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Catalogs of DVDs released 1999 -- 2006

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April 2021
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April 6

Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar

(2021) Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo, Jamie Dornan, Damon Wayans Jr. Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time ever. There's romance, friendship, and a villain's evil plot -- hold onto your culottes! Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
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Death Has Blue Eyes

(1976 -- Greece) A gripping paranormal action thriller with shades of giallo from the director of the cult classic video nasty "Island of Death" (1976). When local gigolo Chess (Chris Nomikos) greets his vacationing friend Bob Kovalski (Peter Winter) at Athens airport, the pair embark on a string of scams and erotic dalliances that eventually lead them into contact with an elegant wealthy woman, Geraldine Steinwetz (Jessica Dublin), and her glamorous daughter Christine (Maria Aliferi). Geraldine blackmails the two cheeky bachelor boys into acting as bodyguards for Christine, whom it transpires has telepathic abilities and has had her eye on them for some time. After fleeing from a series of assassination attempts, it soon becomes clear that Geraldine herself might not be quite whom she seems, as the two young men find themselves caught up in a political conspiracy of international dimensions. In his debut feature, maverick filmmaker Nico Mastorakis presents us with a generous meze of non-stop car, bike and helicopter chases, a bevy of beautiful girls with guns, sensational softcore sex scenes, psychic thrills and Cold War political intrigue set against the picturesque landscapes of 70s Greece, all presented for the very first time in a new HD master in both widescreen and full-frame versions, from the original camera negative approved by the director. Two versions of the film: the widescreen 1.85:1 version and the full-frame 1.33:1 version. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New interview featurette with Nico Mastorakis; new interview with actress Maria Aliferi; "Dancing with Death" tracks from the original soundtrack; original theatrical trailers; image gallery; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Julian Grainger. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).


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Doors

(2021) Wilson Bethel, Lina Esco, Josh Peck. Without warning, millions of mysterious alien "doors" suddenly appear around the globe. In a rush to determine the reason for their arrival, mankind must work together to understand the purpose of these cosmic anomalies. Bizarre incidents occurring around the sentient doors leads humanity to question their own existence and an altered reality as they attempt to enter them. In a rush to determine the reason for the arrival of these cosmic anomalies, the government enlists volunteers to brave the journey to enter the doors: a ragtag band of high school students discover a door for the first time, volunteers explore the parallel reality beyond the threshold, and a lonesome hermit manages the seemingly impossible: establishing communication with a door. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD. Read more here. (Epic Pictures).
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Earwig and the Witch

(2020 -- Japan) The voice cast for the English dub features Richard E. Grant, Kacey Musgraves, Dan Stevens, Taylor Paige Henderson. The first new release in four years from the legendary Studio Ghibli. Growing up in an orphanage in the British countryside, Earwig has no idea that her mother had magical powers. Her life changes dramatically when a strange couple takes her in, and she is forced to live with a selfish witch. As the headstrong young girl sets out to uncover the secrets of her new guardians, she discovers a world of spells and potions, and a mysterious song that may be the key to finding the family she has always wanted. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Steelbook, VOD, Digital. Extras: Feature-length storyboards, "Creating Earwig and the Witch," interviews with Japanese voice cast, trailers & teasers. Read more here. (GKIDS/Shout! Factory).

First Lady: A Modern Fairytale

(2020) Corbin Bernsen, Burgess Jenkins, Nancy Stafford, Nico Greetham, Jenn Gotzon Chandler, Benjamin Dane. Katherine Morales (Stafford), a woman not married to the President, runs for First Lady, but she winds up getting a better proposal than she ever expected. Formats: DVD. (Renaissance Women Productions).

The Grounds

(2018) Michael Welch, Trevor Morgan, Ashley Hinshaw. Alcoholic Calvin cons his way into a job tending the grounds of a hillside mansion owned by the reclusive Jack. On the night Calvin stumbles into a bathroom to see Jack with a gun to his head, an unlikely friendship is born. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).

The Man in Search of His Murderer

(1931) Prior to emigrating to the U.S., where he would make such classics as "The Spiral Staircase" and "The Killers," Robert Siodmak took a familiar black comedy premise and transformed it into a diabolical thriller. Heinz Rühmann, employing his trademark persona of the childlike naïf, portrays Hans, a despondent young man who decides to murder himself by hiring a burglar to commit the crime. But when Hans’s life takes an unexpected turn for the better, he realizes he must locate and stop the killer before the contract can be fulfilled. Combining morbid comedy with broad slapstick, "The Man in Search of His Murderer" owes much of its comic sensibilities to screenwriters Billy Wilder and Curt Siodmak who were also soon to leave Germany, to later enjoy fruitful careers in Hollywood. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by film historian Josh Nelson. (Kino Classics).

Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time

(2020 -- Hungary) Natasa Stork, Viktor Bodo, Benett Vilmanyi, Zsolt Nagy, Andor Lukats, Peter Toth. A hauntingly provocative psychological thriller that is Hungary’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. Márta, a 40-year-old neurosurgeon, falls in love. She leaves her shining American career behind and returns to Budapest to start a new life with the man she loves. But she waits for him at the Liberty Bridge in vain -- he does not appear at their rendezvous. Márta starts to search for him desperately, but when she finally finds him, the love of her life claims that they have never met before. Formats: DVD. (Greenwich Entertainment).

The Reckoning

(2020) Charlotte Kirk, Joe Anderson, Steven Waddington, Sean Pertwee. After losing her husband during the Great Plague, Grace Haverstock ( irk) is unjustly accused of being a witch and placed in the custody of England's most ruthless witch-hunter, Judge Moorcroft (Pertwee). Forced to endure physical and emotional torture while steadfastly maintaining her innocence, Grace must face her own inner demons as the Devil himself starts to work his way into her mind. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Deleted scenes. (RLJE Films).

Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie

(2021) What happens when two best friends with Down syndrome rally their hometown of Providence to help realize their dream of making a horror film? This documentary captures this inspiring story of unfiltered optimism and barrier breaking, overflowing with gallons of fake blood and DIY spirit. Since they met at the Special Olympics, Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt have forged an unbreakable bond fueled by their passion for movies. Sam and Mattie pitched their idea of the ultimate cinematic experience to all who would listen: a racy teen zombie flick they proudly proclaimed would be “the greatest movie ever,” exploding with sex, gore, and more over-the-top violence than you can shake a machete at. The documentary culminates in the ultimate payoff: presenting "Spring Break Zombie Massacre" to the world. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Gravitas Ventures).

Shadow in the Cloud

(2020) Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Beulah Koale, Taylor John Smith. In the throes of World War II, Captain Maude Garrett (Chloe Grace Moretz) joins the all-male crew of a B-17 bomber with a top-secret package. Caught off guard by the presence of a woman on a military flight, the crew tests Maude's every move. Just as her quick wit is winning them over, strange happenings and holes in her backstory incite paranoia surrounding her true mission. Something sinister is tearing at the heart of the plane and, trapped between an oncoming air ambush and an evil lurking within, Maude must push beyond her limits to save the hapless crew and protect her mysterious cargo. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Vertical Entertainment).

Son of the South

(2020) Julia Ormond, Lucy Hale, Lucas Till. A grandson of a Klansman comes of age in the deep south and eventually joins the Civil Rights Movement. Based on Bob Zellner's autobiography "The Wrong Side of Murder Creek." Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Lionsgte).

A Woman Like Eve

(1979 -- Netherlands) Monique van de Ven, Maria Schneider, Peter Faber. Acclaimed actresses Monique van de Ven ("Turkish Delight") and Maria Schneider ("Last Tango In Paris") star alongside Peter Faber ("Soldier of Orange") in the groundbreaking film focused on a married woman's affair with another woman. Directed by pioneering filmmaker Nouchka van Brakel, this acclaimed film was a major hit at LGBT film festivals and was the Dutch entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. Presented for the first time on Blu-ray in North America in a newly restored high-definition transfer. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Interview with Nouchka van Brakel by journalist Floortje Smit at Eye Filmmuseum HD 2020, theatrical trailers, poster and photo gallery, limited edition packaging featuring original and newly designed art. (Cult Epics).



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April 13

Ancient Aliens: Season 13

(2020) Three-disc set with 12 episodes. Join Giorgio Tsoukalos and other ancient astronaut theorists as they continue their search for evidence of extraterrestrial contact in the distant past as well as the present. From Tibet, Chile, and the Mediterranean to the iconic UFO site of Roswell to the Pleiades star cluster, this season travels to the far reaches of the globe and beyond to delve into mankind's origins, mysterious government organizations and the secrets of the universe. All in an effort to finally find out if we are in fact alone in the universe, or if extraterrestrial forces have been aiding and guiding us all along. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).

The Boonies

(2021) Matt Schultz, James Quinn, Daniel Johnson, Brian Balog. A fun weekend excursion turns deadly when Aaron (Schultz) joins his brother, Jeremy (Quinn), and a group of his friends for a weekend in the Appalachian woods. Instead of a peaceful weekend getaway, the group soon discovers their itinerary includes more than a traditional outdoor adventure. When they unexpectedly meet a couple who report strange local occurrences, the group soon find themselves on a terrifying trek during their fight for survival. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).
photo for Broadway Melody of 1940 BLU-RAY DEBUT

Broadway Melody of 1940 BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1940) The job - a career breakthrough - is supposed to go to hoofer Johnny Brett, but a mix-up in names gives it to his partner. Another example of Broadway hopes dashed? Not when Johnny is played by Fred Astaire. Sparkling Cole Porter songs, clever comedy and dance legends Astaire and Eleanor Powell make the final" Broadway Melody" (co-starring George Murphy) a film to remember. Powell's nautical "All Ashore" routine (a/k/a I Am the Captain"), Astaire's blissful "I've Got My Eyes on You" and Fred & Eleanor's elaborate routine to Cole Porter's classic "I Concentrate On You" are more than enough to please any fan. But they're just a warm-up for the leads to tap one finale number into immortality: "Begin the Beguine," introduced by Frank Sinatra in "That's Entertainment!" with, "You can wait around and hope, but you'll never see the likes of this again." Extras: Making-of featurette: "Begin the Beguine" (hosted by Ann Miller); "Our Gang Comedies: The Big Premiere"; MGM Cartoon: "The Milky Way." (Warner Archive).

Doctor X BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1932) Is there a (mad) doctor in the house? “Yes!” shrieks Doctor X, filmed in rare two-strip Technicolor. An eminent scientist aims to solve a murder spree by re-creating the crimes in a lab filled with all the dials, gizmos, bubbling beakers and crackling electrostatic charges essential to the genre. Lionel Atwill is Doctor Xavier, pre-King Kong scream queen Fay Wray is a distressed damsel and Lee Tracy snaps newshound patter, all under the direction of renowned Michael Curtiz. The new two-color Technicolor master was restored by UCLA Film and Television Archive and The Film Foundation in association with Warner Bros. Entertainment, with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Foundation. Also includes the separately filmed B&W version (which has been restored from its original nitrate camera negative) originally intended for small U.S. markets and international distribution, and which has been out of distribution for over 30 years. Extras: "DOCTOR X": UCLA Before & After Restoration featurette; new documentary: "Monsters and Mayhem: The Horror Films of Michael Curtiz"; new feature commentary by author/film historian Alan K. Rode; archival feature commentary by Scott MacQueen, head of preservation, UCLA Film and Television Archive. (Warner Archive).

Entre Nos

(2009) Paola Mendoza made her remarkable debut as a writer-director-star in this poignant, heart-rending drama. Mariana (Mendoza) is determined to keep her family together. Her children, Gabriel (Sebastian Villada Lopez), 10, and Andrea (Laura Montana Cortez), 6, have grown up in Colombia without their father, who immigrated to the U.S. years earlier to make a better life for his family. Finally, after years of separation, the family is reunited in New York City. However, one day, Antonio announces he has found work in Miami and will be moving there alone and will send for the family when he is settled. Days go by, and Mariana does not hear from him. Worried and desperate, she goes to her only friend's home to find out that her husband will not be coming back. With no one to turn to, rent coming due and fifty dollars to her name, Mariana must find a way, in a strange city where she barely speaks the language, to provide for her family, financially and emotionally. In Spanish with English subtitles. Formats: DVD. (IndiePix Classics).
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Fukushima 50

(2019) March 11, 2011 - 2:46 PM - Japan's Tohoku Region: at a magnitude of 9.0, the strongest earthquake in the country's history strikes, triggering a huge tsunami and carnage that would end up killing thousands of people and displacing many more. It mercilessly engulfs the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture, causing a crippling station blackout. Unable to be cooled, the nuclear reactors quickly turn into hydrogen bombs at the brink of explosion. If the power plant is abandoned, Japan's destruction is assured. Facing a life or death situation, the power plant workers known as the "Fukushima 50," including shift supervisor Izaki and plant manager Yoshida, remain on the site until the bitter end. As the world holds its breath, the Fukushima 50 fight for their hometown, their families, and the future of Japan. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Read more here. (MPI).

Green Dolphin Street BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1947) The Academy Award winner about star-crossed love that spans the years - and the globe. After her triumph as the lunchroom temptress in the crime classic "The Postman Always Rings Twice," Lana Turner expanded her range with "Green Dolphin Street." Set in 19th century Europe and New Zealand, this sweeping romance tells the story of two beautiful sisters, one headstrong (Turner) and one gentle (Donna Reed), and of the man (Richard Hart) who marries one even though he loves the other. The film's riptides of emotion are matched by breathtaking physical tumult: a fierce Maori uprising plus a catastrophic earthquake and tidal wave that earned the film a 1947 Oscar for special effects. With its dramatic story and spectacular visuals, "Green Dolphin Street" drew huge audiences for epic moviemaking, being one of the top-ten box office hits of the year. (Warner Archives).
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Hercules and the Captive Women

(1963 -- Italy) Reg Park, Fay Spain, Laura Altan. This epic sword-and-sandal adventure, directed by Vittorio Cottafavi, was originally released in 1961 as "Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide" in Italy; "Hercules and the Captive Women" is the version edited for the U.S., released for audiences in 1963. Action-packed from the beginning, Hercules (Park) first encounters Ismene (Altan) when he must save her from a shape-shifting creature. Victorious, Ismene brings Hercules home to Atlantis where they come face to face with Ismene's mother, the evil Queen Antinea (Spain), prepared for battle to end her pursuit of world conquest. The release was produced from rare 35mm archival elements beautifully restored from a 4K transfer in its original aspect ratio and features a showing of exclusive commentary and special features just as strong-if not stronger- than Hercules himself. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Includes the full "Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K)" version of the film, released in 1992; introduction by "MST3K" writer and co-star Frank Conniff; audio commentary by film critic and screenwriter Tim Lucas; "Hercules and the Conquest of Cinema: A Swords and Sandals" documentary from Daniel Griffith at Ballyhoo Motion Pictures; "The Duel of the Titan," a 12-page, full-color booklet insert with an essay from author and historian C. Courtney Joyner. (The Film Detective).
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History Is Made At Night

(1937) Suffused with intoxicating romanticism, "History Is Made at Night" is a sublime paean to love from Frank Borzage, classic Hollywood’s supreme poet of carnal and spiritual desire. On the run through Europe from her wealthy, cruelly possessive husband, an American (Jean Arthur) is thrown together by fate with a suave stranger (Charles Boyer) -- and soon the two are bound in a consuming, seemingly impossible affair that stretches across continents and brings them to the very edge of catastrophe. Lent a palpable erotic charge by the chemistry between its leads, this delirious vision of lovers beset by the world passes through a dizzying array of tonal shifts -- from melodrama to romantic comedy to noir to disaster thriller -- smoothly guided by Borzage’s unwavering allegiance to the power of love. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new, restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New conversation between author Hervé Dumont ("Frank Borzage: The Life and Films of a Hollywood Romantic") and film historian Peter Cowie; interview from 2019 with critic Farran Smith Nehme about director Frank Borzage’s obsession with romantic love; audio excerpts of a 1958 interview with Borzage from the collection of the George Eastman Museum; radio adaptation of the film from 1940, broadcast by The Screen Guild Theater and starring Charles Boyer; new program about the restoration; an essay by critic Dan Callahan. (The Criterion Collection).

Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist

(2019) A complete dissection and sweeping examination of the award-winning genre classic "The Exorcist." Explore the uncharted depths of William Friedkin's mind's eye, the nuances of his filmmaking process, and the mysteries of faith and fate that helped shape his life and filmography, as told by the man himself. Formats: Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Read more here. (RLJE Films).
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My Little Sister

(2020 -- Switzerland) Nina Hoss, Lars Eidinger, Marthe Keller. Lisa (Hoss), once a brilliant playwright, no longer writes. She lives with her family in Switzerland, but her heart remains in Berlin, beating in time with that of her twin brother Sven (Eidinger), the famous theatre actor. Since Sven has been suffering from an aggressive type of leukemia, the relationship between them has become even closer. Lisa does not want to accept this blow of fate, and she does everything in her power to bring Sven back on stage. For her soulmate she neglects everything else and even risks losing her husband, but Lisa only has eyes for her brother, who reflects her deepest longings and awakens in her the desire to create again. Switzerland's Oscar entry for best international film. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Film Movement).
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My Mexican Bretzel

(2019 -- Spain) A hybrid of fiction and documentary filmmaking, the feature film debut of Nuria Giménez uses silent home movies, fleeting snippets of sound, and diaristic narration to tell the story of Vivian Barrett, a wealthy Swiss woman, and her husband, Leon, a WWII pilot-turned-entrepreneur. Partial hearing loss doesn't impede Leon from creating a pharmaceutical wonder drug that changes their lives, propelling the go-lucky couple into a world of adventure, romance, and mystical truth-seeking. From the 40s through 60s, from the Alps to Le Mans to Manhattan to Hawaii, vulnerability, belonging, truth, and mid-century opulence are explored in a way that only the magic of cinema allows ... with a dazzling twist. The idea for the film originated in 2011, when Giménez came across a few home movies made by her grandparents, mid-way through the last century. Based on that rich material, which shows the couple travelling around the world (from Paris to New York, Majorca to Florence, between meetings with friends, excursions and lunches), the filmmaker set about planning a sophisticated and fascinating film structure: she wrote a diary on behalf of Barret, recounting specific moments of her existence, her worries and her innermost thought. She then illustrated those words with material selected from amongst her forebears' 50 reels of 16mm film. In so doing, Giménez has crafted an impressive audiovisual trompe l'oeil, almost entirely lacking in sound, which involves the viewer reading the protagonist's memories in text form on screen. Formats: DVD, Digital. (IndiePix Films).

The Penthouse

(2021) Michael Pare, Nicholas Turturro, Krista Grotte Saxon. In sunny Carolina Beach, Peter and Amanda's new penthouse condo has a perfect view of the marina. One day, they notice a couple bickering aboard a docked sailboat, and Amanda befriends frightened Tess, who soon vanishes without a trace. After Peter confronts her boyfriend Charles, Charles vows to make the nosy couple's life a living hell. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).

Phobias

(2021) Leonardo Nam, Martina Garcia, Hana Mae Lee, Lauren Miller Rogen, Macy Gray. Five dangerous patients, suffering from extreme phobias at a government testing facility, are put to the ultimate test under the supervision of a crazed doctor and his quest to weaponize fear. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).
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West Michigan

(2021) Chloe Ray Warmoth, Seth Lee, Berkley Bragg, Sydney Agudong, Riley Warmoth. The story of a depressed 17-year-old who searches for meaning while driving up the coast of Western Michigan with her older brother. When siblings Charlie and Hannah receive the call that their grandfather has been hospitalized, they load up the car and drive north to visit him. Halfway to their destination, Hannah’s depression takes a serious hold on her. She abandons her brother and runs off into the woods and down the beach. Cold and exhausted, she happens upon three teenagers camping in the forest. She befriends them, and this gives her temporary fulfillment until she learns more about their intentions with her. Discouraged, Hannah runs off again to walk alone in the woods. When she reaches the top of a sand dune, she admires the expansive view of Lake Michigan. It’s extraordinary. This begins to bring Hannah the peace of mind she seeks, and she reconvenes with her worried brother to finish their journey together. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Freestyle Digital Media) Read more here.

Willy's Wonderland

(2021) Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, Beth Grant, Ric Reitz, Chris Warner, Kai Kadlec. When his car breaks down, a quiet loner (Cage) agrees to clean an abandoned family fun center in exchange for repairs. He soon finds himself waging war against possessed animatronic mascots while trapped inside Willy's Wonderland. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Screen Media Films).

Women Without Men

(2009 -- Persian) Loosely adapted from Shahrnush Parsipur's magic realist novel of the same name, this was Iranian artist Shirin Neshat's feature film debut for which she was nominated for the Best Director Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (she took home the Silver Lion). The film chronicles the intertwining lives of four Iranian women during the summer of the 1953 coup d'tat. The 1953 Iranian Islamic revolution a cataclysmic moment in history when an American led, British backed mission led to the over throw of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, and reinstalled the Shah to power. Over the course of several days four disparate women in the Middle East from the Iranian culture are brought together against the backdrop of political and social chaos. As the political turmoil swells in the streets of Tehran, each woman seeks to be liberated from her predicament. It is only a matter of time before the world outside the walls of unrest seep into the lives of these four women as their country's history takes a tragic turn. Formats: DVD. (IndiePix Classics).



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April 20

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Annie Get Your Gun BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1950) Betty Hutton (as Annie Oakley) and Howard Keel (as Frank Butler) star in this sharpshootin’ funfest based on the 1,147-performance Broadway smash boasting Irving Berlin’s beloved score, including “Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly,” “I Got the Sun in the Morning” and the anthemic “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” As produced by Arthur Freed, directed by George Sidney, and seen and heard in this new remastered HD presentation, this lavish, spirited production showcases songs and performances with bull’s-eye precision, earning an Oscar for adaptation scoring. The story is a brawling boy-meets-girl-meets-buckshot rivalry. But love finally triumphs when Annie proves that, yes, you can get a man with a gun! Extras: Susan Lucci retrospective and intro piece (from 2000 DVD release); outtakes: "Let’s Go West Again" - Betty Hutton, "Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly" - Judy Garland, "I’m an Indian, Too" - Judy Garland, "Colonel Buffalo Bill" with Howard Keel and Frank Morgan; stereo audio pre-recording session tracks including "There’s No Business Like Show Business" featuring Judy Garland; theatrical re-issue trailer. (Warner Archive).

Crisis

photo for crisis-box (2021) Three stories about the world of opioids collide: a drug trafficker arranges a multi-cartel Fentanyl smuggling operation between Canada and the U.S., an architect recovering from an oxycodone addiction tracks down the truth behind her son's involvement with narcotics, and a university professor battles unexpected revelations about his research employer, a drug company with deep government influence bringing a new "non-addictive" painkiller to market. Vitals: Director: Nicholas Jarecki. Stars: Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez. 2021 -- Canada/Belgium, CC, MPAA rating: R, 118 min., Drama, US box office gross: $.404 million, worldwide $.980 million, Quiver Films. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. 3 stars

The Furies BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1950) Barbara Stanwyck and Walter Huston are at their fierce finest in this crackling western melodrama by master Hollywood craftsman Anthony Mann. In 1870s New Mexico Territory, photo for The Furies BLU-RAY DEBUTmegalomaniacal widowed ranch owner T. C. Jeffords (Huston, in his final role) butts heads with his firebrand of a daughter, Vance (Stanwyck), over her dowry, choice of husband, and, finally, ownership of the land itself. Sophisticated in its view of frontier settlement and ablaze with searing domestic drama, The Furies is an often-overlooked treasure of American filmmaking, boasting Oscar–nominated cinematography and vivid supporting turns from Judith Anderson, Wendell Corey, and Gilbert Roland. Formats: Blu-ray, with high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Audio commentary from 2008 featuring film historian Jim Kitses; new program featuring critic Imogen Sara Smith; "The Movies: Action Speaks Louder Than Words,” a 1967 television interview with director Anthony Mann; rare on-camera interview with actor Walter Huston, made for the movie-theater series "Intimate Interviews" in 1931; interview from 2008 with Nina Mann, the director’s daughter; trailer; an essay by critic Robin Wood and a 1957 "Cahiers du cinéma" interview with Mann, as well as a new printing of the 1948 novel by Niven Busch on which the film is based. (The Criterion Collection).

Love in Store

(2020) Robert Buckley, Alexandra Breckenridge. Two rival home shopping hosts are forced together while competing for a promotion. Along the way they find their on-air chemistry kindles an off-air spark. Formats: DVD. (Cinedigm Entertainment).
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Memories of Murder

(2003 -- South Korea) In his breakthrough second feature, Bong Joon Ho explodes the conventions of the policier with thrillingly subversive, genre-defying results. Based on the true story of a string of serial killings that rocked a rural community in the 1980s, "Memories of Murder" stars New Korean Cinema icon Song Kang Ho as the local officer who reluctantly joins forces with a seasoned Seoul detective (Kim Sang Kyung) to investigate the crimes -- leading each man on a wrenching, yearslong odyssey of failure and frustration that will drive him to the existential edge. Combining a gripping procedural with a vivid social portrait of the everyday absurdity of life under military rule, Bong fashions a haunting journey into ever-deepening darkness that begins as a black-comic satire and ends as a soul-shattering encounter with the abyss. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, supervised by cinematographer Kim Hyung Ku and approved by director Bong Joon Ho, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Two 2009 commentaries featuring Bong and members of the cast and crew, plus a new commentary featuring critic Tony Rayns; new program featuring filmmaker Guillermo del Toro; new interview with Bong about the real-life serial killer who inspired the film; documentary from 2004 on the making of the film; deleted scenes, with optional audio commentary by Bong; new program about the use of sound in Bong’s work, featuring film scholar Jeff Smith; "Incoherence," a 1994 student film by Bong, with a new introduction by the director; teaser, trailer, and TV spot; an essay by critic and novelist Ed Park. (The Criterion Collection).

The Mortuary Collection

(2021) Clancy Brown, Caitlin Custer, Christine Kilmer, Jacob Elordi. Set in the phantasmagorical town of Raven's End, nothing is as it seems. A misguided young girl takes refuge in a decrepit old mortuary. There she meets Montgomery Dark, an eccentric undertaker with more than a few skeletons in his closet. Montgomery chronicles the strange history of the town through a series of twisted tales, each more terrifying than the last, but the young girl's world is unhinged when she discovers that the final story ... is her own. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Director's commentary, 14 extensive behind-the-scenes segments, in-depth conversations with director and writer Ryan Spindell, the actors, and crew, deleted scenes. Read more here. (RLJE Film).

Sideshow

(2021 -- UK) When two inept young criminals break into the home of a washed-up psychic in search of his hidden loot, they get a lot more than they bargained for… because ‘The All-Seeing Stupendo' is a genuine master of the dark mystic arts – at least that’s what it says on his poster and he’s sticking to it. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Gravitas Ventures).
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Switchblde Sisters

(1975) From Jack Hill, legendary director of "Spider Baby," "Coffy," "Foxy Brown," and "The Swinging Cheerleaders" comes another iconic cult classic. Lace (Robbie Lee), the leader of inner city girl gang The Dagger Debs, meets her match when new girl Maggie (Joanne Nail) moves into the neighborhood. Mistrust and conflict turn to friendship as the girls end up in Juvenile Detention together at the mercy of abusive guards. Meanwhile, The Dagger Debs' male counterparts, The Silver Daggers, have to contend with the arrival of a new gang, led by the villainous Crabs (Chase Newhart). But when the girls get back on the streets, a planned retaliation strike in tandem with The Silver Daggers backfires and puts Lace in hospital. Maggie assumes control, teaming up with Muff (Marlene Clark) and her gang of African-American militants from across town to declare all out war. But there's a traitor in their midst. Filled with sharp, clever dialogue and tongue in cheek humor, this Shakespeare-influenced girl gang/women in prison/action movie medley is a stone cold grindhouse classic. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary by historians/critics Samm Deighan & Kat Ellinger; "We Are The Jezebels," an archival documentary featuring director Jack Hill, producer John Prizer, casting director Geno Havans, production designer B.B. Neel, stunt coordinator Bob Minor, and stars Joanne Nail, Asher Brauner, and Chase Newhart; "Gangland: The Locations of Switchblade Sisters," an archival documentary in which Hill and filmmaker Elijah Drenner revisit the shooting locations; Hill and Joanne Nail at the Grindhouse Film Festival, a 2007 archival interview with the director and actor; interview with Hill, Robbie Lee, Nail, an archival 1990's interview with the director and stars in conversation with Johnny Legend; galleries of behind the scenes stills, international posters, video covers, and lobby cards; theatrical trailers; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Heather Drain. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Test Pattern

(2020) Brittany S. Hall, Will Brill, Gail Bean, Drew Fuller. Part psychological horror, part realist drama, this debut feature from Shatara Michelle Ford is set against the backdrop of national discussions around inequitable health care and policing, the #metoo movement, and race in America. Test Pattern follows an interracial couple whose relationship is put to the test after a Black woman is sexually assaulted and her white boyfriend drives her from hospital to hospital in search of a rape kit. Their story reveals the systemic injustices and social conditioning women face when navigating sex and consent within the American photo for Waterboyspatriarchy. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by director Shatara Michelle Ford, Shatara Michelle Ford in conversation with James Gray, trailer. (Kino Lorber).

Waterboys

(2016 -- Netherlands) Leopold Witte, Tim Linde, Helen Belbin. A humorous and moving story of the evolving relationship between crime novelist Victor (Witte) and his cello-playing son Zack (Linde). When Zack is dumped by his girlfriend and Victor is dumped by Zack's mother on the same day, the two men grieve and briefly console one another before heading off on a trip to Scotland where Victor hopes to promote his latest book and spend some bonding time with Zack. Victor's selfish tendencies nearly alienate the fragile relationship he shares with his son, and the trip becomes increasingly turbulent as the reasons for the pairs domestic troubles come to light. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Corinth Films).

White Shadow

(2013 -- Tanzania) Hamisi Bazili, James Gayo, Glory Mbayuwayu. Since 2008, albinos in photo for White ShadowTanzania have become human targets. Witch doctors offer huge sums of cash for their body parts to be used in magic potions. From 2008 to 2010, more than 200 witch-doctor inspired murders occurred. As a local saying goes: Albinos do not die, they just disappear. This is the story of Alias, an albino boy on the run. After his father's murder, his mother sends him to the city. His uncle Kosmos, a truck driver, takes care of him. Alias learns fast in the city, selling sunglasses, DVDs and cellphones, it will not take long before the boy experiences at first hand the difficulties of life, and of being different. A multi-award winner, the film has garnered incredible critical acclaim. Formats: DVD. (Indiepix Classic).



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April 27

Another Thin Man BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1939) Dum-Dum, Wacky, Creeps, Fingers: They’re just a few of the hoodlums in the world of amateur sleuths and professional bon vivants Nick and Nora Charles. And now there’s a new hood: parenthood. A birthday – make that boithday – party that some of da boys hold for infant Nick Jr. is part of the fun in this third film in the witty series. The case begins when the Charles family arrives for a weekend with a Long Island industrialist who fears someone wants to kill him. Sure enough, his fears come true. Nick (William Powell) is among the suspects. Asta scrams with what may be the murder weapon. And Nora (Myrna Loy) has her own ideas about the case and sneaks off to a nightclub to ferret out a clue. “Madam, how long have you been leading this double life?” Nick asks. “Just since we’ve been married,” she replies. Extras: MGM musical short: "Love on Tap"; classic MGM cartoon: "The Bookworm." (Warner Archive).

Deep Blood

(1990 -- Italy) In a career that forever raised the bar for everything from hookers, cannibals and necrophiles to Ator, Emanuelle and Caligula, this long-unseen chum bucket from producer/director/EuroSleaze master Joe D'Amato may be his most bizarrely entertaining anomaly ever. Shot on location in Florida surf and Rome swimming pools, D'Amato combines 80s teen movie cliches and Native American mysticism with stupefying dialogue, over-the-top performances and shark footage that Bruno Mattei would later swipe for "Cruel Jaws" to create what Oh, The Horror! calls "a weird, demented experience that begs to be discovered and embraced." A cast of local unknowns -- along with, inexplicably, the 60s comedy team of Charlie Brill & Mitzi McCall -- star in this last word in Italian Sharksploitation, now scanned in 2K from the original negative for the first time ever. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Severin Films).
photo for Donnie Darko (4K Ultra HD)

Donnie Darko (4K Ultra HD)

(2001) Limited edition two-disc 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of "Donnie Darko". Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a troubled teen who struggles with visions of a six-foot rabbit named Frank that encourages him to commit crimes. This feature debut from director Richard Kelly became a cultural phenomenon, with the film earning praise for being daring and original. This new 4K UHD release includes both the theatrical and director's cut, both with new 4K restorations approved by Kelly and cinematographer Steven Poster. This special release also includes a 100-page hardcover book and a double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned art by Luke Preece. Read more here. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Each Dawn I Die BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1939) Framed for manslaughter after he breaks a story about city corruption, reporter Frank Ross is sure he’ll prove his innocence and walk out of prison a free man. But that’s not how the system works at Rocky Point Penitentiary. There, cellblock guards are vicious, the jute-mill labor is endless, and the powers Ross fought on the outside conspire to keep him in. Frank’s hope is turned to hopelessness. And he’s starting to crack. Two of the screen’s famed tough guys star in this prison movie that casts a reform-minded eye on the brutalizing effects of life in the slammer. James Cagney as Ross, the embittered, stir-crazy fall guy and George Raft (Cagney’s friend since their vaudeville days) portrays racketeer Hood Stacey, who may hold the key to springing Ross. Extras: Warner Night at the Movies including 1939 Short Subjects Gallery: vintage newsreel, WB Technicolor short: "A Day at Santa Anita", WB cartoon: "Detouring America"; retrospective featurette: "Stool Pigeons and Pine Overcoats: The Language of Gangster Films"; feature commentary by film historian Haden Guest; "Breakdowns of 1939: Studio Blooper Reel"; WB cartoon: "Each Dawn I Crow"; radio show w/George Raft & Franchot Tone; trailer for "Wings of the Navy" and original theatrical trailer for "Each Dawn I Die." (Warner Archive).

Heavy Trip (Hevi reissu) Limited Edition

(2018 -- Finland) Rune Temte, Johannes Holopainen, Kai Lehtinen, Torstein Bjørklund. Turo (Johannes Holopainen) is stuck in a small village in the Finnish countryside where his greatest passion is being the lead vocalist for the amateur metal band Impaled Rektum. The only problem is that he and his fellow headbangers have practiced for 12 years without playing a single gig. But that’s all about to change when the guys meet the promoter of a huge heavy metal music festival in Norway, and they decide that it’s now or never. Hitting the road in a stolen van with a corpse, a coffin and a new drummer from a local mental hospital in tow, Impaled Rektum travels across Scandinavia to make their dreams come true. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Includes a limited edition slip cover; a standard Blu-ray will be released May 25. Extras: Bonus scenes and blooper reel, "Flooding Secretions" original song by Impaled Rektum, behind-the-scenes, real heavy metal bands react to Impaled Rektum, "Heavy Trip Goes to Texas: 7 episodes with Turo and Jouni from Austin, TX," "Jump Into My Net" Karaoke video. (Doppelganger Releasing).
photo for Irma Vep

Irma Vep

(1996 -- France) The live-wire international breakthrough of Olivier Assayas stars a magnetic Maggie Cheung as a version of herself: a Hong Kong action-movie star who arrives in Paris to play the latex-clad lead in a remake of Louis Feuillade’s classic silent crime serial "Les vampires." What she finds is a behind-the-scenes tangle of barely controlled chaos as egos clash, romantic attractions simmer, and an obsessive director (a cannily cast Jean-Pierre Léaud) drives himself to the brink to realize his vision. Blending blasts of silent cinema, martial-arts flicks, and the music of Sonic Youth and Luna into a hallucinatory swirl of postmodern cool, Assayas composes a witty critique of the nineties French film industry and the eternal tension between art and commercial entertainment. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with New 2K digital restoration from the original camera negative, approved by director Olivier Assayas, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New interview with Assayas; "On the Set of Irma Vep,” a behind-the-scenes featurette; interview from 2003 with Assayas and critic Charles Tesson; interview from 2003 with actors Maggie Cheung and Nathalie Richard; "Musidora, the Tenth Muse" (2013), a documentary on the actor who originated the role of "Irma Vep"; "Les vampires: Hypnotic Eyes" (1916), the sixth episode in Louis Feuillade’s silent-film serial; "Man Yuk: A Portrait of Maggie Cheung," a 1997 short film by Assayas; black-and-white rushes for the film; an essay by critic Aliza Ma. (The Criterion Collection).
photo for Masculin féminin BLU-RAY DEBUT

Masculin féminin BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1966 -- France) With "Masculin féminin," the ruthless stylist and iconoclast Jean-Luc Godard introduces the world to “the children of Marx and Coca-Cola,” through a gang of restless youths engaged in hopeless love affairs with music, revolution, and one another. French New Wave icon Jean-Pierre Léaud stars as Paul, an idealistic would-be intellectual struggling to forge a relationship with the adorable pop star Madeleine (real-life yé-yé girl Chantal Goya). Through their tempestuous affair, Godard fashions a candid and wildly funny free-form examination of youth culture in pulsating 1960s Paris, mixing satire and tragedy as only Godard can. Formats: Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, approved by cinematographer Willy Kurant, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Interview from 1966 with actor Chantal Goya; interviews from 2004 and 2005 with Goya, Kurant, and Jean-Luc Godard collaborator Jean-Pierre Gorin; discussion of the film from 2004 between film critics Freddy Buache and Dominique Païni; footage from Swedish television of Godard directing the “film within the film” scene; trailers; an essay by film critic Adrian Martin and a reprint of a report from the set by French journalist Philippe Labro. (The Criterion Collection).

Nomadland

photo for Nomadland (2020) Following the economic collapse of a town in rural Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and explores an unconventional life in the vast landscape of the American West. Along the way, she forms unbreakable bonds with other nomads in this powerfully moving story of hope and resilience from director Chloé Zhao, based on the book by Jessica Bruder. Winner of three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress (Frances McDormand). Vitals: Director: Chloé Zhao. Stars: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May. 2020, CC, MPAA rating: R, 108 min., Drama, US box office gross: $2.143 million, worldwide $5.451 million, Fox/Disney. Formats: Blu-ray with digital code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Forgotten America," deleted scenes. Read more here. 3 stars

Quick Change BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1990) The star of "Caddyshack," "Ghostbusters" and "Groundhog Day" headlines and co-directs this Big Apple heist-and-pursuit caper. Bill Murray plays Grimm, a frazzled urbanite who disguises himself as a clown – and sets out to rob a bank. Geena Davis and Randy Quaid play accomplices in Grimm’s daring scheme and Jason Robards is the blustery cop caught up in Grimm’s “Clown Day Afternoon.” Swiping a million bucks is a snap compared to getting out of town. Grimm and cohorts commandeer a car, a cab, a bus, a baggage tram and a plane (and encounter future stars Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub in supporting roles) to make what becomes a less-than-merry escape. (Warner Archive).

Vanquish

(2021) Ruby Rose, Morgan Freeman, Patrick Muldoon. A mother, Victoria (Rose), is trying to put her dark past as a Russian drug courier behind her, but retired cop Damon (Freeman) forces Victoria to do his bidding by holding her daughter hostage. Now, Victoria must use guns, guts, and a motorcycle to take out a series of violent gangsters - or she may never see her child again. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Read more here. (Lionsgate).
photo for Wanted for Murder Cast a Dark Shadow

Wanted for Murder/Cast a Dark Shadow

Death and seduction are the themes of these newly-restored thrillers from the golden age of British noir. In "Cast a Dark Shadow" (1955), Dirk Bogarde stars as “Teddy” Bare, a smooth-talking cad who maintains a life of leisure by preying on a series of lonely, wealthy women. But the headstrong sister (Kay Walsh) of one of his late wives is determined to bring Teddy’s killing streak to an end. In "Wanted for Murder" (1946), the polished exterior of a refined gentleman (Eric Portman) conceals the heart of a strangler. A young record shop clerk (Dulcie Gray) holds the key to his capture, which puts her at the head of the queue to become his next victim. Formats: Blu-ray. (Cohen Film Collection).


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All listings are based on information from the home video studios. Some release dates may change and titles may come out after a specified date (with no announcement from the studio). Additionally, some titles may be released with little or no advance announcement. And since all DVDs are priced at sell-through and are available for substantial discounts at both online and brick-and-mortar stores, we only list suggested retail prices for some special editions, box sets and collections.



All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio, a Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center), and 50 (rear) speakers and Power 10 subwoofer.


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April 21, 2021
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