‘Botero,’ ‘Claudine,’ ‘District 9,’ ‘Grant,’ More Available on Home Entertainment This Week

A REGULAR WOMAN. (DVD Artwork). ©Corinth.

By ANGELA DAWSON

Front Row Features

Movies

A Regular Woman

Based on a contentious, real-life “honor killing” in 2005 that shocked Germany, Sherry Hormann’s “A Regular Woman” arrives on DVD/Digital Tuesday Oct. 13, from Corinth Films.

The crime drama offers a novel and captivating approach: the murdered woman, a 23-year-old German of Turkish-Kurdish ancestry shot point blank by her youngest brother, narrates the action both before and after her death. Picking up where German director Feo Alasag’s prize-winning 2010 feature “When We Leave” left off, “A Regular Woman” portrays a glimpse of life for Hatun Aynur Sürücüa, a free-spirited young woman living with an ultra-conservative Turkish Muslim family in Berlin.

After escaping a forced marriage with her abusive cousin, Hatun provokes the ire of her family by embracing a westernized lifestyle. After enduring endless harassment, she finally leaves the family and attempts to survive alone with her child, with whom she had escaped from Turkey while pregnant. The threats and harassment continue, though, with German authorities unwilling to do anything unless Hatun is physically harmed. This soon tragically materializes as the family decides to task Hatun’s youngest brother with a deed that would end the family’s “shame,” and thrust the horrific practice of honor killings into the international spotlight.

“A Regular Woman” will be available for the suggested retail price (SRP) $24.95.

Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World

“Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World” will be available on DVD Tuesday Oct. 13, from First Run Features. The documentary follows the rise of the investigative journalism collective known as Bellingcat, founded in 2014 by British journalist and former blogger Eliot Higgins.

From the Malaysian jetliner shot down over Ukraine to the poisoning of a Russian spy in England, the Bellingcat team’s quest for truth brings clarity and accountability in an era of fake news and alternative facts. Bellingcat’s online researchers—all private citizens—are dedicated to exposing the truth behind controversial news stories. With staff and contributors from more than 20 countries, Bellingcat operates in a unique field where cutting-edge technology, forensic research, investigation, crowd-souring, transparency and accountability come together to create a faster, innovative approach than traditional journalism.

Botero

The fascinating documentary “Botero” is now available on DVD/Digital, from Corinth Films.

Fernando Botero is one of the world’s most popular living artists, with millions of fans transcending cultures across the globe. While his art is instantly recognizable (subjects with ballooned heads and/or bodies), the story of how he became “the Maestro” is largely unknown. “Botero” changes that. This poetic, beautifully filmed documentary for award-winning filmmaker Don Millar offers an inspiring look at the power of relentless vision, unwavering conviction and a lifetime of discipline.

Weaving together original footage shot in 10 cities across China, Europe, New York and Colombia, with decades of family photos and archival video, “Botero” grants home viewers unprecedented access to the artist and his family, along with a colorful cast of historians, curators and academics who together reveal the creativity and convictions at the heart of the artist.

The film ultimately brings together the man and his art to capture Botero’s essence—the quiet resolve and strength of character that allowed him to overcome poverty, decades of harsh criticism and the tragic death of his four-year-old son. Never-before-seen moments come to life as his children uncover decades-old sketches in a shuttered storage facility, as cameras go behind the scenes at a show exhibiting his work alongside Pablo Picasso’s, and as the artist takes us on a private tour of his studio.

“Botero” is available on DVD/Digital for $24.95 (SRP).

Carmilla

A quarter century before the story of Dracula was penned, there was a story of an enchanting young woman with a taste for blood whose name was Carmilla. The story of this female vampire is told in “Carmilla,” arriving on DVD/Digital Tuesday Oct. 13, from Film Movement.

Isolated from the outside world, 15-year-old Lara (Hannah Rae) lives in seclusion on a vast country estate with her father and strict governess Miss Fontaine (Jessica Raine). Late one evening, a mysterious carriage crash brings a young girl (Devrim Lignau) into their home to recuperate. Lara immediately becomes beguiled by this strange visitor who arouses her curiosity and awakens her burgeoning desires.

This atmospheric coming-of-age tale, co-starring Tobias Menzies, is inspired by the 1872 Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, who crafted the story 25 years before Bram Stoker put the supernatural story of Count Dracula on the page. Nominated for Best Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, this acclaimed drama from director Emily Harris includes on the DVD a behind-the-scenes featurette and bonus short film, “Three Towers.”

“Camilla” will be available on DVD/Digital for $24.95 (SRP).

Claudine

The 1974 romantic comedy “Claudine” arrives Tuesday Oct. 13 in a Blu-ray Special Edition from Criterion.

Diahann Carroll is radiant in an unforgettable, Oscar-nominated performance as the title character, a strong-willed single mother, raising six kids in Harlem, whose budding relationship with a gregarious garbage collector (an equally fantastic James Earl Jones) is stressed by the difficulty of getting by in an oppressive system.

As directed by the formerly blacklisted leftist filmmaker John Berry, this romantic comedy with a social conscience deftly balances warm humor with a serious look at the myriad issues—from cycles of poverty to the indignities of the welfare system—that shape its characters’ realities. The result is an empathetic chronicle of both Black working-class struggle and Black joy, a bittersweet, bighearted celebration of family and community set to a sunny soul soundtrack composed by Curtis Mayfield and performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Extras on this Special Edition Blu-ray include: audio commentary from 2003 featuring stars Carroll, Jones, and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs; filmmaker George Tillman Jr.; and Dan Pine, son of screenwriters Lester Pine and Tina Pine; a new conversation on the film between filmmaker Robert Townsend and programmer Ashley Clark; illustrated audio excerpts from a 1974 AFI Harold Lloyd Master Seminar featuring Carroll; and more.

“Claudine” will be available for $39.95 (SRP).

Delirious: The Director’s Cut

“Delirious: The Director’s Cut” will be available on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday Oct. 13, from MVD Entertainment Group.

Les (Steve Buscemi) is a small-time paparazzi with dreams of making it big. His luck changes for the better when he befriends a young homeless kid, Toby (Michael Pitt), and makes him his assistant. The two form an unlikely bond running through the sham and glam of NYC’s celebrity scene but when Toby falls for a pop diva and becomes a reality TV star, Les takes the rejection personally. The never-before-seen Director’s Cut features bonus and behind-the-scenes content including a new filmed introduction by director Tom DiCillo detailing the motivation behind his 12-year search for the film.

“Delirious: The Director’s Cut” also is now available on VOD & Digital HD, from Shout! Factory.

The film also stars Alison Lohman (“Drag Me to Hell”), Gina Gershon (“Face/Off”), Callie Thorne (“Rescue Me”), Kevin Corrigan (“Pineapple Express”), Melissa Rauch (“The Big Bang Theory”) Kristen Schaal (“Bill & Ted Face the Music”) and Richard Short (“Public Enemies”) with special appearances by Elvis Costello and David Wain. This award-winning film about the high stakes world of fame and celebrity comes from DiCillo, the writer/director of “Living in Oblivion.”

District 9

The acclaimed sci-fi thriller “District 9,” from producer Peter Jackson and director/co-writer Neil Blomkamp, arrives for the first time on 4K Ultra HD in a Combo Pack that includes the Blu-ray and Digital, Tuesday Oct. 13, from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

The 2009 film stars Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope, Mandla Gaduka, William Allen Young and Vanessa Haywood. With stunning special effects and gritty realism, “District 9” plunges viewers into a world where the aliens have landed, only to be exiled to a slum on the fringes of Johannesburg, South Africa. Now, one lone human discovers the mysterious secret of the extraterrestrial weapon technology. Hunted and hounded through the bizarre back alleys of an alien shantytown, he will discover what it means to be the ultimate outsider on your own planet.

“District 9” on 4K Ultra HD includes a Comic-Con Extravaganza featurette and the original theatrical trailers. The Blu-ray includes deleted scenes, director’s commentary, “The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log” (a three-part documentary), “Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus,” “Innovation: Acting and Improvisation,” “Conception and Design: Creating the World of ‘District 9,’” “Alien Generations: Visual Effects” and “Joburg from Above: Interactive Map of Satellite and Schematics of the World of ‘District 9.’”

El Camino

“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” arrives in a Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray/DVD Combo Tuesday Oct. 13, from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

The action-drama reunites fans with Jesse Pinkman (Emmy winner Aaron Paul). In the wake of his dramatic escape from captivity, Jesse must come to terms with his past in order to forge some kind of future. This riveting thriller was written and directed by Vince Gilligan, the creator of the hit AMC series “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul.”

Extras include audio commentary, a gag reel, deleted and extended scenes and more.

Requiem for a Dream: Director’s Cut

Celebrating its 20th anniversary with a 4K Ultra HD release, Darren Aronofsky’s acclaimed “Requiem for a Dream” arrives in a special 4K Ultra HD Director’s Cut edition Tuesday Oct. 13, from Lionsgate.

With a screenplay by Aronofsky and Hubert Selby Jr., based on Selby’s novel, the gritty drama stars Oscar winners Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Ellen Burstyn, along with Marlon Wayans, in a hypnotic film about four people pursuing their visions of happiness. Even as everything begins to fall apart, they refuse to let go, plummeting with their dreams into a nightmarish, gut-wrenching freefall.

Available for the very first time in this stunning format, the “Requiem for a Dream: Director’s Cut” 4K Ultra HD scan was supervised by cinematographer Matthew Libatique and includes four brand-new featurettes exclusive to this release.

The 20th Anniversary “Requiem for a Dream: Director’s Cut” 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack will be available for $22.99 (SRP).

Seized

Scott Adkins stars in the action-thriller “Seized, arriving on DVD, Digital, and On Demand Tuesday Oct. 13, from Lionsgate.

MMA action star Adkins plays a former Special Forces agent whose son is kidnapped and must now wipe out three dangerous crime syndicates if he wants to see him alive again. Directed by Isaac Florentine (Undisputed franchise) and written by Rico Lowry, the “Seized” DVD will be available for $19.98 (SRP).

TV Shows

Bad Mothers

AMC Networks’ Sundance Now announces the DVD debut of the alluring Aussie murder mystery, “Bad Mothers,” Tuesday Oct. 13.

This funny, glamorous eight-part series explores the underbelly of modern motherhood through the prism of four very different women as they juggle life’s big issues: love, family, careers, infidelity and murder. Now on a two-disc DVD set ($34.99, Amazon.com), “Bad Mothers” previously premiered earlier this year on Sundance Now.

Sarah’s (Tess Haubrich, “Treadstone”) seemingly perfect life as a local GP, loving wife and doting mother comes crashing down the moment she discovers her husband Anton (Daniel MacPherson, “Strike Back”) is having an affair with her best friend Charlotte (Golden Globe nominee Melissa George, “In Treatment,” “The Good Wife”). Suddenly, Charlotte turns up dead, and Anton is arrested for her murder.

As Sarah’s life spirals out of control, she finds unlikely support from a ragtag group of mums called The Bad Mothers Club. Sarah finds herself drawn into the chaotic worlds of her new friends: Danielle (Jessica Tovey, “Wonderland”), the outgoing mum who needs more in her life; Bindy (Shalom Brune-Franklin, “The Heart Guy”), the wild child party mum; and Maddie (Mandy McElhinney, “Love Child”), the fierce mum battling with a difficult child and an acrimonious custody battle.

There’s just one thing stopping Sarah from leaving the mess of her old life behind her, Anton swears he’s innocent. Now Sarah will have to add “detective” to her already lengthy list of jobs if she is to clear her husband’s name.

Grant

Follow soldier/statesman Ulysses S. Grant’s rise to the presidency when History’s “Grant” arrives on DVD Tuesday Oct. 13, from Lionsgate.

Based on the best-selling biography, “Grant,” by Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Chernow, this three-part miniseries combines interviews with experts and historians, vivid reenactments, and compelling archival materials to reveal the true legacy of the 18th president. Executive produced by Academy Award® and Golden Globe winner Leonardo DiCaprio, the miniseries stars Justin Salinger, Francis Chouler and Carel Nel. The best non-fiction miniseries launch on History in the last six years, “Grant” will be available for $14.98 (SRP).

The Soul of The Midnight Special

“The Soul of The Midnight Special” comes alive with legendary musical acts performing their biggest hits on late night’s original live music show in a special DVD collection from Time Life arrives for the first time Tuesday Oct. 13 exclusively at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

“The Soul of The Midnight Special” brings home audiences and music lovers everywhere an unforgettable collection of legendary soul artists performing their hits in the prime of their careers including uncut performances, just straight-from-the-heart soul singing with live musicians in front of a live audience.

In the period between “American Bandstand” and MTV, there were sev­eral shows that tried to bring new music to television, but it wasn’t until “The Midnight Special” premiered on Aug. 19, 1972, that live music found a home on the air. Burt Sugarman, producer of Grammy Awards telecasts, was frustrated by television’s lack of programming after “The Tonight Show” ended. (The screen reverted to test patterns at 1 a.m.) Recognizing this valuable airtime could cater to a brand-new audience that craved its latest musical heroes, Sugarman created “The Midnight Special,” which aired Friday nights on NBC from 1972 to 1981.

The ’70s was a special time for soul music and “The Midnight Special” truly had an affinity for the genre. Week after week, home audiences would have virtual front row seats for performances by the greatest soul performers of the time including Al Green, Earth Wind & Fire, Patti LaBelle, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, The Spinners, The O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, The Stylistics, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and The Pips, and others.

Time Life’s “The Soul of The Midnight Special” brings together the greatest soul performances handpicked from thousands in a chock-filled five-disc set. Included is this collection—many of which haven’t been seen since their original broadcast—include Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Stay Together” to Gladys Knight’s “Midnight Train to Georgia” to love songs like the Stylistics’ “Betcha by Golly, Wow” to dance grooves like Sly & the Family Stone’s “Dance to the Music” and The Ohio Players’ funky “Fire.”

All-time classic performances include “Back Stabbers” by the O’Jays, “Tired of Being Alone” by Al Green, “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, “The Love I Lost” by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and “I Want to Take You Higher” by Sly & the Family Stone. Also included are exclusive interviews with James Brown, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, Russell Thompkins Jr. of The Stylistics, Bobby Womack, and many others.