Repo Man — 4K 10/19/24
The Criterion Collection
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
“Let’s go do some crimes!” Reviewer Charlie Largent turns his critical eye on this 4K upgrade of Alex Cox’s debut feature, a punk slam on the Reagan years. A legendary cast lives the edgy life in sunny Los Angeles — Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, Tracey Walter, Vonetta McGee. The abuse of alcohol and other controlled substances fits right in with a Sci-fi vibe lifted from apocalyptic films noir: “It happens sometimes. People just explode. Natural causes.” Kudos to camera genius Robby Müller and exec producer Michael Nesmith. “It’s what I call the Repo Code, kid!” On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
10/19/24
Black Gravel 10/19/24
Radiance
Region B Blu-ray
Keeping relations good with the U.S. and NATO may have doomed Helmut Käutner’s grim tale of trouble on an American air base in West Germany. The story is a sordid swirl of romantic, political and criminal complications — all of them down & dirty. A tiny burg that serves as a brothel for U.S. airmen brews trouble for displaced women and dispirited men trying to survive in the new ‘economic miracle.’ We’ve seen nothing quite like this angry, honest exposé. Its enemies used charges of anti-semitic defamation to ruin its release. This new Region B Blu-ray disc includes an excellent visual essay by Margaret Deriaz on Cold War politics and postward German cinema. From Radiance.
10/19/24
CineSavant Column
Hello!
We like to call out impressive lineups of new disc releases, and The Criterion Collection’s picks for January 2025 jumped out at us. We’re always waiting for classics or favorites; it’s okay when a particular month has nothing personally essential, for the next month will almost always feature something highly desirable.
All of the January titles are going to be available in 4K Ultra HD. The list includes the Richard Pryor comedy Jo Jo Dancer Your Life is Calling and Jean Eustache’s The Mother and the Whore, an intriguing title we look forward to learning more about.
The other three discs definitely got our attention. Is Criterion going to make a sweep through its Akira Kurosawa holdings, taking more of them to 4K? Do they have a renewed relationship with Toho, indicated by their upcoming (November 5) 4K disc of Godzilla, promised to be a remastered version not previously available here? Criterion also has a 4K release of Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai promised for November 12. Now we’ve been told that a 4K Yojimbo – Sanjuro combo will be here on January 7. Frame grabs suggest that both titles are huge improvements over the older Blu-ray discs.
Good HD encodings of Stephen Frears’ The Grifters exist, but Criterion’s 4K (Jan. 21) promises excellent extras, including a new documentary on author Jim Thompson.
And finally there’s Anthony Mann’s conspicuously absent Winchester ’73 (January 21). It is the first and perhaps best Mann-James Stewart collaboration and the only one not available on Blu-ray. It is also an almost perfect western, with a clever ‘La Ronde’ structure that replaces sex with a coveted rifle. The show has been rumored to be coming from Criterion for three years.
Here’s a good idea. Since we don’t cover many current horror pictures here at CineSavant, let us direct attention to Terry Morgan’s chiller roundup, an article just posted at Trailers from Hell:
The title may seem appropriate for a government pamphlet, but Mr. Morgan’s picks sound suitably creepy — and non-junky. Pointing it out is just one of many important public service initiatives, here at CineSavant.
There you go … the ballot is in. I’ve got my patriotic I VOTED sticker, so hopefully all will be well. Let’s hear it for saving Democracy and the world in general.
In the immortal words of Richard A. Smith, “VOTE SOON ! VOTE OFTEN ! Tell ’em McGinty sent ya.
Thanks for reading! — Glenn Erickson
Journey into Fear 10/15/24
The Warner Archive Collection
Blu-ray
It’s the WW2 spy thriller that everyone once said Orson Welles directed without credit. Director Norman Foster does very will with Eric Ambler’s tale of an American trying to evade Nazi killers; Joseph Cotten co-wrote as well as starred and Dolores Del Río and Orson provide fine supporting performances. Welles’ problems at RKO surely contributed to recuts and re-shoots. This excellent remaster doesn’t acknowledge a longer version reportedly screened overseas, which may or may not be an improvement. The disc extra is a trio of Mercury Theater radio plays. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
10/15/24
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari — 4K 10/15/24
Kino Classics
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
How can a silent film be as ‘modern’ as this? Kino reissues the 2014 restoration of Robert Weine’s horror landmark in 4K Ultra HD, with a choice of music soundtracks. The sleepwalking Cesare’s hypnotic abduction of Lil Dagover is still a grabber, and the nightmarish images don’t diminish in impact. It’s an incredible kickoff to a decade of mind-blowing expressionist German cinema — and still plays like a champ, 104 years later. Conrad Veidt rules! On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Kino Classics.
10/15/24
CineSavant Column
Hello!
We were happy last July to review Criterion’s new 4K of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, even if it meant taking some flak for not being a fervent admirer of the movie as a whole. Scholar and film writer Gordon Thomas told me back then that he was writing up his own article on the movie for the Bright Lights Film Journal, and now it has arrived:
I’ve made an effort to appreciate the good things in PGABTK but get bogged down in its shapelessness and lack of development. Mr. Thomas finds a different group of complaints… for instance, he finds the acting contribution of Bob Dylan to be difficult to watch. But Thomas concludes goes on to hail the show as an unique masterpiece and one of Sam’s best.
We’ve been admirers of Gordon Thomas’s film criticism for more years than we care to admit. We strongly recommend his older Bright Lights essays for Beggars of Life, Ben-Hur and War and Peace.
3-D Responses:
Just three days ago we put out a feeler at the CineSavant Column to find out how other 3-D collector aficionados were dealing with the shaky situation with Blu-ray 3-D. I received a number of prompt responses, and discovered that die-hard fans of the format were finding different ways to hang on to 3-D capability.
Here’s a sampling of responses, minimally edited. I’ve not identified anybody, partly because I forgot to ask for permission! —
From October 14:
Hi Glenn … In response to your request for reader feedback on whether we still have 3-D setups, the answer is yes! A few years ago my beloved 3-D plasma tv – a Samsung that delivered stunning picture quality as far as I was concerned – bit the dust and I was pretty blue about it. So last year I invested in a Benq projector with 3-D capability and am in love with it. It uses active glasses – I believe you’ve talked about projectors that used passive glasses, but I was unable to find any. Would be curious about which make/model you mean. But active glasses are not much of an issue for me, so I was happy to buy this model.
My projector cost a little over $1000 and the quality of the 3-D is infinitely better than what I enjoyed on my old plasma screen. I continue to buy new 3-D discs as my budget allows, and am very grateful to those who keep putting them out. And to you, for helping me keep up to date on new releases! Best, —
Note: we can’t remember mentioning any ‘passive’ 3-D projectors … we also don’t think there are any.
October 14:
Glenn … I have two 3-D options: I bought the last generation of 3-D capable LG 64 inch flat screen with passive glasses about the same time as your set-up, and like you I hope it will run for a few more years at least. But more recently I also bought an expensive Sony 4K projector that could be upgraded with active 3-D. It has a laser lamp which is supposed to run for something like 20,000 hours, i.e. for the rest of my life span I hope. These 3-D capable projectors are still on the market, as are 3-D capable Blu-ray and 4K players. Best, —
October 13:
Glenn – Good to see 3-D get a mention in this week’s column. It seems the format has been in the conversation a bit more lately with plenty of releases popping up (Deadpool & Wolverine imported from Japan, an upcoming Jackie Chan title from 88 Films and the usual 3-D Film Archive efforts).
Personally I’ve really become a bit obsessed with gathering all the titles I can before they disappear for good. And with used 3-D TVs nearing the end of their lifespan, they can be found second hand on places like Facebook Marketplace for $50 to $100 bucks. I’ve scooped up four in the past year (much to my family’s dismay) just to make sure I’m not left in the lurch … mostly Panasonic active plasma displays that still look terrific. Thanks for helping to keep the format alive and kicking! —
From October 13:
Regarding your comment in the column about the continued active use of 3-D in home TV arrangements. Well, my son still has a Ben-Q 3-D projector and I am heading over there today to set it up for my Movie Group to watch House of Wax. I would bet that I am the only one out of the group who has seen it before. We did a similar screening a year ago for Creature from the Black Lagoon. The 3-D does make quite an impression being on a BIG screen with good sound. During the year, I’ll go over and check out a few treasures (Hugo and the 2014 Godzilla recently). My grandsons still enjoy it, but I don’t think they (or my son) spend that much time with it. —
From October 12:
Glenn, I have a 2016 passive 3-D-capable LG 55″ TV in my secondary setup in my bedroom. I have several pairs of polarized glasses for viewing. The 3-D performance is very good to excellent depending on how good the disc master is. I hope I can keep this going for many more years. —
Thanks for reading! — Glenn Erickson
I Walked with a Zombie / The Seventh Victim: Produced by Val Lewton — 4K 10/12/24
The Criterion Collection
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Two of legendary Val Lewton’s greatest achievements make it to 4K Ultra HD. In Jacques Tourneur’s film the Gothic romance goes Voodoo on a West Indies plantation, with a side tragedy of slave misery. Scandal can’t hide, especially when the cheating wife falls into a catatonic ‘zombie’ state. It’s guilt, duty, and ‘shame and sorrow for the family.’ Then Lewton’s most personal film sees a teenaged Kim Hunter search Manhattan for her lost sister, who may be the captive of a Devil Cult — or a fugitive murderess. Tight scripting, poetic imagery and just plain macabre weirdness rules, whether under jungle drums or in a Greenwich Village coffee klatsch. With an excellent extended video essay by Imogen Sara Smith. On Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
10/12/24
I Vampiri 10/12/24
Radiance
Region Free Blu-ray
Halloween ’24 is looking good … chalk another genre landmark onto the list of excellent special edition discs: Riccardo Freda and Mario Bava’s grisly thriller is the initial foray into Italo horror, a meeting of Gothic notions and modern medical horror. Gianna Maria Canale is the ravishing Duchess whose beauty is preserved through sordid science; Wanda Guida is the latest victim to contribute sangue fresco to support the aristocracy. Production-wise the movie was a stumble that cinematographer Bava rescued with re-shoots, his first major directing effort. Horror researchers have been studying it ever since. This terrific release contains the Italian original plus two versions mangled by distributors for exploitation ‘adult’ release. On Blu-ray from Radiance.
10/12/24
CineSavant Column
Hello!
We’ve really got no Column today — assembling today’s big reviews gobbled up the available hours. But rather than completely beg off, this gives me an opportunity to thank correspondent Nicholas Krisfalusy, who sent me a disc last month that I wasn’t expecting.
It’s a Universal Essentials Collection disc from a year ago last October, the 1953 Sci-Fi item It Came from Outer Space, remastered in 4K Ultra HD. I passed up the disc last year, for purchase or review, because for me the way to see that movie is in 3-D, and I’d already reviewed Universal’s handsome 3-D disc, from eight years ago.
The bad news is that only 3-D capable collectors are able to see good Polaroid-passive Blu-ray 3-D at home, and the industry stopped selling the good monitors for that years ago.
I should have looked at the disc package more carefully. It includes the fine-quality 4K encoding, a Blu-ray disc and a digital access code, and a lot of printed special edition extras. What I didn’t bother to notice is that the Blu-ray disc includes a 3-D option as well. Universal didn’t promote the feature in its text publicity. In other words, it’s still a 3-D friendly package, and recommended.
So thanks again Mr. Krisfalusy. My question about 3-D to Cinesavant readers is this: do many of you maintain the ability to see Blu-ray 3-D? Do you have a passive Polaroid setup, or the active setup with the battery-powered glasses? Do you have other means of seeing Blu-ray 3-D? I treasure my ability to screen good 3-D, but don’t know how long that will last. My home setup is now eight years old … when it gives out, It might be the end of good 3-D at Casa CineSavant!
Thanks for reading! — Glenn Erickson
Babylon Berlin — Season 4 10/08/24
Kino Lorber
Blu-ray
It’s a dive into an intoxicating, anarchic slice of the 20th-century, the brief era that was Weimar Germany. The society still reels from crushing defeat and dark political forces are gearing up for a malign future. Berlin’s nightlife churns with experimental art, debauched revelry and untempered vice. Henk Handloegten, Tom Tykwer and Achim von Borries’ massive series has been called the best thing on TV; the complex web of characters, intrigues, passions and derangement is presented with fantastic period art direction and directed and performed to raise a drug-fueled sweat — the action, music, color and historical comment are fascinating. It’s the most exciting show since the heyday of Nordic Noir. On Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
10/08/24
The West Wing — The Complete Series 10/08/24
Warner Home Entertainment
Blu-ray
Sure, it’s a TV landmark. To liberals it is a dream vision of how responsible government, run by practical idealists, ought to work. The show’s seven years of rational ups and downs were aired mostly during the Bush administration, and still managed to hold out hope for America. It’s a crowning achievement for creator Aaron Sorkin — imagine, a popular TV show that presents a presidential administration as a positive thing. Inspiration is where you find it; the quality upgrade makes this massive Blu-ray set an attractive item for an election year. On Blu-ray from Warner Home Entertainment.
10/08/24
CineSavant Column
Hello!
Correspondent and advisor Gary Teetzel has found something good. Posting on YouTube just a few days ago, ‘Soundtrack Fred’ gives us about fifteen minutes of original cues from an RKO recording session for All That Money Can Buy aka The Devil and Daniel Webster. It sounds like the original source is a transcription disc.
The bonus content is a few seconds of composer Bernard Herrman giving instructions to the orchestra, at the beginning and the end of the recording. His voice always surprises — he doesn’t sound like a stereotyped refined musical genius. He apparently hears extranous noise in his headphones:
“Don’t touch anything, don’t rattle any half-dollars, anything else …”
It’s a good listen for Herrmann’s Oscar-winning music, one of his very best film scores.
And here’s another call-out for fans of Euro-westerns. Genuine expert Tom Betts started decades ago with a printed newsletter, and for quite a while now he’s been running a website blog dedicated to his area of expertise.
The blog may not be for casual Italo and European western fans, but it can’t be beat for enthusiasts that want to know every last detail about the films, particularly the hundreds of actors that played in them.
Tom Betts’ Westerns… All’Italiana page is the place to go for genre loyalists. In addition to Tom’s writing are some essential links … including his & Jay Jennings’ YouTube Spaghetti Westerns Podcast.
Thanks for reading! — Glenn Erickson
The Ladykillers — 4K 10/05/24
KL Studio Classics
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Alexander Mackendrick’s ‘annihilating comedy’ is one of the best of the Ealing classics. Four hardened criminals are intent on pulling off the heist of the century, when they come up against an enemy for whom they’re totally unprepared – a little old lady who totters around, talks in a high voice, and has to be humored by everyone. William Rose’s story conjures a fistful of dastards — Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers and Danny Green follow the master plan of Alec Guinness’s gangleader, a characterization that makes use of a set of false teeth that are hilarious on their own — a creepy Chas. Addams effect. The sweet grandma and those polite cops barely need to lift a finger — Guinness’s mob is its own worst enemy. It’s a real gem. On 4K Ultra-HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
10/05/24
Words and Music 10/05/24
The Warner Archive Collection
Blu-ray
The Warner Archive’s latest MGM Technicolor bon-bon is this strained musical bio — Mickey Rooney as Lorenz Hart? — that nevertheless can boast an impressive revue lineup of performances: Judy Garland, Betty Garrett, Mickey Rooney, Lena Horne, Mel Tormé et al. The showstopper is one of Gene Kelly’s earliest ‘music ballet’ extravaganzas — he dances Apachewith Vera-Ellen in the dynamic Hart-Rodgers composition Slaughter on 10th Avenue. It’s pretty exciting — ballet art masks some pretty erotic moves. With an excellent audio commentary by Richard Barrios. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
10/05/24
CineSavant Column
Hello!
More podcast news today, this time paralleling today’s new CineSavant review. Dick Dinman once again has coaxed Warner Archive overseer George Feltenstein into talking about a new release.
Since it’s a major digital reupholstering job on a classic MGM musical, we can guess that George was a big part of the restoration effort. (Yegads … I just realized that I worked for Mr. Feltenstein 33 years ago…)
A few days ago Joe Dante circulated this article by Jake Rossen, from the Mental Floss website. It’s short and to the point, but I’ve never heard the subject explained so clearly.
The notion of Howard Hughes ensconsced on the top floors of a Las Vegas hotel, ordering his favorite shows to be played over and over again on his own TV station, should be etched in the annals of eccentric Americana. It gives us mental images of Hughes screening Ice Station Zebra over and over again. The James Bond movie Diamonds are Forever lampooned Hughes’ enforced isolation with a character called Willard Whyte — what a place to go mad … ?
Thanks for reading! — Glenn Erickson