Author: oddmoonmediareviews

ODD MOON MEDIA REVIEWS

Welcome! This consumer blog reviews books, movies, CD’s, comics, TV episodes, toys, video games, and other media-related products vying for your downtime. We’ll cover a gamut of mainstream items to the more obscure. Hopefully, our assessments will provide some helpful shopping insights. Our Odd Moon ratings system allots 0-10 stars. For instance, a 5-7 star range indicates an ‘average’ score.

This blog’s intent isn’t to push or knock certain manufacturers & retailers. Still, our reviews might recommend alternatives and/or other items of similar interest. By this same token, unless asked, we won’t speculate on a product’s realistic market value.

Please contact us at oddmoonmediareviews@gmail.com for further details. You can expect a prompt reply. On that note, we wish you good fortune with your treasure-hunting!

BDC
October 2020

Categories
Books & Novels Collector's Magazines History & Biographies (Books) Westerns

HAUNTED WEST: LEGENDARY TALES FROM THE FRONTIER (2021)

By Centennial Spotlight.  

SUMMARY:

Released by Centennial Media in 2021, this 98-page collectible magazine provides an Old American West history lesson and teases reputed instances of its supernatural legacy.  Though the articles don’t identify their specific authors, the contents consist of the following:

  • Introduction: “Welcome to the Haunted Wild West.”
  • “Going West” sets up a general historical timeline dating back to Lewis & Clark’s 1804 cross-country expedition.
  • Chapter 1: The Good, Bad, & Iconic – profiles on Billy the Kid; Jesse James; Wyatt Earp & “Doc” Holliday; “Wild” Bill Hickok; Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (including a sidebar on Etta Place); “Buffalo” Bill Cody; Annie Oakley; and the Old West’s answer to “America’s Most Wanted.”
  • Chapter 2: Power Struggle – profiles on Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse; General George Armstrong Custer; Kit Carson; Geronimo; Chief Joseph; Nat Love; Sam Houston; and a summary of the era’s grisliest battlefields.
  • Chapter 3: Good Girls Gone Bad – profiles on Belle Starr; Lottie Deno; Cattle Annie & Little Britches; Charley Parkhurst; Pearl Hart & “Baby Doe” Tabor; Laura Bullion & “Stagecoach Mary;” Guilty by Association profiles: Etta Place; Ann Bassett; & Rose Dunn; and then Madams & Prostitutes: Fannie Porter; Dora DuFran; Madame Moustache; & Mollie Johnson.
  • Chapter 4: Frontier Folklore – supernatural tales re: The Oregon Trail; “Big Nose” Kate; Bat Masterson; Thomas “Black Jack” Ketchum; The Colt Curse; La Llorona; Yellow Jacket Mine; Joaquin Murrieta; Silverheels; Sarah Winchester; The Pony Express; The Headless Horseman (Texas); Hotel Congress’ The Lady in Room 242; Restless Burial Grounds; and Servin’ Up Spirits (haunted saloons).
  • Chapter 5: Rough & Tumble Towns – a supernatural overview of haunted Old West towns includes Lay of the Land; Tombstone, Arizona; Deadwood, South Dakota; Dodge City, Kansas; Virginia City, Nevada; Bodie, California; Big Small Towns; and Spookiest Ghost Towns.
  • Chapter 6: How The West Was Fun – this Old West pop culture-fest has Wild West A-Z; Best Westerns (movies); Which Legend Are You? multiple-choice personality quiz; Blasts from the Past (a quick look at Old West theme parks); and Dead Man Talking (famous last words).

Note: One rare image is of Jesse E. James (the outlaw’s son) as a Hollywood actor.  Among his credits are two silent film performances portraying his father.

REVIEW:

Though this collectible is obviously meant for True West magazine buffs, casual readers may at least enjoy perusing it.  A caveat is that pre-teens should be precluded due to the recurring inferences of nasty frontier violence.  The writing itself is predictably superficial  – including occasionally incorrect historical details (i.e. as far as it’s known, Billy the Kid wasn’t shot by Pat Garrett in the back).  More so, the narrative sporadically implies some unsubstantiated legends or rumors as either facts or simply distinct possibilities. 

Case in point: in part due to geographical reality, Wyatt Earp and “Doc” Holliday are not credible suspects in Johnny Ringo’s odd mid-1882 death in the Arizona desert.  Like writers from past generations, “Haunted West” considers it a more entertaining Old West yarn of old school justice speculating that either Earp or Holliday might well have faced Ringo in a dramatic last showdown.  Providing any actual proof of such an occurrence is deemed otherwise irrelevant.        

The same inevitably applies to claims of purported supernatural hauntings and various claims of ghostly encounters.  The reporting is all deliberately kept vague without citing actual corroboration or specific eyewitness accounts.  Still, for entertainment’s sake, this magazine’s overall vibe is easily readable.  Even better is its enhancement via a wide assortment of historical photos and illustrations – mostly in black-and-white and others in vivid color. 

Ultimately, for adult Old West buffs, 2021’s “Haunted West” is worth exploring.  As to its journalistic credibility, that’s solely up to the judgment of individual readers.                

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There is a helpful table-of-contents.  The last page provides the photo credits and identifies the magazine’s editorial staff.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  7 Stars

Categories
Music & Radio Shows Records/LP's Soundtracks (CD's)

THE PRINCESS BRIDE [1987 Movie Soundtrack]

SUMMARY:                          RUNNING TIME: 39:25 Min.

Released by Warner Records, musician/composer Mark Knopfler produced and provided the instrumentals for 1987’s The Princess Bride movie soundtrack.  With vocalist/songwriter Willy DeVille, Knopfler also concocted the film’s 1988 Academy Award-winning for Best Original Song: “Storybook Love,” which concludes this album.

The twelve tracks are: 

SIDE ONE:

  1. Once Upon a Time … Storybook Love  3:58

2. I Will Never Love Again 3:01

3. Florin Dance 1:30

4. Morning Ride  1:35

5. The Friends’ Song  3:02

6. The Cliffs of Insanity  3:15

7. The Swordfight 2:44

SIDE TWO:

8. Guide My Sword  5:10

9. The Fireswamp and the Rodents of Unusual Size  4:46

10. Revenge  3:48

11. A Happy Ending  1:51

12. Storybook Love  4:22.

Note: This title is also currently available in CD and digital formats.

REVIEW:

Thirty-six years later, Mark Knopfler’s instrumentals for The Princess Bride are still a wonderful treat to hear.  The award-winning Track 12 is also a gem for any listener.  For soundtrack and fantasy classical enthusiasts, The Princess Bride album is a musical treasure well worth re-discovery.   

PACKAGING:

The album slipcover is standard-issue with the tracks listed on the back.  The tracks (and their running times) are also listed on the record itself.  A welcome bonus is that the record comes in an extra paper cover for some added protection.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                              9 Stars

Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

MIKE HAMMER, PRIVATE EYE: A CANDIDATE FOR MURDER (Season 2: Episode 7)

SUMMARY:              RUNNING TIME: 43:15 Min.

Reuniting with producer Jay Bernstein, star (and co-executive producer) Stacy Keach resurrected Mike Hammer for a short-lived syndicated run of twenty-six episodes over two seasons in 1997-98.  This TV episode first aired on March 1, 1998. Jonathan Winfrey directed the episode from screenwriter Chris Baena’s script. On this occasion, Keach’s former co-star, Kent Williams, returns in a thinly-disguised retread of his 1984-87 role as Hammer’s prickly nemesis, ‘Assistant District Attorney Lawrence D. Barrington.’

With his campaign for District Attorney in its final days, hard-nosed Deputy Mayor Barry Lawrence’s (Williams) extra-marital affair with a scheming young model (Chun) has been brutally silenced.  Having been burnt up {off-screen} in her apartment’s own oven, the police dismiss Tracy Potter’s death as merely a bizarre suicide.  Perusing the crime scene, Hammer quickly realizes that it’s definitely murder.  To console Potter’s grieving parents (Kam & Kelly-Young), Hammer seeks to uncover how far Lawrence, is willing to go to protect/advance his career. 

After resisting arrest, Hammer’s stint in the 35th Precinct’s jail means his protégés, Nick & Velda (Conrad & Whirry), conduct much of the case’s footwork.  A masked thug means to violently scare them (and later Hammer) off the scent by any means necessary.  Among the simmering possibilities is a blackmailing tabloid journalist and an illicit money laundering scheme linking Lawrence’s campaign coffers to a Hudson River environmental group.  Yet, who really has the most sordid reason for killing the victim? 

Velda, meanwhile, persuades a reluctant Grady (Daniel) to put up Lou’s Bar as collateral towards Hammer’s $25,000.00 bail for assault and battery to help snare the seemingly elusive killer.       

Note: There is a glaring discrepancy between the murder (briefly seen before the opening credits) and a climatic flashback supposedly replaying the monents before that same sequence.  Suffice to say, look for the black leather gloves or, later, the absence thereof.  Hence, the most vital forensic clue makes no sense, if the pre-credits scene is accurate.

Mike Hammer: Stacy Keach

Velda: Shannon Whirry

Nick Farrell: Shane Conrad

Deputy Mayor Barry Lawrence: Kent Williams

NYPD (35th Precinct) Capt. Skip Gleason: Peter Jason

Grady: Gregg Daniel

Maya Ricci: Malgosia Tomassi (Keach’s real-life spouse)

Lucille Banks: Karen Moncrieff

Claire Lawrence: Kimberly Warren

Jonathan Lawrence: Dean Scofield

Tracy Potter: Alexandra Bokyun Chun (aka Bok Yun Chon)

Mrs. Potter: Cynthia Kam

Mr. Potter: Leonard Kelly-Young

Carl Prichard: Unidentified

Chloe: Suzanne Krull

Underwood (cop): Uncredited

Uniformed Cops: Uncredited

Lawrence’s Chauffeur: Gregory McKinney

Inmate # 1: Jeff Thomas

Other Jail Inmates: Uncredited

Jailed Prostitutes: Uncredited

Lawrence’s Campaign Workers: Uncredited

Lawrence & Banks’ Police Station Entourage: Uncredited

Cece (Lucille’s Aide): Uncredited

Journalists: Uncredited

Natural Rivers Now Representative: Caroline Williams

Lou’s Bar Extras: Uncredited

Police Station Extras: Uncredited

City Extras: Uncredited

Natural Rivers Now Office Extras: Uncredited

Beauty Salon/Nail Salon Extras: Uncredited

‘The Face:’ Rebekah Chaney

Unspecified Roles: Jeff Thomas, Shayna Ryan, Ryan Thomas Brown, Michael Barrett Caron, & Jason Carmichael.

Notes:  Curiously, this syndicated version of Mike Hammer isn’t a sequel to the 1984-87 TV series on CBS-TV.  Case in point: besides Williams’ character being identified by a slightly different name, the role of Hammer’s long-time secretary, ‘Velda’ has been re-imagined and recast with a younger actress.  More so, unlike Keach’s prior version, the mysterious ‘Face’ forever eluding Hammer is teased yet never resolved. 

REVIEW:

Lacking a network TV budget, 56-year-old Stacy Keach’s Mike Hammer is still watchable – that is, to a modest degree.  With his hard-boiled gumshoe jailed for more than half of this episode (fair warning: this show’s loose concept of a jail cell is amusing), co-stars Shannon Whirry and Shane Conrad do okay work in their extended screen time.

Note: Considering the extensive beating Conrad’s Nick Farrell takes in one scene, it’s “amazing” how upon regaining consciousness moments later, he is physically unscathed. At a minimum, bruised ribs, a busted-up face, and a concussion would have occurred, had there been any sense of reality. 

With some tweaking (i.e. replacing the surplus of amateur hour detective genre antics with plausible noir), this standard-issue plot might have been a ideal fit for Keach’s 1984-87 Hammer – especially with Kent Williams playing ‘Lawrence D. Barrington’ again.  In this instance, however, both the not-so-impressive ensemble acting and the script hover merely upwards toward lukewarm – including a tasteless macho joke before the epilogue. 

If anything, given the broad hints in the episode’s second half, the ‘big reveal’ subsequently rates maybe a 3 at most on anybody’s 0-10 whodunnit scale. “A Candidate for Murder,” overall, is low-rent, late-night viewing that proves easily forgettable the next morning.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                3 Stars

Note: Working a similar premise, Columbo’s 1973 “Candidate for Crime” (with Peter Falk & guest star Jackie Cooper) is a recommended viewing alternative – even if its last 15-20 minutes are far-fetched. 

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

MIKE HAMMER, PRIVATE EYE: HOOP NIGHTMARES (Season 1: Episode 4)

SUMMARY:        RUNNING TIME: 43:17 Min.

Reuniting with producer Jay Bernstein, star (and co-executive producer) Stacy Keach resurrected Mike Hammer for a short-lived syndicated run of twenty-six episodes over two seasons in 1997-98.  This TV episode first aired on October 18, 1997.  Rex Piano directed the episode off screenwriter George Melrod’s script. 

Greedy sports agent Jeff King (Uncredited) is murdered one night at point-black range in his office.  The police’s prime suspect is the NBA’s inevitable number one pick in its coming draft: Mayron Hughes (Cross).  Referred to Mike Hammer by his ex-coach (Houston), Mayron desperately needs Hammer’s help.  With Mayron locked up for most of the episode, Hammer must decipher who the killer’s vendetta is really against: the slick-talking victim or Mayron himself. 

On and off the court, Hammer’s investigation leads him to King’s ambitious ex-girlfriend-turned-rival (Guzman), some of Mayron’s jealous on-court buddies, an unsavory merchandising hustler (Kane), and even Mayron’s own father.  Drawing closer to the murky truth, multiple retaliatory homicides finds Hammer and his protégé, Nick Farrell (Conrad), in the ensuing crossfire.

Mike Hammer: Stacy Keach

Velda: Shannon Whirry

Nick Farrell: Shane Conrad

Deputy Mayor Barry Lawrence: Kent Williams (appears in the title credits only)

NYPD (35th Precinct) Capt. Skip Gleason: Peter Jason

Maya Ricci: Malgosia Tomassi (Keach’s real-life spouse)

Blue Davis: Joe Bays

Mayron Hughes: Malcolm Ian Cross

Norrie Hughes: Conroy Gideon

Susan Wake: Alecia Guzman

Raheem: Mongo Brown Lee

Desmond: Billy Kane

Elvin Grace: Josef Cannon

Eddie Thomas: Fitz Houston

Jeff King: Uncredited

Joe McDonald (radio host – voice only): Uncredited

Street Thugs: Uncredited

Gleason’s Uniformed Cops: Uncredited

Susan’s Photographer: Uncredited

Photo Shoot Extras: Uncredited

Yoga Class Extras: Uncredited

Bar Extras: Uncredited

Police Station Extras: Uncredited

Gym Extras: Uncredited

Chinese Restaurant Extras: Uncredited

‘The Face:’ Rebekah Chaney (uncredited).

Notes:  Curiously, this syndicated version of Mike Hammer isn’t a sequel to the 1984-87 CBS-TV series.  Case in point: besides Kent Williams’ character going by a slightly different name, the role of ‘Velda’ has been re-imagined and recast with a younger actress.  More so, unlike Keach’s prior version, the mysterious ‘Face’ forever eluding Hammer is teased yet never resolved. 

REVIEW:

Even without a network TV budget, 56-year-old Stacy Keach’s Mike Hammer is still watchable – well, sort of.  The same, unfortunately, doesn’t much apply to the episode itself.  Aside from Peter Jason’s fun police buddy, Keach’s youthful, on-screen sidekicks (Shannon Whirry & Shane Conrad) appear strictly as eye candy. 

Suffice to say, both this cast’s somewhat amateurish acting and the clichéd script heats up to only lukewarm.  At least, this episode deserves some credit for not resorting to some of its favorite tawdry gimmicks: scantily-clad women and unnecessary sex scenes for plot filler. As for this script’s whodunnit factor, it barely rates a ‘2’ on a 0-10 scale.  “Hoop Nightmares” is undemanding late-night fare, as viewers will forget about it long before morning.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                         3½ Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

Categories
Action Figures DISNEY/PIXAR-Related MARVEL-Related Toys & Games

TATIANA MASLANY AS SHE-HULK (MARVEL LEGENDS / HASBRO ACTION FIGURE)

SUMMARY:

Released by Hasbro in 2022, from the “Infinity Ultron” Build-A-Figure series, this 6-inch+ figure recreates actress Tatiana Maslany’s She-Hulk from the same-named Disney+ television series.  In a shade of pale green, the figure is a faithful likeness of Maslany’s take on Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk in her purple-black-and-white workout outfit.

REVIEW:

Given how the quality of the facial likeness may vary, this She-Hulk, otherwise, is above-average.  The caveat being that the figure is for display only.  Specifically, her various limbs and joints have relatively limited mobility.  Case in point: her ankle joints are seemingly the most limber, as opposed to her potentially frail elbows (which still bend well) and wrists.  Hence, one is left with few choices re: display poses.  The consolation is that the figure can indefinitely stand without a display base.    

In terms of its overall production quality, this She-Hulk’s frame is sturdily built and possesses a high-caliber paint job.  Though impractical as a kid’s toy, Tatiana Maslany’s She-Hulk proves a welcome addition to Marvel Legends’ roster of live-action homages.     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Included are two alternate hands shaped as fists.  The Build-A-Figure limb is Infinity Ultron’s left leg (Part # 3 of 6).  Though this She-Hulk figure has foot peg holes, a display base is not included.

PACKAGING:

An appreciated upside is the clear plastic shield revealing the figure’s overall quality.  Inside its box, the figure is well-protected yet still easy enough to extract from its plastic casing.  Celebrating Marvel’s recent live-action spin-offs, the other five figures in this Marvel Legends Build-A-Figure series are identified. 

Along with each numbered part of Ultron that figure is assigned, the other figures are: Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight (plus his white business suit variant); Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel; Hailey Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop; Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye; and Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 7½ Stars

Categories
Music & Radio Shows Records/LP's Rock, R&B, Pop, Soul, & Metal/Symphonic Soundtracks (CD's)

FAME [1980 Movie Soundtrack]

SUMMARY:                   RUNNING TIME: 35:08 Min.

Released by RSO Records, collaborators Dean Pitchford, Michael Gore, and Lesley Gore assembled the nine tracks for the 1980 movie soundtrack.  With a few exceptions, the tracks are supplied by the film’s cast.  Two of Irene Cara’s songs: the ballad, “Out Here on My Own,” and the iconic title song subsequently scored Academy Award nominations in 1981 for Best Original Song, with the latter winning the award.

As a hodge-podge of pop sub-genres, the nine tracks are:

SIDE ONE:

  1. Fame (Vocalist: Irene Cara – 5:14)
  2. Out Here On My Own (Vocalist: Irene Cara – 3:11)
  3. Hot Lunch Jam (Vocalist: Irene Cara – 4:10)
  4. Dogs in the Yard (Vocalist: Paul McCrane – 3:13)

SIDE TWO:

  1. Red Light (Vocalist: Linda Clifford – 6:10)

2. Is It Okay If Call You Mine? (Vocalist: Paul McCrane – 2:40)

3. Never Alone (Vocalists: Contemporary Gospel Chorus of the High of Music and Art – 3:23)

4. Ralph and Monty (Dressing Room Piano) (Instrumentalist: Michael Gore – 1:49)

5. I Sing the Body Electric (Vocalists: Laura Dean, Irene Cara, Paul McCrane, Traci Parnell, & Eric Brockington – 4:59)

Note: This title is also presently available in CD and digital formats.

REVIEW:

The album’s content predictably sounds dated forty-three years later.  For instance, though her track imitates vintage Donna Summer, Linda Clifford’s up-tempo disco track, “Red Light,” overstays its welcome.  The film’s rising-star vibe, otherwise, is still readily accessible hearing tunes recorded by Irene Cara, Paul McCrane, and, most certainly, the ensemble’s show-stopping finale. 

If anything, the album’s legacy is primarily due to Cara’s effervescent vocals.  For this reason alone, Fame is worth re-discovery in whatever audio format listeners prefer.       

PACKAGING:

While the tracks are listed on the album’s back side, the tracks (and their running times) appear on the actual record.  The album’s interior is a vivid double-page spread of film stills. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          7 Stars

Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

HOUSTON KNIGHTS: NORTH OF THE BORDER (Season 1: Episode 2)

SUMMARY:      APPROX.  RUNNING TIME: 45:00 Min.

First airing March 18, 1987, on CBS-TV, Michael Vejar directed this episode off a script from Clyde Phillips & Stan Berkowitz.  As established in the pilot episode, fiery Chicago cop Sgt. Joey La Fiamma (Paré), due to a mob vendetta, has been recently transferred to Houston’s police department.  Acclimating to this humid environment, La Fiamma is occasionally at odds with his new partner, the cool-tempered Sgt. Levon Lundy (Beck), under the supervision of Lt. Beaumont (Douglass). 

In the Mexican border town of Matamoros, slimy criminal defense attorney Farnum (Albert) sadistically {off-screen} kills a young prostitute, Lotus (Uncredited).  Local cop Gutierrez (Figueroa) and a blackmailing pimp (Meléndez) pursue Farnum back to Houston, as both are seeking payback for different reasons.  Despite intense friction with a vengeful Gutierrez, Sgts. La Fiamma and Lundy eventually pivot towards whom the real threat to public safety is.

Meanwhile, aside from her exasperation overseeing Lundy & La Fiamma’s troubled investigation, Lt. Beaumont copes with marital problems. She also personally knows the one vital witness who may be able to help bring a ruthless Farnum to justice.

Houston Police Sgt. Joey La Fiamma: Michael Paré

Houston Police Sgt. Levon Lundy: Michael Beck

Clarence (aka ‘Chicken’): John Hancock

Houston Police Lt. Joanne Beaumont: Robyn Douglass

Houston Police Capt. James Scully: James Hampton (appears in title credits only)

Lester Farnum: Edward Albert

Sgt. Estaban Gutierrez: Efram Figueroa

Serpiente: Tonyo Meléndez

Katie Loomis / Katie Pettybone: Doran Clark

Tommy Pettybone: Uncredited

Katie & Tommy’s Young Son: Uncredited

Brad Beaumont: Uncredited

Medical Examiner (Thurgood): Ron Pinkard

Officer Mallory: Richard Partlow

Bartender: Uncredited

Mexican American Prostitute (Houston): Uncredited

Farnum’s Client: Uncredited

Police Plainclothes Interrogator: Uncredited

Nurse: Uncredited

Various Cops: Uncredited

Extras (Matamoros): Uncredited

Extras (Pool Hall): Uncredited

Extras (Bar): Uncredited

Extras (Hospital): Uncredited

Extras (Public Park): Uncredited

Note: Beginning as a mid-season replacement, this 1987-88 CBS TV series last 1½ seasons.  Houston Knights was produced by co-creator Jay Bernstein, who had previously supplied Stacy Keach’s Mike Hammer to CBS.

REVIEW:

As evidenced by this early episode, Houston Knights is a 1980’s moody-and-macho TV cop show relic that could have lasted a measly five episodes or just maybe even go a full season before cancellation.  Given the show’s generic cops-on-the-edge content, ultimately surviving for a total of 31 episodes proves a better network run than expected.       

Clearly meant to chase Miami Vice’s demographic, “North of the Border” turns up the ‘moody and macho cop’ quotient to nearly a full PG-13 blast – mostly through grim inferences and some surprising profanity (at least, by 1987’s prime-time standards). 

With Michael Paré and Michael Beck’s mismatched partners as a prime example, a decent cast, otherwise, inhabits familiar genre caricatures.  Paré’s one-dimensional La Fiamma, in particular, falls far short of imitating shades of Miami Vice’s Don Johnson. Beck’s low-key acting, by comparison, is more believable, but he, too, isn’t really given enough of a character to work with.

Still, this episode isn’t half-bad viewing, as far as pitching some gritty plot twists. In fact, the last of which is so blatantly illegal, in terms of abusing police custody, it’s the less said the better. This speaks to the storyline’s inherent problem: the plot isn’t nearly watchable enough to overcome all its implausibilities.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       4 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

MATT HOUSTON: WHOSE PARTY IS IT ANYWAY? (Season 1: Episode 14)

SUMMARY:                       RUNNING TIME: 49:11 Min.

First airing on ABC-TV on January 23, 1983, Cliff Bole directed this mid-season episode off Larry Forrester’s script. The TV series’ flashy premise depicts the 30-ish, mustachioed Matt Houston (Horsley) as the son of a wealthy Texas oil tycoon. Loosely supervising his family’s vast business holdings from Los Angeles, the ruggedly suave Houston, otherwise, spends his free time as a freelance private investigator.

In this instance, per an unexpected telegram from his boss, Houston’s chief assistant, Murray (Wyner), has hurriedly prepped a posh cocktail party. The party is to be held at the Houston Building’s L.A. penthouse suite on a Sunday night. 

The esteemed guests consist of a top-caliber electronics genius (Brophy); an Indian Maharaja; a wealthy British aristocratic couple (Rush & Mulhare); and a high-profile actress/racecar driver (Stevens).  They are, of course, all expecting to commence lucrative business with Houston, Inc. Arriving last by helicopter, Houston and his attorney, C.J. (Hensley), are under the impression that Murray has summoned them for evening cocktails with the U.S. Vice President. 

Comparing fake telegrams, Houston, C.J., Murray, and their guests quickly realize that they have been collectively duped.  Worse yet, Houston’s penthouse suite has now been electronically sealed off, with all communications disabled.  Even the helicopter and C.J.’s reliable computer system have been cleverly booby-trapped. 

As their unknown captor taunts them with enigmatic video clues, Houston figures that someone among them must be the culprit.  Evidently targeted for vengeance, one suspect after another meets sudden death.  Given the ongoing hints, Houston must decipher the mystery re: what common denominator from five years ago links them all together.

Note: Late in the story, Houston recalls a past airport read that vaguely resembles Agatha Christie’s suspense novel, And Then There Were None.  Still, a specific plot twist he mentions off-hand – the order of victims among which the culprit pretends to be dead – implies that Houston had merely read somebody else’s copycat version.   

Meanwhile, at his young son’s First Communion party, LAPD Lt. Vince Novelli (Aprea) and Houston’s Texan buddies (Brinegar & Fimple) are increasingly concerned over Houston’s no-show.  Houston thinks a worried Novelli will be his much-needed back-up plan, but it might not work out that way.

Matt Houston: Lee Horsley

C.J. Parsons: Pamela Hensley

Lt. Vince Novelli: John Aprea

Murray Chase: George Wyner (a recurring series guest star before becoming a regular cast member)

Bo: Dennis Fimple

Lamar Pettybone: Paul Brinegar

Mama Rosa Novelli: Penny Santon

Joey Novelli: R.J. Williams

Maureen (Murray’s assistant): Megan Dunphy

Pam (Murray’s assistant): Cis Rundle

Durwin Dunlap: Kevin Brophy

Clover McKenna: Stella Stevens

Lady Celeste Abercrombie: Barbara Rush

(Brigadier) Sir James Malcolm Abercrombie: Knight Rider’s Edward Mulhare

Carl (LAPD officer): Richard Pierson

Maharaja: Uncredited

Brogan: Brett Halsey

Communion party guests: Uncredited

Additional Extras (in video news clips): Uncredited.

Trivia Note: After his Robert Urich-headlining Vega$ TV series was canceled in 1981, producers Aaron Spelling & Pamela Hensley’s husband, E. Duke Vincent, opted to replace Urich’s Dan Tanna a year later with another prime-time private detective: Lee Horsley’s Matt Houston. Just like Vega$, Matt Houston ran three seasons on ABC-TV prior to its own cancellation.

REVIEW:

What had once been legitimate shock value for mystery fans forty years before is crassly reduced by Matt Houston to pure ‘shlock value.’ If one has already surmised that the ridiculous script is a hackneyed (and unacknowledged) rip-off of Agatha Christie’s iconic And Then There Were None, then this episode’s silly plot twists won’t be much of a surprise. Yet, between a young Lee Horsley’s machismo – think early 80’s Tom Selleck, Texas-style (as opposed to acting talent) and a decent ensemble cast, this middling caper isn’t all half-bad.

Its major fault is that the clichéd premise is far too contrived in its execution – pardon the expression.  For instance, even the world’s greatest electronics/munitions expert (in 1983, no less) couldn’t possibly have rigged so many death trap gizmos, video displays, etc. in a mere afternoon undetected, at least, not single-handedly. Furthering such implausibility, one will be annoyed by a recurring electronic sound effect evidently recycled from 60’s-70’s cheapo sci-fi TV – supposedly, it’s the villain’s super-computer preparing for more deadly fun and games. 

Second, aside from astounding luck, two of the script’s ‘homicides’ would be impossible to pull off, in terms of timing and/or accuracy.  The less the said of one expendable character’s miraculous point-blank stabbing by a saber that just been discarded on the floor several feet away moments earlier the better.

A third (it’s cheap plot filler) is a laughably excessive catfight/fistfight between Stella Stevens’ and Barbara Rush’s stunt doubles.  Once finally depicting the actual actresses again, their immaculate hairdos, expensive dresses, and make-up appear barely disheveled.  The list of ridiculous plot holes could go on, but this mystery’s biggest wince belongs to Houston’s ultra-convenient recollection finally recognizing the players’ common link. There’s really no logic to his sudden deduction, given how often the wealthy Houston has claimed he’s baffled by their common enemy’s elusive identity. 

Ultimately, the sole asset of this dubious episode is still worth consideration. In spite of such a cliché-fest posing as a script, some credit goes to an entertaining cast, who even deliver a few comedy relief gags.  Viewers, in that sense, aren’t likely to fall asleep during this cheesy whodunnit. As a matter of practicality, though, the number of times one’s eyes will be rolling ought to provide sufficient exercise.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   3 Stars

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Categories
Individual Tracks (CD's) Music & Radio Shows Rock, R&B, Pop, Soul, & Metal/Symphonic

ORIGINAL OF THE SPECIES (by U2: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)

SUMMARY:                   RUNNING TIME: 4:40 Min.

“Original of the Species” is Track # 10 of U2’s 2004 album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.  

REVIEW:

Too reminiscent of U2’s traditional sound, this likable ballad isn’t remarkable on its face.  The tune is simply filler material for the album. Yet, both the track’s melody and some thoughtful lyrics are still a cut above U2’s lesser competition in the alternative rock genre. 

“Original of the Species” won’t likely justify a solo download, but this song holds up alright nearly twenty years later.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    5 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Humor (Books) Mystery & Suspense

JAINE AUSTEN: THE PMS MURDER

Written by Laura Levine

SUMMARY:

First released in 2006 by Kensington Books, 2007’s 270-page paperback edition presents Laura Levine’s fifth Jaine Austen cozy mystery.  Living carefree outside Hollywood, CA, under-employed freelance writer Jaine Austen has mixed feelings about her best friend Kandi’s impending nuptials. There is celebrating finally lucky-in-love Kandi’s happiness, of course, but the flip side is her pushy fiancé, Steve, … and those eyesore bridesmaids’ dresses in a nauseating shade of baby pink. 

The day hasn’t gone much better between an unsuccessful bathing suit shopping excursion and feuding with her stubborn housecat, Prozac. She can also add another round of fending off unwanted flirting by one of her writing students at a local retirement facility. Not to mention, Jaine’s happily retired parents in Florida are keeping her posted on Dad’s latest misadventure: targeting a new neighbor he suspects is a fugitive serial killer he saw on America’s Most Wanted.

The good news is that Jaine makes a new friend: actress/waitress Pam Kenton.  Invited by Pam to join an informal ladies’ support group, the PMS Club is really a weekly excuse to unwind over homemade guacamole and margaritas.  Mingling with mostly other divorcées, like herself, Jaine lets the good times roll at hostess Rochelle Meyers’ upscale home.

Soon after fellow PMS-er Marybeth stupidly reveals an ongoing extramarital affair with Rochelle’s dentist husband, she expires from a fatal dose of poisoned guacamole.  Suspicious eyes instantly squint towards both Rochelle and her adulterous spouse, but the police deem everyone present a suspect – including Jaine. Being publicly implicated in a homicide case certainly doesn’t bode well, if she intends to land a gig as a high-profile bank’s newsletter editor … let alone any romantic chance with the hunky executive she hopes will be supervising her.

If only to save her own skin, not to mention a well-paying job, it’s up to this amateur sleuth to probe her new acquaintances and all their collective gripes against the victim to help snare a killer.  That is, if this elusive killer doesn’t snare Jaine first.    

Note: Unlike the cover, the interior pages pluralize the title as The PMS Murders. 

REVIEW:

As far as acerbic snark goes, novelist/TV sitcom screenwriter Laura Levine concocts a LOL cozy whodunnit.  Still, there is one looming issue of preference; it’s the literary equivalent of whether readers prefer light mayo on their sub sandwiches or just smothering the mayo.  Though consistently entertaining, Levine’s cynical humor unmistakably projects the latter. 

Short of a TV laugh track, one will likely wonder if Jaine’s crime-solving is more an excuse for Levine’s wacky chick lit jokes and spoofing of Southern California culture clichés rather than a suspenseful whodunnit.  What compensates for Levine’s bevy of genre caricatures is the insertion of sporadic bits of plausibility at welcome moments, such as a homicide cop’s no-nonsense skepticism of Jayne’s past amateur sleuthing. 

As narrated by its bumbling, down-to-earth protagonist (projecting contemporary shades of Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio), the sitcom spunk of The PMS Murder is mostly a welcome delight. If anything, this comedy-mystery delivers a fun bedtime read. Still, it’s a good bet that even genre fans might deem Levine’s excessive sitcom humor the reason why this novel will simply be one-and-done. The decision really is: aside from the unremarkable plot, will Levine’s jokes still be hilarious reading them a second time or more?

In that sense, finding The PMS Murder either at the library first or perhaps a second-hand bookstore may be the most practical option.

Note: This title is also available in hardcover, audiobook, and digital formats.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Levine provides an acknowledgement and thank-you’s.  A thirteen-page sample previews Jaine Austen’s next caper: Death By Pantyhose.  Now employed as a comedian’s joke writer, Jaine is unwittingly caught up in another homicide investigation.  This time, the victim is her client’s professional rival, who has been fatally strangled with a pair of nylons.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          6½ Stars