In 1989, The Little Mermaid restored Walt Disney Animation Studios to the standards of its glory years after a very trying decade. An adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, Mermaid’s co-directors Ron Clements and John Musker, aided immeasurably by the music of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, crafted a true Disney classic. Now available as a near-perfect Blu-ray Diamond...
Duking It Out: Interview with Dragon Day’s Ethan Flower
In today’s world, no country can feel 100% safe from an attack by a foreign power, especially if the assault is technological in nature. The upcoming 2013 independent feature film Dragon Day shows the United States of America falling victim to such a crippling security breech, and to make matters worse, the threat comes not only from outside forces, but...
DVD Review: Scooby-Doo! 13 Spooky Tales: Ruh-Roh-Robot!
The last few weeks have been a veritable feast for Scooby-Doo! fans. Late-August saw the release of the all-new feature film Scooby-Doo: Stage Fright. Earlier in September we had a new compilation, 13 Spooky Tales: Run for Your ‘Rife!. Now Scooby-holics can add Scooby-Doo! 13 Spooky Tales: Ruh-Roh-Robot! to their collections. It’s another two-DVD collection from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment...
Blu-ray Review: Drums Along the Mohawk – Twilight Time Limited Edition
Set in 1776, smack dab in the middle of the American Revolutionary War, Drums Along the Mohawk is an notably placid Western. The John Ford-directed film, shot in color in 1939, meanders along at a nearly casual pace. Gil Martin (Henry Fonda) marries his best gal Lana (Claudette Colbert, well into her 30s at the time—a tad old to play...
Blu-ray Review: Blood of Redemption
Some movies begin to slip from the memory as soon as the end credits roll. Others fade while actually viewing the movie, with each scene becoming increasingly harder to pay attention to. So it is with Blood of Redemption, a direct-to-video action flick so crushingly purposeless, it’s a challenge even following the by-the-numbers, cookie-cutter plot. Dolph Lundren stars as Axel,...
Music Review: Bob Dylan – Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) – The Bootleg Series Vol. 10
Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series has unveiled many true gems since it first launched in 1991, but the tenth volume just might be the most listenable in terms of feeling like an actual album. The fact that the 35 tracks on Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) – The Bootleg Series Vol. 10 were recorded during one of the more divisive (and often...
Bentley’s Bandstand: Garland Jeffreys, Ry Cooder, Minaret Soul Singles 1967-1976
Garland Jeffreys, Truth Serum. When it is time to find the rock singers who started in the ’60s, stayed the course and never lost sight of the spark that first ignited their soul and still, to this day, live in that world of glowing inspiration, Garland Jeffreys is right there on top. On his new album Truth Serum, there is...
The Human Equation: Interview with David Sutcliffe from Cracked
When it comes to its victims, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) does not discriminate. It does not consider your sex, race, religious beliefs or other factors before striking, and the cause can differ from one person to the next. Combat military personnel, those caught in a natural disaster or the survivor of a violent crime are among the prime targets for...
Art: Pat Wilshire on the Origins and Evolution of IlluXCon
This week many of the world’s masters of fantasy and science fiction art will be gathering for one of the most important annual juried shows held in their field. It’s a substantial show, during which these worthies display their wares, including past masterworks as well as new pieces, many created specifically for this event. And yet, the majority of these...
Therapy Session: Interview with Orange Is the New Black’s Michael Harney
Police detective, SWAT commander, Blackjack pit boss, FBI agent, assistant district attorney, U.S. Marshal—these are just a few of the many roles that veteran stage, feature film and television actor Michael Harney has portrayed in his long career. Currently, he can be seen as Sam Healy in the new hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. The job came...