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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
Abuse of Weakness
(2013 -- France) Isabelle Huppert, Kool Shen. Inspired by director Catherine Breillat's ("Fat Girl," "Romance") true life experiences, her latest film is an exploration of power and sex. Isabelle Huppert stars as Maud, a strong willed filmmaker who suffers a stroke. Bedridden, but determined to pursue her latest film project, she sees Vilko (Kool Shen), a con man who swindles celebrities, on a TV talk show. Interested in him for her new film, the two meet and Maud soon finds herself falling for Vilko's manipulative charm as their parasitic relationship hurdles out of control. Formats: DVD. Extras: Interview with Catherine Breillat, Breillat short film. (Strand Releasing).
Barney: This Is How I Feel
(2014) Everybody has feelings - happy, sad, and even mad. Barney and his friends have a tee-rific time exploring different types of emotions. Four episodes, $14.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: "If You're Happy and You Know It" sing-along, "Barney's Book of Hugs" read-along. (Universal).
Batman 25th Anniversary Two-Disc Edition
(1989) Dir.: Tim Burton; Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, Jack Palance, Jerry Hall. Formats: Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Batman: The Birth of the Modern Blockbuster" featurette discusses how the film's phenomenal marketing, extensive merchandising and franchise foresight set the template for the next 25 years of tentpole pictures. (Warner).
Batman The Complete TV Series Limited Edition Blu-ray
Thirteen-disc set with all 120 original broadcast episodes, remastered, $269.97. Formats: Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Hanging with Batman": A true slice of life in the words of Adam West; "Holy Memorabilia Batman!": A journey into the most sought after collectibles through the eyes of three extraordinary collectors; " Batmania Born! - Building the World of Batman": Explore the art and design behind the fiction; "Bats of the Round Table": A candid conversation with Adam West and his celebrity friends, chatting all things Bat (1966); "Inventing Batman in the words of Adam West (episode 1 & 2): A rare treat for the fans as Adam discusses his script notes on bringing Batman to life in the first and second episodes ; "Na Na Na Batman!: Hollywood favorites stars and producers recount their favorite Batman memories; 32-page complete episode guide. Plus these highly collectible premiums: Hot Wheels replica Batmobile, "The Adam West Scrapbook," 44 vintage trading cards. Includes UltraViolet digital copy. (Warner).
Betrayal
(2013) Eric Roberts, Oleg Taktarov, Jack Topalian. A former Armenian mob boss turned businessman in Los Angeles is pulled back into his violent past when his eldest son is accused of killing a powerful Russian gangster. With his family's safety at risk, he's is forced to use his power and influence to save his son from inevitable revenge. Formats: DVD. (Inception Media Group).
Bing Crosby: The Silver Screen Collection
Thirteen-disc set with 24 of the movie, music, radio and television superstar's iconic films: "College Humor," We're Not Dressing," "Here is My Heart," "Mississippi," "Rhythm on the Range," "Waikiki Wedding," "Double or Nothing," "Sing You Sinners," "East Side of Heaven," "If I Had My Way," "Rhythm on the River," "Birth of the Blues," "Holiday Inn," "Going My Way," "Here Come the Waves," "Blue Skies," "Welcome Stranger," "Variety Girl," "The Emperor Waltz," "A Connecticut
Covert Operation
(2013) Seydina Balde, Kirt Kishita, Muriel Hofmann, Jason Tobin. Five-time World Karate Champion Seydina Balde stars as a bounty hunter who must fight his way out of imprisonment and torture in North Korea when a recue mission goes awry. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Lionsgate).
The Damned
(2013) Peter Facinelli, Sophia Myles, Nathalia Ramos, Carolina Guerra. A family involved in a car crash on a rainy night take refuge in a secluded inn, where they free a girl locked in a basement -- not knowing that she's an ancient evil. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (IFC Midnight/MPI Media Group).
Drive Hard
(2014) John Cusack, Thomas Jane. Former hotshot race car driver Peter Roberts (Thomas Jane) traded the winner's circle for safety, stability, a pile of debts and a 9 to 5 job as a beginners’ driving instructor. But his life shifts into overdrive when mysterious out-of-towner Simon Keller (John Cusack) shows up for a driving lesson and hijacks Peter to be his getaway driver in a $9 million heist. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (RLJ/Image Entertainment).
Duck Dynasty: Duck The Halls
(2014) Two-holiday themed episodes: "O Little Town of West Monroe" and "Duck Roasting on an Open Fire." Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).
Frozen in Time
(2014) Ed Asner, Mira Sorvino, Drake Bell. Animated adventure about a pair of siblings who damage their grandfather's most treasured possession, a strange clock, and throw the whole world into a crazy time continuum, where Christmas day is repeated over and over. The only way they can restore order is to travel to the North Pole and repair the clock in Santa's workshop. Formats: DVD. (ARC Entertainment).
Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution: Season Three
(2014) Two-disc set includes all new material with animated segments of Gabriel's most popular jokes, extended episodes, and an outstanding selection of bonus features. Formats: DVD, $19.99. (Paramount).
Happy Christmas
(2014) Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham, Joe Swanberg (who also directs). Anna Kendrick stars as Jenny, an irresponsible twentysomething who comes to Chicago to live with her older brother Jeff (Swanberg), a young filmmaker living a happy existence with his novelist wife Kelly (Lynskey) and their two-year-old son. Jenny's arrival shakes up their quiet domesticity as she and her friend Carson (Dunham) instigate an evolution in Kelly's life and career while Jenny strikes up a rocky relationship with the family's baby sitter-cum-pot dealer (Webber). Formats: DVD. (Paramount).
How to Train Your Dragon 2
(2014) Voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, T.J. Miller, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, onah Hill, Craig Fergusion, Kristen Wiig. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (DreamWorks/Fox).
I Am Ali
(2014) An intimate look at the legendary athlete, father, humanitarian and activist as he has never been seen before. With exclusive access to Ali's personal archive of audio journals, the docu features touching interviews and testimonials from his inner circle of family and friends and legends of the boxing community -- including former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and George Foreman -- and Ali's longtime friend and business manager, Gene Kilroy. The film shares the champion's extraordinary history as a fighter, lover, brother, father and friend as told by insiders and by the man himself for the very first time. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Universal).
I Am Santa Claus
(2014) Few parents give much thought to the jovial man in the Santa suit who promises their kids they'll get everything they want for Christmas. If they did, they might be surprised. This documentary -- part of the "Morgan Spurlock Presents" film label -- looks at the men who put on the red suit every December and selflessly commit themselves to making anonymous children happy. Everyone thinks of Santa Claus as a magical figure without flaws, but the men who keep his legend alive, real-bearded professional Santas, are rarely anything like the jolly old Saint Nick we've all grown up knowing. In reality, the mall Santa in your cherished children's photo has problems just like the rest of us. Even the most jovial of men fall victim to divorce, job loss, insecurity and even the occasional hangover. The film follows the lives of five professional Santas for an entire year, as they anticipate and prepare for Christmas season and then return to their "real" lives during the off-season. We see who they actually are: flawed, flesh-and-blood men who nevertheless feel a great responsibility to protect the spotless reputation of the "Red Suit."
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD. Extras: Commentary, "Santa vs. Santa: The Santa Wars" featurette. (Virgil Films).
Jersey Boys
(2014) John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza, Christopher Walken, Mike Doyle, Steve Monroe, Steve Schirripa, James Madio, Kathrine Narducci, Jeremy Luke, Freya Tingley.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras:
The Killer Shrews
(1959) James Best, Baruch Lumet, Ingrid Goude, Ken Curtis. So bad it's good cult fav. On an isolated island in the midst of a hurricane, a small group of people are terrorized by voracious, mutant creatures. It seems that research in an effort to reduce world hunger has gone terribly wrong, resulting in the creation of giant, voracious, poisonous shrews that are now loose on the island, where they're reproducing and growing larger by the day. Barricaded in the research compound, they become surrounded by the mutant beasts, which are hungry and quickly running out of food. In predictable, B-movie fashion, the shrews attack the ship's crew, then turn their sights on the rest of the group, resulting in mayhem, death and destruction. Reportedly one of Stephen King's favorite horror flicks. Digitally restored. Formats: DVD. (Film Chest).
Liberty: Heroes of the American Revolution
(2013) Two-disc set anthology of documentaries about the Founding Fathers: "Founding Fathers Miniseries," "10 Things You Don't Know About: The Founding Fathers," "10 Things You Don't Know About Benjamin Franklin," "Paul Revere: The Midnight Rider," $14.98. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).
Lost Christmas
(2014) Larry Mills, Eddie Izzard. A mysterious stranger reverses a series of tragic events that orphaned and blighted a young boy's life -- the once bright, cheery boy has become a streetwise kid supporting his ill grandmother through petty crime. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Inception Media Group).
Mood Indigo
(2013) Dir.: Michel Gondry; Audrey Tautou, Romain Duris, Omar Sy, Gad Elmaleh, Charlotte Le Bon. Duris plays wealthy bachelor Colin, whose hobbies include developing his "pianocktail" (a cocktail-making piano) and devouring otherworldly dishes prepared by his trusty chef Nicolas. When he learns that his best friend Chick a fellow acolyte of the philosopher JeanSol Partre, has a new American girlfriend, the lonely Colin attends a friend's party in hopes of falling in love himself. He soon meets Chloe (Tautou) and before they know it, they're dancing to Duke Ellington and plunging headfirst into a romance that director Gondry rapturously depicts as only he can. Their whirlwind courtship is tested when an unusual illness plagues Chloe: a flower begins to grow in her lungs. To save her, Colin discovers the only cure is to surround Chloe with a never-ending supply of fresh flowers. Two-disc set with both the Director's Cut and the Extended Cut of the film. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette: "Inside the Mind of Michel Gondry"; featurettes on set creation, costumes, book to film; deleted scenes, 36-page booklet, theatrical trailer. (Drafthouse Films/Cinedigm).
Once Upon a Time in Queens
(2013) Paul Sorvino, Michael Rapaport, Renee Props, Andrea Nittoli, Lev Gorn, Paul Ben-Victor, Steven Bauer, Chazz Palminteri. After spending 20 years in federal prison for a myriad of crimes, ailing Mafia boss Joseph "Mr. Joe" Scoleri is released with a strict requirement not to interact with his old contacts in the Mafia. He quickly realizes that while the world around him may have changed, the habits of a Mafia boss die hard. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Behind-the-scenes of Once Upon A Time in Queens" featurette. (Lionsgate).
Queens of the Ring
(2013 -- France) Marilou Berry, Nathalie Baye, Andre Dussollier, Audrey Fleurot. In a desperate attempt to reconnect with her estranged son who -- a passionate WWE fan -- Rose (Berry) grabs his attention by joining a rigorous training program to learn to wrestle like a legitimate WWE Diva. She convinces her bored fellow cashiers at the local supermarket to join her challenging new adventure and together they become the "Queens of the Ring." Formats: DVD, Digital. (Image Entertainment).
The Shooting/Ride in the Whirlwind
In the mid-sixties, the maverick American director Monte Hellman ("Two-Lane Blacktop") conceived of two Westerns at the same time. Dreamlike and gritty by turns, the two films would prove their maker's adeptness at brilliantly deconstructing genre. As shot back-to-back for famed producer Roger Corman, they feature overlapping casts and crews, including Jack Nicholson in two of his meatiest early roles. The films -— "The Shooting" (1966) about a motley assortment of loners following a mysterious wanted man through a desolate frontier, and "Ride in the Whirlwind" (1966), about a group of cowhands pursued by vigilantes for crimes they did not commit -- are rigorous, artful, and wholly unconventional journeys into the American West. New 4K digital restorations of both films, supervised by director Monte Hellman, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-ray.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Audio commentaries on both films, featuring Hellman and film historians Bill Krohn and Blake Lucas; new interviews with actors John Hackett, B. J. Merholz, Millie Perkins, and Harry Dean Stanton, assistant director Gary Kurtz, and chief wrangler Calvin Johnson, all in conversation with Hellman; new conversation between actor Will Hutchins and film programmer Jake Perlin; new video essay on actor Warren Oates by critics Kim Morgan; an essay by critic Michael Atkinson. (The Criterion Collection).
Sons of Anarchy: The Collector's Set
(2014) Includes Seasons 1-6 with a slot for the Final Season. The special edition box set comes in an exquisite recreation of the iconic SAMCRO Reaper clubhouse table. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Lost Missions
(2014) Last 13 episodes of the TV series. Against a backdrop of ever-shifting loyalties, uneasy alliances and ancient hostilities, the conflict between the Republic and the Separatists ramps up, setting the stage for Darth Sidious' ultimate act of treachery against the Jedi. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Never before seen 16-Minute documentary covering all six seasons, four additional story reels from "The Lost Missions" season (Blu-ray only).(Warner).
Summer of Blood
(2014) Onur Tukel, Anna Margaret Hollyman. An overweight, socially offensive and not all that bright Brooklyn guy turns into a sex machine thanks to a vampire's bite in this horror comedy. When monumentally lazy, socially oblivious and commitment-shy Erik Sparrow is dumped by his career-woman girlfriend when he rejects her rather charitable marriage proposal, he turns to a disastrous string of online dates that successively eat away at his already-deteriorating confidence. But then a lanky vampire turns him into an undead ladykiller, with a maniacal sex drive matched only by his frenzied need to feed on blood. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Dark Sky Films).
Tammy
(2014) Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Allison Janney, Gary Cole, Mark Duplass, Dan Aykroyd, Kathy Bates, Sandra Oh, Toni Collette, Nat Faxon. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Gag reel. Blu-ray adds extended cut, "Tammy's Road Trip Checklist," deleted scenes, fun extras. (Warner).
The Twilight Zone: The 5th Dimension Limited Edition Box Set
For the first time ever, Rod Serling's groundbreaking Original Series (1959-1964) and the classic 1980s Series (1985-1989) are together in one limited edition box set. With only 7,500 sets created, this limited edition 41-DVD box set is available for $349.98. In addition to the two series (225 episodes combined), and more than 20 hours of bonus features, the set contains one of four possible collectible 1960s "Twilight Zone" comic books. Limited Edition packaging features 3D black and white lenticulars and a serialized number on each of the box sets. Formats: DVD. (Image Entertainment).
Jersey Boys
Clint Eastwood's big-screen version of the Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons. The story of their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the songs that influenced a generation, including "Sherry," "Big Girls Don’t Cry," "Walk Like a Man," "Dawn," "Rag Doll," "Bye Bye Baby," "Who Loves You," and many more. Stars John Lloyd Young, who reprises his Tony Award-winning portrayal of the legendary lead singer of The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli; Erich Bergen stars as Bob Gaudio, who wrote or co-wrote all of the group's biggest hits; Michael Lomenda and Vincent Piazza star respectively as Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito, two original members of The Four Seasons; Christopher Walken stars as mobster Gyp DeCarlo.
Extras: "Oh, What A Night to Remember" featurette. Blu-ray adds "From Broadway to the Big Screen" featurette, "Too Good to Be True" featurette.
Vitals: Director: Clint Eastwood. Stars: John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza, Christopher Walken, Mike Doyle, Steve Monroe, Steve Schirripa, James Madio, Kathrine Narducci, Jeremy Luke, Freya Tingley. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: R, 134 min., Musical/BioDrama, Box office gross: $46.772 million, Warner.
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The second chapter of the "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy returns to the fantastical world of Hiccup and Toothless five years after the two have successfully united dragons and Vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snoutlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.
Extras: TBA.
Vitals: Director: Dean DeBlois. Stars: Voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, T.J. Miller, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill, Craig Fergusion, Kristen Wiig.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 102 min., Animated Family/Comedy/Fantasy, Box office gross: $174.725 million, DreamWorks/Fox.
Tammy
Tammy (Melissa McCarthy) is having a bad day. She’s totaled her clunker car, gotten fired from her thankless job at a greasy burger joint and, instead of finding comfort at home, finds her husband getting comfortable with the neighbor in her own house. It's time to take her boom box and book it. The bad news is she's broke and without wheels. Her only way out is with her hard-partying grandmother, Pearl (Susan Sarandon), who has a car, cash, and an itch to see Niagara Falls -- leading to a road trip neither will ever forget.
Extras: Gag reel. Blu-ray adds extended cut, "Tammy's Road Trip Checklist," deleted scenes, fun extras.
Vitals: Director: Ben Falcone. Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Allison Janney, Gary Cole, Mark Duplass, Dan Aykroyd, Kathy Bates, Sandra Oh, Toni Collette, Nat Faxon.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: R, 96 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $81.530 million, Warner.
Let's Be Cops
When two struggling pals dress as police officers for a costume party, they become neighborhood sensations. But when the newly-minted "heroes" get tangled in a real life web of mobsters and dirty detectives, they must put their fake badges on the line.
Extras: "Brothers in Blue" featurette, commentary by director Luke Greenfield, commentary by co-writer Nicholas Thomas, theatrical trailer, image gallery. Blu-ray adds deleted and alternate scenes, "Let's Be Cops" camera test, "Real Funny" featurette.
Vitals: Director: Luke Greenfield. Stars: Jake Johnson, Damon Wayans Jr., Nina Dobrev, James D'Arcy, Andy Garcia, Rob Riggle.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: R, 104 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $79.628 million, Fox.
Ancient Aliens: The Complete Seasons 1-6
(2009-14) Twenty-three disc gift set takes you on a mind-bending journey into our deep past with all six seasons of the series including 12 episodes from Season 6 that have never been released on DVD. From over 10,000 years of the most credible evidence unearthed, "Ancient Aliens" explores the ancient and mysterious, from sacred relics, artifacts and wall carvings to technologies, places and lore, all in a search for the humankind's origins and even the secrets of the universe. New interpretations of ancient texts reveal new historical possibilities: Were ancient gods really aliens? Was Satan really humanity's ally in the Bible? This groundbreaking series also uncovers the alien dimension within secret codes, deadly cults, mega-disasters and plagues; alien connections to dinosaurs, NASA and even the Third Reich; and considers time travel, underwater UFO activity, ancient martian civilizations, the possibility that some children have alien DNA — and if you can believe it, much more. Formats: DVD, $99.98. (Lionsgate).
The Avengers: Season 5 BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1967) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $29.99. This classic series follows the escapades of the eccentrically suave John Steed and the strong and sexy Emma Peel, two secret agents whose mission is to face the most mysterious and dangerous -- although slightly peculiar -- situations. Steed (Patrick MacNee) works for British Intelligence, and the cases he finds are always a bit odd, just on the edge of science fiction. Steed is the ultimate in culture and grace as he saves the world each week, along with his female partner Emma Peel (Diana Rigg). Faced with solving problems such as cyborg killers, a city built under a disused coal mine, a gang put together for adrenalin junkies and a killer who uses a concentrated cold virus to kill his victims by having them sneeze to death, there is never a dull moment at work for this delightful duo. First season in color, and considered the best amongst "Avengers" fans. (Lionsgate).
Batman: The Complete TV Series
(1966-68) Eighteen-disc set with all 120 original broadcast episodes, remastered, $199.70.
Formats: DVD. Extras: "Hanging with Batman": A true slice of life in the words of Adam West; "Holy Memorabilia Batman!": A journey into the most sought after collectibles through the eyes of three extraordinary collectors; " Batmania Born! - Building the World of Batman": Explore the art and design behind the fiction; "Bats of the Round Table": A candid conversation with Adam West and his celebrity friends, chatting all things Bat (1966); "Inventing Batman in the words of Adam West (episode 1 & 2): A rare treat for the fans as Adam discusses his script notes on bringing Batman to life in the first and second episodes ; "Na Na Na Batman!: Hollywood favorites stars and producers recount their favorite Batman memories; 32-page complete episode guide. (Warner).
Yankee in King Arthur's Court," "Road to Singapore," "Road to Zanzibar," "Road to Morocco," "Road to Utopia." Also includes "American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered." Formats: DVD: $199.98. (Universal).
Dear Secret Santa
(2013 -- TV) Tatyana Ali, Jordin Sparks, Lamorne Morris, Ernie Hudson, Della Reese, Bill Cobbs. Holiday romance about a hard-working and ambitious woman who returns to her hometown for the holidays and begins exchanging letters with a secret admirer. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, stills gallery. (Lionsgate).
Gingerclown
(2012 -- Hungary) Erin Hayes, Ashley Lloyd, Michael Winslow, Tim Curry, Lance Henriksen, Brad Dourif, Sean Young. When a group of high school kids breaks into an abandoned amusement park, they come to find it's overrun by monsters. Filmed in Budapest and Los Angeles. Formats: DVD, VOD. Extras: "The Making of Gingerclown" featurette. (Lionsgate).
The House at the End of Time
(2013 -- Venezuela) Ruddy Rodriguez. Thirty years ago, young mother Dulce was accused of murdering her husband and two children in their home. Despite her pleas that a malevolent force in the house was responsible for the killings, Dulce was sentenced to the maximum penalty of imprisonment. Now, Dulce is sent back to her old home and the scene of the crime under house arrest, where she's forced to confront the horrifying memory of what happened there. Formats: DVD. (Dark Sky Films).
Iceman
(2013 -- Hong Kong) Donnie Yen, Eva Huang, Wang Baoqiang, Simon Yam, Mark Wu, Gregory Wong, Yu Kang. Donnie Yen stars as Ming Dynasty palace guard Ying, one of a quartet of orphans raised together in a small village. While transporting the Golden Wheel of Time -- which is said to have the power of time travel -- he is wrongly accused of murder and hunted by his three vengeful "brothers." During a heated confrontation, an avalanche buries all four, freezing them at the height of their battle. 400 years later, they are defrosted and resume their mortal struggle -- while also adjusting to modern-day life. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. Extras: Seven-part "The Making of Iceman" featurette. (Well Go USA).
"Oh, What A Night to Remember" featurette. Blu-ray adds "From Broadway to the Big Screen" featurette, "Too Good to Be True" featurette. (Warner).
Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story
(2014) Former U.S. Navy SEAL Christopher Beck embarks on a new mission as a transgender woman,
Kristin Beck. Kristin served for more than 20 years on SEAL Teams 1, 5 and 6. She retired in 2011, but continued high-level clearance work for the U.S. government and the Pentagon. Kristin hid her true identity throughout and after her years of service, but in 2013 came out publicly on LinkedIn and CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360." Formats: DVD. Extras: Kristin's original interview on "Anderson Cooper 360," featurette updating her life of activism. (Wolfe Video/CNN Films).
Ornette: Made in America!
(1986) Magnificent restoration created by Milestone, the Academy Film Archive and the UCLA Film & Television Archive of an important American film by dancer, bride, runaway wife, radical filmmaker and documentary pioneer Shirley Clarke. This is Volume 3 of "Project Shirley," Milestone's five-year mission to restore and release the works of the brilliant indie film pioneer. "Ornette: Made In America" captures jazz master Ornette Coleman's evolution over three decades, chronicling his boyhood in segregated Texas and his subsequent emergence as an American cultural pioneer and world-class icon. The film explores the rhythms, images and myths of America seen through the eyes of an artist's ever-expanding imagination and experience. Clarke followed Ornette and his young son Denardo starting in the late 1960s and ending with a homecoming tribute in his hometown of Fort Worth in 1983 that featured a gala concert of his seminal jazz symphony "Skies of America" alongside performances with his Prime Time band. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Milestone Film & Video).
Portrait of Jason
(1967) Magnificent restoration created by Milestone, the Academy Film Archive and the UCLA Film & Television Archive of an important American film by dancer, bride, runaway wife, radical filmmaker and documentary pioneer Shirley Clarke. This is Volume 2 of "Project Shirley," Milestone's five-year mission to restore and release the works of the brilliant indie film pioneer. The "star" of "Portrait of Jason" is black, gay, hilarious, heartbreaking and on screen for every one of the film's 107 minutes. On the evening of December 3, 1966, director Shirley Clarke and crew filmed Jason for 12 straight hours as he told stories about his life, loves and work. At a time when it was illegal to be gay in the U.S., Jason spun extraordinary tales about his career as a nightclub entertainer; his confrontations with his father; growing up in Trenton; and the many forms of hustling that comprised the basis of his existence. Jason may be the most self-revealing Scheherazade in the history of documentary films. Or is he? How much of what Jason says is true and how much is a fabulous performance? Even Clarke's filmmaking prevaricates -- "Portrait of Jason" was designed and painstakingly put together to look rough and entirely unedited. While all her films explored that porous border between cinema verite and fiction -- "Portrait of Jason," with its many ambiguities and contradictions, may well be Clarke's masterpiece. Milestone searched for three years to find the original elements for this definitive restoration of a landmark film. Provocative, groundbreaking and truly gripping, it was one of the first LGBT films to be taken seriously by the general audiences.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Milestone Film & Video).
True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season
(2014) Ten episodes. "True Blood" is the sexy, scary, wildly entertaining series based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. In this final season, an initial battle between raging Hep-Vamps and their Bon Temps prey sets the stage for a season-long series of hair-raising denouements for Sookie, Bill, Eric, Jason, Sam, Alcide, Tara and their human/vampire allies and adversaries. In the end, some of "True Blood's" most beloved figures will meet cruel fates, while others will cheat death (true and otherwise) to forge happily-ever-after relationships that will leave fans surprised and, ultimately, satisfied. Formats: Five-disc DVD: $59.99, four-disc Blu-ray: $79.98. "True Blood: The Complete Series" is also available in 33-disc Blu-ray ($299.99) and DVD ($$249.99) sets. (HBO).
November 2, 2014
(ISSN 1094-3676).
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