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‘The Woman In The Window’ [Eureka! Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray & DVD May 20, 2019!

One of legendary director Fritz Lang’s first noir films, The Woman in the Window is also rightfully considered one of the most important examples of the genre, a landmark movie that became one of the initial representations of noir first singled out by French critics after WWII. A triumph for Lang, legendary writer/producer Nunnally Johnson (The Grapes of Wrath), and leading man Edward G. Robinson (shedding his earlier gangster roles to portray a love-struck obsessive), the film remains a classic American nail-biter. Robinson is Richard Wanley, a successful psychiatrist biding his time while his wife and children are on vacation when he encounters beautiful Alice (a radiant Joan Bennett), who bears an uncanny resemblance to the subject of a portrait he had just admired. When Richard and Alice retire to her home, her wealthy, jealous boyfriend intrudes, and is killed after a struggle. Alice convinces Richard to cover up the crime, but as Richard’s district attorney friend (Raymond Massey) investigates and the boyfriend’s bodyguard (Dan Duryea) begins to apply pressure to Richard, the walls begin to close in… Continue reading ‘‘The Woman In The Window’ [Eureka! Masters of Cinema] on Blu-ray & DVD May 20, 2019!’

The Legend Of The 7 Golden Vampires (Blu-ray Review)

Hammer Films was always known for its horror output, but its “Golden” franchises were its lengthy Frankenstein and Dracula series. Those films made legends and iconic turns for both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. While the Dracula films span 9 films, only 3 of them found both Cushing and Lee in them and going head to head, their confrontation being The Satanic Rites Of Dracula. Some might officially call that the end, but technically it continues on for one more film. Cushing reprises his role of Van Helsing in the Hammer and Shaw Bros team up The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires. A bonkers idea that should never have worked, but its actually succeeds in regards as both a martial arts and gothic horror tale. Its one of the most bizarre additions in the horror genre to this day. Scream Factory is debuting it on Blu-ray which completes the Hammer Dracula run on Blu-ray for Region-Free Blu-ray collectors. If you’re not, I hope Scars of Dracula is around the corner (The UK Region-B locked Studio Canal release is terrific). The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires arrives on April 9th, pre-ordering is available below. Continue reading ‘The Legend Of The 7 Golden Vampires (Blu-ray Review)’

Detour – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)

Not too dissimilar from when the Criterion Collection finally produced a spectacular release for Night of the Living Dead, Detour’s status as an acclaimed film noir that’s remained in the public domain has made the Edgar G. Ulmer classic an ideal movie deserving of special treatment. Thanks to a substantial amount of work, detailed in one of this release’s supplements, audiences can now take in this wonderfully atmospheric feature in a whole new way. Even those who know this film well may feel they’ll be seeing an all-new version, given the care done to restore the film. That’s not a bad thing for a movie that lasts barely over an hour, yet does everything needed to work as an essential entry among the many great noir movies out there.

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11:11 – ‘Us’ A Sign of More Good Things To Come From Peele (Movie Review)

UsThink about this. What if Us exists in our world to solely prove that the formidable sophomore slump does not apply to filmmaker Jordan Peele? It’s entirely quite possible! If Get Out proved that he didn’t need the training wheels on the bike anymore, then Us demonstrates he’s ready for Motorcross. Whoa there! Slow your motors! I normally don’t spill the beans in my reviews until paragraph three or four, but I can’t help it here. I was such a huge fan of Get Out that I was wildly whet with anticipation for Us and rightfully so. When that first trailer dropped are you telling me that Luniz’s song (“I Got 5 On It”) didn’t infect you like the person next to you on the plane blowing snot with flu-like symptoms? I thought so. Now that we’ve established a baseline with what to expect from the following paragraphs of praise (?) let’s talk about Us in much more detail (no spoilers). Continue reading ’11:11 – ‘Us’ A Sign of More Good Things To Come From Peele (Movie Review)’

Scream Factory Brings THE BRAIN To Blu-ray April 30th!

The sci fi horror film The Brain comes to Blu-ray™ on April 30, 2019, from Scream Factory. The release is packed with extensive new bonus features, including new audio commentaries with director Ed Hunt (Halloween Hell), composer Paul Zaza and actor Tom Bresnahan (The Kingdom), and interviews with actress Cynthia Preston (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), actor George Buza (X-Men), assistant art director Michael Borthwick, and more.

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13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi Shoots It Out on 4K UHD 6/11

Director Michael Bay’s powerful and engrossing drama 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi arrives on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital for the first time ever June 11, 2019 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. Debuting just in time for Father’s Day, the 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack includes the film in 4K Ultra HD as well as a second Blu-ray Disc with over an hour of bonus content. Go behind-the-scenes with the ex-military operators recounting the extraordinary detail involved in recreating the events from the attack. Plus, join the cast and crew as they highlight the filmmaking process and how director Michael Bay brought the film to life.  The must-own set also includes access to a digital copy of the film. Continue reading ’13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi Shoots It Out on 4K UHD 6/11′

The Witches aka The Devil’s Own (Blu-ray Review)

We keep demanding “More Hammer Please!” and Scream Factory has pleasantly obliged. Its been a mixture of upgraded editions and debuts, and I think they are doing a admirable job so far. I’m sure they’ll pull some big gun out here sooner or later too. The March contribution is the Joan Fontaine-led The Witches (Which seems to have been more known as “The Devil’s Own”). The only real new thing for this release is the commentary that brings on board author and filmmaker Ted Newson to discuss the film. The documentary included on here has been a part of another Hammer release in the past, but the documentary is great and the release its a part of is out of print. So, all the more reason to bring it back. I’ve been one excited by these releases and the label dipping into all sorts of pre-1970s horror gems good and bad this year. The Witches is available now and you can grab yourself a copy from the Shout! Factory website or Amazon link below. Continue reading ‘The Witches aka The Devil’s Own (Blu-ray Review)’

THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART Master Builds Onto 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray May 7th!

It’s time to go where no brick has gone before when “The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part”arrives on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD Special Edition and Digital. The much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, global box office phenomenon that started it all, “The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part” reunites the heroes of Bricksburg in an all new action-packed adventure to save their beloved city. Reprising their starring roles from the first film are Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Jurassic World”) as Emmet; Elizabeth Banks (“The Hunger Games” movies, “Love & Mercy”) as Lucy, aka Wyldstyle; Will Arnett (“The LEGO® Batman Movies,” TV’s “Arrested Development”) as LEGO Batman; Alison Brie (TV’s “GLOW,” TV’s “Community”) as Unikitty; Nick Offerman (“Fargo,” TV’s “Parks and Recreation”) as MetalBeard; and Charlie Day (the “Horrible Bosses” movies, TV’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philadephia”) as Benny. They are joined by Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip,” “Keanu”) and Stephanie Beatriz (“Short Term 12,” TV’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) as new characters Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi and General Mayhem, respectively, and Maya Rudolph (“Bridesmaids,” TV’s “Big Mouth”), as Mom. Continue reading ‘THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART Master Builds Onto 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray May 7th!’

TARANTULA Crawls Onto Scream Factory Blu-ray April 30th!

Giant spider strikes! Scream Factory proudly presents the ‘50s horror classic Tarantula on Blu-ray for the first time on April 30th, 2019. This release comes packed with bonus features such as a new 2K scan of the original film elements and new audio commentary. Fans can preorder the film now at shoutfactory.com. Biochemist Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll, North by Northwest) has a plan to feed the world by using a special growth formula on plants and animals. Instead he creates terror beyond imagining when his work spawns a spider of mammoth proportions!
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The Manitou (Blu-ray Review)

Scream Factory has a pair of cult classic horror films from the era of the later 70s/early 1980s coming through the line on April 16th. One of which is The Manitou, which is based off of the novel of the same name from author Graham Masterton. The film boasts a pretty notable cast, including the likes of Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg and Burgess Meredith. Its also notable for being the final film from Producer and Director William Girdler, who was killed in a helicopter accident prior to the release of the film. Scream Factory is bringing the film out with a new 4K scan of the original film elements and features some new features including a commentary track and a pair of interviews. You’ll be able to pre-order this one (And as always, help out the site just a little), by using the Amazon link following the review. It will be released alongside Superstition, both of which are debuts (In the US at least), on April 16th. Continue reading ‘The Manitou (Blu-ray Review)’

Aquaman (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Aquaman (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)It was only a matter of time I suppose, but here we are and low and behold we unbelievably, finally have an Aquaman movie.  The masterful James Wan pulled off the what was almost deemed the impossible.  He defied the odds and marvelously brought to the big screen an absurd superhero project, which has been in development hell since 2004.  That’s right we finally get the Aquaman!  Now I have never been that big on the character like most hardcore DC Comics fans, but Wan has my full attention now.  The character of Aquaman for me amounted to very little in both Batman v. Superman and Justice League.  However, here he finally has a spotlight shining brightly upon him and actor Jason Momoa and his larger-than-life charisma seized the opportunity.  As a result I was made not only a fan of Aquaman, but ultimately a believer in this property.
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Batman vs. TMNT Coming to 4K Ultra HD!

In December of 2015, DC and IDW crossed paths in the form Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles making a most unlikely alliance to fight their respective ways back home. Almost two years to the date later, the heroes of five grouped together once more in another six-issue comic book mini-series. Strap on your shells, folks, because another meeting of these iconic crime fighters is about to go down, this time on Ultra 4K Blu-ray!

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Superstition (Blu-ray Review)

Scream Factory has a pair of cult classic horror films from the era of the later 70s/early 1980s coming through the line on April 16th. Superstition is one of those titles. Released in 1985, but shot in 1982, Superstition is one of those notorious Video Nasty titles and a little seen bit of terror from that era. This Blu-ray debut for the film will feature some new interviews with the film’s director Jame Roberson and star James Houghton (Of Knott’s Landing fame), commissioned by Justin Beahm’s Reverend Entertainment. The film itself will feature a nice new 2K scan from the original film elements according to the blurbs for the release. Personally I’m looking forward to this one as I’ve actually never seen it and like the video store kid I am, “That poster/box looks awesome”. You’ll be able to pre-order this one (And as always, help out the site just a little), by using the Amazon link following the review. It will be released alongside The Manitou, both of which are debuts (In the US at least), on April 16th.  Continue reading ‘Superstition (Blu-ray Review)’

Swing Time, Hedwig and the Angry Inch & More Coming to The Criterion Collection in June 2019

This June, John Cameron Mitchell’s trailblazing queer rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch will join the Criterion Collection, making its Blu-ray debut in a new 4K restoration. Sergei Bondarchuk’s Oscar-winning epic War and Peace, an awe-inspiring adaptation of Tolstoy’s classic novel, will appear in a major new restoration. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers play out a fine romance and perform some of Hollywood’s greatest dance numbers in the irresistible musical comedy Swing Time, appearing on Blu-ray for the first time. The French iconoclast Bruno Dumont explores the human condition through the brutality and beauty of small-town life in his first two films, La vie de Jésus and L’humanité, both appearing in new 4K restorations approved by the director. And that’s not all-our year of releases commemorating Ingmar Bergman’s centennial draws to a close with a Blu-ray edition of the Swedish master’s trilogy of chamber dramas exploring faith and alienation: Through a Glass DarklyWinter Lightand The Silence.

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The Street Fighter Collection (Blu-ray Review)

March 2019 has proven a bit of spoils to grindhouse martial arts fans, as the long awaited Street Fighter films have all finally hit Blu-ray. Earlier in the month, Arrow Video released the spin-off Sister Street Fighter set and now the big boss of them all, The Street Fighter trilogy that launched Sonny Chiba into stardom is coming from Shout! Factory. As these were a New Line distribution, it comes as a part of their little run with Warner Bros titles, and I couldn’t be happier. The three films have been given 2K restorations from the best given materials to work with and there’s a brand new interview with Sonny Chiba included on the release as well. This is also a case where the inclusion of trailers as bonus is cause for a flying kick in celebration as they are some of the best of the era. Speaking of, Jack Sholder cut said trailers and is here to interview and talk about his involvement with New Line at the time and their attachment to these movies. It can all be had when it comes out on March 26th. So don’t have your balls ripped off, get your pre-order in now using the Amazon link below! Continue reading ‘The Street Fighter Collection (Blu-ray Review)’

‘The Man Who Laughs’ [Flicker Alley] on Blu-ray & DVD May 28, 2019!

Flicker Alley, in partnership with Universal Pictures, are proud to present Universal Pictures new 4K restoration of the 1928 silent classic, The Man Who Laughs, accompanied by a newly recorded orchestral score by the Berklee School of Music. Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, the story centers on the extraordinary adventures of Gwynplaine (Conrad Veidt), whose wide and mirthless grin inspired DC Comics legendary Batman villain, the Joker. Veidt’s character has become well known to most cinephiles. Orphaned as a child, Gwynplaine is punished by the king for his father s transgressions, by having face carved into a hideous grin. Disfigured and alone, Gwynplaine rescues a blind girl Dea (Mary Philbin), and both end up starring in a sideshow where they fall in love. Because she cannot see, Dea does not know about her lover’s tormented grin.  Part of Universal Pictures ongoing silent restoration initiative, The Man Who Laughs honors the studio’s rich film history that has spanned more than a century. The primary source element for this restoration was a 35mm composite fine grain from the Universal Pictures vault, created in 1954 from the nitrate original camera negative. NBCUniversal’s restoration team was able to stabilize and deflicker the film as well as repair scratches, warps, and dirt. The 4K digital restoration was completed by NBCUniversal StudioPost.  Continue reading ‘‘The Man Who Laughs’ [Flicker Alley] on Blu-ray & DVD May 28, 2019!’

‘The Last Warning’ [Flicker Alley] on Blu-ray & DVD May 28, 2019!

Universal Pictures and Flicker Alley present Universal Pictures new 4K restoration of the 1929 silent classic, The Last Warning, accompanied by a newly recorded score from Arthur Barrow. Adapted from Thomas F. Fallon s 1922 Broadway play of the same name, The Last Warning is based on the story The House of Fear by Wadsworth Camp and centers on an unsolved murder that occurs during a live Broadway performance. When the victim s body goes missing, the death remains unsolved and the theater is condemned. That is, until years later when a suspicious new producer arrives to restage the play with the original cast and crew. As one of the last silents Universal produced, The Last Warning was later released as a part-talkie with roughly sixty feet of sound scenes added. Part of Universal’s ongoing silent restoration initiative, The Last Warning honors the studio’s rich film history that has spanned more than a century. Universal’s team of restoration experts conducted a worldwide search for The Last Warning’s available elements, ultimately working with materials from the Cinémathèque française, and the Packard Humanities Institute Collection in the UCLA Film & Television Archive. NBCUniversal’s restoration team was able to stabilize and deflicker the film as well as repair scratches, warps, and dirt. The 4K digital restoration was completed by NBCUniversal StudioPost. Continue reading ‘‘The Last Warning’ [Flicker Alley] on Blu-ray & DVD May 28, 2019!’

GIVEAWAY: Mary Poppins Returns Blu-ray!

Hello again! I’m here to offer up a chance to win yourself a copy of the brand new Mary Poppins Returns on Blu-ray! This copy will come with a fancy little COMPACT MIRROR with digital messaging as well! All you need to do is read the information below and enter yourself a chance to win. Its super simple, why not? I’ll select a winner on Monday, March 18th, 2019! Maybe it will be you. Maybe it won’t. You’ll never have a chance if you don’t enter. GOOD LUCK!

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