When Portrait of a Marriage was released on DVD earlier this year, it ended a 16-year quest of mine. (I'd actually gone to the extreme of buying the uncut version on VHS -- for way too much on eBay.) But my DVD collection is still incomplete, because I can't get these things (at least not easily, or not on region 1 discs):
10. Desperate Lives (1982)
An ABC After School Special in which Helen Hunt does PCP and jumps out a window. As far as I can tell, this isn't included in any of the box sets -- not even the one that looks like a little school bus.
9. Holocaust (1978)
This miniseries is traumatic and long, but everything Meryl Streep has ever done should be on DVD.
8. Only When I Laugh (1981)
Remember when Neil Simon ruled the screen and the stage? This particular Neil Simon movie has the distinction of not starring Matthew Broderick or Jonathan Silverman or another baby-faced boy of that ilk. It's very New York, and very gay-friendly, and full of quotable lines. And it can come in handy when you're playing Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
7. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981)
I don't remember whether this movie was really so terrific. Maybe I just like the way Vicki Lawrence sings the song.
6. Shields & Yarnell (1970s)
Once upon a time, a mime/clown met an off-Broadway dancer. They decided to create their own variety show, dance the robot with Muppets, and win an Emmy. The End.
5. Little Darlings (1980)
Kristy McNichol! Tatum O'Neal! And even Cynthia Nixon! Every baby dyke's wet summer camp dream. Matt Dillon is pretty cute too, with his long hair and sensitive stare. (And yes, this makes three Kristy McNichol movies on my list, along with no. 7 and no. 8. You should have seen my bedroom wall.)
4. My Two Loves (1986)
I've blogged about this one before, and I'm sure I'm romanticizing it a little. But I'd like to actually see this TV movie again to find out for sure whether it's any good. And I'm pretty sure Mariette Hartley could use the cash.
3. Poison Ivy (1985)
No, not that Drew Barrymore dreck, but another summer camp movie. This one was made for TV and stars Nancy McKeon and Michael J. Fox (who were dating in real life at the time) as counselors. Pure glee.
2. Yentl (1983)
Yeah, I know it's available as a region 2 disc, but really, where is it written that this can't be released in the U.S.? There's a built-in market! They could issue it as a DVD/CD set and every Barbra fan in America would buy it. Two copies, probably.
1. Housekeeping (1988)
A quiet gem starring Christine Lahti as the unforgettably charming and quirky Aunt Sylvie. This one really deserves to be on DVD -- the shots of British Columbia (standing in for Washington) are breathtaking. This also happens to be one of few movies that I consider just as good as the book.
I had High School USA on this list, but now I have it at the top of my Netflix queue instead.
Do you have your own wish list? More important, do you have any corrections or news regarding mine? I'm bereft!
Umm the reason you remember "The Night the Lights went out in GA" is obviously that poster of Kristy MacNichol! Helllooooooo! Aww, scribegrrrl the baby dyke...
I had a VHS copy of Housekeeping which my VCR ate. I have mourned its loss since.
Oh my lord, someone else who remembers Desperate Lives, finally! None of my friends remembered it. I was beginning to think I had hallucinated the whole thing a la Helen Hunt...
My gf and I just watched 'Portrait of a Marriage' this past weekend. The miracle of Netflix! Still, our queue looks like eternity in the Land of the Trolls.
Dear Scribe Grrrl, sorry to hear about your getting a copy of "Portrait Of A Marriage."
It was on PBS in 3 parts on 7/19/92, 7/26/92 and 8/2/92. I must have a jewel in my hands.
I taped it back then. I'm surprised PBS was not selling it on VHS tapes. Part #1 was
the only part that was good. Parts 2 and 3 were okay. The lesbian part was eliminated.
What do expect, it was 1992.
Portrait of a Marriage........
Yes, it aired on PBS, but notice what was said above by Gail. IT WAS aired in it's entirity on the BBC channel, but only ONCE! Then PBS jumped on it and aired with without the lesbian scenes, making it one of the most sought after movies ever by people who wanted to see the whole story....and lesbians, et al, who wanted to see those love scenes. This movie went for $100.00 on ebay some years back! That's probably why it rose to the attention of the powers that be, to get it off ebay and massed produced so they could make the money. Same goes for The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia, and Little Darlings......many more. But these movies were available in vhs and POAM wasn't available anywhere but a select few on ebay and other obscure places. Thank goodness we can buy the movie now and see it in it's entirity. And thanks for places like this that let us clamour about what we would like to see.
My pet peeve right now is how to get Dish Network to pick up logo and Here! channels. They say to write to them! You have dish and can't get these channels? Go to their website and complain,,,better yet, send them an email or call them up. I have but no luck yet!
Oh, and ebay.......they are getting rediculous. Amazon to me is the best!
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"Only When I Laugh" is also a fantastic movie. It's not on DVD. I've looked every where for it. I taped it on VHS on 2/2/03 from TV. Not sure what station. That was one of my favorite movies with Marsha Mason and Kristy McNichol. James Coco and Joan Hackett were also very good. Please tell someone to put it on DVD. That movie is a jewel.
helen hunt jumps out of a bus? gotta love those after school specials. they should have a box set of those. they were corny but quite entertaining.
i think pbs &/or mgm home video should release "purlie" the musical. you've probably never heard of it but it was a pbs special that aired in '82 written by ossie davis (who starred in the original purlie victorious with his wife). it starred sherman hemsley, melba moore, cleavon little and others. i loved it but it is impossible to find.
omg desperate lives! i had seen it and was in love with helen hunt and forgot the name of it. and i too thought i had dreamed it when helen became famous with "mad about you" until i saw them make fun of it on TALK SOUP a looooooonnng time ago.
lmao awe the memories.
Yes! I knew I couldn't be the only person scratching my head about the lack of Yentl on DVD. How can this not be on DVD?? It's just a crime, I love it so (of course, I do like to pretend that Yentl and Amy Irving lose Mandy Patinkin and live happily ever after in wedded bliss, but I digress....)
The other major missing item from my personal DVD collection is season 3 of "Once & Again". It's so cruel of them to give us season's 1&2 and then stop when it was finally getting to all of the (baby)dyke drama!
if you really need your Kristy McNichol fix, The Pirate Movie is out on DVD. Yes, it's a musical, but beggars can't be choosers, right?
I think you can get a foreign copy of "Little Darlings" on DVD on Ebay.
BTW, this movie IS on DVD but you'd appreciate it...1980's "Times Square" with Trini Alvarado and Robin Johnson as runaways who fall in love while living on the NY piers.
I bought "Portrait of a Marriage" after LOGO aired its first part and then totally screwed up, thus depriving me of resolution, period lesbian sex, and janet mcteer as vita sackville-west hotness.
It's the best investment I've made - ever.
The other major missing item from my personal DVD collection is season 3 of "Once & Again". It's so cruel of them to give us season's 1&2 and then stop when it was finally getting to all of the (baby)dyke drama!
*****************
I agree with this...not nice to stop putting the show out on DVD just when it gets to the best season!
Plus production of further seasons of "Party Of Five" have come to a halt...just when Neve Campbell is coming into her own in the series.
It is just not fair!
I can't believe someone else liked the ode to Nancy Mckeon and Michael J. Fox that was Poison Ivy! I have a copy of it on VHS at home (it's next to my VHS copy of High School USA)... :)
Portrait of a Marriage IS on DVD region 1. I have owned it for months, and plays well on my region 1 DVD player. If you want the DVD I will be glad to GIVE it to you.
Oops, okay I see that you HAVE that particular movie on DVD. congrats. I would also like to see the TV series Sugar Rush on Region 1 DVD as well. Luckily I got to see both seasons on you tube, but I hear the outtakes are hilarious.
I think that the movie "Leaving Normal" with Christine Lahti and Meg Tilley would be a great one for DVD. There were two women who did not need men.
I'm blessed with having a copy of Desperate Lives, written by the fabulous Lew Hunter (which was my main reason for purchasing it). Of course, it's VHS, but with the wonders of DVD recorders, I've archived it onto a DVD for easier hurricane evacuation. Nothing worse than trying to salvage boxes and boxes of lovingly collected flicks on bulky VHS tapes when thin, compact beautiful discs slipped into a tidy binder work so much easier. Still trying to get TNTLWOIG myself. And, duh...Yentl rules!
I loved Housekeeping. It is one of my favorite movies. Now I really want to watch it again-sad.
anyone else remember a tv show called heartbeat - looked it up on imdb and it was 1988/89. would love to see if my good impression of it in adolescence still holds some 17 years later.
also, as someone else mentioned - check out times square if you haven't already.
I've loved Little Darlings since I was a kid. My mom used to watch it all the time so I grew up with it. I own it on VHS now but I wish they'd release it on DVD.
Also..it's not DVD but it's better than nothing. Helen Hunt jumping out of a window: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eZP_U7FVco
For the french readers who are still looking for Portrait of a Marriage's DVD, it's going to air on PinkTV very soon so don't miss it!
Pink TV.........that's one I've not heard of
Is it a channel I can get on dish or is it an online channel. Dish has all kinds of tv shows with xxx rated material, but why won't they get Logo and Here!, and now whatever this is.....Pink TV.......I guess I'm totally missing so many TV shows and movies that these channels air. I have found the online lesbian radio station, however. Someone told there was on at planet out too. Interesting. I would like a list of the channels Dish netowork won't allow. I'd start an all out campaign!
Susan
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on the cover of "the night the lights went out in georgia...they mispelled Reba McEntire's name...so much for inspired by her great song!!!
Here's Reba's page; the
Here's Reba's page; the official page. Go here to vote for her for the CMT Music Awards.
http://www.reba.com/ Reba's name might be misspelled all over the place but I think we know who she is. Not only for her looks and great singing ability but her ease around people and just a fantastic entertainer!
The song, The Lights Went Out In Georgia.....it's origin lies in Vicki Lawrence's ex husband who wrote the spooky lyrics that went on to make a movie. Vicki sang it the first time when turned down a couple of singers, one being Cher. Sonny said to change the lyrics, but VL's ex said, "No, Vicki would sing it", and she did. The marriage, already on the rocks, went tumbling after this but the song was finally hit on by Reba by mistake. They were looking for a song to do like the one named Fancy, when Reba just reached over and found the one sided tape of The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia. They hadn't even heard it, but said together, "Yeah!" Spooky, huh? Reba went on to make the song a hit, after Vicki had made it a hit as well, and well, the movie got made starring our very own, Kristy McNichol. And yes, she can sing. Anyone who steps up to the mic to sing, can sing in my book. So many people are so afraid to let their light shine......get on up there and sing! You could be deaf and not be able to carry a tune........imagine Marlee Matlin singing it! Could you do better....yes, and no! She has the guts to get up there and sing I'll bet. We all have talents.....don't hide them........and yes, Kristy McNichol has talent. People finding fault with her was what drove her away from acting in the first place. Think of Ellen getting up there everyday dancing all through the studio. So many people say, "Oh, I can't dance or I can't sing!" Of course you can......you can do anything your body will let you, but the fear of what people say keeps you from it, right? Are you in this world to please other people? How about trying to please one person at a time, the first one being yourself. And, you can always act crazy! No one cares! In a hundred years, whta's it all gonna matter anyway. But you know if Ellen hadn't of come out in national television....she wouldn't be remembered a hundred years from now either. Too many people are on drugs, alcohol and all kinds of stuff to give them the nerve to do things. Get out there and let your light shine......be a beacon to all you come in contact with.........lighten up a little....pun intended.
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Funny, I've seen eight of the ten things on your list. The one
movie that I remember seeing many times, back in the day when
HBO had very limited programming, was Turk 182. I'm not longing
for this film on dvd or anything, it just came to mind.
lsn76092 - I remember Heartbeat with Kate Mulgrew. It wasn't on
very long though.
Desperate Lives! Helen jumping out of that window made me not do drugs until I was at least 20. I'm 27, now.
You are my new hero for mentioning "Poison Ivy" and I shall not rest until I find a copy!!!
Poison Ivy, I mean.......spelling?
I'd say this movie is in DVD now. Try netflix or your local video store.
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Housekeeping made me fall in love with Christine Lahti. It's still among my top 5 fave movies, along with Delicatessan and Antonia's Line (the others change depending on when you ask me). Bless your heart Scribe Grrrl for reminding me of that film. You're my new favourite blogger (sorry Karman).
Wow, we all have such good taste! Housekeeping really is great (and I love Delicatessen and Antonia's Line too, as well as Leaving Normal).
I also love musicals, but despite that (and my obvious fondness for Kristy), I don't think I'll be watching The Pirate Movie anytime soon.
Just to be clear: yes, Portrait of a Marriage is available on DVD, and it's even the uncut version. I saw it on PBS in 1992 or whenever, but I really wanted those 34 minutes of gaiety (and even wrote to PBS about it), so I was ecstatic when the DVD was released.
Poison Ivy rocks. Full stop.
Is Meatballs on DVD? I had a crush on one of the cute CITs and a fondness for Bill Murray in that movie.
I love having the ABC After School Specials on DVD, I don't have all the seasons yet, but Kristy McNichol, Nancy McKeon, Melissa Sue Anderson, Eve Plumb, Rob Lowe, ah such classics...
It's not a movie but would love China Beach to show up on DVD. Dana Delany, Marg CSIberger...
scrribe have you ever seen Newsies? I have a friend who had a The Pirate Movie & Newsies party, good times.
I got the night the lights went out in Georgia from Japan, not to expensive from ebay, not a great movie but KM was great, she was fun and sexy and could sing a little.
Dang! I would be happy if the-N would just put out season 1 of "South of Nowhere" on DVD! I must admit that I did enjoy the abc afterschool specials, despite all of their hamhanded "morality" pushing messages. Eve Plumb as a teen hooker was high camp. And I recall one called "Go Ask Alice" about a teen girl who falls into the wrong crowd and gets slipped some acid and freaks out. Good times.....