DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of April 5th, 2021
http://www.dvdbeaver.com
THIS WEEK RELEASES varied releases; from Carole Lombard to
Satyajit Ray, from Matt Helm to Manoel de Oliveira, from early Robert Siodmak to
Nico Mastorakis debut, Gorô Miyazaki to Woody Allen, Kinji Fukasaku to Dario
Argento...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: From Kirk Douglas to Gene Wilder, werewolf
biker-gangs to Silent Era Mae Murray, Corman Wasp Woman to cult whippings,
modern slow-cinema to classic Noir... brilliant!
Enjoy,
Gary
RELEASES the WEEK of April 5th, 2021 (Recommended titles have "**")
Blastfighter [Blu-ray] (Lamberto Bava, 1984) Code Red
US: https://amzn.to/2PnD5m9
CAN: https://amzn.to/3wpJQEI
COMMENTS: Michael Sopkiw (After the Fall of New York, Devil Fish) stars in this
Southern-fried action thriller as an embittered cop just released from prison
after serving a lengthy term for killing the man who had murdered his wife.
Wishing for a peaceful, serene change of pace and a chance to catch up with his
daughter (Valentina Forte, Cut and Run), he moves to rural Georgia to live off
the land. Alas, this pastoral existence is short-lived thanks to a sleazy group
of poachers who supply an even sleazier scientist with live animals for sadistic
biological experiments. Armed with the superweapon Blastfighter, he goes on a
bloody rampage against the poachers in this classic Italian revenge movie, also
starring George Eastman (Ironmaster, The Grim Reaper, Rabid Dogs) and genre
favorites Massimo Vanni (Zombie 3) and Ottaviano Dell Acqua (Zombie). Now watch
this Quentin Tarantino approved slice of drive-in mayhem from director Lamberto
Bava (Demons, A Blade in the Dark) in high-octane HD!
________________
Blue Thunder [Blu-ray] (John Badham, 1983) RB UK Mediumrare
UK: https://amzn.to/3roE1Ek
ALT-REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews46/blue_thunder_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Blue Thunder is a helicopter specially modified for police work, but
is armed and designed to counter street insurgencies. It's makers want to show
what it will do, but have to train a Los Angeles Police pilot Frank Murphy, to
fly and use it in order to allow it to operate in the city.
________________
**Carole Lombard Collection II** [Blu-ray] (Hands Across the
Table / Love Before Breakfast / Princess Comes Across) - Kino
US: https://amzn.to/3sYzf0C
OUR
COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_135/carole_lombard_collection_2_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS:
Carole Lombard was so expressive - exuding her own magnetic energy - the camera
loving her every gesture. The three comedy/romance films in Kino's Carole
Lombard Collection II Blu-ray; Hands Across the Table, Love Before Breakfast and
Princess Comes Across represent an era and star that we deeply crave to this
day. They are charming - I especially enjoyed the screwball qualities and the
crime angle in Princess Comes Across. Absolutely recommended to Lombard and
vintage-era cinema fans!
________________
**Charulata** [Blu-ray] (Satyajit Ray, 1964) Criterion UK
UK: https://amzn.to/2LuIZjo
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdreviews22/charulata_dvd_review.htm
COMMENTS: Satyajit Ray’s exquisite story of a woman’s artistic and romantic
yearning takes place in late nineteenth-century, pre-independence India, in the
gracious home of a liberal-minded, workaholic newspaper editor and his lonely
wife, Charulata (Madhabi Mukherjee). When her husband’s poet cousin (Soumitra
Chatterjee) comes to stay with them, Charulata finds herself both creatively
inspired and dangerously drawn to him. Based on a novella by the great
Rabindranath Tagore, Charulata is a work of subtle textures, a delicate tale of
a marriage in jeopardy and a woman taking the first steps toward establishing
her own voice
________________
Death Has Blue Eyes [Blu-ray] (Nico Mastorakis, 1976) Arrow US
US: https://amzn.to/3twEBl5
CAN: https://amzn.to/2Pw49zy
COMMENTS: Death Has Blue Eyes is a gripping paranormal action thriller with
shades of giallo from the director of the cult classic video nasty Island of
Death (1976). When local gigolo Chess (Chris Nomikos) greets his vacationing
friend Bob Kovalski (Peter Winter) at Athens airport, the pair embark on a
string of scams and erotic dalliances that eventually lead them into contact
with an elegant wealthy woman, Geraldine Steinwetz (Jessica Dublin), and her
glamorous daughter Christine (Maria Aliferi). Geraldine blackmails the two
cheeky bachelor boys into acting as bodyguards for Christine, whom it transpires
has telepathic abilities and has had her eye on them for some time. After
fleeing from a series of assassination attempts, it soon becomes clear that
Geraldine herself might not be quite whom she seems, as the two young men find
themselves caught up in a political conspiracy of international dimensions.
________________
**The Delicious Little Devil** [Blu-ray] (Robert Z. Leonard,
1919) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/3wgDl6V
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/the_delicious_little_devil_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Mae Murray's The Delicious Little Devil is pretty fun and she is
marvelously animated - a favorite Silent Era star of mine. This isn't much
Rudolph Valentino-ish at all, it's all Mae. I welcome seeing her in this higher
resolution and suggest Michael G. Ankerich's book 'Mae Murray: The Girl with the
Bee-Stung Lips'. The Delicious Little Devil is a film I am happy to own via the
Kino Blu-ray with the commentary and Welles' piece. Encouraged for those who
appreciate Silent Era films.
________________
The Dove [Blu-ray] (Charles Jarrott, 1974) RB UK Network
UK: https://amzn.to/3aewaSA
COMMENTS: An uplifting family drama based on the real life experiences of Robin
Lee Graham who, at the age of sixteen, began a solo circumnavigation of the
world in his small boat – the youngest person ever to do so. Featuring stunning
cinematography from frequent Ingmar Berman collaborator Sven Nykvist and a
hauntingly beautiful score by John Barry, The Dove was the recipient of a
prestigious Royal World Charity Premiere in the UK. A high school dropout sets
off from California to circumnavigate the globe in his 23 foot sloop, The Dove.
It's a journey that took five years to complete – five years of battling the
elements, loneliness, hazardous seas and terrible hardships, but it was a
journey that turned a boy into a man. A man that found adventure, freedom and
love.
________________
Earwig and the Witch [Blu-ray] (Gorô Miyazaki, 2020) Shout!
Factory
US: https://amzn.to/3txqw6J
COMMENTS:
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and My Neighbor
Totoro, comes a bewitching film for the entire family, directed by Goro Miyazaki
(From Up On Poppy Hill), with planning by Academy Award-winner Hayao Miyazaki.
Growing up in an orphanage in the British countryside, Earwig has no idea that
her mother had magical powers. Her life changes dramatically when a strange
couple takes her in, and she is forced to live with a selfish witch. As the
headstrong young girl sets out to uncover the secrets of her new guardians, she
discovers a world of spells and potions, and a mysterious song that may be the
key to finding the family she has always wanted.
________________
**Francisca** [Blu-ray] (Manoel de Oliveira, 1981) Grasshopper
Film
US: https://amzn.to/37McqoY
CAN: https://amzn.to/3rOjd8S
COMMENTS: A tale of an obsessive love affair, Manoel de Oliveira's Francisca is
based on a novel by Agustina Bessa-Luís, whose work he'd later adapt twice more.
The book's re-telling of a troubled passage in real-life author Camilo Castelo
Branco life (his friend José Augusto embarked on a perverse game of marital cat
and mouse with Francisca, the woman the novelist loved) led Oliveira to new
levels of stylistic and formal imagination. (It helped that his wife, a distant
relative of the historical Francisca, gave him access to a cache of the woman's
letters.) With its elaborate title cards, its abundance of shots in which the
action is oriented directly toward the camera, its gloomy interiors, and its
show-stopping gala set-pieces, Francisca is an exacting, sumptuous and utterly
inimitable cinematic experience, and one of Oliveira's crowning achievements.
________________
**Graveyard of Honor** [Blu-ray] (Kinji Fukasaku, 1975) Arrow
US
US: https://amzn.to/2PUzNGU
CAN: https://amzn.to/2R4iVhr
COMMENTS: Two peerless masters of Japanese cinema – Kinji Fukasaku (Battles
without Honor and Humanity, Battle Royale) and Takashi Miike (Dead or Alive,
Audition) – present their own distinctive adaptations of yakuza expert Goro
Fujita’s gangster novel Graveyard of Honor, each tapping into the zeitgeist of a
distinct period of Japanese history. Set during the turbulent post-war years,
Fukasaku’s original 1975 film charts the rise and fall of real-life gangster
Rikio Ishikawa (Tetsuya Watari, Outlaw Gangster VIP). Shot through with the same
stark realism and quasi-documentarian approach as Fukasaku’s earlier Battles
Without Honor and Humanity, Fukasaku nonetheless breaks new ground through his
portrayal of a gangster utterly without honor or ethics, surviving by any means
necessary in a world of brutal criminality
________________
Guilty Pleasures #1: Fraulein Leather & Nudes On Credit
[Blu-ray] - Media Blasters
US: https://amzn.to/3aCQjTD
COMMENTS:
Fraulein Leather- While her husband is away on business, Suzanne takes the
opportunity to explore the lesbian fantasies that dominate her dreams. What she
learns about herself is only the beginning of a shocking and liberating journey
of self-discovery! Poetic imagery pulsates to a flowing stream-of-consciousness
narration and a free jazz score set against a rainbow explosion of mod fashion
and decor! Nudes On Credit- Two down and out con men in London stumble upon a
briefcase with mysterious documents and a slew of credit cards. They go on a
wild spree and indulge in vice and women while attracting the attention of
Russian spies! Features pin-up queen Lisa Palmer, burlesque comic Hermie Rose of
Pal Joey and Joey Benson of Al Adamson s Horror of The Blood Monsters, Blood of
Ghastly Horror and Dr. Terrors Gallery of Horrors. Adults Only! Graphic nudity.
2 movies on 1 blu-ray!
________________
Hansel and Gretel [Blu-ray] (Pil-sung Yim, 2007) Media Blasters
US: https://amzn.to/3sPcPPQ
CAN: https://amzn.to/39Fa38x
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews55/hansel_and_gretel_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Hansel and Gretel a finely crafted film evoking Guillermo del Toro's
Pan's Labyrinth made a year earlier. But this has it's own pace and style
including themes of child abuse, family unity - all cloaked in mystery. It veers
from the graphic horror to be more of a dark fantasy - and it works well.
________________
Lash of the Penitentes [Blu-ray] (Roland Price, Harry Revier,
1936) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/39vPQBK
CAN: https://amzn.to/3wdLB7N
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/the_lash_of_the_penitentes_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: The 'Forbidden Fruit' films on Kino Blu-ray are at their own 'unusual'
exploitation level and most suitable to curious film fans, history students or
the adventurous cinema viewer. The Penitente Murder Case and the censored and
condensed version The Lash of the Penitentes are totally weird... and wonderful
if you approach them the right way. Mysterious, forbidden, bizarre and the
grandfather of, often fearless, opportunistic exploitation. This is another
doozy and we endorse to the right crowd.
________________
Little Miss Marker [Blu-ray] (Walter Bernstein, 1980) Universal
US: https://amzn.to/3dzbqq6
COMMENTS:
Little Miss Marker stars Julie Andrews and Walter Matthau in a hilarious remake
of the original 1934 film. ""Sorrowful"" Jones (Matthau) is a grouchy,
horse-racing bookie who makes his living off other people's losses. He's got a
reputation to keep, so when an out-of-luck gambler begs him to accept his
daughter as a ""marker"" on a debt, Jones says ""yes."" Stuck with the girl, he
soon realizes that the six-year-old beauty may be more than he bargained for.
Based on the famous short story by Damon Runyon, the film also stars Tony
Curtis, Bob Newhart and Lee Grant along with Sara Stimson in an unforgettable
role!
________________
**The Man in Search of his Murderer** [Blu-ray] (Robert
Siodmak, 1931) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/3fvGbiA
CAN: https://amzn.to/3fuaiXy
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/the_man_in_search_of_his_murderer_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Robert Siodmak's "The Man in Search of his Murderer" is very
interesting. It is really based on the Jules Verne's adventure novel
Tribulations of a Chinaman in China about a bored wealthy man who pays someone
to murder him, in the case of the book; before his life insurance expires -
simply for the thrill. There have been many film adaptations since (and before.)
I did appreciate the darker aspects of the story more than the more humorous
ones. Being directed by Siodmak - this is a film I am very happy to own on Kino
Blu-ray with the educational commentary. Wonderful stuff - recommended!
________________
**Manhattan Murder Mystery** [Blu-ray] (Woody Allen, 1993) RB
UK Mediumrare
UK: https://amzn.to/3rUA7Ds
COMMENTS: Diane Keaton stars as Carol Lipton, a bored Manhattan housewife who
becomes convinced that her next-door neighbour has committed a murder. When her
sceptical husband Larry (Woody Allen) rejects the idea, Carol turns to a
flirtatious friend (Alan Alda) to help her search for clues. And as their
enthusiasm for the case grows, so does their interest in each other. Spurred on
by jealousy and by a seductive writer (Anjelica Houston) who also excited by the
mystery Larry reluctantly joins the chase, only to learn that much more than his
marriage is at stake.
________________
**Matt Helm Lounge: The Silencers/Murderers Row/The Ambushers/The
Wrecking Crew** [Blu-ray] - RB UK Mediumrare
UK: https://amzn.to/37Llxq3
COMMENTS: This collection includes all four films featuring Dean Martin as Matt
Helm, a sharp-shooting, swingin' secret agent. The soundtrack features numerous
Dean Martin tunes such as "If You Knew Susie," "On the Sunny Side of the
Street," "South of the Border," and "The Glory of Love.
________________
Sleepless [Blu-ray] (Dario Argento, 2001) Scorpion Releasing
US: https://amzn.to/39537RF
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_79/sleepless_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: While perhaps not the comeback film that Argento intended, this is
still an intriguing title for Giallo fans. Max von Sydow is as good as ever.
This newer Blu-ray from Scorpion features a better image than the older German
Blu-ray and the extras are also worth checking out - especially the commentary.
Recommended for fans. - Colin Zavitz
________________
Stiletto [Blu-ray] (Bernard L. Kowalski, 1969) Kino
US: https://amzn.to/2YWAMHM
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_134/stiletto_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Bernard L. Kowalski's (who directed many Columbo episodes and Mission
Impossible, Rockford Files) Stiletto has plenty of future and current, memorable
- but often uncredited, stars like Patrick O'Neal, Joseph Wiseman, Barbara
McNair, Roy Scheider, Olympia Dukakis, Charles Durning, Raul Julia, M. Emmet
Walsh etc.. But it doesn't translate Harold Robbins very well to the screen. It
has the jet-set flair but the crime angle is poorly realized. Highlights include
Britt Ekland and the supporting cast. It's a film that carries nostalgia for
some and the impressive commentary on the Kino Blu-ray is very much worth
indulging.
________________
Tap Roots [Blu-ray] (George Marshall, 1948) Universal
US: https://amzn.to/3dKVoKf
COMMENTS: Van Heflin, Susan Hayward, and Boris Karloff star in the critically
acclaimed Tap Roots directed by George Marshall. Morna Darby (Hayward) finds
true love as she is in the midst of heartbreak and chaos. When Morna's fiance
runs off with her sister after Morna is left with an injury that will last a
lifetime, she is absolutely devastated. As Morna tries to accept her injury she
soon finds comfort in the arms of Keith Alexander (Heflin), a well-respected
journalist.
________________
Tina [Blu-ray] (Daniel Lindsay, 2021) RB UK Altitude Film
Distribution
UK: https://amzn.to/3kn6YOe
COMMENTS: TINA is the ultimate celebration of a global superstar and an intimate
portrait of a woman who overcame extreme adversity to define her career, her
identity and her legacy on her own terms. From her early career as the queen of
R&B to her record-breaking sell-out arena tours of the ’80s, Tina Turner draws
back the curtain to invite us into her private world in a way she has never done
before. Revealing her inner-most struggles, and sharing some of her most
personal moments, TINA is the defining and inspirational record of one of the
greatest survivors in modern music.
________________
Western Classics II [Blu-ray] (The Redhead from Wyoming /
Pillars of the Sky / Gun for a Coward) - Kino
US: https://amzn.to/31bM8Zw
CAN: https://amzn.to/2PoPq98
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/gun_for_a_coward_blu-ray.htm
Gun for a Coward COMMENTS: The director Abner Biberman has 50+ acting credits
and directed quite a bit of TV including The Fugitive, The Twilight Zone and The
Outer Limits. Gun for a Coward has the always appealing Jeffrey Hunter, stalwart
father-figure (older brother here) Fred MacMurray, reliable love-interest Janice
Rule (Robert Altman's Three Women) and frequent 'young bad-boy' Dean Stockwell.
I appreciated the family conflict and psychological themes (with thank to
commentarist Gambin) of this solid, but not over-baked, western with some
included romance and maturity but still having the showdown gunfight. The Kino
Blu-ray is part of another desirable set for fans of the genre and impressive
cast.
________________________________________________
NOTABLE NEW CALENDAR UPDATES:
April 5th, 2021
Hansel and Gretel (Pil-sung Yim, 2007) Media Blasters
https://amzn.to/3sPcPPQ
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews55/hansel_and_gretel_blu-ray.htm
Tap Roots (George Marshall, 1948) Universal
https://amzn.to/3dKVoKf
___________________________
May 17th, 2021
Animal House [4K UHD Blu-ray] (John Landis, 1978) Universal UK
https://amzn.to/3dL3jqX
Last Action Hero [4K UHD Blu-ray] (John McTiernan, 1993) Sony
UK
https://amzn.to/3wnDNQW
**Masculin Feminin** (Jean-Luc Godard, 1966) RB Criterion UK
https://amzn.to/3sMdtxK
**The Sting [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (George Roy Hill, 1973)
Universal UK
https://amzn.to/31IV5tE
___________________________
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
The Devil-Ship Pirates (Don Sharp, 1964) RB UK Network
https://amzn.to/3rTeCSY
**Mommie Dearest** (Frank Perry, 1981) Paramount
https://amzn.to/3moa7yr
___________________________
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
___________________________
June 14th, 2021
**Last Train from Gun Hill** (John Sturges, 1959) Paramount
https://amzn.to/2PmH9Db
**The Railway Children** (Lionel Jeffries, 1970) Kino
https://amzn.to/39F8AyL
**Waterloo** (Sergey Bondarchuk, 1970) RB UK Mediumrare
https://amzn.to/3rLfuZB
___________________________
June 21st, 2021
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
___________________________
June 28th, 2021
**The Bird with the Crystal Plumage** [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Dario
Argento, 1970) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/2PonfI0
**Major Dundee** (Sam Peckinpah, 1965) Arrow
US: https://amzn.to/3mf4wdI
UK: https://amzn.to/3wrHYLI
Valdez Is Coming (Edwin Sherin, 1971) RB UK Final Cut
Entertainment
https://amzn.to/39BlCxu
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_61/valdez_is_coming_blu-ray.htm
___________________________
July 19th, 2021
Dead & Buried 4K UHD (Gary Sherman, 1981) Blue Underground
https://amzn.to/3cKOOUp
________________________________________________
Photo Archives" for Patrons:
Gloria Grahame:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/gloria_grahame_photo_archive.htm
________________
Monica Vitti:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/monica_vitti_photo_archive.htm
________________
Paul Newman:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/paul_newman_photo_archive.htm
________________
Susan George:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/susan_george_photo_archive.htm
________________
Jacqueline Bisset:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/jacqueline_bisset_photo_archive.htm
________________
Suzanne Pleshette:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/suzanne_pleshette_photo_archive.htm
________________________________________________
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS:
**Crossfire** BD
US: https://amzn.to/3sMz8FY
WARNER:
https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/3628627/type/dlg/https:/www.wbshop.com/collections/warner-archive-blu-ray/products/crossfire-bd
UK: https://amzn.to/3dumXaj
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/crossfire_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Edward Dmytryk's Crossfire has some deep Noir atmosphere and the
desirable "Robert" trifecta leading the way with support from infectious Gloria
Grahame. Kudos to cinematographer J. Roy Hunt (Tourneur's I Walked with a
Zombie) and director Dmytryk - it's dripping with dark cinema desirability. An
uncomfortable, but important, topic and you only wish there were 100 more
murder/crime dramas like it with the same cast and shadowy aura. We are so
pleased with the a/v presentation and this Warner Archive Blu-ray is strongly
recommended - an essential purchase for Noir devotees.
___________________________
Werewolves on Wheels BD
US: https://amzn.to/31GMgR4
CAN: https://amzn.to/3woHR3a
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/werewolves_on_wheels_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Werewolves on Wheels is about 75% biker film with the werewolf'ing
seeming like an afterthought. It is kinda of appealing to mix the two genres
into such a hybrid. Plenty of previously seen 'exploitation', or once notable,
cast members; Steve Oliver (The Bloody Slaying of Sarah Ridelander, motorcycle
films Angels from Hell and Motorpsycho!), Donna Anders (Dream No Evil), Billy
Gray (notable films like The Day the Earth Stood Still, but ending his career
with The Vampyre Wars) etc. It's a function of its period and has nostalgic
value with some gratuitous Satanic ritual nudity, complete with snake. It's
quite scattered for a viable horror, with a rabid werewolf melee, but some may
find the latter cult/lycanthropy-angle appealing. The bare-bones Code Red
Blu-ray may interest Drive-In genre-loving fans but only in its notable a/v
improvement over DVD.
___________________________
**The Delicious Little Devil** BD
US: https://amzn.to/3wgDl6V
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/the_delicious_little_devil_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Mae Murray's The Delicious Little Devil is pretty fun and she is
marvelously animated - a favorite Silent Era star of mine. This isn't much
Rudolph Valentino-ish at all, it's all Mae. I welcome seeing her in this higher
resolution and suggest Michael G. Ankerich's book 'Mae Murray: The Girl with the
Bee-Stung Lips'. The Delicious Little Devil is a film I am happy to own via the
Kino Blu-ray with the commentary and Welles' piece. Encouraged for those who
appreciate Silent Era films.
___________________________
**The Producers** BD
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
___________________________
**The Man in Search of His Murderer** BD
US: https://amzn.to/3fvGbiA
CAN: https://amzn.to/3fuaiXy
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/the_man_in_search_of_his_murderer_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Robert Siodmak's "The Man in Search of his Murderer" is very
interesting. It is really based on the Jules Verne's adventure novel
Tribulations of a Chinaman in China about a bored wealthy man who pays someone
to murder him, in the case of the book; before his life insurance expires -
simply for the thrill. There have been many film adaptations since (and before.)
I did appreciate the darker aspects of the story more than the more humorous
ones. Being directed by Siodmak - this is a film I am very happy to own on Kino
Blu-ray with the educational commentary. Wonderful stuff - recommended!
___________________________
Lash of the Penitentes BD
US: https://amzn.to/39vPQBK
CAN: https://amzn.to/3wdLB7N
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/the_lash_of_the_penitentes_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: The 'Forbidden Fruit' films on Kino Blu-ray are at their own 'unusual'
exploitation level and most suitable to curious film fans, history students or
the adventurous cinema viewer. The Penitente Murder Case and the censored and
condensed version The Lash of the Penitentes are totally weird... and wonderful
if you approach them the right way. Mysterious, forbidden, bizarre and the
grandfather of, often fearless, opportunistic exploitation. This is another
doozy and we endorse to the right crowd.
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A Lovely Way to Die BD
US: https://amzn.to/31BSfGE
CAN: https://amzn.to/3dj4j5m
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/a_lovely_way_to_die_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: A Lovely Way to Die is not premium Kirk Douglas although he is
excellent as the macho-lothario ex-cop P.I./bodyguard. Sylva Koscina (Deadlier
Than the Male) is scantily dressed through most of her screen-time... which
could be considered quite a bonus. I found the humor to add an awkwardness to a
decent thriller. Certainly a good film for 'star-spotting' and the commentary
adds immense value. Without the Kino Blu-ray this may have continued to be out
of the conversation and it was nice to revisit.
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**The Wasp Woman** BD
US: https://amzn.to/2Nf6I2c
CAN: https://amzn.to/3rH2WCI
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_76/the_wasp_woman_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Invasion of the Bee Girls was likewise 'saved' from pitiful digital PD
transfers by a proper Shout! Factory Blu-ray edition. In Roger Corman's The Wasp
Woman, we don't get Monte Hellman's first feature Beast from Haunted Cave (found
on the Retromedia) but maybe a future Blu-ray, Shout! Factory? We don't want to
look a gift-horse in the mouth - this is a fine package of a highly desirable,
infectious, Corman 'B' gem, looking and sounding significantly improved plus we
get both versions and two commentaries! We consider it a must-own for any cinema
fan's digital library.
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**I Was at Home, But...** BD
UK: https://amzn.to/39v33uN
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_136/i_was_at_home_but_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Angela Schanelec's I Was at Home, But... is one of those rare modern
cinema examples that captivates with its own rhythms, delicate pacing while
relying far less on the unique eccentricities of its plot. The antithesis of
Hollywood, superficial, over-produced movies. I was reminded of the films of
Kelly Reichardt or Lucile Hadzihalilovic. I Was at Home, But.. is wonderful
'slow cinema', mysterious, thoughtful - I enjoyed every minute of it. The Second
Run Blu-ray exposes this film to a wider audience with its region freedom and it
includes interesting extras; revealing interview, short films and the booklet.
Recommended!
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