Reviews (8)

1970s Historical Mini-Series don't get better than this one!
Okay, I bought this mini-series on VHS to add to my very extensive collection of all-things Randolph Mantooth. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the story. (But Randy still looks great and acts great through the entire thing!).

It's too bad they just don't make 'em like this anymore. I miss the 1970's.

Oh, and "Bravo!" to Hannah Shearer, too. Well done!

The Seekers&The Rebels
I have seen The Rebels and The Seekers.
I highly recomend both.Kevin Tighe was
great as Thomas Jefferson in The Rebels
and Randolph Mantooth was great as
Abraham Kent in The Seekers.They are
great actors.It's a must see.

The Seekers
I'm a huge Randolph Mantooth fan.
I loved him in The Seekers.
Delta Burke was fabulous as Abraham's
wife Elizabeth.I don't like how Abraham's
brother took Abraham's son Jared away
from him at the end.I cry everytime I
watch the scene where Elizabeth tragically
dies.It's a must see for Randy fans.

One fantastic movie!
This is one fantastic movie! Randolph Mantooth is one of the best actors I have ever seen. Plus this movie stars alot of other well known actors and actresses. If you haven't seen this movie....you just have to! It is awesome! Thanks for such a great movie!

John Jakes epic saga comes alive in "The Seekers"!!!!!
For many years I have been a great fan of the historical fiction written by writer John Jakes. The epic series of novels "The Kent Family Chronicles" comes alive with great historical relevancy, making the events of history march through the screen. Personally, I love all kinds of miniseries (espically North & South the miniseries), and I very much enjoyed this third part of the televison adaption of his books. They acting, background and costuming is excellent, with a wonderful supporting cast. I highly recommend this video who enjoys, action, adventure or just good old romance. This is one film I have viewed that accurately depicts historical events to audiences of all ages. Except for a few scenes with brief scenes of nudity. I truly love, and enjoyed this sweeping plot and they way it made history come alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Behind every successful husband there is a powerful witch...
"Burn, Witch, Burn" has the virtue of a very nice script by two of the best writers from television's "The Twilight Zone," Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson. Of course, they were working from Fritz Lieber's novel "Conjure Wife," so they had good material with which to start. The basic premise here is that ALL women are witches and all men are too stupid to notice. Sociology Professor Norman Taylor (Peter Wynegarde) discovers his success is due to the magic of his wife, Tansey (Janet Blair), and insists she abandon this superstitious nonsense. However, this is a mondo mistake as poor Norman ends up being cursed by a circle of faculty wives who seen a nice opportunity to advance their own hubbies. To save her husband Tansey sacrifices her own life at which point Norman, now a true believer attempts to raise her from the dead. The direction of this minor horror classic is certainly competent, although the two leads could have been better cast, but the script is what shines through in the end, especially with the memorable one-two punch at the end. Off the top of my head its hard to think of a better movie about witches. Final Notes: This film was released in England as "Night of the Eagle." An earlier adaptation of Lieber's novel, "Weird Woman," was produced by Universal in 1944.

Truly a Horror Classic!
Despite the lurid title, "Burn, Witch, Burn" is a very scary, well-made movie. Taken from the Fritz Leiber classic, "Conjure Wife" this film version is somewhat different from the book. Janet Blair is chillingly maniacal as a modern day witch, and has so much hidden malignancy it shocks you. There are incredible special effects, especially considering the time when this movie was made. I won't spoil it for you but watch the gargoyles...carefully! Modern day witchcraft in a university setting, replete with professional rivalries, jealousies and secret, vengeful spells...if you enjoy witchcraft, excellent effects, atmospheric settings, wonderful performances and a great story, then this is for you! Filmed in black and white for an even more ominous feel...very Edgar Allen Poe. A cinematic "tarn." Enjoy!

BURNING LOVE
It's interesting to see the comparison of this 1962 gem with the 1957 "Curse of the Demon." While I favor "Curse" a little more, this tale of modern witchcraft still maintains it's eerie, if slowly paced, atmosphere of impending doom. Since the plot has been so expertly detailed in other reviews, I might add that the film works mainly from the intensely atmospheric camerawork and direction by Sidney Havers. Peter Wyngarde, a masculine though not particularly handsome fellow, oozes masculine domination in his well-balanced performance. Margaret Johnston as the limping professor and fellow witch, is reminiscent of young Angela Lansbury, and her delight in her evil is a joy to watch. And one can forgive Janet Blair if she did seem a little out of kilter for the leading role. Blair up to to this point had been known for more lightweight and romantic roles; her performance doesn't helm the film, but neither does it detract from it. The final scene involving the huge bird is still frightening.
I agree---it should join other classics in DVD.

There's more to these ladies than bouffants......
The 1962 supernatural thriller "Burn Witch Burn" has such a great reputation, that when watching this flick for the first time some may well be disappointed. After viewing this film initially, my reaction was "What's all the fuss?" After repeated viewings, I now appreciate this atmospheric brood fest.

I like the British locale of a small university, replete with ivy-covered walls, book-lined offices and shaded courtyards. I also love the sea-side cottage with yawning cliffs, abandoned graveyards and crashing waves. These sets are utilized for chief affect, and the actors earnest performances certainly give the film a respectable ambiance. A simple, if rather silly story, "Burn Witch Burn" details a young professor (Peter Wyngarde) who appears to be rising quickly within the collegiate hierarchy. We soon discover his wife is a full-fledged witch, casting spells to insure her husband's success. When the befuddled professor forces his wife to burn the unearthly trinkets, bad luck befalls them and someone, of course, has to pay. Throw into this occult mix the wife of a rival professor, boiling a few pots of her own ghostly herbs.

It's oddly, if not entertainingly, surreal to see these pseudo Donna Reeds adorned in perfect bouffants, eyes wide with anger, casting spells in order to guarantee the safety/success of their professional husbands. Margaret Johnston, as the rival witch, is especially hilarious as she waxes evil over a small voodoo doll through gritted teeth.

These are some disturbed ladies, and the men of "Burn Witch Burn" are helpless to change the growing tide of events. And that's probably what makes this unique British horror film so interesting. It's the games being played by seemingly innocent women behind closed doors. They are not powerless, but in fact, have complete control over not only their men's professional, but eventually their spiritual lives. Written by Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont, two of the finest supernatural writers of this era (they both cut their teeth writing original "Twilight Zone" episodes), "Burn Witch Burn" is aided by some great dialogue and the crisp direction of Sidney Hayers.

How much one fears witchcraft will determine just how frightening this film is. For 1962 audiences, my guess is this film gave them the creeps. Witchcraft had really not been dealt with in a modern setting like this before. For today's audiences? Well, there's something oddly erotic about seeing frenzied Donna Reed look-a-likes weaving dark magic behind ominously closed doors.

CLASSIC OF THE GENRE.
Despite the stupefying title, this is a keenly observed exploration of contemporary witchcraft. It's set on a college campus where the faculty wives know a lot more about the petty academic turf wars than their allegedly smarter husbands. Professor Norman Taylor (Peter Wyngarde) is in line for a big promotion. His wife, Tansy (Janet Blair) is sure her husband's charms and spells are responsible. The costumes, acting style, and attitudes are a cinematic primer on late fifties sexual conflicts and idenities. Stereotypes of male rationality and feminine intuition are sharpened to wicked points. In manner, dress, look, and bearing, Wyngarde is presented as a thoroughly - ah - masculine character. Although the conflicts are a bit slow to develop, the story becomes really involving half way through - and it maintains the suspence until the terrific ending. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

'Conquest Of The Earth' AKA 'Galactica-1980'
Well... The series was Ok... It might have survived better with all the original cast seeing as it was only made a year after ABC axed the original Battlestar Galactica. The only episode I really liked was with Starbuck and a few of the original cast that returned for that episode. 'Conquest of the Earth' is good as a collector's item for any BG fan... But it is such a chopped up and pieced together video of the 13 episodes they made. They should have just released them all uncut on Video than take them all and cut them up for a movie. It's about as bad as when they took the TV Show 'Voyagers!'(That I really liked) and re-edited and changed the effects and cut up shows to make a 'Voyagers!' movie for VHS back in the 80's.
So if you liked BG then buy it if nothing more than to see how they tried to return the show to TV. But fan's try hard to forget the 'Galactica 1980' version... Probably as much as we are not looking forward to the Dec.2003 mini-series "BattleStar Galactica' that is being hailed as 'Reimmagined' for the Sci-Fi channel....Seeing as StarBuck is a female character now, and there will be no Daggit 'Muffit' as well as the mythology background of the original BG. I'll peek in on the Mini-series... Maybe Ronald D. Moore will make it as true to the original as he can? After all... A lot of old Trek fans were up in arms over the thought of Star Trek:TNG at first...But I gave it a chance! And loved it!!! But I think taking a loved male character that worked well with Apollo and making it female would be like Star Trek:TNG being remade with Data and Riker as females, and changing Gene Roddenberry's entire premise of Star Trek. In other words... Don't mess with what works. :-)

They finally made It!!!!
I loved the original when it first started. When they finally reach earth its kind of cool. They got new flying bikes and stealth technology..I just wished the movie was edited better. But its one every collector must have....long live battlestar galactica............

So bad it's... well, it's just bad.
Why on earth didn't they let the Cylons kill Wolfman Jack? OK, this isn't exactly Shakespeare, but you know what - neither was the original Battlestar Galactica, which had to hold the record for most sf/x stock footage ever used in one series. This bizarre combination of "Galactica: 1980" footage and other bits 'n' pieces is worth a look for camp value for any "Battlestar" fan with a sense of humor - besides the aforementioned totally wacked-out cameo by Wolfman Jack, you have the never-explained "human" Cylons, the so-bad-it's-laughable f/x for the "sky bikes," a funky disco soundtrack, the really lame "Dr. Zee" character who's never fully explained, played by two actors in the course of the show (one of them Robbie Rist, lionized as the "ninth Brady!"), and to top it all off, a somnabulent Lorne Greene with a beard looking like nothing so much as a mummified corpse that walks. ("Just gimme the check, and let me go home..." he seems to be thinking.) I have fond memories of the original Battlestar although these days I can see what a fairly dated, hokey piece of work it is (still fun though), and this "Conquest" makes that stuff look like "2001." Get it if you're a fan who never saw the lamentable "Galactica: 1980" series and are trying to remember why it was an even more terrible "TV sequel" than "AfterMASH."

Make it go away!
Ok, everyone close your eyes, tap your heels together three times, and say "There is no Galactica 1980, there is no Galacatica 1980!" This pitiful half hearted, half budgeted attempt to revive Battlestar Galactica in the 80's was so terrible that everyone wants to pretend it never happened. Even Richard Hatch (Apollo) ignored this short lived series when he co-wrote his two BG novels. Basically, this flick has horrible effects, very cheesy acting, and at least a quarter of the movie is clips from the old Galactica series. Take my word, don't waste your money. You can buy all the episodes from the original series and be entertained for a long time, but this one will put you to sleep.

A kind of "best of" Galactica 1980
Though, I do agree that the G'80 series was horrible, it did have some interesting moments. "The Return of Starbuck" was obvoiusly the best episode. "Conquest of Earth" starts off with the first part of "Galactica Discovers Earth" , then skips the stupid subplot and goes right into "The Night the Cylons Landed". Thank goodness they edited all the stupid scenes from it though. I think maybe Glen Larson released "Conquest" to kind of squeeze something good out of G'80. One review on here said that there was no explanation as to the two Dr' Zee's. Actually there is a redub in "Conquest" that mentions that one is Dr. Zee and the other is his brother Dr. Zen. For the most part, "Conquest" is not a great movie, but it's much better than the entire series of Galactica 1980. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Nancy's first TV episode - Hugely Enjoyable
My first time to see Nancy Drew (and more importantly, Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy Drew!) in about twenty years. And a real pleasure it was.
The story-line was, well, rather sweet and inoffensive (Nancy investigates - gasp - a haunted lighthouse) but since when has "sweet and inoffensive" been a crime? The performances were great (particularly Pamela Sue Martin, who makes a wonderfully assertive and confident heroine), the story held my interest more than I thought it would (particularly in the latter half when Nancy started to put things together and I found that I was being surprised by the well thought-out scripting) and the whole package was as entertaining as Rockford Files, or Harry O, or any other seventies 'tec show that we grew up with.
I would DEFINITELY recommend this to anyone who remembers the series with fondness, and would even feel confident that it would be good enough to entertain a friend who had never set eyes on the show before.

A leader for modern independent women on tv.
LET ME START BY SAYING THAT THIS SHOW IS SOLID. The clothes are (hardly)not dated. It is still great to watch. I loved watching the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mystery hour. When I got this video I watched it not just once, but a few times. I loved taking a stroll back in time. I just want to know what happened to George's cousin, Nancy's other co-hort "in crime". I can't wait to get my next ND video.

An Eerie thriller- fun for kids at Halloween
While out in a boat during a party, Nancy and friends spot a mysterious light coming from a supposedly abandoned lighthouse. The lighthouse is rumored to be haunted and Nancy, of course, has to investigate attracting the attention of a handsome "ghost-hunter" from California searching for lost pirate treasure. Another classic Nancy Drew and quite well made. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Castle De'ath" is a truly haunting episode, both because of its red-herring ghost story and the scandalous peek at Mrs. Peel's navel, not to mention her nocturnal investigation of a foreboding Scottish castle in her nightgown.What brings her and "McSteed" (outfitted in a kilt) to the castle is the death of an agent in scuba gear, who when found was four inches taller than when he was alive. "It all has to do with the price of fish," whispers McSteed. In "The Master Minds," Steed and Mrs. Peel investigate a series of raids on state security. Each, Steed notes, "has been boldly conceived and superbly executed" by "a diabolical mastermind." This leads the duo to a special school for geniuses whose lesson plan includes brainwashing. Highlights of this episode are a student's come-on to Steed ("I wonder if I might lure you away from brainwork for something more physical") and a climactic fight seen only in shadow behind a screen on which a military training film is being projected backward. Grade: A. Both episodes are in glorious black and white. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 are also available in The Avengers '65 Set 1. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Steed Boosts His I.Q. - Emma Boosts State Secrets
"Castle De'ath" is an unusual Avengers entry, in that Steed and Emma are both undercover at the same place at the same time, from the very start of the episode. The cinematography is curiously rather bleached, for what probably should have been a starker melodrama - but it works splendidly, anyway. This one consists mostly of skulking and good fights, Emma's skulking done in a fetching peignoir by moonlight. The flirtation between Emma and Steed is especially light and playful. The plot, about a secret submarine base and its connection to the disruption of the local economy, is clever and credibly handled.

"The Master Minds" is one of my personal favorites, about a MENSA-esque high-I.Q. club called RANSACK, which utilizes the best minds in Britain - without their knowledge - to infiltrate and sabotage military bases, and steal state secrets for sale to the highest bidder. It's quite similar to Ian Fleming's contemporaneous James Bond novel, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" - which, amusingly enough, starred Diana Rigg in the film version. Like "Castle De'ath," Steed and Emma work undercover at the same location, but with a far different result: Emma becomes brainwashed into RANSACK's nocturnal espionage society, and Steed has to snap her out of it - before she kills him. The concluding fight is terrific, Emma's final punch-line one of the more humorous in the series by means of its unique delivery.

A very good pair of early Avengers episodes.

Experience the deadly delights of Castle De Ath
James Hill's moody, dark direction enhances the Scottish mystery Castle De Ath. The beginning is dark and eerie. The camera follows dark corridors, the only sound Scottish bagpipes. Finally the camera flickers to a barechested man, bound by leather straps to a table. He silently writhes as he is being tortured on the rack! Steed and Mrs. Peel investigate mysterious happenings at an isolated Scottish castle. Where have the fish disappeared to? How did a British secret agent grow three more feet when his dead body was recovered? Best lines: "Lean on Mistress Peel, as much as you like." Gordon Jackson is excellent as the dignified Scottish laird facing hard economic times. Cousins Ian and Angus argue about their family heritage and what they should do about their decreasing income. Hint: think of Wilkie Collins and The Terribly Strange Bed. Good red herrings and witty dialogue. A shocked conspirator, "He is having trouble at the Power Plant. He has been attacked - by a woman!" "Bless her!" Steed smiling broadly.

Masterminds pokes fun at those with high IQs. When a British politician is caught breaking into a secret installation and then murdered Steed and Mrs. Peel investigate RANSACK. "You have a high IQ," Emma informs him. "How high?" "The same as mine. I took your test for you!" Sign on one of the rooms, "If you can't sleep ring for a mistress." The final battle of the Avengers versus the baddies in a darkened auditorium, with the training film amusingly run in reverse while the Avengers silently toss the baddies about is a delight. Superb direction and acting. This is one of the best of the black and white sets. Recommended for purchase! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Lisa Eilbacher rules
The Hardy Boys-Nancy Drew, for people of my generation (25-30), is a sad nostalgia trip - sad because we were almost too young to remember the whole series in 1977-1979, and it ended so soon. It was well done - not necessarily the (dated) music permeating almost every episode, but the whole ambience of late '70's life. While Parker Stevenson fits the role of Frank Hardy well, and his acting is decent, I find Shaun Cassidy's less impressive (I realize many people buy these videos for Cassidy - if so, enjoy, he's here in abundance in every episode). The real unsung draw of several 1977 episodes, and especially this one, is Lisa Eilbacher as Callie Shaw - in my humble opinion the greatest of American actresses. This is early Eilbacher, and she easily out-acts everyone else. For a follow-up pairing Stevenson and Eilbacher, try to catch 1981's This House Possessed - almost a Hardy Boys movie, minus Cassidy.

One of the best Hardy Boys episodes I've ever seen!
A good storyline which features alot of the characters from the storybook such as Chet Morton and Callie Shaw. Non-stop good action fun in this episode as they try to solve an unsolved mystery of creatures, screaming people and missing clues. Well acted for that era in the late 70's, but the new baby boomers will find it a drag since there's other shows now like the X-Files and so on. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

British cult classic -- wonderful
This seems to be a film made out of several episodes of the British 70's TV show -- which was essential viewing for me and my brother growing up. The basic elements are still there and I was left wanting to see more. Now my son can enjoy this perhaps more realistic look at who Arthur might have been.

+: The original cast (Oliver Tobias as Arthur and Brian Blessed as Mark of Cornwall, Lud & Kai -- excellent.)
+: More believable than Disney will ever produce
+: Clever take on the sword-in-the-stone story (a small subplot in the film).
+: Believable battle scenes (e.g. people running away when the bodies start piling up) without undue gore.
-: sound track has aged and was not cleaned up (the technology exists -- they did not use it!).
-: visual quality has deteriated a little (perhaps the change from PAL to USA's NTSC format?) but not too bad.

I hope they publish more episodes. Making it a film is totally unnecessary though. Many TV shows are converted successfully to video (3 or 4 shows per tape) e.g. Ab Fab, Thunderbirds, All Creates Great and Small, The Avengers.

BTW This is the least camp show I can think of -- I don't understand the previous reviewer. Perhaps he needs to have a look in the dictionary...or a word with the formidible Brian Blessed!

King Arthur the Young Warlord
I was delighted to have (at last) obtained a copy of this. Yes, the quality of colour and sound is poor, but who cares! This was a ground-breaking programme, and it still stands up well after more than two decades. I hope one day it will be available in the original unedited version, and transferred to DVD. It deserves to be seen, just as much as Robin Of Sherwood, which is now available as a complete edition on DVD (also an HTV programme). There are thousands of people in the UK who would buy this fondly remembered series.

Camp, Camp, Camp
Cerdic The Saxon looks more like a pizza-tossing Italian named Luigi than a tough Saxon warlord. He belongs in a 20th century pizza parlor not in 5th century Britain

BTW, this audio and visual quality of this video is HORRENDOUS. ENTER INTO YOUR VCR AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Gritty
A gritty view of a possible 6th century Arthur. Had a good look to it.

A lovely memory
OK, technically we can fault this but it was a child of its time. A generation brought up on Star Wars might not understand that this was what we got as entertainment back in the very early 70s. Yes, this is a selection of a TV series and the editing's bad and so are the wigs but this was a low budget series back then. The language is totally too modern but go with the flow, enjoy and we women can admire the lovely Oliver Tobias who to his credit puts in a very believeable performance and the gorgeous Michael Gothard. A lovely momento of a series I wish was available in its entireity - using first generation tapes please! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Lurid and Lovely
I was delighted to find this DVD - the film, in its original release, had haunted my childhood dreams for months after I saw it at a Saturday matinee! Watching it again, I was amazed I still remembered many images as clearly as if I'd seen it yesterday. Great fun, the picture's an unholy brew of sex and sadism; Anton Diffring's chilly intelligence as the crazed plastic surgeon turned ringmaster provides a disturbing center to the film's moral universe. CIRCUS is pleasingly peopled with large-busted European starlets constantly in a state of undressed distress, sports luscious color photography by Douglas Slocombe (presented by Anchor Bay in a stunningly crisp transfer), and features an insistent pop ballad that's repeated so often, Helen Keller could leave the theatre humming the theme! Like many horror films, this one's a mixture of intelligent handling of trashy material; it manages to transcend the genre and become truly memorable, like EYES WITHOUT A FACE. Grab this CIRCUS while it's in town!

Anton Diffring makes a good film even better
One of the best horror films of the 1960s is this entry with its interesting mix of suspense, sex and mysterious deaths that has the benefit of real circus settings and a great performance by Anton Diffring as the outlaw plastic surgeon. The steely, blue-eyed Diffring is perfect as the erudite but flawed medical genius whose past is littered with botched operations but continues his work behind the prop of a circus staffed with female performers whose faces he has restored in exchange for fealty and silence. Diffring's work gives the film its pulse and his Doctor Rossiter/Schueler is the resourceful and controlling renegade who deals ruthlessly with his flawed females who try to leave his circus. The film moves along at a good pace with no filler or wasted scenes. The supporting cast is very good, especially the buxom ladies who are unknowingly at great risk under Doctor Rossiter/Schueler's watchful, evil eye.

THAT AMAZING SONG - IN A HORROR MOVIE!!
It's amazing to see so many reviewers remembering the song "Look for a Star" from this 1960 thriller gem. I saw this movie first back in 1960 when I was a highly impressionable child and was overwhelmed by its brutality and gripping suspense. The song has haunted me ever since; it's one of those melodies that stays in your head even years later.
And in addition, the movie's many scenes have haunted me: the beautiful Yvonne Romaine's fatal lion taming scene; Donald Plesance's brief role as the drunken owner of the circus; Erika Romberg's fall from grace; the actors who portrayed Rossiter's compatriates in crime--how their subtly understated performances are so well done; and of course, the finale where poetic justice is so passionately observed.
This is really nothing more than a very good thriller; it's horrors are psychological, and so well evidenced in Anton Diffring's performance as Rossiter/Schuler. His egomania and love for what he does is the soul of Diffring's performance and in spite of a sometimes difficult accent, he is perfect in this little gem.

CIRCUS OF HORRORS
I love this movie, which is why I probably wound-up with several copies of it. It is an excellent movie with an unexpected twist at the end (you won't be able to guess at the ending). BEAUTIFUL EUROPEAN WOMEN in various states of undress, but still suitable for family viewing. The movie is in brilliant color. Recommend this movie to all horror/sci-fi/mystery fans.

A classic!
Saw this movie ages ago and had to have it for my collection.
Contains all you need for a 60's thriller and all you want
to know about the circus...
"Look for a Star" was a hit and still lingers on when you
hear it. I have the 45 record..
If you want to watch a good oldie, this is it... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

WHICH ONE WAS IT?
I WAS A CHILD WHEN THIS TV SERIES WAS ON THE AIR ALSO. HOWEVER I RECALL AT LEAST TWO EPISODES WHICH HAD BOTH NANCY DREW AND THE HARDY BOYS BOTH IN THE PLOT AT THE SAME TIME?..CAN ANYONE HELP ME WITH THE TITLES AND ARE THEY FOR SALE?

A good solid performance in it's time!
A nicely done show with Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson playing the trio of Joe and Frank Hardy searching for their kidnapped father in Mexico. Former "Dynasty" actress Kimberly Beck does fairly good in her guest starring role(She also dated Shaun Cassidy in real life). A great show for it's second season!A true mystery.

Solid episode. It can still hold it's own
I enjoyed watching this episode on tape. I watched it a few times,in fact. For me it doesn't seem completely outdated, unlike other tv series that suddenly become outdated as soon as 5 years later. When I can I want to order more Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Frank and Joe on Safari
Frank and Joe did a lot of traveling during the second season of The Hardy Boys, and this episode finds them in Kenya. Someone is poaching, and a local official (a member of the Masai tribe and one of the many old friends of Fenton Hardy who the boys run into during the series) is convinced the culprit is Trevor Masters, an old-style "white hunter" who now leads camera safaris. Frank and Joe join the safari and stay at Masters' house, where Frank romances Sarah Masters, played by Anne Lockhart. The clues accumulate slowly, and the boys are handicapped in their search by the long-held animosities and alliances among the local community. Not everyone is as they seem, and Frank and Joe must bring some personal mysteries to light before they can figure out who is slaughtering animals.

Shaun doesn't sing in this episode, but there is an interesting scene of him doing a drum dance with the male star of a group of native performers.

Good, but not the best
This is not a bad episode, but as I said, not one of the more outstanding ones either. If falls sort of to the right of middle-of-the-road. It relies more on personal conflict and tension rather than fast-paced action for interest, so those of you hoping for gleaming knives and ruthless killers, this is not your best choice. Some of its more outstanding qualities are witty dialogue, and of course the inevitable romantic interest, which was better done in this one than in some others I've seen. And yes, there is a scene in which the boys get shot at. Overall, this show lacks a little spice, but if you're the kind who likes it mild go for it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great ND Movie!
In Nancy Drew's Love Match, Nancy Drew and George Fayne catch a famous tennis star (The Brady Bunch's Maureen McCormic) stealing jewelry! Asked by the star's father to go undercover and keep his daughted out of trouble, Nancy and George set out for Las Vegas to catch a cat burlgar and prove the star wrong. It's packed with mystery, action, and suspence! I loved this movie and I highly recomend it to any Nancy Drew fan. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Nancy Drew Should Be on DVD!
Nancy Drew was one of my favorite TV shows in the 70's, based on the mystery books for young readers by Carolyn Keene it is about a teenager named Nancy Drew who has a knack for solving mysteries and crimes and stars Pamela Sue Martin (Dynasty) as Nancy. The Secret of the Whispering Walls is my favorite episode and is about Nancy's two elderly aunts who live in an old mansion where some strange events are happening and Nancy with the help of her friends Ned and George investigates. I would love to see this and all of the Nancy Drew episodes put out on DVD especially in a boxset!

Groovy Nancy
In 1977, Nancy Drew donned her double-knit pantsuit and set out with her friends George Fayne and Ned Nickerson to solve her very first mystery on television. Millions of girls sat spell-bound in front of their television sets, anxiously waiting to see if Nancy could solve the puzzling incidents in her hometown, River Heights USA.
The Nancy Drew Mysteries television show of the 1970s was saturated in cultural influences. Nancy danced to disco, drove a groovy blue sports car and even teamed up with the Hardy Boys (wearing their leisure suits) to bust crime the 70s way.
Her glamourous adventures included posing as a world-famous professional tennis player, solving mysteries aboard cruise ships and overthrowing counterfeit gangs.
What adventure! What romance! What intrigue!
In this episode, Nancy stays at an old southern mansion complete with hidden passages, cranky neighbors and voices in the walls.
"Secret of the Whispering Walls" is extrememly reminiscent of The Secret of Red Gate Farm, one of the original Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. You might even call it a combination of Red Gate Farm and The Hidden Staircase.
George is a little out of character; she's too much of a fraidy-cat when it comes to investigating.
Despite it's shortcomings, this episode is one of my favorites.

FOR HUGE DREW/HARDYS FANS, BUY THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been obsessively collecting Hardy Boys books since Day 1 and I like N. Drew, too. This is a great one and any Hardys/Drew fan will love it! One would think this is corny, but it really is well done and not the least bit corny.

Classic Nancy Drew mystery
Nancy goes to visit her aging aunts in an old gothic mansion and discovers someone is trying to scare them into selling the place. This video is a fairly well done piece and is definitely classic Nancy Drew. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

this video was ok.......
i am a big fan of Magnum P.I. Probably the biggest fan in the world. i have seen every episode at least twice and this episode of magnum isnt one of the ones i would have made available for vhs. Personally my favorite episodes have to do with when Magnum and Higgins are fighting over whatever. the episode "Paper War" is a really really good one. Magnum and Higgins are trapped in an elevator in it. Its really funny. MCA if you are listening why dont you guys have every single Magnum P.I. episode on vhs in a box set. Or even better DVD. Thanks.

Okay, Three and A Half
"Magnum P.I.", probably the best series in television history..It had everything...all the major elements, Drama, Action, Comedy and Mystery. In most cases, the actors worked perfectly off each other, especially Hillerman, and Selleck. What can be said about "Murder 101"? Another fine episode, but I think there are quite a few others that may have deserved the treatment of video above this one. The bonuses of purchasing the video, instead of just watching it on television? You get to see the original fifth season opening, not the one they play over, and over, with each episode in syndication, you get to see an extra three minutes of the episode, cut out in syndication, for more commercial time. All in all, good episode, worth purchase, I just wish there were more available, and it seems like the television section of video stores is slowly fading away.

Hot for Teacher
Murder 101 (a.k.a. Private Investigation 101) is one of the funniest, most tongue-in-cheek, episodes of Magnum ever. To pay some extra bills, Magnum has succumbed to teaching a second-rate college course on how to be a P.I....uh-um, that's Private Investigator. Anyway, the class is full of bumbling yokels and they look to Magnum to help them solve a case by going on a series of "class field trips". My favorite student was Danny, the stoned surfer dude who drove the group around in his van.

It's terribly funny to watch the blind leading the blind, as Magnum tries one dead end after another, finds himself digging through trash, and gets pummeled in a seedy bar bathroom.

The cast of charaters are over-the-top goofballs who truly bring out the comical side of this otherwise dramatic series.

The grand finale "exposition" scene once again pokes fun at the series as a whole when the students start asking questions as to how the case was actually solved. (You know how most TV mysteries are always magically wrapped up in about 5 minutes.) Magnum himself can't even answer the questions, so T.C. and Rick must step in to "explain" what happened. But good luck understanding the details. Despite the sloppy wrap up (which I believe was done on purpose as a parody/joke), "Murder101" is still one of my faves. ...

Private Investigation 101
Magnum teaches a class about his line of work. A lady in the class thinks her fiance is cheating on her. He is only running out on his bank job. He has discovered some incriminating evidence there. Now his life is at stake. Magnum and his students try to help this couple. This show has a few twists and turns especially at the end. Watch for the bar scene. This is the funniest scene in any Magnum show. The locals can drink their weight in beer. One huge drunk in particular zeros in on Magnum's round buying. He proceeds to swill six or seven bottles of beer in succession. MCA should release all the Magnum, P.I. shows on either vhs or dvd.

A good episode with a confusing plot
A funny episode with great interplay between the main characters. However, the story is confusing about who's doing what and why. They try to "wrap" it up in the end but I was still confused. I wish they would release all of the two hour Magnum episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Magnificent!
When I bought two of them one day, and got them in the mail days after, this was the one that I watched first. I now own four of the Nancy Drew movies and this one is the best out of them!

The Diamond Triangle with Nancy Drew and a Pick
the children of today are still reading the material of yesterlorn and i am Thrilled. I grew up on this work and am
going to furnish it for my grand daughter as she will be
schooled strick Catholick and a small mixture of jew.

I think she will enjoy the relationship of the Doctor Father
and the excitement of friends and adventures.

Very watchable
very watchable in this episode Nancy (Pamela Sue Martin) sees a car go off the road into a ditch from a glider she is flying, but when the police don't find a car Nancy with the help of George and Ned (Jean Rasey, George O'Hanlon) investigate and find them self's in trouble with a stolen car ring ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I spell fun H-A-R-D-Y B-O-Y-S
I am giving this review four stars because my only caveat is that you never get to hear a full Shaun Cassidy song. You hear enough to tease you into buying whatever album of his was hot in the seventies, but not the whole thing. This show is as much fun as Scooby Doo (and that's a compliment). Both Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy displayed a laid back, easy pairing that transcended the not-so-challenging scripts. They are just fun to watch, and when you get to hear some of that great bubble gum pop Shaun sang so well, you have a show that shines as bright as that lava lamp collecting dust in your attic. Do I like this show? I da doo run run.

A Trip Down Memory Lane!
I enjoyed being able to see Shaun Cassidy sing again. It brought back precious memories. The Hardy Boys was my favorite show as a child. It's sometimes hard to believe that over 20 years have passed since that time. If you like Shaun's singing, this is the video for you! It has different songs, including Da Doo Ron Ron, That's Rock 'N Roll, and Holiday (which I had forgotten about and hadn't heard since I was a child). It's a great video for Cassidy fans everywhere!

A must for Shaun Cassidy fans!
If you've seen the 70's series, you know that they all look pretty cheesy in the light of a 90's day. But if you love cheese, and you love Shaun Cassidy, this one is a must-have, because it's one of the handful of episodes in which Shaun sings! This one features "Da Doo Ron Ron", "That's Rock and Roll", as well as chunks of "Holiday" and "Wanna Be With You". I take off one star just because of the over-all cheese factor. Otherwise, it's a keeper! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

MAGNUM! There is a God! Needs to be DVD though
The Best series ever and yet no movie? Not many have seen the first episode. It's a bit strange after seeing the later ones, only because it was more serious, not as much comedy. There needs to be a push to wake Universal up ... this should have hit the silver screen Years ago! Make DVD's and a Movie!

Oh My God, Magnum !
This is the first episode of a tremendous series that dominated the 1980's starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Sullivan Magnum, an ex' naval officer turned private investigator. The beginning of this episode features the hillarious round one of an ongoing confrontation between Magnum and his frequent nemesis, Jonathan Quail Higgins, who is the major domo of the Robin Masters' estate in Hawaii. This episode artfully combines humor and drama to present an outstanding harbinger of the show that ran for eight years. Highly recommended.

Dont eat the snow in Hawaii
Magnum is my absolute favorite series and when you see the first episode you'll know why he and the cast were so popular and still are to many of us. I loved how he introduced us to who he was , where he came from.
we hear him say "Ive done funnier" rub his shoulder you see a bullet wound then flashbacks intro us to Rick as a gunner and TC as a pilot in Nam (Steve Kux was a real Nam pilot responsible for all those cool shots over the opening theme hard to get but hes great and did it)
It had funny moments"Dont look at the dogs work the lock , dont look at the.." then he looks(apollo and zeus(Higgins dobermans) coming toward him) "you looked at the dogs" he was hired to see if he could breach security including steal the Ferrari. Youll see early Magnum trademarks that slow building temper esp. when he went to confront a hardnose officer who didnt like him. "youre gonna lose those bars you spent 30 years eggsucking for" (Magnum growls)important cause you'll see that temper again and again when Magnum feels he was wronged. It became a trademark the slow burn warn tone then boom he was off..and on your case.
He had very memorable music "the brazilian " in Unfinished business" and Mama in "Death and Taxes" you gotta see those two too!
Nobody had a cast like them they got along great couldnt be better friends..highly reccommend it for people who love suspense this is it!! youll be hooked..Mahalo (Thanks!!)

I would recommend you to see this very first Magnum episod
Magnum PI is one of the best shows on TV ever, and I really enjoyed seeing this premier episode. If you have seen the later episodes, you can see the chemistry between the casts - they are great together. In this first episode, the characters are still very "unpolished", and you would probably have difficult to recognize the different characters if you just have seen episodes from the last seasons. For example, Rick is some kind of Bogart-look-a-like that has some kind of Casablanca-club in Honolulu...nothing like King Kamehamea Club at all. Higgins are pretty much the same, even if I miss his great stories in this 1,5 hours episode. However, this is a great production, and if you were interested in seeing a film about great adventures, Hawaii, Ferrari, Friendship, and the start of one of the most successful TV shows ever, I would recommend you to see this very first Magnum PI episode.

a must see for all magnum fans
you've got to see this! I am a huge fan of the show, and this episode is definitely a classic. find out rick's real name, see the original scenes for the theme song, and learn about magnum's personality roots. I love this series, and enjoy this episode. it's not the best, but it will give you a deeper understanding of the show. thankfully they got a better theme song, and ditched the rings. the show only gets better... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

hardy boys in egypt
although shaun does not sing in this video, it is still pretty good. you find yourself saying to yourself don't do that guys! it really draws you in.

King Tut's Tomb - Frank and Joe in Egypt
When Frank succeeds in recapturing a purse snatched in an Egyptian bazaar, he is mystified when the owner, a lovely American girl, refuses to take it back. Instead, she pushes the key to her hotel room into his hands and asks him to meet her there later. When he and Joe open the purse they find what appears to be a priceless artifact, which has almost certainly been stolen. That evening at the hotel, they don't find the purse's owner, they find the street urchin who'd stolen the purse (who escapes again), and then the police - who confiscate their passports.

This is a great mystery, and contains some highly unusual moments for the Hardy Boys. Frank and Joe don't usually deliberately intimidate pretty girls in their hotel rooms. Would Frank *really* bash all Helene's teeth out? Is Joe's inspired rant about how much he hates Texas just an act? And Parker sings!

This is also the episode in which the boys compare themselves to Redford and Newman in "The Sting" - which is an amusing sequence.

The Hardy Boys in Egypt...What could be better?
As a "Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" fan, I found this video to be a real treat! It features the Hardy Boys in an exotic, mystery filled location and throws in some 1970's disco to boot! I especially enjoyed the inclusion of the original intro to the program followed by the announcement "Tonight on the Hardy Boys.." This video is great for those who love 1970's nostalgia. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the Best
I have 4 Nancy Drew movies. I think this was like 3rd or 4th one I watched and It's one of my favs. It has a great plot. You'd never guess who the culprit was. I thought it was someone else. I was wrong. Great twist at the end!

One of the better Nancy Drew episodes
It's too bad there aren't more of these. You have to like the title, as the Nancy Drew book series has always been written by a succession of ghostwriters. Pamela Sue Martin is great as Nancy: she does a good job of being inquisitive and persistent without being irritating, and she handles annoying characters with finesse. When the mystery author she is accompanying on a cruise gets cryptic death threats, nothing can be proven so of course it's up to Nancy to solve the case. They do a nice job of making it spooky, like when Nancy and the author are walking the deck at night through fog, searching for the source of an eerie, echoing voice. At another point, the ship is threatened by a tidal wave. With Pamela having done "Poseidon Adventure," the director must have had to resist an impulse to have her look at the camera and say, "Not again." I also like how they keep you guessing who the culprit is from among their shipmates, unlike some other episodes where the audience knows what's going on before Nancy figures it out. It's fun to relive the days when, for a very short time, creepy-but-innocent entertainment featured not an older gal like Angela Lansbury, but a beautiful young woman.

The Love Boat was never this Dangerous
Ever Sunday night I would rush home to watch the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. Parker Stevenson and shaun Cassidy were the Hardys,Pamela Su Martin protrayed our favorite girl Detecive Nancy.This video "Nancy Drew and the Ghostwriter's Cruise" is the best in the series. Nancy and her friend George are traveling with world famous mystery writer John Addams and his niece Cathy aboard a cruise ship Nancy soon discover this trip is not going to be all fun in the sun.Te writer soon becomes the victim of several attempts on his life. Someone wants Mr. Addams to live at his first novel and rewrite the ending so there is no sequel.I alwayed enjoyed reading the Nancy Drew books and the television series was able to bring life to this exciting and intelligent detevice character. Pamela Sue Martin is great in the role and the supporting cast are also wondeful. Buy this tape and you will not regrat it.

Spooky
"It was very spooky and there was scary laughter on a tape recorder and threats too. Nancy Drew was going to put on a light and she got shocked." So says my five-year-old son who is fascinated by these out-of-date, hoaky t.v. show videos. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must for Rick Nelson Fans! Great concert footage!
This video is rated 5 stars not just for the show itself, which isn't bad, but for the fact that Rick Nelson sings about 8 songs in it. Real concert footage of Rick before a real crowd is used. Unlike his contemporary Elvis Presley, it is hard to find concert footage of Rick Nelson. In this show Rick plays rocker Tony Eagle. The Hardy Boys foil a plot against his life. Ironically the villan tries to cause Tony Eagle's plane to crash. The Hardy Boys prevent Tony's plane from taking off. Would that someone could have done the same in real life. ... Read more