DVDBeaver Newsletter - September 6th, 2021

DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of September 6th, 2021
http://www.dvdbeaver.com

THIS WEEK RELEASES (stacked) include; double Hitchcock in 4K UHD, John Carpenter in 4K UHD, Olivier Assayas boxset in the UK, Marco Ferreri, Umberto Lenzi, Ferruccio Casapinta Giallo, Donna D'Errico chanelling Barbarella, 1950's Noir / Space. The Final Frontier. The 4 initial movies in 4K UHD! and steelcase ToS boxset. Vincent Prince X 2, Roger Corman, Edward Dmytryk ...
THIS WEEK's CALENDAR UPDATES - HUGE (repated from previous); Ingmar Bergman get 4K UHD, Criterion finally goes 4K UHD X 3 including Orson Welles, David Lynch and a brilliant, unsentimental, teen street violence masterwork / John Carpenter, Demme, 4 Universal Classic Monsters, Rob Reiner-Stephen King, Red October Hunts, Navarone Guns - all get 4K UHD! / essential Noir from Warner Archive, silent Hunchbacks, Don Knotts X 5 to Blu, 3 X 70's horror with Olivia de Havilland, Bette Davis and Elizabeth Montgomery / Kolchak TV, Yokai Monsters / more Argento to 4K UHD, Robert's Aldrich and Mulligan / rediscovered Fernando Ayala / Melville, Bava, Mike Leigh, Fellini, Fassbinder, Giallo, Albert Lewin magic, Mae West boxset...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: As well as the above; Cold War Creatures: a small town atomic age Werewolf, latent Zombies, and radio-controlled, atomic-powered, revenge-seeking corpses! 40's Noir, 60's Japanese snake-women and witches... and more.
Enjoy,
Gary

Criterion 50% OFF SALE is still going:
https://amzn.to/3dHXUl7

RELEASES the WEEK of September 6th, 2021 (Recommended titles have "**")

Adrenalin: Fear the Rush [Blu-ray] (Albert Pyun, 1996) Ronin Fix
US: https://amzn.to/38G4Tbt
COMMENTS: This pulse-pounding action-adventure stars Christopher Lambert (HIGHLANDER) as a police officer locked in a desperate, do-or-die race against time! Teamed with a rookie cop (Natasha Henstridge - SPECIES), he must quickly track down a savage killer who threatens the world. When the chase leads to the killer's dungeon, the hunters find they have become the hunted!
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**The Ape Woman** [Blu-ray] (Marco Ferreri, 1964) Cult Films
US: https://amzn.to/3ymvfdb
COMMENTS: The Ape Woman is inspired by a true story of the cruel exploitation of a young carnival performer, Julia Pastrana, whose body was completely covered in hair. She is brought to life here by an extraordinary Annie Girardot - France’s highest-paid actress at the time - in a natural measured and elegant performance from which emanates the ambiguous emotion of being alluring yet devastatingly poignant as “the ape woman”. An unscrupulous hustler (the magnificent Ugo Tognazzi) discovers the young woman in a convent and marries her in order to get her on the freak show circuit and to cash in on the distinctive appearance of her body and face fully covered in hairs.
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The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (Michael Chaves, 2021) Warner
4K UHS UK: https://amzn.to/3p5QyMU
4K UHD US: https://amzn.to/3h5enBk
Blu-ray UK: https://amzn.to/3vB6gC0
Blu-ray US: https://amzn.to/3DRHHp1
COMMENTS: “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real‐life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
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Crazy Nights [Blu-ray] (Joe D'Amato, 1978) Full Moon Features
US: https://amzn.to/349t7bz
CAN: https://amzn.to/3njZNu3
COMMENTS: Italian exploitation icon Joe D'Amato\'s outrageous and rarely seen 1978 mondo movie meltdown CRAZY NIGHTS (aka Follie di notte) is one the strangest snapshots of the disco era you\'ll ever see. The legendary and controversial performer Amanda Lear appears here as herself, singing her signature dance floor hit Follow Me while D'Amato's camera uses her as an entry point into the glamorous, eccentric, often depraved annals of Rome's after hours nightclub scene. But that's only scratching the surface. CRAZY NIGHTS then meanders - in true mondo fashion - all over the world, filling the screen with strippers, sex and ritualistic absurdity, all set to the beat of Lear's sultry cabaret pop sound.
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**The Doll of Satan** [Blu-ray] (Ferruccio Casapinta, 1969) RB UK 88 Films
US: https://amzn.to/3bLsklv
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_70/the_doll_of_satan_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Similar to 1967's Assassino Senza Volto in its melding of classical Gothic trappings with the Giallo thriller elements just coming into renewed vogue, this castle-set horror mystery from Italian filmmaker Ferruccio Casapinta benefits from a slicker look and a better sense of humor. Casapinta lays on the atmosphere thick and heavy, with thunderstorms, howling wolves, and a Hammer Films-inspired score by Franco Potenza to heighten the mood. It all seems a bit overwrought, but fans of Italian horror don't come to it for subtlety. Indeed, the nearly operatic histrionics on display are immensely enjoyable, for their camp value if nothing else.
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Elstree 1976 [Blu-ray] (Jon Spira, 2015) Filmrise
US: https://amzn.to/2VorpSB
CAN: https://amzn.to/3DOTrZ8
COMMENTS: In this fascinating documentary, go behind the scenes of one of the most iconic film series of all time: Star Wars. The actors and extras who played aliens, stormtroopers, rebels and even Darth Vader in George Lucas's Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope reminisce about their time on set and how making the Sci-Fi classic affected their lives and careers, for better or for worse.
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Escape from Area 51 Blu-ray - Donna D'Errico
US: https://amzn.to/2WIYmtG
CAN: https://amzn.to/38AAbAl
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/escape-from-area-55690798
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/escape_from_area_51_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Okay, okay, okay... Escape from Area 51 is pure trash - T+A, redneck jokes etc.. But, I suggest that it's better than you might think; better production values, effects, and Donna D'Errico's acting... certainly wasn't horrible. She's okay channeling some Barbarella-esque innocence while mostly kicking ass. BTW, she's 53?!? (Playmate of the Month for September 1995.) I liked the subtlety of showing the flat earth. Yes, there are cute jabs at conspiratards. While I am not defending Escape from Area 51 at all - I will just say that it was less sophomoric than I was anticipating. The Cleopatra Blu-ray allows you to watch the film in the comfort of your home. Fans of Ms. D'Errico may wish to revisit for the outfit she is wearing... or if you are under the influence. That is all.
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**The Films of Olivier Assayas** [Blu-ray] (Disorder, Winter's Child, Irma Vep, Demon Lover) Arrow UK
UK: https://amzn.to/36ekZYl
COMMENTS: Now recognised as one of French cinema’s finest talents courtesy of such modern classics as Carlos, Summer Hours and Clouds of Sils Maria, Olivier Assayas started out as a critic and screenwriter before making his debut feature as director in 1986. Disorder tells the tale of a post-punk band whose friendships are tested when a music store robbery turns fatal. It marked Assayas as a talent to be reckoned with. The intimate story of Winter’s Child built on that reputation and showed his remarkable gifts with actors, while in Irma Vep Assayas turned his attention to the French film industry to provide a mid-90s amalgam of François Truffaut’s Day for Night and Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Beware of a Holy Whore, delighting audiences around the world and featuring a stand-out turn by Maggie Cheung playing a version of herself. Meanwhile, the startlingly prescient neo-noir/cyberhorror masterpiece Demonlover, takes a darker turn to present a chilling exploration of the nexus between sex and violence available at the click of a button, riffing on Cronenberg’s Videodrome and with an iconic score by art-rock pioneers, Sonic Youth. Witty, heartfelt, and daring, Assayas remains one of the most interesting international filmmakers working today. No two films are quite alike. His work is vital, unexpected, and unmissable for any true lover of film.
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**Film Noir "A Life at Stake"** Blu-ray - Angela Lansbury @FilmDetective
US: https://amzn.to/3t8CmEJ
CAN: https://amzn.to/3zJwcgL
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/film-noir-life-55683634
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/a_life_at_stake_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Paul Guilfoyle's "A Life at Stake" is certainly Noir and we applaud Film Detective for rescuing it via their wonderful Blu-ray package. There is some suspicious femme-fatale action, a planned murder, and insurance fraud to wrap the story around. It's actually far superior a 'B' effort than given credit and the commentary is a fabulous addition as is the C. Courtney Joyner piece, and the booklet essay. What's not to love about A Life at Stake? Noir fans shouldn't hesitate.
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Luz: The Flower of Evil [Blu-ray] (Juan Diego Escobar Alzate, 2019) Fractured Visions
US: https://amzn.to/34A1cSg
COMMENTS: Far into the Colombian mountains, a small farming community is rocked by the arrival of a mysterious young boy. Their leader, El Señor, claims that the child is the new Messiah, there to save their land, yet his three daughters start to question their father’s beliefs when the community starts to dissolve into madness and violence. Is this boy God? The Devil? More importantly, is there a difference? Luz: The Flower of Evil marks the arrival of a stunning new cinematic voice. Juan Diego Escobar Alzate’s harrowing yet beautiful take on Good versus Evil is unlike anything that has come before it and is essential viewing for any folk horror, acid western and dark arthouse film aficionados. Brace yourself.
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**Rear Window [4K UHD Blu-ray]** Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) Universal
US: https://amzn.to/3C6ufMT
CAN: https://amzn.to/2Vga0f8
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_127/rear_window_4K_UHD.htm
COMMENTS: Steeped in fetishism, concerned with l’amour fou, and structured by dream logic, Vertigo is Hollywood’s surrealist masterpiece; Rear Window showcases another side of Hitchcock’s vulgar modernism. It’s a blatantly conceptual movie, self-reflexively concerned with voyeurism and movie history, the bridge from Soviet montage to Andy Warhol’s vacant stare, as well as a construction founded on the 20th-century idea of the metropolis as spectacle—or, more specifically, on the peculiar mixture of isolation and overstimulation the big city affords. Reveling in the simultaneity of the 8 million stories in the Naked City, Rear Window is the slyly alienated precursor of multiple narratives like Short Cuts or Magnolia.
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**Star Trek: The Original Four Movie Collection [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV The Voyage Home) Paramount
US: https://amzn.to/3e325rZ
CAN: https://amzn.to/3A1cRIh
COMMENTS: The first four STAR TREK original motion picture adventures boldly voyage to 4K UHD in one collection. Starring the original series cast, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan, all four have been remastered in HDR for optimum picture quality from their original film elements. The human adventure is just the beginning when Captain James T. Kirk returns to the hem of a newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise in STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE. In STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, an adversary from Kirk’s past returns with a vengeance. The crew is forced to defy Starfleet regulations in STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK. And in STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME, an unforgettable time-travel adventure places Earth on the brink of disaster. Featuring hours of special features, this highly anticipated collection is an essential for original fans of the franchise, and beyond!
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Star Trek: The Original Series: The Complete Series (Steelbook) [Blu-ray] - Paramount
US: https://amzn.to/3ym8pm1
CAN: https://amzn.to/2ViojQp
COMMENTS: Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. The First Officer is Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan. The Chief Medical Officer is Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before!
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**"Theatre of Blood"** Blu-ray - Vincent Price @KinoLorber
US: https://amzn.to/2VxNChn
CAN: https://amzn.to/3BJfXkz
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/theatre-of-blood-55724123
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_61/theatre_of_blood_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: For Region 'A'ers that missed the, now out-of-print, 5-year old Twilight Time Blu-ray - this is the edition to get with a new commentary, the inclusion of the older commentary and the handsome packing. Theatre of Blood remains unusual but that is part of its black-comedic appeal. The Kino Blu-ray is at their usual high standards - max'ed out video, lossless audio and a new, valuable, commentary. Vincent Price fans (let's not forget Diana Rigg!) and those who like bizarre cinema this is an easy recommendation!
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**The Thing [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (John Carpenter, 1982) Universal
US: https://amzn.to/3zPfTPc
CAN: https://amzn.to/2VgauSu
COMMENTS: Members of an American scientific research outpost in Antarctica find themselves battling a parasitic alien organism capable of perfectly imitating its victims. They soon discover that this task will be harder than they thought, as they don't know which members of the team have already been assimilated and their paranoia threatens to tear them apart.
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**Roger Corman's "The Tomb of Ligeia"** Blu-ray - Vincent Price @KinoLorber
US: https://amzn.to/3kRhy0L
CAN: https://amzn.to/3DFYlYF
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/roger-cormans-of-55717664
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/the_tomb_of_ligeia_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Roger Corman's The Tomb of Ligeia is debatably the best of his Poe cycle, as discussed by David Del Valle on The Raven commentary. It's about a man's obsession with his deceased wife. This psychologically separates him from his new bride. All set in an atmosphere dripping with Gothic appeal and plenty of outdoor sequences. Certainly re-watchable on many levels. The Kino Blu-ray has comparable a/v to the Arrow, it loses the interviews and isolated score, but adds a gold-standard Tim Lucas commentary along with the previous 2 existing commentaries. It's a great package that Corman, Poe and Vincent Price fans will find desirable. Certainly recommended!
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**The Tough Ones** [Blu-ray] (Umberto Lenzi, 1976) RB UK 88 Films
UK: https://amzn.to/3yyWW3e
COMMENTS: Umberto Lenzi, the legendary director of Cannibal Ferox, kicked off the Italian police film craze with this hyper-kinetic, ultra-violent, brain-blasting action thriller. Maurizio Merli stars as an Italian Dirty Harry, punching and shooting his way through the sleazy drug, sex, and crime infested cesspool of mid-'70s Rome, on the trail of a sadistic, machine gun-toting hunchback, played by Tomas Milian (Brother’s Till We Die). Boasting a state-of-the-art 4K transfer of Lenzi‘s uncensored director’s cut, the new edition of The Tough Ones includes an incredible slate of special features and a “Grindhouse Version” of the US Brutal Justice release.
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**Vertigo [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958) Universal (BEAVER REVIEW)
US: https://amzn.to/2TQMPHM
CAN: https://amzn.to/3h6pLgn
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_127/vertigo_4K_UHD.htm
COMMENTS: Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo is an unequivocal masterpiece and seeing it in 4K UHD seems essential for serious cinephiles. The major theme of obsession unfolds in one of the most visually beautiful films ever made.
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**Walk on the Wild Side** [Blu-ray] (Edward Dmytryk, 1962) Arrow
UK: https://amzn.to/3jBXTD4
COMMENTS: Jane Fonda, Laurence Harvey, Barbara Stanwyck and Capucine give exceptional performances in his lurid drama of love and lust set in Depression era New Orleans. Down-to-earth, good-natured Dove Linkhorn (Laurence Harvey) train hops from Texas to Louisiana with Kitty Twist (Jane Fonda) in search of his lost love Hallie (Capucine), a soft-spoken, sophisticated artist. Once in New Orleans, Dove is devastated to discover that she has been reduced to working in the “Doll House”, a high society bordello run by ruthless madam Jo Courtney (Barbara Stanwyck). But when Dove tries to take Hallie away he finds himself fighting for his life against bordello thugs and the jealous Jo who wants Hallie for herself.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES:

September 20th, 2021

**The Thing 4K UHD** (John Carpenter, 1982) Universal Pictures UK
https://amzn.to/3D8tB2b

**The Thing 4K UHD (Steelbook)** (John Carpenter, 1982) Universal Pictures UK
https://amzn.to/3y1WiK9

**The Window** (Ted Tetzlaff, 1949) Warner Archive
https://amzn.to/2UAn66D
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September 27th, 2021

**The Hunchback of Notre Dame** (Wallace Worsley, 1923) Kino
https://amzn.to/3glDTSI
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews33/hunchback_of_notre_dame.htm
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October 4th, 2021

**The Don Knotts Collection** (The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Reluctant Astronaut, The Shakiest Gun in the West, The Love God?, How to Frame a Figg) Shout! Factory
https://amzn.to/3j5wV6f

Let's Make Love (George Cukor, 1960) RB UK Signal One Entertainment
https://amzn.to/3D3i6sG

This is Francis X. Bushman - Flicker Alley
https://amzn.to/3D9qZkk

A Reflection of Fear (William A. Fraker, 1972) Imprint
https://amzn.to/3z8CWof

Scream, Pretty Peggy (Gordon Hessler, 1973) Kino
https://amzn.to/382qb2y

The Screaming Woman (Jack Smight, 1972) Kino
https://amzn.to/2XLXXav

**Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection 4K UHD** (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man) Universal
https://amzn.to/3kadwjS

The Victim (Herschel Daugherty, 1972) Kino
https://amzn.to/3gotcib
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October 11th, 2021

The Browning Version (1951) / The Browning Version (1994) Imprint
https://amzn.to/3mhRXjX

**The Guns of Navarone 4K UHD** (J. Lee Thompson, 1961) Sony
https://amzn.to/3j4PcjW

**The Hunt for Red October 4K UHD** (John McTiernan, 1990) Paramount UK
https://amzn.to/3z6OND3

**Kolchak: The Night Stalker: The Complete Series** - Kino
https://amzn.to/2W6jsCw

**The Last Sunset** (Robert Aldrich, 1961) Kino
https://amzn.to/3mhRGNX

**Misery 4K UHD** (Rob Reiner, 1990) Kino
https://amzn.to/3z94bii

**Rainer Werner Fassbinder Collection Volume 1** - Love is Colder Than Death (1969) - Katzelmacher (1969) - The Merchant of Four Seasons (1971) - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) - Tenderness of the Wolves (1973) Arrow UK
https://amzn.to/3kbLa8S

**Vera Cruz** (Robert Aldrich, 1954) Kino
https://amzn.to/3z64QBd
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October 18th, 2021

**Come September** (Robert Mulligan, 1961) Kino
https://amzn.to/2WdaSkS

**The Guns of Navarone 4K UHD** (J. Lee Thompson, 1961) Sony UK
https://amzn.to/3mmZvBO

**Roadgames** (Richard Franklin, 1981) RB UK Indicator
https://amzn.to/2XFJOLL
https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/products/roadgames-bd?utm_source=DVDBEAVER&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=ROADGAMES-BD
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_66/road_games_blu-ray.htm

The Sabata Trilogy (Sabata, Adiós Sabata, Return of Sabata) RB UK Eureka
https://amzn.to/3k8ae0m

**The Seventh Seal 4K UHD** (Ingmar Bergman, 1957) RB UK BFI
https://amzn.to/3mqyhdF

**The Silence of the Lambs 4K UHD** (Jonathan Demme, 1991) Kino
https://amzn.to/3B0ZyYd

Yokai Monsters Collection ( 100 Monsters, Spook Warfare, Along with Ghosts) Arrow US
US: https://amzn.to/3mmzwuk
UK: https://amzn.to/2WbTugy
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October 25th, 2021

**Deep Red 4K UHD** (Dario Argento, 1975) Arrow
US: https://amzn.to/3D5y2dZ
UK: https://amzn.to/3mlfWyF

EARLY UNIVERSAL VOL. 2 (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - 1916, The Calgary Stampede - 1925, What Happened to Jones? - 1926) RB UK Eureka
https://amzn.to/3mrO4cp

**Giallo Collection** - The Possessed (1965), The Fifth Cord (1971), The Pyjama Girl Case (1978) - Arrow
US: https://amzn.to/3j7S3J4
UK: https://amzn.to/3B3M5yG

**Hatchet for the Honeymoon** (Mario Bava, 1970) RB UK 88 Films
https://amzn.to/2W5Rve5
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_73/hatchet_for_the_honeymoon_blu-ray.htm

**Invasion of the Body Snatchers** (Don Siegel, 1956) RB UK BFI
https://amzn.to/2WfzoC5
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews24/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_blu-ray.htm

**Short Sharp Shocks Vol.2** (Quiz Crime No.1, Quiz Crime No.2, The Three Children, Escape from Broadmoor, Mingaloo, Jack The Ripper with Screaming – Lord Sutch, The Face of Darkness, The Dumb Waiter, Hangmanand The Mark of Lilith) RB UK BFI
https://amzn.to/3mjyG1p
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November 1st, 2021

**La strada** (Federico Fellini, 1954) Criterion
https://amzn.to/2UCWvpJ
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_77/la_strada_blu-ray.htm

November 8th, 2021

**Pandora and the Flying Dutchman** (Albert Lewin, 1951) RB UK Screenbound Pictures Ltd
https://amzn.to/2XMeTh5
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_129/pandora_and_the_flying_dutchman_blu-ray.htm
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November 15th, 2021

**The Beast Must Die** (Román Viñoly Barreto, 1952) Flicker Alley
https://amzn.to/3mma9cb

**The Bitter Stems** (Los Tallos Amargos) (Fernando Ayala, 1956) Flicker Alley
https://amzn.to/3szcd1D

CINEMATIC VENGEANCE! 8 Kung Fu Classics From Director Joseph Kuo (The 7 Grandmasters, The 36 Deadly Styles, The World of Drunken Master, The Old Master, Shaolin Kung Fu, The Shaolin Kids, 18 Bronzemen,and Return of the 18 Bronzemen) RB UK Eureka
https://amzn.to/2Wehpfx

**Mulholland Dr. 4K UHD** (David Lynch, 2001) Criterion
https://amzn.to/3D6ggHG

**Once Upon a Time in China: The Complete Films** (Once Upon a Time in China, Once Upon a Time in China II, Once Upon a Time in China III and Once Upon a Time in China and America) Criterion
https://amzn.to/3D3uoRP
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November 22nd, 2021

**Citizen Kane 4K UHD** (Orson Welles, 1941) Criterion
https://amzn.to/3j5vg0j

Mae West in Hollywood, 1932-1943 (I'm No Angel, Belle of the Nineties, Go West Young Man, Every Day's a Holiday, Goin' to Town, My Little Chickadee, She Done Him Wrong, Night After Night, Klondike Annie and The Heat's On) RB UK Indicator
https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/mae-west-in-hollywood-1932-1943-le?utm_source=DVDBEAVER&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=MAE-WEST-IN-HOLLYWOOD-LE
https://amzn.to/3sByiMO

**Menace II Society 4K UHD** (Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes, 1993) Criterion
https://amzn.to/3AZWD1R

**Naked** (Mike Leigh, 1993) RB UK BFI
https://amzn.to/381DPTt
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews17/naked_dvd_review.htm
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November 29th, 2011

**Les enfants terribles** (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1950) RB UK BFI
https://amzn.to/2XMbcYL
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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

**Edward L. Cahn's "Zombies of Mora Tau"** Blu-ray - Allison Hayes @ArrowFilmsVideo
US: https://amzn.to/3sWzUkv
UK: https://amzn.to/3kq4ajY
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/edward-l-cahns-55799959
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_159/zombies_of_mora_tau_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Edward L. Cahn's Zombies of Mora Tau is possibly my favorite of Arrow's Cold War Creatures: Four Films from Sam Katzman Blu-ray set. It has the typical modest special effects but makes up for its with extensive zombie extras. It's certainly not Jacques Tourneur's "I Walked With A Zombie" but did evokes memories of that masterful film. Marjorie Eaton as Grandmother Peters also adds another layer of mystery as she channels Maria Ouspenskaya from The Wolf Man. Another short but delightfully imperfect nostalgia gem in the Arrow Blu-ray package. Strongly recommend to fans of these 50's 'B' fantasy, sci-f- and horror genres.
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**Fred F. Sears' "The Werewolf"** (1956) Blu-ray - Don Megowan @ArrowFilmsVideo
US: https://amzn.to/3sWzUkv
UK: https://amzn.to/3kq4ajY
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/fred-f-sears-blu-55795440
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/the_werewolf_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Fred F. Sears' The Werewolf is another spin-off that started with Universal's 1941 The Wolf Man series that includes She-Wolf of London , Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and later - I Was a Teenage Werewolf with Michael Landon, Hammer Studio's The Curse of the Werewolf, Jack Nicholson taking a turn in the 90s with the abbreviated title Wolf and Stephen King's Silver Bullet way back in the 80s plus plenty more. Horror fans love this sub-genre. 1956's The Werewolf takes an atomic turn with our amnesiac wanderer injected with "irradiated wolf serum" by unscrupulous doctors - not the usual infected bite deal-ie. The doctors believe that the serum, when isolated, will allow a select minority - not surprisingly chosen by them - to survive the inevitable nuclear holocaust imminently on the horizon. The Werewolf played on a double bill with Earth vs. the Flying Saucers or in the UK with Creature with the Atom Brain. While it lacks subtleties and subtext - it has the small town (updated Gothic village) location and resident fear and banding together to defeat the sub-human foe - yes with torches too! I love stuff like this and am very happy with the Arrow Blu-ray - so glad they have escalated these four fantasy, sci-fi, horror efforts to the superior resolution with extensive extras, commentaries and booklets. Nostalgia value is through the roof! It's too easy to critique these imperfect gems - just love their innocence and creative retelling while drinking deep from the fountain of Katzman... or not at all.
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**Edward L. Cahn's "Creature with the Atom Brain"** Blu-ray - Richard Denning @ArrowFilmsVideo
US: https://amzn.to/3sWzUkv
UK: https://amzn.to/3kq4ajY
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/edward-l-cahns-55788289
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/creature_with_the_atomic_brain_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Sam Katzman's Creature with the Atom Brain is exactly what I want from this low-budget genre; a compact, economical 'B' effort that encompasses the hokey to the nostalgic; a Nazi scientist creates the walking dead as radio-controlled, atomic-powered, revenge-seeking, zombies? Sold. Granted it's not Val Lewton but there is ample room for this in the 'Rainy Sunday Afternoon Matinee' digital-library shelf. I am excited about the whole Cold War Creatures: Four Films from Sam Katzman Blu-ray set from Arrow. It will either strongly appeal or be dismissed as dreck. I'm in the former camp - give me more!
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**"Theatre of Blood"** Blu-ray - Vincent Price @KinoLorber
US: https://amzn.to/2VxNChn
CAN: https://amzn.to/3BJfXkz
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/theatre-of-blood-55724123
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_61/theatre_of_blood_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: For Region 'A'ers that missed the, now out-of-print, 5-year old Twilight Time Blu-ray - this is the edition to get with a new commentary, the inclusion of the older commentary and the handsome packing. Theatre of Blood remains unusual but that is part of its black-comedic appeal. The Kino Blu-ray is at their usual high standards - max'ed out video, lossless audio and a new, valuable, commentary. Vincent Price fans (let's not forget Diana Rigg!) and those who like bizarre cinema this is an easy recommendation!
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**Roger Corman's "The Tomb of Ligeia"** Blu-ray - Vincent Price @KinoLorber
US: https://amzn.to/3kRhy0L
CAN: https://amzn.to/3DFYlYF
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/roger-cormans-of-55717664
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/the_tomb_of_ligeia_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Roger Corman's The Tomb of Ligeia is debatably the best of his Poe cycle, as discussed by David Del Valle on The Raven commentary. It's about a man's obsession with his deceased wife. This psychologically separates him from his new bride. All set in an atmosphere dripping with Gothic appeal and plenty of outdoor sequences. Certainly re-watchable on many levels. The Kino Blu-ray has comparable a/v to the Arrow, it loses the interviews and isolated score, but adds a gold-standard Tim Lucas commentary along with the previous 2 existing commentaries. It's a great package that Corman, Poe and Vincent Price fans will find desirable. Certainly recommended!
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"Escape from Area 51" Blu-ray - Donna D'Errico
US: https://amzn.to/2WIYmtG
CAN: https://amzn.to/38AAbAl
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/escape-from-area-55690798
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/escape_from_area_51_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Okay, okay, okay... Escape from Area 51 is pure trash - T+A, redneck jokes etc.. But, I suggest that it's better than you might think; better production values, effects, and Donna D'Errico's acting... certainly wasn't horrible. She's okay channeling some Barbarella-esque innocence while mostly kicking ass. BTW, she's 53?!? (Playmate of the Month for September 1995.) I liked the subtlety of showing the flat earth. Yes, there are cute jabs at conspiratards. While I am not defending Escape from Area 51 at all - I will just say that it was less sophomoric than I was anticipating. The Cleopatra Blu-ray allows you to watch the film in the comfort of your home. Fans of Ms. D'Errico may wish to revisit for the outfit she is wearing... or if you are under the influence. That is all.
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**Film Noir "A Life at Stake"** Blu-ray - Angela Lansbury @FilmDetective
US: https://amzn.to/3t8CmEJ
CAN: https://amzn.to/3zJwcgL
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/film-noir-life-55683634
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/a_life_at_stake_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Paul Guilfoyle's "A Life at Stake" is certainly Noir and we applaud Film Detective for rescuing it via their wonderful Blu-ray package. There is some suspicious femme-fatale action, a planned murder, and insurance fraud to wrap the story around. It's actually far superior a 'B' effort than given credit and the commentary is a fabulous addition as is the C. Courtney Joyner piece, and the booklet essay. What's not to love about A Life at Stake? Noir fans shouldn't hesitate.
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**Noriaki Yuasa's "The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch"** Blu-ray - Yachie Matsui @ArrowFilmsVideo
US: https://amzn.to/3zDPILK
UK: https://amzn.to/3yyxwln
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/noriaki-yuasas-55673351
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/the_snake_girl_and_the_silver-haired_witch_blu-ray.htm
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!
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**William Nigh's "I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes"** Blu-ray - Elyse Knox @WarnerArchive
US: https://amzn.to/3mSXfTp
CAN: https://amzn.to/3zFERB0
UK: https://amzn.to/2WD3iRl
BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/william-nighs-i-55646517
OUR REVIEW:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_160/i_wouldnt_be_in_your_shoes_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: William Nigh's I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes is a short, economical, noir with a flashback of a man on death row scheduled for immanent execution. We enter as his current wife does all in her power to prove him innocent including flirtation with the inspector involved in solving it.. I liked it well enough - I am very happy the Warner Archive Blu-ray transfer but a commentary, or the like, would have made me endorse it more enthusiastically. For Noir buffs it is a solid 'B' double-feature starter.
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com