Knight at HOME at the Movies
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
2007 Summer DVD Preview
Hollywood counts on the summer blockbuster season to bolster their bottom line but they also rely on the strength of DVD
sales to do the same thing. So while this truly is the season to head out to the theatre, there are just as many reasons
to stay at home and fire up the grill along with the DVD player. Unlike the feature releases, however, these titles are ALL
sure bets and will be of distinct interest to at least some segment of the GLBT movie going population.
25 reasons to stay home this summer:
Hollywood counts on the summer blockbuster season to bolster their bottom line but they also rely on the strength of DVD
sales to do the same thing. So while this truly is the season to head out to the theatre, there are just as many reasons
to stay at home and fire up the grill along with the DVD player. Unlike the feature releases, however, these titles are ALL
sure bets and will be of distinct interest to at least some segment of the GLBT movie going population.
25 reasons to stay home this summer:
1. Start off with a theme for your first DVD night – “Pooftas” – with the three gay themed titles that I wrote about in
last week’s column as your selections – The Naked Civil Servant, The Lost Language of Cranes, Little Britain Live and add
one of the three seasons of Little Britain as well. (all available now)
2. Katharine Hepburn Collection includes 1933’s Morning Glory (her first Oscar win), gay director George Cukor's
sexually ambiguous Sylvia Scarlet from 1936 with Cary Grant and Hepburn in drag as a very fetching young man through
much of the film and Hepburn and Cukor’s final effort, the TV version of The Corn Is Green in 1979. There’s also three
Hepburn 1940s vehicles: Vincente Minnelli’s tense psychological thriller Undercurrent (1946) with Robert Taylor and Robert
Mitchum, Without Love (1945), a minor comedy with Spencer Tracy and co-star Lucille Ball and Dragonseed (1944), the
weakest link in the set with Hepburn as a Chinese peasant! Don’t let that put you off this otherwise stellar collection that
honors what would have been Hepburn’s 100th birthday. (May 29)
3. Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds is the first “gay” sequel. A silly, sexy fun romp with Mink Stole as the protective,
queer loving mother of out singer Jim Verraros. (May 29)
4. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Extra Frills Edition has plenty of new fun surprises to make the
DVD upgrade worth it – deleted scenes, karaoke tracks, behind the scenes featurettes, director and cast commentaries,
and more. (June 5)
5. Desert Hearts 2-disc Vintage Collection – This is a long overdue reexamination of this lesbian classic from 1986.
New interviews with director Donna Deitch, Helen Shaver, and Patricia Charboneau are among the extra goodies. See our
interview with Helen Shaver in this issue. (June 5)
6. Fantastic Voyage Special Edition also offers a wealth of new and vintage material. Fans of this 1966 sci-fi, semi-
camp favorite with Raquel Welch and Stephen Boyd won’t be disappointed. (June 5)
7. Dante’s Cove Season 2 – Cable premium gay network Here! brings us three new episodes of maybe the dumbest,
sexiest supernatural thriller series ever in a 2-disc version that easily lives up to its “guilty pleasure” billing. (June 5)
8. Kathy Griffin – My Life on the D List – The hilarious first season starring the self-proclaimed queen of the fag hags
arrives in a 2-disc set just in time for Bravo to promote season three of the Emmy nominated show. (June 12)
9. A Little Night Music – Alright erudite show tune queens one of your most requested titles is here at last (it never
made it to video). Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Rigg star in this little seen 1978 big screen adaptation of the Stephen
Sondheim musical (Taylor also sings “Send in the Clowns” – no really). (June 12)
10. Noah’s Arc Season Two – Until the feature film version of LOGO’s queer African American version of “Sex and the
City” shows up this 3-disc compilation of the show’s final season will have to suffice. If this is any indication the wait will
be worth it. (June 12)
11. Gray Matters – The lesbian romantic comedy with Heather Graham, Tom Cavanagh, a lovelorn Alan Cumming
and eccentric Molly Shannon comes to DVD. (June 19)
12. Lucille Ball Film Collection – My camp prayers have been answered! 1974’s Mame is finally here and even
without extras the wait has been worth it. Lucy sings, Bea Arthur camps and both look smashing in Theadora Van
Runkle's drag queen costumes. Also included are several pre-“I Love Lucy” films – 1942’s vastly entertaining The Big
Street with Ball costarring with Henry Fonda and particularly fine as a hard bitten showgirl (it was her favorite film
performance), the lush musical comedy DuBarry Was a Lady (Ball and Red Skelton), Critics Choice with Bob Hope, and Ball
as a ballerina (!) turned burlesque queen in Dance Girl Dance. (June 19)
13. Reno 911: Miami – The laugh a minute, big screen version of the Comedy Central parody hit comes to DVD in an
unrated edition promising even less of Lt. Jim Dangle’s short shorts and more of Terry the prostitute’s butt cheeks. (June
19)
14. Cult Camp Classics Volume 1 (Queen of Outer Space-Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman-Giant Behemoth),
Cult Camp Classics Volume 2 (Big Cube-Caged-Trog),
Cult Camp Classics Volume 3 (Skyjacked-Hot Rods to Hell-Zero Hour),
Cult Camp Classics Volume 4 (The Prodigal-Land of the Pharoahs-Colossus of Rome)
The titles almost tell you everything you need to know but knowing these include wretched to not bad performances from
Zsa Zsa Gabor, Joan Collins, Joan Crawford, Agnes Moorehead, and Eleanor Parker might be the final convincer. (All June
26)
15. Wedding Wars – John Stamos plays gay in this charming cable TV film and Mr. Barbra Streisand, James Brolin is
also on hand. (June 26)
16. Puccini for Beginners – This year’s other lesbian romantic comedy with Elizabeth Reaser, Justin Kirk and Gretchen
Mol. (July 3)
17. Esther Williams Collection Volume 1 – Dive right in and enjoy these long anticipated water logged musicals from
MGM’s pert aquatic star. The set includes Bathing Beauty, Easy to Wed, On An Island With You, Neptune’s Daughter, Dangerous
When Wet – all making their DVD debut. (July 17)
18. Zodiac – Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey, Jr. and Mark Ruffalo star in director David “Fight Club” Fincher's creepy
story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders. (July 24)
19. Perfume – The Story of a Murderer – Writer-director-composer Tom Tykwer’s unfairly trounced sensual delight
gets a second life on DVD and hopefully this time the sweet smell of success will follow. (July 24)
20. 300 – A 2-disc Special Edition full of extra material about the making of Zack Snyder’s homoerotic mega violent
Spartan epic with buff star Gerard Butler and lesbian fave Lena Headey will win the battle for both gay and straight fans.
(July 31)
21. Flash Gordon – Savior of the Universe Edition – I’m not sure about the “savior” part but this new version of the
camp 1980 film with Playgirl centerfold Sam Jones as the iconic hero and Freddie Mercury belting out “Flash! Ahhhh-
ahhhh!” every two minutes is welcome indeed. A few featurettes are augmented by the inclusion of the original black and
white serial. (August 7)
22. Blades of Glory – Will Ferrell and Jon Heder’s queer friendly comedy hit about the first competitive male skating
duo arrives in August. Special features to be announced.
23. Shakespeare Collection – Several unusual versions of the Bard’s best known works are compiled in this 5-disc set
and include Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 Hamlet (a 2-disc set), Laurence Olivier’s compelling Othello from 1965 (with co-star
Maggie Smith), Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard’s sumptuous but maudlin Romeo & Juliet from 1936 and an all star
(Cagney-de Havilland-Rooney et al) 1935 fantasy stuffed A Midsummer’s Night Dream. (August 14)
24. Inland Empire – Laura Dern mesmerizes in David Lynch’s strangest cinematic outing to date. Hardcore fans will
be thrilled with this 2-disc version. Special Features TBA. (August 14)
25. Dynasty Season 2 – At long last Joan Collins enters the story as bitchy Crystal Carrington and kick starts
(sometimes literally) the 1980s most beloved nighttime soap opera into high gear. This 6-disc set will keep camp addicts
satisfied well into the fall. (August 14)
last week’s column as your selections – The Naked Civil Servant, The Lost Language of Cranes, Little Britain Live and add
one of the three seasons of Little Britain as well. (all available now)
2. Katharine Hepburn Collection includes 1933’s Morning Glory (her first Oscar win), gay director George Cukor's
sexually ambiguous Sylvia Scarlet from 1936 with Cary Grant and Hepburn in drag as a very fetching young man through
much of the film and Hepburn and Cukor’s final effort, the TV version of The Corn Is Green in 1979. There’s also three
Hepburn 1940s vehicles: Vincente Minnelli’s tense psychological thriller Undercurrent (1946) with Robert Taylor and Robert
Mitchum, Without Love (1945), a minor comedy with Spencer Tracy and co-star Lucille Ball and Dragonseed (1944), the
weakest link in the set with Hepburn as a Chinese peasant! Don’t let that put you off this otherwise stellar collection that
honors what would have been Hepburn’s 100th birthday. (May 29)
3. Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds is the first “gay” sequel. A silly, sexy fun romp with Mink Stole as the protective,
queer loving mother of out singer Jim Verraros. (May 29)
4. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Extra Frills Edition has plenty of new fun surprises to make the
DVD upgrade worth it – deleted scenes, karaoke tracks, behind the scenes featurettes, director and cast commentaries,
and more. (June 5)
5. Desert Hearts 2-disc Vintage Collection – This is a long overdue reexamination of this lesbian classic from 1986.
New interviews with director Donna Deitch, Helen Shaver, and Patricia Charboneau are among the extra goodies. See our
interview with Helen Shaver in this issue. (June 5)
6. Fantastic Voyage Special Edition also offers a wealth of new and vintage material. Fans of this 1966 sci-fi, semi-
camp favorite with Raquel Welch and Stephen Boyd won’t be disappointed. (June 5)
7. Dante’s Cove Season 2 – Cable premium gay network Here! brings us three new episodes of maybe the dumbest,
sexiest supernatural thriller series ever in a 2-disc version that easily lives up to its “guilty pleasure” billing. (June 5)
8. Kathy Griffin – My Life on the D List – The hilarious first season starring the self-proclaimed queen of the fag hags
arrives in a 2-disc set just in time for Bravo to promote season three of the Emmy nominated show. (June 12)
9. A Little Night Music – Alright erudite show tune queens one of your most requested titles is here at last (it never
made it to video). Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Rigg star in this little seen 1978 big screen adaptation of the Stephen
Sondheim musical (Taylor also sings “Send in the Clowns” – no really). (June 12)
10. Noah’s Arc Season Two – Until the feature film version of LOGO’s queer African American version of “Sex and the
City” shows up this 3-disc compilation of the show’s final season will have to suffice. If this is any indication the wait will
be worth it. (June 12)
11. Gray Matters – The lesbian romantic comedy with Heather Graham, Tom Cavanagh, a lovelorn Alan Cumming
and eccentric Molly Shannon comes to DVD. (June 19)
12. Lucille Ball Film Collection – My camp prayers have been answered! 1974’s Mame is finally here and even
without extras the wait has been worth it. Lucy sings, Bea Arthur camps and both look smashing in Theadora Van
Runkle's drag queen costumes. Also included are several pre-“I Love Lucy” films – 1942’s vastly entertaining The Big
Street with Ball costarring with Henry Fonda and particularly fine as a hard bitten showgirl (it was her favorite film
performance), the lush musical comedy DuBarry Was a Lady (Ball and Red Skelton), Critics Choice with Bob Hope, and Ball
as a ballerina (!) turned burlesque queen in Dance Girl Dance. (June 19)
13. Reno 911: Miami – The laugh a minute, big screen version of the Comedy Central parody hit comes to DVD in an
unrated edition promising even less of Lt. Jim Dangle’s short shorts and more of Terry the prostitute’s butt cheeks. (June
19)
14. Cult Camp Classics Volume 1 (Queen of Outer Space-Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman-Giant Behemoth),
Cult Camp Classics Volume 2 (Big Cube-Caged-Trog),
Cult Camp Classics Volume 3 (Skyjacked-Hot Rods to Hell-Zero Hour),
Cult Camp Classics Volume 4 (The Prodigal-Land of the Pharoahs-Colossus of Rome)
The titles almost tell you everything you need to know but knowing these include wretched to not bad performances from
Zsa Zsa Gabor, Joan Collins, Joan Crawford, Agnes Moorehead, and Eleanor Parker might be the final convincer. (All June
26)
15. Wedding Wars – John Stamos plays gay in this charming cable TV film and Mr. Barbra Streisand, James Brolin is
also on hand. (June 26)
16. Puccini for Beginners – This year’s other lesbian romantic comedy with Elizabeth Reaser, Justin Kirk and Gretchen
Mol. (July 3)
17. Esther Williams Collection Volume 1 – Dive right in and enjoy these long anticipated water logged musicals from
MGM’s pert aquatic star. The set includes Bathing Beauty, Easy to Wed, On An Island With You, Neptune’s Daughter, Dangerous
When Wet – all making their DVD debut. (July 17)
18. Zodiac – Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey, Jr. and Mark Ruffalo star in director David “Fight Club” Fincher's creepy
story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders. (July 24)
19. Perfume – The Story of a Murderer – Writer-director-composer Tom Tykwer’s unfairly trounced sensual delight
gets a second life on DVD and hopefully this time the sweet smell of success will follow. (July 24)
20. 300 – A 2-disc Special Edition full of extra material about the making of Zack Snyder’s homoerotic mega violent
Spartan epic with buff star Gerard Butler and lesbian fave Lena Headey will win the battle for both gay and straight fans.
(July 31)
21. Flash Gordon – Savior of the Universe Edition – I’m not sure about the “savior” part but this new version of the
camp 1980 film with Playgirl centerfold Sam Jones as the iconic hero and Freddie Mercury belting out “Flash! Ahhhh-
ahhhh!” every two minutes is welcome indeed. A few featurettes are augmented by the inclusion of the original black and
white serial. (August 7)
22. Blades of Glory – Will Ferrell and Jon Heder’s queer friendly comedy hit about the first competitive male skating
duo arrives in August. Special features to be announced.
23. Shakespeare Collection – Several unusual versions of the Bard’s best known works are compiled in this 5-disc set
and include Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 Hamlet (a 2-disc set), Laurence Olivier’s compelling Othello from 1965 (with co-star
Maggie Smith), Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard’s sumptuous but maudlin Romeo & Juliet from 1936 and an all star
(Cagney-de Havilland-Rooney et al) 1935 fantasy stuffed A Midsummer’s Night Dream. (August 14)
24. Inland Empire – Laura Dern mesmerizes in David Lynch’s strangest cinematic outing to date. Hardcore fans will
be thrilled with this 2-disc version. Special Features TBA. (August 14)
25. Dynasty Season 2 – At long last Joan Collins enters the story as bitchy Crystal Carrington and kick starts
(sometimes literally) the 1980s most beloved nighttime soap opera into high gear. This 6-disc set will keep camp addicts
satisfied well into the fall. (August 14)