What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (1 Viewer)

[John*Wells]

Scooby Doo Where are you Season 1-3 and the New Scooby Doo Movies

 

[BobO'Link]

I Spy - 2.1 "So Coldly Sweet"
This is such an unusual spy series, easily straddling the line between fun escapist fare and more serious, downbeat, realistic drama. These days, it's probably too much to ask people to put aside their feelings about Bill Cosby the man and focus on the actor enough to enjoy this series. But I love this show too much to stop watching it, and can divorce the nasty real life stuff from the character of Alexander Scott.

I've always loved I Spy, and watched it during the original airings. I like, and still watch and listen to, most of the work he did as an actor and comedian.

Lots of actors/celebrities have done bad things. When I'm watching a TV show or movie I'm not thinking about the actor but the character they're playing. FWIW, Cosby has played some excellent and iconic characters. His Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids remains one of the better programs aimed at kids. His overall attitude towards race relations is still quite relevant. That the recent discoveries have somewhat tarnished that is sad. People should focus on the good, not that they should ignore the bad, and give him a chance to turn it around but today's overly PC, and IMHO somewhat unforgiving, climate makes that practically impossible.

 

[BobO'Link]

It's snowing here... this is the first pre-Thanksgiving snow in this area in many years (it's actually quite rare). It's likely we'll get enough tonight to close the schools (in the Mid-South where people have no clue how to drive properly/safely in rain - ice/snow is beyond the abilities of the majority of drivers here.)

I just want to go home, put on some classic TV, and veg a couple of days... unfortunately, my department works even when school's closed... bummer...

 

[Doug Wallen]

Stoney Burke
The Scavenger (1.8) Paul Comi, John Kellogg, Shirley Ballard, Enoch Gates (James Mason???). Ves sets up a mechanic to get out of a bill and winds ups accused of rolling then murdering the mechanic. Stoney to the rescue. I am enjoying the way Ves is being played as a lowlife scum who still has "friends".
Spin A Golden Web (1.9) Robert Webber, Salome Jens, James T Callahan, John Anderson, Ken Lynch. Stoney will not be bought. A wealthy man entices Stoney and his friends to help him win a bet. The other bettor has a friend of Stoney's on his payroll.
The Wanderer (1.10) Albert Salmi, Jacqueline Scott, Milton Selzer. Personal family drama is on tap this week as Stoney helps a pregnant old friend find her husband whom she thinks has been wandering with different rodeos for the last six months.

Gunsmoke - Season 5
Target (5.1) John Carradin, Darryl Hickman, Frank DeKova, Suzzane Lloyd. Beautiful gypsy and young boy in love. Tragic.
Kitty's Injury (5.2) Karl Swenson, Anne Seymour, Don Dubbins. Apparently all boychilds featured on this series are a bit addled. After Kitty suffers a bullet graze, Matt takes over the home of a very frustrated family. good episode.
Horse Deal (5.3) Harry Carey, Jr., Bartlett Robinson. A con man visits Dodge selling and reselling his own horses. The town is upset. Posse is arranged.
Johnny Red (5.4) James Drury, Josephine Hutchinson. A long lost son returns home along with many questions. Another good one.
Tail To The Wind (5.5) Harry Townes, Alice Backes, Harry Swoger, Alan Reed, Jr. Unscrupulous landowner squares off against a peaceful man who turns the other cheek constantly. the ending to this one is poetic even though easily telegraphed. Another fine episode.
Annie Oakley (5.6) John Anderson, Florance MacMichael, George Mitchell. A woman who believes her looks have passed her by creates conflict with a neighbor to have some attention.
Kangaroo (5.7) Peter Whitney, John Crawford, Richard Rust. A religious zealot determines Chester needs "justice".

Perry Mason - Season 6
The Case of the Bogus Book (6.1) Adam West, Phyllis Love, John Abbott, H.M. Wynant. A counterfeit ring operating out of a used bookstore.
The Case of the Capricious Corpse (6.2) John Howard, Jacques Aubuchon, Lee Farr, Lori March. What will happen to the poor orphans?
The Case of the Playboy Pugilist (6.3) Gary Lockwood, Dianne Foster, Delores Michaels, Robert Armstrong, Joe Sirola, Mort Mills. Intrigue in the world of high finance, the syndicate and the world of boxing as well as a cross country arson investigation.

High Chaparral - Season 1
The Widow From Red Rock (1.13) Patricia Barry, Carlos Romero. A widow neighboring the High Chaparral entices all men she meets and is very interested in Buck and Manolito and ... . After doing business with Commancheros, she is in over her head and creates problems for the Cannons.
Mark Of The Turtle (1.14) Robert Lansing, Anthony Caruso. A lawman asks for help tracking down El Lobo. The posse is a violation of the agreement that John signed with Don Montoya. the posse is formed with some caveats.
The Terrorist (1.15) Henry Silva, Pilar Seurat. Mano aids an old friend who sees a chance to kill Juarez and take his place as the next presidente of Mexico.

Mission:Impossible - Season 3
The Heir Apparent (3.1) Charles Aidman, Torin Thatcher, Rudy Solari. M:I version of Anastasia. Cinammon portrays a missing/dead heiress to keep a small slavic country a constitutional monarchy instead of turning into a repressed nation.

 

[JohnHopper]

Stoney Burke
The Scavenger (1.8) Paul Comi, John Kellogg, Shirley Ballard. Ves sets up a mechanic to get out of a bill and winds ups accused of rolling then murdering the mechanic. Stoney to the rescue. I am enjoying the way Ves is being played as a lowlife scum who still has "friends".
Spin A Golden Web (1.9) Robert Webber, Salome Jens, James T Callahan, John Anderson, Ken Lynch. Stoney will not be bought. A wealthy man entices Stoney and his friends to help him win a bet. The other bettor has a friend of Stoney's on his payroll.
The Wanderer (1.10) Albert Salmi, Jacqueline Scott, Milton Selzer. Personal family drama is on tap this week as Stoney helps a pregnant old friend find her husband whom she thinks has been wandering with different rodeos for the last six months.

The Scavenger was an attempt by James Mason—credited as Enoch Gates—to have a second career and played the hobo.
One of the best episodes of the series that highlight the character of Ves Painter (actor Warren Oates), falsely-accused of murder.

Mission:Impossible - Season 3
The Heir Apparent (3.1) Charles Aidman, Torin Thatcher, Rudy Solari. M:I version of Anastasia. Cinammon portrays a missing/dead heiress to keep a small slavic country a constitutional monarchy instead of turning into a repressed nation.

One of the best season 3 episodes that features an original score by Lalo Schifrin and his last Eastern Europe score for the series.
Actor Martin Landau removes his disguise "live" at the church.

 

[JohnHopper]

Stoney Burke on Blue-Ray for 2019! You'd better believe it! Stay with us, Stoney!

 

[Jeff Flugel]

It's snowing here... this is the first pre-Thanksgiving snow in this area in many years (it's actually quite rare). It's likely we'll get enough tonight to close the schools (in the Mid-South where people have no clue how to drive properly/safely in rain - ice/snow is beyond the abilities of the majority of drivers here.)

I just want to go home, put on some classic TV, and veg a couple of days... unfortunately, my department works even when school's closed... bummer...

Definitely understand your feeling, Howie! Nothing like staying snug and warm inside when the weather's cold and hunkering down with some good TV or movies (or a good book!) Even better when you get a day off from work (or school). Sorry it didn't work out that way for you...

 

[BobO'Link]

Definitely understand your feeling, Howie! Nothing like staying snug and warm inside when the weather's cold and hunkering down with some good TV or movies (or a good book!) Even better when you get a day off from work (or school). Sorry it didn't work out that way for you...

Thanks for the sentiment! I do have the option to stay home in those cases. I just have to burn a vacation, sick, or gratuity day in exchange. I'd have had to go in this time as we're hosting a training for a wireless product (people coming in from around the state) that wasn't cancelled and I'm registered to attend.

As it turned out the system just skirted us and we got just enough to mess up drive-time yesterday (lots of wrecks due to people underestimating how slick the roads were mostly due to ice build-up over culverts or failure to properly clean windshields/windows for visibility). Fortunately I get off about an hour before that hits (and I have a very short drive home - less than a mile - car barely starts to warm up). Kids will have regular classes today.

 

[JohnHopper]

RAWHIDE SEASON 7

Episode #3
“Piney”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Philip Peacock
music by Fred Steiner
guests: Ed Begley, Elisha Cook Jr, J.D. Cannon, Tom Reese, Lee Van Cleef, Robert Karnes

It is proto-Mission: Impossible all the way and it is clear that Geller imposes his stamp in all departments. Let me explain the facts. The plot starts like this: Collins, Texas, an old man and a mastermind criminal with a phony broken leg named Mr. Piney Kinney (actor Ed Begley) and his best friend Jim Gribble (actor Elisha Cook Jr) hire three cheap hoods (actors J.D. Cannon, Tom Reese, Lee Van Cleef) to rob a bank in that small town. They rent a ground floor hotel room and pretends to play a game of poker while digging a tunnel to reach the bank. Like clockwork, they do the digging each night at a precise time while double-checking the surroundings and later on, getting a beer and sandwich delivery from a boy. One of the hoods named Rose (actor J.D. Cannon) refuse to continue as agreed and as in every best plan, one little catastrophy occurs and this time with Jim Gribble. Deck Sommers (actor Lee Van Cleef), one of the three hoods, is a safecracker. They hide the loot in the matress of the hotel room and uses the outfit of Gil Favor as a cover. As in the previous episode “The Enormous Fist”, Gil Flavor does some hiring of drovers.

The detail of the tunnel is almost like “Snowball in Hell”. This kind of big store operation fits the following Mission: Impossible categories: loot, vault break-in, fixed game. Some elements of the plot reminds Film Noir films like Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing, Jacques Becker’s The Hole and Jules Dassin’s Rififi.

Actor Lee Van Cleef returns from the season 7 episode “The Enormous Fist” and will work later for Sergio Leone on the last two of the Dollar trilogy along with Clint Eastwood. Actor J.D. Cannon appears in the episode “Action!” from Mission: Impossible.

Highly recommended.

 

[JohnHopper]

RAWHIDE SEASON 7

Episode #4
“The Lost Herd”
written by Archie Tegland
directed by Vincent McEveety
assistant director Lee H. Katzin
guests: Harry Townes, Royal Dano, Paul Comi, Leo Gordon, Peter Bourne, Bill Williams, William O’Connell, Allen Jaffe

“There’s another way that a horse and a man are alike. They can both lose something almost overnight. Pride or confidence or integrity… or whatever it is that it takes to win.”
—Mr. Teisner to Rowdy Yates.

It’s a Favor-oriented piece, a harsh economical, pessimistic and semi-satirical entry in which Gil Favor is depicted as a failure and a laughing stock who stays confined to his hotel room and makes his men angry because of the bad pay. Trail boss Gil Favor fails to deliver a whole herd—only nine head—and loose too many and must face his responsibility in front of his big client, the boss of the cattlemen association named Teisner (actor Royal Dano) talking like a “remorseless” corporate businessman obsessed with high profits supported by ruthless gunman Dillman (actor Harry Townes), ready to annihilate any errors. Big boss Teisner must select one man amongst three candidates to manage an ordeal of 2200 head: Favor’s friend Tom Bickle, looser Favor and Favor’s ramrod Rowdy Yates. The story is written like a Mission: Impossible’s season 5 in which Bruce Geller toys with the weakness of the flawless leading man.

It features two optical zoom shots that Geller will apply on Mission: Impossible. As in “The Enormous Fist”, Favor gives a punch to a drover and here because he spits on his wages and throws his six dollars coins out. Find a good Expressionist picture composition thanks to the director and DP Schwartz who exploits the wide angle lens while shooting low angle: notice the impressive interrogation/hiring scene between Teisner and Bickle at the saloon.

A new semi-regular pops up: cattle man Yo Yo (actor Paul Comi) who appears six times this season. This is the first credit for 1st AD Lee H. Katzin who will work on Mission: Impossible. Actor William O’Connell as the hotel owner will play in many Seventies films with Clint Eastwood, including High Plains Drifter and as the scared barber. Actor Royal Dano returns from “Incident at Ten Trees” and Harry Townes from “Incident at Seven Fingers” and this is his fourth and final appearence. Actor Royal Dano portrays an unusual type of character far away from his usual folkish persona a la Buddy Ebsen.

High Plains Drifter (1/8) Movie CLIP - A Shave and a Shootout (1973) HD


Recommended!

 

[bmasters9]

O-R Jack Lord Five-O, sixth-season episode "Mother's Deadly Helper" (OAD Tues. Feb. 12, 1974 on CBS), w/Anthony Zerbe as an extreme right-wing law-and-order zealot, Cord McKenzie, who kills those who are paroled or released on technicalities. He thinks he's aiding the police in their mission, but McGarrett says not so fast!

I saw this one because, IINM, it has an equivalent on The Streets of San Francisco in its fourth season, called "Police Buff" (OAD Thursday, Jan. 8, 1976 on ABC), that one w/the late Bill Bixby as Eric Doyle, who does much the same to such people.

 

[Jack P]

Spotlight: Maud Adams, who did some guest shots and TV movies in between her unique status of being the only two-time James Bond girl ("Man With The Golden Gun", "Octopussy").

Kojak S4-"Kojak's Days". Two part episode that shows Kojak dealing with multiple cases at once. Adams, looking exquisite is the girlfriend of the week Kojak is finding little time for. The episode also features an early appearance by William Hurt as a doomed parking garage attendant.

Hawaii Five-O S10-"Deep Cover." Maud shows a villainous femme fatale side (and a bikini scene too!) as a Soviet spy/assassin who smuggles in a look-alike spy to switch places with a Navy commander involved with an important sub project. The plot doesn't hold together and in fact recycles elements from the 1950s novel "Forbidden Area" (which was adapted as the first episode of "Playhouse 90" with Charlton Heston), in particular a critical point where the ringer Soviet spy is potentially done in when a dentist discovers he has stainless steel fillings of the type only used in Communist bloc nations. Still, Adams' presence and her in-command villainy makes this fun to watch (and its nice that Season 10 got remastered for the complete series set after this episode was part of the washed out looking initial batch).

Switch S3-"Stolen Island" (Boot). In contrast to the cool villainy in the Five-O, Maud is a reluctant villainess in this one. "Switch" had started out as a show devoted to the concept of "reverse cons" but they had long since exhausted that and become a formula detective show. In this case Mac and Pete try to find out who is sabotaging Jacques Aubuchon's soon to open hotel resort on an offshore island. Adams is involved with this with her mentally disturbed brother, Jonathan Goldsmith (formerly Jonathan Lippe) who gained late-career fame as "The Most Interesting Man In The World." I have to confess every time I see him in some vintage TV episode I'm always making cracks of "Stay thirsty, my friend!" (especially in this one where he goes into a bar).

Starskey And Hutch S4-"Cover Girl". A very strange episode. Maud plays (appropriately) a cover girl model who believing she has terminal cancer decides to commit suicide by hiring a contract killer to kill her at an unknown time. (wouldn't cutting your wrists be easier??). Then the doctor tells her her cancer is in remission and she now can't get the contract on herself cancelled! A ridiculous plot from a show that was running out of gas big-time

Later on I'll be squeezing in the 1980 TV-movie "The Hostage Tower" which was released on VHS and I think Laser Disc so my boot is from an "official" release. In that one, Maud plays a member of a UN anti crime team that infiltrates the plot of arch-villain Keir Dullea to blow up the Eiffel Tower (coincidentally, Dullea's henchmoll is Britt Ekland who was with Maud in "Man With The Golden Gun"). Paris location shooting and a good cast makes it an above average TV-film (based on an Allistair MacLean outline it later inspired a series of books).

 

[BobO'Link]

I cracked open the Complete Maude a few days back. I wasn't much of a fan of this series during its original airing (as I've mentioned several times, I'm not a fan of Norman Lear's ovure) but picked it up some time back when it was on sale at an excellent price ($24) thinking that's low enough that I won't feel bad should I still not like it.

Well... I still don't for the same reason as back then - mainly Bea Arthur (I don't like her in Golden Girls either - it's her acting that turns me off) and the political/(then) current issues grandstanding. The reasons I watched it way back then are still the only reasons I'll watch it now - mainly Adrienne Barbeau and some of the other supporting actors (specifically Esther Rolle and Conrad Bain).

It looks about as good as I expected, which is not very. Like all other series from Lear, it was produced on video tape (I've read it was 2" but so far no episodes have displayed any of that format's anomalies) and it shows.

That said, I do find it entertaining enough to watch the entire series and the bargain basement price I paid makes it that much more appealing. I will have to find something to watch between episodes as it's not one I like well enough to binge - 4 or 5 eps at a time is plenty.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Well... I still don't for the same reason as back then - mainly Bea Arthur (I don't like her in Golden Girls either - it's the her acting that turns me off) and the political/(then) current issues grandstanding.

Ugh. Shudder. I don't think their is another actress that curdles my stomach more than Bea Arthur. Hate her. Can't stand Maude, ditto The Golden Girls because of that. Apologies to her fans (I'm sure she must have some, as hard as that is to imagine). You're a braver man than I am, Howie. Also share your distaste for Norman Lear shows.

 

[bmasters9]

Ugh. Shudder. I don't think their is another actress that curdles my stomach more than Bea Arthur. Hate her. Can't stand Maude, ditto The Golden Girls because of that.

What I most disliked about The Golden Girls is that opening title track ("Thank You For Being A Friend")!

 

[JohnHopper]

RAWHIDE SEASON 7

Episode #5
“A Man Called Mushy”
written by John Mantley
directed by Michael O’Herlihy
assistant director Lee H. Katzin
music by Rudy Schrager
guests: Mike Kellin, Sondra Kerr, Margo, John Hubbard, John McLiam, Jonathan Kidd, Michael Pataki, Dawn Little Sky, Paul Comi

It’s a solo Mushy episode and a weird tale that borrows from the sensitivity of writer Dostoyevsky. Mushy has been conned and robbed of the valuable equipment and therefore he is fired and wanders in the hot wilderness when a traveling company of gypsy entertainers picks him up. He is sold by gypsie leader Vassily (actor Mike Kellin) and enslaved by a cynical saloon bartender (actor John McLiam) but young mute woman gypsy Teya (actress Sondra Kerr) is in love with him. Yates and Favor go search for me. Director Michael O’Herlihy did a fine job in the outdoor scenes, especially the scene in which Mushy crosses the land on foot. DP Schwartz is obsessed by wide angle lens and low angle shots and gloomy Film Noiresque atmosphere. Find the companion piece to the gypsie episode from season 5 entitled “Incident of the Black Ace”. Drover Yo Yo returns from “The Lost Herd”. Find the second Mushy-related episode after the season 3 “Incident of the Captive” in which we meet his mother.

Many crafstmen will work on Mission: Impossible: see director Michael O’Herlihy, composer Rudy Schrager, assistant director Lee H. Katzin and actors Sondra Kerr and John McLiam.

 

[bmasters9]

Just broke color barrier on The Wild Wild West with completion of final B/W episode in 1966-- moving on to color seasons; I'm going to miss that friendlier B/W opening where the cartoon Western hero simply charmed the lady in the lower right panel in the opening into a smile; now, he's going to be knocking her out!

BTW, which opening did you like better?

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Just broke color barrier on The Wild Wild West with completion of final B/W episode in 1966-- moving on to color seasons; I'm going to miss that friendlier B/W opening where the cartoon Western hero simply charmed the lady in the lower right panel in the opening into a smile; now, he's going to be knocking her out!

BTW, which opening did you like better?

I like both. I like the little smile on the cartoon woman after the cartoon West has kissed her in the season 1 credit sequence but I also get a kick out of the un-P.C.-ness of the color opening. This is probably another influence of the James Bond franchise, as 007 would frequently get rough with a woman if he had to. To the best of my knowledge, Jim West never actually hits any woman throughout the course of the series, even if she's an evil villainess out to kill him. The smooching on pretty much any female he comes in contact with continues unabated, however...

Enjoy season 2!

 

[bmasters9]

I like both. I like the little smile on the cartoon woman after the cartoon West has kissed her in the season 1 credit sequence but I also get a kick out of the un-P.C.-ness of the color opening. This is probably another influence of the James Bond franchise, as 007 would frequently get rough with a woman if he had to. To the best of my knowledge, Jim West never actually hits any woman throughout the course of the series, even if she's an evil villainess out to kill him. The smooching on pretty much any female he comes in contact with continues unabated, however...

Enjoy season 2!

I plan to, and to also enjoy hearing those quite different opening and closing title tracks, as well as seeing the newer opening and commercial bumpers!

 

[Susan Nunes_329977]

Binge watching my new season 5 of The Beverly Hillbillies.

I have so many DVDs I need to plow through. It may take me years. This is what happens when over a period of years I did not have enough money to complete television series on DVD. I am playing catch up.