Newsletter - FOR THE WEEK

OF May 14th, 2012

Gaoi - Ginormous week with films on Blu-ray by Henry King, Fritz Lang, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, Lamberto Bava, Delmer Daves (2), Henry Hathaway, Edward Dmytryk, Ronald Neame and Ingmar Bergman! whew... and DVD has Joseph Losey, zombies, aliens and naked schoolgirls. Diverse listings on the Upcoming Calendar with classics including a massive Hitchcock, Nicholas Ray, Jean Renoir, the Wachowski bros., Claude Chabrol, Paul Verhoeven and more. We also have our CONTEST clip with another brand new Criterion Blu-ray prize!

FEATURE DVD and Blu-ray of the MONTH chosen for MAY! HERE

FOLLOW US on TWITTER! (where we post important reviews, contests - prizes, calendar updates - plus much more...)

TOOLBAR THE 'DVDBeaver Toolbar'! Give it a test drive! I've created a very simple toolbar for Film-Fans/DVD-o-philes/cinephiles. It embeds effortlessly within Internet Explorer 5.0+ (Windows Vista/XP/2000) and Firefox 1.0.1+ (Windows, Mac, Linux). It offers quick links to Searching both the Net (via Google) and DVDBeaver directly, Amazons, Asian etailors, Forums (Criterion, Home Theater, AVS, Rotten Tomatoes, Film Noir), IMDb, DVDBasen, Beaver links, Blu-ray information, Cinephile Blogs/Journals (Rosenbaum, Kehr, Acquarello etc.). What do you think? FOR MORE INFORMATION / AVAILABLE HERE *** (We can adjust this to suit popular opinion - on-the-fly - no re-install required!)

May 14th CONTEST - identify the clip on the CONTEST PAGE to win a sealed Criterion Blu-ray of A Hollis Frampton Odyssey

DVD and Blu-ray of the Year 2011 HERE

If there are DVD titles you'd like us to cover - please feel free to recommend!

Gary at 2ze dot com

Summer With Monika BD - Inspired by the earthy eroticism of Harriet Andersson, in the first of her many roles for him, Ingmar Bergman had a major international breakthrough with this sensual and ultimately ravaging tale of young love. A girl (Andersson) and boy (Lars Ekborg) from working-class families in Stockholm run away from home to spend a secluded, romantic summer at the beach, far from parents and responsibilities. Inevitably, it is not long before the pair are forced to return to reality. The version initially released in the U.S. was reedited by its distributor into something more salacious, but the original Summer with Monika (Sommaren med Monika), presented here, is a work of stunning maturity and one of Bergman’s most important films. Blu-ray Release Date: May 8th, 201

Garden of Evil BD - Stranded in Mexico, three gold diggers are hired by woman in distress to help her wounded husband. They road is long and full of dangers, both from the Indians and themselves. A routine western, very predictable, which seems more like a vehicle for the scope format, than its stars. Widmark is cock-sure as always, Cooper is wise as always, Hayward looks damn good and Bernard Herrmann made a great score. Blu-ray Release Date: April 24th, 2012

Warlock BD - When the town of Warlock is being terrorised by some wild cowboys, the pillars of the town hire the gunslinger Curt Blaisdell (Henry Fonda), who has made a career of killing troublemakers. Along with his companion, the silver haired Tom Morgan (Anthony Quinn), they now begin to clean up the town, killing everyone who doesn’t obey their rules. Growing both tired of the terrorizing the town and the new order, one of the cowboys, Johnny Gannon (Richard Widmark), takes on the position as sheriff in the town, but at eighth times less the pay than the gunslingers, and with twice the work, as he not only has to expel the gang, but also the gunslingers. Blu-ray Release Date: April 24th, 2012

Forbidden Zone BD - Certainly not for all tastes, Richard Elfman’s delirious and highly surreal little gem is one of the few cult classics to actually live up to its reputation. The loosely structured “narrative” concerns a household of rejects, who one by one, find a doorway in their basement that whisks them off to the 6th Dimension--a far out world of frog headed butlers, topless maids, human chandeliers, and various other misfits, all of whom are lorded over by a sex crazed midget. Blu-ray Release date: May 14th, 2012

The Odessa File BD - The year is 1963. The place: Hamburg, Germany. An elderly Jewish man commits suicide, leaving a diary which falls into the hands of a freelance newspaperman, Peter Miller (Jon Voight). The diary documents the unspeakable crimes of cruelty, torture and mass murder perpetrated by SS Captain Eduard Roschmann (Maximilian Schell), commandant of the notorious wartime deathcamp at Riga, Latvia. Miller launches a personal manhunt to track down Roschmann, an investigation that leads him into the very heart of Odessa, a powerful secret organization formed by the SS to protect and re-establish its fugitive members throughout the world. When Miller finds Roschmann, he learns that the former Nazi is now the leader of a weaponry complex of international, strategic consequence. Blu-ray Release date: May 15th, 2012

The Lawless - The Lawless was director Joseph Losey's second feature-length film. The story concerns a group of Mexican-American migrant workers who are subjected to all sorts of abuse and intolerance by their California bosses. A violent clash between whites and Latinos at a dance results in a torrent of bigotry. Seemingly the only Californian willing to champion the workers' cause is crusading newspaperman Larry Wilder, and soon he too is the victim of senseless mob violence. The story boils to a manhunt for a fugitive fruit-picker who has been accused of fomenting the aforementioned riot. Director Losey, producers William Pine and William Thomas and screenwriter Geoffrey Homes (aka Daniel Mainwaring) are to be commended for tackling a controversial issue in an honest, no-nonsense fashion; even so, the film ends in standard Hollywood-liberal fashion with a white man coming to the rescue. DVD Release Date: May 29th, 2012

The Red House BD - On the outskirts of a rural town, an isolated farm hosts a small family with a dark secret. At the heart of the neighboring forest sits the red house, terrorizing trespassers with the sound of horrific screams emanating from within its walls. The solitary family keeps the knowledge of the house closely guarded, but when a stranger comes to the farm to help with chores, the web of secrecy begins to unravel. The violence that scarred the family begins to revisit the land and threatens to destroy them all. Filled with noir-ish motifs and striking lighting, The Red House brings together breathtaking drama and chilling horror. Edward G. Robinson is masterful as the burdened recluse, and Julie London is seductive as a spoiled schoolgirl. Blu-ray Release Date: April 24th, 2012

Broken Arrow BD - Retired army captain Tom Jeffords (James Stewart) aids a deadly wounded Apache boy back to life and thus comes face to face with the more human side of the Apaches. As the war between the white man and the Apaches now is running on its tenth year, Jeffords believes that he can make peace by creating a dialogue between the two sides, thus learns the speak Apache and goes to meet their leader, Cochise (Jeff Chandler). This is also a perfect film for James Stewart, who, while already had begun his, what would become legendary collaboration with Mann with “Winchester '73” the year prior, here is more sympathetically and nice-guy. But in retrospective, what a risk to take as an actor. Blu-ray Release Date: April 24th, 2012

Demons BD - Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento bring you THE Gonzo Horror movie of the 1980s with Demons, a frenzied slice of gore heavy shock cinema that gives up on logic and instead assaults the screen with a riot of X-Rated violence, face chewing Zombies and pounding Heavy Metal. In a mysterious cinema, an audience are watching a brutal horror flick when the horror rips out of the screen, unleashing a swarm of slathering Demons who are intent on spreading their evil plague across the globe. Time to tool up and take no prisoners... The Demons are coming! Blu-ray Release Date: May 21st, 2012

A Bullet for the General BD - At the height of the Mexican revolution, a mysterious young American (Lou Castel of FIST IN HIS POCKET) joins a gang of marauders led by El Chucho (Gian Maria Volont+ª of A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS) on a series of savage raids to steal guns for a powerful rebel general. But when the Gringo brings his own cold-blooded ideals to the bandits, El Chucho discovers that the real weapons of war belong to no army. In a land ravaged by poverty and violence, can true freedom be bought with a single bullet? Klaus Kinski (For a Few Dollars More) and Martine Beswick (THUNDERBALL) co-star in this legendary western. This thrilling epic features some of the most surprising performances, radical politics and shocking violence of any 'Spaghetti Western' ever made and is now presented here in handsome High Definition! Blu-ray Release date: May 22nd, 2012

New York Stories BD - Get ready for a wildly diverse, star-studded trilogy about life in the big city. New York Stories features the creative collaboration of three of America's most popular directors, Martin Scorsese (Hugo), Francis Coppola (The Godfather) and Woody Allen (Midnight In Paris). Life Lessons - Nick Nolte stars in this passionate tale of a world-famous painter torn between his obsession for his art and his infatuation with his sultry but unresponsive assistant (Rosanna Arquette). Directed by Martin Scorsese. Life Without Zoe - Talia Shire and Giancarlo Giannini star in this whimsical fantasy as the childlike parents of Zoe, a very grown-up 12-year-old girl who brings charm and magic to life in New York. Directed by Francis Coppola. Oedipus Wrecks - Woody Allen directs and stars in this hilarious comedy as a neurotic lawyer who cannot escape the one woman who looms largest in his life - his mother (Mae Questal)! Mia Farrow and Julie Kavner star as the "other women" who further complicate his situation. Blu-ray Release date: May 15th, 2012

D. O. A. BD - Time is running out for Dexter Cornell (Dennis Quaid - Footloose, Soul Surfer, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra). He has just 24 hours to unravel the bitter truth surrounding his own poisoning. In his desperate search, everyone's a suspect, even the woman who loves him (Meg Ryan - Kate & Leopold, You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle). Directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, creators of superstar "Max Headroom," D.O.A. pulsates with explosive action and sizzling performances by Quaid and Ryan, two people who find themselves suddenly living on the edge. It's a night on the run, filled with fear, danger...and passion. Blu-ray Release date: May 15th, 2012

Island of Lost Souls BD - Shipwrecked and adrift, Edward Parker finds himself a guest on Dr. Moreau's isolated South Seas island, but quickly discovers the horrifying nature of the doctor's work and the origin of the strange forms inhabiting the isle: a colony of wild animals reworked into humanoid form via sadistic surgical experiments. Furthermore, Parker quickly begins to fear his own part in the doctor's plans to take the unholy enterprise to a next level. Featuring a peerlessly erudite and sinister performance by Charles Laughton as the diabolical doctor, a sterling appearance by Bela Lugosi as the half-beast-half-man "Sayer of the Law", and sensationally atmospheric cinematography by the great Karl Struss (Murnau's Sunrise, Mamoulian's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), Island of Lost Souls now returns to claim a central position among the most imaginative and nightmarish fantasies from Hollywood's golden age of horror. Masters of Cinema Blu-ray Release Date: May 28th, 2012

Invasion of the Saucer-Men - When a spaceship lands in the woods, Johnny (Steve Terrell) and Joan (Gloria Castillo) accidentally run over one of the aliens. In retaliation, the saucer-men kill Joe (Frank Gorshin), an opportunistic boozehound who stumbles across the body. Meanwhile, the hand of the extraterrestrial corpse detaches itself from its body and wreaks havoc on the countryside. But the aliens are foiled when it is discovered that they cannot withstand the glare of automobile headlights! The Saucer Men costumes were designed by Paul Blaisdell, who was certainly capable of better work. Lyn Osborn, the former Cadet Happy on TV's Space Patrol, makes his final screen appearance as Frank Gorshin's drinking buddy. Originally released on a double bill with I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Invasion of the Saucer Creatures was cheaply remade for television as The Eye Creatures (1966). Sinister Films Release Date: April 12th, 2012

The Big Heat BD - "Somebody's going to pay… because he forgot to kill me." Ruthless criminals, a dedicated honest cop, sultry women and a gripping plot - all the elements of a classic police action-drama are here in full force. Police Sergeant Bannion (Glenn Ford) is investigating the apparent suicide of a corrupt cop, then is suddenly ordered to stop - and The Big Heat is on. Driven to unravel the mystery, Bannion continues probing until an explosion meant for him, kills his wife. He resigns from the force and soon learns that behind it all is the powerful underworld led by Mike Lagana (Alexander Scourby) and his cold-blooded henchman, Vince Stone (Lee Marvin). When Stone's girl Debby (Gloria Grahame) makes a play for Bannion, Stone disfigures her face. In revenge, she tells all she knows. Ultimately, Bannion and Stone square off in a life-or-death confrontation. Blu-ray Release Date: May 7th, 2012

The Legend of Hell House BD - ichard Matheson adapted the screenplay of The Legend of Hell House from his own novel. In the tradition of Shirley... Jackson's Haunting of Hill House, four people with alleged extrasensory powers are called upon to spend a weekend in a supposedly haunted house, to either prove or disprove the presence of ghosts. Roddy McDowall has been in the house before, and refuses to treat the possibility of paranormal activity lightly; scientist Clive Revill believes that he can trace the happenings to rational explanations involving electric current; Pamela Franklin is convinced that, if spirits exists, she will be able to communicate with them; and Gayle Hunnicutt plays Revill's young wife, ripe for "possession. Blu-ray Release date: March 23rd, 2012

The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake BD - From director Herman Yau (The Legend is Born - Ip Man) comes the thrilling story of one woman who dared to fight for her ideals, even in the face of certain death. Filled with intense scenes of martial-arts action, The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake burns with the fires of revolution. In late-19th century China, Qui Jin was many things: a defiant rebel armed with both blades and guns; a paramilitary leader dedicated to overthrowing an unjust government; a non-conformist who boldly donned men's attire in spite of tradition; a radical poet whose words inspired the oppressed; a heroic martyr whose views on equality altered history. Her steadfast resolve to improve the plight of women and her bravery in the face of tyranny led her to the executioner - but her determination to topple the status-quo changed a nation forever. Blu-ray Release date: May 15th, 2012

War of the Dead - March 1942. Captain Martin Stone leads an American unit on a mission to join forces with an elite platoon of soldiers and destroy a Nazi bunker. But when the troops find themselves being attacked by the same enemy soldiers they had killed in an earlier ambush, they quickly begin to question who exactly the enemy is…an SS experiment gone wrong or the living dead? Release Date: May 22nd, 2012

Schoolgirl Report Volume 8 - A two week bus trip to a country hostel turns into a series of crazy sexcapades for some young female students. In a series of eye-and-pants-popping vignettes (a trademark of the Schoolgirl Report series), the girls take us on the ride of our lives and we learn Gisela seduced a worker at her home (watch for a strange “cameo” from Swedish sensation Christina Lindberg here) to open his eyes to the pleasures of lovemaking. Annette is hiding her pregnancy from her parents, because she fears their reaction. A few of the girls turn their prudish Biology teacher from a lame dame, to a boobtastic sexpot. Two skinny dipping teens compare breast sizes as a perverted man swipes their clothes. A beautiful girl dodges huge sticks and balls (on a pool table) as she makes love to her father’s boss to keep him from getting fired and, in the final story, blonde bombshell Evi inadvertently reveals one teacher’s secret after trying to molest him and confess her love. Release Date: May 8th, 2012

The Snows of Kilimanjaro BD - Hemingway's portrait of the artist as a romantic hero provides Twentieth Century-Fox with ample scope to meander from Africa to Paris, Spain and back again, sampling the attractions of Hayward, Gardner and Knef en route. Although Henry King shows some sympathy for these suppliant females, veteran screenwriter Casey Robinson's intelligent, talky adaption finally endorses the great white writer's bullish philosophy: 'Real writing is like a hunt... a life-long safari; and the prey is truth'. Framed as a deathbed reminiscence, the film does tend to ramble, and seems particularly uneven in its mixture of back-projected wildlife footage, studio and location work, while Peck's weighty Harry Street remains resolutely aloof, to the point where he will not deign to expire. Blu-ray Release Date: January 19th, 2012

 Next 4 weeks on the Calendar