Pirate tie-ins ahoy

By: Brian Thomas
Date: Tuesday, June 27, 2006

We've got a huge list this week so let's get right to the Prize Closet. We have 2 copies of FAILURE TO LAUNCH for you, courtesy of Paramount. To enter, send one email containing your name and mailing address to psycho@psychotronic.info with the word "FAILURE" in the subject line.



SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This week, our spotlight falls on a repackage. I know but it's a goodie.

(O) STRANGERS WITH CANDY Complete Series (Paramount) Comedey Central's first sitcom stars Amy Sidaris as aging ex-con Jerri Blank, a character based on a rambling, scary middle aged ex-junkie who lectured bored teens in the early 1970s. Moving back in with her hostile family and re-enrolling in Flatpoint High, she contends with demented teachers (and co-creators) Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert in wicked spoofs of After School Specials. Despite the eccentrically uptight atmosphere, Jerri is constantly falling off the wagon into her former decadent habits. Black comedy is seldom this brilliant on TV, cable or no cable. Released just in time for the feature version's theatrical run. With commentraks, extensive blooper reel.

NEW RELEASES


(O) A (Facets) Documentary on the cult responsible for a poison gas massacre on a Tokyo subway. Delayed from May.
(O) ART OF THE DEVIL 2 (Media Blasters) Thai horror about a beautiful village teacher overwhelmed by the love spells of her smitten neighbors who uses witchcraft of her own to strike back.

(O) BAIAN THE ASSASSIN Volume 3 (Media Blasters) Two more episodes of Ken Watanabe in action.
(O) THE BEST OF SID CAESER (New Video) Sketches from the classic 1950s TV shows.
(O) BEYOND KONG (Delta) Eleven movie 2-disc set includes THE GORILLA, THE APE MAN, BOYS FROM BROOKLYN, BRIDE OF THE GORILLA, THE APE, NABONGA, WHITE GORILLA, WHITE PONGO, KONG ISLAND, THE SAVAGE GIRL and LAW OF THE JUNGLE, plus an iPod ready disc that allows you to drag & drop the video directly into your iPod.
(O) THE BOY & THE PIRATES / CRYSTALSTONE (MGM) The Midnite Movies are back from MGM, starting with today's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN cash-in double features! BOY is a juvenile 1960 fantasy in which a genii grants a kid's wish to become a pirate. CRYSTALSTONE is a 1988 international production aimed at the junior Indiana Jones fans.
(O) BURST CITY (Discotek) Chaos rules future Tokyo when protesting punkers clash with construction workers, bikers, yakuza and cops. Frenetic 1982 J-sci-fi from director Sojo Ishii starring some of the day's hottest punk bands.
(O) CACHÉ (Sony) Director Michael Haneke borrows a bit from LOST HIGHWAY in this tale of a couple terrorized by persons unknown who keep leaving videos of their private lives on their doorstep. With behind-the-scenes featurettes.
(O) CANDY STRIPERS (Sony) No, it's not the lighthearted sex romp from the 1970s, but more hospital horror.
(O) CHOK DEE THE KICKBOXER (Tai Seng) Dida Diafat stars as himself in the story of his rise to the Thai kickboxing championship.
(O) CHUCK BERRY: HAIL! HAIL! ROCK 'N' ROLL! (Image) Taylor Hackford's excellent documentary on the rock pioneer. Also available in a special edition.
(O) CLONE (Image) Post-apoc thriller has one man carrying the genetic code that could save mankind from extinction.
(O) COLOR HONEYMOONERS Collection 1 (MPI) Ralph wins a trip to Europe in original episodes from The Jackie Gleason Show that aired live from Miami in 1956-1957.
(O) COLT .38 SPECIAL SQUAD (NoShame) Crimelord Ivan Rassomov is the target of a secret team of vigilante cops led by Marcel Bozzuffi in this 1976 Italian bullet opera. 2-disc special edition includes interviews, booklet and bonus second feature, Luciano Ercoli's unreleased 1978 THE RIP-OFF.
(O) COLUMBO Complete Fifth Season (Universal) The TV detective nails more killers.
(O) THE COMPLETE SHERLOCK HOLMES COLLECTION (MPI) Repackaged box set of all 14 excellent MPI remasters of the Basil Rathbone classic Holmes movies on five discs. With 6 commentraks, interviews and more.
(O) CONVOY BUSTERS (NoShame) 1978 Euro-action with Maurizio Merli as a former big city cop who stumbles upon a vicious gang of gun runners on the Adriatic coast. Includes interviews and original comic-book.
(O) COPS VS. THUGS (Kino) 1975 crime thriller from Kinji Fukasaku.
(O) CULT CLASSICS (Mill Creek) 20 roadshow movie pack includes CHAINED FOR LIFE, CHILD BRIDE, COCAINE FIENDS, DELINQUENT DAUGHTERS, ESCORT GIRL, GAMBLING WITH SOULS, JOYLESS STREET, MAD YOUTH, MARIHUANA, THE MARIJUANA MENACE, OMOO-OMOO THE SHARK GOD, REEFER MADNESS, THE ROAD TO RUIN, SEX MADNESS, SHE SHOULDA' SAID "NO"!, SLAVES IN BONDAGE, TEN NIGHTS IN A BARROOM, TERROR OF TINY TOWN, TEST TUBE BABIES, and THE WILD AND THE WICKED.
(O) THE CURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN (Casa Negra) A phantom commits grisly murders in this 1961 Mexican horror (aka LA MALEDICION DE LA LLORONA). Includes commentrak, booklet, Loteria card and more.
(O) DANGER AFTER DARK COLLECTION (TLA) A box set of cutting edge J-horrors: MOON CHILD, 2LDK and the incredible SUICIDE CLUB.
(O) DEATHTRANCE (Media Blasters) A monk tries to reach the man who stole the Goddess of Destruction's coffin before he can open it. Includes Making-Of.
(O) THE DEVIL'S SWORD (Mondo Macabro) 1983 Indonesian action fantasy with Barry Prima as a hero on a quest to slay the evil Crocodile Queen with his magic sword. With interview, featurettes and more.
(O) DRAGNET (Delta) 24 episodes from the 1950s on 2 discs plus an iPod ready disc that allows you to drag & drop the videos directly into your iPod.
(O) ELECTRIC DRAGON 80,000V (Discotek) Cult icon Sogo Ishii directs this tale of a rockin' detective with electric powers. With soundtrack CD, featurettes, press conference and more.
(O) FAILURE TO LAUNCH (Paramount) Ultra-slacker Matthew McConaughey's parents hire Sarah Jessica Parker to get him to finally move out of the house. Hmmm. This could probably be a reality series every week Sarah evicts a 40-yeasr old virgin from his parents' basement. Widescreen & fullscreen editions include Making-Of featurettes, contest and more.
(O) FAMILY AFFAIR Season 1 (MPI) 1966 sitcom in which swinging playboy architect Brian Keith suddenly inherits his brother's trio of orphans. 30 episodes on 5 discs plus behind-the-scenes.
(O) FEAR FACTOR First Season (Universal) Contestant perform daring stunts to win cash.
(O) FILMS OF TOSHIAKI TOYODA (Artsmagic) 2-pack of BLUE SPRING and 9 SOULS.
(O) FIND ME GUILTY (Fox) Sidney Lumet comedy in which Vin Diesel stars as a mobster who defends himself at his trial and causes an uproar. Includes interview and more.
(O) FORTUNES OF CAPTAIN BLOOD / CAPTAIN PIRATE (MGM) Another Midnite Movies twin bill presents two early 1950s adventures starring Louis Hayward and Patricia Medina.
(O) THE FUCCONS Volume 3 (ADV) More fun with the mannequin clan.
(O) FULL CONTACT (Tai Seng) Ringo Lam action classic in which Chow Yun-fat is betrayed and left for dead by his fellow thieves and comes back to square accounts. Includes commentrak.
(O) GHOST GAME (Image) Horror version of JUMANJI.
(O) THE GRAVEYARD (Lionsgate) Friends gather at a graveyard to honor their dead friend but find terror.
(O) HITCHCOCK (Delta) Seven movies from the Master (SABOTAGE, MURDER!, THE CHENEY VASE, BLACKMAIL, EASY VIRTUE, THE LADY VANISHES and 39 STEPS) plus a documentary on 2 discs, plus an iPod ready disc that allows you to drag & drop the video directly into your iPod.
(O) THE INNOCENT SLEEP (Tango) 1996 UK murder mystery based on a real case.
(O) JOHNNY AQUARIUS (Facets) 1993 Polish fantasy about a poor villager who is suddenly gifted with the ability to perform miracles.
(O) LAUGHING IN THE WIND Volume 4 (Facets) Last 10 episodes of the Chinese swordplay series.
(O) MAGNIFICENT TEAM (Tai Seng) Average 1998 Hong Kong cops & robbers action.
(O) MARILYN ALIVE & BEHIND BARS (Trinity) After attempting suicide over the accidental death of his wife, John Phillip Law is abducted by the staff of a sanitarium and brainwashed into helping with their white slave operation. In the attic, he finds Marilyn Monroe (Francine York), who helps him in an escape attempt. A 1991 weirdie (aka SCREAM YOUR HEAD OFF).
(O) MASTERS OF HORROR: Deer Woman (Anchor Bay) In a story by director John Landis and his son Max, detective Brian Benben (DREAM ON) investigates murders he thinks may have been committed by something supernatural. Includes commentrak, featurettes, interviews, Making-Of, script and more.
(O) MASTERS OF HORROR: Sick Girl (Anchor Bay) Entomologist Angela Bettis (TOOLBOX MURDERS) falls for both mysterious Erin Brown (aka Misty Mundae) and a bug in a tale from Lucky McKee (MAY). Includes commentrak, featurettes, interviews, Making-Of and more. Both these volumes available as a 2-pack.
(O) MONK Season 4 (Universal) Another 4-disc visit with Tony Shaloub's OCD detective.
(O) MONSTER IN THE FOREST: The Story of The Cyclop (Facets) Documentary on the creation of one of the world's strangest and greatest sculptures.
(O) MURDER ROOMS (MPI) Four episodes of Arthur Conan Doyle and his mentor Dr. Joseph Bell use forensics to solve murder cases.
(O) ONE STEP BEYOND (Delta) 24 episodes from the 1950s on 2 discs plus an iPod ready disc that allows you to drag & drop the video directly into your iPod.
(O) THE PERILS OF GWENDOLINE IN THE LAND OF THE YIK YAK (Severin) Tawny Kitaen searches for her father to a lost kingdom in this sexy, memorable, and totally ridiculous 1984 adventure based on the Eurocomic. Available in R-rated and unrated director's cut (with commentrak), includes, interview and more.
(O) PRISONERS OF THE DARK ZONE (Goldhil) A tween boy gets lost in time.
(O) RED RIDING HOOD (Fox) New musical rendition.
(O) RETURN OF THE CONDOR HEROES Part 1 (Tai Seng) The hit 1983 Hong Kong action TV series starring Andy Lau comes to the USA for the first time. 25 episodes on 6 discs.
(O) ROCK 'N' ROLL NIGHTMARE (Synapse) 1987 heavy metal hair band horror starring Jon-Mikl Thor. Includes commentrak, featurettes, music videos and more.
(O) SHADOW: DEAD RIOT (Media Blasters) Tony Todd in a mish-mosh kung fu zombie WIP flick.
SHERLOCK HOLMES COLLECTION (Delta) 2-disc set includes five movies (STUDY IN SCARLET, SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE SECRET WEAPON, WOMAN IN GREEN, TERRORT BY NIGHT and SILVER BLAZE), six TV episodes and a documentary, plus an iPod ready disc that allows you to drag & drop the video directly into your iPod.
(O) SHOCKHEADED (Heretic) A man tries to find out who is behind cryptic notes left under his door in this award winning surreal modern noir horror mystery. Includes director commentrak, deleted footage, bonus short and soundtrack MP3s.
(O) SHOCKUMENTARY EXTREME COLLECTION (Blue Underground) 2-pack of AFRICA ADDIO and GOODBYE UNCLE TOM.
(O) SPACED OUT (Image) 1979 UK sex sci-fi comedy (aka OUTER TOUCH), yet another in which space chicks come to Earth seeking mates. US version released by Miramax has the computer voice dubbed over by Bob Saget.
(O) STRANGE TALES (Mill Creek) 20 movie 4-disc pack includes ALIEN SPECIES, AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN, THE CONFESSIONS OF A VICE BARON, COUNTERBLAST, DOOMSDAY MACHINE, THE EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE (Starman), FROZEN ALIVE, THE HEAD, IDAHO TRANSFER, NIGHT FRIGHT, NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST, PRISONER OF THE LOST UNIVERSE, RETURN OF DR. MABUSE, ROBOT PILOT, STAR ODYSSEY, TERROR CREATURES FROM THE GRAVE, THIS IS NOT A TEST, UNKNOWN WORLD, WAR OF THE MONSTERS (Gamera), and WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND.
(O) TALES OF TERROR (Mill Creek) 50 movie 12-disc pack includes THE AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN, THE APE MAN, THE BAT, BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT, CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI, CHLOE, CONDEMNED TO LIVE, CRIMES AT THE DARK HOUSE, CRIMES OF STEPHEN HAWKE, CRYPT OF THE LIVING DEAD, CURSE OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN, DEVIL BAT, DEVIL MONSTER, THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER, THE DEVIL'S MESSENGER, THE DEVIL'S PARTNER, Starman in EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE, THE GHOST WALKS, HANDS OF STEEL, THE HEAD, THE IRONBOUND VAMPIRE, THE ISLAND MONSTER, THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH, THE MAN WITH TWO LIVES, MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE, THE MANSTER, MIDNIGHT SHADOW, MURDER IN THE RED BARN, NEVER TOO LATE, THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE, NIGHT FRIGHT, NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST, ONE FRIGHTENED NIGHT, THE PHANTOM CREEPS, THE PHANTOM OF SOHO, THE ROGUES TAVERN, THE SADIST, SCARED TO DEATH, THE SHE-BEAST, SHOCK, SOUND OF HORROR, A STRANGE ADVENTURE, TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN (TV pilot), TEENAGE ZOMBIES, TERROR CREATURES FROM THE GRAVE, TORTURE SHIP, VAMPIRE'S NIGHT ORGY, A WALKING NIGHTMARE, THE WEREWOLF OF WASHINGTON and WHITE GORILLA.
(O) ULTRAVIOLET (Sony) Milla Jovovich is picture perfect as a future vampire warrior out to save the boy with the mutant-cure blood (Cameron Bright again!) in this longshot internationally produced visual extravaganza from the director of EQUILIBRIUM. It reaches a few moments of poignancy amid the action and eye candy orgy, but is ultimately a near miss, with a shameless swipe from LONE WOLF & CUB 2. Includes Jovovich commentrak and Making-Of. Also available in an unrated extended edition
(O) VAMPIRES & MORE (Mill Creek) 20 movie 4-disc pack includes ATOM AGE VAMPIRE, COUNT DRACULA AND HIS VAMPIRE BRIDE, CRYPT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DEVIL BAT, HORROR OF THE ZOMBIES, HOUSE OF THE DEAD, KING OF THE ZOMBIES, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, MAMA DRACULA, MOON OF THE WOLF, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, NOSFERATU, OASIS OF THE ZOMBIES, REVOLT OF THE ZOMBIES, THE VAMPIRE BAT, THE VENGEANCE OF THE ZOMBIES, VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST, WEREWOLF IN A GIRL'S DORMITORY, WEREWOLF VS. VAMPIRE WOMEN and WHITE ZOMBIE.
(O) VAMPIRE WARS: BATTLE OF THE UNIVERSE (Echo Bridge) Space marines vs. space vampires. With featurettes.
THE WITCH'S MIRROR (Casa Negra) 1960 vintage Mexican horror (aka EL ESPEJO DE LA BRUJA) about a witch's revenge. Includes commentrak, Loteria card and more.
(O) YAKUZA GRAVEYARD (Kino) 1976 Kinji Fukasaku (BATTLE ROYALE) actioner about a rogue cop taking on the mob.
(O) YELLOWBEARD (MGM) Silly 1983 all star pirate send-up with Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Cheech Marin, James Mason, Susannah York, Kenneth Mars, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, John Cleese, David Bowie, Peter Boyle, Tommy Chong, Peter Cook, Spike Milligan and Ferdy Mayne.

BLU-RAY DISC CORNER

(O) CRASH (Lionsgate) No, not the Cronenberg one.
(O) LORD OF WAR (Lionsgate)
(O) THE PUNISHER (Lionsgate)
(O) SAW (Lionsgate)
(O) THE TERMINATOR (Sony) With deleted footage.
(O) TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (Lions Gate)
(O) ULTRAVIOLET (Sony) Includes Jovovich commentrak and Making-Of.

HD-DVD CORNER

(O) KISS KISS BANG BANG (Warner Bros.) DVD/HD-DVD flipper. Includes commentrak and gag reel.
(O) SYRIANA (Warner Bros.) Includes additional footage, interviews and more.

UMD CORNER

(O) INDEPENDENCE DAY (Fox)
(O) ULTRAVIOLET (Sony) Unrated extended version.


And be sure to check back next weekand every weekfor CINESCAPE's DVD Shopping List! And don't forget Anime Avalanche every Saturday!

DVD Shopping List (© 2006 Brian Thomas) is our weekly DVD column. Brian Thomas is the author of the massive book VideoHound's DRAGON: ASIAN ACTION & CULT FLICKS, available now!

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at DVDShoppingList@cinescape.com.