Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield

• Actors: Kane Hodder, Adrienne Frantz, Michael Berryman, Priscilla Barnes, Shawn Hoffman.
• Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC.
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX). Subtitles: Spanish.
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only).
• Rated R. Run Time: 90 minutes.

The truth behind the twisted crimes that inspired the films Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs...

From "America's principal chronicler of its greatest psychopathic killers" (The Boston Book Review) comes the definitive account of Ed Gein, a mild-mannered Wisconsin farmhand who stunned an unsuspecting nation -- and redefined the meaning of the word "psycho." The year was 1957. The place was an ordinary farmhouse in America's heartland, filled with extraordinary evidence o! f unthinkable depravity. The man behind the massacre was a slight, unassuming Midwesterner with a strange smile -- and even stranger attachment to his domineering mother. After her death and a failed attempt to dig up his mother's body from the local cemetery, Gein turned to other grave robberies and, ultimately, multiple murders. Driven to commit gruesome and bizarre acts beyond all imagining, Ed Gein remains one of the most deranged minds in the annals of American homicide. This is his story -- recounted in fascinating and chilling detail by Harold Schechter, one of the most acclaimed true-crime storytellers of our time.Harold Schechter is a historian: he takes old files and yellowed newspaper clippings, and brings their stories to life. Deviant is about everyone's favorite ghoul, Ed Gein--whose crimes inspired the writers of Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. Schechter deftly evokes the small-town 1950s Wiscons! in setting--not pretty farms and cheese factories, but infert! ile soil and a bleak, hardscrabble existence. The details of Gein's "death house" are perhaps well known by now, but the murderer's quietly crazy, almost gentle personality comes forth in this book as never before. As Gary Kadet wrote, in The Boston Book Review, "Schechter is a dogged researcher [who backs up] every bizarre detail and curious twist in this and his other books ... More importantly, he nimbly avoids miring his writing and our reading with minutiae or researched overstatement, which means that although he can occasionally be dry, he is never boring."
Also recommended: Schechter's books about Albert Fish (Deranged) and Herman Mudgett a.k.a. Dr. H. H. Holmes (Depraved).This is the true story of America’s first famous serial killer. Everyone in small Plainfield, Wisconsin thought Ed was just a little different, a local oddity. But Ed was tormented and haunted by years of family abuse and repression which led him to the brutal murder! s and mutilations of countless victims and corpses. In a remote farmhouse filled with the stench of death, Ed is driven to do unspeakable acts to his victims, acts that have become legend and the basis for future films like "Psycho" and the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." This film will shock you with its unflinching horror and unforgettable performances from Steve Railsback and Carrie Snodgrass. No one will ever forget the true story of "Ed Gein."

America may have had its fill of psychos for the last forty years, but none of them has inspired so many books and films (Pyscho, The Silence of the Lambs, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as Wisconsin's cannibalistic handyman, Ed Gein. None of them has been used as the ultimate ogre in countless children's stories and off-color jokes, and none of them has been found guilty of as many unspeakable atrocities as Ed Gein.

This is his story. This is his legend.

The story of the killer Ed Gein is one of the weirdest, most d! isturbing ever, one that has inspired horror stories as divers! e as Psy cho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. His crimes, which were committed in and around Plainfield, Wisconsin, included exhuming corpses from local graveyards and making trophies and keepsakes from their skin and bones.

The Murder Files is a series of individual titles, giving condensed accounts of some of the most appalling and notorious killers of all time.The story of the killer Ed Gein is one of the weirdest, most disturbing ever, one that has inspired horror stories as diverse as Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. His crimes, which were committed in and around Plainfield, Wisconsin, included exhuming corpses from local graveyards and making trophies and keepsakes from their skin and bones.

The Murder Files is a series of individual titles, giving condensed accounts of some of the most appalling and notorious killers of all time.The gruesome murders shocked the world, the grisly remains told a terrifying story of pain, brutality and torture. Now, years! after inspiring PSYCHO's Norman Bates, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS's Buffalo Bill and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE's Leatherface, the story of real-life, serial killer Ed Gein is finally told. Nicknamed "The Butcher of Plainfield," Gein was responsible for a rash of gory murders that sent shock waves through his rural Wisconsin town, and across America, in the late 1950s. Prepare to enter the evil mind and twisted world of "The Butcher of Plainfield" in this dark and disturbing thriller.

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle & Friends ~ Fractured Fairy

• Limited edition!
• Very collectable!
• Born April 9, 2000
• Surface washable
• Retired!

In order to steal a priceless collection of art masterpieces from a Paris museum, archvillains Boris and Natasha fold the unframed paintings up, put them in a small package, and mail them to a certain moose in Frostbite Falls, Minnesota--figuring that only Bullwinkle would be stupid enough to sell them the paintings back. Ah, the classic world of Jay Ward animation! The compilation Painting Theft demonstrates what makes Rocky & Bullwinkle unique among cartoons: their elaborate, episodic storytelling. Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera cartoons relied almost exclusively on single situations and freewheeling slapstick, but Rocky & Bullwinkle stories stretched on and on, with snaky, absurd twists. Not only did this allow the animators to come up with a wide variety of jokes and pun! s (terrible, terrible puns), but it also let them delight in the sheer joys of storytelling--how rapidly and deliriously they could gallop from one silly circumstance to the next. Even the shorter cartoons (Dudley Do-Right, Peabody's Improbable History, and Fractured Fairy Tales) are packed with wild reversals and ridiculous turns. Plus, they used some superb voice talent (including Edward Everett Horton, a great character actor best known for supporting roles in Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals), and had an eye for sneaky satire of the adult world--as can be seen when Bullwinkle's whitewashed canvases spark an insane bidding war in the art world. Rocky & Bullwinkle are a consistent pleasure. --Bret FetzerWatch out American television viewers! Rocky and Bullwinkle do battle against Boris Badenov's band of TV antennae-eating rodents. Full color.Bullwinkle J. Moose has the world's largest collection of box tops, which makes him the prime suspect when someone sta! rts redeeming counterfeit box tops for goodies in the stores.F! ractured Fairy is part of the Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. She wears a blue dress & hat and carries a yellow star wand.

Honeydripper

• From Oscar® nominated director, John Sayles, comes an electrifying and vivid rock 'n' roll fable. When Tyrone, owner of the Honeydripper lounge, is faced with having to shut down his juke joint, his hopes rest on one man the famous Guitar Sam. It's a make or break weekend for the Honeydripper, this better be some Saturday night! With exquisite performances by Danny Glover, Char

Nicole Beharie (The Express), Will Patton (Entrapment, The Postman), Charles Dutton (TV's Roc, Mimic) and Alfre Woodard (TV's Desperate Housewives, Primal Fear) star in this gripping true-life story. Falsely accused of distributing narcotics in a school zone, Dee Roberts (Beharie) is offered a deal she can't refuse: plead guilty and accept a 10-year suspended sentence. The alternative: risk serving 16-to-25 in jail. Realizing a conviction would ru! in her life, Dee decides to fight back. Suing the DA for racial discrimination, Dee battles impossible odds in a case that will not only change her life but the laws of Texas as well.American Violet may be based on the story of outrageous injustices committed against Regina Kelly of Hearne, Texas, but that does not make it a good film. It is, at best, a bad film with an important message. American Violet is about a single mother of four, Dee Roberts (Nicole Beharie), who is wrongly convicted of drug charges due to police racism and corruption. As she struggles to stay out of prison with the help of her mother, Alma (Alfre Woodard), Dee exemplifies a stalwart woman who refuses to plead guilty when offered a plea bargain. While names of characters and the town itself are changed, the story in American Violet is allegedly altered only slightly in hopes of maintaining its tragic truth, that a plea-bargain system in Texas forced, in this case, impoverished a! nd sometimes innocent African Americans to accept guilty charg! es and t heir negative aftereffects. American Violet's melodramatic sensibility attempts to spark the same indignation that fuels ACLU lawyer David Cohen (Tim Blake Nelson) to embark on a lawsuit against the head racist, district attorney Calvin Beckett (Michael O'Keefe). Cohen, with the help of a former narcotics officer, Sam Conroy (Will Patton), discovers enough evidence to disturb any viewer. While it is crucial to have artful dialogue about this politically offensive topic, American Violet is not finely scripted or cinematically engaging enough to elevate it above second-hand documentary. Still, since the film does cover meaningful territory, there may be a place for it in classrooms, or it may inspire others to work on further exposing gross injustice for the benefit of our society. --Trinie DaltonNicole Beharie (The Express), Will Patton (Entrapment, The Postman), Charles Dutton (TV's Roc, Mimic) and Alfre Wooda! rd (TV's Desperate Housewives, Primal Fear) star in this gripping true-life story. Falsely accused of distributing narcotics in a school zone, Dee Roberts (Beharie) is offered a deal she can't refuse: plead guilty and accept a 10-year suspended sentence. The alternative: risk serving 16-to-25 in jail. Realizing a conviction would ruin her life, Dee decides to fight back. Suing the DA for racial discrimination, Dee battles impossible odds in a case that will not only change her life but the laws of Texas as well.American Violet may be based on the story of outrageous injustices committed against Regina Kelly of Hearne, Texas, but that does not make it a good film. It is, at best, a bad film with an important message. American Violet is about a single mother of four, Dee Roberts (Nicole Beharie), who is wrongly convicted of drug charges due to police racism and corruption. As she struggles to stay out of prison with the help of her mot! her, Alma (Alfre Woodard), Dee exemplifies a stalwart woman wh! o refuse s to plead guilty when offered a plea bargain. While names of characters and the town itself are changed, the story in American Violet is allegedly altered only slightly in hopes of maintaining its tragic truth, that a plea-bargain system in Texas forced, in this case, impoverished and sometimes innocent African Americans to accept guilty charges and their negative aftereffects. American Violet's melodramatic sensibility attempts to spark the same indignation that fuels ACLU lawyer David Cohen (Tim Blake Nelson) to embark on a lawsuit against the head racist, district attorney Calvin Beckett (Michael O'Keefe). Cohen, with the help of a former narcotics officer, Sam Conroy (Will Patton), discovers enough evidence to disturb any viewer. While it is crucial to have artful dialogue about this politically offensive topic, American Violet is not finely scripted or cinematically engaging enough to elevate it above second-hand documentary. Still, since the film ! does cover meaningful territory, there may be a place for it in classrooms, or it may inspire others to work on further exposing gross injustice for the benefit of our society. --Trinie DaltonFrom Oscar® nominated director, John Sayles, comes an electrifying and vivid rock 'n' roll fable. When Tyrone, owner of the Honeydripper lounge, is faced with having to shut down his juke joint, his hopes rest on one manâ€"the famous Guitar Sam. It's a make or break weekend for the Honeydripper, this better be some Saturday night!

With exquisite performances by Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Stacy Keach, Mary Steenburgen and Sean Patrick Thomas; and featuring musicians Keb' Mo' and Dr. Mable Johnâ€"Honeydripper is an award winning film, full of great music and plenty of soul.Music has often played a significant part in John Sayles' stories, but in Honeydripper it largely is the story, as the veteran writer-director’s 2007 film depicts a significant (if myt! hical) turning point when the past reluctantly gave way to the! future. The year is 1950. In the somewhat ironically-named town of Harmony, Alabama, old school blues pianist Tyrone "Pinetop" Purvis (Danny Glover) and his funky roadhouse, the Honeydripper, are on the skids, rapidly losing customers to the joint next door, where young people are flocking to hear more modern sounds. Against his better judgment, Pinetop dismisses his dignified but out-of-date singer (played by Dr. Mable John, one of the several real musicians who lend the film considerable authenticity) and books "New Orleans sensation" Guitar Sam, hoping to save his club from foreclosure. But Guitar Sam proves to be as elusive as Godot, and as the big night approaches, Pinetop is running out of ideas. Enter young Sonny Blake (Gary Clark Jr.), who ambles into town with his newfangled, self-constructed electric guitar and proceeds to rock the house with a style that suggests a combination of T-Bone Walker and Chuck Berry and effectively ushers in the rock 'n' roll era. Story-wise, t! hat's about it. This is a character-driven film, and there are a lot of good ones, including Lisa Gay Hamilton as Tyrone’s conflicted wife, Charles Dutton as his partner, and Stacey Keach as the corrupt local lawman. It's also a film loaded with metaphors and symbols, including the electric guitar as the dividing line between old and new and blues musician Keb' Mo' as a kind of one-man Greek chorus, dispensing homilies before disappearing into the shadows. The pace is leisurely, the dialogue colorful, and Sayles (who not only edited the film but has a small acting role as well) once again shows himself to be a modest master at creating movies for those looking for good, no-frills entertainment. A 30-minute making-of featurette and cast interviews are the principal bonus features. --Sam Graham

Dragon Ball: Season One

• The greatest adventure of all time begins now!Goku may be small, but this fearless warrior packs a punch as powerful as any on the planet. Left alone after his grandfather s death, this unusual boy is happy to spend his days hunting and eating and eating some more. But everything changes on the day he meets Bulma a bossy, blue-haired beauty with boys on the brain. Together, they set out to track d

The greatest adventure of all time begins now! pGoku may be small, but this fearless warrior packs a punch as powerful as any on the planet. Left alone after his grandfather’s death, this unusual boy is happy to spend his days hunting and eating and eating some more. But everything changes on the day he meets Bulma â€" a bossy, blue-haired beauty with boys on the brain. Together, they set out to track down the seven magic Dragon Balls and make the wish that will change their lives forever.

And ! that’s just the beginning! Goku also spends some time on Turtle Island where he and Krillin study martial arts under the legendary Master Roshi. The old hermit may not look like much, but if his new pupils can find him a woman, he’ll make sure they’re ready to rumble at the upcoming World Martial Arts Tournament!

Season One of Dragon Ball is a must-have for everyone from the die-hard fan to the next generation of collectors.In 1986, the animated adaptation of Akira Toriyama's manga Dragon Ball debuted on Japanese television, launching one of the most popular franchises in anime history. Dragon Ball introduced a special mixture of male bonding, rigorous training, martial arts fighting, slapstick comedy, and sci-fi action that scored a huge hit with boys and led to the follow-ups Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT--and numerous imitators. A small boy from another planet, Goku commands super-human strength, but he was raised in the remote mou! ntains by an old man and he knows little of the world. Goku me! ets Bulm a, who's trying to assemble the seven magical Dragon Balls so she can wish for a boyfriend. The naive boy and the hot-tempered girl join forces, then form a quarrelsome alliance with Oolong, the shape-shifting pig, and Yamcha, a dashing bandit with a metamorphic familiar, Puar. The heroes compete for the Dragon Balls against the pint-sized Emperor Pilaf (who wants to rule the world). After defeating Pilaf, Goku goes to study martial arts with Master Roshi, a lecherous but extraordinarily skilled old man. Goku and fellow student Krillin develop formidable powers that they use in the World Martial Arts Tournament. These episodes set the pattern for Dragon Ball and numerous other series: humans and creatures of all description train endlessly, then gather to pound the ramen out of each other before an audience. Naturally, the hero wins in an extended final match. The first adventures are lighter in tone and more broadly comic than the beginning of the darker Red Ribbon S! aga. For years, the first13 episodes of Dragon Ball were only available in the U.S. in the heavily edited set Saga of Goku, to the chagrin of the fans. Following their successful release of the complete Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT, Funimation is presenting Dragon Ball uncut and digitally restored. The series probably looks better now than it did when it premiered, as it was reportedly filmed in 16mm. Note: The sight of the prepubescent Goku and Krillin running around naked doesn't bother Japanese audiences. (Rated TV 14, but appropriate for ages 12 and up: nudity, risqué and toilet humor, cartoon violence, ethnic stereotypes, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

(1. Secret of the Dragon Balls, 2. The Emperor’s Quest, 3. The Nimbus Cloud of Roshi, 4. Oolong the Terrible, 5. Yamcha the Desert Bandit, 6. Keep an Eye on the Dragon Balls, 7. The Ox-King on Fire Mountain, 8. The Kamehameha Wave, 9. Boss Rabbit’s Magic T! ouch, 10. The Dragon Balls Are Stolen, 11. The Penalty Is Pinb! all, 12. A Wish to the Eternal Dragon, 13. The Legend of Goku, 14. Goku's Rival, 15. Look Out for Launch, 16. Find That Stone! 17. Milk Delivery, 18. The Turtle Hermit Way, 19. The Tournament Begins, 20. Elimination Round, 21. Smells Like Trouble, 22. Quarterfinals Begin, 23. Monster Beast Giran, 24. Krillin's Frantic Attack! 25. Danger From Above, 26, The Grand Finals, 27. Number One Under The Moon? 28. The Final Blow, 29. The Roaming Lake, 30. Pilaf and the Mystery Force, 31. Wedding Plans?)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Single-Disc Widescreen Edition)

• Format: Widescreen, Closed-captioned, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE - DVD Movie

Clear and Present Danger (Jack Ryan)

• ISBN13: 9780425122129
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

In CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, Harrison Ford returns as intrepid CIA agent Jack Ryan. When his mentor, Admiral Greer (Jones), becomes gravely ill, Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President's friends, a prominent U.S. businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary force against the Colombian drug lords. Caught in the crossfire, Ryan takes matters into his own hands, risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in -- the truth.The third installment in the cinematic incarnation of ! Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan and the second starring Harrison Ford, this follow-up to Patriot Games is a more complex, rewarding, and bolder film than its predecessor. Ford returns as Ryan, this time embroiled in a failed White House bid to wipe out a Colombian drug cartel and cover up the mess. The script, by Clancy and John Milius (Red Dawn), has an air of true adventure about it as Ryan places himself in harm's way to extract covert soldiers abandoned in a Latin American jungle. There are a couple of remarkable set pieces expertly handled by Patriot Games director Phillip Noyce, especially a shocking scene involving an ambush on Ryan's car in an alley. The supporting cast is superb, including Willem Dafoe as the soldiers' leader, Henry Czerny as Ryan's enemy at the CIA, Joaquim de Almeida as a smooth-talking villain, Ann Magnuson as an unwitting confederate in international crime, and James Earl Jones as Ryan's dying boss. The DVD release has a! widescreen presentation, theatrical trailer, closed captionin! g, optio nal French soundtrack, and optional Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh The controversial bestseller from Tom Clancy, the all-time master of the techno-thriller. CIA Deputy Director Jack Ryan joins the war on drugs. And when three American officials are assassinated in Colombia, the U.S. response is swift-and shocking.At the end of the prologue to Clear and Present Danger, Clancy writes, "And so began something that had not quite begun and would not soon end, with many people in many places moving off in directions and on missions which they all mistakenly thought they understood. That was just as well. The future was too fearful for contemplation, and beyond the expected, illusory finish lines were things fated by the decisions made this morning--and, once decided, best unseen." In Clear and Present Danger nothing is as clear as it may seem.

The president, unsatisfied with the success of his "war on drugs," decides that he wants some immediate su! ccess. But after John Clark's covert strike team is deployed to Colombia for Operation Showboat, the drug lords strike back taking several civilian casualties. The chief executive's polls plummet. He orders Ritter to terminate their unofficial plan and leave no traces. Jack Ryan, who has just been named CIA deputy director of intelligence is enraged when he discovers that has been left out of the loop of Colombian operations. Several of America's most highly trained soldiers are stranded in an unfinished mission that, according to all records, never existed. Ryan decides to get the men out.

Ultimately, Clear and Present Danger is about good conscience, law, and politics, with Jack Ryan and CIA agent John Clark as its dual heroes. Ryan relentlessly pursues what he knows is right and legal, even if it means confronting the president of the United States. Clark is the perfect soldier, but a man who finally holds his men higher than the orders of any ca! reless commander.

Along with the usual, stunning array of ! military hardware and the latest techno-gadgets, Clear and Present Danger further develops the relationships and characters that Clancy fans have grown to love. Admiral James Greer passes the CIA torch to his pupil, Ryan. Mr. Clark and Chavez meet for the first time. Other recurring characters like Robert Ritter and "the President" add continuity to Clancy's believable, alternate reality. This is Clancy at his best. --Patrick O'Kelley

How to Cook Your Life

• DVD Details: Actors: Edward Espe Brown, Doris Dörrie, Fidelis Mager, Franz X. Gernstl, Richard Sterling
• Directors: Doris Dörrie
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 ; Number of discs: 1; Studio: Lions Gate
• DVD Release Date: May 6, 2008 ; Run Time: 94 minutes

HOW TO COOK YOUR LIFE - DVD MovieDorris Dörrie's jazz-inflected documentary should come with a disclaimer: Don't watch on an empty stomach. While it doesn't cover the basics of food preparation, How to Cook Your Life offers a delectable introduction to Buddhist living. Yes, subject Edward Brown is both pastry chef and Zen priest, but Dörrie's approach is more holistic than instructional. (For culinary specifics, viewers can always pick up Brown's bestselling how-to guide, The Tassajara Bread Book.) In other words, home cooking--as opposed to fa! st food and pre-packaged goods--isn't just healthier and better for the environment; it connects the creator to the product of their efforts. And it helps if they know more about the tools of their trade. Hence, the director of 2000's Enlightenment Guaranteed and a Buddhist practitioner herself, also interviews organic gardeners, cookware salespeople, and the like. Throughout, Brown shows students in the US and Austria how to prepare vegetarian pizza, fruit tarts, and other wholesome delights. All the while, he talks about the connection between the body and the spirit. Fortunately, Brown isn't some kind of holier-than-though type. Little things, like hard-to-open packages, can set him off, but he's just as quick to laugh. To him, cooking is a way to nourish yourself and others. As he likes to say, "When you wash the rice, wash the rice." (True, he sounds like Yoda at times; it’s actually quite charming.) Like Super-Size Me, How to Cook Your Life is a! n elegy for those long-lost days of leisurely dinners with lov! ed ones. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Cop Out

• COP OUT (DVD MOVIE)

Action star Bruce Willis and ace comic Tracy Morgan play bickering-but-got-your-back Brooklyn buddy cops. Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy) directs the gritty, goofball goings-on as the guys hunt for a stolen 1952 mint-condition baseball card, a hunt plunging them into a gunslinging war with a deadly drug ring. Batter up, fans. The boys are ready to take you out to the ol’ brawl game!