DVD Picks & Pans: Summer Smorgasbord

Military.com - Tom Miller

According to the calendar, summer starts on June 21, the summer solstice. But, we know better. Summer begins on Memorial Day. The pools are open, the schools closed, and blockbusters dominate the marquee at the local multiplex.

Hollywood also is releasing a veritable feast of DVDs for those who prefer to watch at home. The latest batch includes the big screen return of iconic action hero John Rambo, updated for the twenty-first century; the first season of one of television's classic detective dramas, "Mannix;" the second season of the classic television western, "Gunsmoke;" and the first season of "Lipstick Jungle," NBC's answer to HBO's long-running hit "Sex and the City. " 

So, microwave some popcorn, settle into your favorite recliner, and relax. You're not missing a thing by staying home. In six months or less, the new "Ironman," "Batman," and "Indiana Jones" will be premiering in your family room.  
Bon appetit!

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"Rambo, (Widescreen Edition)" DVD-2008 ($29.95, Lionsgate) Also available in Fullscreen, Special Edition, and Blu-ray.

Who needs Dr. Jones when you can hire John Rambo instead?  Sure, they're both old for action heroes - okay, they're ancient for action heroes - but whether you're facing yesterday's Nazis (Germany) or today's fascists (Myanmar), do you want to depend on a guy with a bullwhip and a fedora or a guy with a .50 caliber machine gun and a head scarf?  Yeah, me too.

Vietnam vet John Rambo first appeared in 1982's "First Blood. "  From the start, he was the epitome of rugged individualism, not to mention a killing machine.

Fast forward two decades, and little has changed except the lines on his face. He's still fit and he's still not the guy you want to cross.

This, the fourth Rambo, finds our hero living in Thailand where he passes the time capturing snakes. He reluctantly agrees to carry a team of idealistic doctors - including missionary Sarah (Julie Benz) who breaks down his resolve - on a humanitarian mission to Burma.

When the group is captured, Rambo leads a team of mercenaries back to rescue them. They're vastly outnumbered by Burmese thugs, but this is Rambo we're talking about.

The plot line is thin, but who watches a Rambo movie for the plot?  Or, the acting?  The action's the thing, and there's enough sanguinary action here to please the most jaded fanboy. (A professor has counted 236 killings in this latest Rambo. ) 

At $43 million, the domestic box office was disappointing, but I'm betting that DVD sales and rentals will be solid.

Military.com Rating: ** ½

(The Widescreen Edition reviewed is barebones. Pay a little more for the 2-Disc Special Edition and get lots of extras including audio commentary with Stallone; deleted scenes; trailers; and several featurettes: 1) "A Hero's Welcome: Release and Reaction," 2) "A Score to Settle: The Music of Rambo, 3)"It's a Long Road: Resurrection of an Icon," 4) "Legacy of Despair: The Struggle in Burma," 5) "The Art of War: Completing Rambo," and 6) "The Weaponry of Rambo.")

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"Gunsmoke: The Second Season, Vol 2," DVD-2008 ($36.98, CBS DVD/Paramount Home Video)

Television doesn't do westerns anymore. Hasn't, with few exceptions, for decades. But, there was a time in the 1950s and 1960s when cowboys were a fixture on the small screen. Arguably the best - and certainly the longest running at twenty years - was "Gunsmoke," the first adult western that spawned a couple dozen imitators.

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon, the straight-shooting sheriff of Dodge City, Gunsmoke premiered on CBS in 1955 and was finally cancelled in 1975 after 635 episodes.

The show centers around life (and death) in a rowdy frontier town on the western frontier, circa 1875. Sheriff Dillon, the strong, silent type, relentlessly pushes back against a tide of lawlessness as he tries to protect the weak and establish the rule of law.

Dillon has the help of gimpy deputy Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), the moral support of "Doc" Adams (Milburn Stone), and the affection - however sublimated - of Miss Kitty Russell, who runs the Long Branch Saloon.

While there is plenty of action, "Gunsmoke" is primarily character-driven story-telling - a formula that accounts for its unprecedented success. A perennial Nielsen favorite, the show ranked No. 1 from 1957 to 1961 and was in the top 10 as late as 1974. It snared fourteen Emmy nominations and four wins, including for Best Drama Series (1958).

CBS DVD released the complete first season in 2007 and the first twenty episodes of the second season as "The Second Season: Vol. 1" in January 2008. "The Second Season, Vol. 2" includes the final nineteen episodes.

Military.com Rating: ***

(DVD extras include sponsor spots. ) 

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"Mannix: The First Season," DVD-2008 ($49.99, CBS DVD/Paramount Home Entertainment)

Cops and private eyes have long been a staple on television. One of the best is finally available for the first time on DVD.

Joe Mannix, the only Armenian-American gumshoe I've encountered, solved crimes on CBS from 1967 through 1975 (194 episodes). A tough guy - and Korean War veteran - Mannix could take a licking and keep on ticking. By one count, he survived being shot seventeen times and knocked unconscious fifty-five times in the eight years he chased bad guys on television.

When he wasn't laid up from his latest brush with violence, Mannix was doing what real men (pre-political correctness) did: driving too fast around LA in a hot convertible, drinking, smoking, and making no apologies for it.

Except for the first season when he was employed by an LA detective agency that used computers (a novelty in 1967) to solve crimes - an approach that he spurned - Mannix worked alone except for his faithful secretary Peggy Fair (Gail Fisher).

"Mannix" enjoyed solid ratings over its eight-year run, consistently besting rivals like "The Rockford Files" and "Hawaii Five-0" in the ratings. The series was nominated for eight Emmys including for Best Dramatic Series.

It took too long, but this classic detective drama is finally available again.

Military.com Rating: ***

(DVD extras include new interviews with Mike Connors and Joseph Campanella; audio introductions by Connors on episodes; audio commentary by Connors, Campanella, and William Link on selected episodes; a clip of Connors on "The Mike Douglass Show;"
and a photo gallery. ) 

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"Lipstick Jungle: Season One," DVD-2008 ($29.98, Universal Studios Home Entertainment)

If re-runs of "Sex and the City" on cable leave you hungry for glamorous girl-bonding in the big city, maybe you should check out the first season of "Lipstick Jungle" on DVD.

But, be forewarned: it's more of an appetizer than a feast. Originally slated for thirteen episodes, the show was limited to seven by the writers' strike. Fortunately for fans of the show, NBC has renewed it for a second season.

Based on a best-selling novel by Candace Bushnell - who also penned Sex and the City - the program follows the ups and downs of three friends making their way in the modern metropolis. Wendy Healy (Brooke Shields) runs a movie studio; Nico Reilly (Kim Raver) is a magazine editor; and Victory Ford (Lindsay Price) is a fashion designer.

The plot lines are familiar - especially to fans of "Sex and the City" - as the girls battle demanding bosses, overcome sexism, search for Mr. Right, and try to balance career and personal life.

Seven episodes are too few to reach a definitive judgment, but so far, "Lipstick Jungle" isn't making fans forget Carrie and the gang.

Military.com Rating: ** ½

(DVD extras include exclusive deleted scenes. )

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Military.com DVD Picks & Pans Smorgasbord Ratings Guide
* Have the Rolaids handy
** Two words: fast food
*** Tasty
**** Succulent

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Copyright 2009 by Tom Miller