SPACE STATION

REVIEW:
With the successful launch and return of the space shuttle this week, the arrival of the I-MAX film SPACE STATION is very timely. This is a terrific video that takes you on your own personal tour of the international space station. You ride along with the astronauts as they bring the space station new supplies and bring up new crew members.

This video provides you with a hint of what it would be like to work and live in space. Quarters are small and I would guess that team work is paramount. Everyone has to pull together and that is a good lesson to learn for all of us.

If you want to know more about the international space station -- this video is definitely for you. The presentation is wonderful and it is packed of wonderful video segments showing the astronauts getting ready for sleep, moving supplies from shuttle to station and much, much more.

This is a good one for the kids as well. If they are curious, especially given the recent shuttle flight, this video will give them a lot more information about what it is like to live in space.

Be sure to visit the Space Station page for all the information on this DVD -- including videos received directly from Warner Bros.

This show was on for four seasons from 1993-1997. The actors involved in this adaptation of an old classic SUPERMAN really made this series. The chemistry between Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher was terrific. I have always been a huge fan of SUPERMAN. George Reeves was wonderful as the first Man of Steel (I actually met him when I was about 8 years old). Christopher Reeve will always remain tops in my book as far as men who have taken on this lead role. However, Dean Cain was very believable and enjoyable to watch. In addition, Lane Smith was perfect as Perry White.

This set has some wonderful extras, including interviews with Dean Cain and Terri Hatcher. A double bonus in the DVD Smallville episode "Crusade". If you are a fan of Superman, this is a DVD set you should seriously consider adding to your collection. The series was well done with a mix of drama and comedy.

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Season 1 Episode List

1: "Pilot"
2: "Strange Visitor"
3: "Neverending Battle"
4: "I'm Looking Through You"
5: "Requiem for a Superhero"
6: "I've Got A Crush On You"
7: "Smart Kids"
8: "The Green, Green Glow of Home"
9: "Man of Steel Bars"
10: "Pheromone, My Lovely"
11: "Honeymoon in Metropolis"
12: "All Shook Up"
13: "Witness"
14: "Illusions of Grandeur"
15: "The Ides of Metropolis"
16: "The Foundling"
17: "The Rival"
18: "Vatman"
19: "Fly Hard"
20: "Barbarians at the Planet"
21: "The House of Luthor"

DVD Features:
Available subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
21 episodes on six discs, including the two-hour pilot

Commentary on the pilot by Dean Cain, executive producer Deborah Joy LeVine, and director Robert Butler

From Rivals to Romance: series retrospective documentary
"Taking Flight: The Visual Effects of Lois & Clark"
Original pilot presentation introducted by Deborah Joy LeVine
Interviews with Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher
Limited-quantity commemorative bonus disc containing the never-before-released-on-DVD Smallville episode "Crusade"
Number of discs: 6

During this season, Wonder Woman got two new outfits -- one for riding her motocycle and one for under water. These were new to the character we found in the comic book, but fit with the modernization of the character.

I have always loved Wonder Woman -- from the comic books through the TV series. Now looking back, I can't believe she wore glasses like that! And it is sort of retro -- watching people dial telephones with rotary dialers. However, the stories still hold up pretty well. It is the traditional good versus evil -- and you know Wonder Woman always prevails.

The special features on this set were very different from those found on the Second Season set. Lynda Carter had much more to say about her character and how she became Wonder Woman as soon as she donned ther head piece. Others commented on Wonder Woman's influence on the feminist movement. Here was a strong character, a role model that did not exist before.

Lynda Carter's parting comment says it all -- she hopes that this DVD will introduce the character to a new generation.

WONDER WOMAN, SEASON TWO

Another great collection from Warner Bros. If you are looking for entertainment that your kids will enjoy, here is a collection that you can consider. Here's an example of one episode:

A magician has developed a process for turning lead into gold. One problem -- it only lasts for two days. He makes a deal with an oil producing country -- oil for gold. Sound familiar? The laboratory set where the gold is transformed into gold would make Frankenstein envious. The special effects are good -- especially when you consider when this series was made. Of course, good prevails and Wonder Woman brings the evil magician to justice.

The special feature on this one is very good. It includes brief comments from Lynda Carter, Douglas Cramer and the artists who brought Wonder Woman to life -- as a comic book character and as a TV personality. Lynda Carter "is" Wonder Woman and she brought a certain grace and poise to the character that everyone remembers. When she would put on that costume, you just believed she was Wonder Woman.

The West Wing is one of those shows that is so full of talent you don't know where to look first. In the fourth season, President Bartlet is fighting for re-election, against a foreign government dangerous to the U.S., and MS. Over the course of this year, you see characters change and grow stronger. Each and every cast member contributes to this masterful work.

My only quibble about this DVD set is the special commentary. I'm not a fan of the voice-over style, where the commentary is added to the actual footage of the episode being reviewed. While in some instances it can add valuable insight into how the scene was developed, it can also be confusing as you are trying to figure out what is being said -- along with what actions are taking place on the screen. Watching the scene for "Twenty Five" where Toby and Leo sit in a dark room following the birth of his twins -- this is a very poinient moment. To then have Aaron Sorken ando thers talk over the scene, despite the relevance, leaves me scratching my head. I would have preferred to have been shown the seen and then have the discussion follow.

Otherwise, this is a terrific DVD set. The packaging is minimal, but you still get enough information to easily find the episode you most want to watch -- or the commentary you would like to listen to.

The DVD set is divided into 4 disks. There are two different sets of commentaries. The first features director Janet Greek, Fiona Avery, Carrie Dobro and Peter Woodward as they talk through the episode "The Well of Forever". At first it was a little disorienting - watching the action and just hearing their voiceover of their comments. But very quickly I found that it is like having someone whisper in your ear little tidbits that make the episode more enjoyable. All four people obviously loved making this episode - Fiona Avery wrote it with a very definite feel for the character of Galen and technomages. Janet Greek directed a number of Babylon 5 episodes so she had an advantage in knowing the general story and environment around Babylon 5. While Crusade was different in nature, the production crew was much the same and their care in visual storytelling is most apparent. I had the good fortune of actually seeing this episode being made at Babylonian Productions in California. It was amazing to see the end product on film when you know how tiny the studio facility was and how large it looked - especially with all the talking & walking segments throughout the series. This exchange between the four is very intelligent -- and a delight to listen to.

The second set of commentaries begins with "The Making of Crusade". J. Michael Straczynski, John Copeland, Doug Netter, John Iacovelli and others go over casting, set design and story concepts. Getting insights from Marjean Holden (Dr. Sarah Chambers) and hearing from David Brooks (Max Eilerson) that he knew his character was headed for a fall were interesting. Like many good actors, they created a total environment for their characters - one in which they had fun and were able to share their talents with everyone.

All in all, watching the CRUSADE DVD is like meeting an old friend again after an extended absense. I still can't say I like the music, but perhaps I've matured enough to appreciate it a bit more than I did when the series began. Peter, Marjean, Carrie and David are lovely people and a joy to work with - on and off the set. I've run into them at conventions and we share some very fond memories of CRUSADE. Joe Straczynski, John Copeland and Doug Netter did a phenomenal job on this series - too bad it didn't reach the heights it could have reached.