By Christopher Stipp
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Check out my other column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on TWITTER under the name: Stipp
DVD/BLU-RAY ROUNDUP
It’s that time of the year when thoughts turn to gift giving and nowhere does this pain a giver more than when trying to decide on what movie ought to be gifted. With so many choices of films that could easily compliment the slew of other gifts under the tree, or menorah, or any other religious artifact under which you want to place it, here is a tight round up of movies that you maybe should consider depending on the tastes of the discerning consumer in your life with the most appropriate profile to which it should go.
TO THE ASPIRING FILMMAKER
What I still love about Evan Glodell’s BELLFLOWER is that it is ambitious.
It wants to be something deep and psychologically stirring but, as he’s mentioned in interviews, and he certainly brought it up to me, he took years off between fashioning the first half of this movie and then beginning work on the back half and it shows. Not that it’s bad by any means, but you absolutely can tell the flow is moving in a different direction and at what point that takes place. Filled with fantastic visuals and enough practical effects that convince you he’s got a bright future somewhere within the system of making films, BELLFLOWER is a treat that is best savored as a case study about what passion can do for someone looking to make a name for themselves.
ABOUT THE BLU-RAY:
– Behind the Scenes of Bellflower – featuring interviews with cast and crew, on set footage, and more
– Medusa Rundown – an in-depth look at the hand-built car
– Outtakes from the set
– Original theatrical trailer
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.
Originally from Wisconsin, Evan Glodell moved to California in his early 20s with a group of close friends to pursue his dream of becoming a filmmaker via their production collective “Coatwolf.” His credits include directing Cursive’s “Let Me Up” music video, cinematography on horror movie PLACEBO and short film SAVANNA, and conceptualizing and starring in the edgy sitcom BOSS OF THE GLORY for STIM TV. BELLFLOWER is Glodell’s feature-length directorial debut.
TO THE MAN CHILD WHO STILL PINES FOR GREMLINS OR THE GOONIES
Drop what you’re doing right at this moment and get yourself a copy of RARE EXPORTS before you give one to someone else.
A movie about an archeological dig in Finland that discovers an in-stasis Santa Claus, the movie quickly becomes something less about warm and fuzzies but of disappearing children, marauding elves, and the kind of sinister silliness that made moves like GREMLINS such a joy in the 80’s. Where RARE EXPORTS exceeds expectations is that it not only subverts the norm for a holiday movie but it makes hunting down Santa something of a joy and delight in and of itself. The level of action, comedy, frightening moments is almost too much to make you wonder why it is you’re only hearing about this now. Thing is, now you do and you cannot pass up the chance to see such a great reason to ring in this holiday season.
ABOUT THE BLU-RAY:
It’s the eve of Christmas in northern Finland, and an ‘archeological’ dig has just unearthed the real Santa Claus. But this particular Santa isn’t the one you want coming to town. When the local children begin mysteriously disappearing, young Pietari and his father Rauno, a reindeer hunter by trade, capture the mythological being and attempt to sell Santa to the misguided leader of the multinational corporation sponsoring the dig. Santa’s elves, however, will stop at nothing to free their fearless leader from captivity. What ensues is a wildly humorous nightmare ““ a fantastically bizarre polemic on modern day morality.
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE is a re-imagining of the most classic of all childhood fantasies, and is a darkly comic gem soon to be required perennial holiday viewing.
DVD Features:
The two original short films in which the Christmas tale was born, Rare Exports Inc. (2003) and Rare Exports – The Official Safety Instructions (2005)
The Making of Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
“Blood in the snow” ““ a look at the concept art
Animatics & computer effects video comparison
Behind the scenes production stills photo gallery
Original theatrical trailer from Finland
Exclusive to Blu-ray Release:
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) ““ a cult classic from the Oscilloscope vault featuring Pia Zadora in her first movie role
TO THE SERIOUS MOVIE LOVER
You don’t have to be an Errol Morris fan to love his work but with such a wide breadth of topics that the master documentarian has tackled with panache and style it’s hard not to be in awe of what he’ll do next.
What he did next, though, was to examine the life of one Miss Wyoming and her devotion to a Mormon man who she followed to England. It is here that kidnapping, mind blowing sex, jailing, religion, and eventually their downfall take over and it’s the interviews that is really why this is one of the best documentaries of the year. The people that Morris talks to and the questions he asks is like giving a suicidal man enough rope to hang himself with. The outrageousness of this story is only matched by the outlandish problems in perception that some of these players have with regard to “the facts.” It’s a story that never quite becomes clear but that fine because the sheer delight is witnessing these human beings recall a story that really is hard to believe actually happened.
ABOUT THE DVD:
Oscar-winning director Errol Morris presents his most provocative ““ and sexiest ““ film yet. In the late 1970s, Miss Wyoming Joyce McKinney became a tabloid staple when she kidnapped her former beau, a Mormon missionary named Kirk Anderson, and tied him to a bed to “deprogram” his religious beliefs ““ by having nonstop sex with him. Morris (The Fog of War, The Thin Blue Line) follows the salacious adventures of this beauty queen with an IQ of 168 whose single-minded devotion to the man of her dreams led her across the globe, into jail and onto the front page. Funny, strange and disturbing, TABLOID is a vivid portrait of obsession, delusion and scandal sheet notoriety.
Bonus Features
Trailer
ONE FOR THE KIDS… AND FOR THE ONE IN YOU
What you notice about WINNIE THE POOH’s latest installment is just how good it is.
It ought not to be a surprise knowing how well regarded Pooh’s previous entries still are among kids but in an age where movies like LION KING PART 2 and any other Disney cash grab are supping the goodwill out of many of their franchise properties that weren’t meant to be it is just downright refreshing to have an original story told with traditional animation and have it done so well. The story itself is kind of irrelevant (Eeyore loses a tail) but it has so much heart you won’t mind the slim running time. This one should not be missed and could be one of the best animated movies you missed this year.
ABOUT THE BLU-RAY:
This October, Walt Disney Studios will release Winnie the Pooh on Blu-ray. Narrated by John Cleese (Time Bandits) and featuring musical performances from Zooey Deschanel (Surf’s Up), the all-new adventure finds author A.A. Milne’s beloved creation holding a special contest in the Hundred Acre Wood in order to replace pessimistic donkey Eeyore’s missing tail. Legendary voice actor Jim Cummings (Bee Movie) stars as Pooh, with Tom Kenny (The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie) as Rabbit and Craig Ferguson (How to Train Your Dragon) as Owl.
Bonus Features
– Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon” bonus short film where Pooh comes up with a daring plan to get a hold of some honey by fooling a group of bees
– “The Ballad of Nessie” bonus short film detailing how Nessie found her new home in the Loch Ness
– Blu-ray Exclusive – Winnie the Pooh and His Story Too behind-the-scenes featurette – hosted by John Cleese – which explores Pooh’s history from the A.A. Milne books through the Disney movies
– Deleted scenes with introductions by directors Stephen Anderson (Meet the Robinsons) and Don Hall (The Princess and the Frog): “The Tummy Song,” “”Rabbit’s Friends and Relations,” Blu-ray Exclusive – “Original Eeyore Intro,” Blu-ray Exclusive – “Original Tigger Intro,” and “Pooh Searches for a Tail”
– Blu-ray Exclusive – Sing-Along with the Movie feature for seven song lyrics featured in the film
– Blu-ray Exclusive – Disney Song Selection feature: “Winnie the Pooh Theme Song,” “The Tummy Song, “A Very Important Thing To Do,” “The Backson Song,” “It’s Gonna Be Great,” “Everything is Honey,” and “The Winner Song Finale”
TO THE SERIOUS MOVIE LOVER PART II
What more is there to say about Werner Herzog that hasn’t been said already in more voluminous praise?
In the hands of anyone else, a documentary about some 30,000 year old cave paintings would languish somewhere on the National Geographic channel never to be appreciated like this movie has been this year. Fact of the matter is that Herzog uses 3D not to titillate or entice but to illustrate and inform. Never before has the medium felt more appropriate than it does when watching this movie. The act of reviewing and looking at the drawings from ancient man do more to tell the story of where we all came from than any sterile reenactment. This is a real history lesson and in Herzog’s hands it is glorious.
ABOUT THE BLU-RAY:
CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, a breathtaking new 3D documentary from the incomparable Werner Herzog (ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, GRIZZLY MAN) follows an exclusive expedition into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. A hit at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS is an unforgettable cinematic experience that provides a unique glimpse of pristine artwork dating back to human hands over 30,000 years ago — almost twice as old as any previous discovery.
FOR THE BOY WHO’S OBSESSED WITH HOT WHEELS
Regardless of what parents think, sometimes it’s just best to get the opinion of the target demo.
Step in my 9 year-old nephew and both him and I watch the latest from the folks at Pixar. What I saw happening was him enjoying the movie far more than I was. That’s not a backhanded compliment at all but I was getting enjoyment watching him laughing at the absurdity of Mater being mistaken for being a spy. Throw in the kind of giggles and gags that caters to the taste of young kids and polish it up in a way that only Pixar knows how to do. While I felt the story was serviceable and the voice talent up to snuff it really was a movie designed for kids. I could fault the animation house for slighting me this time around as half the fun of watching a movie from them is that I’ll be in on it but every now and then the kids get something they can call their own and I know my nephew was more than happy with the way things turned out for Mater and Lighting McQueen. Good for him.
ABOUT THE BLU-RAY:
Disney”¢Pixar’s fast-action summer hit “Cars 2” comes home on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D, Movie Download and DVD — November 1, 2011. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pixar Animation Studios, the high octane in-home release invites families and fans of all ages to come along on a journey around the world with the #1 animated film of the year and introduces an exclusive all-new animated short “Air Mater,” featuring the fan favorite character spinning his tales in an exciting adventure high above Radiator Springs. The must-own animated release also includes fascinating commentary from award-winning director John Lasseter and “Hawaiian Vacation,” the delightful animated short that accompanied the film in theatres.
The immersive “Cars 2” bonus features include an one-of-a-kind interactive “World Tour” map that takes viewers through nine different locations, including those featured in the film and more. A global thrill-ride, it allows viewers to go behind-the-scenes with the Pixar artists and filmmakers as they circle the globe finding inspiration for the most international of all Pixar films to date. “Cars 2” is also the first Pixar film to be released in spectacular Blu-ray 3D.
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, returns to the driver’s seat as director. “Cars 2” is produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, “Up”; visual effects executive producer, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”). Oscar®-winning composer Michael Giacchino (“The Incredibles,” “Up”) provides the electrifying score with a surf-rock-meets-spy-thriller flavor and a variety of global accents, evoking a sense of thrills, mystery and emotion. Brad Paisley, Robbie Williams, Weezer, French singer Bénabar and Japanese girl band Perfume lend their diverse musical talents to the film’s soundtrack.
Bonus Features:
Cars Toon “Air Mater” ““ Exclusive All-New Short
Toy Story Toon “Hawaiian Vacation” ““ Theatrically Released Short
Director John Lasseter Commentary
IN CASE OF HOLIDAY EMERGENCY, BREAK GLASS
One of the things I abhor more than anything else around the holidays is finding the same old staples replaying like bad radio singles.
At times you just need to refresh the catalog and Christmas is no different. Even though you’re ahead of the game if you’re playing movies like A CHRISTMAS STORY or CHRISTMAS VACATION on replay it’s nice to see what else is out there that the kids can enjoy as well. If you’re looking for something that is a little less salty than when Clark Griswold goes ape in his living room and demanding the head of his boss then look no further than BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS or PREP & LANDING.
With the newest BEAUTY AND THE BEAST story happening within the time that Belle finds herself captive with the Beast (you obviously would lose a little steam if doing a story after our prince gets his humanity back) this entry is a serviceable tale that would play a lot better to the kids than it would with the parents who remember the first version of this film. The songs aren’t particularly memorable and the story feels a little wobbly when you consider how thoughtful its previous entry was but, again, the movie played well with the younger audience.
One of the more recent Christmas themed entries that I found more than acceptable and actually wished was longer was Disney’s PREP & LANDING. Focusing on a couple of elves, one who’s bitter that he was passed over for a promotion after years of service and the other a fresh newbie, this was perhaps one of the more fantastic shows I’ve had a chance to see. The animation was fresh, the story was engaging, and it was, again, something I could enjoy just as much as my kids did. Absolutely think about picking this up if you’re finding yourself wondering what else you could see to get you in the mood to spread a little Christmas cheer.
About the DVDs:
In anticipation of the holiday season, Walt Disney Studios will release Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack this November. The story of Belle’s attempts to bring Christmas cheer to the Beast and his gloomy existence, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas takes place during the events of Beauty and the Beast.
The Blu-ray/DVD edition of the film, which premiered straight to video in 1997, does not have any confirmed technical specifications or supplemental materials; however, its previous DVD-only release contained the following special features:
Behind the scenes featurette on the animation of the Beauty and the Beast series
“Forte’s Challenge” memory game
Enchanted environment feature with animated fireplace scenes
Sing-along song tracks that can be played separately or during the feature film
Music video – “As Long As There’s Christmas” by PLAY
This coming holiday, Disney invites audiences of all ages to make Prep & Landing (the all-new modern classic Christmas tale) part of their family’s “must own” holiday-viewing collection! Arriving to DVD on November 22, 2011, Prep & Landing is the perfect blend of Christmas spirit, humor and entertaining characters that will keep the entire family grinning from ear-to-ear. Complete with two new bonus shorts – “Tiny’s Big Adventure” and “Operation Secret Santa” (which features Betty White as the voice of Mrs. Clause)
Prep & Landing is an adorable holiday story about a high-tech team of elves who ensure homes around the world are properly prepared for their visit from Santa. After working for a tireless 227 years, an elf named Wayne (voiced by Dave Foley) is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion. Instead he is partnered with an idealistic rookie elf named Lanny (voiced by Derek Richardson) to execute a special Christmas Eve mission. While on their journey, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits and ultimately threaten Christmas for children around the world. But in the end, these two elves work together to guide Santa through a raging snowstorm in order to save Christmas.
Prep & Landing, which first debuted in 2009 as ABC TV’s first animated television special produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, features the voice talents of DaveFoley (Disneyâ—Pixar’s A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Cars) as Wayne, Derek Richardson (TV’s “Men in Trees”) as Lanny, Sarah Chalke (TV’s “Scrubs” and “Roseanne”) as Magee, Mason Vale Cotton (TV’s “Desperate Housewives”) as Timmy Terwelp, David DeLuise (Disney Channel’s “Wizards of Waverley Place”) as Dancer, Peter Jacobson (TV’s “House M.D.,” Transformers) as Waterkotte, Lino DiSalvo (Disney’s Bolt) as Gristletoe Joe, William Morgan Sheppard (Transformers, The Prestige) as The Big Guy, Nathan Greno (Disney’s Bolt, Meet The Robinsons) as Dasher, Hayes MacArthur (Life As We Know It, She’s Out Of My League) as Thrasher and Kasha Kropinski (Fame, Big Fish) as Miss Holly.
Bonus Features:
– Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer Shorts:
– “Tiny’s Big Adventure” ““ The assistant to the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center is trying to make a pot of coffee and in the process, accidentally ruins the elves’ break room
– “Operation Secret Santa” ““ Lead elves Lanny and Wayne are sent on a special assignment by Mrs. Clause (voice of Betty White) into Santa’s office
– Prep & Landing Kringle Academy Training Videos ““ Entertaining Elf training videos shot in Santa’s workshop
– Elfdate.com/The Fruitcake Factory/Spa Navidad
– Welcome to Kringle Academy
– Kringle Academy Equipment Training
– Academy Do’s and Don’ts
FOR THE LOVER OF ANIME
Did anyone else watch this as much as I did growing up?
When the original series came out I was all of 10. I was hip deep in G.I. Joe love but it wasn’t until I discovered Transformers that I was opened up to the idea of a show that dealt with robotic beings that were capable of so much malevolence. I was open to digest more and Robotech came to me at just the right time.
I was afraid before watching the series over again that I could have been waxing nostalgia and giving this show a pass just because it made me remember the times when I was a youth. I knew I would have to be brutally honest when it came to revisiting the show but as soon as the first episode started I knew it was something more than just nostalgia that got me going all over again. Simply, the writing was excellent. It was silly, to be sure, but it didn’t insult me. It didn’t speak down to me and the animation itself was everything that anime from that time was supposed to be about: exaggerated explosions, obnoxious expressions.
It was great.
The nostalgia factor moved to the side as I found myself watching episode after episode, marveling at the care taken to restore these stories, visually, as best as A+E Networks Home Entertainment could. I understand this isn’t BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI but it was nice that a few more coats of polish were put on this thing. I fell in love all over again and the real draw for any fan thinking of picking this series up shouldn’t be the series itself, although that should be 90 percent why you should, it’s the behind the scenes documentaries and pilots and lost footage that should make any nerd drool with geek delight. It’s damn near 10+ hours of extras and in a land populated with behind the scenes content that is mere fluff it is nice to know that this archive exists for people like me who want to hold onto the past just a little while longer.
About the DVD:
Long before the current live action Transformers franchise took over the box office and introduced giant alien robots to a new generation, there was a sweeping animated sci-fi epic that delivered “mecha” to the masses: Robotech. Arriving on U.S. airwaves in the mid-80s via syndication, the legendary space opera ““ one of the very first anime imports — helped to usher in the multi-billion dollar anime industry and now, through the cult classic curators at A+E Networks Home Entertainment, the influential series will be reborn on DVD. Working in close conjunction with original Robotech producer Harmony Gold, the franchise will be available in a handsomely-designed collector’s set featuring all 85 re-mastered episodes of the engaging and dramatic anime classic. Available for $99.95srp, the specially-priced 17-disc set ROBOTECH: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES will also feature four exclusive bonus discs with more than 10 hours of bonus content ““ much of which is new to DVD. The deal was brokered by Content Media Corporation, the worldwide distributor of the series.
A sweeping science-fiction anime epic, ROBOTECH was set at the turn of the millennium, when a mysterious spacecraft crash-landed on a South Pacific island. The secrets of alien knowledge aboard this vessel were unlocked, leading to the development of “Robotechnology” and the creation of a vast arsenal of robotic “mecha” to defend the Earth against the alien threats that would eventually strike, attempting to lay claim to the mysterious power source known as “protoculture.” Told through the eyes of characters caught in a successive series of three extraterrestrial invasions, the saga was the first anime series that many fans had seen, and is often credited with the explosion of anime fandom that continues to grow in the U.S. today.
The cornerstone of a blockbuster franchise that has spawned dozens of movies, books, toys, video games and comic books, ROBOTECH was originally licensed from Japan’s Tatsunoko Studios, adapted from three different series and re-edited and re-dubbed into English. Because ROBOTECH hailed from three completely different anime series, Harmony Gold joined them into a cohesive narrative by splitting them into three distinct chapters, each representing a different generation of the saga: THE MACROSS SAGA (36 episodes), THE ROBOTECH MASTERS (24 episodes) and THE NEW GENERATION (25 episodes). These are also informally referred to as “The First Robotech War,” “The Second Robotech War” and “The Third Robotech War” respectively.
Aside from featuring all 85 half-hour episodes of the original series (re-mastered from original elements for this release), ROBOTECH: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES also includes over ten hours of bonus programming:
“¢ The Making of Robotech Documentary ““ NEW to DVD
“¢ Robotech Music Videos ““ NEW to DVD
“¢ Robotech Overview ““ NEW to DVD
“¢ Alternate versions of select Robotech episodes ““ NEW to DVD
“¢ Robotech: The Movie supplementals (including several sequences NEW to DVD)
“¢ Macross Original Pilot ““ 70 minute extended version – NEW to DVD
“¢ Promotional reel of Robotech Launch in China ““ NEW to DVD
“¢ Over an hour of deleted scenes
“¢ Robotech: The Sentinels (with optional audio commentary)
“¢ Robotech: The Sentinels promotional video
“¢ Macross Original Pilot ““ Parts 1, 2 and 3
“¢ Mospeada Original Pilot ““ Part 1
“¢ Original opening and closing animations
“¢ Galaxy of the Stars – Harmony Gold promotional reel
“¢ Toy Commercial and Videogame presentation reels
“¢ International clips for all three Robotech Wars
“¢ A vast stills appendix containing character bios, model sheets, pre-production art, comic book covers, and merchandise galleries
“¢ And much, much more!
Voted #34 on the “Top 100 Animated Series of All Time” by IGN.com, ROBOTECH will also be released day-and-date in several additional configurations. THE FIRST ROBOTECH WAR (THE MACROSS SAGA; 5 discs), THE SECOND ROBOTECH WAR (THE ROBOTECH MASTERS; 4 discs) and THE THIRD ROBOTECH WAR (TRHE NEW GENERATION; 4 discs) will also be available for fans both new and old.
With interest in “mecha” at an all-time high, don’t miss out on this landmark in anime history from the guardians of classic TV DVD at A+E Networks Home Entertainment.
FOR DAD
I know this show wasn’t around when I was born but through the magic of VHS I was able to see what absolutely is Robert Wagner’s best work.
As a cat burglar turned government operative, really the American version of James Bond with a thievery problem, the show which ran from 1968-1970 didn’t exactly last long but the shows that it did put out there, 66 in all, are testament to what old time television used to be like and how well it could be if done the right way. Gone are the trappings of high budget productions, IT TAKES A THIEF relys more on Wagner’s suave and debonair style than it did on the seriousness of having a character perpetually pulling off capers in the name of the greater good.
While the show never quite settles on either being completely serious or Batman like campy, the harmonious balance with which this series teeters on is just pure delight. While the biggest surprises for me were seeing episodes I had never seen before and noticing the nice transfers that blow my grainy tapes out of the water, it is the interviews with show producer Glen Larson and Wagner that make this a set that any fan of mid-century television worth investing in. Larson, who would go on to have his hand in Battlestar Galactica, Quincy, M.E. and scads of other notable shows, provides the kind of insight into this series that only a veteran like him can offer.
The show suffered from a little bit of predictability as it petered out towards the end of its run but even as it was in the throes of cancellation there is just no denying that Wagner is having fun as this lovable, affable thief. He absolutely is in command of every episode, no matter how looney the premise for that week’s show, and this set provides hours of thoughtful nostalgia. Be it a sly smile or a clever disguise there is something to like in this man. With a little Danny Ocean charm, a soundtrack that feels like it belongs in one of Soderbergh’s entries, the show is everything that OCEAN’S ELEVEN wants to be and it shows.
About the DVD set:
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 January 9, 1968, and March 24, 1970. Marking the TV debut of six-time Golden Globe Nominee Robert Wagner (Austin Powers, “Hart to Hart”), 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. Never-before-available on ANY format, Entertainment One presents IT TAKES A THIEF: THE COMPLETE SERIES in a collectible 18-disc set containing all 66 digitally remastered episodes and a host of bonus featurettes and extras.
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. Technically under house arrest, Mundy then travels the world over, performing daring acts of thievery in the name of Uncle Sam. He also works closely with SIA department head, Noah Bain (“˜70s TV mainstay, Malachi Throne), his boss, aide, friend and watchdog. It was Throne who also lent his deep distinctive voice to the split-screen credit sequence set to Dave Grusin’s memorable theme, saying: “Oh, look, Al, I’m not asking you to spy, just asking you to steal.”
The series was created by Emmy® Award winning television writer Roland Kibbee ““ who had written for “The Virginian” and “The Bob Newhart Show” and would go on to write for “Columbo” and “Barney Miller”. And, along with Fred Astaire, who became a semi-regular as Alexander’s retired burglar dad, Alister, IT TAKES A THIEF also boasted a who’s who of A-list guest stars including Season One’s Raymond Burr (“Perry Mason”, Rear Window), Susan Saint James (“Kate & Allie”, “McMillan and Wife”), Gavin MacLeod (“The Love Boat”, “Mary Tyler Moore”), Tina Louise (“Gilligan’s Island”, The Stepford Wives), Bill Bixby (“The
Incredible Hulk”, “The Magician”) and Eve Plumb (“The Brady Bunch”, Little Women), Season Two’s Ricardo Montalbon (“Fantasy Island”, The Naked Gun), Joseph Cotton (Citizen Kane, The Third Man), Richard Kiel (The Spy Who Loved Me, Happy Gilmore), George Takei (“Star Trek”, “Heroes”), Teri Garr (Young Frankenstein, Tootsie), Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes, Cleopatra) and Julie Newmar (“Batman”, Seven Brides of Seven Brothers) and Season Three’s Peter Sellers (The Pink Panther, Dr. Strangelove), Frankie Avalon (Grease, The Alamo), Elsa Lanchester (Mary Poppins, The Bride of Frankenstein), and Bette Davis (All About Eve, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?) and Cesar Romero (“Batman”, “Falcon Crest”)
FEATURES
· All 66 Episodes Digitally Re-Mastered
· 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 4-Piece Coaster Set
· Collectible Booklet with retrospective essay
Running Time: 816 mins.
For the latest breaking news on IT TAKES A THIEF and other releases, follow Entertainment One on Twitter: http://twitter.com/eOneHomeVideo
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Director José Padilha has indomitable spirit.
CS: To your filmmaking style, I’m wowed with the way your documentary style bled over to the way you shot this film. I know in previous interviews you talked about the connecting shot ““ you’d rather shoot for schedule than for ““ you want to make due with what you have and want to make the most impactful shot you can. Can you talk a little bit about your filmmaking style and how making a documentary helped you?
So in the first movie I wrote a lot of treatments and I thought I had it maybe it was like the 4th or 5th treatment and then I gave it to Braulio and said I think this is a terrific script, can you make it better? Then he rewrote it and made it much better. The second movie we did it the other way around. Braulio wrote the treatments first and then when he thought it was good he gave it to me and I rewrote it and then we shot it. We don’t actually have a rule. We just trust each other to the point where I can let him write on top of what I write and he will let me write on top of what he writes. That’s the way we do it. We both write the same script. It’s not easy when you are a writer and have someone coming over and rewriting what you just wrote. You need to have a special sort of creative relationship in order to do that and with me and Braulio it works perfectly well.
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When I was a kid, so very long ago, hand-propelled paper airplanes were perfectly fine. For today’s kids, something more is needed – such as 
I love how the DVD revolution has made it possible for just about every TV show you can imagine to wriggle out of the woodwork and get a release. Case in point – the complete run of 
I think the announcement of its arrival in a definitive high definition collection was both a surprise and a delight to diehard fans, but I’m sure the latter outweighs the former now that they can lay their grubby little paws on their very own copy of 
One of the most iconic movie musicals ever produced makes its high definition debut in grand style, as 
It’s flawed in many ways and suffers from an inadequate budget for its lofty concept, but there’s quite a bit of charm that makes Neil Gaiman’s 
It was brilliant seeing League Of Gentlemen’s Steve Pemberton in the grim and gritty crime drama 
Celebrate its 25th anniversary with a brand new special edition of Sam Raimi’s classic schlock horror film 
If you’re a history buff, you’ll probably be as fascinated and gripped by the remarkable color footage you’ll find, presented for the first time in high definition, found within the 
For the kids in your life, this week brings 
MGM has dipped into their library for a trio of titles to get the high definition treatment, including the original, much much better version of 
And speaking of MGM dipping into their library, they’ve also unleashed a new clutch of titles from their MOD Limited Edition Collection, including the Morey Amsterdam comedy 
It doesn’t hold a candle to the original UK series, but the first season of the American 
Underappreciated in its day and largely overlooked today, if you’ve yet to see the short-lived Michael Mann series 
It was only a matter of time before History Channel fond a way to make a spin-off from their popular Pawn Stars, and the one they chose was to focus on the gent that show had doing restorations on the antiques brought to the show. So with 
I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.
