SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:47 Min.
It’s the last track off Melissa Etheridge’s 1993 album: Yes I Am. She also wrote this tune.
REVIEW:
For Melissa Etheridge fans, the poignant “Talking to My Angel” is a terrific ballad. Not only are the lyrics beautifully composed, this melody sounds equally heartfelt. This Etheridge gem certainly merits re-discovery as a download option for Best-of-the-90’s playlists.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1:02 Min.
Celebrating the Man of Steel’s 50th Anniversary in 1988, this 13-episode Ruby-Spears animated series utilized a main credits theme inspired by John Williams’ classic Superman march. Adapted by composer Ron Jones, voice actor William “Bill” Woodson (who once narrated the Super-Friends opening theme) handles the intro.
REVIEW:
The narrator’s script is near-verbatim to that read by John Gart for the 1960’s New Adventures of Superman cartoons. Yet, the inspired touch is sampling familiar elements of John Williams’ Superman theme. Hence, hearing this rare TV tune (including the sound effects) is a real treat. Even if the Ruby-Spears animated series hasn’t aged well, this nostalgic track retains a welcome sense of Superman magic.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:34 Min.
As the title tune of her 1993 contemporary country album, Suzy Bogguss recorded this duet with Billy Dean.
REVIEW:
Billy Dean holds his own with Suzy Bogguss fairly well. Still, his vocals aren’t nearly as pristine. “Something Up My Sleeve” exudes a welcome sound thanks to Bogguss, so it deserves some consideration as a download option.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:07 Min.
For their 2017 album, Memories … Do Not Open, The Chainsmokers get an assist from Coldplay on this rock homage to super-heroes. The credited composer is Guy Berryman.
REVIEW:
Echoing the romantic analogy to play grown-up in a relationship vs. just reading kiddie comic books, it’s an excellent track. Not only are the lyrics spot-on, The Chainsmokers & Coldplay take full advantage of this song’s appealing melody. “Something Just Like This” is a worthwhile choice for any number of contemporary rock playlists.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
Note: Thematically, another download option is 2014’s “Superheroes” by The Script, from the album: No Sound Without Silence.
IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:34 Min.
Composer-conductor Michael Kamen devised this instrumental theme for a 1997 Emma Thompson film, The Winter Guest, that Alan Rickman directed.
REVIEW:
Its gently endearing sound proves both wonderful and wistful. The track offers a classy blend of lightheartedness and poignancy. Almost as if he is tip-toeing, Michael Kamen’s playful piano-driven melody makes “The Cold Walk Home” a welcome addition to any relaxation, instrumental and/or classical playlists.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
Notes: Tracks # 10 (“My Name is Elspeth”) and # 11 (“Take Me With You”) are also highly recommended. Also, though it wasn’t included on the soundtrack, Kamen’s “Stromness” may also be worth seeking out. It’s found on the 1998 Michael Kamen’s Opus retrospective album representing The Winter Guest.
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:39 Min.
Composer-conductor Michael Kamen devised this theme for a 1997 Emma Thompson film, The Winter Guest, that Alan Rickman directed. Liz Fraser provides the vocals.
REVIEW:
If music were prescribed as a form of therapeutic magic, then this gentle tune is what the doctor should order. Like the prior track (“My Name is Elspeth”), Michael Kamen’s piano-driven melody is exquisite. Providing another vital asset is the presence of Liz Fraser’s angelic vocals. This soothing, lullaby-like tune is definitely recommended as a download for relaxation playlists.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 10 Stars
Note: Track # 10 of this album (“My Name is Elspeth”) is also highly recommended.
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 47 Min.
First broadcast by CBS-TV, on November 13, 1988, Vincent McEveety directed this episode from screenwriter/series co-creator Peter S. Fischer.
Awaiting nephew Grady’s arrival on the slopes of comfy Sable Mountain Ski Lodge, Jessica Fletcher (Lansbury) finds herself witnessing friction between probable members of the upcoming U.S. World Cup ski team.
Repeatedly drawing fire to himself is the squad’s ultra-arrogant superstar, Gunnar Tilstrom (Kramer). Just before a blizzard indefinitely strands the lodge’s guests, an isolated Tilstrom is quietly dispatched from long-distance with a crossbow. It’s up to Jessica and a retired NYPD cop (Newman) to identify an elusive serial killer before other skiers are ruthlessly targeted.
Notes: Although mentioned, Jessica’s nephew, Grady Fletcher (Michael Horton), doesn’t actually appear in this episode. Also, this particular episode is a bonus feature for the Season 4 DVD.
Jessica Fletcher: Angela Lansbury
ex-NYPD Lt. Ed McMasters: Barry Newman
Anne Lowery: Jamie Rose
Mike Lowery: John Laughlin
Pamela Leeds: Emma Samms
Sylvia McMasters: Ronnie Claire Edwards
Gunnar Tilstrom: Eric Allan Kramer
Karl Anderson: Bo Svenson
John Dowd: Cyril O’Reilly
Larry McIver: Tony O’Dell
Dr. Lewis: George Wyner
Parker: John Arndt
REVIEW:
For those who don’t mind fake TV snow, this Season 5 episode is very watchable. Both the scripting and direction deliver the necessary goods for a fun lodge-bound whodunnit. Aspects from Agatha Christie’s plots for Three Blind Mice, The Sittaford Mystery, and The ABC Murders come to mind, but Peter S. Fischer’s storytelling isn’t lazily formulaic. He pitches some plausible twists that are worth waiting for.
There’s just one grisly peculiarity, which occurs off-screen: why exactly a murder victim is then subsequently stripped and left lynched in a running shower stall isn’t explained. Suffice to say, it’s an unnecessary schlock slasher-film gimmick that doesn’t improve this episode’s plotting.
In terms of performance quality, Angela Lansbury gets reliable support from old pros Barry Newman, Bo Svenson, Ronnie Claire Edwards, and, for comic effect, George Wyner. Younger performers, like Jamie Rose, John Laughlin, Cyril O’Reilly, and General Hospital’s Emma Samms are solid enough, as is Eric Allan Kramer as the egomaniacal first victim. There’s sufficient depth by this cast to keep viewers guessing re: the culprit’s identity up to the end.
Hence, even for non-Murder, She Wrote fans, “Snow White, Blood Red” makes for some enjoyable Late ‘80s TV entertainment.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
SUMMARY: APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.
First broadcast by CBS-TV, on September 27, 1987, Seymour Robbie directed this episode from screenwriter Arthur Weingarten.
An afternoon party celebrating high school football coach Kevin Cauldwell’s (McMillan) retirement includes local alums from the team’s 1966-67 championship squad: car dealership owner Bill Hampton (Rambo), Judge Perry Sillman (Perry), and snarky businessman Arnie Wakeman (Lembeck). Their former English teacher, Jessica Fletcher (Lansbury), also attends, as one of McMillan’s longtime friends and co-worker.
Meanwhile, ex-convict Andrew Durbin (Glover) resurfaces after twenty years to torment Hampton over a controversial robbery-homicide re: a still-missing $100,000 in bonds. Becoming increasingly desperate, a worried Hampton arms himself and reaches out to an unknown friend for help. When Hampton soon turns up dead, Jessica disbelieves the suicide theory. She then realizes that her former students may still be covering up a deadly old secret.
Jessica Fletcher: Angela Lansbury
Sheriff Amos Tupper: Tom Bosley
Andrew Durbin: John Glover
Bill Hampton: Dack Rambo
Alison Hampton: Shelley Smith
Judge Perry Sillman: John Bennett Perry
Tara Sillman: Caitlin O’Heaney
Arnie Wakeman: Michael Lembeck
“Coach” Kevin Cauldwell: Kenneth McMillan
Doc Mathews: Charles Summers
Dan Pulling: Mark Voland
REVIEW:
In a welcome change after the dreadful Season 4 opener, a well-played script, sharp direction, and a terrific cast make all the difference for Episode 2. To scripter Arthur Weingarten’s credit, his storyline doesn’t telegraph anything, as he makes Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher earn her insightful deductions. Led by John Glover’s intriguing Durbin, the guest players are on the game, as are Lansbury & Tom Bosley.
The plot’s sinister vibe is stoked equally by Glover convincingly pursuing twenty-year personal grudge in a macabre search for justice, and by Dack Rambo as the rattled target of his wrath. Matthew Perry’s father, John Bennett Perry, is totally believable as a judge possibly compromised by his long-time friendship with a possible thief/murderer. The remaining guest cast pitches standard-issue performances, but their efforts hardly diminish the plot twists awaiting viewers.
Even for non-Murder, She Wrote fans, “When Thieves Fall Out” is a solid TV mystery that holds up remarkably well today.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
SUMMARY: APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.
First broadcast by CBS-TV, on September 20, 1987, this fourth season opener is written by the program’s story editor, Donald Ross, and directed by Nick Havinga.
Jessica Fletcher (Lansbury) jets to Paris to visit her old friend, designer Eva Taylor (Rush), as a celebrity guest for her high-profile fashion show. Meanwhile, Eva’s unsavory business partner, Maxim Soury (Bergere), coerces some new demands, the least of which is appointing the daughter of his sultry mistress (Prowse) as Eva’s new guest model (Briesbois) for the evening’s show.
Before the night is over, one of Maxim’s enemies fatally strikes. It’s up to Jessica to aid the Parisian police in resolving this homicide, as her friend is, of course, the prime suspect. Hence, who might have slipped out of the show to go upstairs (in disguise, perhaps?) to kill Maxim in his posh hotel suite?
Jessica Fletcher: Angela Lansbury
Eva Taylor: Barbara Rush
Police Inspector Hugues Panassié: Fritz Weaver
Claudia Soury: Taina Elg
Maxim Soury: Lee Bergere
Valerie Bechet: Juliet Prowse
Kim Bechet: Danielle Brisebois
Lu Watters: Randi Brooks
Peter Appleyard: Bill Beyers
Marie: Karen Hensel
Yvette: Bonnie Ebsen
Margo: Jules Hart (aka Julie Silliman)
Dede: Louise Dorsey
REVIEW:
It’s inexplicable why this disappointment was chosen as a season opener. Some exterior shots depicting Paris are included for ambiance’s sake, but the blue-screen effect behind Angela Lansbury and Barbara Rush is so plainly obvious. That’s a minor quibble, as compared to an uninspired whodunnit that ranks up among the worst snooze-fests this series ever concocted.
More to the point – dressing up (pardon the expression) the plot with supposed Parisian glamour doesn’t hide this episode’s exceedingly blah mystery. Though one pivotal clue is fair game, the homicide’s mediocre revelations, otherwise, wastes a viewer’s patience. Maybe the screenwriter deemed the crime’s eye-rolling twist finish as clever, but it comes off as ridiculously feeble – even by dubious ‘80s TV murder-mystery standards.
A decent cast muddles through the necessary motions; frankly, Juliet Prowse’s welcome presence as a French chanteuse seems wasted here. Far too often, the air becomes so clogged by phony French accents (i.e. Fritz Weaver’s police inspector) that distracted viewers are left gagging.
The good news is that Season 4’s episode selection has some satisfying options after skipping past “A Fashionable Way to Die.”
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 3 Stars
Written by Josh Elder
Art by Adam Archer; Ian Herring; Saida Temofonte; & 5th Cell
Cover Art by Adam Archer
SUMMARY:
Collecting 2013-2014’s “Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis of Imagination,” DC Comics released this 208-page compilation in 2015. From Earth-í, Scribblenauts Maxwell & Lily Unusual find themselves tangled up in DC Comics’ 52-era multiverse fighting an alternate version of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Maxwell has his magical notebook to conjure up anything he can imagine while Lily has a magical handheld globe to teleport them wherever they need to go.
With the Justice League leading the way, the war to save everything in the universe covers Gotham City and Metropolis on Earth, the JLA Watchtower on the Moon, Rann, the Phantom Zone, Limbo, the Anti-Matter Universe, and other places in between. Not only must DC’s mightiest forces set aside its differences, twin siblings Maxwell & Lily must desperately call upon their counterparts: Doppelganger & Doppelily for help. Yet, it may well come down to the Scribblenauts summoning an unexpected savior to help even the odds.
Note: As the cover readily acknowledges, the storyline is adapted from the same-named video game. The installments of this series were first released digitally and in single issues.
REVIEW:
Designed for an elementary school audience, Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure is an inspired romp to explore. Case in point: DC’s 52-verse (i.e. Superman & Wonder Woman as the ‘ultimate’ power couple) is represented by a vast array of star players, both among its most well-known names and some relatively obscure. In addition to a fun alternate take on DC’s greatest Crisis, writer Josh Elder delightfully homages familiar bits of dialogue from Superman II, Michael Keaton’s first Batman film, Return of the Jedi, and even Animal House at unexpected moments.
Best of all, the harmlessly silly storyline pitches some cool empowerment moments to impress upon kids that super-powers aren’t necessary to trust in “hope” and show “courage,” when necessary. Even if this trade paperback is a glorified video game advertisement, it’s a fun crossover read for both Scribblenauts players and DC’s kiddie fanbase.
Of equal importance, DC’s production values on this book are excellent. Considering DC’s forays into far darker territory, wary parents can trust getting their money’s worth here for the under-eight crowd.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There’s a 15-page bonus story pitting Maxwell & Lily, with guest stars Superman & Batman, against Doppelganger & a horde of Bizarros. In glossy, full-page gallery format, the covers are included.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
