New DVD Releases for 10 June 2008
Let’s see what we’ve got here:
- John Adams
The latest hit HBO series is a mini-series. It’s historical drama! It’s got that guy from that flop M. Night Shyamalan film! (Notice his name isn’t above the title of his new film now? Ouch.)
Updated: I stand corrected by the NY Times: “Mr. Shyamalan, who will get his name above the title for “The Happening,” …”
- TekWar
See, kids, there was a day when syndicated programming filled up the schedules of local stations. They weren’t all WB or UPN or CW affiliates. And sometimes, those syndicated shows would form mini-networks of their own and give us shows like “Time Traxx” (still not available on DVD in Region 1) and “Babylon 5″. (Remember the Prime Time Entertainment Network? Five of us do.) “Viper” went from NBC to syndication many years later. “Two” only lasted one season. On and on and on.
Then, there was “TekWar,” starring Greg Evigan and William Shatner. The latter was the “writer” of the book series upon which the television series was based. There might even have been a comic book mini-series at the time. I can’t recall. (Howard Chaykin did a “Viper” mini-series, I remember, based on the NBC series, not the syndicated one.)
I remember liking it in a way at the time. Cheesy, perhaps, but not awful. I might think differently today. I don’t know.
18 episodes are included in this set. That’s the entire series. I’m pretty sure there was a series of made-for-TV movies made before the TV show began. Whether they count those now as double-length episodes or are just not included in this package, I do not know.
That’s likely more than you wanted to know about lowly little “TekWar,” isn’t it?
- Jumper
My, but they REALLY promoted the heck out of this. It even got a coveted “American Idol” bump. Made $80,000,000, so I suppose they weren’t too disappointed by it.
Next week - more DVDs. Aren’t there always more of them? Too bad this whole Blu-Ray thing isn’t taking off. Someday, they’ll realize people don’t want to pay $500 for a DVD player. . .
June 10th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Jumper made $80m?? I had no idea.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Actually, it’s Paul Giamatti in John Adams, and his name IS above the title, along with Laura Linney. Your picture is too wee and tiny to make it out. :)
It’s a GREAT adaptation of his biography, by David McCullogh.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
JOHN ADAMS was fantastic. A more searing criticism of the crux of American politics being comprised of bipartisan bickering, I’ve never seen. Sensational. They should just dump every acting award on Giamatti and Linney right now. And if they don’t, it’s antisemitism. Even though neither are Jewish.
Seriously though, I loved that series. It’s rare these days in the entertainment establish to watch something that actually fills you with pride when it comes to being an American, and this one did just that.
ALSO: Not only do I remember PTEN, I was there the night it launched, watching the premiere episode of BABYLON 5. And I remember thinking, wow this show has a LOT of promise but it needs a TON of work. And better acting. And get rid of that commander guy…
15 years later, the show is still amazing and highly influential. And it did it all with a plan (although one that had to call a LOT of last-minute audibles, but to the nature of life in the television industry), rather than the “play it by ear” style practiced by most similarly-minded shows these days (I’m looking at YOU, Lost…)
June 10th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Patricia - Sorry, I was being obtuse. M. Night Shyamalan’s name isn’t headlining his new movie, which comes out this week, I think it is.
Matthew - I might still have my VHS copy of the premiere of the Babylon 5 movie. Yes, I’m just that geeky. Or, I might have trashed it when the DVDs came out.
Ben - I didn’t either. Must have had a hell of an opening weekend, complete with NO competition.
June 13th, 2008 at 7:08 am
Actually Augie, Blu-ray is starting to increase in sales. A lot of the player manufacturers were dealing with player shortages recently. As for price, there is a player for just under $300 being sold at Wal-Marts across the country. I would not be surprised to see them in the $250 range by the holidays. I think the thing that has hit Blu-ray hardest right now though is the economy. I know I have been buying more Blu-rays than DVDs (can’t actually remember the last DVD I bought actually).
As for M. Night’s new movie, The Happening, I have been seeing his name everywhere for it.