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12/09/08 V12.48
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, December 9 -- Monday, December 15
Dark Knight, The
The second-highest grossing film of all time (behind "Titanic") the follow-up to the action hit "Batman Begins" reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces the Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Vitals: Director: Christopher Nolan. Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall, Nestor Carbonell, Melinda McGraw, Nathan Gamble, Michael Jai White. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 152 min., Action, Box office gross: $521.890 million, Warner.
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!
Based on one of the greatest and best-selling children's books of all time (published in 1954). An imaginative elephant named Horton (Jim Carrey) hears a faint cry for help coming from a tiny speck of dust floating through the air. Although Horton doesn't know it yet, that speck houses an entire city named Who-ville, inhabited by the microscopic Whos, led by the Mayor (Steve Carell). Despite being ridiculed and threatened by his neighbors who think he has lost his mind, Horton is determined to save the particle ... because "a person's a person no matter how small." Vitals: Director:. Voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell, Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Isla Fisher, Dan Fogler, Amy Poehler, Dane Cook, Jaime Pressly, Jonah Hill.. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: G, 87 min., Family, Box office gross: $154.3 million, Fox
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:At the very first Academy Awards in May, 1929, two directors cemented their place in cinematic history as F.W. Murnau's "Sunrise" took home the prize for Unique and Artistic Picture and Frank Borzage garnered Best Director for "7th Heaven." At the time, both men were under contract with William Fox, owner of Fox Film Corp., who had invested heavily on making sure that movie directors were the stars of his films, gambling that audiences would gravitate to strong stories told by brilliant filmmakers. These awards validated Fox's vision for movies as an art form and these two director's craft.
Fox Home Entertainment releases this week a collection saluting Murnau and Borzage, whose daring camera movements and visually extravagant styles were integral in the development of modern movies and the studio that allowed them to flourish with "Murnau, Borzage and Fox." Celebrating their collected works, their influence on director's to follow and their collaborations with William Fox in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the set features 12 films from the Hollywood legends including newly remastered versions of Murnau's "Sunrise" and Borzage's "7th Heaven," as well as an all-new feature length documentary from filmmaker John Cork. Additionally, the set features two exclusive hard-cover books showcasing rare, unpublished photos from the careers of both filmmakers, one of which focuses solely on Murnau's "4 Devils," the lost film considered by those that saw it to be the greatest movie ever made, pushing the boundaries of what Hollywood movies were at the time
While his career was cut short due to a fatal auto accident in 1931 at the age of 42, the impact of Murnau on the film community can still be felt to this day. William Fox brought the expressionist director from Germany to Hollywood after he saw his 1924 film "The Last Laugh." Borzage's career at Fox lasted only seven years, but it would be the silent films he helmed at the studio that would come to define his career as he won the first Best Director Oscar for "7th Heaven" and again in 1931 for "Bad Girl."
A rich collection of true historical significance, "Murnau, Borzage & Fox" will be available for a suggested retail price of $239.99.
From TV to Video:
"Deadwood: The Complete Series," a 19-disc gift set, $179.97, with such extras as "The Meaning of Endings": David Milch on the conclusion of "Deadwood," "The Real Deadwood: Out of the Ashes," Q&A with the cast and creative team, Deadwood 360 tour, more, from HBO Video ... "Gunsmoke: Season Three, Volume One" (1957-58), a three-disc set with 19 episodes, $39.99 from Paramount ... "Happy Days: The Fourth Season" (1976-77), a three-disc set with 23 episodes, $39.99 from Paramount ... "McLeod's Daughers: The Complete Seventh Season," an eight-disc set with 32 episodes of the series about a largely-female workforce at a large family-owned Australian cattle ranch; airs on WE: Women's Entertainment channel in the States; $79.98 from Koch Vision ... "Rawhide: Season Three, Volume Two" (1960-61), a four-disc set with 15 episodes, $39.99 from Paramount) ... "The Wire: The Complete Series," a 23-disc gift set of all five seasons, $249.99, with such extras as three prequels that explore life before "The Wire," gag reel; from HBO Video.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
A seasoned NYPD detective (Willem Dafoe) is drawn into a gruesome case involving a string of unusual serial murders, perpetrated by a killer who fashions himself an artist in "Anamorph" (2007), also starring Scott Speedman and Clea Duvall; from Genius Products ..."Blue Blood (aka If I Didn't Care)" is 2007 indie thriller about a seasoned private investigator tasked with untangling a murder in the exclusive community of the Hamptons, starring thre late, great Roy Scheider along with Bill Sage, Susan Misner, Noelle Beck and Ronald Guttman, from Koch Vision ... "The Man Who Came Back " (2008) is a traditional Western about one man who stood fearlessly against injustice: Framed for murder and left for dead, Paxton (Eric Braeden) fights back to seek revenge at all costs against those who killed his family. Also stars George Kennedy, Armand Assante, Sean Young, Billy Zane, Peter Jason and Carol Alt; from Lionsgate.
Foreign:
SKD USA/Koch have two offkilter films this week: First up is "Change My Life" (2001 -- France), starring Fanny Ardant and Rochdy Zem. Two fallen angels help each other pick up the pieces of their shattered lives: Unemployed actress Nina staggers through the streets of Paris, succumbing to a massive overdose of tranquilizers and ultimately collapsing into unconsciousness. Only one person comes to her aid -- Sami, a lonely Algerian jogging by. But after saving her life, he disappears into the night ... "Total Western" (2000 -- France) stars Samuel Le Bihan and Jean-Pierre Kalfon. After a drug deal goes wrong, a young man goes into hiding at a reform school in the countryside; when his location is discovered, he and the kids have to protect themselves with whatever means they can.
For the Family:
In the animated adventure "Elephant Tales" (2006), orphaned elephants Zef and Tutu set off across the African plains to search for their kidnapped family; $26.98 from MGM.
Special Interest:
Three unusual documentaries arrive this week, all from First Run Features: "A Hole in a Fence" (2008) is a new documentary from filmmaker D.W. Young that chronicles the changing fortunes of Red Hook, Brooklyn, one of New York City's most unique neighborhoods. It's the story of a vanished homeless community and the young architect who documented it; of an urban farm run by local kids amidst a landscape of industrial decay; of young graffiti writers losing their stomping grounds; of the arrival of a controversial Ikea megastore; of a photographer's vision of nature's renewal; of the doomed struggle to save a rare part of the neighborhood's working waterfront; and of a filmmaker's discovery of a fleeting, hidden world on the other side of a rusty old fence. $19.95 ... "The Early Works of Cheryl Dunye" (1990-94) includes six shorts by the director Newsday called "the lesbian Spike Lee"; her acclaimed first feature was "The Watermelon Woman" (1996). Extras include an interview with Cheryl Dunye, " More About The Watermelon Woman." $24.95 ... "Passion & Power: The Technology of Orgasm" (2008) is based on Rachel Maines' bestselling book, "The Technology of Orgasm, Passion & Power." This documentaryt explores the history of the vibrator, from the Victorian era -- when doctors used the device to relieve women of "hysteria" -- through the sexual revolution of the 1960s to the postfeminist present. Extras include behind the scenes, antique vibrators, a "Dancing Vibrator" trailor, more. $24.95.
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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:
Blue Blood (aka If I Didn't Care) (2007) Roy Scheider, Bill Sage, Susan Misner, Noelle Beck, Ronald Guttman. Indie thriller about a seasoned private investigator tasked with untangling a murder in the exclusive community of the Hamptons. (Koch Vision).
Change My Life (2001 -- France) Fanny Ardant, Rochdy Zem. Two fallen angels help each other pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Unemployed actress Nina staggers through the streets of Paris, succumbing to a massive overdose of tranquilizers and ultimately collapsing into unconsciousness. Only one person comes to her aid -- Sami, a lonely Algerian jogging by. But after saving her life, he disappears into the night. (SKD USA/Koch).
The Dark Knight (2008) Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall, Nestor Carbonell, Melinda McGraw, Nathan Gamble, Michael Jai White. Extras: "Gotham Uncovered" behind-the-scenes featurette, "The Dark Knight" Imax scenes, "Gotham Tonight" episodes, poster and stills galleries, digital copy of the film, more. Available as a single-disc DVD, a two-disc Special Edition DVD, and a two-disc Blu-ray edition. (Warner).
Deadwood: The Complete Series. Gift Box with 19 discs, $179.97.Extras: "The Meaning of Endings": David Milch on the conclusion of "Deadwood," "The Real Deadwood: Out of the Ashes," Q&A with cast and creative team, Deadwood 360 tour, Al Swearengen audition reel (as performed by Titus Welliver). (HBO Video).
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008) Voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell, Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Isla Fisher, Dan Fogler, Amy Poehler, Dane Cook, Jaime Pressly, Jonah Hill. Extras: Single Disc: Commentary by directors Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, "Ice Age" short "Surviving Sid." Two-Disc Special Edition: Includes single-disc content and adds digital copy of the film, deleted footage and animation screen tests, "That's One Big Elephant: Animating Horton" featurette, "Bringing the Characters to Life" featurette, "Meet Katie" featurette, "Elephant Fun: The Facts featurette, "Our Speck: Where Do We Fit In?" featurette with kids, "A Person Is a Person: A Universal Message" featurette with cast and crew, "Bringing Seuss to Screen" featurette, "The Elephant in the Room: Jim Carrey" profile, "We Are Here! Game." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).
The Early Works of Cheryl Dunye (1990-94) Six shorts by the director Newsday called "the lesbian Spike Lee"; her acclaimed first feature was "The Watermelon Woman" (1996). Extras: Interview with Cheryl Dunye, " More About The Watermelon Woman." $24.95. (First Run Features).
Elephant Tales (2006) Animated adventure. Orphaned elephants Zef and Tutu set off across the African plains to search for their kidnapped family; $26.98. (MGM).
Europa (1991) Dir.: Lars von Trier; Jean-Marc Barr, Barbara Sukowa, Udo Kier. New, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras: Commentary featuring director Lars von Trier and producer Peter Aalbaek Jensen; "The Making of Europa" (1991), a documentary on the film from storyboarding to production; "Trier's Element" (1991), a documentary featuring an interview with von Trier, and footage from the set and Europa's Cannes premiere and press conference; "Anecdotes from Europa" (2005), a documentary featuring interviews with film historian Peter Schepelern, and cast and crew from the film; 2005 interviews with cast and crew; conversation with von Trier from 2005, in which he speaks about the "Europa" trilogy; "Europa -- The Faecal Location" (2005), a short film by Gislason; booklet featuring a new essay by critic Howard Hampton. (The Criterion Collection).
Gunsmoke: Season Three, Volume One (1957-58) Three-disc set with 19 episodes, $39.99. (Paramount).
Happy Days: The Fourth Season (1976-77) Three-disc set with 23 episodes, $39.99. (Paramount).
A Hole in a Fence (2008) A new documentary from filmmaker D.W. Young that chronicles the changing fortunes of Red Hook, Brooklyn, one of New York City's most unique neighborhoods. It's the story of a vanished homeless community and the young architect who documented it; of an urban farm run by local kids amidst a landscape of industrial decay; of young graffiti writers losing their stomping grounds; of the arrival of a controversial Ikea megastore; of a photographer's vision of nature's renewal; of the doomed struggle to save a rare part of the neighborhood's working waterfront; and of a filmmaker's discovery of a fleeting, hidden world on the other side of a rusty old fence. $19.95. (First Run Features).I Am Legend Ultimate Collector's Edition (2007) Will Smith, Alice Braga, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Willow Smith, Charlie Tahan. Three-Disc Special Edition DVD boxed set. Extras: Exclusive 44-Page concept sketch book, 10 concept illustrations, six art cards showing international cities devastated by the Plague Virus, four animated comics, a lenticular lucite commemorative piece featuring imagery from the film, letter from the director, commentary by director Francis Lawrence and screenwriter-producer Akiva Goldsman, deleted scenes, alternate version of the film with a controversial ending, "Creating I Am Legend" minidocumentary gallery, "Cautionary Tale: The Science of I Am Legend," four animated comics, two live-action shorts directed by Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith rehearsal footage of alternate ending, previsualizations of key special effects sequences, visual effects featurette, digital copy of theatrical version. Available as a three-disc DVD set ($49.92) and a two-disc Blu-ray set ($59.99). (Warner).
Lost: The Complete Fourth Season --The Expanded Experience. Five-disc set with 14 episodes, $59.99. Extras: Commentaries, bloopers, deleted scenes, "Freighter Folk," "Transforming Hawaii," "Gun Tracking," "The Music of Lost." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Disney).
McLeod's Daughers: The Complete Seventh Season. Eight-disc set with 32 episodes of the series about a largely-female workforce at a large family-owned Australian cattle ranch; airs on WE: Women's Entertainment channel in the States. $79.98. (Koch Vision).
The Man Who Came Back (2008) Eric Braeden, George Kennedy, Armand Assante, Sean Young, Billy Zane, Peter Jason, Carol Alt. Traditional western about one man who stood fearlessly against injustice. Framed for murder and left for dead, Paxton (Eric Braeden) fights back to seek revenge at all costs against those who killed his family. (Lionsgate).
Murnau, Borzage and FoxA 12-disc collection saluting F. W. Murnau and Frank Borzage, directors whose daring camera movements and visually extravagant styles were integral in the development of modern movies: "Lazybones" (1925) -- Frank Borzage, "Street Angel" (1928) -- Frank Borzage, "7th Heaven" (1927) -- Frank Borzage, "Sunrise" (1927) -- F.W. Murnau, "Lucky Star" (1929) -- Frank Borzage, "They Had to See Paris (1929) -- Frank Borzage, "City Girl" (1930) -- F.W. Murnau., "Liliom" (1930) -- Frank Borzage, "After Tomorrow" (1932) -- Frank Borzage, "Young America," (1932) -- Frank Borzage, "Song O' My Heart," (1930) -- Frank Borzage, "Bad Girl," (1931) -- Frank Borzage; "Murnau, Borzage and Fox (2008), a feature length documentary by filmmaker John Cork examining the early history of Fox films and studio head William Fox and his patronage of German expressionist F.W. Murnau. In turn, Murnau's cinematic styles would influence Fox's stable of directors including Frank Borzage, John Ford and Raoul Walsh. $239.98. Extras: Still galleries, restoration notes, scores, more. (Fox).
Passion & Power: The Technology of Orgasm (2008) Based on Rachel Maines' bestselling book, "The Technology of Orgasm, Passion & Power," this documentary explores the history of the vibrator, from the Victorian era -- when doctors used the device to relieve women of "hysteria" -- through the sexual revolution of the 1960s to the postfeminist present. Extras: Interview extras, behind the scenes, antique vibrators, "Dancing Vibrator" trailor. $24.95. (First Run features).
Rawhide: Season Three, Volume Two (1960-61) Four-disc set with 15 episodes, $39.99. (Paramount).
Sex and the City The Movie: The Wedding Edition (2008) Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon , Chris Noth, Candice Bergen, Jennifer Hudson, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler. Limited edition four-disc set with 4 1/2 hours of extras, a music CD compilation "Sex and the City: Songs of Romance," a hardcover photo book, numbered certificate of authenticity, housed in a pink wedding album, $69.98. (Warner).
Three Short Films by Werner Herzog "The Dark Glow of the Mountains," "Ballad of the Little Soldier" and "Precautions Against Fanatics." (New Yorker Video).
Total Western (2000 -- France) Samuel Le Bihan, Jean-Pierre Kalfon. After a drug deal goes wrong, a young man goes into hiding at a reform school in the countryside; when his location is discovered, he and the kids have to protect themselves with whatever means they can. (SKD USA/Koch).
Warner Bros. Horror Double Feature. Two double-discs: "The Shuttered Room" (1967), starring Gig Young and Carol Lynley, with "It!" (1966), starring Roddy McDowall; and "Chamber of Horrors" (1966), starring Patrick O'Neal, with "The Brides of Fu Manchu" (1966), starring Christopher Lee; $19.98 each. (Warner).
The Wire: The Complete Series. Twenty-three disc gift set of all five seasons, $249.99. Extras: Three prequels that explore life before "The Wire," gag reel. (HBO Video).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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