Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & III • October 23, 2013 DVD releases (continued from Restaurant page) sister, an independent woman who speaks her mind, is inca- pable of artifice, and enjoys a good time. Janney has made a trademark of rapid dialogue peppered with zingers, and this script gives her plenty of material. “The Way, Way Back” is modest in its trappings, but delivers a solid story with uni- formly fine performances and thoughtful direction. Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes, a “Tour of the Water Park” featurette, a profile of the writer/directors, and a making-of mini-documentary. “The Conjuring” (Warner Home Video) is based on a true story, a case investigated by parapsychologists Ed and Lor- raine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), who have made a career of examining and finding reasons for apparently unexplainable occurrences. They have also partici- pated in exorcisms. Carolyn and Roger Perron (Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston) have just moved into a new house with their five daughters. Initially thrilled with their large home, they gradually discover that all is not right with it. Creepy noises abound, a series of bruises appear on Carolyn with no apparent cause, one of the daughters has conversations with a new and unseen “friend,” and birds dive kamikaze-style into the windows and walls. Concerned for the safety of their family, the Perrons seek the Warrens. Director James Wan knows how to build suspense and take his time developing tension as he keeps viewers guess- ing. Is the house possessed, or are natural forces targeting this family? Farmiga, who is excellent as the complex mother on TV’s “Bates Motel,” turns in the kind of nuanced performance seldom seen in horror movies. Her Lorraine is intelligent, devout, and dedicated to helping others. Her clairvoyant abil- ity makes her a valuable colleague for Ed, but the work has taken its toll in the past and the current case promises to be one of the most dangerous of their careers. Bonuses on the two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack include background on the case that inspired the film, a look at the work of the real Lorraine and Ed Warren, and a featurette about the techniques used by directors time and time again to scare audiences. “The Beast with Five Fingers” (Warner Archive) was made in 1946, a time when Universal’s creature stars -- Dracula, the Frankenstein monster, the Wolf Man, and the Mummy -- were appearing in endless sequels, cornering the horror market. Occasionally, however, another studio entered the realm of the weird and horrific. This entry, from Warner Bros., is set in a small town in Italy. Hilary Cummins (Peter Lorre) is the devoted secretary to wheelchair-bound piano virtuoso Francis Ingram (Victor Francen). After Ingram dies and Hilary dis- covers he has been left out of Ingram’s will, his resentment turns to macabre terror when the severed hand from Ingram’s corpse begins killing everyone in the villa. Though somewhat talky, the film is stylishly directed by Robert Florey, and Lorre easily steals the picture with his bulging eyes, quivering anger, and simmering menace. Scenes of a disembodied hand crawl- ing about add creepy atmosphere to this dark melodrama. The DVD release has no extras. “The JFK Collection” (Lionsgate) is a three-disc DVD set coming a month before the 50 th anniversary of John F. Kenne- dy’s assassination. The set is a collection of eight documenta- ries exploring one of America’s most legendary families. The films focus on a reckless, rich kid who lived on the edge and became a World War II hero and a president who challenged the nation to become involved in active service to the country and to one’s fellow man. Background is provided on the gen- erations who came before him -- those who arrived in Boston from Ireland in the mid-19 th century, determined to achieve the American Dream. A separate documentary covers the life and career of JFK’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy, who realized great success in both business and politics and, for a time, was a Hollywood financier. Also profiled extensively in this release are Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Robert F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., and Ted Kennedy. The last documentary, “JFK: Three Shots That Changed America,” deals with the assassi- nation and its aftermath on a shocked, grieving nation.