Killer Hannibal

By: Brian Thomas
Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2007

News from the High Definition DVD front: Microsoft released an HD-DVD player add-on for its Xbox 360 game console last November. But the big news is that some cyber geeks are reporting that they’ve figured out a hack so the thing works when hooked up to a Windows XP PC or Mac. This would make it by far the least expensive HiDef DVD drive on the market. But does it really work? Well, kind of, though it looks like only those comfortable with hacking who already have expensive hardware and software can even attempt it, and then you’ll need to find the right drivers to get it all to work. Then, with the proper component outputs and cables, you just might be able to hook it up to your big screen plasma. And even then there seems to be all sorts of glitches plaguing the troops. What this means is that if you have a HDTV and sound system already, it’s a lot easier – and probably cheaper – to just buy a HD-DVD (or Blu-ray Disc) player.

Meanwhile, in an effort to boost Blu-ray and their line of HD TVs, Sony is distributing a nifty HD info kit that includes a DVD. The disc holds a 15-minute program hosted by Samantha Bee of The Daiiy Show, with reports from DS guy Jason Jones and former DS guy Mo Rocca )John Hodgeman was probably too busy participating in that Mac misinformation campaign). It’s not as funny as a typical Daily Show, but it’s funnier than a typical sales pitch, and it provides a simplified view of the whole HD tomato in EZ to digest format without going into how many cables you’ll need or where you need to connect your DVR. Oh, the stress of technological evolution.

In our Prize Closet this week we’ve got three 3-packs from Weinstein. Winners will get Unknown, Prey and The Gathering delivered right to their doors. Or tossed through the window, if that’s their arrangement with the mail carrier. To enter, just send an email which includes your name and address to DVD Shopping List, and in the subject line put “WEINSTEIN TRIO”.

We also have FIVE copies of Flyboys courtesy of MGM/Fox. To have one of them flying your way, email your info to the same address, but for this one make the subject “ESCADRILLE”.

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

The film franchise that launched a thousand CSI series and DTV serial killer movies:

(O) THE HANNIBAL LECTER COLLECTION (MGM) Includes Manhunter, Silence of the Lambs (see below) and Hannibal.
(O) SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (MGM) Collector’s edition of Jonathan Demme’s Oscar winning thriller includes Making-Of documentaries, 22 deleted scenes and more.

NEW RELEASES

(O)   ACAPULCO H.E.A.T. Season 2 (Mill Creek) Bimbos and himbos fight crime. 26 episodes.
(O)   AKIHABARA GEEKS (Media Blasters) Documentary on Tokyo’s geek heaven.
(O) ASSASSINATION IN ROME / ESPIONAGE IN TANGIERS (MPI) A double feature of 1960s Eurospy nuttiness, plus intermission ads and trailers.
(O)   BENNY HILL Complete & Unadulterated: The hill’s Angels Years Set 6 (A&E) Of course, that would be the 1986 through 1989 period. With featurettes and trivia.
(O)   BODYGUARD KIBA 2: COMBAT APOCALYPSE (Media Blasters) 1994 J-action karate feature – one of Takashi Miike’s early DTV movies.
(O)   THE BRIDE OF FRANK (Sub Rosa) Incredibly gory tale of an incredibly disturbed man who is set up on a series of blind dates. A second date becomes unlikely due to brutal murder.
(O)   CAPRICE (Fox) Doris Day and Richard Harris in a 1967 spy thriller comedy.
(O)   CATCH A FIRE (Universal) Tim Robbins is an anti-terrorist agent in the days of apartheid, but by harassing engineer Derek Luke, he actually turns the man into a terrorist. True life adventure collides with a powerful message, plus commentrak and deleted footage.
(O)   THE COMEDIANS OF COMEDY (Anchor Bay) Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn and other comics are captured on tape day-to-day on a road trip in this documentary series.

DIVERGENCE
© Tartan

(O)   DIVERGENCE (Tartan) A cop, an assassin and a lawyer are drawn together by a murder in this Hong Kong thriller. With commentrak, Making-Of and more.
(O)   DYNAMIC: 1: The Best of DavidLynch.com (Subversive) Eight Lynch shorts previously only available from his website.
(O)   EVIL (TLA) Greek zombie splatterfest (aka To Kako). Yes, that’s right: Greek.
(O)   FARCE OF THE PENGUINS (Velocity) Wacky Bob Saget’s spoof of penguin documentaries.
(O)   FLYBOYS (MGM) James Franco stars as one of the world’s first fighter pilots in this World War I aerial action flick. Widescreen and “fullscreen” editions include commentrak. Special edition adds on DVD-ROM game and extra featurettes.
(O)   FREAKSHOW (The Asylum) Robbers targeting a sideshow run into trouble with the exhibits.
(O)   THE GATHERING (Weinstein/Genius) While backpacking across England, Christina Ricci gets mixed up in a community curse.
(O)   GYMKATA (Warner Bros.) Martial arts gymnast Kurt Thomas is recruited by the US government to enter a savage game of death in the tiny country of “Parmistan”. Delightfully awful 1985 action flick has Olympic Gold Medal winner Thomas find pommel horse and stationary rings whenever he needs to kick some ass using his made up hybrid fighting techniques.
(O)   I DREAM OF JEANNIE Complete Third Season (Sony) All 26 episodes on four discs.
(O)   IRON LION (Tai Seng) 2003 Hong Kong kung fu action.
(O)   THE LAST BLOOD (Tai Seng) 1991 over-the-top Hong Kong action from Wong Jing in which Andy Lau must protect Eric Tsang because of his rare blood type with an army of thugs out to get him.
(O)   LOOKER (Warner Bros.) 1981 Michael Crichton thriller about plastic surgery paranoia. Includes commentrak.
(O)   LUCKY LOUIE (HBO) Cable domestic sitcom starring comic Louis CK.
(O)   MANIAC (Blue Underground) William Lustig’s shocking & repellent 1980 serial killer horror. With commentrak, radio interviews, featurettes and more.
THE MARINE
© Fox
(O)   THE MARINE (Fox) Enjoyable action throwback with wrestler John Cena as a disgraced US Marine commando whose attempts to find his place in civilian society are interrupted when jewel thieves led by Robert Patrick take his wife hostage. Unrated edition includes bonus theatrical version (?), Making-Of, featurettes and more.
(O)   MEAT MARKET COLLECTION (Sub Rosa) Includes Meat Market and Meat Market 2.
(O)   MICHAEL BOLTON: My Secret Passion (Kultur) He collects cereal boxes. Who knew?
(O)   MURDER SHE WROTE Complete Fifth Season (Universal) Angela Lansbury solves more murder mysteries.
(O)   NEITHER THE SEA NOR THE SAND (Image) 1974 gothic Euro-horror.
(O)   OFF THE BEATEN PATH (Brain Damage) Internet videographers stir up evil spirits in a small town.
(O)   PREY (Weinstein/Genius) Businessman Peter Weller rushes to join his wife Bridget Moynahan and kids on an African safari when they become lost and menaced by bitey lions.
SAYONARA JUPITER
© DiscoTek
(O)   SAYONARA JUPITER (Discotek) 1983 Japanese sci-fi epic in which an attempt to turn Jupiter into a second Sun goes haywire and threatens to destroy the Earth. Includes Making-Of.
(O)   SLAUGHTER OF THE VAMPIRES (MPI) 1962 gothic spaghetti horror is a triumph of style over substance. Includes interview.
(O)   STEALTH (Sony) Single disc edition of the robot bomber thriller.
(O)   SUPER BOWL SHUFFLE (MPI) Celebrate the Bears’ upcoming Super Bowl victory with this 20^th anniversary edition of the 1985 Bears’ embarrassing music video, which somehow resulted in a Grammy nomination (saying a lot about the Grammies). Includes Making-Of and outtakes.
(O)   TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO 3 Part 1 (Media Blasters) More allegedly true Japanese ghost stories dramatized for television.
(O)   UNKNOWN (Weinstein/Genius) Psychological thriller about five abductees who wake up in a warehouse, kind of like Cube without the sci-fi.
(O)   VIGILANTE (Blue Underground) A Death Wish-inspired action fable, but a lot more violent! Includes commentrak, promo reel and more.
(O)   ZATOICHI TV Series Volume 6 (Media Blasters) Shintaro Katsu as the blind swordsman in more from the 1974 TV series.

HD-DVD CORNER

(O) BEERFEST (Warner Bros.) Unrated version with two commentraks, deleted footage, outtakes and more.
(O) THE WICKER MAN (Warner Bros.) Unrated remake (more bear costume action!) plus commentrak.

BLU-RAY DISC CORNER

(O) BEERFEST (Warner Bros.) Unrated version with two commentraks, deleted footage, outtakes and more

(O) FLYBOYS (MGM) Includes commentrak, annotation track, deleted footage and featurettes.

(O) THE WICKER MAN (Warner Bros.) Unrated remake plus commentrak.

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.