PHOTOS
PHOTOS
Mike Evans
ONE STEP BEYOND — The Official First Season (CBS/Paramount)
THE GOOD: One of TV’s great “lost” anthology shows finally gets a proper treatment on DVD.
THE BAD: This is only “bad” if you were previously ripped off by one of the “cheap” OSB releases. Somebody goofed somewhere and several episodes of this program slipped into the public domain. As a result, fly-by-night video companies began to produce poor quality compilations from 16-mm syndication prints. The picture and sound quality were uneven to say the least.
THE PLOT: One Step Beyond ran for 2½ years on ABC and showcased stories of the paranormal, supernatural and unexplained. Supposedly every one of these tales was based on an actual occurrence. The show was hosted by “your guide to the supernatural” John Newland, who would set up the story, step out of frame and let the drama commence.
You could say that OSB was a Twilight Zone rip-off, but you’d be wrong. OSB premiered about eight months before the Twilight Zone. Perhaps history has been kinder to the latter because that show’s writing was a touch more eclectic or maybe Rod Serling was a more charismatic host.
OSB still holds its own though. The show’s production values and stories are both rather good. You still get some genuinely creepy moments, and Beyond is not short on future stars popping up in various episodes. The first season alone features appearances by a young Cloris Leachman, a pre-Avengers Patrick Macnee and Edward Platt long before he became Maxwell Smart’s “chief.”
THE EXTRAS: Not much — a few promos and the original opening sequence that mentions the show’s initial sponsor, Alcoa. There’s also an audio interview with writer Don Mankiewicz. However, the episodes themselves are the real attraction. The quality is beautiful and these are the original cuts lasting almost 26 minutes each.
BUY IT?: Definitely. One Step Beyond is a blast. And there’s a good chance most of you are seeing these 22 episodes for the first time.
BLACULA/SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM — 20TH Century Fox.
THE GOOD: Fox is raiding the American International Pictures archives and re-releasing a bunch of Blaxploitation flicks as double features. This horrifying set is just one of many SOUL CINEMA releases.
THE BAD: The movies themselves are cheesy enough, but who says that’s “bad?”
THE PLOT: Blacula is about an African prince (played by William Marshall) cursed and turned into a vampire by the real Count Dracula after asking the Count to stop the slave trade with Africa. (Who knew there was a Transylvanian slave trade?) The Count then seals the prince in a coffin, and he remains there for two centuries until ...
Flash forward to the early 1970s when two extremely gay interior decorators from Los Angeles buy up the entire Dracula estate and unwittingly transport the prince back to U.S. He is then awakened and wreaks havoc in downtown L.A.
Filled with racial and sexual stereotypes and inane dialog, Blacula is a blast from the past that is funny, not frightening, and more urban action flick than horror film. Little House on the Prairie fans also get to see Ketty Lester (Hester-Sue) play a late night cabbie turned into a crazed blood-thirsty murderess. That alone is worth the purchase price. Scream Blacula Scream is simply more of the same, but with a good dose of voodoo added to the already tasty brew.
THE EXTRAS: Just the original theatrical trailers. However, the widescreen transfers look good and these sets usually sell for about $10 apiece (not bad for a double feature).
BUY IT?: Yeah! And maybe pick up a few more SOUL CINEMA sets too. They’re all grindhouse approved!
NEW RELEASES — CD
CREED — Full Circle
MICHAEL JACKSON — This Is It
TEGAN AND SARA — Sainthood
TRAIN — Save Me San Francisco
WEEZER — Raditude
WOLFMOTHER — Cosmic Egg
NEW RELEASES — DVD
THE MAIDEN HEIST with Morgan Freeman and Chistopher Walken
ORPHAN with Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard
WHATEVER WORKS with Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood