Revisiting STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES on Blu-ray

STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES 60th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)

1966-1969 / 4121 min

Paramount

Review by Carl, the Couch Potato😸

We all need more Star Trek in our lives, especially now. At a time when it feels like the world has never been more divisive, polluted, intolerant, greedy, oppressive and damn-near dystopian (do say nothing of a lot dumber), sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that the future doesn’t have to suck. 

Even though the original show is now 60 years old, many of the provocative themes and social issues it tackled back then are still relevant today (off-hand, I can think of a few slack-jawed mouth-breathers who could learn a thing or two from "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield”). High-mindedness notwithstanding, Star Trek: The Original Series remains one of the most entertaining and rewatchable sci-fi shows ever made, and in terms of consistently imaginative writing, only the original Twilight Zone surpasses it.

Now that TOS is becoming increasingly difficult to find on TV without springing for yet-another streaming app, having the show on physical media is a godsend, and it looks a hell of a lot better, too. Keep in-mind this 60th Anniversary set contains nothing that’s actually new to Blu-ray (though Amazon offers a deluxe version with more bells & whistles…and a much bigger price tag). It’s the same restoration and batch of bonus features that have been previously released on other editions. So if you already have one of those, there’s no need to double-dip here.

That being said, the show looks and sounds tremendous on Blu-ray. As for the supplements…they may all be archival, but typical of most Trek home video releases, there’s still a ton of ‘em (see below). So much, in fact, that I think any effort to create anything new that hasn’t been written or said before would be a futile endeavor. As someone who hadn’t yet upgraded the show to Blu-ray, the bonus material alone kept me occupied for hours. I especially appreciate the option of deciding for myself whether to watch episodes with upgraded special effects or the old ones. As a crusty ol’ Boomer, I’m partial to revisiting the show as it originally aired.

Gorn With the Wind.

As for Star Trek itself, all 79 episodes are here, as well as the two early pilots and a couple of “sequels” that were part of other Trek shows. Everyone has their favorites, as well a few clunkers they’ll probably never revisit. I’m of the opinion that Season Two is when the show hit its stride, with the likes of “Mirror, Mirror,” “The Doomsday Machine,” “The Changeling,” “The Trouble with Tribbles,” “The Immunity Syndrome,” and “The Ultimate Computer” ranking among my favorite episodes. 

Conversely, I concur with the general consensus that Season Three contains the most pooches, though there are still a few great ones here and there (“The Tholian Web” and “All Our Yesterdays” immediately come to mind). But I found revisiting Season One particularly interesting, watching the series find its footing in character and concept development as it progressed. Standouts from this season include “Tomorrow is Yesterday,” “The Corbomite Maneuver,” “The City on the Edge of Forever,” and of course, “Space Seed.” Of course, your results may vary.

My only beef is with the packaging. The new artwork is fine, but with hinged trays designed to hold stacks of discs (noooo!), finding a specific episode is pretty cumbersome, and makes the discs susceptible to scratching. Other than that, it’s a terrific set commemorating the 60th anniversary of a landmark series.

EXTRA KIBBLES

SPECIAL EFFECTS OPTION - In addition to being previously remastered, every episode got significant special effects upgrades, replacing the antiquated old effects with CGI-driven new ones. While initially interesting, the quaint charm of the original FX are part of what continues to make the show endearing. Fortunately, every episode in this set gives you the option to watch either version.

FEATURETTES - Spread throughout these 20 discs are gobs of archival featurettes, including interviews, retrospective appreciations, and plenty of entertaining historical info. Some are very short - running less than two minutes - while others are longer and more comprehensive. With no supplementary booklet as a guide, some of these are a bit of a challenge to find, though all of the set’s contents are listed inside the cover (which will require you to slip it out of the case to be able to use). For the sake of expediency, I’m not listing all of them here, but it’s a treasure trove for Trekkies.

AN ENTIRE “TRIBBLES” DISC! - “The Trouble with Tribbles” remains one of TOS’ most beloved episodes. The entirety of Season Two, Disc 4 is dedicated to those little furballs. In addition to the original episode, “More Tribbles, More Troubles” (from the animated series) and “Trials and Tribble-ations” (from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) are included, giving you the complete Tribbles saga on a single disc. 

PILOT EPISODES - Season Three, Disc 6 features two versions of “The Cage,” which was the original Star Trek pilot episode that featured Jeffrey Hunter (as Captain Pike) commanding the Enterprise. It never aired during Trek’s original run. Also included on this disc is a restored, unaired version of “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” which was Trek’s second-produced pilot episode. 

STARFLEET ACCESS - Throughout the set, seven selected episodes feature pop-up and text commentaries. 

PREVIEW TRAILERS

PASSENGER: Deja Vroom

PASSENGER (Blu-ray)

2026 / 93 min

Paramount

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Because the director is Andre Øvredal, I approached Passenger with a bit of cautious optimism. This is the guy who unleashed The Autopsy of Jane Doe on the world, which in my opinion is one of the freakiest, creepiest horror movies of the past 20 years. His subsequent films have been more conventional and less interesting, but I still hold out hope that he’ll hit another one out of the park.

While Passenger isn’t that homerun, it’s a solid double and arguably Øvredal’s best horror film since Jane Doe. Considering his efforts in the interim, that might be considered faint praise, but I enjoyed this one far more than the likes of Umma and Last Voyage of the Demeter, even if originality remains in short supply.

It begins brilliantly, though, with an atmospheric, tension-filled prologue that features a demonic figure terrorizing a couple of travelers on a dark lonely highway. The primary story begins with a young couple who’ve given up their day jobs for the freedom of van life. They come across the lone survivor from the prologue in his wrecked car and try to offer aid (to no avail). In a turn of events that’ll come as no surprise, this entity now commences pursuing and tormenting them.

"You think the cat did that?"

Much of the narrative is a series of sequences where Tyler (Jacob Scipio) and Maddie (Lou Llobell) repeatedly encounter this monstrous figure. Some perfunctory, largely unnecessary exposition is eventually provided, revealing the entity’s long, violent history of killing travelers (and is referred to as ‘The Passenger’). The movie moves in fits and starts, some truly creepy set-pieces buffered by comparatively dull character moments, though Melissa Leo makes a welcome appearance as a seasoned traveler who knows a lot about The Passenger.

Elsewhere, there are plenty of jump scares, maybe too many for its own good. For every shot that provides genuine jolts, there’s one that evokes a strong sense of deja vu. The basic premise is somewhat similar to Jeepers Creepers, though this one is more skillfully directed. Øvredal puts together some chilling moments and throws in a smattering of gore here & there for good measure. By and large, the titular terror himself is a suitably malevolent presence (until he’s fully revealed, at least). So while Passenger is hardly a genre milestone, it’s a fairly enjoyable road-horror movie with just enough going for it to be worth checking out. But here’s hoping Andre Øvredal shoots for something a bit more ambitious next time.

THE ODYSSEY and a Passionate Plea

THE ODYSSEY (2026)

Starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, John Leguizamo, Charlize Theron, Himesh Patel, Jon Bernthal, Samantha Morton, Elliot Page, Benny Safdie (actually, it might’ve been easier to list all the actors who aren’t in The Odyssey). Directed by Christopher Nolan. (173 min)

Essay by D.M. ANDERSON💀

After finally seeing The Odyssey (waiting a couple o’ weeks for the crowds to die down), I have a bone to pick with its director…as well as a passionate plea.

There are currently three directors whose films always have me saying “just shut up and take my money,” regardless of the plot or the cast: Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan. It’s my humble opinion that none of them have made a truly bad one, even though Scorsese’s New York, New York makes a better sleep aid than NyQuil and Tarantino’s Death Proof reflects the work of a man in love with the smell of his own farts. 

But I’ve yet to see a Nolan film that wasn’t at least interesting. Even his “worst” one, Tenet, remains an ambitious, intriguingly baffling puzzle that I frequently feel compelled to revisit. And because he creates great movies that also happen to become blockbusters (Tenet notwithstanding), there’s been some inevitable backlash…mostly among pretentious hipsters and lonely trolls whose favorite online pastime is to express smug contempt for anything that clicks with the masses. This kinda makes Nolan the Taylor Swift of the movie business.

I have a vague recollection of being forced to read Homer’s The Odyssey in high school. I also recall being so baffled by its verses that I went out and bought the CliffsNotes version, back when $1.25 was a small price to save my grade and remain on the varsity soccer team. But hey, at least I never mistook it for anything but a piece of Greek literature, unlike some of the more willfully ignorant mouth-breathers who’ve declared Nolan's cinematic depiction of the Trojan War to be historically inaccurate (probably the same folks who think Robin Hood was a real outlaw).

So my anticipation of the movie was because of its director, not the story that I barely remember. As such, The Odyssey isn’t Nolan’s best film overall (for me, that’s a toss-up between Interstellar and The Dark Night), but still a masterclass in storytelling. Both narratively and aesthetically, it’s an immersive epic, vividly depicting King Odysseus’ (Matt Damon) perilous 20 year journey home to Ithaca following his bloody victory in Troy. Concurrently, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), is pursued by a variety of suitors who believe Odysseus to be dead and conspire to take the throne. The most vile of them is Antinous (Robert Pattinson), who also wants to kill Odysseus’ son, Telemachus (Tom Holland). As one of the few who believes Odysseus is alive, Telemachus sets out to find his father.

Conceptually, it’s a familiar story that’s been adapted countless times in other media (not to mention centuries of other stories it inspired), but never on a scale as grand as this. The parts of the original CliffsNotes poem I do remember - the Trojan horse attack, the encounter with cyclops Polyphemus, and goddess Circe turning Odysseus’ army into pigs - are a visual wonder on the big screen (and sometimes kinda horrifying).

Still, I must take issue with one aspect of Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey, namely its length. Not that the movie’s too long. No good movie is too long, and in my opinion, Scorsese, Tarantino and Nolan have all mastered the art of making epic-length films that justify their running times. But in the case of this one, Nolan is being needlessly cruel to his audience…or at least one particular demographic of it…

"Hold up, guys. I just spotted a bunny."

I’m at that time in my life when parts of me don’t work as well as they used to. I need glasses to see clearly, I wake up with various joints that painfully remind me I'm no longer 30, and most relevant to my beef with Nolan, a bladder that commands my attention a lot more often than I’d like (unfortunately, the cruelty of time has does nothing to affect the hair follicles in my nose and ears, which are more prolific than ever). While a prescription helps me deal with an aging bladder, there are still some days where I feel like all I do is pee. 

Sometimes just thinking about peeing makes me have to pee, as does seeing or hearing a beverage pouring, the sound of splashing, a toilet flushing…you get the idea. There’s a wonderful scene in Phillip Kaufman’s classic, The Right Stuff, where astronaut Alan Shepard is strapped in his rocket, ready to be the first American in space, but the launch is delayed. After a while, he has to relieve himself, but is instructed not to for fear of the effect on his spacesuit. The increasing pressure on his bladder is hilariously compounded by shots in the command center of coffee pouring, watercoolers bubbling and people using the restroom. Recently rewatching that scene made me want to pee as well.

For those of a certain age with similar physical burdens, going to the movies (especially long ones) can be a dicey endeavor. It ain’t like the old days, when simply holding it for three hours was no big challenge. Back in college, I even participated in a drinking game where we’d see who could go the longest without relieving ourselves. I didn’t win, but did manage to last almost four hours. While those days are long gone, I still hate getting up in the middle of a movie to pee. Unless said-movie sucks, of course, which Nolan’s never do.

So whenever I get to a theater, I always try to pee first, and if it’s a long movie, I refrain from buying a beverage from the snack bar. That attack plan got me through Nolan’s equally-epic Oppenheimer with no real issues. But if you’ve ever actually seen Oppenheimer, you’ll know it largely takes place in the arid desert of Los Alamos, with nary a glass of water to be seen. Conversely, one of the primary settings of The Odyssey is the sea…the turbulent, perpetually churning sea, where Odysseus and his dwindling army are lost and repeatedly subjected to violent weather and crashing waves. Before long, my old man bladder began to take notice, and it was around the time Odysseus’ ship was in danger of being sucked under by a massive whirlpool - looking like the world’s biggest toilet - that I feared my dick might explode. But dammit, I wasn’t gonna miss any of this movie.

By some miracle, I did make it to the end credits, at which time I rushed to the men’s room and peed for about three days. But I came damn close to embarrassing my whole family by wetting my pants in public, and I’m not prepared to embarrass my whole family by wetting my pants in public for another 20 years or so. 

So if you’re listening, Chris (after sharing intimate details of my bodily functions, I feel I’ve earned the right to address you as such), I humbly offer this compassionate plea: Should you ever decide to direct another three-hour epic where water plays a significant role, how about throwing a fucking intermission in there somewhere…like right after a giant fucking whirlpool scene? As it is, The Odyssey is a great film and I admire some of your inclusive casting choices (screw the mouth-breathers…Elliot Page and Lupita Nyong’o were perfect in their roles). So how about extending similar inclusion to a certain age demographic in the audience who can’t quite hold their water like they used to?

After all, you’re Christopher Nolan, the guy who still likes to make movies the old fashioned way…with actual film stock and very little CGI. You might as well go totally old school and bring back the intermissions that all epics used to include. With the clout you have, Hollywood will listen to you.

Catnip Reviews: THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLINT, THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU and TWIGGY

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT Limited Edition (4K UHD) - While there’s certainly a lot to admire about The People vs. Larry Flynt, I’ve never particularly cared for it much, a minority opinion that has nothing to do with the film’s controversial subject or his chosen profession. This biography of Hustler magazine’s founder and publisher has some great moments, especially the sequences depicting the numerous legal issues Flynt faced over the years. However, the narrative is jarringly episodic, often leaping from one point in time to another without acclimating the viewer. And while the recurring theme championing freedom of speech is a worthy one (especially today), it’s repeatedly hammered home long after we’ve gotten the point…kinda like what Oliver Stone did with Natural Born Killers (Stone executive-produced this one, too). There’s no real depth to any of these characters, nor does the film offer much beyond what’s already been well-documented about Flynt elsewhere. And while Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love and Edward Norton earned considerable praise for their performances, I never felt any of ‘em were stretching themselves all that much. Both the cast and director Milos Foreman have done better work (okay, maybe not Courtney). But hey, that’s just me. It’s widely considered a great film, and those who concur will love this 4K Limited Edition set, which not only features a terrific restoration, it includes an excellent selection of new and vintage bonus material, the best being an entertaining 25 minute interview with Harrelson himself.  (1996/130 min/Arrow Video).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼

STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU (Blu-ray) - This one was sort of a milestone in my life, being the first movie in the Star Wars franchise that I didn’t see in a theater, nor was I ever really compelled to. Based on its comparatively weak box office performance, a lot of other people felt the same way. Not that it’s a bad film…far from it. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, probably because it was exactly what I thought it would be, playing very much like an extended episode of the Disney+ television series. As such, it’s a fun film with a good story, some imaginative production design and moments of good humor. But aesthetically, it never escapes its TV origins, and I probably would have felt a little short-changed paying to catch it in a theater. Still, it’s better than the entire Star Wars prequel trilogy, so there’s that. Featuring excellent picture and sound quality, along with a few enjoyable bonus features, this one makes for a comfortable evening on the couch...like the show (2026/132 min/Disney).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼

TWIGGY (DVD) - While I certainly know who Twiggy was, her era as a cultural icon was back before I was old enough to be aware of such things (though I do recall her guesting on The Muppet Show one time). So consider this documentary by Sadie Frost to be an entertaining history lesson. Twiggy (aka Lesley Lawson) first gained fame as a teenage, rail-thin British model before gaining global notoriety. And like a lot of other models, she ventured into singing and acting. Past and present, Twiggy comes across as charming, funny and likable, as is this documentary, which includes plenty of archival footage (and a ton of famous faces) as it affectionately summarizes her long career. For those old enough to remember when she was everywhere, Twiggy is a wistful trip down memory lane. For those unfamiliar with her, it’s a good introduction. (2024/94 min/Cleopatra Entertainment).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT: Gangsters vs. Nazis

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT (Blu-ray)

1942 / 107 min

Warner Archive Collection

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Gangsters versus Nazis? Count this guy in.

Though I’ve seen plenty of Humphrey Bogart movies in my time, this one somehow escaped my radar until now...maybe yours, too. Released during Bogey’s greatest decade, the 1940s, All Through the Night may not be as widely remembered or revered as Casablanca, Treasure of the Sierra Madre and all those film noir classics, but damn, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

He plays “Gloves” Donahue, a professional gambler with a shady reputation among the police, though he is well liked by the locals. When his favorite cheesecake maker is found brutally murdered, he trails a mysterious woman, Leda Hamilton (Kaaren Verne), who appears to know who might be behind it. At the nightclub where she sings, another man is shot and killed by Pepi (Peter Lorre), the same guy who did the baker. But because Donahue leaves one of his trademark gloves behind, he is the prime suspect.

In order to clear his name and nail the real killer, Donahue and some of his crew track Pepi and Leda down at an antique auction house, where they discover a big ol’ nest o’ Nazis led by Hall Ebbing (Conrad Veidt). Worse yet, Leda and the baker appear to be part of that group. But worst of all…the Nazis are about to stage an attack on America by blowing up a battleship. Everything culminates in an exciting climax in which Donahue gathers all his gangster friends to try and thwart Ebbing’s plans.

"Sorry, sir...your card has been declined."

It’s a great story with plenty of surprises and twists. However, none of it is as dire as it sounds. Despite all the action, violence and suspense, the overall tone is actually pretty light. There’s a big emphasis on comedy, mostly through its witty screenplay and amusing performances. Bogart and co-star William Demarest (playing right-hand-man “Sunshine”) are especially amusing together, particularly a hilarious scene where they end up fast-talking their way through a Nazi meeting. In fact, the whole cast of reliable character actors is enjoyable (including an early role for Jackie Gleason). 

One of Warner Archive’s better Blu-ray releases this year, All Through the Night features a good transfer and some great archival bonus features (outlined below). Though seldom mentioned among other classics of the era, it’s a fast-paced, consistently entertaining mash-up of thriller, comedy and just a dash of film noir.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Call the Usual Suspects is a wonderful tribute to classic character actors, with an emphasis on All Through the Night.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Vincent Sherman and Humphrey Bogard biographer Eric Lax.

SHORT - So You Want to Give Up Smoking

LOONEY TUNES SHORT - Lights Fantastic

1942 NEWSREEL

TRAILER

THE BAD SEED: The Original Enfant Terrible

THE BAD SEED (Blu-ray)

1956 / 129 min

Warner Archive Collection

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😼

We’ve all observed the behavior of someone’s bratty little urchin and gone, "thank God that ain’t my kid.” I had a couple of nephews whose antisocial antics at family get-togethers were generally written off by their enabling parents as “boys will be boys” (an attitude I really despise). But at least they turned out okay as they got older. 

Some kids don’t, though, which I’ve seen during my years as a middle school teacher. That includes one girl who'd someday become locally infamous for a crime spree that resulted in three murders (and displaying no remorse after being caught). The incident briefly sparked a few lively debates among the staff over whether she was a product of her environment or simply wired wrong. 

Do yourself a favor and avoid getting into such an argument, because wherever you plant your flag, it’s unwinnable. But in movies about evil children (at least the fun ones), they are either demonically possessed, the spawn of Satan or were simply born bad. And all of them owe a tip of the hat to 1956’s The Bad Seed, arguably the mother of killer kid movies, though I’ve never been among its biggest fans.

The titular terror in this one is Rhoda Penmark (Patty McCormack), the outwardly angelic eight-year-old daughter of Christine (Nancy Kelly) who’s revealed to be a narcissistic sociopath and completely devoid of empathy. As Christine is soon horrified to discover, Rhoda’s also capable of murder. Though heredity vs. environment is (very) briefly addressed, The Bad Seed does not make the issue open to debate, establishing Rhonda as inherently evil with simplistic zeal.

When the streaming service you already pay good money for starts showing ads.

Despite being highly influential - remade and ripped-off plenty of times over the years - The Bad Seed is a mixed bag. When focusing on Rhonda’s sadistic shenanigans, the movie is a lot of campy fun, anchored by McCormack’s amusingly over-the-top performance. However, in the interim are long, drawn-out conversions between hapless adult characters that not-only stall momentum several times, they’re distractingly stagey (reflecting the story’s theater origins). One lengthy drunken tirade by a grieving mother is enough to endure, to say nothing of two. 

At 129 minutes, it’s way too long and misses the opportunity to conclude on a dark, haunting note. Instead, we get a tacked-on, Production Code-friendly final act that’s both ridiculous and unintentionally funny (and not how the original novel and play ended). Still, The Bad Seed was a huge hit at the time and remains highly regarded by many fans of sensationalistic potboilers from the era. For them, this new Blu-ray from Warner Archive features a nifty new HD master and a couple of enjoyable bonus features. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Enfant Terrible is an enjoyable archival interview with actor Patty McCormack.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Patty McCormack and Charles Busch.

TRAILER