Glenn Erickson's Reviews: Month: April 2025

Ugetsu — 4K 04/30/25

Japan’s art film exports began with Kurosawa but also included masterpieces by Kenji Mizoguchi, of which this costume drama is the finest and most respected. A potter tries to survive and subsist in a time of feudal civil war, but it’s not all historical realism — a streak of spiritualism leans in the direction of a ghost story. Starring Machiko Kyo, Mitsuko Mita ans Kinuyo Tanaka; Reviewed by Charlie Largent. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
04/29/25

Crack in the World 04/30/25

Another fine Sci-fi overachiever bounces back in a new encoding, much improved. Andrew Marton’s daring adventure / disaster / eco-apocalypse sees scientists attempting to exploit the heat at the Earth’s core — and almost splitting the planet in two. It’s high jeopardy for Dana Andrews, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore and Alexander Knox; Eugène Lourié’s designs and special effects are breathtaking. With good extras from Gary Gerani, Tim Lucas and Stephen R. Bissette. On Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
04/26/25

Anora — 4K 04/30/25

Charlie Largent reviews a favorite: Sean Baker made out like a bandit at the Oscars with this breakthrough feature. Mikey Madison is the title character, a prostitute in a swank gentleman’s club. Anora becomes a different person when separating high rollers from their money; the conflict comes into focus when she becomes enamored with — and marries — the hopelessly immature and spoiled Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch. How is Anora supposed to deal with her new husband’s ‘enforcers’ and come out of the bargain in one piece? Vanya’s father is fearsome but the mother’s potential for spiteful harm knows no bounds. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
04/22/25

Girl with a Suitcase 04/19/25

Claudia Cardinale’s first major starring role was a big success in Europe, even if our New York critics seemed primed for more ‘intellectual’ film art. She’s a sensation as Aida, a showgirl ditched by a dishonest lover … whose more gentlemanly but acutely underage brother comes to her rescue. It’s a hard lesson in survival and romantic incompatibility. Young Jacques Perrin is the decent kid who falls head over heels in love; Cardinale displays big talent as the vulnerable woman who knows the kid is just too young. Excellent direction by Valerio Zurlini, plus terrific pop music and a nice early career appearance by Gian Maria Volontè. On Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
04/19/25

The Savage Eye 04/19/25

What does one call a film this original?  It’s a poetic documentary-investigation of Los Angeles culture circa 1958; it’s also a powerful proto-feminist essay. Ben Maddow, Sidney Meyers & Joseph Strick collaborated on this rare attraction. Barbara Baxley stars as a disaffected divorceé who sees the city as layers of Hell. She and Gary Merrill deliver a stream of consciousness on the progressive soundtrack. It’s sane, humanist and compassionate, and also quite adult; the credits are a roll call of talented individualists: Haskell Wexler, Irving Lerner, Verna Fields, Jack Couffer. One disc in a four-disc set, on Blu-ray from Severin Films.
04/19/25

Behold a Pale Horse 04/15/25

Fred Zinnemann’s superb thriller has suspense, fine characterizations and a potent anti-fascist theme. Gregory Peck is excellent as an embittered lost-cause warrior who takes on one last mission into Franco territory to kill an old enemy, Anthony Quinn. Emeric Pressburger’s very modern story benefits from Zinnemann’s precise direction and impressive production design by Alexandre Trauner; the costars are Omar Sharif, Paolo Stoppa, Mildred Dunnock and Christian Marquand. On Region B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator.
04/15/25

The Time Traveler’s Wife 04/15/25

What can you expect when the hero of a story is a Special Collections librarian?  Audrey Niffenegger’s scrambled-time romantic fantasy shouldn’t work, but it squeaks by — fashioning a ‘life metaphor’ that doesn’t get tangled up in its own sci-fi plot complexities. The picture-perfect cast, especially Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana, sell the illusion 100%. It may not be Oscar nomination bait, but it’s a crowd-pleaser that revives the good old romantic film blanc fantasy. On Blu-ray from New Line / Warnerblu.
04/15/25

I’m All Right Jack 04/12/25

Labor madness finds new extremes in Roy Boulting’s acidic satire pitting scheming bosses, a Bolshie provocateur and would-be arms smugglers against each other in a munitions factory. Terry-Thomas, Richard Attenborough, Margaret Rutherford, Liz Fraser and Peter Sellers’ Comisar of the assembly line all torment the upperclass twit Ian Carmichael; some of the hilarity is in thoroughly rotten taste. The double-entendres are so frequent, one starts looking for dirty meanings in every line of dialogue. Can’t wait to read Charlie Largent’s take on this one. On Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
04/12/25

Lady of Vengeance 04/12/25

A wronged beauty commits suicide, and Dennis O’Keefe’s hero plans a killing-for-hire to avenge her. Director Burt Balaban’s murder tale has a twisty surprise or two but not much else going for it. Star O’Keefe looks unhappy and Ann Sears is just a beautiful observer, which gives Anton Diffring’s sneering, slimy villain the opportunity to run away with the picture. His fans will want to take note. It’s a minor oddity from 1950s England … hearing O’Keefe and Diffring voice the agenda for a perfect torment-slaying is pretty weird. On Blu-ray from MGM Amazon.
04/12/25

The Cruel Sea 04/08/25

It’s a top-rank war movie, the best of its kind. The Ealing Studios, writer Eric Ambler and director Charles Frend transpose Nicholas Monserrat’s best seller to the screen with honesty and realism. Little-known now, the show was a hit in America, too. It made a star of Jack Hawkins and raised the profiles of Donald Sinden, Denholm Elliott, Stanley Baker, and Virginia McKenna. It’s superior filmmaking all around — we forget details and invest ourselves in the fates of these brave people facing uncertain lives … hmmm, that hits home. On Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
04/08/25

Blue Sunshine — 4K 04/08/25

Having an LSD flashback?  Can you really remember every controlled substance you regularly imbibed in your wild days?  Freaky homicides figure in Jeff Lieberman’s horror thriller, but the uneasiness builds on everyday fears we all understand: why is my hair suddenly falling out?  Am I losing my mind?  Zalman King, Deborah Winters, Mark Goddard and Robert Walden are 30-ish adults re-experiencing hallucinogenic blasts from the past … that turn them into hairless, murdering maniacs. It’s a highly original thriller, boosted to the top home video format. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + CD from Synapse.
04/08/25

Donovan’s Reef — 4K 04/05/25

John Ford and John Wayne’s best ‘old man’s movie’ is deceptive — on the outside it’s as square as can be, an easy-chair comedy vacation for all concerned. But Ford imbues the proceedings with poetic formalism, and a nostalgia for a generation in retirement. John Wayne was never so at-ease charming, Lee Marvin does some marvelous clowning, and Elizabeth Allen’s pluck & spirit defuse the rampant paternalism in the screenplay. Peter Wollen was right: this South Seas island is a fantasy Valhalla for the western combatants of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
04/05/25

Sadie McKee 04/05/25

Glamorous Joan’s screen image is now fully defined, and her improved acting carries her pictures with grace and assurance. Director Clarence Brown makes a soapy story play like high drama. It’s rags to riches again, as one woman captivates the three men in her life. Sexy Sadie elopes with one man, marries another and resents a third, but guess who ends up the winner?  Edward Arnold’s performance is the standout; Franchot Tone and Gene Raymond do well enough, but we prefer the smart comic touch of Jean Dixon. And it takes a minute to accept the sight of Arnold, Akim Tamiroff and Leo G. Carroll looking far younger than we ever thought they could. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
04/05/25

The New Adventures of Tarzan 04/01/25

Known to Tarzan fans and almost nobody else is this four-hour serial filmed parallel with MGM’s series, and officially produced by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs himself. The one-movie Tarzan is Herman Brix, later known as Bruce Bennett; his interpretation of the role is solid and his physical presence is excellent. Filmed in Guatemala, it’s as patchy and repetitive as most serials, but some of the scenery and stunt work is very good. This one takes Lord Greystoke to Central America, on a Safari to a Mayan ‘Dead City’ ruled by a savage Queen. On Blu-ray from Film Masters.
04/01/25

The Saga of the Viking Women and their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent 04/01/25

Not on Blu-ray…  Reviewer Charlie Largent commemorates yet another Roger Corman classic from the wild year 1957 … when he directed or produced 9 separate features. On this last one he seeming broke his own rule: it has a large cast, big props, lots of costumes, lots of special effects. But a legendary cast gives it their all: Abby Dalton (swoon), Susan Cabot, June Kenney, Richard Devon, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Jonathan Haze, Sally Todd, Gary Conway, Michael Forest. It’s a big mess but a wonderful sight for Corman fans … now somebody needs to put out a remastered widescreen disc release! Not On Authorized Blu-ray.
04/01/25