KOOL TV REVIEW: 'DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON' DVD

Differing types of justice? John Goodman, Glenn Close and Rose Byrne in Season Four of DAMAGES, out now exclusively on UK DVD. Images: SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT.

DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON

Starring Glenn Close, Rose Byrne and John Goodman

Released on DVD in the UK by SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Reviewed by Scott Weller

WARNING: This feature contains mild spoilers...

Miss Razor Blade Smile is back! The legal heroine representing the underdog but simultaneously fuelling her own almost self-destructive, super-powered ambitions and power base, Patty Hewes (once more exceptionally played by one of America’s finest actors, Glenn Close), strikes like a cobra for more crisp verbal sparring and interplay with her estranged protégé, Ellen Parsons (played by the wispy Rose Byrne) as they join forces to uncover a conspiracy in war torn Afghanistan and investigate the deaths of three members of an American private security firm, in the hit fourth season of the critically acclaimed, award-winning drama/thriller, DAMAGES, finally making its way to British television shores in this welcome premiere exclusive three-disc DVD release from SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT. It's another compulsively created run of dirty dealings and disturbing business from mysterious start to eventual bloody finish, packed with twists and turns that will no doubt be swiftly devoured by the shows dedicated fan base and all lovers of quality television.

Dark times ahead for the new season, as the war in Afghanistan becomes a major storyline.

Tackling the thorny and always controversial subject of American involvement, and commercial profiteering, from the war on terror, such selected material was never going to be easy to realise, and some of the ideas presented here have already been done quite well previously, with the likes of Ken Loach’s British based thriller ROUTE IRISH, as well as in episodes of THE KILLING II (Swedish version)- there’s even been private contractor baddies in hyper-charged action thriller 24- but DAMAGES creators/writers Glen Kessler, Todd A. Kessler and Daniel Zelman manage to add a new spin to certain aspects of their always clever and adaptive storytelling , of which its grim and topical nature, and its disturbing real-life problems and consequences, ultimately prove ripe for dramatic exploration. The series trademark visual style of memorable flashbacks and flash forwards also continue, if not in quite so much the presence previously marked within the complex narrative of the year three. (What with its hugely ambitious plotline involving the corrupt Tobin family.) This new season, also being made by a new TV channel-the cable DIRECTV rather than FOX (and notice the rise in swearing and visual titillation in the process!)- feels de-baggaged in some ways, though its reduced episode count (10 rather than 13) seems more focused in certain areas and less so in others.

Back for the thrill of the battle: Patty Hewes (Glenn Close).

With the dramatic internal conflict between Patty and Ellen of the previous seasons now relatively over (for now at least-we haven’t seen Year Five yet!), the start of Season Four sees the writers adding some interesting new layers and problems to the formers life and character in the two to three year time span between their last case together, including, in a sometimes darkly humorous way, coming to terms with the departure of Ellen to a rival law firm, the murder of her business partner and friend Tom Shays (Tate Donovan)  and being forced to address her anger management issues in tedious psychiatric sessions with Dr. Baldwin (LOST’s Fisher Stevens). She’s also divorced from businessman husband Phil (Michael Nouri, who sadly only makes one appearance in the new series) whilst also rediscovering the pressures of being a working mother: adoptive single parent and Granny from Hell to her currently missing sons child, Catherine. Xmas is definitely not a time of goodwill for this Iron Lady…

Ellen (Rose Byrne) has no choice but to join forces with Patty once again.

Still carving out career and life goals for herself outside of the immense shadow and thrill of the chase shown by Patti, Ellen is out to make a name for herself and soon encounters troubled old flame from high school, Chris Sanchez (played with the right frame of troubled conscience by Chris Messina), now an employee of the all-powerful, fingers in the world’s pie High Star security firm, of which she is quickly drawn into it's web of deceit when he soon disappears in action abroad after telling her of a mission gone wrong in Afghanistan. Her interest and dogged determination peaked with her early investigations into the war profiting company, Ellen soon realizes that she has no choice but to align herself once again with Patty, and her influential contacts, so as to retrieve the now MIA Sanchez and fight the combined threat of High Star, with its bulky figurehead boss Howard T. Erickson (John Goodman), and the upper echelons of the CIA.

As such shadow dancing continues, Ellen and Patty, almost equals, have seemingly healed their old wounds, with Patty’s steely eyed gaze, surely capable of stopping a tiger in its tracks, soon fixed on Ellen’s mission against the heart of the war capitalists. Though seemingly on the sidelines at first, she sees new personal and career opportunities for both of them. Unfortunately, as things intensify in and outside her career, Patty’s mind still retains quiet anger and bitterness towards her once protégé. Carefully hidden at first, she just can’t help letting her manipulative neuroses, antagonism and jealousy show through…

Trailer: Damages Season 4 Extended Trailer by DirecTV - YouTube

Always giving a complex and fascinating performance, Close is as compelling, scary and mesmerizing as ever as Patty, making the part a sometimes malignant, sometimes disturbing force of nature, combined with occasional, just occasional, vulnerability. Her often-tense scenes with Byrne as Ellen crackle with static electricity. As ever, Miss Byrne also gives a fine counter-balance performance as the quietly tough Ellen, but her character ultimately works best when involved with Patty. The need for the writers to get the female duo back may seem a little forced at first, but things soon settle down as their investigations and subpoena letters start circulating, and the cracks in the enemy armour start to appear.

The war profiteer. Ex-soldier now businessman Howard T. Erickson (John Goodman) makes plans...

Of the two big league opponents to the lawyers, former Fred Flintstone star John Goodman gives fine dramatic weight, occasional humour and sometimes sinister power as Erickson, ultra-right wing chief proponent of the Military high profit making contracting High Star: a devout father and Christian proud to take arms (literally) against a sea of troubles, and the kind of guy that Charlton Heston would surely have loved to have round for dinner at the Gun Club if he were still with us. And don’t be fooled by Erickson’s single, widowed parent status and his friendly demeanour: he’s ruthless and power loving, and quickly showcases himself as another fine opponent for our equally flawed heroes to challenge.

Dylan Baker excels in the new series, as dangerous CIA operative Jerry Boorman.

In a big change from playing amiable professors and straight-laced lawyers/policemen, Dylan Baker quite probably has his best acting role yet in DAMAGES, as the creepy and formidable CIA agent fixer for both his paymasters and Ericsson, Jerry Boorman, who has his own twist and turning secrets which he’s desperate to hide, and more than ready to sacrifice lives to protect his interests. A great performance from a fine character actor.

On the notable supporting guest star front, there’s also ex-TAXI star Judd Hirsch, continuing his fine character acting career playing a boozy, ex-lawyer, his prior career fingers burnt in a brush with the CIA, coming in to help Ellen and Patti get to the truth, Griffin Dunne, now starting to look like Peter Falk as Columbo with every passing year, as a disheveled war reporter who helps Ellen, and a brief but solid appearance from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY’s Keir Dullea as a CIA informant. And let’s not forget the always kooky but brilliant Tom Noonan, back as inquisitive ex-cop turned Private Investigator Victor Huntley, who aids Patty in finding her missing son Michael (Zachary Booth). Noonan and Close have several great scenes together in this series, their characters soon striking up a quirky working relationship.

Patty confers with new recruit Victor Huntley (Tom Noonan)

After a relatively slow start in early episodes stick with it, as things picks up by episode five and build towards a once more compelling penultimate episode inside the vipers nest, where the dramatic fireworks detonate, leading to a satisfying, if not spectacular, finale that wraps everything up neatly but also, more importantly, sets up an important new collision between Patty and Ellen that will be concluded in the shows fifth and final surprising year. (If you’ve seen the spoiler trailer for it you’ll know what I mean!) The episodes on the three-disc set are of varying lengths but one thing that does remain consistent is the series slick storytelling and it’s always polished acting and direction. (Including talent like returning series veteran Timothy Busfield.)

Picture and sound are fine, though it’s disappointing that SONY have not additionally released this new HD-made series on Blu-ray. On the extras side, there are no selected episode audio commentaries, sadly, but two fun featurettes compensate for their absence (one the making of the new series and the reason why the writers chose their new story arc, the other an examination of the continuing character development of Patty Hewes). There’s also some interesting if not overly important deleted scenes, and a light bloopers reel, all of which add to the enjoyment of a worthy release of addictive American television drama. Now has never been a better time to get damaged by DAMAGES!

KOOL TV RATINGS:

Overall season: 8 out of 10

Extras: 7 out of 10

Previous seasons of DAMAGES are on DVD from SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT. Season One is also available on Blu-ray.

SUMMER-TIME VENGEANCE! 'BURN NOTICE' RETURNS...

Glamorous danger with Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) and Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar) in BURN NOTICE. Images: USA Network.

Miami's main man combo of Jack Bauer and Jim Rockford- Michael Westen, as played by mad eyed, adrenaline charged Jeffrey Donovan, returns for a sixth season of the inventive USA Network's hit action drama laced with comedy, BURN NOTICE, created by Matt Nix, starting on the UK's FX HD channel exclusively from tonight. Now kinda back in the good books of the CIA, Michael starts getting some new cases and new heads to collide with (including taking on a formidable drug cartel and other gangsters), whilst also still trying to find out exactly who put the original pariah Burn Notice sanction on him five years previously. The pursuit of his old nemesis Anson (Jere Burns), aided once again by ex-CIA agent Rebecca (TERMINATOR 3's Kristanna Loken), remains firmly on his agenda, too, as does his continuing complex relationship with old-flame Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), once IRA terrorist now languishing in jail and facing her own set of dangerous hurdles if she's to survive life behind bars.

The producers and lead star, who also directs an episodes this season, have indicated there will be a few shocks and surprises to come, including the death of a major character...

Trailers: Burn Notice Season 6 Promo (HD) - YouTube
Burn Notice Season 6 Teaser (HD) - YouTube

The new Season Six key art, also featuring series veteran Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell).

KOOL TV REVIEW: THE DOUG McCLURE ADVENTURE TRILOGY DVDs

Peter Gilmore, Lea Brodie and the great Doug McClure prepare for danger in WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS. Images: STUDIO CANAL.

THE DOUG McCLURE ADVENTURE TRILOGY (comprising THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, AT THE EARTH’S CORE and WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS)

Released on UK DVD from July 30^th 2012, by STUDIO CANAL

Reviewed by Scott Weller

Hand in your lightsaber, Luke Skywalker, put away your cape, Batman; the original action man of fantasy is back. Yes, I’m talking about straw haired, resilient big guy Yankee hero Doug McClure, returning to heroic duty and fist packing, axe wielding dino-battle in three classic seventies fantasy adventures from AMICUS FILMS that were the cream of the British Film Foundation family screenings of the summer holidays from my glorious youth, and now fabulously and deservedly re-released for new summers and new children to enjoy on nicely priced DVD, from those wonderful people at STUDIO CANAL.

UK fantasy/horror icons Milton Subotsky, John Dark and Kevin Connor were the behind the scenes wonder kids trio responsible for all the enjoyable McClure starring action films of the mid to late seventies released through EMI, which would become true genre classics of their time. It’s great to see their work celebrated anew, the films retaining their evocative and enjoyable screen nostalgia, and taking us back to a more innocent and fun time at the pictures. Having been such a staple part of my youth, I was very happy and keen to revisit them all once again…

A new realm of volcanos and dinosaurs discovered in THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT.

THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT (1975)

World War I is raging from land into the high seas, and the desperate survivors of the torpedoed SS Montrose merchant/passenger ship join unlikely forces with the crew of the German enemy U-Boat that sunk them to discover the long lost mysterious island of Caprona, a true land that time forgot in this interesting and kid-friendly classic 1975 movie adaptation of the equally classic tale from Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose vivid storytelling talents are happily back in fashion again in 2012: this ripping yarn set 96 years earlier, when lost islands, civilizations and strange creatures were still theoretically possible in the imagination, and within a historical period when the world hadn’t been so fully mapped and explored...

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mERyn2QpRSw&feature=related

Intrepid survivors: Lisa (Susan Penhaligon), Tyler (Doug McClure) and Bradley (Keith Barron).

Brought over to win American audiences who would recognize him from his popular stint on the classic US western series THE VIRGINIAN, Doug McClure, who we shall now refer to within the rest of this review feature as Big M, is well cast as the square jawed engineer hero Bowan Tyler, who leads the capture of the enemy U-boat. Alongside him in their first on-screen appearance, and right to the bitter end of the volcanic devastation that hits Caprona, is the lovely Susan Penhaligon, a then rising star of the time whose performances in popular TV were of the kind of petite English Rose sexpot variety. Here, before the arrival of more voluptuous female figures in later Big M movies, she provides some fine audience appeal as Lisa Clayton, whose biology skills certainly come in handy later in the film.

A lot of other fine UK actors make a welcome jump to the big screen with LAND, too, including Keith Barron as Montrose Captain Bradley and John McEnery (whose name is sadly incorrectly spelt on the new DVD release sleeve!) as the island enthused German commander Von Schoenvorts, backed up by a memorable Anthony Ainley (later to be long running DOCTOR WHO enemy, The Master) as a snidely and supercilious German second-in-command, Dietz, and the original human version of STAR WARS Jabba the Hutt: bulky Irish actor Declan Mulholland, all of whom encounter beasts and dangers on the newly discovered island-if in doubt machine gun ‘em!-including the kind of classic creatures that will then and now appeal to children/family audiences of all ages like Stegosaurus, Pterodactyls and Allosaurus, all from the puppeteering hands of their talented creator, seventies UK effects star Roger Dicken, shot in competently filmed sequences using classic vistavision cameras from respected British cinematographer Alan Hume.

Take that Mr. Spielberg! McClure runs from a new flying threat!

If anything, though, it’s not the dinosaurs that are the problem here, it’s the continuing island environment itself and the equally evolving primitive tribesmen, of which we mustn’t forget the important contribution made by Lou Ferrigno /Bill Oddie lookalike Neanderthal hybrid Ahm (Bobby Parr) who, one of the few non-hostiles, acts as mild comic relief alongside our heroes and helps move the plot along at a key point.

A solid script from and James Cawthorn and sci-fi writer Michael Moorcock, it’s DAS BOOT meets JURASSIC PARK, then, if all done on a lot less money, obviously! It’s easily the best of the three Big M releases from STUDIO CANAL due to this and the aforementioned quality cast. There’s also the claustrophobic set designs of the U-boat interior and exterior, well realized by set designer Maurice Carter, built in and around some of the biggest soundstages in Europe, at Shepperton Studios, whose once water tank is well used through the film, alongside further location filming in Surrey which passes muster alongside some very good model work for the time from British effects legend Derek Meddings, who uses further reasonably successful back projection shot footage to enhance the scope of the mysterious new realm.

Danger on Caprona for Bowan and Lisa.

Then newcomer director Kevin Connor keeps it all moving confidently and spiritedly, where it eventually ends on a grim but satisfying note that also leaves the way open for an eventual, if less satisfying, sequel several years down the road: THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT…

The overall picture quality transfer of the release has a few moments of scene and music reel change deterioration, but generally it’s of a good quality. Of the three Big M releases this has some bonus features, including two short but sweet interviews with Susan Penhaligon and director Kevin Connor about the making of the film during an unusual and almost dearth time for British movie-making, and a few movie stills and posters primarily linked to LAND and AT THE EARTH’S CORE. It’s a shame more couldn’t have been done for all the releases, really. There must be a couple of behind the scenes featurette’s out there somewhere in the archives they could have found for inclusion.

KOOL TV RATING: 8.5 out of 10

AT THE EARTH’S CORE (1976)

With the aforementioned Edgar Rice Burroughs back in the public eye with the recent adaptation/release of the epic fantasy adventure JOHN CARTER, its easy to see a lot of his trade mark characters and storytelling in the next of Milton Subotsky’s produced fast paced film adaptations of his classic work, what with its beautiful Princess, strange creatures and subjugated tribesman/warriors…

Doug McClure with co-stars Peter Cushing and Caroline Munro.

With less cast than THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT (though EARTH does features a nice little cameo from LAND’s Keith Barron at the beginning), Big M has a more dominant role in this film and a chance to flex his big screen attitude and muscles as David Innes, a talented cigar-chomping big guy of an inventor seeking fame and fortune, who, with wispy and enthusiastic Dr. Abner Perry (the equally legendary Peter Cushing), makes a journey into the Earth’s core with their mole machine scientific wonder, but quickly go far beyond their planned for and anticipated journey of exploration and boundary breaking to arrive within a strange new underground world far removed from anything they’ve seen before; soon becoming involved in a life and death battle to free a human slave society from the carnivorous and mesmeric influence of a race of bloodthirsty dinosaur bird creatures.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yL7MTLCKgo&feature=player_embedded

Oh, did we mention Caroline Munro was in the film?

Peter Cushing is clearly having the time of his life playing the eccentric scientist Perry, waving his umbrella around at the various monsters, and later proving himself as a fine archer: he’s sort of like a geriatric John Steed, in a performance we’re all the more enriched for having (and any film where Cushing gets to say the line, “ You can’t mesmerize me. I’m British!” is quality in my book!), whilst his partner ship with the Big M works well- brains and brawn in fine symbiosis. As the Big M’s romantic interest, the stunning Caroline Munro as Princess Dia truly lives up to the mantra of God Created Woman. Certainly worth fighting and dying for if you ask me! Nice to see the actress’s real voice used in a film for a change, too, and not over dubbed.

Looking fairly decent in his blondish mega-curl afro wig, Cy Grant plays one of the brave primitive tribesman who helps Big M lead the strike back against the reptile bird/dinosaur descendants in their city. It’s not spoiling it to say he dies in the end, but not without having a bloody good fight!

The mole machine about to do its work...

A darker more claustrophobic tale than both the preceding LAND THAT TIME FORGOT and the proceeding WARLORD OF ATLANTIS, veteran British cinematographer Alan Hume returns to get some good experience at filming and lighting monsters and imaginary worlds prior to his work with the even more weird and wonderful creatures within George Lucas’s palace of Jabba the Hutt in RETURN OF THE JEDI eight years later. Kudos also to Maurice Carter for the films impressively built subterranean caves (ruled by the Sagoth slavers: their alien/Mongolian hybrid make-up being quite sinister on first sight), as well as an even better primitive jungle, with a purple magma-humed sky overhead…

Milton Subotsky’s script adaptation is basic and has a few plot holes sprinkled about, but its heart is in the right place, whilst Kevin Connor’s direction retains some visual invention and good pace, backed up with an intriguing and distinctive electronic score from Mike Vickers. Despite the occasional wire work showing (no CGI removal possible in those days), the flying baddy monsters of the film-the Mahars- are quite scary at times, with their creepily effective and unblinking until they kill, Alligator-like dead eyes, backed up with some good sound design showing us their mesmeric and telepathic influences as they sweep down and eat their prey in one memorable sequence.

A horny conflict for two volcanic beasts!

There’s also a couple of wonky back projection moments involving McClure fighting creatures, whilst a lot of the subterranean based beasts are clearly men in suits, but they can be forgiven for such an ambitious British adventure flick of the time, and applauded for their attempts in visually fathoming out what creatures of such a strange underground and heat soaked environment might look like.

Abner and David at the controls of their mole machine.

It may not be quite as memorable as the other two Big M films that bookend it in this release, but its still very enjoyable nonetheless. The picture transfer is good though the mono sound clearly shows.

KOOL TV RATING: 7 out of 10

Watery action with the WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS.

WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS (1978)

He’s been on land, he’s been to the Earth’s Core, but now the Big M is conquering the planet’s last frontier underwater for WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS, in a non Edgar Rice Burroughs story conceived by well-regarded and resident DOCTOR WHO writer, the late Brian Hayles (well known as the creator of that series memorable Martian creatures, the Ice Warriors), who pens a briskly paced and lively tale with an interesting new aliens on Earth dimension/twist to the legendary lost civilization of Atlantis.

But it all begins above the seas, as the Texas Rose sailing vessel travels the waters of the legendary Bermuda Triangle on a scientific expedition whose ultimate goals have been largely kept secret from the rest of the workmanlike, if seedy, crew. Back to make the cinema screen just that little bit larger, sturdy Big M plays nautical engineer Greg Collinson, whose revolutionary diving bell craft will take his partner in exploration, Charles Aitken (Peter Gilmore), into its first immersions. But they are soon attacked by a giant multi-tentacled squid, which kidnaps them and the Texas Rose crew and transports them deep under the ocean (deeper than James Cameron’s real life expeditions probably!) to the underwater civilizations of Atlantis and its seven cities. Once there, Big M and the rest of the captured party are held hostage to become slaves whilst the higher intelligences of the Atlantian society try to shape and manipulate Aitken, as well as Humanity in general, into doing their bidding and creating the technological advances they need for themselves so as to escape Earth.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4POKzW3rys&feature=related

Lea Brodie and friend say "Cheese".

Another memorable cast of actors join Big M in his adventures. No stranger to the world water lanes, and used to his sea legs from his long stint on the classic BBC ONE series THE ONEDIN LINE, Peter Gilmore gives just the right note of posh scientist eccentric to his performance as Aitken, and a fine comedy/action hero foil for the presence of Big M. And for what would be called big-screen crumpet, Lea Brodie, another complete package in the God Created Woman department (of which this is her major film introduction) is gorgeous, possessing a great figure and an innocent but firm screen presence alongside our heroes. She shoots a gun just as well as Princess Leia, too!

Cyd Charisse as Atsil shows Aitken (Peter Gilmore) the wonders of the alien technology.

Adding weight to attract American audiences and win some press attention alongside stalwart Big M there’s some heavy hitting talent playing the Atlanteans in the form of Daniel Massey and the legendary Cyd Charisse, whose age defying legs light up the screen at selected intervals. At the time, the actress probably thought she was slumming it doing a family fantasy film, but her and Massey give worthy intellectual villainy to their cameo performances. Film and TV baddie presence Michael Gothard also makes for an eerily alien presence, too, as the blonde wigged warrior leader, Atmir.

The rest of the cast include a pre-STAR WARS and CHEERS John Ratzenberger as a shifty villain, alongside Gerry Anderson/BOND stalwart Shane Rimmer as Captain Daniels, and Hal Galili, another villain playing actor, who appeared in one of the classic BONDs, GOLDFINGER, playing a character named Solo no less!

Some not very nice Atlantean warriors capture our heroes.

Once again there’s very memorable and hummable music from Mike Vickers, well-staged action by the late Marc Boyle, and sturdy, inventive and never boring direction from Kevin Connor, who brings his camera to bear to make the most of PINEWOOD STUDIOS impressive set designs from INDIANA JONES veteran Elliot Scott. Some very good for their time, state of the art effects from BOND veteran John Richardson prove inventive for a pre and slightly post-STAR WARS British movie, alongside some nice matte paintings and good miniatures/back projection work linked to the exotic and evocatively ancient Malta/Gozo’s location filming, all looking suitably hot and alien.

Our heroes make their escape from Atlantis.

And where would a Big M film be without its carnival of monsters, eh? WARLORDS is a cornucopia of inventive and gruesome beasts of all shapes and sizes, handled once again by Roger Christian, all created and realized here through a variety of rubbery means-some better than others but all on-screen memorable, from an impressive giant squid that would give Captain Nemo the terrors, to flying dinosaur piranha hybrids, to impressive gargantuan fish/rhinos whose battering ram tails are determined to smash through the Atlantean defenses despite the courage of human slave canon gunners in one of the films most memorable sequences. It’s all a distinct breed apart from anything created by Ray Harryhausen in his stop-motion universe, and closer to the kind of Go-Motion work later used by Phil Tippett in RETURN OF THE JEDI, but it proves equally effective. It was nice at the time to see both types of fantasy film-making surviving and flourishing, though you could see that Dicken was soon going to be the perfect choice for the grossly memorable monstrosities of the Face Hugger and Chest-burster of Ridley Scott’s 1979 cinematic nightmare, ALIEN!

One of the Atlantis alien beasts comes back for seconds!

As the monster mayhem escalates, stopping for a major breather story-wise in these Brit-fantasies is never an option. Always on the move and never boring, WARLORDS is well paced/edited to keep family audiences entertained throughout. It may only have a fiftieth of the budget of something like today’s JOHN CARTER but it’s just such fun, and probably the purest and most potent source of UK made family entertainment then and now.

The film is what it says on the tin and was probably the last real gasp for the UK fantasy factory of the in and out of fashion family adventure/monster genre. Before Luke and Darth turned up and changed the face of film-making forever…

The picture quality transfer of WARLORDS is crisp and virtually blemish free for an unrestored film of thirty years plus age, and the sound transfer is excellent. Extras wise, there is a fun if singular trailer.

KOOL TV RATING: 8 out of 10

Get the complete Doug McClure adventure package/experience here:


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Land-That-Time-Forgot-DVD/dp/B007C17YZO/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1342001880&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/At-The-Earths-Core-DVD/dp/B007C17YVI/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1342001898&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warlords-Atlantis-DVD-Doug-McClure/dp/B0086TW1KE/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1342001931&sr=1-2

Also available on DVD from STUDIO CANAL this month is the low budget cult British sci-fi sixties tale: THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE, starring the late Michael Gough. Available here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Came-Beyond-Space-DVD/dp/B007C17YSG/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1342001956&sr=1-2

'THE NEXT GENERATION' AND BEYOND! 'STAR TREK' SOARS ONTO BLU-RAY

The next frontier awaits Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) in STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. Images: CBS/PARAMOUNT.

In what will surely be the classic TV series release success of the year, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION's first groundbreaking season finally arrives on crisp Blu-ray in the UK from CBS HOME ENTERTAINMENT on July 23rd. As a taster to all the excitement of these opening 25 episodes (alongside what will surely be a ton of worthy extra features material), check out this great behind the scenes feature about the release from the official STAR TREK.COM site: Star Trek A Closer Look At An Extra-Special TNG Blu-ray Extra

The Enterprise confronts the Crystalline Entity in Datalore. Another great image restored for the new Blu-ray release.

A tense moment for the crew in this colourful remastered grab.

Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Riker) talks about the birth of the series: ‘Star Trek: TNG’: Jonathan Frakes light years past ‘Farpoint’ | Hero Complex – movies, comics, fanboy fare – latimes.com

And the most recent Blu-ray trailer: Star Trek TNG-R - Blu-ray Season 1 HD Trailer - YouTube

Finally, the new press release for the eagerly anticipated set:  

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION—THE FIRST SEASON BLU-RAY™ BOASTS ALL-NEW CONTENT, INCLUDING AN IN-DEPTH, THREE-PART DOCUMENTARY FEATURING NEW CAST AND CREW INTERVIEWS Series Panel on July 12 at San Diego Comic-Con Will Reveal Before/After Images and Offer Exclusive Preview of Special Features HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (July 2, 2012) – Arriving on Blu-ray for the first time ever on July 24th, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON will offer fans unprecedented insight into the iconic and legendary series with a wealth of brand new, original bonus content created exclusively for the release.  The centerpiece of the new bonus features is a three-part, original documentary that goes behind the scenes for a look at the conception,   development and creation of the show and features new interviews with the cast and crew of the popular series.  The set also includes a newly produced documentary – Energized! Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level – featuring interviews with the team that transformed the series into high-definition. EXCLUSIVE, THREE-PART DOCUMENTARY The all-new, three-part documentary Stardate Revisited – The Origin of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION provides unique insight into the early beginnings of what was soon to become one of television’s most successful sci-fi series.   The first part, entitled “Inception,” includes interviews with original staff writers D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold discussing the early days of the show and Gene Roddenberry’s mission to create a program that would live up to the cultural phenomenon of the original Star Trek series.  In addition, executive producer Rick Berman looks back on the crucial pre-production period including preliminary casting choices and key creative decisions for year one.  Plus, the documentary includes insight from the entire art department including Star Trek expert Mike Okuda – who, along with Denise Okuda, served as a consultant throughout the ongoing Blu-ray project – providing a revealing look at the design process for such iconic elements of the series as the Starship Enterprise and redesigned Starfleet gear for the 24th century.  Part two of the documentary, “Launch,” features all-new interviews with cast members Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William T. Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher) and Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher).  With never-before-seen makeup and screen test footage of the cast, fans will have their first look at Burton and Spiner trying multiple versions of their iconic design elements such as the VISOR and Data’s makeup.  Plus, the cast will walk viewers through their auditioning process, and share memories of the making of Encounter at Farpoint, the fan-favorite television movie that launched the series.  The conclusion of the three-part documentary, “The Continuing Mission,” includes first-hand accounts by Berman and producer David Livingston who detail the creation of the first season of the series from script to final edit. Members of the special effects teams also provide a never-before-seen look at the creation of the groundbreaking effects from motion control photography to video compositing techniques.  Also, Denise Crosby (Lt. Tasha Yar) joins other cast members to take a look back on the controversial decision to kill off her character in the first season episode “Skin Of Evil.” Finally, Eugene Roddenberry shares memories of his father, series creator Gene Roddenberry, who was responsible for one of the most enduring and beloved franchises in history.  ENERGIZED: TAKING THE NEXT GENERATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL In addition, the set also includes a newly produced documentary titled Energized! Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level, featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the FX artists and film restoration technicians at CBS Digital, detailing the philosophy and process behind the restoration. BLU-RAY DETAILS The STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON six-disc Blu-ray box set includes all 25 episodes from the inaugural season and is bursting with additional bonus features presented in standard definition such as archival footage, original show and episode promos, mission logs and a gag reel. The set also includes a look at taking the series to the next level in high definition for this highly anticipated release.  SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL 2012 PANEL  Providing fans with a first-hand account of the ongoing and painstaking work to transfer all seven seasons of the beloved series to high-definition, the team behind the project will participate in a special Before and After: A Behind the Scenes Look at Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Journey Into High Definition panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.  Taking place on Thursday, July 12 (2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Room 7AB), the panel will give fans an insider’s look at how the original film elements were transferred into high-definition, and how the visual effects were painstakingly recreated from the source material to look better than ever.  Filmmaker and DVD producer Robert Meyer Burnett will moderate the panel which includes: Roger Lay, Jr. (Producer/Director, Blu-Ray), Mike and Denise Okuda (Project Consultants), David S. Grant (Vice President, Multimedia, CBS Television Distribution), Ryan Adams (Director, Multimedia, CBS Television Distribution), Craig Weiss (Creative Director, CBS Digital), Eric Bruno (Lead Compositor) and Wade Felker (Film Transfer Technician).  CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD and Blu-ray businesses for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video.  CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD and CBS Blu-ray labels.    Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.  PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands.  The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.  PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies. May the wind be at their backs. The captains of the TREK universe and their beloved ships... Meanwhile, UK VIRGIN TV viewers/ fans of all of the various STAR TREK series should head over to the service's TV XL section for a look at two great classic documentaries exclusively available to them via the CBS ACTION channel: the first is THE CAPTAIN'S LOG, where all the popular captains talk about their life in STAR TREK as well as theirs, and the fans, favourite episodes, the second is STAR TREK: BEYOND THE FINAL FRONTIER, a fascinating 2007 documentary celebrating TREK's 40th Anniversary and the incredible sale of props, costumes and models to the fans by PARAMOUNT at the New York CHRISTIE'S auction house. And don't forget, the Classic Series, The Next Generation and Voyager are in re-runs on CBS ACTION, too! Toast the series enduring success by drinking a little prune juice with the Klingons at the three day London based STAR TREK event, packed full of exciting events and signings, taking place in October, either: Star Trek London | Event Info

LET BATTLE COMMENCE! 'THE DARK KNIGHT RISES'

Brute force! Bane (Tom Hardy) takes on the Caped Crusader (Christian Bale) for supremacy of Gotham City in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Images: WARNER BROTHERS.

We're only a mere few weeks away before the Dark Knight- Batman- emerges from an eight years on-screen absence to begin his final battle against the mighty armies of scum and villainy led by the accursed terrorist Bane, in what will surely be Christopher Nolan's epic genre mixing action/drama fest swan song to his now iconic and box office gold re-imagining of the Gotham City super-hero vigilante, which began with BATMAN BEGINS and now reaches its anticipated and exhilarating closure with THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, blasting into UK cinemas (and IMAX) from July 20th. Will this be the pinnacle of superhero movies, as early US press screenings have indicated? And will anyone dare try and continue the Batman legend's film-life after Nolan's tremendous work in re-energising the character and his backstory/adventures has proved so successful and indomitable with audiences?

Here's a few more images and video clips to get you in the mood...

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES | Official Site – Trailer, Gallery, Downloads
Two More Banners for The Dark Knight Rises - ComingSoon.net
The Dark Knight Rises - Behind the Scenes HD - YouTube
'The Dark Knight Rises': IMAX poster and trailer revealed - Movies News - Digital Spy
Anne Hathaway Talks Catwoman
New posters for The Dark Knight Rises | Den of Geek

Back in action, the Dark Knight must fight a new terror on Gotham City.

The dreaded Bane- a superior physical opponent to Batman?

New girl on the block: the opportunistic Catwoman (Anne Hathaway).

A memorable poster debut for Catwoman in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.

A grim discovery for Batman.

When titans meet. The first showdown between Bane and Batman?

Bruce Wayne (Bale) with his trusty servant/friend Alfred (Michael Caine) inside the restored Wayne Manor.

The Batpod is back in action...

The super character poster representing the new movie and the entire modern BATMAN film trilogy.

More on the various film and TV incarnations of BATMAN in the not too distant future...