Returned to a classic of mine way back when.

Chad Vader.

*sighs in contentment*

What I want to know is, ... What in the living hell is going on with "The Bachelor" show this season? Girls wearing unicorn heads; giant rose heads; reciting really stupid lines ... omg, if this is the fodder the season is going to be based on, there is going to be some real Springer crap going on! Urk.

Yesterday evening I watched my 1986 Japanese import Special Collection edition of Star Wars, later rechristened New Hope. While no worshiper at the Temple of Lucas, I greatly enjoyed the first two Star Wars films at release, seeing them, especially Empire Strikes Back, multiple times at various theaters scattered throughout the greater LA area. Indeed I count my first viewing of Star Wars as possibly my favorite cinema attendance experience, one of them certainly. It occurred at a theater in or near Westwood Village. I got in line early so was able to pick what I hoped was an ideal seat to experience whatever surround sound the film and theater provided -- smack in the middle roughly equal distance between front (screen) and rear, left and right side. What I heard that day floored me. Bass production was first class, deep and powerful yet highly detailed. Surround effects were superb. I've not heard their like before or since, including during other theater viewings of the film under discussion. Being the year it was, my hearing was as yet unimpaired enough to fully appreciate such things and indeed glory in them.

As to the disk in question, I payed big bucks for it, enough so that I shake my head over such foolishness nowadays. First and foremost, the disk preserves the film's original aspect ratio at a time when few commercial home releases did. Even on my modern wide-screen TV there is a substantial black band at screen bottom, just the way I like it. The disk utilizes the CAV format, which limits playing time to 30min a side (1hr is the norm) but promises best picture quality and better freeze frames. Digital Dolby Surround Sound back when that wasn't a given on Laserdisc. Early as it is, this release does not, alas, avoid Lucas's post premiere tinkerings. To this day I notice and regret the absence of two lines of dialog uttered during the Imperial 'Death Star' escape sequence.

This Laserdisc can not, of course, compare in quality to a well made modern blu-ray or even a DVD release, which 'should' provide better visuals and discrete multi-channel surround. Too, laserdisc upscaling (to 1080p) relies on my Pioneer AV receiver's built in processing rather than the slightly superior scaling provided by my Oppo DVD player. Either that or LDs simply don't scale as well as DVDs.

Much as I enjoy Star Wars, I like Empire Strikes Back (which I also own as an expensive imported Japanese LD release) better. Neither qualifies as my favorite Sci-fi movie, that honor going to Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan. As to Return of the Jedi, that film left such a bad taste in my mouth I abandoned the franchise and have had nothing to do with it since.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jan 6 2016, 02:24 AM

You didn´t like Return of the Jedi? I love all three movies and in my world they are the only ones that are canon. Don´t even care if Lucas did have six or nine or twelve movies in mind from the start and the movie company picked those three since they were the most interesting to them. Those not only came out first but they were great. No talk about midoclorins or some stupid stuff like that. They talked about life force that flows through everything, even rocks. I like that and the whole atmosphere of those movies


Oh, and most importantly...



This post has been edited by mirocu: Jan 5 2016, 01:03 PM

I am slowly re-watching what I consider the definitive documentary on American silent films, "Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film." I most recently watched episode three (of thirteen), 'Separate Beds and Double Standards', which focuses heavily on the Fatty Arbuckle murder case. Such a wonderful series! The more so as it was made circa 1980, when many movers and shakers from the silent era were still around to interview. I kick myself for not buying it on Laserdisc back in the day. It is no longer allowed commercial release. Not in the US in any case. Royalties, if memory serves. Odd that, considering, as this list shows, only twelve bona fide silent era participants remain (as of early Jan 2016), along with two dubious suspects.

Those who might be interested in the series should start with episode one, which gives and interesting overview and covers the very beginnings of American film.

Last night I attempted to watch Errol Flynn's 'Adventures of Robin Hood' on DVD, but abandoned it not far in. This used to be my favorite swashbuckler. I liked is so much I bought it twice on laserdisc and again on DVD. I no longer so consider it. It's a fine movie in its way, better than a good many. But I no longer consider it amongst the best of the best. Except for its music score, which for my money has few equals.


As alluded to in my previous post, I'm not and have never been a Star Wars aficionado. I consider the original Star Wars great fun despise its shortcomings. I like Empire Strikes Back even better due to it becoming darker and in some aspects more serious minded while retaining the elements that made the first movie so enjoyable. Return, for me, took the franchise in a direction I have little sympathy with or empathy for. (Or is it 'sympathy for or empathy with'????) I sat through it once (in a theater during its initial run) and have no desire to see it again. Hey, two fine movies in a franchise ain't a bad deal at all. (I sometimes wonder whether I'd enjoy the later movies more if they had premiered when I was younger.)

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jan 6 2016, 05:07 PM

Cowboy Bebop y'all

Gotta love that show

I've been watching Sherlock Holmes - the 1984 version starring Jeremy Brett.

I purchased the DVD box set as a christmas present to myself. I used to watch it on television at my grandparents house (They had the required television channels, which I didn't have at home) and have always loved it.

Brett was an absolutely fabulous actor, and always makes me feel as if the character of Holmes was written for this very TV adaptation. Utterly brilliant.

I must thank you for mentioning this series. I was vaguely aware of its existence but so far as I can recall never saw any of it. As is the way of such things, I found bits of it at YouTube. Watched Season 05 Episode 04: The Boscombe Valley Mystery. Very impressive! Evocative sets and costumes, fine camera work and music, excellent acting of the sort I like by the entire cast. I'll almost certainly watch other episodes.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jan 9 2016, 12:30 AM

I think I'll have to check that out...

I'm watching what is quite possibly my favourite movie of all time; Dungeons & Dragons

There's just so much about this movie I love, from Jeremy Irons' glorious overacting, to the way it's not afraid to laugh at itself.

This post has been edited by Callidus Thorn: Jan 8 2016, 11:14 PM

Spent much of my time playing Banished yesterday, so did comparatively little 'watching'. I saw another Sherlock Holmes episode, "The Six Napoleons". Enjoyable but not, in my opinion, as good as "The Boscombe Valley Mystery."

These past some days I've attempted to watch a number of Banished LPs. None equal Sips in my esteem. But then he's a tough act to follow. At the moment I'm following an "Adam and Eve" play-through, where the game starts with two settlers (via mod). Not something for the weak of heart to tackle, though past a certain point it becomes indistinguishable from any other play-through.

ADDENDUM: Now 11 Jan 2016 I just finished watching another Sherlock Holmes episode, "The Creeping Man." Watched "The Bruce Partington Plans" from season four yesterday.

ADDENDUM: Now evening of the 11th, I just finished watching Sherlock Holmes Season 02 Episode 04, "The Resident Patient." It's a very fine episode. Of those watched thus far, it and The Boscombe Valley Mystery are my favorites.

This afternoon I watched the Basil Rathbone / Nigel Bruce "Hound of the Baskervilles" film. I saw it several times as a youngling, back when airing older movies was a big part most TV stations' lineups. We're talking a good many decades ago here.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jan 12 2016, 04:30 AM

Today I wrapped up a nearly week long Disney marathon. I started last week with Frozen one night. Then Brave came the next night, followed by Tangled. Then Shrek 1 and 2. And finally today I did Malificent.

Right now I am in the middle of An Adventure in Space and Time. Exterminate! Exterminate! For those not in the know, it is a drama about the creation of Doctor Who. David Bradley is magnificent as the First Doctor - William Hartnell. Of course Jessica Raine is brilliant as always as Verity Lambert - the show's first producer. It is especially nice seeing her, since she was also in an episode of season 8, in the new series.

There is a scene early on where I thought I caught an easter egg, where they were looking for actors and had a pile of photos on a desk of candidates. For a moment I thought one was of Peter Capaldi. But after freezing it I realized it was probably Peter Cushing (who of course played The Doctor in the movie Doctor Who And The Daleks).

The ending has the best easter egg though: "I don't want to go." Followed by a brilliant cameo by Matt Smith that had me clapping.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jan 13 2016, 02:42 AM

Nice reminder about Mailificent, SubRosa. As we talked about some time ago, based on your recomendation I watched it - and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. With some time now to digest it, I realize that I have very much incorporated the character Malificent into how I now view Azura.

Acadian watched a movie! I am glad you liked it. I never really thought about it until you mentioned it just now, Angelina Jolie's portrayal of Malificent is wonderfully appropriate for Azura. As the narrator in the movie says - "only a great hero or a terrible villain might bring them together" Malificent was both. I think that is an ideal way to look at Azura as well - a character capable of both great compassion, and cold-blooded vengeance.

I am dying to see this movie from all I've hear about it.


Is anyone going to be watching the premier of "ShadowHunters" tonight?





This post has been edited by mALX: Jan 13 2016, 01:18 AM

I watched about 5 minutes of it and changed channels. This is done on that new "CSI" or "Twilight" style of showing scattered scenes with only a tinge of storyline connecting them and the story content replaced by musical interludes and close-ups of the character's faces looking intense.

So it is a big "NO!" for me.

I am still dying to see Angie Tribeca even though I'm pretty sure it is done the same way - for one, I think they are doing it to knock those shows that seriously do that and think it is a quality production; and secondly - I just am dying to see all the dog stunts for that detective that no one will admit is a dog but the viewers can see it is.

So far I have seen him practicing his lines, blowing up bubble gum, driving a car away from a curb real fast - I've nearly choked to death laughing at those three scenes and can't get enough of them; it is still funny after the nth time seeing it, lol.

So Angie Tribeca - watching for the dog.

I saw the Mortal Instruments movie last year, and was not impressed. So I never paid any attention to the tv show. It just struck me as a cheap attempt to cash in on the Hungry Games audience, like the Maze Runner, Insurgable, or Jupiter Regurgitating movies. That style - science fiction that is light on the science and set in a world just slightly different than the real one - is all the rage now. Make sure it is well stocked with hunky teen studs and babes, and perhaps even throw in a dash of angels, or demons, or some other form of supernaturalism or aliens. And you have the formula.

Hungry Games is not much on story or creativity, but it does have an excellent actress like Jennifer Lawrence to anchor the movies, and a ton of outstanding supporting actors like Donald Sutherland, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Jeffrey Wright, and so on. The others don't even have that talent going for them, and so pale in comparison.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jan 14 2016, 05:00 AM

Donald Sutherland is up there among some of my favorite actors, he can immerse you into any environment in a movie from comedy to horror, leave you feeling you have lived through whatever the story was.

To find an actor in today's market that is able to do that - almost obsolete. I have noticed Hollywood has been pelting us with children that shout their lines; people of all ages that mug for the camera - and emoting like hams on skooma. Not to mention the bad directing and lack of timing in today's actors. Urk, I've never been big on TV watching; and now I have a real reason to be hating it, lol. That will teach me,

I'm watching Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham is magnificent. And they gave him some fantastic lines, too.

I would love to see that one!

I am, as usual in the evenings, watching dr. Stuart Ashen reviewing tat on his brown sofa