DVD Playhouse--May 2009

DVD PLAYHOUSE—MAY 2009
By
Allen Gardner

PARAMOUNT CENTENNIAL COLLECTION Paramount Studios releases two more classic titles from its library on special edition DVD: THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE is John Ford’s last masterpiece (although he would go on to direct two more very good films) from 1962: about an Eastern lawyer (James Stewart) who travels west only to find primal brutality in the form of sadistic bandit Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin, great as always) and pragmatic brutality in local rancher Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), each two sides of a coin that represent a way of life slowly dying out as Stewart’s modern brand of civilization tames the West. A perfect film, period. Howard Hawks’ EL DORADO is essentially a remake of his earlier classic Rio Bravo, with John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and a young James Caan as lawmen joining forces against corrupt cattle barons. Great fun. Two disc sets. Bonuses on both: Commentary by filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich and film scholars, as well as archival recordings of Stewart, Wayne, Ford and Marvin on Liberty Valance; Selected scene commentary from Dan Ford, son of John Ford, on El Dorado; Featurettes; Trailers. Photo and publicity galleries. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (Criterion) Peter Yates’ downbeat study of working class hoods in Boston is one of the finest hours of American crime cinema in the ‘70s. Robert Mitchum stars as a dim-witted, low-level crook who finds himself quickly in over his head after being implicated in a local bank job, and facing a second stretch in prison. Fine support from Richard Jordan, Peter Boyle, and Steven Keats—all fine actors, now sadly no longer with us. Fine, spare screenplay by Paul Monash, from George V. Higgins’ novel. Bonuses: Commentary by Yates; Stills gallery; Booklet with essay by critic Kent Jones and Grover Lewis’ 1973 interview with Mitchum for Rolling Stone, from the film’s set. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
WISE BLOOD (Criterion) John Huston’s sober, poetic adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel about an eccentric young preacher (Brad Dourif) who attempts to open the first Church Without Christ in a small Southern town. Fascinating mediation on faith, spirituality and madness, with Huston (billed either erroneously or with tongue firmly in-cheek as “Jhon Huston”) making a nice cameo as a minister. Bonuses: Interviews with Dourif, writer Benedict Fitzgerald and writer/producer Michael Fitzgerald; Archival recording of O’Connor reading her short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find”; 1982 episode of Creativity with Bill Moyers on Huston; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
PIGS, PIMPS & PROSTITUTES: 3 FILMS BY SHOEI IMAMURA (Criterion) One of the leaders of the Japanese New Wave in the 1960s, Shoei Imamura’s films blended biting social and political commentary with a kitchen sink sensibility and more than a touch of the surreal. PIGS AND BATTLESHIPS tells the story of a doomed young couple, one a hungry Yakuza who gets a job on an American military base supervising the pig pen, all the while subverting the food scraps to his clan in the black market, while his girlfriend, urging the boy to go straight, finds herself drawn into petty thievery and eventually, prostitution. Strong stuff for 1961. THE INSECT WOMAN follows the ordeal of a woman in pre, present, and post-war Japan, each era having a marked and extreme affect on her life and situation. Bleak, haunting character study and commentary on the disintegration of a country’s character and identity. INTENTIONS OF MURDER follows a woman’s downward spiral after being told by her mother that their family are the victims of a curse. Imamura expertly blends Hitchcockian suspense, sexual violence and his signature social commentary. Bonuses: Interview with Imamura by Japanese critic Tadao Sato; Episode of French series Cinema de Norte Temps on Imamura; Interviews with critic and historian Tony Rayns on all three films. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
TAKING CHANCE (HBO Films) Simple, but powerful story about a U.S. Marine Lt. Col. (Kevin Bacon) who volunteers to escort the body of a young Marine killed in Iraq who grew up in the same hometown in Wyoming. Bacon’s Picaresque journey across the heartland provides a sobering, and affecting, view of war and the impact it has on individual lives. Based on a true story. Bonuses: Featurettes; Interviews; Deleted scene. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
WENDY AND LUCY (Oscilloscope Pictures) A homeless woman (Michelle Williams)’s car breaks down in the Pacific Northwest. When her beloved dog goes missing, Williams searches relentlessly for her companion, encountering kindness, indifference, and other lost souls, before finally achieving a strange sort of redemption. Moving, spare and poetic portrait of pain, loss and acceptance. Fine work by cast and crew alike. Bonuses: Collection of shorts from Bard College film students. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
LOOK (Anchor Bay) Shot entirely on surveillance cameras, director Adam Rifkin's pointed social satire/commentary follows a diverse group of Angelinos who committ a variety of sins, some minor and some major, all while under varying degrees of eyewitness by the modern equivalent of Orwell's Big Brother. Thought-provoking exercise takes some time to gather steam, but once it does, it's riveting in the most voyeuristic, uncomfortable way: director Rifkin very cleverly makes his audience complicit in the goings-on. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by Rifkin, cast and crew; Outtakes: TV spots and trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE WRESTLER (20th Century Fox) Mickey Rourke was the comeback story of the year in ’08 with his stunning portrait of Randy “the Ram” Robinson, a washed-up pro wrestler who peaked in the ‘80s and finds that life, and his battered body, have caught up with him. There is nary a hint of the eye candy that director Darren Aronofsky made his name with in this neo-realist gem, a mournful dirge to lost souls and dreams that refuse to die. Fine support from Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. Also available on Blu-ray disc. 2 disc set bonuses include: Featurettes; Bruce Springsteen video; Digital copy of the film. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
LAST CHANCE HARVEY (Anchor Bay/Overture) Dustin Hoffman plays an aging jingle composer who travels to London for his estranged daughter’s wedding, where he finds a kindred spirit in Emma Thompson’s poll-taker during a random encounter at Heathrow Airport. Hoffman and Thompson have terrific chemistry and are great fun to watch, but the material seems unworthy of their starpower or a major feature film, and more akin to something you’d find on the Lifetime network on a Sunday night. Classic example of a film that is “a rental.” Also available on Blu-ray disc. Two disc set bonuses: Commentary by writer/director Joel Hopkins, Thompson and Hoffman; Featurette; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
NOTORIOUS (20th Century Fox) Mostly-successful biopic about rapper Notorious B.I.G. (aka Christopher Wallace), focusing primarily on his formative years in Brooklyn, where he was raised by a caring mother (Angela Bassett, excellent) studying for her Master’s and found himself seduced by the crack trade, in spite of an obvious talent as a writer and musician. When rap mogul Sean Combs (Derek Luke) hears B.I.G.’s demo tape, he signs the lad at age 20 and what begins with a meteoric rise ends in a hail of bullets four years later. Has much in common with the old Warner Bros. gangster pictures like Angels with Dirty Faces: you can take a kid off the streets, but you can’t take the streets out of the kid. Director George Tillman, Jr. wisely avoids the pitfalls of most film biographies in that he doesn’t attempt to cover more ground than two hours of screen time can handle. Director’s cut contains an extra six minutes of footage. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Tillman and crew; Biggie’s mom, Voletta Wallace, Biggie’s managers; Featurettes; Concert footage; Deleted scenes; Digital copy of the film. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
SCHWARZENEGGER: 4-FILM COLLECTOR’S SET (Lionsgate/Republic) Four of the Governator’s biggest action hits of the ‘80s and early ‘90s: TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY is writer/director James Cameron’s full-throttle sequel to his 1984 hit about a killer cyborg (Robert Patrick) sent from the future to assassinate a boy (Edward Furlong) who will grow to be a revolutionary leader. This time, Arnold plays the good Terminator, who is programmed to stop the assassin. Linda Hamilton redefined the role of women in action films with her muscular (literally and figuratively) portrait of Furlong’s mother, Sarah Connor. TOTAL RECALL is director Paul Verhoeven’s darkly comic sci-fi tale about a man (Arnold) who wakes up to find that his memory has been stolen, and is haunted by obsessive dreams set on the planet Mars. RED HEAT is the lone turkey of the bunch, a tired re-hash by director Walter Hill of his own 48 Hrs. formula, pairing obnoxious Chicago cop Jim Belushi with uptight Russian detective Arnold, as they team to take down a Russian drug dealer who’s taken refuge in the windy city. THE RUNNING MAN is a fun, albeit cheesy, sci-fi adventure take on the old Most Dangerous Game formula about a futuristic TV game show where the contestants are hunted to the death by a crew of colorful assassins. Think Roger Corman with a budget! All are widescreen, Dolby 5.1 surround. Bonuses include: Filmmaker and crew commentary; Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Trailers.
TWO BY OSHIMA Criterion releases controversial Japanese director Nagisa Oshima’s films IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES, based on the true story of a torrid, 1930’s-era affair between a well-to-do businessman (Tatsuya Fuji) and one of his servant girls (Eiko Matsuda) that ended in murder. Unparalleled (particularly for the mid-70s) portrait of sexual obsession and addiction is a real mixed bag. At turns beautiful, quite erotic, and then downright difficult to take, as its constant barrage of graphic, unsimulated sexual aberrance becomes tiresome and redundant. At the end this writer found himself asking “What’s the point?” Bonuses: Commentary by critic Tony Rayns; Interview with Fuji; 1976 interview with Oshima, Fuji and Matsuda; 2003 interviews with crew members; Deleted scenes; U.S. trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono. EMPIRE OF PASSION is an intriguing mixture of eroticism, suspense and supernatural thriller as an adulterous couple in 19th century Japan murder the woman’s husband, and dispose of his body down the local well, only to find themselves haunted by his spirit. As with most of Oshima’s work, this film will not be to everyone’s taste, but its skillful execution earned him a Best Director award at Cannes in 1978. Bonuses: Video essay on Oshima by Catherine Russell; Interviews with cast and crew; U.S. trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
SCIENCE IS FICTION: 23 FILMS BY JEAN PAINLEVE (Criterion) Amazing collection of short films by a one-of-a-kind filmmaker. Painleve combined surrealism, hard science and documentary precision to create a series of science-based films unlike any seen before or since. Subject matter ranges from astronomy to pigeons to, most famously, marine-life such as the sea horse and sea urchin. Three disc collection also includes the eight-part French TV series Jean Painleve Through His Films, and rock band Yo La Tengo’s eight-film score The Sounds of Science. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
THE HIT (Criterion) Stephen Frears’ revisionist take on the British gangster genre features Terence Stamp as Willie, a “supergrass” (Cockney slang for informer or rat) living a seemingly-anonymous life in rural Spain after dropping a dime on his gangster friends years earlier. When two hit men (John Hurt, Tim Roth) arrive on his doorstep to bring Willie back home to be served his just desserts, a road trip occurs like no other captured on film. Deft mixture of humor, character study and nail-biting suspense, with a knockout performance by then-unknown Spanish actress Laura Del Sol. Bonuses: Commentary by Frears, Hurt, Roth, writer Peter Prince, editor Mick Audsley; 1988 interview with Stamp; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
CLASSIC MUSICALS MGM/Fox release three classic song-and-dance titles, all in early Technicolor, from the ‘30s and ‘40s: A SONG IS BORN stars Danny Kaye as a bookish professor who finds himself falling for gorgeous gun moll Virginia Mayo, on the lam from the cops and hiding out in Kaye’s research institute. Much music and merriment ensue. THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES stars Adolphe Menjou as a powerful movie producer whose films have lost touch with the common man. To get the pulse of the public back into his work, Menjou hires country girl Andrea Leeds as an advisor, and soon finds himself falling for her. IT’S A PLEASURE stars skating star Sonja Henie as (what else) a famous ice skater who tries to redeem her true love, a hockey star (Dan O’Shea) with a drinking problem and a temper to go with it. All three are full screen, Dolby 1.0 mono.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (Criterion/Paramount) David Fincher directs Eric Roth’s adaptation of an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story about a man who finds himself aging in reverse. Brad Pitt stars as Benjamin, who finds himself abandoned on the steps of a New Orleans rooming house at the turn of the century as a baby who has the physical makeup of a man in his ‘80s. As time passes and Benjamin grows larger physically and younger physiologically, he embarks on a Picaresque life adventure, finding war, intrigue, romance, true love, and an odd kind of epiphany in the end. Technically-dazzling film has everything going for it: a fine cast (Pitt, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormand), knockout production design and cinematography, everything but emotional resonance and a character with whom we can empathize. It’s Forrest Gump without the heart. Too bad, considering the who’s-who of talent in front of and behind the camera, but still worth a look for its eye-popping use of state-of-the-art effects. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Two-disc set bonuses: Interviews with cast and crew; Commentary by Fincher; Featurettes; Still galleries; Essay by critic Kent Jones. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
GALAXY QUEST: DELUXE EDITION (Paramount) Tenth anniversary release of the clever sci-fi spoof about the cast of a Star Trek-like former hit TV show that suddenly finds itself exploring brave new worlds in outer space when an embattled alien race beams them aboard their starship for aid, thinking their television adventures were real. Very smart, very funny film earns top marks by playing it for real, rather than for yucks. Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub and Sam Rockwell round out a fine cast. Bonuses: Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Thermian audio track; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
JUST ANOTHER LOVE STORY (Koch-Lorber) Intriguing film noir import from Denmark about a police photographer who becomes obsessed with a woman whose life he saves after a car crash. Blinded from her injuries, she mistakes him for her mysterious lover, an enigmatic figure with a shady past. Echoes of Antonioni’s The Passenger and some of the sleaziest film noirs of the ‘40s and ‘50s abound in this dazzling little film from uber-talented writer-director Ole Borendal. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
BRIDE WARS (20th Century Fox) Two BFFs (Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway) find that they planned their dream weddings on the same date and time at New York’s famed Plaza Hotel. Friendship turns into a battle royale as each tries to undo the other’s plans with increasingly nasty tactics. Sometimes, from the first frame, you know a film is just going to suck. This writer got that horrible, pit-of-the-stomach groan the moment the opening narration from Candice Bergen’s wedding coordinator filled the 5.1 surround speakers. With A-list talent (particularly Hathaway) like this headlining a film, this is the best the screenwriters and directors could do? Lazy, big-studio moviemaking at its worst. A real let-down, even for the chick flick genre (and I have several chicks who will back me up on this). Also available on Blu-ray disc. 3 disc set bonuses include: Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Improvisations; Interviews with cast members; Pop-up trivia track; Digital copy of the film. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
DOCUMENTARY TITLES A&E releases a magnificent six-disc box set of THE NEW YORK YANKEES: PERFECT GAMES AND NO-HITTERS, featuring six historic Yankees games: Don Larsen’s 1956 World Series, game 5 vs. Brooklyn; Dave Righetti July 4, 1983 vs. Boston; Jim Abbott September 4, 1993 vs. Cleveland; Dwight Gooden May 14, 1996 vs. Seattle; David Wells May 17, 1998 vs. Minnesota and David Cone July 18, 1999 vs. Montreal. Bonuses: Featurettes; Interviews with the players; Radio calls on Don Larsen’s perfect game. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. COLUMBUS CREW 2008: MLS CUP CHAMPIONS, features highlights from the team’s championship season, including Argentine sensation Guillermo Barros Schelotto being named MLS MVP and MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall dominating the field. A must for soccer fans. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. MVD releases DEPECHE MODE: THE DARK PROGRESSION, a comprehensive look into one of the '80s most influential New Wave bands, from their early years flirting with New Romanticism, to their peak in the mid-90s. Fascinating, and a must for fans. Bonuses: Extra interviews. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. BLACK HOLLYWOOD was shot entirely on location in Tinseltown, circa 1984, where a vareity of African-American actors such as Alfre Woodard, Rosiland Cash, Jim Brown and Vonetta McGee speak out about the tough road Black actors faced in show business during the pre-Spike Lee era. Fascinating time capsule, still relevant today. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. BILLIE HOLIDAY: THE LIFE AND ARTISTRY OF LADY DAY, takes a sad, sobering look at the tragic life of the eponymous blues legend, through archival footage, photographs and her own music. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Live Nation releasesBARBARA STREISAND: THE CONCERTS, a three disc collection featuring the premiere release of Live in Concert 2006, with special guest Il Divo, and the DVD premiere of The Concert—Live at Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, July 1994. The third bonus disc features the documentary Putting it Together: The Broadway Album, as well as bonus tracks from Streisand’s TV specials dating from 1965-73. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Full and widescreen. DTS 5.1 surround and PCM stereo. Microcinema releases A FILM IS A BURNING PLACE: WORKS BY ENID BAXTERBLADER, a compilation of experimental shorts and videos from artist, musician, filmmaker Enid Baxter Blader. Intriguing works from an artist with a unique voice. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. GRACE HARTIGAN: SHATTERING BOUNDARIES provides an intimate portrait of one of the key figures in the abstract expressionist movement in American art, who studied under such icons as Jackson Pollock and Willem deKooning. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Indiepix releases JACK TAYLOR OF BEVERLY HILLS a fascinating time capsule that explores the life and times of Tinseltown’s most revered tailor to the stars. Taylor is a charming raconteur, whose stories of Hollywood’s golden age are only matched by his grace with a pair of scissors and spool of cloth. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Filmmaker commentary. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Rosforth releases INSIDE OUTSIDE, an intriguing look at the world of graffiti art and how different cultures both celebrate and revile the genre. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Cinevolve releases A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY: 10th ANNIVERSARY EDITION, a look at the Star Wars phenomenon and the fervent fan base that has remained loyal to the film series over the decades. Funny, fascinating, and more than a little sad at times. Bonuses: Trailers; Coming attractions; New audio commentary; Interviews with the filmmakers; Deleted scenes; Original DVD commentary. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 surround. Acorn Media releases APOLLO 11: A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, a recollection from the BBC archives that recalls man’s first steps on the moon. Fun, thrilling and even a bit campy at times (the technology looks positively prehistoric by today’s standards). Bonuses: Episode from the BBC series The Sky at Night. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Cinelove releases THE TOWN THAT WAS, a harrowing true story about the small coal-mining town of Centralia, PA., that continues to burn after a 1962 trash fire ignited a seam of anthracite coal under the town's surface, and the 11 die-hard residents that remain there today, in spite of being surrounded by deadly plumes of carbon monoxide gas and other health hazards. Bonuses: Extra interviews; Home movies; Featurettes; Photo gallery; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
BLU-RAY TITLES More of film and TV’s biggest names arrive on Blu-ray high-definition this month. Universal releases CHILDREN OF MEN, Alfonso Cuaron's brilliant sci-fi/political thriller about a man (Clive Owen) in the year 2027, when humans have lost the ability to reproduce, who is entrusted with the life of a young pregnant woman who carries the last hope of survival for humanity. Michael Caine is wonderful in support. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featuretttes; Blu-ray features, including Picture-in-Picture interative elements. Spike Lee's thriller INSIDE MAN stars Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster in an ingenious caper film with Owen leading a high-tech bank robbery and Washington the savvy NYPD detective who plays an intense game of cat-and-mouse with his prey. Bonuses: Commentary by Lee; Deleted scenes; Featurettes. FIELD OF DREAMS is Phil Alden Robinsn's magical realism classic about an Iowa farmer (Kevin Costner) who finds that his corn field is inhabited with the ghosts of baseball's greatest golden age players, and erects a diamond for them to play for eternity. Smart, funny and touching film holds up beautifully after 20 years. Bonuses: Deleted scenes with introduction by Robinson; Featurettes; Interviews with Costner and baseball stars; Commentary by Robinson and D.P. John Lindley. FLETCH is a comedy classic from the '80s starring Chevy Chase as a wisecracking, but intrepid, reporter who uncovers a massive conspiracy involving drug running and murder. Nice blend of comedy and thriller from the late, great Michael Ritchie. Bonuses: Featurettes. SEABISCUIT is an elegiac look at the racehorse who gave Depression-era America a boost in morale, and the jockey (Tobey Maguire) whose hard-luck story mirrored that of his steed. Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and William H. Macy round out a fine cast. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by director Gary Ross and Steven Soderbergh. CINDERELLA MAN is director Ron Howard's spot-on biopic of boxer Jim Braddock, and his rags-to-riches journey, from Depression-era washed-up has-been, to heavyweight champion. Renee Zellweger shines in support as Braddock's patient wife. Bonuses: Commentary by Howard, writers Akiva Goldsman, Cliff Hollingsworth; Archival fight footage; Photo gallery. Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Brad Pitt and Robert Redford headline director Tony Scott's SPY GAME, a mostly-successful political thriller about a CIA agent (Pitt) in deep trouble behind enemy lines, and his control agent (Redford), scrambling to get him home. Bonuses: Deleted and alternate scenes with commentary by Scott; Featurettes; Storyboards. All are widescreen. DTS 5.1 surround. Paramount releases the coming-of-age classic FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, starring Matthew Broderick as the eponymous Chicago high schooler whose ingenious plan to ditch school for a day of adventure in the city with his girlfriend (Mia Sara) and best pal (Alan Ruck) causes a chain reaction of events that can best be described as cataclysmic. Writer/director John Hughes’ finest hour in the teen movie genre. Bonuses: Five featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround.THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR is the late, great Sydney Pollack's paranoid political thriller about a low-level CIA analyst (Robert Redford) who returns to his office from lunch, only to find his section wiped out and himself a hunted man. One of the great '70s thrillers, bolstered by a dream cast: Faye Dunaway, John Houseman, Cliff Robertson, and Max Von Sydow as the silkiest assassin in film history. Bonuses: Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES: SEASON 1, features all of the 1966-67 season with both original and enhanced special effects, as well as original mono soundtrack or remastered Dolby 7.1 surround. 7 disc set bonuses include: Rare home movies from behind the scenes; Featurettes; Picture-in-picture interviews; Pop up trivia. Full screen. DEXTER: THE SECOND SEASON, features more grisly adventures of Miami’s very own do-gooding serial killer, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) who uses his sociopathic tendencies to rid Dade County of its foulest denizens. Features all 12 episodes of the second season, revolving around the FBI’s investigation of the city’s newest serial killer, dubbed “The Bay Harbor Butcher” by the press. Smart, funny and not for the faint-of-heart. Bonuses: Featurettes; Podcasts; United States of Tara episodes. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. Sony releases THE DA VINCI CODE: EXTENDED CUT, starring Tom Hanks in Ron Howard’s film of Dan Brown’s best-selling novel about intrigue and cover-ups in the highest ranks of the Catholic Church. Features an extra 25 minutes of footage that helps flesh out the story more than the theatrical cut did. Bonuses: 17 featurettes; Interactive picture-in-picture features; Cinechat; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. THE SKY CRAWLERS, is an impressive piece of Japanese anime from director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell), which spins the sci-fi tale of fighter pilots who seem gifted with eternal youth and near-indestructibility. Dazzling for the eyes and the brain alike. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS, is the prequel to the first two films of the Underworld series, tracing the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between vampires and werewolves. Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy reprise their roles from the first two films. Bonuses: Featurettes; Music video; Filmmaker commentary; Cinechat; Picture-in-picture features; Interactive map. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. THE GRUDGE, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as an American nurse in Tokyo who finds herself facing off against a vengeful supernatural spirit that claims the souls of its victims. Unrated version is far superior to the watered-down PG-13 version (both available here), and truer to the Japanese original on which it’s based. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Short films. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, is a fun “feel good” romantic comedy about a cop (Nicolas Cage) who unwittingly leaves a waitress (Bridget Fonda) a $2 million tip when he leaves a lottery ticket in lieu of cash. Loosely based on a true story. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. ROXANNE, is star/screenwriter Steve Martin’s smart, romantic modern take on Cyrano de Bergerac, with Martin as the fire chief of a Colorado rocky mountain ville who is cursed with a prominent proboscis, and Darryl Hannah the love of his life, who only has eyes for hunky firefighter Rick Rossovich. If only all romantic comedies were this good! Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. Lionsgate releases MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3-D, , a competent, but unnecessary remake of the 1981 original, which is now regarded a slasher film classic. A rural mining town finds its denizens being picked off one Valentine’s Day—the tenth anniversary of a miner who ran amuck and killed 22 people with his pickaxe. Decent 3-D effects enhance over-the-top gore (if you like that sort of thing). Comes with 2-D version of the film as well, plus 4 pair of 3-D glasses for all you purists out there. Bonuses: Commentary by filmmakers; Featurettes; Gag reel; Alternate ending; BD-Live features; Widescreen. DTS 7.1 surround.
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! Paramount releases THE BEST OF STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES, , featuring the classic episodes “The City on the Edge of Forever” written by Harlan Ellison, “The Trouble With Tribbles,” “Balance of Terror,” and “Amok Time.” THE BEST OF STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, , features the episodes “The Best of Both Worlds, Part I and II,” “Yesterday’s Existence,” and “The Measure of a Man.” Both are Full screen. Dolby 5.1 surround. The ACTION PACKED COLLECTION features episodes of the classic series WALKER TEXAS RANGER, NCIS, MACGYVER, and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo and 5.1 surround. The FOREVER FUNNY COLLECTION features classic episodes of I LOVE LUCY, THE ODD COUPLE, THE HONEYMOONERS, TAXI, THE BRADY BUNCH, FRASIER, and CHEERS. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono and stereo. GUNSMOKE THE THIRD SEASON, VOL. 2, features 3 discs containing 20 action-packed episodes of the show’s 1958 season, starring James Arness as Tombstone Marshall Matt Dillon. Bonuses: Original sponsor spots. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THE MOD SQUAD SEASON TWO, VOL. 2 features more groovy, late ‘60s crime fighting from the hippest young undercover cops in L.A. 3 disc set contains 13 episodes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. JO KOY: DON’T MAKE HIM ANGRY, features the young comic’s Comedy Central special, where he talks about road rage, family foibles and does some truly amazing impressions. Bonuses: Extra performances. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. RUSSELL BRAND IN NEW YORK CITY features the Brit comic sensation in a no-holds-barred performance in The Big Apple, where no topic is off-limits for his extreme sense of humor! Bonuses: Extra routines, including his notorious MTV VMA monologue. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. JAKE AND THE FATMAN, SEASON TWO features more adventure from former prosecutor William Conrad and intrepid detective Joe Penny, this time relocating their efforts from L.A. to Hawaii. 3-disc set. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. PENN & TELLER B.S., THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON, features all six episodes of the Showtime hit where the comics/magicians work their unique brand of entertainment. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Lionsgate releases WEEDS: SEASON FOUR featuring the continuing adventures of marijuana entrepeneur/suburban mom Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker), now relocated close to the Mexican border. Smart, sexy stuff. Bonuses: Gag reel; Cast and crew commentary; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN: HEROES RETURN TRILOGY, featuring the animated adventures of Marvel’s greatest superheroes. Bonuses: Featurettes; Filmmaker/animator commentary. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. 8 SIMPLE RULES: THE COMPLETE 2nd SEASON, follows Katey Sagal’s family after the passing of their father (the late John Ritter) with James Garner and David Spade joining the cast. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Two WILL & GRACE collections: BEST OF FRIENDS & FOES and BEST OF LOVE & MARRIAGE are released, each featuring 2 discs and 16 episodes, with highlights of the hit comedy’s fan-chosen favorites. Bonuses: Featurettes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SEASON 7, PART 4, features six episodes of the animated hit series, plus a collectible action figure. Bonuses: Interviews with fans. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. SPEED RACER THE NEXT GENERATION: COMET RUN—THE MOVIE, is a new animated feature with the whole Speed Racer gang, now gone green, doing battle against an environmentally-unfriendly billionaire (is there any other kind), Zile Zazic. Full screen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Acorn Media releases JEEVES & WOOSTER: THE COMPLETE SERIES starring the legendary British team of Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry as a dim-witted man of means and his trusted valet, respectively. 8 DVDs contain all 23 episodes of the classic series, a landmark in British TV that made stars of both its leads. Bonuses: P.G. Woodehouse biography/filmography. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. A VILLAGE AFFAIR, which tells the touching story of a forbidden love affair between two women in a small English village. Bonuses: Cast filmographies. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. MURDER MOST ENGLISH features all seven episodes of the mini-series about a dogged detective (Anton Rodgers) battling the evil that lurks beneath the surface of his small English town. Think a British “Columbo” and you’ll get the idea. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THE INVISIBLES, PART 1 & 2, tells the story of former crooks (Warren Clarke and Anthony Head) who return to their native England, determined to go straight, only to find themselves drawn back to their old ways. Nice blend of laughs and drama. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. MURDOCH MYSTERIES: SEASON ONE, is a four-disc set of 13 episodes about a Victorian-era detective who uses ingenious (for the 19th century) scientific methods to solve crimes. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew; Interviews with the author and cast; Photo gallery; Filmographies. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. NUMBER 10 is a fascinating 7-part mini-series about Prime Ministers who’ve occupied 10 Downing Street over the years, from William Gladstone (Denis Quilley) to William Pitt the Younger (the late, great Jeremy Brett), spanning the Napoleonic era to the 1920s. Bonuses: Bios of the Prime Ministers. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. BLUE MURDER: SET 4, stars Caroline Quentin as Manchester’s top detective who struggles to balance her crime-solving brilliance with her role as wife and mother. Six episodes. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Universal releases the first, and only season of MY OWN WORST ENEMY a clever idea that has Christian Slater doing double duty as a suburban dad and a superspy, neither of whom knows the other exists! Clever play on Total Recall. Too bad it didn’t have a chance to develop. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. LIPSTICK JUNGLE: SEASON TWO stars Brooke Shields as an ambitious career woman trying to juggle family and career, and her two pals Nico and Victoria, both career women with their own issues. Smart writing, strong performances. Another victim of cancellation. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: THE THIRD SEASON features all 13 episodes of the hit series centering around life in small town Texas and the denizens’ love of high school football. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; 13 minutes of a “lost storyline”; Commentary by cast and crew. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. CRUSOE: THE COMPLETE SERIES, is a terrific retelling of Daniel Defoe’s classic novel about an adventurer (Philip Winchester) who finds himself shipwrecked on a uncharted island. Fine support from the great Sam Neill. Bonuses: Copy of the Defoe novel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. GENE RODDENBERRY’S EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT-- SEASON ONE features all 22 episodes of the late Star Trek creator’s series about an uneasy alliance between 21st century humans and a race of alien “visitors.” Bonuses: Introduction from Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry; Roddenberry’s philosophy; Commentary by cast and crew. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. SHOUT! Factory releases THE DANA CARVEY SHOW, a short-lived but very smart sketch series featuring the SNL vet as well as soon-to-be famous names like Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Robert Smigel, and more. Bonuses: Interview with Carvey and Smigel; Deleted scenes; Unaired episode. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. PEYTON PLACE: PART ONE features the inaugural episodes of the hit series that made stars of young actors such as Mia Farrow, Ryan O’Neal, and Barbara Parkins in what became the first nighttime soap opera, and pushed the boundaries of censorship in the mid-60s. 31 episodes on 5 discs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. E1 Entertainment releases A LITTLE PRINCESS, starring Nigel Havers and Amelia Shankley in this faithful adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic children’s novel. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THE RISE AND FALL OF REGINALD PERRIN stars Leonard Rossiter as a middle management exec who finds that the rat race and the routine of his very average life are driving him over the edge. Very funny, smart social satire, a classic of late ‘70s British television. Bonuses: Featurettes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. GIGANTOR: THE COLLECTION—VOL. 1 features 26 episodes of the hit 1960s Japanese animated series about a giant, heroic robot who battled all evildoers. A landmark in the Japanese Anime movement. Bonuses: Interviews with series producers, Anime historians; Select audio commentary; Gigantor comic book issues. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. A&E releases THE PREHISTORIC COLLECTION: FROM DINOSAURS TO THE DAWN OF MAN, an 8-disc collection of The History Channel’s greatest specials on the dawn of man. Bonuses: Additional footage; Bonus episode. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. 20th Century Fox releases AMERICAN DAD!: VOLUME 4, the hit animated series about CIA agent Stan Smith, working to make the world safer for extreme right wing democracy. Biting social satire, fun for precocious kids and adults, alike. Bonuses: Audio commentary; Deleted scenes; Featurettes. Full screen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Anchor Bay releases Z ROCK: SEASON 1, a scripted/reality show following the follies and foibles of hard-living rockers by night, and children's entertainers by day. Very funny and sometimes sad, with cameos from big names in comedy and music. Bonuses: Featurettes; Music video; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Finally, HBO releases TRUE BLOOD: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, Alan Ball’s sexy, gory modern take on the vampire legend, set in the deep south of Louisiana bayou country. Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer and Sam Trammell star. Bonuses: Featurettes; Six audio commentaries with cast and crew. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.