DVD Collectors Online

Little Shop of Horrors, a review by Danae Cassandra

Little Shop of Horrors
Year of Release: 1986
Directed By: Frank Oz
Starring: Levi Stubbs, Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Musical

Overview:
A comedy, a love story and a cult classic starring a giant singing plant from outer space — what else could it be but Little Shop of Horrors? The 1986 film has a surprisingly complex history; it began as a short story, then became a low-budget film, before turning into an Off-Broadway play, when finally Frank Oz and his team created this quirky, dark screen version. Many fans do not know that this adaptation originally had a far more sinister ending, which everyone can now see in the Director’s Cut of the film included in this special edition package.

My Thoughts:
What a great little fun film! It's the only musical I know that has a carnivorous plant bent on world propagation. The cast is great, and the tunes are so catchy - I've had "Feed Me" in the back of my mind since I first saw this film in the 80's.

Really recommend watching the director's cut instead of the theatrical release, and that cut makes it well worth the upgrade to blu-ray. The original ending is much, much better (and darker). Recommended for fans of musicals and monster movies everywhere.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

(From July Movie Marathon: Musicals (Yes... You read right!) on July 24th, 2016)

To The Last Man, a review by Rogmeister

To The Last Man (1933)
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Cast: Randolph Scott, Esther Ralston, Noah Beery, Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Barton MacLane

This is an early sound western and, like many westerns of the time, it is almost totally devoid of music except for the opening titles and a bit at the end.  The credits are unlike I've seen in any movie...they give the title of the music, wrier and director and all that but don't show the cast credits right away.  What they do is when each person makes his or her first appearance, then their credit is shown with them...thus, at 28 minutes into the movie when Randolph Scott finally appears, you finally get to see his name on screen.

The film is based on a Zane Grey story and deals with two feuding families who come from Kentucky and wind up the same region out west.  The Colbys, angered because the father spent 15 years in prison after the Hayden patriarch went to the law instead of the usual feuding alternative, go to work rustling all the Hayden livestock.  It's at this point that Lynn (Randolph Scott) comes home and he winds up falling for the daughter of the evil Colby (the daughter played by the fetching Esther Ralston).  While the film moves rapidly along (it's only about 70 minutes long), it has the old type western fights with lots of apparently sped-up action which seems even more odd with no accompanying music.  Also of note is that this movie features the film debut of Shirley Temple as one of the grandchildren of the Hayden patriarch.  It has an overall familiar cast and most, including Scott, do well for this 76 year old film.

This was a Paramount film but apparently the movie has fallen into the public domain as there are a lot of copies out there by different companies.  My own copy is from VCI Entertainment and it's a pretty decent copy...a nice sharp print with clear sound...but, as is usual with such cases, no extras to speak of. 

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on July 6th, 2009)

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete First Season marathon, a review by Tom

09. What He Beheld (2008-03-03)
Writer: Josh Friedman (Created By), Ian Goldberg (Writer), James Cameron (Original Characters By), Gale Anne Hurd (Original Characters By)
Director: Mike Rohl
Cast: Lena Headey (Sarah Connor), Thomas Dekker (John Connor), Summer Glau (Cameron), Richard T. Jones (Agent James Ellison), Garret Dillahunt (Cromartie), Catherine Dent (Agent Greta Simpson), Craig Fairbrass (Fake Sarkissian), Jesse Garcia (Carlos), James Urbaniak (Café Manager), Luis Chavez (Morris), Sabrina Perez (Chola), Ryan Kelley (Young Derek), Skyler Gisondo (Young Kyle), Brian Austin Green (Derek Reese), Dean Winters (Charley Dixon), Keith Pillow (Mr. Bianchi), Mark Bloom (FBI Evidence Clerk), Ramona Dubarry (Karen), Aldo Gonzalez (Cholo #1), Bailee Madison (Little Girl)

A good episode. I like the birthday present for John from Derek. Even though this episode wasn't supposed to be a season finale, I think it works quite well as such. We have a nice emotional scene (above mentioned birthday gift). And a big blow to the FBI agent's investigation (the "slaughtering" of all the FBI agents), with a hint that he will play an important role in the future in favor for the machines. And then the last scene where the car bomb with Cameron in it goes up (which she will probably walk away from with minor damage, I assume).

Rating:

(From Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete First Season marathon on January 28th, 2009)