What a Year it's Been Physical Media Video Haul

 

Kristin Battestella puts aside the ill health and craziness of 2026 for this giant haul including DVDs, box sets, television, horror, classics, books, music, gifts, and more. 

Thank you for watching! For more horror and classic film, join me on Blue Sky or Instagram. Find more long read reviews, podcasts, or video analysis on the haul subjects including: 

Newsies

MySnapcase DVDs

Vincent Price

The Munsters

TheSearchers Guest Podcast

Blake's 7 for Search Magazine

Fall Mini DVD Haul! 🛒

 

Why wait for a massive haul pile? Kristin Battestella aka Kbatz chats CDs, DVDs, TV sets, books & more in this latest mini September Haul!

Thank you for watching!

Follow @ThereforeReview on Twitter for more or read our reviews at InSessionFilm and Keith Loves Movies!  You can keep up to date with our DVD Hauls & Therefore Review Videos on our YouTube Playlist, and stay tuned for more Audio/Visual appearances!

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Ella Fitzgerald 

The Bee Gees

The Golden Girls

An Ella Fitzgerald Quartet

An Ella Fitzgerarld Quartet

by Kristin Battestella

These four albums of standards and essentials combine to be the perfect primer for new jazz fans and longtime Lady Ella lovers.

The Best of Ella Fitzgerald – This 2016 twenty-four track version doesn't appear to be available as an Amazon download any longer, and it's a pity to delay the instant gratification of this seventy plus minute set of mostly early Ella hits opening with swinging pleas of “Baby Won't You Please Come Home” and the happy go lucky, literally bubble gum good times in “Chew Chew Chew” before the toe tapping torch of “Crying My Heart Out Over You” that's somehow as catchy as it is lonely. “Five O'clock Whistle” is a bemusing diddy alongside the breezy groove of “Holiday in Harlem,” which has some seemingly cheeky lyrics to match the diamond in the rough subject of “I Got a Guy.” “I Got It Bad (and that Ain't Good)” is hot damn and yes please alongside the wistful “If Dreams Come True” and surprisingly lighthearted “I'll Chase away the Blues” and the pleasing simplicity and harmonies of “It's Only a Paper Moon.” The charming piano and pace of “Little White Lies” belies the melancholy lyrics – fittingly disguising the serious with happiness before the mature but no less jazzy and juicy winks in “My Heart Belongs to Daddy.” “My Last Affair” offers swanky confessions and brass rhythms in addition to the nightclub and cigarettes slinky mood of “My Man.” “Organ Grinder's Swing” returns to the more fun cheek to cheek dance worthy scat before a different kind of wink in “Rock It for Me.” Sweet instrumentals open “Shine” although today's audiences may be confused by the inappropriate lyrics of the era, and “Sing Song Swing” likewise has some racist iffy. The lazy love of “Stairway to the Stars” is much better alongside the tasty “Sugar Blues.” “Three Little Words” is another toe tapping catchy before the mellow, melancholy doubts of “Time Alone Will Tell.” “A Tisket A Tasket” is a famed, Ella penned nostalgic delight and “Undecided” provides upbeat back and forth swing to tie everything in an effortless bow. I'm not sure if the tracks here are really alphabetical or if the media player ordered the double numbers that way, but this session's so good I don't even care.

Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Jerome Kern Song Book – Newer listeners don't need to understand the mid century songbook trend or even be a die hard Kern, Hammerstein, and show tunes fan to delight in these twelve tracks fittingly opening with the swanky newfound romance of “Let's Begin.” The toe tapping footsie continues for “A Fine Romance” as slightly comical comparison lyrics add saucy foods to the effortless whoopee. “All the Things You Are” provides brass and big notes despite a more mellow mood, and “I'll Be Hard to Handle” starts off smooth before escalating into a big, breezy ode. The charming catchy in “You Couldn't Be Cuter” has that pre-war innocence before the back and forth juicy, pre-code winks of “She Didn't Say 'Yes'.” “I'm Old Fashioned” oozes more cheek to cheek coy as the tender strings of “Remind Me” stay somber and sweet. The relatively chronological session goes award worthy big in the latter half with a simply too die for “The Way You Look Tonight” that apologetically takes its gosh darn time. “Yesterdays” continues the swift musical suave, and Show Boat makes its long, blue notes known in “Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man.” “Why Was I Born?” may seem like an odd exit after the bigger tunes, but the mellow encore puts the session to bed perfectly with a lights out and good night mood. Although a few more well known tunes in the Kern catalog are absent – I'm off to Google Ella singing “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” because yes please – this 1963 Nelson Riddle produced forty-two minutes remains quick and sublime for dinner or dancing.

The Jazz Biography – This 2009 compilation hour consists of twenty tracks starting with every oldster's catchy, rhyming Ella favorite “A Tisket A Tasket” before repeating “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” “Undecided,” “Little White Lies,” “I Got it Bad (and that Ain't Good),” and “My Man.” Fortunately, “Air Mail Special” provides the quintessential definition of scatting while “Angel Eyes” offers a different master class in mood, mellow, and brood. Different sources for the recordings here are apparent in the sound, but I don't care if it means I can hear Ella sing the definitive “Bei Mir Bist Du Schon” alongside the weary lovelorn “Black Coffee” blues. “Dream a Little Dream” is simply sublime thanks to a bonus appearance by Louis Armstrong, and the sunset and brass likewise combine for “In the Evening When the Sun Comes Down” before the jolly promises of “I Want to Be Happy” provide a dancing interlude. The tender “Saving Myself for You” lets Ella's effortless vocals shine while “Preview” delivers more scat goodness and “Gotta A Pebble in My Shoe” recalls more lighthearted innocence on top of the all scat high notes of “Rough Ridin'.” “Strictly from Dixie” adds southern charm with magnolia talk and julep drinks, but the organ, vocals, and clapping of “Smooth Sailing” take on a carefree gospel remixed feeling as “Gulf Coast Blues” sends this unforgettable mix of essential Ella and bringing down the house standards out on a ritzy high note.

The Very Best of the Cole Porter Songbook – This 2007 CD reissue is not the same as the much lauded Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book – which is a superb 1956 double LP until itself – but rather a condensed forty-three minute set list that whets the appetite with the ritzy innuendo of “Just One of Those Things” before getting its Anything Goes on with the questionable lyrics and beside the piano casual sway of “I Get a Kick Out of You.” “Night and Day” is unique but comfortably familiar thanks to likewise Sinatra swanky, but “(You'd Be So) Easy to Love” is a bittersweet candlelight plea compared to the lovelorn lyrics yet upbeat and jazzy “What is this Thing Called Love.” “In the Still of the Night” is not the doo wop essential of the same name but a breezy ode nonetheless with a touch of exotic drums to match the forbidden winks. Unlike Frank or Frankie Valli's versions, “I've Got You Under My Skin” remains an effortless, sing a long catchy without any further embellishments needed to contrast the soft and sweet torch of “I Concentrate on You.” One wants to get up and cut a rug thanks to the sway in “Begin the Beguine,” but the slightly seedy, moody, and juicy lyrics for “Love for Sale” create a shut up and take my money burlesque listen. The tempting two-timing of “It's All Right with Me” is a jolly reversal, and in spite of Porter's somewhat silly lyrical pairs, Ella's “Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)” is a maturely paced and sophisticated night cap invitation with after hours pillow talk. Truly, the only downside of this must have session is that it leaves your ears wanting more – like the rest of the original record.

For more, revisit our Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas and Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas holiday reviews.

Top Ten: Christmas Albums!

Welcome to our new Top Tens series in celebration of I Think, Therefore I Review's Tenth Anniversary! These monthly lists will highlight special themes and topics from our extensive archive of reviews.

This time a festive I Think, Therefore I Review presents...

Our Top Ten Christmas Albums!

Elvis' Christmas Album

Bing Crosby White Christmas

Johnny Mathis Merry Christmas

Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration

Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas

Mariah Carey Merry Christmas

Wynonna's A Classic Christmas

Noel Josh Groban

Kate Smith Christmas

Christmas Songs by Sinatra

Please see our Christmas tag for more holiday spirit or our Vinyl Records label for ye olde yule reviews!

I Think, Therefore I Review began as the blog home for previously published reviews and reprinted critiques by horror author Kristin Battestella. Naturally older articles linked here may be out of date and codes or formatting may be broken. Please excuse any errors and remember our Top Tens will generally only include films, shows, books, or music previously reviewed at I Think, Therefore I Review. 

 

Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas

Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, Indeed!

By Kristin Battestella

First Lady of Song Ella Fitzgerald makes a swanky 1960 holiday debut with Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, and this is a hip education indeed thanks to the timelessly toe tapping renditions delivered here as only Ella can.

Sleigh Ride sets the feel good, brassy tone immediately, bringing effortless fun and a rousing but smooth mood. You really want to head out into the snow or jitterbug around your tree with the whole family thanks to Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas. I recently heard this version playing over the airwaves in a department store and found myself tapping along, regardless that I was probably embarrassing myself in public! Likewise, White Christmas (Swing) harkens the Crosby style with its breezy wartime-esque arrangement, yet this isn’t a crooning ballad but a dancing dinner party good time. Winter Wonderland continues this grooving, easy December with more festive notes. Despite Ella’s gloriously strong, happening delivery, we can still sing along because she’s just having such a great, infectious time. The speed kicks up a notch on Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas for a hep cat, clapping along Jingle Bells. The pace, backing singers, and Ella’s varying vocals feel like the dashing fun and racing peril of which the lyrics speak.

Let it Snow, however, is downright jazzy – a pouring cocktails and getting swanky fireside evening as the song’s story suggests. This album is certainly a family friendly listen, but also remains a very classy and adult, sophisticated sound superior to today’s often of the moment, trying too hard adult contemporary fickle, uneven efforts. Santa Claus is Coming to Town is indicative of the universal, longstanding flawlessness here. Rather than remaining a solely playful kid’s mindful and humorous tune, Ella bends on the theme with a catchy snapping your fingers vibe, making a swing standard sound one expects to toe tap over any time of year. The background singers and DeVol orchestration may date Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas for ultra modern millennial listeners – you hear the beats and immediately recognize the decidedly mid century design and rightfully presume it as “old.” However, this is the time of year when such quality, venerable tunes deliver on the merriment promised, unaware fifty years have passed.

Normally so wonderfully brooding and seasonally sad, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas makes room for Ella’s excellent and certainly Judy worthy voice whilst also keeping the cheek to cheek sway moving on Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas. Instead, the less frequently heard What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve serves up the swanky melancholy. This is yet another delightful ballad one could listen to year round just for Ella’s perfectly lovelorn, post war styled invitation. Not to be outdone, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman step up the elegant bemusement again by upgrading the expected juvenile with ritzy orchestration, catchy ad-libs, and more Ella feel good. I apologize if I’m repeating myself, but I’m running out of adjectives!

 

Maybe there are audiences out there who mysterious don’t like the blues, but Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas gets down with Good Morning Blues, remaining stylish with mostly just Ella and a piano for this Count Basie Santa ditty. The We Three Kings of Orient Are/O Little Town of Bethlehem medley represents the lone carols here – unlike the all spiritually laden, near perfect but too short 1967 Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas release, which contains both songs in full. Rather than feeling out of place, this one somber voice slowly, beautifully, and respectfully gives of itself for the spiritual meaning of the season. Yes, just, yes. Following the reverence, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas goes tropical with Christmas Island. This simply charming, easy treat with fun lyrics adds more warmth and catchy spins on the season, yet another Ella rendition I’ve caught myself singing along to in public!

Going slow and soft, The Christmas Song is another track done in perfect time for a slow dance before that fire, wonderfully capturing the seasonal lyrics thanks to Ella’s kindhearted delivery. For all the show-stopping spectacles so called singers feel they must do today to sell records – err downloads on iTunes – Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas proves that a tender voice is all it takes to move a listener’s feet or heartstrings. For the Frosty the Snowman (Alternate Take), however, Ella changes up her delivery with a kiddie type vocal. Granted, this would seem goofy from any other singer, but Ella knows which words to make juvenile so there isn’t any unlistenable baby talk abundance. She can still hold some pretty big notes, too, and this is a fun moment for children to enjoy. The absent Santa Claus Got Stuck in My Chimney, of course, may seem kid friendly on the outside, but perhaps remains too suggestive to contemporary, naughty listeners, tee hee. Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas concludes with its longest track, a White Christmas (Slow) version capturing the melancholy moment with every note. It’s especially somber but nonetheless a swaying good time perfectly encapsulating the classic festive of the album and the season. There’s really no need to rush through the malls, pressure yourselves into giving presents, and buy buy buy when you could just swing.

Though not as short as Ella’s Christmas Album, with 16 tracks and at 44 minutes, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas still feels too short. I want moar! The tracks themselves aren’t long – none reach four minutes and are on average two minutes and change. There are different track listings on the original LP and in several CD reissues, but a touching The Secret of Christmas and a longer, simmering (Alternate) The Christmas Song are part of the current Amazon download options. A completist might be made batty by all the odd editions or missing selections, and sadly, there isn’t always a lot of information available. Fortunately for Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered an album that was so gosh darn aptly named. This isn’t the bombastic, loud, marathon spectacle we may expect today, but this is a down right rhythmic good time guaranteed to put you in the swinging Christmas spirit. This session is not only perfect all season long, but at home, the office, for the kids, or the dinner party. If you are somehow one of the poor, unfortunate few souls who haven’t yet heard Ella Fitzgerald sing, press play on Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas ASAP.

 

Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas

Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas A Quick, Good Little Time.

By Kristin Battestella

It’s tough to introduce this 1967 traditional Christmas album because surely it should carry a few words of introduction for its songstress Ella Fitzgerald, too. However, how does one go about introducing Ella Fitzgerald- doesn’t everyone already know who she is? They dang well should, and the uninitiated can most definitely receive his or her education with this swift December disc.

O Holy Night opens Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas on a nice and easy note indicative of the album’s overall tone.  Ella keeps this often too lofty for the rest of us carol soft and calm for a pleasant candlelit night. The track, however, is just too short. Unfortunately, the entire album also comes in too fast at under a half an hour.  It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is the longest tune here and yet it isn’t enough. I want to hear Ella’s nice and innocent brand on this less and less often heard carol for all the verses! Thankfully, Hark the Herald Angels Sing continues the casual reverence and able to sing a long feeling of Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas. This is not a flippant album or a set rushed in the respectfulness, oh no. By contrast, it’s quite time-honored and old-fashioned proper, and yet Ella keeps the notes family friendly rather than formal.

Away in a Manger slows the session down and allows time for Ella’s perfect range.  The sound is big and yet still childlike and full of seasonal sentiment while Joy to the World mixes Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas up a bit by adding a choir and a fresh arrangement. It’s already a happy, catchy carol and you can’t help but echo in with Ella!  It’s surprising; however, that The First Noel is kept so down low when it could have been a lot bigger for a songstress such as Ella.  Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas is quiet and peaceful, perfect for a holiday dinner party, yes. But nonetheless, this album is really only an introductory hint of the octaves Ella Fitzgerald is capable of singing. These shorter tracks may allow for seemingly more songs- 13 in total- but it isn’t enough. I want more! More! 1:40? That’s only a sample!

Thankfully, we almost hear all of Ella for Silent Night. This longer session is slow and delicate as this Christmas Eve carol requires, and yet, Ella somehow jazzes it up a bit by accentuating all the special notes with a spiritual quiver. This tune is perhaps the best track on Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas in terms of showing Ella’s vocal abilities. My favorite carol O Come All Ye Faithful also receives a few big notes from Ella along with church bells and a going caroling family mood.  Although I haven’t heard Sleep, My Little Jesus before Ella, there’s great sway in this soft lullaby. She lingers on each note in a wonderful musical whisper and takes a moment of pause to go deeper into the Reason for the Season.

After all the soft and sweet, Angels We Have Heard on High kicks Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas up an octave. Her longwinded notes and big sounds are like a one-woman choir.  All Ella’s might and yet, it’s all still so gentle on the ears- as if we’re not supposed to wake the baby in the manger!  Oh Little Town of Bethlehem also plays soft and good, almost like a ballad from a musical. The way Ella accentuates the verses resonates with the power of Broadway but still feels delicate enough for the country church. It sounds disrespectful in describing it, but Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas is all-good in a good way!

After all of the family friendly somber, We Three Kings gets unexpectedly hip. Instead of the usual, brooding medieval arrangement, there’s a swanky reverence, almost a rock out twist.  You want to shake your hips, get up, and come along with the wise men as God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen continues the catchy trend. There’s a perfectly Ella rat a tat tat spin, and even though this was a largely quiet and mellow album, Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas ends on a snappy high note.

Obviously, there’s not a secular tune in sight for Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas despite the laid back, soft and sophisticated neutral pleasure here. Families looking for a more casual holiday should enjoy the 1960 Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas title instead for more seasonally big notes.  Family audiences new and old, longtime Ella fans, or scat newcomers can enjoy the traditional Christmas collection here thanks to the mellow reverence for complete audience balance and appreciation.  Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas is deliberate and old school classy but refined enough for today’s playlist- with the proof found in multiple download editions and an out of stock wait on Amazon. Now if only it wasn’t so short!