Glenn Erickson's Reviews: Archives: Reviews

Tea and Sympathy 04/04/26

Quick, adapt this hit Broadway play for the screen!  But remember the guidelines — you can’t directly say what the play is about or use certain words to describe its subject. In fact, you’ll need to eliminate direct references to the play’s strongest statement. The ‘tamed’ film adaption of Robert Anderson’s play gets the glossy MGM treatment, retaining its stage stars Deborah Kerr, Leif Erickson and John Kerr. We were pleasantly surprised that the story still works, despite dated aspects and the inability to, you know, speak its own name. Edward Andrews is also very good, as is the unheralded young actress Norma Crane. So we’ve decided to ‘Be Kind.’ On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
04/04/26

Dead Kids  Aka Strange Behavior — 4K 04/04/26

A bizarre favorite returns in a crystal-clear 4K encoding. Michael Laughlin’s eccentric ‘Middle America’ horror item was actually filmed in New Zealand, yet eerily correct in every detail. Michael Murphy and Louise Fletcher top the cast list, but Dan Shor, Fiona Lewis and Dey Young all make strong impressions. In 1981 it was odd and audacious, helped mightily by some excellent makeup work and a wholly convincing, very disturbing hypodermic gag. Fiona Lewis will forever be the scary syringe lady! On 4K Ultra HD from Powerhouse Indicator.
04/04/26

Matador   — 4K 03/31/26

That crazy Pedro Almodóvar had no fear and no limits — following through on his theory that sexual desire is the engine driving everything human, this beautifully-filmed, disturbingly raw horror thriller gives us an amour fou between two crazy killers, plus others equally loco de amor. A young Antonio Banderas attempts a rape to escape an oppressive mother; Eva Cobo stays true to her lover even though he may kill her. The picture is an antidote to glossy, often empty Euro-slashers; we instead get a ferocious yet humanistic look at the confluence of sex, death worship, and violent obsession. As if that weren’t enough, it’s a sensationally vibrant & colorful experience in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray, from Radiance Films.
03/31/26

The Puppetoon Movie  The Director’s Cut 03/31/26

The original Puppetoon movie is back!  In 1987 Arnold Leibovit helped secure the legacy of producer George Pal with a feature-length tribute; 40 years later, his film has been remastered in 4K and enlarged into a new Director’s Cut. The extra gallery of additonal Puppetoons is icing on the cake: it’s an impressive introduction to the stop-motion replacement animation world of George Pal. On Blu-ray from Puppetoon Productions.
03/31/26

Viridiana   — 4K 03/29/26

Luis Buñuel’s top roost as a world-class filmmaker remains undisturbed: as an exile in Mexico, his commercial work continued at a high creative pitch, staying true to his surrealist principles. Invited back to fascist Spain to make a movie, he generated a masterpiece guaranteed to become an international scandal. The cinematic slap to Generalissimo Franco won top honors at Cannes, and had to be smuggled to Mexico after  la dictadura  ordered it destroyed. Silvia Pinal, Fernando Rey and Francisco Rabal star; what may be Spain’s greatest film is now remastered in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
03/29/26

The Big Broadcast of 1938 03/29/26

Gee, now what year was this film released?  Paramount’s comic radio variety extravaganza is enlivened by big-scale W.C. Fields comedy scenes, crazy antics from Martha Raye and the film debut of Bob Hope. Not to mention the science fiction premise that holds it all together: a trans-Atlantic race between giant high-speed ocean liners. Mitchell Leisen gives the show a glossy art-deco look, while Hope and Shirley Ross make movie history with the song Thanks for the Memory. We’ve always loved it, even with some klunky musical interludes. On Blu-ray from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
03/29/26

Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel   — 4K 03/24/26

Yet again, Deaf Crocodile opens doors to cinematic fantasy once blocked by politics and the vagaries of international film markets. This Estonian film is all but unknown here, despite coming from the reknowned authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Detective Glebsky is trapped in a snowbound ski resort with a group of eccentrics that might have a good reason for being so weird — they may be aliens in disguise, stranded and having difficulty passing for human. Director Grigori Kromanov’s audio-visual treat features a remote mountaintop location and an impressive electronica / prog music score; the Sci-fi element remains 99% cerebral. Who knows who is human, alien, a robot, or a zombie?  Somebody give that Saint Bernard dog a lie detector test! On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile Films.
03/24/26

A Man and a Woman 03/24/26

Director Claude Lelouch used the French Art Film format to shape a story of an intimate romantic encounter, and captured a world-wide audience. Star Anouk Aimée is a radiant presence, and Jean-Louis Trintignant found his footing here as a top-rank leading man. The film’s loose photogenic look caught on, and not just for shampoo commercials. The film’s auto racing background didn’t hurt either — did Lelouch produce much of his show on the Ford Motor Company’s dime?  The Francis Lai music holds everything together … and it still plays well. Criterion’s special disc extra is Lelouch’s legendary illicit car race movie … through downtown Paris at 120 mph. On Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
03/24/26

The Verdict   (1946) 03/21/26

Two of Warners favorite thriller actors worked together nine times in just a few years. This mystery tale is their last pairing, and also the first feature film directed by Don Siegel. Victorian sleuth Sydney Greenstreet gets an assist from his artist friend Peter Lorre when a murder victim is found in a room locked from the inside. How did the killer get away?  Don Siegel’s work is sharp, making the most of the studio’s high production values. The tightly directed suspense tale also stars Joan Lorring, whose saucy nightclub entertainer teases Lorre’s character by calling him ‘Vicky.’ On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
03/21/26

Salem’s Lot  — 4K 03/21/26

Prime-era Stephen King never loses its appeal! Director Tobe Hooper delivers some strong visuals in this TV movie version of King’s All-American vampire tale. Reggie Nalder channels his inner Max Schreck, and James Mason provides a top class-act horror performance. Of the supporting cast we favor Bonnie Bedelia, Elisha Cook Jr. and Marie Windsor over the blond male leads. The best news is that the deluxe edition also contains the tightly-edited Theatrical Version that was screened overseas, also in full 4K. Come to the town where bloodsuckers are Blue, and where No One Rests In Peace! On 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.
03/17/26

Killers of the Flower Moon   — 4K 03/17/26

Martin Scorsese’s epic (and epic length!) adaptation of David Grann’s eye-opening novel is great filmmaking with impressive performances from Robert De Niro and a marvelous showcase for Lily Gladstone, who provides the heart within a heartless tangle of utterly loathsome villains. It’s a true story, unsensationalized yet carrying an unspoken message — moral degeneracy would seem a founding principle of the human species. Come learn the awful truth about ‘Indian politics’ — such as a law that classified Native tribespeople as ‘incompetents’ in need of white guardians. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
03/17/26

Cutter’s Way   — 4K 03/17/26

A fresh 4K encoding reveals a finer visual texture on Ivan Passer’s highly-respected film, which features career-best performances by its stars. Disaffected 20-somethings in Santa Barbara investigate a murder and then try to blackmail a corporate CEO; it’s a superb coda to the ’60s counterculture generation. John Heard is the maimed, one-eyed veteran already judged unstable, Jeff Bridges the yacht bum who gets by on his good looks, and Lisa Eichhorn the most forlorn woman of the early ’80s, in need of a reason to give a damn about something. Jordan Cronenweth’s cinematography and Jack Nitzsche’s music track couldn’t be bettered; the movie is a lonely wail against a moral undertow that is distinctly American. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
03/17/26

Classe tous risques   — 4K 03/14/26

03/14/26

The Man Inside 03/14/26

Powerhouse Indicator dips into the Columbia library for a Warwick Films production from Albert R. Broccoli and Irving Allen. It’s an international genre blend that would seem a stab at the perfect mainstream box office formula — crime violence, a tough American star, a sexy European star, upbeat music and comic relief around the fringes. Bruiser Jack Palance plays it non-brutal, Anita Ekberg is a cool femme fatale and Nigel Patrick is an eccentric jewel thief. It’s a definite pecursor to Broccoli’s future James Bond franchise. On Region B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator.
03/14/26

Mogambo 03/10/26

John Ford went to Africa and brought home a fine remake of a 1930s pre-Code hit, with its original star Clark Gable. Clark has his hands full juggling leading ladies of the next generation, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly. Gable is still the he-man center of attention; his advancing age is not a restrictive factor, not quite yet. The adaptation takes advantage of the African locale with the added oomph of Technicolor. It was box office gold for MGM, even with a much more chaste ‘bath in the tropics’ scene. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
03/10/26

The Day and the Hour 03/10/26

René Clément all but invented the resistance movie in France and returned to the topic several times. This story of an American flier and a Frenchwoman avoids political sentiment and escapist excesses, concentrating on Simone Signoret’s luminous performance as a woman facing the worst that Occupied France could dish out. It’s a multi-language production, filmed from Paris to the Pyrenees. Stuart Whitman is the American pilot, and the French cast is choice: Geneviève Page, Michel Piccoli, and Reggie Nalder. On Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
03/10/26

Playtime   — 4K 03/07/26

Reviewer Charlie Largent plumbs the comedic mystery of Jacques Tati’s eccentric conceptual masterpiece, originally filmed in 65mm. Tati’s iconic character is adrift in a modern Paris of glass buildings and confusing habits, observing ‘civilization in action’ in one fascinating set-piece after another: an Airport passenger space, a cubicle-forested office, a trade show, the debut of a chi-chi nitery. It’s like a giant game of Where’s Waldo Tati … and mysteriously, charmingly positive-minded. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
03/07/26

The Second Woman 03/07/26

Upscale country-club noir: James V. Kern’s well-directed psychological drama has become semi-obscure for a number of reasons but has been resurrected in decent shape, yielding a handsome show with some unusual casting. Trying once again to play against type, Robert Young is a troubled architect who may have a murderous skeleton in his closet; cheerful light comedienne Betsy Drake is terrific as an assertive woman who won’t let go of his problem. Independent producer Harry Popkin gives the show an air of glamour — the setting is the beautiful shoreline between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Monterey. On Blu-ray from Film Masters.
03/07/26

Excalibur  — 4K 03/03/26

Not every John Boorman film landed on target, but this fantastic take on the Arthur legend is a big winner. Beginning the story a generation back with Uther Pendragon deepens our understanding of Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot. Excess romantic bathos is dropped in favor of a return to the mystical roots that would underpin epics to come, including Tolkien. Merlin and Morgana (Nicol Williamson & Helen Mirren) are the really crucial characters, and the ensemble of knights and knaves is chosen for acting ability: Nigel Terry, Nicholas Clay, Cherie Lunghi, Gabriel Byrne, Katrine Boorman, Liam Neeson, Corin Redgrave, Patrick Stewart, Ciarán Hinds. It’s a beautiful remaster, for the first time at its original 1:66 aspect ratio. On 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.
03/03/26

Stranger on the Third Floor 03/03/26

The stylized visuals in this RKO mini-masterpiece are more extreme than any of the German expressionist classics said to have influenced it. A cub reporter experiences a nightmare of crazy injustice, a psychological payback for his own testimony that convicted a killer on circumstantial evidence. The pale and forlorn face of Peter Lorre haunts this very strange melodrama, pitched somewhere between horror and a new style yet to be identified: film noir. Lorre is great, but so are the leading players Margaret Tallichet, John McGuire and especially Elisha Cook Jr.. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
03/03/26

Ben-Hur   — 4K 02/28/26

Warners’ new 4K remaster of William Wyler’s towering Road Show blockbuster is a feast for the eyes and ears; the rich encoding will put the word ‘epic’ back into the home theater experience. Wyler’s tasteful direction of that costume-actor-for-all-eras Charlton Heston makes most Biblical epics look tawdry. The chariot race is an action set-piece that will likely never be topped. It was all performed for real, with stuntmen and real horses, and several thousand extras on a set as big as a collosseum. Plus Miklós Rózsa’s powerful film score. On 4K Ultra-HD + Digital Code from Warner Bros. Entertainment.
02/28/26

Dillinger 02/28/26

John Milius’s all-star gangland gundown is great fun for fans of gun action and America’s number one Public Enemy. Stars Warren Oates and Ben Johnson hail from Sam Peckinpah’s stock company, but the roll call of supporting gun thieves is just as stellar: Harry Dean Stanton, Geoffrey Lewis, John Ryan, Richard Dreyfuss, Steve Kanaly, Roy Jenson and Frank McRae. Michelle Phillips is a kidnapped gun moll, while Cloris Leachman has a memorable cameo as The Lady in Red. Bang Bang! — most of these rural bandits get themselves shot to pieces. On Blu-ray from MGM.
02/28/26

Tarzan and his Mate 02/24/26

It’s outrageously violent and eye-openingly explicit — the second Johnny Weissmuller / Maureen O’Sullivan jungle epic is wall to wall animal attacks, tribal carnage and woo-woo erotic scenes that push the limits of pre-Code tolerance. MGM spent a pile of money on tricky animal trainers and clever special effects to depict spectacular battles and gruesome wild beast attacks. O’Sullivan wears her revealing jungle outfit with pride, and Weismuller is one of the all-time top action heroes. Sexy, vulgar and frequently in questionable taste, it entertains more than most modern action thrillers. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
02/24/26

Network  — 4K 02/24/26

Easily the most prescient picture of the 1970s, Paddy Chayefsky’s warning of broadcast horrors to come couldn’t be more relevant to today’s news media communication morass. Corporate values turn a venerated TV news institution into an infotainment sewer, years before the advent of brain-snatching Reality TV. The satire is hilariously spot-on with its targeting of greed, hypocrisy and old-fashioned Yankee venality. Everybody deserved Oscars: William Holden, Peter Finch, Ned Beatty, Beatrice Straight and the much-missed Robert Duvall. Only Faye Dunaway survives!  Satire may be dead, but Chayefsky’s ‘window shout’ classic keeps yelling at top volume. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
02/24/26

Westworld   – 1973, 4K 02/21/26

Michael Crichton proved himself smarter than the Hollywood system with this neatly conceived, modestly produced moneymaker. Everyone remembers Yul Brynner’s psycho robot gunslinger, in an amusement park automated for violent thrills and robot sex. Nobody remembers that this might be the movies’ first mention of a ‘computer virus,’ although the ensuing Robot Roll Call Revolt against humanity isn’t really explained. Richard Benjamin and James Brolin have fun with high noon gun-downs, and enjoy their bed-downs with clockwork saloon girls. The well-paced story lets us sort out the future-sex issues on our own. The restored and remastered encoding can’t be faulted, and original actors and filmmakers contribute to the extras. On 4K Ultra HD (only) from Arrow Video.
02/21/26

A Long Ride from Hell 02/21/26

UK correspondent Lee Broughton returns with coverage of a Spaghetti Western that is unique in as much as it was the legendary Steve Reeves’s only genre entry as well as being his final film. Director Camillo Bazzoni’s show is a decent enough, action-heavy swan song for the iconic actor; Reeves is ably supported by a plethora of genre stalwarts and fan favourites that include Wayde Preston, Rosalba Neri, Aldo Sambrell, Spartaco Conversi and Nello Pazzafini. The new release is from Germany; Lee’s one disclaimer is that he has also contributed the disc’s audio commentary. On Blu-ray from Explosive Media.
02/21/26

One Battle after Another   — 4K 02/18/26

 Paul Thomas Anderson’s major Oscar contender comes to disc in top condition; CineSavant’s Charlie Largent finds it thrilling, out of control yet fully controlled by its high-powered director. Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti and Benicio del Toro inhabit an all-too credible battleground landscape with new terms like ‘The French 75, ‘The White House’ and ‘The Christmas Adventurers Club.’ It’s a new America: immigrants, protesters, journalists, professors, college students, school kids, and American citizens just out for a walk had better beware. Charlie calls it a new kind of family movie. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Warner Bros..

02/17/26

Lubitsch Musicals   Eclipse Series 8 02/18/26

 These pre-Code comedies of manners were America’s talking-picture introduction to ‘the Lubitsch touch.’ They’re spirited bedroom farces, even though the innuendo and pliable sexuality all happens standing up with both feet on the floor. French song & dance man Maurice Chevalier became the international ambassador for French oo-la-la suggestiveness. Co-starring are Jeanette MacDonald, Miriam Hopkins, Claudette Colbert; for one feature Chevalier’s place is taken by English star Jack Buchanan. On Blu-ray from Eclipse / Criterion.

02/14/26

Red Dust 02/18/26

 Understanding pre-Code movies gets easy after seeing MGM’s sultry romance set in an exotic, sweaty rubber plantation. The big draw is cock o’ the walk Clark Gable, who gets to flex his mustache with both Mary Astor and newly-crowned sex star Jean Harlow. Director Victor Fleming is at his best, and so is that rain barrel turned into the movies’ most famous bathtub. Also starring Gene Raymond, Donald Crisp and Tully Marshall. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.

02/12/26

3:10 to Yuma   — 4K 02/18/26

 Stunning in HD, this A+ western is a total knockout in crisp 4K. Glenn Ford and Van Heflin’s performances as a ruthless outlaw and a reluctant deputy take Elmore Leonard’s raw-boned shotgun ordeal to the top of the genre, circa 1957. Those Arizona locations look amazing, with all that dramatic break o’ dawn lighting. Plus Richard Jaeckel, Leora Dana, Henry Jones and (swoon) Felicia Farr. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

02/09/26

Krakatit   — 4K 02/03/26

A thinking man’s apocalypse movie?  Otakar Vávra’s highly original film on the atomic panic of the late 1940s will either be too intellectual for Science fiction fans … or they will think it the most intelligent anti-nuke picture ever. It’s from Czechoslovakia before the communist coup and therefore not Soviet propaganda. But it is humanist, pacifist, and not-too enamored of American military arrogance. It’s from a classic Karel Capek book about a super explosive, updated to be an atomic parable. What’s most challenging is the artistic format: the entire show is a subjective fever dream experienced by a lone wolf Oppenheimer type who finds that he has the power to blow up the entire planet. It’s truly different. The one recognizable star for Sci-fi fans is Florence Marly, and if you know who she is, you’re going to be curious. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile Films.
02/03/26

Dante’s Peak   — 4K 02/03/26

It’s fundamentally a dum-dum ’90s disaster picture, an action-jeopardy roller coaster ride tailored to compete with the Roland Emmerichs and the Michael Bays … and we liked it. Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton and director Roger Donaldson put it across so well that we don’t mind the silly science or the cute dog; the special effects are excellent too. The 4K encoding shows us that the CGI folk were really getting their act together by this time. So shoot me: I was entertained against my better judgment. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
02/03/26

The Narrow Margin 01/31/26

Quite a few films noir approach perfection: this almost-perfect RKO production was abused by Howard Hughes, only to bounce back as one of Hollywood’s most notable ‘sleepers’ — word-of-mouth made it into a solid box office hit. Gravel-throat detective Charles McGraw is suspected of being on the mob’s payroll, a charge that is tested when he must protect a hoodlum’s widow (Marie Windsor) from assassination — on a moving train. It’s a taut thriller with smart & saucy dialogue; under the direction of Richard Fleischer, the McGraw-Windsor verbal sparring approaches legendary status. Plus, the film has a powerful James Bond 007 connection. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
01/31/26

A Shot in the Dark  — 4K 01/31/26

The second and perhaps best Peter Sellers Inspector Clouseau comedy introduces Bert Kwouk’s Cato, Herbert Lom’s Commissioner Dreyfus, some playful direction from Blake Edwards, and a kooky music score my Henry Mancini. It was actually adaptated from a pre-existing play, with the Clouseau character shoehorned in. The follow-up to The Pink Panther lacks the same star-power, but Edwards has more polish on his slapstick, so to speak. Reviewer Charlie Largent gives it a critical once-over. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
01/31/26

Barry Lyndon  — 4K 01/27/26

It’s an epic seen through the eye of an artist. We know the past of Europe through great paintings, but Stanley Kubrick uses fine art as a filter to stylize a bygone era. His adaptation of the Thackeray novel uses new approaches to low-light cinematography. We are witness to a rogue’s progress through troubled times; actor Ryan O’Neal comes through with exactly the performance Kubrick wanted. The images positively glow on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
01/27/26

Libido  Region B 01/27/26

Italo pioneer in Gothic horror Ernesto Gastaldi stepped up to directing with this not-bad murder thriller for the Euro exploitation market circa 1965. It’s Giancarlo Giannini’s first film, as an heir to a fortune with inconvenient psychological issues … he can’t say for certain that he isn’t a latent sex killer apt to strike any minute. Mysterious happenings at a fancy clifftop beach chateau lead to murder madness … mayhem happens so often, you’d think these Continental hipsters would see it coming. On Region B Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
01/27/26

The Dead  — 4K 01/24/26

John Huston’s final film is a personal production filmed under ideal conditions, with an ideal Irish cast. Screenwriter Tony Huston adjusts the acclaimed short story for film but keeps it more or less intact — a single dinner party covers most of the running time. Anjelica Huston is James Joyce’s Gretta and Donal McCann is Gabriel; the warm group of players include Dan O’Herlihy, Donal Donnelly, Sean McClory, Marie Kean and Colm Meaney. Snow still falls ‘faintly through the universe.’ On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
01/24/26

Tank Girl  — 4K 01/24/26

Is it a filmic disaster or just your average post-punk Sci-fi Riot grrrl epic that got lost in the margins?  Lori Petty nails the title character with a stylishly manic-defiant hellraiser battling the forces of repression. Naomi Watts and Ice-T co-star, but the functioning auteurs may be production designer Catherine Hardwicke and costumer Arianne Phillips. The lavishly appointed boxed set has a stack of new extras, with input from Ms. Petty and director Rachel Talalay. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome Ultra.
01/24/26

The Godless Girl 01/20/26

‘Kill the Bible!’ — according to Cecil B. DeMille, that’s the agenda of Godless atheists destroying America’s youth. His beautifully directed yet jaw-droppingly exploitative ‘meller-drammer’ condemns teenagers to a hellhole reformatory, for more defiance, escapes, and a typically spectacular DeMille crisis. That’s not counting the scene where cross-shaped ‘electrocution stigmata’ are burned into the young lovers’ hands. It’s excellent silent filmmaking, as restored by Kevin Brownlow and Photoplay Productions. Where’s the sequel, where those rascally atheists try to cancel Christmas? On Blu-ray from Kino Classics / Photoplay.
01/20/26

Punishment Park  Revival Review 01/20/26

As long as we’re feeling restless … we return to 1971, and a Peter Watkins political fantasy that arrived looking for trouble. The invocation of a forgotten Cold War security act motivates police to target anti-war dissidents with a murderous initiative. The premise of this grim desert ordeal always seemed farfetched, paranoid … but maybe its time has finally come. We’ve dusted off our old review from 2005. This particular disc is long out of print, but releases from other regions exist. Was once on DVD from New Yorker Video.
01/20/26

Yi Yi  — 4K 01/17/26

Edward Yang’s sentimental family masterpiece is back, now in 4K Ultra HD. It’s New Taiwan Cinema at its best, and an ideal introduction to Asian cinema for those averse to action and fantasy. One year in the life of a home in Taipei begins with a wedding and ends with a funeral; the emotional journey in between takes in a middle-aged romance, a dangerous teen fling, and the adventures of a curious boy with a camera. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
01/17/26

The Snow Creature 01/17/26

It’s a lowly Z-grade independent monster show of the 1950s, made by Billy Wilder’s talent-challenged older brother. We can’t get enough of pictures like this: Bronson Caves subs for the wilds of the Himalayas, but desperation editing can’t compensate for the lack of real action scenes. Mister Snow Creature is not particularly memorable either. But there’s something about seeing an old all-night movie turnip in such pristine condition … where every production failing stands out in relief. The generous extras include input by Jonathan Rigby, Kevin Lyons and Kim Newman. On Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome Labs.
01/17/26

Captain Blood  — 4K 01/13/26

He was the biggest unknown-to-major-star sensation of the Golden age of Hollywood. Errol Flynn’s screen breakthrough is unique, as his ‘dashing rogue’ persona wasn’t fully formedl his Doctor Blood is no superman, and surprisingly vulnerable. The show also introduced one of the movies’ most appealing romantic couples, with the casting of the still-teenaged Olivia de Havilland. The production goes all out for the pirate battles, Michael Curtiz’s direction couldn’t be bettered, and the symphonic music score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold adds epic scope and class. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
01/13/26

The Ghost  (Lo spettro) — 4K 01/13/26

Barbara Steele is back and Dr. Hichcock’s got her, but it’s not that Dr. Hichcock. The producers of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock return with the same director and much the same crew, with their fake anglicized names. Ms. Steele’s unfaithful and duplicitous spouse gets a full acting workout, even with a story devoid of Taboo content, and less exciting direction from Riccardo Freda. Perhaps the real excitement is in Severin Films’ restoration of this previously ‘lost’ movie. The 62-year-old picture was re-launched at two European film festivals, giving the all-time Queen of Horror some well-earned extra time in the limelight. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Severin Films.
01/13/26

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure  — 4K 01/10/26

Tim Burton’s debut feature elaborates on the alternate-universe world of Pee-Wee Herman, the alter-ego creation of comedian Paul Reubens. A non-conformist original with a good heart, Pee-Wee’s DNA could have come from a TV kiddie show host. He’s an infantile / streetwise child prodigy with lofty values: he believes in fair play, inclusivity and special privileges for himself. Pee-Wee is oblivious to romance but consistently attracts good friends. On an epic quest to retrieve a stolen bicycle, he suffers a traumatic disillusion at the hands of a tour guide at The Alamo. Adding to the magic are playground colors from cameraman Victor Kemper and catchy circus music by Danny Elfman. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
01/10/26

Twilight Zone: The Movie 01/10/26

Steven Spielberg’s ill-fated celebration of Rod Serling’s legendary TV show delivers mind-bending fantasy and horror, and maybe slips a bit when reaching for poignant charm and moral preaching. The stories aren’t all winners, but they build to two of the best omnibus entries of all time, Joe Dante’s It’s a Good Life and George Miller’s Nightmare at 20,000 Feet. Audiences of 1983 responded much as do Dan Aykroyd and Albert Brooks in the spooky-spooky prologue, a Midnight Special of delighted screams. The plain-wrap release appears to be an HD reissue. On Blu-ray from Warner Bros Entertainment.
01/10/26

Sirius  (Szíriusz) 01/06/26

Dennis Bartok’s Deaf Crocodile Films keeps coming up with surprises from Eastern Europe. This Hungarian fantasy throws us for a loop — it’s a time travel story using an actual mechanical time machine, but filmed way back in 1942, in the middle of WW2 when the country was fighting alongside the Nazis. Ninety percent of the show is a costume romance set in 18th-century Austria-Hungary — with songs and dancing, in grandiose studio sets. The extras explain how it came to be, but it’s still difficult to take in. On Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile Films.
01/06/26

Illustrious Corpses 01/06/26

Watergate prompted Hollywood to launch a wave of paranoid thrillers about vast conspiracies, but Italian filmmakers long before presented the status quo as corrupt from the inside out. Director Francesco Rosi’s adaptation of a fiction novel skips the escapist thrills. Incorruptible detective Lino Ventura intuits that his superiors don’t want him to solve a series of killings of high-level judges. Impeccably directed for a kind of nagging, uneasy suspense, Rosi’s picture draws Ventura’s dogged hero into a bigger, more sinister frame. With Charles Vanel, Max von Sydow and Fernando Rey, and music by Piero Piccioni. The original Italian title is not reassuring: Cadaveri eccelenti. On Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
01/06/26

Alfred Hitchcock Presents  The Legacy Collection 01/03/26

The best suspense TV of the 1950s has been released again, in a monster set with dozens of discs … and its just the kind of thing that collectors need when streaming options are nil. Hitchcock, Joan Harrison, and Norman Lloyd combined Hollywood experience, good taste and a wicked sense of humor to make murder a weekly household pastime. The 263 (!) episodes in this Legacy Collection put a wealth of talented star power to excellent use; each 24-minute drama has character depth, and often a powerful narrative twist. Hitchcock’s mordant introductions are a feast in themselves. “Good Evening!” On DVD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
01/03/26

Scars of Dracula  –4K 01/03/26

Any 4K Hammer release gets special attention; this one has Christopher Lee as Dracula so will spike the radar of collector completists. Its reputation is not high, but it does predate the company’s woeful attempts to update the franchise in a contemporary setting. Kino & StudioCanal’s presentation can’t be faulted — the 4K remaster flatters the film’s cinematography, and the main new extra is a Tim Lucas commentary. Jenny Hanley, Patrick Troughton, Anouska Hempel, Michael Gwynn and Michael Ripper co-star. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
01/03/26

The Pink Panther 12/30/25

This solid hit generated numerous sequels, a truckload of cartoons and a key character for Peter Sellers, who slipped into the movie at almost the very last second. David Niven, Robert Wagner and Capucine carry the slapstick comedy, while the newcomer Claudia Cardinale made a fantastic American debut. Everyone had the original soundtrack album. Blake Edwards’ big screen comedy has been remastered from glorious big-format Technirama, yielding an even sharper, more colorful image. On Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
12/30/25

On Borrowed Time 12/30/25

For the sensitive, this high-toned tale of Death trapped in a tree can be an emotional sledgehammer, with enough weeping and wailing for ten sad stories. To avoid being transported to the great beyond, Lionel Barrymore uses a magic tree to neutralize Mr. Brink — Death Himself. But that means that nobody dies anywhere, leaving thousands in a state of agony. Sir Cedric Hardwick is a cultured bringer of Doom; Beulah Bondi and Henry Travers co-star. The little boy in the story is Bobs ‘Waterworks’ Watson, a child prodigy who can cry gallons of tears and not perish from dehydration. Mr. Brink is no friend to you and me — watch out for that tree! On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
12/30/25

Laurel & Hardy  The Definitive Restorations Vol. 2 12/27/25

Stan and Ollie live again! … CineSavant reviewer Charlie Largent takes a looksee at these classic short subjects, compiled and newly restored by Kit Parker Films, SabuCat and The UCLA Film and Television Archive. The 8 sound-era shorts on board are Men O’ War (1929), Perfect Day (1929), Blotto (1930), Another Fine Mess (1930), Dirty Work (1933), Going Bye-Bye! (1934), Them Thar Hills (1934) and Tit for Tat (1935). Plus some alternate versions, trailers, bonus films and a This is Your Life show. On Blu-ray from MVD Visual.
12/27/25

The Beggar’s Opera 12/27/25

It’s a movie musical ripe for rediscovery … a film version of a classic ballad opera from 1728, a satircal lampoon of ‘noble highwayman’ tales. Laurence Olivier is Macheath, a rogue repeatedly rescued by the women that love him; with society so corrupt, Macheath’s stylish thievery feels heroic. Some of the vintage songs and lyrics are said to be period- authentic. They’re wickedly witty and clever, as is a stellar lineup of talent that makes the musical farce fly high and funny: Hugh Griffith, Dorothy Tutin, Stanley Holloway, Daphne Anderson, Athene Seyler and Yvonne Furneaux. Digitally remastered, picture and audio, on Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
12/27/25

His Girl Friday  — 4K  +  The Front Page 12/23/25

When the ‘talkies’ arrived, Broadway’s smartest wordsmiths wasted no time mining Hollywood gold. Hecht and MacArthur’s cynical newspaper saga defined a brassy new American style; a decade later, Howard Hawks’ ‘gender spin’ on the material became an equal comedy classic. Criterion reprises their newspaper classic double bill, bumping one of the features up to 4K Ultra-HD. Newbies to the world of ‘old movies’ will be charmed by the will be charmed by the snappy smart talk that became synonymous with street sophistication, and everybody will admire Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell’s superb comedic skills On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
12/23/25

Dead of Night  Region A — 4K 12/23/25

The StudioCanal restoration of one of the creepiest and most elegant fright films ever made comes to Region A on 4K Ultra HD: five classic horror tales, filmed by four of Ealing Studios’ best directors. The tale’s insane elliptical framing story captures the uncanny quality of a nightmare; Georges Auric’s music score sets the viewer on edge. Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers, Michael Redgrave and Sally Ann Howes star, along with Britain’s horror mascot Miles Malleson: “Room for one more inside, sir!”  See it in one go, in the dark. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
12/23/25

David Byrne’s American Utopia   — 4K 12/20/25

“Maybe we can make some sense.” David Byrne & Spike Lee’s joyous concert film is just as energizing as Stop Making Sense; it offers a theme of peace, inclusivity and social justice, and ponders the personal challenge of finding one’s way in the chaos of modern living. The songs are a mix of new pieces, borrowed raps and vintage Talking Heads hits that will Burn Down the house; David Byrne’s speeches are soothing. Made just as the COVID crisis arrived, the show still carries a positive, hopeful message. The technical production behind the show is a marvel in itself — nothing gets between us and the performers. On 4K Ultra-HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
12/20/25

Law & Order  The Complete Original Series 12/20/25

Among monster boxes this one takes the prize: 104 DVD discs, holding twenty years of a series that’s been in constant TV rotation for (cough) 35 years. They’re all here — Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, S. Epatha Merkerson and Benjamin Bratt. I imagine this is prime gift box bait, and an opportunity for casual fans to experience it all in its proper order, without commercials. Is it a worthy purchase?  Pre-sold readers can go straight to the review’s evaluation section. With all of his TV residuals, I wish Mr. Wolf would act on the letters I send asking that he adopt me. On DVD from Universal Home Video.
12/20/25

Red Planet  — 4K 12/16/25

This decent space adventure might have been a hit, if another Mars-themed movie hadn’t bombed a few months before. Cocky astronauts journey to what is supposed to be a partly terraformed Mars, only to experience mission snafus that make survival unlikely. The plot complications cherry-picked from the best of Sci-fi are mostly exciting; the actors remain lively and engaging: Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Sizemore, Benjamin Bratt, Simon Baker & Terence Stamp. On 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.
12/16/25

The Miracle  — 1959 12/16/25

Sold like an action spectacle, Irving Rapper’s religious epic is about a novice nun who spends most of the film on a wild romantic spree — men, dancing, bullfights — before a glorious finale with a show of reverence. Carroll Baker is the ‘spirited’ novitiate and Roger Moore the gallant officer she loves. This prime example of Hollywood piety gets pretty thick with violence & sin against an historical background, but we keep our comments polite and positive. The good-looking disc is remastered from Technirama elements — and includes two Bugs Bunny cartoons! On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
12/16/25

Columbia Noir #7:  Made in Britain 12/13/25

Noir goes English, with American talent looking for acting opportunities and tax breaks!  These Columbia releases show English talent on the rise as well. Ken Hughes, Mark Robson and Terence Fisher direct Arlene Dahl, Richard Widmark and Victor Mature, opposite Mai Zetterling, Elizabeth Sellars, Eunice Gayson, Herbert Marshall, Faith Domergue, Diana Dors and Jack Hawkins. The extras include several rare short subjects, always a delight with PI. On Region B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator.
12/13/25

Kansas City Confidential 12/13/25

Phil Karlson’s nervous noir throws tough guy John Payne into the middle of a Pulp Fiction tangle, crashing the meet-up of four thieves who have used him as a patsy in a million dollar bank heist. The script served as a partial blueprint for Quentin Tarantino, what with criminal colleagues that don’t know each other’s names or identities: Neville Brand, Lee Van Cleef and Jack Elam. Throw in Coleen Gray as a romantic distraction, and the stage is set for a violent finale. Karlson’s excellent direction makes it one of the best crime caper pix ever. On Blu-ray from .
12/13/25

I Know Where I’m Going!   — 4K 12/09/25

Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger’s imaginative romance is so good, it justifies a lifetime spent seeking out obscure movies. When bad weather stalls a headstrong young woman’s journey to be wed one island short of her goal, she is compelled to reassess everything she wants for her life. Wendy Hiller’s determination to make the smart choice is complicated by an ideally attractive man she meets en route. The film also brings a playful supernatural curse to bear on the proceedings. As an escape to a ‘civilized’ time and place, IKWIG! is absorbing, enchanting, and grandly positive about life. It’s also been beautifully remastered, in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
12/09/25

Silent Adventure: Grass + Chang 12/09/25

Milestone Film and Video re-premieres a double bill of landmark silent-era documentaries filmed in far-off lands by the dauntless adventurers Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. Grass takes us on a spectacular trek with Irani nomads on a migration in search of greener pastures. Chang investigates life in rural Thailand, with an emphasis on dangerous tigers. Scenes may be staged, but never falsified: the filmmakers strived for truthful reporting, a notion not yet established in documentary filmmaking of 1925. A new 4K remaster job was the work of Milestone, The Museum of Modern Art, the Library of Congress and Kino Lorber. On Blu-ray from Milestone Film & Video.
12/09/25

Alec Guinness Masterpiece Collection  — 4K 12/06/25

He’s Sidney Stratton, Henry Holland, Professor Marcus and a full eight members of the lofty D’Ascoyne family — it’s the best of Alec Guinness’s comedy showcases. The chameleon actor first seen in David Lean classics graduated directly into the class-act comedies of Ealing Studios, working with witty filmmakers that made the words ‘droll and understated’ shine. For American audiences, these UK comedies became an entryway to the finer corners of English filmmaking. The set gives us four hands-down masterpieces, remastered in 4K Ultra HD: Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Man in the White Suit and The Ladykillers. From KL Studio Classics.

12/06/25

The House with Laughing Windows  – 4K 12/06/25

La casa dalle finestre che ridono.  It’s an Italo horror with a surprising agenda … the central theme is still sadism and torture, but the approach is a slow-going mystery without exploitative diversions. An art expert arrives in a backwater Italian town that would like to forget some bad wartime history and some unpleasant business about a murderous mad artist. He has a hard time getting anybody to tell him the truth about the painting he’s come to restore. It isn’t the usual series of clues leading to an obvious conspiracy. Curious writer-director Pupi Avati presents an intriguingly nervous series of sinister situations … without the usual thriller trappings. The new remaster looks sensational in 4K Ultra HD, from Arrow Video.
12/06/25

“Él”  — 4K 12/02/25

Luis Buñuel’s most personal drama billboards a ‘strange obsession’ yet ends up expressing the full injustice of the sexual status quo in polite society. A pillar of the community marries but finds his skewed notion of a romantic ideal betrayed from the start. Paranoid machismo and toxic jealousy is an entryway to full-on mania. The surreal is present but always at the service of truth. Matinee idol Arturo de Cordoba externalizes Buñuel’s internal contradictions for a character most men will recognize as at least partly in themselves. Filmed by Gabriel Figueroa; with excellent extras including a full half-hour of Buñuel in a candid interview. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
12/02/25

A Summer Place 12/02/25

Look at She, she’s Sandra Dee!  1959’s most sexed-up soap drama came with beautiful actors, Technicolor scenery and a tune that the radio wouldn’t stop playing. In a Place not too far from Peyton, is it always summer?  The sordid fun includes divorce, frigidity, alcoholism, class snobbery, teen angst, teen sex fears, a teen sex drive, and music that says grab a blanket and find someplace secluded. Sandra Dee became America’s teenaged doll, and Troy Donohue more than a flash in the pan; the advertising tried to make it all seem as salacious as possible. Gosh, what do Good Kids really get up to on summer vacations? On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
12/02/25

Burden of Dreams 4K 11/29/25

Is that Werner S. Herzog, for Sisyphus?  What filmmaker goes out of his way to make his work impossibly difficult?  Werner Herzog did just that on Fitzcarraldo and filmmaker Les Blank documented the entire frustrating, risky process, which included the insane engineering feat of hauling an enormous steamboat over a hill. Herzog chose to shoot in an absurdly remote jungle, where warring tribes forced a location change. We see bits of the aborted first try with Jason Robards and Mick Jagger; Klaus Kinski and Claudia Cardinale are great replacements. But nothing matches Herzog’s ‘fornicating jungle’ speech, or Kinski’s panic on a runaway ship rushing down a river gorge. Extra fun: the legendary short subject Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
11/29/25

The Diabolical Dr. Z 11/29/25

Nothing says ‘holiday time’ quite like jolly Jess Franco, so we asked UK correspondent Lee Broughton to cover of one of the mad Spaniard’s early films. This one features both medical horror and cold, calculated revenge. A coherent narrative, a stylish look and some reasonable technical qualities might surprise viewers familiar only with Franco’s later ‘film-as-jazz’ approach to movie-making. On Region B Blu-ray from Eureka! Classics.
11/29/25

Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein — 4K 11/22/25

Yet another movie we dearly love, remastered in glowing 4K — a show that’s so much fun, who would want to poke about looking for faults?  No fear there … Bud Abbott and Lou Costello seem to love the monsters as much as we do, and put out the welcome mat for Lon Chaney’s Wolf Man, Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, and Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein Monster. The 4K transfer emphasizes the high production values and a smart story that integrates laughs and horror-lite chills. Bud and Lou are at their best and Charles T. Barton’s direction builds to an action climax that tops most of Uni’s straight horror pictures. Also with Lenore Aubert, Jane Randolph and Frank Ferguson. On 4K Ultra HD from KL Studio Classics.
11/22/25

In the Mouth of Madness   — 4K 11/22/25

Director John Carpenter applies himself to this solid attempt to (finally) nail down the H.P. Lovecraft ethos on film. The project and its script were actually initiated by its producer, Michael DeLuca. Thanks to our emotional connection with star Sam Neill, we stick with a horror hallucination nightmare that threatens to become its own in-joke. But we’re happy to see a Lovecraft film that follows through with its aim — to watch reality dissolve before our very eyes, as the world is reclaimed by Evil ‘Old Gods.’ On 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.
11/22/25

Nightmare Alley  (2021) — 4K 11/18/25

Reviewer Charlie Largent takes on a weighty show, Guillermo Del Toro’s stylish remake of the classic noir about a circus sharpie turned mentalist sensation. The picture had separate releases in color and B&W versions, both of which are present on the deluxe 4K presentation. Bradley Cooper is the unscrupulous crook Stanton Carlisle, supported by Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, and Rooney Mara. On 4K Ultra-HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
11/18/25

The Master of Ballantrae 11/18/25

Errol Flynn is back in harness as an 18th century Scottish patriot who survives the Battle of Culloden only to fall in with pirates of the Caribbean. No, really — it’s from a novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. Flynn’s late career mini-epic tries to cover too much story and the direction isn’t distinguished, but Flynn is in good form and there are good scenes along the way. Compensating even more is the handsome Technicolor camerawork of Jack Cardiff and able acting support from English actors Roger Livesey, Anthony Steel, Beatrice Campbell and (swoon) Yvonne Furneaux. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
11/18/25

Hell’s Angels  — 4K 11/15/25

A 4K remaster puts a high polish on Howard Hughes’ WW1 air war epic — an enormous personal project that allowed the playboy tycoon to indulge his obsessions for women, movies and especially aviation. The film’s air combat has never been equalled: some shots have upwards of 30 aircraft buzzing through the clouds at the same time. The film made Jean Harlow an instant star; he even included a color sequence to show off her platinum hair. The sex attitudes are frank and shameless, and Harlow bares a lot in the name of pre-Code license. The new uncut disc is ‘multi-aspect ratio’ — the home video screen adjusts for a 1930 gimmick called ‘Magnascope.’ On 4K Ultra-HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
11/15/25

The Racket  (1951) 11/15/25

The irreplaceable WAC brings forth another sterling HD remaster of a vintage crime thriller. Robert Mitchum and Robert Ryan go head-to-head in this remake of Howard Hughes’ silent hit; the context is modern mob racketeering but the screenplay turns the conflict into an old-fashioned personal grudge match. Playboy producer Hughes threw the picture together and then brought on 4 directors for extensive re-shoots. Lizabeth Scott and Ray Collins are along for the ride, while we admire the acting of clean cop William Talman and sleazy politico cop William Conrad. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
11/15/25

Dead of Night  — 4K 11/11/25

One of the creepiest and most elegant fright films ever made gets a much needed audiovisual overhaul in 4K: Ealing Studios assembles 5 classic horror tales inside a diabolically clever wraparound story, one that poses an impressive conceptual puzzle. Four English directors set the stage with a tidy little gathering for tea, and waste no time plunging the audience into an Expressionist nightmare. Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers, Michael Redgrave and Sally Ann Howes star, along with Britain’s horror mascot Miles Malleson: “Room for one more inside, sir!” On 4K Ultra HD + Region B Blu-ray from Studiocanal.
11/11/25

Intruder in the Dust 11/11/25

Don’t congratulate Hollywood too quickly — would this honest and accurate story of American racism have been filmed if the author of its source story weren’t William Faulkner?  Juano Hernandez is a propertied black man who won’t back down or apologize when he’s accused of murder … in a town where a lynching can still happen. Director Clarence Brown films on location, with a screenplay that stays clear of liberal sermonizing. Even the trailer is a shocker. David Brian, Claude Jarman Jr., Porter Hall and Elizabeth Patterson star. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
11/11/25

Alraune  +  The Student of Prague 11/08/25

German Silent Genre Rarities from director Henrik Galeen.  Diving into these 100 year-old silent films was like being back in film school again, excited by ‘new’ film ideas. Henrik Galeen was at the heart of German Expressionism, and this pair of Uber-classics show the style at its best. The Student of Prague is one of the best films ever about selling one’s soul to the Devil; Conrad Veidt’s performance is one for the ages. Alraune is based on a sordid, unhealthy superstition mixing sex and heredity. The amazing Brigitte Helm goes 100% vamp for a tale of a primal female creature also without a soul. Macabre fantasy!  Alraune has some of silent cinema’s best-ever scenes of perverse eroticism … just in Fräulein Helm’s wanton stares. On Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile.
11/08/25

The Cat and the Canary  (1927) — 4K 11/08/25

Beware of hidden panels above your bed!  The best of the silent ‘old dark house’ thrillers comes to 4K in a new remaster with a beautiful new music score. Laura La Plante is inheriting a vast fortune, but a pop-eyed monster with a clawed hand is eliminating the other relatives come to hear a reading of the Will. The magic here is the endlessly creative direction of Paul Leni, that turns a stage play into a suspenseful yet funny nail-biter. The expressionist touches are marvelous — perfectly designed images express unseen sounds and unavoidable fears! On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
11/08/25

Wicked Games  — Three Films By Robert Hossein 11/04/25

Gaumont’s restoration brings back a trio of French-language thrillers by the under-appreciated actor-director Robert Hossein. Two are Euro-noir takes on steamy pulp fiction crime stories costarring the dreamy Marina Vlady; the third is a fatalistic political western made years before the Italians got into the act. Each has a hard edge and at least one surprisingly grim narrative twist. Hossein directed for the stage as well; the pictures showcase Henri Vidal, Serge Reggiani, Odile Versois, Giovanna Ralli and Mario Adorf. Plus, the disc is Region A compatible. On Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
11/04/25

I Died a Thousand Times 11/04/25

This remake of a gangster classic barely 15 years old adds CinemaScope, Warnercolor and a selection of method-y actors — and it copies some scenes shot-for-shot. Jack Palance is mostly scary as the ‘new’ Roy Earle, and Shelley Winters less vulnerable as his new love. Also good crime-time fun are Lon Chaney Jr., Earl Holliman, Gonzales-Gonzales, Lori Nelson and especially Lee Marvin, who really shines. But the story is the same, lady: a major Public Enemy may acquire a sense of soul and self-worth, but he sure ain’t got no hope for redemption. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
11/04/25

Hollywood Legends of Horror Collection 11/01/25

A while back it was Sci-fi pix, and the WAC now follows up with a sextette of prime ’30s horror, two from Warner Bros. and four from MGM. The haunting is undertaken by experts: Boris Karloff, Bela Luggosi, Lionel Atwill, Peter Lorre, and Lionel Barrymore, with a weird turn from Humphrey Bogart to lighten the brew. That’s The Devil Doll, Mark of the Vampire and The Return of Doctor X, plus a trio of stone classics: The Mask of Fu Manchu, Doctor X and the deliriously twisted Mad Love. It’s a regular Smörgasblood, folks: vampires, zombies, a Full Moon fiend, puppet people assassins and a demented surgeon with a Pygmalion complex. The review is by creepy Charlie Largent. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
11/01/25

For Whom the Bell Tolls 11/01/25

Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, Paramount’s blockbuster adaptation of the ‘hot’ Ernest Hemingway novel was given a grand Road Show release, then cut by over half an hour for general audiences. Poor studio curatorship left the biggest picture of its day in a restoration limbo. This new disc works with the existing UCLA Archive restoration. A few visual issues can’t diminish the power of the drama or the performances of Ingrid Bergman, Katina Paxinou, Akim Tamiroff and Gary Cooper; the production design of William Cameron Menzies represents the peak of Old Hollywood moviemaking in Technicolor, as does the film score by Victor Young. On Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
11/01/25

Altered States  — 4K 10/28/25

Science fiction goes psychedelic, with an audiovisual light show that far outstrips 1960s efforts with oil smears and surreal imagery. Maverick director Ken Russell was the man for the job, interpreting a powerhouse script by Paddy Chayefsky through a well-chosen young cast: William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban, Charles Haid. We think it works like gangbusters, but many audiences of 1980 didn’t seem to agree. We also think its special effects makeup is just as good or better than the werewolf movies of the same year. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
10/28/25

The Beast of the City 10/28/25

Is this the most violent crime film of the pre-Code era?  It takes an extreme Law ‘n’ Order position, one that downplays the need for Civil Rights while glamorizing brute vigilantism. Police chief Walter Huston takes the law into his own hands, while his detective brother Wallace Ford screws things up by getting all warm and fuzzy with the seductive gun moll Jean Harlow. As the old song goes, it all ends in gunsmoke and mincemeat — like, 45 cops and crooks dead in a pool of blood, man!  Nothing like it recurred in Hollywood until the mid-1960s. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
10/28/25

The Curse of Frankenstein  — 4K 10/25/25

Whoa — this Halloween, horror fans are up to their severed necks in fancy restorations of Hammer’s first Gothic horror film, the worldwide smash that singlehandedly revived the genre and made stars of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. This Baron Frankenstein lies, kills and profanes the dead in his quest for god-like power; he’s a dastard with the ladies as well. We’re reviewing the lavish but not decadent domestic disc set, direct from the WAC, the disc house of welcome surprises. We’re hoping that we’ll be seeing more UHDs of Hammer masterpieces from the Warner Bros. and MGM libraries. On 4K Ultra HD from The Warner Archive Collection / Hammer.
10/25/25

The Man Who Could Cheat Death   — 4K 10/25/25

Hammer special editions are the craze in 2025, and another fine disc label gets in on the action with a vintage title directed by Terence Fisher, with the sumptuous ‘original’ Hammer Technicolor look provided by cameraman Jack Asher. Anton Diffring murders to maintain an indefinite, if shaky, state of immortality; Hazel Court is the beauty who discovers his criminal secret. Chris Lee is good in a ‘straight’ role. For Hammer fans there’s another obvious attraction — a version of the show that reinstates the film’s sexier Continental version. All this and 4K too. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.
10/25/25

Outland  — 4K 10/21/25

Peter Hyams both wrote and directed this lavish ‘space hardware’ movie, set in an off-world mining colony of the future. The show looks good, but what saves it is the committed performance of star Sean Connery, who remains a class act all the way. Peter Boyle and James Sikking flesh out underwritten characters, in a story too much like a town-taming western. Frances Sternhagen’s camp doctor walks away with the film because she’s given a lively personality to play, along with Hyams’ best lines of dialogue. The clever special effects process ‘Introvision’ made its debut with this feature, which looks 100% better than old cable TV versions — it’s a handsome show all around. On 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.
10/21/25

Malpertuis 10/21/25

In a strange house, strange people await a new spiritual life … or will it be a new imprisonment?  Orson Welles’ Cassavius may be dying, but his will holds the secret lair called Malpertuis under a strange spell. A young man is offered the job of ‘new keeper’ for what might be a strange menagerie of spirits, including three women — all played by star Susan Hampshire. Michel Bouquet and Jean-Pierre Cassel co-star in a Gothic horror from Harry Kümel, adapted from a ‘brilliantly weird’ book by Jean Ray. Is it possible to translate such a strange fantasy to film? On Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
10/21/25

Flow  — 4K 10/18/25

A philosophical animated film about animals in peril?  This thoughtfully conceived, beautifully-crafted winner for Best Animated Film gives us something new in a genre dominated by safe family fare with sentimental characters, jokes and songs: a rumination on the life struggle for living things in an unstable world. Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis builds a fascinating fantasy environment, in which a small group of animals cooperate to survive. From what we see, Man appears to be extinct, but even that interpretation is up for debate. It’s a ‘what happens next?’ puzzle picture that weaves a satisfying, existential spell of enchantment. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
10/18/25

The Amazing Mr. X 10/18/25

It’s part film noir, part haunted house movie and a 100% atmospheric triumph for director Bernard Vorhaus and cameraman John Alton. Eagle-Lion’s spooky tale of a spiritualist conning a widow and her daring younger sister works up a nice charge of suspense. Turhan Bey stars as the smooth soothsayer, and Lynn Bari and Cathy O’Donnell are the women he mesmerizes. Did the producers recognize the story concept as a good mix of The Uninvited and Nightmare Alley?  This PD restoration plays very well. On Blu-ray from Film Masters.
10/18/25

The Snow Queen   Treasures of Soviet Animation Vol 2 10/14/25

Reviewer Charlie Largent snaps up the opportunity to review the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale released here in 1959 as ‘The Snow Queen,’ with an added prologue with TV host Art Linkletter. Directed by Lev Atamanov, the original Soviet feature Snezhnaya Koroleva is a real beauty of classic animation. Gerda struggles to rescue her beloved Kai, the prisoner of a queen who is turning Kai’s heart to ice. It’s part of the set Treasures of Soviet Animation Vol 2, with ‘The Scarlet Flower’ and ‘The Key,’ produced between 1952 and 1961. The films come with commentaries by Rolf Giesen. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile.
10/14/25

Eyes without a Face  — 4K 10/14/25

It was the impossible, intolerable taboo horror of its day … does it still shock as it once did, or are audiences now too jaded to appreciate its brilliance?  George Franju & Eugen Schüfftan ride the divide between clinical brutality and dreamy surrealism.  Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli and Edith Scob brought horror up to date with this one, initiating an international flood of medical horror cinema. Friend Steve Nielson once noted the film’s seminal effect, comparing it to the rock band Velvet Underground. Not very many people bought their records, but everyone who heard them started a band. Now on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
10/14/25

Ms .45   — 4K 10/11/25

An ‘almost’ icon and a vivid memory from the New York cinema front of the early ’80s, Zoë Tamerlis graced exploitation screens in Abel Ferrara’s minimalist ode to sisterly vigilantism. The victim of two brutal rapes in one night, a meek mute seamstress is transformed into an avenging angel — ambushing the men that would abuse her. The concept should be offensive, but the treatment makes us question which attackers do and which don’t deserve a bullet to the brain. The new remaster makes Ferrara’s Manhattan grit look very attractive. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
10/11/25

The Strange Woman 10/11/25

The independent-minded Hedy Lamarr put this ‘Americana noir’ into motion with director Edgar G. Ulmer and excellent talent on both sides of the camera; the result is a superior, fairly uncompromised tale of beauty and ambition, spun into the realm of the ‘Evil Woman’ genre. It has a telling resemblance to a similar film from the same source author, masking misogyny in Bible prophecy instead of modern psychology. The supporting cast is excellent: George Sanders, Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart and Hillary Brooke. On Blu-ray from Film Masters.
10/11/25

The Hard Way 10/07/25

Underdog Warners actress Ida Lupino could hold her head high, turning out pictures like this — a Bette Davis reject that proved a winner. It’s a backstage musical soaper using some of the studio’s ‘A-minus’ talent, and definitely an overachiever. Lupino moves heaven and earth to carve out a starring showbiz career for her younger sister Joan Leslie, only to make everyone miserable. With a screenplay rooted in real-life anxieties that the actors knew well, Vincent Sherman’s direction makes everybody look good: Gladys George, Dennis Morgan and especially Jack Carson. When Crawford ‘went noir,’ she must have seen this movie as something to emulate. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
10/07/25

Nate and Hayes 10/07/25

This New Zealand pirate adventure had bad luck theatrically, but we welcomed its old-fashioned thrills when it appeared on cable TV. It now looks super on widescreen Blu-ray. A young Tommy Lee Jones is Bully Hayes, a South Seas adventurer competing with Michael O’Keefe for the hand of Jenny (sigh) Seagrove. His piratical crew fights no end of colonial despots, cheerful cannibals and his own former partner, the villainous Ben Pease (Max Phipps). It’s got exciting sailing ships, handsome location photography and all manner of corny but energetic action scenes, wrapped up with a music score that would win Errol Flynn’s approval. CineSavant doesn’t really have Guilty Pleasures but this one comes close. On Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
10/07/25

The Cinema of Powell & Pressburger Collection One 10/04/25

This impressive import collection of ‘Archers’ pictures is just one classic after another, including three of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s Technicolor masterpieces. The boxed set also carries good extras, new input from experts plus a selection of the best existing documentaries on P&P. Plus, a couple of the transfers are big improvements on older discs: The Spy in Black, 49th Parallel, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, A Canterbury Tale, A Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus. On Blu-ray from Viavision [Imprint].
10/04/25

The Quatermass Xperiment  — 4K 10/04/25

Wonder of wonders — Hammer’s massive boxed sets seem unreasonable until one sees the depth and breadth of the extras. Nigel Kneale’s original ‘organic invasion’ scare show hasn’t lost its power, thanks to Richard Wordsworth’s compelling performance and the dogged intensity of Brian Donlevy. The 4K encoding is superb; they’ve added the U.S. version plus an extra stereophonic mix. Aimed at wealthy Sci-fi addicts, I suppose, but it is a thing of beauty. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from Hammer Films.
10/04/25