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Scared to Death, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Scared to Death
Year: 1947
Director: Christy Cabanne
Rating: NR
Length: 65 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: N/A

Stars:
Bela Lugosi
George Zucco
Molly Lamont
Joyce Compton
Gladys Blake

Plot:
From a slab in the morgue, a dead young woman tells the bizarre tale of how she got there, through a maze of murder involving a hypnotist, a midget and a mysterious figure in a blue mask.

Extras:
N/A

My Thoughts:
This movie is part of a Bela Lugosi double feature disc I have... along with the movie The Devil Bat. I picked this one because I thought the plot sounded interesting... and the trailer for it looked good. And while it was good... I was expecting more from it. Not only did it seem the best parts was all in the trailer (nothing unusual there) but every time the movie cut to the morgue to focus on her dead body to tell her story (hear her thoughts) it seemed short and abruptly cut to and from. Also one of the characters, the midget, just disappeared from the story not to be seen again and not mentioned again. But it was entertaining enough to keep my attention through-out the movie. Though I do feel it should have been better.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: Unwatched DVDs on December 20th, 2009)

You've Got Mail, a review by Rogmeister

You've Got Mail 
Directed by Nora Ephron
Music by George Fenton
Cast: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton, Dave Chappelle, Steve Zahn, Greg Kinnear, Dabney Coleman

This is basically a remake of the film The Shop Around The Corner in which two people who work together don't realize they are the same people each other is writing anonymous love letters to.  In this updated version, they are exchanging e-mails and don't work together but work at competing book stores.  Meg Ryan is at her cutest and perkiest in this film...I haven't seen her lately but I wonder if she's doing this kind of movie anymore...can a woman in her 40's (which she must surely be by now) still be that cute and perky?  Probably not.  I've always thought that Tom Hanks' character in this movie was actually something of a jerk but he has his good moments as well.  I like much of the supporting cast, especially Jean Stapleton and Greg Kinnear.

My DVD of this is obviously an older release...not only does it have Warner Brothers' ancient cardboard case but when you put the disc in, it doesn't go first to a menu screen but instead immediately starts the movie up.  I remember back when DVDs did that routinely...now you always go to the menu first.  This disc has some decent extras including an audio commentary by Nora Ephron and producer Lauren Shuler Donner, a music-only track, a behind-the-scenes documentary, an HBO special (basically an interview with Ephron) and no less than 12 trailers (2 of this film with the others from other films).  If you like witty romantic comedies, you should get this title.  This film has since had a new special edition re-issue though I'm not sure enough has been added to get me to pick it up.  So I'll just enjoy this copy again...

 

(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 30th, 2009)

Twilight Zone, a review by addicted2dvd

8. Time Enough at Last (11/20/59)
A bookworm (Burgess Meredith) yearns for more time to read - then a nuclear holocaust leaves him alone in the world with lots of time, plenty to read and one ironic twist!

My Thoughts:
This is another of my favorite episodes... so yes I have seen this one before as well... in this case I seen it a few times before. It was a wonderful episode and I think Burgess Meredith did a fantastic job. Like with all the episodes so far, at the end you see a clip of Rod Serling talking about the next episode then a classic commercial after the credits. This time they showed a TV Spot for Wanted Dead or Alive. The extras attached to this episode are a couple great ones... first was a clip of The Drew Carey Show where he spoofed this episode with him in a bomb shelter with a huge stack of Playboy Magazines in front of him. The other extra is an interview with Burgess Meredith from 1978 which is a 20some minute interview that is placed onto the episode itself so that the interview is a Commentary track of sorts. This is done just like the lecture with Rod Serling on Disc 1. Very creative and interesting extra.

9. Perchance to Dream (11/27/59)
A man (Richard Conte) is terrified of falling alseep for fear he might die. His pursuer? A mysterious vixen he meets in his dreams! The first non-Serling script of the series.

My Thoughts:
This is a good episode...but not one of my favorites. Once again I have seen this one before.... not sure if it was on one of the volume discs I had or if it was on one of the Sci-Fi Marathons. there is an Isolated Music Score to go with this episode. Only other thing you get is Rod Serling talking about next week's episode and a TV Spot for The Danny Thomas Show attached to the end credits.

10. Judgment Night (12/4/59)
In 1942, a German (Nehemiah Persoff) wonders why he's on the deck of a British steamship, with no memory of how he got there and an overwhelming sense of impending doom.

My Thoughts:
Finally!... an episode I haven't seen before. I think it was a really good episode I enjoyed it a lot. I liked how they pulled it all together. Other then the normal showing of Rod Serling talking about the next show and in this case a TV Spot for Wanted Dead or Alive... there was absolutely no extras for this episode.

11. And When the Sky Was Opened (12/11/59)
Col. Clegg Forbes (Rod Taylor) and two fellow astronauts have returned from their first space flight. They soon discover that no one remembers them... as if they never existed.

My Thoughts:
This is another one I haven't seen before! It was a really good... and strange episode. Enjoyed it a lot. Even though I decided against watching any of the extras at this time there is a lot of extras for it. A Rod Serling Lecture... I am sure this one is done like the one on Disc 1 where you watch the episode but hear the lecture on the order of a commentary track. Then there is a commentary track with Rod Taylor..  A Zicree Interview with Douglas Heyes and finaly an isolated music score. Of course after the end credits you get Rod Serling talking about the next episode as well as a TV Spot for The Danny Thomas Show.

12. What You Need (12/25/60)
A two-bit thug thinks he's found the key to a better life in an old sidewalk salesman who has the uncanny ability to tell people what they need the most.

My Thoughts:
This makes three in a row that I have not seen before. This is another really good episode... though I will admit to seeing some of this stuff coming... so it was a little on the predictable side. The only extra on this one was the isolated Music Score... and of course like always had Rod Serling talk about the next episode and a TV Spot for another show on the channel... this time they had one for The Danny Thomas Show once again.

13. The Four of Us Are Dying (1/1/60)
Gifted with the ability to change his face, Arch Hammer devises a plan to elevate himself. The plan works perfectly until he's caught with the wrong face at the wrong time.

My Thoughts:
This one I do remember seeing before... though I am not sure where. It is an alright episode... definitely not one of my favorites. The only extra to go with this episode is an Isolated Music Track.

14. Third from the Sun (1/8/60)
With all-out nuclear war about to ignite, William Sturka (Fritz Weaver) and a friend steal an experimental spaceship, load their families and set out for an unknown planet.

My Thoughts:
This is another I have seen... not sure but think it was on one of the volume DVDs I had.I thought it was a really good episode though I did see the end twist coming a little sooner then I would have liked. There was a couple hints before the twist was actually revealed. This Episode has a couple extras attached to it. It has an interview with Richard L. Bare made like a commentary as well as the Isolated Music Track.

15. I Shot an Arrow into the Air (1/15/60)
The world's first manned space mission goes awry, stranding the crew on an apparent asteroid that is desolate and waterless. One man ruthlessly grasps for survival before a peculiar symbol reveals the group's true location.

My Thoughts:
This is another episode that I never seen before... and another good episode. I knew there would be a plot twist because lets face it... this is The Twilight Zone... but I didn't see it coming this time... and kinda feel stupid for not seeing it coming. I guess I was just a little off my game while watching this episode. This episode has 1 extra attached to it... this time a Twilight Zone Radio Drama starring Chelcie Ross.


Episodes I seen for the First time on this set include:

   1. Judgement Night (Episode 10)
   2. And When The Sky Was Opened (Episode 11)
   3. What You Need (Episode 12)
   4. I Shot an Arrow into the Air (Episode 15)

(From Twilight Zone on February 5th, 2008)