THE PLOT THUS FAR

Dance your cares away with this collection of 6 episodes highlighting everyone’s favorite fun-loving furry creatures Fraggles! Get to know Gobo, Red, Boober, Wembly and Mokey as they explore outer space, dodge the Gorgs and learn about themselves and the world around them in this silly compilation.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Meet the Fraggles” is a compilation of six episodes from the first season of “Fraggle Rock”. It’s pretty basic, but it adds up to a fun time. It’s weird to me that there are people who need to be introduced to the Fraggles, but then I realize that they are children. I can’t wait to introduce my kid to Fraggle Rock, then wait as they properly forget about it for a decade or two. Then, they bring it back on a proper nostalgia kick. I just don’t want them to be Fraggle Rock obsessives.

The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is strong with a supportive transfer and a Dolby audio track. The Dolby track doesn’t get much back channel action outside of the few major crowd scenes. In the end, I’d recommend a rental.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

THE PLOT THUS FAR

A farmer takes a job on a canal boat and finds a wife, much to the dismay of her father and the boat’s jealous captain.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

The accent here is on Fonda’s character, a farm kid who’s working on the Erie Canal in its last days because the railroad is coming through. Fonda just wants to earn enough money for good piece of farm land, not unlike Gary Cooper’s Sergeant York character before he went to war. He’s not into the Canal and what it’s meant to the history and economy of upstate New York, in fact the whole Northeast of the USA.

Apart from Fonda and Gaynor, the film’s biggest draw is it’s homespun characters who populate the water front where the most popular entertainment are the fights that frequently occur between rival boat owners. A man is measured by how eagerly he wants to engage in a brawl, so when Dan Harrow leaves the river on business just at the moment fighting Jotham Klore is looking for him, Molly is left shamed and snubbed by the townsfolk. Bickford attacked every role he was given with gusto and this part was no exception. His Klore is always the centre of attention whether walking alone drunk, in the centre of a crowd or commanding Molly to fix him some food.

The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is pretty sharp for standard definition. However, there are minor moments of digital noise. The Dolby track supports the dialogue and that’s all that matters for a classic genre release like this. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

THE PLOT THUS FAR

A family in mule drawn wagon that sells chickens settles in New York City and ends up in a whole bunch of mischief.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Chicken Wagon Family” plays like a happy version of “The Grapes of Wrath”. I admire that they wanted to turn a kiddie headliner movie into a serious social commentary. However, it’s so bizarre that it almost derails the entire film. As, I finish up my look at Jane Withers, I have to admire the odd place she had in the history of FOX.

Playing as some sort of anti-Shirley Temple, the results were amazing. Unfortunately, Americans don’t remember anything older than a decade ago. So, films from the 1930s and 1940s don’t stand a chance in Hell. But, I know that we have readers that are sympathetic with my push to highlight these films. Give it a shot, as the FOX Cinema Archives are here to impress.

The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is pretty sharp for standard definition. However, there are minor moments of digital noise. The Dolby track supports the dialogue and that’s all that matters for a classic genre release like this. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

THE PLOT THUS FAR

MADtv was a late night sketch-comedy show based on the humor of the popular MAD magazine. Material includes celebrity impersonations, music video, commercial, movie, and TV show parodies, recurring characters, musical guests, and the occasional mock cartoons. The show competed against the long-running SNL, but was aimed at a younger audience. Lasting an impressive 14 seasons, the show’s revolving-door cast of talented actors and numerous Emmy Award nominations made it truly a success story.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

Enter MADtv, which lampooned the peculiarities of 1990’s and 2000’s politics, lifestyles, habits, entertainment and everything else under the sun in America. Finding ripe targets was in itself pretty easy: in retrospect, it is difficult to argue that almost anything that went on politically, economically, socially or culturally in America during those decades was a positive development.  But what made MADtv so brilliant was its unabashed sense of humor about just how ridiculous everything was.

The fourth season of “MadTV” is a direct carry over from the last season. If you liked Ms. Kwan, the hyperactive kid, the celeb impressions and the VanCome Lady; then you’re in luck. This wasn’t a show about rocking the boat and they never tried to do that. So, take that for what you will. I used it for background viewing on a lazy afternoon.

The DVD comes with no special features. The Dolby track is supportive for what’s there. However, the transfer felt flat. It’s not anything detrimental, but just that noticeable. In the end, I’d recommend a rental.

RELEASE DATE: 11/12/2013

THE PLOT THUS FAR

UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson didn’t take the easy way to the top of the 155-pound weight class. But with skill, heart and determination, ”Smooth” has become one of mixed martial arts’ most exciting fighters and compelling figures. In this must-see, two-disc collection, relive Henderson’s rise while watching his greatest bouts — including battles with Frankie Edgar, Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone and Clay Guida.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

I know the UFC as much as your mother does. It’s popular, it’s a thing and some young man is always screaming about it. I have better things to do like antagonizing the help and watching arthouse cinema. But, I digress. Let’s take the time to pick apart this thing you love. It’s like kick-boxing, right? Popular in Thailand, but dead in the USA since 1989.

Benson Henderson is a pretty decent lightweight fighter from the footage I saw. Honestly, it looks like human cockfighting, but this scrapper lives to fight another day. For only being a 155 pound fighter, he’s pretty quick and strikes hard. I wish I could say more about it, but nothing I saw really grabbed my attention.

The DVD comes with nearly five hours of five footage. That’s pretty special. The A/V Quality is as strong as it gets for standard definition. Still, I was expecting something more. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to UFC fans.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!