Amazon.com

The Ultimate Bob Hope Collection features over six hours of highlights from over a half-century of television specials by a true legend in American entertainment.In his staggering 50 years on NBC, Bob Hope created such a formidable mass of comic clips, bloopers, and salutes to troops, that a mere three-DVD set can barely contain them.Still, the collection brings together, for the first time on DVD, timeless sketches with such notable wags as Dean Martin, Phyllis Diller, Johnny Carson, and Jack Benny, and celebrates countless moments of hilarity with some of the biggest stars of the century, including John Wayne, Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.While this DVD set is, for the most part, a compilation of previous collections that have aired on NBC over the years, it still delivers the goods, and should prove a beloved addition to the collection of any Hope fan.It's a delight to have one of the most engaging comics of our time, and 50 years of him at that, at our very fingertips. --Karl Wachter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Best of Bob
A great retrospective of Bob's five decades on television, starting in 1950 and going through the 90's. This is a terrific 3 DVD set, featuring lots of extras that will bring back many memories. The set also features many great guest stars, and almost serves of a "who's who" of celebrities for several generations. The packaging is very deluxe too - it made a great gift for my Dad.

God speed Bob
Now that we have lost perhaps one of our greatest citizen's ever, can there truly be any collection of Bob Hope moments that is not worthy of having? We love you Bob... and we'll never forget you!

Thanks For the Memories, Bob!
Check out Bob Hope: The Ultimate Collection - you won't be disappointed! This is mostly the TV stuff from his years on NBC. Spreading more than seven hours of entertainment over three discs, the collection obviously isn't designed for one viewing, so it can be daunting to the viewer uncertain where much of the material fits within Hope's legacy. In celebration of Bob's recent 100th birthday, it nonetheless paints a breathtaking picture of a true American original. Included in the incredible amount of material are a compilation of moments from Hope's famous USO tours, vintage short films from the 1930s, an array of photos from Hope's personal collection, a massive amount of bloopers, outtakes and miscues, and a laundry list of celebrity guests. Ultimately, watching this collection provokes two-fold feelings - first, a twinge of sadness, because no one quite like Hope exists today, and then, conversely, a feeling of to-scale warmth and yes, hope. Here's a guy who loved America and making people laugh, always together, always in that order. As Hope himself is quoted on the package cover: "If you haven't any charity in your heart, then you have the worst kind of heart trouble." Beautifully put, Bob. I salute you.

Undeserving of its Subject
First off, the "remastering" here is deplorable. Five off the rack Bob Hope retrospectives dating from the '60s through the '90's. No attempt to return to the source material and clean it up. Also, the packaging seems to suggest an elaborate anthology especially prepared for this DVD release (timed to coincide with Hope's 100th birthday). Not the case. A major disappointment truly unworthy of its subject, the great Bob Hope.

Bob's Best
This is a great collection of 3 DVDs that covers Bob's television career from 1950 through his final special in 1995. The guest list is a virtual "who's who" of all the big television and movie stars of the period, and given the five decades it covers it really becomes a virtual history of television. Bob is terrific, and the quality of the remastering and packaging is top notch. Made a great gift for my WWII veteran Dad. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Trio of Treasures
This review refers to 3 disc DVD set(Warner Bros) of "The John Wayne Collection" including "Stagecoach", "The Searchers", and "The Cowboys" ....

First things first...Thanks Warner Bros!...This John Wayne collection offers a great selection of not only some of the Duke's finest westerns, but is definitive of the American Westerns we have come to love. Spanning over 30 years, these three films, give us a good look at Wayne from his early years as a rising star, to the later years when this legend just awed us with his on screen presence. The selection of these three films is terrific. The wonderful stars, the masterful direction, the magnifcent cinematography, captivating storylines,fabulous music, all in one great DVD package is a real cinematic treat.

First up is "Stagecoach" from 1939. Wayne is a wanted man who is along for the ride with a group of passengers, each not only battling their own demons and prejudices, but the elements of the rugged terrain and Indian attacks as well. And what a group...it also stars Claire Trevor, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell, and Donald Meek. This one is directed by the great John Ford and the black and white cinemaptogrpahy of this journey is absolutley stunning. The DVD transfer of this 65 year old film is not as pristeen as some other B/W classic of the era, but certainly looks good. a few scratches here and there, a little flickering, but once you are involved with this film, you won't even notice. The Dolby Dig sound is very good, all the sounds of the old west clear and distinct. The DVD includes some production notes, seven trailers, and has subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

"The Searchers" from 1956 is up next. Do they come any better than this? The Duke is a war weary ex-confederate who becomes obsessed with hunting down the Comanche tribe who has massacred his family and kidnapped his young niece. We follow him for years as he will not let go of his mission or his beliefs. Wayne is amazing in this role as we see his hatred turn into humanity. This one is also from Director John Ford, and may just be his masterpiece. It is filmed in technicolor, and the stunning scenary may be viewed in the original widescreen, but also has the option of a standard version. It also stars Hollywood greats Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond and Natalie Wood. I thought this was the best transfer of the three(although not the newest). The picture was clean and clear with very good sound. There are a couple of documentary shorts included, made at the time of the shoot, one has a brief interview with Natalie Wood(glowing from her recent Oscar nomination for "Rebel Without A Cause"). It may be viewed in or with subtitles in English, French and Spanish, and it also contains some production notes.

From 1971, "The Cowboys" finds our guy as an aging rancher who must hire 11 young boys to help him on a 400 mile cattle drive.
He's tough and gruff, but really has a way with the kids,(only The Duke can cure a boy's stuttering in less than 2 minutes!), and soon finds himself acting as both trail boss and father to the group. The drive is rough for all and has the added suspense of some bad hombres led by Bruce Dern who are out to rustle The Duke's cattle. Wayne turns in a touching performance and if it was up to me, would have recieved an Oscar for this role. Dern is the baddest of the bad as he goes after our hero. The film is not short on talent, Directed by Mark Rydell, it includes Roscoe Lee Brown, a young A. Martinez, and a small but meaty part for the wonderful Colleen Dewhurst. A nice widescreen presentation, the picture and color were good but seemed just a little dated to me.The sound remastered in DD 5.1 is fabulous. There's a great documentary included. "The Breaking of Boys and The Making Of Men", talks about how the boys were selected, and how they trained for their parts. There are 13 (count em ..13) trailers of Wayne films from the 30's through the 70's, informative production notes, and has languages and subtitles in English and French.

One other note...the price is right for this set. Checking the prices individually, this is practically like buying 2 and getting one free.They each come in their own snap case and have an outer sleeve for the set.

A Trio of Treasures for fans of The Duke.

Go for it!...Happy Trails...Laurie

A fabulous collection of some of the Duke's best films
This collection contains three of John Wayne's best Westerns at an affordable price. All three of these movies are spectacular, and include the movie that launched the Duke's career (Stagecoach), one from the height of his popularity (the Searchers), and one of his final masterpieces (the Cowboys). Each of these movies is moving in its own unique way:

STAGECOACH is the film that brought Wayne and the great director John Ford together. This is also Wayne's big break into stardom. He stars as the Ringo Kid, a confirmed killer with a noble heart and the ability to see people for what they truly are, not what they appear to be on the outside.

THE SEARCHERS is the classic story of one man's unrelenting search for his niece. The Duke's character, Ethan, spends years tracking a band of Indians all over the Southwest in a nearly impossible quest.

THE COWBOYS shows the fatherly side of the Duke. Wayne stars as an elderly ranchowner who is forced to hire kids for his cattle drive when all the grown men leave the area in search of gold. Along the way, the Duke teaches them about discipline, hard work, and, ultimately, honor.

This is a great addition to any movie buff's collection, and a must-have for any fan of Westerns in general. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As Walt Disney's fame grew during the 1930s, people wanted to know moreabout his studio and how the "Silly Symphonies" and Mickey Mouse shorts werecreated. Although Disney seldom allowed visitors, he periodically offeredviewers peeks inside into the studio through the films in this collection. In1937, Disney made A Trip Through the Walt Disney Studios for hisdistributor, RKO, to help the marketing campaign for Snow White. Thisin-house documentary was later reworked and released as a trailer for the studio'sfirst feature as How Walt Disney Cartoons Are Made. In 1941, humoristRobert Benchley toured the studio and chatted with the artists in TheReluctant Dragon. But the film was released during a bitterly fought strikethat belied its cheerful depiction of the studio.

During the '50s, Walt used his studio as a backdrop for several episodes of theDisneyland TV series. "The Story of the Animated Drawing" traces thehistory of the medium, including re-creations of Emil Reynaud's Théâtre Optique(1892-1900) and Winsor McCay's vaudeville routine with his landmark filmGertie the Dinosaur (1914). "Tricks of Our Trade," which focuses on thecreation of Sleeping Beauty, shows staged footage of four of thecelebrated "Nine Old Men"--Marc Davis, Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, and OllieJohnston--sketching. In the DVD bonus material, host Leonard Maltin traces thedevelopment of the studio facilities from a Los Angeles garage to its presentlocation in Burbank. Maltin also chats with Disney legend Joe Grant, who cowrotethe "Baby Weems" sequence in Reluctant Dragon. Recorded at the time ofGrant's 94th birthday, the artist displays the sly wit that continues to inspireanimators. (Unrated: Suitable for all ages: cartoon violence) --CharlesSolomon ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Disney 101
The Walt Disney Treasure series is a mix of great cartoons and some more obscure material. This DVD fits into the "obscure material" category, and has only a few animated segments.

From a Disney and Animation fan's point of view, this is a near perfect DVD set. Tons of inside information, interviews and snippets with talented Disney animators and voice actors and every good thing are included in the various documentaries. I particularly enjoyed the history of animation sequence in "The Story Of The Animated Drawing" and the interview with the voice of Donald Duck. It is so strange to watch him talk in Donald's voice!

Much of the information is redundant, and the same sequences show up in a few of the documentaries. The film, "The Reluctant Dragon" is fun, and has the best animated sequences of the set. However, as a theatrical release film is leaves much to be desired. As always, Leonard Maltin supplies interesting commentary and insights for the series.

Definitely not for the casual fan. However, I am sure glad that Disney released this collection. Educational and fun.

Wow! This IS Behind the Scenes!!!
Walt Disney Treasures Review 5: Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studios:Leonard Maltin has done it, again. He made in myopinion one of the most interesting. This may not be the greatest quality but it is perfect. Like all the other treasures, it opens with the Walt Disney Treasure Theater and intro with Leonard Maltin. When you get to the main menu, you should start at the "How Walt Disney Cartoons are Made." Here, you could choose to view it with a informational subtitle showing history about the short made in the 30s for Snow White. Leonard Maltin Introduces it as usual. After this, head over to the crown of the collection, the 1941 feature, "The Reluctant Dragon." Introduced by Leonard Maltin, this film was a compiltation of various cartoons including the one that gave the film its name. Slid in between it all was comedy footage of Robert Benchley taking a "Detour" of the studios. He looks for Walt and gets sidetracked as he visits the sound effects stage, a recording session with the voice of Donald Duck, visiting the Multiplane Camera, paint room, sees a storyboard for the short "Baby Weems, and sees the animator's desk of Ward Kimball and watches Goofy's "How to Ride a Horse." After this movie, take a peek at the the film, "A Trip Through Walt Disney Studios." This film was created for RKO to distribute Snow White. This was remade into "How Disney Cartoons are Made" and shown to the public. It is introduced by Leonard. Finally on disc one, take a look at a few bonus features. Go look at "Behind the Boards on Baby Weems" featurette, a "Leonard Maltin's Studio Tour" featurette, and a Reluctant Dragon Gallery. Disc 2 opens with an intro by Leonard. He then gets you prepared to watch the second half, the Behind the Scenes Disneyland Shows. The first one is the pioneering "The Story of the Animated Drawing." This show is in black and white and was the first of three shows Walt would make about animation. He talks about the history of animation with a remake of "Gertie the Dinosaur," a demo of "Koko the Clown," and early animation devices. It is introduced by Leonard. Second is "The Plausible Impossible." This show is in color and came after the show seen before. Walt talked about things that would be impossible in our world, but seem Plausible in animation. It is introduced by Leonard Maltin. Finally, the third show is "Tricks of Our Trade." This one is when Walt Disney shows tricks that he and his animators used to created special effects and easier ways to animate that other studios would never be able to do. It is introduced by Leonard Maltin. Final bonus features are, "Walt Disney Studios" gallery, a "Kem Weber Gallery," and "A Trip Through Walt Disney Studios" radio program. Considering all the things in the is limited edition set show's age, this is good quality. This is worthy of ten stars for content, and five for quality. Buy it before all 250,000 run out.

Also See:

Silly Symphonies
Mickey Mouse in Living Color
Disneyland USA
Davy Crockett
Mickey Mouse in Black and White
The Complete Goofy

"Yeah, that is a lot of beef."
What a treat this is. While this Treasure is probably the least popular of the series, it contains some of the niftiest information I've seen regarding animation. You get the full release of The Reluctant Dragon here, which is huge because I'm positive it hasn't been released to purchase before. There have been VHS tapes for just the animated short of the same name, but it's only a small bit of what you get in the whole package. It's part of a behind the scenes look at the studio, starring the great Robert Benchley. His wife has him take his story- The Reluctant Dragon down to the studio to try and get an animated feature made out of it. Along the way, he gets distracted many times, and in doing so, we get to see some of Disney's techniques in how his cartoons are made. From the sound studio, to the paint shop, to the huge camera used in Fantasia, to even a glimpse at the voice of Donald Duck, to much more. It's an honor to see how everything was done at that time. Robert does a fantastic job of making the trip enjoyable, and not boring. Back then, it took hundreds of people to get one small project done, and watching this feature gave me a new respect for Disney.

It's a shame the company has lost the magic it once had. Walt seemed like a genuine nice guy. He really did care about making people happy, and trying new things in animation. And you can't blame Roy E. Disney for leaving the company, stating "they don't put their hearts into anything anymore". Though it's sad the company is going to be forgotten once Pixar's contract with them expires. Compare every feature Disney's put out since The Hunchback of Notre Dame to some before that point. They're almost all forgettable, save the Pixar ones. And with recent efforts like Home on the Range, are they even trying any more? The animation quality of that looked like one of their many direct-to-video sequels which seem to be their new trend.

Also on disc 1 are 'A Trip Through the Walt Disney Studios' and 'How Walt Disney Cartoons Are Made'. They're both essentially the same program, with the second having a new narrator, some added dialogue, and clips from the premiere of Snow White. These were used as promotional bits to let people know what to expect soon. Leonard gives us a tour of the studio and well...*does halfway hand gesture* it's ok. It's not as in-depth as it could've been, but it was nice to see a few things not shown in any of the other programs. 'Behind the Scenes on Baby Weems' is a quick interview with Joe Grand. Also included are photo galleries from The Reluctant Dragon and the Disney Studios.

On disc 2 we get 3 Disneyland TV broadcasts: 'The Story of the Animated Drawing', 'The Plausible Impossible' and 'Tricks of Our Trade'. While they're all good, the best of the bunch is easily 'The Story of the Animated Drawing'. It's a thorough feature, going back over 100 years, showing us each step in the history of animation. I tell you, some of the guys in the late 1800's/early 1900's...they were geniuses. And if they could see how far animation's come since their time, it'd be overwhelming. Especially on how easy it is to make a cartoon now. From inventors using huge reels of film to project their short features on screen, to carnival sideshows using animation in their attractions. After watching this one, I almost hate all new forms of animation techniques. Using a computer to create huge CG worlds is nothing compared to what some of these guys went through just to give people something new to see.

There's also a rare Australian radio interview with some of the Disney crew and Walt. It's enjoyable, if a bit fake. The woman interviewing everyone has little personality, and the whole thing seems edited just to fit her responses. Never the less, they shed good information, including a little bit on Song of the South. Just hearing them talk about that is a tease since it's likely to not be rereleased ever again. C'mon Disney, that was how animation was done back then. You put can put out dozens of cartoons showing how you portrayed Asians and Germans, but African Americans is a no-no? I hope people keep petitioning to get Song of the South released again. The big fuss Disney's making over it makes it sound like it's just the most racist piece of film ever released. I saw some of it a few years ago and it was nothing but a happy family short. But Leonard's done a good job giving us these gems, and if anyone can get SotS for us, it's him.

There's also a gallery for Kem Webber's art. I couldn't find any Easter Eggs on either disc, so I doubt there are any.

If you see this Treasure laying around, get it. I got mine just a few weeks ago for the same price as the new Treasures amazingly. Since it's the least popular from the second wave released 2 years ago, some are still laying around I guess. But don't get these from Amazon's Used & New- most of the sellers say they're new, but are missing the tin. How do you just go and lose the tin for these? Obviously they're bootlegs. Good luck though. I'd place this right behind On the Front Lines as far as the total package goes.

Walt Disney Treasures Part 5: Behind the Scenes at WDS
Walt Disney Treasures Review 5: Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studios:Leonard Maltin has done it, again. He made in myopinion one of the most interesting. This may not be the greatest quality but it is perfect. Like all the other treasures, it opens with the Walt Disney Treasure Theater and intro with Leonard Maltin. When you get to the main menu, you should start at the "How Walt Disney Cartoons are Made." Here, you could choose to view it with a informational subtitle showing history about the short made in the 30s for Snow White. Leonard Maltin Introduces it as usual. After this, head over to the crown of the collection, the 1941 feature, "The Reluctant Dragon." Introduced by Leonard Maltin, this film was a compiltation of various cartoons including the one that gave the film its name. Slid in between it all was comedy footage of Robert Benchley taking a "Detour" of the studios. He looks for Walt and gets sidetracked as he visits the sound effects stage, a recording session with the voice of Donald Duck, visiting the Multiplane Camera, paint room, sees a storyboard for the short "Baby Weems, and sees the animator's desk of Ward Kimball and watches Goofy's "How to Ride a Horse." After this movie, take a peek at the the film, "A Trip Through Walt Disney Studios." This film was created for RKO to distribute Snow White. This was remade into "How Disney Cartoons are Made" and shown to the public. It is introduced by Leonard. Finally on disc one, take a look at a few bonus features. Go look at "Behind the Boards on Baby Weems" featurette, a "Leonard Maltin's Studio Tour" featurette, and a Reluctant Dragon Gallery. Disc 2 opens with an intro by Leonard. He then gets you prepared to watch the second half, the Behind the Scenes Disneyland Shows. The first one is the pioneering "The Story of the Animated Drawing." This show is in black and white and was the first of three shows Walt would make about animation. He talks about the history of animation with a remake of "Gertie the Dinosaur," a demo of "Koko the Clown," and early animation devices. It is introduced by Leonard. Second is "The Plausible Impossible." This show is in color and came after the show seen before. Walt talked about things that would be impossible in our world, but seem Plausible in animation. It is introduced by Leonard Maltin. Finally, the third show is "Tricks of Our Trade." This one is when Walt Disney shows tricks that he and his animators used to created special effects and easier ways to animate that other studios would never be able to do. It is introduced by Leonard Maltin. Final bonus features are, "Walt Disney Studios" gallery, a "Kem Weber Gallery," and "A Trip Through Walt Disney Studios" radio program. Considering all the things in the is limited edition set show's age, this is good quality. This is worthy of ten stars for content, and five for quality. Buy it before all 250,000 run out.

Also See:

Silly Symphonies
Mickey Mouse in Living Color
Disneyland USA
Davy Crockett
Mickey Mouse in Black and White
The Complete Goofy

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Looking beyond the curtain
Out of all the Disney Treasures releases, this will probably be the most overlooked. Sure, it doesn't have Mickey Mouse or Goofy or those wonderful Silly Symphonies. Instead, we get prehaps the best look into one of the most important studios in cinema history at its peak. The set is not the most entertaining, but it's the one set that shows the brillance of the House of Mouse (and shows what once was and lost now at Disney) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Final series makes it to DVD
The final season of the original Avengers finally comes to DVD & VHS in region one. "The Forget me knot," the debut episode of Ms. Tara King played by Linda Thorson, was released back in 1998, but only now is the entire series seeing the light of day - and it's been well worth the wait.

There are many of course who do not rate these last adventures featuring the debonair John Steed as Britain's top government agent as highly as what had gone before, and it's easy to see why. Steed's pairing originally with Mrs Gale (Honor Blackman) and later Mrs Peel (Diana Rigg) had been an excellent match for his skills. With Mrs Peel leaving the show, the producers, Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell followed suit and John Bryce was brought back to the programme, following his stint producing the early Mrs Gale episodes.

The first thing Bryce did was to cast his girlfriend, twenty one year old Canadian Linda Thorson as Steed's new assistant, Miss Tara King. In order to complete the delivery of episodes to the US market, production was fairly rushed, and what came out of it was deemed substandard. Bryce was sacked and Fennell and Clemens brought back to rescue the production. Clemens was particularly unhappy about Linda Thorson's role, but it was too late in the day to do anything about it. They set about filming the initial block of 8 episodes (extended to 9), rehashing two of the abandoned Bryce episodes, and bringing back Mrs Peel for the one-off story "The forget me knot" to introduce the new character of Tara (although this "debut" was actually filmed third). Once these episodes were ready, they set about producing the final batch of 24.

There is a very significant shift in the character of Tara King between these two production blocks as Thorson began to gain confidence in the part. Also added as a regular into the later stories is Steed & Tara's boss, "Mother," played by Patrick Newell. Thorson's inexperience and the naivety of the character are often cited as the reason the show was cancelled after these episodes were transmitted. Personally, I think the inclusion of the very annoying "Mother" to be a far more valid reason. But it's all a matter of taste.

The stories are included on the discs in the order they were first transmitted in the UK. I would strongly recommend viewing them in PRODUCTION ORDER (easy to track on any Avengers website). There are several reasons for this. It's easier to warm to Miss King as you follow her character development. It also makes more sense to understand her constant hair changes and costume. She started as a blonde, moved to a be-wigged brunette, and only in the latter 24 episodes did we see Thorson's own hair. We can also see how the actress started in "slimmed down mode" (on the orders of the TV station) but regained her lost weight as the series moved along. The character also started out as a complete "spy" trainee, but by the second production block, had become one of the most experienced agents in Mother's department. I also enjoyed seeing the rehashed sets from episode to episode too. All these nuances are lost by following the stories strictly in disc order, and indeed the characterisation of the leads is actually confusing if you simply watch the shows in disc order.

As for the discs themselves, sadly A&E have once again neglected to include any extras at all. All there is are a few still photos, although it has to be said that the menus are at least very well done. The picture quality is certainly very sharp, but there are definitely flaws due to sparkle and dirt. Sadly, "You'll catch your death" has been transferred incorrectly, and the picture strobes and jumps throughout. Clearly no-one at A&E was paying much attention to the remastering process.

Clemens believes this batch of episodes to be the best of the entire run of The Avengers. He has stated that everything came together right in terms of production and scripts. I can't say I agree entirely. They are certainly as enjoyable as anything else, but the total fantasy nature of the stories and the weakness of Tara and Mother characters combine to take the edge away when compared to the earlier Peel episodes. Regardless, it's all camp and wacky fun and I still highly recommend this collection to any fan of the series as there is plenty here to enjoy.

THE BEST DVD YET!!!
I JUST GOT THIS DVD TODAY AND I HAVE TO SAY I THINK IT IS THE BEST YET. THE STORIES ARE AS FOLLOWS

WISH YOU WERE HERE.. TARA BECOMES TRAPPED IN A HOTEL SHE CAN NEVER LEAVE....

STAY TUNED...STEED FINDS HIMSELF LIVING THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN ONE PROBLEM NO ONE ELSE DOES.

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER-STEED AND TARA CHASE A TALKING BREIFCAST TO CATCH A SPY...MOTHER!!!

FOG...STEED AND TARA CHASE THE GASLIGHT GHOUL TARA FINDS HIM IN HER APARTMENT.

HOMICIDE AND OLD LACE..MOTHER TELLS A THRILLING ADVENTURE TO HIS ELDERLY AUNTS INVOLVING STEED AND TARA.

LOVE ALL...STEED AND TARA FIND ROMANCE MAY NOT BE DEAD AFTER ALL BUT THE MEN WHO FALL FOR THIS LADY CLEANER SURE ARE.

GETAWAY...TWO OF STEEDS FREIND ARE KILLED BY AN INVISIBLE MAN AND STEED IS NEXT.

ALL IN ALL THE STORIES HERE ARE VERY GOOD BUY THIS NOW I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. ONE MORE LITTLE THING THE BOX I GOT WAS RED NOT THAT GARISH YELLOW ON THE PICTURE ABOVE. ... Read more

Description

"LOST IN SPACE" SEASON ONE DVD Special Features And Disc Content Specifics:

The "LOST IN SPACE" season one episodes are compiled on one single layered and seven dual-layered discs (full frame, aspect ratio 1.33:1).Episodes are presented in black and white, with English mono and Spanish mono. In addition, the following episodes are featured on each disc:

Disc 1

The Reluctant Stowaway
The Derelict
Island In The Sky
There Were Giants In The Earth

Disc 2

The Hungry Sea
Welcome Stranger
My Friend, Mr. Nobody
Invaders From the Fifth Dimension

Disc 3

The Oasis
The Sky Is Falling
Wish Upon A Star
The Raft

Disc 4

One Of Our Dogs Is Missing
Attack of the Monster Plants
Return From Outer Space
The Keeper- Part 1

Disc 5

The Keeper- Part 2
The Sky Pirate
Ghost In Space
The War of the Robots

Disc 6

The Magic Mirror
The Challenge
The Space Trader
His Majesty Smith

Disc Seven

The Space Croppers
All That Glitters
The Last Civilization
A Change Of Space

Disc Eight

Follow The Leader
No Place to Hide (Unaired pilot) ... Read more

Reviews (157)

Lost in Lost in Space
"Lost in Space" began as a serious science fiction adventure series about a family of space travelers who becomes marooned on an unknown planet thanks to the wreckless efforts of stowaway Dr. Zachary Smith who programmed the environmental control robot to destroy the Jupiter 2. This first season shows some of the very best episodes of the series. It also includes the unaired pilot "No Place to Hide" as well as the promo for the network.
"Lost in Space" has always been my favorite space program even today. It has comedy, adventure, family values, and is enjoyable for the entire family.
Yes, the show became terribly campy in its second and third seasons but even in the camp, there are some good stories hidden in the plots.
The DVD set itself is outstanding. It has a handsome case, each disk case containing a picture of a cast member as well as a color coded disk. I found no problems in video or audio while viewing the episodes and I also was glad to be able to watch these shows completely unedited.
As a side note, the last episode has a trailer for the first color episode which is the first episode in season 2. Hopefully it will wet people's appetite for more episodes. I understand that seasons 2 and 3 will be available soon.
I am very pleased that "Lost in Space" is available on DVD and I certainly hope to see more shows with good morals and family values coming to DVD to keep for a very long time.

The Holy Grail... LIS Season One is finally coming !
This is the Beginning...

Almost 6 years after the Jupiter 2's 1997 launch date, and two years short of it's 40th aniversary, Lost In Space is coming to DVD.

Oh joy! Oh, rapture!

I was all of 9 years old when this show premired, and for three years, every Wensday night at 6:30 on WMT, in Cedar Rapids Iowa, I would gobble up every episode.

Fast foreward to the present. WMT is now KGAN, and during the passage of time, Seasons 2 and 3 have lost thier appeal to me, except for one or 2 of the episodes, such as "Visit To A Hostile Planet". However, Year one has always held it's magic, when Doctor Smith was a truly nasty and evil villan, the show was in glorious Black and White, and it was presented in a wonderful SERIALIZED format.

(God, I hope Fox keeps those "Teasers" intact.)

Lost In Space Season One has always been a "Holy Grail" to me, ever since I started video collecting. And to hear that the unaired pilot "No Place To Hide" will be included makes this even more of a joy. Anyone who has seen it will know what I mean. Irwin's ORIGINAL vision for Lost In Space was far diffrent than what CBS and Fox wound up giving us. Too bad it didn't work out that way, but by far, Year One was truly the best, and the one I want to own.

UPDATE: January 13th, 2004

Just got my set. despite it's lack of extra goodies, this will be the most treasured DVD set in my collection. Well worth every Penny (I know... Bad pun) I paid for it. Thank you Fox Video, and a special blast of the thrusters to Amazon.com for making this set so affordable.

Wonderful!
I bought this the day it came out. The next couple of weeks, I watched one or two episodes every night when I got home from work. I thoroughly enjoyed every episode. It gave me something to look forward to after a long days work. Dr. Smith rules!

Lost In Space, a Timeless Classic
The Lost In Space DVD collection would be great for science fiction buffs out there. I love science fiction, and I was not even close to being born when this show was out, but thought I would give this a whirl. In each and every episode, the Robinson family, and the coniving, cold, selfish, yet, some how lovable Dr. Smith get in to adventure after adventure with various different life forms. The show bases its plot around the dear Robinson's being launched into space as the first family to live in space and loose their course and get stranded. Before launch, however, ornrey Dr. Smith gets caught on the ship and travels with them. Through each and every episode, they keep you engrossed in what will happen and really make you want to keep watching the next episode after also. There are also various other characters in the show, of course the fabulous robot, who in each episode, keeps getting more and more personality. I would definitley say, this is very entertaining, and very funny! I would recommend this to any one and can't wait until they come out with the second season. Only one question, why don't they ever show this on re-runs? Before this came out, I never heard of it and that is rather sad. I believe this is one of the best shows of all time!

2nd Season worth the wait but...
The 1st season was great to have. 20th century should NOT be so overly concerned about sales for this series. We've waited long enough as fans growing up. I say release it already, get it over with and satisfy the fans. There's no legal battles going on; they own it outright!,,(a la batman tv series,yeah..can anyone say comic book series legal web??)That's an identical fan frustration for some but that's an eternity at best.

20th never released Lost in Space in VHS in 'total' either through that continuity offer with Columbia house TV deal.

I'm not happy....spare me 20th Century...Not every box set makes money...it's not about that...Remember to give something back once in a while...that's entertainment...... ... Read more

Reviews (620)

The Ultimate
2001 is the ultimate cinematic experience. This movie has it all for fans of film. When i say this, I don't mean your casual film goer who thinks "2 fast 2 furious" is an instant classic, I mean those who appreciate film for what it is. For those pop culture movie goers, this film will bore them within five minutes. But, those who appreciate the art of film, will drool over the sheer awe that this movie has.
The story is a little more than simple. It starts in prehistoric africa where Moonwatcher the man-ape and his clan. A mysterious monolith appears and teaches them the use of crude, but usful tools in order to eat. It suddenly jumps (via on of the best jumps cuts ever) inot space in the year 2001 where a monolith has been discovered buried in the moons surface. When it is dug up it sends an ear peircing ringing through all of space, a sort of call letting the worlds know it is time. We then jump to the Jupiter mission in which the main story starts. This is where Hal 9000 makes his first appierence with Dave and Frank. We all should know what happens next.
This movie, released in 1968 but filmed before, was a technological phenomenon. Not even star wars can hold up to the power of 2001. The scene in which Dave enters the monolith could be one of the best in cinema. It is a filmed acid trip pretty much. Except it gave us a look at what other constalations might look like (remember we weren't even on the moon yet).
This is Kubricks best film, and by far and away one of the top five films ever made.

Still a masterpiece
Regardless of how "bored" some (probably adolescent) viewers may become (forced to maintain their attention span over vast minutes of time on something other than sex, car chases and dripping blood), this is obviously a great movie. At least for the rest of us. Rated in the top 250 (#66) at IMDb, and the subject of innumerable articles and reviews, Stanley Kubrick's much studied and admired visual, artistic and thematic masterpiece, based on the novel by Arthur C. Clarke, is still--remarkably, after all these years--a mesmerizing motion picture experience even on a television screen.

This is no mean accomplishment when you realize that Kubrick made his film before humans actually walked on the moon in 1969, and furthermore, when you consider how much more we now know about space travel and how much more advanced special effects have become. What I think contemporary movie makers might learn from Kubrick's work is (1) special effects without rhyme or reason may titillate first time viewers and the very young, but quickly grow meaningless; and (2) even in a movie that relies heavily upon special effects and ideas--which 2001: A Space Odyssey certainly does--it helps a whole lot to have a story to tell.

The story begins in the prehistory and ends in the future. It begins with a pre-human consciousness and ends in mystery. (Note that the last sequence in the movie is labeled in part as being "beyond the infinite"--whatever that metaphysical notion may mean.) Along the way we have a creditable hero (Astronaut Dave Bowman played by Keir Dullea, whom I also recall from David and Lisa, 1962) and a very cold and merciless villain (HAL 9000, the computer as megalomaniac--apparently his makers never heard of Issac Asimov's rules for robots!).

Today we know more about pre-humans and more about computers, artificial intelligence and space exploration, and with such knowledge today's movie makers would avoid some of Kubrick's mistakes. For example, the space craft was far too roomy (ask the astronauts!). Real space ships must be as small as possible to save fuel and they are incredibly cramped. Also, the year 2001 has come and passed, and we are nowhere near the practical capability of providing artificial gravity in space. And of course computers (or robots) don't have emotions unless such emotions are built or programmed into them.

Yet the visual sense of space and the terrible isolation of being alone in the vast vacuum has never been conveyed so well. Using music synchronized with visual effects laden with meaning for our earth-bound minds and bodies, Kubrick managed to depict the Pythagorean "music of the spheres" in a most splendiferous and awe-inspiring way.

However, the opening sequence with the hairy apes is probably what Kubrick would most like to redo if he had the opportunity. In the first place, the terrain, which is semi-arid, is all wrong. No hairy, long-armed, bent-legged creature would occupy such a landscape. The "foraging" they were supposed to be doing was ludicrous since there was obviously next to nothing to forage. The tapirs (forest-dwelling animals native to South America and Southeast Asia, by the way, and not to the savannas of Africa, which should have been the terrain depicted) were almost comedically fat for the ecosystem. And the apes themselves, looking and acting a lot like chimpanzees (no doubt the model that Kubrick used), are in conflict with the fossil record as we know it. Our primordial ancestors, the australopithecines, were upright walking apes and probably not exceedingly hairy since they needed to sweat as they walked and ran over the savannas and grasslands of East Africa.

As for using bones as weapons, yes, there can be little doubt that that is what our ancestors learned to do, followed by using hard wood and stones and then shaped stones. And the idea that a bone tool is a proto-type for all the tools to come is also correct, most saliently in the form of the space ship and HAL.

An interpretation of the ending would necessarily include the idea of time as being something other than we think it is. We see Dave as an astronaut in his thirties, and then as a middle-aged man dining in something like a very expensive Parisian apartment, and then on his death bed, and finally as a soon-to-be-born fetus returning to earth. I think it was wise of Kubrick not to attempt to explain what he clearly points to as unexplainable, as "beyond the infinite."

Perhaps the most haunting image of all, at least for me, is the red and yellow "eye" of the HAL 9000 computer as it coldly viewed the two astronauts talking. Therein was expressed, long before it became fashionable, the coming inexorable conflict between us and our machines, between our culture and our biological nature, between natural and artificial intelligence. Never in the history of cinema has that tension been so concisely conveyed as in that scene and in this movie.

See this for Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest film makers of all time.

the movie that set the standard in sci fi
in 68,this movie was the best sci fi film ever.in it there is this force referred to as the monolith.it shows up at different points in time.finaly,a space crew goes to check it out.it is too intellectual for children.stanley kubrik directs so you know-since hes the greatest directer ever and all-that this movie is a classic!it is better than the sequel.thinkers will like it.in 68 there wasnt a computer paranoia like today.in this film,kubrik explores what would happen if the computer decided to just take the hell over.an idea not toyed with for years to come.he was a visionary.the music in it is very good too.for you wrestling fans,ric flairs theme song begins it.an abselute must for sci fi fans.

One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made.
This was a brilliant movie. It never ceased to make interesting theories concerning life other than ours, whether or not we should be in space, and how exploration of the ether will affect our lives.

The film opens up with pre-historic man. They are shaggy, ape-like creatures who fight in loud blasts of sound, calls, etc. But at one point, they discover an immense slab of rock that is so finely crafted, they conclude it was made by "something." And with that, they discover they can use left-over bones as weapons, furthering their standing on the planet.

That is the not only the opening for the film itself, but also for its mood and thesis. It makes the case that knowledge of greater beings will propel us into greatness ourselves, using advanced artifacts as motivation and example. But the movie will eventually take a darker turn you'll have to explore for yourselves. If I went into any of the symbolism, I would be writing an essay, not a review, and could potentially ruin your experience.

As a film, it is not traditional by any means. I've heard of people walking out at the premier muttering furiously about how there was no story, or that they had no idea what Kubrick was trying to say and that his obsession with imagery and perfection led to the demise of what could have been a masterpiece. But to those who stayed and to those who see it now, it is apparent Kubrick meant to be challenging and intelligent: this is not for the light-hearted or the impatient. For instance, many of the sequences are realistically slow, such as an early docking sequence. But the images are so engrossing, I doubt you'll turn away.

And to top off Kubrick's obvious genius, there is an unforgettable soundtrack of famous classical music that complements the imagery so well, Kubrick left it in over an underscore that was being prepared. It often conveys the mood very well, expressing wonderment, curiosity and fright with incredible power. If you can't take the movie, if you can't take its themes and its slow-moving plot, if you can't take the sparse dialog (this is essentially a silent movie), at least sit back, close your eyes and watch the film through the tones and moods the music evokes: it matches Kubrick's imagination with every moment from the opening shot of an orb to the end shot of a star-child floating among the nebular and the giant.

Quick-Buck artists ruin a classic.
The video detail and special effects are great. The aspect ratio is good, but the sound track has been trashed. No bass, garbled treble and a dolby 5.1 remastering that sounds as if it was recorded off a small radio in another room. The producers of this remake should be ashamed. The original sound track would blow you away. I was very dissapointed to say the least. What a waste! I wish I could talk to their sound people. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Early adventures for Steed
For all the fans of The Avengers familiar with the Emma Peel/Tara King era of the show, these early episodes featuring Cathy Gale and Venus Smith may come as something of a disappointment. In fact, fans of the later shows may find it hard to believe that they are even part of the same TV series!

After the initial run of 26 episodes featuring Police Surgeon David Keel and his cohort John Steed had aired in the UK in 1961/62, the producers of the program opted to bring Steed to the forefront of the action and give him a number of different "assistants." Thus, for season two, 26 further episodes were made and broadcast in 1962/63 featuring Steed abetted by Martin King, Venus Smith or Cathy Gale. Mrs. Gale turned out to be the most popular and successful foil for the suave agent, and the other characters did not return after season two. Unlike the later Peel/King stories which were all made on film, these studio based TV shows are much more reliant on dialogue and plot than visual elements, and can be somewhat heavy going as a result.

A&E is releasing these stories in a somewhat confusing order, and has started with season three. The first two sets released, Avengers 64 1 & 2, feature the LAST six episodes of season three. Next comes Avengers 63 sets 1 & 2 which comprises of the first half of the season. Next up in the release order is 63 sets 3 & 4 which precede 1 & 2 in running order and in fact feature the last seven stories from season two, plus the first from season three. Confused? Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, since thankfully there's no real reason to watch the stories in chronological order anyway.

What is interesting is the development of the production standards. 63 sets 3 & 4, featuring the latter stories from season two, are far more rudimentary in terms of production quality. The sets are extremely small and sparse; The direction very slap-hazard; Camera work shoddy; Sound is extremely poor; and the acting is negligible. With no budget for editing or reshooting, all the actor's fluffs and goofs stayed in. Steed's character is far less suave and sophisticated then he became later during his familiar role alongside Mrs. Peel, and the relationship with Mrs. Gale in particular is at first downright hostile with very little warmth between the two. He seems to get along much better with Miss Venus Smith, a night club singer who he engages at various gigs to act as his eyes and ears. Venus is a very odd character, and played strangely, but enthusiastically by Julie Stevens. She looks about 12, sings like she's forty, and dresses like anything in between. She also seems extremely naïve and it's hard to imagine why Steed engages her to help him at all. The far more intelligent and elegant Mrs. Gale does eventually warm up to Steed, and in the season three stories where she is the exclusive companion to him, their relationship develops nicely and they become much warmer and closer to each other.

The production values on season three are also much better than the earlier episodes. The sets became larger and more elaborate. The direction, lighting and sound improved greatly and the acting was much less wooden. Some editing was clearly allowed on these later stories, whereas the earlier ones clearly were broadcast as if they were live. There's a terrific blunder in "Six hands across a table," where Cathy is called "Ros" in one scene, and both actors realize the mistake, but keep going.

The quality of the DVD's is somewhat disappointing, even accounting for the age of the material and the production values mentioned above. It may not be the case, but it certainly appears that A&E have made no attempt whatsoever to re-master the original tapes, and the flaws, jumps, scratches and sound blips are too numerous to mention. Virtually every episode on 63 sets 3 & 4 are hampered by picture and sound flaws and defects. Things do improve for 63 1 & 2 and 64 1 & 2, but the quality is still disappointing. Mind you, it appears they have done nothing to clean up the Tara King episodes either!

As a big fan of the series, I wouldn't even consider not having these episodes in my collection, but if you're looking for the wacky camp humor and the tele-fantasy of the Peel/King eras, these stories may not be for you.

An Inimitable Partnership
Not a very gentleman-like Steed you say? Before the good old days you say? If you fondly remember that great British import that we watched on TV way back in the 60s then you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. Yet, you may be surprised by this one. John seems a bit rough and tumbled around the edges. And his partner is quite a looker. In this case it is not John and Emma, but instead John and Kathy Gale (Honor Blackman). Still you may likely be concerned about the quality of the product. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. All these episodes were shot directly to videotape and they have great historic value to lovers of the show. 'Warlock' is my favorite episode. Very creepy that one is.

Of more historical interest than dramatic at this point
Of the 160 "Avengers" episodes telecast since its inception (recorded on 1/61) to the last of the Tara King entries (5/69), numbers 41-128 are now available from A&E on tape and DVD. This means we have almost all of the Cathy Gale's and all of the Diana Rigg's, which is saying a lot! The latest entry in this series is that give us those telecasts starting with "Intercrime" (1/63) and ending with "Brief for Murder"(5/63).

In reviewing the other sets, I stated that we must judge these older offerings on their own merits without comparing them unfairly with what was to come when Rigg took over. Here we must even forget the more fanciful Honor Blackman episodes that began after the ones included in these sets; for indeed many of these are pretty cut and dry detective plots without much imaginative development or even witty dialogue. (An exception is a female character's claiming that in her act she does "interesting things with stuffed snakes"!)

The best one of all is the last, which is really the opening of the third Avengers season. Here we have Steed apparently involved in treason and then in a murder, the latter being that of Cathy Gale. Since we simply KNOW that the whole thing has to be a put up, the suspense is minimal. However the acting is the smoothest of all the episodes in these sets, special thanks given to John Laurie and Harold Scott, who play two lawyer brothers determined to make legal history in a way that followers of the O.J. murder trial will find very up to date.

Some of the telecasts find Julie Stevens as Venus Smith in place of Honor Blackman; and I for one found myself fast forwarding through the two obligatory songs she was given in each of her appearances. As always, the chemistry between Steed and Gale is never that between Steed and Peel. Gale seems to display more annoyance than admiration for him; and frankly I do find his character a little too cocky, enough to make me agree with her.

It is always fun to spot actors who will appear in future episodes or as stars in their own right in the years after these shows were recorded. We have a very young Paul Eddington ("The Good Neighbors," "Yes, Minister"), Philip Latham (the Rigg episode "Room Without a View" and the series "The Pallisers")--to name only two.

Still, there is enough enjoyment in these old telecasts, which (by the way) seem to have a better picture and sound quality than early issues of later shows; but still with occasional blurring and jumping, much of which I suspect is in the original tapes, and now and then fuzzy sound, due mostly to the accents. ... Read more

Reviews (128)

Not even a traditional SCI-FI fan
Star Trek bores me, and Star Wars doesn't do much for me either. So that disqualifies me from being a Sci-Fi geek. That being said, I've reviewed a handful of movies on Amazon, but I've never reviewed my favorite of all time. Year after year, this one stands out: The Time Machine, first viewed during my junior year of high school, is my favorite movie of all time.

The movie is very easy to get interested in. It brings up the What If questions about the world you ask yourself and your dearest friends. The dialogue is clever and enjoyable. And Rod Taylor is the perfect gentleman time traveler.

Some people can't handle the 1960 special effects... Appreciate the nostalgia.
Romance. Action. Intruige. Suspense. Emotion. Watch this thrilling movie about much more than TIME TRAVEL, and you'll find yourself loving it, too.

And when you're finished watching the movie, you'll be taking a few minutes to think about starting your own civilization...and what three books you would take to help you build THE FUTURE!

And then you'll stop thinking and look for something else to watch on TV.

An Ageless Enthralling Classic of Sci Fi
As gorgeous as the new time machine is, its hard to imagine it can ever top the beauty of the original. Watching the film again today the elegance and detail in the design astonish me. The machine is unforgetable but its the intelligently crafted story and character filled casting in this version that can still fill young hearts with wonder at the possibilities of time travel. Its amazing how the initial half of the film seems as contemporary a tale as when it was first invented. It is only in the land of the far distant future that the film turns into a traditional pulp heroic adventure. But the evil underground dwellers, the morlocks with their blue skin, white hair and glowing eyes remain quite scary and create wonderful tension and excitement. This is a really fun adventure film that warrants its classic status because it can still be apreciated today.

Accompanying the film is a sentimental featurette documenting the finding of the original time machine in a thrift shop and its loving restoration. The film is hosted by the original star Rod Taylor who reprises his role with his co-star Alan Young (Wilbur Post on Mr. Ed) at the end of the feature performing a ten minute skit that imagines a scenario where H.George Wells returns in his time machine to convince his friend to time travel with him to prevent his death in a soon to happen WWI plane crash. The affection for this film for everyone connected with it is palpable as they wistfully delight in telling stories of the experience. Oddly enough one of the big reasons I purchased this DVD at this time was the cover art was so beautiful I had to have it. Click on the Amazon.com icon for this film to see a larger version. It must be one of the best movie posters ever made. Good companion pieces to this film are Fantastic Journey and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Don't let it fool you
I gave it 5 stars just for the movie, but this edition deserves 3, cause you see the audio cd shown on the picture won't be inside the package. I returned it, and got myself the standard version, cause I bought this edition most for the cd. The picture is from an initial pressing of this edition and is no longer available, you'll get all the stuff you see, but no cd. I just thought you'd better know it.

The Time Machine still a timeless classic
Rod Taylor, Alan Young, and Yvette Mimieux star in George Pal's "The Time Machine", a great sci fi movie based on the novel by H.G. Wells.

Taylor plays George an inventor in the late 18th century (1899 to be exact) who makes a machine that can go back in time.

At first his colleagues are skeptical, but when they see George's small model machine that goes back in time, they start to believe him.

George's best friend, and supporter is David played by Alan Young.

George takes the machine back, because he is sick of the present time, with war being brought on.

He travels to the early and middle 1900's and to his shock , George finds out that Man's future lies in war (which is pretty accurate even up to today's time).

He sees how WWI and WWII started, and even sees when his house is destroyed by an enemy plane!

George then travels far into the future, the year 802701, to see if mankind has any hope of living in peace.

At first, he sees a great paradise with many people (mostly children) play about in solitude. But when one lady named Weena, starts to drown, he sees that no one seems to care. He rescues her, and after talking to the other youths, he learns that they learned nothing from their ancient ancestors.

The books they have are old and buried.

They have lived the good the life, based on the sacrifices from mankind, and they don't appreciate it (which is another accurate telling of today's times).

He learns that Weena is part of the Eloi society which is under the slavery of the Morlocks, a cannibalistic race.

The Morlocks give everything, food and clothing to the Eloi , in exchange for the slavery and their bodies as food.

The movie was directed by sci fi whiz George Pal who won an impressive 7 oscars and awards for his movies.

He is the Steven Spielberg when it comes to sci fi movies.

What's astonishing about the film is the special effects that were made without computer help (which in most movies make the movie look more fake than real).

The way the special effects people made flowers bloom, candles burn while the Time Machine went in time, is very special to see.

It's a great site, from a special effects view, how these people managed to do these effects, with the limited resources they had.

He directed "War of the Worlds" and "Destination Moon" which won numerous awards. DVD comes with a number of great features:

A behind the scenes documentary with Rod Taylor. A great documentary where he shows how George Pal designed the machine. Taylor even shows us storyboards which haven't been seen in 30 yrs.

Even the DVD main menu with Taylor on the cover and the Murlocks in the background, give the DVD a great sci fi look!!

From 1899 to 802,701 AD The "Timeless" Classic
There are a lot of reviews about this great picture and how it influenced an entire generation. All of it is true! For some reason this film ties into the imagination and fills you with wonder. We can thank Mr. Wells for creating the story, but we really owe it to George Pal, Wah Chang and Gene Warren for translating the book into a miracle of romantic adventure. The real draw of course is "The Time Machine" prop. Never in the history of film has a prop been more imitated and desired. The special effects received an Academy Award and it was well deserved. All of the elements of Victorian London in winter, cozy parlors surrounded with friends gathered for dinner, "tea table" chat over the 4th dimension and the recollection of an experiment in time travel utilizing a flashback technique are what makes this film so enchanting. When Rod Taylor finally begins a slow initial journey we see the sky in motion in day and night sequences that are breathtaking in astronomic splendor. As the flowered garden and fruit trees go through their seasonal cycles in rapid progression you cannot help but be drawn into the wonder of creation and the genius of invention! The screenwriters then play with your imagination as we see our traveler stop at different events in our 20th century past and a "cold war" interpretation of the decade in which it was filmed when he stops in the "future" on August 18th, 1966 to witness a nuclear holocaust. From here we are quickly transported to the focal point of the Wells story to a future society of Eloi and Morlock culture. The care that went into this DVD should not be understated. It is a highly polished film that restores 20/20 vision to the frames so that we can see all of the colorful beauty that was originally there. Once again, we can SEE the atomic satellite zeroing in, the clear sky above the Eloi "cafeteria" and the smoking machinery of the Morlock caverns. When our traveler returns to 1899 and presents the flower to Filby that was given to him by Weena you will agree that "that flower could not have possibly bloomed in the winter time" and in the holding of that flower you will realize that this is a magic moment in film that will be with you forever and as Mrs. Watchit gradually turns off the lights in our view from the snowy evening outside you will think about the three books you would have taken and agree that having seen this film you will never be the same again, because you are in love with a romantic idea, TIME TRAVEL. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

best package
this is one of the best package deals i've ever seen. every one of these movies brings back wonderful memories of my childhood! swiss family... is one of the best pirate movies and i just love hailey mills! old yeller is such a classic. it will always have a special place in my collection.

More Junk From Disney DVD
This is definitely not a reflection on the quality of the movies included in this set. "The Parent Trap" is a classic, as are the other three included here.

No, the word "junk" refers to the quality of DVD's included in this set. I had to return my first set, because the case was broken on "Old Yeller". No big deal. But then...the secondary disc on "The Parent Trap" skipped and stalled, and "Swiss Family Robinson" wouldn't even load.

Having had terrible experience with Disney DVD's previously ("The Great Locomotive Chase"), I opted for a refund instead of dealing with the frustrations of another set that was defective.

Frankly, Disney's products seem to have so many problems, I doubt I will ever buy another one. Many of their movies are in the wrong ratio, some are terrible transfers ("Old Yeller" in particular, and also the Chinatown scene in "The Love Bug" comes to mind), and now I've had this set and "The Great Locomotive Chase" which have had "playability" issues.

For a company with such a great library of old movies, it is really sad that they put out such an inferior product. As I would love to include them in my DVD library. But one shouldn't have to concern themself with worrying whether a DVD is going to play or not when they purchase it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Early adventures for Steed
For all the fans of The Avengers familiar with the Emma Peel/Tara King era of the show, these early episodes featuring Cathy Gale and Venus Smith may come as something of a disappointment. In fact, fans of the later shows may find it hard to believe that they are even part of the same TV series!

After the initial run of 26 episodes featuring Police Surgeon David Keel and his cohort John Steed had aired in the UK in 1961/62, the producers of the program opted to bring Steed to the forefront of the action and give him a number of different "assistants." Thus, for season two, 26 further episodes were made and broadcast in 1962/63 featuring Steed abetted by Martin King, Venus Smith or Cathy Gale. Mrs. Gale turned out to be the most popular and successful foil for the suave agent, and the other characters did not return after season two. Unlike the later Peel/King stories which were all made on film, these studio based TV shows are much more reliant on dialogue and plot than visual elements, and can be somewhat heavy going as a result.

A&E is releasing these stories in a somewhat confusing order, and has started with season three. The first two sets released, Avengers 64 1 & 2, feature the LAST six episodes of season three. Next comes Avengers 63 sets 1 & 2 which comprises of the first half of the season. Next up in the release order is 63 sets 3 & 4 which precede 1 & 2 in running order and in fact feature the last seven stories from season two, plus the first from season three. Confused? Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, since thankfully there's no real reason to watch the stories in chronological order anyway.

What is interesting is the development of the production standards. 63 sets 3 & 4, featuring the latter stories from season two, are far more rudimentary in terms of production quality. The sets are extremely small and sparse; The direction very slap-hazard; Camera work shoddy; Sound is extremely poor; and the acting is negligible. With no budget for editing or reshooting, all the actor's fluffs and goofs stayed in. Steed's character is far less suave and sophisticated then he became later during his familiar role alongside Mrs. Peel, and the relationship with Mrs. Gale in particular is at first downright hostile with very little warmth between the two. He seems to get along much better with Miss Venus Smith, a night club singer who he engages at various gigs to act as his eyes and ears. Venus is a very odd character, and played strangely, but enthusiastically by Julie Stevens. She looks about 12, sings like she's forty, and dresses like anything in between. She also seems extremely naïve and it's hard to imagine why Steed engages her to help him at all. The far more intelligent and elegant Mrs. Gale does eventually warm up to Steed, and in the season three stories where she is the exclusive companion to him, their relationship develops nicely and they become much warmer and closer to each other.

The production values on season three are also much better than the earlier episodes. The sets became larger and more elaborate. The direction, lighting and sound improved greatly and the acting was much less wooden. Some editing was clearly allowed on these later stories, whereas the earlier ones clearly were broadcast as if they were live. There's a terrific blunder in "Six hands across a table," where Cathy is called "Ros" in one scene, and both actors realize the mistake, but keep going.

The quality of the DVD's is somewhat disappointing, even accounting for the age of the material and the production values mentioned above. It may not be the case, but it certainly appears that A&E have made no attempt whatsoever to re-master the original tapes, and the flaws, jumps, scratches and sound blips are too numerous to mention. Virtually every episode on 63 sets 3 & 4 are hampered by picture and sound flaws and defects. Things do improve for 63 1 & 2 and 64 1 & 2, but the quality is still disappointing. Mind you, it appears they have done nothing to clean up the Tara King episodes either!

As a big fan of the series, I wouldn't even consider not having these episodes in my collection, but if you're looking for the wacky camp humor and the tele-fantasy of the Peel/King eras, these stories may not be for you.

The Golden Fleece
Early episodes including 'The Golden Fleece' are here. 'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy Gale portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous and they sound great in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono.

John Steed and Kathy
Remember Kathy? Not really? 'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous.

What is that on the TV Cathy?
If you relish a series like "Honey West," "Peter Gunn" or "77 Sunset Strip" you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John Steed (Patrick Macnee) might say to Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman), "You scratch my hat and I'll scratch your, well what ever. Just watch the umbrella please." John and Cathy Gale are back and are here to stay via DVD's digital technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. Steed they look good, very good old boy.

Steel Leather and an Umbrella
If you relish a series like "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE," "T.H.E. Cat" or "77 Sunset Strip" you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say to Emma, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Emma are back and are here to stay via DVD technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good. Thank Mother because they are much better than the Sean Connery film. ... Read more

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The long-running Avengers series added some extra gloss to itslook and feel by filming in color starting in 1967, making the inimitable, eccentric atmosphere of the show complete. That production change coincided with some of the best writing the program ever enjoyed. So it makes sense that those late-1960s episodes of The Avengers have been packaged to help us forget the botched 1998 feature film version of the show. Set 1 includes a mystery about killer phobias, "The Fear Merchants"; the time-travel story "Escape in Time"; the feathery spy tale "The Bird Who Knew Too Much"; the invisible-villain yarn "The See-Through Man"; and the comic-book spoof "The Winged Avenger"; and "From Venus with Love." --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

quirky sixties humor with a British twist
If you liked the Avengers, or just enjoy dry humor and wit, then this is for you. These are the best of the Avengers series, and in color, Emma Peel never looked finer.
Very reasonably priced for the number of episodes included, though there almost no "extras" which would have been a welcomed addition. Money well spent.

Wow! There's nothing like it.
I had heard a lot about the original Avengers so when they appeared on DVD I decided to just buy all four sets and after watching a couple of episodes I knew I had made the right decision. The fights mostly look fake and most of the props look really silly, but the stories are really clever and unusual, the interraction between Diana Rigg and Patrick MacNee is wonderful and always funny and the costumes are incredible. It's quirky, it's bizarre and it will not be to everyone's taste, but I love this series. In many ways it doesn't feel like it was made more than 30 years ago, especially in the way women are portrayed - particularly Emma Peel, who is at least John Steed's equal and superior to virtually every man she meets. I hope to see more of this series on DVD in the near future.

New color era for Steed and Mrs. Peel
Following the huge success of the first filmed series of The Avengers, starring Patrick MacNee as debonair British agent John Steed and his cool, sophisticated partner Mrs. Emma Peel, the producers opted to make the next batch of 26 episodes in color, to be broadcast in 1967. In order to accomplish this, foreign backing was necessary, and the American networks were approached. The US had broadcast the black and white season four as a mid-season replacement, and were interested in moving forward with a color season in prime time, however they only provided enough backing for 16 episodes initially. Another challenge was that Diana Rigg was not particularly keen to film another season of the show, and demanded a huge salary increase in order to secure her participation. She got the money, but it was made clear it would be her second and last season with the show.

Apart from the use of color film, there were other subtle changes to the show for this fifth season. Both Steed and Emma were given new apartments and Mrs. Peel a much more stylized wardrobe. The device of ending each story with the two leads driving off in a variety of vehicles was abandoned and instead a tag scene was used to introduce each story, where Steed informed his partner that they were needed in a variety of humorous ways. Each story title was also given a two-line subtitle. After completion of the first batch of 16, the American backers did provide finance for a further 16 but asked for both the subtitles and tag scenes to be dropped, and also requested that Mrs. Peel's wardrobe became more recognizably en vogue.

After only 8 episodes were completed, producers Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell left the show after a disagreement and the new producers opted not to continue with Mrs. Peel and began their own interpretation of the show. It wasn't long before Clemens and Fennell were back in charge, but the 67 series ended with "Mission highly improbable," although Rigg was brought back in 1968 for the one-off "The forget me knot," to introduce her replacement Tara King. This episode is included in this release as a bonus episode.

In terms of storylines, acting and the wonderful interplay between the two leads, there is little difference between this color season and the preceding black and white stories and the show had really reached its zenith by this point. Certainly in terms of popularity and ratings, it was never as successful again. Interestingly, several of these stories are in fact remakes of earlier episodes from the Mrs. Gale era. "The joker," "The correct way to kill," and "The $50,000 breakfast," are all remakes, whereas "The return of the Cybernauts," is a sequel to an earlier Steed/Mrs. Peel adventure.

Fans of The Avengers will of course be delighted to have these discs, and I'd highly recommend them to any other fans of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, and indeed fans of the 60's spy format. If you've ever seen the dreadful movie featuring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman, don't let that put you off. These stories are the re