THIS WEEK's RELEASES: Lean Summer pick'ins; J. Lee Thompson, Philip Kaufman, Michael Mann 4K UHD steelbook, Terry Zwigoff, Ramata-Toulaye Sy, NEW Hammer, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s Supermarionation...
NEW CALENDAR UPDATES (LINKED HERE!) New coming to 4K UHD; Orson Welles, Alain Resnais, Jean-Pierre Melville (2), Jean-Luc Godard, Bernardo Bertolucci, Andrew Haigh, Todd Solondz, Gregg Araki, Wim Wenders, Sergio Martino, John Mackenzie, Tom Tykwer, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Robert Rodriguez plus, in the UK, Billy Wilder and Michael Curtiz. Take a deep breath.
To Blu-ray: Seijun Suzuki, early works of Michael Powell, Louis Feuillade's complete crime serials, Phil Karlson, Claire Denis, another dozen in ShawScope, Noir triple feature, Akira Kurosawa, Fritz Lang, G.W. Pabst reboot, Mitchell Leisen, Kinji Fukasaku, Marcel Pagnol, Gilles Mimouni, 'Confession' titiliation box, Ramón Peón, Stanley Kramer, 'Adventure' serials boxset, Stuart Rosenberg, Bert I. Gordon trash (X2,) Peter Hyams, Michael Ritchie, Peter Mullan, Robert Benton, J. Lee Thompson (X2,) Elio Petri, Rohmer, Godard, Chabrol, Asian erotic ghost trifecta...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: Cinephile love in Mimouni brilliance with Cassel / Bellucci, early 60's sci-fi creature feature in 4K UHD, two premium Gialli - one in 4K UHD, Cushing 60's Brit sci-fi rewatchable, fictionalized account of the 1898 Tsavo man-eaters in 3D! - less effective Philip Kaufman neo-noir with Ashley, Andy and Samuel L...
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of August 5th, 2024 (Recommended titles have "**")

Banel & Adama [Blu-ray] (Ramata-Toulaye Sy, 2023) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Banel and Adama are fiercely in love. The young couple lives in a remote village in northern Senegal. For them, nothing else exists except each other. But for the rest of their tight-knit village, duty dictates that Adama soon accept the role of chief. The two lovers have other plans… until something in the air changes. The rains do not come; the cattle begin to die; the men leave. A rare debut feature that premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, and Senegal’s official submission to the Academy Awards®, Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Banel & Adama is a lush and lyrical fable that soars to the heights of longing and descends deep into the realm of myth, sending its protagonists’ idyllic love on a collision course with their community’s customs. Because in this world, there is no room for passion, let alone chaos.
___________________________________
**Collateral [4K UHD Blu-ray]** Steelbook (Michael Mann, 2004) Paramount
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Michael Mann’s stylish and compelling noir thriller, COLLATERAL celebrates 20 years with this limited edition 4K Ultra HD Steelbook. Tom Cruise gives a chilling performance as Vincent, a cool, calculating contract killer at the top of his game. Jamie Foxx received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Max, a cabbie with big dreams and little to show for it. The film showcases the actors as Max transports Vincent on his next job – one night, five stops, five hits and a getaway. And after this fateful night, neither man will ever be the same.
___________________________________
**Crumb** [Blu-ray] (Terry Zwigoff, 1994) Criterion UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
Already Out in:
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BEAVER REVIEW http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews51/crumb_blu-ray.htm
COMMENTS: Terry Zwigoff’s landmark 1995 film is an intimate documentary portrait of the underground artist Robert Crumb, whose unique drawing style and provocative subject matter have made him a household name in popular American art. Zwigoff candidly and colorfully delves into the details of Crumb’s incredible career and life, including his family of reclusive eccentrics, some of the most remarkable people you’ll ever see on-screen. At once a profound biographical portrait, a riotous examination of a man’s controversial art, and a devastating look at a troubled family, Crumb is a genuine American original.
___________________________________
Doctor Jekyll [Blu-ray] (Joe Stephenson, 2023) Hammer Films UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Eddie Izzard gives a riveting performance as a reclusive scientist and her murderous alter-ego in Joe Stephenson’s gripping re-imagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s seminal horror story. Co-starring Scott Chambers and Lindsay Duncan, Doctor Jekyll channels the sinister paranoia of Hammer’s classic psycho-thrillers while still remaining compelling, fresh and contemporary. Troubled ex-convict Rob lucks into the position of carer for the infamous Dr Nina Jekyll – a socially-isolated pharma billionaire with a scandalous history and violent mood swings. But Rob is a catspaw in a murderous game being played between two halves of the same mind – and by the time he realises, it may be too late.
___________________________________
Hundreds of Beavers [Blu-ray] (Mike Cheslik, 2022) RB UK Lightbulb Film Distribution
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: In this 19th century, supernatural slapstick winter epic, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.
___________________________________
**No Trees in the Street** [Blu-ray] (J. Lee Thompson, 1959) RB UK Studiocanal
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Sylvia Syms and Herbert Lom star in this hard-hitting drama set in the slums of pre-war London. Directed by Oscar nominee J. Lee-Thompson and adapted by Dixon of Dock Green creator Ted Willis from his own play, No Trees in the Street earned BAFTA nominations for Best British Actress for Syms and Best British Screenplay for Willis. It is presented here in a brand-new restoration from original film elements. Encouraged by his mother, Jess, Tommy opts to earn money the easy way by working for Wilkie, a local racketeer who preys on the families of Kennedy Street; Jess also tries to force daughter Hetty to marry Wilkie. Unable to bear her squalid existence any longer, Hetty tries to leave home...
___________________________________
Nude Tuesday [Blu-ray] (Armağan Ballantyne, 2022) Tribeca
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: In an effort to rekindle the spark in their troubled marriage, Laura and Bruno head to a couples’ retreat run by relationship and sexual healing guru, Bjorg. Plagued by miscommunication, Nude Tuesday is an utterly singular excursion into naturism and self-discovery.
___________________________________
Ship of the Damned [Blu-ray] (Steve Lawson, 2024) Leomark Studios
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: After an abandoned 500 year-old ship appears off the coast of a small town, Historian Elena and the local coast guard go to investigate. They discover it is not abandoned and the ship's cursed crew have horrific plans for the intruders.
___________________________________
**Stingray: The Complete Series** [Blu-ray] RB UK Spirit Entertainment
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Stingray is brimming with childhood nostalgia. Stingray was the first British TV series to be made entirely in color. It was supplanted by Anderson's own Thunderbirds (1965-66). It still has a huge loyal following often considering it the pre-cursor to the animated Toy Story series that has a similar representation of marionettes. Stingray is so inventive using a combination of electronic marionette puppetry and scale model special effects. It's very easy to fall into the pretense and family-based under-water adventure and wholesome fun. "Stand by for action! We're about to launch Stingray! Anything can happen in the next half hour!" Tons of innocent fun when you are fed-up with the world. There is almost 18-hours worth of Stingray!
___________________________________
Philip Kaufman's "Twisted" Blu-ray - Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy García @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Philip Kaufman's Twisted is kind of a poor cousin to Ashley Judd's superior neo-noirs like High Crimes, Kiss the Girls, Heat and Double Jeopardy. Personally, I've always preferred her in Eye of the Beholder and The Passion of Darkly Noon. Twisted received mostly negative reviews so I'm not that bothered by the flawed image transfer and, essentially, no new extras. Philip Kaufman is an excellent director and I've been waiting a long time for his The Unbearable Lightness of Being to come to Blu-ray - please Criterion? This Kino Blu-ray gets a pass. Weak film and image.
___________________________________

LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES AVAILABLE HERE

https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-calendar-107525815

____________________________________
REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

Philip Kaufman's "Twisted" Blu-ray - Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy García @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Philip Kaufman's Twisted is kind of a poor cousin to Ashley Judd's superior neo-noirs like High Crimes, Kiss the Girls, Heat and Double Jeopardy. Personally, I've always preferred her in Eye of the Beholder and The Passion of Darkly Noon. Twisted received mostly negative reviews so I'm not that bothered by the flawed image transfer and, essentially, no new extras. Philip Kaufman is an excellent director and I've been waiting a long time for his The Unbearable Lightness of Being to come to Blu-ray - please Criterion? This Kino Blu-ray gets a pass. Weak film and image.
____________________________________
**Gilles Mimouni's "L'appartement"** Blu-ray - Vincent Cassel / Monica Bellucci @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Gilles Mimouni's L'appartement was such a brilliant surprise back in the day and I loved revisiting it on superior Blu-ray this many years later. There are themes of obsession, unrequited love, fate, ambiguity with emotional attachments and detachments. It is amazingly realized by the writer/director who was executive producer for L'appartement's U.S. remake; 2004's Wicker Park with Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, and Diane Kruger. It's incredible that this was Gilles Mimouni's debut and his only theatrical feature. It has Vincent Cassel (La Haine, Irreversible) as Max and the three girls from his 'past, present and future'; Romane Bohringer (named after director Roman Polanski) as Alice, Monica Bellucci (Malena, Bram Stoker's Dracula) as Lisa and Sandrine Kiberlain (Mademoiselle Chambon) as Muriel. It was beautifully designed with flashbacks and stylized scenes inspired by Billy Wilder, Ernst Lubitsch and, of course, Alfred Hitchcock. L'appartement is an exceptional film that we strongly recommend. The Kino Blu-ray is easily the best to own with the wonderful Adrian Martin commentary. Don't miss this one.
____________________________________
**Terence Fisher's "Island of Terror"** Blu-ray - Peter Cushing / Edward Judd / Carole Gray @88_Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Terence Fisher's Island of Terror evokes 1963's Day of the Triffids (if ever a title screamed out for a Blu-ray release...) We tend to pair Island of Terror with Planet Film's other comparable Brit-sci-fi effort Night of the Big Heat. Here we get an effective bone-sucking creature (a 'silicate') not dissimilar to a Galapagos giant tortoise with a snaky tentacle. It evolved from the potentially discovered cure for Cancer. Island of Terror has intrepid Peter Cushing (The Brides of Dracula,) bossy Edward Judd (The Day the Earth Caught Fire) and distractive Carole Gray (Curse of the Fly.) It's just one of those imperfect genre films that I enjoy rewatching. The 88 Films Blu-ray has the new vibrant appearance, edifying commentary and very cool cover art. A keeper for me.
____________________________________
Arch Oboler's "Bwana Devil (3-D)" Blu-ray Robert Stack / Nigel Bruce @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Arch Oboler's Bwana Devil is credited with initiating the 3D film craze in the motion picture industry. Sidney W. Pink (Reptilicus) produced the film with Oboler. Bwana Devil is a fictionalized account of the 1898 Tsavo man-eaters that killed 135 people. They were two male lions that attacked and often devoured workers in and around Tsavo, Kenya during the building of a bridge over the river Tsavo for the Uganda-Mombasa Railway in East Africa. This was also the subject of 1948's Man-Eater of Kumaon and 1996's The Ghost and the Darkness with Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer - a very entertaining adaptation of the historical event. There was also a 2007's modern reference of lion attacks; Prey that does not involve the Tsavo setting. Here Robert Stack and Nigel Bruce play the pair dealing the lions. It was shot in the San Fernando Valley. The Paramount Ranch was to represent an African savanna. Bwana Devil has Lloyd Nolan in a 5-minute, black and white, explanatory prologue for the film. Adopting fans will appreciate the cool 3D scenes and the 2D is included. The Kino Blu-ray shows the film in 1080P with the 3D option (anaglyphic or 3D capable TV.) Bwana Devil has a fascinating story of production and remains a highly curious novelty. A fairly adventurous film and to those interested this is recommended.
____________________________________
**Lucio Fulci's "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin"** Blu-ray - Florinda Bolkan / Stanley Baker @UmbrellaEnt
US PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Umbrella have transferred Lucio Fulci's "A Lizard In A Woman's Skin" to Blu-ray. This is the Collector's Edition available on their website (but is the same transfer as the Standard Blu-ray available from Amazon.)  Fulci's most stylish film wins in every area with this 2024 1080P that improves over the 2016 Mondo Macabro in the dual-layered transfer with a higher bitrate, 24-bit audio for the Giallo-esque score by the great Ennio Morricone (A Bullet for the General, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, U Turn, Stay As You Are etc. etc.) and it runs perfectly beside the film sounding atmospheric in the lossless. This Aussie release has both the English and Italian tracks, English subtitles and the Blu-ray is coded Region FREE. Umbrella add a new feature-length audio commentary with Howard S. Berger and Troy Howarth author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films. They provide great insights into Fulci's rather complex film. I could listen to this pairing all day. Also new from Umbrella is a video essay, Lucio In A Woman’s Skin, by 'The Flying Maciste Brothers' running over 20-minutes. Berger isn't done as he contributes, with Francesco Massaccesi (writer The Transparent Woman,) a visual essay, running over 35-minutes, entitled One, No One and One Hundred Fulcis. More new extras include Kim Newman giving us a dozen minutes on the Welsh actor Stanley Baker who was active for 4 decades. Shedding The Skin is a 1/2 hour documentary by Kit Gavin - featuring interviews with Florinda Bolkan, Franco Di Girolamo, Mike Kennedy, Carlo Rambaldi and Jean Sorel - that was originally on the Shriek Show 2005 DVD. When World's Collide has 1/2 hour of Stephen Thrower, author of Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci, on A Lizard In A Woman's Skin that was on Mondo Macabro's 2016 Blu-ray - as was the 12-minute From Burton To Baker interview with actor Tony Adams. Umbrella add a new Lucio Fulci trailer reel that runs forever as well as include alternate Italian opening credits and trailers. The 'Collector's Edition' has a 48 page book featuring essays from Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (The Giallo Canvas: Art, Excess and Horror Cinema) and Kris Gavin, behind-the-scenes, experiences and art, an original poster art rigid slipcase, 8 artcards and an A3 reversible poster. It seems that this Umbrella Blu-ray of Lucio Fulci's "A Woman in a Lizard's Skin" is the most complete package to date with expert commentary plus new visual essays and older extras as well as the best a/v presentation. This is a must-own for serious Giallo fans.
____________________________________
**Giuliano Carnimeo's "The Case of the Bloody Iris" 4K UHD** - Edwige Fenech / George Hilton @CelluloidDrms
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Celluloid Dreams's 4K UHD release of Giuliano Carnimeo's "The Case of the Bloody Iris" should be very desirable for Giallo fans. Edwige Fenech is at her usual hypnotic best as the 'damsel in distress' and George Hilton as the stoic, but vulnerable (hemophobia) savior. Michael R. Hudson did a novelization of "The Case of the Bloody Iris" in 2015, HERE. Giuliano Carnimeo directed many of the Sartana pasta westerns including the colorfully titled I am Sartana, Your Angel of Death, Sartana's Here... Trade Your Pistol for a Coffin, Have a Good Funeral, My Friend... Sartana Will Pay and Light the Fuse... Sartana Is Coming. Ernesto Gastaldi wrote the screenplay for The Case of the Bloody Iris and many genre favorites; Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory, The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, The Whip and the Body, The Long Hair of Death, The Sweet Body of Deborah, All the Colors of the Dark, Torso etc. "The Case of the Bloody Iris" has sexy women, some of who are prostitutes - some of whom are stabbed... to death. One of a handful of pure Giallo gems. The Celluloid Dreams 4K UHD is strongly recommended - brilliant a/v, new commentary, interviews and more.
____________________________________
**Sidney W. Pink's 1961 "Reptilicus" 4K UHD** - Ann Smyrner / Mimi Heinrich @VinegarSyndrome
US PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Vinegar Syndrome's 4K UHD release of Sidney W. Pink's "Reptilicus" is immediately reminiscent of Gorgo - also released in 4K UHD by Vinegar Syndrome - see our review HERE. Reptilicus is known as Denmark's only giant monster film and was really geared towards kids. So there is a definitely a huge nostalgia component. The creature effects are weak... but plentiful. Reptilicus is a gargantuan prehistoric beast wreaking monstrous havoc on civilization - targeted to be 'put down' by an aggressive military man with blinders on. There was a novelization by Dean Owen, HERE, as well as comic books. Vinegar Syndrome's 4K UHD is such a large bump in image quality it actually improved my viewing experience from the 'take it or leave it' zone to being a keeper on my 50's and 60's sci-fi shelf. It has a good commentary and I value the Danish version with a cleaner image. It's a different film - made simultaneously, Danish director Poul Bang shooting on alternate days with an almost identical cast. So, if you want Reptilicus in the best home theater quality - this is absolutely it. Vinegar Syndrome do it right again.
____________________________________

DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of August 5th, 2024