Speak of the Devil

good for a piece of history. But....
Its nice that this show has finally been released on DVD. The stage set is a historic one and great to be preserved on video. Just a shame that it wasn't filmed with Randy Rhoads on lead guitar, who just missed this filming. How great would that have been.

The good: the stage set and show. Tommy Aldridge on drums. Rudy Sarzo on bass (although he has a one-dimensional stage presence, just bobbing his head and licking his fingers...it does get old after awhile). Brad Gillis does a good job on guitar, considering how fast he was thrown in there and had to learn the complex material. His guitar tone gets annoying after awhile, but he's still fun to watch. Also the camera doesn't dart all over the place a gazillion times a minute like alot of newer filmed concerts do. (i dont' know why they insist on editing alot of newer concerts that way...they're nearly unwatchable because of it).

Now for the bad: For anyone that thinks Ozzy sounds good....those vocals have been...

Great concert, glad it's being officially released
This is an old school Ozzy concert. Following the death of Randy Rhoads, Ozzy recruited Bernie Torme to play guitar, but that didn't last terribly long. To fill out the rest of the concert dates, Ozzy brought in Brad Gillis to play guitar with the band that was already in place. The lineup here is:

Ozzy Osbourne - Vocals
Brad Gillis - Guitar
Rudy Sarzo - Bass
Tommy Aldridge - Drums
Don Airey - Keyboards
John Allen - The Dwarf (hey, it's in the credits!)

When you look at all the combinations that have been in Ozzy's solo band over the years, this one isn't usually rated terribly high. I don't know why, because I thought this was an underrated combination. Given the year this was recorded (1982), the track listing is solely off Ozzy's first two solo albums, and the usual handful of Black Sabbath tracks thrown in there. I suppose the backlash against this lineup came later on, because I remember when this first came out, it was all...

Speak of the Devil DVD, Finally Official
I'm giving this five stars because of its historical and nostalgic value, and for the amazing performance of the band. The overdubbing on Ozzy's vocals would pull it down to a four if not for the quality of the whole package, which documents heavy metal at its glorious 1980's best.

This concert was recorded June 12, 1982 during the Diary of a Madman tour, less than three months after the death of Randy Rhoads. It's not the same as the CD version, featuring mostly songs from Ozzy's first two solo albums. Ozzy delivered the goods to the crowd at Irvine Meadows in California, bellowing and running around the stage like a...well, a madman...jumping up and down, clapping and headbanging relentlessly. He deserves credit for pulling off the rest of that tour after such a terrible tragedy.

Brad Gillis, Rudy Sarzo, Tommy Aldridge, and Don Airey are all spectacular backing up the Ozz-man. The performance of Gillis is nothing less than stunning. His solo after Suicide...

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CSN 2012 [DVD + 2 CD version]

The good and the not-so good
The good:
(1) David and Graham's lead vocals sound strong and clear.
(2) Stephen's guitar playing is TOP NOTCH. The man's lead guitar burns away and he plays with a fire and conviction of a master.
(3) Kick-butt backing band. Great drumming and a tight ensemble sound
(4) Good value for the dollar. Two CDs and one DVD for less than $20.00.

The not-so good:
(1) Stephen's voice is shot. As a huge Stills fan, this is a painful reality for me to accept. His harmonies waver a lot too.
(2) Because Stills' harmonies aren't spot-on, Crosby and Nash's vocalizing suffers too whenever Stills is part of the mix. Having seen C&N as a duo, they sound much better without Stills.
(3) The new songs, "Radio" and "Almost Gone" are nothing special and tend to meander. Their cover of "Girl From The North Country" is so-so, as well. It helps explain perhaps why the covers album project was shelved.

Go To Best Buy...
...and get the Blu-ray version of CSN 2012, available with the 2 CD's of the concert, only available at Best Buy, and it is less expensive than the Blu-ray alone from Amazon (sorry Amazon!).

Still listening to it (audio version on my computer) for the first time, but definitely agree with the other reviewers. Stills' voice is no longer what it once was, but it's better than it's been, C&N sound great, the band is awesome, and I love that they reached into the Manassas catalog for some of Stills' best writing.

Long live CSN! Really wish they would finish the covers album.

Better Than Ever !!!!!!
This set is the best. They sound as good and even better than ever. The band is great and the harmonies are robust and full. There are 25 songs on the DVD including some new ones - there are some long standards that may be missing such as Delta but that makes room for songs that are rarely performed in concert. There are interviews with the band and CSN. I bought it today at Best Buy for 16.99. Someone made mention of the audio but believe me the material and performances overcome the means. Stills sounds better than he has in years and also looks like he lost weight as does David Crosby. It appears they may be taking better care of themselves. Hopefully this will help them stay around longer. The two CD's of the material are the big bonus here. A great bargain for one of the best groups to last through so many years. Love IT !

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Bonanza: The Complete Third Season

The Best Yet!
There's been many a time that I was tired of waiting and wanted to order these episodes from another source, but watching them now in full living color as I first saw them so many years ago Sunday nights on NBC makes me glad that I waited.

BONANZA is one of the greatest television series of all time, and this set is an excellent example of why. I won't comment on the quality of the many outstanding episodes as far as story, acting, direction, etc. (because all that goes without saying), but I will say if all you know of BONANZA is edited episodes you've seen on TV Land or time-compressed episodes on MeTV, or other broadcast or computer sources, you are missing out.

Each episode here is newly restored from original 35mm film materials complete with the original theme song and that beautiful peacock (at the beginning of every episode)! Most every show has extras like extensive photo galleries, and there so many special features and commentaries by performers who...

BONANZA of extras!
Life on the Ponderosa has never been better! Uncut episodes, superior quality image and sound - classic episodes include Springtime, The Burma Rarity, The Tin Badge, The Tall Stranger, The Ride, The Storm, The Wooing of Abigail Jones, The Crucible - featuring "spotlight" episodes for each of the Cartwrights. Season Three was a season of 'firsts': Pernell Roberts sings for the first time in Broken Ballad, and this is when Michael Landon's first script, The Gamble, was filmed. Count me among those who are thankful and appreciative for the "official" releases. No matter what you've seen before - you haven't seen anything until you've seen THESE!

Bonanza Season 3
Another winner! The color is spectacular. It's wonderful to see these programs as they were originally broadcast and not cut and peppered with commercials. And it's so great to again hear interviews, see behind the scenes photos and the other special attractions. Not too many releases of this era have these features. Look forward to the release of Season 4 in October and all future seasons on a timely basis.

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Designing Women: The Final Season

"You Must Be the Sugarbakers...I'm Bonnie-Jean Poteet"
This July, one of the most beloved, well-crafted, character-driven sitcoms will finally be complete on DVD thanks to Shout Factory, when Season 7 of "Designing Women" is released.

In 1992 "Designing Women" was coming off its highest ratings in the series' history following the replacement of half the cast, including the show's big breakout character. A remarkable achievement in lieu of the fact that one of the replacements was very poorly received by audiences. The producers decided to let Julia Duffy go because they felt the show was tarnished by such an unlikeable character. In the years since, it seems unanimous that it was the writing and NOT Duffy's performance that caused the backlash.

For Season 7, veteran stage/character actress Judith Ivey was brought in as the now-revolving fourth member of Sugarbakers (rumour has it after Bonnie Hunt turned down the part). As extremely-rich-but-down-to-earth widow B.J. Poteet, Ivey is a terrific addition to the...

The End Is Here.
Not having seen this since it originally aired 20 years ago(!), my memory of this season was, to put it mildly, a little hazy. The only episode I actually remembered was the Gone With The Wind spoof two-parter that served as the show's swan song. My other recollection was that I liked the addition of Judith Ivey and I thought overall that this was a better season than the previous one. So now it feels like I'm watching it again for the first time. And here's what I've deduced.
1) Season Six Was Better. As much as Julia Duffy's character (an extension of her Newhart role) was universally hated, overall I felt Season Six had better stories and better laughs. In contrast the first six episodes of Season Seven are dreadful, but if you make it through those, things definitely improve. And in retrospect, Duffy really wasn't that bad in Season Six, she was simply stuck with an unlikable Suzanne-filler that she couldn't do much with. The character of Carlene was much more successful...

I (unlike many) LOVE the later episodes!
DVD itself came sealed and works as intended with no flaws in viewing. Price of course is always better (OK, almost always better) on Amazon!

The episodes of the final season are probably not regarded as the best in the series, but I truly love the later episodes. The introduction of the charachter BJ and the continuation of Carlene from the season prior are great additions to this season. The feeling of the shows is much more "fun," than prior early seasons when the actors tend to be more business-like for lack of a better term. As they get more and more comfortable with each passing year their characters seems to take on more personality and become increasingly fun and relaxed on each episode, especially Julia and Mary Jo. Very stoic and business oriented, they become increasingly fun and down-to-earth as the series goes on.

I personally love the entire series from season 1 right to the end. This season might not fit everyone's idea of the best season, but I...

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Eclipse Series 34: Jean Gremillon During the Occupation (Remorques, Lumiere d'ete, Le ciel est a vous) (Criterion Collection)

Three Masterpieces
I made my way through this set over the weekend, and it is hands down my favorite Eclipse release. I'm blown away at the consistency of greatness in these three films. I may be wrong, but it seems that "Remorques" and "Lumiere d'ete" are more acclaimed than "Le ciel est a vous," but even the latter film rose to greatness. The "inspirational" (and potentially lighter) storyline is there, but it feels so rooted in reality and Charles Vanel is so convincing in his love for his wife, that I completely bought into it. I love the line after they discuss the dangers of flying and Therese says that she wants to go for the world record...Vanel says something like," To say yes or no: which would be a greater demonstration of my love?" He's so torn, wanting to protect her AND allow her to do anything she wants. I was also surprised by "Lumiere d'ete" and the dark path it traveled. I think it was mentioned in the liner notes, but this film makes a great companion to "Rules of the Game," as it...

Between poetic realism and nouvelle vague
During the occupation most of the french directors made entertainment films so as to avoid trouble with the german propaganda. But Gremillon chose contemporary themes, lumiere d'ete is reminiscent of La regle du jeu for example that became forbidden. The screen-play is complex, but also entertaining. Striking is the different background music and background noise just as the camerawork. The booklets of the edition have a lot of useful information.



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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season One [Blu-ray]

Even better than the TOS Blu-Ray
Content

Well, it's Season One. Having watched it many times over the years, I can say that certain episodes (Symbiosis, for instance) do not hold one's attention very well. On the other hand, other episodes (Justice, if you can believe it) really benefit from the HD upgrade, making them more appealing as a whole.

If you are somehow a new fan to the series, I still think you should buy this, with the proviso that things get markedly better even with Season Two, and certainly are totally cooking by Season Three. Season One is still a vital piece of TNG, introducing scads of characters and backstories. And there are still some superb episodes to be found (Encounter at Farpoint, Where No One Has Gone Before, Conspiracy, among others), and plenty of average shows, too.

Video

But these reviews aren't for new fans, are they? The question is - is it worth spending $60 or more to buy something you already own? Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Yes...

Over 200 customer reviews for a product that isn't released yet?
The policy of Amazon to "fold" reviews together for different variants of a product really sucks. How can there be over 200 customer reviews for a product that isn't released yet?

Because most of them are for the DVD release. But this is the BluRay Release and it's a whole different product! Based on what I've seen on the demo disk ("The Next Level") I assume this Season 1 set will be absolutely amazing, but... I can only guess it, because it has not been released yet!

Dear Amazon, please allow separate reviews for this product, because TNG on BluRay is a *completely different experience*! Even the less good episodes are getting better thanks to the spectacular space scenes, plus you'll feel like being part of the action because it's HD (and in correct colors, unlike the DVD release!).

All About The Fitst Set
Each season of TNG will be presented in a highly collectable box set, with seven discs and a pull-out booklet of episode information and a panoramic montage of the crew (Season 2 will have only six discs due to the abbreviated season of 22 episodes versus 26). The seven box sets will create an attractive library of the entire series.

"Star Trek is one of our most popular and enduring video franchises," said Eric Doctorow, president, Paramount Home Entertainment Worldwide. "We are very excited to be releasing Star Trek: The Next Generation on DVD because we are now offering consumers the ultimate home viewing experience for this immensely popular show."

The contents of the Season One box set are as follows:

Disc 1: Encounter at Farpoint Parts 1 & 2 (episodes 101, 102), The Naked Now (103), Code of Honor (104)

Disc 2: The Last Outpost (107), Where No One Has Gone Before (106), Lonely Among Us (108), Justice (109)

Disc 3: The Battle (110), Hide and Q (111), Haven (105), The...

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Boss: Season One [Blu-ray]

Power, Corruption, And Ruthlessness Define Eight Episodes Of This Epic Adult Soap Opera
The world of Chicago politics takes another savage beating in the sharp and cynical Starz original series "Boss." Really, the city needs to get an expert PR firm on the case immediately! Any TV show or movie that features Chicago invariably paints its city offices as a hotbed of corruption and malfeasance. But that's okay Chi-Town, I won't hold it against you if it keeps producing top notch entertainment like this unexpectedly rewarding drama. In truth, I had absolutely no interest in following Kelsey Grammar into this den of inequity. I think it's fair to say, that while I think he's talented, Grammar is not a particular favorite of mine. But I'm glad I gave the show a shot. After finding the early episodes intriguing, if somewhat unfocused, "Boss" brought all of its disparate plot threads together in almost operatic fashion to provide some of the year's most intense drama. As all the political machinations, plotting, and back-stabbing reached fever pitch proportions--"Boss" grew...

More than just promises
We are now into the fourth episode of this ongoiing new series for television BOSS and while the entire series for the DVD cannot be reviewed as yet, t seems only fitting that the public be alerted to a show that is far above the usual series dramas made for television. It boasts some brilliant writing by Farhad Safinia, who was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1975 and left Iran with his family at the age of four to live in Paris, then London. At King's College, Cambridge, where he studied Economics, he directed and acted in a number of stage productions for the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club and other theatre companies. After graduating, he moved to New York City where he studied film at the New School University and at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. His only other screenplay to date is 'Apocalypto' but he clearly is someone to watch. The production company includes Gus Van Sant and star Kelsey Grammer and Mario Van Peebles, and the work of some extraordinary...

Brilliant, Shakespearean
Everything about "Boss" is great. I had no idea that Kelsey Grammer is such a fine actor - he's up there with Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman. I'm from Texas and believe that LBJ was the most ruthless politician to ever claw his way to power. Mayor Cain is just as ruthless. But he has enough good qualities and Grammer is such a nuanced actor that we empathize with him, the same as we did for Vito Corleone in The Godfather. The plot is a Shakespearean tragedy like Macbeth or King Lear, the dialogue, photography, cinematography and the supporting cast is wonderful, especially the actors who play the consigliere Ezra Stone, Cain's wife and daughter. There's a scene in the last episode where Cain is standing in front of a mural that I won't describe so as not to spoil it that shows his true character. There's also a hit man that is scary as hell. If you like intelligent, adult drama like The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Breaking Bad, you'll love Boss.

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The Untouchables: Season 4 Volume 2

4th Season Thank God.
I am so glad to finaly have season 4 and this completes the series. This is my all time favorite gangster show. If you have never seen this show you don't know what you are missing. Thanks Paramount for getting this out.

The Untouchables
This is a great series and I'm so happy to finally have all DVDs. I will be watching these over and over.

THE UNTOUCHABLES Season 4 vol 2
Excellent service, product, and was delivered as described. My ONLY complaint is that there are no more to be had. Now that I have the entire set, that's it. What a wonderfully produced & actoed program. Many thanks to CBS for making this available & to Amazon for the notice of availability.

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Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour [Blu-ray]

An inspiring prequel to the classic Inspector Morse series
This single 98 minute DVD plots out Morse's early police career as a young rookie detective on assignment to Oxford in 1965 tacking his first big case searching for a missing 15-year old girl .
Shaun Evans does a superb job, in what must have been a tough role to cast, following in the late John Thaw's classic role. Overall the acting is excellent, with Roger Allam playing an especially good supporting role as Inspector Fred Thursday.
The production team certainly achieved the feel of the old Inspector Morse series, with sweeping shots of Oxford colleges and the local surrounding area. This is an excellent stand alone British drama, but for those Inspector Morse aficionados there are many references to his future character that we see being developed, including a particularly poignant ending.
Endeavour [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - United Kingdom ]

Great prequel!
I just finished watching this video and was stunned at how wonderful it was. Having watched all of the Morse videos and being a big fan of them, I was sure I was going to find that Endeavour was "different" or not up to the standards set by the original videos.
Endeavour has the same complex plotting, the same haunted characters, the same flavor, the same bureaucratic conflicts with other police personnel, and even more continuations from the originals. It is apparent that they deliberately worked very hard to retain the true ambiance of the Morse videos.
The actor playing the young Morse I was prepared to not like but came away thoroughly impressed by how well he captured the character that was well-established by John Thaw. It was a hard act to follow but he did it impressively well. By the end you just knew you were watching the young Morse and it was a joy. You even see the Jaguar at the car dealer and you just know he is going to go back and buy it and drive it for the...

More Please
A first rate production and a good beginning to the Morse "saga", which still continues now with the "Lewis" series. (If young Mr. Fox continues as he has so far, may we be treated to a further continuation of the Morse story after "Lewis"?) The producers have caught the essence of Morse in this initial (I hope) episode of the story of his early life as a detective. The lead actor's appearance is a jolt at first but by the end of the show one forgets that initial experience and sees the young Endeavour Morse as "Morse", and not just in the rear view mirror. Well done!

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Treasure Island

A Solid Cast And Gorgeous Locales Drives This New Interpretation Of A Pirate Classic
I had virtually no interest in seeing yet another adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island." I could recite the story forward and backwards by heart, and I just didn't have the passion to sit down to this two-part version as recently broadcast on the SyFy network (thankfully, though, they didn't make it--just premiered it). I relented, however, and was pleasantly surprised. As with many film interpretations, this one does take liberties with the book's narrative. If that's a huge issue for you, then you should probably just read the book again. What it does present, though, is in keeping with the story's tone and makes for a solid stand-alone film. An interesting cast and gorgeous location footage are among the highlights of this "Treasure Island," a dark and morally ambiguous vision.

I was instantly attracted to the movie's skewed feverish look and thought things got off to a great start. After introducing the cast of characters and getting...

Who on earth thought that the world needed a gritty, brutal rendition of "Treasure Island"?
"Treasure Island" is a classic of juvenile fiction. The hero is a young boy who takes on improbable challenges and invariably succeeds. He finds a treasure map, evades pirates, discovers a secret plot of mutineers, steals the boat single-handed, defeats the brutal ship's gunner in hand-to-hand combat, etc. etc. etc. It's a story for children, and I can't imagine that many people reading it in the 130+ years since it was originally published have thought "gosh, what this really needs is more brutality."

I've seen the 1934, 1950, and 1990 film and television versions of this story. Each takes some liberties to fit its medium, and each of those versions has merit. This version, unfortunately, doesn't pay off. I don't recommend it.

A very entertaining TV movie with the great Eddie Izzard as Long John Silver. I recommend this. Very good. I say B+.
"I will plan a venture Jim Hawkins and we will both profit wildly. Trust me boy." After Long John Silver (Izzard) is double crossed by his captain Flint (Sutherland) he only has one thing on his mind. Retreiving the treasure he feels is rightly his. When finding out that the only one who can get a ship to the island where the treasure is is a young boy named Jim Hawkins (Regbo) he makes friends with him. I have never seen any of the other versions of this nor read the book. I knew a little of the story but to me this was about 90% new to me. Even though this is a made for TV movie it is much better then most of the theater movies that have been released recently. Izzard is a perfect choice for this and I think is on par with Depp. This movie is very entertaining and I recommend it. This is a pirate movie that can stand side by side with the first "Pirates Of The Carribbean" movie, and may actually be better in some ways. This is a movie well worth your time. Overall, best pirate movie...

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Wolverine (Marvel Animated Series)

wolverine reimagined
the wolverine animated series , a slightly different perspective of our favorite adamantium clawed hero . very cool great animation for lovers of both genres anime / comic book heroes . 5 STARS & 2 THUMBS UP.....

Great video
I liked this video very much. It completely follows the Marvel Wolverine character and gives a most indepth look at love, life, motovation,and abilities. It also has plenty of action,heroes,villians, and twists to keep you interested. I would highly recommend this video to fans of the Wolverine character.

Awesome
Great series. Love Wolverine... fight scenes are good and the dialouge was very well written. And at a very affordable price.

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