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Filed under: This Week On DVD and Blu-ray

This Week On DVD and Blu-ray: March 17, 2009

Twilight for the fangirls and Dodes'ka-den for the cinephiles

BY: Brad Brevet | March 17th 2009 at 2:38 AM

Before we get into the new releases for the week there is a Blu-ray deal some of you may be interested in as Paramount is offering double packs at a discounted price of $24.99 with the following titles up for grabs:

  • Clear and Present Danger & The Hunt for Red October
  • Sweeney Todd & Sleepy Hollow
  • Top Gun & Days of Thunder
  • Mission: Impossible & Mission: Impossible 2
  • Sahara & Failure to Launch
  • Hustle and Flow & Black Snake Moan

You can browse the options at Amazon by clicking here.

And now for this week's releases and latest release date announcements…

Twilight (2-Disc Special Edition)
Today I was asked at the last minute if I wanted to review this DVD. While reviewing the DVD would certainly account for a few additional page views I just couldn't do it since I didn't like this movie and the idea of watching it again along with some generic making of featurettes didn't appeal to me in the slightest. Here's to hoping the sequels are actually worth watching.
Buy Twilight (2-Disc Special Edition)
Dodes'ka-den (Criterion Collection)
I just posted my review of this DVD and while I admit it isn't a masterpiece, it marks a pivotal moment in director Akira Kurosawa's career and the accompanying documentary on the disc should certainly be of interest to anyone interested in Kurosawa's work as well as film history in general. Dodes'ka-den was Kurosawa's first color film and was released after a five year filmmaking drought. Approximately a year after its release Kurosawa suffered from a failed suicide attempt before going on to direct the Oscar-winning film Dersu Uzala four years later. Tell me you aren't interested now.
Buy Dodes'ka-den (Criterion Collection)
Bolt
Blu-ray on the 22nd & DVD on the 24th
Okay, so Bolt doesn't actually hit Blu-ray until this coming Sunday and then will be released on DVD the following Tuesday. In the interest of making sure I didn't let you know about a release late I am including this title today and will perhaps include it next week as well, but we will see.

Disney did send me a Blu-ray review copy but I haven't yet been able to muster up enough interest to watch this one again. I didn't particularly like Bolt and gave it "C" review prior to its theatrical release so watching it again just didn't seem like something I would want to do to myself. It does, however, come fully loaded with the Blu-ray disc, a DVD copy and a digital copy along with a TON of features including a "Super Rhino" short, which I may have to watch since the little hamster was the best part of the film.
Buy Bolt
Murnau (6-DVD Thinpak Box Set)
Nosferatu / Faust / The Last Laugh / Tartuffe / The Haunted Castle / The Finances of the Grand Duke)
This one caught my eye while I was browsing Amazon's upcoming releases and felt I had to let folks know. I am extremely tempted to pick up a copy of this set for myself as I have only seen one of F. W. Murnau's films, that one being the obvious Nosferatu, but that was so long ago that the idea of having the newly restored version along with these other Murnau classics is almost too good to pass up. One thing of note if you are interested in buying it the set is about $15 cheaper if you buy it directly from Kino. The link below will take you to Amazon, but by clicking here you can get it directly from the source and save a little cash.
Buy Murnau (6-DVD Thinpak Box Set)
Punisher: War Zone (2-Disc Special Edition)
I have a feeling this one is going to be arriving in my mailbox any day now and I can only wonder if I will give the film I gave a "D" to a second chance. One thing is for certain, I expect this is a film a viewer could potentially enjoy more at home, because while you will still be subjected to an immense amount of stupidity it will all happen in the comfort of your own home as opposed to leaving the house to sit in a confined theater chair. Stupid movies are always more tolerable when you are more comfortable.
Buy Punisher: War Zone (2-Disc Special Edition)
The Robe
I have never seen this and I was hoping Fox would send me the Blu-ray for review and based on the delay in receiving some of their titles I still may. The Robe won two Oscars in 1954 and is considered one of the best Biblical films of all-time. It tells the story of a Roman centurion named Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) who is sent to Jerusalem and charged with overseeing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This new release comes with a ton of special features as well as an introduction by Martin Scorsese, which quite frankly is the main reason I am particularly interested.
Buy The Robe
The Princess Bride
I know a lot of people love this film. As a matter of fact I am not sure I have ever come across someone that doesn't like this film. So I can only assume plenty of you will be interested in owning it in high definition… Well, here it is… Have at it.
Buy The Princess Bride
Elegy
This film starring Penelope Cruz and Ben Kingsley had award buzz around it for a little while last year, but as things tightened up it disappeared. I have actually had a screener of it for about four months, but at the time it finally arrived things were so far along I knew it didn't have a shot so I never got around to watching it. Perhaps I will find the time one of these days, but finding the time to watch a movie that doesn't need to be immediately viewed is beginning to become a major chore.
Buy Elegy
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