DVD Pick of the Week: Lady Vengeance

Posted by Chris Beaumont (chrisbeaumont@filmschoolrejects.com) on September 26, 2006

This week is loaded with titles worthy of adding to your collection, and mine if any of you are feeling particularly generous. Old titles, new titles, television titles, a whole assortment. There is one that stands above the pack, and it is a movie that I have not even seen yet.

The official pick of the week is Lady Vengeance. This is a film that I have been eagerly anticipating. What? You’ve never heard of it? Well, drop whatever you are doing and look it up. I must be honest and say that I actually do not know many details about the film.

I am judging Lady Vengeance based on the strength of the director’s past work. This is the third and final film in Chan Wook Park’s revenge trilogy. The first was Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, an amazing film that follows a deaf man and his sister who is in desperate need of a kidney transplant. Not being able to afford the surgery, a plan is concocted that leads down a dangerous path. Park followed that with Oldboy. This time, the focus is a man who was imprisoned for 15 years, with no knowledge of who is responsible, or why. Then he is released and has 5 days to fins out who and why. Both of these films followed his excellent, yet more mainstream, JSA, a film dealing with the DMZ between North and South Korea, and the friendship that develops between guards on both sides, and the tragic results.

Chan Wook Park is an amazing talent, and a visionary director to keep an eye on. He has a wonderful visual style and just composes these lyrically brutal films that will keep you mezsmerized. I am betting that Lady Vengeance continues the trend.

Also coming out this week:

• The Lake House. This is one of the best films of the year. It is a powerful tale of love across time. Don’t concern yourself with the odd plot device, and just become enveloped inside this wonderful work.
• Beowulf & Grendel. A new film telling of one of the oldest known written works. It may not be great, but it is an intriguing take on the tale.
• Voltron: Defender of the Universe Volume 1. I have been waiting for this for some time. I always loved these robot lions and their intrepid pilots.
• The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. So long as you don’t want substance, this is a fun movie. Fast toy cars and a new setting highlight this apart from the prior two.
• The Notoriuous Bettie Page. This was a fascinating look into the life of the most famous pinup of all.
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: 2-Disk Ultimate Edition. Haven’t read anything on this yet, but hopefully it is a better set than the last release.
• The Book of Daniel: Complete Series. This series was killed rather quickly, the controversial nature of the content didn’t help. I cannot really comment as I haven’t seen it.
• A Nightmare on Elm Street: Infinifilm Edition. This new edition has more extras and a revamped image quality. I hear it looks good, but the color timing has been changed, asn some do not like it.
• Masters of Horror: Imprint. The Takashi Miike entry that was banned from Showtime arrives on DVD.
• Frankenstein; 75th Anniversary Edition. Another release for the classic monster film. Remastered image and some new extras highlight the release.
• WWE: Brian Pillman – Loose Cannon. The late wrestling star gets a DVD set. Unfortunately I never saw him wrestle, perhaps this is my chance.
• Dracula: 75th Anniversary Edition. Another release for the classic monster film. Remastered image and some new extras highlight the release.
• The Dead Zone: Special Collector’s Edition. The King classic, starring Christopher Walken arrives in a new juiced up edition.
• Pet Semetary: Special Collector’s Edition. Another King flick getting a long awaited revisit.
• Trinity Blood: Chapter 1. A new anime series reaches our shores. I remember reading something about this and being intrigued.
• Zombie Pack Volume 2: Zombie Holocaust, Flesheaters, Burial Ground. The first set had Zombie 3, 4, and 5. This is the second go around from Shriek Show.

What are you getting this week?

Read more articles by Chris Beaumont