shootr2 Reviews

The Millionaire: The Amy Moore Story (1955) Season 1, Episode 1

Typical 50's mindset

[4/10 · 25 January 2019]

Widow Amy Moore struggles at a department store job, hoping to move to AZ for the benefit of her asthmatic son. She meets a man at the store and they begin dating, contemplating marriage. Then along comes the windfall. And the 50's kick in....

First off, she describes her son as being an "invalid" for having allergies! Then the new prospective husband describes the near hellish experience of his ex-wife inheriting 400K and his having to live in HER house, with HER servants, and driving HER car, etc...and how it ruined the marriage because he didn't feel needed. So she gives back the million in total, saying she has "everything she needs"! Amazing.

Fractured Flickers (1963– )

After 40 years, they're ALL MINE!

[22 January 2005]

Friends...have you ever wanted to laugh uncontrollably? Snicker yourself silly? Chortle until the entire house shakes? Guffaw until you gag??? Then you've come to the right place....Fractured Flickers is for you!!! But seriously. I've been searching for these shows since I was a kid. My introduction to the segments was the snippets Jay Ward put into the George of the Jungle series. The old clips looked funnier than anything I'd ever seen. The self-effacing humor was spot-on perfect for the style of the show. And Hans Conried's interview segments were incredible.

A funny thing happened. I had recently heard Bob Newhart's stand-up routine about a film director who couldn't get anyone to actually follow direction, in front of or behind the camera. Hilarious bit. A couple of days later, I bought this DVD set. Lo and behold, there was the same bit, but tailored to FF guidelines - complete with someone impersonating Bob Newhart! I thought it might possibly even BE Newhart...after all, stealing a concept as identifiable as this, and even using the voice? Musta been planned and approved.

But NO! At near the end of the series run, Bob Newhart shows up in the interview segment...picketing the show!! He even mentions that they stole his routine and voice! Now THAT'S a gutsy, audacious and brilliant show.

And if you listen carefully, you can hear almost every cartoon voice Scott, Foray and Frees ever used for the Jay Ward cartoons.

BUT a fair warning. If you buy this DVD set, take it in small doses. While not repetitious, a lot of the comedy, since it is voice-over related, can get tedious with continuous viewing. Give yourself a chance to breathe, so to speak.

And since no one else has mentioned it, Alan Thicke's ill-fated talk show Thicke of the Night, before anyone ever thought of Growing Pains, featured a very similar re-dub, voice-over old films segment on weekly shows, featuring the talents of Richard Belzer, Charles Fleischer, Gilbert Gottfried and others. But they borrowed from the uber-stash of the MGM vaults. Forbidden Planet re-dubbed? Heresy!!!