Join the
Sixties generation
DVD
Blu-ray Releases
OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
Follow OnVideo on
Bedlam: Season One
(2011) Two-disc set with six episodes of the British supernatural series that aired October on BBC America. (BBC/Warner).
Beginners
(2011) Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Mary Page Keller, Jodi Long. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Mike Mills, "A Short Film About Making Beginners." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Universal).
Being Human: The Complete First Season
(2011) Four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.05. Extras: "Making-of" featurette, cast and crew interviews, Comic Con 2011 Panel. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Entertainment One).
Bellflower
(2011) Evan Glodell, Jessie Wiseman, Tyler Dawson, Rebekah Brandes, Vincent Grashaw. Best friends Woodrow and Aiden spend all of their free time building "Mad Max"-inspired flamethrowers and muscle cars in preparation for a global apocalypse. But when Woodrow meets a charismatic young woman and falls hard in love, he and Aiden quickly integrate into a new group of friends, setting off on a journey of love and hate, betrayal, infidelity, and extreme violence more devastating and fiery than any of their apocalyptic fantasies. Written, directed by and starring Glodell, the film is a heartfelt story of obsession, friendship, young-love gone awry and an angst-ridden critique of -- and from -- Generation Y. Filmed using Glodell's custom-built cameras and showcasing his real-life creations: homemade flamethrowers and a fire-spewing 1972 Buick Skylark, Medusa. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, "Medusa Rundown" in-depth look at the hand built, fire-breathing car, outtakes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Oscilloscope Laboratories).
Crime Story: The Complete Series
(1986-88) 25th anniversary edition includes the two-hour pilot, $29.98. Set in the 1960s, "Crime Story" is the story of the Chicago Police Major Crime Unit headed by Lieutenant Mike Torello (Dennis Farina), a man driven by his obsessive pursuit of Ray Luca (Anthony Denison), a ruthless hood who is rapidly ascending the underworld's corporate ladder. As Luca murders, steals, and extorts his way to the top, Torello, backed by his dedicated team of detectives, pursues him from the grit of Chicago to the glitz of Las Vegas, their paths clashing again and again. Features a supporting cast that includes Darlanne Fluegel, Stephen Lang, Bill Campbell, Ted Levine, Joseph Wiseman. Guest stars include David Caruso, Julia Roberts, Gary Sinise, Kevin Spacey, Ving Rhames, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Madsen, Pam Grier, Stanley Tucci, David Hyde Pierce, Andrew Dice Clay and Deborah Harry -- as well as an appearance by jazz legend Miles Davis. (Image Entertainment).
Dora the Explorer: Celebrate With Dora
(2011) Three-disc set with "Dora's Halloween," Dora's Christmas" and "Dora's Big Birthday Adventure," $29.99. (Paramount).
Flypaper
(2011) Patrick Dempsey, Ashley Judd, Jeffrey Tambor, Mekhi Phifer, Curtis Armstrong, Tim Blake Nelson. A nervous customer protects the bank teller he has a crush on when two gangs of robbers -- a high-tech trio, who plan to break into the vault, and two dumb hicks whose idea of a big score is knocking off the ATMs -- descend on the same bank. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (IFC Films).
Frontline: Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero
(2011) Explores how the spiritual lives of both believers and nonbelievers have been challenged since the 9/11 attacks, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).
Griff the Invisible
(2010) Ryan Kwanten, Maeve Dermody, Patrick Brammall, Toby Schmitz, Marshall Napier, Heather Mitchell. Griff, a shy and awkward office worker by day, finds escape from his ordinary, "invisible" life by assuming the identity of a fantastic superhero each night. Griff's secret is jeopardized when he meets Melody), a cute but unconventional daydreamer who quickly becomes fascinated by his idiosyncrasies, which are equal only to her own, and who takes it upon herself to rescue "Griff the Invisible" for the sake of herself, Griff and their newfound love for each other. Extras: "Behind the Scenes Featurette," "Anatomy of a Scene," deleted scenes, "Appear Calm: Diary of a First Time Director," "Rain Stops Play," "Patrick's Set Tour" and the music video "Don't Give Yourself Away" by The Shadow Bureau. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Indomina/Vivrndi Entertainment).
Highway Patrol Man
(1991) Dir.: Alex Cox; Roberto Sosa, Bruno Bichir, Vanessa Bauche. First time available in North America on DVD. Against his father's wishes, Pedro -- a naive kid from Mexico City -- joins the Federal Highway Patrol. His simple desire to do good rapidly comes into conflict with the reality of police work in a lonely rural environment populated by poor farmers, rich drug dealers, beautiful women, and his father's ghost. (Microcinema International).
Larry Crowne
(2011) Dir.: Tom Hanks; Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Cedric the Entertainer, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bryan Cranston, Wilmer Valderrama, Taraji P. Henson, Maria Canals-Barrera, Malcolm Barrett, George Takei, Nia Vardalos, Jon Seda. Extras: "The Making of Larry Crowne," "Fun on Set" featurette, deleted scenes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Universal).
The Littlest Angel
(2011) Animated version of the 1946 kids book about a little boy who arrives in heaven before his time and must return to Earth to earn his wings. $19.98. (Anchor Bay).
Looney Tunes Platinum Edition BLU-RAY DEBUT
Main Street
(2010) Orlando Bloom, Colin Firth, Amber Tamblyn, Patricia Clarkson, Ellen Burstyn, Andrew McCarthy. Follows the close-knit residents of Durham, North Carolina as they meet a newcomer with a controversial plan to save their town from economic decay. The final screenplay by acclaimed writer Horton Foote. Extras: Making-of featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
My Fair Lady BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1964) Dir.: George Cukor; Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Gladys Cooper, Jeremy Brett, Theodore Bikel, Mona Washbourne. Extras: Vintage footage and audio taken from the film's original shoot, alternate vocals from Hepburn, featurettes, galleries, more. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount Home Entertainment).
Rio Sex Comedy
(2010) Charlotte Rampling, Bill Pullman, Irene Jacob, Jean-Maric Roulot. A mixed group of tourists and visitors on a working trip find themselves footloose and under the sway of the Brazilian city's erotic spell, including a prominent British plastic surgeon, a U.S. ambassador who slips away from his handlers into the city's wildest favelas, and a French couple shooting a documentary who find their proper reserve whittled down by the city's monokini-ed beachgoers. (FilmBuff/MPI Media Group).
The Rules of the Game
(1939) Considered one of the greatest films ever made, "The Rules of the Game" (La regle du jeu), by Jean Renoir, is a scathing critique of corrupt French society cloaked in a comedy of manners, in which a weekend at a marquis's countryside chateau lays bare some ugly truths about a group of haute bourgeois acquaintances. The film was a victim of tumultuous history -- it was subjected to cuts after premiere audiences rejected it in 1939, and the original negative was destroyed during World War II; it wasn't reconstructed until 1959. That version, which has stunned viewers for decades, is presented here. High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Extras: Introduction to the film by director Jean Renoir; commentary written by film scholar Alexander Sesonske and read by filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich; comparison of the film's two endings; "Olivier Curchod Presents The Rules of the Game," a 2005 documentary comparing today's 106-minute edit with Renoir's original script; scene analysis by Renoir historian Chris Faulkner; excerpts from "Jean Renoir, le patron: La regle et l'exception" (1966), a French television program by filmmaker Jacques Rivette; Part One of "Jean Renoir," a two-part 1993 BBC documentary by film critic David Thompson; video essay about the film's production, release, and 1959 reconstruction; 1965 interview from the French television series "Les ecrans de la ville" in which Jean Gaborit and Jacques Durand discuss their reconstruction and re-release of the film; interviews with set designer Max Douy, Renoir's son, Alain, and actress Mila Parely; booklet featuring writings by Jean Renoir, Francois Truffaut, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Bertrand Tavernier; an essay by Sesonske; and tributes to the film and Renoir by J. Hoberman, Kent Jones, Paul Schrader, Wim Wenders, Robert Altman, and others. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Sea Rex 3D: Journey to a Prehistoric World
(2011) An imaginative look -- via state-of-the-art ultra-photo realistic imagery -- at the larger-than-life creatures who ruled the oceans 200 million years ago. (Universal).
Smallville: The Complete Series
Sixty-two disc set with 218 episodes, $339.98. Includes two discs with more than five hours of bonus material. (Warner).
Smallville: The Final Season
(2010-11) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98. Extras: Commentaries, featurettes, unaired scenes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
Superheroes
(2011) Documentary explores the world of real-life caped crusaders and chronicles the lives of these dedicated crimebusters as they protect and support their local communities all over America -- from New York to Seattle to Orlando to San Diego. These everyday citizens don masks, homemade costumes and elaborate utility belts in an attempt to bring justice to evildoers everywhere. Forget the fictional comic books and their fancy high-budgeted adaptations. Throughout the nation, real, true superheroes exist among us bravely battling crime and other contemporary maladies including homelessness and bullying. (Docurama).
Three Colors: Blue, White, Red
(1993-1994) This boldly cinematic trio of stories about love and loss from Krzysztof Kieslowski ("The Double Life of Veronique") was a defining event of the art-house boom of the 1990s. The films were named for the colors of the French flag and stand for the tenets of the French Revolution -- liberty, equality, and fraternity -- but this hardly begins to explain their enigmatic beauty and rich humanity. Set in Paris, Warsaw and Geneva, and ranging from tragedy to comedy, "Blue," "White" and "Red" (Kieslowski's final film) examine with artistic clarity a group of ambiguously interconnected people experiencing profound personal disruptions. Marked by intoxicating cinematography and stirring performances by such actors as Juliette Binoche, Julie Delpy, Irene Jacob and Jean-Louis Trintignant, Kieslowski's "Three Colors" is a benchmark of contemporary cinema. New high-definition digital restorations, with DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray editions. Extras: Three cinema lessons with Kieslowski; new interviews with composer Zbigniew Preisner, writer Krzysztof Piesiewicz, and actors Julie Delpy, Zbigniew Zamachowski, and Irene Jacob; selected-scene commentary for "Blue" with actress Juliette Binoch; Kieslowski's student short "The Tram" (1966) and his fellow student's short from the same year, "The Face," which features Kieslowski in a solo performance; two short documentaries by Kieslowski: "Seven Women of Different Ages" (1978) and "Talking Heads" (1980);" Krzysztof Kieslowski: I'm So-So ..." (1995), a feature-length documentary in which the filmmaker discusses his life and work; two multi-interview programs, "Reflections on Blue and Kieslowski: The Early Years," with film critic Geoff Andrew, Binoche, filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, cinematographer Slawomir Idziak, Insdorf, Jacob, and editor Jacques Witta; interviews with producer Marin Karmitz and Witta; behind-the-scenes programs for "White" and "Red," and "Kieslowski Cannes 1994," a short documentary on "Red's" world premiere; original theatrical trailers; booklet featuring essays by critics Colin MacCabe, Nick James, Stuart Klawans, and Georgina Evans, an excerpt from "Kieslowski on Kieslowski," and reprinted interviews with cinematographers Idziak, Edward Klosinski, and Piotr Sobocinski. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
(2011) Amazing story of Jools and Lynda Topp, the world's only yodeling country singing and comedy lesbian twins, known for their politically-charged comedy. Doubly funny and enormously powerful singers, their story takes a somber turn when one of the twins is diagnosed with breast cancer. Their brave outlook and inspirational story endeared them further to their fans. $19.98. (The Disinformation Company).
Walk a Mile in My Pradas
(2010) Nathaniel Marston, Tom Archdeacon, Tom Arnold, Mike Starr, Dee Wallace, Kirsten Lea. Two weeks before his wedding, a homophobic young man is turned gay -- and his ridiculed gay co-worker turned straight -- by a magical Christmas tree ornament. (Osiris Entertainment).
The Warring States
(2011 -- China) Sun Honglei, Kim Hee-seon, Jing Tian. Gorgeous looking but complicated story that centers on a rivalry between brothers and military strategists -- and concomitant epic battles -- in the third and fourth centuries B.C. (China Lion/New Video).
The Wavy Gravy Movie: Saint Misbehavin'
(2009) Documentary look at the seminal hippie leader, activist, and founder of the SEVA foundation, which is dedicated to helping relieve poverty around the world. (Docurama).
What Women Want
(2011 -- China) Andy Lau, Gong Li. Romanic comedy based on the Nancy Myers-directed film starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. (China Lion/New Video).
When Strangers Click: Five Stories From the Internet,
(2011) From Robert Kenner, director and producer of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Food, Inc." comes this provocative examination on how the search for intimacy has changed in today’s Internet-centric world: Over 122 million people worldwide log monthly into dating sites; 14 million people use mobile dating services; an estimated one in five heterosexual couples in the U.S. met online. $19.98. (The Disinformation Company).
Whitechapel: The Ripper Returns
(2011) The streets of Whitechapel are awash with blood as a murderer stalks the night, picking off vulnerable women and leaving them brutally butchered. But this is not the 19th Century, this is not Jack the Ripper, but a copycat killer in modern-day London, and once again the police remain clueless. This three-episode arc launched the series in the U.K. and premiered on BBC America's Dramaville in October. Extras: "Peeling Back the Layers" making-of featurette. (BBC Worldwide Americas).
Beginners
From writer-director Mike Mills comes a comedy-drama about how deeply funny and transformative life can be, even at its most serious moments. Oliver (Ewan McGregor) meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna (Melanie Laurent) only months after his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) has passed away. This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who -- following 44 years of marriage -- came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life. The upheavals of Hal's new honesty, by turns funny and moving, brought father and son closer than they'd ever been able to be. Now Oliver endeavors to love Anna with all the bravery, humor, and hope that his father taught him. "Beginners" imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving Oliver's consciousness.
Vitals: Director: Mike Mills. Stars: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Mary Page Keller, Jodi Long.
2011, CC, MPAA rating: R, 104 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $5.776 million, Universal.
Larry Crowne
Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts come together for a romantic and optimistic comedy about how it's never too late to reinvent yourself. When he suddenly finds himself without his long-standing blue-collar job, Larry Crowne (Hanks) enrolls at his local college to start over. There, he becomes part of an eclectic community of students and develops a crush on his teacher (Roberts).
Vitals: Director: Tom Hanks. Stars: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Cedric the Entertainer, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bryan Cranston, Wilmer Valderrama, Taraji P. Henson, Maria Canals-Barrera, Malcolm Barrett, George Takei, Nia Vardalos, Jon Seda.
2011, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 98 min., Comedy Drama, Box office gross: $35.565 million, Universal.
Farscape: The Complete Series
My Fair Lady
(1964)
The Rules of the Game
(1939) (Criterion)
Three Colors: Blue, White, Red (1993-1994)
(Criterion)
West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition
(1961)
Read more.
Farscape: The Complete Series Blu-Ray Edition
Twenty-disc set with all 88 episodes, $199.99. Bonus features: "Memories of Moya: An Epic Journey Explored," featuring new interviews with creators Brian Henson and Rockne O'Bannon, writer Richard Manning, and stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black as they look back at the legacy of the sci-fi series. In addition, the set also includes all of the bonus material from the DVD release: more than 15 hours of commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, trailers, promos and more. Read more here. (A&E).
It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series
Eighteen-disc set containing all 66 digitally remastered episodes, $199.98. Fusing the heist and espionage genres, "It Takes a Thief" was an action-adventure series that aired on ABC for two-and-a-half seasons between Jan. 9, 1968 and March 24, 1970. Marking the TV debut of Robert Wagner, the cult classic series was inspired by Hitchcock's 1955 Cary Grant film, "To Catch a Thief," and was among the last of the 1960s spy television genre. The premise: Stealing to finance his life as a playboy and sophisticate, Alexander Mundy (Wagner) was the world's greatest cat burglar ... until the day he got caught. But thievery skills are an asset in the world of espionage, so Mundy is pardoned when he agrees to use his wily ways to help steal for the SIA, an American espionage agency. Extras: Extended feature-length version of the pilot episode, "The King of Thieves: Interview With Robert Wagner," "A Matter of Larceny: Interview With Glen A. Larson," limited edition senitype (reproduced 35mm film frame), "It Takes a Thief" exclusive four-piece coaster set, collectible booklet with retrospective essay. (Entertainment One).
Three-disc digipak with 50 of the greatest Looney Tunes cartoons, $59.96. Includes a Digibook with rare images and cartoon guide by historian Jerry Beck. Disc 1 features 25 classics from Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Road Runner, and Wile E. Coyote and more; Disc 2 contains 25 shorts featuring "One-Shot Classics" and the complete collection for each of the following characters: Marvin the Martian, Tasmanian Devil, Witch Hazel, Marc Anthony & Ralph Phillips; Disc 3 contains over five hours of content saluting animator Chuck Jones, insightful documentaries and rare shorts from Jones and others. An Ultimate Collector's Edition adds a character collectible glass featuring Bugs Bunny, souvenir tin sign magnet featuring an image of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, framed litho-cel featuring your favorite Looney Tunes characters and a certificate of authenticity, for $79.98. (Warner).Read the complete press release.
West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition BLU-RAY DEBUT
1961) Dir.: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise. Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Simon Oakland, Ned Glass, William Bramley, Tucker Smith. Five decades after its historic debut, a timeless classic returns to dazzle audiences young and old. Based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name, the iconic film "West Side Story" returns in Hi-Def. With a record-breaking 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Original Score, the film took home more awards than any other movie-musical in the history of cinema. This monumental production not only featured the timeless lyrics from master American composer Stephen Sondheim, but a brilliant score from Leonard Bernstein, and beautiful direction from Robert Wise. "West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition" boasts hundreds of hours of restoration, new 7.1 digital audio, and a collection of bonus features spotlighting the harmonious songs and elaborate dances of the original film. Available as a two-disc Blu-ray set and a limited edition Blu-ray Gift Set with the two-Disc Blu-ray, newly restored DVD and tribute CD along with photo book and other collectibles. Bonus features: "Pow! The Dances of West Side Story": Cast members, contemporary filmmakers, dancers and choreographers analyze and illuminate the film's famous dance sequences; "A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy": A look back at the iconic film and the impact it has had all over the world; song specific commentary by lyricist Stephen Sondheim; "Music Machine," which allows viewers to go straight to their favorite musical numbers; "West Side Memories"; storyboard to film comparison montage; trailers: original theatrical trailer, original issue trailer, reissue trailer, animated trailer. (Fox/MGM).
| Contents/Site Map |
Home |
Resources |
Sell-Through |
Reviews |
Links |
November 14, 2011
|
|
