The Bonanza Collection (1959) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm giving this set 1 star, because the item description doesn't give detail on show titles. I really would love to get my hands on more Bonanza episodes, however, this set is just a repeat of previously released Bonanza shows on dvd sets/collection :o(
Good thing I did my homework before purchasing (and of course I WILL NOT be purchasing this one, as I have the 20 Best Episodes and Best of vol. 1), may I recommend that you please do the same (check the titles BEFORE buying this set)...to save you some time and money and FRUSTRATION, I've posted ALL of the show titles for FOUR popular and separate Bonanza sets/collections on dvd.The Bonanza Collection features:
Disc One:
The Courtship
Denver McKee
The Gunmen
Disc Two:
Avenger
Last Trophy
Desert Justice
Disc Three:
The Ape
The Blood Line
Showdown
Disc Four:
Blood on the Land
Badge Without Honor
Death At Dawn
Disc Five:
The Spanish Grant
Day of Reckoning
The Fear Merchants
Running Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
******************
Bonanza 20 Episode Set (it's cheaper too) features
Disc 1 - The Avenger,
Last Trophy,
the Hopefuls,
Denver McKee

Disc 2 -
Dark Star,
Spit Fire,
The Fear Merchants,
Gunman
Disc 3 -
Abduction,
Courtship,
Bitter Water,
The Mill
Disc 4 -
Escape to the Ponderosa,
The Ape,
The Blood Line,
Death at Dawn
Disc 5 -
Blood on the Land,
Badge without honor,
Day of Reckoning,
Desert Justice
*********************************
The Best of Bonanza, Vol. 1 (Cheaper still)
This DVD contains the following episodes:
Mr. Henry Comstock,
Death on Sun Mountain,
The Saga of Annie O'Toole,
Paiute War,
Enter Mark Twain,
The Crucible,
Any Friend of Walter's
Bullet for a Bride.
I hope this help you choose a Bonanza set wisely not get ripped off by buying a set that contains the EXACT episodes you've already purchased, just put in different packaging.

----------$$$$$$$$$$$$$$-------------PLEASE NOTE UPDATE:
UPDATE: (12/02/05) There is a new Bonanza DVD set (called: Bonanza-31 Episodes on 10 Discs) Here's the each show listing by name, and as you will see, UNFORTUNATELY...many are repeats of preciously released shoes as well: Bonanza-31 Episodes on 10 Discs
EPISODE #1 THE GUNMEN
EPISODE #2 THE FEAR MERCHANT
EPISODE #3 THE SPANISH GRANT
EPISODE #4 BLOOD ON THE LAND
EPISODE # 5 DESERT JUSTICE
EPISODE # 6 THE STRANGER
EPISODE # 7 ESCAPE TO THE PONDEROSA
EPISODE # 8 THE AVENGER
EPISODE # 9 THE LAST TROPHY
EPISODE #10 SAN FRANCISCO HOLIDAY
EPISODE #11 BITTER WATER
EPISODE #12 FEET OF CLAY
EPISODE #13 DARK STAR
EPISODE #14 DEATH AT DAWN
EPISODE #15 SHOWDOWN
EPISODE #16 THE MISSION
EPISODE #17 BADGE WITHOUT HONOR
EPISODE #18 THE MILL
EPISODE #19 DENVER MCKEE
EPISODE #20 DAY OF RECKONING
EPISODE #21 THE ABDUCTION
EPISODE #22 THE LAST VIKING
EPISODE #23 THE SAVAGE
EPISODE #24 THE APE
EPISODE #25 THE BLOOD LINE
EPISODE #26 THE COURTSHIP
EPISODE #27 THE SPITFIRE
EPISODE #28 BREED OF VIOLENCE
EPISODE #29 SILENT THUNDER
EPISODE #30 THE TRAIL GANG
EPISODE #31 THE HOPEFULS
As soon as a Bonanza DVD set comes out that contain NEW episodes, I'll be one of the first to buy it--and with JOY! Until then...I can only hope and pray that a (TRULY) new Bonanza DVD set will be released soon, INSTEAD of more rehashed (previously released) episodes with new covers or packaging.

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Take your boots off, put the feedbags on the horses, sit back, and enjoy a passel of mighty-fine episodes from television's most-beloved Western series: BONANZA! Here is the vast Ponderosa Ranch and the entire Cartwright family: Ben, Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe (otherwise known as Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon). Using the Western TV show format, BONANZA wove morality tales around the Cartwrights, touching on such social issues as injustice and race prejudice, just one of the reasons this classic series still holds up strong today. Among the guest stars included among the classic episodes in this compilation: Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek ; Lee Van Cleef, gunslinger in spaghetti Westerns; Ricardo Montalban of Fantasy Island ; Sebastian Cabot of Family Affair ; Vic Morrow of Combat ; Franchot Tone of Mutiny on the Bounty , Julie Adams of Creature from the Black Lagoon ; British ‘Scream Queen' Hazel Court, future game show host Bob Barker, and Everett Sloane of Citizen Kane ; as well as Hollywood reliables Dan Duryea, Patricia Medina, Lyle Talbot, Claude Akins and Philip Ahn. With fifteen complete episodes of BONANZA on five discs, this DVD collection is perfect for fans of Westerns, classic TV shows, or just good old-fashioned entertainment. 735 minutes DISC 1 "The Courtship" Guest stars Julie Adams, Paul Dubov and Lyle Talbot Going to the aid of a beautiful young widow, Hoss falls in love and becomes engaged to her, not knowing she has a serious gambling problem. Julie Adams, the damsel in distress in The Creature from the Black Lagoon, guest stars. "Denver McKee" Guest stars Franchot Tone, Natalie Trundy, Ken Mayer and Bob Barker The Cartwrights ask former lawman hero Denver McKee (Franchot Tone) to lead a posse in search of an outlaw gang, unaware that he is the gang's leader. Complicating things is Little Joe having eyes for his daughter, just returned from the East and equally ignorant of her father's crimes. "The Gunmen" Guest stars George Mitchell, Ellen Corby & Jonathan Gilmore In Texas to buy breeding stock for the Ponderosa, Hoss and Little Joe are mistaken for two gunslingers hired by one side in a feud between two families. Will they be able prove the mistaken identity before they are shot or hanged, and what will happen when their lookalikes show up? DISC 2 "Avenger" Guest stars Vic Morrow, Jean Allison Convicted of murder, Ben and Adam Cartwright await hanging, with Hoss and Little Joe trying to exonerate them. Meanwhile, a stranger with a dark past (Vic Morrow) comes to town looking for someone and asking questions. Will he side with the Cartwrights? "Last Trophy" Guest stars Hazel Court , Edward Ashley Adam guides a visiting British lord and lady on a mountain lion hunt, only to encounter more dangerous varmints in the form of lawless renegades who take the party hostage. "Desert Justice" Guest stars Claude Akins, Tom Greenway and Bud Osbourne Claude Akins guest stars as a none-too-gentle U.S. marshall extraditing a friend of the Cartwrights back to California to stand trial for murder. Adam and Hoss go along to make sure their friend gets to court alive. DISC 3 "The Ape" Guest stars Leonard Nimoy, Karen Sharpe, Cal Bolder Hoss attempts to help out a brawny but dimwitted and unstable drifter (Cal Bolder) who is infatuated with a callous saloon floozy (Karen Sharpe). Leonard Nimoy plays her bartender friend. "The Blood Line" Guest stars Jan Sterling, David Macklin, Lee Van Cleef, Allan "Rocky" Lane After Ben shoots a man in self-defense, he and Hoss try to help out his vengeful teenage son (David Macklin). Movie bad girl Jan Sterling plays-what else? – a bad girl, and future spaghetti western star Lee Van Cleef plays- what else?-a gunslinger. "Showdown" Guest stars Ben Cooper, Jack Lambert, Ray Teal A young bank robber hires on as a hand at the Ponderosa as lookout for his gang. Little Joe is suspicious of the stranger, who has his own misgivings as the Cartwrights treat him with kindness. Will he remain loyal to the gang of robbers? DISC 4 "Blood on the Land" A hardbitten sheep herder (Everett Sloane) aims to drive his herd over the Ponderosa, and Ben Cartwright is just as determined to stop him. Can Adam resolve the matter without bloodshed, or will there be a range war? "Badge Without Honor" Guest stars Dan Duryea, Fred Beir, Christine White, Wendell Holmes, Richard Warren Dan Duryea plays a smooth talking lawman who likes killing a little too much, raising Adam's suspicions about his mission to take an unwilling witness back to California to testify. "Death at Dawn" Guest stars: Robert Middleton, Gregory Walcott, Morgan Woodward, Wendell Holmes When Virginia City is overrun by a gang of bullies, the sheriff deputizes the Cartwrights to help restore order. Will the gang allow one of their own to be hanged? Character actor Robert Middleton guest stars as the leader of the gang. DISC 5 "The Spanish Grant" Guest stars Patricia Medina, Sebastian Cabot, Paul Picerni, Celia Lovsky Holders of an original land grant ruthlessly evict homesteaders on their property. Are the Cartwrights next? Patricia Medina guest stars as the land heiress of dubious origin, with Sebastian Cabot as her conniving manipulator. Will Adam let his feelings for the senorita interfere with finding out the truth? "Day of Reckoning" Guest stars Ricardo Montalban, Madlyn Rhue, Anthony Caruso Ricardo Montalban guest stars as an Indian caught between the traditional ways of his tribe and the new ways of the settlers. Even though he saves Ben Cartwright's life, will hostility of other whites and contempt from his fellow braves drive him on the warpath? "The Fear Merchants" Gene Evans, Helen Westcott, Frank Ferguson, Guy Lee, Philip Ahn A candidate (Gene Evans) for the mayor of Virginia City stirs up hatred against Chinese immigrants, including Hop Sing. When one Chinese is accused of murder, mob violence brews. No need to state whom the Cartwrights support.

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Roots (1977) Review

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(More customer reviews)Warner Bros. has never given us a true representation of this classic on vhs or dvd. Roots originally aired over eight nights. Four of the eight episodes were one hour in length. All opening scenes from these episodes have been cut on dvd. Also the opening and closing credits are not the same...the episodes having been combined. The opening titles originally ended on a dark blue background with the cover of the book rising up and the words "AN ABC NOVEL FOR TELEVISION-ALEX HALEY's ROOTS THE SAGA OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY" on-screen. Also, these are the exact same discs as the ones from 2002, with the exception of a bonus disc. The audio error at the start of Episode Three is still there. It hasn't even been fixed. Come on guys. This isn't just any television program...it is an American treasure. We want to enjoy the show as closely to its original intent as possible, and to pass that original down through the generations. The Kinte family excelled at preserving their history. It's a shame that Warner Bros. can't follow their example.

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French & Saunders: At the Movies (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)"French and Saunders" are Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, two incredibly talented British comedic actresses/writers. This collection of spoofs and skits comes courtesy of the BBC.
While featuring several movie spoofs ("Misery", "Silence of the Lambs", "Thelma and Louise", etc) that is not the only genre lampooned by these gifted writers/actors.
In addition to films, they also try their hand at spoofing music videos (their take on Guns-n-Roses "November Rain", with Jennifer Saunders taking on the Axl role and Dawn French that of Slash, is absolutely hysterical), fashion models, high-brow mini-series (Upstairs Downstairs), the Royals, etc.
Of the film spoofs, the "Thelma and Louise" and "Silence of the Lambs" parodies stands out, as does a priceless take on "Star Wars:Phantom Menace". The "Star Wars" spoof is part of the BONUS selections on this DVD.
With tongue firmly in cheek, these two woman break down the fourth wall barrier and often interact out of character with each other, with uproarius results.
Among other topics, they turn their sharp wit to comment on the obvious superiority of Princess Diana over Sarah Ferguson (the DVD is dated 1994, which explains why the "Star Wars" skit is considered BONUS material) and how supermodel Jerry Hall "has it all".
The skits and lampoons here are right on the money, with detailed sets reproductions and props (many an inside joke on props are peppered throughout). Details count with any parody and are much appreciated here - From the costumes, down to the uncanny reproduction of Sigourney Weaver's voice (as portrayed by Jennifer Saunders) in the "Aliens" parody.
Jennifer Saunders has a gift with voices. She does not impersonate so much as interpret nuance (as Clarice in "Silence of the Lambs" and as Ripley in "Aliens").
As for pure, comedy sketches? If anyone has ever been inundated with mail order catalogs, there is an absolutely laugh-out-loud skit which centers around two women who have obviously purchased every catalog item ever produced.
This is an excellent, funny collection and one that you'll enjoy watching and watching again. I think once you've experienced the comic talents of these two very funny women, you'll be looking for additional "French and Saunders" collections.
Note please that I believe this DVD contains different material than the VHS tape, as there is no spoof on "The Exorcist" as indicated in some of the other reviews.
A quick rundown of some topics covered : "Misery", commercial spoofs, "November Rain" music video, Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson, Jackie and Joan Collins, "Aliens", "American Gladiators", The Mama's and the Papa's music video, "Silence of the Lambs", catalog fans, Jerry Hall, "Thelma and Louise", "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace".
For the inside-joke fan, watch for references of Dawn French and windows or panes of glass.

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Ab Fab creators Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders star in this highlights program of the best skits and spoofs from their fourth season. Includes send-ups of Alien, Misery, Silence of the Lambs, stuffy costume dramas, and of course the royals.

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The New Adventures of Flash Gordon - The Complete Series (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the Flash Gordon animated series that aired on Saturday mornings from 1979-1981 and is one of the best shows that ever came out of the Filmation studios. The animation is high quality for its time and the stories were very true to the original 1930's comic strip. To top it all off this DVD set will give you a host of goodies you hardly ever see for a cartoon DVD release from the 80's.
Do any of you remember the cartoon Tarzan: Lord of the Jungle back in the 70's? The same company, Filmation, created the Flash Gordon animated adventures. What that means is the artwork is of a good quality. We're talking movie quality (like the better stuff from Heavy Metal) with vibrant colors and even some lively animation. A lot of this animation came from rotoscoping and it looks awesome (rotoscoping is a process where real actors/stuntment are filmed and then traced over on cel animation to create very fluid movement in animation). While not all the animation was rotoscoped it makes up for the fact that 70's television animation was limited to a pretty low framerate due to budget constraints. In the end you get something that blows away anything on TV at the time.
You gotta appreciate the attention to detail that you get from a cartoon from this era, but there are drawbacks. Sometimes you see the same rotoscoped action again and again. Not that big of a deal when you realize each episode came out weekly. What really bugged me was the use of stock sound effects that really didn't fit the grandness of the show. Now and then some cheesy "kid show" boing sound and such would pop up and that would kill the whole polished feel I get from the show.
The episodes were set with a serial feel to them, having cliffhangers on many of the episodes. This is not only keeping true to the classic comics (and matinees from the 40's) it's a great way to keep you excited about the show. This show was critically acclaimed if that gives you any indication. While the script isn't as sophisticated as what you see in more recent shows like the Batman Animated Series you have to keep in mind this was made in 1980 when cartoons weren't taken seriously at all. I will admit the later episodes do get kiddied up more with a goofy baby dragon making cutesy noises as it "talks"... I blame the network executives for that.
This DVD gives you the ENTIRE SERIES. All 24 episodes that aired are on this set. This is such a breath of fresh air after seeing cartoon after cartoon get released with just a few episodes on single release. Another breath of fresh air is that this DVD will have a really nice listing of extras. Here's what you get:
- Blasting off with Flash Gordon. A 20-minute documentary with interviews from creators and historians about Flash Gordon. You definitely feel the pride they had working on the show and you get some nice in depth background info on the process. One thing that bugged me about the documentary was how the staff really railed on the 1980 Flash Gordon movie. For people who said they understood the classic Flash Gordon they sure missed the mark in their assessment of the movie. Maybe they were bitter or something about the timeliness of both projects.
- Character and setting profiles, which basically give you an overall summary of Flash's friends, enemies and places on planet Mongo that he visits in the series. Nothing new that you won't find just watching the episodes.
- Commentary tracks on three episodes with the show's producer, writer and animator.
- Interactive storyboards you can compare to various action footage.
- Large gallery of sketches of all the main characters.
- DVD ROM content with entire scripts, storyboards and the series bible (sweet).
- Easter Eggs
- Bonus episode from Defenders of the Earth cartoon series.
- Two collectible 4"x6" trading cards by comic book artists Frank Cho and Gene Ha
The DVD was first released at the San Diego ComicCon July, 2006. Then released everywhere about a month later. This is THE collection for this series. They are doing it up better than any other DVD release of a cartoon series I have seen from the 70's or 80's. If you're a fan of this show you absolutely, positively want to get this set. If you are a fan of Flash Gordon or those classic matinee serials that inspired movies like Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark then you too will find something to enjoy in this series.

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Though it only aired for one season the 1979 cartoon series THE NEW ADVENTURES OF FLASH GORDON is fondly remembered for its innovative use of rotoscoping (a form of animation that involves tracing over live-action footage for a remarkably kinetic effect). Closely adhering to the style and storyline of Alex Raymond\'s classic 1930s comic strip the series followed the intergalactic adventures of Flash Gordon as he his girlfriend Dale Arden and their scientific companion Dr. Han Zarkov fought to save the universe from the evil plotting of tyrannical space lord Ming the Merciless. This collection presents the beloved series in its entirety for a total of 24 episodes.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:CHILDREN/FAMILY UPC:787364700790

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The Shadow Riders (1982) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Shadow Riders" has all the grit, matter-of-fact speech, incredible landscapes and action of a great Louis L'Amour book. Tom Selleck, Sam Elliot and Jeff Osterhage also starred in "The Sacketts" in 1979, and do just as fine a job in this movie as that one.
The part that will surprise you is how strong the female lead role is. Katharine Ross does an excellent job as the fiesty Kate Connery, the love interest of Dal Travern (Sam Elliot). She had as good a character and as much screen time as many of today's heriones -- a highly unusual circumstance in the early 80s and certainly unusual for the genre.
"The Shadow Riders" has a great mix of romance, action, humor and good old fashioned Western elements. This mix makes the film appealing to a much wider audience than just Western fans or Louis L'Amour fans -- although they will come away thrilled.

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When the Western slipped into theatrical oblivion in the late 1970s, many of the best examples of the genre began appearing as made-for-television films. After the success of "The Sacketts", from the Louis L'Amour novel, producers quickly reunited stars Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott in another fine adaptation of a L'Amour book, "The ShadowRiders". As brothers Mac and Dal Traven, sporting blue and gray uniforms, respectively, they wind their way home at the close of the Civil War to discover a band of confederate rebels have ravaged their town and kidnapped their sisters and brother and Dal's feisty sweetheart (Katharine Ross). With the help of their outlaw uncle (Western stalwart Ben Johnson), whom they must break out of prison, they track the guerrillas to the Gulf Coast and down into Mexico for a final, fatal showdown. Veteran director Andrew McLaglen sets this TV movie on a loping pace and a jovial tone, defined largely by Selleck's easygoing performance and the jocular comic relief of rascally Johnson. Elliott provides the intensity, at times positively ferocious under his heavy brows and burning, sunken eyes. The mood is occasionally too comic, but McLaglen delivers the goods in a series of gritty action sequences, proving that old Western directors don't die, they just drift on over to the small screen. Western icons R.G. Armstrong and Harry Carey Jr. and 1950s leading lady Jane Greer also appear in key roles. "--Sean Axmaker"

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Bonanza (1959) Review

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(More customer reviews)These are good solid family episodes, but if you already own the 31-DVD set, you already have them:
The Avenger. -- Last Trophy. -- Dark Star. -- Spitfire. -- Abduction. -- Courtship. -- Escape to the Ponderosa. -- The Ape. -- Blood on the Land. -- Badge Without Honor. -- The Hopefuls. -- Denver McKee. -- The Fear Merchants. -- Gunman. -- Bitter Water. -- The Mill. -- The Blood Line. -- Death at Dawn. -- Day of Reckoning. -- Desert Justice.
4 stars for being another release of the same eps we see over and over. Sure wish someone would put out the comedies like Woman of Fire, The Hayburner, Ponderosa Matador, Bank Run, The Wooing Of Abigail Jones, Hoss & the Leprechauns, Easter Bunny Crossing . . .

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Farscape - The Complete First Season (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)Farscape is arguably the best SF ever produced for television. It takes a fairly common storyline of a group of travelers thrown together and being pursued by individual of near obsessive (and evil) qualities. This formula has gone bad before in several genres, western, SF, road movies etc. Here, an contemporary American astronaut is sucked through a wormhole into another side of the galaxy where he is immediately caught up in a "prison break" in space. What makes Farscape so successful is a mixture of qualities.

First the casting is excellent. Filmed in Australia, most of the characters (except the lead, John Crighton's) are from there giving it an "off" feel to American ears which contributes to it's alieness. Each of the character's is part colorful stereotype, has weaknesses and is extremely individual. The chemistry is fantastic, especially after the first two or three shows in the series. Especially notworthy is the chemistry between the love interests played by Claudia Black and Ben Browder (John Crighton).
Another plus is the writing. Non-stop action and story telling is the hallmark of this series. Little time is spent creating mood or atmosphere (that is done by the characters and background), everything advances the plot line. Additionally, most episodes are connected in that previous storylines are built upon and create a chronology of events for the later stories.
Farscape space is inhabited by aliens who pass gas, burp, have intimate relations, love, hate, get hungry and can be fairly dirty in their habits. Add to this the great cultural references made by Crighton, the viewer gets the feeling that this is a bit like what space would really be like. A far cry from the antiseptic cleanliness and "wonder" of the Star Trek franchise.
Lastly Farscape has a timeline in the sense that it's not an endless variety of adventures for no particular reason there is an actual endstate the writers and producers have in mind at the end of the series.

Let's hope that Sci Fi Channel has the good sense to let Farscape complete its last season and reverse its cancellation. Shows of this quality and with such a loyal fanbase are rare.

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Rawhide: Season Three, Vol. 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)The greatest western there has ever been or will ever be is Rawhide!
Outstanding western series! Keep them coming Paramount! We are loving it! It's true that Gil and Rowdy rule and Rawhide is #1!
episodes from the first half of Season 3
Season 3, Episode 1: Incident at Rojo Canyon
Season 3, Episode 2: Incident of the Challenge
Season 3, Episode 3: Incident at Dragoon Crossing
Season 3, Episode 4: Incident of the Night Visitor
Season 3, Episode 5: Incident of the Slavemaster
Season 3, Episode 6: Incident on the Road to Yesterday
Season 3, Episode 7: Incident at Superstition Prairie
Season 3, Episode 8: Incident at Poco Tiempo
Season 3, Episode 9: Incident of the Captive
Season 3, Episode 10: Incident of the Buffalo Soldier
Season 3, Episode 11: Incident of the Broken Word
Season 3, Episode 12: Incident at the Top of the World
Season 3, Episode 13: Incident Near the Promised Land
Season 3, Episode 14: Incident of the Big Blowout
Season 3, Episode 15: Incident of the Fish Out of Water
All episdoes are outstanding!
After years of waiting and the cruel betrayal of Columbia House, who had started making DVDs available in 2003, uncut and in series order but then abruptly stopped August 2004, Parmount has come to the rescue! Now in Paramount's capable hands, we are finally making real progress!
Paramount has released more episodes than anyone else to date, even more than Columbia House who had released dozens of VHS tapes(not in episode order). Eric Fleming is amazing as Gil Favor in this seris, there's no one else like him. Rowdy is also incredible in this series. The details of the old west in this series are fantastic. They don't make anything like it nowadays and we'll probably never see anything like it again.
Thank you Paramount!
Here's a great editorial review for Rawhide below
Like anyone growing up in the late fifties and early sixties I watched as much television as possible. Remember that this was the era of the eleven inch, black and white screen, the single three inch speaker and the universal remote was the youngest family member who had to get up to turn the knobs. This was also the golden years of television. The series that were around back then created the genres that are still around decades later. There was also something special about TV back then, it was the era of the western. Every single boy had a cowboy hat, boots and play six shooter. Even the girls refused to be left out and clamored for a fringe skirt cowgirl outfit and hat. The vast majority of television programming was dedicated to the American old west. Every network, all three of them, filled their schedules with one variation of the theme after another. Most of those series are now only a small footnote in the history of television. Several remain today as cult classics and the undisputed leaders in this field. After `Gunsmoke' one TV western still stands above the rest `Rawhide'. This was `THE' show to watch back then. We kids would put on our cowboy gear, make the coffee table into a covered wagon and sit there mesmerized by the action. This is more than an old television show; for many of us this is a piece of our personal history.
The folks over at Paramount Pictures have the most incredible vault of classic television series imaginable. Anybody would love to be able to sit there for a month or two watching the myriad of shows they have on tap. Since this is not a likely prospect it is very fortunate that Paramount has been in a sharing mood. Lately they have been bringing out DVD set after set of series from these golden years. Now they have the second volume of the second season and like the previous ones, it is fantastic. The thing about `Rawhide' is it may have been one of the most famous television westerns but it was not very typical of the genre. Most westerns had the required action. There were good guys with white hats and bad one wearing black and the Native Americans, `Indians' back then, where rarely more than savages. Rawhide took a different slant. It was a dramatic series that just happened to be set in the old west. The six-shooter was there but not as important as the moral and emotional dilemmas the characters faced each week. The stories were centered on the characters over mindless action. It was possible to do this back then. Now so much of television has degenerated into mindless pap that it is easy to forget just how powerful this medium is. In those days everything was new and the studios were willing to take a chance. Rawhide stands the test of time because it dared to be different. So bring in the youngsters and let them see television the way it was meant to be. If they complain just make them stand behind the TV holding a set of rabbit ear antennas like we had to.
The premise of the series is elegant in its simplicity following the lives a group of cowboys working on a cattle drive. Many westerns showed cowboys riding around, shooing cattle now and again but it always felt like the cowpokes really didn't have a whole lot to do. This series depicted the arduous struggle to move a heard of cattle from one location to another. It was a daily hardship battling the weather, rustlers, the cattle and even each other. The drama of the series came organically from the realism of the characters and stories. These were the kind of men that built the west. At the head of the chain of command is Gil Favor (Eric Fleming), the trail boss. He is the one in command of the drovers and support staff on the drive. He is a man who has been around and seen it all. Although he is grizzled and tough he is also fair. His right hand man is Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood), the ramrod. It is up to him to work along side the men making sure they do things right. While the men keep the cattle in line it is up to Rowdy to keep them moving in the right direction. Also in constant attendance is Wishbone (Paul Brinegar) the camp cook. He you are responsible for providing a group of hungry cowboys with chow you have to be ready for just about anything. He depends on his assistant Mushy (James Murdock). One of the senior wranglers is Hey Soos (Robert Cabal) he is not a stranger to getting into trouble. Usually there to scout out the land ahead is Pete Nolan (Sheb Wooley).
This series doesn't look or feel like a television show at all. It is more like short, 50 minute, movies. The production quality here is spectacular. There is more emphasis on the plot than action. The fight scenes are just a small part of the series and this set it apart from the large pack of westerns back then. Life on a long cattle drive was shown in a realistic fashion. On such a trek boredom was the real enemy. Cowpokes looking for some excitement on their down time would head off to the nearest town and typically get into some mess or another. There are also plenty of slice of life shots. In one the men side around the chuck wagon, the center of cattle drive society, and grab a snack, mend their clothes, get in a snooze or tend to their saddles. These quite times were usually disrupted by some form of mayhem. Either it is a group of cattle rustlers out to steal the heard or an Indiana attack that forces the cowboys into action. Each episode was titles `Incident at ...' which is extremely fitting. These stories are notable incidents on an otherwise routine cattle drive.
Every episode begins with Gil waxing philosophically about some aspect of his line of work. Whether it is how the good Lord swells a little stream so it takes days to cross or the economics of bringing in the heard on time and in sellable shape Gil gets to show off his deeper side. This was also the series that made a star out of Clint Eastwood. He is more than an actor; he is a true renaissance man who has achieved fame as an actor, director, jazz musician, composer and even a politician. This is where it all began for him. He could stare down the meanest bad guy with a single stare and if necessary back it up with his six-shooter. Also gaining a good deal of fame here was the singer of the theme song, Frankie Lane. This song has lived on long after the series was cancelled and is known throughout the world.
Paramount certainly took care of the original elements of this series. The black and white full screen video is incredibly clear. There is a little speck every so often but over all the video is excellent. This is better than I remember the show ever being. the Dolby 2.0 mono is clear and without flaw. These episodes are completely re-mastered and it shows. Typical of an older television set for Paramount there are no extras included. That really doesn't matter here; the series is a great buy on its own. This is a must have for everyone that appreciates quality television.And here's another good editorial review.
More often than not, Rawhide (1960) is remembered as the show that started the long and illustrious career of Clint Eastwood. After all, his appearance in this Western-themed show would eventually lead to his participation in the classic Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns as The Man With No Name. From there he would start directing and then eventually become the Academy Award winning talent that he is today. it's a very successful show in its own right, as illustrated by this release of Rawhide
Rawhide was always a fan favorite for those interested in the Western genre (and those old enough to have seen the show), and even today it is still a standout in the genre, with excellent direction, writing, and acting.
The series as a whole revolves around the cattle drives of the old west, but that simple premise leaves plenty of room for the writers to come up with tons of interesting stories, episode after episode. What's...Read more›

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The tale of Gil Favor, trail boss, and Rowdy Yates, his assistant, as they drive cattle across the old West. Along the way they meet up with adventure and drama.

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Reilly - Ace of Spies (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)At a time when the James Bond films were still novel and going strong, as were their imitators, British television viewers were watching a 10.5 hour, 12-part miniseries called "Reilly, Ace of Spies." Based on the biography by Robin Bruce Lockhart, this intriguing series is now available in a boxed set of 4 A&E DVDs (AAE-71748) and makes for some really gripping viewing.With Sam Neill in the title role, we follow the career of the man who taught British intelligence that if ruthlessness gets the job done, then ruthless spies are what they need. Sidney Reilly, an assumed name as is learned later, remains loyal to friends but not altogether to his employers and casual acquaintances. And if he treats his wives questionably when his job gets in the way, he makes up for it by treating all the other women with great feeling and tenderness.Having little patience with incompetence on any level, he gets a huge contract for battleships for Russia away from a British firm and to a German firm for which he works, he gets oil concessions, he steals plans by posing as a fire expert in Germany, and he finally tries to make himself head of a provisional government that will overthrow the Bolshevik regime. And so on.Along the way he runs into two great villains: Basil Zaharov (Leo McKern, who can say more with a look than most actors can with a page of text), and the icy head of Soviet Intelligence Felix Dzerzhinsky (Tom Bell), who has set up a phony organization that pretends to be against Stalin and rakes in millions from rich anti-Bolsheviks all over the world. A frightening moment comes when Stalin (David Burke) orders all in the group to be shot, because even following orders to appear disloyal "is no excuse"! Which is what happens when personal power is far more important than human beings.Other major characters are Reilly's boss Cummings (Norman Rodway), his fellow agent Hill (Hugh Fraser), and an astute oriental police officer (David Suchet). Like another two series about spies, "Tinker Tailor" and "Smiley's People," the story is complex, you never quite know at first who is who and who is lying more than the others. Except for some possibly supernatural business towards the end, you watch with both fascination and a vague disgust that this is what many people are really like-and that, from what we see, it is not the meek who are doing any inheriting.Fascinating and provocative viewing on a definitely "adult" level (i.e., lots of violence and a lot of naked flesh, the latter of which is pretty gratuitous). Neill does a marvelous job of portraying the complex and highly ambiguous main character.

There is an interesting documentary of the real Reilly as a bonus feature, which should be seen after the series, not before.


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At the turn of the 20th century, one remarkable man single-handedly tried to alter the course of history. Cold, ruthless, enigmatic, this Russian-born British agent radically transformed modern espionage techniques and set the mold for a new kind of secret agent-the super spy. REILLY: ACE OF SPIES is the thrilling, suspenseful dramatization of the real-life adventures of Agent ST-1, aka Sidney Reilly, the inspiration behind Ian Fleming's James Bond. Shot in glorious period detail, one heart-pulsing mission after another captures the arc of Reilly's brilliant career. From stealing top-secret Russian oil information to a near overthrow of the Bolshevik Revolution to his final capture by Stalin's forces in 1918, Reilly's exploits are at times so daring and reckless it's hard to believe it's history and not fiction. Starring Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, The Hunt for Red October), REILLY: ACE OF SPIES includes all 12 original episodes on DVD for the first time, and features a bonus documentary examining the final, mysterious days of this legendary figure. DVD Features: "Life of Reilly: Superspy" episode from A&E's acclaimed Vanishings series; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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Sliders - The First and Second Seasons (1995) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Though the first two seasons are the best, I enjoyed them
all. And it's about time this set is coming out.
Here are my personal grades and info on the episodes from
the first two seasons.
Here is what you get with the first two seasons.
1. The Pilot Part 1 ( still the best episode) Quinn first discovers that his sliding technology works. Then he tells the proffesor who at first does not believe him. But later comes around. Along with Wade Wells the three of them test out sliding. But when doing so they accidentaly pull in soul singer
Rembrant Brown.( Episode Grade A+ )
2. Pilot Part 2 ( The sliders find San Fran. under an ice age,
and The U.S under Soviet Communist rule. ( Episode Grade A+ )
3.Fever ( The sliders travel to a world that has never developed Antibiotics.Evereyone around them is sick so they must do something before time runs out.(Episode Grade A-)
4.Last Days ( Sliders find a world where an asteroid is about to destroy the earth. The professor saves the day by showing
a fellow scientist how to build a nuke.( Episode grade A+ )
5.Prince of Wails ( In this world America is still under England's Colonial rule.( Episode Grade B )
6. Summer Of Love ( Sliders find alternate world where We are
at war with Austraila and Remy replaces his dead alternate self
as husband to a old high school crush. ( Episode grade C+ )
7.Eggheads ( In this world intellectuals are treated like athletes, and Quinn competes in A weird sport that tests your intellect. ( Episode grade B- )
8. The Weaker Sex ( Sliders enter a world where women are the dominant sex. Arturo makes men believe that they are equals when he runs for office. (ep grade A- )
9.The King Is Back ( Sliders find a world where Rembrant is treated like Elvis. ( Ep grade B- )
10.Luck Of The Draw- (Sliders find a world where money is free if you play the lottery. But the catch is you must give your life in a form of population control.(Ep Grade A+ )
Season 2
11. Into The Mystic ( Sliders enter a world of witchcraft.
Quinn is sick and gets healed by a witchdoctor. Quinn refuses
to pay and the Grim Reaper himself serves Quinn a subpeona.
ep.( Grade A+ )
12.Love Gods ( Quinn,Arturo,Rembrant are in a world with a shortage of men. They are being used as studs to repopulate.
( grade B+
13.Gillian Of The Spirits (Quinn is stuck on an astral plane,
and only a psyhcic girl can see him. ( grade B-
14.The Good The Bad And the Wealthy ( Sliders enter a world not unlike the wild west. Where stocks are exchanged through gunfights. ( grade A- )
15. El Sid ( Sliders find a world where the city of San Francisco is a prison. ( grade A+ )
16.Time and Again World ( Sliders enter world where there is no
U.S. Constitution to be found except on one little floppy disk.
( grade A+ )
17. In Dino Veritas ( Sliders enter a dinosaur wild life reserve) ( grade A- )
18. Post-Traumatic Slide Syndrome ( The sliders think they are home. Rembrant then goes to a psyhciatrist and discovers they are not. ( grade B+ )
19. Obsession ( Sliders find world where everyone can read minds.
( grade B- )
20. Greatfellas ( Sliders find world where the mob controls evereything. ( grade C+ )
21. The Young and The Relentless ( Sliders slide into the backyard of an alternate Quinn and Wade. In this world the young
rule and at a certain age you lose your rights.
( grade B- )
22. Invasion ( Sliders first encounter with the Kromags and unfortunatley not the last. Though this is a quality episode.
The writers seemed to use it too much in later episodes.
( grade B- )
23.As time goes by ( On this episode thse sliders slide 3 times.
Quinn tries to prevent a murder. And the Sliders find time is moving backwards. ( grade A- )
Overall This is a great package with or without extras. We
will have to wait and see what Universal adds.
Finally I can get rid of those tapes.

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SLIDERS:SEASONS 1 & 2 - DVD Movie

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The Jamie Foxx Show - The Complete First Season (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this show. It would be great to see some future seasons released!

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Multitalented comic sensation Jamie Foxx (Ray, Collateral) stars as Jamie King, a young man striving for stardom--but working at his family's venerable Los Angeles hotel while honing his stand-up skills before a captive audience in the hotel's once-celebrated cocktail lounge.

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M*A*S*H - Season One (Collector's Edition) (1972) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm not going to go into too many details about the series. If you're reading this, you probably already know who the characters are, what the show is about, etc.
The first season (24 episodes) is packaged on three DVDs with eight episodes per disc. The episodes are presented in airdate order. The video quality is quite good for film material from the 70s -- far better than the All in the Family DVDs. The audio is good as well.
As others have pointed out, this DVD set comes with no extras. The only modification that I make when watching this series is to turn off the laugh track. M*A*S*H was such a thought-provoking series that sometimes the canned laughter was a distraction; yet funny enough that I didn't need to be told when to laugh.
For the material itself, I give it five stars (I'd even go higher). For the audio/video quality, four stars and for the lack of extras only one star. Overall, four stars. For this price, the lack of extras is acceptable.

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Korea, 1950. They were a MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) unit stationed three miles from the front. Incoming helicopters full of wounded brought the horrors of war to them daily and sometimes bullets flew right outside the operating room door. Occasional hilarity and constant hijinks were all that kept them sane.Loosely based on real-life MASH unit 8055, life at the 4077 revolved around the day-to-day routines of Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce, Captain "Trapper" McIntyre, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, Major Margaret Houlihan, Major Franklin Burns and Corporal "Radar" O’Reilly. Through these characters, viewers traveled beyond the long hours and the horrors of the operating room to a place where friendships were forged, laughter was found and drinks were served.

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Life Goes On: The Complete First Season (1989) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've got great memories of watching this show on Sundays night over dinner with my family. They really don't make t.v. like this anymore, and that's a shame. The Thatchers were a believable family, albeit a very unique one.
I do think the first season was a bit uneven, as the show struggled to become more than just a soapbox for accepting different people (i.e., Corky's Down Syndrome). And they never could seem to figure out what to do with oldest daughter Paige (who was played by another actress in seasons 2-4). But it's still engaging family drama that never gets TOO preachy.
The best part about the first season has to be Kellie Martin as Becca. The part was smarter and better-written than any teenage role I can recall. Martin just got better as the series went on; it's a shame she would only do one more series (the short-lived CHRISTY) before becoming the queen of t.v. movies throughout much of the 90's.
I hope that this set sells well so Warner will be able to release the remaining seasons of Life Goes On.


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This heartwarming family drama broke ground by addressing difficult social issues including Downs Syndrome and AIDS is on DVD for the first time. The show centers around the Thatchers: Drew, Libby, Becca, Paige and Corky.

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Tour of Duty - The Complete Series (1987) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Dear Sony,
I remember this series very fondly from my childhood and would love to buy it.. but it's got no music from the series and therefore a huge character is missing!!!!
Its not the same.
I'll look for pirated copies of the series before i'd buy it without the stones or any other period music.
GET WITH IT!!!


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TOUR OF DUTY - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON: The first TV series about the Vietnam War, TOUR OF DUTY focuses on a single platoon of young U.S. Soldiers during their one-year of combat duty in Vietnam during the late 1960s. Terence Knox, Kevin Conroy, Stephen Caffrey, Joshua Maurer, Steve Akahoshi, Tony Becker, Eric Bruskhotter, Stan Foster, Ramon Franco and Miguel A. Nunez, Jr. star as the infantrymen who represent diverse racial, cultural and philosophical backgrounds but must ultimately depend on one another to face enemy troops and survive in the hostile Southeast Asian terrain. Full of thrilling combat action, TOUR OF DUTY also goes deeper to portray the dramatic human side of war and the camaraderie of the men who gave it all for their country.TOUR OF DUTY - THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON: The courageous soldiers of Bravo Company are back for more action-packed fighting and riveting human drama in the second season of the landmark Vietnam series, "TOUR OF DUTY." When the platoon is transferred to the Tan Son Nhut Base outside of Saigon, it's a whole new war with different battles and new faces, including some beautiful women. Kim Delany (TV's "CSI: Miami"), Dan Gauthier, Richard Brestoff, and Betsy Brantley join series stars Terence Knox, Stephen Caffrey, Tony Becker, Stan Foster and Miguel A. Nunez, Jr. Guest stars include Angela Bassett (How Stella Got Her Groove Back), Michael Madsen (Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2) and Malcolm Jamal-Warner (TV's "The Cosby Show"). In the second season of "TOUR OF DUTY," the fresh-faced recruits are becoming battle-weary fighters whose personal battles are just beginning amidst the daily grind of warfare. TOUR OF DUTY features a new music soundtrack including songs from the Vietnam era!TOUR OF DUTY - THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON: The men face their toughest challenges yet when their platoon (now called Team Viking) is transferred to Camp Barnett to become part of a Special Ops unit. This season delivers extreme combat action and intense human drama focusing on issues unique to the Vietnam era: the devastating effects of chemical warfare, the massacre of Vietnamese civilians, the growing problem of heroin addiction, and the difficulties the soldiers faced returning home to a country bitterly divided by the war. The powerful third season, collected on this five-disc, 21 episode set, is a fitting finale to one of the greatest war dramas ever.

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Night Court: The Complete First Season (1984) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)All You Need I Love- Harry's first case as a judge. A husband accuses his wife of trying to kill him.
Santa Goes Downtown- A man dressed as santa is accused of tresspassing. Harry must deal with two teenagerss. Michael J. Fox guest stars.
The Former Harry Stone- The gang tries to find out how old Harry is and discover he has a record. The first appearance of the reporter, Craven.
Welcome Back, Momma- A woman claiming to be the mother who ran out on Harry as a kid appears.
The Eye of the Beholder- Bull is devestated when a charity turns him down to be a volunteer because of the way he looks.
Death Threat- Harry gets a death threat. A bomb is found.
Once in Love With Harry- A prostitute falls for Harry. Dan runs for office. Quadrangle of Love- Harry, Dan and Bull all fall for and try to woo the same woman.
Wonder Drugs- Lana has a bad reaction to some medication causing her to act strange.

Some Like It Hot- First Yakvo episode. Yakvo is brought before the court, and ends up threating to burn down the courtroom.
Harry and the Rock Star- Harry dates a rock star. Harry tries to break in a new court clerk.

Bull's Baby- One of Bull's neighbors leaves her baby with Bull and doesn't come back. Bull insists to everyone that she will return.
Hi Honey, I'm Home- A woman and her two husbands (one was presummed dead) appears before the court.

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Disorder in the Court! That's the order of the day when a parade of zany--and bizarre--characters passes before a rather unconventional and unpredictable judge in this hilarious sitcom.DVD Features:Audio CommentaryDocumentaryFeaturette:Night Court: Comedy's Swing Shift, a featurette on the origins of Night Court by Creator/Executive Producer Reinhold Weege and Harry Anderson {RT 18:00}. Episode commentary with Creator Reinhold Weege.

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Growing Pains: The Complete First Season (1985) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If Father Knows Best had been revised in 1980's , It would have been called Growning Pains-Tim Brooks, Prime Time Guide to Network Shows
One of the two staples of the 1980's sitcoms was Growing Pains> the Other is (the unleased to DVD at this time) Family Ties (with Micheal J. Fox).
Alan Thicke does his best TV work playing Jason Seavers, a home office Psychiatric doctor working at home and a SUPERDAD. He is a shrink who doesn't understand his three kids. His wife Maggie (Joanna Kerns) returns to the work world as a report for the local paper.The three kids... Mike (Kirk Cameron) who is a con man, slacker and a huster, always looking for the newest deal...Carol (Tracie Gold) who is the brainy intelligent one and Ben (Jeremy Miller) who as the youngest child tries to act like both Mike and Carol with limited success.
What makes this TV show work is the interplay between the characters. Its the writing that makes this show.
The extras on this set is a cute documentary of the cast talking of the show (S'mores and more) and the Original pilot with another actress playing Carol. What is missing is cast commentaries on any episodes in this set.
Is it worth it? Yes and it barely dates itself...King of The Hill and the Simpsons took pages from the Growing Pains's playbook..you can see this when you watch these episodes
Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD


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Meet the Seavers in this hilariously successful late eighties sit-com about a family of five living out on Long Island. Maggie has recently rejoined the workforce as a journalist, leaving Jason, a psychiatrist, to juggle his responsibilities to his patients and his three kids by working from home. Mike's the oldest and possibly the most difficult to handle! Whether it's for girls, dirt bikes or The Boss, Mike uses his charming smile to finagle his way into trouble. The youngest, Ben, tries to tag along with his big brother learning to be a little con-artist in his own right. And amid the chaos, Carol, the middle child, tries to keep her head on straight and maintain her straight-A status at school. Join the Seavers as they experience the growing pains of family life, including a few disputes sprinkled in among lots of love and laughter.

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The Quick and the Dead (1987) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you believed great western films died with the passing of John Wayne, I have news for you - this western is every bit as good as those of the Duke.
Based on a story by Louis L'Amour, "The Quick and the Dead" is a fast-paced western about Duncan and Susanna McKaskel and son who are traveling across the continent to settle near the Big Horn Mountains in 1876. Escaping their violent memories of the Civil War, they run into Wyoming Territory where a man (and in this case, a woman) settle their problems with a gun. They are befriended by a nomadic western ranger, Con Vallian, who is reminisient of John Wayne's character Hondo. Mr. Vallian (Sam Elliott), takes a personal interest in the wife of the pilgrims, Susanna McKaskel (Kate Capshaw). Not wanting harm to come to Susanna, Vallian becomes their guardian angel, as they are pursued by eight ruthless theives that are intent on taking everything they own and having their way with Susanna.
Sam Elliott's role as Vallian is an admirable 5-star performance, which establishes him as a premier western star in the post John Wayne era. Sheperd brings his character to life with his deep resonant voice, his glowering smoldering eyes, and his ruggedly handsome good looks. Elliott's Vallian is a pragmatic character who would not mind taking over husbandly duties with Susanna, should anything happen to her husband Duncan. As the story unfolds, Vallian builds a grudging respect for Duncan, seeing the steady grit inside the man.
Kate Capshaw plays Susanna McKaskel, and is the obvious reason for Vallian's interest in the family. Capshaw is truly a strikingly beautiful woman; however, she is also a strikingly good actress and carries off the part of a pioneering woman with ease. Her performance matches Sam Elliot's scene for scene.
The story unfolds quickly and there is a level of tension thoughout the movie that keeps you in your seat. You will not be disappointed in this movie. I intend to move it to my "keeper" movie shelf with my other western classics. It deserves its place there.
Jim Konedog Koenig

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In 1876 Wyoming, the gun is the only law. And for Duncan and Susanna McKaskel (Tom Conti and Kate Capshaw), newly arrived settlers beset by outlaws, rugged frontiersman Con Vallian (Sam Elliott) is the only hope. From the book by famed Western author Louis L'Amour, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD is a rousing adventure. It shares tried-and-true ingredients of those sagebrush sagas: a tale of peaceable folk driven to action under the guidance of a mysterious stranger.

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