Story Pacing, Bonus Content Are The Only Saving Graces For Walt Disney Studios Animation’s Latest CG Feature, ‘Strange World’

Courtesy: Walt Disney Studios Animation

The new year has barely begun, but even with that being the case, Walt Disney Studios has already announced its first new home release for 2023.  The company announced late last month it will release its latest CG feature, Strange World Feb. 14 on DVD and Blu-ray.  The movie is the first full CG feature (and first full theatrical CG feature) from the company’s animations branch since the release of Encanto in November 2021.  The company partnered with Bardel Entertainment in December 2021 for the CG adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, so technically, while it is a CG movie (which was released exclusively through Disney’s streaming service, Disney+), it is not a solo release from Disney.  That movie has yet to see a home release date, too.  Strange World does little if anything to improve the track record for Disney’s animation unit, considering the fact that Encanto was so forgettable.  Strange World suffers largely because of its story, which will be discussed a little later.  The story’s pacing is the movie’s main saving grace.  It will be discussed shortly.  The movie’s bonus content is also of note to the positive.  It will be discussed later, too.  When it and the pacing are considered together, they make Strange World worth watching once, but sadly no more than that one time.

Walt Disney Studios Animation’s latest new CG offering Strange World is a disappointing new presentation from the animation arm of Walt Disney Studios.  Much like its most recent predecessor, Encanto, it offers audiences little to make it memorable, other than maybe the fact that it is not a musical.  One of the only other positives to this movie is the pacing of its story.  From beginning to end of its roughly 90-minute run time, the story wastes little time getting things moving.  That is proven right from the movie’s outset, which is a brief back story on the Cade family (the movie’s central stars).  In that introduction, it is revealed that the elder member of the Clade family, Jaeger (Dennis Quaid – Innerspace, The Day After Tomorrow, Frquency) essentially abandoned his family while on a mission in the mountains of the family’s homeland, Avalonia.  Of course, there is more to that story that is revealed as the story progresses.  Not to give away too much, but it is ironic (or maybe not) that Quaid has also worked on Innerspace and The Day After Tomorrow considering the content in this movie’s story, not to give away too much.  Getting back on track, that initial opening setup is very brief, but makes sense as soon as the story fast forwards more than 20 years in the future.  The story that follows is set up very quickly and in clear fashion.  From there, the adventure into the “subterranean” world of Avalonia moves steadily right up to its final act and resolution.  Even the moments in which Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal – Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, Nightcrawler) and Jaeger have to come to terms with their relationship do not manage to slow the movie down too much.  That is a good thing, too, considering how that secondary story of the father and son’s relationship (and Searcher’s own relationship with his son, Cade (Jabouki Young-White – Rough Night, Set It Up, C’mon C’mon)) plays into the bigger story.  That secondary story actually weaves seamlessly into the overall story, allowing for the story to not get bogged down in itself and in turn keep moving fluidly from beginning to end.

As much as the pacing of Strange World’s story does for its appeal, the overall story presented herein detracts greatly from that appeal.  That is because in hindsight, the story is really anything but original.  Not to give away too much for those who have yet to watch it, but this movie proves ultimately to be little more than a reimagining of 20^th Century Fox’s timeless 1977 science fiction classic, Fantastic Voyage.  That is recognized when Ethan Clade (Young-White) finally realizes the reality of where the family really is in its journey.  Keeping that in mind, the movie’s writing team is to be commended at least to a point, in keeping that realization a surprise not only for the Clade family but also for audiences in the process.  Again though, the realization almost immediately lends itself to comparison to Fantastic Voyage and in turn reduces that engagement and entertainment.

This is just one of the problematic aspects of the story.  The preachy message about finding a renewable source of energy through the setup of pando’s problematic nature is clearly an allegory of how we as humans must find an alternative to fossil fuels.  Yes, we need to get off of fossil fuels, and those efforts to find something else are already there.  To that end, audiences do not need this message continually shoved down their throats.  The purpose of movies is supposed to be an escape everything, not to have preachy messages and agendas pushed.

As if all of this is not problem enough, — again not to give away too much – the ultimate final revelation at the story’s end makes a direct reference to the idiot theory by so many that Earth is flat.  Of course, a flat earth is not shown, but a round one, yet to even suggest we are living on something else that is living – an actual living organism – is laughable and leaves one wondering why this was even incorporated into the movie, unless some nutjob flat earther was part of the writing team.

This still is not the end of the issues posed by the story.  The whole matter of the father and son dynamic between Jaeger, Searcher, and Ethan (Ethan is gay, by the way, and that is shamelessly right out in front of audience, so some parents might want to be aware of this) thankfully does not overwhelm the bigger story of the family’s journey through Avalonia’s “subterranean” world.  At the same time though, it doesn’t really add much, if anything, to the story.  The whole thing of each son trying to make his own path and identity despite his father’s own history is preachy in its own right, and nothing new to the movie industry, too.  Thankfully though, this subplot thankfully does not manage to overpower the overall story even as it doesn’t help the story, either.

Looking back at all of this, there are lots of problems with the story at the center of Strange World.  From its overall lack of originality to its preachy nature, it is just anything but memorable.  It is at least engaging for the one watch.  To that end, the multiple problems featured in this movie’s story are not enough to completely doom Strange World, and leave room for one more positive, that being the movie’s bonus content.

The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its home release is at least somewhat enjoyable, even despite some preachiness from Young-White in the “Strange Science” bonus feature.  He goes off about the need to care more for the planet, etc. in the end of the 13-minute bonus, which features the movie’s creative heads talking about the story and the work that went into its creation.  The very brief creature feature at least offers some entertainment as it gives names to each of the creatures encountered throughout the Cades’ journey.  The 23-minute “Anatomy of a Scene” featurette is for lack of better wording, the standard “making of” featurette that comes with so many movies, regardless of studio.  Audiences learn how much time and work went into the CG that made the movie, with so much detail given from one subtopic to another.  It and the other bonuses are collectively all that really makes the overall viewing experience here worthwhile, that is other than the pacing of the story.  To that end, the pacing of Strange World’s story and the bonus content featured with the movie’s home release are its saving graces.  Without them, this movie would not be worth watching even once.

Strange World, the latest CG feature from Walt Disney Studios Animation, is sadly another disappointing offering from the animation arm of Walt Disney Studios.  Its story is anything but original, though at least the execution thereof makes for some appeal.  The story’s pacing works to help with that execution, thankfully.  The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its coming home release is also of note, though not very much.  Keeping all of this in mind, Strange World proves ultimately to be another forgettable offering from Walt Disney Studios Animation.

Strange World is available now digitally.  It is scheduled for release on DVD and Blu-ray Feb. 14.

More information on this and other movies from Walt Disney Studios is available at:

Website: https://waltdisneystudios.com

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

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Searchlight Pictures’ ‘Nightmare Alley’ Reboot Is Neither A Dream Nor A Nightmare

Courtesy: Searchlight Pictures

How could a man sink so low? He reached too high. Those are the last two lines of Twentieth Century Fox’s 1947 noir thriller, Nightmare Alley. The lines are a fitting finale for the movie, which is one of many lesser-known noir flicks from the studio, now known as 20th Century Studios. That is because not only do they bring the lesser-known noir flick full circle, but because they also collectively help describe Searchlight Pictures’ new reboot of the classic flick, which is scheduled for release Tuesday on DVD and Blu-ray. Interestingly enough, Searchlight Pictures is a division of 20th Century Studios. The reboot reaches high but never really succeeds in itself in attempting to bring renewed attention to the original movie. On the positive side, the story at the heart of the movie does help make the movie worth watching at least once. The story’s execution meanwhile offsets the engagement and entertainment generated through the story and must be addressed. The movie’s cinematography rounds out the most important of the reboot’s elements and works with the story to make this presentation at least somewhat more worth watching. It will also be discussed later. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the new Nightmare Alley. All things considered, they make the reboot a presentation that is almost as engaging and entertaining as its source material.

Searchlight Pictures’ reboot of 20th Century Fox’s 1947 noir flick, Nightmare Alley, is an interesting new take of a lesser-known classic from the silver age of cinema. It is a presentation that comes up short in comparison to its source material, but still proves itself worth watching at least once. The value in the reboot is exhibited in large part through the movie’s central story. The story in question centers on Stanton Carlisle, a fake psychic who learns how to trick not only audiences, but women, too. The catch is that while he thinks he is tricking so many people, things don’t turn out quite so well for him in the end. Not to give away too much, but the old adage that what goes around comes around plays out relatively well in this reboot/period piece almost as well as in the original movie. Audiences will be interested to see as the story progresses that the same thing that happened to Pete in the long run happened to Stan. Again, the full story will not be revealed here so as to not spoil things for audiences who have not yet watched the movie. That item in itself makes the movie worth watching at least once.

While the story featured in Nightmare Alley gives audiences at least some reason to give the movie a chance, the execution of the reboot’s story detracts from the story’s overall engagement and entertainment. The original story runs just under two hours at one hour, 51 minutes. The reboot runs two and a half hours. The increased length comes from the fact that some scenes from the original have been moved around while at other points, the writing staff of writer/director Guillermo del Toro, Kim Morgan, and William Lindsay Gresham added things that were not in the original movie. What’s more, certain amounts of explicit content were added to the movie that were not in the original movie and not needed, either. One of the changes that the writers made in the reboot was to limit the use of the tarot card scenes. The original story incorporated their use at least twice early in the story and midway through. In the case of the reboot, it is used only once in the story’s final act. What’s more, the scene in the reboot in which Stanton (played by Bradley Cooper) backs over Anderson (Holt McCallany) and then runs him over was an added and completely unnecessary moment. The same can be said of the moment early on when the geek (which is apparently another word for a circus sideshow freak) bites the head off of a chicken. That is a scene from the original movie, but there really is no need for the explicit nature of the scene in the reboot, what with all of the blood. It’s like the movie’s creative heads did that just for shock value, which is concerning. In yet another case, the scene in which Pete dies is changed and extended from the original movie. In the case of the reboot, what was originally a private moment becomes a longer public scene in the carnival, and the more extended sequence in which Stanton teaches Molly (Rooney Mara) about the electrocution chair and how it works adds to the movie’s run time. The original movie did involve this element, but did not add all of the unnecessary extra content used in the reboot. There is also added content late in the movie in which Stanton talks with Judge Kimball (Peter MacNeill) about his sordid past. The extra content here is way more than was in the original scenes from the 1947 take of the movie. Simply put, between this item, the others addressed here, and so many others incorporated into the reboot, there is a lot changed from the original to the reboot that did not need to be changed in so many ways. Yes, the reboot’s content largely does strive to stay true to the original, but there are just so many changes that it makes the movie not necessarily the original and in turn not as engaging as the original movie.

While the amount of changes that occur between Nightmare Alley‘s original movie and its new reboot are concerning, they are not enough to completely ruin the reboot’s presentation. The cinematography works with the story to make for at least a little bit more engagement. The cinematography uses so many specific angles that help enhance the tension of certain scenes. At others, the close ups and the cuts help to keep the sense of steady pacing moving even with the movie’s extensive run time in mind. That plays into the general look of the movie (which is too spit shined even as it takes audiences back to the 1930s and 40s) to help immerse audiences that much more into the movie. Considering that along with the appeal in the movie’s story, the two elements together make Nightmare Alley neither a dream nor a nightmare in itself.

Searchlight Pictures’ new reboot of 20th Century Fox’s classic 1947 noir thriller Nightmare Alley is an interesting presentation. It proves worth watching at least once because of its story. Unlike so many reboots past and present, this movie actually sticks to the story of the original movie. That in itself will appeal to audiences and hopefully encourage audiences to take in the story in the original movie. While the story does form a stable foundation for the reboot of Nightmare Alley, its execution detracts from the overall appeal. That is because of how much content was added, removed, and moved around. There is plenty of content in the story that was either not needed (especially explicit content) or needed in other places throughout the story. It is concerning, but not enough to completely doom the movie. The cinematography works with the story to make for even more engagement. That is because it helps enhance the mood of given scenes, and in turn help viewers look past the reboot’s two hour, 30 minute run time and feel like the movie moves at a relatively stable pace. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of Nightmare Alley‘s presentation. All things considered, they make the reboot neither a dream nor a nightmare.

Nightmare Alley is scheduled for release Tuesday on Blu-ray and DVD. More information on this and other titles from Searchlight Pictures is available at:

Website: https://www.searchlightpictures.com

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‘Under The Pepper Tree’ Is A Successful First Family Music Outing For Sara Watkins

Courtesy: New West

Singer-songwriter Sara Watkins has made quite the name for herself over the years as a member of the bluegrass group Nickel Creek and as part of the Watkins Family Hour and I’m With Her.  Now this Friday, Watkins will take her first step into another phase of her career with her debut family music album, Under the Pepper Tree.  The 15-song first outing is a presentation that will appeal to her fans and those of one Diana Panton.  That is due in part to the song’s that make up the album’s body.  They will be discussed shortly.  The musical arrangements that Watkins employs throughout the album add to its appeal and will be discussed a little later.  The sequencing of that overall content puts the finishing touch to the record and will also be discussed later.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the album.  All things considered, Sarah Watkins’ debut family music album is a successful offering that the whole family will indeed enjoy.

Sara Watkins’ debut family music album is a work that the whole family truly will enjoy.  That is due in part to its featured songs.  The songs in question are a selection of songs from various classic movies.  Bob Nolan’s ‘Tumblin’ Tumbleweed,’ from Gene Autry’s 1935 movie by the same name is featured here along with the likes of ‘Edelweiss’ from 20^th Century Fox’s adaptation of Rodgers &  Hammerstein’s musical, The Sound of Music (1965), and ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ from Disney’s classic Pinocchio (1940).  Also represented here is ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ from 20^th Century Fox’s adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical, Carousel (1956); ‘La la Lu’ from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp (1955) and even ‘Moon River’ from Paramount Pictures’ 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.  There is even an original tune in the form of the album’s title track along with everything else.  The songs will relate to listeners of all ages because they are all timeless works that the noted audiences will remember.  Given, parents will recognize some of the songs more than children, but that aside, those songs will still entertain younger listeners.

On another level, that some of the songs (and their related movies) will connect more with older audiences than with children. That in itself serves as a starting point for older audiences to offer younger listeners the most basic introduction to so many classic musicals and movies.  That early introduction could help lead to a lifelong love for said presentations.  So while on the surface, the songs make up a collective of soundtrack works, they actually can and do serve an even greater purpose, bringing families together while building a foundation and love for the great timeless works of stage and screen from entertainment’s golden age.  To that end, the songs featured in this compilation form a solid foundation for the record itself.  It is just one part of what makes the recording so enjoyable.  The arrangements that Watkins chose for these songs adds to the record’s overall appeal.

Watkins largely stays true to the source material in each song that she features in her new record, from one to the next.  For all of that honor that Watkins pays to the original works, she still gives them her own nice touch.  Case in point is her take on ‘Stay Awake.’  Originally featured as one of the songs from Disney’s 1964 musical adaptation of author P.L. Travers’ novel Mary Poppins, the song was a gentle lullabye crafted by  the famed Sherman Brothers, Richard and Robert.  It featured Julie Andrews’ absolutely stunning vocal control alongside some even more subtle strings.  Watkins’ take on the song would have fit just as well into that movie.  It is just as moving with its piano line joining with the strings to make the song even richer.  Watkins’ over vocal delivery is so powerful in its simplicity here, too.  Ironically though being a lullaby, Watkins’ take on the song is enough to make even the most emotionally strong man blubber like a baby.  That is a telling statement. 

On a different note, Watkins’ take on Bob Nolan’s ‘Tumbling Tumblewood’ stays even truer to its source material, complete with fiddle and the slightest touch of a slide guitar.  Of course, gone are the clip-clop of the horse hoofs and the string arrangement featured in the original song performed by Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers.  Instead, Watkins has opted here for the more spit-shined take that even what with everything in mind, the song still sounds quite a bit like something that one might hear playing in the old honky tonk joints of country music’s golden era.  To that point, it is still its own unique arrangement.

‘Moon River’ is another example of the importance of the musical arrangements featured in Watkins’ new record.  Her take on the song does stay true to its source material for the most part, stylistically.  Though there are some subtle differences between the original version composed by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, and sung by Audrey Hepburn, and Watkins’ take.  Right off the bat, the string arrangements and the harmonica featured in the original are absent in Watkins’ rendition.  They are replaced here by the subtle addition of a Hammond organ.  Watkins’ own vocal delivery bears its own identity here.  Her delivery is just as soft and gentle as that of Hepburn and almost as airy.  That whole set against the whole of the original makes Watkins’ take here just as interesting as the other covers featured in the compilation.  When those other songs are considered with this arrangement and the others examined here, the whole leaves no doubt as to the importance of the recording’s overall musical content.  When that content is considered along with the featured songs themselves, that whole gives listeners even more to like.  When all of that is considered along with the record’s sequencing, the record is rounded out and completed.

The sequencing of Under the Pepper Tree keeps the album’s energy light from beginning to end of its 36-minute run time, starting off relaxed in her take of ‘Blue Shadows on the Trail.’  The energy really does not pick back up until late in the album’s run in Watkin’s take of ‘Blanket for a Sail.’  Up until that point, the energy remains relatively reserved.  It pulls back again from there right up to the album’s finale, ‘Good Night.’  So basically what audiences get overall due to the sequencing here, is a record that will serve to relax any listener.  As a matter of fact, one might even be able to use the record to help get to sleep being that the record’s energy is so gentle.  Between that, the unique takes on the songs and the very selection of songs, the whole makes the record in whole a work that is a truly successful family music album.

Sara Watkins’ debut family music album Under the Pepper Tree is a positive new offering that the whole family will indeed enjoy.  That is due in part to the record’s featured songs, the majority of which are timeless songs that are themselves featured in some of the most famous and beloved movies of all time.  The arrangements that Watkins presents here are themselves important to the record’s presentation.  They stay largely true to their source material but also give the songs the slightest of updates, making for even more appeal.  The sequencing of this overall content keeps the record’s energy relatively light and reserved throughout the record’s nearly 40-minute run time.  That means the record’s overall energy will keep listeners relaxed.  That will result in a positive mindset for any listener.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of this record.  All things considered, they make the record in whole a successful first family music outing for Sarah Watkins.  Under the Pepper Tree is scheduled for release Friday through New West Records.  More information on the album is available along with all of Watkins’ latest news at:

Website:  https://sarawatkins.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarawatkins

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SaraWatkins

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.  

Shout! Factory To Re-Issue Second ‘Power Rangers’ Movie On Blu-Ray

Courtesy: Saban Brands/Shout! Factory/20th Century Fox

Shout! Factory is bringing The Power Rangers’ second movie to Blu-ray.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is scheduled for release July 30.  Its upcoming release marks the first time that the movie will see a Blu-ray release.  The story at the center of the movie breaks a little bit from canon, but unlike its predecessor, is more closely linked with the television series of the same name.

In the case of this entry in the Power Rangers cinematic universe, the latest team of rangers faces off against the space pirate Divatox.  Divatox wants to free the evil Maligore from his volcanic prison, but she can’t do that without the powers of the kindly Lerigot.  Lerigot has fled to Earth to avoid Divatox and ask for protection from the Power Rangers.

The upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie will include the featurette “Ranger Tales: A Look Back At Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie as an added bonus.  It is complimented by the movie’s original, shorter featurette and movie trailer as bonus content.

More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

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‘MMPR: The Movie’ Re-Issue Will Appeal To Franchise’s Most Devoted Fans

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

Almost 24 years ago, 20^th Century Fox brought one of the most beloved kids’ series in television history to the big screen in the form of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie.  When it was originally released, the big-screen adaptation of the high-action sci-fi series was met with largely negative reviews, and with good reason.  Even as bad as the movie was (and still is today), it is still a presentation that the most devoted Power Rangers fans will appreciate.  As the 24^th anniversary of the movie’s debut nears, Shout! Factory and Saban are celebrating the anniversary with a new Blu-ray re-issue of the movie complete with a new in-depth bonus featurette.  While the movie is largely a failure, there are still certain elements of the movie that do work.  This will be addressed shortly.  The new bonus commentary, which runs approximately 44-minutes in length, is the re-issue’s most notable positive.  It will be addressed a little bit later.  The Blu-ray’s average price point is not a budget breaker for those MMPR devotees who want to add the movie to their collections.

Shout! Factory and Saban Brands have been doing quite a bit in recent years to make Power Rangers fans with lots of Power Rangers and Super Sentai box sets.  On June 4, the companies will do something a little bit different for fans of both series when they re-issue the 1995 big screen adaptation of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers on Blu-ray.  Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie was resoundingly panned by viewers and critics alike in its initial release.  Now almost 24 years later, it has not improved in its footing.  That is due in part to the fact that its story completely breaks canon from the original series.  Its look is also a far cry from that of the original series, right down to the over-the-top CG zords.  For all of the negatives exhibited in the movie’s story, the story is not a total loss.  It does present some positives, such as the camp elements that made the TV series so enjoyable (and that still do today).  That includes the comic support from Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy – Bulk and Skull – and the ever-the-top cheesiness of Ivan Ooze (Paul Freema – Hot Fuzz, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Centurion) in terms of his personality. The work of the supporting cast that played the parents of Angel Grove also echoed the feel of the movie’s source material.  Keeping in mind that overall feel of the movie, it makes up for the issue of the movie’s story, at least a little bit.  That in itself makes the movie worth an occasional watch among Power Rangers’ most devoted fans now that it is being re-issued on Blu-ray.  The movie’s throwback to the camp feeling of the MMPR TV series is just one of the most notable elements presented in the upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie.  The bonus content is just as notable as that feel.

The bonus content is notable because audiences get not only the relatively short original featurette included with the movie’s initial DVD release, but a new 44-minute featurette that takes audiences even deeper into the movie’s background and history.  Audiences learn through the movie’s new bonus featurette – “A Look Back At Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie – lots of items not featured in the movie’s original bonus featerutte.  Viewers learn, through discussions with the movie’s director Bryan Spicer, that there was lots of discussion on the script between himself and the heads at 20^th Century Fox during the movie’s pre-production.  Viewers also get an interesting anecdote from Spicer about how the newspapers in Australia allegedly mid-identified one of the movie’s Assistant Directors as the Director, thus incorrectly giving that AD the credit for helming the movie instead of Spicer.  On a related note, Spicer also talks about filming in Australia during his interview segments and why the filming took place there instead of in the United States.  That’s not all that audiences get.  Viewers also receive a very interesting tidbit about a well-known actress who was initially wanted by Fox’s executives to fill the role of Dulcea and how she was replaced by the woman who ended up in the role.  The movie’s cast members get plenty of their own time throughout the featurette, too.  They talk about topics, such as the pace of shooting each scene for the movie versus shooting for the TV series, the stunts and the visual effects among other topics.  Between everything noted here and the rest of the discussions featured in the movie’s new bonus featurette, said featurette proves to be the true foundation for the movie’s new Blu-ray re-issue.  When it is considered along with the fact that the movie’s creative heads did at least try to give the story the same camp feel of the MMPR series, those two elements together give viewers even more reason to check out this latest presentation of MMPR: The Movie.  Considering those elements, the average price point of the movie’s re-issue proves to be not too expensive.

The average price point of MMPR: The Movie – based on prices listed at Shout! Factory’s store, Walmart, Target and Amazon – is $15.52.  At the time of this review’s posting, it was not listed at Best Buy, Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Books-A-Million.  However, the movie’s original DVD release was listed at those sites.  By comparison, the DVD’s average price point was $7.33.  That includes prices listed not just at Books-A-Million, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble Booksellers, but also at Walmart and Amazon.  While the original DVD release’s average price point is obviously less expensive than that of the movie’s new BD re-issue, the DVD does not boast the new bonus featurette that is featured in the new re-issue.  To that end, the price for the movie’s re-issue is not too bad.  Keeping all of this in mind, this new re-issue of MMPR: The Movie proves a piece that the most devoted MMPR fans will want to add to their libraries.

Shout! Factory’s upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie is a piece that the most devoted fans of the timeless sci-fi action series will appreciate.  That is due in part to the fact that while the movie’s story clearly breaks from the series’ canon, it does at least maintain the campy feel of its source material.  That alone makes the movie worth at least an occasional watch.  The new 44-minute bonus featurette featured in this re-issue makes the presentation even more appealing for the noted fans.  The re-issue’s average price point of less than $20 is relatively affordable, and not wasted, considering the movie’s primary and secondary content.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie.  All things considered, the movie’s upcoming Blu-ray re-issue is one that the most devoted MMPR fans will enjoy especially if they do not already own the movie on DVD.  It will be available June 4.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

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itv’s TV Take Of ‘The Sound Of Music’ Will “Score” With Musical Fans

Courtesy: itv/Shout! Factory

Sixty years have passed this year since Rodgers & Hammerstein’s timeless musical The Sound Of Music made its stage debut.  The timeless musical, which was based on the memoir of Maria Von Trapp went on to earn five Tony® awards.  This is despite the historical inaccuracies in the story.  The story won the awards — and went on to spawn an equally famed big-screen musical in 1965, that starred actress Julie Andrews – because of its musical numbers and performances by its cast.  20^th Century Fox’s 1965 film adaptation of the play was just one of countless adaptations of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s timeless work that have been crafted on stage and screen around the world.  British broadcasting network itv produced its own TV take on the play in the form of The Sound of Music Live in 2015. Its broadcast was followed early last November with a Blu-ray home release of the production, courtesy of Shout! Factory.  The presentation is one that any die-hard fan of The Sound of Music will appreciate. That is due in part to its story, which will be discussed shortly.  Its very presentation also plays into its appeal, and will be discussed a little later.  The bonus content included with the show’s home release is important to its appeal, too, and will be discussed later as well.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the home release of The Sound of Music Live.  All things considered, they make The Sound of Music Live a good addition to the library of any musical fan’s library and to that of any devotee of The Sound of Music.

British broadcaster itv’s 2015 small-screen take of The Sound of Music is a work that is certain to appeal to musical theater fans just as much as devotees of The Sound of Music.  That is thanks in part to its story.  The story presented here uses Rodgers & Hammerstein’s original musical, which made its stage debut in 1959, as its source more so than the 1965 big screen adaptation, which starred Julie Andrews as Maria. However, much of what is included in the cinematic take is also included in the stage version, so audiences get here, the best of both worlds.  Given there are some slight alterations between the 1965 version and this take, such as how the Von Trapp family ultimately escapes the Nazis (not to give away too much) and the initial ‘Do-Re-Me’ scene.  That number’s setting is different in the two versions.  The execution of the ‘Edelweiss’ number is also slightly different between the two versions, especially considering that in itv’s take, there is only one performance of the song while in the 1965 version, the song is performed twice in two separate settings.  This is just one of the few differences that exist between itv’s live version of The Sound of Music and 20^th Century Fox’s 1965 presentation of the story.  There are other minute variances between each take.  The fact that the differences are so minute ensures even more, that this version will still appeal to fans of the original play and those who are more loyal to the story’s cinematic standard.  The story is just one part of what makes this performance of The Sound of Music so widely-appealing to audiences.  The show’s very presentation adds to its appeal even more.

The presentation of The Sound of Music Live is important to address in examining the movie in that it adds to the ability of audiences to suspend their disbelief.  This includes the sets and cinematography.  Audiences get a behind-the-scenes look at the sets in the presentation’s bonus material.  This will be discussed a little later.  The sets give the feeling that they could just as easily have been used in an actual stage presentation of the classic musical, yet are just enough to give the show a little bit of a cinematic feel at the same time.  That attention to detail and balance makes the show’s set designers worthy of their own share of applause.  The equally sharp camera work throughout gives even more, that feeling of a stage presentation on screen without being too much over the top.  The movements and the shots themselves couple with the sets to give audiences the best seat in the house.  It’s like being in a theater watching the musical take place, but not having to deal with the noise and congestion created by other people.  In other words, the sets and cinematography presented in The Sound of Music Live do just as much for the show’s overall presentation as its story.  That collective is not the last of the presentation’s most important elements.  The bonus content featured in its Blu-ray release is key in its own way to the whole package.

The bonus content featured as part of The Sound of Music Live’s home release is made up of a full-length audio commentary track featuring lead stars Kara Tointon and Julian Ovenden, as well as the previously noted behind-the-scenes featurette.  The behind-the-scenes featurette is enlightening in its own right, as it shows viewers the intensity of the preparations for the show (roughly two months worth of preps to be exact).  It also shows how hard it was to actually put on the show once the proverbial curtain lifted.  That alone makes for more appreciation for the show.  The bonus feature-length commentary adds its own share of enlightenment and interest.  That is thanks to the variety of items that Tointon and Ovenden discuss.  The pair addresses items, such as Tointon’s lack of knowledge about playing guitar, thee difficulty of shooting a stage presentation for the small screen and commentary that the cast and crew received from audiences in Austria.  They note that the noted audiences were not happy with The Sound of Music in general because of the story’s historical inaccuracies.  That’s just a sampling of what was discussed in the commentary.  The pair also talks briefly about the use of the stock footage as part of the show, the humility of the younger cast members and the success of the casting for other parts, just to name a little bit more.  Between all of this and the items not mentioned in reference to the bonus commentary (and the behind-the-scenes featurette), the bonus content featured in this Blu-ray adds even more appeal for the overall presentation.  When it is considered along with the story and the show’s aesthetic elements, the whole proves to be a presentation that will appeal to plenty of audiences.

itv’s small-screen iteration of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic musical The Sound of Music Live is a work that will appeal easily to musical fans in general as well as to devoted fans of the noted musical.  That is due in part to the show’s story with includes elements of the 1965 cinematic adaptation from 20^th Century Fox and of the original stage musical.  The sets and cinematography presented in the show collectively add more interest and appeal to the presentation.  The bonus content featured in the show’s Blu-ray release adds its own share of interest to the presentation, too.  Each item noted here is important in its own right to the whole of The Sound of Music Live.  All things considered, the show is one that, again, is certain to appeal to musical devotees across the board.  The Sound of Music Live is available now.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

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Pricing, Packaging Saves 20th Century Fox’s Latest ‘Lost In Space’ Release

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox

Early this month, 29^th Century Fox re-issued CBS’ classic science fiction action adventure series Lost In Space on DVD.  This new re-issue came a little more than three years after the series’ Blu-ray release, which was also distributed by 20^th Century Fox.  It sadly is proof, though, that 20^th Century Fox is itself still a little bit lost when it comes to giving this timeless series a fully proper home release.  It is not a total loss, however. The biggest positive of all to this set is its pricing.  This will be discussed shortly.  While the set’s pricing is clearly a positive, the bonus content proves to be a negative, compared to the bonus content presented in the series’ Blu-ray set.  This will be discussed a little later.  While the bonus content proves an issue for this re-issue of Lost in Space’s complete series presentation, it is not enough to make the set unwatchable.  Keeping this in mind, it is really the set’s only true con.  The set’s packaging is another positive to note, again in comparison to the series’ previous Blu-ray release.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the set.  All things considered, 20^th Century Fox’s new DVD re-issue of Lost in Space: The Complete Series is an improvement over the company’s previous Blu-ray release of the series.

20^th Century Fox’s recent re-issue of Lost in Space: The Complete Series is a sign that while the company itself still seems slightly lost on how to finally give fans of the classic series a proper release of the show, it is at least a move in the right direction for the organization.  This is proven in part through the average price point of the series.  The DVD set’s average price point is $29.49.  That is in comparison to the average price point of $74.52 for the Blu-ray set.  The DVD’s price point was a little tricky to pinpoint as the set is not listed on Walmart’s web store, yet it is available in store at Walmart’s brick and mortar stores.  It is however, listed online at the stores for Amazon, Best Buy and Books-A-Million.  The Blu-ray set, which was met with quite a bit of blowback for its packaging – which will be discussed a little later – is listed at the stores at Amazon and Walmart.  The DVD set’s price in store at Walmart is only $19.99.  With tax, that puts the set’s price at just over $20, which is not a bad price at all considering the primary and bonus content presented in the DVD set.  The primary content featured here is the series’ full 83-episode run, complete with previously unaired pilot episode.  That unaired pilot is also included in the set’s BD release.  The bonus content is relatively limited, especially in comparison to the series’ BD set, but the bonus “Lost in Space Forever” featurette is entertaining and enlightening in its own right.  All of the bonus content will be discussed a little later.  Getting back on topic, the collective primary and secondary content presented in the DVD re-issue of Lost in Space: The Complete Series makes the set’s average price point not too bad.  That is especially in comparison to the average price point of its BD counterpart and so many of its counterparts and contemporaries currently available in stores and online.

The average price point of the DVD re-issue of Lost in Space: The Complete Series is a positive for consumers as it is a point that is affordable for any fan of the series.  The bonus content presented here – or rather, not presented – likely plays into that price.  It is limited here in comparison to the bonus content presented in the set’s BD release back in 2015.  The only real notable bonus content presented in the new DVD set is the roughly half-hour-long featurette “Lost in Space Forever.”  It features famed actor John Laroquette (Night Court) as the host, taking audiences through the history of the series and the movie that eventually followed from New Line Cinema in 1998.  Audiences will be interested to learn through this featurette what led Lost in Space the series to eventually become as campy as it did in its second and third seasons.  Not to give away too much, but it has to do with competition at the time from another show on another network.  Audiences also learn what eventually led to the series’ cancellation: the same factors that leads to so many series’ ending.  If that is not enough, audiences also learn through this featurette, who the actors were behind one of the series’ most beloved characters, the robot, and about the change of characters’ focus in the writing as the series progressed.  Between all of that and much more, the program proves quite entertaining.  Sadly, it is really the only positive bonus content featured in this set, other than the previously noted unaired pilot.  Other than those two bonuses, there is little else to appreciate here.  The rest of the bonuses are just TV spots for the series.  In comparison, the Blu-ray set featured the series’ 1973 animated special (which is also discussed in this set’s bonus material), an audio interview with the series’ creator Irwin Allen and two full-length documentaries about the series, along with the noted pilot and even more bonus content.  One cannot help but wonder why 20^th Century Fox did not transfer those bonuses over to this DVD set for audiences who perhaps could not afford the BD set or who do not own a Blu-ray player.  It definitely detracts from the set’s presentation.  Luckily though, it does not detract from the set’s presentation so much that it makes the set a complete loss.  That is because it is the set’s only con.  One area in which this set improved over its BD counterpart is its packaging.  That packaging, together, with the pricing, does just enough to save the set.

The packaging used in the DVD presentation of Lost in Space: The Complete Series is critical to note because it takes a completely different path from that of the series’ BD set.  The 17 discs that make up this set are housed in a clamshell case, inside which are plates on which the discs sit on either side.  One disc is placed on one side while another is on the other side.  One is on the top of the plate, and the other on the bottom.  This is crucial because it is actually wise packaging.  It might make for a bulky package, but it protects the discs from any potential of damage.  In comparison, the discs housed in the BD set were placed in cardboard sleeves inside the case, which offered absolutely no protection at all for the discs.  This is multi-disc packaging done right, and a sign that maybe 20^th Century Fox took a cue from Shout! Factory, considering that said company has led the way for years in multi-disc packaging.  Now if only CBS and Paramount would follow suit since they have released so many of their series lately in large clamshell cases.  Simply put, the packaging for this set might not be overly flashy, unlike that of the series’ BD release, but it is smart this time around.  20^th Century Fox can be commended for making that move for audiences.  When one considers this along with the set’s relatively affordable price point, the end result is a set that while still not a perfect presentation of a timeless series, is an improvement from its predecessor.  That is despite the issues raised by its bonus content.

20^th Century Fox’s recently released DVD box set of Lost in Space: The Complete Series is an improvement over the company’s previous 2015 Blu-ray release of the series.  It shows that while the company is still slightly lost over how to present a proper release of the timeless series, it is at least moving in the right direction.  That is proven in part through the set’s average price point, which is affordable for any viewer in comparison to the price of the series’ Blul-ray release.  The packaging, also in comparison to that BD set, is another move in the right direction.  The only real con to the whole thing is its overall lack of worthwhile bonus content.  Keeping all of this in mind, this set is a slight improvement over its predecessor, but still leaves one wanting for more.  More information on this and other titles from 20^th Century Fox is available online now at:

 

 

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Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb Is A Great Find For Any History Buff

Courtesy: PBS/Public Media Distribution

Cleopatra is one of the most well-known figures in recorded history.  The famed “Queen of the Nile” has fascinated people the world over for centuries.  20^th Century Fox (one of Hollywood’s “Big Six”) even turned out a biopic of sorts centered on Cleopatra in 1963.  The movie, starring Elizabeth Taylor (Father of the Bride, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Giant) in the lead role, earned nine Oscar® nominations and four trophies along with four Golden Globe® nominations and many other accolades.  Women to this day even dress up as Cleopatra every Halloween thanks in no small part to that movie.  For all of the interest that Cleopatra has maintained throughout the centuries some might find it interesting to know that to this day, no one actually knows where she is buried.  Many have tried and none have succeeded.  However one woman recently came closer than anyone in the search for Cleopatra’s final resting place.  And her story was recently told in a new episode of PBS’ Secrets of the Dead.  That episode, Secrets of the Dead: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb will be available on DVD Tuesday, July 5^th.  This new episode of SOTD is just as welcome in the classroom as the living room.  That is due in large part to the episode’s story.  The story is just one of the elements that make this program so interesting.  The information that is presented over the course of the nearly hour-long program is just as important to note as the story itself.  The program’s pacing rounds out the program’s most important elements.  Each element is important in its own right to the program.  Altogether they make Secrets of the Dead: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb a presentation a must have for any history buff whether in the classroom or the living room.

Secrets of the Dead: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb is a must have for any history buff whether in the classroom or in the living room.  That is due in large part to the program’s story.  The story centers on the efforts of lawyer-turned-archaeologist Dr. Kathleen Martinez as she searches for Cleopatra’s tomb.  While the program is a documentary, one can’t help but be interested in this story because it is a sort of underdog tale.  As is noted in the program both in narration and by Dr. Martinez, she had quite a number of detractors when she turned from law to archaeology.  That is because of how little professional experience she had in archaeology.  What’s more she chased leads and theories that most others had ignored because they felt that those leads were so impossible.  Yet in following those leads, she came closer in her search than any researcher ever had or even has.  The progress and success that she had in her search surprised everybody including both her now former detractors and herself.  So while the story is on the surface, a documentary, it is also a story that audiences will enjoy and that will especially empower female viewers.  In whole, the story presented in this episode of SOTD is an important element in the episode’s presentation.  It isn’t the episode’s only key element, though.  The information shard throughout the course of the program is just as important as the episode’s story.

The story at the center of SOTD: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb is unquestionably an important part of the episode’s presentation.  On the surface, it is a documentary.  On another level, it is an underdog story of sorts that will keep audiences engaged and entertained.  It will also potentially empower female audiences because of the woman at the center of the story and her accomplishments.  As important as the story is to this episode of SOTD it is only one of the episode’s key elements.  The information provided over the course of the episode is just as important to note as the episode’s story.  One of the most interesting pieces of information that is shared in this episode is the note about 20^th Century Fox’s take on Cleopatra’s life.  While the movie earned an impressive amount of accolades, it is apparently anything but historically accurate.  That should be no surprise at all considering how few of Hollywood’s bio pics past and present boast any full accuracy.  It is still interesting to learn just how far off the mark the movie was.  Just as interesting to learn from this episode is just how far off the mark previous excavations might have been in the search for Cleopatra’s burial place.  That is supported by the amount of evidence uncovered by Dr. Martinez in her efforts.  On a related note the revelation about the many believed sites where Cleopatra might be buried.  It is intriguing to find out the vast spread of potential burial sites.  These are just a few of the interesting pieces of information shared over the course of this episode of SOTD.  There is much more for audiences to discover for themselves in watching this episode.  Needless to say, those other pieces of information join with the material noted here to prove in full why the content provided in SOTD: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb is just as important to this program as its story.  It still is not the last remaining key element either.  The program’s pacing rounds out its presentation.

Both the story at the center of SOTD: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb and its content are both key to the program’s presentation.  While both elements are undeniably important to the program’s presentation they are not its only key elements.  The program’s pacing is just as important to its presentation as those elements.  Viewers will note that the program’s pacing is relatively stable from beginning to end.  From the time that viewers are introduced to Dr. Martinez and presented with her back story to her search for the legendary queen’s final resting place, each part of the story receives just enough attention.  Even as the program focuses on Cleopatra’s own back story, that story isn’t allowed to dominate the program.  Each segment is expertly balanced against the others.  The end result is a program that will keep audiences fully engaged from beginning to end.  In turn audiences will see for themselves the importance of the program’s story and its overall content, too.  They will see that in whole all three elements make this program a must have for any history buff both in the classroom and the living room.

Secrets of the Dead: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb is a must have for any history buff whether in the classroom or in the living room.  It is an impressive new addition to the already extensive list of programs produced by PBS about Egypt and its rich history.  That is due in part to the program’s dual-part story.  The content that makes up the body of the story is just as important to note in its presentation.  The overall pacing of the program rounds out the program’s most important elements.  Each element is important in its own way to the program’s presentation.  Altogether they make Secrets of the Dead: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb a program that is, again, a must have for any history buff whether in the classroom or in the living room.  It will be available Tuesday, July 5^th and can be ordered online direct via PBS’ online store.  More information on this and other episodes of Secrets of the Dead is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://pbs.org/secrets

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Twitter: http://twitter.com/SecretsPBS

 

 

 

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Shout! Factory Shines Again In Phil’s Picks’ 2015 Top New DVD/BD Re-Issues List

Every year, dozens of albums get the re-issue treatment courtesy of record labels (and sometimes bands) that are either trying to fulfill contractual obligations or just trying to make a quick buck off of consumers gullible enough to blindly pick up copies of said albums. Sadly most of those albums are anything but worth the price. Though, there are some diamonds in the rough. The same applies in the realm of DVD and Blu-ray re-issues. Every year just as many DVDs and Blu-rays hit store shelves all over again. And just as with the noted albums, most are not worth the price. On the other hand there are some that surprise and show to actually be worth the purchase. This year is no different. Warner Home Video re-issued the classic Peanuts TV specials Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don’t Come Back) and Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown. Both are good specials. But considering the overall lack of bonus material (save for a bonus documentary included in the prior) neither are outstanding. Though, for real Peanuts fans that might not already own either one, they are both at least somewhat worth the purchase if not entirely. On the other end of the spectrum, Timeless Media Group (which is part of the Shout! Factory corporate family) re-issued Gerry Anderson’s classic Supermarionation series Thunderbirds both on DVD and Blu-ray. In comparison to the series’ previous release on DVD back in 2008, this one shines both in terms of its packaging and overall presentation. So it is definitely a great new re-issue. The same applies to CBS DVD’s re-issue of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.: The Complete Series and MPI’s re-issue of My Favorite Martian: The Complete Series. These are just some of the re-issues that made the Phil’s Picks 2015 Top 10 New DVD/BD Re-Issues. They explain how this critic went about deciding on this list. Packaging was taken into effect along with pricing, bonus material, and the presentations’ production values. Also on this year’s list is Shout! Factory’s re-issue of The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, 20^th Century Fox’s new BD re-issue of Garfield: The Movie, and Cohen Media Group’s re-issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s little known thriller Jamaica Inn among others. These titles and others are all on this year’s list of the year’s top new DVD and Blu-ray re-issues. As always the Top 10 titles make up the main body of the list while the bottom five were all worth mentioning for at least one reason. They each received honorable mention. So without any further ado I offer for your consideration dear readers the Phil’s Picks 2015 Top 10 New DVD and Blu-ray Re-Issues.

 

PHIL’S PICKS 2015 TOP 10 NEW DVD/BD RE-ISSUES

1. THUNDERBIRDS: THE COMPLETE SERIES 

   2. GARFIELD: THE MOVIE

   3. JAMAICA INN

   4. STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES: THE COMPLETE SERIES

   5. MY FAVORITE MARTIAN: THE COMPLETE SERIES

   6. GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C.: THE COMPLETE SERIES

   7. I LOVE LUCK: THE ULTIMATE SEASON TWO

   8. THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE

   9. THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER

   10. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

   11. I LOVE LUCY: THE COMPLETE SERIES

   12. ROBOT JOX

   13. ALADDIN

   14. BON VOYAGE, CHARLIE BROWN (AND DON’T COME BACK)

   15. RACE FOR YOUR LIFE, CHARLIE BROWN

 

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WHV Finally Gets One Right With Its New Peanuts Collection

Courtesy: Warner Home Video

This Thanksgiving, Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox will team up to bring audiences the first-ever big screen Peanuts adventure that (go figure) is simply titled The Peanuts Movie. Personal opinions aside, it is interesting to note that as the movie’s debut nears, so is Warner Brothers’ home entertainment division–Warner Home Video (WHV)–stepping up its re-issues of the classic Peanuts TV specials. Already released this year WHV has re-issued Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown. Officials with WHV have also announced that the organization will also release Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don’t Come Back) and He’s a Bully, Charlie Brown along with the company’s new compilation set Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection. The latter of the trio is currently planne for a nationwide release on Tuesday, September 15th. Though, interestingly enough it has already been released through Target likely via a special deal between the retailer and the people at WHV. For those that were not lucky enough to pick up the dual-disc collection in its original release via Target will be pleased to add it to their personal collections. The main reason that audiences will be pleased to add it to their collections is its featured specials. It features eleven classic Peanuts TV specials that while previously released on one platform or another are now collected into this much more ergonomic collection. This will be discussed at more length shortly. Another reason that the collection proves so interesting and worth the purchase is the material presented within each special. Audiences actually get to hear an adult talk for the first time ever in one special (She’s A Good Skate, Charlie Brown). And while most audiences are familiar with the classic Peanuts holiday specials, some will be surprised that there is another holiday special of sorts that is just as deserving of attention in the form of What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown? This special is a deeply moving Memorial Day special that will impact viewers of all ages. Last of note in regards to this collection’s positives is that classic hand-drawn animation style. The old school style of artwork is yet another example of what once made animated features truly animated and in turn truly entertaining. Each noted element shows in its own way that Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection is a surprising new release from WHV. It would be nice to think that maybe it marks the beginning of WHV finally moving in the right direction after having slid in the wrong direction for the past couple of years or so. One can only hope. Even if it is just a random diamond in the rough from the once powerhouse studio, it proves through all three noted elements together, to be one that any Peanuts fan will happily welcome into his or her home DVD library.

Warner Home Video has been noticeably declining over the course of the past two years or more. That is evident through every one of its releases both for families and for select audiences. Said releases have shown that someone(s) at WHV apparently did not and does not care about providing audiences with quality home releases. For all of the problematic releases that WHV has put out in stores over the past couple of years or so, finally a random diamond in the rough from WHV will be released very soon in the form of the new Peanuts collection Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection. This collection of TV specials includes eleven classic Peanuts TV specials that some of which were nominated for Emmy Awards while certain others actually received the coveted trophy. It should be noted that all eleven of the specials featured in this new double-disc collection have each previously been released via one platform or another. Some have been released on VHS while others have previously been released on DVD. Others have even been issued and re-issued on one platform then another. Despite this, some viewers out there might not have been lucky enough to add one, another or more of the featured specials up until this point. That being the case, all eleven specials show collectively to be of the utmost importance for all viewers. That is because more than likely among the legions of Peanuts fans around the world few to any likely have all of the included specials.

The inclusion of each of its specials in one collection is good for Peanuts fans everywhere in large part because having them all in one place means just that. It means that for the first time ever each one of the specials has been finally released on one platform on which all audiences can watch them. No one is left behind. On another level, for those that had one or more of the specials in question from their previous releases can finally eliminate those platforms (or at least most of them if they own the original VHS copies of said specials). That will ultimately lead to saved space for many fans on their respective DVD racks. Again, this might not apply for every Peanuts fan. But it will definitely apply to many fans. And that being the case, it makes the collection’s ergonomic factor that much more important to the whole of its success and enjoyment.

The episodes presented in Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection show clearly why they are within themselves quite important to the whole of the collection. Examining the episodes on a closer level, ther writing shows to be just as important to the collection as the episodes themselves. In examining the specials’ writing it becomes clear why they were either nominated or in some cases even won an Emmy. That is most evident through the surprisingly moving special What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown. This sequel of sorts to Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don’t Come Back) follows Charlie Brown and company on their departure from France. Along the way, the Peanuts gang happens to arrive at Normandy and the site of the Allied landing on D-Day. The history lesson provided by Linus upon their arrival is unbiased and moving all at the same time. The writers don’t pull any punches here, revealing that the Allied attack on Normandy was in fact anything but perfect. Linus notes in his lesson that weather conditions had ruined the mission so much that Allied commanders even considered pulling back. That is a lesson that sadly very few history teachers and professors alike will teach in the classroom. So it is nice to have that historical truth noted in a special that is aimed at younger viewers.

In another of the collection’s episodes, She’s A Good Skate, Charlie Brown, audiences actually get to hear an adult speak for the first (and probably only)time in the history of the Peanuts TV specials. The adult in question is Peppermint Patty’s teacher. She continuously calls on Patty as Patty continues falling asleep in class thanks to her early morning skating practice. Yes, skating. That is another reason that the writing in this special proves so notable. Anyone that knows their Peanuts history knows that Peppermint Patty is more of a tomboy than a girly girl. Heck, she was even voiced by males in a number of the specials. So having Patty taking part in a sport that is traditionally more aimed at females than males shows a completely opposite side of Patty and to the Peanuts universe in whole.  It is a change that all audiences will agree now in the 21st century is a welcome change.  It shows that it’s okay for a girl to be girly and one of the boys.  Simply put, it really serves to defy those strict, standard gender roles established by society.  Whether or not that is the reason that it at least received an Emmy nomination, it is one more reason that the writing behind this special stands out so strongly as one more part of the whole of the collection’s writing.

Why, Charlie Brown, Why? is perhaps the strongest evidence of the importance of the writing behind the collection’s featured episodes. This episode tackles the issue of cancer. On a more specific level, it tackles the issue of childhood cancer and the impact of cancer on both the victim and his or her friends and family. Its story centers on a young girl named Janet who is diagnosed with leukemia. It just so happens that she is friends with Linus and the rest of the Peanuts gang. Though, Linus is the main character of this story. That side element of the story’s writing will be discussed shortly. Sticking on the main topic, the manner in which the writers tackled the subject is hugely worthy of applause. It was handled with the utmost gentility and in a fashion that also made the topic accessible even for much younger viewers. That in itself makes this special more than just a special. It is special in every sense of the word. It’s just one aspect of the special’s writing that makes it so notable among the others included in this set. The fact that Linus was made the story’s central character makes it even more worth the watch. It’s not the first time that Charlie Brown took a back seat to his Peanuts pals. But it is one of the most successful episodes that featured someone other than Charlie Brown at the center of the story. That is especially the case as audiences see Linus actually lose his cool in a very rare instance. He loses it when another child makes fun of Janet for having lost her hair right in front of him. Audiences will find themselves cheering Linus on and even doing so with the slightest tear in their eyes. That rare moment really exemplifies the pent-up feelings that not only children feel in a situation such as that presented here, but grown-ups, too. So for that reason too, the writing behind Why, Charlie Brown, Why? shows even more the importance of the episodes’ writing in whole in examining the set in whole. It is just one more example of the importance of the writing within each of the set’s episodes. The writing within each of the remaining eight specials shows in its own way why the writing in whole is so important to the episodes’ enjoyment and the success of the set in whole. And together with the episodes themselves, both elements together make a strong argument why every Peanuts fan should have this new collection in his or her own home DVD library. They still are just part of the whole of the collection’s positives. Last of note is the animation style within each episode.

Both the episodes featured throughout the body of Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection and the writing within each special makes for plenty of reason for Peanuts fans to appreciate this latest collection of Peanuts classics. Of course what examination of such a classic collection would be complete without mention of the specials’ animation style. Every one of the specials featured as part of Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection was drawn by hand. That means that endless hours were spent bringing to leave each and every second of each special. Now being that each special runs roughly in the range of about twenty minutes (or just a little more in some cases), the math adds up to quite a bit of time spent on bringing each special to life for broadcast. That says a lot when these specials are compared to the largely CG presentations out there today that try to claim themselves as being animated. They are animated in name only. These specials show everything that was once great about true, animated features. Each one of the specials boasts a similar look. But there are also minute details within each special that set them apart. Audiences that have eagle eyes will catch that minutia. The same can’t be said of today’s CG creations. It really gives these classic specials a real soul and heart. Together with the episodes’ impressive writing and the episodes themselves all three elements come together to make Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection a clear must have for any real devoted Peanuts fan.

Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection is a must have for any real Peanuts fan. That is the case whether or not said fan already owns any of the specials presented here on their original release platforms. The collective writing presented within each of the collection’s makes the episodes and the collection in whole even more enjoyable. The standout animation style presented across each of the collection’s specials rounds out the presentation. It reminds audiences by comparison of what once made animation so great. The animation is original. Even the upcoming Peanuts Movie that is due out this Thanksgiving doesn’t entirely hold up to that style of animation despite the efforts of those behind the movie to make it look like the classics on which it is based. Each element in itself proves to be an important part of the collections’ whole. Altogether they make Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection a collection that any true-blooded Peanuts fan would himself or herself be honored to have in his or her home DVD library. Peanuts: Emmy Honored Collection is available now exclusively in Target stores nationwide. It will allegedly be available nationwide in other stores beginning Tuesday, September 15th. More information on this and other upcoming Peanuts releases is available online now along with the latest Peanuts news at:

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