A trio of theatrically-released genre films including the innovative vampire saga Daybreakers, the apocalyptic horror film Legion, and the revenge drama Edge of Darkness are not only interesting in their own right, they also involve directors who are helming even more important films due out over the next two years.  Then there is the release of two additional “stages” of the anime street racing saga, Initial D, and what may be the best animated series that ever aired on MTV.

 

Theatrical

 

After a couple of down weeks in this category two genre films with cult hit potential make things interesting again.  Daybreakers (Lionsgate, “R,” $29.95, BD $39.99) presents a fresh take on the vampire genre.  A plague has turned the majority of the population into bloodsuckers, but as the number of non-infected humans dwindles, these newly minted vampires are in great danger of losing their sustenance unless a substitute for human blood can be found.  Written and directed by the Spierig brothers, Daybreakers doesn’t quite manage to live up to its intricate premise, but a solid cast headed by Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, and Willen Dafoe make this a “must-see” for serious horror movie fans.

 

While Daybreakers, with its interesting premise, managed to overcome the critics’ basic dislike for genre films and earn a 67% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Scott Stewart’s apocalyptic horror film Legion (Sony “R,” $28.95, BD $34.95) only managed to get a 17% positive rating.  Legion also has a better than average cast for a genre film (Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Charles S. Dutton, Tyrese Gibson), and it should also be of interest to genre fans because director Scott Stewart, who worked at the effects house known as the Orphanage and created special effects for movies such as Blade Runner, Mars Attacks, and Night at the Museum, is directing the manhwa-based dark fantasy Priest movie that is due out next year.  In Legion, which inspired a 4-issue comic book prequel from IDW, a vengeful God is out to obliterate humanity, but fortunately the archangel Gabriel (Bettany) decides to defend mankind’s last hope, which happens to be a pregnant waitress at a lonely café in the desert (Petrified Forest meets The Book of Eli in conflict that features more rounds being fired than Saving Private Ryan).

 

Mel Gibson’s revenge/conspiracy thriller Edge of Darkness (Warner Bros., "R," 117 min.,  $28.98, BD $35.99), which is based on the classic 1985 British TV series, also has an interesting connection to an upcoming genre film. Edge of Darkness’ director Martin Campbell, who helmed the excellent first Bond film starring Daniel Craig (Casino Royale), is currently in the process of directing the comic book-based Green Lantern 2011 tentpole for Warner Bros.  While the revenge aspect of Edge of Darkness is familiar territory for Gibson, his Boston Police Detective Thomas Craven is an older, grittier version of the single-minded cops that brought the actor a full share of box office acclaim in the 20th Century.

 

Anime

 

The big news this week is Funimation’s release of the Initial D Third Stage (13+, 100 min., $29.98) and the Initial D Fourth Stage Part 1 (13+, 280 min., $59.98).  Neither of these two fascinating segments of the Initial D street racing anime franchise has been released here in the U.S. before.  The Initial D Third Stage movie debuted in Japan in 2001 and the computer-generated animation of the racing scenes appears a little crude by today’s standards, but fans of this groundbreaking series should applaud Funimation’s superbly dubbed English track.  Equally, if not even more attractive, is Initial D Fourth Stage Part 1, the first 12 episodes of the TV anime series that aired in Japan from 2004-2006.  In addition to these never-before released segments, Funimation plans to release the portions of the anime franchise that were previously issued by Tokyopop, but with a new dubs featuring the actors (Joel McDonald, Brina Palencia, Eric Vale) employed in Funi’s Third and Fourth Stage releases.

 

Funimation is also releasing two seasons of the anarchic comedy series Crayon Shin-Chan Season One Complete (17+, 625 min., $49.98) and Crayon Shin-Chan Season Two Complete (17+, 625 min., $49.98) in a lower priced format.  Heavily modified for the U.S. market (Evan Dorkin was among the writers and consultants involved in translating the humor and substituting American pop culture references), the raunchy Shin-Chan series got exposure on the Cartoon Network’s equally irreverent Adult Swim.  The first halves of each season of Shin-Chan are also being released (17+, 300 min., $24.98) in the same low-cost per episode format.  Another major bargain is the Xenosaga Complete Set (Viridian Collection) (Funimation, 14+, 300 min., $29.98).

 

Also due out this week is One Piece Season 2, Seventh Voyage (Funimation, 14+, 320 min., $49.98), which contains episodes 131-143 of what is arguably the most popular manga/anime franchise in Japan.  These particular episodes are “filler” stories created by the animators who had caught up with manga-ka Eichiro Oda’s saga.  While many fans dislike "filler episodes," these largely self-contained stories, while lacking in narrative drive, are quite enjoyable.  Viz Media has made a major effort to get the American publication of One Piece manga caught up with Japan and sales of the One Piece manga are definitely on the rise in North America as is the profile of the property itself.

 

For those who enjoy that anime staple, a situation comedy with a martial arts setting, Sentai Filmworks has Samurai Harem: Asu no Yoichi Complete Collection (13+, 300 min., $49.98), a subtitled-only 12-episode adaptation of the Asu no Yoichi manga series by Yu Minamoto (published here by Tokyopop), which is a good deal more likable than the average "harem" comedy.

 

TV on DVD

 

Though it is hard too believe now, for a brief period starting in the 1990s before it plunged headlong down the reality show road to entertainment hell, the MTV cable networks were actually a haven for cutting edge animated programming.  Among the very best of the MTV animated productions was Daria, a wonderfully snarky series built around the sardonic personality of Daria Morgendorffer, whose caustic comments about high school, her deadly dull suburban enclave of Lawndale, and all forms of pop culture, made her the most interesting teenage female on screen since Diana Lynn in The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek.  At long last MTV has released Daria: The Complete Series (Paramount, 1606 min., $72.99), a mammoth 8-disc collection that contains all five seasons of the series and both TV movies.  Unfortunately the music weasels who insist on charging an arm and a leg for the use of their “precious themes” on disc (effectively preventing the kind of exposure that would undoubtedly create sales of their passé wares) have made it nearly impossible to use the original music, which figured prominently in the humor of the series often as the object of Daria's satire.  The exorbitant cost of music rights is the reason that The Wonder Years has not been released on DVD, and the inability to use the original music in the DVD version of Daria certainly hurts this otherwise brilliant release.

 

In addition to his 1950s movie shorts, the irascible, sight-challenged Mr. Magoo starred in the 1960s TV series, The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo.  Classic Media is releasing one of the episodes Mr. Magoo in Sherwood Forest (82 min., $9.93) that features the vocal talents of Jim Backus and the stylized cartooning of UPA.  Magoo stars as Friar Tuck in this retelling of the Robin Hood legend, which, in spite of the limited animation that was typical of 1960s TV cartoons, is far preferable to Kung-Fu Magoo (Classic Media. $14.93), the first new Magoo cartoon in 30 years.  Animated by Anima Estudios, Kung Fu Magoo includes a teenage hero (Magoo’s nephew, who constantly saves his uncle from disaster) and a similarly aged heroine.  It has a few good moments, but the animation is even less fluid than the 1960s UPA TV series, and the story is pedestrian at best.

 

Live action sitcoms due out this week include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: The Complete Fifth Season (Warner Bros., 650 min., $29.98), which stars the multi-talented Will Smith, and My Wife and Kids: Season 2 (Lionsgate, 616 min., $29.98), which includes 28 episodes of the series featuring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin that is syndicated on ABC Family.

 

Among the returning drama series set for release are Raising the Bar: Season 2 (Lionsgate, 645 min., $29.98), which includes 15 episodes of the Steven Bochco-created legal series that appears on TNT and thirtysomething: Season Three (Shout Factory, 1140 min., $59.97), the classic 1980s saga of baby boomer yuppies,who were student activists in college, coming to terms with middle age and middle class life.

 

Documentaries

 

You don’t expect to get a comic book when you buy a DVD of a documentary, but there is an 8-page comic included with the DVD release of Pulling John (Indiepix, 72 min., $24.95).  A fascinating look at an obscure sport, Pulling John focuses on the career of John Brzenk, who has dominated the sport of arm wrestling for 25 years.  But at the age of 40 this “Michael Jordan of arm wrestling” has to decide whether to retire on top or face up to a severe challenge from two much young arm wrestlers, one from Russia and one from West Virginia. His decision to continue and the contests that ensue make this one very fascinating sports documentary.