DVD Collectors Online

True Grit, a review by Rogmeister

True Grit  (1969)
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Music by Elmer Bernstein
Cast: John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Corey, Jeremy Slate, Strother Martin, John Fiedler

Matty Ross (Kim Darby) tries to find someone to track down and bring in the killer of her father and she winds up teamed with a cantakerous U.S. marshal named Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) and a headstrong Texas ranger (Glen Campbell).  Lively directed by Henry Hathaway and featuring John Wayne's Oscar-winning performance as the one-eyed Cogburn.  Glen Campbell once said his acting was so bad that he made Wayne look so great by comparison that he won the Academy Award.  I'm not sure that's altogether fair...but Campbell is definitely in over his head in this film.  But other first-rate films have had a bad performance or two (remember Ricky Nelson in Rio Bravo?) and he doesn't bring it down too much.  Overall we have some fine performances (including John Wayne apparently having a heck of a time) and a first-rate western.  There is some nice photography here in picturesque locations and a solid musical score by Elmer Bernstein.

I have the Special Collector's Edition of this disc and it does have some nice features including cast and crew (including Kim Darby and Glen Campbell) talking about what it was like working with Duke and a too-short piece where a few historians talk about real western outlaws of the Old West.



(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 29th, 2009)

Galaxy of Terror , a review by Dragonfire

Galaxy of Terror My Thoughts I got interested in checking out some some of the Roger Corman movies after Jimmy started posting about them - so I can officially blame him for every Corman movie I guy instead of Jon..though Jon is still blamed for all other DVD/Blu-ray purchases...just because. Anyway, I picked this one up a month or so ago when I found it on sale at Amazon.  I ended up waiting to watch it for this marathon, though I wasn't specifically waiting. The plot is interesting, though it would have been nice if a few things had been developed a little more.  A little more backstory for some of the characters would have helped..especially since there is some sort of problem between Baelon and Cabren that is never explained.  Things are moving really fast for the first 15 minutes or so before slowing down a bit.  The different monsters are interesting and suitably icky.  The deaths are more original, especially what happens to the one woman that is not just attacked by a giant worm or maggot..but raped.  That is ...well...way twisted.  That was really the only thing that shocked me about the movie.  Not that the other deaths were fun and pleasant, because they weren't..but hers was just more twisted. The movie was made with a small budget.  The sets are decent and sort of futuristic looking.  Some of them end up being uses again for Forbidden World.  I noticed a few shots that look like they use matte paintings.  The lighting is darker for most scenes, but that works to help build the creepy atmosphere for what is going on.  The monsters are well done considering the budget.  The cast is mostly fine in their parts, with some of them having a little more than others to do.  There is barely any development for any of the characters.  The extras, especially the new documentary on the making of the movie, are interesting and definitely worth watching. This movie is not going to appeal to a lot of people, but it is entertaining, in a twisted way. I did get a review posted on Epinions. Galaxy of Terror

(From Dragonfire's 2010 Horror Marathon on October 2nd, 2010)

"Stargate SG-1" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: On planets where SG teams observe the locals with the help of the Sodan cloaking device suddenly beasts appear that slaughter the people. But among these planets are also some under Ori rule, thus excluding the Priors as a cause for this. Sam and Teal'c are investigating this.
In the meantime General Landry and Cameron are stuck in Jack's cabin in the woods because a storm has washed away the road. But this forrest also seems to harbour a dangerous creature.

My Opinion: This was well done. I liked Sam as head of the SGC. It was also believable that Cameron felt queasy around his boss. But the people should haved learned by now that it is sometimes wise to listen to Vala. What I didn't like at all was the animation of the creatures, they looked totally fake.

Synopsis: Cameron is just about to go through the Stargate for the 200th time (not on the 200th mission!) when there's a defect that disables the Stargate. While it is being repaired SG-1 is helping Martin Lloyd. He is producing a "Wormhole X-treme!" movie even though the show was cancelled after three episodes.

My Opinion: Great episode that has summarized 10 years of Stargate SG-1 in an humorous way, including making fun about some weaknesses of the show. I was greatly entertained and the references to Star Trek and Farscape were lovely.

Synopsis: The Jaffa are using the weapon on Dakara to wipe out the population of planets that have fallen to the Ori. While General Landry and Bra'tac are trying to stop this mass murder, SG-1 has taken over an Ori ship - or maybe not.

My Opinion: While I don't like the character Adria (as previously pointed out) I am glad to see Morena Baccarin (Inara in Firefly) again. That the Ori would move heaven and hell (in their case maybe only hell) to find that weapon was quite predictable. I am not really feeling sorry for the loss of Dakara. Although I feel sorry for Teal'c and Bra'tac whose dream of a united Jaffa nation has receded into the distance again.

Synopsis: The waitress Val is working in a small diner. But then two men try to rob it and are stopped by her without effort. She just doesn't know how she did it, she doesn't even know who she is.

My Opinion: A very nice episode about Vala that had a worthy ending (the episode, not Vala). The good thing about Daniel and Vala is that the writers can make a couple out of them without worrying about Air Force rules. Now I want to know if Vala doesn't really has that tablet.

(From "Stargate SG-1" Marathon on May 2nd, 2008)