This Week on DVD (02/13/07)

TV sets:  All In the Family S6; Beauty and the Beast S1; Emergency! S3; Golden Girls S7; Grosse Point The Complete Series; The Hills S1; Hustle S2; Picket Fences S1.

 

Cinema buffs will rejoice over a new batch of Criterion discs today.

49th Parallel Criterion releases this pre-war Michael Powell film urging American action against the Nazis. A U-Boat crew is stranded in Canada (which as a part of the British Empire, was already at war with Germany), and the Nazis try to escape to then neutral America.

The Bicycle Thief Italian flick generally hailed as one of the greatest films of all time.

Green for Danger: Beloved British comic murder mystery film that has been almost impossible to see in this country. I’m very excited to finally get a crack at this one. Stars Alastair Sim, who played Scrooge in the best of the Christmas Carol movies.

Paul Robeson: Portraits of the Artist Set offering the films of a great and towering artist but a loathsome human being. The  films are no doubt are worth seeing, but the included documentary will, I’m sure, whitewash Robeson’s devoted Stalinism. I’m sure he was proud when Uncle Joe personally awarded him the “Stalin Peace Prize.” (!!)  His eulogy to Stalin, entitled “To You Beloved Comrade” is vomit-inducing.  Somehow, I suspect that if (obviously evil) American racism had thrown him into Hitler’s arms, history would be less kind.

 

Cheyenne Autumn – John Ford’s final western is a sympathetic retelling of the Cheyenne people’s forced 1,500 mile relocation known as the Trail of Tears. Features a great cast of character actors.

Deadly Weapons/Secret Agent ’73 Twin pack of the appalling Chesty Morgan movies for those who haven’t gotten them yet.

The Departed Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed latest film, up for numerous Oscars this year.

Evil Animals Triple Feature Handy, cheap three pack of exploitation classics Grizzly, Day of the Animals and Devil Dog Hound of Hell. From Media Blaster’s Shriek Show imprint, so the presentations should be good, although I doubt this offers all the extras found on their Grizzly two-disc special edition. Still, if you just want the films, here you go.

Kommissar X Collection A three pack of ’60s Euro go-go espionage movies, including Kiss, Kiss, Kill, Kill; So Darling So Deadly and Death is Nimble Death is Quick. They all feature a character known as Kommissar X. Sounds like good stuff.

Lizard in a Woman’s Skin Souped up DVD edition of this Fulci suspenser.

Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner One of the classic movies of the British “Angry Young Men” kitchen sink drama period.

Mr. Moto Collection Volume 2: The final four of the Peter Lorre Mr. Moto films, centering on the wily Japanese detective and judo expert. The first four were great (I hadn’t seen them before), and although these are supposed to be weaker, I look forward to seeing them.

Police Story 2: Belated follow-up to the great Jackie Chan action film.

  • I might pick up the Evil Animals Triple Feature because I have somewhat fond memories of “Devil Dog Hound of Hell”. If I see Deadly Weapons/Secret Agent ’73 at any point, however, I’ll most likely gouge out my own eyes.

  • Ken HPoJ

    The triple animal pack is a pretty good deal, especially if you don’t care about the extra content in the separate Grizzly and Day of the Animal discs. However, I already own the former, so there’s little point in getting this. Plus, I’m *really* trying to cut back on my buying right now.

    Still, these kind of bargain multi-packs are a terrific idea.

  • The Mr. Moto box has, as an extra, the 1965 THE RETURN OF MR. MOTO. It’s a terribly dull film, but the DVD has an audio commentary track by its star: Henry Silva! A Silva commentary is worth knowing about.

  • Ken HPoJ

    Marty: Thanks for the news! That’s fabulous. Even though I’m sure you’re right about it sucking…hey, if we weren’t compulsive, we wouldn’t be b-movie fans.

    How about The Return of Mr. Moto, The Return of Charlie Chan (with Ross Martin), and Madame Syn, in a nice three-pack?