Jordan, Richard

The Hunt for Red October (Special Collector's Edition)

CIA analyst Jack Ryan, tries to figure out if Russian submarine captain, Marko Ramius, is planning to attack the U.S. coast or planning to defect.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: PG
Release Date: 6-MAY-2003
Media Type: DVD

Before Harrison Ford assumed the mantle of playing Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan hero in Patriot Games, Alec Baldwin took a swing at the character in this John McTiernan film and hit one to the fence. If less instantly sympathetic than Ford, Baldwin is in some respects more interesting and nuanced as Ryan, and drawing comparisons between both actors' performances can make for some interesting postmovie discussion. That aside, The Hunt for Red October stands alone as a uniquely exciting adventure with a fantastic costar: Sean Connery as a Russian nuclear submarine captain attempting to defect to the West on his ship. Ryan must figure out his true motives for approaching the U.S. McTiernan (Predator, Die Hard) made an exceptionally handsome movie here with action sequences that really do take one's breath away. --Tom Keogh

Rooster Cogburn (...and the Lady)

Dune (Extended Edition)

Paul Atreides, son of Duke Leto, along with the native inhabitants of the planet Arrakis (Dune), struggle to overthrow the terrible Baron Harkonnen and his family to control the mind-altering spice produced by giant sand worms of Arrakis.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 31-JAN-2006
Media Type: DVD

Even more than most of David Lynch's deliberately bizarre and idiosyncratic movies, Dune is a "love-it-or-hate-it" affair. An ambitious, epic, utterly mind-boggling--and, let's admit it, all-out weird--adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune remains one of the most controversial films in the director's exceedingly provocative career. The story (if Dune can be said to have just one story) is complex and convoluted in the epic tradition; it has

Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Usul Muad'Dib Atreides

something to do with political intrigue and a planet that is home to a precious spice and gigantic sand worms. Think Shakespeare's Henry IV with a dash of Tremors, and set in another galaxy. But despite plenty of strangely whispered voice-overs that explain the characters' thoughts (and endlessly detailed exposition), storytelling is not really among the film's strong points. There are, however, a lot of memorably fantastic/grotesque images, an extraordinary cast, and a soundtrack featuring Toto. I told you it was weird. Among the stars are Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, Sting, Kenneth McMillan, Patrick

Sting as Feyd-Rautha

Stewart, Sean Young, and Linda Hunt. --Jim Emerson

DVD features
Melange fans have a lot to be excited about with this impressive edition of Dune, though the "Extended Edition" label is a bit misleading. If you are expecting the mythic 4 hour "David Lynch preferred" version that is rumored to be sitting in a vault, don't get your hopes up. This isn't it. In an attempt to quickly sober spice-fueled giddy fans, producer Raffaella De Laurentiis (daughter of Dino De Laurentiis) immediately reveals in the 'Deleted Scenes' introduction that the rumored 4 hour version is just that; a rumor. What this DVD set does contain is the 2 Hour 17 Minute original theatrical release digitally remastered, available for the first time in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 surround sound. The presentation on this edition is a drastic improvement from the original letterboxed release. On the flipside of the DVD

Knife fight!

is the alternate 2 hour 57 minute version cut for television. As many fans know, this 'extended' version was disowned by Lynch, who insisted his name be replaced by that famous Hollywood pseudonym "Alan Smithee;" the name used by directors whose film was taken away and recut against their wishes. There is some new material in the 14 minutes of deleted scenes offering a bit more background into the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, the Kwisatz Haderach prophecy and the Fremen culture and their struggle. All other extras focus on the international production crew of Dune including the design team, special effects, and short documentaries on the miniature models and wardrobe designs. Disappointingly, there are no appearances in the bonus features by any of the original cast or Lynch himself. However, many of the production crew members talk openly about working with David Lynch and his artistic involvement in the visual process. To cap it off, this edition comes in a very stylish and sturdy DVD tin that opens like a keep case. --Rob Bracco

Further Explore the World Of Dune

Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 1)	Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles, Book 2)	Children of Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 3)
Sci-Fi Action Films on DVD	The Dune TV Series	David Lynch Essentials

The Secret of My Success

Derivative fluff from 1987, made tolerable by its bawdy exuberance and an appealing performance by Michael J. Fox, who was still enjoying TV stardom and the career momentum he earned by traveling Back to the Future. Here he plays a Kansas farm boy who dreams of scoring big in New York City, but reality turns out to be brutal to his ambition. When his uncle (Richard Jordan) gives him a mail-room job in the high-rise headquarters of a major corporation, Fox occupies an empty office and poses as a young executive, winning the attention of a lovely young colleague (Helen Slater) and having an affair with his boss's wife (Margaret Whitton). Sporadically amusing as a yuppie comedy and rather off-putting as a wannabe sex farce, the movie's still recommendable for its lively cast and a breezy style that almost succeeds in updating the conventions of vintage screwball comedy. Whitton is a standout performer here, so you may wonder why her comedic talent has been underrated, apart from a good role in the first two Major League movies. This may be little more than a big-screen sitcom, but it's not without its charms. --Jeff Shannon

Chato's Land

Charles Bronson (The Magnificent Seven) and Academy Award(r) winner* Jack Palance (City Slickers) star in a magnificent western as wild and untamed as the Old West itself. Bristling with dynamic action sequences and riveting performances, Chato's Land is a bold, sweeping tale of passion, vengeance and cold-blooded murder. Chato (Bronson) is a half-breed Apache Indian who treads the line between two cultures, balancing allegiance to his tribe with the allure of the white man's world. But when Chato kills a vicious sheriff in self-defense, he finds himselfhunted by a posse led by the ruthless Quincey Whitmore (Palance), a former Confederate soldier who is determined to see him hang. It's 13 men against one, but the odds shift in Chato's favor when he leads his pursuers into Apache territory, where the harsh, cruel countryside can kill as surely as agunman's bullet. *1991: Supporting Actor, City Slickers

Solarbabies

Paying homage to both The Road Warrior and The Lost Boys, Solarbabies is set in a futuristic world where water is scarce, children are locked away in orphanages, and a glowing ball of frenetic energy has the power to make dreams a reality. Released theatrically in 1986, the film's cast includes a who's who of some of that decade's most popular young actors: Jami Gertz (Sixteen Candles, Less Than Zero) is alpha girl Terra; Jason Patric (The Lost Boys, Rush)) portrays hot teen Jason; and Lukas Haas (Witness, Alpha Dog) co-stars as young deaf Danny. Through plucky perseverance and a skillful knowledge of skateball (a roller version of hockey), the kids come up with a plan to save civilization from the corporate dictatorship that rations the free flow of water and also save themselves from their stifling lives in the orphanage. As Terra points out, "We must have parents somewhere." Some of the sets seem so inspired by the The Road Warrior films that you half expect Tina Turner to pop out, referring to them as Raggedy Children. Instead, we get bon mots (again from Terra) such as, "Get out, you creature of filth!" The film has a certain cheesy charm that may appeal to viewers in their mid-teens. While not an original film by any means, it does include suspense and a surprising amount of heart. --Jae-Ha Kim

A futuristic sci-fi adventure film about a group of roller-skating orphans who try to save a mystical alien from destruction while rebelling against the evil power that rules their arid planet. Features special effects by Oscar-winner Richard Edlund.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: PG - 13 UPC: 027616072436 Manufacturer No: M107243

The Jack Ryan Special Edition Collection (The Hunt for Red October/Patriot Games/Clear and Present Danger/The Sum of All Fears)

All four movies in the Jack Ryan series, based on the novels of Tom Clancy.

Logan's Run

If you can stifle the urge to laugh at its pastel unisex costumes and futuristic shopping-mall décor, this extravagant science fiction film from 1976 is still visually fascinating and provocatively entertaining. Set in the year 2274, when ecological disaster has driven civilization to the protection of domed cities, the story revolves around a society that holds a ceremonial death ritual for all citizens who reach the age of 30. In a diseaseless city where free sex is encouraged and old age is virtually unknown, Logan (Michael York) is a "sandman," one who enforces this radical method of population control (but he's about to turn 30 and he doesn't want to die). Escaping from the domed city via a network of underground passages, Logan is joined by another "runner" named Jessica (Jenny Agutter), while his former sandman partner (Richard Jordan) is determined to terminate Logan's rebellion. Using a variety of splendid matte paintings and miniatures, Logan's Run earned a special Oscar for visual effects (images of a long-abandoned Washington, D.C., are particularly impressive), and in addition to fine performances by Jordan and Peter Ustinov, the film features '70s poster babe Farrah Fawcett in a cheesy supporting role. Jerry Goldsmith's semi-electronic score is still one of the prolific composer's best, and Logan's Run remains an interesting example of '70s sci-fi that preceded Star Wars by less than a year. --Jeff Shannon

Dune (Widescreen)

Even more than most of David Lynch's deliberately bizarre and idiosyncratic movies, Dune is a "love-it-or-hate-it" affair. An ambitious, epic, utterly mind-boggling--and, let's admit it, all-out weird--adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune remains one of the most controversial films in the director's exceedingly provocative career. The story (if Dune can be said to have just one story) is complex and convoluted in the epic tradition; it has something to do with political intrigue and a planet that is home to a precious spice and gigantic sand worms. Think Shakespeare's Henry IV with a dash of Tremors, and set in another galaxy. But despite plenty of strangely whispered voice-overs that explain the characters' thoughts (and endlessly detailed exposition), storytelling is not really among the film's strong points. There are, however, a lot of memorably fantastic/grotesque images, an extraordinary cast, and a soundtrack featuring Toto. I told you it was weird. Among the stars are Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, Sting, Kenneth McMillan, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, and Linda Hunt. The DVD contains the original release version; a shorter version cut for television has been disowned by Lynch, who insisted his name be replaced by that famous Hollywood pseudonym "Alan Smithee." --Jim Emerson

The Bunker

Anthony Hopkins gives an Emmy Award-winning performance as Adolf Hitler over the 105 days of his decline. With the Third Reich crumbling around him Hitler rages as he faces the final hours before a choice must be made between suicide and surrender.System Requirements:Running Time: 87 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: NR UPC: 026359115820