THIS WEEK's RELEASES: Slower week... From Journey into Fear to Jonny Quest plus Todd Solondz 4K goes to the UK, František Vláčil brilliance, George Stevens, George Sidney, Vernon Sewell Brit horror, Robert Rossen boxing gem, watch out for witches... and polluting the Oceans, Robert Harmon 'hitcher' in 4K UHD, and a cannibal love goddess...
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....
and a mid-week update:
Akira Kurosawa, Robert Wiene, Sam Raimi, Rian Johnson, Neil Marshall on 4K UHD and Jason Yu, Hugo Fregonese, Ataru Oikawa, (Sean MacGregor, Richard Lester, Norman Taurog on Blu-ray...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: Republic Serials extravaganza, suburban UK witchcraft, Damiani superior Poliziotteschi, eco-horror in Cornwall, essential boxing film, Cushing vs a giant moth, Teutonic knights, Fritz Lang Sylvia Sidney /George Raft romance, the ocean liner St Louis in 1939, O.J. didn't go to Mars, Dunne / Boyer strong melodrama, Franco Nero loses it... in the country.
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of September 30th, 2024 (Recommended titles have "**")

**Bathing Beauty** [Blu-ray] (George Sidney, 1944) Warner Archive
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Hoping to win back his estranged swimming coach wife (Esther Williams), a love-struck songwriter (Red Skelton) enrolls in a women's college, and graduates summa cum laude in comedy! Red's in rare form and Esther's in formfitting swimsuits in this delightfully musical farce. Bathing Beauty begins with a splash: Xavier Cugat plays, Red clowns and Esther plunges into a pool. And from there things go, well, swimmingly. The college is lauded with pretty M-G-M starlets. Cugie shakes up more hot South American rhythms. Harry James swings into help North American sounds, and a fine cast including Basil Rathbone, Donald Meek, Janis Paige, and Margaret Dumont give expert support. The finale is a wowser of a water ballet, featuring Hollywood's favorite bathing beauty swimming gracefully along alternating jets of water and flame. But Esther isn't the only artistic lovely. When production began, the film's title was Mr. Co-Ed, with Skelton positioned to be the center of attraction, but M-G-M soon found out as filming continued, that the film was going to catapult Esther Williams into screen super-stardom, leading to the film being released with the title Bathing Beauty with Esther becoming one of the studio's biggest stars in a series of Technicolor aquatic entertainments for over a decade.
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**Vernon Sewell's "The Blood Beast Terror"** Blu-ray - Peter Cushing, Wanda Ventham @88_Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Vernon Sewell's The Blood Beast Terror was part of 88 Films Tigon Collection. They released Doomwatch, The Body Stealers, Curse of the Crimson Altar, The Sorcerers, Hannie Caulder, Au Pair Girls (1972) - but had a relatively small studio output (producing films from 1967-73) with modest budgets but are best remembered for their horror films, directly competing for audiences with Hammer and Amicus. I don't believe there is any connection to the earlier made Revenge of the Blood Beast (1966) with Barbara Steele or Night of the Blood Beast (1958) excepting the former has the same composer, Paul Ferris. I kinda liked this - Cushing (who hated it) raises the bar for the movie, it has entomology, a sexy creature gal aka "were-moth" and grisly murders. To each his own. The 88 Films Blu-ray has the commentary and making of plus a booklet etc. It's the best for the film that was on a Double Bill in the US with the Italian horror Slaughter of the Vampires.
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**Robert Rossen's "Body and Soul"** Blu-ray - John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Anne Revere, Hazel Brooks, William Conrad @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Robert Rossen's Body and Soul is one of the greatest boxing films ever... documenting the rise and fall of pug Charley Davis (John Garfield). Yes, the comparison to Martin Scorcese's Raging Bull is totally appropriate on the rise and fall of Jake LaMotta. We also see some Rocky as Peg Born (Lilli Palmer) pushes her way through the security to embrace her man at the conclusion. Body and Soul is considered an essential noir with a prominent flashback, corruption of fame / money and unsavory criminal characters circling the drain. Future 'dark cinema' filmmakers are all part of this wonderful production; second director Robert Aldrich (Kiss Me Deadly), art director Nathan Juran (Highway Dragnet), Joseph Pevney (portraying 'Shorty Polaski') directed Flesh and Fury and editor Robert Parrish would go on the direct The Mob. Sadly, writer Abraham Polonsky, John Garfield, and Robert Rossen were all blacklisted by HUAC. Rossen eventually caved 'naming names'. This is an exceptional film and the upgraded Kino Blu-ray is so welcome from the bare-bones, decade-old, Olive. This new package has our highest recommendation.
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**Sidney Hayers' "Burn, Witch, Burn"** Blu-ray - Janet Blair, Peter Wyngarde @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK https://amzn.to/3WvMKFL
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Sidney Hayers' Burn, Witch, Burn is wonderful. We have the discrepancy that magic is nothing more than superstition evoking Tourneur's Night of the Demon dealing with black magic and evil. I loved the story, the suspenseful build-up and Reginald H. Wyer's (Island of Terror, Night of the Big Heat) cinematography. Burn, Witch, Burn challenges belief systems while indulging in African diasporic religious, spell-casting... and fate. I loved Tansy Taylor (Janet Blair - My Sister Eileen) also excellent Kathleen Byron (Black Narcissus), Judith Stott (married to Irish comedian Dave Allen) and especially the pure evil of Margaret Johnston (The Psychopath) as Flora Carr. Delightful. An absolute keeper of a UK supernatural horror. The Kino Blu-ray advances upon its own package from almost a decade ago and has two commentaries - including one from 'King' Lucas, another from Richard Matheson - and more. A very strong recommendation.
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Crawlspace [Blu-ray] (David Schmoeller, 1986) 88 Films UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Klaus Kinski stars in this horrifying and gruesome thriller as a crazed maniac who is obsessed with trapping young women and then slowly torturing them to death. Carl Guenther (Kinski) is a conscientious landlord who looks out for his young and attractive tenants. Jessica, a rising young soap star, Harriet, a sensuous and vivacious secretary and Sophie in accomplished pianist who enjoys wild fantasy sex with her boyfriend - all living in Karl’s well kept apartments. The only discord is the tap, tap, tap sound at night from the crawlspace above their rooms. Carl tells them it’s rats but in reality it’s something much, much worse…. Enter Crawlspace and enter a new dimension of terror!
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**Peter Sasdy's "Doomwatch"** Blu-ray - Ian Bannen, Judy Geeson @88_Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Peter Sasdy's Doomwatch was based on the BBC television series Doomwatch (1970–1972). This feature stars Ian Bannen (The Driver's Seat, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Offence) - who is often only in supporting roles - and fan favorite Judy Geeson (A Candle for the Devil, Three Into Two Won't Go, Fear in the Night.) This is part of 88 Films Tigon Collection. Tigon had a relatively small output (producing films from 1967-73) with modest budgets but are best remembered for its horror films, directly competing for audiences with Hammer and Amicus. This is totally suited to my tastes - warts and all. I enjoyed the 'small village with a secret' echoing The Wicker Man made the following year - it was shot in around Cornwall. The 'disease' was thought to be acromegaly which was also used to explain the over growth in 1955's creature-feature  Tarantula. The 88 Films Blu-ray is stacked - two commentaries, featurettes, booklet notes, great cover... A "keeper" for me.
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First Love [Blu-ray] (Joan Darling, 1977) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: There’s nothing quite like first love. Veteran TV director Joan Darling’s (M*A*S*H, Taxi) feature film debut captures the warmth, the pangs and the excitement all young lovers experience the “first time.” Caroline (Susan Dey, TV’s The Partridge Family, L.A. Law) is every young man’s dream of what a first love should be. Elgin (William Katt, Carrie, The Unwanted) is the Everyman of the seventies, exemplifying confusion and passion that any college student can relate to. The beautifully photographed love scenes are handled maturely and tastefully; it is rare to find a film that portrays love so refreshingly and honestly. Co-starring John Heard (Cutter’s Way), Beverly D’Angelo (Paternity), Robert Loggia (Prizzi’s Honor) and Swoosie Kurtz (Dangerous Liaisons).
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**Todd Solondz's "Happiness" 4K UHD** / Blu-ray - Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lara Flynn Boyle, Ben Gazzara @Criterion
4K UHD:
UK PURCHASE 4K UHD LINK
Already out in:
US 4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN 4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
Blu-ray:
UK Blu-ray PURCHASE LINK
Already Out in:
US Blu-ray PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN Blu-ray PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Todd Solondz's Happiness can really burn into your memory banks if you aren't expecting it. I've never forgot my first viewing more than 20-years ago. The film's shocking qualities are mostly conveying surprising honesty - the unspoken secrets many never reveal. I recall Sylvester Stallone stating "Wouldn't it be great to live without secrets". Happiness has obscene telephone calls, sexual deviance, masturbation, pedophilia, unhealthy obsession... but the root often seems to center on loneliness and dissatisfaction. There is a sort of disjointed cast in Happiness with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jane Adams, Lara Flynn Boyle, Ben Gazzara, Dylan Baker, Camryn Manheim, Louise Lasser, Jon Lovitz... but that may give the film some of its fascinating vérité. The Sundance Film Festival refused to screen Happiness with its controversial subject - but I think they missed out on a defining black comedy. The Criterion Blu-ray and 4K UHD offer a home screening experience of a piece of cinema that is very much worth seeing... and re-seeing. Funny, sad, shocking... exposing some of the unpalatable, and deceptive, underbelly of humanity - all available in one digital package. Wow. Recommended.
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**The Hitcher [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Robert Harmon, 1986) Second Sight Films UK
Limited Edtion 4K UHD UK PURCHASE LINK
Standard 4K UHD UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: A would-be Samaritan picks up a hitchhiker and soon discovers the man is a relentless serial killer. Framed by the cold-blooded murderer for a string of slayings, his only help comes from a caring waitress as they attempt to flee from both the law and the hitcher.
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**I Remember Mama** [Blu-ray] (George Stevens, 1948) Warner Archive
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Director George Stevens made his transition from breezy pre-war films to the acclaimed masterworks of his later career with this tender charmer about a Norwegian immigrant family in 1910 San Francisco. Irene Dunne (as Mama), Barbara Bel Geddes (the matriarch of a vastly different family in TV's Dallas), Oscar Homolka and Ellen Corby (Grandma Walton on The Waltons) all earned Academy Award nominations, giving performances embraced in the smile-making glow of a bygone era, ties that endure, and, most of all, Mama.
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Jonny's Golden Quest / Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber-Insects [Blu-ray] (1995) Warner Archive
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Nearly 30 years after the landmark animated series was brought to prime-time television by Hanna-Barbera, the continued popularity of Johnny Quest led the studio to create two new feature-length adventures built around Quest presented together on this one Blu-ray disc. In Jonny's Golden Quest, long-time Quest fans get to meet the women behind the adventurous men. Joining scientist Benton Quest, his plucky son Jonny, bodyguard Race Bannon and Jonny's young friend Hadji are Benton's biologist wife Rachel, Race's ex-wife Jade and young 12-year-old Jessie. In Jonny Quest vs.The Cyber Insects, the evil Dr. Zin has genetically modified household pests into disturbingly large insects that he calls assassinoids, fearless and devoted warriors that will conduct his plan for world domination. Team Quest, headed by internationally respected scientist Benton Quest, is Earth's only hope. When the good doctor becomes Zin's captive, the stakes -- and the action quotient -- grow higher. Enter Jonny Quest, Dr. Quest's bright, excitable, imaginative and heroic young son, ex-special agent Race Bannon, Jonny's child genius friends Hadji and Jessie (Race's daughter), their robotic pal 4-DAC and bulldog Bandit to complete the job of vermin extermination before it's too late.
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**Journey into Fear** [Blu-ray] (Norman Foster, 1943) Warner Archive
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Orson Welles' touches of cinematic brilliance make Journey Into Fear a stunning success. From Welles' Mercury Theater comes this imaginative and exciting tale of terror (NY TIMES). Under the direction of Norman Foster, Joseph Cotten (who also wrote the screenplay, adapted from the novel by Eric Ambler) stars as an American gunnery engineer pursued by Gestapo agents. His adventures make him cross paths with an impressive array of characters portrayed by Dolores Del Rio, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Hans Conried, and Welles himself, who plays Colonel Haki, head of the Turkish Secret Police. The cinematography by Karl Struss in low-key and stylized, with a reviewer of the era pointing to its Brilliant atmosphere, the nightmare of pursuit, and when the shock comes it leaps at the eye and ear. Journey Into Fear is a thriller worthy of the cinematic master Orson Welles.
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Papaya, Love Goddess of the Cannibals [Blu-ray] (Joe D'Amato, 1978) RB UK Shameless
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Starring the captivating Sirpa Lane, the muse of Walerian Borowczyk and lead of his explicit art-house sensation "The Beast”, sex-siren Lane portrays a journalist seeking a story on a remote Caribbean Island where Western business is destroying sacred land to build a nuclear reactor. While investigating, her allure entangles her with Papaya, a deadly temptress (played by a wild Melissa) who leads the resistance against the destructive interlopers. Papaya avenges her people by seducing and murdering the plant engineers while gratifying her own perverse ecstasy. The mutual sapphic attraction between Sirpa Lane’s journalist and the Goddess of the Cannibals ignites a vortex of desire and blood.
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PARAMOUNT SCARES - Volume 2 [4K UHD Blu-ray] - Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), Breakdown (1997), World War Z (2013), and Orphan: First Kill (2022) - Paramount
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Paramount Scares resurrects four spine-chilling terrors in 4K Ultra-HD for this limited edition second collection of scream greats: Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), Breakdown (1997), World War Z (2013) and Orphan: First Kill (2022)
This highly collectible box contains each movie in separate amaray cases, with exclusive slipcovers. Also available only in this set—four unique iron-on patches, a glow-in-the-dark enamel pin, and a poster designed by Orlando Arocena. Take a deeper dive into all four films with a curated FANGORIA issue, with articles from their vault and new content. Digital copies of all four movies are also included, to keep the creepy close at hand!
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Sebastian [Blu-ray] (Mikko Mäkelä, 2024) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK 
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: In this queer drama, we follow Max, a 25-year-old freelance writer and aspiring novelist who seems well on his way to success in London’s cultural spheres. Yet by night, he finds a different kind of exhilaration as a sex worker with the pseudonym Sebastian, meeting men via an escorting platform. Max uses his experiences as Sebastian to fuel his stories, and the worthy debut novel that he has been longing to write finally seems within reach. As Max increasingly struggles to remain in control of a delicately balanced double-life, he must reckon with whether Sebastian is merely a writer’s tool in their quest for the ultimate sense of first-hand authenticity – or whether something more is at stake.
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**Frantisek Vlácil's "The Valley of the Bees"** Blu-ray - Petr Cepek, Jan Kacer @SecondRunDVD
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Frantisek Vlácil's The Valley of the Bees deals with the Teutonic Order - a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society. The film has themes of religious fanaticism, the invasiveness of the order's doctrine of belief, and one character courage in seeking escape from it. In a nutshell, it's about the struggle to lead a secular life from one of total religious devotion. Vláčil was voted the greatest Czech director of all time by a poll of Czech film critics in 1998. He was inspired by historical movies of Ingmar Bergman (The Seventh Seal, The Virgin Spring) and Robert Bresson (Lancelot of the Lake.) While The Valley of the Bees was rejected on initial release it is now regarded as one of the director's greatest works. The Second Run Blu-ray has advanced on their SD with the vastly improved a/v transfer, a new commentary, two shorts from the director and it has liner notes. This is strongly recommended.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES AVAILABLE HERE

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MORE

https://www.patreon.com/posts/few-more-updates-111286461

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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

**Robert Rossen's "Body and Soul"** Blu-ray - John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Anne Revere, Hazel Brooks, William Conrad @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Robert Rossen's Body and Soul is one of the greatest boxing films ever... documenting the rise and fall of pug Charley Davis (John Garfield). Yes, the comparison to Martin Scorcese's Raging Bull is totally appropriate on the rise and fall of Jake LaMotta. We also see some Rocky as Peg Born (Lilli Palmer) pushes her way through the security to embrace her man at the conclusion. Body and Soul is considered an essential noir with a prominent flashback, corruption of fame / money and unsavory criminal characters circling the drain. Future 'dark cinema' filmmakers are all part of this wonderful production; second director Robert Aldrich (Kiss Me Deadly), art director Nathan Juran (Highway Dragnet), Joseph Pevney (portraying 'Shorty Polaski') directed Flesh and Fury and editor Robert Parrish would go on the direct The Mob. Sadly, writer Abraham Polonsky, John Garfield, and Robert Rossen were all blacklisted by HUAC. Rossen eventually caved 'naming names'. This is an exceptional film and the upgraded Kino Blu-ray is so welcome from the bare-bones, decade-old, Olive. This new package has our highest recommendation.
____________________________________
**Vernon Sewell's "The Blood Beast Terror"** Blu-ray - Peter Cushing, Wanda Ventham @88_Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Vernon Sewell's The Blood Beast Terror was part of 88 Films Tigon Collection. They released Doomwatch, The Body Stealers, Curse of the Crimson Altar, The Sorcerers, Hannie Caulder, Au Pair Girls (1972) - but had a relatively small studio output (producing films from 1967-73) with modest budgets but are best remembered for their horror films, directly competing for audiences with Hammer and Amicus. I don't believe there is any connection to the earlier made Revenge of the Blood Beast (1966) with Barbara Steele or Night of the Blood Beast (1958) excepting the former has the same composer, Paul Ferris. I kinda liked this - Cushing (who hated it) raises the bar for the movie, it has entomology, a sexy creature gal aka "were-moth" and grisly murders. To each his own. The 88 Films Blu-ray has the commentary and making of plus a booklet etc. It's the best for the film that was on a Double Bill in the US with the Italian horror Slaughter of the Vampires.
____________________________________
**Sidney Hayers' "Burn, Witch, Burn"** Blu-ray - Janet Blair, Peter Wyngarde @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK https://amzn.to/3WvMKFL
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Sidney Hayers' Burn, Witch, Burn is wonderful. We have the discrepancy that magic is nothing more than superstition evoking Tourneur's Night of the Demon dealing with black magic and evil. I loved the story, the suspenseful build-up and Reginald H. Wyer's (Island of Terror, Night of the Big Heat) cinematography. Burn, Witch, Burn challenges belief systems while indulging in African diasporic religious, spell-casting... and fate. I loved Tansy Taylor (Janet Blair - My Sister Eileen) also excellent Kathleen Byron (Black Narcissus), Judith Stott (married to Irish comedian Dave Allen) and especially the pure evil of Margaret Johnston (The Psychopath) as Flora Carr. Delightful. An absolute keeper of a UK supernatural horror. The Kino Blu-ray advances upon its own package from almost a decade ago and has two commentaries - including one from 'King' Lucas, another from Richard Matheson - and more. A very strong recommendation.
____________________________________
**Peter Sasdy's "Doomwatch"** Blu-ray - Ian Bannen, Judy Geeson @88_Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Peter Sasdy's Doomwatch was based on the BBC television series Doomwatch (1970–1972). This feature stars Ian Bannen (The Driver's Seat, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Offence) - who is often only in supporting roles - and fan favorite Judy Geeson (A Candle for the Devil, Three Into Two Won't Go, Fear in the Night.) This is part of 88 Films Tigon Collection. Tigon had a relatively small output (producing films from 1967-73) with modest budgets but are best remembered for its horror films, directly competing for audiences with Hammer and Amicus. This is totally suited to my tastes - warts and all. I enjoyed the 'small village with a secret' echoing The Wicker Man made the following year - it was shot in around Cornwall. The 'disease' was thought to be acromegaly which was also used to explain the over growth in 1955's creature-feature  Tarantula. The 88 Films Blu-ray is stacked - two commentaries, featurettes, booklet notes, great cover... A "keeper" for me.
____________________________________
**Frantisek Vlácil's "The Valley of the Bees"** Blu-ray - Petr Cepek, Jan Kacer @SecondRunDVD
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Frantisek Vlácil's The Valley of the Bees deals with the Teutonic Order - a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society. The film has themes of religious fanaticism, the invasiveness of the order's doctrine of belief, and one character courage in seeking escape from it. In a nutshell, it's about the struggle to lead a secular life from one of total religious devotion. Vláčil was voted the greatest Czech director of all time by a poll of Czech film critics in 1998. He was inspired by historical movies of Ingmar Bergman (The Seventh Seal, The Virgin Spring) and Robert Bresson (Lancelot of the Lake.) While The Valley of the Bees was rejected on initial release it is now regarded as one of the director's greatest works. The Second Run Blu-ray has advanced on their SD with the vastly improved a/v transfer, a new commentary, two shorts from the director and it has liner notes. This is strongly recommended.
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**Tales Of Adventure – Collection 4 Republic Serials** Blu-ray - Judd Holdren, Eduardo Ciannelli, Mae Clarke @imprint_films
US PURCHASE LINK
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Four of these are considered "Rocket Man" serials; King of the Rocket Men, Radar Men from the Moon, Zombies of the Stratosphere, and Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe having 'rocket-powered heroes'. We also have plenty of evil villains; evil Martians, an evil alien life form, evil genius calling himself ‘The Phantom Ruler’ with an army of ‘invisible’ soldiers, a mad scientist, atomic rays, crime, espionage, cliffhanger endings etc. The hokey-ness is part of the appeal and I've always enjoyed the whole concept of the 'serial' - from Jungle Girl to Judex. These chapter-fashioned stories were very popular during the first half of the 20th century with a typical Saturday matinee at the movies including one or more chapters of a serial, animated cartoons, newsreels, and a 'B' feature and a main feature film draw. I was very keen to sink into Mysterious Doctor Satan (originally intended as a Superman serial,) Zombies of the Stratosphere (notable as one of the first screen appearances of a young Leonard Nimoy, who plays one of the three Martian invaders) and King of The Rocket Men (flight sequences were inspired by the Buck Rogers comic strip.) For those not-so-much into the serial format, with repeated opening sequences, the included re-edited film versions are a wonderful bonus. There are sixty-six Republic Serials - let's hope more make it to Blu-ray. For the serious aficionado, the commentaries are both edifying and enlightening. The Imprint Blu-ray package is the ultimate home theatre set for these historic, nostalgic, time-capsule-worthy, Republic Serials. To any keen fans this is warmly recommended.
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**Peter Hyams' "Capricorn One"** Blu-ray - Elliott Gould, James Brolin, O. J. Simpson, Hal Holbrook @imprint_films
US PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Peter Hyams' Capricorn One is filled with silly conspiracy plot holes and huge time-gaps... that we easily accept. It's kind of an addictive film. Hyams reflected on the Apollo 11 Moon landing, "There was one event of really enormous importance that had almost no witnesses. And the only verification we have ... came from a TV camera." There are some amusing this about Capricorn One; that it has both of Barbra Streisand's husbands; Elliott Gould (from 1963-71) and James Brolin ​(since 1998) as heroes of the story. Like most, I admit to always liking this faked-Mars-landing thriller - especially the angle of TV journalist Gould tracking down the truth and informing astronaut Brubaker's "widow" (Brenda Vaccaro.) The Imprint Blu-ray package has two versions of the film - even if the longer one is more a curiosity. A commentary for each version - loved the Kremer / Waters one - and new interviews; Gould, Vaccaro, Lazarus plus more. Fans of the film need this complete edition. Certainly recommended!
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**Stuart Rosenberg's "Voyage of the Damned"** Blu-ray - Faye Dunaway, Oskar Werner, Max von Sydow, James Mason @imprint_films
US PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Stuart Rosenberg's Voyage of the Damned has a dream-cast (if many only in brief roles) including Faye Dunaway, Max von Sydow, Oskar Werner, Malcolm McDowell, Orson Welles, James Mason, Lee Grant, Katharine Ross, Michael Constantine, Denholm Elliott, José Ferrer, Wendy Hiller, Fernando Rey, Ben Gazzara and many more. It was was inspired by the real-life historical events, and best-selling book, concerning the fate of the ocean liner St. Louis carrying 937 Jewish refugees from Germany to Cuba in 1939. The passage was planned as an exercise in Nazi propaganda never intending to disembark in Cuba. Voyage of the Damned is a very long film but has historical interest and fine performances. Serious film students have the option of dissecting the extended cut - so Daniel Kremer's commentary has plenty of value. The Imprint Blu-ray has gone the extra mile with both the theatrical and rarely-seen extended cuts, a commentary for each version, and other new extras. Those curious may wish to indulge.
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**Damiano Damiani's "A Man on His Knees"** Blu-ray - Giuliano Gemma, Michele Placido, Eleonora Giorgi @FilmsRadiance
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Damiano Damiani's A Man on His Knees - fits in the Poliziotteschi genre (60's + 70s Italian crime films.) Pier Paolo Pasolini referred to Damiani (Goodbye and Amen, A Bullet For a General, The Day of the Owl, The Most Beautiful Wife, How to Kill a Judge) as "a bitter moralist hungry for old purity". A Man on His Knees has a very effective build as we learn about the characters and dire-ness of the circumstances. It also has a twisty, less-predictable conclusion. The Indicator Blu-ray is at their usual high standard and the film is very much worth seeing and owning, imo. Recommended to fans of gripping 70's Italian thrillers.
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**John M. Stahl's "When Tomorrow Comes"** Blu-ray - Irene Dunne / Charles Boyer @indicatorseries
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: John M. Stahl's When Tomorrow Comes reunites Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer after the success of Leo McCarey's surprise hit Love Affair made earlier that year. When Tomorrow Comes was Universal's most successful film of 1939. I liked that it took a while until the romance evolved and the unfortunate mental health angle of the wife. I found it an enjoyable, less cloying, melodrama.  The Indicator Blu-ray is at their usual high standard; strong a/v, commentary, video essay, booklet and more. Warmly recommended!
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**Elio Petri's "A Quiet Place in the Country"** Blu-ray - Franco Nero / Vanessa Redgrave @FilmsRadiance
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Elio Petri's "A Quiet Place in the Country" is based on the short story "The Beckoning Fair One" by Oliver Onions. The film is described as a "brilliant fusion of experimental filmmaking pyrotechnics and gothic horror conventions". Leonardo Ferri (Franco Nero) is a painter who has an 'artist's block' that is manifesting itself as mental disintegration - and not of the positive variety as identified by Polish psychologist Kazimierz Dąbrowski. The sprawling Villa, that he and his slinky galpal, Flavia (Vanessa Redgrave) are staying, is in disrepair... and has secrets - including a deceased nymphomaniac and a murder. It would be fair to call A Quiet Place in the Country an "artsy horror" and unsettling. I find that the more I watch it, the more I enjoy it, although it is definitely not for everyone. It can be seen as a view of devolving sanity and how closely it aligns with the artistic process. Sexy imagery abounds. To each his own.
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**Fritz Lang's "You and Me"** Blu-ray - Sylvia Sidney / George Raft @indicatorseries
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BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Fritz Lang's You and Me is not prominent in the noir cycle despite the proliferation of ex-cons, Lang directing and Raft-Sidney starring. There are stronger elements of romance and comedy floating over a half-baked crime caper. Fritz Lang had just made Fury and You Only Live Once with Sylvia Sidney. You and Me lacks desirable style (however, loved the Art Deco opening credits) but it is fun and I enjoyed the leads very much - ex-cons (she know he is, but he doesn't know she is) breaking the terms of their parole by secretly marrying. It's not one of Fritz Lang's masterpieces but is a better film than some critique it. The Indicator Blu-ray has the best a/v and I appreciated the Rayns commentary as it bolstered my opinion of You and Me. The two new video featurettes and booklet advance the package. Raft, Sidney and Lang fans should definitely indulge.
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DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of September 30th, 2024