What better way to prepare yourself for Matt Damon’s third outing as the amnesic assassin (17th August release) than by picking up these timely “Extended” cuts of The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy? In, reality, the few minutes of previously unseen footage bring little new to the party, but at only £11.99 for the pair it’s the perfect way to jog your memory ahead of the trilogy’s eagerly awaited conclusion.
Just as Unforgiven reinvigorated the genre on its release back in 1992, Deadwood (*****) rekindled audiences’ passion for Westerns on the small screen, as the 16 nominations for Broken Trail at this year’s Emmys proved. With its third and final season, this gloriously foul mouthed HBO bows out on a high, but anyone coming to the show for the first time would be well advised to go back to series one and enjoy it from the very beginning – not least because the £49.99 RRP here is likely to draw the sort of expletives that have made Ian McShane’s “Al Swearengen” such a memorable character.
Thirty one years on from its original release Taxi Driver (***) gets a collector’s edition revamp although, frustratingly, Martin Scorsese hasn’t bothered with a director’s commentary, leaving writer Paul Schrader to hold the fort. Similarly, there is nothing from the famously publicity shy De Niro, making this re-release more of a curiosity than a must have, particularly as there are already cheaper versions on the market for anyone interested in the movie rather than special features.
Unfairly slaughtered by critics on its cinematic debut, this “Final Cut” of Alexander (***), Oliver Stone’s ambitious historical biopic, finally shows us the director’s original vision in all its glory. Clocking in at over three hours (with 45 minutes of new footage) the epic battle sequences are a wonder to behold, while the reinstated scenes add gravitas to Colin Farrell’s much derided portrayal of the young king. You should be able to pick up a copy for under a tenner too which, considering the colossal running time, is excellent value for money.
Anyone interested in bonus footage for Season 2 of Prison Break (**) had better look elsewhere too as, apart from a variety of talk tracks from cast members, a rather uninspiring “Turning Dallas into America” featurette is all you’re going to find here. Feeling cheated after the wholly unsatisfying season one finale Channel 5 viewers switched off in their droves but, remarkably, a third season has just been confirmed in the States. Frankly, anyone paying £45 for this should be locked up.
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Fri 10 Aug 2007 at 12:37pm
