Keeping up with Jones

Got a lot of DVDs? So many that it's starting to be difficult to keep them organized? Me, too. For years I've been looking for some decent software to help out, but all the ones I've tried either don't have the features I want or are all-inclusive database applications that would involve a great deal of work to get them to do what I want. But recently a reader turned me on to Readerware [www.readerware.com]. Initially developed for book libraries, this great software recently added editions to cover video and music collections, and it's the greatest library software I've ever tried. You can even scan in codes from your collection and it'll automatically populate each entry by downloading the data from a variety of online commercial databases (Amazon, Half.com, etc.), which saves me days worth of data entry. It's designed to be fairly adaptable, and lets you add or delete fields at your whim. You can download a free trial version from their website.

Y'know, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is one of the most entertaining feature films ever made. So the one stain on our spotlight this week is that somebody added INDIANA JONES AND THE to the title for no good reason:

(O) THE ADVENTURES OF INDIANA JONES Box Set (Paramount) Who says

The widescreen boxed set of INDIANA JONES on DVD.

© Paramount Home Entertainment

(O) THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO COLLECTION (Passport) A 5-disc box set hodgepodge includes the features JACK & THE BEANSTALK and AFRICA SCREAMS, short subjects, clips from the COLGATE COMEDY HOUR, and episodes of the team's insane TV show.
(O) BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (Universal) This theatrical version of the TV series pilot played around the world.

(O) BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: Complete Epic [IMG3R]Series (Universal) 6-disc box set collects all 22 episodes from the dopey-but-popular 1978-9 TV series. Includes episode guide, over 3 hours of deleted/alternate scenes, interviews, a 45-minute Making-Of, featurettes, star commentrak on the pilot, and more. Comes in a funky Cylon-head box.
(O) THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (Warner Bros.) Classic and influential 1953 Ray Harryhausen dinosaur on the loose epic, with Making-Of featurettes, trailers, and galleries. Go frame-by-frame to find where they left a support stick in the shot.

(O) BLACKENSTEIN (Xenon) A Nam vet basket case has his body restored by a mad scientist and runs amok in this horror blaxploitation hybrid from 1973.

(O) THE BLACK SCORPION (Warner Bros.) A [IMG7R]strange giant beast on the rampage in Mexico. What could it be? The title supplies a subtle clue. Includes Making-Of, f/x test footage and trailers.
(O) BLOWN AWAY (Artisan) Nicole Eggert meets Corey Haim and Corey Feldman in this 1992 action comedy, but doesn't kill them.
(O) CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER (Paramount) Hammer Studios was trying to try new things with the vampire genre in 1974, and achieved good results with this fun swashbuckling hero. In widescreen, includes commentrak with writer/director Brian Clemens, star Caroline Munro and film historian Jonathan Sothcott.
(O) THE CARS THAT ATE PARIS (Home Vision) Peter Weir's totally bizarre 1975 auto thriller feature comes to US video. A small Australian town survives by capturing travelers and chopping their cars. Can one man overthrow the status quo and escape? Includes director interview and bonus feature THE PLUMBER.
(O) CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE (Columbia TriStar) Action comedy romp sequel [IMG4R]that's almost as much silly fun as the original. Includes Angel branching annotation, director commentrak (with telestrator), writer's commentrak, featurettes, Pink music video, etc. Available in PG-13 fullscreen or an unrated widescreen edition, which includes all of the above extras plus more featurettes. The unrated widescreen version is also available bundled with the Superbit version of the original film.

(O) COLOR OF PAIN (Tai Seng) Terence Yin stars as a hit man doomed by a bullet lodged in his brain that joins a gang for a daring robbery.
(O) COP SHOP BABES (Tai Seng) Hong Kong action comedy about a police precinct that boasts more than their fair share of beautiful female officers, and the mad bomber that targets the neighborhood.
(O) DARK ANGEL Season 2 (Fox) Jessica Alba in all 22 episodes of action. Commentraks on 4 episodes, Making Of, deleted scenes, bloopers, etc.
(O) DEAD END DRIVE-IN (Anchor Bay) Cult favorite sci-fi feature in which a young couple gets trapped in a drive-in being used as a maximum security prison ala ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. Includes director's commentrak, trailer and gallery.
(O) DRAGONSLAYER (Paramount) 1981 hit in which a young sorcerer tries to defeat a dragon that's terrorizing a village.
(O) ESCAPE 2000 (Anchor Bay) In the far off year 2000, prison inmates become the Most Dangerous Game in the warden's hunting party (aka BLOOD CAMP THATCHER and TURKEY SHOOT). Includes alternate title sequence, 24-minute documentary, interviews, screenplay and trailer.

(O) THE EYE (Palm Pictures/Lions Gate) A cornea [IMG8R]transplant gives a young woman supernatural sight in this smash hit Korean thriller. Includes Making-Of, trailers and more.

(O) FATE FIGHTER (Tai Seng) New Hong Kong gambling adventure in which Nick Cheung goes all out for the title of God of Gamblers. Includes DTS track, trailers and filmographies.
(O) FINAL EXAMINATION (Artisan) A killer stalks a sorority reunion at a tropical resort.
(O) FOREVER KNIGHT: THE TRILOGY Part 1 (Columbia TriStar) TV's other vampire detective series. The 22-episode first season on 5 discs.
(O) FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL (Paramount) Peter Cushing stars in the last of the Hammer Frankenstein movies, widescreen with commentrak.
(O) GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE 2 (Disney) DTV sequel to the funny live-action adaptation of the '60s cartoon favorite Tarzan parody. Includes bloopers, behind-the-scenes, deleted scenes and game.

(O) HELLINGER / HOLY TERROR (Sub Rosa) A young woman is haunted by the ghostly priest who killed her parents / A young couple finds their new house haunted by a ghostly nun. Both include audio commentary.
(O) HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS Season 2 (Anchor Bay) Man-god Kevin Sorbo and his little blonde sidekick in further adventures. Includes commentrak, gallery, trivia, screensaver, and more.

(O) THE INCREDIBLE HULK: Television Series Ultimate [IMG9R]Collection (Universal) Well, the ultimate collection would have every episode, but this 6-disc set covers 17 highlights, except the one where Hulk fought the Robot Bigfoot. Oh wait, that was another show.
(O) INNER SENSES (Tai Seng) Special edition of haunting Leslie Cheung's final film, the storyline of which contains chilling parallels to his subsequent suicide. Features EX and DTS ES soundtracks, Making Of, and interviews.
(O) I WAS A TEENAGE FAUST (Showtime) Teen comedy version of Faust with Morgan Fairchild and Robert Townshend.
(O) KEANU REEVES: JOURNEY TO SUCCESS (Passport/Koch) Documentary shows how even a doofus like Keanu can be a big star.
(O) A KID FOR TWO FARTHINGS (Home Vision) 1955 fantasy from director Carol Reed tells the story of a boy who believes he can grant wishes.

(O) KUNG FU MASTER (Tai Seng) In celebration of the upcoming release of the sequel set, Tai Seng is re-releasing this 2-disc set of condensed episodes from Donnie Yen's hit Hong Kong TV series, currently running in the USA on the International Channel, at a lower price. Includes commentrak with Yen and HK film expert Bey Logan, plus another by HK film expert Ric Meyers and actor Bobby Samuels.[IMG10R]
(O) MY KUNG FU 12 KICKS (Crash) Pretty decent 1979 kung fu comedy with Bruce Liang receiving footwork instruction from old Ku Feng. Widescreen.

(O) STRUGGLE THROUGH DEATH (Crash) John Liu struggles through this 1981 Taiwanese kung fu fest, aka DRAGON FIGHTER. Widescreen.
(O) TAKEN (Universal) Steven Spielberg-produced Sci-Fi Channel miniseries on 5-disc set, plus a bonus disc full of Making-Of featurettes.
(O) THREE STOOGES COLLECTION (Koch) 5-disc box set presents Moe, Larry, Curly, and Shemp in loads of comedy shorts, plus TV clips, commercials, cartoons, etc.
(O) 28 DAYS [IMG5R]LATER (Fox) Danny Boyle's sleeper theatrical hit about a plague that turns nearly everyone in England into a raving psycho. Includes director's commentrak, deleted scenes, Making-Of featurettes, trailers, galleries, music video, and three alternate endings. Choose from fullscreen or widescreen editions.
(O) THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (Warner Bros.) Ray Harryhausen's engaging dino-western. Includes featurette, trailer, and dinosaur Easter Eggs.
(O) WEB OF DECEPTION (Tai Seng) Brigitte Lin and Joey Wong star in this suspenseful mystery.

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

(O) ARC THE LAD Complete Collection (ADV Films) All 26 episodes. A trio of heroes challenges an evil conglomerate that's creating monsters to conquer the world. Based on the hit Playstation game.

(O) BANNER OF THE STARS II Volume 2: Prey (Pioneer) Episodes 5-7.

(O) BATMAN: MYSTERY OF [IMG11R]THE BATWOMAN (Warner Bros.) New animated feature takes the Dark Knight into the wild, wild world of a rival caped crusader. Includes documentary featurettes, interviews, gallery, and an exclusive Batman short.
(O) COSMO WARRIOR ZERO (Media Blasters) 15 episode series recounts a space battle between disgraced Captain Zero and outlaw Captain Harlock while Machine Men from space enslave humanity. Includes outtakes.

(O) EVANGELION Box Set (Manga)
(O) GENMA WARS Volume 4: Skull City (Media Blasters)
(O) INFINITE RYVIUS Volume 1: Lost in Space (Pioneer) Space cadets try to survive during a disaster on a remote station. Episodes 1-5. Also available in a limited edition that includes 4 pencil boards and a plush toy in a collector's box.
(O) KRAZY KAT KARTOON KOLLECTION (Koch)
(O) POWER DOLLS: Women of Mass Destruction (ADV Films) Chicks in [IMG6R]battlesuits. The complete collection.
(O) RAHXEPHON Volume 6: Aria (ADV Films) 4 episodes. The final assault on Tokyo Jupiter. Includes art gallery and interviews with the English cast.
(O) SAINT SEIYA Volume 1: The Power of the Cosmos Lies Within (ADV Films) Saints vs. Demons. Episodes 1-5. Also available in collector's box.
(O) SUPER DIMENSION FORTRESS MACROSS Box Set 2 (AnimEigo) 3 discs.
(O) STEAM DETECTIVES: Case 1 (ADV Films) First 5 episodes of action in a steam-driven alternate universe. Includes gallery and trailer.

(O) THOSE WHO HUNT ELVES II #2: Still Stripping After All These Years (ADV Films) A trio of warriors still trapped in a dimension of elves searches for a spell to get them back home.
(O) URISEI YATSURA Movie 1: Only You (AnimEigo) Otaru is betrothed to yet another alien in this feature film.

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