DVD Collectors Online

Blast from the Past, a review by DJ Doena

January, 3rd


Brendan Fraser    ...    Adam
Alicia Silverstone   ...    Eve
Christopher Walken   ...    Calvin
Sissy Spacek   ...    Helen
Dave Foley   ...    Troy
Nathan Fillion    ...    Cliff

Synopsis: During the cuba crisis Calvin Webber a rich but eccentric (doesn't this always come in the same package?) inventor locks himself and his pregnant wife in a fallout shelter because he thinks a nuclear war has broken out. They live there for 35 years with their son Adam until one day the locks unseal themselves.  Now Adam goes out to buy supplies in huge numbers and he's looking for a wife - no mutant and from Pasadena, if possible. But then he meets Eve.

My Opinion: I love this movie. It's so great to see Adam and his seemingly outdated manners to win Eve's heart (and the heart of nearly any woman in that movie for that matter). I have to admit I love romantic movies, the number of such movies in my collection is nearly twice as big as my science fiction movies. I can watch them until I'm totally overdosed.
Too bad that Alicia Silverstone isn't seen more often on screen. I can't describe it but she has something about her that I totally like.

(From DJ Doena's movie watchings 2009 on January 4th, 2009)

Strangers on a Train, a review by Tom

Title: Strangers on a Train
Year: 1951
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Rating: PG
Length: 97 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Mono, French: Dolby Digital Mono, Italian: Dolby Digital Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, English, French, Italian

Stars:
Farley Granger
Ruth Roman
Robert Walker
Leo G. Carroll
Patricia Hitchcock

Plot:
'STRANGERS ON A TRAIN', based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, quickly became one of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful thrillers and remains one of his most popular films. En route from Washington, D.C., champion tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger) meets pushy playboy Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker). What begins as a chance encounter turns into a series of morbid confrontations, as Bruno manipulates his way into Guy's life. Bruno is eager to kill his father and knows Guy wants to marry a senator's daughter (Ruth Roman) but cannot get a divorce from his wife, Miriam (Laura Elliot). So Bruno suggests the men swap murders, which would leave no traceable clues or possible motives. Though Guy refuses, it will not be so easy to rid himself of the psychopathic Bruno. The film is tightly paced and disturbing from beginning to end, an effect heightened by Hitchcock's inventive camera work, including a terrifying sequence shot through a pair of eyeglasses that have been knocked to the ground.

This picture quickly became one of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful thrillers and remains one of his most popular films. Undoubtedly one of his finest films, 'STRANGERS ON A TRAIN' transforms a highly improbable situation into a series of logical events that inexorably lead to murder. A psychopathic man plans what he thinks is an "exchange murder" with a stranger he meets on a train.

Extras:
Commentary
Featurettes
Preview & Final Release Versions; Vintage Newsreel
Scene Access
Trailers

An interesting premise which was often copied. But the movie itself was rather boring to me. And why are the murderers in Hitchcock movies always so stupid?

Rating:

(From Alfred Hitchcock Marathon on July 19th, 2009)

Tom's TV Finales marathon, a review by Tom

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The Brittas Empire: Series Seven (1996/United Kingdom) IMDb | Wikipedia (United Kingdom) Length: 232 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1 Subtitles: English

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Plot:
Gordon Brittas goes from strength to strength. Despite his failed endeavour, and despite the endeavours of both his staff and his wife to depose him, Whitbury Leisure Centre continues to thrive.

Brittas continues to dream up new schemes to promote and improve the centre including a bungee jump, sequential staff reviews and computerisation - all with the usual Brittas diplomacy, aplomb and mayhem. Julie, heavily pregnant, embraces the bungee jump whereas Tim tries everything he can to avoid it at all costs. Meanwhile Colin has several tons of elephant manure delivered in a bid to find his engagement ring, lost at the zoo. The ring holds the key to his future happiness with Mrs Harcourt.

Julie is enjoying armed police protection and the constant body searches begin to irritate Brittas; Helen however does not share this irritation particularly as a certain PC Edwards is not such a bad looking chap! Helen is studying to be a therapy counsellor and needs to understand the benefits of both giving...and receiving! Maybe the body searches aren't such a bad thing after all.

Finally, the goings on at Whitbury bring about the attentions of Roger Ferguson, Investigative Journalist. Brittas believes this to be a serious documentary, begins coaching his staff in television presentation techniques and recruits a good looking male model as a stand in for Colin! Colin's rat takes a swim in the pool and there follows a strange outbreak of Bobula fever. Will Whitbury survive?


The Brittas Empire
Series 7.08 Curse of the Tiger Women
Writer: )
Director:
Cast: Michael Burns (Colin), Judy Flynn (Julie), Chris Barrie (Brittas), Harriet Thorpe (Carole), Tim Marriott (Gavin), Pippa Haywood (Helen), Jill Greenacre (Linda), Russell Porter (Tim), Stephen Churchett (Councillor Druggett)

An average episode which brings some closure to one of the final storylines. But I am not sure about the ending. On the one hand it is fitting, but on the other hand I don't like when .

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Finales marathon on February 18th, 2013)