Home Video Exclusives

[JohnIan101]

Target - July 14th, 2019


Vinyl

"Elton John - Diamonds" exclusive blue translucent vinyl album $34.99 (available now)

[JohnIan101]

Past Tense


[An earlier version of this PT was originally posted on May 15th, 2014 on JoBlo's "DVD, Blu-Ray & Home Theater Discussion" forum.]

'Is there a doctor in the house?' *poor Groucho impersonation* Sorry, buddy; they're kinda busy screwing each other in "Grey's Anatomy"...



"Grey's Anatomy: The Complete Fifth Season - More Moments" was released on home video on September 15th, 2009.

It streeted against "Bonanza: The Official First Season - Volume 1", "Army of Darkness: Screwhead Edition" and "Sanctuary: The Complete First Season".

This release originally came with an embossed cardboard foil slipcase holding seven discs in a digipak. It came with two small inserts, none of which was an episode guide (though a content listing is shown for the DVDs on the inside flap - no air dates). 1) A two pager extolling the virtues of Blu-Ray. The rear showcases twelve BD titles. 2) An advertisement for other Buena Vista Home Entertainment TV titles (seasons sets) and the "Grey's Anatomy" video game (is it a first person shooter? *grin*). This had a coupon, $10.00 off select titles. It expired on December 31st, 2009. I didn't use mine, would've, but forgot I had it; could've gotten "Life On Mars: The Complete Series" for less. This insert also has an ad for daytime soaps on ABC.

- - -



First off I want to apology for the poor image above. I found this image in my archive, lucky to have it. That kind of thing has become lost the internet nearly a decade ago.

Did not take that pix and do not know who did - also lost to time.

Target offered the only exclusive, a bonus disc. The set sold for $36.99. The DVD has a run time of 104:41 minutes, it came in a printed sleeve.



As I recall, this was packed inside the box. But I'm not that sure it was ten years ago after all.

Further research; Best Buy sold the regular edition for $37.99 on release week, bought mine at Target (obviously). Best Buy did have an offer, save $15.00 if you bought season five with any previous seasons.

Those two episodes of "Private Practice" have seven chapters each; all the bonuses are presented in widescreen.

- - - - - - - - - -

Void.

This is a short entry after all - so, we're going here.

I'm a fan of the Shaft movie franchise; "Shaft" (1971), "Shaft's Big Score" (1972) and "Shaft In Africa" (1973).

Was super surprised to find it there were more feature films, TV movies - seven of them. This was in 2011.

They were part of a rotating movie of the week umbrella, "The New CBS Friday Night Movies" then became "The New CBS Tuesday Night Movies". These were crime related productions. CBS' answer to "The NBC Mystery Movie".

Oh yeah, John Shaft is a Chicago private investigator on tall adventures in the 1970s.



The movies were collected in a September 13th, 2011 DVD set; "Shaft: TV Movie Collection - Archive Collection". Warner Bros.'s Archive Collection is a series of MOD releases; Manufacture On Demand. The set sold for $49.99 which is ridiculous for DVD-Rs.

Finally paid in April of this year, got a decent deal, but still was way too much for burnt discs. Anyhow...

I've been watching them slowly starting in May. A movie at a time, not bingeing. These are decent and some of them feel quite like "Shaft" movies which is great.

These were shot in Los Angeles, pretending to be in Chicago, done with second unit production shooting various around Chicago, b-roll footage.

Last month I watched "The Kidnapping" (aired, December 11th, 1973), TV movie number four. Probably one of the most Shaft of the flicks. Add some nudity and cursing - BOOM, you have a theatrical feature. It's that good.

But it's the first part, the prologue which ticked me off - greatly. They re-purposed whole scenes from "Shaft's Big Score" which has ZERO to do with the story they were telling. It had to have been included just as filler to meet the length for broadcast.



Spoilers. In SBS (on DVD), insurance sales and funeral business man, Cal Asby calls on John Shaft to help him, he's in trouble. Before Shaft can arrive, Cal is murdered by a bomb in the insurance office, next to the funeral parlor. Shaft is banging Cal's little sister, Arna - unknown to Asby. She pleas, not needed...

Shaft starts an investigation; discovers that Cal's partner, Johnny Kelly was in serious debt with an uptown Italian mobster, Gus Mascola for the tune of $250,000. Cal had plans for the money - build an urban child care clinic, something Kelly had zero interest in.

Asby was no saint, most of his money came from running a numbers racket, folks doing minor gambling some bucks, but not big dollars. He prided himself in just having this - no cash from drugs or prostitution, things which would've brought in serious greenbacks - stuff Kelly desired.

Why was Kelly in so much debt? He wanted to live large, fancy condominium, car and fashion. Plus a high maintenance girlfriend, more like his concubine, Rita Towne.

Kelly murdered Asby for the money, but Cal's last act before dying was hiding it, he knew his partner going to steal it. Turns out he hid the cash in one of the caskets - the very same casket he was buried in.

In desperation, Kelly attempted to pit mobster against mobster; Gus Mascola vs. Bumpy Jonas who runs a huge downtown operation. It backfires on Kelly. This leaves him having to pay all the money and a huge percent of the gambling biz to stay alive to Mascola.

He realizes what had happened and tried to get there first - Kelly bringing funeral staff to dig up Cal's grave. But is meet by Mascola and his crew at the point of reveal. He's killed. Shaft arrives on scene and takes the money along with Gus as a hostage since there were too many on site to make a clean getaway.

There's a car chase along with a boat and helicopter one too. Mascola is killed during the shoot-out and the money is hidden for Arna to find so she can carry on Cal's wishes.

All in all, one badass movie. My favorite of the three theatrical flicks.

So?

The filler in front took scenes from SBS and made it into something else, crap. All of it was encapsulated as a TV news story on John Shaft; he was investigating a drug kingpin who was selling heroin. He killed their operation.

What the hell?

The movie's plot was good enough to be shortened, they didn't need to do that. C'mon, what they did was cancel out "Shaft's Big Score". WTF? That pissed me off. Granted, the rest of the movie won me over, but that should not have happened. A slap in the face to a good movie.

Still bugs me.



Back on main topic, I'm a fan of "Grey's Anatomy", yeah. I liked it. I still need to buy the later seasons. I picked up season five for the bonus disc; knew if I waited, I would regret not owning. Especially since the exclusive has real meat to it, very sway.

Come back her on August 8th, 2019 for another piece of PT goodness, you could call it "Desperate".

[JohnIan101]

Best Buy - July 23rd, 2019


Hellboy (reboot)
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $29.99

Alita: Battle Angel
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/3D BD/DC combo $34.99

[JohnIan101]

Best Buy - July 28th, 2019


Pet Sematary (2019) (available now)
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD only $32.99

Alita: Battle Angel (available now)
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/3D BD/DC combo $34.99

[JohnIan101]

Best Buy - August 6th, 2019


Detective Pikachu
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Batman: Hush
Exclusive figure; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $22.99

[JohnIan101]

Target - July 23rd, 2019


Alita: Battle Angel
With USB charging wristband (has "warrior" printed on it); BD/DVD/DC combo $29.99
With USB charging wristband (has "warrior" printed on it); 4k BD/3D BD/BD/DC combo $32.99

Hellboy (reboot)
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DVD/DC combo $24.99

- - -

Vinyl available 7/26

"Stranger Things: Season 3 - Soundtrack" exclusive red, white and blue record $25.99

[JohnIan101]

Target - July 30th, 2019

Nickelodeon's Butterbean's Cafe $9.99
Includes 4 exclusive recipes

[JohnIan101]

Target - August 6th, 2019


Batman: Hush
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DVD/DC combo $19.99

[JohnIan101]

Past Tense


[An earlier version of this PT was originally posted on June 12th, 2014 on JoBlo's "DVD, Blu-Ray & Home Theater Discussion" forum.]

Women with too much time on their hands or nosy neighbors - your call in "Desperate Housewives"...



"Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth Season" was released on home video on September 1st, 2009.

It streeted against "Brothers And Sisters: The Complete Third Season", "Heroes: Season 3" and "The Rivals Of Sherlock Holmes: Set 1".

This release originally came with an embossed cardboard foil slipcase holding seven discs in a digipak. It came with two small inserts, none of which was an episode guide (though a content listing is shown for the DVDs on the inside flap - no air dates). 1) A two pager extolling the virtues of Blu-Ray. The rear showcases twelve BD titles. 2) An advertisement for other Buena Vista Home Entertainment TV titles (seasons sets) and "Lost: The Complete Fifth Season". This had a coupon, $10.00 off select titles. It expired on December 31st, 2009. I didn't use mine, would've, but forgot I had it; could've gotten "Life On Mars: The Complete Series" for less. This insert also has an ad for daytime soaps on ABC. Déjŕ vu?

- - -



On street, Best Buy offered two exclusives. 1) Embossed cardboard foil slipcase. 2) Bonus disc.

The set sold for $37.99. The extra DVD has a run time of 20:50 minutes, this came in a printed sleeve, shrinked wrapped on the box's rear.

The extras are presented in widescreen.

The store also had an offer; buy season five with any other DH season (singular not plural) and save $15.00.

- - -



Above is the regular edition in case you were curious.

- - - - - - - - - -

Void.

You know it - this is a small entry.

One of the hits from 1983 was the conspiracy, action adventure, thriller - "Blue Thunder".



The movie centered on a super assault helicopter which was given to loan to Los Angeles Police Department, air support division by the military. For possible use in the 1984 Summer Olympic games which Los Angeles was hosting. Turns out the chopper had a sinister secondary purpose - stealth, political assassination and violent urban pacification to quell that unrest.

It was a hit and was turned into a TV series for ABC in 1984; stripped of the movie's plot. Now just an assault helicopter on loan for urban crimes. The series lasted eleven episodes and was swiftly canceled. The complete show is on DVD.

As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - CBS wanted their own super helicopter series, they made "Airwolf" (1984). The knockoff was the better series, this ran for three season on the network then a revival season on the USA Channel for (basic) cable. Four seasons on the air; its pilot episode was expanded and released theatrically in Europe. All the seasons and theatrical cut are on DVD.

So? This is a series that would make a good choice for a reboot, "Blue Thunder".

What I would like to see is a series long conspiracy around the assault chopper. Ending like the feature with Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider in the film) destroying the helicopter on the train tracks by an incoming locomotive.

The mystery - why does Blue Thunder exist? Not like the feature's plot. It was a pilot program to see if it would work for 'urban pacification'. To control the masses as an Elder-God is unleashed. Yes, a Lovecraftian monster.

Cult members using acquired relics and human sacrifice, unleash the beast - which include Colonel F.E. Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell in the movie), the Dark Priest of this movement. Because of Murphy's investigation with his partner Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern in the film), the timetable is accelerated.

The final episode would have the reveal. You only see part of this giant creature trashing Los Angeles. Bloody madness to anyone who sees IT with their naked eye. Tentacles grabbing people and throwing cars.

Murphy using the helmet's on-screen visor, blacked out; seeing the environment as wire frame. Which was the real intent for this function - to gaze at the face of their God without going insane.

Blue Thunder battles the beast and dodging things being thrown at it and of course - Cochrane trying to defend his celestial in another assault chopper. Murphy is victorious sending it back from where it came. Cochrane is killed and... you know the rest.

You get this huge mystery with ever growing dread that something is happening far beyond what is being told. Crimes and thefts episodes would be some of the cases what Murphy and Lymangood investigate, central episodes to the series' lore and conclusion.

No reason to change it - have it set in 1983; three seasons would be about right - beginning, middle and conclusion. Billy Idol's song, "Flesh For Fantasy" popped to mind when I wrote this.

The ABC show; I had no issue with actor James Farentino taking over Scheider's role as Frank Chaney - he was a solid replacement. Nor with his partner Clinton Wonderlove, played by pre-famous comic, Dana Carvey. NOW... why the hell were Bubba Smith and Dick Butkus in this?

And why the idea of "Rolling Thunder" was a good one? A truck with supplies and ground support. Both former NFL players had terrible (lame) jokes in the show. Both stood out, badly. This is about Frank and Clinton.

They made a change for TV; Frank's nickname for his younger partner - JAFO.

Was "Just Another Fu˘king Observer" to "Just Another Frustrated Observer".



What sucks is I can only do ten images per post and found a great pix of the chopper in flight, but can't - would become eleven. Man, I looked about for images on the feature and TV series and ended up only using the poster and a TV Guide page (above). Butkus, Farentino and Smith shown as heads in the ad.

By the way, "Airwolf" had the way better opening theme music.

- - -

Anyhow.



Not the strongest of the seasons, but still entertaining. So who's my favorite? Easy - Eva Longoria. I know that Teri Hatcher is suppose to be the star of the show, but she doesn't do it for me.

She did look pretty hot in the 1989 film "Tango & Cash". But that was then.

I'm being honest.

Man, there was a time when I had a crush on actress Dana Delany (the last gal on the left in the above promo pix).



I remember Delany as the voice of Lois Lane on "Superman: The Animated Series" (1996). She was nearly always wearing pleated short skirts that miraculously never flashed up. Don't give me that look. Lots of guys were thinking the same thing. Great legs on her.

Yeah, I'll admit - I went a bit pervy with the above pix. To quote another animated hottie, Jessica Rabbit: "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way". Just noticed, Lois looks kinda eurasian. Sway.

That's it. This is one of my shorter entries. *shrugs* Next PT will lurk about on June 26th, 2014. Give it some cookies would you? Not dangerous, just misunderstood and somewhat high.

[JohnIan101]

Best Buy - August 13th, 2019


Avengers: Endgame
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Avengers 4 - Movie Collection
Exculusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $149.99

Spider-Man Legacy Collection (available now)
Exclusive steelbook; BD only $50.99

A Wrinkle In Time (available now)
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DVD combo $24.99

Pet Sematary (2019) (available now)
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD only $29.99

[JohnIan101]

Best Buy - August 20th, 2019


Iron Man
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Iron Man 2
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Iron Man 3
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Thor
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Thor : The Dark World
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Avengers: Endgame (available now)
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Avengers 4 - Movie Collection (available now)
Exculusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $149.99

[JohnIan101]

Target - August 13th, 2019


Avengers: Endgame
Exclusive packaging and 40-page photo book; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

- - - - - - - - -

CD available now

"Jonas Brothers - Happiness Begins" with two exclusive bonus track $13.99

[JohnIan101]

Target - August 23rd, 2019


CDs

"Tanya Tucker - While I'm Livin'" with 2 exclusive bonus tracks $10.99

"Taylor Swift - Lover" four different versions; CD, 2 memos, 30 page journal, lyrics with photos and poster sets $16.99 (each).
* free five dollar gift card if you buy all four exclusives

"Lionel Richie - Hello From Las Vegas" with 2 exclusive bonus tracks $12.99 (available now)

[JohnIan101]

Past Tense


This week we puff our last blunt in "Weeds"...



"Weeds: Season Eight - The Final Season" was released on home video on February 12th, 2013.

It streeted against "Skyfall", "Robot & Frank" and "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower".

This originally came with a cardboard slipcover which mirrored the case's wraparound. Came with two small inserts. An episode index, but it lists no air dates. And an ad for Lionsgate's BeFit YouTube channel (YouTube.com/BeFit).

- - -



Target offered the sole exclusive, a bonus disc. Sold for $24.99 and was also available for Blu-Ray, same price.

Came inside the three disc case (no CD envelope). I say this since some new series season sets come in a case which has a small spindle inside ("Pan Am: The Complete Series"; ended up buying a three disc case from Big Lots! - a movie collection, forgot which), instead of a normal three disc holders.

Bonus disc has a run time of 23:19 minutes. No problem getting my copy.



The store had several copies. I picked up one and took it to the register, along with the weekly ad from Best Buy. I wanted to price match, the competitor had S8 for $19.99. The lady originally said no; saying it was only for the basic/regular edition, not their exclusive. I pointed out that they only carried the exclusive. Someone went to media area to check, indeed, that's it. Common sense prevailed - price matched it. Very sway.

As mention in the Past Tense for "Weeds: Season Two". I've only seen seasons one through three. I still haven't gotten around to watch the others - I will, eventually.

- - - - - - - - - -

Tangent.

Back to the 1979 Disney, PG rated sci-fi feature - "The Black Hole". A lost opportunity for fans and their kids, last decade.

You can read more about the movie and potential deeper meanings in the Past Tense entry for "Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5" (clicky clicky).



What you see above is the remote contol V.I.N.Cent (Vital Information Necessary Centralized) toy - not produced. It was more than a foot tall.

Pretty much only exist in the company's catalog for retail stores.

The RC bot was planned to come out in 1980. Two working prototypes were created at a cost of hundred thousand, the stepping stone for other RC large toys using the same principles. One remote for both prototypes. When "Bob Project" was scraped; one was tossed in the dumpster along with the remote. *shakes head*

A solitary V.I.N.Cent exist today because one of the men who worked on the project saved it - took it home. Things learned...

A) Those side arm - claws have a spring in it to hold paper items; they slide out (not motorized).

B) Both front arms and lasers extend and retract on command.

C) The feet base had wheels in them for movement.

D) The head spinned.

Did my best; the bot used 3 "D" batteries to run. But can't read or find online how many or what kind of batteries were used in the remote. Sorry.

Why canceled? Turns out - the retail price would've been far too high for the average consumer. So the item was pulled. While doing the research, found a softcore porn connection. Indeed!

V.I.N.Cent was pictured in a 1979 pre-Christmas issue of Playboy magazine; would that be the mag from October '79? Magazines are two months head of their release month; March issue comes out in January and so on. It was intended as high end toy with a price tag of $79.99. Remember - at this point in time America was still going through a hard recession; mid 1970s there was an nationwide energy crisis. Money, disposable money was in short supply.

Looked at an inflation online calculator; adjusted for 2019 - would've cost $248.65. How many people in 1980 could afford that? On a child's toy?

Mego Corporation (1954 - 1983; bankruptcy) was going to produce various toys for the film; action figures and playsets. "The Black Hole" was a massive licensing failure for the Mego.

What limited toys got released almost didn't happen; pretty much only action figures (same amount of articulation as those small "G.I. Joe"). Never owned them. But do remember seeing them at TG&Y; kinda, but not quite - the Wal-Mart of their day, Woolworth held that title. And the larger Ken doll sized figures of the humans, not the robots.



Anyhow, they were having company problems at the time, only a few were made. Above image from the same catalog. There were playsets announced for those smaller figs, but didn't happen either.

Point?

Early 2000s...

The movie droid could've been a near life sized, entertainment center.

Take a good look at that RC toy and consider this...

Open the top of its head (on hinge, not pull out) - expose the DVD player, monitor is the screen in the chest. Buttons for volume and DVD functions also on the chest (below screen) and could also be done by the included remote control. The screen would be a bit bigger than the movie character for obvious reasons, but not too big to take away from the sci-fi icon. The line of lights under the screen could also flick on and off to the volume, like an audio analyzer. Feature can be turned off and on.

Player would also do CDs and MP3 CD-Rs.

There are hidden stereo speakers below the arms. The robot's rear would have audio output for external speakers if you want. And video/audio input to use it like a regular TV.

This could have minor motion on the face, looking left to right (vise versa) - have it activated by on-screen volume, like a car crash or high pitch noise. V.I.N.Cent startled, even have (randomly) eyes light up. Mode can be turned off by a switch on the back.

The uppers part of the chest would also have a digital turner, AM/FM radio. Screen would show the station numbers, tuning and perhaps a wireframe wavelength of audio for visuals; can be turned off by mode button next to the tuner. On the edge of the collar (as it were) would have ten radio presets for (each) tuner.

Unlike the above radio control toy, the feet do not move - those round stabilizer on each ball. Let me make this clear - this would be intended for a desk, not the living room. Be it a child's desk or an adult's home work station.

Could very well be a switch on the back (on/off) to have V.I.N.Cent say various dialog (voiced by Roddy McDowall) from the movie (random) from pushing the front button "enter'.

And do more than just DVDs and CDs. There could be a small, sliding door on the front top frame for a hidden USB port. There you can plug in a memory stick to play MP3s and MP4s videos.

It would be damn sway. Not sure, would there be room to animated the claws (hands)? Perhaps. This way, you could use V.I.N.Cent to hold a paper note. The same with the laser guns (next to the claws) - could be done by the remote. Push a button and they extended out, lights up (blinks) with the correct color with sound effect from the movie.

*pew pew pew*

When turned Off - the head (face) drops inside the body, like the movie with a power down sound effect. And a power up sound when turned On...

The side arms would not extend. Just the mock door on the sides. Going back to the front arms. Can imagine them recessing, like the movie and having those spring slide door close on it. Yeah, I think it's possible.

Pretty sure this could be made using a 3D printer, a fan made - custom leisure hub for fanboys and their kids.

Holy crap, on eBay; vintage V.I.N.Cent figure (seen above) are going for $324.95 and $665.00 for the Italian version! Same thing, blister pack text in Italian.



Above is a cutaway from the '79 Japanese movie program (written in Katakana). Can't read, but it is cool looking.

News surfaced this month; coming in January 2020, new action figures. This is one of them, a two pack of bots. This is V.I.N.Cent and Old B.O.B.; the figs come with a base that features a diorama - the interior of the USS Cygnus. This will retail for $28.99. Yes, there is a market for this franchise today.

Other figs in "Disney Classic Series" include Maximilian by itself with multiple interchangeable parts for $28.99. I think it may be to scale with the above bots. Lastly is vinyl figures, super-deformed of Maximilian and V.I.N.Cent for $19.99. It's cute.

There you go. Indeed. See you here on September 5th, 2019 for a month long coverage on steelbooks.

- - -

Update 02/08/20

Goofing online, found the TV commerical for that RC V.I.N.Cent toy. Did not know this ad existed. Go to YouTube, type in "Mego Black Hole Vincent Commercial" in search. Or if you know how, "1Kd8_Xxv6Iw". Uploaded on December 6th, 2006 by Brick Mantooth.

[JohnIan101]

Best Buy - August 27th, 2019


Godzilla: King Of The Monsters
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99
Exclusive 3D presentation; BD/DVD/DC combo $29.99

The Secret Lives Of Pets 2
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $32.99

Rocketman
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $32.99

The Goonies
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DC combo $14.99

Beetlejuice
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DC combo $14.99

The Exorcist
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DC combo $14.99

Friday The 13th (1980)
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DC combo $14.99

Cat's Eye
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DC combo $14.99

Salem's Lot (1979)
Exclusive steelbook; BD/DC combo $14.99

Avengers: Endgame (available now)
Exclusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $34.99

Avengers 4 - Movie Collection (available now)
Exculusive steelbook; 4k BD/BD/DC combo $149.99