Long, long ago, in a galaxie far, far away, stars of the 1970's gathered together to make this legendary holiday special. It was aired once and then shut away in the vaults forever. Only bootlegs of it exist, because of George Lucas disappointment with the final result. It tells the story of the Wookie holiday, Life Day and Chewbacca's journy home with Han Solo to spend it with his family. Making appearances on the show are Bea Arthur, Harvy Korman (in several roles), Art Carney and Dihanne Carroll, as well as Star Wars veterans, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.
This has never been released on commercial DVD, though you can find unofficial copies of it around. It's also on YouTube in full. Above is part one, uploaded by Hazelwood1styear. Watch it soon! Lucas is notorious for wanting to destroy every copy of this show that he can lay his hands on.
Obscurity factor: 3 (legendary cult status, though rarely seen, not on DVD, available on YouTube)
Showing posts with label Harvey Korman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harvey Korman. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Sammy Davis Jr., Zsa Zsa Gabor & Hedda Hopper in Alice in Wonderland (1966)
This Hanna Barbera production of Alice in Wonderland (subtitled What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?) is updated to contemporary suburban America. The familiar tale is changed to reflect the times beginning with Alice's (Janet Waldo) journey, which isn't down a rabbit hole, but through a television screen. She meets the requisite assortment of characters including the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat (Davis Jr.), the Queen of Hearts (Gabor) and the Mad Hatter (Harvey Korman) who, in this version has a wife played by Hedda Hopper. Also featured are Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble (Alan Reed and Mel Blanc) as the Talking Caterpillar.
As far as I can tell, this production of the classic story isn't available on DVD. It can be seen in full on YouTube, however. Above is part one, uploaded by OneDareLand.
Obscurity factor: 9 (not on DVD, available on YouTube, not well remembered)
As far as I can tell, this production of the classic story isn't available on DVD. It can be seen in full on YouTube, however. Above is part one, uploaded by OneDareLand.
Obscurity factor: 9 (not on DVD, available on YouTube, not well remembered)
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Alan Reed, Mel Blanc & Harvey Korman in The Man Called Flintstone (1966)
The curious similarity between secret agent Rock Slag and Fred Flintstone is uncanny. It's this similarity that lands Fred the job of filling in for Slag when he's injured in Bedrock. His assignment is to stop the terrible Green Goose from destroying the world and that quest takes him to Paris and Rome.
This full length feature is the first one starring the popular characters and, though silly, has a flashy sixties style to it. Listen for the voice of Harvey Korman as Chief Mountmore. Also featured are voice artists Janet Waldo and Paul Frees.
This is marginally well known to the general public and very well known to fans of The Flintstones and fans of cartoons in general. It's available on DVD and can be watched on Veoh. Above are the opening credits, uploaded to YouTube by alexmystyleno3.
Obscurity factor: 2 (somewhat known to the general public, on DVD and Veoh)
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| MoviePosterShop.com |
This is marginally well known to the general public and very well known to fans of The Flintstones and fans of cartoons in general. It's available on DVD and can be watched on Veoh. Above are the opening credits, uploaded to YouTube by alexmystyleno3.
Obscurity factor: 2 (somewhat known to the general public, on DVD and Veoh)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
John Ritter & Harvey Korman in Americathon (1979)
Obscurity factor: 8
With the recent threat of a government shutdown, I thought this would be the perfect film to profile. It's about what was, at the time of this film's release, 19 years in the future -1998 and the USA is in trouble. The country is broke and has borrowed 4 billion dollars from its richest citizen, Sam Birdwater - a native American who is about to call in the debt. President Roosevelt (John Ritter), who is into EST and Scientology has decided that the best way to finance the debt repayment is to hold a 30 day telethon. Preparations for it begin with hiring the host - a former film star (Korman) who now has a successful television series called Mother & Father where he plays a gay father who works as a female impersonator. Undermining the effort is the president's assistant (Fred Willard) who is working with a united Arab-Jewish state Hebarab to make a grab for the country by buying it from San Birdwater when he repossess it.
What's remarkable about this film is not the plot or acting, both of which are passable, but the amazingly prescient predictions about future life. Among them are China embracing capitalism and becoming a world power, peak oil, native American wealth, the casualization of American fashion, the ascendancy of reality television, the acceptance of alternative lifestyles in popular culture and the rise of gold being touted on television as an alternative way to secure wealth. Inevitably they get a few things wrong as well, including predicting North Dakota as the first all gay state. Look for Richard Shcaal, veteran of MTM sitcoms and Valerie Harper's former husband as the vice president and cameos by Elvis Costello, Meatloaf, Tommy LaSorta, Howard Hessaman, Jay Leno and the Del Rubio Triplets.
This film, by Neal Israel, the director of Bachelor Party was just released on DVD in January of this year. It can also be see on Veho. Above is the trailer, uploaded to YouTube by wholmes. The poster above can be found at MoviePosterShop.com.
Obscurity factor: 8 (Never screened, just available on DVD, largely forgotten)
With the recent threat of a government shutdown, I thought this would be the perfect film to profile. It's about what was, at the time of this film's release, 19 years in the future -1998 and the USA is in trouble. The country is broke and has borrowed 4 billion dollars from its richest citizen, Sam Birdwater - a native American who is about to call in the debt. President Roosevelt (John Ritter), who is into EST and Scientology has decided that the best way to finance the debt repayment is to hold a 30 day telethon. Preparations for it begin with hiring the host - a former film star (Korman) who now has a successful television series called Mother & Father where he plays a gay father who works as a female impersonator. Undermining the effort is the president's assistant (Fred Willard) who is working with a united Arab-Jewish state Hebarab to make a grab for the country by buying it from San Birdwater when he repossess it.
What's remarkable about this film is not the plot or acting, both of which are passable, but the amazingly prescient predictions about future life. Among them are China embracing capitalism and becoming a world power, peak oil, native American wealth, the casualization of American fashion, the ascendancy of reality television, the acceptance of alternative lifestyles in popular culture and the rise of gold being touted on television as an alternative way to secure wealth. Inevitably they get a few things wrong as well, including predicting North Dakota as the first all gay state. Look for Richard Shcaal, veteran of MTM sitcoms and Valerie Harper's former husband as the vice president and cameos by Elvis Costello, Meatloaf, Tommy LaSorta, Howard Hessaman, Jay Leno and the Del Rubio Triplets.
This film, by Neal Israel, the director of Bachelor Party was just released on DVD in January of this year. It can also be see on Veho. Above is the trailer, uploaded to YouTube by wholmes. The poster above can be found at MoviePosterShop.com.
Obscurity factor: 8 (Never screened, just available on DVD, largely forgotten)
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