DVD new releases Feb. 5, 2008

Click titles to order from Amazon.


Across the Universe (Two-Disc Special Edition)



The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford



The Aristocats (Special Edition)



Beauty and the Beast - The Final Season



Tammy And The Bachelor / Tammy Tell Me True / Tammy And The Doctor (Triple Feature)



Route 66: Season 1, Vol. 2



Thrill of It All: A Visual History 1972-1982 ~ Roxy Music



Descent (Original 'NC-17' Version)



Legion of Super Heroes Volume 2



Ironside: Season 2, Vol. 1

Pop links

Via Classic Television Showbiz: A "Dick Van Dyke Show" blooper reel:



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Is an "Arrested Development" movie in the works? I hope so!

"I can confirm that a round of sniffing has started," Bateman says. "Any talk is targeting a poststrike situation, of course. I think, as always, that it's a question of whether the people with the money are willing to give our leader, Mitch Hurwitz, what he deserves for his participation. And I can speak for the cast when I say our fingers are crossed."

Jeffrey Tambor also revealed on XM Radio's the Ron and Fez Show that he has been approached by Ron Howard to see if he's willing to do an Arrested film.


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From Evan Dorkin: Marvel super heroines drawn by Jaime Hernandez.

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From Saturday Morning Blog: The Raymond Scott Quintet performs "Powerhouse."

14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Counting down to Valentine's Day: Entry 4.



14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Continuing our countdown to Valentine's Day. Here are two entries for the weekend.





Sarah Jane Adventures coming to U.S. television

"Doctor Who" spin-off "The Sarah Jane Adventures," which follows the adventures of 1970s Doctor Who companion Sarah Jane Smith, will start airing on the Sci Fi Channel in April, The Los Angeles Times reports in a profile of "Who" producer Russell T. Davies.

Cool, I'm looking forward to seeing this show, having enjoyed Elisabeth Sladen's re-appearance as Sarah Jane on season two of the new "Who."



Pop links

Wanna buy a Dalek? There's one up for auction on eBay, with proceeds benefiting Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, Australia.

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Via Bat-Blog: A 1976 Korvettes TV commercial featuring Julie Newmar:



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Via the Hollywood Animation Archive: Jack Kirby art from Marvel Comics' Not Brand Echh #1.



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Gorillas Don't Blog posts cool vintage photos of Disneyland nearly everyday but I think this batch, from 1956, is especially cool.

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Dial B for Blog explores the origins of Solar: Man of the Atom.

Lost clues: "The Beginning of the End" Ep. 1, Season 4

Lost Season 4 Episode Guide
The Best Lost Sites on the Web
Lost: What we STILL don't know


Episode summary:

We see a 1970s Camaro leading a high-speed police chase through Los Angeles. The car crashes and the driver emerges as the cops train their weapons on him. It's Hurley. This isn't a flashback. At least not like one before. It takes place after Hurley has left the island.

We learn Hurley is one of the "Oceanic 6," and has attained celebrity status as a result of having survived the plane crash. We also learn he's very troubled. He's haunted by visions of Charlie's death and the island experience in general. He's also carrying tremendous guilt over having left the island and, presumably, other people who are still on it.

After his arrest, Hurley is committed to a mental hospital where he's visited by Jack, another of the Oceanic 6. Jack is worried that Hurley is going to tell the truth about the island and the Oceanic 6's return to civilization--we don't know how/what occurred. Hurley says the island wants them to return. Jack doesn't want to hear about it.

Hurley also is visited by the ghost(?) of Charlie, who makes him feel guilty for having left the island, and those apparently still on it, behind.

A man visits Hurley in the hospital (he may have been a vision, not real) saying he's an attorney from Oceanic Airlines. Before he leaves, the man says "they're alive, aren't they." Hurley freaks out, yelling for a nurse.



Back in time, on the island, we see Jack and the other survivors excited about the prospect of rescue. They're used Naomi's satellite phone to make contact with her ship and it sounds as if people are coming to retrieve them soon.

Ben, now captive to the crash survivors, insists Naomi's people won't help. They'll harm those on the island.

Back at the beach, Desmond emerges from the waves and brings pretty much the same message. Charlie died shutting down the jamming signal in the underwater Looking Glass station. But before drowning, signaled to Desmond that Naomi and her crew were not sent by Desmond's girlfriend Penelope. We don't know who they are.

Naomi dies as a result of Locke's stab wound, but she covers for the survivors when talking to her crew on the satellite phone, saying that she'd been injured by a tree branch in her parachute fall.

We also see Hurley, temporarily separated from the rest of the survivors in the jungle, encountering Jacob's creepy cabin--and Locke.

Torn about whether to stay and await potential rescue or hunker down in the Others' barracks and defend themselves against these alleged invaders, the survivors break into two groups.

Jack leads those awaiting rescue. Locke leads those who are afraid.



Questions/clues/observations:

* Who are the rest of the Oceanic 6? Are we counting Kate? We know she also returned to civilization. But has she attained the same notoriety? After all, she's a fugitive and likely would've been tossed in prison upon return. Perhaps the rest are keeping her return secret. Or she's assumed another name, leaving the world to believe the "real" Kate died in the crash. Are we counting Michael and Walt? We were led to believe at the end of the last season that maybe Sawyer made it back too. Maybe he's one of the six. And then there was the mysterious person in the coffin. This will take some time to figure out.

* Why did only six of the survivors return? Are the rest dead? Still on the island?

* Why are Hurley and Jack so guilt-ridden? What happened to allow their return?

* How the heck did these folks get back? Boat? Plane? Inter-dimensional travel?

* Who are Naomi's people? Are they associated somehow with Penelope's father? Is the Widmore company somehow a rival to Dharma and/or the Others? Do they have dark plans for the island?

* There's speculation that Jacob is Jack's dad, Christian. And, y'know, in profile, in the dark, he kinda looks like he could be. Maybe Jacob took the shape of Christian. Or Christian popped by Jacob's place for a visit. Who knows.



* Was that Locke's eye that popped up in the window of Jacob's cabin and scared the bejeezus out of Hurley? Is it Patchy the Russian? Or is it Jacob himself peering out?



* Character connections: The cop who questions Hurley states he was Ana Lucia's former partner. He's under the impression Ana Lucia died in the Oceanic crash but wonders if Hurley met her before the plane went down. Hurley lies, saying he didn't know Ana Lucia.

* Drawings on the chalkboard in the sitting room of the mental hospital show a shark and waves, etc. They seem inspired by the island and look a bit like those seen in the Hatch during season 2.



* Hurley is seen doing a watercolor showing an Eskimo and igloo.

* In the vision Hurley has of Charlie while in the police station, Charlie has "they need you" written on his palm.



* Before she dies, Naomi tells her crew mate over the satellite phone to tell her sister she's sorry. Who is her sister? Or is she sending the crew a coded message?

14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Counting down to Valentine's Day: Here's our first entry in our celebration of funny and/or just plain odd romance comics covers.



Upcoming DVDs of interest

Click titles to order from Amazon.


German Expressionism Collection (The Hands of Orlac / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / Secrets of a Soul / Warning Shadows)
Four German Silent Classics in a New Beautiful Thin-Pak Boxed Set. The Set Includes: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) Directed by Robert Wiene, Starring Conrad Viedt and Werner Krauss - Warning Shadows (1923) Directed by Arthur Robison - The Hands of Orlac (1924) Directed by Robert Wiene, Starring Conrad Veidt - Secrets of a Soul (1926) Directed by G.W. Pabst, Starring Werner Krauss.


Love American Style - Season One, Volume Two


McHale's Navy: Season Three
ALL 36 EPISODES FROM THE THIRD SEASON STARRING ERNEST BORGNINE, TIM CONWAY AND JOE FLYNN Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale ,Ernest Borgnine, Ensign Parker ,Tim Conway, and the rest of the misfit crew of PT73 are back in action on the Taratupa Island Naval Base, setting sail for 36 more adventures in hilarity. From 1962 through 1966, McHale’s Navy was a mustsee staple of ABC television. By the show’s third year on the air, the nowfamiliar crew had become a classic embodiment of American culture an unforgettable gang of funloving guys who were constantly at odds with authority.


The Fugitive - Season One, Volume Two


The Mod Squad - Season 1, Volume 2


The Wild Wild West - The Fourth Season

Don't forget Lost tonight!

In case you missed it, you can see our complete "what happened in season 3," roundup, plus unanswered "Lost" questions and links to season 4 "Lost" episode teasers and pictures here.

Pop links

TV alert: Ringo Starr appears on A&E's "Private Sessions" this Sunday. Here's what to expect:

The legendary Singer/Songwriter/Drummer chatted with host Lynn Hoffman and sang 4 songs including his signature hit "Photograph", Beatles hits "With a Little Help From My Friends" and "Boys". Viewers can tune-in to see Ringo Starr also perform the title track off of his anticipated new album Liverpool 8.

Plus, surprise guest appearances from Yoko Ono, Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke as well as Conan O'Brien's Max Weinberg.


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Mike Sterling chronicles the ongoing end of civilization.

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Today in sharity: 21 songs about going nuts.

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"Asterix at the Olympic Games" grossed $4.1 million in its opening weekend, Variety reports. Reviews? Not so hot:

Local critics have almost unanimously savaged the picture.

It “bathes in a tepid marmalade … prepare to be disappointed,” Le Parisien declared.

“The vacuity of this enormous cooking pot ends up making you nauseous,” Le Monde wrote.


Still, I'd be interested in seeing this and the other Asterix films on DVD but, as I mentioned a few days back, none of them are available on U.S.-compatible disks.

New and upcoming books of interest

Click title links to pre-order from Amazon:


Humbug (2-volume slipcased set)
"We won't write for morons. We won't do anything just to get laughs. We won't be dirty. We won't be grotesque. We won't be in bad taste. We won't sell magazines."—Declaration of editorial principles, Humbug #1
Harvey Kurtzman changed the face of American humor when he created the legendary MAD comic. As editor and chief writer from its inception in 1952, through its transformation into a slick magazine, and until he left MAD in 1956, he influenced an entire generation of cartoonists, comedians, and filmmakers. In 1962, he co-created the long-running Little Annie Fanny with his long-time artistic partner Will Elder for Playboy, which he continued to produce until his virtual retirement in 1988.

Between MAD and Annie Fanny, Kurtzman's biographical summaries will note that he created and edited three other magazines, Trump, Humbug, and Help!, but, whereas his MAD and Annie Fanny are readily available in reprint form, his major satirical work in the interim period is virtually unknown. Humbug, which had poor distribution, may be the least known, but to those who treasure the rare original copies, it equals or even exceeds MAD in displaying Kurtzman's creative genius. Humbug was unique in that it was actually published by the artists who created it: Kurtzman and his cohorts from MAD Will Elder, Jack Davis, and Al Jaffee, were joined by universally acclaimed cartoonist Arnold Roth. With no publisher above them to rein them in, this little band of creators produced some of the most trenchant and engaging satire of American culture ever to appear on American newsstands. At last, the entire run of 11 issues of Humbug is being reprinted in a deluxe format, much of it reproduced from the original art, allowing even owners of the original cheaply-printed issues to see the full impact of these creators' artistry for the first time.

"Man—We're Beat! Satire has got us beat. 1953—We started MAD magazine for a comic-book publisher and we did some pretty good satire and it sold very well. 1956—We started Trump magazine...and we worked much harder and we did much better satire and we sold much worse. 1957—We started Humbug magazine and we worked hardest of all and turned out the very best satire of all, which of course now sells the very worst of all. And now...as they throw rocks at Vice President Nixon...as space gets cluttered with missiles...and as our names are carefully removed from our work in MAD pocketbooks—a feeling of beatness creeps through our satirical veins and capillaries and we think how George S. Kaufman once said, 'Satire is something that closes Saturday night....'"—From the editorial to Humbug's final issue


Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury
1950s West Coast style exuded "cool": from the smooth, hypnotic strains of a Miles Davis riff through Richard Neutra's elegant, modernist residences to the hard-edged paintings of Helen Lundeberg and Karl Benjamin. This richly illustrated volume casts a fresh eye on Fifties West Coast style with illuminating commentary from a variety of perspectives. Designed to echo the period it celebrates, this catalog explores modernist innovations in art, architecture, design, film and music. Prominent cultural critics write on an array of topics: Thomas Hine about the culture of cool; Elizabeth Smith on domestic aspects of the period's architecture; Francis Colpitt on hard-edged abstract painting; Dave Hickey on jazz, and Bruce Jenkins on the crossover between animation and experimental film. The result is a multi-faceted exploration of the 1950s West Coast zeitgeist in all its color, creativity, and cool.


Iconic America: A Roller-Coaster Ride through the Eye-Popping Panorama of American Pop Culture
What is America? It’s Monopoly and Mickey Mouse, but also Sinatra and Fred Astaire. It’s the Declaration of Independence, but it’s also Barbie and Playboy, Winslow Homer and Rudi Gernreich’s topless bathing suit. This juxtaposition of images reflects America’s unique eclecticism, and the unprecedented influence that the images of America’s pop culture have had on the world. This book works as a great treasury of Americana, and as a mischievously enjoyable observation on all things truly American. Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and famous adman George Lois have crafted an enlightening book, searching American history to find over 350 people, symbols, and things of import. Their iconic and iconoclastic choices are entertainingly presented through surprising visual juxtapositions. Inspired by Tommy Hilfiger’s passion for Americana and George Lois’ wit, Iconic America dramatizes the national ethos, and makes us think about who we are and what we stand for, with humor and charm.


James Bond Encyclopedia
Created in full collaboration with Eon Productions, producers of the Bond movies, this illustrated celebration of the world's most famous super-spy examines every aspect of 007's world, with information on his history, style, and tastes, along with A-Z guides to his adversaries, allies, gadgets, cars, and, of course, the ever-glamorous Bond girls. AUTHOR BIO: John Cork and Colin Stutz authorities on every aspect of the James Bond story, wrote the acclaimed book on the James Bond phenomenon, James Bond: The Legacy, have produced, written and directed 30 special feature documentaries for MGM's DVD releases of James Bond films, and contributed to The Ultimate James Bond: An Interactive Dossier CD-Rom for MGM Interactive.


Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its Reasons
Sometimes it feels like you need a Ph.D. to follow the show. But you don't. You just need this book in which twenty-one philosophers explore the deep questions we all face as survivors on this planet: Does "everything happen for a reason"? Is torture ever justified? Who are the Others? How do we know we're not patients in Hurley's psych ward? What if the Dharma Intitiative is experimenting on us? Desmond may not be able to save Charlie, but this book could save you.


Moondog: The Viking of 6th Avenue: The Authorized Biography
"Moondog is one of America’s great originals."—Alan Rich, New York Magazine

Here is one of the most improbable lives of the twentieth century: a blind and homeless man who became the most famous eccentric in New York and who, with enormous diligence, rose to prominence as an internationally respected music presence.
Born Louis Thomas Hardin in 1916, Moondog first made an impression in the late 1940s when he became a mascot of The New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. His unique, melodic compositions were released on the Prestige jazz label. In the late 1960s the Viking-garbed Moondog was a pop music sensation on Columbia Records. Moondog is the noted inspiration for the contemporary freak folk movement led by Devendra Banhart.
Moondog's compositional style influenced his former roommate, Philip Glass, whose Preface and performances of Moondog works appear in the book. Moondog's work transcends labels and redefines the distinction between popular and high culture. A CD compilation with a variety of Moondog's compositions is bound into the book.


Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else
In Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else, Tom Kitts presents a critical biography of Davies, his music and his times. Based on interviews with his closest associates as well as thorough study of the recordings themselves, Kitts creates the most thorough picture of Davies' work to date. He places the work in the context of the British Invasion and growth of the rock in the '60s and'70s, affirming Davies' role as a key innovator whose groundbreaking techniques often predated more famous examples by years. Throughout, Kitts balances a fan's appreciation with a critical eye to place Davies and his work in proper perspective.

For fans of rock music and the music of the Kinks, Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else will be a must purchase. It will finally place this legendary innovator in the pantheon of the great rock artists of the past half-century.


Rolling Stone Cover to Cover: The First 40 Years
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Rolling Stone stoked the imagination of America's social revolutionaries and fueled the careers of brilliant writers like Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson, Joe Klein, Cameron Crowe, P.J. O'Rourke and visionary photographers including Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger and Baron Wolman.

Rolling Stone Cover to Cover is a backstage pass to four decades of popular culture--a DVD ROM-based, searchable digital archive of every issue of Rolling Stone magazine from 1967 to 2007. Browse issues 1 through 1026 – over 98,000 searchable pages, exactly as they first appeared in print--every story, review, interview and even every ad.

This exclusive box set also comes with a photo-filled, 208–page page companion coffee table book providing a vivid behind-the-scenes look at the magazines history, from birth to today and includes a bonus one-year subscription to Rolling Stone (a $12.95 value). See certificate inside package for offer and rebate details.

The product includes the Bondi Reader, powerful MAC or PC browsing software that allows you to explore, search and view every page, and to arrange and save multiple reading lists. The ultimate pop culture reference tool, this essential collection is a must-have for all music fans, political junkies, nostalgia buffs and collectors.


Smile
Author Dominic Priore, dubbed by MOJO the worlds foremost Smile-ologist, has written the definitive book on the entire experience from the original recording to the revival tour and beyond. He has been in the studio with Wilson, as well as on the road for the celebrated European Smile concerts, and the result is the full version of one of pops mythic stories. Features forewords by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks. Previously published by Sanctuary.


Taken By Storm
Taken By Storm is a superb selection of British artist Storm Thorgersons work over the past 30 years. It features the best of Hipgnosis, Pink Floyd, and the Storm Studios and is a visual equivalent of a greatest hits album! Thorgersons prolific album art is presented in full-color and includes in-depth analysis of each image, including the themes and motivations that inspired the work as well as the practical details involved in producing each stunning image. Includes new material from the last five years, none of which has been previously published in book form. Great for music and art lovers alike!