Newsletter - FOR THE WEEK

OF March 11th, 2013
  This Week's Highlights
Kábìte wá! - Great week! - Powell + Pressburger, Anthony Mann, John Ford, Michael Haneke on lu-ray and Michelangelo Antonioni (on DVD) this week. On the Calendar; more Olive Films and Arrow (UK) and other releases with Hal Hartley, William Wyler, Joseph Losey, Fred Zinnemann, Cristian Mungiu, Hayao Miyazaki, Mario Bava, Wes Craven, Tinto Brass on Blu-ray We continue with our CONTEST of the week with the prize of a Brand New Olive Blu-ray of She-Devil.

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The FEATURE Blu-ray and DVD chosen for MARCH!
 

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(Week of) March 11th CONTEST  identify the clip on the CONTEST PAGE to win a Brand New Olive Blu-ray of She-Devil

 
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Today's DVD & Blu-rays (Amazon)

Blu-rays Under $10 (Amazon)

Blu-rays Under £6 (Amazon UK)

Blu-rays Under £10 (Amazon UK)

Movies & TVs (Amazon Canada)

LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE RELEASE CALENDAR:

Beyond the Hills [Blu-ray] (Cristian Mungiu, 2012) RB UK Artificial Eye

Accident [Blu-ray] (Joseph Losey, 1967) RB UK Studio Canal

The Men [Blu-ray] (Fred Zinnemann, 1950) Olive Films

Grave of the Fireflies [Blu-ray] (Isao Takahata, 1988) RB UK Studio Canal

Kiki's Delivery Service [Blu-ray] (Hayao Miyazaki, 1989) RB UK Studio Canal

My Left Foot [Blu-ray] (Jim Sheridan, 1989) RB UK ITV Studios

The Man Who Haunted Himself [Blu-ray] (Basil Dearden, 1970) RB UK Network

The Blood on Satan's Claw [Blu-ray] (Piers Haggard, 1971) RB UK Odeon Entertainment

Motel Hell [Blu-ray] (Kevin Connor, 1980) RB UK Arrow Video

Black Sabbath [Blu-ray] (Mario Bava, 1963) RB UK Arrow Video

Deadly Blessing [Blu-ray] (Wes Craven, 1981) RB UK Arrow Video

All Ladies Do It [Blu-ray] (Tinto Brass, 1992) RB UK Arrow Video

The Key [Blu-ray] (Tinto Brass, 1983) RB UK Arrow Video

Captured [Blu-ray] (John Krish, 1959) RB UK BFI

You're Human Like the Rest of Them [Blu-ray] (B.S. Johnson, 1967) RB UK BFI

The Unbelievable Truth [Blu-ray] (Hal Hartley, 1989) Olive Films

Officer and a Gentleman [Blu-ray] (Taylor Hackford, 1982) Paramount

Funny Girl [Blu-ray] (William Wyler, 1968) Sony

Cloud Atlas [Blu-ray] (Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, 2012) Warner

Dexter: The Seventh Season [Blu-ray] - HBO

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry / Race With The Devil [Blu-ray] - Shout Factory

Mad Max: Complete Trilogy [Blu-ray] - Warner Home Video

Barrymore [Blu-ray] (Erik Canuel, 2011) Image Entertainment

True Grit / The Searchers [Blu-ray] - Warner (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

Night of the Scarecrow [Blu-ray] (Jeff Burr, 1995) Olive Films

The Miracle of the Bells [Blu-ray] (Irving Pichel, 1948) Olive Films

Parked [Blu-ray] (Darragh Byrne, 2010) Olive Films

Pals of the Saddle [Blu-ray] (George Sherman, 1938) Olive Films

Three Faces West [Blu-ray] (Bernard Vorhaus, 1940) Olive Films

The Enforcer [Blu-ray] (Bretaigne Windust, 1951) Olive Films

Cloak and Dagger [Blu-ray] (Fritz Lang, 1946) Olive Films

Meanwhile [Blu-ray] (Hal Hartley, 2011) Olive Films

Flirt [Blu-ray] (Hal Hartley, 1995) Olive Films

Hoodlum Empire [Blu-ray] (Joseph Kane, 1952) Olive Films

The Lonely Trail [Blu-ray] (Joseph Kane, 1936) Olive Films

Lonely Are the Brave [Blu-ray] (David Miller, 1962) RB DE Koch Media

Billy Liar - 50th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray] (John Schlesinger, 1963) RB UK Studiocanal

In The Name Of The Father [Blu-ray] (Jim Sheridan, 1993) [Region Free] UK Universal

Scanners (Limited Edition Steelbook) [Blu-ray] (David Cronenberg, 1981) RB UK Second Sight

The Sand Pebbles [Blu-ray] (Robert Wise, 1966) RB UK 20th Century Fox

3:10 to Yuma [Blu-ray] (Delmer Daves, 1957) Criterion Collection

3:10 to Yuma (Delmer Daves, 1957) Criterion Collection

Jubal [Blu-ray] (Delmer Daves, 1956) Criterion Collection

Jubal (Delmer Daves, 1956) Criterion Collection

Medium Cool [Blu-ray] (Haskell Wexler, 1969) Criterion Collection

Medium Cool (Haskell Wexler, 1969) Criterion Collection

Life of Pi [Blu-ray] (Ang Lee, 2012) Fox
 

 

ONE VOICE (not Ellsworth Monkton Toohey): Criterion's Blu-ray of Powell + Pressburger's The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp gets my top vote this week as the definitive package of a masterpiece film. I was also quite moved by Michael Haneke's Amour - it qualifies as a modern masterpiece. John Ford's How Green Was My Valley raises the bar for home theatre appreciation via 1080P. Personally, I liked the sci-fi horror She Devil - it has the 50's nostalgic genre charm. While I liked Anthony Mann's Strangers in the Night - it is 'only' a B-picture but I truly wish it was longer. Monsieur Gangster is great fun and it was a pleasure viewing the Blu-ray. It is easy to see why the film was so popular - he Blu-ray is certainly recommended! On Approval is a humorous and insightful British period piece that also deserves its extensive accolades. Zulu Dawn may be a poor man's prequel to Zulu - but it still packs a punch with the strong cast and incredibly true story. It's easy to see why Fairy in a Cage is such a controversial 1970's Japanese film. Not for all tastes - to be sure. On DVD we have Antonioni's Beyond the Clouds with some imperfections in the SD transfer but surely that won't hold back fans of the director. Eric covered a Jackie Chan Double Feature with two cop-related thrillers. March Break for many - have a safe one!

  THIS WEEK's REVIEWS / COMPARISONS
 

How Green Was My Valley BD - Seen through the eyes of a boy (Roddy McDowall), How Green Was My Valley is the inspiring yet heart breaking story of young parents (Donald Crisp and Sara Allgood) struggling to keep their family together as they endure severe hardship in a small Welsh mining town. Co-starring Maureen O’Hara and Walter Pidgeon, this acclaimed classic captures the sentiments and issues of its time while reminding us of the dreams, struggles and triumphs that can touch every family. Blu-ray Release Date: January 15th, 2013

Jackie Chan Double Feature - CRIME STORY (1993) - A dark and handsome true-crime thriller about kidnapping and police corruption in Hong Kong. One of Jackie Chan's most serious roles, but still overflowing with spectacular acrobatic sequences. THE PROTECTOR (1985) - Billy Wong is a New York City cop whose partner is gunned down during a robbery. Billy and his new partner, Danny Garoni, are working security at a fashion show when a wealthy man's daughter, Laura Shapiro, is kidnapped. The Federal authorities suspect that Laura's father is involved with Mr. Ko, a Hong Kong drug kingpin, so the NYC police commissioner sends the two cops to Hong Kong to investigate. DVD Release Date: January 15th, 2013

Strangers in the Night BD - The first film-noir directed by legendary filmmaker Anthony Mann (T-Men, The Naked Spur) - A Marine sergeant (William Terry) stationed overseas falls in love with a woman only through correspondence. On the train back home, he meets a beautiful young doctor (Virginia Grey) who's starting a new practice in the same small town. Once in town, he finds his pen pal's place of residence, but to his surprise he only finds the girl's mother (Helen Thimig) living at the old mansion with her servant (Edith Barrett) - The old woman informs him that her daughter has gone away and will return shortly, but asks him to stay at the mansion until her return. This gothic and haunting mystery in the tradition of Hitchcock's Rebecca was beautifully shot Reggie Lanning (Hoodlum Empire). Blu-ray Release date: February 26th, 2013

Monsieur Gangster BD - In this action-packed slapstick comedy - a dying mob boss nicknamed "The Mexican" asks his old friend and ex-gangster, Fernand Naudin (Lino Ventura), to come out of retirement to take over the family businesses and protect his soon to be married daughter. The rival families take an exception to this and unleash their henchmen to take care of Naudin, but they get much more than they bargained for. After surviving their first onslaught, he declares war on the other families and their shady operations. The stellar cast includes Bernard Blier and Francis Blanche with great direction by Georges Lautner and writing by Michel Audiard. The writer, director and three leads reappeared the following year in the even more successful Spy vs. Spy comedy, The Great Spy Chase (Les Barbouzes). Blu-ray Release date: February 26th, 2013

On Approval BD - Clive Brook adapted and stars as George, the 10th Duke of Bristol, in this hilarious adaptation of Frederick Lonsdale's play. George and his equally impoverished friend Richard (Roland Culver) are invited to spend a month at a Scottish mansion by two wealthy women (played by Beatrice Lillie and Googie Withers) to test their compatibility as potential marriage partners. What follows is a delightfully witty romance described by Lindsay Anderson as the funniest British light comedy ever made. Blu-ray Release date: March 19th, 2013

Beyond the Clouds - Legendary directors Michelangelo Antonioni (L'avventura) and Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire) teamed up to create this modern masterpiece. "Beyond the Clouds" Told from the dreamlike perspective of a wandering film director, the movie weaves four stories of love and lust, inspired by Antonioni's book about enigmatic, unrequited or unresolved relationships. Set in several beautiful European locales such as Portofino and Paris, the film uses striking compositions, sensuous shots of lovely nudes and a moving musical score to create a radiant meditation on love and desire. The film features music from Van Morrison, U2, and Brian Eno and boasts an eclectic international cast including John Malkovich, Sophie Marceau, Irene Jacob, Jean Reno, Peter Weller, Vincent Perez, Fanny Ardant and special appearances by screen legends Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau. DVD Release Date: February 26th, 2013

Zulu Dawn BD - This film depicts the events prior to the devastating conflict that occurred in 1879 when British soldiers were held siege by thousands of Zulu warriors. Fifteen hundred soldiers were killed in the epic battle. This film portrays the tensions existing between the tribal factions and the British invaders. Blu-ray Release date: March 12th, 2013

Fairy in a Cage BD - During World War II, the tyrannical Judge Murayama uses his military power to imprison and torture innocent people. Suspected of helping an anti-government movement, the lovely Namiji Kikushima (Naomi Tani) is captured, along with a local kabuki actor. Helpless and unable to escape, the two are subjected to a grueling series of tortures including rope bondage and physical assault. As the Judge and his evil assistant Kayo revel in their perverse fetishes, a new military recruit they've hired named Taoka may be the key to prisoners freedom. He loves Namiji and will do what he can to help her, even if it means betrayal to organize an escape! Impulse Pictures is proud to present FAIRY IN A CAGE, one of the most controversial films of 1970's Japanese cinema, in a brand-new high-definition transfer taken from the original 35mm camera negative. Blu-ray Release date: March 12th, 2013

She Devil BD - Cult director Kurt Neumann (The Fly) directed this sci-fi horror classic about biochemists (Jack Kelly and Albert Dekker) working under the premise that all living organisms can heal themselves by adapting to harmful things in their environment, try to develop a new serum based on the fruit fly, the most adaptive of all organisms. They successfully administer their compound on various animals and are ready for the right human subject. They find the perfect patient, a young woman (Mari Blanchard) dying of tuberculosis - she willingly agrees to be injected with the serum and six hours later she's totally cured. What our heroes don't realize is that they've created an inhuman female monster that cannot be killed. Beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by legendary cinematographer Karl Struss (Sunrise, The Great Dictator). Blu-ray Release date: February 26th, 2013

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp BD - Considered by many to be the finest British film ever made, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, is a stirring masterpiece like no other. Roger Livesey dynamically embodies outmoded English militarism as the indelible General Clive Candy, who barely survives four decades of tumultuous British history, 1902 to 1942, only to see the world change irrevocably before his eyes. Anton Walbrook and Deborah Kerr provide unforgettable support, he as a German enemy turned lifelong friend of Candy’s and she as young women of three consecutive generations—a socially committed governess, a sweet-souled war nurse, and a modern-thinking army driver—who inspire him. Colonel Blimp is both moving and slyly satirical, an incomparable film about war, love, aging, and obsolescence, shot in gorgeous Technicolor. Blu-ray Release Date: March 19th, 2013

Amour BD - An octogenarian couple find their love put to the ultimate test when one of them suffers a stroke, and the other must assume the role of the caretaker in this compassionate yet unsentimental drama from director Michael Haneke. Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) are retired classical-music teachers savoring their golden years in a comfortable apartment when Anne experiences a stroke that leaves her partially paralyzed. As devoted Georges struggles with the formidable task of becoming Anne's full-time caretaker, a visit from their adult daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert) reaffirms just how secluded from society the highly educated couple have become since retiring. Blu-ray Release date: March 18th, 2012
 

 Next 4 weeks on the Calendar

March 11th, 2013

 

Alfred Hitchcock: The Classic Collection [Blu-ray] (Notorious, Rebecca, Spellbound) MGM (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)   (BEAVER REVIEW) 

Ben-Hur / Ten Commandments [Blu-ray] - Paramount (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

The Blob [Blu-ray] (Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr., 1958) Criterion Collection (BEAVER REVIEW)

Casablanca (Michael Curtiz) / (John Huston) African Queen [Blu-ray] Warner (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

Clash Of The Titans 2010/1981 [Blu-ray] Warner (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

The Devil's in the Details [Blu-ray] (Waymon Boone, 2012) Image Entertainment

Dirty Dozen, The / Green Berets, The [Blu-ray] - Warner (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

Disclosure (Barry Levinson) / Fatal Attraction (Adrian Lyne) [Blu-ray] Paramount (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

Fairy in a Cage [Blu-ray] (Kôyû Ohara, 1977) Impulse Pictures (BEAVER REVIEW)

Hysteria [Blu-ray] (Rene Daalder, 1997) Cult Epics

Life of Pi [Blu-ray] (Ang Lee, 2012) Fox (BEAVER REVIEW) 

Lonely Are the Brave [Blu-ray] (David Miller, 1962) RB DE Koch Media

The Master [Blu-ray] (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012) RB UK Entertainment in Video (BEAVER REVIEW)

Ministry of Fear [Blu-ray] (Fritz Lang, 1944) Criterion Collection (BEAVER REVIEW)

Ministry of Fear (Fritz Lang, 1944) Criterion Collection

Ripper Street [Blu-ray] (Matthew Macfadyen, 2012) BBC Warner

Saturday Night Fever (1977) / Grease (1978) [Blu-ray] - Paramount (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

Siegfried [Blu-ray] (Brian Large, 1990) Deutsche Grammophon

Small Town Murder Songs (Ed Gass-Donnelly, 2010) R2 UK Soda Pictures

Spiders (3D/2D Blu-ray) (Tibor Takács, 2012) Millennium

A Time To Kill/The Pelican Brief [Blu-ray] Warner Brothers (BEAVER REVIEW)  (BEAVER REVIEW)

Tristana [Blu-ray] (Luis Buñuel, 1970) Cohen Media (BEAVER REVIEW)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit [Blu-ray] (Robert Zemeckis, 1988) Touchstone

Zulu Dawn [Blu-ray] (Douglas Hickox, 1979) Severin Films (BEAVER REVIEW)

 

 

March 18th, 2013

 

Amour [Blu-ray] (Michael Haneke, 2012) RB UK Artificial Eye (BEAVER REVIEW)

Badlands [Blu-ray] (Terrence Malick, 1973) Criterion Collection (BEAVER REVIEW)

Badlands (Terrence Malick, 1973) Criterion Collection

The Big Picture [Blu-ray] (Eric Lartigau, 2010) MPI

Dracula [Blu-ray] (Terence Fisher, 1958) RB UK LionsGate

Fatherland (Ken Loach, 1986) R2 UK Park Circus

Gorgo [Blu-ray] (Eugene Lourie, 1961) VCI

Grave of the Vampire (John Hayes, 1972) Bayview

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp [Blu-ray] (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1943) Criterion Collection (BEAVER REVIEW)

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1943) Criterion Collection

Looks and Smiles (Ken Loach, 1981) R2 UK Park Circus

The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1942) R2 UK Masters of Cinema

The Murderer Lives at Number 21 [Blu-ray] (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1942) RB UK Masters of Cinema

Nanook of the North / The Wedding of Palo (and Other Films of Arctic Life) [Blu-ray] - Flicker Alley

Nude For Satan [Blu-ray] (Luigi Batzella, 1974) Redemption

On Approval [Blu-ray] (Clive Brook, 1944) Inception Media Group (BEAVER REVIEW)

The Other Son [Blu-ray] (Lorraine Levy, 2012) Koch Entertainment

Porky's [Blu-ray] (Bob Clark, 1982) Fox Home Entertainment

Tess [Blu-ray] (Roman Polanski, 1979) RB UK BFI (BEAVER REVIEW)

Zeta One (aka The Love Factor): Remastered Edition [Blu-ray] (Michael Cort, 1969) Redemption

 

 

March 25th, 2012

 

The Atomic Kid [Blu-ray] (Leslie H. Martinson, 1954) Olive Films

Le Beau Serge (Claude Chabrol, 1958) RB UK Masters of Cinema

Le Beau Serge [Blu-ray] (Claude Chabrol, 1958) RB UK Masters of Cinema

China Gate [Blu-ray] (Samuel Fuller, 1957) Olive Films

Les Cousins (Claude Chabrol, 1959) R2 UK Masters of Cinema
 Les Cousins [Blu-ray] (Claude Chabrol, 1959) RB UK Masters of Cinema

The Devil and Miss Jones [Blu-ray] (Sam Wood, 1941) Olive Films

Everyday (Michael Winterbottom, 2012) R2 UK Soda Pictures

From Beyond [Blu-ray] (Stuart Gordon, 1986) Shout! Factory

Futureworld [Blu-ray] (Richard T. Heffron, 1976) Shout! Factory

Hell's Half Acre [Blu-ray] (John H. Auer, 1954) Olive Films

The Hunt [Blu-ray] (Thomas Vinterberg, 2012) RB UK Arrow

Ironweed [Blu-ray] (Hector Babenco, 1987) Olive Films

Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot: The Complete Series - Shout! Factory

Jurassic Park (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (Steven Spielberg, 1993) Universal (BEAVER REVIEW)

Killing Them Softly [Blu-ray] (Andrew Dominik, 2012) Anchor Bay

Late Bloomers [Blu-ray] (Julie Gavras, 2011) Olive Films

The Lawless Nineties [Blu-ray] (Joseph Kane, 1936) Olive Films

Little Fugitive [Blu-ray] (Ray Ashley, 1953) Kino Lorber

Living Apart Together (Charles Gormley, 1982) R2 UK Park Circus

A Man Betrayed [Blu-ray] (John H. Auer, 1941) Olive Films

A Man Escaped [Blu-ray] (Robert Bresson, 1956) Criterion Collection (BEAVER REVIEW)

A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson, 1956) Criterion Collection

Marvin's Room [Blu-ray] (Jerry Zaks, 1996) Miramax

McLintock! [Blu-ray] (Andrew V. McLaglen, 1963) Olive Films

Monsieur Verdoux [Blu-ray] (Charles Chaplin, 1947) Criterion Collection (BEAVER REVIEW)

Monsieur Verdoux (Charles Chaplin, 1947) Criterion Collection

Panic in the Streets [Blu-ray] (Elia Kazan, 1950) Fox

Polish Cinema Classics Volume II (PROMISED LAND, ILLUMINATION, ESCAPE FROM 'LIBERTY' CINEMA) R2 UK Second Run

The Revisionaries (Scott Thurman, 2012) Kino Lorber

A Royal Affair [Blu-ray] (Nikolaj Arcel, 2012) Magnolia

Ruthless [Blu-ray] (Edgar G. Ulmer, 1948) Olive Films

Ship of Fools / Lilith (Double Feature) [Blu-ray] (Stanley Kramer, 1965) Mill Creek

Sightseers [Blu-ray] (Ben Wheatley, 2012) RB UK Studiocanal

The Sun Shines Bright [Blu-ray] (John Ford, 1953) Olive Films

Westward Ho [Blu-ray] (Robert N. Bradbury, 1935) Olive Films

Womb [Blu-ray] (Benedek Fliegauf, 2010) Olive Films

Wyoming Outlaw [Blu-ray] (George Sherman, 1939) Olive Films

 

 

 

March 29th, 2013

 

The Keys of the Kingdom [Blu-ray] (John M Stahl, 1944) RB UK Odeon Entertainment
     
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