DVD Playhouse--July 2009

DVD PLAYHOUSE—JULY 2009
By
Allen Gardner

DO THE RIGHT THING: 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (Universal) Spike Lee’s groundbreaking fable about race relations in an ethnically mixed Brooklyn neighborhood during a sweltering New York summer remains as potent, timely and prescient as it was in 1989. Lee is among the cast, which also includes John Turturro, Danny Aiello, Samuel L. Jackson, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, and Rosie Perez (to name a few), that provide the tableaux-like framework for this stunning work. Criminally ignored by Oscar (it wasn't even nominated for Best Picture, but did garner nods for Supporting Actor Danny Aiello and Lee’s screenplay), it endures as a timeless classic. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Lee, Ernest Dickerson, Wynn Thomas, Joie Lee; Documentary; Deleted and extended scenes; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
CORALINE (Universal) A young girl moves into an old Victorian house with her parents and finds a hidden door that reveals a portal to an alternate universe. Initially, this brave new world seems to offer her everything she lacks in reality: attentive parents, a comfortable lifestyle and complete freedom. Then, darker elements are revealed beneath the surface. Eye-popping computer animation and design courtesy of Tim Burton protégé Henry Selick (The Nightmare before Christmas), as well as a thoroughly engaging, magical and surreal story—worthy of Lewis Carroll at his most drug-addled! Note: it’s quite disturbing in parts, and not for small children. Fine voice work by Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Ian McShane. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: 2-D and 3-D versions of the film; 3-D glasses; Commentary by Selick and composer Bruno Coulais; Deleted scenes; Documentary; Featurettes. Blu-ray bonuses include: picture-in-picture; Tours and voice sessions; D-Box motion enabled. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
TWO LOVERS (Magnolia) Jaoquin Phoenix stars as Leonard, a troubled young man fighting to put the pieces of his broken life back together following an unsuccessful suicide attempt. When he meets sweet, stable Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the daughter of his father’s business associate, it looks as though he may have found the salvation he so desperately is seeking. But when glamorous new neighbor Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) draws Leonard into her fast-lane world of after-hours clubs, drugs and promiscuity, Leonard finds himself drawn into her web of self-destruction. Fifth feature film from co-writer/director James Gray is the filmmaker’s first real success on every level: fine, nuanced performances from his cast; a tight script and most of all, an absence of the self-consciousness (not to mention self-indulgence) that sank his previous films. Well done, James. It’s about time. Bonuses: Commentary by Gray; Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE SEVENTH SEAL (Criterion) Max Von Sydow plays a weary knight returning from The Crusades who finds himself confronted by Death Himself on a desolate beach. As the two engage in the most talked-about chess game in cinematic history, one of the most talked-about, imitated and sublime movie metaphors unfolds. Two disc set bonuses include: Introduction by Bergman, from 2003; Commentary by Bergman scholar Peter Cowie; Audio interview with Von Sydow; 1989 tribute to Bergman by Woody Allen; Trailer; Bergman Island, an 83-minute documentary (also available separately as a single disc) on Bergman; Bergman 101, a selected video filmography of Bergman’s career. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.



UNIVERSAL BACKLOT SERIES Universal releases some of its most important, and obscure, titles from its vaults for the first time on DVD. Kirk Douglas has named LONELY ARE THE BRAVE (1962) as his favorite film, and it certainly ranks with the best of his impressive oeuvre, with Douglas scoring big as a modern-day cowboy at odds with the 20th century and all its trappings. Gena Rowlands scores in an early turn as his love interest, as do Walter Matthau, George Kennedy, and Carroll O’Connor. Screenplay by Dalton Trumbo. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES (1944) is an early Technicolor classic, featuring the legend of the Arabian Nights about a young man (Jon Hall) out to avenge the murder of his father, the king, and reclaim his throne. Great fun. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE (1936) stars Henry Fonda, Fred MacMurray and Sylvia Sidney in Henry Hathaway’s two-fisted Technicolor melodrama, one of the earliest films to be shot on location, about family and romantic rivalries in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. BEAU GESTE (1939) is the classic adventure of three brothers who join the French Foreign Legion to escape trouble at home, only to find themselves trapped under the thumb of a martinet sergeant in the middle of the scorching Sahara! Terrific film still holds up wonderfully. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
MY DINNER WITH ANDRE (Criterion) Louis Malle’s ode to the art of conversation starring Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory as (ostensibly) themselves, chatting over dinner about love, death, money, and all that lies in between in the course of human nature. A testament to Malle’s gift as a filmmaker that he managed to make a film of such stillness so cinematic. 2 disc set bonuses include: Interviews with Shawn and Gregory by filmmaker Noah Baumbach; Vintage interview with Malle by Shawn. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
LOOKIN' TO GET OUT (EXTENDED VERSION) (Warner Bros.) Jon Voight (who co-wrote the screenplay) and Burt Young play two desperate con men who hatch a plot to win big at blackjack in Vegas' (then) iconic MGM Grand Hotel. Shot in 1980, but not released until '82, this notorious turkey sadly marked the decline of the late Hal Ashby, one of the key directors of the 1970s. This is Ashby's"director's cut," which the filmmaker donated to UCLA shortly before his death in 1988. Beautifully shot by master cinematographer Haskell Wexler, the film remains a bizarre, sometimes curious, but mostly dull misfire. Ann-Margret adds spice as Voight's love interest, and Bert Remsen is a hoot as a grizzled veteran gambler. Look fast for the screen debut of "Angelina Jolie Voight" as Margret's daughter. Bonuses: New interview with Voight and co-writer Al Schwartz; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD (Criterion) Alain Resnais’ cinematic puzzle is viewed as either the pinnacle or the nadir of the Nouvelle Vague (it won the Golden Lion at the 1960 Venice Film Festival, and years later was named as one of the 50 worst films of all time). Even today, this ambiguous tale of a man (Giorgio Albertazzi) and a woman (Delphine Seyrig), who may or may not have met the previous year at Marienbad, continues to polarize audiences. Decide for yourself. Two disc set bonuses include: Trailer; Audio interview with Resnais; New documentary; New interview with film scholar Ginette Vincendeau; Two short documentaries by Resnais. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
TWO BY MARCO FERRERI Koch-Lorber releases two titles from Italy’s “King of the bizarre.” BYE-BYE MONKEY (1977) starring Gerard Depardieu and Marcello Mastroianni as two foreign eccentrics living in New York City. When they discover the corpse of King Kong while walking along the Hudson River, they also find a baby chimp nearby, and raise it as their own. DON’T TOUCH THE WHITE WOMAN (1974) stars Catherine Deneuve and the cast of Ferreri’s notorious La Grande Bouffe (Michel Piccoli, Mastroianni, Phillippe Noiret, and Ugo Tognazzi) in this comedic take on Custer’s Last Stand, transplanting the battle site to a demolished Paris mall, challenging the audience to sympathize with the Indians. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
MENAGE (EVENING DRESS) (Koch-Lorber) Bertrand Blier’s comedy about a bisexual thief (Gerard Depardieu) and the couple (Michel Blanc and Miou-Miou) whom he entices to join him as he robs Paris’ wealthiest homes. An unusual ménage a tois if there ever was one, and a very funny film. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
REC (Sony) Heart-pounding thriller from Spain about a young television reporter (Manuela Velasco) whose seemingly-routine ride-along with a local fire brigade turns into a nightmare as they’re trapped in an apartment building that is infested with something quite deadly. Ingenious use of first-person camera is reminiscent of (and done much better than) The Blair Witch Project. Remade (poorly) as Quarantine in the U.S. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
ECOUTE LE TEMPS (FISSURES) (Life Size Entertainment) A lonely sound engineer (Emilie Dequenne) travels to the rural home where her mother was just murdered. After becoming frustrated by the lackadaisical police investigation, she decides to launch her own, quickly realizing that, while recording sound in her mother’s house, she can her noises from the past through her headphones! Smart, scary French thriller is reminiscent of the best of Hitchcock. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
FOR ALL MANKIND (Criterion) Al Reinert’s magnificent documentary about the space race and the 24 men who traveled to the moon, told in their words, their voices, using the images of their experiences. Produced in 1989, it remains the most radical, visually-dazzling work of cinema yet made about this earthshaking event. Bonuses: New high-def digital transfer; Commentary by Reinart and Apollo 17 Commander Eugene Cernan; Documentary on the film’s production; Featurettes; Interviews with the astronauts; NASA audio highlights and liftoff footage. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.



REPULSION (Criterion) Roman Polanski’s haunting, surrealistic look at a young woman (Catherine Deneuve, never better) slowly descending into madness remains a touchstone of the psychological thriller and one of the most important films of the 1960s. The scenes in Deneuve’s flat remain some of the most claustrophobic, potent sequences ever filmed. Not to be missed, and not for the faint-of-heart. Bonuses: Commentary by Polanski and Deneuve; Documentary on the film’s production; 1964 French TV documentary; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
EL CAMINO (Life Size Entertainment) Engaging road picture follows a young woman (Elizabeth Moss, excellent as always) and two friends (Chris Denham, Leo Fitzpatrick) who travel cross-country with their recently-departed friend’s ashes in tow. Painfully honest and beautifully shot, film will stay with you long after its final fade out. Bonuses: Trailer; Deleted scenes; Short film. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE PINK PANTHER 2 (MGM/Fox) Steve Martin returns (and does his best to fill Peter Sellers’ shoes) as inept French police detective Clouseau, this time on the trail of the priceless Pink Panther diamond, which has been stolen along with a host of other rare treasures around the world. Some clever slapstick and family-friendly, to be sure, but by now we all know that Steve Martin is no Peter Sellers, and that Peter Sellers was no Steve Martin. The difference being, Sellers never tried to be. Martin is one of our most gifted comics, writers and satirists. Just be yourself, Steve. Don’t you have enough money by now? Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Gag reel; Featurettes; Trivia game; 27 classic Pink Panther cartoons; Digital copy of the film. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
EXPLICIT ILLS (Phase 4 Films) Compelling story told in the tableaux-like style of John Dos Passos (or Robert Altman) about intersecting lives in a North Philadelphia neighborhood. Terrific cast of up-and-comers (Rosario Dawson, Paul Dano, Lou Taylor Pucci) brings the vivid characters to life in this touching tale of survival, family and heartbreak. Bonuses: Trailer; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
JUNCTION (Celebrity Video) A troubled young woman (April Wade) discovers some dark family secrets from her incarcerated father and must wrestle with the decision of whether to expose, and eventually destroy them, or let sleeping dogs lie. Wade delivers a double-barreled performance as the unstable Michaela, and also wrote the screenplay with co-star Lira Kellerman (also excellent) and James Ryan. Assured direction by Neal Fradsham. Bonuses: Commentary by Wade and Kellerman; Photo gallery; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (Touchstone) Becky Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) lands her dream job at a famous fashion magazine in New York, and even falls for her handsome, overworked boss (Hugh Dancy). Little does her hubby-to-be know that Becky has a shopping addiction that borders on the psychotic. Slight film from the (almost) equally-slight best-seller has a few bright moments and a terrific supporting cast (John Lithgow, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, Kristen Scott Thomas), but has all the substance of Cool Whip. Maybe it’s a “chick flick” that this dude just didn’t get. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Music videos; Bloopers and deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.


12 (Sony) Russian auteur Nikita Mikhalkov’s take on 12 Angry Men resets the drama in present-day Russia, with the accused being a Chechen youth on trial for the murder of his stepfather, and each of the twelve jurors an archetype for the societal makeup of 21st century Russia. Mikhalkov (who, as always, co-stars) wisely rethinks Reginald Rose’s play and screenplay instead of doing a literal remake, resulting in a rich film that deservedly was nominated for an Academy Award. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
COMBAT SHOCK (Troma Retro) A Vietnam vet (Rick Giovinazzo) returns home from the hellish jungles of Southeast Asia to the hellish streets of an urban nightmare in this low-budget, very exploitative take on Taxi Driver, with a blood-soaked climax to rival Scrosese’s masterpiece. Features both the original version and the uncensored director’s cut, Troma’s single venture into serious filmmaking isn’t bad, but at the end of the day, is still just a drive-in movie dressed up in auteur’s clothes. Two disc set bonuses include: Theatrical cut and director’s cut; Commentary by writer/director Buddy Giovinazzo; Documentary on the film’s production; Short films and videos from Giovinazzo; Interview with Giovinazzo, cast and crew; Featurettes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE JEAN-JACQUES BEINEIX COLLECTION (Cine Libre Studios) Two documentaries and a short from the controversial French director who had international hits with Diva and Betty Blue. Locked-in Syndrome takes a look at Jean-Dominique Bauby, Editor of French Elle, who had a massive stroke at age 43, and was left only with the use of one of his eyes. Later the subject of Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, this uncompromising, very real look at Bauby’s struggle strips away any romanticism about the subject or his plight. Harrowing stuff. OTAKU takes a look at a Japanese subculture of young men who immerse themselves in a virtual world of movies, video games and action figures, and the repercussions it has on Japanese society. MR. MICHEL’S DOG is the award-winning1977 short film that first got Beineix noticed, telling the darkly humorous story of a lonely man and his make-believe “dog,” who begins to question his sanity when his neighbors start to complain about the dog’s “barking.” All are full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
TWO BY GODARD Criterion releases two Jean-Luc Godard classics: MADE IN U.S.A. (1966) stars Anna Karina as a private investigator searching for a former lover who may have been assassinated. A gorgeous pastiche of pop art, film noir and mid-60s sensibilities, one critic aptly described this film as “A Looney Tunes rendition of The Big Sleep gone New Wave.” Bonuses: Interviews with Karina and Laszlo Szabo; Featurette; Video essay; Trailers. 2 OR 3 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER (1967) features Godard as narrator, following the daily life of Juliette Janson (Marina Vlady) a housewife from the Parisian suburbs who works as a prostitute to make some money on the side. More provocative philosophical tangents from Godard, shot again in beautiful widescreen Technicolor. Bonuses: Commentary by film scholar Adrian Martin; Archival television interviews with Godard and Vlady; Visual essay cataloging the film’s references; Trailer. Both are Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.



BLU-RAY TITLES Sony releases Alan Parker’s classic MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, starring Brad Davis in the true story of an American jailed in Turkey in the early 1970s for Hashish possession. Tough, unrelenting and unforgettable. Fine support from John Hurt, Randy Quaid, Mike Kellin. Oliver Stone’s screenplay won him his first Oscar. Bonuses: Commentary by Parker; Featurettes; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER offers more nubile teens (played by actors like Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, et al, who are well into their 20s) getting hacked up by the angry fisherman with the deadly hook. Where’s Jason with his hockey mask when you need him? Blu-ray really brings out those reds in the gore effects! Bonuses: Featurette; Music video; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. THE DEEP is a fun ‘70s programmer, written by a post-Jaws Peter Benchley, starring Nick Nolte, Jacqueline Bisset and the great Robert Shaw in a story of sunken treasure and drug runners in Bermuda. Lou Gossett offer up a slimy villain, and Eli Wallach is great as a crusty old salt. Bonuses: Making-of documentary; Scenes from the 3-hour cut. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. STRIKING DISTANCE stars Bruce Willis as a Pittsburgh cop who must regain his reputation after being demoted when he suggest a serial killer may be a fellow officer. Sarah Jessica Parker is as sexy as she is miscast as his new partner in this confused, but fun policier. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. NO WAY BACK is an early (1996) Russell Crowe vehicle, casting him as a rogue FBI agent battling the mob and the Japanese Yakuza. Crowe rises above the material, the sign of a good actor. Widescreen. Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround. Disney releases MIRACLE, starring Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks, the coach of the 1980 Olympic hockey team that beat the odds and defeated the top-seated Russian squad, at the height of the cold war. One of the best “feel good sports movies” ever made, courtesy director Gavin O’Connor’s steady hand. Bonuses: Featurettes; ESPN roundtable; Commentary by O’Connor and crew; Outtakes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED should have been a better movie with a title like that, but instead is a well-made movie-of-the-week in disguise. Shia LaBeouf stars in the true story of amateur golfer Francis Ouimet who achieves his dream of playing his idol, Harry Vardon, in the 1913 U.S. Open. Actor Bill Paxton takes the director’s reins solidly, with a good eye for period detail. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by Paxton, screenwriter/producer and author Mark Frost. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. MORNING LIGHT is an exciting documentary about fifteen rookie sailors on board the eponymous high-tech sloop that race in the world’s most revered sailing competition: the Transpac Yacht Race, all 2225 miles of it. Beautifully shot and made, stunning on Blu-ray. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. THE JONAS BROTHERS 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE/DELUXE EXTENDED MOVIE (yes, you read the title correctly) gives the viewer a backstage, all-access pass to the Jonas’ world tour, including special appearances by Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato. Obviously for die-hard fans only, others beware! 3 disc set bonuses include: Extended movie featuring bonus songs not seen in theaters; Documentary; Digital copy of film; 3-D glasses. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 7.1 and 5.1 surround. Universal releases the Jim Carrey vehicle BRUCE ALMIGHTY, with Jim granted the omnipotent powers of God (Morgan Freeman, who else?) by the big man himself, to see if Bruce can do a better job. With that idea, and all this talent (Jennifer Aniston, Philip Baker Hall, et al) this just plain should have been funnier. Bonuses: Over 35 minutes of deleted scenes and outtakes; Feauturette on Carrey; Commentary by director Tom Shadyac. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY is a one-note affair (pun intended) starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James as very straight New York City firemen who are forced to pose as “domestic partners,” so James’ kids will get his pension. Might have made a great sketch on SNL, but doesn’t cut it as a feature film. Bonuses: Commentary by James, Sandler, director Dennis Dugan; Blu-ray features. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. 20th Century Fox releases season 7 of 24 on a six-disc set, featuring more adventures of covert op Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) and his struggle to keep American soil safe. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew on selected episodes; Deleted scenes; Featurettes. Widescreen. DTS 5.1 surround. George Stevens’ THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK: 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION is a masterpiece of biographical cinema, telling the true story of teenage Anne (Millie Perkins), a Dutch Jew who hid with her family in an Amsterdam attic from the Nazis. Shelley Winters took home a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 1959. Bonuses: Commentary by George Stevens, Jr. and Perkins; Featurettes; Documentaries; Press conference with Stevens; Perkins’ screen test; Movietone News clips; Trailers; Pressbooks; Photo gallery. Widescreen. DTS 5.1 surround, Dolby 4.0 surround. Mel Brooks’ SPACEBALLS is a fun, albeit late-to-the game, Star Wars spoof (it was released a decade after the original film) starring Bill Pullman, John Candy and Daphne Zuniga. Brooks appears as the sage Yogurt. You get the idea. Oddly lavish DVD presentation offers two discs worth of bonuses, including: Commentary by Brooks, and tracks in Mawgese and Dinkese; Documentary; Interviews with cast and crew: Featurettes; Outtakes; Photo galleries; Trailers; One Blu-ray disc, and one standard definition disc. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. PREDATOR 2 is a solid follow-up to the first thriller, with Danny Glover ably filling Schwarzenegger’s shoes as an LAPD veteran whose battle against drug lords and gangs is interrupted by the Predator, who finishes off the bad guys, then turns on the cops! Slam-bang action courtesy director Stephen Hopkins. All good fun, but what the f*** is Morton Downey, Jr. doing here? Bonuses: Commentary by screenwriters Jim and John Thomas, Hopkins; Featurettes; Photo gallery; TV spots and trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. THE SEIGE is director Ed Zwick’s eerily prescient tale (filmed in 1998) of a terrorist attack on New York City and a standoff between a level-headed FBI agent (Denzel Washington) and a U.S. Army general (Bruce Willis) who wants to create a police state. Annette Bening delivers as a wily intelligence agent. Plays much better now than it did in ’98. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. HOME is an eye-popping documentary that studies a variety of the Earth’s landscapes and its vulnerability to change. Narrated by Glenn Close, this is a startling, thought-provoking work, produced by Luc Besson. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. Blue Underground releases BAD BOY BUBBY, a disturbing and funny black comedy of horrors about a deranged man-child (Nicholas Hope) who is released into society after being kept locked in a squalid apartment by his mother his entire life. One critic aptly described it as “Being There directed by David Lynch.” Truly one of the oddest, and most memorable, cult films in recent years. Bonuses: Interview with director Rolf de Heer; Interview with Hope; Short film with Hope; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. CIRCLE OF IRON is a strange, yet highly entertaining, martial arts adventure written by Sterling Silliphant (with story credit given to Bruce Lee and James Coburn!) starring the late David Carradine, Christopher Lee, Roddy McDowell and Eli Wallach (yep, it just keeps getting weirder). A true cinematic oddity. Bonuses: Commentary by director Richard Moore; Interviews with Carradine, producer Paul Maslansky; Martial arts coordinator Joe Lewis, Silliphant; Trailers and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 and DTS 7.1 surround. Universal Music releases IRON MAIDEN: FLIGHT 666 THE FILM, documenting 45 days on the road with heavy metal’s most dangerous band as they played 23 concerts on five continents in just 45 days! Terrific concert footage features the band playing their biggest hits, still looking and sounding better than ever. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Finally, HBO releases their seminal miniseries JOHN ADAMS, starring Paul Giamatti as the United States’ second President and Laura Linney his loyal wife, Abigail. Stunning achievement deservedly swept the 2008 Emmy Awards. Bonuses: Onscreen historical guide; Character biographies; Documentary on author David McCullough; Featurette. GENERATION KILL offers a cinema-verite look at the Iraq war through the eyes of a raw bunch of Marines and one embedded reporter from Rolling Stone. Intense battle sequences are sometimes undone by perfunctory dialogue and interchangeable characters. Close, but no Bronze Stars for this platoon. Bonuses: Interactive Blu-ray features include military glossary, chain of command chart, mission maps; Featurette; Deleted scenes; Audio commentary by cast and crew. Both are widescreen, Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.



DOCUMENTARY TITLES Elan Entertainment releases ANITA O’DAY: THE LIFE OF A JAZZ SINGER, a heartfelt look at the groundbreaking vocalist whose mastery of the musical form was nearly undone by personal demons and battles with drugs and alcohol. Winner of numerous international awards, one of the most honest, intimate portraits of an artist in recent memory. Bonuses: Bonus performance footage and interviews. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. After Midnight releases PORN STARS OF THE 80s and PORN STARS OF THE 90s takes a look at the busiest actresses in the cinematic skin trade, featuring new interviews, as well as archival footage. Not pornography itself, these short documentaries are, as one critic aptly put it, “Essential time capsules of sleaze.” Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. MVD releases three titles by director Wolfgang Buld that take in-depth looks at alternative music in the ‘70s and ‘80s in the UK: PUNK IN LONDON and PUNK IN ENGALND uses archival footage and contemporary interviews with bands like The Clash, X-Ray Specs, The Jam, The Adverts, and others to paint an honest portrait of a revolutionary musical and social phenomenon. Terrific concert footage is a major highlight. REGGAE IN A BABYLON takes a look at the birth of British Reggae music, brought over by Jamaican immigrants, and how it defined young blacks in 1970s, Thatcherite England. Bonuses: Extra concert footage; Bonus interviews; Documentary on women in rock. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.



DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! More TV titles arrive on DVD this month. To name but a few…Acorn Media releases a host titles from the other side of The Pond, including THE HELEN WEST CASEBOOK, three suspenseful dramas about a driven prosecutor (Amanda Burton) who tries to stay at the top of her game whilst juggling a messy personal life. Smart, provocative adult drama. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. THE DIARY OF A NOBODY stars Hugh Bonneville in this adaptation of the best-selling 19th century novel about a small town city clerk who details the daily minutia of his life in his diary. Funny, engaging satire. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. DOC MARTIN: SERIES TWO stars Martin Clunes as a hard-charging London surgeon forced to give up his practice after a breakdown, and relocate to a small fishing village, where his lack of bedside manner is overtly apparent. Echoes of House abound in this sharp comedy about a man who delights in the phrase “It’s good to be loathsome.” Bonuses: Photo gallery; Filmographies. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. ARMCHAIR THRILLER: SET ONE is a riveting anthology series from 1978, featuring four tales of mystery and suspense. Look for a young Ian McKellen in one of the episodes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: SERIES 4, starts Julia McKenzie as the venerable Miss Marple, solving mysteries in post WW II England. Four episodes, featuring stellar support from names like Joan Collins, Brian Cox, Warren Clarke, and many more. Bonuses: Biographies and filmographies; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Warner Bros. releases ER: THE COMPLETE ELEVENTH SEASON, featuring more high-octane emergency room drama, led by Noah Wyle and his crack team of TV docs. Bonuses: Outtakes and unaired scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. HBO releases EASTBOUND AND DOWN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, starring Danny McBride as a washed-up major league pitcher who, down on his luck, moves in with his brother and teaches gym at the very middle school he once attended in rural North Carolina. Funny, observant social satire. Bonuses: Audio commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted scenes and outtakes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. ENTOURAGE: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON, features more high-jinks from E, Turtle, Johnny Drama and Vincent Chase as they move up and down the Hollywood power list. Still one of the sharpest comedies ever made about show biz. Bonuses: Three audio commentaries by cast and crew; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. A&E releases AGATHA CHRISTIE: POIROT & MARPLE, 21 Poirot (David Suchet) and Marple (Joan Hickson) mysteries, all beautifully produced for British television and presented in a magnificent box set. Bonuses: Biographies; Indexes of all Poirot and Marple stories. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. NOSTRADAMUS: 2012 takes a look at the famous soothsayer’s prediction that the year 2012 will mark a major turning point in man’s evolution, for better or for worse. Thought-provoking and (if you let it be) a bit scary. Bonuses: Additional footage. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. THE UNIVERSE: THE COMPLETE SEASON TWO, takes a fascinating look at life outside of our solar system in 18 episodes that deftly blend science, speculation and special effects. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurette. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. THE MAFIA is a grim, thorough look at how organized crime has shaped the United States from the early 20th century to today. Over ten hours of superb documentary on four DVDs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Universal releases MONK: SEASON SEVEN, starring Tony Shalhoub as a brilliant, and obsessive/compulsive, detective whose (mis)adventures form the gist of this very clever program. Great support from Ted Levine. Bonuses: Video commentaries; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. PSYCH: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON, tells the tale of a phony psychic detective (James Roday) and his best friend and partner (Dule Hill) who take on unusual cases that the “normal” detectives can’t handle, and solve them through a combination of luck, b.s. and pure chutzpa. Four disc set. Bonuses: Deleted scenes: Gag reel; Audio commentary; Podcast commentary. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. MGM/Fox release STARGATE ATLANTIS: SEASON FIVE, which has Woolsey becoming the new leader of the Atlantis team, while McKay faces some personal demons. 5 disc set bonuses include: Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Photo and design galleries. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. REBA: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON, stars country singer Reba McEntire as the first mother of down-home dysfunction in this popular sitcom. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 surround. PRISON BREAK 4: THE FINAL SEASON, offers a slam-bang finale to the hit series, in which Michael (Wentworth Miller) and his brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) must elude a deadly assassin and uncover the secret behind the mysterious Scylla device. 6-disc set features all 22 episodes. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. FAMILY GUY, VOL. 7 features 13 more episodes of the animated hit in a 3-disc set. Bonuses: Commentary by creator Seth MacFarlane, cast and crew; 3 animatic episodes with optional commentary; Deleted scenes; Featurettes. Full screen. Dolby 5.1 surround. BURN NOTICE: SEASON TWO features more covert thrills and adventures as former CIA agent Michael Westen battles bad guys and saves the world. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Featurette; Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. SAVING GRACE: SEASON TWO stars Holly Hunter as tough police detective Grace Hanadarko who literally has an angel on her shoulder, guiding her through life. Funny, dark, and inventive. Hunter rocks! Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Paramount releases MATLOCK: THE THIRD SEASON, starring Andy Griffith as a small town Southern lawyer who outsmarts the bad guys and the city slickers both in the court and out. 5 disc set. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. PETTICOAT JUNCTION: SEASON TWO features more high-jinks from the folks in Hooterville, following hotel owner Kate Bradley (Bea Benaderet) and her three gorgeous daughters (Jeannine Riley, Pat Woodell, and Linda Kaye). 5 disc set features all the episodes from the 1964-65 season. Bonuses: Introductions by Woodell and Kaye; Interviews with Woodell and Kaye; Photo gallery. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. LEVERAGE: THE 1st SEASON, stars Timothy Hutton as the leader of a specialized team of thieves who right corporate and governmental injustices. Fascinating study of a civic-minded crook! Bonuses: Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. THE STATE: THE COMPLETE SERIES, offers up one of the funniest, unheralded and edgy sketch comedy shows of the 1990s. Originating on MTV, the multi-talented cast of eleven actors take on everything from politics to religion to popular culture, always pushing the envelope. Great stuff. Bonuses: Commentary by the cast; Interviews; Outtakes; Bonus disc featuring the pilot episode, over 90 minutes of unaired sketches, promos, and outtakes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. ARTHUR HAILEY’S HOTEL: THE FIRST SEASON is high-gloss, high-1980s cheese, starring James Brolin as the manager of San Francisco’s swanky St. Gregory Hotel. Soapy fun ensues with all the guest’s coming and goings supplying the drama. 6-disc set features all 22 episodes of the first season, 1983-84. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THIS AMERICAN LIFE: SEASON TWO features more wicked social commentary and satire from Ira Glass and company, as they hit the road, collecting amazing stories from everyday people. Bonuses: Commentary by the cast; Extended episode; Live theater presentation. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THE LUCY SHOW: THE OFFICIAL FIRST SEASON, marked Lucille Ball’s return to TV, this time playing a widowed mother to two children. I Love Lucy vet Vivian Vance returns as Lucy’s best friend. 4-disc set features all 30 episodes from the 1962-63 season. Bonuses: Interviews with Lucie Arnaz and Jimmy Garrett; Vintage clips; Featurettes; Outtakes; Photo gallery; Production notes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. RENO 911! THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON (UNCENSORED), features more outrageous antics from the men and women of the Reno, NV. P.D. Broad, but very funny, with its raunchy gags, many of which fell to the censor’s scissors, now presented intact. Bonuses: Outtakes; Featurettes; Commentary by cast members. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.