Fantastic Four – Rise of the Silver Surfer
The original Fantastic Four was nowhere near as bad as people would have you believe. I was an avid comic book collector as I grew up and my favorite comics were Spiderman, The Avengers and The Fantastic Four. I religiously followed The Fantastic Four through many years and always looked forward to their confrontations with the devourer of worlds, Galactus. Sure, Doctor Doom was their arch nemesis, but he never proved to be the threat of Galactus. The first film was a light hearted comic movie, ignoring the pomp and circumstance and drama of The X-Men. Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben were always meant to be a fun ride with the first family of super heroes and not an angst filled roller coaster, and in that I believe the movie was a success. Now with the second movie, we get the arrival of Galactus. And with Galactus, we get the Silver Surfer. We also get three editions – a single disc edition, a 2-Disc Special Edition and a Blu-Ray offering. The single disc will include two commentary tracks, one with director Tim Story and the second with producer Avi Arad, writer Don Payne amd film editors Peter S. Elliott and William Hoy. The 2-Disc Edition includes both commentaries plus:
- Extended / Deleted Scenes (with optional commentary by director Tim Story)
- Family Bonds: The Making of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer documentary
- Sentinel of the Spaceways: Comic Book Origins of The Silver Surfer featurette
- The FantastiCar: State of the Art featurette
- The Power Cosmic special effects featurette
- Character Design with Spectral Motion featurette
- Scoring the Fantastic featurette
- Interactive FantastiCar concept images gallery
- Theatrical Trailers
- Still Galleries (Behind the Scenes / Characters / Concept Art)
The Blu-Ray will include all the above features plus added high definition exclusive content.
- “Who Dares Defy Galactus?” challenges players to an intergalactic battle through a galaxy comprised of 30 planets, 10 of which are colonized and have varying levels of life force. Players compete against each other as either Galactus, who must find the live planets and consume their energy, or The Silver Surfer, who must find the live planets and defend them against Galactus.
- “Saving The World One Question At A Time” interactive, pop-up trivia game.
1408
It is being called a sleeper hit and is advertised as the best of the Stephen King adaptations (which can’t be true, since The Shining has not been beaten and I don’t see it losing the crown anytime soon). John Cusack provides his incredible acting chops to one of King’s newer short stories, 1408 (from the collection Everything’s Eventual). The short story deals with a writer that specializes in non-fiction works dealing with haunted places despite not believing in the occult or supernatural himself. Actually, the first time I remember this story, it was a partial rough draft included in King’s non-fiction book On Writing. The movie, directed by Mikael Hafstrom (Derailed) and starring Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, changes the writer to a man who chooses to use his books to debunk the supernatural after the untimely death of his daughter. Released in both a single disc edition and a 2-Disc Collector’s Edition, the single disc edition does not appear to have any special features included on it, but the Collector’s Edition includes the following:
- Commentary by director Mikael Hafstrom and writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
- 5 Deleted Scenes
- The Secretsof 1408 – A Behind-the-Scenes Look
- John Cusack on 1408 webisode
- Inside Room 1408 webisode
- Theatrical Trailer
The Jungle Book (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition) will hit shelves this week. Like most Disney releases, it will probably be a limited release, so if you want to relive the adventures of Mowgli and Baloo, now is the time to get this great edition of the animated classic. The DVD will include “The Lost Character: Rocky The Rhino” featurette, “The Bare Necessities: The Making of The Jungle Book” featurette, “Disney’s Kipling: Walt’s Magic Touch on A Literary Classic” – A discarded film treatment from 1963, “The Lure of The Jungle Book” featurette, including interviews with many of today’s biggest names in animation, “Mowgli’s Return to the Jungle” featurette, “Baloo’s Virtual Swingin’ Jungle Cruise” game, Audio Commentary with current animators as well as audio from the original creative team who made the film and a Still Frame Art Gallery.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula will finally get a Special Edition this week. I know a lot of people are not fans of the Francis Ford Coppola big budget remake of the classic vampire story. I politely disagree and stand by my stance that this movie is better than it is given credit for. I will not argue its merits here, as most I would assume most people who read this site are firmly planted on one side or the other of this argument. I will say that this special edition has been something I have been anxiously waiting years for, and since his only really output lately has been releasing special editions of older movies (Rainmaker was released a few months ago), we get Coppola’s input here as well, with a director’s commentary track. Also included is a video intro by Coppola, a making-of documentary, a costume design featurette, a visual effect featurette, a featurette over Dracula, deleted scenes and the trailer for Coppola’s new movie, Youth Without Youth. With all his movies being re-released, I am still wondering when we will get Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse released. I have still not updated my old Apocalypse Now DVD, since I am still waiting for that spectacular documentary to be included.
Last week we got Cujo. This week we get a really good classic Stephen King adaptation in Misery. The story involves of a writer who is involved in an accident and is nursed back to health by a psychotic nurse who then demands he write a new book based on her favorite characters or face her wrath. Directed by Rob Reiner, Misery stands alongside The Shining as one of the better movies in a line of subpar adaptations based on the author’s works. The DVD comes in a pretty sweet looking case and includes the following features: Feature commentary by Director Rob Reiner, Feature commentary by Screenwriter William Goldman, “Misery Loves Company” featurette, “Marc Shaiman’s Music Misery Tour” featurette, ”Diagnosing Annie Wilkes” featurette, “Advice For The Stalked” featurette, “Profile Of A Stalker” featurette, “Celebrity Stalkers” featurette, “Anti-Stalking Laws” featurette, and the Original Theatrical Teaser & Trailer. I really hope that the featurettes are not as much fluff as they sound and actually have something to do with the film itself.
With the release of the new sequel Species IV – The Awakening (Unrated) we get the re-release of the original Species in a Collector’s Edition. It is kind of funny that the only version of Species I have ever owned came free on a DVD that was included with a magazine that I can’t even recall the name of. The movie is really known to me as the first chance I had to see Natasha Henstridge in all her fully exposed beauty. I also remember something about a kiss that ended with the tongue being pierced through the back of some guy’s head in a swimming pool. And Michael Madsen. The original will receive a 2-Disc treatment and includes Commentary by Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen and Director Roger Donaldson, Commentary by Director Roger Roger Donaldson, Producer Frank Mancuso Jr., Visual Effects Supervisor Richard Edlund and Creature/Special Make-Up Effects Creator Steve Johnson, “Engineering Life” featurette, “H.R. Giger At Work: Designing Species” featurette, “The Making of Species” featurette, “Designing a Hybrid” featurette, an Alternate ending, Original theatrical trailer Species IV: The Awakening Sneak Peek, and a “Project Sil” image files and photo gallery.
We get a couple of classics this week as well including Caligula, in both an Unrated Edition and Three-Disc Imperial Edition. Caligula is being released with a new high-definition transfer from recently uncovered negative elements and hours of never-before-seen bonus material. The Imperial Edition includes Two revealing new full-length audio commentaries with stars Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren, Comprehensive new video interviews with director Tinto Brass and actors John Steiner and Lori Wagner, New high-definition transfer of the unrated, uncensored feature film, Alternate pre-release version of the film with never-before-seen footage, Startling audio commentary with on-set writer Ernest Volkman, "The Making of Caligula" documentary (two versions) featuring interviews with Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Gore Vidal and many more, Hundreds of astonishing, never-before-seen photographs from the set, Theatrical trailers, DVD-Rom extras including Gore Vidal’s original screenplay, three Penthouse magazine features, an interview with Bob Guccione, press kit notes, cast and crew bios and filmographies and more!, Eye-catching embossed collectible packaging with new liner notes booklet and more.
Funny Face (50th Anniversary Edition) is also getting a special release but only includes three featurettes, one of which was already on previous releases on the movie.
TELEVISION ON DVD
Entourage – Season 3, Part 2
How I Met Your Mother, Season Two
Criminal Minds – The Second Season
Jericho – The First Season
The Sarah Silverman Program – Season One
Shark – Season One
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Complete Series
Little People Big World – Season 1
I Love New York – The Complete First Season
Felix the Cat: The Complete 1958-1959 Series
THE HIGH DEF REVOLUTION
Top Gun [HD DVD]
Halloween [Blu-Ray]
The Day After Tomorrow [Blu-Ray]
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn [Blu-Ray]
Dawn of the Dead [Blu-Ray]
Galapagos [Blu-Ray, HD DVD]
A Room with a View [Blu-Ray, HD DVD]
OTHER DVDs TO SPEND YOUR DOUGH ON
The War – A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, The Blue Planet – Seas of Life (5-Disc Special Edition), Planet Earth & The Blue Planet Seas of Life (Special Collector’s Edition), Nine Lives, Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane, The Most Dangerous Game, A Year Without a Santa Claus (Deluxe Edition), Good Times Again, And, There You Are, Jindabyne, Prom Night (Widescreen), Evil Aliens (Unrated), Cab to Canada, Civic Duty, The Other Side of Love, Body and Soul, Vows of Deception, Mystics in Bali, Day Night Day Night, Pumpkinhead 4 – Blood Feud, Southern Fried Chicks, Death by Engagement, Sweet Temptation, Wild Seven, King Lear, Last Wish, A Deadly Silence
THE BARGAIN BIN
BEST BUY
1408 – $16.99
1408: 2 DVD Collector’s Edition – $22.99
Disturbia – $16.99
Knocked Up : Unrated – $19.99
X-Men 3: The Last Stand – $14.99
Pocahontas 10th Anniversary Edition – $14.99
The Ramones: It’s Alive (1974 – 1996) – $11.99
NEXT HD-DVD – $29.99
Knocked Up: Unrated HD-DVD – $29.99
Blades Of Glory HD-DVD – $29.99
The Bourne Identity HD-DVD – $24.99
The Blue Planet (IMAX) HD-DVD – $24.99
Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer – $14.99
Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer – Power Cosmic Edition – $22.99 *
Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer Blu-Ray – $34.99
Fantastic 4: Two Movie Collection – $24.99
* Power Cosmic edition includes 2 discs with extended and deleted scenes and the Silver Surfer’s comic origin
Jungle Book: 40th Anniversary Edition – $14.99
* Free Best Buy Exclusive Jungle Book Plush toy PLUS Save $5 on the Tin Bank with the purchase of the Jungle Book DVD
Species: The Awakening – $19.99
Species: Collector’s Edition – $14.99
* Buy both DVDs on the same receipt and get both for $25
2 DVDs for $15:
Casino (Looks like 10Th Anniversary Edition), Wedding Crasher: Uncorked Edition, The Goonies, Four Brothers, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle: Extreme Unrated Edition, Let’s Go To Prison, Spaceballs, Anchorman, Crash, Zathura: Special Edition, The Matrix, Batman Begins, The Invincible Iron Man, Garden State, Tenacious D & The Pick Of Destiny, Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
3 DVDs for $40:
CARS, Finding Nemo, Monsters, INC., Alice In Wonderland, Chicken Little, The Fox & The Hound: 25th Anniversary Edition, The Incredibles
DVD Sets:
Bonus HBO Comedy Sampler Disc with the purchase of any HBO DVD title
Entourage: Season #3.2 – $24.99
Entourage: Season #1 – Season #3.1 – $16.99
How I Met Your Mother: Season #2 – $27.99
Jericho: Season #1 – $39.99
Shark: Season #1 -> $39.99
Criminal Minds: Season #2 – $39.99
Metalocalypse: Season #1 – $22.99
The WAR: A Ken Burns Film – $79.99
Universal Horror Classic Movie Archive – $17.99 Best Buy Exclusive
The Blue Planet: Special Edition – $39.99
Planet Earth: Collector’s Set – $79.99
Galapagos Blu-Ray – $24.99
Galapagos HD-DVD – $24.99
The Sarah Silverman Program: Season #1 – $12.99
* Bonus Disc with stand-up comedy act included
CIRCUIT CITY
Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer 2-Disc – $22.99
* Includes a bonus disc
Fantastic Four 2-Disc Collection – $22.99
The Incredibles – $13.99
1400 – 2 Disc Edition – $17.99
* Includes exclusive T-shirt with purchase
The War: A Ken Burns Film – $79.99
Shark – $39.99
Jericho: The First Season – $34.99
How I Met Your Mother: Season 2 – $27.99
Criminal Minds: Season 2 – $39.99
We Are Marshall – $19.99
Knocked Up (Unrated) – $19.99
Entourage: Season 3 part 2 – $22.99
* Free exclusive Entourage T-Shirt with purchase
** All previous seasons $17.99 each
Sopranos Seasons 1, 2, 3 – $39.99 each
The Wire Seasons 1, 2, 3 – $39.99 each
Band of Brothers – $44.99
Deadwood, seasons 1, 2, 3 – $49.99 each
Ali G Show – $29.99
TARGET
Jungle Book: Platinum Edition – $16.99
Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams – $16.99
* Free $5 Target gift card with purchase of Jungle Book & Disney Princess
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer – $16.99
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer – Deluxe Edition – $22.99
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer Blu-Ray – $29.99
* Deluxe Edition includes a 39 page “Origins Of The Silver Surfer’ comic by Stan Lee and over 140 minutes of additional footage featuring the Silver Surfer & more
DVD Sets:
The Sarah Silverman Program: Season #1 – $12.99
Entourage: Season #3.2 – Target Exclusive – $24.99
* Exclusive bonus disc with 50 minutes of Q & A from cast & producers at the US Comedy Arts Festival
How I Met Your Mother: Season #2 – $27.99
* Exclusive booklet comes with purchase
Jericho: Season #1 – $34.99
* Exclusive bonus DVD comes with purchase // Quantities limited // no rain checks