Review Archive: November 2003
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Michael Mackenzie has reviewed the Scandinavian special edition release of Tim Burton's celebrated stop motion animated musical, The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is the first release of the film to be both anamorphic and in its correct aspect ratio.
Doctor Who: The Robots of Death
In the week of Doctor Who's fortieth anniversary, Gary Couzens has reviewed one of the Fourth Doctor's most popular adventures, The Robots of Death. This Region 2/4 disc is one of the earliest BBC releases in the UK and Doctor Who DVDs have developed a lot since then, but it's still a good solid story well presented.
Mötley Crüe - Greatest Video Hits
Long overdue, perhaps, Karl Wareham looks at the latest Motley Crue DVD - A complete collection of their promo videos, a prospect that'll fill you with dread or ecstasy depending upon your tolerance of dumb rock music...
Alien Quadrilogy: Bonus Disc
Mike Sutton has reviewed the Alien Quadrilogy: Bonus Disc. Interesting for fans of the series and containing some rare material, this will be welcomed by Alien addicts and probably used as a coaster by anyone who thought that the two disc editions were pushing things a bit far.
Alien Quadrilogy: Alien Resurrection
Mike Sutton has reviewed the last of the Alien Quadrilogy: Alien Resurrection. A very odd film indeed has received an excellent Special Edition, complete with a Director's Cut that doesn't work much better than the theatrical one.
Alien Quadrilogy: Alien 3
Mike Sutton has reviewed the third disc of the awesome Alien Quadrilogy: Alien 3. Always an ambitious and interesting film, the restoration of 30 minutes turns it into a much more coherent SF movie that fails mostly through not being remotely scary. The disc is, as you'd expect, impeccable, with some superb extra features.
Alien Quadrilogy: Aliens
Daniel Stephens has reviewed James Cameron's sequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece, in the superb Alien Quadrilogy box set. Both theatrical and 'special edition' releases of the film are presented, with a second disc loaded with brilliant supplementary material.
Alien Quadrilogy: Alien
Mike Sutton has reviewed the first film from the Region 2 Alien Quadrilogy: Alien. Ridley Scott's masterpiece has never looked as good as this and the disc comes with two cuts of the film and a mountain of extra features. An essential disc.
Secret Army
Secret Army is about what people do when they are very afraid,
about war and being a bystander, about nationality and how
complicated that can be, about salvation and betrayal. Sensitive
direction, excellent acting and humane writing combine to
produce one of television's greatest serials.
Easy Riders Raging Bulls
Mike Sutton has reviewed the R2 release of Easy Riders Raging Bulls, a piece of tabloid journalism masquerading as serious film history. Entertaining as long as you don't think about it, but it soon falls apart when you consider just what's been missed out. The DVD contains some additional footage which is more interesting than the main feature.
The Fifth Element (Special Edition)
It's not the first time this film has been released on DVD, and indeed not the first high quality version of it. But it is the first time in the UK to combine a first class technical presentation with a large selection of extras. Andy Hall looks at this latest version of Luc Besson's SF opus, out now in Region 2.
Reservoir Dogs
Rik Booth has reviewed has Quentin Tarantino's shocking 1992 debut - a bloodthirsty crime caper featuring Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn and Harvey Keitel. A truly genre-defining film is presented on a mediocre Region 2 DVD...read on to find out the full details.
Dogville
Noel Megahey has reviewed the Danish Region 2 release of Dogville, the first part of his 'USA - Land of Opportunities' trilogy. Lars Von Trier courts charges of anti-Americanism in this provocative, controversial and experimental film, presented on a superb 2-disc DVD set.
Robbie Williams
Released today in the UK, this DVD features concert footage from the three record-breaking concerts played by Robbie Williams at Knebworth earlier this year. Eamonn McCusker reviews the better-than-expected two-disc set for DVD Times...
Cheers - Season one
Released on DVD for the first time, the first season of Cheers should give the fans a reason to rejoice though the extras are slightlty thin on the ground.
Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani
Doctor Who was first broadcast forty years ago today. In a recent poll conducted by Doctor Who Magazine, The Caves of Androzani was voted best ever story. Gary Couzens reviews the Region 2/4 release from the BBC.
Boris Karloff Triple
Gary Couzens has reviewed Magna Pacific's Australian Region 0 release of the Boris Karloff Triple, in honour of the 116th anniversary of the star's birth. At a budget price you get three films: The Black Cat (1934), The Raven (1935) and The Mummy (1932). Wonderful stuff and great value for money, though the films' condition is watchable if unspectacular.
Once Bitten
Daniel Stephens has sunk his teeth into the region 1 DVD of Howard Storm's vampire-sex tale with the lovely Lauren Hutton chasing a young Jim Carrey, needing to take his virginity in order to preserve her survival.
Springtime In A Small Town
Noel Megahey has reviewed the Region 2 release of Springtime In A Small Town, the beautiful new film from Tian Zhuangzhuang, the director of The Blue Kite.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire DVD Game
Mike Sutton has reviewed the Universal R2 release of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire DVD Game. Good fun, as long as you have a high tolerance for layer changes and Chris Tarrant. Sadly, you will have to provide your own coughing.
The Hard Way
John Badham's comedy has its fair share of flaws, but the undeniable comedic screen chemistry between the brilliant James Woods and Michael J. Fox is a treat not worth missing. Daniel Stephens looks at the region 2, budget release.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Barry Woodcock has reviewed the Region 3 release of A Tale of Two Sisters, an effective supernatural mystery from South Korea with echoes of The Others, The Sixth Sense, Ringu and The Eye.
Blazin' Squad Live
There's how many? One, two, three, four, five..no hang on, I've lost count, they keep moving about. Why don't they stay still? Why do they have to move about so? Karl Wareham looks at the DVD debut for the worlds biggest boy band. That's biggest in the sense of 'biggest number of band members'....
Love in the Afternoon
Gary Couzens has reviewed the UK Region 0 release of Love in the Afternoon, the sixth and last of Eric Rohmer's Moral Tales. Arrow's second release in their Rohmer Collection is up to the standards of the first.
Stealing Harvard
Jason Lee and Tom Green 'partner up' to lead this disjointed mess of a comedy. It has some funny moments including a good running joke, and Tom Green is great, but the film can't be saved and quite rightly disappeared at the box office - Daniel Stephens expects nothing less on this lacklustre DVD.