DVD Collectors Online

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, a review by Tom

Title: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Year: 1997
Director: Jay Roach
Rating: 15
Length: 91 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Mike Myers
Elizabeth Hurley
Mike Myers
Michael York
Mimi Rogers

Plot:
Follow 60s' hipster, Austin Powers (Mike Myers - Wayne's World), the suave shag-monster spy and his gorgeous sidekick Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley) in their hilarious battle of wits to save the world from old arch-enemy, Dr. Evil. Featuring cameo appearances from many famous faces including Mimi Rogers, Robert Wagner, Michael York and Burt Bacharach. You can't help but dig this film, baby!

Extras:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Production Notes
Scene Access
Special Cameo Menu
Trailers

Because of our James Bond marathon I had the urge to watch the Austin Powers films as I was constantly reminded of characters and scenes in Austin Powers while watching the early Bonds.
Actually, it is only the second time I will watch most of the Bond movies during this Bond marathon, especially the early Bonds. This is why I am more reminded of Austin Powers while watching those Bonds than the other way around.
I always thought that the hairy chest of Austin is a general reference to the fact that these were considered sexy in the past. But now I realize, that it is a full-on parody of Connery as Bond, who seems to use every opportunity to prance around with his hairy chest like Austin does in his movies

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on February 17th, 2009)

Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, a review by Tom

Title: Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
Year: 1977
Director: George Lucas
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 120 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Surround EX , German: Dolby Digital Surround EX , Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: Commentary, English, German, Turkish

Stars:
Mark Hamill
Harrison Ford
Carrie Fisher
Peter Cushing
Alec Guinness


Extras:
Commentary
DVD-ROM Content
Scene Access
THX certified

The original trilogy is always a pleasure to watch. This first movie has had great impact on popular culture and that deservingly so. It still holds up even 30 years later.
By the way: I have been to the Mos Eisley set in Tunisia

Rating:

Now some remarks to the changes done for the 1997 and 2004 re-releases. Although I am opposed in general to changes done many years later to old movies, I can still enjoy them sometimes. I have mixed feelings about the Star Wars changes. On one hand I enjoy some, on the other hand I loath some of them. Especially those which are done only to match better with the inferior prequel trilogy.

Changes I enjoy:
- Replaced static dewbacks in the background with moving CGI dewbacks.
- blur under the landspeeder removed
- Improved take-off of the Falcon in the Mos Eisley docks
- improved Death Star docking bay
- changed writing on the Death Star tractor beam control
- added sound effect when the stormtrooper hits his head. I like it, that they did not try to get rid of this blooper
- Improved corridor depth perception over the original matte paintings
- improved take off of the Rebel fighters


Changes I can tolarate:
- New exterior of Ben's hut
- CGI Jabba scene. Although not quite the Jaba we know from Return of the Jedi, it is interesting to see, how they integrated a previously deleted scene, which was shot with a human Jabba at the time. Also the 2004 version improves the texture of Jabba.
- Greedo and Han shoot simultanously. Although I like it better, when Han shots first, we have now a compromise between what George Lucas wants and what the fans want.
- Han Solo chasing stormtroopers does not result in a dead-end with few stormtroopers

Changes I hate:
- Additional dewbacks in the scene where the storm troopers search for the droids
- additional joke characters added in the Mos Eisley arrival scene
- Not as much as hate, but I enjoyed the original explosions of Alderaan and the Death Star more, than the new ones with the "Praxis" effect.
- Unnecessary change of the sound Ben Kenobi makes to chase the sand people away

Overall, the changes for the first movie do not offend as much as the ones for the other movies (especially the third).

(From Tom's Star Wars marathon on December 7th, 2008)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

Chef - Series 1

Personnel
Gareth Blackstock is the executive chef at Le Chateau Anglais, and he is infuriated when management cuts his budget. He is one up on the budget when Everton shows up and volunteers his service as a chef for no compensation in order that he can train in the most famous kitchen in England.



Meet Britain's finest -- and most ill-tempered -- chef, Gareth Blackstock (Lenny Henry), of the prestigious Le Chateau Anglais restaurant. Each meal is a masterpiece. Just don't ask for salt. Chef Blackstock rules his kitchen with an iron ladle and puts up with no slacking. Tuck in and prepare to double over in laughter with this hilarious and much loved comedy series from the BBC!

British comedy at its most lazy and worst. Canned laughter was essential, as there was nothing that even made me titter. Lenny Henry lost his comedy skills after Tiswas, and his character in this, obviously based on a black Gordon Ramsey, is simply pathetic. The remainder of the cast are a hodge-podge of familiar character actors, and all look totally bored and uninterested in this dire pilot show.
Ebay here we come.
 


(From My PILOT Marathon on September 23rd, 2009)