What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (3 Viewers)

[Jeff Flugel]

I remember taping SHARPE, sight unseen, when it was shown in the U.S. as part of MASTERPIECE THEATER in 1994. I liked it and even bought all the books that were in print at that time. Bernard Cornwell wrote "Sharpe's Eagles" first, I believe, and had to go back to write the earlier 'origin' story, "Sharpe's Rifles". I think some of the other books in the series were written out of time line order, also. The stories where Sharpe was an enlisted man and later a Sergeant, in India, were written much later. If I remember correctly, other than Harper, the Chosen Men characters were created for the TV series and Cornwall later started using them in his new Sharpe novels.

I think PBS only showed the first five episodes over time. I didn't see the episodes I missed when the History Channel showed them, so I bought the BCI VHS.

Later I bought the UK DVD set, which cost four times less than the U.S. release which came in a wooden chest.

Good series, a little clunky at times, but over all a very satisfying show. I liked how Sharpe's longtime enemy, Simmerson, ended up in SHARPE'S PERIL. Very surprising.

I am due for a rewatch

Good to hear your thoughts on Sharpe, Bob! Don't see enough of you in this thread.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Further up the page, I was talking about Fantasy Island, and how I'm rather enjoying it, despite its many flaws. The Season 2 DVD set looks good, with bright colors and a reasonably sharp image, to wit:

Michelle Pfeiifer, in a one or two line part.

It interests (and pleases) me that a top-rated Prime Time show would be fronted by two stars with such thick accents. Ricardo Montalban is always great, and his accent and demeanor unfailingly sophisticated and debonair. His charisma and aura of mystery really hold this show together. I must confess to sometimes struggling to understand all of Herve Villechaize's dialogue, though that, too, is part of the show's charm. And, like its spiritual Spelling cousin, The Love Boat, it gave a lot of opportunities for audiences to catch some great actors, whose careers were slowly fading, do their thing.

 

[BobO'Link]

Ahhh... the Aaron Spelling duo of The Love Boat and Fantasy Island Saturday nights. Two more "nothing better on" series for me. At least their premier year (1977) there was The Jeffersons & Maude opposite The Love Boat. Even though I didn't care for the Lear comedies I liked them better than TLB. The Carol Burnett Show played opposite Fantasy Island that year. At least I greatly enjoyed her series.

The next year was different. Absolutely zero competition as far as I was concerned. And it stayed that way with very few "fill in" shows I cared for at all. Worst part is I was a young married during most of those years (kids coming in 79 and 82) with little money so staying home on Saturday night was the norm. We couldn't afford a VCR so it was live TV or no TV. Left to my own devices I'd have turned the sound down, the stereo up, and read, or practice my guitar until something else came on. My wife didn't care for that so we watched... or she did and I usually read a book or magazine.

There are some series I've purchased a season of, even though I never cared for them, just to have a sample in my collection. I don't know that I could do that with either of that pair.

I used to say I didn't like a single series Spelling produced but "discovered" he produced The Mod Squad and Charmed, a couple I do enjoy, and I've found the first season or two of Charlie's Angels, while mostly fluff, is somewhat entertaining. That puts him 2 up (or should I call it 3?) on Norman Lear.

I'm really glad you enjoy Fantasy Island, Jeff. I don't think I could make it through an episode ever again.

 

[Montytc]

Further up the page, I was talking about Fantasy Island, and how I'm rather enjoying it, despite its many flaws. The Season 2 DVD set looks good, with bright colors and a reasonably sharp image, to wit:

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It interests (and pleases) me that a top-rated Prime Time show would be fronted by two stars with such thick accents. Ricardo Montalban is always great, and his accent and demeanor unfailingly sophisticated and debonair. His charisma andit was aura of mystery really hold this show together. I must confess to sometimes struggling to understand all of Herve Villechaize's dialogue, though that, too, is part of the show's charm. And, like its spiritual Spelling cousin, The Love Boat, it gave a lot of opportunities for audiences to catch some great actors, whose careers were slowly fading, do their thing.

I'll have to admit my wife and I used to sit and watch both "Fantasy Island" and "Love Boat", but I'm not so sure it was time well spent. I have to admit though it was sometimes fun to see that never ending supply of slightly past their prime stars parade through the episodes.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I'm really glad you enjoy Fantasy Island, Jeff. I don't think I could make it through an episode ever again.

Well, Howie, it's a very qualified use of the word "enjoy"...Like you, I remember watching it at the time and not thinking much of it, either. It plays better for me now, thanks to its guest cast and (occasionally) interesting story premises. It's definitely not one to be binged, but I'm finding it a guilty pleasure in small doses.

I've considered Charlie's Angels, but don't think I can take that one, frankly, despite the comely cast. And I've absolutely zero interest in The Love Boat. Fantasy Island is very similar to TLB in several ways, of course, but the fantastical elements - and Ricardo Montalban - make it far more palatable to me.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I'll have to admit my wife and I used to sit and watch both "Fantasy Island" and "Love Boat", but I'm not so sure it was time well spent. I have to admit though it was sometimes fun to see that never ending supply of slightly past their prime stars parade through the episodes.

Not sure it's time well spent now, either, Tim, but I'll still take it over the countless reality TV shows and the like that clutter the network airwaves these days.

 

[MatthewA]

It does seem that the Lowest Common Denominator was higher then even if complaints about the content on TV, whether on moral or aesthetic grounds, often fell on deaf ears.

 

[BobO'Link]

Well, Howie, it's a very qualified use of the word "enjoy"...Like you, I remember watching it at the time and not thinking much of it, either. It plays better for me now, thanks to its guest cast and (occasionally) interesting story premises. It's definitely not one to be binged, but I'm finding it a guilty pleasure in small doses.

I've considered Charlie's Angels, but don't think I can take that one, frankly, despite the comely cast. And I've absolutely zero interest in The Love Boat. Fantasy Island is very similar to TLB in several ways, of course, but the fantastical elements - and Ricardo Montalban - make it far more palatable to me.

I'd *almost* purchase the S1V2 set of The Love Boat for no other reason than episode 23 - "Musical Cabins". I'll let the picture tell the story:

And, no, it's not for Dick Gautier (aka Hymie the robot) or Fred Grandy...

 

[Jeff Flugel]

It's very clear who's winning the "battle of the chests" above...Barbara Rhoades is definitely the only reason to watch that episode!

 

[Doug Wallen]

Barbara Rhoades??? One of my favorites!

I really like redheads, even married one .

 

[BobO'Link]

It's very clear who's winning the "battle of the chests" above...Barbara Rhoades is definitely the only reason to watch that episode!

Well... I *did* have a minor crush on Lauren Tewes back then... so, for me, there's a slight secondary reason.

BUT - I didn't notice Paul Williams in the episode. He's written some good (I should say "Classic") songs but I absolutely do not like him as an actor or performer. That's almost enough to completely negate the goodness of Rhoades and Tewes...

 

[Flashgear]

I've been in kind of a Yahoo mood lately, so I thought I'd revisit one of my favorite Yahoo Cannon episodes, season one's A Flight of Hawks, (Feb. 22, 1972)...quite a cast in this episode aired during the February Sweeps rating period...Martin Sheen, Gerald S. O'Laughlin, Joyce Van Patten, Percy Rodrigues, Arch Johnson, Ed Lauter, Jason Wingreen et al...and tremendous and daring stunt flying with vintage warbirds as well...this episode was filmed at El Mirage airfield near Palm Springs in January 1972, with the scenic desertscape harboring more snow than you would normally expect...my screen caps from the VEI complete series 20 disc set...



William Conrad and Martin Sheen go undercover to investigate Gerald S. O'Laughlin's band of pilot mercenaries planning a coup on a nondescript African nation...the WW2 aircraft in this episode are now in the collection of the Palm Springs Air Museum (you can follow them on Facebook)...several of the B-25s still sport the paint schemes they wore in the 1970 feature film, Catch-22...



Percy Rodrigues (Dr. Daystrom from Star Trek) gets the drop on Cannon, but gets in too tight...allowing Cannon to literally belly buck him! William Conrad was pretty adept at such physical stunts, and didn't mind playing up his weight for comedic effect...funny!


Take that, Matt Dillon! Cannon has a shootout with a P-51 fighter plane on takeoff...O'Laughlin trying to make his escape...











Frank Cannon is a hell of a man...firing that .30 cal machine gun from the hip...even with reduced recoil via quarter loads in the blank rounds...when I was in the infantry, I wouldn't have held it like this for very long without having severe burns from the barrel, but that's just me, clearly I'm a lesser man than Cannon...back when this show first ran, I was a teenager who laughed at Cannon's portly antics...but he was surprisingly agile...now as an old man, he would be the fat man I would aspire to be, ha, ha...


All's well that ends well...back at Cannon's hacienda in LA (Sunset Towers, 8538 Sunset Blvd.)...looks like there was a severe smog warning, ha, ha...as Johnny Carson would say...the morning air tastes funny today...

 

[BobO'Link]

I finally broke down and started collecting The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.. Part 1 of this 1 season series came in yesterday so I started it last night. This is one I watched during the original airings because... well... because it was a spy series, was U.N.C.L.E., and was a spy series (repeated on purpose - I'd watch any of them). I really don't recall being all that impressed with the series back then so I was curious as to how it would play today. Oh my... it takes the camp factor its parent show had injected and embraces it. That's not to say it's "bad" but that it's most certainly *not* a "serious" spy show. I watched the first 4 episodes:

E1 - "The Dog Gone Affair": Thrush, operating on an island near Greece, has found a way to cause people to move in slow motion. April Dancer and Mark Slate are sent to smash the operation... with fleas on a wiener dog.

Oh my... April is on a commercial airliner with the dog in a large handbag under the seat. Did they once allow this? She acts like it's not supposed to be there. No matter as a Thrush agent sits down beside her so she makes an excuse and manages to take the bag and dog to the rest room and call home (it's amazing how well those little stick radios worked anywhere with absolutely clear audio). Meanwhile Mark is secretly watching a demonstration of a gas that causes people to move at half speed. After talking to Waverly, April contacts Mark telling him Thrush is aboard and she needs to ditch the dog - be ready as they'll be over the island in 10 minutes. She opens a side door (non pressurized cabin too?) and tosses little poochie out (whew! he has a parachute). Mark pulls up below just in time to step out of his jeep and catch the very slowly descending dog - right as the local militia (you guessed it... more Thrush) shows up to take him prisoner! He's captured and the dog escapes. Will they succeed? Why, it's U.N.C.L.E. you fool!

E2 - "The Prisoner of Zalamar Affair" - Zalamar, a small country "somewhere in Arabia," is ruled by the good and kind Sheik Ali Hassen (Henry Calvin - Zorro's Sgt. Demetrio Lopez Garcia) who is murdered with poisoned popcorn while watching "The Sheik" (with Rudolph Valentino). The next in line to rule is his daughter Fatima (since Ali Hassen had no sons), who is promptly kidnapped by the evil Vizier (Michael Ansara!), who takes her to the Hazen oil field. April, who by sheer coincidence is a look-alike for the princess, is quickly flown to Zalamar by U.N.C.L.E., to impersonate Fatima. Meanwhile, the evil Vizier subjects his niece Fatima to the "Zalamar Torture Test" which is like the Chinese Water Torture (but using drops of oil instead of water), in an effort to drive her insane.

I loved seeing Calvin as the Sheik and got a laugh at the choice of movie being watched. Mark had some of the popcorn that killed the Sheik but apparently wasn't effected by its poison, nor seemed concerned about having eaten some (out of the same bag) when the Sheik gasped and died.

E3 - "The Mother Muffin Affair" - Napoleon Solo joins April on an assignment in London. They are to escort a gangster's daughter to safety. However, they are being stalked by the minions of assassin Mother Muffin.

This one episode makes the purchase worthwhile. Mother Muffin is played by none other than Boris Karloff... in drag! It's sublimely funny and campy with music that could easily have been lifted directly from Batman. Bernard Fox (Dr. Bombay on Bewitched) is Mother Muffin's main side kick. They make a very good, and funny, team. Mother Muffin and Rodney (Fox) chase our U.N.C.L.E. team all over London as they try to get the daughter to safety. At one point April and Napoleon enter a fortune teller's booth and talk to Waverly and the gangster (Bruce Gordon) via the crystal ball with Waverly appearing in the ball!

E4 - "The Mata Hari Affair" - April poses as a murdered exotic dancer, who was killed on a U.N.C.L.E. mission, to catch the killer.

As the episode opens April and Mark are in a helicopter. She's to drop to a train below to contact the dancer and get the message she has for Waverly. They must wait until it gets dark so they won't be seen (?!?). So... in the dark April's dropped to the moving train below and - gasp! - makes it safely! She almost falls off the moving train as she attempts to walk the roof to a connecting section but just manages to get inside. As she enters the compartment with the dancer the train hits an explosive placed by a Thrush agent and is blown up real good! April survives and poses as the dancer (boy... she sure looks like lots of women) to flush out the murderer who they are positive will try again. What follows is a rather standard mystery "who dunnit" story with a couple of opportunities for Powers to show off her dancing skills (in skimpy outfits). I felt this one had lots of filler...

Overall, the episodes were quite fun. Though you really can't take "April" seriously as she comes off just as much as the "damsel in distress" as the "agent in charge." Considering we had the roles of Emma Peel and Honey West, a pair of very strong female leads/characters, around the same time you'd think they'd have made the female lead a bit stronger and certainly more than the token woman.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I've been in kind of a Yahoo mood lately, so I thought I'd revisit one of my favorite Yahoo Cannon episodes, season one's A Flight of Hawks, (Feb. 22, 1972)...quite a cast in this episode aired during the February Sweeps rating period...Martin Sheen, Gerald S. O'Laughlin, Joyce Van Patten, Percy Rodrigues, Arch Johnson, Ed Lauter, Jason Wingreen et al...and tremendous and daring stunt flying with vintage warbirds as well...this episode was filmed at El Mirage airfield near Palm Springs in January 1972, with the scenic desertscape harboring more snow than you would normally expect...my screen caps from the VEI complete series 20 disc set...
View attachment 62258
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William Conrad and Martin Sheen go undercover to investigate Gerald S. O'Laughlin's band of pilot mercenaries planning a coup on a nondescript African nation...the WW2 aircraft in this episode are now in the collection of the Palm Springs Air Museum (you can follow them on Facebook)...several of the B-25s still sport the paint schemes they wore in the 1970 feature film, Catch-22...
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Percy Rodrigues (Dr. Daystrom from Star Trek) gets the drop on Cannon, but gets in too tight...allowing Cannon to literally belly buck him! William Conrad was pretty adept at such physical stunts, and didn't mind playing up his weight for comedic effect...funny!
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Take that, Matt Dillon! Cannon has a shootout with a P-51 fighter plane on takeoff...O'Laughlin trying to make his escape...
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Frank Cannon is a hell of a man...firing that .30 cal machine gun from the hip...even with reduced recoil via quarter loads in the blank rounds...when I was in the infantry, I wouldn't have held it like this for very long without having severe burns from the barrel, but that's just me, clearly I'm a lesser man than Cannon...back when this show first ran, I was a teenager who laughed at Cannon's portly antics...but he was surprisingly agile...now as an old man, he would be the fat man I would aspire to be, ha, ha...
View attachment 62271

All's well that ends well...back at Cannon's hacienda in LA (Sunset Towers, 8538 Sunset Blvd.)...looks like there was a severe smog warning, ha, ha...as Johnny Carson would say...the morning air tastes funny today...
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Great review, Randall! I have Cannon S1 (and 2), so will try and give this episode a spin later. Cannon is one tough SOB...doesn't he get shot in the gut by a speargun in one episode, but still keeps coming like a Mack truck to take down the bad guy? William Conrad didn't seem to mind the writers making fun of his portly nature, but apparently was not best pleased by that lighthearted tuba version of the main theme that often accompanied him on the soundtrack. It's a good, solid '70s private eye series...just a pity that the transfers on the DVD sets aren't in better shape.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I finally broke down and started collecting The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.. Part 1 of this 1 season series came in yesterday so I started it last night. This is one I watched during the original airings because... well... because it was a spy series, was U.N.C.L.E., and was a spy series (repeated on purpose - I'd watch any of them). I really don't recall being all that impressed with the series back then so I was curious as to how it would play today. Oh my... it takes the camp factor its parent show had injected and embraces it. That's not to say it's "bad" but that it's most certainly *not* a "serious" spy show. I watched the first 4 episodes:

E1 - "The Dog Gone Affair": Thrush, operating on an island near Greece, has found a way to cause people to move in slow motion. April Dancer and Mark Slate are sent to smash the operation... with fleas on a wiener dog.

Oh my... April is on a commercial airliner with the dog in a large handbag under the seat. Did they once allow this? She acts like it's not supposed to be there. No matter as a Thrush agent sits down beside her so she makes an excuse and manages to take the bag and dog to the rest room and call home (it's amazing how well those little stick radios worked anywhere with absolutely clear audio). Meanwhile Mark is secretly watching a demonstration of a gas that causes people to move at half speed. After talking to Waverly, April contacts Mark telling him Thrush is aboard and she needs to ditch the dog - be ready as they'll be over the island in 10 minutes. She opens a side door (non pressurized cabin too?) and tosses little poochie out (whew! he has a parachute). Mark pulls up below just in time to step out of his jeep and catch the very slowly descending dog - right as the local militia (you guessed it... more Thrush) shows up to take him prisoner! He's captured and the dog escapes. Will they succeed? Why, it's U.N.C.L.E. you fool!

E2 - "The Prisoner of Zalamar Affair" - Zalamar, a small country "somewhere in Arabia," is ruled by the good and kind Sheik Ali Hassen (Henry Calvin - Zorro's Sgt. Demetrio Lopez Garcia) who is murdered with poisoned popcorn while watching "The Sheik" (with Rudolph Valentino). The next in line to rule is his daughter Fatima (since Ali Hassen had no sons), who is promptly kidnapped by the evil Vizier (Michael Ansara!), who takes her to the Hazen oil field. April, who by sheer coincidence is a look-alike for the princess, is quickly flown to Zalamar by U.N.C.L.E., to impersonate Fatima. Meanwhile, the evil Vizier subjects his niece Fatima to the "Zalamar Torture Test" which is like the Chinese Water Torture (but using drops of oil instead of water), in an effort to drive her insane.

I loved seeing Calvin as the Sheik and got a laugh at the choice of movie being watched. Mark had some of the popcorn that killed the Sheik but apparently wasn't effected by its poison, nor seemed concerned about having eaten some (out of the same bag) when the Sheik gasped and died.

E3 - "The Mother Muffin Affair" - Napoleon Solo joins April on an assignment in London. They are to escort a gangster's daughter to safety. However, they are being stalked by the minions of assassin Mother Muffin.

This one episode makes the purchase worthwhile. Mother Muffin is played by none other than Boris Karloff... in drag! It's sublimely funny and campy with music that could easily have been lifted directly from Batman. Bernard Fox (Dr. Bombay on Bewitched) is Mother Muffin's main side kick. They make a very good, and funny, team. Mother Muffin and Rodney (Fox) chase our U.N.C.L.E. team all over London as they try to get the daughter to safety. At one point April and Napoleon enter a fortune teller's booth and talk to Waverly and the gangster (Bruce Gordon) via the crystal ball with Waverly appearing in the ball!

E4 - "The Mata Hari Affair" - April poses as a murdered exotic dancer, who was killed on a U.N.C.L.E. mission, to catch the killer.

As the episode opens April and Mark are in a helicopter. She's to drop to a train below to contact the dancer and get the message she has for Waverly. They must wait until it gets dark so they won't be seen (?!?). So... in the dark April's dropped to the moving train below and - gasp! - makes it safely! She almost falls off the moving train as she attempts to walk the roof to a connecting section but just manages to get inside. As she enters the compartment with the dancer the train hits an explosive placed by a Thrush agent and is blown up real good! April survives and poses as the dancer (boy... she sure looks like lots of women) to flush out the murderer who they are positive will try again. What follows is a rather standard mystery "who dunnit" story with a couple of opportunities for Powers to show off her dancing skills (in skimpy outfits). I felt this one had lots of filler...

Overall, the episodes were quite fun. Though you really can't take "April" seriously as she comes off just as much as the "damsel in distress" as the "agent in charge." Considering we had the roles of Emma Peel and Honey West, a pair of very strong female leads/characters, around the same time you'd think they'd have made the female lead a bit stronger and certainly more than the token woman.

Thanks for the breakdown of Girl from U.N.C.L..E. episodes, Howie! The show sounds...well, terrible, actually, but perhaps fun when one is in a mood for campy spy antics. The physical charms of Stephanie Powers would be the main draw for me.

 

[bmasters9]

Advanced 2 more episodes on that first go on The Untouchables-- 4 remaining to finish that first go and move to the second one

 

[BobO'Link]

Thanks for the breakdown of Girl from U.N.C.L..E. episodes, Howie! The show sounds...well, terrible, actually, but perhaps fun when one is in a mood for campy spy antics. The physical charms of Stephanie Powers would be the main draw for me.

Powers is fairly good in the series and the primary reason to watch, although her outfits are normally not that skimpy. To see her at her best you need to watch Hart to Hart. I think Girl... failed due to her being "damsel in distress" too often, being too campy, and coming on opposite Daktari (and that's likely why I don't recall watching it much as I know my sister and I agreed on watching Daktari). It's most definitely a product of its time, especially the Batman influence. If you've seen, and liked, S3 of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. *or* are a 60s kid then you should at least pick up the first half of this series. Otherwise, I'd say give it a pass or find a way to sample it first.

 

[bmasters9]

To see her at her best you need to watch Hart to Hart.

My thoughts exactly-- I thought that she and R.J. had remarkable chemistry as Jennifer Hart and her husband Jonathan!

 

[BobO'Link]

Another day, another 4 episodes of The Girl from U.N.C.L.E..

The cheese factor is still in overdrive. It's amazing how close to the Batman level of camp this series is at times. And it *almost* works...

E5 - "The Montori Device Affair - Thrush agents attack an U.N.C.L.E. outpost in Rome and make off with a Montori device compromises all of U.N.C.L.E.'s transmissions. Conrad Rossano, a famous fashion designer, is U.N.C.L.E.'s chief suspect. April goes undercover as a fashion buyer and Mark as an American bodyguard to a high price fashion model. Also involved is a Professor with a brain washing device which leaves the victim susceptible to his suggestions. Stars include John Carradine, Ted Cassidy, and Lisa Loring.

See this one for Carradine's "coke bottle" glasses. I really wanted Cassidy to do his Lurch moan. Loring plays a *very* obnoxious kid.

E6 - "The Horns-of-the-Dilemma Affair" - In Mexico, a Thrush operative, De Sada, covets Project Gamma, a "rocket transport" that can travel 5,000 mph. Scientists who are developing the aircraft are being abducted by De Sada and their knowledge "drained" by a high-tech device. April goes over a cliff, trapped in a remote-controlled car! Mark becomes trapped in a roll of wicker which has been wrapped around his body, has been wetted, and is rapidly shrinking! Stars include Fernando Lamas (as De Sada) and Alejandro Rey.

April's escape from the car is a cheat as is Mark extricating himself from the wet, shrinking, wicker (? seriously?). For reference: Escape velocity for Earth's gravity is ~25,000mph with low Earth orbit requiring ~17,000mph.

E7 - "The Danish Blue Affair" - In Denmark, Thrush operative Ole Bergman has supervised development of a power beam capable of blowing up submarines and ships. The device, however, needs a sophisticated power regulator to prevent itself from blowing up. The criminal organization has been smuggling microdots inside cheese with plans for just such a power regulator. Stanley Umlaut (Dom DeLuise) has accidentally consumed some of the cheese. Now, April and Mark seek to protect from from Thrush, which wants to recover the microdots in Stanley's stomach.

When a waiter makes some fresh Blue Cheese dressing from the wheel of cheese containing the microdots, the chef (Fritz Feld who *does not* do his trademark "pop"), practically attacks Stanley to get the salad back. Stanley is captured and shipped to Denmark in a crate where April just happens to overhear the pickup driver, dressed as the "Little Dutch Boy," ask at the shipping window about packages to be told "Yes, Granny's (Virginia Gregg) going to have to file for an import license if all this cheese doesn't stop coming back!" Of course her ears perk up, Waverly had what was left of the wheel and showed her and Mark one of the microdots, and she sneaks into the van while the driver goes around to get in. Yes, it's as ridiculous as it sounds.

E8 - "The Garden of Evil Affair" - The Cult of Cambodyses, a group of killers based in the Middle East, is used by Thrush to perform murder. The cult, however, wanting to break free of its alliance with Thrush, plans to gain control of a formula that can transfer the consciousness of a long-dead person into the mind of a living descendant. It turns out Cambodyses has only one living descendant, a woman who the cult covets. U.N.C.L.E. and Thrush are also after the woman, who it turns out has a bit part in a Western movie being filmed at a Berlin film studio. April and Mark have their hands full with both the cult and with Thrush, which wants to bring the cult back under its control. Cult members are raised to be killers at birth and ingest poison from a young age. They are like "human snakes," immune to poison themselves, but they can kill simply by scratching their victims.

This one has a western movie being made full of true "pop gun" sounds when shots are fired. It's a bit odd and is given far too much screen time. At one point April is having trouble getting into her costume (stuck zipper) so we get to see the big saloon brawl several times, partially intercut with Thrush agents chasing Mark, as it's shot and reshot and reshot. Oh... and it's a continuous take (do people really believe that's how movies are shot?). The director of the movie is none other than character actor Oscar Beregi Jr. And, yes, it's as silly as it sounds.

I may take a break before watching the back half of this set... can't decide.

 

[JohnHopper]

I finally finished off my season 3 lexicon for The Wild Wild West
and that completes my last lexicon for the entire Wild Wild West.
Season 3 is rich in politics and corruption and poor on fantasy and imagination.

The last season 3 episode was “The Night of the Death-Maker”.
As an example, find the main categories as keywords to define that episode.

1. Blue Coats
2. Blue Corduroy Trailer Outfit (partly)
3. Cage (pit)
4. Carnival, Circus, Fairground and Entertainers (organ grinder)
5. Conditioning/Drug/Gas/Poison (white gas)
6. Federals (Bureaucrats and Officials) (field agent Charles)
7. Female Villains (stage actress Marcia Denisson)
8. Fire
9. French
10. Gadgets by Artie (gas container)
11. Gunsmoke Sets (Dodge House)
12. History (Civil War: William Quantrill)
13. Hotel
14. Imprisoned (monks)
15. Infernal Machines/Weapons of Destruction (gatling gun organ)
16. Locations (San Francisco, Jubilee, the monastery of Santa Paula)
17. Militaries (Brigadier General Cullen Dane, drill sergeant) *
18. Political Assassinations (President Grant)
19. President (President Grant)
20. Pressure Point (Marcia Denisson)
21. Railroad
22. References to previous Episodes (Steel Assassin, Cadre, Bogus Bandits)
23. Simulacrum and Two-Timers (subversives disguised as monks, Marcia Denisson as a monk)
24. Subversives (putschist Cullen Dane)
25. Television Connection (Mission: Impossible: “The Cardinal”)
26. Terrorists (putschist Cullen Dane)
27. Traps and Tortures (fail to be incinerated Jim)
28. Undercovers and Disguises by Artie (President Grant, French wine expert Claude Achille Antoine Renard who later pretends to be drunk)
29. Undercovers and Impersonations by Jim (disguised as a monk)
30. Wrestling

Footnotes
* Cullen Dane asserts that James West is a Major which contradicts his military status from the pilot as a Captain.