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DVD & Blu-ray

UK DVD Releases: Monday 3rd November 2008

DVD PICKS

The Princess Bride (Lionsgate): One of the smartest and truly magical films of the 1980s gets re-released in a 2-disc set from Lionsgate. If you are unfamiliar with the film (which is possible as it didn’t set the box office alight in 1987) it is the story of a grandfather (Peter Falk) telling his grandson (Fred Savage) a fairy tale, which we then see unfold. It involves a fair maiden in the fictional land of Florin named Buttercup (Robin Wright) who lives waiting for her true love Westley (Cary Elwes) to return from abroad. After a few years he is believed to be dead, she reluctantly agrees to marry the oily Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). She is then kidnapped by a trio of rogues – Vizzini (Wallace Shawn); Fezzik (André the Giant) and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and as they sail away toward the Cliffs of Insanity, they notice the pursuit of a mysterious in black which kick starts the adventure.

Directed by Rob Reiner and adapted by William Goldman from his own 1973 novel, it features a raft of wonderful comic performances (especially Patinkin) and is a near-perfect blend of fantasy, adventure, and romance.

The features on this re-release include:

  • 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer
  • Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio
  • Newly Re-Mastered Transfer
  • Audio Commentary with Director Rob Reiner
  • Audio Commentary by Author/Screenwriter William Goldman
  • 1987 Original Featurette
  • 1987 Making of Featurette
  • ‘As  You Wish: The story of The Princess Bride’
  • Cary Elwes ‘On-Set’ Video
  • Photo Gallery
  • Trailers and TV spots

If you don’t already own it or haven’t seen it then this is an essential purchase. A family film that is uncommonly smart, funny and genuinely entertaining.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Second Sight): One of the most iconic horror films gets re-released in a 3-disc ‘Seriously Ultimate Edition’. A landmark independent horror film, it was that was written, directed, and produced in 1974 by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel. The story involves a group of friends who embark on a road trip to rural Texas only to get attacked by a family of cannibals, including a chainsaw-wielding nutcase named Leatherface. The film was massively influential and even in the current climate of overtly sadistic horror films like Saw and Hostel, still has a raw energy to it that hasn’t quite been matched since. Part of the charm (if that is the right word) is the low budget look and feel which adds to the creepy atmosphere and give the film a unique feel. 

This 3 disc edition breaks down like this:

Disc 1: Main Feature

  • Anamorphic Widescreen
  • English 1.0 Original Mono, 2.0 Stereo and 5.1 Surround
  • English subtitles (Main Feature)
  • Commentary with director Tobe Hooper , cinematographer Daniel Pearl and ‘Leatherface’ himself Gunnar Hansen
  • Commentary with actors Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Allen Danziger and art director Robert A. Burns

Disc 2: Extra Features

  • ’Off the Hook’ – an interview with Teri McMinn (17mins)
  • Interview with Production Manager Ron Bozman (16:25mins)
  • ’The Shocking Truth’ documentary (72:48mins)
  • A tour of the TSCM house with Gunnar Hansen (8:02mins)
  • ’Shocking Truth’ outtakes (7:33mins)

Disc 3: Extra Features

  • ’Flesh Wounds’ documentary (71:38mins)
  • Interview with director Tobe Hooper (13:46mins)
  • Interview with writer Kim Henkel (8:25mins)
  • Additional footage, outtakes and deleted scenes (27:44mins)
  • Trailers, TV and radio spots (6:02mins)
  • Posters, lobby cards and stills gallery
  • Dr. W.E. Barnes Presents ‘Making Grandpa’ (Stills)
If you don’t already own this then this is the edition to go for as the extensive features give the film a valuable context and overall it is very good value at just £11.98
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ALSO OUT

Arsenal’s Greatest Ever Goals (ITV DVD)
Black God White Devil (Mr. Bongo Films)
Bleach – Series 1 Part 2 (Manga)
Blood and Oil (Scanbox)
Brotherhood of Blood (Metrodome)
Charley Boorman – By Any Means (Universal)
Chocolate (Cine Asia)
Dead Set (4DVD)
Derren Brown – The Specials (4DVD)
Desperate Housewives: Season 4 (Disney)
Extras – The Special (Universal)
Family Fortunes – Interactive DVD Game (Fremantle)
Futurama – Bender’s Game (Fox)
Girls Night In (5 Disc Box Set – 50 First Dates/Friends With Money/Marie Antoinette/Sense & Sensibility/Sleepless in Seattle) (Sony)
Harvey Birdman Attorney At Law – Season 1 (Revolver)
I’m Not Rappaport (Nouveaux Pictures)
Insanitarium (Sony)
Jimmy Carr In Concert (Live) (4DVD)
Journey To The Center Of The Earth 3D (EIV)
Lazytown – The Snow Monster And Other Stories (BBC)
Linewatch (Sony)
Mad Detective (Eureka/Masters of Cinema)
Monty Python’s Flying Circus – Series 1-4 (Complete) (Sony)
Monty Python’s Personal Bests Collection (Sony)
Most Haunted – Series 10 (Universal)
One Way (Metrodome)
Robin Hood – Series 2 (Entertain)
Shine A Light (Fox)
Son of Man (Spier Films)
The Colour Of Magic (Fox)
The Designated Victim (Shameless)
The Happening (Fox)
The Ring Finger (Second Sight)
The Scorpion King 2 – Rise Of A Warrior (Universal)
Lazytown – The Snow Monster And Other Stories (BBC)
War Made Easy (Scanbox)

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> Buy The Princess Bride and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on DVD at Amazon UK
> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
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Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 31st October)