Plowed under at box office, doomsday tale deserves new life

Despite rave reviews and great word-of-mouth, “Snowpiercer,” starring the talented Chris Evans (Marvel’s “Captain America”), disappeared from theaters faster than a snowball melts under the summer sun.
Movie fans seeking an unusual fantasy epic with a political subtext would be wise to spend 126 minutes with “Snowpiercer” (to be released today on DVD and Blu-ray Disc).
The picture, rated R for strong violence, language and drug content, grossed a respectable $82 million overseas, but it took in just $4.5 million in the U.S. and Canada.
In the film, co-starring Octavia Spencer, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell and John Hurt, a global-warming experiment destroys life on the planet and the people who remain are on board Snowpiercer, a train that travels the frozen globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
The visually stunning apocalyptic epic is about the high-tech train that continues to run despite mountains of snow and ice.
Passengers are divided by income and status, with the poor forced to fend for themselves.
That’s when the onboard revolution starts.
The film isn’t for everyone, but fans of doomsday fare may find the action fantasy, directed by South Korean filmmaker Joon-ho Bong (“The Host”), a rousing experience.
New arrivals
The following titles have either been released or soon will arrive in stores and outlets.
For information on prices, extras, release dates and other information, go to www.amazon.com, www.target.com and www.moviesunlimited.com.
“Earth To Echo,” with Teo Halm in a PG-rated fantasy about some boys who receive a strange series of beeps on their telephones and then discover a small alien grounded on the planet.
“Fedora,” with William Holden in writer-director Billy Wilder’s dark PG-rated romance (1978) that looks at the fears of aging stars in Hollywood.
“Gorky Park,” with Lee Marvin, William Hurt and Joanna Pacula in an R-rated thriller about a murder that might have been staged by the KGB.
“Henry V,” with Kenneth Branagh in a PG-13 screen version of his adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy about the king of England and his brutal means of conquering France.
“Juan of the Dead,” an unrated import about a man who sets up a business of hunting down zombies in Havana.
“La Dolce Vita,” with Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in an unrated Italian classic (1960) that looks at the destructive nature of stardom.
“The Picture of Dorian Grey,” with George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Angela Lansbury and Donna Reed in an unrated melodrama (1945) about a painting that grows old instead of its owner.
“Sex Tape,” with Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel in an R-rated comedy about a couple who decide to video tape their sexual activities and then lose track of the recorded material.
“The Vincent Price Collection II,” with “The Last Man on Earth,” “The Comedy of Terrors,” “The Tomb of Ligeia,” “The Raven,” “The Return of the Fly,” “Dr. Phibes Rises Again” and “House on Haunted Hill.”