New TV on DVD and Blu-ray: American Horror Story, Bones, Hart of Dixie, Robot Chicken, and White Collar

Actors: Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Frances Conroy

Directors: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Bradley Buecker, Craig Zisk, David Semel, Jeremy Podeswa

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Blu-ray Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 572 minutes

American Horror Story: Asylum

 

        I was not crazy about the debut season of “American Horror Story,” perhaps because I find ghost stories to be somewhat tiresome. Although there are elements of American Horror Story: Asylum” which I found less enjoyable than others, I found the intensity level and the mysteries far more compelling this time around. There are many elements or horror being utilized in this season, with a pilot that combines an alien abduction and a bloody serial killer into the storyline, with demonic possession and mad-scientist experiments to be folded into the fray as well.

 

        While the main portion of the initial season of “American Horror Story” took place in the present with revealing flashbacks mixed in, “Asylum” places the majority of action in the past with the occasional flash-forward to frame the storyline. We open with a bookend present day segment in which a couple breaks into the abandoned mental institution for kinky sex and thrills, only to discover there remains something deadly within the hospital walls. The remainder of the storyline takes us back to the period in the early 1960s when an infamous serial killer was brought into the hospital for evaluation.

 

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Collector's Edition DVD Review

Actors: Dean Martin, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Don Rickles

Director: Greg Garrison

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 6

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Time Life Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 1080 minutes

 

 

        Comedy Central has taken over the task of broadcasting the latest incarnation of celebrity roasts, first made famous by Dean Martin and NBC in the 1970s. Celebrity roasts have become a tradition in entertainment, allowing us to see famous people elevated and teased in the oft alcohol-fueled comedy show. This six-disc set includes twelve of the most iconic roasts, featuring a historic collection of comedians and performers who join Martin in an evening of laughter and lush behavior.

 

        Nobody knew how to drink like Dean Martin, no doubt the greatest source of humor for the first celebrity roasts in 1973. Even when Martin is the host and not being roasted, there are plenty of excuses for the guests to poke fun at the excessive alcohol consumption by Dino. Created as a sort-of spin-off in the final season of “The Dean Martin Show,” the celebrity roasts became a regular special that Martin hosted until 1984, making a total of 54 roasts.

 

New BBC TV on DVD: Halloween Horror Releases

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 180 minutes

In the Flesh

 

        It is completely unfair to make even the slightest comparison of “In the Flesh” to “The Walking Dead,” although it is inevitable that this association will be made between the two zombie television events. For one thing, “In the Flesh” is not a post-apocalyptic storyline. We join the story after civilization has recovered almost entirely, and it instead becomes a story about integration and acceptance. The horror elements are all but removed and zombies instead become a symbol for diversity and a metaphor for homosexuality.

 

        The main narrative decision to remove the horror from this story is the choice to make the protagonist a zombie, and to make those monsters nearly indistinguishable from humans. Normally this might add an element of fear, as if having them hidden amongst us would make them dangerous in new ways, but not in this miniseries. Instead they are integrated back into society in secret for their own protection, with the humans being the monsters with the capacity for destruction. My biggest issue with the zombies in Dominic Mitchell's “In the Flesh” is that they don’t really resemble zombies in their monstrous form. The storyline almost seems to insert the zombies simply because they are the hot-ticket horror monster of the moment, although it seems to be a narrative better suited for vampires or werewolves.

 

Silent Cry DVD Review

Actors: Emily Woof, Douglas Henshall, Frank Finley, Clive Russell, Kevin Whately

Director: Julian Richards

Writer: Simon Lubert

Producers: Peter La Terriere, Tim Dennison

Format: Color, NTSC

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: JINGA FILMS LTD

DVD Release Date: August 20, 2013

Run Time: 85 minutes

 

 

        Silent Cry is far from a bad film. It is a subtle suspense drama with a somewhat compelling mystery at the center of the storyline. The acting is very good, the script is solid and the directing is effective albeit a bit safe. The biggest problem with the film is the level of expectation that the DVD cover art provides. The image brings to mind a horror film, not a conspiracy mystery. And expectations can be sent even further in the wrong direction if you are to read the blurbs for the film on the front and back of the DVD case. Jay Slater of Darkside says that Silent Cry is a “brutal thriller with sucker-punch violence.” I think it would be more accurate to describe this as an emotion-driven thriller with mild suspenseful violence which would be tame by today’s television standards.

               

        Rooted in a tradition of British melodrama, Silent Cry begins as a film about loss. Rachel Towne (Emily Woof) is a single pregnant woman with all the optimism in the world until she is told that her newborn baby has died overnight. Suspicious of the hospital, doctors and everyone else involved, Rachel makes it her mission to find out what really happened to her newborn baby. What could have easily been dismissed as the grief of a mother is quickly confirmed when corrupt police officer Dennis Betts (Clive Russell) threatens her safety.

 

Throwback Thursday Review: A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop

Actors: Sun Hunglei, Xiao Shenyang

Directors: Zhang Yimou

Language: Cantonese

Subtitles: English, French

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Blu-ray Release Date: February 1, 2011

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

       

        The Coen Brothers have had waves of popularity in the United States. Fargo brought them critical acclaim, and O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? brought them box office success. After No Country For Old Men they also had a rise in popularity, but the rest of the time their unique and creative style sometimes goes unnoticed. Internationally, however, is a different story entirely. They have been largely popular overseas even when failing by Hollywood’s standards, so it should come as no surprise to see their debut feature adapted.

 

        Directed by the legendary Zhang Yimou, A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop is an undeniably successful adaptation of Blood Simple. The dark and seedy modern noir has been changed to a period dark comedy, but essential moments of visual filmmaking are imitated from the original in a clever homage. Although the setting and tone is completely different, there are little winks and nods to the source material. Both films are beautifully shot, though this remake has the advantage of a polished look that comes from years of experience as a filmmaker.

 

After Earth DVD Review

Actors: Jaden Smith, David Denman, Will Smith, Sophie Okonedo, Zoë Kravitz

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Writers:  M. Night Shyamalan, Gary Whitta

Producers: Ashwin Rajan, Caleeb Pinkett, E. Bennett Walsh, Jada Pinkett Smith

Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen, Multiple Formats

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Dubbed: French

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 100 minutes

 

 

        I sincerely feel bad for M. Night Shyamalan, though the consistency with which he continues to release films, despite his numerous critical and box-office failures of recent past proves that he doesn’t necessarily need my pity. Still, it must be difficult to go from being called the next Steven Spielberg to becoming the next Uwe Boll. Even when his films are not terrible, they are light-years away from the quality of his first few features.  

 

With all that being said, After Earth is not as terrible as you might imagine. It also isn’t exactly great, but I would place far more blame on the Pinkett/Smith family for the biggest issues the film has. This became a family project, and I think that paired with Shyamalan’s overly imaginative science fiction narrative led to a sillier film than necessary. Tamed down a small amount, this may have been a wonderfully adequate family film. Kids are less inclined to notice awkward acting or absurd plot twists.

 

Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Review

Actor: Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Maitland McConnell, Chantal Quesnelle

Writer/Director: Don Mancini

Producer: David Kirschner

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Studio: Universal

Release Date: October 8, 2013

 

        Many of the horror icons from the 1980s have returned to the big screen in recent years, though all have been reincarnations of the infamous monsters rather than a continuation. Jason returned with a steroid-affected physique, Freddy lost his humor and replaced it with stronger emphasis on pedophilia, and Leatherface became more sympathetic with several films giving us unnecessary back-story. The one villain from the 1980s to remain the same is Chucky, from casting to driving force and creator Don Mancini. The only thing that has changed over the years is the amount of damage done to his plastic face.

 

        Since Child’s Play brought the ginger doll to life for the first time in 1988, creator Don Mancini has remained involved as screenwriter, and more recently as director. Mancini’s career has consisted of little other than Chucky, with nearly all screenwriting credits belonging to the demonic doll. It wasn’t until the last film, Seed of Chucky, that Mancini made his directorial debut. Curse of Chucky is his second film as a director, and though he still shows an inability to retrieve believable performances from any of his breathing actors, it is actually the screenwriting and a lack of Chucky’s personality which drags this latest sequel into forgettable territory.

 

Thankskilling 3 DVD Review

Actors: Daniel Usaj, Joe Hartzler, Marc M, Wanda Lust

Director: Jordan Downey

Writers: Jordan Downey, Kevin Stewart, Mike Will Downey

Producers: Ricky Fosheim

Format: Color, NTSC

Language: English

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: GRAVITAS VENTURES

DVD Release Date: October 15, 2013

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

        I vaguely remember watching the first Thankskilling film in mild amusement. Puppet horror films have become a very small sub-genre, with an obvious emphasis towards the comedic elements of felt blood and gore. Thankskilling 3 is far more than just a horror movie, or a sequel, for that matter. For one thing, it is a sequel called Thankskilling 3 with a storyline about Thankskilling 2, which was never actually made. The tag line for the film is “The first movie to skip its own sequel.”

 

        Funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, Thankskilling 3 is a bizarre labor of love with a bold comedic vision meant to shock and baffle audiences in its irreverence. Turkie, the killer holiday bird from the first film, is on a mission to find the only existing copy of Thankskilling 2, leading him to meet a variety of new characters both human and puppets. Sex and violence with puppets dominate the screen time, fueled by an electronic soundtrack by Zain Effendi. Even more remarkable is the skill with which the film is photographed, making Thankskilling 3 far more gorgeous than a film this disgusting has a right to be.

 

Halloween 35th Anniversary Blu-ray Review

Actors: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, P.J. Soles, Nancy Loomis

Director: John Carpenter

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 91 minutes

 

 

        I once had a professor in an international horror class who gave an entire lecture arguing the merits of VHS tapes over DVD or high definition quality playback. I’m sure this was largely in part of his age; having experienced each of these modern classics through grainy film images, this was what he felt nostalgia for. In some respects, I could understand where he was coming from. We are spoiled these days, consumers of cutting edge technology which puts even more pressure on modern filmmakers. Seeing older films in pristine condition is a wholly new concept for cinephiles.

 

Before VHS there were few options for seeing an older film, regardless of quality. The best chances were theaters which had an old print to play, often scratched and worn from many trips through various projectors across the country. Every time I viewed Halloween prior to this 35^th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray release, it was difficult to see what was happening in some of the darker sequences of the film. Say what you will about the nostalgia of scratched and blurry film, but this version of Halloween allows us to see the immaculate photography by Dean Cundey and each of Michael’s background appearances in the first hour of the film.

 

This is the End Blu-ray Review

Actors: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson 

Directors/Writers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

 

        Some films are based upon ideas so brilliant that it seems impossible for them to fail. This seems exactly the case with This is the End, and I would agree that it is far from a failure of a film, but that ingenious initial concept is also a double-edged sword as anticipating audience members may be slightly disappointed by the potential wasted. Part of the problem may also be the film’s strength, with a lack of focus in filmmaking which no doubt comes from the amount of material where the stars allow vanity to take over. However self-deprecating the humor may be, they also over-estimate the audience’s interest in watching nothing but these actors talk about themselves for a large portion of the film.

 

        The film begs one simple question: what would happen to all of the celebrities if the biblical end of days began while James Franco was having a party? The actors all play themselves in this satirical apocalypse comedy, and it seems that nobody working in Hollywood will be taken to heaven if the rapture were to occur. All of the regular members of the Judd Apatow clan are present (although he has no attachment to this project), many of which have fun playing themselves before meeting a final demise. The cast of Superbad has a coke-fueled reunion by the pool with a particularly hilarious Michael Cera, Jason Segal unenthusiastically discusses his role on “How I Met Your Mother,” and Martin Starr hangs out in the background. Most are only around long enough to make an appearance and die, although Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson all manage to hole up with Franco in his impressive new home.

 

From Here to Eternity Blu-ray Review

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Black & White, Dolby, Dubbed, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled

Subtitles: Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish

Dubbed: German

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Run Time: 118 minutes

 

        From Here to Eternity is a film filled with old Hollywood legends and rumors, some true and other not, but all have had an impact on the film’s longevity beyond the cinematic story. Shot in a mere 41 days, this Fred Zinnemann adaptation of the James Jones novel became a surprise hit that swept the 1953 Academy Awards with eight wins and revitalizing effects on the career of its stars. Frank Sinatra was at a low point in his career at this point, and the non-singing role earned him a Best Supporting Actor award. There were a lot of unexpected casting choices within From Here to Eternity keep this film a beloved classic even sixty-years later.

 

        The film follows the melodrama unfolding on a Hawaiian military base in December of 1941, leading up to the inevitable attack on Pearl Harbor. Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) treads dangerous water when he begins a passionate affair with Karen Holmes (Deborah Kerr), the wife of the sinister Captain Dana Holmes (Philip Ober). Captain Holmes is too distracted attempting to bully former boxer Private E. Lee Prewitt into fighting again. Private Prewitt also fall for a social club employee named Lorene (Donna Reed) and befriends another soldier being bullied by superiors, Angelo Maggio (Sinatra).

 

        With Zinnemann refusing to shoot in color or widescreen as to not trivialize the material, From Here to Eternity is still a sharp looking film in full-frame black-and-white. Even with the limited willingness to adhere to technological advances in film, the high definition presentation is notably sharper than the DVD. The Blu-ray exclusive special features include a playback feature which allows historical information graphics to pop up. The other special features include a commentary track from Tim Zinnemann and Alvin Sargent, as well as a making-of featurette and an excerpt from “Frad Zinnemann: As I See It.”

       

Entertainment Value: 8/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 9/10

Historical Significance: 10/10

Disc Features: 9/10

 

 

VHS 2 DVD Review

Actors: Lawrence Michael Levine

Directors: Simon Barrett, Jason Eisener, Gareth Evans

Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 96 minutes

 

 

        I know it was silly for me to expect more from VHS 2 than the original film, but the only relief in this sequel is the minimized sexual abuse against women in the storylines. The structure of the film is as weak as the original, with a premise that is creepy until the acting reminds us what we are watching isn’t real, but the actual shorts segments making up the film are even more disappointing. As with the original film, there are just enough moments that are praiseworthy to highlight how awful and unimaginative the remainder is.

 

        Seven directors combine efforts for this anthology horror film, based on the premise of found footage VHS tapes which have deadly consequences when viewed in the correct sequence. In fact, many of these shorts are hugely unoriginal apart from the creativity of making the narrative work within the found footage format. With the frequent use of cameras in our every day existence, whether it is attached to our phone or sporting equipment, this premise makes sense if it weren’t for the fact that the films are all meant to be on the outdated VHS tapes. This conundrum aside, most of these short films are a bit too safe to even be memorable. There are some exceptions, which is what makes these films so painful. I can’t recommend a film which has about fifteen minutes I loved and over an hour of material which is duller than it is despicable, as was the tendency in the first film.

 

        Here are the segments, for better or worse. In a segment directed by Adam Wingard (You’re Next) called “Phase I Clinical Trials,” a man gets an implant in his eye with the technology to also include a bonus camera for the scientists to watch and the audience to participate. Although Wingard seems to be making a gigantic stylistic wink at Gaspar Noe’s Enter the Void, this is not a horrible choice to make in creating an unsettling atmosphere. “A Ride in the Park” is directed by Greg Hale and Eduardo Sánchez (The Blair Witch Project) and is easily the weakest in the bunch. It is a zombie short without much inspiration. “Safe Haven” is a film about a revealing expose into an infamous cult, directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Gareth Evans (The Raid). “Slumber Party Alien Abduction,” directed by Simon Barrett (Hobo with a Shotgun), is the most fun and frightening in the bunch, despite merely being another alien abduction storyline. The visuals and the abruptness with which things occur made this the most effective in the group of shorts.

 

        The DVD special features include a behind-the-scenes featurette for each of the segments, as well as a look at the entire film by AXS TV, a behind-the-scenes photo gallery and a commentary track with the filmmakers.

 

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

Historical Significance: 6/10

Disc Features: 7/10

 

 

Zombie Hunter Blu-ray Review

Actors: Danny Trejo, Martin Copping, Clare Niederpruem

Director: K. King

Format: Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, THX, Widescreen

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 93 minutes

 

        There is plenty of awful in Zombie Hunter, but nothing is quite as annoying as the film’s cover art. With Danny Trejo’s picture in full focus and his name over the title, you would naturally assume Trejo to be the title character, but is instead just a passing bloodstain in this unintentionally humorous horror action film. Any film clinging to the celebrity of one of the bit players in order to be more marketable worries me. Zombie Hunter is 93 minutes of cheesy acting, effects and one-liners. Aside from the handful of shots with Trejo alone or shot from below to make the actor look taller than he actually is, Zombie Hunter focuses on the base elements of B-filmmaking, including a heavy dose of breast-flaunting women.

 

        Though this is yet another end-of-the-world zombie movie, it shares more in common with the Resident Evil franchise than anything else, complete with inexplicable morphed zombie creatures. Our title character is a gravelly-voiced narrator with something of a Road Warrior complex, mowing down zombies as he travels a solitary path. When he comes across a group of survivors, they band together to fight the zombies and whatever other elements of danger there are. This includes a man dressed as a clown who enjoys killing anything that crosses his path, zombie or human.

 

        Imagine “The Walking Dead” without any of the smart storylines, good special effects or characters you care about, and you would still have a zombie tale that is ten times more engaging than this film. More than anything, Zombie Hunter feels as though it wants to be a Robert Rodriguez movie, if only for the mere fact that Trejo has a few scenes to do what he has done moderately well for at least a decade.

 

Entertainment Value: 4/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 3/10

Historical Significance: 1/10

Disc Features: 0/10

 

 

3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman Blu-ray Review

Actor: Ingrid Bergman

Director: Roberto Rossellini

Format: Blu-ray, Black & White, Collector's Edition, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English, Italian

Subtitles: English

Dubbed: Italian

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 4

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 305 minutes

 

 

        Roberto Rossellini is considered the godfather of Italian neorealism, having inspired the movement with his internationally successful Rome Open City (1945). This film and his next, Paison (1946), utilized the bombed out cities devastated by World War II in order to make films with real locations rather than sets. They also often used non-actors for the roles, so many saw it as a betrayal when Rossellini began working with Swedish actress turned Hollywood star, Ingrid Bergman. The professional relationship quickly became a romantic one, though never entirely private.

 

        The gossip about their relationship may have tainted audience perception at the time of release, or perhaps it was more of the stylistic departure that Rossellini had taken, but these three films are much more highly regarded today than they were initially received. The romantic and professional partners in film collaborated on six films together, with the three most notable included in this fabulous box set. Stromboli, Europe ’51, and Journey to Italy have more in common than simply the star and director, also pairing together quite nicely as a trilogy of films about the difficulties of marriage.

 

        Stromboli (1950) is a bleak drama about a woman who is literally trapped in her marriage, stuck on a volcanic island with a man whom she married as an escape plan. In her first collaboration with the Italian filmmaker, Bergman plays a Lithuanian refugee who marries an Italian fisherman (Mario Vitale) as a way of leaving the prisoner of war camp she is trapped in. Unaware that she is trading one prison for another; her husband takes her back to his isolated village on a volcanic island off the coast of Sicily. What begins as a marriage of convenience becomes a cruel trap for both parties.

 

        Europe ’51 (1952) plays down the aspects of marriage compared to the other two films in this set, though it clearly shows a breakdown in familial bliss when the bourgeois ideology of consumerism is not enough to keep the family together. The movie begins with a dinner party which has a couple of socialites too preoccupied to tend to their needy child. When this neglect leads to a suicide attempt and subsequent death, the child’s mother, Irene (Bergman), is forced to look at the world differently. Suddenly aware of the suffering around her, Irene becomes dedicated to a self-sacrificial lifestyle which inevitably leads to her demise. The final bleak message of the film is that too much generosity and good will may be construed as mental illness in the world we live in.

 

        Journey to Italy (1954) was the most commercially viable of Rossellini’s collaborations with Bergman, charting the decline of marital bliss between an English husband and wife (Bergman and George Sanders) on a road trip in the country near Naples. This is also the film which receives the most attention in this set, with a second disc exclusively for the supplements while the other films had only one.

 

        All three movies are presented with digital restoration and the original monaural soundtrack. Stromboli is presented with a 4K digital restoration, and also has a 2K digital restoration of the Italian-language version, Stromboli terra di Dio. Europe ’51 is also available in two versions: a 2K digital restoration of the English-language version and a high-definition restoration of the Italian-language version, which is 9 minutes longer and a different cut of the same material. There is only one version of Journey to Italy, presented with a 4K digital restoration and uncompressed monaural soundtrack.

 

        All three films come with an optional introduction by Rossellini, as well as a plethora of other features with film critics and filmmakers alike praising the collaborations between these two international legends, including new interviews with film critic Adriano Aprà. Stromboli also has a making-of documentary from 1998 and Europe ’51 has a new interview with film historian Elena Dagrada on the alternate versions of the film. Journey to Italy has a commentary track with film scholar Laura Mulvey, as well as new interviews from a handful of scholars and experts. The second disc has even more, including an additional short film directed by Rossellini and starring Bergman, and a documentary about each of them. There are also more interviews with family members and some home footage.  

 

       

Entertainment Value: 6.5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 9/10

Historical Significance: 10/10

Disc Features: 10/10

 

 

New Doctor Who on Blu-ray and DVD

Actors: Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Paul Kasey

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Box set, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English  

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 4

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

Blu-ray Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 705 minutes

Doctor Who: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray

 

        Season seven of the latest revival of Doctor Who was previously released in two divided packages, but now the complete season is available in this set along with two Christmas specials. Fans must have patience with their Doctor Who purchases, but those who did not rush out and by the episodes in the separate box sets now has the option of getting them all together, with new commentary tracks and other special features.

 

        This four disc set begins with “The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe,” which is the Christmas special that was widely loathed by fans. The special is actually about Christmas themes, rather than just being set during the holidays. Comparisons can be made to the previous year’s adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” in the Doctor Who world. If you disliked that one, Season Seven’s Christmas special will likely leave a bad taste in your mouth. They do their best to make up for it with the opening episode, “Asylum of the Daleks,” giving a plethora of the fan-favorite monsters.

 

        This series has always been on the sillier side, though the humor and camp seems even more amplified in the new series. Matt Smith is the fifth doctor in this revival referred to as “NuWho” by the franchise’s dedicated fan base. Season seven has fifteen total episodes, fit onto four discs with a number of special features. There are only a handful of commentaries, which may disappoint some fans, but there are also plenty of featurettes with behind-the-scene footage.

       

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

Historical Significance: 7/10

Disc Features: 7/10

 

 

Actors: Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, Deborah Watling, Wendy Gifford

Director: Derek Martinus

Writers: Brian Hayles

Producer: Innes Lloyd

Format: NTSC, Black & White

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 17, 2013

Run Time: 145 minutes

Doctor Who: The Ice Warriors

 

        As fans of the classic “Doctor Who” love to incessantly lament and bemoan over, this long-running series which has surpassed any other science fiction television show ever aired is historically incomplete for future generations. In an infamous purge of old film and television content, the BBC destroyed many of the only existing copies of “Doctor Who” episodes in the 1970s. As a result, there are gaps in what fans now have available. In some cases, bits of the puzzle have been compiled through near-miraculous discoveries in personal collections.

 

“The Ice Warriors,” which was Patrick Troughton’s third storyline as The Doctor, was among the destroyed episodes until 16mm prints of four out of the six were discovered in the 1980s. Episodes two and three still do not exist, making this somewhat of an incomplete collection. The best possible efforts have been made to keep the story alive with the audio files preserved and this collection’s animated presentation of these missing episodes.

 

Despite the missing elements, there is no diminished treatment of this storyline in the DVD release. With the usual plethora of special features to go with the classic television, it seems that no other program from the 60s receives this much attention. There are commentary tracks on the four original episodes, as well as one of the animated ones. There is also a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of new visuals for the lost sections of the story, not to mention a photo gallery and PDF production material, all included in this two disc set.  

 

       

Entertainment Value: 6/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

Historical Significance: 8/10

Disc Features: 10/10

 

 

Actors: Richard E. Grant, Sophie Okonedo, Derek Jacobi, Diana Quick, Jim Norton

Director: Wilson Milam

Writer: Paul Cornell

Producer: Muirinn Lane Kelley

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 17, 2013

Run Time: 78 minutes

 

Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka

 

        There is so much of a Doctor Who craze going on these days that it is hard to remember the period before the new series had revived interest in the long-standing British sci-fi series. Prior to the 2005 return, this animated story was an attempt at breathing new life into the beloved character. Richard E. Grant lent his voice to an animated Doctor, the ninth doctor in a continuing line of time-and-space traveling aliens.

 

        Originally broadcast on the internet, this is not a headlining Doctor Who feature. The highlight of this package merely comes from the fact that it was previously unavailable, as plans to release it were cancelled after interest in the franchise moved elsewhere. Despite minimal impact, there are plenty of special features on the disc. Paired with the animated feature is an audio commentary track with writer Paul Cornell, director Wilson Milam and producer James Goss. There is also a making-of featurette, archive interviews, and a history of the BBC website which debuted this feature.

       

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

Historical Significance: 5/10

Disc Features: 9/10

 

 

Unfinished Song DVD Review

 
 

Actors: Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston, Vanessa Redgrave, Barry Martin

Director: Paul Andrew Williams

Writer: Paul Andrew Williams

Producers: Alistair Ross, Bob Weinstein, Caroline Levy, Christian Angermayer, Christopher Billows

Language: English

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

DVD Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 94 minutes

 

 

        Unfinished Song is filled with a predictable and emotionally manipulative material, handled with such grace and dignity by the cast and director that I was constantly surprised by the film’s ability to move me. Utilizing music and melodrama in such a way that is never overwrought or exaggerated for effect, Unfinished Song is mild entertainment which creeps up on you in profoundly unexpected ways. Even the supporting characters feel very natural, making it very difficult to notice when anyone is “acting.”

 

        Terence Stamp heads up the cast as Arthur, a cranky old man who has become accustomed to his habits and routines with the only person he opens up to, his wife (Vanessa Redgrave). When cancer threatens to take that foundation from Arthur, she suddenly joins an elderly singing group. Arthur is pulled into the group, finding solace in the friendship of the group’s young teacher, Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton). Unfinished Song is a film about grief, but manages to keep a light touch on the material.

 

        The music in Unfinished Song is simple but effective, never appearing too polished or unbelievable. There is more heart than talent in the voices, but that works wonders for the sincerity of the film’s story. We are not meant to be blown away by the vocal abilities, but instead get swept up in the openness with which they sing their song. 

 

        The DVD is sparse in terms of special features, including only a handful of deleted scenes and outtakes.

       

       

Entertainment Value: 9/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 8/10

Historical Significance: 7/10

Disc Features: 3.5/10