1 comments about Martha's Holiday Celebrations.

1. Any Martha Stewart fan will love these DVD's! Tons of great ideas, recipes, crafts. Loved it!!

5 comments about Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

1. If you say "Santa Clause Conquers Martians" is the worst film ever made, I won't disagree. I think I have recently seen much worse (and more costly) films coming from Hollywood (how about "Son of the Mask"?), but I am sure that even kids would find "SCCM" stunningly terrible with its wooden acting, impossible plot and incredible dialogues (a girl says to a Martian with antennae in his head: "Are you a television set?") and the cheaply set obviously made from cardboard.
   
   For some die-hard filmgoers, certain "bad" films become good because of their badness, but I seriously doubt "Santa" would be one of them. I enjoyed watching it - its robot, miniature spaceship and fearful "Polar bear" - they all look cheap, and kind of fun to be sure, but the film's pace is very slack. The "joy" of watching silly things like a bargain-basement robot moving awkwardly (and suddenly forgotten in the middle of the plot) soon evaporates because of the poor, really poor direction.
   
   [PIA ZADRA] But I couldn't hate the film for ... how can I? Pia Zadra (her debut, with her face painted green) appears as "Girmar" ("Girl" + "Martian"), who keeps watching television (or intergalactic TV from Earth). Concerned daddy Kimar insists that kids on the Mars needs Santa Claus, travels to the Earth and kidnaps him from his workshop. It's family and love!
   
   Oh, and the story. "Santa Clause Conquers Martians" - this silly title tells you all, you may think. Well, it surely conveys to us the film's utter silliness, but not exactly the content. Actually, in this film Santa (or Santy Claus as the film calls him) does not "conquer" the Mars and its green-faced residents. As I said, he is only abducted by them (together with two earthling kids Billy and Betty); Santa in fact "conquers" the Martians with toys, humor and his routine Ho-ho-ho! Here is a film waiting to be remade by Tim Burton.
   
   But seriously, the most charming part is that Martians here are mostly kind and gentle, not ferocious, brutal and ruthless killers of H. G. Wells. The leader Kimar strictly forbids destroying anything and anybody and sticks to his principle to the end. Considering the time it was made (it was 1964), maybe we shouldn't make fun of its apparently silly story about the benevolent aliens "conquered" by Santa Claus and his toys.
   
   Well, anyway, sit back and enjoy yourself. This is a "family picture" Ed Wood might have done.



2. As a kid this was probably my favorite x-mas movie because it was the only time I ever saw a kid that looked like me. I'm talking about the martian children. Also because it was just silly but then what isn't when it's associated to Santa Claus. Seriously, mix up a batch of martini's, stoke the fire and enjoy watching Pia Zadora's debut in tinsel town. If anything at least least dance to the groovy title music.



3. I've actually grown up watching this terrible 1964 "classic". As other have said, the acting is over the top, the plot is cheezy, the sets are cheaply made.
   
   But that's what makes it so much fun. There's no way Ebert & Roeper would give this thing 5 stars, but this is MY review! ;-) It's one of my favorite Christmas movies, and in my household... if Santa Claus doesn't conquer the Martians, it just isn't Christmas!



4. I loved and seen this movie many times as a kid. I have owned this on VHS for years and have not been able get myself to watch it. In fact it is still in the shrink wrap. LOL I think it's because my brother makes fun of me. (We are both in our 40's)
   I just wanted to point out that if I remember correctly, Jamie Farr is also in it....I didn't see any reviews mentioning him.
   I think I will sit down with a few drinks and watch it. I need a good laugh.



5. You can get it for a dollar at Target. And, for only a dollar, it is the best value-to-price ratio ever. You and your friends will spend hours laughing at the silly quirks this movie is made up of. Voldar, Droppo, the whole gang are going to entertain your socks off.

2 comments about The Clown Murders.

1. "The Clown Murders"(1976) featuring an early performance from a young and un-funny John Candy is one of those foggy oddball but some-what creepy films that only the 1970's could cough up. The film seems like it doesn't quite know what it wants to do with itself yet still manages to have a eerie feel to it that seems to consistantly grow throughout. The climax, even though pretty tame held up to todays standards(though all over the place as well) still makes you feel somewhat dirty & abused...like being forced to witness something that you shouldn't have.
   In the end a film like this may not be for everyone but for those of you who (like myself) really have a sweet tooth for those obscure lost 70's weirdy flicks "The Clown Murders" is pretty much a keeper.



2. This movie is very creepy and the clown killer is awesome, very creppy and provides the best parts of the film when he actually shows up. But the cover art is rather decieving, it looks amazing but to show a cool graveyard with a clown & Machette full of blood makes people rather dissapointed after seeing this film. Over all a strange film that as the previous reviewer stated is unsure of exactally what it wants to be, if the Clown was in it more and had more scary parts like he was limited to this film would have gotten 5 stars.

No comments about Santa Claus: The Movie.

5 comments about The Ladies Sing the Blues.

1. They had prepared the way for so many female singers of today. Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Dinah Washington, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, and many more. With the stars that are jam packed inside this video, makes the video worth seeing. So if blues and the ladies that sing them interests you, then by all means, take advantage of this must see video; you'll be glad you did.



2. The songs may be "complete" as the DVD claims, but what isn't mentioned is the inane narration over the beginning of just about every clip on the disk, which spoiled much of the enjoyment for me. I bought the DVD for the Connee Boswell clip (love those Boswell Sisters), but after the narration there's just eighteen seconds of the song left. By the way, even accounting for the age/rarity of the clips, the quality of them often leaves something to be desired, as well.



3. I have to agree with one of the earlier reviewers: the complete "videos" on this tape are fantastic, but the narrated voice-over (delivered in a near-monotone) during the opening bits isn't of much use. Still, I use portions of this tape in my Jazz History class, and at least the narration backs up the info that students are given in their textbooks. In all, I like certain clips in here better than the Burns "Jazz" anthology simply because they ARE complete.



4. I used this as resource and display for a workshop on Jazz vocalists for the Sitka Jazz Festival. It worked out just fine-the footage and commentary was first rate.



5. I have to address the voice over first. I use this dvd for my class to inform students who never heard of most of these singers. I find the voice over puts the era in perspective. The dvd is a knock out. Beautifully sung throughout. There's style, intimacy and passion. I don't know a better example to show young adults the great and original singers the 30s were turning out.

1 comments about The 12 Days of Christmas.

1. This item was in excellant condition. It's a great christmas dvd for you and your family. I received the item in a timely manner.

5 comments about A Season for Miracles - Hallmark Hall Of Fame.

1. A Season for Miracles was a predictable movie but a good one. I have read several good reviews about the movie so I want to concentrate more on the actors and actresses. Carla Gugino, whom I first saw in "The One," a SF movie with Jet Li about multiple universes did an excellent job playing Emilie Thompson kidnaping' her niece and nephew to prevent them from being sent to foster care. Her niece played by Mae Whitman again showed her acting talents. I saw her not too long ago in "Hope Floats," another movie I would recommend." And Patty Duke played a believable angel. She does good in these kind of parts. I remember her playing look alike cousins, Patty and Cathy Lane in a situation comedy years ago, and I saw every episode. I have seen many of her movies and would see a movie just because she was in it. Lynn Redgrave did a classic job as the judge. The two elderly sisters are someone I would like in my family. This was a fun movie and my wife and I found it quite enjoyable. We were a little disappointed as we both hoped the returning lawyer would also be as friendly as the rest of the townsfolk and would somehow find a way of letting Emilie and the children `inherit' the big house but it ended well as it did. This review was about the Hallmark movie presentation.



2. This is one (affirmative) family movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat on the first viewing. Will they be caught? Will the children be taken away from their aunt and given into the care of strangers? The fact that the man interested in the aunt is the local police captain adds to the tension. The resolution is credible and miraculous only for those who believe that nothing good ever happens.
   
   This movie does a good job of presenting life in a small town without turning the town into a make-believe toy town, as so many Disney movies do. And the children are real and believable without being brats. Moviemakers who think that children have to be brats in order to be real should watch this movie.
   
   If you like this movie, see the Little House on the Prairie series (if you haven't already). Also, Mary Christmas. Also, A Thanksgiving Miracle. All of these will lift your spirits and make you feel at home.



3. I LOVE THIS MOVIE,AND DESIRE TO REPLACE OUR VHS COPY TO DVD.WE WATCH IT ALL YEAR LONG,THOUGH IT IS A CHRISTMAS MOVIE.I LOVE ALL OF THE CAST.AND I LOVE THE FEELING THAT IT LEAVES ME WITH,AND WILL HAVE THIS ON MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING LIST FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.



4. The best thing about this movie is the acting. All of the charactors filled their parts so well that you forget it's a made up story. Carla Gugino convincingly potrays Emilie Thomson - a strong young woman trying to do whats best for her "kids" while being torn between duty and love in a society where red tape sometimes gets in the way of human needs. Her romance with the young police officer, Nathan Blair, was touching. I just wish they had taken the extra mile with the faith thing. Patty Duke played as an angel, but there was nothing about God or Jesus. It's weird how you can talk about angels and no one gets upset, but if you talk about God and Jesus, some people will lable you as religious and narrow minded. I also wish that they hadn't made Nathan "turn" on Emilie when he discovered her true identity. This movie is too short for that to be put in without messing up Nathan's charactor development. It certainly didn't do anything to help with the progression of his and Emilie's relationship. Probably the only reason why they put it in there was for a suspense ellement, and to teach a sound bite lesson on forgiveness . . . but I think it would have been better without. Thus said, it was a nice show and I'd reccomend it.



5. I loved this movie from the moment I first came upon it. The plot is excellent and keeps you deep into the story wondering what will happen next. The actors are marvelous, each in his/her own way, very natural - in fact it reminds me of the old Jimmy Stewart movies that were so heart-warming, but this one is contemporary with modern themes. The film takes place at Christmas which is an added bonus. But I watch this movie throughout the year, whenever it comes on the Hallmark channel or if our family needs a group hug, I just pop it into the VCR. I highly recommend this film.

3 comments about Every Day's a Holiday.

1. Celebrate New Year's Eve 1999 with this classic comedy set on New Year's Eve 1899! Legendary sexpot Mae West, super sexy at age 44 here, plays a bad girl who climbs into politics wrong by wrong (don't they all! ) She promotes husky hunk Edmund Lowe - no doubt she loves his platform. Mae is the only woman in the picture except for a few bit part character actresses - needlessly to say it was HER favorite of her own films.



2. In her final picture for Paramount, Mae stars as a confidence woman named Peaches O'Day, who sells the Brooklyn Bridge and is run out of New York City; she comes back disguised (in a black wig) as French singer Fifi and exposes some crooked cops! The Hays office again came down heavily on Mae's suggestive behaviour, and this left her with little to work with. Mae's rather restricted range of expression and movement was, by 1937, beginning to pall on the public. Purity Leaguers still kept a corset on her screen dialogue, but she had just outraged both the church and press with a bawdy version of the Adam and Eve tale on the radio. This Emanuel Cohen production was actually one of her better vehicles, colourfully set in New York City of the 1890's. Mae sells the Brooklyn Bridge to easy mark Herman Bing, who's run out of town by cop Edmund Lowe and is brought back to trap a corrupt police chief (Lloyd Nolan). The lively Jo Swerling plot was scripted by West as usual, and director Edward Sutherland got laughs via pros like Charles Winninger, Chester Conklin, Charles Butterworth and Louis Armstrong. West's curves were adorned - for the only time - by the famed designer Schiaparelli. Mae made four more pictures and many stage tours before she died in 1980 at 87.



3. Thanks to the censors, Mae West's final film for Paramount is a tame little farce that trades heavily on the star's (fairly lame) impersonation of a brunette Frenchwoman. Dressed by Schiaparelli, she looks great, but it's a dull affair.

5 comments about The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.

1. As a child of the 80's, I grew up with the Rankin/Bass version of "The Life and Adventures of Sants Claus", and it was and still remains one of my absolute favorite christmas specials. The music was gorgeous, the characters endearing, and it was obvious that great pains were taken to bring it to detailed life. Such is not that case here.
   
   I saw this once through and can't stand to see it ever again. The supporting character, Whisk (Tingler from the R/B version is waaaay better) is as annoying as JarJar Binks was to SW Episode I. They made the Awgwas absolutely stupid and completely non-threatening in their appearance AND portrayal...AND the good-guys couldn't even pronounce Awgwa right...and let's not forget that in this version Nikolaus is somehow OBLIVIOUS to the fact that his best friends are going to war for him. The characters feel very wooden to me, and the animation of them is sub-par here as well. In addition, the music score is very forgettable...and as a musician that is a very hard thing for me to say.
   
   Overall this is an extremely dissapointing retelling of a story that was already done to near-perfection. Stick with the book and the Rankin/Bass version, and avoid this like the plauge.



2. I am a mom of a four and six year old, and this is our very favorite Santa story to watch. The cartoon does a great job of capturing the enchantment and warmth of Frank Baum's story of Santa Claus. Many questions young children ask about Santa such as his age, etc., are magically answered in this must watch tale. I put this movie on for the kids when family came to visit and found even the grandparents sitting down and intrigued by the story. The music is perfect for the storytelling, and the lessons learned in this movie help my children appreciate their life a little more. This movie is an absolute must for children and adults of all ages. This is the perfect movie to watch with the entire family on Christmas Eve.



3. This version of The Life and adventures of Santa Claus is a pale, saccharine sweet sham when compared to the supurbly done stop motion animation of the 1985 version of this same story done by Rankin / Bass. This felt cheesy and half-hearted whereas the stop motion animated one has the distinct feel of a classic and was more true to the heart and feel of the old story by L. Frank Baum.
   
   The story is good but it feels dumbed down compared to the stop motion version. A seldom known fact, Baum connected this story to his loved The Wizard of Oz by saying the immortal faeries of this story are the ones who enchanted the land of Oz to begin with.



4. While I really enjoyed this alot I would recomend mostly for kids but veryy fun videao, seller sent fast and in good condition



5. I see alot of ppl reviewing like this is the 1985 special with just a new case. It's not I've seen this remake on television. It's been aired on Disney Channel I believe. They took the original book and the concept from Rankin-Bass' puppet adaption and just used tradition animation to remake the exact same film. I don't like how they remade alot of the characters and the original will always by far be the best because Rankin/Bass were and are cutting edge in my mind.

No comments about The Crippled Lamb.