Home Video Exclusives

[JohnIan101]

Best Buy - March 31st, 2020


Star War: The Skywalker Saga
Exclusive store release; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $249.99

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

[JohnIan101]

Past Tense - Now That's A Horsey Part II


Director's Cut was released on HD-DVD (region 0) on September 18th, 2007 for $34.99; same extras. And on Blu-Ray on the same date for the same price - same extras too.



DC was gotten by myself, many years later - bought from a swap meet with foil slipcover for roughly two bucks in July of 2011. A great deal. This came with no insert, but with an embossed foil slipcover - mirroring the wraparound.

Here is where things get strange.

The Director's Cut has the content from the Best Buy exclusive, but that single featurette was broken into three parts.

1) "Homer: A Story For The Ages"
2) "Designing A Fighting Style"
3) "Flipping The Chariot"

Still presented in letterbox. Why was that broken up? Have no answer to give, a strange thing.

This same version was given a gift set box treatment - "Ultimate Collector's Edition" (DVD) for $39.98 released on the same date.



The discs are identical to the "Director's Cut". BUT... had different labels on the DVDs; Trojan and Greek battle shield artwork. That was a nice add on.

The box is sturdy cardboard, the skin as it were feels like blue leather - has texture. The door/flap has a built-in magnet towards the end to secure shut. Well, mostly - it's not that strong, but will keep it popping open. The interior has printed stitched leather. As you can see from the image; the two DVDs are held inside a folding digipack.

The selling point of this box was all the physical premiums it came with...

* A personal message from director Wolfgang Petersen on why the director's cut exist.

* Booklet with select pages from the David Benioff shooting script which includes various Petersen notations, twenty pages long. Seen above the open book - the blue booklet in the box set contents image.

* Ten behind the scenes art cards, the backs of each has photo information - comes inside thick/boxed envelope (on the far right, above Petersen's notes). It has a velcro dot keeping it close.

* Hardcover book; "The Art Of Troy: Director's Cut"; various photos and production artwork and sketches.

* Excerpts from "Troy: Embedded In The Trojan War" by David Petersen (Wolfgang's son); translated by John Howard.
It's about David being there during the difficult production, six pages.

The packaging has real weight when all the bonuses are inside. Like there's serious content inside. A lot of it is fluff. That hardcover is just a gallery. No regrets buying.

Got my copy for ten bucks years ago, can't remember when; years before the swap meet purchase.

Bought from Bed Bath & Beyond when they actually sold DVDs. Not a lot of them and not trivial items either. Box sets, special editions and TV shows seasons sets. Good stuff.

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There was another collection. Released in Korea was a wooden box set - theatrical DVD. Only 2,000 were made. The box came with the two disc set (in a transparent case; no insert, details printed on the inside of wraparound), a certificate with serial number (showing artwork, the front view of the horse - back is blank) and a softcover booklet, "Troy" written in English.

The booklet has various production stills. The box was etched - in small letters, "Brad Pitt - Eric Banna" above "Troy". Above that, a silhouette a Greek helmet. The wooden case is hinged and made with care, flushed. Looks like rosewood, sway.

Do not own this, don't know the year released nor price. Quite nice looking. The only reason I know about this is from a YouTube video from SpecialCollector89 (it's in German) posted on January 19th, 2012. If you know how, "jzBTPEdQY2E". It's still there (as of writing), checked. Or type in "Troy Limited Collector's Wooden Box Set Korea" in search.

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Yeah I would be somewhat remiss if I didn't cover this too - other notable 'Troy' productions.



The first was "Helen Of Troy" from 1956; directed by Robert Wise no less. Here Helen was played by Rossana Podestá. She was okay I guess. To be honest - I have this; Podestá was rather generic looking. She didn't make herself outstanding.

This streeted twice over on DVD. The first was on April 27th, 2004 for $19.98. This was however a snapper case, cardboard. Released from Warner Bros.

The second was done on October 4th, 2016 for $17.99, but I would avoid it. No different from the '04 release, but this is an MOD, official DVD-R, part of Warner's "Archive Collection". I keep repeating, why are they charging full price for a brunt copy?



The next was a two part, basic cable mini-series, also called "Helen Of Troy". Aired on the USA Network on April 20th and 21st, 2003. The two disc DVD set hit home video on August 12th, 2003 for $26.98 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Here Sienna Guillory played the title role.

She did a better job. I would say, Guillory did a better job than Kruger.

There was another, but it was a TV series episode from "The Time Tunnel". Season one, episode seven, "Revenge Of The Gods"; aired October 21st, 1966. I wrote about this sci-fi series in the Past Tense entry for "Custer: The Complete Series".

Just gonna copy and paste, I'm lazy...

Hidden deep within the Arizona desert is a top secret program, "Project Tic-Toc". At a cost of nearly seven and a half billion over ten years, it is America's first effort in utilizing an untapped resource, time itself. The complex houses some 12,000 personal in eight hundred floors of laboratories, computer processing stations, libraries, storage and dormitories; a pocket metropolis below the dunes.

A visit from Senator Leroy Clark (Gary Merrill) puts the exorbitant endeavor in jeopardy. It has yet to operate as advertised, lab monkeys and mice have been transported, none returned. Clark wants a functional demonstration or he's pulling the plug.

The machine wasn't ready; Dr. Anthony "Tony" Newman (James Darren) sneaks into the Tunnel room, powers up the leviathan hoping his new radiation bath will solve the tracking issue; bring him back to the present. Didn't work. Leaving him trapped in time... on board the Titanic hours before it sinks.

Friend and colleague Dr. Doug Phillips (Robert Colbert) hopes to rescue his compadre by entering the Tunnel himself. He does rescue Tony from immediate dangers, but both get lost in time. Jumping from one period/adventure to the next. The show ran for one season.

The travelers arrive at the siege of Troy; captured by Ulysses (John Doucette) who think they're Gods. His lieutenant, Sardis (Joseph Ruskin) is a traitor - and gets Doug captured by the Trojans. Left with little choice, Tony inspires the creation of Trojan Horse. The plan was made to get into the city and rescue Doug. It works.

Paris (Paul Carr) is killed by Ulysses who takes Helen (Dee Hartford) back. A moment later both travelers vanish to their next adventure.

Well Hartford was another generic Helen.

The series was well known for using footage from feature films to fill in gaps - make the production look larger. The wooden horse is footage from '56 "Helen Of Troy". This and reusing props from other Irwin Allen movies and TV series.

- - -



Lets talk about boobs!

Since this was mentioned briefly, the '04 big budget production that was "King Arthur". For the poster, actress Keira Knightley was asked if it was okay to alter her image. She said yes. And so they did, enhanced her cleavage beyond her frame.

I remember we had an interesting discussion when they said, 'We want to make them slightly larger and you'll get approval' and I was like, 'OK, fine.' I honestly don't give a sh!t. But then they showed me the first copy and these things must have been double-Es - and they were down to my knees. And I was like, 'I don't mind you making them bigger, but don't give me droopy breasts. They look like your grandmother’s t!ts.'

- Knightley

And that's where I'll close this entry - granny tiddies. Get that image out of your head, son. One more to go. One more post for "Sword And Sandal Quarter". Come back on April 23rd, 2020 for a legendary tale told many times over. Only this time with a higher budget.