Snoopy in the 70's Part 2

I'm a big, big Peanuts fan. The only dogs I've ever owned personally are Beagles (though never being so trite as to name one Snoopy). I am the target market for anything Snoopy & Peanuts-related. The only title in this set that's new to DVD is What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown. Completely new to me otherwise is It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown, which sounds hilarious. It includes featurette You're Groovy, Charlie Brown: A Look at Peanuts in the 70's and overall continues the nice series of reduced-price Peanuts special series. It hit the street last Tuesday and Amazon's got it for $21.49. Titles include the following:

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown
What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown
It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown
You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown

Viking vs. Samurai

SpikeTV has developed a series called Deadliest Warrior that's one part Mythbusters, one part History Channel. They've done this to determine the answer to the age-old question of "dude, who would win in a fight: a Taliban guy or an I.R.A. dude?". They engage fighting specialists (like a UFC fighter), ballistics, and physics "experts" to determine whether William Wallace could have taken Shaka Zulu, a Maori could take out a Shaolin Monk, or if, in fact, a Pirate could kill a Knight. The first season DVD includes a few extras (post-battle analyses, roundtables, and a wrap-up) in addition to the nine episodes across three discs. With all of the progress we've made as a species, thousands upon thousands of dollars are being spent on this.

Brothers & Sisters: The Original Series

Before there was a paycheck job for Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, and Rob Lowe, Falcon Crest introduced the network TV audience to family winemaking business melodrama. The show starred Jane Wyman (the first Mrs. Ronald Reagan). Aside from her, the most notable member of the cast to readers of this column would be the one and only Lorenzo Lamas. The first season of Crest came out at the beginning of last month. Amazon's got it for $28.99.

Bullshit and BP

Among the various "did you know" docu-TV shows, the only one I really enjoy (much less tolerate) is Penn & Teller's Bullshit!, which exposes all sorts of interesting things on various subjects. The seventh season DVD got misplaced some weeks ago when we moved, but once I found it, it quickly went into the player. I would love to see these two guys tackle Offshore Drilling. The most recent season on disc covers everything from Lawns to Orgasms to Video Games. Since I ditched my cable, this is the kind of show that I selectively buy, partly due to enjoyment, and partly to vote with my money.

Dun-Dun-Dunham

I have a fierce, burning hatred for what Jeff Dunham's popularity represents. People vote their intolerance and prejudice with their dollars. The "dead terrorist" puppet promotes the idea that all Muslims are intent on murdering people and maintaining backward, perverse, and terrible traditions. Don't get me started on the encouragement of sexism. This came to mind in connection with the most recent disgusting thing to come out of Arizona. The first season of Comedy Central's The Jeff Dunham Show hit DVD the middle of last month, complete with deleted scenes, bloopers, and all that stuff.

Blackerer is Better

David Cross is one of the best comedians working today. He meets all the requirements: says what people think but are too cowardly to say, writes his own material, and keeps things fresh. He's difficult to pidgeonhole, or anything-hole for that matter. He has a strong aversion to organized religion, Republicans, and big business. Many, including David himself, would say that those three are kinda the same thing. They would be correct. Cross' newest standup special, Bigger and Blackerer, is fantastic. It's so fantastic that I won't spoil a single of his jokes, or that would ruin you as a paying customer like prom night ruins teenagers' expectations about true love. Amzon's got the DVD for $13.99, though the album version has content missing here and vice versa.

Ah, L'Amour

Warner Bros. has collected Catlow, The Sacketts, and Conagher into a single Louis L'Amour Collection. These doses of Sam Elliott, Tom Selleck, and Yul Brynner/Leonard Nimoy are worthy additions to the L'Amour shelf in your dad's study.

I covered Catlow when it came out almost exactly a year ago in a series that I never continued. To wit:

"The last thing I expected to encounter today was a movie with Leonard Nimoy fighting in the nude. Two years after the original Star Trek series and just before his appearance in one of my favorite episodes of Night Gallery, Nimoy played a snarling bounty hunter baddie in Catlow. His presence and the fact the movie is based on a book by Louis L'Amour are likely the reasons why this wasn't made a Warner Archive title. The movie is really quite enjoyable and a welcome alternative to the crap clogging the multiplexes."

Elliott with a lot less grey in his hair as the titular Conagher

Seeing as The Sacketts is $15 on its own and Catlow and Conagher are $13 apiece, $17.49 for all three is pretty damn good deal when that equals over six hours of solid oaters. Combo/value packs like these are the future of catalog media.

522 (Red Desert Preview)

Il deserto rosso (Red Desert) was Antonioni's fourth film in a series preceded by L'avventura, La notte, and L'eclisse. It was also his first film made in color. Criterion's Blu-ray of Desert, which I watched late last week, is rich with texture and nuanced color. I need to re-watch it because I saw a vertical reddish-yellow streak in a few frames at one point and didn't note the timestamp so I could glance back at it. The transfer is otherwise visually flawless, with the look of a pristine 35mm print. More on this disc soon.

Expect Delays

Unforeseen personal matters have come up over the last few days that have unfortunately brought the column (and life in general) to a screeching halt. I can assure you that I should return Monday or Tuesday with a flood of things, including Ozu pieces (that are mostly-done, but need some polishing). Thanks for your patience.

Summer Films: Dueling Spouses in Thin Man Double

I've yet to see any of the wonderful movies in the Thin Man series in 35mm, but that changes this week thanks to the Paramount Theatre's Summer Film Series. Tuesday and Wednesday, Austinites can see a double bill of Another Thin Man and The Thin Man Goes Home, the third and fifth pictures in the 6-title franchise.

Notable landmarks in the series include the introduction of baby Nicky Jr. in Another, and the late-WWII setting of Goes Home, which was released in January of '45. The movie that came between these two, Shadow of the Thin Man, is notable for its release coming just two weeks before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Also, the previously ultra-rich Charles family transplants from a mansion to an apartment to better reflect the populace at the time, all of whom were cutting back.

It's rare to see lots of the movies the Paramount Theatre is showing this summer on the big screen, but especially these classic Warner mystery/comedies. Show times and days are listed below.

Another Thin Man 7 Tues; 9:10 Wed.
The Thin Man Goes Home 9:15 Tues; 7 Wed.