Articles by robert-greenberger
Fri Nov 6, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Two Girls and a Guy' on Blu-ray
When an actor or director suddenly breaks out and gets hot, studios scour their vaults to see if there’s a way they can capitalize on this heat. Last year, Robert Downey, Jr. went from a troubled, gifted actor to a Super Star thanks to his performance in Iron Man. This week, 20th Century-Fox hopes to catch a break with the Blu-ray release of Downey’s 1998 film Two Girls and a Guy
Written and direct by James Toback, the film is virtually a real time three-person stage play on a film. In his self-congratulatory 20 minute conversation on the Extras, Toback talks about how he came to write the film, by beginning to imagine a setting. In this case, that’s the spacious loft apartment which became the set his performances would use. After that, he populated the apartment with his players.
We open with Natasha Gregson Wagner’s Lou and Heather Graham’s Carla standing outside the apartment building waiting for their boyfriend to return from trip Very quickly, they determine that the boyfriend in question is the same man, Blake. Once Lou breaks a window to access the apartment, they bond while laying in wait.
Blake arrives and immediately calls his mother, then Carla, then Lou, placing them in the exact order of his affections although that doesn’t become obvious until later as his lies comes to haunt him. The audience gets to see him in has natural state before the women reveal their presence one at a time, catching him in his 10 month-long web of lies.
Carla and Lou are very attractive women in vastly different ways, with Carla soft, brainy, and traditional while Lou is edgier, street smart, and sharp tongued. What’s interesting to Toback was exploring how the same words could seduce such different women. In fact, he finds great humor in this, despite none of that mirth making it onto the screen.
The 1:25 length of the film should allow all three to shine and strut their stuff, but despite the histrionics, the film feels cold and uninvolving. At no point does Toback allow Downey’s Blake to show us any redeeming qualities to demonstrate why they fall for him. As a struggling actor, Blake should not be able to afford such nice digs or afford two women but that’s never addressed.
Instead, the characters reveal their true selves while dunning Blake for obfuscating the truth while he continually denied doing anything wrong. The truth is the overall theme of the film as is the importance of honesty. All too often, though the film’s momentum is interrupted with Blake’s obsessing over his mother, which shows where his heart truly lies.
Toback not too subtly shows his hand by decorating the apartment with a framed one-sheet for the classic French film Jules et Jim. Late in the story, Lou brings up a threesome relationship which excites Blake but seems to disinterest Carla. In fact, by this point, both women are drunk and begin to reveal their true feelings culminating with Carla taking Blake to his room for sex while Lou sits outside the door, listening.
The sex scene earned the film an NC-17 rating and Toback’s appeals were rejected so he made edits. Interestingly, both versions are on the Blu-ray disc and they are both steamy and erotically charged without any nudity.
The original DVD commentary is provided and between that and the Toback interview, we learn how much was improvised despite the writer claiming the script wrote itself in a mere four days. As a result, one longs to see deleted or alternate scenes to see how the cast found their characters but alas, none are provided.
As the credits roll, one hoped for a more satisfying ending. I was unmoved by this potentially fascinating set-up despite some solid performances.
Thu Nov 5, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Zorro' The Complete First and Second Seasons
Walt Disney had a gift, an ability to take someone else’s property and recraft it for a modern audience. Just about every time he touched a fairy tale or legend, he struck paydirt. Look what he did with Grimm’s fairy tales or A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh. Largely overlooked these days is the incredibly popular 1950s television series based on Johnston McCulley’s pulp hero, Zorro
The black and white series, starring Guy Williams, ran a mere two seasons but spawned over 500 licensed merchandise items in addition to enjoying a long syndicated run in the 1960s and again after the birth of the Disney Channel. Back in the ‘50s, the season ran 39 weeks and a half-hour show actually had 25 minutes of story so there was plenty of material to recycle.
Fortunately, Walt Disney Home Entertainment noted the enduring appeal of the character and has this week released the complete run in two attractively packaged volumes. Both volumes are available in numbered limited edition tins that come complete with certificate of authenticity, label pin, black and white still of Zorro, and a booklet detailing the contents.
Leonard Maltin, who grew up watching the series when it originally ran on ABC from October 10, 1957 through June 2, 1959, provides introductions to seasons one and two, providing some context and information that nicely sets the stage. The seasons nicely fit into five discs and both volumes contain a sixth disc with bonus material.
McCulley’s somewhat clunky prose style was full of ideas: that of a masked avenger rising to protect the citizens of the small town of Los Angeles in the early part of the 19th century. Taking a cue from the precedent set by Baroness Emmuska Orczy’s Scarlet Pimpernel, introduced a decade before in 1903. Don Diego de la Vega decided he needed to play the fop so no one would suspect he was the black-cloaked fox known as Zorro.
The stories fired the imagination and were quickly adapted to screen, first in the silent films and then in the movie serials before it enjoyed feature film status. Along the way, McCulley actually incorporated some of the changes made for film into his prose. In 1952, Disney tried to acquire the rights and it took him until 1957 before it was a done deal. In September 1957, on his Walt Disney Presents, Uncle Walt told stories to his Mousekteers on his fourth anniversary show and it was used to introduce Williams as Zorro, leading people to watch the show which debuted weeks later.
Continue reading Review: 'Zorro' The Complete First and Second Seasons ›
Wed Nov 4, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Say Anything...' on Blu-ray
You never know when something will come along and click with the pop culture zeitgeist. A line, a performance, even a single image, can leap off the page or screen and become emblematic for an era. The sight of John Cusack, holding a boom box over his head, trying to woo back Iona Skye, has become one of those moments now indelibly used to visualize the 1980s.
Here we are, 20 years later, and the moment has been repeated endlessly in real life and parodied throughout movies and television. Now, we can relive that moment in the 20th anniversary edition of Say Anything
Written and directed by the wonderfully gifted Cameron Crowe, the movie avoided all the clichés inherent in the romance and teen comedy films of the decade. Instead, he found fresh characters in Lloyd Dobler and Diane Court and avoided expectations by enriching every character with complexity.
Diane was the driven class brain, “in the body of a game show hostess”, who was so focused on class work that she missed out on connecting with her peers. Her awkwardness at addressing the student body at graduation punctuates that point. Interestingly, it is only after the ceremony and her forced dealings with them have come to an end that she actually gets to know them.
When love struck Lloyd calls her a fate, he wears down her reluctance until she acquiesces. After hanging up the phone, she looks up his picture in the yearbook; uncertain of whom she has committed herself. As it turns out, she finds herself enjoying the party antics while Lloyd watches her in action, relegated to being the key master, holding everyone else’s car keys so they can freely get drunk.
Lloyd is uncertain of his future, a kickboxer without a real plan, but he’s a decent guy as seen in his dealings with his young nephew or the residents of the old folks’ home owned by Diane’s father, played with gusto by John Mahoney. Meantime, Mr. Court disapproves of Lloyd, seeing him as being beneath Diane but puts her happiness ahead of his own misgivings.
Diane’s relationship with her father provides an emotional spine to the film that helps separate it from similar tales. They clearly love and trust one another, and while Diane can tell her father anything, he chooses not to reciprocate. As a result, when he comes under investigation by the IRS, his lack of moral judgment crushes her, leaving her no one but Lloyd to turn to.
The tale is of a young couple falling in love for the first time, complete with the ups and downs that happen. Crowe, who captures voices and emotions so well in his works, treats his characters with respect and is rewarded by strong performances.
After 20 years, it largely holds up and maintains its strong grasp on the viewer. The video transfer looks and sounds good. The new edition comes complete with Crowe and his cast reminiscing in a 21 minute featurette, An Iconic Film Revisited: Say Anything…20 Years Later. The director continues to chat about the making of the film in his own 9 minute A Conversation with Cameron Crowe. Also exclusive to the Blu-ray edition is To Know Say Anything…is to Love It! Trivia Track containing over 200 fun questions. Carried over from previous editions are the alternate scenes, deleted scenes, and extended scenes, trailers, original featurette, and a gallery.
The story of Lloyd meets girl is well worth revisiting.
Tue Nov 3, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Malice'
Malice
By Chris Wooding, illustrated by Dan Chernett
Scholastic Press, $14.99, 380 pages
What if you could transport yourself to another world by following an incantation found in a comic book? Well, you might find the world a frightening and terrible place, just as children find in the new novel Malice.
Chris Wooding, an accomplished young adult author, begins a new series this month with Malice, which mixes prose with comic book pages interspersed. Basically, children around the world have been reading this comic book, Malice, a cult title with each issue a seemingly disjointed series of eerie vignettes. What no one realizes is that if the children following the directions, they vanish and are transported to this other land. In the real world, they go missing and the few that return, have no recollection of where they have been but have been deeply affected by the experience.
Wooding’s novel focuses on the residents of the small town of Hathern, just as the young teen Luke vanishes. His friends, Seth and Kady, piece together he disappeared after reading the comic book and go on the hunt. Along the way, they find out who has been producing issues but necessarily why they are stealing children.
Only after Seth goes in search of Luke by entering the realm, does he begin to understand the malevolent forces at work, represented by Tall Jake, who has usurped control of this dark world. The world of Malice is a creepy place, patrolled by mechanical and non-human packs of beings, seeking the children who have wound up there. The children, meantime, fight for daily survival and swap stories –notably the rumors regarding the underground resistance force.
While Seth forges new alliances away from Earth, Kady begins to understand what’s happening but has too many questions, including trying to understand what the Queen of Cats wants with her. There's a great revelation that takes the story in a different direction, keeping the pacing sharp.
Wooding, to his credit, creates credible, likeable characters and his vivid writing demonstrates the stark differences between England and Malice. His evocative writing creates a nice atmosphere and keeps you turning the pages, although as you near the end, it becomes clear this is just the opening chapter. A sequel, Havoc, is announced on the final pages.
If only his words were matched by Dan Chernett’s illustrations. The book would have benefitted greatly by using an accomplished comic artist as opposed to a professional illustrator unaccustomed to working in the medium. As a result, his pages are poorly constructed, the storytelling is weak and the use of shadow and scratchy lines robs the comic sections of their power. Had the masters of macabre from Bernie Wrightson to Ben Templesmith been brought in, this would have complemented the prose quite nicely. A real missed opportunity.
The book is recommended for readers 12 and up and that sounds about right given the characters, pacing and description contained within.
Mon Nov 2, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Ruby-Spears Superman' on DVD
Superman did not do well as an animated series despite three different studios attempting to tell his stories. Filmation debuted as a competitor to Hanna-Barbera with the 1966 Superman series then H-B told their stories in Super Friends. It seemed they didn’t fully know how to challenge someone with the amazing powers.
By the late 1980s, Ruby-Spears was a well established company, best known for their Thundarr the Barbarian. In 1988, it was their turn to try their hand with the Man of Steel and tomorrow, Warner Home Video releases Ruby-Spears Superman
This series came out just two years after Superman had been revamped from top to bottom by John Byrne and Marv Wolfman in the pages of Superman, Adventures of Superman, and Action Comics. Most of the changes from the comics are not reflected here, the exception being Lex Luthor as a business tycoon scheming to rid the world of Superman.
However, the producers clearly weren’t comfortable with this interpretation so borrowed heavily from the just completed film series. As a result, the Luthor here is not at all a threat and saddled with a dumb blonde, Jessica Morganberry, for a confidant rather than the more interesting, and far deadlier, Hope and Mercy.
Marv Wolfman was the story editor, chosen not because he helped craft this modern day version of the mythos, but based on his other animation credits. He surrounded himself with like-minded professionals including Martin Pasko and Steve Gerber (who may have written the best of the episodes) and got to work. Visually, the series was a cut above its predecessors thanks to the involvement of Gil Kane, no stranger to Superman. It’s fun seeing Kane’s unique designs come to life, if only more of his touch were evident in the main characters.
The characterizations for Clark Kent, Lois, Jimmy, Perry, and the Kents is virtually non-existant which undercuts much of the emotional impact of the stories. The threats, whether from the benign Luthor or extraterrestrial sources, are also largely unimaginative. Why his rogues’ gallery is absent is never addressed and again, that robbed the series of better stories. Wonder Woman guest stars in one episode and she’s diverting but not at all majestic or riveting to watch. Instead, we have tales that sometimes defy story logic or the laws of (comic book) physics.
From an animation standpoint, the series suffers lapses when characters stand in front of oncoming energy blasts or runaway trains when they should be in motion. The voice casting is off for most characters and is unmemorable. This is far from Ruby-Seaprs’ finest moments.
The most interesting aspect of the series is that each episode concludes with “The Superman Family Album”, four minute vignettes in chronological order, detailing Clark Kent’s journey from adoption through the first time he donned his costume. Unfortunately, all the heart-warming elements we loved from the previous incarnations are gone. Instead, Clark is an impatient brat who demonstrates his powers without ever once being taught about the responsibility that comes with them. We jump a few years and he’s suddenly more mature if no less patient, and we never see the lessons the Kents imparted that made him the World’s Greatest Super-Hero. In her introduction, Lana arrives as a blonde, and her relationship with Clark is given short-shrift. Similarly, Lois’ introduction to Superman is badly handled and devoid of emotion. A great idea, terribly wasted with poor creative choices.
The 13 episodes look nice, and the soundtrack, inspired by John Williams, is a cut above but overall, they are less than wonderful adventures.
The box set comes with one unique extra: “Corruption of the Corrupt: The Rise of LexCorp” which attempts to place Luthor’s comic book characterization into the context of the times. Educators and authors along with Superman editor Mike Carlin contribute their thoughts and it’s somewhat engaging, but has little to do with the animated series, certainly it has no resemblance to the Luthor depicted here.
Sun Nov 1, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'North by Northwest' on Blu-ray
Thrillers today are filled with fast cuts, pounding music, poor excuses for plotting and characterization, and seem designed to do nothing more than collect your cash and deliver the same old. You usually see every twist and turn coming and are rarely surprised.
In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock, at the height of his moviemaking career, unleashed the ultimate thriller in North By Northwest
Students of Hitchcock see the familiar bits from the frosty blonde to the case of mistaken identity but here, he mixes them all together and adds in some fresh touches. Rewatching the film in its new, crisp edition, is revelatory. The opening scene establishes Roy Thornhill as a busy advertising man, a man used to dealing in artifice and then slowly strips away everything that is a comfort to him until he is on the run and forced, late in life, to grow up a bit.
Hitchcock and writer Ernest Lehman allow the story to leisurely unfold and the scenes play to maximize tension rather then smash cuts and edits to cover up poor storytelling. Grant’s Thornhill is urbane and witty, matched perfectly against James Mason’s Van Damm, a polite but cold enemy of the state. Their first scene is like a ballet, two opponents in a manor’s library, warily moving about, sizing one another up. Once Grant begins to run, the pace quickens – just a bit – and we go from New York to Chicago to South Dakota.
Along the way, he encounters Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) and their own dance is filled with delicious sexual tension. When they begin to kiss and she looks away, you understand that there’s far more to her than we first believed.
We all know the crop duster chase in the open field or the climax at Mount Rushmore, but the film is filled with great moments, large and small. Lehman allows the characters to be individuals while Hitchcock tamps down the emotions so things never go over the top regardless of the seemingly preposterous storyline with Grant confused for an American spy and then ultimately used as a pawn in Leo G. Carroll’s game of chess against Mason.
The movie stands up to rewatching and the video and aural transfers are terrific.
The disc is contained in a book which has a 48-page look at the making of the film and credits. On the disc itself are two new featurettes: The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style and North by Northwest: One for the Ages. The former is a lengthy look at the director’s themes and filmmaking style intercutting an interview with the one-of-a-kind Englishman along with commentary from other filmmakers including Guillermo del Toro, Martin Scorsese, William Friedkin and Curtis Hanson.
The latter is a nice deconstruction of the film, much like a video book report for school with the above filmmakers chiming in as to the component parts that made the film special.
There are additional features lifted from previous editions and they include commentary from Ernest Lehman, a music only track version of the film, 2003’s TCM documentary Cary Grant: A Class Apart, Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest hosted by Eva Marie Saint, Photo gallery and a gallery of Trailers.
All told, this is a marvelous package and one worth having for sheer entertainment value. Anyone who wants to tell tension-filled stories should own this for study.
Wed Oct 28, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Plastic Man the Complete Collection'
There are many reasons why Plastic Man has endured as a comic character starting with the imaginativeness of Jack Cole’s stories. He was the first elastic hero. The first hero who started life as a criminal only to reform when he inherited his powers. He was also one of the few truly amusing animated series from the 1970s.
The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show snuck in at the end of the decade, lasting two seasons from 1979-1981, and was a fun offering from Ruby-Spears. The 35 solo Plastic Man adventures have been collected by Warner Home Video in a four disc set, now available.
While Plastic Man: The Complete Collection
The series, which benefitted from the writing talents of comics veterans Mark Evanier, Steve Gerber, Roy Thomas, and Norman Maurer among others, was playful in a way most other Saturday morning fare was not. The show arrived at a time when networks were overly concerned with cartoon violence and how viewers may try and imitate the antics seen on screen. As a result, their other recent offerings of Saturday morning cartoons from the 1960s and 1970s contained a ridiculous warning that they were not suitable for children. Tellingly, this collection does not include that warning.
While the animation team wanted to emulate Cole’s manic style, ABC insisted on a fresh approach which unfortunately left Plas saddled with the fawning girlfriend Penny (who subsequently married him and mothered Baby Plas) and Hula-Hula, the comedic sidekick in the Woozy Winks role. The rotund Hawaiian was given Lou Costello’s character and vocal characteristics which softened his buffoonery. They globe-trotted from case to case aboard their jet, directed by their Chief, an attractive older woman who barely tolerated her ductile detective.
Each exploit pitted the trio against dastardly villains, most of whom desired wealth and power although a few had motivations that smacked of social relevance such as the Weed in the very first episode. The foes are nicely varied and interestingly, Toyman arrives for repeat appearances which is odd considering they never fought in the comics. In fact, only two foes from Plas’ comic books are used: Dr. Dome, introduced in the short-lived 1960s series, and Carrot Man, who debuted during his more creatively satisfying series from the mid-1970s.
Like Cole’s original stories, Plas reshapes himself into a variety of objects to go undercover and viewers see him since he retains his red and yellow costumed appearance. He never takes things too seriously and has some good quips to keep things light.
The episodes are supplemented with two special features. The first is a 14 minute mini-documentary on the character’s history and appeal. In addition to the usual talking heads of Jerry Beck and Mark Evanier, ComicMix’s own Alan Kistler contributes many cogent thoughts. The other extra is the unaired 10 minute pilot produced for the Cartoon Network in 1996 by a new generation of animators, including DC veteran Stephen DeStefano. It’s a very different look but equally amusing tale and one wonders why it was not picked up.
If this is the Plastic Man you grew up watching, then this is the DVD set you’ve been waiting for. If you’re unfamiliar with the character, I strongly recommend the DC Archives volumes reprinting the Cole stories which remain inventive and fun.
Tue Oct 27, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'James Bond Encyclopedia'
James Bond Encyclopedia
By John Cork and Collin Stutz
334 Pages, DK Publishing, $40
Nobody does it better. DK Publishing continues to put out the best assortment of visual reference books on pop culture and as we near the holidays, they keep pumping out one must have collection after another.
Few literary figures have endured changing eras and tastes likes Ian Fleming’s spy, James Bond. Fleming created the spy in the 1950s and continued his exploits through the dozen novels and nine short stories before his death in 1964. He got to see his creation catch the attention of a world made uncomfortable by the Cold War, giving them a clear cut hero to root for as he traveled the world and dispatched the Red Menace in all its guises.
Bond has endured despite the constant change in performer, indelibly begun by Sean Connery and carried through by George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and currently Daniel Craig. The world has remained transfixed by the globe-trotter spy, equally adept with women and firearms, always looking best in a black tuxedo. The films, themselves, have gone from depicting the counterintelligence threat from Eastern Europe to megalomaniacs, trying to change and reflect the times. Much like Batman, Bond reflects the tastes of the masses. As a result, we went from the taut thrillers like Goldfinger to the buffoonery that was Moonraker to today’s reboot, a harsher, less disciplined Bond for a darker world.
All of that and more are covered in the 332-page James Bond Encyclopedia, lovingly assembled by writers John Cork and Collin Stutz. A visual treat thanks to DK’s art department, the oversized tome introduces to all things Bond. The writers wisely broke things down into categories, updating from the 2007 edition to include Quantum of Solace. We have an introductory piece on Fleming, profiles of the six men to play James Bond, and the sections on The Bond Style, The Role of Bond, Bond Villains, Bond Women, Supporting Cast, Vehicles, Weapons & Equipment, and finally, backgrounds on the making of each movie. The book concludes with a comprehensive index that’s quite useful.
The Barry Nelson television version, the Casino Royale satire, and Never Say Never Again are omitted – consider this the canonical Bond reference book. Each entry, where appropriate, compares the film version with its prose origins, and differentiates between the differing interpretations such as M, Q, Moneypenny, and Blofeld. If the character appeared on screen and said something, they were included, making this exhaustive and fun to flip through (I had totally forgotten Minnie Driver was in one of the films, for example).
While Cubby Broccoli, Harry Salzman, Barbara Broccoli, and Michael Wilson get their due for guiding the films through the years, I wish a little more attention had been given to the musicians who helped make each film an event. Visually, a section dedicated to Maurice Binder’s stunning opening credits would have been a treat. Overall, though, this is a book every fan of Bond should have.
Mon Oct 26, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Saturday Morning Cartoons 1970s Vol. 2'
The 1970s remained a good time to be a kid, as the three networks continued to program Saturday mornings with hours and hours of programming aimed right at them. On the other hand, it was clear that finding new series to click with the evolving kiddie set was harder and harder so series seemed to come and go at a faster clip with shows from earlier years revived to fill gaps or revamped to bring the familiar to new audiences.
While super-heroes were largely done, magic, fantasy, and real adventure found their niches with series starting to be aimed at the younger set earlier and slightly more mature offerings as the hour grew later. All told, the dozen shows represented in Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s
For that younger set, there is Help! It’s the Hair Bear Bunch, which ran from 1971-1974, and featured three fairly stupid bears – Hair, Square, and Bubi – who escaped the Wonderland Zoo each episode, had an adventure and wound up back behind bars.
For those weaned on the reruns of the CBS sitcom, The New Adventures of Gilligan continued following the castaways, with most of the actors reprising their voices and a hideous laugh track for what was rather unfunny fare. It was just one of many prime time sitcoms to make the transition – none successfully other than Star Trek.
Older fans were offered Sealab 2020, a solid episode of which is here, showing that attempts were being made to bring in real world themes, plus attempts at characterization and serious stories.
Included here is Shazzan, which is an oddity considering it originated in the 1967-1968 season and was never rerun in the 1970s. Two siblings find halves of a magic ring, which summoned a genie named Shazzan when put together. They were taken to a fantasy world with the hopes of finding their way home but had adventures along the way, getting rescued at least twice a story by the magical being. The two-disc set’s sole extra is The Power of Shazzan as a number of folk look back at the show, marveling at Alex Toth’s strong design and ridiculing the state of writing in the 1970s.
Another show that debuted in 1968 and was gone by 1970 and is therefore in the wrong set is the atrocious Banana Splits Adventure Hour. Inspired by NBC’s Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, four guys in costumes, designed by Sid and Marty Kroft (who got better when left to their own devices) performed short bursts of slapstick humor accompanied by two music videos that owed something to the Monkees. Interspersed throughout were three adventure shows. Two were animated: Arabian Knights and The Three Musketeers and we get their debut stories in this inaugural show. Both were standard cookie cutter H-B fare, largely unmemorable and gone after a season. The third was Danger Island, attempting to turn Jonny Quest into a live-action show that was largely dubbed and poorly performed. Of note here is that the “hunk” was young Jan-Michael Vincent, well before Airwolf. What is astonishing given how bad the humor and the drama are is the fact that the entire first season was directed by Richard Donner. Yes, that Richard Donner.
Better was the two season show, Valley of the Dinosaurs that saw the Butler family accidentally lost in this time-frozen world accessed from the Amazon River. While seeking a way home, they were befriended by Gorak and his family. The mixed families formed the spine of the show as they struggled to learn from one another and survive dinosaur attacks.
Less memorable is Inch High, Private Eye, which brings the bumbling secret agent to animation in the form of the diminutive detective, aided by his attractive niece, Lori, and the dim-witted would-be detective Gator (imagine Jethro Clampett). The episode included was entirely forgettable and unamusing.
Returning from volume one is The Amazing Chan Clan, along with the familiar Batman, Tom & Jerry and Looney Tunes.
Studios were increasingly having their hands bound by parents groups and network regulators who didn’t want the viewers adversely affected by the violence they saw while eating their cereal. Much of the conflict was reduced or removed, with the writing suffering greatly for this as witnessed by the witless Hair Bear Bunch or the edits made to Road Runner reruns. Even when Captain Marvel arrived in the live action Shazam! (sadly missing from this set), he could barely touch the bad guys let alone duke it out with them.
Clearly, the Golden Age for Saturday morning had passed and quality fare for children would have to wait for the advent of cable television and the plethora of channels able to cater to their needs with verve and imagination.
Sun Oct 25, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960s Vol. 2'
With three networks programming cartoons from 8 a.m. until just about noon throughout the 1960s, there was a rich variety of characters, situations, and styles. While Hanna-Barbera pretty much owned the first half of the decade, Filmation and others arrived and brought some different looks.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell from the second volume of Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s
New for the second volume, which was sent for review, are The Space Kidettes, Samson & Goliath, and The Adventures of Gulliver. The Kidettes, a show I had forgotten about, ran for a single season, 1966-1967, and featured four adorable tykes living in their space clubhouse (a converted Gemini capsule) and outwitting the nefarious Captain Skyhook. Two cute for words.
Samson may have inadvertently inspired Roy Thomas with a teen, Samson, gained an enhanced form and super-powers by clanging together his bracelets, saying “I need Samson Power” and transformed into an adult hero. Clanging them a second time turned his trusty dog into a powerful lion, Goliath. No secret identities and lots of fighting evil organizations. The stories are predictable and Samson seems devoid of personality.
The one featurette, Completely Bananas: The Magilla Gorilla Story is short but points out this 1964 series was the end of an era for animal-centric series with H-B’s Jonny Quest about to debut and a move towards more human adventures. And as the super-heroes rapidly burned themselves out after just two seasons, networks sought other stories such as ABC’s The Adventures of Gulliver. The disc provides the pilot episode showing how the boy, Gary Gulliver, and his dog Bib survived a shipwreck and washed ashore on the very “lost” island they sought with Gary’s dad, now presumed missing. While Gary is drawn straight, the Lilliputians are cartoony and comical but a détente is achieved.
The disc also includes fresh installments of Wally Gator, Ricochet Rabbit, Mushmouth and Pumpkin’ Puss and their template, Tom & Jerry. And assorted other features far more familiar than the above.
The two-disc set does not feel as fresh and inviting as the first and that could be because the mix isn’t as strong this time or, the nostalgia has worn after since the first volume came out earlier this year. Clearly, this is for the late Baby Boomers hoping to relive those years.
Once again there’s the absurd advisory about the material not suitable for this year’s kids.
For a true feel for the decade, we should have had Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, Fireball XL-5, Jonny Quest, Superman, Spider-Man, Banana Splits, Wacky Races, and of course George of the Jungle. Rights issues, no doubt, prevented this from being properly representative.
Thu Oct 22, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'The Marvel Encyclopedia - Updated and Expanded'
The Marvel Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded
400 pages, DK Books, $40
These days, you can’t follow Marvel’s or DC’s continuities without a scorecard and thankfully more than a few reference sources have arrived to help out. The latest is DK’s 70th Anniversary contribution, a revised version of 2006’s The Marvel Encyclopedia. What a difference three years can make to continuity.
The key difference in the editions is the addition of pages, bringing the total to a hefty 400 pages. DK did everyone a favor and kept the cover price consistent at $40. Frank Cho’s cover is replaced with a Brandon Peterson piece that attempts to reflect the full history of the Marvel heroes. Matt Forbeck deftly took the original text, written by a quintet of experts such as Tom DeFalco and Peter Sanderson, and brought dozens of entries up to date in addition to adding entirely new ones where warranted. The crack design team replaced only a handful of images to existing entries but where they expanded or added new entries, the art nicely reflects the subject matter.
Forbeck’s updates take readers into the Dark Reign era but merely its beginnings so many of the events in the second half of 2009 are not reflected in the text. It might have been better to cut things off after Secret Invasion. As it is, some key events -- Aunt May’s wedding to J. Jonah Jameson’s father, Brother Voodoo not listed as next sorcerer supreme, Firestar’s cancer -- are missing. I also think Emma Frost, Nick Fury, Rick Jones and Speedball’s current situations get short shrift. And while many new entries are welcome, some stand out characters are missing such as Jameson’s father, Peter Parker’s new supporting cast, Ezekiel, Valeria Richards and each member of The Twelve. Also, the war and western characters are barely represented which is a shame. Similarly, only a few of the 2099 and M2 characters are here.
New spreads covering the significant modern day events – Civil War, Secret Invasion, and Annihilation – make the book feel nicely up to date but then older events such as the Kree/Skrull War and Secret Wars now feel overlooked. It would have been nice if the Fifty- State Initiative spread actually listed which heroes covered which states or which humans were replaced by Skrulls in the SI spread but these are minor nits. A larger nit is that a few characters receive spreads showing Key Moments and while I agree that House of M is major, I refuse to accept Spider-Man vs. Anti-Venom a key moment. Fortunately, the book ends with a spread on the more prominent parallel universes which will help the less devout reader.
Production demands meant that many entries had artwork reduced to fit in new entries but overall the pages do not feel overly packed and are easy to read. From what I can tell, just a few characters were dropped in favor of more current figures so say bye-bye to Marlo Chandler, Hornet, Libra, N’Garai, Candy Southern, and, Tana Nile.
Of the art chosen, I have very few quibbles over choices made but would have preferred a Gene Colan Dracula and would have updated the mis-proportioned Don Heck illo for Pepper Potts.
Clearly, this is a much neater and more effective updating than DK’s second edition of The DC Encyclopedia (which I was a coauthor on). You won’t want to miss picking up this fact-filled tome.
Sun Oct 18, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Peanuts 1970s Collection Vol. 1' on DVD
Charles Schulz always said he created his Peanuts strips adults but clearly, the comic strip struck a chord with readers of all ages so by the late 1960s, the franchise had become a pop culture hit with tons of merchandising. Notable among them were the television specials which continued for decades.
A key difference between the strips and the animated television fare is that the specials are clearly aimed at younger audiences whose demands on story logic are far lower. That could explain why several of offerings contained in Peanuts 1970s Collection cause you to wonder how things could be. The two-disc set, out on Tuesday from Warner Home Video (who kindly provided a review copy), contains the first six specials from the decade covering 1971-1974. Eight more are no doubt being saved for volume two.
As the 1970s arrived, Peanuts stopped being about the kids and their struggles with childhood and life itself. The existential suffering of Charlie Brown was slowly being replaced with the comical exploits of Snoopy, who had eclipsed his owner in popularity. At the dawn of the new decade, Schulz gave him a buddy, Woodstock the bird. More strip and screen time was taken from the kids and given to the pet buddies. For me, the strip suffered greatly and began its long slow decline in quality during this period.
In There’s no Time for Love, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, the absence of adults weakens the overall story. The former story involves a field trip to a local museum where Charlie Brown needs to write a top-notch report to salvage his grades. Somehow, he and Peppermint Patty, whose school is also taking a trip, wind up in a supermarket and Charlie can’t seem to tell the difference. But, where are the teachers and parent chaperons? Similarly, the holiday episode has Patty, Marcy, and Franklin somehow manage to abandon their families, having invited themselves over to Charlie’s house for the traditional meal while Charlie is expected to travel with Sally and his parents to grandma’s house. At no point does it make sense these kids would be allowed to leave family traditions nor would Charlie’s parents actively allow him to prep a meal (albeit one consisting of toast, popcorn, jelly beans and pretzel sticks). There’s also something just plain wrong about watching Woodstock eat turkey during the end credits.
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Thu Oct 15, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Amulet Book Two: The Stonekeeper's Castle'
Amulet Book Two: The Stonekeeper’s Castle
By Kazu Kibuishi
Scholastic/Graphix, 220 pages, $21.99 (hardcover) $9.99 (paperback)
Kazu Kibuishi is a talented animator and comic artist who has produced several graphic novel series, including Flight, Daisy Kutter: The Last Train, and now Amulet. The first volume came out over a year ago and now Scholastic has released the second book in the run. This book could have benefitted from a previously page for new readers.
The story is familiar as Emily Hayes discovers a necklace and amulet with magical powers. In the first volume, she and her younger brother Navin have adjusted to living in their great-grandfather’s home with their recently widowed mother. The amulet speaks to her, warning of impending danger which immediately results in a ghastly creature swallowing their mother. The chase is on to rescue her and book one achieves that goal, but she is gravely ill.
Book two opens as evil forces conspire to hunt down the children and obtain the amulet, while they, in turn, seek a rare fruit to concoct a potion to save her life. Their journey brings them into close contact with many humans who have been slowly evolving into animal/human hybrids, part of a curse that threatens all humanity. As a result, no one blinks an eye when Leon Redbeard, a fox-like bounty hunter arrives in the nick of time. He proves to be not only plucky, but wise as he recognizes that Emily is The One who will save the planet from the creeping darkness.
The story moves quite well as we go from lush landscapes to foggy forests in search of enlightenment and safety. With a Japanese-tinged style and terrific use of color, Kibuishi invites us into a world that mixes magic with technology, where robots and talking mystic trees operate side-by-side. The story moves quickly and you find yourself turning the pages with increasing speed.
The problem, though, is that Kibuishi’s story is nowhere near as inventive as his artwork. He admits that he studied The Empire Strikes Back repeatedly while working on this second volume in a projected ten-volume series. It certainly replicates the feel of a second chapter, complete with advancing the story, adding some new characters, and exploring the backstory. The characters and pacing feel familiar and just when things look their darkest, the expected rescue comes in a comforting manner but it also lack tension and surprise. Even the struggle between Emily and the seductive nature of the amulet resonates of Frodo and the One Ring.
Emily, Navin, Leon and even the evil Luger and Prince Trellis all show us nothing new and play their roles like stock players.
While Amulet is engaging and a fun read, it doesn’t surprise us at all or present any new looks at the relations between siblings, friends or even families. No doubt, even the 9-12 year olds this is aimed at will not necessarily feel compelled to read the next chapter.
Tue Oct 13, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Knights of the Lunch Table - The Dragon Players'
Knights of the Lunch Table: The Dragon Players
By Frank Cammuso
Scholastic/Graphix, 128 pages, $9.99
The pee wee population of Camelot Middle School is back in the second volume of the Knights of the Lunch Table from Frank Cammuso. The series, launched by Scholastic’s Graphix imprint last year, takes the broad strokes of the Arthurian legend and reimagines everything from a junior point of view. Our protagonist is Artie King and his two best friends are Percy and Wayne, all trying to survive the hostile environment that can be early adolescence.
While unrelated to Jolly R. Blackburn’s Knights of the Dinner Table, Cammuso’s junior adventures are no less enjoyable. The Dragon Players, now on sale, finds science teacher Mr. Merlyn easing Artie towards entering the robot dragon competition. While reluctant to participate, he agrees since Wayne owes Principal Dagger $300 for a new windshield and the competition’s prize just happens to be that exact amount.
With that as a launching point, we see a cleverly constructed plot that involves the students and the faculty. Along the way, the pitfalls of school life are clear with the boys being bullied by the enormous Joe and Artie struggles to survive in the house with his older sister Morgan. The characters act their ages with their emotions ranging all over the place and in need of some wise counsel. Artie can get some tips from his magic locker, but it falls to Merlyn to gently point him in the direction of doing what is right, not what is easy.
Cammuso’s art and color make the main characters appear a little younger than they should be but he fills the pages with nice details and keeps things moving at a nice clip. The climax, at the competition, is a little rushed, but everything is neatly tidied up by the final page.
Scholastic recommends this for ages 7-10 and that sounds about right. The readers should find the characters fun and relatable while Cammuso’s story imparts some good lessons. These annual offerings are most welcome.
Mon Oct 12, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Whedon's 'Cabin' Delayed a Year for 3-D Conversion
Original Thriller Needs 6 Month Makeover
With 3-D all the rage, MGM announced over the weekend that Joss Whedon’s original thriller, The Cabin in the Woods, will be delayed from February 5 2010 to January 14 2011 to allow it to be upgraded to a three-dimensional chiller.According to Shock Til You Drop, the film, co-written and directed by Drew Goddard (Cloverfield), will require six months for the conversion. The movie stars Bradley Whitford (The West Wing), Richard Jennings (Burn After Reading), Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek), and Whedon regulars Amy Acker (Angel, Dollhouse) and Tom Lenk (Buffy)
