Greg Barbrick

Book Review: Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas by Alonso Duralde

Christmas time is a time for many things, and one of the things that I most enjoy are the movies. ...
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History Presents: The Definitive WWI & WWII Collection DVD Review: Nirvana in a Box for War Buffs

At the close of the Second World War, Winston Churchill was quoted as saying, “One must regard these thirty years ...
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Very Extremely Dangerous (2012) DVD Review: A Life of Utter Chaos

Three-time felon Jerry McGill (1940 - 2013) was a musician whose life was the stuff of legend. Very Extremely Dangerous ...
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Book Review: Ripley’s Believe It or Not!: Daily Cartoons 1929-1930

The new Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Daily Cartoons 1929-1930 from the Library of American Comics is a fond look ...
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The Prosecution of An American President DVD Review: Former Manson Prosecutor Takes on George W. Bush

Vincent Bugliosi is best known as the prosecutor of Charles Manson, and for writing the book Helter Skelter (1974) about ...
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Book Review: The Art of Greg Spalenka by Greg Spalenka

The name Greg Spalenka may or may not be a familiar one to you, but once you have seen his ...
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Radio Free Albemuth Movie Review: Faithful Adaptation of the Philip K. Dick Novel

One of Philip K. Dick's (1928-1982) finest inspirations was VALIS (Vast Active Living Intelligence System), which he first laid out ...
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Hearts and Minds (1974) Criterion Collection Review: A Riveting Documentary of the Vietnam War

The Academy Award-winning Hearts and Minds is the most riveting war documentary I have ever seen. The raw footage and ...
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Mama’s Family: The Complete Fourth Season DVD Review: Firing on All Cylinders

Mama's Family was one of the most popular recurring skits on the old Carol Burnett Show, so it was not ...
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Jurassic Park Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Review: Mondo Releases John Williams’ Music on Vinyl

We are obviously big fans of the movies around here, and the soundtracks to those films can be equally compelling. ...
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SIFF 2014 Review: Strictly Sacred: A Film about Girl Trouble

The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) may not be Cannes, or Tribeca for that matter, but it sure was the ...
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The Class: The Complete Series DVD Review: An Updated, Expanded Friends

Warner Archive have been releasing some very interesting DVD sets this year, especially in the realm of “lost” television programs. ...
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Midsomer Murders: Village Case Files DVD Review: Probably the Greatest Current British Mystery Series

Midsomer Murders is probably the greatest British mystery series currently on the air. The show is in its 17th season, ...
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Book Review: Popeye: The Classic Newspaper Comics, Volume One: 1986-1989 by Bobby London: Absolutely Fabulous

When it comes to reprints of classic comics, The Library of American Comics from IDW Publishing are the absolute gold ...
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Little Feat: Live in Holland 1976 Review: Featfans, Rejoice!

They call themselves “Featfans,” and are to Little Feat what the Deadheads are to the Grateful Dead. Recently the Featfans ...
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Search: The Complete Series DVD Review: About 40 Years Ahead of Its Time

Search was a show that aired for one season back in 1972-73, and if you do not remember it, join ...
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DC Comics Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures Volume 1 DVD Review: They Cannot Be Beat

DC Comics are one of the oldest and most successful comic-book publishers of all time. They have also made some ...
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Mr. & Mrs. Murder: Series 1 DVD Review: Worth a Look

Thanks to Acorn Media, I have discovered some great shows from outside of the U.S., and had high hopes for ...
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The Bigamist (1953) DVD Review: A Sensitive Treatment of the Subject

I must admit that my prurient interests were piqued by the title of The Bigamist (1953). This Ida Lupino-directed film ...
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Eric Clapton: The 1970s Review DVD Review: Between Cream and 461 Ocean Boulevard

The video company Sexy Intellectual specialize in unauthorized biographies, such as From Straight to Bizarre: Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper and ...
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Mama’s Family: The Complete Third Season DVD Review: A Blast from the Past

Spin-offs have been a part of the television world for many years now. As a matter of fact, there is ...
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Last Stand of the 300 and Other Famous Greek Battles DVD Review: Grand Theft Auto at Thermopylae

Remember when The History Channel actually showed programs of historical interest? For a lot of people (generally men), those history ...
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Tess Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Polanski’s Vision of Victorian England

Tess is an unforgettable film, and one of the finest of Roman Polanski's career. The fact that it lost to ...
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Midsomer Murders: Set 23 DVD Review: Britain’s Finest Mystery Series

For murder mystery fans, I believe there is no better show on the air right now than Midsomer Murders. The ...
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Killing Kennedy Blu-ray Review: The Assassination Fox News Style

If Killing Kennedy did not present itself so seriously, I would swear that it was a parody of the whole ...
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Dallas (2012): The Complete Second Season DVD Review: Who Killed J.R.?

Through an extraordinary set of circumstances, the legendary J.R. Ewing actually got a proper send-off from Dallas. In 1980, the ...
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LEGO Legends of Chima: The Lion, the Crocodile, and the Power of CHI! Season 1 Part 1 DVD Review

With the theatrical release of The LEGO Movie (2014), the famous building-block company have gone wide with their latest animated ...
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Space Voyages DVD Review: The Real Continuing Missions

The Smithsonian Channel's Space Voyages miniseries was one of the best programs I saw last year, and for anyone who ...
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Jules and Jim Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Seminal French New Wave Love Triangle

The greatest literature is often inspired by true events, and the story behind Francois Truffaut's Jules and Jim (1962) is ...
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Being Human: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Review: A Melting Pot of the Supernatural

Giving good-looking vampires their own shows has become standard practice in television these days, so with Being Human, the Syfy ...
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The Blue Eyes Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Review: Another Strong Entry in the JG Thirlwell Catalog

JG Thirlwell is nothing if not prolific. He has recorded over 30 albums in a variety of styles, under such ...
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Book Review: The Mayor of MacDougal Street by Dave Van Ronk

The 2013 reprint of Dave Van Ronk's (1936 -2002) autobiography The Mayor of MacDougal Street (2004) has a cover blurb ...
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Fantastic Voyage Blu-ray Review: The Coolest Ship in the Movies

The Proteus is just about the coolest movie ship ever. The only real competition would be the Nautilus from Mysterious ...
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The Mod Squad: The Complete Collection Review (Sampler): One Black, One White, and One Blonde

If you are looking for something for the classic-TV enthusiast this holiday season, the people at Visual Entertainment have you ...
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The Day Kennedy Died DVD Review: One of the Darkest Days in History

There are a few days in American history when the world just seemed to stop. November 22, 1963 is one ...
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MOMO: The Sam Giancana Story DVD Review: Rat Pack Gangster

Sam “Momo” Giancana (1908-1975) was one of the most fascinating gangsters of the 20th century. He has been the subject ...
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Tales of the City: 20th Anniversary Edition DVD Review: Wild Times in San Francisco

The six-part mini-series Tales of the City (1993) boasts an all-star cast, including the city of San Francisco itself. The ...
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East End Babylon: The Cockney Rejects Story DVD Review: Punk Hooligans for Life

For a guy from the northwest corner of America, watching the story of the Cockney Rejects in East End Babylon ...
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Various Artists: Mad Men Christmas Album Review: Smell the Booze, Feel the Christmas Angst

The only question I had about the Mad Men Christmas collection was what took them so long? This 12-song compilation ...
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Cinema Sentries

Vince Guaraldi Trio: A Charlie Brown Christmas (Snoopy’s Doghouse Edition) Soundtrack Review

I look forward to the holiday season for a few reasons, and one of them is the undeniable joy of ...
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On the Riviera Blu-ray Review: Double the Danny Kaye!

There was a time when Danny Kaye was one of the top entertainers in the world. Although Bob Hope and ...
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Book Review: Star Trek FAQ 2.0: Everything Left to Know about The Next Generation, the Movies, and Beyond by Mark Clark

Sometimes I wonder if I am a “Trekkie,” or “Trekker.” What does it take exactly? A working knowledge of every ...
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I Married a Witch Criterion Collection DVD Review: Truly Bewitching

Forget Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched; the most beautiful witch of all time is Veronica Lake in I Married a Witch ...
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3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Definitive Journey

When Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City (1945) won the Grand Prize at Cannes in 1946, he was recognized as the ...
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Two and a Half Men: The Complete Tenth Season DVD Review: Getting Better

The fact that Two and a Half Men survived the firing of Charlie Sheen is nothing short of a miracle. ...
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Revolution: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Review: The Revolution Is Televised

How does one describe a show as wild as Revolution? It is one of the most action-packed, science fiction programs ...
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Doctor Who: The Ice Warriors DVD Review: A Classic

Whether you are a new fan of Doctor Who, or have been watching the show since its debut in November ...
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The Twilight Zone: The Complete Fifth Season DVD Review: The End of the Line

The fifth and final season of The Twilight Zone aired during the 1963-1964 season, almost exactly 50 years ago. I ...
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The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Sixth Season DVD Review: Best Sitcom Since Seinfeld

Is The Big Bang Theory the funniest show on network TV? It is to me, and apparently to a whole ...
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American Guerrilla in the Philippines DVD Review: An Interesting Detour

By 1950, it appears that Fritz Lang had gone from being one of the most innovative and daring directors in ...
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Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone’s Magic Man (Director’s Cut Special Edition) DVD Review: A Must for Fans

Charles Beaumont (1929-1967) is credited with writing 22 episodes of the original Twilight Zone (1959-1964). That number is only about ...
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The Twilight Zone: The Complete Fourth Season DVD Review: Charles Beaumont Is the Star of This Season

The original Twilight Zone aired for five seasons (1959-64), on CBS. Like most of the people I know, the first-run ...
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Doctor Who: The Green Death: Special Edition DVD Review: Hello, Giant Maggots; Goodbye, Jo Grant

“So the fledgling flies the coop,” states the Doctor in one of the opening scenes of The Green Death. It ...
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Frank Zappa: A Token of His Extreme DVD Review: FZ TV Circa 1974

In 1974, Frank Zappa recorded a concert for television titled A Token of His Extreme. It was intended as a ...
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Book Review: The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time by Phil Hall: A Great Compendium

The celebration of the worst films ever made has become something of a cottage industry over the years. Although college ...
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Lord of the Flies (1963) Criterion Collection DVD Review: Lightning Struck Twice

William Golding was 43 years old when his first book was published. The year was 1954, and the title of ...
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Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited: First to Fourth DVD Review: The Fantastic Four

The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is coming up, and the BBC is pulling out all the stops. There have ...
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The Twilight Zone: The Complete Third Season DVD Review: An Epiphany

I had what you might call an epiphany the other night. It happened while I was watching “The Hunt,“ an ...
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Safety Last! (1923) Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Silent Comedic Masterpiece

The three comedic geniuses of the silent film era were Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd. For various reasons, ...
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Cinema Sentries

Things To Come (1936) Criterion Collection DVD Review: An Unforgettable Piece of Cinematic History

H.G. Wells has had a number of books turned into classic films, including The Island of Lost Souls (1932), and ...
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Doctor Who: Inferno: Special Edition DVD Review: Murdering Radioactive Mutants Unite!

We are just a few months away from the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, and the BBC continues to roll ...
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George Gently: Series 5 DVD Review: The Most Intriguing and Intense So Far

As the BBC series George Gently embarks on its sixth series, Acorn Media have been helping us catch up with ...
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Book Review: Doctor Who: Harvest of Time by Alastair Reynolds

Forget about the Rolling Stones' 50th anniversary, the one that really counts is coming this November, which will mark 50 ...
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George Gently Collection: Series 1-4 DVD Review: A Hidden Treasure

In 1955 author Alan Hunter published a novel entitled Gently Does It, which marked the first appearance of the British ...
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Book Review: A Quick Guide to Screenwriting by Ray Morton

Just about everybody I know has said words to the effect of “I could write a better movie than that!” ...
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3:10 to Yuma (1957) Criterion Collection DVD Review: You Gotta Trust Delmer Daves on This One

The opening shot of 3:10 to Yuma (1957) sets the film up as perfectly as anything I have ever seen. ...
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Star Trek: Generations Movie Review: Passing of the Torch

“Kirk or Picard?” was one of the first questions Dr. Sheldon Cooper asked Dr. Leonard Hofsteder when they first met ...
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Parade’s End (1964) DVD Review: A Very Impressive Period Drama

The current success of Downton Abbey is just the latest example of a subject that the English never seem to ...
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Cinema Sentries

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Movie Review: Classic Storytelling

For this fan, the greatest Star Trek movie of all time is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). ...
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Richard III (1955) Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Tremendous Film

One of the most striking aspects of the newly restored Richard III (1955) is its magnificent use of color. As ...
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Spies of Warsaw DVD Review: A Rare Misstep for the BBC

At their best, spy films incorporate espionage, the old double-cross, corruption, opportunities for incredible rewards, and cold-blooded murder at every ...
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Cinema Sentries

Repo Man Criterion Collection DVD Review: Punk All Over

The seamy underbelly of Los Angeles has been explored in numerous films over the years. A few of my favorites ...
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One Life DVD Review: Most Impressive

Nature programs have been a staple of family-friendly viewing for decades now. Some have proven to be very popular with ...
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Book Review: Doctor Who: The Dalek Generation by Nicholas Briggs

Of all the creatures the Doctor has met in the universe, none are more evil than the Daleks. But what ...
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Pat Metheny Group: We Live Here: Live in Japan DVD Review: Brilliant in Every Way

The Pat Metheny Group concert that was recorded for the We Live Here: Live In Japan DVD took place at ...
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Lost Angels: Skid Row Is My Home (2010) DVD Review: A Sobering Look

I guess that every major city in America has a “skid row,” but none can compare to the one in ...
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Book Review: Doctor Who FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Most Famous Time Lord in the Universe by Dave Thompson

In some ways, I have found the history of the Doctor Who television series to be even more fascinating than ...
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Elvis Presley: Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite (Legacy Edition) Album Review

If you are old enough to remember the original broadcast of Elvis Presley's Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite, then it ...
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Wilson DVD Review: A Forgotten Classic About the 28th U.S. President

As superficial as this may sound, I actually learned a lot from watching Wilson (1944), part of Fox Cinema Archives. ...
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Scavenger Hunt: An Unlikely Union DVD Review: It’s for the Birds

The new documentary Scavenger Hunt: An Unlikely Union hopes to alert people to an unusual problem. It is the effect ...
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Doctor Who: The Ark in Space (Special Edition) DVD Review: Wheel in the Sky Keeps on Turnin’

The "wheel in space" was the New Frontier-era notion of what space stations of the future would look like. I ...
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Book Review: Hopper: A Journey into the American Dream by Tom Folsom

I had decided on the opening line of my review of the new Dennis Hopper biography Hopper: A Journey Into ...
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Mister 880 DVD Review: A Forgotten Counterfeit Gem

I wonder if there has ever been a more charming actor than Edmund Gwenn. In 2013, his name may no ...
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The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp: Season 2 DVD Review: Historically Accurate TV Classic

"Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp, brave courageous and bold, Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp, long may his story be told..." Those are ...
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The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1978) DVD Review:  A Stunning Achievement

Muriel Spark's Miss Jean Brodie was one of the great literary characters of the 20th century. Her book, The Prime ...
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I’m Now: The Story of Mudhoney DVD Review: The History of the Godfathers of Grunge

In 1988, the song "Touch Me, I'm Sick" by Mudhoney was the first blast of what would come to be ...
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Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror DVD Review: Re-Animating the Doctor

When it comes to resurrecting lost Doctor Who episodes, the people at BBC Home Video have come up with some ...
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Undersea Edens DVD Review: A Marvelous Viewing Experience

The Smithsonian Channel are known for their documentary programs, and Undersea Edens is an example of what they do best. ...
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The Origins of Oz DVD Review: The Story of the True Man Behind the Curtain

The Wizard of Oz (1939) is one of the most beloved films of all time. It is hard to believe ...
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Midsomer Murders: Set 21 DVD Review: The Fictional British County of Midsomer Is Beautiful and Deadly

The fictional Midsomer County is one of the most beautiful areas on British television. It is also home to a ...
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Doctor Who: Shada DVD Review: The Doctor Goes to Cambridge to Save the Universe

The story behind Shada is one of the strangest in the long history of Doctor Who. The six-part serial was ...
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The Tin Drum Criterion Collection DVD Review: Familial Insanity Mirrors Nazi Germany

For a film that won both the Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, The Tin ...
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The Story of Math Collection DVD Review: Informative, Fascinating, and Entertaining Study of Mathematics

I would like to preface this review by mentioning that I was about as far from being a “math-lete” in ...
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The Point Definitive Collector’s Edition DVD Review: Celebrating Non-Conformity

I must confess that I never really “got” Harry Nilsson. Now don't get me wrong, I like what I have ...
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Blackmore’s Night: A Knight in York DVD Review: The Most Ridiculous Real-life Spinal Tap Situation Ever

“King” Ritchie Blackmore and “Queen” Candice Night formed Blackmore's Night back in 1997 to perform Renaissance music. When I first ...
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The Yardbirds: Making Tracks DVD Review: Great Performances from the 21st Century Edition of the Band

The Yardbirds are a legendary British band, who will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2013. There have been a ...
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The Qatsi Trilogy: (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, Naqoyqatsi) Criterion Collection DVD Review: Fans Should Be Very Pleased

When Koyaanisqatsi (1983) came out, my girlfriend at the time talked me into seeing it with her. She was very ...
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Motorhead: The World is Ours, Vol. 2: Anyplace Crazy as Anywhere Else Review: Live at Wacken 2011 and More

I remember seeing Motorhead live at (of all places) Bumbershoot in Seattle about ten years ago. Unlike pure music fests ...
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Saxon: Heavy Metal Thunder: The Movie DVD Review: About as Rock and Roll as it Gets

Saxon were one of the premier bands of the short-lived, but glorious New Wave of British Heavy Metal, (NWBOHM) which ...
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Books Review: Neon Genesis Evangelion Volumes 01, 02 & 03 and Volume 13 by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

The first known screening of the form of Japanese animation referred to as anime was way back in 1917. My ...
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Doctor Who: The Claws of Axos Special Edition DVD Review: Earthbound Doctor Saves the Day Again

The budgetary constraints placed upon the BBC during the early '70s resulted in an interesting chapter in the long saga ...
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Culinary Masterpieces: Special Edition Box Set Review: Appetizing Flicks

The four films collected in the new Culinary Masterpieces box set provide an alluring glimpse into the world of high-end ...
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Woody Herman: Blue Flame DVD Review: An Impressive Story

Although I was born long after the big-band era, I have an abiding appreciation for the music. One of the ...
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Rashomon Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Best of the Best

Director Akira Kurosawa (1919-1998) was known as “The Emperor” of Japanese film for a few reasons. For those he worked ...
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Book Review: All the Emperor’s Men by Hiroshi Tasogawa

For anyone who has seen such masterpieces as as Rashomon (1950) Ikuru (1952), or Seven Samurai (1954), it goes without saying that Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) was ...
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Rosemary’s Baby Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Masterful Film

There have been countless movies that were either so shocking, or just captured the zeitgeist of the culture so well ...
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Nazi Collaborators DVD Review: A Worthy Addition to any WWII Buff’s Library

The 13-episode, four-DVD set Nazi Collaborators offers yet another fascinating perspective on the events of World War II. It has ...
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Review: If You Like Quentin Tarantino… by Katherine Rife

The new If You Like… series of books from Limelight Editions focus on items that fans of a particular director ...
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The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye DVD Review: Should be Titled Plastic Surgery Disasters

At its core, the tale of Genesis P-Orridge and Lady Jaye is a heartbreaking love story. As everything the musical ...
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Alcatraz: The Complete Series DVD Review: Lost on the Rock

Is Alcatraz "Lost on the Rock?" Well, sort of. J.J. Abrams is the mastermind of both shows, and he brought ...
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Desperate Housewives: The Complete Eighth and Final Season DVD Review: End of Days on Wisteria Lane

“There's nothing more peaceful than a night on Wisteria Lane, until someone comes along, and disturbs the peace,” says Mary ...
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Doctor Who: Planet of Giants DVD Review: Reconstructing the Doctor

The legendary BBC program Doctor Who holds the world’s record for the most episodes of any series. The count is ...
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Holy Flying Circus DVD Review: A Pythonesque Look at the Controversy Surrounding Life of Brian

Monty Python’s Flying Circus debuted on the BBC way back in 1969. To call it “ground-breaking” is an understatement. The ...
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Terra Nova: The Complete Series DVD Review: A Missed Opportunity

Terra Nova was a show that I had high hopes for. When it premiered on the FOX network in September ...
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The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season DVD Review: Their Funniest Season Yet

Although The Big Bang Theory got off to a rough start early on, the ratings have improved dramatically over time. ...
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Book Review: An Askew View 2 by John Kenneth Muir

Director Kevin Smith’s production company is called View Askew, which made the title of John Kenneth Muir‘s filmography An Askew ...
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The Lieutenant: The Complete Series Part Two DVD Review: Gene Roddenberry Sows the Seeds of Star Trek

The Lieutenant was the first TV series created by legendary Star Trek guru Gene Roddenberry. The show ran for one ...
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SpokAnarchy! DVD Review: An Excellent Documentary

Spokane, WA is about as unlikely a place I can think of to have developed a thriving punk scene in ...
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Queen: Greatest Video Hits DVD Review: Talent, Style, and Grace on Display

If ever there were a band suited to the format of music videos, Queen were it. Even though there were ...
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Lonesome Criterion Collection DVD Review: Groundbreaking Cinema That Should Not Be Missed

Paul Fejos (1897-1963) directed something of a “lost” classic with Lonesome (1928). The Criterion Collection have just released a digitally ...
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The Zombies: Live at Metropolis Studios, London DVD Review: A Real Treat for Fans

Of all the great British rock acts of the “60s, I have always felt that the Zombies never really got ...
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Planet Dinosaur DVD Review: Some of the Best CGI Dinosaurs Ever

The new BBC Video release Planet Dinosaur DVD contains all six half-hour episodes of the series, which originally aired in ...
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Nektar, Brainticket, and Huw Lloyd-Langton: Space Rock Invasion DVD Review: The Next Best Thing to Being There

For those so inclined, the Space Rock Invasion Tour of 2011 was a once in a lifetime event. The lineup ...
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Doctor Who: Spearhead From Space (Special Edition) DVD Review: One of the Franchise’s Very Best

The first Doctor Who serial to be filmed in color was Spearhead From Space (Story #51), and originally aired January ...
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Damon and Pythias DVD Review: Greek Fable of Friendship and Loyalty

The film genre was called “Swords and Sandals,” and it was quite popular, for a while at least. I guess ...
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The Costume Drama Classic Collection DVD Review: An Embarrassment of Riches

Besides music, one of the greatest British exports in the field of entertainment is the “costume drama.” Programs such as ...
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Frontier Marshal (1939) DVD Review: Randolph Scott Steps into Wyatt Earp’s Boots

The story of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona has been told ...
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They Came to Blow up America DVD Review: A Propaganda Piece Through and Through

Such terror! Such suspense! Such propaganda! Oh, wait, we weren’t supposed to notice that, where we? They Came To Blow ...
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Van der Graaf Generator: Live at the Metropolis Studios, London Review: Who Doesn’t Love the Prog?

Van der Graaf Generator were one of those groups who could have only flourished in the late ’60s English psychedelic ...
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Bill Nelson and the Gentlemen Rocketeers: Live at the Metropolis Studios, London Review: An Electrifying Set Spanning Nelson’s 40-Year Career

I must admit that when I heard that Bill Nelson was planning to revisit some classic Be Bop Deluxe tunes ...
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The Sinking of the Laconia DVD Review: A Top-Notch BBC Program

The second RMS Laconia was a Cunard ocean liner built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson as a successor to ...
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Jimi Plays Berkeley DVD Review: Flawed but Fascinating

The newly re-mastered film Jimi Plays Berkeley (1971) is an incredible document of its time. Back in the late ’70s, ...
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Doctor Who: Death to the Daleks DVD Review: A Very Suspenseful Story

”Exterminate! Exterminate!” Don’t you just love it when the Daleks show up on a Doctor Who series? The newly released ...
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Book Review: If You Like The Terminator, Here Are Over 200 Movies, TV Shows, and Other Oddities That You Will Love by Scott Von Doviak

Love him or hate him, Arnold Schwarzenegger was arguably the action-hero of the ’80s. His roles in films such as ...
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This Is Civilization DVD Review: Examining the Controversial Role of Art in Civilization

“Whenever I hear the word ‘culture’, I reach for my pistol,” is a line attributed to the infamous Nazi Luftwaffe ...
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Springtime in the Sierras DVD Review: A Prime Example of the Roy Rogers Formula

Is it wrong to be attracted to the most evil villainess in the Sierras? The remastered release of Springtime in ...
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Treasure Houses of Britain DVD Review: How the One-Percenters Used to Live

Although I have never been to Great Britain, I am aware of the fact that some of the most beautiful ...
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The Gold Rush Criterion Collection DVD Review: One of Chaplin’s Most Acclaimed Films

Although Charlie Chaplin’s “Little Tramp” character remains so iconic, people all over the world are still familiar with it, even ...
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Gas Pump Girls DVD Review: A Nearly Perfect Example of a Late-’70s Drive-In Flick

Somehow I missed the “disco-gas-station” phenomenon of the late seventies, and it is a real shame. As a consolation however, ...
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The Code DVD Review: An Intriguing Educational Journey

The new Athena two-DVD set The Code is not to be confused in any way with The Da Vinci Code. ...
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Harold and Maude Criterion Collection DVD Review: Timeless Classic Has Never Been More Appropriate

The oddest couple in cinematic history have got to be the 20-year old Harold (Bud Cort) and the 80-year old ...
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Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season Six Volumes 1 and 2 DVD Review: An Emotional Season for the Demon

When I first heard that Gene Simmons was finally getting married, the cynic in me figured it was to boost ...
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Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp DVD Review: Very Funny Stuff Indeed

For those of us of a certain age, Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp is fondly remembered. The Saturday morning live-action show ...
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The Beatles: Yellow Submarine DVD Review: A Great Movie with an Even Better Soundtrack

For their third film, the Beatles kind of phoned it in. Their first, A Hard Day’s Night was brilliant, and ...
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Sealab 2020 DVD Review: Underwater Environmentalism for the Kids

I have to admit that as a kid, I was never much into the “action adventure” genre of Saturday morning ...
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American Pickers: Volume Three DVD Review: They’re a-Pickin’ and You’ll Be a-Grinnin’

The History Channel (now just called History) has come a long way since their debut on basic cable back in ...
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Titanic at 100: Mystery Solved DVD Review: Compelling in Its Scope

The recent 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic has spurred interest in that famous “night to ...
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Pawn Stars: Volume Four DVD Review: To Pawn or Not to Pawn in Las Vegas

Remember when pawnshops used to be scary? Maybe it was the area I grew up in, but there was always ...
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Book Review: Music on Film: The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Dave Thompson

As Roger Ebert so memorably put it a few years ago, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show is not so much ...
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Doctor Who: The Happiness Patrol DVD Review: Don’t Worry, Be Happy or Else

Has anyone ever stopped to consider what the politics of The Doctor might be? I must admit that before watching ...
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Being John Malkovich Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Remarkable Achievement

The year 1999 was a strange one. The dot-com bubble was going strong, and the economy was booming. Yet there ...
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In Their Own Words DVD Review: Entertaining and Informative

The Athena Company’s series of DVDs provide some of the most entertaining and educational programs I have seen. Their recent ...
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Book Review: Film Noir: The Directors by Alain Silver and James Ursini

Film critics Alain Silver and James Ursini are responsible for the brilliant four-volume Film Noir Reader series. Their latest outing ...
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A Night to Remember Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Best Film about the Titanic Disaster

The 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic will be April 14, 2012, and it is being recognized with ...
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The Beat Hotel Movie Review: Expat Writers in Paradise

The lives and works of the Beats are a continuing source of fascination for many. Jack Kerouac’s On The Road, ...
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The Doors: Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Making of L.A. Woman DVD Review: The Story of a Truly Great Album and Band

The final album The Doors recorded with Jim Morrison was L.A. Woman in 1970. It may well be their finest ...
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The Sitter: Totally Irresponsible Edition DVD Review: Adventures in Bad Ideas

Hollywood is a tough town, and Seth Rogen is the latest to get thrown under the bus, by a friend ...
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Public Image Limited: Live at Rockpalast DVD Review: A Must for PiL Fans

When John Lydon formed Public Image Ltd. in 1978, nobody knew what to make of it at first. With the ...
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Hell Boats DVD Review: An Island-Based, Low-Budget Dirty Dozen

James Franciscus first came to prominence as Detective Halloran in the great 1958-1959 TV series The Naked City. By the ...
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Pianomania DVD Review: Surprisingly Compelling Study of a Master Piano Technician

When listening to master pianists such as Vladimer Horowitz or Keith Jarrett, I wonder if many people consider the actual ...
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Vanya on 42nd Street Criterion Collection DVD Review: Chronicling the Last Days of Multiple Eras

As it turned out, Vanya On 42nd Street (1994) was the final film completed by legendary director Louis Malle. Although ...
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World on a Wire Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Superb Piece of Science Fiction

What if everything you thought you knew was nothing but a fabrication? This is but one of the many themes ...
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Book Review: Reel Culture: 50 Classic Movies You Should Know About (So You Can Impress Your Friends) by Mimi O’Connor

Reel Culture: 50 Classic Movies You Should Know About (So You Can Impress Your Friends) by Mimi O’Connor is an ...
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Book Review: How To Fight, Lie, and Cry Your Way To Popularity (and a Prom Date): Lousy Life Lessons From 50 Teen Movies by Nikki Roddy

Not to put too fine a spin on it, but Zest Books cater to a fairly small, but an incredibly ...
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What Do You Say To A Naked Lady? DVD Review: Not Ready for 1970 Prime Time

Allen Funt (1914 -1999) is best remembered for creating the television show Candid Camera. The basic premise of the program ...
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Murder By Proxy: How America Went Postal DVD Review: Intriguing yet Offers More Questions Than Answers

There is a phenomenon in this country which we refer to as “going postal.” The term was coined after a ...
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The Magnetic Monster DVD Review: A Very Good Science-Fiction Film

With the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, the world changed forever. Nuclear research and the splitting of ...
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Queen: Days of Our Lives DVD Review: They Made the Rockin’ World Go Round

As good a documentary as Queen: Days Of Our Lives is, it is also a bit of a strange beast. ...
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From Straight to Bizarre: Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper, and LA’s Lunatic Fringe DVD Review: A Must for Zappa-philes

They called Frank Zappa “The King of the L.A. Freak Scene,” and it was definitely a title he enjoyed. After ...
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The Snowtown Murders Movie Review: The Killer is the Step-Dad Beside Me

The Snowtown Murders is the most sickening movie I have ever seen, which was undoubtedly director Justin Kurzel’s intention. The ...
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The Looney Tunes Show Season One Volume 2 DVD Review: Bugs and Daffy as The Odd Couple

Although it came out a little over a year ago, I have taken my time in watching all 24 films ...
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Tokyo Drifter The Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Blast of Swinging Tokyo

Seijun Suzuki’s Tokyo Drifter (1966) is a delirious Pop Art explosion. Working under the yoke of the Japanese Nikkatsu Studio, ...
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Branded To Kill Criterion Collection DVD Review: Suzuki’s Absurd Deconstruction of Yakuza Crime Films

There has never been a crime film quite like this. Director Seijun Suzuki’s Branded To Kill (1967), did not merely ...
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Deep Purple with Orchestra: Live In Montreux 2011 DVD Review: They All Came out to Montreux Again

It certainly makes sense for Deep Purple to record a concert live at Montreux, Switzerland. After all, the opening line ...
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Frosty’s Winter Wonderland DVD Review: A Warm Return from Everybody’s Favorite Snowman

There are a lot of reasons that people enjoy the holiday season. For me it is the chance to see ...
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Don’t Worry, We’ll Think of a Title DVD Review: The Spy Who Came In From The Catskills

Morey Amsterdam wrote, produced, and directed Don’t Worry, We’ll Think Of A Title (1965) while he co-starred in the TV ...
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12 Angry Men Criterion Collection DVD Review: Explosive Drama in the Jury Room

The stifling, claustrophobic feeling director Sidney Lumet perfected in films such as Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and Network (1976) was ...
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God Bless Ozzy Osbourne DVD Review: A Side of Ozzy We Have Never Seen Before

It has been nearly a decade since The Osbournes debuted on MTV, and since that time the first family of ...
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Tom and Jerry: Fur Flying Adventures Volume 3 DVD Review: As Fun as Ever

Warner Home Video are now offering the third installment in their Tom and Jerry: Fur Flying Adventures DVD series, and ...
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Island of Lost Souls (1932) Criterion Collection DVD Review: Are We Not Men?

”Do you know what it means to feel like God?” asks the fiendish Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton) at one point ...
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Criterion Collection Eclipse Series #29 DVD Review: Aki Kaurismaki’s Leningrad Cowboys

Not since the likes of Sigue Sigue Sputnik have a band with so little to offer gained such mass attention. ...
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Carlos (2010) Criterion Collection DVD Review: An Extraordinary Movie

From the opening explosion of a car bomb in Paris, through the anti-climactic, somewhat pathetic ending – Carlos is a ...
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The Phantom Carriage Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Pinnacle of Swedish Silent Filmmaking

Swedish director Victor Sjostrom’s (1879-1960) The Phantom Carriage (1921) is a profoundly emotional film, and was a seminal influence on ...
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The Glory Stompers DVD Review: Another Classic AIP Biker Flick

The year before Easy Rider (1969) made history, Dennis Hopper appeared in the American International biker flick The Glory Stompers ...
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Orpheus Criterion Collection DVD Review: Jean Cocteau Constructed a Masterpiece

”Look at yourself in a mirror all your life and you will see Death at work,” says Heurtebise (Francois Perier) ...
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Book Review: Lucille Ball FAQ by James Sheridan and Barry Monush

While Lucille Ball (1911-1989) made her name in television, she began her illustrious career in film. The movie was Roman ...
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A Big Box Of Wood DVD Set Review: The Ultimate Ed Wood Collection

In analyzing the qualities about two of the most prominent auteurs of the French New Wave, critic Andrew Sarris concluded ...
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Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune Movie Review: A Study of a Study in Contradictions

As Kenneth Bowser’s new documentary Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune makes clear, folksinger Phil Ochs (1940 – 1976) was ...
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Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review: Witness the First Rise of the Apes

Watching the original Planet Of The Apes movies some 40 years after their theatrical release makes for an intriguing look ...
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Tom and Jerry: Fur Flying Adventures Volume 2 DVD Review: Another Helping of the Famous Twosome

Tom and Jerry have been entertaining audiences for over 70 years now, and we still can’t get enough of them. ...
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Insignificance Criterion Collection DVD Review: There is Significance in Everything

In 1954, four of the most famous people in the world were Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn Monroe, Joe McCarthy, and Albert ...
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Kiss Me Deadly Criterion Collection DVD Review: Endlessly Entertaining

Appearing at the tail end of the classic era of film noir, Kiss Me Deadly (1955) was a stylishly brutal ...
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Anti-Nazi Classics DVD Review: Germans Examine Themselves Through Art

Before, during, and especially after America’s entry into World War II, Hollywood produced an enormous number of films about the ...
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Orgasm Inc. DVD Review: The Sick Practices of the Pharmaceutical Industry

As Michael Moore showed us with Sicko (2007) the pharmaceutical industry is ruthless in their pursuit of profits. Since there ...
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Old Dracula DVD Review: Bloodsucking Fun with David Niven

Once upon a time there was an audience for pictures like Old Dracula (1975), one who watched movies from the ...
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Criterion Collection Eclipse Series #27 DVD Review: Raffaello Matarazzo’s Runaway Melodramas

Raffaello Matarazzo (1909 – 1966) was an Italian director who specialized in some of the most melodramatic pictures to ever ...
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The Great Dictator Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Most Courageous Act of His Remarkable Career

Charles Chaplin’s The Great Dictator (1940) is undoubtedly his most controversial film. It is also one of his greatest. His ...
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Diabolique (1955) Criterion Collection DVD Review: Influential Horror that Stands the Test of Time

Henri-Georges Clouzet’s Diabolique (1955) is a classic suspense/horror film. Although Clouzet was maligned as “old guard” by the up and ...
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IMAX: Hubble DVD Review: Nothing Short of Spectacular

After seeing IMAX: Hubble, I am kicking myself for not having ventured to the local theatre to see it in ...
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Tom and Jerry: Fur Flying Adventures Volume 1 DVD Review: Fun Stuff For All

As we all remember, Tom and Jerry were the precursors to the wonderfully subversive Itchy and Scratchy on The Simpsons. ...
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Book Review: Music On Film: This Is Spinal Tap by John Kenneth Muir

The fact that This Is Spinal Tap (1984) is considered an iconic film today is almost a miracle, given the ...
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Fish Tank Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Struggle to Escape Family Traditions

After viewing the Criterion Collection edition of Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank (2009), I cannot imagine a better title for the ...
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Still Walking Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Masterpiece of Japanese Cinema

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Still Walking (2008) has just been issued as part of The Criterion Collection, and is a ...
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Looney Tunes Super Stars: Tweety & Sylvester DVD Review: Feline Fwenzy

Feline Fwenzy contains 15 cartoons featuring the famous duo, all directed by the legendary Friz Freling. They date from 1947 ...
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