Dangerous Denzel kicks butt in ‘The Equalizer’
Bob Bloom
The following Blu-rays and DVDs are being released on Tuesday, Dec. 30, unless otherwise indicated:
The Equalizer (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet)
Details: 2014, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: R, graphic violence, language, sexual references
The lowdown: Denzel Washington stars in this big-screen adaptation of the 1980s television series about Robert McCall, a former operative, who becomes a guardian angel of sorts, helping people who are threatened by forces greater than themselves.
Washington gives a nuances performance, making the moments when he strikes even more dynamic.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master audio and French, Spanish and English audio descriptive track 5.1 Dolby digital audio; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: A featurette with Washington and director Antoine Fuqua as they discuss McCall’s deadliest moves, a featurette on Washington, a profile of Fuqua, a making of featurette and a look at the training and fighting sequences comprise the major extras.
Tusk (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet)
Details: 2014, Lionsgate
Rated: R, disturbing and gory violence, sexual content, language
The lowdown: Kevin Smith wrote and directed this disturbing and funny monster feature about a podcaster who looking for a slam-bang story gets more than he bargains for when he hooks up with an eccentric recluse in the Canadian wilds.
The recluse, played by Michael Parks, has a disturbing fondness for walruses, much to the dismay of the podcaster, played by Justin Long.
Technical aspects: 2.40:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio; English SDH, English and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include deleted scenes, a couple of featurettes on the creation and making of the movie, a podcast and a commentary track.
Banshee: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet)
Details: 2014, HBO Home Entertainment
Rated: TV-MA, violence, language, sexual situations
The lowdown: A four-disc set featuring the second season of the Cinemax series about an ex-convict who assumes the role of a sheriff in a rural Amish-area community.
The sheriff is able to maintain his cover, even after an FBI interrogation, but his loyalty to family and friends is continually challenged in this exciting series.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio, French, Spanish and German 5.1 DTS digital surround audio; English SDH, French, Spanish, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include behind-the-scenes looks at select episodes, an overview of the series, a featurette on an important phone call that impacts the series, commentaries, deleted scenes and interactive features.
Elsa & Fred (Blu-ray)
Details: 2014, Millennium Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, language
The lowdown: Two charming, veteran performers — Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer — share the spotlight as two elderly people who find romance in the twilight of their lives.
Plummer’s Fred is devastated by the death of his wife. To help, his daughter moves him into a small apartment, where he meets MacLaine’s Elsa, a ball of fire who shows him that he still has a lot to live for.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 16:9 widescreen picture; English Dolby TrueHD audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: A making of featurette is the major bonus offering.
The Good Lie (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet)
Release date: Dec. 23
Details: 2014, Warner Home Video
Rated: PG-13, adult themes, violence, language, drug use
The lowdown: Unlike many films about people from Third World nations, this story is told through the eyes of the people involved, not some white, Western surrogate.
This is a brutal, but inspirational story of family loyalty that spans years and continents.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include deleted scenes and a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie.
This Is Where I Leave You (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet)
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2014, Warner Home Video
Rated: R, sexual content, drug use, language
The lowdown: Despite its familiar trappings, this feature is an appealing comedy.
This is one of those movies about a dysfunctional family forced to spend time together after the death of a father.
During the week, secrets are revealed, resentments are unearthed and, in the end, problems are all solved in a nice, neat bow.
The movie’s cast, including Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Corey Stoll and Jane Fonda, make this a pleasant visit.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital surround audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include a commentary track, a discussion on the making of the film, deleted and extended scenes, a featurette on the sayings of Rabbi Boner and a “Points of Departure” featurette.
The Skeleton Twins (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet)
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2014, Lionsgate
Rated: R, language, sexual situations, drug use
The lowdown: Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig play estranged brother and sister in this eccentric family drama that finds the siblings trying to reconnect and fix the problems in their lives.
The movie has some comic undertones that keep the drama from becoming too morose.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital audio; English SDH, English and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Among the major bonus offerings are outtakes, a gag reel, deleted scenes with optional commentaries, a making of featurette and a commentary track.
The Trip to Italy (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 23
Details: 2014, IFC Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon return for this sequel in which the two comedians take any culinary excursion — this time to Italy.
Like the original, this film is filled with banter, impressions and witty observations on various subjects.
If you liked “The Trip,” this sojourn to Italy will offer some appetizing tidbits.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Deleted scenes comprise the major supplemental offerings.
As Above So Below (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet)
Release date: Dec. 2
Details: 2014, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: graphic violence, disturbing images, language
The lowdown: A team of explorers descends into the catacombs that twist beneath the streets of Paris.
There, they uncover a dark and deadly secret amidst the bones of millions of souls.
The movie is a horror venture about the demons that haunt individuals and the traumas that unleash them.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master audio, English 2.0 Dolby digital descriptive audio, French European and Canadian, German, Castilian and Latin American Spanish and Italian 5.1 DTS digital surround audio; English SDH, French European and Canadian, Italian, German, Castilian and Latin American Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Arabic and Icelandic subtitles; DVD: 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital audio, English 2.0 Dolby digital descriptive audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: An inside look at the making of the movie is the major bonus feature.
Magic in the Moonlight
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2014, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, suggestive comments, smoking
The lowdown: Woody Allen’s latest romantic comedy focuses on a famed magician who makes it his mission to debunk a young woman who claims to be a psychic, soothsayer and a seductress.
Colin Firth and Emma Stone, unfortunately, while fine performers, lack the necessary spark to raise this to one of Allen’s best movies.
Technical aspects: 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English and French 5.1 Dolby digital and English audio descriptive track; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: A featurette on the making of the film and a look at the film’s Los Angeles premiere comprise the major bonus offerings.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet)
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2014, Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, science fiction violence
The lowdown: Those wisecracking, pizza loving turtles are back in this nonstop action feature that should keep the youngsters enthralled.
There is really nothing new to the franchise as the four turtles battle their traditional enemy, Shredder.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos audio, French, Spanish and Portuguese 5.1 Dolby digital and English audio descriptive track; English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles; DVD: 2.40:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital audio and English audio descriptive track; English closed-captioned, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a look at the digital process involved in making the movie, a featurette on the turtles in 3D, an extended ending, a music video, a making of the music video and an evolutionary mash-up.
Extant: The First Season (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2014, CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A four-disc set containing the miniseries starring Halle Berry as an astronaut who returning from a 13-month mission aboard a space station finds herself pregnant.
The impact of the event creates a struggle for Berry’s Molly Woods, her husband and son, a humanoid robot.
The series is a combination of science fiction thriller and family drama.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 16:9 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio and English Dolby digital stereo surround audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A featurette on the creation of the story, a featurette on filming the episodes, a look at the cast, a featurette on the mythology of the series, a look at the young offspring, behind-the-scenes looks at the creation of the future world and visual effects, deleted scenes and a gag reel comprise the bulk of the major extras.
Doctor Who: The Complete Eighth Series
Release date: Dec. 9
Details: 2014, BBC Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Peter Capaldi stars as Doctor Who in this five-disc set begins the adventures of the newest Doctor.
During these episodes the Doctor must reacquaint himself with old friends as well as face old enemies, including Cybermen and Daleks.
It’s all fun and adventure for fans of this long-running series.
Technical aspects: 16×9 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital surround audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a series of behind-the-scenes featurettes, commentaries on select episodes, a tour of the TARDIS, a question-and-answer session with Capaldi and other cast members, featurettes with the fifth Doctor, Peter Davison and a music video.
Pride (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 23
Details: 2014, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: R, sexual content, language
The lowdown: This British feature was inspired by true events centering on a nationwide strike in 1984 that shutdown much of Great Britain.
The story centers on a Welsh village where a group of London activists decide to raise money to support the families of the strikers.
The clash of cultures creates problems, but ultimately leads to a stronger front.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio; English SDH and English subtitles.
Don’t miss: A look at the real events that inspired the film and deleted and extended scenes comprise the major bonus features.
Continuum: Season Three (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 23
Details: 2014, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The third season of this SyFy series finds Kiera (Rachel Nichols) stranded after the time travel device that was supposed to transport her home is stolen.
This forces Kiera to from an uneasy alliance with a former enemy and causes all the main characters to re-examine all they believe and hold dear.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A behind-the-scenes look at the season, webisodes and commentaries comprise the major extras.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Seven (Blu-ray)
Star Trek: The Next Generation: All Good Things (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 2
Details: 1993-94, CBS Blu-ray-Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The final season of this acclaimed television series continues its tradition of wrapping compelling issues around strong stories that resonate in today’s world.
Among the episodes is Commander Data confronting his evil duplicate that seeks an alliance with the Borg, Lt. Worf guiding his son to be a warrior and Capt. Jean-Luc Picard facing a time shattering battle with his nemesis, Q.
The season seven set is comprised of six discs, while the separate “All Good Things,” the highly acclaimed series finale, comes on a single disc.
The two-part finale also is included in the season seven set.
Technical aspects: Season Seven: 1080p high definition, 4×3 full-screen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master stereo surround audio, German, French and Latin American Spanish 7.1 DTS-HD Master audio stereo and Italian and Japanese 7.1 DTS-HD Master audio monaural sound; English SDH, French, German, Castilian Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish subtitles; “All Good Things”: 1080p high definition, 4×3 full-screen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master stereo surround audio and German stereo; English SDH and German subtitles.
Don’t miss: Season seven extras include a featurette on filming the series; commentaries on three episodes; a featurette entitled “The Sky’s the Limit: The Eclipse of Star Trek: The Next Generation”; archival mission logs; deleted scenes; a gag reel; a tour of the real Enterprise; and “Journey’s End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
The extras on “All Good Things” include deleted scenes, a making of featurette and a commentary track.
HI-8 (Horror Independent Eight)
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2013, Wild Eye Releasing
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: An eight-part anthology that offers some fine shorts in video horror shot over the past 30 years.
This feature focuses on some of the most noted directors in the shot-on-video genre as they tell their horrifying tales.
Don’t miss: A commentary track, a making of documentary and a behind-the-scenes image gallery comprise the extras.
Tootsie: Special Edition (Blu-ray)
Release date: Nov. 25
Details: 1982, The Criterion Collection
Rated: PG, language, sexual situations
The lowdown: Dustin Hoffman dresses in drag in this wonderful comedy about a difficult actor who poses as an actor to win a job on a soap opera.
He/she does very well, as ratings soar and his/her popularity grows.
The film is satirical, funny and observant.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English LPCM monaural audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with director Sydney Pollack, an interview with Hoffman, an interview with Dorothy Michaels by Gene Shalit, a couple of making of featurettes, deleted scenes, screen and wardrobe test footage and a booklet with essays.
Lloyds of London
Release date: Dec. 2
Details: 1936, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This fictional account of the founding of the famed British insurance and banking establishment features Tyrone Power in one of his first starring roles.
The film, part of the Fox Cinema Archives series, also stars Freddie Bartholomew, Madeleine Carroll and C. Aubrey Smith.
This is a fun costume drama that can be found at www.foxconnect.com or other online dealers.
Technical aspects: 4×3 full-screen picture.
Don’t miss: No bonus features.
Mentor
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2014, Garden Thieves Pictures
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A documentary that looks at the impact of bullying, centering on Mentor High School where, since 2014, five students have taken their own lives because of the physical, verbal and mental abuses they suffered.
The police and school officials all have turned a blind eye to the problem, as the film demonstrates.
This is a harrowing documentary that parents should see in order to protect their children.
Don’t miss: No extras.
Mork & Mindy: The Complete Series
Release date: Dec. 9
Details: 1978-82, CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The death of Robin Williams was a shock that reverberated around the world.
Thankfully, through film, Blu-ray and DVD, Williams’ talent and genius ability to make us laugh will remain with us forever.
And nowhere is that more evident than in this 15-disc set that features all 95 episodes of the TV series that introduced this unique performer to the world.
As Mork, Williams uses the sitcom format to riff and make observations about the human condition, all the while making us laugh.
The series has been completely restored, thus giving viewers the optimal experience.
Technical aspects: 4:3 full-screen picture; English Dolby digital monaural audio; English SDH subtitles on season four; English closed-captioning on seasons one through three.
Don’t miss: Two “Happy Days” episodes and gag reels comprise the bonus features.
Reach Me (Blu-ray)
Details: 2014, Millennium Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, sexual content, violence, language, drug use, smoking
The lowdown: An all-star cast including Kyra Sedgwick, Sylvester Stallone, Cary Elwes, Kelsey Grammer, Danny Aiello and Terry Crews star in this drama about the impact of a motivational book written by a mysterious man, played by Tom Berenger.
The book transforms those who read it, making them re-evaluate their lives and the choices they make.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English Dolby digital TrueHD audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: No extras.
Appointment With Danger (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 23
Details: 1951, Olive Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Alan Ladd stars in this film noir drama about a postal inspector assigned to investigate the murder of a colleague.
The inspector traces the killing to a gang that is planning a $1 million heist.
The cast includes future “Dragnet” costars Jack Webb and Harry Morgan.
Technical aspects: 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English DTS-HD Master audio monaural sound.
Don’t miss: No bonus features.
Lord of Illusion: Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 1995, Scream-Shout! Factory
Rated: R, graphic violence, language, sexual situations
The lowdown: Clive Barker wrote and directed this supernatural thriller about a private detective who enters the nightmare world of a master illusionist as he investigates a murder.
The film has some spooky moments, but overall, it falls a bit flat.
The set features the theatrical release as well as the longer director’s cut of the film.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master audio stereo.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include a featurette on the making of the movie, a commentary track, behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes and an interview with the storyboard artist.
Dark City (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 23
Details: 1951, Olive Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A film noir thriller that marked one of Charlton Heston’s earliest films.
He plays a gambler who was among the players in a card game in which another player loses his company’s $5,000 cashier’s check then kills himself.
When one of the other players in the game is found dead, the police suspect the original loser’s deranged brother.
The film costars Lizabeth Scott, Dean Jagger, Jack Webb and Harry Morgan.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture.
Don’t miss: No extras.
Gang Related: The Complete First Season
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 2013, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A three-disc set featuring all 13 episodes of this gritty cop series that never found a respectable niche.
A young cop in the LAPD’s Gang Task Force division also has an allegiance to a vicious gang led by the man who helped raise him.
His devotion to his job is tested when he his tasked with confronting the man’s sons, one of whom is his best friend.
The series contains several twists and turns before it ends.
Technical aspects: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital audio.
Don’t miss: No extras.
Crisis: The Complete First Season
Release date: Dec. 9
Details: 2014, Fox Home Entertainment
The lowdown: A three-disc set containing all 13 episodes of this series in which a group of children on a high school field trip are kidnapped.
The kids are the offspring of some of Washington’s most powerful people. Among them is the son of the president of the United States.
The parents are then contacted are given instructions to do things that could put their lives — and the nation — in danger.
This series did not catch on with viewers, despite having some nice tense moments.
Technical aspects: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital audio.
Don’t miss: No extras.
Back in the Game: The Complete First Season
Release date: Dec. 9
Details: 2013, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The talents of James Caan are wasted in this formulaic sitcom about a mom, her beer-guzzling dad and her son.
The mom takes over her son’s Little League team after a dispute and then gets her dad, a former big league ballplayer, to help her out.
The two-disc set contains all 13 episodes.
Technical aspects: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital audio.
Don’t miss: No bonus offerings.
High Tension
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 1938, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Brian Donlevy and Glenda Farrell star in this action-packed romantic comedy about two people who fall in love, but are too gun shy to commit to marriage.
He’s a deep-sea engineer and she’s a magazine writer. Circumstances change, however, when a close call with death opens their eyes.
The release is part of the Fox Cinema Archives series and can be found at www.foxconnect.com or other online retailers.
Technical aspects: 4×3 full-screen picture.
Don’t miss: No bonus materials.
Hurry Sundown (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 23
Details: 1967, Olive Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Otto Preminger directed this Deep South potboiler that utilizes the talents of Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, Diahann Carroll, Faye Dunaway, George Kennedy and Burgess Meredith among others.
The movie is not one of Preminger’s better efforts as it examines racial prejudices and family and community unrest in 1940s Georgia.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master audio monaural sound.
Don’t miss: No extras.
King of Burlesque
Release date: Dec. 9
Details: 1936, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Warner Baxter, Alice Faye and Jack Oakie star in this backstage feature about an impresario who brings a burlesque show to Broadway then deserts his old pal in order to marry a beautiful socialite.
The cast also includes Fats Waller, Kenny Baker, Dixie Dunbar and Mona Barrie.
The release is part of the Fox Cinema Archives collection and can be found at www.foxconnect.com or other online dealers.
Technical aspects: 4×3 full-screen picture.
Don’t miss: No extras.
International Settlement
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 1938, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Shanghai is the setting for this action thriller about a gun runner who becomes involved in a scheme that involves fraudulent customs certificates, murder, money and a beautiful French chanteuse.
Delores Del Rio and George Sanders head the cast that also includes Harold Huber, June Lang, Ruth Terry, Keye Luke and Leon Ames.
The release, part of the Fox Cinema Archives series, can be found at www.foxconnect.com or other DVD online sales sites.
Technical aspects: 4×3 full-screen picture.
Don’t miss: No extras.
“The Cisco Kid Collection: Volume 1”
Release date: Dec. 16
Details: 1931-39, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A three-film collection from the Fox Cinema Archives series features Westerns based on O’Henry’s famous character.
Warner Baxter, who won an Academy Award for playing the Cisco Kid in 1929’s “In Old Arizona,” returns in “The Cisco Kid” (1931) and “The Return of the Cisco Kid” (1939).
Cesar Romero takes over the role in “The Cisco Kid and the Lady.”
The set is available at www.foxconnect.com or other online DVD dealers.
Technical aspects: 4×3 full-screen picture.
Don’t miss: No supplemental offerings.
The Dark Place
Release date: Dec. 2
Details: 2014, Breaking Glass Pictures
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A thriller about a young man who returns home to make amends with his estranged mother.
He finds her remarried, and also discovers that he now has a stepbrother.
When his mother falls into a coma, he becomes the main suspect, so he sets out to unravel the mystery of his new family.
Technical aspects: 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby digital audio; English closed-captioned subtitles.
Don’t miss: Alternate and extended scenes and a commentary comprise the extras.
“Perry Mason Movie Collection Double Features Ten, Eleven & Twelve”
Release date: Dec. 2
Details: 1991-93, CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Raymond Burr returns as Perry Mason in a trio of double features spotlighting six cases in which the wily attorney defends the innocent and unmasks the guilty.
The cases in these sets are: “The Case of the Glass Coffin” (1991), “The Case of the Fatal Fashion” (1991), “The Case of the Heartbroken Bride” (1992), “The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal” (1992), “The Case of the Fatal Framing” (1992) and “The Case of the Reckless Romeo” (1993).
Among the guest stars are William R. Moses, John Rhys-Davies, David Soul, Linda Blair, Ronny Cox, Paul Dooley, Tippi Hedren, Morgan Fairchild, Valerie Harper and Scott Baio.
Technical aspects: 4:3 full-screen picture; English Dolby digital stereo; English SDH subtitles.
Other Blu-rays and DVDs being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Red vs. Blue: Season 12 (Cinedigm-Flatiron Film Co.)
Que Pobres Tan Ricos (Cinedigm)
7 Assassins (DVD + Ultraviolet, Dec. 23)
Dominion: Season One (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet) (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Dec. 23)
Intruders (BBC Home Entertainment, Dec. 23)
Rope of Sand (Olive Films, Dec. 23)
Sanatorium (DVD + Ultraviolet) (Lionsgate, Dec. 23)
Skidoo (Blu-ray) (Olive Films, Dec. 23)
Such Good Friends (Blu-ray) (Olive Films, Dec. 23)
Union Station (Blu-ray) (Olive Films, Dec.23)
America’s Cutest: Season 2 (Cinedigm, Dec. 16)
At the Devil’s Door (Blu-ray) (IFC Films, Dec. 16)
Chozen: The Complete Season 1 (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 16)
The Devil’s Hand (DVD + Ultraviolet) (Lionsgate, Dec. 16)
Married: The Complete First Season (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 16)
Fox Cinema Archives 3-Film Collection: Beneath the 12-Mile Reef / Raiders From Beneath the Sea / Down to the Sea in Ships (Fox Home Entertainment-Fox Cinema Archives, Dec. 16)
Fox Cinema Archives 3-Film Collection: The Pleasure Seekers / Three Little Girls in Blue / The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (Fox Home Entertainment-Fox Cinema Archives, Dec. 16)
Fox Cinema Archives 3-Film Collection: Red Skies of Montana / The Siege at Red River / Untamed (Fox Home Entertainment-Fox Cinema Archives, Dec. 16)
It Shouldn’t Happen to a Dog (Fox Home Entertainment-Fox Cinema Archives, Dec. 16)
Stonehearst Asylum (Blu-ray) (Millennium Entertainment, Dec. 16)
You’re the Worst: The Complete First Season (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 16)
Edith Wharton: The Sense of Harmony (IndiePix, Dec. 9)
Enlisted: The Complete First Season (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
Friends With Better Lives: The Complete First Season (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
I Love Lucy Christmas Special: Colorized for Kids of All Ages (CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special (Comedy Central-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
Kroll Show Seasons 1 & 2 (Comedy Central-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
The Nativity (BBC Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
Rush: The Complete Season 1 (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
Top Gear USA: The Complete Season 4 (BBC Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
Walker, Texas Ranger: The Road to Black Bayou (CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 9)
Big Gay Love (Canteen Outlaws, Dec. 2)
Broad City: Season 1 (Comedy Central-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 2)
Gunsmoke: The Eleventh Season Volume One & Volume Two (CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 2)
Happy Days: The Sixth Season (CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 2)
Mindgames: The Complete First Season (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 2)
Those Who Kill: The Complete First Season (Fox Home Entertainment, Dec. 2)
FOR KIDS
Wings: Sky Force Heroes (Lionsgate, Dec. 23)
Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever (Lionsgate, Dec. 16)
The Legend of Korra — Book Three: Change (Blu-ray) (Nickelodeon-Paramount Home Entertainment, Dec. 2)
Thomas & Friends: Signals Crossed (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Dec. 2)
Lemonade in Winter … and More Fun With Math (Cinedigm-Scholastic, Nov. 11)
LMNOpeas … and More Fun With Letters (Cinedigm-Scholastic, Nov. 11)
Coming next week: Get On Up
Bob Bloom is a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. He reviews movies, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob.com, The Film Yap and other print and online publications, He can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow Bloom on Twitter @ReelBobBloom.
Movie reviews by Bloom also can be found at Rottentomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.