Daniel Boone: The Complete Series DVD Review

     Actors: Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton, Dal McKennon, Ed Ames Fess Parker

Directors: Nathan Juran William Wiard

Writers: David Duncan, D.D. Beauchamp

Producers: Aaron Rosenberg

Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, NTSC

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 36

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Fox Mod

DVD Release Date: September 26, 2014

Run Time: 8150 minutes

        Daniel Boone was a real life frontiersman and American pioneer whose exploits and explorations were impressive enough to make him one of the country’s first folk heroes. This television series does not look to paint an accurate representation of history, but instead focuses on enhancing the legend of Boone. There are definite timeline issues in the narrative, but the spirit of the adventurer is captured in the same manner I imagine word of mouth originally embellished Boone into celebrity.

 

Witching & Bitching DVD Review

     Actors: Pepon Nieto, Mario Casas, Hugo Silva

Director: Álex de la Iglesia

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014

Run Time: 114 minutes

 

 

        Director Álex de la Iglesia (El Crimen Perfecto, The Last Circus) has shown his ability to find the comedic edge in dark and often morbid narratives in the past, but he seems to be having more fun than ever with his latest, Witching & Bitching. Part crime film, part buddy action, part horror, and part screwball comedy; this film crams a little bit of everything into a concise and energetic 114 minutes that ends up feeling like a blend of From Dusk till Dawn and The Witches if Eastwick on crack. This may not be a perfect film, but it is unique and fun enough to easily forgive its minor shortcomings.

 

Venus in Fur DVD Review

     Actors: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner

Director: Roman Polanksi

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: French, German

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014

Run Time: 96 minutes

 

        Fans of the award-winning play will enjoy the stylistic nuances that Roman Polanski has added through the medium of film, though it remains a narrative contingent upon the ability of the only two actors in the cast. The entire story takes place in just one evening, taking place at a single location, and to call it ‘dialogue-heavy’ would be the understatement of the year. This is what made for such great theater, containing roles theatrical actors can often only dream of, though Polanski and his cast must work twice as hard to make the same elements work on film.