Get Piven!

By: Brian Thomas
Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2007

As springtime weather finally begins to hit, we’re entering a brief period where we can catch up on the winter’s theatrical releases on DVD before the big summer movies are released and we- -

*PANT!*

OHMYGAWD! April SEVENTEEEE- - !?!

*pant!* *PANT!*

MY TAXES!!!! TAXES!!! I fuggot my-yi-yi-!!

*ACK!*

You guys go on without me. I think I have things to do…

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This week, our spotlight falls on a little mindless fun:

(O) SMOKIN’ACES (Universal) Wild action comedy in which mob informant Jeremy Piven becomes the target of a host of competing assassins. Cast includes Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Common, Andy Garcia, Alex Rocco, Alicia Keys, Wayne Newton, Ray Liotta and Ryan Reynolds. Widescreen and “fullscreen” editions nclude two commentraks, alternate ending, deleted footage, outtakes and featurettes.

NEW RELEASES

(O) ABSURD BRAVE (Inspired) 1969 Taiwanese swordplay action stasrring Richard Chan (Killer Snakes).

(O)   ALIEN INVASION ARIZONA (Lionsgate) Creatures from outer space refresh Earthlings with crisp ice tea beverages.
(O)   ATTACK FORCE Z (Image) 1982 Aussie military action with Sam Neill and Mel Gibson.
(O)   REEL BASEBALL: BASEBALL FILMS OF THE SILENT ERA 1899-1926 (Kino) Celebrate a fresh season by examining the distant past with this 2-disc set, including films starring Babe Ruth.
(O)   BLOODHOUND Volume 1: The Vampire Gigilo (Bandai) Japanese TV series about a handsome 200-year old vampire.
(O)   BLOODY MASK (Inspired) 1969 Taiwanese martial arts action starring Lam Chi (Whirlwind Knight) and Tin Ming (Swordsman with an Umbrella).
(O)   BONANZA: THE AVENGER (Westlake)
(O)   BONANZA Volume 5 (Platinum) Includes “Day of Reckoning”, “The Avenger”, “The Ape” and “Breed of Violence”.
(O)   BRUTE FORCE (Criterion) Burt Lancaster goes behind bars in Jules Dassin’s acclaimed 1947 prison picture. Includes commentrak, interview and more.
CUTIE HONEY THE MOVIE
©
(O)   CUTIE HONEY THE MOVIE (Bandai) Live-action 2004 feature based on the hit action-comedy anime classic starring Erika Sato (Japan Sinks) as the sexy superspy with an amazing disguise device. Also available in special edition lunchbox with keychain.
(O)   DEADLANDS: THE RISING (Tempe) Zombie outbreak in Baltimore!
(O)   DOOMED (Maverick) Battle Royale knockoff about a “reality” TV game of survival.
(O)   GEORGE AND THE DRAGON (First Look) 2004 fantasy in which knight James Purefoy returns from the Crusades to set off on a new quest: the rescue of princess Piper Perabo from a monster. Also starring Patrick Swayze and Michael Clarke Duncan.
(O)   HAPPY DAYS Complete Second Season (Paramount) All 23 episodes on four discs.
(O)   HELL’S HIGHWAY (Brain Damage) Hitchhiking succubus! Includes Making-Of.
(O)   HIGHLANDER: The Ultimate Collection – Best of the Best (Anchor Bay) 15 select episodes on six discs plus featurettes.
(O)   KRAKEN: TENTACLES OF THE DEEP (Echo Bridge) Sea monster! Includes featurette.
(O)   THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW Complete First Season (Sony) Groundbreaking 1992 sitcom starring Garry Shandling as an insecure talk show icon.
(O)   THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (Fox) True Crime epic bio of murderous, decadent dictator Idi Amin starring Forest Whitaker. Widescreen and “fullscreen” editions include deleted footage and documentary featurettes.
(O)   THE MARSH (Sony) Psychic author Gabrielle Anwar moves into a haunted house and calls in ghosthunter Forest Whitaker to help. With featurettes and interviews.
(O)   MASTERS OF HORROR: Family (Anchor Bay) A black comedy episode from John Landis with George Wendt as a suburban serial killer. With commentrak, Making-Of featurettes, screenplay and more.
(O)   MORK & MINDY Complete Second Season (Paramount) Robin Williams as a wacky sitcom space alien.
(O)   MURDER SHE WROTE Complete Sixth Season (Universal) Angela Lansbury solves 22 more murder cases on five discs, plus interviews and featurette.
(O)   MXC: MOST EXTREME ELIMINATION CHALLENGE Season 2 (Magnolia) Re-edited and comedy dubbed revision of Takeshi’s Castle.
(O)   NATIONAL LAMPOON’S PUCKED (Sony) They sure are. The once significant satirical landmark is now the brand name for a series of limp sex comedies. This one has Jon Bon Jovi using credit fraud to finance a female hockey league.
(O)   NOT JUST THE BEST OF THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW (Sony) A 4-disc set with 23 selected episodes of the great HBO sitcom in which Garry Shandling stars as a neurotic talk show host. Includes Making-Of, interviews and more.
(O)   RANCID (Lionsgate) A troubled man becomes a supect in a series of brutal murders in this 2004 horror.
(O)   THE RIVAL (Lionsgate) A troubled woman is driven to murder by jealousy.
(O)   SHADOW WARRIORS Complete First Season (BCI Eclipse) Sonny Chiba stars as master ninja Hattori Hanzo in this 1980 TV series. All 27 episodes on seven discs, plus interview and booklet.
SPIDER-MAN 2.1
©
(O)   SPIDER-MAN 2.1 (Sony) Yep, in an effort to get us to buy another copy and promote Spider-man 3, they’ve put together an extended cut plus new commentrak, featurettes and more.
(O)   STINGER (Maverick) Giant scorpions take over a ship.
(O)   WILDERNESS SURVIVAL FOR GIRLS (Image) Three camping teenage girls take a menacing stranger captive, which serves as a test of their morality and self control. Includes commentrak, screen tests and script.
(O)   ZOO (Media Blasters) A collection of five shocking, unpredictable stories adapted (four live-action, one CGanimated) by five Japanese directors.

HD-DVD CORNER

(O) FEAST (Weinstein) Unrated. Includes commentrak, featurettes, deleted footage, outtakes and bloopers.
(O) THE GAME (Universal)

(O) THE JERK (Universal) DVD combo. Includes featurettes.
(O) SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS (Weinstein) Unrated. Includes commentrak, Making-Of, gag reel and alternate ending.

(O) SMOKIN’ACES (Universal) DVD combo includes two commentraks, alternate ending, deleted footage, outtakes, featurettes and exclusive picture-in-picture “U-Control” features (or as I call it, a Cranked track): Google maps tracking of the characters, interviews, behind-the-scenes, etc.

BLU-RAY DISC CORNER

(O) THE DIRTY DOZEN / DIRTY DOZEN: THE NEXT MISSION (Warner Bros.) Includes commentrak and Making-Of.
(O) ENTER THE DRAGON (Warner Bros.) Includes four documentaries, vintage featurette, interviews, home movies and more.

NOT ON DVD CORNER

We welcome the input of Maniacs who want to share input on this section, where we highlight a different genre feature that has yet to come to digital disc format – just send your suggestions to DVD Shopping List in an email identified with “NOT ON DVD” in the subject line.

(O) THE AFRICAN QUEEN (Paramount? Warner Bros.? Fox?) One of the all time classics of cinema featuring Humphrey Bogart as a crusty riverboat captain forced by circumstances to transport missionary Katherine Hepburn to safety through Nazi occupied African territory. Fox’s home video lease on the title lasted until 1997, when Viacom reacquired it, and Paramount now distributes it to TV. Currently, it’s undergoing restoration for a likely release by Warner Bros. in 2008 via their distribution deal with Turner Classic Movies, but until then this big favorite is NOT ON DVD.

And be sure to check back next week—and every week—for Mania’s DVD Shopping List! And don’t forget Anime Avalanche every Monday!

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at DVD Shopping List.