Upcoming DVDs of interest

Click the title links for additional information from Amazon.


TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 2 (The Divorcee / A Free Soul / Night Nurse / Three on a Match / Female)


Father Knows Best: Season One
Maybe he didn't always know best, but insurance salesman Jim Anderson (Robert Young) of Springfield, Ohio, was America's favorite head of household. Father Knows Best premiered on CBS in October 1954 and has been part of the American cultural fabric ever since. Every week families gathered around the television set to join Jim, Margaret, Princess, Bud and Kitten in their very first year as everyone's favorite 50's family. On DVD for the first time ever, this 4-disc set contains the Complete first season. BONUS FEATURES *New cast interviews *Robert Young's home movies *Rare behind the scenes color footage *24 Hours In Tyrantland, special episode created for the U.S. government. *Window On Main Street pilot episode, Robert Young's very next TV series.


The Invaders: Season One


Adventures of Robin Hood - Complete First Season
This classic television series ran from 1955 to 1960, featuring the tales of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. Richard Greene stars as our gallant hero who fought the forces of the evil Prince John, his local official the Sheriff of Nottingham and any aristocrat or ne'er-do-well who threatened the common people and loyal subjects of King Richard. Robin and his band lived in the shelter of Sherwood Forest, fighting their foes and hoping for the day when their beloved King Richard will return from the Crusades to rule once again. Starring Richard Greene, Alexander Gauge, Simone Lovell (1955 - 1960) B&W Unrated


The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show - The Complete Series


Mike Douglas - Moments & Memories / John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Rolling Stones, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Martin
Douglas' charming disposition drew in the viewers while also setting his high-profile guests at ease. Almost every major celebrity who hit it big in the 60s and 70s appeared on the show either as a guest or co-host. John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted the program for a week in 1972, producing several poignant and memorable moments such as the duo's live performance of Imagine and their collaboration with Chuck Berry on the rock n roll classic Johnny B. Goode. A 2- year-old Tiger Woods also charmed the crowds like a seasoned performer, showcasing his early talent for golf while unknowingly matching wits with comedic heavyweight Bob Hope.

Priceless moments like these captured the hearts and imaginations of viewers throughout the country. But it was Douglas' innate charm that endeared him to his fans. He frequently sang on the show, crooning out classic numbers like The Men in My Little Girl s Life. Douglas also kept the show light-hearted and entertaining, frequently choosing silly and outlandish stunts to make his audience laugh. Throughout the course of the program, Douglas wrestles with Andre the Giant, talks to a chimpanzee and clowns around with a variety of comedians.


The Red Balloon (Released by Janus Films, in association with the Criterion Collection)
Newly restored and available for the first time on DVD, Albert Lamorisse s exquisite The Red Balloon remains one of the most beloved children s films of all time. In this deceptively simple, nearly wordless tale, a young boy discovers a stray balloon, which seems to have a mind of its own, on the streets of Paris. The two become inseparable, yet the world s harsh realities finally interfere. With its glorious palette and allegorical purity, the Academy Award winning The Red Balloon has enchanted movie lovers, young and old, for generations.


Houdini: The Movie Star
By the year 1919, Harry Houdini was known throughout the world as a master magician and escape artist. Having conquered the stage, he set out to rule the screen, appearing in a series of thrillers built upon his almost supernatural powers. Culled from film archives and private collections, this Kino DVD set includes all of Houdini s surviving films as an actor, rare footage of actual handcuff and straitjacket escapes, and a wealth of historical information. Includes: THE MASTER MYSTERY (1919, 238m, Color Tinted) TERROR ISLAND (1920, 55m, B&W) THE MAN FROM BEYOND (1922, 68m, Color Tinted) HALDANE OF THE SECRET SERVICE (1923, 84m, Color Tinted) THE GRIM GAME (Fragment, 1919, 5m, Color Tinted) - SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE: Filmed records of Houdini escapes (ca. 1907-23) - Audio recording of Houdini speaking (1914) - Excerpts from the NY Censor Board files - Slippery Jim, a 1910 Houdini-inspired comedy - The illusion Metamorphosis performed by Houdini s brother Hardeen and others.


Bionic Woman - Volume One
Jaime Sommers is nothing but a hard-working woman juggling work as a bartender, the responsibility for the care of her younger sister, Becca, and her relationship with her boyfriend, Will. Jaime has always enjoyed being as normal as any other human being. However, this all changes when she is hit by a car and seriously injured. Her only hope becomes an experimental and top secret procedure, but, as Jaime soon discovers, this salvation comes at a high price.


Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 1 (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties)


Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 2 (Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men / San Quentin / A Slight Case of Murder)


Gang of Souls: A Generation of Beat Poets



Elvis On Elvis
In this revealing program Elvis is given the opportunity to introduce the real man behind the on stage image. Through previously unseen and incredibly revealing footage and rare recordings we see a side to the king that only he could have known and only he could claim. Such as discussing his innermost concerns relating to his weight problems, aspects of his love life, and his thoughts regarding the entourage who slavishly catered to his every whim. As if this sensational material were not enough there is a collection of 18 tracks including the song he wrote for his mom I'll Never Stand In Your Way and Maybelline, both of which are rare recordings and never before seen on DVD. Add to the Elvis music the Elvis spoken word and you have the makings of placing this title in a league of its own as a collection of the most sought after information and recordings of this iconic figure ever compiled. You ll find the contents of this double DVD a revelation; and we can assure you this compelling and most informative of programs will provide a glimpse of an Elvis you knew, but also a version he wasn't allowed to show.

Pop links

Via Blogity-Blog-Blog-Blog: Sterling silver super rings! Check it out...


Green Lantern


Legion of Superheroes


Even Doctor Strange!

More here.

----------

Corgi has unveiled a fuel cell-powered toy car!

The H2GO, from Corgi International combines classic playability with breakthrough zero emissions energy technology. Power for the H2GO is delivered by an on-board hydrogen fuel cell, where sun and water supply the fuelling unit with renewable, clean energy for unlimited play.



----------

Video: Steve Martin on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson, 1973.

---------

Jon's Random Acts of Geekery presents a whole bunch of "Six Million Dollar Man" memorabilia.

James Bond Quantum of Solace teaser poster



Comic book movies I'm surprised haven't been made

Not that I'd want to see Hollywood's take on any of these characters. I'm just surprised, given the hot market for super-movies over the past few years, that none of them have been exploited yet.

Before you comment or e-mail, I know movies featuring some (maybe all) of these characters have been rumored. Some may even be in the works. But until they're actually on the screen, there's no certainty we'll ever see them. You know how Hollywood operates.


Plastic Man

Come on, can't you see Jim Carrey in this role? Maybe he kinda, sorta did it already in "The Mask." But I can see him or some other manic, rubbery comedian playing the part in a flick that would, ideally, draw from witty, satirical Jack Cole comics. Most likely, though, it'd be just another dumb comedy. But with a really stretchy guy in it. Jack Black could be Woozy Winks.



Doom Patrol

Hollywood did pretty well with the "X-Men." The first two movies weren't even that bad. So why not give these freaks a try? I'm thinking the standard Silver Age version, not the whacked out Grant Morrison take, although that one would make for a wild film.


The Flash

Yeah, this is one of those possibly in-the-works flicks. It's about a guy who runs really fast. You can go pretty much anywhere from there. I, of course, would stick closely to the original Silver Age version. Give us a quick origin and show the Flash beating a baddie.


Sandman

I'm thinking the Neil Gaimin version, although it'd be pretty hard to adapt. The stories don't lend themselves to quick-and-simple movie-style plots. But you could do a pretty cooly pulpy, noir flick with the "Sandman Mystery Theater" version, instead. If so, it should be set in the 1940s and should play up the low-tech aspects of the hero: Trench coat, gas mask, sleeping gas. It'd be nifty in black and white.


Deadman

Maybe the most striking entry on this list: How can nobody in Hollywood not know how freaking cool this hero is? Man. Just get some special effects guys, some actors and a copy of that big, hardcover Neal Adams "Deadman" comics collection and make it.

Deadman is basically a ghost that can inhabit other people's bodies, right? So why not get a cool cast of interesting/notable actors and actresses who can all take turns being possessed?


Thor

This one's supposedly in the works. I'm not really sure how to do a compelling Thor movie. It'd be hard to set up all the Lee-Kirby mythology and string an audience along. If you dispense with that and place Thor on Earth, it could be dull. I suppose a Thor-Loki smackdown would be the best "plot."


Metamorpho

I wouldn't really want to see a Metamorpho movie. I just don't think Hollywood could do anything fun or interesting with him. And maybe he's too much of a low-level character to sustain a feature. But he does have interesting powers that would make for cool special effects.


Challengers of the Unknown

Get four hot actors, one hot actress and a bunch of purple jumpsuits. It's sort of like "Oceans 11." With monsters.


The Atom

Doesn't everyone like to imagine what it'd be like to be really tiny? Start building the giant props now.


Aquaman and/or Sub-mariner

Yes, the Aquaman thing has been joked about ad nauseum. And, yeah, "Aquaman" is a stupid name if you think about it for half a second. So is "Sub-Mariner." And half of the people can't even pronounce that one right.


But make a cool underwater movie with good effects and a decent story and there's no reason something like this couldn't be successful. If you go with Sub-Mariner, you can just call it "Namor" and avoid the whole name problem.


Green Arrow

Like Metamorpho, here's another character I can't really see carrying a feature movie. But that doesn't mean Hollywood couldn't try.


Green Lantern

This one's been rumored. You could do an interesting movie with the Silver Age version of the character. I'd focus on the sci-fi aspect, with the Guardians and the whole nine yards.

What do you think? Are there any other comic book properties Hollywood should hurry up and exploit? Post your thoughts in the comments section.

Don't forget Lost tonight!

Read a teaser for tonight's episode!

PLUS see what happened last week.

Then come back tomorrow for a detailed look at tonight's ep, with clues and observations.

14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Counting down to Valentine's Day, here entry 7:

Upcoming Marvel Essential volumes

Here's a look at Marvel Essentials planned for later in the year. Click the links to pre-order any of the titles from Amazon.

Essential Ghost Rider Vol. 3

Essential Marvel Team-Up Vol. 3

Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 4

Essential Captain Marvel Vol. 1

He made a big Return during Civil War, but how'd he get here in the first place? Watch the wonders of Mar-Vell right from the start in stories reprinted for the first time in more than 25 years! Earth's newest protector faces such forgotten furies as Mandroid, Man-Slayer, and the Metazoid - along with the Super-Skrull, Ronan the Accuser, and more of the deadliest dynamos from three galaxies! Plus: the start of his lifelong bond, molecular and otherwise, with professional sidekick Rick Jones! But where there's Rick, can a jade-skinned giant be far behind? Also guest-starring Iron Man and Namor the Sub-Mariner - and introducing Carol Danvers, later known as Ms. Marvel! Collects Marvel Super-Heroes #12-13 and Captain Marvel #1-21

Upcoming DC Showcase Presents collections

Here are some releases DC has planned for later in the year. You can click the titles to pre-order them from Amazon.

Showcase Presents: House of Secrets Vol. 1

Showcase Presents Hawkman Vol. 2

Showcase Presents the Atom Vol. 2

Showcase Presents Superman Vol. 4


Showcase Presents Batman Vol. 3

Showcase Presents The Flash Vol. 2


14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Counting down to Valentine's Day, here's entry 6:

Lost Feb. 21 episode preview

Highlight the hidden text below for a teaser of the Feb. 21 episode of "Lost."

KATE'S STANDING WITH LOCKE AND SAWYER MAY BE JEOPARDIZED WHENHER NEED TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE HOSTAGE BECOMES HER TOP PRIORITY, ON ABC'S "LOST"

"Eggtown" - Kate's need to get information out of the hostage may jeopardize her standing with Locke -- as well as with Sawyer -- on "Lost," THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Lost" stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet, Terry O'Quinn as Locke and Harold Perrineau as Michael.

Guest starring are Ken Leung as Miles, Jeremy Davies as Daniel Faraday, Rebecca Mader as Charlotte, Shawn Doyle as Duncan Forrester, Susan Gibney as Melissa Dunbrook, Traber Burns as judge, Fred Q. Collins as bailiff, Beth Broderick as Diane Jansen, Tania Kahale as nanny and William Blanchette as child.

"Eggtown" was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff & Greggory Nations and directed by Stephen Williams.

Also see:

The Best Lost Sites on the Web
Lost: What we STILL don't know
Lost Season 3 episode guide
Lost season 4 episode 2 details
Lost season 4 episode 3 details