CineSavant Column
Hello! — Best Picture of the Year?
A major surprise is that the new release Godzilla Minus One is getting rave reviews across the board, attracting nothing but positive notices from audiences and the most demanding of genre critics.
I’m convinced that it has to be something special. CineSavant’s trusted advisor Gary Teetzel says,
“Delivers the most ferocious and aggressive iteration of Godzilla yet, and importantly, an engaging and emotional human story about guilt, loss and persevering”. . . “The devoted veteran fans cheered when the Toho logo appeared, when Godzilla first used his atomic ray, when the familiar Ifukube theme was first heard, etc.” . . . “Definitely make an effort to see it on the biggest, loudest screen you can.”
Trailers From Hell’s Joe Dante was equally impressed:
“Arguably the best Godzilla movie since the 1954 original” . . . “Dramatic, spectacular, with memorably rounded characters and pitched on a more emotional adult level than almost any kaiju movie.” . . . “When the classic Godzilla theme music kicked in during the exciting climax I was nearly moved to tears” . . . “If you’re a Monster Kid you won’t see a more satisfying movie this season.”
And advisor Gary Teetzel reminds us of two recent announcements from Kino Lorber: in the new year they’ll be releasing two very desirable horror items in Region A. Mario Bava’s Technicolor gothic The Whip and the Body stars Daliah Lavi, Christopher Lee, and Bava’s delirious cinematography. Edgar G. Ulmer’s overachieving B-picture Bluebeard with John Carradine and Jean Parker is a collector’s favorite, even if few of us have ever seen a decent presentation.
Bluebeard is said to be a new restoration, which is excellent news. Kino says the work was done by Paramount, which seems odd, as Bluebeard is from the Poverty Row studio Producer’s Releasing Corporation (PRC), and few of their titles are part of the holdings that include the post-’48 Paramount library. We haven’t yet heard about a street date, for what some say is John Carradine’s classiest horror picture.
The Whip and the Body was reviewed here just last July, in a Region B disc from UK’s 88 films; Kino has said that their release will use the same video master. We’re interested to know if the extras are the same or different. It’s announced for February 27.
All that U.S. collectors need now, is a Region A release of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock.
December 5, just after posting: Wait — Hold the presses . . . Vinegar Syndrome has just announced for January ’24 a 4K disc relese of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, with their own exclusive restoration, and different extras, including interviews with assistant director Marcello Avallone and star Barbara Steele.
Thanks for reading! — Glenn Erickson