Knight at HOME at the Movies
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Comedy tonight...and tomorrow...and the day after that...
To quote Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins, I LOVE TO LAUGH and this week my cup ranneth amok! Lotsa funny girls and guys!
To quote Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins, I LOVE TO LAUGH and this week my cup ranneth amok! Lotsa funny girls and guys!
“Diamonds, daisies, white wine, that girl” is just one of the actual lyric lines to one of the seminal sitcoms of the latter half
of the 1960s, That Girl. This lyrical list of the singer’s favorite things always ends with that girl, none other than Ann Marie
portrayed by Marlo Thomas. Presumably, her long suffering boyfriend and chief supporter, sports writer Donald Hollinger
(Ted Bessell) was the one singing the song. It was until a latter season that the lyrics were sung over the zippy theme
song (written by Earle Hagen who also penned “Mannix” and other TV classic themes). By that time all of America was
solidly in love with zany career girl Ann who got herself mixed up in a lot of Lucy-like physical comedy situations in her
quest for stardom in Manhattan. It was easy to identify with spunky but heartfelt Ann, a single gal alone in the Big Bad
City, something not seen on television before her debut in 1966.
Aside from starring in the series, Thomas produced, only the second woman to do so (after Lucille Ball) and had the good
sense to surround herself with top comedy writers, performers and directors. Much of this – and a lot more – is revealed
in an all new documentary and the other extras included with Shout! Factory’s 5-disc That Girl – Season One set.
Aside from the 30 – count ‘em – episodes from the first season, the set also includes the original pilot. As with all Shout!
Factory releases, the set is given their retro flavored packaging. I eagerly await further seasons.
Speaking of everybody’s favorite redhead, Paramount Home Video has now given us the 4-disc set I Love Lucy – the
Complete Sixth Season. All good things must come to an end and so it was with this last season of the ubiquitous
sitcom, forever the barometer for all pretenders to the throne. There are always plenty of laughs with the Ricardos and
the Mertzes and by this time Little Ricky had grown enough to take part in several episodes (“Little Ricky Plays the
Drums” for example). The series ended up moving the quartet to the suburbs of Connecticut and the writers found plenty
of new inspiration in the country setting. Like the preceding sets, Paramount has done a superb job at mastering the
shows (26 in all) and added plenty of bonuses (including the colorized version of the long lost Christmas special, and a
raft of other goodies). A delight and bargain priced to boot.
Also from Paramount Home Video comes the Queen Latifah comedy Last Holiday. Latifah is a continued amazement
whose enormous likeability livens up all her movies, especially this one. I rather liked this wish fulfillment fantasy
romance comedy which was heightened by its rarely seen East European locations. The disc includes three featurettes and
recipes for favorite dishes by Latifah’s character.
of the 1960s, That Girl. This lyrical list of the singer’s favorite things always ends with that girl, none other than Ann Marie
portrayed by Marlo Thomas. Presumably, her long suffering boyfriend and chief supporter, sports writer Donald Hollinger
(Ted Bessell) was the one singing the song. It was until a latter season that the lyrics were sung over the zippy theme
song (written by Earle Hagen who also penned “Mannix” and other TV classic themes). By that time all of America was
solidly in love with zany career girl Ann who got herself mixed up in a lot of Lucy-like physical comedy situations in her
quest for stardom in Manhattan. It was easy to identify with spunky but heartfelt Ann, a single gal alone in the Big Bad
City, something not seen on television before her debut in 1966.
Aside from starring in the series, Thomas produced, only the second woman to do so (after Lucille Ball) and had the good
sense to surround herself with top comedy writers, performers and directors. Much of this – and a lot more – is revealed
in an all new documentary and the other extras included with Shout! Factory’s 5-disc That Girl – Season One set.
Aside from the 30 – count ‘em – episodes from the first season, the set also includes the original pilot. As with all Shout!
Factory releases, the set is given their retro flavored packaging. I eagerly await further seasons.
Speaking of everybody’s favorite redhead, Paramount Home Video has now given us the 4-disc set I Love Lucy – the
Complete Sixth Season. All good things must come to an end and so it was with this last season of the ubiquitous
sitcom, forever the barometer for all pretenders to the throne. There are always plenty of laughs with the Ricardos and
the Mertzes and by this time Little Ricky had grown enough to take part in several episodes (“Little Ricky Plays the
Drums” for example). The series ended up moving the quartet to the suburbs of Connecticut and the writers found plenty
of new inspiration in the country setting. Like the preceding sets, Paramount has done a superb job at mastering the
shows (26 in all) and added plenty of bonuses (including the colorized version of the long lost Christmas special, and a
raft of other goodies). A delight and bargain priced to boot.
Also from Paramount Home Video comes the Queen Latifah comedy Last Holiday. Latifah is a continued amazement
whose enormous likeability livens up all her movies, especially this one. I rather liked this wish fulfillment fantasy
romance comedy which was heightened by its rarely seen East European locations. The disc includes three featurettes and
recipes for favorite dishes by Latifah’s character.
Universal Studios have released the DVD of The Producers, the film version of the hit Broadway musical that was based
on the hit version of the original film from…Universal. All that just means that a terrific story has been retold for a new
audience and with comic genius Mel Brooks at the helm, it’s a remake with terrific songs and dances (courtesy of
choreographer-director Susan Storman). I didn’t see the stage version so all the songs and laughs hit for the first time
and I fell in love with funny boys Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick and most especially with Gary Beach and Roger Bart
as the gay director and his assistant. Their song, “Make It Gay” was the highlight of the movie for me. The disc includes
several deleted songs and a feature that focuses on the filming of the “I Wanna Be a Producer” number and in which the
comments of costume designer William Ivey Long, I’ve decided, are my new tongue in cheek inspiration. Oh, and that
Uma Thurman ain’t too hard on the eyes, either…
Fox Home Video is going to make those that know the source of those “Whatever I feel like it,” “Don’t be jealous because
I’ve been online all day chatting with babes” quotes and “Vote for Pedro” t-shirts extremely happy. After a bare bones
release, here comes at last the 2-disc, appropriately titled Napoleon Dynamite – Like, the Best Special Edition
Ever! This truly is special with a complete disc of extras that includes everything from Jon Heder’s original screen test to
deleted scenes, on set featurettes, premiere footage, etc. Napoleon was admittedly an oddball comedy (the 70s meet
the Millennium) but unlike other geek comedies, this one never took a superior position over its wacked out characters.
(And the lesbian grandmother with her “damn case-a-dilla” line is my current fave quote). Run don’t walk to get this one.
Matt Lucas and David Williams comprise the brilliant team that populate Little Britain, a series of sketches based in the
British Isles and starring the two lads, Tracy Ullman like in all the starring parts. They play women and gay characters with
a particular zest and the humor, in the patented Monty Python style, is a mixture of the gross out and absurd. I have
friends who have sworn by this Britcom since its debut here on the BBC channel but it wasn’t until I delved into BBC Warner’
s 2-disc Little Britain – the Complete Second Series that I really invested much time in the show. To say that I’m
not the biggest Nancy in the Little Brit fan club would be an understatement. Lucas and Williams in the guise of their
numerous gay and feminized characters might disagree but all I can say is that now I’M the one calling up all my friends
and raving about the show. Apparently, this second series added a whole slew of new characters (this I learned from the
chat show interviews and funny making of doc included with the set). The large and lovely Bubbles, who isn’t quite
prepared to pay her bill after five months at the fat farm is the best site gag in the set, seconded closely by David, the
only gay lad in his tiny village – or so he’d like to think. Great stuff.
on the hit version of the original film from…Universal. All that just means that a terrific story has been retold for a new
audience and with comic genius Mel Brooks at the helm, it’s a remake with terrific songs and dances (courtesy of
choreographer-director Susan Storman). I didn’t see the stage version so all the songs and laughs hit for the first time
and I fell in love with funny boys Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick and most especially with Gary Beach and Roger Bart
as the gay director and his assistant. Their song, “Make It Gay” was the highlight of the movie for me. The disc includes
several deleted songs and a feature that focuses on the filming of the “I Wanna Be a Producer” number and in which the
comments of costume designer William Ivey Long, I’ve decided, are my new tongue in cheek inspiration. Oh, and that
Uma Thurman ain’t too hard on the eyes, either…
Fox Home Video is going to make those that know the source of those “Whatever I feel like it,” “Don’t be jealous because
I’ve been online all day chatting with babes” quotes and “Vote for Pedro” t-shirts extremely happy. After a bare bones
release, here comes at last the 2-disc, appropriately titled Napoleon Dynamite – Like, the Best Special Edition
Ever! This truly is special with a complete disc of extras that includes everything from Jon Heder’s original screen test to
deleted scenes, on set featurettes, premiere footage, etc. Napoleon was admittedly an oddball comedy (the 70s meet
the Millennium) but unlike other geek comedies, this one never took a superior position over its wacked out characters.
(And the lesbian grandmother with her “damn case-a-dilla” line is my current fave quote). Run don’t walk to get this one.
Matt Lucas and David Williams comprise the brilliant team that populate Little Britain, a series of sketches based in the
British Isles and starring the two lads, Tracy Ullman like in all the starring parts. They play women and gay characters with
a particular zest and the humor, in the patented Monty Python style, is a mixture of the gross out and absurd. I have
friends who have sworn by this Britcom since its debut here on the BBC channel but it wasn’t until I delved into BBC Warner’
s 2-disc Little Britain – the Complete Second Series that I really invested much time in the show. To say that I’m
not the biggest Nancy in the Little Brit fan club would be an understatement. Lucas and Williams in the guise of their
numerous gay and feminized characters might disagree but all I can say is that now I’M the one calling up all my friends
and raving about the show. Apparently, this second series added a whole slew of new characters (this I learned from the
chat show interviews and funny making of doc included with the set). The large and lovely Bubbles, who isn’t quite
prepared to pay her bill after five months at the fat farm is the best site gag in the set, seconded closely by David, the
only gay lad in his tiny village – or so he’d like to think. Great stuff.