You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: Back in the early 鈥�70s there was a film called 鈥淎ll This and World War II.鈥� It was a strange film, having old war footage with a soundtrack of Beatles songs from various artists. Back then I think they had a soundtrack tape. I was just wondering if the film was available on DVD.
A: There鈥檚 a rather strange history behind this film, originally released in 1976 with, as you remember, wartime footage mingled with Beatles songs covered by an array of artists including Elton John, Bee Gees, Rod Stewart, the Brothers Johnson and Peter Gabriel. Ear Candy magazine called it 鈥減erhaps one of the most bizarre movies in rock and roll.鈥� I saw it on cable many years ago, and bizarre is an understatement. Still, it was expected to be a big hit 鈥� the two-record soundtrack was lavishly boxed, with a booklet 鈥� but it was far less than that. It lasted less than two weeks in theatres (most famously, one critic said its PG rating stood for 鈥減erfectly ghastly鈥�) and it has never made it to home video.
While the original film can be hard to find, the director, Tony Palmer, revisited the concept for a film that was released on DVD in 2016, 鈥淭he Beatles and World War II.鈥� (Again, the songs are covers, not Beatles originals.) 鈥淚t鈥檚 not quite the same film,鈥� he told Ear Candy. 鈥淚 have re-edited great chunks of it. But I鈥檝e used much of the same material, and of course many of the same songs.鈥� As for those songs, the original soundtrack got a CD release about 10 years ago and you can find it from several online retailers; I have also seen used copies of the old vinyl version on sale for as little as $3.
Q: With the drama 鈥淪uits鈥� due back on air on USA Network, I鈥檓 wondering if you鈥檝e heard how they鈥檙e handling the loss of one of its main characters, Rachel Zane, played by Prince Harry鈥檚 fiancee Meghan Markle. How will they write her out?
A: I do not know, except that 鈥淪uits鈥� will have a lot to resolve when it comes back on March 28. Both Markle and Patrick J. Adams, who plays Mike Ross, will be leaving the show. A two-hour seventh-season finale is set for April 25. This much we know from USA Network: The coming episodes will include Mike trying 鈥渢o juggle his commitment to the firm, his passion for pro bono work, and his engagement to Rachel.鈥� (You didn鈥檛 think the network would spoil any surprises, did you?) The season finale is also said to set up a possible spin-off series around Gina Torres鈥檚 character, Jessica Pearson. And wheels are spinning for the eighth season, when Katherine Heigl will join the cast as 鈥渁 talented new partner at Pearson Specter Litt who challenges the status quo.鈥�
Q: Sometime in the 鈥�80s, PBS broadcast a documentary series on great American poet titled 鈥淰oices and Visions.鈥� I recall it being both informative and beautifully presented. I don鈥檛 know if there was a VHS edition, much less one on DVD or Blu-ray. Does PBS or another distributor plan to make this magnificent show available again? It deserves to be seen by a new generation.
A: 鈥淰oices and Visions鈥� first aired in 1988 and presented life and work of 13 poets, among them Langston Hughes, Robert Lowell, Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Frost. It is available through Annenberg Learner (www.learner.org), which provides 鈥渢eacher resources and professional development.鈥� The series is streaming on the website and sold on DVDs (which are not cheap); there was a previous VHS release, too. So, if educators choose to use it, a new generation has a chance to see it. If you are eager to see it again, you may want to check out the streaming version on the Learner site, or see if your local library has copies.
Q: I鈥檇 like to know if 鈥淭he Knick鈥� is coming back with a third season. The first two seasons were on Cinemax.
A: It is done, to the dismay of series mastermind Steven Soderbergh. He reportedly had big plans for the third season, saying in a Reddit chat that the third go-round would be 鈥渟et in 1947 and was going 鈥� at my absolute insistence 鈥� to be shot in anamorphic black-and-white.鈥� That idea, he added, 鈥渕ay have contributed to its demise.鈥�
