DVD Collectors Online

Zoolander, a review by snowcat

Review

Funny man Ben Stiller stars as Derrick Zoolander, dim-witted male model who has been brainwashed, The film is based on a series of skits originally created for the VH1 Fashion Award.


(From Emmas Alphabet Marathon Reviews on July 1st, 2010)

The House of Exorcism, a review by Achim

Title: La Casa dell'esorcismo
Year: 1973
Director: Lisa and the Devil, Mario Bava, The House of Exorcism, Alfredo Leone [Mickey Lion]
Rating: NR
Length: 187 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Lisa and the Devil
Telly Savalas
Elke Sommer
Silva Koscina
Alessio Orano

Plot:
Two years after the commercial disaster of LISA AND THE DEVIL, producer Alfredo Leone made the decision to salvage the film by shooting an all-new possession plot to cash in on the success of THE EXORCIST. The re-cut gratuitous grindhouse-style film -- starring a now bile-spewing Elke Sommer and former Hollywood leading man Robert Alda -- was retitled THE HOUSE OF EXORCISM and would become an international box-office hit.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Trailers
Radio Spot



On the bright side, the overly confusing plot of Lisa and the Devil (my review) is streamlined a bit by removing some of the boring bits (but unfortunately also the ending) and making it something that goes on in the obsessed girl's mind. While at the same time the plot is dumbed down, removing any necessity for the viewer to interpret the things on screen themselves.

Where the good intention to make the rather surreal original into something more accessible for a broader audience terribly fails is the choice of frame work: A badly executed carbon copy of the The Exorcist must go wrong. The only good thing here is, that Elke Sommer's over-acting skills fit right in

I would suggest this film as an example how an entire film can be changed by adding a few bits, redubbing some scenes and some edits, but it had been done before and since, even by Woody Allen!



(From Mario Bava marathon on July 21st, 2009)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Ally McBeal



What's the show about?
Ally McBeal is a lawyer and works at the Boston law firm "Cage, Fish and Associates". This firm represents clients in the most unusual cases. Additionally Ally works there with her former lover Billy who is married to another lawyer of that firm.

"Pilot"
Ally gets fired because a co-lawyer of her's makes sexual advances towards her but doesn't get fired because he is higher in the hierarchy. But then she meets Richard Fish with whom she has studied at Harvard and he offers her a job at his newly-found law firm. And Ally sues her former employer...

My Opinion
The series is from the same author as "Boston Legal" (David E. Kelley). In both shows funny and/or absurd cases are brought to court. I love funny lawsuits since the days of "Night Court".

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on January 5th, 2008)