Review: New on DVD for April 12 (Includes first-hand account)

David: The tale of the boy who stood up to the fearsome giant Goliath and who grew to be king of all Israel.
Samson and Delilah: Chosen by God to defeat the Philistines, Samson (Eric Thal) is imbued with tremendous strength — but when he is charmed by the seductive Delilah (Elizabeth Hurley), the mighty Samson is brought to his knees. Only through divine forgiveness can he regain what he has lost in order to stand against the tyranny of the Philistines.

Both of these tales centre on men who achieve great things, but whose egos lead them to make bad choices. Beginning with their childhoods, David’s and Samson’s lives are chronicled through their many trials and triumphs. The stories are quite dark and result in a lot of bloodshed that is often surprising in its brutality. Although it’s David’s narrative, his sons play a major part in his fate as they make disturbing decisions that test David’s devotion to his family and God. Most people are familiar with Samson’s tale and his downfall at the hands of Delilah, but this film illustrates everything that occurred before and after the loss of his hair. Dennis Hopper also appears as Delilah’s co-conspirator who proves slightly more insightful than his peers.

There are no special features. (Shout Factory)

Dead Drop (Blu-ray)

After surviving a fall from a plane 3000-feet over the ocean, Michael Shaughnessy (Luke Goss), a former CIA operative turned government contractor, re-infiltrates a dangerous Mexican drug trafficking ring to find his own killer. With his memory unravelling, he descends into a murderous rampage while trying to uncover the truth.

Beginning with a precarious free-fall from an airplane, Michael is constantly on the move as is his target. Weeks of recuperation give his killer a head start that requires Michael to deliver a lot of threats and thrashings in order to track him down. Michael’s tactics draw a lot of attention from all sides, causing him to not only be the hunter but also the hunted. While following the ambiguous but bloody trail, he also befriends his hostage, loses a loved one and tests the boundaries of a friendship. In between chasing down leads, Michael repeatedly flashes back to the shooting, pointlessly replaying the same fragments of the incident; it’s not until the end that the scene is completed with little fanfare.

There are no special features. (VVS Films)

Destroyer / Edge of Sanity [Double Feature] (Blu-ray)

Destroyer: When Ivan Moser (football great Lyle Alzado), a convicted serial killer, is set to be electrocuted, a devastating prison riot erupts on the day of the execution. In the wake of the destruction and mayhem, the prison is shut down and Moser becomes a legend. No proof of his death exists. Eighteen months later, a film director (Anthony Perkins) intrigued by the legend of Moser, decides to use the prison as a film set. One the last night of filming, the truth of Moser’s fate is about to be revealed. The film crew, trapped inside the prison, begin to disappear one by one.
Edge of Sanity: After a lab experiment unleashes mysterious fumes, Dr. Henry Jekyll (Anthony Perkins) undergoes a horrifying transformation into a savage alter ego who calls himself “Jack Hyde.” Meanwhile, the depraved killer Jack the Ripper is slicing his way through the alleys of Whitechapel, leaving mutilated streetwalkers in his wake. Is there a connection between Jekyll/Hyde and Jack the Ripper?

Even though Perkins is the only actor billed in the first synopsis, his character is not at the centre of the story. The focus is on an inquiring screenwriter and his girlfriend who is working as a stunt double on the movie and who’s also captured the interest of a creepy secret admirer. Basically a slasher movie set in an abandoned prison, the body count keeps rising while the mysterious killer lurks in the shadows. The second narrative is more involved and stylistic, though the theory is less convincing. Combining the tales of Jekyll and Hyde, and Jack the Ripper is an interesting choice; however, the attacks portrayed are inconsistent with the legend and affects the film’s credibility. Nonetheless, Perkins is excellent as the man with dual personalities and hairstyles.

Special features include: theatrical trailers. (Scream Factory)

Ip Man 3 (Blu-ray)

When a band of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer (Mike Tyson) make a play to take over the city, Master Ip (Donnie Yen) is forced to take a stand.

This third picture capitalizes on an idea put forward in the second movie, which pits a martial artist against a boxer; though it doesn’t have the same Rocky IV elements, the inevitable contest between Tyson and Yen is still outstanding. In addition to the conventional narrative of Ip Man standing for what’s right, there’s a secondary story about another master of Wing Chun who is attempting to challenge him. The pair’s relationship is in constant flux as their desire to care for their families and their competitiveness is often in contention. Returning to the character five years later, Yen doesn’t miss a beat even though this movie is probably the most action-packed of the three films with large fight sequences and intricate one-on-one battles.

Special features include: making-of featurette; behind-the-scenes featurette; and interviews with Yen and Tyson. (Well Go USA)

Prisoners’ Wives: Complete Collection (DVD)

In Series 1, Gemma’s (Emma Rigby) perfect life falls apart when her husband (Jonas Armstrong) is arrested for murder. She becomes part of a strange sorority including the glamorous Francesca (Polly Walker), wife of career criminal Paul (Iain Glen); struggling young mother Lou (Natalie Gavin); and respectable widow Harriet (Pippa Haywood). In Series 2, bride-to-be Aisling (Karla Crome) hopes her father will get out of jail in time to walk her down the aisle, and mother-of-three Kim (Sally Carman) works to prove her husband’s innocence.

While a number of TV series have attempted to depict what it’s like inside of a prison, this one tries to show what it’s like for the loved ones left on the other side of the bars. Just visiting a prisoner is an ordeal that includes wives, mothers and children being patted down before entry is permitted. In addition to this weekly ritual of humiliation, they must contend with the rumours, insults and difficulties of becoming a family’s sole provider. Each woman’s plight is interesting on its own, as is the strange community they form and how it translates to the inmates. However as each season only includes a handful of episodes the stories are never quite as fleshed out as they could be, leaving some undeveloped angles and dropped storylines.

There are no special features. (Acorn)

Village of the Damned [Collector’s Edition] (Blu-ray)

Something is terribly wrong in the tiny village of Midwich. After an unseen force invades a quiet coastal town, ten women mysteriously find themselves pregnant. Local physician Dr. Alan Chaffee (Christopher Reeve) and government scientist Dr. Susan Verner (Kirstie Alley) join forces when the women simultaneously give birth and the reign of supernatural terror begins.

John Carpenter‘s take on this picture is purposefully stylish and creepy with excellent casting choices for both the children and adults. Alan is in the dual position of being a father to one of these children as well as a doctor objectively analyzing their effect on the town. Alley is his collaborator as they exchange findings and strategies, all while trying to avoid detection by the psychic beings occupying the town. Surprisingly, a very young Thomas Dekker plays the white-haired child with feelings — unlike the rest. In addition to their eerie appearance and uniformity, the unnecessary cruelty the kids exhibit is what really grabs the audience’s attention; it not being an isolated incident is just another element of interest.

Special features include: making-of featurette; “Horror’s Hallowed Grounds – Revisiting The Locations Of The Film”; “The Go To Guy: Peter Jason On John Carpenter”; vintage interviews featuring John Carpenter, Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley, Linda Kozlowski, Mark Hamill and Wolf Rilla (director of the original film); behind-the-scenes footage and still gallery; and theatrical trailer. (Scream Factory)