I'll admit to not being very conversant regarding the films of George Romero, aside from Night of the Living Dead. With the remake of his 1973 thriller The Crazies now in theaters, I thought it would be worthwhile checking out Blue Underground's Blu-ray release of the original film. Despite the title, which insinuates this is some kind of campy monster movie, I was quite surprised the film is a highly effective suspense movie played straight-faced and without over-the-top characters or situations. The storyline finds that a top secret government experiment in biological warfare has gone astray, leaving residents of a small Pennsylvania town infected. Suddenly, many locals begin to display signs of madness that eventually culminates in their acting as raving, murderous lunatics. As the townspeople scramble to prevent themselves from being infected, they must also deal with the horrendous problem of fending off attacks from friends and loved ones who are now hunting them down to kill them. This frightening scenario clearly inspired the slicker and more polished British film 28 Days Later and its sequel 28 Weeks Later, but Romero's production is also highly effective in delivering the chills.
The ill-fated 1977 Western The White Buffalo is now available on DVD. The movie starred Charles Bronson as Wild Bill Hickok and was directed by J. Lee Thompson. The movie only saw limited release at the time and was derided for its shoddy special effects. The script presents a Western version of Moby Dick or Jaws with Hickok obsessed with hunting down a giant, legendary white bison. Over the decades, however, the movie has built a strong cult following. The cast includes such impressive actors as Will Sampson, Stuart Whitman, Slim Pickens, Clint Walker, Jack Warden and Kim Novak. The DVD is available on Amazon's burn-to-order program. Click here to view trailer and to order.Â
E1 Entertainment has released The Abbott and Costello Show: The Complete Series, remastered in a 9 DVD boxed set. The set boasts three hours of bonus materials. To order from Amazon click here
Fans of mercenary-themed action films like The Wild Geese, Dark of the Sun and The Dogs of War will be happy to know that the 1969 action adventure The Last Grenade has been released by Scorpion on DVD. Best of all, like most titles from this company, it is a Region 0 DVD, meaning it can be played on any system in the world. The film stars Stanley Baker as a tough-as-nails mercenary leader who we first see with a large contingent of his men as they await rescue in Africa after successfully completing a mission. When the rescue helicopter arrives, however, the men are largely mowed down by Baker's partner, played by Alex Cord. The double-cross is the centerpiece of the story, as Baker and his small band of surviving men plot to have their revenge. The opportunity comes when they are summoned by a British General (Richard Attenborough) to Hong Kong. Here, they are informed that Cord has allied himself with Communist terrorists who are trying to undermine British control of the territory. Because they hide on bases in mainland China, the British government can't officially pursue them, thus it's a job for mercenaries.
Redford, photographed in Ireland by Cinema Retro's John Exshaw.
Don't count Robert Redford among the directors and actors who are enthralled by the plethora of extras on DVD releases. The Oscar winner says that knowing too much about the making of a film robs the audience of the magic of the movies. He tells USA Today, "Films were meant to be a kind of magic that transports you somewhere
else because you can imagine on your own and not have everything spelled
out about this trick and this explosion. I would be just fine with none
of that." Redford is happy about Blu-ray technology and is pleased that the release of The Natural will allow viewers to experience the film through state-of-the-art technology - it's just those extras that fail to win him over.
As writer John Latchem reports, the recent death of actor Robert Culp has spurred DVD companies to commemorate his legacy. Image Entertainment issued a press release touting the fact that Culp's iconic 1960s series I Spy is presently available on DVD. Now Mill Creek will re-release the 1970s series The Greatest American Hero in which Culp co-starred with William Katt. For more click here
Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
‘Sutherland’s
performance is the most astonishing piece
of screen acting since Brando’s Last Tango In Paris’ Time
Out
Mr. Bongo Films is delighted to announce the
release
of Italian cinematic maestro Federico Fellini’s
Casanovastarring screen stalwart Donald
Sutherland
as the legendary lothario.
Based on
the memories of Casanova, Fellini offers his version using rare visual
daring
and imagination.
Casanova is one of
Fellini’s most spectacular productions and comes to DVD on 17 May 2010
courtesy
of Mr Bongo Films.
Among the plethora of WWII dramas set in POW camps, Bryan Forbes' 1965 film King Rat is among the grimmest. The problem with many of these films, including the classic The Great Escape, is that the conditions depicted in the prison camp are benign enough that one wonders why anyone risks their life to escape. Not so with King Rat, which afforded George Segal one of his first and most important roles as a leading man. Segal is Corporal King, a low-ranking soldier who has managed to manipulate his way to being the de facto top-ranking officer among Allied prisoners in a Japanese POW camp. Through cunning, conning and cheating, King has established himself as the indispensable man: someone who can get decent food, medicine and other life-saving commodities for a price. Consequently, his superior officers not only defer to him but patronize him as well, hoping to get special goods and favors. King's relative riches afford him a lifestyle that is resented by many. His uniform is pristine, his hair neatly combed and he barely breaks a sweat even in the midst of the tropical hellhole he resides in. He also has a band of slavishly loyal minions who do his bidding, including superior officers.