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Recent Noteworthy Releases (6/25):"The Telephone Book"(1971) is a major, though forgotten, work from New York's underground film scene of the late 60s and early 70s. Nelson Lyon's production tells the story of a "hippie-chick" who falls in love with the world's greatest obscene phone caller and embarks on a quest to find him. His random obscene phone call sends young Alice (Sarah Kennedy, a sexually adventuresome Goldie Hawn talk-and-look-a-like) on a sexual odyssey in search of the mystery caller, a journey that takes her to an orgy with stag film star Har Poon (Barry Morse of "The Fugitive") and his overactive Whip Woman (Ultra Violet); an encounter with a bored lesbian housewife (Jan Farrand); a manipulative psychiatrist (Roger C. Carmel); an ex-Wall Street banker with an unusual problem (a very young William Hickey); and more. There's some nice avant-garde touches, such as the use of a character in a flashback talking to the camera and to Alice, who is recounting the flashback to a psychiatrist dispensing coins from an old-fashioned belt coin changer; the bleeping of appropriate words while inappropriate words are uttered; the use of "dirty" cartoons to highlight sexual situations; and on-camera soliloquies by "real-life" obscene phone callers. The film culminates in a phone booth to phone booth aural sex encounter between the pig-masked world's greatest obscene phone caller and Alice. The B&W film has plenty of nudity (and, for its time, a heck of a lot of female frontal nudity), soft-core sex, and explicit cartoons. Unfortunately, like so many avant-garde films, "The Telephone Book" is too fond of itself, and too self-indulgent; it's definitely in need of some adept editing; too many scene are left to go on for to long and peter out (so to speak), losing their impact. But, for its time, the film really stretched the boundaries, and is an interesting footnote to the pioneering experimental art-film scene of America cinema. Available now from Vinegar Syndrome/CAV Distributing.
Wine and mystery lovers: Uncork your favorite Chateau Margaux, pull up an easy chair, and get ready for a couple of delightful hours with "Blood of the Vine Seasons 1 & 2," a French-made mystery series that revolves around a middle-aged, internationally renowned wine expert who investigates crimes in the heart of the famous Bordeaux vineyards and the Cognac and Champagne regions of France. From TV to DVD (6/25):"Beck: Volume 7 Episodes 19-21 and Volume 8 Episodes 22-24" (2006-07) consists of three episodes of the mystery series about Swedish detective Martin Beck, a cop with no style and no flash, and squarely in middle age, but good at one thing: methodically bringing down dangerous criminals lurking in the seedy Stockholm underworld. Based on the novels by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo (one of which was made into "The Laughing Policeman," starring Walter Matthau). Two-disc and three-disc DVD sets, respectively, $39.95 each from MHz Networks ... "Borgen -- Season Two" (2012) is the she second season of Denmark's blockbuster political drama that follows the country's first female prime minister, the charismatic Birgitte Nyborg, her cynical spin doctor Kasper Juul, the ambitious journalist Katrine Fonsmark and her more seasoned colleague, Hanne Holm, as the political power plays and the personal costs for the players continue. Four-disc set with 10 episodes (Episodes 11-20), $49.95 from MHz Networks ... "Honest" (2012) is the critically acclaimed British dramedy that follows the fortunes of the criminally minded Carter family after their patriarch is sentenced to four years in jail for robbery. Lindsay (a deliciously brazen Amanda Redman), the beleaguered matriarch, resolves to clean up her life, and is determined to drag her conniving children back to the straight and narrow as well. But going legit isn't as easy as it seems. The U.S. debut is a two-disc set with six episodes, $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Jack Taylor, Set 1 " (2013) is based on the bestselling crime fiction by Ken Bruen and filmed on location against the rugged backdrop of western Ireland; the gripping series follows Jack Taylor (Iain Glen), a fortysomething ex-cop trying to earn a living as a private detective in his native Galway. Self-destructive, pigheaded, and overly fond of the bottle, Taylor has burned a lot of bridges, but he still has a knack for uncovering ugly truths. Available to U.S. audiences for the first time. Three-disc set with three mysteries, $49.99 from Acorn Media ... "MADtv: Season Three" (1997-98) is a four-disc set with 25 episodes, $29.93 from Shout! Factory ... In "Masterpiece Mystery!: Inspector Lewis 6" (2013), Kevin Whately returns as Inspector Lewis, teamed with his cool, cerebral partner Detective Sergeant Hathaway (Laurence Fox), for a sixth and final season of the gripping detective drama. Two-disc set with three feature-length episodes, $29.99 DVD and $34.99 Blu-ray disc from PBS Distribution ... "New Tricks, Season 9" (2013) is Britain's highest-rated TV drama that follows the exploits of a group of retired cops -- the old dogs of the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad -- who with wit, camaraderie, and smarts solve high-profile cold cases. The crew is led by Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman (Amanda Redman), a much younger detective who keeps the oldsters in line. Though a bit more talky than we're used to, the series is charming and enjoyable. Three-disc set with 10 unedited U.K. episodes, $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Todd & the Book of Pure Evil: The Complete Second Season" (2011-12) is a two-disc set with 13 episodes, $19.98 from Entertainment One.Buzzin' the 'B's (6/25):In "Hansel & Gretel Get Baked" (2013), starring Molly C. Quinn, Michael Welch, Lara Flynn Boyle and Andrew James Allen, a brother and sister battle a witch who lures teenagers into her suburban home with her special blend of marijuana, called Black Forest; there she proceeds to cook and eat her wasted patrons to maintain her youth and beauty. The siblings track a missing friend to the "sweet old lady's" house, where they must save him and themselves from a gruesome death -- which could be the last high of their lives. From Tribeca Film ... When Pine Gap, a top-secret government facility operated by the United States military deep in the heart of the unforgiving Australian desert comes under attack from unknown forces, an elite team is sent in to extract the military scientists in "Crawlspace" (2012), starring Amber Clayton and Nicholas Bell. Things go wrong, however, when they encounter a beautiful young woman with no memory of how she came to be in the base, and find it overrun by disturbed patients from the base's medical sector. From IFC Films ... "Venus and Vegas" (2012), starring Eddie Kaye Thomas, Donald Faison, Eddie Guerra, Jaime Pressly, Molly Sims, Roselyn Sanchez, Joe Rogan, Steven Bauer and Florence Henderson, is a comedy about three Las Vegas buddies who rob a warehouse full of counterfeit casino chips that belong to old-school Vegas mobster Frank Santino; when the heist goes bad and one of the guys is taken prisoner by the Santinos, the wanna-be criminals need to sort out the mess, cash out the chips and get out alive. On DVD and Blu-ray from Image Entertainment ... In London, a street dealer's life spins out of control over the course of one week after he borrows money from his supplier on what's supposed to be a sure thing in "Pusher" (2012), starring Richard Coyle, Bronson Webb, Agyness Deyn and Zlatko Buric. On DVD and Blu-ray from Anchor Bay ... At the height of the cold war, the world holds its breath when a Soviet submarine armed with nuclear missiles goes missing in the Pacific while on board the vessel the battle-tested captain (Harris) and a rogue KGB agent (Duchovny) are waging a life-and-death game of cat and mouse in "Phantom" (2012), starring Ed Harris, David Duchovny and William Fichtner. On DVD and Blu-ray from Fox ... A stranger, known only as "The Rambler" (2013), just released from prison and anxious to build a new life, comes home to a faithless girlfriend and embarks on a cross-country journey to what hopefully is a new start. On the trip he encounters all sorts of obstacles and dangers on his road to redemption: a scientist with a dream-recording (onto VHS) machine, a cab driver with an unnatural love of the original Frankenstein film, "mummies" in the back of trucks and -- exploding heads. Stars Dermot  Mulroney, Lindsay Pulsipher and Natasha Lyonne. On DVD and Blu-ray Disc from Anchor Bay ... A man returns to the deserted family farmhouse he inherited on his 18th birthday, only to uncover his checkered past: His preacher father had sacrificed the family to a powerful demon, and the man's return stirs the decades-old forces trapped in the home in "Dead Souls" (2012), starring Jesse James, Bill Moseley, Magda Apanowicz, Noah Fleiss, Jaiden Kaine and Geraldine Hughes. On DVD and Blu-ray from Scream Factory/Shout! Factory ... When a curious journalist digs too deep into the past of legendary serial killer Sawney Bean and his cannibalistic family, he comes fact to face with the murders -- and gets captured with no easy way to escape in "Lord of Darkness (aka Sawney: Flesh of Man)" (2012), starring David Hayman, Sam Feeney, Gavin Mitchell and William Houston. From Lionsgate ... When two enemy fighter planes are shot down during WWII, the stranded survivors -- German and British crew members -- are forced to seek refuge in an isolated cabin in order to withstand the harsh spring in the mountainous wilderness of Norway in "Into the White"
(2012), starring Rupert Grint, David Kross and Florian Lukas. On DVD and Blu-ray from Magnolia Home Entertainment.On the Indie Front (6/25):In "Supporting Characters" (2012), starring Alex Karpovsky, Tarik Lowe, Arielle Kebbel, Melonie Diaz and Kevin Corrigan, two New York film editors and best friends balance their personal relationships while reworking a movie in crisis. One, who's having troubles with his fiancee, begins to fall for the film's flirtatious ingenue; the other young man struggles to focus on his editing work in between fights with his tempestuous girlfriend. From Tribeca Film ... Serial underachiever and stoner Ben Banks (played by Ben Banks), in his 12th year of community college, surprisingly gets involved with a beautiful barista with a shady past that includes a local conspiracy and a dead body in "Beauty and the Least (aka Ben Banks)" (2012), starring Mischa Barton, Ben Banks, Melora Hardin and David Sullivan. From Green Apple Entertainment ... "In the Family" (2012) is a heartfelt story woven around child custody, two-Dad families, loss, interracial relations, the American South, and the human side of the law explores what it means to be in a family. A precocious six-year-old, Chip lives with his two dads, Cody and Joey, but when Cody dies suddenly in a car accident, and Joey and Chip struggle to find their footing again, Cody's will reveals that he named his sister as Chip's guardian, and the boy is wrested from the only family he ever had. Stars Sebastian Banes, Patrick Wang, Trevor St. John, Lisa Altomare and Susan Kellerman. From In the Family LLC ... "Black Pond" (2011) is a black comedy about an ordinary British family and their friend who are accused of murder when a stranger dies at their dinner table. From Entertainment One.For the Family (6/25):"Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids: The Complete Series" is a 15-disc box set that includes all 110 episodes of the classic television series created, produced and hosted by legendary comedian Bill Cosby. The show, based on Cosby's remembrances of his childhood gang, focused on the lovable, oversized Albert and his friends in North Philadelphia. The show always had an educational lesson emphasized by Cosby's live-action segments, and the gang would usually gather in their North Philadelphia junkyard to play a rock song on their cobbled-together instruments at the end of the show. Famous, among other reasons, for Albert Jackson's signature salutation, "Hey! Hey! Hey!" $119.99 with such extras as commentary by Cosby; a 16-page book; the documentary "Hey, Hey, Hey ... It's The Story of Fat Albert," featuring an all-new interview with Bill Cosby. From Shout! Factory ... "Cody the Robosapien" (2013) is a live-action/animated family feature film based on the best-selling Robosapien toy range. A robot designed for search-and-rescue missions is hijacked by its corporate owners for military purposes; programmed by its inventor to escape, it gets damaged in a chase and is discovered by a 12-year-old boy, who fixes it and names it Cody. The two are inseparable and the robot becomes a family member -- until the corporation kidnaps the inventor and the boy's mother, forcing the boy and his robot to figure out a way to pull the plug on the evil plan. Stars David Eigenberg, Penelope Ann Miller, Bobby Coleman and Kim Coates. From Anchor Bay ... "Babar Adventure Pack" (2013) is a three-disc set with "Babar: The Movie," "Best Friends Forever" (which features four classic Babar episodes from the popular HBO series: "Between Friends," "Friendly Agreement," "An Elephant's Best Friend" and "City Ways") and "School Days" (episodes include "School Days," "Peer Pressure," "Every Basket Has a Silver Lining" and "Kings of the Castle"); 19.98 from Entertainment One ... In "The Garfield Show: Pizza Dreams" (2013), Garfield's pizza appetite is put to the test as he goes on a diet in this collection of animated episodes. $14.93 from Gaiam Vivendi.Special Interest (6/25):The important documentary "A Place at the Table" (2012) investigates the hunger experienced by millions of Americans, and proposes solutions to the problem. 50 million people in the U.S. -- one in four children -- don't know where their next meal is coming from, despite our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food for all Americans. Directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush examine this issue through the lens of three people who are struggling with food insecurity. Includes interviews with activists such as Witness to Hunger's Mariana Chilton, Top Chef's Tom Colicchio and Jeff Bridges (Founder of The End Hunger Network). On DVD and Blu-ray from Magnolia Home Entertainment.New Blu-ray From Criterion, Acorn Media(June 20)
Blu-ray fans get ready: There's some great new product heading your way in August and September. First off, Acorn Media has announced for August 27 the Blu-ray debut of "Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection," a seven-disc set with all nine feature-length mysteries of the iconic, universally acclaimed police drama starring Helen Mirren; $119.99 (read more). The Criterion Collection, meanwhile, will release to Blu-ray in September "La Cage aux Folles" (1978), "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" (1965), "Autumn Sonata" (1978), "Slacker" (1991) and "3 Films By Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman": "Stromboli" (1950), "Europe '51" (1952) and "Journey to Italy" (1954). (read more). Enjoy.
"Stoker," "Jack the Giant Slayer," "Quartet," "Movie 43," "21 & Over" and "The Last Exorcism Part II." For more releases this week, see the Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases. DVD Collectibles (6/18):"Marketa Lazarova" (1967) In its home country, Frantisek Vlacil's "Marketa Lazarova" has been hailed as the greatest Czech film ever made; for many U.S. viewers, it will be a revelation. Based on a novel by Vladislav Vancura, in turn based on a centuries-old Czechoslovakian legend, this stirring and poetic depiction of a feud between two rival medieval clans is a fierce, epic, and meticulously designed evocation of the beginning clashes between Christianity and paganism, humankind and nature, love and violence in the Middle Ages. The plot is simple: The two sons of a pagan lord, Kozlik, rob travelers on the road to the capital and, during one robbery, kidnap the son of a German diplomat on his way to the king. In need of support to fend off an imminent attack by the king's men, Kozlik sends his sons to neighbor lord Lazar to entice him to join him in war. When Lazar refuses, the sons kidnap his daughter, Marketa Lazarova, just when she was ready to join a convent; she's then deflowered and made to become one of the son's concubines. The fighting and brutality continue as the Kozlik and Lazar clans fight back and forth and, eventually, the king's army attacks Kozlik. Despite the film's title, it's not really about Marketa Lazarova -- she doesn't even set off any of the film's main actions -- but rather about her epoch, environment and the events that swirl around her; she's kind of a symbol for paganism slowly giving way to Christianity. Vlacil's approach was to re-create the textures and mentalities of a long-ago way of life, rather than to make a conventional historical drama, and the result is dazzling. With its inventive widescreen cinematography, editing, and sound design, "Marketa Lazarova" is an experimental action film. It seamlessly moves between dreams, illusions, point-of-view action shots, flashbacks and religious imagery, all set against the backdrop of a winter white pagan world. I don't think I've ever seen a film with such ruthless, brutal and amoral characters -- but without the gore and gruesomeness that one associates with violence and brutality. This is, after all, the 13th century, a violent, horrible world, and brutality and amorality is the norm. It's a beautifully fascinating film, one you can't keep your eyes off. Or, as DVDTalk put it, "'Marketa Lazarova' is a dizzying step far back into the mysterious, mystically-minded Middle Ages, but it's no period piece, nor even a modern-world-aimed allegory like Bergman's also-medieval 'Seventh Seal.' What the film is, indelibly and rapturously, is a visceral, full-blooded (in every sense) immersion in medieval thinking, what the world looked and felt like to our 13th-century forebears." Another terrific "find" from Criterion.
"Things to Come" (1936) is one of the most overlooked science fiction films of all time, a classic that, perhaps due to its bleakness and lack of science fiction gee-whiz gadgetry or monsters, has largely been ignored in the sci-fi pantheon. The film was a landmark collaboration between writer H. G. Wells (who oversaw the script, based on his 1933 book "The Shape of Things to Come"), producer Alexander Korda and designer and director William Cameron Menzies. Both the book and the film were prescient political works that predicted a century of turmoil and progress, beginning in Also from Criterion is "Safety Last!" (1923), featuring the comic genius of silent star Harold Lloyd. While Chaplin was the sweet innocent and Keaton the stoic outsider, Lloyd -- the modern guy striving for success -- was everyman. Here Lloyd plays a small-town bumpkin trying to make it in the big city, who finds employment as a lowly department-store clerk. He comes up with a wild publicity stunt to draw attention to the store, resulting in an incredible feat of derring-do on his part that gets him started on the climb to success. In a new 2K digital film restoration with a musical score by composer Carl Davis from 1989, synchronized and restored under his supervision and presented in uncompressed stereo on the Blu-ray edition. Extras include commentary featuring film critic Leonard Maltin and director and Harold Lloyd archivist Richard Correll; "Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius," a 104-minute documentary from 1989; three newly restored Lloyd shorts: "Take a Chance" (1918), "Young Mr. Jazz" (1919) and "His Royal Slyness" (1920); a booklet featuring an essay by critic Ed Park; and more.
Leaving the world of classics we travel to the surreal wild and wooly world of "Lifeforce" (1985), a cheesy sci-fi thriller from director Tobe Hooper about a naked female vampire from outer space who arrives in London and promptly begins to infect the entire population by feasting on the human energy of her victims, turning the city into a crazy madhouse of vampire/zombie hybrids. Also from Scream Factory/Shout! Factory comes "The Howling Collector's Edition" (1981), directed by Joe Dante and starring Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda Balaski, Kevin McCarthy, John Carradine, Slim Pickens and Elisabeth Brooks. "The Howling" helped kick off a short werewolf resurrection in the early 1980s, a skein that included "An American Werewolf in London" and culminated with "Teen Wolf." After a TV newscaster helps police track down a serial killer, she travels to the countryside to clear her head, only to discover that the killer came from a cabal of werewolves living close to her retreat. On DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Extras include commentary with director Joe Dante and actors Dee Wallace, Christopher Stone and Robert Picardo; "Unleashing the Beast: The Making of the Howling" multi-part documentary; deleted scenes and outtakes; and more. From TV to DVD (6/18):"Body of Proof: The Complete Final Season" (2013) is a three-disc set with 13 episodes, $39.99 from Disney ... "Call the Midwife: Season Two" (2012-13) consists of eight episodes of the U.K. series about a young midwife in 1950s London's working class East End who provides the poorest women with the best possible care. Available as a three-disc DVD, $39.98; two-disc Blu-ray, $44.98. From BBC Home Entertainment ... "Drop Dead Diva: The Complete Fourth Season" (2012) is a three-disc set with 13 episodes, $30.99 from Sony ... "Rectify" (2012) is a two-disc set with all six one-hour episodes of the Sundance Channel hit, $29.98 from Anchor Bay ... "Springhill, Series 1" (1996-1997) is a four-disc set with all 26 episodes of the first season of the British series "soap" mixed with mysterious, supernatural elements, $59.99 in its U.S. debut from Acorn Media ... "Web Therapy: The Complete Second Season" (2012) is a two-disc set with 11 episodes of the Showtime series about Fiona Wallace (Lisa Kudrow), a therapist with little patience for her patients. Tired of hearing about people's problems for 50 minutes, she devises an innovative new treatment -- the three-minute therapeutic video chat. $19.98 from Entertainment One ... "The Wild West" (2006) is a miniseries reveals the real stories behind three of the West's most famous figures: General Custer, Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid. From BBC Home Entertainment ... "Wilfred: Season 2" (2012) is a singe disc with 13 episodes, $29.98 from Fox.Buzzin' the 'B's (6/18):In the tongue-in-cheek indie slasher flick "Everyone Must Die!" (2012), starring Nick LaMantia, Clifford Lynch, Nicole Beattie, a killer is going from town to town offing dozens of people, then moving on. When one young man's sister is slaughtered, he vows revenge and begins to track down the murderer. From MVD Visual ... "Twisted Twins" Jen and Sylvia Soska are back with their follow-up to the indie hit "Dead Hooker in a Trunk." The horror-thriller "American Mary" (2012) is the story of a medical student named Mary who, growing increasingly broke and disenchanted with medical school and the established doctors she once idolized, gets involved in the messy world of underground surgeries. Stars Katharine Isabelle, Antonio Cupo and Tristan Risk. From XLrator Media ... "The Ghastly Love of Johnny X" (2012), starring Creed Bratton, Keving McCarthy, Kate Maberly, Paul Williams and Reggie Bannister, is a truly mad concoction, blending 1950s juvenile delinquents, sci-fi melodrama, song-and-dance and a touch of horror: Banished to Earth for intergalactic juvenile delinquency, Johnny X and his gang of Ghastly Ones set off in search of a piece of alien technology that could change the fate of the universe forever -- the so-called "resurrection suit." Soon, the extraterrestrial no-goodniks are embroiled in a wacky scheme involving a femme fatale named Bliss, a shifty concert promoter with schemes of his own, and a recently deceased musician who won't let a little decomposition stop him from rocking. From Stand Releasing ... "The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse" (2013) was an instant fan favorite when it premiered at last year's Comic-Con in San Diego; the hip horror fantasy done in CG animation brings to life the cult underground Dynamite comic series "The Living Corpse Exhumed," by Ken Haeser and Buz Hasson. A creature of the underworld, lurking in catacombs and tunnels, the Living Corpse wears his heart on his molding sleeve. He's not a typical hero -- he' a zombie. And he's not a typical zombie -- he has a soul. His mission: To protect the earth from other flesh-eaters, to keep them in their graves and to keep the powers of wickedness from corrupting our world. The DVD features a DVD-ROM of "The Living Corpse: Haunted" comic. From Anchor Bay ... In the dark woods of Sweden, five young people are all alone in an old isolated summer cottage. What should have been a nice relaxing weekend soon becomes a living nightmare as the party is haunted by something evil from the past in "Mara" (2012 -- Sweden), starring Angelica Jansson, Cecilia Samuelsson, Emelie Frantz Nilsson, Martin Brandt and Philip Hansell. From MVD Visual ... "American Idiots" (2011), starring Jeffrey T. Schoettlin, Caroline D'Amore, Sean Muramatsu and Madeline Merritt, is a raunchy comedy that has four friends going on a cross-country journey to Las Vegas to stop a wedding and save their buddy from losing the love of his life. From Lionsgate ... Someone, or something, is killing off all the people who served on the jury on one of San Francisco's most high profile serial killer cases in "Summoned" (2013), starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ashley Scott, Bailey Chase and James Hong. From Lionsgate.On the Indie Front (6/18):"Touch" (2011), starring Porter Lynn, Long Nguyen, John Ruby and Melinda Bennett, is a sensual film that explores the sense of touch and its emotional impact on people. At the heart of the film is V.I.P. Nails, where a Vietnamese-American manicurist named Tam has a new customer, Brendan, a shy mechanic whose dirty hands prevents him from being intimate with his aloof wife (though that, of course, is an excuse for a failing marriage). Desperately seeking to save his relationship, Brendan goes to the nail salon every day where Tam does more than scrub his hands clean -- she also offers him advice on how to get his wife to love him again. Tam also has her own issues: She's dealing with the loss of her mother, the needs of her physically and emotionally crippled father, and her own indecision in life. Soon, Tam and Brendan find themselves drawn to each other, an attraction which becomes harder and harder to resist. This evocative debut film by Vietnam-born filmmaker Minh Duc Nguyen, though awkward and predictable at times and hampered by weak acting by the male lead, still has some warm, special moments ... and also offers an interesting peek into the dynamics of mani/pedi parlors. From Cinema Libre Studio ... When a happily married young man runs into his high school sweetheart in "Divorce Invitation" (2012), the chance meeting rekindles the feelings he had all those years ago and, convinced that the old flame is his true soul mate, he wants out of his marriage -- but there's just one problem: He signed an iron-clad pre-nup which states that in order to get out of his marriage, he must throw a "Divorce Party" and invite all of the guests who came to the wedding. Stars Jonathan Bennett, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Nadia Bjorlin, Elliott Gould, Lainie Kazan, Paul Sorvino, Richard Kind and Andrea Bowen. From Level 33 Entertainment ... Juno Temple, Michael Angarano, Alexis Bledel, Billy Magnussen, Alia Shawkat, Bobby Moynihan, Steve Park star in "The Brass Teapot" (2012), based on the comic book series "The Brass Teapot" about a twentysomething couple who fall upon hard economic times and, on a trip, find a mysterious, magical brass teapot that makes them money -- but at a surprising price: the teapot spews forth money only when they physically hurt themselves. From Magnolia Home Entertainment ..."Gibsonburg" (2012) is the inspirational true story of a high school baseball team in Ohio that became the only team in the nation to win a State Championship game with a losing record. The drama follows Andy Gruner, high school senior and captain of the baseball team, who is struggling with the family business going into debt, pursuing a relationship with his longtime crush, Kathy Colaner, and the discovery of a family secret that could fracture his family's bonds. Stars Louis Bonfante, Lili Reinhart and Jonnie Wagner. From Monarch Home Entertainment.For the Family (6/18):
"Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Good Croc, Bad Croc" (2013) consists of seven episodes from the TV series based on the movie franchise: "Good Croc Bad Croc," "The Princess and the Po," "Chain Reaction," "Bad Po," "Jailhouse Panda," "Father Crime" and "Po Fans Out." $14.98 from Fox ... "Dino King 3D" (2013) is a CGI-animated adventure about Speckles, a baby Tarbosaurus, who is exiled and forced to flee his homeland when his entire family is killed by an evil, one-eyed T-Rex. In the hostile jungle he meets up with Blue Eyes, another lonely and lost Tarbosaur, and he eventually returns to claim his family's ancient hunting grounds to become The Dino King. On DVD and Blu-ray from Well Go USA ... "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Season 2 Part 2: Spooky Stampede" (2013) is a two-disc set with 13 episodes, $19.97 from Warner.Special Interest (6/18):
From the Big Screen: "Oz the Great and Powerful," "Snitch" and "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters." Read more at the Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases. DVD Collectibles (6/11):Though he only made five films before his untimely death at 33, Bruce Lee is an iconic figure in world cinema, single-handedly bringing Gung Fu and Karate into the mainstream of action films. He's still considered to be the greatest martial arts practitioner on and off the big screen, and his films still resonate to this day. Lee was born in San Francisco in 1940 but was raised in Kowloon. He returned to the states in 1958, studied drama, philosophy and martial arts, then segued to acting by landing a role in the 1966-67 TV series "The Green Hornet," playing the Green Hornet's martial-arts sidekick Kato (when the show aired in Hong Kong, it was unofficially referred to as "The Kato Show"). After co-starring in a string of "B" pictures, he returned to Hong Kong, where he starred in Lo Wei's "The Big Boss" (1971) and "Fist of Fury" (1972). The films were such enormous success that he went on to write, direct and star in "Way of the Dragon (1972) (which introduced Chuck Norris and featured an incredible fight scene in the Colosseum in Rome). In 1973, Warner Bros. tapped Lee to star in "Enter the Dragon," a martial arts extravaganza that co-starred John Saxon and Jim Kelly and culminated in a spectacular "cast-of-100s" fight on the island of Han. Lee died after filming but before the release of the film, which went on to world-wide success at the boxoffice (grossing approximately $25 million domestically -- the equivalent of almost $180 million in today's boxoffice) and set the stage for generations of kung-fu artists and films ("The Game of Death," which was incomplete when Lee died, was released in 1978). On the 40th anniversary of the film, Warner Home Video is releasing "Enter The Dragon 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition Giftset" on Blu-ray that's loaded with goodies that includes two discs, collectible art cards, a lenticular card and an embroidered patch. Bonus features include three new featurettes: "No Way As Way" (on the legacy of Bruce Lee), "The Return to Han's Island" and "Wing Chun: The Art That Introduced Kung Fu to Bruce Lee"; an interview gallery featuring Lee's wife, Linda Lee Caldwell; vintage pieces "Backyard Workout With Bruce Lee," "Curse of the Dragon," "Location: Hong Kong With Enter the Dragon," "Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon," "Personal Profile Bruce Lee: In His Own Words"; five trailers, seven TV spots. All for $49.99.
"Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder"
(2010) Lawrence Ferlinghetti was the leading light of the Beat literary movement in the 1950s and 1960s, co-founding the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco in 1953 and, two years later, setting up the publishing arm of the store, which published his poetry as well as the works of Kenneth Rexroth, Kenneth Patchen, Marie Ponsot, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Kaufman, Denise Levertov, Robert Duncan, William Carlos Williams and Gregory Corso. In 1956, Ginsberg's earth-shaking "Howl" was published by City The folks at The Criterion Collection have released the Blu-ray debut of Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries" (1957), a treasure from the golden age of art-house cinema and one of the films that catapulted Bergman to international acclaim. Traveling to accept an honorary degree, Professor Isak Borg -- masterfully played by veteran director Victor Sjostrom -- is forced to face his past, come to terms with his faults, and make peace with the inevitability of his approaching death. Through flashbacks and fantasies, dreams and nightmares, "Wild Strawberries" dramatizes one man's voyage of self-discovery. In a new high-definition digital film transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. From TV to DVD (6/11):"Beverly Lewis' The Confession" (2013 -- TV) stars Katie Leclerc, Sherry Stringfield, Bill Oberst Jr., Cameron Deane Stewart and Julia Whelan in this sequel to the Hallmark Channel's "Beverly Lewis' The Shunning," based on the second novel of "The Heritage of Lancaster County" trilogy from New York Times best-selling author Lewis; Katie Lapp (Leclerc), a young Amish woman, goes on a journey in search of her identity -- only to find herself embroiled in a mystery that must be solved before she can be reunited with the "Englisher" mother, who gave her up for adoption 20 years earlier. From Sony ... "Burn Notice: Season 6" (2012) is a four-disc set with 18 episodes, $49.98 from Fox ... "The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Third Season" (1963-84) is a three-disc Blu-ray set with 32 episodes, $59.98, featuring a TV Academy Tribute to Carl Reiner, Mary Tyler Moore's appearance on "The Danny Kaye Show," commentaries with Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke, the Emmy Award telecast featuring the cast, rare rehearsal footage, network promo spots, photo galleries, more. From Image Entertainment ... "Fairly Legal: Season Two" (2012) is a three-disc set with 13 episodes, from Universal ... "Ghost Hunters: Season 8 Part 2" (2012), is a four-disc set with 26 episodes, $24.98 from Image Entertainment) ... "House of Cards: The Complete First Season" (2013) is a four-disc set with 13 episodes of the popular Netflix series; on DVD and Blu-ray from Sony ... "Major Crimes: The Complete First Season" (2012) is a three-disc set with 10 episodes, $39.98 from Warner ... "Necessary Roughness: Season Two" (2012-13) is a four-disc set with 16 episodes, from Universal ... "The Newsroom: The Complete First Season" (2012), is a four-disc set with 10 episodes of the series that focuses on an ambitious group of broadcast journalists who set out on a patriotic mission to bring integrity back to the news in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles. Extras include "Mission Control" behind-the-scenes featurette; "The Rundown" roundtable discussion with cast and crew; deleted scenes; commentaries; "Inside the Episodes" with creator Aaron Sorkin; episodic previews & recaps. On DVD, $59.99 and Blu-ray, $79.98, from HBO ... 
"Perry Mason: The Ninth & Final Season -- Volume One" (2012) -- a four-disc set with 15 episodes -- is the the first part of the last season of America's favorite courtroom drama, based on the character created by Erle Stanley Gardner. Raymond Burr stars as Mason, an attorney who specializes in defending seemingly indefensible cases. With the aid of secretary Della Street and investigator Paul Drake, Mason digs deeply into his cases, revealing startling facts and, relying on his outstanding courtroom skills, often tricks or traps people into unwittingly admitting their guilt. $45.99 from Paramount ... "Rizzoli & Isles: The Complete Third Season"
(2012) is a three-disc set with 15 episodes, $39.98 from Warner ... "The Wedding Band: The Complete First Season" (2012-13) is a three-disc set with 10 episodes, $39.98 from Fox.Buzzin' the 'B's (6/11):In "Knife Fight" (2012), starring Rob Lowe, Julie Bowen, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jamie Chung, Saffron Burrows, Eric McCormack, Jennifer Morrison and Richard Schiff, a political strategist juggling three clients questions whether or not to take the high road as the ugly side of his work begins to haunt him. From IFC Films ... When unsafe drilling by an oil company causes a volcanic eruption in a small town, scientists soon realize that the explosion is just the first in a series that could trigger the dangerous "Ring of Fire" of the world's volcanoes, setting off a cataclysmic chain of events that could destroy the Earth in "Ring of Fire" (2013), the kick off feature of the ReelzChannel five-film doomsday series. Stars Michael Vartan, Terry O'Quinn, Lee Smith. On DVD and Blu-ray from Sonar Entertainment/Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment ... Set against the backdrop of Australia's stunning Gold Coast,an FBI agent investigating the murder of a businessman who led a secret double life teams up with the slain man's widow to uncover an intricate web of deceit more shocking and more sinister than anyone could have imagined in "Absolute Deception" (2013), starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Emmanuelle Vaugier, Evert McQueen and Ty Hungerford. From Sony ... Two extraordinary women, Coretta Scott King (Angela Bassett), wife of Martin Luther King Jr., and Dr. Betty Shabazz (Mary J. Blige), wife of Malcolm X, come to life in "Betty & Coretta" (2012),a Lifetime drama starring Angela Bassett, Mary J. Blige and Malik Yoba. After their husbands' tragic assassinations, the pair developed a unique friendship spanning  three decades as they carried on the civil rights movement while supporting their families as single mothers. From Lionsgate ... A martial arts instructor is recruited as a bodyguard for an extremely powerful couple and when her employers are kidnapped, she's forced into a deadly world of underground fighting to rescue them in "Ninja Masters" (2009 -- Hong Kong), starring Luxia Jiang, Sam Lee and Eddie Cheung; from Lionsgate ... After a messy divorce, a young woman discovers that she has bigger problems when she encounters a ghostly child in the mirrors of her new home -- and the young boy has a horrifying secret for her, in "The Unbroken" (2012), starring Aurelia Riley, Daniel Baldwin, Warwick Davis, Patrick Flanagan and Jay Laga'aia; from Inception Media.On the Indie Front (6/11):As much as we wanted to like "Wrong" (2013), the fourth feature from cinematic surrealist Quentin Dupieux, the director of cult-hit "Rubber," we just couldn't get into the film: the acting and directing just misses the mark -- it neither clicks into place nor is surrealist enough to get us past the slow-moving scenario (unlike the more recent surrealist tomes such as "Holy Motors," "Enter the Void" and "Upstream Color"). Though it looks good on paper -- Dolph Springer awakens one morning to find he has lost the sole love of his life -- his dog, Paul. Desperate to reunite with his best friend and to set things right, Dolph embarks on a journey that spirals into the realm of the absurd, where he meets up with a promiscuous pizza delivery girl, a mentally unstable, jogging-addicted neighbor, an opportunistic French-Mexican gardener, an eccentric pet detective and an enigmatic pony-tailed guru -- and it does have some individual moments of brilliance, the whole endeavor ends up a boring, self-indulgent exercise. On DVD and Blu-ray from Drafthouse Films ... With levity and sadness, two grown children and their aging parents struggle with the decision about whether the older generation -- mom has Alzheimer's and dad is in the early stages of senility -- should stay in the house where they have lived for 50 years in "Fred Won't Move Out"
(2012), starring Elliott Gould, Fred Melamed, Stephanie Roth Haberle, Judith Roberts, Mfoniso Udofia and Ariana Altman. From Virgil Films.Foreign (6/11):"Clip" (2012 -- Serbia and Montenegro) is a dynamic, disturbing portrait of contemporary Serbian youth. Jasna, a pretty girl in her mid-teens with a terminally ill father and dispirited mother at home, is disillusioned by her unglamorous life in a dismal Belgrade suburb. Opposing everyone, including herself, she experiments with sex, drugs and partying. Jasna is left with nothing to help her navigate her world other than her camera phone and a strong desire to capture clips of her life speeding by. This is a gripping -- if downbeat -- debut from writer-director Maja Milos. From Artsploitation ... Political intrigue, betrayal, peril and forbidden romance play out in "Masquerade" (2012 -- South Korea), a critically acclaimed drama set in the royal palace of Korea's ancient Joseon Dynasty. Amid national chaos and a fear for his life, tyrannical King Gwanghae orders his trusted counselor to find a royal body double; he recruits a crude, working-class peasant, a village performer who bears a startling resemblance to the ruler. When the king falls into a coma from poisoning, the double takes the throne and follows his heart -- no matter what the price -- to save his country from collapse and its oppressed people from despair. From CJ Entertainment America/Inception Media Group ... The personal assistant to the wife of the head of a multinational conglomerate gets involved in corruption and a torrid series of intra-familial deceptions in "The Taste of Money" (2012 -- South Korea), starring Yun-shik Baek, Hyo-jin Kim and Kang-woo Kim. From IFC Films.For the Family (6/11):"Power Rangers Super Samurai: Secret of the Red Ranger -- Volume 4" (2012) features four episodes and two music videos as the Rangers fight to take down Serrator's secret plan to split apart the world. $14.98 from Lionsgate.Special Interest (6/11):
Warner Announces 'The Wizard of Oz' 75th Anniversary Collector's Edition(June 5) Marking the 75th anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz," Warner Bros. has produced a 3D remastered version of the film that will launch a giant celebration of one of the greatest -- and most popular -- movies of all time. Kicking off the celebration, "The Wizard of Oz" 3D will be presented in the IMAX 3D format and return to the big screen for an exclusive one-week engagement in IMAX theatres across North America beginning September 20. Following the IMAX theatrical release, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release a limited and numbered "The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary Collector's Edition" on October 1, featuring the 3D version of the film and more. The five-disc set will include Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and UltraViolet versions of the film; a new documentary, "The Making of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," bonus features and premium collectibles ($105.43). Three more editions will be available separately: a two-disc 3D/Blu-ray ($35.99), a one-disc Blu-ray ($19.98) and a two-disc DVD ($16.95). All will contain the new documentary and extra content. Read the press release here.
"Identity Thief," "Warm Bodies," "Escape From Planet Earth" and "A Good Day to Die Hard." For more releases this week, see the Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases. DVD Collectibles (6/4):"Perfect Understanding" (1933), starirng Gloria Swanson, Laurence Olivier and John Halliday. Cinema icons Gloria Swanson and Laurence Olivier made just one film together, and now that rarely seen gem -- a 1933 romantic comedy written by an uncredited young Michael Powell -- has been recovered and restored for its Blu-ray and DVD debut. Before the Production Code Administration clamp down in 1934, Hollywood and British filmmakers had the luxury to explore romance, sex and crime in candid and straightforward ways, and this film -- a kind of combination of "Design for Living" and "Trouble in Paradise" in its treatment of sexuality and "The Rules of the Game" in its satire of the "sophisticated" upper class -- was one of the last to flaunt that freedom. It was also a pivotal film for Swanson, who had struggled in the early years of the talkies to maintain the vaunted position she had held as a silent-screen superstar. She produced the film herself, and it was the only one she made in Britain. Unfortunately, she made only two more films after this before her famous comeback in 1950's "Sunset Blvd." Judy (Swanson, 34) and Nicholas (Olivier, 26) are a young society couple who marry based on the "perfect understanding" that they will be allowed to enjoy extramarital adventures and never let jealousy come between them. That arrangement is soon put to the test when, during their honeymoon, they go to Cannes to spend time with friends. Though fairly predictable in its story line, director Cyril Gardner (who also was a film editor, writer and actor) keeps the film moving along quickly, adding some nifty flourishes of action in what is pretty much a talk oriented outing -- in one scene, for example, Judy and a would-be suitor (the extraordinary John Halliday) stroll around the grounds of a palatial estate discussing the pros and cons of marriage while in the background -- in each room they pass -- couples are quarrelling and bickering over extramarital affairs and fidelity. It's all very wonderful stuff. The disc includes two Mack Sennett comedy shorts from 1933: "Husband's Reunion" and "Dream Stuff." From the Cohen Film Collection.
"Mad Max Trilogy" BLU-RAY: Here are the films that set the benchmark and template for all post-apocalyptic films in modern cinema: "Mad Max" (1979), "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" (1982) and "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" (1985). Director George Miller -- with fledgling actor Mel Gibson (as highway cop Max Rockatansky) -- created a post-oil end-of-civilization scenario where gangs of punks with spiked hair, body piercings and violent genes drove all sorts of motorcycles, all-terrain From TV to DVD (6/4):"Adventure Time: The Complete Second Season" (2010-11) is a two-disc DVD and one-disc Blu-ray set with 26 episodes, from Cartoon Network/Warner ... "Breaking Bad: The Fifth Season" (2012) features all eight episodes: "Live Free or Die," "Madrigal," "Hazard Pay," "Fifty-One," "Dead Freight," Buyout," "Say My Name" and "Gliding Over All" in a four-disc DVD ($55.99) and three-disc Blu-ray ($65.99). Extras include an eight-minute, uncensored bonus scene "Chicks 'N' Guns," created and produced exclusively for the home entertainment release; cast and crew commentaries on every episode; deleted scenes; outtakes; and three featurettes: "Nothing Stops This Train," "The Cleaner: Jonathan Banks as Mike" and "Chicks 'N' Guns: Behind-the-Scenes"; and much, much more. From Sony ... "Combat!: The Complete Third Season" (1965-66) is an eight-disc set with 32 episodes of the classic TV war series starring Vic Morrow and Rick Jason, $39.98 from Image Entertainment ... "Falling Skies: The Complete Second Season" (2012) has all 10 episodes of TNT's alien invasion series on a three-disc DVD, $39.98 and two-disc Blu-ray, $49.99. Extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, "The Skitter Evolution," a tour of the "Falling Skies" set, commentaries, and an exclusive trading card from Rittenhouse included on pack. From Warner ... "The First Churchills" (1969) is a three-disc set of the classic miniseries that launched Masterpiece Theatre, $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "Ice Road Truckers: Season 6" (2012) is a four-disc set with 16 episodes, $39.99 from History Channel/Lionsgate ... "Mountain Men: Season 1" (2012) is a two-disc set with eight episodes of the reality series, $19.98 from Lionsgate ... "Pretty Little Liars: The Complete Third Season" (2012-13) is a five-disc set with 24 episodes of the very popular ABC Family teen drama mystery-thriller series based on the novels written by Sara Shepard. As the third season began, a summer had passed since Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer found out about Mona being "A" and the death of Maya. With the terror seemingly over and an alleged murderer now behind bars, the town of Rosewood was slowly healing from old and new wounds ... but the four girls are hardly over what happened. With post-traumatic stress, anger and the acquisition of more secrets, they're anything but fine. Now back together and coming upon the second anniversary of Alison's disappearance, the girls find themselves back on the defensive when a shocking event rocks Rosewood. $59.98 from Warner ... "Rawhide: The Sixth Season -- Volume One" and "Rawhide: The Sixth Season -- Volume Two" (1963-64) are four-disc sets with 15  episodes and 16 episodes, respectively, of the classic TV Western about cowboys and cattle drives, starring Eric Fleming, Clint Eastwood and James Murdock. $45.99 each from Paramount ... "Ring of Fire" (2013), based on the book "Anchored in Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash," penned by Cash's son John Carter Cash, is a Lifetime biopic that delves into the history of the legendary singer-songwriter. June Carter Cash wrote Johnny Cash's most famous song, "Ring of Fire," while she was falling in love with the fascinating yet difficult musician. The telefilm explores that volatile relationship, as seen through the eyes of their son, John, as well as profiles the woman who patiently supported one of country music's biggest stars as she found her own idiosyncratic path to stardom. Stars Jewel as Carter and Matt Ross as Cash. From Lionsgate ... "Storming Juno" (2010) is a docudrama about the Canadian assault of Juno Beach on D-Day, as told via reenactment and through interviews with those who were there. From Entertainment One ... "The Twilight Zone: The Complete Second Season" (1960-61) is a five-disc set with 29 episodes, $29.98 from Image Entertainment ... "Vexed, Series 2"
(2012) is the U.S. debut on DVD of the British buddy cop drama starring Toby Stephens and Miranda Raison, featuring sharp scripts, strong performances, and an enjoyable mix of comedy and crime-solving with a twist. Two-disc set with six episodes, $49.99 from Acorn Media.Buzzin' the 'B's (6/4):In "Sadako 3D," (2012 -- Japan), starring Satomi Ishihara, Koji Seto, Tsutomu Takahashi and Shota Sometani, a deranged man attempts to bring back Sadako -- the vicious spirit, hungry for blood and souls on the haunted videotape from "The Ring" -- to the Internet in the form of footage of a suicide said to drive anyone who sees it to also commit suicide. This time the rein of terror of the long-haired girl in the white nightgown extends to all forms of technology: PC screens, mobile phones, jumbotrons and more. On DVD and Blu-ray from Well Go USA ... "Mental" (2013), starring Liev Schreiber, Toni Collette, Caroline Goodall, Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Fox, Deborah Mailman, Rebecca Gibney and Lily Sullivan, is a comedy about a charismatic, crazy hothead who transforms a family's life when she becomes the nanny of five girls whose mother has cracked from her husband's political ambitions and infidelity. On DVD and Blu-ray from Universal ... In "12 Rounds 2: Reloaded" (2013), starring Randy Orton and Brian Markinson, paramedic Nick Malloy (Orton) receives a terrifying call from a vengeful psychopath connected to his past: The maniac threatens to unleash a murder spree unless Nick can complete a series of 12 challenges without involving the cops or missing a single deadline. In a DVD/Blu-ray Combo from WWE/Fox ... In "Charlie Zone" (2011), a disgraced boxer and ex-convict is hired to abduct a runaway from a crack house in the city's notorious "Charlie Zone," and return her safely to her family. But nothing goes quite as planned and nothing is quite what it seems. Stars Amanda Crew, Glen Gould, and Mpho Koaho. On DVD and Blu-ray from Anchor Bay ... "The Last Ride" (2012), starring Henry Thomas, Jesse James, Kaley Cuoco, Fred Dalton Thompson and Stephen Tobolowsky, is based on the controversial life story of singer-songwriter Hank Williams, country music's original bad boy. The man, the myth and the music come together when Williams travels from Alabama in 1952 to a series of New Year's shows in West Virginia and Ohio. This remarkable journey leads straight into the heart and soul of the legendary performer ... as he takes one last shot at redemption. Featuring all-new versions of Williams' greatest songs. On DVD and Blu-ray from Fox ... A woman's life is turned upside down when it is revealed that her husband, a member of the British Parliament, has been having an affair with a former prostitute; though she publicly stands by her man, she secretly orchestrates a political power play against him in "The Politician's Wife" (1995), from Acorn Media.On the Indie Front (6/4):In the doomsday comedy "It's a Disaster" (2012), starring Julia Stiles, America Ferrera, David Cross, Rachel Boston and Erinn Hayes, four couples who meet for Sunday brunch find themselves stranded in a house together as the world may be about to end. When Tracy Scott (Stiles) decides to introduce her new beau Glenn (Cross) to her three friends and their significant others, what starts out as a friendly brunch turns into an impromptu therapy session and airing of domestic grievances. Compounding the situation is a mysterious attack on the city that may signal the end of civilization. From Oscilloscope Laboratories ... "A Portrait of James Dean: Joshua Tree, 1951" (2012) is set primarily in the early 1950s and focuses on James Dean's experiences as an up-and-coming actor in Los Angeles in a series of revealing and sometimes dreamlike vignettes that blend biographical and fictionalized elements to present pivotal moments in a remarkable life. Stars James Preston, Dan Glenn, Dalilah Rain, Edward Singletary Jr., Robert Gant and Erin Daniels. From Wolfe Video ... In the ensemble urban rom-com "The Company We Keep" (2010), starring Nefetari Spencer, Shelli Boone and Stephen Bishop, a female record company exec juggles life and love in a cut-throat world. From Entertainment One ... "Mosquita y Mari" (2012) is a coming of age drama on family, friendship and first love. After being assigned as study partners, two Latina high schoolers fall gradually in love against the backdrop of life in Southeast Los Angeles. From Wolfe Video ... In "Sistas the Musical" (2013), a group of sisters come together after their grandmother passes away to pick a song to honor her legacy at her memorial service. Going through her keepsakes, the women uncover mementos that testify to their grandmother's profound contributions to their family history and their community ... telling their stories through the many indelible songs that trace the rich and conflicted history of Black women that span the days of Jim Crow, the 60's Girl Groups, the emerging female empowerment of the 90s, and the unique challenges of today's youth. Stars Tracey Conyer Lee, Jennifer Fouche, Amy Goldberger, April Nixon and Lexi Rhoades. From One Village Entertainment.For the Family (6/4):"Curious George: The Complete Sixth Season" (2012) is a two-disc set with 20 fun-filled episodes with George and friends as they explore his world and invent clever solutions to memorable mis-adventures. From Universal ... "Dora the Explorer: Dora Rocks!" (2012) consists of three sing-along, rockin' episodes with Dora and Boots: "Dora Rocks!" "Baby Bongo's Big Music Show" and "Little Map." $14.99 from Nickelodeon/Paramount.Special Interest (6/4):"Journey of the Universe" (2012) is the Emmy Award-winning documentary, broadcast on over 275 PBS television stations, that weaves a tapestry of scientific discoveries in astronomy, geology, biology, ecology and biodiversity with humanistic insights concerning the nature of the universe. From The Big Bang, or Great Flaring Forth, to the epic impact humans have on the planet today, "Journey of the Universe" is designed to inspire a new understanding and closer relationship with Earth in a period of growing environmental and social crisis. A companion DVD, "Journey of the Universe: Conversations" (2012), is a 20 episode collection of interviews with some of the world's greatest minds in science, history and environmental studies. The 10 hour, four-disc series integrates the perspectives of the sciences and the humanities into a retelling of our 14 billion year story. Both are from Shelter Island ... "Frontline: The Economic Meltdown" (2013) is a two-disc set with five fascinating "Frontline" programs about one of the worst economic crises in America's history: "Inside the Meltdown," "Ten Trillion and Counting," "Breaking the Bank," "The Warning" and "Cliffhanger." $39.99 from PBS Distribution ... The documentary "Aroused" (2013) gets up close and personal with 16 of the most successful women in the adult film industry, revealing personal stories about their lives, why they chose the business of sex, how they got into porn in the first place, and more. The film was directed by Deborah Anderson and stars Alexis Texas, Allie Haze, April O’Neil, Ash Hollywood, Asphyxia, Belladonna, Brooklyn Lee, Francesca Le, Jesse Jane, Katsuni, Kayden Kross, Lexi Belle, Lisa Ann, Misty Stone, Tanya Tate and Teagan Presley. $22.99 from Ketchup Entertainment ... "Brooklyn Castle" (2012) is an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school champion chess team that has won more national championships than any other in the country amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts. $19.99 from Millennium Entertainment.
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Benjamin Lebel (Pierre Arditi) is an internationally respected wine expert whose annual books are the ultimate guide to the world's best wines; when the local police chief asks his help in tracking down a serial killer who combines murder with Grand Crus, he gets bitten by the investigative bug and seeks out new mysteries to solve. Aided by his assistant, a young wine expert, Silvere, and Mathilde, the head of his lab, Lebel (either summoned by the police or on his own) unravels wine-and-vineyard related crimes: the audit of a Castle that leads to murder; the attempt to usurp a plot of miraculous vineyard; an arson fire that destroys the famous cellars of Baron Castayrac; the appraisal of 40 bottles of rare Sauternes that leads to murder; and miscellaneous misdeeds and deaths in the sun-drenched French countryside. The mysteries are delightfully easy-going but with full bouquets and are immensely fun to watch. My only gripe: the series is shot on video, which washes out the colors and pixilates the action; the dappled hues of the French countryside is better seen and felt with the warmth and depth of film stock. Both Season One and Season Two are two-disc sets with four episodes; $39.95 each, available now from MHz Networks.
the late 1930s with the outbreak of a 30-year war that devastates civilization, turning the world into tribal enclaves ruled by warlords. There's a worldwide disease, The Walking Sickness, and a desolate future that would be mimicked by George Miller in "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior." Eventually a scientist class arises, dubbed Wings Over the World, which brings technology and civilization back to humankind, eventually leading to a utopian (if emotionless) world and the conquest of space. "Things to Come" was one of the most expensive British productions of its day, a triumph of imagination and technical audacity. It wasn't as well received as the filmmakers had hoped, and the original 108 minute British release was cut to 96 minutes for the states; the film was further cut to 98, 96 and 92 minutes for subsequent British and U.S. releases; the latter length has been the dominant release print from the 1970s to the present. Criterion is releasing a 96 1/2-minute version in a new high-definition digital film restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. The film stars Raymond Massey, Edward Chapman, Ralph Richardson, Margaretta Scott, Cedric Hardwicke and Ann Todd. Extras include commentary featuring film historian and writer David Kalat; an interview with writer and cultural historian Christopher Frayling on the film's design; an audio recording from 1936 of a reading from H. G. Wells's writing about the "wandering sickness"; a booklet featuring an essay by critic Geoffrey O'Brien; and more. Highly recommended.
Roundly lambasted critically -- and flopping at the boxoffice when first released -- the film had fallen into obscurity until it was resurrected and restored by the folks at Scream Factory/Shout! Factory for a DVD/Blu-ray combo release (it was also selected by Chicago's Music Box Theatre to screen as part of its two-week festival of 70mm movies in February, alongside "West Side Story," " 2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Vertigo"). It's definitely time for a re-evaluation. ("Lifeforce" was loosely based on the novel "The Space Vampires" by philosopher Colin Wilson). The film stars Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Ball and Mathilda May. The Blu-ray Collector's Edition includes both theatrical and international versions. Extras include commentary with director Tobe Hooper; a new retrospective with cast and crew including star Railsback, Hooper and others; an original vintage "Making-of Lifeforce" featurette; original theatrical trailer; TV spot; still gallery.
Lights Publishers; subsequently, the book was seized by the S.F. police and Ferlinghetti was were arrested on obscenity charges. His trial was a cause celebre for freedom of speech (and writing) and, in 1957, a judge found "Howl" not obscene and acquitted Ferlinghetti. The landmark case established a key legal precedent for the publication of other controversial literary works with redeeming social importance. Six decades later, Ferlinghetti and City Lights are still going strong. This incisive and entertaining portrait of Ferlinghetti explores his vital role as catalyst for numerous literary careers and for the Beat movement itself. Includes interviews and footage of Ferlinghetti, Ginsberg, Snyder, Dennis Hopper, former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, Dave Eggers, Anne Waldman, Obie Award winner Michael McClure, PEN Open Book Award winner Amiri Baraka, Bob Dylan and others. On DVD, $24.95 from First Run Features.
vehicles and souped-up cars across the wasteland of Australia in search of ever-dwindling supplies of gasoline, kicks, death and destruction. In "Mad Max" (which Miller made by earning money as an emergency room doctor), Max and his cop buddies still patrol the roads of Australia in a futile effort to uphold what remains of the law. When the evil Toecutter and his band of insane motorcyclists attack his family, Max goes above the law to bring his own brand of justice to the road. In "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior," civilization has finally crumbled, and Max, wandering alone in the Australian Outback, joins up with a small camp of desert survivors to defend an oil refinery under siege from a ferocious marauding horde of crazies. Both films are noted for their incredible vehicle chases, stunts and crashes. In the weakest of the three, Max travels to Bartertown -- an "oasis" of water, food and gasoline run by Tina Turner -- and becomes the savior of a tribe of children. Warner has repackaged all three films in a nifty limited premium tin container for $49.99; perfect for Father's Day. Note: Warner Bros. and Miller are reteaming for "Mad Max Fury Road," starring Tom Hardy as Max, with Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult and Zoe Kravitz, with a 2014 theatrical release date.