The Gathering/Gathering, Part II (1977/1979/Warner Archive DVD)

 

Picture: C+/C     Sound: C     Extras: D     Telefilms: B-

 

 

In an attempt to expand beyond their core animated programming, Hanna-Barbera tired out total live action programming and one of the few successes was a Christmas TV movie entitled The Gathering in 1977.  Directed by Randal Kleiser before the huge hit success of his blockbuster Grease (reviewed elsewhere on this site), it was a hit and received more critical raves than expected.

 

Ed Asner is an overly business-minded father who finds out he only has a few weeks to live and wants to do something to make amends of some kind with his estranged children.  His marriage has also suffered some strain, but his wife (Maureen Stapleton) has stuck beside him enough and decides to launch a holiday reunion to bring the family together without telling them what is happening.

 

The resulting drama has some credibility, though we do not get enough of a character study of Asner’s character (as good as his performance is here) to make this as well-rounded as it could have been.  We do not learn enough about his drive, yet the James Poe teleplay is not one of those bad 1980s “father is always right no matter how bad” diatribes and there is enough here to give it a look.  I still do not think it is a classic, holiday or otherwise, but it is mature and intelligent.  Bruce Davidson, Rebecca Balding (Soap), Veronica Hamel, Gregory Harrison, John Randolph, Lawrence Pressman, Gail Strickland, Sarah Cunningham and Stephanie Zimbalist also star.

 

Two years later, a sequel was made with the fallout of Asner’s passing.  Efrem Zimbalist Jr. plays a new man in widow Stapleton’s life who the family suspects is after he money, but she must find out for herself if it is true love or a lie.  Most of the original cast shows up but Jameson Parker takes over from Gregory Harrison as one of the sons.  It is a smart, worthy sequel that works better than expected, though competent journeyman director Charles S. Dubin takes over from Kleiser, doing a good job.

 

The 1.33 x 1 image is restored on the first film, though there is still some redness in the image when it comes to fleshtones, while the sequel is a little weaker and noisier, it still looks good.  Both were shot in 35mm film, the first by Director of Photography Robert E. Collins (Hart To Hart, key Michael Jackson Music Videos), the second by Dennis Dalzell (the original V, Wonder Woman and Charlie’s Angels).  The Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono is similar in both and seems a little more limited than the actual audio ought to be.  Most interesting in the first film is the John Barry score, which is one of his rare TV outings.  The very capable Robert Prince took over for Barry on the sequel.  There are no extras.

 

 

You can order this and other Archive releases at this link:

 

www.warnerarchive.com

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo