The Latest on DVD: Esther and the Happy Hooker

New in Classics:

• Ace in the Hole- This is the biggest news for classic film fans this week, the long-awaited release of one of Billy Wilder's most respected pictures, yet oddly one of the least known; Kirk Douglas stars.
• TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Volume 1- Also long absent from DVD is MGM's own musical mermaid, now featured in this box set. Five movies starring the aquatic actress are included: Bathing Beauty, Dangerous When Wet, Easy to Wed, Neptune's Daughter and On an Island With You.
• The Happy Hooker Trilogy- You can't get much farther away then those then with this one (I love that they called it a trilogy, by the by). Lynn Redgrave, Joey Heatherton and Martine Beswick each assay the title role in (respectively) the original escapade and her subsequent trips to Washington and Hollywood.

What Else is New:

• Factory Girl- Guy Pearce is Andy Warhol and Sienna Miller is his muse Edie Sedgwick.
• Race You to the Bottom- Buffy's Amber Benson stars in this bisexual adultery drama.

TV Sets:

• Voyagers!- The entire run of this fantasy show I remember vaguely yet fondly is included. It starred the ill-fated hunk Jon-Erik Hexum.
• The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Second Season- Starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno.

Gay Interest:

• The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg- The famed queer poet gets the documentary treatment.
• ABBA: Arrival (The Worlds Greatest Albums)- Gay faves ABBA have not one, but two new releases. This and ...
• ABBA: Rock Case Studies- Although I'm pretty sure this one isn't about geology.

Craptastic Thrills:

• Grindhouse Trash Collection- Featuring early "work" by porn icon John Holmes.
• Showgirls- Yes, another DVD version of Showgirls. This time, it is the "Fully-Exposed" edition. Obviously, whoever named it that has never seen it.

All titles are available today.

Click on the titles to purchase them at Amazon.com.