08.29.11 | Chris Cummins | New Releases This WeekPrint this Post
As September rolls in, this week's new releases are a diverse mix of classic films and TV sets, So if you want to catch up with Cagney and Lacey, Dr. House, the gals of Cougar Town, The Browns, and other small screen favorites, you're in luck. For non-TV fans, there's some film favorites making their debut as well. Here's what DVDs and Blu-rays you'll be tuning into in the week ahead!
Fast-paced espionage thriller follows Casey Reed (Gene Barry), a secret agent posing as a nightclub singer, as he undertakes a dangerous mission to rescue the prince of the small Arab nation of Thamen from Soviet spies. Can Reed save the young royal and foil a communist plot to ruin an agreement that will allow a U.S. missile base to be built in Thamen? Beverly Tyler, Noel Drayton, Allison Hayes co-star.
A wealthy shipping magnate is murdered just after a fire destroyed one of his luxury liners with a fortune in Chinese bonds aboard. His daughter's fiance is the chief suspect, but feisty reporter Bobbie Logan (Marjorie Reynolds) isn't convinced, so she enlists the aid of Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff, in his final series appearance) to catch the real killer. Grant Withers, William Stelling, Melvin Lang also star.
Miraculously surviving a plane crash in the Sahara, an airman (Rod Cameron) and his three passengers unearth a derelict German tank left buried since World War II. Restoring it to working order, the foursome soon meets up with Arabs who believe them to be key in recovering a mythical cache of jewels. Exotic adventure film co-stars Tab Hunter, Anthony Caruso, and John Abbott.
There's nothing "easy" about the ride biker gang boss Chino (Dennis Hopper) has here, as he attacks rival gangleader Darryl (Jody McCrea), leaving him for dead and kidnapping his girl (Chris Noel). But Darryl recovers, setting the stage for a violent fight for revenge. Action-filled chopper saga also stars Jock Mahoney, Robert Tessier, and Casey Kasem as "Mouth."
When a bank robbery pulled by the ex-Confederate Mason clan leaves a young boy dead, Gray Mason (Ben Cooper) is the only member of his family to feel any remorse. He returns to town and is taken in by John and Nora Willoughby (John Payne and Ruth Roman), unaware that they're the little boy's parents. When John discovers who Gray really is, will it lead to forgiveness or more bloodshed? J. Carrol Naish, John Smith also star in this searing western drama.
Elements of the Jules Verne novels "Master of the World" and "Robur, The Conqueror" are combined in this marvelous science-fiction thriller. Vincent Price stars as Captain Robur, a 19th-century scientist who builds a gigantic airship and sets out to eliminate the world's weapons in an effort to abolish war. With Charles Bronson, Henry Hull, Mary Webster.
An 18th-century family is terrorized by a band of fishermen on an island off the Carolina coast in this exciting action-adventure tale. They receive some much-needed aid from a family friend, but the most unexpected help comes in the form of a mysterious stranger who may actually be the notorious pirate Blackbeard. James Mason, Kate Manx, Neville Brand, Warren Oates, Rip Torn, Harry Dean Stanton star.
After the great pirate Barbarossa (John Payne) escapes from a Spanish prison with fellow inmates he recruits as his seafaring crew, he takes to the waters with a stolen vessel and a countess (Donna Reed) he intends to hold for a hefty ransom. However, the swashbuckler's dark heart is soon melted by her charms, leading him to chart an even more dangerous course. With Gerald Mohr, Lon Chaney, Jr.
Blasted by radiation during a mission to Saturn, astronaut Steve West (Alex Rebar) returns to Earth to find out he's been afflicted with a gruesome ailment that begins turning his body into a gooey liquid. The good news: There's a way to slow down the melting process. The bad news: It means Steve will have to feed on the flesh of other humans. Chilling sci-fi/horror tale, with make-up effects by Rick Baker, also stars Burr DeBenning, Myron Healey; look for filmmaker Jonathan Demme in a bit part.
Cagney & Lacey: Together Again
Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly reprise their roles as Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey, respectively, in this made-for-TV crime drama. When a homeless man who was threatening tenants at an upscale apartment complex is murdered, police believe another street person is responsible. Cagney and Lacey think it's a resident, but both women find that stress in their personal lives may derail the investigation. John Karlen, David Paymer, and James Naughton co-star.
Cougar Town: The Complete Second Season
Courteney Cox stars in this smart and sexy sitcom as Jules Cobb, a recently divorced mother and successful real estate agent who reinvents herself with a new life as a "cougar" (a woman over 40 on the prowl for younger men). The series also stars Busy Philipps as Jules' feisty, fun-loving assistant Laurie, Christa Miller as her sharp-tongued neighbor and best friend Ellie, and Brian Van Holt as her unemployed ex-husband Bobby. With Dan Byrd, Ian Gomez. All 22 episodes from season two-including "All Mixed Up," "You Don't Know How It Feels," "No Reason to Cry," "Walls," and the two-part "Something Good Coming"-are featured in a three-disc set.
Desperate Housewives: The Complete Seventh Season
Part soap opera and part dark comedy, ABC's hit series follows the romantic adventures of five suburban ladies in the wake of their friend's tragic suicide. Join divorced mother Susan (Teri Hatcher), career woman-turned-stay-at-home mom Lynette (Felicity Huffman), icy "perfect homemaker" Bree (Marcia Cross), ex-model Gabrielle (Eva Longoria), and frequent divorcee Edie (Nicollette Sheridan) for all their outrageous exploits. Steven Culp, Mark Moses also star. All 23 episodes from season seven-including "Remember Paul?," "Let Me Entertain You," "Assassins," "Searching," and "Come On Over for Dinner"-have been collected in a five-disc set.
Hugh Laurie wields a cane, a brusque bedside manner and a brilliant diagnostic mind as Dr. Gregory House, an acerbic expert in infectious diseases who leads a crack team of physicians as they tackle the most baffling of cases, in the hit Fox hospital drama. Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard also star. All 23 episodes from the seventh season-including "Now What?," "A Pox on Your House," "Bombshells," "The Dig," and "Moving On"-are featured in a five-disc set.
Tyler Perry wrote, directed, and co-stars in this funny and poignant film based on his stage play that follows Madea as she tries to gather her niece Shirley's three children together for a serious family announcement. Joined in her task by the equally wild Aunt Bam, the gun-toting granny helps her young family members realize what is really important in life. With Loretta Devine, Cassi Davis, Shannon Kane.
Tyler Perry's popular play becomes a sassy new sitcom! Church deacon Leroy Brown (David Mann) misreads some advice given in a letter from his late father, resulting in his going into the retirement community business. At the newly opened Brown Meadows, Leroy works with his daughter Cora (Tamela J. Mann), his nephew Will (Lamman Rucker), and Will's nurse wife (Denise Boutte) to manage the affairs of their eccentric community. With Tony Vaughn, Juanita Jennings. The first 20 episodes of the series-including "Meet Brown Meadows," "Meet the Babies," "Meet the Dangerous and the Deadline," "Meet the Truth," and "Meet the Future"-are presented in a three-disc set.
In this fun tween dramedy, straight-A student Nova's planning of her high school senior prom is complicated when bad boy Jesse is assigned to help her as part of his detention punishment. Despite their very different backgrounds, they begin to feel something for each other. Joined by a variety of diverse classmates, Nova and Jesse prepare for a night that they will never forget. Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonell, DeVaughn Nixon, Danielle Campbell star.
From The Shield writer/producer Kurt Sutter comes this down-and-dirty FX series that follows the members of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club, modern-day outlaws that deal in the sale of illegal weapons to California drug gangs. Jackson "Jax" Teller (Charlie Hunnam) is the club's vice president, who struggles with being a new dad while taking on more of a leadership role within the gang. Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal, Mark Boone Junior also star. All 13 third-season episodes-including "So," "Caregiver," "Turning and Turning," "Bainne," and "NS"-are featured in a four-disc set.
The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Second Season
In the vein of vampire films such as Twilight comes this TV series from the CW starring Nina Dobrev as a young girl trying to readjust to high school life after the death of her parents. She meets the new kid (Paul Wesley) on campus and the pair makes a deep connection. However, Wesley is a bloodsucker and he and his evil brother (Ian Somerhalder) will soon wage war over Dobrev. Katerina Graham and Steven R. McQueen co-star. All 22 episodes from the second season-including "The Return," "Plan B," "The Sacrifice," "Klaus," and "As I Lay Dying"-are featured in a five-disc set.
Return to TV's most popular zip code in this soapy follow up to the '90s hit "Beverly Hills, 90210." This time, West Beverly High graduate Harry Wilson (Rob Estes) leaves Kansas with his wife Debbie (Lori Loughlin), their daughter Annie (Shenae Grimes), and adopted son Dixon (Tristan Wilds), coming back home to care for his alcoholic mother (Jessica Walter) and serve as principal at his alma mater. With AnnaLynne McCord and Jessica Lowndes, and appearances by Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth.
All 22 episodes from season three-including "Senior Year, Baby," "Catch Me If You Cannon," "Liars," "Revenge of the Nerd," and "To the Future!"-are collected in a six-disc set.
You may have loved seeing Cap on the big screen this summer, but did you know that there was a Captain America movie made in 1990? It's true! The comics' shield-flinging guardian of liberty makes his feature film debut! In this thrilling adventure epic, Cap (Matt Salinger) emerges from the days of World War II into the modern era (his spectacular physique perfectly preserved while in suspended animation) to defend the Free World from the evil schemes of his arch-enemy, the Red Skull (Scott Paulin), who has concealed his Nazi past and launched a new villainous plot. Ronny Cox, Melinda Dillon also star.
For details and availability of more of this week's new releases, click here.
Here's a look at last week's DVD and Blu-ray releases.
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