Reviews (12)

Infamous Film A Proud Time Traveler
Considered to be Presley's weakest movie to date, KC looks fairly hip today. Maybe after "The Dukes of Hazzard" and MTV and on and on, this little piece o' fluff does holds your interest after the first 29 songs! Actually, the music is quite good, especially the hit title tune, featuring a swaggerin' El, and "Tender Feeling", a beautiful ballad sung by his movie "twin" to Cynthia Pepper (who skillfully plays the Military Secrerary hastily summoned to lend credence to Lt. Presley's creative attempts to convince distant relatives that their Smokey mountain home would be vastly improved by the addition of a missile site). Yeah, there are too many songs and production values are low. But E.P. afficionados - it's another don't-believe-the-critics!

Certainly not Elvis' Best film
I bought this movie so I can work on my Elvis collection and I watched it for the first time in a very long time and I forgot how cheesy it is. I'm completely aware of the time that the movie was shot but come on. If MGM could make a pink bubble turn into the Good Witch of the North in the 1930's, then they could find a way to put two Elvis's in the same scene in the 1960's. When the dark haired one was in a shot, the other wasn't there or he was turned around so you couldn't see his face. It also wasn't hard to tell that when the two of them were in the same shot, one was a total "look-alike". I gave it 3 stars because the movie wasn't his best but it's Elvis. In my book, no one can sing or move the way he could. I don't think someone could look as beautiful as he did on screen either. I'm a HUGE Elvis fan, but this movie is just cheap compared to a couple of his others.

Awesome
This movie was awesome. Elvis is hot W/ blode hair. Also, it is an excellent example of the split-screen technology of the day.

Am I seeing double?
How much mun fun do you want, got Elvis Presley staring in a movie, you see him in love, and sining too. But how about another Elvis Presley. Believe it or not, Elvis Presley is playing to characters in this movie. I am giving this movie 4 stars because, there was one minor problem I had with this movie. There is a scene in movie when Josh Morgan (Elvis Presley) is willing to help Ma Tatum when Pa Tatum is missing, and he does that after sh treats him. Earlier in this movie, when Soble promises the girls gifts on from the army, and they become to lazy to do they chores, Ma Tatum orders Josh and all the rest of the army of the mountain. If she treated me like that, and she needed help I would not help her and I would her "because of the way you treated me and my army, you can do it yourself" relative or not. I have also remembered that there is one song in this movie that is not sung by Elvis and that is "Pappy won't you please come home".

Elvis doing double duty!
"Kissin Cousins" is another film that is considered, by popular opinion to be a cheeseball. You have to try this film first and see what you think. If you like it and recommend it write a review here. I'd like to add that Elvis movie fans better listen up! If you like any of his films, POST A REVIEW FOR PETE'S SAKE! I see only 5+ reviews for his movies. Disappointing! In fact I see it on all products that's Elvis except the 30 #1 Hits CD which has 205+. MUCH BETTER! Finally we wised up on that one. Getting back to "Kissin' Cousins", Elvis does double duty and plays an air force pilot named Josh Morgan (my name, except for the Morgan part) and his hilbilly blonde look-alike Jodie Tatum. I'm still wondering how this film was done with two Elvis on the screen at once in some scenes. I agree with the person who said that Yvonne Craig should have been in more of Elvis' pictures. She's a hot potato. Again, give this one a try and rely on what your thoughts tell you. Elvis is still the King no matter what type of picture he's in. This one is pretty good, overall. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The birth of Jeannie!
Jeannie comes to live with her master in these two episodes,that debuted Jeannie's series!

In 'The Lady In The Bottle', Anthony finds Jeannie's bottle and releases the glamorous girl for the first time!

'My Hero?' has Jeannie sending Anthony back to her old Arabian village to marry him. Anthony is more than a little taken aback!

The pilot has also made an appearance on video in a ghastly colorised version, which omits Jeannie's subtitles on the island and changes the opening credits to not include the supporting player's names. Pure sacrilage!

Two Great Episodes including the Pilot!
In the pilot episode, "The Lady In The Bottle", Captain Tony Nelson's spaceship crashes on a deserted desert island. He finds a bottle on the beach and a beautiful Genie (Jeannie) comes out of it!

In the second episode, "My Hero",Jeannie "blinks" Captain Nelson back to ancient Persia where he meets another Genie. This one is a huge, nasty, male Genie named Ali and he doesn't care too much for Captain Nelson. Jeannie also comes to the mistaken conclusion that she and Captain Nelson will be getting married! When Captain Nelson tells her that his plans are different, she leaves him at the mercy of Ali!

This is a must see and have for any IDOJ fan!!
In glorious black and white film, captured for the ages by the magic of video tape, is the pilot episode of I Dream of Jeannie. Conceived, written and produced by famed author Sidney Sheldon, the pilot episode sets the stage for what was to become a five season run on NBC. In the pilot, Captain Anthony Nelson finds himself stranded on a deserted island in the South Pacific after his space mission is aborted. While trying to spell out the distress signal SOS with shells and beach debris, he stumbles upon an odd shaped, old bottle and upon opening it forever changes his life when in a burst of smoke suddenly appears our beloved Barbara Eden. The episode follows a comic and rapid pace from this point after Captain Nelson is rescued and returns home to Coco Beach. Little does he realize that the genie he had said goodbye to on the beach cunningly becomes a stowaway in his duffle bag. What is very interesting about this episode is that the viewer walks away knowing that the two main characters (Jeannie and Cpt. Nelson) will build a very interesting relationship. To what degree, the viewer won't know...they'll just need to tune in to other espisodes. Also interesting to note is that IDOJ appears to be the first show that deals with a male and a female co-habitating outside of wedlock. (very progressive for 1965 society). I highly reccommend this video for any fan or anyone who has never seen the show, or anyone who likes a lady running around in a red velvet bolero jacket and sheer harem pants!!! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Memphis Sheik.
Entertainment, much as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. No doubt the steadfast loyalty of dedicated Elvis fans will find value in this movie. Casting Elvis Presley in a spoof of Rudolph Valentino movies was unfortunate. This could be the film that left Elvis crying in the chapel, and it leaves the viewer indescribably blue. Good sense notwithstanding the film was made. That's when your heartaches begin. One could give some credit for attempting a different approach from Elvis' usual "fun in the sun" formula film, but the end result lacks charm. Describing the plot is pointless. The music is the '60s pop fluff that Elvis and the songwriters phoned in. It adds to one's reflective midlife melancholy to remember that in 1965, while Elvis' formidable talent was squandered in cheesy movies, the Beatles were leading the charge of the British Invasion; storming the ramparts and taking no prisoners in the realm of rock music and innovative style. Elvis, you left us much too soon. You really deserved better, and so do we. Return to sender. ;-)

ENTERTAINING!
THANK YOU WARNER BROTHERS for useing the original MOVIE POSTERS for the covers of these wonderful DVDs! They look EXCELLENT! I wish the other companies that put ELVIS films out would have followed suit BUT instead they air brush a still from the film and think they can make a better cover than the EXPERIENCED MOVIE POSTER artists of the 1950's and 1960's. All you can ask from an ELVIS movie is that it is Entertaining and a GREAT Soundtrack...this film has both. HAREM HOLIDAY, the films' opening track, is a classic.

This "Harem" is not at all "Scarem"
I first saw this movie as a very young teenage male who idolized Elvis. It made a lasting impression on me. It was one of the first records (LP's-remember those?) that I purchased. Yes, the movie IS cheesey, and in acordance with most of the other reviewers on this site, was not worthy of Elvis's presence. However, I recently saw the movie again for the first time in years on one of my satellite channels, and I would suggest some alternate obsevations. 1.) The plot is structured to conform to the typical "travelog" Elvis movie, i.e. "Blue Hawaii", and allows for him to sing some songs, do karate moves, and romance women in an environment that actually seems less contrived than perhaps "G.I. Blues". 2.)Yes, the movie is silly, but I still think that the sountrack has some really beautiful melodies, which I still enjoy singing. 3.)I would assert that Elvis' on-screen redition of "So Close, Yet So Far" was one of the very few songs that he seemed to put his heart in for the camera in all of his movie "career". Try to watch at least that scene with an open heart. The song is pretty, passionate, and well done. 4.)Today, the scene with the slave girl in which Elvis sings "Hey Little Girl" would most certainly not past muster for being "politically correct"-in fact, it may not get past many censors. But sometimes we need to regard things in a perspective of more innocent times. Elvis was staged to do many scenes with children in his movies. 5.)I like this movie because I think it did not pretend to be anything other than insipid ententainment. And, I still think that much of the music is very pretty.

Even The King Can't Save This Mess
I am a huge fan of Elvis's music and movies. Own them all on vhs and the DVD's as they've come out. That being said, Harum Scarum is THE WORST piece of trash ever captured on film. It's nearly criminal to watch one of the greatest talents in the history of mankind sleep walk through this pile of rubbish. The Presley estate should do Elvis and the rest of us a favor. Buy the master and burn it in a bonfire celebration at Graceland! (...)

The Most Entertaining Mess...a Real Howler
Words fail to describe how awful this film is...and yet, I have not enjoyed watching a movie this much in a long, long time. It is screamingly funny, albeit in mostly unintentional ways. The dialog is somewhere south of stupid; the sets look as fake and cheap as the backyard of "The Brady Bunch"; the costumes seem to be from someone's attic; and the music is vapid and cheesier than a vat of Velveeta. There is one very creepy sequence where Elvis' character encourages an overly precocious young girl to dance "seductively" for him, and of course, racist stereotyping abounds throughout. Elvis gamely tries to make his character credible, but at times, I think he deserves an Oscar simply for not rolling his eyes. By all means, see this movie with someone you love, and be prepared to hoot like a tree full of owls. This one makes CLAMBAKE look like CITIZEN KANE. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

You are invited to the wedding of Jeannie and Tony Nelson
If you do not know what episode you get with "I Dream of Jeannie: Jeannie Ties the Knot," then you must have given up on this classic Sixties sitcom before it went from black & white to color. The show debuted on September 18, 1965 when astronaut Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman) first landed his space capsule on a desert island and game across a bottle containing a 2,000-year-old genie named Jeannie (Barbara Eden). She promptly proclaimed him to be her master and went to work serving him faithfully and making his life a mess. Of course Jeannie was in love with Tony and while their relationship was platonic for the first couple of seasons, during which she sabotaged his dates, eventually they confessed their love for each other and on December 1, 1969, the two tied the knot in the two consecutive episodes collected on this videotape.

Episode #124 "The Wedding" starts with Jeannie so busy daydreaming about her wedding that she almost misses the real one. Meanwhile, Tony has his own problem. As a famous astronaut his wedding is news which means photographers will be taking pictures and it seems genies do not show up on film (although strangely enough the show has been preserved on videotape for us to view today). The big surprise, beyond the appearance of Tony's parents, is that this really is a rather touching little wedding and Jeannie's wedding gown is very nice. If you are a romantic this one might get to you, even if you are not a fan of the show. For fans of the show, this one has to be a keeper.

Episode #125, "My Sister the Home Wrecker" finds the honeymoon might be over quicker than anyone things because Jeannie's sister Jeannie (Barbara Eden in a dark wig) is in town to break up the happily married couple. Jeannie (dark hair) pretends to be Jeannie (blonde hair) and makes a move on Tony's fellow astronaut, the debonair Biff Jellico (Michael Ansara). This has Roger Healy (Bill Daily), Dr. Bellows (Hayden Rorke), and Amanda Bellows (Emmaline Henry) all in shock at Jeannie's public displays. But the great twist here is that Biff falls for Jeannie (dark hair) and comes clean to Tony. Television fans will also be pointing their fingers at Roger's girlfriend Cindy, who is played by Farrah Fawcett. So in addition to the wedding episode, "Jeannie Ties the Knot" has one of the better double Jeannie episodes making it one of the better vidoes available in the limited collection of "I Dream of Jeannie" tapes.

Here comes the bride!
Jeannie finally lands her master in this classic comedy!

'The Wedding' does not go smoothly as Jeannie cannot be photographed (she IS a genie, after all!) Anthony is not very impressed and nor is Bellows and his wife Amanda (Emmaline Henry).

'My Sister The Homewrecker' has Jeannie's evil twin try to break up the marriage, and she has a few crafty tricks up her sleeve!

It was the perfect end and beginning for a brilliant show .
I love this episode of Jeannie . It has been seen by millions of people around the world . I think that Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman did a great job of portraying their characters and making them seem real . . . ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Misadventures of Opie
I bought it because it claimed to be uncut, but the episodes were cut. It was nice, however, to not have to fast forward through commercials. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must See Superb Andy Griffith Collection of Barney Fife!!
In this classic 3 show Andy Griffith Collection starring 5 time Emmy winner Don Knotts as Barney Fife is as follows,1.The first show has Barney fixing up Andy with the fun girls that ends with hilarious results,2.This show has Barney becoming jealous of Opies affections with his girlfriend Thelma Lou again with hilarious results3.This show has Barney jealous of Gomer courting Thelma Lou and ofcourse agin resulting with hilarious results which makes this video overall a must see,superb Andy Griffith Collection of Barney Fife!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Three episodes from near the end of "I Dream of Jeannie"
The three episodes collected on "Jeannie's Seeing Stars" come from late in the run of the classic television sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie." By this point Jeannie (Barbara Eden) is married to her master, Major Anthony Nelson (Larry Hagman), with best friend Major Roger Healy (Bill Daily) still in on the secret, which is more than can be said for Dr. Alfred Bellows (Hayden Rorke). None of these episodes would really be considered classics, but they are all certainly representative of the show:

"The Biggest Star in Hollywood" (Episode #106) finds Tony heading for Hollywood, so Jeannie prepares a goodbye that shows up in a mirror. The producers of "Laugh-In" are impressed by the trick and just have to have her on the show. Seeing yet another opportunity to become rich and famous, Roger becomes the manager for the Princess Armena, and promises to have her on the show. "Laugh-In" regulars Arte Johnson, Judy Carne, and Gary Owens appear in this average outing.

"Help, Help, a Shark" (Episode #134) features Jim Backus as General Fitzhugh, the longtime rival of General Schaeffer (Vinton Hayworth), who are competing for a spot in the All-Military Pool Championships. When Tony ruins Schaeffer's big game his only chance to avoid being sent to the North Pole is to play Fitzhugh in a rematch. The good news is that with Jeannie on his side, Tony is sure to win. The bad news is that Fitzhugh refuses to play with a woman in the room. Of course a large part of the pleasure here is the guest appearance by Thurston Howell III himself, which makes this the best episode of this particular trio.

"My Master the Chili King" (Episode #139) has Arvel (Gabriel Dell), who is Tony's cousin (twice removed) showing up and convincing Jeannie to invest $1,000 in his great recipe for Texas chili. She buys his story that Tony has agreed to endorse the product and promptly blinks up cans with his picture on them and gets them on the shelves in every grocery store in the area. The only problem is that NASA does not let its astronauts endorse products. A solid outing as far as such things go, the episode also has Dick Van Patten as the clerk at the market.

As is usually the case, the big surprise is noting how good of a comic actor Larry Hagman was on this show, before he made his mark as J.R. Ewing on "Dallas." Just watch how many times he gets to do an over the top reaction to Jeannie's antics in "Help, Help, a Shark." Just do not look for Barbara Eden's navel, because although it did get seen a couple of times, these are not those episodes.

The Best TV Sitcom From The 60's
I love I Dream Of Jeannie.I watch I Dream Of Jeannie on TVLand.I like this first episode in Black & White is when Major Anthony Nelson found Jeannie on the beach.I like it when Jeannie turns into pink smoke to get into her bottle & to get out of her bottle.And also like it when Jeannie blink herself to make herself disappear.Barbara Eden did a good job playing both Jeannie & her sister.And Larry Hagman did a good job playing Major Anthony Nelson.

I Dream of I Dream Of Jeannie on Complete Season DVD Boxsets
I really like this! I Dream of Jeannie first appeared on TV the year that I was born and I'm not sure how many seasons this charming, funny classic had but I do remember watching the show when it went into syndicated reruns when I was a little girl and really enjoying it. Barbara Eden was really charming as the pretty and sweet but mischievous and fun loving Jeannie and a young Larry Hagman was really great too, he was handsome and funny as astronaut Anthony Nelson who rescued Jeannie from her bottle. Also good in this show are Bill Daley as Anthony's best-friend and fellow astronaut Roger Healey and the guy who played Doctor Bellows. (Sorry I can't think of his name right now but I think his first name was Hayden). I would love to see I Dream of Jeannie put on DVD in complete season boxsets!

Jeannie does it again!
In these episodes, Jeannie charms not only the viewers,but famous actors from the 60's,including stars from the hit shows, "Laugh-In"& ""Gilligan's Island." This is truly some of my favorite episodes! A must see! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best supporting character in television history
Don Knotts' character Barney Fife, as good as the other elements of the show were, made "The Andy Griffith Show" perhaps the best sitcom ever. Any package featuring Barney Fife should be an excellent one. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Of course this video is child appropriate!
The Andy Griffith Show is THE finest T.V. series ever made. And how anyone could even think, mind you, just think anything else is beyond me and mine!

Story Line-Content
I just want to review to see if this video is child appropriat ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Memphis Sheik.
Entertainment, much as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. No doubt the steadfast loyalty of dedicated Elvis fans will find value in this movie. Casting Elvis Presley in a spoof of Rudolph Valentino movies was unfortunate. This could be the film that left Elvis crying in the chapel, and it leaves the viewer indescribably blue. Good sense notwithstanding the film was made. That's when your heartaches begin. One could give some credit for attempting a different approach from Elvis' usual "fun in the sun" formula film, but the end result lacks charm. Describing the plot is pointless. The music is the '60s pop fluff that Elvis and the songwriters phoned in. It adds to one's reflective midlife melancholy to remember that in 1965, while Elvis' formidable talent was squandered in cheesy movies, the Beatles were leading the charge of the British Invasion; storming the ramparts and taking no prisoners in the realm of rock music and innovative style. Elvis, you left us much too soon. You really deserved better, and so do we. Return to sender. ;-)

ENTERTAINING!
THANK YOU WARNER BROTHERS for useing the original MOVIE POSTERS for the covers of these wonderful DVDs! They look EXCELLENT! I wish the other companies that put ELVIS films out would have followed suit BUT instead they air brush a still from the film and think they can make a better cover than the EXPERIENCED MOVIE POSTER artists of the 1950's and 1960's. All you can ask from an ELVIS movie is that it is Entertaining and a GREAT Soundtrack...this film has both. HAREM HOLIDAY, the films' opening track, is a classic.

This "Harem" is not at all "Scarem"
I first saw this movie as a very young teenage male who idolized Elvis. It made a lasting impression on me. It was one of the first records (LP's-remember those?) that I purchased. Yes, the movie IS cheesey, and in acordance with most of the other reviewers on this site, was not worthy of Elvis's presence. However, I recently saw the movie again for the first time in years on one of my satellite channels, and I would suggest some alternate obsevations. 1.) The plot is structured to conform to the typical "travelog" Elvis movie, i.e. "Blue Hawaii", and allows for him to sing some songs, do karate moves, and romance women in an environment that actually seems less contrived than perhaps "G.I. Blues". 2.)Yes, the movie is silly, but I still think that the sountrack has some really beautiful melodies, which I still enjoy singing. 3.)I would assert that Elvis' on-screen redition of "So Close, Yet So Far" was one of the very few songs that he seemed to put his heart in for the camera in all of his movie "career". Try to watch at least that scene with an open heart. The song is pretty, passionate, and well done. 4.)Today, the scene with the slave girl in which Elvis sings "Hey Little Girl" would most certainly not past muster for being "politically correct"-in fact, it may not get past many censors. But sometimes we need to regard things in a perspective of more innocent times. Elvis was staged to do many scenes with children in his movies. 5.)I like this movie because I think it did not pretend to be anything other than insipid ententainment. And, I still think that much of the music is very pretty.

Even The King Can't Save This Mess
I am a huge fan of Elvis's music and movies. Own them all on vhs and the DVD's as they've come out. That being said, Harum Scarum is THE WORST piece of trash ever captured on film. It's nearly criminal to watch one of the greatest talents in the history of mankind sleep walk through this pile of rubbish. The Presley estate should do Elvis and the rest of us a favor. Buy the master and burn it in a bonfire celebration at Graceland! (...)

The Most Entertaining Mess...a Real Howler
Words fail to describe how awful this film is...and yet, I have not enjoyed watching a movie this much in a long, long time. It is screamingly funny, albeit in mostly unintentional ways. The dialog is somewhere south of stupid; the sets look as fake and cheap as the backyard of "The Brady Bunch"; the costumes seem to be from someone's attic; and the music is vapid and cheesier than a vat of Velveeta. There is one very creepy sequence where Elvis' character encourages an overly precocious young girl to dance "seductively" for him, and of course, racist stereotyping abounds throughout. Elvis gamely tries to make his character credible, but at times, I think he deserves an Oscar simply for not rolling his eyes. By all means, see this movie with someone you love, and be prepared to hoot like a tree full of owls. This one makes CLAMBAKE look like CITIZEN KANE. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Milton Berle and Paul Lynde visit "I Dream of Jeannie"
The guest stars are the big attraction on this pair of episodes from "I Dream of Jeannie" collected under the title "Risky Business." Episode #64, "The Second Greatest Con Artist in the World," has Mr. Television himself, Milton Berle, plays a hustler named Charlie who works for the richest man in the world, Mr. Vanderhaven (Fred Clark). When Charlie sees a picture of Jeannie (Barbara Eden) wearing a King Tut scarab worth a half million dollars, he pretends to be Vanderhaven and tricks Jeannie into trading him the broach for a beach in Hawaii where diamonds just wash upon the shore. Of course, tricking Jeannie is not a smart move. However, the wedding episode of the series made a big deal about how Jeannie cannot be photographed, but apparently she can be in Hawaii.

Episode #68 "Everybody's a Movie Star" has Paul Lynde as the Hollywood movie director Allen Kerr. He has come to Cocoa beach to film a day in the life of an average astronaut, but he thinks Tony (Larry Hagman) could be a big movie star. Tony just wants to be an astronaut, but, of course, Roger (Bill Daily) sees this as being his break. So when Kerr talks to Dr. Bellows (Hayden Roarke) about making Tony a star, Roger thinks the director is talking about him. It is rather surprising this episode is one of the few selected to be on a video tape because it really focuses on Roger and overall both of the guest stars have more to do than the two stars of the show. These are still above average "I Dream of Jeannie" episodes, albeit not classic ones, and of more value to fans of Berle and Lynde.

Jeannie does it again!
That Jeannie is always getting into scrapes,and these two choice episodes prove it!

'The Greatest Con Artists In The World' has Jeannie being taken in by a swindling Milton Berle who cons her into selling her precious scarab pin.

'Everybody's A Movie Star' has Jeannie going Hollywood as Paul Lynde decides that Anthony and Jeannie have 'star power'. ... Read more

Description

The Andy Griffith Show: Great Special Collection contains the following episodes:

The Loaded Goat
The Class Reunion
Rafe Hollister Sings
Aunt Bee's Medicine Man
The Darlings are Coming
Barney's First Car
The Rivals
Dogs Dogs Dogs
Mountain Wedding ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Andy and Barney are always great
Just want to assure you that this is a good video. It does have the silly whistling song, instead of the original Andy Griffith theme, but we didn't really mind that. We quit watching tv because it was just getting too obscene, so this was a real find for us, and truly enjoyable.

Where's the theme song?
I guess the video company that purchased the rights to these episodes decided it would be less expensive to compose their own theme music instead of paying the copyright holder to use the familiar "whistling" tune on the tape. Whatever the reason, it doesn't work.

The episodes are the same great shows we all remember, but the music isn't the same and the visual quality of the tape itself is a little bit shaky. Be aware of this if you're considering a purchase of this cassette.

A great collection of Andy!
We are very pleased with this collection. We are really big Andy fans and this is a very nice collection of episodes. 2 thumbs up!

No Stop Andy!
You can never get enough of those old-time classics. This Andy Griffth tape features 10 episodes that will entertain you for hours. I found this tape and I could not pass up a deal like this. I received this tape 1 week ago and I have already watched every episode atleast 2 times. The quality is great and it has all the best episodes. If you like the Andy Griffth Show Gang, you'll love this Video. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great shows,but very dissapointing video!!!
"The Andy Griffith Show" is perhaps one of the absolute best and very entertaining shows of its time.However,there are 16 episodes of the series,mostly from the 3rd Season,that have end up in the public domain and that means that there are many different companies out there that are releasing the shows often at times with poor picture and sound or even removing the classic original theme music.But this UAV video package is one of those few.This video contains 10 out of the 16 public domain episodes of TAGS and all of the shows contain very innapropriate stock keyboard music,which makes the opening theme look like something off of Saturday Morning TV for Kids and it also ruins the whole atmosphere of the series!! I give this two stars,because both the picture and sound quality are superb,but ZERO for the opening and end credit music.Some years ago,UAV released a series of AUTHORIZED "Andy Griffith Show" episodes such as "A Christmas Story","Haunted House",and many other episodes and yes,all of those releases did contain the original theme music.Unfortunately,these videos are now out-of-print and are often considered collector's items! So I urge the AGS fans to avoid this tape at all costs and I strongly recommnend either the Platinum Disc or Brentwood DVD's of the series as they do outstanding jobs using better quality opening and closing music compared to this version!! I will never buy these shows from either UAV or Madacy or any other crappy distributor that puts out these great shows!! Avoid this and or any other AGS titles from UAV,period!!!

Good except for intro music
The episodes listed are good choices as the episodes are interesting and they span the main cast. The video quality is excellent, as is the sound. This can not be said of all Mayberry videos. The only detraction is that the video producer chose different but similar sounding intro music, presumably to avoid paying royalties on the music. This is practical, but how many of us buy Mayberry video's for practical reasons? My kids think this is the original music - a small but disappointing fact.

Overall, with well-chosen episodes, great quality images and sound, this is a good video for Andy fans and those with kids who want quality entertainment with traditional values. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One Of The Best Christmas Shows Ever Done For Any TV Series!
"The Andy Griffith Show" was on network television for 8 seasons (1960-1968), and thanks to syndication it has never been off the air since.

The series' first season featured its one and only Christmas-themed show (entitled "Christmas Story"), and it is one of the finest Yuletide programs ever produced for a weekly TV series (in my own opinion, that is -- which is, I admit, tainted slightly with a built-in "Andy Griffith Show" bias). :)

"Christmas Story" co-stars Will Wright as mean and spiteful local department-store owner "Ben Weaver", who causes a bit of trouble on Christmas Eve for the Mayberry law-enforcement officers (Andy Taylor and Barney Fife). In reality, however, spiteful old Ben is deliberately *trying* to get himself arrested by "Fast Gun Fife", in order to join in the holiday festivities at the Courthouse.

The episode plays out very nicely, with Andy eventually "catching on" to Ben's little scheme. And, in typical Andrew Taylor fashion (with understanding and compassion -- even with regard to a man he's never really liked too much), Andy goes along with Ben's plan and dutifully arrests Weaver on the trumped-up charge of "emptying trash cans on the city streets".

Ben finally is able to join the party at the jailhouse, and even distributes gifts to everyone at the same time. Aunt Bee offers Ben a nice hot turkey dinner, and Ben's irritable and crusty nature melts away by episode's conclusion.

Another highlight of this moving and tender Christmas episode is when Elinor Donahue (who plays Andy's girlfriend, "Ellie Walker") sings "Away In A Manger" -- with guitar and vocal accompaniment from Andy. As the song progresses, the camera begins panning around the Courthouse and eventually pans to an outside window in one of the jail's cells -- and who's standing there behind the barred window? -- Ben Weaver, who sings right along with Andy and Ellie. A great, great scene.

Here's an interesting side note regarding the recording of that Christmas song for this episode ...... Elinor Donahue was evidently as nervous as a cat when it came time to pre-record the song for the show. Andy Griffith asked her to sit down on the floor of the recording studio because he could see she was nervous. They both sat on the floor in the middle of the studio, while Andy played his guitar and hummed along, telling Elinor she should start singing whenever she felt ready. So, whenever you're watching this Christmas episode, remember that Andy and Ellie were really sitting on the floor of a recording studio when they were singing "Away In A Manger".

"Christmas Story" was just the 10th episode of "The Andy Griffith Show" ever to air, first broadcast on CBS-TV on Monday night, December 19, 1960. The episode was directed by Bob Sweeney and written (expertly to say the least) by David Adler.

If this episode of "T.A.G.S." doesn't give you the "warm & fuzzies" all over, then I don't know what will. It's a program that begs to be re-visited each and every December 24th! ... Read more

Amazon.com

No less a Western hero than John Wayne introduced Gunsmoke: ThePremiere Episode to television audiences in 1955, giving the series its auspicious start. James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon is as tough as Wayne but is also as quick with his wits as with his gun. In "Matt Gets It," the first episode, Dillon is shot down early on and must find other means to defeat a crazed gunslinger. Other characters are also introduced: Miss Kitty, Doc, and Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode. The realism and intelligent writing shine through even in this early work, and carry over into "Hack Prine," the pilot shot to launch the series. Some of the concepts integral to the classic Western, such as even villains refusing to shoot an unarmed man, seem a bit dated now, but that lends a charm to the series that is mighty hard to find these days. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (6)

You can see why Gunsmoke ran 20 years
These two episodes deal with the same theme, although their airdates differ by seven months. The first, "Matt Gets It" , is the premiere episode of the series, and James Arness as Matt Dillon is introduced by John Wayne. Early in the episode, Matt is gunned down by a gunslinger that is easy to anger and blames everyone else for the inevitable battle. He is then nursed back to health by Doc and fussed over by Kitty. It introduces the main characters and their relationships are established very quickly. In watching the episode, I was amazed at how quickly the relationships between Matt, Chester, Doc and Kitty are established. The episode ran for twenty years and those relationships did not change much over those years.
One thing that has always puzzled me about the series is that it is established very early that Kitty runs a house of prostitution. We clearly see the dance hall girls walking up and down the steps with the men and no adult could miss the significance of their actions. However, most people thought of Kitty as only a woman who loves a man who cannot return that love. I can remember asking my grandmother what those women were doing, only to be told to ignore it.
Despite all of the violence of the frontier, the men who settled their issues with guns have a strict sense of honor and ethics. This is clearly demonstrated in the second episode, "Hack Prine." Prine is an old friend of Matt's who once saved his life. Now, he has been hired to kill Matt. Prine is very open about that, talking about how it is a job. Matt also understands that and offers to borrow an amount equal to Prine's pay if he will not complete the job. Prine's ethical code is such that he feels obligated to complete the task, even though it means killing a friend. Another man is killed and the killer attempts to frame Prine. Matt immediately understands that Prine could not have done it because the dead man did not carry a gun. Despite being a hired killer, Prine is bound by a very strict code of conduct that means that he can only kill people who try to kill him. Eventually, the circumstances force a showdown between Hack and Matt. It is here where Arness shows his acting ability. Without being tearful, he is able to show extreme anguish at the death of his friend.
These two episodes have a common theme and demonstrate all of the traits that kept the series going for twenty years. It was more adult than most, the writing was excellent and the characters were well developed from the beginning. Many other shows with a western theme came and went during the Gunsmoke run, but this a show where the actors wore out before the public interest did.

Gunsmoke;The premier episode
Being a true Gunsmoke fan I have seen this video and can't say enough about it. John Waynes intro for James Arness is absolutly the truth,Jim is an excellent talent.The rest of the cast is so fantastic that you fall in love with each one of them,and wow what a living doll that Amanda Blake! If you don't have this one in your collection you should!

GUNSMOKE VOL 1
WHAT A DARN SHAME NOTHINGCAN COMPARE WITH THIS GREATTELEVISION SERIES. THE ACTORS, DRAMA AND THE GENERAL THEME ARE UNMATCHEDIN THIS VIDEO. I WAS BORNIN 1950 AND NOTHING WILLEVER DUPLICATE GUNSMOKE ANDTHE OTHER WESTERN SERIES.

Excellent, very entertaning
This is one of those old shows of the fifties, that everyone that might watch it again or for the first time will never forget it. James Arness was a great actor in the series and still is a great actor until now. The rest of the crew like Festus,Kitty and the doctor are great.

3 stars when compared to later color program w/Festus Hagen.
It was really cool to find that this was the very first Gun Smoke ever and even cooler to see John Wayne introduce and endorse the then new program. The vidio contains 2 epasodes in the first its easy to identify with the feelings of the gunslinger who killed a man who cheated him at cards, but he was unaware that the man was unarmed .The killer was a likable man who only wanted to be left alone and come and go as he pleased. The second epasode was about a old freind of matts who was hired to kill him. I hope more of the later series w/Festus will become avalable soon! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I did not even know this was out!
I love Earnest T. I especially loved the episodes where he was in love with Helen the teacher. I loved his rocking throwing tantrums. I wish I could afford this. Are they cheaper anywhere else? ... Read more

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Ken Berry At His Best!! A Comedy Delight!!
In this Post War Comedy,actor Ken Berry portrays an American Officer who accidently falls out of a plane in German territory and is taken in and hidden by a German baroness(Eva Gabor) at her estate and because of her affection for him never tells him that the war is now over for nearly 5 years.When he leaves the estate thinking that the War is still on with nobody speaking english to tell him that the war is over resulting in some hilarious consequences.Also,costarring Jim Backus and Werner Kemplerer(Hogan's Heroes).This is a must see film with Ken Berry at his best!!It's a comedy delight!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BUYER BEWARE!
Buyer beware. For some reason the company that produces these particular Andy Griffith Show video collections do not have the copyrights to the original Andy Griffith score so they have created some annoying, cheesy new score that sounds nothing like the familiar whistling tune. I was greatly disappointed with this purchase and urge anyone who is a die hard Andy Griffith fan NOT to buy these tapes. ... Read more