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tomneiman
Reviews
Men in Fright (1938)
Each year's best MGM shorts
1938-"Men in Fright" 1939-"Cousin Wilbur"-had it not been for the acting credits, I would have thought this Scotty Beckett playing Alfalfa's Cousin Wilbur and in the mid 30's playing Spanky's witty sidekick were two different people. 1940-"Kiddie Kure"-Alfalfa's swan song. He more than compensates for his deliberate, underachieved acting in most of the other MGM shorts. 1941-"Come Back Miss Pipps" 1942-"Going to Press" 1943-"Election Daze"-the kid who taunts Froggy in his election speech is cute. Janet Burstyn is at her best. In this short, the Gang shows they have fully recovered from the loss of Spanky. 1944-"Tale of a Dog"-last of the Our Gang shorts to be produced. Director Cyril Enfield, after a poor start in "Radio Bugs", and mediocre effort in "Dancing Romeo" now shows himself as a director of Our Gang shorts.
Hide and Shriek (1938)
Best Picks
1929 "Moan and Groan, Inc." Thanks to Edgar Kennedy and Max Davidson 1930 "Pups is Pups" The quintessential of all Little Rascals flicks. 1931 "Little Daddy" Farina knows how to cry without stirring the audiences to sob or self- pity. Compare that with "Dogs is Dogs", "Fly My Kite", and "Big Ears". 1932 "Free Wheelin' " 1933 "The Kid From Borneo" 1934 "Mama's Little Pirate" Spanky, not quiet 6 years old, makes his debut as the leader to whom all the other members of the rascals' troupe rally around. 1935 "Beginner's Luck" Alfalfa's debut. Rascals at their best, making shamble of the schemes of pretentious adults. 1936 "Divot Diggers" McGowan returns to produce one of his best Rascals short. One Reelers 1936 "Two Too Young" 1937 "Rushin' Ballet" Rascals again show they are at their best in shambling adult snobbishness and pretentiousness. 1938 "Hide and Shriek". Kids too bratty and obnoxious in "Feed 'em and Weep"; much too much mushiness in "Then Came the Brawn", and "Three Men in a Tub"; "Bear Facts" An adult prank at kids' expense.
Tale of a Dog (1944)
A cute and funny short
Contrary to the defamatory statements made by so-called Our Gang critics Hal Erickson and Leonard Maltin, I found this to be an amusing film. I especially enjoyed the scenes of Buckwheat, Big Shot, and Smallpox the dog, the phone booth, Buckwheat covered with ice, and the talking animation of the dog at the end. I found this film to be funnier than so-called Little Rascals' classics such as "Dogs is Dogs" which I did not find to be funny at all. Give these MGM episodes a break. Release them together with of all of the other 88 Hal Roach talking episodes in packets of DVDs. While I'm at it, maybe somebody will find all of the missing films of the silent Our Gang episodes. That way, all 221 of them will be ready for packaged release on DVD. What a collection!
Shut Up & Sing (2006)
What a Shame!
Ideas have consequences and so do statements. As far as I'm concerned, Natalie Maines when she made the statement over in London about President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq meant every word she said. The only reason why she retracted of her statements was the anticipated loss of fans and DVD sales as a result of the backlash of the populace of the United States. Now we have a film in which those in the right are portrayed as villains of the worst sort, and those in the wrong as victims of the worst kind. For those who have seen this film, and want to use as a pretext to further degrade my President George W. Bush, shame on you!
Great Ghost Tales (1961)
Similarity
This show was remarkably similar to Way Out which aired on CBS from 3/31/61 to 7/14/61. They both were televised live on video in New York City. They focused on the ghostly, the unexplainable, the supernatural. Just as Way Out was short lived with 14 episodes so was Great Ghost Tales with 12 episodes. Great Ghost Tales aired on NBC from 7/6/61 to 9/21/61.
Because both were short lived and have become obscure with the passing of time, I doubt if any video company will place them on market to the public. Maybe CBS and NBC could work out a deal with people like myself and others whose heart was big over the episodes of Way Out and Great Ghost Tales.
Dogs Is Dogs (1931)
sweet and sentimental but void of humor
With Jackie Cooper, Wheezer was both cute and funny. When Jackie Cooper left, there appeared to be a void of humor that would only be filled back up again with the arrival of Kendall "Breezy Brisbane" McComas in "Readin' and Writin'" and Spanky McFarland in "Free Eats". If you are only looking for sentiment and pathos in The Little Rascals, look no further than this two reeler. If you are looking for hilarity and comedy, then there are other Little Rascals Episodes to explore with the likes of Jackie Cooper, Spanky, Stymey, Dickie Moore, Buckwheat, Alfalfa, and adults Edgar Kennedy, Clarence Wilson, Emerson Treacy, Gay Seabrook, and Johnny Arthur.
'Way Out (1961)
Similar show to Way Out
Does anybody remember the TV show Great Ghost Tales. This show was very similar to Way Out. First, it was filmed live in New York City. Second, the show came on at 8:30 P.M. CST. Like Way Out, the show was short lived. Great Ghost Tales ran for 12 episodes, Way Out for 14. Fourth, Richard Thomas of The Waltons fame starred in one episode of Way Out and one episode of Great Ghost Tales. Way Out aired on CBS from 3/31/61 to 7/14/61. Great Ghost Tales aired on NBC from 7/6/61 to 9/21/61. The show replacing Great Ghost Tales was Hazel. A viewer would almost get the impression that Great Ghost Tales was a continuation of Way Out on another network with another announcer, Frank Gallop. On Way Out the episode that frightened me the most was "I Heard You Calling Me" about a woman who drowned 49 years ago aboard the Titanic. She haunted the room on the 7th floor of a hotel in London. On Great Ghost Tales, it was "A Phantom of Delight". This episode was about a woman who died forty years ago on her wedding day. Wearing her wedding gown, she would haunt her bedroom that was left locked and untouched by her parents.