DVDBeaver Newsletter
for the Week of November 22nd, 2021
THIS WEEK RELEASES
include three Criterion 4K UHD packages; Welles, Safdies, Hughes - 70's Body
Snatchers in 4K UHD, Double re-issues of Dario Argento in 4K UHD, Rod
Serling TV, more Thin Man, Arrow does Anthony Mann, Wes Craven in 4K UHD,
Mel Brooks, John Hughes, Mall Phantoms, Japanese snakes + witches + sailor
suits + machine guns, Cecil B. 4K Steel, Terrence Malick Criterion UK, Bill
Morrison, Woody boxset...
THIS WEEK's CALENDAR
UPDATES - (repeated): Jean-Luc Godard in 4K
UHD, UK Orson Welles in 4K UHD, John Hillcoat in 4K UHD, Nicholas Ray, Paul
Schrader, Jerry Schatzberg, Criterion Jim Jarmusch + Alain Resnais, Michael
Haneke, Ingmar Bergman, Folk Horror, Julien Duvivier, Sylvia Kristel...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS:
Orson Welles, M. Night Shyamalan and David Lunch in 4K UHD, Hitchcock,
Shinji Sômai, Hong Kong cinema’s golden age 6-film sries from Criterion!
Enjoy,
Gary
RELEASES the WEEK of
November 22nd, 2021 (Recommended titles have
"**")
The Addams Family
[4K UHD Blu-ray] (Barry Sonnenfeld, 1991)
Paramount
COMMENTS: Looking for
something CREEPY…? SPOOKY…? KOOKY… and altogether OOOKY?? Come join THE
ADDAMS FAMILY in their beloved big-screen debut, based on the Charles
Addams’ cartoons and following the success of the hit TV series. The
hilarious scarefest starts when long-lost Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd)
reappears after twenty-five years in the Bermuda Triangle, Gomez (Raul
Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) plan a celebration to wake the dead.
But Wednesday (Christina Ricci) barely has time to warm up her electric
chair before Thing points out Fester's uncommonly "normal" behavior. Could
this Fester be a fake, part of an evil scheme to raid the Addams fortune?
Packed with plenty of treats, tricks and turns, this remastered edition
features director Barry Sonnenfeld’s restored extended and original
theatrical cuts, along with an assortment of fun special features.
__________________________________
American Night
[Blu-ray] (Alessio Della Valle, 2021) Saban
COMMENTS: A neo-noir set in
the New York City's corrupt contemporary art world where the art dealer John
Kaplan and the ruthless head of New York's mafia, Michael Rubino, fight for
money, art, power and love.
__________________________________
**Dario
Argento's "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" 4K UHD** -
Tony Musante @ArrowFilmsVideo
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Arrow's 4K UHD
release seems an upgrade in the video only as compared to their excellent
2017 out-of-print Blu-ray - with the same lossless mono audio transfers
(both English and Italian) and extras. But it is quite an upgrade for new
adopters. This is premium Giallo and is captivating with the abundant style
and colors. Certainly a film fans will want in this 3840 X 2160 resolution.
The film deserves it - you deserve it - highly recommended!
__________________________________
Body Parts
[Blu-ray] (Eric Red, 1991) Imprint
COMMENTS: Where does evil
live, the heart, the mind or the flesh? Body Parts is a bone-chilling tale
about a medical experiment gone wrong. After a crime psychologist (Fahey)
loses his arm and nearly his life in a grisly car accident, he undergoes a
daring medical operation to have a donor arm grafted onto his body. But
after the operation, the arm starts to take on a violent life of it's own,
striking out against Bill's wife and children. Bill is driven to learn about
the donor's identity - a horrifying discovery that delivers him into a world
of unimaginable terror. Eric Red's underrated 90s horror macabre is overdue
for reappraisal. NEW Audio Commentary...
__________________________________
**Dario
Argento's "The Cat O'Nine Tails" 4K UHD** - James
Franciscus @ArrowFilmsVideo
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Like The Bird With
the Crystal Plumage, Arrow's 4K UHD release seems an upgrade in the video
only as compared to their excellent 2018 Blu-ray - with the same lossless
mono audio transfers (both English and Italian), commentary and extras. But
it is still a notable upgrade for new adopters. This is essential Giallo and
is dynamic, building thriller with abundant Argento style. Certainly a film
that fans will want in this 3840 X 2160 resolution. "The Cat o' Nine Tails"
deserves this upgrade (thank you Arrow!) - you deserve it - highly
recommended!
__________________________________
**Orson
Welles's "Citizen Kane" 4K UHD** and Blu-ray @Criterion
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Orson Welles's
Citizen Kane is cinema royalty. It's a film to revisit for the rest of your
life seeing deeper meaning and subtleties in every viewing. I will leave
Citizen Kane scholars to discuss the Criterion Blu-ray image-shift but can
share that 4K UHD disc is easily the best viewing, by a wide margin, that I
have ever seen of the film. The extensive Criterion extras (3 commentaries
and 2 Blu-rays worth) make this a must own for cinephiles everywhere. This
will definitely be one of the most discussed packages of the year.
__________________________________
**The Dogs of War**
[Blu-ray] (John Irvin, 1980) Ronin Flix
ALT-REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Jamie Shannon
(Christopher Walken) is a cynical warrior-for-hire who feels truly alive
only in the heat of battle, and now he's about to take on the most
challenging assignment of his career: to invade a corrupt African
dictatorship and shift control to the ''puppet'' of a powerful British
corporation. To prepare, Shannon masterfully trains and equips a squad of
deadly mercenaries with the latest and most destructive tactics and military
hardware. But as their explosive assault begins, Shannon finds himself
embroiled in an internal conflict of his own: Will this be his greatest
triumph, or has he sold his soul along with his battle expertise?
__________________________________
Dracula: Dead and
Loving It [Blu-ray] (Mel Brooks, 1995) Shout!
Factory
COMMENTS: IT'S GOOD TO BE
THE KING… OF THE UNDEAD! The immortal Mel Brooks offers up a comedy
transfusion with Dracula: Dead and Loving It—a fangtastic spoof in the vein
of Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Spaceballs. Leslie Nielsen sinks
his teeth into the role of the legendary vampire, while Brooks himself
portrays his adversary Van Helsing in a battle where the stakes have never
been higher. Featuring supporting roles from Steven Weber, Amy Yasbeck,
Lysette Anthony, Peter MacNicol, and the great Harvey Korman, Dracula: Dead
and Loving It is Brooks at his battiest—and it's bloody hilarious.
__________________________________
The Eight Hundred
[Blu-ray] (Hu Guan, 2020) Shout! Factory
COMMENTS: From the highly
acclaimed director of Mr. Six, Guan Hu, and producer Edward Cheng
(Terminator: Dark Fate), comes the incredible true story of the outnumbered
and under-equipped Chinese soldiers heroically defending the Sihang
Warehouse from 20,000 members of the formidable Imperial Japanese Army
during the bloody Battle of Shanghai. "Currently sitting as the
second-highest- grossing film around the world in 2020…
__________________________________
**The Far Country**
[Blu-ray] (Anthony Mann, 1954) Arrow US
COMMENTS: An archetypal
example of its genre, The Far Country is one of five superb westerns the
screen legend James Stewart (Vertigo, Bend of the River) made with acclaimed
Hollywood auteur Anthony Mann (El Cid, The Man from Laramie). Mann’s film
tells of Jeff Webster (Stewart) and his sidekick Ben Tatum (Walter Brennan,
My Darling Clementine), two stoic adventurers driving cattle to market from
Wyoming to Canada who become at loggerheads with a corrupt judge (John
McIntire, Psycho) and his henchmen. Ruth Roman (Strangers on a Train) plays
a sultry saloon keeper who falls for Stewart, teaming up with him to take on
the errant lawman.
__________________________________
The Happy Hooker
Goes Hollywood [Blu-ray] (Alan Roberts, 1980)
Ronin Flix
COMMENTS: Martine Beswick
(From Russia with Love, Thunderball) and Adam West (TV's Batman) star in the
most raunchy Happy Hooker film yet! When Xaviera (Beswick), now a
best-selling author, has Tinseltown calling with a less-than-savory offer
for her book, she flexes her independent spirit, deciding to film the movie
herself! This sexy comedy, the third in the Happy Hooker film series, also
stars Phil Silvers (Sgt. Bilko, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The
Forum), Chris Lemmon (Just Before Dawn), Richard Deacon (The Dick Van Dyke
Show) and Dick Miller (Hollywood Boulevard) and features special guest
appearances by Edie Adams and Army Archerd.
__________________________________
**Wes
Craven's "The Hills Have Eyes" 4K UHD** - Susan Lanier
@ArrowFilmsVideo
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Arrow's 4K UHD
release of Wes Craven's 1977 The Hills Have Eyes seems an odd upgrade
although it once again proves that you can't beat the 3840 X 2160 resolution
when done from the same source as the lower-res options. This is approaching
triple the bitrate. Many may have missed out on the now, largely,
out-of-print LE Arrow Blu-ray. For new adopters to 4K UHD - this is the
package to own. I can't think in what areas Arrow could have improved this
representation of "The Hills Have Eyes" as the highest home theater a/v -
and a different color scheme from their own BD, commentaries, plenty of
extras, a 40-page booklet, poster etc. etc. Many horror aficionados rate
this alongside The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That group should welcome this
thorough and complete 4K UHD package.
__________________________________
**Philip
Kaufman's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" 4K UHD** -
Donald Sutherland @KinoLorber
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Philip Kaufman's
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is as rewatchable as the original. I never
tire of it. It has a great many horror elements and can be quite a scary
film experience with shocking transformation effects. Performances are top
notch - Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, the stoic Nimoy (a
bit heavy-handed) and I always thought Veronica Cartwright (yes, she was
'Cathy Brenner' in Hitchcock's The Birds!) was great in her limited
appearances. Always pleasing to see the respect shown the original with
brief cameos with Kevin McCarthy and Don Siegel. Look close enough and you
will see cinematographer Michael Chapman as a janitor, Robert Duvall as the
'Priest on Swing' and the voice of Philip Kaufman as the 'City Official on
Phone'. I am so pleased with owning the definitive home theatre version
thanks to Kino's 4K UHD release. Fans will not need my endorsement to watch
this impressive film in the highest resolution. Don't hesitate.
__________________________________
Lair
[Blu-ray] (Adam Ethan Crow, 2021) Ditto Films
COMMENTS: When Ben
Dollarhyde is accused of murder, saying he was possessed by a demonic force,
Steven Caramore investigates his friend's claims, setting off a chain of
events that forces a young family into a terrifying battle for survival.
__________________________________
Little Fish
[Blu-ray] (Chad Hartigan, 2020) Shout! Factory
COMMENTS: Little Fish, from
director Chad Hartigan (Morris From America), is a romance set in a
near-future Seattle teetering on the brink of calamity. Starring Olivia
Cooke (Ready Player One), Jack O'Connell (Unbroken), Soko (Her), and Raúl
Castillo (Looking), the film opens in the midst of a global epidemic from
Neuroinflammatory Affliction, a severe and rapid Alzheimer's-like condition
in which people's memories disappear. Couple Jude Williams and Emma Ryerson
are grappling with the realities of NIA, interspersed with glimpses from the
past as the two meet and their relationship blooms. But as NIA's grip on
society tightens, blurring the lines between the past and the present, it
becomes more and more difficult to know what's true and what's false.
__________________________________
**Lullaby of
Broadway** [Blu-ray] (David Butler, 1951)
Warner Archive
COMMENTS: A showgirl (Doris
Day) returns to her New York home to visit her alcoholic mother, where she
catches the eye of a Broadway producer.
__________________________________
**Menace II Society
[4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Albert Hughes, Allen
Hughes, 1993) Criterion
COMMENTS: Directors Albert
and Allen Hughes and screenwriter Tyger Williams were barely into their
twenties when they sent shock waves through American cinema and hip-hop
culture with this fatalistic, unflinching vision of life and death on the
streets of Watts, Los Angeles, in the 1990s. There, in the shadow of the
riots of 1965 and 1992, young Caine (Tyrin Turner) is growing up under the
influence of his ruthless, drug-dealing father (Samuel L. Jackson, in a
chilling cameo) and his loose-cannon best friend, O-Dog (Larenz Tate),
leading him into a spiral of violent crime from which he is not sure he
wants to escape, despite the best efforts of his grandparents and the
steadfast Ronnie (Jada Pinkett). Fusing grim realism with a propulsively
stylish aesthetic honed through the Hughes brothers’ work on rap videos,
Menace II Society is a searing cautionary tale about the devastating human
toll of hopelessness.
__________________________________
**Rod
Serling's "Night Gallery Season One"**
Blu-ray - Joan Crawford @KinoLorber
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Rod Serling's
Night Gallery is classic sci-fi, horror, fantasy TV. It also is rife with
70's fashion (I suggest a 'drinking game' of doubling your intake every time
you see a character wearing an ascot or loosened wide-lapel tie.) Serling
introduces the night's episode segment; “Good evening, and welcome to a
private showing of three paintings, displayed here for the first time." He
shows nightmarish paintings usually by artists Thomas J. Wright and Jaroslav
"Jerry" Gebr. Brilliantly inventive and with a cast of stars from Season One
like Joan Crawford, Ossie Davis, Larry Hagman, Diane Keaton, Roddy McDowall,
Burgess Meredith, Larry Hagman, Diane Baker, Bert Convy, Louis Hayward,
Godfrey Cambridge, Tom Bosley, Raymond Massey, Phyllis Diller, John Astin
etc. Of course The Twilight Zone and Kolchak fans will enjoy Night Gallery.
Kino Blu-ray again do it right with the impressive HD presentation and
extensive commentaries. The hour-long featurette is also worth the
indulgence. Personal favorites include all three from the Pilot, They're
Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar, Pamela's Voice, The House, Certain Shadows on
the Wall, The Little Black Bag, and The Dead Man. Tons of value here!
__________________________________
Phantom of the Mall:
Eric's Revenge [Blu-ray] (Richard Friedman,
1989) Arrow
COMMENTS: High school
sweethearts Eric Matthews and Melody Austin are so in love, but their
youthful romance is cut tragically short when Eric apparently dies in a fire
that engulfs his family home. One year later and Melody is trying to move on
with her life, taking up a job at the newly built Midwood Mall along with
her friends. But the mall, which stands on the very site of Eric’s former
home, has an uninvited guest – a shadowy, scarred figure which haunts its
airducts and subterranean passageways, hellbent on exacting vengeance on the
mall’s crooked developers.
__________________________________
Planes, Trains &
Automobiles [Blu-ray] (John Hughes, 1987)
Paramount
COMMENTS: A Chicago
advertising man (Steve Martin) must struggle to travel home from New York
for Thanksgiving, with a lovable oaf of a shower curtain ring salesman (John
Candy) as his only companion.
__________________________________
Shinji Sômai's "Sailor
Suit and Machine Gun" Blu-ray - Hiroko Yakushimaru @ArrowFilmsVideo
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Shinji Sômai's
"Sailor Suit and Machine Gun" has equal doses of early 80's Japanese pop
culture, humor, innocence and crime - it inspired two TV series. The title
may be misleading to some. It has strong themes of familial relationships
connecting despairingly with the Yakuza underworld structure. It's a unique
film with some sly intelligence - playful but emotional and I appreciated
seeing it as well as being exposed to the work of the director. The Arrow
Blu-ray is at their usual high standard offering both cuts and a revealing
documentary supplement. Those interested should indulge - you may be very
pleasantly surprised by "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun".
__________________________________
**Emma
Seligman's "Shiva Baby"** Blu-ray - Rachel
Sennott #utopia
BONUS CAPTURES:
ALT-REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Emma Seligman's
Shiva Baby has amusing inter-personal conflicts showcasing the superficial
behaviors of the family and friends Jewish-centric get-together adding a
stressful situation for Danielle. As the day progresses, her attempted
disassociation, breaking the social rules as much as she dare, surfaces with
the anxiety realized wonderfully by Seligman. It's a good film that you are
unlikely to see outside of a festival or streaming. The Utopia Blu-ray (who
also did Selina Miles' "Martha: A Picture Story" that we reviewed) is a very
pleasing package and we hope they cover more modest-budgeted, lesser-seen,
features in this format. I enjoyed my viewing and there are supplements to
indulge in.
__________________________________
**
Yuasa's "The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch"**
Blu-ray - Yachie Matsui @ArrowFilmsVideo
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Noriaki Yuasa's
The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch is not really a children's film
at all, although the innocent and good-natured daughter is the brunt of much
of the movie's terror. It has modest, but effective special effects and a
well-established, if odd, mystery playing upon a child's fears (including
adults.) It worked for me and I would NOT judge this as a comedy as IMDb
puts as one of the genres. The Kalat commentary really helped me appreciate
the film - ditto for the Davisson interview. The Arrow Blu-ray of The Snake
Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch is a fascinating viewing for cinephiles
keen on the Japanese culture and 60's horror from that country. Another
great package from Arrow with excellent supplements. Absolutely
recommended!
__________________________________
Stingray
[Blu-ray] (Richard Taylor, 1978) Dark Force
COMMENTS: Lonigan and his
partner Tony, two drug dealers, shoot two cops who attempt to set them up,
and run away with a million bucks and the drugs, which they stash in a red
Corvette Stingray in a used car lot. When they attempt to recover their
stash with their leader, Abigail, they find out that two happy-go-lucky
dudes, Elmo and Al, have bought the car. They quickly pursue the two along
with the police who think that the car's new owners are the criminals.
__________________________________
**Swallow**
[Blu-ray] (Carlo Mirabella-Davis, 2019) RB UK Second Sight Films
COMMENTS: A young woman
appears to have the perfect life but faces mounting pressure from her
domineering husband and his family to play the role of the dutiful wife.
Desperate to reclaim some control and identity of her own, she becomes
compelled to swallow increasingly dangerous objects which leads to a
shocking revelation.
__________________________________
**The Ten
Commandments [4K UHD Blu-ray]** Steelbook
(Cecil B. DeMille, 1956) Paramount
COMMENTS: Throughout film
history, Hollywood has produced a number of sweeping epics and
generation-defining movies. However, one Biblical saga – Cecil B. DeMille’s
The Ten Commandments – has withstood the test of time. Beginning with the
original 1923 silent film, a powerful story unfolds comparing the Old
Testament morality to contemporary immorality. The 1956 film is universally
acknowledged among critics as a cinematic masterpiece with a legendary cast
including Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, and Anne Baxter. From its Academy
Award®-winning director* and revolutionary Oscar®-winning special effects**
to its sweeping score and unforgettable sets, The Ten Commandments presents
the inspiring story of Moses in all its stunning glory.
__________________________________
**The Thin Man Goes
Home** [Blu-ray] (Richard Thorpe, 1944)
Warner Archive
COMMENTS: Nick and Nora
Charles visit Nicks parents in Nick's hometown of Sycamore Springs. The town
is a very peaceful and law-abiding one but Nick soon has a murder case on
his hands.
__________________________________
**The Thin Red
Line** [Blu-ray] (Terrence Malick, 1998)
Criterion UK (BEAVER REVIEW)
Already out in:
OUR COMPARISON:
COMMENTS: One of the
greatest war films of all time. After directing two of the most
extraordinary movies of the 1970s, Badlands and Days of Heaven, American
artist Terrence Malick disappeared from the film world for twenty years,
only to resurface in 1998 with this visionary adaptation of James Jones’s
1962 novel about the World War II battle for Guadalcanal. A big-budget,
spectacularly mounted epic, The Thin Red Line is also one of the most deeply
philosophical films ever released by a major Hollywood studio, a
thought-provoking meditation on man, nature, and violence. Featuring a cast
of contemporary cinema’s finest actors—Sean Penn, Jim Caviezel, Nick Nolte,
Elias Koteas, and Woody Harrelson among them—The Thin Red Line is a
kaleidoscopic evocation of the experience of combat that ranks as one of the
greatest war films ever produced.
__________________________________
**Uncut Gems 4K
UHD** and Blu-ray (Benny Safdie, Josh
Safdie, 2019) Criterion
COMMENTS: his jolt of pure
cinematic ad
Arenaline affirmed directors Josh and Benny Safdie as heirs to the gritty,
heightened realism of Martin Scorsese and John Cassavetes. Adam Sandler
delivers an almost maniacally embodied performance as Howard Ratner, a
fast-talking New York jeweler in relentless pursuit of the next big score.
When he comes into possession of a rare opal, it seems Howard’s ship has
finally come in—as long as he can stay one step ahead of a wife (Idina
Menzel) who hates him, a mistress (Julia Fox) who can’t quit him, and a
frenzy of loan sharks and hit men closing in on him. Wrapping a vivid look
at the old-school Jewish world of Manhattan’s Diamond District within a
kinetic thriller, Uncut Gems gives us one of the great characters in modern
cinema: a tragic hero of competing compulsions on a shoot-the-moon quest to
transcend his destiny.
__________________________________
**Bill
Morrison's "The Village Detective: a song cycle"**
Blu-ray @KinoLorber
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Bill Morrison's
The Village Detective: a song cycle is so rich in Soviet film history,
mystery and a degree of treasure-revealing wonderment. So, in 2016, an
Icelandic fishing boat pulls up four reels of 35mm film from the bottom of
the Atlantic Ocean, twenty miles southeast of the 700,000 year old glacier
Snæfellsjökull. The ocean floor around the rift is rich in hydrogen sulfide,
which has immense preservation ability while resting on the seabed. Bill
does his thing and documents the 'find' showing the surviving elements,
discussing the actor and also gives a theory on how it ended up at the
bottom of the sea in that location. Remarkably he shows how parts of the
celluloid were still viewable and why the four reels were still near each
other. His work is aptly described as "a poetic reflection on the ways in
which biographies of film prints are interwoven with biographies of human
individuals, real and fictional, as well as broader historical events and
their mediations through cinema." I agree. The Village Detective: a song
cycle is more of Bill Morrison's fascinating work. The Kino Blu-ray shows
this keen story in 1080P and includes some shorts by the director. Certainly
recommended to historical film fans and Morrison's unique niche of artistic
cinema and the experiences it conveys.
__________________________________
**The Woody Allen
Collection** [Blu-ray] (Bullets Over Broadway
/ Mighty Aphrodite / Everyone Says I Love You / Celebrity / Small Time
Crooks / The Curse of the Jade Scorpion / Hollywood Ending / Anything Else)
Quiver Films
COMMENTS: The Woody Allen
Collection brings together eight classics from 1994 to 2003, Filled with
comedy, romance and music, while taking you along on a ride to New York,
Paris, Venice And Sicily. These films have garnered numerous nominations and
awards, for writing, directing, acting, and design.
__________________________________
Zombie High
[Blu-ray] (Ron Link, 1987) RB UK 88 Films
COMMENTS: Virginia Madsen
(Candyman, Sideways) and Richard Cox (Cruising) star in this humorous
thriller about the bizarre happenings that occur in a prestigious boarding
school. It seems to Andrea Miller (Madsen) that the upperclassmen act like
robots. They're the perfect students – dedicated, involved and loyal. Their
clothes are perfectly pressed and their hair is perfectly styled. It seems
that the teachers have something to do with this ingratiating behavior. And
when Andrea, the new kid at school, sees her friends turning into clones,
she starts to suspect the worst.
__________________________________
LATEST CALENDAR
UPDATES:
November 22nd, 2021
**The Bird with the Crystal
Plumage [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Dario Argento, 1970) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/30hpfqn
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_141/the_bird_with_the_crystal_plumage_4K_UHD.htm
**The Cat o' Nine Tails [4K
UHD Blu-ray]** (Dario Argento, 1971) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/3qAT8gj
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_141/the_cat_o_nine_tails_4K_UHD.htm
**Lullaby of Broadway**
(David Butler, 1951) Warner Archive
https://amzn.to/3CeAzRx
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun
(Shinji Sômai, 1981) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/3wMtpmu
**The Snake Girl and the
Silver-Haired Witch** [Blu-ray] (Noriaki Yuasa, 1968) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/3CdTbRt
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/the_snake_girl_and_the_silver-haired_witch_blu-ray.htm
_____________________________________
November 29th, 2021
The Possession of Joel
Delaney (Waris Hussein, 1972) Imprint
https://amzn.to/3CjYgrK
Tam Lin (Roddy
McDowall, 1970) Imprint
https://amzn.to/3FeF7ck
_____________________________________
December 6th, 2021
**Breathless 4K UHD**
(Jean-Luc Godard, 1960) Studio Canal UK
https://amzn.to/3Fdw4s9
**The Evil of Frankenstein**
(Freddie Francis, 1964) RB UK Final Cut Entertainment
https://amzn.to/30s2Sz0
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_61/evil_of_frankenstein_blu-ray.htm
**Harold and Maude**
(Hal Ashby, 1971) Paramount
https://amzn.to/3202sQT
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews56/harold_and_maude_blu-ray.htm
**Party Girl**
(Nicholas Ray, 1958) Warner Archive
https://amzn.to/3wFj0c8
**Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
4K UHD** (Tomas Alfredson, 2011) Studio Canal UK
https://amzn.to/3kuBgjB
_____________________________________
December 13th, 2021
**The Bird with the Crystal
Plumage [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Dario Argento, 1970) Arrow UK
https://amzn.to/3Fd9O1M
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_141/the_bird_with_the_crystal_plumage_4K_UHD.htm
**The Card Counter**
(Paul Schrader, 2021) Studio Distribution Services
https://amzn.to/3ky022h
Cartoon Saloon's Irish
Folklore Trilogy - Shout! Factory
US:
https://amzn.to/30fF0OC
UK:
https://amzn.to/3HhqfvH
**The Cat o' Nine Tails [4K
UHD Blu-ray]** (Dario Argento, 1971) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/3wJ6zMh
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_141/the_cat_o_nine_tails_4K_UHD.htm
**Citizen Kane [4K UHD
Blu-ray]** (Orson Welles, 1941) Warner UK
https://amzn.to/3kyTall
Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Anti-War
Trilogy (Casting Blossoms to the Sky, Seven Weeks and Hanagatami)
RB UK Third Window
https://amzn.to/3Dj7rd5
Revenge of the Shogun Women
3-D (Mei-Chun Chang, 1977) Kino
https://amzn.to/3osnkaN
**Seven Deaths in the Cat's
Eyes** (Antonio Margheriti, 1973) MVD Visual
https://amzn.to/3HmAizx
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_76/seven_deaths_in_a_cats_eye_blu-ray.htm
**The Seduction of Joe
Tynan** (Jerry Schatzberg, 1979) Kino
https://amzn.to/3wG0gJz
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews52/seduction_of_joe_tynan_blu-ray.htm
Sylvia Kristel 1970s
Collection (Playing with Fire, Pastorale 1943, Mysteries, Julia)
Cult Epics
https://amzn.to/3Fbj46h
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December 20th, 2021
No Time to Die 4K UHD
(Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2021) Universal UK
https://amzn.to/3HiZwyW
**Time of the Wolf**
(Michael Haneke, 2003) Strand Home Video
https://amzn.to/3caQBkB
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January 3rd, 2022
**Cinema of Discovery:
Julien Duvivier in the 1920s** - Flicker Alley
https://amzn.to/3n8Chzw
**Down by Law**
(Jim Jarmusch, 1986) RB Criterion UK
https://amzn.to/3qA8ulx
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/downbylaw.htm
**Hiroshima Mon Amour**
(Alain Resnais, 1959) RB Criterion UK
https://amzn.to/3qBEsxO
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_67/hiroshima_mon_amour_blu-ray.htm
Zeros and Ones
(Abel Ferrara, 2021) Grindstone
https://amzn.to/3DhjZ4A
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January 10th, 2022
Deep Red 4K UHD
(Dario Argento, 1975) Arrow
https://amzn.to/3kBkxen
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_159/deep_red_4K_UHD.htm
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January 17th, 2022
**The Red Angel**
(Yasuzô Masumura, 1966) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/323k2DH
**Wild Strawberries**
(Ingmar Bergman, 1957) RB UK BFI
https://amzn.to/30tSFSH
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/wildstrawberries.htm
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January 24th, 2022
**All The Haunts Be Ours: A
Compendium Of Folk Horror Collector's Set** (15-Disc) Severin
https://amzn.to/3nbkVSA
**Vengeance Trails: Four
Classic Westerns** [Blu-ray] (Massacre Time (1966), My Name is
Pecos (1966), Bandidos (1967), And God Said to Cain (1970) Arrow US
https://amzn.to/30isLku
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_141/vengeance_trails_blu-ray.htm
Woodlands Dark And Days
Bewitched: A History Of Folk Horror - Severin
https://amzn.to/30klsZZ
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February 21st, 2022
Galaxy of Terror
(Bruce D. Clark, 1981) RB UK 88 Films
https://amzn.to/3C9a9Ap
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews51/galaxy_of_terror_blu-ray.htm
**The Proposition 4K UHD**
(John Hillcoat, 2005) UK BFI
https://amzn.to/3HkN55B
Sharon + Terri's Revenge
|Drive-in Double Feature #13 - Dark Force
https://amzn.to/3wK36go
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March 21st, 2022
Play For Today Volume 3
(Edna, the Inebriate Woman, Just Another Saturday, Bar Mitzvah Boy, The
Mayor’s Charity, Coming Out, A Hole in Babylon) RB UK BFI
https://amzn.to/3Fc2YcL
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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:
**Bill
Morrison's "The Village Detective: a song cycle"**
Blu-ray @KinoLorber
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Bill Morrison's
The Village Detective: a song cycle is so rich in Soviet film history,
mystery and a degree of treasure-revealing wonderment. So, in 2016, an
Icelandic fishing boat pulls up four reels of 35mm film from the bottom of
the Atlantic Ocean, twenty miles southeast of the 700,000 year old glacier
Snæfellsjökull. The ocean floor around the rift is rich in hydrogen sulfide,
which has immense preservation ability while resting on the seabed. Bill
does his thing and documents the 'find' showing the surviving elements,
discussing the actor and also gives a theory on how it ended up at the
bottom of the sea in that location. Remarkably he shows how parts of the
celluloid were still viewable and why the four reels were still near each
other. His work is aptly described as "a poetic reflection on the ways in
which biographies of film prints are interwoven with biographies of human
individuals, real and fictional, as well as broader historical events and
their mediations through cinema." I agree. The Village Detective: a song
cycle is more of Bill Morrison's fascinating work. The Kino Blu-ray shows
this keen story in 1080P and includes some shorts by the director. Certainly
recommended to historical film fans and Morrison's unique niche of artistic
cinema and the experiences it conveys.
____________________________
Orson Welles's
"Citizen Kane" 4K UHD and Blu-ray @Criterion
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Orson Welles's
Citizen Kane is cinema royalty. It's a film to revisit for the rest of your
life seeing deeper meaning and subtleties in every viewing. I will leave
Citizen Kane scholars to discuss the Criterion Blu-ray image-shift but can
share that 4K UHD disc is easily the best viewing, by a wide margin, that I
have ever seen of the film. The extensive Criterion extras (3 commentaries
and 2 Blu-rays worth) make this a must own for cinephiles everywhere. This
will definitely be one of the most discussed packages of the year.
____________________________
**M.
Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" 4K UHD** - Bruce Willis
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Unbreakable is one
of my most-rewatched films - I adore the Eduardo Serra cinematography with
many 'upside down' shots that slowly right themselves plus the many 'long
distance shots' of two characters conversing as well as sequences wavering
between chairs (in the train) or in the bench-press scene. Willis is at his
strong-silent best. Robin Wright is always amazingly realistic and she can't
seem to give a poor performance, Spencer Treat Clark is also great - and
Samuel L. Jackson's propensity for loud flamboyancy is perfectly suited
Elijah Price's 'Mr. Glass' characterization. Perfect casting. The James
Newton Howard score is brilliant. I tire of defending Shyamalan and the
irrelevant criticisms that surface - he is a highly effective storyteller
and filmmaker - this is a great film. Period. This, Disney (UK) 4K UHD image
is flawed and the package offers no new extras. We can't recommend an
upgrade here. I fear it will be the same DNR'ed transfer that is eventually
released states-side but I can hope it is redone.
____________________________
**Shinji
Sômai's "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun"**
Blu-ray - Hiroko Yakushimaru @ArrowFilmsVideo
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Shinji Sômai's
"Sailor Suit and Machine Gun" has equal doses of early 80's Japanese pop
culture, humor, innocence and crime - it inspired two TV series. The title
may be misleading to some. It has strong themes of familial relationships
connecting despairingly with the Yakuza underworld structure. It's a unique
film with some sly intelligence - playful but emotional and I appreciated
seeing it as well as being exposed to the work of the director. The Arrow
Blu-ray is at their usual high standard offering both cuts and a revealing
documentary supplement. Those interested should indulge - you may be very
pleasantly surprised by "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun".
____________________________
**Alfred
Hitchcock's "Number Seventeen"** Blu-ray -
Leon M. Lion @KinoLorber
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: Alfred Hitchcock's
Number Seventeen is certainly no where near the director's best work that
would come later in his career. On the positive, it is certainly atmospheric
in a rudimentary way with some keen quick edits. I think it is possible that
the parody aspects were not fulfilled to its greatest intent, appearing like
ineffectual humor, but can still work as a scattered mystery with the
adventurous chase-scenes in the final half. There are things I do like about
Number Seventeen; the spooky house, the murder mystery and the under-exposed
character Rose Ackroyd played by Ann Casson. I wish that first section was
more fleshed-out and longer. Still the Kino Blu-ray has a Hitchcock film
looking marvelous and the supplements - notably the Tonguette commentary and
long documentary - have immense value. I think this package's range should
extend beyond completists of the director's work and include fans of vintage
era mysterious as well.
____________________________
**"Once
Upon a Time in China"** The Complete Films Blu-ray
- Jet Li @Criterion
BONUS CAPTURES:
OUR REVIEW:
COMMENTS: It was a pleasure
to revisit these films in superior transfers. The six film franchise is fun,
dramatic and action-filled. It was great to have input in the supplements
from Tsui Hark who directed four of the films and co-wrote the first five.
Jet Li is amazing and charismatic as the 'folk hero', an extensive Chinese
martial arts master of Cantonese ethnicity showcasing impressive action
choreography (Vincent Zhao in part 4 + 5... and television series that
started in 1996.) The first two films where debatably the most popular in
the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema (circa 1986 - 1993) having strong Chinese
nationalism themes conflicting or embracing with Western imperialism. They
can be thought-provoking as well as enjoyable. The Criterion Blu-ray boxset
brings these six films together in one stacked package. Fans of this
entertaining genre should pick this up. Absolutely recommended!
____________________________
**David
Lynch's "Mulholland Dr." 4K UHD** - Naomi Watts @Criterion
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_156/mulholland_dr_4K_UHD.htm
COMMENTS: Criterion's 4K UHD release of David Lynch's "Mulholland Dr." is,
not surprisingly, the best home theater presentation of this masterpiece.
The many fans of the film should rejoice at this new 4K UHD format transfer.
The film occasional ambiguities, unique dream-like affectations and
doppelganger themes make it ultimately rewatchable as an unsolvable puzzle
of cinema brilliance. You don't require my endorsement - this 4K UHD is a
must-own for new adopters and to push those over the edge to indulge in this
format. Don't hesitate.
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