Home Movie Reviews

As parents, it is rare to find something that is equally interesting (OK, tolerable!!) for adults and children, but Blast has kept us all entertained, through many, many viewings. This is the perfect DVD to inspire young and older musicians alike.

The cast of "Ab Fab" is one for the history books. A classic cast that can stand along side of the great one like "I Love Lucy", "All In The Family" and so one.

I never get tired of seeing the antics of Eddy, Pats and Saffy!

Right, cheers thanks a lot!

As for the DVD extras, which are always important, there are plenty of outtakes and a fourth disk containing behind-the-scene looks, a sort of "best of" etc. All in all, this DVD set is well worth owning and my wife considered it to be an outstanding surprise birthday gift (to be honest I did not think I was going out on a limb, but you never know). However, I would not be surprised if they come out with a single DVD set that unifies all four seasons, so some may wish to wait for that one. Regardless, any ABFAB fan would be thrilled with this excellent boxed set.

What we see in Season 2 of "M*A*S*H" (1973-74) is that Hawkeye (Alan Alda) is most definitely the star of the show and the central character, but the others are now being developed as feeling human beings and not just comic characters: Trapper John (Wayne Rogers) decides to adopt an orphaned Korean kid ("Kim"); Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) is shown to be less of the bumbling commander ("The Trial of Henry Blake") and as a human being ("Dear Dad...Three"); and even Radar shows signs of growing up ("The Chosan People"). However, the biggest change is in Margaret "Hot Lips" Hoolihan (Loretta Swit). In "Carry On, Hawkeye," the 4077th is devastated by a flue epidemic that leaves only Hawkeye and Hot Lips standing. This is the episode that first gives her character a viable connection to Hawkeye and the rest of the camp. Then, in "Hot Lips and Empty Arms" she questions everything in her life, from her hopeless affair with Frank to the way the army has become her life, and demands a transfer. As Henry Blake reminds her in trying to talk her out of it, "After all, we are family, Margaret." This becomes one of the most significant character evolutions in the history of television, as "Hot Lips" becomes Margaret.

"M*A*S*H" is definitely more serious in the second season, although not reaching the depths it would in future years. The military tries to cover-up accidentally bombing a local village ("For the Good of the Outfit"), frowns upon army personnel marrying local girls ("L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel)"), and thinks it knows better than the doctors what sort of equipment then need to save lives ("The Incubator"). The parallels between the Korean War and the Vietnam War becomes more obvious than ever. However, there are still some rather silly military comedy episodes, involving inept North Korean pilots ("Five O'Clock Charlie"), the question of the sanity of Corporal Klinger (Jamie Farr, "Radar's Report"), and even a sniper taking shots at the camp ("The Sniper"). Then there is the first memorable appearance of Colonel Flagg (Edward Winter, "A Smattering of Intelligence"). The best of these are when the comedy has to do with the characters, such as when Hawkeye starts a long chain of deals to get a new pair of boots ("For Want of a Boot") or frigid conditions force everybody to bunk together in the Swamp ("Crisis").

Most of the better episodes in the second season were written by Larry Gelbart and Laruence Marks (e.g., "Deal Me Out"), but we also see Alan Alda ("Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde") and McLean Stevenson ("The Trial of Henry Blake") taking an added interest in the characters they played by writing episodes that explored new aspects. The M*A*S*H ensemble also starts to expand in terms of recurring characters, not just Flagg but psychiatrist Sidney Freeman (Allan Arbus) and Captain Sam Pak (Pat Morita). The latter was only there for a couple of episodes, but at least there was finally an intelligent oriental character on the show. Certainly the South Koreans are treated a lot more seriously at this point. The result is that "M*A*S*H" is still a situation comedy as well as a dramedy, mainly because as long as Frank Burns (Larry Linville) is around trying to play soldier and remains a liability in the operating room, the show is limited. That is why as good as "M*A*S*H" was at this point, it was going to be a whole lot better once Sherman Potter and Charles Emerson Winchester were on board. So these 24 episodes are pretty good, but the best is yet to come.

The loss of the comedic mix of Larry Gelbart, Maclean Stevenson, Larry Linville, and Wayne Rogers, resulted in making it a "message" show. Like the man said, if you want to send a message, use Western Union !

With the next seasons additions of Col. Potter, B.J., and Charles Emerson Winchester, and the ascendency of Alan Alda into the Producer/Creative Consultant slot, were necessary and insured the longevity of the show, but let's face it...the show lost it's special charm, and turned bittersweet, in character and content.

In the context of the Times the show was produced and aired, this all was inevitable, because the STRONG anti-war message was what WE ALL wanted to hear, then, and we were more receptive to this message, that was pounded, relentlessly into us, weekly.

But now, age seems to have tempered those sentiments, some, and made it, itself a joke. Time does wound all heals !!

It's a dreamy, semi-nightmarish vision - never quite duplicated [copied?] by Hollywood ~ and light-years ahead of its time. Superior and expertly detailed costume and set design.

Forget the cartoon version - silly bland fare by comparison.

Gruesomely deformed at birth, John lives his first twenty years of abject, animal-like existence in a circus freak show. He is at the mercy of his savage 'owner,' who stores him out of sight in a dreary, undergound dungeon until the next 'show' calls. Rescued by the compassionate Dr. Frederick Treves, marvelously played by Anthony Hopkins, this creature begins his slow immersion into the human family. He slowly becomes a man. The Elephant Man.

Dr. Trevor is convinced that beneath the deformed exterior lies a thinking and feeling human being. And by treating him as such, Dr. Treves restores John to the pale of humankind. Teaching him, nurturing him and instilling dignity within him, Treves saves his patient from the ignominious end that would have surely awaited him, had he, Dr. Treves, not shown compassion.

Yet, what makes this film especially compelling is its refusal to placate us with simple answers and a happy ending. It is an acidic critique of how we humans seem incapable of seeing beyond appearence and of how truly unaccepting of difference we are. Treated like a freak in the circus, the Elephant Man becomes a 'celebrity freak' in the society of Dr. Treves. People want to see, touch and experience him, just because he is different. Yet, they are revolted just the same. The Elephant Man is denied true acceptance as a fellow human being with desires and emotions. Those around him just can't grasp that inside, he is no different from them. But alas, Lynch knows how to pull at our heartstrings as John finally joins humanity in his death......'to sleep like others do.'

The ending is masterful. Painful, cathartic and magical. All in one. The film's message is spelled out here in all its simple glory, as John Merrick teaches us something about true happiness. 'Knowing I'm loved, I need nothing more.' Amen.