THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKS:
ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY JR.: THE COMPLETE SERIES
1993; DVD $99.95, UR
We absolutely loved this goofy sci-fi/Western series starring Bruce “Bubba Ho-Tep” Campbell as the titular bounty hunter. On the trail of the evil men who gunned down his pa, he encounters a mysterious golden Orb that saves his life while turning others into piles of smoldering ash! Arch-villain Billy Drago is behind the whole thing, so Briscoe enlists the aid of wacky inventor John Astin and fellow bounty hunter Julius Carry (who simply cannot act). Eight perfect discs of TV history, including new featurettes and an audio commentary by Campbell.
QUEER DUCK: THE MOVIE
2006; DVD $19.95, UR
It’s been a long, hard slog, but the groundbreaking — and funny-as-hell — gay cartoon series from 1999 finally makes it to the big screen (well, if you count home video, anyway). “Simpsons” writer Mike Reiss created the now-infamous flaming fowl, Seymour Duckstein, voiced by JM J. Bullock, who leaves his long-time paramour, Openly Gator, to marry a (gasp!) WOMAN, with goofy misadventures aplenty. With voices by Tim Curry, David Duchovny and Conan O’Brien.
2 S.I.C.K.
2004; DVD $26.95, R
A.k.a. “Mr. Jingles,” this is a good-old ’80s-style slasher flick about a clown, unjustly sent to prison, who turns bad and goes after those who sent him up. With an axe.
7 MUMMIES
2005; DVD $24.95, UR
A no-budget high-concept ghostly adventure yarn set in the Arizona desert. Six escaped cons and their female hostage (former Yellow Galaxy Ranger, Cerina Vincent) head for the Mexican border, only to stumble across Danny Trejo, Billy Drago and a golden treasure guarded by ghastly ghouls. With a terrific horse/motorcycle chase scene and a focus on plot instead of gore, this is one great little flick!
ATL
2006; DVD $28.95, PG-13
Lots of star power and a hip-hop noisetrack dress up this romantic potboiler about young blacks coming of age in modern-day Atlanta. Not the usual “mah mu-sick an’ my homies will git me outta dah ghetto” hogwash, this is about building character, avoiding gangs, fighting drugs and all the other choices that new high school grads face today. As the PG-13 rating suggests, it’s a flick for teens, yet one of the most adult movies of recent years.
DON’T MOVE
2004; DVD $24.95, UR
One of those artsy, introspective Italian subtitlers about the choices we make in life and the odd way that fate screws with us. A man reminisces about his sexual fling with a destitute woman (Penelope Cruz) while his daughter undergoes life-saving surgery. Better than it sounds.
HIROSHIMA: BBC HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II
2005; DVD $19.95, UR
A look back at America’s bid to end war — ostensibly forever! — by dropping the world’s first atomic bomb, from a Limey perspective. Britain’s proximity to Europe, and all the long cultural histories and interactions implied, makes the U.S. action look like an immature bully bringing a handgun to a school-yard brawl. Or maybe that’s just our take on it. Very thought-provoking.
INTIMATE STORIES
2002; VHS $24.95/DVD $29.95, UR
A well-written and intriguing comedy/drama from Argentina about three people and a baby, all on separate journeys down the same stretch of highway, whose dreams and fortunes interact.
JERICHO: SET 1
2006; VHS $29.95/DVD $29.95, UR
First video release of the superbly intelligent detective series from Britain starring Robert Lindsay and David Troughton set in 1950s London.
MASTERS OF HORROR: JOE DANTE
2006; DVD $29.95, UR
Showtime’s hit-or-miss horror series scores a major bull’s-eye from Joe “Gremlins” Dante. “Homecoming” is about a sleazy politician who states in a speech that he wishes all the dead from an unjust war could tell the people of America how proud they are to have served. He gets his wish.
ROAD HOUSE
1989; DVD $19.95, R
Mike Nelson of late, lamented “MST3K” calls this “the gold standard of bad movies; the movie that is used to judge just how BAD a movie can be, as in ‘OK, it’s repulsive, sophomoric and stupid ... but is it worse than ‘Roadhouse’? The answer being, ‘No, of course it’s not worse than ‘Roadhouse’ — how could it be?” Now available in a new, spiffed-up pressing, Patrick Swayze’s followup to “Dirty Dancing” wherein a former Catskills ballroom dancer works as a bouncer in a Texas roughhouse. Urp.
SHE’S THE MAN
2006; DVD $29.95, PG-13
Amanda Bynes plays a girl who impersonates her brother at a boarding school. OK, watching movies involves suspension of disbelief, but anyone who can’t tell that hottie-nymphet Mandy has no boys in her boxers needs corrective surgery. And we ain’t talkin’ glasses here. Dumb as a flick can get yet oddly arousing.
THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW: LIVE FROM THE SUNSET STRIP’S ROXY THEATRE
1982; DVD $14.95, UR
Unlike his squeaky-clean TV show, this live version got more than a little bit naughty. Not the greatest live recording we’ve ever seen, which is a pity considering Paul Reubens’ amazing take on ’50s kiddie shows, but definitely worth your time.
TSOTSI
2006; VHS Rental/DVD $29.95, R
Hands-down the best subtitled Zulu-language South African drama we’ve seen this week! Seriously, this is one terrific film. A violent street thug kills a young woman for her car, only to discover her baby in the back seat. For the first time in his life, his Humanity guides his actions, but showing mercy to the child leads to both his downfall and his redemption. Amazing.
WARNER BROS. TOUGH GUYS COLLECTION
2006; DVD $59.95, UR
Six new-to-DVD Oscar-winning classics starring James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. Includes “Bullets or Ballots,” “City for Conquest,” “Each Dawn I Die,” the phenomenal “G Men,” plus “San Quentin” and the sly “A Slight Case of Murder.”
OTHER DVDS OF INTEREST
CARNIVALE: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
2004; DVD $99.95, UR
JACK OF ALL TRADES: THE COMPLETE SERIES
2000; DVD $39.95, UR
REN & STIMPY: THE LOST EPISODES
2003; DVD $26.95, UR
SYBIL
1977; DVD $24.95, UR
THE AMAZING MR. X
1948; DVD $14.95, UR
THE CLASH: RUDE BOY
1980; DVD $19.95, UR
A more complete listing and free vids at www.videotapeworm.com!
