DVD releases, include 'Doomsday,' 'Top Gun' and 'Two Fat Ladies'

“DARK CITY: DIRECTOR’S CUT”

Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 1998, not rated & R for violent images and some sexuality

Best extra:  The Director’s Cut includes a Fact Track that provides meticulous notes and fascinating trivia that allows viewers to truly appreciate all the work that director Alex Proyas (“I, Robot”) put into his definitive version of the film.

FANS OF THE sci-fi cult classic “Dark City” will be thrilled this week with the brand new Director’s Cut.  Upon its theatrical release in 1998, New Line demanded massive changes to Proyas’ original edit. The studio felt the story was so out there, audiences needed the film’s labyrinthine plot twists explained up front.  While it was heralded as a minor classic, the Director’s Cut is a revelation. The entire pace of the film has been changed, shots altered, scenes extended and shuffled, and the annoying voice over has been removed entirely.  The truth behind what’s going on in Proyas’ ever-evolving city and the identity of the mysterious men pursuing the film’s protagonist is unveiled slowly and comes as a revelation instead of being stated up front.

Blu-ray viewers will be pleased with the film’s new hi-def transfer.  “Dark City” was one of New Line’s earliest releases on DVD and has been in need of an upgrade for years.  To finally see the image resemble what audiences saw in theaters back in ’98 is a great satisfaction.  Colors, detail, sharpness and contrast are all exceptional and the 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is sumptuous.

An incredible array of extras has been included here.  Fans of the theatrical cut need not worry; it’s presented here in hi-def as well along with the original commentaries and special features from the original DVD.  Roger Ebert’s commentary is still a joy to listen to (he is a huge fan of the film and crowned it as the best film of 1998) and he provides a discussion about all the details he’s found in the film and all the allusions he sees to other films, particularly “Metropolis.”  Between the two cuts of the film there are FIVE commentaries (Ebert has expanded on his original commentary for the Director’s Cut) including Proyas, writers Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer, director of photography Dariusz Wolski, and production designer Patrick Tatopoulos. Also included are several featurettes, including the excellent “Memories of Shell Beach,” a 45-minute retrospective documentary, and much more.

This is an early contender for the best disc of the year.

— Josh Boone

 

 

  “SHINE A LIGHT”

Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 2008, PG-13 for language, drug references and smoking

Best extra: A short, kind of redundant, behind-the-scenes feature

THEY’RE “Spinal Tap” moments.

Mick Jagger is in London with the model on a set for the Rolling Stones’ fall ’06 gigs in New York. Across the pond, Martin Scorsese is on the stage of the Beacon Theater.

Something, it seems, got lost in the specs.

A little later, after Bill Clinton is done glad-handing, someone says to Scorsese, “This is rock ’n’ roll.”

Good thing “Shine a Light” comes with a behind-the-scenes feature. Here is the disc’s best moment: Jagger on harp, Keith Richards on acoustic guitar, Ronnie Wood on resonator and the great Charlie Watts keeping time as they slide through an instrumental “Wild Horses.”

This, folks, is rock ’n’ roll. Too bad the main attraction plays like a Super Bowl halftime show – uninspired and calculated, just longer.
You can’t fault Scorsese. An old hand in the arena (“The Last Waltz,” Michael Jackson’s “Bad” video, “No Direction Home: Bob  Dylan”), his quick cuts and tracking shots – and the sharp Blu-ray picture– inject much-needed adrenalin.

OK, so does a guest shot by blues great Buddy Guy on Muddy Waters’ “Champagne & Reefer.” Jack White isn’t bad, either.

But Christina Aguilera?

— Craig Shapiro

 

 

“WARGAMES: 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION”

Enhanced widescreen, 1983, PG for language

Best extra: A 45-minute retrospective making-of documentary with interviews from the cast and crew.

IN THE SUMMER OF 1982, everyone associated with “WarGames” was paranoid about losing their job. Co-writers Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes had already been canned. Director Martin Brest (“Beverly Hills Cop”) was out the door next. Young actors Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy thought for sure they were headed for the chopping block, especially with only two weeks of shooting finished.

During the new documentary, executive producer Leonard Goldberg recalls how he resurrected the great movie. First, He recruited John Badham, mostly a TV director, with a few movies under his belt (“Saturday Night Fever” and “Blue Thunder”). Badham rehired Lasker/Parkes, restored their Oscar nominated script, having them add a popcorn flick spin to the doomsday thriller. Then actor Barry Corbin was brought onboard to takeover the role of Gen. Beringer. Corbin gave it a more comical twist, ad-libbing some of the movies funnies lines.

Clearly “WarGames” was Broderick’s breakout role, playing the Seattle high school senior who accidentally hacks into a military computer and possibly sets off World War III.

During the documentary, Broderick recalls those non-techie days when he and none of friends had a computer. Before the movie, “I didn’t even know how to type,” says Broderick. He did get one gift from the producers, an arcade version of Midway’s Galaga,” so he could get real-l-l-l-y good. Broderick admits it was addictive.

The disc includes a commentary with Badham and the writers, a featurette on the origins of hackers and another on “Crystal Palace,” the NORAD facility at Cheyenne Mountain, Colo.  The DVD picture is much sharper and offers more vivid color than the original DVD, but still no Blu-ray.
 
— Bill Kelley III 

 

 

“PATRIOT GAMES”

Blu-ray widescreen, 1992, R for violence, language and brief sexuality

Best extra: A 25 minute making of documentary in standard-def.

AFTER THE PREMIERE of the first Tom Claney movie, “The Hunt for Red October,” producer Mace Neufeld was already plotting future films, commissioning scripts for both “Clear and Present Danger” and “Patriot Games,” the best options for the next Jack Ryan thriller.

“We needed to get to know Ryan and his family,” Neufeld explains during the documentary.  So, “Patriot Games,” which finds Ryan's family under attack after he foils a plot to kill an important British official, was the first to get the green light.  Next, Neufeld needed to insure that Alec Baldwin was still game to play the CIA analyst.  Neufeld felt he had already taken a chance with the 32-year-old actor, so “We could build a star.” But this time around, Baldwin decided to bail out for a role on Broadway.

That became a blessing since the franchise turned to Harrison Ford. The 90’s box office champ enjoyed playing the character so much he convinced Australian director Phillip Noyce and the rest of the crew to make the next Ryan flick, “Clear and Present Danger.”

The Blu-ray features a serviceable hi-def picture that retains a film-like look with fine grain.  The real winner is the soundtrack, an explosive Dolby TrueHD track, reproducing the original sound of the master recordings. No iPod repro here.

Paramount also released the other three Ryan films this week on Blu-ray, which can be found for under $20 at least at one super electronic chain.  They include "The Hunt for Red October," "Clear and Present Danger," and "The Sum of All Fears."
 
— Bill Kelley III 

 

 

“HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE”
”HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY”

Blu-ray widescreen, 2004/2008, unrated but originally rated R for strong language, sexual content, drug use and crude humor

Best extra: “Guantanamo Bay” offers a clever interactive feature that allows viewers to change the course of the film by selecting from new and alternate scenes which are then seamlessly integrated into the film giving you many varying versions of the film to view.

IN THE TRADITION of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" and "Dude, Where's My Car" comes this pot-smoking duo who are either trying desperately to get to White Castle for burgers or trying to escape from Guantanamo Bay after being pegged as terrorists on a flight because of their ethnicity.

Both films come to Blu-ray this week in pristine hi-def transfers that boast excellent detail, sharpness, and colors.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 tracks while exemplary will hardly give your system a workout considering these are dialogue-driven comedies.

Both the original “Harold & Kumar” and its “Guantanamo Bay” follow up are loaded with special features.  Both films are presented in their extended and unrated versions, which just make their raunch even raunchier.  Some may find the three commentaries included on the first “Harold & Kumar” (director, cast, writers, and a filthy commentary by a guy who plays Extreme Sports Punk #1 in the film) and the two on the second (director and cast again as well as some minor players in the film including the actor who portrays George W. Bush) to be overkill.

Both films include mindless featurettes with titles like “The Art of the Fart,” a huge amount of deleted and extended scenes and a digital copy of both films (for Windows Media Player only, sorry iPod owners).

For those who love their humor spiced up with a little potty, both “Harold & Kumar” films should fit the bill. There are also enough interesting jabs at racial stereotypes (the film stars a Korean-American and an Indian-American) to keep those looking for a little more entertained as well.  Excellent presentation and extras make these Blu-rays hard not to recommend.

—  Josh Boone

 

 

“DOOMSDAY”

Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen 2008, unrated but originally R for strong bloody violence, language and some sexual content/nudity

Best extra: Blu-ray viewers will dig Universal’s U-Control feature that enables a behind-the-scenes picture-in-picture track and two other options that give you a lot more background on the film’s sci-fi world, weaponry, and characters.

FANS OF “MAD MAX,” “Escape from New York,” and “Aliens” will revel in director Neil Marshall’s follow up to the acclaimed “The Descent.”  “Doomsday” is a post-apocalyptic actioner that blatantly rips off a stream of like-minded films but does it with enough style to warrant respect.  The violence is gruesome, the action intense, and the plot hard to follow (not that you’ll care).

“Doomsday” comes to Blu-ray in a jaw-dropping, reference quality hi-def transfer with jet blacks, incredible detail and sharpness, and bold colors (look at that blood spurt).  The film’s DTS-HD Master track is what home theater surround sound systems were made for.  This is a loud film packed with explosions, gunshots, and blaring music.  Surrounds and subwoofers are in use throughout.  This is an excellent disc to showcase your system with in both picture and audio departments.

Aside from the U-Control feature (one of the best Universal has done), the disc also includes a commentary by Marshall and some of the cast who clearly had a blast making the film.
 
— Josh Boone

 

 

“TOP GUN”

Blu-ray widescreen, 1986, Rated PG for language and brief sexuality

Best extra: The nearly 2 ½ hour documentary “The Making of ‘Top Gun’” is a ridiculously comprehensive retrospective look at the cultural phenomenon and includes new interviews with Tom Cruise and many others.

THOUGH NOT A GREAT FILM, “Top Gun” is an entertaining 80s classic that rocketed Cruise to superstardom.

Although available on the now defunct HD DVD format over a year ago, the Blu-ray version offers an identical hi-def transfer that is strong and sharp with deep blacks and terrific contrast.

But for you audio hounds, it’s a different story. The Blu-ray features multiple options, including a Dolby TrueHD and the impressive DTS-HD Lossless Master track that will give your sound system a real workout as the Navy F-14 Tomcat roars in aerial combat.

Extras are identical to the standard-def two-disc DVD collector’s edition from a few years ago. Director Tony Scott, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, screenwriter Jack Epps, and several technical advisors are on-hand for a commentary (spliced together from different sessions) that deals mostly with the technical aspects of the production.  But, the real winner is the massive documentary, which includes everything you could possibly want to know, including how Scott wrote a $25,000 check to compel the captain of the aircraft carrier Enterprise to take the ship off course so they could continue shooting in the right light. Also you’ll learn who got air sick during the production and how they cleverly mixed models and real jetfighters during the incredible flight sequences.

Exclusive to the Blu-ray is a 30-minute featurette, “Best of the Best: Inside the Real Top Gun,” which includes interviews with fighter pilots and instructors at the Nevada Top Gun school. There’s a lot of tech talk and only enough action footage to keep the average Joe from nodding off.

— Josh Boone

 

 

“THE MUMMY”

Full-screen, 1932, unrated

Best extra: "He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce," a profile of Universal's pioneering makeup artist

IF THE FILMMAKERS, makeup artists, authors and collectors who line up to sing the praises of Jack Pierce sound like a fan club, who can blame them?  Sure, Boris Karloff was the grand marshall of the Universal monster parade, but Pierce put a face on those nightmares.  He was the makeup man who came up with The Monster ("Frankenstein"), Imhotep/ Ardath Bey ("The Mummy"), The Monster's Mate ("Bride of Frankenstein") and the Wolf Man.  Check out what he did with Conrad Veidt in "The Man Who Laughs" and you'll see where "Batman" godfather Bob Kane cooked up The Joker.   Karloff himself even said Pierce created Frankenstein. "I filled out the suit."

Pierce's incredible achievements are documented in "He Who Made Monsters," a profile that is the highlight of a fun batch of extras assembled for "The Mummy," a two-disc set timed to the arrival of "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" in multiplexes coast to coast. Unfortunately, the picture (grainy, jumpy, spotted with artifacts) and sound (tinny) don't fare as well. Then, this rip-roaring adventure is 76 years old.

Besides, nothing could detract from the thrill unsuspecting audiences must have gotten when they settled into their seats in '32, as noted by film buff Bob Burns on one of the commentaries. Actually, it's more of a roundtable with an affable lineup of movie men and scribes. The other commentary features film historian Paul M. Jensen. Caveat emptor: It is dry and tedious.

Other extras include "Mummy Dearest," a feature that points out the film's inspiration -- the discovery of King Tut's tomb; "Unveiling the Legacy," a thinly disguised plug for the first two Brendan Fraser "Mummy" movies; an d "Universal Horror," a lengthy and enlightening retrospective that has been included on other titles in the studio's Legacy Series.
 
— Craig Shapiro

 

 

“STARGATE: CONTINUUM”

Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen 2008, not rated with some language and sci-fi violence

Best extra: All provide the requisite soundbites, but "A Layman's Guide To Time Travel," which solicits the opinions of an astrophysicist on the possibilities of time travel, is serious fun.

DESPITE ITS CANCELLATION, the "Stargate" franchise continues to churn full speed ahead, just like "Star Wars" (with its animated film due later this summer) and "Star Trek" (a reboot of the series arrives in December courtesy of "Lost" and "Alias" producer J.J. Abrams). But if the product is good, so what? Although "The Ark of Truth" got mixed reviews, the next straight-to-Blu-ray/DVD movie, "Continuum," has some momentum behind it. It has all the major players back (and some old ones), and, despite the oldest chestnut in the book -- time travel to change the future -- the story starts with its boots hitting the ground and never lets up until the closing credits.

Extras include a chummy commentary with writer and director, a making-of featurette ("It was almost like the old days," said old guard actor Richard Dean Anderson on the fun he had), and a featurette on how the production cooperated with the U.S. Navy to film in the chilly, dangerous Arctic.

But the hi-def imagery was quite good, with excellent sharpness, contrast and vivid color for the movie that's only worth watching for the craziest Stargate fans.

A final note: It's great that "Stargate" fans get their own high-def disc. But how about "The Princess Bride" or "Ronin," both which were on a MGM Blu-ray release list over a year ago?
 
— Carl Hott

 

 

"BALDWIN HILLS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON"

Full-screen, 2007, not rated

Best extra: "The Creators Segment" sheds light on the casting process. Instead of holding casting calls, the creators used a “six degrees of separation” approach to find teens who already knew each other.

A FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE doesn’t make teen life any easier. The cast of “Baldwin Hills” proves that. The BET reality show follows California teens with one thing in common – rich parents. The cast also features a girl from The Jungles, a rough neighborhood near Baldwin Hills. Director Michael McNamara calls it the perfect combination between the hood and the hills.

The two-disc DVD release features five special features, all of which delve deeper into the lives of these teens.  The casting tapes take the snobbish edge off of the teens and give them a chance to express themselves before they’re dumped into the drama.  The DVD also includes a tour of Ashley’s home and a day in the life of Sal.
 
— DeAnne M. Bradley

 

 

“TWO FAT LADIES”

Full-screen, 1996-1999, not rated

Best extra: “A Tribute to Jennifer Patterson” a documentary that examines the unusual life and personality of half of this heavyweight pair.

IN PANTRY OF cooking shows, there’s your standard fare, your gourmet fare and then there’s the truly unique. Okay, maybe even eccentric. That’s all that can describe the BBC’s “Two Fat Ladies.”

First broadcast over a decade ago, the 24-episode show paired two English food writers, the late Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright, as they traveled around England cooking in exotic kitchens (ever cook in a castle?) for various occasions (such as May Day).

The vision of Paterson driving a bike with Wright stuffed into the sidecar was quite a contrast to the stunning scenery that pervades the show.
But it wasn’t just the backdrops that make this show a keeper.

Paterson and Wright go against all the conventions that now pervade cooking shows. Unlike most female TV chefs, who are so thin and pretty you can’t imagine them ever eating the food they’re cooking, Dickson and Wright are anything but glamorous, or thin. And they obviously relish what they’re cooking, made with lots of butter and heavy cream. It’s easy to imagine them partaking of the same food at home.

Despite having never met prior to filming the pilot, the chemistry is relaxed, not politically correct, funny and humorous.

And you may ever like some the food. Well, maybe not the deviled kidneys.

— Larry Printz

 

 

“LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” — SEVENTH YEAR”

Enhanced widescreen, 2005-2006, not rated, but the subject matter and language are not for children

Best extra: None

WITH THE ALL-TOO-FAMILIAR two-note introduction, DUN-DUN, anybody who has watched television knows that a criminal saga is about to unfold.

“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” — one of several incarnations in the “Law & Order” series — involves sex cases and the New York cops and prosecutors who handle them. The subject matter is not for the squeamish or feint-of-heart, but it makes for good television. And it’s held up for several years.

The seventh season, now out on DVD, includes 22 episodes of the sickest, most depraved cases that you can imagine. Strangely enough, the cases are not all that far fetched, as the original “Law & Order” is taken from “today’s headlines.” Makes you wonder what kind of world we’re living in. There’s “Starved,” the episode where a series of rapes are linked to a speed-dating service, and as the detectives get close to the “perp,” they have to convince his girlfriend that she needs to testify against him; “Ripped” unfolds as one of the detectives learns that an attack on a high school student may have been committed by the unstable son of a former partner.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” stars B.D. Wong, Ice-T, Richard Belzer, Dan Florek, Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni. The shows guest stars help round out an excellent presentation, too: Dean Cain, Marcia Gay Harden and Brittany Snow for starters.

The seventh season of the critically acclaimed “Law & Order: SVU” is arresting entertainment that does not disappoint.
 
— Cliff Redding

 

 

“TYRONE POWER: MATINEE IDOL COLLECTION”

Full-screen, 1936-1951, not rated

Best extra:  Melancholy and memorable, "My Dad, Tyrone Power," is a featurette where his three children try their best to explain what their father meant to them. His oldest daughter was only 7-years-old when he died and, since she lived in Italy, the first time that she heard her father's voice (when it wasn't dubbed in Italian) was at age 15 when she got hold of a recording of him reading poems of Lord Byron.

BASIL RATHBONE, who should know, having crossed swords with both of them, once said of Tyrone Power that, "he could fence Errol Flynn into a cocked hat."  There’s not much fencing in this collection that features the quintessential movie star in some romantic comedies, "Love is News” (1937), "Second Honeymoon" (1937), "Day-Time Wife" (1939), "That Wonderful Urge" (1948), a couple of fantasies, "The Luck of the Irish" (1948) and "I'll Never Forget You" (1951), a classic war film, "This Above All" (1942), and a couple of melodramas, "Girl's Dormitory" (1936) and "Johnny Apollo"(1940).  Ten films in all on five double-sided discs show a lot of the mid-thirties to late-forties career of Power at Fox Studios from when he was first really noticed in 1936's "Girl's Dormitory" to 1951's time skipping fantasy "I'll Never Forget You."

Special features include the "My Dad, Tyrone Power" featurette, "Ty and Loretta:  Sweethearts of the Silver Screen," "Tyrone Power:  Prince of Fox,” and "Jayne Meadows Remembers," theatrical trailers, publicity stills, deleted scenes and production stills. Also, "The Luck of the Irish" had an effect where all the scenes taking place in Ireland were tinted green when the film was released to theaters in 1948. Viewers now have the option to see the movie just as the original theatergoers did, or run it as straight black-and-white.
 
— Mike Reynolds

 

 

“WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE: WIZARD SCHOOL”

Full-screen, 2008, TV-G

Best extra: Not a hard choice, just one, "Work it Like a Wizard"

DISNEY CAN PICK up on pop-culture trends in America and make money like the pros they are. "Wizards of Waverly Place" is the company’s latest coup.  Paralleling in some ways the "Harry Potter" books, these young wizards live a normal live in New York City with their parents, who try to get them to appreciate their magic and never take the easy way out with it. In that way, things always go wrong.  Selena Gomez, who plays teen witch Alex, is one of Disney’s rising stars, as well as David Henrie (older brother Justin) and Jake T. Austin (younger brother Max). Watching the four episodes, two of which play off the DVD’s title, "Wizard School," shows why.

As for the bonus feature, Disney did the right thing here by introducing people to the three young stars by asking them questions, i.e. what music do you listen to, what do you think of the summer’s Disney Channel Games, and showing viewers things the kids like to do when they’re not filming the series. Selena likes to shop, David plays guitar and Jake skateboards like a champ.

If you can’t stand the similarities between this and "Harry Potter," skip it. If not, it’s this generation’s version of "Bewitched."
 
— Toni Guagenti 

 

 

“BEVERLY HILLS 90210: THE FIFTH SEASON”

Full-screen, 1994-95, not rated

Best extra: Nada, there isn’t one this time around

THE HEAT ONLY turns up as the "Beverly Hills 90210" kids find themselves solidly in the adult world, dealing with adult problems during the Fox show’s fifth season.

The eight-disc collection features episodes that highlight affairs, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll and sad (or not so sad) goodbyes.

Brenda (Shannen Doherty) decides to stay in London in the season’s beginning and the Walsh parents decide to move to Hong Kong at the end.  Dylan (Luke Perry) dives into depression with drugs and alcohol, but then recovers to find out he’s lived a past life. The new "Brenda" on the block, Valerie (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) starts her 90210 time sleeping around and Brendan (Jason Priestley) always saves the day, especially at California University.

Unfortunately, unlike the previous four seasons on DVD, this one does not include any extras. Maybe next time - there are still a few seasons to go. We can only hope for a reunion.
 
— Toni Guagenti