DVD / Blu Review:

Issue #016 — November 15^th 2011

New Releases November 15th 2011

[Our editor, Emily Bloom, brings you the best new releases in her "DVD / Blu Review" article. No filler, no hype, only movies and TV shows we personally buy.]

So, I originally had It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series as the PotW and even had the article written up. But something kept bothering me and I knew I was making the wrong choice. Back to the drawing board I went and typed up the new pick which I think you'll agree with. We'll feature my article on It Takes a Thief in a newsletter exclusive this week so be sure to sign up!

Pick of the Week:
Looney Tunes: Platinum Collection
- Volume One "Ultimate Collector's Edition" [Blu]

I would love to live in the time of movie history where movies were preceded by a new Looney Tunes cartoon. It just adds to the "event" nature of the theater experience which I think we're loosing track of in this day of high-definition home video and 7.1 surround sound systems in your own living room. But we might as well replicate the olden days rather than let them go and now we can enjoy some of the best cartoons ever made in the Looney Tunes: Platinum Collection - Volume One. Despite multiple variations of past releases, it looks like these are on the right track finally. When the eventual "Complete Set" comes out, it will surely be the edition we've waited for since the first days of DVDs.

In addition to 50 cartoons that include "Rabbit Hood" and "A-haunting We WIll Go", there's an abundance of special features. First there's the semi-generic physical goodies like a collector's glass, tin sign, certificate of authenticity, and framed litho cel. But there's also a 52-page book with rare images of the animation process that went into these classic cartoons. A total of 37 audio commentaries are joined by more than seven hours of bonus material and additional cartoons. Here's the breakdown:

Special Features

37 Audio Commentaries
"Behind-the-Tunes" (95 min. HD/SD): featurettes
"A Greeting from Chuck Jones" (4 min. SD)
"Chuck Amok: The Movie" (51 min. SD): a 1991 documentary on Chuck Jones
"Extremes & In-Betweens, a Life in Animation" (85 min. SD): history of Jones' career
"Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood" (26 min. SD)
"The Animated World of Chuck Jones" (86 min. HD/SD): featurettes
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas Pencil Test" (7 min. HD)
"The Door" (7 min. HD): 1968 animted / live-action short
Bonus Cartoons (72 min. HD/SD): 9 various cartoons
Vocal Tracks: unedited between-the-scenes audio of the voice actors
Music Only Tracks: on select cartoons

Ah, but if you stop there you'd be missing out on Audrey Hepburn, Jean Harlow, Metropolis on Blu-ray, and the amazing color footage of WWII in HD! This is a great week, especially for TV fans, because there's also the previously mentioned 18-disc It Takes a Thief set along with Crime Story: The Complete Series, and The California Raisins Collection.

Buy It

It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series [DVD]
My Fair Lady [BLU]
Giorgio Moroder Presents: Metropolis "Special Edition" [BLU]
Evil Dead 2 "25^th Anniversary Edition" [BLU]
WWII in HD "Collector's Edition" [BLU]

Netflix It

Jean Harlow Collection (The Girl from Missouri / Saratoga / More…) [BLU]
DreamWorks Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury / Book of Dragons [COMBO]
Crime Story: The Complete Series [DVD]
Assassin's Creed: Lineage [BLU]
The California Raisins Collection [DVD]

Did your pal Emily miss your favorite new release title? Are you sure you aren't the only one that likes it? Let her know at: emily@cineweekly.com

- Emily Bloom -