Electric Shadow

Return of Night of the Creeps


Fred Dekker's Night of the Creeps has long been a favorite of genre aficionados and until now, had never been on DVD. Thankfully, Sony also put it out on Blu-ray. The movie is that rarified genre crossover that works on every level, it just never became a mainstream hit. It's not really bloody or violent like the slasher movies of the day, which were all about the formula that modern-day torture porn evolved out of. There are sci-fi B-movie elements, zombie/horror bits, and a lot of memorable lines. NOTC was obviously very much an inspiration in the making of the brilliant Dance of the Dead. Creeps is self-effacing and smartly-written, with a great cast. It's wonderful that it's available at all, let alone with the pile of extras included here.

The centerpiece of the show is Tom Atkins as Detective Ray Cameron, a man who loses his first love to an escaped murderer, goes into emotional hibernation for 27 years, and comes fully to life when evil rears its head again. Jason Lively and Steve Marshall play Chris and J.C., a pair of nerdy college pals who unwittingly re-awaken "The Creeps". David Paymer, god love him, has a bit part as an unlucky lab tech. Jill Whitlow plays Cynthia, the unobtainable sorority girl who Chris is obsessed with. Unfortunately for Chris, Cynthia's dating Brad (Allan Kayser), an alpha male fratboy douchebag (not that all fratboys are douchebags) who has a license plate that reads "BRADSTER". Kayser plays the campy version of this archetype that existed before it was drilled deep into the center of the Earth over the last quarter century. A late in the film cameo by Dick Miller is icing on the cake. Missing a recent reunion screening here in Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse is the greatest regret I have in my filmgoing year. Video taken from the Q&A from that screening is excerpted in a doc on the disc.

Extras are the same on both editions, but I hate the cover art used on the DVD and frankly, the Blu-ray cover doesn't..."thrill me" either. I have no idea why they didn't use something like the above poster art. One of the two commentary tracks features the principal cast, and the second is Dekker on his own. The version of the movie on the disc is the director's original cut, which has a different ending than the movie did theatrically. The theatrical ending [SD 0:29] is on there as well, and after watching it, Dekker's original one is much more satisfying. There's a set of 7 deleted scenes [4x3 SD 7:40] as well as a trivia track.

Amazon has the Blu-ray for $15.49, a whopping 50 cents more than the DVD at $14.99. I told a friend I would custom-make some replacement cover art for both. That'll take some time, but I still plan on making it happen. If I do two designs, it'll be reversible.
The most enjoyable featurette, however, focuses on the man, the legend in Tom Atkins: Man of Action [20:00], which is the closest we'll get to a full-on career retrospective documentary for the guy. He talks about how he got into the business and experiences he's had along the way. Thrill Me: The Making of Night of the Creeps [59:44 total] is a five-part documentary put together from interviews done at the time of reuniting the cast for a commentary track and the aforementioned Alamo Drafthouse screening. It's split up into the following pieces: Birth of/Cast of/Creating/Escape of/Legend of The Creeps. You'll want to watch the whole thing all in one go. I was a bit disappointed they didn't include the entirety of the Drafthouse Q&A on the disc as I assumed they would. It was good to see a couple friends and familiar Alamo acquaintances. This is the treatment fans of genre movies wish all our favorite titles got. Kudos to Sony for doing it right on this one.
Read More

FF09: Serious Contender

The pooh-poohing about the Coen Bros.' latest is all hot air. I really don't think A Serious Man would or could win Best Picture, but it will be nominated. The subject matter is not garden variety Oscar bait, but it stands as one of the top prestige pedigree movies that will be in the running for awards. ASM is rather unique amongst its peers in the race as well, which raises its chances in the year when variety is the spice of Oscar...but enough Oscar talk eating its own tail.

A Serious Man opens with an invented Jewish fable, which I gather is intended to feature the ancestors of the family at the movie's center. Michael Stuhlbarg is the fresh new face of the movie, and he has the most delicate, nuanced job in playing Larry Gopnick, a mathematics professor and father whose life and family are crumbling around him. His kids Sarah and Danny (Jessica McManus and Aaron Wolff) are shooting off in their own directions as kids do in their tween and teen years. They only acknowledge their dad's existence when they need him to do things for them. His wife Judith (Sari Lennick) is leaving him for someone he has trouble believing she's going with. Larry's brother Arthur (Richard Kind) has various issues that prevent him from functioning in the world without Larry protecting him. On top of that, Prof. Gopnick on the tenure track and he's awaiting the final decision of the committee that holds his fate in their hands. The thing is, the movie really isn't about any of the crap going on in Larry's life. A Serious Man is more an indictment on traditionalist thinking and customs, which only make the misery of life more insufferable. Just when you think a nice Bar Mitzvah or chat with a rabbi is going to add some normalcy to things and make everything a little better for a short while, you're dead wrong. Life is a never-ending series of compounding complications that suffocate you faster each time you break free. Hiding for shelter behind these customs only puts more stuff in between you and the weight that's trying to crush you. Jesus H. Christ of Nazareth, that's pretty bleak. People said No Country for Old Men was bleak, but this hits people where it hurts the most: right in the suburbs. I should mention while I'm thinking of it that A Serious Man is not "too Jewy". I know comparatively as little about Judaism as I do Catholicism or Islam or Methodism. If you've got a deep-seated aversion to Jews or Judaism, you've got other problems and won't like many things in addition to this movie. Every actor on screen is on the same wavelength of not-quite-reality as one another, true to the Coens' form. Fyvush Finkel is a welcome presence at the beginning, and various others keep things going throughout, including Fred Melamed as Sy Ableman, Simon Helberg as a young rabbi, Adam Arkin as Larry's lawyer, and David Kang as perturbed student Clive Park. If I go on, I'll list the whole cast as having been amazing. There's not a single weak link. A great deal of credit should go to the Coens in casting all these lovely people playing unlikable creatures. Joel and Ethan have flawlessly created yet another self-contained parallel universe. I hope everyone has a chance to see this before it disappears to make way for holiday fare.
Read More

Disc Roundup (TV) 10.20 and 10.27.09


British TV Release of the Week (10.27) Trial & Retribution: Set 3 (DVD only) Behind the Scenes documentary [46:00] with cast & crew interviews, bio of series creator Lynda La Plante Lynda La Plante, auteur of the hugely successful ITV series Prime Suspect, designed the show as what she would move on to from PS. As with so many TV products of the UK, T&R uses a brilliant strategy of airing halves of each two-hour episode on consecutive evenings. Thus, a season of the show has generally been 3 or 4 episodes (6 or 8 hours of material). The shooting style is high-tension, with plenty of split-screen and lots of different POV choices, from people to inanimate objects to omniscient observer points. More thrilling than most of the generic, repainted old procedural templates used in "new" American shows. It's taking some time to dig into this one, but jumping in on Season 3 hasn't proven difficult without seeing the earlier episodes.

New Release of the Week (10.27) Three Sheets: Seasons 1-3 (DVD only) over an hour of cut footage and outtakes A lovely show that's not much more than a big pub crawl from show to show, but that's why it's good to watch. Host Zane Lamprey goes from town to town all over the world finding the best drinks and best places to consume them. It originally aired on iNDemand Networks' MOJO HD, and the new season ran on the Fine Living Channel, which I don't think I get on my multi-hundred channel cable package. You've probably never heard of this show (as I hadn't), but it's really better than the majority of random crap I find on the cable channels I get from Time Warner.

Catalog Release of the Week (10.20) Blackadder: The Complete Collection Remastered (DVD only) I covered this one a few days ago. The price is lower, the picture is better, and there's a pile of new extras. New to Blu Catalog Release of the Week (10.27) The Prisoner: Complete Series (Blu-ray only) The previous DVD release of The Prisoner looked terrible. According to all reports, the transfer on this new edition is absolutely stunning. New Release (10.20) Numbers: Season 5 (DVD only) Cast & Crew Commentary on 3 episodes, Blloper Reel, Deleted Scenes Featurettes: Crunching NUMB3RS: Seaosn 5, Celebrating 100 I have never been a follower of this show, but whenever I find myself flipping around on a Friday night and land on it, I can jump right in. The show follows an FBI agent (Rob Morrow) and his genius math professor brother (David Krumholtz) teaming up so that the FBI can apply statistical math to their cases, resulting in an arithmetic dork (me) losing his Friday night watching the show. It's easy to say it's got the elements of a Law & Order-style cop procedural mixed with an episode of House, MD, which is a really appealing fusion of style for me. This season, the show hit the magic "syndication milestone" of 100 episodes. If there's a formula for plugging holes in network schedules, the guys who created the show worked it out. The L Word: (Final) Season 6 (DVD only) Featurettes: 11th Annual Women's Event of the New York LGBT Community Center, Generations, The L Word Photos from Jennifer Beals Via Ebridge Technology: first two episodes of United States of Tara, first two episodes of The Tudors S3, a chapter from Marlee Matlin's biography I'm not the only one who thinks the tagline for the final season of this show ("going down...in history") is hilarious, right? This three-disc set from Showtime/Paramount contains the final 8 episodes. The description of what happens in this conclusion to the show makes it sound like a soap opera crossed with a suspenseful murder mystery. Catalog New to DVD (10.20) (all DVD-only) It's Garry Shandling's Show: The Complete Collection Shout! Factory has at long last put out the precursor to The Larry Sanders Show all in one box. Haven't touched this one yet, but it's going on my lengthy "to get" list. Vega$: Season 1 Vol. 1 Episodic Promos on select episodes Michael Mann created this show that starred Robert Urich as private eye Dan Tanna, and it's finally on DVD. Tony Curtis plays the owner of a hotel called the Desert Inn. Slim Pickens, Cesar Romero, Kim Basinger, Maureen McCormick, Doc Severinsen, and various others guest starred during the show's first season. This release collects the 11 episodes that make up the first half of Season 1. The Transformers: 25th Anniversary Matrix of Leadership Edition The extras on this are extensive, and I've had it for a couple of months, since it was exclusively available via mail order from Shout! directly. A comprehensive review will follow by the end of the week. The Judy Garland Holiday Show This is Judy Garland's 1963 special that featured Jack Jones, Liza Minnelli, Lorna & Joey Luft, Mel Torme, and Tracy Everett. This show really came at the height of her fame, and includes enjoyable versions of "Consider Yourself", "Steam Heat", "Where is Love?", and "Wouldn't it be Lovely?". Hawaii Five-O: Season 7 Episodic Promos on select episodes This set collects all 20 hours over 24 installments and six discs of the seventh season and includes the "next week" promos on some episodes. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: The Best of Season 2 Peanuts 1970's Collection Volume 1 Reissue/Repackage (10.20) Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered Covered here along with Blackadder. Homicide: Life on the Street Complete Series There's nothing new here, they just re-did the packaging so that it's more compact and sturdy. New Release (10.27) Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) (Blu-ray & DVD) This three-part documentary on the life and legacy of Monty Python aired on the IFC channel here in the US. Catalog New to DVD (10.27) The Guardian: Season 1 The Guardian aired for three seasons on CBS, and it's only just now on DVD, largely thanks to star Simon Baker (The Mentalist) exploding in popularity thanks to his new hit show. Aussie Baker's American accent is sharp here as it is in his new show. He plays Nick Fallin, a big-deal attorney who gets busted on drug charges and is sentenced to 1500 hours of community service. His punishment turns out to be a boon for the lawyer who had lost his purpose in life. It's always good to see Dabney Coleman, who co-stars as Fallin's dad. There aren't any extras on this set, but I'm glad I can at least watch a show I honestly never knew was on the air. Simon Baker's asking price will finally go through the roof when someone puts him in the right film project, but who knows when that'll happen. Family man Baker seems happy with the stationary, regular world of TV, since he isn't bending over backwards to accept feature film gigs like so many other small screen actors. Mannix: Season 3 On the Road with Charles Kuralt: Set 1 The grandfather of This American Life originally aired on the CBS Evening News and recently got repackaged and ran on the Travel Channel with some "update bits. Acorn Media's first set of the show includes over six hours of the show, as well as some "update" segments and a bio of host Charles Kuralt. I'll have some more to say on this one come Friday. TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
Read More

Not So Poor Little Orphan

SPOILERS APPEAR FURTHER DOWN I hope that obscenely blatant disclaimer is enough. The DVD and Blu-ray editions of Orphan include very little in terms of extras. There's a featurette called Mama's Little Devils: Bad Seeds and Evil Children, but more interesting is the set of three or four additional scenes that include an alternate ending. I consider the "orphans aren't crazy demons" PSA that auto-runs before the feature a bonus. I had the twist ending of Orphan spoiled for me by various "critics" that had spoiled it on Twitter. Mere minutes later, I asked a friend to confirm whether what I'd been told was accurate. It turned out to be exactly what was "wrong with Esther". That gimmicky twist is exactly why this movie is perfectly-branded under the Dark Castle label. William Castle would be gushing tears of joy if he'd seen this thing go out under his tribute brand. I'm going to touch on both that spoiler and the ending in the paragraphs that follow, so you have been more than warned. Suffice to say the movie is worth a rental, especially with the couple of "alternate version" aspects to the extras. SPOILERS FOLLOW I didn't watch the movie until the other morning. The movie is diverting overall, and worth watching at least once. I was somewhat surprised that I had as much fun with this film from Jaume Collet-Serra, who also directed the House of Wax remake and Goal! II. The investment of the actors into their characters is so complete that even the most implausible, illogical moments don't derail the thing. Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard are quite good as the parents, and Isabelle Fuhrman is ok for a kid actor as Esther until it's revealed that she's a 33-year-old pituitary dwarf. At that point, she really blew me away. Esther went from generic evil kid to one-shot and it's gone, wow-inducing force of evil. The alternate ending smells of "the studio wants one that's open-ended for a franchise, let's shoot something no one wants to see". The other alternate scenes don't include the completely different final confrontation or lead-up that would have needed to happen for Esther to remain the only survivor. I wonder if they ever tested that version of the movie. Not because I'm some kind of a freak, but because it's one of the diciest things to handle, I wonder how they killed the little deaf girl.

The DVD is $17.99 at Amazon, and the Blu-ray is $19.99. They hit the street this past Tuesday the 27th.
Read More

Blu Trick R Treat

Tonight is the best night of the year to watch this movie, which I've covered numerous times. I had a chance to dig into every nook of the Blu-ray with the exception of the commentary by writer/director Mike Dougherty. The movie itself is more one to own than rent once a year, and the extras are all substantive enough that one can expect not to see a double dip. Starting things out is How Did Many of Our Scary Traditions Start? [27:00], which covers the origins of Halloween and how society has stifled or stigmatized so many things. Brian Cox narrates it, and everyone from the director & Bryan Singer to some of the actors to experts and authors chime in. There are 9 Additional Scenes [16:50], which are a mixture of deleted, alternate takes, and extended versions of existing scenes. Trick R Treat: Season's Greetings is an original animated short also directed by Dougherty. Both the excised material and the short feature optional commentary by the writer/director. Rounding things out are a visual effects comparison featurette for the school bus sequence and a Digital Copy. Vote with your wallet on titles like this one. Keeping it difficult to find in stores (online and off) is the best way to send studios a message regarding what you'll spend money on.

The Blu-ray is $22.99 and the DVD is $15.99 at Amazon. They were released back on October 6th, and have both been hard to find in brick & mortar shops.
Read More

Five Decades Later


A shot of the opening titles off my LG flatscreen
I agree with Jeff, this is like watching a fresh print in first run. In a year of remarkable HD home video transfers, I didn't think I'd be as stunned as I was within the opening minutes of watching Warner's North by Northwest Blu-ray, which is out next Tuesday (3 Nov). This brand-new transfer from the original VistaVision negative is just sublime. I've never seen the film this clean and clear, and with little evidence of any Digital Noise Reduction at all. The red color-shift issues on the previous DVD edition are completely gone, and the level of detail is just jaw-droppingly good. Some of the best examples include the costumes and depth of field in interior locations, but above all the sequence in the cornfield, from the dust swirling to the dead stalks of corn is the best showcase.

From the book that's built into the case
The contrast level has been fixed from the previous edition also, so it's not as blown out. If you look at screen captures online, you may be inclined to say "oh God, why is the new edition so dark?" Since DVD works with such limited resolution compared to Blu-ray, a lot of weird adjustments would be made for the sake of it looking right on much lower quality, smaller, and non-HD screens. 1080 progressive pixels versus 480 interlaced ones vertical makes all the difference in the world. If they didn't over-do the brightness on the DVD, you wouldn't have been able to see Cary Grant in the long shot where's he's standing across the road from the guy who gets off the bus. They'd both just be silhouettes. This is why I don't implicitly trust screen capture comparisons like the DVD Beaver one linked here.

The art and content in the book are better than other releases of the type thus far. It's all efficiently-edited and laid out beautifully.


The extras are partly carried over from the paper snapper case 2000 DVD that was reissued in 2004. The commentary track is the same one with screenwriter Ernest Lehman going it solo. Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest [4x3 SD 39:25] is a reasonably substantive behind-the-scenes/making-of featurette hosted by Eva Marie Saint. The music-only audio track is preserved, as are the stills gallery and theatrical trailers and TV spot. I loved watching the feature with just the music, and I expect to watch it dialogue-free many more times to come.

The new extras include a pre-existing feature documentary and two 2009 vintage featurettes. Cary Grant: A Class Apart [4x3 SD 1:27:12] aired on TCM back in 2004 and can also be found on the recent 2-disc DVD of Bringing Up Baby. Narrated by Helen Mirren, it's a look at the whole of his life and career, from sad childhood to the vaudeville stage, and into the movies. Interview participants include colleagues like Martin Landau, critics like Elvis Mitchell, and even a couple of ex-wives. As with all of TCM's career profile pieces, it's meticulously put-together and worth your time.

The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style [16x9 HD & SD 57:32] is part Hitchcock style primer and part talking heads gushing about his style. Participants include Guillermo del Toro, William Friedkin, Martin Scorsese, Christopher McQuarrie, Camille Paglia, and a pile of others, all with something worthwhile to say. The video quality ranges from standard-def (archival interview footage) to full HD (the talking heads). The oft-repeated "baseball and a bomb" case study on suspense told by the great director is in there, along with plenty of little nuggets from the various directors, screenwriters, and Hitch experts.

I particularly like the back cover art. Whereas I'm not crazy about the cover, it's grown on me since it arrived. I realize, of course, that the spine art is what I'll see most often whilst browsing my top shelf.
The other brand-new bit, North by Northwest: One for the Ages [16x9 HD 25:29]) is culled from the same talking head interview footage used in The Master's Touch and focuses specifically on the craft and legacy of NXNW. Amazon has this Blu-ray, which carries my highest recommendation, for $20.99. There is a DVD version for $12.49, but I have no idea why you'd buy a DVD of this title instead of Blu-ray at this point.
Read More

Disc Roundup (Movies) 10.20.09

I've highlighted four major "Releases of the Week" that I think are important for one reason or another. I won't be awarding that distinction for the sake of having one each week, but here, it's merited.


New Release of the Week They Killed Sister Dorothy (DVD only) This was one of the best documentaries I saw over 18 months ago at South by Southwest 2008. The saints at First Run Features picked it up for DVD release after it got on the Oscar shortlist for the Feature Documentary award. The only extra I'm aware of on this one is an Update featurette. I'll get my hands on it at some point soon I'm sure. Everyone should put it in the top tier of their Netflix queue so that Netflix will buy a bunch of copies. Vintage Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Easy Rider (Blu-ray only) The transfer on this disc makes me feel good about owning an HDTV, let alone a Blu-ray player. This needs to be on the "need to get" list once you know you're going Blu. Recent Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Monsoon Wedding (Blu-ray & DVD) I don't trust anyone with movies shot on 16mm blown up to 35mm and transferred to Blu-ray except for Criterion, and this release is a great example of why. New to DVD Catalog Release of the Week Sherlock Holmes: The Archive Collection (DVD only) Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour: Arthur Wontner, 1931. Lost in Limehouse: Olaf Hytten as Sheerluck Jones, 1933. Limejuice Mystery: Herlock Sholmes marionettes, 1930. Sting of Death: Boris Karloff as the mysterious Mycroft, 1955. The Man Who Disappeared: John Longden as Sherlock, 1951. A Case of Hypnosis: Prof. Lightskull the chimpanzee! 1952. Strange Case of Hennessy: Cliff Edwards as Silo Dance, 1933. The Speckled Band: Alan Napier as Sherlock, 1949. The Copper Beeches: Georges Treville, 1912, with special musical score. Man With The Twisted Lip: Eille Norwood, 1921, with special musical score. The Screaming Bishop: Hairlock Combs cartoon, 1944. Bonus Film starring Basil Rathbone as an army officer in The General's Boots from 1954 If you aren't excited by the contents of this set, I'm not certain you have a pulse. Based on my rudimentary research, most if not all of the content in this set has never been available on DVD in the US before now. I haven't touched this thing yet, but at $22.49, I'll have it as soon as Amazon can get it here. I'm eager to see what picture quality is like. New Release

Cheri (DVD only) The Making of Cheri, Deleted Scenes Cheri is very intellectually provocative, beautifully art-directed and staged. It's the kind of arthouse movie that's going extinct right before our eyes. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Lea, a courtesan with a legendary reputation as the best of the best who takes on teaching the ways of romance to the 19-year-old son (Rupert Friend) of a former adversary (Kathy Bates). They fall for each other, much to the surprise of them both. The ensuing friction caused by their explosive sexual chemistry and conflicts with each other and society at large make for a substantive experience. With regard to aging, neither wants to get older and proceed to a new stage in their lives: for him, adulthood, and her, the days after youth. Cheri is a rich, multi-course meal made with only the finest ingredients. I was hoping they'd release this one on Blu-ray, with all the lovely colors and textures present. It'll happen eventually, but for the time being, at least it's out there. Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead (Direct to Blu-ray & DVD) Deleted Scenes Featurettes: "Action, Gore and Chaos!", "Brothers in Blood", "Three Finger's Fight Night" I love that this direct-to-video second sequel is pitched on its cover as "too violent for theaters". It's almost defensive, if it weren't sort of endearing. I also love that the press release refers to the extras as "horrific". I do not think that means what they think it means. In this installment of the mutant hillbilly cannibal franchise, the family of man-eaters are pitted against a gang of convicted murderers who've escaped their prison transport. I can't wait for the sequel, in which Three Finger and his family fight half-men, half-animals. Maybe the fifth movie can work in some dinosaurs. I kid, but you'd be surprised what comes out of Hollywood these days. The movie was shot in Romania and directed by the illustrious director of such Sci Fi Channel classics as Cyclops and Rock Monster, the cast is all unknowns trying to find a horror movie that will actually get them some work. I'm going to try my best to get through all three of these movies in the near future. I can't guarantee I won't walk out on them in my living room, but I will try. Blood: The Last Vampire (Blu-ray & DVD) Featurettes: The Making of Blood: The Last Vampire, Battling Demons: Behind the Stunts Blu-ray Exclusive: Storyboard Gallery, BD-Live connectivity The anime this is based on is actually very good. This movie falls into the Dragonball bin of bad anime adaptations, unfortunately. Saya is a 400-year-old, half-vampire samurai who has spent centuries hunting full-blooded vampires. She works for a secret society called The Council. They send her off to a military base, where she encounters Onigen, the most powerful vampire of all. "Oni" is Japanese for "demon", by the way. The Stunts featurette with Corey Yuen is far more diverting than the feature, frankly. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Blu-ray & DVD) I grew up a fan of the cartoon, but I really can't bring myself to care about this movie or its predecessor at all (I've yet to watch either one). Catalog New to Blu Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory I covered this one here. It's a port of the HD-DVD, and that's about it, aside from a little cleanup work I think I saw and the admittedly thin "book" portion of the case. Ichi the Killer (DVD also) Escaflowne: The Movie Waterworld This is the Theatrical Cut, with nary a mention of the Extended Cut. It's probably better to never watch this movie again. Reissue Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: "Those Aren't Pillows!" Edition (DVD only) This is an abominable name for anything. I won't bother until this is on Blu-ray, even with new extras. I think Paramount is shooting themselves in the foot by not having a Blu-ray of this available in time for the holidays. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
Read More

Lasting Blu Book Value


The most beautiful thing about Sony's new Blu-ray transfer of Easy Rider is the rich color palette only hinted at in the previous DVD edition. The browns and reds don't bleed together, and the landscape can be seen in enough new detail that it isn't just there, it pops. The finer detail on the characters both at rest and in motion is gorgeous, from articles of clothing down to spokes in wheels. I've never seen Easy Rider projected (which kills me, honestly), but the natural grain in the image makes it look like a newly-struck print. One of the reasons I love the Blu-ray format is that it allows me the opportunity to get as close to seeing a print of so many classic films as I very well may. Repertory or "revival" screenings are really on the decline and have been for years.

The commentary track with director Dennis Hopper is appealing and candid, from what little I've had the chance to listen to. Hopper is always good for stories, and he's full of them here. He reminds me of Peter Fonda's appearance at South by Southwest in 2003, where he either put on being high or really was. He jumped from one end of the universe to the other, confounding the moderator (AICN's Harry Knowles) but delighting the audience, who were hoping for a one-of-a-kind experience they got in spades. Hopper only sounds like he's high on nostalgia fumes on the track. Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage runs at just over an hour and covers the whole thing, beginning to end. They touch on the script development, the casting, the making of it, what came after (and since), and of course all things druggy. It's in standard-def, but the more room on this dual-layer BD-50 for the feature, the better. The BD-Live extra here is MovieIQ, a sort of live-updated trivia, filmography, and pop-up fact track thing. The book portion includes bios of the stars and the co-writer, and a piece about the music in the film, but the essay is a great deal more substantive than most "blu books". "Born to Be Wild: Freedom and Captivity in Hollywood Post-Easy Rider" by Travis Baker is good enough you might read it more than once, which I don't usually say outside the mini-books you get from Criterion releases.

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
Much to my satisfaction, Sony has listed the damn extras on the back rather than try to make it look more like a hardcover Dr. Seuss book than a movie disc case. This title not only belongs in any real Blu-ray collection, it has a spot reserved on the top shelf. I dare anyone to name a film more widely-held as being emblematic of that era than this film. Whether it is perfectly accurate or not, the collective consciousness believes this, so this it is. Easy Rider is a great American film, and Sony has delivered in giving it a proper transfer. I also applaud them for letting the film to speak for itself for the most part and not loading it down with goofy featurettes and whorish product-placement "extras" advertising bikes or brands. Amazon's got it for $20.99.
Read More

Glittery Wonka Book


The fact there is no listing of the supplemental materials on the case (or in the book) is bothersome to me, but I don't suppose anyone outside ornery DVD reviewers like me will care about them being missing...or will they? I just stuck the insert that came with it inside the front cover. I did the same thing with the North by Northwest disc (review coming Friday).
Warner Bros. is batting a thousand this year on Blu-ray upgrades of catalog titles, and this is another great example. The master appears to be the same as the HD-DVD on this single-layer BD-25, but with some minor additional spot cleaning. There are no new extras on the disc, so the same things from the HD-DVD and Anniversary Edition DVD are on here.

The "book" part of this Blu-ray is more song lyrics than real, meaty content.
These carried-over extras most prominently include a Feature Commentary with the actors who played all five Golden Ticket winners (Peter Ostrum, Julie Dawn Cole, Denise Nickerson, Paris Themmen, and Michael Bollner). It's the big added value since it's the first time they'd been reunited in over three decades. Next most prominent is Pure Imagination: The Story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory [SD 30:00], which covers the adaptation process and includes interviews with Wilder, the kids, an Oompa Loompa, and various others with behind the scenes footage interspersed throughout. There are some sing-along songs, a short Vintage Featurette from 1971 [SD 4:00], and the original theatrical trailer in standard-def. If you want a testament to the quality of the transfer, watch the trailer and then the feature (it's night and day).

The vintage artwork is nice, as is the bit about Roald Dahl.
If you still have the HD-DVD, you should check to see if this title counts for WB's Red2Blu program to further assimilate your library. It was released last Tuesday, October 20th and Amazon has it for $23.99.
Read More

Breslin Playing Helen Keller

Abigail Breslin is starring in Circle In the Square's new production of The Miracle Worker, set to open on March 3, 2010. It will be staged in the round, according to Playbill. She's got to be hitting this role before she's too old to play it. It's a female child actor rite of passage. I wonder if we'll see her play Annie Sullivan in 15 years. Alison Pill (Milk) will play Sullivan. This is neither here nor there, but I played Dr. Anagnos (Sullivan's mentor) once back in middle school. No one else knew what a Greek accent sounded like, much less could do one.
Read More

Disc Roundup (TV) 10.13.09


New Release of the Week Legend of the Seeker: Season 1 (DVD only) Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentaries Featurettes: Forging the Sword: Crafting A Legend, Words Of Truth: A Conversation With Terry Goodkind Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series of books was originally set to be adapted as a miniseries, but it became a full-blown ongoing series. Legend of the Seeker is one of the sole fantasy TV series on the air (or at least the only one that's any good). I've been a sucker for decently-crafted fantasy TV shows like Hercules: The Legendary Journeys ever since I first got into that show. The fact that Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert are on-board this series as executive producers is a good sign indeed. The first episode is promising in that I may have found a program that airs on ABC Family that I'll actually watch. Catalog Release of the Week The Mighty Boosh: Special Edition (DVD only) There's a whole new disc of extras on this on top of what was already on the three individual season discs. New Release

Flashpoint: Season 1 (DVD only) Commentary on Pilot by series creator Featurettes: Behind the Scenes, "The Human Cost of Heroism" Flashpoint stars Enrico Colantoni as the lead negotiator for Toronto PD's Strategic Response Unit. I'll spare you a refrain of my weakness for police drama. The show's gimmick is that each show has to do with a hostage situation, bomb threat, or "guy with a gun". The name among the supporting cast that stuck out was none other than Amy Jo Johnson, a fine actor in her own right, but who will forever be remembered as the original Pink Power Ranger. It's unfortunate they list Colantoni as Just Shoot Me's Enrico Colantoni, but hopefully the residual checks are nice and fat.

Nick Swardson: Seriously, Who Farted? (DVD only) Beardo & Dirt Nasty Performance, 8 Drinks Later Trailer, Timeless Comedian Featurette, A Very Terry Christmas This guy is best known as the gay rollerskating prostitute Terry on the now-cancelled Reno! 911, but he's totally straight and very much of the video game-playing, gross-out humor-loving Sandler school. This standup special was recorded at Austin's very own Paramount Theater, and there were only a few moments that made me laugh out loud. It's a better showcase of his ability to stay focused and tell a story, which isn't just a key to being a good comic, but a believable actor. The pattern he falls into throughout was quick anecdote, re-enactment using a few funny voices, and a little physical He's also remarkably candid about things like a hidden "Asian Massage Parlor" that he went to only once. A rather good standup special overall compared to many I've suffered through on Comedy Central over the last few years, but he falls into the same drunken fratboy style that Dane Cook made marketable. Girlfriends: Season 7 (DVD only) Selected Audio Commentary with creator Mara Brock Akil The seventh season of one of the few shows on TV featuring non-whites. It is "colorful" in ways that NBC's fall season is not, contrary to their ad campaign.

My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure (DVD only) Six sing-alongs, Waiting for the Winter Wishes Festival prequel, Elefun And Friends animated short, downloadable coloring sheets and activities So why the hell am I reviewing this? My wife grew up on My Little Pony and told me to ask for it. The MLP of her youth is truly very far gone. The design of the "ponies" has taken on the dyed-hair Bratz look. The plot, as described by the press release "follows Pinkie Pie and all her pony friends on a fun-filled adventure as they discover that friendship can make wishes come true. All the ponies can't wait for the Winter Wishes festival where the Wishing Star grants each pony one special wish. But when the Wishing Star disappears, they go on a journey to find it. Will they make it back in time for the festival? Find out by joining Pinkie Pie and all her pony friends on this magical journey of discovery." It's the same type of story as the original show, but the aesthetic is catering as much as possible to stylistic...dare I say...sexualization of My Little Pony. The "ponies" all have dyed hair and accessories. I'm sure they'll wear high heels in future installments. Reissue/Repackage Land of the Lost: Season 1-3 This time out they're available individually rather than all in one lunchbox. Futurama: The Complete Collection TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
Read More

FF09: Killing a Ninja Assassin

Contrary to a lot of the opinions I overheard at Fantastic Fest and that I've read since then, I don't think the action was too fast or too dark. I do think the movie could have been an amazing 20-minute short, however. The feature film that V for Vendetta director James McTeigue ended up with is one part bloody, violent fever dream and one part nostalgia for adults who grew up on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live action films of the 90's.

Korean pop star-turned actor Rain (I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK) plays Raizo, a ninja assassin who goes rogue from his clan after they commit an unforgivable act of violence. Secret clans of ninja have apparently been killing people for centuries (accepting payment in gold), and Interpol is only now on their trail. The presence of various top grade actors like Randall Duk Kim, Rick Yune, and Ben Miles (best-known for Coupling, but he's done better) can't lift this one beyond being merely a great idea for a TV show from 1993. The action is ultra-bloody and rather intricate, but the story just isn't terribly engaging. I saw much better martial arts movies with admittedly thin plots at Fantastic Fest this year. They had a tiny fraction of the budget this one had, but delivered ten times the entertainment. Assassin will appeal to anyone looking for an adrenalized action alternative to holiday/Oscar season movies when it opens in November, but it's not destined to be terribly memorable to anyone.
Read More

Remastered Blackadder & Fawlty Towers



Even though I wasn't into Red Dwarf growing up, I was a regular Saturday night viewer of PBS' reruns of classic British sitcoms. Fawlty Towers and Blackadder were at the top of my favorites list along with Monty Python's Flying Circus. WB/BBC Video have re-transferred both series from their original TV masters and reissued them with a pile of new extras. These now look as good as I expect they can, and the extras are good enough that I'm fine recommending them as "go ahead and finally buy it" titles. Best of all, these new sets cost less than the previous Complete Collections of each show. Blackadder No offense to the Fawlty folks, but between the two, I'm more of a Blackadder nut. If you're not familiar with Blackadder, here's all you should need: Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, and Miranda Richardson in period satirical comedy. Blackadder follows the actors playing different generations of people from one series to the next from earlier eras toward the present and never gets stale (like so much British TV). If you need more than that, there's always Wikipedia

The six-disc digipack book case is rather well-designed.
When I heard they were calling the third Shrek sequel "Shrek Goes Forth", I knew it was an obvious rip-off/reference to Blackadder Goes Forth (the fourth season/series). After the title was announced I'm sure the similarity in progression ("The Third" followed by "Goes Forth") caused a quiet legal inquiry by Blackadder's copyright holders, since the title became Shrek Forever After. The new extras are rather extensive on this six-disc DVD set, so I'll rattle them off by disc: Disc 2 (Blackadder II) 3 Audio Commentaries: on "Bells", Ben Elton, Richard Curtis, & John Lloyd; on "Money", Tony Robinson & Tim McInnerny; and on "Chains", Stephen Fry Disc 3 (Blackadder the Third) 3 Audio Commentaries: on "Ink & Incapability", Rowan Atkinson & John Lloyd; on Amy & Amiability", Ben Elton, Richard Curtis, & John Lloyd; and on Duel & Duality", Stephen Fry Disc 4 (Blackadder Goes Forth) 2 Audio Commentaries: on "Major Star", Tony Robinson & Tim McInnerny and on "Goodbyeee", Rowan Atkinson & John Lloyd

This is what greets you once you pull the inner case out of the slipcover and open it.

It folds out to reveal Baldrick's Family Tree
Disc 5 Blackadder's Christmas Carol Blackadder: The Cavalier Years Blackadder Back and Forth Baldrick's Video Diary Disc 6 Blackadder Rides Again, a 25th Anniversary 60-minute retrospective documentary Extended Interviews with Hugh Laurie, Rowan Atkinson, Richard Curtis & Ben Elton, and Stephen Fry Costumes Revisited with Miranda Richardson, Patsy Byrne, Tony Robinson, and Tim McInnerny Fawlty Towers The 30th Anniversary set collects one of the best 12-episode runs in TV comedy, if you ask me. Quality over quantity is the best standard, one that US networks care much less about than the Brits by and large, much preferring continuing to sell ads during the airtime of the same "product" into infinity.

When you open the inner "book", it lists the disc contents

The anagrams of the title on the discs are a surprise I don't mind spoiling...

...especially "Farty Towels".
New extras include: New Commentary by John Cleese across all 12 episodes 2009 Extended Interviews, including one with Connie Booth A booklet Previously-available extras: Interviews with John Cleese, Prunella Scales, and Andrew Sachs Series 1 Director's commentary by John Howard Davies Series 2 Director's commentary by Bob Spiers Artist Profiles Outtakes Torquay Tourist Guide (documentary short) Cheap Tatty Review Series 1 & 2 are split between Discs 1 & 2. With the exception of the commentaries, the extras are all on Disc 3.

Black Adder Remastered ($59 at Amazon) replaces a set that cost $20 more, and Fawlty Towers Remastered ($35 at Amazon) replaces a set that cost $10 more. Both are big upgrades over their predecessors and were released last Tuesday the 20th of October.
Read More

Criterion Third Man Out Of Print

Criterion's website sure seems to think that it is. [Update 2:53pm CST: Criterion has confirmed to me directly that the rights have expired, so the title is Out Of Print for now, though those rights could still be renewed. You should still get it if you've been thinking about it, since supplies could be dry for a long while even if rights are renewed.] Take this as a warning to grab the Blu-ray ($23.99) while you still can from Amazon.

The transfer and supplements are marvelous on this, one of Criterion's first Blu-ray releases. Cineastes, film professors, and Reed or Welles fans alike, open your wallets while you can. As I said in my review back in February, "it's glorious. I wouldn't change anything when it comes to this transfer. If you "cleaned" it any more, you'd get into the horror show territory that is the Patton Blu-ray disc. The transfer on this disc is a perfect reference for vintage material in HD."
Read More

Tales of Mayhem, Mystery, and Mischief Trick R Treat Book Contest

I'm giving away a brand-new, in the shrinkwrap copy of Trick R Treat: Tales of Mayhem, Mystery, and Mischief in a writing contest. If you attended BNAT 9, you got one of these. My wife and I both went, so I have one I don't need. In celebration of the release of the Trick R Treat DVD/Blu-ray and Halloween in general, I'm shipping it to whoever earns it. The contest timeframe is compressed, so I don't need anything long (there is now word or length limit). I've never done one of these, so here goes. Read on if you're interested.

Images taken from someone's blog via Google Image Search since I left the house without proper photos of my own.
Write on the topic "The Spirit of Halloween" however it strikes you. You can tell me a story (true or invented), write an essay rant about the state of the holiday, write an ode, or literally whatever you want as long as it fits the theme. Poems, fiction, non-fic, plays, an amalgamation...whatever tool you choose is fine. Think outside the box and do something outside the norm for you or do what you know. Make it as short or long as you like and write in whatever medium can be transmitted in an email (including images and video are fine).

Top credit awarded for: ingenuity, passion, and effective telling in whatever medium you choose. Do your best, not what you think I want to hear or would be most receptive to. I'm interested in your perspective more than anything. Extra Credit A: reference the movie Trick R Treat directly, indirectly, or thematically. Extra Credit B: drive friends to follow my Twitter (there's a catch). Introduce them in your submission email (or a followup email) by writing one line about them. the "introduction" can be in the body of your entry, an intro, or a postscript. It doesn't matter where, just get it in there. Quality counts over quantity. This Twitter follower drive is intended to reflect your lack of fear introducing friends to the contest. Entries will be accepted until the end of Halloween night your local time (before 12:01am November 1st). The compressed timeframe is intentional. If you send after the cutoff, there's no guarantee it'll count. Anyone in any country I can mail to may enter, be it New Zealand, South Africa, either Korea, and so on and so forth. Any or all entries received may be reprinted on this column. I reserve the right to reprint, forever and ever, whatever you submit; however, you do retain all other original ownership rights to your writing. The (1) winner will be notified by email and I will ship the book at my own cost to them. From the point I ship the book, I relinquish any and all liability regarding delivery or condition of the item. Submitting an email entry using the instructions below indicates your binding acceptance of these terms. I have to state these things for legal reasons, you understand. If I know you personally, that will not influence my decision (positively or negatively) in any way. If I know you, have met you, whatever, please set up or use an email address I won't recognize. To enter, follow these rules exactly: 1) Compose an email with your entry included (duh). 2) The subject of the email should be exactly what follows after the colon: TRICKRTREATBOOK 3) Send to the title of this column (Arthouse Cowboy) with no spaces at GMail with a .com at the end (I didn't just link or write it out to confound spambots and spiders). If you win, I'll get your name and address later, no need to include those in your submission. This contest, like all the others you see on movie sites across the internet, is designed to drive traffic to this column, but more importantly, regular readers. More contests of the type may follow depending on how this goes.
Read More

FF09: Yatterman


The screening of the new Miike Takashi film was something of a now-legendary happening at Fantastic Fest. I'll get into exactly why in a bit. Yatterman is based on a 30-some-odd year old anime series about a guy, his girlfriend, and a giant robot dog fighting a team of three bad guys who keep coming up with hare-brained schemes. It's much-beloved in Japan, though the show itself was really vapid and repetitive and saw giant robots knocking each other to bits only to be repaired in time for the next episode. There's plenty of naughty humor on display that US parents would find just as objectionable as they do the idea that Astro Boy opens with the protagonist, a young boy, dying in an industrial accident. The clips I've found of the original Yatterman show on YouTube and various streaming sites confirms that Miike did as faithful an adaptation as possible, even including songs sung in the show at random intervals. For the first time in many massively failed attempts like Dragonball, I feel confident in saying someone has nailed a live-action anime. The actors and directors knew they were signing on for a big-budget, effects-laden farce and they sold it.

The amount of nostalgic love for this series is similarly matched on this side of the ocean by fans of Transformers who have eagerly anticipated both live-action installments of that...thing. I grew up on The Transformers and even in my youth felt like it was just a half-hour toy commercial. The TF movies take the source material very seriously, and whereas I admire the writers for trying to make it as plausible and relatable as possible, I rather wish they had taken the tack Miike's Yatterman did and lampoon the life out of it, with nary a sequel in sight. Really, the ending sold the movie for me more than anything, and I don't consider the following reasoning of why I liked it to be spoiler material. One of the more obtuse subtitle translations was the very phrase I'm talking about here, which is along the lines of, "put your toys away and grow up." The infantilization of young adults over the last however many years has just stunned me, and I'm part of the generation most visibly exemplifying this. It's as if in fear of growing older, people retreat to the things they clutched on to in the good old days, when there was just good or evil, none of this grey in-between garbage. Transformers, G.I Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony (why the hell not?), and various other 80's and 90's cartoons that re-ran ad nauseum were the backbone of Reagan-era American ideology-building for my generation. We got closer and closer to the real world, and we much preferred our cartoon fantasy worlds to the one we were facing. What I'm getting at is that unlike the American revivals of franchises like this one, Yatterman is saying "okay, the reverie is over, go make something of yourself." That's a great deal deeper than I expected this thing to go. There are anime series that could make for brilliant, thoughtful live-action narratives, but I smell things like Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion being screwed up from a mile away. The studios that have the bankrolls to make movies out of them aren't going to be willing to go to the places those stories go. They'll take Bebop and try to stretch it out to Matrix 4 through 10 and Evangelion will become some kind of franchise launching mess that'll get lost in development hell. I've been a fan of a number of these series over the years, and I feel that at this point, Yatterman is the best we'll see until studios are ready to gamble with their money and slates a bit. I'd be shocked if a US home video distributor didn't pick this up due to the rabid anime fanbase market combined with Miike completists. So, about that once-in-a-lifetime happening... The screening seated late and started late. That happens at festivals all the time. It turns out the Japanese studio sent over an HDCAM master tape that looked gorgeous, but lacked subtitles. After a lengthy wait while, according to one theater manager, "our guys in the booth are trying to work some magic," we were let in. Alamo Drafthouse & Fantastic Fest programmer Zack Carlson introduced the film by apologizing for the wait and explaining what they were going to try. He explained that the solution they'd worked out was to zoom the HDCAM to the top 80% or so of the screen. On the remaining bottom piece of the screen, they would project something using a second projector: the subtitle portion of the picture from the DVD screener they had on-hand. They masked the second projector just right and were pretty sure they had them synced up perfectly. The only thing that could go wrong would be if the two copies of the film were different cuts. Suffice to say they were the same cut and they showed perfectly in sync to a very impressed audience. Zack's last-minute ingenuity in cases like this easily assures him a retirement as an on-call film festival problem solver. He'll be worth his high price tag just like Winston "The Wolf" Wolfe in Pulp Fiction.
Read More

Disc Roundup (Movies) 10.13.09


New Release of the Week Objectified (Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Copy) One of my favorite films from SXSW 2009 is now available through so many methods of distribution that it's really rather stunning. A documentary about industrial design theory doesn't sound like the sexiest thing in the world on paper, but I'll be damned if it isn't unique. Seek this film out. Catalog Release of the Week Natural Born Killers (Blu-ray & DVD) Covered here. A really outstanding transfer and edition of a memorable film from the 90's. New Release

The Proposal (Blu-ray & DVD) Alternate Ending with Optional Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Feature Commentary with director Anne Fletcher and writer Peter Chiarelli, Digital Copy Blu-ray Exclusive: an Additional Deleted Scene Betty White kept me awake while I watched this. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds are likable enough, and there are some good bits in the script, but everything was so far-fetched, from the plot to the lighting of faces against the green screen scenes. It was nowhere hear as bad as Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, but I really didn't find it memorable in the least. The extras do a great job of showing how really utterly horrible the movie could have been. Even though I love Niecy Nash (Reno! 911), it's definitely for the better they cut the botched original ending they had that featured her prominently. New World Order (DVD only) A conspiracy theorist documentary that played SXSW this year, it mostly focuses on Austin's own Alex Jones, radio host, "documentary" maker, and celebrity among his peers. Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry (DVD only) A doc that played SXSW 2008 about the tattoo pioneer (depending on who you ask). I wish the rum with his name on it didn't make me want to vomit. Drag Me to Hell (Blu-ray & DVD) Land of the Lost (Blu-ray & DVD) Fighter (DVD only) Catalog New to Blu The Craft Director's Commentary, Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary Featurettes: Conjuring The Craft, Behind the Scenes of The Craft The transfer looks sharp and crisp, just like I'm assuming it did in theaters when I was 13. Seriously, though, the effects hold up rather well, and the resolution upgrade is a whole different world than what I remember first seeing on tape. Stop Making Sense South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut How the Grinch Stole Christmas Screwballs Catalog Jack Brown Genius (DVD only) Co-written and executive produced by Peter Jackson, I'll have more on this one after I've watched it. Hardware (Blu-ray & DVD) The cult classic is finally on disc. Happy Birthday To Me I've seen the trailer to this one so many times at the Alamo Drafthouse, I'm amazed it's only just now hitting DVD. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
Read More

Natural Born Killers 15 Years On


Oliver Stone never seemed to be finished editing Alexander. The new Blu-ray edition of Natural Born Killers holds an alleged new cut of the movie. Having not watched the original cut in a long while, I can't immediately put my finger on the differences, but the picture quality and audio are fantastic. New extras include NBK Evolution: How Would It All Go Down Now? and a recently-recorded introduction (both in HD) as well as a new commentary track with Stone. The 44-page booklet in the case includes a very auteur-y written intro by Stone challenging the viewer to decide how they like this, "the way it was meant to be."

The other extras are carried over from previous editions, including another featurette, Deleted Scenes that include performances that weren't ever seen in the film theatrically, a Charlie Rose interview with Stone, the Alternate Ending, and the Theatrical Trailer.

Natural Born Killers hit Blu-ray on October 13th and Amazon's got it for $19.99. The DVD with identical extras is $14.99.
Read More

Disc Roundup (TV) 10.6.09


James Nesbitt as Detective Tommy Murphy

The majestic and under-appreciated Bryce Canyon National Park
British Release of the Week Murphy's Law Season 1 (DVD only) This is a really strong police procedural starring the excellent (and under-appreciated) Irish actor James Nesbitt (Bloody Sunday, Match Point). Nesbitt plays Detective Tommy Murphy, who goes to work for the Metropolitan Police undercover. He's stubborn, a hard drinker, and great to watch. I'm just a couple of episodes in, but I'm sure I've easily found a new show with which to be obsessed. It's gritty, meaty, and very well-written. Normally only 5 episodes of a show would seem like a rip off, but realize these episodes are 90 minutes long apiece and comprise an entire season of episodes from the British style (quality over quantity). New Release of the Week The National Parks: America's Best Idea (Blu-ray & DVD) The rundown of everything on this release is here. I can't recommend it enough for fans of Ken Burns' work or just those with an interest in the National Parks. Catalog Release of the Week Mr. Ed Season 1 (DVD only) It's about time this one showed up on DVD. God bless you, Shout! Factory. New Release

Red Dwarf: Back to Earth (Blu-ray & DVD) Covered here. Medium: Season 5 Featurettes: The Making of Medium Season 5, Script to Screen: "Apocalypse...Now?", Jake and Patricia Q&A, Curious Maria The final season of Medium on NBC apparently vastly outperformed other shows in its terrible timeslot. I've never been into the show, but the story of it getting saved by CBS was thrilling. Bones: Season 4 (Blu-ray & DVD) Catalog

From the new retrospective documentary on the Complete Series set.
Ally McBeal: The Complete Series (and Season 1) (DVD only) It was yet another show that made a bunch of careers explode (Calista Flockheart, Jane Krakowski, Lucy Liu, and Portia de Rossi among others) and helped revive others (Robert Downey, Jr.). Fox has made a wise choice in offering the entire series in a box and then releasing individual seasons. This logic works for all shows that are over and done. If you want it all, it's right there. If you checked out after season X or Y, grab the individual ones you want. There's a pile of new and vintage extras. The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Season 5 (DVD only) In the fifth season of the show, Mary tries her hand at producing (the horror! men's work!), Lou Grant becomes her neighbor, and Ted Baxter starts a rumor that he's dating her. I just realized that Michael Scott on The Office US is a poor man's Ted Baxter. Get Smart: Season 4 (DVD only) TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
Read More