Reviews (2)

Good eps, so-so quality
These are classic "Bonanza" episodes. I would prefer that the videos include the original theme music, but I understand that copyright issues prevent that. The technical quality of the video is not the best, but the DVD is quite watchable. I'm happy to see "Bonanza" being released in DVD format, and look forward to more eps on DVD!

Struggles for justice amidst violence and lawlessness
Bonanza is the famous television western series, set in the vicinity of Virginia City, Nevada, during the years of the Civil War, soon after the discovery of the fabulous Comstock Silver Lode. Bonanza is the saga of the Cartwrights, a prosperous family of ranchers. The stories relate their struggles for justice amidst violence and lawlessness as they attempt to maintain and operate their timberland ranch, known as the Ponderosa Ranch. Many of these classics were produced in the early years of filmmaking. This means that primitive audio recording technique will be more noticeable in the DVD format, so will glitches in picture. These movies ("Desert Justice" & "Badge Without Honor" have been rescued from the film vaults in most cases and have not been restored. "Desert Justice" is the story of Dave Walker, one of Ben's ranch hands. Dave is accused of murdering the wife of Marshall Dowd. After the Cartwrights discover that Dave was beaten while in jail, they decide to accompany him to Los Angeles where his trial is to be held. "Badge Without Honor" is about a man named Gerald Eskith who comes to town claiming to be a Deputy Marshall. He wants to take the Cartwrights friend Jason Blaime to San Francisco to testify against the Murdock Gang. Adam, however, has his suspicions and decides to go along with them..... On the DVD (one episode on each side) you'll also find Interactive Menus, Interactive Film Trivia about Bonanza and information about the actors. A pity is the missing well-known "Bonanza"-tune. Now all the episodes start with a nasty kind of music. See Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright, a three time widower; Pernell Roberts as his eldest son Adam; big Dan Blocker as son Hoss; Michael Landon as the youngest son, Little Joe. It's nice to see all the famous characters back on the screen. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very different type of Bonanza.
They don't mean ape literally. They mean a man who has lived like an ape all his life and is now scaring everyone in Virginia City. Nobody likes him when they meet him, except Hoss. The ape loves a girl, who he thinks loves him back, but is really laughing behind his back. After the law goes after the ape, it's up to Hoss to lead him the right way. I'm pretty sure you will find this weird Bonanza entertaining. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tenderness was never in short supply on Little House on the Prairie, but this double feature got an extra sprinkling. In "A Christmas They Never Forgot," the entire extended Ingalls family (including Mary and Laura's husbands, this being a later-season show) gathers round the fire to swap tear-stained holiday memories. First up is gentle, soft-spoken Ma, who waxes sentimental when Esther Sue inquires about the "most unusual" necklace she's wearing--turns out it's a relic from Christmas past, a peace offering from a new step-pa whom Caroline, as a broken-hearted little girl, rejected outright during his first Christmas with his new family. Later, Laura remembers Mr. Edwards's snow-soaked adventure as a surrogate Santa to the girls--something that ingratiated him to Ma, who up to then eyed her daughter's wild-bearded spitting coach suspiciously. Then, Esther Sue meets up with her own pa during a sad stroll down a memory lane lined with racial prejudice. The same hackles-raising theme of prejudice is piped into the next episode, "The Craftsman." Here, Albert accepts an apprenticeship with old man Isaac, coffin supplier to the mercantile and the town's sole Jew. Despite the old man's peaceful, kindly nature, Albert is tagged a "Jew lover" and bullied by shortsighted farmers' sons. Being a boy of superior stock, he's nonetheless loyal to the old man, something he's grateful for when it comes time to visit the sage carpenter's own coffin. Throughout this episode, dear old Isaac dispenses the sort of wisdom--"Never be ashamed of work you've done, only be ashamed of what you haven't done"--that endeared this series to parents during its original run. With this release, the nostalgic can get weepy, as well as emotionally awoken, anew alongside younger generations. -Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Little House on the Prairie (A Christmas They Never Forgot/T
this is what christmas is all about

An Episode I'll Never Forget
A must-have for any real Christmas video collection. Each story told by the cast members of a long-ago Christmas is heartwarming and moving. A nice touch is the beautiful carols sung acapella by a choir as background music. For me, it belongs on that list of movies watched every year at Christmas...along with 'It's A Wonderful life', 'A Christmas Story', etc. Michael Landon will always be remembered in my home, as this movie will be played every year.

One of a Kind Family Entertainment
My favorite show of all time is "Little House on the Prairie." It was always on television until just recently. I was so excited to find that Amazon.com had the DVD's to purchase. I want my children to grow up with the down home, wholesome, family show of Little House. I was so upset that it is no longer on my cable system's networks but now I know that I can find the love of the Ingalls' family right here on Amazon.com.
Thanks!

Two Heartwarming Stories to Savor
This review refers to the Goodtimes Double Feature DVD.. "Little House on the Prairie..A Christmas They Never Forgot/The Craftsman".....

Two wonderful stories from the Little House series to warm your heart and make you smile are to found on Goodtime's great transfer of the beloved TV series.

In "A Christmas They Never Forgot", Laura and Mary are now grown and married, and are visiting Ma and Pa Ingalls along with Hester Sue. The whole family gets snowed in the tiny house and while the youngsters worry about Santa's arrival, the grown ups, each take turns telling heartwarming tales of special Christmas' of their youth. It's a wonderful episode to watch at holiday time or anytime and will have you running the usual range of emotions we are always treated to in these wonderful stories.

"The Craftsman" is the poignant and touching tale of Mr. Singerman. An old, lonely Jewish expert woodcarver, who takes Albert under his wing, to teach him the craft. Albert is then subject to harrassment and harshness from the other kids as being a "Jew Lover". But he develops a strong bond and deep admiration of the older gentleman. Laura also learns the value of tolerance. Although a dramtic episode, there are some priceless humorous moments, and Mr. Singerman's little gems of wisdom are fun as well.

Some of the guest stars you'll find in these two episodes are Newell Alexander, Tom Lester, Alvin Kupperman, Frank De Kova, Don "Red" Barry and of course Victor French as "Mr. Edwards". The music by David Rose is as always, stirring and perfect in setting the tone.

A nice sharp picture and good colors, with very good sound that is always distinguishable, makes for a great view of these classic TV programs. Each episode runs about 45 minutes, and they are both on the same side of the disc, so you can just enjoy for about an hour and half.

It would be nice if Goodtimes would issue more of these episodes and put more 4 pks together( there is one avaiable now) for those of that that just can't get enough of these entertaining and enlightening stories that deliver a great message of life and family values along the way.

Recommended for the whole family to enjoy together....have fun...Laurie

Little House on the Prairie
A Christmas they never forgot is my second favorite Little House on the Prairie second only to the premire movie.... A real joy to watch over and over again... The Craftsman is a joy to experience to notice over and over again... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sentimental Favorites
This review refers to the Goodtimes 2pack DVD edition of "Little House on the Prairie: The Premiere Movie/Remember Me"......

Fans of Little House will love these two sentimental favorite episodes that Goodtimes has put together in one great package.They are both wonderful examples of why this wholesome and inspiring series touched us 30 years ago and still touch us today.

"The Premiiere Movie" was the made for TV pilot, that introduced us to the Ingalls family and their quest to make a better life for themselves.The harrowing adventures, the love and joy, the tears and laughter as they journey from the 'Big Woods' of Wisconsin searching for a place to call home, will have you all choked up one minute and grinning ear to ear the next.You'll also meet Jack the dog, and Mr. Edwards for the first time and even they will have you laughing and crying. This one is feature length and runs 1hour 38 min(and you wont have to sit through any commercials).

The next is the very emotional "Remember Me". Oscar winner Patricia Neal("Hud") guest stars in this double length episode as a widow who learns she is terminally ill. She has three young children and turns to Charles to help her find a home for them.Charles promises to keep the children together, but fulfilling the promise proves difficult.The answer is out there..can Charles find it? This is one of the most touching episodes of all, so have the Kleenex handy for this one.It runs about an hour and a half.

The cast includes Michael Landon(Pa),Karen Grassle(Ma),Melissa Gilbert(Laura), Melissa Sue Anderson(Mary),Bonnie Bartlett(the widow Snyder) and the wonderful Victor French as Mr. Edwards.The series is based on the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and are a great way to spend family time together. Although these vintage episodes are nearly 30 years old, they stand the test of time and will always remain a great part of TV history.

The DVD transfers of this classic series by Goodtimes is very good. Some occasional flickering, but overall a nice clear view with good color and sound.These two episodes are also sold individually or you can purchase "The Premiere Movie" in a four pack which also includes "The Lord is My Shepherd",a double length episode guest starring Ernest Borgnine,"The Collection", guest starring Johnny and June Cash, and "Laura Ingalls Wilder", also a double length. If you are a really big fan or know someone who is, you can even purchase entire seasons(1,2 and 3) just released to DVD(not Goodtimes, but also very nice transfers). Season 1 does not include the pilot episode, so you would still have to purchase that one separately.

Share these wonderfully touching and inspiring clasics with a new generation!....enjoy...Laurie ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Little House Watcher
This 2 pack includes "The Lord is My Shepherd", and "Laura Ingalls Wilder". ... Read more

Reviews (1)

2 Great Bonanzas!
The Blodd Line is an emotional Bonanza about a boy who must get over his father's death. But Death at Dawn is really fun. The murderer, Farmer Perkins, laughs throughout the show. I know it's supposed to be a mean laugh, but it's hilarious. This guy killed a store cashier in cold blood and only the cashier's wife was an eyewitness to the murder. They sentence Perkins to hang, but his friend has held Ben to hostage to free Perkins. It's up to the three boys to save their pa and still hang Perkins. This is probably the best Bonanza dvd that you'll find. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby were the hippest cold warriors on 1960s TV, swinging spies who joshed, joked, and goofed like old chums between tight situations and cloak-and-dagger cases. They didn't merely make the world safe for democracy; they effectively broke the color barrier by giving us black and white partners as both friends and equals. The first DVD collection of episodes includes a pair of unrelated stories from late in the series. "A Few Miles West of Nowhere," directed by Arthur Marks (Detroit 9000), pits the boys against rural small-town godfather Andrew Duggan, a bully who turns the town into club-wielding vigilantes poisoned against all outsiders, especially government officials. Richard Kiel (Jaws from the James Bond films) costars as a giant half-wit who Duggan turns into a hateful henchman. "The Trouble with Temple," directed by Tom Gries (Helter Skelter), brings the boys to Spain where they investigate actor Jack Cassidy, who is suspected of smuggling state secrets, and meet not-so-dumb blonde Carol Wayne, Cassidy's sweet, smart, neglected girlfriend. "Temple" brims over with character at the expense of its espionage plot but delightfully breaks genre expectations, while "Nowhere" rather lazily falls into cliché. Ultimately, it's Culp's charm, Cosby's comic understatement, and the duo's loose patter and easy camaraderie that make these both thoroughly enjoyable episodes. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Two Hip Spies
Younger audiences may only know Bill Cosby from "The Cosby Show" and Robert Culp from "The Greatest American Hero", but this is the show that set them on their way. This series had the distinction of not only being the first action/drama series one to have an African-American in a prominent starring role, but it also was one of the most expensive shows to produce. Why? They filmed on location around the world. One of the coolest spy shows from the 1960s.

Great series, but only a good choice of stories
As a big fan of the series, there are much better episodes which could be released. However, the two episodes here are not exactly bad - and "A Few Miles West of Nowhere" is socially conscious in ways that Star Trek could never hope to accomplish (Trek is phony fiction, I Spy is real life by comparison).

Classic TV
It's good to see this groundbreaking tv series on DVD but I would have preferred to see the first two episodes rather than two arbitrary episodes from the middle of the shows run- especially since these seem to be the only two episodes available. Cosby and Culp are at the top of thier game. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Terrible Hossless...
No Hoss. Poor fellow died prior to this episode, so we don't get to see the big guy. But that's not what makes this episode terrible. If you want to see what really killed off this series, watch Landon (Little Joe) overacting in this reinterpretation of "The Miracle Worker". Painful! Poor Altman and Landon were just doing their jobs. The blame goes to the scriptwriter and producer of this wasted effort. IMPORTANT NOTE: The DVD does NOT use the original "Bonanza" title theme, which was probably too expensive for them to procure, but substitutes a nice little alternative country-music ditty. Should be banned from all reissue. Not worth watching, even for Altman fans, which begs the question ... why is it that [junk] like this is available, but Robert Altman's wonderful films "Three Women" and "Images" remain unattainable?

I don't know about the quality, but I know about the episode
Little Joe is in one of his best episodes in this one. He tries to teach a deaf girl to talk with her hands and needs the help of the girl's daughter. But there's another man who don't care about her talking; he just wants to kiss her and all. Anyway, so Little Joe gets a book to help teach her and she soon catches on. Until she says she's in love with Joe. The Joe gets mad, but apologizes. They go back to normal later and then it has a surprising ending. A great early Bonanza to own. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

THE HOTTEST SUPERCOUPLE ON TELEVISION!!!!
Johnathan and Jennifer Hart were the quintessential super sexy couple of the late 70's and early 80's!!!! They rocked as the jet-setting, totally in love, detective duo!!! They had it all, wealth, glamour,passion, and no kids!!!
I just loved the way they stumbled on to those unexpected exciting adventures and murder mysteries. They made it look so easy!!! This show worked on so many levels, you had Jennifer who was sexy as hell, and you didn't hate her because she was so beautiful. She was just so lovable!!! Then there was Johnathan, handsome, but not beefcake, had a great sense of humor, and the guy was completely smitten with his adoring wife. Let's face it they had the ultimate fantasy dream marriage that only existed on prime-time television!!!
I hope we the fans of this dynamite show wont have to wait too much longer for the dvd release, and it would be nice to see a current interview with Robert Wagner & Stephanie Powers. God! I can't believe Robert Wagner turned 75 recently, he looks fantastic!!! Stephanie Powers is still pretty well preserved as well. I would also love to see a couple of her best mini-series come to dvd in America, Mistral's Daughter and Deceptions.

CAN NOT WAIT FOR HART TO HART
Hello,

iam sorry about my english.

I saw HART TO HART first telecast in Germany when I was 14 years old. I love that show from the beginning and recording
on tapes. My love will not ending !!! I saw Stef & RJ in Munich
filming an HART TO HART movie and you can see me in the film, too. I talked with Stef & RJ, thy are so phantastic. RJ is absolutely MR. GENTELEMAN !!! So cool, friendly and nice. We have talkt about HART TO HART and my old FANCLUB.

HART TO HART- Complete on DVD !
That is what all the fans want. The Pilotmovie was never shown
in Germany. We love it so much !!! Hoping to see Jennifer & Jonathan Hart on DVD - than we have the true romance and crime on DVD FOREVER, in our hearts !!!

A true fan & friend from Stef, RJ and Lionel.

Yours, Mario from German (Luenen)

AT LONG LAST!
I've been waiting for this dvd release for years! Let's hope there will be lots of extras like outtakes and a Making of...
This is a series that was great from the start. The Pilot is classic and was never shown in Europe. Bring on the next seasons! You'll enjoy Hart to Hart, believe me!! Stefanie Powers, Robert Wagner and Lional Stander as Jennifer Hart, Jonathan Hart and Max....and when they met -- it was murder!

At last!
Finally!A release of this show on DVD is long over due.Lets hope we get all five seasons with decent extras! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

PLEASE RELEASE THIS ON DVD
THIS IS A GREAT SHOW, AND IS VERY WORTHY OF BEING PUT ON DVD.COMPARED TO OVERS, LIKE A-TEAM, MATLOCK BLOWS THEM OUT OF THE WATER! ... Read more