Marshall Herskovitz

Dangerous Beauty

Although it was unfortunately ignored during its brief theatrical release, this sumptuously seductive production is that rarest of cinematic breeds, the (barely) respectable guilty pleasure. Combining historical fact with hysterical anachronisms of language and mannerism, it's been tailored for maximum contemporary appeal but maintains a lush, romantic feel for its factual 16th-century tale of Venetian love, lust, and political repression. Catherine McCormack (Mel Gibson's ill-fated bride in Braveheart) delivers a star-making performance as the "dangerous beauty" who becomes a skillful courtesan to pursue her forbidden love for a dashing Venetian senator (Rufus Sewell). It's all rather silly in a high-toned fashion, and the film turns dour when the church intervenes with a Scarlet Letter-like papal inquest. But the movie's joyously ribald vitality is utterly irresistible, and the casting of McCormack with Jaqueline Bisset (as her mother and courtesan mentor) is a stroke of pure genius. Merchant-Ivory would've made a smarter film from this material, but it probably wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. --Jeff Shannon

Family - The Complete First and Second Seasons

In the mid-'70s, Family was sort of the anti-All in the Family--dealing with the issues of the day, but far more sincerely and earnestly than Archie Bunker & tribe. In fact, the landmark series, which debuted in 1976 on ABC, quickly gained a following for its willingness to integrate controversy with a fairly typical upper-middle-class family. The Lawrences--headed by Sada Thompson as Kate and James Broderick (father of Matthew Broderick) as Doug--were close-knit but willing to face issues like infidelity, gay friends, alcoholism, divorce, and more--making it ground-breaking for primetime TV. The kids (divorcee Nancy, played in season 1 by Elayne Heilveil and replaced in season 2 by Meredith Baxter Birney; Willie, played by Gary Frank; and the heartbreakingly adorable Buddy, played by Kristy McNichol) knew they had mom and dad's support, even when the going got tough, and were there for each other when crises arose. And happily, the show's producers, which included Mike Nichols and Aaron Spelling, realized all this earnestness needed leavening with some humor. When Buddy is needling Willie for dance lessons so she can go to the Junior Jump with the babelicious Carl ("Hey, the Strawberry Shakes are playing!"), Willie balks. Then Buddy looks him square in the eye and says, "I need a personal triumph, Willie." She shoots, she scores. The show, which won Emmys for both Thompson and McNichol, boasts stellar writing and believable situations, and is still compulsive watchable years later. The boxed set includes all 28 episodes of the first two seasons. --A.T. Hurley

FAMILY is the hit dramatic series that explores the lives loves and hardships of a contemporary 1970s American family told with heart and humor. Originally given a six-episode run the show became a surprise hit in the fall of 1976 and won two Emmy® Awards for the second season. This groundbreaking series is a Mike Nichols production (Academy Award® winner 1967 Best Director The Graduate) created by Jay Presson Allen (Cabaret) and executive produced by the powerhouse producing team of Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg (TV's "Charlie's Angels" and "Starsky & Hutch").FAMILY follows the saga of the Lawrence family of Pasadena California - parents Kate (Sada Thompson) and Doug (James Broderick) and their three children: young divorced mother Nancy (played by Elayne Heilveil in the first season and by Meredith Baxter Birney in the second season) high school dropout Willie (Gary Frank) and young teenage daughter Buddy (Kristy McNichol). Notable guest stars include Willie Aames Helen Hunt James Woods and Tommy Lee Jones.System Requirements:Running Time 1288 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 043396156227 Manufacturer No: 15622

Jack the Bear

It's not hard to see what attracted director Marshall Herskovitz (TV's thirtysomething) and writer Steve Zaillian (Schindler's List) to this tragicomic story of a widower trying to keep life together for his two young sons. And Danny DeVito gives them a surprisingly sympathetic and low-key performance that capably blends pathos and humor. But the story--about Jack's attempts to get his drinking under control, even while holding down a job as a late-night TV horror-movie host--descends into bathos. Then it gets downright weird and scary when the family's strange neo-Nazi neighbor (a popeyed Gary Sinise) takes an unhealthy interest in one of the children. Jack the Bear sat on the shelf for a couple of years while Herskovitz reworked it, but it was like changing the tires on a car with a broken drive-train. --Marshall Fine

After the death of his wife, John Leary (Danny DeVito) vows to make a new life for himself and his two sons, Jack and Dylan (Robert J. Steinmiller, Jr. and Miko Hughes). He moves the family to Oakland and gets a job as the monster host of a late night horror TV show. Though all three try to cope with the great loss in their lives, Jack find's his father's silly antics and alcoholism a confusing and embarrassing burden. Gary Sinise and Julia Louis-Dreyfus co-star in this human look at the joys and pains of growing up.