12 Angry Men: 50th Anniversary Edition Dir: Sidney Lumet; Henry Fonda, Jack Warden, Lee j. Cobb Extras: Beyond A Reasonable Doubt: The Making of 12 Angry Men, Inside The Jury Room.
Sidney Lumet’s first film is a true classic. While star Henry Fonda does a fine job, the real magic is the chemistry the entire cast has. While many of these were not too well known at the time, Jack Warden, Jack Klugman and Lee Cobb all gained fame later on.
We will have a review online this week.
101 Dalmatians: Platinum Edition (1961) Two-disc set, $29.99. Extras: “Virtual Dalmatians,” “101 Pop-Up Trivia Facts,” Cruella De Vil music video, “Redefining the Line: The Making of 101 Dalmatians,” “Cruella De Vil: Drawn to be Bad,” “Sincerely Yours: Walt Disney,” deleted songs, more. (Disney).
Team Rodent offers up a very nice edition of a true classic. While I firmly believe that Disney is an evil empire, I can’t dispute the fact that they have given us some great films.
The Billy Wilder Film Collection Four-disc set with “The Apartment,” “Some Like It Hot,” “The Fortune Cookie” and “Kiss Me Stupid!” $39.98. (MGM).
A very nice collection of Wilder films. Prior to getting this set, I had only known Wilder based on Stallog 17, Sunset Blvd and Sabrina…that is right, I had not seen Some Like it Hot or The Apartment. I him a good director, but after watching these, I understand the heaps of praise Mr. Wilder has garnered over the years.
Magnum P.I.: Season 8 Three-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Alternate Season Seven finale. (Universal)
This is it, the final go round with Thomas and the boys. In the last couple years of the show, the quality was up and down, but there are more good than bad episodes here. There is always something enjoyable about a series that is allowed the time to wrap things up and deliver a proper send off.
Mrs. Doubtfire Behind-the-Seams Special Edition (1993) Dir.: Chris Columbus; Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein. Extras: Deleted and extended scenes, alternate scenes, photo gallery, makeup tests and gallery, “From Man to Mrs.: The Evolution of Mrs. Doubtfire” featurette, “Aging Gracefully: A Look Back at Mrs. Doubtfire” featurette, “A Conversation With Legendary Animator Chuck Jones” featurette, “The Improvisation of Mrs. Doubtfire” featuring seven scenes, original 1993 featurette, “Meet Mrs. Doubtfire” Robin Williams interview. (Fox).
Perhaps the finest Williams comedy, he gives us the craziness that we all have come to expect, but with more than a little heart. This set gives you everything you could want and a little more.
Pistol Whipped (2008) Steven Seagal, Lance Henriksen. Extras: Deleted scenes. (Sony).
“An elite ex-cop (Seagal) buries himself deeper and deeper into financial trouble with his uncontrollable gambling and drinking problems … until a mysterious man offers to relieve him of his money troubles in exchange for the assassination of the city’s most notorious gangsters.”
The Shepherd: Border Patrol (2008) Jean-Claude Van Damme, Stephen Lord. Direct-to-video. (Sony)
“A rogue American Special Forces unit schemes to smuggle $35 million worth of heroin into the United States, and all that stands in its way is border patrol agent Jack Robideaux, an ex-homicide cop with a hidden agenda.”

For more info on forthcoming DVD releases, check out our DVD calendar.