What classics did you see last week, Dec 5 to Dec 11?

Two that Classic Folks might enjoy seeing


and
Still Life (2013)

among the many that I have watched lately.

Oh boy! Frances Dee and Tom Conway in the melancholy and atmospheric I Walked With a Zombie. Love it.

I always enjoy your pictorial Val-Lewton-tines. 

Ah yes: Jane Randolph in Cat People. I don't know how I neglected to comment on that.
And even though February's a couple months off, let's send some  to DP Nick Musuraca for making Lewton's visions manifest. The light from those illuminated drafting tables put the nighttime scenes in the design office among the moments I most look forward to.


  

Deep Impact (1998)




Dead Silence (2007)




42nd Street: The Musical (2019)

THE UNFORGIVABLE (2021). Gritty and downbeat, this American remake of Sally Wainwright's gripping 2009 ITV mini-series UNFORGIVEN is one of the best feature films made by Netflix (it's one of the rare Netflix productions that actually looks and feels like a real movie) and benefits from a very healthy budget, terrific locations and a top tier supporting cast. Despite knowing the plot and the big twist I thoroughly enjoyed it. Apropos of nothing: Like Bullock's previous Netflix film, BIRD BOX, this has gifted the actress with one of the most spectacular paydays of her career - because Netflix don't do back end royalties, for obvious reasons.The critics have not been kind to it, and some have called it overly melodramatic, but I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised, so it gets a Recommended from me and, I notice up the page. from timshelboy.





THE FOREVER PRISONER (2021). Shocking, horrifying, must-see Alex Gibney documentary with some eye-opening and illuminating interviews from a couple of people one would never think would ever go public about the sheer scope of torture America used in the War on Terror. My Rating: 9 out of 10. Highly RECOMMENDED.  





BOILING POINT (2021). Recommended. Shot in one continuous take and featuring a charged performance by Stephen Graham, this one's quite a rush, and not just for foodies.  

 



FOUR GOOD DAYS (2021). Recommended.



CASTLE FALLS (2021). Slightly above average B-movie directed by Dolph Lundgren, who co-stars with Scott Adkins. Loads of action, solid stunt work, a bit of heart and a ticking bomb plot makes this low rent take on Walter Hill's Trespass more fun than it should be.



APEX (2021). Piss poor B-movie rip off of The Most Dangerous Game.



THE ACCUSED (1947). My Rating: 7 out of 10. Recommended.



FASCISM ON A THREAD: THE STRANGE STORY OF NAZIPLOITATION (2019). Fans of exploitation flicks will want to see this nifty look at everything the notorious sub genre has to offer including The Night Porter, The Damned, Salon Kitty, The Gestapo's Last Orgy, The Beast in Heat, Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS and more. Plenty of explicit clips and a slew of interesting interviews.


      
LITTLE FISH (2005). My Rating: 8 out of 10. Recommended.



THE PEOPLE AGAINST O'HARA (1951). My Rating: 6 out of 10.






 

I remember 30 years ago getting ANIMAL CRACKERS for St Nicholas Day. I had gotten interested in Marxism (of the Brothers kind) and figured this would be my present (since my mom liked the film as well). It was to my advantage because that Sunday American Movie Classics aired the other four Paramount films - THE COCOANUTS, MONKEY BUSINESS, HORSE FEATHERS, and DUCK SOUP, accompanied by segments of Groucho’s grandson Andy going to the Carnegie Hill neighborhood (the Brothers’ native background), the Lyric Theatre (where their stage plays performed), and sneaking into the Paramount-Astoria Studio (where they filmed COCOANUTS) to drop info about his family. I had already seen COCONUTS that spring, but this was my intro to the other three.

My Saturday morning viewing of 1981 nearly concludes. Of the 13 shows viewed, only SMURFS, LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, and SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS were renewed. None of the new Filmation productions got a second season.

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40TH ANNIVERSARY:
-THE KWICKY KOALA SHOW (1981) “Stage Fright/ Old Blowhard/ Little White Lie” Warner Archive DVD.
-THE SMURFS (1981) “Spelunking Smurfs/ The Clockwork Smurf / The Money Tree” And so the first season of Hanna Barbera’s adaptation of the Peyo comic series concludes. The Clockwork Smurf episode, a newly created episode, debuts the mechanical character and the human King Gerard. Next season, more human characters will be involved, as Johan and Peewit join the cast. The Opening and Closing will also change, so it’s nice to see the originals aside from VHS Recordings. Warner DVD.
-LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY (1981) “Super Wacs” YouTube.
-HEATHCLIFF AND MARMADUKE (1981) “The Lemonade Kid/ Clonin Around/ School Daze” The Ruby Spears Heathcliff series comes to an end. Although this is the last for Marmaduke, Heathcliff will return in animation with DiC’s series in 1984, again with Mel Blanc (although strictly to that character due to ill health). Dailymotion presentation of Cartoon Network Boomerang Broadcast.
-HERO HIGH (1981) “Jog-A-Log/ Law of the Pack” Filmation’s Super hero comedy comes to an end. Perhaps one legacy is that it inspired writer Tom Ruegger to create PINKY AND THE BRAIN. BCI Eclipse DVD.
-GOLDIE GOLD AND ACTION JACK (1981) “The Black Pearl of the Princess” Ruby Spears’ adventure series comes to an end. Unlike HEATHCLIFF or THUNDARR, there was no renewal for this series. YouTube presentation of Cartoon Network Boomerang Broadcast.
-BLAKSTAR (1981) “The Zombie Masters” Filmation’s JOHN CARTER-seque Sword & Sorcery concludes with this episode involving several characters getting their souls sucked and transformed into zombies (The transformation freaked out my 2 year old self when I watched it). Interestingly the Overlord had been absent for the last two episodes. YouTube.
-THE NEW ADVENTURES OF ZORRO (1981) “The Mysterious Traveler” Filmation’s adaptation of the pulp hero comes to an end. Difficulties in working with the Japanese animation plus Filmation’s changing situation probably led to not renewing this series. It was also the last series under the production of Norm Prescott, thus ending the revolving wheel credit he shared with Lou Schiemer that adorned many a Filmation series. Swedish Dubbed. YouTube.
-SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS (1981) “Quest of the Red Skull” A rather controversial episode: its use of Swastikas got the episode banned for years. Amazon Prime.

-SPIDER-MAN (1981) “The Sidewinder Strikes” YouTube.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1979) “Ted Knight/Desmond's Child and Rouge”  Airing December 22, 1979, the last Christmas episode of the original cast (well, as original minus Dan Akroyd and John Belushi), not to mention the last SNL episode of the 1970s. The highlight of this episode is the controversial Nerds Nativity (Todd and Lisa- referred to as physically correct for the part- playing the Holy Family for a School pageant) which almost didn’t get aired that night. There is also a running gag of promos featuring Gary Coleman in everything. Universal DVD.

MR BUG GOES TO TOWN (1941) 80TH ANNIVERSARY The Fleischer Studios’ second attempt to rival Disney; its failure spelled the beginning of the end for the studio that animated Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman. YouTube.

THE SMALL ONE (1978) The late 1970s gave a bunch of animated specials concerning a put-upon donkey who eventually gets Mary and Joseph to Bethelehem (THE LITTLE BURRO and NESTOR THE CHRISTMAS DONKEY are the others). This Disney Theatrical short was probably Don Bluth’s biggest work for the studio (before he quit over creative differences) as well as an early work for Richard Rich (who would end up producing a series of Biblical animated shorts). This comes from a 1982 Disney VHS that has the original unedited print (the original “We even cheat a little if we much” lyric from ‘The Merchants’ Song’ is intact). It also includes “Winter,” a 1930 Silly Symphonies short, a clip from THE THREE CABALLEROS (The ‘Las Posados’ segment), and a promo trailer for Disney films on video.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1982) “Eddie Murphy” This eight season Christmas episode (hosted by Eddie Murphy replacing Nick Nolte, much to the chagrin of several castmates) consists of “Merry Christmas Dammit!” (a Gumby Christmas special with Joe Piscopo’s Frank Sinatra and Gary Kroeger & Julia Louise Dreyfuss’ Donnie & Marie singing “Blue Christmas” before making out) and “A Christmas Message” (Julia Louise-Dreyfuss’ April May June tells the story of the Nativity before turning it into a rant about crying babies and deadbeat husbands). This comes from the Starmaker’s THE BEST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE HOSTED BY EDDIE MURPHY VHS, which deletes Lionel Richie’s appearances as well as several sketches.

THE SIMPSONS (1991) “Burns Verkaufen Der Kraftwert” 30TH ANNIVERSARY FoxVideo DVD.

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35TH ANNIVERSARY
-WILDFIRE (1986) “Where the Dreams Come From” YouTube presentation of CBS Broadcast.
-GALAXY HIGH (1986) “It Came From Earth” The final episode of Chris Columbus’ SciFi comedy is a fantasy episode where Doyle imagines he has become THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN. The episode ends with the cast singing “The End” (although played with an additional meaning here). The series was not renewed. YouTube.
-PEE WEE’S PLAYHOUSE (1986) “Party” The first season of PeeWee Herman’s series concludes. And this IS Phil Hartman’s final episode. Dailymotion.
-THE CARE BEARS FAMILY (1986) “The Cloud of Uncaring” The first season finale is final in some ways. The next season will alter the structure a bit: Some characters will get prominence while others will get less (this marks Noble Heart Horse’s last appearance). The Big Bad No Heart will not have so personal role in the plot anymore, with Beastly getting more of that. The series will take on different formats then the “Care Bears aid a child” plot, with standalone episodes set in the prehistoric era, a STAR TREK setting, or Grams Bear telling a story that incorporates the cast in it. This was also pretty much my end in watching the series as well. Although I would see CB THE MOVIE II on the Disney Channel early 1987, I did not continue watching FAMILY in its successive seasons (only watching them later as syndicated repeats). So this means I’ll conclude my Anniversary viewing of the franchise as well (until the 40th Anniversary in 2023). YouTube.
-MUPPET BABIES (1986) “Muppet Goose” The gang has difficulty sleeping, so Nanny reads them Nursery Rhymes: Kermit is an Indiana Jones-Humpty Dumpty, Skooter and Skeeter do Jack & Jill (mountain climbing on a waterfall), this little Piggy went to Beverly Hills, etc. To my knowledge this is one of the few times Nanny loses her cool, constantly frustrated at her charges keeping her up at night. YouTube.
-POUND PUPPIES (1986) “Ghost Nappers” The series will get another season, but with some major changes to the content & characterization. YouTube.
-EWOKS (1986) “Battle for the Sunstar” The Empire comes to Endor, pre-RETURN OF THE JEDI, in the penultimate episode to the Nelvana animated series. I remember watching it; it was probably my last original taste of STAR WARS until 1996. YouTube.
-THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS (1986) “Janine’s Genie” Sony DVD.
-CASUALTY (1986) “Quiet” YouTube.
-SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1986) “Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Martin Short/ Randy Newman” 35TH ANNIVERSARY Internet Archive presentation of Comedy Central Broadcast.

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (1993) “Santa Claus” No MST3K S3 30th this week, so I watched Mike Nelson and the robots Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo's take on the 1959 Mexican production of the Yuletide toymaker and his battle with Lucifer, emphasized by his minion Pitch. If you think that’s weird enough, include mechanized reindeers, a toy shop composed of children from stereotype-portrayed nationalities and a heavy religious slant. I never really warmed over to Mike Nelson when he replaced Joel Hodgson; I felt a decline in quality in the episodes under his era. But this entry is one of the few I liked. YouTube.

THE ALVIN SHOW (1961) “Overworked Alvin/ Crashcup Invents Flight” 60TH ANNIVERSARY The Chipmunks episode- Alvin tries to trick a reporter that Dave is overworking them to abuse, only to see the plan backfire- is probably the first time Simon and Theodore are cross with their brother. This original series usually had them support Alvin 100%, a contrast to the 1980s series, which made their distrust & reluctance about joining Alvin in his schemes (and their frustration over him getting them in a mess) a regular character point. This episode also marks the first animated depictions of the Chipmunks’ two breakthrough songs: “Witch Doctor” and “Christmas Don’t Be Late” (although it gets Simon and Theodore’s voice pitch wrong) which would rival “White Christmas” as the best-selling Holiday song. Bootleg DVD of Nickelodeon broadcast (which omitted “Christmas Don’t Be Late”, putting it on the earlier “Fancy” Episode).

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1941) 80TH ANNIVERSARY The third Tom and Jerry short and the first to show the friend part of their frenemies relationship. Probably first saw this on TBS on a Christmas marathon. Sad to think about American theatergoers that December 6 1941 coming home from this heartwarming short going to bed content and then waking up the next morning... Warner DVD.

THE LAST NARUTO THE MOVIE (2014) Japan often treats its Christmas as a romantic holiday, so many Anime shows set around December stress romance. As the Leaf Village Konoha celebrates the Christmassy Rinne festival, they, as well as the Earth itself, are being threatened by collision from the Moon itself. The act is orchestrated by an empowered lord who intends to wipe-out civilization to save it. Famed ninja Naruto Uzumaki is sent to stop this catastrophe, little knowing this mission will change his life forever. The tenth film based on the popular Japanese manga series by Mihashi Kishimoto, THE LASTt is a controversial film. Unlike its previous entries, disconnected from canon and continuity, this film is a canonical chapter dealing with the main character entering a romance (which will produce a character for a spinoff series). A relationship that has divided the series’ fanbase: those very happy with the fulfillment of their ship, and those very unhappy that their desired ship did not happen. I remember December 2014 when they advertised it, reading the plot and looking at Videos until I finally saw the film legally in 2015. In the meantime it reinvigorated my interest in the NARUTO series. English Dubbed. Viz Media DVD

7
30TH ANNIVERSARY:
-BACK TO THE FUTURE (1991) “Retired” An April Fools joke from the Brown brothers makes Doc believe he’s lost his intelligence. Universal DVD.
-THE COMMISH (1991) “The Commissioner’s Ball” YouTube.

20TH ANNIVERSARY:
-VANDREAD THE SECOND STAGE (2001) “Easy Come Easy Go” The travelers finally return to their universe, only to find trouble- and the revelation of one of the pirates being a Tarak spy. Japanese with English Subtitles. YouTube
-A CHRISTMAS CAROL THE MOVIE (2001) Illumination Animated version of the Dickens tale with some additions: a subplot concerning mice, Scrooge’s ex Belle trying to get his help to save a hospital, etc. With the voices of Simon Callow, Kate Winslet, Nicholas Cage, and Michael Gambon. First saw this on ABC Family on Christmas Eve Night 2003 (postponing my Annual BEN-HUR A TALE OF THE CHRIST viewing). The one thing that got me was the song “What If”. A year later I rented the DVD and discovered it had a Music Video performed by Winslet herself! Since that year I’ve annually watched parts of the movie and Music Video. For this full viewing, I added the original Live Action opening & closing, with Callow’s Charles Dickens performing a reading at an American Theatre. MGM/UA DVD.
-ONCE AND AGAIN (2001) “Tough Love” YouTube presentation of Recording of Lifetime Broadcast.

THE BIG O (2000) “Daemonseed” As Paradigm City celebrates Heaven’s Day, Roger the Negotiator deals with an eco-terrorist dressed up like Santa Claus while deciding to get a gift to his android maid Dorothy. English Dubbed. Bandai DVD.

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS (1965) What can be said about this classic TV Christmas special that has not already been written? I viewed this on a Video Treasures/Hi-Tops Video VHS of an older TV edit that doesn’t include the restored-post-1990s scene of Linus sling-shooting a snowball with his blanket. This video print also freeze-frames the “A Charlie Brown Christmas The End” credit scene.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: CHRISTMAS PAST (1990) A collection special of SNL XMAS sketches (From Seasons 1-2, 10, 12, 13, 15). VHS Recording of original NBC Broadcast December 1990 (with a promo for DARK SHADOWS).

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30TH ANNIVERSARY
-THE TRAPP FAMILY STORY (1991) “New Salute” The Nazi occupation falls hard on the very nationalistic Von Trapps. Hans the Nazi Butler advises the Captain to remove the Austrian flag in favor of the Swastika. Middle daughter Johanna and the children have trouble doing the Nazi salute at school. Japanese with English Subtitles. Bootleg DVD.
-DOUG (1991) “First Date/ Says Goodbye” The first season finale has Doug go on a group date with Patti and fearing the departure of best friend Skeeter. YouTube.

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (1981) “Orphans of the Storm“ 40TH ANNIVERSARY Charles enters an affair with Julia. Amazon Prime.

ER (1995) “A Miracle Happens Here” Dr. Greene deals with problems of the past and present (his future as a doctor is jeopardized by his role in a delivery gone horribly wrong, and his marriage is now over), but regains optimism in helping a Holocaust survivor find her missing granddaughter. Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Benton involves himself in new surgical procedures and Carol Hathaway tries to get her ‘new’ house (in the context of having recently bought the ruin) ready for the holidays. Look closely for a young pre-NCIS Sean Murray (although much of his appearance ended up on the cutting room floor). Warner DVD.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JESUS (1994) “The First Christmas” The first episode of Cine-Mundo Inc./USA News’ Three part documentary on Jesus. Scholars and historians examine the origins and accuracy of the Infancy Narratives of Luke and Matthew. Narrated by Armand Assante with Betty Buckley quoting the Bible, with paintings, sculptures, and location footage giving the visual aspect. VHS Recording of Learning Channel Broadcast 25 years ago December 8, 1996.

THE BOX OF DELIGHTS (1984) “Where Shall the ‘nighted Snowman go?” The second episode has Kay Harker temporarily transported to a Saxon camp. Before he is returned to his time, Harker is given the magical Box by Cole Hawling to protect it from the ‘wolves.’ When Hawling is scrobbled (kidnapped) by Abner Brown and his priest con artists, Kay learns more about this war of good and evil in an animated sequence. Patrick Troughton temporarily exits from the Serial, not returning until the concluding episode. BBC Video PAL DVD.

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URUSEI YATSURA (1981) “Neptune is Just Beyond My Closet/ That Crazy Age of Dinosaurs” 40TH ANNIVERSARY Noticed a YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE reference: Ataru rides a gyrocopter like in that film (and the music hits a few notes of the James Bond theme). Japanese with English Subtitles. AnimeEgo VHS.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE (1991) “Get Real”30TH ANNIVERSARY A circus with a damaged Van stops at the town. Universal DVD.

APPOINTMENT WITH DESTINY (1971) “The Plot to Kill Hitler” 50TH ANNIVERSARY David L Wolper docudrama series about historical events done in a newsreel tone. James Mason narrates the story of Operation Valkyrie. I first saw this one back on the History Channel in 1996. I recently viewed it for the 75th Anniversary of the failed attempt in July 2019. YouTube.

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS (1974) “Goodwill to All Men” From the series’ third season, it is Christmas 1913, and Richard Bellamy and his servants are visited by Georgina Worsley, stepdaughter of the family’s late Southwold lord (he and his sister, Richard’s wife Marjorie, died in the Titanic disaster). The girl befriends the new maid Daisy; together the two decide to visit the latter’s impoverished family with food ‘borrowed’ from the house’s Christmas desserts: reality hits their adventure hard in this last holiday of relatively World Peace. This episode introduced Georgina (Lesley Anne Down) replacing last season’s stars Nicola Paget (as the Bellamy daughter Elizabeth). She will be a regular for the remainder of the series’ run. Acorn Media DVD.

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SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1977) “Miskel Spilman/ Elvis Costello” Airing December 1977, this episode is the result of a contest of civilian becoming SNL host. In this case it was 80-year-old grandmother Miskel Spilman who makes her appearance. The episode is also notorious for Elvis Costello stopping in the middle of performance and changing to a less flattering song. Universal DVD.

THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS (1966) Chuck Jones Animated Adaptation of Dr Suess’ story, narrated by Boris Karloff, probably my introduction to the actor before I knew who he was. VHS Recording of CBS Broadcast December 1987 (taped alongside A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS) which edited out the middle two parts of the “You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch!” Song. Commercials include promos for KATE & ALLIE, FRANKS PLACE, CIRCUS OF THE STARS, RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER, and a message by Michael Dorn. I also watched the Uncut version on TBS.

THE AVENGERS (1965) “Too Many Christmas Trees” (1966) Something is bothering the usually unflappable John Steed; dealing with a recent leakage of governmental secrets, he is suffering from nightmares involving a creepy Father Christmas and premonitions of things to come (such as the sudden death of a colleague acknowledged of those secrets- from neurological causes). Is it his past catching up with him (“I wouldn’t mind that. That would be fun!”) or is it psychological trauma originating from the revelation that there is actually no Father Christmas? (“Oh no, isn’t there really?”). Emma Peel decides to help his friend by taking him to a Christmas celebration in the country held by a Dickens collector (Melvyn Johns), culminating with a costume party of Dickens characters (Emma is Oliver Twist). What also culminates at the manor is the cause of Steed’s mental problems. Directed by Roy Ward Baker, this episode in the black-and-white Peel season also has an in-joke involving Steed’s previous lady Cathy Gale (“What is she doing in Fort Knox?”). Optimum Classics/Studio Canal PAL DVD.

40TH ANNIVERSARY:
-TENKO (1981) “Part Eight” One of the inmates tries to escape, with a newly orphaned girl. The prisoners, fearing for the teenager, inform on them to avoid the chance of their execution once captured. Dailymotion.
-RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR (1975) Rankin-Bass first sequel of RUDOLPH returning Billie Richards and songwriter Johnny Marks with the voices of Red Skeleton, Morey Amsterdam, Paul Frees, Hal Peary and Frank Gorshin. This comes from a VHS recording of an ABC broadcast in December 10, 1981 (more uncut than the Freeform/ABC Family Channel broadcasts, although Gorshin’s Sir Ten-to-One’s “It’s hopeless!” is deleted). Commercials include promos for PERRY COMO'S FRENCH-CANADIAN CHRISTMAS, BENSON, BOSOM BUDDIES and the short-lived IT'S A LIVING, and OPEN ALL NIGHT. There is also a promo for the Saturday Morning FONZ AND THE HAPPY DAYS, HEATHCLIFF AND MARMADUKE, and LAVERNE & SHIRLEY (a bit dated, considering that FONZ and HEATHCLIFF had completed their series the previous Saturday, so the advertisement in some ways are about repeats). The announcer on the closing credits mention the upcoming BARNEY MILLER and TAXI so...
-BARNEY MILLER (1981) “Games” Shout Factory DVD.
-TAXI (1981) “Of Mice and Tony” CBS/Paramount DVD.

PERRY COMO’S EARLY AMERICAN CHRISTMAS (1978) Habar Video VHS.

HOMEFRONT (1991) “Szabo’s Travels” 30TH ANNIVERSARY Dance Contest winners Hank and Ginger go to Hollywood while Cohn dates Mrs. Metcalf. Internet Archive presentation of ABC Broadcast.

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50TH ANNIVERSARY:
-THE FUNKY PHANTOM (1971) “The Forest’s Prime Evil” Warner Archive DVD.
-HEY ITS THE HAIR BEAR BUNCH (1971) “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” Warner Archive DVD.
-THE PEBBLES AND BAMM BAMM SHOW (1971) “Mayor May Not” Pebbles is made honorary mayor and causes trouble. The parents have a significant presence: even Wilma and Betty get to do something. Warner DVD.
-THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW (1971) “The Square Shaped Room” YouTube.

RUROUNI KENSHIN (1996) “For the Title of Strongest! Aoshi’s New Conflict” 25TH ANNIVERSARY Aioshi Shinomori, a protagonist from a previous arc (one where I only had the first episode) makes a return, searching for Kenshin for a rematch. This also marks the first appearance of the Big Bad Shishio, as well as a female bandit who meets Kenshin. Japanese with English Subtitles. AnimeWorks/ Media Blasters DVD.

HERGE THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (1991) “The Black Island Part 2” 30TH ANNIVERSARY Shout Factory DVD.

TATTERTOWN (1988) Molly and her doll Miss Muffet end up in Tattertown, “the elephant graveyard of unwanted toys” where said toys come to life. The wistful Molly tries to teach the town the holiday of Christmas, but her old doll Moppet- now a volatile tyrant- wants to put a stop to it with her dangerous toys. A failed pilot by Ralph Bakshi, TATTERTOWN is a weird surreal production done in the style of a Max Fleischer Betty Boop cartoon (a secret society member from BIMBO'S INITIATION (1931) and DIZZY DISHES (1930)). I remember one promo say it was from the creators of MIGHTY MOUSE (the controversial 1988 cartoon series), and then a few years later, a new promo ordained it from the makers of REN AND STIMPY. This comes from a gestalt recording (due to an accident in recording over Act 2 for an episode of, well, REN AND STIMPY) of a 1992 Nick at Nite Broadcast (titled “Christmas at Tattertown”) and the recording of a 1995 ABC Broadcast (retitled “A Tattertown Christmas”).

A MUPPET FAMILY CHRISTMAS (1987) Kermit and THE MUPPET SHOW gang spend Christmas at Fozzie’s mother’s house (much to the chagrin of housesitter Doc and Sprocket). It’s a holiday get together that unites the Muppets with the casts of SESAME STREET and FRAGGLE ROCK (plus a home-movie appearance by the Muppet Babies). From a 1988 ABC broadcast that shows the special in its uncut form with all the songs included. Commercials include promos for WHO'S THE BOSS, ROSEANNE, MR. BELVEDERE, JUST THE TEN OF US, and the short-lived MURPHY'S LAW, as well as a Ritz Crackers advertisement with a young Jerry O’Connell.

THE CHRISTMAS TOY (1986) 35TH ANNIVERSARY this month. Jim Henson Christmas special with a proto-TOY STORY about animate toys and rivalry. First saw parts of this on its premiere, then saw more of it on Nickelodeon in 1992. Bootleg DVD.

Saw Parts of:
In view of the 80th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941, I saw several scenes of the event from TORA! TORA! TORA! (1970), THE WINDS OF WAR (1983) and PEARL HARBOR (2001).

SANTA CLAUS THE MOVIE (1985) Anchor Bay DVD.

THE NUTCRACKER (1987) The Bolshoi version Kultur DVD. Last year I got a Kino Lorber DVD claiming to be a 1978 performance with the same stars. Today, I compared discs with my Kultur DVD of the 1987 version, and found it to be same. I wish they didn’t insist on such misleading advertisements.

WHEN CHRISTIANITY BEGAN (1992) Documentary on the rise of Christianity. When I recorded the aforementioned LIFE AND TIMES OF JESUS on the Learning Channel on December 8 1996, I began the recording with part of this documentary (I had a 4:30 mass to attend, and TLaToJ aired at 5:30). VHS Recording of Learning Channel Broadcast.

CHRISTMAS AT EUREEKA’S CASTLE (1990) VHS Recording of Nickelodeon broadcast 1992.

FLASH GORDON (1980) VHS Recording of WGN Broadcast November 1988.

THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (1942) Turner Classic Movies Broadcast.