Bitter Dregs

Well now, here that I have this new peachy category to throw stuff into..

I present the obligatory, "here's what I've been doing lately" part of the program. Just so no one, like my Mom, concludes that all I ever do is watch/transfer/talk about movies/music, I DO indeed have other things going on, but I'm still going to focus mainly on the media part of my time. Oh joy.

The other night, Stacie and I watched The Awful Truth (1937). As is pointed out in the review, this film is a stereotypical screwball comedy and may even be (the genre, that is) the ancestor of the modern sitcom. This one is quite good if not one of the best I've seen. Still, it's hard to go far wrong with Cary Grant and this one is really fun. The DVD is passable, image-wise and the DVD is bare-bones. Very well worth a rent and perhaps a buy if you like it well enough.

Lately I've been transferring a number of analog videos to DVD using my trusty Canopus ADVC100 converter box to get the VHS/Beta/LD material onto my Mac where I can edit and author DVDs. I have a huge pile of stuff, which seems to grow larger every week, to transfer including a big bag 'o Beta tapes from my Dad containing old films that have never been released on VHS, let alone DVD before. It's time (and hard disk!) consuming, but worthwhile as these obsolete machines won't run forever and let's face it; once I went over to DVD, I almost never feel like firing up ye olde Betamax to watch something I recorded off-air 10 years back. Of course the thing I really need to get to soon is the unadulterated Star Wars films I have on LD. Another cool thing about this is that I am able to transfer old Knowles family home movies onto a more convenient and (hopefully) more durable format; there is some question about how long burned optical media will actually last, but it's pretty easy to burn new copies once it's been digitized, so I'm probably still ahead of the game.

What have I worked on recently? Here's a bit: Greed (1925), the four hour reconstructed version that was done a few years back. This may well come out on DVD, but there's nothing soon and TCM ran it so I had a clean shot. Dr. Strangelove: I had a VHS of the Criterion LD which has a lot of supplements. Why would I bother doing this with, as of November of this year, no less than three versions of this film on DVD? Because with few exceptions, Criterion never licences its original content so I'm trying to keep some of it. This particular one includes the infamous, Duck and Cover film plus My Teenage Fallout Queen, an example of the Scopitone film (a 1960s "video jukebox" that had self-contained 16mm projectors and screens).

I also transferred the VHS tape I recieved from the McDonald's Band (high school). This tape had all of the TV appearances the band made that season; Today Show, Rose Bowl Parade, etc.

Next, David Halberstam's The Fifties, which may never make it to DVD...but as these things go, it'll be announced the day after I finish transferring all 6 hours of it! Maybe I'll do some Star Wars soon as well.

Posted by John Knowles at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

OK, so I'm finally getting around to putting some categories on my lil' ole blog. So from now on, "DVD Dregs" is pretty much the same stuff I've been posting, ya know, release lists, reviews, stupid comments and the like. "Dregs 'N Ends" will be a catch-all for everything else I feel like spewing out on the 'Net. It will pretty much be movies/media-related, but who knows...so I'll be continuing to send notifications for the DVD stuff, but not the rest...if anyone really gives a rip.

Posted by John Knowles at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's the batch of new DVDs for the coming week. A lot more stuff this week...from Christ to Star Trek, a cartoon moose to Bjork; something for everyone! Just a note about Star Trek, the best price I've seen on this set is at both Costco and Amazon: $85. Best Buy is the highest of the big box'ers at $107, but they figure they can charge more due to the extra DVD they include so if that bonus disc is worth $22, go for it! I'm going to get mine at Costco as the BB bonus DVDs I've gotten on previous Trek sets have been pretty weak, but if anyone out there gets it, I'd be curious to hear how it is.

* 7 Days in September
* Alan Clarke Collection
* Alexander's Ragtime Band
* All Grown Up:Lucky 13
* All Ladies Do It
* Annie - A Royal Adventure
* Apocalypse
* Bjork - Inner Part of an Animal or Plant Structure
* Black Orchid
* Black Society Trilogy
* Broadway Bill
* Chris Rock: Never Scared
* Deceived
* Desire Under the Elms
* Driver's Ed
* Forbidden Zone
* History of the 80s
* I Love Lucy: Complete Second Season
* Ike - Countdown to D-Day
* Ile Aiye - A Film by David Byrne
* Invader ZIM - Progressive Stupidity
* Jack Frost
* Jem - Season 3, Part 1
* Jesus Christ Superstar
* Judgement
* Key Lines
* Left Behind 2: Tribulation Force
* Left Behind: The Movie
* Lemora a Child's Tale of the Superna
* Lion King II: Simba's Pride Special Ed
* Miracle of the Cards
* Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essentials
* NBC News Presents: The Last Days of Jesus
* Nightline - The Hajj: One America's Pilgrimage to Mecca
* Rainy Dog
* Revelation
* Riding High
* Rugrats Holiday Celebration Dvd Set
* Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry S
* Shinjuku Triad Society
* South Park: Passion of the Jew
* Star Trek The Original Series - The Complete First Season
* Touched By an Angel: Complete First Season
* Trekkies 2
* Tribulation
* Twisted
* Vendetta for the Saint
* Videodrome - Criterion Collection
* Waterproof
* White Dawn

And more reviews:

Ethan B had mentioned this DVD so I thought I'd point out this review by DVD Savant, about this odd film featuring Oingo Boingo AND Hervé Villechaize!

And a good review of Criterion's DVD of Fellini's I Vitelloni.

Posted by John Knowles at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In response to my most recent post, faithful reader Rev. Rory J. McGory wonders:

"So does this mean that similar editions of the other 'brick movies are coming out? Should I wait for them and not buy the nifty box set, lad?"

Well 'father' McGory, Strangelove is the only Kubrick film that's owned by Columbia/Sony so it seems unlikely that the box set will change, but you never know. It all depends on whether you'd rather have the nifty documentary that comes with the box set, which is indeed quite good, or buy the titles separately to get the superior newer version. Warner said when they released this current set, the second Kubrick box to be released, that this would be the final one...but the current DVDs are somewhat lacking in bonuses. And to make matters more complex, I've heard that there's a new 2001 DVD in the works. So I'd skip the box for now and buy the individual DVDs. So that isn't much of an answer, but it's always safe to count on DVD reissues.

Posted by John Knowles at 8:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Not to dwell on this too much, but it's interesting to me so sorrz!

Yet more detail has emerged on this upcoming Dr. Strangelove: 40th Anniversary Edition DVD (11/2; I'm amused that this is being released on Election Day). First of all, the bonuses on the new set will include stuff that wasn't on the existing single DVD that's out now. Second, this set will apparently include a new film transfer (more on that in a sec) so it might actually be worth a re-purchase if you like the film as much as I do. The features are (quoting the press release):

"The Anniversary Edition package includes a collectible script with an essay by Roger Ebert and original production stills. The DR STRANGELOVE 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION also includes the following:

An interview with Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of Defense under President
Johnson at the time of DR. STRANGELOVE's original 1964 release. 'Inside Dr. Strangelove: How I stopped worrying and love the Bomb' 'No Fighting in the War Room: Dr. Strangelove and the Nuclear Threat' All new documentary
'The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Dr. Strangelove' documentary 'Best Sellers Or: Peter Sellers is Dr. Strangelove' featurette. Original Split-Screen Interviews w/ Peter Sellers and George C. Scott."

As for the new film transfer, Robert Harris has weighed in on the subject on the Home Theater Forum (which can be found here):

"There is more occurring with this release than meets the eye, and it is much more than a double or triple dip for the same old title.

Columbia has been meticulously working on this film to bring the quality as close to possible to the original. The original negative was nearly destroyed decades ago in error. I should note that, at the time, the studio had no preservation program whatsoever. That program began around 1990 and is now firmly under the command of Grover Crisp.

What I recall of the situation may be slightly blurred by the passage of time, but the main facts are much more than "when legend becomes fact..."

What was done to the original negative was unthinkable.

Around 1987-88, Mr. Kubrick requested that a new print be struck from the original negative for his personal use.

When elements were searched, there was no original negative to be found.

An order went out to ship remaining elements to the UK, where Mr. Kubrick could go through them and have selected sections reproduced to his specifications. Rolls of fine grain masters and dupe negatives made their way to the UK for inspection.

It should be understood that for both preservation and duplication, an original negative is copied to a fine grain master at least once and occasionally twice. Each FGM can then be used to produced dupe printing negatives, from which release prints are made. The intent in modern times is always to have the original negative guarded and printed as seldom as possible and then either for special prints or for duplicating elements.

What was discovered during inspection of the elements was as follows:

Someone, somewhere, was involved in the production of prints. Multiple dupe negatives were inspected, and none were found to be of high enough quality to service the needs of release printing. For some strange reason, they did not return to the FGM. It may also have been damaged, but this is not known for certain. So...

Someone elected to piece together all of the rolls of dupe negative to create an acceptable printing element. And in doing so...
cut up Mr. Kubrick's original picture negative, using bits and pieces as replacement sections, and combining it with multiple sections of dupes to conform to a full printing element. This is what was discovered during the element inspection.

Mr. Kurbrick...was not pleased. Work was done to remedy the situation as well as possible, but the new DVD is the first to be representative of the work done thereafter.

As no one involved in this situation is still at the studio, and Mr. Crisp and his staff have worked to overcome the film's shorcomings, this story should now be told." Verrrry intereting.

Warner has yet more TV stuff for the Fall: Friends: The Complete Eight Season, due on November 9th, this four-disc set will once again sport 4:3 full screen transfers and remastered Dolby Digital 5.0 surround tracks, plus audio commentaries on three episodes, two featurettes, an interactive map and episode synopses. Expect a list price of $59.95. And, Smallville: The Complete Third Season, arriving on November 16th.

Disney has a couple more "double dips" coming on November 2nd. A new Collector's Edition of Bridget Jones's Diary, and a new three-disc set of the mega-hit Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (that didn't take long!). What new will be on these reissues? Details have yet to be announced, but hopefully with less annoying edge enhancement on the video.

One of MGM's more profitable franchises aside from James Bond are the Rocky films. Yes, next up we have The Rocky Anthology, another Rocky box set designed to piggy-back off of the success of the new reality series The Contender. Already released before on DVD, this new six-disc set will hit stores on December 14th and boasts remastered anamorphic widescreen transfers and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks for all five flicks (the first flick also gets a DTS track), plus new audio commentaries on all five films, and a sixth disc with deleted footage, the A&E's Biography episode "Sylvester Stallone: The Rocky Road to the Top," theatrical trailers and more to be announced. Retail will list for $62.95.

Also just announced from MGM are two recent limited release theatrical titles making their DVD debuts on November 9th: the "sexy thriller" Lost Junction, starring Neve Campbell (ooh, sign me up for THAT!), and The Saddest Music in the World, with by Isabella Rossellini. Each includes an anamorphic widescreen transfer, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track and theatrical trailers. There is no set list price, only an MAP of $19.95 each.

Fox has a few items: First up on November 23rd is the long-awaited (by whom?) debut of the cheesy Star Wars Animated Adventures double features: Droids, Ewoks and Caravan of Courage/The Battle for Endor. Each boasts remastered 4:3 full screen presentations and Dolby tracks (configurations not specified) and no announced extras. Retail will list for $16.95 a pop. Sadly, the epic Star Wars Christmas Special (go to the link and trust me: it's worth a read) remains unreleased. C'mon George, you *know* that's what the fans really want!

Next is Lost in Space: Season 2 Volume 2, due on November 30th. Again presented in 4:3 full screen and Dolby Digital mono, extras include original 1966 interviews, plus a still gallery. List price will go for $39.95. And on November 16th is Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Seventh Season. This set will have the same sort of stuff that the previous ones did.

For those of you who are into Farscape, the Sci-Fi Channel will be running a new miniseries, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars (Hensen's company is still invloved) on 10/17.

Reviews:

Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder (9/7)

The new 2 disc special edition of Star Trek Generations (also on 9/7).

And DVD Savant's look at Lilith (1964, maybe it inspired the character on Cheers/Frasier!) and Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) which is a film I thought was pretty good in '83, but don't think would hold up so well now...

Posted by John Knowles at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

As I mentioned before, there is going to be yet another reissue of Dr. Strangelove...this'll be the third one. Look for the 2-disc set (due 11/2) to include the film in its original variable full frame aspect ratio(s), with audio in English Dolby Digital & DTS 5.1. Extras will include "The Art of Stanley Kubrick from Short Films to Strangelove" documentary, the "Inside the Making of Dr. Strangelove" featurette, original split-screen interviews with Peter Sellers and George C. Scott, an original advertising gallery, cast bios and production notes. Other than Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio and the set being released on 2 discs, it seems to be the same as last time...

Also on 11/2 is a Philadelphia: Anniversary Edition (11th Anniversary???), which will include the film in anamorphic widescreen video and Dolby Digital 5.0 audio. Extras will include audio commentary with the filmmakers, deleted scenes, an original production featurette, courthouse protest footage and interviews, Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia" music video, and the theatrical trailer.

Additional titles to expect on 11/2 from Columbia TriStar include Facing Windows, Renegade, California Split, Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within (3 discs), a Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within/Varekai 2-pack, Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba (2 discs) and The More the Merrier (1943).

Criterion has announced the current production of two separate versions of Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander - a 2-disc theatrical edition (SRP $29.95) and a 5-disc director's cut special edition ($59.95). Both are due on DVD in November.

Word is getting out about Disney's latest "Platinum" classic animation releases. It's looking like they'll do Bambi in Spring of next year and Cinderella in the Fall.

Warner has set a January 4th due date for the Brad Pitt hit Troy. Released in separate 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen and 4:3 pan & scan versions, each a two-disc set, extras "In The Thick of the Battle," "From Ruins to Reality" and "Troy: An Effects Odyssey" featurettes, the "Gallery of the Gods" CGI interactive tour of Mount Olympus, theatrical trailers and additional easter eggs. Retail will list for $29.95, and Warner will also release a $44.95 two-pack that includes the National Geographic's Beyond the Movie special.

And a review of the upcoming (9/7) The Martian Chronicles

Plus Futurama: Volume 4

Posted by John Knowles at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm going to start out this one with a tidbit for my sisters Elizabeth and Jennifer...

Disney has announced the releases of The Golden Girls: Season One, Home Improvement: Season One and Boy Meets World: Season Two, all for 11/23 (SRP $49.99 each). The Golden Girls will include 25 episodes on 3 discs, including the pilot and a "fashion" commentary by Joan and Melissa Rivers. (WTF?!). Sisliks, the wait is almost over!

Disney has some more stuff...Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman and Sonatine on 11/9 (SRP $29.99 each). Both films will be presented in anamorphic widescreen video (1.85:1 aspect ratio), with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio in both the original Japanese and dubbed English (plus English and Spanish subtitles). In terms of extras, Zatoichiwill feature a behind-the-scenes featurette and interviews with the cinematographer, the production designer, the costume designer and the "master swordsman". Sonatine will feature an introduction by Quentin Tarantino and an interview with Beat Takeshi.

Another film that disproves the "sequels are inferior" conventional wisdom, Spider-Man 2 will hit DVD on 11/30 (SRP $26.98). The 2-disc set will include more than 10 hours of bonus material and available in separate full frame and anamorphic widescreen (aspect ratio 2.40:1) versions, both of which will feature audio in English and French Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0. Both versions will also include 2 audio commentary tracks on Disc One - one with director Sam Raimi, producer Avi Arad, co-producer Grant Curtis and star Tobey Maguire, and another with FX supervisor John Dykstra and his effects team. Disc One will also include a Spidey Sense subtitle trivia track, 4 web-i-sodes, Train's Ordinary music video, a blooper reel and original trailers and TV spots. Disc Two will deliver the 12-part Making the Amazing documentary, 3 featurettes (including Hero in Crisis, Eight Arms to Hold You and The Women of Spider-Man), the Enter the Web multi-angle "Pier Sequence" deconstruction, a gallery of Alex Ross paintings, a look at the Spider-Man 2 videogame, web links and an Easter egg. And if you're into maximum picture/sound quality at the expense of bonus material, Spider-Man 2 will also be released in a movie-only SuperBit edition that same day. A 2-pack of Spider-Man 2 and the original Spider-Man will be available as well. Finally, there's going to be a limited edition gift set (priced at about $50), which will contain the 2-disc DVD along with a miniature version of Marvel's The Amazing Spider-Man #50 comic, a set of 5 collector's cards and a 25-page portfolio of artwork from numerous comic book artists. Whew!

The Colin Farrell film, A Home at the End of the World will come out on 11/2.

And there's some Star Trek fun: Here's the skinny on the remaining Star Trek Voyager season sets, the entire series being released by the end of the year. Full specs are not yet available, aside from the usual 4.3 full screen transfers, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround remasters and host of featurettes. But watch for Season Five on November 9th, Season Six on December 7th, and Season Seven on December 21st. Retail will cost you a suggested $129.95 each. AND, I've run across an early review of the upcoming (8/31) Star Trek: The Original Series - Season One. Since I'm a big fan of the original series and I've intentionally sold off my old DVDs (the series was released before on 40 single DVDs) in anticipation of these new 8 DVD sets, I'm very interested in how these new sets pan out. The short answer is that the new sets use the same video transfers as the old DVDs, which is good as they looked great. The bonus material looks to be just OK. While they retained the original "Next Voyage" previews (I always found these fun to watch), the new bonuses don't look all that exciting. There is a lot of material out there that isn't here including the material that ran on the Sci-Fi channel and the often-seen blooper reels that are around. However, it'll be good to have them in a more convenient package even if they may be a somewhat missed opportunity. Also revealed is that some retailers like Best Buy will have a bonus DVD included. Since I don't work for BB anymore (a very good thing overall!), I have to choose between paying less for the set at Costco without the extra DVD or paying BB's high price for the bonus...I'll probably cheap out since the BB-exclusive discs have been pretty lame in the past. Anyhow, the review can be found here.

Here's the past weekend's box office numbers:

1. Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) $18.2M
2. Without a Paddle (2004) $13M
3. Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, The (2004) $13.2M
4. Alien Vs. Predator (2004) $12.5M
5. Open Water (2003) $11.8M
6. Collateral (2004) $10.5M
7. Bourne Supremacy, The (2004)
8. Manchurian Candidate, The (2004)
9. Village, The (2004) $3.68M
10. Garden State (2004) $3.2M

And tomorrow's new releases:

* 10.5
* The Apple
* The Apprentice - The Complete First Season
* Benny Hill: Naughty Early Years Set on
* Boa Vs. Python
* Boy Meets World: Season One
* Chastity
* Clifford's Really Big Movie
* Courage of Lassie
* Dallas: Complete First & Second Season
* Dogville
* Doug Stanhope - Deadbeat Hero
* Ella Enchanted
* Elvis Presley: Signature Collection
* Emma
* Farscape - The Complete Third Season
* Flipper (1963)
* Flipper's New Adventure
* Futurama Vol 4
* Get Smart Again
* The Girl Next Door
* Godzilla the Series - The Monster Wars Trilogy
* Graffiti Bridge
* Harsh Realm: Complete Series
* Highwaymen
* I Vitelloni - Criterion Collection
* Jane Austen: Complete Collection
* Jim Brown:All America
* Judas
* Ladysmith Black Mambazo: On Tip Toe
* Laws of Attraction
* Mansfield Park
* Munsters: Complete First Season
* National Lampoon Live: Down & Dirty
* National Lampoon Live: New Faces: Vol 1
* New Zoo Revue: Season One
* Night Gallery: Complete First Season
* Night of the Demons
* The Night Stalker / The Night Strangler
* Park Day
* Persuasion
* Pride and Prejudice
* Purple Rain (Special Edition)
* Raising Victor Vargas (Special Edition)
* Roller Bogie
* Sense and Sensibility
* Shaolin Soccer
* A Small Circle of Friends
* Smile
* Son of Lassie
* Super Spy
* Tom Dowd and the Language of Music
* Tremors 4: Legend Begins
* Under the Cherry Moon
* War and Remembrance - Parts 1-7
* War and Remembrance - Parts 8-12 - The Final Chapter
* When the Mountains Tremble
* World at War (re-release)
* Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 17 - Zatoichi Challenged
* Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 18 - Zatoichi and the Fugitives
* Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 19 - Samaritan Zatoichi

And finally, a review of Darby 'O'Gill and the Little People

Posted by John Knowles at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Even though Stacie has blogged about it, I thought I'd give a mention to the passing of film composer Elmer Bernstein. He did an astoundingly huge number of films in a wide variety of styles. From To Kill a Mockingbird to Ghostbusters. he pretty much wrote for all the genres. His one Oscar was in 1967 for Thoroughly Modern Millie.

So Disney didn't want to release Fahrenheit 9/11, but they are more than willing to release America's Heart and Soul, which would appear to play like a RNC feel-good convention video. Gee, if I were a Disney shareholder, would I want Eisner promoting this schlock which has so far grossed $273,754 (since 7/2) or Moore's film which has made over $100 million??? I don't know, maybe when the DVD comes out on 10/26 Wal Mart will sell SO many copies it'll redeem good 'ol Mike...uh, yeah...

The Kevin Costner-hosted/produced mini series/documentary 500 Nations will make its DVD debut on September 21st from Warner. This 1995 eight-part epic tracks the indigenous peoples of North and Central America from pre-Colombian times through the end of the Plains Indians of North America. Presented in 4:3 full screen and Dolby Digital 2.0 surround and spread over four discs, extras include a new introduction by Costner, the "CGI Insight With Director Jack Leustig" featurette, a full-color booklet and a bonus CD-ROM featuring an interactive look at Native American history. Retail will go for $59.95.

Fox has just announced some more titles for November. Look for The Clearing on 11/9, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Seventh Season and National Lampoon's Holiday Reunion on 11/16, and a Daredevil: Director's Cut, Tru Calling: The Complete First Season and Lost in Space: Season Two, Volume Two on 11/30. Daredevil will include the 124-minute version of the film in anamorphic widescreen, audio commentary with Mark Steven Johnson and Ari Arad, the Making of Director's Cut featurette and both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio. Lost in Space will include original 1966 cast interviews.

Paramount has just confirmed that Last Train from Gun Hill, The Naked Jungle, Ace High and Arrowhead will all street on 11/9 (SRP $14.99 each). Bopha!, Foul Play and Ragtime will follow on 11/16 (also $14.99 each).

And a couple of TV sets from Warner: Smallville: The Complete Third Season on 11/16 (SRP $59.98).

Gilmore Girls: The Complete Second Season on 12/7 (SRP $59.98).

DVD Savant spins the recently released special edition of Goodfellas
and Zorba the Greek (1964).

Posted by John Knowles at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here it is: the second installment of my list of super-groovy DVDs ( go here to see the first part)!

Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines, The War Years (Disney, 2 DVDs) All of the DVDs in the Disney "Treasures" sets I've seen have been very well done and produced with a collector in mind. Unlike the other features in the Disney canon, these don't have to cater to a "family" mass market audience. The people who buy these aren't buying them for kids and don't care about trivia games and the like. The reason I single this particular one out is that some of this material has never been seen since WWII. Disney has always taken great care of their film elements and it shows with this set. Much of the animated shorts here look like they were almost made yesterday and as far as I know, aren't censored for modern sensibilities. What is present are a number of introductions (by Leonard Maltin, dubbed at a louder volume than the features unfortunately) that explain the conditions under which they were made. A lot of the material is very interesting as historical documentation and some of the shorts are merely standard cartoons that happen to take place in a military setting (like Stacie's fave, Private Pluto ). I've spent a fair amount of time with this set and still haven't covered it all.

Spartacus (Criterion, 2 DVDs)

It's not the best Kubrick film (some might even question if it is even much of a Kubrick film) or the best "sword&sandals" epic, but it's an example of a DVD done right. The bonus materials were done for the 1991 laserdisc release, including the commentaries, but the new film to video transfer looks wonderful (supervised by Robert Harris, the guy who did the film's restoration). The bonuses are substantial and plentiful with a very engaging commentary featuring a pre-stroke Kirk Douglas, Dalton Trumbo (screenplay), and the restoration team. There's even a feature about the Alex North musical score.

Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory, 6 DVDs)

This is one of two TV show sets I'm going to list here. I don't need to go into detail about the show except to say that I only recently discovered it and it's one of my favorites. The DVD set is really great; about as much as you could want. The shows are all included, even the ones that didn't get on the air during its pathetic run on NBC. This show has a lot of pop music from the 70s and early 80s and they somehow managed to licence all of it. This is a really good thing for if you've seen the show, you'll notice how well integrated the music is into the episodes. There's at least one commentary on each episode with a number of second ones (one even has a commentary with two cast members doing the track "in character"..). All the ones Stacie and I have listened to have been good. There's a good booklet, deleted scenes, and a whole lot of stuff that I don't have time to get into here. What's more, the picture/sound are great and there's even an 8 DVD set available with even MORE bonus material! Whew! It's hard to imagine TV done better than this.

Titus (Fox, 2 DVDs)

I don't think this is anyone's favorite film (reviews are certainly mixed), but I'm just so impressed that Fox (their video unit actually does good work) was willing to put the resources into a film like this. There are gobs of bonuses, many with the involvement of the director, a great transfer, and even a commentary with the film's composer (Elliot Goldenthal). Hell, they even got Anthony Hopkins to record a track (I don't know of another DVD he's done that for). So many less commercial films are dumped onto DVD with nothing other than a trailer and some lame HBO promo piece that it's refreshing to see one that has such enthusiasm behind it, blockbuster/award winner or not.

That's it for this round...more to come.

Posted by John Knowles at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

New Line has a few catalog title annoucements:

Proof (1991, this Australian film has nothing to do with the well-known play, now being made as a film, by the same name). In addition, they'll release Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and The Rapture on 11/2. All will receive the remastered anamorphic widescreen and DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 treatment. Extras include theatrical trailers on each, plus two separate audio commentaries by director Jocelyn Moorhouse and actor Hugo Weaving and "Martin's Photo Album" slideshow on Proof, and an audio commentary with director Michael Tolkin and cast Mimi Rogers, David Duchovny and Patrick Bauchau on The Rapture. Expect a list price of $19.95 each.

Miramax will be releasing some less known stuff. On September 28th they'll have Heartlands, the Skeet Ulrich thriller Track Down, and My Name is Modesty. Each gets the anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround treatment, and extras include theatrical trailers only (Track Down also gets the featurette "Behind The Kevin Mitnick Story"). And on 10/19 comes Valentin and the thriller I'm Not Scared. Each is presented in anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1, and include trailers, plus an interview with director Alejandro Agresti on Valentin.

For those few who care, the Wayan Bros. flop, White Chicks will be out for your viewing "pleasure" on 10/26 in rated and unrated versions.

Columbia will release a special edition of The China Syndrome on 10/26. Features include two documentaries including new interviews with Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas, plus deleted scenes and the film's original theatrical trailer.

Rounding out Columbia's October 26th lineup are seven new Superbit reissues: Bad Boys II, Cliffhanger, The Guns of Navarone, The Missing, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, S.W.A.T., and Underworld. All have the usual no-features, anamorphic widescreen transfers and Dolby Digital and DTS surround options. Retail will go for the usual $26.95. Plus, Columbia TriStar is currently preparing a 2-disc Dr. Strangelove: 40th Anniversary Special Edition for release on 11/2 (no word yet on features, but maybe they'll include the psuedo-legendary "pie fight" ending!).

More details are emerging on Warner's 4-disc Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Volume 2 (11/2 - $64.92). Look for audio commentary on 31 of the 60 classic shorts that will be included on the set. Other extras will include 6 featurettes (including A Conversation with Tex Avery, Looney Tunes Go Hollywood, Crash! Bang! Boom! The Wild Sounds of Treg Brown, The Man from Wackyland: The Art of Bob Clampett, It Hopped One Night: A look at "One Froggy Evening", and Wagnarian Wabbit: The Making of "What’s Opera Doc?"), additional isolated music/music & effects tracks on 15 shorts, 5 additional bonus shorts (including the restored Adventures of the Road Runner (pilot), Orange Blossoms for Violet, So Much for So Little, the Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show opening titles, another set of Bugs Bunny Show bridging sequences) and more features that are still TBA, as is the final list of included shorts.

Here's today's new DVD releases:

* After Hours
* Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
* Bon Voyage
* Candyman
* Charlie's Ghost
* Chopping Mall
* Connie And Carla
* Da Ali G Show:Complete First Season
* Dinner for Five: Season 1
* Duel
* G.I. Joe - Season 2, Part 1
* Godsend
* Goodfellas
* Guyver (1991)
* Happy Days: Complete First Season
* Here's Lucy - Best Loved Episodes from the Hit TV Series
* Huck & The King of Hearts
* Kindred the Embraced - The Complete Vampire Collection
* Lateline: Complete Series
* Laverne & Shirley: Complete First Season
* The Mangler
* Margaret Cho - Revolution
* Margaret Cho Collection
* Martin Scorsese Collection
* Mean Streets (Special Edition)
* Millennium Mambo
* Million to Juan
* Nate and the Colonel
* New York Minute
* Nick and Jessica Variety Hour
* Past Midnight
* Power of Attorney
* Redemption
* Saved By Bell: Season 1 - College Years
* Seeing Other People
* Slammed
* Snapdragon
* Storm of the Century
* Sugarland Express
* Taking Lives - Director's Cut
* Three Musketeers
* War Stories (2003)
* Warlock Moon
* When the Bough Breaks (1993)
* Who's Knocking at My Door

And a few review links:

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (out today)

The new upcoming (8/24) 2 disc Purple Rain

And the classic horror of Freaks (1932)

Posted by John Knowles at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

And the TV show announcements roll on!

Paramount has the details and a final release date for Star Trek: The Original TV Series - Season 2; November 12. Remastered in 4:3 full screen and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, extras include five new making-of featurettes with all-new interviews with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and the rest of the original Enterprise crew. And in typical "milk the fans" fashion, the list price is $134.95.

A&E has some stuff: Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Fourth Season (who buys this stuff??? Wait, don't answer that...) of October 26th, and The Kids in The Hall: The Complete Season 2 - 1999-2000 on November 16th. While both feature 4:3 full screen transfers and Dolby 2.0 stereo tracks, Dr. Quinn lacks extras (after all, don't you think that those responsible for this show would want to put a bit of distance between them?), although Kids in the Hall comes loaded with 'em: new audio commentary by the cast, "An Oral History: 15 Minutes with the Kids" featurette, two Season 2 compilations, 30 minutes of never-before-seen TV performances, a poster gallery and filmographies. Retail will be $89.95 for the former and $59.95 for the latter.

There are more details from Warner about Space Ghost Coast to Coast: Volume Two (11/16): extended episodes, audio commentaries on each one, Matt Groening interview footage, the original pitch, bonus songs and even an easter egg or two. Also in the "Adult Swim" category, comes Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume Three also on 11/16 with audio commentaries on four episodes, a featurette, deleted scenes, music video, script pages, a music video, still gallery and even some bonus answering machine messages. Retail will is $29.95.

And Everybody Loves Raymond: The Complete Second Season, which features 4:3 full screen transfers and Dolby 2.0 stereo tracks, plus audio commentary by Romano and creator Phil Rosenthal, deleted scenes and a blooper reel. Expect a list price of $44.95.

DVD Savant dude checks in with:

The Sugarland Express (Spielberg's second film, 1974)

and Smile (1975)

Posted by John Knowles at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I'll have more "best of" stuff hopefully later today, but for now you'll just have to content yourselves with some more upcoming buckets 'o DVD fun.

Warner (they've been busy!) has set dates for the following:

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Volume 2 for 11/2 (SRP $64.92) The included shorts have been rumored for a while, but the official list and bonuses aren't there yet. This will be another 4 disc set. They will also release an abrdiged 2 DVD set for the Looney Tunes Lite set.

Friends: The Complete Eighth Season will be out on 11/9 (SRP $44.98). The 4-disc set will include all the episodes from the show's eighth season in their longer versions. The video will be the original full frame, with audio in English Dolby Digital 5.0. Features are TBA.

The West Wing: The Complete Third Season arrives on 11/2 (SRP $59.98). This will also be a 4-disc set with video in anamorphic widescreen and audio in English Dolby Digital 2.0 surround. Once again, there's no word on extras, but they'll all be included on Disc Four of the set.

And Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Volume 2 is on 11/16.

Columbia will dust off three more Godzilla "Vs." adventures, all making their DVD debuts: Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Godzilla vs. Gigan and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. Each will get remastered anamorphic widescreen and Dolby 5.1 surround treatment, plus trailers and a Godzilla bio. Retail will be $24.95 each.

Posted by John Knowles at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey, remember a while back I said I was going to write up a list of the DVDs I thought were hot stuff? Well, I've got some of it done though I will probably take at least one more post to get all the ones I want to mention. Below I will list the criteria for my choices and of course if anyone has any titles they want to add, by all means comment or email me.

Now, the discs I'm going to talk about have the following in common:

1) The program on the disc has some merit (and since this is opinion, I get to decide what has merit!). Then again, this isn't a list of my favorite films; I am writing about the DVD as a whole. Just being a DVD with a great film alone ain't gonna cut it.

2) The title is in its original aspect ratio. Everything else being perfect is of zero value if the film has been butchered.

3) I have to own or at least seen the thing! I will probably mention a few sets I don't own that I've been impressed by at the end.

So, in no particular order, off we go!

Citizen Kane (Warner, 2 DVD set)

And as another Tuesday looms...

* 13 Going on 30
* Black Hole
* The Charley Chase Collection (Slapstick Symposium)
* Cheerleader Camp
* Darby O'Gill and the Little People
* Double Trouble
* Dr. Syn:Alias Thescarecrow
* First to Die (Full Dol)
* Flying Deuces (Restored Edition)
* Garage Days
* Gus
* Happy Tree Friends 3
* The Harold Lloyd Collection (Slapstick Symposium)
* Harum Scarum
* Hi-5 Volume 1:Color Craze
* Hidalgo (2004)
* I'm Not Rappaport
* If a Man Answers
* It Happened at the World's Fair
* Jack
* Knight Rider - Season One
* Moon Over Parador
* Oliver Twist
* Paradise
* The Princess Diaries - Special Edition
* The Reckoning
* Roast of Denis Leary Uncensored
* Rocky & Bullwinkle:Complete Season 2
* Shaggy Dog D.A.
* Shaggy Dog: 45th Anniversary
* Significant Others: The Series
* Sliders: Seasons 1 & 2
* Something Wicked This Way Comes
* Speedway
* Spinout
* The Stan Laurel Collection (Slapstick Symposium)
* Star Trek The Next Generation - Jean-Luc Picard Collection (includes seven JLP-featured Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes: The Big Goodbye, Sarek, Family, The Drumhead, Darmok, The Inner Light, Tapestry, and a feature titled, "From Here to Infinity": a documentary of space exploration hosted by Patrick Stewart)
* Sting II