THE SCREENING ROOM

DVD: “Behind The Candelabra,” “World War Z,” “The Bling Ring,” And More!

World_War_Z

What an amazing week in home entertainment! We’ve got queerness, zombies, disco, a sequel to a cult classic… and more titles worth checking out than you can shake a Blu-ray disc at!

Break out that wallet for Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as Liberace and his teenage boy toy in insta-classic Behind the Candelabra, and the first installment of Brad Pitt’s big budget zombie franchise-in-the-making, World War Z.

A teenage homo heads up a clique of celebrity-obsessed thieves in Sofia Coppola’s based-on-a-real-life-case The Bling Ring, while documentary The Secret Disco Revolution revisits 1970s disco realness. Finally, the legendary camp classic Showgirls gets a sequel, Showgirls 2: Penny’s From Heaven!

 

Behind the Candelabra

($24.99 Blu-ray, $19.99 DVD; HBO)

Stephen Soderburgh’s final film before his self-imposed retirement from feature filmmaking is a grand note to go out on indeed, starring Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson. Tracing the pair’s relationship from when the aging closeted icon met the fresh-faced teenager to their rocky breakup, Candelabra combines the surreal off-kilter humor of a David Lynch film — especially during scenes with Rob Lowe as the crazy-faced plastic surgeon tasked with turning Thorson into Liberace’s spitting image – with La Cage Aux Folles-esque campfest with intimate relationship drama. This one’s a must! Includes a brief making-of featurette.

 

World War Z

($54.99 3D Blu-ray, $39.99 Blu-ray, $29.99 DVD; Paramount)

Based upon Max Brooks’ bestselling novel, Brad Pitt’s franchise-to-be sees a zombie epidemic overtake the world, and a former United Nations investigator tasked with getting to the bottom of it… and finding a solution. We’ve never seen a zombie invasion of this scope and grand-scale special effects, and although the theatrical release was surprisingly blood-free, the Blu-ray/DVD release includes a 2D-only, 7-minute longer unrated cut with a nice dose of splatter and spurting. Extras entail a handful of featurettes.

 

The Bling Ring

($24.99 Blu-ray, $19.99 DVD; Lionsgate)

Director Sofia Coppola dramatizes the real-life exploits of a group of superficial, celebrity-obsessed L.A. teenagers who burgled the homes of Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Megan Fox, and others. Emma Watson continues to carve out a niche as a versatile actress (and ability to carry a convincing American accent) while Israel Broussard plays Marc, the ring’s gay male member. Extras include a trio of featurettes devoted to the making-of, the real-life case, and a Paris Hilton-hosted recollection and tour of her house, which was actually used in the film.

 

Showgirls 2: Penny’s From Heaven

($14.95 DVD; Wild Eye Releasing)

Yes, this is an actual sequel to the cult classic — in which a Vegas stripper, Penny Slot, endeavors to become a TV star — and co-stars some of the original’s cast including Glenn Plummer, Dewey Weber, Greg Travis, joined by newcomer Peter Stickles of Shortbus and The Lair fame. Will you be the first to create a drinking game for this one? Extras include a commentary track, behind the scenes, lost footage, and more.

 

The Secret Disco Revolution

($24.99 DVD; Screen Media Films)

The awesomeness, grooviness, and bell-bottomed tackiness that was 1970s disco is recounted through archival footage, hit songs, and interviews in this amazing documentary, featuring movers, shakers, survivors and chroniclers like Gloria Gaynor, Thelma Houston, Martha Wash, and journalist Michael Musto. You will shake that booty!

 

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