DVD reprise

Theaters are full now because they have a.c. and electricity but once power is restored a few DVD compilations promise to keep viewers glued to their sets. First up is a documentary from 2003 that has just been released on disc.
The Mindscape of Alan Moore features a head-on conversation with the creator of some of the best graphic novels over the last generation. Born in the UK Alan Moore is a modern magus. The film starts out simply enough with Moore recounting his humble beginnings like working in a tannery where for fun the workers threw animal parts at each other. Eventually Moore's writing won him an award that took him to America and as writer for the comic Swamp Thing. Moore explains that the award process was bestowed by a group so small he was surprised the reception he got in the US.
As the conversation goes on Moore completely astounds the viewer with his knowledge of world history and comparative religion. Before the titles roll the viewer has been taken to a point high above normal existence and given a view of the world reserved for great thinkers. Perhaps my favorite part was Moore illustrating inventions throughout history and then suggesting that by the year 2015 human knowledge will double ever second.
The Mindscape of Alan Moore is nicely packaged in a slipcase and comes with a second disc that contains approximately three hours of interviews with artists that have collaborated on his graphic novels: Melinda Gebbie (Lost Girls), Dave Gibbons (Watchman), David Lloyd (V For Vendetta), Kevin O'Neill (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), among others. Extras on the first disc include composer and director interviews.


How appropriate that The Smothers Bothers Comedy Hour: The Best of Season Three debuts on DVD in this current election year. Many of the events depicted on the four discs mirror our current political election cycle. In April of 1969 the Smothers Brothers were unceremoniously fired from CBS by right wing executives in support of the Nixon administration. Many of the then deleted segments (an incendiary interview with anti-war activist Dr. Benjamin Spock, or Joan Baez referring to her husband in jail for refusing the draft), as well as a complete show that was banned (due to David Steinberg's wild religious skewing fable) are included here.
Many of the variety style skits seem quaintly old fashioned and even the George Carlin segment is lacking in what was to become his question-authority style, yet the politics of the show's writers and Tom and Dick Smothers shines through. The entire fourth disc is dedicated to Pat Paulsen (a regular on the show) and his 1968 Presidential campaign. CBS ran a special one-hour show, narrated in home town tones by Henry Fonda, that mocked that election. There's even a clip of fellow Democratic candidate Senator Robert Kennedy playing along with the joke.
The extras are a true adventure including long form interviews with the participants. With guests like George Harrison (he was still a Beatle at this point), The Doors, filmmaker Chuck Braverman, Harry Belfonte and prolific writers that included Rob Reiner, Steve Martin, Super Dave Osborne, and Mason Williams (who also composed "Classical Gas") it's very easy to overlook some of the episodes more prosaic moments. Spend time with this set and you'll agree we need the Smothers Brothers now more than ever.