New Releases:
This is the fantastic collection collectors have been waiting for, transferred from the original masters of those "good black and white ones." An instant collector's item, a must for your DVD library, and highly recommended.
(1929) Complete 15 Chapter Serial, color tinted
Frank Merrill, Natalie Kingston
Filmed as a silent, a music track and synchronized sound effects were added to this serial, making this technically the first "sound" Tarzan film (unless you count the re-release of ADVENTURES OF TARZAN, which was also released the second time around with synch sound effects). Although no other spoken dialogue is present, the audio track contains the very first Tarzan yell, invented by star Frank Merrill, a 36-year-old gymnastics champion and stunt man (he had performed some difficult stunts for Elmo Lincoln earlier in ADVENTURES OF TARZAN). Merrill's outfit in this serial is a bit hokey, but he himself is undoubtedly the most physically fit actor to have played Tarzan in the silent era. The plot here is from Edgar Rice Burroughs' TARZAN AND THE JEWELS OF OPAR, and contains a love triangle arc similar to the one in FLASH GORDON, as Tarzan loses his memory for a while and can't decide whether he wants the good girl (Jane) or the bad one (Queen La of Opar). Natalie Kingston, 24, as 'Lady Jane', Tarzan's wife, would don a costume very similar to the one Maureen O'Sullivan wore starting with TARZAN ESCAPES through the remainder of her MGM films, and Kingston performs a breast-baring swim here. five years before the famous TARZAN AND HIS MATE nude underwater romp.
Two DVD set; List price $29.95; Squadron Member Price $19.95
EXOTIC ADVENTURE/JUNGLE TV MINISERIES DVD SETS
Around The World In 80 Days
[DVD](1989)
DVD
Pierce Brosnan stars as Phileas Fogg, who wagers he can
circumnavigate the globe in 80 days, in this acclaimed
mini-series adaptation of the Jules Verne novel. The
all-star cast also includes Eric Idle, Julia Nickson, Peter
Ustinov, Robert Wagner, and Jill St. John. 4 1/2 hrs.
Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo.
The Diamond Hunters
[DVD](2001)
DVD
Becoming embroiled in long-standing familial grudges,
diamond hunter Johnny Lance (Sean Patrick Flanery) fights
for control of an African diamond mining empire. In his
battle for survival, Johnny comes up against his
half-brother (Michael Easton) as well as the family
patriarch, Jacobus Van der Byl (Roy Scheider). This
miniseries recut to feature length also stars Alyssa
Milano, Jolene Blalock, and Hannes Jaenicke. 100 min.
Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital
stereo.
Horatio Hornblower: The New Adventures
[DVD](2003)
DVD
A pair of swashbuckling adventures finds C.S. Forester's
19th-century, nautical-bound hero once again battling the
French on the high seas, this time in command of his own
vessel, the Hotspur. Includes "Loyalty" and "Duty." Ioan
Gruffudd, Paul McGann, Julia Sawalha, Robert Lindsay star.
3 1/3 hrs. on two discs. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English
Dolby Digital stereo; audio commentary; biographies; photo
gallery.
Horatio Hornblower: Collector's Edition
[DVD]
DVD
Special eight-disc boxed set includes "Horatio Hornblower,"
"Horatio Hornblower: The Adventure Continues" and "Horatio
Hornblower: The New Adventures."
The Flame Trees Of Thika
[DVD](1981)
DVD
Based on the best-selling autobiographical book by Elspeth
Huxley, this moving "Masterpiece Theatre" miniseries
follows a British family's experiences on a coffee
plantation in colonial Kenya in the early 1910s, as seen
through the eyes of the young daughter. Holly Aird, Hayley
Mills, David Robb, and Ben Cross star. 5 3/4 hrs. total on
two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital
stereo; biographies.
The Jewel In The Crown
[DVD](1984)
DVD
The visually stunning, emotionally stirring drama of love,
betrayal, honor and deception, set against the final
decades of British rule in India, is available in a deluxe
four-disc collector's edition. Peggy Ashcroft, Tim
Pigott-Smith, Geraldine James, and Charles Dance star;
adapted from Paul Scott's "Raj Quartet." 12 1/2 hrs.
Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo.
Longitude [DVD](2000)
DVD
A contest in early 18th-century England to devise a means
for sailors and merchants to determine longitude at sea
provides a backdrop for this compelling drama that follows
two stories: 1700s clockmaker John Harrison's (Michael
Gambon) efforts to build a timekeeping device that would
earn him the $20,000 prize, and the quest 200 years later
of a naval officer (Jeremy Irons) to recover and restore
Harriso n's inventions. Ian Hart, Gemma Jones also star. 3
1/3 hrs. min. on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English
Dolby Digital stereo; featurette.
Mysterious Island
[DVD](2005)
DVD
In this thrilling miniseries based on the Jules Verne
classic, a Union officer (Kyle MacLachlan) leads a group of
escaped Civil War POWs to a remote island where they
encounter giant insects, ruthless pirates and eccentric
former seafarer Captain Nemo (Patrick Stewart), who's
constructed a dreadful weapon in an attempt to bring peace
to the world. Gabrielle Anwar, Vinnie Jones co-star. 170
min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Mysterious Island (Widescreen Version)
[DVD](2005)
DVD
Shackleton [DVD](2002)
DVD
One of the most amazing true stories of exploration,
courage and survival is dramatically depicted in this
acclaimed mini-series. Kenneth Branagh stars as British
adventurer Sir Ernest Shackleton, who set out with his
27-man crew in 1914 on a quest to reach the South Pole. But
when their ship was trapped in the Antarctic ice and sank
after months of drifting, the men faced a two-year fight to
stay alive against the world's most hostile environment.
Kevin McNally, Nicholas Rowe also star. 3 1/3 hrs. on three
discs. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby
Digital stereo; featurette; "Biography" episode;
documentary; filmographies.
Shaka Zulu: The Complete Television Epic
[DVD](1986)
DVD
An epic historical saga that traces the turbulent life of
Shaka, the 19th-century Zulu tribal leader who united his
people into one great nation that reached across Southern
Africa until his downfall and murder. Henry Cele, Edward
Fox, Trevor Howard and Christopher Lee head the cast in
this remarkable, controversial production. This is the
complete, uncut presentation; 8 1/2 hrs. on four discs.
Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, French
Dolby Digital stereo; interview; photo gallery; scene
access; more.
The Thorn Birds
[DVD](1983)
DVD
One of the most-watched TV mini-series of all time, Colleen
McCullough's epic tale, set against a 40-year backdrop of
the sprawling Australian frontier, follows the forbidden
love between priest Richard Chamberlain and rancher's
daughter Rachel Ward. Barbara Stanwyck, Bryan Brown, Piper
Laurie and Christopher Plummer also star in the
Emmy-winning drama. 8 hrs. on two discs. Standard;
Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English,
French, Spanish; documentary.
The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years
[DVD](1996)
DVD
What happened to Father Ralph de Bricassart and Meggie
Cleary during World War II? Learn how a bitter custody
fight between Meggie and ex-husband Luke over the son she
knows to be the priest's brings the former lovers together
again in this moving follow-up to the acclaimed
mini-series. Richard Chamberlain, Amanda Donohoe, Simon
Westaway, and Maximilian Schell star. 179 min. Standard;
Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles:
English, Spanish.