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The DVD Dossier is the free newsletter published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less.
This is the archived issue for May 29, 2005.
Click Here To Subscribe To The DVD Dossier Newsletter
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Published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less, the online source for DVD Discounts & Deals
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In This Issue
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May 29, 2005
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| Skype Is Free Internet Telephony That Just Works... |
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There are no big theatrical blockbusters - or even modest hits - coming to DVD this week. Instead, there are four dynamite collections saluting the work of Hollywood icons of days gone by. And so we fill this space in The DVD Dossier this week with those, as well as a few of the more eclectic and obscure titles we've seen on DVD in quite a while.
First up are those collections: back in March, we told you about Warner Home Video's "Complete James Dean Collection," which includes "East of Eden" (available for the first time ever on DVD in a new 2-Disc Special Edition), "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Giant" (all also available separately).
Also from Warner is "The Essential Steve McQueen Collection," the details of which were first announced in this newsletter here. The collection features a newly remastered 2-Disc Special Edition of "Bullitt" with three related documentaries, two of them completely new. Also included are "The Getaway," "Papillon" and new-to-DVD titles "The Cincinnati Kid," "Never So Few," and "Tom Horn" (all also available separately).
Also out this week is the "The Gary Cooper Collection," featuring five classic films ("Design for Living," "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer," "Peter Ibbetson," "The General Died at Dawn" and "Beau Geste").
And Marlon Brando headlines a four-movie collection you can't refuse. "The Marlon Brando Collection" includes "The Appaloosa," "The Night of the Following Day," "A Countess from Hong Kong" and "The Ugly American."
An icon of a different sort, a pioneering broadcaster and legendary interviewer gets his own tribute in "The Edward R Murrow Collection." Mike Wallace, Walter Cronkite, Charles Kuralt and Dan Rather introduce Murrow's best moments.
Another collection should sell well in the "blue" states: "The Robert Greenwald Documentary Collection." If 2004 was the year of the documentary, Robert Greenwald was, perhaps, its brightest and most prolific star.
Three acclaimed documentary films featured in this collection ("Uncovered," "Outfoxed," and "Unconstitutional") were all commercially released in 2004, and all forged unprecedented new ground in how documentary films could be released.
The films were first marketed exclusively via the internet before they arrived in stores on DVD. Further turning established wisdom upside down, all three later went on to play in theaters around the world.
"Uncovered" bills itself as the "The Whole truth About the Iraq War," while "Unconstitutional" is an examination of "The War on Our Civil Liberties" and "Outfoxed" is an expose of Fox News and "Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism."
All films remain available individually, but the new 4-Disc collection comes with a bonus disc that includes Greenwald's explanation of the genesis of each of the films and other exclusive content not seen in the original DVD releases.
It's nature vs. nurture in "Bedtime For Bonzo," as Ronald Reagan plays nursemaid to a chimp.
This 1951 movie was directed by Freddy De Cordova, who later went on to produce "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson."
It features an accomplished performance by Reagan and we're here to tell you that it's a pretty darn good B movie, especially when you consider all the jokes that you've heard about it over the years. Previously released only on VHS, "Bedtime For Bonzo" is one of the unexpected DVD delights of the week.
"Moog" is an interesting new documentary about Robert Moog, inventor of the music synthesizer that bears his name. The film, from writer-director Hans Fjellstad, takes us inside the mind of this legendary figure as he shares his ideas about creativity, design, interactivity, and spirituality.
Also out this week is a Thames Television production of Shakespeare's "King Lear," with Patrick Magee in the title role and two new DVDs in Disney's "Classic Cartoon" Series: "Extreme Adventure Fun" and "Extreme Music Fun."
"Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine" documents chess master Gary Kasparov's 1997 victory over "Deep Blue," an IBM super computer and "Paul McCartney: Live in Red Square" is the A & E concert film of the former Beatles' 2003 appearance In Moscow.
Also from television this week comes Seasons One and Two of "Moonlighting" and the Third Season of "The Dukes of Hazzard."
Our favorite TV show on DVD this week is "Danger Mouse: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2." This quirky animated show aired from 1981-1992 on ITV in the U.K. and in the 1990s on Nickelodeon in the USA.
Equal parts "James Bond," "Sherlock Holmes" and "Rocky and Bullwinkle," our hero is a London-based, eye patch-wearing, secret-agent mouse who regularly saves the world from monsters, master thieves and other evildoers.
One of the few British children's series to succeed in America, "Danger Mouse" is family entertainment that appeals to both kids and adults and is now available for the first-time on DVD in complete seasons.
And that wraps up another week of DVD news and reviews; as always, announcements of upcoming titles are below.
We'll see you back here next week with more!
Regards,
DVD Direct 4 Less
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| This Week's New DVD Releases - Street Date: May 31, 2005 |
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Visit us online to see a comprehensive list of new DVD releases for the next six weeks.
Links above are for Region 1 (USA) Editions. Availability and release dates elsewhere may vary.
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We normally begin most of our new DVD announcements with a bit of clever wordplay. With "Bride & Prejudice," the pun is built right into the movie's title. This "Bollywood" version of the Jane Austen classic "Pride and Prejudice," arrives on DVD July 5th.
The classic romance has been reinvented for a new globally connected world by the team that created “Bend It Like Beckham,” including director Gurinder Chadha.
It all begins in a modest Indian village when the determined Mrs. Bakshi sets out to find marriage matches for her four beautiful daughters while there’s a lavish wedding party in town.
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Right away, the smart and headstrong Lalita (international star Aishwarya Rai in her first English language role) announces she will marry only for love, giving her mother nightmares. Then Lalita meets the wealthy American Will Darcy (Martin Henderson) and sparks immediately fly.
But is it love or hate?
Darcy comes off to Lalita as an arrogant California snob. Lalita looks to Darcy like a small-town Indian beauty who knows nothing of the world.
In a swirl of music, dance and comic misunderstandings, these opposites continue to attract and repel each other in a romance that spans three continents. Alternately enchanted by and suspicious of one another, Lalita and Darcy nearly fall prey to assumptions and gossip – until pride is humbled and prejudice overcome so that love can triumph.
Special features include deleted scenes, a gag reel, extended songs, a behind-the-scenes featurette: "Bringing Bombay to L.A.: The Making Of Bride & Prejudice," conversations with Rai and Henderson and more.
Pre-order "Bride & Prejudice" and save 30%. |
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The Second Season of "Nip/Tuck," winner of the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series - Drama, will hit store shelves August 30th. The release is timed to coincide with the show's Third Season premiere on the FX cable network.
Set in the high-gloss city of Miami, "Nip/Tuck" explores the lives of two hotshot plastic surgeons whose catch phrase, “Tell me what you don’t like about yourself,” sets the stage for a series filled with secrets and deception.
Season Two brings love, lust and painful revelations.
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Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon return as Sean McNamara and Christian Troy of the elite plastic surgery team of McNamara/Troy, whose skill at giving others perfect bodies contrasts with their imperfect personal lives.
As Christian falls for a self-assured blind woman, played by Rebecca Gayheart, Sean begins dating a p*rn star after Julia (Joely Richardson) shares a family secret that tears apart the McNamara household.
This season also introduces "The Carver," a serial r*pist who cuts the faces of his victims. As Sean ignores the threats of The Carver, lives are in the balance in the season finale cliffhanger.
Season Two of "Nip/Tuck" features notable guest stars. Famke Janssen plays Ava Moore, a predatory “life coach” who develops a relationship with Julia, her son, Matt (John Hensley) and Dr. Troy. Real-life mother and daughter also share screen time as Richardson’s mother, Vanessa Redgrave, has a recurring role as Julia’s mother, Dr. Erica Noughton.
Extras include over 40 minutes of unaired scenes and a new featurette, "Recurring Pain: Three Women and Their Man."
Season Two of "Nip/Tuck" will be available in a 6-Disc boxed set featuring all 16 episodes and also as a 2-Pack with all the episodes from Seasons 1 and 2.
Pre-order Season Two of "Nip/Tuck" now and save 30%. |
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The First Season of "Lost," the runaway hit drama series from the creators of "Alias," comes to DVD September 6th in a widescreen edition packed with over five hours of exclusive bonus features including deleted scenes, audio commentaries and more.
"Lost" tell s the story of 48 survivors of a plane crash, all stranded on an island that holds many secrets. Matthew Fox stars as Jack, the quick-thinking doctor and group leader.
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Stripped of everything, the survivors scavenge what they can from the plane for their survival. Some panic. Some pin their hopes on rescue. A few find inner strength they never knew they had.
There's Kate (Evangeline Lilly), who, with no medical training, suddenly finds herself suturing the doctor's wounds.
There's Hurley (Jorge Garcia) — a man with a warm sense of humor despite the desperate situation — who does his best to keep his cool as he helps those around him to survive.
There's Charlie (Dominic Monaghan), a faded rock star who harbors a painful secret.
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And Sayid (Naveen Andrews) is a Middle Eastern man who must wrestle with the racial profiling directed at him by some of his fellow survivors.
Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) and Sun (Yunjin Kim) are a Korean couple whose traditions, values and language are foreign, causing much to get lost in the translation.
Sawyer (Josh Holloway) has an air of danger surrounding him, and his intense sense of mistrust for everyone around him could prove to be fatal to his fellow castaways.
Michael (Harold Perrineau) has just gained custody of his nine-year-old son, Walt (Malcolm David Kelley), after the death of his ex-wife — they are a father and son who don't even know each other.
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© Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
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© Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Locke (Terry O'Quinn) is a mysterious man who keeps to himself, and who harbors a deeper connection to the island than any of the others.
Claire (Emile de Ravin) is pregnant. Self-centered Shannon (Maggie Grace) and her estranged controlling brother, Boone (Ian Somerhalder), constantly bicker and must learn to get along if they are to survive.
This band of friends, family, enemies and strangers must work together against the cruel weather and harsh terrain if they want to stay alive.
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But the island holds many secrets, including the intense howls of the mysterious creatures stalking the jungle, which fill them all with fear.
Fortunately, thanks to the calm leadership of quick-thinking Jack and levelheaded Kate, they have hope. But even heroes have secrets, as the survivors soon learn.
Bonus features for "Lost: The Complete First Season" include in-depth behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the show; backstage with Drive Shaft: an all-access pass behind the music; the art of Matthew Fox featurette; "Before They Were Lost" original casting tapes; blooper reel; deleted scenes; unaired footage from the original pilot and multiple audio commentaries.
Save 30% when you pre-order the First Season of "Lost." |
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| Preview of Next Week's Releases - Street Date: June 7, 2005 |
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Bada Bing! The Fifth Season of "The Sopranos" comes to DVD next week, as does the Bobby Darin biopic, "Beyond the Sea" and "Seed Of Chucky," the fifth movie in the "Child's Play" series.
Also out next week: "D.E.B.S." the sexy spy spoof, a Special Edition of "Swimming With Sharks" and "Be Cool," the high profile sequel to "Get Shorty."
From TV, we get new seasons of a slew of shows, including "Frasier," "Rescue Me," "MacGyver," "Wonder Woman," "Home Improvement" and "Father of the Pride" (The Complete Series).
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The DVD Dossier is a free weekly newsletter that contains objective information about new DVD releases that has been researched and written by the editors at DVD Direct 4 Less, as well as advertisements and promotional information provided by movie studios.
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Please note: all DVDs were available for sale as of the original publication date of this newsletter. Some may no longer be in inventory at the present time and preorder savings may not be in effect. If you're having difficulty finding a particular title, you can search current availability for any DVD here.
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