04.05.10 | Chris Cummins | New Releases This WeekPrint this Post
Maybe the movie studios thought everybody would be on spring break this week or something, because it's slim pickings for new releases. The more eagerly awaited recent films won't be making their DVD and Blu-ray debuts until later in the month. Fear not though film fans, there are still a few worthwhile things coming out this week.
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
Inspired by Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant, this strange crime drama from Werner Herzog stars Nicolas Cage as a police detective in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orlenas whose investigation of the killing of five Senegalese immingrants is complicated by his out-of-control gambling and drug problems. Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Fairuza Balk co-star. Pointless, esoteric trivia: In this film, Herzog reuses the music from his 1977 work Stroszek --which legend has it was the movie Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis was watching right before he took his own life on May 18, 1980. Bernard Sumner (Curtis' Joy Division bandmate) went on to form New Order and recently started a side project called, wait for it, Bad Lieutenant. Spooky!
I don't know exactly what you'll do with this information, but as I said earlier, it's a slow week. Watch our Raw Review: Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans
The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy
Peter Jackson's Academy Award-winning three-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy saga comes to Blu-ray with a nine-disc collector's set. In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), the bequest of the title ring to young Hobbit Frodo Baggins spurs the start of a perilous quest to prevent an ancient and overpowering evil from consuming all of Middle Earth. After the Fellowship splinters, some of its members battle the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron at Helm's Deep, while Frodo, Sam, and their "ally" Gollum continue to make their way towards Mt. Doom, in The Lord of the Ring: The Two Towers (2002). And The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) follows the final battle for the future of Middle Earth, and the fates of the One Ring of Power and its guardians. Elijah Wood, John Rhys-Davies, Miranda Otto, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Sean Astin star. (These are the original theatrical versions of the film, not the extended ones).
Also out on Blu-ray and DVD this week is a deluxe, remastered version of Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated adaptation of Tolkien's masterwork. This version features some interesting rotoscoping work and Anthony Daniels (C-3P0 from the Star Wars films) providing the voice of Legolas. Sure it's flawed, but there are some fun moments here to be found if you aren't too upset with how Bakshi condensed a huge amount if material to conform with the film's brief running time.
Highlighted by the on-screen reunion of Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance, this 1977 television special has Lucy portraying an Indiana housewife who calls President Carter to complain about a community issue. When the commander in chief accepts an invitation to have dinner at her house, hilarity ensues as Lucy deals with preparations, her friends, her family, and Secret Service agents. Gale Gordon, Mary Wickes, Ed McMahon co-star; with cameos from Steve Allen and Lillian Carter. Depending on your viewpoint, this is either a hysterically funny addition to Lucy's comedic oeuvre or an example of the comedienne unsuccesfully attempting to recapture her past glory.
Icons of Suspense: Hammer Films
Chills and spills abound in this collection of Hammer Films thrillers. A teenage girl (Mandy Miller) suspects her stepfather (Peter Van Eyck) of killing her mother and making it look like a suicide, in "The Snorkel" (1958). "Stop Me Before I Kill" (1960) centers on a race car driver who suffers a head injury and begins having thoughts about strangling his wife. Claude Dauphin stars. AKA: "The Full Treatment," "The Treatment." "Never Take Candy from a Stranger" (1960) is a controversial drama about a family whose young daughter is molested by an elderly man. Gwen Watford stars. AKA: "Never Take Sweets from a Stranger." Peter Cushing is a bank manager whose family is held hostage by a crook who wants access to the vault, in "Cash on Demand" (1961). A drifter (Kerwin Mathews) agrees to help a woman (Nadia Gray) break her murderous husband out of an insane asylum, in "Maniac" (1963). "These Are the Damned" (1963) tells of a group of children being held in isolation by a scientist (Alexander Knox) who's told them their immunity to radiation makes them the future of humanity. With Macdonald Carey, Oliver Reed. AKA: "The Damned."
For details and availability about more of this week's new releases, click here.
Here's a look at last week's New DVD Releases.
let me know when the good movies or comong out
let me know when some good movies are coming out on dvd
I am still looking for a DVD of "and the dival makes three" staring gene kelly
WHY hasen't the television show "Wonder Years" ever been officially released as the complete series.There are tons of bootlegs being sold.Please help as i've been incessantly fustrated in my attempts to find out. Thank you.
Alexander - The Devil Makes Three is unavailable at this time. When it finally hits DVD, you can bet that we will offer it. No word yet on a possible release date.
Dino - The Wonder Years is one of the most fondly remembered shows of all time. So why isn't it out on DVD? It all comes down to music. Songs of the era were a huge part of the series and its nostalgic appeal. However, because of the different artists, record companies and music publishers involved, securing all of the rights to the songs for a home DVD release is something of a logistical and legal nightmare. (Sometimes, as in the case of the WKRP in Cincinatti DVDs, songs are replaced or removed for DVD -- often resulting in sloppy edits and other negative changes). It's very likely that you will be able to see Kevin, Paul and Winnie on DVD at some point...though it's uncertain at this point whether or not the original music will be included. Here's hoping it is.
I'm still waiting for the late 60's series The Name of the Game to come out on DVD. Can't seem to get any info about this anywhere. When is it coming out? Does anyone know anything about this?
Christine:
That popular series (which was notable for featuring an early directing credit for Steven Spielberg and a cast that included Gene Barry, Robert Stack, Robert Culp, Peter Falk and Robert Wagner) has yet to be issued on DVD, and it would likely be a huge success. For now it lies in video limbo for any number of reasons, most likely legal issues. If and when it hits DVD, Movies Unlimited will carry it for sure.
When are TV shows Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip going to be released on DVD as complete series? Movie was made of Maverick and it looks like one is coming of 77 Sunset Strip.
Eva Mendes should be happy, that she gets a job. I can't really understand her problem. This is just stupid.
Now I feel stupid. That's crlaeed it up for me