DVD Collectors Online

Hopalong Cassidy Returns, a review by Rogmeister

The next review is of a Hopalong Cassidy movie.  I have many Hoppy films...I have 8 DVDs of double-feature Hoppy films from Image (which is what the below review is from) and I have 8 other volumes that stuff 5 Hoppy films per disc.  Those are from Platinum, a company not known for high quality releases but their Hoppy discs are pretty good.



Hopalong Cassidy Returns (74 min.), finds Bill on his way to Mesa Grande, where he is the new Marshal. Along the way he stops a runaway horse and saves a woman's life. Upon arriving in town, he discovers his old friend, the town's newspaper editor, has been brutally murdered by the very same woman Hoppy just saved, a hardnosed businesswoman who runs the town.

There were "A" pictures (major films like Stagecoach) and "B" pictures (low-budget moves such as Buck Jones and Tim McCoy would make) and the Hoppy movies were "B" westerns...but a cut above most of the other B's. They put a bit more money into them, show on locations instead of the usual sets and the extra money showed. Also, they were often longer. Most B westerns ran just about an hour but the Hoppy movies ran as long as 80 minutes. Gabby Hayes had been in the first Hoppy movie as Hoppy's uncle, but his character died. They wanted him back so they cast him again as a different character, a friend of Hoppy's named Windy.

This episode has a few unusual touches, including a female criminal and a man bound to a wheelchair...he is the friend of Hoppy's who is attacked just before Hoppy and his younger brother get to town. This movie is part of a double-feature disc from Image (they did 8 of these double-Hoppy releases) and the quality in picture and sound is outstanding.

The only downside? Hoppy kisses a girl. Ewwwwwww!


(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on June 23rd, 2009)

Cinema Paradiso, a review by Jon

Cinema Paradiso
5 out of 5



Indulge yourself with the definitive version of one of the greatest films of all time. This multi award-winning homage to the love of cinema tells the story of Salvatore, now a successful film director, returning home for the funeral of Alfredo, his old friend who was projectionist at the local cinema throughout his childhood.  Soon memories of his first love affair with the beautiful Elena and all the highs and lows that shaped his life come flooding back, as Salvatore reconnects with the community he left 30 years earlier.

(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 22nd, 2009)

Charmed Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

Disc 1:

1. Still Charmed & Kicking
Presumed dead, the Charmed sisters start a demon-free existence with new identities, but Paige can't escape her Whitelighter instincts and answers the call of a young witch named Billie.

My Thoughts:
A decent season opener. Even though I know why they had to do it the way the did... I didn't care much for the whole "disguise" phase at the beginning of this season. We get our first look at the new witch in town, Billie. Even though she is left as a mystery in this episode. Finally we get extras on a season of Charmed. And this particular episode has a commentary track with Kaley Cuoco who plays Billie... the newest addition to the Charmed family.

2. Malice in Wonderland
The Charmed Ones come to Billie's rescue when she tries to stop Haas, a young demon who wants to lure the sisters out of hiding and take over the Underworld.

My Thoughts:
Another decent episode. In this one Billie joins up with the Charmed Ones.

3. Run, Piper, Run
When Piper's adopted appearance as a woman wanted for murder gets her arrested, the sisters and Billie set out to clear the woman's name.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode. First time in my memory that the main storyline didn't involve demons. They are actually trying to right a human wrong.

4. Desperate Housewitches
Piper's son, Wyatt, is kidnapped by Mandi, a demon in disguise who wants to use the boy's powers to bring back The Source and create the perfect demon family.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode. Probably my favorite episode on this disc. In this episode The Charmed Ones finds out that Magic School has been taken over by demons. And they need to once again deal with The Source. At least this time it was settled in only one episode.

(From Charmed Marathon on July 15th, 2008)