Swank-mo-tron: So, Clang! Boom! Steam! and I were given the privilege to watch the forthcoming Tales of the Black Freighter & Under the Hood cartoon and documentary (respectively) which hits DVD stores Tuesday.  We decided to pull a little mini round table and discuss the DVD.  First, why don’t we talk about “Tales of the Black Freighter“, since it’s being billed as the main event.  I thought the animation was a little wonky to start with, but once I got into it, I really got into it.  It was quite faithful to the source material (which is something we should expect from these guys by now) in all areas but one.  They had Gerard Butler sort of come right out and explain the moral of the story in the Watchmen context.  At first I had a bit of a problem with this, but then I realized that at the point that this has to stand alone away from the juxtaposition of Watchmen proper, they pretty much had no other choice.

What did you think Clang!?

Clang! Boom! Steam!: For die hard fans of the comic book series, Tales of the Black Freighter was likely the most missed element of the Watchmen adaptation – or maybe it was the element most bitched about before the film was released.

Though I believe it’s omission from a theatrical release was prudent, I was both giddy and grateful to see TOTBF released on a separate bonus dvd.

Certainly as graphic and bleak as the original comic book within a comic book, Tales of the Black Freighter indeed hold it’s own as a stand alone piece of entertainment, while bits of subtle innuendo relate back to themes back explored in Watchmen proper.  In its cinematic form, the story’s outcome seemed a bit more predictable though this could have been due to it’s originally segmented pieces being pasted together. Sure, some of the animation was a bit uneven and some minor script alterations painted a more direct picture, but to a forgivable extent in my opinion.  As with Watchmen, I really enjoyed this adaptation and appreciated the dedicated team behind it. They didn’t have to include all this extra stuff and I’m sure it was a tough sell to get the studio to pony up the cash to pull it off – try to show some gratitude.

All said, Tales of the Black Freighter was as good as I hoped, but I’d say “Under the Hood” is the DVD’s greatest selling point by far. More on that later.

Swank-mo-tron: Speaking of “Under the Hood” I have to say I was surprised at how well they aped an early 80s sort of PBS documentary feel with “The Culpepper Minute”.  And I’m grateful that there was more Carla Gugino and more of the Sillhouette.  This really felt like what a PBS interview documentary about Hollis Mason’s book would be like.  Possibly my favorite part though?  When cameramen try to corner The Comedian for an interview.

Clang! Boom! Steam!: I must say, Under the Hood, or “The Culpepper Minute” is what really makes this DVD worthy of a spot in your collection. As many bots well know, I am a huge nerd for comic book resource guides and the like, so the faux history lesson/documentary was right up my alley.

As with the incerdible opening credits sequence of Watchmen proper, I loved becoming better aquainted treated with the New Minutemen and the rise of the short lived craze of masked crimefighting.

I’m not sure tha same can be said for Tales of the Black Freighter, but Under the Hood serves as a great primer for those who have not seen the movie or read the book. Hopefully it’s release will help give it a bit of a boost at the box office after its rapid fall from the top of the box office.  One thing is certain, it got me amped up enough to pay for a second viewing.

Swank-mo-tron: In closing, my last question is this:  Is this worth owning, knowing full well that this material is going to be available on the super-loaded versions of the film sure to come out soon enough?

I’m not sure.

Click here to order it on Amazon.

First on today’s list is The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 5: 1946-1948. This set marks the bittersweet end of Curly’s career who suffered a stroke and was replaced by his older brother Shemp (whom he’d replaced almost 15 years prior.) I’ve been watching a lot of Three Stooges lately (I’ve plunked down cash for volumes 3 and 4 and they’re worth every penny) and I have to say that they’re as relevant and hilarious now as they’ve ever been. I’ve been meaning to write an editorial about this, but the Three Stooges are once again today’s everyman. They started in the great depression and most episodes (aside from the war propaganda) casts them as down on their luck guys in need of work. They just happen to maim each other and destroy everything as soon as they get a job.

Next on our list is the classic The Princess Bride, which comes out on Blu-ray today. This is one of Rob Reiners best films (not hard to do) but is also one of William Goldman’s best films (virtually impossible to do.) It’s achieved a cult like status (deservedly so) and I imagine a lot of people will be putting cash down on the barrel head to pick this version up.

Two geek titles hit releases today, though I’ve not seen either of them. Does anybody know how bad (or good?) Punisher: War Zone and The Spectacular Spider-Man, Vol. 2?

There’s also a really nice box set coming out titled simply Murnau, that contains all the films of F.W. Murnau from 1921 to 1926, including Nosferatu.

That’s about it for this week.

(Unless you count Twilight, which I don’t.)

A lot of last years Oscar bait comes out today, but I would prefer starting out with the more Geek oriented stuff that I usually have more fondness for. First, we have the Batman “Motion Picture” Anthology. I will not be purchasing this since I’ve had a long running boycott of providing any money that might find its way into Joel Schumacher’s pockets over his handling of his two “contributions” to this set. For those of us more discerning Batman fans, you can get import versions of Batman and Batman Returns separately from the Schumacher atrocities and at a savings of at least $20. That is well worth your investment.

Next we have Pinocchio. For all you classic animation nerds, this film is certainly worth owning in this format. And Disney is continuing their incredibly smart practice of packaging the Blu-ray with a copy of the standard def DVD. That way, there’s no excuses about which version you should be buying and you won’t have to trade up again later.

The last geeky curiosity on today’s list worth mentioning is the release of George Lucas’ fatal misfire Howard the Duck. Being a Lucas completist, I’ll certainly pick this up, as the going price is less than $10. I’ve watched it in the last few years and you can see how it might have worked… But didn’t.

As far as Oscar bait this week (both recent and former) we’ll start with Milk. I thought it was pretty good. It had a few flaws, but was worth your viewing time. Next, we have Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married. I wanted to see this, but didn’t. Any opinions? In more distant Oscar history is the Blu-ray release of Brokeback Mountain, Primal Fear, and Seven.

Finally, we have a movie I’ve read a lot about and have been told that it should have been nominated for Best Foreign Film and, in turn, won that award: Let The Right One In. Anyone care to enlighten me about that point as well?

I must have missed something pivotal in the DC incorporated office universe because it seems they are not only kicking ass, but tearing that ass open like a proctologist.

Their newest tool to spread those cheeks open goes under the guise of a mild-mannered cartoon for the kids, and only the kids, Wonder Woman.  Little did I know going into viewing this, that three people would be decapitated in the first 5 minutes (each cooler than the last, btw).  Needless to say, I recommend this movie; not only for adults but little kids as well.  If Pencilbot was still in robohigh-school and babysitting my 6 year old bro-ham-bot like back in the day, I’d thoroughly enjoy sitting back with a can of stolen beer and watching this with him.

This depiction of Wonder Woman works on many levels;

1. Battle of the sexes… I love the battle of the sexes.  Especially when males AND females learn a valuable lesson in stereotypes.
2. New angle at Ancient Greek mythos… I’m a geek for that shiz.
3. Her costume makes sense.
4. It’s funny… from little things like Steve Trevor waking up in a crowd of Amazonian women and saying “I haven’t had this dream since I was 13” to him trying to get Diana Prince wasted on tequila shots in a bar called the Rusty Nail.  Things younger kids wouldn’t pick up on in a negative fashion while making it worthwhile spending time in front of the tube with the kids; delivered flawlessly by Nathan Fillion and Keri Russell (Waitress)
5. Busty and un-busty women beating ass… throwing demons through walls, roundhousing Gods in the face and as previously mentioned cutting off the heads of harbingers of death.  Not to worry though, women get their asses beat too; that’s what’s great about this movie, it’s an equal opportunity ass-kicking extravaganza.

Don’t bother renting it, just buy the damn thing.  It’s worth it.  The only thing wrong with this movie is that it leaves you with an insatiable desire to see more and wish it would go on for another 2-3 hours. Here’s a trailer to help convince the weary.

Before we get into any of this week’s releases, there’s one glaring omission I made last week and it was John Paul Kinhart’s Blood, Boobs & Beast which is a fantastic documentary about cult filmmaker Don Dohler and it’s put out by Troma. It was the opening night film at Troma-dance in 2007 and was just a great film all around. This is a must own for any cult horror film fan. Seriously, this film gets my highest recommendation.

Next up is the new Wonder Woman cartoon. Hopefully, we can get a review of it up here sometime soon. At the end of the day though, this film looks really good and DC animation has always done great work.

Australia comes out today as well. I missed it in the theatres, though I really like Baz Luhrmann, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. So I’ve been sort of waiting for this release, despite all the things people said about it. I’ve heard described as sort of like Gone with the Wind and that’s one of my favorite movies, so… There you go.

Now here is an interesting anomoly: East of Eden, but not the classic Kazan film, but a 1981 TV miniseries that outlines the whole book, not just the last 5th. Now the book and the movie are two of my favorites, so seeing the full story on film is something I’d be keenly interested in.

So, that’s it for this week, we’ll see you next time.

Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder comes out today and that couldn’t make me any happier. I love Futurama with a passion and any day where we can see more of it is a great day.

Katsuhiro Otomo’s classic animated feature film Akira arrives on Blu-ray today. If you get this, do yourself a favor and just watch it in Japanese. A few years back, they redubbed the original 1980’s era English voice cast and the movie simply isn’t as good for it. I had hoped that with a new fancy release, they’d include that audio track as well, but I’ve seen no evidence implying as much.

The French Connection and it’s sequel both hit a Blu-ray release today, which should be well worth checking out.

There’s also a really cheap 2 disc Charlie Chaplin Collection being released. If you don’t have any Chaplin in your DVD collection, now is the time to start. If you haven’t seen any Charlie Chaplin at all, shame on you.

(Also, a spot of news for the Trekkies. Season 1 of the original series is available for pre-order on Blu-ray here. It arrives in stores on April 28, just in time for the new movie. This should be excellent times.)

That about does it for DVD releases this week. See you next week.

With no blockbuster releases this week, we’re left with movies like Kramer Vs Kramer coming out on Blu-ray to headline the column this week. I’ve never actually seen this movie, but Dustin Hoffman in this period could do no wrong. It’s on my “I-feel-guilt-I’ve-never-seen-it-list.”

Gandhi is also on this list, and it also hit’s a Blu-ray release today.

Bill Maher’s Religulous came out today as well. I was quite pleasantly surprised by it when I saw it in the theatres and it’s worth a watch from any open-minded, free thinking individual.

The Sam Rockwell/Chuck Pahlanuik film Choke came out today as well. It was a solid 6 out of 10. It was okay, but followed the same pattern as Fight Club just about, at least as far as the main character is concerned. It’s kind of funny, certainly worth watching once. If nothing else, just for Sam Rockwell and Kelly Macdonald.

There isn’t really much else this week I’d recommend you put in your DVD collection, though there are some new Kurosawa releases next month I’m quite excited for.

Also, here’s a tip: Every DVD and game is 40% off at Circuit City since they’re all going out of business. I picked up Spider-Man: Web of Shadows for $25. You can’t beat that.

Raging Bull comes out on Blu-ray today. This film is a masterpiece and probably my favorite Scorsese film. To see it on the big screen was a truly moving experience, I can’t imagine Blu-ray would be much different.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Sabotage got a special looking release today. This film is a winner and one of Hitchcock’s darkest. You’ve heard about it as the one with the boy on the bus with the bomb.

Good stuff.

My Name Is Bruce came out today. I wanted to see it, but never had the chance. I heard it was garbage, but you still have to respect The Chin. W. also made the rounds. I saw this film in the theatre and it was both compelling and frustrating. The performances were top notch. You should check it out at least once.

Miracle at St Anna came out. It’s the first Spike Lee movie I’ve wanted to see in quite a while, but I still didn’t manage to catch it.

The Boondock Saints also hit a blu-ray release. I figured I’d mention it even though I hate this movie.

Last but not least, Amadeus on Blu-ray. This is a fantastic film and this release looks to be the definitive version of the film. This reminds me that I need to see it again.

Our Man in Havana hits DVD today and you just have to trust me that you need to see it. It’s from Carol Reed and Graham Greene, the same team who brought you Fallen Idol and The Third Man. This film, based on Greene’s novel, stars Alec Guinness as the unassuming vacuum cleaner salesman James Wormold. He’s approached to be the a British spy in Havana where he lives. Thinking it’ll be an easy way to keep up with the expensive tastes of his teenage daughter, he takes the job. With nothing to report, he starts sending in schematics of vacuum cleaners and bizarre stories of secret weapons. Unfortunately, his stories are easily confirmed and soon he’s on the run for his life. An excellent black comedy with a cast to die for (in addition to Guinness, you’ve got Burl Ives, Maureen O’Hara, and Ernie Kovacs.)

Basically, if you liked The Third Man and/or Alec Guinness, you have to buy this movie.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno hits shelves today. It isn’t Kevin Smith’s best movie (Chasing Amy), nor his worst (Mallrats). It’s somewhere in between. It’s charming and funny and exactly what you’d expect from Kevin Smith.

The other best release of the day? TCM’s Greatest Romantic Comedies Collection featuring four movies at a price you simply can’t pass up. It has The Philadelphia Story (one of my favorite movies of all time), Bringing Up Baby (another on of my favorites), Adams Rib (damn, another favorite), and Woman of the Year (haven’t seen it, but it keeps good company, so I’d probably like it) and the price is $19.99 for the whole set. And since Katherine Hepburn is in all of these movies, you pretty much have to get this if you happen to like her as much as I do.

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist came out, too. I didn’t see it, though I wanted to. Anyone have an opinion?

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is actually coming out today.  Seriously, for real.  This is a great movie and it’s a damn, damn shame that the Academy didn’t bestow it more love.  Seriously, it was better than most of the screenplays up for Oscars.  It’s funny, sad, sweet and Woody Allen at his best. You should get this movie.

Hulk Vs. is the next thing on the list.  I’ve posted some clips from this in the past and it looks really cool.  In fact, it looks so cool that it seems as though Marvel may have finally got their act together and made an animated film that looks pretty cool.

The Collectors Edition of The Pink Panther comes out today. This movie is worth another look. Personally, I like A Shot in the Dark better, but fortunately, that’s out today as well.

Groundhog Day and The Bourne Trilogy are coming to Blu-ray today, so that’s good news. I guess. Groundhog Day is dynamite and I know people love these Bourne movies, but I watched the second one and the fact that they thought they were too good for tripods gave me motion sickness. Was the third one worth anything?

Mary Poppins is coming out today. Shut up, I love this movie.

Also, for you sci-fi nerd completists out there, M.A.N.T.I.S.. You guys remember that show, right? When I was like 14 I thought it was cool. Cheesy, but cool.

That’s it for releases this week. I’ll see you back next week with more.