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DVD Heist ala Italy!

Last night my lovely wife suggested we convert an entire wall in our living room into shelves for DVD storage.

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This week, our spotlight falls like a deep dish pizza on one of the most satisfying theatrical releases of the year, paired with the classic that [IMG2R]inspired it:

(O)     THE ITALIAN JOB (1969) (Paramount) Heist classic with Michael Caine teaming up with Noel Coward and Benny Hill (?!) to boost 4 million bucks in gold. Includes commentrak, 3 featurettes, deleted scenes and trailers.  
(O)     THE ITALIAN JOB (2003) (Paramount) This hit remake does well by the 1969 original, with good performances, action and intricate plotting. Includes interviews, 6 deleted scenes, and featurettes. But for a real steal you can buy BOTH versions bundled together.

NEW RELEASES

(O)     ALFRED HITCHCOCK 10-MOVIE SET (Brentwood) [IMG3R]5-disc set includes the early British Hitchcock films BLACKMAIL, the comic adventure YOUNG & INNOCENT, the kitchen sink drama JUNO & THE PAYCOCK, RICH & STRANGE (which describes it perfectly), the boxing drama THE RING, the early serial killer thriller THE LODGER, SECRET AGENT, THE LADY VANISHES, the first version of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH and SABOTAGE. Aficionados know that some of these can be found on much better DVDs from Criterion and elsewhere, but this set is a good way for more casual fans to acquire them at a bargain price.  
(O)     ALIEN FROM L.A. (MGM) Kathy Ireland gets lost in a subterranean world!
(O)     ANDROMEDA: Season 2 - Collection 5, Volumes 9 & 10 (ADV Films) 2-disc set includes interviews, commentrak on one episode, deleted scenes, etc.  
(O)     ANNE RICE: FEAST OF ALL SAINTS (Showtime) Rice's own take on the ROOTS genre is a drama set amid the free black population in 1840s New Orleans. 2-disc set comes with interviews and making-of.  
(O)     ANOTHER MELTDOWN (Columbia TriStar) [IMG4R]Not a sequel to the Jet Li film MELTDOWN (aka HIGH RISK), but a retitling of BLACKSHEEP AFFAIR in which Vincent Zhao and Shu Qi find trouble in a fictional European capitol facing a coup d'état.
(O)     BEASTMASTER: Complete Season 2 (ADV Films) 6-disc set includes episode where Siegfried adopts a cat that isn't snow white, hurting Roy's feelings. Plus behind-the-scenes, interviews, etc.
(O)     BLACK GESTAPO (Brentwood) A Nazi-like group tries to gain power by taking advantage of ghetto strife in this 1972 exploitation item from Lee Frost.  
(O)     BLINK (New Line) Blind Madeleine Stowe regains her sight, then witnesses a murder, and detective Aiden Quinn steps in to protect her from the killer. DVD includes both wide and fullscreen versions.
(O)     BLOOD THIRST (Brentwood) 2-disc set includes BACK FROM HELL, PROJECT VAMPIRE, THE PASSING and BEYOND EVIL.
(O)     BRONX EXECUTIONER (Brentwood) Another 1980s Italian ROAD WARRIOR knock-off.  
(O)     CANTINFLAS 4-pack (Columbia TriStar) Four vintage comedies from Mexico's top movie comedian. Includes English subtitles.
(O)     THE CARPENTER HORROR COLLECTION (Universal) Special edition box set of THE THING, THEY LIVE, PRINCE OF DARKNESS and VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED. Also [IMG5R]available separately.  
(O)     THE CHUCKY COLLECTION (Universal) Good Guy goes bad. CHILD'S PLAY, CHILD'S PLAY 2, CHILD'S PLAY 3 and BRIDE OF CHUCKY. Also available separately.
(O)     CHRISTMAS VACATION (Warner Bros.) Special edition of the Chevy Chase anti-holiday classic in widescreen for the first time, includes commentrak, trailer, and a Christmas ornament. Also available in a box set with the previous 3 VACATIONs.
(O)     CLINT EASTWOOD: Adventurer (Warner Bros.) 3-pack includes FIREFOX, SPACE COWBOYS and WHITE HUNTER BLACK HEART.  
(O)     CLINT EASTWOOD: Cop (Warner Bros.) 3-pack includes DIRTY HARRY, MAGNUM FORCE and TIGHTROPE.
(O)     CLINT EASTWOOD: Hero (Warner Bros.) 3-pack includes ABSOLUTE POWER, HEARTBREAK RIDGE and A PERFECT WORLD.
(O)     CLINT EASTWOOD: Westerner (Warner Bros.) [IMG6R]3-pack includes THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, PALE RIDER and UNFORGIVEN.
(O)     CONTAGION (Velocity) Ebola virus thriller.
(O)     DIVINE TRASH: THE JOHN WATERS STORY (Shout Factory) Documentary on the director's early works.
(O)     DOCTOR WHO #10: The Dalek Invasion of Earth (Warner Bros.) Vintage William Hartnell adventure that was adapted as a theatrical feature starring Peter Cushing.  
(O)     DOCTOR WHO #91: Talons of Weng-Chiang (Warner Bros.) Tom Baker battles a weird Chinese cult.  
(O)     EXCESSIVE FORCE (New Line) Kung fu cop Thomas Ian Griffith versus mobsters in our Lance Henriksen movie of the month. Includes both wide and fullscreen formats.
(O)     EXTRA WEIRD SAMPLER (Image) [IMG7R]Due to popular request, Image is making this collection of trailers and clips from over 100 films from the Something Weird Video library, previously available only through a Borders promotion or through the SWV website, available in stores.
(O)     FANGS (Lions Gate) Mutant killer bats menace Corbin Bernsen and Whip Hubley!
(O)     FARSCAPE: Season 3 - Collection 5 (ADV Films) Episodes 319-322, plus interviews, featurettes, etc.
(O)     FEROCIOUS MONK OF SHAOLIN (Xenon) Chan Sing and Phillip Ko in kung fu action in this 1974 feature, aka SHAOLIN VENGEANCE.
(O)     FIRESTARTER 2: REKINDLED (Universal) It might've been fun to get Drew Barrymore to reprise her role from the 1984 original, but unfortunately they couldn't get her. Marguerite Moreau from the MIGHTY DUCKS series fills in as the grown up pyrokinetic.  
(O)     FUTUREKICK (New Concorde) [IMG8R]Don "The Dragon" Wilson kicks ass in 2025.
(O)     THE GENERAL / STEAMBOAT BILL, JR. (Image) Two Buster Keaton comedy masterpieces, with new accompaniment by the Alloy Orchestra.  
(O)     GODS OF WU TANG (Xenon) 1983 Wilson Tong kung fu epic with Norman Tsui (aka DUEL OF THE MASTERS) in which two masters try to get students to continue their lifelong feud.
(O)     THE GREAT ST. LOUIS BANK ROBBERY (Brentwood) Steve McQueen stars in this heist thriller.  
(O)     HALLOWEEN 3: SEASON OF THE WITCH (Universal) Remember the year we all got Silver Shamrock masks? Relive the magic with this non-sequel series entry.  
(O)     HEAVEN'S PRISONERS (New Line) Alec Baldwin investigates the mystery behind an orphan girl that survived a drug[IMG9R] smugglers' plane crash.  
(O)     HOLLYWOOD HOMOCIDE (Columbia TriStar) Crusty old cop Harrison Ford is partnered with brash young cop Josh Hartnett, and together they solve a big case. Includes director's commentrak. Widescreen and fullscreen editions available.  
(O)     HOOD RAT (Universal) "Urban horror" about a vengeful dude taking hostages. Cool title.
(O)     THE IRON MAN (Xenon) Shi Po-hua stars in this ambitious 1986 adventure of Chinese hero Fong Sai-yuk (aka YOUNG HERO OF SHAOLIN 2, also to be released by Crash next month). The second half features an amazing pole battle and a beautiful duel in a cherry orchard.  
(O)     IT'S A VERY MERRY MUPPET CHRISTMAS MOVIE (MGM) Celebrity guests get involved with the Muppets as they try to put on an Xmas show to save their theater. With deleted scenes, Muppet bios, etc.
(O)     KILL CRUISE (Madacy) Jurgen Prochnow is hired to sail Elizabeth Hurley and Patsy Kensit to the West Indies. Sweeet! I mean, ewww!
(O)     KILLER PRIEST (Xenon) Chan Sing in one of his best roles as Tamo, the Buddhist Monk credited with giving birth to Shaolin kung fu [IMG10R](aka SHAOLIN MONK).  
(O)     LAWNMOWER MAN 2: JOBE'S WAR (New Line) This almost-immediately out-of-date sequel feature's MAX HEADROOM star Matt Frewer cast as the demonic lord of a cyberspace kingdom. Disc includes both wide and fullscreen formats.
(O)     LEARNING CURVE (MTI/Redrum) A new substitute teacher enforces VERY strict discipline in this 1998 feature, aka DETENTION. Includes director's commentrak.
(O)     MANOS, HANDS OF FATE (Alpha) One of the worst movies ever, and thus, a must-see.
(O)     THE MARK OF ZORRO (Fox) 1940 remake of the silent classic has Tyrone Power as the Man in the Mask. Includes commentrak, Power biography, gag reel, gallery and trailers.  
(O)     THE MASTER OF HORROR (Brentwood) Apparently this set is referring to Roger Corman! Includes the sci-fi drama LAST WOMAN ON EARTH, the black comedy BUCKET OF BLOOD, [IMG11R]the crime drama SWAMP WOMEN, and the racing movie THE FAST & THE FURIOUS but no horror!
(O)     MISSION KILLFAST (Media Blasters) 1991 martial arts action from cult director Ted V. Mikels (CORPSE GRINDERS).
(O)     MORTAL CHALLENGE (New Concorde) In this knock-off of ESCAPE FROM L.A., an earthquake splits Los Angeles in two, separating rich from poor. A cop tries to rescue a millionaire's daughter when she's kidnapped, but finds extra trouble in the form of a killer cyborg.
(O)     NASTY RABBIT (Alpha) 1964 trash fave about Commies letting infected bunnies loose in the USA, aka SPIES-A-GO-GO.  
(O)     NEON MANIACS (Anchor Bay) Legions of the damned attack San Francisco from beneath the Golden Gate Bridge.  
(O)     PLASTER CASTER (Xenon) Famous Chicago artist Cynthia Plastercaster collects the impressive impressions of rock stars' privates in [IMG12R]this documentary.  
(O)     SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT Collection (Anchor Bay) 2-disc set includes both Part 1 and Part 2 of the adventures of a psychopath with a Santa Claus fixation. Includes commentrak, interview, gallery, trailers, screenplay, and a featurette on the public outcry the original release caused.  
(O)     SPAWN OF THE DEVIL (Brentwood) No, it's not those Bush girls, but another 2-disc set from Brentwood. This one includes some rarities, including THE SCREAMING (student fights evil self-help cult), HELLSPAWN (house-sitting brothers encounter grave robbing killer), NIGHT CRAWLERS (creepers in the basement), and LUKAS' CHILD (1993 US-Italian production about a mad horror movie producer who kidnaps his cast).  
(O)     STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Season 5 (Paramount) 7-disc set contains 26 episodes (including that weird crossover with the original series), plus special featurettes [IMG13R]and galleries.  
(O)     STRANGLEHOLD (New Concorde) In this 1994 action item, special agent Jerry Trimble has to save a kidnapped Congresswoman from a terrorist holed up inside a chemical weapons plant.  
(O)     TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS: BORDELLO OF BLOOD (Universal) I for one got a lot of laughs watching Dennis Miller wisecrack his way through Angie Everhart's nosferatu whorehouse like a latter-day Bob Hope.  
(O)     TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS: DEMON KNIGHT (Universal) Billy Zane tries to keep the Hellmouth closed.  
(O)     TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION (Columbia TriStar) In this re-release of the fourth SAW movie, innocent teen Renee Zellweger is captured by Matthew McConaughey, Leatherface, and their cannibal kin. Fullscreen version.  
(O)     TOO HOT FOR HELL (Brentwood) 2-discs. 4 movies. Includes CRYSTAL FORCE 2, DEMONSOUL, BLOODBATH and EVIL SISTER.  
(O)     THE UNDERTOW (Sub Rosa) When canoeing outsiders threaten to learn the secrets of a mountain town, the residents send their pet giant maniac out to hunt them down. With behind-the-scenes, bloopers, deleted scenes, and more.  
(O)     WARNING FROM SPACE (Alpha) 1956 Japanese science fiction about aliens that infiltrate Earth to warn of a cataclysm.  
(O)     THE WES CRAVEN COLLECTION (Universal) THE SERPENT & THE RAINBOW (potboiler about black magic in Haiti), THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS (fun misfire about a ghetto kid who discovers a secret group of children hiding in the walls of his evil slumlords' house), and SHOCKER (in which killer Mitch Pileggi becomes pure electricity). Also [IMG14R]available separately.  
(O)     WILLARD (New Line) The rats return in this 2003 remake. Disc includes commentrak with stars Crispin Glover and R. Lee Ermey, director Glen Morgan and producer James Wong, plus Glover's music video, trailers, DVD-ROM stuff, and both widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film.  
(O)     WU TANG COLLECTION 1 (Ground-Zero) 5-disc box set includes SLEEPING FIST, 18 FATAL STRIKES, ENTER THE INVINCIBLE HERO, SHAOLIN CHASTITY KUNG FU and FIST OF LEGENDS 2.  
(O)     WU TANG COLLECTION 2 (Ground-Zero) 5-disc box set includes these solid Old School kung fu titles: 10 MAGNIFICENT KILLERS, SHAOLIN KING BOXER, FURY IN SHAOLIN TEMPLE, THE DEADLY BLADE and REVENGE OF THE PATRIOTS.  
(O)     ZOMBIE BOX (Image) 3-disc set from the Redemption collection includes LIVING DEAD GIRL, REINCARNATION OF ISABEL and NIGHT OF THE HUNTED.

ANIME ADDITIONS

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

(O)     ADVENTURES OF JIMMY NEUTRON, BOY GENIUS: Sea of Trouble (Paramount) 9 episodes.  
(O)     ANDROID KIKAIDER: Volume 2 - Conflicting Hearts (Pioneer) Continuing the anime adaptation of the hit Japanese superhero TV show.  
(O)     ARGENTSOMA: Volume 5 - Our Memories (Bandai) Frank the alien speaks.  
(O)     AURA BATTLER DUNBINE: Volume 3 - The Kings of Byston Well (ADV Films)  
(O)     EDEN'S BOWY: Volume 4 - Fallen Angels and Flower Towns (ADV Films) Rescue the princess!  
(O)     HAMTARO: Volume 6 - Ham-Ham Times (Viz) The Hamsters publish a newspaper, plus two other mind-bending adventures.  
(O)     INU-YASHA: Volume 10 - Scars of Battle (Viz) Episodes 28-30.  
(O)     KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD: TV Series Volume 1 (AnimEigo)  
(O)     KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD: [IMG15R]OVAs/Movie Box Set (AnimEigo)  
(O)     THE LION KING: Special Edition (Buena Vista) The uncredited Disney remake of Osamu Tezuka's JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO in a 2-disc set that includes the original theatrical release version, plus a special edition with extra footage, both THX certified. With games, music videos, deleted scenes, making-of, interviews, and lots more. Also available in a gift set that includes a hardcover art book and 5 exclusive character sketches.  
(O)     POWERPUFF GIRLS: 'Twas the Fight Before Christmas (Warner Bros.) Now the Xmas titles are creeping into stores in October. Hell-o! Wait your turn, holidays!  
(O)     STEEL ANGEL KURUMI II: Earth's Guardian Angels (ADV Films)  
(O)     30 CLASSIC CARTOONS 1 & 2 (Brentwood) Two volumes of cartoon shorts that have fallen into public domain include Superman, Popeye, Mighty Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, and more.  
(O)     TOM & JERRY: PAWS FOR A HOLIDAY (Warner Bros.)  
(O)     WILLY FOG: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Ground-Zero)  
(O)     WILLY FOG: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (Ground-Zero)  
(O)     WITCH HUNTER ROBIN: Volume 1 - Arrival (Pioneer) Robin tracks down rogue witches and warlocks. Available separately or bundled with the CD soundtrack.  
(O)     YOU'RE UNDER ARREST: Box Set - Volume 3 (AnimEigo) 4 discs, many arrests.  
(O)     YU YU HAKUSHO: Sword and Dragon (Goldhil) Edited and uncut versions available.

And be sure to check back next weekand every weekfor CINESCAPE's DVD Shopping List!

DVD Shopping List is our weekly DVD column. Brian Thomas is the author of the massive new book VideoHound's DRAGON: ASIAN ACTION & CULT FLICKS, available now!