Listed chronologically by release date.
Black Hole
(USA
1979)
Director: Gary Nelson
Release Date: 08/03/2004
Price: 19.99
MPAA Rating: PG
Maximilian Schell (Dr. Hans Reinhardt),
Anthony Perkins (Dr. Alex Durant),
Robert Forster (Capt. Dan Holland),
Joseph Bottoms (Lt. Charles Pizer),
Yvette Mimieux (Dr. Kate McRae),
Ernest Borgnine (Harry Booth),
Tom McLoughlin (Capt. S.T.A.R.),
Roddy McDowall (Vincent),
Slim Pickens (Bob),
Disney throws Star Wars and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea into the blender. There are moments here and there of greatness, the baddie robot taking out one of the cast, but the twee see-we-can-out-cute R2-D2 goodie robots are too much. Disappointing.
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
(USA
1959)
Director: Robert Stevenson
Release Date: 08/03/2004
Price: 19.99
Albert Sharpe (Darby O'Gill),
Janet Munro (Katie),
Sean Connery (Michael McBride),
Jimmy O'Dea (King Brian),
Kieron Moore (Pony Sugrue),
Estelle Winwood (Sheelah),
Jack MacGowran (Phadrig Oge),
J.G. Devlin (Tom Kerrigan),
Walter Fitzgerald (Lord Fitzpatrick),
Denis O'Dea (Father Murphy),
Long missing Disney Irish whimsy classic. Rollicking good fun and still convincing special effects.
Hidalgo
(USA
2004)
Director: Joe Johnston
Release Date: 08/03/2004
Price: 29.99
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viggo Mortensen (Frank Hopkins),
Zuleikha Robinson (Jazira),
Omar Sharif (Sheikh Riyadh),
Louise Lombard (Lady Anne Davenport),
Disney's Horsey marathon offering taking advantage of Lord of the Ring's Mortensen's slightly offbeat persona.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
(USA
1983)
Director: Jack Clayton
Release Date: 08/03/2004
Price: 19.99
MPAA Rating: PG
Jason Robards (Charles Halloway),
Jonathan Pryce (Mr. Dark),
Diane Ladd (Mrs. Nightshade),
Royal Dano (Tom Fury),
Vidal Peterson (Will Halloway),
Shawn Carson (Jim Nightshade),
Mary Grace Canfield (Miss Foley),
Richard Davalos (Mr. Crosetti),
Jake Dengel (Mr. Tetley),
Jack Dodson (Dr. Douglas),
Ellen Geer (Mrs. Halloway),
By the pricking of my thumbs...Ambitious Disney version of the Ray Bradbury story falls short of greatness. Bradbury made approving noises at the time. Pryce is great, the bit with the book pages is genuinely creepy.
Children of the Damned
(UK
1964)
Director: Anton M. Leader
Release Date: 08/10/2004
Sheila Allen (),
Alan Badel (),
Tom Bowman (Gen. Miller),
Alfred Burke (),
Barbara Ferris (),
Ian Hendry (Col Tom Lewellin),
Bessie Love (),
Ralph Michael (),
Martin Miller (),
Patrick White (),
Patrick Wymark (),
OK Sequel to the original classic, basically reprises the first. Since it comes with the other movie, what have you got to lose?
Crossroads
(USA
1986)
Director: Walter Hill
Release Date: 08/10/2004
Ralph Macchio (Eugene Martone),
Joe Seneca (Willie Brown),
Jami Gertz (Frances),
Joe Morton (Scratch's Assistant),
Robert Judd (Scratch),
Steve Vai (Jack Butler),
Dennis Lipscomb (Lloyd),
Harry Carey (Bartender),
John Hancock (Sheriff Tilford),
Allan Arbus (Doctor Santis),
Akosua Busia (Woman at boardinghouse),
A tale of blues and deals with the devil. Joe Seneca is superb as a salty old blues player. Climactic Blues duel is a gem as Ry Cooder and Steve Vai trade riffs.
Freaks
(USA
1932)
Director: Tod Browning
Release Date: 08/10/2004
Price: 24.95
MPAA Rating: NR
Screen Ratio: 1.33:1
Olga Baclanova (Cleopatra),
Louise Beavers (Maid),
Edward Brophy (Rollo Brother),
Wallace Ford (Phroso),
Leila Hyams (Venus),
Angelo Rossitto (Angeleno),
Peter Robinson (Human Skeleton),
Now almost legendary horror film that managed to outrage and shock everyone in its day is almost still as potent today! Long time coming on DVD, but Warner appear to have made the wait worth it.
Kill Bill Volume 2
(USA
2004)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Release Date: 08/10/2004
Uma Thurman (The Bride),
David Carradine (Bill),
Michael Madsen (Budd),
Daryl Hannah (Elle Driver),
Gordon Liu (Johnny Mo),
Michael Parks (Sheriff Earl McGraw),
Perla Haney-Jardine (B.B.),
Christopher Allen Nelson (Tommy Plympton),
Bo Svenson (Reverend Harmony),
Jeannie Epper (Mrs HArmony),
Claire Smithies (Clarita),
Bill, we presume, gets killed in the final part of Tarantino's simultaneous homage to Samurai flicks and Spaghetti westerns.
Predator
(USA
1987)
Director: John McTiernan
Release Date: 08/10/2004
Price: 29.98
MPAA Rating: R
Screen Ratio: 1.85:1
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Dutch),
Carl Weathers (Dillon),
Elpidia Carrillo (Anna),
Bill Duke (Mac),
Jesse Ventura (Blain),
Sonny Landham (Billy),
Richard Chaves (Poncho),
R. G. Armstrong (General Phillips),
Shane Black (Hawkins),
Kevin Peter Hall (Predator),
Sven-Ole Thorsen (Russian),
Another DVD long wait comes to an end with this release of the Special Edition Predator. Loaded with extras, including a look at the incarnation of the beastie that caused filming to stop until the makers found a substitute. A classic testosterone filled flick.
Village of the Damned
(UK
1960)
Director: Wolf Rilla
Release Date: 08/10/2004
Bernard Archard (Vicar),
Michael Gwynn (Alan Bernard),
Jenny Laird (Mrs. Harrington),
Charlotte Mitchell (Janet Pawle),
Laurence Naismith (Doctor Willers),
John Phillips (General Leighton),
Keith Pyott (Dr. Carlisle),
George Sanders (Gordon Zellaby),
Barbara Shelley (Anthea Zellaby),
Martin Stephens (David Zellaby),
John Stuart (Mr. Smith),
One of the classic sci-fi creepies from the sixties. Benefits from being British and very low key. Tale of alien children taking over a village and soon the world is very chiling, and the ending a fraught nailbiter. John Carpenter attempted a remake in 1995 but didn't capture the chill of the original. HIGHLY recommended.
After Hours
(USA
1985)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Date: 08/17/2004
Price: 19.98
MPAA Rating: R
Victor Argo (Diner Cashier),
Larry Block (cab driver),
Clarence Felder (bouncer, club berlin),
Linda Fiorentino (Kiki),
Teri Garr (Julie),
John Heard (Bartender),
Robin Johnson (Punk Girl),
Cheech Marin (Neil),
Dick Miller (Peter -waiter in diner),
Catherine O'Hara (Gail),
Will Patton (Horst),
Scorsese's urban comedy nightmare finally arrives on DVD. I didn't like it originally and will relish the chance to re appraise the thing.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
(USA
1974)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Date: 08/17/2004
Price: 19.97
Ellen Burstyn (Alice Hyatt),
Kris Kristofferson (David),
Billy Greenbush (Donald),
Diane Ladd (Flo),
Lelia Goldoni (Bea),
Harvey Keitel (Ben),
Lane Bradbury (Rita),
Vic Tayback (Mel),
Jodie Foster (Audrey),
Valerie Curtin (Vera),
Mia Bendixsen (Alice - younger),
Classic early Scorsese sees recently widowed Alice attempting to make a new life for herself by heading East. Burstyn as usual shines as the determined Alice.
Duel
(USA
1971)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Release Date: 08/17/2004
Price: 19.98
MPAA Rating: PG
Screen Ratio: 1.33:1
Lucille Benson (Lady at Snake-o-rama),
Gene Dynarski (Man in Cafe),
Eddie Firestone (Cafe Owner),
Tim Herbert (Gas Station Attendant),
Alexander Lockwood (Old Man in Car),
Charles Peel (),
Jacqueline Scott (Mrs. Mann),
Dennis Weaver (David Mann),
Dick Whittington (Radio Interviewer),
The TV movie that put Spielberg on the map. Simple plot has everyman Dennis Weaver become the target of a demented truck driver and their ever escalating struggle to the death achieves gladiatorial stature.
Goodfellas
(USA
1990)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Date: 08/17/2004
Robert DeNiro (James Conway),
Ray Liotta (Henry Hill),
Joe Pesci (Tommy DeVito),
Lorraine Bracco (Karen Hill),
Paul Sorvino (Paul Cicero),
Frank Sivero (Frankie Carbone),
Tony Darrow (Sonny Bunz),
Mike Starr (Frenchy),
Frank Vincent (Billy Batts),
Chuck Low (Morris Kessler),
Frank DiLeo (Tuddy Cicero),
True story of minor hoodlum Henry Hill and the mob, given the Scorsese treatment. Fascinating/horrible, brilliantly acted. Pesci is something else as a diminutive demented gangster.
Mangler
(USA
1995)
Director: Tobe Hooper
Release Date: 08/17/2004
Robert Englund (Bill Gartley),
Ted Levine (John Hunton),
A lesser Stephen King tale about a possessed laundry machine (?!) becomes an average shocker. Horror vet Hooper manages to do SOMETHING with it, but really. For completists only.
Sugarland Express
(USA
1974)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Release Date: 08/17/2004
Price: 19.98
MPAA Rating: PG
William Atherton (Clovis Poplin),
Goldie Hawn (Lou Jean),
Ben Johnson (Capt. Tanner),
Steve Kanaly (Jessup),
Louise Latham |
