Glenn Erickson's Reviews: Month: September 2025

High AND Low  — 4K 09/30/25

Akira Kurosawa’s modern crime masterpiece takes the leap to 4K. It’s a classic kidnapping tale in a context of social friction — the perpetrator is maddened by the gap between haves and have nots. A superb detective story balances that irony with the commitment of an ethical businessman and a police force we wish we had here. Toshiro Mifune is sensational, as are Tatsuya Nakadai, Yutaka Sada, Takashi Shimura, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Hiroshi Unayama and Tsutomu Yamazaki. The excellent music is by Masaru Sato. It’s in original 4-track stereo, as well. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
09/30/25

Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter  — 4K 09/30/25

Hammer horror rides again, or actually, for almost the last time! ‘The Avengers’ alumnus Brian Clemens mixes swashbuckling and bloodsucking. Horst Janson’s blond do-gooder dispatches vampire fiends whose victims prematurely age; the most positive fan reaction was for femme star Caroline Munro. Released on a double bill with Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, this was the last Hammer show to resemble their classic monster rallies. Charlie Largent reviews the king-sized import box, from England. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Hammer Films.
09/27/25

1984  (1956) 09/30/25

CineSavant highlights a film for our times: England’s 1956 Michael Anderson version of George Orwell’s legendary book dropped (mostly) out of sight long ago, and this was the first time I’ve seen it intact as an adult viewer. Edmond O’Brien, Jan Sterling, Michael Redgrave and Donald Pleasence are excellent, and the production impresses in every way. We think we have the ‘true story’ of the film’s two versions, with two contrasting finales. “This is not a story of space ships and men from other planets, but the immediate future.”  A Missing on Blu Review Not on Home Video.
09/23/25

WB ’50s Sci-Fi Collection 09/30/25

Reviewer Charlie Largent gets a chance to put forward his own observations and insights regarding these diverse favorites from the years when Radioactivity and Alien Mutations were an opportunity for marvelous movie matinee chills. Each is a classic: the abundant Allison Hayes blossoms into King-Sized proportions in Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, the future hold grotesque mutants and calendar girls in World Without End, a rip-roaring Rhedosaurus thaws out for a madcap Manhattan weekend in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, and a film noir menace turns out to be an onslaught of creepy crawly insectoid abominations in the classic Them!  All in their best HD transfers, all together and ready for popcorn thrills. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
09/20/25

Fires on the Plain  — 4K 09/30/25

It’s a chronicle of defeat and doom, hopelessness and horror … yet director Kon Ichikawa turns it into an engrossing experience. Footsoldier Tamura is one of thousands of Japanese troops left behind after military defeats; surrender risks execution by partisan Philipinos, and the alternative is slow starvation in the hills. Desperation and madness take their toll, yet the show says a lot about the human spirit — we’re impressed, even if we’re not uplifted. The new restoration looks sensational in B&W Daieiscope by Eastman — it’s one of the most attractive B&W Japanese films we’ve seen. The extras include special input from the director. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
09/16/25

Get Carter  — 4K 09/13/25

Crime movies have grown a lot more vicious since 1971, but few pack the hard crime impact of Mike Hodges’ gangster revenge tale. Michael Caine’s Jack Carter is a London hit man who returns to his roots in Newcastle, to sort out the sudden death of his brother. It leads to the expected trail of dead bodies, as Carter out-maneuvers the Northern hoods at their own game. The sordid context and grisly mayhem intensify going forward; Caine strips the glamour from his star persona and lets the bad times roll. Also starring Ian Hendry, Britt Ekland, John Osborne and Tony Beckley, speaking in authentic regional accents. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
09/13/25

Airport  — 4K 09/13/25

The blizzard looks real and the big stars are flashy, but Ross Hunter’s 70mm ode to supermarket best sellers still plays like a TV movie. Both airport manager Burt Lancaster and pilot Dean Martin are straying from their marriages, with Jean Seberg (sigh!) and Jacqueline Bisset (wow!). But the direction dotes on cute geriatric stowaway Helen Hayes, mad bomber Van Heflin and crusty facilities troubleshooter George Kennedy. The screenplay sings the praises of American know-how and Boeing aircraft in particular. The biggest trauma for today’s audience is looking back at 1970’s wholesome in-flight meals and the spacious seating in coach! On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
09/13/25

Four Sided Triangle 09/09/25

Hammer Films’ Terence Fisher tries on a human duplication tale, and his chosen human duplicatee happens to be the notorious Hollywood star Barbara Payton. Charlie Largent reviews the recent monster special edition box with all its bells and whistles; we just want to know why Payton would worry about choosing between Stephen Murray and John van Eyssen. Surely she really wanted Dirk Bogarde. You can’t give a minor Sci-fi tale a better showcase than this. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Hammer.
09/09/25

Patterns   . . . of Power 09/09/25

Is this writer Rod Serling’s best teleplay ever?  It’s almost too good for Serling, even. Van Heflin, Everett Sloane and Ed Begley are at the center of a business power squeeze, in a postwar business world with ruthless new rules. Is it all about staying competitive, or is it corporate murder?  With terrific early performances from Elizabeth Wilson and Beatrice Straight. Director Fielder Cook opens up his celebrated live TV production for the big screen. On Blu-ray from Film Masters.
09/09/25

Saraband for Dead Lovers 09/06/25

A striking digital Technicolor restoration brings Ealing Films’ unique costume romance to vivid life. The tragedy of Princess Sophie Dorothea has a fine cast: Stewart Granger, Françoise Rosay, Frederick Valk, Peter Bull, Anthony Quayle, Michael Gough, Megs Jenkins, Miles Malleson, Guy Rolfe — plus superb work from ‘the voice’ Joan Greenwood, and a performance by Flora Robson that betters anything she did in Hollywood. The artful production is even stronger: Douglas Slocombe’s cinematography is as creative as that in Powell & Pressburger’s pictures. On Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator.
09/06/25

They Died with their Boots On 09/06/25

Whoa!  We saw this endlessly as kids and pretty much set it aside in favor of later revisionist westerns of the 1950s. Raoul Walsh’s pseudobio of George Armstrong Custer is nevertheless a stunning, action-filled epic with humor, romance and a smashing star performance by Errol Flynn. Olivia de Havilland bounces back as the faithful wife, in a production that gives Flynn exactly what he needs to maximize his appeal. The staging of the action is still breathtaking, and the digital restoration makes it look like it was filmed yesterday. Also starring Arthur Kennedy and Anthony Quinn. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
09/06/25

Invasion USA  + Rocket Attack U.S.A. 09/02/25

This atom fear thriller grabbed audiences by the Conelrads. Albert Zugsmith spun Cold War hysteria into gold with this cheap but effective exploitation of nuclear war jitters. For once it really happens — ‘unnamed enemies’ overrun America with atom bombs, parachuting troops into cities even as the bombs fall. The absurd script sees excellent work from Peggie Castle & Dan O’Herlihy, with special guest victims Phyllis Coates, Noel Neill and William Schallert. Get ready for a full-on 50-megaton onslaught of vicious stock film footage. The paranoia is contagious: “Bombs Ay-Vey!”  Also included: the sub-awful 1960 stinker Rocket Attack U.S.A.. On Blu-ray from Film Masters.
09/02/25

Lost in Space   — 4K 09/02/25

Irwin Allen started a franchise with his 1965 TV show: there has even been a second TV series with Parker Posey as Dr. Smith. This very, very expensive 1998 space opera must be the result of millions of hours of digital labor, as the whole thing is a digital effect just as CGI wiped out conventional optical effects. It’s ‘Star Wars’ but for the whole family, get it?  The old formula comes back with a massive production and a stellar cast: William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Gary Oldman, Matt LeBlanc and Jared Harris. It’s a 2-hour audiovisual barrage, and slightly less violent than the average space extravaganza. On Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
09/02/25