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Watching Chaplin, Plugging DRAGON

We put aside our usual DVD discussion this week for a shameless plug! There's a new book hitting the shelves entitled VIDEOHOUND'S DRAGON: ASIAN ACTION & CULT FLICKS, and critics are already calling it the Bible of Asian psychotronic cinema! A spin-off of Visible Ink Press' best-selling CULT FLICKS & TRASH PICS, this volume outgrew the boundaries of that respected (and fun) video guide to become an even bigger, more in-depth encyclopedia of Hong Kong action, Japanese monsters, Taiwanese kung fu, Filipino horror, anime and every other kind of Far Eastern genre movies available to viewers in the USA. Here's the numbers: 900 pages, 1,150 reviews, 100 photos, 8 indexes, 50 sidebars on a wide variety of stars and subjects plus scads of goofy margin quotes, a special guide to the Japanese MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER episodes, and a foreword by undefeated champion martial arts superstar Cynthia Rothrock! Available now via www.amazon.com and many other retailers. There's never been a book like this one I should know, since I wrote it!

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This week the orgy of Charlie Chaplin on [IMG2R]DVD continues!

(O)     CHAPLIN MUTUAL / ESSANEY COLLECTION (Image) Previously available in single disc volumes, this 7-disc box set of classic shorts is restored from premiere 35mm negatives, including 16 Essaney shorts, 12 2-reel Mutual featurettes, screentests, outtakes, and a bonus disc with a 54-minute documentary on frequent Chaplin co-star Eric Campbell, CHAPLIN'S GOLIATH (also available separately).

NEW RELEASES

(O)     AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (ADV Films) 1989 mini-series based on the Jules Verne novel starring Pierce Brosnan as Phileas Fogg, the eccentric that accepts a wager that he can accomplish the [IMG4R]title trip.
(O)     BASIC (Columbia TriStar) A recent hit military legal thriller starring John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson, includes commentary track by director John McTiernan and other features. Available separately or bundled with FORMULA 51 and A FEW GOOD MEN.
(O)     BEAUTIFUL WEAPON (Central Park Media) 1993 entry in the Japanese "XX" female assassin series, based on the novels of Arimasa Osawa. This one was directed by Kazuo Komizu of ENTRAILS OF A VIRGIN fame.
(O)     BORN TO BE WILD (Warner Bros.) Boy meets gorilla.
(O)     BOUNTY HUNTRESS: Undercover (Spartan) Nicky Dolan as a bounty hunter working covertly for the L.A. D.A.'s office, aka BEAUTIFUL BOUNTY.
(O)     BUG (Wellspring) Whimsical comedy that shows how lives interconnect.
(O)     DEAD EVIDENCE (New Concorde) C. Thomas Howell hunts a serial killer.
(O)     DEAD GIRL ON FILM / KITTY KILLERS (Sub Rosa) Three dolts who make S&M shorts are hired to make a snuff film. Second film is a hard boiled crime thriller.
(O)     DON'T RAISE THE BRIDGE, LOWER THE RIVER (Columbia TriStar) One of Jerry Lewis' last decent comedies.
(O)     HATRED OF A MINUTE (Anchor Bay) Bruce Campbell produced this psychological thriller directed by and starring Michael Kallio as an autopsy transcriber that cracks up and becomes a serial killer. Includes filmmakers' commentrak, behind-the-scenes, deleted [IMG5R]footage, etc.
(O)     LA FEMME NIKITA: Season One (Warner Bros.) This TV adaptation of the Luc Besson international hit film, about a condemned woman enslaved as a secret agent for the mysterious "Section One," quickly became one of the most popular series on cable due to its engaging plots, ruthless action, and the obvious talents of star Peta Wilson. This 6-disc set includes the first 22 episodes, commentrak, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, and gallery.
(O)     LESSONS FOR AN ASSASSIN (MTI) Robert Vitelli finds himself in a situation very similar to Peta Wilson in the above entry, unwillingly recruited to fight crime for a secret organization.
(O)     LOOSE CANNONS (Columbia TriStar) Dan Aykroyd uses his love for conspiracy theories to fuel this disappointing comedy about a schizophrenic FBI agent.
(O)     MANHUNTER: Director's Cut (Anchor Bay) Michael Mann's excellent first version of RED DRAGON, with director's commentrak, galleries, and screenplay.
(O)     MIDNIGHT MASS (Lions Gate) A former priest goes to war against a world taken over by vampires!
(O)     THE MOUSE THAT ROARED (Columbia TriStar) Classic British farce starring Peter Sellers about a tiny country that tries to save its sagging economy by declaring war on the [IMG6R]United States.
(O)     PHONE BOOTH (Fox) Hit thriller written by cult filmmaker Larry Cohen in which Colin Farrell is trapped in a phone booth by a sniper.
(O)     ROBOCOP: MELTDOWN (Trimark) Made-for-TV feature continues the saga of cyborg cop Alex Murphy.
(O)     SHAOLIN TRAITOROUS (Xenon) Sammo Hung cops top billing in retrospect as villain Chang Yi's lead henchman, but it's Polly Shang Kwan who's the real attraction.
(O)     SHAOLIN AND WU TANG (Xenon) Great kung fu flick directed by Gordon Lau.
(O)     SHARK SKIN MAN AND PEACH HIP GIRL (Kino) Katsuhito Ishii's acclaimed action comedy about love on the run.
(O)     THEODORE REX (New Line) She's Whoopi Goldberg, he's a dinosaur they're detectives! An expensive and farfetched dud.
(O)     VAMPIRE COLLECTION (Image) Box set of Jean Rollin groundbreaking horror films includes SHIVER OF THE VAMPIRES, REQUIEM FOR A VAMPIRE, and his banned first film RAPE OF THE VAMPIRE.
(O)     WHO DONE IT? (Anchor Bay) 1956 mystery comedy starring Benny Hill!
(O)     WU TANG SWORDSMAN (Xenon) Kung fu stuff starring Carter Wong and Cliff Lok, aka MYSTERIOUS HEROES.

ANIME ADDITIONS

And finally, we close off each weekly list with a rundown of the constant stream of anime from around [IMG3R]the world:

(O)     ALIEN NINE (Central Park Media) From the creators of EXCEL SAGA, with making-of, interview with Taro Maki, and galleries.
(O)     ART OF FIGHTING (Central Park Media) Kung fu anime in the tradition of STREET FIGHTER.
(O)     BATTLE ARENA TOSHINDEN (Central Park Media) Ditto. From the director of BUBBLEGUM CRISIS.
(O)     CARDCAPTOR SAKURA #16: Friends in Need (Pioneer) Includes limited edition postcards.
(O)     CHOBITS #3: Darkness Descends (Pioneer) Episodes 9-12.
(O)     DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS Box Set (Central Park Media) Vampires! 4-disc set includes galleries, music video, DVD-ROM features and 10 limited edition Tarot cards.
(O)     HELLO KITTY'S PARADISE: Essential Collection - Volume One (ADV Films) May be stretching the meaning of "essential" somewhat.
(O)     LUPIN III TV #3: Family Jewels (Pioneer) Episodes 13-17 of the popular series based on the Monkey Punch manga. Currently running on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
(O)     NIGHTMARE CAMPUS #3 (Central Park Media) Adults-only demons vs. students.
(O)     OMISHI MAGICAL THEATER: Risky Safety Volume 1 (ADV Films) Angels and devils! 24 bilingual mini-episodes.
(O)     PLEASE TEACHER! #2: Meet the In-Laws (Pioneer)
(O)     REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA: Rose Collection #7: Temptation (Central Park Media) Episodes 27-30.
(O)     SAKURA WARS TV #2: Overture (ADV Films) Includes 8-page booklet.
(O)     VENUS FIVE (Central Park Media) Adults-only girls vs. tentacled monsters.
(O)     WILD ARMS #5: Sheyenne's Last Stand (ADV Films)
(O)     YU YU HAKUSHO #15: Dark Tournament: Settle the Score (Goldhill)
(O)     YU YU HAKUSHO #16: Dark Tournament: Yoko Kurama (Goldhill)

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

DVD Shopping List is our weekly DVD column.