Monsters Unleashed!

According to some label reps I've talked to lately, some voice actors on the English dubbing crews for anime titles have their own fan following. This might seem a little odd at first, but in light of the fact that little supplemental material is included in these Japanese imports, some labels have filled the gap by including DVD extras centered on an aspect of the production they have more influence on: the English dub. Plus, many of these actors are cute girls that show up at the company booth at conventions to chat with fans. Hey, it makes a lot more sense than a guy I knew in college that had a mad crush on the voice of the lady who gave the time on the phone.

Obviously, the biggest new releases in DVD are these special sets of classic Universal monster movies, which set the stage for the new action horror blockbuster VAN HELSING:

(O) DRACULA: THE LEGACY COLLECTION (Universal) [IMG2R]Includes Bela Lugosi as DRACULA (including a new alternate soundtrack by Phillip Glass), the simultaneously-made Spanish version of DRACULA, the critically acclaimed DRACULA'S DAUGHTER, Lon Chaney, Jr. in SON OF DRACULA and the DVD debut of the monster rally HOUSE OF DRACULA. Plus commentrak and documentary.
(O) FRANKENSTEIN: THE LEGACY COLLECTION (Universal) Boris Karloff in the iconic classics FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, and the monster parade HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, plus Lon Chaney, Jr. in GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN. Includes commentrak and Making-Of documentaries.
(O) THE WOLF MAN: THE LEGACY COLLECTION (Universal) Lon Chaney, Jr. and Bela Lugosi in THE WOLF MAN (includes commentrak and Making-Of) and FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN, plus the Jekyll/Hyde story WEREWOLF OF LONDON, and the potboiler SHE-WOLF OF LONDON.
(O) MONSTER LEGACY Gift Set (Universal) Includes the DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN and WOLFMAN LEGACY COLLECTION sets all in one monster box set, along with three nifty monster busts.

(O) ADAM & EVIL (Velocity) Teenagers go for a weekend at a remote campground and... well, you know. Somebody should make a slasher movie set in a Yogi Bear Jellystone Park. Includes director commentrak.
(O) THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (MPI) Ambitious second Fox Holmes feature with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce joins MPI's celebrated series of restorations. Includes commentrak.
(O) AMONG US (Sub Rosa) A film crew is terrorized by a sasquatch in this new horror from the Polonia Brothers (HOUSE THAT SCREAMED). Includes three commentraks, Making-Of, music video and more.
(O) THE APOCALYPSE (GoodTimes) Richard Harris as the imprisoned crazy ol' apostle John, who promotes Christianity by making scary predictions of the end of the world. Nothing says "GoodTimes" like the end of the world.
(O) BIG FISH (Columbia TriStar) Tim [IMG3L]Burton's whimsical drama about a man's exploration of his father's tall tales. With commentrak, deleted scenes, featurettes, trivia game and more.
(O) BEYOND SPACE AND TIME (Brentwood) Two-disc set presents an odd mix of PIZZA WARS, WAITING FOR GIANTS, KILLERS FROM SPACE and NEOPHITES & NEON LIGHTS. Delayed from 4/13.
(O) BLONDES HAVE MORE GUNS (Troma) Nutty 1995 action comedy.
(O) BLOOD GNOME (First Look) A CSI unit discovers that a string of brutal murders is the work of critters from another dimension. Almost as scary as Underpants Gnomes. Directors commentrak, behind-the-scenes, and more.
(O) BRIDE OF FRANK (Sub Rosa) A filthy, violent homeless trucker searches for a bride, killing the dates that don't work out. This horrifying, funny and disturbing film has been compared to COMBAT SHOCK, PINK FLAMINGOES and HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. Includes commentrak, alternate ending, deleted scene, bloopers, featurettes and more.
(O) CHARLIE CHAPLIN: 57 Classics (Brentwood) 57 shorts from 1914-1921 on five discs, plus a Chaplin documentary.
(O) COMING DISTRACTIONS (Troma) Four hours of trailers from the Troma library!
(O) DEATH BED: The Bed That Eats (Cult Epics/Rykodisc) Rare [IMG4R]uncut weird horror film from 1977 about a bed that eats people! Pleasant dreams... Re-released via CE's distribution deal with Rykodisc.
(O) DICK VAN DYKE SHOW: Season 4 (Image) 31 classic episodes, plus commentraks by Van Dyke, Carl Reiner and Garry marshall, interviews, documentary featurettes, the meeting of two Van Dyke characters on DIAGNOSIS MURDER, and lots more.
(O) DJANGO (Blue Underground) A spaghetti western classic, remastered from the original negative. Includes interviews and a second disc with a new short starring Franco Nero.
(O) DOUBLE-D AVENGER (Image) Campy superhero spoof starring gracefully aging top-heavy Russ Meyer supervixens, their next generation counterparts, and Forrest J Ackerman. Includes commentrak by Joe Bob Briggs, Making-Of, behind-the-scenes, and more.
(O) EDUCATIONAL ARCHIVES: Limited Edition Lunch Box (Fantoma) Available again! Gorgeous tin lunch box with the first four volumes in Fantoma's educational film collections, liner notes, and thermos.
(O) FAST COMPANY (Blue Underground) This 1979 drag racing action epic from David Cronenberg starring William Smith, John Saxon and Claudia Jennings seems to have fallen through the cracks, but BU rescues it for this special edition that includes director commentrak and interviews. Also available in a limited edition with a second disc that includes Cronenberg's early films CRIMES OF THE FUTURE and STEREO.
(O) FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY (Paramount) Paul Newman, John Cusack and Laura Dern star in the true story of the Manhattan Project, which only obliquely had anything to do with cocktails.
(O) FEMALE PRISONER 701: SCORPION (Media Blasters) First in a terrific Japanese movie series starring Meiko Kaji (LADY SNOWBLOOD) as a revenge-mad psycho fighting her way out of a brutal prison.
(O) FRIEND (Chimera) Acclaimed hard-boiled Korean gangster drama. Includes behind-the-scenes.
(O) GALILEO SMITH VISITS THE SOLAR SYSTEM (Sub Rosa) A label known for its gut-wrenching horror films enters the educational arena with this tale of a magical friend dropping in on Earth kids to teach them about astronomy.
(O) GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS (Buena Vista) [IMG5R]James Cameron's ultimate documentary exploration of the Titanic wreck with Bill Paxton as guide, including the original 62-minute version (originally an IMAX 3-D release), an expanded 92-minute version, behind-the-scenes featurette, and a multi-angle feature.
(O) GO TO HELL (Troma) Impressive regional psychotronic hit about a tabloid reporter forced by the Devil to get involved with the Vatican's assassin squad. Includes commentrak, deleted scenes, short film, Making-Of, and all the usual Troma extras.
(O) GREEN ARCHER (VCI) 15-chapter serial expanded from a novel by Edgar Wallace.
(O) HAMMER HORROR COLLECTION 6-pack (Warner Bros.) Not to be totally pushed aside by Universal, WBHE presents a box set that includes CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HORROR OF DRACULA, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, THE MUMMY, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED and TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, also available separately.
(O) HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB (Crash) 1973 Spanish splatter about a re-animated warlock's head causing mayhem, with the legendary Paul Naschy. Crash enters the Eurohorror arena in spectacular fashion with the first of a series that includes both the US edits and the uncut international versions, plus interviews with stars and directors.
(O) THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (MPI) The first teaming of Rathbone & Bruce as Holmes & Watson for Fox's atmospheric 1939 adaptation of the Conan Doyle novel. Includes commentrak.
(O) JACK ARMSTRONG (VCI) 15-chapter 1947 serial about the exploits of radio's favorite All-American Boy.
(O) KIDS IN THE HALL: Season 1 (A&E) This [IMG6L]Canadian troupe became the Pythons of the 1990s via their sketch comedy show, which at one time was being broadcast on three different networks. Set also includes two Best-Of programs, early stage footage, commentraks, interviews and more.
(O) KILLER CLASSICS: 5 FILM NOIR (Questar) Six-pack of vintage thrillers includes D.O.A., DETOUR, THE STRANGER, SCARLET STREET and KILLER BAIT, plus documentary featurettes and trailers for 38 film noir features!
(O) LIKE FATHER LIKE SON (Columbia TriStar)
(O) VICE VERSA (Columbia TriStar) Judge Reinhold, Fred Savage, Kirk Cameron and Dudley Moore are fathers and sons that switch bodies FREAKY FRIDAY style.
(O) MAN IN THE ATTIC (VCI) Jack Palance as Jack the Ripper in this 1953 remake of THE LODGER.
(O) MUTANT X: Season 2 Disc 1 (ADV Films) Episodes 201-205.
(O) MY LITTLE EYE (Universal) A horror flick based around a BIG BROTHER type game show. Commentrak, an "eavesdropping" track(?), Making-Of, deleted scenes, audition footage.
(O) NATURE: A Conversation with Koko (Questar) PBS special profiles a gorilla that knows sign language.
(O) NIGHTMARES COME AT NIGHT (Media Blasters) 1970 Eurohorror pulp from Jesus Franco with Diana Lorys and Soledad Miranda.
(O) PROFILER Season 3 (New Video) All 21 episodes with commentrak on one.
(O) THE PROTECTORS Season One (A&E) Robert Vaughn stars in this 1972 BBC series as the leader of a group of freelance crimefighters.
(O) SANTO: THE ROYAL EAGLE (Vanguard) The Man in the Silver Mask meets La Tigresa and fights to save a ranch in this 1973 adventure.
(O) SCI-FI CLASSICS 50 MOVIE MEGAPACK (Treeline) You can take the category of "sci-fi" loosely here, as a bunch of Hercules movies are included, but this bargain set similar to [IMG7R]the previous HORROR MEGAPACK should provide a decent 12-disc B-flick library at a very price. The lineup: THE INCREDIBLE PETRIFIED WORLD, QUEEN OF THE AMAZON, ROBOT MONSTER, SHE GODS OF SHARK REEF, THE AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN, THE ATOMIC BRAIN, HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND, THE WASP WOMAN, VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET, VOYAGE TO THE PLANET OF PREHISTORIC WOMEN, KING OF KONG ISLAND, BRIDE OF THE GORILLA, ATTACK OF THE MONSTERS, GAMERA THE INVINCIBLE, SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS, TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE, CRASH OF THE MOONS, MENACE FROM OUTER SPACE, HERCULES AGAINST THE MOONMEN, HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN, HERCULES AND THE TYRANTS OF BABYLON, HERCULES UNCHAINED, LOST JUNGLE, MESA OF LOST WOMEN, ASSIGNMENT: OUTER SPACE, LASER MISSION, KILLERS FROM SPACE, PHANTOM FROM SPACE, WHITE PONGO, THE SNOW CREATURE, SON OF HERCULES: THE LAND OF DARKNESS, DEVIL OF THE DESERT VS. SON OF HERCULES, FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS, ZONTAR, THE THING FROM VENUS, THE ASTRAL FACTOR, THE GALAXY INVADER, BATTLE OF THE WORLDS, UNKNOWN WORLD, BLOOD TIDE, THE BRAIN MACHINE, WILD WOMEN OF WONGO, PREHISTORIC WOMEN, THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE, WARNING FROM SPACE, THE PHANTOM PLANET, PLANET OUTLAWS, COLOSSUS AND THE AMAZON QUEEN, EEGAH, COSMOS: WAR OF THE PLANETS, and another Gamera movie, DESTROY ALL PLANETS.

(O) STATE OF MIND (Troma) Demented terror starring Fred Williamson. Includes commentrak, interviews, music videos, and more.
(O) S.O.S. COAST GUARD (VCI) Rip-roaring 1937 serial starring Ralph Byrd (DICK TRACY) as a Coast Guard agent out to stop the evil plot of mad scientist Bela Lugosi.
(O) SUICIDE: Uncensored Director's Cut (Troma) A young couple advertises to film suicides for a documentary. Disturbing stuff. Includes commentrak, deleted scenes, music videos, and lots more.
(O) URBAN GHOST STORY (MTI) A young woman is haunted by a poltergeist after a near-death experience. Based on a true story. Includes two commentraks, three documentaries, deleted scenes, and more.
(O) VAMPIRE JUNCTION (Sub Rosa) Jesus Franco tale of a doctor who discovers that a vampire has taken over a New Mexico town. Includes bonus short "Evil Night". Delayed from last month.
(O) WHITE WARRIOR (Alpha) Steve Reeves in savage action set in Old Russia, directed by Riccardo Freda.
(O) WITCHCRAFT X: Mistress of the Craft (Sub Rosa) Hey, who knew there were so many flicks in this series? This one takes place in London.
(O) WITCHCRAFT XI: Sisters in Blood (Sub Rosa) Hero Will Spanner tries to prevent a demon resurrection.
(O) WITCHCRAFT XII: In the Lair of the Serpent (Sub Rosa) A supernatural serial killer is allied with a coven.

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

(O) ANIME TEST DRIVE: REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA, SLAYERS, DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS, WORLD OF NARUE (Central Park) These bargain priced discs each contain the first episode of one anime series, a bunch of trailers for other CPM titles, and a rebate coupon for $10 back if you buy the corresponding full DVD. Available separately or in a brick of 8 TEST DRIVE discs.
(O) ARJUNA: Complete Collection (Bandai) Directors cut edition, isolated score track, karaoke and more.
(O) AZUMANGA DAIOH Volume 1: Entrance (ADV) High school comedy.
(O) BURN UP EXCESS: Complete Collection (ADV) All 13 episodes of this wacky action sci-fi comedy. Includes "jiggle counter".
(O) HAPPY LESSON 3: Mama-Lama Ding Dong (ADV Films) [IMG8R]Final lessons.
(O) HARLOCK SAGA (Central Park) All six episodes of space pirate action.
(O) I DREAM OF MIMI (Right Stuf) Sitcom about a guy and his robot girlfriend turn to action when she's attacked by enemy machines.
(O) INFINITE RYVIUS Volume 4: Change of Command (Bandai) Mob justice targets an apparent traitor on board the ship.
(O) INU-YASHA Volume 17: Shattered Memories (Viz)
(O) KAZE NO YOJIMBO: A New Face in Town (Bandai) Anime adaptation of Kurosawa's classic.
(O) MAETEL LEGEND (Central Park) Princess Maetel must choose between leaving her dying planet or becoming a robot.
(O) MARMALADE BOY: Ultimate Scrapbook Volume 1 (Tokyopop) 19 episodes.
(O) MY MY MAI (Central Park) The comic adventures of a super sex counselor.
(O) ROUJIN Z (Central Park) The tale of a young student nurse, an elderly invalid, and an experimental robot bed run amok.
(O) SAIKANO Volume 1: Girlfriend (Viz) A teen finds out his girlfriend is a secret weapon. Four episodes, with voice actor interviews, featurettes and more.
(O) SD GUNDAM FORCE: Heroes United (Bandai)
(O) SD GUNDAM FORCE: Unknown Dangers (Bandai) More cute li'l giant robots.
(O) WITCH HUNTER ROBIN: Fugitive (Bandai) Includes voice actor interviews and reversible cover.