Falcon Crest on DVD!

Dynasty seasons 1 and 2 debuted on DVD last week in the UK. May 2009 will see the very first release of Falcon Crest in the world when Season 1 is released on DVD in Germany! In these early episodes we are introduced the the Channings and the Gioberti's - two sides to a family with their roots firmly in the wine making industry. Mighty matriarch, Angela Channing (Oscar winning actress Jane Wyman) finds her empire in jeopardy when her brother is killed in a tragic accident, and his estranged son Chase and his family come to the Tuscany Valley to pay their respects and collect their inheritance. 9 whole seasons of schemes, swindles, murders, Nazi plots, incarcerations, shoulderpads, and bucket loads of fine wine and fine episodes finally came to an end in 1990 after an ill-advised revamp, clipped Falcon Crest's wings for the final time.

Falcon Crest is back on TV

Falcon Crest is now airing daily on Zone Romantica on Sky in the UK! Sadly they don't seem to have the budget to pay for space on Virgin Media. Thank goodness for bootlegs.

Falcon Crest (Season 6, 1986-7)

STARRING: Jane Wyman (Angela Channing)

Oscar winning actress Wyman was once married to Ronald Regan, the late former president of America. She had been in retirement before taking on her 9 year role as the ruthless Angela Channing, matriarch of Falcon Crest! She ruled the vineyards and her family with an iron fist and would do anything to protect her beloved grapes!

Robert Foxworth (Chase Gioberti)

This was his final season on Falcon Crest, Foxworth most recently starred in Six Feet Under and has appeared in several Star Trek series.

David Selby (Richard Channing)

Also starred in Dark Shadows and Flamingo Road, he can also be seen in several movies, including D3: The Mighty Ducks!

Lorenzo Lamas (Lance Cumson)

You may already be familiar with his first foray onto the big screen in Body Rock from my previous post; he now makes martial arts movies.

Ana Alicia (Melissa Agretti Cumson)

Before starring in Falcon Crest, Ana appeared in Halloween 2, she has since retired from acting.

Margaret Ladd (Emma Channing)

Retired from acting after Falcon Crest.

John Saxon (Tony Cumson)

Easily recognisable from his innumerable TV and movie roles, Nightmare On Elm Street springs to mind.

Dana Sparks (Vicki Gioberti Stavros)

A new face and a new personality, Sparks replaced Jamie Rose as Vicki. She can also be seen in season 3 of L.A. Law and the daytime soap opera Passions.

Brett Cullen (Dan Fixx)

Cullen has recently had recurring roles in The West Wing, Lost and Ugly Betty and has been an in-demand actor for over 20 years.

Kim Novak (Skylar Kimball/Kit Marlowe)

Novak is best known for her performance in Alfred Hichcock’s Vertigo, amongst many other memorable roles.

Jane Badler (Meridith Braxton)

Badler is best known to TV fans across the globe as the villainous Diana from V!

& Susan Sullivan (as Maggie)

Sullivan went on to star in Dharma & Gregg.

With appearances by Melba Moore, Edward Albert, Cesar Romero, and Abby Dalton (as Julia Cumson)

PLOT(S): The season opens after the terrible earthquake which occurred during the final moments of Season 5. Terry (Laura Johnson) has been tragically killed and Angela is in the process of being drowned by her own Cabernet Sauvigion in the flooded winery! Jordan & Greg (Morgan Fairchild & Simon MacCorkindale) have disappeared – last seen being driven off the road by evil rapist Jeff Wainwright (Albert), apart from passing concern, none of the characters seem to be overly concerned.

Meanwhile a mafia moll, Kitt Marlowe (Novak) is on the run from the scene of her mothers murder. She calls up on her old friend Skylar who is on her way to visit her estranged father who just so happens to be Angela’s new beau, Peter Stavros (Romero). Mistaking Skylar for Kitt the mafia murder Skylar. Kitt assumes her identity and makes her way to visit Stavros at Falcon Crest.

Everyone’s favourite couple, Maggie and Chase, see their marriage torn apart by Maggie’s rape and subsequent pregnancy. Is the baby she’s carrying Chase’s, or evil the offspring of evil rapist, Wainwright? As if her brain tumour, shock adoption, and amnesia were not enough...

Their annoying daughter Vicki comes back to live with them family, with a new face and played by Dana Sparks, after failing to make it as a dancer in New York. Their son Cole (William R. Moses) leaves soon after, nations mourn. Vicki begins working as a dance instructor at Angela’s new venture, the Del Oro Spa (nothing at all like La Mirage in Dynasty, honest!). She falls for newcomer Dan Fixx and Eric Stavros. One paticularly memorable storlyline this season involves her getting sold into white slavery!

Tony Cumson (Saxon) returns to the Valley to make amends with Lance (Lamas), he joins forces with Chase to build a viable rival to Falcon Crest! He also visits his ex-wife Julia (Dalton) who is spending the rest of her days in a convent after murdering Carlo Agretti and Chase’s mother (Lana Turner), trying to kill Angela, and then going on the run and shacking up with a Nazi! He is torn between his feelings for Julia and his new love interest, the mysterious Skylar.

A new character, Dan Fixx (Cullen), turns up wanting a job from Angela. Completely out of character she complies, leaving her family to wonder what the young man has over her.

Yet another new character turns up, Angela hires Meridith Braxton (Badler), a spy, to infiltrate Richard’s household. Impressed by her work Richard takes her on as his new assistant and uses her services against the international crime cartel he is in debt to.

The season comes to a close when Melissa kidnaps Maggie and Chase’s new baby as a way to punish them for taking away her own child during season 3. Angela finds out but keeps the secret to herself for her own devious ends. The season ends with Richard and Chase diving into the sea to save the baby.

THOUGHTS: I think this is yet another great season, quite a bit stronger than season 5 and flushing out some of the dead wood – characters like Cole and Gregg, was a great idea. I think they should’ve persuaded the fabulous Morgan Fairchild to stay on the show as her character had really developed by the end of the pervious season. Apparently she was unhappy with the amount of screen time she’d received during season 5 overall.

I think giving Angela a love interest softened her far too much in the previous season and it was a great idea to put some distance between her and Stavros. Visually the cast are great looking this season and the new characters are great. Vicki being sold into white slavery was a stroke of genius! For me Falcon Crest is the ultimate prime time soap opera.

LINK: US residents can view seasons 1-3 and the resolution to the Season 6 cliffhanger courtesy of AOL here.

LINK: FalconCrest.org

LINK: FalconCrest.tv.de

LINK: Falcon Crest Fan Site

Paper Dolls, 1984 -- TV Series

STARRING: Lloyd Bridges (Grant Harper)

Popular actor perhaps best known for his role in the Airplane movies, he died in 1998 aged 85 having been in the business for over 45 years.

Mimi Rogers (Blair Harper-Fenton)

A budding star in the 80’s; she was married to Tom Cruise, her last big role was in the Lost In Space movie.

Nancy Olson (Marjorie Harper)

Dack Rambo (Wesley Harper)

He played Jack Ewing in Dallas after starring in Paper Dolls. He 1991 he found out he had contracted HIV and became an activist. He died in 1994.

Richard Beymer (David Fenton)

Award winning actor best known for starring in West Side Story.

Brenda Vaccarro (Julia Blake)

Oscar nominee Vaccarro is perhaps best known for her roles in Supergirl and Midnight Cowboy.

Nicolette Sheridan (Taryn Blake)

After Paper Dolls Nicolette scored a long running role in Knotts Landing, she then went on to star in Desparate Housewives.

Jennifer Warren (Dinah Caswell)

Terry Farrell (Laurie Caswell)

In the 90’s she landed the role of Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She can also be seen in Hellraiser 3.

John Bennett Perry (Michael Caswell)

Played the local Sheriff on Falcon Crest after Paper Dolls, his son is Mathew Perry of Friends fame.

Anne Schedeen (Sara Frank)

She was in the ALF TV series; you know the one - with that alien puppet thing.

Lauren Hutton (Collette Ferrier)

Top model turned actress, best known for her role in American Gigolo with Richard Gere. Hutton has her own range of cosmetics these days – the Lauren Hutton Face Disc which she sells on infomercials.

Jonathan Frakes (Sandy)

Frakes went on to star in Falcon Crest and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He later directed Star Trek movies and the ill fated Thunderbirds movie.

John Waite (as himself)

British born 80’s rock star, best known for his hit Missing You.

And Morgan Fairchild (as Racine)

Icon!

CAST: As you can see Paper Dolls had a huge case of characters in its very short 16 episode run. Apart from Collette Ferrier and John Waite, they were all in every episode. There are clear leads though; Grant Harper is the head of Harper Cosmetics Worldwide and his family all work for him. Racine is the head of the Racine Modelling Agency with whom Blair and youngsters Taryn and Laurie are signed with! David Fenton owns Tempest Sportswear who along with Haper Worldwide use Racine’s models! Yes, the world of Paper Dolls is decidedly incestuous and it’s always fabulous. Sandy is Racine’s PA, and John Waite appears as a love interest for Taryn, much to the dismay of her controlling mother, the dreaded Julia!

PLOTLINES: Taryn Blake, the world’s hottest young supermodel becomes sullied by her recent drug abuse. A fresh faced young star named Laurie Caswell becomes the latest recruit to the prestigious Racine Modelling Agency.

Tempest Sportswear runs into financial trouble, to proud to turn to his father in law, owner David Fenton looks to a gangster to fund the struggling new collection.

Tarn Blake, fresh from rehab takes up with rock superstar John Waite!

Blair Harper-Fenton discovers she has a rare blood condition that means that her newly conceived child may be born retarded. Can she bear to abort David and her first child together or will she risk all to have the child she has long dreamed of.

Blair is kidnapped by the gangsters who gave David the loan to get Tempest Sportswear off the ground.

Grant Harper wants to expand Harper Worldwide by taking over their European competitor Ferrier Cosmetics, but first he needs to track down its elusive owner Collette

An old flame from her past threatens a tell-all movie about Racine.

Laurie attracts a stalker.

Marjorie and Grant’s marriage comes under strain and she leaves for a holiday alone. Wesley attempts to get control of her stock in Harper Worldwide.

Marjorie is tragically killed in a plane crash meanwhile Tempest Sportswear is hitting the catwalk for the very first time. What will the critics make of David’s hard work?

THOUGHTS: This was the most expensive of all prime time soap operas at the time, costing well over a million dollars per episode in 1984. The spiralling cost of the all star cast, lavish locations, and Top 40 soundtrack couldn’t be justified by the average ratings and the show was pulled mid-season.

Paper Dolls is all style over substance and that is what’s so great about it. From the over the top modelling sequences, usually involving either Nicollette Sheridan or Terry Farrell draped over an extremely expensive car, wearing horrendous OTT 80’s fashions, accompanied by hits by Sheena Easton or John Waite. However, I think it’s the into credits that perhaps make for the highlight of the show! They’re amazing and light years ahead of the likes of Dynasty or Falcon Crest had to offer at the time.

Morgan Fairchild is simply unbeatable as the Queen Bitch of Paper Dolls, Racine! Her general bitchiness, sarcastic put downs and sneering attitude never drop and her outfits are always the height of 80’s fashion. Morgan has said recently that it is still her favourite role ever after 25 years in the business. The show remains a testament to everything that was great about the 80’s and the lavish prime time soaps that it spawned.

TRIVIA: Morgan Fairchild went on to play the on screen mother of her Paper Dolls co-star John Bennett-Perry’s real life son Mathew Perry on Friends.

TRIVIA: Many of the actors went on to star in Falcon Crest. Only months after the demise of Paper Dolls Jonathan Frakes had a lengthy recurring role as Damian Ross, who was hell bent on avenging his fathers death. The following season Morgan Fairchild joined the cast as schizophrenic lawyer Jordan Roberts. John Bennett Perry also joined the cast that season as Sheriff Gilmore.

TRIVIA: Many of the hit songs featured in the show were re-recorded to avoid paying artist royalties.

TRIVIA: The very first pilot for Paper Dolls, a TV movie made in 1982, starred Joan Collins as the head of the modelling agency!

VIDEO: Watch the fabulous opening credits!

CAN I BUY IT? Not legally.

Cannibal Women In The Avacado Jungle Of Death, 1989

STARRING: Shannon Tweed (Dr Margo Hunt)

Tweed has been a popular leading b-movie actress since the mid-80’s. She started her career playing Diana Hunter on the popular night time soap opera Falcon Crest in 1982 where she stayed for one season after becoming Playboy’s Playmate of the Year. She currently lives with her partner of more than 20 years, Kiss singer Gene Simmons and has recently appeared in his reality series ‘Family Jewels’.

Bill Maher (Jim)

Maher is a popular actor/comedian who is perhaps more famous for his political/current debate TV shows such as Politically Incorrect and Real Time with Bill Maher than his acting. His Politically Incorrect show was cancelled after he was critical of the US government after September 11^th 2001.

and Adrienne Barbeau (Dr Kurtz)

Barbeau is best known for her roles in The Fog and Swap Thing, directed by her then husband John Carpenter. She is also a veteran of the small screen appearing in the popular 70’s sitcom Maude for 6 seasons as well as the recent HBO series Carnivale. She gave birth to twins when she was in her early 50’s.

With Karen Mistal (Bunny)

PLOT: Dr Hunt (Tweed) is a lecturer in feminism at a top university. She is sent by the government to persuade a cannibalistic matriarchal tribe, the Piranha Women, who live in the jungle to relocate to Malibu in order to protect a rare variety of avocados that grow in their habitat. She enlists the help of her most eager student, Bunny (Mistal) and a chauvinistic guide (Maher) to help her on her journey to find the Piranha women.

No sex, not much violence, some language.

THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this low budget but nicely shot satirical take on Indiana Jones type movies. Tweed is excellent, whoever thought of casting her as a ardent feminist is a genius! Adrienne Barbeau is equally as enjoyable in a smaller role as the leader of the Piranha Women. If you like silly movies that are well done you’ll enjoy this no end! Easily one of the best in its genre without a doubt.


CAN I BUY IT? DVD, region 1.

Body Rock, 1984

STARRING: Lorenzo Lamas (Chilly D.)

Lamas had a starring role in the hit TV series Falcon Crest which was a Top 5 show in America when this movie was made. He went on to make a series of martial arts movies and the popular TV series Renegade and the short lived Air America, both of which are now on DVD fans! Most recently he’s had a recurring role on The Bold & The Beautiful.

and Cameron Dye & Vicki Frederick

with Grace Zabriskie (Chilly’s Mother)

Zabriskie has been a popular supporting actress since the early 80’s appearing in over 120 movies and TV series’.

PLOT: Chilly D. is the leader of the Body Rock crew, a rap and break dancing group. He is spotted by a ‘talent’ scout and soon has to choose between his friends and a life of fame and fortune which comes at a big price.

No sex, no violence, some language, 15/PG-13.

THOUGHTS: Words rarely fail me, but this movie is amongst the most terrible I’ve seen. That’s not to say it doesn’t have

its enjoyable moments. The theme tune by Maria Vidal, which became a big hit, is a classic and one of my favourite singles ever. Lamas was always one of the least obviously talented members of the Falcon Crest cast, so I can only think it was his looks and popularity that got him this role. Nobody in this movie can dance, nobody can rap, freestyle or do any other kind of street derived entertainment whatsoever. It is pretty funny though and Lamas’ self conscious attempts at being cool are cringe inducing in the extreme. Sadly he lost out to Sylvester Stallone at the 1985 Razzie Awards.

My favourite scene is the one where Lamas gets dressed up in some kind of glow in the dark outfit and does this horrible song and routine on a ‘high-tech’ set with neon lights. Scary stuff! The obligatory scene where Chilly has to take stock of his life accompanied by a truly horrendous ballad performed by Laura Branigan is another particularly funny one. I would watch all of the other 80’s dancing movies before this one. That said it’s pretty rare so if you find it on VHS you might make a few quid and you’ll get a few laughs if you show it to your friends and family.

CAN I BUY IT? Used on VHS.

VIDEO: Chilly decides to leave home to be an artist -- watch it here
VIDEO: Maria Vidal - Body Rock (music video) -- watch it here

There's more on Body Rock at Bad Movie Planet with some pictures and a more indepth review.