This Week's DVD, Blu-ray Releases -- OnVideo

OnVideo Logo

Amazon Video
ales


Join the
Sixties generation

dvd DVD

blu-ray
Blu-ray Releases

calendar
home page
video resources
links


dujour

iway 500
winner

Good & Associates logo

Masthead created by Good & Associates

OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases

Tuesday, August 26 -- Monday, September 1

All DVD Releases

  • Belle

    photo for Although Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), an 18th century English woman of mixed race, is raised in privilege by her aristocratic great-uncle (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), she is denied a proper social standing because of her skin color. But when Dido falls in love with a young idealist lawyer (Sam Reid) who aspires to create positive change, she finds herself caught between two worlds. With everything to lose, she struggles to convince those around her -- and the society in which she lives -- to overcome their biases and accept her fully. Only if she succeeds will she find true happiness. Based on an extraordinary true story. Extras: "Belle: The Story," "Gugu Mbatha-Raw Breakout Role," "The Power of Belle," "From Painting to Screen," "The History Behind the Painting," stills gallery. Vitals: Director: Amma Asante. Stars: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Sam Reid, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Matthew Goode. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 104 min., Drama, Box office gross: $6.210 million, Fox. 2 stars


    Advertisement


  • Blended

    photo for Blended After a disastrous blind date, single parents Lauren (Drew Barrymore) and Jim (Adam Sandler) agree on only one thing: they never want to see each other again. But when they each sign up separately for a fabulous family vacation with their kids, they are all stuck sharing a suite at a luxurious African safari resort for a week. Extras: "Adam and Drew: Back Together Again," "Bella Thorne's Makeover," deleted scenes, "Georgia." Blu-ray adds "Safari," "Animals," "Parasailing," "Ostriches," "Dick's Customer Service," "Herlihopps: Basketball Actor," "Nickens." Vitals: Director: Frank Coraci. Stars: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Nealon, Terry Crews, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Joel McHale, Abdoulaye Ngom, Jessica Lowe, Bella Thorne, Emma Fuhrmann. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 117 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $45.212, million, Warner. 2 stars


    Blu-ray Debuts

  • All That Jazz (1979) (Criterionn)
  • High School Confidential! (1958)
  • The Legend of Hell House (1973)
  • Vengeance Is Mine (1979) (Criterion)

    Read more.



go back to top



All DVD Releases

Adventure Planet (2014) Voices of Jane Lynch, Brooke Shields, Bailee Madison, Drake Bell, J.K. Simmons. Animated action adventure about a sister and brother living in Thailand who have unique abilities to communicate with nature and who try to stop an invasion of energy-hungry devices that threaten to engulf the Earth. Formats: DVD. (ARC Entertainment).

Aftermath (aka Remnants) (2012) Edward Furlong, Monica Keena, Andre Royo, C.J. Thomason, Christine Kelly. Post-nuclear apocalyptic thriller has nine desperate strangers clinging to life in a farmhouse cellar, while radioactive fallout, dwindling supplies, poisonous air and hordes of devastated refugees who want in threaten their existence. Soon they have two choices: let the makeshift shelter become their tomb or face the terrors of the world outside. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Image Entertainment).

photo for Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013 -- France/Germany) Mads Mikkelsen, Melusine Mayance, Delphine Chuillot, David Kross, Bruno Ganz. Michael Kohlhaas is a well-to-do 16th Century horse merchant in Southern France who is wronged when a local nobleman and his lackeys steal two of his horses. Kohlhaas repeatedly seeks fairness and compensation through legal means, but is unjustly rebuffed because of his lack of influence. Matters take a turn for worse when Kohlhaas's persistence leads to his wife's murder, leaving the horse merchant and his daughter stricken with grief ... and a rising anger that prompts Kohlhaas to turn to fanatical and violent extremes to obtain justice. Adapted from German author Heinrich von Kleist's classic novella. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Interview with Mads Mikkelsen, interview with director Arnaud Des Pallieres, deleted scenes. (Music Box Films).

All That Jazz (1979) The preternaturally gifted director and choreographer Bob Fosse turned the camera on his own life for this madly imaginative, self-excoriating musical masterpiece. Roy Scheider gives the performance of his career as Joe Gideon, whose exhausting work schedule -- mounting a Broadway production by day and editing his latest movie at night -- and routine of amphetamines, booze, and sex are putting his health at serious risk. Fosse burrows into Gideon's (and his own) mind, rendering his interior world as phantasmagoric spectacle. Assembled with visionary editing that makes dance come alive on-screen as never before, and overflowing with sublime footwork by the likes of Ben Vereen, Leland Palmer, and the awesomely leggy Ann Reinking, "All That Jazz" pushes the musical genre to personal depths and virtuosic aesthetic heights. New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed 3.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: Two audio commentaries: a feature-length one with editor Alan Heim and a scene-specific one with actor Roy Scheider; "Razzle-Dazzle," a new video essay on the film by critic Matt Zoller Seitz; episode from 1980 of the television talk show "Tomorrow," featuring director Bob Fosse and choreographer Agnes de Mille; new interview with Heim; new interview with Fosse biographer Sam Wasson; interview excerpts and footage from the set, featuring Fosse and Scheider; "Portrait of a Choreographer," a 2007 documentary on Fosse; "The Soundtrack: Perverting Thee Standards," a 2007 documentary about the music in the film; interview from 2007 with George Benson about his song "On Broadway," which opens the film; a booklet featuring an essay by theater critic Hilton Alls. (The Criterion Collection).

Belle (2014) Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Sam Reid, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Matthew Goode. Formats: Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: "Belle: The Story," "Gugu Mbatha-Raw Breakout Role," "The Power of Belle," "From Painting to Screen," "The History Behind the Painting," stills gallery. (Fox).

Blandings, Series 2 (2013-14) Two-disc set with seven episodes, $39.99. North American DVD debut of the BBC series. P.G. Wodehouse's beloved Blandings Castle stories follow the foibles of an eccentric aristocrat, his peculiar family, and the ramshackle ancestral home they share. Starring in this witty BBC series are Timothy Spall, Jennifer Saunders, Jack Farthing. Formats: DVD. Extras: Photo gallery. (Acorn Media).

Blended (2014) Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Nealon, Terry Crews, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Joel McHale, Abdoulaye Ngom, Jessica Lowe, Bella Thorne, Emma Fuhrmann. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Adam and Drew: Back Together Again," "Bella Thorne's Makeover," deleted scenes, "Georgia." Blu-ray adds "Safari," "Animals," "Parasailing," "Ostriches," "Dick's Customer Service," "Herlihopps: Basketball Actor," "Nickens." (Warner).

Blood Glacier (2013 -- Austria) Gerhard Liebmann, Edita Malovcic, Brigitte Kren. Scientists working in the Austrian Alps discover that a glacier is leaking a liquid that appears to be affecting local wildlife, causing changes in the fauna that are at first curious but soon become deathly horrifying. Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).

Cat Run 2 (2014) Scott Mechlowicz, Alphonso McAuley, Winter Ave Zoli. When several high-ranked officials are massacred on their own military base, two wannabe detectives discover a top-secret experiment that threatens their lives and the nation's security. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Universal).

Cesare Mori - The Complete Series (2012) The true story of how Cesare Mori (""The Iron Prefect"") cleaned up the Sicilian Mafia is a little-known chapter of Italian history and spans the years from World War I to the rise of Fascism. In one night alone, he and his men arrested 300 delinquents and Mafia thugs who had taken total control of the people and the economy of the Madonie mountain region in Sicily. Summoned to the area because of his reputation as a man of action, he and his deputy are willing to do whatever necessary to loosen the criminal grip on the region. In Italian with English subtitles. Two-disc set, $29.95. Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).

photo for Circle the Wagen Circle the Wagen (2013) Docu-drama explores the Volkswagen subculture in the United States. In this optimistic feature-length buddy/roadtrip/docu-dramedy, two friends work in tandem to get "The Croc," a ramshackle 1972 VW bus, across the country. The story follows Dave Torstenson, an idealistic adventurer and automotive neophyte, and his convivial co-pilot, Charlie Pecoraro, on their journey down Route 66 in a baby blue bus purchased, sight unseen, on eBay for $787. Dave has thus fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a vintage Volkswagen bus. Now, the challenge is to get the rickety vehicle across the country to Los Angeles. Formats: DVD: $19.95, VOD, Digital. (Frontiersman Pictures/Devolver Digital Films/BRINKvision).

Closed Circuit Extreme (2012 -- Italy) Stefano Fregni, Francesca Cuttica, Guglielmo Favilla, Gaia Insenga. After their friend goes missing, a young couple break into the house of a suspected serial killer and plant hidden cameras ... but when they attempt to retrieve the evidence, they're trapped and forced to fight for their lives. Formats: DVD. Extras: Trailer. (Jinga Films/MVD Entertainment).

Criminal Minds – The Ninth Season (2013-14) Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $64.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, bloopers, Easter Egg. (CBS/Paramount).

Deadbeat (2014) Single-disc with 10 episodes of the series about a moneyless, clueless young man who can see dead people; faced with a constant stream of stubborn spirits, Pac goes to whatever lengths require the least amount of effort to help New York City's most frivolous ghosts finish their unfinished business. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: "The Caracters of Deadbeat" featurette, "Medium for Hire: What Is Deadbeat?" featurette. (Lionsgate).

Donna Detective: Season 1 (2007) When Senior Detective Lisa Milani requested a desk job in a small town outside of Rome, it was to allow her spend more time with family. But after shes called on to assist with a major case, her extreme competence causes her to end up in charge of an entire investigative squad in the big city. Now she must report to investigating magistrates and demanding superiors, solve cases involving serial killers and other deadly criminals, and at the same time juggle her family life. In Italian with English subtitles. Three-disc set with six episodes, $29.95. Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).

photo for The Double The Double (2014) Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Yasmin Paige, Noah Taylor, James Fox, Cathy Moriarty, Chris O'Dowd, Sally Hawkins, Craig Roberts, Paddy Considine. Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) -- a timid man scratching out an isolated existence in an indifferent world -- is overlooked at work, scorned by his mother, and ignored by the woman of his dreams. He feels powerless to change any of these things. The arrival of a new co-worker, James, serves to upset the balance. James is both Simon's exact physical double and his opposite -- confident, charismatic and good with women. To Simon's horror, James slowly begins taking over his life. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of The Double," theatrical trailer. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

Earth: The Sequel (2009) Based on the New York Times bestselling book by the same name, this documentary provides a straightforward look at the green energy revolution taking place all around us, featuring the inventors and entrepreneurs who are leading the charge in pushing the boundaries of science to harness energy from the sun, waves, wind, and even heat from the earth itself. Formats: DVD, $29.93. (Cinedigm).



Elementary – The Second Season (2013-14) Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $64.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, bloopers, "Second Chapter: Inside Elementary Season 2" featurette, "Skill Sets," "Art in the Blood: Meet Mycroft," "Life of Clyde." (CBS/Paramount).

photo for Fall Away Fall Away (2010) Nathanael Card, Erinn Strain, Robert Tobin, Ryan Redyea, Ali Goodman, David Golan, Grant Stokes. When the secretly gay lead singer of up and coming band "65 Home" is brutally murdered in a Chicago back alley, his friends and lovers travel back to Nashville with his ashes to honor him and examine why he was killed. They discover that there were many Jake's -- the brother, the lover, the poet, the liar and the cruel manipulator. Everyone knew a different side of him and the conflicted and seemingly contradictory aspects of his life. Torn between his personal and professional relationship with his co-writer Mel and their unborn child, committed to his affair with his secret love John, Jake was determined to make it big at all costs. But why was he killed? Formats: DVD. (Live Wire/MVD Entertainment).

Fear in the Night (1947) DeForest Kelley, Paul Kelly, Ann Doran, Kay Scott. A man (DeForest Kelley) dreams he committed murder and, when he awakens to discover bruises on his body and more unsettling evidence, he then begins to suspect it was real. Formats: DVD. (Film Chest Media Group).

The Forbidden Girl (2013 -- Germany) Peter Gadiot, Jytte-Merle Bohrnsen, Jeanette Hain. A troubled young man who lost his girlfriend in a tragic accident must resist the seductive lure of a young woman he's tutoring -- an ancient witch -- or be condemned to an eternal life on the dark side. Formats: DVD. (Inception Media Group).

Fuhrer Cult and Megalomania (2011) "Even the pyramids," Hitler told his protege, architect Albert Speer, "will be dwarfed by the stone and concrete masses I plan to erect." By early in the 20th century, Nuremberg was regarded as the most anti-Semitic city in Europe. By 1929 Hitler had decided to make Nuremberg the "City of the Party Rallies" and a symbol representing the greatness of the German Empire in medieval times. Up to 1.5 million people converged on Nuremberg in the course of a party rally, which lasted eight days, forming an indispensable platform for the Nazis once a year -- with a gigantic propaganda machine, brochures and books, recordings, radio and films. This film documents the construction of Hitler's propaganda center. Formats: DVD. (First Run Features).

Giovani Falcone: The Judge/Borsellino: The 57 Days (2012) Luza Zingaretti stars in two Maia stories. "Giovani Falcone" is the real-life story of one of Sicily's bravest sons standing up to the Mafia, wielding the law to break the back of organized crime. Giovanni Falcone was the judge who unmasked the Mafia during the 1980s and 90s by methodically following the money. His discoveries exposed the vast hierarchy of criminal families across Italy and around the world. In "Borsellino," Zingaretti stars as Judge Paolo Borsellino, who on May 23, 1992, waited in Palermo for a personal visit from his friend Judge Giovanni Falcone. They planned to celebrate Falcone's recent appointment in Rome as head of a national anti-Mafia office. May 23, 1992 also became the beginning of the 57 days in which Judge Borsellino lived and continued working as a marked man. Despite the danger and with unwavering support from his family, he used each day to advance the cause of bringing down the Mafia. In Italian with English subtitles. Two-disc set, $29.95. Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).

photo for Haven: The Complete Fourth Season Haven: The Complete Fourth Season (2013)Four-disc set with 13 episodes. When FBI Agent Audrey Parker arrives in Haven, Maine on a routine case, she quickly finds herself involved in the return of the Troubles, a series of supernatural afflictions that have long cursed the seaside town and its residents. Joining the Haven Police Department, Audrey begins to realize that it was fate not luck that brought her to this place and that she is inexplicably linked to the mysteries of Haven. Based on "The Colorado Kid" and the universe of Stephen King. Formats: DVD: $39.98, Blu-ray Disc: $49.98,. Extras: Thirteen "Inside Haven" featurettes; "Haven" panel highlights from San Diego Comic-Con, Nerd HQ, and New York Comic Con; three interviews with the cast; six audio commentaries with the writers; "Darkside Seekers" Webisode series; "Pancakes: The Morning After" deleted scene, behind-the-scenes and blooper reel; 16-page comic book "Haven: In the Beginning," which features an original story by "Haven" story editor Nick Parker. (Entertainment One).

Heartland: The Complete Fourth Season (2010-11) Five-disc set with 18 episodes, $44.98. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).

photo for High School Confidential! BLU-RAY DEBUT High School Confidential! BLU-RAY DEBUT and DVD (1958) Dir.: Jack Arnold; Russ Tamblyn, Mamie Van Doren, Jackie Coogan, Jan Sterling, John Drew Barrymore, Diane Jergens, Ray Anthony, Charles Chaplin Jr., Michael Landon, Lyle Talbot. Fanning the flames of Eisenhower America's growing paranoia, "High School Confidential!" is the quintessential juvenile delinquency film that celebrates the very sex-drugs-and-rock 'n' roll culture it pretends to condemn. Staring Russ Tamblyn as Tony Baker, the new kid at Santa Bellow High, whose cocky attitude and ambitious weed-dealing enable him to infiltrate the gang of a local narcotics boss played by Jackie Coogan. But "High School Confidential!" is much more than a hardboiled crime picture: It's a pop-culture touchstone, a" Rebel Without a Cause" without the angst," The Wild One," but even wilder. The opening sequence with a piano pounding performance of the theme song by Jerry Lee Lewis on a flatbed truck is one that still sizzles and shakes. (Olive Films).

Inspector Manara: Season One and Season Two (2009-10) Guido Caprino stars as Inspector Luca Manara, a dreamy man and a supervisor's worst nightmare. He dismisses procedure and refuses to kowtow to local power players, but he's also without ego and a gifted investigator. When Manara arrives on a motorcycle to head up the police department in Tuscany, his offbeat methods endear him to colleagues and build espirit de corps. In Italian with English subtitles. Four-disc sets each with all 12 episodes, $39.95. Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).

I've Always Loved You (1946) Dir.: Frank Borzage; Catherine McLeod, Philip Dorn, William Carter, Maria Ouspenkaya. In this a stirring romance set in the world of classical music, a domineering maestro (Philip Dorn) exerts a Svengali-like control over Myra, a talented young pianist (Catherine McLeod). Frustrated by Leopold's domineering nature, the girl abandons her professional career and marries a humble farmer (William Carter). Years later, haunted by regret, Myra returns to face her former mentor, to prove that she was, and continues to be, a better musician than he ever credited her with being. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Olive Films).

photo for Jackpot Jackpot (2011 -- Norway) A winning soccer pool ticket propels an out-of-control and darkly humorous tale of murder, greed and betrayal, based on a story by bestselling Norwegian novelist Jo Nesbo. In a small Norwegian town near the Swedish border, a bloody shootout leaves eight people dead in an adult book shop. Buried alive under a large woman is bloodied and dazed Christmas tree factory supervisor Oscar (Kyrre Hellum), who must explain the scenario to a hard-boiled police inspector (Henrik Mestad). In Oscar's version of events -- ­which involve everything from a missing corpse, a tanning bed, a wood chipper, a sex-shop blow-up doll, a nail gun, a pigsty and Monopoly money -- he joins up with a trio of dangerous ex-con colleagues at the factory and wins the jackpot prize in a soccer betting pool. But when his co-workers get into a vicious battle over how to divide the money, Oscar is dragged along for a violent, gory and body-strewn ride. In Norwegian with English subtitles. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Doppelganger Releasing).

Jersey Shore Massacre (2014) Danielle Dallacco, Angelica Boccella,Giovanni Roselli, Chris Lazzaro, Sal Governale, Richard Christy, Bigfoot, Ron Jeremy. A typical weekend down the shore takes a bizarre turn in the New Jersey Pine Barrens as six girls and five obnoxious fist-pumpers become the unsuspecting targets of a deranged killer. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Attack Entertainment).

photo for The Legend of Hell House BLU-RAY DEBUT (1973) Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall, Clive Revill, Gayle Hunnicutt. It sits here, shrouded in mist and mystery, a nesting place for living evil and terror from the dead. It's Hell House. Roddy McDowall heads the cast of this exciting chiller about four psychic investigators and the dark, brooding mansion they call "the Mt. Everest of haunted houses." It's already destroyed one team of researchers. Now this brave quartet ventures in for another try at unraveling its secrets. Extras: New interview with director John Hough, new audio commentary with actress Pamela Franklin, theatrical trailer. (Scream Factory/Shout! Factory).

Live Nude Girls (2014) Mike Hatton, Dave Foley, Andy Dick, Bree Olson, singers Har Mar Superstar and Kuba Ka, adult superstar AVN Hall of Famer Tera Patrick. When Shane (Hatton) inherits a gentleman's club from his estranged uncle, he leaves his Midwestern home for a life of partying in Los Angeles. Once he arrives, Shane finds the club run by a boozehound (Foley), employing a horde of wild, sexy strippers and on the verge of bankruptcy. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Screen Media Films).

photo for Lucky in Love Lucky in Love (2014) Jessica Szohr, Ryan Kennedy, Ben Hollingsworth, Deidre Hall. Mira Simon has a definite idea of what her fantasy life entails: the perfect job, the perfect house and the perfect man. After a few innocent April Fool s jokes, Mira s dream life starts becoming a reality, and she soon realizes living her fantasy may not be all that it s cracked up to be. A Hallmark Channel Movie. Formats: DVD. (Cinedigm).

Masterpiece: Breathless (2014) Jack Davenport, Zoe Boyle, Catherine Steadman. Follows the exploits of doctors, nurses, and spouses connected with a busy obstetrics ward at a National Health Service hospital in London in 1961. It's a time when gynecologists are all men and nurses aspire to a trip down the aisle with a good-looking doctor. Abortion is illegal, the Beatles are still nobodies, and society is on the cusp of profound change. Airs on Masterpiece on PBS Sundays, August 24 to September 7. Formats: Two-disc DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. (PBS Distribution).

Medieval Lives (2013) An engrossing glimpse into the experiences of birth, marriage, and death in the Middle Ages. Presented by Cambridge historian Dr. Helen Castor. Two-disc set with three episodes, $34.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Twelve-page viewer's guide with a timeline, articles on the eras within the Middle Ages and the Black Death; biographies of selected medieval movers and shakers; fun facts; biography of Dr. Castor. (Athena).

Murder in Suburbia Complete Collection (2004-05) Four-disc set with 12 episodes of the BBC/ITV series about two female detectives who patrol an upscale suburb where perfect-looking lives crack to reveal all kinds of depravity, $59.99. (Acorn Media).

The Musketeers (2014) Three-disc set with 10 episodes of BBC America's new action-packed adventure series. Set on the streets of 17th century Paris, the series gives a contemporary take on the classic story of "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas. Formats: DVD: $34.98, Blu-ray: $39.98. Extras: "Creating Their World," "Bootcamp, Muskets, Leather, Corsets and Swords" and "Saving Constance: Their Finest Hour" featuettes. (BBC Home Entertainment).

photo for My Gal Sunday My Gal Sunday (2014) Rachel Blanchard, Erica Carroll, Elizabeth Higgins Clark, Cameron Mathison. A newlywed couple proves their crime-solving prowess when their political ties and successful private-eye business suddenly puts them in grave danger. When their parents are taken hostage by a vengeful kidnapper looking for justice for the wrongful murder conviction of his brother, the duo must work together to uncover the clues that will save their parents' lives -- and put their own on the line. A Hallmark Movie Channel movie. Formats: DVD. (Cinedigm).

The Normal Heart (2014) Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Julia Roberts, Alfred Molina, Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, Denis O'Hare, Stephen Spinella, Corey Stoll, Finn Wittrock, B.D. Wong. When writer Larry Kramer hosted a gathering of gay men at his home in 1981 to discuss the "gay cancer" that was plaguing their community, he effectively launched a series of events that would change the face of the Gay Rights Movement and American activism. In 1985, he immortalized the events in the groundbreaking play "The Normal Heart," which was later revived on Broadway in 2011, garnering five Tony Award nominations. Three decades after its Off Broadway debut, Kramer's dream of a film version to bring his urgent and pivotal story to an even wider audience finally arrived when "The Normal Heart" was broadcast on HBO. The drama tells the story of the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s. It explores the nation's sexual politics as gay activists and their allies in the medical community fight to expose the truth about the epidemic to a city in denial. Mark Ruffalo portrays Ned Weeks, who witnesses first-hand a mysterious disease that has begun to claim the lives of many in his gay community and starts to seek answers. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (HBO).

Now and Again: The DVD Collection (1999-2000) Five-disc set with all 22 episodes, $42.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Four-part documentary, "Gimme a Sign: Engineering Now and Again," "Now and Again: On the Set" behind-the-scenes featurette, "In Conversation: Writing Now and Again" interviews with the series creator Glenn Gordon Caron and members of the show's writing staff. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount).

photo for Portlandia Season 4 Portlandia Season 4 (2014) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $19.98. Fred, Carrie, Toni, Candace, Lance, Nina and many more of Portlandia's most loved and eccentric characters are back for a fourth season that includes a Pride Parade, a celery salesman, Ecoterrorists, informed ghosts, social bankruptcy, a punk from the '80s who wakes up from a coma, and many, many other quirky events. Guests include Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Vanessa Bayer ("Saturday Night Live"), Kirsten Dunst, Joshua Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), k.d. lang, Duff McKagan (Gun N' Roses, Velvet Revolver), Silas Weir Mitchell ("Grimm"), Michael Nesmith (The Monkees), Mark Proksch ("The Office"), Maya Rudolph, columnist Dan Savage, Nick Swardson ("Reno 911!"), jazz duo Tuck and Patti, Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) and Olivia Wilde. Paul Allen and members of the Portland Trail Blazers also stop by this season. Formats: DVD. (Video Services Corp.).

The Possession of Michael King (2014) Shane Johnson, Ella Anderson, Cara Pifko, Dale Dickey, Julie McNiven, Tomas Arana. Following the sudden death of his wife, a documentary filmmaker decides to make his next film about the search for the existence of the supernatural and decides to make himself the center of the experiment -- allowing demonologists, necromancers, and various practitioners of the occult to try the deepest and darkest spells and rituals they can find on him -- and an evil and horrifying force takes over his being. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. (Anchor Bay).

President Wolfman (2012) Marc Evan Jackson, Ashley Ann, Anthony Jenkins. The President of the United States has been bitten by a werewolf and is loose on the streets of Washington. This comedy/horror/political satire is also a "green movie," created entirely out of recycled stock and public domain film footage culled from over one hundred grainy government instructional shorts, classroom education movies, vintage stag reels and features that have fallen out of copyright -- as well as from the favor of the public -- with a newly scripted, scored and re-voiced soundtrack with enhanced visuals and effects. Formats: DVD. Extras: Several short films from director Mike Davis, outtakes, a music video, highlight reel of the production. (Wild Eye Releasing).

photo for A Promise A Promise (2013 -- France) Dir.: Patrice Leconte; Richard Madden, Alan Rickman, Rebecca Hall. Germany, 1912. Friedrich (Richard Madden), a graduate of humble origins, takes up a clerical post in a steel factory, soon becoming the elderly owner Karl's (Alan Rickman) private secretary and boarder. There he meets Lotte (Rebecca Hall), Karl's reserved and beautiful young wife. Starting an illicit romance, the two young lovers dreams are dashed when Karl announces he's sending his secretary to oversee his mines in Mexico. But Lotte makes a promise to Friedrich: when he returns in two years, she will be his no matter what. With the outbreak of World War I prohibiting his return to Germany, Friedrich must wait eight long years before returning to Europe and finding out if the woman he pines for has kept her promise during that brutal passage of time. Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).

photo for Queen Margot: 20th Anniversary Director's Cut Queen Margot: 20th Anniversary Director's Cut (2013 -- France) Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Virna Lisi, Vincent Perez. Digitally remastered director's, cut 20 minutes longer than the theatrical release, available for the first time in the U.S. France, 1572. During an uneasy break in the wars of religion, Catholic King Charles IX concludes a marriage of state between his sister, Margot (Isabelle Adjani), and the Protestant Huguenot King Henry of Navarre (Daniel Auteuil), by ramming forward a reluctant Margot's head in lieu of a "Oui." But Margot's skull-faced Queen Mother is already plotting the attack on the Huguenots that would come to be known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, and Margot is in the throes of a throbbingly romantic affair with the Protestant La Male. The late director Patrice Chereau's high octane adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel begins in fifth gear and never lets up, plunging in hip-deep in history and into a dizzying array of characters, with passionate performances and a riveting, horrific staging of the Massacre. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Cohen Film Collection).

Quicksand (1950) Mickey Rooney, Jeanne Cagney, Barbara Bates, Peter Lorre. After borrowing $20 from his employer's cash register, an auto mechanic is plunged into a series of increasingly disastrous circumstances which rapidly spiral out of his control. Formats: DVD. (Film Chest Media photo for Revelation Trail Group).

Revelation Trail (2013) Daniel Van Thomas, Jordan Elizabeth. Cross genre thriller billed as "The Walking Dead Meets Hell on Wheels." It's the late 19th century and a gruesome zombie plague threatens the American frontier. As the dead rise, the West may fall, but standing tall against the horde is a conflicted holy man known only as Preacher (Daniel Van Thomas), forced to find his purpose in the fight against the undead. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary with director John P. Gibson; bloopers and outtakes; behind-the-scenes featurettes "The Voice of Daniel Thomas," "Life on the Trail" and "Who Shot Who"; "On Location: Copper Canyon Ranch," "The Cabin" and "Old West Festival"; "My Beloved" music video by Angry Killbillies. (Entertainment One).

Revenge: The Complete Third Season (2014) Five-disc set with 25 episodes, $45.99. Formats: DVD. (Disney).

photo for A River of Skulls A River of Skulls (2010) Kelly Nixon, Erik MacRay, Aleph Ayin, Bruce D. Cole. A young woman and a half breed lose their families and struggle to survive the chaotic 1870's during the California Gold Rush, finding each other in the process. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Making-of featurette. (Lionsgate).

Same Same But Different (2009 -- Germany) Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, David Kross. Based on a true story, "Same Same But Different" revolves around Ben, a young German student traveling to Cambodia on a post-graduation summer trip, and Sreykeo, a 21-year-old bar girl in Phnom Penh. The two meet in a nightclub and quickly fall in love. After Ben returns home to Germany, Sreykeo, Skyping from Cambodia, reveals that she is HIV-positive; Ben immediately feels he must help her. In doing so he quickly discovers a world where not everyone is dealt the same cards and where motivations are not always pure. Formats: DVD. (First Run Features).

Sanctuary: Quite a Conundrum (2012) Sasha Ramos, Erin Cline, Emily Rogers, Anthony Rutowicz, Joe Coffey, Chris Greene, Catherine Trail, Julianna Pitt. A summer swimming party goes terribly wrong when a neighbor shows up unannounced -- completely naked and brandishing a gun. Forcing the young hostess to admit to their failed tryst, he turns the gun on himself and falls dead into the pool. From that flash point starts a nightmarish odyssey for everyone involved. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Midnight Releasing).

photo for 75 Years of WWII 75 Years of WWII (2014) Two-disc set with a new mini-series, "D-Day in HD," as well as three additional History specials: "Bloody Santa Cruz," "Enterprise Versus Japan" and "Ultimate World War II Weapons"; $14.98. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).

The Siege of Leningrad (2013) In 1941, Hitler ordered the German Army to invade Russia. The Nazis raced across Russia's heartland until they reached Leningrad -- the cradle of the Bolshevik Revolution. But the city did not fall quickly to Hitler's troops; instead it resisted. The siege of Leningrad began on September 8, 1941 and ended on January 27, 1944. For 872 days the city was surrounded. Within, the inhabitants fell into despair, starvation and cannibalism. Well over a million people lost their lives during this period. This documentary chronicles the breathtaking story both of heroism and mankind's failings -- and one of the worst atrocities carried out by Germany during the Second World War. Formats: DVD. (First Run Features).

Sons of Anarchy Season Six (2013) 13 episodes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Deleted scenes, "Anarchy Afterword," commentary on select episodes, season premiere, season finale, "Character Good Byes," gag reel. (Fox).

photo for The Stream The Stream (2013) Mario Lopez, Kelly Rutherford, Christopher Gorham, Rainn Wilson. A unique family comedy that benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the organization to support their youth development programs. Nearly 200 teenagers from BGCA, as well as additional teens from Philadelphia's Big Picture Alliance and from Dreaming Tree's Fresh Films Chicago program, worked behind the camera and/or in the editing bay during filming. In the summer of 1981, five preteen friends engaging in "Star Wars" Jedi battles face a gigantic epic adventure when a bully snaps in half a plastic bat being used as a lightsaber: the boys must follow a nearby stream to the town mall, buy a new bat and return home before their parents realize they're missing, all the while wrestling with small crushes, big imaginations and equivalent coming-of-age obstacles on a lazy summer afternoon. The film is bolstered by a nostalgic top-40 soundtrack with songs from Billy Squier, The Go-Go's, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and, of course, John William's iconic "Star Wars" score. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Cinedigm).

Triad (2012 -- Hong Kong) William Chan, Michele Wai, Derek Tsang. Three childhood friends join the Hong Kong Triads, only to discover that fame and fortune will ultimately break them apart as only one can become the leader of the gang. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of Triad" featurette. (Well Go USA).

Twilight Zone 80's: The Complete Series Collection contains all three seasons (65 episodes) from the '80s TV series. Formats: DVD. (RLJ/Image Entertainment).

Vengeance Is Mine BLU-RAY DEBUT (1979) A thief, a murderer, and a charming lady-killer, Iwao Enokizu (Ken Ogata) is on the run from the police. Director Shohei Imamura turns this fact-based story -- about the 78-day killing spree of a remorseless man from a devoutly Catholic family -- into a cold, perverse, and at times diabolically funny examination of the primitive co-existing with the modern. More than just a true-crime tale, "Vengeance Is Mine" bares humanity's snarling id. Restored high-definition digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Commentary from 2005 featuring critic Tony Rayns; excerpts from a 1999 interview with director Shohei Imamura, produced by the Directors Guild of Japan; trailer and tease; booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Atkinson, a 1994 interview with Imamura by writer Toichi Nakata, and writings by Imamura on "Vengeance Is Mine" and his approach to filmmaking. (The Criterion Collection).

photo for The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season (2013-14) Five-disc set with 16 episodes. Formats: DVD: $69.98, Blu-ray Disc: $79.99, Limited Edition "Tree Walker" Blu-ray set designed by MacFarlane Toys: $129.99. Extras: Featurettes: "Inside The Walking Dead," "The Making of The Walking Dead," "Drawing Inspiration," "Hershel," "The Governor Is Back," "Society, Science & Survival," "Inside KNB EFX," "A Journey Back to Brutality"; deleted scenes, commentary on select episodes. Blu-ray adds two "extended" episodes (Episode 9, "After" and Episode 14. "The Grove," seen for the first time. (Anchor Bay).

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series (1975-79) Sixteen-disc set with all 95 episodes. Formats: DVD. Extras: Original screen tests, "Only a Few Degrees From a Sweathog" featurette. (Shout! Factory).

Young and Beautiful (2013 -- France) Dir.: Francois Ozon; Marine Vacth, Geraldine Pailhas, Frederic Pierrot, Fantin Ravat. After losing her virginity, 17-year-old budding beauty Isabelle (Vacth) takes up a secret life as a call girl, meeting older gentlemen for erotic hotel room trysts. But throughout her sexual escapades Isabelle remains curiously aloof, showing little interest in the encounters themselves or the money she makes from them. What does Isabelle hope to gain by offering her body up to the whims of strangers? Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).


go back to top




rule


| Home | Resources | Links |


E-mail: mail@onvideo.org
© 1996 -- 2014 OnVideo. All rights reserved
August 19, 2014
(ISSN 1094-3676).

Get the latest DVD release information (free) every Tuesday morning. Subscribe here.

photoPrinter Friendly Version

Last Week's Releases: Tuesday, August 19 -- Monday, August 25