Speaking of going broke buying dvd’s … next week we get the release of “The Frighteners” Director’s Cut on disc. I know I have stated this before, but “The Frighteners” is really one of the great unseen (by mass audiences anyway) movies of the 90’s. It was released theatrically in the summer of 1996 … the summer that the shite film “Independence Day” destroyed all its competition. Back when LaserDiscs were still in their prime, Universal started releasing “Signature Collection” editions of certain films … thus “The Frighteners” got the royal treatment it deserved. The Signature Collection LaserDisc of “The Frighteners” has been long out of print and much sought after by film nerds like myself.

If we are lucky the new dvd release will include all of the Signature Collection LaserDisc extras:
– Presented in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the original 35 millimeter anamorphic theatrical prints
– Director’s Cut includes approximately 12 minutes of additional never-before-seen footage
– Running audio commentary by director Peter Jackson
– The Making of The Frighteners, an original full-length 4½-hour documentary on the making of the film written, directed and produced by Peter Jackson, featuring featuring interviews with Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Dee Wallace Stone, Jake Busey, Jim Fyfe and Chi McBride and including: Rehearsing, Storyboarding, Miniatures and Extensive exploration of the special effects, motion control and bluescreens.
– Deleted Scenes
– Bloopers
– Theatrical Trailer

Here’s what the Press Release for the dvd says re: the extras:
– Widescreen Aspect Ratio
– Audio Commentary by Director Peter Jackson
– “The Making of The Frighteners” Full Length Documentary (whether this is the 4-1/2 hour long version included on the laserdisc edition isn’t confirmed)
– Storyboard Gallery
– Theatrical Trailer

Yup. The main thing that fans have been wondering is if we will get the entire 4-1/2 hour documentary on the dvd. I guess we’ll find out next week!

Happiness is an 800 lb. gorilla! Don’t forget that the original 1933 “King Kong” hits stores today.

In the past couple of months I have purchased way entirely too many dvd’s … a stack that I am still trying to get through.

Ones that I Have Watched:
“Riget: I” (The Kingdom: Series One)
“Riget: II” (The Kingdom: Series Two)
“Batman Begins”
“Eyes of Laura Mars”
“Lost: The Complete First Season”
“Arrested Development: The Complete Second Season”
“Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith”
“Wizard of Oz” 3 Disc Special Edition
“Titanic” 3 Disc Special Edition
“The Bela Lugosi Collection”
“Lifeboat”
“To Catch a Thief”
The Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection:
  “Saboteur”
  “Shadow of a Doubt”
  “Rope”
  “Rear Window”
  “The Trouble with Harry”
  “The Man Who Knew Too Much”
  “Vertigo”
  “Psycho”
  “The Birds”

Ones Still Left in the Pile:
“The Mummy” Legacy Collection
“Whatever Happened to Baby Jane”
“The Eye” Special Edition
“Dogville” Region 2 Danish Special Edition
The Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection:
  “Marnie”
  “Torn Curtain”
  “Topaz”
  “Frenzy”
  “Family Plot”

Yup. December 13th is the day for “The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season.” Whoo-Hoo!

The Complete Seventh Season (25 Epsiodes):
– Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)
– Radioactive Man
– Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily
– Bart Sells His Soul
– Lisa the Vegetarian
– Treehouse of Horror VI
– King-Size Homer
– Mother Simpson
– Sideshow Bob’s Last Gleaming
– Two Bad Neighbors
– The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular
– Marge Be Not Proud
– Team Homer
– Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield
– Bart the Fink
– Lisa the Iconoclast
– Homer the Smithers
– Fish Called Selma
– The Day the Violence Died
– Bart on the Road
– 22 Short Films About Springfield
– Raging Abe Simpson and his Grumbling Grandson in “The Curse of the Flying Hellfish”
– Much Apu About Nothing
– Homerpalooza
– Summer of 4 Ft. 2

Hmmmm. Can you tell from what’s coming to me next from Netflix that I am a sci-fi/horror film nerd? Nah. You can’t tell that at all …

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Nosferatu (1929)
Doctor Who: Earthshock
Doctor Who: The Pirate Planet
Doctor Who: The Ribos Operation
Doctor Who: The Stones of Blood
Doctor Who: The Androids of Tara
Doctor Who: The Power of Kroll
Doctor Who: The Armageddon Factor
Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars
The Lost Boys: Special Edition
Lost Boys: Special Edition (Bonus Material)
Phone Booth
Nightwatch (1994)
Diabolique (1955)
Dario Argento Collection: Vol. 3: Deep Red
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Night and Fog (1955)
In the Mood for Love
The Honeymoon Killers

Yes!!! The funniest show on television (sorry “The Simpsons,” that used to be you) hits stores today with its complete second season. I am so excited! Not having television means that I have to wait for some shows to hit disc before seeing them. When “Arrested Development” first started, I saw a few episodes of the first season while house-sitting and such. When that season got a dvd release, I immediately snapped it up and loved every minute of it.

It’s too bad the threat of cancellation looms over this show even though it’s won a bunch of Emmys and has a pretty rabid (though small) fan base. It would be nice if crap like (and here’s where you all are gonna hate me) “Family Guy” would go away and shows like “Arrested Development” would hang around. Join me in pledging your support for the funniest show on television. And if you have missed out on all the fun, there are dvd’s to be watched.

Go. Buy. Now!!!

Since I am always behind the times (as far as television is concerned), I have started watching the first season of “Lost” this week via the magic of dvd. Pretty cool show from what I have seen of it so far. Forget Matthew Fox … this show gets major bonus points ’cause Dominic Monaghan is in it. Mmmm, mmmm.