# Guess what's in the mail? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797 "2003-04-20T05:07:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/1 "2003-04-20T05:07:03Z")
Okay, don’t guess. I’ll tell you. _Monty Python’s Flying Circus_. 14 DVDs, 45 episodes. _UFO_. Gerry Angerson’s 1970 science fiction series about aliens who are quietly invading Earth, taking organs, and doing other nastiness. Great purple hair! I ordered the first 13 episodes, then ordered the other 13 the next day. _Lost Horizon_. The story that gave us “Shangri La”. Some of the footage no longer exists, but the audio does. I understand they put stills in in place of the missing footage and let the audio play. Not perfect, but that’s all there is. _Titanic_. Yeah, I know it’s crap; but I’ve liked the _Titanic_ since I was a little kid. (I have _A Night to Remember_ on VHS.) Anyway, it was only ten bucks. I still have to wait until the end of the month for _Little Big Man_ to be sent. Ooh, I’ve been waiting for that one for a long time! But I’m mostly looking forward to seeing _UFO_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/2 "2003-04-20T05:28:05Z")
Nice!..tax refund I’m guessing? (With ours we upgraded from a full size bed to a California King. Oh yeah!) I confess, I actually like _Titanic_. The amount of detail and reproduction that went into that was pretty amazing. (I saw a travelling exhibit that let you get up close to some of the costumes and set design and it was really interesting.) What I’d like to have in the mail? The new DVD release of _Blue, White_ and _Red_ by Kristoff Krislowski. What IS in the mail? I’m waiting for a half price pair of Birkenstock shoes to come on the slow boat from Germany. (eBay win - did you know Birkenstock made regular shoes? I thought they only made “hippie” sandals until I saw a magazine ad recently.) The tightwad in me hates to pay so much for a pair of shoes ($150 list, $79 auction price), but the bad back in me says it’s probably about time I got something with better support. I was told 5-6 weeks, I think, for surface shipping – wow! That takes me back to the olden days when you had to wait 6-8 weeks for EVERYTHING! Terribly antsy as you might expect. They were a birthday present to myself and my birthday was a week and a half ago! What was in the mail I didn’t know about? I received from Amazon a Playstation game ordered by someone else that was supposed to ship to someone else. (I had an actual order that I’d received the day before, and I guess because of a computer glitch my label printed twice and ended up on someone else’s order.) I emailed them about it and they said they’d send a label to return it. I was sort of bummed because I was hoping they’d say “oops! Our bad – just keep it.” so I could send it to my brother and look cool. Haha. Oh well. I’ll have to settle for honesty Karma points. Again. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/3 "2003-04-20T05:36:47Z")
> [@](#): > > tax refund I’m guessing? Nope. I never get a tax refund. I had to pay about $1,500 this year. Stupid interest earnings! What I’d _like_ to be in the mail (DVD-wise) is _Attack of the Mushroom People_ and _The High and the Mighty_. Unfortunately, they’ve never been released on DVD. I’d also like _Space: 1999_, but I only liked the first season. _The Prisoner_ is too expensive. And one of these days I’d like to pick up Ken Burns’s _The Civil War_. But I’ve got plenty of Monty P. and mod sci-fi coming to keep me entertained for a couple of weeks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/4 "2003-04-20T06:03:52Z")
**Johnny L.A.** – have you seen UFO recently before you bought it? Because I bought the first couple of DVDs for a friend; when I saw them in the store I went apeshit and almost ran to the cash register. But after the opening (which is still one of the best unions of music and video ever created in the history of mankind) and the cool costumes, the true horror comes through: the show is stone cold deadly dull. But your mileage may vary… Not that anyone asked, but in the mail for me, at least it will be soon as the first item is released: _Robert E. Lee_ biography by Roy Blount, Jr. (my favorite writer) _Castle in the Sky_, the Studio Ghibli movie that I can _finally_ own a legal Region 1 copy of! _The Castle of Cagliostro_, the Studio Ghibli movie that I loaned to a friend a couple of years ago and haven’t seen since! _Switched-on Box Set_, the complete collection of Wendy Carlos’ synthesized classical pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/5 "2003-04-20T06:14:13Z")
I submitted an order to the History Book Club this week that’s due any day now. _Empire: How Spain Became a World Power 1492-1763_ by Henry Kamen _The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte_ and _The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte_ by Robert Asprey _The Greatest Stories Never Told_ by Rick Beyer _The Human Web: A Bird’s Eye View of Human History_ by J.R. McNeill And William H. McNeill _The World’s Worst Warships_ by Antony Preston ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/6 "2003-04-20T08:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > \*\*_Titanic_. Yeah, I know it’s crap; but I’ve liked the _Titanic_ since I was a little kid. (I have _A Night to Remember_ on VHS.) Anyway, it was only ten bucks. > > I still have to wait until the end of the month for _Little Big Man_ to be sent. Ooh, I’ve been waiting for that one for a long time! > > \*\* Titanic isn’t crap, you just feel you have to say that because a few loud Titanic-haters have made you think that everybody hates Titanic except you. Truth is, most people who’ve seen it love it, but the few who didn’t are always the ones who speak up. Their loudness and persistance have made you think they’re in the majority. Don’t worry about it. Titanic has some flaws, but it’s a good movie, and a worthy addition to the “Epic” genre. That said, even though I saw it 5 times in the theater, I don’t own the DVD. They released the original DVD a year after the movie was released on VHS, so I didn’t buy it then out of protest. Now I’m waiting for the Special Edition. I also have **Little Big Man** on pre-order. I feared it would never be released on DVD, so I’m very very happy! Here’s an early review of it: [Home Theater Forum **Little Big Man** review.](http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?threadid=136184) ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/7 "2003-04-20T11:49:34Z")
**Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter** snuck onto DVD, like a thief in the night, _months_ ago and I only found out the other day. I lost no time in ordering it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/8 "2003-04-20T13:45:00Z")
**SolGrundy** : No, I bought them based on memories of watching the series when I was a kid. I remember it being a little slow wometimes, but very cool. **Equipoise** : Actually, _Titanic_ is not a very good film. I saw it at the cinema once, and that was before the “Titanic Haters” became prevalent. The story is trite. The characters are unbelievable. Kate Winslet has obviously done no research on the era, as her portrayal of an early-20th Century woman – even one who is supposed to be "ahead of her time – is _too_ anachronistic. Not quite as bad as Dana Delany in _Tombstone_, but right down there. Still, the visual effects are cool. (Although _anyone_ can make a full-sized ship look like a full-sized ship, it’s still nice to see.) I like the Celtic sound of the soundtrack (but I hate that song – something about a “heart going on”). So the only reason I bought it is because it’s another _Titanic_ film and it was cheap. If I really thought it was a good film, I would have bought the VHS when it came out and then the DVD. But YMMV. Thanks for the review of _Little Big Man_. I wonder if they really cut anything out, or if it’s a miscommunication somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/9 "2003-04-20T14:41:06Z")
In the mail right now? Two prints and an original sketch A huge freakin’ DVD rack Two sets of shelves A Prada T-shirt The following DVDs: Henry V The League of Gentlemen The Masque of the red Death The Ninth Configuration Blood Freak The following books: The Scar The Nightmare Chronicles The Travelling Vampire Circus Toast: and other Rusted Features I need to cut up my Visa card! ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/10 "2003-04-20T16:58:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > > _Lost Horizon_. The story that gave us “Shangri La”. Some of the footage no longer exists, but the audio does. I understand they put stills in in place of the missing footage and let the audio play. Not perfect, but that’s all there is. Heh – wish I’d’ve known you were a fan. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies and I own it, myself (though on VHS) and we could’ve watched it when you were over. And yes, they did indeed put stills in place of the missing footage. It’s a bit odd, but I guess it’s better than losing those parts entirely. And no spankings, but I actually like the cheesy musical version, too. And if I’m being totally honest, I must confess that in some ways I actually like it better. \ ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/11 "2003-04-20T17:08:17Z")
**Tapioca** – Branagh or Olivier? 😉 I gave up extraneous book and media purchasing for Lent, but now that Easter’s here I’m free to order stuff. Not sure what I want though. That said, I’ve had a copy of _The Antitheatrical Prejudice_ on backorder for ages and ages. I’m beginning to doubt that it will ever show up though… ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/12 "2003-04-20T23:07:42Z")
Is _Lost Horizon_ better as a movie than it is a book? I kept trying to read the book and it keeps losing me within 50 pages. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/13 "2003-04-21T07:50:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > > * * * > > **Equipoise** : Actually, _Titanic_ is not a very good film. I saw it at the cinema once, and that was before the “Titanic Haters” became prevalent. The story is trite. The characters are unbelievable. Kate Winslet has obviously done no research on the era, as her portrayal of an early-20th Century woman – even one who is supposed to be "ahead of her time – is _too_ anachronistic. \*\* I disagree with all that, but it’s not something I’m passionate enough to argue about. There are plenty of other people around who are more into Titanic than I am. I much preferred **L.A. Confidential** from that year and do think that **A Night To Remember** is the better Titanic film. Still, I had a grand old time seeing it, and even shed a few tears. It’s the kind of movie that the movies were made for. I’m glad it was made, even with the flaws. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/14 "2003-04-21T07:53:12Z")
Preview preview…sigh (one of these days I’ll learn) ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/15 "2003-04-21T09:56:23Z")
In the mail right now (hopefully) - - The Wordsworth Dictionary of Cliche. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/16 "2003-04-21T10:42:18Z")
In the mail right now: Two scripts of unused _Prisoner_ episodes A copy of the novel The Taking of Pelham One Two Three A talking Dalek A poster for _The Dunwich Horror_ Shipping soon: _Rio Lobo_ on DVD _Big Jake_ on DVD ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/17 "2003-04-21T10:42:31Z")
Ah, Lost Horizon. Great movie. Historically significant, as the book it was adapted from was the first paperback. Me? Red Dwarf, first and second season. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/18 "2003-04-21T12:09:51Z")
_ **Red Dwarf!!!** _ Must… resist… purchase… (For now.) ---
**Author:** ![Lapin\_de\_poussiere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a4c791/32.png) [@Lapin\_de\_poussiere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lapin_de_poussiere)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/19 "2003-04-21T12:39:26Z")
I’ve been waiting for my copy of David Sedaris’s _Me Talk Pretty One Day_ to show up for _30 days_. Stupid shipping company. You didn’t happen to get that with one of your extra labels, did you, **voguevixen**? ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797/20 "2004-04-23T12:39:04Z")
**Castle of Cagliostro** just popped through my letterbox. Hurrah! in the post : **Futurama series 3** **Monkey!** eps 34-39 + final 2 so-far-unseen-in-the west undubbed episodes!! Still waiting on **Sgt Kabukiman NYPD** (hey, it was only GBP £3.33 inc p&p). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-whats-in-the-mail/169797.md?page=2)