THIS WEEK's RELEASES: SLOW WEEK! Wilder Gold and Scorsese's best in 4K UHD - both reach Brit shores, Alex Cox 4K UHD, Terence Fisher, Denis Villeneuve, Travolta transition, Penny Marshall 4K UHD, Tim Burton 4K UHD, Richard Harris and the whale....
NEW CALENDAR UPDATES (LINKED HERE!) Upcoming, new, 4K UHD's of films by Alfred Hitchcock, William Wyler, Howard Hawks, Roman Polanski, Peter Bogdanovich, Wim Wenders, Ishirō Honda, Guillermo del Toro, Béla Tarr, Alexander Mackendrick, Guy Hamilton, Tinto Brass, plus a Kurt Russell thriller, Austin Powers and Elvira (yes, the 'Mistress of the Dark'.) There are also BDs of films directed by Ray Milland, a Pryor / Wilder trifcta directed by Sidney Poitier, Arthur Hiller etc. Other disc coming; Kinji Fukasaku, a handful of J-Horror in one package, Classic TV Ghosts, another Film Noir Dark Side box, François Truffaut, Laurel & Hardy, František Vláčil, Gordon Hessler, Vernon Sewell (2!), Sidney Gilliat, Martin Ritt, Bert I. Gordon, a doc on Powell & Pressburger... and a Criterion mega-box....
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: Resnais object d’art in 4K UHD, Albert Brooks first gets the Criterion-treatment, Ray Milland apocalypse, orgasmic Carroll Baker giallo, Brit thriller double feature with Pam and Sue in 4K UHD, underrated Claire Denis...
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of September 2nd, 2024 (Recommended titles have "**")

Chains of Gold [Blu-ray] (Rod Holcomb, 1991) Kino
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COMMENTS: Chains of Gold is a hard-hitting story of a teen who has made a big mistake, and the one man willing to risk everything to keep that mistake from being fatal. Social worker Scott Barnes (John Travolta, Pulp Fiction) befriends 13-year-old Tommy Burke (Joey Lawrence, TV's Blossom), who's involved with a crack-dealing gang. He is desperate to quit, but the gang has other ideas...they kill anyone who tries to leave. When the police offer no help, Scott launches a desperate attempt to rescue the boy. With the help of his ex-girlfriend (Marilu Henner, Perfect), he infiltrates the inner circle of the gang, putting his life on the line to get Tommy out.
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**Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity" 4K UHD** - Barbara Stanwyck @Criterion
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COMMENTS: Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity is Noir royalty. The suspense is a slow build with the interplay of two self-serving characters remains an essential and integral part of the cycle. Lust, obsession, greed, femme-fatale enticement and there devastating unconscionable consequences permeate the sly dialogue. It's a masterpiece of dark cinema. The Criterion Blu-ray is wonderful from the dark, textured, rich image to the extensive supplements. This bodes exceptionally well fro the forthcoming 4K UHD. A must-own. Time to celebrate with a Bourbon.
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**The Hound of the Baskervilles** [Blu-ray] (Terence Fisher, 1959) Sandpiper Pictures
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ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Peter Cushing (Horror of Dracula, The Curse of Frankenstein, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope) is a splendid Holmes (Daily Mirror) and "Andre Morell (Ben-Hur, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Message) is the perfect Dr. Watson" (Daily Herald) in this terror-filled mystery classic co-starring horror legend Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones). With its "compelling acting and spooky cinematography" (Video Movie Guide), this "rattling
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**Incendies [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Denis Villeneuve, 2010) 101 Films UK
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BEAVER Blu-ray REVIEW
COMMENTS: 101 Films presents acclaimed drama Incendies (2010), the breakthrough film from director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Dune), released on 4K UHD for the first time. Before he emerged as one of Hollywood’s biggest names, Villeneuve adapted this harrowing story of Canadian twins who travel to an unnamed country in the Middle East with a history of religious conflict. Villeneuve’s powerful and heartbreaking tale is presented here from a new 4K master, supervised and approved by the director himself. A mother’s dying wish creates a painful puzzle her children are forced to solve. At the reading of their mother’s will, twins Jeanne and Simon are given instructions to locate the father they believed was dead and the brother neither knew existed. They travel to the Middle East to piece together the story of the woman who brought them into the world, only to make a shocking discovery.
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**A League of Their Own [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Penny Marshall, 1992) Sony
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COMMENTS: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Madonna star in this major-league comedy from the team that brought you Big. Hanks stars as Jimmy Dugan, a washed-up ballplayer whose big league days are over. Hired to coach in the All-American Girls Baseball League of 1943, while the male pros are at war, Dugan finds himself drawn back into the game by the heart and heroics of his all-girl team. Jon Lovitz adds a scene-stealing cameo as the sarcastic scout who recruits Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis), the baseball dolly with a Babe Ruth swing. Teammates Madonna, Lori Petty and Rosie O'Donnell round out the roster, taking the team to the World Series. Based on the true story of the pioneering women who blazed the trail, on the fields and off, for generations of athletes.
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Naughty Girl [Blu-ray] (Michel Boisrond, 1956) Kino
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COMMENTS: One-of-a-kind screen legend Brigitte Bardot (Contempt) is at her sauciest as the precocious daughter of a Parisian nightclub owner in the colorful and delightful Naughty Girl (1956). The father is accused of forgery and flees the city, entrusting her care to a playboy lounge singer whose life is soon turned upside-down by Bardot’s unforgettable CinemaScope dance routines. Co-written by her husband Roger Vadim (And God Created Woman), Naughty Girl is one of Bardot’s most purely entertaining romantic comedies.
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**Orca: The Killer Whale** [Blu-ray] (Michael Anderson, 1977) RB UK Studiocanal Cult
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COMMENTS: From Academy Award nominated director Michael Anderson (Around The World In Eighty Days) and starring screen legends Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling, ORCA, THE KILLER WHALE is a terrifying tale of man versus beast.Initially on the hunt for a great white shark, the obsessive Captain Nolan (Harris) accidentally kills a pregnant orca. Seeking vengeance, her mate begins to terrorise the nearby fishing village in a rampage of death and destruction. Realising that only he can bring an end to the carnage, Nolan sets out on a deadly quest to face his enemy from the deep…
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**Repo Man [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Alex Cox, 1984) Criterion
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BEAVER Blu-ray REVIEW
COMMENTS: A quintessential cult film of the 1980s, Alex Cox’s singular sci-fi comedy stars the always captivating Harry Dean Stanton as a weathered repo man in a desolate Los Angeles, and Emilio Estevez as the nihilistic middle-class punk he takes under his wing. The job becomes more than either of them bargained for when they get involved in repossessing a mysterious—and otherworldly—Chevy Malibu with a hefty reward attached to it. Featuring the ultimate early-eighties LA punk soundtrack, this grungily hilarious odyssey is also a politically trenchant take on President Reagan’s domestic and foreign policies.
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**Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Tim Burton, 2007) Paramount
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COMMENTS: Johnny Depp and Tim Burton join forces again in the Oscar winning big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical-thriller. Depp stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. He returns to reopen his barber shop, where he becomes legend as “the demon barber of Fleet Street.” The supporting cast includes Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney's amorous accomplice, Alan Rickman as the evil Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall as the Judge's wicked associate Beadle Bamford and Sacha Baron Cohen as the unforgettable Signor Adolfo Pirelli.
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**Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" 4K UHD** - Robert De Niro
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OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Sony's 4K UHD release of Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" has some big pluses and a few negatives. The image has appeared to reach the zenith for the film's digital presentation abilities - I don't think I can ever watch a Blu-ray and DVD after having seen "Taxi Driver" in this format. The 3840 X 2160 transferred textures have a synergy with the film that make the new viewing a special, and addictive, treat. If possible the film is even more hypnotic for cinephiles with the multi-layered contrast and heavy dark influences. With the included Blu-ray there are all supplements that I am aware especially notable the commentaries (but why wouldn't they be ported to the 4K UHD as well?) But nothing new in terms of extras. Never to hear the intense and dream-like Herrmann score in 24-bit, or better, seems unfortunate. The individual packaging is a plus as most will not be fans of every single film in this "Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 2" set. We'll compare Anatomy of a Murder next, and even despite the niggling black marks - the 4K UHD video presentation of this masterpiece is a must-own. Don't hesitate - like Volume One, this set will go out-of-print - eventually being released individually at some point down the road.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES AVAILABLE HERE

https://www.patreon.com/posts/large-calendar-111165746

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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

**Ray Milland's "Panic in Year Zero!"** Blu-ray - Ray Milland / Frankie Avalon @RiminiEditions
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COMMENTS: The Kino has been OOP (out-of-print) for a while and Radiance is coming out with a Region 'B' Blu-ray edition of Ray Milland's Panic in Year Zero! in November 2024, HERE. I seem to have lost my Kino (sufficing with the poor MGM DVD) and took a chance on this, reasonably-priced, French Blu-ray. It's Region FREE and the French subtitles are fully removable (phew!) The 1080P compares well and may even be a slight notch superior to the Kino. Audio takes a further bump with 24-bit lossless - augmenting the score by Les Baxter (The Dunwich Horror, How to Stuff a Wild Bikini, Switchblade Sisters, The Man With the X-Ray Eyes, A Life at Stake, The Comedy of Terrors, Dagmar's Hot Pants Inc., The Beast Within, the US version of Baron Blood, etc.) that emboldens themes including dire circumstance and distrust. Like the Kino, still no English subtitles. A French-only extra along with the Joe Dante piece in previous editions. We've reviewed a few other Rimini Blu-ray editions; Noirs like Somewhere in the Night and Kansas City Confidential - and have not been disappointed. Milland gets to direct and Panic in Year Zero! is early 60's Cold War fear - less-detailed apocalypse, societal breakdown where guns speak the loudest, and survivalism. One of my favorites of the genre from this era along with The Last Man on Earth, Day the World Ended and The Day the Earth Caught Fire. I better go buy some cans of beans...   
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**Alain Resnais' "Last Year in Marienbad" 4K UHD** Delphine Seyrig / Giorgio Albertazzi @KinoLorber
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COMMENTS: "Last Year at Marienbad" is considered one of Alan Resnais' greatest films; certainly daring, aesthetically unique, stylistically elegant, with undeniably memorable ambience - an austere object d’art of cinema. It is also highly interpretive using unnamed characters including lovers who may, or may not, have met before. It has a controlled, assured, vision that doesn't waver - a puzzle, a mystery where ornate geometric patterns (see Kubrick's The Shining) abound in the grounds, the positioning of characters, the strategic game 'Nim'... Are they meant to hypnotize us into severe relaxation letting the dream-like film wash over us like a tropical tide at dusk? Works on me. "Last Year at Marienbad" is inspirational from Peter Greenaway (Drowning By Numbers) to fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld and beyond. Kurosawa cited it as one of his favorite films. Kino's 4K UHD release of Resnais' film is a must own as the improved visual expression attaches another layer of experience to the viewing. Our highest recommendation!
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**Umberto Lenzi's "Orgasmo"** Blu-ray - Carroll Baker / Lou Castel / Colette Descombes @88_Films
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COMMENTS: The first phase of Carroll Baker's remarkable acting cycle included Elia Kazan adaptation of Tennessee Williams Baby Doll, George Stevens' Giant, her husband, Jack Garfein's, controversial independent film Something Wild, a few highly acclaimed westerns; The Big Country, How the West Was Won, Cheyenne Autumn etc. plus films like The Carpetbaggers (initiating her "sex symbol" status) and the panned Harlow. Along with Romolo Guerrieri's The Sweet Body of Deborah - Umberto Lenzi's Orgasmo was pivotal in launching a new 'Italian production' phase to Carroll Baker's career that included Corrado Farina's Baba Yaga, The Fourth Victim, A Quiet Place to Kill (like Orgamso - confusingly also known as "Paranoia".) Some may know that she also played 'Ilsa' in David Fincher's The Game and is still with us today at 93-years of age. Back to Orgasmo, it's premium Giallo; twisted, perverse, dark, sensational, Argento-hinting, and erotic with a ménage à trois evoking Henri-Georges Clouzot's murder-infused Les Diaboliques or Alfonso Cuarón's sexy Y Tu Mamá También. The 88 Films (UK) Blu-ray is utterly complete with both versions, two expert commentaries, interviews, visual essay, booklet and more. Umberto Lenzi's Orgasmo is a must-own for Giallo lovers.
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**Peril & Distress (And Soon the Darkness / Sudden Terror) 4K UHD** - Pamela Franklin / Susan George @KinoLorber
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COMMENTS: And Soon the Darkness would probably be considered the superior of the two films - although I'd say that I appreciate them equally. Darkness was the first movie made under Bryan Forbes at EMI Elstree - formerly known as EMI Films. The second was The Man Who Haunted Himself with Roger Moore. The plot of And Soon the Darkness follows Jane (Pamela Franklin - The Innocents, Hammer's The Nanny) and Cathy (Michele Dotrice - The Witches, The Blood on Satan's Claw, also the the long-suffering wife of Michael Crawford's Frank Spencer on the BBC sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em) are two young nurses from Nottingham who are taking a cycling holiday through rural France. But Cathy has disappeared.... and unsolved rape and murder of a young woman that occurred in the town three years before. I've always found it a well; crafted women-in-peril thriller. Sudden Terror, shot entirely in Malta, has Mark Lester as an imaginative lad who really does see the perpetrator of a political assassination but is confronted with adult disbelief. So there are some similar themes of Cornell Woolrich's short story "The Boy Cried Murder", or the adapted RKO's post-war noir thriller The Window with Barbara Hale (Perry Mason's Della Street), Ruth Roman (Down Three Dark Streets, Tomorrow is Another Day) and Radio, Television and Disney child actor Bobby Driscoll. Actually Sudden Terror was based on a 1966 novel by Mark Hebden involving an assassination attempt on the French president (ala The Day of the Jackal.) Sudden Terror has many interesting cinematographic angles - by DoP David Holmes (another of the many connections to The Avengers TV series.) I thought Lionel Jefferies (The Railway Children, First Men in the Moon) was excellent and I don't suppose I'll ever get over my crush on Susan George. I have the feeling that this is a somewhat neglected and better-than-you-might-think Brit thriller for many. The Kino release represents our first review of a double-feature sharing one 4K UHD disc. I love the idea - especially for TV series as you could add more episodes than Blu-ray can hold. Kino have upgraded both film a/v; 2160P and 24-bit audio. Repeated are the four expert commentaries. An engaging 70's thriller 'double feature' night for those keen - a keeper for me. 
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**Albert Brooks's "Real Life" 4K UHD** / Blu-ray - Albert Brooks / Charles Grodin / Frances Lee McCain @Criterion
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COMMENTS: I was probably expecting too much from Albert Brooks' Real Life unfairly comparing it to later masterworks like Lost in America. Real Life shows the filmmaker's burgeoning satirical / deadpan style and wit - it is both prescient and humorous. I was reminding of Woody's Allen's early films and evolution. It's hard to believe that it came out 45 years ago! In a similar reality-TV vein The Truman Show came out almost 20-years later. Brooks was intentionally hammy and straight-man Charles Grodin (Heaven Can Wait, Midnight Run) is always great. I ended up enjoying it for what it was - satirizing the ruthlessness and insincerity regarding the goal of attracting eyeballs with humanity falling a distant second. His oblivious narcissism and showbiz ringleader persona shows why he was an influence on comedians like Steve Martin and Andy Kaufman. I was pleased with the Criterion Blu-ray and it will remain a keeper with other Brooks' gems like Defending Your Life, Modern Romance and my favorite Lost in America; "The Desert Inn has heart....The Desert Inn has heart....The Desert Inn has heart... I'm getting chills." Recommended to Brooks' fans!
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**Claire Denis' "Bastards"** Blu-ray - Vincent Lindon / Chiara Mastroianni / Julie Bataille @IFCFilms
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COMMENTS: You wouldn't be wrong in categorizing Claire Denis' Bastards as a neo-noir. The title is derived from Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well (French  'Les Salauds Dorment en Paix' as 'Bastards Sleep in Peace'.) DVDBeaver loves Claire Denis' work since the website began 25-years ago. Details on the evolving story of Bastards is paced deliberately with slow, perhaps inconsequential, tracking shots. The characters are dark, the story is darker... but, brilliantly, realized. We have unspeakable crimes and the pointlessness of revenge. I really enjoyed it. The IFC Films Blu-ray has the film in 1080P and surround with an expert commentary, visual essay, booklet and more. Absolutely recommended!
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DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of September 2nd, 2024