By Lee Pfeiffer

Twilight Time, the DVD label that specializes in releasing worthy films as limited editions of only 3,000 units, has brought out another long-neglected gem: the 1966 Fox version of John Ford's 1939 classic Stagecoach. The film was roundly blasted by critics in its day, perhaps out of reverence for Ford and John Wayne, who were still very much alive. There is no doubt that the original Stagecoach remains a milestone in cinematic history- the first "adult" Western, if you don't count Raoul Walsh's ambitious The Big Trail from a decade earlier.The film not only rescued Wayne from "B" Western hell but also encouraged other studios to revitalize the genre. Fox took the brunt of criticism from movie fans at the time of the remake's release for allegedly taking the original film off the art house and TV syndication markets for a period of years. The claim may not be true since the original movie was released by a different studio, United Artists, but whether it is an urban legend or not, the knives were out for the remake long before it opened. Audiences today are quite tolerant of remakes. They have to be since virtually every other movie in current release seems to be a remake. However, in 1966 the notion of remakes of classic movies seemed to rub audiences and critics the wrong way. There are those who still denounce the big budget re-dos of Mutiny on the Bounty and Cleopatra even though many film scholars now concede they are better than the originals. At the risk of being accused of being accused of blasphemy, I'd like to state categorically that if the remake of Stagecoach isn't as important or influential as its predecessor, it's every bit as entertaining.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Fox:

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from the British Film Institute regarding their popular series of "Flipside" DVD titles:

'Every time BFI Flipside releases a newly discovered film I always go and get it. It's like finding lost treasure.' Nicolas Winding Refn (Award-winning director of Drive)

'The Flipside is Britain's most far-out DVD label - bold film choices, gorgeous transfers, imaginative extras. Every release a revelation.' Kim Newman

'Flipside provides a window onto a time in British cinema when real film artists stalked our land.' Ben Wheatley (Award-winning director of Kill List)

Launched in May 2009, the BFI’s Flipside label has dedicated itself to unveiling the hidden history of British cinema, drawing upon materials preserved by the BFI National Archive. To date, the series has published over 60 films (features and shorts), and has met with universal acclaim, gathering a number of high profile admirers along the way.

On 24 October, the BFI is reissuing the first nine of its Flipside titles in Dual Format Editions (each containing DVD and Blu-ray versions), bringing them in line the rest of the collection. The new retail price for each title will be £19.99, and the previous stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray versions will be deleted. The re-issued titles are:

001: The Bed Sitting Room (Richard Lester, 1969)

002: London in the Raw (Arnold L. Miller, 1964)

003: Primitive London (Arnold L. Miller, 1965)

004: Herostratus (Don Levy, 1967)

005: All the Right Noises (Gerry O’Hara, 1969)

006: Man of Violence (Pete Walker, 1970)

007: Privilege (Peter Watkins, 1967)

008: That Kind of Girl (Gerry O’Hara, 1963)

009: Permissive (Lindsay Shonteff, 1970)

Also on 24 October, the BFI releases Flipside numbers 020 (Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs – Stuart Cooper, 1974) and 021 (Voice Over – Christopher Monger, 1981).

Sam Dunn, Head of BFI Video Publishing, who programmes the titles for the label, comments: ‘Making Flipsides 001-009 available in Dual Format Editions not only unifies the collection, but also offers viewing flexibility and ensures that expensive format upgrading will never be necessary for anyone who buys any title in this exciting series.’

About BFI Flipside

Developed from its popular monthly screening slot at BFI Southbank, the BFI’s Flipside series is designed to revisit and reappraise British films that have slipped through the cracks of cinema history – films that were overlooked, marginalised, or undervalued at the original time of release, or which sit outside the established canon of recognised classics.

BFI Flipside titles are all newly mastered to High Definition from original film elements, and are presented with rare and fascinating special features, including previously unavailable short films, documentaries and archival interviews, many of which are preserved in the BFI National Archive. Each title comes in collectable numbered packaging and is accompanied by an extensive illustrated booklet with insightful contributions from special guest writers, often including the filmmakers themselves.

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Cinebeats' Kimberly Lindbergs makes the case for the 1964 thriller Woman of Straw, a Hitchock-like thriller that was unfairly maligned at the time of its initial release. The film features genuine chemistry between Gina Lollobrigida and Sean Connery, who played an outright villain for the first time in his career. The glamorous murder flick also features a great performance by Sir Ralph Richardson. The movie isn't available on DVD yet, so here's a plea to MGM to make it one of  their burn-to-order releases. Click here for more