Aisle Seat
Mid-February Round Up
THE
GREATEST AMERICAN HERO
Soars On DVD!
Plus: FIRST DAUGHTER, New
Catalog Titles and More
The ‘80s left a lasting impression on many of us, and few TV
shows –
and specifically theme songs – represent that era as well as THE
GREATEST AMERICAN HERO (1981, 447 mins., Anchor Bay; Aisle Seat DVD Pick
of the Week).
Stephen J. Cannell’s
comedic-comic book adventure series paired high
school teacher William Katt with FBI agent Robert Culp in an
irresistibly entertaining program that’s still well-loved,
despite the
fact that it only ran for three (two full-length) seasons.
While traveling down a deserted highway, Katt becomes the recipient of
special powers granted by well-intentioned extraterrestrials seeking to
help humanity. Having to wear a bright red costume in order to access
his powers, Katt’s Ralph Hinckley finds himself as a
reluctant
super-hero whenever he’s not teaching his class of high
schoolers
(including Michael Pare and Faye Grant) or romancing lovely attorney
Connie Selleca. Fortunately, Ralph finds support in Culp’s
Bill
Campbell, who’s able to get the duo out of whatever jams they
face that
Ralph’s amazing suit cannot.
At long last making its debut this week on DVD, Cannell’s
series is
great fun made all the more appealing by the performances of its cast.
Katt and Culp have a terrific chemistry together, and their varying
backgrounds made their odd couple pairing appealing for a wide spectrum
of both young and older viewers. Katt’s “day
job”also humanized his
super-heroics in a way that most comic book TV shows or movies fail to
do, with the students even getting in on some of his weekly adventures.
Though “The Greatest American Hero” was slapped by
a lawsuit from
“Superman” publishers DC Comics, ultimately it was
a decline in ratings
that would lead to the series’ cancellation in early 1983.
Until then,
though, GAH provided three seasons of consistently amusing scripts --
‘80 styled action but with a strong comedic element playing
off the
strengths of its cast.
Anchor Bay’s double-disc DVD set contains the entire
first-season of
GAH, which comprises only eight episodes since the program debuted as a
mid-season replacement in 1981. The two-hour pilot is obviously tops
among the shows, though Anchor Bay has also included an all-time
rarity: the never-broadcast 1986 spin-off, “The Greatest
American
Heroine,” with Culp providing assistance to a female foster
mom who
picks up Ralph’s suit. The show works better as a cap to the
original
series (with Katt and Selleca on-hand) than a launching pad for a
watered-down reworking of the original formula, and in that regard,
it’s not difficult to comprehend why the proposed series
never got off
the ground.
The full-screen transfers are in good shape, the Mike Post/Pete
Carpenter soundtracks – all boasting Joey
Scarbury’s classic #1 hit
“Believe It Or Not” in various pop and orchestral
arrangements as
underscore – sound great, and to round off the presentation,
Anchor Bay
has included a handful of newly conducted interviews with Katt,
Selleca, Kulp, Michael Pare, and Cannell himself. All fondly recall how
much fun the series was to work on – nearly as much fun, I
would
assume, as it is now to enjoy the show again on DVD. Highly recommended!
Also worth a view is Fox’s Complete “Viewer
Collection” of the little-seen cult series
WONDERFALLS (2004, 570 mins.),
a Fox Network show about a Brown graduate working at a tourist gift
shop in Niagara Falls who develops a penchant for communicating with
inanimate objects in her shop and around her home.
Wacky, offbeat, funny and occasionally touching,
“Wonderfalls” failed
to find a niche on the prime time schedule, and was cancelled after
just four episodes aired. Fox’s three-disc DVD set offers all
13
episodes of the series, including the nine that never made it to
broadcast, in superb 16:9 transfers with 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtracks.
The show was obviously too clever and different for its own good, with
CBS finding success with a more formulaic program (“Joan of
Arcadia”)
that boasted a similar theme (substitute inanimate objects for God and
you get the drift) in the same time frame as
“Wonderfalls.”
Fox has included several special features in the box set, including a
“Greetings From Wonderfalls” documentary, six
commentary tracks
including star Caroline Dhavernas and developers Todd Holland and Bryan
Fuller, a visual effects featurette, and a music video. Recommended!
Aisle
Seat Vintage
Paramount’s collection of new library titles, due out
February 22nd,
include a handful of late ‘60s films arriving on DVD (two on
video
altogether) for the first time.
Severely compromised by pre-release cuts, Barbra Streisand fans will
still be happy to see ON
A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER (**½, 129 mins., G, 1970)
making its DVD debut next week, albeit in its cut theatrical version.
The Alan Jay Lerner-Burton Lane musical was brought to the screen with
the great Vincente Minnelli attached as director, and a superb
supporting cast (Bob Newhart, Jack Nicholson, Larry Blyden among
others) brought in to back up Ms. Streisand’s role as Daisy
Gamble, a
22-year-old who crashes college professor Yves Montand’s
hypnosis
lecture to see if she can’t shake her nicotine addiction.
Montand, in
turn, sees in Daisy the potential of proving that ESP exists,
particularly when Daisy shows evidence of having lived another life as
the mysterious “Melinda,” an English woman in the
1800s.
As any musical fan knows, the late ‘60s and early
‘70s were not a
pleasant time for the genre. Several films flopped at the box-office
and “On a Clear Day...” was only one of them. Of
course, the movie’s
substantial editing prior to its opening didn’t help:
numerous songs
were excised (including Nicholson’s musical number) and plot
elements
were eliminated (consider that Roy Kinnear boasts a prominent credit
but doesn’t actually appear in the final cut!). The resulting
film is a
curious mixture of light musical comedy, gorgeous widescreen
cinematography (courtesy of Minnelli and Harry Stradling), superb
arrangements of the Lerner-Lane score by Nelson Riddle, and long,
tedious stretches of dialogue without any songs at all. The lack of
chemistry between Streisand and Montand is another turn-off, and the
introduction of “mod” elements like
Nicholson’s hippie ex-stepbrother
don’t quite mesh with the old-fashioned central plot.
Perhaps one day the movie will be restored back to its original,
intended form, but in the meantime, die-hard Streisand fans should find
plenty to savor in Paramount’s straightforward DVD
presentation.
Boasting a new 16:9 widescreen transfer, “On A Clear
Day...” looks
absolutely stunning. Minnelli’s use of primary colors and
lighting is
on full display and the print looks gorgeous from start to finish,
enhancing the production’s most positive attributes. The 5.1
soundtrack
is likewise superb, and the original mono track has been retained for
purists.
For more information on the film’s ample cut sequences, visit
Matt
Howe’s excellent summation of the discarded numbers and
sequences at http://barbra-archives.com/Films/streisand_onaclearday.html
If you’re looking for an “out there”
experience that totally sums up the late ‘60s,
don’t miss the 1969 “mod” family comedy HELLO
DOWN THERE (**½, 97 mins., 1969, G).
Making its debut on home video for the first time in any format, this
Ivan Tors-Jack Arnold production gives you a number of offbeat elements
that cinephiles should find of interest: how ‘bout Tony
Randall as a
wacky scientist who brings wife Janet Leigh, their kids and rock band
pals (including Richard Dreyfuss!) down to the bottom of the ocean
floor just to prove that his inventions work to fuddy-duddy businessman
Jim Backus. Not enough? OK, then add Roddy McDowall as a record
producer trying to sign the band to a record deal, then throw in Merv
Griffin, Ken Berry, Charlotte Rae, Lee Meredith, Arnold Stang and
– why
not – Harvey Lembeck too.
This sunny, dated relic of late ‘60s moviemaking plays like a
TV
sitcom, but with that cast, a catchy score by Jeff Barry, and an ample
amount of groovy tunes, you can’t help but enjoy the
entertainment
value that “Hello Down There” provides. The Ricou
Browning-supervised
underwater cinematography is excellent, the seals, dolphins and other
mammals are great, the laughs are obvious, and what more do you need to
know than Dreyfuss croons a hit song or two? (or at least pretends to).
Paramount’s DVD includes a razor-sharp 16:9 enhanced transfer
of this
rarely-screened comedy, and the mono soundtrack is also in good shape.
Another studio property making its debut on video for the first time
ever is the amiable 1961 comedy ALL
IN A NIGHT’S WORK (***, 94 mins., G),
starring Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine.
Here, Dino plays the nephew of a magazine publisher who dies with a
smile on his face and the news that a mysterious woman left his room
prior to his death. Martin hires a detective to track down the woman so
the mag’s reputation and impending expansion aren’t
threatened, leading
them to (you guessed it) innocent researcher MacLaine, who just
happened to be at the scene of the (non)crime. She’s also
engaged to be
hitched to vet Cliff Robertson, but Martin is soon able to use his
skillful, swingin’ bachelor charms to change her mind.
A superb supporting cast, including Charlie Ruggles, Jack Weston, Norma
Crane, and Gale Gordon back up the two stars in this Hal B. Wallis
production, sporting an Andre Previn score, a few laughs in the script
(co-written by Sidney Sheldon), and decent chemistry between the two
leads.
Paramount’s DVD offers a 16:9 enhanced, 1.85 widescreen
transfer that’s
a bit pale but is, overall, in generally good condition. The mono
soundtrack is perfectly satisfying.
New
& Vintage Capsules
DEATH
HUNT (**½, 1981, 97 mins., R; Anchor Bay):
The first Fox catalog title to arrive on DVD from Anchor Bay, this
robust and entertaining adventure yarn is set in early 1932, with
Charles Bronson starring as a fugitive in the Yukon being doggedly
pursued by policeman Lee Marvin. Peter Hunt (“On Her
Majesty’s Secret
Service”) directed this well-executed star vehicle with
superb
cinematography and a strong supporting cast, including Andrew Stevens,
Carl Weathers and Angie Dickinson. Anchor Bay’s DVD offers a
pretty
solid 16:9 enhanced transfer (1.85 widescreen) that’s only a
bit grainy
here and there, plus a basic 2.0 Dolby Stereo mix, highlighting a
straightforward score by Jerrold Immel. The original trailer is the
disc’s only extra.
OFF
LIMITS (**, 1987, 102 mins., R; Anchor Bay): Willem
Dafoe and Gregory Hines are cops in 1968 Saigon, faced with finding a
serial killer praying on Vietnamese hookers who have mothered children
with American fathers. Christopher Crowe’s thriller was one
of
countless Vietnam films released in the mid-to-late ‘80s, and
while
“Off Limits” doesn’t focus on warfare per
se, it’s still a routine and
forgettable film with only its star performances and James Newton
Howard’s score to differentiate it from other genre
offerings. Anchor
Bay’s DVD looks excellent in 1.85 widescreen and sounds just
fine in
2.0 Dolby Surround. Extras include electronic press kit interviews, a
typical promotional featurette, and theatrical and video trailers.
A
SEPARATE PEACE (**½, 2004, 91 mins., R; Paramount):
Made-for-cable adaptation of John Knowles book at least fares better
than Larry Peerce’s poorly-regarded 1972 feature film
version. J Barton
and Toby Moore play a pair of roommates at a boys prep school during
WWII, finding friendship, competition, and then tragedy as they attempt
to finish classes before the draft. Veteran filmmaker Peter Yates has
fashioned a straightforward drama with strong performances from its
young cast (plus veterans including Hume Cronyn), and gets an
additional assist from a poignant, effective Mason Daring score.
Paramount’s DVD looks splendid in its full-screen transfer
and the
basic Dolby Surround mix is just right for the picture.
Family
Recommendations
GROWING
UP WITH WINNIE THE POOH: A GREAT DAY OF DISCOVERY (2005
compilation, 70 mins., Disney)
GROWING
UP WITH WINNIE THE POOH: FRIENDS FOREVER (2005 compilation, 63 mins.,
Disney)
Disney’s new DVD line – culled primarily from Pooh
and the gang’s early
‘80s Saturday morning series -- is being packaged and aimed
squarely at
young viewers, though the content of the episodes themselves are more
than satisfying for adult viewers as well. “A Great Day of
Discovery”
and “Friends Forever” each include four separate
episodes (ranging from
10-20 minutes each) of the award-winning series, with interactive games
and sing-a-longs aimed at younger kids. Though Disney likely could have
included more content on the discs (there’s barely over an
hour of
programming on each), you can’t argue with the quality of the
material
and that kids will likely be enthralled by its presentation.
PRINCESS
PARTY: VOLUME TWO (2005 compilation, 102 mins., Disney)
PRINCESS
STORIES: VOLUME TWO (2005 compilation, 64 mins., Disney):
Two more releases in the “Disney Princess” DVD line
include plenty of
interactive games, music videos, and animated tales (comprised mainly
of Disney Channel programming) starring everyone’s favorite
Disney
heroines. Recommended for young girls and aspiring princesses
everywhere ;)
POKEMON:
DESTINY DEOXYS: THE MOVIE (2004, 98 mins., Not Rated): Pokemon
is still going strong with Miramax’s latest feature-length
film based
on the hit Nintendo video game/card game/TV series. Special features
include a look at the new Pokemon seen in the film, an interview with
the director, a Japanese poster art gallery, a full-screen transfer and
5.1 Dolby Digital sound.
Also
Newly Released on DVD
FIRST
DAUGHTER
(*½, 2004). 104 mins., PG-13, Fox. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:
Commentary;
Tribute to Michael Kamen; Making Of featurette; Deleted Scenes; 1.85
Widescreen, 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.
It’s hard to mess up what sounded like a sure-fire teen
comedy premise,
but right from the opening seconds of last year’s flop
“First
Daughter” – where the film’s
director, Forest Whitaker, narrates the
fairy-tale prologue as if he just ran off the set of “The New
Twilight
Zone”– you know that you’re in for a
bumpy ride.
Looking a decade too old for her role, Katie Holmes gives a
somnambulant performance as Samantha MacKenize, daughter to U.S.
President Benjamin MacKenzie (an equally lifeless Michael Keaton).
Confined in the White House with no freedom of her own, the very
Chelsea-like Samantha heads off for college, where she finds herself
being hounded by the press, guarded by the secret service, and in a
love-hate relationship with her roommate (Amerie). Of course,
it’s not
all bad news: Samantha finds herself attracted to good-guy All-American
Marc Blucas, though it turns out that he harbors a dark secret
connected with Samantha’s well being that threatens their
relationship.
The second of two low-grossing comedies about presidential off-spring
produced last year (Mandy Moore’s forgettable
“Chasing Liberty” at
least had some charm going for it), “First
Daughter” is a tired affair
on many levels. The performances are ho-hum, the writing
isn’t
interesting, funny or especially romantic, and the cinematography and
production values feel more suited to something on The WB Network (in
fact, your average “Dawson’s Creek”
episode looks like it has twice the
production value of this film). From the story’s prolonged
set up to
its protracted finale and preachy messages, “First
Daughter” is a
shockingly bland and tedious affair that’s a waste of time
for everyone
involved.
It’s also a sad cap to the late Michael Kamen’s
career. The veteran
composer passed away after beginning work on “First
Daughter,” with his
score finished by long-time orchestrator Blake Neely. Neely contributes
a heartfelt interview in one of the DVD’s supplementary
features,
noting how Kamen’s passing came as a shock to all involved
and the
challenges he faced in completing the score both faithfully to the
composer’s wishes and on his own terms.
The DVD also sports a commentary by Katie Holmes and Marc Blucas, plus
a couple of deleted scenes and an additional choreography featurette on
the disc’s flip full-screen side. The 1.85 transfer is
colorful enough
and the 5.1 Dolby Digital sound sufficient for this kind of film.
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