DVD Collectors Online

The Mark of Zorro, a review by Rogmeister

The Mark of Zorro (1940)
Cast: Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, Eugene Pallette
Director: Rouben Mamoulian

When I think of swashbucklers, Errol Flynn's "Adventures of Robin Hood" is the first one that comes to mind but this is right up there with it. Interestingly, Basil Rathbone plays the bad guy in both. That's not really a surprise as Rathbone was a first-rate swordsman of his own. This is the first good version of Zorro of the sound era (Douglas Fairbanks had played him in the silents) with Tyrone Power coming home from Spain to discover his countrymen being taxed to death. Thus, he takes up the mantle of Zorro to set things right.

This is more swashbuckler than western but I'm still including it as part of my western marathon since it does take place in the Old West and there are horses...but the weaponry of choice is more swordplay than gunplay. It's a fine film and deservedly considered a classic.  This is a 2-sided disc...one side features a colorized version of the film while the other side is the proper black & white version which, I believe, is a restored version that looks excellent.   Film critic Richard Shickel provides a commentary and they also include the episode of A&E's "Biography" TV series that profiled star Tyrone Power.  Another bonus is this DVD came with a set of photos (5x7, I think) from the movie done in a sepia-tone.

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on July 4th, 2009)

The Fugitive, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: Dr. Richard Kimble has been found guilty of murdering his wife. But he claims to be innocent and when his prison bus collides with a train he gets the chance to escape. But now he has Deputy Samuel Gerard from the U.S. Marshals Service on his tail. Can he stay out of prison long enough to find the killer of his wife?

My Opinion: I've never seen a single of the series this movie is based upon but I already like it on its own. Tommy Lee Jones is a great hunter but Harrison Ford is the better hunted. I like all the action sequences and all the running (lots of running!) but the movie doesn't forget the actual story and I liked all these small pieces like when he helped that boy in the hospital. I also liked the scenes where it appeared as if they were close to him just to reveal that he wasn't the target.

(From DJ Doena's movie watchings 2010 on January 26th, 2010)

Sliders Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

1. PILOT (Double Length Episode)
A physics accident sends student Quinn Mallory and his trio of companions on an interdimensional roller-coaster ride to an apocalyptic San Francisco. After a narrow escape from an icy death, the Sliders find themselves in a Soviet-ruled U.S., where their only hope of escape is to free an imprisoned revolutionary.

My Thoughts:
This is a very good story. I enjoyed every second of it. It is a good introduction to all the characters. And the ending is well thought out where you think everything is going to be fine... then everything is turned upside down in a shocking and emotional way.

My Rating:

2. FEVER
When Wade is infected with a deadly virus on an Earth wracked by an epidemic, Rembrandt and Arturo race to find a cure and free Quinn from a Gestapo-like health agency.

My Thoughts:
Another good episode... I enjoyed a lot. This one shows that something that is simple and taken for granted can be life changing in one of the alternate universes.

My Rating:

3. LAST DAYS
The salvation of a world facing destruction by an asteroid rests in the hands of Arturo and an overzealous young scientist. Meanwhile, Quinn and Wade begin to face their feelings for each other.

My Thoughts:
Another episode I enjoyed a lot. I always enjoyed the disaster type movies with such storylines... and they did a good job converting it to a TV episode. This episode completes the first disc. The extras on this disc includes previews and a commentary on the pilot episode.

My Rating:

(From Sliders Marathon on August 12th, 2009)