Hello!

Some of my mail this week is from correspondents eager to see the new Invaders from Mars disc. I’m of course a booster and would likely say it’s great even if the restoration wasn’t as good as it is. But you don’t have to take my word for it — luminaries like Alan K. Rode and Steve De Jarnatt saw the restoration projected at Cinecon and the TCMFest, and have attested to its quality on our Facebook posts.

We still cringe at the knowledge that the film’s optical negative hadn’t been lost or thrown out — they’re still blaming that on the re-cut done for England. We wish that the full original negative from which the opticals were made had been retained … wouldn’t that be marvelous?  Again, it’s gratifying that Ignite Films didn’t take any shortcuts — this looks and sounds great.

I hope the product ships sooner than later — I’ll be returning with another annoying review addendum when the 4K disc arrives.

Everybody’s gearing up for Holiday activities here.  ↑  The snapshot above is courtesy of helpful correspondent Edward Sullivan, who apparently went nuts and sent me
1) an ‘atomic’ shower curtain, and
2) a museum-approved figurine of a Yeti that apparently has spent time on our Muscle Beach.
The shower curtain is crazy — too good to hide in a bathroom. The Yeti will hopefully soon be playing with my granddaughter’s Peppa Pig dolls. Heck, I  want to play with my granddaughter’s Peppa Pig dolls.

This year’s Turner Classic Movies TCM Remembers montage is a real heartbreaker — it really seems like all the actors that moved us or made a personal connection are fast disappearing. TCM’s editors do this so well.

CineSavant advisor/contributor “B” wrote this with his link to the Memoriam montage:

“This In Memoriam” video is very finely done, unexpectedly moving, even for a year like this one. I give high marks to TCM when it does something like this; unlike the Academy’s annual video, TCM’s montage includes many lesser known but still worthy and recognizable performers and artists — and resists (for the most part) honoring executives, publicists and other tertiary folk.

Yes, we’re happiest when we connect with a face we know and love, even if the name isn’t 100% familiar. We were unaware that Maureen Arthur of How to Succeed in Business … had passed away this year; the loss of some others featured in the video was also sad news. The parting nod is polite and respectful.

And because I get the benefit of the talented Charlie Largent here at CineSavant, I jump to mention his Etsy page, where he’s selling digital copies of some of his clever graphic artworks. They’re downloadable digital files that can be printed on cards, stickers, etc.

I’ve never seen an Etsy Store page before. This is Charlie’s — Jest In Time. When I revisit old issues of Video Watchdog, Charlie’s work is often what I notice first.

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This Saturday is Christmas Eve — I don’t think I’ll have any new reviews on Saturday but I will try to put up the usual holiday pictures and whatever personal thoughts I can muster. Till then . . . . thanks for reading — Glenn Erickson