THIS WEEK's RELEASES: Orson Welles 4K UHD, Coppola 4K UHD lands in US, vintage Tom Cruise 4K UHD, Wim Wenders, Giant Leeches De Palma 4K UHD, John Gilling X 3, George A. Romero 4K UHD, Forbidden Fruit, Daniel Haller, Chang-hwa Jeong, Kaige Chen in 4K UHD, Patrice Leconte magic, Arquette / Bowie, Kinji Fukasaku, Barbet Schroeder, Michael Carreras, J. Lee Thompson...
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: Hackman surveillance in 4K UHD, never trust girls on bridges with big eyes, Wenders wonderment, Cocaine fiends from the 30s, linguini with Bowie and Rosanna Arquette, action-revenge-martial-arts fare from master Chang-hwa Jeon...
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of July 22nd, 2024 (Recommended titles have "**")

**Wim Wenders' "Anselm"** Blu-ray - Anselm Kiefer @janusfilms @Criterion
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BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Wim Wenders' Anselm is unusual, if compared to most documentarians, although the Wenders also did "Pina," about choreographer Pina Bausch, in 3D. There are portrayals of the younger German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer - played, by his son Daniel Kiefer, and as a lad by Anton Wenders, Wim's great-nephew. His art incorporates raw materials like straw, ash, clay, lead, shellac and has themes of 20th century German history and the horrors of the Holocaust while touching on Jewish mysticism. The documentary brilliantly fuses Anselm Kiefer's art with Wim Wenders cinematic expression seen most recently in Perfect Days. The Janus Contemporaries Blu-ray is another worthy entry in their series with a 3-D option for those keen on that format. Recommended!
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Attack of the Giant Leeches / Night of the Blood Beast [Blu-ray] - Gemini Entertainment
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BONUS CAPTURES
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: It's a nightmare of creeping, crawling horror from the depths of outer space and the murk of the swamp in these two drive-in cult classics from Roger Corman, the legendary producer-director who revolutionized independent Hollywood filmmaking. Not to be outdone in the gross factor is 1958's Night of the Blood Beast. When a rocket carrying astronaut John Corcoran crash lands in a remote wilderness, a small team of scientists rush to the scene, only to find Corcoran dead. Yet his corpse is covered with strange marks and refuses to decompose. Cut off from help, the team soon makes a horrific discovery: not only is Corcoran still alive, but his body is being used as a breeding ground by a horrifying extraterrestrial monster!
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A Bittersweet Life [4K UHD Blu-ray] (Kim Jee-woon, 2005) Second Sight Films UK
UK 4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
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COMMENTS: A loyal gangster falls foul of his gang when he’s assigned to keep watch over the young mistress of his crime boss. Things take a violent and bloody turn when he is unable to carry out an order to dispatch the girlfriend and her new lover.
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**Blow Out [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Brian De Palma, 1981) Criterion UK
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BONUS CAPTURES
BEAVER REVIEW
Already out in
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COMMENTS: In the enthralling Blow Out, brilliantly crafted by Brian De Palma, John Travolta gives one of his greatest performances, as a film sound-effects man who believes he has accidentally recorded a political assassination. To uncover the truth, he enlists the help of a possible eyewitness to the crime (Nancy Allen), who may be in danger herself. With its jolting stylistic flourishes, intricate plot, profoundly felt characterizations, and gritty evocation of early-1980s Philadelphia, Blow Out is an American paranoia thriller unlike any other, as well as a devilish reflection on moviemaking.
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The Brigand of Kandahar [Blu-ray] (John Gilling, 1965) RB UK Indicator
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BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Ronald Lewis (The Full Treatment), Oliver Reed (The Triple Echo), Duncan Lamont (The Scarlet Blade), and Yvonne Romain (Captain Clegg) star in Hammer’s The Brigand of Kandahar, a tale of derring-do set on the north-west frontier of the British Raj. Lieutenant Case (Lewis) is a mixed-race officer imprisoned for cowardice following a racially charged court-martial. Bitter and humiliated, Case escapes and joins forces with bandit leader Khan (Reed) in order to enact vengeance upon racist British commanding officer Colonel Drewe (Lamond), but risks Khan's deadly wrath when he falls for Khan’s sister (Romain). Directed by John Gilling (The Scarlet Blade), The Brigand of Kandahar is a rip-roaring classic of action and adventure.
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Bruiser [4K UHD Blu-ray] (George A. Romero, 2000) Indicator UK
UK 4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
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COMMENTS: Horror legend George A Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead) directs Jason Flemyng (Snatch, Pennyworth), Peter Stormare (Fargo), and Leslie Hope (24) in the devastating and deranged Bruiser. Unhappy with both his homelife and his career, Henry (Flemyng) is plagued by violent fantasies. When he wakes up to find his face replaced by a featureless mask, he sets about exacting violent punishment on those who have wronged him. Featuring music by celebrated composer Donald Rubinstein (Martin, Knightriders), and including an appearance by legendary punk band the Misfits, Bruiser was hailed by critics and fans alike as a triumphant return to independent filmmaking for Romero.
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Bullet to Beijing [Blu-ray] (George Mihalka, 1995) RB UK Final Cut Entertainment
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: The Ipcress Fileʼs Harry Palmer is back...and the Cold War is heating up again! The Cold War is over and illustrious British agent Harry Palmer finds himself surplus to requirements and no longer in Her Majesties Secret Service. On his arrival in ʻnewʼ Russia heʼs promptly approached by a Russian tycoon, Alex (Gambon). In St. Petersburg Alex tells Harry of his plan for Russiaʼs future, which is threatened because a deadly biochemical weapon called the Red Death has been stolen from him. Heʼll pay Harry and his young accomplice Nick (Connery) handsomely to retrieve it before it falls in the hands of North Korea. An ex-spy friend tips Harry off that itʼs being sent to Beijing by train, aboard which we begin to learn whose side everyoneʼs really on.
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Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Picture Vol. 16 Blu-ray @KinoLorber
The Cocaine Fiends (1935) - Lois January / The Pace That Kills (1928) - Thelma Daniels
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OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: The Kino Blu-ray, #16, follows their Forbidden Fruit series with two similar exploitation genre film versions. The Pace That Kills was directed by Norton S. Parker and William O'Connor and the 1935 film directed solely by O'Connor (Playthings of Hollywood.)  They involve a drug dealer foisting "headache powder" and turning innocents into opium/cocaine addicts. This series is always filled with fascinating time capsule features utilizing the disguise of being 'a cautionary tale'. Aside from drugs there are themes involving morality with prostitution and mobster activity as sub-plots. The cinematographer on the silent version was Hungarian-American Ernest Laszlo (Logan's Run, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Judgment at Nuremberg, Inherit the Wind) known for his frequent collaborations with directors Robert Aldrich and Stanley Kramer. The Silent version, The Pace That Kills, was released and distributed via "State Rights", where local sales agents would then sell rights to individual theaters. The theater operators were then encouraged to play the film often in an attempt to increase profit. The Kino Blu-ray is recommended to fans of the rest of this unusual and historically relevant genre like, a favorite, She Should Have Said No. Enjoy!
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**The Conversation [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974) Studiocanal
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OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 seminal neo-noir thriller THE CONVERSATION symbolises the uneasy line between technology and privacy – a topic more relevant than ever today. Nominated for 3 Academy Awards® and winner of the prestigious 1974 Cannes Film Festival Palme D’or THE CONVERSATION is a tense, paranoid thriller, regarded as one of Coppola’s greatest films. Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is an expert surveillance expert in San Francisco. His routine wiretapping job turns into a nightmare when he hears something disturbing in his recording of a couple; he may have captured something a lot more important than adulterous goings-on. His investigation of the tape and how it might be used sends Harry spiralling into a web of secrecy, murder and paranoia. THE CONVERSATION is a harrowing psychological thriller that co-stars Cindy Williams, Frederic Forrest and Harrison Ford.
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Crippled Masters [Blu-ray] (Chi Lo, 1979) Film Masters
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COMMENTS: The plot revolves around two men, one who has lost both arms and the other who has lost both legs, as they seek revenge against the villainous master who crippled them. Throughout the film, they undergo rigorous training, mastering their unique fighting styles. As both men hone their skills, they encounter various challenges and adversaries, including other martial artists and the master's henchmen. Along the way, they form a deep bond and develop innovative techniques that capitalize on their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses.
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**Die, Monster, Die!** [Blu-ray] (Daniel Haller, 1965) RB UK BFI
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ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: When American student Stephen Reinhart (Nick Adams) arrives in the English village of Arkham to visit his fiancé Susan Witley (Suzan Farmer), he has no idea of the horrors awaiting within. Invited by Susan's mysteriously ill mother (Freda Jackson), Stephen is greeted acrimoniously by Susan’s father, Nahum (Boris Karloff), who makes it clear this visit is an unwelcome intrusion to the ornately furnished halls of the Witley estate, for Nahum is hiding a dangerous secret. A meteorite has crash landed in the gardens, scorching the earth and emitting a mutating radiation that has transformed the greenhouse plants to pulsating giants, with horrifying and sickening side effects to the residents. Based on H.P Lovecraft's story 'The Colour Out of Space', Die, Monster, Die! is a British horror contaminated with mystery, shock and gore.
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Chang-hwa Jeong's "The Double Crossers" Blu-ray - Fun-Ti Ai / Michael Wai-Man Chan @Eurekavideo
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OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Chang-hwa Jeong's The Double Crossers is a bit of standard drama with action-revenge-martial-arts fare (certainly not a ton of one-on-one) and buddy-cop leanings but it has pleasing nostalgia with the decor, clothing, score and film's style are quintessential for the 70's genre. Nice to see the exotic locations of Hong Kong, Singapore and Bali, Indonesia. I wouldn't say that The Double Crossers is top-shelf but it is quite appealing especially for those immersed in the milieu. There are ruthless villains, a moll, and nobility in the revenge. It is very obscure and hasn't been seen much since its limited theatrical run and is ripe for re-discovery. The South Korean director Chang-hwa Jeong also did King Boxer and I enjoyed the film's cool, unpretentious, styling. Eureka have produced another complete Blu-ray package - two versions, two commentaries, excellent artwork, limited edition O-Card slipcase, poster and a booklet. An excellent release.
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**Farewell My Concubine [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Kaige Chen, 1993) Criterion
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ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: A breathtakingly intimate romance unfolds against a sweeping backdrop of social upheaval in renowned director Chen Kaige’s sumptuous saga of passion, fate, and the transcendent possibilities of art. Spanning fifty years of twentieth-century Chinese history, Farewell My Concubine follows aspiring actors Cheng Dieyi (a heartbreaking Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) as they emerge from a childhood of brutal training to become Beijing-opera stars, with life mirroring art as Dieyi’s unrequited love for Xiaolou and the country’s changing political tides engulf them in their own personal tragedies of jealousy and betrayal. The first Chinese film to win the Palme d’Or is epic filmmaking of the highest order—visually and emotionally ravishing from frame to exquisite frame.
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**Patrice Leconte's "The Girl on the Bridge"** Blu-ray Daniel Auteuil / Vanessa Paradis @KinoLorber
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COMMENTS: Patrice Leconte's The Girl on the Bridge has two wonderfully eclectic characters connecting in... a unique circumstance. Gabor (Daniel Auteuil) a performance knife thrower and Adèle (Vanessa Paradis) the girl he saves from a suicide attempt. They share a unspoken telepathic bond and another link directly with strokes of fortune "Luck is made".) Neither seems to realize or appreciate it as they go on adventures in his Fellini-esque performance art. He makes her his 'target girl'. What a fun, adventurous romance. Some may notice the French mega-star singer Mylène Farmer cameo'd in a hallway and beside the stage. Auteuil is great in everything (Un Coeur en Hiver, 36 Quai des Orfèvres, The Well Digger's Daughter, Caché.) Paradis (unrelated link to Knife + Heart) evokes silent era film stars with her large expressive eyes and body language. Leconte's The Girl on the Bridge has is another of the director's escapist fantasies and I loved every minute of it. It is my favorite of his films. The Kino Blu-ray a/v is top-shelf and has an edifying commentary, plus a short by the director. Strongly recommended!
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**The Lady from Shanghai [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Orson Welles, 1947) Kino
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BEAVER Blu-ray REVIEW
COMMENTS: Murders, plot twists, and remarkable camerawork all contribute to this spellbinding, time-honored film noir written, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. Hired to work on a yacht owned by the husband of femme fatale Elsa Bannister (Rita Hayworth), Michael O'Hara (Welles) is an innocent man drawn into a dangerous web of intrigue. THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI is now considered vintage Welles, with his famous hall-of-mirrors climax hailed as one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history.
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Richard Shepard's "The Linguini Incident" Blu-ray - Rosanna Arquette / David Bowie @mvdentgroup
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OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Richard Shepard's The Linguini Incident is unapologetically quirky with photogenic Arquette leading your eyes as a Houdini-esque wannabe escape artist and appealing Bowie holding his own with the classy glitz decor as the ultra-elegant, green-card-seeking, bartender. GQ-suited restaurateurs André Gregory and Buck Henry (Dante and Cecil) add a few smiles as does unaffected Eszter Balint as 'bestie' Vivian. 'Hit and miss' dialogue was a shade more on the 'miss' end of the spectrum. Chemistry was not as smoldering as hoped. Rosanna Arquette was the selling point and she's always enjoyable with a few distant echoes of After Hours ("Marcy Marcy Marcy!") I'd never seen The Linguini Incident before but I am glad I did. It's probably more suited to fans of the leads. Keep your eyes peeled for, future wife, Iman in the crowd. Kudos to MVD Marquee for the stacked Blu-ray. Double commentaries with director participation, a feature-length 'making of', the theatrical version (in SD) and more. There's some nostalgia here, for sure, if not quite achieving 'chic' status. To each his own.
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The Men in Black [Blu-ray] (Montague Wobblecock, 2024) Bounty Films
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COMMENTS: Unveil the mysterious world of the Men in Black in this gripping documentary. Delve into the shadowy organization's origins, covert operations, and encounters with extraterrestrial phenomena. Witness the enigmatic agents, their elusive history, and the enduring legends that surround them. Discover the truth behind the dark suits and sunglasses in 'The Men in Black'.
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Message from Space [Blu-ray] (Kinji Fukasaku, 1978) RB UK Eureka
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COMMENTS: Somewhere in a far-flung galaxy lies the planet of Jillucia. Once a peaceful utopia, it has now fallen under the control of the Gavanas Empire, a warlike race ruled by the ruthless Emperor Rockseia (Mikio Narita). Desperate for help, the leader of the Jillucian people (Junkichi Orimoto) launches eight Liabe seeds into space – glowing orbs that, according to legend, will each summon a powerful warrior to the planet’s aid. The seeds are followed into the void by Princess Emeralida (Shihomi) and loyal Jillucian soldier Urocco (Makoto Satō), who attempt to find the prophesied protectors of their home world: ex-military commander General Garuda (Morrow) and his robot companion Beba-2 (Isamu Shimizu), thrill-seekers Shiro (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Aaron (Philip Casnoff), gambler Jack (Masazumi Okabe), aristocrat Meia (Peggy Lee Brennan) and swordsman Hans (Chiba), who has a deeply personal score to settle with the Gavanas Empire.
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**The Pirates of Blood River** [Blu-ray] (John Gilling, 1962) Indicator UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Kerwin Mathews (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad), Glenn Corbett (The Crimson Kimono), and Christopher Lee (The Face of Fu Manchu) star in Hammer’s adventure classic, The Pirates of Blood River. Imprisoned in a penal colony, Jonathan Standing (Mathews) is kidnapped by pirates, led by Captain LaRoche (Lee), and forced to take them to his village in order to retrieve the priceless treasure they believe to be buried there. Directed by John Gilling (The Shadow of the Cat), written by Jimmy Sangster (Taste of Fear), and featuring early performances from Oliver Reed (The Triple Echo) and Dennis Waterman (The Sweeney), The Pirates of Blood River is a thrilling swashbuckling action film.
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The Practice [Blu-ray] (Martín Rejtman, 2023) Gravitas Ventures
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COMMENTS: Dealing with a series of increasingly absurd situations and relationships, recently separated yoga instructors Gustavo and Vanesa are finding it difficult to live apart. Step by step, they find their way back to the practice.
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El rebozo de Soledad aka Soledad's Shawl [Blu-ray] (Roberto Gavaldón, 1952) VCI Entertainment
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COMMENTS: Though a successful and highly respected physician in his humble rural community, Dr. Alberto Robles, still battles with anguish over not fulfilling any of the personal dreams he'd had before medical school and beginning his practice. Also, his idealistic and enterprising attitudes concerning medicine earned him some enemies. Along with this, there is a long going battle with local Chief, David Acosta, over unfair dealings with landowners. When a peasant woman named Soledad goes to him seeking help for her brother, Dr. Robles, is hesitant at first but relents and ends up saving the boy. At some point, Dr. Robles falls in love with Soledad, who out of gratitude has offered to help in his office. Ultimately, the ongoing battle, riddled with all the tensions, prejudices, and the feuds over land in the impoverished rural community, leads to tragedy.
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**Risky Business [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Paul Brickman, 1983) Criterion
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BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Criterion's 4K UHD release of Paul Brickman's "Risky Business" is highly anticipated with a healthy does of nostalgia for its many fans. Sean Penn (who has a cameo somewhere in Risky Business), Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon, John Cusack and Tom Hanks auditioned for the role of Joel Goodsen that was eventually given to Cruise who stated in the extras "I was just trying not to get fired". Michelle Pfeiffer was offered De Mornay's 'Lana' (her breakthrough role), but turned it down. So we have Cruise as a 'straight arrow' from the upper-economic strata primed for the Ivy League. He is smart enough to realize that he is short on experience - and could do with a does of 'letting loose' when provided the opportunity. 'Lady of the evening' Lana tells him 'Oh, Joel, go to school, go learn something' and he gets his initiation into business street-smarts... and sex. "Risky Business" is buoyed by effective dialogue, memorable Tangerine Dream score, Cruise's breakout role (with "Old Time Rock and Roll" miming) and De Mornay's hypnotic camera appeal.... plus the intimate train sojourn. Criterion's 4K UHD release is a good one and should definitely be a keeper. Absolutely recommended!
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The Scarlet Blade [Blu-ray] (John Gilling, 1963) Indicator UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Lionel Jeffries (First Men in the Moon), Oliver Reed (The Damned), Jack Hedley (The Secret of Blood Island), and June Thorburn (The Three Worlds of Gulliver) star in Hammer’s The Scarlet Blade. During the English Civil War, Roundhead leader Colonel Judd (Jeffries) kidnaps King Charles I, aided by his sadistic second-in-command, Captain Sylvester (Reed). The task of rescuing the King falls to the secretive Scarlet Blade (Hedley), aided by Judd’s daughter, Claire (Thorburn). Directed by John Gilling (The Pirates of Blood River), The Scarlet Blade is an action-packed period drama.
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**Single White Female** [Blu-ray] (Barbet Schroeder, 1992) RB UK Indicator
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COMMENTS: Bridget Fonda (Jackie Brown, A Simple Plan) and Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hitcher, The Hateful Eight) star in Barbet Schroeder’s (Reversal of Fortune, Mad Men) erotic psychological thriller Single White Female. When Allie (Fonda) breaks off her engagement, she is delighted to find a supportive new roommate in Hedy (Leigh). But when Hedy's behaviour becomes increasingly obsessive, and a series of violent events begin to occur, Allie fears that Hedy is not all she claims to be. Beautifully photographed by Luciano Tovoli (The Passenger, Suspiria), and with a powerful score by Howard Shore (The Silence of the Lambs, Videodrome), Single White Female is one of the most stylish suspense thrillers of the nineties.
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**Untouched** [Blu-ray] (Roberto Gavaldón, 1954) Indicator US
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Ricardo Montalbán (Sweet Charity,Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), Ariadne Welter (The Panther Women), and Jorge Martínez de Hoyos (The Magnificent Seven) star in Untouched (Sombra verde), a strange and exotic romantic adventure set at the edge of civilisation. Scientist Federico (Montalbán) is tasked with taking a journey into the jungle to search for a rare medicinal root. When he becomes desperately lost, he is rescued by a farmer, and soon begins a torrid affair with the farmer's beautiful daughter, Yáscara (Welter).
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The Virgin Soldiers [Blu-ray] (John Dexter, 1969) RB UK Indicator
UK PURCHASE LINK
BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Set in Singapore in the early 1950s, this impressive adaptation of Leslie Thomas’ best-selling, scandalous novel centres on a group of naïve, young British Army recruits billeted to Malaya who have no experience of either love or war. Both affectionate and affecting in its look at young men in wartime, the film has a wonderful cast which includes Lynn Redgrave (Georgy Girl, The National Health), Hywel Bennett (The Family Way, Twisted Nerve) and Nigel Davenport (The Third Secret, The Mind of Mr. Soames), along with early appearances from Christopher Timothy, Wayne Sleep, James Cosmo – and a young David Bowie. Genuine and heartfelt, The Virgin Soldiers is an insightful and hugely underrated British comic drama.
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Visa to Canton [Blu-ray] (Michael Carreras, 1960) Indicator UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Richard Basehart (La Strada), Athene Seyler (Night of the Demon), and Lisa Gastoni (Eve) star in Visa to Canton (aka Passport to China), a classic spy film from Hammer. Don (Basehart) is a former pilot, now running a Hong Kong travel agency, who is reluctantly recruited to find a missing pilot. Travelling to the Chinese mainland, he becomes entangled with agent Sanchez (Gastoni), sparking a deadly pursuit. Directed by Hammer mainstay Michael Carreras (Maniac), written by Gordon Wellesley (Night Train to Munich), and with acting support from Eric Pohlmann (From Russia with Love), Bernard Cribbins (Carry On Spying), and Burt Kwouk (The Brides of Fu Manchu), Visa to Canton is a sizzling slice of Cold War espionage action.
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**The Weak and the Wicked** [Blu-ray] (J. Lee Thompson, 1954) RB UK Studiocanal
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Glynis Johns, Diana Dors and Sybil Thorndike star in this powerful, sympathetic drama tracing the contrasting lives and often faltering progress of the inmates of a women's prison. Based on the best-selling semi-autobiographical novel by Joan Henry a writer and former debutante who further drew upon her own prison experience for the novel and classic film Yield to the Night The Weak and the Wicked is directed by Henry's future husband, Oscar-nominated J. Lee-Thompson. Jean Raymond, an upper-class woman with a gambling addiction, is given a twelve-month prison sentence resulting from her inability to pay her debts. At first she is overwhelmingly depressed by life in the women's prison; gradually, however, her misery is relieved by the many close friends she makes there.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES AVAILABLE HERE

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

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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

 

**Risky Business [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Paul Brickman, 1983) Criterion
US 4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN 4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
UK 4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
US BLU-RAY PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN BLU-RAY PURCHASE LINK
UK BLU-RAY PURCHASE LINK

BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Criterion's 4K UHD release of Paul Brickman's "Risky Business" is highly anticipated with a healthy does of nostalgia for its many fans. Sean Penn (who has a cameo somewhere in Risky Business), Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon, John Cusack and Tom Hanks auditioned for the role of Joel Goodsen that was eventually given to Cruise who stated in the extras "I was just trying not to get fired". Michelle Pfeiffer was offered De Mornay's 'Lana' (her breakthrough role), but turned it down. So we have Cruise as a 'straight arrow' from the upper-economic strata primed for the Ivy League. He is smart enough to realize that he is short on experience - and could do with a does of 'letting loose' when provided the opportunity. 'Lady of the evening' Lana tells him 'Oh, Joel, go to school, go learn something' and he gets his initiation into business street-smarts... and sex. "Risky Business" is buoyed by effective dialogue, memorable Tangerine Dream score, Cruise's breakout role (with "Old Time Rock and Roll" miming) and De Mornay's hypnotic camera appeal.... plus the intimate train sojourn. Criterion's 4K UHD release is a good one and should definitely be a keeper. Absolutely recommended!
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**Wim Wenders' "Anselm"** Blu-ray - Anselm Kiefer @janusfilms @Criterion
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BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Wim Wenders' Anselm is unusual, if compared to most documentarians, although the Wenders also did "Pina," about choreographer Pina Bausch, in 3D. There are portrayals of the younger German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer - played, by his son Daniel Kiefer, and as a lad by Anton Wenders, Wim's great-nephew. His art incorporates raw materials like straw, ash, clay, lead, shellac and has themes of 20th century German history and the horrors of the Holocaust while touching on Jewish mysticism. The documentary brilliantly fuses Anselm Kiefer's art with Wim Wenders cinematic expression seen most recently in Perfect Days. The Janus Contemporaries Blu-ray is another worthy entry in their series with a 3-D option for those keen on that format. Recommended!
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Richard Shepard's "The Linguini Incident" Blu-ray - Rosanna Arquette / David Bowie @mvdentgroup
US PURCHASE LINK
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BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Richard Shepard's The Linguini Incident is unapologetically quirky with photogenic Arquette leading your eyes as a Houdini-esque wannabe escape artist and appealing Bowie holding his own with the classy glitz decor as the ultra-elegant, green-card-seeking, bartender. GQ-suited restaurateurs André Gregory and Buck Henry (Dante and Cecil) add a few smiles as does unaffected Eszter Balint as 'bestie' Vivian. 'Hit and miss' dialogue was a shade more on the 'miss' end of the spectrum. Chemistry was not as smoldering as hoped. Rosanna Arquette was the selling point and she's always enjoyable with a few distant echoes of After Hours ("Marcy Marcy Marcy!") I'd never seen The Linguini Incident before but I am glad I did. It's probably more suited to fans of the leads. Keep your eyes peeled for, future wife, Iman in the crowd. Kudos to MVD Marquee for the stacked Blu-ray. Double commentaries with director participation, a feature-length 'making of', the theatrical version (in SD) and more. There's some nostalgia here, for sure, if not quite achieving 'chic' status. To each his own.
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Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Picture Vol. 16 Blu-ray @KinoLorber
The Cocaine Fiends (1935) - Lois January / The Pace That Kills (1928) - Thelma Daniels
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COMMENTS: The Kino Blu-ray, #16, follows their Forbidden Fruit series with two similar exploitation genre film versions. The Pace That Kills was directed by Norton S. Parker and William O'Connor and the 1935 film directed solely by O'Connor (Playthings of Hollywood.)  They involve a drug dealer foisting "headache powder" and turning innocents into opium/cocaine addicts. This series is always filled with fascinating time capsule features utilizing the disguise of being 'a cautionary tale'. Aside from drugs there are themes involving morality with prostitution and mobster activity as sub-plots. The cinematographer on the silent version was Hungarian-American Ernest Laszlo (Logan's Run, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Judgment at Nuremberg, Inherit the Wind) known for his frequent collaborations with directors Robert Aldrich and Stanley Kramer. The Silent version, The Pace That Kills, was released and distributed via "State Rights", where local sales agents would then sell rights to individual theaters. The theater operators were then encouraged to play the film often in an attempt to increase profit. The Kino Blu-ray is recommended to fans of the rest of this unusual and historically relevant genre like, a favorite, She Should Have Said No. Enjoy!
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**Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" 4K UHD** - Gene Hackman / John Cazale @StudiocanalUK
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COMMENTS: Studiocanal's 4K UHD release of Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" is immensely desirable. The film is  masterpiece wedged between the director's Godfather and Godfather Part 2. Coppola has stated that Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966) was a key influence with similar themes - auditory voyeurism without participation, based in the world of audio surveillance. Brian De Palma's Blow Out recalls both films. Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) was based on middle-aged Harry Haller in the 1927 novel, Steppenwolf, by German-Swiss author Hermann Hesse. Both Harrys do not embrace societal norms. Caul's obsession is with invasion of privacy... his own and others as a vocation through surveillance. His advantage is stealth and subterfuge with direct camouflage via employed colleagues or, pivotal, technical expertise. He is proud that he "makes all his own equipment." In the end, believing his apartment is bugged, he rips the protective skin off every thing that has a covering or laminated surface: walls, hardwood floors, ceilings, furniture, ornaments, drapes, etc. His most painful moment comes when he forces himself to bash open a small figure of the Virgin Mary. It is the last thing his burgeoning paranoia exposes. Inside is nothing at all, she is hollow - a crushing commentary on his religion. The confessional - his only trusted avenue. He has been betrayed by colleagues, by would-be lovers, and there is nothing to give him solace for the morality of his business. Studiocanal's stacked 4K UHD release "The Conversation" is a 'must own' for cinephiles. Our highest recommendation!
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Chang-hwa Jeong's "The Double Crossers" Blu-ray - Fun-Ti Ai / Michael Wai-Man Chan @Eurekavideo
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COMMENTS: Chang-hwa Jeong's The Double Crossers is a bit of standard drama with action-revenge-martial-arts fare (certainly not a ton of one-on-one) and buddy-cop leanings but it has pleasing nostalgia with the decor, clothing, score and film's style are quintessential for the 70's genre. Nice to see the exotic locations of Hong Kong, Singapore and Bali, Indonesia. I wouldn't say that The Double Crossers is top-shelf but it is quite appealing especially for those immersed in the milieu. There are ruthless villains, a moll, and nobility in the revenge. It is very obscure and hasn't been seen much since its limited theatrical run and is ripe for re-discovery. The South Korean director Chang-hwa Jeong also did King Boxer and I enjoyed the film's cool, unpretentious, styling. Eureka have produced another complete Blu-ray package - two versions, two commentaries, excellent artwork, limited edition O-Card slipcase, poster and a booklet. An excellent release.
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**Patrice Leconte's "The Girl on the Bridge"** Blu-ray Daniel Auteuil / Vanessa Paradis @KinoLorber
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COMMENTS: Patrice Leconte's The Girl on the Bridge has two wonderfully eclectic characters connecting in... a unique circumstance. Gabor (Daniel Auteuil) a performance knife thrower and Adèle (Vanessa Paradis) the girl he saves from a suicide attempt. They share a unspoken telepathic bond and another link directly with strokes of fortune "Luck is made".) Neither seems to realize or appreciate it as they go on adventures in his Fellini-esque performance art. He makes her his 'target girl'. What a fun, adventurous romance. Some may notice the French mega-star singer Mylène Farmer cameo'd in a hallway and beside the stage. Auteuil is great in everything (Un Coeur en Hiver, 36 Quai des Orfèvres, The Well Digger's Daughter, Caché.) Paradis (unrelated link to Knife + Heart) evokes silent era film stars with her large expressive eyes and body language. Leconte's The Girl on the Bridge has is another of the director's escapist fantasies and I loved every minute of it. It is my favorite of his films. The Kino Blu-ray a/v is top-shelf and has an edifying commentary, plus a short by the director. Strongly recommended!
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DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of July 22nd, 2024