DVD Collectors Online

Cyrano de Bergerac, a review by addicted2comics

The Plot: The charismatic swordsman-poet helps another woo the woman he loves in this straightforward version of the play.

My Thoughts: I just finished this movie from English class, and let me say I've thoroughly enjoyed it. The effects are....somewhat cheesy at times, but the action, romance, the war, the emotion behind being an outcast......the twist at the end really gets you. (Unless of coarse you've already read the play.) Cyrano is a solid 5 out of 5.

(From Addicted2comics(:P)'s Official Review Thread!!! on April 8th, 2010)

Ghost Ship, a review by Jon

GHOST SHIP
3 out of 5

This is the closest so far a Val Lewton production could be described as rubbish. Yet it's still watchable and still gets under the skin. Full marks for atmosphere too. You can't go wrong with a ship; there's nowhere to run for starters, then add the darkness and the fog, plus a couple of dodgy characters. And when one of them is the captain, you're really stuffed!

I'd have been more disappointed if I'd watched this first, but by now I've learned that just because it's called "Ghost Ship" doesn't mean I'm necessarily going to see ghosts! No, these are Lewton ghosts. Emotional demons preying on sanity. A new third officer believes his captain's demons have driven him to murder. But he's such a nice chap no-one believes he could have. Undaunted, after a bit of Crimson Tide style tension, they dock and the officer reports the charges officially. Of course they fail to stick and he loses his job. He's off the boat.

And this, despite being in overall the weakest entry so far, is one of the most brilliant plot points. They build up all the tension on the lonely ship, with
danger and suspicion around every corner and then let the viewer off by getting to dock safely. But then though a misunderstanding, he gets trapped back on the boat! He's now a civilian, with a crew that openly hates him and a captain trying to kill him! Bloody genius.

Sadly, this doesn't extend to the rather stilted production overall. Everything just seems more obvious and lazy than before, which is a shame. The very last shot is a case in point: two characters meet and have a conversation, but we only see it via there shadows. Maybe I'm thick and I've missed something brilliantly insightful. I hope so, but quite frankly, it just looked a bit shit to me. Overall it does work though and there are some great moments, like a knife fight and a death by chain. Plus Sir Lancelot is in it again! I haven't mentioned him before. He's a West Indies actor who played a Calypso Singer in I Walked With a Zombie and ended up singing in both this and Curse of the Cat People as well.

(From Val Lewton Horror Marathon on October 5th, 2008)

Caroline in the City Marathon, a review by Tom

Caroline and the Bad Date (1996-02-15)
Writer: Dottie Dartland, Bill Prady
Director: Tom Cherones
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Dan Cortese (Scott), Tom La Grua (Remo), Colleen McDermott (Barbara), Fred Stoller (Mugger)

Del and Caroline get back together and he pops the question.


Caroline and the Proposal (1996-02-22)
Writer: Fred Barron, Marco Pennette, Ian Praiser
Director: James Burrows
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Sharon Lawrence (Maddie), Tom La Grua (Remo), Cathy Ladman (Woman in Elevator), Joe Ochman (Mailman)

First appearance of sarcastic elevator lady
I didn't even remember that Caroline and Richard were so close to getting together this early in the series. But of course circumstances and little courage put a stop to it.
Caroline accepts Del's marriage proposal instead.



This finishs off the second disc. One disc to go.

(From Caroline in the City Marathon on September 16th, 2008)