DVD new releases Feb. 12, 2008

Click titles to pre-order from Amazon.


Dallas - The Complete Eighth Season



Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 4 (Charlie Chan in Honolulu / Charlie Chan in Reno / Charlie Chan at Treasure Island / City in Darkness) (4DVD)



George of the Jungle: The Complete Series



Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (40th Anniversary Edition)



Warner Brothers Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection - 15 Winners, 26 Nominees



Warner Brothers Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection - The 15 Winners



Stanley Kramer Film Collection (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner / Ship of Fools / The Member of the Wedding / The Wild One / The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T)



Route 66: Classic Episodes

New action figures January 2008

Here's a list of action figures released recently. Click links to order from Amazon:


DC Armory Action Figues Series 1: Aquaman



DC Armory Action Figues Series 1: Batman


DC Armory Action Figues Series 1: Supergirl as Flamebird


DC Armory Action Figues Series 1: Powergirl as Nightwing



Ame-Comi Action FiguresHeroine Series: Batgirl PVC


Ame-Comi Action FiguresHeroine Series: Catwoman PVC


DC Universe Classics Action Figures Wave 1: Orion


DC Universe Classics Action Figures Wave 1: Classic Detective Batman


DC Universe Classics Action Figures Wave 1: The Penguin


DC Universe Classics Action Figures Wave 1: The Demon Etrigan



DC Universe Classics Action Figures Wave 1: Red Tornado



Justice League Alex Ross Action Figures Justice Series 7: Aquaman


Justice League Alex Ross Action Figures Justice Series 7: Gorilla Grodd


Justice League Alex Ross Action Figures Justice Series 7: Green Lantern


Justice League Alex Ross Action Figures Justice Series 7: Superman


DC Direct 13 Inch Deluxe Collector Action Figures: Power Girl


The Godfather Action Figures: The Godfather

After the writers strike: When will my favorite show return

The writers strike has thrown a wrench in the 2007-2008 TV season, that's for sure. But, now that it looks like things are close to resolution, production on many programs is expected to begin soon.

Will your favorite shows have new episodes before the end of the year? Here's a status report from TV Guide:

24
Expected to return this fall or January ’09.

30 Rock
Expected to shoot 5 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May.

Back to You
Two pre-strike episodes remain. Future TBD*.

Battlestar Galactica
Returns April 4 with first half of 20-episode final season. Production on second half could start as early as March. Airdate for those TBD.

The Big Bang Theory
Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Big Love
Expected to go into production on Season 3 in March. Airdate info is TBD.

Big Shots
No new episodes expected. Ever.

Bionic Woman
No new episodes expected. Ever.

Bones
Four pre-strike episodes left. Unclear whether additional episodes will be produced for this season.

Boston Legal
Expected to shoot 4 or 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Brothers & Sisters
One pre-strike episode remains. Expected to shoot 4 or 5 additional episodes to air in April/May.

Burn Notice
Production on Season 2 expected to get underway in late April. New episodes could start airing as early as July.

Chuck
No new episodes until fall.

The Closer
Expected to kick off its fourth season this summer.

Cold Case
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Criminal Minds
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

CSI
Expected to shoot 4 to 9 new episodes to air in March/April/May.

CSI: Miami
Expected to shoot 4 to 9 new episodes to air in March/April/May.

CSI: NY
Expected to shoot 4 to 9 new episodes to air in March/April/May.

Desperate Housewives
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Dirty Sexy Money
No new episodes planned until fall; three remaining pre-strike episodes will undergo some tweaking and kick off fall run.

ER
TBD.

Everybody Hates Chris
Twelve pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected for this season.

Friday Night Lights
No new episodes expected for this season. Future TBD.

Ghost Whisperer

TBD.

Gossip Girl
Expected to shoot up to 9 new episodes to air in April/May/June.

Greek
Kicks off second half of Season 1 on March 24. Still awaiting Season 2 pickup.

Grey’s Anatomy
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May

Heroes
TBD.

House
Expected to shoot 4 to 6 new episodes to air in April/May.

How I Met Your Mother
Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Jericho
Seven episodes remain. No additional episodes expected for this season.

Journeyman
No new episodes expected. Ever.

Las Vegas
Two pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected for this season.

Law & Order
TBD.

Law & Order: CI
TBD.

Law & Order: SVU
Production resumes in early March. Remains unclear whether episodes produced will be for this season or next.

Life
No new episodes expected until fall.

Life Is Wild
No new episodes expected. Ever.

Lost
Six pre-strike episodes remain. Six additional episodes could air this season.

Medium
Six pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot additional episodes for this season.

Men in Trees
Eleven pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected this season.

Moonlight
No new episodes expected until fall.

My Name Is Earl
Expected to shoot 8 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May.

NCIS
Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes, only three of which may air this season.

The New Adventures of Old Christine
Seven pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected this season.

Nip/Tuck
Season 5 concludes Feb. 19. Production on the show’s eight-episode sixth season expected to start up this summer. Airdate TBD.

Numbers
Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes, only three of which may air this season.

October Road
Five pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD.

The Office
Expected to shoot 5 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May.

One Tree Hill
Six pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD.

Prison Break
Two pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD.

Private Practice
Slim chance it could return with 4 or 5 new episodes this season. Either way, it’ll be back in the fall.

Pushing Daisies
No new episodes until fall.

Reaper
Three pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD.

Samantha Who?
Three remaining pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot an additional 4 to 8 episodes to air after the new season of Dancing with the Stars.

Saturday Night Live
Could be back on the air as early as Feb. 16.

Scrubs
Four pre-strike episodes remain. Four additional episodes will likely be shot; unclear whether they’ll air on NBC or go straight to DVD.

Smallville
Four pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot 3 to 5 additional episodes to air in April/May.

Supernatural
Two pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot 3 to 5 additional episodes to air in April/May.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Five pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD.

Two and a Half Men
Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Ugly Betty
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Without a Trace
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Women’s Murder Club
Back on the critical list. I’m now hearing ABC is thisclose to shutting down Club for good.

Spectacular Spider-Man animated series preview

Spidey's latest 'toon series debuts March 8 on the CW with two back-to-back episodes. Here are details:

"Survival of the Fittest" (10:00 a.m. ET/PT), summer is over for Peter Parker and school's ready to start -- both literally (it's his junior year of high school), and in the real world of crime-fighting -- as Spider-Man faces his first real challenge (The Enforcers) and his first real super-villain (Vulture). Peter Parker is voiced by actor/musician Josh Keaton, and Robert Englund ("A Nightmare on Elm Street") voices Vulture. Victor Cook directed the script, which was written by Greg Weisman.

"Interactions" (10:30 a.m. ET/PT), Peter Parker and Spider-Man both try to make connections. Nerdy Pete attempts to tutor the popular Liz Allan, while Spidey reaches out to stop a new menace: Electro. Alanna Ubach ("Legally Blonde," "Waiting") and popular video game and voiceover specialist Crispin Freeman provide the voices of Liz Allan and Electro, respectively. Troy Adomitis directed the script by Kevin Hopps.



"Lost" Lee-Kirby Fantastic Four story previewed

Wasn't Marvel Comics promising us this eons ago? At any rate, it looks as if this book will finally see release this week.

Here are the details:

Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure #1
WRITER: STAN LEE
PENCILS: JACK KIRBY
JOHN BUSCEMA
INKS: JOE SINNOTT
COLORED BY: CHRIS SOTOMAYOR
LETTERED BY: DAVE LANPHEAR

IT'S THE COMIC BOOK EQUIVALENT OF A LOST BEATLES TRACK! Together, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby produced 102 consecutive issues of FANTASTIC FOUR. But there was a 103rd story they'd begun in 1970, but never finished—until now! Working from copies of Jack's penciled pages, Stan Lee and Joe Sinnott have reunited, to complete the work they started almost four decades ago! Plus, this super-sized issue includes reproductions of Kirby's unlinked penciled pages, with border notes and analysis by John Morrow, and a complete reprint of FANTASTIC FOUR #108 by Stan Lee and John Buscema, which incorporated some of the material from the lost story as a flashback.
Rated A …$4.99

IN STORES: February 13, 2008


And here are some page previews.

14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Counting down to Valentine's Day, here's entry 11:

14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Counting down to Valentine's Day. Here are entries 9 and 10 for the weekend:



Pop links

Beatles producer George Martin will host "On Record: The Soundtrack of Our Lives," an eight-hour PBS miniseries that documents the history of recorded music and popular culture. Kevin Spacey will narrate. It's set to air in fall 2010.

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More Los Bros Hernandez art from Evan Dorkin. This time it's sketched of DC heroes.

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From Blog@Newsarama: Buy a Batphone!

14 Days of Love: Crazy romance comic book covers

Counting down to Valentine's Day: Entry 8.

Lost clues: "Confirmed Dead" Ep. 2, Season 4

Also see:
Lost Season 4 Episode Guide.
Best Lost Sites on the Web.
Lost: What we STILL don't know.

Episode summary:

We're looking through an underwater probe camera scanning the ocean floor. Suddenly we see wreckage. An off-screen commentator--whoever it is operating the camera--is shocked to discover it's the wreckage of Oceanic Flight 815.



In a flashback, we see a man watching news coverage of this event. It's been confirmed that everyone aboard the flight perished. This man, though he apparently has no connection to the flight, is inexplicably overcome with emotion.

This man is Daniel Faraday, who we see meeting Kate and Jack after he's parachuted onto the island from a crashing helicopter carrying three other people.



These newcomers are also introduced via flashback. Miles Strom is a psychic of some sort, who is seen in flashback helping a woman rid her home of a ghost.



Charlotte Staples Lewis is an archaeologist, shown in flashback discovering the skeleton of a polar bear. In the deserts of Tunisia. With the remnants of a Dharma Initiative collar around his neck.



And Frank Lapidus is a pilot. In flashback, we see him also watching news coverage of the Oceanic wreckage discovery, but he calls the airline angrily saying that the pilot has been misidentified--the body they claim is the pilot's couldn't be, because that man always wore a wedding ring. Frank knows this because he's known the man for years. Also--Frank was supposed to be the pilot for that doomed flight.



In island time, we see that each of these visitors has come to the island expecting a fight. They came packing guns, gas masks and wearing bullet-proof vests. They realize the first member of their party to reach the island, Naomi, has been killed by Locke.

Jack's group of survivors eventually disarm and take control over Miles, Daniel and Frank, but Charlotte has been discovered by Locke's group.

Locke makes it clear to her that he knows she and her group are a danger--they haven't come to help, but are there for a darker purpose. He takes her prisoner as his group hikes to the Others' barracks.

Back with Jack, we learn Frank managed to land the helicopter, which lost control for some reason as it approached the island. It looks intact, meaning possible rescue for the survivors. But that's not why it's there. Miles says the real reason they've come is to get someone: Ben.

Back with Locke's group, Ben seizes Locke's gun and tried to kill Charlotte, but she is saved by her vest. Angry, Locke is about to shoot Ben when Ben reveals a litany of private information about Charlotte. Her profession, education, birth place and date, etc. He says Charlotte and the rest have come for him, and if they get him that means trouble for everyone.

When Locke asks Ben how he knows all this, Ben says he has a spy on Charlotte's boat.

Also in flashback, we see Matthew Abaddon--the man we previously saw visiting Hurley in the mental war. Abaddon had told Hurley he was an attorney for Oceanic, but here we see him meeting with Naomi, showing her pictures and files on Daniel, Miles and Frank and talking about how Naomi will lead them to the island. When she mentions the possible of encountering Oceanic crash survivors, he won't listen, steering her back to the cover story: "There ARE NO survivors."

Questions/clues/observations:

* Seems like Abaddon may be with the Dharma Initiative and he sent Naomi's team in to reclaim the island. It also seems likely that he, and whoever he represents, faked the Oceanic wreckage in order to keep the island secret from the rest of the world.

* Was the whole thing about Naomi carrying a picture of Desmond and Penny a ruse to keep the team's real mission secret from the survivors? Who did Abaddon and the rest know about Desmond? Did Kelvin, the Hatch man, inform them about him?

* The team members each of have key talents that seem meant to help them on the island: A psychic to deal with all the supernatural freakiness, a physicist to deal with all the scientific freakiness, an archaeologist to... I'm not sure what she's for yet, and a pilot to get them there and back again.

* How did Abaddon recruit his team? Frank has a close connection to the Oceanic Flight, what with his having supposed to have flown it. Daniel has some sort of emotional connection to it. Charlotte is seen looking at a newspaper story about the crash recovery and not believing it to be true. And she found that Dharma bear collar. We don't see any such connection with Miles.

* Is Ben's spy Michael?

* Hurley spills the beans that he saw Jacob's cabin. Both Ben and Locke are shocked to learn this.

* In the previous episode, where Abaddon visits Hurley, he asks "are they still alive?" Is Abaddon talking about his team? Other crash survivors? Both?

* Charlotte's initials are interesting: C.S. Lewis, author of the Narnia books. In one of these, "The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe," four children go to mystical Narnia via a magic wardrobe and spend years there. When they return, no time has passed. This lends itself to theories that something weird is up time-wise with the island.

* According to Ben, Charlotte was born in Essex, England. In flashback, Daniel is shown in Essex, Mass.

* Daniel shares a last name with real-life physicist Michael Faraday, who was a pioneer in the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. More on him here.

* Daniel remarks to Kate that there's something odd about the way sunlight hits the island. It doesn't "scatter" quite right.

* What's up with that polar bear in Tunisia? Was Charlotte part of Dharma when she found it, or was she snooping into what Dharma is all about?



* Locke reveals to his group that he saw a vision of Walt, and showed him that he really had been shot by Ben, but was walking around feeling fine anyway. Despite how crazy he sounds, they seem to believe Locke is for real. Will following him turn out to be a good idea?

* The ship that sent down the probe that found the alleged Oceanic wreckage was named The Christiane, which is reminding lots of folks of Christian, Jack and Claire's dad.

* According to this ABC-posted online story, the The Christiane was actually looking for The Black Rock (the ancient wreck found in the middle of the island's jungle a couple seasons back) but found the downed plane instead.

* Are the newcomers an homage to the Fantastic Four? You've got a brainy guy (Daniel), a grouchy pilot (Frank), a young hothead (Miles, whose last name "Strom," could refer to Human Torch Johnny Storm) and... I'm not sure how Charlotte parallels Invisible Woman Susan Storm.

* When Locke asks Ben what the smoke monster is Ben say he doesn't know. So, is it something Jacob controls? Or something else?

* The Oceanic phone number shown for family members of survivors to call works in real life. Call 1-888-548-0034 and you'll get a message saying the investigation into the crash is still ongoing and more information will be provided as available. I don't know if the messages will be updated as time goes by.



Upcoming DVDs of interest

Click the title links for additional information from Amazon.


TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 2 (The Divorcee / A Free Soul / Night Nurse / Three on a Match / Female)


Father Knows Best: Season One
Maybe he didn't always know best, but insurance salesman Jim Anderson (Robert Young) of Springfield, Ohio, was America's favorite head of household. Father Knows Best premiered on CBS in October 1954 and has been part of the American cultural fabric ever since. Every week families gathered around the television set to join Jim, Margaret, Princess, Bud and Kitten in their very first year as everyone's favorite 50's family. On DVD for the first time ever, this 4-disc set contains the Complete first season. BONUS FEATURES *New cast interviews *Robert Young's home movies *Rare behind the scenes color footage *24 Hours In Tyrantland, special episode created for the U.S. government. *Window On Main Street pilot episode, Robert Young's very next TV series.


The Invaders: Season One


Adventures of Robin Hood - Complete First Season
This classic television series ran from 1955 to 1960, featuring the tales of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. Richard Greene stars as our gallant hero who fought the forces of the evil Prince John, his local official the Sheriff of Nottingham and any aristocrat or ne'er-do-well who threatened the common people and loyal subjects of King Richard. Robin and his band lived in the shelter of Sherwood Forest, fighting their foes and hoping for the day when their beloved King Richard will return from the Crusades to rule once again. Starring Richard Greene, Alexander Gauge, Simone Lovell (1955 - 1960) B&W Unrated


The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show - The Complete Series


Mike Douglas - Moments & Memories / John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Rolling Stones, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Martin
Douglas' charming disposition drew in the viewers while also setting his high-profile guests at ease. Almost every major celebrity who hit it big in the 60s and 70s appeared on the show either as a guest or co-host. John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted the program for a week in 1972, producing several poignant and memorable moments such as the duo's live performance of Imagine and their collaboration with Chuck Berry on the rock n roll classic Johnny B. Goode. A 2- year-old Tiger Woods also charmed the crowds like a seasoned performer, showcasing his early talent for golf while unknowingly matching wits with comedic heavyweight Bob Hope.

Priceless moments like these captured the hearts and imaginations of viewers throughout the country. But it was Douglas' innate charm that endeared him to his fans. He frequently sang on the show, crooning out classic numbers like The Men in My Little Girl s Life. Douglas also kept the show light-hearted and entertaining, frequently choosing silly and outlandish stunts to make his audience laugh. Throughout the course of the program, Douglas wrestles with Andre the Giant, talks to a chimpanzee and clowns around with a variety of comedians.


The Red Balloon (Released by Janus Films, in association with the Criterion Collection)
Newly restored and available for the first time on DVD, Albert Lamorisse s exquisite The Red Balloon remains one of the most beloved children s films of all time. In this deceptively simple, nearly wordless tale, a young boy discovers a stray balloon, which seems to have a mind of its own, on the streets of Paris. The two become inseparable, yet the world s harsh realities finally interfere. With its glorious palette and allegorical purity, the Academy Award winning The Red Balloon has enchanted movie lovers, young and old, for generations.


Houdini: The Movie Star
By the year 1919, Harry Houdini was known throughout the world as a master magician and escape artist. Having conquered the stage, he set out to rule the screen, appearing in a series of thrillers built upon his almost supernatural powers. Culled from film archives and private collections, this Kino DVD set includes all of Houdini s surviving films as an actor, rare footage of actual handcuff and straitjacket escapes, and a wealth of historical information. Includes: THE MASTER MYSTERY (1919, 238m, Color Tinted) TERROR ISLAND (1920, 55m, B&W) THE MAN FROM BEYOND (1922, 68m, Color Tinted) HALDANE OF THE SECRET SERVICE (1923, 84m, Color Tinted) THE GRIM GAME (Fragment, 1919, 5m, Color Tinted) - SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE: Filmed records of Houdini escapes (ca. 1907-23) - Audio recording of Houdini speaking (1914) - Excerpts from the NY Censor Board files - Slippery Jim, a 1910 Houdini-inspired comedy - The illusion Metamorphosis performed by Houdini s brother Hardeen and others.


Bionic Woman - Volume One
Jaime Sommers is nothing but a hard-working woman juggling work as a bartender, the responsibility for the care of her younger sister, Becca, and her relationship with her boyfriend, Will. Jaime has always enjoyed being as normal as any other human being. However, this all changes when she is hit by a car and seriously injured. Her only hope becomes an experimental and top secret procedure, but, as Jaime soon discovers, this salvation comes at a high price.


Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 1 (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties)


Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 2 (Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men / San Quentin / A Slight Case of Murder)


Gang of Souls: A Generation of Beat Poets



Elvis On Elvis
In this revealing program Elvis is given the opportunity to introduce the real man behind the on stage image. Through previously unseen and incredibly revealing footage and rare recordings we see a side to the king that only he could have known and only he could claim. Such as discussing his innermost concerns relating to his weight problems, aspects of his love life, and his thoughts regarding the entourage who slavishly catered to his every whim. As if this sensational material were not enough there is a collection of 18 tracks including the song he wrote for his mom I'll Never Stand In Your Way and Maybelline, both of which are rare recordings and never before seen on DVD. Add to the Elvis music the Elvis spoken word and you have the makings of placing this title in a league of its own as a collection of the most sought after information and recordings of this iconic figure ever compiled. You ll find the contents of this double DVD a revelation; and we can assure you this compelling and most informative of programs will provide a glimpse of an Elvis you knew, but also a version he wasn't allowed to show.