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3/17/09 V13.11
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, March 17 -- Monday, March 23
Elegy
Respected cultural critic and author David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) is a middle-aged college professor who, for years, has lived in a state of "emancipated manhood." His romantic conquests are many; his lasting commitments few. But when a stunning young student (Penelope Cruz) enters his life, her otherworldly beauty captivates him to the point of obsession. She has a strong sense of herself and an emotional intensity that challenges his preconceptions. Kepesh's need for Consuela drives her away. Shattered, Kepesh faces up to the ravages of time, immersing himself in work and confronting the loss of old friends. Then, two years later, Consuela comes back into his life with an urgent, desperate request that will change everything. Vitals: Director: Isobel Coixet. Stars: Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Peter Sarsgaard, Dennis Hopper, Deborah Harry. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 113 min., Drama, Box office gross: $3.577 million, Sony.
Punisher: War Zone! Frank Castle is back, six years (and second film) into his vengeance-driven zeal as "The Punisher"; now he's set to take on the mob. Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti; After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out to seek vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. Based on Marvel's "Punisher" comic book series. Two-disc set. Vitals: Director: Lexi Alexander. Stars: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 103 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $7.948 million, Lionsgate.
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:
Highlight of the week is Fox's standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of the 1953 CinemaScope epic "The Robe"
(1953), directed by Henry Koster and starring Richard Burton, Jean
Simmons, Victor Mature, Michael Rennie, Jay Robinson, Dean Jagger,
Richard Boone, Betta St. John and Jeff Morrow. An extensive restoration
process that took over a year and half to complete, the newly restored
edition of "The Robe" (the first film to be released in CinemaScope)
was a collaboration between 20th Century Fox, the Academy Film Archive
and The Film Foundation, the leading non-profit organization dedicated
to film preservation founded by filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Extras
include commentary by film Composer David Newman and film historians
Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman; "The Making of The Robe"
featurette; "The Music of The Robe: Alfred Newman's Score" isolated
music track; still galleries and an interactive pressbook.
The Criterion Collection will release "Dodes'ka-den" (1970 -- Japan). director Akira Kurosawa's unforgettable film about the daily lives of a group of people barely scraping by in a slum on the outskirts of Tokyo. Yet as desperate as their circumstances are, each of them -- the homeless father and son envisioning their dream house; the young woman abused by her uncle; the boy who imagines himself a trolley conductor -- finds reasons to carry on. The film was made at a tumultuous moment in his life, with all of his hopes, fears, and artistic passion are on fervent display in this, his gloriously shot first color film. In a new, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras include "Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create," a 36-minute documentary created as part of the Toho Masterworks series, about the making of "Dodes'ka-den," including interviews with Kurosawa, script supervisor Teruyo Nogami, actor Yoshitaka Zushi, and other members of the cast and crew; and a booklet featuring a new essay by film historian Stephen Prince and a new interview with Nogami.
From TV to Video:"Barney Miller: The Complete Third Season" (1976-77) is a three-disc set with 22 episodes, $29.95 from Sony ... "Degrassi: The Next Generation Season Seven" (2008) is a four-disc set with 24 uncut and uncensored episodes, $49.99 from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... "Head Case: Season 1" is a single disc with eight 15-minute episodes of the offbeat Starz series about a therapist to the stars, $19.97 from Anchor Bay ... "JAG: The Eighth Season" (2002-03) is a five-disc set with 24 episodes, $55.98 from Paramount ... "Married ... With Children: The Complete Tenth Season" (1905-96) is a three-disc set with 26 episodes, $39.95 from Sony ... "Mr. Belvedere: Seasons One & Two" (1985-86) is a five-disc set with 29 episodes, $44.99 from Shout! Factory ... "My Zinc Bed " (2008) stars Paddy Considine, Uma Thurman and Jonathan Pryce in an HBO drama about a recovering alcoholic who becomes involved with his boss's wife, a former cocaine addict, from HBO Home Entertainment ... "The Nanny: The Complete Third Season" (1995-96) is a three-disc set with 27 episodes, $39.95 from Sony ... "The Zeta Project Season 1" (2001) is a two-disc set with 12 episodes of the animated superheroes, $26.99 from Warner.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
The infamous outlaw Jack Barnett cons a crooked judge,
a local saloon gal and an old partner into partaking in the heist of a
lifetime in Strong>"Return of the Outlaws" (2006); from Lionsgate
... "Van Wilder: Freshman Year" (2009) is the third
installment in the series of popular and rude college humor comedies;
here the young Van follows in his wealthy father's footsteps by
enrolling at prestigious Coolidge College where he launches a personal
crusade to free his school from the shackles of sexual oppression and
party dysfunction; from Paramount ... "Revenge of the Boarding School Dropouts"
(2009) stars Tom Green, Dave England in a snowboarding comedy that has
slacker team leaders struggling with their success; from Peace Arch
Home Entertainment ... A recent engineering graduate, sent to supervise
the demolition of a mysterious building, uncovers a series of murders
in which the victims were buried in the walls of the edifice in "Walled In"
(2009), starring Mischa Barton, Darla Biccum, Cameron Bright and
Shannon Jardine; from Anchor Bay ...William Shatner directed and stars
in "Groom Lake" (2002), a sci fi love story about a
young woman with a terminal illness who sets out to prove the existence
of extraterrestrials, thereby reaffirming some hope of life after
death; her investigation brings her face to face with a military
conspiracy and the truth behind the alien mystery; from E1
Entertainment, formerly Koch ... ... What do you get when you cross one
of Bruce Lee's classic films, Jackie Chan's funniest martial arts
routines, and a touch of '70s blaxploitation cool with one of the
funniest and most watched videos to ever appear on YouTube? "Afro Ninja: Destiny" (2008), starring Mark Hicks, Marla Gibbs and Jim Kelly; $19.99 from Lightyear Entertainment.
"Angel Wars: The Messengers" (2008) is an animated series that centers on the "Guardian Force," a brotherhood of angels sent to Earth to fight fallen spirits who seek to corrupt all of humanity. Honored with The Dove Foundation's "Family Approved" seal, "Angel Wars: The Messengers" touts positive life-lesson messages about empowerment, responsibilities and good versus evil; $19.98 from Fox ... "Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest" (2006) is a CGI-animated fable from acclaimed French filmmaker Michel Ocelot that follows Azur, a nobleman's blond blue-eyed son and Asmar, the nursemaid's dark-skinned and dark-eyed child as they grow up and become rivals in the quest to rescue a beautiful fairy princess; from The Weinstein Co./Genius Products ... "Bakugab: Good vs. Evil Volume 3" features four episodes of the popular Cartoon Network series; $14.97 from Warner ... for pre-schoolers there's "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Seasons 2-4," a two-disc set with 18 episodes; $19.98 from Warner ... "Dragon Tales: Our Amazing Pets," with five episodes from the PBS KIDS series that teaches children the importance of caring for their special pet friends; $12.99 from Sony ... "Bob the Builder: On Site: Skyscrapers" (2009), a mix of animation and live-action that shows kids how skyscrapers are built; $14.98 from HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate ... "Bunnytown: Hello Bunnies" (2009) includes four episodes from the Disney Playhouse Series featuring hip music, colorful bunny characters, humorous skits and important lessons on perseverance, sharing and teamwork; $19.99 from Disney.
Special Interest:
"Monster Black Holes" (2008) is a National Geographic
Channel look at the complex dynamics of a black hole's birth and the
growth of a select few black holes to super massive proportions that
dominate the centers of galaxies; $19.99 from Warner ... "Becoming Family"
(2006) is a documentary on the aftermath of the deadly tsunami that hit
South Asia in 2004 and the Muslim-American and Sri Lankan-born Dr. M.
Rahmi Mowjood who led a team of American doctors and medical students
on a relief trip to his homeland.; $14.95 from Cinevolve Studios ... "From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2"
(2008) is a two-disc set with 13 episodes of the series that takes
viewers backstage with today's rising young musicians and captures the
excitement of their Carnegie Hall debuts; $29.95 from WGBH Boston Video
... "The Matador" (2008) is a documentary on
24-year-old David Fandilla -- known as "El Fandi" throughout the
Spanish-speaking world -- and his quest to become the world's
top-ranked bullfighter; $26.98 from City Lights Home Entertainment ... "Vampire Secrets" (2006) is a History Channel documentary that goes inside the 1,000-year-old myth; $24.95 from A&E Home Video ... "Wuthering Heights"
(2009) is a new Masterpiece Theatre adaptation starring Tom Hardy as
Heathcliff and newcomer Charlotte Riley as Cathy; $24.99 from WGBH
Boston Video.
THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:
Angel Wars: The Messengers (2008) Animated series that centers on the "Guardian Force," a brotherhood of angels sent to Earth to fight fallen spirits who seek to corrupt all of humanity. Honored with The Dove Foundation's "Family Approved" seal, "Angel Wars: The Messengers" touts positive life-lesson messages about empowerment, responsibilities and good versus evil; $19.98. (Fox).
Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest (2006) CGI animated fable from acclaimed French filmmaker Michel Ocelot that follows Azur, a nobleman's blond blue-eyed son and Asmar, the nursemaid's dark-skinned and dark-eyed child as they grow up and become rivals in the quest to rescue a beautiful fairy princess. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products).
Bakugab: Good vs. Evil Volume 3. Four episodes of the popular Cartoon Network series; $14.97. (Warner).
Barney Miller: The Complete Third Season (1976-77) Three-disc set with 22 episodes, $29.95. (Sony).
Becoming Family (2006) Documentary. Six months after the deadly tsunami hit South Asia on December 26, 2004, Muslim-American and Sri Lankan-born Dr. M. Rahmi Mowjood led a team of American doctors and medical students on a relief trip to his homeland. While aiding villagers in a foreign land, surrounded by devastation and uncertainty, the team emotionally connects with those less fortunate, and discovers that, as citizens of the same small planet, we're not so different at all. $14.95. (Cinevolve Studios).
Bob the Builder: On Site: Skyscrapers (2009) Mix of animation and live-action shows kids how skyscrapers are built; $14.98. (HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate).
Bunnytown: Hello Bunnies (2009) Four episodes from the Disney Playhouse Series featuring hip music, colorful bunny characters, humorous skits and important lessons on perseverance, sharing and teamwork; $19.99. Extras: "Bunny Dance," "It's That Time Again" game. (Disney).
Degrassi: The Next Generation Season Seven (2008) Four-disc set with 24 uncut and uncensored episodes, $49.99. Extras: Bloopers, deleted scenes, commentary, photo gallery, Degrassi mini "Webisodes," Degrassi "On the Sets." (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).
Dodes'ka-den (1970 -- Japan) Dir.: Akira Kurosawa; Yoshitaka Zushi, Kin Sugai, Junzaburo Ban, Kiyoko Tange. By turns tragic and transcendent, Akira Kurosawa's "Dodes'ka-den" follows the daily lives of a group of people barely scraping by in a slum on the outskirts of Tokyo. Yet as desperate as their circumstances are, each of them -- the homeless father and son envisioning their dream house; the young woman abused by her uncle; the boy who imagines himself a trolley conductor -- finds reasons to carry on. Kurosawa's unforgettable film was made at a tumultuous moment in his life. And all of his hopes, fears, and artistic passion are on fervent display in this, his gloriously shot first color film. New, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras: "Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create," a 36-minute documentary created as part of the Toho Masterworks series, about the making of "Dodes'ka-den," including interviews with director Akira Kurosawa, script supervisor Teruyo Nogami, actor Yoshitaka Zushi (who played Rokkuchan), and other members of the cast and crew; booklet featuring a new essay by film historian Stephen Prince and a new interview with Nogami. (The Criterion Collection).
Dragon Tales: Our Amazing Pets! (2009) New-to-DVD collection of five animated episodes featuring Emmy, Max and all their Dragon Land pals from the PBS KIDS series for preschoolers, $12.99. (Sony).
Elegy (2008) Stars: Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Peter Sarsgaard, Dennis Hopper, Deborah Harry. Extras: "The Poetry of Elegy" featurette, commentary by writer Nicholas Meyer and producer Gary Lucchesi. (Sony).
From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2 (2008) Two-disc set with 13 episodes of the series that takes viewers backstage with today's rising young musicians, captures the excitement of their Carnegie Hall debuts, and reveals that they bring passion and perseverance not only to classical music, but to everything from speed skating and soccer, to fashion design and model trains; $29.95. (WGBH Boston Video).
Groom Lake (2002) William Shatner directed and stars in this sci fi love story about a young woman with a terminal illness who sets out to prove the existence of extraterrestrials, thereby reaffirming some hope of life after death; her investigation brings her face to face with a military conspiracy and the truth behind the alien mystery. Co-stars Dan Gauthier, Duane Whitaker, Dick Van Patten. Extras: (E1 Entertainment, formerly Koch).
Head Case: Season 1. Single disc with eight 15-minute episodes of the offbeat Starz series about a therapist to the stars, $19.97. Extras: Featurette, deleted scenes, outtakes. (Anchor Bay).
Hollywood Residential Season 1 (2008) Eight episodes, $19.97. (Anchor Bay).
JAG: The Eighth Season (2002-03) Five-disc set with 24 episodes, $55.98. (Paramount).
Married ... With Children: The Complete Tenth Season (1995-96) Three-disc set with 26 episodes, $39.95. (Sony).
The Matador
(2008) Documentary on 24-year-old David Fandilla -- known as "El Fandi"
throughout the Spanish-speaking world -- and his quest to become the
world's top-ranked bullfighter; $26.98. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (City Lights Home Entertainment).
Mr. Belvedere: Seasons One & Two (1985-86) Five-disc set with 29 episodes, $44.99. Extras: "Saturday Night Live: Mr. Belvedere Fan Club Sketch," cast interviews. (Shout! Factory).
Monster Black Holes (2008) National Geographic Channel look at the complex dynamics of a black hole's birth and the growth of a select few black holes to super massive proportions that dominate the centers of galaxies. As a monster black hole swallows everything in its path, it generates energy that shapes the universe around it in powerful ways. Journey into the heart of a black hole and explore what happens to matter when it falls into a black hole, and whether the Milky Way galaxy will one day come to an end when the black hole at the galaxy's center explodes. $19.99. (Warner).
My Zinc Bed (2008) Paddy Considine, Uma Thurman, Jonathan Pryce. HBO drama about a recovering alcoholic who becomes involved with his boss's wife, a former cocaine addict. (HBO Home Entertainment).
The Nanny: The Complete Third Season (1995-96) Three-disc set with 27 episodes, $39.95. (Sony).
Punisher: War Zone! (2008) Ray Stevenson, Dominic West. Frank Castle is back, six years (and second film) into his vengeance-driven zeal as "The Punisher"; now he's set to take on the mob. Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti; After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out to seek vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. Based on Marvel's "Punisher" comic book series. Two-disc set. Extras: Featurettes: "The Making of Punisher: War Zone," "Training to Become The Punisher," "The Weapons of The Punisher," "Meet Jigsaw" and "Creating the Look of The Punisher," commentary, digital copy. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Seasons 2-4 .Two-disc set with 18 episodes of the pre-school cartoon series, $19.98. (Warner).
Return of the Outlaws (2006) John Castellanos, Lorenzo Lamas, Corbin Timbrook. After the brazen escape from his sentence to be hanged, infamous outlaw Jack Barnett cons a crooked judge, local saloon gal and an old partner into partaking in the heist of a lifetime. (Lionsgate).
Revenge of the Boarding School Dropouts (2009) Tom Green, Dave England. Snowboarding comedy has slacker team leaders struggling with their success. Extras: Digital copy. (Peace Arch Home Entertainment).
The Robe: Special Edition(1953) Dir.: Henry Koster; Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Michael Rennie, Jay Robinson, Dean Jagger, Richard Boone, Betta St. John, Jeff Morrow. An extensive restoration process that took over a year and half to complete, the newly restored edition of "The Robe" (the first film to be released in CinemaScope) was a collaboration between 20th Century Fox, the Academy Film Archive and The Film Foundation, the leading non-profit organization dedicated to film preservation founded by filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Extras: Introduction by Martin Scorsese; commentary by film Composer David Newman and film historians Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman; "The Making of The Robe" featurette; "The Music of The Robe: Alfred Newman's Score" isolated music track; still galleries; interactive pressbook. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).
The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 2 and The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 3 (2008) Collection of episodes from the animated CW series, $19.94 each. (Sony).
The Three Stooges Collection Volume Five: 1946-1948. Two-disc set with 25 fan-requested episodes, including "A Bird in the Head," "Brideless Groom" and "I'm a Monkey's Uncle!" $24.96. (Sony). For a complete list of films in this set, Click here.
Vampire Secrets (2006) History Channel documentary that goes inside the 1,000-year-old myth; $24.95. (A&E Home Video).
Van Wilder: Freshman Year (2009) Jonathan Bennett, Kristin Cavallari,Steve Talley, Kurt Fuller, Linden Ashby. A young Van follows in his wealthy father's footsteps by enrolling at prestigious Coolidge College. Much to the easygoing slacker's dismay, however, Coolidge is hardly the party school he envisioned. Instead, it's a strict institution led by an uptight dean-and to make matters worse, all the girls have taken a vow of chastity! Determined to rectify this intolerable situation, the civic-minded Van launches a personal crusade to free his school from the shackles of sexual oppression and party dysfunction. Third installment in the series of popular and rude college humor comedies. Extras: Commentary by director Harv Glazer and cast, "Creating the Legend: The Making of Van Wilder: Freshman Year," "Going Balls Out: Colossus," "Coolidge College: Orientation Video," "Previously on Decatur," "Teacher's Pets," bloopers, more. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Paramount).
Walled In (2009) Mischa Barton, Darla Biccum, Cameron Bright, Shannon Jardine. A recent engineering graduate, sent to supervise the demolition of a mysterious building, uncovers a series of murders in which the victims were buried in the walls of the edifice. Extras: Making-of featurette. (Anchor Bay).
Wuthering Heights (2009) New adaptation starring Tom Hardy as Heathcliff and newcomer Charlotte Riley as Cathy. Masterpiece Theatre. $24.99. (WGBH Boston Video),
The Zeta Project Season 1 (2001) Two-disc set with 12 episodes of the animated superheroes, $26.99. (Warner).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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