Austin Movie Reviews

Anyways, to the DVD in question. These four short films have been carefully restored by Davis Shepherd, and it shows. The prints are well done, there is footage restored that had been missing for years, the image is sharp, and most of the film flaws have been minimized as much as humanly possible without detracting from the film itself.

Sadly, these are amongst the first dvds produced, and the quality of the video compression leaves something to be desired. Zooming in on the image at all produces an appalingly distorted picture. People with high-definition tv sets may notice a lot of compression artifacts in the picture. These faults are not the fault of David Shepherd - the discs simply need updating, which is sadly unlikely since they probably don't sell that well.

But the material on the dvd is fantastic. The films are mostly very funny, though you have to adjust your tastes a bit for the humor of 1916 - 1917.

You can't do much better than this for Chaplin! (Oh, and by the way, you can find a variety of cheaper Chaplin collections. Be warned, though, that they are a vastly inferior product, with poor film quality, terrible soundtracks, and even worse video compression! You money should go to these excellent restorations!)

Volume 9: (Disc 1)

The Gadic Collection - Episode 98: Rating (4)
This tale is set in Istanbul, and unfolds in classic "Saintly" fashion. While observing an assortment of museum pieces know as the "Gadic Collection", a beautiful young woman catches the Saint's eye, leading to an investigation into the collection's authenticity. Soon, Simon is up to his neck in murder, intrigue and deception. Except for some contrived silliness involving moving spiked walls, this a solid well-written story that holds together. Dark-haired beauty, Nicole Shelby is a plus.

The Best Laid Schemes - Episode 99: Rating (3)
In contrast to his "jet set" type adventures, from time to time The Saint would also become embroiled in more run of the mill "domestic" concerns. Here, Simon is in an English fishing village, when a dead body washes up on shore, apparently that of a cantankerous local sea captain. The Saint looks into the matter, and finds no shortage of suspects. The investigation is further complicated by evidence that the good Captain may still be alive. Who is the dead man, and how did he die? Sylvia Syms guest stars.

Invitation To Danger - Episode 100: Rating (4)
Once again, The Saint is set up to be the fall guy, in this instance he is suspected of robbing the casino of one Brett Sunley, a broker in international espionage. A victim of "the neatest piece of framing since the Mona Lisa", (to use the Saint's own words) Simon is backed into a corner, and forced to come out fighting hard. Featured in this episode is Shirley Eaton, the striking actress who had a golden finish as Jill Masterson, in the movie "Goldfinger". A complicated story with twists and turns aplenty.

Volume 10: (Disc 2)

Legacy For The Saint - Episode 101: Rating (4)
When Ed Brown, an ex-criminal leader is killed, The Saint gets involved with his daughter Penny, and in the execution of the dead man's will. The will challenges four of Brown's former criminal rivals to raise a sum of money, in order to receive a matching amount from Brown's estate. The deceased mobster has also left behind a plan for a criminal caper, one that could provide a payoff big enough for someone to claim the prize. All this, and Claude Eustace too, as the intrepid Inspector Teal from Scotland Yard is also on the case. A young and beautiful Stephanie Beacham guests as daughter Penny. This episode is the first to feature the new theme and closing music for the program.

The Desperate Diplomat - Episode 102: Rating (3)
Jason Douglas an old comrade of the Saint, and a diplomat to an African country, is suspected of stealing a fortune, and has now disappeared. Suspecting that he is in Geneva, Simon Templar arrives there with the missing diplomat's daughter Sara, looking to make contact. Also present is a group of criminals looking to get their hands on the loot. Suzan Farmer guests as Sara, the Saint's resourceful partner. Robert Hardy makes a most dislikable villain.

The Organization Man - Episode 103: Rating (3)
Set in England, The Saint goes undercover for the Queen, infiltrating a paramilitary organization training mercenaries for an unknown mission. Of course Simon's task is to find out just what they are up to. A rather implausible story with a lazy conclusion, that indulges someone's desire to see men in kilts. Why would the Saint ever become a mercenary?

The Double Take - Episode 104: Rating (2)
A fairly ridiculous tale, as the Saint is dragged into helping a Greek shipping tycoon who claims he is being impersonated by a perfect double. A dubious Simon Templar reluctantly agrees to help recover a code book, vital to the control of the tycoon's shipping empire. The screenwriting here is scraping bottom, bordering on the absurd, where irrational behavior by the Saint nearly gets him killed.

The Saint Set 5 starts out very strong, but finishes with some lackluster episodes. Still the collection is one of the better ones in the series. The best of the episodes have a no-nonsense approach, with a harder edge, solid action, and some excellent fight scenes. Overall, the writing is good, and not played for laughs. The bevy of beauties is better than average too, with a few ladies below age thirty for a change. As usual, look for Roger Moore's double in most second unit (location) shots.

One note about the episode numbers. Though there are a few different listings for the program, the listing used is one that most closely matches the "broadcast order" sequence that A&E is issuing them in. Episodes were not always released in the order they were produced or filmed. Fans of the Saint, are invited to view my other reviews of the series.

Overall, it's a great set if you are into old-school style wrestling.

Here is the rundown of each DVD:

STEVE AUSTIN'S GREATEST HITS

THE MATCHES

1.Austin vs. "Gentlemen" Chris Adams: "Come As You Are Street Fight." Austin's first big program was his legendary feud with his trainer Chris Adams where the two men were embattled in a bizarre love triangle which involved Adam's ex-wife Jeanie Clark and his new wife Toni. This street fight was awesome. Austin's in football pads and Adam's in a judo gi. Tons of arena-sprawling action. 11 minutes. 4 stars.

2.Austin and "Missouri Tiger" Jeff Gaylord vs. Chico Torres and Frogman LeBlanc: Typical mid-card tag match. Nothing much became of the other workers. Decent action. 5 minutes. 2 stars.

3.Eric Embry and Steve Austin w/ Tojo Yamamoto vs. "Gorgeous" Gary Young and "Superstar" Bill Dundee: This is a good old-school tag match. The match itself gets off to a slow start but totally picks up toward the middle to a really hot finish. 12 minutes. 3 ½ stars.

4."Missouri Tiger" Jeff Gaylord, Sheik Braddock and Austin w/General Skandor Akbar vs. "Gentleman" Chris Adams, "Maniac" Matt Borne and Eric Embry: This was a solid match with tons of nice spots and great action. The crowd was very hot for this one. 12 minutes. 3 stars.

5.Recap of the Austin - Adams feud/love triangle with tons of highlights of confrontations between the two men. Highly entertaining.

6.Austin and Jeanie Clark vs. Chris and Toni Adams: Decent action with TONS of crowd heat. 10 minutes. 4 stars.

7.Austin and Jeanie Clark vs. Chris and Toni Adams: Re-match. Again tons of crowd heat and solid action. Percy Pringle (WWE's Paul Bearer) on commentary. Chris Von Erich, Jeff Jarrett and Iceman King Parsons post-match run-ins. 10 minutes. 4 stars.

THE DVD Extras

The DVD extras include:

1.Austin's biography (a quick paragraph or two summarizing his career and childhood).

2.An Austin photo gallery consisting of 4 pictures.

Overall, all right for a look but otherwise worthless...

THE VERDICT:

Overall, at a cover price this DVD is a bargain. The matches themselves are solid. The Adams - Austin feud was one of THE best storylines to come out during that era and is an example of what great booking can do.

This DVD is definitely must viewing for Stone Cold fans/enthusiasts/completists. Fans of the WCCW/USWA circa '89/'90 will also appreciate this DVD.

THE BEST OF WRESTLING SLAMS

Here are the contents of this DVD:

THE MATCHES:

1.Lightning Kid vs. Dapper Dan: Kid of course went on to become the 1-2-3 Kid who went on to become Syxx who evolved in WWF's X-pac. Decent match. 5 minutes. 3 stars.

2.Crash vs. Doink: Crash (the Terminator) became WCW's Hugh Morrus. Doink is of course the famous WWF early-mid 90's gimmick. Squash match featuring a post-match run-in by Koko B. Ware of WWF 80s fame. 3 minutes. DUD.

3."Cowboy" Bob Orton vs. Tom Lodly (sp???): From the NAWA. Orton, a recognized superior technical wrestler who made a name in the 80's WWF, puts on a wrestling clinic against his jobber opponent. 5 minutes. 3 stars.

4.Baron Samidi (w/ Bob Orton) vs. Lynn Wagner: From the NAWA. Samidi became Papa Shango in the WWF who became Kama who became the Godfather. Basically another jobber squash. Tons of power moves. 8 minutes. 2 stars.

5. "War Eagle" Chris Chavis vs. Dr. X: From South Atlantic Wrestling. "War Eagle" (definitely ripped at this point) went on to become the WWF's Tatanka in the early-mid 90s. Decent match. 6 minutes. 2 stars.

6.Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Johnny Z: From the NAWA. Steamboat, of course, is a legend in the business and a noted technical master noted for his classic matches against Ric Flair and Randy Savage. Jobber squash. Decent match. 5 minutes. 2 stars.

7.The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Saggs) vs. Rusty Stevens and Rick Starr: NAWA. The Nastys were among the top tag teams around the world in the late 80s and early 90s with stints in the AWA, WWF and WCW. Decent back and forth action between the two teams. 13 minutes. 3 stars.

8.The (New) Fantastics (Bobby and Jackie Fulton) vs. Tommy Landell and the Enforcer: From South Atlantic. One of the best matches of the DVD with tons of great tag action from the Fantastics. 5 minutes. 4 stars.

9.The American Bulldogs (Spike and Rex) vs. Colt Steele and Tommy Landell: Decent match and action from the Bulldogs. 7 minutes. 3 stars.

10."Simply Irresistible" Jeff Jarrett and "Maniac" Matt Borne vs. Cactus Jack Manson and Sheik Braddock (w/ General Skandor Akbar): From the legendary USWA promotion in Texas. Overall, this is a great brawl/action-packed tag match with future great stars. 13 minutes. 3 ½ stars.

THE DVD FEATURES:

Nothing to see here as the special features two things:

1.A list of wrestler's finishing moves.

2.A FAQ regarding wrestling.

THE VERDICT:

Despite the cheap production of the DVDs, they are keepers, especially the Austin DVD. The Best of Wrestling Slams DVD is alright. Not must-see by any means, but worthwhile if you are into old-school wrestling or seeing today's stars in their younger forms or if you are into seeing older veterans back closer to their primes.

Highly Recommended
(Austin DVD must-see for Austin fans)

They just find out from their Dad that he's taking them to Atlantis resort, in The Bahamas--because of how hard they've been working in school. They're disappointed and whine a bunch about not going to Hawaii with their school peers--and having to live with their parents.

But...this movie is mostly about getting into deep relationships with boys. But that's a common Mary-Kate and Ashley movie. No morals or anything like that to it.

The MOST CONFUSING part was when the girls drove the yacht at the end to lure the police after them, so they would come on board and see the antiquities. Stupidly, they didn't know that they had to have it seen by them (and without "exploring" the boat) or they'd get arrested. It leaves me confused why they just didn't leave the yacht there while IT WAS PARKED and find the antiquities, and then turn it in then, telling the police where it was. That part made me feel like Mary-Kate and Ashley didn't have brains.

3/5 stars, because I'm generous, and also because it sometimes got confusing. But I LOVED their idea about going to the Bahamas for this movie, though. It's so pretty there. It's not a 1/5 star, because I was able to watch the whole thing.

There are a lot of dull, stupid, lifelessly crass movies being made these days. Austin Powers in Goldmember is not one of them. Is it crasser than even the first two Austin Powers flicks? Yep. Is it stuck in a groovy groove and incapable of dumping the disco theme for fresh scenery? Absolutely. But is it dull, stupid and lifeless? No way, baby! Goldmember is slickly produced, creatively conceived, and riotously acted (Mike Myers' versatility and talent are undeniable). It excels when it spews out spoofs and social satire (everything from old movie musicals to rap videos are hilariously tweaked). And it confidently reels in audiences, holding them firmly in the palm of its hand. At the packed screening I attended, moviegoers laughed, roared, sighed and tittered right on cue-every time there was a cue. From the elderly couple sitting a few rows above me, to the 11-year-old boy two seats to my right, they loved every minute.

And now I'm going to slam the door on all those kudos. Mike Myers seems determined to use his ferocious talent to push fans down rather than lift them up. And we as a movie-loving culture are all but begging him to do it. After all, we're the ones sitting in semi-dark theaters laughing ourselves silly. "Once upon my time," writes Time magazine editorialist Richard Corliss, "dirty jokes were passed from older child to younger like sacred texts from the Gnostic Bible. They had the frisson of the forbidden. Now they are the official culture, imposed by film stars, sanctioned by a PG rating." Put bluntly, Goldmember pushes the PG-13 boundary harder than any film I can think of. But it does it so artfully that millions of laugh-starved families will feel that it's okay not to notice. The entertainment emperor has truly shed his clothes.

There are a lot of dull, stupid, lifelessly crass movies being made these days. Austin Powers in Goldmember is not one of them. Is it crasser than even the first two Austin Powers flicks? Yep. Is it stuck in a groovy groove and incapable of dumping the disco theme for fresh scenery? Absolutely. But is it dull, stupid and lifeless? No way, baby! Goldmember is slickly produced, creatively conceived, and riotously acted (Mike Myers' versatility and talent are undeniable). It excels when it spews out spoofs and social satire (everything from old movie musicals to rap videos are hilariously tweaked). And it confidently reels in audiences, holding them firmly in the palm of its hand. At the packed screening I attended, moviegoers laughed, roared, sighed and tittered right on cue-every time there was a cue. From the elderly couple sitting a few rows above me, to the 11-year-old boy two seats to my right, they loved every minute.

And now I'm going to slam the door on all those kudos. Mike Myers seems determined to use his ferocious talent to push fans down rather than lift them up. And we as a movie-loving culture are all but begging him to do it. After all, we're the ones sitting in semi-dark theaters laughing ourselves silly. "Once upon my time," writes Time magazine editorialist Richard Corliss, "dirty jokes were passed from older child to younger like sacred texts from the Gnostic Bible. They had the frisson of the forbidden. Now they are the official culture, imposed by film stars, sanctioned by a PG rating." Put bluntly, Goldmember pushes the PG-13 boundary harder than any film I can think of. But it does it so artfully that millions of laugh-starved families will feel that it's okay not to notice. The entertainment emperor has truly shed his clothes.