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January 8
Driving Miss Daisy
(1989) Dir.: Bruce Beresford; Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd, Patti LuPone, Esther Rolle. Packed in a 32-page Blu-ray book with behind-the-scenes insights, production notes, photos, more. Extras: Featurettes, commentary, documentaries. (Warner).
Mrs. Miniver
(1942) Dir.: William Wyler; Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright, Dame May Whitty, Reginald Owen, Henry Travers, Richard Ney. (Warner).
Grand Hotel
(1932) Dir.: Edmund Goulding; Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Jean Hersholt. (Warner).
Two-Lane Black Top
(1971) Drag racing east from L.A. in a souped-up '55 Chevy are the wayward Driver and Mechanic (singer-songwriter James Taylor and the Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson, in their only acting roles), accompanied by a tagalong Girl (Cockfighter's Laurie Bird). Along the way, they meet Warren Oates's Pontiac GTO–driving wanderer and challenge him to a cross-country race -- the prize: their cars' pink slips. But no summary can do justice to the existential punch of "Two-Lane Blacktop." With its gorgeous widescreen compositions and sophisticated look at American male obsession, this stripped-down narrative from maverick director Monte Hellman ("The Shooting") is one of the artistic high points of 1970s cinema, and possibly the greatest road movie ever made. Restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised by director Monte Hellman, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, supervised by Hellman and presented in DTS-HD Master Audio; two audio commentaries: one by Hellman and filmmaker Allison Anders and one by screenwriter Rudolph Wurlitzer and author David N. Meyer; interviews with Hellman, actor James Taylor, musician Kris Kristofferson, producer Michael Laughlin, and production manager Walter Coblenz; screen test outtakes; "Performance and Image," a look at the restoration of a '55 Chevy used in the movie and the film's locations today; "Color Me Gone," photos and publicity from "Two-Lane Blacktop"; trailer; booklet featuring an essay by critic Kent Jones, appreciations by director Richard Linklater and musician Tom Waits, and a reprint of the 1970 Rolling Stone article "On Route 66, Filming Two-Lane Blacktop" by Michael Goodwin. (The Criterion Collection).
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January 15
Hannah and Her Sisters
(1986) Dir.: Woody Allen; Woody Allen, Barbara Hershey, Carrie Fisher, Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Maureen O'Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, Max von Sydow. (Orion/MGM).
The Man Who Knew Too Much
(1934) An ordinary British couple vacationing in Switzerland suddenly find themselves embroiled in a case of international intrigue when their daughter is kidnapped by spies plotting a political assassination. This fleet and gripping early thriller from the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, was the first film the director made after signing to the Gaumont-British Picture Corporation. Besides affirming Hitchcock's brilliance, it gave the brilliant Peter Lorre his first English-speaking role, as a slithery villain. With its tension and gallows humor, it's pure Hitchcock, and it set the tone for films like "The 39 Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes." New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: New audio commentary featuring film historian Philip Kemp; new interview with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro; "The Illustrated Hitchcock," an extensive interview with director Alfred Hitchcock from 1972, conducted by journalist Pia Lindstrom and film historian William Everson; audio excerpts from filmmaker Francois Truffaut's legendary 1962 interviews with Hitchcock; restoration demonstration; booklet featuring an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme. (The Criterion Collection).
(1979) Restored director's cut never before seen in the United States. Oskar is born in Germany in 1924 with an advanced intellect. Repulsed by the hypocrisy of adults and the irresponsibility of society, he refuses to grow older after his third birthday. While the chaotic world around him careers toward the madness and folly of World War II, Oskar pounds incessantly on his beloved tin drum and perfects his uncannily piercing shrieks. "The Tin Drum," which earned the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Foreign-language film, is a visionary adaptation from Volker Schlondorff of Nobel laureate Gunter Grass's acclaimed novel, characterized by surreal imagery, arresting eroticism, and clear-eyed satire. Newly remastered 5.1 surround soundtrack, approved by Schlondorff and presented in DTS-HD Master Audio. Extras: New interview with Schlondorff about the making of "The Tin Drum" and the creation of the 2010 restored, complete version; new interview with film scholar Timothy Corrigan; German audio recording from 1987 of author Gunter Grass reading an excerpt from his novel "The Tin Drum" with musical accompaniment, illustrated with the corresponding scene from the film; television interview excerpts featuring Schlondorff, Grass, actors David Bennent and Mario Adorf, and co-writer Jean-Claude Carriere reflecting on their experiences making the film; trailer; booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Atkinson and 1978 statements by Grass about the adaptation of his novel. (The Criterion Collection).
January 22
Ivan's Childhood
(1962) The debut feature by the great Andrei Tarkovsky ("Andrei Rublev"), "Ivan's Childhood" is a poetic journey through the shards and shadows of one boy's war-ravaged youth. Moving back and forth between the traumatic realities of World War II and serene moments of family life before the conflict began, Tarkovsky's film remains one of the most jarring and unforgettable depictions of the impact of war on children. High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Appreciation of filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky and "Ivan's Childhood" featuring Vida T. Johnson, co-author of "The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue"; interviews with cinematographer Vadim Yusov and actor Nikolai Burlyaev; booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dina Iordanova; "Between Two Films," Tarkovsky's essay on "Ivan's Childhood," and "Ivan's Willow," a poem by the director's father, Arseny Tarkovsky. (The Criterion Collection).
iff Potts, Sam Gilman. (Shout! Factory).
January 29
Die Hard 25th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray
Five-disc set with "Die Hard," "Die Hard 2: Die Harder," "Die Hard With a Vengeance," "Live Free or Die Hard" and "Decoding Die Hard," a disc of special features: "Modern-Day Hero": Casting, evolution and legacy of John McClane; "Along for the Ride": Engaging sidekicks who have teamed up with McClane; "Bad to the Bone": McClane's well-armed and formidable foes; "Punishing Blows": Creating the intense action sequences, fistfights and stunts; "Explosive Effects": Role of groundbreaking visual and special effects including some of the biggest explosions on screen; "Reinventing the Action Genre": Development of the franchise from concept to character to story; "The Right Hero for the Right Time": Appeal and influence of "Die Hard" films on pop culture. (Fox).
That Obscure Object of Desire
(1977) Fernando Rey, Carole Bouquet, Angela Molina. Luis Bunuel's political, erotic, romantic drama centers on an aging Frenchman who falls in love with a young woman who repeatedly frustrates his romantic and sexual desires. In pure Bunuelian fashion, the desired woman is played by two different actresses, each representing different sides of her personality. Remastered. Formats: Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. Extras: TBA. (StudioCanal Collection/Lionsgate).
This Month's BR
