Sex slave to the stars - 12:39pm

How's this for a loopy comedy plot? Porn star takes young man under her wing and turns him into a celebrity sex guru? Sound tempting? No? Apparently no one else thought so, either. A bust at the box office, Universal Studios Home Video will release the misbegotten comedy The Guru on June 3rd. This special edition will include a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks, an audio commentary by director Daisy Von Sherler Mayer and writer Tracey Jackson, deleted scenes, a still gallery and the trailer. Retail is $26.95.

Debuting two weeks later on the 17th is the little-seen Melanie Griffith thriller Tempo. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, the only extras are filmographies and trailers. Retail is $26.95.

Sign your name - 12:32pm

Just in from Lion's Gate Home Video is a number of new additions to their new Signature Series line of special edition DVDs, plus some reissues of titles previously licensed by Universal Studios Home Video. But first up is The Dead Zone: The Complete First Season on June 17th. Each episode is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, and extras include interviews with series creators Michael and Shawn Piller and cast and crew, and in-depth tour of the visual effects, and special collector's packaging. Retail is $49.95.

Newly-added to Lion's Gate's Signature Series line on June 3rd are: Todd Solodoz's controversial Happiness, Songcatcher and Jeremy Irons in Chinese Box. All feature new anamorphic widescreen transfers, and Chinese Box also includes an audio commentary with director and the full-length documentary "Hong Kong '97" documentary, while Songcatcher includes a commentary with the filmmaking team, a featurette, cast and crew interviews and an isolated music-only track. All feature filmographies, production notes and trailers. Retail is $19.95 each. No specs on Happiness yet, but stay tuned...

Being reissued by Lion's Gate on June 17th are a number of titles previously released on DVD by Universal. All of these editions feature the exact same features and specs, with only slightly modified cover art: The Big Kahuna, Buffalo '66, the Oscar-winning Gods and Monsters, Shadow of the Vampire, Shot and What's Cooking. Retail is $19.95 each.

Written on the wind - 12:30pm

Just announced from Criterion are four new titles, all streeting on June 24th. First up is the acclaimed 1955 Nazi documentary Night and Fog, presented in its original 1.37:1 full screen aspect ratio with English and French mono tracks. Extras include an archival audio interview with filmmaker Alain Resnais, crew biographies and a new essay by historian Phillip Lopate. Retail is $14.95.

Next comes Rainer Fassbinder's homage to Douglas Sirk, Ali: Fear Eats The Soul. This one features a new 1.37:1 digital transfer, German mono track, an introduction by director Todd Haynes, interviews with actress Brigitte Mira and editor Thea Eymesz, the shorts "Fear is the Soul" and "Signs of Vigorous Life," the 35-documentary "New German Cinema" from the BBC, and excerpt from The American Soldier starring Margarethe von Trotta, and the original theatrical trailer. Retail is $29.95.

From director Ermanno Olmi comes two of his most acclaimed works, Il Posto and I Fidanzati. Each is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and Italian mono, and extras include an exclusive new video interview with Olmi and collaborator Tullio Kezich and an essay by critic Kent Jones. IL Posto also includes never-before-seen deleted scenes. Retail is $29.95 each.

Finally, while not technically part of The Criterion Collection, Image Entertainment will issue the cult favorite Bodies, Rest & Motion, also on June 24th. This special edition was originally produced for laserdisc by Criterion, and this Image release looks to have the same extras. The film is presented in a new 1.85;1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 remix, plus a screen-specific audio commentary by director Michael Steinberg, actor and producer Eric Stoltz and writer Roger Hedden, behind-the-scenes footage, a featurette and the trailer. Retail is $19.95.

Superphat - 12:26pm

Now here's a DVD release that's nice to see. When was the last time anyone released all those Academy Award-winning short documentaries and animated films on video, let alone DVD? While it may only be one, at least it's a start: Columbia TriStar has just announced an April 11th release date for The ChubbChubbs!, the 2002 Oscar Winner for Best Animated Short. This stand-alone disc will feature an anamorphic widescreen transfer and a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track, plus trailers. Retail is a mere $9.95. 

Bugs & Co. - 12:21pm

Rounding out today's update, want to help Warner Home Video decide how to best release the classic Looney Tunes cartoons on DVD? Should it be a four-disc Golden Collection? A two-disc Premiere Collection? Or a single-disc a Bugs Bunny best of? Hmmmm. Voice your opinion and take the online survey now. You can't complain if you don't vote!