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…
With Popeye The Sailor Volume 3: 1941-1943 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP), the Flesicher era of the sailor’s animated adventures came to a close, with production shifting to Paramount and Famous Studios, and the tone quickly shifting to a sedate, domestic form, leaving behind much of the quirky humor that made the Flesicher years such a joy. The 2-disc set features 32 cartoons, plus audio commentaries, a documentary on the roots of animation, and bonus shorts from the vaults.
Rejoice, animation and comedy nerds! A new Futurama direct-to-DVD movie has arrived in the form of Bender’s Game (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP), a tale of the Planet Express crew’s journey into a bizarre subterranean world populated by knights in Bender armor and a distinctly medieval motif in search of fuel (due to skyrocketing prices, natch). Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, animatics, a deleted scene, bloopers, Bender’s anti-piracy warning, and a sneak peek at the next movie (Into The Wild Green Yonder). If that weren’t enough, a Blu-Ray edition is also available ($39.99 SRP), and it even features a video picture-in-picture commentary.
Though there’s quite a few clunkers in there, I still enjoy watching the films of Abbott & Costello. The first comedy routine I ever recognized as such – and love to this day – is “Who’s On First?”. Universal has brought together the entirety of the duo’s film output in Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$119.98 SRP). That’s 28 films – including the must see titles Buck Privates, The Naughty Nineties, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, and Abbott & Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff. Bonus features include a compilation of classic routines from the films, Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld, a behind-the-scenes look at their monster movie mash-ups, commentaries, and more.
Dreamworks has always had a hard time making an animated film that actually looks visually pleasing. The Shrek movies are a mess, Madagascar was slightly better, and Over The Hedge was a step in the right direction. The first film to actually look wonderful and provide a story to match has got to be Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks, Rated PG, DVD-$34.98 SRP), which stars Jack Black as the titular character who must confront his destiny in order to save his village. It’s truly a fun, fun flick, and gives Pixar a run for their money. Be sure to pick up the set that features the bonus Secrets Of The Furious Five disc, featuring a brand new adventure. Bonus materials on the standard release include behind-the-scenes featurettes and even a special segment with Food Network’s Alton Brown. The Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) features additional storyboards and interviews, as well as a trivia track. And it looks really, really good in high def.
Although I’m still a bit disappointed that they leapfrogged over the release of just the fourth and final season, at least we can have the complete run of Jim Henson’s classic series in Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection (Hit, Not Rated, DVD-$139.98 SRP), just in time for the 25th anniversary. The 20-disc set features all 96 episodes, plus copious amounts of featurettes, interviews, and behind-the-scenes materials. It’s the ultimate Fraggle celebration, and a must fan of anyone wanting to dance their cares away in these dark times.
I don’t necessarily want to live in the future presented in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, but I have to admit that they did have some pretty nifty gear to shelter themselves with on those endlessly rainy nights. Surely you remember the glowing umbrellas that everyone had, clutched in their downtrodden fists as they made their way through the grubby streets. Well, now you can own your very own LED Umbrella ($24.99), thanks to the fine folks at ThinkGeek. Yes, you know you want one.
The first film was lackluster, but things are definitely improved – if not great – in Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.98 SRP). Some of the awkwardness has been shaken off, and the execution of the plot – about the awakening of an ancient army whose prince is bent on the destruction of the human world – is a far sight closer to capturing Mike Mignola’s work. The 3-disc special edition contains a feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary, galleries, deleted scenes, an audio commentary, a tour of the Troll Market, and more. A deluxe Collector’s Set is also available ($64.98 SRP), which adds an exclusive Gentle Giant bust and director Guillermo Del Toro’s sketchbook.
Paramount has dipped into their pool of classic films and pulled out a trio for remastered special editions they’re terming their “Centennial Collection”. Getting the blue ribbon treatment are Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, and Roman Holiday (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$24.99 SRP each). Those bonus features include audio commentaries, retrospective featurettes, interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, trailers, and more.
I’m not entirely happy that studios continue to shaft fans who support their season-by-season releases of TV shows only to be confronted at the end with a comprehensive set that includes exclusive bonus material. The latest is the classic The Wild Wild West (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$129.98 SRP), which gets a 27-disc collection sporting all 104 episodes. The exclusive bonus features in question are a pair of previously unavailable TV movies that any completist fan would want – shame they have to pay for all the rest of the stuff they already have to do so. However, if you don’t own the series, this is the way to go – it’s a fun ride, and you won’t regret it.
One of the things I love about just how much catalogue digging the studios have been doing for DVD is that they’re able and willing to put out niche releases that spotlight the work of directors who are not exactly household names, but whose work deserves a spotlight. Such is the case with the late 50’s Columbia westerns of director Budd Boetticher collected in the appropriately titled The Films Of Budd Boetticher (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP). Those films are The Tall T, Decision At Sundown, Buchanan Rides Alone, Ride Lonesome, and Comanche Station. The set features introductions (from Clint Eastwood, Taylor Hackford, & Martin Scorsese), audio commentaries, a documentary, and trailers.
Get all three Jason Bourne films in one easy-to-grab package with the new Bourne Trilogy box set (Universal, Rated R, DVD-$34.98 SRP), containing The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum. The bonus features are the same as those found in the individually released editions, and include audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.
It was slow going at first, but I stuck with Reaper (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) because I could sense that it had the potential to develop into a fun, goofy, exciting little genre show like classic Buffy. Thankfully, as the season progressed, the tribulations of Sam – a young slacker who discovers his parents sold his soul to the Devil (Ray Wise), who forces him to become a bounty hunter of hell’s escaped demons – have come into their own. If you haven’t checked it out yet, do check out the complete first season set, featuring all 18 episodes plus audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.
The first volume was a nice little slice of catalogue holiday cheer, and Warners opens the vaults again for their Classic Holiday DVD Collection: Volume 2 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), featuring All Mine To Give, Holiday Affair, It Happened On 5th Avenue, and Blossoms In The Dust.
For anyone that’s been holding off on snagging the classic UK sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo! – the follow-up from the creators of Are You Being Served set in occupied France during WWII and playing like a Franco version of Hogan’s Heroes – then now’s the time to get the whole lot in ‘Allo ‘Allo!: The Complete Collection (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$249.98 SRP). The 19-disc set features all 9 seasons, plus retrospective documentaries, archive interviews, the cast on the game show Blankety Blank, and more.
There are a ton of them in the various studios’ vaults, but Warners dips into theirs for a trio of World War II rah-rah flicks with their new Homefront Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), featuring Irving Berlin’s This Is The Army, Thank Your Lucky Stars, and Hollywood Canteen. Bonus materials include a new Warner At War documentary, audio commentaries, music/patriotic shorts, cartoons, newsreels, trailers, and more.
One of the mainstays of my many sleepless nights glued to Nick At Nite in the late 80’s and early 90’s was I Dream Of Jeannie. It remains one of the great escapist sitcoms of the late 60’s, with humor that was timeless and certainly not terribly thought-provoking. It’s marshmallow fluff. If you’ve been passing up the season-by-season sets that have been released the past few years, now is the time to take the plunge and pick up I Dream Of Jeannie: The Complete Series (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$174.95 SRP). The 20-dosc set features all 139 episodes, plus audio commentaries and a set of collector’s cards, all housed within a cardboard Genie bottle.
I’m going to give you one reason – and one reason only – to pick up Cartoon Network’s Chowder: Volume 1 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). However, it is a compelling reason, and one that can not be ignored. It refuses to be ignored! In fact, the reason will grab you by the collar and drag you to your nearest DVD emporium. That reason? One of the main characters on the show is voiced by none other than Dana Snyder. That’s right. Now do you see?
I went into it expecting a complete and utter disaster. Imagine my surprise when I found the big screen Get Smart (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.99 SRP) to be an amiable, often funny take on the misadventures in espionage of one Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell). Bonus features include an alternate joke track, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a gag reel, and more. A Blu-Ray edition is also available ($35.99 SRP) with identical bonus features.
Oh, George. You truly have gone insane. You should talk to someone about your pathological need to tear down what you’ve built – it’s really quite sad. Case in point – the CG animated feature pilot for Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP). It’s not only wretched, it’s embarrassing. The story is a mess, the animation is sub-par, and it manages to make the Prequels seem classy by comparison. The 2-disc special edition features an audio commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, webisodes, deleted scenes, galleries, trailers, and more. A Blu-Ray edition is also available ($35.99 SRP) containing the same bonus materials.
It’s been 30 years since Animal House (Universal, Rated R, DVD-$19.98 SRP)??? Sweet Jebus. The new 2-disc special edition features a retrospective documentary on the making of the film, a mockumentary catching up with the Delta alumni, and an on-disc version of the Scene It game. FOOD FIGHT!
Another in the long (and appreciated) line of box sets collecting a selection of an actor’s filmography in one handy package, The Gregory Peck Film Collection (Universal, Not Rated, DVD, $59.98 SRP) sports 6 of his flicks. Those 6 flicks in question are To Kill A Mocking Bird, Cape Fear, Arabesque, Mirage, Captain Newman, MD, & The World In His Arms. The set also contains a feature-length conversation with Peck, making-ofs for Mockingbird & Cape Fear, award speeches, and more.
It may be low-grade genre fare, but there’s a certain exuberance about the Brit series Primeval (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP), about a team led by evolutionary biologist who begin encountering creatures both prehistoric and futuristic as the fabric of time begins to tear apart. The 4-disc set features all 13 1st season episodes, plus audio commentaries, a making-of featurette, and “Through The Anomaly” by Andrew Lee Potts.
Since MTV abandoned Unplugged and VH1 walked away from Storytellers, there’s a gap in the world for a show featuring great live performances from diverse and interesting artists. In the UK, that show is Live From Abbey Road. Want proof? Pick up a copy of Live From Abbey Road: Best Of Season One (BCI, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) and check out the performances from the likes of John Mayer, Dr. John, David Gilmour, The Zutons, Gnarls Barkley, Wynton Marsalis, and more.
The Studio One Anthology (Koch, Not Rated, DVD-$99.98 SRP) is a remarkable time capsule and a wonderful collection of plays not otherwise captured on film. Over its 9-year run on CBS, Studio One featured plays ranging from 1984 to Twelve Angry Men, starring the likes of Art Carney, Norman Fell, Jack Lemmon, Elizabeth Montgomery, Sal Mineo, Lorne Greene, Lee Remick, and more. The 6-disc set features 17 productions, complete with their original commercials. Bonus features include a seminar on the show from The Paley Center, related footage, an historical overview, and more.
Though I think it’s been overly-maligned (and no, I am in no way saying it’s a good film), I can’t imagine anyone who would want a 2-disc extended edition of Kevin Costner’s bloated aquatic epic Waterworld (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). Regardless, here it is – with 40 extra minutes. That’s right… 40. Most of it involves water. And Kevin.
Though most of the episodes pale in comparison to the original run, who’d have thought that we’d cross the 100 episode mark of the continuing misadventures of the family Griffin? That landmark episode is contained in Family Guy: Volume 6 (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), plus 11 more – as well as audio commentaries, deleted scenes, the 100th episode special, a making-of featurette, Family Guy Live!, and more.
Big Green makes his holiday DVD debut with the release of last year’s network special Shrek The Halls (Dreamworks, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP). It’s an amiable bit of fluff that’s certainly a far sight better than the lackluster Shrek The Third. Bonus features include some sing alongs and games.
It’s murder on the Transsiberian express as a group of passengers get swept up drug trafficking and deception on a train making the journey from Beijing to Moscow in Transsiberian (First Look, Rated R, DVD-$28.98 SRP). Real standout? Ben Kinsgley as an ex-KGB detective. A Blu-Ray edition ($34.98 SRP) is also available.
The sophomore outing of Rod Serling’s post-Twilight Zone journey into the bizarre and unexpected arrives with Night Gallery: Season Two (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP). The 5-disc set features 61 stories, plus audio commentaries (some featuring director Guillermo Del Toro), promos, a gallery, and a retrospective 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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One Response to “Weekend Shopping Guide 11/14/08: Dance Your Cares Away”Leave a Reply |
November 15th, 2008 at 2:34 am
Fraggles, Chowder, Reaper, Futurama, and Hellboy 2.
God, the universe hates our wallets.