Classic Albums: The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon

Amazon.com

The most phenomenal recording in rock & roll history is thoroughly examined in Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon. The Floyd's 1973 masterpiece remained on bestseller charts for nearly 14 years, and its enduring importance is honored here by all four members of Pink Floyd and key personnel (engineer Alan Parsons, mixing supervisor Chris Thomas, sleeve designer Storm Thorgerson, and others) who played essential roles in the landmark album's creation. Produced for the Classic Albums series that originally aired on VH-1, this thorough and thought-provoking study highlights a track-by-track dissection of the LP's master tapes (including the spoken-word passages that bookend the album), superbly interlaced with archival footage, early demo tapes, concert animations, and latter-day acoustic performances by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright to demonstrate each track's contribution to the final mix--a sonic exploration that extends to the illuminating bonus features. Informative interviews abound (including Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke), and much-deserved credit is given to saxophonist Dick Parry, solo vocalist Clare Torry, and former Capitol Records chairman Bhaskar Menon, who fostered the album's U.S. commercial success. For Floyd fans, musicians, and studio technicians alike, this is a must-have addition to any DVD library. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" Classic Album is the creative story behind the masterpiece: "Dark Side Of The Moon". "Dark Side Of The Moon" transformed Pink Floyd from art house favorites to global, stadium superstars. Prior to 1973, Pink Floyd maintained a relentless gigging schedule and by the time they came to record "Dark Side Of The Moon" had already created many of the basic tracks. "Dark Side Of The Moon" would be the first Pink Floyd (post Syd Barrett) album where Roger Waters would supply all the lyrics around a concept: The Circle of Life. With the timeless qualities of its production and musicality, allied to the hypnotic evocation of its central themes - alienation, paranoia, madness, war and death, "Dark Side Of The Moon" would become the album that would dominate the 70's and 80's (with a record number of 741 consecutive weeks in the Billboard 200). This program takes an in depth look at the making of the 1973 album. All four members of the band Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright are featured in exclusive interviews. Roger, David and Richard play songs and demonstrate themes from the album. Alan Parsons (the original engineer) takes you through the multi track tapes giving a unique insight into the musical fabric of the record and the program is illustrated throughout with archive footage. "Dark Side Of The Moon" with its combination of great songs, inventive effects and one of the best known sleeves ever, tapped into the world's collective subconscious and became a landmark in Rock history and a truly Classic Album. Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" Classic Album is the creative story behind the masterpiece: "Dark Side Of ThThanks for all your help.e Moon". "Dark Side Of The Moon" transformed Pink Floyd from art house

Customer Reviews:

You won't "fritter and waste" money on this. Essential documentary........2007-09-09

First, the director of "Live At Pompeii" prob. had no idea at the time that he was filming one of the best selling albums of all time. The footage, filmed in the same studios The Beatles had recorded their classics just a few years prior, show Pink Floyd working (prob. aware of the cameras) on songs we now know by heart. The director had also said that what was in the movie was all he had.

Unfortunately, there is little concert footage filmed, there are bootlegs, but as far as a full length concert, it's either been lost in time (strange considering how multimedia focused they were), or you'll have to settle for "PULSE" and "In The Flesh" and somehow edit them together. Or still hope they do the one show together.

One thing Gilmour and Waters have been great about are doing interviews about Pink Floyd. Nick Mason and Rick Wright also contribute to the story of how this album came together. We learn that this was something they worked out on the road and that the actual studio time wasn't all that long, it was just a matter of PF getting studio time in.

We also get Alan Parsons explaining his part in putting the album together, by no means a small part. Add to that each of PF playing parts and dissecting the songs, and a demo of "Money".

The documentary is under 90 minutes, which is the right amount of length you need to cover the story behind making this album. AND there's bonus footage, so any fan of Dark Side of the Moon will want this. I've watched it more than once, so to me it warrants a purchase and not a rental.

I do hope one day for a "Dark Side of the Moon" DVD because there's enough footage to do it.

The best in the Classic Album DVD Series.......2007-09-04

I have watched several of the Classic Album DVD's, including Steely Dan/Aja (which is excellent, and probably my favorite band/album), The Who/Who's Next (which is OK), and Cream/Disraeli Gears (which even though I'm a big fan, was not that great). Anyway, this one, Pink Floyd/Dark Side of the Moon is by far the best. It just grabbed me and had me mesmerized from start to finish. The scenes with David Gilmour playing solo electric and pedal steel versions of Breathe, and Us and Them are so amazing, I can't even find the right words to describe it. Gilmour is hands down the best guitar player in the classic rock genre. I was also impressed with the solo piano playing of Rick Wright as he talked about coming up with some of the chord changes and turnarounds in Breathe and Us and Them. But, I think what really blew me away the most was the thoughtful and interesting perspective that Roger Waters puts on the whole project throughout the documentary. Watching this DVD has convinced me that it is definitely no accident that this album spent something like 741 consecutive weeks on the Billboard charts. Just remember, "there is no dark side of the moon, really, matter of fact it's all dark...." Grab this one, you won't be disappointed.

dark side of the moon.......2007-08-26

as if the album wasn't awesome enough, now you can get a good look at how the best album of all time was created with all the interviews from the band.

batcall.......2007-08-09

The Beatles opened the doors for rock'n roll, but Pink Floyd went from an RnB band to Progressive rock. This LP is their Sgt. Peppers. There are not too many living legends as great as this group.

Awesome!.......2007-07-30

The way this 'documentary' was put together is very slick. They blend/match the members of the band playing their parts of the music with archived footage from 30 years ago. David Gilmour and the others are very thoughtful in their memories/summary of the experience. A very classy tribute to one of the greatest, music changing albums of all time.

Complete Kathy & Mo Show - Parallel & The Dark Side

Average customer rating:

Kathy & Mo Show - Parallel & The Dark Side
Kathy & Mo Show & "NO Show"
Outstanding
Hilarious montage of wit and views on life!
I LOVE THIS SHOW!

Complete Kathy & Mo Show - Parallel & The Dark Side
Starring: Kathy Najimy , and Mo Gaffney
Director: Art Wolff , and Dean Parisot
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000G8NXNM
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Description

With great insight, wit and compassion the QUEENS OF COMEDY -- Kathy Najimy (Sister Act, Veronica's Closet, Dirty Blonde) and Mo Gaffney (Mad About You, Happy Texas, Absolutely Fabulous) bring their unique perspective to an incredible variety of hilarious characters and situations that will have you laughing from start to finish!

The 2-DVD set features both award-winning specials, The Kathy & Mo Show: Parallel Lives (a decidedly wicked and hilarious look at men, women and modern America) and The Kathy & Mo Show: The Dark Side (a no-holds barred frank and funny look at religion, gay rights and feminism) plus 20 years worth of never-before-seen film clips culled from Kathy's & Mo's private collections, newly filmed footage and audio commentaries making The Complete Kathy & Mo Show a must-have for all Kathy & Mo fans! This phenomenal 2-disc set runs 230 minutes total!

Customer Reviews:

Kathy & Mo Show - Parallel & The Dark Side.......2007-06-14

This DVD is a classic - guaranteed to make you laugh. The extra material shows the beginnings of Kathy & Mo's comedic material and characters. This isnt as funny but is interesting because you see how far Kathy & Mo have come with their acts and turned into the comedic professionals they now are. The main show begins with Kathy & Mo as angels and progresses from there. This show is probably one of the funniest I have ever seen. I can watch it over and over and never get tired of it. Hooray for Kathy & Mo - excellent.

Kathy & Mo Show & "NO Show".......2007-02-18

I have been in love with Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney ever since their groundbreaking arrival heralded by their HBO special PARALLEL LIVES. Through the years I had heard rumors of a sequel or second part on HBO that I was never able to catch. FINALLY, I have seen it. I can't say that is was worth the wait.

If THE DARK SIDE had been the first one released, it would have been amusing and fun to watch, but not one for the record books. Unfortunately PARALLEL LIVES came out first and blew the doors off, leaving quite large shoes to fill the second time around. The intuitive nature and rapport that exalted any exchange between the two of them during PARALLEL in its entirety does not spark and was not present in THE DARK SIDE.

A Glimmer of the bond between the two was intermittent in the extras and outtakes. With no great production quality demonstrated in this bonus feature the old routines are charming and give us some insight to the Kathy and Mo we now know and adore, but nothing to write home about.

A MUST BUY and well worth the money for PARALLEL LIVES ALONE, the second feature of THE DARK SIDE is not necessarily a plus. My suggestion is watch DARK SIDE first then PARALLEL LIVES for maximum enjoyment.

Outstanding.......2007-02-15

This show is hilariously real. It takes every day events and stereotypes, and puts them into truly amusing situations

Hilarious montage of wit and views on life!.......2007-02-07

The first time I saw The Kathy and Mo Show was in 1992. I laughed until tears rolled. From the brilliant opening act of the two angels discussing how human beings should be created, to the genious of the characters they create, this collection is wonderful. Maddie and Syvie, Sister Woman Sister, Hank and Karen Sue, and the ingenious Angels "inventing" humans...all of these acts were hilarious. Kathy Najimy is a comedic genious. The productions filmed by audience members aren't the best quality (Dark Side=3 stars), but, the stage productions filmed professionally (Parallel Lives=5 stars!) are fine. Buy this and watch it any time you need a big lift!

I LOVE THIS SHOW!.......2007-01-30

I am still excited that this was released on DVD with both shows. Serious comedy that makes you think. Wonderful.

Pink Floyd:Making of the Dark Side of the Moon (UMD)

Average customer rating:

There Is No Dark Side Of The Moon...
Amazing
You've been mad for HOW MANY years?
Why IS the lunatic on the grass? Watch the dvd and you'll find out!

Pink Floyd:Making of the Dark Side of the Moon (UMD)
Starring: Pink Floyd
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

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Accessories:

ASIN: B000BKJ6WW
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Description

Prior to 1973, Pink Floyd maintained a relentless gigging schedule and by the time they came to record "Dark Side Of The Moon" had already created many of the basic tracks. "Dark Side Of The Moon" would be the first Pink Floyd (post Syd Barrett) album where Roger Waters would supply all the lyrics around a concept: The Circle of Life. With the timeless qualities of its production and musicality, allied to the hypnotic evocation of its central themes - alienation, paranoia, madness, war and death, "Dark Side Of The Moon" would become the album that would dominate the 70's and 80's (with a record number of 741 consecutive weeks in the Billboard 200).

This program takes an in-depth look at the making of the 1973 album. All four members of the band; Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright are featured in exclusive interviews. Roger, David and Richard play songs and demonstrate themes from the album. Alan Parsons (the original engineer) takes you through the multi track tapes giving a unique insight into the musical fabric of the record and the program is illustrated throughout with archival footage.

"Dark Side Of The Moon" with its combination of great songs, inventive effects and one of the best known sleeves ever, tapped into the world's collective subconscious and became a landmark in Rock history and a truly Classic Album.

Customer Reviews:

There Is No Dark Side Of The Moon..........2007-07-06

When an album is on Billboard's music chart for a record breaking 741 weeks, you have to know what went on behind the scenes. This remarkable DVD explains in acute detail through interviews with all the band members, how they got the sounds they did. David Gilmour provides insight into how he obtained certain echoes and sound duplication of his guitar on several tracks, while Roger Waters talks about the meaning behind his lyrics and why they seem to appeal to so many people. When pieces of the albums are singles out on the equalizer, you can hear just how many layers of music and special effects went into the making of this landmark album. Find out from Waters how simple and clever it was to get those sound effects for "Money". Richard Wright's piano solos are especially beautiful, even without the rest of the band. He is truly under-rated.

Amazing.......2007-01-13

I watched this DVD at least three times the first time I put it in the player. Even the most informed of Floyd fans will gain information off of this DVD. Fortunately, I read the reviews of others before buying the documentary on Wish You Were Here. As good as this DVD is, is how poor the "Wish You Were Here" DVD is. Buy this today!!!

You've been mad for HOW MANY years?.......2006-10-13

How did they do it, why did they do it, what does it mean? Who are the people behind those voices, anyway? To get the answers,watch this DVD in a quiet room; become absorbed just as you have many times while listening to DSM. Essential to any Floyd fan's collection. Will not collect dust.

Why IS the lunatic on the grass? Watch the dvd and you'll find out!.......2006-09-21

If you are a hard core Pink Floyd fan, you MUST MUST MUST have this dvd in your collection. Seriously, I've been listening to this album for nearly 35 years, and all of my questions about the 'making of' have finally answered. This dvd contains band member's recollections of the recording sessions of Dark Side, as well as Alan Parson's take on the nearly impossible yet masterful engineering of THE greatest rock and roll album ever created. With indepth interviews from magazine editors, journalists, band members, and production crew, you'll learn so much more than you ever thought possible. I guarantee you will not leave your seat until the credits roll. Even if you're not a tech person, you'll enjoy the way David Gilmour effortlessly demonstrates the sequencers and other sound effects. And if you like philosophy, there's Roger Water's classic moments of personal insight into the making of this album. Nick Mason and Richard Wright's interviews also give you a golden view from inside the studio. And yes, while all of the guys are aging a bit, it's uplifting to see that their memories are as brilliant as the sun- or the dark side? You decide.

Average customer rating:

America Haters rejoice
WOW!
Wow. A VERY frightening and terrifying movie.
Dont be fooled by naysayers
Every student of American Democracy should this documentary

Frontline: The Dark Side
Starring: Jessica Savitch , and Will Lyman
Director: Katerina Monemvassitis , and Brent E. Huffman
Manufacturer: PBS (Direct)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GIXE6S
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Customer Reviews:

America Haters rejoice.......2007-07-30

Another hatchet job by the folks who hate the administration.
Yes, let us just allow the Islamists to destroy our country.
Do you relly think that we can prevent other 911s simply by
"being nice?"
We must use the most extreme tools at our disposal to root out the enemy.
They are here.
They hate us and want to kill us.
Wake up!
Jessica et al are simply tools of CAIR.

WOW!.......2007-03-09

Very enlightening! Thank God that Frontline does the journalism that no one else seems to be doing these days. If this was common knowledge, we would have new leadership in the White House.

Wow. A VERY frightening and terrifying movie........2007-02-19

Just when you thought it was safe to go to bed, you learn that there really IS a conspiracy to subvert democracy -- and that the 'shadow' government of spy and espionage novels isn't just for paranoids anymore. Here's what I found the most interesting and terrifying: the number of senior NSA and CIA analysts who have left civil service or have retired. Leaving only the most junior staff to feed intelligence to the White House. Or maybe it is the documentation of the establishment of an extra-judicial system exempt from all constitutional oversight, and answerable only to the Pentagon and, perhaps, the White House.

It's better and more thrilling than any spy novel or movie I've seen because it's very real. Keep watching for my reviews, I may become of of the 'disappeared'.

Dont be fooled by naysayers.......2007-01-26

A reveiw of Christopher Johnson's past reveiws suggests he dismisses any program that questions the bush administration. Two in particular were given only 1 star apeice. He is cleary reveiwing strictly along party lines.

Every student of American Democracy should this documentary.......2007-01-09

Another incredible installment from Frontline and a must see for anyone who cares about Democracy. Frontline is known and respected for bringing together sometimes small fragments of network news items and it's own research, inevitably weaving them together to form a seamless reality check for the viewer. Frontline "connects the dots" and The Dark Side is no exception. The Dark Side looks at the post 9/11 conflict between the White House (Chaney) and the CIA (Tenant). Beginning with the tragic event of 9/11, the film makers clearly explore the facts behind the Vice Presidents role in the White House. And in doing so, sheds light on George Tenant (former CIA director) and other administration players from 2000 to the present. The Dark Side reveals that while the rest of us sleep soundly, something incredibly insidious is happening beneath the surface of our "Reality TV/X-Box" dreams - I guess when a certain number of people have been pacified into fear, anything can happen. The Dark Side title is taken from a quoted comment Chaney made regarding "(pursuing) the 'enemy' into the shadows" suggesting that we (the Administration) should begin to play on the "enemies" terms. But what is also brought into the light is the question of the dark(er) side of those we entrust - those "in power." Despite the intentions of doing what might be percieved as best for America, there are those who are bent in using power to pursue and establish personal agendas and doing so at the expense of the very values they claim to uphold - ironic. And dangerous. The Dark Side rates among the best documentaries regarding the fallout of 9/11. It joins the ranks of Fog of War, Why We Fight, Control Room, Frontline's Rumsfields War and The Torture Question - all essential additions to your library. The facts revealed in The Dark Side should be a positive contribution to the dialog regarding American politics while raising serious questions about the simplistic "do-gooders vs. evil do-ers" paradigm that so many have bought into and hold so dear.

Average customer rating:

THE DARK SIDE OF THE HEART
One of the best of Argentine Cinema.
Awesome Movie - Rubbish DVD
Very enjoyable
It's a good, strange, and romantic film..............

The Dark Side of the Heart
Starring: Sandra Ballesteros , Mariana Baranchuk , Jorge Del Castilo , Mónica Galán , and José Luis García Espina
Director: Eliseo Subiela
Manufacturer: Cinemateca
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008O34X
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Customer Reviews:

THE DARK SIDE OF THE HEART.......2007-04-10

The movie is in a good condition. The image definition is good as well and the sound has a good quality too.

I loved the movie!

One of the best of Argentine Cinema........2007-02-07

If you see two foreign films this year, these should be those two:
"El Lado Oscuro del Corazon" and "Valentin".

Awesome Movie - Rubbish DVD.......2007-01-18

I love this film, so I decided to get the DVD. Since getting it on the shops is impossible I had to order it. Absolute rubbish !!!!

- It comes on full screen format cutting the original framing
- It promises a booklet, no booklet
- Poor quality packaging

This product is highly overpriced for what it has offer.

Very enjoyable.......2006-09-10

The first 2 minutes, with the specially designed dating bed, are alone worth the price of admission!

Full of beautiful imagery and poetry and music, much of it brilliantly surreal and metaphorical, albeit a few sophomoric spots here and there when it just seems way too classically Romantic.

And that's why I'd give it 4 instead of 5 stars---this film is indeed very enjoyable, but it doesn't have any real edge of satire or self-mocking playfulness. It doesn't seem to be aware of its own existence as merely a work of art wrought by human hands, not reality itself. In that regard it reminds me of the kind of poetry that people often write in their late teens and twenties: heartfelt, passionate, and often moving...but without the lightness and wisdom of a more mature perspective.

Still, it's unique and engrossing enough to be worth owning, in my opinion.

It's a good, strange, and romantic film.....................2006-03-25

If not for anything else, Eliseo Subiela's "El lado oscuro del corazon" will introduce the casual viewer to the poetry of Mario Benedetti, Juan Gelman, Oliverio Girondo as well as the director's own compositions. Eliseo Subiela is one of the best Argentine directors of all times, as this 1992 film clearly demonstrates. Its one of those rare movie that can make you stop and look at life. Eliseo has a gift of story telling, again we see him telling a very sad story of a poet and his life in Bue~as Aires.

Dario Grandinetti, the great Argentine actor, plays Oliverio with equal parts of charm and mystery. Mr. Grandinetti makes an invaluable contribution to the success of the film. He is the main reason for watching this forgotten film that is full of poetry and magic. Sandra Ballesteros is seen as Ana. Ms. Ballesteros is an equal match to Mr. Grandinetti. Nacha Guevara plays Death with panache. Ms. Guevara, who is one of the best cabaret and performance artists of Argentina, is a huge talent that Mr. Subiela utilizes to the best results in the movie. As Oliverio's buddies, Andre Melancon and Jean Pierre Reguerraz are perfect.

The dark cinematography by Hugo Colace adds another dimension in our enjoyment of the film. A masterpiece of poetry & magical realism. The "comic" device of the poet's dialogues with death is sheer brilliance; the many ways a heart can be used are explored masterfully; the friendship between the three Dionysian male friends is a delight. Rent this film if your not to sure but not all rentals has it. And if your able to rent this keep it a few extra days and watch it again. This film is hard to find in stores but fortunately enough Amazon has it on stock for now, Ultimately, this is Eliseo Subiela's triumph in a movie that is not only beautiful to look at, but to listen (or read the subtitles). Happy viewing.

Learn the Songs From Dark Side of the Moon: Pink Floyd

Average customer rating:

Pink Floyd Learning Made Easy
Excellent guitar instructor and instruction

Learn the Songs From Dark Side of the Moon: Pink Floyd
Starring: Nate Lapointe
Manufacturer: Cherry Lane
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QU2ZJI
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Product Description

A Step-by-Step Breakdown of Pink Floyd's Guitar Styles and Techniques .. A must-have DVD for every Floyd fan, this DVD examines the licks from 8 songs on their classic CD. Each guitar part is played up to speed, then broken down note by note. Analyzes: Any Colour You Like Brain Damage Breathe Eclipse The Great Gig in the Sky Money Time Us and Them.

Customer Reviews:

Pink Floyd Learning Made Easy.......2007-08-24

This is a really great way to learn songs from the album. Well-laid out and easy to track. Having the ability to see and hear, and to understand ways to think about the music and material is terrific. This has made my learning come much easier. It's like having a teacher in the room with me.

Excellent guitar instructor and instruction.......2007-07-16

Nate Lapointe is an excellent instructor. He clearly explains and shows what he is doing. The DVD runs 1 hour & 24 minutes. To cover all songs on the album, he has to move along, but he accomplishes this without being rushed. He covers both the chords as well as the leads. A must for any Pink Floyd fan. Far superior to the Black Sabbath Legendary Licks DVD (also from Cherry Lane), which only features portions of the songs. Nate teaches you to play the entire song. Highly recommended.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 13, Episodes 25 & 26: This Side of Paradise/ The Devil in the Dark

Average customer rating:

Spock Emotes! Morals Galore!
Pure 60ýs cheese, as you like it
Two more must-see episodes
Spores & Aliens
Mmmm... Meat Loaf...

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 13, Episodes 25 & 26: This Side of Paradise/ The Devil in the Dark
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305910464
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Amazon.com

The Vulcan-born first officer of The Enterprise, Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), generally smiles about as often as Greta Garbo. But in "This Side of Paradise," Spock not only smiles but laughs, dangles from a tree, kisses a good-looking blonde woman, and gets into a fight with his best friend. It all starts when Spock, Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Sulu (George Takei), and a couple of crew members beam down to Omicron Ceti III to find out what happened to a group of scientists who built a research colony on the planet. What they discover is a little spooky. The colonists claim they've created a true paradise where everyone is part of a collective mind bent on positivity. Kirk, naturally, argues that paradise robs people of their need to suffer and crawl toward progress.

Meanwhile, Spock is zapped by an exotic flower that is the real source of all this community goodwill, and he instantly gets happy, acting like a kid, renewing a romance with a comely biologist (an angelic Jill Ireland), and giving the sputtering Kirk an earful of entertaining insubordination. Story editor D.C. Fontana's script contains some obvious parallels between a chemically induced "paradise" and a drug-induced high in the 1960s. But the real draw here is Spock's uncharacteristic joy and the drama behind Kirk's shattering decision to break his friend's heart.

"Devil in the Dark" opens with an emergency on Janus VI, a planet rich in raw materials crucial to the running of Federation operations. There's a lot of money to be made by the mining contractor involved, but a swift, unseen monster is roaming the snaky tunnels of Janus's interior, turning miners into acid-drenched goo. It's up to the Enterprise crew to find the alien culprit and defuse the lynch-mob mentality spreading among the paranoid working stiffs there. Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) beam down to initiate the detective work, leading Spock to quickly conclude that the thousands of silicone balls mysteriously strewn about the planet's deepest level might have something to do with the reasons behind the atrocities.

Written by series guru Gene L. Coon and directed by mainstay Joseph Pevney (who alternated directorial chores with Marc Daniels during the show's second season), "The Devil in the Dark" is a breathlessly paced episode reflecting a delightful variety of cross-genre influences--Westerns, creature-features, gritty noir. Add one of the most effective and moving instances of the Enterprise's search for new life on Star Trek (plus McCoy's infamous complaint, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"), and this is a memorable program indeed. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Spock Emotes! Morals Galore!.......2006-08-28

Overall, these are not 2 of the stronger eps from Season 1 however they do allow for telling insights into the characters of both Spock and Kirk. In the first, weaker ep, strange spores on an otherwise inhospitable planet allows settlers to survive in blissful existence without any ill effects from deadly radiation that is constantly bombarding the planet; in fact, even preexisting medical conditions are righted giving the inhabitants perfect health. Now as you can expect, Kirk has to spoil things and 'rescue' the settlers from their brand of Eden. The plot is rather weak as we are never told why Kirk isn't affected to the degree of the others to the effects of the spores or how easily he is able to counter the effects but we do get to see a softer, 'human' side of Spock as he actually admits loving someone here and you can feel his regret at having to leave this moment behind at the end.

The stronger second ep has a strong moral encouraging communication rather than revenge and retribution to settle differences. Spock again gets to emote as he mind melds with the alien which is the subject of persecution as miners of a mineral-laden planet misunderstand the reasons behind the creature's animosity towards them. A great advertisement for diplomacy over brute force if you can get over the low tech special effects.

If you are picking and choosing which volumes to collect and keep, put this under the "good to have" category, the others being: "must have" and "give it a miss".

Pure 60ýs cheese, as you like it.......2003-09-15

"This Side of Paradise" - 3.865 stars

(a.k.a., "James T. Kirk: Wet Blanket")

"For the first time in my life, I was happy" - so says Mr. Spock, when asked to comment upon his experience on Omicron Ceti III. Of course, the duty-bound Joe Friday of space, Captain Kirk, would have none of this nonsense. Perfect health? Bah! Peace? Hooey! Love? He'd rather fight than switch. What a creep. "Man was meant to struggle" Kirk/Friday somberly intones, perfectly embodying the hair shirt anti-pleasure ethic. Living in harmony with nature and one another bad; tearing up the landscape to "accomplish" (i.e., build more starships to endlessly repeat the process) good.

Don't ever invite this guy to a party, unless you want it to end.

"The Devil in the Dark"- 2.135 stars

(a.k.a., "Super Smackdown with The Rock")

Our heroes are summoned to a Federation mining operation on Janus VI that is being troubled by one man-eating monster, and quite a few bad actors. Well, they've got quotas to meet, mister, and production is suffering. Who cares about environmental rape - hey, that's what other planets are for! Shoes for industry! The creature looks like a heapin' helpin' of Hamburger Helper dumped on a chenille rug, and man is it ticked off. Good thing Spock can connect because, unlike most of the other aliens in the Star Trek universe, it's English-speaking skills are lacking.

It's writing skills, however, are surprisingly good.

Two more must-see episodes.......2003-09-11

This Side of Paradise-Yet another excellent episode, this one concerns a planet where plant spores have caused an epidemic of joyful inebriation. Like many of the best early shows, the slow pacing here allows a sense of mystery to develop before the hook is revealed to us. This is one of the more convincing of the 'Enterprise in danger' episodes, but it is more than that. The plot device enables several crew members to flesh out their characters, most notably Leonard Nimoy. It is difficult not to feel angry at Kirk as he goads Spock with racial slurs, even as we understand why he says what he does. Certainly the conflict between the happiness provided by drugs and alcohol on the one hand vs. their 'unnatural' tendency to hinder personal development and achievement is as resonant today as it was in 1967. (4.5 stars)

Devil In the Dark-Yet another in the string on winning episodes, this one concerns a conflict between miners and a silicon-based life form. This unusual episode has a strong element of suspense, since we are not only trying to figure out just what's happening, but also worried about what lurks in the dark tunnels. The episode is more than just suspenseful though. Themes explored include the rights of all creatures to survival, and the mammal bias inherent in our notions of both ugliness and maternal love. Star Trek must have been one of the first shows to devote so much thought to ecological/environmental questions, which like so many themes explored by Star Trek has only grown in importance. More research is of course devoted today than ever before to boundary conflicts, and more generally to finding ways to balance our human resource needs with the survival of other species.

Tidbit: William Shatner's father died during the production of this episode. (4.5 stars)

Spores & Aliens.......2003-06-15

"This Side of Paradise" A planet laced with plants that shoot out spores which make everyone happy & content infects the crew of the Enterprise. How will they break free?

"Devil in the Dark" An underground monster is killing a bunch of miners. Why? Watch & find out.

Mmmm... Meat Loaf..........2002-09-25

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: "Man stagnates if he has no ambition, no desire to be more than what he is"- Captain Kirk

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: None

REVIEW/COMMENTARY: All I can say is, it's about time Spock be mackin' the-mad hottie-of-the-week instead of the charming Captain Kirk! Especially entertaining is the setup to this little romantic romp: the official Star Trek love theme starts up, followed by alternating reaction shots of guest-star Jill Ireland (as the crush-ridden Leila Kalomi) and Mr. Spock as they stare at each other in "that way"! Well, actually she stares in "that way"; Spock looks a bit confused by it all. But don't worry, he'll come around! A nice touch to this initial scene is the gentle glowing aura surrounding the love-struck lady! Kudos to the show's lighting department for getting this effect just right!

The real fun begins when Spock cops a whiff of some intoxicating flower spores, which cause him to become a way-too-cheerful ball of sickly-sweet happiness who is now deeply in love with Charles Bronson's future wife. He also acquires a penchant for literally hanging out on tree limbs like he was some kinda monkey! Ironically, for a man who's no longer afraid to show his emotions, Nimoy didn't put much feeling into his character's dialogue here. Fortunately, Jimmers finds out how to relieve Spock's (and subsequently everyone else exposed to the spores, including the entire ship's crew) newfound dorkiness by making insulting remarks to his face regarding his mom and dad, with a few racial slurs thrown in for good measure! But before Jimmers can bring the Spockster around, he has to snap outta his own little trip to La-La-Land. He manages this with his angered utterance of "I... Can't... LEAVE!", spoken in that distinctive manner that has become a staple of many a second-rate standup act! Adding to this scene's funkiness, our beloved captain's face is illuminated in a spooky quasi-fluorescent, light-blue hue! Needless to say, the dramatic lighting department was in rare form for this eppie!

Another memorable lowlight to goof on here: Dr. McCoy breaking into a way-too-overdone Deep South accent after his exposure to the happy-spores. I am aware that DeForest Kelley hails from Georgia, but never the less his character's drawl was a bit too much, even for a native southerner! Adding to the overdone good-ol'-boy charm is his concoction of a mint julep! Sheesh, why doesn't he just break out the grits and pickled pigs' feet while he's at it!

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Don't mess with Mom!

Historical Milestone: Spock's first mind-meld with a non-humanoid life form

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: 1 Dead, 3 Incapacitated

REVIEW/COMMENTARY: `Devil' features one of the most entertaining cheeseball moments in Star Trek history: Spock's mind-meld with the rock-creature-thingy! His anguished utterances of pain and sorrow are very similar to Counselor Troi's little trances whenever she uses her empathic abilities to check out the entity-of-the-week's emotional state on NextGen. Speakin' of emotional states, am I the only person who gets a hankerin' for meat loaf (no, not the singer, silly!) whenever I grab a glimpse of the creature-thingy? I can't be the only one...

Another especially goofy scene-well, several scenes, actually-- are the reaction shots of the doomed miners and/or red-shirts right before they get toasted by the vengeful creature. Most of `em seem to have enough time to get off a phaser shot or two before they start to feel the burn, but instead they spend their last two seconds of life all petrified and screaming like the total sissies they are (were?)! These amusing moments reminded me of the death-by-steam-roller scene in `Austin Powers'! Actually, a better parallel would be the death of Darth Maul in `Star Wars Episode I'! In any case, it appears the average human's reflexes in the face of certain doom ain't gonna improve all that much in the next three hundred years...

Description

When Princess Valkyrie, of the planet Valhalla, crashes her spaceship into Earth teenager Kazuto Tokino, she saves his life by giving him half her soul. Now these unlikely soulmates must face a barrage of intergalactic suitors.

Film Noir - The Dark Side of Hollywood (Sudden Fear / The Long Night / Hangmen Also Die / Railroaded / Behind Locked Doors)

Average customer rating:

Obscure noir
Beware noir fans of this Kino rip-off!
Remastered DVDs?
5 classic NOIRS from the studio vaults

Film Noir - The Dark Side of Hollywood (Sudden Fear / The Long Night / Hangmen Also Die / Railroaded / Behind Locked Doors)
Starring: John Ireland , Sheila Ryan , Hugh Beaumont , Jane Randolph , and Ed Kelly
Director: Anthony Mann , Fritz Lang , and David Miller
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000GTJS8A
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Customer Reviews:

Obscure noir.......2007-03-23

The collection Film Noir - The Dark Side of Hollywood boasts on the box cover that it features "Five Classics from the Studio Vaults". It may be a little much to call these films "classics" (no one will ever mistake these movies for such greats as Out of the Past or The Asphalt Jungle), but they are all okay, or in some cases, even good.

The first in the bunch (chronologically speaking) is Hangmen Also Die, a World War II thriller directed by Fritz Lang and based on real events. Brian Donlevy plays a member of the Czech resistance who is responsible for the assassination of Heydrich. Anna Lee gets entangled with him, and soon both are in peril. The Nazis threaten to execute innocent people till the assassin comes forth, including Lee's father. This film is only borderline noir, but it is still good.

Railroaded is a rather standard innocent-man-accused mystery, probably most notable for featuring a pre-Leave It To Beaver Hugh Beaumont as the detective in love with Sheila Ryan even as her brother languishes in jail. John Ireland is effective as the villain in the piece.

The Long Night is the "big name" movie in the set. Directed by Anatole Litvak, it stars Henry Fonda, Barbara Bel Geddes, Vincent Price and a small role for Elisha Cook, Jr. Fonda is holed up in his apartment, surrounded by cops who want to take him in for a murder. The bulk of the movie is a long flashback as to how he got into this spot. Vincent Price is great as a slimy magician, and Bel Geddes is okay in what I believe is her first role (between this movie, Vertigo and 14 Hours - the three movies I've seen her in - I don't think she ever has a normal love relationship with any man). This film is a remake of a French movie and the only DVD with any sort of special features (a video essay on the making of the movie).

Behind Locked Doors is a short (62 minutes) little private eye story with Richard Carlson as a private detective who is recruited by a beautiful reporter to go undercover in a sanitarium where it is believed a crooked judge is hiding out. Of course, the doctor and his assistant are in cahoots with the judge and Carlson soon finds himself trapped "behind locked doors." Probably the most interesting thing about this movie is it has Tor Johnson (of Plan 9 From Outer Space fame) in a role that uses all of his limited acting talents.

Finally, there is Sudden Fear which I feel is the best in the bunch. Joan Crawford is a playwright and heiress who gets actor Jack Palance fired because he doesn't seem like a romantic leading man. When they meet by chance later, she falls for him and they marry, but it turns out he's a better romantic actor than she ever thought; he is actually scheming with an old girlfriend to kill her and get her money. When Crawford finds out by accident, she launches her own counter-scheme. Although this film owes more than a little to Hitchcock's Suspicion, it also goes off in its own direction and does a good job at leaving the viewer guessing about how it all turns out.

As mentioned earlier, there are hardly any extras in this set. Railroaded and Behind Locked Doors are three-star movies, while the others are four-star flicks. I will go with the majority and rate it four stars. These may not be classics, but this set does offer a chance to see some less well-known, decent movies.

Beware noir fans of this Kino rip-off!.......2006-11-22

Kino, which is supposed to have such a big reputation for respecting the art of cinema, has really pulled a fast one on the public with this DVD box set.

They took one of Joan Crawford's greatest noir films "Sudden Fear," plus a really great (and rare) Henry Fonda noir "The Long Night" and totally ruined them. And the other titles in this box set don't come out much better.

Both "Sudden Fear" and "The Long Night" are so inky black until most of the time you can only see the actors' eyes (and that's in bright sunshine). The sound is terrible. Dialogue is so low you have to turn up your TV to full volume to hear anything. Then when the soundtrack music starts, it's usually blasting. So you constantly have to adjust the sound all the way through each movie. And even at that, the dialogue is still flat and hard to understand.

I've bought public domain cheapy DVDs where more care was put into production values. The only thing first class about this Kino box set is the artwork. The rest of this set is pure junk.

I've been ripped off with other Kino titles with Kino's poor production values (and I'll get around to reviewing those soon), but this set wins the prize. Let the buyer beware.

Remastered DVDs?.......2006-09-10

Has anyone heard if this collection from Kino Video,have all been Remastered with better picture & sound? It's a great collection,but not if Kino has done nothing to them...Aloha Craig

5 classic NOIRS from the studio vaults .......2006-07-24

Wow! Great deal! These films retail for $29.95 each. This collection includes great titles from great directors (Fritz Lang, Anthony Mann) and they star some of Hollywood's all time greats like Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, Jack Palance and many more. Here's a little description for each film:

SUDDEN FEAR (1952) - STARRING JOAN CRAWFORD, JACK PALANCE & GLORIA GRAHAME - DIRECTED BY DAVID MILLER - NOMINATED FOR 4 ACADEMY AWARDS - SYNOPSIS: Joan Crawford turns in one of the most emotionally charged performances of her career as a playwright who must use her plotting skills to save her own life, in this beautifully crafted film noir thriller. On a train headed home to California, Myra Hudson (Crawford) falls in love with, and marries, actor Lester Blaine (Jack Palance) whom she has just fired from her most recent New York play. Back on her San Francisco estate, something evil appears to be lurking just beneath the surface of the couple's idyllic life. Enter Gloria Grahame as Palance's girlfriend (in a stunning performance the New York Times called "hard, brash and sexy."). Soon it is clear that they are after more than new scripts as they greedily scheme for Myra's money. Director David Miller (Lonely Are The Brave) guides the story with supreme confidence, assisted by gorgeous black and white cinematography and an excellent score by Elmer Bernstein, as Sudden Fear races towards its jolting climax. Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Actress (Crawford) and Best Supporting Actor (Palance), Sudden Fear is the unbeatable combination of a lushly produced Joan Crawford melodrama and a drop-dead suspense thriller. They just don't make 'em like this anymore!

THE LONG NIGHT (1947) - STARRING HENRY FONDA, BARBARA BEL GEDDES & VINCENT PRICE - DIRECTED BY ANATOLE LITVAK - SYNOPSIS: An exciting rediscovery from the studio vaults, The Long Night is an emotionally gripping, visually dynamic film noir, in which Henry Fonda, at the peak of his career, delivers an unforgettable performance. Presented in an intricate web of flashbacks, The Long Night follows the fractured thoughts of Joe Adams (Henry Fonda), a factory worker pinned inside his third-floor apartment after gunning down a mysterious, dapper gentleman (Vincent Price). Joe's memories, often containing flashbacks within flashbacks, reconstruct the events leading up to the shooting, revealing his romance with a quiet young girl (Barbara Bel Geddes), his less-romantic involvement with a worn-out showgirl (Ann Dvorak) and the varied twists of fate which drove Joe to murder. In staging this remake of Marcel Carné's Le Jour Se Leve (France, 1939), the producers of The Long Night imported not only the story, but the look of poetic realism that made the original so haunting. At once dismal and magical, the world of The Long Night was unlike anything Hollywood had yet imagined, and laid the groundwork for the dark and gritty (but highly stylized) imagery that became the trademark of film noir.

HANGMEN ALSO DIE (1943) - STARRING BRIAN DONLEVY, ANNA LEE & WALTER BRENNAN - DIRECTED BY FRITZ LANG - NOMINATED FOR 2 ACADEMY AWARDS - SYNOPSIS: Pursued by the Germans after the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, Dr. Svobonda (Brian Donlevy) enlists the aid of a young woman (Anna Lee) who is oblivious to the lethal crosscurrents that surround her. As she learns more about the mysterious doctor, she grows aware of the involvement of her father (Walter Brennan) and fiance (Dennis O'Keefe) in the resistance, and soon finds herself entangled in the revolution's secret operations. Much of the nightmarish quality of Hangmen Also Die is attributable to playwright Bertolt Brecht, who co-scripted the film with Lang, and legendary cinematographer James Wong Howe (Hud), who cloaks every conrner in shadow and endows the film with an almost tangible sense of claustrophobia.

RAILROADED (1947) - STARRING JOHN IRELAND, SHEILA RYAN & HUGH BEAUMONT - DIRECTED BY ANTHONY MANN - SYNPOSIS: Anthony Mann, who took the suspense of film noir to dizzying heights with his movies T-Men and Raw Deal, brings his talents to the hard-boiled detective thriller with Railroaded. When a policeman is killed attempting to thwart a holdup, Detective Mickey Ferguson is assigned to the case. The case becomes personal, though, when the kid brother of Mickey's sweetheart is named as the gunman. Determined to find the truth, Mickey goes searching for clues and comes up with notorious gangster Duke Martin, played by John Ireland (Spartacus, Gunfight At The OK Corral). What follows is a blood-and-thunder extravaganza filled with betrayal and suspicions, handguns and hostages, and a climactic nightclub showdown. Mann directs Railroaded with a precision and elegance that betrays its low-budget production, and John Ireland's cold-blooded performance is backed up by a talented (if unknown) cast, including Hugh Beaumont (Ward of television's Leave It To Beaver) and Shelia Ryan

BEHIND LOCKED DOORS (1948) - STARRING RICHARD CARLSON, LUCILLE BREMER & TOR JOHNSON - DIRECTED BY BUDD BOETTICHER (SEVEN MEN FROM NOW) - SYNOPSIS: A shadowy sanitarium provides the claustrophobic stage for sadism, paranoia and murder in this classic film noir from director Budd Boetticher (Tall T, Comanche Station). In a plot that clearly foreshadowed Sam Fuller's Shock Corridor, private detective Ross Stewart (Richard Carlson) checks himself into a mental hospital in an attempt to locate a corrupt judge hiding from justice. But before Stewart can reveal the truth, his true identity is discovered and he becomes a victim of his own ruse. With the help of a deranged punch-drunk ex-prizefighter (Tor Johnson of Plan 9 From Outer Space), the doctors at La Siesta Sanitarium concoct a plan to make Stewart a permanent resident. And the only person who shares Stewart's secret, the only one who can rescue him from certain death, is the scheming woman who sent him there (Lucille Bremer). A bare-bones, low-budget B thriller from Hollywood's "Poverty Row," Behind Locked Doors cleverly compensates for its budgetary limitations by bathing its sets in darkness. This visual spareness is perfectly suited to Boetticher's terse, hard-edged style, making the film a nightmarish ride through the halls of insanity and an ingenious, effective example of American film noir.

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The Dark Side of the Sun
Starring: Dark Side of the Sun
Manufacturer: Televista
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000U7150W
Release Date: 2007-09-11

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DVD

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