DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of April 18th,
2022
http://www.dvdbeaver.com
THIS WEEK's RELEASES include Bertrand Tavernier Boxset, Criterion
does Vittorio De Sica and Frank Tashlin, Hammer, Chain Gang girls, Serial Killer
4K UHD, Norman Jewison 4K UHD, Hayao Miyazaki, Lucio Fulci, Enzo G. Castellari
boxset, W.C. Fields...
THIS WEEK's CALENDAR UPDATES (new!) - Early Stanley Kubrick Noir
in 4K UHD!, breeding dinos by Spielberg in 4K UHD, John Ford, Paul Schrader
felines in 4K UHD, alien abductions, Giant Herzog collection, Sodaburger in 4K
UHD, Curt Siodmak's Love Slaves, Criterion Shaft is coming to the UK, as is Jim
Jarmusch and Ousmane Sembene, more Stephen King in 4K UHD, and more...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: Double Billy Wilder; in 4K UHD and by Criterion,
Silent Marion Davies, John Hillcoat masterwork western, folk-based she-devil in
the mountains, 70's Italian from perversity to romance with elements of horror,
Giallo, satire, kink, subjugation, dominance and much more...
Enjoy,
Gary
RELEASES the WEEK of April 18th, 2022 (Recommended titles have "**")
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10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki [Blu-ray] (TV Mini Series, 2019) RB UK Anime
Ltd
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: An exclusive four-part documentary chronicling the creative process of
the legendary filmmaker, re-edited from the original NHK broadcast version with
cooperation from Studio Ghibli. Covering the development periods from Ponyo on
the Cliff by the Sea (2008) to The Wind Rises (2013), Hayao Miyazaki is shown as
a passionate artisan, a steadfast trailblazer, and a father butting heads with
his son. Contains episodes 1 – 4 in Japanese with English subtitles.
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Essential Tavernier Boxset [Blu-ray] (QUE LA FÊTE COMMENCE, UNE SEMAINE
DE VACANCES COUP DE TORCHON, L.627, LA GUERRE SANS NOM ÇA COMMENCE AUJOURD'HUI,
LAISSEZ-PASSER LA PRINCESSE DE MONTPENSIER) - RB UK Studiocanal
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Bertrand Tavernier was one of the most outstanding French film makers
of his time. Born in Lyon in 1941, he began his career with a short-lived stint
as an assistant to Jean-Pierre Melville - an experience and environment that
affected him so deeply that he took up first film journalism then worked as a
highly influential press agent for ten years before returning to filmmaking. A
diverse filmmaker whose works covered a spectacular range of genres, settings
and time periods, Tavernier imbued his films with intelligence and grace, but
they were also often a commentary on political and social injustice and the
strength of the human spirit. This essential collection includes 8 of his films,
a tribute and testimony to the spectacular work of the legendary filmmaker.
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Frank Tashlin's "The Girl Can't Help It" Blu-ray - Tom Ewell / Jayne
Mansfield @Criterion
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS
CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Frank Tashlin's The Girl Can't Help It is not only very humorous
celebrating the cheesecake-ness of Jayne Mansfield - often exposing the
different effects it has on men - but also her character's innocence and desires
(which are decidedly not sexual) representing a subtext of her emotional needs
as viable. It's quite brilliant while also taking vibes from Billy Wilder's,
previous year's hit, The Seven Year Itch with Marilyn Monroe - and , no
coincidence, also starring Tom Ewell. The Girl Can't Help It is about
liberation, unfortunate stereotyping, slapstick comedy, love and sex while
filled with great early rock music performances. Criterion's Blu-ray is an
incredible package with the valued past commentary and over 2-hours of
supplements helping analyze Tashlin's deeper meanings and examining Jayne
Mansfield tragic life and cultural impact. It's a must-own. Strongly
recommended!
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Girl on a Chain Gang [Blu-ray] (Jerry Gross, 1966) Film Detective
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Schlock producer Jerry Gross made his directorial debut with Girl on a
Chain Gang (1966), a stirring feature about small town hate. William Watson,
Julie Ange, and Ron Charles star in this shocker about three young people who
are framed, arrested, and tossed into jail by corrupt Southern police. Gross,
who produced everything from Blaxploitation films to features about teen
pregnancy, exercised his social conscience in this drama about racist Southern
cops. It was made the year after three civil rights workers were murdered in
Mississippi, a subject Gross must've believed was worth exploiting into drive-in
theater fare. True to his low budget roots, Gross filmed this one nowhere near
the South, but in Long Island, New York!
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Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer [4K UHD Blu-ray] (John
McNaughton, 1986) Arrow UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Widely heralded as one of the greatest serial killer movies of all
time, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer presents a bleak and unflinching dive
into the mind of a mass murderer. Recently released from prison, the nomadic
Henry (Michael Rooker, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Walking Dead) finds
temporary abode in the rundown Chicago lodgings of a former jail acquaintance
and small-time drug dealer, Otis (Tom Towles). Hiding behind his unremarkable
employment as a pest exterminator, Henry leads a double life, prowling the
streets by night on a brutal and apparently motiveless killing spree. As the
bodies mount up, Otis finds himself inducted into Henry’s dark secret world, but
when Otis’ sister Becky (Tracy Arnold) moves in, herself fleeing from an
uncomfortable domestic situation, it quickly becomes apparent that two’s
company, but three’s a crowd. Based on the horrific true-life crimes of Henry
Lee Lucas, the harrowing controversial debut feature from John McNaughton (Mad
Dog and Glory, Wild Things) returns to the UK in its best-looking release ever,
in a new 4K restoration supervised by the director himself.
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In the Heat of the Night [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Norman Jewison, 1967)
Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: his undisputed masterpiece from director Norman Jewison (The Thomas
Crown Affair) is one of the most radical and acclaimed movies of its generation.
Rod Steiger (A Fistful of Dynamite) gives an Oscar-winning performance as a
sheriff from small-town Mississippi who finds himself in an uneasy alliance with
a black homicide detective from Philadelphia—strikingly portrayed by Sidney
Poitier (Lilies of the Field). In the course of investigating the crime, the two
strong-willed men must reconcile their inherent prejudice towards each other.
The final result is justice—and an unlikely but touching mutual respect.
Supporting performances by Warren Oates (Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia)
and Lee Grant (The Landlord), an evocative score by Quincy Jones (The Getaway)
and vivid cinematography by Haskell Wexler (The Conversation) all add to the
film’s authentic aura of a hot summer evening in the Deep South. Winner of five
Academy Awards including Best Picture for Walter Mirisch...
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Jackass Forever [Blu-ray] (Jeff Tremaine, 2022) Paramount
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Older but not wiser, Johnny Knoxville and the crew are back for the
most unbelievably outrageous jackass yet. Brace yourself as they reach new
levels of immaturity and with a little help from some brave new friends and
guest stars, their wildly outrageous pranks and dangerously bone-crunching
stunts will have you laughing until it really, really hurts. Some people never
learn.
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The King's Daughter [Blu-ray] (Sean McNamara, 2022) Universal
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: King Louis XIV's quest for immortality leads him to capture and steal
a mermaid's life force, a move that is further complicated by his illegitimate
daughter's discovery of the creature.
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Lola [Blu-ray] (Carl Bessai, 2001) Shoreline Entertainment
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: The story follows a troubled woman and her search for identity. She is
given a choice between a return to the dysfunction of the past, or a new life in
self assumed identity.
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Man on the Flying Trapeze [Blu-ray] (Clyde Bruckman, 1935) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Comedy legend W.C. Fields (My Little Chickadee) is Ambrose Wolfinger,
a henpecked husband who wants the afternoon off (his first in twenty-five years)
to go to a wrestling match, so he tells his boss he must attend his
mother-in-law’s funeral. The afternoon soon turns catastrophic. He tries to
please a policeman, assist a chauffeur, chase a tire, and ends up getting hit by
the body of a wrestler thrown from the ring. Directed by Buster Keaton cohort
Clyde Bruckman (The General) with Fields’ uncredited help, Man on the Flying
Trapeze is a high-flying act of comedic brilliance. The marvelous cast includes
Mary Brian (Running Wild), Kathleen Howard (It’s a Gift), Grady Sutton (The Bank
Dick) and Walter Brennan (Rio Bravo).
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Manhattan Baby [Blu-ray] (Lucio Fulci, 1982) Blue Underground
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: A young girl on vacation in Egypt is given a mysterious charm, causing
her archeologist father to be struck blind inside an unexplored pyramid tomb.
But when the family returns home to Manhattan, a plague of supernatural evil and
sudden violence follows. Can this ancient curse be stopped before it is
unleashed on the streets of New York City? It has been fully restored in 2K from
the original uncensored camera negative and comes fully loaded with exclusive
extras!
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Vittorio De Sica's "Miracle in Milan" Blu-ray - Francesco Golisano
@Criterion
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS
CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Miracle in Milan always puts me in a wonderful mood - there is a lot
of De Sica mastery here. It's a real treat to see this in the the new 4K
restoration without the digitization issues of the Arrow. Once seen, the
edge-enhancement can't be unseen. There are interviews, a lengthy documentary on
Zavattini and liner notes booklet. A must-see film - the Criterion Blu-ray is
strongly recommended!
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My Afternoons with Margueritte [Blu-ray] (Jean Becker, 2010) Cohen
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: My Afternoons with Margueritte is the story of life’s random
encounters. In a small French town Germain (Gérard Depardieu, Cyrano de
Bergerac), a nearly illiterate man in his 50s who is considered the village
idiot, takes a walk to the park and happens to sit beside Margueritte (Gisèle
Casadesus, The Hedgehog), a little old lady who is reading excerpts from her
novel aloud. She’s articulate and highly intelligent. Germain is lured in by
Margueritte’s passion for life and the magic of literature from which he has
always felt excluded. As Margueritte broadens his mind by reading excerpts from
her novel, Germain realizes that he is more of an intellectual than he has ever
allowed himself to be. Afternoons spent reading aloud on their favorite bench
transform their lives and start them both on a new journey—to literacy and
respect for Germain, and to the deepest friendship for Margueritte.
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Night Creatures [Blu-ray] (Peter Graham Scott, 1962) Shout! Factory
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
ALT-BEAVER COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Despite the less-frequent pirate sequences, this is still a historical
(18th Century) swashbuckler adventure with all the Hammer charm we love with
reference to the mysterious Romney marshes. It's based on Russell Thorndike's
novel, "Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh". It's a superior adaptation to
the Disney version focusing on the good/evil paradigm and anti-hero
protagonists. It has Peter Cushing and is another essential part of the Hammer
cycle.
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The Olive Trees of Justice [Blu-ray] (James Blue, 1962) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: The first and only narrative feature by American documentarian James
Blue (Oscar®-nominated for A Few Notes On Our Food Problem), The Olive Trees Of
Justice holds the dual distinctions of being the only French film to have been
shot during the Algerian War, and to have been selected for the inaugural
Critics' Week at the Cannes Film Festival in 1962. Filmed in Algiers and the
surrounding countryside during the late stages of the Algerian War, under the
pretext that it was a documentary about the wine industry, the film depicts the
Algerian struggle for independence from the French by concentrating on a young
“pied-noir” (Frenchman of Algerian descent) who returns to Algiers to visit his
dying father. His memories of boyhood on his father's farm are told in
flashbacks with a lush serenity that contrasts to the teeming, tank-filled
streets of contemporary Algiers. Giving the film a neorealist tone by shooting
in a documentary style and enrolling a cast that consisted largely of
non-professional actors, including author Jean Pelegri who wrote the
autobiographical novel from which the film is based, Blue tells a powerful story
of common people living and struggling in their daily lives, while providing a
valuable testimony to the complexity of the Algerian situation in that time
period.
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Rogue Cops and Racketeers: Two Crime Thrillers [Blu-ray] (The Big Racket
& The Heroin Busters) from Enzo G. Castellari - Arrow
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Over a long and wide-ranging career, director Enzo G. Castellari (Keoma,
The Inglorious Bastards) helmed some of the most infamous of all the
poliziotteschi – the gritty, action-packed crime films that proliferated in
Italy throughout the 70s. Buckle up for a heart-stopping thrill ride through the
seedy underbelly of Italian society in two of his most celebrated thrillers! In
1976’s The Big Racket, Inspector Nico Palmieri (Fabio Testi, What Have You Done
to Solange?) is hot on the heels of a gang of ruthless racketeers. Realizing
he’s not going to get anywhere within the confines of the law, Nico recruits a
crack squad of civilians to dole out their own brand of justice. Then, in 1977’s
The Heroin Busters, rule-flouting cop Fabio (Testi) goes deep undercover,
chasing a globe-trotting ring of drug-smugglers suspected to be operating out of
Rome. But can he and Mike Hamilton (David Hemmings, Deep Red), an Interpol agent
with a hair-trigger temper, stay one step ahead of the criminals long enough to
bring them down from the inside?
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You're Telling Me! [Blu-ray] (Erle C. Kenton, 1934) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Comedy legend W.C. Fields (The Bank Dick) plays an inventor with a
taste for drink in You’re Telling Me!, a rough-and-tumble Pre-Code. Having
failed to sell his latest invention, Sam Bisbee (Fields) meets Marie Lescaboura
(Adrienne Ames, The Death Kiss) on the train back to Crystal Springs, unaware
that she is a foreign princess traveling incognito. Deciding to help make her
new friend a success, Marie pays a visit to Sam’s hometown where she attempts to
turn an uncouth eccentric into the darling of the country club set. Directed by
Erle C. Kenton (Island of Lost Souls) and co-starring Joan Marsh (Road to
Zanzibar) and Larry “Buster” Crabbe (Buck Rogers), this zany gem also features
Fields’ uproarious recreation of his classic golfing sketch first performed in
the Ziegfeld Follies of 1918.
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You Can't Cheat an Honest Man [Blu-ray] (George Marshall, 1939) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: In one of his most immortal roles, comedy legend W.C. Fields (It’s a
Gift) plays Larson E. Whipsnade, raconteur and ringmaster of the Circus
Giganticus. On the run from the law and on the lam from creditors, Whipsnade
pauses only long enough to crack his whiplike wit on the brilliant ventriloquist
Edgar Bergen (Fun and Fancy Free) and his wooden pals Charlie McCarthy and
Mortimer Snerd. Directed by Hollywood great George Marshall (The Ghost Breakers)
and co-starring Eddie “Rochester” Anderson (Gone with the Wind) and Constance
Moore (Buck Rogers), it’s a three-ring circus of madness, mayhem and Ping-Pong—a
side-splitting spectacle any honest man can enjoy. And as Whipsnade’s dear old
grandfather used to say: You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES (CLICK TITLES FOR MORE INFORMATION):
May 9th, 2022
**Jurassic Park 4K UHD** (Steven Spielberg, 1993) Universal
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May 16th, 2022
The Craft 4K UHD (Andrew Fleming, 1996) Shout! Factory
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May 23rd, 2022
Cat's Eye 4K UHD (Lewis Teague, 1985) RB UK Studiocanal
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May 30th, 2022
Nothing Underneath [Blu-ray] (Carlo Vanzina, 1985) RB UK Nucleus Films
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June 6th, 2022
**The Untouchables [4K UHD Blu-ray]** - Special Collectors EditionSteebook (Brian De Palma, 1987) Paramount UK
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June 13th, 2022
**Dead Man** (Jim Jarmusch, 1995) RB UK Criterion
DVDBEAVER REVIEW
Dog Soldiers 4K UHD (Neil Marshall, 2002) Shout! Factory
**Herzog: The Collection, Volume 2** (Signs of Life, The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver
Steiner, How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck..., La Soufrière, God's Angry
Man, Huie's Sermon, The Dark Glow of the Mountains, Herdsmen of the Sun, Echoes
From a Somber Empire, Wheel of Time, The Wild Blue Yonder) Shout! Factory
**The Horse Soldiers** (John Ford, 1959) Kino
DVDBEAVER ALT-REVIEW
Love Slaves of the Amazons (Curt Siodmak, 1957) Kino
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June 20th, 2022
The Big Sweat (Ulli Lommel, 1991) Dark Force Ent
**Fire in the Sky** (Robert Lieberman, 1993) Shout! Factory
DVDBEAVER ALT-REVIEW
Groupie (Mark L. Lester, 2010) Dark Force Ent
Terror Out of the Sky (Lee H. Katzin, 1978) Kino
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June 27th, 2022
**Black Girl** (Ousmane Sembene, 1966) RB UK Criterion
DVDBEAVER REVIEW
**Cat People 4K UHD** (Paul Schrader, 1982) Shout! Factory
**Killer's Kiss 4K UHD** (Stanley Kubrick, 1955) Kino
**Out of Sight 4K UHD** (Steven Soderbergh, 1998) Kino
**Shaft** [Blu-ray] (Gordon Parks, 1971) RB UK Criterion
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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:
Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity" Blu-ray - Barbara Stanwyck @Criterion
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
4K UHD:
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity is Noir royalty. The suspense is a
slow build with the interplay of two self-serving characters remains an
essential and integral part of the cycle. Lust, obsession, greed, femme-fatale
enticement and there devastating unconscionable consequences permeate the sly
dialogue. It's a masterpiece of dark cinema. The Criterion Blu-ray is wonderful
from the dark, textured, rich image to the extensive supplements. This bodes
exceptionally well fro the forthcoming 4K UHD. A must-own. Time to celebrate
with a Bourbon.
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Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" 4K UHD - Jack Lemmon @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS
CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Kino's 4K UHD release of Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" is a must-own.
A brilliant masterpiece looking pristine in this new format. The film holds up
incredibly well over time - and each viewing is a joy with delightfully human
performances of both noble and flawed, self-serving, characters, the sexism
trappings (and implied sex) of the 60's intractable corporate work environment.
It cleaned up at the Academy Awards with Wilder being first person to win for
producing, directing and writing the same film. I can't stress how good this
definitive 4K UHD presentation is and the Joseph McBride commentary makes this
package an essential for the digital library. Our highest recommendation!
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Sidney Franklin's "Beverly of Graustark" Blu-ray - Marion Davies @UndercrankProd
US PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS
CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Sidney Franklin's Beverly of Graustark is Silent Era fun. It's a
thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy starring Marion Davies in all her
captivating glory playing the dual-role as Beverly Calhoun and impersonating the
'Prince'. She's fantastic. It was based on the novel by George Barr McCutcheon,
and set in the fictional land of Graustark. Silent Era fans should be happy this
is now available via Undercrank Production's 4K-scanned Blu-ray. They are a
small company and we cut them some slack for their budget-conscious BD. Yes, the
image is a reflection of its age (almost 100-years old!) but I was very thankful
to see the rarely viewed Beverly of Graustark at all. For the right crowd this
is worthwhile time spent in the home theatre.
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John Hillcoat's "The Proposition" 4K UHD - Guy Pearce @BFI
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS
CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: BFI's 4K UHD release of John Hillcoat's "The Proposition" is an
absolute must-own. The film has always held immense esteem but the previous
digital representations, on DVD and Blu-ray, while impressive are absolutely
blown-away by this 4K UHD transfer. I will reiterate, trust my video
descriptions more than the screen capture representations. This is an intense
western with such important political underpinnings. "The Proposition" is a
masterpiece and BFI's 4K UHD package is so worthy of the film with two
commentaries (one new), a conversation with director John Hill and screenwriter
Nick Cave, an entire BD with 2.5 hours of extras and an eighty-page book. Our
highest recommendation!
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Georg Tressler's "Sukkubus" Blu-ray - Pamela Prati @MondoMacabroUSA
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS
CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Georg Tressler's Sukkubus is a modern 'folk horror'. It's unique and
kinda cool with an obvious erotic proclivity. I loved the concept; old-worlde
cattle tenderers - alone in the picturesque mountains - and a pair of the three
get drunk one night - accidentally summoning a 'succubus' via their lecherous
desires - although it's more like an evil spirit. A succubus of legend - would
result in poor physical or mental health, even death. There is dialogue delving
into the ancient perception of the folk-based she-devil and their attempts to
eradicate her (tying her to a rock so a cow has sex with her, as one example.)
She seduces them from a distance with the intent to avenge their wild night of
debauchery seeking femme-fatale-like cold-blooded murder. No, it's not a noir.
Mondo Macabro continue with their catalogue of highly interesting films. I had
never seen Sukkubuss and I was keenly enjoying my viewing. I thought it was
worthy of a commentary. It's not going to win any awards but there is an
imaginative, and creepy, element to it that many will appreciate. The Blu-ray
provides a 4K-restored HD presentation of an intriguing film. Those keen on
'folk horror' should check this out. I can see watching this again.
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Piero Schivazappa's "The Laughing Woman" Blu-ray - Dagmar Lassander @MondoMacabroUSA
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS
CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Piero Schivazappa's The Laughing Woman is wildly over-the-top. I
compare the extravagant stylings somewhat to Mario Bava's Danger: Diabolik. It's
glorious in its Italian pop-art beauty - and this emphasizes the film's varied
themes and its range from perversity to romance with elements of horror, Giallo,
satire, kink, subjugation, dominance and much more. I really enjoyed The
Laughing Woman and the strong a/v of the Mondo Macabro Blu-ray plus the
extensive extras and commentary make it a very easy recommendation. What a
bizarre, transgressive and delightful viewing experience.
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