 ****************************** ONVIDEO E-MAIL NEWS ****************************** 8/12/08 V12.33 This is an automated mail list; please do not reply to this message. Messages should be sent to mail@... ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES For Tuesday, August 12 -- Monday, August 18 Prom Night A remake of the 1980 horror film that starred Jamie Lee Curtis as one of a group of teen girls stalked by a masked killer. Here Brittany Snow takes over the role as Donna, whose senior prom is supposed to be the best night of her life, one of magic, beauty, and love. But then the night turns from magic to murder at the hands of a sadistic, obsessed killer who wants the kids to pay for an indiscretion in their past. Vitals: Director: J.S. Cardone. Stars: Brittany Snow, Dana Davis, Jessica Troup, Scott Porter, Collins Pennie, Kelly Blatz, Idris Elba, Jonathan Schaech, Jessalyn Gilsig, Kellan Lutz, Craig Susser. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 88 min., Horror, Box office gross: $43.819 million, Sony. Smart People Professor Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) might be imperiously brilliant, monumentally self-possessed and an intellectual giant -- but when it comes to solving the conundrums of love and family, he's as downright flummoxed as the next guy. His teenaged daughter (Ellen Page) is an acid-tongued overachiever who follows all too closely in dad's misery-loving footsteps, and his adopted, preposterously ne'er-do-well brother (Thomas Haden Church) has perfected the art of freeloading. A widower who can't seem to find passion in anything anymore, not even the Victorian Literature in which he's an expert, it seems Lawrence is sleepwalking through a very stunted middle age. When his brother shows up unexpectedly for an extended stay at just about the same time as he accidentally encounters his former student Janet (Sarah Jessica Parker), the circumstances cause him to stir from his deep, deep freeze, with often comical, sometimes heartbreaking, consequences for himself and everyone around him. Vitals: Director: Noam Murro. Stars: Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes, Christine Lahti. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 95 min., Comedy-Drama, Box office gross: $9.496 million, Miramax. ------------------------------------------------------------
Two quirky releases hit the stores this week. First off is "Brand Upon the Brain!" (2006), a film that takes place in the weird and wonderful super-cinematic world of Canadian cult filmmaker Guy Maddin, where personal memory collides with movie lore for a radical sensory overload. This eerie excursion into the gothic recesses of Maddin's mad, imaginary childhood is a silent, black-and-white comic science-fiction nightmare set in a lighthouse on grim Notch Island, where fictional protagonist Guy Maddin was raised by an ironfisted, puritanical mother. Originally mounted as a theatrical event (accompanied by live orchestra, foley artists, and assorted narrators), the film is an irreverent, delirious trip into the mind of one of current cinema's true eccentrics. Stars Gretchen Krich, Sullivan Brown, Maya Lawson, Katherine E. Scharhon, Todd Moore. Loaded with extras from The Criterion Collection. Also from Criterion comes "Eclipse Series 11: Larisa Shepitko", a bare-bones two-box set devoted to the work of Soviet filmmaker Larisa Shepitko. The career of Shepitko, an icon of sixties and seventies Soviet cinema, was tragically cut short when she was killed in a car crash at age 39, just as she was emerging on the international scene. This set includes: "Wings" (1966), her first feature after graduating from the State Institute for Cinematography, about a once heroic female Russian bomber pilot now living a quiet, disappointingly ordinary life as a school principal; and "The Ascent," (1977) her emotionally overwhelming final film that won the Golden Bear at the 1977 Berlin Film Festival. Set during the darkest days of World War II, the film follows the path of two peasant soldiers, cut off from their troops, who trudge through the snowy backwoods of Belarus evading the Nazis and seeking refuge from villagers. A true artist, who had deftly used the Soviet film industry to make statements both personal and universal, Shepitko remains one of the greatest unsung filmmakers of all time. $29.95. From TV to Video: "Blue Murder, Set 3" is a two-disc set with three BBC gritty police procedurals featuring single-mom Detective Chief Inspector Janine Lewis, $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Caroline in the City: The First Season" (1995-96) is a three-disc set with 24 episodes, $42.99 from Paramount ... "Dave's World: The First Season" (1993-94) is a three-disc set with 23 episodes, $42.99 from Paramount ... "The Dick Francis Thriller: The Racing Game" is a two-disc set with all six episodes from the inaugural season of the PBS Mystery! series about a steeplechase rider who suffers a career-ending injury and returns to the track as a private investigator; based on the fiction of champion-jockey-turned writer Dick Francis; $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Hustle: Complete Seasons 1-4" is an eight-disc set, $99.98 from BBC/Warner ... "The Love Boat: Season One, Volume Two" (1978) is a four-disc set, $39.99 from Paramount ... "P.D. James: The Essential Collection" is a 15-disc set featuring all nine PBS Mystery productions featuring James' indefatigable Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh; $149.98. from Koch Vision ... In "P.D. James: Devices and Desires," the latest PBS Mystery adventure, Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh tracks down a serial killer; $29.98 from Koch Vision ... "Prison Break: Season Three" is a four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98 from Fox ... "Wall Street Warriors: Season 2" is a two-disc set with 10 episodes of MOJO HD's reality series about Wall Street, $24.98 from Infinity Entertainment ... "The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season" is a four-disc set with all 10 episodes from the final season, $59.99 from HBO Video ... "Wire in the Blood: Prayer of he Bone" is the sixth season premiere of the critically acclaimed British crime series, $19.98. from Koch Vision. Buzzin' the 'B's: "The Killing Gene (aka Waz)" (2007) stars Stellan Skarsgard, Melissa George, Selma Blair and Ashley Walters in a sadistic tale that follows two detectives as they investigate a string of double murder crime scenes left with the mathematical equation "w delta z" carved into each victim's body. As the detectives begin to unearth the meaning of the equation, they realize that each victim is being offered a gruesome choice -- kill their loved one or be killed themselves; from The Weinstein Co./Genius Products ... The love of a happily married couple is tested in an unimaginable way when the wife dies and returns to haunt the body of their daughter in "The Secret" (2007), starring David Duchovny, Lili Taylor and Olivia Thirlby, from Image Entertainment ... In "The Art of War II: Betrayal" (2008), agent Neil Shaw (Wesley Snipes) is called out of retirement and finds himself in the midst of a plot to assassinate several leading Senators - and then discovers that he's been set up as bait, from Sony ... A family man convicted of killing a burglar must cope with life in the violent penal system in "Felon" (2008), starring Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff, Harold Perrineau, Sam Shepard and Anne Archer, from Sony ... "CJ7" (2008), directed by and starring Stephen Chow, is a family comedy about a poor Chinese laborer who learns important lessons after his son gets a strange new toy from the junkyard: A mysterious orb that is really a bizarre "pet" with extraordinary powers, from Sony ... "Watching the Detectives" (2007) stars Lucy Liu and Cillian Murphy in a comedy about a film noir buff whose life is turned on end by a femme fatale with a big adventure in mind, from Peace Arch Entertainment/Genius Products ... When a geeky, overweight rushee is found dead in the hottest sorority house on campus, three popular sorority sisters become suspects in "Legacy" (2008), starring Haylie Duff, Madeline Zima, Brett Claywell, Margo Harshman, Jane Sibbett, Kate Albrecht and Tom Green, from The Weinstein Co./Genius Products ... "The American Mall" (2008) is an MTV musical romantic comedy set in a mall and focused on the relationship between two young musicians who fall for each other and their respective personal and professional struggles, starring Nina Dobrev, Rob Mayes, Autumn Reese, Yassmin Alers and Al Sapienza, from Paramount ... In the South Korean Asian extreme thriller "Wide Awake" (2007), a young boy is improperly anesthetized during heart surgery and feels the entire procedure; from the scalpel slicing through his chest to the saw cutting through his rib cage, he remains completely aware and unable to cry for mercy. Decades later when a series of killings occur, a doctor and his wife wonder if their stalker is that same young boy, now grown up and hell-bent on revenge; from Genius Products ... In "Juncture" (2007), starring Kristine Blacport, Jeff Nicholson and John Hutton, a young woman with a brain tumor and only three months to live becomes a vigilante to hunt down the criminal miscreants who have slipped through the cracks in the criminal justice system; from MTI Home Video ... "Outside Sales" (2006) is a comedy about a depressed salesman coping with a cheating wife, his sadistic boss and the beautiful sales rep hired to replace him, starring Tricia O'Kelley, Lucas Fleischer, Danny Strong and Christopher John Fields, from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment. For the Family: "Aftermath: Population Zero" (2008) is a National Geographic look at what the Earth would be like if humans vanished from existence, $19.98 from Warner ... "Raw Spice: The Unofficial Story of the Making of the Spice Girls" (2005) is a documentary that charts the formation of the Spice Girls in 1994, highlighted with never-before-seen footage of the girls candidly discussing their ambitions and fears, as well as their trademark outrageous behavior and some titanic blowouts; $19.98 from Shout! Factory ... "Soundstage: Heart -- Live" is a PBS Soundstage concert recorded in 2005, in high-def video and 5.1 Surround Sound; $19.98 from Koch Vision ... "Soundstage: Reo Speedwagon -- Live: Up Close and Musical" is a 16-song set from the July 3 PBS Soundstage concert, recorded in high-def video and 5.1 Surround Sound; $19.98 from Koch Vision ... "Special Forces Volume 1" contains the war documentaries "The British SAS: Attack in the Desert" and "The Green Berets: Vietnam -- The Battle of Lang Ve"; $6.99 from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... "Special Forces Volume 2" contains the war documentaries "The Royal Dutch Marines: Terror Strikes Twice" and "Germany's GSG-9: Jihad in the Fatherland"; $6.99 from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... "Flying in the Secret Sky" (2008) chronicles the U.S. civilian pilots who volunteered to fly much-needed aircraft to Great Britain at the beginning of World War II, a time when the U.S. was neutral; these "cowboys of the air" are the forgotten heroes of WWII, men who embodied the improvisational spirit that was key to the Allied victory; from WGBH Boston Video. -----------------------------------------------------------
Adventures From the Book of Virtues Three DVDs of animated stories from the PBS kids animated series based on William J. Bennett's "The Book of Virtues": "Adventures in Faith," "Adventures in Honesty" and "Adventures in Courage"; $12.98 each or available in a box set for $29.98. (PorchLight Home Entertainment). Aftermath: Population Zero (2008) National Geographic look at what Earth would be like if humans vanished from existence, $19.98. (Warner). The American Mall(2008) Nina Dobrev, Rob Mayes, Autumn Reese, Yassmin Alers, Al Sapienza. MTV musical romantic comedy set in a mall and focused on the relationship between two young musicians who fall for each other and their respective personal and professional struggles. Extras: Extended edition, cast commentary, director commentary, deleted scenes, extended performances, music videos, learn to dance with Bonnie, "Eraser Moments." (Paramount). The Art of War II: Betrayal (2008) Wesley Snipes. Agent Neil Shaw (Snipes) is called out of retirement and finds himself in the midst of a plot to assassinate several leading Senators -- especially when he discovers that he's been set up as bait. Extras: Alternate fight scenes, digital copy. (Sony). The Berenstain Bears: Family and Friendship (2008) Sharing, caring and growing up lessons with the animated bears based on the best-selling children's book series; six episodes, $12.99. (Sony). Blue Murder, Set 3 Two-disc set with three BBC gritty police procedurals featuring single-mom Detective Chief Inspector Janine Lewis, $39.99. (Acorn Media). Brand Upon the Brain! (2006) Gretchen Krich, Sullivan Brown, Maya Lawson, Katherine E. Scharhon, Todd Moore. In the weird and wonderful super-cinematic world of Canadian cult filmmaker Guy Maddin, personal memory collides with movie lore for a radical sensory overload. This eerie excursion into the gothic recesses of Maddin's mad, imaginary childhood is a silent, black-and-white comic science-fiction nightmare set in a lighthouse on grim Notch Island, where fictional protagonist Guy Maddin was raised by an ironfisted, puritanical mother. Originally mounted as a theatrical event (accompanied by live orchestra, foley artists, and assorted narrators), the film is an irreverent, delirious trip into the mind of one of current cinema's true eccentrics. Extras: Optional narration tracks by Isabella Rossellini, Laurie Anderson, John Ashbery, Crispin Glover, Guy Maddin, Louis Negrin, and Eli Wallach; "The Making of Brand upon the Brain!; two new short films directed by Maddin: "It's My Mother's Birthday Today" and "Footsteps"; deleted scene, new essay by film critic Dennis Lim. (The Criterion Collection). Caroline in the City: The First Season (1995-96) Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $42.99. (Paramount). CJ7(2008) Directed by and starring Stephen Chow. Family comedy about a poor Chinese laborer who learns important lessons after his son gets a strange new toy from the junkyard: a mysterious orb that is really a bizarre "pet" with extraordinary powers. Extras: "The Story of CJ7, " "Anatomy of a Scene," "How to Bully a Bully," "Make Your Own Giant Lollipop" how-to on making your very own lollipop prop, "The Making of CJ7" international television special, CJ7 Mission Control Game, CJ7 character profiles, cast and crew commentary. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony). Dave's World: The First Season (1993-94) Three-disc set with 23 episodes, $42.99. (Paramount). The Dick Francis Thriller: The Racing Game Two-disc set with all six episodes from the inaugural season of the PBS Mystery! series about a steeplechase rider who suffers a career-ending injury and returns to the track as a private investigator; based on the fiction of champion-jockey-turned writer Dick Francis; $39.99. (Acorn Media). Eclipse Series 11: Larisa Shepitko The career of Larisa Shepitko, an icon of sixties and seventies Soviet cinema, was tragically cut short when she was killed in a car crash at age 39, just as she was emerging on the international scene. This two-disc set includes: "Wings" (1966), her first feature after graduating from the State Institute for Cinematography, about a once heroic female Russian bomber pilot now living in quiet, disappointingly ordinary life as a school principal; and "The Ascent," (1977) her emotionally overwhelming final film that won the Golden Bear at the 1977 Berlin Film Festival. Set during the darkest days of World War II, the film follows the path of two peasant soldiers, cut off from their troop, who trudge through the snowy backwoods of Belarus evading the Nazis and seeking refuge from villagers. (The Criterion Collection). Eon Kid: Season One, Volume One (2005) Five episodes of the Kids WB! series, $16.98. Extras: Photo gallery, extended trailer, downloadable mini poster. (Anchor Bay). Felon(2008) Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff, Harold Perrineau, Sam Shepard, Anne Archer. A family man convicted of killing a burglar must cope with life afterward in the violent penal system. Extras: "The Shark Tank: An Inside Look at Felon" featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony). Flying in the Secret Sky (2008) In 1940, Nazi air strikes had Britain on her knees. The RAF was desperate for planes and their supply of U.S. aircraft, sent on ship convoys, had been sunk in the icy Atlantic by German U-boats. In response, a remarkable decision was made -- to fly the planes across the ocean. Because of U.S. neutrality, a message went out through the "aviation grapevine" only -- that a secret operation in Montreal needed experienced civilian pilots ... to pilot the planes to Great Britain. These "cowboys of the air" are the forgotten heroes of WWII, men who embodied the improvisational spirit that was key to the Allied victory. (WGBH Boston Video). The Game: Life After the Math (2008) Documentary of the West Coast rap artist. (Warner). Hustle: Complete Seasons 1-4 Eight-disc set, $99.98. (BBC/Warner). Juncture(2007) Kristine Blacport, Jeff Nicholson, John Hutton. A young woman with a brain tumor and only three months to live becomes a vigilante to hunt down the criminal miscreants who have slipped through the cracks in the criminal justice system. Extras: Commentary by director James Seale, behind-the-scenes featurette. (MTI Home Video). The Killing Gene (aka Waz) (2007) Stellan Skarsgard, Melissa George, Selma Blair, Ashley Walters. Sadistic tale follows two detectives as they investigate a string of double murder crime scenes left with the mathematical equation "w delta z" carved into each victim's body. As the detectives begin to unearth the meaning of the equation, they realize that each victim is being offered a gruesome choice -- kill their loved one or be killed themselves. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Making of The Killing Gene," torture featurette. "The Killing Gene" in-depth chat with the director, producer and screenwriter. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products). Legacy(2008) Haylie Duff, Madeline Zima, Brett Claywell, Margo Harshman, Jane Sibbett, Kate Albrecht, Tom Green. When a geeky, overweight rushee is found dead in the hottest sorority house on campus, three popular sorority sisters become suspects. When their sexy antics fail to impress the police, the girls must pull out every trick in the book to protect their sisterhood. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products). The Legend of the Shadowless Sword (2005 -- South Korean) Seo-jin Lee, So-yi Yoon. Beautiful and deadly warrior sets out to find an exiled prince to restore him to his throne. (New Line).
The Love Boat: Season One, Volume Two
(1978) Four-disc set, $39.99. (Paramount). The Orange Thief(2007) Andrea Calabrese, Salvo Dazzo. Living on the outer boundaries of society, an eponymous orange thief and some other country-wise ruffians steal fruit for sustenance, sale, and the sheer excitement of courting danger. After the thief ends up in a Sicilian jail, his life takes an unexpected turn when his bunkmate promises him a deal. (Warner). Outside Sales(2006) Tricia O'Kelley, Lucas Fleischer, Danny Strong, Christopher John Fields. Comedy about a depressed salesman coping with a cheating wife, his sadistic boss and the beautiful sales rep hired to replace him. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment). P.D. James: The Essential CollectionFifteen-disc set featuring all nine PBS Mystery productions featuring James' indefatigable Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh; $149.98. (Koch Vision). Extras: P.D. James: Devices and Desires Latest PBS Mystery adventure has Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh tracking down a serial killer; $29.98. (Koch Vision). Play With Me Sesame: Furry, Fun and Healthy Too Grover, Frazzle Monster and Bert engage in interactive fun while teaching healthy habits such as exercise, good oral hygiene, healthy eating and getting plenty of rest; $14.93. (Genius Products). Prison Break: Season Three Four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98. Available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Orientation" and "Breakout Episode" featurettes, directors' takes, behind-the-scenes with the cast. (Fox). Raw Spice: The Unofficial Story of the Making of the Spice Girls(2005) Documentary charting the formation of the Spice Girls in 1994, highlighted with never-before-seen footage of the girls candidly discussing their ambitions and fears, as well as their trademark outrageous behavior and some titanic blowouts; $19.98. (Shout! Factory). The Secret(2007) David Duchovny, Lili Taylor, Olivia Thirlby. The love of a happily married couple is tested in an unimaginable way when the wife dies and returns to haunt the body of their daughter. (Image Entertainment). Smart People (2008) Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes, Christine Lahti. Extras: Interviews, outtakes, deleted scenes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Miramax). Soundstage: Heart -- Live PBS Soundstage concert recorded in 2005, in high-def video and 5.1 Surround sound; $19.98. Extras: Interviews. (Koch Vision). Soundstage: Reo Speedwagon -- Live: Up Close and Musical Sixteen-song set from upcoming July 3 PBS Soundstage concert, recorded in high-def video and 5.1 Surround sound; $19.98. Extras: Interviews. (Koch Vision). Special Forces Volume 1 War documentaries "The British SAS: Attack in the Desert" and "The Green Berets: Vietnam -- The Battle of Lang Ve"; $6.99. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment). Special Forces Volume 2War documentaries "The Royal Dutch Marines: Terror Strikes Twice" and "Germany's GSG-9: Jihad in the Fatherland"; $6.99. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment). Strawberry Shortcake: Rockaberry RollNew Strawberry Shortcake animated adventure has Strawberry and her pals forming their own band, Strawberry Jam, and entering the Strawberryland Talent Show; $14.98. (Fox). Superheroes: The Filmation Adventures Two-disc set with 18 classic cartoon shorts, $24.98. (Warner). Tom and Jerry Tales Volume 5 Twelve cartoons from the Kids' WB series, $14.97. (Warner). Wall Street Warriors: Season 2 Two-disc set with 10 episodes of MOJO HD's reality series about Wall Street, $24.98. (Infinity Entertainment). Watching the Detectives(2007) Lucy Liu, Cillian Murphy. Comedy about a film noir buff whose life is turned on end by a femme fatale with a big adventure in mind. (Peace Arch Entertainment/Genius Products). Wide Awake(2007 - South Korea) Yu-seok Jeong , Myeong-min Kim. A young boy is improperly anesthetized during heart surgery and feels the entire procedure; from the scalpel slicing through his chest to the saw cutting through his rib cage, he remains completely aware and unable to cry for mercy. Decades later when a series of killings occur, a doctor and his wife wonder if their stalker is that same young boy, now grown up and hell-bent on revenge. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Making of Wide Awake," production design featurette, cast interviews, "Anesthesia Awareness" featurette. (Genius Products). The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season Four-disc set with all 10 episodes from the final season, $59.99. Extras: "The Wire: The Last Word" featurette, "The Wire Odyssey" retrospective, commentaries. (HBO Video). Wire in the Blood: Prayer of he Bone Sixth season premiere of the critically acclaimed British crime series, $19.98. (Koch Vision). Yes to Running! Bill Harley Live
(2008) Songs and stories for kids by the Grammy-winning
singer-songwriter; includes "Mom and the Radio," "Mrs. Ammons and the
Boys' Room," "You're in Trouble," "The Ballad of Dirty Joe," more;
$14.99. Extras: Documentary, behind-the-scenes interview. (Round River Records). For more
DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at Copyright 2008 CyberPod. All rights reserved. ISSN 1094-3676 An archive of past issues of the OnVideo E-Mail News can be found at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/onvideoguide Messages and missives: mail@... Thanks to the Woo family of Culver City, Calif. and Leslie Rigoulot for helping support this issue of the news. Subscriptions to OnVideo E-Mail News are free for the asking by sending an e-mail request to onvideoguide-subscribe@yahoogroups.com No subject or body text is required. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you can un-subscribe by sending an e-mail message to onvideoguide-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com No subject or body text is required. And don't forget to bookmark our major OnVideo Web site located at http://www.onvideo.org |
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