11/19/06
DVD SUPPLEMENT
PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO
MARTIN & LEWIS COLLECTION V. 1: I’ll bet there were more than a few of us that were bummed when this was bumped from the schedule earlier in the year. After going through the Incredible Jerry Collection, we were primed for the 8 pics here that start with “My Friend Irma” and roll through “The Caddy”. The might be a little dated if it wasn’t for the heaping helping of Dino cool that of course, is timeless. While it might have been tightly under studio control, there was enough subversiveness to keep this stuff afloat through the ages and show both of them to be forward thinking performers that were concerned about the quality of their legacy. With a timing and simpatico that was well honed in live crucibles, this entertaining duo is one of the high watermarks of 50’s song and dance comedy.
4137
EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS The First Season: The appeal of Chris Rock is his ability to wear a multitude of comedy hats and have them all fit right. Whether you were black or white, if you grew up in the city in the 80’s, this show speaks louder to you than “Wonder Years”, “Malcolm” or several others. Easily pigeon holed as a black version of “Wonder Years”, Rock takes us down his memory lane with that cockeyed, askew smart ass comedy that is the core of his appeal. Coming across like a mass market Dave Chappelle that keeps it real enough to avoid being labeled a sell out, this Rock series is a gas through all 22 episodes. It’s just extra points on his scorecard that he has the versatility to successfully work to a family audience and not have anyone tune out no matter when they became a fan.
11812
CSI MIAMI Complete Fourth Season: Jerry Bruckheimer’s nose and taste for sensationalism keep this transplanted version of his current key tv franchise fresh despite the formula working over time in several other editions of the franchise. With Miami obviously having a different flavor than the other locales for the show, this is a chance to bring in a different version of the secrets the privileged keep and how the bad guys act and how the sexy girls flaunt it. 25 episodes of crisp crime tv await you here, with blood, guts, gats, gals and all the stuff salacious that keeps you coming back for more.
88919
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: It was pretty sharp 10 years ago when Blockbuster told everyone to go to hell because they owned the copyright to this public domain holiday classic and got away with it. It might have meant DVD copies of the pic that cost more, but it also meant an end to the shoddy copies, often with whole scenes missing. Now comes the restored 60th anni edition of the classic pic. As in most cases, the extras are for super geeks, but the total clean up of this misunderstood holiday classic is worth the price of admission, yet again. Be sure to add this to your permanent collection or else out you pixies go!!!
96001
Volume 30/Number 6
November 19, 2006
MIDWEST RECORD RECAP
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Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
(c)2006 Midwest Record