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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
Approved for Adoption
(2012) Comic book artist Jung returns to Seoul for the first time since he was abandoned at the age of 5 at the end of the Korean War (and adopted by a Western family) in this mixed media memoir that combines animation intercut with snippets of Super-8 family footage and archival film. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. (GKIDS/Cinedigm).
Bad Country
(2014) Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Neal McDonough, Amy Smart, Tom Berenger. Crime thriller about a Louisiana detective (Dafoe) who teams up with a contract killer-turned-informant (Dillon) to take down the most powerful criminal enterprise in the South. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted scenes, "Taking Down An Empire: On the Set" featurette. (Sony).
Betty Boop: The Essential Collection Vol. 3 (1932-38)
Includes 12 animated short films available for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray, all produced by Max Fleischer and directed by his brother, Dave Fleischer: "Minnie the Moocher" (1932), "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You" (1932), "Mother Goose Land" (1933), "The Old Man of the Mountain" (1933), "I Heard" (1933), "Ha! Ha! Ha!" (1934), "Stop That Noise" (1935), "Service With a Smile" (1937), "The New Deal Show" (1937), "Be Up to Date" (1938), "Out of the Inkwell" (1938) and "Pudgy in Thrills and Chills" (1938). Read more here. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Olive Films).
Civil War: The Untold Story
(2014) Set to air on PBS stations in Spring 2014, this documentary narrated by Elizabeth McGovern uses dramatic battle recreations, compelling archival imagery, 3-D maps and insightful interviews with top Civil War scholars to show why the West played such a vital part in the outcome of the war. Focusing on the often overlooked battles of Vicksburg, Shiloh, Atlanta and more, the series also explores the issue of slavery and the surprising roles that African-Americans played in the conflict. Two-disc set with all five episodes, $49.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Rare archival footage from the 50-year anniversary of the Siege of Vicksburg; 12-page viewer's guide with a map, a timeline, profiles of Westerners who played major roles in the conflict, and articles on African Americans fighting for their freedom and Texas in the Civil War. (Athena).
Dark Hearts
(2012) Kyle Schmid, Lucas Till, Sonja Kinski. When a struggling downtown artist finds his muse in sultry singer Fran, their daring romance spirals out of control into a dangerous game of obsession, deception and betrayal. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Vertical Entertainment).
Devil's Due
(2013) Allison Miller, Zach Gilford, Sam Anderson. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Blu-ray extras: Deleted scenes, "Radio Silence: A Hell of a Tea," commentary by drectors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, director's photo album. (Fox).
Father Brown: The Complete Collection
(1974) Four-disc set with all 13 episodes of the British series about Father Brown (Kenneth More), a wily clergyman-detective who, despite his absentminded air, always manages to confound criminals with his inescapable logic and keen understanding of the human condition in 1920s England. First complete collection of the hit, based on the well-loved stories of British writer G.K. Chesterton, that ran on PBS's Mystery! in the mid 1970s. Formats: DVD, $59.99. Extras: G.K. Chesteron biography. (Acorn Media).
Gloria
(2013 -- Chile) Paulina Garcaa, Sergio Hernandez, Diego Fontecilla. A story set in Santiago and centered on Gloria, a free-spirited older woman, and the realities of her whirlwind relationship with a former naval officer whom she meets out in the clubs. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Behind the Scenes: Musical Montage." (Lionsgate).
Harry Potter Hogwarts Collection
All eight films on DVD and Blu-ray, $249.99. Includes all previously released bonus features (45+ hours) including the eight-part documentary "Creating the World of Harry Potter" on Blu-ray. In addition, the "Harry Potter Hogwarts Collection Blu-ray Bonus Disc" has more than three hours of features including: "The Harry Potters You Never Met": Meet the stunt doubles for Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as they demonstrate how they balanced major stunt work while seamlessly mimicking the actors they represented; "Designing the World of Harry Potter"; "When Harry Left Hogwarts" (Extended Version)" candid and emotional stories about the final days on set in this extended behind-the-scenes look; "50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments" (Definitive Version); "Secrets Revealed! Quidditch": The secrets behind the special effects required for the breathtaking Quidditch scenes; "Secrets Revealed! Hagrid": The camera tricks, towering stand-in and voluminous body suits behind the beloved Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Read more here. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Warner).
Il sorpasso
(1962) The ultimate Italian road comedy, "Il sorpasso" stars the unlikely pair of Vittorio Gassman and Jean-Louis Trintignant as, respectively, a waggish, free-wheeling bachelor and the bookish law student he takes on a madcap trip from Rome to rural Southern Italy. An unpredictable journey that careers from slapstick to tragedy, this film, directed by Dino Risi (the original "Scent of a Woman"), is a wildly entertaining commentary on the pleasures and consequences of the good life. A holy grail of commedia all'italiana, "Il sorpasso" is so fresh and exciting that one can easily see why it has long been adored in Italy. New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: Blu-ray/two-DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: New interviews with screenwriter Ettore Scola and film scholar and professor Remi Fournier Lanzoni; interview from 2004 with Risi by film critic Jean A. Gili; introduction by Trintignant from a 1983 French television broadcast of the film; "A Beautiful Vacation," a 2006 documentary on Risi featuring interviews with the director and his collaborators and friends; excerpts from a 2012 documentary that returns to Castiglioncello, the location for the film's beach scenes, featuring rare on-set color footage; trailer; a booklet featuring essays by critics Phillip Lopate and Antonio Monda, as well as excerpts from Risi's writings, with an introduction by film critic Valerio Caprara. (The Criterion Collection).
Labor Day
(2014) Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Tobey Maguire, Tom Lipinski, Maika Monroe, Clark Gregg, James Van Der Beek, J.K. Simmons, Brooke Smith. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital (UltraViolet). Blu-ray extras: Commentary by director Jason Reitman, director of photography Eric Steelberg and first assistant director/co-producer Jason Blumenfeld; "End of Summer: Making Labor Day"; deleted scenes. (Paramount).
Lady Peacock
(2013) Alec W. Seymour, Joshua Cruz, KC Comeaux. In order to compete with a drag queen for the love of a gay newbie, a young man enlists the help of his club friends to become a drag queen himself. Formats: DVD. Extras: Short film "Bidentity," deleted scenes. (Breaking Glass Pictures/QC Cinema).
The Legend of Hercules
(2014) Dir.: Renny Harlin; Kellan Lutz, Scott Adkins, Liam McIntyre, Liam Garrigan, Johnathon Schaech, Roxanne McKee, Gaia Weiss, Rade Serbedzija. Formats: DVD, 3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with Kellan Lutz and director Renny Harlin. Blu-ray adds "The Making of The Legend of Hercules" documentary. (Lionsgate).
Locker 13
(2014) Ricky Schroder, Jon Gries, Rick Hoffman, Tatyana Ali, Krista Allen, Jason Spisak, Bart Johnson, Jason Marsden. Five-segment short horror film anthology revolving around the tales unleashed by the nighttime janitor in an Old West theme park, who delves into the mysteries surrounding an old locker: An aging boxer who is given an opportunity to become a real killing machine, a young man seeking membership in a secret society who experiences an initiation with deadly consequences, a would be suicide shaken to his core by a menacing member of a very special club, a hit man for hire playing a devious cat and mouse game with three women who have a score to settle, and a life-or-death decision made by the janitor himself. Formats: DVD. (ARC Entertainment).
Notes on a Scandal BLU-RAY DEBUT
(2006) Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Juno Temple. Extras: Commentary by director Richard Eyre," "Notes on a Scandal: The Story of Two Obsessions," "Notes on a Scandal: Behind the Scenes," "In Character with: Cate Blanchett," webisodes, "A Conversation With Cate Blanchett and Bill Nighy." (Fox).
Prince Killian and the Holy Grail
(2011 -- Spain) Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Natasha Yarovenko, Manuel Martinez, Adrian Lamana. A 12th-century knight-errant wanders the world to retrieve the Holy Grail from the clutches of an evil wizard, accompanied by his faithful friends Crispin and Goliath and the beautiful Viking Princess Sigrid of Thule. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Shout! Factory).
The Selfish Giant
(2013 -- U.K.) Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas, Sean Gilder. A contemporary fable about two scrappy 13-year-old working-class friends in the UK who seek fortune by getting involved with a local scrap dealer and criminal, leading to tragic consequences. Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).
SpongeBob, You're Fired!
(2014) Fourteen work adventures as SpongeBob loses his job at the Krusty Krab and tries new jobs such as working at The Chum Bucket with Plankton (gasp!), picketing with Squidward and even modeling in a commercial. Formats: DVD, $14.99. (Nickelodeon/Paramount).
These Birds Walk
(2013 -- Pakistan/USA) In Karachi, Pakistan, a runaway boy's life hangs on one critical question: where is home? In the streets where he's made his life, or in a home for runaways run by humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, often called the "Mother Teresa of Pakistan", or with the rural family he fled from in the first place? This documentary is a heart-wrenching and life-affirming look at the struggles of these wayward street children and the samaritans looking out for them. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary with directors Omar Mullick and Bassam Tariq, deleted scenes, trailer. (Oscilloscope Laboratories).
Up the Junction
(1968) Suzy Kendall, Dennis Waterman. First time on DVD and Blu-Ray. Newly Remastered in HD. Read more here. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Olive Films).
You, Me & Them, Series 1
(2013) Two-disc set with six episodes of the British sitcom that follows a couple (Anthony Head, Eve Myles) navigating their May-December romance ... and the disapproval of her family and his deranged ex-wife (Lindsay Duncan). Formats: DVD, $39.99. Extras: Bloopers, cast interviews, a tour of Emma and Clive's house. (Acorn Media).
Labor Day
"Labor Day," based on the New York Times best-selling novel by Joyce Maynard, is a lilting melodrama about love, loneliness and second chances that takes place over a three-day Labor Day weekend in 1987. Gattlin Griffith plays 13-year-old Henry Wheeler, a reticent youngster growing up with his depressed and reclusive single mother Adele (Kate Winslet). On a back-to-school shopping trip, Henry and Adele encounter Frank Chambers (Josh Brolin), a man both intimidating and clearly in need of help, who convinces them to take him into their home to mend a wound; he soon reveals that he's an escaped convict. During his stay, the three form a nuclear family of sorts, with Adele and Frank falling in love and Henry finding in Frank a long-lost father figure. But fate -- and the police -- intervene to end the reverie. Though packed with nice directorial flourishes and top-notch acting by Winslet, Brolin and Griffith, the film didn't strike the right chord with audiences, and floundered at the box office. With that being said, it's still a superb directing-acting vehicle and well worth seeing.
Blu-ray extras: Commentary by director Jason Reitman, director of photography Eric Steelberg and first assistant director/co-producer Jason Blumenfeld; "End of Summer: Making Labor Day"; deleted scenes. Vitals: Director: Jason Reitman. Stars: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Tobey Maguire, Tom Lipinski, Maika Monroe, Clark Gregg, James Van Der Beek, J.K. Simmons, Brooke Smith.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 111 min., Drama, Box office gross: $13.362 million, Paramount.
Gloria
"Gloria", an exuberant celebration of life and love from Chilean writer-director Sebastian Lelio, is centered on fiftysomething Gloria, a free-spirited divorced mother of two grown children who now lives alone in Santiago and who spends her evenings at social dance clubs for singles. Her fragile, lonely happiness changes one night when she meets the quiet, yet virile Rodolfo, a wealthy former naval officer with whom she enters a whirlwind relationship. Their intense passion, to which Gloria gives her all, leaves her overjoyed and hopeful about life once again, until Rodolfo reveals he has yet to cut his ties to his divorced wife and two older daughters. Despite this setback, Gloria rediscovers her true inner strength and realizes that, even facing adversity, she can shine brighter than ever. An uplifting tale with a great turn by Paulina Garcia as Gloria. Well worth seeing. In Spanish with English subtitles. The Official Selection of Chile for the 86th Academy Awards.
Extras: "Behind the Scenes: Musical Montage."
Vitals: Director: Sebastian Lelio. Stars: Paulina Garcaa, Sergio Hernandez, Diego Fontecilla.
2013 -- Chile, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min., Comedy-Drama, Box office gross: $.247 million, Lionsgate.
Devil's Due
After a mysterious, lost night on their honeymoon, a newlywed couple finds themselves dealing with an earlier-than-planned pregnancy. While recording everything for posterity, the husband begins to notice odd behavior in his wife that they initially write off to nerves, but, as the months pass, it becomes evident that the dark changes to her body and mind have a much more sinister origin.
Blu-ray extras: Deleted scenes, "Radio Silence: A Hell of a Tea," commentary by drectors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, director's photo album.
Vitals: Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett. Stars: Allison Miller, Zach Gilford, Sam Anderson.
2013, CC, MPAA rating: R, 89 min., Horror, Box office gross: $15.722 million, Fox.
The Legend of Hercules
Follows the mythical Greek hero Hercules, the son of Zeus, who is blessed with extraordinary strength as a half-god, half-man. Betrayed by his stepfather, the King, and exiled and sold into slavery because of a forbidden love, Hercules must use his formidable powers to fight his way back to his rightful kingdom. Through harrowing battles and gladiator-arena death matches, Hercules embarks on a legendary Odyssey to overthrow the king and restore peace to the land.Extras: Commentary with Kellan Lutz and director Renny Harlin. Blu-ray adds "The Making of The Legend of Hercules" documentary.
Vitals: Director: Renny Harlin. Stars: Kellan Lutz, Scott Adkins, Liam McIntyre, Liam Garrigan, Johnathon Schaech, Roxanne McKee, Gaia Weiss, Rade Serbedzija.
2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 99 min., Action, Box office gross: $18.647 million, Lionsgate.
The Best Offer
(2014 -- Italy) Dir.: Giuseppe Tornatore; Geoffrey Rush, Donald Sutherland, Jim Sturgess, Sylvia Hoeks. When a mysterious heiress asks famed but unscrupulous art appraiser and auctioneer Virgil Oldman to evaluate her late parents' collection -- yet remains forever unseen behind closed doors -- it ignites a spark of curiosity in the normally austere Virgil that soon grows into an all-out obsession. Before long everything in Virgil's carefully constructed life threatens to come apart as he delves ever further into the world of intrigue surrounding his enigmatic employer. Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).
Bucksville
(2011) Thomas Stroppel, David Bodin, Ted Roone, Tom Berenger, Allen Nause, Alexander MacKenzie. Thriller about a young man who struggles to leave a secret militia -- started by his father and uncle -- that takes the law into its own hands and executes criminals in the name of community service. Formats: DVD. (Monarch Home Entertainment).
Dead Shadows
(2012 -- France) Fabian Wolfrom, Blandine Marmigere, John Fallon, Rurik Salle. Eleven years after Chris' parents were murdered on the same day the Halley comet was visible from Earth, a new comet lights up the Parisian sky, giving rise to Apocalyptic fears -- and parties -- throughout the city. Chris, on meds because of the anxieties caused by his parents' unusual deaths, goes to one of the parties but, as the night goes on, the effects of the comet take their toll on the city's denizens, first making them disoriented and then violent, and then transforming them into horrible creatures -- zombies, mutants, alien monsters, human-alien hybrids. In a fight for survival, Chris escapes from his building with the help of some other tenants, only to find Paris devastated by the comet. North American debut of the overseas cult hit. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Making-of special effects featurette, deleted scenes, interview with director David Cholewa, theatrical trailer, teaser trailer. (Shout Factory!/Scream Factory).
Dynasty: The Eighth Season, Volume One and Volume Two
(1987-88) All 22 episodes of the addictive, primetime soap opera that quickly became a 1980s hit. The second-to-last season again highlights the conflicts, passions, drives, and tensions of the Carringtons, the powerful, rich, and greedy Denver oil family that struggles to maintain its position of wealth and power in the world. The pop culture phenomenon features a legendary ensemble cast including John Forsythe, Linda Evans, Joan Collins and Jack Coleman. $69.98 for the two-volume set or $39.98 each 11-episode volume. Formats: DVD. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount).
Gimme Shelter
(2013) Vanessa Hudgens, James Earl Jones, Rosario Dawson, Brendan Fraser. Based on the true life stories of Several Sources Shelters founder Kathy DiFiore and some of the pregnant teen shelter residents, the tale follows the courageous Agnes "Apple" Bailey who fights against all odds to find the father she's never known and create the family she never had. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "The Making of Gimme Shelter" featurette, deleted scenes. (Lionsgate).
Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series
(1981-97) Created by award-winning writers-producers Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, the critically acclaimed television series became one of the most seminal drama series by virtue of its powerful writing, gritty realism, emotionally charged storylines and incredible ensemble cast, including Daniel J. Travanti, Veronica Hamel, Bruce Weitz and Betty Thomas, among other notables. Throughout its seven-year run on network television, "Hill Street Blues" took viewers inside the heart of a racially torn, crime-ridden precinct of an urban metropolis. Each episode charts a day in the life on "The Hill," balancing the characters' personal lives with their professional ones.
Formats: DVD, 34-disc set with all 144 episodes, $199.99. Extras: "History of Hill Street" with Bochco and others; "Interview With the Officers" featuring cast members Dennis Franz, James B. Sikking, Bruce Weitz, Charles Haid and Dennis Dugan; "Writers on the Hill" discussion with Bochco, Robert Crais, Jeffrey Lewis and Alan Rachins; "Roll Call: Looking Back on Hill Street Blues"; gag reel; commentary on select episodes; commemorative 24-page book. (Shout! Factory).
The Rise and Fall of The Clash
(2014) Up-close and personal film about the juggernaut band The Clash, and their meteoric trajectory through rock 'n' roll history. Features previously unseen footage of the band at work and at play as well as interviews with the individual band members and with those who knew them well. The film tells the fascinating inside story of rivalries, treachery, betrayal and the internal band dynamics and managerial interference that ultimately led the band to self-destruct. Highlights include new interviews with Mick Jones, Terry Chimes, Vince White, Nick Sheppard, Pete Howard, Viv Albertine, Pearl Harbor, David Mingay and many more Clash friends and insiders, as well as archival interviews with Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon and Nicky "Topper" Headon, and rare performance and candid footage from the band's final years. Formats: DVD, $14.98. (Shout! Factory).
Sophie's Choice (Collector's Edition) BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1982) Dir.: Alan J Pakula; Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol. Adapted from William Styron's best-selling novel, this passionate tale of a writer's love for a holocaust survivor is an exhilarating and compelling revelation. Meryl Streep received an Academy Award for her portrayal of Sophie Zawistowska in this penetrating drama set in post-World War II Brooklyn. Kevin Kline plays her all-consuming lover, Nathan. The story revolves around Sophie's struggle as a Polish-Catholic immigrant in the United States who had survived a Nazi concentration camp. The lovers' drama unfolds through the observations of a friend and would-be writer, Stingo (Peter MacNicol). As the trio grows closer, Stingo uncovers the hidden truths that they each harbor. Extras: New roundtable interview featuring Streep, Kline, Donald Laventhall (director Alan Pakula's assistant during the film), Hanna Pakula (director Alan Pakula's widow), Rose Styron (the widow of the novel's author, William Styron) and moderator Boaty Boatwright (who was Pakula's agent at the time of the film and is presently an agent at ICM). Available as a Blu-ray/DVD combo. (Shout! Factory).
Star Trek: Enterprise - Season 4 BLU-RAY
(2004-05) Six-disc set with all 22 episodes of the final season, $130.00. Stars Scott Bakula, Jolene Blalock, Connor Trinneer, Dominic Keating, Linda Park, Anthony Montgomery and John Billingsley, and follows the thrilling adventures of the first Earth-built vessel capable of breaking the Warp 5 barrier. A special highlight to the collection is "In Conversation: Writing Star Trek Enterprise," an exclusive, 90-minute writing staff reunion special. The compelling discussion includes series creator and executive producer Brannon Braga, along with Mike Sussman, Andre Bormanis, David Goodman, Chris Black, Phyllis Strong, and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, all detailing some of the series' most fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. Plus, fans will get special insight on the creation of the final episodes with a newly produced, four-part documentary "Before Her Time: Decommissioning Enterprise," which includes more in-depth interviews with the cast and crew. Extras: "In Conversation: Writing Star Trek Enterprise"; "Enterprise Moments: Season Four"; commentaries; deleted scenes; extended scenes; "Archival Mission Logs"; "Before Her Time: Decommissioning Enterprise"; "Visual Effects Magic"; "Links to the Legacy"; "Enterprise Secrets"; "That's a Wrap!" more. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount).
The Strange Woman
(1946) Dir.: Edgar G. Ulmer; Hedy Lamarr, Gene Lockhart, Louis Hayward, George Sanders. The charming and extremely beautiful Jenny Hager (Hedy Lamarr) finds she can always use her looks to get what she wants from men, and she'll stop at nothing to control the ones who cross her path. After her drunkard father's death, she quickly maneuvers herself into a position to marry an older, wealthy businessman ... and the father of a childhood friend. Heartless and manipulative, she soon goes after the son. Restored in HD from original 35mm film elements
Formats: DVD. (Film Chest Media Group).
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April 27, 2014
(ISSN 1094-3676).
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