| This month the video store is all about box sets and reissues. Turn this column into a drinking game if you want. Any time I mention bonus features, take a hit. Any time I tell you how many DVDs there are, you gotta empty your glass.
· A Collection of 2006 Academy Award Nominated Short Films (2006, Magnolia) – This disc features several of the animated and live-action shorts that were singled out at Oscar time, most of which weren’t seen by non-voting audiences. Includes West Bank Story, The Danish Poet, Binta and the Great Idea, Eramos Pocos, Helmer & Son, The Saviour Lifted, The Little Matchgirl, Maestro, No Time for Nuts and Guide Dog.
· The Documentaries of Louis Malle (dir. Louis Malle, Criterion) – While Malle was working on seminal pictures like My Dinner With Andre and Au Revoir les Enfants, he was also taking time to build a catalogue as a documentarian. This six-disc collection includes Vive le tour, Humain, Trop Humain, Place de la République, Phantom India, Calcutta and God's Country... of Happiness.
· The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky (dir. Alejandro Jodorowsky, Anchor Bay) – The only thing more perplexing than one film by Jodorowsky is four. While Santa Sangre is notably missing, the five-disc box set includes Fando y Lis, The Holy Mountain, his first film La Cravate and his bloody and mind-bending western El Topo.
· Fletch: The Jane Doe Edition (1985, dir. Michael Ritchie, Universal) – Chevy Chase fans rejoice as this Superstation classic gets a deluxe edition. Chase is an undercover reporter and a master of disguise who has less than a week to find out why someone wants to kill him.
· Godzilla Raids Again (1955, dir. Motoyoshi Oda, Sony) – Hot on the heels of the definitive edition of Godzilla, Sony unleashes a similarly impressive version of the sequel. When Godzilla wanders out of the ocean, again, Japan braces for more monster madness. Godzilla vs. Mothra has also been re-issued.
· Harry and the Hendersons: Special Edition (1987, dir. William Dear, Universal). – John Lithgow gets upstaged by a guy in a big-foot suit. Kids loved this stuff in the ’80s.
· The Hitcher (2007, dir. Dave Myers, Universal) – This Michael Bay-produced remake of the ’80s Rutger Hauer cult horror flick is surprisingly good. Sean Bean plays the relentless hitchhiker who torments two travelling teens.
· La Haine (1995, dir Mathieu Kassovitz, Criterion) – This bleak thriller from the director of Gothika made waves when it hit the art-house circuit in the mid-’90s and took a directing award at Cannes. When a suspect is injured and a gun goes missing, a typical cop drama explodes to explore racism, violence and urban decay.
· Not Just The Best of the Larry Sanders Show (1992, Sony) – Garry Shandling’s critically acclaimed satire of late-night TV is also a cult favourite. The DVD is loaded with featurettes including interviews with the cast and guests such as Janeane Garofalo, Scott Thompson, Jeremy Piven and Sarah Silverman, as well as commentary and deleted scenes.
· Parenthood (1980, dir. Ron Howard, Universal) – Part comedy, part drama, this ensemble look at parental life has become a modern classic. Look for great performances by Steve Martin, Dianne Weist, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves (seriously) and a very young Leif (Joaquin) Pheonix.
· Shanghai Surprise: Special Edition (1986, dir. Jim Goddard, Lions Gate) – Remember in the ’80s when Madonna and Sean Penn were married for like 15 minutes? Remember the movie they made together? Neither does anyone else.
· Smokin’ Aces (2007, dir. Joe Carnahan, Universal) – Narc director Carnahan assembles an all-star ensemble for a bloody hit-man shoot ’em up. It falls apart at the end, but it’s worth it to see Jeremy Piven as a desperate wannabe gangster and Ryan Reynolds as a bitter FBI agent.
· Spider-man 2.1 (2007, dir. Sam Raimi, Sony) – With great profit comes great responsibility (to release these blockbusters on DVD as many times as possible). Taking a page from the Lord of the Rings playbook, Raimi recuts the Spider-sequel to make the definitive version. The two-disc version is loaded with commentary, documentaries and trivia.
· That Thing You Do: Director’s Cut (1996, dir. Tom Hanks, 20th Century Fox) – Tom Hanks made an underrated directorial debut in this charming comedy about fictional ’60s rock band The Wonders and their rise to the top. This two-disc set features the director’s cut of the film and a wealth of bonus materials.
· To Catch a Thief: Special Edition (1955, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, Paramount) – Cary Grant stars in this delightful featherweight thriller as a reformed crook who must prove his innocence, find out who is soiling his rep and win the heart of an evening gown-clad Grace Kelly. It’s a classic for a reason.
· WKRP in Cincinnatti: The Complete First Season (1978, 20th Century Fox) – One of the few sit-coms from the ’80s that still holds up, this one tells the crazy story of a second-rate rock radio station and the eccentrics that work there. |
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