Naomi Campbell arriving at the grand opening night of the Kerzner Mazagan Beach Resort

Model Naomi Campbell arrives for the grand opening night of the Kerzner Mazagan Beach Resort on October 31, 2009 in El Jadida, Morocco. 1,500 guest guests will be surrounded by 100,000 roses, 10,000 candles, 50 horses from El Jadida dressed in the national tbourida costume, more than 300 traditional folk troops and fire breathers in celebration of the opening night of the latest Kerzner International Resort. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images). Content © 2009 Getty Images All rights reserved.

 

ZORRO – The Complete Second Season (1958-1959) – Walt Disney Treasures (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

The second and final season of the hit show “Zorro”.  Featuring more action and star guest appearances, the second season of “Zorro” managed to continue the action, humor and excitement of the first season.  Featured in Walt Disney Treasure’s limited edition set, another magnificent series to have in your collection, may you be a fan of “Zorro” or classic television series.

Image courtesy of © Disney. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: ZORRO – The Complete Second Season (1958-1959) – Walt Disney Treasures

DURATION: (Episode 40-78) 18 hours and 41 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital, B&W, Digitall Mastered, Subtitles: English SDH

COMPANY: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

RELEASED: November 3, 2009

Directed by Hollingsworth Morse, Charles Barton, William Witney, Charles Lamont, Harmon Jones

Written by Johnston McCulley, Bob Wehling, Lowell S. Hawley, N.B. Stone Jr., Robert Bloomfield, Lewis R. Foster and Maurice Hill

Produced by Bill Anderson

Music by William Lava

Cinematography by Gordon Avil

Editing by Roy V. Livingston, Cotton Warburton, Hugh Chaloupka, Edward Samson and Al Teeter

Art and Production Design by Marvin Aubrey Davis

Costume Design by Chuck Keehne

Make Up by Pat McNailey

Production Management by Roy Wade

Starring:

Guy Williams as Don Diego de la Vega

Gene Sheldon as Bernardo

Henry Calvin as Sgt. Demetrio Lopez Garcia

Don Diamond as Corp. Reyes

George J. Lewis and Don Alejandro de la Vega

Jolene Brand as Anna Maria Verdugo

Suzanne Lloyd as Raquel Toledano

John Litel as The Governor

Annette Funicello as Anita Cabrillo/Costancia

Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. as Vivera

Richard Anderson as Ricardo del Amo

Edgar Barrier as Don Corneloio Esperon

Joan Evans as Leonar

Douglas Kennedy as Manuel

Patricia Medina as Margarita Cortazar

George N. Neise as Capitan Felipe Arrellanos

Cesar Romero as Esteban de la Cruz

Everett Sloane as Andrews Felipe Basilio

Gloria Talbott as Moneta

Robert J. Wilke as Capitan Mendoza

Carlos Rivas as Ramondo Ruiz

Rodolfo Acosta as Carancho

Arthur Space as Gonzales

Wendell Holmes as Storekeeper Avila

Greigh Phillips as Jose

Tony Russell as Carlos Martinez

Jonathan Harris as Don Carlos Fernandez

Jeff York as Joe Crane

Walt Disney Home Entertainment is proud to release Zorro, one of the most popular television shows in history on DVD November 3, 2009. The latest addition to the celebrated Walt Disney Treasures, Zorro, makes its fully restored black & white DVD debut. All 78 episodes of the timeless classic will be included on two new six-disc sets–making up the ninth installment of the popular Walt Disney Treasures, and for the first time, will be housed in collectible black, numbered unique tin cases.

From 1957 to 1959, Disney’s Zorro was one of the most popular series on television starring Guy Williams, Henry Calvin, and Gene Sheldon. The show helped transform the literary character Don Diego
de la Vega into the ultimate iconic, beloved swashbuckling masked hero of the time. The adventures of Zorro and his trusty steed Tornado have captivated audiences since their inception, gaining new
audiences when it was re-aired on the Disney Channel in 1983 and re-colorizing the episodes in the 1990s. After the series conclusion, the Zorro adventures lived on from 1960 to 1961 on Walt Disney’s
Wonderful World of Color in the form of a four-episode anthology series of hour-long Zorro specials, all of which are also included in Walt Disney Treasures Wave IX.

With Walt Disney’s “Zorro” popular television series ending in 1959 after 78-episodes, for its 50th year Anniversary, Walt Disney is giving the classic action/comedy series special treatment with the “Walt Disney Treasures” release of “ZORRO – The Complete First Season (1957-1958) and “ZORRO – The Complete Second Season (1958-1959).

For the second season, this marks the tenth Walt Disney Treasures release in which a limited amount of DVD copies were printed (in this case – 30,000 were printed) and where the majority of the “Walt Disney Treasures” releases were animated releases, these two Zorro releases will be the first to receive an all-black tin case release.

This release contains the 39 episodes from the second season on five DVD discs and each episode has been digitally remastered.  Also, included are “Zoro: The Postponed Wedding” which aired January 1, 1961 on Walt’s anthology TV series “Walt Disney Presents”, “Zoro: Auld Acquaintance” aired on April 2, 1961 on “Walt Disney Presents”, “Behind the Mask” about the life of Guy Williams featuring interviews with surviving cast and crew members, an author and his son Guy Williams Jr. and “A Trip to the Archives” featuring Leonard Maltin and Guy Williams Jr. visiting the Walt Disney Archives.  Included with each release is a certificate of authenticity signed by Roy E. Disney and Leonard Maltin (who personally selected the rare offerings in this set), a publicity still of Zorro and a Zorro pin (featuring the memorable silhouette of Zorro and Tornado the horse) and a booklet with episode listings for the second season and more.

“Zorro” was the first major series that film man Walt Disney was very enthusiastic about.  Ratings were terrific with the first season earning over 35% and the second season earning over 40% in the ratings which is phenomenal but the only reason why the series was pulled off the air was because Disney was pursuing color and ABC wasn’t and thus, because of this disagreement, both “Zorro” and “The Mickey Mouse Club” were pulled off the air.

The story of Zorro first appeared back in 1920 as part of a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks. For the next 35 years, there would be several “Zorro” related films that were released.  But it was in Sept. 11, 1957 when Walt Disney introduced the character to audiences through the 4th Anniversary show of Walt Disney Presents and four weeks later, Zorro would debut on ABC on Oct. 10th. With the success of the first season of “Zorro”, the second and final season was a ratings hit.

“Zorro” takes place during the time of Spanish occupation of California (pre-1820 before Mexico won independence for California and took control of the state).  Where members of the Spanish colonial government are oppressing the Mexicans and Indians who occupy the land.  Meanwhile, Don Diego de la Vega (played by Guy Williams, “Lost In Space”, “Captain Sinbad”, “Bonanza”), a scholar who trained in Spain makes his return to California along with his mute sidekick Bernardo (played by Gene Sheldon) and to see how people are being oppressed by Spanish rule.  With the success of the first season, the second season would feature guest stars such as Cesar Romero, Annette Funicello, Richard Anderson, Jonathan Harris, Jeff York and Ricardo Montalban.

Also, a few episodes in the second season would be three-parters instead of all stand-episodes.

The following episodes are included in “Zorro – The Complete Second Season (1958-1959): The following are spoiler-less summaries of each episode.

DISC 1:

• EPISODE 40 – Welcome to Monterey – Don Diego is nearly robbed and thus he tries to find out who is behind it.
• EPISODE 41 – Zorro Rides Alone – Gold is stolen and Zorro must find out who is responsible.
• EPISODE 42 – Horse of Another Color – A Senorita is being held hostage and Zorro must save her.
• EPISODE 43 – The Senorita Makes a Choice – The Senorita and her father are held hostage.
• EPISODE 44 – Rendezvous at Sundown – Continuing from the last episode and Romero’s treachery.
• EPISODE 45 – The New Order – Corruption takes place in Monterey and Zorro must free the oppressed.
• EPISODE 46 – An Eye for an Eye – Zorro risks his life in helping two people out.

DISC 2:

• EPISODE 47 – Zorro and the Flag of Truce – The governor makes a pledge for Joaquin Casanada that no harm will come to him. But the plan goes awry.
• EPISODE 48 – Ambush – The treacherous storyline between Rico, Casanada concludes in this episode.
• EPISODE 49 – The Practical Joker – A practical joker’s antics puts Don Diego in jail.
• EPISODE 50 – The Flaming Arrow – An impostor masquerades as Zorro.
• EPISODE 51 – Zorro Fights a Duel – Ricardo challenges Zorro to a duel.
• EPISODE 52 – Amnesty for Zorro – A plot is hatched in order for Zorro to reveal his true identity.
• EPISODE 53 – The Runaways – A couple in love are forced to become fugitives from their own people.
• EPISODE 54 – The Iron Box – The mystery of the iron box and its shipment of gold is revealed and banditos try to steal it.

DISC 3:

• EPISODE 55 – The Gay Caballero – Cesar Romero stars as the gay caballero.  Is he a thief?  Zorro vs. the gay caballero.
• EPISODE 56 – Tornado is Missing- The gay caballero, Don Esteban steals Zorro’s horse, Tornado.
• EPISODE 57 – Zorro Versus Cupid – Don Esteban proposes to a woman that Don Diego cares about.
• EPISODE 58 – The Legend of Zorro – Don Esteban tries to win Margarita and to marry her for her fortune.
• EPISODE 59 – Spark of Revenge – Someone has murdered and Zorro tries to find out who is responsible.
• EPISODE 60 – The Missing Father – Annette Funicello stars as the Senorita Anita Cabrillo who tries to find her father.
• EPISODE 61 – Please Believe Me - Senorita Anita Cabrillo is in danger and Zorro must protect her.
• EPISODE 62 – The Brooch – The third and final part of the search for Senorita Anita Cabrillo’s father.

DISC 4:

• EPISODE 63 – Zorro and the Mountain Man – A mountain man arrives in Los Angeles and a prank sets him off towards the wrong path.
• EPISODE 64 – The Hound of the Sierras – A dog that is trained to kill and go after the mountain man.
• EPISODE 65 – Manhunt – Don Carlos goes after the mountain man.
• EPISODE 66 – The Man From Spain – The King’s emissary arrives in town and encounters Zorro.
• EPISODE 67 – Treasure for the King – A man’s greed leads to a confrontation with Zorro.
• EPISODE 68 – Exposing the Tyrant – An innocent man is being arrested for high treason and smuggling.
• EPISODE 69 – Zorro Takes a Dare – Zorro is unmasked by his enemy.
• EPISODE 70 – An Affair of Honor – A man assaults Don Diego’s father and leads Don Diego in a fight to the death for honor.

DISC 5:

• EPISODE 71 – The Sergeant Sees Red – A priceless chalice of gold makes a man a thief.
• EPISODE 72 – Invitation to Death – Someone tries to murder the governor of California.
• EPISODE 73 – The Captain Regrets -  Capitan Arrellanos is up to no good and is plotting something sinister.
• EPISODE 74 – The Masquerade for Murder – A masquerade party is held but among the one masked is a killer.
• EPISODE 75 – Long Live the Governor – The new Capitan plots to kill the governor.
• EPISODE 76 – The Fortune Teller – A fortune teller’s card reveals Garcia’s future and it’s the card of death.
• EPISODE 77 – Senior China Boy – What brings a Chinese boy to the town of Los Angeles?
• EPISODE 78 – Finders Keepers – A man is shot, a Seniorita is robbed and the man says Bernardo is responsible.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“ZORRO – The Complete Second Season (1958-1959) – Walt Disney Treasures” is featured in B&W and has been Digitally Remastered.  The series looks great for a television series that is over 50 years old.  For the most part, the blacks are nice and deep and grays are well-done.  There is a fine layer of grain and occasional dirt can be seen but for the most part, it is limited and I don’t see any major banding or compression although the opening theme is a bit grainy.  But for the most part, the episodes look great.

As for the audio, the series is presented in Dolby Digital.  The series is front channel driven and dialogue and music is clear.  For my preference, I watched the series with my receive set with stereo on all channels.

Subtitles are featured in English SDH.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“ZORRO – The Complete Second Season (1958-1959) – Walt Disney Treasures” features an exclusive introduction by film historian Leonard Maltin on Disc 1.  On Disc 6, the following special features are included:

• ZORRO: The Postponed Wedding (Original Air Date: January 1, 1961) – (51:16) Due to the series being pulled off ABC (due to disagreements of Disney pursuing color and ABC wanting to stay with B&W), the series made its return in the New Year (1961) via a two-part one hour special.  The following is the first special.  In this special, Annete Funicello plays the character of Costancia.
• ZORRO: Auld Acquaintance (Original Air Date: April 2, 1961) - (49:00) Due to the series being pulled off ABC (due to disagreements of Disney pursuing color and ABC wanting to stay with B&W), the series made its return in the New Year (1961) via a two-part one hour special.  The following is the second special and stars Ricardo Montalban.
• Behind the Mask - (7:52) In this featurette, cast members talk about working with Guy Williams and how he was as suave as Don Diego.  Guy Williams, Jr. talks about his father and we learn about his life up to his death from author Antoinette G. Lane (author of “Guy Williams: The Man Behind the Mask”).
• A Trip to the Archives – (10:55) Leonard Maltin visiting the Walt Disney archives with Guy Williams Jr. and seeing the classic Zorro outfit and talking about memorabilia for the show.

“Zorro” is an entertaining and classic hero-based series.  What made the series so exciting is that Walt Disney was behind the project and that the series was given the opportunity to have a higher production value.  So, you get that feel of an authentic old California during Spanish dominance.  The stories are light-hearted, fun, humorous but also very clever.  The high production values of the series were well-captured as evident in the set, production and costume design.  As well, as the music which helps emphasize the comedic or action moments in the series.

Although I was familiar with “Zorro” through the films, I have never seen any of the television episodes.  So, to finally watch them after hearing so much about Guy Williams stellar performance as the swashbuckling hero, I can see why many people enjoyed this series.

I can see how much Disney believed in this series and also spending money necessary to make sure that old California was presented well through the production design, the costumes and also the dialect.  I actually thought that a lot of the people on the show were Latino but later finding out that Guy Williams (Don Diego/Zorro) was Italian, Gene Sheldon (Bernard) and Henry Calvin (who played Sergeant Garcia) were Americans and Don Diamond (Corp. Reyes) was Russian.  But the series was also instrumental in hiring many Latino to have roles in the film, not only for this season but for the next.

Don Diego is the classic hero/vigilante that was created way before Bruce Wayne/Batman and he was a Robin Hood of sorts.  Taking down corruption and even helping out the poor.  He was a hero that many people identified with at the time and have heard from adults who remember those years when they would dress up as Zorro because they idolized him.  Granted, there are man portrayals of Don Diego in film and books but Disney was able to capture that flair of coolness with Guy Williams as the hero and for the most part, he is a hero that truly rocks!  It’s been over 50 years since the series debuted on television and watching it, I can see why people enjoyed the series.  It’s a well-done, enjoyable and highly entertaining series that captures that sense of adventure, action and tuning in for each episode watching Zorro take on those who would oppress the people, meeting the beautiful women but at the same time, remaining a gentleman.  I’ll go even further to say that the show also had cultural impact.

“Zorro – The Complete Second Season” was much different than the first in the fact is that there is more action sequences and also more special guest stars with Mouseketeer Annette Funicello, Cesar Romero and many others playing a character role in the series.  Also, unlike the first season which were all stand-alone episodes, the second series had a few episodes which were three-parters.  And these slight changes definitely help benefit the series in the ratings as it scored up to 40% which is incredible, especially for a series that is 39 episodes long.

Overall, if you were a fan of “Zorro” or are interested in classic television series, this series is quite fun to watch and I watched it alongside my six-year-old who was also entertained by the series.  The set as part of the Walt Disney Treasures line was pretty cool, especially the black tin case and the certificate of authenticity noting the limited production of the series.   But as a person who does watch classics, it’s great to see Walt Disney release one of the highest rated television shows of all time on DVD.  Definitely recommended!

 

ZORRO – The Complete First Season (1957-1958) – Walt Disney Treasures (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

One of the highest rated TV series in America gets released on DVD over 50 years later.  A classic television series that many people loved to watch, many kids tried to be but for the most part, a rare television shows that was as also, culturally important in the history of entertainment in America.  Zorro is remastered and receives the prestigious (and limited) Walt Disney Treasures treatment.  Enjoyable, action-packed and fun… over 50-years-later, “Zorro” is still highly entertaining and cool!  Definitely recommended!

Image courtesy of © Disney. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: ZORRO – The Complete First Season (1957-1958) – Walt Disney Treasures

DURATION: (Episodes 1-39) 18 hours and 41 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital, B&W, Digitall Mastered, Subtitles: English SDH

COMPANY: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

RELEASED: November 3, 2009

Produced by Bill Anderson

Music by William Lava

Cinematography by Gordon Avil

Editing by Roy V. Livingston, Cotton Warburton, Hugh Chaloupka, Edward Samson and Al Teeter

Art and Production Design by Marvin Aubrey Davis

Costume Design by Chuck Keehne

Make Up by Pat McNailey

Production Management by Roy Wade

Starring:

Guy Williams as Don Diego de la Vega

Gene Sheldon as Bernardo

Henry Calvin as Sgt. Demetrio Lopez Garcia

Don Diamond as Corp. Reyes

George J. Lewis and Don Alejandro de la Vega

Britt Lomond as Capitan Monastario

Vinton Hayworth as Magistrado Carlos Galindo

Jolene Brand as Anna Maria Verdugo

Jan Arvan as Nacho Torres

Suzanne Lloyd as Raquel Toledano

Romney Brent as Padre Felipe

Jan Arvan as Nacho Torres

Nestor Paiva as Innkeeper

Walt Disney Home Entertainment is proud to release Zorro, one of the most popular television shows in history on DVD November 3, 2009. The latest addition to the celebrated Walt Disney Treasures, Zorro, makes its fully restored black & white DVD debut. All 78 episodes of the timeless classic will be included on two new six-disc sets–making up the ninth installment of the popular Walt Disney Treasures, and for the first time, will be housed in collectible black, numbered unique tin cases.

From 1957 to 1959, Disney’s Zorro was one of the most popular series on television starring Guy Williams, Henry Calvin, and Gene Sheldon. The show helped transform the literary character Don Diego
de la Vega into the ultimate iconic, beloved swashbuckling masked hero of the time. The adventures of Zorro and his trusty steed Tornado have captivated audiences since their inception, gaining new
audiences when it was re-aired on the Disney Channel in 1983 and re-colorizing the episodes in the 1990s. After the series conclusion, the Zorro adventures lived on from 1960 to 1961 on Walt Disney’s
Wonderful World of Color in the form of a four-episode anthology series of hour-long Zorro specials, all of which are also included in Walt Disney Treasures Wave IX.

With Walt Disney’s “Zorro” popular television series ending in 1959 after 78-episodes, for its 50th year Anniversary, Walt Disney is giving the classic action/comedy series special treatment with the “Walt Disney Treasures” release of “ZORRO – The Complete First Season (1957-1958) and “ZORRO – The Complete Second Season (1958-1959).

For the first season, this marks the ninth Walt Disney Treasures release in which a limited amount of DVD copies were printed (in this case – 30,000 were printed) and where the majority of the “Walt Disney Treasures” releases were animated releases, these two Zorro releases will be the first to receive an all-black tin case release.

This release contains the 39 episodes from the first season on five DVD discs and each episode has been digitally remastered.  Also, included are “Zoro: El Bandido – Part 1″ which aired in Oct. 30, 1960 on Walt’s anthology TV series “Walt Disney Presents”, “Zoro: Adios El Cuchillo – Part 2″ which aired on Nov. 6, 1960 on “Walt Disney Presents”, an excerpt from “The Fourth Anniversary Show” which aired on Sept. 11, 1957 and “The Life and Legend of Zorro”.  Included with each release is a certificate of authenticity signed by Roy E. Disney and Leonard Maltin (who personally selected the rare offerings in this set), a publicity still of Guy Williams (who plays the character Don Diego aka “Zorro”), a Zorro pin (featuring dual swords, the black mask and the words Zorro) and a booklet with episode listings for the first season and more.

“Zorro” was the first major series that film man Walt Disney was very enthusiastic about.  Ratings were terrific with the first season earning over 35% and the second season earning over 40% in the ratings which is phenomenal but the only reason why the series was pulled off the air was because Disney was pursuing color and ABC wasn’t and thus, both “Zorro” and “The Mickey Mouse Club” were pulled off the air.

The story of Zorro first appeared back in 1920 as part of a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks. For the next 35 years, there would be several “Zorro” related films that were released.  But it was in Sept. 11, 1957 when Walt Disney introduced the character to audiences through the 4th Anniversary show of Walt Disney Presents and four weeks later, Zorro would debut on ABC on Oct. 10th.

“Zorro” takes place during the time of Spanish occupation of California (pre-1820 before Mexico won independence for California and took control of the state).  Where members of the Spanish colonial government are oppressing the Mexicans and Indians who occupy the land.  Meanwhile, Don Diego de la Vega (played by Guy Williams, “Lost In Space”, “Captain Sinbad”, “Bonanza”), a scholar who trained in Spain makes his return to California along with his mute sidekick Bernardo (played by Gene Sheldon) and to see how people are being oppressed by Capitan Monastario (played by Britt Lomond, “The Legend of Wyatt Earp”).

Capitan Monastario dreams of being a major leader in Spain but to do that, he tries to rule his region with an iron fist.  Joined by the hilarious, clumsy and portly Corp. Reyes (played by Don Diamond, “F Troop”, “The Flying Nun”, “Rockford Files”), Monastario and his men try to capture those who speak out against him.

Fearing how things have gotten worse in California, in order to fight against Monastario and his men,  Don Diego dons a black outfit and mask and goes by a mysterious hero named as “Zorro”.

Throughout the series, we watch as Zorro defies the rule of various leaders by helping the people who have been oppressed and not willing to challenge them in a duel.  But as Zorro tries to save lives, those of the Spanish military do what they can to capture the town’s vigilante.

The following episodes are included in “Zorro – The Complete First Season (1957-1958): The following is the list of episodes per disc and a brief spoilerless summary.

DISC 1:

• EPISODE 1 – Presenting Senior Zorro – Don Diego de la Vega discovers the corrupted state of Los Angeles and becomes the hero Zorro.
• EPISODE 2 – Zorro’s Secret Passage – Zorro introduces Bernardo his secret passage where he and his black horse can escape unnoticed.  Meanwhile, a friend of Don is accused by the Capitan of being Zorro.
• EPISODE 3 – Zorrro Rides to the Mission – The Capitan goes after a Nacho Torres who has taken refuge at the Mission San Gabriel, if he doesn’t come out, the working Indians will be whipped.
• EPISODE 4 – The Ghost of the Mission – With the Capitan and his soldiers trying to take control at the Mission San Gabriel, Don tells Garcia stories of a ghost at the mission to create a scare.
• EPISODE 5 – Zoro’s Romance – With the Capitan going after Nacho in his home, Capitan tries to use his influence to get close to Nacho’s daughter.
• EPISODE 6 – Zorro Saves a Friend – The Capitan places Nacho’s wife and daughter in jail in order to bring Nacho back and turn himself in.
• EPISODE 7 – Monastario Sets a Trap – With Dons’ father in danger, Zorro comes to the rescue.

DISC 2:

• EPISODE 8 – Zorro’s Ride Into Terror – Capitan takes over the De la Vega Hacienda in order to capture the wounded Alejandro.
• EPISODE 9 – A Fair Trial – Nacho Torres and Alejandro are to be tried in court.
• EPISODE 10 – Garcia’s Secret Mission- Capitan pretends to fire Garcia who tries to make it seem as if he hates the Capitan in order to trap Zorro.
• EPISODE 11 – Double Trouble For Zorro – Zorro takes on a master swordsman posing as Zorro.
• EPISODE 12 – Zorro, Luckiest Swordsman Alive – When the master swordsman posing as Zorro murders an innocent, people start to think Zorro may be a bad guy.
• EPISODE 13 – The Fall of Monastario - Capitan Monastario believes Don Diego is Zorro and imprisons him.
• EPISODE 14 – Shadow of Doubt – With a new Commander on his way to Los Angeles, a man named Esteban Rojas comes to town to cause some trouble.  And a new evil has arrived in town with their mark of an eagle feather left on its victim.
• EPISODE 15 – Garcia Stands Accused – Garcia is double crossed and is to be executed, can Zorro save him in time.

DISC 3:

• EPISODE 16 – Slaves of the Eagle - Garcia poses as Zorro…why?
• EPISODE 17 – Sweet Face of Danger – Zorro risks his life to save a woman.
• EPISODE 18 – Zorro Fights His Father – Zorro is marked by death by his own father.
• EPISODE 19 – Death Stacks The Deck – Another victim by the Eagle’s feather and Zorro takes part in a gamble for his life.
• EPISODE 20 – Agent of the Eagle – An imposter poses as the new Commandante and takes his wraith on the rancheros and extorts money from people for the Eagle.
• EPISODE 21 – Zorro Springs A Trap – Zorro’s horse Tornado has been captured by the impostor Commandante and is used as a trap to capture Zorro.
• EPISODE 22 – The Unmasking of Zorro – The new Commandante tries to take advantage of Rosarita and Zorro comes to the rescue.  But while a fight ensues, Zorro is unmasked.
• EPISODE 23 – The Secret of the Sierra – Zorro defends a gold mine from the agents of the Eagle.

DISC 4:

• EPISODE 24 – The New Commandante – Galindo tries to use the new Commandante and Zorro and pit them against each other.
• EPISODE 25 – The Fox and the Coyote – A secret gunship comes to the area.  Meanwhile, Zorro takes on the forces of the Eagle.
• EPISODE 26 – Adios, Senior Magistrado – It is revealed that the Magistrado is responsible for the trouble in the area.
• EPISODE 27 – The Eagle’s Brood – The Eagle’s identity is revealed.
• EPISODE 28 – Zorro By Proxy – The Commandante’s wife sets her plan to capture Zorro.
• EPISODE 29 – Quintana Makes a Choice – The Commandante’s wife confronts Zorro.
• EPISODE 30 – Zorro Lights A Fuse – Zorro is being held in a room with the Commandante’s wife.  Will he surrender?
• EPISODE 31 – The Man With the Whip – A Master with a whip draws the ire of Zorro.

DISC 5:

• EPISODE 32 – Cross of the Andes – Bernardo is captured and Zorro must save him.
• EPISODE 33 – The Deadly Bolas – Bernardo poses as Zorro…why?
• EPISODE 34 – The Well of Death – Garcia squares off against an enemy, while a boy falls in a well.  Who will save them?
• EPISODE 35 – The Tightening Noose – The Eagle works on his plan to eliminate Zorro.
• EPISODE 36 – The Sergeant Regrets – The agents of the eagle are sent to go after Zorro.
• EPISODE 37 – The Eagle Leaves the Nest – Zorro goes after the Eagle.
• EPISODE 38 – Bernardo Faces Death – Bernardo gets caught in a death trap.  Can Zorro save him?
• EPISODE 39 – The Eagle’s Flight – The Eagle strikes after the de la Vega family. Zorro and Eagle come across each other’s path once again.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“ZORRO – The Complete First Season (1957-1958) – Walt Disney Treasures” is featured in B&W and has been Digitally Remastered.  The series looks great for a television series that is over 50 years old.  For the most part, the blacks are nice and deep and grays are well-done.  There is a fine layer of grain and occasional dirt can be seen but for the most part, it is limited and I don’t see any major banding or compression although the opening theme is a bit grainy.  But for the most part, the episodes look great.

As for the audio, the series is presented in Dolby Digital.  The series is front channel driven and dialogue and music is clear.  For my preference, I watched the series with my receive set with stereo on all channels.

Subtitles are featured in English SDH.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“ZORRO – The Complete First Season (1957-1958) – Walt Disney Treasures” features an exclusive introduction by film historian Leonard Maltin on Disc 1.  On Disc 6, the following special features are included:

• ZORRO: EL BANDIDO (Original Air Date: October 30, 1960) – (51:16) Due to the series being pulled off ABC (due to disagreements of Disney pursuing color and ABC wanting to stay with B&W), the series made its return via a two-part one hour special.  The following is the first special.
• ZORRO: ADIOS EL CUCHILLO (Original Air Date: November 6, 1960) - (49:00) Due to the series being pulled off ABC (due to disagreements of Disney pursuing color and ABC wanting to stay with B&W), the series made its return via a two-part one hour special.  The following is the second special.
• THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF ZORRO - (12:26) The history of Zorro and how popular the television series was for ABC but also an explanation of why a top rated series would be pulled off the air.
• EXCERPT FROM “THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY SHOW” (Original Air Date: September 11, 1957) – (3:17) The Mouseketeers talk to Walt Disney about Zorro and Walt promotes the new “Zorro” series.

“Zorro” is an entertaining and classic hero-based series.  What made the series so exciting is that Walt Disney was behind the project and that the series was given the opportunity to have a higher production value.  So, you get that feel of an authentic old California during Spanish dominance.  The stories are light-hearted, fun, humorous but also very clever.  The high production values of the series were well-captured as evident in the set, production and costume design.  As well, as the music which helps emphasize the comedic or action moments in the series.

Although I was familiar with “Zorro” through the films, I have never seen any of the television episodes.  So, to finally watch them after hearing so much about Guy Williams stellar performance as the swashbuckling hero, I can see why many people enjoyed this series.

I can see how much Disney believed in this series and also spending money necessary to make sure that old California was presented well through the production design, the costumes and also the dialect.  I actually thought that a lot of the people on the show were Latino but later finding out that Guy Williams (Don Diego/Zorro) was Italian, Gene Sheldon (Bernard) and Henry Calvin (who played Sergeant Garcia) were Americans and Don Diamond (Corp. Reyes) was Russian.  But the series was also instrumental in hiring many Latino to have roles in the film, not only for this season but for the next.

Don Diego is the classic hero/vigilante that was created way before Bruce Wayne/Batman and he was a Robin Hood of sorts.  Taking down corruption and even helping out the poor.  He was a hero that many people identified with at the time and have heard from adults who remember those years when they would dress up as Zorro because they idolized him.  Granted, there are man portrayals of Don Diego in film and books but Disney was able to capture that flair of coolness with Guy Williams as the hero and for the most part, he is a hero that truly rocks!  It’s been over 50 years since the series debuted on television and watching it, I can see why people enjoyed the series.  It’s a well-done, enjoyable and highly entertaining series that captures that sense of adventure, action and tuning in for each episode watching Zorro take on those who would oppress the people, meeting the beautiful women but at the same time, remaining a gentleman.  I’ll go even further to say that the show also had cultural impact.

“Zorro – The Complete First Season” was quite exciting as the first arc on Capitan Monastario was witty and humorous but right after episode 13, it was interesting to see how the series would become a bit more serious as we saw the villainy of Senor Magistrado and also the Eagle starting to take place and people were actually getting killed.  But it worked out in the ratings because people were thrilled by the action-paced series while still retaining the humor.

Overall, if you were a fan of “Zorro” or are interested in classic television series, this series is quite fun to watch and I watched it alongside my six-year-old who was also entertained by the series.  The set as part of the Walt Disney Treasures line was pretty cool, especially the black tin case and the certificate of authenticity noting the limited production of the series.   But as a person who does watch classics, it’s great to see Walt Disney release one of the highest rated television shows of all time on DVD.  Definitely recommended!

 

Monsters, Inc. (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

A Pixar animated classic, 2001 film “Monsters, Inc.” makes its first debut in High Definition and looks absolutely fantastic!   The new lossless soundtrack definitely takes the film to a new level.  And for those who are wondering about content, there’s around 60 special features included.  Overall, this is a fantastic release and fans of the film will definitely want to pick this one up.  Highly recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2001, 2009 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Monsters, Inc.

DURATION: 91 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (1:85:1), English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

COMPANY: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

RATED: G (General Audiences – All Ages Admitted)

RELEASE DATE: November 10, 2009

Directed by Pete Docter

Co-Directed by David Silverman and Lee Unkrich

Story by Pete Docter, Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon, Ralph Eggleston

Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Daniel Gerson

Additional Screenplay Material by Robert L. Baird, Rhett Reese, Jonathan Roberts

Executive Producer: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton

Producer: Darla K. Anderson

Associate Producer: Kori Rae

Music by Randy Newman

Edited by Robert Grahamjones, Jim Stewart

Casting by Matthew Jon Beck, Mary Hidalgo, Ruth Lambert

Production Design by Harley Jessup, Bob Pauley

Art Direction by Tia W. Kratter, Dominique Louis

Production Management: Katherine Sarafian

Featuring the voices of:

John Goodman as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan

Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski

Mary Gibbs as Boo/Mary

Steve Buscemi as Randall Boggs

James Coburn as Henry J. Waternoose

Jennifer Tilly as Celia

Bob Peterson as Roz

John Ratzenberger as the Abominable Snowman

Frank Oz as Fungus

Daniel Gerson as Needleman/Smitty

Bonnie Hunt as Flint

Jeff Pidgeon as Bile

Samuel Lord Black as George Sanderson

Experience the film that captured the hearts of critics and fans around the world in a breathtaking new way.  Monsters, Inc. is “visually dazzling, action-packed and hilarious,” raves the Boston Herald.  And now, with eye-popping, crystal-clear visuals and theater-quality sound, it’s even better on Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def!

Lovable Sulley (John Goodman) and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream processing factory in Monstropolis.  When a little girl named Boo wonders into their world, it’s the monsters who are scared silly, and it’s up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home.

Open the door to a fantastic world of fun and imagination that will have you screaming for more.  Featuring never-before-seen bonus features.  Including Raz’s 100-Door Challenge Game, the original DVD and a DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie, Monsters, Inc. is a sensational now experience on Disney Blu-ray.

With Disney films being released on video one year and not receiving a release seven, eight or more years  later, the popular Pixar Animation Studios film “Monsters, Inc.” receives its High Definition release on Blu-ray in a four disc set which includes the Blu-ray, a Blu-ray special features disc, a DVD and a DisneyFile Digital copy.

“Monsters, Inc.” was Pixar’s fourth animated feature and marked the directorial debut for Pete Docter (Director for “Up” and a writer for the first two “Toy Story” films).  Docter is joined by co-directors David Silverman (“The Simpsons Movie”, “The Road to El Dorado”) and Lee Unkrich (co-director for “Toy Story 2″ and “Finding Nemo”).

The original story is written by Pete Docter, Jill Culton (director for “Open Season” and worked on the “Toy Story” films and “A Bug’s Life”), Jeff Pidgeon (who worked on “The Toy Story” films and “Wall-E”) and Ralph Eggleston (who worked on “Up”, “The Incredibles” and “Toy Story”) with a screenplay by Andrew Stanton (“Toy Story” films, “A Bug’s Life”, “Finding Nemo”, “Wall-E”) and Daniel Gerson (“Chicken Little”, “Cars”, “Meet the Robinsons”).

Music for the film is by well-known composer and musician, Randy Newman (“Cars”, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”, “Meet the Fockers”, “Toy Story 2″).

The film achieved critical and also commercial success as it made over $525 million worldwide and will now make its High Definition debut.

“Monsters, Inc.” revolves around a corporation known as Monsters, Inc..   The company specializes in sending monsters out to the human world through their closets and by capturing the screams of children.  The screams are what produces energy in the monster world.

The top scaring monster at Monsters, Inc. is James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman, “Roseanne”, “The Princess and the Frog”, “Speed Racer”, a big blue behemoth that can create a giant scare but really is a good-natured monster.  Sulley’s sidekick Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal, “When Harry Met Sally”, “City Slickers”, “Throw Momma of the Train”) is a guy who lives off Sulley’s popularity and wants to date the Celia (voiced by Meg Tilly).

The owner of  Monsters, Inc., Henry J. Watermoose (voiced by James Coburn, “Hudson Hawk”, “Young Guns II”, “The Nutty Professor” ) wants more production from the monsters.  Because more human children are no longer scared by the monsters like before, he wants his top monsters to show other monsters how to be scary.

But Sulley is not the only top scary monster at Monsters, Inc., his rival Randall Bogs (voiced by Steve Buscemi, “The Big Lebowski”, “Armageddon”, “The Sopranos”) is determined to surpass Sulley in the rankings and will do what he can to get there.

All seems well one day until Sulley finds a door on the scare floor after hours (which Boggs was using) which is illegal.  Upon checking out the door, Sulley realizes its leading to an actual human’s bedroom.  A young human girl discovers him and thinks he wants to play.  Fearing for his life (the monsters are told a human touch from a child will kill them), Sulley escapes quickly out the door and back to the floor.  But things get hairy when he finds out that the girl which he names “Boo” has escaped from the human world and is now in the monster world.

With a fear of humans, Sulley knows this can lead to catastrophe and panic and gets his friend Mike to help him return the child back to the human world.  So, the two try to secretly hide Boo from other monsters the best that they can and try to send her back to the human world.  But with Boggs suspicious of the two, what happens when monsters discover that a human girl is in their world.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“Monsters, Inc.” is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1).  For a 2001 CG animated film, the film still holds up as the fur/hair effects look absolutely beautiful as we see the blue hairy sheen of Sulley and even the woolly abominable snowman.  Detail of Boggs purple reptilian skin and Mike’s green skin are much more detailed in High Definition over its DVD counterpart.  The film utilizes quite a bit of color and so fans of the film can expect the film to look vibrant on HD.  As expected from a Walt Disney Blu-ray release, picture quality is fantastic.  Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, no sign of major compression or banding.  Eight years later, “Monsters, Inc.” continues to look incredible and the Blu-ray’s picture quality does not disappoint at all.

As for audio, “Monsters, Inc.” receives its first lossless audio and director Pete Docter opens up the Blu-ray by explaining how the film has received a revamp for its audio.  Featured in English 5.1 DTS-HD MAster Audio (as well as French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital), from the moment you hear the scream capsules electrify very early in the film, you literally hear the electricity all around you.  Great use of surrounds and also rear surround channels throughout moments in the film.  Especially scenes that have ambiance and many monsters, you can hear their faint voices through the surrounds.  Good amount of LFE and for the most part, the film sounds great.  Although not incredibly immersive as recent Pixar films (such as the recent release of “Up”), the lossless audio for “Monsters, Inc.” is still fantastic.

The film is crystal clear as it is hear through the front and center channels.  Randy Newman’s music sounds incredible and for the most part, the soundtrack is quite solid and definitely a major improvement over its DVD counterpart.

Subtitles are featured in English SDH, French and Spanish.

As for the DVD, the DVD is featured in widescreen (1:85:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions and audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Ex. S ubtitles are in English SDH only.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Monsters, Inc.” comes with the following special features presented in 1080p High Definition, English, French and Spanish 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital and subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish.  Of course, with a lot of the features are from the original DVD, it’s understandable that those features will be in standard definition and do a look a bit dated but content-wise, if you add everything up, there’s probably around 60 or more special features included.

DISC 1:

• Audio Commentary byPete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton and John Lasseter.  A very informative and fun commentary about the behind-the-scenes making of the film.
• Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan – (12:00) Go behind the scenes of the new attraction Tokyo Disneyland. Interviews with the artist and engineers who created the ride.  I was absolutely in awe when I saw this ride.  Incredible!
• Filmmakers’ Round Table – (22:00) Filmmakers Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Darla Anderson and Bob Peterson reflect on the creation of the film and talk about their favorite moments in creating the film at Hidden City Cafe.  And yes, there is talk about the chimp.
• For the Birds – (3:21) An animated short featuring a group of malicious birds who find themselves in trouble when they pick on the wrong victim.  Includes optional audio commentary by director Ralph Eggleston.
• Mike’s New Car – (3:46) Mike shows off his fancy new six-wheel-drive car loaded with gadgets to his friend Sulley.  Includes optional audio commentary by the filmmaker’s sons.  An enjoyable commentary by the two kids.
• Previews – Trailers for upcoming releases

DISC 2:

• Roz’s 100 Door Challenge – Take Roz’s employee placement exam to see where you best fit within Monsters, Inc.
• Humans Only – This section features the following:

- Pixar Fun Factory Tour – (3:34) Explore the nooks and crannies of the Pixar studios.

- Story – Featuring the following features: Story is King – (2:00) How the story department works at Pixar; Monsters are Real – (1:29) Seeing is believing – how the cast and crew of the film regard the Monster World; Original Treatment – (13:40) The original pitch for the film, with some surprising differences; Story Pitch: Back to Work – (4:36) Story Supervisor Bob Peterson pitches a scene to the production team.

- Banished Concepts – Featuring the following special features:  Intro to Banished Concepts – Co-director Lee Unkrich discusses the fate of five scenes that were banished from the film’s final Cut: Assistant Salley (2:15), End of Day (2:22), Bad Scare (2:51), Scream Refinery (1:06) and Original Sulley Intro (1:00).

- Storyboard to Film Comparison – Featuring the following special features: Story Reel (5:14) – Watch the storyreel version of the Boo bedtime scene, Watch the final version of the Boo Bedtime scene (5:14), Split-Screen Comparison – (5:14) Watch the split-screen comparison of the Boo bedtime scene.

- Art Gallery – Using your remote, you can view Character Design and Production Artwork from Monsters, Inc.

- Designing Monstropolis – (4:48) Designing the world of Monstropolis.

- Set Dressing Intro – (3:24) How the sets of the film were designed and staged.

- Location, Playgrounds – (7:25) CG animation of various setups such as Boo’s bedroom, Monstropolis neighborhood and more.

- Monster File – Featuring the following features: Cast of Characters – (5:51) Meet the cast of performers who bring the characters to life.  What Makes a Great Monster – (1:24) The evolution of Monsters, Inc. character designs.

- Animation – Featuring the following features: Animation Process – (3:11) A look at the animation of Monsters, Inc.; Early Tests – (8:02) An early animation test of Mike and Sulley; Opening Title Animation – (2:06) The design of the title sequence; Hard Parts – (4:58) The artistic challenges of creating the film; Shots Department – (2:16) New simulation was added as a step in the Pixar production process.  Production Demonstration is a subsection which features the following: Production Demo Intro – Co-Director Lee Unkrich introduces the stages of animation: Storyreel – (1:50) the Storyreel version of the scene “23-19!”, Layout – (1:50) The layout version of the scene – “23-19!”, Animation – (1:50) The animation version of the scene “23-19!”, Final Color – (1:50) The final color version of the scene “23-19!”.

- Music & Sound – Featuring the following features: Monster Song – (4:13) Billy Crystal and John Goodman sing “If I Didn’t Have You”. Sound Design – (3:15) – Sound designer Gary Rydstrom reveals some of the secrets behind the sound design of the film.

- Release: Featuring the following features: The Premiere – (0:56) Footage of teh film’s premiere screening featuring the stars and filmmakers.  Also features:  Trailers and TV spots – Trailer #1 (1:52) and #2 (1:19), TV Spot: Men in Teal (0:30), TV: Spot: Your Eye (0:30), TV Spot: Green Skin (0:30), TV Spot: Your Eye #1 Review (0:30), International Inserts – (1:06) How the film was customized for worldwide appreciation, Multi-language: Clip Reel – (3:45) A section of the film translated into thirteen different languages, Toys – (1:29) An overview of the toys created from the film, Outtakes and Company Play – (7:00) Full-frame versions of the outtakes and Company Play that appeared in the theatrical credits.

- Wrap-Up – (0:42) The filmmakers conclude their production tour of the Pixar studio.

• Monsters Only – Featuring the following features:

- New Monster Adventures – Monsters TV Treats – (1:09) A funny collection of Monsters, Inc. TV vignettes, Ponkickie 21 – A randomized version of “Rocks, Papers, Scissors” from Japan, “If I Didn’t Have You” Music Video – (1:11) A montage of favorite movie moments cut to the song.

- Behind the Screams – On the Job with Mike & Sulley – (2:31) An interview with Mike and Sulley about daily life at Monsters, Inc.

- Orientation -  Featuring Welcome to Monsters, Inc. – (0:58) A Welcome video for new Monsters, Inc. employees, Your First Day – (3:34) An overview of the company, History of the Monster World – (1:36) A history of the schism between man and monster, drawn and narrated by animation legend Bud Luckey.

EASTER EGG: Pressing left on your remote while a bonus feature is highlighted will access the following which are more or less features requiring your remote control to navigate through artwork:

- The Employee Handbook
- Guide to In Jokes
- Monster of the Month
- Scarer Cards

DVD:

The DVD contains the audio commentary for the widescreen version of the film.  Also, a 5.1 Surround Sound Mix for the Widescreen version only.

When “Monsters, Inc.” came out in the theaters, I can easily remember how impressed I was with the CG animation, animation with the hair and just the amount of detail.  When the DVD came out, it was one of the most jam-packed DVD’s with special features ever released and it was a spectacular DVD release years ago.

Over eight years later, here we are with the Blu-ray release of “Monsters, Inc.” and to be truthful, knowing Disney’s track run on Blu-ray releases especially with older animated films, I was not worried that we would have a quality release but I was wondering how the studio would top the original DVD release which had a large number of special features already.

And sure enough, there are a good amount of newer features exclusive to the Blu-ray release such as the “Filmmaker’s Round Table” which I enjoyed because you actually got to hear about the challenges that Pete Docter had faced as a director, the challenges they had in making the film but also the amount of fun they had in making the film as well.

I was very impressed with the “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan”.  I was in awe to see this ride created and how interactive it is.  I don’t know if we will ever see this ride stateside but definitely makes me want to fly to Japan and take the trip to Chiba and check out this ride at Disney Land Tokyo.

And once you watch the special features in the first Blu-ray disc, for those of you who had the DVD release know how many there were, so you can imagine how many features are on the second Blu-ray disc.

For those who never owned the original, let’s just say that both discs combined and include featurettes, TV spots, etc. there are probably around 60 special features on both Blu-ray discs.  So, needless to say, this is one release that will keep you busy and content-wise, you can easily say that this is one release that is worth every penny.

As for the film, it’s a hilarious comedy but it was really fun to see the character interaction between Sulley and Mike courtesy of John Goodman and Billy Crystal.  And you have to give credit to Mary Gibbs who provided the voice of Boo.  She made the character come to life and of course Steve Buscemi as Boggs and James Coburn as Henry J. Waternoose, this is one animated film that was well-cast, well-written and well-animated.  To think that this was released in 2001 and looks incredible in 2009, makes you wonder what the animators have in store for the upcoming sequel and I definitely look forward in seeing how much more impressive the animation will look today.

For parents wondering if “Monsters, Inc.” is appropriate for their children.  I will say that when my son was around 4, I tried showing him the film but it freaked him out with the weird monster characters but he watched it again (he is now 6) and he enjoyed it.  Because the film is about a company which has monsters trying to scare children, some kids may find the earlier part of the story a bit scary.  But overall, it’s a family film that people of all ages can enjoy.

“Monsters, Inc.” is literally a fantastic release.  If you loved the film, you’re getting your money’s worth in this four disc set.  I’m really impressed with what Disney has been able to bring to their animated releases to Blu-ray from “Bug’s Life” and making that older Pixar CG animated film look great on HD, then with the fantastic release of both “Pinocchio” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and now with the recent Blu-ray release of “Up” and “Monsters, Inc.”.

Overall, “Monsters, Inc.” is a wonderful release.  Sure, the film is was released in 2001 but the animation still holds up today.  In fact, the animation of this film still looks better than some CG animated films I have seen released in the last two years.  Picture quality, audio quality and the  amount of content that comes with this four disc Blu-ray release alone is fantastic and it’s a release that families will enjoy.

“Monsters, Inc.” is highly recommended!

 

Shailene Woodley at the AFI FEST 2009 premiere of 20th Century Fox’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” in Hollywood

Actress Shailene Woodley arrives at the AFI FEST 2009 premiere of 20th Century Fox’s ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on October 30, 2009 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI). Content © 2009 Getty Images All rights reserved.

 

SCANDAL – BEST SCANDAL (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

If you are a new fan of Scandal and are enjoying their latest hits and are curious about their singles released in 2008-2009, including their independent work, then you definitely want to pick up “BEST SCANDAL”.  Recommended!

BAND: SCANDAL

ALBUM: SCANDAL BEST

LABEL: Epic Records

CATALOG #: ESCL-3318

DURATION: 50:42

RELEASE DATE: October 21, 2009

BUY THIS ALBUM from CDJapan.com:

 

J!-ENT Special Feature: Roundtable Q&A with “Up” director/co-writer Pete Docter and co-writer Bob Peterson

With Disney/Pixar’s animated film “Up” to be released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 10th, J!-ENT took part in a morning roundtable with “Up” director/co-writer Pete Docter and co-writer Bob Peterson on October 30th.  Here is an article written by J!-ENT’s Dennis A. Amith and also a transcript from the roundtable event Q&A.

Click here to read our article

 

EXILE – The Hurricane ~Fireworks~ (JAPAN) (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

Featuring the second single with the expanded version of EXILE, their single “The Hurricane ~Fireworks” features a collaboration with US hip hop artist FLO RIDA and their “Street Fighter IV” video game theme song “THE NEXT DOOR -Indestructible-”

GROUP: EXILE

CD SINGLE: The Hurricane ~Fireworks~

LABEL: Rhythm Zone

CATALOG #: RZCD-46314/B

DURATION: 35:17

RELEASE DATE:  July 22, 2009

BUY THIS CD SINGLE:

1. FIREWORKS
2. 優しい光
3. THE NEXT DOOR -INDESTRUCTIBLE-
4. FIREWORKS (Instrumental)
5. 優しい光 (Instrumental)
6. THE NEXT DOOR -INDESTRUCTIBLE- (Instrumental)
7. WON’T BE LONG [Live]

DVD: (Region 2, 4:3, Duration: 13:59 Minutes)

1. FIREWORKS (Video Clip)
2. 優しい光 (Video Clip)

EXILE, Japanese most popular and highest selling group who began the year fresh after winning the top award at Japan’s equivalent to the Academy Awards (Nihon Record Taishou) and then surprised everyone earlier in the Spring that they would combine with the group J-SOUL BROTHERS and become a 14 member group.

In July 2009, the group released their 31st CD single “The Hurricane ~Fireworks~”, the second single to feature the 14 members and would feature a collaboration with US hip hop artist FLO RIDA and also feature the theme song to the popular video game hit “Street Fighter IV”.

The single kicks off with the pop track “Fireworks” which was written by michico, P-CHO, GS, KUBO-C and TOMOGEN and featuring music by T. Kura and michico.  The song would feature shamisen playing in the background courtesy of the YOSHIDA BROTHERS and rap by DOBERMAN INC.    Overall, a fun Summer track with cool beats and the shamisen playing in the background.

The coupling song “Yasashii Hikari” features a beautiful romantic slow ballad sung by ATSUSHI (who also wrote the song) and features music by Hitoshi Harukawa.

The third track “THE NEXT DOOR – INDESTRUCTIBLE” is the group’s song that was featured as the theme song to CAPCOM’s “Street Fighter IV” and features a collaboration with US hip hop artist FLO RIDA.  Also, a song that was planned to give international exposure to the group.  The song is an all English track written by NEGIN and Tramar Dillard and music by li showy.  An upbeat track featuring electric guitar by KIKU.

The next two tracks feature instrumental tracks for the three vocal tracks and then concludes with a live version of the popular song “WON’T BE LONG” (which was a collaboration with pop diva Kumi Koda) minus Kumi but overall, a wonderful live track as you can hear the audience really getting into the song.  Awesome!

As for the DVD, the DVD features the music videos for “FIREWORKS” and “Yasashii Hikari”.

The first music video “FIREWORKS” features a girl reading a “Hanabi” storybook and all of a sudden fireworks comes out of the book and then we see a summer Hanabi festival style with people dancing and performing and then features the group performing via fire and water CG is shown all around them.  The music video is directed by Takahide Ishii and produced by Hirokazu Yukawa (Quick Magic).

The second music video is the slow jam “Yasashii Hikari” and is directed by Shigeaki Kubo (SHARKS) and produced by Hayato Murakoshi (MFG).  The music video is like a short film which features a couple in love and spending time with each other.  The couple had great times until things started to worsen in their relationship and are on the verge of a breakup.  The woman visits their old spot where they once would look at lamps around a tree, while the guy has a hard time coping without his girlfriend near him.  But he decides to make it up to her when he calls her up and ask for another chance.  And her reaction may not be what you think.

The CD insert is a trifold which features a photo of the group and the lyrics to the songs plus production credits.  Included inside is a small poster introducing us to EXILE GENERATION and the family tree.  Also, a plug for the group’s SkyPerfecTV show, “EXILE GENERATION SEASON 2″ and also upcoming Rhythm Zone releases.

Overall, I’m a fan of EXILE and with the group you know you are getting music featuring awesome vocals and upbeat tracks and the occasional slow jam.  I thought it was a good touch to include three vocal tracks of different tempos and also the live version of “WON’T BE LONG”.  The collaboration with FLO RIDA for “THE NEXT DOOR – INDESTRUCTIBLE-” was good for an English track from a Japanese group but I know that for those who played the “Street Fighter IV” video game, some had mixed feelings towards the song.

And when it comes to the DVD portion, the music videos were well-produced and higher budget than most artists or group receive for a music video.  But overall, well-done, especially for the short film/music video for “Yasashii Hikari”.  Definitely an ending that is nowhere a cliche with an ending I wasn’t expecting.

But overall, as an EXILE music fan and knowing what the guys have accomplished in Japan, “The Hurricane ~FIREWORKS~” is a solid 31st single for the Japanese pop/R&B group.

BUY THIS CD SINGLE:

 

CRUNCHYROLL BAKES A DREAM WITH YUMEIRO PATISSIERE

Anime Adaptation of Shueisha Manga Coming to Simulcast on Crunchyroll the
Same Day as its Japan Network Broadcast Beginning November 8th

San Francisco, CA and Tokyo, Japan (October 30, 2009) — Crunchyroll
announces today the addition of YUMEIRO PATISSIERE to Crunchyroll’s Fall
2009 Simulcast Anime Lineup. Adapted from the hit manga published in Ribon
by Natsumi Matsumoto and animated by the legendary Studio Pierrot, YUMEIRO
PATISSIERE features voice actress Aoi Yuki in the lead role of Ichigo Amano.
More information can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com/yumeiro.

“This will be the next big online girls hit,” states Vince Shortino,
President of Crunchyroll’s Japan office. “Crunchyroll has developed into a
place where girls can get the content they want in a safe environment, and
YUMEIRO PATISSIERE will continue that tradition.”

YUMEIRO PATISSIERE will be available in the United States, Canada, Sweden,
Denmark, Norway, Finland, and the United Arab Emirates in standard
definition free of charge to all visitors of Crunchyroll’s website and
across the Crunchyroll network one week after airing in Japan. Crunchyroll’s
Anime Members will receive early access to the program in high definition
720P within one hour after its Japanese airing, starting November 8th.

YUMEIRO PATISSIERE joins 20 other amazing titles to form Crunchyroll’s Fall
2009 Anime Lineup. Find out what other wonderful simulcast titles at
http://www.crunchyroll.com/lineup today.

All fans can enjoy all content on the site for free, but Crunchyroll Anime
Members benefits include higher quality streams of all shows (in some cases
at 720p High Definition Video) with no advertisement and early access to all
simulcast shows as early as one (1) hour after its Japan Broadcast.
Crunchyroll Anime Membership costs as little as $5 a month and goes directly
towards supporting Japan Animation companies. More information, including a
two week free trial membership can be found at

http://www.crunchyroll.com/freetrial.

Title Synopsis:

YUMEIRO PATISSIERE
According to Ichigo Amano, she doesn’t do anything better other than eating
cake. She can’t find anything she wants to do everyday other than attending
St. Mary Academy. However, when she meets Professor Henry, her fate
changes. She discovers that she wants to reproduce the flavors that her
grandma used to make! So begins the discovery of her dream!

In order to accomplish her dream, Ichigo moves into St. Mary and visits the
legendary spirit of Sweets! She is still just a beginner so there are a
series of failures but she puts all her passion into making sweets so she
can get better one step at a time.

Ichigo’s dream has just begun!!

 

David Basche, Ana Ortiz and Anthony Anderson attends the Sony Cierge Holiday Preview at the Sony Club in NYC

David Basche, Ana Ortiz and Anthony Anderson attends the Sony Cierge Holiday Preview at the Sony Club on October 29, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Sony Cierge)
Content © 2009 Getty Images All rights reserved.

 

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