Blu-ray Review “The Nutty Professor: 50th Anniversary – Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Starring: Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens (I), Kathleen Freeman, Med Flory, Norman Alden, Howard Morris (I)
Director: Jerry Lewis
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Video
DVD Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 397 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“The Nutty Professor” is easily one of Jerry Lewis’ best comedies. He directed, stars in, and co-wrote (with Bill Richmond) this very funny film, which is a parody of the classic “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. 50 years and this film is still a laugh riot and to celebrate that date Warner Bros is releasing this film in a brand-new 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition. In fact this new release also received personal input from Mr. Lewis and he helped compile some of the extra content as well. This film has always been a favorite of mine and it is great to see this wonderful released put out to remind people today of what a real comedy looks like to be honest. Warner Bros has always been a leader of giving films the treatment they deserve. Their “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” releases are like none other and this is no exception. A must have for any Jerry Lewis fan!

Here is the official premise for “The Nutty Professor”: The title’s eponymous professor is Julius F. Kelp (Lewis), a shy, bumbling chemistry teacher who has a mad crush on his student Stella Purdy (Stella Stevens). When he tires of being made fun of, Kelp develops a magic potion that turns him into smooth and smarmy nightclub singer Buddy Love. Stella is drawn to Buddy but unfortunately, the potion’s formula is unstable and Buddy keeps slipping back into Julius at the most embarrassing moments. In the end the professor’s ploy is revealed, but not before he delivers a speech calling for everyone to learn to love themselves first before others can return the favor. Stella realizes she loves him for who he is and, needless to say, the ending is a happy one.

In this release we get not only “The Nutty Professor” on Blu-ray but also in DVD format as well. But wait there is still more we also get DVDs of two other well-known Lewis comedies including “Cinderfella” and “The Errand Boy”. This are great films as well. Obviously, they don’t have relation to “The Nutty Professor” but they are a nice bonus for sure. But wait there is still more…there is also a CD included of “Phoney Phone calls 1959-1972”, which features Lewis’s collection of private prank calls secretly recorded over the years. And since we are on the topic of Warner Bros and Jerry Lewis, if you are looking for more rare films be sure to check out the Warner Archive Collection (www.warnerarchive.com), which has various other Lewis’ films available including, “Family Jewels”, “Cracking Up (aka Smorgasbord)” and “Which Way to the Front?”

Since this film is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, Warner Bros did not take that lightly and really jam-packed “The Nutty Professor” with great extras. “Jerry Lewis: No Apologies” is a brand new intimate look at the legend who has entertained and educated audiences for more than eight decades. There is a “Directors Letter”, which is specially written by Lewis himself to present this new collection. Recreated “Being A Person” is a 96 page book that is made up of drawings and quotes inspired/written by Jerry Lewis and drawn by his personal illustrator. When the first was first made there were only 250 copies of this book made and given to members of the cast and crew of “The Nutty Professor”, so this is cool to be able to own. There is also a 48-Page Storyboard Book and a 44-Page Cutting Script with Jerry’s notes included.

There is an audio commentary track with Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence. There is a great making of look in the film with “The Nutty Professor: Perfecting The Formula Behind-The-Scenes Footage”. “Jerry Lewis at Work” looks into the legend doing what he does best. “Jerry at Movieland Wax Museum” shows the actor visiting the location, which also includes commentary by son Chris Lewis. There are also deleted scenes, promos, bloopers, screen tests, outtakes and trailers included. With the bonus DVD includes, “Cinderfella”, there are special features as well including an audio commentary track with Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence, as well as Bloopers. “The Errand Boy” includes select scene audio commentary also with Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence. Lastly, there are also Bloopers, Promo Spots and trailer included.

The Nutty Professor 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition is available on Blu-ray 6/3/14 at the WB Shop http://bit.ly/TNP50THWBShop

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Blu-ray Review “Alexander: The Ultimate Cut – The 10th Anniversary”

Starring: Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Jared Leto, Anthony Hopkins, Rosario Dawson
Director: Oliver Stone
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 175 / 206 minutes

Ultimate Cut: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“Alexander” is like the film that never goes away. Since the film was released 10 years ago there has been various cuts of the film from The Theatrical Cut to The Final Cut (which wasn’t the final cut) and now we have The Ultimate Cut right in time for the film’s 10th Anniversary. Oliver Stone really does love editing his films after they are done. The Theatrical Cut was released in 2004 and is 175 minutes. The Final Cut released in 2007 is a whopping 213 minutes and is actually structured much differently. The Ultimate Cut is a little slimmer but not by much clocking in at 206 minutes with an intermission.

Official Premise: Alexander is based on the true story of one of history’s most luminous and influential leaders; a man who had conquered 90% of the known world by the age of 25. The film chronicles Alexander’s path to becoming a living legend, from a youth fuelled by dreams of myth, glory and adventure, to his intense bonds with his closest companions, to his lonely death as a ruler of a vast empire. The film stars Colin Farrell as Alexander, Angelina Jolie as Queen Olympias, Val Kilmer as King Philip II, Anthony Hopkins as Ptolemy, Jared Leto as Hephaistion, Rosario Dawson as Roxana, Christopher Plummer as Aristotle, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Cassander.

Since the film was original cut to reduce violence and sexuality, the director was unable to achieve his vision. With this Ultimate Cut, Stone follows closely to the outline of his original script and clocking in 31 minutes longer that the theatrical cut, this is in fact the Ultimate Cut of this film. I have to admit, this is actually a better cut than the theatrical release. This 10th Anniversary Blu-ray both the 2004 theatrical cut and the new Ultimate Cut. I would have loved to see them go to hell with themselves and just include The Final Cut as well. This Blu-ray also includes The Ultimate Cut on Digital HD with UltraViolet.

I was really impressed with the special features included for this release because the new cut is a bonus enough but they went ahead and still delivered a bunch of new extras. Firstly, there is a new documentary “The Real Alexander and the World He Made”, which looks into the life and legacy of Alexander the Great. There is a brand new Ultimate Cut commentary track from Oliver Stone, as well as a theatrical cut commentary was well with Oliver Stone and Robin Lane Fox. Oliver’s also talented son Sean Stone has his own feature-length documentary called “Fight Against Time: Oliver Stone’s Alexander”.

There is also four featurettes included on the production including “Resurrecting Alexander”, “Perfect Is The Enemy of Good”, “The Death of Alexander” and “Vangelis Scores Alexander”. But wait there is still more included here. There is an awesome “The Art of Alexander”40-page art book, which features numerous concept drawings, production storyboards and behind-the-scenes photographs. As well as collectible packaging, with correspondence memos between Oliver Stone and his cast and crew. If you enjoyed this film or didn’t enjoy this film, this is a really great collectible and a much improved cut of the film for sure.

Alexander: The Ultimate Cut + Theatrical 10th Anniversary UCE is available on Blu-ray 6/3/14 at the WB Shop http://bit.ly/AULTWBShop

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Blu-ray Review “I Love Lucy: Ultimate Season 1”

Starring: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley, Vivian Vance
Number of discs: 6
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 907 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“I Love Lucy”, who doesn’t? This 1950’s classic television show is coming to Blu-ray thanks to CBS and Paramount Home Entertainment in this 6-disc Blu-ray release of “Ultimate Season 1”. This season includes the first 35 episodes of the show, which starred the legendary Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley and Vivian Vance. This season includes some of the most beloved episodes includes “The Ballet”, “Pioneer Women” and “The Freezer”. These episodes are still hysterical today and that just proves how amazing this show was going strong still over 60 years later. I am looking forward to the rest of the seasons hopefully season two will come later this year, hint hint!

Official Synopsis: You’ve loved and laughed at Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel for years, but you’ve never seen I Love Lucy like this on glorious high-definition. Coming to Blu-ray in a highly collectible set with special gloss packaging that includes every episode from the first season, each one beautifully restored in high definition, in original night-of-broadcast form with original sponsor openings and closings. The set also includes a number of as yet undetailed special features, many never before released on home video.

These episodes are presented in their original aspect ratio: 1.33:1 and have never looked better. The pilot episode has also been remastered from a newly discovered original 35mm negative. The episodes look extremely crisp and have very sharp black color (since the show is black and white only). The audio comes with a PCM 2.0 mono track that has been cleaned up a bunch and really delivers the comedy aspects very well for this show. Paramount really has been great with restoring older shows to Blu-ray ala “Star Trek: The Next Generation”.

Here are a full listing of the episodes includes for season 1. “Pilot”; “The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub”; “Be a Pal”; “The Diet”; “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her”; “The Quiz Show”; “The Audition”; “The Séance”; “Men Are Messy”; “The Fur Coat”; “Lucy Is Jealous of a Girl Singer”; “Drafted”; “The Adagio”; “The Benefit”; “The Amateur Hour”; “Lucy Plays Cupid”; “Lucy Fakes Illness”; “Lucy Writes a Play”; “Breaking the Lease”; “The Ballet”; “The Young Fans”; “New Neighbors”, “Fred and Ethel Fight”; “The Moustache; “The Gossip”; “Pioneer Women”; “The Marriage License”; “The Kleptomaniac”; “Cuban Pals”; “The Freezer”; “Lucy Does a TV Commercial”; “The Publicity Agent”; “Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio”; “Lucy’s Schedule”, “Ricky Thinks He’s Getting Bald” and “Ricky Asks for a Raise”

The special features are equally impressive as the season itself. First we have “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show CBS special”, which is a great. There are audio commentary on select episodes by Lucille Ball, Desi Arnes, Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Davis, Bob Carroll, Jr. and others. There are 13 episodes includes with alternate elements, which is a real nice bonus. There are on-set color “home movies” from the season. There are also selected episodes of Lucille Ball’s “My Favorite Husband” radio series. Lastly there are bloopers, guest cast bios, production notes and photo galleries included.

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Blu-ray Review “Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection”

Actors: Ultimate Warrior
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: WWE
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Run Time: 540 minutes

Collection: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Ever since I started watching wrestling in the late 80’s, no question Ultimate Warrior was and still is my absolutely favorite wrestler. When this Blu-ray was released on April 1st, I reached out to WWE for to request and also inquire about an interview with the man himself aka Jim Hellwig. Well, I ended up hearing back on April 9th from WWE and unfortunately it was a little too late for the interview. On April 8th, my childhood wrestling hero passed away. This was just three days after he was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame on WWE RAW. I have had this Blu-ray for a few weeks now and honestly it has been hard to review. I know he has a rocky career in the business but Ultimate Warrior, he was a her of mine growing up. Luckily WWE has really delivered a truly amazing collection of his work and it feels even better because it was before he passed and not cashing in on his death. A must have for any true Warrior fan!

Official Premise: He is one of the most colorful and intense Superstars of all time, the Ultimate Warrior! Now for the first time ever, WWE honors his illustrious career with this ultimate collection of bone-crunching matches. Feel the power of the warrior over 3-discs, featuring battles against all his biggest rivals such as Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, Ravishing Rick Rude, Sgt. Slaughter and more! WWE fans have long awaited another Warrior DVD since the controversial release of 2005’s The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. Finally, with over 7 hours of matches from this larger than life Superstar, the action on this home entertainment release is truly OUT OF CONTROL!!

“Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection” is among the best Blu-rays from WWE Home Video label to date. The Blu-ray is presented with a 1080i transfer with both 1.78:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios. The 1.78:1 content is comprised of interview clips with The Ulimate Warrior. The matches are presented with an 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which it should be so that it retains the original appearance and image integrity. Due to this, in terms of Blu-ray quality, there is some issue with some finer details but it is expected and in no way ruins the experience. These are amazing to have all on one Blu-ray.

Disc One includes some matches that really speak to me because I remember seeing these for the very time when I was younger. I even have seen a few of these live, which makes them even more special to have on home video.

  • Career Match: Blade Runners vs. Perry Jackson & Shawn O’Reilly. UWF — April 11, 1986.
  • Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Chris Adams. World Class Championship Wrestling — August 8, 1986.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Barry Horowitz. Challenge — November 7, 1987.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Steve Lombardi. Superstars — November 14, 1987.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “King” Harley Race. Boston Garden — March 5, 1988.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Los Angeles Sports Arena — July 15, 1988.
  • SummerSlam Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. SummerSlam — August 29, 1988.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match : Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. Philadelphia Spectrum — December 17, 1988.
  • Title vs. Title: Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Boston Garden — February 11, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. SummerSlam — August 28, 1989.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bob Bradley. Prime Time Wrestling — September 18, 1989.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Brian Costello. Prime Time Wrestling — December 25, 1989.
  • Ultimate Warrior Confronts Andre the Giant: Brother Love Show. Superstars — July 29, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Madison Square Garden — October 28, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 25, 1989.
  • Ultimate Warrior Promo: “Crash the Plane.” Challenge — March 10, 1990.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Mr. Perfect. Madison Square Garden — March 19, 1990.
  • Title vs. Title: Intercontinental/WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan. WrestleMania VI — April 1, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Tokyo Dome — April 13, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Saturday Night’s Main Event — July 28, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Ted DiBiase. The Main Event — November 23, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Huntsville, AL — January 7, 1991.

If you thought that Disc One didn’t have enough, disc two continues right up with some more amazing matches from his career.

  • Steel Cage Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. Madison Square Garden — January 21, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Ends Brother Love’s Career. Superstars — March 2, 1991.
  • Retirement Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. WrestleMania VII — March 24, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior on Paul Bearer’s Funeral Parlor. Superstars — April 13, 1991.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Undertaker. Maple Leaf Gardens — June 2, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Gene Okerlund Interviews Ultimate Warrior and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Superstars — July 25, 1992.
  • Career Moment: “Riding on the Edge of a Lightning Bolt.” Superstars — November 14, 1992.
  • WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior & “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase & I.R.S. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 14, 1992.
  • Career Moment: “Faster Than a Cheetah.” RAW — March 11, 1996.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. WrestleMania XII — March 31, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Returns — RAW — April 8, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Mr. McMahon Interviews Jerry “The King” Lawler and Ultimate Warrior. RAW — June 10, 1996.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler. King of the Ring — June 23, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Interrupts “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan. Nitro — August 17, 1998.
  • Ultimate Warrior Promo: From RAW — October 26, 1998.

If the two dozen plus matches aren’t enough…there is still seven bonus matches listed under “Blu-ray Exclusives” section on the disc. Thanks again WWE for delivering this amazing Blu-ray to my collection and I will be sure to continue to keep the Warrior’s memory alive!

  • Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Matt Borne. World Class Championship Wrestling — October 24, 1986.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior & The British Bulldogs vs. Demolition & Mr. Fuji. Maple Leaf Gardens — July 24, 1988.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Dino Bravo. The Main Event — February 23, 1990.
  • Career Moment: WrestleMania 6 Contract Signing. The Ultimate Challenge — March 25, 1990.
  • Career Moment: WrestleMania 7 Contract Signing. Road to WrestleMania 7 — March 17, 1991.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Tokyo Dome — March 30, 1991.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Goldust. In Your House — April 28, 1996.

In closing, here is a little tribute to the memory of The Ulitmate Warrior…I dare you to try and watch this without a shedding a tear… RIP Warrior!

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Blu-ray Reviews “Gamera: Ultimate Collection – Volume 1 & 2”

Created by: Yonejiro Saito
Portrayed by: Teruo Aragaki, Umenosuke Izumi
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
DVD Release Date: April 29, 2014
Run Time: 345 / 343 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Besides me, who simply cannot get enough of giant monsters battling giant monsters. Originally conceived as a rival to Toho’s “Godzilla” franchise, “Gamera” has become a cult classic series. With its tagline “Guardian of the Universe. Friend of all children!”, the giant turtle has protected the people of Japan and kicked some monster ass for many years starting back in 1965. These two new volume Blu-ray sets are available for the first time ever, thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment.

Each of these volumes include four of Daiei Studios’ monster series in the Showa series including “Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)”; “Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)” , “Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967)” and “Gamera vs. Viras (1968)”  in volume 1. Volume 2 includes the following “Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)”; “Gamera vs. Jiger (1970)” ; “Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)” (one of my favorites) and “Gamera: Super Monster (1980)”. These films have been restored to their original Japanese cuts and have never looked better and a price point of under $15 dollars that makes this a no-brainer purchase.

Mill Creek Entertainment has really been behind the franchise for years. Back in 2011, they also released the three Heisei trilogy films on Blu-ray with glorious transfer. The same is the case with these films. They really did a phenomenal job hooked this eight films up with a solid high definition 1080p transfer. The color reproduction is very impressive and even though there is some age here and there it is quickly overlooked due to a vibrant print. The only part that stuck me by surprise is no English dub track here. There is only a Japanese 2.0 Dolby Digital track with English subtitles. included for all eight films. It works but still could have used at least an HD audio track.

Volume 1 includes the following “Gamera” films:
“Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)” Official Premise: The first entry of this Sci-Fi epic takes place midst the peak of the Cold War, as conflict between the East and West transforms into a nuclear disaster! This atomic explosion releases more than massive radiation, it awakens an ancient and long-forgotten legend of Gamera!

“Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)” Official Premise: Once the fear of Tokyo, Gamera returns to Earth to save it from the malevolent monster Barugon who is able to freeze anything its path. This unholy battle between fire and ice challenges the survival of mankind while bringing them an incredible slam-bang, knock-down monster slug-fest!

“Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967)” Official Premise: The third entry of this classic monster series continues when a volcanic eruption awakens Gyaos, a gigantic vampire-like bat who has a ravenous hunger for blood. Gyaos is Gamera s most popular foe, returning in four more films (not counting the stock footage in SUPER MONSTER). Can the fire-spitting terrapin Garmera defeat this nocturnal beast?

“Gamera vs. Viras (1968)” Official Premise: The reign of terror continues when aliens take two boy scouts hostage to blackmail Gamera into aiding their invasion of Earth. When that plan fails the giant alien leader Viras battles the flying turtle in a duel to the death.

Volume 2 includes the following “Gamera” films:
“Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)” Official Premise: Gamera, the giant flying turtle, spins into action when two young boys board a spaceship and are hijacked to a strange planet on the other side of the sun. While the boys evade the clutches of two brain-hungry alien beauties, Gamera must deal with a knife-nosed monster named Guiron.

“Gamera vs. Jiger (1970)” Official Premise: The fire-breathing action continues as Gamera battles one of his greatest foes, Jiger, a horned monster reminiscent of the Triceratops. Drawn to the World Expo in Osaka by an ancient statue, the evil reptile injects Gamera with its parasitic offspring to eliminate the super turtle.

“Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)” Official Premise: The shark-like alien Zigra attacks Earth to enslave the human race as food. Aided by spacewoman X-1, Zigra s wicked plan goes swimmingly until the invaders are challenged by Gamera and confounded by two troublemaking kids.

“Gamera: Super Monster (1980)” Official Premise: The final entry of the Showa Gamera series plays as a highlight reel reviving all of the previous evil monsters. When the alien Zanon tries to conquer Earth with an army of monsters, three superwomen enlist the help of Gamera to foil the invader’s plans.

Besides the films, there are no special features at all includes on these Blu-ray, which is a little bit of a letdown but I am sure it was due to licensing not laziness. So now that these films are available on Blu-ray, it actually completed the entire franchise of “Gamera” presented in high-definition. The only film not released by Mill Creek Entertainment on Blu-ray is the 2006 film “Gamera the Brave”, which is in the Millennium series. So if you want to complete your set, this is also available now from Tokyo Blasters.

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Book Review “The Metabarons: Ultimate Collection”

Author: Alexandro Jodorowsky
Illustrator: Juan Gimenez
Hardcover: 544 pages
Publisher: Humanoids Publishing
Relesae Date: November 13, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“The Metabarons” is the cult classic spin-off science fiction comic series from Alexandro Jodorowsky’s own cult classic series “The Incal”. The Ultimate Collection brings together this epic multi-part, multi-generational space opera that follows the Castaka Clan as their family rises to fame as the galaxy’s greatest warriors, the Metabarons. I recently feel in love with Alexandro Jodorowsky’s work after watching “Jodorowsky’s Dune”, which is an outstanding documentary on Alejandro’s failed film adapation of Frank Herbert’s novel “Dune” back in to the 70’s. Like “The Incal, “The Metabarons” is also heavily influenced by Frank Herbert’s “Dune” novels and includes aspects from Jodorowsky’s “Dune” as well. Again, if you are a sci-fi fan looking to discover something new or re-discover this cult classic, I highly recommend checking out this amazing collection.

Official Premise: A must-read cult spin-off of “The Incal,” by Moebius and Jodorowsky, centering around the fascinating lineage of the ultimate warrior. This collection introduces the Metabaron’s bloodline and reveals the origins of their deep-seated principles. Find out the source of the family’s vast wealth, learn why every Metabaron has cybernetic implants, and why the only way to become the next Metabaron is for him to defeat his own father in a mortal combat. Follow each successive generation as it struggles to overcome the forces amassed against it in a galaxy corrupted by greed, power, and terror. A true classic in the pantheon of graphic storytelling and Science Fiction as a whole.

Humanoid honestly does not mess around with their releases. This book is absolutely gorgeous and runs nearly 550 pages long at almost 2″ thick. No question, this is one of the most impressive comic releases that I have recently seen. If you’ve seen the film “Jodorowsky’s Dune”, and if you haven’t I HIGHLY recommend it, you will know that Alexandro developed a “book” for the film which includes the complete script wrapped around storyboards drafting out literally every scene and every character. There were originally only a handful of these made at the time but no only one or two are left. I believe that if Alexandro was ever to release that book to the world (which he really should), Humanoid would be the only company that would be able to do it justice. Just sayin’

The stories in this collection are so interesting and thought provoking. I really have a deeper appreciation for Jodorowsky’s work. This plays out like a space opera that is side acting as a futuristic Greek tragedy production. So there is a lot going on and it is so well tied together and delivered. The original French comics were reproduced in English in their original format. “The Metabarons Ultimate Collection” includes “Othon & Honorata”, “Aghnar & Oda”, “Steelhead & Doña Vicenta”, “Aghora & The Last Metabaron” plus two bonus short stories, “The Crest of Castaka” and “The Incal’s Dream”. So you get the works with this collection. If you are looking to get sucked and spit out by this incredible space opera, than I cannot recommend “The Metabarons” any more. I can’t wait to check out Humaoid’s release for “After the Incal” and “Final Incal” next.

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DVD Review “The Carol Burnett Show: The Ultimate Collection”

Actors: Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner
Number of discs: 22
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Time Life Entertainment
Run Time: 1500 minutes

Collection: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love “The Carol Burnett Show”? I wasn’t able to watch the show during its original run but I have always been a fan and have watched the show as a kid and now as an adult. The show debuted on CBS in 1967 and ran for 11 years, it received 25 Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes and it will always be one of the most honored shows in television history. With that being said about the show, this DVD “ultimate collection” isn’t really the ultimate collection. This 22-DVD boxed set, which was originally released in late 2012 including 50 episodes of the classic series, along with a 24-page memory book, a replica curtain from the show, and over 12 hours of bonus features. If you realize that this isn’t the complete series and are looking for a collection of hand-picked episodes then you should be happy with this release.

What this set does have is a wonderful presentation. This comes in a very sharp looking collectible box, which is opened by drawing up the replica curtain. In terms of special features, there are three episodes from “The Garry Moore Show”, which is where Carol got her start, including the “Supergirl” episode, where Carol did her Tarzan yell, for the first time on television. There are some rare sketches from the first five seasons, which have not seen anywhere in over 40 years including guest appearances by Lucille Ball, Jerry Lewis, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, plus one of the most beloved sketches in the history of the show– “The Dentist,” with Harvey Korman and Tim Conway. There is a great 100-minute Cast Reunion with Carol, Vicki Lawrence, Tim Conway and Lyle Waggoner.

“I Want to Push That Button…” The History of The Carol Burnett Show” is a great look into the show and its legacy. “Leading Lady” takes a look into Carol Burnett and her role in television. There are some Q&A’s from Carol with “Bring Up the Lights”. There is a focus on the episode “The Family”. There is a featurette on “Tudball and Wiggins” in “Ahhhh, Mrs. Ha-Wiggins?”. There is a celebration of movie parodies in “Starlet, Mildred, and More”. Next Stop, Broadway is a featurette on musicals. “Breaking Up Is Hard…Not to Do” looks into the ensemble’s chemistry and the famous “break-ups” on The Carol Burnett Show. “Where Do You Get Your Ideas?” is a showcase on the writers of the show. Lastly “Gags and Gowns” is a ode to the Designer Bob Mackie.

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Blu-ray Feature “The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Actors: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhar, Tom Hardy
Directors: Christopher Nolan
Number of discs: 6
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Run Time: 456 minutes

From the very first time that I picked up a Batman comic back in the 80’s, he was always my favorite superhero. When you think about the word superhero and then think about Batman, some can debate whether or not his is really super. But in my eyes he is definitely a hero. Batman is one of the more darker of comic book heroes. His back story is grim and he is always battling himself with what he is doing and why he is doing it and always looking for a way out. Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy has been the best portrayal of the caped crusader to date, no question. His vision of these characters are so deep and lined with tons of great themes. These themes are what take this film beyond the typical superhero action film into something with much more depth and drama. Now that Nolan’s chapter for The Dark Knight has come to an end and we are celebrating the recent release of “The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition”, I wanted to take some time to look into these themes that are presented in these great films. I figured we have all seen the film, so I wanted to focus on something new.

When you think about “Batman Begins”, it’s main focus was the rise of our hero. His struggle and fight through his own issues and fear is what made him the hero that he became. Heroism in the film is an apparent theme. The city of Gotham has never had anyone to look up before like him and putting their well-being over his own is what helped Bruce Wayne transforms himself into their hero. This also brings up point of what makes a hero? Batman wouldn’t be where he was if he didn’t experience all his pain and suffering. That is what made him a hero and helped him to overcome it. Another theme that plays a prominent factor in “Batman Begins” is fear. Like I said Bruce Wayne fights not only the villains in the film but also is own fear. His fear of bats and his want to strike fear into his victims are two main points. Also focusing on fear would be the Scarecrow, who hoped to expose the city to fear with this hallucinogen drug.

Anarchy comes to mind when I think about “The Dark Knight”. The Joker’s role in the film is to just spread anarchy and wreck havoc in Gotham. He doesn’t have any clear reasons or purpose, he just does it because it is fun and it entertains him. His back story isn’t clear at all, especially since he changes it every time he tells the story when he asks “You wanna know how I got these scars?”. He is one of the great villains in history due to that reason of him being unpredictable and unreasonable. To be honest, I think that we are all scared of anarchy in general and what it would bring if there really was someone like Joker terrorizing our streets. That is why it resonates with us so well and we are enamored with this character. Betrayal is also a theme that The Dark Knight faces himself when the city of Gotham turns there back on him after the death of Harvey Dent.

In “The Dark Knight Rises”, I have always felt that it is a blend of all the themes from the previous film and wrapping up all open-ended questions. Carrying over from “The Dark Knight”, Bruce Wayne is dealing with the denial from Gotham turning their backs on him. He continues to fight with him fears of continuing to put on the cowl and fighting for justice. He questions his intentions and almost let’s it get the better of him. With the character of Bane, the idea of order really comes into play. Bane wants to take all order out of Gotham and succeeds for the most part when the city is under his control. His character also deals with a bit of betrayal as well as we see in his back story when we find out what made him snap. Human nature is also a very big part of the film, as we see what happens when the order is removed from society. Luckily strength defeats the chaos in the film as we seen not only Batman’s rise over his enemies and his own struggles but the city itself as they step up on their own.

So obviously these are only a few of the dozens of amazing themes included within these three very well made films. Before Nolan’s trilogy for “The Dark Knight”, you would never have thought that a “superhero” movie would have this much depth and character to it. I believe that it has changed the path for the future of these films and it will open doors for filmmakers to expand the universe of this films. I would love to open the door as well to everyone reading to point our your favorite themes from these films as well in the comments below. If you are looking to revisit these great themes and enjoy these films again, I would highly recommend picking up “The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition”.

This amazing release includes all previous special features from the films as well as a bunch of one extras as well. “The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy”, is a behind-the-scenes look on the franchise and is full of never-before-seen footage, rare moments, and exclusive interviews. “Christopher Nolan & Richard Donner: A Conversation” is a sit down chat with directors Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight Trilogy”) and Richard Donner (“Superman”). Lastly there are the complete IMAX® Sequences included for “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises”. There is also some great new and exclusive memorabilia including three premium Mattel Hot Wheels Vehicles: Batmobile, Batpod and Tumbler. There is a newly commissioned collectible art cards by Mondo featuring Scarecrow, Joker, Bane, Harvey Dent, and Ra’s al Ghul and a 48-page book featuring production stills and behind-the-scenes images from all three movies. Lastly, you get digital copies of all the films to add to your Ultraviolet account. Act quick though since this set is limited and numbered to only 141,000 copies.

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“The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray Debut September 24

All Three Films, New Special Features, and Memorabilia 

Burbank, Calif. July 1, 2013 – Christopher Nolan’s reimagining of the Batman franchise beginning with 2005’s Batman Begins enjoyed phenomenal critical and box-office success.

Now on September 24, Nolan’s three Batman films – Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises – will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The six-disc set will feature all three films with their existing extra content, two new featurettes and exclusive new collectible memorabilia. This must-own collection for fans of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader is available in premium packaging and will sell for $99.97 SRP.

About the Ultimate Collector’s Edition (UCE):

  *Disc 1 – Batman Begins Feature and Special Features

  *Disc 2 – The Dark Knight Feature

  *Disc 3 – The Dark Knight Special Features

  *Disc 4 – The Dark Knight Rises Feature

  *Disc 5 – The Dark Knight Rises Special Features

  *Disc 6 – Bonus Disc of New Special Features (details follow)

 

NEW Special Features:

  • The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy – The inside perspective on the fascinating story behind the creation of one of the most celebrated franchises and how it changed the scope of movie making….forever.  Full of never-before-seen footage, rare moments, and exclusive interviews with  Guillermo Del Toro, Damon Lindelof, Michael Mann, Richard Roeper, Zack Snyder and others.
  • Christopher Nolan & Richard Donner: A Conversation – For the first time, Directors Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) and Richard Donner (Superman) sit down to discuss the trials and triumphs involved in bringing the two most iconic superheroes of all time to the big screen, and how Superman influenced Nolan when developing Batman Begins.
  • IMAX® Sequences: The Dark Knight; The Dark Knight Rises – See your favorite scenes as they were intended in the original IMAX© aspect ratio

 

Exclusive NEW Memorabilia:

  • Premium Mattel Hot Wheels Vehicles: Batmobile, Batpod and Tumbler
  • Newly commissioned collectible art cards by Mondo featuring Scarecrow, Joker, Bane, Harvey Dent, and Ra’s al Ghul
  • 48-page hardcover book featuring production stills and behind the scenes images from all three movies

 

About The Films

Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight’s emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents’ murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

 

The Dark Knight (2008)

The follow-up to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective, but soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger), who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast as Rachel Dawes. Returning from Batman Begins are Oldman, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.

 

Dark Knight Rises (2012)

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.

But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane. Christian Bale stars, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Morgan Freeman.

 

THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION (BD)

Street Date: September 24, 2013

Order Due Date: August 20, 2013

Catalog/UPC #: 1000372133 / 883929308002

Pricing: $99.97 SRP

Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Enter the Dragon: 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Actors: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Ahna Capri, Bob Wall, Shih Kien
Directors: Robert Clouse
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Run Time: 98 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

Bruce Lee is one of our most well-known martial arts icons.  “Enter the Dragon” was one of Bruce Lee’s last films but one that made him the international star that he has become. To celebrate it’s 40th Anniversary, Warner Bros is releasing this Ultimate Collector’s Edition giftset, which includes collectible art cards, lenticular card and an embroidered patch. Top that with a new transfer and some amazing new extras and this release is instant purchase for any martial arts or Bruce Lee fan! It is crazy to believe that this film is actually 40 years old but it still holds up today and has never looked better.

Official Premise: Recruited by an intelligence agency, outstanding martial arts student Bruce Lee participates in a brutal karate tournament hosted by the evil Han. Along with champions Roper and Williams, he uncovers Han’s white slavery and drug trafficking ring located on a secret island fortress. In the exciting climax, hundreds of freed prisoners fight in an epic battle with Lee and Han locked in a deadly duel.

“Enter The Dragon” is not new to Blu-ray as it has been previously released back in 2007 in the early days of Blu-ray.  If you own that release this one is a real improvement.  The new transfer looks much sharper and clear. Really hides the fact that this film is 40 years old. The real star of this release though has to be the audio track which was upgraded from a wimpy Dolby Digital 5.1 last time to a powerful DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The track really delivers the punches and the action overall quite well.

The special features are in line with what should be included with an Ultimate Collector’s Edition. There are three new featurette including “No Way As Way”, “The Return to Han’s Island” and “Wing Chun: The Art that Introduced Kung Fu to Bruce Lee”. These are worth the purchase alone of this release. There is a nice commentary track with producer Paul Heller. There is an a few interviews with Lee’s wife, Linda Lee Caldwell compiled together. “Curse of the Dragon” is a excellent extensive documentary looking into Lee’s legacy and death, narrated by George Takai.

“Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon” focuses on the shooting locations. “Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon” is a typical behind-the-scenes that runs 30 minutes and dives into the films stuntwork and fight choreography.”Personal Profile Bruce Lee: In His Own Words” is a rare interviews with Lee pieced together with film clips. There is a vintage featurette from 1973 included, which I always enjoy watching.  There is a personal B&W featurette called “Backyard Workout with Bruce Lee”, nice but runs only two minutes. Rounding out the extras are five trailers and seven TV spots.

Enter The Dragon 40th Anniversary is Available on Blu-ray 6/11/2013 at the WB Shop http://bit.ly/ETD-40
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Blu-ray Review “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Contemporary (Mean Streets / The Untouchables / Goodfellas / Heat / The Departed)”

Starring: Robert De Niro, Kevin Corrigan, Paul Herman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Costner, Al Pacino
Directors: Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, Brian De Palma
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: May 21, 2013
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Running Time: 697 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love a good kick-ass gangster film? “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Contemporary” includes a collection of gangster films from the early 1970’s through 2000’s including “Mean Streets (1973)”, “The Untouchables (1987)”, “Goodfellas (1990)”, “Heat (1995)”, “The Departed (2006)”. In the last couple of decades they are definitely some of the best. I am also a big fan of films like “Casino”, which was not included. I thought that “Heat” was good but a little overrated, but maybe that is from my dislike of Michael Mann. “Goodfellas” is one of my all-time favorites. This release is great if you do not own these films prior since there is nothing new here in terms of content besides a 32-page book featuring images and facts about each film.

These five films all comes with impressive 1080p transfers. Since “The Departed” is the most recent, it also looks and sounds the best with its PCM 5.1 audio track. “Mean Streets” comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track, which is great, while “Goodfellas” comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 track which is the worst of the bunch. They both come with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. “The Untouchables” has a kicking DTS Digital Surround 6.1 track, as well as a Dolby Digital 5.1 EX track. “Heat” comes with a nice Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track and also a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. So these films range all over the place. All deliver for each film though, nothing terrible.

“The Untouchables” Official Premise: The critics and public agree. Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables is a must-see masterpiece – glorious, fierce, larger-than-life depiction of the mob warlord who ruled Prohibition-era Chicago… and the law enforcer who vowed to bring him down. This classic confrontation between good and evil and stars Kevin Costner as federal agent Eliot Ness, Robert De Niro as gangland kingpin Al Capone and Sean Connery as Malone, the cop who teaches Ness how to beat the mob: shoot fast and shoot first.

“Mean Streets” Official Premise: The future is set for Tony and Michael, owning a neighborhood bar and making deals in the mean streets of New York city’s Little Italy. For Charlie, the future is less clearly defined. A small-time hood, he works for his uncle making collections and reclaiming bad debts. He’s probably too nice to succeed. In love with a woman his uncle disapproves of (because of her epilepsy) and a friend of her cousin, Johnny Boy, a near psychotic whose trouble-making threatens them all, he can’t reconcile opposing values. A failed attempt to escape (to Brooklyn) moves them all a step closer to a bitter, almost preordained future.

“Goodfellas” Official Premise: Henry Hill is a small time gangster, who takes part in a robbery with Jimmy Conway and Tommy De Vito, two other gangsters who have set their sights a bit higher. His two partners kill off everyone else involved in the robbery, and slowly start to climb up through the hierarchy of the Mob. Henry, however, is badly affected by his partners success, but will he stoop low enough to bring about the downfall of Jimmy and Tommy?

“Heat” Official Premise: Neil McCauley is a thief — an expert thief. His philosophy in life – become attached to nothing in life that you can’t walk away from in 30 seconds if you spot the “Heat” around the corner. His crew of criminals is a high-tech outfit pulling off professional jobs that impress even the likes of Detective Vincent Hanna. But Hanna, a man driven through life only by his work, becomes obsessed, at the expense of his private life, with bringing McCauley down. As McCauley’s crew prepare for the score of a lifetime, and Hanna’s team tries to bring him in, the two find that they are challenged by the greatest minds on the opposite side of the law that either one has ever encountered.

“The Departed” Official Premise: Two just-graduated officers from Massachusetts State Police Academy follow opposite sides of the law: Billy Costigan is assigned to work undercover with the Irish mobster Frank Costello to get evidences to arrest him. His true identity is only known by his superiors Dignam and Oliver Queenan. The protégée of Costello, Colin Sullivan, is promoted in the Massachusetts State Police and is the informer of Costello. Each police officer gives his best effort trying to disclose the identity of the other “rat”.

The special features are not as impressive as the “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics” release since these films have been released on Blu-ray prior and are missing quite a bit of there previously released extras. “Mean Streets” comes with a vintage featurette “Back on the Block”. “The Untouchables” comes with an extra called “The Script, The Cast”. “Goodfellas” comes with two commentary tracks with cast and crew and a featurette “Cop and Crook”. “Heat” comes with eleven additional scenes. Lastly “The Departed” also comes with nine additional scenes with intros by director Marty Scorsese.

The “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classics” and “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary” are available on Blu-ray 5/21

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Blu-ray Review “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics (Little Caesar / The Public Enemy / The Petrified Forest / White Heat)”

Starring: James Cagney, Leslie Howard, Edward G. Robinson, Bette Davis, Virginia Mayo, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Directors: Archie Mayo, William A. Wellman, Mervyn LeRoy, Raoul Walsh
Distributed by: Warner Bros
Release Date: May 21, 2013
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 357 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of stars

Who can help but not love the classic B&W gangster films. The following films make up this “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics” – “Little Caesar (1931)”, “The Public Enemy (1931)”, “The Petrified Forest (1936)”, “White Heat (1949)”.  These are all great films that I have seen many times and never grow tired watching.  Whenever I think “The Public Enemy”, I am transported to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios on The Great Movie Ride, one of my favorites.  These films are what made gangster films popular and paved the way for today’s films. If you are a looking for a great place to be transported to the origin of the gangster film then look no further than this Blu-ray release.

All of these films are appearing on Blu-ray for the first time ever, as part of Warner Bros. 90th Anniversary celebration.  Each of these films will also be available on May 21st individually on Blu-ray. But this box set collection is quite a think a beauty.  All the film comes in a nice slipcase and includes an additional 32-page book with images and facts about each of the film. The 1080p transfers are very impressive for these classic films the latest dating back to almost 80 years ago. They are all presented with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The audio tracks included are also DTS-HD Master Audio Mono for each film, which work very well. The dialogues are clear and just are held up so well.

“Little Caesar (1931)” Official Premise: The ambitious criminal Rico moves from the country to the big city in the east and joins Sam Vettori’s gang with his friend Joe Massara. Sooner he becomes the leader of the gangsters and known as Little Caesar, and gets closer to the great mobster Pete Montana. In a robbery of a night-club, he kills the Crime Commissioner Alvin McClure and his pal Joe witnesses the murder. When Rico orders Joe to leave his mistress Olga Strassoff, she takes a serious decision.

“The Public Enemy (1931)” Official Premise: Tom Powers and Matt Doyle are best friends and fellow gangsters, their lives frowned upon by Tom’s straight laced brother, Mike, and Matt’s straight laced sister, Molly. From their teen-aged years into young adulthood, Tom and Matt have an increasingly lucrative life, bootlegging during the Prohibition era. But Tom in particular becomes more and more brazen in what he is willing to do, and becomes more obstinate and violent against those who either disagree with him or cross him. When one of their colleagues dies in a freak accident, a rival bootlegging faction senses weakness among Tom and Matt’s gang, which is led by Paddy Ryan. A gang war ensues, resulting in Paddy suggesting that Tom and Matt lay low. But because of Tom’s basic nature, he decides instead to take matters into his own hands.

“The Petrified Forest (1936)” Official Premise: Gabby lives and works at her dads small diner out in the desert. She can’t stand it and wants to go and live with her mother in France. Along comes Alan, a broke man with no will to live, who is traveling to see the pacific, and maybe to drown in it. Meanwhile Duke Mantee a notorious killer and his gang is heading towards the diner where Mantee plan on meeting up with his girl.

“White Heat (1949)” Official Premise: Cody Jarrett is the sadistic leader of a ruthless gang of thieves. Afflicted by terrible headaches and fiercely devoted to his ‘Ma,’ Cody is a volatile, violent, and eccentric leader. Cody’s top henchman wants to lead the gang and attempts to have an ‘accident’ happen to Cody, while he is running the gang from in jail. But Cody is saved by an undercover cop, who thereby befriends him and infiltrates the gang. Finally, the stage is set for Cody’s ultimate betrayal and downfall, during a big heist at a chemical plant.

These “Classics” each come with their own set of extras.  “Little Caesar (1931)” comes with a commentary by film historian Robert Sklar. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Spencer Tracy Short The Hard Guy, Cartoon Lady Play Your Mandolin and Theatrical Trailers. There is also a featurette “Little Caesar: End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero” included. “The Public Enemy (1931)” includes a commentary by film historian Richard B. Jewell. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Comedy Short The Eyes Have It, Cartoon Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! and Theatrical Trailers.  There is also a featurette “Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public” included.

“The Petrified Forest (1936)” includes a commentary by Bogart biographer Eric Lax. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Musical Short Rhythmitis, Cartoon The Coo Coo Nut Grove and Theatrical Trailers. There is also a featurette “The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert” included and an Audio-Only Bonus: 1/7/1940 Gulf Screen Theater Broadcast. Lastly “White Heat (1949)” includes a commentary by Film Historian Drew Casper. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1949 with Newsreel, Comedy Short So You Think You’re Not Guilty, Cartoon Homeless Hare and Theatrical Trailers.  There is also a featurette “White Heat: Top of the World” included.

If all that is not enough there is still more.  There is a bonus DVD included with yet another feature-length documentary called “The Public Enemies: The Golden Age of The Gangster Film”.  Even though this is just on DVD, it is still a must-watch if you are a fan of this genre and only makes this release worth every penny.

The “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classics” and “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary” are available on Blu-ray 5/21

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Disney•Pixar’s “Brave” 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ Giveaway [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

© 2012 Disney•Pixar

Ultimate Collector’s Editon: 5-disc Combo Pack available on November 13th, 2012

To celebrate the release of Disney•Pixar’s “Brave” 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™, Media Mikes would like to giveaway 5 copies of the 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition (1 Blu-ray™ 3D + 2 Blu-ray™ Discs + 1 DVD + 1 Digital Copy). If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email indicating your favorite Disney Princess. This giveaway will remain open until November 30th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to residents of the United States only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

An original and thrilling journey set in the ancient and magical Highlands of Scotland, “Brave” follows the heroic journey of the headstrong, young adventurer Merida. Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida confronts tradition and defies an age-old custom that inadvertently unleashes chaos, and forces her to discover the true meaning of bravery. The 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition (1 Blu-ray™ 3D + 2 Blu-ray™ Discs + 1 DVD + 1 Digital Copy) has something for everyone – from the home entertainment enthusiast who demands the highest quality, state-of-the-art technology offerings, to the family who enjoys the interactive and engaging bonus features that only Blu-ray can provide – making this unique and beautiful film a “must add” to any home media collection.

ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITON: 5-DISC COMBO PACK
(BD™ 3D + BD™ Feature + BD™ Supplemental Material + DVD + DIGITAL COPY)

BLU-RAY™ – DISC 1 INCLUDES:

  • La Luna Theatrical Short — Fans will love this charming short that accompanied the film in theatres. It follows a young boy on his first night working the family business alongside his father and grandfather.
  • The Legend of Mor’du Short — This rousing new bonus short film will give fans the chance to delve deeper into the legend behind Mordu, as told by the eccentric witch who transformed him.
  • Brave Old World — Fans will watch as members of the “Brave” production team investigate Scotland, exploring its land, culture, people and dialects. The research they gathered was brought thrillingly to life in the film. Also, fans will hear what actress Emma Thompson (voice of Queen Elinor) thinks of Pixar’s take on her homeland.
  • Merida & Elinor — With the creation of Merida and Elinor, the Pixar filmmakers delved deep into the relationship between mother and daughter. Highlighting contrasts in character design, clothing, animation, voicing, even hairstyle, watch how the filmmakers explored this most important of relationships.
  • Bears — Take a look inside the art and design behind the bears in Brave. Each of the bears, gentle Mum-Bear and terrifying Mor’du, demanded a different approach to creating their physical appearance and personality.
  • Brawl in the Hall — A fascinating and hilarious inside look at the process of creating Brave’s fighting Scots, through animation, crowd simulation and fight choreography — not to mention a room full of grunting men whose vocal chortles added authenticity to the raucous scene.
  • Wonder Moss – Fans will explore how Brave’s technical artists examined the real Scottish countryside and studied the laws of nature, then turned these findings into computer codes that would blanket Merida’s Scotland in lush moss, lichen and bracken.
  • Magic — The magic and mystery of Scotland is revealed to fans in this charming feature about the legends — from mystical potions to the will-o’-the-wisps – seen in Brave.
  • Clan Pixar — At Pixar, getting into character is a team effort. From making Haggis to Kilt Fridays to celebrating the Scottish poet Robert Burns, fans will see how the Brave production crew truly embraced Scottish themes and customs fueled the Pixar crew throughout the creation of Brave.
  • Once Upon A Scene — A closer look at the evolution of the storylines throughout the production of the film, including alternative openings to the film and many deleted scenes.
  • Extended Scenes — Three separate scenes are highlighted in their extended form. Director Mark Andrews discusses the decision making process that led to the shortened versions of these scenes.
  • Director Commentary

BLU-RAY™ DISC 2 INCLUDES:

  • ‘Fergus & Mor’du’ An Alternate Opening — Once upon a time, “Brave” had a different opening scene. Eventually cut from the film, fans can see it in its entirety in this bonus feature narrated by the film’s director Mark Andrews.
  • Fallen Warriors Montage — A selection of deleted shots that were cut from the film late in production are presented to fans in various stages of completion through a video montage narrated by director Mark Andrews.
  • Dirty Hairy People — Fans will enjoy this uproarious bonus feature discussing the development of Brave’s Scots – including the design of their hair, attire, and dirt-crusted physiques.
  • It is English…Sort Of — This bonus feature helps fans interpret some of the more Scottish lines in the film, thanks to the real Scottish actors who play the key characters and contributed their own dialects and sayings.
  • Angus — A look at Merida’s most trusted companion, Angus, a mighty Clydesdale.
  • The Tapestry — Fans will learn the story behind this embroidered emblem of family unity, which was lovingly crafted by Brave’s team of artists.
  • Promotional Pieces — This bonus includes promotional clips for Brave, including: ‘Feast Yer Eyes,’ ‘Relics,’ ‘Clan DunBroch,’ ‘Launch,’ and more.
  • Art Gallery — A selection of breathtaking art from the creation of the film, showcasing characters, sets, scenes and stunning landscapes.
  • Wee Gaffes – A video montage of simulation, animation and shot bloopers.
  • Renaissance Animation Man – Get a look at Director Mark Andrews’ love of Scotland, sword-fighting, music and more!
  • Teasers and Sneak Peeks

BLU-RAY™ 3D DISC INCLUDES:

  • “La Luna” Theatrical Short

DVD Includes:

  • “La Luna” Theatrical Short
  • “The Legend of Mordu” All-New Short
  • Director Commentary

 

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Blu-ray Review “Harold & Kumar Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Actors: John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris
Directors: Jon Hurwitz, Danny Leiner, Todd Strauss-Schulson, Hayden Schlossberg
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 285 minutes

Ultimate Collector’s Edition: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Before we even get started, I am a huge fan of this series.  The first film is one of the most outrageous and funny comedies in the last then years. The second was good but didn’t really trump its predecessor, besides NPH.  “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is the latest and one of my favorites from 2011.  No it is not best film ever but it gets some amazing laughs, especially in 3D.  But it is not released in 3D on this release, so that is a big disappointing.  I think it would have been at least a half a star added on the score if it did. The package offers a total of four cuts of the three films, including the extended editions of each and also the theatrical cut of “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”.

Besides the film, this Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes in a “collectible tin, ideal for stashing the movies and any other necessities a Harold and Kumar fan might have.” This includes fun extras like a White Castle-scented car fresheners and White Castle-scented drink coasters.  If you don’t already own any of these prior releases and don’t care of 3D, then this release is for you. Otherwise, the coasters and car fresheners aren’t worth the re-purchase.

Each film in this collection are delivered in their original aspect ratio – “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” and “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” are presented in 1.85:1 and “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is presented in 2.39:1. Like the previous releases they all looks nice in thei r 1080p transfers, though I still prefer “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” in 3D over 2D.  They are also all accompanied with a sweet 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks. Not going to complain for the original Blu-ray release of “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”, what happened to it’s DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track?

All of the previous special features from the prior releases are all included on this Ultimate Collector’s Edition. “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” includes three really fun commentary tracks with director Danny Leiner and actors John Cho and Kal Penn and also a commentary track with writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. There is also an “Extreme” commentary with Danny Bouchard, highly recommended. “John Cho and Kal Penn: The Back Seat Interview” chat about the their roles with co-star Bobby Lee. “Art of the Fart” focuses on the sound effects editing for the bathroom scene with the two Princeton girls. “A Trip to the Land of the Burgers” is a featurette on the animated sequence. “White Castle Cravers’ Hall of Fame” is a look into the annual awards ceremony the burger chain holds in Columbus, Ohio. “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Sneak Peek” is a sneak peak into the sequel and well as the trailer. There is 20 minutes of interviews and commentary from the cast and crew along with another 15 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes. Lastly there is a music video for “Yeah (Dream of Me)” by All Too Much and two trailers included.

“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” special features include 27 additional scenes and an interactive feature called “Dude Change the Movie” that puts you in control of Harold and Kumar’s trip and allows you to select from new and alternate scenes to change the course of the film! There is two commentary tracks with the Directors and Stars and also the real “Harold Lee”, and the guy who plays George W. Bush. Lastly there is a “The World of Harold and Kumar” featurette and a Bush PSA included.

Lastly we have “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”, which has the least impressive of the special features. They include a few of EPK shorts hosted by Thomas Lennon called “Through the Haze with Tom Lennon”. They are hilarious and definitely worth checking out as Lennon was a great asset to the film. There is a look into the claymation sequence and includes picture-in-picture with its animated storyboard reel and the final scene. Lastly there are about four minutes of deleted scenes…funny but not hilarious. Again did I mention that this release doesn’t include the 3D version of the film?

“Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”: 3.5 out of 5 stars – Directed by Danny Leiner (“Dude Where’s My Car?,” TV’s “Backwash”), Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle follows John Cho (“American Pie” films, “Star Trek”) and Kal Penn (TV’s “House”, “The Namesake,” “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” films) as they set out on a journey to satisfy their craving for White Castle’s delicious burgers and find themselves on a hilarious all-night adventure as they run into one wacky obstacle after another.

“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”: 3 out of 5 stars – The second installment of the franchise marks the triumphant return of these two hilarious, slacker anti-heroes. The movie stars John Cho (“American Pie” films, “Star Trek”) as Harold and Kal Penn (TV’s “House”, “The Namesake,” “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” films) as Kumar, two stoners who can’t seem to get a break. Their last adventure found them traveling across country to find a White Castle hamburger in order to satisfy a weed-induced case of “the munchies.” This time, the boys get themselves in trouble trying to sneak a bong onboard a flight to Amsterdam. Now, being suspected of terrorism, they are forced to run from the law and try to find a way to prove their innocence. What follows is an irreverent and epic journey of deep thoughts, deeper inhaling and a wild trip around the world that is as “un-PC” as it gets.

“A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”: 4 out of 5 stars Following years of growing apart, Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Penn) have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrive at Kumar’s door on Christmas Eve, his attempts to redirect it to Harold’s house ends with the “high grade” contents – and Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree – going up in smoke. With his in-laws out of the house for the day, Harold decides to cover his tracks, rather than come clean. Reluctantly embarking on another ill-advised journey with Kumar, through New York City, their search for the perfect replacement tree takes them through party heaven – and almost blows Christmas Eve sky high.

The ‘highly flammable’ three-movie set, Harold & Kumar Blu-ray Ultimate Collector’s Edition, blazes into stores November 13!
Official WB Shop Link: http://bit.ly/XVP2KW
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HaroldandKumarMovie

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, collectors, edition, harold, kumar, review, ...

Blu-ray Review “Singin’ in the Rain: 60th Anniversary – Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Directors: Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen
Starring: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor,
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Running Time: 103 minutes

Ultimate Collector’s Edition: 5 out of 5 stars
Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 stars

Warner Home Video is really setting the standards high for quality collector’s edition releases. After the recent amazing anniversary editions of “Ben-Hur”, “Casablanca” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, Warner Home Video has out-down themselves again. This is my favorite of all the ultimate collector’s editions. “Singin’ in the Rain” is one of my favorite films of all time and continues to entertain even after 60 years. The film is so timeless and contains such memorable songs, wonderful dance sequences and of course Gene Kelly, who is alone amazing. 10 years ago this was the first film for WHV’s to receive their “Ultra-Resolution” process. But that is not enough for this 60th anniversary Blu-ray debut, “Singin’ in the Rain” has been made to look and sound even better with a complete 4k scan restoration of the Technicolor 3-strip negatives and a new uncompressed DTS-Master audio track. What more can a fan of this film ask for?

So if all that amazing detail above isn’t enough for you and you are asking what makes the “Singin’ in the Rain: 60th Anniversary – Ultimate Collector’s Edition”, so ultimate? Firstly this the first time the film has ever graced the Blu-ray format. This new edition like the past Ultimate Collector’s Editions comes packaged in a beautiful box (11½w x 8h x 3d) with a bunch of amazing goodies. Inside this set included a three disc DigiPak that includes one Blu-ray disc and two DVD’s.  The first DVD is jam packed with bonus features and the second is a copy of the film.  There is a nice hardcover 48-page book spread out with wonderful photographs and production notes from the film. There are three miniature reproductions of the theatrical door panel posters.  But wait there is still more…what is “Singin’ in the Rain” without an umbrella? This release comes with an amazing themed and full-size commemorative inside of a red nylon case.

Let’s get to the special features now.  It just keeps getting better and better with this release.  There is a brand new documentary called “Singin’ in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation”, which is located on the Blu-ray disc and is even in high definition. It runs just under an hour and is absolutely amazing. The rest of the special features are located on its own DVD with another bunch of vintage features. Starting off there is a wonderful and very jam-packed commentary track with by Stanley Donen, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, Cyd Charisse, Kathleen Freeman, screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green, filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, and film historian Rudy Behlmer. It is simply wonderful. Next up is “Great Performances: Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM”, which a 1996 PBS documentary about the career of producer/songwriter Arthur Freed. “What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of Singin’ in the Rain” is a 2002 doc hosting by Reynolds, which is a little dated but very informative.

Continuing on, we still have a lot of features including “Excerpts from Features Where Songs Originated”, which focuses on the many of Singin’ in the Rain’s songs that originally debuted in earlier films. Included for example is “All I Do Is Dream of You” from Sadie McKee (1934). Continuing with the music, there is a Jukebox included which you can create, save and listen to an audio/video playlist of Singin’ in the Rain songs. There is an outtake musical number with Debbie Reynolds for “You are My Lucky Star”. We get transported to MGM’s scoring stage for Scoring Sessions from the film, running about 75 minutes. There are also a collection of 12 film clips from earlier films with Freed/Brown songs included. Lastly we get a photo montage of production photographs and a theatrical trailer, which I still stop and watch before going on Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ The Great Movie Ride, never fail.

Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Singin’ in the Rain with the commemorative Blu-ray edition, out July 17th! http://bit.ly/N6vGNf
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“Singin’ in the Rain”, set in the days of Hollywood’s transition from silent films to “talkies,” continues to this day to provide pure cinematic entertainment. It stars Gene Kelly at the pinnacle of his career and co-stars Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, Cyd Charisse, Jean Hagen and Rita Moreno. Written by legendary musical “book” writers Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Singin’ in the Rain was helmed by legendary directors Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards ® and has been ranked as one of the Top 10 Greatest Films of All Time by the AFI and Entertainment Weekly, among others.

AFI’s #1 Movie Musical will be offered in a new limited and numbered gift set edition with four hours of bonus content and will be beautifully packaged and ready for new generations of fans to enjoy. The Blu-ray & DVD Pack will be priced at $84.99 SRP. A single disc Blu-ray will also be available for $19.98 SRP and a Two-disc Special Edition DVD for $14.96 SRP.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 60th, anniversary, bluray, rain, review, singin, ...
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