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Reviews
Der Nussknacker (1964)
Great as a tool for learning to understand ballet
I was a fifth grade student when this presentation was first broadcast, and I watched it each year it was available. Because I was so young at the time, I had no experience in interpreting the story behind the dance, even though some of the songs had appeared in my piano lessons during the few years of the show's run. But in any case, I very much appreciated the narration. And because I was familiar with Eddie Albert from his role in the "Green Acres" TV series, I was quite comfortable with his storytelling; interestingly, one of the primary things I recall him mentioning was the marzipan used in one of the sets. Also, due to my young age and lack of familiarity with ballet, I had no idea what a privilege it was to watch Edward Villella in the lead role. Many years later, I had the opportunity to watch my elementary school aged grandson narrate a Christmas season presentation of the beloved performance (sans the great dancers), and my mind wandered back to this very first production I ever had a chance to enjoy.
Dear Santa (2011)
"Sleepless in Seattle" meets "Legally Blonde" meets "Arthur"
Somehow, despite the formulaic plot (rich, but nice, girl about to be cut off from family money unless she becomes more responsible (i.e. married and productive), finds widower whose child is seeking a new wife for him, while using knowledge of high fashion and society's upper echelon to overcome obstacle of snobbish former girlfriend attempting to work back into widower's life), this is a delightful story that actually works well. The characters interact in a relatively believable manner, so even though we can pretty much guess at how it will end within the first five minutes, it's fun to watch it play out. I wouldn't mind seeing it again!
Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989)
Does no justice to the original
This film was the result of nearly six years of politicking after the release of the original Eddie and the Cruisers. A follow-up had been promised, but several cast principals and others weren't interested in filming a sequel. As a result, the character of Frank Ridgeway, played by Tom Berenger, was written out of the second script so completely that even the flashback scenes showing significant portions of the first film showed not Frank, but Sal Amato (Matthew Laurance), whose character was quite different from Frank's; in fact, he was generally so jealous of Frank's recently-acquired songwriting partnership with his old friend, Eddie, that he would have preferred Frank had never come along. For fans of the original film, seeing him in Frank's role as well as his own was simply not believable.