Home Media Magazine - June 8-14, 2008 - (Page 23)

www.homemediamagazine.com PIPELINE NEW ON DVD from FIRST RUN FEATURES NOW ON DVD ‘Heathers’ Celebrates 20 Years of Mean By Billy Gil CULT “What’s your damage, Heather?” That line may not have had staying power, but without it, we would never have had “As if!,” and we probably wouldn’t have had “Honest to blog?” Confused? The line comes from the mother of all mean-teen comedies, Heathers. It’s been nearly 20 years since the film sauntered into theaters in 1989, and now Anchor Bay Entertainment is rereleasing it on a “20th High School Reunion Edition” two-DVD set July 1 at $19.97. Daniel Waters said he was “fresh off the bus from Indiana” when he wrote Heathers, about a popular girl named Heather (played by Winona Ryder) who decides to off her best friends, all also named Heather. Waters said his naïveté in writing his first script was what allowed him to go where no high-school film had gone before. “It has become a seminal movie as far as really allowing people to take a different look at teenagers in high school and go much darker, and allow them to speak more intelligently,” Waters said. “Unfortunately people seem to be cashing in more than me, including my own brother (Mean Girls director Mark Waters).” Waters said this in jest, likening TWO CUBAN CLASSICS “PART HEROIC EPIC AND PART POLITICAL THRILLER… ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CUBAN FILMS!” - Ann Marie Stock, Framing Latin American Cinema his film to the goth rock band Joy Division, whereas Mean Girls is like Joy Division’s sunnier (but still excellent) second incarnation, New Order. From Jawbreaker to Clueless to Juno, teen films have continued to tread where Heathers’ heels first walked. “I think films have almost gone too far in imitating Heathers,” Waters said. “I could actually stand to see more homages to John Hughes films. I think we’ve gotten so harsh. I miss those kind of John Hughes movies that made you feel all safe and warm inside.” Meanwhile, included on the upcoming DVD release of Heathers is a DVD-ROM feature with the script of the original ending to Heathers, in which Westerberg High is blown up, and a there’s a big prom scene in heaven with all of the dead characters from the film dancing to a Simple Minds song. “I think a lot of people rightfully got on my case about the ending being a little too sweet and wrapping it up in a happy way,” Waters said. “Certainly a lot of critics would have been happier with it. I even wrote a darker ending that even [director] Michael Lehmann rejected.” The DVD also includes a commentary with Waters, Lehmann and producer Denise Di Novi; the original DVD making-of documentary, “Swatch Dogs and Diet Coke Heads”; the theatrical trailer; and a new “Return to Westerburg High” documentary, featuring new interviews with Waters, Lehmann and Di Novi. “We really had perspective now that we didn’t have [when we made the first documentary featurette],” Waters said. “I know personally the first time I did an interview for the DVD, I was made to feel very guilty that I hadn’t made another movie like Heathers. Now with the current climate, I feel like I was lucky to have made that one. Now it’s instead like, how did you even get that made in the first place?” Waters, who also has served as a script doctor on several pictures, has directed his second film, the saucy comedy Sex and Death 101, which also stars Winona Ryder. The film hits DVD ($29.98) from Anchor Bay the same day as Heathers: 20th High School Reunion Edition. One of the most commercially successful and ‘Hollywood’ of all Cuban films, this tense, action-packed political thriller chronicles the romance between two young revolutionaries in 1950s Havana as they fight for their lives against Batista’s secret service. Based on real events from the early days of the revolution, Clandestinos is “a moving story of young people who loved and fought with the same passion.” (Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago) SRP: $24.95 • 89 minutes • Color • In Spanish w/English subtitles • Catalog #: FRF 913300D Prebook: JUNE 1 • Street: JULY 22 7 “COURAGE AND WIT FORGED IN A RIGHTEOUS, RED-HOT FERMENT!” - Gary Dauphin, Village Voice - San Francisco Film Festival “STRIKING, COLORFUL! ABSORBING ADVENTURE!” BRIEFS I DISNEY REVISITING ‘THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS’ Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Aug. 26 (prebook July 15) will re-release Tim Burton’s twisted holiday classic The Nightmare Before Christmas as a collector’s edition two-disc DVD ($32.99), Blu-ray Disc ($39.99) and ultimate collector’s edition DVD set ($179.99). All versions feature an all-new digital restoration and a digital copy, as well as new bonus features “What’s This? Jack’s Haunted Mansion Holiday Tour,” exploring the Disneyland ride; a new uncut version of the Burton short “Frankenweenie” with an introduction by Burton; Burton’s original poem that inspired the movie, as read by actor Christopher Lee; a new commentary with Burton, director Henry Selick and composer Danny Elfman; two making-of featurettes; deleted scenes; a storyboard to ﬁlm comparison; original trailers and posters; and Burton’s short ﬁlm “Vincent.” The Blu-ray Disc also will include an exclusive introduction from Burton. The ultimate collector’s edition also includes a sound chip that plays lines from the ﬁlm, an individually numbered handpainted bust of Jack Skellington, a Jack’s “Sandy Claws” hat and beard, and a letter of authenticity. – Billy Gil I LIONSGATE TO KEEP VIEWERS ‘AWAKE’ Lionsgate is releasing 6 Films to Keep You Awake, a DVD boxed set featuring six horror films from Spain, streeting Aug. 19 (prebook July 23) at $27.98. The four-disc set will include Baby’s Room, directed by Alex De La Iglesia (Common Wealth); A Christmas Tale, directed by Paco Plaza (Werewolf Hunter); A Real Friend, directed by Enrique Urbizu (Box 507); To Let, directed by Jaume Balaguero (The Dark); Spectre, directed by Mateo Gil; and Blame, directed by Narisco Ibanez Serrador (1-2-3). Each of the films will include a making-of featurette. – Billy Gil In 19th century Cuba, runaway African slaves known as “cimarrons” overpower their Spanish masters and hide in the mountains. But discord among the the cimarrons is sown by traitors working secretly for the Spanish. SRP: $24.95 • 80 minutes • Color • In Spanish w/English subtitles • Catalog #: FRF 913294D Contact Us at 800-229-8575 or email sales@firstrunfeatures.com June 8–14, 2008 Home Media Magazine 23 http://www.homemediamagazine.com

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Home Media Magazine - June 8-14, 2008

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