DVD Collectors Online

El Dorado, a review by Antares

El Dorado (1966) 78/100 - Sometimes a film can be just like an old coat that you've worn for years and brings such warmth that you always feel comfortable when your wearing it. The Shootist is my favorite John Wayne movie, but El Dorado is the film that I return to at least three or four times a year. It's jut like that comfortable old coat, in that it always entertains me and never lets me down. But just as you spot little tears and loose seams in that coat over the course of time, with repeated viewings, you start to notice flaws you never saw before in cherished films. This time, I seemed like certain musical passages in the soundtrack sounded eerily like music I'd heard in Batman episodes on TV. And lo and behold, Nelson Riddle, who scored this film, also scored an episode of that program and the music for the Batman film made in 1966. There were a couple of moments when I was waiting for William Dozier to break in to the action with, "Meanwhile, back at the Penguin's secret hideout"... Something else I noticed this time too, is that Ed Asner is horribly miscast as Bart Jason, the money man behind the guns in the range war. Every time he was onscreen, he reminded me of George Costanza from Seinfeld. Another goof is having Bull say that he'll play Marchin' through Georgia on his bugle to warn Cole and J.P. about the three gunman their trying to apprehend at the mission. Bull is obviously from the deep South with his thick Arkansas accent, so he definitely would have fought for the Confederacy. And no southern rebel would be caught dead playing a Union song on a bugle. But even with these little ticks and tremors, I still love this film. I know that I'll return to it every few months or so, probably until the day I die. It's what a western should be. Good storytelling, mixed with just the right amount of action and of course, some great looking sixties eye candy, Michele Carey and Charlene Holt...Meow!!!

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on March 14th, 2015)

Merrily We Live, a review by Antares

Merrily We Live (1938) 68/100 - It has its moments, but the inconsistencies in the screenplay keep it from coming even close to classic status. The premise would work with a bit better timing by some of the actors. But it's worth it just to watch Clarence Kolb steal every scene he's in. The scene with the staircase is priceless as I thought for sure it was a stuntman standing in for Kolb. But in this one extended scene when he reaches the bottom of the stairs and turns around and you see its Kolb, you're amazed that a man his age, could pull off such a great bit of physical comedy. I'd only recommend this film for his performance, he shows some of the skills that made him such a successful vaudevillian comedian for close to 40 years, prior to his film career.

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on December 23rd, 2020)

Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon, a review by Tom

6.12 Doublemeat Palace
Writer: Joss Whedon (Created By), Jane Espenson (Writer), Joss Whedon (Writer)
Director: Nick Marck
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy Madison), Pat Crawford Brown (Old Lady), Brent Hinkley (Manny), Kirsten Nelson (Lorraine Ross), Kali Rocha (Halfrek), Douglas Bennett (Phillip), Marion Calvert (Gina), Kevin C. Carter (Mr. Typical), T. Ferguson (Gary), Victor Z. Isaac (Pimply Teen), John F. Kearney (Elderly Man), Sara LaWall (Housewife Type), Andrew Reville (Timothy)

An average episode with its moments. Though Willow with her withdrawal symptoms gets on my nerve.

Rating:



6.13 Dead Things
Writer: Joss Whedon (Created By), Steven S. DeKnight (Writer), Joss Whedon (Writer)
Director: James A. Contner
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Danny Strong (Jonathan Levinson), Adam Busch (Warren Meers), Tom Lenk (Andrew Wells), Amelinda Embry (Katrina Silber), Amber Benson (Tara Maclay), Bernard K. Addison (Cop #1), Marion Calvert (Gina), Eric Prescott (Cop #2), Rock Reiser (Desk Sergeant)

Okay, but nothing which really stands out for me. The Geek trio are getting themselves deeper into the "dark side" then they would have like (at least Andrew and Jonathan).

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on November 28th, 2010)