Black Hawk Down [Blu-ray]
May 2nd, 2008
The Alien Quadrilogy is a nine-disc boxed set devoted to the four Alien films. Although previously available on DVD as the Alien Legacy, here they have been repackaged with vastly more extras and with upgraded sound and picture. For anyone who hasn’t been in hypersleep for the last 25 years, this series needs no introduction, though for the first time each film now comes in both original and “special edition” form.
Alien (1979) was so perfect it didn’t need fixing, and Ridley Scott’s 2003 director’s cut is fiddling for the sake of fiddling. Watch it once, then return to the majestic, perfectly paced original. Conversely, the special edition of James Cameron’s Aliens (1986) is the definitive version, though it’s nice to finally have the theatrical cut on DVD for comparison. Most interesting is the alternative Alien 3 (1992). This isn’t a “director’s cut”–David Fincher refused to have any involvement with this release–but a 1991 work-print that runs 29 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and has now been restored, remastered, and finished off with (unfortunately) cheap new CGI. Still, it’s truly fascinating, offering a different insight into a flawed masterpiece. The expanded opening is visually breathtaking, the central firestorm is much longer, and a subplot involving Paul McGann’s character adds considerable depth to story. The ending is also subtly but significantly different. Alien: Resurrection (1997) always was a mess with a handful of brilliant scenes, and the special edition just makes it eight minutes longer.
The Alien Quadrilogy offers the first and fourth films with DTS soundtracks, the others having still fine Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. All four films sound fantastic, with much low-level detail revealed for the first time. Each is anamorphically enhanced at the correct original aspect ratio, and the prints and transfers are superlative. Every film offers a commentary track that lends insight into the creative process–though the Scott-only commentary and isolated music score from the first Alien DVD release are missing here.
Each movie is complemented by a separate disc packed with hours of seriously detailed documentaries (all presented in full-screen with clips letterboxed), thousands of photos, production stills, and storyboards, giving a level of inside information for the dedicated buff only surpassed by the Lord of the Rings extended DVD sets. A ninth DVD compiles miscellaneous material, including an hourlong documentary and even all the extras from the old Alien laserdisc. “Exhaustive” hardly beings to describe the Alien Quadrilogy, a set that establishes the new DVD benchmark for retrospective releases and looks unlikely to be surpassed for some time. –Gary S. Dalkin
Director: James Cameron,David Fincher,Ridley Scott
DVD:DTS Surround Sound,Anamorphic,Box set,Closed-captioned,Color,DVD-Video,Widescreen,Dolby,NTSC
Company:20th Century Fox(2003-12-02)
List Price:$59.98
Amazon Price:$33.94
Used Price:$28.40
Alien Quadrilogy (Alien/ Aliens /Alien 3 /Alien Resurrection)
Across the Universe from director Julie Taymor is a revolutionary rock musical that re-imagines America in the turbulent late-1960s a time when battle lines were being drawn at home and abroad. When young dockworker Jude (Jim Sturgess) leaves Liverpool to find his estranged father in America he is swept up by the waves of change that are re-shaping the nation. Jude falls in love with Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) a rich but sheltered American girl who joins the growing anti-war movement in New York s Greenwich Village. As the body count in Vietnam rises political tensions at home spiral out of control and the star-crossed lovers find themselves in a psychedelic world gone mad. With a cameo by Bono Across the Universe is the kind of movie you watch again like listening to a favorite album. (Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES)System Requirements:Run Time: 133 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: MUSICALS/MUSICALS Rating: PG-13 UPC: 043396194625 Manufacturer No: 19462
Maximum results in minimum amount of time. Achieve greater weightloss and watch the extra pounds disappear as your endurance level and strength increase and your whole body transforms. For best results we recommend you follow our six to eight week program recommendation using the different levels as “add-ons” as your progress. THE BIGGEST LOSER POWER SCULPT: This DVD consists of three different strength training workouts (plus a warm-up and a cool-down) each with an increased level of intensity: LEVEL 1: With Jillian as your trainer this 20-minute basic strength training will target every major body part. LEVEL 2: With Kim as your trainer this 10-minute workout will continue to build your upper and lower body strength while also targeting your core muscles. LEVEL 3: With Bob as your trainer this 10-minute workout will add weight training exercises and some of Bob’s signature “boot camp” moves. System Requirements:Run time: 50 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HEALTH/FITNESS/EXERCISE Rating: NR UPC: 031398222668 Manufacturer No: 22266
Season 1: Check into the surreal world of Sacred Heart Hospital, where the staff is bizarre and the laughter is contagious. Fresh-faced J.D. (Zach Braff) and his fellow new medical residents weave their way through each unpredictable day with hilarious results. SCRUBS is “a masterpiece,” raves Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe. Now relive all 24 episodes of the groundbreaking show’s highly acclaimed first season. With a host of great bonus features, including deleted scenes and a fascinating retrospective documentary, this spectacular three-DVD set is off-the-charts entertainment you’ll want to watch over and over again