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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
While the sudden death of prominent "Imaginarium" player Heath Ledger in January of 2008 left Gilliam and company scrambling to find a means of salvaging the film -- which was already well into principal photography at the time -- help arrived in the form of Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell, who each served as alternate-dimension versions of the character originally set to be played by Ledger when the character crosses through a paranormal mirror.
Vitals: Director: Terry Gilliam. Stars: Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield, Verne Troyer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law.
2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 122 min., Fantasy, Box office gross: $6.406 million, Sony.
Disgrace
(2008) John Malkovich, Natalie Becker. Malkovich stars as University of Cape Town Professor David Lurie, whose world is shattered when he is fired for seducing a college student. He finds peace at his estranged daughter's modest farm until a horrific incident of terror and violence forces Lurie to confront his beliefs and the disturbing racial complexities of the new South Africa. Extras: "Disgrace: Behind the Scenes," cast and crew interviews. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Image Entertainment).
District 13: Ultimatum
(2009) Sequel to the cult hit "District 13," set in the ghettos of Paris in 2010 in which an undercover cop and ex-thug try to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb. This time around corrupt officials cash in on the district's redevelopment, causing civil unrest and the threat of a nuclear strike. More Parkour, the explosive art of movement. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
The End of Poverty?
(2010) Documentary that moves from the slums of Africa to the barrios of Latin America to explores how the true causes of poverty stem from actions taken during (and since) colonial times to perpetuate exploitation: first by forcing people from their land and their access to natural resources, then through unfair trade, debt repayment and unjust taxes on labor and consumption. Narrated by Martin Sheen. (Cinema Libre Studio).
The Fear Chamber
(2009) Richard Tyson, Rhett Giles, Steven Williams, Miranda Kwok. A detective must track down a serial killer prowling the streets of Los Angeles, murdering young, healthy women for their organs. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).
Five Minutes of Heaven
(2009) Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca. Thriller about the long-lasting pain caused by the Troubles in Northern Ireland. A man and the killer of his brother meet on a TV talk show 30 years after the murder. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (IFC Films).
The Fugitive Kind
(1959) Dir.: Sidney Lumet; Marlon Brando, Anna Magnani, Joanne Woodward, Maureen Stapleton. Four Academy Award-winning actors -- Brando,Magnani,Woodward and Stapleton -- sink their teeth into this enthralling drama, which brings together the legendary talents of director Sidney Lumet and writer Tennessee Williams. A smoldering, snakeskin-jacketed Brando is Val Xavier, a guitar-strumming drifter trying to go straight. He finds work and solace in a southern small-town variety store run by Lady Torrance (Magnani), who's lonely, sexually frustrated, and abused by her vile, deathly ill husband, and who proves as much a temptation for Val as local wild-child Carol (Woodward). Lumet captures the intense, fearless performances and Williams's hot-blooded storytelling and social critique with his customary restraint, resulting in a drama of uncommon sophistication and craft. Two-disc set; restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by Lumet. Extras: New video interview with Lumet; new documentary featuring Tennessee Williams scholar Robert Bray and film historian R. Barton Palmer discussing Williams's work in Hollywood and "The Fugitive Kind"; "Three Plays by Tennessee Williams," an hour-long television presentation of three one-act plays by Williams, directed by Lumet in 1958; booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Thomson. The Criterion Collection).
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Season 2.0
(1983) Four-disc boxed set with 30 episodes, $29.93. Includes the five-part mini-series "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!" Extras: "Greenshirts: The Legacy of G.I. Joe," "Knowing Is Half the Battle" PSAs, archival Hasbro toy Commercials. (Shout! Factory).
Georgia O'Keeffe
(2009) Joan Allen, Jeremy Irons, Ed Begley Jr., Linda Emond, Henry Simmons, Tyne Daly. Lifetime's critically acclaimed original movie about America' most influential female artist and her turbulent 20-year relationship with renowned photographer Alfred Steiglitz. Extras: "Portrait of an Artist: The Making of Georgia O'Keeffe." (Sony).
Girl, Positive
(2007) Andrea Bowen, Jennie Garth. A popular high school girl finds out that a boy she slept with was HIV positive. Lifetime telefilm. (A&E Home Entertainment).
The Hills: Season Five -- Part Two
(2009) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $26.98. Extras: "The Bitch Is Back Special," deleted scenes, after show remixes. (Paramount).
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
(2009) Dir.: Terry Gilliam; Stars: Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield, Verne Troyer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law. Extras: Deleted scene, Heath Ledger wardrobe test, introduction and commentary by director Terry Gilliam, interview with Heath Ledger, "Behind the Mirror," "Building the Monastery," "The Artwork of Doctor Parnassus," "Doctor Parnassus Around the World." Also available on Blu-ray Disc, which adds "The Imaginarium of Terry Gilliam," "Heath Ledger and Friends" in which cast and crew remember their friend, "The Drunk" Multi-angle progression sequence, movieIQ+sync and BD-Live. (Sony).
In Search of Beethoven
(2009) Comprehensive documentary about the life and works of the great composer. Over 65 performances by the world's finest musicians were recorded and 100 interviews conducted in the making of this beautifully crafted film that delves beneath the mythical image of the tortured, cantankerous genius to search for the real Ludwig van Beethoven. Extras: "In the Edit Room," complete movements, deleted scenes, interview with the director. (Microcinema International).
It's Complicated
(2009) Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski, Zoe Kazan, Lake Bell, Hunter Parrish, Pat Finn, Rita Wilson. Extras: "The Making of It's Complicated" featurette; commentary by producer-writer-director Nancy Meyers, executive producer Suzanne Farwell, director of photography John Toll, and editor Joe Hutshing. Also available on Blu-ray Disc, which adds My Scenes and pocket BLU App. (Universal).
The Jackal
(1997) Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora, Mathilda May, J.K. Simmons. Blu-ray + DVD Combo Disc. Extras: "The Making of The Jackal," commentary by director Michael Caton-Jones. (Universal).
Looney Tunes Super Stars: Bugs Bunny
Collection of 15 cartoons never-before-released to DVD, $19.98. (Warner).
Looney Tunes Super Stars: Daffy Duck
Collection of 15 cartoons never-before-released to DVD, $19.98. (Warner).
Marked
(2007) Tara Carroll, Samuel Child, Tony Suraci, Mark Colson. A group of ghost hunters discover a powerful force that points to the killer of the father of one of the researchers. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).
More of Me
(2007) Molly Shannon, Steven Weber. An overworked and overextended wife, mother and career woman discovers a unique way of coping with the stress and demands of her chaotic life: she splits into three separate versions of herself, each with a distinct personality to take over a different aspect of her life. Lifetime telefilm. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Out of Africa 25th Anniversary Edition
(1985) Dir.: Sydney Pollack; Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Klaus Maria Brandauer. Blu-ray + DVD Combo Disc. Extras: "A Song of Africa," commentary by director Sydney Pollack. (Universal).
Passed the Door of Darkness
(2008) Matthew John Prater, Mark Colson, Kathryn Hansen, James Micheal Connor. Two L.A. detectives in search of "The Shadow of God," the most sadistic serial killer the city has ever seen, slowly realize "The Shadow" is stalking them. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).
Pride and Prejudice
(1995) Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle. Two-disc set of the BBC production, color enhanced and completely digitally restored from hi-def source materials, $39.95. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, in-depth look at the digital restoration process. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Racing for Time
(2008) Charles S. Dutton. True story of prison guard, Noel Chestnut, who, after witnessing the cycle of destructive choices and racial tensions among female teen offenders at the Texas Correctional Youth Authority, creates an unconventional track program for some of the toughest and most violent offenders to put them on a path to turn their lives around. Lifetime telefilm. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Rita Rocks: The Complete Season One
(2008-09) Three-disc set with 20 episodes, $24.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Runaway Ralph
(1988) Voices of Fred Savage, Summer Phoenix, Sara Gilbert, Kellie Martin, Mark Hamill, Nichelle Nichols. Beverly Cleary's classic tales about Ralph and his motorcycle have entertained kids for decades. Ralph, a young mouse, decides that he's going to run away from the hotel his family lives in, so he sets out on his toy motorcycle and ends out in a camp where he meets Garf. Things aren't so great when a mean cat appears in the picture. As Garf and Ralph bond and try to deal with the cat they learn lessons about teamwork, friendship and also come to realize that home might not be such a bad place after all. $14.95. (Scholastic Storybook Treasures).
Sherri: The Complete Season One
(2009) Two-disc set with 13 episodes, $19.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 8
(2009) Final three episodes from the second season of the Disney XD series, $19.94. (Sony).
Surviving Desire
(1991) Dir.: Hal Hartley; Martin Donovan, Matt Malloy, Merritt Nelson, Julie Kessler, Mary B. Ward. Comedy about obsessive love in which a handsome young college professor is smitten with a beautiful young female student who's more interested in empiricism than experience. It's a swift dissection of male infatuation that is as fierce as it is compassionate. Extras: Three Hal Hartley short films. (Microcinema International).
Survivors
(2008) Five-disc set with Seasons One and Two of the BBC series, $59.98. Extras: Making-of featurette, character profiles, effects reel. (BBC/Warner).
Survivors
(1975-77) Six-disc set with 38 episodes from the three seasons of the cult BBC series, $79.98. (BBC/Warner).
Tales From the Darkside: The Third Season
(1986-87) Three-disc set with 22 episodes, $39.99. (Paramount).
To Be Fat Like Me
(2007) Kaley Cuoco, Caroline Rhea. A physically fit teenager dons a fat suit as part of a film project to experience the hardships facing overweight high school students. Lifetime telefilm. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Traffic
(2000) Dir.: Steven Soderbergh; Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Luis Guzman, Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Albert Finney. Blu-ray + DVD Combo Disc. Extras: "Inside Traffic" featurette. (Universal).
Transylmania
(2009) Oren Skoog, Worm Miller, Patrick Casey, Jennifer Lyons, Tony Denman, Patrick Cavanaugh. A dimwitted college student and his friends -- looking for beer, babes and bongs at what they think is a prestigious Transylvanian university -- instead discover a creepy castle populated by a torture-loving mad scientist, an over-cybersexed humpback, the nubile spirit of a decomposed sorceress and a bevy of vampire chicks that have finally found a student body they can really sink their fangs into. Extras: Commentary, alternate opening and ending, deleted and extended scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette, "Stoner" trailer. (Sony).
The Two Mr. Kissels
(2008) John Stamos, Anson Mount, Robin Tunney, Gretchen Egolf. Based on the shocking true story of multi-millionaire brothers who marry the women of their dreams and then wind up dead. Lifetime telefilm. (A&E Home Entertainment).
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