Flash: (December 1)
From the Big Screen:
Due this week: "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," "Fly Me to the Moon," "The Longshots," "Step Brothers," "Wanted" and "The X-Files: I Want to Believe."
For more releases this week, see our "Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases."
DVD Collectibles:
Due this week:
Robert Wise's 1951 anti-war and pro-United Nations "The Day the Earth Stood Still" -- a plea for peace and unity in a post-war era riddled by fear and irrational anti-communism -- is the epitome of intelligent science fiction on film. From the class acting of Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal to the understated but solid special effects, "Day" is a true classic. Fox has brought out a new Special Edition of the film (just in time for the remake starring Keanu Reeves) with such goodies as commentary by Wise and Nicolas Meyer; an isolated score track; "The Mysterious, Melodious Theremin"; "The Making of The Day the Earth Stood Still," "Decoding 'Klaatu, Barada, Nikto': Science Fiction as Metaphor" featurette; "A Brief History of Flying Saucers" featurette; and more. Also available on Blu-ray Disc.
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"White Dog" (1982), Samuel Fuller's throat-grabbing expose on American racism, was misunderstood and withheld from release when it was made in the early eighties; today, the notorious film is lauded for its daring metaphor and gripping pulp filmmaking. Kristy McNichol stars as a young actress who adopts a lost German shepard, only to discover through a series of horrifying incidents that the dog has been trained to attack black people. Paul Winfield plays the animal trainer who tries to cure him. A snarling, uncompromising vision, "White Dog" is a tragic portrait of the evil done by that most corruptible of animals: the human being. In a new, restored high-definition digital transfer of the uncut version, approved by producer Jon Davison, loaded with extras. From The Criterion Collection.
From TV to Video:
In "The Best of Dr. Katz" (2008), America's favorite animated shrink analyzes today's funniest comedians, including Dave Chappelle, Denis Leary, Sarah Silverman, Conan O'Brien, Janeane Garofalo, Ray Romano, more; $19.99 from Paramount ... "Cannon: Season One, Volume Two" (1971-72) is a four-disc set with 13 episodes, $39.99 from Paramount ... "Growing Up 5 DVD Gift Set" is a five-disc set from the Animal Planet series with five episodes: "Growing Up Arctic." "Growing Up Wildcats," "Growing Up Safari," "Growing Up Wilderness" and "Growing Up Primates"; $39.92 from Genius Products ... "Jake and the Fatman: Season One, Volume Two" (1988) is a three-disc set with 11 episodes, $39.99 from Paramount ... "Law & Order: The Sixth Year" (1995-96) is a five-disc set with 23 episodes, $59.98 from Universal ... "Perry Mason: Season Three, Volume 2" (1959-60) is a four-disc set with 14 episodes, $54.99 from Paramount ... "Saturday Night Live: The Complete Fourth Season" (1978-79) is a seven-disc set with 20 episodes, $69.98 from Universal.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
"Lower Learning" (2008) stars Jason Biggs, Eva Longoria Parker and Rob Corddry in a comedy about students and teachers trying to take back their school -- where the teachers are drunk, lazy or psychotic, every child has been left behind, and the burned-out vice principal is barely holding on -- from an insanely corrupt principal. From Anchor Bay Entertainment ... "Rise of the Footsoldier" (2007) is inspired by the shocking true story of one man's rise to power as the most feared and respected criminal in England -- Carlton Leach, who became a member of a notorious gang of criminals who rampaged their way through London and Essex in the late 1980s and early 1990s. From Lionsgate ... "Wisegal" (2008) stars Alyssa Milano, Jason Gedrick and James Caan in the story of Patty Montanari, a Brooklyn widow and mother who sells contraband cigarettes to make ends meet. She soon begins a torrid love affair with Frank Russo, a captain in a crime family she's fallen in with, but eventually comes to the realization that this "Family" is ruthless, and begins to fear for her life. From Anchor Bay Entertainment.
For the Family:
Two gems from the sixties arrive this week: "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear" (1964) and "The Man Called Flintstone"
(1966), both remastered and selling for $19.98, from Warner ... "Curious George: Leads the band and Other Musical Mayem" features eight episodes of the PBS Kids TV series, $16.98 from Universal.
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Special Interest:
"A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Special Edition" (2001) is a cult-classic documentary that follows rabid "Star Wars" fans eagerly awaiting the release of George Lucas' first "prequel" to the original trilogy, "Episode I: The Phantom Menace." This updated version is loaded with out-of-this-world extras: from over-the-top fan conventions and nationwide premieres (where many waited in line for 40+ days), into the homes of devoted fans showing off their treasures, offering new insights into the powerful franchise that has captivated generations of moviegoers. From Cinevolve Studio.
More News:
DVD Collectibles:
There's a nice medley of releases this week from the impetuous folks at The Criterion Collection:
In "Bottle Rocket" (1996), Wes Anderson first illustrated his lovingly detailed, slightly surreal cinematic vision in this witty and warm portrait of three young middle-class misfits. Fresh out of a mental hospital, gentle Anthony (Luke Wilson) finds himself once again embroiled in the machinations of his best friend, elaborate schemer Dignan (Owen Wilson). With the aid of getaway driver Bob (Robert Musgrave), they develop a needlessly complex, mildly successful plan to rob a small bookstore-then go "on the lam." Also featuring Lumi Cavazos as Inez, the South American housekeeper Anthony falls in love with, and James Caan as local thief extraordinaire Mr. Henry, "Bottle Rocket" is a charming, hilarious, affectionate look at the folly of dreamers. Shot against radiant southwestern backdrops, it's the film that put Anderson and the Wilson brothers on the map. On standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc. In a new, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Wes Anderson and director of photography Robert Yeoman; Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 on Blu-ray). (Posted November 25)
The whiplash, double-pronged "Chungking Express" (1994) is one of the defining works of nineties cinema and the film that made Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai an instant icon. Two heartsick Hong Kong cops (Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung), both jilted by ex-lovers, cross paths at the Midnight Express take-out restaurant stand, where the ethereal pixie waitress Faye (Faye Wong) works. Anything goes in Wong's gloriously shot and utterly unexpected charmer, which cemented the sex appeal of its gorgeous stars and forever turned canned pineapple and the Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreamin'" into tokens of romantic longing. In a new, restored high-definition digital transfer on standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack supervised by director Wong Kar Wai (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 on Blu-ray) ...
and lastly there's "The Spy Who Came in From The Cold"
(1965). John Le Carre's acclaimed bestselling novel, about a Cold War spy on one final, dangerous mission, is every bit as precise and ruthless onscreen in this adaptation directed by Martin Ritt. Richard Burton delivers one of his career-defining performances as Alec Leamas, whose hesitant but deeply felt relationship with a beautiful librarian (Claire Bloom) puts what he hopes will be his last assignment, in East Germany, in jeopardy. An intelligent, hard-edged, and even tragic thriller, "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" is etched with realism and suffused with genuine political and personal anxiety. In a two-disc set with a new, restored high-definition digital transfer. As alwYS, each Criterion release is loaded with impressive extras; each set includes a booklet of essays. (Posted November 25)
At the other end of the cinematic spectrum is the "Pink Panther Ultimate Collection," an 18-disc combination of film and cartoon classics for the Pink Panther completist: "The Pink Panther Collector's Edition," "A Shot in the Dark," "Inspector Clouseau," "The Pink Panther Strikes Again," "Revenge of the Pink Panther," "Trail of the Pink Panther," "Curse of the Pink Panther," "Son of the Pink Panther," "The Pink Panther" (2006), "Pink Panther Cartoon Collection Volumes 1-9; $199.98 from MGM. (Posted November 25)
From TV to Video:
"Arctic Exposure With Nigel Marven" (2007) is a five-part Animal Planet series that explores the wildlife and surrounding area of the Canadian Arctic, $39.92 from Genius Products ... "Beverly Hills 90210: The Sixth Season" (1995-96), a seven-disc set with 32 episodes, $61.99 from Paramount ... "24: Exile"
(2008), starring Kiefer Sutherland, Cherry Jones, Robert Carlyle, Gil Bellows, Tony Todd and Jon Voight, is a feature-length program that bridges the gap between Seasons 6 and 7, picking up with Jack Bauer in exile in Africa, from Fox. (Posted November 25)
Buzzin' the 'B's:
"The Line" (2007 ) is a gritty, explosive thriller from Down Under. When a member of an Asian crime syndicate is brutally murdered amidst a volatile underworld, a recently promoted detective is teamed with a rogue undercover cop to solve the crime and prevent gang warfare. Stars David Barry and Andy McPhee; from Cinevole Studio. (Posted November 25)
On the Indie Front:
"Beautiful Ohio" (2006) is a quiet family drama that focuses on two young brothers and explores the elaborate family dynamics during the changing social attitudes at the beginning of the 1970s. Directed by Chad Lowe and starring William Hurt, Rita Wilson, Michelle Trachtenberg and Julianna Margulies; from Genius Products. (Posted November 25)
Foreign:
In "Still Life" (2008 -- China), citizens return to a flooded town to salvage what they can and say good-bye to things they lost -- both material and spiritual. An empathetic portrait of those left behind by a modernizing society and, as in director Jia Zhang-ke's earlier films, it is a unique hybrid of documentary and fiction; from New Yorker Video. (Posted November 25)
For the Family:
"The Nutty Professor" (2008) is an animated sequel that has the grandson of professor Julius Kelp -- who created a potion to transform his personality -- getting his hands on the secret elixir, unleashing his destructive alter ego; $19.97 from The Weinstein Company/Rainmaker Entertainment/Genius Products ... "Superman Doomsday" (2007) is an animated feature based on "The Death of Superman" story line that appeared in DC Comics in the 1990s. Two-disc set, $24.98 from Warner. (Posted November 25)
Special Interest:
"It's Bad For Ya, " (2008) is George Carlin's Emmy nominated 14th and final HBO special, recorded March 2008; $19.98 from MPI Home Video ... "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All"
(2008) is a one-hour original musical holiday special premiering Sunday, Nov. 23 at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central. Stephen Colbert is supposed to meet Elvis Costello in New York, but gets snowed in. He decides to trudge through the storm with some help from musical performers Feist, Toby Keith, Elvis Costello and others. Songs performed include "Another Christmas Song" - Stephen Colbert, "Have I Got a Present for You" -- Toby Keith, "Little Dealer Boy" -- Stephen Colbert and Willie Nelson, "Hannukah" -- Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, "Nutmeg" -- Stephen Colbert and John Legend, "Please Be Patient" -- Feist , more. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charity Feeding America. $19.99 from Paramount. (Posted November 25)
DVD Collectibles:
Highlight of the week is the release of "Heathers 20th High School Reunion Limited Edition Locker Set" (1989), starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk and Kim Walker. The two-disc DVD and Blu-ray Disc set features a new high quality transfer and remastered feature presentation. Extras include a "Return to Westerburg High Documentary"; commentary by Michael Lehmann, writer Daniel Waters and producer Denise Di Novi; "Swatch Dogs and Diet Coke Heads" documentary, original ending screenplay excerpt (DVD-ROM), one of three possible T-shirts ("Greetings and Salutations," "What's Your Damage?" or "Big Fun") in a collectible box that resembles a Westerburg Algebra book; a hardcover Westerburg High School Class of 1988 Yearbook full of fun facts, photos, bios and more; set of 14 Heathers magnets; numbered, deluxe teal tin locker. From Anchor Bay. (Posted November 18)
While in a dark comedy mood check out "The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition." Inside this decorative carton lurk four seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus, two new-to-DVD documentaries, two Monty Python live performances, and six "Personal Best" compilations. The whole great mess -- Spam tins, parrot carcasses, blancmanges, and all -- has been safely digitized, compressed into microscopic "funny bits," pressed onto 21 shiny discs, and sealed within this whimsy-proof receptacle. Beware: there's new material you can't repeat verbatim (yet). "Before the FLying Circus" employs rare vintage footage to explore the influences that shaped six young lunatics, while "Monty Python Conquers America" documents their tremendous, yet astonishingly unlikely, American success. The six "Personal Best" collections present the best sketches and songs, as selected, arranged, and hosted by the individual Pythons themselves. And, of course, "Monty Python Live" shows what happens when absurd TV sketches are inflicted on live audiences. Twenty-one disc set, $159.95. (A&E Home Video). (Posted November 18)
For the family there's "The Films of Michael Sporn," a six-disc Collector's Edition box set with award-winng animated films "Whitewash," "The Talking Eggs," "Champagne," "The Hunting of the Snark," "The Marzipan Pig," "Jazztime Tale," "Abel's Island," "The Dancing Frog," "The Red Shoes," "The Little Match Girl," "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "Nightingale"; $49.95 from First Run Features ... and for Trekkies there's "Star Trek: The Original Series: Season Three Remastered Edition," a seven-disc set with 24 fully restored episodes, new CGI special effects, and re-recorded score; $99.99. Extras include two versions of the famous "The Cage" episode (the original pilot plus the extended version) and nine featurettes, from Paramount. (Posted November 18)
From TV to Video:
"Bones: Season Three Totally Decomposed Edition," a five-disc set with 15 episodes, $59.98 from Fox ... "Daniel Boone: The Final Season" (1969-70), a seven-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.95 from Liberation Entertainment ... "Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series," a six-disc set with 13 episodes, $99.98 from Warner ... "Gene Simmons Family Jewels: The Complete Season Three," a four-disc set with 29 episodes, $24.95 from A&E Home Video ... "Night Gallery: Season Two" (1971-72), a five-disc set with 61 stories, $59.98 from Universal. (Posted November 18)
Buzzin' the 'B's:
Filmed in a hand-held documentary style, "Zombie Diaries"
(2006), weaves together three different storylines of survivors of a viral outbreak in a post-apocalyptic world of the living dead; stars James Fisher, Russell Jones, Imogen Church and Craig Stovin; from The Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Extreme/Genius Products ... "The Clique"
(2008) is a teen high school fashion adventure based on the best-selling book series by Lisi Harrison; from Warner ... In "Garden Party"
(2008), starring Vinessa Shaw, Willa Holland, Richard Gunn, Patrick Fischler, Fiona Dourif and Erik Smith, five adventurous souls attempt to navigate the treacherous urban landscape of contemporary Los Angeles: April is an ambitious beauty in search of success, Sally St. Clair is a sexy realtor with a secret past, Nathan moved to Los Angeles from Nebraska seeking success as a dancer, Todd is a porn-addicted artist, and Sammy is a starry-eyed street musician; from Lionsgate. (Posted November 18)
On the Indie Front:
In "Mister Lonely" (2008), directed by Harmony Korine and starring Diego Luna and Samantha Morton, a lonely Michael Jackson impersonator (Luna) falls for a beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-a-like (Morton) who suggests he move to a commune of impersonators in the Scottish Highlands. At the seaside castle, Michael discovers everyone preparing for the commune's first-ever gala: Abe Lincoln, Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Stooges, the Queen, the Pope, Madonna, Buckwheat, Sammy Davis Jr. ... and also Marilyn's daughter Shirley Temple and her possessive husband Charlie Chaplin; from The Weinstein Co./Genius Products. (Posted November 18)
Foreign:
"Priceless" (2006 -- France) stars Audrey Tautou as a seductive enchantress who finds solace in the glamorous French Riviera where money is abundant and beauty is cherished. She weaves herself into the lives of older wealthy men who dazzle her with diamonds and cater to her love for couture ... until she meets her match in a lowly bartender who she mistakes for a wealthy bachelor; from First Look Studios. (Posted November 18)
For the Family:
For the twen set there's "Hannah Montana: The Complete First Season," a four-disc set with 17 episodes of the smash kids TV series, $39.99 from Disney ... "How'd They Build That?" is a new series for preschoolers designed to pique children's curiosity about big rigs, combining live action with 3-D animation. First two episodes: "Fire Truck" and "Big Truck," $8.99 each; from Marvelous Media ... "Winky's Horse" (2005 - Belgium/Netherlands) is a family film about a young girl who only wants one thing: a horse. Since she knows that her parents would never allow her to get one, she turns to Santa in the hope of making her dreams come true; $19.99 from Peace Arch Entertainment. (Posted November 18)
Special Interest:
Klezmer music, sometimes called Jewish "soul" music, has a rich and lengthy past, and now, a revitalized future. This festive Jewish band music originated in pre-World War II Poland, but now resonates in a cultural and musical revival all across America. "The Last Klezmer" (1994) looks at one of the pioneers of this music, a remarkable, 69-year-old man named Leopold Kozlowski. An actor and musical consultant in Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List," Kozlowski is the last active Klezmer musician trained in the original, prewar tradition. This spirited documentary follows Kozlowski as he returns, for the first time in 50 years, to the Polish village where he was raised. Though his parents were killed by the Nazis, and he himself spent much of the war in concentration camps, Kozlowski emerged from the experience devoted to keeping alive his cultural heritage and Klezmer music. As this charming and moving film shows, both Kozlowski and his music have survived and remain vibrant and inspiring; from New Yorker Video ... "Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan" (2007) traces the history of the legendary hip-hop group through interviews and never before seen concert footage. In the summer of 1993, the Wu-Tang Clan emerged from the slums of Staten Island, N.Y., and took the hip-hop world by storm. Their legacy spanned more than a decade, selling nearly 20 million albums. Their talents brought them success, and their music made them egends; $22.99 from Paramount ... In "Encounters at the End of the World" (2007) filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica to capture its landscape's rarely seen beauty on film. He interviews the quirky and idiosyncratic people who make their daily lives in the icy South Pole, from physicists to plumbers, biologists to bus drivers, and captures their fascinating stories. Two-disc set, $27.98 from Image Entertainment ... "The Adventure Collection" is a 14-disc set with feature-length A&E favorites "Horatio Hornblower," "Longitude," "The Lost Battalion," "Napoleon," "Shackleton" and "Benedict Arnold," $99.95 from A&E Home Video. (Posted November 18)
DVD Collectibles:
It's an amazing week for collectible DVDs:
Koch Vision and The Archive of American Television have launched a new partnership with the DVD release of the distinguished television series "Studio One Anthology." The inaugural release under the new banner, The Archive of American Television Presents, "Studio One Anthology" includes 17 hand-picked episodes from the anthology drama series which ran on CBS from 1948-1958, and featured a weekly, one-hour live televised play featuring some of the greatest teleplays and stars of all time. The $99.98 five-disc set includes a 52-page booklet, archival interviews and footage, excerpts from the Paley Center's "Studio One Seminar" and "Studio One Video History," original commercials, more. From Koch Vision. For a complete list of titles in this set, Click here. (Posted November 11)
From Warner Home Video comes "Warner Brothers and the Homefront," a three-disc set with three new-to-DVD films: "Hollywood Canteen" (1944) starring a bevy of Hollywood stars in a "documentary" look at Hollywood's effort to support the war effort in its own home town; "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943) starring Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, and Dinah Shore in a breezy, behind-the-Hollywood-scenes story about young talents hoping for a big break; and "This Is the Army" (1943), directed by Michael Curtiz and starring George Murphy, Joan Leslie and Alan Hale in an Irving Berlin World War II spirit-lifter; $39.92 ... Warner will also release the restored and remastered costumer "Quo Vadis" (1951), directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov and Elizabeth Taylor, in a two-disc set ... and the "JFK Ultimate Collector's Edition" (1991), directed by Oliver Stone and starring Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, Michael Rooker, Jack Lemmon, Laurie Metcalf, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, John Candy, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Jay O. Sanders, Walter Matthau, Sally Kirkland and Donald Sutherland. The two-disc special edition includes 17 minutes of additional footage, commentary by Stone, "Beyond JFK: A Question of Conspiracy" documentary, "The Kennedys: America's Emerald Kings" documentary, a book of rare production photos, five photo cards profiling the film's major characetsr, a collection of letters and photos of the Kennedy family including JFK's Inaugural address, more. The title is also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Posted November 11)
"Walt Disney Treasures Wave VIII" hads to its collection three new two-disc sets, hosted by Leonard Maltin: "The Mickey Mouse Club Presents Annette," "Dr Syn, Alias the Scarecrow" and "Chronological Donald, Volume 4." Each limited edition, individually numbered volume includes an authenticity certificate, exclusive lithograph and comes in a unique, collectible tin. $32.99 each.
- "The Mickey Mouse Club Presents Annette" (1957-58). Annette. To legions of Mickey Mouse Club fans she was magic. Chosen by Walt himself as an original cast member, Annette soon became the most popular Mousketeer and was given a daily series of her own. Showcased here is the entire fish-out-of-water series, about an innocent girl from the country who moves to the suburbs to live with her well-to-do aunt and uncle. The 20-episode series aired during the third and final season of The Mickey Mouse Club.
- "Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow," which first aired as three separate episodes on Disney's weekly TV show under the title "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh," was edited for theatrical releases in England and the U.S. This set includes all three of the original TV episodes plus the theatrical version of the film that was released in England. Stars Patrick McGoohan.
- Disney fans will delight in "Chronological Donald, Volume 4," which includes 31 classic shorts starring Donald Duck. Each of these meticulously animated adventures was created between 1951 and 1961 and has rarely been seen. All of Donald's CinemaScope shorts will be presented in their original widescreen aspect ratio for the first time on video.
(Disney).
(Posted November 11)
Meanwhile, Paramount has inaugerated its new Paramount Centennial Collection, a new line of classics that are digitally mastered and restored in two-disc sets with eight-page booklets, with three titles: "Roman Holiday"
(1953), directed by William Wyler and starring Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn; "Sabrina" (1954), directed by Billy Wilder and starring Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden; and "Sunset Blvd." (1950), directed by Billy Wilder and starring Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Erich von Stroheim and Jack Webb. Each release is loaded with bonus features. Paramount will alo release this week "The Boys in the Band" (1970), directed by William Friedkin and starring Kenneth Nelson, Leonard Frey, Cliff Gorman, Frederick Combs and Laurence Luckinbill. To celebrate the play's 40th anniversary, the film has been restored under Friedkin's direction, using a unique color correction process and remixed in stereo. (Posted November 11)
From TV to Video:
"The Commander, Set 1" is a gritty new British crime drama that introduces Clare Blake, the steely head of the elite Murder Review Team and the highest-ranking woman officer in New Scotland Yard; in a four-disc set, $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "The Cosby Show -- The 25th Anniversary Commemorative Edition" is an impressive 26-six disc set with all episodes from the eight-season run; the $124.98 price tag includes a hard cover book, commemorative Bill Cosby photo,more, from First Look Studios ... "George Gently, Series 1" is a new mystery series based on the long-running series of detective novels by Alan Hunter. Martin Shaw stars as Commander George Gently, an incorruptible, uncompromising cop transplanted from London's Scotland Yard to England's North Country in the mid-1960s; in a three-disc set, $49.99, from Acorn Media ... "I Dream of Jeannie: The Complete Series" (1965-69) is a 26-disc set with 139 episodes, $174.95 from Sony ... "M Squad: The Complete Series" is a 15-disc set with all 117 episodes of one of the groundbreaking programs from the golden age of television. The police drama, staring Lee Marvin, debuted on NBC in 1957 and aired for three seasons. $119.98 from Timeless Media ... "Mind of Mencia: Uncensored Season 4" is a two-disc set with 10 episodes, $26.99 from Paramount ... "Scrubs: The Complete Seventh Season"
is a two-disc set with 11 episodes, $29.99 from Disney ... "Seventh Heaven: The Seventh Season" (2002-03) is a five-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.99 from Paramount ... "Son of the Beach: Volume 2" is a three-disc set with the unreleased episodes from Season Two and all of Season Three, $39.99 from Shout Factory! ... "The Sopranos: The Complete Series" is a 33-disc boxed set with all 86 episodes, $399.99 from HBO Video ... "Streets of San Francisco: Season Two, Volume 2" (1973) is a three-disc set, $42.99 from Paramount ... "World's Most Amazing Videos: Volume One" is a singe-disc compilation, $14.98 from Universal. (Posted November 11)
Buzzin' the 'B's:
In "We All Fall Down" (2000), starring Darcy Belsher, Martin Cummins, Ryan Reynolds, Barry Pepper and Helen Shaver, a struggling actor -- whose drug abuse intensifies after the recent passing of his mother -- can't quite get a grip on his life. As he turns to his best friend, the two go on a ruthless journey of drugs, prostitutes and violence until their deadly routines catch up with them; from Somerville House/Critical Mass and Koch Entertainment ... "Raw Feed Horror Collection" features three thrillers from the Warner Home Video Raw Feed filmmaking team: "Rest Stop," "Sublime" and "Believers," $23.97 from Warner. (Posted November 11)
On the Indie Front:
In "Noelle" (2007), a priest arrives in a tiny fishing village the week before Christmas to shut down a dying parish ... and becomes entangled in the lives of the town's eccentric characters while learning the power of forgiveness and redemption. Stars David Wall, Sean Patrick Brennan, Kerry Brennan and Brennan Wall; from Paramount. (Posted November 11)
Foreign:
It's a lovely week for love at the foreign film checkout counter; in fact, there's two French films titled "Love Songs." First up is 1984's "Love Songs," starring Catherine Deneuve and Christopher Lambert in the heart-warming tale of a woman torn between her family, career, and marriage, on the verge of an alluring affair with a handsome stranger; from Somerville House/Koch Entertainment ... then there's 2008's "Love Songs,"
starring Ludivine Sagnier, Louis Garrel and Clotilde Hesme. This one's a contemporary musical homage to French cinema of the 1960s. Parisian lovers Ismael and Julie add a third person to their relationship to add spice to their dying romance. Alice works with Ismael in his job at a newspaper and she shows instant chemistry with both partners. But tragedy soon divides the lovers, and Ismael is left to cope in the best way he can: through love; from Genius Products ... Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Francois Balmer and Christophe Malavoy star in "Madame Bovary" (1991 -- France), Claude Chabrol's meticulously authentic adaptation of one of modern literature's most celebrated and controversial novels; from Koch Lorber Films ... "Opium: Diary of a Madwoman" (2007 -- Hungary) is a fact-based thriller about Dr. Jozsef Brenner, a morphine-addicted Hungarian neurologist who believes drugs will cure his bad case of writer's block. After he travels to a remote asylum for women, hoping to secure morphine under the pretext of conducting a psychoanalytic study, he becomes drawn to a deeply disturbed patient, Gizella, who believes her soul has been captured by the devil; from Koch Lorber Films. (Posted November 11)
For the Family:
For the preschool set this week there's "Pingu's South Pole Adventures," featuring eight snowy animated adventures, $14.98 from HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate; and "Shaun the Sheep: Off the Baa!,"
with eight episodes of the "Wallace & Gromit" spinoff series (Shaun first appeared in Aardman Animations' "A Close Shave")" airing on the Disney Channel; $19.98 from HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate ... for older kids there's "Storm Hawks: Showdown in the Skies," a two-disc set with 13 episodes of the Cartoon Network's kids 3-D animated series, $24.94 from Sony. (Posted November 11)
Special Interest:
What do beer cans, car tires and water bottles have in common? Not much unless you're renegade architect Michael Reynolds, in which case they are the tools of choice for producing thermal mass and energy-independent housing. For 30 years New Mexico-based Reynolds and his green disciples have devoted their time to advancing the art of "Earthship Biotecture" by building self-sufficient, off-the-grid communities where design and function converge in eco-harmony. "Garbage Warrior" (2007) documents Reynolds struggle to build experimental structures that defy state building standards and create conflict between him and the authorities, who are backed by big business; $24.98 from Morningstar Entertainment ... "Remembering Vietnam: The Wall at 25" (2008) presents decorated Vietnam veteran Jan Scruggs, whose vision in 1979 to build a Vietnam memorial was met with cynicism and opposition, and Maya Lin, the Yale undergraduate whose etched granite memorial was once called a black gash of shame, nearly halting the project. Now, 25 years later, Smithsonian Networks explores the very personal story of The Wall, from its unlikely beginnings to its current status as Washington's most-visited monument, drawing millions each year to grieve, pay tribute or heal old wounds; $14.98 from Infinity Entertainment Group ... "Live From Abbey Road: Best of Season 1" brings together some of the best performances from the premiere season, including, among others, John Mayer, Dr. John, Wynton Marsalis, The Goo-Goo Dolls, Iron Maiden, Dave Matthews, David Gilmour and Norah Jones; $19.98 from BCI. (Posted November 11)
DVD Collectibles:
At the top of the release stack this week is Fox's "The Films of Budd Boetticher Box Set." Known for their sparse style, dramatic rocky locations, and recurring themes of a lone man seeking vengeance amidst a brutal landscape, Boetticher's films have, decades after their release, come to be regarded as some of the most influential westerns ever made. This set brings together five of his best films: "The Tall T" (1957), starring Randolph Scott, John Hubbard, Richard Boone and Maureen O'Sullivan; "Decision at Sundown" (1957), starring Randolph Scott and John Carroll; "Buchanan Rides Alone" (1958), starring Randolph Scott; "Ride Lonesome" (1959), starring James Best, Randolph Scott and Lee Van Cleef; "Comanche Station" (1960), starring (Randolph Scott, Nancy Gates, Claude Akins, Skip Homeier and Richard Rust. Extras include the documentary "Budd Boetticher: A Man Can Do That," introductions, and commentary by Clint Eastwood, Taylor Hackford, and Martin Scorsese. (Posted November 4)
A fun collectible is "A Christmas Story 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition" (1983), a two-disc set housed in a Cookie Tin Cannister. Extras for the beloved film, directed by Bob Clark and starring Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin and Peter Billingsley, include commentary, a making-of featurette, a "Red Ryder Rifle" featurette, a "Leg Lamp" featurette, a 50-plus page book, five cookie cutters inspired by the film, and a custom chef's apron; $39.99. Also available on Blu-ray Disc for $49.99; from Warner ... For nostalgic boomers there's "The Howdy Doody Show," a five-disc set with 40 episodes of the seminal TV series. "The Howdy Doody Show" made its debut in 1947; at the time there were only 20,000 American homes with television sets and NBC only had stations in six markets. The show was credited as a major factor in the growth of NBC. "Howdy" went on to air 2,543 episodes, before running its final episode on Dec. 30, 1960; $29.98 from Mill Creek Entertainment ... Other collectibles this week:
"Pee-wee's Big Advenutre"
(1985), directed by Tim Burton and starring Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton and Diane Salinger, from Warner; "The Wild Wild West: The Complete Box Set" (1965-69), a 27-disc set, $144.99, from Paramount ... and "The Gregory Peck Film Collection,"
a six-disc set with "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Cape Fear," "Arabesque," "Mirage," "Captain Newman, M.D." and "The World in His Arms," $59.98 from Universal. (Posted November 4)
From TV to Video:
"Futurama: Bender's Game" (2008) is the third installment in the series of all-new feature-length "Futurama" animated adventures. With fuel prices skyrocketing, the Planet Express crew sets off on a dangerous mission to infiltrate the world's only dark-matter mine, source of all spaceship fuel. But deep beneath the surface, they discover a far stranger place ... a medieval land of dragons and sorcery and intoxicated knights who look suspiciously like Bender; from Fox ... "JAG: The Seventh Season"
(2001-02) is a five-disc set with 24 episodes, $64.99 from Paramount ...
When strange anomalies in time start to appear all over England, Professor Cutter and his team have to help track down and capture all sorts of dangerous prehistoric creatures from Earth's distant past in BBC TV's "Primeval: Volume 1" (2007), $49.98 from Warner ... "Project Runway: The Complete Fourth Season" is a four-disc set with 14 episodes, $27.95 from Genius Products ... "Spin City: The Complete First Season"
Is a four-disc set with 24 episodes, $39.99 from Shout! Factory. (Posted November 4)
Buzzin' the 'B's:
An ancient legend says that the fiery entrance to hell exists in an elaborate underworld that lies beneath the city of Moscow. A priest delves into this eerie underground system of catacombs and caves, supposedly inhabited by demons, in search of his friend who disappeared while researching the legend in "Moscow Zero" (2006), starring Vincent Gallo, Oksana Akinshina, Val Kilmer, Sage Stallone, Joaquim de Almeida and Rade Serbedzija; from Sony ...
"Termination Point" (2007) stars Jason Priestley and Lou Diamond Phillips in a sci fi tale about a rogue time-travel scientist who must be found before repercussions from potential time shifts threaten to destroy the Earth; from Sony ... "Return to Sleepaway Camp"
(2008), stars Vincent Pastore, Jonathan Tiersten, Paul DeAngelo and Isaac Hayes in the fourth sequel to the 1983 slasher film; from Magnolia Home Entertainment. (Posted November 4)
On the Indie Front:
"When Did You Last See Your Father?"
(2008), starring Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson, Gina McKee, Claire Skinner and Matthew Beard, is an unflinching exploration of a father/son relationship, as a man faces his father's terminal illness and imminent death; from Sony ... "Dear Me, a Blogger's Tale"
(2008) stars Sarah Thompson in a tale about a copywriter whose personal blog is hijacked by an evil co-worker; from Porchlight Home Entertainment ... "The Good Life" (2007), starring Mark Webber, Zooey Deschanel, Chris Klein, Bill Paxton, Drea De Matteo, Donal Logue, Patrick Fugit and Harry Dean Stanton, is a comedy/drama about a young man who is encouraged by a new friend to cope with living in the small football-obsessed town where he doesn't fit in, retreating into classic old movies ... until he meets a beautiful and mysterious young woman; from Image ... "Cruel but Necessary"
(2005), directed by Saul Rubinek and starring Wendel Meldrum, Mark Humphrey and Luke Humphrey, is the story of a suburban housewife's strange journey of soul-awakening in the traumatic years following the revelation, on videotape, of her husband's infidelity; from Sommerville House/Critical Mass/KOCH Entertainment ... In "Flashbacks of a Fool" (2008), starring Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Eve, Helen McCrory and Olivia Williams, a fading Hollywood star looks back at the days of his youth as he returns home from his best friend's funeral; from Anchor Bay Entertainment ... "What We Do Is Secret" (2007), stars Shane West, Bijou Phillips, Rick Gonzalez, Noah Segan and Ashton Holmes in a biopic of punk legend Darby Crash and his seminal L.A. band the Germs; from Peace Arch Entertainment. (Posted November 4)
For the Family:
In "Shrek the Halls"(2008), all the "Shrek" characters return to celebrate Christmas in this 22-minute animated short; with the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas; from DreamWorks/Paramount ... Two Jim Henson features arrive this week from HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate: "The Christmas Toy" (1987), a tale about toys coming alive on Christmas Eve; $14.98; and "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" (1977), an HBO TV special about a poor but tight-knit family of otters struggling to make ends meet during the holidays; $14.98 ... "Batman: The Complete Animated Series" is a 17-disc set with 109 episodes, $107.92; from Warner ... "HIT Favorites: Snow Days" is a collection of six winter-themed offerings for the pre-school set from "Barney," "Thomas & Friends," "Bob the Builder," "Angelina Ballerina," "Fireman Sam" and "Pingu"; $14.98 from HIT/Lionsgate. (Posted November 4)
Special Interest:
What a difference eight years makes -- in the life of a troubled nation, a battleground state, and an American family. All three meet head-on in "Swing State" (2008), which chronicles the 2006 Ohio Governor's race, a campaign in which J. Kenneth Blackwell, responsible for "delivering" Ohio to George W. Bush in 2004, meets his match: Democratic candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor Ted Strickland and Lee Fisher. In "Swing State," the whole process is documented, with an intimate look at not only a critical fight in a key state, but also the experience of the Fisher family as they put it all on the line to avenge Lee's devastating loss for governor in 1998. $19.98 from Morningstar Entertainment ... "Creatures of the Deep" is a four-disc set with four National Geographic specials: "Dolphins: The Wild Side," "Tiger Shark: Predator Revealed," "Devils of the Deep: Jumbo Squid" and "Killer Whales: Wolves at Sea"; $39.98 from Warner ...
"NFL History of the New England Patriots" is a five-disc set that covers all the great games, all the star players and all the unforgettable moments; $26.95 from Warner. (Posted November 4)
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