DVD Releases for July 6, 2004

July 5, 2004

Every week films get a second chance at success from the home market; or, in some cases, a first chance at success. Here is a list of wide releases, limited releases and a few from the growing TV on DVD section. There are quite a few releases on the list this week, but it was a couple of older movies that caught my eye, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - Buy from Amazon and Shadows, Lies, and Private Eyes - The Film Noir Collection - Volume 1 - Buy from Amazon that share the DVD pick of the week.

All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku TV - Nine Lives - Volume 4 - Buy from Amazon
With a name like that, I had to put it on the list.

The Butterfly Effect - Infinifilm Edition - Buy from Amazon
Despite earning rather poor reviews, the film was a bit of a surprise hit early in the year. The DVD release is very good with plenty of special features, however, I can't rate this film any higher than rental.

The Charlie Chan Chanthology - Buy from Amazon
This compellation contains six rather mediocre films from the Charlie Chan collection. Add in the fact that the discs are without special features and there's little to recommend them. The only reason I can think of purchasing this set is to encourage the studio to release other Charlie Chan box sets.

D.C. Comics - Double-shoot - Buy from Amazon: Batman - The Animated Series, Volume 1 and Challenge of the Super Friends - The First Season
Last week we has two Marvel Comics animated sets, this week we have two such sets from D.C. Comics. Challenge of the Super Friends was a series from the late 70s that had the combined forces of Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Batman and Robin, while the Batman series is from the 1990s and features just the latter two characters.

Live-Action Disney Collection - Buy from Amazon: Various
Several Live-Action Disney movies are being released tomorrow.


A Fine Romance - The Complete Collection - Buy from Amazon
All 26 episodes of this British series that featured Dame Judi Dench and her Michael Williams. Definitely a low key romance, but once of the best. It's a shame that there aren't more special features.

Kids in the Hall - Season 2 - Buy Direct
This groundbreaking Canadian sketch-comedy series improved during the second season as the troop learned what worked well on TV versus what worked well on stage. This set has the same high level of special features as the first season. If you want to order the season set from Amazon, you'll have to wait a while longer.

Monsieur Ibrahim - Buy from Amazon
The movie that brought Omar Sharif out of retirement. The film earned excellent reviews, but as is so common for limited release films, there are almost no special features.

The Name of the Rose - Buy from Amazon
Is it a coincidence that this film is being released on DVD so soon after director Jean-Jacques Annaud's Two Brothers was released in theatres? The reviews were good, but not great and the same can be said about the DVD release.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - Buy from Amazon
A classic film that is finally getting a DVD release. The film stars Dame Maggie Smith in her Oscar winning role as Miss Jean Brodie, a private school teacher in 1930s Scotland. And while a very happy that the film is finally out on DVD, I'm disappointed that there wasn't more special features included.

Shadows, Lies, and Private Eyes - The Film Noir Collection - Volume 1 - Buy from Amazon
Too many collections contain mostly filler, but this is one of the few that maintain a consistent level of high quality. From The Asphalt Jungle, which includes an early appearance by Marilyn Monroe to The Set Up, this collection has some of the best representative of the Film Noir genre out there. I do have only one complaint and that is with the lack of special features; most discs have an audio commentary as their only special feature, but that is too be expected given how old most of these movies are. The films can also be purchased separately, but it is a much better value to buy them as one package.

Six Feet Under - Season 2 - Buy from Amazon
It's been a while since the first season of this award winning drama about a family who own and operates a funeral parlor was released. The special features are on par with season one and include commentary tracks on 5 episodes, that's more than most, but not as much as I'd like. Can also be purchased as part of a 2 Season package deal. It's a good set and hopefully we won't have to wait as long for 3rd Season.

Star Trek: Voyager - The Complete Third Season - Buy from Amazon
I like Star Trek, I really do. But I could never get into this series. If you are familiar with the other DVDs from this series than you know what to expect. Can also be purchased as part of a 3 Season package deal.

Still, We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie - Buy from Amazon
Already 7.5 games back of the Yankees. I guess there's always next year.

Woody Allen Four Movie Comedy Collection - Buy from Amazon
Speaking of collections that are mostly filler. This set contains Anything Else, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Hollywood Ending and Small Time Crooks, none of which were particularly successful. There are, on the other hand, the four most recent. If you're really interested in Woody Allen's work grab Take the Money and Run instead.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Butterfly Effect, Monsieur Ibrahim, Still, We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie, Anything Else