Reviews (3)

Best of the Best
You'd be hard pressed to find a better collection of top-notch Star Trek episodes anywhere. Picard is one of the best Star Trek captains ever and Patrick Stewart the best actor to appear in the series. So right there you've got a winning combo. Add to that some of TNG's most interesting, thought provoking, and emotionally compelling episodes and you just can't loose.

Included on this DVD are the episodes:

The Big Goodbye
Sarek
Family
The Drumhead
Darmok
The Inner Light
Tapestry

Combined they not only provide a well rounded study of Picard but show off the heights to which TNG sailed. Anyone who is a fan of the show who didn't get the complete series on DVD or would like to be introduced to TNG should pick up this DVD collection.

Engage!

This is a fine set for non collectors.
I cannot understand the attitude of collectors that call this set "double-dipping". After all,you don't have to buy it,do you? No-one is twisting any collectors arm.
If you are a non-collector that just wants a "best of" series then sets like this are fine.
For example,there maybe fans that don't want to buy the largely mediocre first season of Star Trek:The Next Generation,but do want the Peabody Award winning episode "The Big Goodbye" from that season which is on this set. If that is the case,then this set is ideal for them.
In fact,one of the things that has been neglected by studios is that "best of" sets would be a good idea for fans of TV shows that don't want all of the episodes. I think that would be a very good thing.
"Best of" sets do have their place for fans that don't want to waste money on bad Trek episodes like "The Way To Eden,Angel One,Q-Less,Bride Of Chaotica" and other stinkers from the various Star Trek shows. I could make a bigger list of the bad episodes,but this review would take up too many pages.
Wouldn't it be nice if fans could buy the best episodes on any television series on one DVD set? I think that would be a great idea that would be embraced by some buyers.
This set also has a non-Trek documentary narrated by Patrick Stewart called "From Here To Infinity" which makes a nice extra.

Yet another Star Trek DVD double-dip hose-job to be avoided
Sigh... once again Paramount tries to pull off the ol' dreaded DVD double-dip ploy (read my SYLT guide on this annoying phenomenon at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/3CVFIEG84F2PF/ref=cm_aya_av.sylt_sylt/002-6135121-8178428) on the Trekkie crowd by releasing NextGen DVD sets based on a theme (like this "Best of Captain Picard" dealie) after having put them out in full-season sets over a year back (as of this writing)! Come on, now-- everybody knows that you're supposed to put the theme-based stuff out BEFORE the full-season sets if ya wanna squeeze the maximum amount of 'double-dip' buckage outta the fans! Take the distributors of the 'South Park' DVDs for example: they put out a couple single-disc volumes-- many of which had some kinda theme to 'em-- and THEN they put out the full-season sets. They did it this way because they knew they wouldn't make nearly as much of a killing the other way around! So remember: if you're gonna hose me and my fellow Trekkie DVDphiles, you may as well do it in a way that gets you as much of that filthy lucre as possible! Remember: the inferior product first, and THEN the 'new-and-improved' product! Just a little lesson in marketing for all of ya's out there!

As for the bonus 'From Here to Infinity' documentary show (narrated by ol' chrome-dome himself) that's to be included with this set: I've seen it, and found it a bit of a bore. Stewart narrates without any of the emotion or character he put into his most famous pop-culture icon. And it didn't help that the script he was reciting contained few cosmological factoids that I found even remotely interesting. Oh well-- there's always the Discovery and Learning Channels if I wanna see some truly interesting space docs...

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (130)

5 Star Show... Support the DVD so more will be released!
Ok, I admit it... I'm a B5 freak. I'm a First One that started watching this show because it had a good review in Cinefantastique. At first, I fell into the trap of comparing this show to the standard for all other TV SciFi, "Star Trek" and it came up poorly... but sticking with the show, I began to realize that it wasn't a Star Trek immitation. It was establishing itself on it's own merits. It was to Star Trek as "Law & Order" is to "Hill Street Blues", two excellent shows sharing a similar genre. I became - in short - a FAN...

So having admitted to my biases...

When the VHS sets were released, I shared "In The Beginning" with my two sons... Rather surprisingly to me, they became hooked as well! "In The Beginning" produced after the show had ended, is just a good scifi/adventure romp for the viewer - not requiring any previous knowledge of the B5 universe (although your enjoyment is enhanced if you do)... It is an excellent jumping-on point.

Then theres the other side of the coin, "The Gathering". This is the pilot episode - unfortunately, is rather a poor representation of the show...It has the unenviable task of establishing the main characters as well as the entire universe in which the series would play. Additionally, because the series was not immediately picked up after the pilot, there were quite a few character and design changes from the pilot to the first regular episode. (And the creator has gone on record stating that it wasn't his best effort, that he was still too timid in asserting his creative vision). So all in all "The Gathering" despite a re-edit is probably one of the weakest shows in the lot of over 100...

Alas - poor sales of the VHS sets (beautifully packaged btw) caused Warners to cancel future VHS releases after only 1/2 the series was thus produced.

Now Warners is trying it again with the DVDs, but have backed off from plans for complete season-by-season releases until sales are gauged from this intial offering. So, despite the fact that I would prefer boxed sets ala "Stargate SG-1" - I will buy this release sight unseen. I hope that all B5 fans, Scifi fans, indeed fans of well-written, tightly scripted TV in any genre, will support this endeavor.

Getting the pilot, but rest will wait until boxset
Hi,

I have been really looking forward to this. I will buy the pilot episode alone on DVD .... But for me to buy the rest of the episodes, I am waiting for AOL Time Warner to release the whole season, one box set at a time. Until then, it's only the pilot episode for now. I sincerely hope AOL Time Warner makes the right decision!

The best sci-fi series ever made.
My wife & I watched the entire series seasons 1-5, put up with the strange times of the night it was shown (before TNT), taped the entire TNT series, and we are now watching our tapes for the 3rd time. Babylon 5 plays like a wonderful long movie you want to see over again every year or so. For that reason alone, I am ready to buy all 5 seasons on DVD. It deserves to be sold as a season-by-season box set for the fans (TV movies included), along with releases of 2 shows each (like the VHS releases) for those that don't want to buy it all at once. I would also highly recommend the companion B5 guide books by Jane Killick or Andy Lane while you watch this classic, well made series.

Join the Revolution
Among science fiction fans, there are two groups. Those that Love Babylon 5, and those that 'just can't get into it'. Part of that separation may come from a lack of long term attention span.

Those that love B5 have patience, a permanently installed sense of wonder, and the capacity to enjoy the long involved story line - the evolution of the characters and the B5 universe. Those that 'don't get it' seem to have less patience, need a 'quick fix' of color and sound, and do not care too much about continuity, logic, or character development.

And, you are encouraged to THINK in this series. That puts some people off. How does a despotic dictatorship take over a free society? Watch the Night Watch develop, remember Earth history (Nazi Germany), look around you. How can a womanizing lizard and a drunken gambler become heroes, bitter enemies, loyal friends, a Leader and an Emperor? Watch J'Kar and Lando grow and change. How can 'angels' betray Mankind? Watch....

This series isn't for everyone. Just the Best of Us.

Have patience. Join the Revolution.

Finally!
Babylon 5 is in my opinion the most outstanding sc-fi series ever. I have been waiting long and patiently for the series release on DVD.

Let's hope that the studio now releases all seasons in rapid succession. Boxed sets for a complete season would be nice. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not for the squeamish
Max Baer's friendly fascist is one reason, but not the only one, to catch this disturbing 1974 film. In fact, Baer's smiling, upright sheriff seems a blood brother in some twisted sense to Mayberry's Andy Griffith. Based on fact, the movie portrays the misadventures of real-life brothers Alan and Jesse Vint, as they frolic through the 1950's South on their way to a date with the Army. Bad luck and Sheriff Baer however turn their joyride into a nightmare that finally ends in tragedy. The last scenes are a suspense-filled stunner. This is Baer's production and he uses it to observe the effects of gun culture, brutality, and race prejudice in fairly subtle fashion. Except for Geoffrey Lewis's overdone station attendant, the acting is first rate, with Joan Blackman a long way from her frothy Elvis movies. Special recognition should go to the casting of the two southern lowlifes who are the most convincing and sinister drifters I've seen, and are guaranteed to put chills up the spine. At times the script seems too deliberate, as though there are explanations for everything. Still, this is a first-rate thriller that deserves its cult status, and is ultimately a long, long way from the bucholic ideal of Sheriff Andy's Mayberry.

Classic David Carradine
An intense adult drama, with a common plot element of an "innocent" female traveller (Ally Sheedy) who gets jailed in a southern jail on trumped-up charges, raped and beaten and otherwise abused by her captors, until another inmate (David Carradine) steps in (through the cell bars), grabs the bad cop, (who ends up dead) and the escape is on. The Sheriff is the usual dirty cop, who pursues the escapees ruthlessly, with Ally Sheedy's character resorting to more & more crime in her desperation to get away from the hell she's experienced, all the while being helped by, but not quite trusting, Carradine's ex-con. The violent subject matter makes it understandable why no one under 18 is allowed to buy this movie here, but all in all, it's a decent flick of its genre, with good performances by the leads.

Drive-In Classic looks Great on DVD
If you're a fan of low budget film making, the story behind the making of "Macon County Line" is as fascinating as the film itself, perhaps moreso. You'll learn about that in a short featurette that's included on the DVD that features interviews with Director Richard Compton, Actor-Producer-Writer Max Baer, Jr., star Jesse Vint and others. What I really enjoyed is the film commentary offered by Richard Compton during the film. It's actually more of a conversation with Anchor Bay producer Bill Lustig, a pretty good low budget film maker, himself (Maniac, Vigilante, Maniac Cop), about how the film came to be. Listening to the two directors talking about how to get the most out of a small budget (just over $200,000 for the film) is a real education. Lustig is a very good interviewer/commentator and has shown up on other Anchor Bay releases (his own "Vigilante" comes to mind).

The film, itself, is a much better-than-average story about mistaken identities and the tragic consequences that result. The cast is generally good and the acting is a lot better than what one might typically expect from drive-in fare. Max Baer, Jr., in particular, gives depth to a character that could have been played as "Sheriff Jethro Bodine." Baer wanted to break away from his "Beverly Hillbillies" image and, for the most part, he succeeds. Anchor Bay's widescreen edition looks great. I can't vouch for the sound since I don't have an elaborate audio system, but Anchor Bay generally has a reputation for doing good things with the available source material.

Fans of 70's era drive-in movies will really enjoy "Macon County Line."

Macon County Line a video classic
Critical acclaim is not exactly the way to describe Macon County Line. This film, with many of the other 70's classic drive-in features, is an absolute classic but didn't rate highly with critics. Alan and Jesse Vint, although not Hollywood royalty, deserve a place in film history for their parts as brothers who become the victims of horrible circumstances. Alan and Jesse popped up in other films through the 70' and 80's (most notably "Centennial"), but "Macon County" is their opus. It's just a shame that their talents were never showcased like this again. They are outstanding actors. The film has impact, and the DVD version is like watching it for the first time. WOW! What a film. If you are like me, a child of the 70's, and using Amazon and e-auctions to build nostalgic movie and music libraries, put this one in your DVD collection. It's outstanding.

cinema type excitment
Macon County line is a sure thriller.It leaves you with the feeling of "Could this happen to me". Out of his role of Jethro Bodine,Max Baer is truly convincing as the sheriff every small town seems to have. The story is based on fact .Two teens are senselessly murded and another is scarred for life, just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.A true classic,Macon County Line Is a roller coaster ride of thrills and suspense every minute. You WLL ENJOY this film. ... Read more