Newsletter - FOR THE WEEK

OF October 14th, 2019

A HUGE thanks to all who support us - especially all the generous donations and Patreon subscribers as well as positive messages in the past 7 days. I was very very touched and will do my best to continue DVDBeaver and service you with comparisons, reviews, upcoming calendar information etc..

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Kopivosian! We have a NEW SILENT AUCTION for patrons running LIVE HERE. This has been a couple of weeks of Blu-ray reviews (and a 4K UHD) in this newsletter of packages from Criterion, Kino, VCI, Warner Archive, Kit Parker Films, of films directed by Robert Wise, Ishiro Honda, Mario Bava, John Sayles, Tim Burton, Thorold Dickinson, Leon Gast, Jun Fukuda, John Gilling, Sidney Gilliat etc. .Our Calendar has NEW updates of Blu-rays including by directors John Huston, George Roy Hill, Robert Bresson, Sang-soo Hong, Paul Schrader, Richard Donner, Chan-wook Park, Elia Kazan, 1Gus Van Sant, Bertrand Tavernier, Blake Edwards, Burt Reynolds, Sidney Lumet, Clive Donner and more. We also have our Feature Blu-ray and 4K UHD posted for OCTOBER Enjoy!!

LISTING PAGES:

Cinema of Japan, Discs of the Year for 2018, The TOP 100 DISCS, Ingmar Bergman's Cinema, HAGSPloitation, BLAXPloitation, OZPloitation, 'WOMEN IN PRISON' CINEMA, CREATURE-FEATURES (on Blu-ray!), PRE-CODE FILMs (on Blu-ray!), SILENT ERA FILMs (on Blu-ray!), HAMMER Studios (on Blu-ray!) The 100 BEST Neo-Noirs (on Blu-ray!), The GREATEST 100 Westerns (on Blu-ray!), Giallo on Blu-ray!, ESSENTIAL NOIR on Blu-ray!, Shopping Guide for Blu-rays at Amazon.FR (France), Shopping Guide for Blu-rays at Amazon.DE (Germany) and our LATEST ARTICLES: Movies From... the End of the World,  The Beauties of Star Trek (TOS)

Feature Blu-ray and 4K UHD chosen for the Month of OCTOBER!

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Gary at 2ze dot com

ONE VOICE (not Ellsworth Monkton Toohey): Two significant boxsets dominate our coverage in the past 2 weeks. Criterion's Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Blu-ray is a delight with 15+ Godzilla films transferred to eight Blu-rays. Godzilla films can run the entire gamut from subtextual warnings of nuclear proliferation to downright campy nostalgia and cheesy costumes. Personally, I am always less enthralled with the 'tokusatsu' battles and destruction of cities and the military with miniature model and wire-evident effects than on how the story builds with kitschy alien characters, astronauts, scientists, go-go-booted costumes and story arcs with children. These include favorites, Destroy All Monsters, Ebirah Horror of the Deep and the inclusion of the Japanese version of King Kong vs. Godzilla which will be an enticement for many. We have also compared/reviewed most of the Noir Archive Volume 3: 1957-1960 9-film Blu-ray Collection with The Long Haul, Shadow on the Window, Pickup Alley, The Tijuana Story, She Played With Fire, and The Case Against Brooklyn - generally modest, 50's crime dramas (many with Noir cycle approximation). I'm a big fan and whole-heartedly endorse The third and final Kit Parker Blu-ray set of these 50's dark cinema popcorn'ers. Speaking of Noir - one of my all-time favorites is now reviewed on Blu-ray; Robert Wise's The Set-up with Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter and a fabulous supporting cast focusing on ring savagery and delusional dreams of boxing's palooka world. Quintessential. The wonderful wonderful cerebral 1949 mystical horror The Queen of Spades has made it to Blu-ray thanks to Kino. A period piece, the settings, costumes and cinematography are hauntingly superb. Batman Returns come to 4K UHD and the darkly stylistic Burton-esque of epic grandeur with extravagant makeup, towering sets and probing close-ups has never looked or sounded better. The bizarre and sinister Penguin (played brilliantly by Danny DeVito) and the mysterious and dangerous sexpot known as the Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) mark two of the best super-villain transformations in the comic universe. Kino bring Mario Bava's wonderfully rich "Hercules in the Haunted World" aka "Ercole al centro della Terra" or "Hercules at the Center of the Earth" or "Hercules vs. the Vampires" or "With Hercules to the Center of the Earth" to Region 'A' Blu-ray with three versions of the film and an essential Tim Lucas commentary. When We Were Kings chronicles one of the most famous heavyweight championship bouts in history, the Muhammad Ali-George Foreman "Rumble in the Jungle" as an ultimate homage to the former. An unforgettable documentary on Criterion Blu-ray. John Sayles' Matewan taps into a rich vein of Americana with painstaking attention to local texture, issuing an impassioned cry for justice - on Criterion Blu-ray with commentary. I'm still a big fan of the old serials and VCI have transferred the 1946, 13-chapter Universal serial, Lost City of the Jungle to Blu-ray. Fun abounds with faux cliff-hanger endings, spies, scientists and a mythical lost city in the Himalayas.

 “Take care of all your memories … for you cannot relive them..” ― Bob Dylan - "Open the Door, Homer" From: ‘The Basement Tapes’ (1975)

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The Set-up BD - As shown by the clock face that opens and closes the film, The Set-Up takes place within a compact 72 minutes, with the action played out in "real time." Robert Ryan plays Bill "Stoker" Thompson, a washed-up boxer who refuses to give up his career despite the pleas of his wife Julie (Audrey Totter). There's little chance that he's going to win this evening's bout; still, Stoker's manager Tiny (George Tobias) has secretly made a deal with a crooked gambler (Alan Baxter). Stoker is to take a dive, a fact withheld from him until the fight is well under way. His last vestige of pride is aroused in the ring, but the story doesn't end there. The fight sequence is one of the most brutal ever filmed, with close ups of Ryan's pummeled face intercut with shots of screaming spectators in the throes of bloodlust. Adapted by Art Cohn from a narrative poem by Joseph Moncure March, The Set-Up is arguably Robert Ryan's finest starring film. Blu-ray Release Date: September 24th, 2019

Lost City of the Jungle BD - Following the end of WWII, war-monger Sir Eric Hazarias (Lionel Atwill) sets the wheel in motion for WWIII. His search for Meteorium 245, the only practical defense against the atomic bomb, leads him to mythical Pendrang. Obstructing his sinister plan to rule the world are Rod Stanton (Russell Hayden), United Peace Foundation investigator, Tal Shan (Keye Luke), Pendrang native, and Marjorie Elmore (Jane Adams), daughter of scientist Dr. Elmore (John Eldredge), unwilling assistant to Sir Eric. Blu-ray Release Date: October 1st, 2019

Hercules in the Haunted World BD - When his beloved Princess Deianira (Leonora Ruffo) goes mad, strong man Hercules (Reg Park) turns to the oracle Medea for advice. Medea tells him to travel to the underworld and find the Stone of Forgetfulness, a mysterious crystal that will cure Deianira's ills. Along with his friend Theseus, Hercules ventures into the dark and foggy depths of Hades to find the stone. Meanwhile, Deianira's power-hungry uncle, Lico (Christopher Lee), plots to steal the throne that is her birthright. Blu-ray Release Date: December 8th, 2019

Matewan BD - Written and directed by John Sayles, this wrenching historical drama recounts the true story of a West Virginia coal town where the local miners’ struggle to form a union rose to the pitch of all-out war in 1920. When Matewan’s miners go on strike, organizer Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper, in his film debut) arrives to help them, uniting workers white and black, Appalachia-born and immigrant, while urging patience in the face of the coal company’s violent provocations. With a crackerjack ensemble cast—including James Earl Jones, David Strathairn, Mary McDonnell, and Will Oldham—and Oscar-nominated cinematography by Haskell Wexler, Matewan taps into a rich vein of Americana with painstaking attention to local texture, issuing an impassioned cry for justice that still resounds today. Blu-ray Release Date: October 29th, 2019

The Queen of Spades BD - A supernatural tale based on a short story by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, this is the portrayal of a poor Captain in the Russian army in the nineteenth Century. His comrades in arms play cards nightly, but he cannot afford to join them until one night he dreams that he has gained from a mysterious aging countess her secret for winning at faro--a secret which legend has it she has sold her soul to obtain. This story has been filmed at least a dozen times, but this is by far the best version. Blu-ray Release Date: October 15th, 2019

Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 BD - In 1954, an enormous beast clawed its way out of the sea, destroying everything in its path—and changing movies forever. The arresting original Godzilla soon gave rise to an entire monster-movie genre (kaiju eiga), but the King of the Monsters continued to reign supreme: in fourteen fiercely entertaining sequels over the next two decades, Godzilla defended its throne against a host of other formidable creatures, transforming from a terrifying symbol of nuclear annihilation into a benevolent (if still belligerent) Earth protector. Collected here for the first time are all fifteen Godzilla films of Japan’s Showa era, in a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen Criterion's Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Blu-ray Release Date: October 29th, 2019

When We Were Kings BD - Twenty-two years in the making, this documentary chronicles one of the most famous heavyweight championship bouts in history, the Muhammad Ali-George Foreman "Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974. Along with highlights of underdog Ali's stunning victory and infamous "Rope-A-Dope" tactics, the film also covers the back-story of the event and its cultural significance, with footage of Ali's goodwill tours, concert footage featuring B.B. King and James Brown, interviews with George Plimpton, Norman Mailer and Don King, and more. Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature. Blu-ray Release Date: October 22nd, 2019

Batman Returns 4K UHD - In this first sequel to 1989's Batman, the Caped Crusader (Michael Keaton) is up against the Penguin (Danny DeVito), the hideously deformed scion of a wealthy Gotham City family. The Penguin plots with evil businessman Max Schreck (Christopher Walken) to become mayor and then turn Gotham into a cathedral of crime. Upon overhearing these plans, Schreck's mousy secretary Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) is tossed from a high-rise window by her boss. Rescued by a covey of kittens, Selena transforms into the leather-clad Catwoman. In this guise, she teams with the Penguin and Schreck to divvy up their ill-gotten gains and help discredit Batman-but she also has her own scores to settle. 4K Ultra HD Release Date: June 4th, 2019

Destroy All Monsters BD - The original Godzilla team of director Ishiro Honda, special-effects supervisor Eiji Tsuburaya, and composer Akira Ifukube reunited for this kaiju extravaganza, which features no fewer than eleven monsters. Set in the remote future of 1999, when the people of Earth have achieved world peace by confining destructive creatures to Monsterland (until an alien race intervenes), Destroy All Monsters mounts a thrilling display of innovative action sequences and memorable images that have made it a favorite for generations of viewers. Criterion's Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Blu-ray Release Date: October 29th, 2019

Ebirah Horror of the Deep BD - When Ryota's brother Yata disappears at sea, the intrepid youth and his friends join forces with a slightly trustworthy bank robber, steal a boat and go after him! Of course, there's the little problem that Yata may be lost on a mysterious island where the evil terrorist organization Red Bamboo has enslaved natives to make heavy water for nefarious purposes. And that means dealing with the island's monstrous, 164 feet tall guardian EbirahT, as well as Red Bamboo's arsenal of super advanced weaponry. On the plus side, help may be at hand in the form of a nubile island girl, two tiny fairies, their giant protector MothraT and the big G himself, the mighty Godzilla. Surviving the results of all that "assistance" may not be guaranteed, but Red Bamboo will never want to tangle with teenagers AND Godzilla at the same time again! Take a South Seas cruise to non-stop mayhem and giant monster destruction with EBIRAH- HORROR OF THE DEEP! Criterion's Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Blu-ray Release Date: October 29th, 2019

King Kong vs. Godzilla BD - When an underhanded pharmaceutical company goes to a remote tropical island to steal King Kong for advertising purposes, they get more than they bargained for when the gigantic ape attacks an unsuspecting village and an enormous octopus. Meanwhile, far below the sea, a submarine crew unleashes reptilian terror when they melt a block of ice and release the ferocious Godzilla from his icy lair. When both destructive monsters descend on Tokyo, it's a fight that holds the future of mankind in the balance in this knock-out film that was the first theatrical release to bring its larger-than-life contenders to the big screen in glorious color. Criterion's Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Blu-ray Release Date: October 29th, 2019

Gojira (1954) BD - Godzilla (a.k.a. Gojira) is the roaring granddaddy of all monster movies. It’s also a remarkably humane and melancholy drama, made in Japan at a time when the country was reeling from nuclear attack and H-bomb testing in the Pacific. Its rampaging radioactive beast, the poignant embodiment of an entire population’s fears, became a beloved international icon of destruction, spawning almost thirty sequels. Criterion's Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Blu-ray Release Date: October 29th, 2019

The Long Haul BD - Harry Miller (Victor Mature) is an Ex-GI living in a tiny, rundown flat in Liverpool with his English bride and young son. Harry feels trapped in his life there: the best job he can get is driving a truck for his wife’s uncle, and his desire to return to the States is a constant source of friction between the couple. When he lends a hand to the gorgeous, petulant girlfriend of big-time racketeer Joe Easy (Patrick Allen), Harry finds himself tempted by more than just the lovely Lynn (Diana Dors). Noir Archive Volume 3: 1957-1960 9-film Collection Blu-ray Release Date: September 17th, 2019

Shadow on the Window BD - Starring Jerry Mathers as the shell-shocked child who witnesses an assault on his mother, Shadow On the Window is a decent 'B' film with a solid cast and a decent script. Jerry's dad, a police officer, is played stoically by Phil Carey and mom is Betty Garrett, decent as a woman under constant threat from three stereotypical teen bad boys. One of the boys is played by Corey Allen, who revisited the role in the similarly themed Key Witness (1960), and the others are John Drew Barrymore--apparently channeling the spirit of an evil Dobie Gillis--and lovable lunk Gerald Sarracini. Noir Archive Volume 3: 1957-1960 9-film Collection Blu-ray Release Date: September 17th, 2019

Pickup Alley BD - Stylishly directed by genre film journeyman John Gilling, Pickup Alley is a long-unseen crime film gem, set amongst the seedy milieu of the international narcotics trade. Spurred on by the murder of his drug-addicted sister by ruthless crime boss Frank McNally (Trevor Howard), US agent Charles Sturgis (Victor Mature) launches a transnational woman-hunt for McNally s shapely associate, Gina Broger (Anita Ekberg). His investigation takes him on a thrill-ride from New York to London, Lisbon, Rome, Naples and finally Athens. Noir Archive Volume 3: 1957-1960 9-film Collection Blu-ray Release Date: September 17th, 2019

The Tijuana Story BD - Yet another fifties semi-documentary style crime thriller "ripped from the pages of todays headlines" purporting to expose the sin, crime, vice and corruption of some major city. This time the setting is south of the border in sunny Mexico, where a crusading newspaper editor battles the local syndicate who have turned the border city of Tijuana into a cesspool of drug dealing, gambling, and prostitution. Noir Archive Volume 3: 1957-1960 9-film Collection Blu-ray Release Date: September 17th, 2019

She Played With Fire BD - British writer and director Sidney Gilliat is responsible for some superb moments of cinematic suspense. This lesser-known crime drama – based on the book "Fortune is a Woman" – featuring the beautiful Arlene Dahl as a married woman who runs into a former boyfriend, insurance investigator Oliver Branwell (Jack Hawkins), in the line of his business. When her husband (Dennis Price) dies in a fire, the two re-kindle a relationship that ended abruptly. Eventually, murder, arson and blackmail threaten to consume them both Noir Archive Volume 3: 1957-1960 9-film Collection Blu-ray Release Date: September 17th, 2019

The Case Against Brooklyn BD - The Case Against Brooklyn was based on an "expose" article by Ed Reid. Darren McGavin plays rookie cop Pete Harris, who goes undercover to help smash a Brooklyn bookie ring. The problem here as that the crooks have been bribing other cops to look the other way. As if Harris wasn't courting enough trouble by going up against his "own," he also falls in love with gambler's widow Lil Polombo (Maggie Hayes), even though he's already married to Jane Harris (Peggy McCay). Daniel B. Ullman's screenplay adheres to the facts as recorded by Ed Reid, right down to the semi-unhappy finale. Noir Archive Volume 3: 1957-1960 9-film Collection Blu-ray Release Date: September 17th, 2019

Next 2 weeks on the Calendar