DVD: The Addams Family: Volume Two

Here's some press release info from MGM:

Finding new life on DVD March 27, 2007 from MGM Home Entertainment, The Addams Family: Volume Two delivers even more irreverently morbid antics from the family that turned the established formula for situational comedy on its ear and became a monster success during its 64-episode run. The Addams Family: Volume Two features even more ghoulish humor from the wickedly funny clan as they attempt to blend in with polite society... despite their own uniquely bizarre roots.

...The Addams Family: Volume Two DVD collection features the next 21 offbeat episodes from the classic series, as well as audio commentaries by Thing, Cousin Itt and "Addams" historian Steven Cox, Tombstone trivia and Guest Star Séances.


Disc 1 - Side A:
* "Thing Is Missing"
o Select scene commentary by Thing and Cousin Itt
* "Crisis In The Addams Family"
* "Lurch And His Harpsichord"
* "Morticia, The Breadwinner"

Disc 1 - Side B:
* "The Addams Family And The Spaceman"
* "My Son, The Chimp"
o Select scene commentary by Thing and Cousin Itt
* "Morticia's Favorite Charity"
* "Progress And The Addams Family"

Disc 2 - Side A:
* "Uncle Fester's Toupee"
* "Cousin Itt And The Vocational Counselor"
o Select scene commentary by Thing and Cousin Itt
* "Lurch, The Teenage Idol"
* "The Winning Of Morticia Addams"

Disc 2 - Side B:
* "My Fair Cousin Itt"
o Select scene commentary by Thing and Cousin Itt
* "Morticia's Romance" (Part I)
o Tombstone Trivia
* "Morticia's Romance" (Part II)
* "Morticia Meets Royalty"
o Commentary by Steven Cox, author of "The Addams Chronicles"

Disc 3 - Side A:
* "Gomez, The People's Choice"
* "Cousin Itt's Problem"
* "Halloween-Addams Style"
* "Morticia, The Writer"

Disc 3 - Side B:
* "Morticia, The Sculptress"

Special Features
* Mad About The Addams featurette

* Guest Star Séance with Parley Baer, Milton Frome, Vito Scotti, Elizabeth Fraser, Richard Deacon, Sig Ruman, Margaret Hamilton, Elvia Allman, Eddie Quillan and Peter Bonerz


Pre-order now for $19.99 from Amazon.

CD: Alfred Hitchcock Music to Get Murdered By

Here's a legit release of a fun novelty the made the sharity round a while back. It's basically a mood music spoof with some dry narration from Hitch. Don't know much about the Circus of Horrors sound track that makes of the twofer.

Out March 13, pre-order for $14.99 from Amazon.

DVD: To Catch a Thief (Special Collector's Edition)

Due out May 8. Details:

Cary Grant is John "the Cat" Robie, a suave ex-burglar whose life of ease along the French Riviera is torn asunder when a new string of robberies are committed with his trademark style. Can Grant prove his innocence, or will beautiful heiress Grace Kelly lure him back into a life of crime, in Alfred Hitchcock's seductively stylish thriller? With John Williams, Brigitte Auber.

Specs:
* 106 min.
* Widescreen
* Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo Surround, Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono
* Subtitles: English
* audio commentary
* featurette
* music video
* theatrical trailers

Pre-order now from Amazon for $11.19.

DVD: Pirates of the Golden Age Movie Collection

Due out May 8. Details:

This quartet of spirited swashbucklers is sure to shiver your timbers.

First, Yvonne De Carlo stars as a popular entertainer who falls in love with a wealthy aristocrat (Philip Friend) who is actually a pirate out for revenge against the sinister shipping magnate who ruined his father, in "Buccaneer's Girl" (1950). With Robert Douglas, Elsa Lanchester.

Wrongly accused of piracy, a hapless shopworker (Donald O'Connor) actually joins a privateer crew and quickly earns a reputation as the most dangerous man on the high seas, in the comedic "Double Crossbones" (1951). Helena Carter co-stars.

Next, the action-packed "Yankee Buccaneer" (1952) finds the crew of a 19th-century U.S. Navy frigate disguising themselves as pirates in an effort to catch some real nautical ne'er-do-wells. Jeff Chandler, Scott Brady star.

And, with rapier in one hand and rope in the other, Errol Flynn swings into action as a British naval officer charged with stopping pirate Anthony Quinn, in "Against All Flags" (1952). Maureen O'Hara also stars.

Specs:
* 5 1/3 hrs. total on two discs.
* Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono
* Subtitles: English (SDH), French
* Theatrical trailers.

Pre-order for $20.19 from Amazon.

DVD: Daniel Boone season 3

No specs on this yet, other than it's out April 24.

According to IMDB, the show's third season aired in 1966-67 and includes 28 episodes. Guest stars include Slim Pickens, Peter Graves, Vic Tayback, Ricardo Montalban and Kurt Russell. There's a nice episode guide here.

Pre-order the set now for $37.49 from Amazon.

Pop Artifact! "Kiss of the Vampire" movie poster

Vintage DC Comics house ad

Pop Culture Roundup March 1, 2007

Comics scribe Arnold Drake, co-creator of the Doom Patrol and others, is ailing.

Arnold Drake is in Cabrini Hospital in New York City with what his
daughter called "a touch of pneumonia." He was found collapsed, but
conscious on the floor of his apartment by a neighbor (thank you, Mr.
Hennessy). He is still in intensive care as of today (February 28).

Arnold has been writing comics since the late '40s. He's written humor and
adventure for all age groups from Batman to Jerry Lewis. He is the creator
of Stanley and His Monster, Deadman, Doom Patrol and Beast Boy. He also
wrote what is probably the first American graphic novel; "It Rhymes with
Lust" was published in 1950 with art by Matt Baker and is due to be
re-released by Dark Horse in a few weeks (March, 2007).

Send cards, letters and art to Arnold Drake, Cabrini Medical Center, 227 E.
19th St., New York, NY 10003.


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Newsarama interviews Gemstone Comics head Russ Cochran about his new line of EC Comics Archives.

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"The Cat in the Hat" is 50 years old. NPR has a story.

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On My Mind reviews the many looks of Supergirl.

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Via PCL LinkDump: The uncensored history of the blues.

Lost Clues: "Tricia Tanaka is Dead" Ep. 10, Season 3

Synopsis:

Hurley discovers a decrepit VW bus used by the Dharma Initiative (complete with dead driver inside) and recruits/demands Jin, Sawyer and Charlie to help him get it running again, insisting that the accomplishment will have postive ramifications for everyone--that doing so will somehow break the bad luck curse that's haunted him ever since he won the lotto back home.

In flashback, we see the young Hurley trying to get an old Camaro running again. His dad promises to help, but abandons the family before doing so. Also in flashback, we see Hurley's Mr. Cluck restaurant get obliterated by a meteor with TV news reporter Tricia Tanaka inside--hence the episode title.

Back in the present, Kate seeks Danielle the Frenchwoman's help in finding the Others' settlement.



Clues, observations, speculation:

* How did Roger the work man, driver of the VW, die?

* A map Sawyer spots shows the Dharmas were planning to build roads. Did they ever do it?



* Mmmm... Dharma Beer.



* The tune playing on young Hurley's stereo and on the VW stereo once it starts running is Three Dog Night's "Shambala."

Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala

(chorus)
Ah, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala

(repeat chorus)

How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala

I can tell my sister by the flowers in her eyes
On the road to Shambala
I can tell my brother by the flowers in his eyes
On the road to Shambala

(repeat chorus)

How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala


* From Wikipedia: In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala (also spelled Shambala or Shamballa) is a mystical kingdom hidden somewhere beyond the snowpeaks of the Himalayas.

...Shambhala (Tib. bde 'byung) is a Sanskrit term meaning "place of peace/tranquility/happiness".

* Charlie is seen wearing a Bob Dylan "Highway 61" T-shirt. Here are the lyrics to Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited."



* Hurley is yet another character with father issues, ala Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Sun...

* Sawyer stepped on dart. What's all that about? Just an opportunity for Kate and him to make nice, or some deeper meaning?

New and upcoming action figures March 1, 2007

Complete List of Marvel Legends Action Figures
Complete List of DC Direct Action Figures

Here's a look at action figures available via your local comics shop or via the TIP!-supporting links below:

DC Direct Action Figures

Alex Ross JLA series 5 action figures
--Brainiac
--Lex Luthor
--Green Arrow
--Martian Manhunter
--Red Tornado
--Translucent Martian Manhunter

Batman Through the Ages
--Box Set

Batman/Superman Series 4
--Batzarro
--Bizarro
--Superwoman
--Batwoman
--Batman Beyond
--Kryptonite Batman

DC Direct Reactivated Action Figures
--Batman
--Wonder Woman
--Lobo
--Superman

DC 13-inch Figures
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Green Lantern
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Lex Luthor
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Two-Face
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Superman
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Shazam
Deluxe Edition 13-inch Flash

Elseworlds Action Figures Series 2
--Red Son Batman
--Red Son President Superman
--Kingdom Come Jade
--Kingdom Come Spectre and Norman McKay
--Gotham By Gaslight Batman

Elseworlds Action Figures Series 3
--Supergirl
--Batgirl
--Nightstar
--Kingdom Come Aquaman
--Red Son Green Lantern

First Appearance Series 4
--Blue Beetle translucent
--Blue Beetle
--Brave New World Atom
--Warlord
--Brave New World Martian Manhunter
--Brave New World Aquaman

Infinite Crisis Action Figures Series 1
--Powergirl
--Omac
--Mongul
--Earth Prime Superboy
--Alexander Luthor

JSA Action Figures
--Mr. Terrific
--Hawkgirl
--Dr. Midnite
--Hourman
--Golden Age Atom 2-pack

Hanna Barbera Series 2 Action Figures
--Captain Caveman
--Fred Flintstone and Dino
--Johnny Quest
--Magilla Gorilla
--Penelope Pitstop and Muttley
--Tom and Jerry
--Yogi Bear
--Flintstones at the Drive-In

Hanna Barbera Series 3 Action Figures
--Fred Flintstone Quittin' Time
--Twinkle Toes Fred Flintstone
--Great Grape Ape
--Huckleberry Hound
--The Jetsons
--Secret Squirrel
--Snagglepuss

McFarlane Lost series 2 action figures
--Crash site box set
--Sawyer
--Jin
--Sayid
--Desmond
--Sun
--Mr. Eko

Marvel Figure Factory Sets
--Angel
--Beast
--Black Costume Spider-Man
--Deadpool
--Invisible Woman
--Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Action Figures

Hasbro Marvel Legends Figures Series 1
--Emma Frost
--Ultimate Iron Man
--Movie Beast
--Planet Hulk
--Banshee
--Hercules

Hasbro Marvel Legends Action Figures Series 2
--Wolverine
--She-Hulk
--Yellow Jacket
--Quick Silver
--Lord Asgard Thor
--Magneto Xorn
--X3 Jean Grey
--First Appearance Storm

Marvel Legends Icons 13-inch Action Figures Series 3 Action Figures
--Spider-Man
--Spider-Man Variant
--Beast
--Beast Variant

Hasbro Marvel Legends Icons 13-inch Series 1 Action Figures
--Wolverine
--Thor

Marvel Legends Masterworks Sets
--Spider-Man Vs. Green Goblin
--Fantastic Four Vs. Mole Man
--Hulk Vs. The Thing
--Galactus Vs. Everybody

Marvel Select Figures

Best of Marvel Select Figures
--Grey Hulk
--Thanos
--Ultimate Spider-Man
--Green Goblin
--Mephisto

NECA 7-inch John Lennon action figures
--Color
--Black and white

NECA Grindhouse action figures--Quentin Tarantino as soldier
--Dakota
--Cherry