Revisiting Some Prime ‘Green Acres’
The latest batch of television shows hitting the home video market ranges from high camp to high drama to vintage rock ‘n’ roll.
Baby boomers will get a kick out of the “Green Acres” collection (Orion, $10 each). The silly sitcom ran on CBS from 1965 to 1971 and starred Eddie Albert as New York attorney Oliver Wendell Douglas, who makes his childhood dream of farming come true when he buys a rundown spread in Hooterville. Eva Gabor played his sophisticated wife, Lisa, who enjoyed New York and her apartment with a “penthouse view.”
The real scene-stealer of this spinoff of “Petticoat Junction” was Arnold the pig.
The four-volume collection includes four episodes per tape, including the pilot installment, which features John Daly, the host of CBS’ “What’s My Line?” Even 34 years after it premiered, “Green Acres” is still surreal fun.
Even more of a hoot is “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” the Peabody Award-winning series that was seen on Comedy Central before moving to its current home, the Sci-Fi Channel. The comedy series features Joel Hodgson; his successor, Mike Nelson; and their robot friends, Tom Servo, Crow, Gypsy and Cambot, watching and commenting on truly dreadful movies. Rhino Home Video has just released three more hysterical installments ($20 each; $40 for the set): “The Wild, Wild World of Batwomen”; “Beginning of the End” and “The Crawling Hand.”
The flamboyant Dame Edna (played by Barry Humphries) is a huge hit in England. With her white helmet hair, pointy glasses and outrageous outfits, Dame Edna serves up deliciously wicked innuendoes and jokes. Her attempts to conquer American television flopped on NBC and Fox, but fans will enjoy her 1992 British game show, “Dame Edna’s Neighbourhood Watch” (Ariztical Entertainment Group, $60 for the three-volume set).
Dame Edna selects three unsuspecting contestants from her all-female audience. One is then given a huge surprise when she discovers that a cameraman is at her home. Viewers get a tour of the residence while Dame Edna asks the other two contestants questions about it. It’s all very silly, but Dame Edna’s quips make it worth watching. To order, call (800) 356-4386.
For the more discerning viewer, there’s “Coming Home” (Acorn, $60), a well-crafted, compelling miniseries based on Rosamunde Pilcher’s saga of innocence lost during World War II. The all-star cast includes Peter O’Toole, Joanna Lumley, Penelope Keith, David McCallum, Susan Hampshire and Emily Mortimer. It’s a great wallow. To order, call (800) 474-2277.
New Video is offering a two-volume set of episodes from the classic sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” ($20). The “Mary and Rhoda: The Very Best of Friends” collection features five episodes chronicling the ups and downs of Mary and her friend Rhoda (Valerie Harper). The pilot episode is included.
For teenagers there’s BMG’s latest three-volume collection of episodes from the acclaimed drama series “My So-Called Life” ($15 each; $40 for the set), which starred Claire Danes. Each tape features two uncut episodes.
If you love classic rock, you’ll enjoy doing the frug and the pony to MPI’s eight-volume collection of “Music Scene: The Best of 1969-70” ($20 each; $80 per four-volume set). The short-lived weekly ABC series featured the latest hit acts in pop, R&B; and country, based on Billboard magazine’s record charts. Among the artists included on the tapes are Neil Diamond, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Little Richard, B.B. King, Three Dog Night and Dusty Springfield. Look for a pre-”Laugh-In” Lily Tomlin as a member of the series’ comedy troupe.
Also new on video is “The Temptations” (Artisan, $20), the four-hour drama about the beloved Motown group that aired in November on NBC.
