THIS WEEK's RELEASES: Modest week with Peter Weir Amish 4K UHD, Hitchcock #3 4K UHD goes UK, one of Losey very best, Criterion does Jackie Chan boxset, Lucas' wrecked American Graffiti, J. Lee Thompson's Navarone 4K UHD gets a steelbook, Carl Franklin neo-noir from Criterion goes UK, even Richard Donner + John Landis comedies get 4K UHD before Bresson and Antonioni...
THIS WEEK's CALENDAR UPDATES (PREVIOUS): Michael Powell 4K, Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection 3 in 4K, Guillermo's wooden boy in 4K, World Noir Box!, original Disney 4K, more Cronenberg in 4K, Frank Borzage, Josef von Sternberg, Ernst Lubitsch, Dorothy Arzner, Billy Wilder 4K, Bernardo Bertolucci, more Oliver Stone 4K, Elia Kazan in 4K, Milos Forman, Rouben Mamoulian, Alexandre Aja, seven seasons of Columbo on Blu-ray, Jarmusch's Ghost Dog gets 4K UHD, Joseph Losey, Edward Dmytryk, Park Chan-wook, Kinji Fukasaku, Yuzo Kawashima, Jan Němec, Val Guest, Kathryn Bigelow in 4K, Classic Monsters 1931 - 1954 withCoffee Table Book, Navarone Steelbook, Criterion Carl Franklin 4K goes UK, Eric Rohmer Blues, Spielberg's first 4K, Hitler + Bigfoot have the same killer, Eurocine box, 50's sci-fi double-feature, Burt's hicksploitation X 2, Police Academy Box, Vadim's space-bunny in 4K, Sato bullet train, Loretta Young is alarmed, Bogdanovich 4K goes to UK, Gene Wilder's mid-life crisis, low-budget Noir gets Blu-ray upgrade by Criterion, Criterion Chaplin goes UK, Felix and Oscar box, Duddy Kravitz goes to Fun City, centupal Essential Noir set...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: Master of Suspense's penultimate 4K UHD, grassroots dark cinema from Criterion; bleak yet Christmas time in The Big Apple, disturbing Chabrol crowning achievement of his prolific career - Criterion style, 58's inspiration for Ridley Scott's Alien!, Lucas tinkering exposed in 4K UHD, Criterion's jumping-off platform for those wishing to enjoy Jackie's successful style of gymnastic martial arts and fun-loving humor, rewatchable Herc, rewatchable Herc (not Daedalus) - supernatural 80's Hong Kong, Canuxploitation 4K UHD...
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of November 6th, 2023 (Recommended titles have "**")

**The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Rope / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Torn Curtain / Topaz / Frenzy)

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COMMENTS: The legendary Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, directed some of the most thrilling and memorable works in movie history. The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection features five films from the iconic director's career including Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Torn Curtain, Topaz and Frenzy in stunning 4K resolution. Starring Hollywood favorites such as James Stewart, Doris Day, Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Frederick Stafford, John Forsythe, John Finch and Barry Foster, this collection includes hours of bonus features and captures the unique vision of one of cinema's most innovative directors.
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George Lucas' "American Graffiti" 4K UHD - Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford
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COMMENTS: Paramount's 4K UHD release of George Lucas' "American Graffiti" will be a let down for many fans who both enjoy the film and have a discerning eye for digital presentations. There are no new extras here for the "50th Anniversary". The previous DNR'ed Blu-ray has a visual bump to a DNR'ed 4K UHD image. We cannot endorse.
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Death Race 2000 [Blu-ray] (Paul Bartel, 1975) RB UK Signal One Entertainment
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ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: In the year 2000, hit and run has become the national sport. It’s a no-holds-barred cross-country race, in which the aim is to kill off not only your opponents, but as many pedestrians as possible. Favorite driver, Frankenstein (David Carradine) takes on Machine Gun Joe Viterboe (Sylvester Stallone) in this classic, adrenaline thriller. However, this year’s events are about to be complicated by the efforts of a small but dedicated army of revolutionaries. Their overthrow of Mr President hinges on the sabotage of the Race and the elimination of Frankenstein, but Frankenstein himself is not what he seems.
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**The Guns of Navarone [4K UHD Blu-ray]** Steelbook (J. Lee Thompson, 1961) Sony
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COMMENTS: Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven are Allied saboteurs assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable German-held island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers. Blacklisted screenwriter Carl Foreman (High Noon, The Bridge on the River Kwai) was determined to re-establish both his name and credibility after spending most of the 50's working in anonymity. To accomplish this, he decided to bring Alistair MacLean's best-selling novel, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, to the screen. Supported by an all-star cast and produced on a grand scale, the film was an enormous success, receiving seven 1961 Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) and winning for Best Special Effects. Although Foreman achieved his goal, it was MacLean who would wind up the true beneficiary; his novels became the source for many high adventure screen epics, including Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare. However, it is THE GUNS OF NAVARONE that remains not only the best of the MacLean adaptations, but one of the greatest action/adventure spectacles ever produced - returning to 4K UHD as a limited edition SteelBook
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**"Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar"** 4 X Blu-ray @Criterion
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COMMENTS: Half a Loaf of Kung Fu starred, and was also written, by Jackie Chan. He develops his awkward, often over-confident, kung fu student who finds himself embroiled in a few adventures utilizing his acrobatic slapstick martial arts style that fans have grown to love. Like a few in the set this is more a comedy than a serious Wushu effort, although there are some long-ish, and expertly choreographed, fights. Lo Wei's Spiritual Kung Fu has a supernatural angle with the martial arts. It is notable for also starring Yuen Biao as one of the Master of the Five Fists martial arts 'Ghosts' that are causing mischief... and later support. The Fearless Hyena was Jackie Chan's directorial debut and he also wrote the film. It has a ton of long, acrobatic, fight scenes. It's both a funny and a surprising action film. The dress-up stuff is a bit over-the-top but this is an entertaining, early, Jackie flic that is worth a watch. Fearless Hyena II is the worst film of the boxset; it involves a pair of cousins who band together to avenge the death of their fathers. Jackie Chan quit the Lo Wei Motion Picture Company to join Golden Harvest in the middle of the production and in order to complete the film, stunt doubles were hired and they used alternative takes and reused footage from the first film... so it suffers. The Young Master was actually the first film that Jackie Chan worked on for Golden Harvest, and it was his second film as director. It has a complicated Lion dance competition between rival schools, sibling betrayal, seeking a criminal known as 'The White Fan', a bank robbery frame-up and plenty of fast punches and kicks. It's quite an effective, serious, martial arts drama. My Lucky Stars was directed by Sammo Hung, and is the second film in the 'Lucky Stars series', - a quasi-sequel to Winners and Sinners. It has much of the same cast including the "Five Lucky Stars" troupe. It has an Undercover cop played Jackie Chan, requesting assistance from his childhood friends to catch a Yakuza group - requiring them to travel to Japan. Cultural exchanges spark some comedy, female bodybuilder Michiko Nishiwaki, and it genuinely looks like everyone is having a good time, although Jackie's role in the film is fairly minor - a few minutes in the beginning and then he's around for the last half hour. Rumble in the Bronx remains my favorite from this superstar - hopefully it will get the 'Criterion treatment'. Criterion's "Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar" four Blu-ray set is an appropriate jumping-off platform for those wishing to enjoy Jackie's successful style of gymnastic martial arts and fun-loving humor. And what a head of hair! Plenty of entertainment here. Recommended!
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**Joseph Losey's "King & Country"** Blu-ray - Dirk Bogarde / Tom Courtenay @StudiocanalUK
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OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Joseph Losey's King & Country was based on the play Hamp by John Wilson. The screenplay was by Evan Jones (Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright, Losey's These are the Damned and Eva etc.) It was actor Dirk Bogarde's second film with Joseph Losey - the first being the highly acclaimed The Servant (1963). Tom Courtenay had already starred successfully in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) and Billy Liar (1963). King & Country was shot in less than 3 weeks, in black and white in the studio, replicating muddy battlefields, a messy barracks and makeshift, tented, courtroom - as the rain persisted. I thought it was another masterpiece from Losey with brilliant performances. Favorites (today) from the director are this, M, These are the Damned and The Servant. Fans will be very pleased with the Studiocanal Blu-ray's HD presentation a/v and minor supplements. We can recommend David Caute's Joseph Losey: A Revenge on Life for more on this, often, enigmatic filmmaker. This Blu-ray is strongly recommended!
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**Carl Franklin's "One False Move" Blu-ray / 4K UHD** - Bill Paxton / Billy Bob Thornton / Cynda Williams @Criterion UK
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COMMENTS: One False Move was Carl Franklin's feature debut, and was voted by critic Gene Siskel as his favorite film of 1992. One False Move was low-budget ($2.5 million), co-written by Billy Bob Thornton, and almost went straight to home video after completion, but as critical exposure traveled in festivals about the film's adept realization and complex themes (race as a corollary to urban/city existence - "Color Me Bad" was an original title) it garnered a deserved theatrical release. The late Bill Paxton, Cynda Williams, Thornton (who married Williams after the film was made) and Michael Beach are all excellent. I've always loved Franklin's neo-noir work especially Devil in a Blue Dress, High Crimes, and Out of Time that I all find superior. Criterion produce a fine Blu-ray and 4K UHD of Franklin's exceptional debut film. I thoroughly enjoyed this - very strongly recommended!
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Scrooged [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Richard Donner, 1988) Paramount
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COMMENTS: Celebrate the 35th Anniversary of an essential holiday classic, remastered for 4K Ultra HD, and featuring hours of never before released special features. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a modern-day “Scrooge” – a mean, nasty, uncaring, and unforgiving TV exec ready to unleash a live broadcast of “A Christmas Carol” around the world. But, before the night is over, he’ll be visited by his dead-as-a-doornail boss (John Forsythe), a maniacal cab driver from the past (David Johansen), a present-day fairy packing punches (Carol Kane) and a ghoulish, seven-foot headless messenger from the future. Both hysterical and heartfelt, SCROOGED is an updated take on a familiar favorite. Yule love it!
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**Trading Places [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (John Landis, 1983) Paramount
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COMMENTS: The very rich and extremely greedy Duke Brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) wager a bet over whether “born-loser” Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) could become as successful as the priggish Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Akroyd) if circumstances were reversed. So begins one of the funniest, most outrageous comedies of the 80s, cementing Eddie Murphy’s superstar status. Alongside the street-smarts of Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis), Winthorpe and Valentine are a trio ready for a riotous revenge that culminates on the commodities trading floor in New York City. Trading Places is presented here for the first time in 4K UHD, under the supervision of director John Landis.
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**Peter Weir’s "Witness" 4K UHD** - Harrison Ford / Kelly McGillis @ArrowFilmsVideo
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COMMENTS: Arrow's 4K UHD release of Peter Weir’s "Witness" is certainly the most complete package of the film ever released. It has been described as a 'sleeper hit' making a bomb at the box-office (grossing over $116 million worldwide.) It could fit into the neo-noir category - a cop's investigation is hindered by internal corruption - however most will remember "Witness" for its 'collision of contrasting cultures' and exposure to Amish lifestyles. It's something Weir also explored in The Last Wave. Despite a very minor role, the film was the start of Viggo Mortensen's career - he was only cast because Weir thought he had the right face for the part of an Amish man. It's a beautifully-made, engaging film balancing many themes. Akira Kurosawa has cited Witness as one of his favorite films of all time. We, of course, recommend, this Arrow 4K UHD package.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES (CLICK TITLES FOR MORE INFORMATION):

November 13th, 2023

Arizona (Jonathan Watson, 2018) Image Entertainment

**The Aviator's Wife** (Eric Rohmer, 1981) Metrograph Pictures
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Bone Tomahawk Steelbook** (S. Craig Zahler, 2015) Image Entertainment
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

Computer Chess (Andrew Bujalski, 2013) Kino
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Duel 4K UHD** (Steven Spielberg, 1971) Universal
BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW

**The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot** (Robert D. Krzykowski, 2018) Image Entertainment
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW
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November 20th, 2023

**Columbo: The 1970s (Seasons 1-7)** [Blu-ray] Kino

The Eurocine Collection Vol. 1 (Panther Squad!, Countdown to Esmeralda Bay, Night of the Eagles and Downtown Heat!, Angel of Death and Burial Ground) Full Moon Features UK

**The Fugitive 4K Ultra** (Andrew Davis, 1993) Warner

**Gator** (Burt Reynolds, 1976) Kino

**Marleen Gorris Trilogy** (Question of Silence, Broken Mirrors, the Last Island) Cult Epics

**OSS 117: 2-Film Set** (Cairo Nest of Spies, Lost in Rio) Music Box Films

**The Police Academy Collection** - Police Academy (1984), Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985) , Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986), Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987), Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988), Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989) and Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow (1994.) Shout! Factory

**Stalag 17 4K UHD** (Billy Wilder, 1953) Kino
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November 27th, 2023

**Barbarella 4K Ultra HD** (Roger Vadim, 1968) Arrow US
BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW

**The Bullet Train** (Junya Sato, 1975) Discotek Media
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**The Carpetbaggers** (Edward Dmytryk, 1964) Kino

**Cause for Alarm!** (Tay Garnett, 1951) Classicflix

**The Conformist** (Bernardo Bertolucci, 1970) Raro Video US
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

Count Dracula 4K UHD (Jesús Franco, 1970) Severin
BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW

**East of Eden 4K UHD** (Elia Kazan, 1955) Warner UK

**High Tension [4K UHD]** (Alexandre Aja, 2003) UK Second Sight Films
BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW

**The Last Picture Show [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971) Criterion UK
UK 4K UHD
UK BLU-RAY
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Valmont** (Milos Forman, 1989) Kino

**The Woman In Red** (Gene Wilder, 1984) RB UK Final Cut Entertainment
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW
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December 4th, 2023

**Blast of Silence** (Allen Baron, 1961) Criterion

**The Circus** (Charlie Chaplin, 1928) Criterion UK
DVDBEAVER REVIEW

The Fall of Ako Castle (Kinji Fukasaku, 1978) RB UK Masters of Cinema

**The Odd Couple: The Complete Series Box Set** - Allied Vaughn

**Point Break 4K UHD** (Kathryn Bigelow, 1991) Shout! Factory
BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW

Police Story Trilogy 4K UHD (Police Story, Police Story 2, Police Story 3: Supercop) UK Eureka
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December 11th, 2023

**An American Tragedy** (Josef von Sternberg, 1931) RB UK Indicator

**The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz** (Ted Kotcheff, 1974) Fun City Editions

Assignment K (Val Guest, 1968) Imprint

Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (Bernard Girard, 1966) Imprint
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Desire** (Frank Borzage, 1936) RB UK Indicator
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Essential Film Noir: Collection 5** - Island of Doomed Men (1940), The Red Menace (1949), The Burglar (1957) and 13 West Street (1962) - Imprint

**Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 4K UHD** (2022) Criterion
4K UHD
BLU-RAY

**Honor Among Lovers** (Dorothy Arzner, 1931) RB UK Indicator

**Horrors of the Black Museum** (Arthur Crabtree, 1959) VCI

Jailhouse Wardress (Jess Franco, 1981) Mvd Classics

Kill Butterfly Kill (Godfrey Ho, 1987) Cauldron Films

**Love Me Tonight** (Rouben Mamoulian, 1932) RB UK Indicator
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**The Man in Half Moon Street** (Ralph Murphy, 1945) Imprint

**The Red Balloon and Other Stories: Five Films by Albert Lamorisse** (The Red Balloon/White Mane/Bim, the Little Donkey/Stowaway in the Sky/Circus Angel) Criterion

**Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns Vol 3** (I Want Him Dead, El Puro, Wrath of the Wind, Four of the Apocalypse) - Arrow UK

**Stella Maris** (Marshall Neilan, 1918) VCI

**Tales Of Adventure: Collection 2** - Angel On The Amazon (1948) , Daughter Of The Jungle (1949,) Fair Wind To Java (1953), Elephant Walk , Safari (1956) - Imprint

That Uncertain Feeling (Ernst Lubitsch, 1941) VCI
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December 18th, 2023

**The Dead Zone 4K UHD** (David Cronenberg, 1983) Shout! Factory
BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW

**Elegant Beast** (Yuzo Kawashima, 1962) Radiance Films
US BLU-RAY
UK BLU-RAY

**The Facts Of Murder** (Pietro Germi, 1959) Radiance Films

**JFK 4K UHD** (Oliver Stone, 1991) Shout! Factory

**Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 4K UHD** (2022) Criterion
UK 4K UHD
UK BLU-RAY

Murder Obsession (Riccardo Freda, 1981) RB Raro Video UK
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

Shaw Brothers Classics, Vol. 4 (The Rebel Intruders, Two Champions of Shaolin, Legend of the Fox, Black Lizard, House of Traps, Masked Avengers, the Sword Stained With Royal Blood, Five Element Ninjas, Shaolin Prince, Shaolin Intruders, Holy Flame of the Martial World, Opium and the Kung-Fu Master) Shout! Factory

**World Noir Vol. 1** (I Am Waiting - 1957, Witness in the City - 1959, The Facts of Murder - 1959) Radiance Films UK
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January 29th, 2023

**Peeping Tom 4K UHD** (Michael Powell, 1960) UK Studiocanal
BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW
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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

**Alfred Hitchcock's "Frenzy" 4K UHD** - Jon Finch
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COMMENTS: Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy is often considered the penultimate feature film of his 6-decade career. It was his only film given an R rating during its initial release with multiple scenes of brief nudity and a murder/rape. Many, including this reviewer, consider it the "last great Hitchcock film". After the two unsuccessful box-office efforts prior to Frenzy, Torn Curtain and Topaz, about political intrigue and espionage, fans welcomed The Master's return to the crime/murder genre. Frenzy includes Hitchcock repeated theme of an innocent man wrongly convicted. Shot in London it was the third and final that he film made returning to Britain after Under Capricorn and Stage Fright once he moved to Hollywood in 1939, immediately following Jamaica Inn, shot in Cornwall. Wikipedia says that Michael Caine was Hitchcock's first choice for the role of Robert 'Bob's your Uncle' Rusk, the deceptive, cold-blooded antagonist, but as Caine later stated, "He offered me the part of a sadist who murdered women and I won't play that. I have a sort of moral thing and I refused to play it and he never spoke to me again." Definitely our loss. Universal's 4K UHD release of Frenzy is a must-own with a huge video improvement over the strangely digitized Blu-ray of over a decade ago. The wait has been worth it.
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George Lucas' "American Graffiti" 4K UHD - Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford
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COMMENTS: Paramount's 4K UHD release of George Lucas' "American Graffiti" will be a let down for many fans who both enjoy the film and have a discerning eye for digital presentations. There are no new extras here for the "50th Anniversary". The previous DNR'ed Blu-ray has a visual bump to a DNR'ed 4K UHD image. We cannot endorse.
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**Edward L. Cahn's "It! The Terror from Beyond Space"** Blu-ray - Marshall Thompson @KinoLorber
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COMMENTS: Edward L. Cahn's It! The Terror from Beyond Space was independently made with a modest budget. The creature costume has its own colorful history and eventually became the property of United Artists, appearing in their 1959, so-bad-it's-good, Invisible Invaders. As the extras attest, there were a number of 50's sci-fi titles that utilized "IT" for the titular creature including It Came from Outer Space, From Hell It Came, It Came From Beneath the Sea, and It Conquered the World as well as a number that had a plot involving space travel to Mars; Rocketship X-M, Flight to Mars, Conquest of Space, The Angry Red Planet, Robinson Crusoe on Mars etc.. But It! The Terror from Beyond Space is very notable for its inspiration for Ridley Scott's Alien, and many more, with a spaceship stowaway creature stalking the crew eliminating them like Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians. I saw similarities in 2017's Life with Jake Gyllenhaal. At the press conference is when officialdom relates the rescue mission they state that Earth may now be forced to bypass the Red Planet in future space explorations "because another word for Mars is Death". Take that Elon Musk. For people who love this genre - reviewer acknowledges himself in the mirror - Kino's new 35mm Fine Grain-transfer Blu-ray of It! The Terror from Beyond Space, with three super commentaries and exceptional 45-minute featurette, is a must-own. We give this our highest recommendation!
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**Allen Baron's "Blast of Silence"** Blu-ray - Molly McCarthy @Criterion
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COMMENTS: Blast of Silence was made on a shoestring budget - it was written, directed by, and starred Allen Baron and was produced by Merrill Brody, who doubled as the cinematographer. Many of Baron's friends and family appear in various scenes of the film. Blast of Silence was shot using equipment that had been abandoned in Cuba after the shooting of Errol Flynn's final film, 1959's Cuban Rebel Girls because the crew had to flee due to the Cuban Revolution. The serious Lionel Stander documentary-style narration facet of Blast of Silence adds another layer qualifying the suspense. It could also represent and alter-ego for contract killer Frank Bono or categorize the film as a quasi-procedural. measure dialogue and curious subtext. It is such grassroots dark cinema; bleak yet Christmas time in New York. It was such a pleasure to revisit Blast of Silence that strongly deserved 1080P. I'm super pleased with the Criterion Blu-ray - the dual-ratios is a nice touch - and this is a keeper for me.
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**"Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar"** 4 X Blu-ray @Criterion
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OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Half a Loaf of Kung Fu starred, and was also written, by Jackie Chan. He develops his awkward, often over-confident, kung fu student who finds himself embroiled in a few adventures utilizing his acrobatic slapstick martial arts style that fans have grown to love. Like a few in the set this is more a comedy than a serious Wushu effort, although there are some long-ish, and expertly choreographed, fights. Lo Wei's Spiritual Kung Fu has a supernatural angle with the martial arts. It is notable for also starring Yuen Biao as one of the Master of the Five Fists martial arts 'Ghosts' that are causing mischief... and later support. The Fearless Hyena was Jackie Chan's directorial debut and he also wrote the film. It has a ton of long, acrobatic, fight scenes. It's both a funny and a surprising action film. The dress-up stuff is a bit over-the-top but this is an entertaining, early, Jackie flic that is worth a watch. Fearless Hyena II is the worst film of the boxset; it involves a pair of cousins who band together to avenge the death of their fathers. Jackie Chan quit the Lo Wei Motion Picture Company to join Golden Harvest in the middle of the production and in order to complete the film, stunt doubles were hired and they used alternative takes and reused footage from the first film... so it suffers. The Young Master was actually the first film that Jackie Chan worked on for Golden Harvest, and it was his second film as director. It has a complicated Lion dance competition between rival schools, sibling betrayal, seeking a criminal known as 'The White Fan', a bank robbery frame-up and plenty of fast punches and kicks. It's quite an effective, serious, martial arts drama. My Lucky Stars was directed by Sammo Hung, and is the second film in the 'Lucky Stars series', - a quasi-sequel to Winners and Sinners. It has much of the same cast including the "Five Lucky Stars" troupe. It has an Undercover cop played Jackie Chan, requesting assistance from his childhood friends to catch a Yakuza group - requiring them to travel to Japan. Cultural exchanges spark some comedy, female bodybuilder Michiko Nishiwaki, and it genuinely looks like everyone is having a good time, although Jackie's role in the film is fairly minor - a few minutes in the beginning and then he's around for the last half hour. Rumble in the Bronx remains my favorite from this superstar - hopefully it will get the 'Criterion treatment'. Criterion's "Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar" four Blu-ray set is an appropriate jumping-off platform for those wishing to enjoy Jackie's successful style of gymnastic martial arts and fun-loving humor. And what a head of hair! Plenty of entertainment here. Recommended!
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**Frank Vitale's 1975 "East End Hustle" 4K UHD** - Andrée Pelletier / Anne-Marie Provencher @CIPictures @VinegarSyndrome
Vinegar Syndrome
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COMMENTS: Being Canadian myself, I am quite keen on the Canuxploitation genre. Frank Vitale's 1975 "East End Hustle" may fit in many people's description. It is a gritty mix of vérité Indie and exploitation with nudity ('female' and a bit of 'male'), sex and assault - nothing of an erotic nature though. The plot has a focus but wanders through some flashbacks. Despite requiring some decent production values (sets and wardrobe), I thought it was far better than I was anticipating. Andrée Pelletier is excellent as Cindy, and is the daughter of Gérard Pelletier, a former journalist and ambassador to France and then ambassador to the United Nations (1981–1984.). Andrée is a multiple Canadian acting award winner. "East End Hustle" centers on the exploitation of women with a keen revenge angle. It's rough. The Canadian International Pictures' 4K UHD package is so impressive for the work put into it; restored in 4K for a highly impressive image, new extras including a revealing commentary and multiple interviews, a booklet and more. Bravo. The film will appeal to a niche of both 70's Indie-expression and the Canuxploitation genre fans.
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Wilson Tong's 1985 "Ghost Nursing (Yang gui)" Blu-ray - Shirley Yim @VinegarSyndrome
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COMMENTS: Wilson Tong's Ghost Nursing is in the latter part of a trend to supernatural Hong Kong 70's and 80's films like Bewitched, Black Magic, Black Magic 2, The Bride From Hell, The Enchanting Ghost, The Ghost Lovers, HEX, The Seeding of a Ghost, Magic Cop etc. Ghost Nursing is actually quite dark starting with an unsavory 'exploitation of women' angle and, after a visit to a lively mystic, reverts to a demonic-possession horror. We think it may be targeting the low-level scum, whom we have already been introduced - in a revenge manner but it's not that discerning. There is quite a bit of less-effective gore involved that occupies the final third of the film. I prefer the more campy variety of this genre like The Oily Maniac. But there are some compelling story details here with Jackie moving from Hong Kong to Thailand only to become an abused escort (I was expecting a story with hospital nurses) and being subjected to a supernatural outcome. Yes, this gal doesn't have a lot of luck. The Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray is at their very high standard - strong a/v and worthwhile extras. Those keen on this genre, may wish to check it out.
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David Parker's "Hercules Returns" Blu-ray - David Argue / Alan Steel @UmbrellaEnt
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BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: David Parker's Hercules Returns is not an original concept. Woody Allen, in his feature-length directorial debut, 1966's What's Up, Tiger Lily? - used footage from a 1965 Japanese spy film, International Secret Police: Key of Keys, and re-ordered it and completely overdubbed it with original humor-filled dialogue about the search for the world's best egg salad recipe. Hercules Returns has a cult-following and is okay - fairly funny if a bit ribald with names of characters like "Labia" and "Testiculi". Much of the humor is Aussie-centric but most will 'grok' the jokes including some cinephile references. Fans of Hercules Returns will be quite pleased with this mammoth package. Umbrella have transferred the film to both Standard Blu-ray added a commentary plus significant accoutrements in their Collector's Edition (for those that wish to indulge) including book, poster, artcards and more. Hercules Returns is certainly a rewatchable hoot with the optional of a keepsake Blu-ray package.
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**Claude Chabrol's "La cérémonie"** Blu-ray - Isabelle Huppert / Sandrine Bonnaire / Jacqueline Bisset @Criterion
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BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Claude Chabrol's La cérémonie is based on the case of Christine and Lea Papin, two French live-in maids who brutally murdered their employer's wife and daughter in Le Mans on February 2nd, 1933. The murders, leaving unrecognizable corpses, had an influence on French philosophers, writers, poets and Left Bank intellectuals such as Jean Genet (Un chant d'amour,) Jean-Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir (Chabrol's The Blood of Others.) It was considered symbolic by leftist ideology. Under questioning, Christine and Léa immediately confessed to the killings. Of course the significant twist here is that only one maid is hired, illiterate Sophie Bonhomme (played by Sandrine Bonnaire), and who is befriended and manipulated by postal worker Jeanne (Isabelle Huppert) whose influence leads to... unconscionable murder. I always find La cérémonie quite disturbing. We almost forget Jacqueline Bisset and Virginie Ledoyen (Assayas's Cold Water.) The Criterion Blu-ray provides a new 4K-restored HD presentation and some wonderful supplements, of which I was particularly keen to see the working relationship between Huppert and Chabrol. The director's large fanbase should strongly consider indulging. Many consider this a masterpiece.
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DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of November 6th, 2023