DVD Collectors Online

The Court Jester, a review by GSyren

Title	The Court Jester
Year	1956
Director	Melvin Frank
Stars	Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury, Cecil Parker
Overview	In this swashbuckling comic farce, star Danny Kaye plays kind-hearted entertainer Hawkins who disguises himself as the legendary king of jesters, Giacomo. Hawkins infiltrates the court of the evil villain Basil Rathbone, but when a sorceress hypnotises him, royal chaos ensues. Giacomo now believes he is also an infamous assassin, and alternates between his identities at the snap of a finger. Between swordplay and wordplay, Danny Kaye displays his fancy footwork... and his comic genius. With a stellar supporting cast, including Glynis Johns, Angela Lansbury and Mildred Natwick, Kaye sings and dances among dueling knights and damsels in distress. Through it all, this jester proves he's one of the original kings of comedy.
My thoughts	What can I say? This is a brilliant film. It's been a while since I saw it, but I've seen it several times, and it's just as funny every time. It is, in my opinion, one of Danny Kaye's funniest films, rivaled only by The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. There are great songs, great gags, great parody. It's... great! Danny Kaye was an incredibly gifted artist. He could do serious roles just as well as comedic ones. A favorite of mine in the serious category is The Five Pennies (with Louis Armstrong and Barbara Bel Geddes). But it is in his comedies that his real genious shines through. If you haven't seen this one, you have missed something really special. I almost wish I could see it for the first time again...
Rating

(From Reviews and ramblings by Gunnar on April 22nd, 2013)

Rambo III, a review by Jon

Rambo 3 **
2 out of 5

As a straightforward action movie, they don't come much more fun that Rambo 3. The octane level is definitely set to high and his ruthless despatching of Rushkies is thrilling stuff. But it's all bollocks.

First Blood had a point, something to say. The sequel had more fun, was largely unnecessary, but held onto some dignity. Here, he is a full blown cartoon character. He's still beating up Russians, continuing from the previous outing, so at least there's half an idea continuing the thread and providing a link into someone else's war. It's all tenuous though and then goes completely OTT where he seemingly faces off against an entire battalion.

Good job the Taliban are there to help him. 

Yes, it's also a bit dated due to current events. It hardly matters actually, but when the movie is already not very good, it's fun to be picky! I can recommend this as a double-bill with Charlie Wilson's War... 

(From Jon's Random Reviews on July 23rd, 2009)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

What's the show about?
It's the third show in the Whoniverse (after Doctor Who and Torchwood). In the UK Doctor Who itself is aimed at (older) children ("The story and the monsters for the kids, the Doctor for the mums and the companion for the dads" as the saying goes) but The Sarah Jane Adventures is aimed at young children (and those who stayed young ). Sarah Jane used to be a companion to the Third and Fourth Doctor in the 70s and she had a few adventures with the Tenth Doctor. Now she has adventures of her own with her adopted son and his friends and the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor visited her on her own show.

"Invasion of the Bane"
The kids of the neighbourhood start to notice that something weird is going on in Miss Smith's backyard because she's visited by what looks like fairies. Sarah Jane - she is a newspaper reporter by day - on the other hand investigates a factory that gives away free soft drinks to all the children that visit the factory. When she discovers that there's a young boy who appears to have been created in that factory, she knows that something otherworldly is going on.

My Opinion
I enjoyed the show. It took existing aliens from the Whoniverse and adapted them for the show (e.g. where the Doctor has to deal with adult Slitheen, Sarah Jane gets to deal with their offspring). But it also invented their own races and told stories about them.


Sadly the show came to an end when Elisabeth Sladen died from cancer a few years ago.



(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on April 4th, 2013)