Catnip Reviews: BUSTER KEATON, SMURFS & ULTRAMAN ARC

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

THE BUSTER KEATON SHOW (Blu-ray) - Until this 2-disc set arrived, I wasn’t aware Buster Keaton even had a TV show. Perhaps some of you were unaware, too, since it wasn’t particularly successful and many episodes have since been lost. However, this set has dug up and restored nine of them, which is kind of a bittersweet viewing experience. On one hand, here’s a silent movie legend decades removed from his glory days, and it shows. He never took to talkies too well, and some of these episodes see him sadly trying to erase the passage of time. On the other hand, some of his greatness still shines through on occasion…a reminder that, at one time, nobody was funnier. Also included are a couple of episodes not previously available, as well as Buster’s appearances in other shows, but the best bonus kibbles are two of his silent shorts from the early twenties. Far from Buster’s greatest work, but from a historical perspective, it’s well worth checking out. (1949-50/332 min/Liberation Hall). 

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼

SMURFS (Blu-ray) - “Isn’t Rihanna in that?” asked my 21-year-old daughter, Lucy, as she passed through the room while I was watching this. “Yeah,” I ruefully replied before tapping the blurb on the box, “Rihanna is Smurfette.” That was the extent of Lucy’s interest, but she used to watch this stuff as a kid. A reboot I didn’t know anyone was asking for, Smurfs is yet-another cynically assembled, pop song-laden product with Rihanna and a huge cast of well-known actors lending their voices (and marquee value). Since the average five-year-old probably doesn’t give a damn who these people are, I’m not sure why they went to all the trouble. While there are a few interesting animated bits, this is one of those movies that you pop into your machine to keep the wee ones amused while you do something else.  (2025/90 min/Paramount). 

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺

ULTRAMAN ARC (Blu-ray) - And you thought Disney knew how to milk a franchise…Ultraman has been kicking around since 1966, when the first series aired in Japan. Since then, there have been dozens and dozens of TV shows, miniseries, movies, games, comics, manga and trading cards. And yours truly has never seen a single frame until now, with this 2024 series, Ultraman Arc. Since this type of science-fiction is not my bag, I’m kinda going-by-feel here when it comes to any recommendation. From the characters to the lore to the action itself, most of this was lost on me, like attending a party where you know none of the guests. But since it appears to be aesthetically identical to other recent series, I suspect it’ll please fans of the franchise. If you count yourself among them, dig in. This 4-disc set features 25 episodes, as well as a full length Ultraman Arc movie, The Clash of Light and Evil. Additionally, it comes with a card that can apparently be played with an Ultraman card game. (2024/700 min/Mill Creek). 

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

ULTRAMAN DECKER: More Monsters & Mayhem

ULTRAMAN DECKER - THE COMPLETE SERIES (Blu-ray)

2022 / 700 min (25 episodes, 1 movie)

Mill Creek Entertainment

Review by Nick Lyons, from DVDCorner.net

2022’s Ultraman Decker (which is part of the Reiwa era) is simultaneously a sequel to Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga and is also based on Ultraman Dyna. The 25 episode series begins at a time of peace in which there have been no monsters for 7 years. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a series if there were no monsters, so as you might expect, all hell breaks loose when alien Spheres attack Earth and Mars. Moreover, a barrier covers Earth which prevents ships and communications from coming or going from the Planet. Luckily, Earth has hope. A brave and optimistic grocer named Kanata Asumi winds up becoming Ultraman Decker (who can transform into various types). Kanata himself also joins Earth’s TPU training school (and later becomes a part of the GUTS-Select team) alongside cadets Ichika Kirino and Soma Ryumon. Together this team (also comprised of robots HANE2 and Terraphaser) combat the evil Sphere forces (including the big bad Mother Spheresaurus) as well as Kaiju such as Deathdrago and Pagos. 

Along the way, some familiar faces pop up, such as Ultraman Trigger, Cameara, Grace, Marluru, and a Kanata descendant. Elsewhere in the plot is a key storyline involving the alien Agams who may or may not be connected to the Sphere invasion. Last, but not least is a movie finale titled Ultraman Decker Finale: Journey To Beyond, where Ultraman Decker, GUTS-Select and Ultraman Dinas team up to fight against Earth invader Professor Gibellus.

A great find from the Ultra Yard Sale.

Much like Super Sentai (AKA Power Rangers), the Ultra franchise has been running for decades. The Japanese Tokusatsu franchise has had many incarnations including Ultraman Decker. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Decker is far from being one of the more beloved series in the franchise. Ultra Q and the original Ultraman, it certainly is not. The series is filled with cheeseball dialogue, an over-the-top Kanata (played by Hiroki Matsumoto), overly dramatic speeches, war cries, bad CGI, and an episodic formula involving new Ultraman types and a new Kaiju or monster. There’s nothing here that you haven’t seen before in previous Ultra series. 

On the plus side, the show delivers plenty of explosive action, which tends to be the selling point for the Ultra series. Yes, the CGI is pretty rough, but it’s nice to see that suits/costumes are still being used. Sure, you can do more with CGI, but nothing beats people in costumes duking it out. On top of that, it’s nice to see some cameos from past series. Anytime there’s more than one Ultraman on screen, it’s a treat to be sure.

Ultraman Decker is unlikely to be a fan favorite, but it’s still an entertaining tokusatsu series that will undoubtedly appeal to super fans or completists.

ICONS UNEARTHED: MARVEL: An Almost Complete History

ICONS UNEARTHED: MARVEL (Blu-ray)

2023 / 712 min

From Mill Creek Entertainment

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

Icons Unearthed is an ongoing series in which each season focuses on the history of a particular entertainment franchise. I’m typically skeptical of shows like this, since many tend to simply summarize what’s already common knowledge for fans, along with commentary from a variety of talking heads who may or may not have been involved.

But I kind-of changed my tune after catching their season dedicated to Star Wars. Yeah, there were a lot of talking heads and few of them were the “big” names associated with the franchise, but each episode featured tons of revealing information on the germination of Star Wars and the sometimes tumultuous efforts to get each film to the big screen. Though “unofficial and unauthorized,” the show featured gobs of footage, accompanied by narration that was unafraid to sometimes get snarky.

Icons Unearthed now turns its attention to Marvel, arguably the most culturally significant franchise since Star Wars. This season sets the stage with early episodes that delve into the history of Marvel Comics and attempts to expand their brand beyond the printed page. Most of the early adaptations, largely cartoons and TV shows, were hampered by tiny budgets and laughable production values (I can attest to that because I remember some of 'em).

Those shades are MARVEL-ous.

Even more interesting are the times Marvel had been bought and sold over the years, often by moguls more interested in toy sales than quality. And as the popularity of Marvel Comics waned and the company struggled to stay afloat, they sold the film rights to their biggest characters for shockingly small amounts of money (which is why Spider-Man still continues to be distributed by Sony). These early episodes are by-far the most revealing, especially in light of the juggernaut Marvel would become.

That juggernaut began with Kevin Feige, a fledgling producer whose vision of a cinematic universe not-only reversed Marvel’s fortunes, its influence was felt throughout Hollywood (for better or worse). Subsequent episodes focus heavily on the early MCU films - both before and after Marvel was purchased by Disney - and the significant financial risks being taken (almost everyone but Feige and director James Gunn thought Guardians of the Galaxy would bomb). These episodes feature plenty of behind-the-scenes stories related to casting and struggles during production.

However, this season isn’t quite comprehensive, content to conclude the Marvel story at around 2017, which means the pinnacles of the studio’s success (Infinity War and Endgame) are not covered, nor are any of Marvel’s subsequent failures or the saturation of TV shows on Disney+ . And since this was originally an episodic series with commercial breaks, many of the details (with accompanying commentary) are repeatedly summarized. Still, the Marvel story is pretty interesting, whether you’re a die-hard fanboy or feel the whole MCU has worn out its welcome. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

EXTENDED INTERVIEWS - Lengthy additional interview footage with actor Lou Ferrigno, actor J.J. Field, comic writer Mark Miller, actor/director Clark Gregg and filmmaker/comic writer J. Michael Straczynski.

Two Kooky Curiosities from SYDNEY POLLACK

DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT: CASTLE KEEP and BOBBY DEERFIELD (Blu-ray)

1969 & 1977 / 230 min (2 movies)

FROM MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Mr. Paws😼

Sydney Pollack has directed some great films, including a handful of inarguable classics. These two lesser-known titles, part of Mill Creek Entertainment’s Director Spotlight series, don’t rank among them (one might even be his worst). Still, they are interesting curiosities - for different reasons - and currently only available on this double-feature Blu-ray.

Castle Keep is an oddball anti-war film starring Burt Lancaster, who often indulged his penchant for subversiveness at this stage of his career. Though set during World War II, it’s sort of a commentary on the conflict in Vietnam, a topic that was apparently of personal interest to Lancaster. Spotty, episodic and sometimes too immersed in the hippie aesthetic of the era, the film is light on action until the final act, and even then, it’s more esoteric than exciting. Still, the film is occasionally thought-provoking, funny and features some engagingly quirky characters (Peter Falk is wonderful).

Al gets sucker-punched.

Considering the caliber of talent on both sides of the camera, and the two studios that collaborated to release it, it’s almost shocking that 1977’s Bobby Deerfield is such a daffy dumpster fire. Al Pacino is the title character, a Formula 1 driver who falls in love with a flighty, terminally-ill woman (Marthe Keller). The two stars try their best, but the film is languidly paced, with pretentious attempts at artiness and some howlingly goofy dialogue (including an intellectually-stimulating conversation about “homos”). On the plus side, it looks pretty, and if viewed as an unintentional comedy, might be good for a few chuckles.

For a true introduction to Sydney Pollack’s work, one is obviously advised to look elsewhere (Three Days of the Condor & Absence of Malice would be great starting points). But if nothing else, this disc is a reminder that the director was willing to take a shot at any genre, even if he sometimes missed.