Ethereal-Cloud

I recently discovered this little sit-com gem from the early 1960's (although it feels like the 1950's). I'd never even heard of this show before, but I'm glad that it's survived and some station director (Antenna-TV) decided to re-run it.

The first time I saw it I nearly turned it off, the main character Hazel has a rather 'distinctive' voice but I stuck with it. After viewing a few more episodes I came to love the character because of the nutty predicaments she gets herself and the family in and the fact that she's got a heart of gold. Things always turn out Okey-Dokey by the end of the 30 minute show as would be expected in a 50's sit-com. The best analogy I can make is if The Brady Bunch gave Alice the maid a spin-off with good writers and an affable supporting cast. Overall it's really tame TV, but fun to watch.

After watching 2 episodes of "Hardcore Pawn" and noticing that the producer of the show is Richard Dominick, I wasn't surprised. Dominick is/was the producer of the Jerry Springer show, and unless you've been living under a rock, you know what drek that show is.

Others have commented on the curious similarity, or dissimilarity to 'Pawn Stars', if you were hoping for something in the same vein, forget about it. Pawn Stars in a more interesting take on the PBS show 'Antiques Roadshow' and is interesting as well as entertaining. HP is televised ghetto exploitation, I felt like taking a shower after watching it.

It gets 2 stars because the camera operator didn't drop the camera, I'm feeling generous today.

Where to start? First and most obvious is the truly annoying 'soundtrack' provided by the droning voice of Bob Dylan, If you're a fan, I'm sorry. Bob Dylan can't act (or sing) and this movie is proof positive of that, but I'm sure it put butts in the theater seats due to his celebrity. Second, The story was obviously revisionist history run amok, the movie loses points for that as well. Third, I can't stand Kris Kristofferson, not to mention that he's completely mis-cast in the roll of Billy the Kid. Fourth, Sam Peckinpah is highly over rated as a director (not that anyone else could have made this mess of a movie more palatable)

Are you getting the point?

James Coburn did an admirable job but I got the feeling that he knew this movie was doomed from the start.