DYING ROOM ONLY -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 2/7/10

 

 

Here's a fun little flick for fans of made-for-TV movies from the 70s and especially the "ABC Movie of the Week." DYING ROOM ONLY (1973) is one of those low-budget thrillers that used to have the family glued to the TV and provided fodder for playground talk the next day.

Cloris Leachman and Dabney Coleman play Jean and Bob, a vacationing couple on their way home to L.A. who stop off at a secluded diner with an adjoining motel in the middle of the desert. Ross Martin is Jim, the surly fry cook who seems to begrudge them the slightest attention, and Ned Beatty is Tom, a fat redneck in a cowboy hat who simply exudes ill intent as he guzzles beer at the counter. When Jean goes to the ladies' room to wash her face, she returns to find that Bob has vanished without a trace.

Jim and Tom claim to have no idea where he went, growing more hostile and dismissive as the increasingly frantic Jean continues to press them. A visit from the local sheriff (Dana Elcar) is no help since he believes Bob simply took off and left her there. Finally, Jean gets a room at the motel and starts snooping around on her own, which leads to a night of terror and death.

"Simple but effective" would be a good way to describe this movie, which takes place entirely in and around the diner and motel (except for one brief scene near the end) and depends on the skills of the filmmakers and the cast to pull it off. Prolific television director Philip Leacock keeps Richard Matheson's lean, mean story on track from beginning to end, creating a growing sense of tension and dread that keeps us on edge. While 1997's BREAKDOWN would tell a very similar story on a much grander, action-oriented scale, this one unwinds like a page-turning short story. We're caught up in Jean's predicament from the start and are carried along with her frantic efforts to find her husband as the situation gets scarier and more desperate every minute.

As Jean, Cloris Leachman demonstrates what a great actress she is with a convincing performance that carries the film. No matter what she's required to do in each scene, she always plays it just right and never goes over the top. Ross Martin (best known as Artemis Gordon of TV's "The Wild, Wild West") is wonderfully hostile as Jim, the mysteriously uncooperative fry cook, while Ned Beatty makes the most of his chance to be the threatening hillbilly for a change. Louise Latham is effective as a creepy motel clerk, as is Dana Elcar in the role of the sheriff. Naturally, we don't see much of Dabney Coleman since his character disappears about ten minutes into the movie, but he's his usual rascally self.

The DVD is in full-screen and Dolby English mono, with no subtitles or extras. As a no-frills burn-on-demand entry in the Warner Brothers Archive Collection, the print hasn't been restored or remastered in any way. But despite some speckles and a rough patch here and there, it looks fine to me. More discerning videophiles may disagree.

Once again, the WB Archive has dusted off a nostalgic relic from those great TV-movie days of the 70s, and I especially enjoyed watching this one since I somehow missed it the first time around. DYING ROOM ONLY may not be a classic, and it certainly isn't an epic, but as a low-key suspense thriller it's definitely a keeper.

DYING ROOM ONLY -- DVD Review by Porfle

BAD RONALD -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 9/12/09

 

 

 

Back in the 70s, when it was still a novelty to see movies that were made exclusively for TV instead of theaters, there was a series called "ABC Movie of the Week." Imagine--brand new movies made just for TV, every week! We couldn't wait to see what this series would offer next, and for awhile they came up with a string of films--such as DUEL, TRILOGY OF TERROR, DAUGHTER OF THE MIND, and THE LOVE WAR--that would have the whole school buzzing the next day.

One of these made-for-TV gems that, to this day, still lingers in the minds of those who saw it back then is BAD RONALD (1974), now being released on DVD as part of the Warner Archive Collection. Aging child actor Scott Jacoby plays Ronald Wilby, a shy teenager who lives with his overprotective mother (Kim Hunter, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, PLANET OF THE APES) and often retreats into a fantasy world he calls Atranta. Distraught after being ridiculed by a girl who refused to go out with him, Ronald runs into a young neighbor girl and, in a fit of anger, accidentally kills her.

Panic-stricken Ronald buries the girl and rushes home to tell his mother. Imagining the worst, she instructs Ronald to convert their downstairs bathroom into a hidden room where he can hide until things have settled down enough for them to move somewhere else. The plan works perfectly--until Ronald's mother dies during an operation and he's left to fend for himself. Things get even more complicated when another family, the Woods--consisting of a mother, a father, and three daughters--moves into the house.

Technically, BAD RONALD is typical of these movie-of-the-week entries, with modest production values that give the film the look of an extended TV show episode. Veteran television director Buzz Kulik (BRIAN'S SONG, the similar CRAWLSPACE) is up to the task of telling this offbeat story in an interesting way and giving it a few creepy suburban-gothic touches.

Kim Hunter, of course, is great in her brief scenes as Ronald's mother, the last sympathetic figure in his life. Jacoby really underplays his role although this tends to emphasize Ronald's growing detachment from reality. The idea of him living alone in that hidden room--isolated, disheveled, and growing ever more mentally unbalanced--is intriguing, especially when he starts creeping around scrounging for food and spying on the family who moves into the house. A nosy old biddy next door, Mrs. Schumacher (Linda Watkins), adds tension by constantly peering through the windows.

Pippa Scott and a young Dabney Coleman are Mr. and Mrs. Wood, while sisters Lisa and Cindy Eilbacher play the two older daughters, Ellen and Althea, and Cindy Fisher is the youngest, Babs. The film grows steadily more creepy as they begin to notice various things amiss inside the house and eventually get the sick feeling that there's an unknown presence watching their every move. Voyeuristic Ronald's numerous peepholes enable him to keep tabs on the family and develop a dangerous obsession with the youngest daughter, Babs, whom he envisions as the fair princess to his valiant prince of Atranta. When he can no longer remain in hiding and finally makes his presence known to her, all hell breaks loose.

Someone recently described the Warner Archive Collection as "down and dirty, no frills" DVDs, intended to offer a selection of obscure and/or previously unavailable films that certain fans have wished for over the years. That's what the BAD RONALD DVD is--simply a passable copy (in 1.37:1 full-screen) of a film that didn't look that great originally, on a barebones burn-on-demand disc with no bonus features or chapter titles and a generic menu. Since I value the movie more than the extras, and am happy that films like this are available at all, this is fine with me. A much more in-depth discussion of the Warner Archive Collection can be found here.

A real gem among made-for-TV movies of the 70s, BAD RONALD is one of those low-key and subtly effective psychological horror-thrillers that just stays with you. Mention it to anyone who saw it back then and chances are they'll nod and smile as the memory of Ronald lurking in his hidden lair, peering furtively out at the world, comes creeping back to them.

BAD RONALD -- DVD Review by Porfle

VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA: SEASON FOUR VOLUME TWO -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 1/23/11

 

Not one of my favorite shows as a kid, I regarded the truly schizophrenic "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" as either too grown-up for me in its early episodes or too childish and silly later on.  After the adult-oriented first season, the network urged producer-director Irwin Allen ("The Time Tunnel", "Land of the Giants") to turn the series into a kid's show, and boy, did he ever. 

At times, the final half season contained in the DVD set VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA: SEASON FOUR VOLUME TWO makes Allen's "Lost in Space" look like FORBIDDEN PLANET.  Yet, some episodes are fairly straightforward sci-fi action thrillers.  This makes the collection a bit like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates--you never know what you're going to get.

Now that I'm a grown-up (so to speak) I get a big kick out of watching the more absurdly juvenile science-fantasy episodes.  It's fun to see just how cavalierly the writers will disregard logic and scientific accuracy to concoct colorful adventures that sometimes resemble the world of Adam West's "Batman", only totally lacking the self-mockery.

Things often don't make sense on the Seaview--the laws of physics operate in certain ways just because the writers want them to, while situations and character behavior may seem totally illogical.  Plot holes are blithely ignored and the juxtaposition between serious drama and deadpan farce is fascinating.





Based on the 1961 film which was also written and directed by Irwin Allen, the series takes place in the (then) near-future of the 70s and 80s and follows the adventures of the colossal atomic submarine Seaview and her crew.  Richard Basehart plays ship's designer Admiral Nelson (replacing Walter Pigeon, who starred in the film), a brilliant scientist whose research institute coordinates Seaview's missions along with the government.  David Hedison is Captain Lee Crane, the dynamic young skipper.  Rounding out the main cast are Robert Dowdell as executive officer Chip Morton, Del Monroe as sonor man Kowalski, and Terry Becker as Chief Sharkey.

The DVD collection sets sail with one of the dumbest episodes imaginable, "The Return of Blackbeard", with the titular pirate (Malachi Throne) somehow taking over the will of crewman Kowalski (Del Monroe) and others, and wreaking havoc aboard the Seaview.  Throne plays the character as though he were cavorting blind drunk through a dinner theater production of "My Favorite Year", and the episode is padded with so much empty action that it resembles a chapter from a bad serial. 

I remember seeing the preview for the next episode when I was a kid and being flabbergasted to find the Seaview menaced by...a leprechaun?  "Terrible Leprechaun", in fact, features twin leprechauns, both played by an ideally-cast Walter Burke.  The evil one is bent on using the submarine to obtain a horde of gold coins buried beneath the ocean floor, while the good one is out to stop him.  This episode just had me shaking my head in disbelief the whole time.


"The Lobster Man" boasts one of the hokiest monster suits in TV history.  Ditto for "Abominable Snowman", although it's surprisingly serious and not a bad story--a good example of how some of the plots straddle the line between adult and juvenile fare.  Fortunately, these are the last segments which feature such ridiculous-looking creature suits.

In between the two is the first truly riveting episode in the set, "Nightmare", which harkens back to the more grounded-in-reality feel of the first season despite its fantastic elements.  While piloting the Flying Sub, Crane spots a UFO in the vicinity of the Seaview.  He returns to the ship to find the crew gone and encounters a mysterious stranger (Paul Mantee) who claims to be a UFO expert sent by the military. 

A morose Nelson, Morton, and Kowalski suddenly appear and subdue Crane by force, sentencing him to death and announcing their plan to fire nuclear missiles at Washington, D.C.  With a darker, less kid-oriented tone and more real drama, this one's a corker.

Mark Richman guests in the exciting "Secret of the Deep" as a double agent trying to keep the Seaview from discovering a hidden underwater base while the sub is attacked by a number of impressive sea monsters.  "Man-Beast", with Lawrence Montaigne ("Stonn" of ST:TOS' "Amok Time"), is a genuine old-fashioned horror yarn with Captain Crane turning into a hairy, snarling werewolf after a failed extreme-depth experiment in the ship's diving bell. 

Next comes "Savage Jungle", in which an alien (Perry Lopez, CHINATOWN) smuggles three silver-skinned soldiers aboard in doll form so that they can use the Seaview to turn the entire world into a jungle.  The aliens of "Flaming Ice" are Frost Men who sport Flock of Seagulls hairdos and are led by an almost unrecognizable Michael Pate.  The story takes place beneath the polar ice cap and gives Kowalski another chance to freak out, which he's prone to do with disturbing regularity.


"Attack!" is a lively conglomeration of more aliens, more flying saucers, and more jungle scenery as Nelson and his crew struggle to stop a full-scale invasion from space which begins with the destruction of an entire fleet of ships.  Kevin Hagen ("Little House on the Prairie") leads a force of hostile spacemen in really bad uniforms while the great Skip Homeier totally awesome-izes the episode as peaceful alien Robek.  This one makes the next tale, "The Edge of Doom", seem almost mundane by comparison, although the story of a Seaview officer being replaced by an enemy lookalike bent on destroying the ship will keep you guessing.

The jungle set is reused yet again in "The Death Clock", the first of two time-traveller tales.  In this one, the evil Mallory (Chris Robinson) creates a time warp in which a future version of Captain Crane murders Admiral Nelson, then strands the crew in another dimension where they'll be blown to bits when the device of the title counts down to zero. 

The final episode of the series, "No Way Back", features venerable character actor Henry Jones as Mr. Pem, whose time travel device whisks the Seaview back to Revolutionary War-era America and pits the crew against Benedict Arnold (Barry Atwater).  It sounds goofy, but it's actually one of the best episodes of the set and treats its subject pretty seriously.  

The distinguished Basehart (THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV, MOBY DICK) is such a fine actor that his performances are always rock-solid even when he seems less than enthusiastic about dealing with pirates and leprechauns.  David Hedison, on the other hand, acts his way though each story as though his life depended on it.  I never realized how good he is before--he's always on his best game. 

The pacing of some episodes lacks momentum and tends to get a little monotonous.  However, the bizarre, anything-can-happen nature of the stories usually compensates for this.  The special effects are always interesting to look at, especially those beautiful models of the Seaview and the Flying Sub in action (much stock footage from the feature film is used).  Musical scores by composers such as Alexander Courage, Leith Stevens, and Harry Geller are consistently good.

An often-spoofed feature of the show is the "rock and roll", in which the actors hurl themselves repeatedly from one end of the set to the other as the camera lurches back and forth.  Unless I'm mistaken, this occurs in literally every episode of the set.  The ship's electrical circuitry bursting into flame or exploding as though packed with Roman candles is another familiar sight.


The DVD from 20-Century Fox is in full-screen with English and French mono sound and English subtitles.  The 13 digitally-remastered episodes are on three double-sided flipper discs.  Side six contains the special features, including a photo gallery.  Best of all, though, are two versions of the show's original pilot episode, "Eleven Days to Zero"--the unaired version, and the broadcast version complete with extra footage and original commercials, from a rare print furnished by Mrs. Irwin Allen.

This ragged black-and-white print is a priceless, dazzling piece of film that shows writer-director Irwin Allen at the height of his creative powers.  The opening alone is an audacious and breathtaking action setpiece, paving the way for a riveting sci-fi thriller that moves at a breakneck, almost frantic pace from start to finish. 

There's a sense of genuine gravity as the Seaview sets out to prevent a worldwide calamity with a powerful enemy trying to destroy them.  This malevolent organization, which resembles SPECTRE from the James Bond stories, is led by the mysterious Dr. Gamma (Theo Marcuse) and gives the film a Cold War vibe.  The Seaview is bombarded by depth charges and attacked by another sub (commanded by Werner Klemperer) while trying to stop an underwater earthquake which will flood the world's coastal regions.  A team of divers also encounter a giant octopus during a hazardous attempt to effect repairs. 

Lead performances are top-notch.  Baseheart, in particular, takes the whole thing as seriously as though he were starring in a big-budget war film.  Hedison is also sharp as a tack here, and guest star Eddie Albert lends even more weight to the episode.  Direction is lean and imaginative with some nice stylistic touches.  There's a robust musical score by Paul Sawtell (his main theme music became a permanent part of the series) which at times recalls Max Steiner's music for KING KONG.

Although uneven in tone and frequently downright silly, most of the thirteen episodes in VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA: SEASON FOUR VOLUME TWO are nevertheless wonderfully entertaining.  Fans of the show will know what to expect--others should just sit back and let this wildly unconventional series take their grasp on reality apart piece by piece.

VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA: SEASON FOUR VOLUME TWO -- DVD review by porfle

FALLEN -- DVD review by porfle

There have been several movies about fallen angels over the years, and for me, the ABC Family miniseries FALLEN (2006-07) is better than most of them.

Paul Wesley (VAMPIRE DIARIES) plays Aaron Corbett, a typical high school kid who's on the wrestling team and has a really big crush on a pretty girl named Vilma (Fernanda Andrade). Though happy living with his foster parents Tom and Lori and their autistic son Stevie, Aaron wonders what his real parents were like. On his 18th birthday, he finds out--his father was a fallen angel (one of Lucifer's followers, banished from Heaven for rebelling against God) who married a human woman, and they gave birth to a being known as a "nephilim"--an abomination with the powers of an angel and the soul of a human.

Now that he's of age, Aaron's angelic side is manifesting itself in weird ways. He can talk to his dog Gabriel as well as other animals, he can speak any language, he can do some of the cool "amaze your schoolmates" stuff that Peter Parker did in the first half of SPIDERMAN, and, according to a bum named Zeke (Tom Skerritt) who claims to be one of the Fallen, Aaron just happens to be the Redeemer whose coming has been prophesied for centuries. As such, he has the power to "redeem" fallen angels who repent of their rebellious ways and send them back to Heaven. The downside is that now, he's the target of a group of really badass angels known as The Powers, whose job it is to track down both fallen angels and nephilim alike and kill them.


As if the usual growing pains weren't enough of a problem, this new wrinkle in Aaron's life proves quite an inconvenience during the three feature-length segments of FALLEN, which originally aired in 2006-07 in five parts. In order to keep his foster family out of danger, Aaron hits the road along with Camael (Rick Worthy), a former Power who believes the prophecy and is protecting Aaron. Together they seek out fallen angels so that Aaron can redeem them, with the help of Ariel (an appealing Ivana Milicevic, who played Le Chiffre's girlfriend in CASINO ROYALE), the leader of the Fallen underground.

But whenever Aaron uses his abilities, the Powers are able to pinpoint his location, which leads to a series of lively battle sequences. The best one--the high point of the whole movie, in my view--occurs early on at Aaron's rural family home when the dreaded Verchiel (Lisa Lackey, MULHOLLAND DRIVE) and her minions show up to take on Aaron and Camael. Lackey's sneeringly hostile performance as Verchiel is a real joy, and when she sprouts a pair of huge white wings and takes flight, it's just plain cool-looking. Armed with flaming swords that spring out of their hands like lightsabers, the winged opponents do aerial battle via some surprisingly above-average CGI. This scene is good enough to serve as the finale for most films, and is even better than the eventual showdown between Aaron and Lucifer in the last episode.


Another great character is Azazel (Hal Ozsan, "Dawson's Creek"), released from a 5,000-year captivity by Lucifer in order to befriend Aaron and lure him into the Dark One's clutches. Azazel ventures into the new world like a kid in a candy store, dressing up like Jim Morrison, hitting on every attractive female in sight, and gorging himself on his new obsession, french fries. With his motives and allegiances always in question, Azazel is one of the show's wild cards who help keep things interesting.

As the homeless Ezekiel, who first clues Aaron in on who he is and what's happening to him, Tom Skerritt provides a "big movie star" name to the cast while giving an oddly eccentric performance. Fernanda Andrade as "Vilma" provides the love interest for Aaron, although my initial fears that FALLEN would turn out to be TWILIGHT with angels instead of vampires proved totally unfounded. This is definitely not some gushy teen romantic fantasy.


All of this sounds like the set-up for an extended TV series--sort of an action-oriented update of "Highway to Heaven" or "Touched By an Angel"--but to my relief the story is resolved with enough finality to provide adequate closure while still leaving open the possibility of further episodes. With the Powers hot on their heels, Aaron, Camael, and company make their way toward their inevitable encounter with Lucifer (Bryan Cranston, "Malcolm in the Middle", "Seinfeld") in a mountaintop monastery. Their meeting may be a bit anti-climactic if you're expecting a really slam-bang finish, but it plays out well and offers a surprise or two. Directors Mikael Salomon and Kevin Kerslake handle it all with style and keep everything visually interesting, while David Williams contributes a robust, percussion-heavy musical score.


The DVD from Image Entertainment is in 1.78:1 widescreen and Dolby Digital stereo, with no subtitles. The sole extra is a trailer. "Fallen: The Complete Movie Event" (Parts 1-3) provides a total running time of 4 hours and 7 minutes, although the story is also available as two separate DVDs--"Fallen: The Beginning" (Parts 1 and 2), and "Fallen: Destiny" (Part 3).

FALLEN starts out a little iffy but just keeps getting better and better until it becomes very involving. I don't know how Biblically accurate it all is--I'm going to take a wild guess and say "not very"--but as an action-packed supernatural thriller it's a lot of far-out fun.


Buy it at Amazon.com:
Fallen: The Complete Movie Event (Parts 1-3) DVD
Fallen: The Beginning (Parts 1 and 2) DVD
Fallen: Destiny (Part 3) DVD

FALLEN -- DVD review by porfle

Paul Wesley ("Vampire Diaries") stars in "FALLEN: THE THREE PART MOVIE EVENT" coming May 4th on DVD from Image Entertainment

"So you're telling me that in order to save Earth...I have to send the Devil back to Heaven?”

Chatsworth, CA – The Nephilim have been called “warrior giants.” In the Book of Genesis, they are the “men of reknown.” On May 4, Image Entertainment will release the epic fantasy series “Fallen” on DVD . Originally broadcast on ABC Family, “Fallen” charts the saga of an Earth-bound nephilim – half human, half angel – caught up in the everyday problems of growing up, just as he is trapped in a celestial maelstrom between good and evil. “Fallen” will be available in several incarnations: the entire series with a blissful SRP of $27.98, Parts 1 and 2’s “The Beginning” for an equally heavenly $19.98 SRP and Part 3’s “Destiny” – also for $19.98 SRP . Pre-book is April 6th.

Based on the popular books by Thomas E. Sniegoski, “Fallen” centers on Aaron Corbet (Paul Wesley, “The Vampire Diaries,” Extra’s Breakout Star of 2009), a high school student with a promising future. Aaron harbors a secret crush on Vilma Rodriguez (Fernanda Andrade, “ CSI : Miami ”), a classmate from Brazil , and the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. On his 18th birthday, Aaron has more than unrequited love to occupy his mind when he learns that he is a nephilim -- a “Redeemer” -- who can return fallen angels to Heaven. Aaron holds the world’s destiny in his hands, as he battles warrior seraphs and ultimately confronts the diabolically proud angel that has tormented his dreams (two-time Emmy-Award winner Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad,” “Malcolm in the Middle”).


Combining wit, drama and romance, “Fallen” was nominated for a Saturn Award® and boasts an epic supporting cast to portray the forces of light and dark: Emmy® winner Tom Skerritt (Alien, Top Gun), Ivana Milicevic (Casino Royale), Rade Serbedzija (Snatch, Batman Begins) and Monique Ganderton (2012).

Angelic hosts. Demonic enforcers. Prom night. It’s a lot for a student to deal! “Fallen” is a soaring saga that takes on the greatest battle of all. Can Aaron save the world from falling into oblivion, as well as the girl he loves – and still pass mid-terms?

Fallen: The Complete Movie Event (Parts 1-3) DVD
Genre: Family/Adventure/Fantasy
Rating: Not Rated
Languages: English
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: N/A
Year: 2009
SRP : $27.98
Street Date: May 4, 2010
Pre-Book: April 6, 2010
Length: 247 minutes
UPC : 014381646825
Cat#: ID6468QPDVD

Buy it at Amazon.com

Fallen: The Beginning (Parts 1 and 2) DVD
Genre: Family/Adventure/Fantasy
Rating: Not Rated
Languages: English
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: N/A
Year: 2009
SRP : $19.98
Street Date: May 4, 2010
Pre-Book: April 6, 2010
Length: 167 minutes
UPC : 014381655223
Cat#: ID6552QPDVD

Buy it at Amazon.com

Fallen: Destiny (Part 3) DVD
Genre: Family/Adventure/Fantasy
Rating: Not Rated
Languages: English
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: N/A
Year: 2009
SRP : $19.98
Street Date: May 4, 2010
Pre-Book: April 6, 2010
Length: 80 minutes
UPC : 014381655322
Cat#: ID6553QPDVD

Buy it at Amazon.com

Paul Wesley ("Vampire Diaries") stars in "FALLEN: THE THREE PART MOVIE EVENT" coming May 4th on DVD from Image Entertainment

"DEFYING GRAVITY" - On Blu-ray Disc and DVD January 19

PROVOCATIVE SCI FI THRILL RIDE ARRIVES WITH FIVE NEVER BEFORE SEEN EPISODES!


LOS ANGELES, CA – (December 11, 2009) – Eight astronauts. Six years exploring the galaxy. Five never before seen episodes only available on DVD! Hurtle through space on an exciting galactic journey in ABC television’s action-packed and suspenseful series “Defying Gravity” Season One, blasting onto DVD January 19, 2010 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Fans will finally get a chance to unlock the mysteries with five never before seen episodes available only on DVD!

In the near future, an international team of four men and four women undertakes the most ambitious exploration in the history of mankind – a six-year, grand tour of the solar system. But space travel is a fool’s game. Passions rise, relationships blossom, and tensions mount as veteran astronaut Maddux Donner (Ron Livingston, Office Space, The Time Traveler’s Wife, “Sex And The City”) and his vivacious crewmates rocket toward their mysterious destiny, driven by a dark, otherworldly force to the very edge of madness – and beyond.

“Defying Gravity” Season One stars a fresh-faced cast of young talent including Andrew Airlie (“Reaper”), Malik Yoba (Why Did I Get Married), Paula Garces (“The Shield”), Laura Harris (“Dead Like Me”), Eyal Podell (“The Young and the Restless”) and many more! The DVD includes all 13 Season One episodes-including 5 never before seen, Deleted Scenes, Production sketches, and more! “Defying Gravity” Season One will be available on DVD for the suggested retail price of $49.98 U.S/$59.98 Canada. Prebook date is December 23.


DVD Content: (Catalog # 2264372)
Disc One Episodes
--Pilot
--Natural Selection
--Threshold
Disc Two Episodes
--H21K
--Rubicon
--Bacon
--Fear
Disc Three Episodes
--Love, Honor, Obey
--Eve Ate The Apple
--Deja Vu
--Solitary
Disc Four Episodes
--Venus
--Kiss
Special Features
--Mission Accomplished – A Look At Defying Gravity
--Photo Slide Show
--Spacecraft Design
--Set Design
--Costume and Prop Design
--Production Graphics
--Promotional Photography
--29 Deleted Scenes

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
A recognized global industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD) and Digital Copy as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets -- from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce - throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company.

“Defying Gravity” Season One
Street Date: January 19, 2010
Pre-book Date: December 23, 2009
Screen Format: Wide Screen
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital EX
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish
Total Run Time: 578 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Closed Captioned: Yes

Buy it at Amazon.com

"DEFYING GRAVITY" - On Blu-ray Disc and DVD January 19