Watch the television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: Season 1 and 2 as four-DVD sets fromMPI Media Group. The collections contain 39 episodes, representing the complete first two seasons, 78 episodes.
The TV series was a long-running sitcom ranked high on some of the top lists of television. MPI Media Group has restored the entire library of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet from the original 35mm picture and sound elements in association with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, which preserves the aspects on behalf of the Nelson family.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet lasted 14 record-breaking seasons, totaling 435 episodes. It aired on ABC-TV from 1952 through 1966 as a positive, wholesome series epitomizing an idyllic American 1950s lifestyle.
Its gentle humor came to the screen through the real-life Nelson family, which included Ozzie and his wife Harriet with their sons, David and Rick. They portrayed themselves in a trendsetting blend of fact-meets-fiction comedy decades before semi-reality-based shows like Seinfeld.
The series humorously chronicled the daily lives of the Nelsons as David and Ricky grew up before millions of weekly viewers. Besides Ozzie Nelson being a real-life bandleader and Harriet Nelson, a singer, the series would help launch the musical career of their younger son, Ricky, who would become a teen idol with such enduring hits as “Travelin’ Man” and “Hello Mary Lou.”
The longest-running live-action sitcom in U.S. television history until It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia surpassed it on December 1, 2021, when the FXX series debuted its 15th season.
Still, Ozzie and Harriet hold the record for most episodes produced, totaling 435. Among its Emmy nominations and many other accolades, TV Guide placed Ozzie Nelson at number 21 on its list of “50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time.” Others on the list include Andy Taylor, Ben Cartwright and Steve Douglas.
And now, for the very first time, in association with the Nelson family, the entire series arrives digitally restored for its 70th Anniversary with complete episodes from the original film negatives for superior picture quality.
Viewing these restored episodes, I am amazed by the picture and sound quality.
I watched season one, which contains all 39 complete, fun-filled episodes on four DVDs, starting with the premiere show and other rare adventures not seen on television in decades. The humor seems dated, but it’s clean and trouble-free.
I saw Don DeFore (Hazel) as Ozzie’s neighbor, pal Thorny. Others included guest stars from classic television and films, including Hal Smith (The Andy Griffith Show), Ellen Corby (The Waltons), Janet Waldo (The Jetsons), Joseph Kearns (Dennis the Menace), Frank Nelson (I Love Lucy) and other familiar faces.
Season two also contains 39 episodes — with more lost moments appearing for the first time since broadcast initially — on four discs and features such guest stars as Frank Cady (Petticoat Junction), John Carradine (The Munsters) and Lurene Tuttle (Psycho).
It’s hard to believe Ozzie and Harriet started visiting us on television in 1952, making this vintage series binge-worthy
Respect is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.
“Be your own artist, and always be confident in what you’re doing. If you’re not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.” — Aretha Franklin
Vocal powerhouse and Oscar and Grammy awards winner Jennifer Hudson stars as legendary singer Aretha Franklin in a true story about the “Queen of Soul.” Respect focuses on Franklin’s formative years, in which director Liesl Tommy says that it “contained things the general public doesn’t know about her.”
Watching her journey to become the brilliant musician with Franklin’s original songs, sung by Hudson, was profound to witness. From the beginning, we see a young woman with the most incredible voice in the world. But something was amiss. She needed to find her own voice.
In the film’s production notes, Tommy stated he felt strongly about “showing a meaningful experience of a young Black girl’s childhood.”
I found it interesting that Franklin came from a wealthy family, dominating the film primarily through her father and sisters.
Tommy related to that aspect of Franklin’s life, “As a little girl myself who grew up listening to people talk around the dinner table about fighting for freedom for themselves and for future generations, I know firsthand that it affects your life forever. It’s who you are. Aretha understood that, and it’s what made her art activism. When you talk about the “Queen of Soul,” her church was her activism.”
The movie reminds us of listening to Aretha Franklin. The emotion she sang with and deep feelings she conveyed — she spoke to us. Tommy describes it well, “Millions of people have a beautiful voice, but she channeled her emotions into her music in a way that no one else could.”
R_07374_RC Actor Jennifer Hudson and director Liesl Tommy on the set of RESPECT A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Quantrell D. Colbert
The movie tells us who she was and her history of protest music. We see Franklin heal herself through her music. You can feel the depth of who she was as a being, though there is complexity and depth based on her relationships.
As we all know, Aretha Franklin’s voice is the best, most powerful, and culturally significant voice of all time. In the movie, we hear hit songs: “Respect,” “Natural Woman,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “Think,” to name a few. They are classics that defined the resistance and resilience of Black people during the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power Movement, and the Women’s Movement — and still resonate today at the moment in time where the world is in crisis and need of soulfulness.
The movie shows Franklin being a child music prodigy who grew up with great privilege in a household in Detroit that understood the importance of social protest, racial justice, and community organizing centered squarely in the foundation of the Black church — faith, service, and self-actualization. Respect shows us Franklin’s challenge in navigating and overcoming grief that would become the artistic inspiration. In return, she created musical masterpieces that saved lives and moved culture.
Respect establishes that she was a musical genius when she was a child. You discover she had all those albums that did not become hits at Columbia Records. The movie begins at the church and ends in the church with the journey in between. Tommy tells the story of a woman with the most incredible voice in the world but still doesn’t know what her voice is. “And that was the story that I felt like I wanted to tell, and that was what ended up being the center of the film, the spine of the film.”
Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington in RESPECT A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Quantrell D. Colbert
Jennifer Hudson’s portrayal of Aretha Franklin is believable. She sings the icon’s songs herself, which is fantastic but not surprising. Hudson has a powerful voice. But she is not Franklin. She is a depiction of her.
Interestingly, Hudson was Franklin’s opening act one time. “After American Idol, Aretha Franklin was doing a show in Maryville, Indiana, and I wanted to open for her. Everyone knew she did not allow singers to open for her instead of starting her shows with a comedian. And, then, she approved of me to open for her. So, that was a dream, as are the many moments I shared with her.”
Marlon Wayans stars as Ted White and Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in RESPECT A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Quantrell D. Colbert
Nabbing that gig as an opening act, as Hudson says, “I find especially now; she has been a huge guide for the structure and spirit of my career.”
Franklin’s niece, Sabrina Garrett Owens, was very close to her Auntie Aretha. And very proud to see Jennifer Hudson take on the role of her aunt. “A lot of it has to do with the similarities between the two [Aretha and Jennifer]. They both grew up in church. They both had that gospel sound to their voices. Jennifer has a wide range, the same as Aretha did. I see a lot of similarities in their style.”
The story begins with her childhood, her father, played brilliantly by Forest Whitaker. Affected by his wife’s death, he anoints Franklin at a young age to be a gospel star and be different and better than the rest.
Knowing that the movie producers, Scott Bernstein and Harvey Mason, Jr. talked with Aretha Franklin on the phone about her story, so she could gauge it as her legacy is astonishing. “So, we knew we were going to end at the ‘Amazing Grace’ live album recording. The spine of the story would be a movie about a father and daughter relationship. And, that gave us a focus to tell the period of her rise, and the origin story of her becoming the ‘Queen of Soul.”’
Written for the screen by Tracey Scott Wilson, the story captures that significant time in Franklin’s life, the sixties and seventies, establishing her relationship with her father, and she meets her first husband. Then, she broke up with her father, her church and had to find her own faith.
She meets Ted White, played by Marlon Wayans. They marry. He manages her career during the early days of her Atlantic Records. “She went from singing standards to, you know, gospel to, okay, let’s go take you into becoming the R&B queen or just the queen period, Aretha Franklin,” according to Wayans. “So he changed the way she dressed and changed her, changed the venues she was playing and changed the record company. He was a catalyst in Aretha’s life.”
Jennifer Hudson shares a different perspective. “The biggest impact on Aretha’s life was her father. I think he is what pushed her towards her legacy and helped her own her gift. There have been times when she didn’t necessarily feel like singing, but it was a calling. He reminded her of that often, and I think that she became like the symbolic first lady of the church in a way. It helped lead Aretha to her ministry and music, one reason why she became so experienced and impactful at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.”
The rest of the talented cast includes Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess and Mary J. Blige.
Blu-ray and DVD Bonus Features:
The Making of Respect: Explore the unique telling of this Aretha Franklin story, what the project meant to all involved and how music played a pivotal role in crafting this film.
Becoming Aretha: Take a behind-the-scenes look at Jennifer Hudson’s incredible transformation into the “Queen of Soul” including her commitment to the character, her connection with the late singer, and why inhabiting the legendary artist felt more like destiny than anything else.
Capturing a Legacy: A celebration of director Liesl Tommy’s artistry and professionalism as the cast and crew express their appreciation and admiration for her and her process.
From Muscle Shoals: Sit down with the cast, crew and some of the original musicians that recorded with Aretha at Muscle Shoals to learn about this crucial time period in Aretha’s life and how it helped propel her evolution.
Exploring the Design of Respect: Production designer Ina Mayhew and costume designer Clint Ramos discuss the research they conducted in order to create the beautiful sets in the film as well as the various custom-made wardrobes that span three decades of style.
Being raised by a single parent of three children, I didn’t watch Sesame Street. Instead, I watched soap operas because our babysitter insisted, “they were more entertaining.” Dark Shadows was one of her favorites and mine, too.
Dark Shadows was an unlikely daytime hit TV show. It even became a cultural touchstone for generations of viewers as the only gothic soap opera. Some say it still casts spells on new and old fans.
Jonathan Frid, who played the tormented vampire Barnabas Collins, is profiled in a biographical film, Dark Shadows and Beyond – The Jonathan Frid Story. The documentary is currently streaming on digital platforms and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
The documentary shines a positive light on Jonathan Frid, which is refreshing compared to other documentaries of late. The 102-minute movie covers the Canadian-born star’s fascinating life and career as a Shakespearean actor — on stage with Katharine Hepburn and poignant advice from Sir Laurence Olivier.
If you are looking for a scandalous past or real skeleton in Frid’s closet, you’ll find none of that in this detailed story of the man beneath the vampire’s cloak. The documentary explores his personal and professional struggles, artistic triumphs and rises to fame shared through personal letters to his mother read by fellow soap star Ian Buchanan.
We also hear from Frid’s friends, family and colleagues, who offer a fresh view of the soap opera legend. We hear from veteran talk show host and Yale Drama School classmate David Cavett, actresses Marion Ross and Christine Pickles. Even the co-stars of Dark Shadows share a positive portrait, including David Selby, Lara Parker, Marie Wallace, Nancy Barrett, James Strom, and Kathryn Leigh Scott.
Frid’s story is about a dedicated actor who is passionate about his craft. He was well-liked by many, mentioning his generosity and kindness.
In archival interviews, Frid found the Barnabas role fulfilling because of time shifts in the storyline. He jumped back in time before he was a vampire, which showed the complexities of the character most soaps could never fathom. It was as if he was playing a dozen roles. Despite the circumstances Barnabas encountered, Frid knew being a vampire meant he was never just a vampire. He was a tragic character who felt deep emotions — including guilt. Intricacies only an actor with well-refined acting skills would perceive or understand, resulting in a sensational character and an enormous fan base.
The DVD or Blu-ray comes with rare performance footage, such as archival material from Frid’s private collections, which are gems. Also included is a PBS TV discussion with Frid, promotional pieces with the actor, Frid reading an excerpt of Washington Irving’s classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Best of Barnabas, a compilation video.
As producer Mary O’Leary says, “Jonathan’s years on Dark Shadows have been well covered in print interviews. To gain insight, I chose to interview people who were close to him, ranging from his years at Yale to his work in regional theater to those involved in his one-man shows, which he toured across the country in his later years.”
Any fan of Dark Shadows will appreciate this well-thought-out documentary of a professional actor. He hit his mark on a unique and yet dissimilar soap opera on American TV.
Thank you HiTechGlitz.com for the additional information.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Jackie is another look at the Kennedy tragedy. How many times can Hollywood tell this story? Which angle of the lens are we seeing the Kennedy lineage this time? Fortunately, Natalie Portman is playing the role of Jackie Onassis Kennedy. It appears in this trailer that we will, once again, relive one of the most important and tragic moments in American history.
The movie follows First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband’s assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a spiritual portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband’s legacy and the world of “Camelot” that they created and loved so well.
Jackie nabbed several Independent Spirit Awards nominations for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Female Lead (Portman).
The Last King, directed by Oscar-nominated director Nils Gaup, follows an arduous and awe-inspiring journey through the snow-covered Norwegian mountains. Starring Jakob Oftebro and Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), surprisingly, the movie turned out to be a great adventure story. With some awesome downhill, to die for, skiing stunts, so exhilarating. I totally enjoyed it. The story has everything from action and drama to love and revenge.
The fact that this movie is based on true events intrigued me even more. It takes place in 1204 when the Norway had been in the middle of a civil war for decades because of a battle for the throne between the Norwegian King Håkon, son of legendary King Sverre of Norway, and the Church’s Bishop henchmen.
The King, on his deathbed after falling ill from a failed coup, soon welcomes a son, born in secrecy, with a woman named Inga of Varteig and that he is the heir to the throne. Yet, half the Kingdom wants the baby dead.
To shield their newborn King from those looking to end the family bloodline, two Birch Leg warriors, Torstein, played by Hivju, and Skjervald, played by Oftebro, make the arduous journey across the snow-covered terrain to return him and his mother safely to the kingdom.
For the life of me, I didn’t know what a “Birch Leg” was until I saw this movie. The birkebeinerne or “Birch Legs” (basically are the King’s men) who fought to protect him from the Baglers, an opposing party, supporting the Bishop of course, that wanted him dead and his bloodline ended.
The movie is not English and has subtitles, but after ten minutes into the movie. I didn’t notice the subtitles. The story captured my attention with the time period and the culture. The realistic battles and beautiful scenery of snow-covered trees and mountains and the Northern Lights filmed by Peter Mokrosinski stimulated my interest in finding out if the baby King will make it back and save the country.
With that, the history of this story is amazing because of what this baby represented for Norway. The movie is about the fierce fight that saved the life of the young child who was heir to the throne. He eventually ascended at the age of 13 and reigned for 46 years. It was a peaceful reign that united the country.
Games of Thrones fans will be happy to view this movie because both Oftebro and Hivju are believable warriors. They have a strong bond and also hold a strong sense of honor in protecting the baby. The rest of the cast complemented the story and made it richer in content. It’s a gem of a movie and worth watching.
I visited the Schulz museum in Santa Rosa, California for my daughter’s sake, thinking I would be bored out of my head. Boy, was I wrong, I discovered Charles Schulz, the genius who created a series of Peanuts comic strips that voiced the current social conflicts of the time and still today. Women rights, pray in schools, draft, and war. Growing up, I did read the comic strip without realizing he was bringing up social issues. As a young girl, I marveled at the expressions and characters of each personality. I watched the television specials with my family falling in love with Snoopy.
Watching Snoopy, Come Home brought memories back during the nights I’d watch the Peanuts specials with my family. I am still in love with Snoopy because he is so innocent yet creative. In this Peanuts movie, the story is quite good. It begins with him running off to visit Lila, his original owner, who is in the hospital. Woodstock goes with him, but they are captured by a rather overbearing girl who demands Snoopy and Woodstock be her pets.
Being clever the two escape, which includes some very funny and misplaced steps of amusement. Back at Charlie Brown’s home, he is concerned with finding out about Lila. Who is she? I will not share the ending of the movie, but I will tell you that it is so much fun to watch Snoopy get into many mishaps as he tries to sneak into places where dogs are not allowed.
The movie is tried and true, and now released on Blu-ray. The new format adds more of a sparkle with a widescreen format. Keep in mind parents, that the going away party for Snoopy might be a tearjerker for the kids or trouble understanding why people are so sad at a party. Still, the humor is fun to watch and offers great laughs.
Directed Oscar winner for Best Art Direction-Set Direction (Star Wars) Roger Christian, Joseph & Mary is a compassionate, preponderate and riveting story of the all familiar Bible story. The story follows Elijah, played by Stephen McCarthy, a devout Rabbi, during a time of discontent when King Herod the Great slaughter of innocents claims the lives of two boys Elijah had sworn to protect. Elijah makes it his life mission to avenge their deaths, but he meets Joseph, played by Kevin Sorbo, Mary, played Lara Jean Chorostecki, and Jesus, played as a young boy by Lucius Hoyos and as a young man by Joseph Mesiano.
Elijah strong desire to revenge the two boys killed by King Herod are put into question. When the time comes for him to face his true enemy, Elijah finds himself wondering if to kill or forgive. Hence, this is a Christian Faith movie that has received the “Faith-Based Seal” by The Dove Foundation.
Elijah is one of the several stories in the movie about meeting Jesus but is the main story line. The acting is very well done and artfully depicts the biblical parents of Jesus as their newborn son helps them inspire faith in unlikely places. The scenes and direction are captivating with mesmerizing scenery, the miraculous journey delivers a powerful message of mercy and forgiveness.
Obvious a low-budget production that is meant to educate and enlighten, the movie is not for everyone because it is written to be shown at all Sunday School classes. The message is strong, offering the idea love your fellow man despite all efforts to do otherwise.
I worked with a lot of chefs when I was a casting producer at Demand Media studios. Each chef was a unique and talented problem solver. When they are given their freedom to create in the kitchen, the results are bon appetite – marvelous. With that freedom comes a lot of responsibility. In the feature-length documentary Noma: My Perfect Storm, we meet celebrated chef René Redzepi set against the backdrop of the Copenhagen-based restaurant, Noma, The Best Restaurant in The World 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.
Written and directed by Pierre Deschamps, the documentary stages Redzepi as a famous chef, rightly so, for his reinvention of Danish cuisine and pioneered approach to “foraging”, sourcing nearly all ingredients from the various environments of Scandinavia. Though the dishes do not seem appetizing, Noma is at the forefront of experimenting with new techniques in food. The documentary follows Redzepi, co-owner of Noma, on a creative culinary journey as he traverses the Danish landscape for inspiration, striving to achieve perfection and concoct bold, exciting dishes for travelers from around the world.
Truly a creative genius, Redzepi has been credited with revolutionizing the food world with his radical take on classic cuisine. When I say radical, I mean, not everyone is going to like his dishes. Still, Noma has won its fair share of awards. That is what makes the documentary hold its own. But, you need to be a foodie to appreciate all the complexities and personalities that go with celebrating a famous restaurant.
Perry Mason Movie Collection Volume 5 continues to satisfy my viewer palate and is the final collection released by CBS Video. For a couple years now, CBS Video has been releasing the entire program of the Perry Mason TV series and movies. That equals 271 episodes and 30 post series movies for television.
Growing up, Perry Mason was one of my family’s favorite television series to watch every week, and we were never disappointed by the stories because the writing never lets us down. The acting is first-class. There were no handheld camera shots or tight shots of beautiful women. The series was pure plot-driven. Perry Mason always found the real killer.
Some of you may have purchased the other Perry Mason Movie Collection Volumes, so you know what I am talking about. I hope you intend to purchase this final volume as well. They are not cheap, but worth the value of good drama and priceless productions.
I was fortunate to be given a copy of Perry Mason Movie Collection: Volume 5. The DVDs are in top quality condition with six wonderful and brilliant movies. Burr’s other co-star, Barbara Hale, had such wonderful rapport with him that can’t be reproduced in any other television show I have ever seen.
It can’t go without mentioning that Raymond Burr played a prosecutor inA Place in the Sunwith Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. I guess, he was meant to be in the courtroom, though in Perry Mason he is on the other side of the court.
Below is the list of the final Perry Mason movies. The last four are without Raymond Burr and do not give the legendary series justice, but if you are going to collect these, you might as well have them all.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host (starring Raymond Burr)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss (starring Raymond Burr)
A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives (starring Paul Sorvino)
A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle (starring Hal Holbrook)
A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Grimacing Governor (starring Hal Holbrook)
A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Jealous Jokester (starring Hal Holbrook)
The Bible mentions the story of Noah’s Ark, which is about two paragraphs or a page long, depending on the book. I watched Russell Crowe’s version called Noah and concluded that Noah was under much pressure. A massive rain storm was coming where it would rain for forty days and forty nights—raining so hard that it would wholly submerge the world in water, a great flood. He had to build an ark large enough to hold all the world’s animals in pairs, male and female. He could not take all of humanity, just his family. Then, he had to feed all the animals and his family until the world was no longer flooded. Right, there is a great story with enough conflict to keep you at the crossroads of Heaven and Hell.
Directed by Kenneth Glenaan, Noah’s Ark is more biblical than Crowe’s version. The stories are the same to a certain degree. Still, Glenaan’s take on the story is an educational message about faith. They portray Noah as a man believing in God. An impressive cast includes David Threlfall, Joanne Whalley, Nico Mirallegro, and Ashley Walters.
Noah’s Ark is a familiar tale of a man, his family, and his passion for doing what God wishes, building an ark that saves his family, animals, and humanity. If you are familiar with the story, you know God told Noah to build an ark, and then he did it. The movie takes a license because the story is so short in the bible.
Noah is a good farmer and a generous family man, but his family doubts him when he tells them an angel instructed him to build the ark in the middle of an arid desert. He means what will happen and how he will save his family and the animals. He asks them to be faithful and believe a devastating flood is coming. His sons reject his proposal and decide not to help his father build the ark. But Noah has faith in God, so he risks ridicule from his caring but infuriated family. He, of course, endures embarrassment from the townsfolk as well. He has a devoted and loving wife who changes her mind and decides to build the ark with him. She wants to show her support and love.
The flood arrives close to the end of the movie. The forty days and forty nights of rain go rather quickly. Before you know it, the ark lands on dry land, and the film ends. With dramatic flair is how the movie ends. Yet, if your faith is strong, you should enjoy the film for what it is — validating your faith in God.
