End of Summer DVD Round-Up

Have a wide variety of friends and family to please when you sit down for a home movie watchin' night? Let's check out a new adventure release and go over some great classics! Something for everybody at your end of summer blow out.

From Warner Home Video

V For Vendetta: Two Disc Special Edition

Set in the year 2020, Britain is under a fascist regime that has rounded up minorities, gays and political dissidents and exterminated them. All that is left is a fearful and terrified public. Standing up for them against the evil government is V (Hugo Weaving) who wears a mask and dresses like Guy Fawkes, an anti-government extremist who tried to blow up Parliament back in 1605.

Shy worker girl Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) is grabbed by government henchmen for breaking curfew. V saves her and enlists her to help him. It's a rather twisted relationship as Evey is won over while police detective Finch (Stephen Rea) is investigating V's every move.

Video: Great transfer, greater on widescreen TV. Colors are a bit muted but that's the film's style. Hey, it's quite a new film so it still looks great.

Audio: The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is pretty awesome with heavy bass and good surround and the action sequences really rock out. Dialogue comes out fine although I never could understand all of "V's" rhymes.

Special Features: Disc one is the film with various language options and the fifteen-minute featurette "Freedom! Forever! Making V for Vendetta." The usual "making of" info including a little about adapting the movie from the 1980s' comic books by Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

Disc two offers a few more featurettes: "Designing the Near Future," seventeen minutes about the look of the film; building and planning the sets, models etc. The second is "Remember, Remember: Guy Fawkes and The Gunpowder Plot," a ten minute history of the original Guy Fawkes and his anti-government plot back in 1605. Something I didn't know about so kinda interesting.

Featurette number three is "England Prevails: V for Vendetta and the New Wave in Comics," kind of a barely-related history of the evolution of comic books from the mid-'50's to now. Okay, if you like that sort of thing. You also get the music video "I Found a Reason" by Cat Power, a widescreen theatrical trailer, and a two-minute "Saturday Night Live" rap, starring Natalie Portman. Cute.

Wrapping Up: There was a great division of opinion on this film. Most people either loved or hated it but it is different. Overall, this tale, from the creators of The Matrix series and based on a 1980's black and white comic book series, is interesting on several levels; a political thriller, twisted romance and swashbuckling adventure. This particular DVD is well worth a rent and a buy if you are into sci-fi or Natalie Portman playing someone other than Darth Vader's wife!

From Paramount Home Entertainment

Pretty in Pink: Everything's Duckie Edition

Back in the '80's hey-day of cool John Hughes teen angst films, Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink was at the top of the list. Here was a girl you could identify with and root for. Molly Ringwald is Andie, a free spirit/artsy girl whose peers just don't "get" her. She lives with her depressed dad (Harry Dean Stanton), who can't get over the fact that his wife left him. Andie's best guy pal is Duckie (Jon Cryer) a nifty nerd who is crazy about her but Andie is hot for rich guy Blane (Andrew McCarthy) who actually loves her but is too chicken to admit it to his snotty upper crusty pals. Will Blane have the guts to take Andie to the prom? Will Duckie ever get over Andie?

Video: This film was released on DVD in 2002 but this version seems a bit more natural looking and not so super color-saturated. Either way, it's totally watchable. Love the art direction and costumes and they look great here.

Audio: You get the choice of both a 5.1 and 2.0 surround mix. All the great '80's songs and all the dialogue come through great. No problems here.

Special Features: Tons! You've got eight documentaries running for more than an hour and a half. Now these could have really just been one long doc with some chapter divisions but just watch them all in order.

"The First Time: The Making of Pretty in Pink": Behind the scenes stuff with some old and new interviews. Really fun. Talking then and now are Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts and Andrew McCarthy but no John Hughes for some reason. You do get director Howard Deutch, who admits that he was wrong on a few choices.. interesting. (12 minutes).

"Zoids and Richies": All about casting the principle actors. The script was written for Molly but the studio wanted a bigger name. The actors are really into talking about this stuff. Really good. (18 minutes)

"Prom Queen: All About Molly": A bio of hot '80's teen queen Molly Ringwald. You learn that she was the same age as Andie and even had to take her high school finals while making the movie. (12 minutes)

"Volcanic Ensembles": The costume designer Marilyn Vance explains how she made Molly and Jon's costumes especially unique because their characters were so into their 'look'. Cool (9 minutes)

"Prom Stories": Older interviews with the actors and the filmmakers about their own proms.. cute and fun. (3 minutes)

"Favorite Scenes": Eight of them. Various actors talk about their more memorable scenes. Fun if not the best feature. (20 minutes)

"The Original Ending: The Lost Dance": Okay, this one rocks. Because there are those of you who haven't seen the film ...ever... I won't give it away but let's just say everything turns out VERY differently. The actors talk about why they like or dislike this other ending. Super interesting for fans of this film especially. You only get small little pieces of this alternate ending however (12 minutes.)

"Wrap Up: The Epilogue": An overview of the impact of this film and other John Hughes films on the world of teen dramas in general. Cool (7 minutes). You also get some publicity stills.

Nice new commentary by the director Howard Deutch. An interesting look back and the guy is pretty honest too. A few silent moments but okay.

Wrapping Up: I highly recommend this DVD to all teens and young adults. The social issues are just as relevant today as in the '80's and the characters are wonderful and rich. The extras are all quite wonderful. If you like real and fun high school romance movies, you'll be glad you added this one to your collection.

From 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

The Black Swan

Okay, set your wayback machine for the pirate-filled Caribbean (no, we don't mean the one ruled by Capt. Jack Sparrow). Back in 1942, Tyrone Power was the gorgeous hottie who made the ladies swoon and he's at his best as Jamie Waring, a rough and ready 1600's pirate who sails The Black Swan. The lady he's after is feisty Maureen O'Hara whose daddy is the ruler of Jamaica until the British king makes ex-pirate Henry Morgan the governor on the condition that he rid the seas of pirates for good. Jamie Boy joins up and goes after his more evil cohorts but not until he kidnaps his lady love to join him on the high seas!

Audio: Don't know if this sound has been restored from scratch but it's great. The music and dialogue and sound of swords clashing come through with gusto.

Video: From a restored and digitally enhanced composite. Really rich color. Dark scenes don't have a lot of grays (black is just pretty black) but skin tones are fine. This was the old Technicolor era and we don't have this quite right yet but it's close. Very rich.

Special Features: I especially enjoyed the commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer chatting with lead actress Maureen O'Hara on little moments making the film etc. We learn that O'Hara and co-star Power filmed a scene in L.A.'s Griffith Park then stopped off for a flirty ice cream date on the way back... making the director a little angry. Cute stuff. Too bad Power died many years ago but ole Maureen is still feisty. Fun to rent at least. Buy if pirate classics are your cup of rum!

Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile: The Special Editions

Talk about your great classic romantic adventures, these two '80's films were the hallmark for combining romance and action with comedy. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner were then really hot looking (hey, they are both okay older folks now!) and they had tons of chemistry in this original and sequel film. In "Romancing", successful but dowdy romance novelist Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) has a sister kidnapped in Colombia and, if Joan doesn't bring the treasure map mailed to her by her brother-in-law before he was chopped into little pieces, sis will get the axe! Joan, all nervous and scared, gets to Colombia, gets on the wrong bus and gets reluctantly rescued by worldly Indiana Jones-style dude Jack (Michael Douglas). Is he sticking with her for the treasure or has he actually taken a shine to Joan?

In "Jewel", the now loved-up Joan and Jack sail the world, get a little bored and Joan is courted by handsome head of a North African kingdom. It's Jack to the rescue when she is caught in the middle of a political war and a search for a mysterious "jewel". Danny DeVito (also in the first film as an hilarious gangster gofer) is also after the jewel. Will the adventure rekindle Joan and Jack's dwindling romance?

"Romancing"

Video: New, upgraded transfer; anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1). This looks great. Earlier release of the film was much more "muddy". Lots of bold jungle colors. A few on-set scenes look more "soft" but all-in-all, great looking.

Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround. The audio is clean and you can hear everything although you don't get a great surround-sound bonanza here. Still, very workable. Music is fine as well.

Special Features: Really interesting are eight deleted scenes, which can be viewed individually or in a 19-minute block. These are really interesting because they take the film in different directions. Some of the jungle stuff was originally shot in another setting and Joan's New York book agent was originally a guy! More than your usual trimming was done here. Interesting for sure.

You get four featurettes: "Rekindling the Romance: A Look Back" (19:45) is a recently filmed piece with Douglas, Turner DeVito and others commenting on the fun and horrors they faced on the jungle locations etc. Really adds something to your enjoyment of the film. Neat.

"A Hidden Treasure: The Screenwriter" (3:13) Diane Thomas's story was a true Hollywood discovery tale. She was a waitress with a script that actually got made! Then, after starting a successful career, she was killed when her drunk boyfriend crashed her new Porsche. The stuff Hollywood legends are made of. Very interesting if short.

"Douglas, Turner and DeVito: Favorite Scenes" (3:52) The three stars share their favorite moments from the movie and tell us why they like them.

"Michael Douglas Remembers" (2:16) more with a modern-day Michael looking back.

Bonus: Inside the DVD case you'll find an 8-page booklet with production notes, chapter titles and cool pix.

"Jewel"

Video: The anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) transfer is very clean but this one is set in the desert and is very "hot" and dry looking. Not as much to look at and it's shot by Jan De Bont.

Audio: Dolby Digital 4.0 Surround, is excellent but this musical score is a little overwhelming. Dialogue and action comes through clearly.

Special Features: No Robert Zemeckis director commentary on "Romancing" but here you get Director Lewis Teague and he's pretty perky and he talks of the trials of shooting in the hot sun etc. There are some dead air areas however. It would have been cooler to have Michael Douglas join him on this.

Deleted scenes: Mostly just stuff cut for length. Nothing that adds a lot or fills in any blanks for you. Very short too.

Two featurettes: "Romancing the Nile: A Winning Sequel" (20:56) More cool modern-day looking back at the 1980's with Douglas, Turner and DeVito and also screenwriter Mark Rosenthal and director Teague. Kathleen lets us know she wasn't too thrilled to do a sequel and you'll find a few repeats from the "Romancing" featurettes.

"Adventures of a Romance Novelist" (7:59) is really just the screenwriter telling us the plot of the film. Not really necessary.

You also get a trailer and the 8-page booklet with production notes and chapter titles.

Wrapping Up: "Romancing" is much better than "Jewel" but you'll probably get hooked on the adventures of Jack and Joan and want to see both. I'd say buy "Romancing" and rent "Jewel". Either way, you'll enjoy this last adventure fling before the school bells toll.

***

Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.