On DVDs arriving today: a sequel in an Unrated Edition, a woman with a premonition and a working girl with a happy disposition.
Also this week: the embodiment of Andy Warhol's ambition, a Parisian in transition, an examination into Islamic tradition and Elizabeth Berkeley and Gina Gershon on exhibition.
Has there been an omission?
See our list of top titles (after the jump) for a more complete rendition.
In the 1960s, no star burned brighter than the original "It" girl, Edie Sedgwick, played by Sienna Miller in "Factory Girl," out on DVD today. The film follows Edie's meteoric rise from art student to the top of the New York fashion scene.
As the muse of pop artist Andy Warhol (Guy Pearce), Edie paid a steep price for fame. This fascinating journey through pop-culture history takes us inside Warhol's legendary studio, where the worlds of art, film, fashion and celebrity all collided.
On DVD, "Factory Girl" arrives in an Unrated Edition with fifteen minutes of footage not seen in theaters, along with commentary from George Hickenlooper and several behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Sandra Bullock stars in the eerie, time-bending, emotionally-charged film "Premonition," available this week on standard definition DVD (widescreen / full screen) and Blu-ray Disc.
In this supernatural thriller full of twists and turns, Bullock must unravel the mystery of her "Premonition" and race against time to try to save her husband's life. The film also stars Julian McMahon, Nia Long and Peter Stormare.
Both the DVD and Blu-ray Disc have extensive bonus materials including deleted scenes, an alternate ending with optional director's commentary, a look at the making of the movie with interviews from the cast and crew, a look at the major events of the movie put in "normal" order and narrated by director Mennan Yapo, a documentary about real life people who have had premonitions into the future, a blooper reel and an audio commentary with the director and Bullock.
A slice of Parisian romance can be found in "Avenue Montaigne."
The film centers around Jessica, a beautiful young woman from the provinces who comes to Paris and lands a job waiting tables at a chic bistro on fabled "Avenue Montaigne," the city's nexus for art, music, theater and fashion.
Jessica's customers include a popular TV actress who is courting a major Hollywood director for her first serious film role, a wealthy art collector who is about to liquidate a lifetime's worth of treasures at auction and an illustrious classical pianist who is at odds with his manager/wife as to where his career is headed.
Because Jessica does not know how celebrated these people are, her guileless and complete engagement in their lives has a transforming effect on them - and ultimately on her.
The film stars Cecile de France, Albert Dupontel, Laura Morante, Christopher Thompson and Annelise Hesme and also features a performance a performance by Sydney Pollack (better known in the USA as a director).
Shockingly horrific and graphically violent, the sequel to last year's successful remake of the cult-classic film, "The Hills Have Eyes 2" is also out this week.
Co-written by horror maven Wes Craven with his son Jonathan Craven, the blood-soaked sequel picks up two years after the ill-fated Carter family was attacked in the New Mexico desert.
"The Hills Have Eyes 2" follows a group of rookie National Guard soldiers who come across a deserted research facility in the middle of nowhere.
When a distress signal is located in a distant mountain range, a search and rescue mission commences, leading them straight into the clutches of a deranged group of cannibalistic mutants and a relentlessly brutal fight for their lives.
Martin Weisz directs a talented cast of hot up-and-coming stars including Jacob Vargas, Flex Alexander, Lee Thompson Young, Daniella Alonso and Ben Crowley.
The film is available in both an Unrated Edition (featuring material "too intense and brutal for the theatrical release"), as well as the original theatrical version.
Since 9/11, virtually every major Western leader has expressed the view that Islam is a peaceful religion and that those who commit violence in its name are fanatics who misinterpret its tenets. This claim, while widely circulated, rarely attracts serious public examination.
"Islam: What the West Needs to Know" asks the important and overlooked question "Is Islam itself violent?"
A cautionary view that contradicts almost everything the mainstream media has publicized about the world's second most popular religion, "Islam: What the West Needs to Know," consists of original interviews, citations from Islamic texts, Islamic artwork, computer-animated maps, footage of Western leaders, and Islamic television broadcasts.
The film also features interviews with noted experts on Islam including author Robert Spencer, American historian, journalist, political analyst and foreign affairs editor Serge Trifkovic, British author and lecturer Bat Ye'or, Middle-Eastern author Abdullah Al-Araby, and former terrorist Walid Shoebat.
With questions about Islam, its tenets and followers top of mind around the world, "Islam: What the West Needs to Know" offers a glimpse into a religion under fire.
Available for the first time on DVD, "The Happy Hooker Collection" includes "The Happy Hooker" (1975), "The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington" (1977) and "The Happy Hooker Goes to Hollywood" (1980). These films are based on the autobiographical book “The Happy Hooker” written by Xaviera Hollander, the 70s’ most influential madam.
"The Happy Hooker," the first installment and most popular film of the series, features Lynn Redgrave as Hollander, who moves to New York and immediately gets the boot from her fiance. After taking a well-paid office job and dipping liberally into the Big Apple’s pool of men, she decides to turn her pleasure into a full-time business.
Also out today is another steamy but silly guilty pleasure: "Showgirls." They're calling this re-release the "Fully Exposed Edition."
"Showgirls" stars Elizabeth Berkeley, Kyle MacLachlan and Gina Gershon and tells the story of a young drifter, who arrives in Las Vegas to become a dancer, but soon finds that the road to stardom is paved with single dollar bills instead of gold.
Director Paul Verhoeven and Screenwriter Joe Eszterhaus may not have realized it at the time, but they created one of the all-time greatest camp cult classics.
Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies bring a showgirl from another era to DVD this week.
"TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Volume 1" is a collection of “Aqua Musicals” that includes the DVD debuts of five Technicolor films featuring the woman once known as "America's Favorite Mermaid" - "Bathing Beauty," "On an Island with You," "Easy to Wed," "Neptune's Daughter" and "Dangerous When Wet."
Also included are special features such as TCM host Robert Osborne's recent "Private Screenings" interview with Esther (featured on the "Bathing Beauty" DVD), Academy Award-winning vintage shorts, musical number outtakes and classic cartoons.
The films are available only as a Collection and can not be purchased separately.
As always, a list of top DVD releases for this week can be found in our left sidebar. You can also click "continue reading" (below) to read this extended post, which includes a more complete list of top DVD releases for this week.
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Top DVD Releases for Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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Premonition: Widescreen Edition
Premonition: Full Screen Edition
TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Vol. 1
Criterion Collection: Ace in the Hole
Raymond Bernard: Eclipse Series 4
The Hills Have Eyes 2: Unrated Edition
The Hills Have Eyes 2
Factory Girl: Unrated Edition
Avenue Montaigne
Red Dawn: Collector's Edition
Showgirls: Fully Exposed Edition
Race You to the Bottom
The Happy Hooker Trilogy
Perfect Creature
Hedda Gabler
The Corsican File
Surf School: Unrated Edition
Grindhouse Trash Collection
Chalkdust Memories: Classic Classroom Films
Dynamite Warrior
Poison Friends
Traci Townsend
Mr. Halloween
Blessed By Fire
The Ogre
The Emmanuelle Beart Collection
Sci-Fi Sinema
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Legends of Hollywood: Alfred Hitchcock
Beer Drinkers In Space
Foyle's War: Set 4
Gunsmoke: The First Season
Voyagers! - The Complete Series
Space Ghost and Dino Boy: The Complete Series
Wanted: Dead or Alive: Season Two
The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Second Season
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio: The Complete Series
The Rookies: The Complete First Season
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
Masters of Horror: The Black Cat
Most Haunted: The Collection
Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown, Vol. 1
Overhaulin' - Season 3, Vol. 1
Rising Damp - Series 4
Grafters: The Complete First Season
P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys Comedy: Season Two
The Best of the Colgate Comedy Hour: Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
America's Funniest Home Videos: Guide To Parenting
The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
Vincent
Frontline: Endgame
William and Mary
Rachel Brice: Bellydance Arms and Posture
Living Room Yoga: Strengthen And Lengthen
Keli Roberts: Breakthrough Upper Body & Core
Real World Yoga: Real People with Real Bodies
2006 - 2007 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs
The Very Best of GLOW, Vol. 4: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
Avenged Sevenfold: All Excess
Aerosmith: In Performance
The Moody Blues: Videobiography
The Who: Videobiography
We Love Ella! A Tribute To The First Lady Of Song
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Bob Dylan: The Golden Years 1962-1978
Bon Jovi: In Performance
Ralph Emery's Country Legends, Vol. 1
ABBA: Arrival
ABBA: Rock Case Studies
Jill Scott: Live in Paris
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Nirvana: In Performance
Johnny Cash: Music in Review
Iron Maiden: The World's Greatest Albums
David Bowie: Up Close & Personal (with Book)
Green Day: Rock Case Studies (with Book)
The Rolling Stones: Rock Case Studies
Pink Floyd: London 66 - 67
The Mormons
The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg
Roswell - Operation UFO: 60th Anniversary Edition
Islam: What the West Needs to Know
Upland Bird Hunting With Tom Huggler
Platinum Comedy Series: Bill Bellamy - Back to My Roots
Platinum Comedy Series: Paul Rodriguez Live in San Quentin
The Fifth Element [Blu-ray Disc]
Wild Things: Unrated Edition [Blu-ray Disc]
Waiting... (Unrated and Raw) [Blu-ray Disc]
Premonition [Blu-ray Disc]
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