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10/16/07 V11.42

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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, October 16 -- Monday, October 22

Crazy Love
An innocent whirlwind romance culminates in extremely violent and psychologically-damaging actions in the critically acclaimed documentary. The electrifying film relays the true story of the obsessive real-life romance between a 32-year-old married attorney, who out of desperation deliberately blinded the love of his life, a beautiful 20-year-old girl living in the Bronx, shocking the nation and dominating headlines during the summer of 1959. Written and directed by award winning filmmaker Dan Klores and co-directed and produced by Fisher Stevens, the film premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and earned the Best Documentary Award at the 2007 Santa Barbara Film Festival. The film brilliantly conveys the dysfunctional relationship between Burt and Linda Pugach while it examines the human psyche and the concepts of love, obsession, insanity, hope and forgiveness. Burt and Linda -- still together -- become willing participants, confessing their dark secrets about their tragic romantic tale. The fascinating documentary interlaces actual archived footage, interviews and nostalgic music that dives into the heart of their actions. Vitals: Director: Dan Klores Fisher Stevens. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 92 min., Documentary, Box office gross: $.277 million, Magnolia Home Entertainment.

Hoax, The
In 1971, Clifford Irving achieved the very heights of American journalism, nabbing a series of unprecedented interviews with the most famous man in the world -- ultra-reclusive, immensely powerful, superstar billionaire Howard Hughes -- revealing his most intimate memories and controversial secrets. Actually, that's a lie. In 1971, writer Clifford Irving told an incredible whopper -- one that became one of the most audacious and outrageous hoaxes ever perpetrated on the media and American public. Claiming to have obtained Howard Hughes' long sought-after memoirs, Irving pulled the wool over the entire publishing industry's eyes, and nearly made off with major cash and worldwide fame, until his clever yarn unraveled into a serious crime. Jumping off from the still controversial facts surrounding Irving's ruse into a fictional reverie, the film mischievously and imaginatively explores how a man, an industry and an entire nation could become intoxicated by a good story . . . in sheer defiance of the fact that it never really happened. Richard Gere takes on the roguish role of Irving, an ambitious yet struggling writer who's been looking for that one big story for so long, he brazenly decides to make one up. At first the idea is just a savvy artistic prank, but if that's what the world wants, Irving believes he can take it further. Shrouding himself in a clever cloud of secrecy, he drops the news to a major publisher that he has been approached by the one man the entire world most wants to know about -- aviator, movie mogul, ladies man and eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes -- to ink his priceless biography. Irving banks on the idea that Hughes' seclusion and notoriously thin hold on reality will allow the con to succeed. Hughes has not been seen or heard from in public for more than a decade. He is a total recluse. Irving relies on this fact to protect his bogus story -- as Hughes refuses to confirm or deny anything so prevalent is his fear of appearing in public. Recruiting his anxiety-prone but loyal best friend Dick Suskind (Alfred Molina) and European artist wife Marcia Gay Harden) into the scheme, Clifford soon finds himself in a wild maze of treachery, as he is forced to dodge the fallout of his falsehoods at every turn. What started as an adventurous lark soon turns into a seemingly inescapable maze of forgeries, thefts, tall tales, deceptions and impersonations. Yet Clifford's plan works like magic as his publishers, hungry for a bestseller at any cost, are hoodwinked by the thrill of it all. When Clifford stumbles upon possible links between Hughes and the corrupt administration of president Nixon, the stakes for his book grow even higher. Clifford is on top of the world, until the real Howard Hughes shockingly emerges to pull the rug out from under him. Only now, Clifford is so caught up in the tale he created that he may no longer know where his incredible story ends and reality begins. Vitals: Director: Lasse Hallstrom. Stars: Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Marcia Gay Harden, Julie Delpy, Hope Davis. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 116 min., Drama, Box office gross: $7.156 million, Miramax.

Invisible, The
Supernatural thriller about a teenager who finds himself trapped between two worlds: invisible to the living and all too close to the dead. A high school senior with a bright future, Nick Powell (Justin Chatwin) is suddenly attacked on a dark night, his shattered body left for dead. Now, caught in a haunting limbo where he can observe the world of the living but they can't see him, his only chance at a future is to figure out the mystery of what happened to him and why before time runs out. But how do you solve a murder when the victim is you? As Nick attempts to uncover the ominous truth behind his ghostly condition, the trail leads from his mother (Marcia Gay Harden) to his best friend (Chris Marquette) to a shady criminal (Alex O'laughlin) to the tough, troubled girl (Margarita Levieva) who Nick comes to realize may hold the key to his awakening from the unexplainable. His only hope at returning to his life is to become an ethereal detective on the trail of his own murder, to try to piece together the puzzle of where his near-lifeless body is and how he got there. Vitals: Director: David S. Goyer. Stars: Justin Chatwin, Marcia Gay Harden, Margarita Levieva, Chris Marquette, Alex O'laughlin. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 97 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $20.568 million, Buena Vista.

A Mighty Heart
Based on Mariane Pearl's memoir detailing the terrifying and unforgettable story of her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's life and death. The story covers Pearl's (Dan Futterman) reasons for being in Karachi, Pakistan, the complete story of his abduction, the intense effort of his wife, Mariane Pearl (Angelina Jolie) to find him during the weeks following his disappearance and his eventual murder. In the five years since Daniel Pearl's death, nearly 230 journalists have been killed in the line of duty. On January 23, 2002, Mariane Pearl's world changed forever. Her husband Daniel, the South Asia Bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal, was researching a story on shoe bomber Richard Reid. The story drew them to Karachi where a go-between had promised access to an elusive source. As Daniel left for the meeting, he told Mariane he might be late for dinner. He never returned. In the face of death, Daniel's spirit of defiance and his unflinching belief in the power of journalism led Mariane to write about his disappearance, the intense effort to find him and his eventual murderer in her memoir "A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl." Six months pregnant when the ordeal began, she was carrying a son that Daniel hoped to name Adam. She wrote the book to introduce Adam to the father he would never meet. Transcending religion, race and nationality, Mariane's courageous desire to rise above the bitterness and hatred that continues to plague this post 9/11 world, serves as the purest expression of the joy of life she and Daniel shared. Vitals: Director: Michael Winterbottom. Stars: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Sajid Hasan, Aly Khan, Irfan Khan, Denis O'Hare, Archie Panjabi, Will Patton. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 108 min., Drama, Box office gross: $9.176 million, Paramount.

My Best Friend
Multiple award-winning director Patrice Leconte has been nominated 11 times for the Cesar Award, winning Best Director and Best Film for "Ridicule"; and was nominated three times for a BAFTA, also winning for "Ridicule." Daniel Auteuil was nominated 12 times for the Cesar, winning Best Actor trophies for "Jean de Florette" (for which he also won a BAFTA) and "The Girl on the Bridge." Francois (Auteuil), an unlikable, self-centered middle-aged antique dealer, still manages to lead a fabulous life in Paris. However, at a dinner with a group he considers his dearest acquaintances, he is blindsided by the revelation that none of them actually likes him. His business partner Catherine (Julie Gayet) challenges him with a bet: she wants to meet his best friend. Scrambling to find someone willing to pose as his best pal, Francois enlists the services of a charming taxi driver Bruno (Dany Boon) to play the part. Bruno teaches Fran¨ois how to make friends and sets about learning the "three S's" -- being sociable, smiling and sincere -- though they don't come easy. In French with English subtitles. Vitals: Director: Patrice Leconte. Stars: Daniel Auteuil, Dany Boon, Julie Gayet, Julie Durand. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 94 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $.620 million, Genius Products.

Planet Terror
Robert Rodriguez's half of the cult film "Grindhouse," which was two films in one: "Planet Terror" and "Death Proof." The Weinstein Co. split the film in half for release to DVD. Deep in the heart of Texas, married doctors William and Dakota Block (Josh Brolin and Marley Shelton) find their graveyard shift inundated with townspeople ravaged by gangrenous sores and a suspiciously vacant look in their eyes. Among the wounded is Cherry (Rose McGowan), a go-go dancer whose leg was ripped from her body during a roadside attack. Wray (Freddy Rodriguez), her former significant other, is at her side. This mixture of lost souls must fight off the zombie-like humanoids who are slowly taking over the planet. Vitals: Director: Robert Rodriguez. Stars: Freddy Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Josh Brolin, Naveen Andrews, Marley Shelton, Michael Biehn, Stacy Ferguson, Jeff Fahey, Michael Parks. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, Drama, Box office gross: $25.031 million, The Weinstein Co./Genius Products.

Reaping, The
Hilary Swank plays a former Christian missionary who lost her faith after her family was tragically killed, and has since become a world renowned expert in disproving religious phenomena. But when she investigates a small Louisiana town that is suffering from what appear to be the Biblical plagues, she realizes that science cannot explain what is happening and she must regain her faith to combat the dark forces threatening the community. Hidden among the woods and swamplands of Louisiana, Haven is a town where the rules of reason seem to have been rewritten. A child has died and the river has turned to blood, which is only the beginning of what appears to be a revisiting of the Biblical 10 plagues upon the town. For the first time in her professional career, Katherine can't explain these phenomena with science. The townspeople believe an enigmatic child named Loren McConnell (AnnaSophia Robb) has brought God's wrath to their doorstep, but what they see as a harbinger of evil, Katherine sees as a lost child needing her help. The more she is drawn into the dark heart of the mystery, the more Katherine discovers her own role in a conspiracy that threatens to shroud the world in darkness. Vitals: Director: Stephen Hopkins. Stars: Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Idris Elba, AnnaSophia Robb. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 96 min., Supernatural Thriller, Box office gross: $25.117 million, Warner.

Transformers
 For centuries, two races of robotic aliens -- the Autobots and the Decepticons -- have waged a war, with the fate of the universe at stake. When the battle comes to Earth, all that stands between the evil Decepticons and ultimate power is a clue held by young Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). An average teenager, Sam is consumed with everyday worries about school, friends, cars and girls. Unaware that he alone is mankind's last chance for survival, Sam and his friend Mikaela (Megan Fox) find themselves in a tug of war between the Autobots and Decepticons. With the world hanging in the balance, Sam comes to realize the true meaning behind the Witwicky family motto -- "No sacrifice, no victory!" Vitals: Director: Michael Bay. Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor, Anthony Anderson, Jon Voight, John Turturro. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 143 min., Sci-Fi Action, Box office gross: $308.597 million, Paramount.


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NEWS

Date Change:
The DVD of The Beatles' second feature film, "Help!" has been rescheduled to November 6 (from October 30). Directed by Richard Lester, who also directed the group's debut feature "A Hard Days Night," "Help!" made its theatrical debut in 1965. The film, with plenty of extras, will be released by EMI Music.

DVD Collectibles:
From The Criterion Collection comes the budget-priced "Carlos Saura's Flamenco Trilogy (Eclipse Series #6)," a three-disc set with "Blood Wedding," "Carmen" and "El amor brujo." One of Spanish cinema's great auteurs, Carlos Saura brought international audiences closer to the art of his country's dance than any other filmmaker, before or since. In his "Flamenco Trilogy," Saura merged his passion for music with his ongoing exploration of Spanish national identity. All starring and choreographed by legendary dancer Antonio Gades, the films feature thrilling physicality and electrifying cinematography and editing-colorful paeans to bodies in motion as well as to the cinema that so eloquently, and artfully, captured them. Criterion's Eclipse line presents a selection of lost, forgotten or overshadowed classics in simple, affordable editions.

Warners has taken great care with the restoration of "The Jazz Singer 80th Anniversary Collector's Edition," immaculately restoring and remastering the 1927 film from the earliest surviving nitrate film elements and original Vitaphone sound-on-disc recordings. There's a host of extras on the three-disc set, including commentary by film historians, a collection of rare cartoons and Vitaphone shorts, a 93-minute documentary "The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk," two rarely-seen Technicolor excerpts from "Gold Diggers of Broadway" (1929 WB film, most of which is considered lost), studio shorts celebrating the early sound era, and 3 1/2 hours of rare, historic Vitaphone comedy and music shorts. The set also includes rarely seen behind-the-scenes photo cards, original release lobby card reproductions, original release souvenir program book reproduction, a booklet with vintage document reproductions, and a reproduction of a post-premiere telegram from star Al Jolson to Jack L. Warner. $39.92.

Sam Katzman, the amazingly prolific and successful, if sometimes derided, producer who churned out over 200 B-movies and serials over a four-decade-plus career, finally gets his due with "Icons of Horror Collection: Sam Katzman," a two-disc set with four features, all making their DVD debut (and two making their home video debut). The highlight may be "The Giant Claw," the infamous 1957 sci-fi thriller about a giant bird from outer space that chows down on people and planes; it stars genre veterans Jeff Morrow, Mara Corday and Morris Ankrum. Another fan favorite is the self-explanatory "Zombies of Mora Tau" (1957), starring Allison Hayes of "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" fame, and written by blacklisted screenwriter Bernard Gordon. The new-to-video titles include "Creature With the Atom Brain" (1955), written by legendary horror/sci-fi writer Curt Siodmak and starring Richard Denning in a fast-paced gangsters-meet-reanimated-corpses tale. "The Werewolf" (1956) is an Atomic Age chiller about a man (Steven Ritch) who becomes the victim of a worthy scientific experiment gone horribly wrong. The Sony set sells for $24.95.

From TV to Video:
"Ironside: Season Two" is a seven-disc set with 26 episodes, $49.98 from Shout! Factory ... "Medium: The Third Season" is a six-disc set with 22 episodes, $61.99 from Paramount ... "Squidbillies: Volume One" is a two-disc set with 20 episodes of the Adult Swim series, $29.98 from Warner ... "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" is a six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98 from Warner ... "That '70s Show Seventh Season" is afour-disc set with 25 episodes, $49.98 from Fox.

Buzzin' the 'B's:
"Return to House on Haunted Hill" is a 2007 sequel starring newcomers Amanda Righetti, Erik Palladino, Cerina Vincent, Tom Riley, Andrew Lee Potts, Steven Pacey, and Jeffrey Combs, in rated and unrated versions, from Warner ... "Tobe Hooper's The Damned Thing" (2007) is the director's contribution to the Showtime series, adapted from the classic short story by Ambrose Bierce; stars Sean Patrick Flannery, Marisa Coughlan, Brendan Fletcher and Ted Raimi, from Anchor Bay ... In "Murder Party" (2007), a Halloween night invitation to a costume party turns out to be a lethal trap set by a gang of deranged hipster artists who want to lure someone to their remote warehouse base and ritually murder him or her, from Magnolia Home Entertainment ... A humanoid alien teams up with a British soldier to find a top secret file that holds information on advanced energy production and captured space crafts in "Displaced" (2006), starring Mark Strange, Malcolm Hankey, Cathy Miller and the voice of Ian McKellen, from MTI Home Video ... In "Believers" (2007), two emergency paramedics receive a call from a young girl whose mother has lost consciousness in a deserted area, but they soon discover that the life they have to save may be their own, from Warner Raw Feed ... "Normal Adolescent Behavior: Havoc 2" (2007) stars Amber Tamblyn, Ashton Holmes, Kelli Garner and Stephen Coletti in an unrated dark look at the sexual politics that govern a group of privileged teens as they avoid the typical social norms by sharing in an intense sexual relationship with each other, from New Line ... "Casshern" (2004) is a live-action film based on the renowned anime series, set in a dystopian future in which the planet has been ravaged by a catastrophic Third World War. The story follows a young man imbued with superhuman strength who emerges as humanity's last hope in an epic battle against powerful mutant neo-humans and their army of robots; from Paramount ... A series of unprecedented and deadly tidal waves on the East Coast turn out to be man-made weapons of destruction in "Killer Wave" (2007), starring Angus MacFadyen, Karine Vanasse, Stephen McHattie and Tom Skerritt, from Genius Products ... "Shattered City" (2003) stars Vincent Walsh, Clare Stone, Graham Greene and Pete Postlethwaite in a dramatization of the massive explosion -- and its aftermath -- that occurred in Halifax, Nova Scotia when a French-owned freighter loaded to the gunnels with thousands of tons of TNT collided with a Belgian relief ship and exploded in the Halifax Harbor, killing 2,000 people and injuring more than 9,000 others; from Genius Products.

On the Indie Front:
"Trapped" is a trilogy of three British comedies in which obsessive characters -- desperate to break free from their self-imposed prisons -- face their moments of truth. In "Von Trapped!" Maria Moogan is obsessed with "The Sound of Music," making it a part of her everyday life until she travels to Salzburg to try to end her compulsion, making a discovery that changes her life forever. In "Beauty," a hideous aristocrat hides his face from the world in his slightly decaying family mansion until a pretty plumber comes to fix the pipes. In "King of Fridges" an anxious assistant manager gets stuck with an obnoxious elderly trainee on the rooftop of the store when things go awry on a busy bank holiday. The Three-disc set sells for $29.98 from BFS Entertainment ... "Girl 27" (2005) is the shocking story of the rape of a young actress at a 1937 MGM sales convention that made headlines when the victim, Patricia Douglas, decided to bring charges against the studio. Author David Stenn spent more than 10 years researching the story, which the studio had successfully buried for more than six decades -- and in doing so, eventually found himself face to face with Patricia Douglas. The reclusive Douglas came out of hiding to discuss the scandal, in which the powerful film studio tricked her and over 100 other underage girls into attending a stag party, where the rape took place. The documentary is from Red Envelope Entertainment and Westlake Entertainment.

Foreign:
"The Other Conquest" (1998 -- Mexico) takes a look at the Spanish conquest of Mexico. On November 8, 1519 the Spanish Conqueror Hernando Cortes and his small army rode into the Aztec capital of the vast Mexican Empire, where they were welcomed by the Emperor Moctezuma. Within two years, the Aztec civilization was all but destroyed, the survivors having lost their families, homes, language, temples ... and Gods. From Union Station Home Entertainment.

For the Family:
"A House Without a Christmas Tree" is a 1972 telefilm starring Jason Robards, Mildred Natwick, Lisa Lucas, Kathryn Walker about a young girl in 1940s Nebraska who wants a Christmas tree for the holiday season but her father, embittered after the loss of his wife during childbirth, forbids a traditional celebration, from Paramount ... "Christmas Do-Over" (2006) is a new take on "A Christmas Carol," about a man who deliberately scorns the Christmas spirit and is forced to re-live Christmas day over and over again, starring Jay Mohr, Daphne Zuniga, and Adrienne Barbeau, from Sony ... "Outlaw Trail" (2006) is a family Western adventure set in 1951 about a descendent of Butch Cassidy (of Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid fame) who sets out to discover the truth about his great uncle, starring Ryan Kelley, Arielle Kebbel, Dan Byrd, Brent Weber and Bruce McGill, from Allumination FilmWorks ... Getting ready for the holiday gift-giving season, HIT Entertainment and Fox have put together four nifty box sets for the little ones: "Angelina Ballerina: A Star Collection," "Barney: The Imagination Collection," "Bob the Builder: Ultimate Adventure Collection" and "Thonas & Friends: Steam Engine Stories." Each $29.98 set contains three popular titles.

Special Interest:
"Class Act" is a 2005 documentary about Jay W. Jensen, a Miami Beach Senior High School teacher for over 30 years who had taught an incredible list of students throughout his career including renowned filmmaker Brett Ratner, actor Andy Garcia, songwriter Desmond Child, sportscaster Roy Firestone, Broadway producer Adam Epstein and so many more. Jensen was not only a drama teacher, but also an advocate of the arts and bringing creativity into every student's life. When the filmmakers decided to go "back to school" to tell the extraordinary story of Jensen, they knew they would be telling the 50 year story of a man who dedicated his life to education, saved every penny, and became known as the "Teacher to the Stars." What they didn't know is the real story they would uncover. The drama program Jensen created and ran for over 30 years, 7 days a week, day and night, no longer existed. "Class Act" weaves Jensen's personal story with the fate of arts education in America today, giving us a report card on what lies ahead for America's children. But the story doesn't end in the classroom. With a starting salary of just $2,000 in 1959, Jensen secretly amassed millions. To the astonishment of everyone, he then did the most extraordinary thing: he gave it away in the name of education and the arts becoming the most unlikely philanthropist. $24.98 from Arts Alliance America ... "The First Kings of Comedy Collection" is a tribute to the era of silent slapstick comedy, with clips of Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Will Rogers, Carole Lombard, Jean Harlow, Charley Chase, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Harry Langdon and Buster Keaton; $16.95 from Genius Entertainment ... "Jim Norton: Monster Rain" (2005) is an hour-long HBO stand-up special, filmed before a packed house at the historic Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C., $19.97 from HBO Video ... "No Boundaries" is a four-disc set with two Warren Miller winter action sports films, "Off the Grid" (2006), "Impact" (2004) and "Higher Ground" (2005) as well as a bonus disc that offers all-access to "Behind the Scenes of Warren Miller's Higher Ground"; $49.99 from Shout! Factory ... "Iraq: Battle Plan Under Fire" is a three-disc NOVA documentary set about the current situation in Iraq and the challenges the military is facing there: "Life and Death in the War Zone," "Battle Plan Under Fire" and "Spies that Fly"; $39.95 from WGBH Boston Video.

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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

Weekly listings of DVD releases can now be viewed on mobile
devices at www.tagtag.com/onvideo

Believers (2007) Johnny Messner, Jon Huertas, Deanna Russo, Saige Ryan Campbell, Daniel Benzali. Two emergency paramedics receive a call from a young girl whose mother has lost consciousness in a deserted area, but they soon discover that the life they have to save may be their own. Extras: Commentary by director Daniel Myrick, featurettes. (Warner Raw Feed).

Carlos Saura's Flamenco Trilogy (Eclipse Series #6) Three-disc set with "Blood Wedding," "Carmen" and "El amor brujo." Eclipse presents a selection of lost, forgotten or overshadowed classics in simple, affordable editions. (The Criterion Collection).

Casshern (2004) Yusuke Iseya, Kumiko Aso. Akira Terao. Live-action film based on the renowned anime series, set in a dystopian future in which the planet has been ravaged by a catastrophic Third World War. Follows a young man imbued with superhuman strength who emerges as humanity's last hope in an epic battle against powerful mutant neo-humans and their army of robots. Director's cut. (Paramount).

Christmas Do-Over (2006 -- TV) Jay Mohr, Daphne Zuniga, Adrienne Barbeau. New take on "A Christmas Carol" has a man who deliberately scorns the Christmas spirit forced to re-live Christmas day over and over again. (Sony).

Class Act (2005) Documentary. Jay W. Jensen had been a Miami Beach Senior High School teacher for over 30 years and had taught an incredible list of students throughout his career including renowned filmmaker Brett Ratner, actor Andy Garcia, songwriter Desmond Child, sportscaster Roy Firestone, Broadway producer Adam Epstein and so many more. Jensen was not only a drama teacher, but also an advocate of the arts and bringing creativity into every student's life. When the filmmakers decided to go "back to school" to tell the extraordinary story of Jensen, they knew they would be telling the 50 year story of a man who dedicated his life to education, saved every penny, and became known as the "Teacher to the Stars." What they didn't know is the real story they would uncover. The drama program Jensen created and ran for over 30 years, 7 days a week, day and night, no longer existed. "Class Act" weaves Jensen's personal story with the fate of arts education in America today, giving us a report card on what lies ahead for America's children. But the story doesn't end in the classroom. With a starting salary of just $2,000 in 1959, Jensen secretly amassed millions. To the astonishment of everyone, he then did the most extraordinary thing: he gave it away in the name of education and the arts becoming the most unlikely philanthropist. $24.98. (Arts Alliance America).

Crazy Love (2007) Documentary. The astonishing true story of the obsessive roller-coaster relationship of Burt and Linda Pugach, which shocked the nation during the summer of 1959. Burt, a 32 year-old married attorney and Linda, a beautiful, single 20 year-old girl living in the Bronx, had a whirlwind romance, which culminated in a violent and psychologically complex set of actions that landed the pair's saga on the cover of endless newspapers and magazines. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary by Burt and Linda Pugach, prison love letters from Burt to Linda, director's commentary, photo gallery, Linda's art gallery.(Magnolia Home Entertainment).

Displaced (2006) Mark Strange, Malcolm Hankey, Graham Brownsmith, Stephanie Fend, Cathy Miller, and the voice of Ian Mckellen. A humanoid alien teams up with a British soldier to find a top secret file that holds information on advanced energy production and captured space crafts. Extras: "Making Things Happen: The Story of Displaced," "The Making of Displaced," deleted scenes, photo gallery. (MTI Home Video).

Girl 27 (2005) Documentary. This shocking story of the rape of a young actress at a 1937 MGM sales convention made headlines when the victim, Patricia Douglas, decided to bring charges against the studio. Author David Stenn spent more than 10 years researching the story, which the studio had successfully buried for more than six decades -- and in doing so, eventually found himself face to face with Patricia Douglas. The reclusive Douglas came out of hiding to discuss the scandal, in which the powerful film studio tricked her and over 100 other underage girls into attending a stag party, where the rape took place. (Red Envelope Entertainment and Westlake Entertainment).

The Hoax (2007) Dir.: Lasse Hallstrom; Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Marcia Gay Harden, Julie Delpy, Hope Davis. Extras: "Stranger Than Fiction" making-of documentary, deleted scenes, "Mike Wallace: Reflections on a Con" featurette with Wallace talking about his encounters with Irving, commentary by director Lasse Hallstrom and writer William Wheeler, commentary by producers Leslie Holleran and Josh Maurer, "Nixon's the One" easter egg.(Miramax).

Hollow Man Director's Cut (2000) Dir.: Paul Verhoeven; Elisabeth Shue, Kevin Bacon, Josh Brolin. Unrated. Extra footage. (Sony).

A House Without a Christmas Tree (1972 -- TV) Jason Robards, Mildred Natwick, Lisa Lucas, Kathryn Walker. A young girl in 1940s Nebraska wants a Christmas tree for the holiday season but her father, embittered after the loss of his wife during childbirth, forbids a traditional celebration. (Paramount).

Icons of Horror Collection: Sam Katzman. Four classic teen-exploitation horror films from the fifties produced by Katzman, on two discs: "The Giant Claw" "Creature With the Atom Brain," "Zombies of Mora Tau," from 1957 and "The Werewolf" (1956); $24.96. (Sony).

The Invisible (2007) Justin Chatwin, Marcia Gay Harden, Margarita Levieva, Chris Marquette, Alex O'laughlin. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary by director David S. Goyer and writer Christine Roum, music videos. (Buena Vista).

Iraq: Battle Plan Under Fire. Three-disc NOVA documentary set about the current situation in Iraq and the challenges the military is facing there: "Life and Death in the War Zone," "Battle Plan Under Fire" and "Spies that Fly"; $39.95. (WGBH Boston Video). Extras:

Ironside: Season Two. Seven-disc set with 26 episodes, $49.98. (Shout! Factory).

The Jazz Singer 80th Anniversary Collector's Edition (1927) Dir.: Alan Crosland; Al Jolson, May McAvoy, Warner Oland, Eugenie Besserer. Three-disc set. Immaculately restored and remastered from earliest surviving nitrate film elements and original Vitaphone sound-on-disc recordings. Extras: Disc One: Commentary by film historians Ron Hutchinson and Vince Giordano; collection of rare cartoons and shorts: "I Love to Sing" classic 1936 WB parody cartoon directed by Tex Avery, "Hollywood Handicap" classic MGM short with Al Jolson appearance, "A Day at Santa Anita" classic Technicolor Warner Bros. short with Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler cameo appearance, "Al Jolson in 'A Plantation Act'"1926 Vitaphone short made a year prior to "The Jazz Singer," "An Intimate Dinner in Celebration of Warner Bros. Silver Jubilee"; 1947 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast starring Al Jolson (audio only); Al Jolson trailer gallery. Disc Two: "The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk " 93-minute documentary; two rarely-seen Technicolor excerpts from "Gold Diggers of Broadway" (1929 WB film, most of which is considered lost); studio shorts celebrating the early sound era: "Finding His Voice" (1929 Western Electric animated promotional short, produced by Max Fleischer), "The Voice That Thrilled the World" Warner Bros. short about sound, "Okay for Sound" 1946 WB short celebrating the 20th anniversary of Vitaphone," "When Talkies Were Young" 1955 WB short looking back at the early talkies, "The Voice From the Screen" 1926 WB 'demonstration' film that explores the Vitaphone technology and looks at the making of a Vitaphone short. Disc Three: Vitaphone Shorts: 3 1/2 hours of rare, historic Vitaphone comedy and music shorts. The set also includes rarely seen behind-the-scenes photo cards, original release lobby card reproductions, original release souvenir program book reproduction, booklet with vintage document reproductions and DVD features guide , reproduction of post-premiere telegram from Al Jolson to Jack L. Warner. $39.92. (Warner).

Jim Norton: Monster Rain (2005) Hour-long HBO stand-up special, filmed before a packed house at the historic Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C., $19.97. (HBO Video).

Jingle All The Way Family Fun Edition (1996) Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Robert Conrad, Martin Mull. Extras: Extended cut of the film (supervised by director Brian Levant), "Turbo Man: Behind the Mask" featurette, "The Making of a Hero" featurette, "Super Kids" featurette, two interactive set-top games: "Christmas Rush," "Guess the Gift." (Fox).

Killer Wave (2007 -- TV) Angus MacFadyen, Karine Vanasse, Stephen McHattie, Tom Skerritt. A series of unprecedented and deadly tidal waves on the East Coast turn out to be man-made weapons of destruction. (Genius Products).

Kings of South Beach (2007 -- TV) Donnie Wahlberg, Jason Gedrick, Nadine Velazquez, Ricardo Chavira, Steven Bauer. A&E telefilm based on the true story of the club promoter who reinvented South Beach as a nightlife mecca. (Sony).

Medium: The Third Season. Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $61,99. Extras:Commentary on select episodes, deleted scenes, "Drawing on Dreams" featurette, "The Story of Medium Season Three" featurette, "The Making of Medium Season Three" featurette, gag reel. (Paramount).

MGM Holiday Classics Collection. Three-disc set with "The Bishop's Wife" (1947), "March of the Wooden Soldiers" (1934), and "Pocketful of Miracles" (1961), $29.98. (MGM).

A Mighty Heart (2007) Dir.: Michael Winterbottom; Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Sajid Hasan, Aly Khan, Irfan Khan, Denis O'Hare, Archie Panjabi, Will Patton.Extras: "Journey of Passion: The Making of a Mighty Heart," Committee to Protect Journalists featurette, public service announcement: Pearl Foundation With Christiane Amanpour. Also available on Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. (Paramount).

Murder Party (2007) Alex Barnett, Macon Blair, Paul Goldblatt, Beryl Guceri, William Lacey, Stacey Rock, Skei Saulnier, Chris Sharp, Beau Sia, and Bill Tangradi. A Halloween night invitation to a costume party turns out to be a lethal trap set by a gang of deranged hipster artists who want to lure someone to their remote warehouse base and ritually murder him or her. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

My Best Friend (2007) Dir.: Patrice Leconte; Daniel Auteuil, Dany Boon, Julie Gayet, Julie Durand. (Genius Products).

No Boundaries. Four-disc set with two Warren Miller winter action sports films, "Off the Grid" (2006), "Impact" (2004) and "Higher Ground" (2005) as well as a bonus disc that offers all-access to "Behind the Scenes of Warren Miller's Higher Ground"; $49.99. (Shout! Factory).

Normal Adolescent Behavior: Havoc 2 (2007) Amber Tamblyn, Ashton Holmes, Kelli Garner, Stephen Coletti. Unrated. Dark look at the sexual politics that govern a group of privileged teens as they avoid the typical social norms by sharing in an intense sexual relationship with each other. Extras: "Friends With Benefits: The making of Normal Adolescent Behavior: Havoc 2," "What's in the Boxd" character profiles. (New Line).

The Other Conquest (1998 -- Mexico) Damian Delgado, Elpidia Carrillo, Jose Carlos Rodriguez, Inaki Aierra. On November 8, 1519 the Spanish Conqueror Hernando Cortes and his small army rode into the Aztec capital of the vast Mexican Empire, where they were welcomed by the Emperor Moctezuma. Within two years, the Aztec civilization was all but destroyed, the survivors having lost their families, homes, language, temples ... and Gods. (Union Station Home Entertainment).

Outlaw Trail (2006) Ryan Kelley, Arielle Kebbel, Dan Byrd, Brent Weber, Bruce McGill. Family Western adventure set in 1951 about a descendent of Burch Cassidy (of Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid fame who sets out to discover the truth about his great uncle. (Allumination FilmWorks).

Planet Terror (2007) Dir.: Robert Rodriguez; Freddy Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Josh Brolin, Naveen Andrews, Marley Shelton, Michael Biehn, Stacy Ferguson, Jeff Fahey, Michael Parks. Two-disc unrated and extended edition. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez, audience screening track, 10 minute film school, "Sickos, Bullets and Explosions: The Stunts of Planet Terror," "The Badass Babes of Planet Terror," "Casting Robert Rodriguez's Son Rebel," "The Guys of Planet Terror," "The Friend, the Doctor and the Real Estate Agent," international poster gallery and international trailer. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products).

Reaping, The (2007) Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Idris Elba, AnnaSophia Robb. Extras: Four featurettes: "Science of the Ten Plagues," "The Characters," "A Place Called Haven" and "The Reaping: The Seventh Plague" behind the scenes documentary, Easter egg. (Warner). Available on Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.

Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007) Amanda Righetti, Erik Palladino, Cerina Vincent, Tom Riley, Andrew Lee Potts, Steven Pacey, Jeffrey Combs. Sequel. In rated and unrated versions. (Warner).

Shattered City (2003 -- TV) Vincent Walsh, Clare Stone, Graham Greene, Pete Postlethwaite. Dramatization of the massive explosion -- and its aftermath -- that occurred in Halifax, Nova Scotia when a French-owned freighter loaded to the gunnels with thousands of tons of TNT collided with a Belgian relief ship and exploded in the Halifax Harbor, killing 2,000 people and injuring more than 9,000 others. (Genius Products).

Squidbillies: Volume One. Two-disc set with 20 episodes of the Adult Swim series, $29.98. Extras: Deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, "How I Make the Damn Show" featurette, more. (Warner).

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98. Extras: Commentary on the pilot episode by creator Aaron Sorkin and executive producer Thomas Schlamme, "In Depth: The Evolution of Studio 60" behind-the-scenes documentary. (Warner).

That '70s Show Seventh Season. Four-disc set with 25 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Commentaries, promos, "A '70s Show Flashback: Don Stark" featurette, "Behind the Polyester: Writing That '70s Show" featurette, "That Seventh '70s Season" featurette. (Fox).

Tobe Hooper's The Damned Thing (2007) Sean Patrick Flannery, Marisa Coughlan, Brendan Fletcher,Ted Raimi. Tobe Hooper's contribution to the Showtime series. Adapted from the classic short story by Ambrose Bierce. Extras: Commentary by writer Richard Christian Matheson, "Texas Terror: The Making of The Damned Thing," "The Damned Thing: Building the Oil Monster" FX featurette, Tobe Hooper bio, photo gallery, script (DVD-ROM). (Anchor Bay).

Transformers (2007) Dir.: Michael Bay; Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor, Anthony Anderson, Jon Voight, John Turturro. In single-disc and two-disc DVD and HD DVD editions. Extras: Two-disc special edition: Commentary by director Michael Bay, two multi-part in-depth documentaries exploring the human elements of the film as well as the phenomenal robot stars: "Our World," which contains "The Story Sparks" in which Steven Spielberg discusses his love for the franchise and early concept art for the film; "Human Allies" look at how the actors were selected and their experiences on the set; "I Fight Giant Robots" exploration of the military training that Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson underwent for their roles and the various stunts that the actors were asked to perform; "Battleground" piece on the senior officials from the Department of Defense and Air Force who consulted on the film to give it authenticity and the key locations that the U.S. government provided access to. Their War," which contains "Rise of the Robots,: which explores the interaction between Hasbro designers and Michael Bay to bring the toy line roaring to life; "AUTOBOTS Roll Out" in which Bay discusses working with Chevrolet and its designers and the modifications that were made to the cars seen in the film; "DECEPTICONS Strike" in which the film's military advisors discuss the "toys" they allowed the production to borrow: F-22 Raptors, Ospreys and A-10 Warthogs; "Inside the AllSpark" in which ILM's digital artists discuss the challenges of bringing the Transformers to life. Also included is "From Script to Sand: The SKORPONOK Desert Attack" in-depth look at the making of the challenging scene from initial storyboarding through production and visual effects, as well as early sketch concepts of the robots. (Paramount).

Trapped. Trilogy of three British comedies in which obsessive characters -- desperate to break free from their self-imposed prisons -- face their moments of truth. In "Von Trapped!" Maria Moogan is obsessed with "The Sound of Music," making it a part of her everyday life until she travels to Salzburg to try to end her compulsion, making a discovery that changes her life forever. In "Beauty," a hideous aristocrat hides his face from the world in his slightly decaying family mansion until a pretty plumber comes to fix the pipes. In "King of Fridges" an anxious assistant manager gets stuck with an obnoxious elderly trainee on the rooftop of the store when things go awry on a busy bank holiday. Three-disc set, $29.98. (BFS Entertainment).


For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>

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Copyright 2007 CyberPod. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1094-3676

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