Distributor:
Universal Home Entertainment Certificate: Not Rated |
9 Hours 44 Minutes | Region 1 | NTSC | 2 disc set (double sided)
Available to buy Extras: Yes
ANYONE
IN IT WE KNOW?
Robert
Conrad, Dana Elcar, Dirk Blocker, James Whitmore Jr, Robert Ginty, John
Larroquette, Larry Manetti
WHAT’S
IT ABOUT THEN?
Based
on the true life adventures of
Major Pappy Boyington Baa Baa
Black Sheep has to be the show
we have received most mail about
over the years, obviously very
well remembered this world war
II comedy drama series focuses
on the exploits of Squadron 214
of the Marine Corps operating
out of the South Pacific, the
men in the Squadron
were
a rag tag bunch, misfits even, most of whom had been on the verge of
being court martialled before being taken under Pappy's wing. Pappy,
played with great aplomb by Robert Conrad, is so called because at the
age of 25 he is considered to be an "old man" by his younger protégés.
Although
the war against the Japanese is central there is still plenty of time
for the boys to get up to high jinks and there is also a place for some
Sgt Bilko style humour too, one episode sees the gang drafting in a
Japanese prisoner to help win a ping pong competition and other episodes
feature such topics as an Admiral's high profile son arriving to
possibly jinx the rest of the crew and the Black Sheep cleverly using
enemy planes to make an attack.
This
two disc double sided set from Universal includes the feature length
pilot as well as the first 10 episodes of the series (hopefully it won't
be long before the final 12 episodes of the first season are released),
it's great boys own adventure stuff and despite the odd cringe worthy
moment stands up extremely well. Solidly entertaining and well worth
spending some time re-acquainting yourself with.
ANY
SPECIAL FEATURES?
The
only extra is a feature from the NBC News Archives offering an interview
with the real life Pappy Boyington (who acted as technical advisor to
the show).
TRIVIA
The
show was cancelled after just one season but when most of the new
1977-78 shows were deemed to be unsuccessful the show was revived,
albeit with a new title (Black Sheep Squadron) and the addition of more
females in the shape of a group of nurses.
