DVD Collectors Online

Bar 20 Rides Again, a review by Rogmeister

Bar 20 Rides Again (Part of a double-feature DVD that includes "Hopalong Cassidy", the first film in the series)
Cast: William Boyd, Jimmy Ellison, George "Gabby" Hayes, Harry Worth, Jean Rouveral, Al St. John, Paul Fix
Director: Howard Bretherton   Camera: Archie Stout  Year of Release: 1935

Plot: Hoppy gets a letter from a friend (and the father of a girl Johnny has seen) telling him he is having rustling problems...and not to tell Johnny since his daughter Margaret is now seeing someoone else.  Hoppy reveals to Johnny part of the message (about Margaret, not the rustling) and the impetuous Johnny (Jimmy Ellison) takes off for the ranch ahead of Hoppy.   It turns out that the man Margaret is seeing is secretly the mastermind behind the rustling and someone who sees himself as a Western Napoleon...he even has Napoleon's personal snuff box.  Hoppy disguises himself as a gambler and infiltrates the rustler's band of outlaws while also befriending a prospector named Windy (Gabby Hayes).  It all eventually comes to a head ahd Hoppy, with the aid of his Bar 20 riders, once again emerges victorious.

I enjoyed this film a lot...of course, you have to be in a "Hoppy" mood to watch such a film.  Luckily for those of us who aren't into singing cowboys, there's only one short number (Johnny serenading Margaret) and lots of action, well-shot by Archie Stout who would eventually go on to "A" pictures (for instance, he was one of the photographers for The Quiet Man).  Gabby Hayes had appeared in the first two Hoppy films as different characters, getting killed in both films, but in this film he first played Windy and survived to aid Hoppy in several future films.  The Hoppy films are fun to watch with Hopalong having a great sense of humor and Johnny being a hothead who usually rushes headlong into action without thinking.  A good film for the kid in all of us. 

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on September 7th, 2009)

It Happened One Night, a review by Antares

It Happened One Night





Year: 1934
Film Studio: Columbia Pictures
Genre: Romance, Classic, Comedy
Length: 105 Min.

Director
Frank Capra (1897)

Writing
Robert Riskin (1897)...Screenplay
Samuel Hopkins Adams (1871)...Short Story

Producer
Frank Capra (1897)

Cinematographer
Joseph Walker (1892)

Music
Howard Jackson (1900)...Composer

Stars
Clark Gable (1901) as Peter
Claudette Colbert (1903) as Ellie
Walter Connolly (1887) as Andrews
Roscoe Karns (1891) as Shapeley
Jameson Thomas (1888) as Westley
Alan Hale (1892) as Danker
Arthur Hoyt (1873) as Zeke
Blanche Friderici (1878) as Zeke's Wife

Review
       The first, and in my opinion, the best It Happened One NightIt Happened One Night also took home statues for Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Actor. Although nominated many times in succeeding years, this would be the only time Mr. Gable would win in his thirty-plus year career.

        One interesting bit of trivia, Friz Freleng, the animation director at Warner Bros., based the character of Bugs Bunny on Gables wise-cracking, carrot chomping Peter Warne.


Ratings Criterion
5 Stars - The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.


(From It Happened One Night (1934) on December 8th, 2009)

Angel Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

19. Time Bomb
Original Air Date: 4/28/2004
Although Illyria rescues Gunn, Angel realizes she must be killed after her body begins a deadly physical breakdown which could unleash enough power to destroy the world.

Guest Stars:
Jaime Bergman
Jeff Yagher
Adam Baldwin

My Thoughts:
I loved how this one began... I really got a kick out of how Illyria saved Gunn from the Hell Dimension. But over-all while a decent episode... it is not one I cared too much for.

My Rating:

(From Angel Marathon on March 24th, 2010)