Cartoons are Weird!

Big anime news! Though usually competitors, anime importers Manga and Bandai are teaming up to present a new project based on one of the most beloved animated films of all time. They've got Production I.G. (KILL BILL, BLOOD THE LAST VAMPIRE) working on GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX, a 26-episode TV series that will be released on DVD this summer, and run on the Cartoon Network later this year. GITS is one of those movies that gets better with every viewing, and I.G. is making some of the most amazing anime of recent years, so I'm drooling for this one.

And speaking of anime, this item shows that cartoons have been stretching the [IMG2R]boundaries from the beginning.

(O) JOHNNY LEGEND PRESENTS: COMPLETE WEIRD CARTOONS (Shout Factory) Twisted cartoons from the early days of animation (1910-1945) pour out of Johnny's vault, including works by Walt Disney, Russian bug wrangler Wladyslaw Starewicz, Charley Bowers, Walter Lanz and Max Fleischer. These were big party favorites on tape and disc from Rhino at one time, and now return from out of print status on DVD.

(O) ABSOLUTE AGRESSION (MTI) 1996 sci-fi action in which rich folks of the future pay to battle prisoners in virtual reality.
(O) BLOW UP (Warner Bros.) David Hemmings thinks he took a picture of a murder, but the closer he looks the less he sees is this classic 1966 thriller from Michelangelo Antonioni. Includes commentrak and music track.
(O) BOGUS (Warner Bros.) A family fantasy about a boy's 'imaginary' friend, Gerard Depardieu, with Whoopi Goldberg. That's right, the two stars kids love most in one movie.
(O) THE BUDDHIST FIST (Tai Seng) Yuen Woo-ping's 1979 kung fu classic about twins raised separately that end up dueling to the death.
(O) LE CORBEAU (The Raven) (Criterion) One of Henri-Georges Clouzot's films made under Nazi occupation is the true story of a village doctor defamed by a conspiracy. Includes interview, documentary excerpt, and more.
(O) CROP CIRCLES: Quest for the Truth (Shout Factory) Feature length documentary examines puzzling evidence and research on this strange phenomena. Includes filmmaker interview, scientific reports and crop circle [IMG3L]gallery.
(O) DICKIE ROBERTS: FORMER CHILD STAR (Paramount) David Spade as Dick, whose acting career has been in crisis since he stopped being young and cute. Both widescreen and fullscreen editions include two commentraks, four featurettes, nine deleted scenes, music video and more.
(O) DINOSAUR PLANET (Lions Gate) Two-disc set presents the Discovery Channel's three-hour documentary with brilliant CGI f/x recreating dino life.
(O) DON'T TEMPT ME (First Look) Penelope Cruz vs. Victoria Abril. Fuego! These two chicitas star as an angel and devil battling for the soul of a boxer.
(O) DRACULA'S CURSE (Lions Gate) Something tells me it's not "dagnabbit!" Includes deleted scenes and more.
(O) FU BO (Tai Seng) Eric Tsang and Anthony Wong star in this thriller in which a crime scene cleaner gets involved with a dangerous assassin.
(O) HOUR OF THE WOLF (MGM) 1968 Ingmar Bergman classic has Max Von Sydow fighting a losing battle with madness, and taking wife Liv Ullman along with him. Includes commentrak, interviews, featurettes and gallery.
(O) THE HUNGER: Twisted Spells & Wetwork (York) Final episodes come to DVD.
(O) MASTER KILLER COLLECTION (Tai Seng) A two-pack of vintage kung fu flicks starring Gordon Lau: FISTS & GUTS and WARRIOR FROM SHAOLIN, both with commentraks by Ric Meyers.
(O) THE MYSTERY OF RAMPO (MGM) Based on the works of Japan's master of the macabre, a story of a writer who falls for a woman that seems to have stepped out of one of his books, leading to a truly psychedelic ending.
(O) NIGHTMARE IN BLOOD (Image) A horror convention brings a real vampire to town in this 1970s rarity directed by horror critic John Stanley. Includes interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
(O) PACT WITH THE DEVIL (DEJ) How does Malcolm McDowell keep his career going?
(O) ROSWELL Season 1 (Fox) Six-disc set presents the first 23 episodes of teenagers, aliens, and government conspiracies. Includes selected episode commentary, deleted scenes, gag reel, audition footage, music video and [IMG4R]more.
(O) RUNAWAY JURY (Fox) Hit legal thriller in which Gene Hackman, John Cusack, Dustin Hoffman and Rachel Weisz struggle for control of the jury in a murder trial. Widescreen and fullscreen editions include director's commentrak, deleted scenes, and plenty more.
(O) RUNNING ON KARMA (Tai Seng) Johnny To (THE MISSION) directs this murder mystery starring Andy Lau. 'Nuff said. With Making-Of.
(O) SHIVER (Tai Seng) Supernatural thriller starring Francis Ng and Athena Chu. Includes Making-Of and blooper reel.
(O) S.I.C.K. (Serial Insane Clown Killer) (Lions Gate) A killer clown stalks teen campers.
(O) THE SPIKE JONES STORY (Navarre) Overview of Jones and his oddball spoof of a big band.
(O) THE STUPIDS (Warner Bros.) Tom Arnold is the patriarch of a very dumb family. But you knew that.
(O) TOMIE: REPLAY (Adness/Ventura) In this Japanese horror sequel, a surgeon finds Tomie's head living inside a young girl. Tomie cannot be killed!
(O) UNDER PRESSURE (Columbia TriStar) 1997 thriller starring "Charles" Sheen as a friendly neighborhood psychopath.
(O) WATER MARGIN: THE TRUE COLOR OF HEROES (Tai Seng) Tony Leung Kar-fai, Elvis Tsui and Joey Wong star in this latest version of the much-filmed Chinese classic adventure novel.

And finally, we close off each weekly list with a rundown of the constant stream of anime imported from Japan:

(O) ANGELIC LAYER 4 (ADV Films) The semifinals continue in Kanto in these four episodes. Includes commentrak.
(O) FULL METAL PANIC: Mission 7 (ADV Films) Final three episodes.
(O) LITTLE SNOW FAIRY SUGAR Volume 6: Sugar Baby Love (Geneon) A little girl's adventures with her fairy friends. Just tell the cashier you're buying it for your little sister.
(O) MASTER KEATON Volume 5: Blood & Dust (Geneon) Keaton finds danger and mystery all over the world. 5 more episodes.
(O) MR. WONG (Maverick) National Lampoon presents 14 episodes featuring the ancient Chinese houseboy and his employer, Miss Pam. Not to be confused with the detective character played by Boris Karloff. Includes commentrak, outtakes, bonus episode, recipes and "sex video".
(O) POKÉMON: JOHTO LEAGUE CHAMPIONS Volume 7 (Viz) 10 episodes.
(O) PRETEAR Volume 3 (ADV Films) Himeno loses her Pretear powers. Can she get them back in time to save her family & friends. Includes three episodes [IMG5L]with interviews, gallery and more.
(O) SAIYUKI Volume 8: Soldiers of Destiny (ADV Films) Includes four episodes, a poster, and background notes to help you figure out what the heck is going on.
(O) SLAYERS: Gorgeous (ADV Films) Could be Xena's favorite cartoon.
(O) TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES box (Goldhil) 12 episodes on four discs, plus interview with co-creator Peter Laird, Making-Of, etc.
(O) WITCH HUNTER ROBYN: Inquisition (Bandai) Episodes 11-14.
(O) X-MEN EVOLUTION: Powers Revealed (Warner Bros.)
(O) YUKIKAZE: Danger Zone (Bandai) For 30 years, unified Earth military forces have been fighting a secret war against aliens from another dimension attacking through a vortex in Antarctica. Two-disc set includes Making-Of, featurettes and a limited edition comes with Flight Patch.