Tuesday, August 08, 2006

New Christopher Lee Filmography Book - Xoanon @ 17:08 PST
Lhunsarniel writes: Thought you might want to add this to your newsworthy posts. I actually saw it in the Turner Classic Movies website: 'The Christopher Lee Filmography: All Theatrical Releases, 1948-2003': The career of towering, handsome actor Christopher Lee has stretched over half a century in every sort of film from comedy to horror. He has assumed such diverse roles as the Man With the Golden Gun, Frankenstein's monster, Fu Manchu, Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. Catheter (from Gremlins 2). From Corridor of Mirrors in 1948 to Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones in 2002, The Christopher Lee Filmography: All Theatrical Releases, 1948–2003 (McFarland), a new reference book by Tom Johnson and Mark A. Miller, covers 166 of Lee's theatrical feature films in detail. Each entry provides all production information (including year of release, studio, running time, and location), full credits for cast and crew, a synopsis of the film, and a critical analysis of the film and Lee's involvement, with a detailed account of its making and commentary drawn from some thirty hours of interviews with Lee himself. Each entry also places the film within the context of Lee's career and discusses the director and other significant figures. Two appendices list Lee's television feature films and miniseries and Lee's short films, with brief credits and Lee's role in each. The work concludes with an afterword by Christopher Lee. Photographs from the actor's private collection are included.


Order 'The Christopher Lee Filmography: All Theatrical Releases, 1948-2003 (Hardcover)' on Amazon.com today!

Monday, August 07, 2006

DVD Tuesday: Inside Man, Prison Break, Ultimate Avengers 2 & More! - Xoanon @ 11:21 PST
Adam and Steve: Craig Chester write, directs, and stars in his queer romantic comedy as a neurotic single in substance recovery who meets a hygienically obsessed psychiatrist (Malcom Gets), and both fail to recognize the other from an alarming first date gone horribly wrong decades ago. Parker Posey and Chris Kattan co-star as chorus of colorful best friends who watches the travails of the wobbly romance in the conventionally quirky lighthearted goof with gross-out gags. Details: Color, 99 mins, TLA, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: Commentary by writer/director Craig Chester, star Malcom Gets, and producer George Bendele; Deleted scenes with director commentary; "The Making of Adam & Steve" featurette; "Learn the Battle Dance" featurette; Gag reel. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional subtitles.

Barefoot Gen: Gen and his family are living in Hiroshima as Japan nears the end of World War II. Gen's father has come to believe that the war is unwinnable, thus earning the wrath of the town officials and, in turn, discrimination from the rest of their neighbors. Shunned by the local merchants and tradesmen, food becomes scarce for Gen and his family. All these concerns soon pale, however, as the American military begins its final assault on Japan with the unleashing of its terrible new weapon.

Beautiful People - The Complete First Season: An academically gifted teen, her model-beautiful older sister and their newly single mother leave small town New Mexico in search of a new life in New York City. After their father runs off with his teenage mistress, SOPHIE and KAREN KERR decide their family needs a fresh start. They convince their mother, LYNN, that the big city holds promise for all of them. Sophie has gotten a scholarship to a prestigious Manhattan private school, Karen can pursue her dreams of modeling, and Lynn can leave the painful memories of her failed marriage behind her, while reviving the ambitions of becoming a fashion designer she put on hold to raise a family.

Brak Show 2: "The Brak Show is a story of a neighborhood. It's the story of a family. It's the story of what happens when adults have children and those children go to school. And Brak is in it. He lives in a house. A house on a quiet street not unlike yours or mine. A house in a neighborhood. That's The Brak Show." So goes Cartoon network's description of the new sitcom starring Brak, the absent-minded space pirate from the Space Ghost cartoons. He goes through the all the typical sitcom situations with his friend Zorak. Also along for the ride are Brak's parents, his brother Sisto, and his next-door neighbor Thundercleese.

Brick: Self consciously imitating BThe Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon this original thriller is indebted to 'Donnie Darko' in its hallucinogenic feel. Brendon (based on Humphrey Bogart) is a loner investigating the death of his ex girlfriend Emily. The police are making no progress, so he enlists The Brain to catch the killer. Uncovering Emily's dubious friends they meet femme fa-tale Nora Zehetner.

Bring It on-All Or Nothing: The second direct-to-DVD sequel to the cheerleader comedy stars Hayden Panettiere, Solange Knowles-Smith, and Rihanna in a cross-cultural rivalry between a rich kid who transfers to a working class high school and has to prove herself to the touch cheer captain in time for a "cheer-off" with a rival school. Steve Rash directs. Details: Color, 99 mins, Universal, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: Gag Reel; "Behind The Cheers" featurette; "Cheer Camp: From Wannabe To Cheerleader" featurette; "Break it Down" dance tutorial; "From The Street To The Set" featurette with Lil "C" and Richmond . Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.

Caillou - Caillou's World of Wonder: Entertaining misadventures of a four year old boy named Caillou, where each day he discovers something new and interesting with his mommy, daddy, and Rosie. Between Caillou segments are segments featuring Caillou's pet cat Gilbert, Caillou's teddy bear, Teddy, and Caillou's toy dinosaur, Rexy, in puppet form. The show deals with issues like fear of the dark, patience, being a good friend, being a good sibling, and other important facts of life.

Cavite: Neill Dela Llana and Ian Gamazon write, direct, and star in this American indie production shot in the Philippines, about a Filipino émigré returning to his native country to attend his father's funeral. When he arrives, he discovers a Muslim extremist has kidnapped his mother and sister and he's forced on a labyrinthine journey through the slums of Manila and the nearby city of Cavite to save them. Details: Color, 80 mins, Magnolia. Supplements: Commentary by directors Neill Dela Llana and Ian Gamazon; Outtakes and deleted scenes with commentary; Additional deleted scenes. Audio: with some Tagalog (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional Spanish subtitles.

Clone: (aka Cl.One) Science fiction thriller of a post-apocalyptic on the verge of extinction and a man whose genetic code can give life to thousands of dormant clones and save humanity. Jason T. J. Tomaric writes and directs. Details: Color, 109 mins, Image, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.00:1. Supplements: Commentary by director Jason T. J. Tomaric; Commentary by production designer Greg McDougall; Deleted scenes; 45-minute "Making of Clone" featurette; Photo galleries; Original trailer. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) and English (DTS 5.1). Optional subtitles.

Curse of King Tuts Tomb: Casper Van Dien is an archeologist who battles a fellow scientist (Jonathan Hyde) out to control the supernatural powers in King Tut's tomb in the made-for-TV horror supernatural thriller. Russell Mulcahy directs and Leonor Varela, Simon Callow, and Malcolm McDowell co-star. Details: Color, 170 mins, Echo Bridge, widescreen. Supplements: Bonus features with the cast and crew. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (DTS 5.1). Optional subtitles.

Damon Wayans: The Last Stand?: 990 stand-up comedy special, originally recorded for HBO. Details: Color, 56 mins, HBO, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional Spanish and English subtitles.

Death in the Bunker: The True Story of Hitler's Downfall: Documentary on the last ten days of Hitler's life hiding in a bunker underneath the Chancellery of the Reich. Details: Color/Black and White, 79 mins, Koch Vision, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Supplements: English and German with English subtitles. Optional subtitles.

Don't Come Knocking: Sam Shepard is a bad boy cowboy movie star who reconnects with an old fling and finds he has a son in his first collaboration with director Wim Wenders since "Paris, Texas." The script stretches credulity at times and the cast acts up a storm, but Shepard's restrained, internalized performance meshes nicely with Wenders' loping pace and his natural screen presence lends itself to Wenders' love of observing characters in landscapes, both natural and urban. They make for minor pleasures in a minor film. Jessica Lange, Tim Roth, Gabriel Mann, Sarah Polley, Fairuza Balk, and Eva Marie Saint co-star. Details: Color, 121 mins, Sony Pictures, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.35:1. Supplements: Wim Wenders Audio Commentary; Deleted Scenes with optional audio commentary; New York movie premiere featurette; Sundance Featurette; Interview with Wim Wenders and Eva Marie Saint. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional French subtitles.

Double Trouble Bass: Eight-time Grammy-winner George Benson covers chord substitutions, turnarounds, the Wes Montgomery style, and more. He demonstrates his signature scat-style singing on the groundbreaking This Masquerade and soloing over the famous On Broadway vamp. Also included are several virtuoso solo jazz and blues guitar performances by Benson himselffurther proof, if it were needed, of his total mastery of jazz guitar.

Embedded 45: Shooting War in Germany: The Allied invasion of Germany in the spring of 1945 as seen through the footage shot by American military cameraman, some of it previously unseen. Details: Color/Black and White, 108 mins, Koch Vision, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Optional subtitles.

Frat Boy Collection: Tom Hanks is about to marry Tawny Kitaen. Her parents hate him. Her old boyfriend hates him. They all have money and he gets a cut of the crap games on the catholic school bus he drives. His friends decide to give him the bachelor party of all bachelor parties with an expensive hotel, booze, movies and hookers. As the players catch wind of the elements of the party, each adds a little monkey wrench so that one set of hookers ends up giving demos at the bride's shower, the brides friends end up dressed as hookers in a room with a number of non English speaking Japanese business men, and so on as things get out of hand.

Gilles' Wife: (France) Frédéric Fonteyne directs this romantic drama starring Emmanuelle Devos as a devoted wife who takes a hard, transformative look at her life as she tries to hold her marriage together after she suspects her husband (Clovis Cornillac) of having an affair with her younger sister (Laura Smet). Details: Color, 103 mins, Koch Lorber, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: Commentary by director Frédéric Fonteyne; Deleted scenes with director commentary; Making-of featurette; Original French trailer. Audio: French. Optional English subtitles.

God Bless Bloc Party: GOD BLESS BLOC PARTY is a one-hour DVD documentary filmed around Bloc Party's June 2005 shows at the El Ray Theater in Los Angeles, and a half hour live performance filmed in July 2005 at a festival in Belfort, France. It features blistering live performances, backstage footage, interviews with fans and interviews with the band discussing their music and how they are navigating their newfound notoriety.

Grounded for Life: Season 3: Irish Catholic couple Sean and Claudia Finnerty live in Staten Island, New York, with their three children, Lily, Jimmy, and Henry. They get into all sorts of trouble, usually because of Sean's brother, Eddie, who's got connections all over town. Sean and Eddie's father, Walt, often drops by and shares in the disaster. Most adventures are later recalled and they find out exactly what happened, like when the family car was supposedly stolen or when Sean's credit card was mysteriously maxed out, and even when Sean causes a blackout on Super Bowl Sunday. All this and more, and because Sean and Claudia were young and carefree when they got married and had kids, they are now grounded for life, so to speak.

Hellraiser 3-Hell on Earth: Pinhead is stuck in a block after the Big Confrontation in "Hellbound," The block containing Pinhead and the puzzle cube is bought by a young playboy as sculpture. Pinhead busies himself escaping by getting the playboy to lure victims to his presence so he can use their blood. Once free, he seeks to destroy the puzzle cube so he need never return to Hell, but a female reporter is investigating the grisly murders and stands in his way.

The Hidden Blade: (Japan) Masatoshi Nagase is a low caste samurai in a backwater village trying to hold on to his honor and his moral purpose in the rapidly changing world of the 1860s in the second film in Yoji Yamada's elegiac trilogy (begun with The Twilight Samurai). It both punctures the mythic ideal of the samurai culture (though trained as fighters, they mostly serve as clan bureaucrats) and spins a romantic portrait of one man who values principle over protocol despite the cost to his reputation. Takako Tabata co-stars as the family maid he secretly loves but cannot marry because of caste differences. Details: Color, 132 mins, Tartan, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: Behind the scenes featurette with director Yoji Yamada; Berlin Film Festival premiere; Yoji Yamada press conference; Japanese and US theatrical trailers. Audio: Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Japanese (DTS 5.1 ES). Optional Spanish and English subtitles.

Inside Man: Who'd of predicted that Spike Lee's best and most interesting film in years would be a heist thriller? The high-concept genre exercise is clever enough as such things go, a mindgame of a bank heist turned hostage situation that pits the heist mastermind (Clive Owen) against the presiding Detective (Denzel Washington) in a battle of wits, and Spike proves that he can execute a slick, effective genre piece, something he's never attempted before. But in the cracks of the plot Spike does what he does best: tossing characters together and letting cultural opposites clash, argue and vent, not to solve issues but to air them. Willem Dafoe is a fellow cop who reluctantly hands command of the situation over to Washington, Chiwetel Ejiofor is Washington's partner, and Jodie Foster is a power broker who steps in to protect the secrets of power player Christopher Plummer. Available in separate widescreen and fullscreen editions. Details: Color, 129 mins, Universal, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.35:1. Supplements: Feature commentary with director Spike Lee; Featurette: Number 4 - Spike Lee and Denzel Washington discuss their creative collaborations; "The Making of Inside Man" featurette; Over 25 minutes of deleted scenes. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1) and French (Dolby Digital 5.1). Commentary by director Spike Lee. Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.

Jayne Mansfield Collection: The Girl Can't Help It, The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw & Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Triple feature

Laguna Beach - The Complete Second Season: It’s one of the wealthiest, most beautiful communities in the world and MTV has unlimited access to the tight-knit power clique of eight rich, beautiful teenagers that live there. Their lives intertwine in ways you won’t believe, until you drop in for a visit. Watch as these friends share experiences through parties, relationships, love triangles and small town injustices. This is where the angst and the tumultuous affairs are the stuff of prime time drama. Welcome to Paradise, otherwise known as Laguna Beach, California.

Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector: Just to clear up the confusing title: it's not about a cable guy who moonlights as a health inspector, but a comedy starring the "Blue Collar Tour" comedian Larry the Cable Guy as a big city civil servant who goes undercover to crack a food poisoning case in a posh restaurant. Iris Bahr, Joanna Cassidy, and Joe Pantoliano co-star in the comedians feature film debut. Both widescreen and full screen versions on the same disc. Details: Color, 90 mins, Paramount, Widescreen anamorphic, Academy Ratio. Supplements: "Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector - Behind the Badge" featurette. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional Spanish and English subtitles.

The Lost City: Andy Garcia's love letter to pre-revolution Havana has every earmark of a dream project of an ambitious actor. Garcia plays an apolitical nightclub owner to rich and beautiful who watches the revolution from his elevated position as it swallows is family and his fortune and "seduces" the love of his life (Inés Sastre). Garcia also composes the score in his feature directing debut, from a script by Cuban expatriate novelist G. Cabrera Infante. Enrique Murciano, Nestor Carbonell, Steven Bauer, Tony Plana and Bill Murray co-star, with a special appearance by Dustin Hoffman. Details: Color, 144 mins, Magnolia, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: Commentary by director Andy Garcia, actor Nestor Carbonell, and production designer Waldemar Kalinowski; "The Making of The Lost City" featurette; Deleted scenes with commentary; Still gallery; Notes from Cast and Crew. Audio: (Dolby Digital 5.1) and (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional Spanish subtitles.

Manderlay: The second part of Lars von Trier's American trilogy is given added piquancy by the fact that he has yet to visit America. As with the first segment, "Dogville," the action—such as it is—takes place on a theatrical stage, bare but for a sprinkling of props. In this case, it represents a slave plantation in Alabama, where the old system of ownership has persisted into the nineteen-thirties. Into the fray comes Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who sets about freeing the slaves and giving them paid employment. But they are so conditioned to their former plight, and she is so fouled up in haughty good intentions, that the new dispensation grows even more wretched than the one it displaced. Only von Trier would think to hitch overheated political fury to a stripped-down dramatic technique, and only he could begin to get away with it. The result is numbing and infuriating, not least because you can imagine it becoming addictive. The one thing that snaps you awake is the shuddering energy of David Bowie's "Young Americans," sung over the final credits. John Hurt narrates in style.

Prison Break: Season 1: An engineer (Wentworth Miller) installs himself in a prison he helped design, in order to help his brother (Dominic Purcell), a death-row inmate who insists he did not commit the crime for which he has been sentenced to die and help him escape.

Ray (HD DVD): Nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Ray stars Oscar winner Jamie Foxx as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who overcame impossible odds to become a music legend. It’s the triumphant and remarkable story of one of America’s true musical geniuses, Ray Charles. "Ray is electrifying," hails Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. Witness the incredible true story of a musician who fought harder and went further than anyone could imagine.

Revenge of the Living Dead Girls: Promoted as France's first gore film, Revenge of the Living Dead Girls (La revanche des mortes-vivantes) is a compelling shocker packed with sex and horror that has grown to legendary status as one of the most perverse zombie films ever made. This cautionary tale of environmental contamination offers a more extreme spin on Jean Rollin's The Living Dead Girl (which shares this film's special effects man, Benoit Lestang). A compatriot of auteur Jean Rollin, director Pierre B. Reinhard is best known for his adult films starring Brigitte Lahaie, but also turned out other horror titles including Ghost Soldier and Le theatre du Grand Guignol. Now in its premiere presentation on any format in the United States, you can experience the diseased charm of unclad zombie girls with decayed skulls in the French shocker that goes too far!

Salome: The biblical story of Salome comes to life under the deft hand of master Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura, cinema's premier director of dance on film. Here his deft touch brings to the tale of lust, ambition and spite great dramatic, heart-pounding flare through the performance of famed, consummate flamenco dancer and actress Aida Gomez as Salome. Enriched by a lively musical score from Roque Banos (Sexy Beast, Perfect Crime), the film garnered a Goya (Spain's Oscar) for "Best Song" while the film was given the award for "Best Artistic Contribution" by the Montreal Film Festival.

Sealab 2021: Season 4: The year is 2021. Deep below the ocean's surface, looms a vast, magnificently high-tech compound: Sealab. A multi-national scientific station with an annual budget in the trillions, dedicated to the research and exploration of man's final frontier... Sealab's crew is charged with exploring the possibility of underwater colonization. As the Earth's surface, by this time, has gotten just generally crowded, hot, and icky. However, as most government-funded agencies usually are, Sealab is manned by a motley collection of malcontents and screw-ups who were unfit for work in the private sector. They really don't get any research done, but instead spend their time bickering among themselves. Or just plain goofing off. The crew have manipulated their luckless leader, Captain Murphy, into submission, and are content to ride the government clock, raking in fat, hazardous-duty paychecks.

The Tooth Fairy: A malevolent witch who preys upon children is roused from her burial ground in the California woods when a new country inn is been built and rises to slaughter of all who stay there. Lochlyn Munro, Chandra West, and P.J. Soles star in the horror film directed by Chuck Bowman. Details: Color, 89 mins, Anchor Bay, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: Audio Commentary by director Chuck Bowman, producer/writer Stephen. J. Cannell and actor Jesse Hutch ; "Hatchet Job: The Making of The Tooth Fairy" featurette; Trailer. Optional subtitles.

Toshiro Mifune: The Ultimate Collection: February 17 to March 3, 1860, inside Edo castle. A group of assassins wait by Sakurada Gate to kill the lord of the House of Ii, a powerful man in the Tokugawa government, which has ruled Japan for 300 years. They suspect a traitor in their midst, and their suspicions fall on Niiro, an impoverished ronin who dreams of samurai status, and Kurihara, an aristocratic samurai who befriends Niiro. Niiro longs to identify his father, knowing he is a high-ranking official who will disclose himself only if Niiro achieves samurai status. With American ships in Japan's harbors, cynicism among the assassins, and change in the air, Niiro resolves to reach ends that may prove ephemeral.

Two Sculptors: Donald Judd's Marfa Texas and Tony Gragg: Christopher Felver directs portraits of two artists: the documentary short Donald Judd's Marfa Texas and the hour-long documentary Tony Cragg: In Celebration of Sculpture. Details: Color, 85 mins, Palm. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional subtitles.

Ultimate Avengers 2: To save humanity, the Earth's mightiest heroes must reunite for a rematch of heroic proportions. Mysterious Wakanda. It lies in the darkest heart of Africa, unknown to most of the world. An isolated land hidden behind closed borders, fiercely protected by its young king - the BLACK PANTHER. A king hold the fate of the entire earth in his hands. Because brutal alien invaders are coming, soon to fill every sky and control every land, seeking what is buried beneath ancient Wakanda. That leaves the Black Panther with a single option, one that goes against the sacred decrees of his people-to ask for help from outsiders. And so he turns to--- The Avengers - Captain America. Iron Man. Thor. Giant Man. Wasp. And the Incredible Hulk. These mightiest of heroes have battled the aliens before, and barely survived. They thought it was over. They were wrong.

Very Best of Glow: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling: THE FANS HAVE SPOKEN! It has been 20 years since the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling burst onto the scene and quickly became one of America’s most beloved television programs! GLOW earned a place in the hearts of viewers all across the country. Now, by popular demand, THE VERY BEST OF GLOW features the most sought after episodes of the ‘80s camp classic – ALL PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED! Volume 1 features: Babe "The Farmer’s Daughter" vs. MTV "Melody Trouble Vixen", Hollywood vs. Roxy Astor, Liberty & Justice vs. Daisy & Dementia PLUS an incredible 21 GIRL $10,000 BATTLE ROYAL!

Wire: Complete Third Season: Set in Baltimore, this show centers around the city's inner-city drug scene. It starts as mid-level drug dealer, D'Angelo Barksdale beats a murder rap. After a conversation with a judge, Det. James McNulty has been assigned to lead a joint homicide and narcotics team, in order to bring down drug kingpin Avon Barksdale. Avon Barksdale, accompanied by his right-hand man Stringer Bell, enforcer Wee-Bey and many lieutenants (including his own nephew, D'Angelo Barksdale), has to deal with law enforcement, informants in his own camp, and competition with a local rival, Omar, who's been robbing Barksdale's dealers and reselling the drugs. The supervisor of the investigation, Lt. Cedric Daniels, has to deal with his own problems, such as a corrupt bureaucracy, some of his detectives beating suspects, hard-headed but determined Det. McNulty, and a blackmailing deputy. The show depicts the lives of every part of the drug "food chain", from junkies to dealers, and from cops to politicians.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Complete TTT Score in October? - Xoanon @ 13:49 PST
Kevin writes: I just read a posting at Moviemusic.com that says the release date for this multi-CD set is late October. Look down about 1/2 way on the page, to Doug Adams' post on posted 08-04-2006. Doug Adams has been doing the liner notes and a book about the music, working directly with howard Shore. [More]

Monday, July 31, 2006

Hallmark Ends LOTR Ornaments Series?! - Xoanon @ 16:46 PST
Lisa writes: I was wondering if you knew that Hallmark has decided not to continue making ornaments for the Lord of the Rings. I was so excited a couple of years ago when they started and I now have Frodo and Gandalf hanging on my tree at Christmas time. I was looking forward to having Legolas or Aragorn this year, but they stopped making them! Went with Pirates instead. Do you think you could let people know and thousands of people around the world could e-mail them and request that they at least make the rest of the Fellowship?

Xoanon here, I assume they ended the run due to poor sales figures...maybe someone in the know can let us know more?

DVD Tuesday: V, Alice in Wonderland, Curb Your Enthusiasm & More! - Xoanon @ 12:33 PST
Alice in Wonderland: (1985) Irwin Allen produced this TV musical adaptation of both Lewis Carroll novels -- "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass" -- featuring original songs by Steve Allen and a cast of TV, stage and film stars, including Ernest Borgnine, Lloyd Bridges, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Carol Channing, Sammy Davis Jr., Merv Griffin, Ann Jillian, Harvey Korman, Pat Morita, Anthony Newley, Donald O'Connor, Telly Savalas (as the Cheshire Cat!), Ringo Starr, Jack Warden, Jonathan Winters, and Shelley Winters. The 2-part production was nominated for five Emmy Awards. Details: Color, 187 mins, Sony Pictures, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0). Optional French subtitles.

Beavis & Butt-head - The Mike Judge Collection, Vol. 3: Heroes. Villains. Visionaries. Butt-munches. Beavis & Butt-Head have been called a lot of things. Smart isn’t usually one of them, but groundbreaking is. In this third installment of the earth-shattering Mike Judge Collection, the boys are back with more of their wisecracking, fart-knockingly-genius ways. Whether they make your stomach hurt from laughing, or because you have to, you know…one thing is for sure, Beavis & Butt-Head changed comedy and animation forever.

Blue Collar TV 2: Season 2: Jeff Foxworthy, Larry The Cable Guy, and Bill Engvall -- the stars of The Blue Collar Comedy Tour -- headline this skit comedy series of down-home humor. Series regulars include Brooke Dillman, Ashley Drane, Ayda Field, Heath Hyche, Peter Oldring, and Gary Anthony Williams. Details: Color, 276 mins, Sony Pictures, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Supplements: 13 episodes on two discs; "Banned From The Booth" deleted skits reel (3 mins.); "Too Much for TV" unaired skits (13 mins.). Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional Spanish and French subtitles.

Boys of Lost Island: LOST BOYS synopsis 2/28/06 When a group of boys are stranded on a deserted island after a storm destroys their boat, they know that the only way they'll survive is to stick together. But when another storm beaches another boat, the boys find they are sharing the island with some very evil criminals. Now it will take some quick thinking and some clever plotting to not only survive, but to stay alive. And will they ever be able to escape and get back home? Based on a story by Jules Verne, BOYS OF LOST ISLAND is filled with non-stop, edge-of-your-seat adventure.

Brokeback Mountain & Eternal Sunshine of Spotless: Special DVD 2 Pack

Broken Saints: Complete Series: Visually stunning, masterfully told, viscerally thrilling: Broken Saints is finally on DVD! This controversial and critically acclaimed graphic-novel saga fuses anime style, comic-book text, cinematic effects and music into a revolution in modern storytelling! Originally created by a small team of independent artists, this hypnotic and surreal fantasy/horror epic is now presented as a 12-hour, 4-Disc set with the celebrated voice talents of William B. Davis (The X-Files), Scott McNeil (X-Men: Evolution) and more, plus an entire universe of mind-blowing special features! In the quiet corners of the globe, four strangers receive a series of chilling apocalyptic visions. Simultaneously drawn to a dark city in the West, their fates – and the fate of the world – are somehow tied to a global satellite network, a massive conspiracy … and a mysterious orphan girl with a terrifying secret. What will they give to save us all? What will they give to know the truth?

The Comeback - The Complete Only Season: (HBO Comedy Series) Ten years ago she was TV's "It" girl. Now It's a different story. For Valerie Cherish, no price is too high to pay for clinging to the television spotlight. Lisa Kudrow stars as Valerie Cherish, a former B-list sitcom star so desperate to revive her career that she agrees to star in a reality television show called The Comeback.

Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Fifth Season: He's got it all: a loving wife, good friends, a successful career, a great home..what could possibly go wrong for Larry David? Seinfeld co-creator Larry David stars as himself in this hilarious, off-kilter comedy series that presents an unflinching, self-depreciating depiction of his life.

Dallas - The Complete Fifth Season: Popular evening 'soap-opera' style television drama. The show was set in Dallas and chronicled the exploits of wealthy Texas oil millionaires. Many of the plots revolved around shady business dealings and dysfunctional family dynamics.

Dracula Prisoner of Frankenstein: Dr. Frankenstein and his assistant Morpho are killed just as they bring their creation to life. The monster is taken by Cagliostro and he now controls the monster and plans to have it mate and create the perfect master race!

Family Guy:Freakin Sweet Collection: The unprecedented resurrection of Family Guy disproves Neil Young's maxim that "Once you're gone, you can never come back." Unceremoniously canceled in 2002, the irreverent animated series proved to be a phenomenal seller on DVD, prompting not only a rerun revival on basic cable, but also a new season. For those who have only recently made the acquaintance of the dysfunctional Griffins, this five-episode sampler is representative of the series' "nothing is sacred" comic universe. Creator Seth MacFarlane chose well: "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein," which was banned during the series' original run; "Lethal Weapons"; "To Live and Die in Dixie"; "I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar"; and "Road to Rhode Island." In addition to the restoration of a previously censored gag involving Osama Bin Laden in "Rhode Island," what does this collection bring to the party for the Family Guy fan who has everything? Four new episode commentaries, the best of which features MacFarlane in character as chain-smoking, martini swilling, talking dog Brian, and megalomaniacal infant Stewie for "Rhode Island." There is also an interview with MacFarlane about why he chose these episodes, and a fitfully amusing sneak peak at MacFarlane's new series, American Dad. But as this collection reminds us, Family Guy is a tough act to follow.

A Fish Called Wanda (Deluxe Edition): Sexy American diamonds lover Wanda and her boyfriend Otto are in England to plot alongside George and Ken the robbery of a diamond collection. Wanda and Otto want the stolen diamonds for themselves, and inform the police about George not knowing that he has already moved the diamonds to another secret place. Wanda thinks the best way to find out is by getting close to George's lawyer - Archie Leach.

Good Night and Good Luck:  (HD DVD) "Good Night, And, Good Luck." takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's America. It chronicles the real-life conflict between television newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. With a desire to report the facts and enlighten the public, Murrow, and his dedicated staff - headed by his producer Fred Friendly and Joe Wershba in the CBS newsroom - defy corporate and sponsorship pressures to examine the lies and scaremongering tactics perpetrated by McCarthy during his communist 'witch-hunts'. A very public feud develops when the Senator responds by accusing the anchor of being a communist. In this climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS crew carries on and their tenacity will prove historic and monumental.

The Graduate: Recent college graduate Benjamin Braddock is trapped into an affair with Mrs. Robinson, who happens to be the wife of his father's business partner and then finds himself falling in love with her teenage daughter, Elaine.

Hazel - The Complete First Season: George Baxter was a highly successful corporation lawyer who was always in control of everything at the office, but almost nothing at home. When he returned from the office at day's end, to his wife Dorothy, and his young son Harold, he entered the world of Hazel. Hazel was the maid and housekeeper who ran the Baxxter household more efficiently than George ran his office. She was always right, knew exactly what needed doing, and pre-empted his authority with alarming, though, justified regularity.

Jarhead & Bourne Supremacy: Special DVD 2 Pack

Miss Spider' Sunny Patch Friends - The Prince, the Princess, and the Bee: Original direct-to-DVD animated feature spin-off of the David Kirk books and the cable series for kids. Details: Color, 48 mins, Lionsgate, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Supplements: Interactive game; Two sing-alongs; "In the Studio with Margo Timmins: The Making of 'You Are Much Richer Than You Know' Song" featurette; Bonus episode from the series: "A Sticky Situation". Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) and Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional subtitles.

Mr. Moto Collection, Vol. 1: Mr Moto competes with a gang of ruthless treasure-hunters for possession of seven scrolls which, when brought together, form a map which reveals the location of the tomb of Genghis Khan, reputed to contain fabulous treasure. Moto already has one scroll, but the rest are owned by Prince Chung and his mother, who consider it a sacred duty to their ancestors to protect the scrolls and the secret of the Khan's tomb.

Mrs. Harris: The real-life story of Jean Harris (Annette Bening), who was tried for murdering her lover, the celebrated "Scarsdale doctor" Herman Tarnower (Ben Kingsley), is played from the different perspectives of the witnesses at her trial in the made-for-HBO feature. Ellen Burstyn, Frances Fisher, Philip Baker Hall, Cloris Leachman, Mary McDonnell, and Chloe Sevigny co-star in the drama written and directed by playwright Phyllis Nagy. Details: Color, 95 mins, HBO, widescreen, 1.78:1. Supplements: Commentary by Annette Benning, Ben Kingsley, and writer/director Phyllis Nagy; "Mrs. Harris For the Record: Firsthand Accounts". Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.

Olivier's Shakespeare: In this film of the classic Shakespearean play, a Danish prince seeks to avenge his father's death when his uncle murders his father, succeeds him as King, and marries the Queen. Along the way, Hamlet spurns his girlfriend, scolds his mother, contemplates suicide, and kills some folks.

Putney Swope: Dark satire in which the token black man on the executive board of an advertising firm is accidentally put in charge. Renaming the business "Truth and Soul, Inc.", he replaces the tight regime of monied white ad men with his militant brothers. Soon afterwards, however, the power that comes with its position takes its toll on Putney...

Richard Pryor - Live in Concert: (1979) Richard Pryor's first stand-up comedy concert movie returns to DVD. Details: Color, 78 mins, HBO. Optional subtitles.

Severed: Forest of the Dead: A group of young environmental activists become ravenous, unstoppable zombies when a forestry company's genetic experimentation goes disastrously wrong. Sheer terror can’t pump enough adrenaline through these bodies to help them out of this remote forest in this gruesome tale of horror. Severed stands heads (and other body parts) above the rest!

The Shaggy Dog: Tim Allen goes alpha dog in the big screen remake of the 1959 Disney comedy -- the studio's first live action film, in fact. He plays a workaholic trial lawyer who crosses paths a supernatural collie and ends up with canine tendencies, such as scratching himself in the middle of trials and uncontrollable impulse chase sticks and neighborhood cats, before going full blown shaggy dog. Robert Downey Jr. does villain duty, Kristin Davis is the frustrated wife, Spencer Breslin and Zena Grey are the neglected kids, and Danny Glover, Jane Curtin, and Philip Baker Hall co-star. Brian Robbins directs. Details: Color, 99 mins, Disney, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.40:1. Supplements: Bone-ticling bloopers; Deleted scenes; Features both widescreen (2.40:1) and full screen (1.33:1) versions on the same disc; Bark-Along Bone-Us feature; Music video: "Woof There It Is". Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0) and Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0). Commentary by director Brian Robbins & producer David Hoberman (widescreen only) (Dolby Digital 2.0). Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.

Star Trek Fan Collective - Klingon: Star Trek Fans voted online for their favorite Klingon episodes form the Star Trek television series, which resulted in Star Trek: Fan Collective - Klingon. Get ready for brilliant battles, thrilling adventure and pulse-pounding action when the federation encounters its arch nemesis - the Klingon.

V for Vendetta: Two-Disc Special Edition: His name is nowhere to be seen in the credits, but this futuristic thriller about an authoritarian government out of 1984 and a lone revolutionary who takes them on comes from Alan Moore's acclaimed graphic novel. Moore has distanced himself from the film, but it's actually quite faithful, right down to the ambiguity of its swashbuckling terrorist hero V (Hugo Weaving behind the Guy Fawkes mask). Natalie Portman is Evey, the working-class girl saved from the secret police by V and becomes, over time, his accomplice, Stephen Rea is the relentless detective whose loyalty to the cruel government and its corrupt rulers is weakened with every step of the investigation, and John Hurt is the dictator who rules through propaganda, control of the media, and a population who never questions his authority… until V comes along. Moore wrote the novel as a commentary on Thatcher's England and the film retains the London setting, but it only takes a few key phrases to echo the current American administration. In light of 9/11 and other terrorist attacks, the issues are all the more relevant… and even more ambiguous. Stephen Fry, Tim Pigott-Smith, and Sinéad Cusack co-star. The Wachowski brothers produce and James McTeigue directs. Available in separate widescreen and fullscreen single disc editions, and a widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition, which features exclusive bonus supplements. Details: Color, Warner, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.40:1. Supplements: "Freedom! Forever!: Making V for Vendetta" - The cast and crew of V for Vendetta reveal the intense filmmaking process; Theatrical Trailer; The Two-Disc Special Edition features these exclusive supplements:; "Designing the Near Future" - A look at the artistic process of creating the frightening future world of V; "Remember, Remember: Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot" - The history behind the story of Guy Fawkes; "England Prevails: V for Vendetta and the New Wave in Comics" - The origins of the original V story is illuminated; Cat Power Montage - Cat Power song played under images of the film; Easter egg: Saturday Night Live digital short. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and French (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.

What the Bleep Do We Know: Rabbit Hole Edition: Proving once and for all that life can be an amazing journey—and a real trip—this all-new Quantum Edition release of What The Bleep!? Down the Rabbit Hole utilizes cutting-edge DVD technology to create a unique version of the film with every viewing! The possibilities are endless...and so is the fun! Academy Award® winner Marlee Matlin is Amanda, a photographer suddenly transported into a metaphysical world of quantum mechanics, odd science and mind-bending phenomena. Guided by the world’s top physicists, engineers, biologists and mystics, she tumbles down the rabbit hole and gets a first-hand look at the fascinating links between science and spirituality in our everyday lives.

Witches of Eastwick (Keepcase): Need someone with demonic dash to portray the Devil? There are only two choices. Old Ned himself. And Jack Nicholson. The Witches of Eastwick to the better actor-and came up with the sleekest, sexiest supernatural comedy/thriller to emerge from this or any other world, earning Nicholson 1987 Best Actor Awards from the New York and Los Angeles Film Critics. The "witches" are in three modern-day women yearning for Mr. Right in a quaint New England town full of Mr. Uptights. Played glowingly by Cher (Moonstruck), Susan Sarandon (Lorenzo's Oil) and Michelle Pfeiffer (The Age of Innocence), they're lovely enough to tempt even the most jaded netherworld denizen. Soon, wealthy Daryl van Horne (Nicholson) arrives. Is his sudden appearance a coincidence? Or the outcome of the women's unconscious sorcery in this smooth adaptation of John Updyke's novel? Conjure up an evening's entertainment with The Witches of Eastwick. And have a devil of a good time.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Limited Edition LOTR DVDs Pre-Order - Xoanon @ 11:58 PST
Earl writes: The 2-disc Limited Edition DVDs are up for pre-order on Amazon. Though the price shown is $28.98 each, Amazon is offering a 12% discount; so that makes it $16.98 each.

Pre-Order on Amazon.com
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King

Monday, July 24, 2006

DVD Tuesday: Final Destination 3, Benchwarmers, Halloween 4&5, & More! - Xoanon @ 10:46 PST
Final Destination 3: Thrill Ride Edition (Buy Widescreen 2-Disc Special Edition) Original director James Wong returns for the third go-round of the horror franchise defined by elaborate and absurd chain reactions that end in a dead teenager splattered all over the screen. This one finds survivors of a rollercoaster disaster dispatched by tanning beds, weight training benches, nail guns and a runaway engine block, all guided by the relentless hand of death who doesn't like to be cheated out of his appointed souls. Sullen control freak Mary Elizabeth Winstead and wide-eyed nice guy Ryan Merriman do their best to overcome their fate. The premise is pure genius -- chaos theory (the survivors become veritable engines for random phenomenon) meets intelligent design (these elaborate Rube Golberg-esque chain reactions are too complex and coincidental to have arisen by chance), calculated with fuzzy math -- but by this time the filmmakers just seem to go through the motions. This "Thrill Ride Edition" offers a different kind of interactive viewing experience, with a "Choose Your Fate!" version that offers viewers the chance to choose alternate scenes and change the destiny of the otherwise doomed teens, including alternative deaths. Details: Color, New Line, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.40:1. Supplements: "Choose Their Fate" feature--New interactive feature lets YOU decide the fate of the characters; Additional scenes; Alternate endings; 10-part documentary "Kill Shot: The Making of FD3" ; Featurette: "Dead Teenager Movie" - in-depth look at a sub-genre of horror films; Original animated short "It's All Around You"; "Planned Accidents" a look at the making of the rollercoaster . Audio: English (DTS 6.1 ES) and English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Commentary by filmmakers. Optional Spanish and English subtitles.


Ask the Dust(Buy Widescreen) Academy Award winning screenwriter Robert Towne spent decades trying to mount his adaptation of John Fante's Depression-era novel when he finally landed Colin Farrell to play the second-generation Italian immigrant Arturo Bandini, an aspiring writer trying to shake his Italian identity. Salma Hayek co-stars as the fiery Mexican barmaid looking to assimilate by marrying a wealthy American and winds up in a tempestuous romance with Bandini. Donald Sutherland, Eileen Atkins, and Justin Kirk co-star, with cinematographer Caleb Deschanel providing a dusty golden hue to the evocative period look. Details: Color, 116 mins, Paramount Classics, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: "The Making of Ask the Dust" featurette; Theatrical trailer. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Commentary by director Robert Towne and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional English subtitles.


Somersault(Buy Widescreen) Cate Shortland's Australian indie charts the awkward relationship of a troubled teenage runaway (Abbie Cornish) who looks for affirmation in sex and a free-and-easy single man (Sam Worthington) in a winter tourist town with his own intimacy issues. They may not be made for each other, but are, in their own odd ways, good for each other, and according to Shortland that's enough to make it worth it The story is secondary to the drama of the unsettled emotional states and Shortland has a sensitivity to the confused, unformed, irrational feelings that swirl around them. Details: Color, 102 mins, Magnolia, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: "Inside The Snowdome: Making Somersault" featurette; Deleted scenes with commentary by director Cate Shortland; "Shooting Somersault" interview with cinematographer Robert Humphreys. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional Spanish subtitles.


Zizek!(Buy Widescreen) Astra Taylor's lively introduction to maverick Slovenian philosopher and Academic rock star Slavoj Zizek attempts to put Zizek's philosophy into practical, accessible terms. Accessible, of course, being a relative term -- key concepts are dropped through the film in snippets and sound bites that are gone before you've had a chance to real chew them over. The colorful figure ultimately overshadows his ideas, but the intellectual tour, however, is a lot of fun. Details: Color, 71 mins, Zeitgeist, widescreen, 1.85:1. Supplements: Deleted scenes; Additional interviews and lecture excerpts; Slavoj Zizek on Boston cable news show Nitebeat; Original theatrical trailer; Zizek Easter Egg; English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired; "Guilty Pleasures: Slavoj Zizek," from FILM COMMENT magazine. Optional English subtitles.


Electric Shadows(Buy Widescreen) (China) Think of Xiao Jiang's nostalgic drama as the Chinese equivalent to Cinema Paradiso -- the title itself is the literal translation of the Chinese word for cinema). It open in contemporary Beijing and then drifts back for to a story of growing up in the days of Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution and escaping in the misery in the movies that came to her village. The sticky drama pulls at your heartstrings with the light touch of an Olympic archer. Details: Color, 95 mins, First Run Features, widescreen. Supplements: Director's introduction & biography; Film notes; Photo gallery. Audio: Mandarin (Dolby Digital 2.0). Optional English subtitles.


The Benchwarmers(Buy Widescreen) Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder are (barely) grown men who survived a childhood of being bullied and fight back by forming a 3-man baseball to team to take on a bullying little league team. Jon Lovitz, Craig Kilborn, Molly Sims, and Tim Meadows co-star in the comedy produced by Adam Sandler for his former SNL buddies and directed by Dennis Dugan. Details: Color, 85 mins, Sony Pictures, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: Commentary by director Dennis Dugan; Commentary by actors David Spade and Jon Heder; Deleted scenes; "Mr. October" - Behind the scenes with Reggie Jackson; "Nerds Vs. Bullies" featurette; "Play Ball" - cast and crew discuss America's pastime; "Who's on Deck?" - Howie's greatest moments. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Portuguese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) and Thai (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional Spanish, Chinese (Unspecified), Korean, Portuguese, French, English and Thai subtitles.


Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story(Buy Fullscreen) Rob Corddry (of TV's The Daily Show) plays paintball's first superstar in this sports spoof about a disgraced athlete who returns from a scandal to reclaim his title (with a team of misfits) and his reputation. Paul Scheer, Ed Helms, Dannah Feinglass, Rob Riggle, Rob Huebel, Curtis Gwinn, and Seth Morris co-star. Details: Color, 91 mins, Shout! Factory. Supplements: Commentary by actors Rob Corddry, Paul Scheer, and Rob Riggle; Commentary by filmmakers Brant Sersen, Brian Steinberg, and Chris Lechler; Outtakes; Deleted scenes; Bobby Duke's Video Diary. Optional subtitles.


Robert Ludlum's Covert One: The Hades Factor(Buy Widescreen) 2006 TV mini-series, based on the Robert Ludlum novel, about an elite undercover team racing to locate the source of a deadly virus. Stephen Dorff stars as the disease specialist and former Covert One agent enlisted to lead the team. Mira Sorvino, Angelica Huston, Blair Underwood, Sophia Myles, and Danny Huston co-star and Mick Jackson directs. Details: Color, 165 mins, Sony Pictures, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.0). Optional English subtitles.


Where Eskimos Live(Buy Widescreen) Bob Hoskins plays a thug who poses as a relief worker in war-torn Bosnia and picks up a street-wise orphan to sell in a black market adoption ring, but has a change of heart as he bonds with the boy while they escape the violent region. Winner of the Best Screenplay Award as the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Tomasz Wiszniewski directs. Details: Color, 89 mins, Image, widescreen, 1.85:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional English subtitles.


Hussy(Buy Fullscreen) (1980) Helen Mirren stars as a hostess and prostitute in a posh London nightclub, working to support her young son, who falls for a mysterious American (John Shea) with criminal ties and a murky past. Matthew Chapman directs. Details: Color, 95 mins, First Run Features. Supplements: Photo gallery; Trailers. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0). Optional subtitles.


White Coats(Buy Widescreen) Dave Thomas directs and stars in this Canadian comedy about six young interns in their first rotation at a troubled hospital. Originally titled Intern Academy, it co-stars Carly Pope and Lynda Boyd and features appearances by Dave Foley, Dan Aykroyd, Maury Chaykin, Matt Frewer, and Saul Rubinek. Details: Color, 96 mins, First Look, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: Behind the scenes footage; Cast auditions; Gag reel; Previews. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish and English subtitles.


Cello(Buy 2005) (South Korea) Asian horror about a brilliant cellist (Sung Hyun-Ah) who survives a fatal car wreck and retires from performing to teach at a college, only to be haunted by memories of the accident and a supernatural force that seems to seek vengeance from her and her family (including a daughter who starts to play ominous music from her cello). Lee Woo-chul directs. Details: Color, 92 mins, Asia Extreme/Tartan, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: Director's commentary; Behind the scenes with cast and crew; Original theatrical trailer; TV spot. Audio: Korean (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Korean (DTS 5.1). Optional Spanish and English subtitles.


Feed(Buy Widescreen) Brett Leonard directs this high-concept Australian thriller set in a grotesque underworld of Internet porn where men turned on by obese women ("feeders") create veritable dungeons to force-feed the objects of their obsession ("gainers"), even to their death. Alex O'Loughlin, Patrick Thompson, Gabby Millgate, and Jack Thompson star. Details: Color, 98 mins, Danger After Dark, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: 10 Deleted Scenes; Alternate Ending; Final Day Interview with Director Brett Leonard; Interviews with Alex O'Loughlin, Jack Thompson and producer Melissa Beauford; "Feed In Philadelphia: the North American Premiere" featurette; Behind-the-scenes footage; Infomercial. Audio: English (DTS) and English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional English subtitles.


I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer(Buy Widescreen) The teen horror movie franchise goes direct-to-video in its final installment, where a new collection of kids winds up killing a friend in a Fourth of July prank and then get picked off on the anniversary a year later by "The Hook." Brooke Nevin, David Paetkau, Torrey DeVitto, Ben Easter, and Don Shanks star. Details: Color, 91 mins, Sony Pictures, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: "Making Of" featurette; Director's commentary. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional French and English subtitles.


Magdalena's Brain(Buy Fullscreen) Science fiction thriller about a reclusive surgeon (Amy Shelton-White) and her crippled scientist husband (Sanjiban Sellew) working in solitude on radical artificial intelligence research that upends their isolated world. Warren Amerman directs the indie production. Details: Color, Heretic. Supplements: Commentary by writer/producer Marty Langford and writer/director Warren Anderson; Behind the scenes featurette; Deleted scenes; Gag reel; Music videos; Heretic trailers. Optional subtitles.


Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (Buy Divimax Edition) (1988) Danielle Harris plays the young orphaned daughter of Laurie Strode and Ellie Cornell is her babysitter in this sequel made without the participation of John Carpenter. Donald Pleasance is back to take on masked killer Michael Myers. Remastered in the High Definition DiviMax process. Details: Color, 88 mins, Anchor Bay, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: Commentary by actors Ellie Cornell and Danielle Harris; Commentary by writer Alan B. McElroy; "Halloween 4: Final Cut" making-of featurette; Trailer. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional subtitles.


Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers(Buy Divimax Edition) (1989) Danielle Harris, Ellie Cornell, and Donald Pleasance return for the another tussle with the knife wielding boogey man, Michael Myers. Remastered in the High Definition DiviMax process. Details: Color, 98 mins, Anchor Bay, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: Commentary by director Dominique Othenin-Girard and actors Danielle Harris and Jeffrey Landman; Introduction by stars Danielle Harris and Ellie Cornell; "Inside Halloween 5" featurette; "On The Set of Halloween 5" footage; Trailer. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional subtitles.


Asphalt Wars(Buy Fullscreen) Action drama set in the world of illegal street racing, where the reputation of the champion (Gilbert Chavarria) lands him a job as a getaway driver for a dangerous gang. Henry Crum writes and directs and Roger Corman produces. Details: Color, 83 mins, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.


Scorpius Gigantus(Buy Fullscreen) In case the title is too obscure, this B-movie is about a giant scorpion on the rampage. Direct-to-video vet Jeff Fahey stars as the military hero sent to stop the six-legged freak. Details: Color, 92 mins, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish and English subtitles.


Ladybugs(Buy Widescreen) (1992) Rodney Dangerfield is a salesman looking for a little respect who takes on coaching the company-sponsored girl's soccer team and brings in a ringer: his fiancée's son (Jonathon Brandis) in drag. Jackée Harry and Vinessa Shaw co-star. Details: Color, 89 mins, Paramount, Widescreen anamorphic. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional English subtitles.

Monday, July 17, 2006

DVD Tuesday: Carnivàle, Tsotsi, She's the Man & More! - Xoanon @ 15:42 PST
Carnivàle: The Complete Second Season(Buy Widescreen) "Let's shake some dust, children!" The second and final season of HBO's original series, about a supernatural sideshow traveling depression-era dustbowl America, makes good on the hints of a showdown in the struggle between light and dark from the first season. As the season begins, the destinies of vagabond fugitive Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl), healer and reluctant messiah, and the evangelical priest (Clancy Brown), driven by the devil to build his own empire as a populist preacher, are firmly linked and the unseen "Management" sends the carnival after Hawkins' visions. Imagine The Grapes of Wrath by way of David Lynch, shot in the amber and earth tones of faded photographs and dust. Long on atmosphere and short on exposition, it picks up this season and concludes with a satisfying climax that brings the story to a close while opening up the possibilities for the struggle to continue in new forms. Michael J. Anderson (the backwards talking dwarf of Twin Peaks) is marvelous as carnival manager Samson and Adrienne Barbeau, Debra Christofferson, Clea DuVall, Carla Gallo, Toby Huss, Ralph Waite, Amy Madigan, and John Savage co-star. 12 episodes on 6 discs in a digipak. Details: Color, HBO, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: 12 episodes on six discs; Commentary by creator Daniel Knauf, executive producer Howard Klein, director Rodrigo Garcia, and cast members Clancy Brown and Clea Duvall on three episodes; "Magic and Myth: The Meaning of Carnivale": half-hour documentary exploring the apocalyptic writing and mythology behind the show; "Creating the Scene" featurettes: Find out how Carnivale's creators brought the Daily Brothers show--and its Scorpion Lady, He/She and Praying Mantis--to life; Museum of Television and Radio panel discussion with cast and crew . Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) and French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.


Tsotsi(Buy Widescreen) (South Africa) The classic novel by Athol Fugard about a young thug in the slums of Apartheid Johannesburg is updated to contemporary South Africa by Gavin Hood in the Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film. Presley Chweneyagae plays the pitiless young gangster (his name literally means "street thug") whose unforgiving lifestyle is shaken up when he winds up with an infant after carjacking a ride, and unexpectedly starts to care for someone besides himself. It's a dark yet hopeful film with a rough, rumbling attitude, a high energy soundtrack, and an intense performance from newcomer Chweneyagae. His transformation is only one of degrees, but those essential degrees change everything. Details: Color, 94 mins, Miramax, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.35:1. Supplements: Original language track: Tsotsi-Taal; Alternate endings with optional commentary with screenwriter/director Gavin Hood; Deleted scenes with optional commentary with screenwriter/director Gavin Hood; "The Making of Tsotsi" featurette; Director's short film: The Storekeeper; Zola music video. Audio: (Dolby Digital 5.1). Commentary by Screenwriter/director Gavin Hood. Optional Spanish and English subtitles.


ATL (Widescreen Edition)(Buy Widescreen) (Buy Full Screen)
Details: Color, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.35:1. Supplements: T.I. "What You Know" music video; Additional scenes; In the Rink: A Director's Journey; Theatrical trailer. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish, French and English subtitles.


Clean(Buy Widescreen) Olivier Assayas wrote the part of the junkie singer trying to kick heroine and pull her life together for his ex-wife Maggie Cheung, and she meets it with a rough, exposed emotional candor. Assayas avoids the usual drama of withdrawal to focus on the fear and raw emotions that tug at her while trying to rebuild her life. Nick Nolte, Béatrice Dalle and Jeanne Balibar co-star. Details: Color, 111 mins, Palm, widescreen. Supplements: Original soundtrack in English, French, and Cantonese; Interviews with director Olivier Assayas, actors Maggie Cheung and Nick Nolte, and musicians Tricky and Metric; US Theatrical Trailer; Previews; Weblinks. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional English subtitles.


Intimate Stories(Buy Widescreen) (Argentina) Carlos Sorin's delicately played collection of stories, set in a village that still has one foot in the 19th century, is true its title. The little dramas -- a salesman hopes to impress a young widow with a birthday cake for her child, an old man travels 200 miles to find a dog that ran away, a young wife and mother travels to the city to be on a game show -- are really about moments plucked from their lives. The simple, ephemeral nature of the stories have a purity in the way they capture hope and redemption as lived by regular folk in their day to day lives. Details: Color, 94 mins, New Yorker, Widescreen anamorphic. Supplements: "The Making of Intimate Stories" featurette; Theatrical trailer; Foreign trailers. Audio: Spanish. Optional English subtitles.


Don't Move(Buy Widescreen) (Italy) Acclaimed actor Sergio Castellitto makes his directorial debut with this drama about a surgeon (Castellitto) who flashes back on an affair with a lonely working-class woman (Penélope Cruz) from decade ago, as he sits at his injured daughter's bedside, waiting for her to wake up from a terrible car accident. Nominated for 11 David di Donatello Awards (Italy's Oscar), it won for both of its lead performers. Details: Color, 122 mins, Wellspring/Genius, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.35:1. Supplements: "Backstage: Behind-the-Scenes" featurette; Unrated deleted scenes; Penelope Cruz screen tests; Margaret Mazzantini: A Writer's Reflections; International Theatrical Trailer. Audio: Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional English subtitles.


She's the Man(Buy Widescreen) (Buy Full Screen) Amanda Bynes plays a soccer mad girl who turns herself into her identical twin brother to play on the boy's team (where she falls for the star forward, Channing Tatum) in the teen-movie take on Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." Julie Hagerty, David Cross, and real-life soccer legend Vinnie Jones fill out the adult roles. Available in separate widescreen and fullscreen editions. Details: Color, 105 mins, DreamWorks/Paramount, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Supplements: Deleted scenes; "Making the Man" featurette; Gag reel; Dave Lichens music video: "Let Go"; Cast photo album; Pop-up trivia. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Commentary by director and cast featuring Amanda Bynes (Dolby Digital 2.0). Optional English subtitles.


Edison Force(Buy Widescreen) Justin Timberlake makes his film debut playing a young journalist who investigates the controversial methods of elite police force of the (fictional) city of Edison and runs afoul of a particularly corrupt cop (Dylan McDermott) and his willing partner (LL Cool J). The feature film debut of TV vet David Burke co-stars Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Cary Elwes, and Piper Perabo. Details: Color, 99 mins, Sony Pictures, Widescreen anamorphic, 2.35:1. Supplements: "Absolute Power: Behind the Scenes of Edison Force" featurette; Widescreen and fullscreen versions on the same disc. Audio: (Dolby Digital 5.1) and French (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX). Optional French and English subtitles.


An Early Frost(Buy Fullscreen) (1985) The first major feature film to deal with the realities of the AIDS crisis, this acclaimed TV movie stars Aidan Quinn as a young AIDS patient dealing with his family and the disease. Gena Rowlands, Terry O'Quinn, John Glover, Bill Paxton, and Ben Gazzara co-star. Details: Color, 97 mins, Wolfe, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Supplements: "Living with AIDS" documentary; Trailer. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Commentary by Aidan Quinn and writers Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman (Dolby Digital 2.0). Optional subtitles.


Touched(Buy Widescreen) In the aftermath of a car accident, a father (Randall Batinkoff) awakens from a two-year coma to discover his son dead, and only the nurse (Jenna Elfman) who stayed by his side those years can pull him out of his depression. Samantha Mathis, Diane Venora, and Bruce Davison co-star. Details: Color, 97 mins, First Look, widescreen, 1.78:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish subtitles.


The Blue Butterfly(Buy Widescreen) Lea Pool directs this drama about a terminally ill boy whose last wish is to catch the most beautiful butterfly on Earth and the jaded entomologist (William Hurt) who takes the boy and his mother (Pascale Bussières) an their odyssey to a Costa Rican rain forest to find it. Based on a true story. Details: Color, 97 mins, Monterey Video, widescreen. Supplements: "Mariposa Azul: A True Story" featurette; "The Actor's Experience" featurette; "The True Inspiration" - interview with David Marenger; About A Butterfly Garden; Still gallery; Trailer; Games; Study Guide. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional subtitles.


Shakespeare Behind Bars(Buy Fullscreen) Documentary about an all-male Shakespearean theatre company in the Luther Luckett Correctional Complex in Kentucky, where the inmates cast themselves in relation to their crimes (murderers play murderers, thieves play thieves), as they prepare their latest production: "The Tempest." Details: Color, 93 mins, Shout! Factory. Supplements: Deleted scenes; Bonus performance footage; Troupe update. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0). Commentary by prisoners (Dolby Digital 2.0), Commentary by filmmakers (Dolby Digital 2.0) and Commentary by program founder/artistic director (Dolby Digital 2.0). Optional subtitles.


The Double Headed Eagle: Hitler's Rise to Power 1918-1933(Buy Fullscreen) (Germany, 1973) This documentary on the rise of the Nazi party is seen through the perspective of a neutral bystander and shown almost exclusively through newsreels and film clips from the period of 1918 to 1933. The British production is directed by Lutz Becker and produced by David Puttnam. Details: Color/Black and White, 86 mins, Kino, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Optional subtitles.


Road House 2(Buy Widescreen) Jonathon Schaech takes over for Patrick Swayze (sort of) in the made-for-video sequel, playing an undercover DEA agent who takes over a rowdy bar for his uncle and uncovers a major drug ring. Ellen Hollman, Jake Busey, and Will Patton co-star. Details: Color, 86 mins, Sony Pictures, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.85:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional French and English subtitles.


The Exonerated(Buy Fullscreen) Bob Balaban directs the TV movie of the play by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, based on the true stories of six exonerated survivors of Death Row. Susan Sarandon, Aidan Quinn, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, and Delroy Lindo star. Details: Color, 90 mins, Monterey Video, Academy Ratio. Supplements: Actor's soundbites; From the writers; Actor and Exoneree bios; Background story. Optional subtitles.


Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal(Buy Fullscreen) (1996) TV movie, originally released under the title Shaughnessy, starring Matthew Settle as the Irish immigrant turned small-town sheriff. Adapted from the novel by Louis L'Amour, it co-stars Linda Kozlowski, Sarah Paulson, Michael Jai White, John Carroll Lynch, John Hawkes, and Bo Hopkins. Details: Color, 95 mins, Allumination Filmworks, Academy Ratio, 1.33:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional subtitles.


Red Riding Hood(Buy Widescreen) The old fairy tale is updated in this musical version about a girl in a red hoody and go-go boots (Morgan Thompson), a penny-pinching wolf (Joey Fatone), and a yoga-loving granny (Lainie Kazan). Randal Kleiser directs. Details: Color, 82 mins, Key Video/20th Century Fox, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1). Optional Spanish and English subtitles.


Subject Two(Buy Widescreen) Modern day Frankenstein tale about an ambitious doctor (Dean Stapleton) determined to crack the secret of resurrection and his psychologically unstable assistant (Christian Oliver), who only realizes the implications of their work as the side-effects manifest on their experimental subject. Philip Chidel writes and directs. Details: Color, 93 mins, First Look, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.78:1. Supplements: Deleted scenes; Behind the scenes featurette; Commentary; Production notes; Previews. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). Optional Spanish subtitles.


The Garden(Buy Widescreen) Horror film about a child (Adam Taylor Gordon) whose disturbing nightmares start to manifest while he convalesces on a remote ranch. Lance Henriksen, Brian Wimmer, Claudia Christian, and Sean Young star. Details: Color, 92 mins, Anchor Bay, Widescreen anamorphic, 1.77:1. Supplements: Commentary by director Don Michael Paul; "The Garden: Behind-The-Scenes"; Still gallery; Lance Henriksen bio; Trailer. Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). Optional subtitles.