The Pix Pixy

SORRY, WRONG NUMBER (1948) stars the unforgettable Barbara Stanwyck as Leona Stevenson, the bed-ridden daughter whose father owns the largest drug company in the country, and Burt Lancaster who plays her husband Henry Stevenson, a handsome guy from the wrong side of the tracks with whom Leona falls madly in love at first sight.

Henry has a girlfriend, sally Lord (played by Australian actress Ann Richards) but the brazen Leona who never took a “no” from anyone in her life, manages to maneuver Henry to an eventual marriage by her force of sheer will and the millions she dangles in front of Henry’s eyes.

Henry, who automatically becomes a VP in her father’s company, leads a comfortable existence until the indignity of his servitude starts getting to him. To correct the situation and declare his own independence, Henry gets involved in a plot to siphon off his father-in-law’s riches with the aid of underworld characters and the company’s chief chemist.

However, when the bad guys are convinced that Henry is cheating them as well, they demand a payment of $200,000 (which probably translated to tens of millions of dollars back in 1948) to settle the score. The only way to get that kind of money seems to get his wife’s inheritance. But for that, the wife must die. And since the bad guys want the money within 90 days, that seals the crippled wife’s fate.

In the fantastic opening scene the crippled Leona, who is alone in bed at her palatial home in New York City, inadvertently eavesdrops to two men talking about murdering a woman at 11:15 p.m. as the train passes from the nearby tracks. She tries to alert the police and tries to get a nurse from the hospital, to no avail. At the end, despite the fact that the leader of the bad guys, Morano (played by a very youthful William Conrad) is caught, the juggernaut is on. A frantic and repentant Henry calls Leona on the road to Boston and confesses her everything but it’s too late.

After the scary final act worthy of any Hitchcock flick, Henry calls home again only to be answered by the hired killer himself who responds with the title of the movie: “Sorry, wrong number.”

A very good crime story with good acting and believable character motivations, told in too many flashbacks to count. A must see for all fans of crime movies and thrillers.

A 9 out of 10.

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Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases and hi-tech documentation.

He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

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Nominated for 3 Golden Globes and 12 Emmys, including two by Della Reese for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Touched By An Angel built a sizeable and loyal audience with its upbeat themes and inspirational storylines. The brainchild of John Masius, creator of Providence (1999) and writer for such hit series as St. Elsewhere (1982) and LA Law (1986), Touched By An Angel follows in the footsteps of Michael Landon’s successful series Highway To Heaven, which chronicled the exploits of a single angel who wandered across the United States providing support for lost souls in need of aid. Touched By An Angel is quite similar, but the series uses multiple angels to achieve its purpose. Like Highway To Heaven the series utilizes a contemporary setting and modern problems, allowing the show reach a broad audience who enjoy its themes of love, hope, and redemption…

Touched By An Angel follows the exploits of several angels sent to Earth as “caseworkers” so as to bring God’s message of love, peace, and hope to the distressed people of the world. When the series begins, Monica (Roma Downey) is a novice caseworker still in training (having just been promoted from “search & rescue”). Assisting Monica, and a caseworker in her own right, is Tess (Della Reese) who lends the wisdom of her many years of experience in dealing with the problems afflicting humanity at large. Together, these two angels interact with people on Earth, easing the burden of each soul with which they come into contact. In later seasons, Monica and Tess would be joined by Andrew (John Dye), the Angel of Death who also fills in as a caseworker to help lighten the load, and in the final two seasons (2001-2003), Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli) would join the trio as a regular recurring angel character… Overall, Touched By An Angel filled a desperately unmet need along the TV programming landscape. With much of today’s programming fixated on sex, violence, and “reality,” the hour-long CBS drama provided deeply probing family-oriented content which always left its viewers with a positive and upbeat feeling…

The Touched By An Angel (Season 1) DVD features a number of touching episodes including the series premiere “The Southbound Bus” in which Monica is prepared for her first case since being promoted from angel “search and rescue”. While on the southbound bus, she befriends a young boy named David who tells her the story of his sister and mother’s death in a car accident. But when Monica is hired as David’s nanny, she soon learns the truth. David’s mother is still alive, and Monica’s assignment is to reunite her with her family… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “Cassie’s Choice” in which Monica and Tess help a teenager deal with the birth of her child and the decision of whether or not to give her baby up for adoption, and “There, But for the Grace of God” in which Monica is stripped of her angelic powers in order to learn a lesson of her own while on a case working with several homeless individuals…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Touched By An Angel (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (The Southbound Bus) Air Date: 09-21-1994
Episode 2 (Show Me the Way Home) Air Date: 09-28-1994
Episode 3 (Tough Love) Air Date: 10-12-1994
Episode 4 (Fallen Angela) Air Date: 10-19-1994
Episode 5 (Cassie’s Choice) Air Date: 10-26-1994
Episode 6 (The Heart of the Matter) Air Date: 11-02-1994
Episode 7 (An Unexpected Snow) Air Date: 12-07-1994
Episode 8 (Snow) Air Date: 12-14-1994
Episode 9 (Fear Not!) Air Date: 12-25-1994
Episode 10 (There, But for the Grace of God) Air Date: 02-25-1995
Episode 11 (The Hero) Air Date: 03-04-1995

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Touched By An Angel (DVD).

Nominated for 30 Emmys, including seven for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series, Star Trek: Voyager continues the rich tradition of the original 1960s Star Trek franchise. Created by former L.A. police officer Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek TV series morphed into a franchise famous for the unprecedented fanatical devotion of its fan base. Lasting only three seasons during its original network run, Star Trek struck gold with its syndicated reruns, launching a number of motion pictures featuring the original cast as well as novels, comic books, collectibles, and reams of Star Trek-related memorabilia. The third spin-off from the original Star Trek series, Star Trek: Voyager premiered in January 1995 to modest critical acclaim, but experienced great success with television viewers, slowly increasing its ratings as the series progressed. Following on the heels of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), the series precedes Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) while boasting an all-star cast that includes veteran actress Kate Mulgrew (whose past TV appearances include such shows as Dallas, Cheers, and Murphy Brown). Yet instead of pursuing the classic Star Trek mission to “boldly go where no one has gone before,” Star Trek: Voyager is more about going where the crew has been before…

Star Trek: Voyager follows the exploits of the crew aboard the starship USS Voyager. As the series begins, the Voyager is on a Federation mission to capture a rogue ship of Maquis rebels (a race first introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). While in pursuit of the Maquis, the Voyager enters a system known as the badlands, and both ships are instantaneously transported to the Delta Quadrant over seventy-thousand light years away on the outskirts of the galaxy. Soon, both the Maquis and the crew of Voyager learn they were brought to Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker, a mysterious force overseeing the safety of the Ocampan race who live in the shadow on an impending threat from the vicious Kazon. When the Kazon destroy the Maquis ship, the Voyager crew merges with the Maquis crew to defend themselves from the Kazon. Having destroyed the device which could bring them home, the crew of the Voyager - led by Capt. Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), and the crew of the Maquis ship - led by Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran), must work as a united front in order to meet their mutual goal of finding a way home…

The Star Trek: Voyager DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the series premiere “Caretaker” in which the Federation starship USS Voyager, led by Capt. Kathryn Janeway, is unexpectedly transported 70,000 light years away while pursuing a band of Maquis rebels through an area known as the badlands. The Voyager’s new destination is the Delta Quadrant, an uncharted region of the galaxy overseen by the Caretaker and threatened by the colonial aggression of the Kazon… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “The Cloud” in which the Voyager accidentally injures an alien life form while searching for an ingredient to boost its energy supply, and “Learning Curve” in which members of Commander Chakotay’s ragtag Maquis crew are given a Starfleet Academy tutorial on how to act properly aboard the Voyager…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek: Voyager (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Caretaker: Part 1) Air Date: 01-15-1995
Episode 2 (Caretaker: Part 2) Air Date: 01-15-1995
Episode 3 (Parallax) Air Date: 01-23-1995
Episode 4 (Time and Again) Air Date: 01-30-1995
Episode 5 (Phage) Air Date: 02-03-1995
Episode 6 (The Cloud) Air Date: 02-10-1995
Episode 7 (Eye of the Needle) Air Date: 02-17-1995
Episode 8 (Ex Post Facto) Air Date: 02-24-1995
Episode 9 (Emanations) Air Date: 03-13-1995
Episode 10 (Prime Factors) Air Date: 03-20-1995
Episode 11 (State of Flux) Air Date: 04-10-1995
Episode 12 (Heroes and Demons) Air Date: 04-24-1995
Episode 13 (Cathexis) Air Date: 05-01-1995
Episode 14 (Faces) Air Date: 05-08-1995
Episode 15 (Jetrel) Air Date: 05-15-1995
Episode 16 (Learning Curve) Air Date: 05-22-1995

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Star Trek: Voyager (DVD).

Who is Simon Phillip Cowell? What does American Idol and Nasty have in common?

Brutal honesty comes to mind.

He is known as Mr. Nasty or Judge Dread in England. Mr. Cowell was born in Brighton, England. He is as short as you have heard it. It is true he stands only 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) tall as so many contestants have said on Americas American Idol.

For a high school drop out at the age of 16 he sure learned some smarts in the business savvy sectors of the Entertainment industry. Working his way up the latter as a mail boy at EMI.

He is　most recently noticed as one of the judges on American Idol and is quoted after being asked if he feels guilty about his harsh criticisms towards the contestants’? Conwell said, “No, what I am doing is kind by telling people who are useless ‘Do something that you’re good at’. So I would only feel guilt if I misled somebody who was terrible.” “We’ve done three seasons of American Idol and by now it is safe to assume that most people know that you have to be able to sing.

But people turn up who can’t sing a note and yet they believe they are the Second Coming.” “Sit in these auditions for three weeks and hear “I Believe I Can Fly” out of tune for the millionth time, YOU try and be nice”

When I first saw Mr. Foul on American Idol I had the same perception of his demeanor at first glance as well but lets be honesty here for a moment; do you remember the iniquitous Keith who sang the dreadful depiction of ‘Like a Virgin’ last year?

Well Mr. Cowell said, “Keith, last year I described someone as being the worst singer in America. I think you’re possibly the worst singer in the world … I’ve never, ever heard anything like that in my life, ever.”

True, and true again. So what does this say when shows like American Idol make untalented nobody’s into somebody’s?

Just imagine as a judge you are induced by untalented, fashion victims, make-up whores, and those working straight out of a vacuum bag sing a song that needs a serious tune-up. I get why he is short tempered and caste as the Meany, but if you want to be taking seriously these contestants need to really work on presenting themselves as a serious artist. Most of them are really in denial and deluding themselves.

With that said, still over exposed contestant’s untalented and talented gather their sleep bags and head back for more and more mockery. Last week’s episode in Chicago took a spin for some unleashing diabolical, explosive attitudes on the judges.

What’s worse is the untalented nobody turned somebody Keith (the Like a Virgin singer last year) and William Hung is only sending a message to Limelight the untalented. This will do nothing and you are only destined to open more doors and statements by Mr. Cowell.

He said, “When you celebrate awfulness it puts you in a slightly uncomfortable position,” then, adding he was nervous “that we’re going to get people coming on the show next year that want to be bad.”

Yes Mr. Cowell, you are right, and right on! Perhaps a bit presumptuous but again I pegged that his demeanor won him a spot on American idol for mere Entertainment. It is as sad as that sounds, because Americans love to watch those plummet down the drain. Absolutely yes, that is TV, and that is Entertainment today; but isn’t that sad? Isn’t it sad that we seek entertainment by someone else’s demise, embarrassment, hurt, and ridicule?

In last week’s Chicago audition, a BBW (Big Beautiful Woman) with an outstanding voice got a thumbs-up from the judges and then the paramount provocateur Simon Cowell suggested the show might consider a bigger stage. Shame on you Simon! She had the looks but some deem she needed a total body work-out for this industry. Mr. Cowell have you heard of Aretha Franklin? Would he have said the same insult behind her back only to be aired and seen by millions? Is this the industries perception of being “All Over talented”?

Also in Chicago, a man with a girly type voice got Conwell’s vicious recommendation: Cowell said, “Shave your beard and try wearing a dress “. Sorry, but I really have to agree with Cowell again. What the heck was he thinking, this show is American Idol, meaning must sell records to those tinny boppers, and I am sorry but I seriously doubt that a cross dresser would be the next American Idol. To add insult to injury his voice needed some serious tweaking, and I am being nice. My advice to him is doing drag, you can make money and not let your talent go to waste, but for the next American idol…NOT!

Let’s be fair and give Mr. Nasty, I mean Mr. Cowell the benefit of the doubt. American Idol is pure entertainment. To sit and judge talent takes patience and juicy bias. It’s obvious that many couch potatoes gulp down the idiotic stratagem.

VRONIQUE MARIE KETTLER` is Editor-in-Chief for She Unlimited Magazine. http://www.sheunlimited.com and heads up the community at http://www.sheunlimited.com/forums

Marie also contributes to various magazines and newspapers.

MARIE VRONIQUE is committed to making a difference. Making a difference in the Women sectors online, media and print.

The Chronicles of Narnia, a seven-volume saga for children by C. S. Lewis, reveals a world that exists parallel to our own, populated by men and women, dwarves and talking animals, giants and merpeople, centaurs and fauns, and ruled by a kind but awesomely ferocious and gigantic lion named Aslan. Lewis, who died on the same day as JFK, November 22, 1963, combined the three passions of his lifeclassical mythology, medieval lore, and Christian-based philosophyto create in Narnia a microcosm of the moral struggles our own world faces.

Characters and plot
Along with Aslan himself, the heroes of the Narnia books are the four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Taken away from their London home to avoid the Nazi bombings, they are boarded with an elderly bachelor professor in his rambling mansion in the country.

While playing hide-and-seek, Lucy, the youngest at age 8, hides in an old wardrobe filled with racks of overcoats. Moving farther back to escape detection, she pushes her way past the coats, expecting to hit against the back of the wardrobe at any moment. Lucy feels instead the boughs of evergreen trees, hears the crunch of snow at her feet, and sees in the distance the glow of a lamppost just like those she had seen many times back in London.

This marks the beginning of the four siblings’ many adventures in Narnia. Each of the books, though loosely connected to the others, can also stand alone. Eventually we learn where the lamppost came from and how the wardrobe became a portal. We also learn more about Aslan, what it takes to be his friend, and who his enemies are.

The deeper meaning
For those who know to watch for it, Lewis has filled Narnia, not only with interesting characters, majestic scenery, and exciting action, but also with Christian allegory. Aslan himself represents Jesus Christ, “the lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 7:14). The Pevensie children eventually become so much at home in Narnia that they see it as their native land and this world as the place where they are visitors. Lewis, in his books on Christian apologetics, describes the spiritual world as existing parallel to the physical one, having the quality of being, not shadowy and insubstantial as compared to physicality, but more real, more colorful, and much, much more alive.

As Paul explains,

…many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…. –Philippians 3:18-20 (see also Hebrews 11:13-16).

The Disney movie
The first book of the seven, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is now the subject of a major motion picture produced by Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media and directed by Andrew Adamson. At the climax of the story is a beautiful sacrifice, Lewis’s pictures the death of Christ.

If you go to the movie, watch for the breaking of the Stone Table, which symbolizes how Christ’s death and resurrection brought about the end of the Law of Moses by meeting its demands for blood atonement. Watch also for the role Susan and Lucy play in witnessing the death and revival of Aslan, corresponding to the historical role women played as mourners at Jesus’ death and burial and as the first witnesses of His resurrection.

The professor helps Peter and Susan to sort through how to receive Lucy’s testimony about Narnia: if she’s not a liar and she’s not crazy, then logically, she must be telling the truth. This corresponds to the testimony Jesus gave about His own identify, and the testimony His follows gave about Himwhat Lewis elsewhere describes as the trilemma about Jesus: is He Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?

Another significant parallel is this: Aslan’s loyal followers play a significant role in the battle against the White Witch. Like our own spiritual warfare, Christ ensures the final victory, but calls on His followers to engage personally in the fight. For passages relevant to that conflict, see Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy 6:12; and 2 Timothy 4:7).

Plans are for six more movies to follow this first one, in which the rest of the history of Narnia unfolds. If they are as faithful to the books and well-conceived and produced as this one was, all of us diehard Lewis fans welcome them as an introduction of Narnia to a jaded world. We hope that viewers will grasp and appreciate the allegorical features as much as they do the surface story. The goal is not only to know about Aslan and Narnia, but to become His friend and subject and to live in His realm forever.

Want to go deeper?
You can do a search for papers going into more detail on the allegory of Narnia, including these three: “The Lion, the Witch, and the Allegory,” “The Wardrobe as Christian Metaphor,” and “Myth Made Truth: The Origins of the Chronicles of Narnia.”

If you want to purchase and read your own copy of The Chronicles of Narnia, they are available in a variety of editions, from the one-volume edition in softcover to the seven-volume boxed set in either hardback or softcover. Available also is the Official Illustrated Movie Companion for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, with photos from the movie and interviews of the director and cast members, as well as E. J. Kirk’s Beyond the Wardrobe: The Official Guide to Narnia. (My blog provides links to all of these, enabling you to access substantial discounts, from 24% to 33% off the retail prices.)

You may freely reprint this article, provided you do not change it and that you reproduce this copyright notice and the information below unaltered.

Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles on business management as well as many of interest to Bible students. He has been a book editor, newspaper reporter, news editor, and public relations consultant. He has taught Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses Bible college, university, and adult education programs. He has also conducted seminars and workshops in 11 states and the Caribbean.

Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources. Explore “The Shallows,” plumb “The Depths,” or use the well-organized “Study Links” for original sources in English translation. Sign up for Steve’s free “DeeperStudy Newsletter” or subscribe to his DeeperStudy Blog.

Nominated for 20 Emmys and winner of a Golden Globe for Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy), Curb Your Enthusiasm is one of the more clever and hilarious shows on TV. The HBO original series is the brainchild of Seinfeld co-creator and writer Larry David, whose life maintains a peculiar resemblance to the quasi-fictional George Costanza. And just like George Costanza and his neurotically-low self-esteem (i.e. “God doesn’t want me to be successful), Curb Your Enthusiasm propagates a Murphy’s Law theme of “what can go wrong will go wrong”. It’s a true-to-life reality show about nothing in which every episode is certain to cause comedy connoisseurs everywhere to tremble in enthusiastic anticipation…

The Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 2) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “The Car Salesman” in which Larry shocks his friends and family by deciding to take on a job as a car salesman. Meanwhile, Cheryl and Larry purchase a seaside holiday home from Jason Alexander’s agent only to learn that the abode comes with its own disturbing “house sound,” and Larry contemplates launching a new TV series with Jason chronicling the life of an unemployed typecast actor… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “The Shrimp Incident” in which Larry comes to believe that an HBO executive stole some shrimp from his Chinese takeout order, and “Shaq” in which Larry earns the wrath of L.A. when he inadvertently trips Shaquille O’Neal at a Lakers game…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 11 (The Car Salesman) Air Date: 09-23-2001
Episode 12 (Thor) Air Date: 09-30-2001
Episode 13 (Trick or Treat) Air Date: 10-07-2001
Episode 14 (The Shrimp Incident) Air Date: 10-14-2001
Episode 15 (The Thong) Air Date: 10-21-2001
Episode 16 (The Acupuncturist) Air Date: 10-28-2001
Episode 17 (The Doll) Air Date: 11-04-2001
Episode 18 (Shaq) Air Date: 11-11-2001
Episode 19 (The Baptism) Air Date: 11-18-2001
Episode 20 (The Massage) Air Date: 11-25-2001

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 2) DVD.

“Plan 9 From Outer Space” is said to be the worst movie ever made. As a matter of fact, the movie is so bad that people actually enjoy watching it to the point that they will call up their friends, buy lots of popcorn, go to a local Blockbuster and purposely rent it for the intention of spending 79 of the most hysterical minutes you will ever spend watching a supposedly “serious” movie.

So why all the fuss? Is this movie so bad that it is actually enjoyable?

To answer that question you first have to understand one of the most odd turn of events in even making the movie in the first place. The movie featured Bela Lugosi. He was by no means one of the major stars of the movie, playing a ghoul man, which is just as well. See, Lugosi, who was famous for his role as Dracula, died during the making of the film. This presented a bit of a problem since he was to have some speaking parts. So to “correct” this problem, the producers got a “double” to finish the rest of the movie in Lugosi’s place. This took the form of the double doing nothing more than walking around with a cape in front of his face so that nobody could tell that it wasn’t Lugosi. This alone made this movie a laugh riot.

But the movie laughs don’t end with a Lugosi stand in. The plot, what there is of one, revolves around aliens from outer space (what else?) who are a little ticked off by the stupid minds of the planet Earth. So they come to our planet and set up their operation in a California cemetery. Their ultimate plan is go animate the dead people buried in the cemetery and send them off to march on the capitals of the world. To date, they’ve only managed to animate three zombies, but this doesn’t in the least discourage them. A subplot involves an airline pilot, who lives near the cemetery, trying to save his wife from the middle of this mess.

If the movie plot wasn’t bad enough, the scenery was even worse. The cemetery clearly had cardboard tombstones as props. The flying saucer that was heading towards the Earth looked like two candlestick holders glued together. The special effects budget for this joke of a movie couldn’t have been any more than a few hundred dollars, if that.

The movie featured a few performers who went on to become very famous characters in their own right. One of them was Vampira, who played a vampire girl in the movie. Another one was Tor Johnson who played Inspector Dan Clay. Johnson went on to play in many low budget science fictions, though none quite as bad as this one.

Following what goes on in this movie is close to impossible. There are so many goofs, such as the scenes changing from day to night and back to day again in a matter of seconds, that not busting out in laughter while watching this nightmare is close to impossible.

Maybe that’s what the legendary Ed Wood had in mind when he made this canned film classic.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Films.

Nominated for six Golden Globes and seven Emmys, including Outstanding Series - Comedy, Sanford & Son became one of the first shows in television history to be almost entirely centered around African-American characters. Modeled after the British TV show Steptoe & Son, the series showcased the underappreciated talents of comic genius Redd Foxx (whose skin color and bad language prevented him from becoming a superstar decades earlier). The brainchild of All In The Family creator Norman Lear, Sanford & Son signaled the beginning of a decade of sitcom classics for the prolific 1970’s TV writer - Maude (1972), Good Times (1974), and The Jeffersons (1975) being the others. Wrought with memorable one-liners and well-timed humor, Sanford & Son was a Top 10 Nielsen rated show every year in which it aired except for its final season (ranking a respectable #27)…

Sanford & Son, set in the Watts district of Los Angeles, follows the life of Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx), a 65-year-old African-American junk dealer who shares his business with his 34-year-old son Lamont (Demond Wilson). With Fred’s wife Elizabeth having passed away twenty years earlier, he often evokes Lamont’s sympathy by clutching his heart and proclaiming, “Oh, I’m coming to join you Elizabeth!” But Fred always survives those near fatal heart attacks, continuing to disperse sarcastic putdowns (often directed at his sister-in-law Esther) and racist stereotypical remarks aimed against whites and Hispanics (especially Lamont’s friend Julio). Using guilt to manipulate his ambitious son into staying and helping run the salvage shop instead of pursuing other endeavors, Fred Sanford spends most of his days lounging around the house (his junk store and home are one and the same) and hanging out with his friends - Grady, Melvin, and Bubba… Well-written and hilarious, Sanford & Son is comedian Redd Foxx at his absolute best…

The Sanford & Son (Season 2) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “By the Numbers” in which Fred dreams of a series of numbers. Despite Lamont’s insistence in forbidding Fred to play the lottery, he believes his dream is destiny and it turns out to be so when Fred wins a $500 cash prize. Fred now finds himself a bit richer with a number of people hoping to get a piece of the action, among them - Aunt Ethel, Bubba, and a robber… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “Tooth or Consequences” in which Fred’s toothache is amplified by his refusal to visit a dentist, and “A Guest in the Yard” in which Fred and Lamont discover a homeless vagrant sleeping in their junk yard…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Sanford & Son (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 15 (By the Numbers) Air Date: 09-15-1972
Episode 16 (Whiplash) Air Date: 09-22-1972
Episode 17 (The Dowry) Air Date: 09-29-1972
Episode 18 (Jealousy) Air Date: 10-06-1972
Episode 19 (Tooth or Consequences) Air Date: 10-13-1972
Episode 20 (The Card Sharps) Air Date: 10-27-1972
Episode 21 (Have Gun, Will Sell) Air Date: 11-03-1972
Episode 22 (The Puerto Ricans Are Coming!) Air Date: 11-10-1972
Episode 23 (The Shootout) Air Date: 11-17-1972
Episode 24 (Blood is Thicker Than Junk) Air Date: 11-24-1972
Episode 25 (Sanford and Son and Sister Makes Three) Air Date: 12-01-1972
Episode 26 (A Guest in the Yard) Air Date: 12-08-1972
Episode 27 (Fred & Carol & Fred & Donna) Air Date: 12-15-1972
Episode 28 (The Light Housekeeper) Air Date: 12-22-1972
Episode 29 (The Big Party) Air Date: 01-05-1973
Episode 30 (A Visit from Lena Horne) Air Date: 01-12-1973
Episode 31 (Lamont Goes African) Air Date: 01-19-1973
Episode 32 (Watts Side Story) Air Date: 01-26-1973
Episode 33 (The Infernal Triangle) Air Date: 02-02-1973
Episode 34 (Pops ‘n’ Pals) Air Date: 02-09-1973
Episode 35 (Home Sweet Home for the Aged) Air Date: 02-16-1973
Episode 36 (Pot Luck) Air Date: 02-23-1973
Episode 37 (The Kid) Air Date: 03-09-1973
Episode 38 (Rated X) Air Date: 03-16-1973

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Sanford And Son (Season 2) DVD.

Nominated for four Emmys, including Outstanding Dramatic Series two times in its short three-year stint, Star Trek is a true legend of television history. The brainchild of former L.A. policeman Gene Roddenberry, the show premiered in Fall 1966 only to be cancelled after three seasons due to lackluster ratings. But it may well have been NBC’s network executives who were the cause of the low ratings as they allotted a less than desirable time slot for the show. When Star Trek moved into syndication, its reruns captured the science-fiction imagination of an entirely new audience, catapulting the Star Trek franchise to new heights. Its newfound popularity would, in the decades to come, spawn novels, comic books, six full-length feature films, and reams of merchandise as fans clamored for anything Star Trek-related. Beginning in the 1980’s, spin-offs of the show began to appear such as Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise…

Star Trek, the original TV series, follows the adventurous exploits of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they “boldly go where no man has gone before…” The spaceship Enterprise is led by Captain James Tiberius Kirk (William Shatner), an Earth-born astronaut who often exhibits the charm, leadership, and creativity necessary for the mission’s survival. Kirk is joined by Lt. Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), a Vulcan-born retired commander and theoretical scientist. Chief medical officer Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) rounds out the main cast of Star Trek which includes a plethora of supporting crew with multiple guest appearances and cameo roles. Together, the crew of U.S.S. Enterprise seeks to carry out its mission: “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations…” It’s this pioneering attitude, coupled with imaginative sci-fi worlds, that provides Star Trek with its nostalgic allure - especially these episodes from the original TV series, widely regarded as the most popular of all the TV series…

The Star Trek (Season 3) DVD features a number of action-packed episodes including the season premiere “Spock’s Brain” in which the Enterprise is intercepted by a mysterious, unidentified spacecraft. An alien from the ship beams herself onto the bridge of the Enterprise and renders the entire crew unconscious. When they awaken, McCoy informs Kirk that the alien has confiscated Spock’s brain. Now, the Enterprise is tasked with locating Spock’s brain before his body decays… Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “Plato’s Stepchildren” in which the inhabitants of the planet Platonius take advantage of the Enterprise crew’s goodwill in order to enslave them via telekinesis, and “The Way to Eden” in which the Enterprise is hijacked by a band of Earthlings in pursuit of the mythical planet Eden, a garden-like world of health, purity, and happiness…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 56 (Spock’s Brain) Air Date: 09-20-1968
Episode 57 (The Enterprise Incident) Air Date: 09-27-1968
Episode 58 (The Paradise Syndrome) Air Date: 10-04-1968
Episode 59 (And the Children Shall Lead) Air Date: 10-11-1968
Episode 60 (Is There in Truth No Beauty?) Air Date: 10-18-1968
Episode 61 (Spectre of the Gun) Air Date: 10-25-1968
Episode 62 (Day of the Dove) Air Date: 11-01-1968
Episode 63 (For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky) Air Date: 11-08-1968
Episode 64 (The Tholian Web) Air Date: 11-15-1968
Episode 65 (Plato’s Stepchildren) Air Date: 11-22-1968
Episode 66 (Wink of an Eye) Air Date: 11-29-1968
Episode 67 (The Empath) Air Date: 12-06-1968
Episode 68 (Elaan of Troyius) Air Date: 12-20-1968
Episode 69 (Whom Gods Destroy) Air Date: 01-03-1969
Episode 70 (Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) Air Date: 01-10-1969
Episode 71 (The Mark of Gideon) Air Date: 01-17-1969
Episode 72 (That Which Survives) Air Date: 01-24-1969
Episode 73 (The Lights of Zetar) Air Date: 01-31-1969
Episode 74 (Requiem for Methuselah) Air Date: 02-14-1969
Episode 75 (The Way to Eden) Air Date: 02-21-1969
Episode 76 (The Cloudminders) Air Date: 02-28-1969
Episode 77 (The Savage Curtain) Air Date: 03-07-1969
Episode 78 (All Our Yesterdays) Air Date: 03-14-1969
Episode 79 (Turnabout Intruder) Air Date: 06-03-1969

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Star Trek (Season 3) DVD.

FANAA IS THE new-breed cinema of Bollywood that tries to mix the glamour of film industry with the realities of life. It will be fair to say that this film turns its subject into fantasy and weaves it with music and dance, but when it comes to the dénouement, the film holds the values that are inherent in the Indian mindset regarding Kashmir. The film relies heavily on subtle metaphors.

Fanaa is a film about a blind woman from Kashmir, played by the renowned actress Kajol. And, this time the Indian filmmakers have substituted Poland, or such exotic European locations, for Kashmir. Her parents are off and indulge in poetry. She goes with a troupe to perform at the Republic Day function in New Delhi. There, she falls in love with a playboy, played by Aamir Khan. He brings back her eyesight, but before she can see him he disappears. After that, the real face of her lover is uncovered. He actually works for an international ‘terrorist’ group. And, he is with Kajol to fulfil his mission. And, he counts his mission to be the most important thing in his life. Circumstances bring them face-to-face again after several years, and finally the climax is quite reminiscent of Bollywood hits, like Mother India and Shakti.

Khan is turning out to be next Mr Bharat after Manoj Kumar. All his films of the past seven years, barring Mela and Dil Chahata Hai, were patriotic in nature. Fanaa, directed by Kunal Kohli and produced under the Yash Raj banner, is set in the backdrop of Kashmir. And, it is Kashmir of only four people, who are pitted against Khan. The film does not show the disgruntled Kashmiri to have any aim. He vaguely fights for an international ‘terrorist’ group. He is sophisticated and suave, flirtatious but deadly. Love, family and children do not matter to him. But, the reasons for his choices and condition in life are never mentioned. Therefore, the viewer takes him to be confused, which is again a cunning metaphor.

Kohli has tried to keep the screenplay of Fanaa ambiguous, which helps to hold the interest of the audience but drags at the climax. But, it has become a speciality of the Yash Raj banner. The music of Jatin-Lalit, which incidentally is the duo’s last combined effort, is a disappointment. The close-ups of Khan reveal the ageing star. But, his looks are quite refreshing, while Kajol is as effervescent as she was in her last hit Kabhi Khushi, Kabhi Gham. It has breath-taking stunts in snow, and its locales are quite astounding. The chemistry between Khan and Kajol is outstanding, particularly towards the dénouement. The film broke the box office record in the first week by collecting a whopping Rs 33 crores.

It is another Bollywood potboiler that circumvents the Kashmir issue and reaffirms what other Bollywood films convey: women and middle-aged men against militants. Interestingly, only Kashmiri women are allowed to perform at the Republic Day function in the film, while a Kashmiri man when given entry causes devastation. The other lacuna, which is common to the most Bollywood films made on the Kashmir issue, is the complete absence of the aspirations of the Kashmiri masses, their sufferings and the heavy emotional and physical pain they undergo.

Like the other Yash Raj films it is a fairytale story sewed with the emotionality of a Kashmiri backdrop. Do not get surprised if this film becomes a cult for filmmakers. As said earlier, the director has used metaphors quite stunningly and cunningly. One cannot help but fault the ill-defined patriotism of the movie.

But, Fanaa has succeeded where other mainstream films have failed. For the first time in the history of Indian cinema one hears about Kashmiris being deprived of the promised referendum. Secondly, it is shown a ‘terrorist’ group operating in Kashmir is not controlled by Pakistan. The film goes one step ahead by showing an understanding between the two countries on terrorism.

The film acknowledges the use of popular entertainment as means of political mobilisation or propaganda. The best popular films are being crafted with a dangerous liaison of fact and fantasy, which confuses the audience and easily leads it astray. It is in such a context that films like Fanaa from Bollywood need to be assessed before we watch them.