DVDpedia : Groove Quantize DVD Library : Title : S

Theatrical: 1979

Studio: Warner Studios

Genre: Horror

Summary: Directed by Tobe Hooper (who would go on to helm "Poltergeist"), "Salem's Lot" is a better-than-adequate condensing of Stephen King's classic horror novel. It's made all the more effective when you consider this is material originally shown on network television. David Soul ("Starsky and Hutch") plays Ben Mears, a writer who returns to his hometown to write a novel about the local haunted house, and ends up dating Susan Norton (Bonnie Bedelia, future star of "Heart Like a Wheel"). Then evil James Mason comes to town, and pretty soon 70s character actors like Fred Willard, Geoffery Lewis and Elisha Cook, Jr. are dropping dead due to... mysterious circumstances. Okay, enough phony suspense. It's a vampire movie. Vampires... in modern-day Maine. And it works better than it has a right to. Soul's not exactly tortured enough, and Lance Kerwin's a little too old to play a monster-obsessed youth, but the supporting cast, which includes Ed Flanders ("St. Elsewhere"), Lew Ayres (Paul, from the classic 1930 "All Quiet on the Western Front"), Kenneth McMillan ("Ragtime," and "Dune") and George Dzundza (everything else) more than make up for it. They're sincere, and that counts for a lot. James Mason makes a perfectly urbane villain; he's suave and dangerous, and much smarter than his undead master, who's something of a disappointment in the chills department when finally revealed. This disk contains the entire miniseries, which manages to maintain a level of suitable creepiness, despite some dated sexual innuendo and a some "made-for-tv" scenes that aren't quite as menacing as they could be. Still, a few sequences are effectively chilling, and it's well worth your time, especially around Halloween.

Theatrical:

Studio: Madman

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 297 mins

Summary: "It is only a matter of understanding your effective qualities of heart and mind- this is what is essential to martial arts" - Musashi Miyamoto.
Considered to be the finest swordsman that ever lived, Miyamoto's theories have been transcribed into many languages and are highly regarded by successful business gurus. This Oscar winning trilogy starring Toshiro Mifune (SEVEN SAMURAI) follows the life of Musashi - from man, to myth, and into legend.

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: Pioneer Video

Genre: Science Fiction

Summary: To say the least, I was expecting far more from this film than what I got. For one thing, the actual concept is interesting and original. A robot going biserk while stationed in a science facility is a great idea to make a suspensful sci/fi epic. But somehow this film doesn't pull it off. The one thing that got to me is how dated this film is. It's not too terribly old; it was released in 1979, but the special effects look like they are out of a 1960's film. Alien came out the same year and this film but this looks like it came out 10 years before it. I also was not big on the acting itself. Harvey Keitel gives a wooden performance, Kurt Douglas is unconvincing as a scientist, and Farrah Faucet just seems be thown in as some Eye Candy. What a shame because I usually like these actors. When the robot finally goes biserk, it's not all that scary and it doesn't last all that long. When its all said and done, this film emerges as a failure, which is a shame because it had so much going for it.

Theatrical: 1981

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Horror

Summary: David Cronenberg's 1981 horror film is a darkly paranoid story of a homeless man (Stephen Lack) mistakenly believed to be insane, when in fact he can't turn off the sound of other people's thoughts in his telepathic mind. Helped by a doctor (Patrick McGoohan) and enlisted in a program of "scanners"--telepaths who also can will heads to explode--he becomes involved in a battle against nefarious forces. A number of critics consider this to be Cronenberg's first great film, and indeed it has a serious vision of destiny that rivals some of the important German expressionist works from the silent cinema. Lack is very good as the odd hero, and McGoohan is effectively eccentric and chilly as the scientist who saves him from the street, only to thrust him into a terrible struggle. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: EMI Int'l

Genre: Music Video & Concerts

Duration: 260

Summary: This debut DVD from Simple Minds collects material from both their critical and commercial prime, including 26 promo videos, featuring their best video performances along with unseen footage from their acclaimed 1982 Newcastle City Hall gig, and 15 tracks from the 1990 "Verona" concert! Including the classic early tracks Life In A Day and Chelsea Girl. The band were also at the fore front of the music video explosion and especially in their early days, they produced some stunningly challenging videos! All audio and visual material in this double DVD has been digitally re-mastered and the Verona footage has been mastered in 5.1 surround sound.

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 420 mins

Summary:

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 529 mins

Summary:

Theatrical:

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 484 mins

Summary:

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 477 mins

Summary:

Theatrical: 1996

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 532 mins

Summary:

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Summary: The show about nothing is finally a DVD about something. Packed with all new special features created in partnership with Jerry Seinfeld, this 4-disc set includes all 24 episodes from the seventh season. "No soup for you!" "He stole my marble rye!" "Bosco!" "Spongeworthy?" ...and nobody can forget - George gets engaged! Here's your invitation to 24 original full-length episodes of the Emmy Award-Winning Season 7 of " Seinfeld". All remastered with new high definition picture and sound. In addition, there are 13 hours of exclusive never-before-seen special features from the creative talents behind the show, including all new interviews with Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander.
Stills from "Seinfeld " (click for larger image)

Theatrical: 1988

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Horror

Summary: Eight years before he scored a phenomenal hit with "Scream", horror master Wes Craven made a worthy effort to "legitimize" horror with this chilling supernatural thriller, based on the best-selling book by Wade Davis. More ambitious than most horror films, this one allowed Craven to generate compelling plausibility with the fact-based story of a Harvard researcher (Bill Pullman) who travels to Haiti to procure a secret voodoo powder that places people into a state of simulated death. His investigation into the hidden world of black magic grows increasingly dangerous until he's caught in a living nightmare--a potentially deadly predicament that inspired the film's advertising tag line: "Don't bury me... I'm not dead!" Craven pays particular attention to authentic details of Haitian society and the role voodoo plays in Haitian culture, and the film gains additional atmosphere from location shooting in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Craven would, of course, continue to thrive by making more "conventional" horror films including "Scream", but this remains a fascinating departure for one of the genre's most celebrated directors. "- -Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Drama

Duration: 130

Summary: Tony Manero (John Travolta) in "Saturday Night Fever" and Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) in "Boogie Nights" have one major thing in common: They both have posters of Al Pacino as Serpico on their bedroom walls. As the real-life NYPD detective whose integrity cost him virtually everything (and almost cost him his life), Pacino became one of the icons of gritty, realistic 1970s filmmaking. Released in 1973, between the first two "Godfather" movies, this is the true story of Frank Serpico, a long-haired, idealistic, iconoclastic cop who reluctantly goes undercover to investigate dirty colleagues who are on the take. This is one of the definitive Pacino performances, along with his role as Michael Corleone in the "Godfather" saga, and Sonny the bungling bank robber in "Dog Day Afternoon" (which reunited him with his Serpico director, Sidney Lumet)--and Pacino was nominated for a best actor Oscar for all of them (although he wouldn't actually win until 1992's "Scent of a Woman"). "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 1973

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 103

Summary: The Seven-Ups of the title are a hot-dogging special unit of the New York Police Department led by street smart Roy Scheider, who applies unconventional techniques to crack tough cases and nab untouchable criminals. When a pair of police impersonators pulls a series of mob kidnappings, the local hoods get very nervous and Scheider's boys investigate, leading to a squad member's death that turns the case personal. Director Philip D'Antoni previously produced "Bullitt" and "The French Connection" and learned the importance of a good car chase: with craftsmanlike efficiency he delivers a textbook example of the inner-city chase, lacking style but chock full of squealing tires, careening cars, fleeing pedestrians, and dynamite crackups. The New York City street shooting and the ever-present street sounds give the film a solid sense of place, and Scheider applies his usual thoughtful intensity as the vengeful cop, but the rest of the cops are woefully undeveloped. Only Tony LoBianco, as Scheider's childhood buddy turned hustler and street snitch, has any real presence next to Scheider. In the pantheon of '70s cop thrillers, "The Seven-Ups" ranks below the more vigorous and ambiguous classics like "Serpico" and "The French Connection", but excellent stunt work and gritty action raises it above the pack. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical:

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure - General

Summary: Shaft's Big Score is the first sequel to the super-hip 1971 original. When a pal of detective John Shaft is murdered in a bombing (and $250,000 goes missing), New York's coolest private eye finds himself caught in the middle of a power struggle between black and white gangsters over the numbers racket in Queens. Directed by Gordon Parks (who does a brief cameo as a croupier in an illegal casino) and written by Ernest Tidyman (both of whom made the original Shaft), this film lacks the pacing of its progenitor. Roundtree is at his best when he's questioning a woman he's just met about a suspect, while at the same time beguiling her into the sack (ah, those lazy, crazy days of the sexual revolution). The finale--a shootout in a cemetery, followed by a car-boat-helicopter chase through Queens and up the Harlem River--is preposterously drawn out: Shaft, impervious to machine-gun fire, winds up tripping, spraining his ankle and limping while running from the chopper; two shots later, he's sprinting like a halfback. Look for late Muhammad Ali-trainer Drew Bundini Brown as a wisecracking mobster. --Marshall Fine, Amazon.com

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Umvd

Genre: Horror

Duration: 96 min

Summary: British horror/comedy Shaun of the Dead is a scream in all senses of the word. Brain-hungry zombies shamble through the streets of London, but all unambitious electronics salesman Shaun (Simon Pegg) cares about is his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), who just dumped him. With the help of his slacker roommate Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun fights his way across town to rescue Liz, but the petty concerns of life keep getting in the way: When they're trying to use vinyl records to decapitate a pair of zombies, Shaun and Ed bicker about which bands deserve preservation--New Order they keep, but Sade becomes a lethal frisbee. Many zombie movies are comedies by accident, but Shaun of the Dead is deliberately and brilliantly funny, while still delivering a few delicious jolts of fear. Also featuring the stealthy comic presence of Bill Nighy (Love Actually) and some familar faces from The Office. --Bret Fetzer

Theatrical:

Studio: Gryphon

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 288 mins

Summary: Triple DVD box set featuring: Invincible Shaolin:
An evil Ching warlord invites three Shaoliners to his mansion and has them fight it out with three novice South Shaoliners. When the South Shaoliners are accidentally killed by the Northern Shaoliners, news reaches Shaolin, and three top fighters are sent to deal with the problem. But will the truth of the evil warlord be revealed before it’s too late? Heroes Two:
This legendary tale of Shaolin avengers Fang Shih-Yu and Hung Hsi-Kuan is often considered one of the best films made by Chang Cheh, and features action choreography by the renowned Liu Chia-Liang. The Magic Blade:
This is an exciting tale of two rival swordsmen in imperial China, vying with a power-hungry villian for possession of the dangerous “Peacock Dart”, which leads to a final showcase that stands out as a highlight in kung-fu cinema.

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: Warner Studios

Genre: Horror

Summary: It's tough to believe that Stanley Kubrick received a Worst Director Razzie nomination for "The Shining." While "The Shining" may not be given the classic status of some of his other films like "Dr. Strangelove" and "2001", it's actually the least polarizing of this highly-praised and atypical filmmaker's work.This atmospheric thriller is sure to creep you out with its pacing, eery editing and cinematography (those tracking shots are highly effective), and Jack Nicholson's powerful performance as Jack Torrance. Horror films often tend to divide audiences into genre fans who follow the gore and those who laugh in the face of so-called scares, insisting their own resiliancy to cheap thrills and lamebrain plotting.Fortunately, "The Shining" doesn't make you take sides, because its chills come from plotting and character study as much as they do from odd sights that will make you jump. It may stray from Stephen King's book and not all of it may make sense, but "The Shining" has so much going for it that you won't mind. It's a gripping and satisfying film experience, and in my opinion, one of the best films of the '80s.This Warner DVD re-release is definitely the version to get. The fullframe presentation comes at the wishes of Kubrick and the video and audio offer significant improvement over the drab initial release. (Unfortunately, the original Mono audio track has been dropped altogether in favor of an effective 5.1 remix. They could have included both with no problem.)In the way of extras, there is an engaging half-hour on-set documentary, filmed by Kubrick's daughter Vivian. It provides a candid experience of the film's creation, and interviews with some of the actors. In addition, this DVD re-release includes an audio commentary on the documentary (sort of a "making-of the making-of") by Vivian Kubrick. There's also the spooky trailer, which shows how a movie preview can perfectly pique one's interest in a film, without spoiling (or even saying) much.

Theatrical: 1962

Studio: unknown

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary: Adventures of Shintaro the Samurai travelling 18th century Japan with his trusted companion Tombei, battling the enemies of the Shogun and the dreaded Koga Ninjas.

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 547 mins

Summary: John Blackthorne, an English ship pilot, whose vessel wrecked upon the Japanese coast in the early 17th century is forced to deal with the two most powerful men in Japan in these days. He is thrown in the midst of a war between Toranaga and Ishido, who struggle for the title of Shogun which will give ultimate power to the one who possesses it. Special Features:
13 Segment Documentary
The Making of Shogun
Historical Perspectives Featurettes
Audio Commentary by Director Jerry London on Selected Scenes

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Dreamworks

Genre: Feature Film Family

Summary: Fiona and Shrek are blissful ogres on their honeymoon in "Shrek 2," the delightful new animated film from Dreamworks. Shrek would like nothing better than to wallow in the swamp and lie on the beach with the love of his life. The couple's solitude is disturbed, however, when the fast-talking and impudent donkey who was Shrek's sidekick in the first movie knocks on their door and makes himself at home. Donkey is too clueless to know that two's company and three's a crowd. Shrek is even more chagrined when Princess Fiona's parents, the King and Queen, invite their daughter and her new husband to the palace. Shrek correctly predicts that his in-laws will be shocked when they discover that their daughter married an ogre. In fact, the King desperately wants Fiona to dump Shrek and marry Prince Charming, a fey blond egomaniac who is overly attached to his pushy mother. All this conflict puts a strain on the newlyweds."Shrek 2" scores in all areas. The acting is marvelous, with Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz heading an all-star cast. Jennifer Saunders is a standout as an aggressive fairy godmother with a mean streak. The animation is terrific, the special effects are marvelous, and there are musical numbers, satirical allusions, and lots of sight gags to entertain kids and adults alike. Kick back and enjoy this perfect summer movie.

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: MGM/UA Video

Genre: Drama

Summary: Anthony Hopkins' character Hannibal Lecter will go down in history as one of the most memorable and one of the most creepy characters in film history. His performance chills you to the bone yet you can't help but laugh at some of the things he says. The movie is also fantastic. Instead of just being a straight forward serial killer thriller the movie became a classic with it's intense psychological aspect between the detectice Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster, and Dr. Lecter. The directing is very straight forward, sometimes almost documentary style and never gets in the way of the movie. With a story this strong flashy camera effects would've only distracted. With solid directing, great acting, and a good story this film is worthy of being called a modern classic.As for the DVD it contains some great extra features. The Commentary is great although the person who introduces the actors everytime they speak is a bit annoying. There are also some interesting deleted scenes and the quotes from serial killers will chill you to the bone. If you can get your hands on a copy of this now out of print DVD grab it and buy it as fast as you can.

Theatrical: 1972

Studio: Image Entertainment

Genre: Science Fiction

Summary: After creating many of the innovative special effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Trumbull tried his hand at directing, and 1971's Silent Running marked an impressive debut. (In addition to creating the visual effects for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and directing 1983's Brainstorm, Trumbull later turned to the creation of high-tech cinematic amusement park rides.) One of the best science fiction films of the 1970s, Silent Running stars Bruce Dern as Freeman Lowell, a nature-loving crewmember aboard the Valley Forge, a gigantic spaceship in a small fleet that carries the last surviving forests of the Earth, which has fallen victim to overpopulation and ecological neglect. Freeman's name reflects his nonconformist philosophy, which runs counter to the prevailing recklessness of his three ill-fated crewmates, who are eager to jettison their precious payload and return to the bleakness of Earth. Before they can sabotage the forests, Freeman does what he must, and spends the remainder of his mission with three robotic "drones" as his only companions, struggling to maintain his sanity in the vastness of space. Dern is superb in this memorable role, representing the lost soul of humankind as well as the back-to-nature youth movement of the 1960s and the pre-Watergate era. (Appropriately, Joan Baez sings the film's theme song.) A rare science fiction film that combines bold adventure with passionate social conscience, Silent Running will remain relevant as long as the Earth is threatened by the ravages of human carelessness. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical: 1983

Studio: MRA

Genre: Drama

Duration: 126 mins

Summary: Like most people in her Oklahoma home town, Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep) worked in a facility that produced highly radioactive plutonium. The plant balanced profits against worker safety, and Karen herself participated in this charade of economic survival…until the inevitable happened to her. Exposed to a lethal dose of plutonium poisoning, Karen faced the indifference and denial of her company. Too spirited to be silenced, she voiced her protests and became a threat to her company…to an entire industry and the government agencies that monitored it. One day she left to meet with a reporter, intending to blow the whistle on the dangerous practices of her plant. Powers are trying to stop her that are as potentially lethal as the atom bomb!

Theatrical:

Studio: Xl Recordings UK

Genre:

Summary: The Videos: Red Alert feat. Blue James, Rendez-Vu, Bingo Bango, Jump N Shout feat. Slarta John, Romeo feat. Kele Le Roc, Jus 1 Kiss, Wheres Your Head At, Lucky Star feat. Dizzee Rascal, Good Luck feat. Lisa Kekaula, Plug It In feat. JC Chasez, Cish Cash, Flylife. Extras: The Road To Coachella Directed by Bobby Lewis, Tokyo Stench Directed by New Stench, Jaxx TV Directed by Simon Ratcliffe, Bongaloid directed by New Stench. Live Tracks: Jump n Shout feat. Slarta John, Red Alert feat. Blue James, Do Your Thing feat. Sharlene Hector, Wheres Your Head At, Supersonic feat. Vula Malinga, , Good Luck feat. Lisa Kekaula, Cish Cash feat. Charlotte Hodson, Lucky Star feat. Dizzee Rascal

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Astralwerks / Emd

Genre: Musicals & Performing Arts

Summary: Long revered as a dominant force in the fusion of cutting-edge music and mind-bending, The Chemical Brothers celebrate their very first DVD release, Singles 93 – 03. For fans old and new this retrospective is the definitive collection of music, videos, live footage, interviews, and more, available for the first time as a commercial release. It’s been ten years of earth-shattering albums, award-winning, mesmerizing live shows and club-thumping DJ sets - or put another way, 10 years of block-rockin’, at long last the ultimate Chemical Brothers audio-visual release is here.

Theatrical:

Studio:

Genre: Television

Summary: Contains all 21 episodes from season 2. Starring Lee Majors, Richard Anderson, Lindsay Wagner, Farrah Fawcett.

Theatrical:

Studio: Universal

Genre: Television

Duration: 919

Summary: When astronaut and Air Force Colonel Steve Austin is almost killed in a horrific plane crash, the US Government decides to rebuild him with experimental cybernetic parts which give him superhuman strength, speed, agility and the ability to see considerable distances.

To pay the Government back the $6,000,000 it cost to rebuild him, Austin becomes a secret operative for the Office of Scientific Investigation (OSI), using his superpowers to investigate crime, espionage, space aliens and fight injustice wherever it is found.

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Palm Pictures

Genre: Music DVD

Duration: 88 min + 66 min. extras

Summary: I first encountered this music video as an extra on one of mp3.com's freebie MP3 CDs. Entranced, I went ahead and ordered the DVD just so I could have a higher quality version of the disc. The main video, Superthruster, isn't bad at all, with some very slick animation telling a story of an Aeon-flux-like operative stealing something (a "superthruster?") from some corporate facility, then being chased through ventilation tunnels by two security cops who bear a striking resemblance to Sly and Robbie themselves. I wish I knew who animated and directed this video, and what other work they had done.The other video, Zen Concrete, is probably the first professionally-done anime music video I've ever seen. (No, wait, scratch that: the second, I was forgetting about Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend".) Nothing really mysterious about it; Sly & Robbie's record label and Manga Video are owned by the same parent company; it's not surprising they could use this footage. I think the song Zen Concrete really does fit Ghost In The Shell quite well.The third "video" isn't really much of one...it's a remix of the Superthruster song with a few pictures of someone's face and staticky images from the main video.In the end, a decent enough little disc for the price.

Theatrical:

Studio: Bmg Distribution (VI

Genre: Music Video & Concerts

Summary: This is one of the first video albums. They did a video for every song. They use to show these videos on MTV every day in 1982 because there were not very many videos back then. Hard to believe. "Tainted Love" is a disturbing video. Soft Cell was a great electronic band. I forgot how some some songs like "Seedy Films" were brilliant.

Theatrical:

Studio: Red Distribution, In

Genre: Pop/Rock

Summary: Soft Cell has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. My taste in music leans strongly towards hard rock and old school punk, but Soft Cell has always had a place in my collection of CD's.I was absolutely blown away by this DVD. I have a reasonably large collection of live performances on DVD, and this is one of the best. The energy is phenomenal. The sound quality is first rate.Soft Cell has become more than just a guilty pleasure for me; now, I truly respect them as a band and as performers.Great stuff!!

Theatrical: 1972

Studio: RUSCICO

Genre:

Duration: 169

Summary: LANGUAGES (AUDIO): RUSSIAN, ENGLISH, FRENCH (DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1.); SUBTITLES: RUSSIAN, ENGLISH, FRENCH, GERMAN, SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, ITALIAN, DUTCH, SWEDISH, ARABIC, HEBREW, CHINESE, JAPANESE. The film is based on a science-fiction novel by Polish writer Stanislav Lem. This is a reflection on the themes of cosmos, Earth, man, human conscience, life, death and responsibility before the future. Solaris is a planet, capable of materializing the earth peoples reminiscences about their home which they left on Earth and their relatives who had died long ago. This mysterious planet had intrigued people for years. The Solaris Ocean is a gigantic live brain whose riddle the films protagonists are trying to solve. But all their attempts contact the unknown civilization end in failure. Meanwhile, strange things happen on the space station... Awards: Grand Special Jury Prize /Palme dArgent/ and Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Cannes IFF, 1972; FIPRESCI Prize at the Karlovy Vary IFF, 1972; Prize for Best Actress (Natalya Bondarchuk) at the Panama IFF, 1973. Special Features: Pictures and filmographies of the films authors; Candids from the shooting ground; The biographies of A. Tarkovsky and S. Lem; An episode from a film, a screen adaptation of S. Lems /Inquiry of pilot Pirks/; A documentary about D. Banionis /A craftsman from a little town/; An interview with the leading actress N. Bondarchuk; Reminiscences of A. Tarkovskys sister; Teasers of the films coming next.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Roadshow

Genre: Drama

Duration: 106 mins

Summary: A visually haunting film set at the foot of the Australian ski fields Somersault is the story of a young girl's sensory journey through which she learns the true meaning of love, family and friendship.

Theatrical:

Studio: AV Channel

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 270 mins

Summary:

Theatrical: 1973

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Science Fiction

Summary: This "futuristic" movie is a dead giveaway period piece of 1970's culture and sets. The sets look like the back of 3M game packages from the 60's-70's (Remember Twixt, Feudal, Acquire?)and the girls all have hair that betray the era it was made. Originally a novel and made on a relatively small budget. Nonetheless, it is an interesting study of what would be left of us in the event of energy and food shortages with pollution and the destruction of nature. The best aspect of this movie is Heston's role as a COP. It is like a trip back to the old days when they had an expression for the job as "five thousand a year and all you can steal". Opportunity knocks when Heston handles a rich man's murder and discovers luxury like you don't see in 2022. He celebrates his new found treasure which includes a girl, soap, beef and a bottle of bourbon. With the aid of his "book", admirably played by Edward G. Robinson as a former professor now working as a type of librarian police clerk, he discovers that the murder had serious implications on the human condition and eventual destiny of the human race. The knowledge of this horror results in Robinson ending his life by Socratic suicide and Heston dodging assassination attempts by agents hired by Soylent to protect their secret. Heston requires proof of Soylent's scandal and rides the bull to the conclusion which asserts that we are all "Morlock Stew" (with apologies to Mr. Wells). An interesting work, worth a view and the DVD transfer cleans the movie up a bit in a nice widescreen presentation. There are also good additional features which include a party for Robinson acknowledging his 101st picture (also his last..he died shortly afterward) and a section on the making of Soylent Green and the trailer (always interesting because most have nothing to do with the plot that you see on screen) Check it out and spread the word... Soylent Green is...(Gulp!)

Theatrical: 1975

Studio: Magna

Genre: Box Sets

Duration: 1177 mins

Summary: When Earth's moon is blasted out of orbit by a series of spectacular nuclear explosions the greatest adventure mankind has ever known begins for 311 men and women on Moonbase Alpha. Each episode is a fight for survival encountering bizarre life forms, unfathomed civilizations, hostile enviroments and mystic phenomena. Special Features:Original Year 2 Trailers
Stills Gallery
New Character Biographies
Deleted Scene Page & Pictures
Year 2 Novel Write-ups
Cast and Crew Interviews
Production Designer Keith Wilson Interview
Landau & Bain Trailers from UK and USA
Brian Johnson SFX Commentary & Interview

Episode List THE METAMORPH
This first episode of the season, produced by Fred Freiberger, introduces Maya to the regular cast. On the planet Psychon, an evil-minded alien named Mentor captures the Alphans and tries to drain their minds. His daughter Maya who is capable of transforming herself into any form, helps the Earth people to escape. THE EXILES
The Alphans come upon a fleet of missile-like objects that imprison the frozen bodies of exiles from another planet, and rescue two innocent-looking young aliens who turn out to be psychopathic killers. ONE MOMENT OF HUMANITY
Helena and Tony Verdeschi are kidnapped by a lovely female alien, who hopes to use the Earthlings as emotional blueprints for her heartless android masters. ALL THAT GLISTERS
Moonbase Alpha is invaded by hostile living rocks. John Koenig, Helena Russell and Maya must battle time and an army of strange alien life forms that can communicate, transport themselves and attack unsuspecting Alphans with deadly rays of coloured light. JOURNEY TO WHERE
After a technological breakthrough goes awry, Koenig, Dr. Russell and Alan Carter are transported back to the planet Earth as it was in 1339 during the Black Plague. THE TAYBOR
A travelling trader of the universe covets Maya in return for a device that could transport the Alphans back to Earth. THE RULES OF LUTON
Because of Maya's accidental "murder" of some flowers on a strange planet ruled by highly intelligent plant life, she and John Koenig must stand trial and engage in mortal combat with three horrifying aliens who committed a similar "crime." THE MARK OF ARCHANON
Two aliens discovered sealed in a chamber beneath the moon's surface are released from suspended animation. They then begin to infect the Alphans with a mysterious disease that causes outbursts of violence. BRIAN THE BRAIN
A super-robot, originally from Earth, kidnaps Koenig and Dr. Russell on a planet with a poisonous atmosphere and threatens Moonbase Alpha with gravitational disturbance. NEW ADAM, NEW EVE
A space being bearing gifts and calling himself "God" offers the Alphans a new planet Earth to colonise. CATACOMBS OF THE MOON
Blasted from a tunnel by an underground explosion, surrealistic visions of the destruction of Alpha haunt a miner as his critically ill wife fights for her life. A B CHRYSALIS
Maya, Alan Verdeschi and John Koenig head for a planet protected by powerful energy beams from which shock waves wreaking devastation upon Alpha have been emanating for a week. SEED OF DESTRUCTION
On an asteroid, John Koenig collapses inside a cave whose crystal-like walls reflect myriad images of himself, one of which, an evil duplicate of Koenig, returns in his stead to Alpha. A MATTER OF BALANCE
The keeper of an alien temple whose dying race are moving back in time threatens to exchange them with Alpha's crew through a "time portal". SPACE WARP
Her powers disturbed by a mysterious disease, Maya loses control over her metamorphic powers, changing from one creature to another. Meanwhile, Koenig is separated light years from Alpha when the moon travels through a strange space warp, and Moonbase Alpha inhabitants are afflicted by sudden madness. THE BETA CLOUD
Many Alphans are already mysteriously incapacitated when they are further menaced by a huge creature in a space cloud sent by another planet to steal their life-support system. THE LAMBDA FACTOR
The appearance of a cosmic cloud coincides with the mysterious death of a young woman and nightmares experienced by Koenig, transforming one of moonbase Alpha's women into a megalomaniac with strange super powers. THE BRINGERS OF WONDER, PART 1
A "Superswift" spaceship from Earth arrives to rescue the Alphans, but an experimental machine enables Koenig to perceive the apparent rescuers for what they really are: horrifying aliens intending to destroy the moon. THE BRINGERS OF WONDER, PART 2
The Alphans send Maya to infiltrate the ranks of alien warriors who are posing as rescuers from Earth. Conclusion of a two-part story. SEANCE SPECTRE
Dissident Alphans challenge Commander Koenig's authority when the Moonbase appears to be on a collision course with a huge planet, an no one can agree on how to handle the crisis. DORZAK
An evil space criminal, survivor from Maya's destroyed home planet Psychon, arrives on Moonbase as the exiled prisoner of an alien woman, threatening the Alphans. DEVIL'S MOON
Commander Koenig is sent to the moon of an alien's penal colony planet, and is captured and held prisoner by a race of whip-wielding cat women. IMMUNITY SYNDROME
The disintegration of their Eagle spacecraft traps John, Alan and a critically injured Tony on a planet they were exploding. As they are stranded on the nearby planet, they discover that they are being stalked by an alien and that they are now the prey of unknown creatures. THE DORCONS
The warrior Dorcons threaten to invade Alpha unless Maya is handed over to them for use in their medical experiments.

Theatrical:

Studio: Carlton Visual Entertainment Ltd

Genre: Science Fiction

Summary: This series boasted a single memorable episode. A one eyed shrieking monster with waving tentacles versus a two eyed squaking Italian with waving arms and you're hard pressed deciding which one to avoid first. Even this episode has you scratching your head. After having encountered so many strange alien life forms by this point in the proceedings, not many of them over-friendly; why should the Alphans still be sceptical about Cellini's story?The rest suffered the handicap of covering ground already boldly gone by the starship Enterprise and was just plain bad in execution. Take a random episode like 'End Of Eternity'. Could of been a terrifying and tense little thriller with a spider like sadist stalking prey in the exposed and anti-septic confines of a moonbase. Instead, they mis-cast the actor, give him a dodgy haircut and ridiculous pantaloons, campy dialogue and petulant little smacks. The result is yet another dire episode.Actor Landau is a walking liability. According to his own script notes, he felt his character was written as a 'shmuck', which couldn't have helped what actors call their 'moduvashun'.I bought it. Which is why I wish to remain anonymous.

Theatrical:

Studio: Video Collection Int. Ltd.

Genre:

Summary: "Spaced" is a sitcom like no other. The premise is simple enough: Daisy (Jessica Stevenson) and Tim (Simon Pegg) are out of luck and love, so pretend to be a couple in order to rent a flat together. Downstairs neighbour and eccentric painter Brian suspects someone's fibbing, and almost blows their cover with their lecherous lush of a landlady, Marsha. Fortunately he soon falls for Daisy's health-freak friend Twist, while Daisy herself goes ga-ga for pet dog Colin. Tim remains happily platonic with lifemate Mike; a sweet-at-heart guns 'n' ammo obsessive. The series is chock-full of pop culture references. In fact, each episode is themed after at least one movie, with nods to "The Shining" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" proving especially hilarious. Hardly five minutes goes by without a "Star Wars" reference, and every second of screen time from Bill Bailey as owner of the comic shop where Tim works is comedic gold. The look of the series is its other outstanding element, with slam-zooms, dizzying montages, and inspired lighting effects (often paying homage to the "Evil Dead" movies). It's an affectionate fantasy on the life of the twenty-something that's uncomfortably close to the truth.
The second series finds the gang at 23 Meteor Street a little older, but definitely none the wiser. Tim's career is hampered by severe hang-ups over "The Phantom Menace". Daisy's career is just plain non-existent. There is still a spark of sexual tension between them, but it's overshadowed by Brian and Twist getting it on. Propelling the seven-episode series arc is the threat of Marsha discovering that none of the relationships are what they seem, Mike's increasing jealousy and a new love interest for Tim. That's the basis for a never-ending stream of in-jokes and references that easily match the quality of the first series. Tim has a "Return of the Jedi" flashback, then déjà vu in reliving the end of "The Empire Strikes Back". There are spoofs of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Robocop", "The Sixth Sense" and comedy rival "The Royle Family". There are guest spots from Bill Bailey, Peter (voice of Darth Maul) Serafinowicz and "The League of Gentlemen"'s Mark Gatiss and Reece Shearsmith. Every episode is packed with highlights, but this series' guaranteed geek pant-wetting moments have to be the mock gun battles, slagging off "Babylon 5" and learning that "The second rule of Robot Club is: no smoking." Jessica Stevenson won a British Comedy Award for this year. It deserved a whole lot more. --"Paul Tonks"
On the DVD: This three-disc collector's edition contains all the extras from the previous DVD releases, plus a host of brand new features including music promos, cast interviews, and an in-depth and specially filmed documentary featuring interviews with cast members including Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson, Nick Frost, cameo actors (Bill Bailey, David Walliams, Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith) and journalists. It also includes a tour made by Simon, Jessica and Edgar of different show locations with clips of archive footage from the very first programmes Simon and Jess appeared in together.

Theatrical:

Studio: MRA Group

Genre:

Summary: Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o English (mono). Synopsis:
Behind a veil of psychoanalytic babble lies a simple tale of murder in Alfred Hitchcock's popular thriller Spellbound. During the WWII era in which the film was released, it was heralded for its intellectual use of Freudian theories to solve a murder. In retrospect, however, the film reveals psychoanalytic ideas that are simplistic and obsolete to the point of becoming comical. In spite of this, Hitchcock's tremendous ability to create suspense remains a timeless one and the film's thriller elements, combined with a series of outstanding visuals, bring Spellbound within a notch of the director's best works. The psychological elements allowed Hitchcock to be creative visually and he went to the best, hiring artist Salvador Dali to design a series of incredibly eerie dream sequences. Sadly, only a few of Dali's wonderful creations made the final cut while the others were either lost or destroyed. Hitchcock often spoke of one particularly fantastic sequence in which a statue cracked and fell apart, revealing star Ingrid Bergman beneath it. The climactic suicide scene in which the villain, having been revealed, decides to kill himself is another example of Hitchcock's willingness to experiment. Seen from the killer's perspective, the scene shows him turning the gun on himself and firing it right into the camera. The explosion appears in red and was hand-tinted onto the black-and-white image. " Spellbound was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor, but went on to win for Miklos Rozsa's chilling score. Hitchcock's cameo arrives at the film's 38-minute mark, when the director can be seen exiting an elevator. Special Features:
o Filmographies
o Interactive Menu
o Photo Gallery
o Scene Access
o Trailer(s)