Join the
Sixties generation
DVD
Blu-ray Releases
OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
July 23:
Westworld Season 2: This season, the puppet show is over and the newly liberated “hosts” are coming for humankind. Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) takes charge, Maeve (Thandie Newton) is on a mission and the Man in Black (Ed Harris) is back. (DVD, Blu-ray release: Dec. 4)
July 24:
American Masters -- Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived: Documentary explores not only the Baseball Hall of Famer’s remarkable on-field accomplishments but also his complicated relationships with family, teammates, press, fans and himself. (DVD release: Day & date)
Anchors Up: After a daring rescue mission in stormy weather, Elias, a brave young rescue boat, is recruited by a larger harbor. Once he gets to Big Harbor to begin his new job, however, he discovers that bigger is not always better. (Digital, VOD only)
Breaking In: Locked out of the house by a group of ruthless intruders, a mother (Gabrielle Union) must summon every bit of her strength and smarts to save her children who are trapped inside (DVD, Blu-ray release: August 7)
Operation Red Sea: Dante Lam's latest, about a ship’s crew and an assault team rescuing Chinese citizens and foreign refugees, resolving a potential nuclear crisis along the way, set amid militant unrest in a fictional Middle Eastern country. (DVD, Blu-ray release: Day & date)
Rock Rubber 45s: a cinematic odyssey exploring the connectivity of global basketball, sneaker, and music lifestyle through the firsthand lens of authentic New York City culture orchestrater Bobbito Garcia. (VOD only)
July 27:
The Row: A college freshman trying to get into a sorority discovers a dark secret about the house she's pledging for after a series of murders terrorize the campus. (VOD only)
Beyond Re-Animator
(2003) Jeffrey Combs, Jason Barry, Elsa Pataky, Javier Sandoval. Everyone’s favorite mad scientist continues his re-animation research, turning the penitentiary he’s been incarcerated in for the past 14 years into a new branch of hell. After causing the Miskatonic University Massacre, Dr. Herbert West has been serving a prison sentence for the past 14 years. When Howard, a new young doctor, comes to work as the prison MD and requests Dr. West’s assistance, Dr. West discovers that Howard has something he left behind 14 years ago. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary with director Brian Yuzna; new isolated score selections & audio interview with composer Xavier Capellas; new “Beyond & Back” interview with Yuzna; new “Death Row Sideshow” interview with Combs; new “Six Shots By Midnight” interview with S. T. Joshi, author of " Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft"; new production art gallery by illustrator Richard Raaphorst; still gallery; vintage EPK featurette; “Dr. Reanimator – Move Your Dead Bones” music video; theatrical trailer. (Vestron Video Collector’s Series/Lionsgate).
The Great Game
(2015 -- France) Melvil Poupaud, André Dussollier, Clémence Poésy. Pierre (Poupaud), a onetime daring novelist disgusted with the publishing world, lets a duplicitous government insider (Dussollier) tempt him into ghostwriting a manifesto designed to transform French public opinion. This act has risky consequences for the activist (Poésy) with whom he soon becomes involved. Nicholas Pariser’s debut feature is an elegant political thriller that makes much use of its stellar cast, particularly in the performance of André Dussollier, who commits to his character’s malevolence with relish. Formats: DVD. (Distrib Films/Icarus Films).
Indivisible
(2016 -- Italy) An award-winning Italian drama about the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. Dasy and Viola (Angela and Marianna Fontana) are conjoined twin sisters living in the suburbs of Naples. They are blessed with beautiful voices and, thanks to their performances at local weddings, communions and baptisms, have become the breadwinners for their entire family. Kept isolated from the world by their exploiting father, their lives are turned upside down when one of them falls in love for the first time … and they discover that it is possible for them to be separated.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Behind-the-scenes footage, trailer.
(Kino Lorber Studio Classics).
In the Mouth of Madness [Collector’s Edition] BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1994) Dir.: John Carpenter; Jürgen Prochnow, Charlton Heston, Sam Neill. Sutter Cane (Prochnow) is the best-selling author whose newest novel is literally driving readers insane. When he inexplicably vanishes, his publisher (Heston) sends special investigator John Trent (Neill) to track him down. Drawn to a town that exists only in Cane's books, Trent crosses the barrier between fact and fiction and enters a terrifying world from which there is no escape. 4K scan of the original film elements. Extras: New audio commentary with director John Carpenter and producer Sandy King Carpenter; new "Horror’s Hallowed Grounds" look at the film’s locations today; new "The Whisperer of the Dark" interview with actress Julie Carman; new "Greg Nicotero’s Things in the Basement" interview with special effects artist Greg Nicotero including behind-the-scenes footage; new "Home Movies from Hobb’s End" behind-the-scenes footage from Greg Nicotero; audio commentary with director John Carpenter and cinematographer Gary B. Kibbe; vintage featurette: "The Making of In the Mouth of Madness"; theatrical trailer; TV spots. (Scream Factory).
Keeping Faith
(2017 -- UK) Three-disc set with all eight episodes about Faith Howells, a fun-loving lawyer with a happy marriage and three children, enjoying an extended maternity leave from the law firm she founded with her husband, Evan. One day, however, Evan leaves for work but never arrives. Faith scrambles to handle the clients Evan left behind, all while trying to find out what happened to her husband. As the days go by with no sign of him, Faith becomes the police’s prime suspect, and her search for the truth leads her to the criminal underbelly of her quiet Welsh town. When long-buried family secrets come to light, Faith wonders if she ever really knew her husband at all.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurettes. (Acorn Media).
Love Me Deadly
(1972) Mary Charlotte Wilcox, Lyle Waggoner, Christopher Stone, Timothy Scott, H.B. Halicki. Lindsay (Wilcox) has an unusual fascination with the dead, she often finds herself at funerals for people she doesn't even know. Once the mourners have cleared out, she's drawn to the corpse by an unspeakable sexual curiosity. It appears that this obsession with the recently deceased has been brewing within Lindsay for quite some time and might have been something to do with her late father. She makes an attempt at a normal relationship with Lyle Waggoner, but is also lured into a corpse-loving cult by a creepy undertaker. Equal parts sick soap opera and exploitation, "Love Me Deadly" still has the power to disturb and disgust 46 years later after its original release. Brand new 2K scan of the original camera negative.
Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Brand new 2K scan of the original camera negative of the uncut version, commentary with producer Buck Edwards, watch the film in "Maria's B Movie Mayhem Mode," original theatrical trailer, reversible art.
(Code Red/Kino Lorber).
The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey
(1988) Following the release of his 1984 debut feature "Vigil," Vincent Ward returned four years later with "The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey," a film that
O Fantasma
(2000 -- Portugal) Ricardo Meneses, Beatriz Torcato, Andre Barbosa. An erotic cautionary tale about a marginalized young man (Meneses), a trash collector living and working in the seedy north of Lisbon, exploring his sexuality. The film charts the young man's odyssey, with its potential for self-discovery as well as self-obliteration, with psychological insight and visual power. Formats: DVD. (Strand Releasing).
Operation Red Sea
(2018 -- China) Zhang Yi, Huang Jingyu, Hai Qing, Du Jiang, Jiang Luxia, Yin Fang,
Someone’s Watching Me BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1978 -- TV) Dir.: John Carpenter; Lauren Hutton, David Birney, Adrienne Barbea. Los Angeles newcomer Leigh Michaels (Hutton) moves into a chic high-rise apartment building. She loves the view. So does the Peeping Tom who lives somewhere in the adjacent tower. Leigh fights back, matching her tormentor's obsession with her own relentless drive to uncover his identity. The prey is now predator -- and that escalates the stalker's game to a deadly new level. New 2K scan from the original film elements -- in both 1.85:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios. Extras: New audio commentary with author Amanda Reyes ("Are You in the House Alone?: A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999"); new "Adrienne Barbeau: Looking Back at Someone’s Watching Me"; new "Carpenter’s Enforcer" interview with Charles Cyphers on his career in John Carpenter’s films; new "Horror’s Hallowed Grounds" look at the film’s locations today; "John Carpenter: Director Rising"; TV promo; still gallery. (Scream Factory).
A Strange Adventure
(1956) Ben Cooper, Joan Evans, Marla English, Nick Adams, Jan Merlin. Legendary serial and western director William Witney directed this film noir about a trio of armored-car robbers who make their getaway by forcing a young hot-rodder (Cooper) to be their driver. The vicious criminals take over a mountain cabin for a hideout after overpowering its occupants. Beautifully shot in black-and-white by Bud Thackery. Brand new HD master from a 4K scan of the 35mm original negative by Paramount Pictures Archive.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary by film historian Toby Roan and Jay Dee Whitney.
(Kino Lorber Studio Classics).
Tainted Souls
(2017 -- Italy) Vinicio Marchioni, Anna Foglietta, Giulia Bevilacqua. Set in a working-class apartment building in Rome, the lives of a bisexual former body builder, his wife, his male lover, and a pair of ambitious criminals intersect against a backdrop of crime, confused sexual feelings, and tainted relationships. Soon these lost souls will come to find that the hunger for power is an unstoppable disease from which there is no cure. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Breaking Glass Pictures).
Tiger by the Tail
(1970) Christopher George, Tippi Hedren, Dean Jagger, Charo, R.G. Armstrong, Lloyd Bochner, Skip Homeier, John Dehner, Alan Hale Jr, Dennis Patrick. A Vietnam War veteran (George) returns home to restore his relationship with his estranged brother (Patrick), a principal shareholder of a California racetrack. Upon arrival, he discovers that his brother has been murdered during a robbery. After being framed for his brother's murder, he looks up his old flame (Hedren) to assist him in solving the robbery and murder. The ex-lovers are now caught in the callous greed of corrupt and vicious shareholders responsible for the cover-up and his brother's murder. Brand new HD master from a 4K scan of the 35mm original negative and interpostive by Paramount Pictures Archive.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson.
(Kino Lorber Studio Classics).
Ready Player One
In the year 2045, the real world is a harsh place. The only time Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) truly feels alive is when he escapes to the OASIS, an immersive virtual universe where most of humanity spend their days. In the OASIS, you can go anywhere, do anything, be anyone -- the only limits are your own imagination. The OASIS was created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance), who left his immense fortune and total control of the OASIS to the winner of a three-part contest he designed to find a worthy heir. When Wade conquers the first challenge of the reality-bending treasure hunt, he and his friends -- known as the High Five -- are hurled into a fantastical universe of discovery and danger to save the OASIS and their world. Director Steven Spielberg, almost 72, still knows how to make exciting movies for kids and adults. As an adult, when he makes great adult movies ("Lincoln"), he is at the top of his game. As a kid, when he makes great kids movies ("War of the Worlds"), he's in a class by himself. He's a master of involving storylines and a master (innovator) of special effects. And unlike the majority of special effects laden movies these days (I'm thinking the DC and Marvel Universe outings) his films have a heart. "Ready Player One" is an immersive adventure in the world of the future and the (virtual) world inside our heads. Though the kids are stereotypical (kind of a 21st century set of "Goonies") and the villains oh-so arch, the film barrels ahead and takes you along for the ride -- it's a perfect good vs. evil morality tale. And there's so many references to 1980s and 90s pop culture that I think Spielberg's licensing department had to work overtime for the profundity of TV and movie images used here. All in all "Ready Player One" is a mind-blowing filmic delight. Yah Steven (And, by the way, the film made $582+ million worldwide).Vitals: Director: Steven Spielberg. Stars: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, T.J. Miller, Philip Zhao, Win Morisaki, Hannah John-Kame, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance.
2018, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 140 min., Sci-Fi Action Adventure, Box office gross: $135.333 million,Warner.
Extras: "The '80’s: You’re The Inspiration." Blu-ray adds "Game Changer: Cracking the Code," "Effects for a Brave New World," "Level Up: Sound for the Future," "High Score: Endgame," "Ernie & Tye's Excellent Adventure."
American Masters -- Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived
(2018) During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams earned many nicknames -- The Kid, The Splendid Splinter and Teddy Ballgame, but the only nickname that he wanted was “the greatest hitter who ever lived.” In that pursuit, he combined his preternatural gifts with a fierce work ethic to become widely regarded as one of the greatest ever to play the game of baseball and in the process elevated the science of hitting in ways still emulated today. Through never-before-seen archival footage and in-depth interviews with those who knew and studied Williams, including his daughter Claudia Williams, author/journalist Ben Bradlee, Jr., veteran baseball writer Roger Angela, and award-winning broadcasters Bob Costas and the late Dick Enberg, the program demonstrates the power of the heroic myth-making culture in which Williams flourished. Lesser-known topics explored include Williams’ Mexican-American background, his experiences serving during World War II and the Korean War, and his deep rage over his mother’s virtual abandonment of him and his younger brother. Narrated by Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Jon Hamm, the documentary also looks at the legendary player’s impact on the game of baseball and his relevance in the almost 60 years since his retirement, highlighted by Williams’ iconic achievement -- he is the last player to hit over .400, finishing the 1941 season batting .406. Former players -- including Baseball Hall of Famers Willie McCovey and Wade Boggs, three-time All-Star Jim Kaat, and current Cincinnati Reds first baseman and former National League MVP Joey Votto -- share how Williams’ philosophy, commitment to greatness and approach to hitting influenced them in the film. Formats: DVD, Digital. (PBS Distribution).
Dagon BLU-RAY DEBUT
(2001) H.P. Lovecraft’s iconic tale comes to life when the Vestron Video Collector’s Series releases the modern retelling of the horror classic "Dagon" on limited edition Blu-ray. Directed by horror mastermind Stuart Gordon and starring Ezra Godden, evil rises and a legend unleashes the rage of Hell after a yacht crashes on the Spanish coast and the survivors are forced to face their nightmares. Restored and remastered. Extras: Audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon and screenwriter Denis Paoli; audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon and star Ezra Godden; New “Gods & Monsters” discussion with Gordon, interviewed by filmmaker Mick Garris; New “Shadows over Imboca” interview with producer Brian Yuzna; New “Fish Stories” interview with S.T. Joshi, author of "I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft"; vintage EPK; archival interviews with Gordon, Godden, and other cast and crew; theatrical trailer; new conceptual art gallery from artist Richard Raaphorst; storyboard gallery; still gallery. (Lionsgate).
I Walk Alone
(1947) Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Lizabeth Scott, Wendell Corey, Mike Mazurki, Marc Lawrence. Partners Frankie (Lancaster) and Noll (Douglas) split up to evade capture by the police. Frankie is caught and jailed, but Noll manages to escape and open a posh New York City nightclub. Years later Frankie is released from the clink and visits Noll with the intention of collecting his half of the nightclub's profits. But Noll, who has no intention of being so equitable, uses his ex-girlfriend Kay (Scott) to divert Frankie from his intended goal. Co-starring Wendell Corey and legendary noir baddies Marc Lawrence and Mike Mazurki. Brand new HD master from a 4K scan of the 35mm safety dupe negative by Paramount Pictures Archive.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary by film historian Troy Howarth.
(Kino Lorber Studio Classics).
A Matter of Life and Death
(1946) After miraculously surviving a jump from his burning plane, RAF pilot Peter Carter (David Niven) encounters the American radio operator (Kim Hunter) to whom he’s just delivered his dying wishes and, face-to-face on a tranquil English beach, the pair fall in love. When a messenger from the afterlife arrives to correct the clerical error that spared his life, Peter must mount a fierce defense for his right to stay on earth — painted by production designer Alfred Junge and cinematographer Jack Cardiff as a rich Technicolor Eden — climbing a wide staircase to stand trial in a starkly beautiful, black-and-white modernist heaven. Peppered by humorous jabs intended to smooth tensions between the wartime allies Britain and America, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s richly humanistic "A Matter of Life and Death"traverses time and space to make a case for the transcendent value of love.
On DVD and Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray.
Extras: Introduction from 2009 with filmmaker Martin Scorsese; audio commentary from 2009 featuring film scholar Ian Christie; new interview with editor Thelma Schoonmaker, director Michael Powell’s widow; new interview with film historian Craig Barron on the film’s visual effects and production design; "The Colour Merchant, "a 1998 short film by Craig McCall featuring cinematographer Jack Cardiff; an essay by critic Stephanie Zacharek.
(The Criterion Collection).
Memoirs of an Invisible Man BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1992) Dir.: John Carpenter; Chevy Chase, Sam Neill, Daryl Hannah. Thanks to a nuclear accident, Nick Halloway (Chase) has become invisible. Invisibility makes it easier to spy on agents (particularly chief adversary Neill) who've put him in his predicament. And he can romance a lovely documentary producer (Hannah) in a way she's never "seen" before. New 2K scan of the original film elements. Extras: "How to Become Invisible: The Dawn of Digital F/X," vintage interviews with Carpenter, Chase and Hannah; behind-the-scenes footage; outtakes;
theatrical trailer; TV spots. (Scream Factory)
would cement his position as one of the most exciting filmmaking talents to emerge during the eighties. Cumbria, 1348 -- the year of the Black Death. Griffin, a young boy, is plagued by apocalyptic visions that he believes could save his village. Encouraging a small band of men to tunnel into the earth, they surface in 1980s New Zealand and a future beyond their comprehension -- but they must complete their quest. Nominated for the Palme d'Or at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, "The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey" is a bold and often startling fusion of medieval fantasy and time travel science fiction, quite unlike anything you've seen. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New appreciation by film critic Nick Roddick, recorded exclusively for this release; "Kaleidoscope: Vincent Ward – Film Maker," a 1989 documentary profile of the director made for New Zealand television; theatrical trailer; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kim Newman and an introduction by Vincent Ward. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
The Night of the Virgin
(2016 -- Spain) Javier Bódalo, Miriam Martín, Víctor Amilibia. In this horror-comedy, Nico, a naive 20-year-old, sets out to lose his virginity -- at all costs -- at a New Year's Eve party. In the middle of the party, his gaze crosses Medea, a cunning and attractive mature woman. Formats: DVD. (Cleopatra Entertainment).
Wang Yutian, Simon Yam. Famed action director Dante Lam returns with this explosive follow-up to his 2016 "Operation Mekong." When a terrorist plot to obtain nuclear materials is hidden under the cover of a violent coup, only the Chinese Navy's elite Jiaolong (Sea Dragon) Assault Team have the deadly skill and precision needed to take on the situation and rescue Chinese citizens and foreign refugees. Set amid militant unrest in a fictional Middle Eastern country. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Well Go USA).
Ready Player One
(2018) Dir.: Steven Spielberg; Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, T.J. Miller, Philip Zhao, Win Morisaki, Hannah John-Kame, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance. In 2045, when the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 3D/Blu-ray Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital, Movies Anywhere. Extras: "The '80’s: You’re The Inspiration." Blu-ray adds "Game Changer: Cracking the Code," "Effects for a Brave New World," "Level Up: Sound for the Future," "High Score: Endgame," "Ernie & Tye's Excellent Adventure." (Warner).
Spiral Season Six
(2017) Three-disc set with all 12 episodes of one of my favorite TV series. Originally released in France as "Engrenages" in 2005, the series became a critically acclaimed blockbuster success across Europe and Australia and won the International Emmy Award for Best Drama. It's been a well-kept secret here in the US but more and more people are finding out about this gritty, down-to-earth Parisian crime drama that goes "Law & Order" one better by focusing on criminals, police, prosecutors and defense attorneys -- with all their successes and failures. Many of the flawed characters are very likeable but their humanity sucks you into their stories from episode to episode. The main emphasis is, of course, on the working class cops -- fighting working class crime in working class neighborhoods in working class clothes -- and fighting the self-serving higher-ups only concerned with promotions and monetary compensation. BAFTA nominee Caroline Proust returns as Captain Laure Berthaud, as she and her team begin a complex new investigation after a human torso is discovered in the 20th arrondissement in Paris. Backed up by her team of detectives including Thierry Godard as Lt. Gilou and Fred Bianconi as Tintin, the investigation is overseen by Judge Roban, played by veteran French actor Philippe Duclos. Audrey Fleurot also returns as lawyer Joséphine Karlsson, who continues to juggle her professional ambitions with her personal demons. From MHz Network. "Engrenages," by the way, translates as "the act of putting into gear" or just "gears." You can stream previous seasons via MHz Network or Hulu. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (MHz Network).
The Three-Way Wedding
(2010 -- France) Pascal Greggory, Julie Depardieu, Louis Garrel, Agathe Bonitzer. Renowned playwright Auguste (Greggory) is struggling to complete his latest play. Looking for inspiration, he invites the cast to join him at his country estate. Harriet (Depardieu), his leading lady, is also his ex-wife, and her leading man, Théo (Garrel), is her new lover. Sensing their attraction, Auguste decides to seduce Fanny (Bonitzer), his beautiful young assistant. But as sparks fly and resentments flare, Auguste wonders whether he could have a three-way marriage with both women.Formats: DVD. (Film Movement).
You Will Be Mine
(2009 --France) Judith Davis, Isild Le Besco. Marie Dandin (Davis), a promising young concert pianist, leaves home to study at the prestigious Lyons National Conservatory. Shy and innocent, she moves in with her childhood friend Emma (Le Besco) who has lived alone since the death of her father years earlier. The intimate bond that the two women share eventually develops into an intense sexual relationship. But as Emma grows more possessive and controlling, Marie struggles to reconcile her feelings of desire with the need to escape Emma's suffocating passion. Formats: DVD. (Film Movement).
© 1996 -- 2018 OnVideo. All rights reserved
July 22, 2018
(ISSN 1094-3676).
|
|
