DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of April 12th, 2021
http://www.dvdbeaver.com
THIS WEEK RELEASES releases include Michael Curtiz, Peter Greenaway, Alejandro Jodorowsky in 4K UHD, peplum Hercules, Criterion Frank Borzage, Don Sharp does Jules Verne, Jack Arnold, Mel Brooks best and another in 4K UHD, Silent Lois Weber, Sergio Martino does Poliziotteschi, Bela trifecta and more.
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: We have Jean-Luc Godard Criterion, double Ken Loach from Indicator, Ronald Neame as well as much of the above...
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of April 12th, 2021 (Recommended titles have "**")

The Basher Box Set [Blu-ray] (The Prodigal Boxer & The Awaken Punch) - VCI
US: https://amzn.to/3dWZbUA
CAN: https://amzn.to/3a3y6xX
COMMENTS: In a 1973 film that bares many similarities to Bruce Lee's debut film The Big Boss, The Awaken Punch's Henry Yu Yang plays an altruistic fighter who begins to build a name for himself as he violently cleans up a town from within its more seedier elements. But when he must abide by a promise to his dying father to give up his fighting ways, he will be faced with a new challenge in the arrival of the knife-throwing master Tien Feng (Fist of Fury) and his gang. With action from the legendary Yuen Woo-Ping (Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and a cameo from a young Jackie Chan and others, this basher is the epitome of the Punch and Block violence that began a long trend within Martial Arts cinema.
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**Beginning** [Blu-ray] (Dea Kulumbegashvili, 2020) RB UK MUBI
UK: https://amzn.to/3dgthCp
COMMENTS: The debut feature from Georgian writer-director Dea Kulumbegashvili, Beginning is an unflinching drama about a Jehovah's Witness who undergoes a dramatic crisis of faith. Unsettling and visually arresting, Georgia's official submission for the 2021 Academy Awards marks the arrival of a stunning new talent in world cinema. Set in a provincial town at the foot of the Caucasus mountains, the film tells the story of Yana (IIa Sukhitashvili), the wife of a Jehovah's Witness leader whose community is under attack from an extremist group. In the midst of this conflict, and with her husband away, Yana's inner discontent grows as she struggles to make sense of the world around her. Meanwhile, the intrusion of a local detective in her home has dramatic and devastating consequences.
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Broadway Melody of 1940 [Blu-ray] (Norman Taurog, 1940) Warner Archive
US: https://amzn.to/3sifSQn
COMMENTS: The job, a career breakthrough, is supposed to go to hoofer Johnny Brett, but a mix up in names gives it to his partner. Another example of Broadway hopes dashed? Not when Johnny is played by Fred Astaire. Sparkling Cole Porter songs, clever comedy and dance legends Astaire and Eleanor Powell make the final Broadway Melody (costarring George Murphy) a film to remember. Powells nautical I Am the Captain and Astaires blissful Ive Got My Eyes on You are more than enough to please any fan. But they are just a warm up for the leads to tap one number into immortality: Begin the Beguine, introduced by Frank Sinatra in Thats Entertainment! with, You can wait around and hope, but you will never see the likes of this again.
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Clapboard Jungle [Blu-ray] (Justin McConnell, 2020) RB UK Arrow
UK: https://amzn.to/3cEzKX9
COMMENTS: Navigating the current film business is more difficult than ever before. Rapidly changing technology and an overcrowded marketplace have led to an industry in which anyone can now make a film, but few can make a living. Following five years in the life and career of independent filmmaker Justin McConnell (Lifechanger), this documentary explores the struggles of financing, attracting the right talent, working with practical effects and selling the finished product in the hope of turning a profit. Featuring interviews with a range of industry luminaries including Guillermo del Toro (Crimson Peak), Sid Haig (Spider Baby), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator), Mick Garris (The Stand), Dick Miller (Matinee), Tom Holland (Fright Night) and George A. Romero (The Crazies), alongside a host of others not only are technical aspects and interpersonal skills discussed but also the emotional stamina and little-known tips needed to survive in the low budget film industry. A warts-and-all exploration of what it takes to get a film made and released, Clapboard Jungle serves as a survival guide for the modern independent filmmaker and offers a fascinating insight into a side of the industry with which few are likely to be familiar.
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The Children [Blu-ray] (Max Kalmanowicz, 1980) Troma
US: https://amzn.to/3uvMurg
CAN: https://amzn.to/3uLT8sZ
COMMENTS: A nuclear-plant leak turns a bus-load of children into murderous atomic zombies with black fingernails.
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**The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover** [Blu-ray] (Peter Greenaway, 1989) Umbrella
US: https://amzn.to/3w1e1lg
COMMENTS: Coarse London ganglord Albert (Michael Gambon) enjoyed the gourmet cuisine of cowed restaurateur Richard (Richard Bohringer) almost as much as he loved demeaning all around him, his abused spouse Georgina (Helen Mirren) most of all. She finds release through a steamy affair with bookseller Michael (Alan Howard)... and her husband's violent retaliation meets with stunning retribution. Peter Greenaway's lavish, erotic, and unsettlingly depraved drama co-stars Tim Roth, Ciarán Hinds. Region Free
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**Doctor X** [Blu-ray] (Michael Curtiz, 1932) Warner Archive
US: https://amzn.to/3tK4DAA
COMMENTS: Is there a (mad) doctor in the house? Yes! shrieks Doctor X, filmed in rare two strip Technicolor. An eminent scientist aims to solve a murder spree by recreating the crimes in a lab filled with all the dials, gizmos, bubbling beakers and crackling electrostatic charges essential to the genre. Lionel Atwill is Doctor Xavier, pre King Kong scream queen Fay Wray is a distressed damsel and Lee Tracy snaps newshound patter, all under the direction of renowned Michael Curtiz. Also includes the separately filmed B&W version, originally intended for small U.S. markets and International distribution, which has been unavailable for over 30 years.
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Dynasty 3-D [Blu-ray] (Mei-Chun Chang, 1977) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/36suJP8
CAN: https://amzn.to/3salECC
COMMENTS: Fully Restored in 3-D by 3-D Film Archive! When an emperor s son is accused of treason against the throne, he ends up in a fight for his life against all comers. Directed by Mei-Chun Chang (Revenge of the Shogun Women), this pop-out martial-arts spectacular stars Bobby Ming, Tao-Liang Tan, Kang Chin, David Wei Tang and Ying Bai, who was given an award for Best Supporting Actor at the 1977 Golden Horse Film Festival. This special edition is the first 3-D Film Archive release in Compatible 3-D, so you can view it on any system. The package has both BD3D polarized AND anaglyphic (red/cyan) 3-D versions, and contains one pair of anaglyphic 3-D glasses with information on how to acquire additional glasses.
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Fanchon, the Cricket [Blu-ray] Newly Restored and Digitally Mastered on 4K with a new score from the Mary Pickford Foundation (James Kirkwood, 1915) VCI
US: https://amzn.to/2Q9jfuS
CAN: https://amzn.to/3dXaImO
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews32/fanchon_the_cricket_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: A natural, sensual and uninhibited Pickford breaks through today's stereotype of her as '''the girl with the curls.'' It is also the only surviving film in which both Jack and Lottie Pickford appear with their sister. Once believed to be a lost film, Fanchon the Cricket's restoration is the result of a unique international collaboration between the Mary Pickford Foundation, the Cinematheque Francaise and the British Film Institute. A new negative and 35mm prints were created from the restored digital version, and the Mary Pickford Foundation paired the film with a new, original score by Julian Ducatenzeiler and Andy Gladbach.New, original score by Julian Ducatenzeiler and Andy Gladbach. Souvenir booklet featuring rare photographs and essays by Cari Beauchamp
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**Fando and Lis** [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1968) Abkco
US: https://amzn.to/3vm8aqy
COMMENTS: Surrealist filmmaker, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s unique career began with this bizarre tale of corrupted innocence, sadomasochistic love and unattainable paradise. Jodorowsky’s sublime freak-out follows impotent Fando (Sergio Kleiner) and his paraplegic sweetheart Lis (Diana Mariscal) searching for the enchanted city of Tar where spiritual ecstasy resides. Stunning 4K restoration using the original 35mm elements, with “La Cravate” and new extras
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**The Frightened City** [Blu-ray] (John Lemont, 1961) RB UK Studiocanal
UK: https://amzn.to/3rJiBSK
COMMENTS: A brand new restoration of the 1961 British neo-noir gangster film. The Frightened City is an essential addition to the Vintage Classics Collection. Starring Sean Connery as Paddy Damion, a thief who is recruited by a mobster (Alfred Marks) to oversee his money collection. Paddy is no thug but takes the job because his partner (Kenneth Griffith) has been injured in a robbery and he feels obligated to support him. Marks is actually the puppet of criminal mastermind Zhernikov (Herbert Lom), who has the image of a respectable businessman, but is in fact manipulating the local mobsters for his own ends. Also in the mix are the beautiful Anya (Yvonne Romain), wannabe singer and Zhernikov's mistress, to whom Paddy immediately takes a shine, and Sayers (John Gregson) the dedicated cop trying to crack open organised crime.
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Fukushima 50 [Blu-ray] (Setsurô Wakamatsu, 2020) MPI
US: https://amzn.to/37MmIWh
COMMENTS: March 11, 2011 - 2:46 PM - Japan’s Tohoku Region: at a magnitude of 9.0, the strongest earthquake in the country’s history strikes, triggering a huge tsunami and carnage that would end up injuring thousands of people and displacing many more. It mercilessly engulfs the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture, causing a crippling station blackout. Unable to be cooled, the nuclear reactors quickly turn into hydrogen bombs at the brink of explosion. If the power plant is abandoned, Japan’s destruction is assured. Facing a life or death situation, the power plant workers known as the “Fukushima 50”, including shift supervisor Izaki and plant manager Yoshida, remain on the site until the bitter end. As the world holds its breath, the Fukushima 50 fight for their hometown, their families, and the future of Japan.
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Godzilla [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Gareth Edwards, 2014) Warner UK
UK: https://amzn.to/39UL7KH
COMMENTS: This spectacular adventure pits Godzilla the world's most famous monster, against malevolent creatures that, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence. Discover explosive new evidence not yet contained in the film that unravels the massive cover-up to keep Godzilla's existence a secret in…OPERATION: LUKCY DRAGON. MONARCH: THE M.U.T.O FILE. THE GODZILLA REVELATION. Plus get the lowdown on this legendary monster in GODZILLA: FORCE OF NATURE.
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**Green Dolphin Street** [Blu-ray] (Victor Saville, 1947) Warner Archive
US: https://amzn.to/3vTkr5J
COMMENTS: The Academy Award winner about star crossed love that spans the years and the globe. After her triumph as the lunchroom temptress in the crime classic The Postman Always Rings Twice, Lana Turner expanded her range with Green Dolphin Street. Set in 19th century Europe and New Zealand, this sweeping romance tells the story of two beautiful sisters, one headstrong (Turner) and one gentle (Donna Reed), and of the man (Richard Hart) who marries one even though he loves the other. The films riptides of emotion are matched by breathtaking physical tumult: a fierce Maori uprising plus a catastrophic earthquake and tidal wave that earned the film a 1947 Oscar for special effects. With its dramatic story and spectacular visuals, Green Dolphin Street drew huge audiences for epic moviemaking.
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**Hercules And The Captive Women** [Blu-ray] (Vittorio Cottafavi, 1961) Film Detective
US: https://amzn.to/3s3wHO7
CAN: https://amzn.to/31WqV6m
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_137/hercules_and_the_captive_women_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: I've been ordering some of the 60's Italian Hercules films from Amazon Germany and have long thought we need more of them to Blu-ray on this side of the Atlantic. Vittorio Cottafavi's Hercules and the Captive Women is almost shocking in the vast extent of its production values. From that standpoint it is impressive and not a bad sword-sandal adventure as well, if lacking some identifiable cohesion. That, in-turn, gives it a kitschy value. I think most know what to expect and the nostalgia component is here in spades as well. The Film Detective Blu-ray is far from perfect but has the essential Tim Lucas commentary, the complete Mystery Science Theater 3000 version, a worthwhile documentary and a booklet/essay. You probably know if this is your cup-of-tea - I know it's mine - and those fans won't be disappointed in this package. Absolutely recommended!
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**History Is Made at Night** [Blu-ray] (Frank Borzage, 1937) Criterion
US: https://amzn.to/396J4lL
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/history_is_made_at_night_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Frank Borzage's History Is Made at Night has been pretty hard to see and own on digital. There were overpriced Spanish and Italian PAL DVD releases - thank goodness Criterion have transferred it to 1080P via an exquisite 4K restoration and added impressive supplements. One of the best of the romantic vintage era films - if not the best. Jean Arthur is as lovely as ever and Boyer as suave. Pure joy. The Criterion Blu-ray gets a very strong recommendation!
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**The Holy Mountain** [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1973) ABKCO
US: https://amzn.to/3sRtbHh
COMMENTS: Scandal of 1973 Cannes Film Festival, Jodorowsky’s flood of sacrilegious imagery and existential symbolism is a spiritual quest for enlightenment, pitting illusion against truth. The Alchemist assembles a people from all walks of life to represent the planets in the solar system, puts them through mystical rites and divest them of their worldly baggage before embarking on a trip to Lotus Island to ascend the Holy Mountain to displace immortal gods who secretly rule the universe. 4K with new extras.
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**El Topo** [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1970) ABKCO
US: https://amzn.to/3v0l6lM
COMMENTS: It was the landmark cult film that began the Midnight Movie phenomena of the counterculture crazy 1970s. Classic Americana and avant-garde European cinema sensibilities meet Zen Buddhism and the Bible as master gunfighter and cosmic mystic El Topo (played by writer/director Alejandro Jodorowsky) must defeat his four sharp-shooting rivals on an ever-increasingly bizarre path to allegorical self-enlightenment and surreal resurrection. Stunning 4K restoration with new extras.
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House of Cruel Dolls [Blu-ray] (Pierre Chevalier, 1974) Full Moon
US: https://amzn.to/3ofg5B9
UK: https://amzn.to/30jaJeB
COMMENTS: The Lost Eurocine Sexploitation Classic! Uncut and Remastered! Pierre Chevalier's outrageously vulgar melodrama is a horny hybrid of existing European exploitation films spliced together with new footage to tell the tell tale of Yvette (Magda Mundari) who, after being liberated from a life of sex slavery in the titular barbaric bordello, tells her sordid story in flashback. Jack Taylor also stars as an intrepid secret agent while sexploitation starlets Silvia Solar and Sandra Jullien also show up to the patchwork party. Filled to the freak-out point with nudity, violence and all-around bad behavior, HOUSE OF CRUEL DOLLS is one of the most shameless, mind-melting films ever assembled.
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Ironmaster [Blu-ray] (Umberto Lenzi, 1983) Code Red
US: https://amzn.to/3ruio5q
CAN: https://amzn.to/3g8Y5aW
COMMENTS: A tale that hurls you back to the dawn of human history! On his own, exiled tribesman Vudu (George Eastman; After the Fall of New York, Hands of Steel, Blastfighter) discovers how to fashion weapons out of iron and use them for his new tribe s survival and demolishing their enemies. When the new leader of his former tribe Ela (Sam Pasco) figures out how his clan can survive by creating their own iron, it becomes a battle to the death between two brutal forces! Who will win, and at what cost?
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Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space: The Complete Series [Blu-ray] - Warner Archives
US: https://amzn.to/3lIlmRR
COMMENTS: Rock stars Josie and the Pussycats are out of this world, literally! When the bumbling Alexandra accidentally launches Josie and the gang into outer space, they travel through the galaxy searching for a path back to Earth. Along the way, they meet cat people, robot monsters, evil dictators, space pirates and plenty of strange creatures, including their new companion Bleep, voiced by Hanna Barbera legend Don Messick. Fortunately, everyone is a fan of Josie and the Pussycats, including aliens! Rocket through the universe with your favorite superstars as they save the day, sing some songs and have a hip happenin good time in a 2 disc, 16 episode Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space complete series collection that hits all the right notes!
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**Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon** [Blu-ray] (Don Sharp, 1967) RB UK Studio Canal
UK: https://amzn.to/3qdSZMc
COMMENTS: A brand new restoration of JULES VERNE'S ROCKET TO THE MOON based on an original work by the great pre-science-fiction author Jules Verne, is a British comedy directed by Don Sharp starring Oscar winner Burl Ives, Troy Donahue and Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger). Contestants from all over the world compete in a competition to be the first scientist to construct and launch a rocket to the moon. Phineas T. Barnum, the great American showman, comes to England to escape his creditors. Always on the lookout for an opportunity to make money, he enters the competition in an ambitious attempt to launch a rocket to the moon with the aid of a powerful, new explosive. Money troubles, spies and saboteurs ensure that the plan is doomed before it even starts.
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Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist [Blu-ray] (Alexandre O. Philippe, 2019) Image Entertainment
US: https://amzn.to/3altEtS
CAN: https://amzn.to/3uUvvyzhttps://amzn.to/3uUvvyz
COMMENTS: LEAP OF FAITH is a complete dissection and sweeping examination of the award-winning genre classic The Exorcist. Explore the uncharted depths of William Friedkin’s mind’s eye, the nuances of his filmmaking process, and the mysteries of faith and fate that helped shape his life and filmography, as told by the man himself. BONUS FEATURES: Master Class by William Friedkin, moderated by Alexandre O. Philippe from Fantastic Film School at 2020 BIFAN
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Little Annie Rooney [Blu-ray] (William Beaudine, 1925) VCI
US: https://amzn.to/31IJJpr
CAN: https://amzn.to/3g7IVTH
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews32/little_annie_rooney_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Mary Pickford plays a "tomboy of the tenements" in this comedy drama, which she also wrote. Filmed over ten weeks, Little Annie Rooney was shot entirely on a set created by art director John D. Schulze at the Pickford Fairbanks Studio. Co-starring William Haines and a wide-ranging, multi-ethnic cast, Little Annie Rooney met with huge critical and commercial success upon it's original release, proving fans and critics alike wanted the then 33-year old Mary to stay a child forever. Created from the original tinted nitrate print in Mary Pickford's personal collection at the Library of Congress, Little Annie Rooney was preserved photo chemically by the Academy Film Archive. A new 35mm preservation master was then scanned at 4K high definition so that the Mary Pickford Foundation, in cooperation with AMPAS, could create a digital version to perfectly match the original nitrate tints and tones. Andy Gladbach composed a new, original soundtrack for the film, which features a 12 piece orchestra, including three percussionists.
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**The Mouse That Roared** [Blu-ray] (Jack Arnold, 1959) Umbrella
US: https://amzn.to/3u2VPFV
COMMENTS: When the tiny nation of Grand Fenwick's only export, a special wine, begins to be produced in California, their entire economy collapses. Things look dire until Prime Minister Rupert Mountjoy (Peter Sellers, The Pink Panther) points out that no country that has declared war on the United States has ever gone hungry. When Field Marshall Tully Bascombe and the 23 other men in the Grand Fenwick army invade the United States, their plan to immediately surrender unravels.
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Night Of The Eagles [Blu-ray] (Jesús Franco, 1989) Full Moon Features
US: https://amzn.to/2Jg2D1n
CAN: https://amzn.to/3mBcP3C
COMMENTS: Jess Franco's NIGHT OF THE EAGLES, a stark WWII drama starring iconic genre actors Christopher Lee and Mark Hamill. Lee plays Strauss, a wealthy German businessman whose comely, loving daughter Lillian (Alexandra Ehrlich) is torn between two lovers, Peter (Hamill) and Karl (Ramon Estevez, brother of Charlie Sheen). Unable to choose between her paramours, Lillian's life changes forever when her beaus are shipped off to fight on the frontlines and she is forced to take a job as dancehall singer in a sordid niteclub. With her country and its people torn to pieces by the ravages of war and her once prosperous father relegated to poverty and despair, Lillian must make unthinkable choices in the name of survival.
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North Shore [Blu-ray] (William Phelps, 1987) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/3sm1AhS
CAN: https://amzn.to/2QNEXmK
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/north_shore_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: "North Shore" will be familiar to surfing fans, while it's no "The Endless Summer" or "Point Break", there is still a lot of fun to be had, and the cast features numerous surfing legends. Kudos to Kino for including the commentary and interviews/deleted scenes on their Blu-ray. Recommended to those curious. - Colin Zavitz
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**The Producers** [Blu-ray] (Mel Brooks, 1967) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/3dlcfCW
CAN: https://amzn.to/31DataJ
OUR COMPARISON:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare8/producers.htm
COMMENTS: If you have never owned "The Producers" on Blu-ray, this is the one to get. Kino's new 4K restoration blows the previous releases out of the water, image-wise. The new commentary is also a welcome bonus. To those that have previous iterations, this could definitely warrant an upgrade. Recommended. - Colin Zavitz
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The PsyBorgs [Blu-ray] (David Hiatt, 2019) Scream Team Releasing
US: https://amzn.to/2R4rngE
CAN: https://amzn.to/3uGGOKl
COMMENTS: The future, 2003. The world is strangled in the grip of a madman, the twisted General Blight. Blight commands the nefarious terrorist cell T.O.X.I.N. - a militant organization hell-bent on total galactic domination. Blight and his evil T.O.X.I.N. agents will stomp on anything in their path to ensure that their evil dreams come true, but luckily for humanity, John Carbon and his squad of psychic heroes - THE PSYBORGS - are here to stomp back! It's the showdown of the century as John Carbon, Ricky Blaze, and Deutsch infiltrate a heavily-guarded T.O.X.I.N. compound to rescue Jessie Sparkle, defeat the insidious WhirlWind, and put an end to General Blight's evil plans once and for all. They are the Ultimate Force for the Digital Age.
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**Sensation Seekers / A Chapter in Her Life** [Blu-ray] Two Films By Lois Weber - Kino
US: https://amzn.to/3fQx7os
CAN: https://amzn.to/3uwgFxT
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_137/sensation_seekers_chapter_in_her_life_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: I enjoyed both, especially Sensation Seekers with Billie Dove - showing the lifestyle and morality themes of the era. The Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers has an entire Blu-ray of 11 Lois Weber's films, including 1921's What Do Men Want?, and it was great to see these two with the Shelley Stamp commentary giving historical context for Sensation Seekers. Silent Era fans that seek a taste of Lois Weber's films - or wanting to see more of her refreshing work will appreciate this Kino Blu-ray. Recommend to group of cinema aficionados.
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September 30, 1955 [Blu-ray] (James Bridges, 1977) Scorpion Releasing
US: https://amzn.to/3cxRsgV
CAN: https://amzn.to/3dUIclL
COMMENTS: From James Bridges, the acclaimed director of The Paper Chase, The China Syndrome, Urban Cowboy, Mike's Murder, Perfect and Bright Lights, Big City, comes this classic 70s drama about the tragic death of James Dean on September 30, 1955 and the effects it has on a circle of friends in a small Arkansas town.
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Shrunken Heads [Blu-ray] (Richard Elfman, 1994) Full Moon Pictures
US: https://amzn.to/3blLDCd
UK: https://amzn.to/3g82dbz
COMMENTS: These three superheroes are HEADS above the rest! From cult director Richard Elfman and producer Charles Band comes SHRUNKEN HEADS, a legendary comedy horror head-trip available now on Blu-ray for the first time, remastered from the original 35mm camera negative! When three inner city kids are murdered in a gangland showdown gone wrong, a mysterious witch doctor opts to drag them back from the grave. Well, most of them anyway! The voodoo priest leaves the boys' bodies and only reanimates their heads. Now, this trio of floating craniums are left to fly around New York with only one thing on their minds: revenge! Elfman fills the screen with his patented blend of absurdity, grand guignol effects, dark humor and surreal insanity and gives the beautiful Meg Foster one of her wildest roles, that of lesbian crime kingpin Big Moe.
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Silent Action [Blu-ray] (Sergio Martino, 1975) RB UK Fractured Visions
UK: https://amzn.to/3cUzbtV
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_137/silent_action_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Although there is not an abundance available on Blu-ray, I have grown to appreciate the Poliziotteschi genre - more each time I see one. Like their cousin the 'Pasta western', these have a identifiable style, often dealing in moral corruption and have plenty of violence. There are usually political and mob themes. Fractured Visions' Silent Action Blu-ray has Sergio Martino's effective filmmaking and a girth of extras to introduce any cinema fan to this neglected genre. Despite my reservations on the image this will be worth picking up to those who wish to expand their horizons of 70's Italian films and there turbulent history. We look forward to more from Fractured Visions.
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Spaceballs [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Mel Brooks, 1987) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/3ao3zdu
COMMENTS: From Mel Brooks, the legendary director of The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie and Life Stinks, comes this intergalactic spoof starring Brooks, John Candy (Once Upon a Crime), Rick Moranis (Little Shop of Horrors), Bill Pullman (Lost Highway), Daphne Zuniga (Modern Girls), Dick Van Patten (High Anxiety), George Wyner (Fletch), Michael Winslow (Police Academy) and comedy great Joan Rivers. The farce is with you in this uproarious salute to science fiction! When the evil Dark Helmet (Moranis) attempts to steal all the air from planet Druidia, a determined Druish princess (Zuniga), a clueless rogue (Pullman) and a half-man/half-dog creature who s his own best friend (Candy) set out to stop him.
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Stone [Blu-ray] (Sandy Harbutt, 1974) Umbrella Ent.
US: https://amzn.to/3rLUMc9
COMMENTS: The ranks of a Satan-worshiping biker gang known as the Grave Diggers are being thinned out by a mysterious assailant. Enter Stone (Ken Shorter), an undercover cop who's just hairy and bedraggled enough to pass for one of the hell-raisers. Exploitation thrills come at full throttle in this infamous Australian cult classic. Director/co-writer Sandy Harbutt, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Helen Morse, Vincent Gil also star. Region Free
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**Three Edgar Allan Poe Adaptations Starring Bela Lugosi** [Blu-ray] RB UK Masters of Cinema
UK: https://amzn.to/3uhnl3C
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_124/three_edgar_allan_poe_adaptations_starring_bela_lugosi_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: This trio of classic 1930s horror films Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Black Cat, and The Raven is also distinguished by a trio of factors regarding their production. Most notably, each film is based on a work by master of the macabre Edgar Allan Poe. Part of the legendary wave of horror films made by Universal Pictures in the 30s, all three feature dynamic performances from Dracula's Bela Lugosi, with two of them also enlivened by the appearance of Frankenstein's Boris Karloff. And finally, all three benefit from being rare examples of Pre-Code studio horror, their sometimes startling depictions of sadism and shock a result of being crafted during that brief period in Hollywood before the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code's rigid guidelines for moral content.
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The Wild Life [Blu-ray] (Art Linson, 1984) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/2L2V8vw
CAN: https://amzn.to/2Q9tnDP
COMMENTS: The Wild Life stars Christopher Penn (Mulholland Falls), Eric Stoltz (Bodies, Rest & Motion), Lea Thompson (SpaceCamp), Jenny Wright (Near Dark) and Ilan Mitchell-Smith (Weird Science) as teens on the verge of adulthood who discover that playing grown-up can be a confusing game. Older men, singles apartments, all-night parties and falling in love bring heartbreak and hilarity. Also featuring Randy Quaid (The Long Riders) in a special appearance as a Vietnam vet who teaches one of the kids an important lesson and Rick Moranis (Spaceballs) as a wacky nerd-on-the-make, this coming-of-age story is a humorous, bittersweet look at the best and worst times of everyone's life. Screenwriter Cameron Crowe's follow-up to his smash hit Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Wild Life was the second and final film directed by veteran Hollywood producer Art Linson (Where the Buffalo Roam).
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NOTABLE NEW CALENDAR UPDATES:

May 31st, 2021

**The Blue Lamp** (Basil Dearden, 1950) Kino
 https://amzn.to/3me7TBM

 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_74/the_blue_lamp_blu-ray.htm

**Duel** (Steven Spielberg, 1971) RB UK Fabulous Films Limited
 https://amzn.to/3t6TgCT
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_63/duel_blu-ray.htm

The Devil-Ship Pirates (Don Sharp, 1964) RB UK Network
 https://amzn.to/3rTeCSY

**Mommie Dearest** (Frank Perry, 1981) Paramount
 https://amzn.to/3moa7yr

Smokey and the Bandit 4K UHD (Hal Needham, 1977) Universal Pictures
 https://amzn.to/39ZJRFK
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June 7th, 2021

**The Chalk Garden** (Ronald Neame, 1964) Imprint
 https://amzn.to/3sO2Vhz
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_129/the_chalk_garden_blu-ray.htm

**The Face Behind the Mask** (Robert Florey, 1941) Imprint
 https://amzn.to/3mgqDAm

**Indiana Jones 4-Movie Collection** [4K UHD Blu-ray] - Paramount UK
 https://amzn.to/2Ppi1vA
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June 14th, 2021

**Last Train from Gun Hill** (John Sturges, 1959) Paramount
 https://amzn.to/2PmH9Db

**One Potato, Two Potato** (Larry Peerce, 1964) Kino/Scorpion
 https://amzn.to/3uCda96

**The Railway Children** (Lionel Jeffries, 1970) Kino
 https://amzn.to/39F8AyL

**Waterloo** (Sergey Bondarchuk, 1970) RB UK Mediumrare
 https://amzn.to/3rLfuZB
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June 21st, 2021

Godzilla vs. Kong 4K UHD (Adam Wingard, 2021) Warner UK
 https://amzn.to/3uJC4DZ

**Irezumi** (Yasuzô Masumura, 1966) Arrow US
 https://amzn.to/3fHdQFY

**Years of Lead: Five Classic Italian Crime Thrillers 1973 - 1977** - Savage Three (1975), Like Rabid Dogs (1976), Colt 38 Special Squad (1976) Stelvio Massis Highway Racer (1977) and No, the Case is Happily Resolved (1973) - Arrow US
 https://amzn.to/39DRhyg

**Yesterday's Enemy** (Val Guest, 1959) Indicator UK
 https://amzn.to/31IHOkN
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews52/yesterdays_enemy_blu-ray.htm
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June 28th, 2021

**The Bird with the Crystal Plumage** [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Dario Argento, 1970) Arrow US
 https://amzn.to/2PonfI0

I'm No Angel (Wesley Ruggles, 1933) Kino
 https://amzn.to/3s3CIdz

**Major Dundee** (Sam Peckinpah, 1965) Arrow
US: https://amzn.to/3mf4wdI
UK: https://amzn.to/3wrHYLI

My Little Chickadee (Edward F. Cline, 1940) Kino
 https://amzn.to/3d7SDDi

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Photo Archives" for Patrons:
Gloria Grahame:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/gloria_grahame_photo_archive.htm
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Monica Vitti:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/monica_vitti_photo_archive.htm
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Paul Newman:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/paul_newman_photo_archive.htm
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Susan George:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/susan_george_photo_archive.htm
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Jacqueline Bisset:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/jacqueline_bisset_photo_archive.htm
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Suzanne Pleshette:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/suzanne_pleshette_photo_archive.htm
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THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS:

**Hercules and the Captive Women** BD
US: https://amzn.to/3s3wHO7
CAN: https://amzn.to/31WqV6m
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_137/hercules_and_the_captive_women_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: I've been ordering some of the 60's Italian Hercules films from Amazon Germany and have long thought we need more of them to Blu-ray on this side of the Atlantic. Vittorio Cottafavi's Hercules and the Captive Women is almost shocking in the vast extent of its production values. From that standpoint it is impressive and not a bad sword-sandal adventure as well, if lacking some identifiable cohesion. That, in-turn, gives it a kitschy value. I think most know what to expect and the nostalgia component is here in spades as well. The Film Detective Blu-ray is far from perfect but has the essential Tim Lucas commentary, the complete Mystery Science Theater 3000 version, a worthwhile documentary and a booklet/essay. You probably know if this is your cup-of-tea - I know it's mine - and those fans won't be disappointed in this package. Absolutely recommended!
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Fatherland BD
UK: https://amzn.to/3g5uijN
INDICATOR: https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/fatherland-le?utm_source=DVDBEAVER&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=FATHERLAND-LE
US: https://amzn.to/3dJNsc2
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_137/fatherland_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: I wasn't crazy about Loach's Fatherland although I was keen on the story even being a bit flummoxed by the second half. Perhaps I am at odds with the concept of a 'protest singer' although much music / poetry does enlighten. A commentary may have helped my appreciation. Part of Fatherland's value seems to be its lack of exposure - it was a film I had never seen and being Ken Loach, alone, may be an attractive enticement for some. The Indicator Blu-ray seems a well done package of an odd, under-discussed film. Intrepid, adventurous cinephiles may be in their element.
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**I Start Counting** BD
UK: https://amzn.to/3qDjqvV
OUR COMPARISON:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_131/i_start_counting_blu-ray.htm
COMPARE: So, it looks like the BFI have advanced upon the Fun City Blu-ray edition with a slightly improved video and more supplements. Double-dipping would depend on how you fele about the film, but the big bonus is the Samm Deighan commentary, which is available on both. Region 'B'-locked audiences should definitely indulge. Great film, super Blu-ray package.
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**Sensation Seekers / A Chapter in Her Life** BD
US: https://amzn.to/3fQx7os
CAN: https://amzn.to/3uwgFxT
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_137/sensation_seekers_chapter_in_her_life_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: I enjoyed both, especially Sensation Seekers with Billie Dove - showing the lifestyle and morality themes of the era. The Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers has an entire Blu-ray of 11 Lois Weber's films, including 1921's What Do Men Want?, and it was great to see these two with the Shelley Stamp commentary giving historical context for Sensation Seekers. Silent Era fans that seek a taste of Lois Weber's films - or wanting to see more of her refreshing work will appreciate this Kino Blu-ray. Recommend to group of cinema aficionados.
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**The Chalk Garden** BD
UK: https://amzn.to/2Nysdk0
INDICATOR: https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/the-chalk-garden-le?utm_source=DVDBEAVER&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=THE-CHALK-GARDEN-LE
OUR COMPARISON:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_129/the_chalk_garden_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Ronald Neame's The Chalk Garden has some unusual qualities - which is fitting for the less-conventional story (original play as a comedy?) with Hayley Mills as the undisciplined adolescent granddaughter who is confused, testing her limits as well as challenging the adults caring for her. The sub-story of Deborah Kerr as the mysteriously ambiguous murdering-suspect Miss Madrigal adds keen curiosity. The Chalk Garden is wonderfully realized by Neame. A beautiful film that I was pleased to revisit on this stacked Indicator Blu-ray. The new commentary and interviews, booklet etc. make this the definitive edition of the film on Blu-ray. Strongly recommended!
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Silent Action BD
UK: https://amzn.to/3cUzbtV
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_137/silent_action_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Although there is not an abundance available on Blu-ray, I have grown to appreciate the Poliziotteschi genre - more each time I see one. Like their cousin the 'Pasta western', these have a identifiable style, often dealing in moral corruption and have plenty of violence. There are usually political and mob themes. Fractured Visions' Silent Action Blu-ray has Sergio Martino's effective filmmaking and a girth of extras to introduce any cinema fan to this neglected genre. Despite my reservations on the image this will be worth picking up to those who wish to expand their horizons of 70's Italian films and there turbulent history. We look forward to more from Fractured Visions.
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**Carla's Song** BD
UK: https://amzn.to/31RieKo
INDICATOR: https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/carlas-song-le?utm_source=DVDBEAVER&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=CARLAS-SONG-LE
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/carlas_song_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: I echo some of the critical comments of Ken Loach's Carla's Song enjoying the first half - and it's occasional humor and budding romance - more than the politically-charged second half with its resemblances to typically obvious liberal Hollywood. Loach is an impressive filmmaker and I think he realizes the story to its highest potential. Oyanka Cabezas, Carlyle and Scott Glenn are strong and carry the film in its more plodding and scattered moments. The commentary helped and its ambition is, certainly, a positive attribute. The high-end a/v and extras-stacked, limited edition (3,000 copies), Indicator Blu-ray make this package very enticing for Loach fans.
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**Jeremy** BD
US: https://amzn.to/3sTyIOb
CAN: https://amzn.to/3rMWUjH
UK: https://amzn.to/3fJgH1d
OUR REVIEW:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/jeremy_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: On the surface Jeremy could be dismissed as an 'After School Special' that pushes the envelope but looking deeper this was a bold teenage love story, unique in its characterizations, exporting themes sharing universal feels of awkwardness and low confidence, trust and innocence - a brilliantly underplayed film of maturity and the depth of feelings imbued by your first love. Jeremy was a great choice for another Fun City Edition Blu-ray (the first two being Alphabet City and I Start Counting.) This is a rare kind of a film and the commentary, visual essay, interviews and booklet give it immense value. Very strongly recommended!
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**Masculin Féminin** BD
US: https://amzn.to/3fECC9T
CAN: https://amzn.to/3sXrMzG
UK: https://amzn.to/2PrW2Ej
OUR COMPARISON:
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/masculin_feminin_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: "We are the children of Marx and Coca-Cola." Jean-Luc Godard's Masculin Féminin is pure - shot with naturalistic intent and his unique early visual black and white style. His cinema in this time period remains highly attractive with a curious subtext that seems to improve, or get even 'cooler' over time. Something that can be revisited for the rest of our lives and this new Criterion Blu-ray is a brilliant a/v upgrade - no 'new' extras - but the presentation is worth the indulgence adding more beauty, charm and nostalgia to your viewing. Our highest recommendation!
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