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AT HOME WITH THE MUNSTERS

SUMMARY:                              RUNNING TIME: 41:00 Min.

This novelty tie-in album was first released by Golden Records in 1964 to exploit the 1964-66 TV series’ popularity.  BMG Records subsequently re-issued the album in 2021.  Featuring the primary cast (Yvonne De Carlo, Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis, Pat Priest – the second ‘Marilyn Munster,’ and Butch Patrick), the album’s script and lyrics were written by Bob Mosher.  The show’s composer, Jack Marshall, supplies the instrumental score.  Ezra Stone directed this recording project. 

The premise has Herman taking young listeners (as an unseen neighbor) on a late morning tour of the Munsters’ home and meeting the family.  The tracks and mostly spoken-word tunes are:

SIDE A:

  1. At The Munsters (note: The young vocalists sing lyrics over an adaptation of the TV theme).
  2. Herman Says “Hello” (Gwynne)
  3. It Takes All Kinds of People (Gwynne: song vocals)
  4. Everyone is Welcome (Gwynne & De Carlo: song vocals) 
  5. Meet Our Pets (De Carlo & Gwynne)
  6. Meet Grandpa! (Gwynne, De Carlo, & Lewis)
  7. Grandpa’s Lab (Gwynne & Lewis: song vocals)
  8. Eddie!(Gwynne & Patrick)
  9. I Wish Everyone Was Born That Way (Patrick: song vocals)
  10. Marilyn: “When Will I Find a Boyfriend for Me?”  (Gwynne & Priest: vocals)
  11. Nice of You to Drop In / At The Munsters (reprise) (Gwynne: vocals & De Carlo: vocals)

SIDE B:

  1. Herman’s Favorite Story (Gwynne summarizes the episode: “Grandpa’s Call of the Wild”)
  2. Lily’s Favorite Story  (De Carlo summarizes the episode: “If A Martian Answers, Hang Up”)
  3. Grandpa’s Favorite Recipe  (Lewis explains how to make Grandpa’s Do-It-Yourself magic potion)
  4. Final Theme.  (jazz Instrumental). 

Herman Munster: Fred Gwynne

Lily Munster: Yvonne De Carlo

Grandpa (Dracula): Al Lewis

Marilyn Munster: Pat Priest

Eddie Munster: Butch Patrick

Kid Vocalists (Track 1): Uncredited.

REVIEW:

For a kiddie recording (consistent with a popular 1960’s trend), this album is predictably the equivalent of a Munsters radio show.  To the record company’s credit, the album’s contents, sound-wise, have been kept in pristine shape.  Side A is geared towards teasing the show’s campy gimmicks while Side B is all padding.  Narrating most of the album, Fred Gwynne, in particular, delivers an endearingly low-key performance.

Sporting droll, tongue-in-cheek imagination, die-hard Munsters fans will appreciate this rare supplement to the TV series.  The flip side is that the TV show’s reliance upon sight gags becomes lost in translation when the cast has only minimal sound effects to work with.  For all others, the album is surely a forty-minute eyeroll. 

Unlike Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s spoofy “Monster Mash” tune, this album’s antiquated camp humor practically creaks in comparison.  At Home With The Munsters, unfortunately, would fall flat and quickly be deemed boring at a kindergarten’s Halloween party in the 2020’s.  Hence, classic TV nostalgia, if anything, is the sole purpose for obtaining this album.    

PACKAGING:

The outer casing accurately lists the credits and tracks without any running times.  An interior sleeve effectively shields the record.  No matter how dated the album’s material is, the packaging design is first-rate.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          3½ Stars

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Blu-Ray Digital Movies & TV DVD Movies & Television (Videos) Sherlock Holmes-Related The Ratings Game

THE RATINGS GAME: BEST & WORST OF BASIL RATHBONE’S SHERLOCK HOLMES FILMS

In tribute to Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce’s Sherlock Holmes movie legacy, Odd Moon Media Reviews offers its candid assessment of their 1939-1946 movie franchise. 

Twentieth Century Fox produced the first two films in 1939 with first-caliber budgets allowing reasonably close adherence to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s storytelling.  Curiously, the second entry (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) shares the name of an actual Conan Doyle short story anthology; however, the movie is really a loose adaptation of William Gillette’s popular 1899 same-named stage play.    

Contractual issues with the Conan Doyle estate stalled the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce franchise for three years until Universal Pictures revived it with cost-effective changes.  Due to streamlined budgeting (and a practical nod to war propaganda), the films’ setting was updated to the wartime 1940’s.  Further, these subsequent Rathbone/Bruce films lifted various elements from Conan Doyle’s tales rather than freely adapting a Holmes title like The Hound of The Baskervilles.  In a few instances (i.e. Sherlock Holmes in Washington), the original screenplay is even devoid of Doyle’s work.         

Released in quick succession, Universal’s twelve entries are of a generally consistent caliber.  For instance, Universal’s rotating stock ensemble where character actors inhabit different roles throughout the series (i.e. three different actors portray ‘Professor Moriarty’) might give observant viewers a sense of déjà vu.  Hence, judging these films objectively becomes somewhat harder than it sounds. 

Gauging their current watchability, the entire roster of films are ranked below in reverse order. 

ANALYSIS:

14. Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)   71 minutes.  Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: At England’s behest, Holmes and Watson go to Washington, D.C. to help retrieve missing microfilm that the Allies can’t dare let fall into enemy hands.  Their ruthless opposition is an international spy ring that will readily eliminate anyone getting in their way.  

Apart from Holmes & Watson’s chauffeured tour of the city’s national landmarks, the film is merely a wartime espionage caper without an actual mystery to solve.  Quoting Winston Churchill, Rathbone’ Holmes supplies one of the franchise’s many poetic tributes to England’s allies.  Though Rathbone & Bruce are easy to watch, their Washington, D.C. adventure is forgettable. 

13. Dressed To Kill (1946)   72-76 minutes.   Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: A femme fatale is at the center of a murderous counterfeiting scheme involving stolen British engraving plates. 

Franchise fatigue is personified by Rathbone’s phoned-in effort, as he subsequently quit the series.  It’s no wonder, considering this tired cliché-fest pitches multiple elements (i.e. a brunette femme fatale, an elaborate treasure hunt, etc.) weakly recycled from previous installments.  Dressed To Kill isn’t necessarily horrible viewing, but its unimaginative plotting fails to conjure up anything worthwhile or even new for fans.         

12. Pursuit To Algiers (1945)   65 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: After faking his death in an airplane crash, Holmes rejoins Watson and a prince under their protection on an overseas voyage to the nation of Algeria.  Plotting against them onboard, of course, is a murderous ring of foreign spies, who don’t want the handsome, young king-in-waiting making it back to the city of Algiers alive.

Hampered by minimal plotting, Pursuit To Algiers resorts to several musical numbers to obviously pad its running time.  Still, routine cast performances led by Rathbone and Bruce only worsen the storyline’s dull and eye-rolling predictability (i.e. a formulaic romance subplot).     

11. Sherlock Holmes and The Voice of Terror (1942)   65 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: John Rawlins). 

Premise: In wartime London, Holmes & Watson are recruited to aid British Intelligence in thwarting a Nazi cell group from decimating England one insidious terrorist attack at a time. Meanwhile, the group’s unseen leader issues ominous taunts and threats to the public via live radio. 

The movie’s purpose is again war propaganda, as the arch-villain is meant to resemble real-life British traitor/Nazi war propagandist, ‘Lord Haw-Haw.’  Packing a few intriguing surprises (including Evelyn Ankers’ great performance), The Voice of Terror is by no means unwatchable.  It’s just that this package, as a whole, is a middling endeavor, as compared to Rathbone & Bruce’s better installments. For instance, Holmes’ climatic deductions are pulled seemingly out of nowhere and depriving viewers a fair chance to guess the ringleader’s identity.

Of interest, a deliberate nod to the franchise’s new setting has Watson gently scolding Holmes into donning a contemporary fedora vs. his iconic deerstalker cap before they depart from their Baker Street lodgings.

10. Terror By Night (1946)   72 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: During an overnight train ride, a mysterious killer searches for an elusive prize hidden onboard.  All that stands in the culprit’s way is Holmes, Watson, and Dennis Hoey’s befuddled Inspector Lestrade.  

Even if this whodunnit falls far short of Murder on The Orient Express, using a train as the primary crime scene is at least a welcome change of pace for this series.  More so, deploying a different Conan Doyle villain (instead of a fourth Moriarty) helps Rathbone and Bruce make Terror By Night easily watchable.  

9.  Sherlock Holmes and The Secret Weapon (1942)   68 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: Professor Moriarty (Lionel Atwill) has abducted a pivotal Swiss scientist for the Allied cause.  Parts to construct his captive’s experimental bombsight, however, are hidden in multiple locations.  Hence, Moriarty races Holmes to decipher a baffling code first to unlock their whereabouts one by one.  After being taken prisoner himself, Holmes risks a torturous death to thwart Moriarty’s scheme. 

Crisp and well-played, the film’s plotting makes for solid entertainment.  Atwill’s chemistry as the second ‘Moriarty’ matching wits with Rathbone proves just as good as he had been as ‘Dr. Mortimer’ in The Hound of The Baskervilles three years earlier.

8. Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)   68 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: Watson is the on-call physician at the Musgrave family’s posh British manor, which is serving as a convalescence home for mentally disturbed war veterans.  As the Musgraves are brutally killed off one by one, Holmes, Watson, and Dennis Hoey’s Inspector Lestrade stumble upon an ancient family ritual possibly spelling doom for all involved.

For a routine whodunnit, neither the culprit nor the motive is much of a surprise.  Still, Sherlock Holmes Faces Death makes for worthwhile viewing, as its sense of campy suspense rides first-class.      

7. The Woman in Green (1945)   68 minutes.  Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: Reminiscent of Jack The Ripper, a fiendish serial killer is targeting women and then sending each victim’s severed finger to taunt the baffled authorities.  Holmes suspects that a series of subsequent suicides committed by guilt-ridden prime suspects is an extortion scheme hatched by Professor Moriarty (Henry Daniell).  A complication is Moriarty’s alluring blond accomplice, who uses hypnosis to reel in expendable victims.  

Daniell’s performance as the franchise’s third-and-final Moriarty coldly mirrors Rathbone’s Holmes, making them ideal on-screen foes. Daniell might have made a decent Holmes himself, but his Jeremy Irons-like acting style lacks Rathbone’s timeless panache.  As for the film’s contents, be forewarned that its grisly shock value (much like The House of Fear) somehow bypassed the era’s strict censors.  With most of the plot’s nastiness inferred and/or occurring off-screen, The Woman in Green effectively injects film noir into the Holmes/Moriarty rivalry.            

6.  The Spider Woman   (1944)   62 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: Having faked his own demise, Holmes subsequently goes undercover to probe a suspicious series of deaths plaguing London.  As he suspects, the common link is a cold-blooded female ‘Moriarty’ and her use of a lethal spider venom. 

Often overlooked, The Spider Woman’s best noir asset is Gale Sondergaard’s devious criminal mastermind, making her an intriguing new foe for Holmes & Watson.  By far, Sondergaard prevails as the franchise’s signature femme fatale.  Including the shooting gallery sequence, there is a welcome aura of unpredictability percolating in the plot.  Though the film’s running time is perhaps a few minutes too short, The Spider Woman merits a chance for rediscovery. 

5. The Pearl of Death   (1944)   69 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: A criminal gang’s deadly ransacking search of London for an elusive pearl includes a giant-sized, silent henchman.  Dubbed ‘The Creeper,’ this behemoth brutally kills prey with his bare hands.  Holmes and Watson may realize too late that they are facing more than one adversary.

Though this comic book-style ‘Creeper’ should be facing off vs. either Batman or James Bond, this Universal movie monster is a potent challenger for Rathbone’s Holmes.  Despite its otherwise formulaic plotting, The Pearl of Death concocts an underrated gem (pardon the pun) for viewers.

4. The Scarlet Claw (1944)    74 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: During an occult convention visit to Canada, Holmes & Watson are recruited to help snare a ghostly serial killer utilizing a bloody claw-like weapon for vengeance.  Reaching a remote Canadian village where the murders are accumulating, the two detectives must pursue their elusive quarry in a nocturnal fog. 

Along with director Roy William Neill, Rathbone and Bruce are at the top of their deductive game in a gothic chiller worthy of Universal’s other movie monsters.  A terrific Holmes hat trick would be viewing The Pearl of Death, The Scarlet Claw, and The House of Fear together – arguably, they are Universal’s three best mystery-thriller entries in this series.

3. The Hound of The Baskervilles   (1939)   80 minutes.    Twentieth Century Fox (Director: Sidney Lanfield). 

Premise: The storyline is a relatively close adaptation of Conan Doyle’s iconic novel, as Holmes and Watson pursue a bloodthirsty ‘apparition’ stalking members of the Baskerville clan on the Scottish Moors.

In terms of first-class production values, this gothic Hound meets all expectations.  Its only limitation is, as with the novel, the plot’s mid-section drags without Holmes present.  For anyone seeking a faithful black-and-white rendition of Doyle’s most celebrated Holmes tale, this one is highly recommended.

2. The House of Fear (1945)   69 minutes.    Universal Pictures (Director: Roy William Neill). 

Premise: In a secluded Scottish village, the local castle’s residents are being gruesomely killed off one by one.  Each grisly murder is foretold by the receipt of an ominous packet of orange pips.  The insidious rub is that each victim’s life insurance policy is subsequently split amongst their housemates – calling themselves ‘The Good Comrades Club.’  Hired by the suspicious insurance company, Holmes and Watson’s subsequent arrival (along with Scotland Yard) only accelerates the culprit’s haunted-house scheme.   

Deftly blending ghoulish off-screen carnage with well-played humor, this macabre cinematic cocktail nearly equals the classic And Then There Were None from that same year.  As long as one doesn’t ponder a gaping plot hole, The House of Fear’s sheer Halloween entertainment value is tough to beat.    

and at Number # 1 …

1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)   81 minutes.    Twentieth Century Fox (Director: Alfred L. Werker). 

Premise: Set in the mid-1890’s, Holmes is frustrated that Professor Moriarty (George Zucco) escapes the British court system’s death penalty on a legal technicality.  Subsequently, with their young female client being stalked by vicious killers, Holmes & Watson try to protect her and the woman’s family.  Worse yet, Holmes senses that an elaborate ruse is masking Moriarty’s most audacious heist ever.  

Exceptionally well-played!  Including Holmes’ undercover turn on a British vaudeville stage, this film’s entertainment value assembles a timeless Holmes mystery worthy of Conan Doyle.  With Rathbone and Bruce in peak form, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the franchise’s crown jewel. 

Notes: Four of these films: The Secret Weapon; The Woman in Green; Terror By Night; and Dressed To Kill have long since shifted into the public domain, with colorized versions subsequently released.  However, all fourteen black-and-white films are now available in remastered DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital formats.

  • Rathbone and Bruce also performed a weekly New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes radio series from 1939 to 1946.  After Rathbone’s 1946 departure, actor Tom Conway replaced him on the radio show. Universal Pictures evidently considered hiring Conway as Rathbone’s live-action replacement, but the studio instead opted to retire the franchise as is.  As for the radio show, Bruce and Conway left the program in 1947.  The New Adventures relied upon character actors afterwards to fill the void before ending its eleven-year run in 1950.
  • For trivia’s sake, though perhaps briefly mentioned once, Irene Adler never appears in these films.
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THE SHADOW: THE MISSING LADY (1946)

SUMMARY:                            RUNNING TIME: 1 Hr.

Released by Pathe Pictures, Ltd., in 1946, The Missing Lady was the last of its three black-and-white Shadow adaptations starring the same primary cast that year.  The preceding films were The Shadow Returns and Behind The Mask.  From an original story penned by screenwriter/associate producer George Callahan, Phil Karlson directed this film. 

Note: The obscure Pathe Pictures, Ltd. was evidently associated with Monogram Pictures. Of interest is that The Missing Lady’s noir mystery-wacky comedy formula is reminiscent of a previous Monogram release: 1943’s The Mystery of the 13th Guest.

Murdering wealthy art dealer John Douglas (Lessey) in his home, a nocturnal killer then pilfers the prized statuette dubbed ‘The Jade Lady’ from a display cabinet.  Specifically, the jade statuette is of Quan Yin, the Chinese goddess of mercy.  Lamont Cranston (Richmond), the police commissioner’s crusading nephew, suspects the unknown culprit has stashed the so-called ‘Missing Lady’ somewhere within the city.    

After a month, the Douglas murder remains unsolved. Cranston’s (Richmond) amateur sleuthing has produced few leads, as his undercover stint in a seedy men-only motel leads to a clash with tough-guy mobster Ox (Overman).  As multiple femme fatales become involved, Cranston is subsequently framed for murder twice the same night in his own apartment building.  Compounding Cranston’s probe is a cantankerous and often-befuddled police inspector (Flavin), who would gladly arrest him rather than consider other suspects.    

Cranston (and his masked “Shadow” alter ego) must trace the elusive statuette first to catch the killer (or then again, perhaps there’s multiple killers).  Supporting Cranston are his bumbling valet, Shrevvie (Chandler), and, for their own reasons, the duo’s suspicious girlfriends: Margo Lane (Read) and Jennie Delaney (Kent).  Inevitably, others in pursuit of ‘The Jade Lady’ won’t mind resorting to deadly gunplay to possess this valued artifact.    

Lamont Cranston / The Shadow: Kane Richmond

Margo Lane: Barbara Read

Shrevvie: George Chandler

Jennie Delaney: Dorothea Kent

Police Inspector Cardona: James Flavin

Police Commissioner Weston: Pierre Watkin

Rose Dawson: Claire Carleton

“Ox” Walsh: Jack Overman

Gilda Marsh: Jo-Carroll Dennison

Terry Blake: James Cardwell

Anne Walsh: Frances Robinson

Miss Effie (Elevator Operator # 1): Almira Sessions

Miss Millie (Elevator Operator # 2): Nora Cecil

Jan Field: George Lewis (aka George J. Lewis)

Lefty (Ox’s Associate): Anthony Warde

Harry the Bartender: Dewey Robinson

Waldo (Bar Drunk): Bert Roach

John Douglas: George Lessey

Alfred Kester: Douglas Wood

Motel Clerk: Tom Plank

Motel Guests: Hank Worden & Ted Billings

Cardona’s Plainclothes Cops/Interrogators: Lee Phelps, Eddie Dunn, & Ray Teal

Bar Patrons: Uncredited

Additional Motel Guests: Uncredited.

REVIEW:

This film’s opening credits playfully tease a fun Republic Pictures-style caper, like that rival studio’s serial cliffhangers were known for.  In that decade, Republic Pictures was adept at adapting comic book and pulp heroes (i.e. Captain Marvel/Shazam and Zorro) into campy three-to-four-hour epics.  Pathe Pictures, Ltd. instead ensures sixty minutes with their Shadow ends up a middling waste of an hour.  Peddling a Dashiell Hammett wanna-be mystery as its premise, The Missing Lady is, in other words, a standard-issue cheapie of its time.  That much Pathe’s paltry Shadow knows.     

For instance, despite the setting of an unidentified big city, contrivance doesn’t explain how the major players seemingly live in the same high-end apartment building where multiple murders occur.  More so, this film’s blend of deadly Maltese Falcon noir and insipid screwball comedy (i.e. Margo & Jenny’s vapid ‘jealous girlfriend’ antics; the wacky elevator ladies) doesn’t mesh as a formulaic substitute for a live-action Shadow thriller. It’s a shame to a degree, as the film’s watchable mystery elements are sabotaged by an excess of goofy comedy relief.

Though Kane Richmond is game to play both action hero and Cary Grant, the movie’s lackluster script strands him (along with a decent cast), with little elsewhere to go.  His vigilante ‘Shadow,’ aside from a black mask and appearing a few times in (where else) the shadows, contributes too little to the storyline.  Given how Richmond’s Cranston makes little effort to disguise his voice, it’s an eyeroll that this Shadow’s less-than-terrified targets fail to deduce his alter ego. 

Hence, the supernatural eeriness viewers should expect emanating from the vintage radio show and the pulp stories is devoid from this bland cliché-fest posing as a Shadow caper.  And perhaps the less said about Barbara Read’s silly Margo Lane the better.    

This Missing Lady, unfortunately, proves a weak whodunnit for Lamont Cranston and his Shadow. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     3½ Stars

Note: For a dose of slam-bang viewing from that era, at least two of Republic Pictures’ black-and-white cliffhanger serials are recommended.  One would be 1939’s Zorro’s Fighting Legion, and another treat is the first live-action super-hero film: 1941’s Adventures of Captain Marvel.

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BATMAN (1966)

SUMMARY:                  RUNNING TIME: 1 Hr., 45 Min.

Producer William Dozier had initially intended to make this film as a big-screen advertisement for the premiere of his same-named TV series.  Instead of a high-profile pilot film, Dozier had to settle for concocting the movie between the TV program’s first and second seasons.  Released by Twentieth Century Fox, the prolific Leslie H. Martinson directed the project off Lorenzo Semple Jr.’s original script.  Both Martinson and Semple had previously worked with Dozier on the TV series during its first season.   

Failing to thwart Commodore Schmidlapp’s (Denny) abduction, the Dynamic Duo (West and Ward) soon realize that their four most elusive super-foes: the Joker (Romero); the Penguin (Meredith); the Riddler (Gorshin); and Catwoman (Meriweather) have formed a sinister alliance.  While Batman and Robin decipher this quartet’s outlandish scheme, wealthy Bruce Wayne falls for an alluring socialite, Miss Kitka.  Taken captive, Wayne must somehow escape and return to action as Batman.  Attempting to free an oblivious Schmidlapp, the Dynamic Duo later engage their enemies in a fistfight atop an at-sea submarine.      

Possessing Schmidlapp’s experimental dehydrator capable of rendering humans to molecular dust (and yet conveniently able to restore its victims to normal), the four villains pursue their endgame.  Specifically, they intend to target the United Nations’ diplomats and hold them as high-profile hostages to the world.  It’s time for Gotham City’s legendary Caped Crusaders to catch up and end this dastardly extortion scheme.

Note: This film is available in DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital formats.

Batman / Bruce Wayne: Adam West

Robin / Dick Grayson: Burt Ward

The Joker: Cesar Romero

Catwoman / ‘Miss Kitka:’ Lee Meriweather (Note: Due to Julie Newmar’s unavailability, Meriweather is her substitute.)

The Penguin: Burgess Meredith

The Riddler: Frank Gorshin

Alfred Pennyworth: Alan Napier

Commissioner James Gordon: Neil Hamilton

Police Chief O’Hara: Stafford Repp

Aunt Harriet: Madge Blake

Commodore Schmidlapp: Reginald Denny

Vice-Admiral Fangschleister: Milton Frome

Morgan: Dick Crockett

Bluebeard: Gil Perkins

Quetch: George Sawaya

U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson: The Green Hornet’s Van Williams (voice only)

U.N. Delegates: Teru Shimada; Albert Carrier; Maurice Dallimore; George J. Lewis; Robert Goodwin; Wolfe Barzell; William Tannen; Ivan Triesault; & Gregory Gaye

Man on Gotham City Rooftop: Jack LaLanne (cameo)

Voice of Bat-Computer & Narrator: William Dozier.

REVIEW:

Unlike big-screen outings during that era for The Saint, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., etc., the 1966 Batman caper enjoys a distinct advantage justifying its cult favorite status.  Chiefly, Adam West and Burt Ward’s sole Batman feature film isn’t derived by merely pasting two or three TV episodes together and then calling it a movie — usually released for overseas audiences. The film’s big-screen plotting is also independent of the TV series, making it deliberately easier to reel in casual viewers.  

Two impressive factoids stand out: 1. Lorenzo Semple Jr. somehow devised an original feature script in only a few days; and 2. The movie was subsequently cranked out in only a month’s filming.  Despite its expedited nature, the film delivers to fans of the iconic TV series a practically can’t- miss prospect.  Lee Meriweather’s one-time appearance, in that sense, doesn’t diminish Catwoman’s role whatsoever.

Afforded the movie’s bigger production values (i.e. the submarine fistfight), viewers score the most Bat-bang for the buck from a game cast.  Hence, the TV show’s uniquely colorful qualities are expanded enough without losing its creative grip.  All that is regrettably absent is Neal Hefti’s title song, which is replaced by Nelson Riddle’s cinematic instrumental score.  From a grown-up’s perspective, this element better distinguishes the film from the TV series.  Still, even a brief homage to Hefti’s pop tune at some juncture would have made for some welcome fan service.    

Another hiccup is that the film occasionally falls flat between action set pieces.  That isn’t surprising, as the TV series relied upon superior pacing in 25-minute installments.  Accordingly, its two-part episodes, as separated by their signature cliffhangers, were often high-caliber in conveying a live-action comic book.  If fairly compared to the TV show’s best storytelling, the 1966 film doesn’t surpass episodes where the cast is at the top of their game. The movie’s wacky (and, ultimately, message-laden) plot, however, is still well-anchored somewhere within the series’ upper half. 

This kid-friendly 1966 film delivers sufficient goods — even if its running time doesn’t mean more Batman is necessarily better.       

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Presented in anamorphic widescreen, this single-disc DVD’s aspect ratio of 1.85:1.  Audio options are: English (Stereo); English (Mono); and French (Mono).  Subtitles are available in both English and Spanish.  The primary screen provides: appropriately enough, ‘Bat Movie!!’; ‘Bat Features!’ ‘Bat Scenes!’ and ‘Bat Languages’ options.  The DVD’s scene selection insert identifies all thirty-two scenes.   

The Caped Crusaders: Adam West & Burt Ward supply an optional audio commentary.  This special edition’s other features consist of a Batmobile tour; a making-of-the-film featurette; a photo still gallery; the theatrical trailer; and its pre-release teaser.    

PACKAGING:

The contents are confirmed as exactly as the DVD’s case advertises. The disc is firmly enclosed.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                         6½ Stars

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MYSTERY OF THE 13TH GUEST (1943)

SUMMARY:                RUNNING TIME: 1 Hr., 2 Min.

Released by Monogram Pictures Corporation in 1943, this black-and-white film is a remake of 1932’s The Thirteenth Guest.  Both films were adapted from Armitage Trail’s 1929 crime pulp novel, The 13th Guest.   

Note: Trail’s real name was Maurice R. Coons.

Arriving the night of her 21st birthday at the long-shuttered Morgan family mansion in New York, heiress Marie Morgan (Parrish) is startled to find someone has installed multiple working telephones within the home.  In the dining room where its posh table and thirteen chairs were last used thirteen years before, Marie briefly recalls her terminally ill grandfather’s (Ingraham) last family dinner party. 

Seated with him were his eleven heirs (some of whom are children) and the family attorney.  Told that they all must wait thirteen years for Marie’s 21st birthday to learn of any possible inheritance, nearly all of the heirs share a mutual disdain amongst one another. Oddly enough, given that children are present, the grandfather openly hopes that at least of some of those present will also meet their graves by the time 8-year-old Marie is deemed old enough to appreciate the inheritance.

The flashback sequence ends by shifting back to the present-day. Per her late grandfather’s instructions, Marie opens his sealed last will and testament finding it consists only of an enigmatic code or possibly a safe combination.  Moments later, in the darkened study, she is seemingly killed by electrocution.  The police subsequently find Marie’s seemingly frozen corpse stationed at her assigned seat in the dining room, like she was at Grandpa Morgan’s dinner party.

Meanwhile, having been hired by Marie’s worried uncle (McVey), savvy private investigator Johnny Smith (Purcell) takes the lead in probing a series of homicides linked to the fateful Morgan dinner party.  Along with his bumbling police counterpart (Ryan) and a squad of dim-witted cops, Smith realizes from a hand-drawn diagram that someone is eliminating the family’s surviving heirs per the party’s seating arrangement. 

As shown, from a hidden room, a masked culprit is utilizing a rigged telephone at the Morgan mansion to electrocute victims and then returns their statue-like corpses to their spots at the dining room table. 

It’s up to Smith to figure out who is out to kill for the Morgan inheritance.  More so, are there still other conspirators implementing their own greedy schemes to access a fortune by any means necessary?  Smith’s list of Morgan family suspects expands when Marie turns up alive.  The question becomes: will a masked killer try to eliminate Grandpa Morgan’s evidently favorite heir a second time?  Or is there more to Marie than first meets Smith’s eye?          

Marie Morgan (adult) / Marie’s Impersonator: Helen Parrish

Marie (child): Shirley Jean Anderson

John “Johnny” Smith: Dick Purcell

Police Lt. Burke: Tim Ryan

Tom Jackson: John (or Jon) Dawson

District Attorney: Addison Richards

Harold “Bud” Morgan: John “Johnny” Duncan

Harold (child): Robert J. Anderson

“Speed” Dugan/McGinnis: Frank Faylen

Marjory Morgan: Jacqueline Dalya

Marjory (child): Uncredited

Adam Morgan: Paul McVey

Tom Jackson: John Dawson

Tom (child): Uncredited

Grandfather Morgan: Lloyd Ingraham

John Barksdale: Cyril Ring

Uncle John: Dick Gordon

Dr. Sherwood: Herbert Hayes

Police Sergeant: Mike Donovan

Carter: Lester Dorr

Joe: Joe “Snowflake” Toones

Uncle Wayne: Richard Neill.

REVIEW:

Apart from a ridiculously contrived Laura-like twist early on, Mystery of the 13th Guest packs too few noir surprises.  For instance, the masked villain’s identity reveal won’t likely bewilder anyone.  More disappointingly, no explanation is given for the culprit’s wicked methodology, let alone the teased significance of the empty thirteenth chair, as greed is the only implied motive. Hence, welcome intrigue from the plot’s initially macabre tone turns out mostly for naught.  

What this film instead has going, strangely enough, is an enthusiasm for witty screwball humor.  It’s sufficient compensation considering this obscure whodunnit is otherwise hampered by razor-thin genre stereotypes posing as characters.  Despite their caricatured roles, Dick Purcell, Tim Ryan, Frank Faylen, &, in her limited screen time, Jacqueline Dalya, playfully pitch and catch jokes without disrupting the storyline too much.

Case in point: there is a hilarious gem at the end where Ryan’s exasperated police detective unloads on Faylen’s incompetent “Speed” for falling asleep on the job for the umpteenth time. As unremarkable as so many other scenes in this movie are, this sequence’s punchline demonstrates the black comedy potential in the script these actors have some fun with.

By comparison, most of the ensemble cast blandly play their roles exactly as one might expect for a 1943 ‘B’ film. In co-lead Helen Parrish’s case, unfortunately, her average damsel-in-distress’ I.Q. inexplicably diminishes in the story’s second half. It’s no wonder that her “Marie” becomes a forgettable love interest for Purcell’s detective and relegated to the supporting cast.

Mystery of the 13th Guest, in that sense, surely isn’t a must-see.  Catching this witty caper, however, once as a freebie might be an unexpected treat for fans of comedic whodunnits. It also makes for a decent double-feature option for either 1945’s And Then There Were None or 2009’s spoofy Dark and Stormy Night (both in black-and-white).

Trivia Note: Passing away in August 1944, Dick Purcell was cinema’s first live-action Captain America.  Purcell’s 1944 cliffhanger serial also posthumously made him the headliner of the first Marvel Comics-related theatrical production.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      Stars

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

MURDER CHOSE ME: TRAPPED IN PLACE (Season 3: Episode 5)

SUMMARY:                      RUNNING TIME: 42:00 Min.

Retired Shreveport, LA homicide detective Rodney L. “Rod” Demery hosts this TV series revisiting cases he had investigated earlier in his law enforcement career. 

Demery’s on-screen narration is supplemented by interviews with fellow law enforcement personnel and journalists familiar with the case in question.  The episode, otherwise, consists of dramatic reenactments (with actor John Nicholson portraying Demery).  First airing on Investigation Discovery on May 27, 2019, “Trapped in Place” examines a fatal domestic incident that occurred in Shreveport on or about Christmas Eve in 2008. 

At a rent-controlled Shreveport housing complex, an adult male suffers a broken neck causing full-body paralysis.  The victim’s girlfriend states that he had fallen and fatally hit his head during a night of drinking with her and two of her adult relatives.  Within a matter of days, as the victim is unable to either move or speak, he dies in intensive care.  Prior to his death, the victim makes one faint nod that ominously hints towards what had really happened to him. 

With the police’s assigned investigator deeming the matter an alcohol-related mishap, the victim’s suspicious sister contacts Demery for help.  Skeptical of the initial investigator’s laziness, Demery’s interviews with law enforcement and medical personnel indicate that the victim’s severe injuries weren’t likely accidental.  Inconsistent answers from the victim’s girlfriend about his tragic fall has Demery pivoting back towards her and the two others he was partying with.  Specifically, Demery senses that there has been a cover-up leading to the victim’s homicide.

This episode includes corroborating interviews with former Shreveport police detective Shannon Mack; local TV news journalist Keristen Holmes; prosecutor Dhu Thompson; and coroner’s investigator Erin Deutsch. 

Note: The reenactment’s cast is left uncredited. 

REVIEW:

Aside from excellent production values (including the real Rod Demery’s convincing narrative), this episode doesn’t hold any surprises.  Per the case’s eventual outcome, it’s a disappointing reflection of how the American criminal justice system sometimes works in securing some degree of justice.  Though slickly produced, the storytelling of “Trapped in Place” may still give viewers pause for thought. 

One: Despite playing up rising tensions with the initial investigator on-screen, nothing remotely critical of Demery’s own investigation is presented.  Hence, is this episode’s depiction of Demery’s case fair and accurate, as none of the interviewed guests contradict him?  Without sufficient independent research, there’s no way to know, to what degree, Murder Chose Me has packaged its storytelling for this particular case.     

Two: is this episode (or really the series itself) exploitative and/or self-serving to satisfy fans of sensationalized ‘true crime’ entertainment?  Given how Murder Chose Me hypes itself (i.e. eye-rolling close-ups teasing potential suspects before or after scenes), the show’s credibility loses some momentum – in spite of Demery’s no-nonsense demeanor.    

If deemed an educational (and teen-friendly) alternative to Hollywood’s take on TV cops-and-robbers, then Murder Chose Me works as is.  Despite muddling entertainment with real-world crime, “Trapped in Place” presents solid one-time viewing. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      6 Stars

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Christmas DC-Related Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos

MERRY LITTLE BATMAN (2023)

SUMMARY:          RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 32 Min.

Released on Amazon Instant Video in December 2023, Mike Roth directed and co-wrote this original Warner Discovery animated film.  Roth’s co-writers are Morgan Evans and Jase Ricci. 

It is Christmas Eve in Gotham City.  At Wayne Manor, the precocious Damian is ecstatic that his billionaire father, Bruce Wayne (aka a semi-retired Batman), has gifted him an early Christmas treasure: his first utility belt.  Unexpectedly called away on an emergency rescue to the North Pole, Batman must first discipline his overzealous little boy and take away his prized new belt.  Yet, some ominous sabotage later ensures that the Dark Knight is left stranded far from Gotham.

Having lured butler Alfred away, Damian intends to go on his first patrol as the future Batman.  Yet, two conniving burglars choose to home-invade a suddenly vulnerable Wayne Manor in search of a treasure trove of loot.  Having swiped his utility belt, the thugs barely escape Damian’s Home Alone-like wrath.  Vengefully pursuing his enemies deep into Gotham City, a Bat-disguised Damian finds that he has unwittingly becomes a pawn of his father’s worst enemies. 

With the clock ticking towards Christmas morning, Gotham is besieged by Damian’s inadvertent rampage.  Worse yet, by ending up right where the bad guys want him, Damian is in for the fight of his life.  Can even Damian’s legendary dad save him, not to mention Gotham’s Christmas, in time?        

Primary Voice Cast:

Damian Wayne: Yonas Kibreab

Bruce Wayne/Batman: Luke Wilson

Alfred Pennyworth: James Cromwell

The Joker: David Hornsby

The Penguin: Brian George

Poison Ivy / Hostage / Citizen: Therese McLaughlin  

Mr. Freeze: Dolph Adomian

Vicki Vale: Cynthia Kaye McWilliams

Bane: Chris Sullivan

Commissioner James Gordon: Reid Scott

Himself: DC Comics’ Carmine Infantino (archival voice footage)

Terry the Thief: Michael Fielding

Francine the Thief: Natalie Palamides

Department Store Santa / Scarecrow / Crazy Guy: Fred Tatasciore.

REVIEW:

One can presume that the scriptwriters lifted ideas from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story, and Home Alone in this homage to family-friendly Christmas movies.  Still, even a little Gotham holiday cheer goes a long way. 

The storyline might have delighted more as a seven-minute short or a 22-minute animated TV episode (a full 45-minute diversion ought to have been the limit).  There are still cute moments and consistently stellar backdrop imagery, but such assets can’t hide an exceedingly eye-rolling Bat-caper. However, Damian’s ridiculous crusade (more in line with Teen Titans Go!) is extended too far to make for a watchable feature film outside its intended kiddie audience. 

More so, while the voice cast is on its game, their characters are crudely drawn more as parodies.  Case in point: James Cromwell’s Alfred is so grotesquely depicted that it looks like he just stepped out of a “Far Side” comic strip.  While parody and homage can be cleverly and even hilariously intertwined (i.e. Looney Tunes) by animation, nothing is gained the way Merry Little Batman’s characters are so disproportionately drawn.  Had the animation style more closely resembled Batman: The Animated Series, the story’s charm would not have been lost.

Meant to be ultimately heartwarming, Merry Little Batman falls short of an instant holiday viewing tradition.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       5  Stars  

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Christmas DVD Movies & Television (Videos)

A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS (2022)

SUMMARY:        RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 42 Min.

Multiple straight-to-DVD sequels have attempted to cash in 1983’s A Christmas Story, but none had actually featured central cast members from the original film.  In 2022, after nearly forty years, star Peter Billingsley returned to the lead role of Ralphie Parker, in addition to co-writing and co-producing this legacy sequel. 

Directed by Clay Kaytis (with Vince Vaughn among its other co-producers), A Christmas Story Christmas features virtually all of the original film’s surviving cast members.  A notable exception was the retired Melinda Dillon (as Mrs. Parker), who subsequently passed away a few months after the sequel’s release.  

Again inspired by writer Jean Shepherd’s material, the Christmas Story storyline shifts to December 1973, where 42-year-old Ralphie Parker (Billingsley) and his young family live in Chicago.  Having taken a year off from his unspecified job to seek publication of his epic science fiction debut novel, Ralphie is consoled by his wife, Sandy (Hayes), after multiple rejections. 

Greater heartbreak occurs when his mother (Hagerty) calls to let Ralphie’s family know of Grandpa Parker’s sudden passing.  Already planning to return to Hohman, Indiana, for the holidays, Ralphie, Sandy, and their two young children: Mark and Julie (Drosche and Layne), focus on consoling Grandma Parker.

Assigned two holiday challenges by his mother, Ralphie agrees to pen his father’s obituary and assume the trusted mantle as the Parker Family’s Christmas festivities organizer.  Procrastinating as much as he can, a depressed Ralphie finds that some things don’t change in Hohman — including a new generation of the Parkers feuding with the neighboring Farkus clan.  With accidental mishaps befalling his family’s vacation, Ralphie seeks solace at a local pub with his childhood pals, Flick (Schwartz) and Schwartz (Robb)

Following a fateful incident coming home from Higbee’s Department Store, Ralphie and Sandy’s hopes to salvage their family’s holiday are seemingly dashed.  Yet, could a few unexpected twists of fate alter Ralphie’s destiny as the new patriarch of the Parker Family? 

Ralph “Ralphie” Parker: Peter Billingsley

Sandy Parker: Erinn Hayes

Mrs. Parker: Julie Hagerty

Julie Parker (child): Julianna Layne

Mark Parker (child): River Drosche

Flick: Scott Schwartz

Schwartz: R. D. Robb

Scut Farkas: Zack Ward

Randy Parker: Ian Petrella

Publisher: Ian Porter

Grover Dill: Yano Anaya

Ike: Derek Morse

Delbert Farkas: Davis Murphy

Larry Novak: Henry Miller

Joe: Mark Arnold

Julie Parker (teenager-adult: fantasy sequence): Tegan Grace Muggeridge

Mark Parker (teenager-adult: fantasy sequence): Billy Brayshaw

Pulitzer Emcee (fantasy sequence): Sam Parks

Pulitzer TV Announcer (fantasy sequence): Ben Diskin

Higbee’s Santa: David Gillespie

Higbee’s Elves: Lauren Morat, J.R. Esposito, & Nicole Gulimanova

Mrs. Wisniewski: Mariana Ivanova Stanisheva

Tree Lot Employees: Norman Murray & Nathan Cooper

Narrator: Joseph Al Ahmad

Black Bart (fantasy sequence): Nicholas Colicos

Bar Customers: Krassimir Manov, Marina Terziyska, Racho Makaveev; & Ludmil Kehayov

Bullies: Cailean Galloway & Alistair Galloway

Carolers: Julie Yammanee, Benjamin Noble, Owen Davis, Rosa O’Reilly, & Michael Flemming

Higbee’s Customers: Uncredited Extras

Higbee’s Restaurant Customers: Uncredited Extras

Note: This title is also currently available for streaming.

REVIEW:

In homage to the original film’s nostalgia without exploiting it, A Christmas Story Christmas mostly delivers a cute holiday treat.  Aside from its last plot twists coming off as far too convenient, the poignant storyline is well-played for all ages.  Director Clay Kaytis and his appealing cast, to their credit, effectively hide the script’s occasional clunkiness with a PG-friendly caper of how Ralphie Parker matures into a variation of Vacation’s ‘Clark Griswold.’         

In particular, Peter Billingsley, Erinn Hayes, and his old castmates, Scott Schwartz & R.D. Robb, present enjoyable performances keeping the film grounded while still delighting audiences.  The same applies to veteran actress Julie Hagerty as the replacement ‘Mrs. Parker,’ along with fresh support from child actors Julianna Layne and River Drosche.  One shouldn’t exclude Zack Ward’s return as ‘Scut Farkas,’ either – his welcome cameo makes a nice boost to the story, as compared to what little Ian Petrella’s ‘Randy’ is given to do.     

Even if this film isn’t a flawless holiday classic, A Christmas Story Christmas has its heart in the right place from start to finish.  For this asset alone, it’s definitely worth getting acquainted with an adult Ralphie Parker and his family.

BONUS FEATURES:

The audio options are Dolby Digital; English 5.1; English Descriptive Audio; French; & Spanish.  Subtitles are available in English SDH; French; and Spanish.   

PACKAGING:

The bare-bones DVD is secure in the casing.  The contents at least are as advertised.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      7 Stars

Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos

LAST NIGHT (2014)

SUMMARY:     RUNNING TIME: Approx. 1 Hr., 34 Min.

Filmed on location in Washington, D.C., Harold Jackson IIII wrote and directed this 2014 independent romantic drama for his American Filmmaker film production company. 

After a brief prologue revealing Last Night’s outcome, a flashback reveals the events that had occurred nearly two years earlier.  In Washington, D.C., following her last photo shoot, African American fashion model Sky (Johnson) is ambivalent about starting a new life in Raleigh, North Carolina with her boyfriend: Daniel (Greene), an upscale business consultant. With her road trip beginning the next day, a restless Sky goes out for a mid-morning walk stopping for tea at an organic coffee bar. A fellow customer, despondent contract analyst Jon Carter (Gavigan), takes an impulsive chance and doesn’t easily give up flirting with her. 

Sky and Jon’s sudden friendship starting out as a short downtown stroll evolves long past nightfall, as they walk the city together.  With Jon becoming increasingly distant as her sympathetic listener, Sky is later shown the underlying reason for his moodiness.  Despite Jon’s obvious growing attraction, Sky consents to Daniel’s plea to give their relationship a second chance.  Yet, what is about Jon that emotionally draws a reluctant Sky towards him?    

Meanwhile, in Raleigh, throughout the day, a perturbed Daniel senses Sky’s mixed emotions over the phone.  Coping as best as he can with possibly losing Sky, Daniel seeks out old friends for solace.  He is in for a late night himself.  Inside of twenty-four hours, two romances poignantly unfold – one in Washington, D.C. and the other in Raleigh, N.C.  The question becomes: will either love story play out as any of them might hope for?     

Sky: Judi Johnson (Judi Blair)

Jonathan “Jon” Carter: Danny Gavigan

Daniel: Benton Greene

Angela: Nedra Marie Taylor

Dorah: Nikkole Salter

Daniel’s Niece: London Perry

Nightclub Singer: Kia El-Amin

Sky’s Photographer: Violetta Markelou

Choncho: Chad Eric Smith

Bartender: Eli El

Sky’s Neighbor: Pasquale Piquion 

Salesperson: Jenny Taylor

Rude Customer: Anthony Anderson

Barista: Chaseedaw Giles

REVIEW:

Featuring scenic glimpses of Washington, D.C., Last Night is a nice, low-key treat for fans of indie romantic movies.  In spite of his minimal plot being hard-pressed to justify its ninety-minute running time, writer-director Harold Jackson III slickly conveys a well-played love triangle. 

Between his indie rock choices (i.e. The Noisettes) for background music, beautifully intercut backdrops of Washington, D.C., and even some archival film clips, Jackson’s film exudes a classy artistic vibe to keep viewers tuned in.  Last Night, in that sense, holds up well as a PG-rated flick for adults.

Judi Johnson (aka Judi Blair) anchors the movie with an appealingly down-to-earth lead performance.  Johnson’s gentle ‘Sky’ keeps Last Night percolating as a plausible, big city should-I-or-shouldn’t-I romance rather than one subtly exploring interracial dating issues in the 21st Century.

Johnson’s co-lead, Danny Gavigan, meanwhile, conveys his moody ‘Jon Carter’ in a manner reminiscent of John Krasinski’s Jim Halpert on The Office, as ‘Jon’ senses an unexpected soulmate in ‘Sky.’ Hence, Johnson and Gavigan’s on-screen chemistry ensures that the film’s melancholic tone balances romanticism and poignant realism. The backstage dressing room sequence they share with singer Kia El-Amin exemplifies this welcome dramatic asset.  

Contributing to the film’s likable aura are co-stars Benton Greene and Nedra Marie Taylor in the parallel storyline, despite being allotted considerably less screen time.  Jackson, to his credit, doesn’t short-change this secondary plot, as all four actors concoct equally satisfying performances. It’s easy to imagine how blandly forgettable this film might have been with a lesser cast.

Last Night, suffice to say, is a potential antidote for date movie aficionados seeking respite from the sugary cute-and-sweet formulas The Hallmark Channel deploys.           

BONUS FEATURES:

None.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     7½ Stars

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS: HAN SOLO (MARVEL Comics)

Han Solo # 1-5  Written by Marjorie Liu.

Art by Mark Brooks; Dexter Vines; Sonia Oback; Matt Milla; & VC’s Joe Caramagna.

Star Wars # 8-12 Written by Jason Aaron.

Art by Stuart Immonen; Wade Von Grawbadger; Justin Ponsor; & Chris Eliopoulos.

Collection Cover Art by Stephanie Hans.

SUMMARY:

In 2016, Marvel Comics released writer Jason Aaron’s Star Wars # 7-12 (from 2015) as a trade paperback entitled Star Wars, Volume 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon.  Writer Marjorie Liu’s complete 2016 Han Solo five-issue mini-series was subsequently released in a trade paperback format in 2017.  Come 2018, Marvel Comics compiled these two unrelated storylines into a 232-page hardcover simply titled Star Wars: Han Solo.  The only issue not included is Star Wars # 7, which sets up Luke Skywalker’s adventure apart from Han & Leia’s covert scouting mission.

Set several weeks after Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope, Captain Solo has uneasily dodged freelance smuggling gigs considering that he and Chewbacca are hot on the Empire’s Most Wanted list, not to mention Jabba the Hutt’s infamous bounty.  Prodded into a secret assignment by Princess Leia, Han & Chewbacca go undercover entering an illegal galactic race known as the ‘Dragon Void.’  Essentially, it’s any hotshot pilot’s dream to win the ultra-dangerous Dragon Void (let alone survive it).  As far as most of the elitist competition is concerned, Han Solo is a nobody; worse yet, just a lowly smuggler with seemingly nothing to lose but his life.    

Against the galaxy’s hottest racing talent, the Millennium Falcon’s crew must evade the Empire’s scrutiny while retrieving three Rebel spies, all targeted by an unknown mole bent on murder.  It’s up to Han & Chewbacca to protect their passengers from this assassin lurking among them.  In this five-part adventure, will Han’s pride or his conscience ultimately determine a rescue mission’s outcome vital to Rebel intelligence?

Picking up after Star Wars # 7 (also set in this same post-New Hope timeframe), Han & Leia find themselves in a tense stand-off with a vengeful mercenary, Sana Starros, who claims to be Han’s estranged wife.  Trapped in a nebula on a remote planet by the Empire, Leia & Han uneasily make a truce with the snarky Sana to escape with their lives. 

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker’s search for long-lost Jedi secrets takes him (with Artoo-Detoo) to Mar Shaddaa – the Smuggler’s Moon.  Seeking passage into Coruscant (the Jedi Temple), Luke is taken captive by the ruthless Grakkus the Hutt.  The young Skywalker (and his vintage lightsaber) are deemed the new prizes of this Hutt’s extensive Jedi artifact collection.

Forced into arena combat by Grakkus and a mysterious handler, an inexperienced Luke faces a gauntlet of gladiatorial challengers.  Learning of Luke’s predicament, Chewbacca & See-Threepio, along with Han, Leia, and a reluctant Sana converge on Mar Shaddaa to rescue him.  Standing between them and Luke is the Empire; Grakkus and his bloodthirsty minions; as well as the vile bounty hunter, Dengar.  Against an intergalactic horde of enemies, Han, Chewbacca, and Leia must resort to unexpected weaponry to save their friend’s life. The truth of Han & Sana’s marriage years before is subsequently revealed.

Elsewhere, Darth Vader continues his obsession with uncovering the identity of the rookie Jedi, who participated in the recent Battle of Yavin.       

Notes: Both individual books are available digitally, as is this combined title.  

REVIEW:

Visually, this book is a welcome gem, in terms of its high-caliber artwork.  The main characters consistently resemble the actors, especially as it’s made easy to imagine Harrison Ford playing out these stories.  As for the plotting, frankly, neither one rates as an absolute must-have for Star Wars afficionados, but readily ‘above-average’ is a fair assessment.  In Marjorie Liu’s Han Solo, formulaic ‘Cannonball Run’-like elements hit the plot’s target justifying the art squad’s stellar effort.  Even if there are virtually zero surprises, Liu’s racing/espionage caper still takes readers on an entertaining ride.

Jason Aaron’s action-adventure, at a minimum, offers the intriguing sequence of Han, Leia, & Chewbacca standing back-to-back wielding lightsabers in arena combat.  The introduction of Sana Starros is also a fun treat, along with Han & Chewbacca’s face-off with Dengar. 

Perhaps the best bit of dialogue comes from a mortified See-Threepio, upon his translation of the growling Wookie’s reply that ‘we’ means that he will be accompanying Chewbacca to help save Luke.  Speaking of which, the necessity for Luke’s friends having to suddenly come rescue the impulsive young Jedi is this tale’s only off-note.  Aaron should have depicted either Han and/or Leia expressing some justifiable exasperation at Luke’s foolish journey – for some semblance of reality.

Ultimately, readers get a dynamite Star Wars double-feature from Marvel Comics, even without Star Wars # 7 to better introduce the Smuggler’s Moon storyline.  With that in mind, Han Solo’s Marvel/Disney exploits are off to a rousing start.   

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The original covers and their variants are reprinted as full pages.  The Han Solo cover artists consist of: Lee Bermejo (Issues # 1 & 3); Tula Lotay (Issue # 2); Olivier Coipel (Issue # 4); and Kamone Shirahama (Issue # 5).  Interspersed throughout this book, Issue # 1’s variant artists are: John Cassady & Paul Mounts; Mike Allred & Laura Allred; Scott Koblish & Nick Filardi, and John Tyler Christopher. 

Issue # 2’s variant duo is Mike Allred & Laura Allred.  Issue # 3’s variant team consists of Declan Shalvey & Jordie Bellaire, plus a separate cover from Michael Walsh.  Issue # 4’s variants are supplied by artists Stephanie Hans; Kirbi Fagan; Jamal Campbell; and Dustin Nguyen.  Issue # 5’s variants are provided by artists Mike Del Mundo; Joëlle Jones; Cameron Stewart & Matthew Wilson; and Kevin Wada.     

The Star Wars # 8-12 cover artists are the team of Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Justin Ponsor.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8 Stars