VDVD

By: Brian Thomas
Date: Tuesday, August 01, 2006

I'm preparing this column on what my Yahoo/Weather Channel report tells me is "the hottest goddamn weekend of the year". With a slight breeze coming in off the lake, the current temperature is 96˚, which the temperature/humidity index says feels like 187˚. Since these high temperatures can cause certain undisclosed bootleg copies of software to malfunction (ask for genuine Microsoft, folks!), instead of preparing the list in my swanky air conditioned office, I'm using a unidentifiable Czeck notebook wired into a pay phone down at the 7-11. It's hacker stuff that you wouldn't understand. What I'm trying to convey is that the life of a Cinescape columnist is one of danger and intrigue, and I just hope the readership appreciates the sacrifices we make for you, our reader.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I see the UPS van parked in front of my building, and I'll just bet it's brought me that HD-DVD player Toshiba agreed to send me for testing. By next week's column, I'll be able to tell you all about its refresh rate after it's dropped off a 4-story building, whether it's truly compatible with older DVDs after being submerged in salt water for 30 minutes, and what type of cable works best to connect it to a 20-year old Mitsubishi television monitor.

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This week, our spotlight falls on a comic-book adaptation without a silly masked superhero in a mask and cape. This one has a noble terrorist in a mask and cape.

(O) V FOR VENDETTA (Warner Bros.) I was enthralled by the graphic novel written by Alan Moore when it was serialized in the USA. The Wachowski Brothers and director James McTeigue took some liberties with the material in adapting it to the motion picture screen. Still, it's not often that big budget action flicks get so political think THE SIXTH DAY with a lot more brains. Widescreen & fullscreen editions includes Making-Of. Also available in a 2-disc special edition that adds on three featurettes, music video and secret bonus hidden SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE short.

NEW RELEASES


(O) THE ALAMO (MGM) "Best Sellers" Edition.
(O) ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Sony) Irwin Allen's all-star tele-version also mashes in parts of THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. Telly Savalas as the Cheshire Cat! Sammy Davis Jr. as the Caterpillar! Ringo Starr as the Mock Turtle!
(O) THE BLACK HOLE (Echo Bridge) TV movie in which a nuclear experiment creates a black hole in St. Louis and no one notices. Kidding! A big monster climbs out and tries to eat Kristy Swanson.
(O) THE COMEBACK (HBO) Lisa Kudrow as a former sitcom star who tries to make a... comeback. Entire series plus commentraks, interview and featurettes.
(O) CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM Complete Fifth Season (HBO) Larry David's deft comedy spoofs himself and everything else. Documentary featurettes. Also available bundled with seasons 1-4.
(O) DING DONG / MERRY MAIDS OF THE GAY WAY (Image) See ecdysiasts, singers and wacky comics in two 1954 burlesque movies.
(O) DR. MABUSE: THE GAMBLER (Kino) Fritz Lang's criminal mastermind is back in this 1922 German silent thriller. Includes hour long documentary and more.
(O) DRACULA, PRISONER OF FRANKENSTEIN (Image) Bizarre 1972 Jess Franco horror (aka THE SCREAMING DEAD) in which Dr. Frankenstein revives Count Dracula (Howard Vernon) as a slave.
(O) HAZEL Complete First Season (Sony) Shirley Booth in the hit 1961 sitcom as the smartass housekeeper from the Saturday Evening Post cartoons. All 35 episodes.
(O) I'LL ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (Sony) Not because anyone demanded it, but because the first two made money, here you have a direct-to-DVD third entry in the slasher mystery franchise starring none of the original cast, so it's more like a rehash of what you did last summer. Also available in a box set of all 3 films.
(O) LEARN THE ART OF MALE BELLY DANCING (Tapeworm) That's right, Tapeworm will have you belly dancing in no time.
(O) MR. MOTO COLLECTION Volume 1 (Fox) Peter Lorre as John P. Marquand's Asian criminologist Kentaro Moto in MYSTERIOUS MR. MOTO, MR. MOTO TAKES A CHANCE, THANK YOU MR. MOTO and THINK FAST MR. MOTO.
(O) SEVERED: FOREST OF THE DEAD (Screen Media/Universal) Environmental zombie horror as a forestry company's genetic experiments spark a zombie outbreak amongst lumberjacks and tree huggers alike.
(O) THE SEX THIEF (Image) 1973 Martin Campbell thriller about a daring kissing jewel thief. Unrated edition.
(O) THE SHAGGY DOG (Buena Vista) Tim Allen becomes a were-sheepdog in this Disney remake. Please refrain from joking about Mr. Allen's plastic surgery. Includes commentrak, deleted footage, bloopers, featurette and more.
(O) SPACEBALLS (MGM) "Best Sellers" edition of the Mel Brooks sci-fi comedy.
(O) STAR TREK FAN COLLECTIVE: Klingon (Paramount) Eleven fan-picked episodes on 4 discs about Klingons, including one from ENTERPRISE, two from STOS, four from TNG, three from DS9 and one from VOYAGER.
(O) 10.5 APOCALYPSE (Echo Bridge) TV movie sequel in which a monstrous quake hits and fundamentalist Christians try to cash in. Warning!: Excessive use of NYPD BLUE style spastic camera.
(O) THIS IS SPINAL TAP (MGM) "Best Sellers" edition.
(O) WARNING SHADOWS (Kino) 1923 German expressionist prot-film noir thriller.
(O) WILBUR & THE BABY FACTORY / TANYA (Image) Twin bill of sexy semi-political comedies from the swingin' 1970s, courtesy of Something Weird Video.
(O) THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (Warner Bros.) Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer are small town witches unable to find an exciting man. Then they meet the devlish Jack Nicholson, who proves to be a bit too exciting.

BLU-RAY DISC CORNER

(O) GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK (Warner Bros.)
(O) KISS KISS BANG BANG (Warner Bros.)
(O) TRAINING DAY (Warner Bros.)

HD-DVD CORNER

(O) FOUR BROTHERS (Paramount)
(O) THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (Paramount)


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.