This Week on Blu-ray and DVD - September 25, 2012
The wait is over. “Bond 50: The Complete 22-Film Collection” finally comes to Blu-ray this week featuring all 22 Bond films—nine in HD for the first time—and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the James Bond 007 franchise (trailer).
It seems like only yesterday when “Dr. No” played on the big screen, though it can feel like today, too, if you catch the 1962 film in rerelease at one of 50 AMC theaters across the U.S. on Tuesday only. After the first Bond film was such a hit, the franchise quickly took off and you could buy everything from a James Bond lunch box to James Bond 007 Malt Liquor.
I wish I had either one of those now, but I was too old for lunch boxes and too young to buy beer. By the way, the “Bond 50” Blu-ray collection has an open slot for “Skyfall,” so you can add it when that film is released. But what about the other two Bond films that Daniel Craig agreed to? Besides, surely they’re not stopping at 25, even if they have to start remaking some of the less successful entries, like “A View to a Kill.” And don’t you think studios won’t go that route. It’s all about bigger . . . and bigger.
This summer, nothing was bigger than “Marvel’s The Avengers.” It’s summer all over again as the blockbuster—let’s be thankful that the House of Mouse didn’t decide to market this as “Disney’s Marvel’s The Avengers”—hits home theaters on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD this week (review). The mega-hit action film had a super budget—$220 million—but managed to rake in more than three times that amount at the box office. For a change, critics and audiences agreed that this was one popcorn movie that put the “pop” in popcorn. You expect action from an action movie, and this one delivers (trailer). You expect great special effects from an action movie, and this one has them. Robert Downey, Jr. returns as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the S.H.I.E.L.D. honcho who brings the superteam together to stave off an alien invasion. What’s not to like?
And what’s not to like about two light-and-fluffy films about the presidency? Come on. Admit it. Whatever party you’re tethered to, hasn't the long campaign season made you want to let loose and lighten up a bit? Put a little luster and romance back in Washington with the Blu-ray releases of “Dave,” starring Kevin Kline as a lookalike drafted into service after the president becomes incapacitated and Dave turns out to have a Mr. Smith streak (trailer), and “The American President,” in which Annette Benning learns that dating a single First Parent (Michael Douglas) can be complicated, to say the least (trailer).
“Arachnophobia” was delayed because of disc issues, but it’s scheduled to be released this week (trailer). No word if it’s on (new) schedule or not, but if it is, it’s a nice, fun, family fright flick to get you in the mood for Halloween. After the kids watch it you can safely hide Christmas presents in the attic, basement, or crawlspace, because your small adults will be too afraid of spiders to go in those spaces by themselves.
There are more high definition scares this week as “American Horror Story,” a 2011 TV miniseries starring Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, and Connie Britton, comes to Blu-ray. In this one, a family moves from Boston to L.A. and tries restoring a mansion, unaware that the home is haunted. Are you kidding me? Haven’t these people been to Disneyland? Lange earned a Golden Globe for her performance and “American Horror Story” received 17 Emmy nominations, only winning for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Movie (trailer).
I’m sure there are other things to buy this week, but who’ll have the money to get them after plunking down the cash for “Marvel’s The Avengers” and “Bond 50”? Twenty-two films? That's a lot of 007. Coolest Bond moments? That is, Bond at his coolest? We all have our favorites. Mine was in "Diamonds Are Forever," where Sean Connery as Bond wanted to make a point with Jill St. John and in one quick movement (so quick you hardly even saw anything!) he took off her string bikini top and wrapped it around her neck in a stranglehold. And the guys I went to high school with thought they were so cool just because they could figure out how to unhook a bra!
To get you in the mood for Bond, James Bond, here are a few trivia quizzes you can take . . .
. . . and here are select new releases for the week of September 25, 2012:
BLU-RAY
- American Horror Story (2011 miniseries)
- American President, The (1995 romantic dramedy)
- Arachnophobia (1990 horror)
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Pt. 1 (direct-to-video animation)
- Bond 50: The Complete 22-Film Collection
- Damsels in Distress (2011 romantic dramedy)
- Dave (1993 comedy-romance)
- Delicacy (2011 romance)
- Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)
- Eating Raoul (Criterion) (1982 horror-comedy)
- Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender (documentary)
- Gamera the Brave (2006 adventure-fantasy)
- G.I. Joe Renegades: Season 1
- Key & Peele: Season 1
- Klown (2010 Danish comedy)
- Lone Wolf & Cub: Complete Series (1973 Japanese assassin TV series)
- Marvel’s The Avengers (+ DVD)
- Night of the Devils (1972 horror)
- Nutcracker, The (ABT, starring Mikhail Baryshnikov)
- Portlandia: Season 2
- Resident Evil: Damnation (+ UV Copy)
- Samaritan, The (2012 thriller)
- Steins;Gate: Complete Series, Pt. 1 (Ltd. Edition)
- Tall Man, The (2012 crime drama)
- This Is Cinerama (60th Anniversary) (+ DVD) (1952 documentary)
- Windjammer: The Voyage of the Christian Radich (1958 documentary)
3D
- Marvel’s The Avengers (+ Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + Digital Music Download)
RECENT RELEASES
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Pt. 1 (direct-to-video animation)
- Marvel’s The Avengers
- Miami Heat: 2012 NBA Finals Series (Collector’s Edition)
- Resident Evil: Damnation (+ UV Copy)
- Tall Man, The (2012 crime drama)
CATALOG TITLES
- Bond 50
- Elvira’s Movie Macabre: Bloody Madness (4 films)
- Weird Noir (Girl on the Run / The Naked Road / The Seventh Commandment / Fear No More / Fallguy / Stark Fear)
FAMILY/CHILDREN
- All Night Halloween Party
- Berenstain Bears, The: Spooky Stories
- Dino Dan: ‘Twas a Dinosaur
- Vampire Dog (2012)
TV-ON-DVD
- American Horror Story (2011 miniseries)
- American Masters: The Day Carl Sandburg Died
- Carol Burnett Show, The: Carol’s Favorites
- Charlie’s Angels: Complete Series
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – Season 12
- CSI: NY – Season 8
- Crimson Petal and the White, The (2011 miniseries)
- Desperate Housewives: Complete Collection, Deluxe Ed.
- Desperate Housewives: Season 8
- Dick Van Dyke & Company
- Family Guy: Vol. 10
- G.I. Joe Renegades: Season 1, Vol. 2
- Gossip Girl: Season 5
- Iron Man: Armored Adventures – Season 2, Vol. 2
- Key & Peele: Season 1
- Law & Order: Special Victim’s Unit – Season 13
- Lawless Years, The: Complete Series
- Marvel Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – Vol. 5
- Midsomer Murders: Mayhem & Mystery Files
- Miracle at Christmas: Ebbie’s Story (+ CD) (1995 TV movie, aka Ebbie)
- Mob Wives: Season 2
- New Tricks: Season 8
- On the 2nd Day of Christmas (+ CD) (1997 TV movie)
- Portlandia: Season 2
- Rescue Me: Complete Series
- Touched by an Angel: Season 6
- Very Mary Christmas, A (+ CD)
- Wallander: Season 3
- Young Pioneers’ Christmas (+ CD) (1976 TV movie)
SMALL STUDIO/INDIE/FOREIGN
- Another Life (2001 crime drama)
- Bob Dylan: Down in the Flood (music documentary)
- Damsels in Distress (2011 romantic dramedy)
- Eating Raoul (Criterion) (1982 horror-comedy)
- Delicacy (2011 romance)
- FDR: American Badass! (2012 action comedy)
- Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender (music documentary)
- Man from Beijing, The (2011 thriller)
- Occupy Unmasked (political documentary)
- Pink Ribbons, Inc. (2011 documentary)
- Previous Engaement, A (2008 romantic comedy)
- Samaritan, The (2012 thriller)
- Snowman’s Land (2010 crime comedy)
- Soldiers of Fortune (2012 action-adventure)
- Strippers vs. Werewolves (2012 horror comedy)
- Surviving Progress (2011 documentary)
- That’s Entertainment: A Celebration of Classic MGM Musicals
- Yoga Is: A Transformational Journey
ANIME/MANGA
- Croisee in a Foreign Labyrinth: Complete Collection
- Hakuoki: Season 1
- One Piece: Collection 8
