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Viva Las Luchadoras!

A peeve from our mailbag: "I am also not a fan of selling pan & scan and widescreen editions separately. If the audience wants a choice, sell them together in one or two discs. This selling separately is nothing more than greed." Well, I don't know how you can classify it as "greed," unless you feel that for some reason you have to buy both editions. My issue is that when DVDs are released that way, most rental and chain stores are flooded with the fullscreen version. This is all because of a skewed market research survey taken by Blockbuster about ten years ago that claimed their customers preferred the fullscreen format. But even if that was true, that was before the DVD revolution, and more people are now buying big widescreen TVs. Heck, many TV series are broadcast in widescreen now. Since most major features are now released with an extra disc, why not just stick the other version on the second platter?

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Recently we've been celebrating the revival of El Santo on DVD, but he wasn't the only wrestler fighting monsters in Mexican theaters. Here's a double feature of lucha libre excitement first brought into the USA by showman K. Gordon Murray for kiddie matinees in which gorgeous wrestling lady superheroes battle the ape man Gomar and Popoco the Aztec Mummy!

(O)     DOCTOR OF DOOM / WRESTLING WOMEN VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY (Image) In the first feature, a mad medico is lusting after female wrestlers, hoping to get inside... their heads to transplant a gorilla's brain. The second feature pits our heroines Gloria Venus and Golden Rubi against the Aztec Mummy. Extras include an insert booklet, a generous batch of trailers and TV spots, art gallery, and an episode of the rare monster kiddie dance show Ghoul A-Go-Go.

NEW RELEASES

(O)     AIR BUD SPIKES BACK (Buena Vista) Now that stupid dog can [IMG2R]play volleyball.
(O)     ALIEN DEAD (Retromedia) 25^th Anniversary Edition of director Fred Olen Ray's first feature includes commentrak by Fred, making-of, gallery, etc.
(O)     ALIEN PREDATORS (Brentwood) Another bargain bin box, so ya gets what ya pays for: plant invaders in DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS, Roger Corman's classic LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, the silly werewolf legend variant TRACK OF THE MOONBEAST, and making its DVD debut, GRAVEYARD TRAMPS (aka INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS), in which mutant bee honey gives a community's womenfolk killer hoo-hoos.
(O)     THE AURORA ENCOUNTER (Anchor Bay) A flying saucer lands near a Texas town in 1897 and an E.T. (played by a boy with progeria) spreads joy and enlightenment. Includes 5"x7" poster replica.
(O)     BEAT GIRL (Crash) 1960 British teens gone wild flick. Will tough-talking blonde Gillian Hills be seduced by oily nightclub manager Christopher Lee?
(O)     BIOHAZARD (Retromedia) Angelique Pettyjohn is a psychic that accidentally brings home a monster from another dimension in this typically goofy mid-'80s mess. Includes commentrak by director Fred Olen Ray [IMG3R]and gallery.
(O)     BLEED (Koch) Precocious teens form a Murder Club. Cast includes cult faves Brinke Stevens, Debbie Rochon, Julie Strain and Troma's Lloyd Kaufman.
(O)     CHAINED GIRLS / DOMINIQUE, DAUGHTER OF LESBOS (Image) Back in the 1960s, lesbians were still considered freak show attractions, put on display to be gawked at in movies like MONDO BALORDO. Here, Something Weird presents a pair of girl-on-girl curiosities: instead of the expected prison drama, CHAINED is a documentary by Joseph Mawra that gives a twisted tour of Lezland, while DOM is a sex weirdie about a Man Haters Society. Plus, the usual round of wonderfully sleazy trailers and 8 shorts with titles like "She-Man Surprise" and "Let's Make Mary Moan"!
(O)     DEATH DIMENSION (Crash) 1970s vintage kung fu from cult director Al Adamson, starring Jim Kelly, George Lazenby, and Harold "Odd Job" Sakata as The [IMG4R] Pig.
(O)     DARK SHADOWS: Set #6 (MPI) 4-disc box set, includes interviews.
(O)     ETERNAL BLOOD (MTI) Cool Spanish vampire film that made the festival circuit as SANGRE ETERNA.
(O)     FREEWAY (Anchor Bay) 1988 serial killer on the highway thriller starring Billy Drago, not to be confused with the terrific Reese Witherspoon debut.
(O)     GRAVEYARD SHIFT (Media Blasters) The one about the vampire cabbie.
(O)     HELL SWARM (Paramount) Tim Matheson directs and stars in this alien invasion saga.
(O)     HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS - Season One (Anchor Bay) 7-disc set starts Sam Raimi's take on Greek mythology.
(O)     HITCHER IN THE DARK (Media Blasters) Sick Umberto Lenzi 1989 horror item.
(O)     INCUBUS (Sub Rosa) Recent Jess Franco erotic supernatural thriller. Includes commentrak and gallery.
(O)     INTACTO (StudioWorks) Oddball Spanish suspense thriller about people whose luck becomes a commodity. Includes commentrak, making-of and 2 [IMG5R]shorts.
(O)     ISLE OF THE SNAKE PEOPLE (Retromedia) Boris Karloff survived long enough to make his way through this inept Mexican feature. Includes interviews and gallery.
(O)     KANGAROO JACK (Warner Bros.) Two dopes and a marsupial. Includes 2 commentraks (one by the roo), making-of, gag reel, etc. Comes in either widescreen or fullscreen.
(O)     KILLJOY 2 (Koch) More killer clown mayhem, for those that couldn't get enough of KILLJOY 1.
(O)     LEXX: Season 4 #3 (Acorn Media) Another 4 episodes, with deleted scenes, galleries, and storyboards.
(O)     THE MAN SHOW: Season 1 (Comedy Central) 3-disc set covers the first 14 episodes of the comedy show that celebrates all the stupid clichés about us guys.
(O)     MOON WARRIORS (Tai Seng) Special edition of this swordplay fantasy epic directed by Sammo Hung and starring Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Anita Mui, Chang Yi, and a killer whale. Commentrak by HK film expert Ric Meyers, alternate ending, trailers.
(O)     MUTANT X: Season 1 - Volume 1 (ADV Films) Episodes 101 and 102.
(O)     NIGHT TRAIN (Synapse) A bizarre trip to Tijuana's crime community, with commentrak, original prequel short, music video, storyboards, etc.
(O)     OPERATION WOLVERINE (Spartan) Antonio Sabato, Jr. TV action flick, originally known as SECONDS TO SPARE. Gee, wonder why they changed the [IMG6R]title?
(O)     PISTOL OPERA (Media Blasters) Seijun Suzuki crime drama a semi-sequel to his classic BRANDED TO KILL - comes to DVD.
(O)     POPEYE (Paramount) An all star cast led by Robin Williams stars in this oddball musical comics adaptation an interesting misfire from Robert Altman.
(O)     PRISON OF THE DEAD (Koch) Zombies behind bars! So what's the problem? Just keep 'em in there.
(O)     PSYCHOS (Brentwood) Another 4-movie, 2-disc bargain box. Includes Arch Hall, Jr. in THE SADIST, THE KILLING KIND, ANATOMY OF A PSYCHO, and Dwain Esper's incredible 1936 roadshow horror classic MANIAC.
(O)     ROY ROGERS' HAPPY TRAILS THEATER (Good Times) Tired of today's high-stress westerns? 10 of the singing cowboy star's best come to DVD today ROBIN HOOD OF THE PECOS, NORTH OF THE GREAT DIVIDE, SOUTH OF CALIENTE, JESSE JAMES AT BAY, DOWN DAKOTA WAY, BELLS OF CORONADO, TWILIGHT IN THE SIERRAS, WEST OF THE BADLANDS, ALONG THE NAVAJO TRAIL, and SONS OF THE PIONEERS. Each disc includes intros by Roy, Dale Evans, and guest stars, plus other features.
(O)     SALON KITTY (Blue Underground) Tinto Brass' celebrated sicko adult drama about Nazi brothels, with a bonus disc full of extras.
(O)     SPECK (Koch) The story of Richard Speck joins a recent wave of mass murderer/serial killer docudramas on DVD.
(O)     STAR CRYSTAL (Anchor Bay) 1986 space opera about a space station invaded by a space monster.
(O)     SUDDEN FURY (Sub Rosa) Crime action drama.
(O)     UNPRECEDENTED: The 2000 Presidential Election (Sony Music) Documentary shows how Bush stole the election.
(O)     WARM WATER UNDER A RED BRIDGE (Home Vision) Odd Japanese romance/mystery from Shohei Imamura that recalls the work of David Lynch.

ANIME ADDITIONS

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

(O)     AI YORI AOSHI Volume 3: Hugs & Kisses (Pioneer)
(O)     ARGENTOSOMA #4: Outside (Bandai)
(O)     BIBLE BLACK #3: Origins (Media Blasters) A sexed up adult version of Sailor Moon.
(O)     COWBOY BEPOP: THE MOVIE / METROPOLIS (Columbia TriStar) Two of the best anime features of the past few years, now available bundled [IMG7R]together.
(O)     DEVIL LADY Volume 5: The Purging (ADV Films) Go Nagai's female version of his own Devil Man.
(O)     GATEKEEPERS 21 #2: The Final Gate (Pioneer) Includes collectible pencil board.
(O)     HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES 4: Formulation of Truth and Sentiment (Right Stuf) Bilingual.
(O)     INU-YASHA #7: Face of the Enemy (Viz)
(O)     KAI DOH MARU (Manga) Hotly anticipated new release from Production IG (GHOST IN THE SHELL), plus interviews, trailers, and more.
(O)     KING OF THE HILL: Season One (Fox) 3-disc set.
(O)     K.O. BEAST 1: Password to Treasure (Right Stuf) Episodes 1-3, bilingual, outtakes, trailers.
(O)     LADY & THE TRAMP 2: Scamp's Adventure (Buena Vista) Us oldsters remember Scamp as the star of an appealing and well drawn comic-book feature but another Disney DTV sequel?
(O)     MIRAGE OF BLAZE Volume 1: The Summoning (Media Blasters) Also available in a collector's box.
(O)     NOIR Volume 4: Death Warrant (ADV Films)
(O)     POKEMON #3: Distance to the Johto Championship (Viz)
(O)     SAMURAI DEEPER KYO #1: The Demon Awakens (Media Blasters) The first 5 episodes, also available in collector's box.
(O)     TROUBLE CHOCOLATE #5 (Viz)
(O)     VIRUS BUSTER SERGE Volume 3 (Manga) Bilingual, with character and mecha design boards.

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

DVD Shopping List is our weekly DVD column.