Taylor, Don

The Wild Wild West - The Fourth Season

At one uncharacteristically poignant point during Wild Wild West's final season, secret service agent James West raises a glass to toast "absent friends." That would be Artemis Gordon, West's resourceful sidekick and a master of disguise and the odd "diversion." Ross Martin, who portrayed Gordon, had suffered a heart attack and was missing in action for several episodes, so missed that it took several actors to fill his shoes: Charles Aidman as Jeremy Pike, William Scharlett (who early in the season portrays a villain in the episode, "The Night of the Gruesome Games") as Frank Harper, Pat Paulson, the hangdog mock-Presidential candidate on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, as the seemingly milquetoast Bosley Cranston in "The Night of the Camera," and Alan "The Skipper" Hale, Jr. as chemist Ned Brown in "The Night of the Sabatini Death," (which also features Jim Backus and contains a cute Gilligan's Island in-joke at episode's end). With or without Martin, this was a wild, wild season that offers genre-bending kicks in episodes that evoke James Bondian espionage, Jules Verne fantasy, bizarre Avengers-style villainy, and even The Phantom of the Opera. James and company are up against some entertainingly over-the-top megalomaniacs bent on world domination. Of course, the sun couldn't set on the West without one last encounter with the series' most popular villain, the "dictatorial, vain, short-tempered, and occasionally unreasonable" Dr. Loveless (Michael Dunn), who re-emerges yet again to pass judgment over those he professes to have wronged him in "The Night of Marguerite's Revenge." Two of TV's comedy icons, Harvey Koran and a pre-Mary Tyler Moore Show Ted Knight, play it straight as formidable foes in "The Night of the Big Blackmail" and "The Night of the Kraken," respectively. "The Night of the Winged Terror," the series' only two-parter, is an effective creep show featuring a hypnotizing bulging-brained adversary. Conrad, as one character compliments him, is "better than ever," whether dispatching goons (he performed all his own stunts) or romancing the ladies ("He said something about showing the big dipper to the daughter of the Lithuanian ambassador," Artemis explains West's absence in "Big Blackmail"). While there are signs that the series was poised to jump the shark, it is too bad it ended before further encounters with Professor Montague, who is introduced in "The Night of the Janis" as the Q-like creator of such nifty gadgets as a harmonica gun. --Donald Liebenson

James West and Artemus Gordon are two agents of President Grant who take their splendidly appointed private train through the west to fight evil. Half science fiction and half western the Artemus designs a series of interesting gadgets for James that would make Inspector Gadget proud. A light hearted adventure series.System Requirements:Running Time; 1216 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097368532144 Manufacturer No: 853214

The Wild Wild West - The Complete First Season

While following in the tradition of conventional Westerns like GUNSMOKE or HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL the innovative 1960s television series THE WILD WILD WEST tweaked the genre by infusing science-fiction elements and James Bond-like espionage plotlines. As dashingly handsome secret agent James T. West (Robert Conrad) and his master-of-disguise sidekick Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin) investigated crimes in the late-1800s Wild West the series distinguished itself with anachronistically high-tech gadgetry (a pioneering style that would later be come to known as "steampunk") and an odd assemblage of villains that included the delightfully demented dwarf Miguelito Loveless (Michael Dunn). Eccentric and visionary the series is resurrected in this collection of 28 remastered episodes from the debut season.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: WESTERN/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 097368881648 Manufacturer No: 888164

CBS had an instant hit on their hands when The Wild Wild West made its network debut on September 17, 1965. While many of the popular TV Westerns were running out of steam, series creator Michael Garrison ripped a page from the Ian Fleming/Sean Connery playbook and conceived The Wild Wild West as a "James Bond Western," energizing the genre by combining a traditional Western setting (primarily the San Francisco region in the 1870s) with the accoutrements of the spy genre. It was a foolproof formula, further refined by producer Fred Frieberger (who later produced the third and final season of Star Trek), and TWWW held its popular time-slot (7:30-8:30 on Friday nights) for its entire four-season run. Smart casting proved to be another source of audience appeal: While Robert Conrad fit nicely into his role (and tight-fitting costume) as macho Secret Service agent James West, doing his own challenging stunts and charming each episode's obligatory beautiful female guest star, Ross Martin proved an equally excellent choice to play West's skillful sidekick Artemus Gordon, a debonair dandy whose mastery of disguises and dialects would prove essential as they tackled dangerous crime-fighting assignments from President Ulysses S. Grant.

The series' unique appeal arose from its clever and frequently bizarre plots. Every episode title began with a variation of "The Night of..." (including the pilot, "The Night of the Inferno," with more unusual titles thereafter), and as Jim and Arte plotted strategies from the comfort of their tricked-out custom railroad car, their exploits frequently led them into realms of the occult, mad science, bizarre inventions, and villains so eccentrically twisted that they became instant favorites among the show's growing legion of fans. Best of them all was the nefarious Miguelito Loveless, first appearing in "The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth" (original airdate 10/01/65) and played to perfection by dwarf actor Michael Dunn, a '60s TV regular familiar to Star Trek fans from his memorable role in the original series episode "Plato's Stepchildren." A gifted, intellectual renaissance man (like Ross Martin) with an angelic singing voice, Dunn was an overnight sensation, guest-starring in four of the first season's 28 episodes, with six more appearances in subsequent seasons. Dunn's gleeful malevolence (accompanied by his mute henchman Voltaire, played by giant actor Richard Kiel) was an essential addition to the series' sideshow esthetic; weirdness, humor, gorgeous women, and devious ingenuity (in plotting, action and gadgetry), became the trademarks that set TWWW apart from its more conventional TV Western competition. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
For this much-anticipated DVD release, Paramount has made above-average efforts to satisfy fans. Virtually every episode looks and sounds practically brand-new, and with TWWW expert Sue Kesler serving as DVD co-producer, this seven-disc set features a wealth of archival extras, many culled from Kesler's own research as author of the out-of-print guidebook The Wild Wild West: The Series. In addition to excerpts from audio-taped interviews with Frieberger, writer (and "Dr. Loveless" creator) John Kneubuhl (who tells a fascinating story of how Liberace almost guest-starred on the show), music composer Richard Markowitz, and special-effects technician Tim Smyth, each episode includes brief but informative audio introductions by Robert Conrad, who also appears (with Martin) discussing the show (and their subsequent TV-movie revival of TWWW) in a 1978 talk-show appearance. Excerpts from the original music-theme scoring sessions were found in UCLA's Film and Television archive, and other extras include a network series promo clip (from a later season, after TWWW switched to color), a sketch by Ross Martin, a photo gallery, and even one of Conrad's notorious Eveready Battery commercials from the late '70s. All in all, this 40th Anniversary package should give TWWW fans ample reason to celebrate, boding well for the other season-sets to follow. --Jeff Shannon

The Final Countdown (Widescreen Edition)

With a tantalizing "what-if?" scenario and a respectable cast of Hollywood veterans, The Final Countdown plays like a grand-scale episode of The Twilight Zone. It's really no more than that, and time-travel movies have grown far more sophisticated since this popular 1980 release, but there's still some life remaining in the movie's basic premise: What if a modern-era Navy aircraft carrier--in this case the real-life nuclear-powered U.S.S. Nimitz--was caught in an anomalous storm and thrust 40 years backwards in time to the eve of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor? Will the ship's commander (Kirk Douglas) interfere with history? Will the visiting systems analyst (Martin Sheen) convince him not to? Will a rescued senator from 1941 (Charles Durning) play an unexpected role in the future of American politics? Veteran TV director Don Taylor doesn't do much with the ideas posed by this potentially intriguing plot; he seems more interested in satisfying aviation buffs with loving footage of F-14 "Jolly Roger" fighter jets, made possible by the Navy's generous cooperation. That makes The Final Countdown a better Navy film than a full-fledged time-travel fantasy, but there's a nice little twist at the end, and the plot holes are easy to ignore. James Cameron would've done it better, but this popcorn thriller makes an enjoyable double-bill with The Philadelphia Experiment. --Jeff Shannon

Planet of the Apes - The Legacy Collection (Planet of the Apes [1968] / Beneath the / Escape from the / Conquest of the / Battle for the)

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Media Type: DVD
Artist: PLANET OF THE APES LEGACY
Title: PLANET OF THE APES LEGACY
Street Release Date: 05/22/2007
Domestic
Genre: SCIENCE FICTION

Tom Sawyer

Oscar® winner* Jodie Foster (Contact) is a "natural-born scene-stealer" (Los Angeles Times) as Becky Thatcher in this Oscar®-nominated** musical adaptation of Mark Twain's classic novel starring redheaded mop-top Johnny Whitaker ("Family Affair") as the rascally Tom Sawyer. "A genuine pleasure" (Reader's Digest) this charming family film co-stars Oscar® winner*** Celeste Holm (All About Eve) as tough-loving Aunt Polly.A mischievous orphan with a knack for tall tales Tom lives with his exasperated aunt in the riverfront town of Hannibal Missouri. Along with his ragtag best friend Huckleberry Finn (Jeff East) and his fetching sweetheart Becky Thatcher Tom's life is a series of clever and irrepressible adventures. But when he and Huck witness a crime Tom must decide if he will risk his life to exonerate town bum Muff Potter (Warren Oates).*1991: Actress The Silence of the Lambs; 1988: Actress The Accused**1973: Art Direction Costume Design Music Score**1947: Supporting Actress Gentleman's AgreementSystem Requirements:Running Time 99 MinsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 027616927453 Manufacturer No: 1008754

The 1973 version of Tom Sawyer features Mark Twain's young hero in a rousing musical adventure. Much to the exasperation of his Aunt Polly (Celeste Holm), Tom (Johnny Whitaker) likes nothing better than going fishing with Huck Finn (Jeff East, who reprised the role a year later in Huckleberry Finn), spinning a tall tale, or convincing the other boys to whitewash a fence for him. But life gets complicated when a pretty girl moves in to town (a 10-year-old Jodie Foster), and then a friend runs into serious trouble and only Tom can bail him out. It's not a letter-for-letter adaptation of Twain, but it's entertaining, and the music (songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, score by John Williams) is fun, with such songs as "Tom Sawyer," "Gratisfaction," and "Free Bootin'." It's less lavish than 1970's Oliver!, but should appeal to the same audience. Like Oliver!, however, some parental discretion is advised due to a sinister villain (Kunu Hank's Injun Joe), implied violence, and scary situations. --David Horiuchi

The Final Countdown (Full Screen Edition)

With a tantalizing "what-if?" scenario and a respectable cast of Hollywood veterans, The Final Countdown plays like a grand-scale episode of The Twilight Zone. It's really no more than that, and time-travel movies have grown far more sophisticated since this popular 1980 release, but there's still some life remaining in the movie's basic premise: What if a modern-era Navy aircraft carrier--in this case the real-life nuclear-powered U.S.S. Nimitz--was caught in an anomalous storm and thrust 40 years backwards in time to the eve of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor? Will the ship's commander (Kirk Douglas) interfere with history? Will the visiting systems analyst (Martin Sheen) convince him not to? Will a rescued senator from 1941 (Charles Durning) play an unexpected role in the future of American politics? Veteran TV director Don Taylor doesn't do much with the ideas posed by this potentially intriguing plot; he seems more interested in satisfying aviation buffs with loving footage of F-14 "Jolly Roger" fighter jets, made possible by the Navy's generous cooperation. That makes The Final Countdown a better Navy film than a full-fledged time-travel fantasy, but there's a nice little twist at the end, and the plot holes are easy to ignore. James Cameron would've done it better, but this popcorn thriller makes an enjoyable double-bill with The Philadelphia Experiment. --Jeff Shannon

Ride the Wild Surf

The surfin' 60s comes alive with long boards crashing waves bikinis and beach parties when Hollywood's happening jet-set including; Fabian Shelly Fabares Tab Hunter and Barbara Eden take a wet and wild magic carpet ride of adventure in surfer's paradise. Here on Hawaii's famous North Shore they test their hearts in a tale of daytime pipeline extremes and nights of cozy romance and seduction. With a great surfin' soundtrack and a groovin' wipe-out climax you'll catch a wave and RIDE THE WILD SURF - like you never have before!System Requirements:Running Time: 101 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR UPC: 043396078024 Manufacturer No: 07802

The Flying Nun - The Complete First Season

Two-time Academy Award®-winner Sally Field (Places in the Heart Norma Rae) flies in and out of trouble as Sister Bertrille in this classic and timeless series. Always with benevolent aims Sister Bertrille gets into all kinds of hysterical situations and manages to get in trouble with the Reverend Mother Superior (Madeleine Sherwood) with Sister Jaqueline (Marge Redmond) and with a local clubowner Carlos Ramirez (Alejandro Rey). From being mistaken for enemy aircraft to having a pelican fall in love with her to disrupting a meeting of mobsters Sister Bertrille constantly manages to find herself in precarious and hilarious situations.System Requirements:Run Time: 617 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/CLASSICS UPC: 043396121126 Manufacturer No: 12112

Sally Field parlayed her winsome TV personality honed in Gidget into the unlikely hit The Flying Nun from 1967 to 1970. Field plays Sister Bertrille, a 90-pound novice nun assigned to a crumbling convent in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the gusty winds and her order's seagull-shaped headgear combine to give her the ability to zoom around the Caribbean helping her fellow sisters and the kids attending their school. While most of us remember the flying part--and what a great fantasy for kid viewers, especially--the gist of the series focused more about Sister Bertrille's naiveté and of her youthful determination to make changes in her stuffy convent. Sister Bertrille provides a lot of fish-out-of-water appeal, and the supporting cast is extremely likable, including the narrator, Sister Jacqueline (the great character actress Marge Redmond), and a young Shelley Morrison, who plays the American-slang-mangler Sister Sixto ("She's sharp as a tick!"), and who would go on to play poker-faced Rosario on Will & Grace. Sister Bertrille's character also owes more than a nod to Maria von Trapp; she even gets the orphan students out of their scratchy uniforms and into comfier duds, though admittedly not made of Austrian drapes. The scrapes Sister Bertrille gets into are pretty standard '60s sitcom fare, but Field's sweet earnestness gives the show appeal beyond the sum of its pieces. --A.T. Hurley

The Island of Dr. Moreau

The Island of Doctor Moreau is a remake of 1932's Island of Lost Souls and, of course, an adaptation of H.G. Wells's classic tale of the dangers of playing God. Shipwreck victim Andrew (Michael York) washes up on a tropical island and is taken in by Dr. Moreau (Burt Lancaster), who lords over a compound staffed by some distinctly odd-looking servants. Also along for the ride are the mysteriously beautiful Maria, menacing shadows in the jungle, and lots and lots of cages in the House of Pain. While not as eerily creepy as its predecessor, The Island of Doctor Moreau has some fun makeup tricks and a good tiger fight or two, not to mention a thorough discussion of legal nuance by the island's "natives" ("What is the law?" "Not to walk on all fours!"). Definitely a fine afternoon's entertainment. Remade in 1996 with Marlon Brando. --Ali Davis

The Final Countdown (2-Disc Limited Special Edition)

With a tantalizing "what-if?" scenario and a respectable cast of Hollywood veterans, The Final Countdown plays like a grand-scale episode of The Twilight Zone. It's really no more than that, and time-travel movies have grown far more sophisticated since this popular 1980 release, but there's still some life remaining in the movie's basic premise: What if a modern-era Navy aircraft carrier--in this case the real-life nuclear-powered U.S.S. Nimitz--was caught in an anomalous storm and thrust 40 years backwards in time to the eve of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor? Will the ship's commander (Kirk Douglas) interfere with history? Will the visiting systems analyst (Martin Sheen) convince him not to? Will a rescued senator from 1941 (Charles Durning) play an unexpected role in the future of American politics? Veteran TV director Don Taylor doesn't do much with the ideas posed by this potentially intriguing plot; he seems more interested in satisfying aviation buffs with loving footage of F-14 "Jolly Roger" fighter jets, made possible by the Navy's generous cooperation. That makes The Final Countdown a better Navy film than a full-fledged time-travel fantasy, but there's a nice little twist at the end, and the plot holes are easy to ignore. James Cameron would've done it better, but this popcorn thriller makes an enjoyable double-bill with The Philadelphia Experiment. --Jeff Shannon