DVD Collectors Online

Desperate, a review by Antares

Desperate (1947) 56/100 - I would have rated this about 20 points lower if it hadn't been for some really great camera work in the middle and toward the end of the film. It's hard to believe that Anthony Mann was the director of this turkey. Didn't anyone read the screenplay before they started shooting the film. I mean, c'mon, there are so many ridiculous plot points in this story. A cop is killed, yet they let the protagonist go, because they want to use him as bait for the rest of the gang? How did Raymond Burr find him the second time? Steve Brodie uses the same kind of move to thwart not only the original robbery, but when he firsts escapes the gang. At times, I thought I was watching a comedy noir. The only saving graces are the performance by Burr and gazing upon Audrey Long's gorgeous face. Mann shot a lot of her in profile and I can understand why. The camera just loves her and at times, I thought I was looking at Marilyn Monroe's older sister.

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 November 22nd, 2014)

The Paradine Case, a review by Dragonfire

The Paradine Case My Thoughts This movie had potential with the main idea of the plot - a lawyer, or barrister, is defending a beautiful somewhat mysterious woman accused of poisoning her husband and falls for her.  Unfortunately, the movie fails to meet the potential, and it ends up being rather dull and not suspenseful in any way. Maddalena's husband is already dead when the movie begins and she is arrested within the first few minutes.  At that point, very little is shared about the death of her husband.  It doesn't take that long for more to be shared about it.  Most of the movie is focused on Anthony - the attorney - working on the case and developing feelings for his client.  They aren't shown together that much, so it doesn't make much sense for him to have fallen for her, especially since he is happily married when he takes the case.  Several scenes don't really add much to what is going on and seem more pointless than anything.  I'm guessing that they were supposed to be suspenseful.  The big revelation late in the movie is probably supposed to be shocking, but it isn't.  Maybe it was more shocking when the movie first came out.  Once the trial actually starts, a lot of it is shown.  During those scenes, Hitchcock did do something different by using four different camera aimed at different characters.  The footage was then put together during the editing. None of the cast really stands out to me.  No one was bad, but no one was great either.  Ethyl Barrymore was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar and she is barely in the movie.  The few times she is on screen, her character is made out to be a bit loopy.  Maddalena had potential to be a really interesting character, but it isn't fully explored. This is the last movie that Hitchcock made with Selznick.  I have learned about the trouble the two men had working together and there was more of it with this movie as well.  Selznick even wrote the screenplay because he decided the adaptation that was done wasn't good enough.  New pages were sent to the set every day.  He also insisted on all kinds of reshoots that caused the filming to take longer and go way over budget.  The final amount spent was almost as much as spent on Gone With the Wind.  Hitchcock's cut of the movie was almost three hours long.  Selznick then decided to edit the movie himself and cut it down a lot.  I think the fact that Selznick did the editing is at least part of why the movie doesn't work. The story had the potential to be interesting, but it just didn't work out that way.  The movie ends up being rather dull with no suspense. It is a very different sort of Hitchcock movie in my opinion.  Fans of Hitchcock might find something to like about the movie, but they really aren't missing anything by not watching the movie either. I did get a review posted on Epinions. The Paradine Case

(From Alfred Hitchcock Marathon on June 15th, 2010)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Dead Like Me: Season One (2003/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia MGM Home Entertainment (United States) Length: 627 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Subtitles:

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Plot:
You're about to be collected. "Winningly eccentric" (LA Daily News) and "insistently irreverent" (People), this groundbreaking, original series delivers you into a realm of shockingly funny characters and twisted narratives you'll find completely "addictive" (NY Daily News)!

When an errant toilet seat from the falling Mir Space Station puts an abrupt end to her life, George (Ellen Muth) discovers that death is nothing like she thought it would be. Recruited to collect the souls of others as they die, she suddenly finds herself an unwilling participant in a line of work she never knew existed: Grim Reaping!


Dead Like Me
1.01 Pilot
Writer: Bryan Fuller (Writer)
Director: Scott Winant
Cast: Ellen Muth (Georgia 'George' Lass), Rebecca Gayheart (Betty Rhomer), Callum Blue (Mason), Jasmine Guy (Roxy Harvey), Greg Kean (Clancy Lass), Britt McKillip (Reggie Lass), Christine Willes (Delores Herbig), Cynthia Stevenson (Joy Lass), Mandy Patinkin (Rube Sofer), Jodelle Micah Ferland (Kirsti), David Lewis (Dave Romain), Matthew Currie Holmes (Record Store Employee), Deb Podowski (Becky), Brad Sihvon (Brett), Sean Amsing (Druggie #1), Stefan Arngrim (Druggie #2), William MacDonald (Doug), Blu Mankuma (Duane), Reg Tupper (Ray), Kevin Blatch (Teller #1), Meghan Black (Teller #2), Darrin Klimek (Data Entry Guy), Tammy Pentecost (Piano Woman), David Kaye (Brad), John Shaw (Byron), Trever Havixbeck (Police Officer), Carin Moffat (Brenda), Mary Ann Skoll (June Cleaver Type), Art Kitching (Tom), Jim S. Smith (Security Guard), David Hurtubise (Older Man), Peter Bryant (Train Porter), Patricia Idlette (Waitress), Laura Boddington (UnGeorge), Jacob Chaos (Un Mason)

Good pilot to a good series. Sadly it only lasted two seasons. Luckily there is a TV movie made a few years later, which brings some closure to the characters.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on April 2nd, 2011)