DVD Playhouse--July 2011

DVD PLAYHOUSE—JULY 2011
By Allen Gardner

THE MUSIC ROOM (Criterion) Satyajit Ray’s 1958 masterpiece looks at the life of a fallen aristocrat as a metaphor for an India that is not only becoming Westernized, but modernized technologically and culturally beyond recognition. When the beloved music room, where he has hosted lavish concerts in the past, starts falling into disrepair as attendance drops steadily, the man realizes his way of life is vanishing. Stunningly shot in black & white, one of Ray’s finest works. Bonuses: Documentary on Ray from 1984 by Shyam Benegal; Interviews with Ray biographer Andrew Robinson and filmmaker Mira Nair; Excerpt from 1981 roundtable discussion between Ray, critic Michael Ciment, director Claude Sautet. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Criterion) Jean Cocteau’s sublime adaptation of the classic fairy tale become a beloved classic upon its 1946 release, and hasn’t faded since. Terrific performances by Jean Marais and Josette Day in the leading roles. Magical film is sure to delight young and old alike and its visuals really pop in this new transfer, which is also available on Blu-ray. Bonuses: Philip Glass’ opera La Belle et la Bete, presented in a DTS-HD 5.1 surround alternate soundtrack; Two commentaries: film historian Arthur Knight and cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling; 1995 documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew; Interview with cinematographer Henri Alekan; Photo gallery; Restoration demonstration; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
NAKED (Criterion) Mike Leigh’s scathing, scatological and frequently hilarious study of a ne’er-do-well (David Thewlis, brilliant) who prowls London on a nocturnal odyssey, confronting, insulting and colliding with everything and everyone in his path. Terrific supporting cast includes Leslie Sharp and the late Katrin Cartlidge. Winner of Best Director and Best Actor awards at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Leigh, Thewlis, Cartlidge; Interview with filmmaker Neil LaBute; BBC interview with Leigh; The Short and the Curlies, a 1987 short by Leigh, starring Thewlis; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 2.0 surround.
HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (Magnolia/Magnet) Writer/director Jason Eisner created an internet sensation with his “trailer” for Hobo With a Shotgun, an homage to ‘70s grindhouse cinema, and it remains a classic of celluloid kitsch. With this feature version, however, the auteur’s vision becomes sadly myopic. Rutger Hauer stars as a homeless man who stumbles into a lawless town run by a corrupt boss and his two dim-witted sons, who run roughshod over the town’s denizens, most of whom are petty drug dealers, prostitutes, or just plain poor, downtrodden folk. When Hauer gets hold of the eponymous shotgun, he attempts to clean up the streets, old west style. Hauer is wonderful, even with sub-par material, a testament to this underused icon’s incandescent talents. The rest of the cast, all locals from Halifax, Nova Scotia where the film was shot, are woefully inept. While the film tries hard for Robocop-style black comedy and satire, it just plays as exploitative and over-the-top. Our advice: watch the original trailer instead. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by Esiner, Hauer, cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Alternate ending; Video blogs; Camera test reel; Trailers and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ZAZIE DANS LE METRO (Criterion) Louis Malle’s first color film, from 1960, about a precocious twelve year-old who comes to Paris with her cross-dressing uncle (Philippe Noiret), and proceeds to ride roughshod over the City of Lights. Best described as stream-of-consciousness slapstick, loaded with breathtaking cinematic techniques, editing and effects. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interviews with Malle, novelist Raymond Queneau, actress Catherine Demongeot, screenwriter Jean-Paul Rappeneau; Audio interview with director and photographer William Klein; Le Paris de Zazie, a 2005 video piece; Trailer. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
BLACK MOON (Criterion) Another audacious Louis Malle film, this time from 1975. Described by some as a modernist take on Lewis Carroll, a young girl (Cathryn Harrison) takes refuge in a remote farmhouse as a war rages around her. Once inside, she becomes embroiled in a surreal series of encounters with the bizarre family who live there. Beautifully shot by Ingmar Berman’s cinematographer, Sven Nykvist, this is Malle’s most experimental work, as well as one of his most memorable, loaded with fascinating (and often repellent) imagery that will stick with you. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interview with Malle; Photo gallery; Alternate French soundtrack; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
PEOPLE ON SUNDAY (Criterion) In 1930, a handful of Germany’s greatest filmmakers (Robert Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer, Billy Wilder and Fred Zinnemann) collaborated on this once-in-a-lifetime silent classic. Two men and two women randomly meet on the street in Berlin and spent the day together. Cast with non-pros, film offers a stunning look at Weimar-era Berlin, one of the world’s great cities. Watching the film and knowing what history has in store for the city and its denizens makes the experience all the more touching and heartbreaking. Not to be missed! Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Two scores include a silent-era style track by the Mont Alto Orchestra and a modern one by Elena Kats-Chernin; Weekend am Wannsee, Gerald Koll’s 2000 documentary about the film; Ins Blaue hinein, 1931 short by film’s cinematographer Eugen Schuffan. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
JOHNNY COOL (MGM) Tough and exciting gangster vehicle from 1963 stars Henry Silva as a ruthless Sicilian assassin who hits U.S. shores to rub out a criminal gang who foolishly crossed a mob boss. Nice support from a pre-“Bewitched” Elizabeth Montgomery and a who’s-who of old Hollywood, including Brad Dexter, Sammy Davis, Jr. (who also croons the title song), Jim Backus, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, Marc Lawrence, John McGiver, Mort Sahl and Telly Savalas. Quite brutal for its time and holds up well. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
ANOTHER MAN, ANOTHER CHANCE (MGM) Director Claude Lelouch’s western retread of his classic A Man and a Woman is reset in the American West, starring James Caan as a widowed veterinarian and Genevieve Bujold as a struggling widow who unexpectedly find love amidst the harsh realities of frontier life. A bit long at two hours, ten minutes, but still quite affecting, with Lelouch’s quiet touch providing a painterly hand to the proceedings. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE FOURTH WAR (MGM) Tough, economical thriller from the genre’s master, John Frankenheimer. An American (Roy Scheider) and Russian (Jurgen Prochnow) military officer decide to keep the Cold War going after the fall of the Iron Curtain and engage in their own, private combat, with potentially disastrous diplomatic implications. Harry Dean Stanton is curiously cast as Scheider’s commanding officer, but delivers his usual solid work. No masterpiece, but well worth a look. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
13 ASSASSINS (Magnet/Magnolia) Set in 1844, the waning days of Feudal Japan, a disparate band of samurai must join forces to kill the psychotic brother of the ruling Shogun, whose murderous behavior threatens to plunge the now-peaceful nation into a perpetual civil war. Director Takeshi Miike, a unique voice in Asian cinema who has given us distinctive works such as Ichi the Killer and Audition, proves his cinematic meddle once again with this handsome production, but his distinctive voice is sorely absent, leaving what (once can only assume) is a very competent homage to the work of Akira Kurosawa. The final 40 minutes of the film, a continual assault against the villain’s forces in a town made up of booby-traps, is stunning pure cinema. The rest of the film, however, gets bogged down in talk about honor among warriors, which gets not only redundant, but to this Western viewer at least, maddeningly intangible. Worth seeing, in spite of its flaws. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interview with Miike; Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
WINTER IN WARTIME (Sony) A teenage boy in Nazi-occupied Holland discovers a downed RAF pilot in the woods near his home, and begins taking care of the young man, not much older than him. In spite of the wishes of his father, the village mayor, that the family remain neutral in the interest of self-preservation, the boy finds himself growing attached to the pilot, and gets involved in the Resistance. Solid drama suffers at times from over-direction by helmer Martin Koolhoven, making the otherwise authentic-feeling period details suddenly feel out-of-place with very modern filmmaking techniques. Otherwise, well-worth a look. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ARTHUR (Warner Bros.) Updated remake of the 1981 Dudley Moore classic about an aimless playboy (Russell Brand) who finds true love with a working class girl (Greta Gerwig) even though his inheritance depends upon him marrying a society girl (Jennifer Garner). Helen Mirren ably fills the late John Guielgud’s shoes as Arthur’s patient butler/surrogate parent. While Greta Gerwig is much more appealing than Liza Minnelli (sorry Liza), this tired retread exemplifies everything wrong with remaking a classic film that still holds up. Brand is no match for the sorely-missed Dudley Moore, and removing the alcoholism from Arthur’s character also removes what gave the original such heart. A few scattered laughs, but mostly a bore. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Gag reel; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
IMMIGRATION TANGO (Lionsgate) Funny romantic comedy set in Miami about true love between a handsome Colombian and a comely Russian babe, who conspire to get their green cards by staging a marriage, only to find that true love is rearing its head. Nothing you haven’t seen before, but still charming with an attractive cast. Bonuses: Filmmaker commentary; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL (eOne) A small town is engulfed in violence when a drunk driver hits a local woman, with the blame being put on a Bosnian refugee. When the man’s brother gives him shelter, he finds his home, and family, under siege. Solid thriller, although very reminiscent of Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs, holds its own nicely. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
DUST OF LIFE (Cinema Libre) Nominated for Best Foreign Film on its original release, this powerful story follows the fate of a half American/half Vietnamese boy in mid-‘70s Saigon who finds himself thrown into a “rehabilitation” camp by the new government, where they are indoctrinated with the new values of the Revolution. When he and a group of boys decide to escape the camp, the real adventure begins. Powerful and fly-on-the-wall realistic, with strong performances from its young cast. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
TETSUO: THE BULLET MAN (IFC Films) Final episode of director Shinya Tasukamoto’s Tetsuo trilogy, this time with an American executive in Tokyo undergoing an horrific transformation after his young son is tragically killed. Phantasmagorical take on the Jeckyll/Hyde story, holds its own quite well along with its predecessors. Bonuses: Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER LIKE SON (20th Century Fox) Martin Lawrence returns as an FBI agent who must assume a new identity and goes undercover as an obese Southern granny in an all-girls school. Sound really, really stupid? Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner, folks! Watching this movie, you can actually feel brain cells dying. Why do that when the same effect can be achieved with a nice bottle of scotch? Almost unbearably moronic and inept on every level. Also available on Blu-ray disc, but why? Bonuses: Theatrical and extended versions; Commentary by cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Gag reel; Music videos. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
N-SECURE (20th Century Fox) Thriller about a wealthy businessman (Cordell Moore) who tries to micromanage every aspect of his life, including his gorgeous girlfriend (Essence Atkins), who quickly finds herself driven into the arms of his best friend (Lamman Rucker), with deadly results. Good thriller with echoes of Double Indemnity is buoyed by skillful filmmaking and a strong cast. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
SUCKER PUNCH (Warner Bros.) A more apt title hasn’t come along in many a moon for a movie that seems to take pleasure in gutting the audience’s intelligence while it simultaneously cleans out its wallet. Where to begin…a deadly babe named--wait for it--Babydoll is held prisoner in an otherworldly prison. Along with four other equally comely inmates, the tough/hot chicks bust out and kick butt in increasingly over-the-top fashion. Talented cast (Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm and Scott Glenn) and usually-talented director Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300, Dawn of the Dead) can’t compensate for this total misfire on virtually every level. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interactive features; Animated shorts; Featurettes; Filmmaker commentary; Deleted scenes; PG-13 and R-rated versions; Interactive galleries. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
CEDAR RAPIDS (20th Century Fox) Funny and raunchy comedy about an innocent (Ed Helms) who attends an insurance convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and undergoes a life-changing series of increasingly crazy and scatological events. Very funny, with Helms doing an admirable job as a naïf who gradually sees the light, with fine support from John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Sigourney Weaver and Kurtwood Smith. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Gag reel; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
SEASON OF THE WITCH (20th Century Fox) Nicolas Cage gets to keep his title as the best actor who consistently makes the worst movies with this latest entry into his canon. Cage stars with Ron Perlman as knights who are quested to transport a young woman accused of witchery to a remote monastery to stand trial. During their journey, they discover the girl harbors a dark secret, which could determine the fate of the world. Clumsy attempt at fantasy and adventure, feels more like a movie made in the ‘50s with modern day special effects, the latter of which are really the entire show. Another letdown from one of our most talented performers. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Alternate ending. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE WARRIOR’S WAY (20th Century Fox) East-meets-Western effort that could have been a barn-burner, but is instead barely a sparkler on the most dim 4th of July. Jang Dong Gun stars as a world-class swordsman who is banished from his clan when he refuses to kill a baby on orders from his superiors. Hopping a boat for the States, he soon finds himself in a Western town where he must confront a gang of murderous outlaws and a squad of assassins from his own shores. Another terrific cast (Geoffrey Rush, Kate Bosworth, Danny Huston) that gets lost in a sea of special effects and a script with no real direction. Rush and Huston chew the scenery with vigor, but that’s about it. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ELVIRA’S MOVIE MACABRE (eOne) The “Movie Macabre” was a staple of 1980’s syndicated television, featuring hostess Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (aka Cassandra Peterson), who took a page from 1950’s TV hostess Vampira, dressing in Goth makeup and gowns with plunging necklines, and introducing audiences to some of horror cinema’s finest, and not-so-finest, titles. In these two separate offerings, disc one features the great Christopher Lee in THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA as well as Dean Stockwell in the long-forgotten WEREWOLF OF WASHINGTON. Disc two features the all-time classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, George A. Romero’s first entry into his zombie canon, along with the not-so-classic I EAT YOUR SKIN, a zombie relic from the early ‘60s. All the films feature Elvira’s inimitable commentary throughout. Bonuses: Featurettes; Photo gallery; Music video; Previews. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
WAKE WOOD (Hammer/Dark Sky Films) When a couple tragically lose their nine year-old daughter, they relocate to the remote town of Wake Wood, only to discover a Pagan society in which a ritual can bring the dead back to life for three days. Desperate to say goodbye to their daughter properly, she is resurrected, but comes back a very different little girl. Good little chiller is nothing new, but has some genuine scares, and is strongly atmospheric. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL (Troma) Trey Parker and Matt Stone, before they created “South Park,” collaborated on this over-the-top, blackly comedic musical satire based on the life of “The Colorado Cannibal,” Alfred Packer, and his bloody reign in the Rocky Mountains during the 19th century. Very funny, very bloody and sure to tickle to most jaded funnybone. Bonuses: Interviews with Parker, Stone and Jason McHugh; Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
BENEATH HILL 60 (eOne) Top-notch Aussie effort set in WW I about an Oz platoon, stuck behind enemy lines in Europe, who must defend an underground bunker packed with enough explosives to change the course of the war. Gritty and in-your-face filmmaking puts you in the thick of it, and forces the audience to experience what the film’s characters are. Almost on a par with Peter Weir’s classic Gallipoli—almost! Nominated for 12 Australian Film Institute awards. Bonuses: Featurettes; Cast and crew interviews; B-roll footage. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE CON ARTIST (eOne) Vince, an ex-con (Rossif Sutherland), tries to go straight, but is forced back into a life of crime by his sadistic boss (the great Donald Sutherland, Rossif’s real-life papa). Finding solace in making sculptures out of used auto parts, Vince soon finds himself falling for a seductive art dealer (Rebecca Romijn) who has plans of her own for the young man. Solid little film from director Risa Bramon Garcia, made in Canada. Bonuses: Commentary by Garcia. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
LATINO: AMERICA’S SECRET WAR IN NICARAGUA (Cinema Libre) Renowned cinematographer Haskell Wexler’s little-seen 1985 feature about a Vietnam vet (Robert Beltran, excellent) sent to Nicaragua to help train the U.S. backed Contra rebels. When he falls for a local girl (Annette Cardona) whose father was killed by the Contras, he starts to question what he and his government are doing. Excellent film is undeniably polemical, but powerful nonetheless, nearly the equal of Wexler’s earlier masterpiece, Medium Cool. Presented by Lucasfilm. Bonuses: Wexler’s director’s cut; Interview with Wexler; Commentary by Wexler; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
PEEP WORLD (MPI/IFC Films) Black comedy about a dysfunctional family who come together to celebrate their father’s 70th birthday as well as the successful novel that the youngest son has published: a thinly-veiled portrait of his own family. Very funny and quite nasty at times! Great cast includes Michael C. Hall, Judy Greer, Sarah Silverman, Rainn Wilson, and Taraj P. Henson. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
PARK BENCHES (MPI/IFC Films) Director Bruno Podalydes’ charming look at the intersecting lives of disparate Parisians, featuring an iconic Gallic cast: Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric, and Chiara Mastroianni (Deneuve’s real-life daughter with Marcello Mastroianni). Bonuses: Trailer; Deleted scenes; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.





BLU BAYOU
Sony releases Wolfgang Petersen’s WW II masterpiece DAS BOOT, an unforgettable portrait of the lives of a German U-boat crew, originally shot as a German TV miniseries, then cut down for theatrical release. The theatrical release, a contender in itself, runs 149 minutes, while Petersen’s Director’s Cut, runs 208 minutes, and is even more affecting, thrilling and engaging, a true epic that ranks with the best of them. Jurgen Prochnow became a star with his portrait of the ship’s captain. Bonuses: Documentary on film’s production; Featurettes; Commentary by Petersen; Vintage featurette from 1981. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
MGM/Fox release the rest of this month’s titles, starting with Martin Scorsese’s NEW YORK, NEW YORK, perhaps the director’s most polarizing film. An odd blend of Scorsese’s signature neo-realism and Golden Age of Hollywood musical sumptuousness, Robert DeNiro and Liza Minnelli headline as a star-crossed couple who meet cute on the street in the Big Apple, and soon find themselves sparring on stage as the headliner and sax player for a big band, and striking equal sparks behind the scenes in a tumultuous marriage. Tries hard to be an epic, but falls short. Tries hard to be a romance, but falls short. Tries hard to be a musical, but falls short. Scorsese’s first cinematic disappointment is not without its high points, however, and thus is worth seeing at least once, particularly for cinefiles, to draw your own conclusions. Bonuses: Commentary by Scorsese and critic Carrie Rickey; Intro by Scorsese; Alternate takes/deleted scenes; Featurettes; Select scene commentary by cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE LONG RIDERS is director Walter Hill’s elegiac study of the final days of the James/Younger gang as their way of life comes to an end along with the 19th century. Gimmick of casting actual brothers (Stacy Keach, James Keach, Robert Carradine, Keith Carradine, David Carradine, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Nicholas Guest, Christopher Guest) really pays off, along with fine support from Pamela Reed (who nearly steals the show as notorious lady outlaw Belle Starr), James Remar, and James Whitmore, Jr. Hill, a protégée of Sam Peckinpah’s, learned well at the feet of his master, perfectly evidenced here. Lack of bonus material is disc’s only sore point. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
DEATH AT A FUNERAL is a riotous British black comedy about a gathering of upper middle class swells at a country manor house for a somber event which goes horribly, horribly (horribly) wrong. The laughs never cease from start to finish, so hold onto your funnybone and hang on! Who’s who of British acting cast includes: Ewen Bremmer, Matthew MacFayden, Kris Marshall, Alan Tudyk, Jane Asher, as well as Yank Peter Dinklage and helmed, believe it or not, by another Yank, Frank Oz. Great, raunchy fun. Bonuses: Commentary by Oz, writer Dean Craig, actors Tudyk and Andy Nyman; Gag reel. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
HAIR is director Milos Forman’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical about a young man (John Savage) who finds his trip to basic training circa 1967 interrupted upon encountering a band of hippies (led by Treat Williams) in NYC’s Central Park. Terrific blend of location shooting and inventive musical numbers, perfectly capturing the spirit of the late ‘60s, in spite of being filmed a decade later. Nice support from Beverly D’Angelo. Look fast for director Nicholas Ray in a cameo as the general. The finale is a stunner. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
VERA CRUZ is a 1954 classic from director Robert Aldrich, starring Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster as mercenaries who journey to Mexico in 1866 to make a few bucks off the revolution. Tough, cynical and bursting with star power from the two leads, with fine support from Denise Darcel, Cesar Romero, George Macready, and Ernest Borgnine. Widescreen. DTS-HD 2.0 mono.
ORIGINAL SIN stars Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas as a wealthy Cuban businessman and his new bride. After they marry, Banderas realizes his wife isn’t who she appears to be. Tepid thriller is buoyed by the charisma of its two leads, not to mention this unrated version featuring sexy footage deemed too hot for an R-rating. Still pretty boring, in spite of it! Bonuses: Commentary by director Michael Cristofer; Music video by Gloria Estefan; Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT is an outrageous romp from Down Under about three drag performers (Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving) traveling the Aussie outback by bus, and their Picaresque adventures on the road. Funny, bawdy and quite touching, a feel-good comedy that celebrates the offbeat, as opposed to mocking it. Bonuses: Commentary by director Stephan Elliott; Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Outtakes. Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
POSSE is director/star Mario Van Peebles’ attempt at a “black western,” with sadly middling results. Story follows a group of black infantrymen who, betrayed by their commander (Billy Zane) desert during the Spanish-American War. Heading back to the U.S. the men quickly discover they’ve left one war (for profit) and stepped into another (race war). Could have been a dynamite historical drama, but the weak script never takes hold, not to mention the miscasting of non-actors (rappers Tone Loc, Big Daddy Kane and the like) next to powerhouse performers (Pam Grier, Blair Underwood, Richard Jordan, Reginald Vel Johnson and the great Woody Strode, in a cameo). Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.



DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! HBO leads the pack this month with ENTOURAGE: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON, featuring more Hollywood hijinks with Vince, E, Drama, Turtle and Ari. This season features Vince reassessing his life after a near-death experience on-set, while the rest of the gang also takes stock in what their futures hold. Terrific, smart, biting satire which is actually truer to life than most denizens outside of L.A. would believe…Loaded with cameos from stars and players in the biz. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Interviews with cast and crew; 3 audio commentaries with cast and crew. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
VSC releases SPECTACLE WITH ELVIS COSTELLO: SEASON TWO, with legendary rocker Costello hosting over seven hours of music and interviews with the likes of Bono and the Edge, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Nick Lowe, Levon Helm, and many more. Terrific blend of chat and live performance. Bonuses: Documentary; Bonus songs. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
eOne releases HAVEN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, based on Stephen King’s The Colorado Kid, about an FBI agent (Emily Rose) who travels to the small hamlet of Haven, Maine to investigate a murder, and soon finds that the town is a refuge for people with supernatural affliction. Spooky, funny and intriguing—think “Twin Peaks” meets “The X-Files.” Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Two audio commentaries with cast and crew; Featurettes; Video blogs; Interviews with cast members. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
Acorn Media releases more great titles from across the Pond, starting with POIROT: THE MOVIE COLLECTION SET 6, starring David Suchet as Agatha Christie’s cerebral and fastidious Belgian sleuth. Three films in the set are: “Three Act Tragedy,” “The Clocks,” and “Hallowe’en Party,” all based on Christie’s original stories, and co-starring the likes of Jane Asher, Martin Shaw, Art Malik, Anna Massey, Zoe Wanamaker. Great fun, and beautifully made. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. PCM stereo 2.0. AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: COMPLETE SERIES 5, features Julia McKenzie as the venerable sleuth, in four newly-adapted Christie stories: “The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side,” “The Secret of Chimneys,” “The Blue Geranium,” and “The Pale Horse.” Co-stars include veteran actors Joanna Lumley, Pauline Collins, Edward Fox, David Hemmings and Toby Stephens. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Documentary on Christie; Bonus earlier adaptation of “The Pale Horse.” Widescreen. PCM 2.0 stereo.
20th Century Fox releases BURN NOTICE: SEASON FOUR, featuring more adventures from master spy Michael Westen and his team, who are joined this season by Jesse Porter, a hard-boiled intelligence operative who’s been burned himself. 4-disc set contains 18 episodes. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Audio commentary from cast and crew; Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Shout Factory releases DENNIS THE MENACE: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON 1960-61, featuring all 38 episodes from the classic hit’s sophomore season. Jay North stars as the mischievous Dennis, who’s always getting the dander up of neighbor Mr. Wilson (Joseph Kearns). Dated, to be sure, but still great fun. Bonuses: Original promos. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
Sony releases DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON, starring Glenn Close and Rose Byrne as litigators who go after big targets, this time going after Wall Street crooks, very cleverly incorporating current events into the plotline. Guest stars include Campbell Scott, Martin Short, Lily Tomlin and Ted Danson. Bonuses: Commentary from cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Blooper reel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Lifetime releases four telefilm titles, starting with AMANDA KNOX: MURDER ON TRIAL IN ITALY, starring Hayden Panettiere as the title character and Marcia Gay Harden as her attorney. Superbly done on every level, a real standout for a TV movie, and very wisely lets the viewer come to their own conclusions about Knox’s guilt or innocence. Bonuses: Documentary on Knox case. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Andie MacDowell headlines two Patricia Cornwell adaptations. First, AT RISK co-stars Daniel Sunjata as Win Ganaro, a rising star in the Massachusetts State Police who is sent to Tennessee by District Attorney Monique “Money” Lamont (MacDowell) to investigate a 20 year-old murder. Co-stars Annabeth Gish. THE FRONT is a sequel featuring the same players, this time in Boston investigating the possibility of a modern-day Boston Strangler. Both films are suspenseful, entertaining, and well-written. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
REVIVING OPHELIA stars Jane Kaczmarek and Kim Dickens as two mothers facing the tough job of raising teenage girls, one compliant (Rebecca Williams), the other a rebel (Carleigh Beverly). Well-done, but sure to appeal more to the moms out there, than those who aren’t. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.





DOCUMENTARY DAYS As usual, PBS leads the pack with a host of new releases. NEW YORK STREET GAMES looks at the games created by new immigrants during the turn of the 19th century. Bonuses: Printable rulebook of street games, including stickball, ringoleavio, kick the can, scully, boxball, and more. TYPEFACE takes a look at the fading analog craft that continues to inspire artists in the digital age, and the Hamilton Wood Type Museum in Two Rivers, WI. Bonuses: Art gallery of typeface; Bonus scenes. SHARK REEF AND THE SACRED ISLAND are episodes from the “Saving the Ocean” series with Carl Safina, both examining how the world is endangering marine life, and the conservationist who work tirelessly to save them. Fascinating, beautifully photographed documentaries. THE DUEL plays like a real-time thriller in its examination of the pistol fight that changed history forever: Alexander Hamilton versus Aaron Burr on July 11, 1804. Terrific, and begs to be made into a feature film! FOOTBALL HIGH is a “Frontline” episode that examines how high school football has grown from a beloved pastime and rite of passage into big business, often resulting in a level of competitiveness that ends tragically for its young players. Sobering stuff, to be sure, but important. WORLD’S BIGGEST BOMB is a “Secrets of the Dead” episode that examines the arms race between the U.S. and the Soviets during the 1950s, that nearly spun out of control. Narrated by Live Schreiber. BEARS OF THE LAST FRONTIER is a 3-hour “Nature” special that examines Alaska’s Black, Grizzly, and Polar bears in their natural habitat. Stunningly photographed, with shots of nature that have to be seen to be believed, all the more dazzling in the program’s Blu-ray presentation. Dolby 5.1 surround. MARVIN HAMLISCH PRESENTS: THE 70’S: THE WAY WE WERE is a filmed record of a recent concert in which stars like Hamlisch, B.J. Thomas, Three Dog Night, Debby Boone, Gloria Gaynor and many more, perform the songs that made them stars, many of them composed by Hamlisch himself. Bonuses: Extra performances. PBS’ series AMERICA: THE STORY OF US, arrives in multiple episodes on DVD. “Millennium” looks at the events that shaped the U.S. as the 21st century was born, including 9/11, the growth of the personal computer, and more. “Rebels” takes a look at the early American colonists’ fight for independence from Great Britain, from Jamestown to Plymouth and beyond. Great blend of archival material and reenactments. “Boom” examines the growth of the modern city in the 19th century, with the discovery of oil, as well as the steel empires of magnates such as Andrew Carnegie. “Civil War” takes a look at our country’s bloodiest conflict in the mid-19th century and how it evolved into modern warfare with the advent of the railroads, telegraph, and supply lines. “Westward” looks at the settlers who bravely faced deadly elements to settle the western United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. “Rise of a Superpower” looks at the growth of the U.S. post-WW II and the economic and social boom that made it the leader of the free world during the 20th century’s second half. All episodes are narrated by Liev Schreiber and are widescreen, Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Cinema Libre releases CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE, a fly-on-the-wall backstage look at the world of professional wrestling. An addictive combination of over-the-top personalities and washed-up has-beens dreaming of a comeback, this doc is a must-see for all wrestling fans and/or those who aspire to one day be in the ring. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Outtakes; Promotional videos. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
eOne releases LORD OF THE DANCE, a filmed record of legendary Michael Flatley and his return to his hit show after a 13 year absence from the stage. Stunning to watch Flatley and his dancers, some of the best in the world at their craft. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 and DTS-HD 7.1 surround.
MUSIC VIDEO EXPOSED: THE COLLECTION features groundbreaking music videos of the ‘80s by soon-to-be-famous helmers like Russell Mulcahy, David Mallet, and Wayne Isham, with acts like AC/DC, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Queen, and more in some of their most famous video performances, along with new interviews. Bonuses: Extended interviews. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Athena releases the landmark documentary series THE MAKING OF THE PRESIDENT: THE 1960S, the brainchild of journalist and author Theodore H. White, who began his finite look into presidential politics with an in-depth look at the 1960 race between JFK and Richard Nixon, and went on to cover the 1964, and ’68 races. All are featured in this comprehensive box set, originally produced by David L. Wolper for television. Bonuses: Extra programs on JFK, Lyndon Johnson; Viewers guide; Biographies. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.




FOR THE WEE ONES Paramount releases three Nickelodeon box sets: THE I LOVE ICARLY COLLECTION, a collection of three discs (“iFight Shelby Marx,” “iSaved Your Life,” and “iSpace Out”) containing fifteen episodes of the hit Nickelodeon network series. Bonuses: Featurettes; Bonus episodes; Trivia. Full screen Dolby 2.0 stereo. DORA’S BIG PARTY PACK features three discs full of Dora the Explorer adventures: “Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure,” “Super Silly Fiesta,” and “It’s a Party!” Eleven episodes total, sure to pleasure the most fussy toddler. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. YO GABBA GABBA! PARTY IN A BOX also features 3 DVDs: “The Dancey Dance Bunch,” “Birthday Boogie,” and “Clubhouse,” offering 12 episodes of the hit series. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Warner Bros. releases SESAME STREET SPOOFS: VOLUME 1 AND 2, a delightful collection of educational spoofs of famous TV shows and movies, such as “Mad, Mad Men,” “A’s Anatomy,” “Twin Beaks,” and more! Sure to please kids and adults alike. 2 disc set. Bonuses: Extra spoofs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
New Video/Scholastic release I’M DIRTY & I STINK, a collection of 12 tales dealing with trucks, trash, boats and bikes, and GOODNIGHT, GORILLA, a 3 disc collection of stories dealing with creatures and creature capers. Great storytime tales for pre-schoolers and early grade schoolers. Bonuses: Bonus stories; Spanish versions of stories; Interviews with authors; Read-alongs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.