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 FRED Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support FRED by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)
Warners has been dipping into their vaults for many high definition releases of their classic films, and the films starring Humphrey Bogart have been getting particularly nice attention, starting with their beautiful restoration of Casablanca and now continuing with a one-two punch of both The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre and The Maltese Falcon (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP each), both getting restorations as nicely done as the one given to Casablanca. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, audio materials, the Warner Night At The Movies (newsreels, cartoons, musical shorts, and trailers), and bloopers & make-up tests on Falcon.
The best way to think about the Boogie Board LED ($39.99) is as a modern take on a chalkboard (with a little bit of a Magic Slate) thrown in, as writing on it with the stylus produces nifty LED writing that can be erased at the touch of a button. Perfect for leaving notes or doodles.
Just in time for Halloween comes the high definition release of one of the seminal horror flicks to ever be put to film – The Exorcist (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) – available in both its superior theatrical version and William Friedkin’s expanded director’s cut from a few years ago. Bonus materials include a newly-produced documentary, audio commentaries, interviews, the original ending, and the 1998 feature length making-of documentary.
I’ve become less and less enamored with it over the years as a film, though I still love the Ashman/Menken songs of Beauty And The Beast (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), which arrives in high definition looking absolutely stunning. Thankfully, branching allows me to watch the theatrical version sans the pointless new sequence inserted into the special edition re-release a few years back, which didn’t even match the look of the film effectively. This new special edition includes an audio commentary, featurettes, an alternate opening, a deleted scene, and a bonus standard DVD.
One of the many abandoned series set aside by Columbia, the 7th season of All In The Family (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$29.93 SRP) finally gets a release from Shout Factory. Can Benson be far behind? And by that, I mean I hope Benson is not far behind.
For a history nut like me, there’s something eminently interesting about Bettany Hughes’ The Roman Invasion Of Britain (Acorn, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP), which looks at the isle’s very first empire. Fascinating stuff.
Sure, it’s lowest common denominator belly laugh humor, but there more than occasional flashes of inspired comedy to be found within the ridiculously comprehensive Benny Hill: The Complete Megaset (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$149.95 SRP), on whose 18 DVDs rests 20-years of shows featuring almost 600 sketches. Bonus materials include a documentary on Hill, an episode of Biography, and featurettes.
I’m a history buff, so a 14-disc set like Empires (History Channel, Not Rated, DVD-$99.95 SRP), which examines the battles – and warriors – of the ancient world that shaped history, is a joy to explore. Granted, there’s a fair share of stories I’ve already heard, but there are many more I haven’t. Bonus materials include behind-the-scenes featurettes, a bonus episode of Modern Marvels on Barbarian Tech, and the A&E Biography of Genghis Kahn.
Out of most of the pap that populated Saturday mornings in the early 80’s, Thundarr The Barbarian (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.95) was an exception. Not exceptional, mind you, but its post-apocalyptic narrative and attempts at three dimensional characters certainly made it an exception to the shows that surrounded it. The Warner Archive has made the entire series available in one handy set, and while some of the prints are iffy and there’s no bonus features, it’s certainly better than nothing.
It’s disappointing to hear that sales on the last season were not good enough to justify continued retail releases, but at least the Warner Archive has stepped in so fans can pick up the complete fourth season of Night Court (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$34.95). Let’s hope they’re committed to releasing the rest of the show.
Leave it to Twomorrows to present a beautiful overview of the life and work of yet another comics legend via Carmine Infantino: Penciler, Publisher, Provocateur (Twomorrows, $26.95 SRP). From his artwork to his influential role at DC Comics, this is a must-have volume.
Besides its engaging story steeped in Celtic mythology, The Secret of Kells (Flatiron, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP) is just a beautifully designed, beautifully executed animated feature, made all the more impressive when you find out it was independently produced. Definitely give it a spin. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, trailers, and more.
Following up on his landmark documentary about America’s pastime, Ken Burns goes back to the ballpark for Baseball: The Tenth Inning (PBS, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP) and finds a sport in its twilight years, demonstrably less important to the American public even as the playing itself has become stronger, although even that is rocked by scandal. Bonus materials include additional scenes, outtakes, and an interview with Burns and Lynn Novick.
We’ve now moved beyond the classic Peanuts specials and are firmly into the release of the lesser animated lights of the canon with the likes of He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), but it’s still enjoyable stuff nonetheless. The DVD also includes the bonus special Life Is A Circus, Charlie Brown and a featurette on Schulz’s ice arena.
There are no milkshakes to be found, but Daniel Day-Lewis does turn in a memorable performance in Michael Mann’s adaptation of Last Of The Mohicans (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP), available in high definition in its “definitive” director’s cut form with an audio commentary and a making-of featurette.
Every time I’ve run across it, I’ve found it affable and watchable, but I’ve never actually cared to seek it out. Regardless of my apathy, it gets massive ratings, which means fans will want to pick up the complete seventh season of Two And A Half Men (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$44.98 SRP). The 3-disc set contains a featurette on Charlie’s exes and a gag reel.
I have absolutely no intention whatsoever of watching The Human Centipede (IFC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP). None at all. I mean, really, life’s too short to spend retching in shock at the images. So, nope. Not gonna do it. For those who do watch, bonus materials include an audio commentary, a deleted scene, casting tapes, featurettes, and more. A Blu-Ray edition ($29.98 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus features.
Bringing together 18 capers across 12 DVDs featuring the sleuthing of Poirot, Marple, and Holmes, the Great Detectives Anthology (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$149.95 SRP) is a delightful romp through murder and mystery. Bonus materials include a Sherlock Holmes documentary and a Biography on Agatha Christie.
With Thunderdomes and autogyros still in his future, the original Mad Max (MGM/UA, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP) had yet to become the crazy mix of road rage and doun under punks that it would eventually arrive at, but maybe that’s because the world that Mel Gibson’s title character operates in isn’t yet in its full post-apoacalyptic throes. Bonus features include audio commentaries, featurettes, galleries, TV Spots, trailers, and more.
It tried desperately to be a modern answer to the low-rent, affable fantasies Hercules and Xena, but Legend Of The Seeker (ABC Studios, Not Rated, DVD-$45.99 SRP) never really found a tone – or quality – that would sustain it… Which is probably why it lasted only 2 seasons. That final season is now available, containing featurettes and extended scenes.
The infamous abortion episode comes to one-off DVD on Family Guy: Partial Terms Of Endearment (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which pads out the disc with an audio commentary, animatic, a table read, Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show, and 9 downloadable songs.
What if you made a prequel to a beloved series and no one really seemed to care? That would be Caprica (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP), set 58 years before the events which launched Battlestar Galactica. And it’s just boring. Truly, truly boring. The first season set contains both the unrated and rated versions of the pilot, deleted scenes, featurettes, commentaries, video blogs, and more.
Easily one of the most unwatchable films ever made, and made a cult classic due to its unwatchability, Troll 2 (MGM, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP) has been given a high definition presentation that it really doesn’t deserve. Damn you, geeks. Damn you all to hell.
Yeah, I’m still not a fan of Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), but there are plenty out there, so this 4th season set is for them. That’s right – 10 episodes, featurettes, deleted scenes, bloopers and more, all for them.
I’ve long been a fan of Medicom’s beautifully sculpted vinyl figures of classic Disney characters, and was equally delighted when I found out a few years back that the fine folks at Sideshow would be distributing them here in the US. Recently, they’ve released brand new sculpts of characters they’d done previously – Woody and Buzz Lightyear ($59.99 each) – and, as you can see below, both are exquisite.
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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