THE PLOT THUS FAR

Mark Marderosian, hosts a children’s television series produced to encourage kids to have fun learning to draw! This unique, engaging and interactive series helps children of all ages discover the fun of creative learning.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Drawing with Mark” comes with a drawing booklet and coloring page. I used this as practice, as I began to watch the show. I know that I’m not the elementary school aged tyke that he’s trying to teach, but I wanted to study his fundamentals. Working in heavy graphic development, procurement and related marketing endeavors; Mark could teach adults a thing or two.

The material presented is clean and clear. Mark isn’t Bob Ross, but he’s not an advanced teacher that wants you to adopt a certain style. He exists to teach kids that art is fun and here is how to make your illustrations look even cooler. The two episodes presented cover dinosaurs and star-based imagery. It’s fun, plus it targets both genders equally. I know that’s a concern of a lot of our parent readers.

The DVD comes with no substantial 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. but Mark is a very clear speaker. In the end, I’d recommend a rental to parents of young kids.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

THE PLOT THUS FAR

Admiral Nelson takes a brand new atomic submarine through its paces. When the Van Allen radiation belt catches fire, the admiral must find a way to beat the heat or watch the world go up in smoke.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is a decent sci-fi experience that plays a psychological angle all the way up until the end.  Walter Pidgeon leads the crew of the Seaview in an effort to launch a nuclear missile into the Van Allen radiation belt.  The belt has caught fire and is threatening life on earth.  The psychological angle is interesting as the viewer is given evidence that Pidgeon’s plan might be insane and him along with it.  Some interesting confrontations ensue as the submarine and it’s crew face the pressures of the voyage.  Not all is as it seems to be and the unpredictability is one of the movie’s strengths.  The effects are decent and the drama comes from within the crew, somewhat of a change from other sci-fi efforts of the era.

Walter Pidgeon, Joan Fontaine, Robert Sterling, and especially Barbara Eden do a superb job of acting. It is also state of the art inasmuch as it has Barbara Eden on board, Actually no woman ever served on board until 20 years later. The main themes are a trip to the North pole under the ice and that the radiation layer is on fire. Joan Fontaine plays the part of a meddlesome psychiatrist and Michael Ansara plays the part on a  religious fanatic who independently helps Joan Fontaine in the meddling dept. Actually the  meddling becomes more dangerous than the fire. Incidents with a rebellious crew, a giant octopus and related calamities.

To those of us who were reared on pre Star Wars sci-fi it’s hard to grasp the complaints of the modern audience about old time genre movies and the effects that reside within. Before George Lucas took sci-fi and cinema watching to a different level involving pacey action every other frame, explosions a plenty and money inspired effects: our tastes were happily catered for by solid stories, character development and the odd bit of inspired for its time effects.

The Blu-Ray comes with commentary, featurettes, isolated score track and interviews. If that wasn’t enough, you get a 1080p transfer that blows away any previous home video release. The DTS-HD 4.0 master audio track really kicks in where it is needed. That being said, it is respective of the era in which it was created. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!