New DVD Releases for July 3, 2007: A Few Flashes, But No Fireworks - Page 2

Beyond the obvious 4th of July tie-in, I really can’t fathom why 2000’s The Patriot is being touted as a major release. It was passable melodrama, with Mel Gibson sufficiently brooding throughout, and making it through the film without being gruesomely tortured. The American Revolution is given short shrift, though, serving as background for Gibson’s soliloquies and scene chewing. Perhaps The Patriot Blu-Ray Extended Cut, with additional footage, will imbue it with more of a sense of history. I’m not holding my breath, though.

Baa Baa Black Sheep Vol. 2 may be no more historically accurate, but it can in no way be accused of ambiguity, either. This three-disc set contains the entire second (and last) season of the '70s TV series starring Robert Conrad. Very loosely based on the exploits of “Pappy” Boyington’s Black Sheep Squadron during WWII in the South Pacific, this series falls into the “ain’t war fun!” category. Still, if my memory serves me well, it was amusing, and features some pretty good aerial footage for a network series. It’s rah rah patriotism and nutty nostalgia, served up as only Steven Cannell (The A-Team) could do it.

Since I’ve been left to steer this DVD dinghy, I’m going to navigate the long list a little differently, and break it down by category. It’s pretty inclusive, though I’ve probably missed a few things. You won’t find an “adult” category, for instance, not because I’m prudish, but because I think that audience is more, shall we say, knowledgeable in that niche. Besides, as good as Biker Girls may have been, I have a feeling the sequel will be a pale rehash. This is a work in progress, and will most likely be fine-tuned, according to release schedules. For example, sci-fi and horror are lumped in with action and drama this week, only because the lines blur.

Action/Adventure

Bells of Death (Shaw Bros. Special Edition)

Ghetto Fabulous

The Imagemaker

Last Flight Out

Neverwas

Raid on Entebbe

The Shield (Seasons 1-5)

When Michael Chiklis isn’t embarrassing himself playing the Thing, he has a pretty good gig portraying the morally ambiguous cop Vic Mackey, head of an elite LAPD strike force who do whatever it takes to bring down the bad guys. Now you can have the complete series in one box set. At least until next season starts. Damn those marketing guys!

Article Author: Ray Ellis

Ray Ellis is a freelance writer who has been dissecting pop culture and its effect on how we view ourselves for over twenty years, ruffling feathers and dragging unsuspecting pedestrians along for the ride whenever possible.

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