DVD Pick of the week: Rock Slyde (Monarch Home Video)
This diverting, low-budget send-up of film noir allows Patrick Warburton a chance to occupy center stage in the title role, that of a hard-boiled, dim-witted private eye at large in contemporary Los Angeles.
With affection and economy, Warburton (also an executive producer) and first-time writer/producer/director Chris Dowling keep the droll humor churning as Rock is pitted against a quasi-religious but ever-growing Hollywood cult known as the House of Bartology, named for Rock’s long-time nemesis, Bart (a nicely restrained Andy Dick). Any resemblance to the Church of Scientology is undoubtedly coincidental, of course.
Backing Warburton’s star turn are Rena Sofer, as the obligatory femme fatale, and Elaine Hendrix is Rock’s gal Friday, who falls under the spell of Bartology. Along the way, there are cameo appearances by Eric Roberts, Jason Alexander, Lea Thompson, Tom Bergeron and even Brian Bosworth. Rated PG-13.
ALSO Ava ila ble“BENNY HILL: THE COMPLETE MEGASET — THE THAMES YEARS, 1969-1989” (A&E Home Entertainment): Exactly what it says it is, this mammoth, 18-DVD boxed set ($149.95 retail) features all 58 original color episodes from the long-running, award-winning sketch-comedy series featuring British funnyman Benny Hill (1924- ’92). A surprise ratings hit when syndicated to the US, the series earned consecutive Emmy nominations (1980 and ’81) as Outstanding Variety or Music Program. Despite consistent ratings, the show was canceled after its ribald content was labeled sexist and politically incorrect (really?), which depressed Hill greatly. In retrospect, even with all the scantily-clad girls running around (Hill’s Angels, by name), the principal butt of jokes was usually Hill himself — which he insisted was the point. Silly, juvenile, lowbrow… and for those in the mood (there were many), it worked. They don’t make ‘em like Benny anymore.
CAMP ROCK 2: THE FINAL JAM (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): An extended edition of the Disney Channel musical featuring Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers. The special-edition DVD retails for $29.99, the Blu-ray/DVD combo retails for $44.99.
“CASTLE”: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): Nathan Fillion returns as crime novelist Richard Castle, striking sparks with New York cop Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) as they tackle the toughest cases, in all 24 episodes from the 2009-’10 season of the popular primetime ABC-TV mystery series, which earned three Emmy nominations in technical categories. This five-DVD boxed set retails for $45.99.
CAT CITY (MTI Home Video): Adultery, deception and murder figure prominently in this okay thriller set in and around the title California town (Cathedral City). The competent cast includes a foxy Rebecca Pidgeon, Julian Sands and the always-welcome Brian Dennehy, but Alano Massi struggles in the pivotal role of a seductive blackmailer. Rated R.
“DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES”: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): Life continues on Wisteria Lane for its resident lovelies (Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria Parker, Marcia Cross, et al), as Drea de Matteo joins the cast of the award-winning prime-time ABC-TV series, all 23 episodes of the 2009-’10 season of which are included in this DVD boxed set, which retails for $45.99. Kathryn Joosten received an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, for the episode “The Chase.”
“EMPIRES” (A&E Home Entertainment): A 14-DVD boxed set ($99.95 retail) of selected episodes from such popular History Channel documentary series’ as “Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire,” “Engineering an Empire,” “Ancients Behaving Badly” and “Barbarians,” which showcase such legendary civilizations as Egypt, Greece, Rome and others.
THE GOONIES (Warner Home Video): A 25thanniversary special edition ($39.92 DVD retail, $49.99 Blu-ray retail) of executive producer Steven Spielberg and director Richard Donner’s awardwinning 1985 comedy/adventure about a group of kids (Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Martha Plimpton and Corey Feldman among them) who discover a treasure map. Not without its charms, but shallow and overproduced — although a fervent cult following would surely disagree. A long-rumored sequel has yet to materialize. Rated PG.
THE KILLING MACHINE (Anchor Bay Entertainment): Dolph Lundgren directs and stars in this standard-issue shoot-’em-up about a hired assassin who seeks vengeance against those who betrayed him. Lundgren handles the action scenes well enough (in both capacities), but the story is ho-hum. Bo Svenson chews a little scenery as the villain. Rated R.
“THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW”: THE COMPLETE SERIES (Shout! Factory): A mammoth 17-DVD boxed set ($149.99 retail) of all 89 episodes from all six seasons (1992-’98) of the critically acclaimed HBO comedy series starring Garry Shandling (also executive producer and co-creator) as a neurotic late-night talk show host, with Jeffrey Tambor as announcer Hank Kingsley and Rip Torn as producer Artie. During its run, the series earned more than 50 Emmy nominations and won three, as well as many other awards. Among the guest stars who dropped by: Howard Stern, Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Jon Stewart and many others.
THE LAST SONG (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): This drippy adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ novel, co-scripted by Sparks himself (therefore retaining every ounce of melodrama) affords Miley Cyrus her first “dramatic” role, that of a tough teen rebel spending a summer in a Southern beach town with her ailing father (a glum Greg Kinnear). Maddeningly maudlin, although you do get to see Cyrus and onscreen love interest Liam Hemsworth play in the ocean, roll around on the beach and pelt each other with mud. A steady stream of song montages further sends this off the deep end. Break out the insulin. Cyrus contributes a couple of songs (big surprise); she and Hemsworth are now an offscreen item, as well. Rated PG.
ORCHESTRA WIVES (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment): The Glenn Miller Orchestra (led by Glenn himself, in his last screen role) headlines this 1942 musical comedy/drama about the whirlwind romance between a handsome trumpet player (George Montgomery) and an adoring fan (Ann Rutherford). Light fare with a pleasant cast: Cesar Romero, Lynn Bari, Carole Landis, Jackie Gleason, the Nicholas brothers, Harry Morgan and Dale Evans (in her screen debut). The song “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo” earned an Oscar nomination.
“PRIVATE PRACTICE”: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): A five-DVD boxed set ($45.99 retail) featuring all 23 episodes from the 2009- ’10 season of the award-winning, prime-time ABC-TV medical drama, spun off from “Grey’s Anatomy.” The ensemble cast includes Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, KaDee Strickland and Amy Brenneman.
“SCRUBS”: THE COMPLETE NINTH AND FINAL SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): The end of the line for the doctors, interns and hangers-on at Sacred Heart Hospital, in all 13 episodes from the 2009-’10 season of the award-winning situation comedy, which wound up its prime-time run on ABC-TV. The ensemble cast includes Zach Braff, John C McGinley, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke and Eliza Coupe. This two- DVD boxed set retails for $29.99. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is also releasing the self-explanatory, 26-DVD boxed set “Scrubs: The Complete Collection” ($149.99 retail).
STRIPPED NAKED (Anchor Bay Entertainment): Sarah Allen plays a stripper in the wrong place at the wrong time who ends up with a bag of loot, setting into motion a series of violent events. This low-budget Tarantino knock-off has a few moments, but not enough of them.
TWO FOR THE ROAD (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment): Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney play a married couple looking back over their 10-year relationship while motoring from London to the French Riviera, in producer/ director Stanley Donen’s enjoyable, fragmented 1967 comedy/drama. Nice work by the leads and composer Henry Mancini, but the film’s color scheme (exemplified in some of Hepburn’s costumes) sometimes overwhelms the story. William Daniels, Eleanor Bron, Claude Dauphin and Jacqueline Bisset are also along for the ride. Frederic Raphael’s original screenplay earned an Academy Award nomination.
