Category: dvd releases

DVD PICKS

Rashomon – Special Edition (Optimum): Akira Kurosawa‘s classic 1950 film about the rape of a woman and the apparent murder of her husband seen through the widely differing accounts of four witnesses. They include: the bandit Tajōmaru (Toshirō Mifune), the murdered samurai (Masayuki Mori), his wife (Machiko Kyō), and the nameless woodcutter (Takashi Shimura). The film was massively influential on Western cinema and still stands up very well and explores the nature of seeing and believing in a way that few films have matched since. 

The extras on this disc are much better than the BFI release from 2001 and they include:

• A 67-minute documentary called ‘A Testimony for an Image: Rashomon’, which interviews many of the original crew members. The key surviving player is screenwriter Shinobu Hashimoto, although it is interesting to hear stories from the crew members about the conditions in which it was made.
• A six-minute introduction from director John Boorman and the original theatrical trailer. 

Although the transfer isn’t massively improved from the 2001 BFI version, this is still a classic film worth owning from one of the most important directors in the history of cinema. 

The Last House on the Left (Metrodome): Wes Craven‘s infamous 1972 horror film is finally released uncut and uncensored on UK DVD for the first time in a 3-disc ‘ultimate edition’. The story is a brutal tale of revenge that explores what happens when a group of teenage girls hook up with a gang of drug-addled thugs. It has a long and interesting history of being censored in the UK and because of that this DVD package has a bunch of extras that are spread over the 3 discs:

> Disc 1

• Feature commentary by writer/director Wes Craven and producer Sean S.Cunningham
• A 2nd feature commentary by stars David Hess, Marc Sheffler and Fred Lincoln
• ‘Celluloid Crime Of The Century’: A 40 minute making of… documentary
• ‘Scoring Last House…’: A featurette with composer and actor David Hess 
• ‘Krug Conquers England’: Featurette charting the theatrical tour of the first ever UNCUT screening of the film in the UK
• 20 mins of outtakes and dailies
• US theatrical trailer
• TV spots
• Radio spots

> Disc 2

• ‘Krug & Company’: A rare and complete alternate cut of the film
• An exclusive interview with Carl Daft of Exploited Films, who took the BBFC to courts over the film’s banned status
• Rare and world exclusive never-seen-before footage that was only recently discovered.

> Disc 3

• ‘Going To Pieces: The Rise & Fall Of The Slasher Film’: Feature length documentary on the ‘slasher’ film phenomenon that followed “Last House…”
• Filmmakers’ commentary
• Deleted scenes
• Horror film quiz

Although the film isn’t the horror classic it’s reputation might suggest, this DVD package is still worth getting for horror fans or those just curious about why it was (wrongly) banned for so long.

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ALSO OUT

Adulthood (Pathé): From director, writer and actor Noel Clarke, the sequel to Kidulthood (which Clarke wrote) is set against the backdrop of contemporary London.

Babylon (Icon): Directed by Franco Rosso and starring Aswad front man Brinsley Forde, Karl Howman and Trevor Laird, this is a mix of music and social commentary to recount the everyday experiences of a small group of working class black youths living in South London in the early 1980s.

Big Love – Season 1 (HBO): Bill Paxton plays as a practicing polygamist who lives in Salt Lake City with his three wives and seven children. An businessman who runs a growing chain of hardware stores, Bill faces the challenge of meeting the emotional, romantic and financial needs of his wives: Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloe Sevigny) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) while dealing with their kids, three houses, bills and the opening of his newest hardware store. 12 episodes are spread across 5 discs with extras that include commentary on two episodes and a short – Big Love: A Balancing Act on Ice.

Boston Legal – Season 4 (Fox): James Spader, William Shatner and Candice Bergen are joined by John Laroquette in the fourth season of David E. Kelley’s law comedy drama series. The 20 episode fourth season is spread across five-discs. There are no announced extras. 

Death Note 2: The Last Name (4Digital Asia): Picking up immediately where the first ‘Death Note’ movie left off, the sequel sees the deadly psychological duel between Light and L enter a thrilling new phase. Released as a two-disc limited edition release that includes a 24-page ‘Death Note 2′ book.

Hellsing Ultimate – Volume 1 (Manga): This retelling of the manga series created by Kouta Hiran is described as a much closer adaptation of the Hirano’s original work. Originally announced as a two-disc set featuring the first two episodes of the OVA, Manga have since been forced to revise those plans and will now issue each OVA as a single-volume priced at £14.99 RRP.

Las Vegas – Season 5 (Universal Playback): Tom Selleck stars as recently installed Montecito Casino owner A.J. Cooper in season five of this drama series. Episodes are spread across five-discs but there are no subtitles or extras. 

Memories Of Underdevelopment (Mr. Bongo Films): Hailed as one of the most sophisticated films ever to come out of Cuba in the early days of Castro’s revolution, this is regarded as Cuban director Tomas Gutierrez Alea’s tour de force.

Naruto Unleashed – Series 4 Vol.2 (Manga): Adapted from the best-selling manga created by Masashi Kishimoto, the hit anime series following the adventures of a ninja boy in training continues uncut on DVD with the next 13 episodes (92 to 104) spread across three-discs.

Naruto Unleashed – Series 3: Complete (Manga): Priced at £39.99 RRP this six-disc set bundles together the two volumes released in April and May of this year (which comprised episodes 53 to 73)

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (Lionsgate): A new adventure for a younger generation of Marvel heroes: orphans bound only by their parents’ former alliance known as The Avengers. Fostered by billionaire bachelor Tony Stark (aka Iron Man), four teenagers with lineage to some of the most famous Marvel heroes of all time including Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Black Panther, Wasp and Giant Man suddenly find themselves the earth’s only hope in stopping a deadly foe. 

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Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic (Warner): The US comedian Sarah Silverman entertains a Los Angeles audience with several sketches, taped outside the theatre, and they are woven into a stand-up performance.

Smallville – Season 7 (Warner): The adventures of a young Superman continue with Season 7 of this WB series.

Stewie Griffin – Best Bits Uncovered (Fox): One of two 2-disc sets which include Family Guy episodes focused around Stewie and Peter which also include a digital copy of the episodes and free ringtones for mobiles. It includes the episodes: Chitty Chitty Death Bang, The Tan Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Stewie Loves Lois and The Courtship of Stewie’s Father. 

Superhero Movie (Momentum): This spoof from the creators of The Naked Gun and Scary Movie takes aim at comic book movies.

The Guard Post (Cine Asia): From Su-chang Kong, the director of R-Point, comes a similarly themed Korean film that is part murder-mystery part horror-story. Also known as GP506 the film follows an army platoon headed by a military investigator as they are dispatched overnight to re-establish contact with the platoon stationed at Guard Post 506.

The Incredible Hulk (Universal): Edward Norton stars as Bruce Banner in director Louis Leterrier’s take on the Hulk. The film also stars Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt

The Ruins (Paramount): Based on the novel by Scott Smith, this surprisingly entertaining horror follows a group of friends who become entangled in a brutal struggle for survival after visiting a remote archaeological dig in the Mexican jungle where they discover something deadly living among the ruins. 

The Tudors – Season 2 (Sony): In the second season of The Tudors, Henry (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is finally free to marry Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer), however we soon find out why she is later called ‘Anne of a Thousand Days’ as the political and emotional turmoil of life at court find another victim.

The Ultimate Gangster Class A Selection (Universal): This 10-disc set brings together five gangster films to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Scarface. The titles are: American Gangster, Carlito’s Way, Casino, Mean Streets and Scarface. The set includes a disc of exclusive Scarface related extras, a disc of exclusive American Gangster extras and an exclusive 32-page American Gangster booklet. 

Tokyo Zombie (Manga): Based on the manga by Yusaku Hanakuma, and written and directed by Sakichi Sato (writer of Takashi Miike’s ‘Ichi The Killer’ and ‘Gozu’), the horror-comedy Tokyo Zombie stars Tadanobu Asano and Miike regular Sho Aikawa as an unlikely pair of heroes hilariously pitted against an army of flesh eaters taking over Japan.

Zombie Strippers (Sony): Adult film star Jenna Jameson and horror legend Robert Englund star in this zombie adventure.

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If you have any questions about this week’s DVD releases or any upcoming titles then just email me or leave a comment below.

> Buy Rashomon – Special Edition or The Last House on the Left on DVD at Amazon UK
> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
> Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 10th October)

DVD PICKS

21 (Sony): Based on the best selling book Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich, this is tells the story of the MIT Blackjack Team who won millions in Las Vegas counting cards. Jim Sturgess plays a talented student who is persuaded to join a group of maths students (who include Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo and Liza Lapira) headed up by a professor (Kevin Spacey) who orchestrates lucrative weekend trips to Vegas casinos. Directed by Robert Luketic, it has changed some aspects of the book but is still a breezily entertaining caper with some nice performances from Spacey and Laurence Fishburne in a supporting role. It is Sturgess though, who stands out in the lead role and he could well go on to have a successful Hollywood career. [Also available on Blu-ray]

* Listen to our interviews from back in April with Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey about 21 *

Caramel (Momentum): This debut film by Lebanese writer/director and actress Nadine Labaki explores the lives of five women working together in a Beirut beauty parlour is a charming and eye-opening treat. Refreshingly free of many of the cliches that dog films set in the Middle East, it manages to make some salient points about women in that region of the world. But it is also a spirited portrayal of different characters finding solidarity with one another. What’s perhaps most impressive is the series of fine performances that Labaki has drawn from her non-professional cast who imbue the film with a rare energy and spirit.

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ALSO OUT

Arctic Tale (Paramount): A documentary about a polar bear cub and a walrus pup narrated by Queen Latifah.

B.T.K. (Lionsgate): A film based on the real life of Dennis L. Rader, the notorious serial killer who brutally bound, tortured and killed his victims.

Botched (Optimum): A zany horror film set in Russia about a professional thief (Stephen Dorff) who finds himself dealing with serial killers, insane hostages and double-crossing psycho Russian hard men.

Brave Story (Optimum): Koichi Chigira directs this Gonzo animation studios production about an 11-year-old who is told he can change his destiny by entering a magic gateway into another world.

Caught (Second Sight); A re-release for director Max Ophuls‘ 1949 drama about a young secretary (Barbara Bel Geddes) married to millionaire (Robert Ryan) who falls in love with her employer (James Mason).

CSI: Miami – Season 5 Part 2 (Momentum): The second part of the 5th season of the Miami version of the popular forensics drama.

Grindhouse Trailer Classics 2 (Nucleus Films): Another compilation of trailers from cult and exploitation (or ‘grindhouse’) movies including promos for The Black Gestapo, The Depraved, Bloody Pit Of Horror, The Pink Angels, Foxy Brown.

In the Night Garden: Hello Tombliboos! (BBC): The BBC’s preschool TV show about excitable, tumbly, knocabout pepper-pot toys gets released by BBC Worldwide.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (aka Doppleganger) (Universal): This 1969 sci-fi movie written by Gerry Anderson is set one hundred years into the future when scientists discover an exact duplicate of Earth orbiting on the other side of the sun.

La Ronde (Second Sight): Director Max Ophuls’ adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s play is set in Vienna in the early 1900s and is a series of tales woven together by the Raconteur (Anton Walbrook) as each segment introduces a new character, who then moves on to an affair with another.

Man of the East (Optimum): A western with Terence Hill as a naive young man trying to make a name for himself with the help of his father’s three old friends: Monkey (Dominic Barto), Holy Joe (Harry Carey Jr.) and Bull (Gregory Walcott).

Monk Season 6 (Universal Playback): Tony Shalhoub returns as the phobia-laden detective Adrian Monk for the 6th season which includes guest stars such as Alfred Molina, Sarah Silverman and Snoop Dogg.

Navajo Joe (Optimum): Sergio Corbucci’s spaghetti western with Burt Reynolds as an avenging Native American called on to help a town fight back against outlaws.

Nothing But A Man (Metrodome): This 1964 drama, directed by Michael Roemer, is a love story about a man (Ivan Dixon) who is forced to confront prejudice and self-denial when he falls in love with an educated preacher’s daughter (Abbey Lincoln).

Protégé (Liberation Entertainment): A Hong Kong crime thriller about an ailing druglord (Andy Lau) who is unaware that his protégé (Daniel Wu) is actually an undercover cop.

The Eye (Lionsgate): A US remake of the Pang Brothers film of the same name, this stars Jessica Alba as a woman who after undergoing surgery to restore her sight begins to see inexplicable and frightening images that haunt her.

The Hills Run Red (Optimum): A spaghetti western about two confederate army buddies carrying a shedload of money to help the cause at the end of the civil war when they are set upon by Yankees.

The 2 Sides of the Bed (TLA): A romantic farce, which is a follow up to The Other Side of the Bed.

Tortured (Sony): A thriller about an undercover FBI agent who has to track down a mysterious crime lord’s money. Stars Cole Hauser, James Cromwell and Laurence Fishburne.

What Happens in Vegas (Fox): Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz star as two mismatched strangers who – after a wild night in Vegas – find themselves married. But a huge gambling win complicates the anullment and a judge (Dennis Miller) sentences them to six months “hard marriage.”

Spooks – Code 9 (Contender): The new BBC Three drama from the producers behind Spooks and Life on Mars comes to DVD the day after the last episode airs.

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> Buy 21 and Caramel on DVD at Amazon UK
> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
> Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 5th September)

DVD PICKS

Doomsday (Universal): Although this post-apocalyptic action-thriller shamelessly rips off Mad Max 2 and Escape From New York, it remains something of a guilty pleasure. When a futuristic Britain comes under threat from a deadly virus, Rhona Mitra heads up a team of soldiers who have to venture into the forbidden wastelands of Scotland in order to find a cure. Director Neil Marshall brings an undeniable flair to the action sequences and although this isn’t nearly as accomplished as his last film (The Descent) it is watchable enough if you don’t take the hammy acting and clunky dialogue too seriously. [Also available on Blu-ray]

* Listen to our interview with Neil Marshall about The Descent *

Jerry Maguire (Sony): You might have forgotten that this 1996 film was one of the first to be released on the DVD format way back in the Spring of 1998. It has taken a little longer for it to reach Blu-ray, but if you have made the jump to Sony’s HD format then you might well want this charming comedy-drama to be part of your new collection. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, it is the charming tale of a sports agent named Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) who goes it alone with his assistant Dorothy (Renée Zellweger). He soon falls for her and also has to deal with a pushy footballer client played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor). Along with Almost Famous and Say Anything, it remains one of Crowe’s best films.

Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? (Optimum): Morgan Spurlock came to fame with Super Size Me, the hit 2004 documentary about fast food and has followed it up with this exploration of where the world’s most wanted terrorist is. Although not as groundbreaking or successful as his previous film, there are some interesting sections including illuminating visits to Egypt, Saudi Arbaia, Israel and Afghanistan. Perhaps where the film suffers a little is in it’s premise – surely a more interesting question (and film) would be: ‘Why hasn’t the US found Osama Bin Laden?’.

* Listen to our interview with Morgan Spurlock about Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? *

ALSO OUT

Alive (Optimum): Based on the comic books by Tsutomu Takahashi, this is a live-action sci-fi horror directed by Ryuhei Kitamura.

Cashback (Universal): An ‘offbeat comedy’ directed by Sean Ellis about the unconventional life of an art student (Sean Biggerstaff) after he is jilted by his long term girlfriend (Michelle Ryan).

Erin Brockovich (Sony): A Blu-ray release for this Julia Roberts vehicle which dramatizes the story of Erin Brockovich‘s first fight against the American West Coast energy giant Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Not only did it scoop Roberts an Oscar for Best Actress, but it also cemented the return of Steven Soderbergh to the directing A-list after a few years in the indie wilderness.

Fool’s Gold (Warner Bros):An ‘adventure comedy’ starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson as a just-divorced couple who bicker and banter whilst searching for treasure.[Also available on Blu-ray]

Get Smart’s Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control (Warner Bros): A tie in DVD-only release with Masi Oka and Nate Torrence as Bruce and Lloyd, Maxwell Smart’s techie friends from the recent Get Smart movie remake.

Illegal Tender (Universal): An action thriller about a Latino mother and son in ‘a quest for honour and revenge’, written and directed by Franc Reyes.

In Memory of my Father (Scanbox): Written by, directed by and starring Christopher Jaymes this examines  a narcissistic Hollywood family struggling to deal with the fallout caused by the death of its patriarch.

Lilith (TLA): An ‘erotic horror’ that follows Sister Katherine (Tina Krause) and her group of curvaceous female students on a college field trip exploring pagan customs.

Psych – Season 1 (Universal Playback): The complete first season of the US comedy series following the misadventures of fake psychic Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and his cynical friend Gus (Dule Hill).

The Muppet Show – Season 3 (Disney): Jim Henson‘s famous puppets return with the voices of Frank Oz and this series introduces audiences to Miss Piggy and also stars Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Animal and a host of other characters.

The Oxford Murders (Contender): Based on the Argentine author Guillermo Martinez’s 2003 novel, this crime drama is directed by Alex de la Iglesia and stars John Hurt and Elijah Wood as a professor of logic, and a graduate student who investigate a series of bizarre, mathematically-based murders in Oxford.

The Puffy Chair (Scanbox): Directed by Jay Duplass this comedy is about three young adults who find some of life’s answers and several more questions during a cross-country road trip to deliver the film’s eponymous piece of furniture.

Tweenies: Messy Time Magic (BBC): The Tweenies are back on DVD with their mix of music and mayhem in this new release from BBC Worldwide.

Two-Minute Warning (Nouveaux): This 1976 thriller about an a sniper killing people at a football stadium finally gets released on DVD in the UK. Directed by Larry Peerce and starring Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, Jack Klugman, Gena Rowlands and David Janssen.

Vexille (Momentum): Directed by Fumihiko Sori and utilising the talents of the creative team behind the groundbreaking CG anime Appleseed, Vexille is a CG animated sci-fi feature that deals with the theme of genetic enhancement and modification.

If you have any questions about this week’s DVD releases or any upcoming titles then just email me

(To buy any of the DVDs above just click on the title and you will be redirected to Amazon UK)

> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
> Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 29th August)