Amazon.com

"It's been a long time since I was a pony." These immortal words launched one of television's most unlikely, but enduring friendships between architect Wilbur Post and Mister Ed, his talking horse. What better escape from the onslaught of reality television than a thoroughbred example of unreality television? Although, so convincing is Alan Young as Wilbur, and so easy his rapport with his equine costar, that you really do believe a horse can talk (Ed's voice is courtesy of Western character actor Alan Lane). This two-disc set saddles up 21 episodes from the first three seasons of this Golden Globe-winning series, which was recently added to the TV Land stable of '60sretro faves. Director Arthur Lubin knew his way around the barn. He directed the best of the Francis series of talking-mule comedies. While the episode with Mae West is sadly absent, this set does include Ed's memorable encounters with Clint Eastwood (then starring on Rawhide), George Burns (who produced the series' pilot episode), and original diva Zsa Zsa Gabor. Young is a gifted comic actor in his own right, but just as George Burns had his Gracie, Young has his Ed, who gets all the good lines, as when Wilbur congratulates Ed on curing Zsa Zsa's fear of horses. Ed replies, "She cured my fear of Hungarians." But the writers took the show's surreal premise and galloped with it, as when Ed joins the beatnik set in "Ed, the Beachcomber." Sound unbelievable? We'll give Ed the last word, of course, of course. "Don't try to understand it," he advises Wilbur during their first meeting. "It's bigger than both of us." --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Great show. Great price. Wrong packaging approach.
I loved Mr. Ed as a child and I haven't seen any re-runs since. I watched the pilot episode on this DVD set last night. It was still funny after all these years, and it looked awesome compared with the way it looked on the vacuum-tube round-screen televisions of the 1960's.

The problems are:

1. Double sided DVDs. I hate that! These are much easier to damage than single sided ones. I can't even tell one side from the other. Hold them up to a bright light and each side looks the same. Fine print in the center doesn't even tell me which side is which. And they are much more vulnerable to finger prints getting on the data medium. This is bad.

2. Overview of three years instead of just doing seasons in order like some of the other great sit-coms of that era. Let's just have seasons one through three in turn and let ME decide what the best episodes are! I would gladly pay the price of this set three times to get the entire series. Us baby-boomers have the extra cash, remember?

3. How about a bonus feature or two? Maybe an interview with someone having something to do with the show? Anything? (Still, a minor concern of mine next to having all the episodes properly packaged.)

So, this set is something good that could have been a lot better. A mediocre treatment of a great show.

Finally!!
I've been a huge fan of Mr.Ed for a couple years and i'm very glad that they released it on DVD.This has got some of the funniest episodes of Mr.Ed ever and it was great value costing me only $25.All the episodes are A's,my favorite being Clint
Eastwood meets Mr.Ed.The only thing that was bad about it was the fact that there are no bonus features at all,no interviews with Alan Young or Connie Hines,nor a single thing that mentions who the voice of Mister Ed was(it was Allan Lane,famous for old cowboy movies),but the DVD is good anyway,I hope that they will release The Best of Volume 2 sometime.The episodes are hilarious and this is great value.A+.Enjoy!!!

great series
I always enjoyed Mister Ed and am glad it came out on dvd. Its wel packaged. Hope the other seaons come out too. Its a great classic show for the whole fmaily

Charming and Delightful! Holds up well.
I remember lovingly watching Mr Ed when I was young, although not a small child, in the 60's, so I thought I would buy this DVD when I heard it was coming out. I was expecting to find something perhaps childish and a little corny, but to my surprise, it's very funny--in fact, it holds up very well and is quite entertaining for everyone, not just the kids. Actually Ed can be quite frisky. The comedy is great for all the family, but I have to admit the show is always at it's best when Mr Ed is in the scene. It loses something when there is too much human enteraction and Ed is out of the picture. Mr Ed was truly one of a kind and that voice fit him perfectly. A still delightful and charming show.

Great for a Mister Ed Lover
If you like/love Mister Ed, you won't be disappointed when you don't experience difficulty with the DVDs.

This DVD is NOT for a child to handle as it is double-sided. Please read the review from Kirland. I totally agree with this person.

I still love watching the approximately 10 episodes that I can view at this time. Thanks. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ever wonder what would happen if the imaginary worlds of Bedknobs and Broomsticks and SpongeBob SquarePants were to collide? If so, chances are good you've yet to discover The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Starring the irrepressible Don Knotts, this 1964 family feature combines live (land) action and animated (undersea) sequences with delightful results. During World War II, Knotts is mild-mannered, spectacle-sporting bookkeeper Henry Limpet. More than anything--he's a fish fan and a patriot. When the navy rejects him due to poor eyesight, he falls into a funk from which not even his beloved aquarium or loving--if bossy--wife can rescue him. So he makes a wish... to become a fish. Next thing he knows--he is! With a little help from a hermit crab named Crusty and the lovely Ladyfish, it's as a talking, bespectacled fish that Limpet proves himself the war hero he always knew he was meant to be. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Don Knotts¿ Citizen Kane
Although this film may be "Stupid" to today's teens - that it doesn't have the emotional resonance of 'Monsters, Inc' nor the Shakespearean scope of 'Lion King', it is still Don Knott's 'CITIZEN KANE'.

The '64 movie might seem a bit creaky by today's standards; so much celluloid has passed under the bridge since then, but there's still something downright charming about the milquetoast bookkeeper who turns into a fish after falling off a Coney Island pier, then winds up becoming the Navy's secret weapon in the fight against German U-boats (which, if the movie is to be believed, were cruising the waters just off Long Island in 1941).

It's all a matter of perspective to compare. The movie seems so dated, so carefully cute. Still, there is much to love (or at least fondly admire) in these brisk 102 minutes. On this DVD, the colors are as bright as a load of laundry just run through a cycle of All-Tempa-Cheer. Even the live-action sequences in Henry's apartment at the Coney Island wharf on board the Navy ships have the vibrancy of a well-inked cartoon. The Incredible Mr. Limpet at times resembles a tankful of exotic tropical fish. The seams between animation and live-action aren't always perfect; it's less clunky than the Gene Kelly/Jerry Mouse dance duet in 'Anchors Aweigh' nineteen years earlier, and a far cry from Roger Rabbit's mind-boggling effects twenty-four years later, but the combination is believable enough for any kid's imagination circa 1969.

If Limpet IS Knott's Kane, where does that leave films like The 'Apple Dumpling Gang' or 'The Shakiest Gun in the West'?

-Of course it's all a matter of taste and discretion, but I'd say those are his Magnificent Ambersons and Touch of Evil.

A nice soft gem, but don't push it on pre-teens or older.
.
Don Knotts plays a namby pamby, fish-loving, bookish bookkeeper in Brooklyn, married to a lively wife who doesn't relate to his habits. Unable to join the navy in anticipation of WWII, Knotts' character lands in the waters off Coney Island and turns into a fish, finally able to help the US war effort.

It's a cute blend of animation and film, carefully steered by a director who was involved in such efforts as "Mr. Ed" and the Francis (the mule!) movies. You'll recognize the blend of animation and film if you've been watching Disney movies with your kids (although this comes from the Warner Bros studios), and the media jump won't seem as silly as when Sponge Bob surfaces from Bikini Bottom.

The younger kids will like it, but it took a little cajoling to get some nine year olds to stick with it until the war scenes - - initially it was beneath them. But adventure developed, and the movie actually brings up themes regarding roles which they were familiar with from movies like The Little Mermaid (is Limpet a fish? a man? what's this mean for his old relationship with his wife, and new relationships with other sea creatures?) I hate to wax overly philosophical about this, but these are the parts which make it interesting for adults. As Limpet-the-fish says, "There's nothing like realizing your importance to the world to make a man out of you. Even if that man is a fish."

Yes, it has a bit of pathos, but it also has submarine battles, jokes, a crusty hermit crab, cute animation, and a great group of B-grade actors who are somehow able to keep a straight face through the whole exercise. (What may surprise you -- or disappoint you -- is that Knotts' character is never the frenetic, shrill Barney Fife. But he is very good nonetheless, and you shouldn't typecast him.)

Be prepared for animation but is true to Barney's character
This is almost 100% animated (except for beginning and ending wrappers of real film) but Barney's (ok, Mr. Limpet but you KNOW you think of him as Barney) voice and character comes through. The reason it doesn't deserve 4 stars, even from a die-hard Barney fan like me, is the animation but it's the only way this could have been done. It's enjoyable but the least of the post-Any Don Knotts movies.

A great movie
I hadn't seen this movie for years. One evening a couple of months ago my 6 year old daughter walked into my office and said "this movie is cracking me up!" Turns out my wife had rented it for her. My daughter wanted to know if we could buy it so we logged onto Amazon and made the purchase. I watched it with her a few days ago and fell in love with it all over again. It's a great movie!

What are you talking about?
I just read many of these reviews and have to completely disagree!

Sure Don Knotts acting is fine but many of the other actresses are just too over the top. The story line is terrible. It's too serious to even just be able to laugh at it.

DON"T WASTE the 2 hours of your time!

And I would not recommend it for kids either. It is a PG movie. Young children would not get it and be bored. And older kids would pick up on the mixed marriage message. (Yes you should honor your marriage vows but if you grow apart just give up on the marriage.) ... Read more

Amazon.com

This little-seen, 1947 drama is a treat for jazz fans, thanks to an otherwise creaky, if nobly intentioned story built around the music's Crescent City genesis that provides an ample excuse to turn the camera on authentic jazz greats. Nick Duquesne (Arturo De Cordova) is a Bourbon Street charmer whose gambling club provides the mythic stomping grounds for none other than Louis Armstrong, whose vocalizing sweetheart Endie, played by none other than Billie Holiday, proves no slouch herself. A newly arrived debutante, Miralee (Dorothy Patrick), arrives in New Orleans and falls first for the music and then for the roguish but ultimately gallant Nick. The movie follows knee-jerk plot machinations revolving around her family's efforts to excise Nick from her life, her own dream of mingling jazz and classical music, and the gambler's transformation into a jazz promoter.

The script works in the squalor and much of the geography of Storyville and the French Quarter, even providing a contrasting look at the genteel parlor music being played in "respectable" casinos, and the casting telegraphs the production's reverence for jazz. Satchmo's other musical partners are equally serendipitous, including Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Bud Scott, Zutty Singleton, Meade "Lux" Lewis, and Red Callender. A brief arc late in the film adds Woody Herman and his orchestra.

When the musicians are featured, New Orleans is a frequent delight, with Armstrong as magnetic as always, and Holiday endearing. As an actress, she's a terrific singer, and luckily Lady Day's dialogue is far briefer than her featured vocals. The DVD version boasts additional period shorts showcasing Armstrong (1932's "A Rhapsody in Black and Blue") and Holiday's "Symphony in Black" from 1935). --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great footage of many early jazz legends
I have always found jazz performances much more captivating live rather than recorded, and although I can't travel back in time and see Louis Armstrong play during his prime, this video is the next best thing.

The makers of New Orleans did not waste the talents of the musicians, and a good chunk of the movie is concert footage of many of the giants from the golden age of Jazz including Kid Ory, Woody Herman and Billie Holiday doing old standards such as Basin Street Blues and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.

These performances truly convey the joy that enrapt the musicians as they played, and Armstrong in particular, is irresistably charming and funny as usual and appears for much of the film.

Unfortunately, Holiday is possibly the most wooden actress I have ever seen, but since for most of her comparatively short screen time is spent singing, it isn't a problem.

I strongly recommended this one to all fans of early jazz.

Who knows
What are the names of the classical music songs and the jazz by Woody Herman?

Silly plot, fantastic music
I bought this DVD blindly just because I'm such a fan of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and of New Orleans in general. The plot (what there is of it) is clichŽd and uninteresting, but the music is fantastic, and I ended up playing the musical pieces over and over. The entire movie is filmed on a Hollywood soundstage; if you're looking for shots of old New Orleans, look elsewhere.

B-grade movie comes alive via Satchmo and Lady Day!
For years I've wanted to see NEW ORLEANS, knowing that thestoryline wouldn't match the quality of the music, and now it is finally available...on DVD no less. After watching it, I can say that the movie lived up (musically) and down (plotwise) to my expectations. However, with Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong and Billie 'Lady Day' Holiday in prominent roles, the musical strengths more than cancelled out the thematic/cinematic shortcomings.

The musical footage of Holiday and Armstrong (seen in solos and duets) is worth the price of admission, and the entirety of the movie is fairly entertaining if you don't expect too much....

Amid the cliched plot threads... fortunately the racial stereotypes are quite inoffensive by 1947 standards (albeit Billie is cast as a maid). Due to the lack of available Billie Holiday footage alone, this movie approaches essential status, at least among jazz fans.

The DVD includes two bonus shorts: a young Louis Armstrong sings and plays in the 1932 A RHAPSODY IN BLACK AND BLUE, and Duke Ellington teams up with a VERY young Billie Holiday in the priceless 1935 short SYMPHONY IN BLACK. ... Read more

Description

Get ready for big laughs with Abbott and Costello, undeniably the most popular comedy team of all time!Now, the classic films of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are available on DVD in this hilarious collection.

The wildly popular comic duo has entertained audiences since 1931, conquering vaudeville, radio and the silver screen in nearly 40 films.Enjoy these side-splitting hits like Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost in this collection of eight full-length features.The Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello: Volume 1 will have you laughing out loud again and again!

One Night in the Tropics (1940)
Bud and Lou get mixed up in a "Love Insurance" scheme.

Buck Privates (1941)
The duo accidentally enlists in the U.S. Army to avoid getting arrested!

In the Navy (1941)
Bud and Lou are sailors bound for duty on the high seas in this musical comedy.

Hold that Ghost (1941)
The boys inherit a haunted house formerly owned by a mobster.

Keep ‘Em Flying (1941)
Bud and Lou enlist in the Army Air Corps and get caught up in a love triangle.

Ride ‘Em Cowboy (1942)
The duo head to the Lazy S ranch to hide after Lou accidentally proposes to an Indian girl.

Pardon My Sarong (1942)
Bud and Lou travel to the South Seas where Lou is mistaken for a legendary god!

Who Done It? (1942)
The boys are suspected of murder while being targeted by the actual killer.
... Read more

Reviews (54)

At last!!! A&C on DVD from Universal.
Finally Universal (MCA) is giving us some more Abbott & Costello on DVD. The info here on Amazon.com is somewhat limited but...gives more detailed info. To check it out go to...and search for "Best of Abbott and Costello Volume I" under DVDs.

The upcoming release is described as a 2 disc set and most of the movies include theatrical trailers and production notes. As well as being subtitled in Spanish and French. The description also includes the running times for each movie. Let's hope the DVD transfer quality is good. You can't beat the price!!

And let's hope to see more DVD volumes in the future. A&C fans I'm sure want more than just "A & C Meet Frankenstein", "A & C Meet the Mummy" and the few, now out-of- print DVDs, put out by Universal/Image Entertainment quite a few years back.

A penny a laugh!
MCA/Universal is giving comedy fans a tremendous comedy package of eight early Abbott & Costello films for less than 25 bucks -- I work that out to about a penny a laugh, a great bargain in this day and age!

It's probable that today's younger crowd doesn't appreciate how enormously popular Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were in their day, simply the kings of comedy on radio, the stage, movies, and TV. They were the #1 box office draw in America at one time, and the highest paid entertainers in show business. The best of their films rank with near the top of any list of movies for sheer belly-laugh quotient!

ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940) is the team's film debut, a slight romance with Allan Jones, Bob Cummings, and Nancy Kelly. A&C provide supporting comedy relief and do some of their best bits, including an abbreviated version of "Who's on First?"

BUCK PRIVATES (1941) is considered by fans to be their "real" film debut, and it's arguably the funniest movie they ever made. Caught in the draft, A&C were in top form. Lotsa laughs and good music, too, including the Andrews Sisters doing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". The film made a mint for Universal.

IN THE NAVY (1941) is a pretty good follow-up. Dick Powell is the romantic lead, and the Andrews Sisters and Shemp Howard are back from the previous film. The ending had to be rewritten to suit the U.S. Navy!

HOLD THAT GHOST (1941) is another gem; lots of classic haunted house routines, including the famous "moving candle" gag. The Andrews Sisters are back, joining Richard Carlson and Evelyn Ankers.

KEEP 'EM FLYING (1941) was the team's fifth film in only a year. After stints in the Army and the Navy, it was sure that the Air Corps would be next. Martha Raye plays twin waitresses in a very funny scene.

RIDE 'EM COWBOY (1942) puts the boys out west, and features cowboy star Johnny Mack Brown (and occasional cowboy star Dick Foran). Ella Fitzgerald is in this one.

PARDON MY SARONG (1942) could well have been called THE ROAD TO MONTEZUMA, as it seems to have been influenced by the Hope/Crosby pictures. This time, music is provided by the Ink Spots.

WHO DONE IT? (1942) is another comedy/mystery, with a patriotic twist, as the boys uncover a Nazi plot to take over a radio station.

Eight films, including some of their best. Universal has slapped a "Vol. 1" on the box, so hopefully future volumes are on the horizon. And even more hopefully, Universal will follow through with some W.C. Fields pictures!

Abbott and Costello Vol 1 and Vol 2
I grew up watching Abbot @ Costello and enjoyed very much all of there movies and there antics.
It was with disbelief, when I first saw what was available in that there was 8 quality movies on each Vol set.
It is a great bargin!
Best part is I have two daughters 5 and 9 that are now enjoying
these movies and we share non stop laughter.
My girls and myself look forward to Vol 3 being released.
Great entertainment for whole family

Finally!!!!
I used to watch A&C every Sunday morning when I was a child. Made me laugh every time, no matter how many times I watched it. Now I get to do it again...at the age of 42! This DVD is great. I also got Volume 2 and I can't wait for volume 3. They did an excellent job on the picture quality I must say. I give 4 stars only because I would rather have 4 dvd's instead of 2. They use both sides of the disk. But that's just my taste.

A great Collection
This set is just a treasure. There are hardly better value-for-the-dollar dvd releases around: 8 movies, all looking very crisp and clean (considering their age), on two discs. Most of the films have their theatrical trailer included, and all have brief but informative production notes.

Other reviewers have written about technical problems with these discs, but I watched every second of all 8 movies and experienced not one single glitch.

As for the movies themselves, sure they vary in quality somewhat. Abbott and Costello were cranking out movies at such a fast pace, you can't expect every one to be a classic. "A Night in the Tropics" is interesting, because it is their first big-screen movie. It's not hard to see why these guys shot to mega-stardom, as they easily steal the movie. Of the "service" pictures, I personally like "In the Navy" the best, though "Buck Privates" is of course a classic and "Keep 'Em Flying" includes many classic scenes.

My favorite of the 8 included is "Hold That Ghost", which has held up extremely well and remains a hilarious movie after all these decades.

The requisite musical numbers included in all but one of these 8 are, for the most part, dispensable. Not all of them are snooze-inducing: several of the Andrews Sisters numbers are very good (especially Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy) and Ella Fitzgerald has a couple good numbers in "Ride 'em Cowboy". One nice thing about "Hold that Ghost" that contributes to it being my favorite: the musical numbers are reserved only for the very beginning and the very end, nothing to interrupt the hijinks! Also notable, "Who Done It?"- a very funny, if very convoluted, murder mystery- is the only picture on this set that is free of musical numbers.

I grew up watching these movies, often with my dad, in the '80s. As old as they were even then, the comedic brilliance of A&C still worked like a charm. 20 years later, it's great that so many of their films are being anthologized by Universal. I'm looking forward to Vol. 2 and 3. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

A cute but not particularly deep little flick
I wanted to see this because it had Claude Rains mostly, but also because I wanted to see Nelson Eddy as a person after hearing him in the Disney short "The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met". Besides, I've been a fan of the book by Gaston LeRoux and the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber for some time, have seen the silent movie version of this story, and wanted to chalk up another credit to my Phantom experience.

Overall, this wasn't a bad little movie - I felt that the fact that it was in colour rather detracted from the sombre, ominous mood this kind of tale needs - it should really be sort of Victorian film-noir, shot in black and white. But then, I felt that they really changed the story so much in this film version that it can only be looked on as a story independent of the book which was its inspiration, and so for that reason the colour is okay. I also felt that Claude Rains' character seemed as though it was going to be a main character at the beginning of the film, but then he seemed to disappear from the film for much of the rest of it. Also, the progression of his adoration complex for Christine was sadly overlooked throughout the film, and we are to understand his descent into bitterness toward mankind from the few scattered minutes of screen time that he has?

Although the rival banter between Raoul and Anatole was very amusing, it seems a little out of place in a story of such tragic dimensions, and draws one's focus completely away from the relationship between Christine and the Phantom of the film's title, which really is the core of the entire book and should be the same or similar in the movie. As another example of distraction - I like hearing Nelson Eddy sing, but at least two of the operatic numbers could have been shortened to make room for some more character development and depth in Erik and Christine's relationship.

I felt that the silent version of the film not only followed the plot of the book more accurately, but that the emotions and experiences of the characters were ones easier to "jump into", even despite the common (for a silent) over-acting of its players - but at the same time, this 1943 version was easier to watch. It's not as long or nervewracking. Still, I would recommend you to do it all - read the book, watch both films, and listen to the original London cast recording of the musical if you can't go and see it. Each one of these things will enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of the story in some way or another.

A Beautiful Film
I saw the 1943 version of "The Phantom of the Opera" before I read the book and (last) saw the 1925 version. I have to admit that it was not like the book at all, but the Lon Chaney version was a little. Claude Rains was very convincing as the tormented and lovesick Phantom, and was always more interesting than Lon Chaney. But Claude Rains was not given very much screen time, except near the beginning and end of the film. The sets were fabulous. Nelson Eddy and Edgar Barrier were almost constantly trying to win over Christine, and even though these scenes were funny, I've noticed that they can very easily become distractions that seem designed only to de-emphasize Claude Rains, which only hurts the film. Susanna Foster and Nelson Eddy sang a lot, and while these numbers were very nice and a joy to listen to, they were the only time Nelson Eddy really got a chance to shine, which is unfortunate. However, Susanna Foster fared well throughout the entire film. I would not recommend this film to anyone who doesn't like opera, or to anyone who wants to see a lot of the Phantom.

Horror fans will be disappointed
This film is more about the opera and the courting of an opera singer by two suitors than a deranged murderer running amok in the hidden chambers of the Paris Opera House. A great deal of screen time is devoted to the pursuit of the lovely Mademoiselle Dubois by a baritone and a Paris detective as both men are comically inept in trying to win the woman's favors. Claude Rains' phantom is a poignant figure, his madness notwithstanding, and he also has designs on the opera star and spirits her away to the catacombs under the building to possess her forever and have her sing the concerto he composed especially for her. The lush color and sets give the production a professional and polished look but the movie lacks suspense and thrills and is strictly for aficionados of the opera.

Pretty Good
Not my favorite interpretation of Phantom, but still good. Susanna Foster kind of bugs me, but that's okay. And they really changed the story. It's not at all like the origional novel, but it's about Phantom, and that's a good enough excuse for me! Anyways, it was pretty nice. The Raoul character was most realistic. I just don't like Susanna. :)

The Phantom Goes Musical
Gaston Leroux's penny-dreadful novel was hardly the stuff of great literature, but it did manage to tap into the public consciousness with its gas-light-gothic tale of a beautiful singer menaced by a horrific yet seductive serial killer lurking in the forgotten basement labyrinths of the Paris Opera. Lon Chaney's silent classic kept the basic elements of the novel intact'-and proved one of the great box office hits of its day, a fact that prompted Universal Studios to contemplate a remake throughout most of the 1930s. Although several proposals were considered (including one intended to feature Deanna Durbin, who despised the idea and derailed the project with a flat refusal), it wasn't until 1943 that a remake reached the screen. And when it did, it was an eye-popping Technicolor extravaganza, all talking, all singing, and dancing. The Phantom had gone musical.

In many respects this version of PHANTOM anticipates the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical, for whereas the Chaney version presented the Phantom as a truly sinister entity, this adaptation presents the character as one more sinned against than sinning'an idea that would color almost every later adaptation, and Webber's most particularly so. But it also shifts the focus of the story away from the title character, who is here really more of a supporting character than anything else. The focus is on Paris Opera star Christine Dae, here played by Susanna Foster. In this version Christine is not only adored by the Phantom; she is also romantically pursued by two suitors who put aside their differences to protect her.

Directed by Universal workhorse Arthur Lubin, this version is truly eye-popping in the way that only a 1940s Technicolor spectacular could be: the color is intensely brilliant, and Lubin makes the most of it by focusing most of his camera-time on the stage of the Paris Opera itself and splashing one operatic performance after another throughout the film. But in terms of actual story interest, the film is only so-so. Susanna Foster had a great singing voice, but she did not have a memorable screen presence, and while the supporting cast (which includes Nelson Eddy, Edgar Barrier, Leo Carrillo, and Jane Farrar) is solid enough they lack excitement. And the pace of the film often seems a bit slow, sometimes to the point of clunkiness.

The saving grace of the film'-in addition to the aforementioned photography, which won an Oscar-'is Claude Rains. A great artist, Rains did not make the mistake of copying Chaney, and although the script robs the Phantom of his most fearsome aspects, Rains fills the role with subtle menace that is wonderful to behold, completely transcending the film's slow pace, the lackluster script, and "sanitized for your protection" tone so typical of Universal Studios in the 1940s.

Like most "Universal Horror" DVD packages, this one is superior. The centerpiece of the bonus material is a very nice documentary, "The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked," which details the origins of the novel and the numerous film adaptations of it'and which is actually quite a bit more interesting than the 1943 film itself. There is also a nice, if somewhat perfunctory, audio commentary track by historian Scott McQueen, trailers, stills, and the like. But when everything is said and done, it's the film that counts'and unless you're a diehard Phantom fan you're likely to be unimpressed. ... Read more

Description

They're one kiss away from MURDER! Millionaire industrialist Walter Williams is marked for murder by his sexy young wife and her seedy lover. When the insidious plot ends in a fiery disaster, Williams is thought dead. In reality, he finds himself without a clue as to who he is or what happened. But as his memory starts to return, his shattered life becomes a runaway roller coaster ride of suspense and excitement! Beautifully photographed on location in San Francisco, this hard-boiled drama snaps with smart dialogue, a hell-frosted broad and more twists than a rusty corkscrew. "Impact" is truly a forgotten film noir masterpiece. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Universal Studios hit box-office gold when they drafted vaudeville comedians and radio stars Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and turned them into one of the most successful screen teams of the 1940s and 1950s. After a tryout as supporting characters in the musical One Night in the Tropics, they starred in Buck Privates as con artists who accidentally enlist while hiding out from New York street cop Nat Pendleton. Naturally he winds up their drill sergeant and comic foil as they wreak havoc on the armed forces. It's vaudeville in fatigues, with the bare bones of a story provided by spoiled millionaire playboy Lee Bowman, his strapping All-American former chauffeur Alan Curtis, and the girl-next-door they both pursue, Jane Frazee. The lackluster subplot is directed with little verve by Arthur Lubin, and the film's energy comes completely from the snappy by-play of the comedians and Costello's flustered double takes and jumpy physical comedy (including a hilarious rifle drill in which the out-of-step soldier marches to the direction of a different compass). The Andrews Sisters sing "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," among others, and future Stooge Shemp Howard shows where the "mess" in mess hall comes from as a cook on the receiving end of Costello's KP tomfoolery. This modest comedy became a smash hit and made Abbott and Costello Universal's most valuable commodity, prompting a quick follow-up with another peacetime armed forces comedy, In the Navy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The first army thought of comic relief.
When my adopted son went off to boot camp and later Korea, these movies were a must to beef-up moral: ABBOTT and COSTELLO in BUCK PRIVATES, BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME; and BILL MURRAY in STRIPES. All display a humorous perspective on army life and an after-army attitude that can survive drill sargeants. Laughs R Lou and Bub Personally, I also love the song and dance routines of THE ANDREW SISTERS, too. Many try but none can compare to their jazzy- swing combination of harmonized tunes.

Buck Up
In order to avoid arrest, A&C enlist in the army and get tangled in a romantic subplot involving a millionaire, his former valet, and a camp hostess. Silly fun takes place on the eve of World War II, with Abbott and Costello scoring laughs and the Andrews Sisters singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Apple Blossom Time." Funny, despite the silly romance.

Running and Pushing??
It is my own reflections that you cannot judge the A and C Films in a singular way. If you watch just one of their best it looses its impact,rather, I suggest that you catch three at a time in this way you can fall into their brand of absurd comedy.

I was hooked as a kid and guess what , their films have more legs than most of the comedy giants of the past..for sure..

Jane Frazee is here ,along with the likes of Lee Bowman and even Shemp Howard..> The Andrews Sisters provie a bit of pace without slowing it all down too much..and these DVD transfers are fine..all proving once again that there has never been a better "straight " man than the peerless Bud Abbott..
CP

Not so funny
This guys maybe were funny in 1950 but today... Tons of cliches of old times comedy and nothing original. Better buy Stan and Laurel!

One of the beat
You will love this movie.There is plenty of funny scenes with costello and the sergent.Buy this.Its their first full film apperanece(besides One Night in the tropics). This is a classic. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After the huge success of Buck Privates (cleverly referenced in a spoofing credits sequence), Abbott and Costello traded army green for navy blue to play landlocked gobs sent to sea after six years in the service. The actual story belongs to Dick Powell, who plays a radio crooner who has ditched fame and fawning fans for the sailor's life, while an ambitious female reporter (Claire Dodd) shadows the singer and stows aboard his battleship to expose his secret. Meanwhile Bud Abbott continues to con the ever-gullible Lou Costello, and Costello woos Patty from the Andrews Sisters. Director Arthur Lubin overcomes bargain-basement production values (rear projection footage, toy boat special effects) with the snappy repartee and energetic by-play of his stars. Skit highlights include a typically crooked Bud Abbott shell game, a hysterical series of spit-gags (in which the boys keep cracking up on camera), Costello's mathematical proof that 7 times 13 equals 28, and the climactic toy boat fantasy of naval maneuvers gonemad, courtesy of Captain Costello. The Andrews Sisters sing four songs (including "Gimme Some Skin"), Dick Powell sings two, and the Condos brothers perform a delightful dance specialty act. The boys would once again overcome Lubin's lackluster direction in their next release, Hold That Ghost, which wasactually shot before this film. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

My favorite Abbott and Costello movie
This has always been my favorite A & C movie. The routines the two have are hilarious, the Andrew Sisters are wonderful, and I absolutely love the main song "Where in the Navy, Watch Dogs of Liberty!". Makes me want to go back to the recruiting and rejoin!

Armed Forces
Abbott & Costello in their prime. This is a very good picture for them. Very funny, any Abbott & Costello or old time comedy fan would enjoy this one. The scene when Costello adds up the donuts on the chalkboard is one of the most classic and hysterical scenes you will ever see. The ending could've been better but other then that the movie was outstanding.

Excellent!!!
This is an excellent film, definetly one of Abbott and Costello's best, especially if you like the andrews sisters.
A well worth buy.

Abbott & Costello have fun being in the Navy
Abbott & Costello follow up their success in "Buck Privates" with another service comedy, "In the Navy," also directed by Arthur Lubin. Russ Raymond (Dick Powell), the top crooner on the radio, abandons his career and joins the Navy under the name Tommy Halstead. He is assigned to the U.S.S. Alabama, where he meets up with Smoky Adams (Abbott) and Pomeroy Watson (Costello), and they all have to endure Chief Petty Officer Dynamite Dugan (Dick Foran). The two main story lines here have to do with romance. Young newspaper photographer Dorothy Roberts (Claire Dodd) sneaks on board to get candid photos of "Tommy," and they fall in love. Meanwhile, Pomeroy has been writing love letters to Patty Andrews of the Andrews Sisters, saying he is an officer instead of a baker. To impress her on Visitor's Day, Pomeroy pretends to be the captain and tries to put on an impressive show for his lady love.

This film's official title was "Abbott and Costello and Dick Powell in the Navy," a way of keeping everybody happy with the billing. This film finds the boys doing their famous "Lemon Bit," when Smoky makes change for Pomeroy's cash and keeps asking questions involving numbers to change the count. Shemp Howard plays Dizzy in this scene, but he is given nothing special to do. Costello also has a classic bit where he simply tries to get into his hammock. Surprisingly, "In the Navy" was a bigger hit than "Buck Privates," and finally convinced the studio that they could carry a film by themselves. I do not think it is quiet as funny, mainly because the boys are forced to share so much screen time with Powell and the Andrews Sisters, but this is one of their better comedies.

One of the funniest family type movies around
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are at their zaniest in this Naval Splash of a comedy. Enjoy the `water gag'. It will keep you in stitches, Abbott & Costello certainly were. ... Read more