For years, The Video Beat (www.thevideobeat.com) has been providing rare '50s and '60s era videos to fans and collectors, and they now join the List with their own high quality DVD-R titles that include menus and specially selected extras.
SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK
This week, THE MATRIX RELOADED © 2003 Warner Home VideoFox has some worthy box sets repackaging former releases, and there's some fine anime down below, but our spotlight can't be stolen from Neo and company. The complicated story of this middle chapter may fracture audience focus, but I still had a big goofy grin watching it at least 97% of the time:
(O) THE MATRIX RELOADED (Warner Bros.) 2-disc set includes many featurettes examining aspects of the MATRIX phenomenon (anime, games, etc.) and individual chunks of the movie, plus interviews, MTV Movie Awards parody, etc. Available in both fullscreen and widescreen versions. Of course, a super-deluxe DVD release is almost certainly due after REVOLUTIONS arrives, so choose carefully.
NEW RELEASES
(O) THE ABYSS (Fox) [IMG3R]This 2-disc set of James Cameron's underwater sci-fi adventure includes both the 145-minute theatrical cut and the 171-minute special edition, plus an hour long making-of documentary, storyboards, pop-up annotation, bonus footage, and more.
(O) ACTION PACK (Fox) 6 action movies that you'd never expect to find together in a box set: JOY RIDE, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, FIGHT CLUB, KISS OF THE DRAGON, THE TRANSPORTER and BEHIND ENEMY LINES. Weird, huh? But hey, they're all good flicks, and you can get 'em all here at a discount.
(O) THE ALIEN SAGA (Image) Feature length documentary on Fox's ALIEN franchise, plus extra interviews, featurettes and more.
(O) ANATOMY 2 (Columbia TriStar) Franka Potente returns for a sequel to her creepy hit German horror flick. Includes commentrak, deleted scenes, making-of, screen tests and more.
(O) BAD MOVIE POLICE CASE #1: GALAXY OF THE DINOSAURS (Tempe) New series that presents some of the biggest clunkers in the Tempe library, along with optional commentary in which BMP Officers Ariauna Albright and Lilith Stabs take each feature to task for crimes against cinema. First up is this 1992 embarrassment, in which the best parts are lifted from PLANET OF THE DINOSAURS. Also includes director's commentrak, behind-the-scenes, and more for less than [IMG4R]ten bucks.
(O) BAD MOVIE POLICE CASE #2: CHICKBOXER (Tempe) The worst martial arts movie ever made in Ohio. Also includes producer's commentrak, behind-the-scenes, and more.
(O) BARK (First Look) A man tries to cope with a wife who thinks she's a dog. Should he take her to a psychiatrist or a vet?
(O) BLACK SUNDAY (Paramount) The one about Bruce Dern trying to blow up the Goodyear Blimp over the Super Bowl. Note the complex symbolism.
(O) BRUCE LEE: THE MASTER COLLECTION (Fox) Box set includes FISTS OF FURY, RETURN OF THE DRAGON, THE CHINESE CONNECTION, GAME OF DEATH and BRUCE LEE: THE LEGEND.
(O) THE COLONY (Lions Gate) When aliens abduct four people to plant spying replacements, the prisoners plot an escape to save the human race.
(O) CRONOS (Lions Gate) Guillermo del Toro's (BLADE 2) creepy, fascinating first film portrays another kind of vampire, when a man discovers an immortality device (a biting mechanical spider!) that makes him younger at a terrible price. Includes 2 commentraks, making-of, and more.
(O) DEGREE OF MURDER (Video Beat) 1967 German suspense thriller with a psychedelic soundtrack by the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones. DVD-R includes rare Stones clips and newsreels.
(O) DEVIL KILLER (VideoAsia) Robert Tai directs this 1980 Taiwanese action flick (aka NINJA EXTERMINATOR) with Alexander Lou, Alan Chui and Blackie Ko. This round of VideoAsia releases includes introductions by kung fu legend Hsiao Ho, interviews, and martial arts demos.
(O) DIE HARD: The Ultimate Collection (Fox) Box set of three of the best action movies ever in 2-disc THX-approved special editions packed with extras.
(O) D.O.A. (Buena Vista) 1988 remake of the film noir classic. Dennis Quaid is a man dying of poison who tries to track down his own murderer.
(O) FEEDBACK (MTI) Three losers try to change their harsh destinies using a stolen device to send messages into the past. Includes commentrak.
(O) GHOUL SCHOOL (Tempe/Splatter Rampage) High school students become zombies hungry enough to eat Jackie Martling and Joe Franklin.
(O) GONKS GO BEAT (Video Beat) Rockin' 1965 British Invasion feature has a battle of the bands engineered by a space alien! DVD-R includes bonus feature SWINGIN' U.K. '64.
(O) HAVING A WILD WEEKEND (Video Beat) This 1965 Dave Clark Five movie is similar to HARD DAYS NIGHT, but somehow darker. DVD-R.
(O) HELLO DOWN THERE (Video Beat) Tony Randall moves his family to an underwater house in this wacky 1969 comedy. Includes vintage TV [IMG5R]commercials. DVD-R.
(O) HEROES OF HORROR (Image) Documentary features five great Golden Age horror movie stars.
(O) THE HOLE (Buena Vista) Mystery thriller in which Thora Birch finds terror when a prank in a British boarding school goes wrong and four girls are trapped in a bomb shelter. Includes deleted scenes and director's commentrak.
(O) INDEPENDENCE DAY (Fox) 2-disc set includes both the 142-minute theatrical cut and the 153-minute special edition version, plus loads of extras.
(O) THE LIVING CORPSE (Mondo Macabro) This 1967 production (aka ZINDA LAASH) is a bizarre and rare Indian/Pakistani vampire movie! Extras include a documentary on South Asian horror movies, interviews, gallery and trailer.
(O) MARTIAL ARTS COLLECTION (Fox) RETURN OF THE DRAGON (again), KISS OF THE DRAGON (again), and Brandon Lee in RAPID FIRE.
(O) MIMIC 3: SENTINEL (Buena Vista) [IMG6R]A Bubble Boy learns that the big bugs have invaded his apartment building in our Lance Henriksen movie of the month. Includes behind-the-scenes, director's commentrak, and audition footage.
(O) MUTANT X: Season 1 - Disc 5 (ADV Films) Episodes 109-110.
(O) NORTH AND SOUTH SHAOLIN (VideoAsia) Monk Cassanova Wong faces the Human Form Vulture in this 1984 kung fu flick from director Godfrey Ho.
(O) THE OMEN LEGACY (Image) Documentary on the antichrist franchise, plus Satanic extras.
(O) PREDATORS FROM BEYOND NEPTUNE (Navarre) Wow, another comedy about making a low budget sci-fi movie. Stars like Neve Campbell, Jason Priestley and Dead Devlin show up playing themselves. With commentrak, trailer, and footage from the prototype version.
(O) REVENGE OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER (VideoAsia) One of the first Jackie Chan knock-offs stars "Jackie Chen" and "Simon Yune" versus the Black Mask Ninja Gang.
(O) SAMURAI FICTION (Media Blasters) Wonderful 1998 samurai action takes a modern viewpoint to classic swordplay.
(O) SHAOLIN IRON CLAWS (VideoAsia) Wong Tao and James Lee Yi-min take on the villainous White Haired Fox (Chang Yi) in this 1978 dust-up.
(O) SPIDERBABE (E.I. Independent) SpiderBabe, SpiderBabe does whatever Misty Mundae in a low-budget soft core spoof of a blockbuster movie can. Includes deleted scenes, trailers, TV interviews. Available in both R-rated and sexed up unrated editions.
(O) STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER (Paramount) Kirk meets God. 2-disc widescreen special collector's edition includes loads of extras, including commentary by William Shatner and his daughter Liz, text commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda, interviews, featurettes, press conference, deleted scenes, storyboards [IMG7R]and more.
(O) TAKASHI MIIKE COLLECTION (American Cinemateque) Three amazing features by Miike, currently one of the world's most exciting film directors, including the yakuza action romance CITY OF LOST SOULS, the uplifting horror musical comedy HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS, and the soul-chilling AUDITION. Delayed from last month.
(O) TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (Pioneer) Well, you just knew Pioneer would re-release their out-of-print 1998 DVD special edition in time for the remake to hit theaters. Includes filmmakers' commentrak, deleted scenes, alternate footage, blooper reel, and more with special 2-way cover art.
(O) THIRSTY DEAD / SWAMP OF THE RAVENS (Image) Something Weird Video presents a double feature of crazy Filipino horror. Plus loads of horror trailers, gallery, and an episode of 13 DEMON STREET with Lon Chaney.
(O) ULTIMATE REVENGE (MVD) 41 tracks by Polish death metal bands. I just had to list this one.
(O) WRONG TURN (Fox) Eliza Dushku ends up in hillbilly cannibal country where her navel looks more appetizing than ever. Includes both wide and fullscreen formats, commentrak, deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, gallery and trailers.
(O) XCHANGE (Lions Gate) Stephen Baldwin and Kyle MacLachlan star in this sci-fi thriller. Humans free their minds from their bodies, and are able to travel by transferring to another body somewhere else. Baldwin is sent to San Francisco to investigate a terrorist murder, but finds his mind inside the body of the terrorist chief!
(O) THE ZODIAC KILLER / SEX KILLER / ZERO IN AND SCREAM (Image) In the late 1960s, just as adult features pushed toward hardcore territory, horror films began to push the sick side of the envelope, as evidenced by these three features from the Something Weird Video catalogue. Includes a load of trailers and one of SWV's special galleries of images and sounds.
ANIME ADDITIONS
And finally, we close off each weekly list with a rundown of the constant stream of anime from around the world:
(O) AI YORI AOSHI #5: With All My Heart (Pioneer) Includes reversible cover and postcard.
(O) ANGELIC LAYER: Volume 1 - Divine Inspiration (ADV Films) A dangerous game played with mind-controlled robot dolls. Includes voice actor commentrak and art gallery. In standard or special edition in collectors box [IMG8R]with t-shirt.
(O) CHRISTMAS WITH THE SIMPSONS (Fox) Holiday episodes.
(O) DNA2 #5: Epiphany (Central Park Media) The Mega-Playboy confronts another time traveler.
(O) DNA2 COLLECTION (Central Park Media) Epic sci-fi comedy in a 5-disc box set.
(O) DRAGON BALL GT: Annihilation (Goldhil)
(O) DRAGON BALL GT: Salvation (Goldhil)
(O) FULL METAL PANIC: Mission 4 (ADV Films) The acme of this battlesuit series.
(O) HEAT GUY J: Volume 2 - Vampire's Ambition (Pioneer) J battles a mafia scheme to corner tomato futures.
(O) INITIAL D: Volume 2 - Challenge, Red Suns (Tokyopop) More adventures of the tofu delivery driver turned street racer. Includes instructions for playing the card game, gallery and outtakes.
(O) KING OF BANDIT JING: Volume 3 (ADV Films)
(O) LEGEND OF THE DRAGON KINGS: Red Dragon - The Beast Awakens (Central Park Media) Includes dubbing outtakes.
(O) LUPIN THE 3rd TV #4: Thieves' Paradise (Pioneer) 5 episodes.
(O) NEO RANGA: Volume 5 - Ghost of Days Gone By (ADV Films)
(O) PATLABOR: MOBILE POLICE Original Series Collection (Central Park Media) One of the best giant robot battlesuit series. 2-disc set includes director's commentrak and bonus episode.
(O) REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA: Revelation (Central Park Media) Utena in love. Includes interview with voice actor, gallery and previews.
(O) SAIYUKI #5: Sting of the Scorpion (ADV Films)
(O) TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: The Shredder Strikes (Goldhil)
(O) TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: The Way of Invisibility (Goldhil)
(O) TIME STRANGER (Central Park Media) Epic sci-fi feature from the director of the POKÉMON movies.
(O) TRANSFORMERS: Season 3 - Part 1, Volumes 1-3 (Rhino) Metamorphosing robots fight their evil counterparts in 16 uncut episodes on 3 discs. Includes 2 cell reproductions and other features.
(O) YU-GI-OH: Legendary Heroes (Goldhil)
(O) YU-GI-OH: Ties of Friendship (Goldhil)
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!
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