Elvis Lives!
The Shady Rest retirement home in Mud Creek, Texas is about to get “all shook up” when Elvis Presley returns in Bubba Ho-Tep, last year’s instant cult classic from director Don Coscarelli (Phantasm). In the film The Onion hailed as “Winning! Satisfying! Wacky!”, Bruce Campbell stars as an aging and cantankerous Elvis who swings his feeble hips while combating a blood-sucking mummy intent on taking over the world. (Er, something like that.) MGM Home Entertainment will give the film a lavish special edition on May 25th, complete with anamorphic widescreen transfer, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track, two audio commentaries with Coscarelli and Campbell and a second with The King himself, the “Making-Of,” “To Make a Mummy,” “To Score a King” and “Fit For a King” featurettes, an animated still gallery, original Bubba Ho-Tep short story reading by Joe R. Lansdale, the original theatrical trailer and an easter egg.
MGM has also just announced the release of Best Foreign Film Academy Award nominee Osama, which will hit stores on April 27th. Presented in anamorphic widescreen and original Pashtu mono, extras include the “Sharing Hope and Freedom” featurette and the trailer.
Polly Wanna Cracker?
The Ben Stiller juggernaut continues on DVD with the release of Along Came Polly, his hit comedy with Jennifer Aniston that will get the special edition treatment on June 8th from Universal Studios Home Video. To be made available in separate anamorphic widescreen and full screen releases, each includes Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks, audio commentary with director John Hamburg, making-of and “Rodolfo Goes Hollywood” featurettes, deleted scenes and an alternate opening with optional commentary, outtakes, and theatrical trailers.
Reality Doesn’t Bite
Also due on June 8th is the Stiller-directed Reality Bites: 10th Anniversary Edition, which will include a commentary with Stiller, deleted scenes, filmographies and trailers.
Back to School
Rounding out today’s news is the latest batch of catalog announcements from Paramount Home Entertainment. Just in time for summer vacation is a collection of three cult favorites, all themed around beaches, blankets and bingo. Due on June 1st are Funny About Love, the Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon reunion flick Back to the Beach, and Summer School, starring Mark Harmon. Each is newly remastered in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1, and feature no extras.
Paramount will also release three new children’s titles on May 25th: Blue’s Clues: Blue Talks, SpongeBob SquarePants: SpongeGuard On Duty and Dora the Explorer: Super Silly Fiesta. Each release is presented in 4:3 full screen and Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, and all include bonus episodes, plus interactive games on the Blue’s Clues and Dora discs, and storyboards on SpongeBob.
Also just announced is a May 18th street date for the recent John Woo action flick Paycheck, starring Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman. Although full specs have not yet been announced, the flick will be available in separate anamorphic widescreen and full screen versions.
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