Adirondack Reviews

Killer Kids (2011–2015)

Not as bad as the reviews say

[8/10 · 21 January 2023]

Unfortunately, the majority of the viewers know as much about psychology that everyone should know. The show brings up movies, music, TV, games, but not to blame them for the killers' actions. Everyone is affected differently by different things. If you have prolonged anger and depression in your life, and you start listening to death metal and watching horror movies, THEN you may well wind up being a killer. Everyone starts out with different mental strengths and weaknesses. Whoever starts out with just the right weaknesses, you had better hope that they don't get drawn to watching or listening to these things that it may sound like this show blames. That does include the occult, Ouija boards, witchcraft and the like. It's not uncommon for people who get into those things to end up killing at least one person, as research can show you.

And as far as the narration goes, the IMDB cast list shows who has narrated. They are not little girls. I wouldn't want any little daughter or niece of mine narrating a show like this. Some adult women can imitate a child's voice very well. Some have a natural little girl sounding voice. A famous example (especially for horror fans) is the late actress Zelda Rubenstein, famous for playing Tangina, the spiritualist in the 1980's Poltergeist movie franchise. Of course, she was a "little person"- many of them have higher voices as adults. But guess what: her voiced added a little creepiness to the movies, and the narrator voice of this show. I thought of Miss Rubenstein right away when I first heard this narration, but she died the year before this show started.

So you might choose to think the narrator voice is inappropriate because it sounds like a little girl, but it's not one. You may choose to is like the choice of voice sound, but I can see both how some viewers can find it tacky while some others may find it creepy and either dislike it or welcome it for that reason. Not having seen many episodes yet, It has kind of grown on me and you may need to let it grow on you. You may also view it as weird, but you might be welcoming of weirdness.. I like weirdness. Bring it on!

And this show is pretty good too. I'd recommend checking it out with the thing I said in mind.

Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965)

American versions: Better than the sequel

[9/10 · 12 July 2005]

This film is extraordinary, and easily the most creative of all the Japanese giant monster films. I'm a fan of all Frankenstein films that came out before the Robert DeNiro (as the monster) one, though I haven't reviewed any for this site (yet). That aspect of the buildup of this film was great. If there was ever another Frankenstein film that featured the monster starting out as a normal human eating the monster's heart, I'd love to know about it. I've never seen that in any other Frankenstein film. I also love the creeping hand.

"Frankenstein" was an interesting giant Japanese movie monster and it's a shame that they didn't do a series of films with him (like with Godzilla and Gamera), or at least release them in America. Yes, it was a bit corny that he remained in the same clothes throughout his entire growth spurt, but there is nothing else on that level that you have to suspend belief on, other than the fact that he is said to be Caucasian, but looks more Japanese (especially full-grown).

Baragon just appeared like any other Japanese movie monster that no evil person/intelligent creature sent, but I didn't mind that. The film history with this monster is interesting. He fought Gamera, the giant turtle in "Gamera vs Baragon", and in that film, he actually breathed ice. He does not breath ice this film though-- only fire. One can only wonder how that would've impacted this film if he did. Baragon also made a very brief appearance in the Godzilla flick, "Destroy All Monsters". He didn't fight any monsters or use any special ability whatsoever in that film, though supposedly, he was helping the other monsters fight Ghidora. I believe he was the only monster connected to both Gamera AND Godzilla.

Why I think this film is better than the sequel, besides the Frankenstein deal I described above, is because it wasn't as enticing seeing 2 monsters who were so much alike fighting each other. I also came to like Nick Adams in this film, "Godzilla vs Monster Zero" and "Die Monster, Die" (not a Japanese giant monster film). He's cool and smooth and gets the chicks! It's too bad he died so young and couldn't star in more horror/sci-fi films.

The War of the Gargantuas (1966)

American version review

[6/10 · 12 July 2005]

A good, entertaining film, but only if you like Japanese giant monster movies. The Gargantuas (especially the brown one)reminds me of King Kong in "King Kong vs Godzilla". I wonder if the octopus in the beginning was the same one in that film.

I'd have a hard time believing it if someone told me that actor Nick Adams wasn't considered for the role of the American Doctor. Adams had that role in "Frankenstein Conquers the World", and the role of the American in "Godzilla vs Monster Zero". Perhaps he didn't want to be typecast as a Japanese giant monster movie actor, so he turned down this part! Anyway, Nick and Russ Tamblyn seemed similar in the way they played their roles, but I can't put my finger on how.

There is good destruction here and I loved seeing the efforts of the army fail. What kind of giant monster could be hurt by anything humans did anyway? There was the water electrocution scene though, which was nice. Soon after he got out of that situation, the actual war implied in the title begins. It was funny to see the brown Gargantua pull up a tree and swat the green one with the top of it as he slept! However, it's a long time into the film when the war starts (over an hour into it). For a title that implies that the film is all about their war, the film crew sure takes a long time to build up to it. The buildup has it's nice moments though, and should at least keep you mildly interested to see what happens next.

**Spoiler: The climax is interesting, with both Gargantuas dying in the explosion, although I think I'd rather see one Gargantua kill the other (possibly the green one drowning the brown one, since Greenie lived in the water and could probably hold his breath longer than Brownie), then the surviving Gargantua dies in the explosion. I can live with the way it did end though.

ABBA: The Movie (1977)

For ABBA fans (like me) only

[31 May 2002]

I have this movie taped from when John Feuglesang (sp?) hosted it on VH1 a few years ago. He was eating from a box of cereal called ABBA Bits (A take-off on Alpha Bits).

Comments on the group: I give them all their due. Bjorn can really rock with that electric guitar and the few times he took lead vocals, the songs were good. I really wonder why these songs never seemed to make it to radio. I guess he wanted to let the gals be in the spotlight. Speaking of whom, they really sing well together. Their harmony is excellent. I'm a big fan of both these lovely ladies solo and dual performances for ABBA. I have more of a thing for Agnetha and all blonds with foreign accents. Both of these ladies contributed a lot to the group. Benny is great on the piano as well (loved his solo performance in the movie)

Comments on the movie: Definitely for ABBA fans only. All other viewers would probably be bored out of their skulls. There's not much of a plot, but it's humorous to see how the Australian DJ always fails to get an interview with the group. It's nice how after the reporter asks Agnetha about getting the title of female performer with the "sexiest bottom", we get a few opportunities throughout the movie to see what he was talking about. I must say, she would certainly be in the running. The actor who played the Australian DJ was as good as the writing probably allowed him to be. The rest of the actors were a little bland.

Final note: If you've only heard a few songs from this group and you liked what you heard, DEFINITELY watch this movie. You probably only heard the songs that are the most commonly played on the radio and TV stations like VH1. When I first saw this movie, I only had ABBA Gold Vol 1 on cassette, but the film made me want ABBA Gold Vol 2, which I've seen in the stores, but never got to buy yet. Vols 1&2 are very good to get if you're just starting out with this group.

The Big Idea (1934)

LOTS of big ideas

[6/10 · 15 September 2001]

An interesting film. Ted Healy does a good job playing a writer (an idea man). The radio show scene is a definite highlight- with great impressions of Bing Crosby, Amos and Andy and probably other famous people. It sounds like they probably did other cast members of the Amos and Andy show, but I don't know for sure because I never saw it.

The Three Stooges were the main reason I watched this film in the first place. For most of their appearances, they would march into Ted's office playing a different brass instrument each time. They would stop in front of Ted's desk, put their instruments at their sides and lift their hats. The hat lifting somehow caused water to spray out of the instruments at Ted. They would then play the same tune again as they left the office. The last time they come in with instruments, it leads to different circumstances to give the boys a chance to ham it up.

Overall, this is a film that's good for it's uniqueness. The comedy is good, but it seems to rely on the uniqueness. Don't just watch it for the Stooges, watch it for everyone and everything else too, (except the dance scene) so you can see that this is a truly good film.

Plane Nuts (1933)

Stooges in Vaudeville

[8/10 · 15 September 2001]

What a great and unique film. It's the Three Stooges and Ted Healy. It was Curly and Moe's brother, Shemp, who was with Moe, Larry and Ted in Vaudeville, but after they went to Hollywood and did one film (Soup to Nuts (1930)), Shemp left and Curly joined.

Still, this film is what their Vaudeville act must've been like. Even though the Stooges are in it, don't expect to see any of the antics that they're the most famous for, as this film was released a few years before they left Ted Healy, started doing the Columbia shorts and got settled into their well-known characters. You DO see SOME things that that you see in the Columbia shorts. I can't believe this site didn't give Bonnie Bonnell credit for her role in this film. She was in at least two other films with the Stooges as well. (See "Nertsery Rhymes" and "For some reason, her name is spelled "Bonny" (just "Bonny", no Bonnell)

Some highlights of this film- the Stooges want to act out a script and Moe gives Ted a part. Moe says to Ted, "When the music plays "The Gates of Hell Are Open," that's where you walk in". Also, there's a song they all (minus Bonnie) sing where Ted seems to be the main singer and each Stooge is doing his own thing. Watch Larry doing his "I'm from the south...HEY, HEY!" act at this time.

Some lowlights- the dance scenes. For folks like me that were born after 1960 or so, dance scenes in early films bore you and make you want to fast forward through them. Other than that, lowlights are non-exsistant. So you'll definitely enjoy this film if you're a fan of Vaudeville type acts whether or not you're a fan of the Stooges.

Sappy Bull Fighters (1959)

Not a lot of bull

[5/10 · 29 May 2001]

This is a remake of "What's the Matador" with Curly Howard as third Stooge- and Let's be honest, it's not near as good, mainly because Besser was not Stooge material. But compared to other Besser Stooge shorts, It's great. Greta Thyssen is great eye candy for the male audience members. Gowan.... take the bull by the horns and see this film for yourself. It is funny. Highlights include the Stooges' harmonic crying, Greta's husband discovering Larry under the bed and some jokes that were recycled from "What's the Matador" and the Shemp Stooge short "Don't throw That Knife." For a Besser short, this is a must see.

Oil's Well That Ends Well (1958)

Joe's haunted!

[4/10 · 29 May 2001]

Joe Besser "The Wishing Wizard" gets everything he wants in this remake of "Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise" with Curly Howard as third Stooge. This film does not rank anywhere near the original in greatness, but it's good in it's own right. The fact that so much material was taken from Curly's version really stands out. There are plenty of new things, though. Highlights include Moe and Larry's interactions at the uranium digging site and the bunk-bed scene, (almost like no other Stooge bunk-bed scene before it).

It's interesting how in the first scene, Moe is unusually passive and Larry is the aggressive one. It's like they exchange characters! I don't mind seeing Larry that way once in a while, but Moe has to be Moe!

Fifi Blows Her Top (1958)

Fifi Blows Your Mind

[6/10 · 29 May 2001]

Vanda "Fifi" Dupre- one of the most gorgeous creatures in Stooge film history in this near totally original film. Exchanges between Moe and Larry are great, but this is one of the few films where we see Joe's character depressed, and that brings the film down somehow (but not much). There is a lot of recycled material from the Shemp Stooge short "Love at First Bite" but is not technically a remake. Highlights are mostly the recycled material.. the bubble gum gags and the funny reminiscing stories. You will fall out of your seat laughing when you see (during Larry's flashback story) how an open-mouthed sleeping man in a restaurant can be fed from many feet away!

Breaker! Breaker! (1977)

NOT a bad movie!

[30 March 2001]

Get ready for Dukes of Hazard meets Convoy ala Chuck Norris! This movie made me want to see Chuck as a good ol' Duke boy! You gotta love when the guy with the red shirt and blue jean overalls holding the rake says to Chuck, "I'm gonna stick ya!"

This movie doesn't have the big, tough bad guy who may or may not know martial arts that would fight Chuck at the end, but he does take on the lawman that's probably the tougher between the sheriff and the deputy. Calling him tough isn't saying much, though.

Don't call this film a western- it's more southern. Don't miss this movie- you'll get a "kick" out of it! A tip for a good laugh while watching this movie- when Chuck beats the snot out of the lawmen, think of the song, "Bad boys, bad boys, watcha gonna do?" This works even better while watching the lawmen on the Dukes of Hazard in their funniest "crime fighting" moments!

The Hot Scots (1948)

McMarvellous!

[10/10 · 2 November 2000]

I wonder if McDonald's restaurant sponsored this film, if the business was around back then, because in one scene, they seem to call everything Mc-something!

This is a film where my favorite of all six stooges, Shemp can be seen at his funniest. Curly would be my favorite, but I think he's a little too silly. As the film begins, you see three men with beards, hats and pipes approach the desk of the top man at Scotland yard. The man asks, "What can I do for you gentlemen?" Moe answers, "Before we answer that, I want to prove we're not gentlemen!" The three men peel the fake facial hair off and Moe helps Shemp peel some of his. This reminds me of the Curly Stooges film with they went to Egypt in search of the mummy of King Rootin-tootin. They first appeared in an American museum disguised much the same way, except they wore false faces on the backs of their heads. (You must have seen it to know what I'm talking about.) Anyway, after getting their assignment in a way they never expected, the fun really begins. They go to Glenheather Castle in Scotland and run into three criminals, one is the lovely Christine McIntyre, who may very well be the best soprano I've ever heard. She doesn't sing in this short though (darn!). A really funny part is when they meet her before they knew she was one of the crooks and the owner of the castle. Larry (or McLarry) asked her, "And what might your name be, lass?" She replied, "Perhaps you've heard it. It's Lorna Doone." Shemp (or McShemp) extends his hand to shake and says, "Hi, Lorna. How ya doone?" Moe or (McMoe) raps him on that hand with his cane. This is one of my very favorite Shemp Stooge films. You may want to grab some Mcnuggets and Mcfries for this one!

You Nazty Spy! (1940)

Moronikally Marvelous!

[30 October 2000]

I'm a life-long 3 Stooges fan whose favorite stooge is Shemp. Curly, however is my second favorite. Moe and Larry are probably tied for third. Moe looks AND (for all I know) sounds (when he yells in his version of German) like Hitler. My favorite magic words of all time (Ikkle dikkle bikkle mik) are in this film. They are spoken by the same girl who played Sherry in the Stooges short with Curly when the boys pose as Doctors Ziller, Zellar and Zoller. She was also one of Nell's Belles in the Stooges Short with Curly called "Rockin' Through the Rockies". You will never find any film that makes fun of World War II as funny as the Stooge World War II films. How's this for a funny thought: replace the stormtroopers in the Star Wars movies with the ones in this film! What would Darth Vader say?!

The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000 TV Movie)

Good, but not as good as the reunion, which was also good, but not as good as the show.

[8/10 · 21 May 2000]

I would like to know the reason for calling this movie "Hazard in Hollywood". They didn't spend much time there at all. Daisy does a few stunts for one movie and the Duke boys chase the bad guys through the Hollywood sets. I'm not a guy who's a big fan of goatees, as it seems many are nowadays, so it was a bummer to see Luke with one. Enos wasn't as funny here or in the reunion as he was in the show. Neither was Cletus. Too bad. Rosco was still kind of funny. It was a great movie, though, but it should probably only be seen by real Dukes of Hazard fans. I think next time, they should have to deal with Hughie Hoggs villainy again or have another run-in with Sheriff Little. Maybe they'll even bring Coy and Vance back. Whatever happens, may the General Lee ride forever!

Gilligan's Island (1964–1992)

Great show!

[4 May 2000]

Please don't let negative reviewers ruin any desire you may have for seeing the show for the first time. It is hilarious. Some peoples standards are just too high. Gilligan and Skipper are a lot like Laurel and Hardy. If you like them, and Bob Denver in Dobie Gilis, you should love this.

Mrs. Howell is the only character that I find irritating at all, but at the same time, I think she acts just like a millionaire's wife should, to comic effect. All the others play their characters convincingly as well.

There were many outrageous guest stars too, including Don Rickles, Phil Silvers, Larry Storch, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Denny Miller, the great Vito Scotti, and more. (Denny appeared twice: once as a surfer, and once as a Hollywood ape man actor, and Vito appeared 3 times: Once as a Japanese sailor who didn't know WW2 was over, and twice as a mad scientist).

For the ultimate experience, watch while enjoying a slice of coconut cream pie!