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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
American Experience: Freedom Summer
(2014) In the hot and deadly summer of 1964, the nation could not turn away from Mississippi. Over 10 memorable weeks known as Freedom Summer, more than 700 student volunteers joined with organizers and local blacks in a historic effort to shatter the foundations of white supremacy in one of the nation's most segregated states. Working together, they canvassed for voter registration, created Freedom Schools and established the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party with the goal of challenging the segregationist state Democratic Party at the national convention in Atlantic City. Freedom Summer was marked by sustained and deadly violence, including the notorious murders of three civil rights workers, countless beatings, the burning of 35 churches and the bombing of 70 homes and community centers. The events of Freedom Summer have long been overshadowed by the more large-scale public events of the civil rights movement such as the events in Birmingham, Selma and the March on Washington. This American Experience documentary, told by the brave people who lived it, restores their story to its rightful place in America's history. Formats: DVD. (PBS Distribution).
Arne Dahl
(2012 -- Sweden) Rough, raw and real TV series based on the crime novels of Scandinavian writer Arne Dahl that revolves around cases taken on by the 'A' Unit, an elite force of officers recruited after a series of assassinations rocks Stockholm's high society. In Swedish with English subtitles. Formats: Five DVD set, $49.95. (MHz Home Entertainment).
Basketball Girlfriend
(2014) Miguel Nunez, Ernest Thomas, Nicole Alexander, Eurika Pratts. A top college basketball star -- tempted by his ex-con brother to become a drug dealer -- falls for his beautiful tutor ... who turns out to be the sister of the drug lord who is his brother's main rival. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
The Black Book
(1949) Dir.: Anthony Mann; Richard Basehart, Robert Cummings, Arlene Dahl. Set in the French Revolution, film noir fan-favorite "The Black Book" blends history and fiction into a shadowy, suspenseful tale, available for the first time in full HD restoration from the original 35mm film elements. Formats: DVD. (Film Chest Media Group).
The Boondocks: The Complete Fourth Season
(2013) Single disc with 10 episodes. Formats: DVD, $40.99. Extras: "Boondocks Beats" featurette that looks into how the series' music is made, "A Writer's Perspective" featurette that examines Rodney Barnes' inspiration when writing for the series. (Sony).
The Boondocks: The Complete Series
(2005-2014) Eleven-disc set with 55 episodes. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary, featurettes, video Introductions, animatics, photo gallery. (Sony).
The Chef, the Actor and the Scoundrel
(2013 -- China) Liu Ye, Zhang Han Yu, Huang Bo, Chie Tanaka, Liang Jing. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, China is suffering from a cholera outbreak because the Japanese are using the disease as a biological weapon. Four Chinese agents capture a Japanese scientist and his bodyguard and interrogate them by subjecting them to a fake Chinese opera in order to get the vaccine formula in this action-comedy. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: "The Making of the Chef, the Actor and the Scoundrel" featurette, gag reel. (Well Go USA)
Classic Drama Collection
(2013) Five classics of the British costume-drama genre, featuring star-studded casts
Kate Beckinsale, Andrew Lincoln, Samantha Morton, Ciaran Hinds, Mark Strong,
Samantha Bond, Kenneth Branagh, Miranda Richardson and more: "Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre" (1997), "Jane Austen's Emma" (1996), "The Woman in White" (1997), "The Death of the Heart" (1987) and "The Lady's Not for Burning" (1987). Five-disc set, $79.99; or as singles for $19.99 each. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).
Deadly Revenge
(2013) Alicia Ziegler, Mark Hapka, Donna Mills, Constance Wu, Patrick Muldoon. The world of a newly engaged couple falls apart when the woman finds that her fiance's jealousy may have lead to the mysterious disappearance of his high school sweetheart. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Monarch Home Entertainment).
Duck Dynasty: Season 5
(2014) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $19.98. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Deleted scenes, webisodes. (Lionsgate).
Enemy
(2014) Jake Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, Isabella Rossellini, Jane Moffat, Joshua Peace, Tim Post. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Lucid Dreams: The Making of Enemy." (Lionsgate).
Escape From a Nazi Death Camp
(2013) Docu-drama about the insurrection at Sobibor, a Nazi death camp created solely for mass extermination. Using firsthand accounts and dramatic sequences, the film returns to Sobibor with the last remaining survivors to reveal their extraordinary story of courage, desperation and determination. Formats: DVD, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).
A Hard Day's Night
(1964) Meet the Beatles! Just one month after they exploded onto the U.S. scene with their Ed Sullivan Show appearance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo began working on a project that would bring their revolutionary talent to the big screen. "A Hard Day's Night," in which the bandmates play slapstick versions of themselves, captured the astonishing moment when they officially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed music forever. Directed with raucous, anything-goes verve by Richard Lester and featuring a slew of iconic pop anthems, including the title track, "Can't Buy Me Love," "I Should Have Known Better" and "If I Fell," "A Hard Day's Night," which reconceived the movie musical and exerted an incalculable influence on the music video, is one of the most deliriously entertaining movies of all time. New 4K digital film restoration, approved by director Richard Lester, with two audio options -- a monaural soundtrack and a new 5.1 surround soundtrack made by Apple Records -- presented in uncompressed monaural and DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray.
Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: Commentary featuring various members of the film's cast and crew; "In Their Own Voices," a new piece combining interviews with the Beatles from 1964 with behind-the-scenes footage and photos; "You Can't Do That: The Making of A Hard Day's Night," a 1994 documentary program by producer Walter Shenson; "Things They Said Today," a 2002 documentary about the film featuring Lester, music producer George Martin, writer Alun Owen, cinematographer Gilbert Taylor, and others; new piece about Lester's early work, featuring a new audio interview with the director; "The Running Jumping and Standing Still Film" (1959), Lester's Oscar-nominated short featuring Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan; "Anatomy of a Style," a new piece on Lester's
Jack Taylor, Set 2
(2013) Based on the bestselling crime fiction by Ken Bruen and filmed on location against the rugged backdrop of western Ireland, this gripping series follows Jack Taylor -- a former cop fighting his own demons -- as he works cases in Galway as a private detective. Three-disc set includes three feature-length mysteries: "The Dramatist," "Priest" and "Shot Down." Formats: DVD, $49.99. Extras: Director Stuart Orme on Jack Taylor (20 min.) and photo galleries. (Acorn Media).
The Jungle
(2013 -- Australia) Rupert Reid, Agoes Widjaya Soedjarwo. A team of conservationists sets out to explore the dense Indonesian rainforest in search of the legendary javan leopard and ends up being stalked by an unseen predator: one that has no fear of humans. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
Masters of Sex: Season One
(2013) Four-disc set with 12 episodes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: pilot episode commentary; "Making Masters of Sex" behind-the-scenes exploration on the creation of the series; "A Masterful Portrayal: Michael Sheen as Dr. Masters" featurette; "Ahead of Her Time: Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson" featurette; deleted scenes. Blu-ray adds "The Real Masters: A Conversation With Thomas Maier" featurette about Masters and Johnson by their acclaimed biographer Thomas Maier; "Surprising Facts About Sex: The Masters' Great Discoveries. (Sony).
Spiral Season 4
(2012 -- France) Intentionally monochromatic photography, starkly filmed decomposing corpses, autopsies and intense interrogations set the tone for this gritty, realistic cop show. It's a police thriller that reveals society's ever-changing codes of law: a dark series with constant and increasing tension. Season 4 begins with an investigation by Captain Laure Berthaud into the accidental bombing death of a young left-wing extremist who was active with a group that offered support to illegal immigrants. With her usual zeal for subverting authority, defense lawyer Josephine Karlsson stands with the immigrants but finds that her anti-establishment choices this time could backfire, big time. Former public prosecutor Pierre Clement agrees to represent the organized crime boss Johnny Jorkal, while Judge Roban discovers that one of his magistrate colleagues has charged a man who had been previously acquitted of charges of serial rape. He's eager to seize an opportunity to publicly denounce the dysfunction of the judiciary, but powerful forces will stop at nothing to silence him. In French with English subtitles. Formats: Four-disc DVD with 12 episodes, $49.95. (MHz Home Entertainment).
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Sixth Season BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1992-93) Six-disc set with all 26 episodes of the penultimate season, remastered in high-definition. Fans can dive into the sixth season of the series with a brand new, three-part documentary "Beyond the Five Year Mission - The Evolution of Star Trek: The Next Generation," featuring fascinating interviews with cast and crew. Plus, fans will enjoy never-before-released commentary on select episodes from Ronald D. Moore, James L. Conway, Jonathan West, and Mike and Denise Okuda, along with a gag reel. Includes classic episodes such as Brent Spiner's dual performance as Data and his father Dr. Noonien Soong in "Birthright," the critically acclaimed two-part episode "Chain of Command" (also available as a separate Blu-ray release), Riker (Jonathan Frakes) coping with a bizarre identity crisis that pits him quite literally against himself in "Second Chances," and James Doohan reprising his Original Series role as Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott in "Relics." Extras: "Beyond the Five Year Mission - The Evolution of Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Archival Mission Logs," episode promos, deleted scenes, commentaries, gag reel. $130.00. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount).
300: Rise of an Empire
(2014) Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Andrew Tiernan, Andrew Pleavin, Rodrigo Santoro, Hans Matheson, Callan Mulvey, Jack O'Connell. Formats: Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "The 300 Effect": "3 Days in Hell," "Brutal Artistry," "A New Breed of Hero" and "Taking the Battle to the Sea"; "Real Leaders & Legends," "Women Warriors," "Savage Warships," "Becoming a Warrior." (Warner).
Two Lives
(2014 -- Germany/Norway) Juliane Kohler, Liv Ullmann, Sven Nordin, Ken Duken. As the Berlin Wall crumbles in 1990, Katrine, the daughter of a Norwegian woman and a WWII German occupation soldier -- raised in East Germany but now living in Norway for the last 20 years -- finds her idyllic life disrupted as she refuses to testify at a trial against the Norwegian state on behalf of her fellow "war children." Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).
Unni Lindell: The Cato Isaksen Mysteries - Set 1 and Set 2
(2013 -- Norway) In this series based on the popular crime novels by prolific Norwegian author Unni Lindell, middle-aged detective Cato Isaksen performs superbly at work while his personal life, on a good day, resembles barely-managed chaos. Careening between significant others and keeping up with three young sons by two different mothers, Cato tries his best to do right by all the players. It's a tug between family obligations and his all-consuming job as a homicide detective for the city of Oslo. Investigations take him the length and breadth of Oslo: from the magnificent fjords and spectacular mountains surrounding the city, to the darkest backstreets of the capital. In Norwegian with English subtitles. Formats: Each three-DVD set with three episodes, $39.95 each. (MHz Home Entertainment).
What Richard Did
(2012) Jack Reynor, Roisin Murphy, Sam Keeley, Lars Mikkelsen. The world is bright and everything seems possible for Richard Karlsen (Reynor), the golden boy of his privileged set of Dublin teens, until he does something that destroys it all and shatters the lives of the people closest to him. Formats: DVD. Extras: Interview with director Larry Abrahamson and star Jack Reynor. (Tribeca Film/Cinedigm).
Winter's Tale
(2014) Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, Eva Marie Saint. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Winter's Tale: A Timeless Love" featurette. Blu-ray adds "Characters of Good & Evil" featurette, additional scenes. (Warner).
Wolf Creek 2
(2013) John Jarratt, Shannon Ashlyn, Ryan Corr, Philippe Klaus.
The outback once more becomes a place of horror as another unwitting tourist becomes the prey for crazed, serial-killing pig-hunter Mick Taylor. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Image Entertainment).
Enemy
Though it performed dismally at the boxoffice, "Enemy" -- a frighteningly ominous thriller that plumbs the depths of identity, sexuality and reality in the modern world -- deserves a second chance on DVD. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Adam Bell, a glum, disheveled history professor who seems disinterested in the world around him -- including his beautiful girlfriend, Mary (Melanie Laurent). When he rents a movie and spots his double -- a bit-part actor named Anthony Clair (Gyllenhaal), who is living with his pregnant wife Helen (Sarah Gadon) -- he becomes obsessed with his doppelganger and tracks him down. When the identical men meet, their lives become irrevocably intertwined in a complex and dangerous struggle. Denis Villeneuve (who previously directed Gyllenhaal in "Prisoners") fills his scenario with symbols, neuroses and bizarre actions that force viewers to question their perception of the real and psychological world of the film. Though the film stumbles a little here and there (there is some unbelievable behavior), Gyllenhaal's performance and Villeneuve's strong direction make for some adventurous filmmaking.
Extras: "Lucid Dreams: The Making of Enemy" featurette.
Vitals: Director: Denis Villeneuve. Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, Isabella Rossellini, Jane Moffat, Joshua Peace, Tim Post.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: R, 90 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $.893 million, Lionsgate.
Winter's Tale
You'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of a big-screen fiasco than this overwrought, over-serious, romantic fantasy written and directed by Akiva Goldsman ("A Beautiful Mind") but based upon the acclaimed 1983 novel by Mark Helprin. The film is ripe with metaphysical nonsense from beginning to end, opening and closing with silly voiceovers about miracles and humans finding their places amongst the stars. The first half of "Winter's Tale" is set in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century, and pits Peter Lake (Colin Farrell), a master thief, against his ex-boss and mentor Pearly Soames (Russell Crowe), a gangster who's really a demon and disciple of Lucifer (Will Smith in a very dumb cameo). Soames wants to kill Lake, but the young man is saved from death by his guardian angel, a flying white horse. When Lake fails to save the life of a young woman, he disappears for almost a century, popping up in modern New York (not a day older) again to be hunted down by the demon Soames in the last half of the film. There's so many lapses in believability and so much over-the-top posturing by the actors that you'll be laughing instead of crying (the film is supposed to be a tearjerker of sorts.Extras: "Winter's Tale: A Timeless Love" featurette. Blu-ray adds "Characters of Good & Evil" featurette, additional scenes.
Vitals: Director: Akiva Goldsman. Stars: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, Eva Marie Saint.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 118 min., Fantasy Drama, Box office gross: $12.591 million, Warner.
300: Rise of an Empire
Follow up to the 2007 hit "300" pits the Greek general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) against the massive invading Persian forces, ruled by the mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), and led by Artemisia (Eva Green), the vengeful commander of the Persian navy. Knowing his only hope of defeating the overwhelming Persian armada will be to unite all of Greece, Themistokles ultimately leads the charge that will change the course of the war.
Extras: "The 300 Effect": "3 Days in Hell," "Brutal Artistry," "A New Breed of Hero" and "Taking the Battle to the Sea"; "Real Leaders & Legends," "Women Warriors," "Savage Warships," "Becoming a Warrior."
Vitals: Director: Noam Murro. Stars: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Andrew Tiernan, Andrew Pleavin, Rodrigo Santoro, Hans Matheson, Callan Mulvey, Jack O’Connell.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: R, 103 min., Action, Box office gross: $106.170 million, Warner.
B.B. King: The Life of Riley
(2014) Much-lauded feature documentary film on the extraordinary life of the Blues legend, narrated by Morgan Freeman. King worked closely with director Jon Brewer for two years to create this powerful film. The heartfelt contributions from a plethora of music's superstars were a vast indication that this was the time for his story to be told. At 88 years old, King, his family, friends and contemporaries unveil the true-life drama that was the springboard for the future "King of the Blues." Battling unrelenting racism and the humiliation of segregation while working in the cotton fields as an orphaned child, King overcame the toughest critics in the entertainment industry and ultimately was hailed as one of the kingpins of the blues. The candid biopic is highlighted by rare archive footage and includes appearances and contributions from: Aaron Neville, Bill Cosby, Bill Szymczyk, Bill Wyman, Bono, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Willis, Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, Carver Randle, Derek Trucks, Dr. John, Eric Clapton, George Benson, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Walsh, John Mayer, John Mayall, Johnny Winter, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mick Taylor, Morgan Freeman, Paul Rodgers, Rev. David Matthews, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, Slash,, Susan Tedeschi, Tina France, Walter Trout, and Wayne Cartledge. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (MVD Entertainment Group).
Blood Ties
(2014) Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, Marion Cotillard, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana, Matthias Schoenaerts, Noah Emmerich, Lili Taylor, Domenick Lombardozzi, John Ventimiglia, Griffin Dunne, Jamie Hector, Yul Vazquez, James Caan. When Chris (Owen) is released from prison in 1970s Brooklyn, reluctantly waiting for him on the outside is his younger brother Frank (Crudup), a cop with an aspiring future. After trying to stay on the straight path without any success, Chris inevitably descends back into a life of crime and puts Frank in a tough predicament. Does he cover for his brother and salvage the only family he has? Or does he do the right thing and risk destroying everything he loves? Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Blood Ties: Behind the Scenes" featurette. (Lionsgate).
Comedy Bang! Bang!: The Complete Second Season
(2013) Four-disc set with 20 episodes of the IFC's twisted talk show that takes some of biggest names in show business on a journey into strange and unexpected places with an oddball mix of loopy characters, surreal sketches and nonstop silliness. Host Scott Aukerman engages his guests with unfiltered and improvisational lines of questioning, punctuated by banter and beats provided by Reggie Watts to reinvent the traditional celebrity interview. Formats: DVD, $39.98. Extras: Commentaries, deleted/bonus scenes & interviews, musical episode talkback featuring the cast, "Reggie Makes Music," "Reggie's Season 2 Music Supercut," VFX tests, CBB crew dance party, "Meet the Crew," "An Acting Lesson With Herb Roost." (Anchor Bay).
Driven: From Wheelchair to Racecar
(2014) Mike Bauer was born to be fast and lived to chase his dreams, from acting and singing to motor sports -- until a tragic motorcycle accident left him paralyzed, in chronic pain, depressed, and on the verge of suicide. When he met Dr. Scott Falci, a rehabilitative neurosurgeon and an amateur race enthusiast, who recognized Mike s potential, they ventured into the uncharted territory of designing a race car with adaptive controls specifically designed for the paraplegic driver. Will climbing behind the wheel of this new race car be enough to rehabilitate his damaged psyche? Formats: DVD VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Car Build," "Mike's test Lap," photo gallery, trailer. (Cinema Libre Studios).
Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me
(2014) A ferocious, funny and poignant portrait of the one-of-a-kind Broadway legend still belting out Stephen Sondheim numbers at age 87. This documentary tribute showcases the brash, uncompromising Tony and Emmy winner and cabaret star both onstage and off. The film captures the actress-singer's immeasurable charm, acerbic wit and impressive accomplishments with candid footage and interviews with friends and collaborators, including Sondheim, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Nathan Lane, John Turturro and James Gandolfini. Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).
Fracknation
(2013) During a time of globally heightened debate, journalist Phelim McAleer travels across the U.S. and Europe to speak with scientists and Americans living in fracking areas, in order to uncover the science behind the process and to determine its true consequences. Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," refers to the process of drilling down into rock and using pressurized fluids to extract energy sources such as natural gas and petroleum. Supporters of fracking state the economic benefit to the U.S. is great and that the process has rigorous standards by which it operates. Opponents of fracking voice concerns about contamination to ground water and land surface, as well as other environmental issues. This Kickstarter funded investigation seeks the fracking truth. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Deleted scenes, Kickstarter video, TV spots. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
approach to editing; new interview with Mark Lewisohn, author of "Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years -- Volume One"; deleted scene; trailers; a booklet featuring an essay by critic Howard Hampton; more! (The Criterion Collection).
Mama's Family: The Complete Fourth Season
(1987-88) Four-disc set with 25 episodes, $29.98. By the fourth season, the series had evolved into a solid weekly sitcom with a cast of well-developed characters and the occasional guest star to spice things up. In addition to the trademark sharp-witted dialogue and quick comebacks, the writers were also able to weave in some serious family issues without changing the overall mood of the show. Vint and Naomi (Ken Berry and Dorothy Lyman) are still married and living in the basement. Bubba (Allan Kayser) is maturing, going to school, dressing better, and becoming a young man. And, the irrepressible Thelma (Vicki Lawrence) is mellowing, having her touching grandmother moments along with the family squabbles and her beer drinking. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Mama's Family Tree: The Neighbors (All about Iola)" featurette, interview with Beverly Archer (Iola Boylen), "Under One Roof: A Mama's Family Cast Reunion." (StarVista Entertainment/Time Life).
Some Velvet Morning
(2013) Dir: Neil LaBute; Stanley Tucci, Alice Eve. When Fred (Tucci) arrives at the doorstep of his beautiful young mistress Velvet (Eve) after four years apart, claiming to have finally left his wife, she rejects his attempts to rekindle their romance, and his persistence evolves into obsession -- and a dark history between the former lovers comes into focus. Formats: DVD.(Tribeca Film/Cinedigm).
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1992) Feature-length presentation of the two-part sixth season episode. As a possible Cardassian attack looms, Captain Picard, Dr. Crusher and Worf embark on a secret mission to find and destroy suspected biological weapons, leaving the Enterprise under the leadership of the cold and demanding Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox). Soon after, Picard is captured by the Cardassians and is brutally tortured for information. The crew's dismay quickly turns to anger as Jellico's plans exclude a rescue mission. With his options running out, Picard must fight to save his sanity and ultimately his life. Extras: "The Privilege of Rank: Making Chain of Command"; commentary with Ronny Cox, Jonathan West and Mike & Denise Okuda; deleted scenes; episodic promos. $28.28. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount).
Unforgettable: The Second Season
(2013) Four-disc set with all 13 episodes of the crime drama about an enigmatic former police detective (Poppy Montgomery) with a rare condition in which she cannot forget anything.
Formats: DVD, $59.99. Extras: "An Unforgettable Reboot," "Unbreakable: The Cast + Crew of Season 2," "Unstoppable Action," gag reel, deleted scenes. (CBS Entertainment/Paramount).
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June 22, 2014
(ISSN 1094-3676).
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