Knight at HOME at the Movies
Odd bedfellows...

These two releases have nothing in common – other than that they’re both from Paramount Video – and the fact that I’ve
been enjoying both in the last week.  Enough to heartily recommend them.
Who doesn’t remember fondly the poker-faced Perry Mason (Raymond Burr), the
defense attorney who never lost a case, always seemed smarter than everyone else
in the room, and seemingly had more little gray cells than Hercule Poirot?  Based on
writer Erle Stanley Gardener’s classic books, the TV series was a nighttime hit for
years.  Paramount Video is releasing 19 episodes of the show’s first season on a 5-
disc set (the other 20 episodes from the first season are forthcoming).  One of the
most successful courtroom murder drama series ever (think
Law & Order decades
earlier), the show lasted for nine long years.  Burr, who essayed the title role, starred
in the series which began in 1957 – just three years after his memorable turn as the
murderous Lars Thorwald in Hitchcock’s
Rear Window.  Slimmed down, his hair
darkened, the coolly suave Mason as played by Burr (who was gay but closeted) was
aided each week by the dapper Paul Drake (William Hopper – son of gossip
columnist Hedda) and reliable gal pal and secretary Della Street (Barbra Hale) (all
smoking cigarettes copiously).


On the other side were expert character actors Ray Collins and William Talman as
the grouchy police inspector and the even grouchier prosecutor.  The series profits
from the terse acting of all involved, the lustrous black and white photography, and
the show’s emphasis on cigarette smoking, martini guzzling suspects driving around
in those gigantic film noir convertibles with the giant fins that were part of the
American psyche at the time.  The show kicked off just as the culture was learning
how to have some decadent fun – and Perry Mason reflects the price for such
excesses.  And then there's that stunning theme music and the show's wonderful
background scores which add tons of atmosphere to the proceedings.  No extras.



Though
Queer Duck hasn’t been my favorite cup of tea it’s amusing enough and
surely a girl's best friend during a week when the Gay Games arrive in Chicago.  The
animated high jinx of the characters featured in the movie version, getting a DVD
release from Paramount Home Video, of the cartoon favorite (and voiced by a
gallery of out and gay friendly actors) are enough to keep the attention deprived
interested.  There are enough laughs here to guarantee that.