The poster for TERROR IN THE AISLES.
© Kaleidoscope Films
Wish List
By: Robert T. TrateDate: Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Each week I scour the internet looking for the new DVD releases. However, there are a few items that remain only on VHS (yes, VHS) and to date have not been released on DVD. For me, there are several titles that have given me the morbid curiosity to watch again but because moral integrity I refuse download. There are a few reasons why some of the titles are not on DVD. Money is the first reason. No studio wants to back a dead end title. Embarrassment is the second. Some things are better left unremembered. Hold outs are the third reasons. There are still “Ultimate Editions” and “Special Editions” that need a few things on them to be “previously unreleased”. Copyrights, the final nail in the coffin for some titles, because what was once a great idea now would be a legal nightmare for lawyers to figure out who gets what in royalties.
The following are some titles on my list that have yet to come out “officially” on DVD:
‘Terror in the Aisles’ (1984)
A great compilation of Horror’s best moments (up to 1984) and hosted by scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis is far superior to watching then FlixMix’s trailers and kill scene moments on the ‘Boogeymen: The Killer Compilation’ DVD. Sadly, the last release for ‘Terror in the Aisles’ was on Laser Disc in Japan, though if you look hard enough you might find a VHS copy on eBay. Why can’t you get this title? Royalties. Who is going to get the percentages for all the clips and scenes from all the different horror entities? I saw it several times on cable as a kid and it was a great indoctrinator to the world of horror. Personally I feel it is something that belongs in my collection.
‘Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends’ (1981-1986)
For some reason these great stories and their vastly different character continuities from the Marvel Universe were a staple of Saturday morning cartoons during the Eighties. With each release of a new ‘Spider-Man’ movie I hope that they will be out on DVD. Sadly they are not. Check out Spider-Friends.com to get all the details, pictures and information on this long lost series. It was really the best reason to sit around in your pajamas on Saturday morning and watch cartoons. The show was on Jetix (Toon Disney) a year or so ago and they were still fun to watch.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ (1986)
Originally, it came out on DVD in 1988 and no one thought anything of it that the film had the original ending (everybody dies). Then, suddenly, they pulled it from the shelves. This is because producer David Geffen wanted to re-release the film in theaters with the gruesome ending. It was replaced on DVD with the original theatrical release (everyone lives). So, those original DVDs quickly became the holy grails of a young new format. Now, in 2007, I am (at least) still waiting for the “gruesome” ending special edition DVD.
‘Batman’ (1966-1968)
With 20th Century Fox owning the rights to the TV show and Warner Brothers owning the rights to the Batman character, somewhere there has to be a legal battle or a royaltywar to see who gets to collect on the ultimate camp TV show form the Sixties. Years ago, during the Batmania of hype of 1989, the Family Channel ran them all and I taped them onto VHS. Sadly over the years those tapes and diminished in quality. The only thing I really have left now to watch of Adam West and Burt Ward is ‘Batman: The Movie’ on DVD. Why? Why can’t this title come out? Hopefully, with a new ‘Batman’ movie in sight and the well getting dry on old titles to coincide with its release, it is only a matter of time before we can watch the greatest collection of character actors playing Batman’s greatest villains. Now there is a book called, The Official Batman Batbook (by Joel Esiner, 1986) which is probably the greatest companion to the ‘Batman’ series. It should be the starting point to catalog the episodes on DVD when it does come out. Trust me, it has everything.
George Lucas capitalized quickly on his original ‘Star Wars’ film and made a Christmas Special, which told the tale of our heroes getting Chewbacca home for “Life Day”. George Lucas would later say, “If I had time and a hammer, I would track down every bootleg copy and smash it…” Yes, for those of you that haven’t seen it, it is that bad. Still, what is incredible about it is the introduction of Boba Fett into the ‘Star Wars’ universe. There is a short cartoon which features Boba Fett teaming up with Luke Skywalker rescue Han Solo. The animation is incredible and the voices are done by Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Anthony Daniels. Why Lucas hasn’t released this gem of a cartoon as an Easter Egg on one of the ‘Star Wars’ DVDs or release the cartoon solely on DVD with a Boba Fett action figure is beyond me. Curious? You can find it on Youtube to watch.
Those are just a few titles on my wish list. Nothing spectacular or fancy. Just a few gems from my childhood that I am always ready to drop some serious money on if they ever come out. So where are these titles and how long will it take for me to get them?
What’s on your wish list?
ACTION / ADVENTURE / THRILLERS / WESTERNS
Eastern Promises (Widescreen Edition) (2007)
Eastern Promises (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD] (2007)
The Kingdom (2007)
The Kingdom (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD] (2007)
Maximum Cage Fighting (2006)
Robin B Hood (2006)
Shattered (2007)
ANIME
Coil a Circle of Children 4
Death Note 13
Idle Master Xenoglossia 6
Keroro Gunso 4th Season 2
Kimikiss Pure Rouge 1
Kodomo No Jikan 1 Kamoku
Mahoromatic: TV Box
Majin Tantei Nogami Neuro 1
Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Memorial Bo
Renaissance
Rental Magica 1
Soko Kihei Votoms Pailsen Files 2
Super Dimension Fortress Macross<HD< span>
COMEDY AND LOVE Mania Style
The Heartbreak Kid
The Heartbreak Kid [HD DVD] (2007)
HORROR
Cat People [HD DVD] (1982)
SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY
Pan's Labyrinth [Blu-ray] (2006)
Pan's Labyrinth [HD DVD] (2006)
Timecop [HD DVD] (1994)
TV LAND
Battlestar Galactica 1980 - The Complete Epic Series (1980)
Living & Dying (2006)
More From Mania
Tree of Palme English Cast List
Comicscape - September 29, 2004
(Wednesday, September 29, 2004)
Comicscape - September 22, 2004
(Wednesday, September 22, 2004)
2003, Be Careful What You Wish For...
(Wednesday, January 14, 2004)
DVD Shopping List: Disc Buyers Meet Sellers
(Tuesday, January 21, 2003)
1999 Wish List
(Thursday, December 31, 1998)
My Wish List
(-)
See more related content
