do plan to watch them, when you remove the disk sleeves from the bottle, do NOT set it down because you will end up with disks everywhere. The sleeves cannot be set down because they cannot support themselves upright without the bottle... so it flops over and the disks all fall out. The sleeves are an open accordion/slinky style design, made from thin cardboard. This design is a real pain in the wazoo if you are trying to take out the disks to place them into a DVD player. Since you can't set it down... you have to hold the packaging in one hand while loading the disks into the player with the other hand.
Also, the cardboard bottle is very tall, so you need a minimum clearance of 18 inches of height to set down the bottle on the card box as it was designed... so if you have shorter shelf height, it won't fit.
The disk labels are all numbered sequentially 1-20. It does show you the season on the label and the sleeves are color coded to separate seasons... but here is the problem. When you load the disks, once you get to disk #5... it is actually season 2 disk #1... so instead of seeing Disk 5 on the menu... you see Disk #1 on the menu. Talk about mismatched numbering schemes between the disk labels and disk screen menu... Really confusing if you have a 5 disk DVD player and see it change from disk 4 to disk 1 (when you were expecting disk 5 like the label).
Now that your DVD is loaded... you'd better turn down your sound because you are going to be blasted out of your seat by the opening music volume which is 50 times louder than the episodes. Then when you hear the menu audio music, it plays only a few notes from the theme song then it is abruptly cut off by the loud bang of a snare drum. It does this over and over and over until you stop it. It is really irritating. Especially if the episodes have finished playing and the screen reverts to this menu where you hear a dozen or so notes of the theme song followed by that irritating snare drum bang... over and over again until you put it out of its misery.
Now we come to the indexing problem. The entire 1st season's indexing is screwed up... which means you can't skip past the opening credits and theme song on each episode unless you fast forward. If you try to skip to the next scene to bypass the opening theme, you will miss a big chunk of the episode. This is really a nuisance having to fast forward through the theme on every single episode of the entire first season. Evidently, it does not occur to the "lack of brains" crew which handled the DVD indexing... that we may not want to watch the opening theme 30 times in a row. The second season seems to be working ok... but we'll see how that goes. I've seen other series like ST-TNG where it goes back and forth from one season to the next. No consistency. By the time I got to disk #5, I was thoroughly irritated enough to write this review while it was all fresh in my mind.
Now we come to the little box of cards which the cardboard bottle sits atop. It is like a deck of playing cards for the episodes and only has a short sentence of description about each episode and none about the actors. The same amount of info you will find on Wikipedia. The font is about a 6... so if you are over the age of 40 (which all of the original fans are) you will not be able to read these without some kind of magnification or bifocals. Obviously designed by someone under the age of 30. The cards are cute but totally nonfunctional if you are truly wanting to look for info on the episodes.
The colorizing of the B&W episodes is not as good as on Bewitched, but tolerable. This was done by a lazy (or cheap) colorizer who didn't get inside the mouths and put way too much yellow in her hair. It was almost orange. This was also done by someone under the age of 40 (or someone in a foreign country) who had no clue as to what colors the phones, furnishings, decor, appliances and wall & floor treatments were available in the 60's. All they had to do was to watch a couple of the episodes which were filmed in color... to get the correct colors before they began the colorizing process. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
This might be nitpicking... but things like Orange phones jump out at those of us who lived in the 60's We all know that they didn't have Orange phones in the 60's. Most of the standard phones were either black, white and olive green with some exceptions on the princess and wall phone lines which could be found in baby blue and yellow. The first orange phone I remember wasn't available until around 1980 when they made an Orange overlay template (for either OSU or OU football team colors) for one of the touchtone phone styles.
So, if you are buying this set as a cute collectible... it is an adorable design. But if you are planning to watch all of the episodes... this set will be a real pain in the wazoo.

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Finally, all five seasons in one collectible set! Catch all 139 magical episodes, beginning when Major Tony Nelson discovers a life-changing bottle on a deserted island and ending with a dreamy Jeannie wedding.

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Get Smart: The Complete Series (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you think you're getting the complete, original (1965) Get Smart series, make no mistake. The original series is still available only directly from Time-Life, and is still $199.95. (Update 10/08: Now scheduled for 11/4/08 availability from Amazon at discounted price!)
This is the brief (7 episode) Get Smart revival series which aired on Fox in 1995. The series brings back Don Adams (now chief of CONTROL), Barbara Feldon (now a congresswoman), and David Ketchum (Agent 13), but the main characters are now Max and 99's son Zack (Andy Dick) and his partner, Agent 66 (Elaine Hendrix).
I was pleasantly surprised that this series managed to maintain some of the character and humor of the original series -- especially the episode which brought back Bernie Kopell as Siegfried.
And I'm also pleasantly surpised to see this short-lived gem available on DVD.
But if you order it thinking you're getting the original series for under $20, you may be in for a surprise of a different sort.

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Join Agents 86 and 99 years later as they struggle to keep arch-rival KAOS from gaining world domination. This time they get a little help from their son and newly-minted spy, Zack, and Max, now the Chief of Control.

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Alphaville - Criterion Collection (1965) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like the reviewer above, I was puzzled as to why Criterion would release this film in full frame format when everything else about the edition seemed so meticulously struck, so I thought other people might be interested in Criterion's explanation as to ask why this DVD copy was in the full frame format.
Even though Criterion released the so called widescreen edition previously (1.66:1 letterboxed), each time they re-strike a new product, they will continually consider how the specific movie is supposed to be seen. What I was told was that even though most Europeans probably saw the 1.66:1 widescreen version in the theaters when it was released, it was their belief through a lot of research and interviews, that Godard framed, and meant for the film to be in 1.33:1 - and it was the releasing company that decided on the 1.66:1 format themselves. They told me at Criterion, that neither is necessarily wrong, but that they decided to go with what they believed most suited the vision of it's maker.
I bought the DVD after hearing their explanation, and you will most likely agree with them when you view this version. From the balance of titles and words on the screen, to the way that shots are constructed (such as a sequence which is obviously intentionally composed of only gesturing hands on the edge of the frame during a conversation) I think their argument is right on the mark. Remember in this season of widescreen fever, it shouldn't be widescreen for the sake of widescreen, but to present the thing the way it was intended to be seen.

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A cockeyed fusion of science fiction, pulp characters, and surrealist poetry, Godard's irreverent journey to the mysterious Alphaville remains one of the least conventional films of all time. Eddie Constantine stars as intergalactic hero Lemmy Caution, on a mission to kill the inventor of fascist computer Alpha 60. Criterion's edition of this seminal film features a new digital transfer.

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The Invaders - The First Season Review

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(More customer reviews)When I was a kid, this show truly terrified me and DID give me nightmares - but I loved it anyway! Now, at long last, the original, iconic Sci-Fi TV Classic "The Invaders" is being released on DVD in boxed season sets. The first 17 episodes have been gathered in the initial DVD release.
The Invaders, which premiered on ABC in 1967, starred Roy Thinnes. It was a mid-season replacement show that was an hour-long, full-color science fiction thriller that sadly lasted only 43 episodes. Families across the country truly gathered around their TV sets when the series aired on Tuesday's at 8:30 p.m. to see what happened next.
The show opened with an unforgettable and chilling narration: "The Invaders, a Quinn Martin Production starring Roy Thinnes as architect David Vincent. The Invaders - alien beings from a dying planet. Their destination - the Earth. Their purpose: to make it `their' world. David Vincent has seen them. For him, it began one lost night on a lonely country road, looking for a shortcut that he never found. It began with a closed, deserted diner, and a man too long without sleep to continue his journey. It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy. Now, David Vincent knows that the Invaders are here; that they have taken human form. Somehow, he must convince a disbelieving world, that the nightmare has already begun..."
Voice talents were Hank Simms, who was the introductory narrator, and William Woodson who was episode narrator for the entire series.
In the first episode, Vincent is driving home at night after working a long, tiring day. He turns onto what he believes is a shortcut, then down the dark, isolated road. Unexpectedly, he ends up at Bud's Cafe, situated in a ghost town. Exhausted, he decides to park to rest for a while before continuing home. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, something wakes him: a strange glowing object is "landing" in front of his eyes.
Leaving his car and edging forward, he sees the advance army of what he learns is an alien invasion. From that moment forward, he tries to warn a skeptical world that there are aliens in their midst masquerading as humans. At the same time, he struggles to stay alive - because not only had he seen the aliens, but they had seen him!
While the premise seems simple in this day and age, the series had such great production values, flawless acting by Thinnes, fantastically creepy music by Dominic Frontiere, use of creative and intentionally distorted camera work, and even weird title credits by Wayne Fitzgerald, that it really did scare the wits out of legions of fans. In addition, the true form of the Invaders was never shown, so viewers' imaginations were encouraged to run wild, an effective creative device that has been sadly abandoned in this "show everything no matter what" Internet age.
As the series progressed, Vincent was able to identify some Invaders through certain characteristics, and he also learned that their human forms were unstable and had to be "regenerated" occasionally, or they would perish.
In 1995, there was a feeble attempt to resurrect the show in a mini-series starring Scott Bakula as Nolan Wood, with an appearance by Thinnes.
"The Invaders" remains so popular that in 2004 the character of David Vincent was ranked No. 6 in TV Guide's list of the Twenty-Five Greatest Sci-Fi Legends.
It may not be coincidental that The Invaders seems an intriguing mix of the Sci-Fi film masterpiece "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and the TV Classic drama "The Fugitive," which was also produced by the brilliant Quinn Martin, who also produced The Untouchables, and The Streets of San Francisco, to name a few.
Episodes included in this boxed set are: Beachhead; The Experiment; The Mutation; The Leeches; Genesis; Vikor; Nightmare; Doomsday Minus One; Quantity: Unknown; The Innocent; The Ivy Curtain; The Betrayed; Storm; Panic; Moonshot; Wall of Crystal; The Condemned.
Let's hope the remainder of this fantastic series will be quickly released on DVD.

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David Vincent (Roy Thinnes) knows that The Invaders, alien beings from a dying planet, have arrived to take over the Earth! To make matters worse, the aliens know who he is, and most of the time where he is. Somehow he must convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already begun.

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Mission: Impossible - The Complete First TV Season (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)When Mission: Impossible, the movie came out, I was expecting a big studio update of the classic TV show. What I got was yet another Tom Cruise star vehicle where he preens and postures and seizes the spotlight at the expense of everyone else in the film. To say I was disappointed is an understatment -- I was incensed! The IMF team killed off? Jim Phelps a bad guy? You've got to be kidding me! The TV series' concept of an elite covert operations team working together to save the United States from enemies, both foreign and domestic, was bastardized so Tom Cruise could flash his 1000 watt smile and save the day all by himself. I was so angry, I vowed to never see the film again or any possible sequels. It's a vow I've kept to this day and will continue to keep.
I'm sure that Mr. Cruise and his represtatives had something to do with the delay in releasing the original series on DVD. Thankfully, now that Paramount has shown old Tom the door, we can now see the series that started it all. Peter Graves' Jim Phelps is missing from the first season (Steven Hill of Law and Order plays Dan Riggs, the leader of the IMF during the first season). But Martin Landau as Rollin Hand, Barbara Bain as Cinnamon Carter, Greg Morris as Barney Collier and Peter Lupus as Willy Armitage are all present. Unlike most of the spy stories from the 1960's (and unlike the Tom Cruise film series), Mission:Impossible, the TV series, took a more cerebral approach to its stories. There's no James Bond in these stories -- just a team of agents who covertly depose all types of dictators, terrorists and traitors without leaving any evidence of their involvement. Just as Columbo turned the TV detective genre on its ear so did Mission:Impossible turn the spy genre on its ear.
Here's hoping that those who only know Mission:Impossible from the films have a look for themselves. I daresay they'll realize that the TV series is vastly superior to the film series and that the complete absence of Tom Cruise is a very, very good thing.

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The head of the "Impossible Missions Force", a top-secret government group of operatives, starts a tape recorder and finds out about his latest assignment. Throughout most of the series, they would have to stop some petty dictator or powerful bad guy from whatever evil plot they had against the U.S. or Democracy in general. The elaborate use of electronic gadgetry, masters of disguise and detailed plans that require split-second timing made this tv show an "on the edge of your seater"!

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The Supremes: Reflections - The Definitive Performances 1964-1969 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Please if any of you had read a review by a A J Wilson, claiming that this was a special edition with 3 discs, and an extra 17 performances. This is not true! it is exactly the same as the cheaper American version. Why they advertise this copy as the "Definitive DVD collection" as opposed to the American copy of "Definitive performances collection" is beyond me. I ordered this copy after seeing the review by A J Wilson, only to find its exactly the same as the cheaper American copy.

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Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard (and herreplacement Cindy Birdsong) conquered the charts and then the world throughtheir TV appearances. Their looks, their charm and of course their greathits burst from the screen and won over even the harshest critics.Now thefans can have it all over again -- the original "Dreamgirls" doing theirthing unlike any group before or since. The Supremes: Reflections, produced for UMe by Historic Films, is anextraordinary DVD collection -- their greatest hits on video in any formfor the first time. Included are not only the classic appearances from theEd Sullivan Show and Hullaballo, but incredible rare footage not seen sincefirst aired more than 40 years ago. As a fabulous bonus, a click of thesub-title button will also reveal entertaining and revealing trivia abouteach clip.Then there's the DVD extras, the icing on the cake: additional rare clipsof "Baby Love" and "Stop! In The Name Of Love," early footage of the triodoing their first top 40 hit, and uncut footage from the documentaryAnatomy Of Pop that includes an interview with Berry Gordy. As with allother UMe/Motown DVD collections, all audio has been significantlyupgraded; where the group has lip-synced to the record, you'll now hearremastered stereo right from the Motown vault.1. Where Did Our Love Go (The Steve Allen Show, September 24, 1964) 2. Baby Love (Shivaree, 1965) 3. Come See About Me (Teen Town, February 1965) 4. Stop! In The Name Of Love (Murray The K - It's What's Happening!, June28, 1965) 5. Back In My Arms Again (Mike Douglas Show, November 3, 1965) 6. Nothing But Heartaches (Hullaballoo, September 13, 1965) 7. I Hear A Symphony (Mike Douglas Show, November 3, 1965) 8. My World Is Empty Without You (Anatomy Of Pop - The Music Explosion,1965) 9. You Can't Hurry Love (The Ed Sullivan Show, September 25, 1966)* 10. You Keep Me Hanging On (Promotional Film, 1966) 11. Love Is Here And Now Your Gone (The Andy Williams Show, January 22,1967) 12. The Happening (Live In Stockholm/Swedish TV, April 20,1968) 13. Reflections (The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special, December 3, 1967)14. In And Out Of Love (Live In Stockholm/Swedish TV, April 20th, 1968) 15. Love Child (The Ed Sullivan Show, September 29, 1968) 16. Someday We'll Be Together (The Hollywood Palace, October 18, 1969) DVD Extras 1. Baby Love (Top Of The Pops, October 15, 1964) 2.Stop! In The Name Of Love (Shivaree, 1965) 3. When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes (The Supremes InCarr'e, Amsterdam, October 14, 1964) 4. My World Is Empty Without You (Original Clip w/ Narration, Anatomy OfPop, 1965)

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American Dreams - Season One (Extended Music Edition) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)"American Dreams" is a show that could have been on the air during the very timeframe in which it was set. In it's entirely too short three season run, it was a standout, simply because it was well written, wonderfully acted, and just plain entertaining - something to which the millions of reality shows and "Law and Order" clones cluttering the airwaves couldn't begin to compare. "American Dreams" captured both the lingering innocence and the burgeoning counter culture of the 60's. Kids spent their time listening to records and watching "American Bandstand", but surreptitiously attended war protests on college campuses. Dads earned a living and handed down advice and discipline while moms cooked balanced meals, but after the children were in bed, they discussed such taboo subjects as women's rights, race relations, and birth control. All of these subjects were addressed intelligently and realistically, but the writers never failed to add humor to the scripts as well.
Much of the show was from the viewpoint of Meg Pryor (played by the wonderful Brittany Snow). We first meet Meg as a sweet 15 year old who realizes her lifelong dream of becoming a dancer on "American Bandstand". The two hour pilot episode finds Meg and her wild child best friend Roxanne scheming to be pulled from the daily lineup of hopeful dancers outside the Philadelphia television studio where "Bandstand" is filmed, for a guest appearance on the show. It takes some conniving on the part of the always hilariously outrageous Roxanne, but one day the impossible happens, and both girls make it onto the show. Meg doesn't believe it could possibly get any better - until she catches the eye of one of the show's producers, who offers her a regular spot. Her ecstasy is short lived when she finds out that not only was Roxanne was not asked to be a regular, but her father will not allow her to be on the show. Meg's determination finally wins her father's permission, but her guilt over Roxanne leads to her decision to quit. A resolution is reached when the producer is impressed by Meg's loyalty and invites Roxanne to be a regular as well, but the pilot ends on a somber note with the assassination of President Kennedy.
This episode is characteristic of the rest of the season (and Seasons 2 and 3 as well). "American Bandstand" features prominently in the series as we follow Meg and Roxanne's daily adventures as dancers and minor celebrities. One of the highlights of the series was the outstanding performances of many 21st century bands playing 60's acts such as Jay and The Americans and The Kinks. However, it also tackles heavier issues, such as the Vietnam War (a major focus of Season 2, which follows the active duty of Meg's brother J.J.) and racism. Many storylines feature Henry, a black employee of Meg's father's appliance store, and his son Sam, with whom Meg forms a close friendship despite disapproval from both families and society in general. Over the course of the three seasons, Meg develops from a starry eyed "good girl" to an intelligent, socially conscious young woman, who challenges the gender roles set for her and always follows the path that she knows is right. But the show never forgot how to have fun as well.
"American Dreams" was one of the finest television shows ever produced. Thumbs down to NBC for not recognizing what they had. If only they'd given it a fighting chance (putting it in a decent time slot and allowing the episodes to be re-run in the off season), it would have been remembered as a legend years from now!

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AMERICAN DREAMS:SEASON 1 EXTENDED MUS - DVD Movie

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The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 1 (1963) Review

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(More customer reviews)With talents like Joseph Stephano and Leslie Stephens as producers, some of the best Sci-Fi Writers and a lot of talented 60's actors and even actors that went on to great fame like Robert Culp, David McCallum, Sally Kellerman, Robert Duvall and Martin Landau, this was one of the first quality Sci-Fi series.
Twilight Zone was out there, but at times it was not really pure Sci-Fi, often more mysterious and horror, Thriller hosted by Boris Karloff (PLEASE PUT THESE OUT on DVD) were pure horror and the long running Alfred Hitchcock Present was straight mystery, so SCI-FI fans were captivated from the opening line with that mysterious voice telling you your telly has been taken over for the next 60 minutes. The acting was top notch, the writing literate and thought provoking, and you will even see many of the episodes were later cannibalised later to make movies, such as SOLDIER with Michael Anshara, repackaged in the 80's as The Terminator. To think you get 32 original episodes on 4 double-sided discs is just amazing.
There are a few puppies in the series...In the second year of the series Stephano played a less controlling interest. He believed in thoughty mind twisting Sci-Fi, while Stevens wanted the monster of the week, so some monsters did get a little Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea-ish (Think they even shared a couple with monster doing double time!). But all in this in one super buy is a must for all those Baby Boomers that would once more would like their telly taken over.
Warning to those who have not seen the series, these are vintage, high quality Black & White episodes. I think it adds to the spookiness as they could film in lower light, creating those sinister shadows.

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You hold in your hands an artifact from a time now vanished forever - a compendium of portals into worlds unknown. A four-disc set that controls over 27 hours of transmission from the 1963-64 series, this vessel has sought you out for one specific purpose: to expand your mind to "The Outer Limits"!

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