DVD Blitzkrieg!

How much anime is too much? Apparently it's when a lot of it is bootlegged from legitimate releases. A few weeks ago, Bandai cracked down on thieves with a lawsuits against alleged pirates Otaku/Manga House, EJ/ABC Toy 4 Me/Anime Circle, Anime Combo, MTWC/Kawaii Anime, and John Lo/House of Anime. Years ago, the only way to see anime was through more-or-less illegal sources tapes copied through various "sources" from Japan. These bootlegs helped build anime fandom in the USA to its current massive numbers, but now that the demand is being filled and overfilled by many legitimate labels, there's no need for this kind of behavior, and we at Cinescape fully support Bandai in defending their livelihood.

This week, our spotlight is regretfully drawn away from the antics of the laconic Owen Wilson in two recent features by twin Nazi juggernauts.

(O) MÜNCHHAUSEN (Kino) Gigantic 1943 German color [IMG2R]fantasy epic illustrates the famed raconteur's trip to the moon, in a restored color edition. Includes cartoon short, interview and scenes from other films made in the same color process.
(O) TITANIC (Kino) Spectacular 1943 German version of this disaster story was planned by the Nazis as anti-British propaganda, but banned until after the war. The Brits swiped f/x for A NIGHT TO REMEMBER. Extras include a 1912 newsreel, and a tour of the Titanic's twin Olympic.

(O) BEYOND HYPOTHERMIA (DEJ) Cook Lau Ching-wan gets mixed up with low-temperature contract killer Jacqueline Wu in this stylish 1996 Hong Kong [IMG3L]thriller.
(O) THE BIG BOUNCE (Warner Bros.) Drifter Owen Wilson gets tied up with a gang of con artists on Hawaii in this heist comedy based on an Elmore Leonard novel. Full and widescreen editions include featurettes and surfing outtakes. Also available bundled with the 1969 Ryan O'Neal version.
(O) BLACK PANTHER WARRIORS (Tai Seng) 1993 police action comedy from Clarence Fok, starring Simon Yam, Tony Leung Kar-fai, and Brigitte Lin.
(O) BOOMTOWN Season One (Lions Gate) Critically acclaimed, little seen cop action TV series. Includes commentraks and two featurettes.
(O) BUTTERFLY SWORD (Tai Seng) Fun 1993 swordplay epic with Michelle Yeoh, Tony Leung and Donnie Yen, plus commentrak by Ric Meyers and alternate ending.
(O) CHRISTMAS MOODS BY THE FIREPLACE (Delta) I know you'll be tempted to toss this fireplace simulation DVD in the real fireplace, but it'll smell awful while burning and may shatter, sending hot slivers of metal and plastic into your eyes. Merry Christmas in July!
(O) COMBAT!: Season 1 Campaign 1 (Image)
(O) COMBAT!: Season 1 Campaign 2 (Image) Vic Morrow and Rick Jason slog through 32 episodes of World War II battleground, 1960s style, on two four-disc volumes. Includes director commentraks and interviews.
(O) CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN (Buena Vista) Lindsay Lohan is great, but this teen comedy isn't as much fun as it'd like to be. Includes commentrak, deleted scene, fluff featurette and music video.
(O) DEADLY FRIENDS (New Concorde) Docudrama based on the famous murder of a Canadian heiress in 1985 (aka THE DEATH AND LIFE OF NANCY EATON).
(O) DEATH CURSE (Tai Seng) A haunted house comedy starring pop duo the Twins (VAMPIRE EFFECT), Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung. Includes Making-Of.
(O) DRAGON STORM (DEJ) Fire breathers are unleashed on Earth via meteors.
(O) LA FEMME MUSKETEER (Lions Gate) D'Artagnan's daughter (Susie Amy) goes on a mission for King Louis.
(O) LA FEMME NIKITA: Complete Second Season (Warner Bros.) Peta Wilson returns in this fine secret agent series with 22 more episodes. Includes commentrak, additional scenes and gag reel.
(O) FIST OF FURY: LEGACY PACK (VideoAsia) Four mysterious martial arts movies: CHING WU & SHAOLIN KUNG FU Parts 1 & 2, FIST OF FURY 3, and Bruce Le in RETURN OF FIST OF FURY.
(O) HANDS OF A MURDERER (Wellspring) TV movie starring Edward Woodward as Sherlock Holmes.
(O) HIGHLANDER 2 (Republic) Christopher [IMG4R]Lambert and Sean Connery as immortal swordsmen fighting their evil counterparts in 2024. Two-disc set has "reimagined" f/x, branching behind-the-scenes footage, featurettes, and more. So, how many versions of this movie are out there now?
(O) HOW'S YOUR NEWS? (Shout Factory) Touching and hilarious documentary puts microphobes in the hands of a team of reporters with various disabilities. Their mission: travel across the country interviewing everyone they can. Includes featurettes, interviews with exec producers Trey Parker & Matt Stone, NPR Radio interview, and more.
(O) THE HUMAN STAIN (Buena Vista) Taut mystery drama in which college professor Anthony Hopkins guards an old secret that could unravel the lives of everyone around him. Nicole Kidman co-stars as Hopkins' girlfriend.
(O) IMMORTAL ENEMY (Tai Seng) Thailand's number one horror film is this gothic tale about a man who finds his inherited castle invaded by an ancient vampire. Delayed from last month.
(O) KUNG PHOOEY! (Velocity) Martial arts action spoof, with director commentrak, deleted scenes and Making-Of.
(O) MAGIC KITCHEN (Tai Seng) The stars of LOVE ON A DIET, Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng, are reunited for this romantic comedy on the set of a cooking TV show.
(O) MILLENNIUM: Season One (Fox) Compelling X-FILES [IMG5L]spin-off starring Lance Henriksen as a retired psychic FBI profiler who joins a secret society to fight evil. 22 episodes with commentraks and Making-Of.
(O) OUT OF REACH (Columbia TriStar) Steven Seagal comeback attempt in which he tries to get a young girl help in a foster program, only to find that he's accidentally sold her into slavery. Oops!
(O) PIRANHA (New Concorde) Extraneous remake of the 1970 Joe Dante bitey fish epic.
(O) PTU (Tai Seng) Simon Yam stars in an adventure of the Hong Kong Police Training Unit, another super thriller from director Johnnie To.
(O) PULSE (First Look) Madeleine Stowe must rescue her daughter from a bloodthirsty cult.
(O) REAL BRUCE LEE 2 (VideoAsia) Another Lee documentary, plus Bruce Li starring in COUNTERATTACK (aka CHINESE STUNTMAN), with commentrak, behind-the-scenes and more.
(O) REVENGE IN OLYMPIA (Ariztical) This may just be the first softcore gay sex martial arts revenge film ever made.

(O) RETURN OF THE DRAGON PACK (VideoAsia) Set includes ENTER THE GAME OF DEATH with Bruce Le and Bolo Yeung, Dragon Lee in MISSION FOR THE DRAGON (aka RAGE OF THE DRAGON), DRAGON LIVES AGAIN with Bruce Leung, and something called BRUCE LEE, STAR OF STARS (possibly Bruce Li in LEGEND OF BRUCE LEE?).
(O) SKY OF LOVE (Tai Seng) Time travel romantic fantasy starring Gigi Leung.
(O) SLAPSTICK SYMPOSIUM (Kino) Five-volume series of silent comedy classics and rarities, includes CHARLEY CHASE, HAROLD LLOYD, the Laurel and Hardy feature FLYING DEUCES, a two-disc set devoted to STAN LAUREL, and a volume of odds and ends entitled KEATON PLUS.
(O) SLOPPY JOE AND THE HEARTBREAK GANG (Pathfinder) Action-packed Japanese heist flick set in New York and Key West starring Riki Takeuchi (DEAD OR ALIVE) and Mie Yoshida (SUNNY GETS BLUE) directed by Toshimichi Ohkawa (NOBODY).
(O) SOAP: Complete Second Season (Columbia TriStar) Hit '70s TV serial spoof, plus Making-Of.
(O) SPECTRE (New Concorde) Greg Evigan and Adriana Paul move into the ancestral Irish estate, but are drawn into the evil influence of black magic. (aka HOUSE OF THE DAMNED)
(O) STARSKY & HUTCH (Warner Bros.) Fun comic film version of the popular '70s TV series with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as a pair of detectives trying to crack Vince Vaughn's drug ring. Includes director commentrak, Making-Of spoof, outtakes, and a special Easter Egg with Uncle Vince.
(O) STARSKY & HUTCH: Complete Second Season (Columbia TriStar) 25 episodes.
(O) STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART (Pathfinder) Bollywood megahit comes to the USA.
(O) STRANGERS WITH CANDY: Season Two (Paramount) More [IMG6R]brilliant episodes starring Amy Sedaris as a "returning" high school student. Truly twisted.
(O) UNDISCOVERED TOMB (Tai Seng) Yoko Shimada (SHOGUN) stars as Hong Kong's answer to Lara Croft.
(O) WASP WOMAN (New Concorde) Remake of the 1950s Roger Corman trash classic.

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

(O) AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE Volume 2 (Warner Bros.) More crime fighting food. Includes select commentraks, deleted scenes, music video, and more. Also available bundled with Season 1.
(O) AURA BATTLER DUNBINE Volume 7: Mysteries of Byston Well (ADV) Also available in collectors box.
(O) AZUMANGA DAIOH Volume 3: Rivals! (ADV) Schoolgirls fight it out. Includes bonus cloisonné pin, reversible cover and booklet.
(O) BEYBLADE G REVOLUTION Season 3 Volume 1: Beginning of the End? (Funimation)
(O) BEYBLADE G REVOLUTION Season 3 Volume 2: The Revolution Begins (Funimation) This is still all about battling tops, right?
(O) BLUE GENDER: The Warrior (Funimation) A woman awakes from suspended animation to find the world overrun by manmade insectoid monsters.
(O) COMPUTER ANIMATION JOURNEYS (Animation) 12 cartoon shorts that were made on computers!
(O) GRAVION Volume 2: Knights of Gravity (ADV) Superhero battles invasion. Includes cling decals and insert.
(O) HEAT GUY J Volume 7: Revolution (Geneon) The criminal mastermind threatening the city steps out of the shadows.
(O) ORPHEN 2 REVENGE: Redemption (ADV) Concluding episodes, plus poster and outtakes.
(O) PANYO PANYO DI GI CHARAT Volume 2: Nyu! (ADV) Princess Dejiko is at it again in 12 mini episodes, plus commentrak, interview and a sticker sheet.
(O) POKÉMON ADVANCED Volume 1: A Ruin With A View (Viz)
(O) POKÉMON ADVANCED Volume 2: Tree's A Crowd (Viz)
(O) RAHXEPHON: The Motion Picture (ADV) Feature version of the mecha favorite, also available in a collector box that includes a 52-page booklet.
(O) SEALAB 2021: Season 1 (Warner Bros.) [IMG7L]Demented Saturday morning sci-fi cartoon show. Includes deleted scenes, pilot, and more.
(O) ZOIDS: CHAOTIC CENTURY Volume 3: Rematch (Viz) Six episodes.