DVD Review: Theresa Is A Mother

Theresa Is A Mother is a dramatic comedy about a woman who is forced to move back in with her parents while she tries to get her life back together. It stars C. Fraser Press as Theresa McDermott, aspiring singer/songwriter and mother of three, who is unable to pay the rent on her city apartment.

When the film begins, Theresa is at an open mic at a laundromat. “Why are you so fluent at being incoherent?” she sings, hitting the line hard to show the crowd she thinks it’s something special (and that they should too). It then cuts to her at home, where her daughter Tuesday is watching a religious cooking program (which is hilarious), while in the background Theresa is being evicted over the phone. Maggie, her oldest daughter, is trying to learn a song by watching a video online. So clearly this is a musical family…of sorts. Maggie is so bloody funny as she tries to figure out the lyrics to the song. The youngest daughter, Penelope, is too young yet for school, but is funny as she repeats stuff she hears her mother say on the phone. By the way, this movie is something of a family affair, for the three daughters are played by Schuyler Iona Press, Maeve Press and Amaya Press, and the film was directed by their parents, C. Fraser Press and Darren Press.

Theresa is forced to move back in with her parents, people she’s clearly avoided for a long time, for her children ask, “Where do they live?” and “Who is Grandma and Grandpa?” Her parents live in a small town out in the country, and they seem to have changed since Theresa last saw them, for now they’re throwing hot tub parties and such. Her parents are played by Edie McClurg (yes, Grace from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and Richard Poe (Gul Evek from Star Trek), and they deliver wonderful performances. There are some seriously funny moments with Penelope playing in the bathroom, and the way Theresa’s parents handle the child’s hyperactivity.

Things continue to not go Theresa’s way as she looks for a job in town (after two days, her parents tell her she can’t live with them forever), is forced to resort to a children’s bicycle for transportation after being stopped by the police, and has to deal with the people her parents have become. I love the moment when Theresa’s father says that he and her mother are happy, and Theresa asks, “Why?”

Theresa does finally get a job related to music – writing a song for a child’s bar mitzvah. The song is awesome, by the way. Also, this is the only movie I know to use the phrase “angry celery,” which is wonderful. Not everything works, however. There are some weak moments, like the pre-meal prayer that goes on too long. We’ve seen that before, and it’s never all that funny.

Though there are moments that had me laughing out loud, at its core the film is fairly serious, dealing with issues like pursuing one’s dreams versus attending to family obligations, communication among family members, dealing with the changes that life throws your way, and so on. And through brief flashbacks we get hints of a serious and tragic incident in the family’s past. This is a good film, populated by interesting characters that you’ll come to care about. And one more note regarding this film being a family affair: Schuyler Iona Press wrote and performed some of the music in it.

Theresa Is A Mother was directed by C. Fraser Press and Darren Press, and was released on DVD on September 29, 2015. The DVD contains no special features.

DVD Review: Turned Towards The Sun

Turned Towards The Sun is a documentary film about Michael “Micky” Burn, M.C., a man who lived quite a remarkable life, as soldier, as poet, meeting some of the twentieth century’s most prominent people along the way. It opens with Micky in the hospital getting his hearing checked, and he begins talking about an event from World War II, which he says happened exactly sixty-six years earlier. At the time this was shot, he was ninety-six years old. When asked about the secret to his longevity, Micky answers, “Always be in love, with either someone or something.” He recommends being enthusiastic about something, committed to something.

Micky Burn was a published poet, and the film does include footage of him reading passages from his poetry. But perhaps more significant is the part he played on the raid of Saint Nazaire during the second world war. And in this documentary he returns there to recount the events. The film uses some footage from an earlier documentary on the raid on St. Nazaire, featuring a somewhat younger Micky Burn (that documentary was made in 1973). There is also German footage of the capture of Micky and other soldiers involved in the raid. Micky Burn ended up as a prisoner of war, held in Colditz Castle for three years. And in this film, he returns there as well, and we see the secret radio room, where Burn and others had kept abreast of events by listening to the BBC.

Fortunately for us, Micky saved everything, including letters from people like Bertrand Russell and Merle Oberon, and old photos, including one of him with friends outside the Nazi Party Headquarters in Berlin in 1935. He and his friend James are shown going through his possessions, organizing them. Micky Burn is well aware that he is nearing the end of his life, and at one moment points to a record, saying he wants it played at his funeral. He has many fascinating stories, like sending cigarettes to a woman who traded them for penicillin for her daughter. That woman was Ella Von Heemstra, and her daughter was Audrey Hepburn. He finds letters written to him by Ella Van Heemstra, and says of her: “She was a great friend. You don’t have to say we were lovers, do you? It’s always assumed.”

Micky is truly endearing, as when he’s outside and says, “I bet I look old and tired and peevish.” And he speaks fairly opening about his homosexual experiences, including his affair with Guy Burgess. He speaks just as candidly about meeting Adolf Hitler. And I love the story of the stolen bullets on his way to Colditz. There is not really a strong narrative line in this documentary, but that kind of doesn’t matter, because you come to really like this guy, and it’s enjoyable to relive portions of his life with him. The title of the film, by the way, comes from Burn’s autobiography.

Special Features

The DVD contains nearly a half hour of bonus footage, including more footage at Saint Nazaire, plus footage of Micky reading some of his poetry, and a tour of his home.

Turned Towards The Sun was directed by Greg Olliver, and was released on DVD on December 15, 2015 through MVD Visual.

DVD Review: Slow Learners

Slow Learners is an absolutely wonderful comedy about two friends who decide to change their lives one summer and in the process lose sight of who they really are. It stars Adam Pally as Jeff and Sarah Burns as Anne, friends who work at a high school. But they’re not teachers. He is a guidance counselor (which is perfect), and she works in the library.

When the film opens, Jeff is on a first date with a woman he met through an online dating service. It’s not going well, and she wants to leave. He asks her straight out what it is about him that makes her disinterested, and her honest and mean answer is seriously funny. In part, she tells him: “You sort of look like you’re smelling something that doesn’t smell good, or like you’re like squinting even though you’re wearing glasses” and “You kinda look like a lesbian newscaster, because you’re effeminate, but not in a good way.” Meanwhile, Anne is getting a checkup after becoming nervous about STDs. Her doctor asks her routine questions, including if she’s had anal intercourse. Anne responds: “I don’t want to sound judgy. It’s not for everyone. It could be for me, maybe under the right circumstances. I’d have to be very relaxed, but I’m not like in an anal place.” She pauses, still considering it, then answers, “No.” Her deliver is spot-on and hilarious. And even though she’s there to get checked for STDs, we learn she hasn’t had sex in more than a year.

These are great introductions to these two awkward people. And of course I can’t help but like Anne because she almost immediately quotes Kurt Vonnegut, one of my two favorite writers (she quotes my other favorite, William Shakespeare, later on). Early in the film, Jeff’s parents suggest he should date Anne, something of course we think too. (By the way, his parents are played by Kevin Dunn and Marceline Hugot, two actors I’m always happy to see.) But Anne has a crush on Max (Reid Scott), Jeff’s handsome neighbor, who is in a book club with Jeff and two other awkward guys. The book club scene is truly funny too. It’s goofy, but somehow not so over-the-top that it becomes stupid or unbelievable.

Anyway, Jeff and Anne decide to make significant (though not admirable) changes in their lives. Sara says, “I want to be like, you know, one of those girls whose parents don’t want her to come home for Christmas.” And Jeff says he wants to be one of those guys who is likely to have sex in a public bathroom. But of course everyone is a little nuts in the world of this film (just like the real world, I suppose), like the woman at a party who tells Anne, “You know how it is when you love a man so much that you end up in jail for your love.” Anne is desperate enough that she’s ready to take this woman’s advice, as well as advice from daytime television programs. Uh-oh!

I was laughing aloud through much of this film. Plus, the movie has a lot of heart. As funny as it is, it’s also sweet. Both Adam Pally and Sarah Burns deliver excellent, hilarious and honest performances. One thing I really love about this film is that the people that Jeff and Anne date are actually nice people, while Jeff and Anne themselves become sort of the jerks. It’s a refreshing change from those films where you think the two friends should be together because inevitably the guy the female friend is interested in is a total bastard. One other thing: when they buy new clothes, I love Anne’s fuzzy sweater, even though she decides to return it.

Slow Learners was directed by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, and was released on DVD on December 15, 2015. The DVD includes the film’s trailer.

DVD Review: Divide In Concord

Divide In Concord is a documentary about two women who fought a battle to ban the sale of single-serving plastic water bottles within the town limits of historic Concord, Massachusetts. The film begins, appropriately enough, with a quotation from Henry David Thoreau (a Concord citizen himself): “Water is the only drink for a wise man.”

When we meet Jean Hill, an elderly Concord resident, it at the 2010 annual town meeting, and she speaks to the council in favor of the plastic water bottle ban. The ban fails, and we see her again the following year attempting the same thing. And again, the measure fails to pass.  The film then follows Jean Hill and Jill Appel as they prepare for the 2012 town meeting. As Jean goes door-to-door to get signatures, she tells us, “I consider myself a warrior… and warriors have to be prepared for any enemy.” It’s kind of endearing to hear someone who seems to be a sweet elderly woman saying that. She and Jill are met with a lot of opposition, and the film does a good job of interviewing town residents and local merchants on both sides of the issue.

While it seems more of an emotional issue for Jean, who admittedly started this project after the death of her husband, when she needed something to fill her time and some place to direct her energy, some of the scientific reasoning for the ban is provided by Peter Nichol, a local science teacher. He gives us some information on the garbage in the ocean, such as the fact that plastic makes up ninety percent of the trash in the ocean, and that the plastic breaks down into tiny particles which are consumed by ocean life and thus introduced into the food chain.

It’s interesting that in Concord any citizen can bring a measure before the council. He or she only needs ten signatures. And that’s something else this documentary does well – painting a portrait of a community. You really get a feel for the town. There is some information on the town’s history, and footage of the Patriot’s Day reenactments. (And there is even a bit of footage shot at the Colonial Inn, where I’ve seen some really good folk concerts. One other music-related note: a Steal Your Face sticker is visible on the back passenger-side window of a car in one shot.)

Of course, the question that Jean Hill doesn’t seem to address is, What is the alternative to plastic bottles? There are hydration stations at the high school, which is cool, and some people are seen carrying refillable bottles, but Jean doesn’t offer a plan. There is some talk about how the water in Concord is clean, so residents can drink from the tap, unlike other areas of the country. (I was excited to hear someone use the word “bubbler,” a word that no one outside of central Massachusetts seems to know.) There’s a kind of heart-breaking moment when Jean is on a radio program via telephone and has trouble getting her point across. But that seems to be a general issue for her. She never says: “Look, I’m not out to ban water, as my opponents keep claiming, just the single-size plastic containers which are environmentally unsound.” But you do get caught up in her battle, in her cause. And regardless of where you stand on this issue, this film will at the very least get you thinking about your own consumption of water bottles.

Special Features

The DVD contains quite a lot of bonus footage, including more of the Patriot’s Day reenactment (one of the participants is interviewed), and some odd and totally delightful stuff concerning cheese. There is also an interview with Bill Montague who wrote Little Mouse, about a mouse that lived with Thoreau at Walden Pond. He takes us to the cemetery in Concord where Thoreau is buried (by the way, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott and Nathanial Hawthorne are also buried there, all in one section of the cemetery). There is also more with Tom Blanding, the Thoreau scholar. And there is footage of Jimmy Mazz and The Last Minute Men performing “Sugar Blues.” We are also treated to some of the residents’ perspectives on the bottle issue.

Divide In Concord was directed by Kris Kaczor, and was released on DVD on December 15, 2015 through First Run Features.

DVD Review: Tokyo Fiancée

Tokyo Fiancée is a sweet and touching film about a young woman named Amélie (played by Pauline Etienne) discovering herself in a foreign country that she hopes will adopt her as its own. At the beginning of the film, we see her walking through the streets of Tokyo, and through voice over narration she tells us: “I was twenty. I wanted to be Japanese, it was my sole ambition.” She was born in Japan, but her parents were Belgian, not Japanese, and her family returned home when she was five. Then, at the age of twenty, Amélie purchased a one-way ticket to Japan, and the film shows us her time there.

In addition to wanting to become Japanese, she wishes to become a writer. But for now, she gets a job teaching French. She has one pupil – a young, handsome Japanese man named Rinri (played by Taichi Inoue), who himself expresses a desire to become a Knight Templar. Ah, we all want to become something else, particularly at that age. We learn that he loves all things French the way she loves all things Japanese. The French lessons soon become a guided tour of Tokyo, with the pupil teaching as much as the teacher, and soon they are romantically involved.

Amélie is sweet, with a wide-eyed innocence and excitement, and that makes her instantly likeable. Even if her name were not Amélie, she would certainly remind you in some ways of the character from the film of that name. And this film has fanciful little jumps of imagination, like a brief shot of how things might turn out, before she determines, “No, that’s not how it’ll end.” And the morning after they first have sex, little hearts pop up all around her and she bursts into a song about her love for Japan (while wearing a T-shirt depicting the Japanese flag). The film has a light, playful tone, like when Rinri shows and demonstrates many of the unusual gadgets in his parents’ home.

And there are some beautiful images, like when she goes off to the mountains by herself. But then some of her leaps of imagination have a darker and surprisingly unsettling aspect, and the film does take on a more serious tone. The film never really strays from her side, so we see the world basically through her perspective. So when she is happy, the film feels light and delightful; and when she is confused or worried, we too feel concerned and at unease, like when she feels like an outsider with Rinri’s parents, and again at first among his friends.

This film features some wonderful performances, as well as a really good score.

Tokyo Fiancée was directed by Stefan Liberski, and was released on DVD on December 15, 2015 through First Run Features. The DVD contains no special features.

DVD Review: Automan: The Complete Series

When the movie Tron came out in 1982, the special effects looked really cool. So why not take those effects and look and employ them in a television series? Automan first aired in 1983. It was produced by one of the same folks that gave us Tron, and lasted one season. Now those thirteen episodes are available on DVD in Automan: The Complete Series, a four-disc set from Shout! Factory, which includes bonus material. Automan stars Desi Arnaz, Jr. as Walter Nebicher, a computer expert with the police force, and Chuck Wagner as Automan, a hologram that Walter created. It also stars Heather McNair, Gerald S. O’Loughlin and Robert Lansing.

Automan was created by Glen A. Larson the same year he created Manimal (which was also recently released on DVD), Masquerade and Trauma Center (he was certainly a busy boy), none of which would see a second season. I had never seen this show before, so there was no nostalgic value for me, as there was with Manimal. Yet I seriously enjoyed it. It’s actually a much better show, and has a fun, light tone. Part of the fun is in the character of Cursor, who is a computer-generated light that appears just before Automan shows up, and is, as Heather McNair says in an interview, “a little, naughty Tinkerbell.” Cursor is able to create any image that Walter and Automan require, including a computer-generated car that is able to take ninety-degree turns, as in Tron.

Automan himself is something of a flirt, charming other computers to get his way. Like in the pilot, when he talks to the traffic light, who responds like a lover; or when he talks to a slot machine at a casino in the second episode. Those are some of the series’ most delightful moments. And it’s not just computers that succumb to Automan’s charms, but women as well. There is a really funny moment in the first episode when Walter’s landlady flirts with him.

The series’ pilot, which was written by Glen A. Larson, is feature-length. In the opening titles sequence, you can see a poster of Heather Thomas (I had that exact poster on my wall at the time). There is a brief narrated segment at the beginning (which would be included in all thirteen episodes), in which Automan gives the audience an introduction: “This is the true story of Walter Nebicher, doing what he likes best –fighting crime on the streets. You see, Walter is a policeman. Unfortunately, the chief doesn’t want Walter on the streets. So Walter must fight crime in his own way, in the computer room. That’s where he’s an expert.” Walter is a bit of loner, whose computer expertise isn’t truly appreciated by the rest of the department. This is in the early 1980s, remember, when computers were not yet so widely in use. There are quite a few wonderful guest stars in the first episode, including Patrick McNee, Doug McClure, Sid Haig and Mickey Jones. Sid Haig plays a hoodlum at a bar who hits on Roxanne. He is perfect and hilarious when he tells her, “As a matter of fact, I’ve got great news: I’m in love.”

There are plenty of notable guest stars throughout the series. The third episode, “The Great Pretender,” features the always-wonderful Clu Gulager as Rudy Brock, a criminal who is planning his wedding to the daughter of a former congressman. There is a really good scene where his fiancée sort of confronts him with something she’s heard about his past, and he manages to not tell her the truth while also not lying to her – a nice touch, him not lying to her, for it shows the human side of his character. One odd thing about this episode is that it has a scene where a cab driver has a bomb in his car and makes an excuse to leave, while leaving our heroes trapped in the back seat. That exact scene is also in an episode of Manimal. And here’s the most interesting thing: the cab driver in both shows is played by the same actor: Talbot Simons. An interesting connection between the two series. Both Billy Drago and Richard Anderson appear in the episode “Renegade Run,” one of the goofiest and most enjoyable episodes. One of the most interesting guest appearances is by Laura Branigan as a singer named Jesse Cole. She is shown recording a music video for the song “Hot Night,” a song that would also be in Ghostbusters. Laura Branigan flirts with Automan, who has become a fan. Automan says, “You don’t have to be human to want to get down and boogie.” Besides “Hot Night,” she sings “Gloria” and “Satisfaction.” It’s odd, because she’s playing a character named Jesse, so it’s like Laura playing Jesse who is covering Laura.

And then in the very next episode, Michelle Phillips is a guest star (and in her first scene, she wears a sexy lynx coat), playing an actor named Veronica Everly. This is perhaps my favorite episode. After Automan gets a small part in a film, he asks, “What’s an agent?” The director tells him, “Like a vampire, with a telephone.” And then in “Zippers,” John “And-that-foot-is-me” Vernon is the guest star. And Automan finally comes across a computer that doesn’t succumb to his charms.

There is some good dialogue in this series. Like in the first episode, one criminal says, “Are you trying to commit suicide?” The other responds, “Well, it might be the best way out, but I think I’ll settle for getting drunk instead.” In the fifth episode Rachel (played by Delta Burke) says: “I think I know where we can find the answers to a lot of our questions. Are you game?” Automan answers, “Well, I started off as one.” And in the eighth episode, when Lt. Curtis takes his first ride in the computer car, he says, “Didn’t you ever hear of the speed limit?” Automan answers: “Certainly. It just doesn’t apply to me.” And there are several references to video games of the time. Automan at one point says, “Pac-Man, we’re close friends.” And in the final episode, Walter says to Automan, “For someone who can trace his family tree back to Pong, I’d think you’d have a little more appreciation for games.”

Special Features

This four-disc set contains some special features, all on the fourth disc. Calling Automan: The Auto Feature is a forty-two-minute feature, which includes interviews with cast members Chuck Wagner, Desi Arnaz Jr. and Heather McNair, as well a little bit with series creator Glen A. Larson. The actors talk about getting their roles, about their characters and about Cursor. Desi Arnaz Jr. talks about Michelle Phillips being a guest star and about his own group having opened for The Mamas And The Papas. They also talk about Laura Branigan and some of the other guest stars.

In addition, there is The Story Of Automan, which is a short printed bit about the show, and Feature Story, which is a promotional bit from the time of the show’s initial run. There are also cast and crew biographies, two photo galleries, and a trailer for Manimal.

Automan: The Complete Series was released on DVD on November 10, 2015 through Shout! Factory.

DVD Review: Fulboy

Fulboy is a documentary that captures the lives of soccer players off the field. Filmmaker Martín Farina dedicates it to his brother Tomás, who is one of the players depicted in the film, and the reason Martín was allowed such access to the players. He inserts himself into the film at various points as narrator, at the beginning telling us, “To think that I wanted to be a football player and I ended up making movies.” He introduces us to his brother Tomás, “a real football player,” and I can’t help but wonder if his admiration is tinged with just a bit of envy. But he tells us his intention is to show the things that aren’t shown on television – the locker rooms, the meetings and so on.

Because it’s put out by TLA Releasing, you might expect a lot of homoerotic content – and there are some shots of the players in the shower, and a shot of a player in purple briefs wrestling with another player in bed – but this documentary does not focus on sexual content at all. And it is interesting how the filmmaker deliberately stays away from images of the actual game (though there is a nice shot of children taunting players during a game, shouting that they should be playing cards instead of soccer – the camera stays close on them, not turning toward the game at all).

While showering, the players act macho, bragging about goals and so on. But you can’t help but speculate how much of an effect the presence of the camera has on the conversation. Do they really go on like that while showering? Maybe they do. And there is footage of them talking about being filmed, about how it’s real and not real, for it’s not the full reality. But of course it isn’t. No one expects a documentary to be the full reality of a subject. And for a while, the subject of this film isn’t football at all; the subject of the film is the film itself. And in a way that’s interesting, that these soccer players discuss the nature of film, and how it represents or distorts reality. And this film in particular certainly shapes its reality, in that it uses lots of extreme close-ups of actions, so that our focus is concentrated, and we aren’t allowed to take in the surroundings and choose what to focus on. Some of those close-up images are really interesting, and well-framed.

But of course the players do talk about the game. One of the players speaks directly to the camera about the sacrifices that professional athletes make, the hard work that goes into their careers, which he believes most people aren’t aware of. And he asks us directly to value what they do, because it’s difficult. The players also talk about finding new teams to play for, and about contracts and so on. And there is some interesting footage of the players listening to a life insurance pitch.

But at times, the filmmaker seems to treat his subject more seriously than it perhaps deserves. At one point, he says: “The hotel where the players get together is also a prison. While the players have to stay inside together, in the neighboring building, there are construction workers enjoying the open air.” Enjoying the open air? I’m sure those construction workers have a much different perspective on that. Plus, are the players really held in the hotels against their wills? I don’t think so. But that would certainly be interesting if it were the case.

Special Features

The DVD includes Tomás The Defender, a short film without any dialogue. It is a series of images of the filmmaker’s brother, set to music. Shots of him showering and shots of him in his underwear have me wondering just how far Martín’s interest in his brother goes. The DVD also includes the film’s trailer.

Fulboy was directed by Martín Farina, and was released on DVD on September 22, 2015 through TLA Releasing. It is presented in its original Spanish, with English subtitles.

DVD Review: My Little Pony Equestria Girls Box Set

Bronies and Pegasisters, the new My Little Pony Equestria Girls box set contains three feature-length animated films, including a new film, Friendship Games. The other two films, Equestria Girls and Rainbow Rocks, have been released previously, but now all three are available in one box, along with plenty of bonus material. So join Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer and Spike in three adventures in their alternate reality.

Friendship Games

The new film, Friendship Games, finds the teenage versions of our favorite ponies getting ready for a series of games against their rival high school. Sunset Shimmer is writing a letter to Twilight Sparkle in Equestria, when a mysterious character starts investigating the portal between the two worlds. Sunset loses her, but we’re allowed to follow her back to the rival school, and we learn she is this reality’s Twilight Sparkle. In this world, she is some kind of science wizard, but also a loner.

Rarity has some of the best moments in this film. Early on she says: “I have no interest in another fight against the powers of evil magic. The wear and tear on my wardrobe is just too much to keep up with.” Fluttershy soon says, “Not everything has to be magical to be important.” That’s true. But something unusual is happening with their magic in this world. Each of the ponies has a touch of magic when getting excited about the thing she loves doing most, but then is suddenly drained of energy. What’s up? Could this world’s Twilight Sparkle be responsible?

There are, of course, several songs in the film. Rainbow Dash sings one to inspire her school before the games. Twilight sings a song about being ready to move on. And there is a song about competition as the games get underway. But the best song by far is the one sung by the principal to Twilight, when she convinces her to unleash magic to win the games. It’s wonderful. (And perhaps I’m mad, but a section of this reminds me a bit of “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago.) I’m surprised that the schools in this reality have Motocross. If yours doesn’t, and you feel bad about it, just remember the words of Fluttershy: “Holding a bunny always makes me feel better.” Friendship Games was written by Josh Haber, and directed by Ishi Rudell.

Special Features

This disc includes a commentary track by Brian Lenard, Josh Haber, Daniel Ingram, Jayson Thiessen, Ishi Rudell, and Rebecca Dart. They talk a bit about the change in Sunset Shimmer’s design, and about the cool creative opening title sequence. There are also several deleted scenes, with optional commentary. These scenes offer more about Sunset Shimmer and her desire to return to Equestria, and include an alternate ending. There are also a few short films related to the feature, including Pinkie Spy, in which Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash check out the competition for the games. That includes a cute moment when Pinkie Pie lowers a boom microphone into the shot. All’s Fair In Love And Friendship Games is about two best friends suddenly becoming competitive. Photo Finished is about the photographer for the yearbook, and is delightfully goofy. A Banner Day is about the creation of a welcome sign for the rival school. And The Science Of Magic is about Sunset Shimmer working to solve the mystery of how magic works in this reality. And of course there are three sing-alongs, though sadly my favorite song is not one of them.

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls is the first of the three full-length animated feature films, in which Twilight Sparkle has to pass through a magic mirror into an alternate world in order to retrieve her magic crown and protect Equestria. Sunset Shimmer sneaks into Twilight’s room at night and steals her crown and element of harmony, and then disappears with them through the mirror. Twilight Sparkle must perform the task of regaining the crown alone, and has limited time. Of course, Spike rushes in after her. In the alternate world, Spike is a dog, and Twilight Sparkle is a teenage girl, through still of a purplish hue. She was having trouble getting used to her wings; now she has to get used to walking on two legs. But perhaps an even bigger challenge is getting along without magic, as she has no horn.

Soon she meets the alternate versions of Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity. Other characters from Equestria have their counterparts in this world as well, including Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. The film has several musical numbers, the first being about learning to adapt to a new world (like any kid going to a new school). Twilight sings, “Everything’s confusing when it seems so new.” Later the girls perform a musical number in the school cafeteria as they try to unite everyone behind Twilight. And the theme of the magic of friendship is addressed. In this one, Twilight sings, “I’m gonna be myself no matter what I do/And if we’re different, then I want you to be true to you.” A good message. Later there’s actually a musical montage of the girls getting the gym ready for the formal dance, and then a musical montage of the girls getting dressed. Wow, the film uses not one but both of the major 1980s montage themes.

Special Features

This DVD has a few special features, including Through The Mirror, which is a making-of feature. It is divided into three parts. The first part is about the story and the concept of this film, as well as some similarities to The Wizard Of Oz, and about the new character, Sunset Shimmer. The second part is about the design of the film. There are interviews with Ridd Sorensen (art director), Mike Vogel, Jayson Thiessen, Tara Strong, Meghan McCarthy and Kora Kosicka (a character designer). The third part features an interview with song writer Daniel Ingram, who talks about giving the songs a more modern feel than those in the television series. The bonus features also include two karaoke songs: “Cafeteria Song” and “Friends For Life.” The vocals are taken out, so you can add your own. There is also something called “Ponify Yourself,” but I actually have no idea what this one-minute snippet is supposed to be.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks

In Rainbow Rocks, the students of Canterlot High School are planning a musical showcase to raise money to help fund after-school programs. The girls have a band, and sing about being friends, and magic happens when they play; they gain some of the properties of their parallel pony selves. The girls are now friends with Sunset Shimmer, though when Sunset Shimmer says, “The old me really was just awful, wasn’t she,” all the girls agree. And I especially love Pinkie Pie’s joyous, “Yup!”

The three sirens want their true equestrian magic back, and they change the musical showcase to a battle of the bands, turning the event into a competition and breeding animosity among classmates, which then fuels their own power. They cast a spell on all the students and even the faculty of Canterlot High – with the exceptions of our heroes, who soon realize something is wrong.  There are some really nice moments in this film. Pinkie Pie’s antics make me laugh, like when she explains Twilight’s idea of creating another portal to the human world. The girls realize they have to combat the sirens’ spell with a musical spell of their own, leading to a great moment when Pinkie Pie tries to get Twilight to play the theremin. But the climactic battle of the bands sequence goes on for a long time, and doesn’t have as much charm as the other scenes. (Also, it reminds of that awful battle of the bands sequence from Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.)

Special Features

The DVD includes a commentary track by Michael Vogel (VP of development at Hasbro Studios), Brian Lenard (executive director at Hasbro Studios), Meghan McCarthy (screenwriter of Rainbow Rocks), Jayson Thiessen (supervising director of Rainbow Rocks) and Ishi Rudell (co-director of Rainbow Rocks). There are also eight shorts that act as prequels to the film. Three of them are seriously good. A Case For The Bass is a cute and funny short in which Apple Jack tries to get her bass back after Granny accidentally sells it to the owners of a second-hand shop. Hamstocalypse Now is probably my favorite. In this one, Rarity attempts to help Fluttershy with hamsters, and we all learn that hamsters like the tambourine. The third one that I really like is Pinkie On The One, in which Pinkie Pie helps Rainbow Dash find a drummer for the band. It’s absolutely adorable. Of the others, three are basically music videos. The special features also include three sing-alongs, to the songs “Better Than Ever,” “Battle” and “Rainbooms Battle,” with the lyrics at the bottom of the screen.

The My Little Pony Equestria Girls box set released on October 13, 2015 through Shout! Factory.

DVD Review: The Last House

The Last House is an odd little horror film about an escort who wants to quit the business, but who agrees to do one last job. It stars Lauren Walsh as Love, the escort, Ezra Buzzington as Hate, the creepy man who has hired her, and Jason Mewes as Ned, the guy who wants to take her away from that life. The story is not presented chronologically, but rather frequently moves back and forth through time, covering three general periods – before the job, during the job, and the morning after the job.

It opens with Ned telling his regular hooker, Love, that he wants to take her home to meet his parents, and that he loves her. She says: “And I you. Like a brother. Like a brother that I fuck.” She then kisses him sweetly and tells him she’s just kidding. It then suddenly cuts to Love hanging from a ceiling, breaking free, and seeing two dead hookers on the floor. And just as suddenly we’re introduced to Hate, who seems to address us directly, waxing philosophical, asking us, “What is more important – how we got here, what we’re doing here, or where we go when we leave?”

It’s interesting, because before we even really meet Jenna and Hailey, the other two escorts, we know they’re going to die. And before we see them all arrive at the house, we know the guy who has hired them is a little nuts. So when Poot picks the girls up, and the scene is rather lighthearted, we’re already aware of some of the horror to come, and that colors our reaction to the scene. There are some nice little details. For example, on Poot’s car, there is a bumper sticker which reads, “I fucked your honor roll student,” which made me laugh. (By the way, Poot is played by Timothy Muskatell, and he turns in one of the film’s best performances.) And I love the line where the pimp regrets having not invested in some trannies.

When the girls arrive, the party is at first more discussion than action, with Hate, along with Selma and Cleb, sizing up the three women. Cleb seems something of a simpleton, and after Jenna remarks that he seems happy, Hate says to her, “Wait ‘til you see him crazy happy.” It’s a great delivery, with just the right amount of threat of something sinister, while also being humorous. And for you foot fetishists, there is a scene where two women suck on each other’s toes (plus, there is a bit of fun S&M). It’s interesting how overt are the psychological games between client and prostitute, a comment on the games that really are played in those artificial relationships. It’s interesting too that it is exactly this type of relationship that Ned and Love wish to make real, legitimate.

Well, it isn’t long before the sexy play turns nasty.

There is some bad dialogue in this film, like some of Hate’s lines, which seem like nonsense rather than eerie (“Ripples in a pond of chaos”). He acts like what he’s saying is profound, but it’s not. And because of the non-linear storytelling, we’re not all that invested in Ned’s ongoing search for Love. Because we’ve already seen her getting revenge, we don’t feel that she needs to be rescued by Ned. But there are some strange, interesting elements to Love’s revenge. And I love the strangulation scene.

Special Features

The DVD contains several special features, including a commentary track by director Sean Cain and writer Wes Laurie. They mention that Lauren Walsh won’t talk to them anymore, which is odd, and they talk about some footage they shot with the pregnant real estate agent which didn’t make it to the final cut (it’s also not included in the DVD’s deleted scenes). The special features do include two deleted scenes which expand the relationship of Ned and Love. In the first, they talk about video games, and in the second Ned surprises her at a hotel room. There is also footage from the movie’s premiere at the Gorezone UK film festival, including a panel with Sean Cain, and a short Q&A with Sean Cain and Wes Laurie.

The Last House was released on DVD on November 24, 2015 through Wild Eye Releasing.

DVD Review: The Storm Makers

The Storm Makers is a powerful documentary film about Cambodia’s human trafficking problem. As the film opens, we’re told: “Half a million Cambodians work abroad. A third of them have been sold as slaves, in Thailand, Malaysia or Taiwan.” Most are women, who work as maids and then are sold as prostitutes. The opening images are of women shipped on a truck, with wire over the windows.

We are then introduced to a poor family in Cambodia, seeing them collecting snails in muddy water, chopping wood, cooking, before learning who they are. The mother suddenly tells us: “I no longer have feelings for my daughter. Not since she had a child. My daughter is the only one who came back with a child. Some migrants die abroad, others come back mutilated. But she returned with this child. And now I have to take care of him… Sometimes I’d like her to sell him.” It’s kind of an amazing introduction. But what follows is even more powerful. There is footage of the mother and daughter arguing, as it was the mother who had sent her to Malaysia, where she was beaten and raped. The daughter tells her: “You prefer money to your children. Did you ever love me?” The mother calls her a “slut” and “worthless.” But more heart-rending than the argument is when the daughter says it’s too late for her to be angry. This young woman is the main focus of the film.

The film also introduces us to a man who owns an agency which recruits migrant workers. He tells some young recruits his story, saying, “I’m not trying to cheat you or impoverish you.” And then we see them paying for his dubious services. The man is surprisingly candid with us about what he does, saying: “I target the poorest ones. These people are easy to lure, to convince and to recruit.” Most are illiterate, and he tells us, “They have nothing to lose.” He promises them good salaries.

The film in large part goes back and forth between the young woman whose life has been ruined and the man whose life has been enriched by these actions. The young woman recounts the story of what happened to her in Malaysia. “I worked to exhaustion, but I was never paid.” She tells us how she was locked in, that her boss claimed he bought her from the agency, how he beat her. While she describes this incredible ordeal, we see her doing the most mundane of tasks, washing and scrubbing at home. She then tells us how she eventually ran away, only to be raped and kidnaped by another man until the police rescued her. The police arrested the man who raped her, but because the first man had stolen her passport, they arrested her as well. Her story is so heartbreaking and so infuriating, and yet she tells it with a quiet acceptance, her emotions not so much held in check as completely obliterated.

In contrast, we see the recruiter working out at a gym and going for a swim at a pool. The film also shows him going on to some new recruits about how he doesn’t lie because he believes in Jesus Christ. It seems strange that they would trust someone who keeps insisting he doesn’t lie. The film’s title comes from the human traffickers being referred to as “storm makers” because “When they arrive in a village, they bring the storm and tears with them.” The film doesn’t seem to judge (there’s no narrator present to condemn these actions), but rather just presents the situation, and partly because of that, it is all the more chilling.

The Storm Makers was directed by Guillaume Suon, and was released on DVD on November 24, 2015 through First Run Features. The DVD contains no special features.

DVD Review: 1971

The documentary 1971 tells the story of several American citizens who broke into an FBI office in March of 1971, uncovering illegal activities done by that organization, and then sending the documents for publication. Title cards at the beginning tell us that the break-in “would lead to the first Congressional investigation of U.S. intelligence agencies in the country’s history” and that “The burglars were never caught.” Well, here some of them, including John and Bonnie Raines, recount the events. But this incredible documentary doesn’t just give us a point-by-point description of that night, but also delves into the results of that break-in, both in terms of the investigation and in subsequent behavior of the FBI as well as by the participants. It is a look at people who acted on what they believed was right, at great personal risk.

The film focuses on interviews with break-in participants John Raines, Bonnie Raines, Bob Williamson, Keith Forsyth and Bill Davidon. They give a bit of a background on what led them to this action, with John talking about how the events of 1968 made him “ready to make a transition from non-violent protest to non-violent disruption,” and Keith mentioning how the Jackson State killings by the police got him more involved: “I was done talking at that point.” They also describe their preparations for the break-in, including one of them learning how to pick locks. Bonnie was 29 at the time, but looked younger, so went into the office posing a college student curious about opportunities for women in the FBI in order to scope out the site. (This is shown in a re-enactment. The film does use some re-enactments, but does not rely on them too heavily.) They chose the date of March 8th, because it was the night of the big fight between Mohammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and they thought people would be focused on that. Interestingly, one of the nine people dropped out before the break-in, which understandably made the others nervous. The ninth person later showed up at John and Bonnie’s home, saying he was thinking about turning them in. There were other dangers too. John tells us: “No one knew that every photocopying machine has its own signature. And the Xerox people knew exactly which machine made that copy. J. Edgar Hoover demanded that they reveal which machines these were.”

The film also features an interview with Betty Medsger, the journalist for the Washington Post who received the documents in the mail. Also interviewed are Terry Neist, a former FBI agent who talks about infiltrating anti-war groups and “trying to wreck the groups that were trying to wreck the country,” as well as some historians and journalists. The film includes footage regarding the investigation, including footage of Anne Flitcraft describing how the FBI broke into her home and stole her typewriter and books, as she was a suspect. There is some great footage of a street fair in which folks sing “The FBI Is Coming To Town” (to the tune of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”). The film also includes material on the Camden action, in which both Bob and Keith were involved. Also fascinating is the interview with former NBC reporter Carl Stern regarding the Freedom Of Information Act and COINTELPRO.

This film is interesting for the story it tells, both the break-in and the way the government went about its investigation. But it’s also particularly interesting now with regards to our current political situation, and the way both the government and the media handle dissent and privacy issues. A title card at the end does mention how after the attacks on September 11th, the government broadened and expanded its surveillance, something people aren’t upset enough about, I feel.

Special Feature

The DVD includes Snowden On 1971, which is a panel on the film, featuring director Johanna Hamilton, Betty Medsger, John Raines, Bonnie Raines, Keith Forsyth and David Kairys, and moderated by Charles Lewis. Edward Snowden joins them via satellite. Betty Medsger recounts the day she received the package of the files and the actions she took in authenticating them. John Raines talks about how the FBI at that time was not held accountable, how J. Edgar Hoover was admired. The participants cover some of the same material they do in the film, going over the events of the break-in, but there is more about consulting the attorney, which is really interesting, especially as not much of that was in the film. They also talk about the decision to go public, and about the Camden 28. This features is approximately eighty-five minutes.

The DVD of 1971 was released on November 24, 2015 through First Run Features.

DVD Review: Manimal: The Complete Series

Remember Manimal? If you’re around my age, you probably do. It was a short-lived television series in the 1980s about a man who could turn into an animal while retaining his human intelligence. Of course, man technically is an animal, but… well, no matter. It’s a show that comes up in conversation somewhat regularly, and now – perhaps shockingly – the series has been released on DVD, through Shout! Factory. Yes, the complete series is now available for your viewing pleasure. And by complete series, I mean eight episodes. Yup, that’s all they made. For those keeping score, that’s two more than Police Squad got (which came out the previous year).

Manimal stars Simon MacCorkindale as Jonathan Chase, the man who is able to transform himself into animals and uses that ability to fight crime. He is particularly fond of changing into a panther and a hawk, and those transformations were designed and created by Stan Winston. Of course I can’t help but wonder, when turning into an animal, what happens to Jonathan’s clothes and his wallet and the other things in his pockets? And when he turns into a hawk, how is it his bones and organs are able to shrink so much? And if his brain shrinks to that extent, how is he still able to retain his human cognitive abilities? Anyway, the series also stars Melody Anderson as Brooke McKenzie, Michael D. Roberts as Ty, and Reni Santoni as Lt. Rivera. There are some interesting guest stars as well, including Ursula Andress, David Hess and Gloria Stuart. This series is goofy and cheesy, but definitely fun. The new three-disc set contains the eight episodes, as well as bonus material.

“Manimal”

The series opens with a feature-length episode (75 minutes), in which Jonathan Chase uses his powers against arms dealers. Early in the episode we see Jonathan change into a panther in the back seat of a taxi, while telling the driver to keep his eyes on the road. There’s a bit of a creepy 1980s horror feel to it, and at this point we don’t know who this guy is. The nice, long opening sequence includes special effects and stunts. It’s interesting that when he changes back to human, he’s fully dressed. How does that work? This episode stars Ursula Andress as Karen Jade, one of the bad guys, and in one scene she wears a gorgeous full-length red fox coat, and in another a full-length lynx. In another scene, Jonathan turns himself into a house cat and sticks his head into Ursula’s robe. Manimal is no fool. I’d use my powers to do that too, given the chance. He not only can change into animals, but can communicate with them as well. Lions and tigers and… well, no bears, but still… oh my.

This episode stars Glynn Turman as Ty, the only man who is close enough to Jonathan to know his secret. There is actually a flashback to Vietnam, where Jonathan uses his powers to help the two of them escape from a prison camp. During the course of the episode, McKenzie also becomes privy to his secret. There is a cute nod to Jaws at the end of this episode.

“Illusion”

In the second episode, Michael D. Roberts takes over in the role of Ty. Also, a narrated segment is added to the beginning, explaining the basic set-up of the show. This narrated segment would be kept for the remaining episodes. (The narrated sequence includes brief scenes with Jonathan’s father, who also had this ability, and in this footage, his father’s clothes remain on the ground when he turns into a bird. So why doesn’t that happen to Jonathan when he changes?) This episode deals with a magic show gone awry and the problems of diplomatic immunity. It seems to have more humor than the first episode – in the dialogue, and in a squirrel’s reaction shots to Jonathan’s transformation into a hawk. The role of Ty has changed somewhat in that direction as well, feeling much more like a goofy sidekick character. There is also some physical humor. This episode features David Hess in a small role, and also has a Jaws reference.

“Night Of The Scorpion”

On a cruise ship, a man is being interrogated by some criminals who demand to see a special list. The man’s death leads our heroes to believe his daughter might be in trouble. Series creator Glen A. Larson wrote this episode. At one point a sealed envelope reads, “To Be open only in case of my death.” It should read, “To be opened,” of course. Whoops, props people!

“Female Of The Species”

Wolf Girl, a woman raised by wolves, has been captured by humans, and her capture understandably upsets Manimal. Could she be the right gal for him? Well, someone is trying to kill her to keep her identity secret. There’s a cute bit where she scares away two cats to get at their food; for a moment, it seems she’s going to eat the cats, which would have been even better. There is some silliness with Ty dressed as a knight, and at one point Wolf Girl plays with a Skeletor action figure. This episode has a shark, which I always appreciate. But it looks like several different types of sharks are used, all pretending to be the same shark. Well, it’s good the wolves taught Wolf Girl how to swim. Gloria Stuart plays a bag lady in this episode.

“High Stakes”

This episode opens with Jonathan and Ty are the race track, which got me to wondering if Manimal would enjoy having men ride him if he changed into a horse. Anyway, there is some mischief at the horse races. Who’d have thought there’d be anything underhanded happening in the gambling world? By the way, in this episode Jonathan does mention that people are animals too. There are a lot of humorous scenes in this one, like the shot of him as a panther looking through some files. Also, there is a really cute scene where Jonathan and McKenzie discuss the various cover stories they could use. McKenzie says, “I’ll be a blind woman and you can be my seeing-eye dog,” to which Jonathan responds, “No, I’d rather be a lion and you can be my lunch.” There is some fun sexual tension and innuendo between the two of them. Later, Jonathan does turn into a horse, and a woman rides him. When she hits him with her riding crop, it seems like he’s enjoying it.

“Scrimshaw”

Jonathan, McKenzie and a twelve-year-old boy (who is oddly their traveling companion) rescue a seal and find a skeleton grasping a piece of scrimshaw. This leads to Manimal employing some kind of accent, so we’re all in trouble. At one point, Jonathan is pushed out of a plane, but falls slowly enough that he’s able to change into a bird. He also turns into a snake, but the close-up shot of it shows the snake in a very different terrain than where Jonathan had been standing. Anne Ramsey (The Goonies, Throw Momma From The Train) has a small role in this episode.

“Breath Of The Dragon”

It’s Ty’s birthday, and they have his surprise party at a Chinese restaurant, where the mark of the dragon is left on the door. The owner’s son has joined the gang responsible for the mark. The leader of the gang tells his followers, “There are only two classes in this society – those who dominate, and those who submit.” Hey, what about those of us who like to switch? Later, his gang beats up an old station wagon, and Jonathan displays his martial arts skills.

One note: Ten minutes into this episode, the narrated segment replayed and the episode started over. The disc didn’t skip back to the beginning, but rather had an extra ten minutes, the first ten minutes twice. A strange defect. It might just be my copy, but I thought I should mention it.

“Night Of The Beast”

This is kind of a ridiculous episode, even for this series, but it features Robert Englund (though listed as “Robert England” in the opening credits) as a villain, a year before he’d play a much more famous villain in A Nightmare On Elm Street. Ty is caught following a suspect, but says, “You know, a lot of people mistake me for Billy Dee Williams.” And at one point the heroes say, “At least it’s not raining,” which is sadly followed by a downpour. I like the moment where McKenzie picks up a rat and asks it questions, assuming it is Jonathan transformed.

Special Features

The DVD contains some bonus material, including Man To Animal: An Interview With Glen A. Larson, in which he talks about the series – about the concept, about how the first episode went up against Dallas, about the cast (including the change to Michael D. Roberts after the pilot), the special effects, the animals used, and so on. This is approximately eighteen minutes.

The DVD also contains concept and production notes (in the concept notes, it says, “‘Manimal’ asks the audience to somewhat suspend belief” – whoops!), cast biographies, photo galleries and a trailer for the Automan series.

Manimal: The Complete Series was released on DVD on November 10, 2015 through Shout! Factory.

DVD Review: Matt Shepard Is A Friend Of Mine

I think most people are aware of the story of Matthew Shepard’s death, that horrible hate crime that truly did shock and anger the country in 1998, but few of us know that much about his life. His friend, filmmaker Michele Josue, in her documentary Matt Shepard Is A Friend Of Mine, changes that. Much of the film is a celebration of his life, with interviews with his parents and many of his friends. This project is in part a personal portrait of friendship, with Michele Josue including herself in the film. It opens with her introducing herself: “My name is Michele Josue, and Matt Shepard was a friend of mine.” She continues: “Even though so much time has passed since Matt died, it’s still painful when I think of my friend. I feel guilt for not being there, confusion about what happened, and anger about what they did to him. I miss my friend, and I’m not ready to let him go. And that’s why I’m making this film.”

Josue then steps back and allows other friends and family to help paint the portrait of this young man. And there are some sweet anecdotes, like that when he was little he’d write poems and leave them in neighbors’ mailboxes (as well some pretty rocks after learning it was illegal to leave mail without postage stamps). Judy Shepard tells us that she began to suspect her son might be gay when he was approximately eight years old, as he loved to dress as Dolly Parton for Halloween. In addition to the interviews, the film includes old photos, letters, journals, and even some home footage shot by his younger brother when they were kids.

Interestingly, his family moved to Saudi Arabia and Matthew went to a boarding school in Switzerland. It was there that the film’s director met him. The two acted together in plays, where they both felt more comfortable. Another friend from that school tells of an awful incident on a school trip in Morocco, where Matthew was robbed and raped. “He wasn’t the same person after,” she tells us. And his mother agrees, “He never really recovered from the attack… He even adopted the posture of a victim.”

Approximately halfway through the film we get to the night of the attack, which is presented in some detail, with interviews with Matt Galloway (the bartender at Fireside, the bar where Matthew met the two men who would murder him), Rob Debree (the Undersheriff), and Reggie Fluty (the Sheriff’s deputy). But what is most heartbreaking is watching Matthew’s parents recount going into the hospital room where he lay comatose. There is also some footage of those insane bigots who protest at funerals.

One of the most interesting interviews is with Father Roger Schmit, who tells Michele (and us): “Maybe his friends, their most important mission is to remind the world to be angry at that. We must not ever heal from that.” Yes, Michele returns to being in front of the camera toward the end, dealing with her own pain. But while this film can be heartbreaking, it’s ultimately heart-warming, with information on the Matthew Shepard Foundation and about hate crime legislation. (By the way, Matthew’s brother is not interviewed, but at the end a title card tells us he works at the Matthew Shepard Foundation.)

Matt Shepard Is A Friend Of Mine was directed by Michele Josue, and was released on DVD on November 3, 2015 through Virgil Films. The DVD contains no special features.

DVD Review: The Saint Seasons 1 & 2

Before he took on his most famous role as James Bond, Roger Moore was Simon Templar in the dramatic series The Saint. For six seasons he played the suave criminal turned detective. Timeless Media Group, a division of Shout! Factory, has now released a ten-disc box set containing all thirty-nine episodes of the first two seasons. These episodes feature appearances by several other actors from the James Bond series, including Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton, Robert Brown, Joseph Furst and Bill Nagy.

It’s an excellent show, each episode like a mini-film. At the beginning of each episode, Simon Templar directly addresses the camera, taking us into his confidence, sometimes even asking our advice, as in the first episode when he asks, “What should I say?” And then someone will mention Simon’s name and a halo appears over Simon’s head, which leads to the opening credits. In the first episode, a husband seemingly accidentally knocks a heavy pot of flowers from the balcony onto his wife. She survives, but he feels guilty, and begins acting strangely, telling lies and getting to know the pretty new neighbor, who herself begins acting oddly. Soon Simon Templar arrives in town, asking about the husband. There are lots of nice little details, like the bedridden wife hiding her glasses under the covers just before her husband enters, then putting them back on again once he leaves.

The show gives us little hints of Simon’s past and his renown. In the second episode a woman recognizes him, calling him “the famous Simon Templar,” and the Italian police allude to his being arrested before, for example. Some things are dropped, like the character of Hoppy, who works for Simon Templar and is something of a nitwit, trying to steal alcohol from him. This character is introduced in the third episode, and then dropped.

“The Arrow Of God” is a particularly good episode, an interesting whodunit. At the beginning of this one, Simon speaks to us against a gossip columnist (and by extension, against all gossip columnists). At one point, Lucy tells Templar that if the columnist steps out of line, he has permission to kill him. “Me? I’m on holiday,” Simon responds. A good example of the sense of humor of the show. This episode features Honor Blackman as Pauline Stone. “The Effete Angler” features Shirley Eaton as Gloria. Both Blackman and Eaton would of course star in Goldfinger. Another example of the humor comes in “The Man Who Was Lucky,” in which a villain says to Templar, “Haven’t I seen you someplace?” and Templar responds, “Sure, I’ve been someplace.”

“The Golden Journey” is a very different type of episode, in which Simon Templar and an aunt set up a test for a woman who is about to marry one of Templar’s closest friends. Erica Rogers plays the woman. And at the beginning of “The Charitable Countess,” Simon Templar says his own name, rather than someone else saying it, before the halo appears above him. This is a delightful episode. Patricia Donahue is wonderful as the countess, and Warren Mitchell is excellent as Marco, the cab driver who helps Simon. (Warren Mitchell would later turn in an incredible performance as Shylock in the BBC’s 1980 production of The Merchant Of Venice.)

In “Starring The Saint,” a producer is planning on making a film based on Simon Templar’s life, and wants Simon to play himself. As a side note, before this television series, there actually had been a series of films about The Saint. This episode features Jackie Collins as April Quest. And Monica Stevenson is excellent as Peggy. Plus, I love this line from an inspector: “I never believe anything about Simon Templar until I’ve proved it three times, and even then I’m always willing to change my mind.”

“The Saint Plays With Fire” is one of the best episodes. It begins with a neo-Nazi rally, and Templar speaks against it directly to us. It’s an excellent episode about Nazism after the war, with some great characters, particularly Lady Valerie, played by Justine Lord. There is an intense scene involving a lighter. Joseph Furst plays Kane Luker in this episode. He also starred in the final episode of the second season, “The Saint Sees It Through,” this time as Ernst, and would later appear in Diamonds Are Forever.

Another episode worth noting is “Luella.” At the beginning, Simon Templar tells us he’s not a bad person. “It’s just that I am not troubled by my wicked thoughts. In fact, I rather enjoy them.” This episode also plays with the halo bit at the beginning, with Roger Moore giving a quick glance upward as if waiting for it to appear. An old friend, now married, arrives in town and wants Simon to show him the night life. There is some silly slapstick elements in this episode. Wildly, this episode has a James Bond reference at the end. A woman refers to Simon Templar as James Bond. Wow, a bit of first-rate prognostication, that is. And then the episode ends by repeating the halo gag from the beginning.

Special Features

This ten-disc set includes commentary tracks on a few key episodes. On the first episode of the series, “The Talented Husband,” there is a commentary track by Roger Moore, executive producer Robert S. Baker and associate producer Johnny Goodman. They discuss the idea of Simon directly addressing the camera and about the music for the series. The commentary is moderated. Those same three people also provide the commentary on “The Saint Plays With Fire,” one of the series’ best episodes. Robert S. Baker was not only executive producer, but also directed that episode. They talk about the real demonstration against fascism, about Joseph Furst and about the fire scene. Roger Moore also speaks briefly about the film of The Saint, and about Robert Brown, who appears in this episode as well as several James Bond films, including The Spy Who Loved Me, Octopussy and A View To A Kill.

For the “Luella” episode, director Roy Ward Baker and guest star Sue Lloyd provide the commentary track. Both talk about the differences in their names in the credits of episodes (Sue is credited as Susan Lloyd in this episode), and about Roger Moore as a joker on the set. Roy mentions having worked for Alfred Hitchcock.

The Saint Seasons 1 And 2 was released on October 13, 2015 through Timeless Media Group.

DVD Review: The Horror Network

On the DVD case for The Horror Network, it says, “It’s prime time for evil.” And indeed, October is the prime time for horror movies, as we’re getting prepared for the best holiday of the year, Halloween. And what better way to get yourself in the proper holiday spirit than by watching horror movies? The Horror Network is an anthology of five short horror films, each with a creepy, suspenseful tone. As with all anthologies, some films are stronger than others. Usually, an anthology tries to begin and end with its strongest material, but for me, the three films in the middle are the best of this anthology.

3:00 AM

The first film, 3:00 AM, opens with some nice shots of the countryside while we hear a phone conversation between two women, one of whom has been receiving crank calls. Late that night she hears a thumping and gets up to investigate. The film creates a suspenseful atmosphere, with interesting shots and with sound, and a good chunk of it is without any dialogue. The woman is frightened, but we begin to think it might be in her head. (This one does have the traditional false scare of the cat jumping out.) 3:00 AM was written and directed by Lee Matthews, and stars Charlotte Armstrong.

Edward

On a windy night, two guys are inside talking, and soon it becomes clear that one is a psychologist and the other a patient. The patient has stopped taking his medication and has trouble sleeping. He says he doesn’t want to sleep because of his dreams. “When I wake up, I’m not where I’m supposed to be.” In addition to sleepwalking, he has issues with his mother, and he believes there is something deeply wrong with him. He mentions Alice, a girl from his school who was murdered, a murder he might be responsible for. This one is totally creepy, and gets weirder as it goes, and is able to create a whole lot of suspense with mostly just two guys talking. Edward stars Artem Mishin and Nick Frangione, and was written and directed by Joseph Graham.

The Quiet

The Quiet begins with a child whispering, “I’m going to love you forever and ever, as much as I possibly can,” with a shot of a doll. Dolls are inherently creepy, so right away we’re sort of put on edge. A girl is riding on a bus with other kids. She is nearly deaf, and takes out her hearing aid so as to not hear the other girls, who are teasing her. Soon she is out, walking along a country road by herself, where she keeps seeing the same blue van. And she loses her hearing aid. Like the woman in the first film, she is frightened when there is possibly no reason to be. But childhood is like that. And the film does a great job of showing us the world through her eyes, and through her ears. There is a really nice look to this film, and a good performance by the girl. The Quiet stars Jenni-Lea Finch, and was directed by Lee Matthews.

Merry Little Christmas

Merry Little Christmas is the most graphic of all the films in this anthology, and it too builds a delightfully creepy and unsettling atmosphere. On a Saturday night, Miguel leaves his girlfriend to visit his cousin Cristina and his aunt Lola, and immediately we sense something is wrong in that home. Miguel is worried about Cristina, but the film doesn’t provide us with all the information right away. Then in flashback there is a really horrifying scene of domestic abuse, observed by a young Cristina. And from there, things get more frightening. Merry Little Christmas stars Macarena Gómez, Blanca Rivera and Jan Cornet, and was written and directed by Manuel Marin.

The Deviant One

The Deviant One is the only film of the group to be presented in black and white. It shows a man strangling another man, then taking him to bed. There is no dialogue, but plenty of biblical quotations on title cards throughout. This one is the least effective for me, but the shot in the bathtub is cool. The Deviant One stars Brian Dorton and Brad Anderson, and was directed by Brad Dorton and Douglas Conner.

Special Features

The DVD includes an extended version of The Deviant One, this one with dialogue. But the dialogue certainly does not improve things. Here is part of the conversation at the beginning:

“Do you live around here?”

“I do, yes, actually.”

“You want to come in for a drink?”

“Sure.”

And then when they go inside, the first guy asks, “Water okay?” The version is without the biblical passages. Oddly, the bathtub scene isn’t in it, but a slightly extended version of that scene is included at the end.

The special features also include an image gallery and the trailer.

The Horror Network is scheduled to be released on DVD on October 27, 2015 through Wild Eye Releasing.

Blu-ray Review: Alleluia

Based on the true story of the Lonely Hearts Killers (the same couple that inspired the 1969 film The Honeymoon Killers, the 1996 film Profundo Carmesi, and the 2006 film Lonely Hearts), Alleluia is an excellent film about love, loneliness, jealousy and obsession. And though we’ve seen this story before, here it is told in such a way that it feels fresh and real and immediate. This films brings us (and keeps us) very close to the two main characters.

Alleluia has a creepy opening. We see a woman, Gloria, giving a sponge bath to a naked man. It takes a moment before we realize the man is dead. And then she looks directly at the camera, directly at us. It’s brief, but long enough to be unsettling. The film is divided into four sections, each about a certain woman, though Gloria is key in all sections, not just the first which bears her name. Gloria is a single mother who is looking at men’s profiles online with a friend, the friend urging her to contact one of them. The camera remains on the women’s faces, never cutting away to the computer screen, which is great. This is a movie that really knows that its characters are what is important, and the camera rarely strays from them.

We are then introduced to Michel, the man that Gloria has contacted, who is practicing what he’ll say in the mirror. He has a photo of Gloria attached to the mirror, which is a bit creepy considering they haven’t yet had their first date. But soon he lights candles for a ritual, saying, “Let Gloria succumb to my charms,” which is much eerier. And on the date, he says just what he’s rehearsed. Gloria takes him home that night, and in the morning when she’s called to work, she leaves her young daughter in his care, a demonstration of her trust, or perhaps her foolishness. But it is for her a demonstration of her love, for she has completely fallen for this man. Even after learning that he’d lied to her, and that he makes his living by seducing women, she wants to stay with him, even to help him. Michel suffers from migraines, and it partly feels as if Gloria is eager to finally care for a living man rather than for the dead. She looks so happy, and he is clearly intrigued. “I’ve never felt so good in my life,” Gloria tells her friend, before basically abandoning her daughter to her.

So then the remaining sections of the film are each named after a woman that Michel seduces, while Gloria poses as his sister. But how long can she possibly be able to watch her man with other women? Her obsession with him borders on madness, to the point of seeing the world outside of the two of them as being dangerous, populated by people who have stopped dreaming, as she says at one point, while standing over the naked corpse of a woman. Gloria is at times like a child, throwing tantrums and so on. She’s also entertained like one, as Michel delights her by making faces for her. But we know she’s much more dangerous than a cranky child.

I love how this film is shot, with lots of close-ups, letting faces do much of the work of conveying the story and the character’s emotions. Plus, because it keeps us so close to Gloria and Michel, we’re never able to get too comfortable. We’re not allowed that distance from which we could more objectively view them, at least not for long. Alleluia is an intelligent, creepy, horror/drama, with excellent performances by Lola Dueñas as Gloria and Laurent Lucas as Michel.

Special Features

This disc contains quite a lot of bonus material, including a commentary track by director Fabrice du Welz. And in case you’re wondering, yes, it’s in English, and at the beginning he apologizes for what he calls his “bad English.” Interestingly, he talks about commentary tracks themselves, saying he feels they’re not necessary. He talks about the real story of the lonely hearts killers, and about two of the earlier films based on that story. He also talks about shooting on film versus video, about the score and the cast. This track was recorded for Music Box Films.

It’s Wonderful When You’re In Love is a short film from director Fabrice du Welz, about a sad, odd, disturbed woman who is alone at home, putting up balloons for her own birthday. She’s hired a man to help her celebrate, but then gets upset when he insists on getting paid. And she may not be the weirdest character in this film. I love the twisted sense of humor in this film. The moment during dinner when she laughs is perfect. This director seems to have a soft spot for lonely, homicidal women.

The disc also contains an episode of Home Cinema hosted by Fabrice du Welz, in which he talks with director Jaco Van Dormael about The Brand New Testament and his earlier work. A section of this episode also deals with Alleluia, with interviews with Lola Dueñas, Fabrice du Welz and Laurent Lucas.

Shooting Alleluia offers a behind-the-scenes look at the film, with interviews with Fabrice du Welz and Laurent Lucas. This is approximately ten and a half minutes. There are also seventeen minutes of deleted scenes, and interviews with cast members Lola Dueñas, Laurent Lucas and Helena Noguerra, as well as with production designer Manu de Meulemeester. The special features also include the film’s trailer.

There is also a booklet with information on the real couple, as well as an interview with Fabrice du Welz and several photos.

Alleluia was directed by Fabrice du Welz, and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 6, 2015 through Doppelganger Releasing. The film is presented in its original French, with English subtitles.