END OF THE ROAD finally arrives on DVD this week:
DVDs for Sept. 18 by Boo Allen
This week, we begin in rural Massachusetts:
End of the Road (***)
Making its long awaited DVD and Blu-ray debut is this
notorious 1968 feature based on John Barth’s novel. Co-written for
the screen by former Dallas native Terry Southern (Dr. Strangelove) and
photographed by Gordon Willis (the Godfather films), in
his film debut, the film marks the rare directing effort from
renowned editor Aram Avakian. He taps into a 1960s rebellious mindset
while delivering a film defying conventional narrative techniques. A
college professor, Jacob Horner (Stacy Keach), suffers from catatonia
and receives unorthodox medical help from a local doctor (James Earl
Jones). Horner also befriends another professor (Harris Yulin) and
then becomes involved with his wife (Dorothy Tristan), which
eventually leads to the film’s scandalous abortion sequence.
Disturbing film still retains the power to shock.
Rated R, 110 minutes. The disc includes a 34 minute
companion documentary directed by Stephen Soderbergh in which many
connected to the film are interviewed: Keach, Harris, Jones, Tristan,
Willis and other crew members.
Goats (**1/2)
Fifteen year-old Ellis (Graham Phillips) leaves his
Tucson home, his New Age mother (Vera Farmiga), and their friend the
goat-man (David Duchovny) to attend a prestigious boys’ school near
Washington D.C. Once there, Ellis encounters the usual teen-angst
while re-connecting with his long absent father (Ty Burrell).
Although never boring, the rambling, disjointed coming-of-age story
just sort of runs out of any place to go.
Rated R, 94 minutes. The disc offers a few brief deleted
scenes, an 11 minute “making of” featurette, and short segments
on “The Mailman’s Lament” and “Home Movies.”
Southside 1-1000 (***1/2)
This no-nonsense, low budget crime drama is indicative
of the small jewels often found on demand by Warner Archives. Don
Defore plays a Treasury agent on the trail of counterfeit money. He
follows clues given him by a jailed forger (Morris Ankrum) to a gang
running bogus bills. There, he infiltrates the group but not until he
uncovers a few surprises. Tightly scripted and filled with gritty
atmospherics.
(not rated, 79 minutes, 1950)
Born to be Bad (***), A Woman’s Secret (**1/2)
Warner Archives also releases two of the first films
from noted director Nicholas Ray, made while he still worked at RKO
Studios. Together, they show Ray’s budding penchant for exploiting
human weakness for dramatic effect. Joan Fontaine is pure evil in
Born to Be Bad (not rated, 90 minutes, 1950 ) as
Christabel, an Eve Harrington-like snake who joins the household of
her friend Donna (Joan Leslie), seduces Nick (Robert Ryan), and then
steals Donna’s rich fiance Curtis (Zachary Scott). Not satisfied,
Christabel then again misbehaves with Nick. Ray accentuates
Christabel’s duplicitous nature while Fontaine gleefully embodies her
character. A Woman’s Secret (not rated, 84 minutes,
1949) is told mostly in flashback: Susan (Gloria Grahame, one of
Ray’s favorites) lies in a coma after Marian (Maureen O’Hara) is
accused of shooting her supposed friend and singing protege. Their
mutual friend Luke (Melvyn Douglas) knows that Marian would never
shoot Susan so, with more flashbacks, he works to uncover the
surprising truth.
Gone Hollywood (**1/2)
A former Hispanic TV star (Fernando Carrillo) has gone
without work for several years when his father dies, leaving him
possession of his bar in tiny Elsa, Texas–but with a catch. He can’t
sell the bar or change anything for a month, and he must work there.
He eventually hopes to sell but naturally, against himself, becomes
enamored of the community, and of a particular woman.
Not rated, 79 minutes.
The Victim (**)
Michael Biehn wrote, directed, and then starred in this
crime-thriller about two law enforcement types who entertain two
“dancers” in the forest, but one dies accidentally. The other
flees, eventually finding her way to Kyle’s (Biehn) cabin. Before
long comes the inevitable standoff, with the various factions gaining
the advantage until the expected bloody finale.
Rated R, 83 minutes. The disc includes a 25 minute “behind-the-scenes” featurette.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta!
Feisty chihuahua Papi (voiced by George Lopez) returns
with significant other Chloe (Odette Annable), now parents to five
puppies. They move into a ritzy hotel but litter runt Rosa (Kay
Panabaker) feels neglected, forcing Papi and Chloe to use their best
parenting skills.
Rated G, 89 minutes. The DVD comes in all available
formats and combo packs. Supplements include the featurette “Hanging
with Papi,” the music video “Living Your Dreams” by Raini
Rodriguez, and more.
And, finally, our weekly TV arrivals:
Body of Proof—second season
Dana Delany returned to prime time network drama as Dr.
Megan Hunt, a Philadelphia medical examiner with attitude. In this
season of 20 episodes on four discs, Hunt examines deaths caused by
fire, a hunting accident, a rave, and others. She even has a corpse
walk out on her. Plus, her relationship with daughter Lacey (Mary
Mouser) evolves. With Jeri Ryan, Nicholas Bishop.
Rated TV 14 DLSV, 860 minutes. The collection contains
four minutes of bloopers, several webisodes, and six featurettes
totaling about an hour on various topics, including the show’s
fashion, stunts, and devotion to authenticity.
Army Wives—season six, part one
Kim Delaney stars in this series that takes place at
Fort Marshall, South Carolina. Growing together while their partners
and spouses are gone are a group of women (Catherine Bell, Sally
Pressman, Brigid Brannagh, Wendy Davis) and a few males (Sterling K.
Brown, Jeremy Davidson). In these 13 episodes on three discs, a few
new faces arrive in the area, while some of the wives prepare to
leave.
Rated TV PG, LSV, 780 minutes. The set offers deleted
scenes and bloopers.
Cable channel History offers some varied fare:
Secret Access: The Presidency
These three separate programs examine rarely explored
presidential topics, such as “Air Force One,” “The President’s
Book of Secrets,” and in “The White House: Behind Closed Doors,”
George and Barbara Bush escort viewers for a tour. Among those
interviewed are Dan Quayle, Newt Gingrich, Dan Rather, former
Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, and others.
Not rated, 208 minutes.
Best of Ancient Aliens
Making their Blu-ray debut are these four episodes, on
two discs, examining the possibility of visits to this planet from
the titled ancient aliens. The film crew travels the globe to
investigate, going from Egypt to the western U.S. and elsewhere.
Not rated, 226 minutes.
James Bond Gadgets
This single disc holds a pair of programs examining many
of the fancy tools and gadgets used by agent 007 in his novels and
movies. Also included is the 45 minute feature, as seen on Biography,
of Bond creator Ian Fleming.
Rated G, approx. 133 minutes total.
Cajun Pawn Stars—season one
Las Vegas pawn shops have nothing on Cajun counterpart
Big Daddy DeRamus and his Silver Dollar pawn in Alexandria,
Louisiana. His brother and daughter help him ply their trade in his
cavernous building in these eight episodes,
Not rated, 176 minutes.
Also on DVD: Modern Family—season three, Supernatural—season seven