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…
There have been rather frothy retrospective celebrations of Sesame Street and Jim Henson in book form in the past, which were all well and good – as a child of the 70’s and a fan, I’m all for celebrating both. But it wasn’t until Michael Davis’s heavily-researched and completely candid Street Gang: The Complete History Of Sesame Street (Viking, $27.95 SRP) that we’ve finally gotten a full, unvarnished, unadulterated look at the people and machinations that came together to produce a landmark institution in both television and education. I really can’t recommend this book highly enough – so go get it. Now.
If you’re like me (and you know, in your heart, you dearly want to be), then you have literally tons of old cassettes and records you’d like to import into your computer for use on various portable mixing devices. It’s often been a chore to hook up your cassette deck or turntable, particularly with the need for a pre-amp. Well, with the ION uRecord Vinyl & Cassette Ripper ($49.99), all you do is hook up your player to the device, then hook the USB cable into your computer, and rip away. It’s exceptionally easy, and a beautiful piece of electronic kit.
If there was any doubt that Shout! Factory would stick to an aggressive release campaign for new MST collections, let it be erased by Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume X!V (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP). The latest collection again contains 4 episodes, this time stretching all the way back to season 1 and ending with the 10th and final season – Mad Monster, Manhunt In Space, Soultaker, & Final Justice. Bonus features this go round include an interview with Soultaker star Joe Estevez, an interview with Final Justice‘s Greydon Clark, the MST crew on ESPN’s Cheap Seats, the original Mad Monster trailer, and mini-posters.
It’s been years since the release of the first season, but the patient are finally rewarded with Night Court: The Complete Second Season (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP). We’re still in the wilderness seasons, as we only get Public Defender Christine Sullivan (Markie Post, who comes back full-time in season 3) for one episode before we’re stuck with Billie Young (Ellen Foley). We do, however, get the introduction of loveable court Clerk Mac Robinson (Charles Robinson). The 3-disc set features all 22 episodes, but sadly no bonus materials.
A landmark role for Peter Sellers and his last great film (sorry, Fu Manchu), Being There (Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP) has been given a newly remastered special edition sporting a newly produced retrospective featurette. The way to go, though, is the Blu-Ray edition ($28.99 SRP), which contains not only the featurette, but a pair of recently discovered scenes, an alternate ending, and a gag reel.
Overlooked in the theater during its unfortunately timed (and marketed) Halloween release, hopefully Zack & Miri Make A Porno (Genius, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP) will get a second look on DVD. The flick stars Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks as the titular duo, a pair of lifelong friends and roommates at the end of their financial tether, who are prompted by an awkward high school reunion experience to seek their fortune in producing a low-budget porno. The 2-disc DVD features deleted scenes, an in-depth making-of documentary, the Money Shots webisodes that originally debuted here at Quick Stop, outtakes, and a Seth Rogan/Justin Long improv featurette. A Blu-Ray edition is also available ($34.99 SRP), with identical bonus features.
Also getting a high definition release is Kevin Smith’s Clerks II (Genius, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.95 SRP). The 2-disc edition contains the same bonus features as the standard DVD release – including the truncated amount of “Train Wrecks” production diaries, which is unfortunate.
Long under the thumb of various occupying forces, Estonia spent much of the 20th century controlled by the Soviet Union. Despite all of these various oppressive occupiers, the Estonians were able to maintain their national identity through song – a story that’s told quite well in the documentary The Singing Revolution (Docurama, Not Rated, DVD-$26.95 SRP).
I’m still not entirely sure what the Martini Movies imprint is all about (though I know it has something to do with a game), but any excuse for a cable staple/guilty pleasure like Vibes (Sony, Rated PG, DVD-$19.94 SRP) to finally get a DVD release is fine with me. The other films getting their DVD debut include Gumshoe, Getting Straight, Five, and even Alec Guinness in Our Man In Havana (Sony, Not Rated/Rated R, $19.94 SRP each). All of the discs contain “Martini Minutes” featurettes and trailers.
It’s a little creaky here and there, but it was certainly a treat to watch the remastered edition of Douglas Trumball’s virtual reality flick Brainstorm (Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP), starring Christopher Walken, Louise Fletcher, and Natalie Wood (in her last role) as VR researchers whose grand discovery leads to an ethical morass. The sole bonus feature, sadly, is the theatrical trailer.
Paramount has re-branded another clutch of titles under the “I Love The 80’s” banner – Top Secret!, Coming To America, Flashdance, The Naked Gun, & Cheech & Chong: Still Smokin’ (Paramount, Rated PG/PG-13/R, DVD-$14.98 SRP each). The bonus features for each are identical to their non-branded editions, with the addition of a bonus 80’s hits CD.
Harry Anderson continued to slum it in safe sitcom hell with the second season of Dave’s World (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), playing a fake version of the real humorist Dave Barry. Not his best work. The 3-disc set features all 25 episodes.
Through Warners’ TCM imprint, those wanting an easy to pick up primer on some legendary flicks in their Greatest Classic Films Collection releases (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$27.98 SRP each). The 2-disc sets feature 4 films apiece, packed with bonus features including audio commentaries, featurettes, trailers, and more. The Romantic Dramas collection contains East Of Eden, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Rebel Without A Cause. The Romantic Comedies collection contains Adam’s Rib, Woman Of The Year, The Philadelphia Story, and Bringing Up Baby. The Best Picture Winners collection contains Casablanca, Gigi, An American In Paris, and Mrs. Miniver.
I’m not a fan of slasher flicks, but I’m sure fans will be delighted that the by-all-appearances naff remake has at least spurred Paramount to release new special editions of the first three – Friday the 13th, Friday The 13th: Part 2, & Friday The 13th: Part 3 (Paramount, Rated R, DVD-$16.99 SRP each). The first film features an expanded cut, plus audio commentary, featurettes, and a trailer. The second film also sports some featurettes and the trailer, while the 3rd film features the 3-D version as well. The original film is also being released in Blu-Ray ($29.99 SRP) with identical bonus features, except in high definition.
Explore the cinematic history of that awful day on the calendar and the hockey mask-wearing killer behind all the mayhem in the documentary His Name Was Jason (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, DVD-$19.97 SRP), which takes an in-depth look at the Friday The 13th film franchise. The 2-disc set features additional interviews, featurettes, Comic-Con footage, and more.
Outside of House, you’d be hard pressed to find a more bad-tempered doctor than Ted Danson’s Becker (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$36.98 SRP), whose second season makes its DVD debut. The set features all 24 episodes.
Things were stretching a bit thin by the time you get to the seventh season of Bewitched (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) – and not just because Dick Sargent is still the poor man’s Darrin. No, the storylines just got more and more tired, punctuated only by the appearance of Agnes Morehead as mother-in-law Endora. Bonus features include the original Elizabeth Montgomery opening and closing of the Christmas episode.
Things had begun to get nice and developmentally awkward by the time the fourth and final season came along, so it was probably best that The Partridge Family (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) ended when it did. When you get around to the episode on conservation, it’s probably time to unplug the guitar and put the kit away. The 3-disc set features all 22 episodes.
Talking dogs. In space. That is Space Buddies (Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$29.99 SRP) in a nutshell. I’m really not sure you need to know any more than that. Bonus features include a music video, bloopers, and more.
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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Comments: 1 Comment
One Response to “Weekend Shopping Guide 2/6/09: The People In Your Neighborhood”Leave a Reply |
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:24 am
Gut!