The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
As if being the premiere comics nostalgia emporium weren’t enough, Twomorrows has to go and get me all melancholy by publishing a beautiful tribute to a character that has been recently sacrificed upon the altar of sadistic corporate idiocy, in the form of their comprehensive Blue Beetle Companion (Twomorrows, $16.95 SRP). Like Twomorrows’ other companion editions, this 125-page trade features a complete history and overview of the Beetle, going all the way back to his 1939 introduction and his 6+ decade evolution. I miss Ted Kord, and his loveable “BWAHAHA…”
Another of those “why aren’t they on DVD?” series, The Untouchables (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$38.99 SRP) has finally arrived, allowing us to enjoy the pre-Unsolved Mysteries adventures of Robert Stack as Capone-fighting G-man Elliot Ness. This 4-disc first volume features the initial 14 episodes of the series’ 28-episode first season. Even better, if contains the feature film that was created foe the unofficial pilot that aired as part of the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, The Scarface Mob.
It’s a book like Elk’s Run (Villard, $19.95 SRP) that restores my faith in independent comic books. Originally published by a small distributor who went under before its 10-issue run finished, author Joshua Hale Fialkov and artists Noel Tuazon & Scott Keating have crafted a tense, nuanced bit of post-9/11 noir, about a small community with a lot of big secrets, whose tension-filled idyll is suddenly blown to pieces after an accident sets off a chain of events that tears the town – and families – apart. I’d go into more detail, but I’m really hoping that you pick up a copy in its mass-market form – which collects the entire run, with supplemental material – and experience it for yourself. It’s highly recommended.
Though available in the UK for the past 6 months, US fans can finally get at least three of the Monty Python remasters of their classic albums. This initial batch features Matching Tie & Handkerchief, Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation Album, and Monty Python and The Holy Grail (Arista/Sony Legacy, $11.98 SRP each). Each disc has a clutch of bonus rarities, including demos, interviews, ads, alternate versions, and previously unreleased material. Bring on the rest!
The darling of 50’s rom-coms gets a second set from the fine folks at Warner Home Video. The Doris Day Collection: Volume 2 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP) contains 6 of those aforementioned Day pics, including Romance On The High Seas, My Dream Is Yours, I’ll See You In My Dreams, On Moonlight Bay, By The Light Of The Silvery Moon, and Lucky Me. As usual (and greatly appreciated), each flick is complemented by some wonderful bonus features, such as vintage cartoons, musical and comedy shorts, and trailers.
Billed as “Lost Episodes”, the 16 adventures features in Scooby-Doo Where Are You?: The Complete Third Season (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP) were originally aired as part of the rarely seen Scooby’s All Stars series. You can now experience those lost episodes, and be sure you watch the bonus featurette on the Hanna-Barbera Studio.
Long before veterans Sipowicz or Murtaugh were saddled with loose cannon young bucks, veteran detective Lt. Mike Stone (Karl Malden) was partnered with brash inspector Steve Keller (Michael Douglas) in The Streets Of San Francisco (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$38.99 SRP). Volume 1 features the first 16 episodes of the first season, plus the pilot presentation and an Army Archerd interview with Malden & Douglas.
With a title like How William Shatner Changed The World (Allumination, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), how can you not be in the least bit intrigued by the documentary – presented by the great one himself – that explores all of the scientific exploration and technology inspired by the concepts and gadgets featured in the original Star Trek? You know you wanna watch it.
For those who either missed or couldn’t afford the massive, career-spanning box set that came out year-before-last, The Band: The Best Of – A Musical History (Capitol, $18.98 SRP) offers a condensed, 19-track overview featuring hits and rarities that offer more than enough of a teaser to make you want the full set.
For the first time in his career, I felt Will Smith actually *acted* – rather than just being a permutation of Will Smith – as single father, American dreamer, and ultimately American success story Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness (Sony, Rated PG-13, DVD-$28.95 SRP). The real surprise, though, was the performance from Smith’s son Jaden as Gardner’s son Christopher – if he keeps an ego in check as he gets older, he could be one to follow. Bonus features include an audio commentary with director Gabriele Muccino, behind-the-scenes featurettes, an interview with the real Chris Gardner, and the “I Can” song.
Diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks, but most will get a kick out of the completely unexpected but thoroughly welcome Sly and The Family Stone collection (Sony Legacy, $69.98 SRP), containing all 7 of their classic albums, completely remastered and packed with bonus tracks. And so on and so on and scooby-doobie doobie… ooo, cha cha.
Tim Burton is currently filming his take on the demon barber of Fleet Street, but you should definitely check out Ray Winstone as Sweeney Todd (Acorn, Not Rated, DVD-$24.99 SRP) in a very nice straight version of the tale of those devilish meat pies. The DVD features additional footage not seen in the broadcast, a background essay, and cast filmographies.
Even if I were just judging it on its appealing design sensibility, and not its equally fun storytelling, Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender would be worth checking out. Give it a spin and see if you agree, with the second volume of the show’s second season, Book 2: Earth (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP). Bonus materials include audio commentary from the creators and cast on the 5 episodes featured in this volume.
It’s raining 70’s catalogue comedies from Fox, who’ve opened the vaults with Cybil Shepherd in A Guide For The Married Woman (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), Malcolm McDowell & Oliver Reed in Royal Flash (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$14.98 SRP), Paul Dooley in Robert Altman’s A Perfect Couple (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP), and Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland reteaming for both S*P*Y*S (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP) and Little Murders (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$14.98 SRP).
Back before Mel Gibson was publicly revealed to be… well… just a tad bit batshit crazy, I could still enjoy an explosively good time ode to the 70’s-era action flicks that was Payback (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP). Gibson stars as Porter, a just-out-of-the-joint guy who’s eager to eke out a bit of revenge upon those ho left him dead and stole his money in the process. This new “Straight Up” director’s cut edition adds about 15 minutes of footage, and features an audio commentary with writer/director Brian Helgeland, location featurettes, an interview with author Donald E. Westlake, and a featurette on the creation of the new cut.
If Road House got a deluxe special edition, it should be little surprise that another 80’s mess gets the gilded treatment. Such is the case with Sean Penn and Madonna’s Shanghai Surprise (Lionsgate, Rated PG-13, DVD-$19.98 SRP) – the point at which we all realized that Who’s That Girl was a fluke. This gussied up edition features remastered picture and sound, a fan commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a even a fan appreciation featurette.
So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…
-Ken Plume
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