short round...up

Yes... the round up was MIA last week. We have been busy, like anyone else this time of year, and we've been working on bringing you special features and projects for the holidays this December. (Be sure to join us the rest of this week for another Christmas cartoon and Candy review!) In the midst of the hubbub, it seems like the weekly roundup became overlooked last week. So, today we bring you our picks for the last two weeks (and maybe some Christmas gift ideas?) in an abbreviated (short) roundup. What ever happened to Short Round anyway?

DVD
Top Shelf Pick of the week!
Forbidden Hollywood
By the way, in case you missed last weeks review, our Top Shelf Pick of the Week was Forbidden Hollywood, Vol. 1 from Warner Brothers and TCM Archives. Be sure to read the review to learn more.

More DVD stocking stuffers
The Frank Capra Collection
The Frank Capra Collection is a nice little set featuring some of his better films, most of which has been previously available on DVD. New to DVD is his film, American Madness, which stars Walter Houston as a bank president during the throws of the Depression. The other films included in the set are: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (a Shelf Favorite), It Happened One Night (a Shelf... aw, heck they all are), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and You Can't Take it With You. Also included are a 96 page movie scrapbook and the documentary, Frank Capra's American Dream, hosted by Ron Howard. Capra is an American legend and a national treasure.


Disney's True Life Adventures







This is another special DVD series, similar to the Walt Disney Treasures series. The Legacy Collection will be 2 disc sets each, and the first wave is the True Life Adventures sets. If you remember The Wonderful World of Disney, you remember these.


Collections: Charlie Chan Vol. 2 and Will Rogers, Vol. 2
More Charlie Chan featuring Walter Oland in the title role: Charlie Chan at the Circus, Charlie Chan at the Olympics, Charlie Chan at the Opera, and Charlie Chan at the Race Track plus bonus features. At the Opera is perhaps the best Charlie Chan film and co-stars Boris Karloff.
The Will Rogers Collection Vol.2 set features the iconic humorist in four films: Ambassador Bill, David Harum, Mr Skitch, and Too Busy to Work.



Dungeons and Dragons: The Complete Animated Series:
Eighties fanboys, unite! If you were watching Saturday morning cartoons in the mid-80s, then you require no introduction, nor explanation of this set. Here it is the complete show in one nice DVD set. This thing is stuffed with extras, including storyboards, a fanfilm, several episode commentaries featuring the voice cast and animators, 50 detailed profiles of various characters, creatures, and artifacts, and interviews with the cast. Thanks, Dungeon Master.



James Bond: Ultimate Editions, Vol. 3 and Vol. 4
This are the final two volumes in the U.E. sets. Films in Volume 3:
For Your Eyes Only, From Russia with Love
Live and Let Die, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and GoldenEye.
Films in Volume 4:
Dr. No, Moonraker, Octopussy, You Only Live Twice, and Tomorrow Never Dies.
Volumes 1 and 2 were released last month and we discussed the U.E. editions in a previous roundup. You can read about them here. Collect 'em all.


Rocky Anthology:
This set contains all of the Rockys, I through V. Rocky is an iconic film, and deservedly so, includes a two disc special edition (also available separately). Rocky II and III were great movies, which I really liked. I liked Rocky IV, but by this time the series had become almost tired. Drago was a good villian, but the film series should have perhaps finished on this good note. The less said about Rocky V, the better. Sly Stallone is an excellent (and Oscar-winning) film writer, and created two memorable film characters that he is bringing back to the screen soon: Rocky and Rambo. Early word is that Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI) is pretty good. We shall see. Definitely a great set for the sports and film fan alike.

SNL: the Complete First Season 1975-1976.
The names Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner are the stuff of comedy legend. This is the season and the cast that started it all. The skits were fresh and the humor was flying everywhere. It's no big secret that the show has seen better days, but you've got to give props to a show and the man behind it, Lorne Michaels, for surviving for 30 years. Guests from this season include Elliott Gould, Buck Henry, Candice Bergen, Lily Tomlin, Madeline Kahn and Peter Boyle, who passed away this week. All of the legendary skits, Samuari Deli, Mr. Bill, the original SNL News, The Land Shark, and apparences by Andy Kauffman. The musical guests were equally good and make for an eclectic mix. Much better than most of the musical guests featured of late (a section I usually skip, if I watch all, anymore). Pick it up to remind yourself that when it was good, it was good.

Dean Martin: Double Feature
This is a double feature set that includes Who Was That Lady? and How to Save a Marriage. These films fit in the kind of late 50s-early 60s war of the sexes comedy/romantic comedy mold so famously done by Doris Day and Rock Hudson. But hey, they star Dino! Gotta love Dino!





The Web:
Check out all the pretty lights!
Back in the day, we used to ride around with Mom and Pop in the car, checking out all the Christmas lights in the neighborhood. Well, in that spirit, I'd like for you to take a spin around the Shelf Community to see what our pals are doing for Christmas! Be sure to check 'em out.

Scott over at Cool Kooky Hip and Groovy is giving some great Christmas goodies this year with some Christmas-themed Detective OTR shows. Gotta love The Shadow!

Our friend Sallie at OTR Experience is really kicking Christmas up a notch. There is not only some great Christmas posts and goodies, but a slew of Christmas OTR. You'd think Santa came early. Be sure to check out one of my favorite posts, Christmas With Barbara Stanwyck.

Laura just recently posted some pictures and thoughts from a Christmas visit to a Disneyland all decked out in Holly over at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings . She also has an excellent look at the True-Life Adventures series.

Brainwerk is really pulling out the stops over at Check the Cool Wax. He's been putting up some great stuff daily, including some old Christmas albums.

Someone new to the Shelf Community, but not new to this sort of thing, Senses Working Overtime is one of my newest daily visits. Something great almost everyday, including some great Jack Benny Christmas episodes today and some Bob Hope Christmas episodes from last week. Also check some old Christmas comics, including this one featuring Rudolph.

Some "break from the holiday hub-bub" fun:
The crew over at Maggie's Farm are still doing their NE Yankee thing, including some great pictures like these cool ice sculptures and a nice one of an aurora.
Need some "break from Christmas" fun? Here's a funny Star Wars fanfilm over at Cinerati.

TCM:
Don't forget our handy TCM for the Holidays guide for some Classic Christmas!

Well that's it for this week folks. Next week we'll return with a full-featured roundup, including some great new entries for animation fans in the Disney Treasures series.



At two o'clock this morning, Mr. Deeds held up traffic while he fed a bagful of doughnuts to a horse. When asked why he was doing it, he replied, 'I just wanted to see how many doughnuts this horse would eat before he asked for a cup of coffee.