This Week on DVD and Blu-ray - August 12, 2008

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By Jason P. Vargo
FIRST ONLINE Aug 11, 2008

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Let's take a minute to remember both Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. Both passed away this weekend at 50 and 65, respectively.

Something tells me I should have picked this week to go on vacation instead of next. With all due respect to "The Love Boat" and "The Art of War II: Betrayal," there´s nothing of any note on the schedule this week. There are a number of small titles appealing to certain segments of the consumer population, though nothing on par with recent weeks.

I should mention the first release of "Kiss of the Spider-Woman" as an exclusive DVD and Blu-ray Disc over at Amazon.com. It had been originally scheduled for release back in July, but got pushed back at the very last minute. William Hurt won the Best Actor Oscar in 1986 for his performance as gay rapist Luis Molina (along with three other Oscar nominations), if those kind of things mean anything to you.

The first in a flood of complete TV series box sets hits the pike today, too. "Tru Calling," the 2003-2005 Fox series collects all 26 episodes featuring ex-"Buffy" baddie Eliza Dushku as a young woman who can communicate with the dead in the hope of solving the crime. (Other series sets coming this year include "Batman: The Animated Series" and "The Sopranos," among a slew of others.

While we´re on the TV front, more classic "Love Boat" goodness slips into the dock with the second part of the first season. Fox´s "Prison Break" throws the third season on the shelf in standard DVD and BD variations. HBO gives us the final season of "The Wire," Shout! Factory has season four of Marlo Thomas in "That Girl," more animated debauchery in "South Park" (season eleven, if you can believe it) and Lea Thompson in "Caroline in the City." I´d be racked with guilt if I didn´t mention the "DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures," streeting from Warner, in their continuing quest to empty their animated super hero vault onto DVD.

Criterion brings out "Brand Upon the Brain!" this week, too. The only reason I mention it is because of a "Simpsons" repeat from the weekend. You know, the one where Homer uses the back of his head as a billboard for blue pants. Now imagine using your brain as a billboard. Not that it has anything to do with the actual movie, mind you. (Oh yeah, Chris asked me to name-drop the flick. But I like the Homer tie-in better.)

The big release on high def is "XXX: State of the Union." I´m not sure what that says about the people who put the release schedule together…maybe they need to go back to the drawing board? A craptastic week like this won´t help sales. At all. ("The Doors" hits 1080p along with "Smart People" if you need a Sarah Jessica Parker HD fix before "Sex and the City: The Movie" comes out. Standard def version also available.)

I might have overlooked "Felon" (BD and DVD) if it hadn´t been for Stephen Dorff and Val Kilmer emblazoned on the front cover. One role will always stick in my head for Dorff: that of Deacon Frost in the first "Blade" movie. Wickedly cool. And Kilmer? Eh, he´ll always be Iceman to me.

So we´ll wrap up a bit early with our usual look at provocative titles: "The Secret Life of Girls," "Preaching to the Perverted" and "Humiliated Wives" (oh baby…).

Blu-ray Recap: "The Doors," "Felon," "Kiss of the Spider-Woman," "Prison Break" Season Three," "Smart People."

DVD Recap: "Brand Upon the Brain!" "Caroline in the City" Season One, "DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures," "Felon," "Humiliated Wives," "Kiss of the Spider-Woman," "The Love Boat" Season One, Volume Two," "Preaching to the Perverted," "Prison Break" Season Three, "The Secret Life of Girls," "Smart People," "South Park" Season Eleven, "That Girl" Season Four, "The Art of War II: Betrayal," "Tru Calling: The Complete Series," "The Wire" Season Five.

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