Toxic Viper on DVD

By: BRIAN THOMAS
Date: Tuesday, August 30, 2005

This week the Prize Closet holds copies of two DVDs about heroes assigned to quests by their respective deities. Enter to win by sending an email containing your valid mailing address to psycho@psychotronic.info. To win one of five copies of the thrilling Thai action flick ONG-BAK: THE THAI WARRIOR, put "JAA RULES" in the email subject line. To win a copy of the anniversary edition of energizing classic musical comedy THE BLUES BROTHERS, put "4 FRIED CHICKENS & A COKE" in the subject line. Any entries that do not meet these simple requirements will be kept in a special chamber awaiting processing.

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This week's spotlight item became an instant favorite of mine when I first saw it at a midnight show in 1987. It's rude. It's obnoxious. It's sick. And it's also very funny and constantly entertaining. Sure, there's a deluxe DVD on the way, but Synapse is being up front about that and are only doing this single disc edition because fans have been begging to see it for years.

(O) STREET TRASH (Synapse) A 1987 tale of skid row winos, gangsters, a hulking psycho junkyard tyrant, an ultratough detective, decapitation, castration, necrophilia, and a case of ultracorrosive wine called Tenafly Viper, all shot in hyperactive steadicam on location in NYC! They've been working on a massive special edition of this midnight show favorite for a long time, but this single disc edition should tide you over until it comes. Includes Tenafly Viper labels!

NEW RELEASES

(O) ALMOST HEROES (Warner Bros.) Matthew Perry & Chris Farley are two unlikely frontier explorers.
(O) AMAZONIA (Media Blasters) 1985 Italian exploitation (aka WHITE SLAVE) tells the story of a woman abducted and held by headhunters for ten years after her parents are murdered. When she finds out who really committed the crime, she uses jungle tactics to hunt down the killers using native weapons.

(O) AMERICAN PIE (Universal) UMD
(O) BLUE ICE (HBO) 1992 spy stuff with Michael Caine and Sean Young, directed by Russell Mulchahy.
(O) THE BLUES BROTHERS (Universal) 25 years later, this movie about a pair of seedy bluesmen on a holy quest to save their Catholic orphanage is still a phenomenon. Another big favorite, only missing the spotlight because it's had decent DVD release before. This anniversary edition (widescreen or fullscreen) offers the "director's cut", plus the original theatrical version, behind-the-scenes documentary, concert footage and some new surprises. Win one from us (see above).
(O) THE BOURNE IDENTITY (Universal) UMD
(O) THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE (Goodtimes) Living head schlock classic.
(O) CAMPFIRE TALES (New Line) Anthology of scary stories told by four teenagers lost in the woods at night.
(O) CAPTAIN VIDEO: MASTER OF THE STRATOSPHERE (VCI) The first TV series ever made into a movie! The space opera CAPTAIN VIDEO was a huge hit on early television, resulting in this 1951 serial.
(O) CLUELESS (Paramount) Special "Whatever" edition of the seminal high school girl comedy starring Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy and Paul Rudd. Accessorized with seven Making-Of featurettes.
(O) COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS (MPI/Dark Sky) A whip-wielding psycho monk murders college girls in this swinging 1967 thriller loosely based on an Edgar Wallace novel.
(O) COMBAT Season 5 Invasion 1 & 2 (Image) Two more volumes from 1966. Includes commentraks.
(O) COMPLETE RIPPING YARNS (Acorn) Michael Palin and Terry Jones teamed up for this 9-episode series that spoofed early 20th century boys' adventure stories. John Cleese and Eric Idle pop up in one. Very funny stuff, as usual from these guys. Includes commentraks, a track without canned laughs, deleted footage, scripts and more.
(O) THE CORPSE GRINDERS / CORPSE GRINDERS 2 (Image) TV Mikels' 1972 trash classic about entrepreneurs robbing graves to make cat food that turns the kitties into killers, bundled with Mikels' 2000 sequel.
(O) CROSS BONES (Lions Gate) A treasure hunt reality game show turns deadly when players unleash an undead pirate. Includes director commentrak.
(O) CUP OF MY BLOOD (Redrum/MTI) A cup given to a man by a dying stranger bring supernatural forces to bear on him. Includes commentrak, behind-the-scenes, deleted footage and more.
(O) CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM Complete Fourth Season (HBO) Larry David as a schlemiel. Also available bundled with previous four seasons.
(O) CYCLONE (VCI) 1978 disaster/survival movie from the makers of BERMUDA TRIANGLE in which a big storm blows an international cast into shark-infested waters.
(O) DANCE WITH DEATH (HBO) 1991 remake of Katt Shea's STRIPPED TO KILL about a woman who goes undercover as a dancer to catch her sister's killer.
(O) DEAD SILENCE (HBO) 1997 crime "thriller" with James Garner trying to save some hostages.
(O) DOOMSDAY GUN (HBO) True story of how Frank Langella offered to build a super-weapon for Iraq.
(O) DREAMSCAPE (Image) UMD
(O) EROTIC WITCH COLLECTION (EI Cinema) 3-disc set of BLAIR WITCH spoofery with lots of female nudity.
(O) EVIL COME EVIL GO / TERROR AT ORGY CASTLE / HAND OF PLEASURE (Image) A triple feature of early '70s sex & horror courtesy of Something Weird Video, plus their usual terrific selection of trailers, etc.
(O) FILMS OF TAKASHI MIIKE (Artsmagic) Bundles together SABU and FULL METAL YAKUZA.
(O) FIRST STRIKE / MR. NICE GUY (New Line) Double feature of US versions of two Jackie Chan action features.
(O) FRANKENSTEIN REBORN (Asylum) Modern adaptation of the classic novel in which a mad doctor kills a patient just to see if he can re-animate him, only to unleash a rampaging monster.
(O) FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (Goodtimes) 1957 monster schlock classic.
(O) GIRL SLAVES OF MORGANA LE FAY (Mondo Macabro) Two swinging chicks find their vacation waylaid when they're captured by the immortal sorceress Le Fay and her minions. 1971 Eurotic Eurohorror, somewhat in the same vein as the films of Jean Rollin, but much trashier. Includes director interview, deleted footage, bonus short and more.
(O) GIRLS NIGHT OUT (Media Blasters) One of 643 slasher movies released in 1984. This one stands out because it stars Hal Holbrook and the psycho wears the school panda mascot's costume.
(O) GUMBALL RALLY (Warner Bros.) Less stupid than CANNONBALL RUN, but the same story with Gary Busey. I saw it at the drive-in with GRAND THEFT AUTO.
(O) HERO AT LARGE (Warner Bros.) Superhero comedy starring John Ritter.
(O) THE HIDDEN / THE HIDDEN 2 (New Line) Double feature of Jack Sholder's crowd pleasing action thrillers about an undercover alien cop teaming up with an LAPD detective to stop the rampage of a body-hopping alien criminal. Includes Sholder commentrak, f/x featurette and more.
(O) H.R. PUFNSTUF: 4 of Sid & Marty's Favorites (Rhino) The Krofft Brothers pick a quartet of episodes.
(O) THE ITALIAN JOB (Paramount) UMD
(O) I WAS A ZOMBIE FOR THE F.B.I. (Ryko) The FBI recruits criminal brothers to infiltrate alien anomalies underneath America. 1982 black & white low budget sci-fi comedy that actually had a healthy life in the early days of home video rentals and cable TV. Includes director commentrak.
(O) KILLER CULT CLASSICS (Goodtimes) Includes BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE, WASP WOMAN, TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE and KILLER SHREWS.
(O) KILLER SHREWS (Goodtimes) Mutant siege schlock classic.
(O) KONTROLL (Think Film) Action and suspense on the Budapest subway system. Includes Making-Of and deleted scenes.
(O) LAND OF THE LOST: 'Stak Attack (Rhino)
(O) THE LIBRARIAN: QUEST FOR THE SPEAR (Warner Bros.) Pilot TV-movie hopeful in which Noah Wylie plays a librarian guarding legendary treasures who gets caught up in swashbuckling adventures. With behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews.
(O) MARRIED WITH CHILDREN Complete Fourth Season (Sony)
(O) MOM & DAD SAVE THE WORLD (Warner Bros.) Doofus couple Teri Garr and Jeffrey Jones come into conflict with alien warlord Jon Lovitz in this 1992 comedy.
(O) MONSTERS GONE WILD (Wizard/Goldhil) A drunken Frankenstein exposes himself during Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale.
(O) MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS: ERIC IDLE'S PERSONAL BEST (A&E)
(O) MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS: MICHAEL PALIN'S PERSONAL BEST (A&E) Enjoy these collections of sketches picked by Pythons. Or wait a month and get the whole series in a box set.
(O) THE MORNING AFTER (Warner Bros.) Thriller in which Jane Fonda wakes up with amnesia and a murdered man in bed with her. With commentrak by director Sidney Lumet.
(O) MPD PSYCHO Volume 2 (Adness) 2 more episodes in the TV series created by Takashi Miike (AUDITION) about a cop with multiple personality disorder.
(O) MY FAVORITE MARTIAN: Time Traveler Favorites (Rhino) 3 episodes involving time travel, I'm guessing.
(O) NATURE OF THE BEAST (New Line) A psychological thriller starring Eric Roberts and Lance Henriksen as two strangers thrown together on the road with a serial killer and a thief that knocked over a Vegas casino on the loose. With commentrak by director Victor Salva (JEEPERS CREEPERS).
(O) OFF THE CHAIN (Ardustry) Documentary about how evil bastards turn innocent dogs vicious to feed their own greed. With a music video Our Gang and Betty Boop shorts featuring pit-bulls, dog trick footage and more.
(O) ONG BAK: THE THAI WARRIOR (Fox) Jackie Chan is aging gracefully, Jet Li is making American films, and wirework is all the rage, turning everybody into a faux kung fu fighter. Who's the real deal in Asian action? Tony Jaa, that's who! In this low budget Thai epic, Tony runs, dives, falls, and kicks ass all over, putting the BANG in Bangkok while hunting down a stolen relic sacred to his village. Includes behind-the-scenes featurettes, Jaa live performances, music video and more. See above to win one!
(O) PETTICOAT JUNCTION: Ultimate Collection (MPI) Includes some episodes never seen on DVD.
(O) PIRATES OF SILICON VALLEY (Warner Bros.) Nerdy college buddies Steve Jobs (Noah Wylie) and Bill Gates (Anthony Michael Hall) take computers from technological curiosities to icons of a societal revolution.
(O) QUICK CHANGE (Warner Bros.) Bill Murray and Geena Davis steal a million bucks. Now they have to figure out how to get away with it.
(O) RED RYDER DOUBLE FEATURE Volume 9 (VCI) MARSHAL OF LAREDO and TUCSON RAIDERS.
(O) RED RYDER DOUBLE FEATURE Volume 10 (VCI) MARSHAL OF RENO and SHERIFF OF REDWOOD VALLEY. Complete your Robert Blake collection.
(O) RIDERS OF DEATH VALLEY (VCI) 1941 15-chapter "million dollar" western serial starring Dick Foran and Leo Carrillo.
(O) ROCKY 1-5 (MGM) Newly remastered transfers of Sylvester Stallone's Oscar winning boxing drama and its sequels of descending quality.
(O) ROLLOVER (Warner Bros.)
(O) ROSEANNE Complete First Season (Anchor Bay) When I first started watching this excellent sitcom about a working class family in a small Illinois town, Roseanne promised it wouldn't get weird. Well, it got weird, didn't it? But back in the first year, this was one fine, funny show. Includes interviews, bloopers, etc.
(O) RUMBLE IN THE BRONX / THE CORRUPTOR (New Line) Jackie Chan's first breakthrough hit in the US, doubled with an underappreciated early Chow Yun-fat crime drama.
(O) SAHARA (Paramount) Fun action adventure adaptation of Clive Cussler's best-seller about treasure hunters looking for a lost Civil War battleship in the middle of an African nation on the verge of plague. Widescreen and fullscreen versions include commentrak, featurettes and deleted footage.
(O) SAHARA (Paramount) UMD
(O) THE SAINT: Early Episodes Set 2 (A&E) 16 episodes from 1962.
(O) SCHOOL OF THE HOLY BEAST (Cult Epics) Stylish Japanese nunsploitation romp full of S&M, lesbianism, and all sorts of perversion going on within the walls of a convent. Includes interviews.
(O) SECRETS OF A CALL GIRL (NoShame) Sleazy 1973 Eurotrash sexploitation starring bewitching Edwige Fenech as a naïve girl drawn into a world of vice and violence.
(O) THE SENSUOUS NURSE (NoShame) Scheming heirs hire sexbomb nurse Ursula Andress to look after an ailing old skirt-chaser in this 1973 Eurosex comedy. Includes interviews and more.
(O) THE SERIAL KILLERS (MPI) 3-disc documentary profiles Ted Bundy, Michael Cross, Catherine May Wood & Gwendolyn Graham, Douglas Clark, Harv the Hammer, the Lipstick Killer, Kenneth Allen McDuff, the Hillside Strangler, Henry Lee Lucas, Ronald "Amityville" Defeo and James "Executioner" Paul.
(O) TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO (Media Blasters) Hit anthology of allegedly true ghost stories from Japan.
(O) TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE (Goodtimes) Space invader schlock classic.
(O) THRILLER: THEY CALL HER ONE EYE (Synapse) Edited "Vengeance" edition of the payback classic with the hardcore sexual content removed for easier distribution.
(O) TOMMY BOY (Paramount) "Holy Shnike" edition of the hit Chris Farley/David Spade comedy includes commentrak, featurettes, deleted footage, alternate takes, storyboards, gag reel and more.
(O) WASP WOMAN (Goodtimes) Atomic Jekyll/Hyde schlock classic.
(O) WILD LIFE (Artsmagic) A new take on the yakuza genre from director Shinji Aoyama. Includes commentrak, director interview and more.
(O) WILLIAM SHATNER'S FULL MOON FRIGHT NIGHT Volume 1 (Wizard/Goldhil) "The Shat" hosts creepers from the Full Moon vaults.
(O) WITCHES OF BREASTWICK (EI Cinema) Another sexy horror spoof.
(O) WITHOUT WARNING (MPI) Cops hunt for a serial killer murdering sexy blondes with garden shears. This rare 1952 crime thriller is a missing link between film noir and slasher genres.
(O) WONDERS OF GOD'S CREATION (Questar) "Stunning and unmistakable photographic evidence of the Creator's handiwork." Either that, or a collection of clips of natural scenic wonders created by physical forces. Take your pick. Hey, so then are ugly eyesores evidence of the Creator's handiwork, too? Or just pretty stuff? Just asking.

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

DVD Shopping List (© 2005 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.