DVD - November 07

'Dragon Wars' on R1 DVD and Blu-ray

The Korean blockbuster monster feature D-Wars is now up for pre-order on both DVD and Blu-ray formats. East meets West, and ancient myth meets modernity in this creature feature from Korean director Shim Hyung Rae. A TV news reporter (Jason Behr, The Grudge), an antiques dealer (Robert Forster, Firewall), and a beautiful young woman (Amanda Brooks) all play a role in an old Korean legend coming to life.

A giant snake is slithering its way through the streets of Los Angeles, and the trio must keep it from reuniting with an ancient spirit that will turn it into an evil, even more destructive dragon. Dragon Wars is a throwback to classic monster movies of the 70’s-80’s. D-Wars is more of a guilty pleasure than fellow Korean import The Host, but it features impressive action and nods to monster movie favorites such as King and Kong and Godzilla.

Dragon Wars (Official U.S site)

Order the R1 DVD here or Blu-ray here

Cronenberg's 'Eastern Promises' on R1 DVD

David Cronenberg's critically acclaimed London based thriller 'Eastern Promises' is out on DVD next month. The film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution. The film is available in wide screen, full screen, and HD versions.

Eastern Promises (Official site)

Order the DVD here

Oxide Pang's 'The Detective' on English subtitled DVD

The latest offering from one of those prolific pang boys, hits DVD next week. Oxide Pang's ‘The Detective’ stars Aaron Kwok, who continues his string of winning performances in this detective thriller, with a hint of horror. Kwok is supported by talented character actors Liu Kai Chi (Infernal Affairs 2), Kenny Wong (Gong Tau), Wayne Lai, Kiki Sheung, and Jo Koo.

Synopsis: Working form a tiny office, near-sighted, debt ridden private detective Tam (Kwok) talks big, but does small business. He gets an interesting new job when his friend Lung shows up one day with the picture of a woman whom he claims is trying to kill him. Unable to locate the woman, Tam starts looking up her acquaintances, but he seems to always be in the wrong place at the right time. At his first port of call, he walks into a man hanging from the ceiling, the first of many dead bodies he stumbles upon. Tam becomes increasingly obsessed with finding the truth behind the mysterious deaths, but digging too deep could have dangerous consequences.

The Detective trailer

Order the DVD here

Korean horror 'Someone Behind You' aka 'Two people' now on DVD

Director Oh Ki Hwan (The Art Of Seduction) hops on the comics to film bandwagon with ‘Someone Behind You.’ The film is based on a best-selling comic titled "Two People", which tells of an old family curse marking one person dead at the hands of two people in every generation. Staying true to its genre, ‘Someone’ provides a bloodbath of horror using familiar scare tactics like gory visuals and chilling audio effects. Combining Oh Ki Hwan's understanding of mainstream trends and comic artist Kang Kyung Ok's cleverly devised, twist-laden plot, this creepy screamer is a horror-thriller like no other.

After witnessing the murder of her eldest aunt by her youngest aunt, Ka In encounters a series of deadly, unexplainable events in her life. Her classmate attacks her without warning, and her teacher and even her own mother attempt to kill her. Meanwhile, watching Ka In's paranoia is Suk Min, a mysterious boy rumored to have murdered his own father. Suk Min teaches Ka In that the only way to survive is to trust no one. Ka In searches desperately for clues, finally learning of the bizarre family curse that has marked her dead by the hands of two people in her life. Now all she needs to do is identify the two killers. But who are they?

Someone Behind You website

Order the DVD here

Korean horror 'Epitaph' up for Pre-order on English subtitled DVD

Epitaph was co-directed by the Jung Brothers, who were honored with international recognition when it screened in the New Directors section of the 2007 San Sebastian International Film Festival. Unlike traditional horror films, which rely on instant gratification via sudden scary images and sound effects, Epitaph brings finesse to the genre with exquisite cinematography and an intricate plot. Hailed by critics for its originality as well as first-class performances by its cast, Epitaph is an illuminating vision of darkness.

Synopsis: “In a modern hospital in 1941, doctors witness weird events and learn death is the sole healer. In 1979, Dr.Park receives an old photo album from his twenties in 1941 when mysterious things befell him and his colleagues. Park was bound by his parents to marry a girl whom he never met, but fell in love with a dead woman who happened to be his arranged marriage. Meanwhile, a little girl who was apparently the only survivor a car accident was haunted by ghosts every night. After two doctors (a married couple) involved in these two stories return to their hospital from Tokyo, a series of serial murders occurs around them.”

Epitaph (Official site)

Epitaph (English subtitled trailer)

Order the DVD here