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All the signs that Star Trek was creatively strained late in its third season (following the departures of key creative personnel and the absence of Gene Roddenberry's full attention) can be seen in "The Cloud Minders." David Gerrold, author of the hugely popular "The Trouble with Tribbles," conceived an almost Dickensian story about the exploitation of miners, called Troglytes, on the planet Ardana, and the way Troglyte labor enriches the lives of an aristocracy that literally lives in the sky, above the fray. Third-season producer Fred Freiberger wanted fewer ideas and more action, and he had another writer deeply revise Gerrold's notion that Captain Kirk (William Shatner) should broker positive change on behalf of the have-nots. The finished production finds Kirk more irritated than anything that a domestic problem is slowing his mission to retrieve zienite, a medicinal mineral. Meanwhile, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) uncharacteristically sniffs around an Ardanian cutie who flirts with him, and a ridiculous torture-the-space-babe scene belongs in a midnight movie from the 1950s. "The Cloud Minders" is like a junk-food snack: chunky in its organization and cheesy in its production values. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Most Stylish, if not best acted Trek --- Fun!
Kirk and Spock just want to pick up some Zenite antidote from the
planet Ardana, and find themselves in the middle of a class war between aristocratic cloud dwellers and the subservient cave dwelling Troglytes.
Though later in the series, this was one of the more stylish, if not best acted episodes. Just about everyone gets to chew the scenery, (Count how many times different characters exclaim "For What Purpose?") Costume designer William Ware Theiss's creations leave you wondering how they stay on, and Spock gets to flirt with Droxine, the sexy daughter of High Advisor Plasus.

Bad Trek, Good Trek
Again, Star Trek, even when it is bad, is still pretty good.

This episode is no exception. It keeps your interest, has social implications, and features outstanding acting by William Shatner (one of Hollywood's greatest).

The Cloud City concept is interesting, and the episode features good use of a NASA photo taken from the Gemini capsule of canyons on earth.... as a Troglyte falls to his death.

I never felt Spock was getting Frisky with Droxine... I merely felt he was feeling his human side come out, and it was at best a mere flirtation. Besides, Spock really does have "exquisite ears."

Nothing seriously wrong with this above average show
This episode, concerning a socially and
vertically stratified society of mine and cloud dwellers, temporarily staunched the haemorraging occurring at this point in the 3rd season. While not exactly action-packed (not many 3rd season shows were) this episode has an ebb and flow lacking from many of its contemporaries. The premise is also interesting enough, with obvious implications for our own society. The decision to take on the nature vs. nurture question was all admirable. While they were of course correct to pick nurture, the zenite quick fix was a copout. Obviously those deprived of knowledge for generations will require some time to get up to speed (the same could be said of Uhura's experience in the Changeling).
While the Spock romance was out of character, I didn't find it totally implausible or regrettable. They did seem to have a rapport, at least. The episode is hurt by weak performances from the other two guests though.

Tidbits: Production was getting really sloppy by this point. For example, after the crew have been corralled on the planet's barren surface, Kirk is heard to utter through totally unmoving lips, "Who are you? What is the meaning of this attack?"

Mind you head - these clouds are lower than they look
In this, the 74th Star Trek episode, we find the Enterprise travelling to the cloud city of Stratos on the planet Ardana to get a rare mineral to help stop a plague on another planet.

Classic Trek has told stories about two different civiliztions clashing before, and this one holds very little surprises. The upper crust of society lives in a city held above the planet's surface by powerful anti-gravity generators, while the lower class toil in the mines below to gather the mineral wealth of the planet that they are not allowed to enjoy.

The stereotypical plot lines of the story almost detract from the rather heavy handed message that the episode is trying to get across - that all people are people, and should be treated with the same respect. The seperation of the ruling class from the working class is emphasized too much by things like the city floating gently far above the troubles they create.

The reason that the Troglytes (short for Troglodites?) have a retarded intellect and violent tendencies is their constant exposure to a gas that the mineral produces, and not anything actually genetic. McCoy finds out that they are the same race. Plasus, the leader of Stratos, resists giving the Troglytes gas masks to help filter their air until Kirk forces him into a situation that exposes him to it directly, in clear violation of the Prime Directive.

One of the only saving graces of this episode is Spock's obvious interest in Droxine, the daughter of Plasus. Spock get her to finally agree that the Troglytes might be her intellectual equals despite their contant exposure to the mineral gas.

I would have liked to see a story about what happens to this civilization after the major society changes that Kirk and crew just about forces on them, but that is impossible now except in the non-canon Star Trek books.

My score - 5.5 out of a possible 10 (1/2 point for Spock's interest in Droxine).

For ST-TOS diehards only
Discovering Amazon's second-hand buying/selling service has allowed me to stock up on ST-TOS episodes that I had deliberately ignored in the past. "Cloud Minders" is one such episode.

In all honesty, 3rd-season ST-TOS episodes are nowhere near as bad -- nor 2nd-season episodes as good -- as the conventional wisdom would have you believe. Nearly all 3rd-season episodes have points of interest, but these disparate elements seldom coalesce to form a meaningful storyline liable to appeal to outsiders.

3rd-season ST-TOS episodes are characterized by increasing verbosity and awkward departures from long-established plot and character guidelines. Budget cuts resulted in a different "look" for the show, but ingenious set-designers did everything in their power to cope with the resulting financial constraints ("The Cloud Minders" illustrates this quite well). William Shatner, unjustly maligned as Kirk, invariably acts with giant conviction in an effort to keep the show on the road. Aside from this, however, one comes across all too many poorly acted and abysmally directed passages of dialogue. In 3rd-season episodes there is an increasingly dreary reliance on sadomasochistic plot devices (obedience collars, torture chambers, etc.), which are a scriptwriter's copout. The actresses' costumes are raunchier, suggesting reduced studio censorship (or interest). This isn't the "kiddie format" which the show's regular staff dreaded; but it comes close.

All of the above trends are exhibited in "The Cloud Minders", which, as I have said, is for hard-core fans only. But 3rd-season episodes, for all their flaws, should not be overlooked: note the interesting treatment of contraception in "The Mark of Gideon;" Spock's sputtering encounter with an ancient vulcan hero in "The Savage Curtain;" the eating of the acid fruit in "The Road to Eden;" and best of all, the web-spinning sequence in "The Tholian Web," a special-effects sequence still unmatched for pure shock value and spine-tingling horror. ... Read more

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Like the preceding episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", "Dagger of the Mind" is another mad-doctor drama. This time, Kirk delivers supplies to a penal colony on Tantalus V, where he meets the renowned Dr. Tristan Adams. Adams has been working on the development of a neural neutralizer to control and manipulate dangerous patients. When Kirk threatens to expose him as a dangerous megalomaniac, Adams uses the technology on the unfortunate captain. This tense piece set in a madhouse atmosphere makes for a riveting episode, with a few unhinged performances adding to the fun. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (15)

EXCELLENT, THOUGHT-PROVOKING EPISODE
Dagger of the Mind is one of the finest episodes of the original Star Trek series. It was made at the same time Communist China's murderous "Great Proleatarian Cultural Revolution" was getting under way in 1966 in which mobs of young Communist "Red Guards" were dragging unpopular teachers and "capitalist roaders" into the street and frequently beating them to death while mindlessly chanting meaningless slogans from Mao's "Little Red Book". In the 1960's, also memories were still fresh from the horrors of Hitler's genocidal policies against the Jews and Slavs and Stalin's purges of millions of "class enemies". Actor James Gregory gives a fine performance as Dr Tristan Adams, a notal penal reformer and idealist who tragically degenerates into a tyrant controlling the minds of the inmates at his penal colony planet called Tantalus through use of his "neural neutralizer" device. Writer Shimon Wincelberg (pen-name S. Bar-David) is warning us how many well-meaning people who want to help humanity by supporting various universalist utopia schemes (e.g. Marxism-Leninism, Jonestown, etc) can end up being part of a monstrous tyranny because the lust for power and control of large numbers of people overwhelms them. Actor Morgan Woodward puts in a stellar performance as Dr Simon Van Gelder who is a tormented victim of Dr Adams' neural neutralizer (you can see his tortured face on the cover of the box containing the video tape). The names used in the episode give chilling hints as to the nature of the characters and their prison, for example, Tantalus-the name of the penal colony planet, was a figure from Greek mythology who is condemned to hell and his punishment is to have all sorts of desirable food and drink within his view but just out of reach (hence the word "tantalize), Dr Adams' first name is Tristan which is from the famous mideval story from Cornwall of "Tristan and Isolde" in which the hero "dies of loneliness" and finally Dr Adams' mind-controlled assistant is called Lethe, whose name means oblivion. Unfortunately, the resolution of the crisis is a little weak so I give the episode only four stars, but it is still one of the very best.

Promising Episode That Doesn't Quite Deliver
Morgan Woodward's standout performance in the first half of this episode makes this an episode worth owning. His character is initially very frightening, but eventually emerges as a character to sympathize. It is a a very effective performance.

Unfortunately, the episode becomes rather silly as Kirk and a none-too-bright psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Noel, investigate the penal colony. After such a brilliant set-up, this story line becomes disappointing. Still, an adequate entry in the Star Trek series.

This is the first episode that uses the Vulcan mind meld.

This, or Whom Gods Destroy? Pick your poison!
The first of the insane asylum/penal colony episodes just doesn't work. The early scenes on the planet do convey a sense of unease as we try to figure out just what is wrong here, but the eventual delivery just doesn't pack much (Christmas) punch. Woodward, for one, is way over the top here. Worse though is the poor development of the motives behind Adams' actions. I suppose the question of the potential costs behind the treatment of mental illness are as timely today as they were then, but this episode doesn't contribute much to the discussion. Plus, this episode is convoluted, and just isn't very interesting. To be honest, the coquettish Dr. Helen Noel was one of the best things going for this one.

"Dagger of the Mind" - A Solid Episode with Lots of Drama
While on a routine mission to resupply the Tantalus V rehabilitation colony, Kirk and company are shocked to discover that the facility's director is using a mind-control device to control the inmates.

''Dagger of the Mind'' is one of the better episodes from Star Trek's first season. While there are some plot inconsistencies and gaps in the story-line, the episode is quite enjoyable. This episode contains moments of high drama and suspense, as well some action. Here are a few of my observations:

''Dagger of the Mind'' introduces us to the Vulcan Mind Meld for the first time. Spock uses it to probe the mind of Dr. Van Gelder in search of the truth about the Tantalus colony.

The acting is superb--particulary Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) and the guest actors. Morgan Woodward steals the show with his dramatic portrayal of Dr. Simon Van Gelder. His emotional expressions are enough to convince anyone that his mind has been ravaged by a mind-control device. The interactions between Spock and Van Gelder in sickbay are particularly intense. James Gregory plays the charming yet sinister Dr. Tristan Adams, the director of the Tantalus colony. The beautiful Marianna Hill plays Enterprise psychologist Dr. Helen Noel. While Helen is not the greatest psychologist in the world, she proves her courage by risking her life to save Captain Kirk. She playfully flirts with Kirk during their first few scenes together, and this visibly upsets Kirk (I love it when a woman actually gets the better of Kirk).

A couple of wardrobe items: (1) Dr. Adams and the rest of the Tantalus staff wear the traditional jumpsuits that are common throughout Star Trek. However, they feature a neat patch on the front--a gloved hand holding a dove reaching up to the sun. There is a lot of irony in this symbol, given the sinsiter motives of Dr. Adams. (2) It looks like the wardrobe department gave Marianna Hill (Helen Noel) a Starfleet uniform that is about a size too small for her. The top portion of the uniform seems to fit a bit too tight, and the skirt is a couple of inches too short in the back. I realize that these Starfleet skirts are supposed to be short, but Helen's doesn't quite cover what is supposed to be covered. Whenever the camera films Helen from behind, you can plainly see her ... ummmm ... undies.

The Neural Neutralizer is a powerful device, with the ability to reshape memories and control minds. However, the chair looks like a 23rd century dentist's chair.

Great acting and an interesting story make ''Dagger of the Mind'' an episode that any Star Trek fan will want to own.

Like DEATH
Over the years, my sister Cathy and I have used Dr. Simon Van Gelder's description of the Neural Neutralizer as a catch-all description of things unpleasant:

Kirk: "What was it like?"
Van Gelder: "Like DEATH!"

Morgan Woodward did an all-too-convincing job as a man nearly driven out of his mind. It was also refreshing to finally have a woman on the set (Dr. Helen Noel) who did not swoon at the very sight of Kirk for a change. I wish they could have brought her back to trade sarcastic barbs with Kirk on occasion.

Highly recommended for any devout "Classic Trek" fan. ... Read more

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There's blunt and then there's really blunt. "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" is certainly the latter, a thick fable about the absurdity of intolerance, a story so obvious it becomes energized by its own, sheer audacity. Frank Gorshin, a 1960s television icon for his recurring role as the Riddler on Batman, plays Bele, an extraterrestrial cop pursuing a fugitive named Lokai (Lou Antonio). The latter is chalk-white on the right side of his body, and ebony-black on the left, an arrangement despised as inferior by Bele and his race, whose own color scheme simply reverses the two. While Captain Kirk (William Shatner) decides what to do about Lokai's request for asylum, the old race hatred between both sides looks increasingly ridiculous. Interestingly, the episode originated as an idea from producer Gene L. Coon, who envisioned an endless chase between a devil and an angel. Eventually it was decided that the sheer stupidity of prejudice would be underscored more clearly in the final arrangement and, indeed, several decades after the fact, the show does have a surrealist punch to it. Incidentally, the Enterprise self-destruct sequence seen here was reprised in the feature film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I Liked It!
It's not my favorite Classic Star Trek episode but it's a good episode with a very good message and I like Frank Gorshin who played The Riddler on Batman. I recommend this video for any Star Trek Fan!

A solid episode
This episode, employing actors done up in half-black, half-white face makeup, is a none-too subtle statement about race relations. While Star Trek is to be commended for not ignoring controversial issues, the show's forays could be grossly oversimplistic; this episode is a case in point. Most viewers will have gleaned the difference between Lokai and Bele long before the crew becomes aware. This is also another talky episode, and while the actors do a good job expressing their choler through some truly acrimonious exchanges, the viewer gets the idea pretty fast.
The second half of the episode is not without its plusses though. The auto-destruct sequence was a nice touch, as were the montages of burning cities (which must have struck a cord in early 1969, as today). The conclusion leaves the viewer with much to ponder, both specifically about Bele and Lokai's fate, and more generally about hatred's powerful momentum. One other welcome aspect was the fact that the Enterprise and her crew were basically powerless here. This thankfully (in my opinion) spares us the need for a pat conclusion to such a complex problem. On the other hand, it is interesting to ask whether a first season episode would have been so pessimistic. The answer is almost certainly no. But a lot had changed in two years, and not just in the Star Trek universe.

Classic Trek at it's best
I am very surprised Frank Gorshin was never asked to return as a baddie in another Trek episode. It was a real treat to see him argue with Shatner about the plight of their planet. You couldn't tell who was on the right side. Both of them had a convincing argument. There was no way to tell. Anyway, the episode did have another great action sequence where both of them wrestled with 60's style cosmic powers.

The importance of being black on the right side
There is certainly nothing subtle about the social message at the heart of "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield." The Enterprise stops a stolen shuttle and arrests its pilot, a bichromatic being (white on the right side, black on the left) named Lokai. Then another bichromatic being named Bele (black on the right side and white on the left) beams aboard the Enterprise just as his vessel explodes. Bele (Groshin) explains that he is an officer of the Commission on Political Traitors from the planet Cheron who has come to arrest Lokai for murder. For his part, Lokai insists that his people are enslaved by Bele's race. Bucking this particular headache up the chain of command, Kirk is told by Starfleet not to extradite Lokai. However, Bele will not take "no" for an answer. It was always easy to remember how each side of Bele was colored, because of course the dominant race in this little allegory would be black on the "right" side. At first Kirk does not see the difference, since both Bele and Lokai are half black and half white. But Bele points out the difference and insists how it matters, which sounds just as stupid as any other claim of racial superiority based on skin color you have ever heard. Because the point of this episode is not exactly subtle, "Let This Be Your Last Battlefield" is less than satisfactory, although I do appreciate the attempt to maintain ambiguity as to which one of the two bichromatic beings (you have to love that adjective) is telling the truth.

Will this be their last battlefield?
"Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" is about two humanoids that appear on the Enterprise. One (Loki) is supposedly a criminal who is begging for help from Captain Kirk and the crew, and the other one is out to capture Loki. The only difference between them is that their black and white colors are on opposite sides of their faces. They mainly just fuss between each other, but when they start changing the course of the Enterprise, Captain Kirk decides something has to be done.

"Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" is interesting and it isn't a bad episode if you're a Star Trek fan. I recommend anybody who likes Star Trek to watch or buy this episode. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

THE BEST Po5 EPISODE EVER!
This episode was, by far, one of the best episodes that they have ever done! Starting out with a family dinner was a good way to lure Bailey, but not the best. The best way to lure Bailey to their house was to get him there by using who he loves most: Owen. I thought the scenes with Lacey were absolutely wonderful. You could really feel her pain as she's talking to him on the phone. Then when he got there, they wanted him to go to rehab. Good acting on Scott's part. But I would have to say my all-time favorite scene in that episode was when Scott lost it with everyone and started attacking them, revealing information about their past. I had only started watching "Party of Five" during the third season, but I have been a faithful viewer...from then to when it was cancelled, and I am sorry it was. Loyal "Party of Five" fans will miss it.

The Best Show Never Watched
It's a shame this series struggled for life every season it was on. Party of Five brought some of the most original writing and acting the Fox Televison Network has ever seen. Next to X-Files, this is the single best series they ever produced. I adored every episode of the five years it was on and still miss this show dearly. I felt orphaned when it went off!

My only qualm about the videos is that most of them are pricey and yet contain only one episode-not a good deal at all! Especially "The Intervention" which was a two episode arc and they only delivered the first half to video-who does that? This show never got the respect it deserved while on the air and still is being snubbed by the studio's refusal to release it on DVD. But all is well because we have things like "The Simple Life" to keep us occupied...GET A GRIP FOX!!! PUT PO5 ON DVD THIS MINUTE!!!!!

"Intervention" Rocks!!!
This is no doubt one of the best PO5 episodes of all time! When it's rare to find a television show which deals with family drama, you can look no further than "Party of Five!" When I first got hooked onto the show in the spring of 99, I thought it had great potential, and great characters! It started after I saw Lacey Chabert(Claudia) in "Lost in Space," and since then I wanted to see more of her in other things! She truly does shine in PO5 with this episode! As does Scott Wolf who gives his character Bailey more drama with his alcohol problem! What makes this episode stand out from the other episodes in my opinion is because it's all the characters in a closed surrounding when they try to make Bailey come to terms with his drinking problem! With the other episodes, you jump from one character to the next, and it's often to soap opera at times, and hard to keep up! This is one episode where the siblings all come together to save their brother! My compliments to Scott Wolf, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert, and Jennifer Love Hewitt for making this episode truly work! It's too bad you couldn't see this movie become like a motion picture event(giggle)! That would have been neat!

A Must-Have for any true "Party of Five" fan!!!
Simply put, this episode is the hallmark of everything that endeared viewers to this amazing drama that ran on the Fox network from 1994-2000. In the series' beginning, Bailey Salinger was the responsible sibling who put others and their needs before his own, especially when it came to younger siblings Julia, Claudia & Owen. Then Bailey goes off to college, where he has to care for no one except himself. And that's where his downfall begins. Bailey begins to drink--uncontrollably. He cuts himself off from his family, goes out partying and getting drunk every night, and buys liquor with money that was supposed to be used to pay for Owen's birthday celebration. When Bailey shows up at Owen's party stone drunk, the siblings begin to realize just how bad the problem is. So, they stage an intervention. The episode is powerfully written and acted as it walks you through the various stages mof the intervention: the tension beforehand, deciding how to get Bailey to come to the intervention, the emotions that the siblings have in seeing their brother's life in such a mess, Bailey's denial of his drinking problem. In one particularly stunning scene, Bailey feels as if he's being picked on, so he begins fighting back by throwing his siblings' past mistakes right back in their faces: Julia's unplanned pregnancy, Charlie's wedding-that-wasn't, and so on. Then, in the middle of all this mess, Joe, a longtime friend of the family, drops a bomb that catches the whole family off guard: their father was a recovering alcoholic whose drinking nearly wrecked the family. Claudia finds out what made her father to stop drinking, and at the end of the episode, she gives Bailey an ultimatum that leaves the family at a turning point, leaving the viewer on the edge. The writing is exceptionally realistic, as is the acting (especially on the parts of Scott Wolf as Bailey and Lacey Chabert as Claudia). A must-see for any true "Party"-goer.

Great series....
The attraction with this series as with so many was the chemistry between the characters. The sweetness of these kids in contrast with the harshness of their lives takes you away from reality and as we all need an esape of some sort, this is mine. I am a customer from the UK and doubt that we have had all of the series on our screens and we also don't have these videos released in the UK. I am very jealous of you guys as I would love to have this in my video cupboard to have a weep on a rainy Sunday..... Ahhhhhhh! those were the days.. ... Read more

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By defining one of the show's most effective trademarks--the combination of the unbelievably monstrous with the recognizably human--Squeeze set the pace for some of the finest episodes of The X-Files. Agent Scully is asked by one of her classmates to help him in a serial murder investigation. In each of the cases, the assailant gained access to the victims under seemingly impossible circumstances and subsequently removed their livers. When Mulder hears about the case, he recognizes a connection to a series of unsolved cases dating back to 1903. The other agents are not terribly amenable to Mulder's theory that all of the killings were commited by the same man, who has stayed alive for decades by devouring human livers. When Scully's profile leads to the capture of a suspect, Eugene Victor Tooms, it looks like Mulder may be as crazy as everyone thinks. But then it wouldn't be The X-Files, would it?

The formula of the episode and the character of Tooms were so effective that both were brought back at the end of the first season in Tooms. At least as chilling as it's precursor, this episode once again finds Mulder trying in vain to convince the skeptics that Tooms is more than he appears to be. In both episodes, Doug Huthchison is perfectly creepy as Tooms, affectionately known to fans of the show as "Liver Boy". ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A charming piece of vintage.
During its nine years on the air, The X-Files managed a distinct new flavor to each season, but some of its founding components never changed. "Squeeze" is entertaining in both respects: as the prototype for Season One and for the so-called "monster-of-the-week" episodes in general. Though it was aired as the second, it was written to be the first serial episode after the Pilot, and is accordingly packed with character development and one of the cleverest monster concepts ever. The unfolding of his mystery happens in many layers. As a sub-plot, Scully must wrestle with Mulder's reputation, (which he proceeds to milk for all its sardonic worth) its reflection on her, and the opportunity to be reassigned. Clashing and flirting are in high pitch in the smart dialogue, while the freshman agents (Anderson was only 24) look endearingly wet behind the ears. "Tooms," as a sequel episode towards the end of the season, is less inventive than the first, but cute nonetheless, and somewhat of a trail marker in the heroes' relationship.

Still the best X File I've seen
A series of murders in the Baltimore area have the FBI baffled. Most of the victims were found with their doors and windows locked from the inside - and their livers removed with bare hands. When Mulder and Scully look back through old case files, they discover the pattern of the murders stretching back for almost a century, with thirty year gaps in between. Soon they have a suspect ... but it can't be. Eugene Victor Tooms isn't a hundred years old. Besides, he couldn't have got through that tiny air vent.

Or could he?

Just as Psycho made an ordinary shower a scene of horror, this made people think twice about walking past that air duct. This is a seriously scary X File without there being any gore - to speak of, anyway - relying on nail biting suspense and the sheer concept. Maybe you should think twice about the burglar alarm - and settle for grilles on your windows instead.

These episodes were awsome!
Tooms was such a cool episode. Any X files fan would love this, it is really suspenseful. Scully (my fave) and Muler's relationship grows stronger in this episode. As for Squeeze, that episode was just plain old cool! If you like the X Files, these are the episodes thatt you should get!

"Spooky" and Dramatic, with dashes of sarcasim and romance!
I love these two epidodes, they have everything needed in a good X-files show. They have the drama, suspense, action, weirdness, sarcasim, and flirtatious scenes X-files fans have come to know and love. BUY THIS SET!!!

The highlight of the "non-mythologic" episodes from season 1
Doug Hutchins scares the pans of you in this season 1 two-parter playing the genetic mutant and infamous Eugene Victor Tooms. The 100 year old age abiding "man" bears the talent to elongate his body and squeeze through small entrances and kill victims to extract they liver to provide sustanace to hibernate for 30 years. A true look at Mulder and Scully. Particulary at Scully putting her against Henry Beckman's character. Who is a friend of agent Scully but loathes Mulder. A definate must for any body looking for a really good thriller. Plus special collector's cards and a introduction by Chris Carter. ... Read more

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Our favorite Starfleet trio, Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock(Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) beam down to Capella IV topersuade the resident warrior race to sign up with the Federation.Unfortunately, a Klingon agent named Kras (Tige Andrews, the captain of TV'sMod Squad) has preceded them and set enough doubt into play that thetake-no-prisoners Capellans decide to give Kirk and company a hostile reception.Written by story editor D.C. (Dorothy) Fontana, "Friday's Child" has the broadoutlines of a Western, with the good guys getting rebuffed by hostile Indiansand a final showdown with crude weapons set up in the barren hills. JulieNewmar's guest role as Eleen, wife of a former ruler and a pawn in the barbedpolitics between Kirk, Kras, and the Capellans, even has something of thefrightened but stoic native princess about it. Viewers hoping to catch Newmar ina Capellan catsuit, however (an extension of her iconic, sleek presence asCatwoman in the old Batman TV series), will be sorely disappointed: Eleenis quite pregnant, fit to burst and placed in McCoy's capable hands. Trekstalwart Joseph Pevney directed this action-adventure piece, which contains oneof the good doctor's most memorable utterances, spoken when Eleen expects McCoyto carry her up a steep hill: "I'm a doctor, not an escalator!" --TomKeogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Classic season 2. Action plus parallel earth culture study
Here we have a classic action episode about a war-like people caught between the Klingons and the Federation. This is one of the more nuanced cultures we encounter on Star Trek (with parallels to Native Americans or other indigenous groups), despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that they are not 'highly advanced'. The thoughtful, conscientious scripts of the first season often made the most of more advanced civilizations, but as the show became less introspective and more action-oriented, it made more sense to include less advanced cultures. The second season episodes often did so with success (see also Bread and Circuses, A Private Little War, and a Piece of the Action). By the third season, they were again relying almost exclusively on more advanced aliens, albeit for a new reason. It was easy to introduce the 'danger' theme, but without the complex motives we might expect of advanced people (contrast the subtlety of season 1's A Taste of Armageddon and Errand of Mercy with the sadism and nihilism of, say season 3's, Plato's Stepchildren and The Savage Curtain). The latter episodes lack both suspense and plausibility.

But back to Friday's Child. Julie Newmar gives a strong performance, and we begin to see one of the signatures of the 2nd season-real humor-first in the play between Newmar and McCoy. It just seems like the cast had fun making the second season shows. But this episode isn't all fun; it's one of the more violent episodes. In addition to the brutality of the teaser, this is captured in the show's heavy music and dark lighting. Interestingly, the Federation (read the U.S.) commit missteps throughout the episode, proving unable/ unwilling to adapt to te local culture. While the Klingon (read Russian) is equally inept, it is in some ways the Capellans who shine. The original chief shows integrity and courage, and the usurper ultimately shows these traits as well in the somewhat convoluted and convenient climax. One might have wished for a less rosily convenient ending and more introspection about the superpowers' manipulation of the indigenous people, but the episode certainly works on the level (suspenseful, yet ultimately humorous and not too cerebral) it is intended. Funny ending, too.

Kirk blows off the Prime Directive for an unborn child
"Friday's Child" is one of those diplomatic disasters that the Enterprise stumbles across from time to time. On Capella IV, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are negotiating for Federation mining rights. The Klingons also have a representative negotiating as well. When there is a coup and a Capellan named Maab takes over as leader, their culture demands that the old leader's wife must die. Kirk, refusing to let the pregnant woman be slaughtered, stops the execution and has to escape with her to the hills so she can have her baby. Then the politics gets really confusing, which is pretty much where this episode loses me; nothing like being consistent to a really stupid principle. Besides, the Capellan's have such funny looking outfits and it is just strange to see the Enterprise crew scrambling around rocks avoiding guards throwing killer frisbees. Actually, Peter David does a nice take off on this episode as the backstory behind Quintin Stone's bizarre behavior in the STNG novel "A Rock and a Hard Place." But "Friday's Child" is a below average Star Trek episode.

The sky changes colors
The first half of this episode was filmed on Capella 4 and the second half was filmed in Calfiornia, thus the changing sky and landscape. No, actually this is a fine episode that really plays on the strengths of the big three more than many other episodes. The big three try to deal with a fight for leadership that puts them on the run and Scotty and the ship try to deal with Klingons out in space. The episodes that show the constants in emotions and feelings in other beings are some of the best and this episode plays it out beautifully. Seeing Spock and Kirk fight with bow and arrow is also a big plus.

No Mission is ever easy for James T. Kirk
Kirk, Spock,and Bones try to get the people of Capela to sign a mining treaty with the Federation, but their efforts are hampered by the Klingons, and then they must flee for their lives when they save a wife of a slain ruler (Julie Nemar) who is pregnent with child. Meanwhile the Enterprise is engaged in battle with a Klingon warship and is unable to help the landing party. Directed by Trek veteren Joseph Pevney.

An exciting adventure with a few twists
"Friday's Child" is one of the best episodes of the original Star Trek. Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy must beam down to Capella IV in order to get some rocks from the planet for their ship. However, there is a major obstacle in their way, a Klingon. Kirk must prove to the new leader of Capella IV that he's worthy of the rocks that he needs. But first, he must do something with the Klingon that has gotten their first.

In "Friday's Child," you will see an exciting adventure while Kirk and the crew try to stay away from the approaching Klingon and the people of Capella IV. In addition to the Enterprise crew, they have brought a woman from Capella IV with them.

If you're a fan of Star Trek, "Friday's Child" is one of the episodes you need to get. Dr. McCoy puts on one of his best performances of the series and you'll see him perform one of the biggest deeds of being a doctor. At the end of the episode, there are many funny lines that you'll remember from the series. "Friday's Child" is one of the best overall episodes of the original series that any Trekkie needs to own. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

That's no malfunction
This episode, involving an accelerated species, has always been a favorite of mine. It is a very dreamlike episode; the scene depicting Kirk's acceleration must be one of the show's most bizarre segments. Tilting the camera and returning to music used in 'The Cage' were nice ways of embellishing acceleration. The idea also struck me as quite original (although I must confess I've read very little science fiction). Others have noted that when you sit down and work out the times involved, there are a lot of inconsistencies and implausible outcomes, but I do not look to Star Trek for that kind of realism.
Kathy Browne does a nice job as Deela. While clearly serious about the business of reproduction, she has a light, flirtatious quality which, along with her power, forces Kirk out of his usual domineering role. Of course, the two of them generated a scene for the sensors to miss nonetheless!
One final note: Even after several viewings I'm still not sure I understand the final scene, when Kirk utters the cryptic line, "That's..no malfunction." Did the production team just run out of steam at the end of the episode? Or did Deela intentionally leave the tape nearby (for Uhura to mistakenly pick up) as a momento to Kirk? Not clear. What is clear is that things were starting to get sloppy by the middle of the 3rd season; it would only get worse.
Nevertheless, I feel this episode, number 13 of 24) sits solidly on the winning side of what would be a turning point for the show. The remaining shows as a rule wouldn't feel as stylized as those from the first half of the third season, and were somehow less quirky and more formulaic. Given that they also tended to have thin plots, this would be a formula for disaster.

boring
most people who watch star-trek think Spocks Brain is the worst episode of the original series. Wink of an eye IS truly the worst, it's boring it makes no sense and just drags and drags and drags

The Scalosians try to pull a fast one on Captain Kirk...
Another race of people with strange powers is encountered after the Enterprise responds to a fake distress call in "Wink Of An Eye." Five Scalosians, who move at super speed, slip aboard the Enterprise and take over. It seems a terrible war destroyed most of their planet and not only caused them to speed up but rendered all their males sterile. Consequently they need to trap spaceships from time to time so their women can mate. However, after drinking the Scalosian water the men who are selected also speed up, but so quickly that they die. Most of the Enterprise crew will be put into suspended animation so they can be thawed as necessary. Having been chosen by Deela, the queen of the Scalosians, as her first mate, Kirk finds a way of letting Spock know what is going on and it is not long before the First Officer speeds up to rescue the captain and save the ship. "Wink Of An Eye" actually ends up being an above average episode of "Star Trek," although I would not want to work out the math to find out whether Spock really had enough time in "normal" speed to hatch his plan before the hyperfast Scalosians have finished with their own nefarious designs. There is also Kirk's discomfort with the prospect of being just a sex object, a rather nice little bit of irony, which I always tend to appreciate.

A good and compelling episode
In "Wink Of An Eye," Kirk must face some invisible beings who are struggling to continue their species. The queen of the species wants to use Captain Kirk to mate so her species will have more members. Kirk must find a way to escape these beings who sound like flies before they capture him in the wink of an eye.

"Wink Of An Eye" is a good episode of the original series. I recommend any Star Trek fan to give it a try.

A Pretty Forgetable story...
Star Trek had an almost complete change of film crew in it's thrid season. Mostly in so far as the production and plotting of the stories went. Many leading figures who guided Star Trek through it's first two seasons were gone, as a result, many stories were rushed into production, and only a small handful were any good. This was not one of them. It basically delt with humanoid aliens who exist at an acelerated rate of time who board the Enterprise and try and save their race from dying. It takes the combined efforts of the Captain and Mr. Spock to save the ship and return the aliens to their planet where they will eventually become extinct. This is not Star Trek as so many have come to know it. Not at all. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Ascension, the sequel to Duane Barry, Mulder and his partner, Alex Krychek race to save Scully from the clutches of a madman. What Mulder doesn't know is that Scully's fate has already been decided by higher powers, and he is helpless to stop their plans from unfolding. One Breath continues the story as Scully struggles between life and death, and Mulder tries to find the men responsible and bring them to justice. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Mulder all alone.
Season 2 of the X Files had perhaps one of the best cliffhangers in the series. That is Agent Scully's abduction. ASCENTION starts with a fatigued Agent Mulder at his wits end after dealing with Duane Berry (Watch the episode DUANE BERRY for more on this episode, it can help) who as it turns out has taken Agent Scully away with him. Berry believes that if he can offer a different person to his alien abductors, the aliens won't bother him anymore. Mulder tries his hardest but he is unable to rescue his partner in time and she dissapears, thanks largly to an "allie's" meddling.

I have never come away from a TV episode with such a worn out and unhappy feel. Mulder's partner and best friend is missing with no trace, Mulders new partner Krycheck has vanished (guess why), none of his friends are willing or able to help him and the little help that Skinner can offer can't heal the wounds of what has happened.

This episode has a very unpleasant ending, but that is also what helps make this one so good and it is VERY important to see this episode to link it to the show's main plot line.

ONE BREATH is part 2 of ASCENTION where Mulder, after month's of searching finds out that Scully has mysteriously been delivered to a hospital in exetreme condition and with no trace of where she's been. Mulder is furious to find out where she has been but nobody can give him an answer. On top of that Scully's living will states that if she ever ends up in this state she wants her life support cut off. With no hope in sight of his friend recovering, nor finding those responsible for the crime, Mulder is ready to throw in the towel and quit the FBI.

While it is not hard to figure out the outcome of this episode it is a great follow up to ASCENTION and one of the series better episodes.

Must sees!
If you only see a few "X-Files"(although they are all FABULOUS and worth viewing), these episodes should be included. Scully's abduction is an essential part of understanding the overall storyline or "mythology". Also, anyone who is an advocate for a Scully/Mulder romantic relationship(a "shiper" as we like to be called) should see "One Breath". It contains some very touching scenes that express Mulder's caring for his partner. Plus, you get to see Scully family (some of whom are not with us any longer)and watch a tear-jerking dream sequence with her deseaced father.

WHEN SCULLY IS KIDNAPPED,MULDER MUST FIGHT TO SAVE HER LIFE.
OMG!!ASCENSION WAS VERY EXCITING AND I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT THE WHOLE TIME.BUT MY ALL TIME FAVE IS DEFINATELY ONE BREATH.VERY TOUCHING.IT MADE ME CRY.THIS ONE IS DEFINATELY FOR SHIPPERS ALL ALIKE!!!!!

EXELLENT
This box set is one of the best. "Ascension" is the adrenaline-pumper, with Scully being kidnapped and Mulder hanging off a ski-transporter-thingy, and "One Breath" is a beautifully written sequel in which Scully is returned in critical condtion, and her life depends on Mulder, even after her life support is cut. Intrigued? Check your pulse if you're not. These videos rock.

one of my favoirites
tyis was one of the first x fgiles vidoues i ever brought. it was the first i had ever rented. one breth is one of my all times fevoirte episodes. it is excting and hert waring. i loved the scne in wioch mulder confrunts cancer man and csm delives his,"i wanched prasidnets die". i liked asenosn escily the tram car. this is one of most membable x files events. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Season 4 of "M*A*S*H" ends with "The Interview"
A pair of tour de force episodes with Alan Alda and the entire cast are the highlights from the eight episodes ending Season 4 of "M*A*S*H" collected here on Volume 4:

Episode 17, "Dear Ma" (Written by Everett Greenbaum & Jim Fritzel, Aired December 23, 1975) finds it is Radar's turn to write home in the third "letter" episode from Season 4 and offers a familiar hodge podge of what is happening at the 4077th. 4 Stars.

Episode 18, "Der Tag" (Written by Everett Greenbaum & Jim Fritzel, Aired January 6, 1976) has Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan) ordering Hawkeye (Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell) to be nice to Frank Burns (Larry Linville). That can only last so long and after putting on a toe tag that declares Frank to be "Emotionally Exhausted and Morally Bankrupt," the inebriated Major Burns ends up at a battalion aid station. Less than pleased, Potter orders the two doctors to the front to retrieve Frank. A nice example of the Swampmates going too far. 4 Stars.

Episode 19, "Hawkeye" (Written by Larry Gelbart & Simon Munter, Aired January 13, 1976) is a chance for Alan Alda to shine as a actor. Hawkeye overturns his jeep trying to avoiding hitting some children and sustains a concussion. Knowing that if he loses consciousness he might never wake up, Hawkeye babbles continuously to the mystified Korean family into whose home he has stumbled. Ambitious if not completely satisfactory and certainly something completely different. 4.5 Stars.

Episode 20, "Some 38th Parallels" (Written by John Regler & Gary Markowitz, Aired January 20, 1976) has Frank's bright idea of having the South Korean locals bid on the 4077th garbage merging with Hawkeye's disdain for Colonel T.K. Coner, who insists on losing more men sending them to retrieve the bodies of their dead. An average example of the type of episode where the doctors bump heads with gung-ho Army types. 4 Stars.

Episode 21, "The Novocaine Mutiny" (Written by Burt Prelutsky, Aired January 27, 1976) provides a "Rashomon" like look at an incident for which Frank wants Hawkeye court-martialed. The chief attraction here is Frank's idealized vision of himself as a medical deity. Even if it is only in his own mind, this is one of Frank's finest moments. 4.5 Stars.

Episode 22, "Smilin' Jack" (Written by Larry Gelbart & Simon Mutner, Aired February 3, 1976) is the nickname of Jack Mitchell, a M*A*S*H chopper pilot who has flown 839 soldiers to M*A*S*H units and is shooting for the record of 842 help by Dangerous Dan Murphy. The only problem is Smilin' Jack has diabetes and has to be grounded. On the one hand taking a look at the chopper pilots is a nice change of pace, but the ending of this one is pretty foreseeable if not forced. 4 Stars.

Episode 23, "The More I See You" (Written by Larry Gelbart & Gene Reynolds, Aired February 10, 1976) finds Hawkeye confronted with Carlye Breslin (Blythe Danner), who is not just any old flame but the one that dumped him in medicine school because it was clear he would always be a doctor first. A pivotal episode that pokes some major holes in the persona of Hawkeye Pierce. 4.5 Stars.

Episode 24, "The Interview" (Written by Larry Gelbart, Aired February 24, 1976) takes the simple idea of having reporter Clete Roberts interviews the staff of the 4077th. Partly scripted, mostly ad libbed, this is a riveting episode in which the most memorable comment comes from Father Mulcahy talking about surgeons warming themselves over open wounds when it is cold. This episode more than any other signals that "M*A*S*H" is now a dramedy and not a situation comedy. 5 Stars.

One of the problems with rating the "M*A*S*H" episodes on this videotape is that if "The Interview" is a 5, then nothing else here can be. But half the episodes here at only half-step below that classical black & white season finale. The show will keep getting better, but clearly Season 4 of "M*A*S*H" was the best to date. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

BLESSED BE THE CHILDEN OF GOD!!!!
"TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL" HAS TOUCHED MY HEART, AND FILLED MY LIFE WITH SO MUCH JOY AND EMOTION, THAT IN SOME WAYS IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE AND GIVEN ME A DEEPER AND GREATER UNDERSTANDING INTO A DIVINE CHRISTIAN LOVE AND FAITH I ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT!!!! THE "NETHERLANDS" EPISODE WAS THE BEST EPISODE OF THIS VIDEO; FOR IT WAS A PREMIERE EPISODE FEAUTURING VALERIE BERTENELLI AS A NEW ANGEL "GLORIA" WHO HAD TO LEARN WHAT IT WAS TO BE A REAL ANGEL, AND MONICA WHO HAD TO LEARN TO BE ANGEL ONCE MORE BEING TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL, PLAYED FIENDISHLY BY MANDY PANIKIN, AFTER FACING A HORRIFIC TRAGEDY.
OF THE MANY MORALS MONICA HAD TO LEARN, THIS WAS ONE OF HER GREATEST TESTS OF COURAGE SHE HAD TO FACE ALONE!!!! LIKE THE LORD BEING TEMPTED IN THE DESERT BY THE DEVIL, AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE GOSPELS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, SO MONICA TO HAD TO SUFFER A SIMULAR ORDEAL. A CHALLENGE AND A TEST OF SPIRIT THAT WILL TOUCH YOUR HEART!!!! THE GREATEST INSPIRATION TELEVISION OF ALLTIME!!!!

Christmas Miracle
I have seen all of the "Touched by an Angel" episodes and enjoy them all! Right now one of my favorite is "Christmas Miracle". I like the songs and the singing and the story line is always inspirational.

5 Star Video You Can't Miss!!!
All I can say after watching this video is WoW!!!
This would have to show Touched By an Angel at its finest! The acting is superb in both epsidoes, and the storyline, as always holds a feel-good and important message, and I would reccommend seeing this for any Touched fans, and even those who aren't!

This 2 episode tape features the excellent episodes, 'The Face of God' and 'Netherlands'. The first episode, 'The Face of God' deals with the moral issues of genetics, whilst the second episode, 'Netherlands' deals with the tough issue of terrorism. Both issues are dealt with extremely well in these episodes, and make this video a MUST SEE.

As always, the Touched by an Angel cast, crew and writers have provided inspirational and uplifting episodes. Well acted all round, with great storylines, and an even greater message and meaning, there is something for everyone to get out of these 2 amazing episodes.

Believe it or not, this was pre-September 11th!
I have only seen "The Netherlands" on television once, so I can only review this portion. Personally, I think EVERY American, every person of faith, and every person with any moral fiber whatsoever needs to see this absolutely stunning piece of film. It was shocking to me to discover that this was actually filmed and aired before September 11th! When you get to the scene where the angels recognize other angels - sorry, can't give you any further details without ruining it for you - you will know exactly what I mean. At this price, you cannot afford to miss this! Just please trust a fellow Christian and patriotic American who happens to be a stranger to you at this point: you NEED to see "The Netherlands." Though not nearly as dramatically, it, like September 11th, will leave you humbled and changed. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A Worthy Sequel
The third chapter of the Mad Max films can't possibly outdo the success of The Road Warrior, but it's a worthy successor, an exciting film with a very interesting story.

Mel Gibson's Max is back again and finds himself helping another group of ragtag characters. Max finds his way to a town called Bartertown and is forced to engage in a gladiator battle to the death. After refusing to kill his beaten enemy, he's dragged back out to the wasteland, there he's rescued by a group of tribal children. A small group from Bartertown is looking to escape to "The Promised Land" Max and some of his young rescuers lead the way.

Tina Turner is on hand as the wicked Aunty Entity, ruler of Bartertown. Bookending the film are two excellent songs from her as well. Mad Max "3" is a worthy sequel, while not as intense as the previous two, the story is thought provoking and while a bit slow paced, the ending is more than worthwhile. Maurice Jarre's music score isn't as intense but does create an appropriate epic atmosphere. George Miller and George Ogilvie are the directors and create both a sequel and a film that can stand on it's own.

Mel Gibson's most underrated film
I'm probably one out of only a handful of people that thinks Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is just as good as The Road Warrior, and for different reasons, too. The Road Warrior was a spectacle of frenetically paced action sequences and it would feel like a complete retread if Beyond Thunderdome tried to do the same thing again. Instead, they added new elements, and the result is a very entertaining and imaginitive action/adventure.

Max (Mel Gibson) has just been robbed of all his belongings in the middle of nowhere in Australia. He searches for the thief and this leads to Bartertown, a unique society built upon methane energy dependent on pig manure, no less.

Max's search leads him to Aunty Entity (Tina Turner), Bartertown's lawmaker, who strikes a deal with him. All Max has to do is kill a certain somebody in Thunderdome arena and he'll get provisions in return. Not everything goes according to plan and Max is banished to the desert where he is rescued by a small group of lost children.

For those expecting the action of The Road Warrior you might be disappointed. While there is a good bit of action in Beyond Thunderdome, it's not as much as its predecessor and doesn't have as much energy. However, Beyond Thunderdome should be noted for having what is perhaps one of the best action sequences in American film history with the gladiator fight in Thunderdome arena between Max and the gigantic Blaster. The sequence is undeniably inventive and clever; it involves the two men tied to bungee cords that allow them to spring and leap throughout the arena and grab any weapons placed all around such as a mace, chainsaw, spear, etc.

What makes the film so good, though, are its successful attempts at creating complex societies. Bartertown is a sight to behold and is made all the more interesting by the rituals the "citizens" perform and the laws they obey.

As for the performances, Mel Gibson excels and gives a fine performance as usual. Tina Turner is a real surprise as the villainess; she certainly knows how to act and delivers a fairly good performance. Most of the supporting cast do a decent job with the material they're given. Angry Anderson, in particular, is quite humorous as the henchmen who rarely talks and mostly grunts, screams, and yells in exaggerated tones.

After Brian May's exciting score in The Road Warrior, Maurice Jarre takes over the job and composes a score that is quite poetic and, at times, lush and beautiful.

As with all the final scenes in the Mad Max films, this one ends perfectly. This time, we get the feeling that humanity has hope so long as men like Max are around.

classic
I grew up with the mad max trilogy, and i have to say this is one of my favorite movies. Yes it does not totally fit in with the first 2, but personally its still a good movie. Mel does an excellent job as always, and i was very impressed with tina turners performance, not to mention the children being just absolutely fun and witty for their roles. Yes the last road battle was sorta a letdown compared to mm1 and 2, but mm3 had a different tone to it, more optimistic and cheerful, which i didnt seem to mind. The musical score is very nice, and overall id say pick this one up if u get mm1 and 2- but dont be expecting a dark, road rage type of film that road warrior excelled at being. I still have many questions like- why were all those children on that plane?- err did they grow up in the crack in the earth never having "the things that were worth knowin" (or whatever savanah says lol)- all in all i highly reccomend this movie.

Third best of the trilogy, but fun watching anyway.
The Mad Max films finish their transformation from the edgy, ultra-violent first movie to this kid-friendly adventure picture with slick production values and flawless photography. The violence is toned down and the fantasy elements are played up; unfortunately, this means the post-apocalytpic kick of the second movie (just about one of the greatest action flick -- EVER!) has vanished. "Thunderdome" has some fine moments, especially the well-directed scenes with the tribes of children and the haunting images of the coda, as well a couple of good action sequences, such as the face-off in the Thunderdome arena, but it doesn't stay in your memory the way the first two films do. It is still worth seeing if you enjoyed the other movies in the series. Tina Turner's performance is certainly interesting, similar to Grace Jones turn in "Conan the Destroyer," which was made at about the same time.

Of course, if you've never seen a Mad Max films, don't start here. Go back to the first one (available in a great deluxe DVD), then work up to the best of three "Road Warrior" (available in a not so deluxe DVD), then you'll be ready for this finale -- and this DVD doesn't have much in the way of extras on it either.

Nearly as good as _The Road Warrior_
The original _Mad Max_ suffered badly from its tight budget, but _The Road Warrior_ more than made up for it. The third and final film in the trilogy is, to my tastes, almost as good.

In some respects it's superior. I like Brian May's scores, but this one (by Maurice Jarre) is better. There's a lot more action in this one too; the plot sails along swiftly and we get to see quite a bit more of the postapocalyptic world (the politico-economic constraints of which are well embodied in the iconic Bartertown). And Tina Turner (who also sings on the soundtrack) as Auntie Entity is a fine piece of casting.

Good stuff, and Mel Gibson is in top form as well. Still, it just seems to me that a bit of the wind has gone out of the sails. Maybe it's because of the untimely death of producer Byron Kennedy (to whom this film is dedicated). Maybe it's just because this film is clearly intended to be more 'mainstream' than its two predecessors. But in some respects it just doesn't quite have the Mad Max 'feel'.

At any rate, it's a very cool film and highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a good postapocalyptic thriller. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Sophisticated Drawing Room Fare
This is not one of Marilyn Monroe's most entertaining pictures; it's not fast-moving and it's not flashy, nor does it contain any extravagant musical production numbers, but it does boast a fine, subtle performance from the actress. During the 1911 coronation of King George V, an American showgirl in England (Monroe) matches wits with the Prince Regent of Carpathia (Laurence Olivier) in what is a charming drawing room comedy. Monroe gives a delightful, sweet, comedic performance against Olivier's austere, gruff prince. The two fall in love throughout the course of the film while at the same time Monroe helps mend the relationship between Olivier and his son (Jeremy Spenser), the future king of Carpathia. Dame Sybil Thorndike also appears in the film as the Queen Dowager and steals every scene she's in! She's an absolute delight. This is also a beautiful film to watch and was stunningly photographed by renowned cinematographer Jack Cardiff. Also be advised that the then modern appearance of the two stars on the cover of the DVD do not reflect how they appear in the movie; this is a period picture that takes place during 1911 and all of the performers are appropriately costumed.

A Royal Bore!
His Highness Grand Duke Charles, Regent of the Balkan state of Carpathia, with the fake, unintelligible accent (Laurence Olivier) meets Elsie Marina of Wilwaukee (Marilyn Monroe) in what has to be the longest, dullest 1 1/2, 2, 3 hours I have spent watching a movie in a very long time. He may have been the best actor of his generation, but you would be hard pressed to prove it from Olivier's performance here. Monroe, of course, plays the role she was usually assigned, the sexy dumb blonde.

I suppose Olivier should get most of the blame for this fiasco since he directed the movie in addition to starring in it. In Olivier's defense, however, I recall that he wanted his wife Vivian Leigh to play the role of Elsie rather than Ms. Monroe. Of course Ms. Monroe could have turned the offer to play Elsie down.

There are occasionally mildly funny scenes in the movie, but they are few and far between. After all a comedy should be funny.

Oh, 3/4 of the way through the movie, Elsie breaks out into song! Do I need to say more?

Both these actors made many good movies. This is not one of them.

Marilyn Monroe is perfect in this 1957 comedy, now on DVD!
Warner Brothers gives us an outstanding remastered video & sound DVD. The Technicolor Full Feature picture quality and clarity are eye candy to watch.

Marilyns co-star Lord Lawrence Olivier also Directed & Produced this satarical comedy of royalty meets show business.

Summary: The year is 1911 Olivier a touring European Prince meets a showgirl (Monroe) backstage in a London theatre. His immediate attraction to her prompts an immediate invitation for a midnight dinner back at his royal suite. Her beauty & candid wit keeps the prince off guard. A romance begins and the reality of royal service constantly interfere. Will they find happiness ever after?

Marilyn as always is beautiful and her comedy skills are unmatched. The Special Features include; Cast & Crew, Trailer and Announcement Newsreel.

This is a fun movie especially for Monroe fans. Enjoy.

So Boring!! I would rather have been at the dentist
I love Marilyn and she was beautiful and charming as ever in this, but that could not save it. This never should have been made. I was asleep within the first fifteen minutes. I painfully forced myself to watch it out of respect for Marilyn. It was a very very painful and probably one of the longest two hours of my life.

Showgirl meets rude Prince. They fall in love? When did this happen? I never saw any indication of this in the film. I also could not for the life of me see why she would want such a rude person!

The movie takes place mainly in one room of the Prince's manor. I will probably have nightmares of that room for the next year!

You have been warned! View at your own discretion!

"What's not to like"
I thought "The Prince & The Show Girl," (DVD) was about as good as it gets with MM. A fun tale of opposites attracting. Monroe in one of her finer films. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Signs of trouble ahead, if you take Trek seriously
Many have asked whether airing 'Spock's Brain' first sealed Star Trek's fate. More to the point, any brain trust that thought 'Spock's Brain' the strongest of the early episodes was almost bound to produce more lemons the rest of the way. Particularly destructive is the fact that while the episode is high camp, unlike 'I, Mudd', here the cast attempts to play it straight (presumably Frieberger and Daniels were holding up weapons offstage). This must have contributed to the gradual loss of conviction about the product-always a pernicious thing.
Anyway, about the episode, in which Spock's brain is stolen. The basic premise is silly, and most of the plot far fetched. Just a few examples: 1) Carting Spock's brainless body about, 2) Brain and body surviving independently, 3) the reconnective surgery. There is also seemingly little thought behind the separation of the sexes, although we can thank that premise for the description of women as 'the givers of pain and delight." The S & M theme would make a few appearances before season 3 concluded.
As a third season fan, I can't resist pointing out a couple things I like about the episode. First, there is a pervasive mysterious and surreal feel about the episode. The score introduces several dramatic vignettes that would be repeated (and repeated, and repeated..) throughout the 3rd season. There are also some cool shots of the bridge during an interesting scene in which the officers are invited to participate in some decision-making. Finally, the teaser is pretty strong.

Makes more sense if you've been to graduate school...
Don't be too hard on this episode. It's definitely a throwback to an earlier type of Sci-Fi -- Forbidden Planet and its ilk, with beautiful, brainless babes who must be rescued from themselves -- not the ground-breaking fiction of the best Star Trek. But it's still a lot of fun.

And if you've ever had a really dumb day, where you can't seem to think straight or get anything done and stuff that was clear as water the day before is now opaque as mud, well, all I can say is "Brain and brain, what is brain?"

If you laugh at Spock's Brain, check out "Amazon Women on the Moon."

One of the worst plot lines of all time
This episode has only two things going, dialog that is somewhat funny (most likely unintentionally), and beautiful women clad only in the absolute minimum required by the censors. The rest of the story is so preposterous that I rank it in my list of the five worst episodes of the original series. A society has somehow been split where the females live underground with the technology, but understand none of it. In essence the ultimate bimbos. The males live above ground and appear to have retained some intelligence, but are considered brutes by the females. Since this society has survived for a long time, one wonders how they manage to procreate.
Fortunately for the society, there is a fancy hair dryer hat that connects them directly to the computer database containing vast amounts of knowledge, including how to remove and reattach a human brain. Unfortunately, the knowledge fades from human memory after a short period of time.
Females from the society obtain the knowledge that allows them to extract a brain and then beam aboard the Enterprise and remove Spock's brain, leaving the body. They apparently need it to run their machinery, since theirs are so devoid of knowledge. The quick thinking Dr. McCoy attaches a device to Spock's head that keeps his body alive and allows them to control it. The usual party beam to the planet with Spock's animated body in an attempt to recover the brain. Absurdity is piled on absurdity, as Nimoy looks like an actor trying to keep a straight Vulcan face while knowing it is ridiculous, a point he makes in his book, "I Am Spock." McCoy eventually puts on the hair dryer hat, gains the knowledge and is able to reattach the brain in the nick of time.
The "high" point, other than the babes, is when Dr. McCoy says, "I never should have connected his mouth." With no underlying significant message to hold this pointless episode together, it fails in all respects. It is one of the few that I turn off when I see that it is the episode currently being shown.

Brain, Brain, What is Brain?
This is a great Star Trek episode. If you don't think so then you either analyze star trek too deeply or have no sense of humor, possibly both. It was obviously done tongue in cheek and with a nod to 50's sci fi.
Some highlights:
1. Cool wrist bands which render the star trek crew unconsious. A writer of the Wonder Years had been impressed with this part of the episode and did an homage to it in a Wonder Years episode.
2. The facial expressions of McCoy, when he wears the helmet which temporarily emparts advanced surgical knowledge to him are priceless!
3. The fact that the crew members can converse with Spock's brain which had been previously disembodied is hilarious. In addition, the fact that Spock can move about without his brain is very amusing. Does the gadget which makes this possible look similar to the device used on Checkov to revive him in The Voyage Home?

Mini-Skirted Alien Pseudo-Intellectual NeuroSurgeons?
Cost of a Star Trek script in 1968? $4,500

Cost to produce an episode of Star Trek in 1968? $185,000

Cost to film an episode of Star Trek in 1968? $200 a minute

Cost to see McCoy wearing The Salad Bowl Of Knowledge? Priceless

Nearly every fan who has watched Spock's Brain has been unable to sit through it without giggling a little, sustain genuine belly laughs or shake their heads in disbelief. I have a love-hate relationship with this episode. I love it for the simple reason that it contains some scenes that induce great laughter - or at least it does for me. Surely, the creators of Star Trek mean us not to take this episode seriously. Let's examine some of the elements:
1. On this alien planet men have lived on the surface as unintelligible savages while women have lived below for thousands of years. How exactly are each of them procreating? Specifically the males living alone on the surface!
2. Why are the men exiled to the surface and the women kept separately below?
3. Why is it that the women's ability to l