THE CHURCHILLS. (DVD Artwork). ©Athena.
By ANGELA DAWSON
Front Row Features
The historical documentary “The Churchills” makes its DVD debut on Tuesday Sept. 5, from Athena, an RLJ Entertainment brand. Presented by historian David Starkey, the series uncovers the links between Britain’s two greatest war leaders, both called Churchill: Winston, who defeated Hitler, and his ancestor John Churchill, who faced down Louis XIV of France. This DVD features three episodes (suggested retail price of $34.99, Amazon.com).
“The Churchills” made its U.S. premiere in July on Acorn TV. It is well known that Winston Churchill led Britain and her allies to victory against Hitler in World War II; less well-remembered is John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, who battled a much earlier would-be dictator of Europe, the Sun King Louis XIV of France. John Churchill was not only Winston’s ancestor, but he was also his inspiration and subject; Winston was a writer and historian before he was Prime Minister, authoring a massive, million-word biography of John Churchill, titled “Marlborough: His Life and Times.” Starkey argues that it was the decade he spent immersed in history, working on Marlborough that turned Winston from a politician into a great statesman, and prepared him for the immense task of leading the nation against Nazi Germany.
An honorary fellow at Cambridge University and a member of London’s Society of Royal Antiquities, Starkey (CBE) has taught history at the London School of Economics, written more than a dozen books, and presented many acclaimed television documentaries, including the 16-part series “Monarchy” also seen on Acorn TV.
“Just Shoot Me!: The Complete Series” hits DVD for the first time Tuesday Sept. 5, from Shout! Factory. The comedy, starring Laura San Giacomo and David Spade, was a smashing success in its original seven-season run on network television (1997-2003), and this must-have set features all 148 episodes from the beloved sitcom, and comes complete with cast and crew interviews and select episode commentaries.
San Giacomo (“Sex, Lies, & Videotape”), Spade (“Saturday Night Live”), along with Wendie Malick (“Hot In Cleveland”), Enrico Colantoni (“Veronica Mars”), and Academy Award nominee George Segal (“The Goldbergs”) all-star in “Just Shoot Me!” as sharp-tongued coworkers in the fast-paced world of high-fashion publishing. Series creator Steven Levitan went on to co-create “Modern Family.”
“Just Shoot Me!: The Complete Series” brings together every episode from this long-running fixture of NBC’s classic comedy lineup. Nominated for six Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes (including Best Comedy), this acclaimed ensemble comedy couture spanned the hilarious gamut from catwalk to casting couch. Set in the bustling editorial offices of fashion magazine Blush, “Just Shoot Me!” chronicles the daily grind of the magazine’s quirky staff.
