HK and Cult Film News's Fan Box

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Have You Seen the New VOYAGER Teaser?




With Yung Lee on board, VOYAGER, the most realistic sci-fi TV show ever filmed, is starting to take shape. CLICK the link below to see the latest teaser of what we have in store for you...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU9r2zSggjY

... or, better yet, join us and help craft this amazing project into everything that you always wanted in a sci-fi film.

Next week, VOYAGER has a big announcement about how you personally can get involved.


See you next week!



The VOYAGER Team


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Copyright © 2015 Who You Know, LLC, All rights reserved.




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"Major Crimes: The Complete Third Season" - Television's Favorite Squad of Detectives is Back on the Case!



WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT
BRINGS ONE OF TNT’S MOST-WATCHED SERIES
TO DVD May 26, 2015 WITH THE RELEASE OF

MAJOR CRIMES: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

DVD Release Includes All 19 Season Three Episodes
Plus Never-Before-Seen Unaired Scenes and Gag Reel

 
BURBANK, CA (February 25, 2015) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings the third season of one of cable television’s most powerful police dramas to DVD, with the release of Major Crimes: The Complete Third Season. Available in stores May 26, 2015, this release features all 19 of the series’ season three episodes plus never-before-seen unaired scenes and gag reel. The show, which spun off the critically acclaimed, award-winning The Closer, has quickly established itself as one of basic cable’s top programs. During season three, Major Crimes ranked as TNT’s #2 show and as the # 3 scripted drama on basic cable television *. The release of Major Crimes: The Complete Third Season is timed to the show’s fourth season premiere on TNT. The four-disc DVD set will retail for $59.98 SRP. Order due date has been set for April 21, 2015.

The third gripping season of Major Crimes finds our favorite squad of detectives hard at work, as they continue to solve the division’s highest profile cases. The elite team is under the leadership of department head Captain Sharon Raydor, portrayed by Oscar® nominee Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves, Battlestar Galactica). The unit is comprised of Lieutenant Provenza (G.W. Bailey, The Closer, M*A*S*H, Police Academy), Lieutenant Andy Flynn (Tony Denison, The Closer, Crime Story), Lieutenant Mike Tao (Michael Paul Chan, The Closer, Arrested Development), Detective Julio Sanchez (Raymond Cruz, The Closer, Training Day), Detective Amy Sykes (Kearran Giovanni, One Life to Live), tech expert Buzz Watson (Phillip P. Keene, The Closer, The D.A.), Dr. Morales (Jonathan Del Arco, The Closer, Nip/Tuck), Assistant Chief Russell Taylor (Robert Gossett, The Closer, Arlington Road) and Deputy Chief Fritz Howard (recurring guest star Jon Tenney, The Closer, King & Maxwell).


Season three finds the unit involved in a series of startling and complex cases. The detectives investigate the death of a canine that inherited his deceased millionaire master’s fortune; a young runaway who is found murdered in a trash can; a woman who confesses to killing her rapist; a series of young girls who disappear from a nightclub; a father and two young kids who go missing and several other captivating mysteries. The third season also brings the return of homeless teen and material witness Rusty Beck (Graham Patrick Martin, The Closer, Two and a Half Men), who is taken in — and adopted — by Captain Raydor. It’s a thrilling season filled with intriguing cases and compelling stories about the lives of the officers and prosecutors who work together to rid the streets of Los Angeles of some its worst criminals.

"Major Crimes has quickly developed a devoted fan base. Fans of The Closer now have a spinoff that stands completely on its own. We’re delighted to release another exciting season of this exceptional series on DVD," said Rosemary Markson, WBHE Senior Vice President, TV Brand Management and Retail Marketing. She added, "Major Crimes keeps getting better and better with each season. Mary McDonnell in the lead is superb and the rest of the supporting cast is outstanding."

NPR praised Major Crimes as "…good, solid television," and Yahoo TV says, "[The] fact that Major Crimes can veer from the grim...to the gleeful…is due in great part to the diversity of the cast."

Major Crimes is produced by The Shephard/Robin Company and Walking Entropy, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television. The Closer’s James Duff, Greer Shephard, Michael M. Robin, Rick Wallace and Adam Belanoff serve as executive producers.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

•Deleted Scenes
•Gag Reel

19 (1-HOUR) EPISODES:

Season 3

1.Flight Risk
2.Personal Day
3.Frozen Assets
4.Letting It Go
5.Do Not Disturb
6.Jane Doe # 38
7.Two Options
8.Cutting Loose
9.Sweet Revenge
10.Zoo Story
11.Down the Drain
12.Party Foul
13.Acting Out
14.Trial By Fire
15.Chain Reaction
16.Leap of Faith
17.Internal Affairs
18.Special Master Part One
19.Special Master Part Two


About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.
 
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WB Ultra.


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CHiPs: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON -- DVD Review by Porfle



After reviewing season DVDs for series such as "The Love Boat" and "Hotel", I've discovered that certains shows I wouldn't have been caught dead watching when they were new are now strangely entertaining in an "I Love the 70s" kind of way. They're just as cheesy (to put it mildly), just as poorly-made, and just as dumb, but watching them now through cheese-colored glasses somehow makes them magically entertaining in their own weird way.

 
One show that perfectly embodies this phenomenon is showcased in the new Warner Bros. Home Entertainment 5-disc, 23-episode DVD set CHiPS: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON. I never watched a single episode of "CHiPS" during its original run (1977–1983) because I always had something better to do (I was basking in the revelries of my wild youth, after all) or at least something better to watch. Now, however, I have plenty of time to sit back, relax, and savor the whiz-bang Cheeto-flavored exploits of these totally unrealistic motorcycle cops to my heart's content.

All teeth, hair, and muscles, cycle cops Frank "Ponch" Poncherello (Latino ladies' man Erik Estrada) and Jon Baker (WASP-y beach boy Larry Wilcox) are the epitome of benignly uber-macho hunks of beefcake with hearts of gold. This helps them deal with all the screwed-up guest stars they encounter on the freeways of So-Cal and juggle their different subplots until the big lugs are able to straighten everything out by episode's end.



One thing's for sure--this show couldn't be any more 70s if it tried. And I'm talking bad 70s, which, of course, are now good 70s, at least in a so bad it's good type of way. For example, the two-part season premiere (titled, incredibly, "Roller Disco") revolves around a big beachfront roller-disco bash so that we can enjoy plenty of slow-motion bikini babes on wheels doin' their thang.

Of course, roller skates are relevant in other essential ways as well. The powerhouse team-up of Jim Brown (THE DIRTY DOZEN) and Fred "The Hammer" Williamson (FROM DUSK TILL DAWN) is totally squandered on a goofy subplot in which they play petty smash-and-grab thieves on skates. Helena Kallianiotes, the spacey chick from FIVE EASY PIECES and the Raquel Welch roller epic KANSAS CITY BOMBER, is also on hand as their leader, with hidden pop-out wheels built into her platform shoes to help her cover their escape after each job.

The big cliffhanger at the end of part one is Fred's stuntman in an aerial freeze-frame during a skate jump over a flight of steps while fleeing from an off-duty Ponch, who also happens to be wearing skates. (I'm not making any of this up--it's all documented right here on the DVD.) A pesky kid ups the "aww" factor by initially wanting emulate the thieves before turning over a new leaf and helping the good guys. Yay!



Meanwhile, more 70s goodness is exuded from our TV screens with Leif Garrett playing a "rock star" (uh-huh) exhausted by the grueling schedule laid down by his manager, played by "The Bob Newhart Show" and "I Dream of Jeannie" vet Bill Daily. Leif seeks refuge from the world in Jon's apartment, which just doesn't work out for a number of reasons but allows him to do lots of great Leif Garrett acting and, well, just being Leif Garrett.

Not only that, but a giggling Larry Linville (Frank Burns of "M*A*S*H") and the great Larry Storch ("F Troop", "Ghost Busters") are getting revenge on tailgaters by riding around the freeway with a special back-mounted rig that spews sparks on anyone who gets too close and causes them to have spectacular slow-motion traffic accidents for our entertainment while Linville (in a neck brace) cackles maniacally. Who could ask for more?

But there's plenty more, because the grand finale of this epic two-parter is a celebrity-packed roller boogie party featuring not only Leif Garrett lip-synching one of his worst songs ("Give In"), but also a ton of familiar faces from 70s TV. This stellar roster includes such faves as Todd Bridges, Dana Plato, Earl Holliman, Lee Meriwether, Jo Ann Pflug, Melissa Sue Anderson, Michael Cole, Ruth Buzzi, Antonio Fargas, George Peppard, and several others. Talk about going for broke!



Subsequent episodes continue with the usual meat-and-potatoes production values, bland acting, and simple plotlines that are sometimes reminiscent of those "message" stories from the old "Shazam!" live-action series on Saturday mornings. The main cops never draw their guns, and most of the action comes from frequent chase scenes accompanied by the endless "thump-thump-thump" of generic disco music (by, of all people, future ace movie composer Alan Silvestri), with tons of stunt driving and metal-grinding car crashes (filmed mainly on not-yet-finished freeways) to satisfy our lust for destruction porn.

In "Valley Go Home!", a beach turf war between surfer dudes and Latinos from the valley ("Vals") is handled diplomatically by Ponch and Jon (at one point Ponch barks, "Can the feud jive, guys!") while the cops also try to solve a series of thefts in which CB radios and 8-track tape decks are being stolen out of parked cars, a delightfully dated reference. And even with all that, they manage to get romantically involved with some bikini babes who take them catamaran sailing.

"High Octane" features big-time gasoline thieves during the famous gas shortage of the 70s, while "Counterfeit" and "Hot Wheels" are self-explanatory. "Death Watch", one of the show's rare somber episodes, is about the death and funeral of a fallen cop. This is the show where Christopher Stone and Dee Wallace first met before becoming one of Hollywood's most enduring married couples.

"Return of the Super-Cycle" finds Jon going after a stunt-cycle-riding jewel thief on a specially-built cycle of his own. During filming on this one, Erik Estrada was injured and had to spend several episodes in a hospital bed while Jon rode with various other partners including their easygoing boss, Sgt. Getraer (Robert Pine).

Other semi-regular characters include Randi Oakes as Officer Bonnie Clark, Brodie Greer as Officer Barry Baricza, Paul Linke as Officer Arthur "Grossie" Grossman, Lou Wagner as nerdy, fastidious motorcycle mechanic Harlan Arliss, and future "Star Trek: The Next Generation" star Michael "Worf" Dorn as Officer Jebediah Turner. Most episodes end on a "funny" gag, often at the expense of Officer Ponch (even "Death Watch"), followed by the old laughing freeze-frame.



The show is rife with "spot the familiar face" guest stars such as Andy Robinson (DIRTY HARRY), Ralph Meeker, Michelle Pfeiffer, William Smith, Anne Lockhart, Andrew Duggan, Billy Barty, Mark Slade, Martin Kove, Anne Ramsey, Bruce Glover, Brion James (BLADE RUNNER), Leon Isaac Kennedy, Simon Oakland, Don Mitchell, Billy Green Bush, Angel Tompkins (LITTLE CIGARS), William Schallert, Ellen Geer, Timothy Carey, Jayne Kennedy, Edd Byrnes, Morgan Woodward, Ron Soble, Paul Nicholas (TOMMY), and Joan Freeman (PANIC IN YEAR ZERO, THE RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT).

Some of the series' directors include Don Weis (PAJAMA PARTY), Gordon Hessler (THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD, THE OBLONG BOX), and even co-star Larry Wilcox, who helmed the episode "Tow-Truck Lady."

Here's the complete list of 24 one-hour episodes in the set:

Roller Disco, Part I
Roller Disco, Part II
Valley Go Home
High Octane
Death Watch
Counterfeit
Return of the Supercycle
Hot Wheels
Drive Lady Drive - Part I
Drive Lady Drive - Part II
The Watch Commander
Destruction Derby
Second Chance
Wheeling
Christmas Watch
Jailbirds (in which Ponch and Jon end up behind bars themselves)
E.M.T.
Kidnap
Off Road
Tow Truck Lady
The Strippers
Thrill Show
Nightingale
Dynamite Alley 




The 5-disc DVD set from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is in standard full-screen format as originally aired, with Dolby Digital soundtracks in English and Japanese and subtitles in English, Japanese, and French. No extras save for an episode guide inserted into the keepcase.

Genial buddy-cop fun, miles of mindless action and crunched cars, a little of the old "jiggle" here and there, really bad disco, and, occasionally, some actual realistic police work--CHiPs: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON has it all. Betcha can't watch just one!


Buy it at the WBShop.com
Own "CHiPs: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON" on March 3rd. 


READ OUR REVIEW OF SEASON FOUR HERE!
 
 

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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

BLU-RAY MUSICALS COLLECTION -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle (THE BAND WAGON/ CALAMITY JANE/ KISS ME KATE/ SINGIN' IN THE RAIN)




Bursting with glorious Technicolor and boasting an array of Hollywood's finest and most beloved musical stars, the four films in Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's new 4-disc set BLU-RAY MUSICALS COLLECTION (available March 3rd)--THE BAND WAGON, CALAMITY JANE, KISS ME KATE, and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN--are a treasure trove for fans of the genre.

And if you have yet to discover that most unique of film genres, this is an ideal starting point from which to begin an in-depth exploration--four of the best in all their Blu-ray splendor (both the 3D and 2D versions of KISS ME KATE are included), attractively packaged in a rigid page-turner slip case splashed with photos from the films, and loaded with extras (included four collectible stills).

 

-------------------

 

THE BAND WAGON (1953)

 

With THE BAND WAGON we get a taste of casual elegance and class a la Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, but with plenty of lowbrow comedy to even things out. This seemed to be Astaire's specialty--impossibly suave and debonair one moment, comically self-effacing the next, but always just plain cool without even trying.

Cyd Charisse, although often seen as a slinky seductress (as in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and THE BAND WAGON'S own elaborate finale), was also a graceful ballet dancer at heart and could put those long, willowy limbs of hers to use in the most elegant fashion. She was, to me, rivaled only by Esther Williams as the most beautiful of musical stars.

Here, the emphasis is on pure song-and-dance numbers and big-production indulgence splashed in vivid Technicolor--"musical porn", one might say--with a slender plot to hang it all on. Astaire plays washed-up Hollywood actor Tony Hunter, who has returned to New York in hopes of getting work on Broadway. His writer friends, married couple Lily and Lester Marton (an ebullient Nanette Fabray and endearingly grumpy Oscar Levant acting as surrogates for writers Betty Comden and Adolph Green), introduce him to eccentric producer Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan), who plunges Tony into the lead role of his grievously ill-conceived musical version of "Faust."


The play is a disaster, but while still on the road all the participants decide to totally overhaul it into a splashy, fun romp with all-new songs and dance numbers which they'll try out on the road before taking it back to New York. And aside from the requisite love story, with Astaire falling for the initially aloof primadonna Charisse while she still carries a fading torch for someone else, that's the extent of the plot--just a dazzling succession of unrestrained musical exuberance that lives up to the film's signature theme song, "That's Entertainment."

With Vincente Minelli (MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS) at the helm and a gaggle of delightful songs by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, watching THE BAND WAGON is like savoring a slice of seven-layer cake washed down with bubbling champagne. It's the classic backstage musical, with even the "real-life" settings coming off like stylized stage backdrops and a story that never takes itself too seriously--at least after Cyd's glum would-be boyfriend Paul (James Mitchell) makes an early exit.

Astaire's melancholy opening number "By Myself" (look for actor Steve Forrest as an extra) gives way to a colorfully idealized Times Square setting for the breezy "Shine On Your Shoes", a delightful romp in which the downcast Tony Hunter lifts his own spirits with the help of his fellow New Yorkers. Tony and Gaby (Cyd Charisse) overcome their initial stylistic and personality conflicts with a sleek, romantic dance interlude in Central Park to "Dancing in the Dark."


Cordova's "Faust" debacle yields some fun moments, but it's when the troup decide to bounce back with a newer, better show under Tony's direction that the fun really starts. The always dynamic Charisse performs "New Sun in the Sky", Fabray's talents are showcased in "Louisiana Hayride", and Astaire and Buchanan duet on the simple but sweet soft-shoe ditty "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan." For pure hilarity, nothing beats the sight of Astaire, Fabray, and Buchanan as babies with adult heads and infant bodies (a wonderful illusion), bounding out of their high chairs to pound out the supremely silly "Triplets."

The extended stage-show-within-the-movie ends with a lengthy Mickey Spillane-style segment entitled "Girl Hunt", with Astaire as a private detective named Rod Riley dancing his way through the shadowy criminal underworld in search of mystery woman Charisse. (Look for a young Julie Newmar in a bit part.) The whole thing's way too complicated and cinematic to be a stage number, but we don't really care since, aside from being just plain nutty, it's a thrilling performance by the leads with some of their most jazzy and sophisticatedly sexy dancing yet.

 
Naturally, everything turns out okay in the end, with all romantic and showbiz-related complications settled just in time for the cast to reprise "That's Entertainment!" with renewed vigor. As a story, the whole thing's paper thin and loaded with all the old "let's put on a show!" cliche's that could be stuffed into it. But neither Vincent Minelli, Fred Astaire, nor anyone else involved let any of that stop them from turning THE BAND WAGON into a non-stop celebration of music and dance that has become one of the most beloved musicals of all time. 



SPECIAL FEATURES:

In addition to a bubbly commentary track by musical experts Liza Minelli and Michael Feinstein (who rate this as their favorite musical), there are two lengthy and informative documentaries--"Get Aboard! The Band Wagon" and "The Man Who Made the Movies: Vincent Minelli", the latter featuring Minelli himself commenting on his own brilliant career along with copious footage from his films. Then there's a 1929 Vitaphone short with a young Jack Buchanan doing some vaudeville-style comedy with the Glee Quartet, the delightful MGM Droopy cartoon "Three Little Pups", and a trailer.

 
-------------------

 
CALAMITY JANE (1953)

 
CALAMITY JANE takes place in a dreamy Technicolor version of the Old West straight out of the matinee oaters of the 30s and 40s. In fact, when we get our first long shot of the town of Deadwood, it looks almost like a cowpoke version of Oz.

The film hits the ground running with Doris Day's rousing opening number, "The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away!)", in which she sails into town riding shotgun on the stagecoach and then makes her way into the saloon-slash-theater "The Golden Garter" to regale all her friends with tall tales of her latest exploits.

Doris Day is a hoot playing a blonde, female version of Gabby Hayes who, as the film progresses and she acquires a few wardrobe and makeup refinements, gradually reveals her true hidden beauty to her stunned male friends including Howard Keel's "Wild Bill" Hickock.


Keel is his usual tall, oak-solid self with a singing voice as deep as the ocean. Philip Carey is adequate though a tad nondescript as dashing cavalry officer Lt. Daniel Gilmartin. The rest of the cast is populated by a delightful assortment of motley Western types along with Dick Wesson as tenderfoot actor Francis Fryer from back East (who must perform in drag when the Golden Garter's owner accidentally books him as a female performer). Keep a sharp eye out for Glenn Strange and Bess Flowers in bit parts as well.

Allyn Ann McLerie, who would later play a matronly schoolmarm in the John Wayne classic THE COWBOYS, makes a wonderful transition from shy, homely maid to ravishing dancehall singer as Katie Brown. When Calamity travels to Chicago to ask sought-after beauty Adelaid Adams to perform at the Golden Garter, she mistakes Miss Adams' maid Katie for the famous singer and fetches back her instead.

The nervous Katie's true identity is quickly revealed during her disastrous debut performance, but with Calamity's prompting the rowdy audience gives her a second chance and, with renewed self-confidence, she wins them over on her own.


While the first half of the movie is an endlessly frothy fountain of fun, the second threatens to bog down in romantic plot complications when the four main characters--Calamity, Bill, Katie, and Danny--all fall in love with the wrong people. Fortunately, the film is carried along by some genuine heartfelt sentiment (mainly through song) before bursting forth with the requisite happy-ending vibes as everyone gets paired up like we know they're meant to be.

The songs by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster are just plain delightful. In addition to the exhilarating "The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away!)", Doris gets to perform such toe-tappers as "Just Blew in from the Windy City", "A Woman's Touch" (with Allyn Ann McLerie), and her duelling duet with Keel, "I Can Do Without You." I'd forgotten that the Billboard chart-topper "Secret Love" originated from this show, so it was to my very pleasant surprise to hear Doris' beautiful rendition of it late in the film.

Keel solos on the love song "My Heart Is Higher Than a Hawk (Deeper Than a Well)" and McLerie gets two onstage numbers, "Hive Full of Honey" and "It's Harry I'm Planning to Marry", while displaying one of the shapeliest pairs of gams you're likely to see in quite a spell. A reprise of the film's opening number takes us into the feelgood fadeout with a goofy smile on our faces and a renewed appreciation for the divine Dodo.


SPECIAL FEATURES:

Not much related to the movie besides a couple of brief newsreels and a trailer. In addition to that, there's an amusing Joe McDoakes short, "So You Love Your Dog" (1953), with George O'Hanlon (the future voice of George Jetson) and a stunning blonde Phyllis Coates, and the vintage Daffy Duck-Porky Pig cartoon "Duck Dodgers in the 24th and a Half Century" with guest star Marvin the Martian.

 
-------------------

 
KISS ME KATE (1953)

 
KISS ME KATE is a fairly staid, traditional musical that's occasionally buoyed by a new wave of imaginative up-and-coming performers--such as the young Bob Fosse (soon to be a major choreographer himself) and Bobby Van--who were eager to infuse the art form with fresh, unconventional ideas and youthful enthusiasm. The sometimes bland story and execution are also carried along, at times almost singlehandedly, by that irrepressible force of nature known as Ann Miller.

The movie begins in the penthouse of Broadway actor and director Fred Graham (Howard Keel) who invites Cole Porter (Ron Randall) and his volatile ex-wife Lilli (Kathryn Grayson) over to look at a new script he wants to produce which is a musical version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." What we're in for, as you might guess, will be a stage production which will parallel in many ways the temptestuous relationship and eventual reconciliation of Fred and Lilli, with plenty of song and dance numbers squeezed in along the way.

Just as this first section begins to drag a bit, Ann Miller (playing a dancer with the unlikely name of Lois Lane) comes in and blows the doors off the place with an incredible solo performance of "Too Darn Hot" that sets the bar high for the rest of the film. There was just never anything like her that I've ever seen in any musical--unlimited charm, energy, and blazing talent coupled with a seemingly insatiable desire to show it off. Not to mention an utterly uninhibited, sexy charm that you simply don't see every day.


Her appearances throughout the film are like B-12 shots that enliven and invigorate things whenever Howard and Kathryn's mildly amusing romantic conflicts grow a tad tiresome. Joining her in this is athletic hoofer Tommy Rall as her unreliable boyfriend Bill, another dynamo whose powerful dancing is augmented by gymnastic moves.

Bill, we find, is a gambling addict who tends to sign Fred's name to his I.O.U.'s, resulting in Fred being visited by a couple of thugs named Lippy and Slug who are played by the unlikely song-and-dance team of Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore. When they refuse to leave until they're paid, Fred gets them into costume and puts them into the show, which gives KISS ME KATE some of its more endearing comedy relief.

The stage production itself tends to slow things down when too much attention is paid to actually doing bad Shakespeare. However, things pick up when Fred and Lilli's personal problems start to get played out during the performance.


Most of Cole Porter's songs are top-notch as usual, as is the choreography by Hermes Pan. The sets are attractive and photographed in vivid Technicolor. Filmed in 3D (but released as the fad began to wane and thus distributed mostly in 2D), the action is filled with people throwing things at the camera throughout the entire running time. The cast is terrific, including small parts by "Pete Smith" regular Dave O'Brien, Kurt Kasznar, and Ann Codee, who was "Tante Berthe" in THE MUMMY'S CURSE.

Highlights include Keel and Grayson's duets on songs such as "So in Love" and "Wunderbar", Keel's solos on "Were Thine That Special Face", "I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua", and "Where Is the Life That Late I Led", and a couple of delightful numbers by Ann Miller and Tommy Rall, "Why Can't You Behave" and "Always True to You in My Fashion." Wynn and Whitmore even get into the act with their two-left-feet schlubfest "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." Grayson's main moment in the show, which the shrewish Lilli performs with conviction, is the song "I Hate Men."

For the lengthy showstopper number "From This Moment On", which comes before the story's inevitable happy ending, director George Sidney treats us to Ann Miller, Tommy Rall, Bob Fosse, Bobby Van, and Carol Haney in a dazzling exhibition of dance in which they were allowed to incorporate much of their own personal style into the choreography. This is one of the most thrilling sequences in the film and, among other things, reaffirmed my newfound admiration for Ann Miller. (I can't wait to see my old favorite ON THE TOWN again in which she co-stars with the likes of Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen, and Jules Munchin.)


While not as fresh and fun as SINGIN' IN THE RAIN or as sophisticated and insouciant as THE BAND WAGON, KISS ME KATE still remains one of old Hollywood's most solid, lavish, enjoyable musicals from the glory days of MGM.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Ann Miller hosts the documentary "Cole Porter in Hollywood: Too Darn Hot", followed by the short film "Mighty Manhattan: New York's Wonder City." Also included are a hilarious 1951 MGM cartoon "Barney's Hungry Cousin" and the film's trailer.

 
-------------------

 
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)

 
Some musicals are great comedies, others great love stories. Some are known for their music and songs, some for the wonderful dancing. But when a musical excels at all four of these--as does SINGIN' IN THE RAIN--then you're looking at a prime candidate for the best and most popular musical of all time.

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN comes about as close to creating a colorful explosion of pure, undiluted joy as a movie can get. Basically a "jukebox" musical--that is, a collection of already-existing song favorites written (mostly) by producer Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown which have nothing to do with each other besides being fortuitously inserted into the same story--it's a labor of love in which co-directors Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly teamed up to make sure the music and dance numbers were intertwined seamlessly with the narrative and staged in the most artistic and gloriously cinematic style possible.

The handsome, charismatic Kelly, who shows off his robustly masculine, athletic style in a succession of wild yet precise song-and-dance workouts, plays silent film idol Don Lockwood. We see him starting out in vaudeville along with his lifelong buddy Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) before becoming a lowly Hollywood stuntman and finally graduating to stardom along with ditzy blonde Lina Lamont, who believes the publicity about their torrid romance even though he can't stand her. Don, meanwhile, has become smitten with a cute aspiring actress named Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), who intially feigns aloofness even though she's secretly a big fan of his.


Wildly comical self-parody abounds as this big Hollywood production pokes fun at big Hollywood productions such as Don and Lina's corny silent epics. An early highlight is a typical gala premiere where the faux couple display their artificial "lofty artist" personas for an adoring crowd. But with the release of the surprise smash sensation THE JAZZ SINGER, silents are out and "talkies" are suddenly all the rage, throwing the studios and their stars into a chaotic scramble to give the public what they want.

Several real-life silent stars such as Garbo's leading man John Gilbert found their careers on the rocks when their voices proved inadequate for sound. Such is Lina's problem when it turns out her grating accent and horrendous diction threaten to make her a laughing stock on the screen. Oscar-nominated Jean Hagen (PANIC IN YEAR ZERO) is hilarious in the role, as in frazzled director Roscoe Dexter's (Douglas Fowley) vain attempts to master the new art of sound recording during a florid love scene in which Lina doggedly refuses to speak into the hidden microphone.

The solution? Hire Kathy Selden to dub both Lina's speaking and singing voices and then turn Don and Lina's latest silent picture into a musical, "The Dancing Cavalier." But while this arrangement is meant to be only temporary, Lina demands that Kathy henceforth secretly do all of her dubbing, and nothing else, thus derailing Kathy's own promising career.


While all this is going on--which we know will eventually work itself out in wonderful and amusing ways--Kelly, O'Connor, and Reynolds are working overtime to give us the best show that the film medium has to offer. The results, under the direction of stern, uncompromising choreographer/taskmaster Kelly, are nothing less than incredible.

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN bursts forth with song at the slightest provocation, yet it never seems less than spontaneous or perfectly fitting for the occasion. Don and Cosmo's breathless vaudeville montage "Fit as a Fiddle (And Ready for Love)" is just a warm-up for their screamingly funny precision dance duet "Moses Supposes" as well as O'Connor's absolutely astounding solo sensation "Make 'Em Laugh", a whirlwind of frenetic energy which he ends by literally running up the walls. It's one of the most astonishing physical performances in any musical, ever.

Debbie gets into the act with the delightfully breezy "Good Morning", which shows how impressive a dedicated song-and-dance novice can be with Gene Kelly as her tutor. While the number was obviously an ordeal to get just right, these three make it seem effortless. With "You Were Meant For Me", Kelly emphasizes the artifice of filmmaking by having Don stage an impromptu love song for Kathy in an empty studio soundstage complete with wind machine and painted backdrop. It's an elegant moment amidst the frivolity.


Still moreso is Kelly's dazzling movie-within-a-movie, "Broadway Melody Ballet", a lengthy interlude in which he plays an ambitious young hoofer arriving in town looking for stardom, only to be seduced and then discarded by a gorgeous goodtime gal played to perfection by she of the long legs and slinky shape, Cyd Charisse. Their dance incorporates several styles from jazz to ballet, all of it mesmerizing.

But most memorable of all is Gene Kelly's immortal "Singin' in the Rain" sequence, in which the lovestruck Don expresses his boundless feelings for Kathy by singing and dancing gleefully down a dark city street in the middle of a downpour. It's one of cinema's most endearing expressions of pure, uninhibited optimism, made all the more impressive by the knowledge that Kelly performed it that day with a raging fever of 103 degrees.

One of the best things about SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is that the story of Hollywood's painful transition from silents to talkies is fun and entertaining on its own, while serving as an ideal vehicle for the seemingly unrelated songs--most already decades old, including the 1929 title tune--which are somehow perfectly incorporated into it. It's a giddy, affectionate, super-charged celebration of song, dance, movies, romance, and sheer joy.


SPECIAL FEATURES:

The main extra here is a commentary featuring Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Cyd Charisse, Kathleen Freeman (who plays Lina's harried vocal coach in the film), Stanley Donen, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, filmmaker Baz Luhrman, and film author/critic Rudy Belmer. This is followed by the feature-length documentary "Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation", in which current song and dance stars talk about how the film has influenced and inspired them. A jukebox feature allows viewers to create their own playlists of songs from the film. The original trailer is also included.

 
-------------------

Buy it at the WBShop.com

Own "BLU-RAY MUSICALS COLLECTION" on March 3rd. KISS ME KATE, CALAMITY JANE, and THE BAND WAGON will also be available as singles.

KISS ME KATE is presented here in both 3D and 2D versions. This is the Blu-ray debut of THE BAND WAGON and CALAMITY JANE.

(Images used in review are not taken from the Blu-ray discs)
 

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Monday, February 23, 2015

ECHOES Arrives April 15th on Blu-ray and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment



Can the desert summon the dead?

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS THE FESTIVAL SENSATION

"ECHOES"

Awakening to Blu-ray™ and DVD April 15


BEVERLY HILLS, CA – An official selection of the New York City International Film Festival and FilmQuest Film Festival, winning Best Actress, Best Screenplay and Best Director honors, the highly anticipated supernatural thriller Echoes arrives on Blu-ray™ and DVD April 15th from Anchor Bay Entertainment. The feature directorial debut of Nils Timm (who also wrote the screenplay), Echoes explores the murky realm between reality and dreams, and what could happen when these worlds collide. With a stellar cast including Steven Brand ("Teen Wolf," The Scorpion King), Kate French (Channeling, "Gossip Girl," "One Tree Hill"), Billy Wirth ("Chicago P.D.", The Lost Boys) and Steve Hanks (12/12/12, Hold Your Breath), Echoes will have viewers guessing until the final fade-out! SRP is $26.99 for the Blu-ray™ and $22.98 for the DVD, with pre-book on March 11th.

Struggling with horrifying, sleep-paralysis induced visions, Anna (French), a young writer, retreats with her boyfriend (Brand) to an isolated yet beautiful glass house in the desert. Hoping that the desert vistas surrounding her will spur her creative juices, she welcomes the opportunity to stay behind when her boyfriend must return to the city for urgent business.

However, Anna’s sleep paralysis does not abate, despite the calming environment. And now, her attacks are accompanied by a mysterious figure, caked with dirt as if it was made of sand itself. As the visions intensify, she finds herself on the verge of losing her mind...or is she being lead to uncover a life-threatening secret?

About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a leading home entertainment company. Anchor Bay acquires and distributes feature films, original television programming including STARZ Original series, children's entertainment, anime (Manga Entertainment), fitness (Anchor Bay Fitness), sports, and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray™ formats. The company has long term distribution agreements in place for select programming with AMC Networks, RADiUS, and The Weinstein Company. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Anchor Bay Entertainment (www.anchorbayentertainment.com) is a Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) business, www.starz.com.

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ECHOES Blu-ray™
Street Date: April 15, 2015
Pre-book: March 11, 2015
Cat. #: BD62841
UPC: 0 1313 262841-7
Run Time: 88 minutes
Rating: Unrated
SRP: $26.99
Format: Widescreen (2.40:1) 1080p
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

ECHOES DVD
Street Date: April 15, 2015
Pre-book: March 11, 2015
Cat. #: DV62815
UPC: 0 1313 628815-8
Run Time: 88 minutes
Rating: Unrated
SRP: $22.98
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.40:1)
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

Buy it at Amazon.com:
Blu-ray
DVD
 



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Movies and More TV--This Week's Free Online Features



This week's features:

Criminals and conflict resonate in this week's four features. And bringing the dramas to life, intriguing performances by actors including a young Alec Baldwin, Warren Oates, Yvette Mimieux, and Christopher Walken.


Check Today's Attractions on Moviesandmore.tv for dates and times (ET) for these features as well as for all the great free movies on Moviesandmore.tv.

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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Horror Film "OLD 37" To Premiere at HorrorHound Film Festival



Horror Film "OLD 37" To Premiere at HorrorHound Film Festival

Starring Actors Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Brandi Cyrus

Music from The Used, Circa Survive, Sheppard, Night Riots + more

February 18, 2015 - OLD 37, a psychological slasher about two brothers posing as paramedics who intercept 911 calls in a retired old ambulance, will be premiering at HorrorHound Film Festival this year in Cincinnati, Ohio! The screening will be held on Saturday, March 21st, at 8PM.

In addition, OLD 37 writer and producer Paul Travers will be speaking on a panel alongside four other indie filmmakers prior to the screening. This Q&A style panel will take place from 11AM to 12PM on Saturday, March 21st. For more information regarding HorrorHound Weekend, including purchasing tickets, visit www.horrorhoundweekend.com.

Regarding the premiere, HorrorHound Film Festival Director Jason Hignite stated, "HorrorHound is honored to be bringing the world premiere of OLD 37 to horror fans. The anticipation for this film has people salivating. We are excited to be presenting the madness that only Moseley and Hodder can deliver!"

Writer and Producer Paul Travers shared, "We are beyond excited to unleash OLD 37 on Horror Hounds 25k horror maniacs. We feel that this is the best possible venue to give a first look at the film that has taken so many years, blood sweat and tears to get finished. We will be forever grateful for the HH team for welcoming us to the festival."

Fast paced and blood soaked, OLD 37 taps into the most basic human fear, vulnerability. The words "don't worry I'm a paramedic" will make you think twice before dialing 9-1-1, similar to what Jaws did with people going into the water. For more information on OLD 37, please visit www.OLD37TheMovie.com.

The film stars Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th, Hatchet) and Bill Moseley (The Devil's Rejects, House of 1000 Corpses) as twisted brothers working together to exact revenge on some careless teen drivers.

Already featured by Fangoria, MTV, The Insider, J14 Magazine, DreadCentral, BloodyDisgusting, Hamptons Patch and more, the star cast includes Brandi Cyrus, (Hannah Montana, Zoey 101), Caitlin Harris (Secret Life of the American Teenager), Olivia Alexander (Attack of the 50ft Cheerleader, Killer Eye), Maxwell Zagorski, Maggie Keane Williams (Audition), Ben Schneider, Mindy White (States, Lydia), Sascha Knopf (Shallow Hal, Expiration Date) and more.

OLD 37 features a performance from Aria nominated Australian rock band, Sheppard. The band, which performs live in a party scene in the film, also has 4 songs featured on the soundtrack. Each song is off their new debut full length Bombs Away, which premiered at #2 on the ARIA Charts and is certified gold. Sheppard recently signed with manager Scooter Braun (Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande), got signed to Universal Republic, and have played on ELLEN and Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. They have upcoming performances on The Today Show and Kelly + Michael. They currently have over 20 million streams on Spotify, putting them in the top 50 most played artists.

Other musicians featured on the OLD 37 soundtrack include The Used, Circa Survive, Night Riots, States, Death On Two Wheels, Survival Guide, DariusTX, and Emii.

Written and produced by Paul Travers with producing partners, Carrie Alton, Evan Greenhill, Dayna Ghiraldi, music composed by Darius Holbert (Hobo With A Shotgun, World's Greatest Dad, Cedar Rapids) and executive produced by Steven Beer, this team is ready to bring the scares. Many of the scares will be provided by Brian Spears and Pete Gerner (We Are What We Are, Late Phases, VHS), who are doing the FX.

For more information on OLD 37, please visit:

Website: www.Old37TheMovie.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/OLD37themovie

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/OLD37MOVIE


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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

YouTube Celebrity, Yung Lee, Joins "VOYAGER"



Legendary YouTuber Joins the VOYAGER Team!

The VOYAGER expedition is one month away from blasting off, and the crew is starting to come together. In fact, the LEGENDARY YouTube star Yung Lee, creator of the YouTube channel GakAttack as well as a regular contributor to RocketJump, has joined the team as a creative executive. Yung will bring his sci-fi action expertise to VOYAGER, and we can't be more excited.


Are you familiar with Yung's work? Do you want to contribute to one of his upcoming GakAttack videos or work with him on VOYAGER? Please comment on our social media below and join the team!

We can't wait to work with you!

The VOYAGER Team

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Copyright © 2015 Who You Know, LLC, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
7080 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90208


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RiffTrax’s Sharknado - One Week Vimeo Exclusive Starting Today



RiffTrax’s ‘Sharknado’ Available on Vimeo On Demand Today

Experience the cult favorite film hilariously narrated live onstage

NEW YORK, February 17, 2015 – Vimeo released the hilarious RiffTrax Sharknado today for an exclusive one week run (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/sharknado).

The stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 riff the social media phenomenon Sharknado in Sharknado: RiffTrax Live. Join Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett live and onstage at the historic State Theater in Minneapolis as they provide their hilarious commentary to The Asylum’s original shark-filled worldwide sensation in front of a nationwide audience. RiffTrax Live offers non-stop laughs and also includes a live riff of the classic short – A Case of Spring Fever.

ABOUT VIMEO
 
Vimeo® is the high-quality video platform for creators and their audiences. Vimeo’s mission is to empower and inspire people around the world to create, share, and discover videos. Vimeo enables creators to sell original films and series worldwide through Vimeo On Demand, its open self-distribution platform. Vimeo has more than 30 million registered members and reaches a global monthly audience of over 170 million people. Founded in 2004 and based in New York City, Vimeo, LLC is an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI).


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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

KUMIKO Finds Fargo...At Last!



(Fargo, ND | February 17, 2015) The Fargo Film Festival is proud to announce the regional premiere of the critically acclaimed new feature KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER. The film will screen at 3:30pm on Saturday, March 7th at the Fargo Theatre.

After premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival where it was received a Special Jury Prize, KUMIKO went on to receive two Independent Spirit Award nominations (Best Director, David Zellner and Best Female Lead, Rinko Kikuchi).

Fargo audiences have this unique opportunity to see KUMIKO before its national theatrical release throughout March and April. Tickets go on sale February 23rd at the Fargo Theatre box office.

KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER will be released theatrically via Amplify Releasing on March 18th.

Synopsis

In this darkly comedic odyssey, Academy Award nominee Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, Pacific Rim) stars as Kumiko, an introverted office worker whose imagination transcends the confines of her mundane life. Kumiko becomes obsessed with a mysterious, battered VHS tape of the Coen Brothers’ movie Fargo, which she mistakes for a documentary. She fixates on a scene where a suitcase of stolen cash is buried in the desolate, frozen landscape of North Dakota. Believing this treasure to be real, Kumiko leaves behind Tokyo and her beloved rabbit Bunzo to recover it – and finds herself on a dangerous adventure unlike anything she’s seen in the movies.


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Monday, February 16, 2015

Movies and More TV--This Week's Free Online Features




This week's features:

An Academy Award is the highest accolade one can achieve in the film industry. But not every great film can be a winner. So this week, we present three terrific nominations and one film that took home an historic four golden Oscar statuettes.


Check Today's Attractions on Moviesandmore.tv for dates and times (ET) for these features as well as for all the great free movies on Moviesandmore.tv.

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Friday, February 13, 2015

"FEAR CLINIC" Thomas Dekker DVD Signing at Dark Delicacies on Tuesday, February 17th



FEAR CLINIC Star Thomas Dekker In-Store DVD Signing at Dark Delicacies Bookstore in Burbank!

WHAT: Come meet FEAR CLINIC star Thomas Dekker ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," Laid to Rest, ChromeSkull: Laid To Rest 2) as he signs FEAR CLINIC DVDs Tuesday evening, February 17th, at Burbank’s legendary Dark Delicacies bookstore.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 17th, 2015, 7pm

WHERE: Dark Delicacies Bookstore

      3512 W. Magnolia Blvd.
      Burbank, CA 91505
      818-556-6660



DETAILS:

FEAR CLINIC is the latest excursion in terror from award-winning writer/director Robert Hall (Laid to Rest, ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2). When trauma-induced phobias begin to re-emerge in five survivors a year after their horrifying tragedy, they return to the "Fear Clinic," hoping to find the answers they need to get cured. Dr. Andover (Robert Englund), a fear doctor who runs the clinic, uses his Fear Chamber to animate their fears in the form of terrifying hallucinations. However, the good doctor soon begins to suspect that something more sinister may be at work, something that yearns to be more than just a hallucination...

FEAR CLINIC is available on DVD and On-Demand from Anchor Bay Entertainment.

NOTE: FANS MUST PURCHASE FEAR CLINIC DVDs AT DARK DELICACIES FOR SIGNING. ADDITIONAL ITEMS WILL BE SIGNED AT CELEBRITY’S DISCRETION.

Read our review of FEAR CLINIC




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"True Romance" Fest -- Celebrating the Classic Film by Tony Scott and Quentin Tarantino



Sean Healy Presents & Dan Storm Productions Present…

Second Annual True Romance Fest Will Return To The Safari Inn in Burbank, Calif., May 1-2, 2015

VIP Hotel Packages ON SALE NOW at Ticketweb.com
Hosted by Bronson Pinchot

(LOS ANGELES) February 12, 2015 – True Romance Fest returns for another thrilling two-day, outdoor screening and party at the world-famous Safari Inn of Burbank, Calif., where parts of the movie were filmed.

The 2nd Annual Festival will take place on Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd. Twenty-one years after the unforgettable film True Romance, starring Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Brad Pitt, Dennis Hopper and James Gandolfini, hit theaters, the film’s very own Bronson Pinchot once again will host this exclusive overnight gathering for die-hard fans.

This unique event will celebrate the classic film, written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott. 

The weekend will begin on Friday, where VIP Hotel guests can enjoy a day at the pool followed by a kick-off party with cast and crew and a night of karaoke, True Romance style! Saturday morning will feature a meet & greet and breakfast with actors Bronson Pinchot (Elliot) and Paul Bates (Marty), and will culminate with an outdoor sunset screening of the cult classic, True Romance.

Guests can enjoy a host of activities including live music, a pop-up art show, photo booth, as well as a display of original movie props. There will also be a DJ and an array of vendors on hand. Additional special guests will be announced soon. A portion of the proceeds will go to Patricia Arquette's charity, GIVELOVE.org

 
 
Hotel VIP packages are on sale now, with individual screening tickets available at a later date. To purchase tickets visit www.ticketweb.com.

Who says Romance is dead? For more info, please visit our website/instagram/facebook: trueromancefest

 

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

THE CHAIR: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON -- DVD Review by Porfle



The prospect of watching another reality TV show, this time about young filmmakers directing their first feature, didn't really do anything for me. That is, until I started watching it. About a minute later, when the premise fully clicked in my brain, I was instantly hooked.

THE CHAIR: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON is one of those scintillating "what ifs" that really piques my curiosity--namely, what would happen if two first-time directors were given the exact same screenplay and budget (less than one million dollars) and then let loose in the wild to shoot their own seperate, individual movies? Movies that would then be voted upon by an audience, with the winning director receiving $250,000 along with whatever industry cred might come with it? Just the thought of this had visions of "omigod, this is so cool" dancing around in my fevered brain.

Created by elite Hollywood producer Chris Moore (GOOD WILL HUNTING, AMERICAN PIE) and co-executive produced by Zachary Quinto (STAR TREK, "Heroes"), Josh Shader (AMERICAN WEDDING), and Corey Moosa (MARGIN CALL), the show gives those of us interested in the day-to-day details of independent filmmaking a truly in-depth look behind the scenes. (Needless to say, those NOT interested in such things will most likely find the series rather dull.)


The script they're given is a funny but fairly unassuming romantic comedy by writer Dan Schoffer. There's enough to it to be challenging but hopefully not get either novice filmmaker into too much trouble.

This irresistible premise is, for the most part, fulfilled in continuously interesting and watchable ways, only occasionally running out of steam here and there. The icing on the cake is that after the ten episodes of the series are done, discs four and five of the DVD set contain the actual movies themselves. It's truly fascinating to watch the end results of all that has gone before and judge for ourselves which "contestant" had a better grasp of what they were doing during the whole chaotic process.

But first, we meet the newbie directors in question--Shane Dawson, an inconoclastic YouTube star whose lowbrow comedy videos are watched by over a million loyal (mostly female teens) subscribers, and Anna Martemucci, a more serious-minded actress-writer-producer whose credits include the film "Breakup at a Wedding" and numerous short subjects in conjunction with her husband Victor Quinaz and his brother, Phil.


Shane, a bundle of nervous energy with a Justin Bieber haircut, is the more boisterous and outgoing of the two because he's more comfortable in front of the camera. He's used to taping himself all the time so his "video diary" segments are as much a performance as a record of his daily thoughts and feelings.

Shane is eager to perform for the camera to the point of casting himself as the lead in his own movie. He's itching to roll film and create instant gut-level entertainment without hovering contemplatively over a keyboard for hours or conceding to any constructive input or criticism from others. (This includes his trusted and very loyal producer Lauren, who, before it's all over, will seemingly feel alienated by his petulant and accusatory behavior as his self-confidence begins to erode.)

Anna, on the other hand, is much more introspective and literary, interested at first mainly in extensively rewriting the script than focusing on physical details. Her diary segments tend to be contemplative, melancholy, and occasionally a bit self-pitying (as Shane's will also eventually become). She sees herself as a role model for young girls and, perhaps because of Shane's existing fanbase, considers herself the "underdog" of the competition.


We get an idea of how things are going to go when, right off the bat, they each take a sledgehammer to the script and start reshaping it in their own images. It's clear Anna's going for a warm, emotional dramedy that's straight from the heart, while Shane intends to dive headfirst into the muckiest end of the comedy pool. Obviously, these are going to be two wildly divergent films that will scarcely resemble each other.

The producers assert their influence in ways that make the two directors feel crowded, especially when Quinto suggests that Shane tone down the grossness of his script when he, in fact, wants to dial it up beyond the level of SUPERBAD or AMERICAN PIE. This will lead to a surprising and somewhat shocking move by Quinto in a later episode. Anna, meanwhile, raises concerns with her tendency toward perfectionism and spending too much time and money on details while neglecting the big picture.

How will each of these directors run their movie sets? Each has their primadonna moments, sometimes tending to be a bit childish and even bratty when not getting their own way. The suspense over how smooth or how calamitous things will go builds until that first day of shooting begins. This is when THE CHAIR really takes off and both Shane and Anna show their true colors.


It's not only an opportunity to witness independent filmmaking in action every tenuous step of the way, but to watch it being done by total novices who are flying by the seat of their pants. As producer Chris Moore puts it in one episode, it's fascinating because we get to see two very different directors making completely different decisions in order to solve the same problems.

The five-disc set from Anchor Bay and Starz is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and subtitles in English and Spanish. There are no actual extras, although I consider the two finished films--Shane's NOT COOL and Anna's HOLLIDAYSBURG--to be bonuses in themselves because it's such a rare treat to be able to see the final results of all that has gone before and evaluate them on our own.

Which novice director made the most of his or her silver-platter opportunity to create a worthwhile and watchable film? To be honest, THE CHAIR: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON didn't turn out the way I thought it would, and I even found myself disagreeing with the chosen winner once I'd seen both movies. But that's just one of the things that makes the series compelling and, for me, addictive.

Buy it at Amazon.com

Read our review of NOT COOL
Read our review of HOLLIDAYSBURG


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