DVD Collectors Online

Freaky Friday (1976), a review by addicted2dvd

Freaky Friday (1976/United States) Buena Vista Home Entertainment Director: Gary Nelson Writing: Mary Rodgers (Screenwriter), Mary Rodgers (Original Material By) Length: 98 min. Rating: G Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish

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Stars:
Barbara Harris as Mrs. Andrews
Jodie Foster as Annabel
John Astin as Mr. Andrews
Patsy Kelly as Mrs. Schmauss
Dick Van Patten as Harold Jennings
Vicki Schreck as Virginia

Plot:
Now experience all the laughs of the original comedy classic that inspired Disney's hilarious hit remake. Trading places was never so funny, and it could only happen on Friday the 13th! that's when the tomboyish and free-spirited Annabel (Jodie Foster) switches bodies with her straitlaced mother, Ellen (Barbara Harris), and suddenly finds herself responsible for running the entire household. In turn Ellen, now in her daughter's body, faces the daunting challenges of school, including a typing test, field hockey competition, and much more!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Interactive Games
• Closed Captioned

This movie is just plain fun! I got several chuckles out of it. I really enjoyed the field Hockey game I got a few laughs out of those scenes. The Baseball game in the park was pretty fun as well. Then there was the last scene of the movie... and once again I couldn't help but to laugh at it. There were a few familiar faces in this one... other then what I listed above there was the guy that played Arnold in Happy Days... as well as Marvin Kaplan who I have seen in several TV Series of the time. and then there is Sorrell Brooke as the principle... who was of course Boss Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard. I am the first to admit that I enjoyed the remake of Freaky Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan... but I have to say... I prefer this one!

The DVD itself isn't bad... but it could have been much better. Both the audio and video are just fine... but when it comes to extras it leaves a bit to be desired. There is one game you can play... which is a match game. Very simple and very boring once you play it once or twice. But the "Look Back" with Jodie Foster was pretty cool. She don't only look back on Freaky Friday... but all the movies she did for Disney. I did enjoy watching it. And that is all the movie related extras you get. The only other thing on the disc is the "also from Disney" trailers.





(From TV Stars in the Movies: On-Going Mega Marathon on September 5th, 2011)

The Black Orchid, a review by James

Title: The Black Orchid
Year: 1959
Director: Martin Ritt
Rating: NR
Length: 94 Min.
Media Type: DVD
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Sophia Loren
Anthony Quinn
Peter Mark Richman [Mark Richman]
Virginia Vincent
Frank Puglia

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access
Closed Captioned


It seems to me that Paramount has dressed up this DVD package to try to sell it as something it isn't. The color cover is beautiful, but this is a black and white film. The back cover has pictures of the actors laughing and the overview calls it a comedy romance, but it's a serious romantic melodrama. It's a straight 1950's melodrama.

There's nothing wrong with a black and white romantic melodrama. I happen to love them. But don't be fooled by that gorgeous color cover.

Sophia Loren is a widow and Anthony Quinn is a widower. There's discussion that both of their deceased spouses had undesirable qualities, but in that era, it didn't fly to match up divorcees. The previous spouses needed to be good and dead for romance to bloom anew.

Anthony Quinn was hot off winning his second Oscar when this was filmed. Sophis Loren would win hers shortly after. The writer would soon pen Pscyho! And the director, Martin Ritt, was one of the most underrated directors, certainly a favorite of mine (The Long Hot Summer, Hud, Sounder, Norma Rae).

If you like the 1950's style melodrama, you'll enjoy the film. The transfer is fine and I think we're fortunate to have an anamorphic widescreen version of a film that isn't exactly a money-maker.

6 on the cellophane scale.



(From The Viewage of James aka m.cellophane on January 7th, 2008)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Saturday Night Live: Season One (1975/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Universal Studios Home Entertainment (United States) Length: 1594 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

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Plot:
Nicknamed the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players," the original cast of Saturday Night Live ignited a comedy revolution with their mix of irreverent characters and satirical impressions of political figures and pop culture icons.

From the premiere of this groundbreaking sketch comedy show on October 11, 1975, live from historical Studio 8H in New York City's Rockefeller Center, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner launched themselves into instant stardom and were often referred to as "The Beatles of Comedy."

Created by Lorne Michaels over three decades ago, few other shows have had the cultural impact and relevance of Saturday Night Live.

Nowhere else can you see the complete first season of SNL, featuring hosts George Carlin, Rob Reiner, Lily Tomlin, Richard Pryor, Elliott Gould, Candace Bergen, or original musical performances by Simon & Garfunkel, ABBA, Patti Smith, Jimmy Cliff, and Carly Simon. And if you're curious as to how the original cast was hired, check out the DVD bonus features that include the screen tests of each performer.


Saturday Night Live
1.01 10/11/1975 (1975-10-11)
Writer: Anne 'Bud' Beatts (Writer), Chevy 'Bud' Chase (Writer), Al 'Bud' Franken (Writer), Tom 'Bud' Davis (Writer), Lorne 'Bud' Michaels (Writer), Rosie 'Bud' Michaels (Writer), Garrett 'Bud' Morris (Writer), Michael 'Bud' O'Donoghue (Writer), Herb 'Bud' Sargent (Writer), Tom 'Bud' Schiller (Writer), Alan 'Bud' Zweibel (Writer)
Director: Dave 'Bud' Wilson
Cast: George Carlin), Janis Ian), Billy Preston), Albert Brooks), Jim Henson's Muppets), Jane Curtin), Garrett Morris), Laraine Newman), Gilda Radner), Dan Aykroyd), John Belushi), Chevy Chase), George Coe), Michael O'Donoghue), Valri Bromfield), Andy Kaufman)

The first ever SNL show. George Carlin is the host here, with some hit and miss jokes. My favorite part of this episode is the now famous Mightly Mouse skit by Andy Kaufman.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on July 1st, 2012)