Page 22 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • May 30, 2012
DVD releases
(continued from Restaurant page) coastal rocks and plundered. The ghostly sisters haunt the captain and obtain help from a mysterious clown who leads them to an impressive, disused cathedral. There, they meet an intellectual priest standing guard over a cell that harbors the Devil, who empowers the angelic girls with the evil necessary to exact their vengeance. As a horror film, “The Demoniacs” is rather dull. The acting is weak, it has few scares and little suspense, the stage blood is not convincing, and too much interesting action occurs off screen. Rollin tries to make up for these deficits with nudity. Special Blu-ray features include an introduction by Rollin, deleted scenes, additional deleted footage, original trailers, and a 16-page booklet. The film is in French with English subtitles. “Lethal Weapon Collection” (Warner Home Video) is a five-disc Blu-ray box set containing all four original theatrical releases in the series, starting with “Lethal Weapon” (1987) and concluding with “Lethal Weapon 4” (1998). The franchise, directed by Richard Donner (“Superman,” “The Goonies”) and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as L.A. detectives, is one of the most successful in film history, with the worldwide box office gross and home entertainment sales totaling more than $1 billion. Extras include numerous deleted scenes, commentary by Richard Donner, music videos, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. “Coriolanus” (Anchor Bay) is Ralph Fiennes’ directo-
rial debut in a modernization of one of Shakespeare’s less popular plays. Fiennes plays the title role, a battle-scarred, blood-smeared Roman general whose courage is unquestioned, but whose leanings are Fascistic. He falls from grace when he follows advice to curry favor with the masses in a bid for political office. Scorned by the ungrateful rabble when he fails to conceal his utter contempt for them, he defects to the enemy and prepares to unleash revenge on his countrymen. Screenwriter John Logan has updated the chaos of the fifth century B.C. with parallels to present day Europe in crisis. The film shows the devious political machinations that get Coriolanus banished from Rome, setting the stage for his plot to seek vengeance. Lots of action, particularly violent street fighting, give the film a contemporary feel. The movie is elevated by a first-rate cast that includes Gerard Butler, Brian Cox, and Jessica Chastain. Vanessa Redgrave stands out as Coriolanus’ mother, Volumnia, a military officer with a carnivorous appetite for family glory. There are no bonus features on this Blu-ray release. “The Jungle Bunch” (Universal Home Entertainment) is an animated film about Maurice, a penguin who was raised in the jungle and thinks he is a tiger. When Ping and Pong, two penguins from his Antarctic homeland, come in search of “The Great Tiger Warrior” to defend their colony from an invading herd of walruses, Maurice assembles a misfit team of jungle friends: Fred, the musical warthog; Batricia, a bat who is afraid of the dark; Miguel, a sweet gorilla; and Gilbert, a terrified monkey. Together they set out to save the penguins’ home and end up on an unforgettable adventure. Bonus extra: 26 funny “behind the scenes” shorts.