Paramount Home Media is making retro movie lovers an offer they can't refuse: a special, limited edition deluxe Blu-ray set of the three "Godfather" films complete with some creative extras. "The Godfather Trilogy: Omerta Edition" is limited to only 45,000 sets so make sure you order yours now- or be prepared to sleep with the fishes. 

Here is the official description from Paramount:

Celebrating its 45th anniversary, director Francis Ford Coppola’s THE GODFATHER is widely considered one of the most influential films in cinematic history.  Now the entire epic trilogy will be available on Blu-rayâ„¢ in a spectacular 4-disc Omertà Edition, which includes the Coppola Restoration of THE GODFATHER and THE GODFATHER, PART II, as well as the remastered version of THE GODFATHER, PART III.

A stunning gift for any fan, only 45,000 of these limited edition, numbered sets will be made available beginning November 7, 2017.   THE GODFATHER TRILOGY: OMERTÀ EDITION includes commentary by Coppola on all three films, a full disc of previously released in-depth special features, as well as exclusive new collectible Trivia Cards, Magnetic Poetry, an Anatomy of a Scene fold out and Quote Cards.

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BY FRED BLOSSER 

The Warner Archive Collection has released John Landis’ “Innocent Blood” (1992) in a new, remastered Blu-ray edition.  The Blu-ray incorporates two minutes of footage that appeared in overseas prints but were not included in previous U.S. releases. The film opens with a montage of the Pittsburgh skyline after dark, scored with Jackie Wilson’s lush 1960 ballad, “Night.” French vampire Marie (Anne Parillaud, in a lengthy nude scene) sits alone in her hotel room, deliberating on where to find her next sanguinary meal. She opens a newspaper to an article about a local Mafia crew headed by Sal “The Shark” Macelli and smiles: “I thought -- what about Italian?” She allows herself to be picked up by one of Sal’s henchmen, Tony (Chazz Palminteri), whose CD player is loaded with Sinatra discs. Just as Tony thinks she’s going to have sex with him, she chomps into his throat and drinks his blood -- no dainty bites here, she does a job on his neck -- and then, having satisfied her thirst, she obliterates his head with a shotgun blast. The massive cranial damage prevents Tony from coming back as a vampire himself. Marie also thinks that the blast will cover her tracks by leading police to believe that Tony was murdered by rival mobsters (but the forensics guy who later examines the scene figures out that the blood splatter from the shotgun is smaller than it should be -- “this guy was five quarts low.”) Marie chooses Sal (Robert Loggia) as her next victim, but she’s interrupted and forced to flee after biting him.

Pronounced dead and taken to the mortuary, the blood-soaked Sal climbs off the gurney and searches out his gang, turning them into vampires too. “We got the blood. We got the muscle. We’ll crack this town like a lobster,” he boasts, energized by the super strength he’s developed as one of the Undead. One of his victims is his sleazy lawyer Manny, played by Don Rickles. The stunt casting doesn’t disappoint, particularly if you’re a fan of late insult comic. The remorseful Marie enlists wary undercover cop Joe (Anthony LaPaglia) to help her hunt down the gangsters and do away with them before they can inflict more damage. Joe has a personal stake, so to speak, in bringing down Sal, Undead or not, whom he’d been close to busting in an earlier assignment. Moreover, he’s sexually and romantically attracted to Marie (this is Anne Parillaud, after all). But, knowing she’s a vampire, he’s worried that he’ll be her next appetizer.

“Innocent Blood” opened in theaters on September 25, 1992, and earned a relatively paltry $4.9 million in its brief theatrical run, far outpaced by another release that debuted on the same day, Michael Mann’s “The Last of the Mohicans.” In the years since, it’s slipped into obscurity on cable and home video, probably remembered only by compulsive horror fans and John Landis completists. The new Warner BRD at the correct 1.78:1 aspect ratio presents the film in peak condition, looking substantially better than it has on any previous home video edition. In fact, it’s probably an upgrade over the way it looked in most theaters on first release, given the slipshod maintenance of projector bulbs in the average suburban multiplex, then and now. The impeccable hi-def visuals are particularly impressive in Mac Ahlberg’s on-location exterior shots in Pittsburgh, with their electrifyingly vivid nighttime neons. Setting the movie in Pittsburgh doesn’t serve any particular dramatic purpose story-wise, but it gave Landis and the studio a tax credit from Pennsylvania’s Hollywood-friendly department of revenue, and locals will get a kick out of seeing the Liberty Tunnel and other area landmarks.

BY HANK REINEKE

The cognoscenti will have no doubt noted this is the third home video resurrection of writer-director-co-producer Ted Newsom’s Flesh & Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror. Originally issued on VHS in 1999 as part of Anchor Bay’s ambitious and much welcomed “Hammer Collection” series, this affectionate documentary was subsequently ported over to DVD in 2004 by Image Entertainment, Inc. Both of those earlier releases shared a running time of some ninety-nine minutes. This comprehensive new version, curiously issued again on DVD rather than as an upgraded Blu, boasts of a “Digitally Remastered Expanded Director’s Cut.” This newest incarnation, as promised, has been expanded with an additional thirty-seven minutes of material. Whether or not the tighter original cut has been artistically or informatively superseded by this director’s cut is open to argument. While the new version is of more generous length, it must be said the story arc occasionally meanders, unnecessarily bloated by too-familiar footage culled from original trailers.

Regardless, this documentary is an essential item for fans of Hammer, thoughtfully outlining the studio’s metamorphosis from a small film distribution company to a vanguard of the British film industry. In the mid 1930s Hammer’s earliest successes were with such monochrome dramas as Songs of Freedom (with Paul Robeson) and mysteries as The Mystery of the Mary Celeste (with Bela Lugosi). Not surprisingly, it really wasn’t until after the country emerged from the rubble of WWII that the studio would hit a proper stride, adapting such popular British radio shows as Dick Baron: Special Agent as cinematic properties. But it wasn’t until the studio acquired the rights to bring Nigel Kneale’s popular science fiction BBC television series The Quatermass Experiment to the big screen in 1955 that Hammer’s course was set. The success of that film spawned a sequel and a knockoff which would signal what would follow. Beginning with The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), the studio would score with an influential and commercially successful string of science-fiction, fantasy and horror films. These successes cemented the studio’s reputation as Britain’s preeminent fright factory.

In that regard, Hammer had appropriated the mantle previously held by Universal Studios as the foremost purveyor of Gothic horror cinema. Though the studio was barred from utilizing Jack Pierce’s iconic make-up designs - as well as other Universal inventions protected by copyright – such public domain properties as Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein were free for an original and modern updating. If anything, the time was right for the torch of the angry villager to be passed on. Universal had all but abandoned their dependable stable of classic monsters, choosing instead to bring creatures of the atom-age to the screen. As Flesh & Blood astutely notes, Hammer would inadvertently rescue these monsters of folklore from the ignominy of their being mere slapstick foils to Abbott and Costello. With their distinctive trademark mix of splashy Technicolor, tawdry bloodletting, overt sexuality, and a battery of dreamy screen sirens (and unashamed displays of ample cleavage), the studio effectively reenergized interest in gothic-horror cinema.

To be sure, this is not an easy story to tell to satisfaction. Flesh & Blood bravely attempts to thoroughly document the sprawling history and trajectory of Hammer’s hits and misses, offering a score of first-person and genuinely interesting procession of candid talking-head interviews. The studio, as many of this film’s participants take great pains to point out here, was a business first and foremost. The producers were primarily interested in turning a tidy profit on their investment and productions were sometimes hobbled by miserly budgeting. Even in the studio’s halcyon days (1957-1972) most of the studio’s film projects – many pre-sold to distributors on little more than a colorful mock-up of an exploitative film poster – adhered to a tight six week shooting schedule.

As the principal photography of this documentary began as early as 1993, the pool of talent available for interview had not yet been thinned by time and age. In truth, there’s hardly a then-surviving veteran from behind or in front of Hammer’s cameras who isn’t interviewed or referenced in the film. In a particular masterstroke, the producers were able to enlist the studio’s two greatest and most iconic star players, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, to serve as principal narrators of the opus. It’s mostly Lee’s narration that carries the documentary forward, though the wasting, frail voice of a clearly ailing Peter Cushing also bravely serves in this capacity.

Skillfully interweaving interviews, home movies, trailers, vintage newsreels, stock footage, photographs, promotional materials, and elements sourced from television archives, we are introduced to the surviving men and woman who served as the studio’s primary movers and shakers. Those sharing behind-the camera memories are Michael Carreras, Anthony Hinds, Roy Ward Baker, Don Sharp, Freddie Francis, Aida Young, Jimmy Sangster, Richard Matheson, and composer James Bernard amongst others. Among those who appeared on the silver screen and were happy to share their insights and warm recollections are the bosomy starlets who were the epitomes of “Hammer Glamour:” Ingrid Pitt, Martine Beswick, Caroline Munro, Hazel Court, Raquel Welch, and Veronica Carlson.

BY LEE PFEIFFER

The packaging for the 1978 grindhouse film "Sex Roulette" states it is "a West German/Belgian erotic oddity".  That's seems like an accurate description because this is, indeed, one weird production. While most X-rated fare from the era were relatively unimaginative, micro-budget affairs, "Sex Roulette" looks relatively lush and was filmed in some exotic European locations. It also presents some of the strangest characters ever assembled in a film of this type. We can start with Robert Le Ray, an actor who began his career in legitimate films only to transcend into the world of X-rated fare. Le Ray is the male lead in the film and he's debonair and handsome in a Leslie Nielsen kind of way. He was also 77 years old when he was cast. He plays Lord Robert de Chamoiz, an affable aristocrat with a sizable bank account and seemingly no responsibilities or worries. He has an unusually close relationship with his vivacious young niece, Veronique (Vanessa Melville). The two travel the world in style to indulge in their greatest passions. For Veronique this means the gaming tables at top-tier casinos where she gambles without abandon. For Lord de Chamoiz (who she refers to simply as "Uncle"), this means trying to tame his insatiable appetite for sex by bedding seemingly every young woman who comes into his orbit. He has a special passion for chamber maids and bribes them with large sums of money to not only go to bed with him but to also participate in sex acts they would otherwise not ever contemplate. These include arranged group sex encounters during which Uncle acts as a sort of perverted narrator for the action that is unfolding. He possesses an almost hypnotic ability to comfort the women involved and speaks to them in a soothing, paternal manner even while they are engaging in wild acts. Uncle is also a voyeur and he takes every opportunity to engage in this secondary passion. When he has a chance meeting with an auto mechanic who is repairing his car, he bribes the man to allow him to surreptitiously watch him make love to his girlfriend. Meanwhile, the gorgeous Veronique finds herself virtually frigid due to the fact that all of her time and thought process goes into gambling. Uncle has a solution for that: she should assertively have sexual encounters with the strangers in order to reawaken her libido. Turns out it's good advice. After she is seduced by lesbian sisters (!), Veronique finds her love life is back to whatever passes for "normal". The third major character is the Lord's faithful butler, a black man who also happens to be a little person. He's just as sex-crazed as his boss and functions as both a solicitor for his women but also manages to use his physical condition to attract women for himself on the basis that they've never made love to a little person. A running gag in the film is the butler's preference for engaging in sex on desktops, which mandates that he stand on a stack of telephone books. Every time he walks through the room with some telephone books, the Lord jokes that his loyal servant has gotten lucky again. After traveling to Monte Carlo and living it up on the Lord's seemingly inexhaustible funds, the film takes an even more bizarre turn when Veronique seduces her uncle. The whole story climaxes, if you will, with a big orgy atop gaming tables in a casino.

Veronique is addicted to the Bondian world of high stakes casinos.

There are so many distasteful elements to "Sex Roulette" that one can hardly chronicle them all here. However, the movie is genuinely funny, sometimes intentionally sometimes not. The dubbing is wildly inconsistent with some characters' lip movements rarely matching the associated dialogue. The exception is the voice over artist who dubbed Uncle with a gentle, soothing voice that somehow fits the character we view on screen. The film also boasts some impressive elements that seem out of left field. An extended scene of a car ride down a major highway at high speed benefits from having the camera mounted inside the car, which gives a real big budget feel to the sequence as well as some impressive footage. There are also scenes of Monte Carlo shot from a helicopter that seem appropriate for a mainstream travelogue. The most amusing elements of the film revolve around the characters of Uncle, Veronique and the butler. They seem straight out of "The Munsters" or "The Addams Family" in that they appear to be complete oblivious about the fact that their activities don't fit in with those of "normal" people. Just as Gomez Addams blew up toy trains with TNT and his children chopped off doll heads on a mini guillotine, the principals in "Sex Roulette" act as those their strange sexual doings are quite normal. Uncle is being serviced by a hotel maid? Okay, I'll just wait until they are finished to enter the room and discuss important matters. Veronique's encounter with lesbian sisters got her mind off gambling for a few hours? Marvelous! The butler finds love with a BBW-type who he met at an orgy?  How wonderful that he's found his soul mate! There are some Bondian elements to the atmosphere with the trio visiting high stakes casinos where men wear tuxedos and women are adorned in expensive dresses and gowns. (One suspects the other elegant people who appear in these scenes probably had no idea they would turn up in a sex film.)  Here, Uncle demonstrates a bizarre but unique talent. At the roulette table, he insists on tasting several of the steel balls used in the wheel. He churns them around in his mouth until he finally finds one that is acceptable-then with lightning speed he spits it out and has it land precisely on the number he wants to play on the roulette wheel. It's oddball scenes like this that make one think that these characters could have had a life in a "legitimate" comedy that wasn't dependent on hard-core sex scenes.

"Uncle" is about to indulge in his strange ritual of tasting roulette balls before spitting one on to the wheel.

Impulse Films has released "Sex Roulette" on DVD. According to the liner notes, the film was routinely butchered in various international markets because of the tastelessness of some scenes. (i.e: in one sequence, Uncle arranges for some young people to carry out an orgy inexplicably held in a literal pig pen.). The DVD restores all of the most controversial scenes and has been remastered from original 35mm elements. The end result remains an acquired taste for viewers with very liberal outlooks on what forms entertainment. However, for this writer, it is superior to most grind house fare from the era simply because it is so cheerfully off-the-charts crazy.

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Lionsgate:

Relive the imaginative and compelling cult classic, The Man Who Fell to Earth, when the Limited Collector’s Edition arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus Digital HD) January 24 from Lionsgate. International icon David Bowie stars in his unforgettable debut role as an alien who has ventured to Earth on a mission to save his planet from a catastrophic drought. In honor of David Bowie’s legacy, the limited collector’s edition Blu-ray Combo Pack includes never-before-seen interviews, brand new artwork, a 72-page bound book, press booklet, four art cards and a mini poster. Hailed as “the most intellectually provocative genre film of the 1970s” by Time Out, the remastered The Man Who Fell to Earth Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack will be available for the suggested retail price of $34.99.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS 

Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) is a humanoid alien who comes to Earth from a distant planet on a mission to take water back to his home planet.

BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES

·       David Bowie Interview – French TV 1977

·       New Interview with Costume Designer May Routh Featuring Original Costume Sketches

·       New Interview with Stills Photographer David James Featuring Behind-the-Scenes Stills

·       New Interview with fan Sam Taylor-Johnson

·       New Interview with Producer Michael Deeley

·       New “The Lost Soundtracks” Featurette, Featuring Interviews with Paul Buckmaster and Author Chris Campion

·       Interview with Candy Clark

·       Interview with Writer Paul Mayersberg

·       Interview with Cinematographer Tony Richmond

·       Interview with Director Nicolas Roeg

CAST

David Bowie               Basquiat, Labyrinth, The Hunger

Buck Henry                The Graduate, Catch-22

Candy Clark               American Graffiti, Zodiac

Rip Torn                     Men in Black, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

ROCKPORT, Mass. — Dec. 12, 2016 — For Immediate Release — The Film Detective announces its classic movie app, streaming on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. An established leader in film restoration and distribution, with thousands of hours of classic film and television restored from original elements, The Film Detective offers viewers the chance to forgo DVDs or a cable subscription, while still enjoying great entertainment. For a preview, visit thefilmdetective.tv

The app launches with dozens of iconic titles, including rare silent films, westerns, film noir, musicals and comedies. In addition to such golden age Hollywood fare as Kansas City Confidential (1952), The Film Detective has uncovered and restored such kitschy titles as Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940), The Vampire Bat (1933) and 20 episodes of The New Howdy Doody Show (1976-77). The app refreshes content monthly for timely programming around themes, holidays and anniversaries.

The Film Detective also creates original, supplemental content, with legendary broadcast veteran Dana Hersey (longtime star of Boston’s WSBK-TV’s groundbreaking series, The Movie Loft), offering behind-the-scenes information and fun-facts about the movies. The Film Detective’s original content starts with The Outlaw: The Movie That Couldn’t Be Stopped, a mini-documentary highlighting the film’s controversial journey to success.

In addition, the app offers licensed content such as the recently discovered, HD-restored, lost Ed Wood TV pilot Final Curtain (1957); the Oscar-winning documentary The Man Who Skied Down Everest (1975); and such beloved family classics as Sounder (1972). The Film Detective has also licensed the Independent International Pictures library which includes over 200 classic exploitation films, including the Al Adamson collection (Satan's Sadists, 1969).

“Our team is excited to bring vintage cinema to life in the digital age through The Film Detective app. It gives consumers a library of content without purchasing DVDs, Blu-rays or subscribing to cable. Viewers can now enjoy old favorites and long-lost gems on demand. This is truly cutting the cord,” commented Phil Hopkins, Founder of The Film Detective.

The Film Detective uses Zype, the video distribution service for OTT, to manage and publish their premium content and foster relationships with classic movie and TV fans. “A premium subscription service is the natural progression for The Film Detective,” said Zype’s CEO, Ed Laczynski. “Zype is thrilled to help The Film Detective bring content to streaming media devices and to help cord-cutters re-discover the classic film and television content they grew up with.”

Enjoy a free trial period with subscriptions starting as low as $3.99 per month or $34.99 annually. Three films will stream free each month. iOS distribution will be available in 2017.

About The Film Detective:

Founder Philip Elliott Hopkins – who has been a fixture in the entertainment industry since 1999 – has channeled his life-long passion for collecting classic films into The Film Detective, a leading purveyor of restoration and distribution of broadcast-quality, digitally-remastered programming, including feature films, television, foreign imports, documentaries, special interest and audio. Since launching in 2014, the Massachusetts-based company has distributed its extensive library of 3000+ hours on DVD, Blu-ray and through such leading digital and television broadcast platforms as Turner Classic Movies, American Movie Classics, NBC, Bounce TV, Hulu, Amazon, EPIX HD, MeTV, PBS and more. In 2016, the Film Detective launched its OTT classic movies channel streaming on Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV. Visit us online at www.TheFilmDetective.com

BY DARREN ALLISON

Vocalion records have four super releases to get 2017 underway. The Rogues (1964) (CDLK 4601) features music composed and conducted by Nelson Riddle. The Rogues, a rather short-lived TV series (aired on NBC from September 13, 1964, to April 18, 1965), starred David Niven, Gig Young and Charles Boyer as a trio of former conmen. Whilst it won the 1964 Golden Globe award for Best Television Series, the show has largely been forgotten. Thankfully, Alfred Perry of Four Star Television had the vision to approach RCA with the idea of releasing an album of Riddle’s music from the show. Vocalion’s beautifully mastered CD is a straight re-issue of that album (LSP 2976). As you would expect from Riddle, a hugely talented composer who had penned music from the TV series The Untouchables and Route 66, his music for The Rogues is both rich and lush. It’s a great example of a period sound with plenty of silky strings and of course some wonderful swinging brass rhythms. Sound quality is remarkably good thanks to Michael J. Dutton’s remastering of the original analogue tapes. It is also nice to see Vocalion reverting back to providing a full and informative set of original liner notes. Oliver Lomax provides a comprehensive account of Riddle, his musicians and his unique approach to music. The Rogues is a release that certainly justifies and fully deserves a fresh re-evaluation as well as some detailed attention.

How Sweet it Is! (1968) (CDLK 4604) makes its debut appearance on CD and features the music of composer Patrick Williams. Williams is a composer that rarely receives the recognition that he arguably deserves. After working primarily as an arranger in New York, he moved to California in 1968 to pursue a career in film and television. How Sweet It Is! marked the first film score for Williams. It was a fairly routine comedy outing (which received an X certificate in the UK) and starred James Garner, Debbie Reynolds and Terry-Thomas. In his memoirs, Garner would later reveal that both he and Reynolds hated the film but kept it together for the sake of their fans. The film’s music, however, is far more enduring. Williams provides a beautiful score ranging from some high tempo jazzy numbers to some smooth and very romantic mellow sounds. It’s a score which shares certain similarities to that of Neal Hefti’s prevalent sixties sound, often romantic but with a playful underlining trill woven throughout. The soundtrack also features two vocal tracks that fall into the easy listening genre and are provided by the Picardy Singers. Vocalion’s CD sounds remarkable thanks again to Michael J. Dutton’s remastering of the original analogue tapes. Liner notes on this occasion are just a straight forward reproduction of the original RCA LP (LSP 4037) sleeve notes. As a straight re-working of the original album, it is also relatively short at just under 28 minutes, which is a great shame as it practically cries out for more of the same.

There aren’t too many people I know amongst the soundtrack community who don’t enjoy the recordings of Hugo Montenegro. Whilst he was an accomplished composer in his own right ((Lady in Cement (1968), The Ambushers (1967) and The Wrecking Crew (1968)), he is perhaps remembered more for his unique arrangements – usually of other composers’ music. Vocalion’s new CD treats us to not one, but two of his great albums. Love Theme from The Godfather (1972)/Music from A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More & The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1968) (CDLK 4595) provides the listener with arguably his very best work. Back in 1972, RCA released Love Theme from The Godfather as a quadrophonic LP (APDI-0001). Vocalion have reissued both albums here on CD in the SA-CD format and therefore retaining its multi-channel format (this CD is also stereo compatible). Love Theme from The Godfather is an album of varied styles containing a mixture of both film music and popular tunes of the time. Ranging from Lennon & McCartney’s Norwegian Wood to Mancini’s Baby Elephant Walk, the content is diverse and eclectic – but all comes together in a quirky and highly enjoyable way. Music from A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More & The Good, the Bad and the Ugly has largely attained widespread recognition over the decades. An extremely popular album, soundtrack collectors continue to hold their vinyl as cherished possessions. Naturally, a completely remastered version of that album is also extremely welcome. Michael J. Dutton has done a fabulous job in providing a crisp freshness to these classic recordings and it appears to be perfectly justified in releasing this twofer by way of a Hybrid CD. Frankly, they have never sounded so good. As well as including the massive single chart hit The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the album also includes the single cut for Hang ‘Em high – Clint Eastwood’s first American western made upon his return from Europe after completing Sergio Leone’s Dollar trilogy. It’s perhaps a little disappointing that no new liner notes were produced for this release; instead there is a straight reproduction of the original album notes. Considering the versatility and calibre of Montenegro’s work, it would have been nice to include some form of appreciation of his career in music. However, the proof here is solidly in the music itself, and on that basis, it’s a winner in every respect.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

BURBANK, Calif., November 3, 2016 – To mark the 75^th anniversary of Orson Welles’ cinematic masterpiece “Citizen Kane,”Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will release a new Blu-ray™ and DVD on November 15, and the American Film Institute (AFI) will mount a special screening of the restored master at AFI FEST presented by Audi, the Institute's annual film festival in Hollywood, on November 13. The screening will take place at the Egyptian Theatre at 1:30 p.m., followed by an AFI Master Class, featuring close personal Welles friend Peter Bogdanovich and a celebrity and academic panel to be announced.

The film’s central character is powerful publisher Charles Foster Kane, who aspires to be president of the United States. Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst claimed “Citizen Kane” was a thinly veiled and slanderous account of his own life and sought to use his formidable muscle to halt the film’s production and distribution and ultimately to destroy Welles himself.

By the early 1960s “Citizen Kane” had been out of circulation for many years when a panel of top industry tastemakers, selected by the AFI, voted it as the Greatest Film of All Time. Since then, “Citizen Kane” has remained # 1 or # 2 on countless critics’ lists and other surveys including those from Roger Ebert, The BBC, Rolling Stone Magazine, Pauline Kael, among many others.

One-time dean of American movie reviewers, Pauline Kael, noted, “Citizen Kane is perhaps the one American talking picture that seems as fresh now as the day it opened. It may seem even fresher.” Ebert echoed, “This towering achievement is as fresh, as provoking, as entertaining, as sad, as brilliant as it ever was. Many agree it is the greatest film of all time.”

According to Martin Scorsese, Welles and the film are “responsible for inspiring more people to be film directors than anyone else in the history of cinema.” Woody Allen: “Welles takes a quantum leap above every American director with that intangible thing called genius. Just an exhilarating movie.” Mel Brooks: “Maybe the best American picture ever. A masterpiece with artistic genius on a ‘Beethoven’ level.” Richard Dreyfuss: “I usually avoid questions about my favorite movie but then people keep pressing me. ‘OK, ‘Citizen Kane’ is my favorite movie. It’s the greatest movie ever made, OK?’ Without a doubt the only film you can watch 138 times, and each time you’ll still see something new.” And finally, Steven Spielberg: “Just one of the great movies ever made. A great American experience in cinema.”

Citizen Kane” also heads a long list of film dramas about the media including such classics as “All The President’s Men,” “Sweet Smell of Success,” “The Killing Fields,” “Absence of Malice,” “The Paper,” and last year’s Academy Award®-winning Best Picture, “Spotlight.”

Not only did he star in the film, but the then only 25-year-old Orson Welles also produced, directed and co-wrote the film which won the Academy Award® for Best Writing, Original Screenplay (Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz) and captured nine nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director (Welles). Joseph Cotten made an impressive screen debut as Jedidiah Leland, newspaper reporter and Kane’s longtime friend, from whom he had become estranged over the issue of journalistic integrity. Other actors included Everett Sloane, Agnes Moorehead, Ruth Warrick, Paul Stewart and William Alland as the investigative reporter who delves into Kane’s life and his mysterious “Rosebud.” Alan Ladd and Arthur O’Connell appear uncredited as reporters. Gregg Toland was the film’s cinematographer and Robert Wise, later a two-time Academy Award-winning director, edited the picture.

Remastered and restored from original nitrate elements in 4K resolution, the film (certified 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) will be available on DVD ($14.97) and Blu-ray ($19.98). A wide variety of DVD and Blu-ray extras will be included in all editions.

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BY JOHN M. WHALEN

All struggling young reporter Mike Ward (John McGuire) wants is a break. He needs money so he can move out of his crummy room in a three story boarding house, get his own place, and marry his girl, Jane (Margaret Tallichet). His break arrives when he becomes the star witness to the murder of Nick, the owner of Nick’s Coffee Pot, a neighborhood eatery right across the street from where he lives. The newspaper he works for gives him a raise and assigns him to cover the murder trial. At first he and Jane are elated about Mike’s turn of fortune, and they began planning their future. But soon Jane wonders if the young man Mike is going to testify against, a young cab driver named Briggs (Elisha Cook, Jr.), is really the killer. “He’s so young,” she says. Her attitude begins to put a damper on their relationship. After a trial that seems a mockery of justice, Briggs is convicted on the basis of Mike’s testimony and sentenced to death. Jane becomes more estranged from Mike as a result. The lucky break Mike had hoped for now doesn’t seem so lucky.

“Stranger on the Third Floor,” directed by Boris Ingster, and released by RKO Radio Pictures in 1940, is considered to be the first film noir ever made. Based on a script by Frank Partos and an uncredited Nathaniel West, it tells the story of the steady erosion of Mike’s confidence that he did the right thing testifying against Briggs, and how easy it is to suddenly have “the fickle finger of fate pointing at you.” The night after the conviction, he comes home alone and finds a weird-looking stranger (Peter Lorre, looking more bizarre than usual), sitting on the front steps of his building.

Mike goes up to his room and the film becomes more introspective, with the addition of Mike’s voiceover, telling us what he’s thinking. We get an inside look at his life. He hates the place he lives in. He especially hates the neighbor in the next room, a man named Meng (Charles Waldron), who is heard snoring on the other side of the thin walls. In flashbacks, we see how Meng makes life miserable for him. For one thing, he complained about Mike to the landlady because of the noise he made when he used to work on his typewriter in the evenings. In another incident he complained when Mike brought Jane up to the room to get her out of a rain storm. Unpleasant words were exchanged.

Mike tries to shrug it off. When he goes to use the bathroom down the hall, he sees the stranger who had been sitting outside, standing on the stairway. He asks him what he’s doing there and the stranger runs for it. Mike goes back upstairs, and notices Meng’s room is quiet. He suddenly wonders if the stranger did something to him. He’s afraid to find out. He remembers now that at least twice he threatened to kill Meng in front of witnesses. If he found Meng dead, and reported it to the cops, he might end up suspect No. 1. With his mind in turmoil, he falls asleep and goes into a dream.

Ingster and cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca, (who went on to lens such classics as “Out of the Past,” “The Blue Gardenia,” “Where Danger Lives,” and “Clash by Night”) pulled out all the stops for the lengthy dream sequence that makes up the centerpiece of the film. It’s the thing that most people talk about and remember about “Stranger on the Third Floor”. Full of noir imagery derived from German expressionism, with exaggerated camera angles, lots of dark shadows, and some brilliant lighting, the sequence is daring and cinematically compelling. It is a bit heavy-handed, however, in the way it shows how anyone can be caught in a criminal justice system that doesn’t care if your guilty or innocent. The defense attorney is an incompetent shyster who urges him to plead guilty, the jury is literally asleep during the trial, and all the press cares about is whether it makes a good story. Even dear Jane is forced to give testimony that only sinks him deeper. It may be overwrought, but it makes its point.

When Mike awakens from the dream he finally checks on Meng and finds him dead. His throat is slashed the same way Nick’s was. His first instinct is to run, but Jane persuades him to call the cops. He does and you can guess what happens.

It all sounds a little far-fetched and I suppose it is, but somehow the script manages to bring all of its paranoid element together in a reasonable fashion, even if the nice, tidy ending is a bit of a stretch. As you watch “Stranger on the Third Floor,” the filming techniques and the story line, having become so familiar by now, you may think you’ve seen it all before. I’m sure you have. It’s been imitated hundreds of times in film and TV. But this arguably was the first of its kind.

Warner Archive has released this remastered print of “A Stranger on the Third Floor,” on DVD only. The film looks good, the stark black and white cinematography has been well transferred to disc. Don’t be alarmed when you start the movie though. The opening credits look terrible, but after that, it’s all good. They must have had to use a different film element for the opening. There are literally no extras on the disc. This obscure 64-minute movie is well worth watching and is more than just a curiosity. Definitely for any fan of film noir. The only thing better would be a Blu-ray with some film historian commentary giving the picture its due.

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John M. Whalen is the author of "Hunting Monsters is My Business: The Mordecai Slate Stories" . Click here to order the book from Amazon)

Cinema Retro has received the following press release. 

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise will boldly go where they have never gone before when STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN Director’s Edition arrives for the first time ever on Blu-ray June 7, 2016 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Star Trek franchise, this classic film has been digitally remastered in high definition with brilliant picture quality and will be presented in both Nicholas Meyer’s Director’s Edition and the original theatrical version.  The Blu-ray also includes a brand-new, nearly 30-minute documentary entitled “The Genesis Effect: Engineering The Wrath of Khan,” which details the development and production of this fan-favorite film through archival footage, photos and new interviews.

In addition to the new documentary, the STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN Director’s Edition Blu-ray is bursting with more than two hours of previously released special features including multiple commentaries, original interviews with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban and DeForest Kelley, explorations of the visual effects and musical score, a tribute to Ricardo Montalban, storyboards and much more.

Captain Kirk’s Starfleet career enters a new chapter as a result of his most vengeful nemesis: Khan Noonien Singh, the genetically enhanced conqueror from late 20th century Earth.  Escaping his forgotten prison, Khan sets his sights on both capturing Project Genesis, a device of god-like power, and the utter destruction of Kirk. 

STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN Director’s Edition Blu-ray

The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish Mono Dolby Digital and Portuguese Mono Dolby Digital with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The disc includes the following:

Blu-ray

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Director’s Edition in high definition

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Theatrical Version in high definition

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Commentary by director Nicholas Meyer (Director’s Edition & Theatrical Version)

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Commentary by director Nicholas Meyer and Manny Coto (Theatrical Version)

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Text Commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda (Director’s Edition)

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Library Computer (Theatrical Version)

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The Genesis Effect: Engineering The Wrath of Khan—NEW!

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Production

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Captain’s Log

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Designing Khan

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Original interviews with DeForest Kelley, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Ricardo Montalban

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Where No Man Has Gone Before: The Visual Effects of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

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James Horner: Composing Genesis

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The Star Trek Universe

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Collecting Star Trek’s Movie Relics

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A Novel Approach

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Starfleet Academy: The Mystery Behind Ceti Alpha VI

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Farewell

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A Tribute to Ricardo Montalban

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Storyboards 

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Theatrical Trailer

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BY DARREN ALLISON

Henry Mancini – a composer who will be forever linked with sumptuous film and television music- returns to Vocalion in another CD containing two classic RCA albums. Both from the early 1970s, Mancini Concert and Mancini Plays the Theme from Love Story (CDLK 4582) highlight different facets of his music making. Recorded to tie-in with Mancini’s 1971 American concert tour, Mancini Concert (originally released 1971) is just that – a studio recording of the sort of varied programme his audiences had come to expect. The highlight is undoubtedly Portrait of Simon and Garfunkel, a heartfelt orchestral rendering of several of the legendary duo’s best-known melodies. In addition to inventive orchestrations of other contemporary material including selections from The Who’s rock opera Tommy and the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice opus Jesus Christ Superstar, Mancini looks back to his swing era roots in Big Band Montage. A Mancini album wouldn’t be complete without some of his own music, and Mancini Concert addresses that through the inclusion of March with Mancini, a medley of themes from Peter Gunn and The Great Race. Mancini Plays the Theme from Love Story album (originally released 1970) capitalised on his smash-hit arrangement of Francis Lai’s film theme. Indeed, film music is the album’s cornerstone, and it includes several rare Mancini themes such as The Night Visitor, The Hawaiians and Theme for Three, the last of these from the Audrey Hepburn classic Wait until Dark. Remastered by Michael J. Dutton and using the original analogue tapes, the audio quality, as with all of Vocalion’s releases, is superb. Vocalion have reverted to just a 2 Panel (4 page) booklet to accompany their latest Mancini release, but the inclusion of two full albums manages to tilt the balance rather nicely.

The albums Classical Concussion / Predictions (CDLK 4582), both originally released in 1979, represent Vocalion’s latest voyage into the archives of the KPM 1000 Series, one of the world’s leading recorded music libraries and the home of some superb film and TV music. Featuring the work of brilliantly gifted composer and keyboardist Francis Monkman (a founder member of progressive bands Curved Air and Sky), Classical Concussion (originally KPM 1224) and Predictions (originally KPM 1233) are from the same era as his hugely popular score for gangland thriller The Long Good Friday (1980). In fact, Classical Concussion, recorded at Lansdowne Studios in November 1978, seems to anticipate in places The Long Good Friday’s score. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the opening track, ‘Release of Energy’, a thrilling title theme that embedded itself in the consciousness of UK cinemagoers thanks to its use (in abridged form) as the Rank Cinema chain’s ‘Preview Time’ jingle. The dramatic ‘Power Games’ also became familiar to British cinemagoers through its use as the Rank Cinema intermission theme. With its emphasis on electronic music, Predictions is in the same mould as that of Sky’s debut album from the same year. The imposing Passajig (a) is an unusual concoction of rhythm section, synthesizer, church organ and, remarkably, the State Trumpeters of the Band of The Household Cavalry. The magnificent sound of the State Trumpeters introduces Prelude (a), a pulsating underscore with synthesizer ostinato that conjures up visions of a futuristic metropolis. But the album’s best-known track is Hypercharge, thanks to its inclusion in Arthur Gibson’s award-winning 1981 documentary about the Red Arrows, the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force. Featuring super audio quality, Vocalion continue to show their commitment regarding the KPM Library series. Packaging consists of an excellent 6 page booklet with detailed liner notes provided by Library expert Oliver Lomax. It doesn’t get much better.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

London may have been the epicenter of the sexual revolution in the mid-1960s but that still didn't make it easy to see adult entertainment on the screen. The dreaded Office of the Censor wielded Draconian power as the guardians of British morality. Hence, the only place you could see anything remotely erotic on film was through 8mm "loops", short films that ran only minutes.  The closest mainstream cinemas got to playing films with nudity was through pretentious "documentaries" that exposed the sordid side of London's nightlife or life in a nudist colony. In reality, these denouncements of promiscuous sex existed strictly to capitalize on promiscuous sex and everyone knew it. Pete Walker was an enterprising young entrepreneur who tried to fill the gap for sex-starved Britons by shooting hastily-arranged, no-budget black and white exploitation films that lasted only minutes. Walker had started in the even more staid early part of the decade by hiring well-endowed, free-spirited young woman to "star" in his modest productions. There was no shortage of talent, as Briton did have a booming market in glamour magazines that featured nude models and starlets. Walker would shoot the silent B&W films on 8mm before graduating to 16mm. The final product would be sold in local book shops for extravagant prices. Walker and the store made tidy profits and the consumer could feast his eyes on some bare female flesh. Everyone was a winner.

 In 1969 Walker decided to do something far more ambitious by creating a film with an actual story line and populated by people who could really act. The result was "For Men Only" (AKA "Hot Girls For Men Only"), a ribald comedy that ran a scant 43 minutes but had production values that looked like "Gone With the Wind" compared to his earlier efforts. David Kernan (who played Pvt. Hitch in "Zulu" a few years before) plays Freddie Horn, a young man engaged to marry Rosalie (Andrea Allen). However, she demands that he quit his job as fashion editor for a prominent journal because he is generally assigned to interview beautiful young models who wear barely-there new clothing lines. She's right to be jealous, as Freddie has been living quite the life, indulging in the "fringe benefits" of being around so many willing young women. Reluctantly, he applies for a job as a writer for a bland magazine that will ensure he has no exposure to the fairer sex. He is summoned from London to the countryside to meet his prospective new employer, Miles Fanthorpe (Derek Aylward). He meets Fanthorpe at a local church where he is giving a stern lecture on morality and the decay of society, which he attributes to permissive sex and increasing tolerance of homosexuality. The small crowd responds enthusiastically to his conservative, fire-and-brimstone rant. Freddie is understandably depressed at the prospect of working for such a man but the first clue that not all is as it seems occurs when Fanthorpe gives him a lift back to his manor house- in an Aston Martin DB5. Once at the house, Fanthorpe comes clean. His uses his reputation as a conservative prude to mask his real personality which is that of a sex-obsessed rogue. Fanthorpe then introduces Freddie to his staff, which consists of busty young women of loose morals who spend the entire day romping around in bikinis or sunning themselves while topless. Freddie is understandably delighted to accept the job of writing for one of Fanthorpe's publications that deals with nude models. Within minutes, he is immersed in a virtual orgy- and he understandably forgets a vitally important social engagement for that evening. Seems he has to accompany Rosalie and her parents to a black tie dinner to celebrate their wedding anniversary. The parents can't stand Freddie as it is and have warned Rosalie that he is addicted to skirt chasing. When Freddie doesn't turn up for dinner, Rosalie sets out to trace his whereabouts and ends up at the country manner where she sees the real scenario. Naturally, through happenstance even her prudish parents show up along with a local parson, resulting in a chaotic scene that culminates with a bevy of bikini girls being stuffed into the DB5 for a fast getaway. (Not even 007 enjoyed that privilege.) Although one could term the film as a "sexploitation" title, that doesn't do it justice. "For Men Only" is actually quite amusing and features some very fine comedic performances. The sexual content is quite mild but there is something  erotic about seeing these lovely young actresses cavort about while scantily clad. It's like Matt Helm on steroids. 

The other feature, "School for Sex", also features Derek Aylward in essentially the same kind of role he played in "For Men Only". Here he is an upper-crust type named Giles Wingate who inherited a manor house and a fortune and blew through it all by marrying a series of opportunistic golddiggers.  To pay off his debts, he engages in some dubious financial tactics that end up with him being criminally prosecuted. He's spared a jail sentence and put on probation but still needs to find a way to pay for his lavish lifestyle as well as the salary for his elderly, intensely loyal butler. He comes up with an inspired idea. Since he was snookered by so many lovely young women, he decides to open a "School for Sex" on his premises. The idea is to charge beautiful young women a hefty fee for instructing them how to seduce wealthy men and ensure their financial well-being. In order to carry out the plan, he needs some female assistance. He hires the Duchess of Burwash, a widowed hot-to-trot middle-aged cougar played by Rose Alba, who main claim to fame was her short but memorable appearance as the SPECTRE "widow" who gets socked by James Bond in the opening of "Thunderball". She's a boozy opportunist but she delivers the goods in terms of instructing her students how to seduce naive men. Before long, there are more students than Wingate can accommodate. Rich families are sending their daughters for instruction, thinking they will be attending a finishing school for sophisticated young women. Instead, they will run around naked and engage in sex techniques. The film comes to an ironic conclusion as Wingate becomes a victim of his own success. "School for Sex" is described by Pete Walker as the worst movie he ever made. He blames himself for not getting a professional screenwriter and trying to keep costs down by writing the script himself. Although not as polished as "For Men Only", it still has its amusing moments and there is plenty of eye candy in the form of the lovely young ladies. The performances of Aywayrd and Alba are also very funny.  The film is a bit more daring than "For Men Only"  in that it does include topless sequences and a glimpse or two of full nudity.

Kino Lorber has released both films as a Blu-ray double feature edition. Both remastered prints look excellent and the special features in the package are most welcome. Pete Walker provides a new filmed interview and gives some interesting insights into the world of sexploitation films in England during the 1960s. There are also numerous Walker "loops", the early B&W silent nudie flicks as well as a trailer for "School for Sex" and alternate footage from the film featuring full nudity that was shot for the Japanese market. 

In summary, it's a delightful trip down Mammary Lane for anyone who appreciates the low-brow pleasures of such "naughty" entertainment.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

Carlos Tobalina was among the most prolific of adult film directors. From the late 1960s through the late 1980s, Tobalina ground out dozens of grind house porn flicks and, no fool he, appeared in any number of them as well, though often not in the sex scenes. What set Tobalina's films apart was the fact that he at least tried to instill some quality and occasional social messages into what was otherwise undistinguished fare. Tobalina, who died at age 64 in 1989, would probably have appreciated the fact that Vinegar Syndrome has been releasing quite a few of his titles in remastered DVD editions that probably look better than they did back in the day. Among these releases is a Tobalina double feature that he directed under one of his alter ego names, Troy Benny. Both of the movies have a common theme in that they star one William Margold, who apparently was quite influential in the adult film industry of the 1980s and is still appearing in sleazy movies today even though he is in his seventies. He is also a social activist, having founded the Free Speech Coalition and established a charity to look after down-and-out veterans of the porn industry. First up in the double feature is "Lust Inferno", a 1982 production in which Margold appears as a corrupt TV evangelist (is there any other kind?). Margold, who is curiously billed as "Mr. William Margold" (not even Orson Welles had that much clout), stars as Rev. Jerry, a charismatic preacher who rips off the suckers in his audience by indulging in the usual fire-and-brimstone sermons. He also "cures" invalids who he pays off in cash backstage after the event. At home, Rev. Jerry is very much a family man, but it's probably not the kind of family most of us could relate to. His wife (Rita Ricardo) is frustrated that the Rev won't indulge in intercourse with her because he believes the act is only for procreation. He does indulge in some other sexual activities with her that are entirely for his satisfaction. Consequently, she goes off to "group therapy" sessions that are actually bi-sexual orgies. Rev. Jerry's oldest daughter, Dora (Tamara Longley) does the same with her teenage friends because dad won't allow her to date anyone. (The effectiveness of that strategy seems to be dubious, at best.) Meanwhile, the youngest daughter, Lucy  (Marguerite Nuit) is also finding it hard to deal with her raging hormones. She asks for- and receives- her mother's permission to adopt a disguise and seek work in the local bordello that is run by Madame Blanche (Lina Spencer). What Lucy and no one else in the family knows is that her father is Madame Blanche's best customer. He pays thousands of dollars for S&M sex sessions with Blanche's young hookers. This plot development leads to the film's ironic conclusion in which Reverend Jerry finally pays a terrible price for his immorality- but it also results in a major "Yuck" factor for the viewer. The hardcore scenes are pretty standard for the era with nothing particularly inventive going on but at least director Tobalina attempts to make a statement about the craze for supporting corrupt TV preachers. In fact, he was a bit ahead of his time. Within a few years some of the best-known televangelists would be brought down in their own sex scandals. 

The most enjoyable aspect of the presentation is the recent interview with William Margold on a commentary track. Margold describes himself as a blowhard and its difficult to take issue with him. We're all for admiring anyone who takes pride in their work but Margold discusses "Lust Inferno" as though it's a major achievement. He indicates that he based his interpretation of the Reverend on Richard Brooks' 1960 film version of "Elmer Gantry" and says that back in the day he even met Burt Lancaster and correctly predicted he would win an Oscar for the role. The most amusing aspect of the commentary track has Margold, who was obviously watching a sub-standard VHS version prior to the film's restoration for DVD, complain constantly about the poor quality of the tape. He also rails against the fact that the version they are watching is missing key sequences, only to have him proven wrong when they turn up later. Margold,  like most of the leading men in this peculiar branch of the film industry, was probably chosen more for his physical attributes than his acting abilities, but he seems to think that his work here is top-notch both. In fact, his performance is par for the course for porn films and there is no indication he possessed any admirable skills outside of the boudoir. Speaking of which, Margold waxes nostalgic about some of his sex partners in the movie, including one woman who became his wife and another who he continues to pine away for because he never appeared in a sex scene with her, sort of like the fisherman who gripes about "the one who got away".  Regarding stock footage in the film of real life audiences at televangelist events, Margold chuckles and wonders if they ever knew they would end up in a porn film. It's also quite eye-opening to listen to Margold give the play-by-play for his on-screen antics and to provide opinions about his personal techniques for self-pleasure. Margold may indeed be a blowhard but he makes for an entertaining commentator.  You have to admire Vinegar Syndrome for creating some value-added content that is both funny and insightful because it gives you an idea of what the adult film industry was like from the viewpoint of one of its veterans. 

The second feature on the DVD is "Marathon", a lazy production even by the low standards one would have expected for the genre. Shot in 1982, it's a quickie that features a lot of major stars from the industry including Ron Jeremy, Jamie Gillis. Sharon Mitchell and John Holmes. The "plot" simply features a large group of swingers who attend a costume party at Gillis's apartment. Everyone is getting it on while attired in crazy costumes when a phone call alerts them that a friend (William Margold) and his wife have been injured in a skiing accident and they are both in the hospital. Deciding to provide the kind of bedside companionship that no doctor would, they all barge into the hospital suite where Margold and his wife are being treated. Here, while still in costume, they resume the orgy. The therapy works as both patients join in the action. The film is played entirely for laughs and is therefore about as erotic as a dip in a pool of ice water.

The transfers of both features look very good with vibrant colors and enough original film stock grain to make you nostalgic for the era.  

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BY FRED BLOSSER

Kino-Lorber has released John Frankenheimer’s “The Holcroft Covenant” (1985) in new Blu-ray and DVD editions, superseding a previous DVD release on the MGM label in 1999. Frankenheimer fans will be pleased to see this relatively obscure title available in remastered Hi-Def. Privately, even they may have to admit that it’s deservedly obscure because it’s a clunker, marking a sad decline from the excellence of “The Manchurian Candidate” two decades before. With that 1962 masterpiece, Frankenheimer and scenarist George Axelrod benefited from superlative source material, Richard Condon’s razor-sharp Cold War political thriller. “The Holcroft Covenant” was adapted from lesser stuff, a bestselling but stumble-footed 1972 suspense novel by Robert Ludlum. Multiple screenwriters are credited: George Axelrod, Edward Anhalt, and John Hawkins. The problems with the movie suggest a combination of Ludlum’s lame storytelling to begin with, additional troubles in trying to turn the rambling, 528-page potboiler into a leaner, 100-minute-long movie, and questionable choices by Frankenheimer himself.

Noel Holcroft, a German-born New York architect, learns that he is the main trustee of a covenant drawn up 40 years before, in the last hours of the Third Reich, by three officers of the Nazi High Command. One of the officers, General Clausen, was Holcroft’s father. Once it’s signed by Holcroft and the children of the other two officers, the covenant will release $4.5 billion from a secret Swiss account, a fortune accrued over four decades from Nazi funds diverted by the three officers during the war. Clausen’s posthumous directive specifies that the trustees are to spend the fund for beneficent purposes, to atone for Hitler’s atrocities. Holcroft must locate the other trustees -- the son and daughter of General Tiebolt and the son of General Kessler -- so that the covenant can be activated. His mother Athene (Lilli Palmer), who had fled Clausen and Germany early in the war, cautions Holcroft to walk away from the arrangement because his father couldn’t be trusted and neither can the directive: “He was a Nazi through and through.” But Holcroft idealistically proceeds anyway, joining in Berlin with the Tiebolt brother and sister, who have taken the name Tennyson, and the Kessler son, a symphony conductor now calling himself Maas. Mysterious characters enter the story in Zurich, New York, London, Berlin, and finally Zurich again, seemingly intent on derailing the covenant, as bodies begin to pile up around Holcroft.

Did I mention that Holcroft is played by Michael Caine, because, well, if you need an actor to play a German-born New Yorker, you want Michael Caine? As Frankenheimer notes in a director’s commentary track repeated from the 1999 DVD, the “New York” scenes in the film were actually shot in London, so why not simply transfer the phony U.S. setting to the U.K., ignore the character’s New York upbringing from the novel, and make him a German-born Londoner to match Caine’s accent? Reportedly, Caine was a last-minute replacement for James Caan, who walked off the movie, so Frankenheimer may not have had time even for minor script adjustments. A good trouper, Caine honestly appears to invest a lot of energy in the part, accent aside. But it hardly matters because Holcroft is a dolt who does anything he’s asked to do without a second thought, no matter how inconvenient, nonsensical, or dangerous. Drop everything and fly to Zurich at the behest of a total stranger who claims to be a representative from an international bank? Wouldn’t you? Hop over to London at the request of another total stranger and agree to meet yet a third stranger in Trafalgar Square at 5 p.m. tomorrow? (“And don’t look for him. He’ll find you.”) Sure, why not. Rendezvous at a church with a mysterious woman in a bad disguise, and then hide out with her in a sleazy Berlin brothel to avoid the bad guys? I’m on it.

Speaking of the Berlin brothel, Frankenheimer clutters several scenes with unnecessarily eccentric background details. The brothel business leads to a chase in and out of a nighttime street festival of prostitutes and cross-dressers. In his commentary, Frankenheimer says he wanted to use the brothel and the street festival, which provide an excuse for some unattractive, R-rated nudity, to evoke classic novels and films about the decadent Berlin of the 1930s. Instead of distracting the viewer so you’re less likely to notice that the scene itself makes little sense, the clutter only underscores the absurdity. When Holcroft first meets his fellow heir Maas (Mario Adorf), Maas is conducting a symphony rehearsal -- because, Frankenheimer says, he always wanted to film a scene of a symphony orchestra performing. Simpler would have been better, had Frankenheimer merely told his actors hit their marks, deliver their lines, and move on. It doesn‘t help that Adorf is miscast as a conductor (physically, he looks about as much the part as Jack Black or John Goodman would), and that most of the other actors are undistinguished. Only Victoria Tennant and Anthony Andrews emerge relatively unscathed, even though Andrews enters with an unflattering mustache that seems to be part of a disguise, except that he never gets rid of it. It took me a while to realize that, more than likely, it was an attempt to make Andrews look older so that the age difference between him (37) and Caine (52) would not be so obvious, since their characters are supposed to be contemporaries.

The story turns on a “surprise twist” about the real purpose of the covenant and the real motives behind Andrews‘ and Tennant’s characters. I saw it coming about 20 minutes into the picture, without even trying. Frankenheimer stages the climactic scene in Alfred Hitchcock fashion, with Holcroft and the chief villain struggling over a revolver in a chaotic crowd setting, in this case a press conference. There’s even a Hitchcockian close-up of Caine’s hand clamped desperately over the cylinder of the gun to keep it from turning, inter-cut with shots of the two men struggling and the crowd surging around them in panic. It’s the only scene in the film that comes even remotely close to the gripping visual style of “The Manchurian Candidate.”

Younger viewers (admittedly, not a likely audience demographic) may smile when the characters marvel over the $4.5 billion in the covenant. It was probably an impressive sum in 1985 but now it seems like pocket change next to Bill Gates’ $77.7 billion bank account. I’m reminded of Dr. Evil’s comment in one of the Austin Powers movies, “Why make trillions when we can make . . . billions?” The bad guys‘ ulterior purpose for the $4.5 billion? “To consolidate every terrorist group in the world into one cohesive, overwhelming force to create international crises and chaos . . . until the world is reduced to a state of anarchy, ready to accept a strong new leader who can restore order and take command.” Given the past 15 years’ experience of 9/11, the global economic meltdown, unending catastrophe in the Middle East, the growing chasm between the haves and have-nots in the United States, and the rancid tenor of the 2016 Presidential campaign primaries, reality has left Ludlum’s and Frankenheimer’s pulp fantasy in the dust. Never mind a neo-Nazi conspiracy. Our perfectly legitimate financial, political, judicial, and military systems have brought us nearly to the same end.

The Kino-Lorber Blu-ray disc’s 1920x1080p image is less than pristine but acceptable. In addition to the director’s alt-track commentary, there is a trailer gallery and menu, but unfortunately no English captioning for the hard of hearing. Given that any audience for the film is likely to fall into the age range for which captioning is a welcome bonus, this is an unfortunate omission.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

The Vinegar Syndrome video label continues to unearth obscure examples of 1960s erotica. None is more bizarre than "Infrasexum", a 1969 concoction by director/actor Carlos Tobalina, who would ultimately be regarded as one of the more prolific hardcore filmmakers. Back in '69, however, it was still difficult to get theatrical showings of hardcore films, which were generally relegated to 8mm film loops sold in adult book stores. Tabolina tried to push the envelope with "Infrasexum" but was still confined by the dreaded "community standards" obscenity laws that mandated only soft-core movies could generally be shown without causing a major legal flap from local conservative groups that had routinely declared war on pornography.  "Infrasexum" (I have no idea what the title means and apparently neither did Tobalina) attempts to tell a poignant story about the toll the aging process takes on sexual libido. The film opens in the offices of Mr. Allison (Eroff Lynn), a fifty-something successful business executive who is despondent over the routine lifestyle he is leading. He has money galore but exists in a gloomy state of mind. He's also depressed (in this pre-Viagara era) about his inability to perform sexually with his bombshell wife (Marsha Jordan), who prances about their penthouse clad in a see-through nightee. Determined to start a new life, Allinson sends his wife a goodbye letter, turns the control of his company over to two trusted employees and takes off for parts unknown. He immediately feels liberated from the day-to-day grind. He ends up in Las Vegas and almost reluctantly wins $250,000 in cash. He doesn't need the money but for the first time in ages he feels he's on a winning streak. He drives to L.A. where he has a chance encounter with Carlos (Carlos Tobalina), a somewhat kooky but charismatic man who routinely grubs money from him but also introduces him to a new lifestyle with his hippie friends. Before long, Allison is taking in rock shows in discotheques on the Sunset Strip and experimenting with pot. Carlos tries on several occasions to cure Allison's sexual problems by setting him up with willing young women but the result is always frustrating failure to launch. At one point an unrelated sub-plot is introduced in which Allison is kidnapped by two thugs who threaten his life and shake him down for big money. They also murder a helpless young woman in his presence. In one of the lamest action sequences ever filmed, Allison breaks free and kills both men in an unintentionally hilarious manner. Allison treats this presumably life-altering incident as though it's a minor distraction and before long is taking up his lifetime's goal of becoming a painter. An admiring young woman invites him back to her house but, once again, Allison can't seal the deal between the sheets and he has to call Carlos over to act as his stand-in!

It's difficult to say exactly what Tobalina expected to accomplish with this film. Is it an attempt to present a poignant look at the frustrations of the aging process with some full-frontal nudity tossed in? Or did he intend to simply dress up a sexploitation film with some legitimate dramatic story line aspects? In either case, the result is downright weird.  Tobalina's insertion of a gruesome murder also seems like an after-thought designed to appeal to horror movie fans. It's got plenty of gore but is so unconvincingly shot and directed that the sequence elicits more laughter than chills. Whatever early talent Tobalina might have conveyed on screen is compromised by the bare bones production budget, which was probably close to zero. Technical blunders abound. In some scenes you can see the shadow of the cameraman in center frame. In others, people's voices are heard even though their lips aren't moving. Still, the film at least aspires to be superior to most soft-core grind house fare of the era. As a trip back in time, it has merit. It presents some wonderful, extended views of the Las Vegas Strip, for example, and we can relish the marquees extolling such performers as Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, Don Ho and Little Richard. Tobalina also gets out of the bedrooms long enough to take us on a scenic tour of local L.A. sites as well as the Sierra Nevadas. Tobalina is at his best when he gets out of the boudoir and shows us travelogue-like footage.  On a coarser level, the film also provides an abundance of good looking young women who romp around starkers. The movie would be primarily of interest to baby boomer males who want a trip back in time to an era in which such fare was considered daring and controversial. It's bizarre qualities will also appeal to fans of cult sexlpoitation films. 

The Vinegar Syndrome release looks great and the remastered print even shows us the grit and dirt that occasionally appeared on the camera lens.  An original trailer is also included that is truly a laugh riot, in that a God-like voice virtually commands us to see "Infrasexum" because it's a "classic". 

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release regarding the film “Culloden” and “The War Game”.

These startling and controversial films by Peter Watkins, first broadcast on BBC TV, have been newly remastered to High Definition and will be released on Blu-ray for the first time on 28 March 2016, presented together in a Dual Format Edition (contains Blu-ray and DVD discs). An array of special features includes a new interview by film editor Michael Bradsell, who worked with Peter Watkins at the BBC, audio commentaries for both films and short films about each one.

Hailed as a breakthrough when it was first broadcast in 1964, Culloden â€“ which brilliantly reconstructs the famous battle of 1746 – stunned viewers by approaching its historical subject matter in the style of contemporary TV news coverage.

Watkins’ The War Game, about a limited nuclear attack on Kent, blended fact and fiction to create a disturbing vision of the personal and public consequences of such an attack. Banned from TV screens for twenty years, it was through its cinema release in 1966 – and its Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1967 – that it gained a loyal and vociferous following.

Special features

Newly remastered and presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition

Michael Bradsell Interview (2015, 21 mins): the film editor talks about working with Peter Watkins at the BBC

John Cook audio commentary on Culloden (2002)

Culloden on Location (Donald Fairservice, 1964, 8 mins): colour footage of the cast and crew during the filming of Culloden, with a 2002 commentary by John Cook

Patrick Murphy audio commentary on The War Game (2002)

The War Game: The Controversy (2002, 19 mins): Patrick Murphy charts the production history, banning and eventual distribution of The War Game

The War Game book: on-screen gallery of the complete 1967 book, published to accompany the film

Illustrated booklet with new essays by John Cook, David Archibald and William Fowler, and full film credits

BY FRED BLOSSER

French gangster movies about mobs, molls, and ingenious but ill-fated heists enjoyed a big vogue in Europe in the 1950s and early 1960s, especially after the success of Jules Dassin’s stylish “Du Rififi chez Les Hommes” in 1955.  Opening here a year later in an edited, subtitled print as “Rififi,” Dassin’s picture drew a small but appreciative audience of critics and foreign-film fans, and became a perennial favorite in American art houses, repertory theaters, and film schools.    

This was a rare example of a “policier,” as French audiences called them, gaining any critical and commercial notice on these shores even remotely comparable to their popularity abroad.  Although the genre owed a clear debt to classic American crime films, it fell victim here, like nearly every other cinema import from abroad, to a homegrown bias against dubbed or subtitled foreign films in that more insular era of American popular culture. The vast demographic of moviegoers in small-town America tended to be wary of movies that they had to read as well as watch, or those in which stilted dialogue came out of unfamiliar actors’ mouths in interchangeable voices that didn’t match the movements of their lips. If you were a crime-movie enthusiast, you already had plenty of domestic product to choose from, anyway, thanks to a wave of violent, “fact-based” programmers like “The Bonnie Parker Story” (1958) and “Al Capone” (1959) that U.S. studios released in the wake of high ratings for TV’s “The Untouchables.”

The policiers that crossed the Atlantic, if they made it at all, were likely to be relegated to marginal, second-run theaters, alongside nudies and exploitation pictures. Newspaper ads and posters played up the sexier, grittier aspects of the films as lurid entertainment “for adults only.” For example, the blurbs on the posters for “Doulos, the Finger Man,” a subtitled 1964 edit of Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Doulos” (1963), proclaimed: “Raw, Savage, Shocking” -- “So ruthless, untamed women would do anything for him . . . and did!”  In these days of graphic internet porn, what may have been “shocking” 50 years ago now looks quaintly tame. Actual nude scenes in the original European prints, which were modest to begin with by today’s standards, were trimmed out of the American versions in deference to anti-obscenity laws. The sensual content that remained would hardly cause a stir in today’s climate, but it was provocative for its era, when married couples on TV had to be shown sleeping in modest PJs in twin beds, if they were shown in the bedroom at all.

The advertising strategy of implied sex turned a quick buck for distributors who had little chance of seeing the policiers accepted by mainstream ticket-buyers. However, the films’ reputation suffered in the larger court of public opinion. Middlebrow critics snubbed them as sordid trash, almost beneath their notice. The New York Times’ Bosley Crowther, for example, dismissed the Melville film as “talkative and tiresome,” and seemed personally offended by the “mean and disagreeable” title character portrayed by Jean-Paul Belmondo.

Things have changed greatly since then. Younger generations of critics, less bothered by disagreeable characters than Crowther was, have revisited the policiers and found them worthy of serious discussion. Thanks to DVD, Blu-ray, streaming video, and cable movie networks, a wider audience in middle America has a chance to see the films in their original form, and they’re more likely to be receptive to foreign productions than their grandparents in the Ike era. Several policiers, including “Le Doulos” and nearly all of Melville’s other pictures, are available in restored DVD and Blu-ray editions with classy packaging. However, other policiers of arguably equal merit remain missing in action on U.S. home video, even on the collector’s market, notably Alex Joffé’s 1959 production, “Du Rififi Chez Les Femmes” (1959).

As the title suggests, Joffé’s film shares a bloodline with Jules Dassin’s better known classic. Both were based on novels by French crime writer Auguste Le Breton, who claimed that “rififi” was criminal slang that he had picked up from real underworld acquaintances in the hangouts of Montmartre and Pigalle, meaning something like “melee” or “rumble.” Le Breton co-authored the script for the Joffé movie.

Some critics have questioned whether Le Breton was telling the truth about his gangland connections, and suspect that he coined the term “rififi” himself. Dassin said he was disturbed by racist implications in the word, since Le Breton asserted that it referred to the violent characteristics of Parisian gangs made up of North African immigrants from the Rif area of Morocco. Accordingly, in the film version of “Du Rififi chez Les Hommes,” Dassin downplayed the ethnicity of his characters. Sort of a Mickey Spillane of France, Le Breton became a popular celebrity after the success of “Du Rififi chez Les Hommes” and made a lot of money writing about hoods and tough guys. Many of his novels were branded with “rififi” in their titles, but aside from certain shared themes and plot elements, the books were unrelated to each other.

In “Du Rififi Chez Les Femmes” (in my rough English translation, “The Girls Mix It Up”), underworld entrepreneur Vicky de Berlin (Nadja Tiller) owns a popular floating nightclub, the “Ration K,” on the Senne River in Brussels. Characteristically for Le Breton’s criminal figures, Vicky’s surname isn’t necessarily her real family name, just a nickname referring to the city where she came from. (In “Du Rififi chez Les Hommes,” the ringleader of the story’s audacious jewel robbery, played by Jean Servais in the movie, was Tony Le Stéphanois: “Stéphanois” being a colloquialism for someone from the French town of Saint Etienne.) Vicky’s troubled past as a displaced Berliner is suggested by a photograph of her father on the desk in her private office, a German officer wearing the Iron Cross. The name of her club implies that she might have made her first money dealing surplus or stolen U.S. Army rations on the black market after World War II.

If you're looking for the perfect holiday or birthday gift, Cinema Retro can tell you to get "Lost"-- as in "Space", that is. Check out this fantastic Blu-ray boxed set that contains every episode of the beloved Irwin Allen TV series and  over 8 hours of bonus materials.

Here is the official product description from Fox:

Product Description

Bring home the timeless journey of Irwin Allen’s LOST IN SPACE! Follow the heart-racing, cliff-hanging adventures of John Robinson and his family aboard the Jupiter 2, along with Robot B-9 and the delightfully devious Dr. Zachary Smith. This massive 18-disc set contains all 83 episodes remastered in high definition, and loads of exciting extras with recently discovered content you won’t find anywhere else in the galaxy. It’s out-of-this-world fun for everyone!

Additional Features

OVER 8 HOURS OF RARELY SEEN AND NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN EXTRAS

50th Anniversary Interviews with Original Series Cast Members

Original Cast Reunion Performance of Bill Mumy’s 1980 Unproduced Script, LOST IN SPACE: THE EPILOGUE

Vintage Versions of 4 Original Network Episodes (AS SEEN ON AIR in the 1960s with Original TV Commercials and Bumpers) 

1973 Animated Special 

20th Anniversary Audio Interview with Lost in Space Series Creator Irwin Allen 

2 Full-Length Lost in Space Documentaries 

Original Animated Series Concept Pitch Video

Unaired Series Pilot Episode: “No Place to Hide” 

Original Network Commercials, Vintage Cast Interviews AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

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Calling all Charlie Chan fans! If you are not aware of it, Warner Home Video released a 4 DVD set of Chan rarities in 2013. Here is the information from the original press release.  

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings back the legendary master of crime in the Charlie Chan Collection -- four beloved films making their DVD debut, and now available for the first time, newly remastered, as a single collection. Included are Shadows Over Chinatown, starring Sidney Toler in one of his last Chan films, plus Docks of New Orleans, Shanghai Chest, and The Golden Eye starring Roland Winters, the last actor to play the detective on film.

Writer Earl Derr Biggers created Charlie Chan, a fictional Chinese-American sleuth, in a series of printed tales beginning in 1923. As early as 1926, the first of more than 48 Charlie Chan films was put on the silver screen. Actor Warner Oland, born in Sweden, began a popular run for Fox in 1931 in Charlie Chan Carries On. After its success, Fox would produce 15 more Chan films starring Oland. Not surprisingly, the films became the most popular in 1930s China.

After Oland died, Sidney Toler, an American actor with Scottish roots, took on the Chan role. Toler starred in 22 Chan films, first for Fox and later for Monogram Studios. After Toler's death, Roland Winters became Chan in six more films. The character has also been featured frequently on radio, television and in the comics.

ABOUT THE FILMS

Shadows Over Chinatown

Charlie Chan heads to San Francisco on a murder case when he encounters a mother trying to find her daughter who’s gone missing. Chan also meets a young man, searching for his missing girlfriend. Charlie determines they’re both looking for the same person and soon uncovers a murder gang, which has been illegally benefiting from life insurance of the dead.

Docks of New Orleans

Charlie is asked to investigate after the mysterious demise of a New Orleans chemical company magnate, because even though the police believe the death was caused by a heart attack, a series of unexplainable deaths follow. Only Charlie Chan can solve the mystery!

Shanghai Chest

Three people are murdered in San Francisco – a judge, District Attorney and a juror. The fingerprints of a deceased man are found at all three murder sites, but could it really be possible for a dead man to be a serial killer? Again, leave it to Charlie Chan..!

The Golden Eye

An Arizona gold mine is suddenly making a ton of money. The mine’s owner, instead of delighting in his newfound wealth, confides to Charlie that something is wrong and he fears for his life. Charlie and “friends” go to the mine, pretending to be just visitors. They soon discover that the mine is being used as a cover up for some major crimes and that, indeed, somebody will soon be murdered.

(Although not mentioned in the press release, the set also includes an abundance of special features.)  

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

One of the more enjoyable aspects of the Cinema Retro experience is that we continue to get inundated with review copies of niche market DVD and Blu-ray titles pertaining to films we've never heard of.  Many of these come from Vinegar Syndrome (so-called for the nefarious affliction that attaches itself to old reels of film if they are not stored correctly.) The company has earned kudos for not only rescuing obscure titles from oblivion but releasing them in remastered versions that often include bonus extras. Much of the company's product line consists of vintage hardcore porn from the 1960s-1980s but Vinegar Syndrome also releases bizarre exploitation films from this era as well. Case in point: "The Cut-Throats", a 1969 WWII opus that is aptly described on the DVD sleeve as a cross between Nazisloitation and sexploitation genres. What is Nazisploitation? Well, it's a sordid sub-genre of low-budget film-making that took off in the 1970s and had a limited, but profitable run over the next decade. The subject matter was particularly distasteful: it involved the sexual torture and exploitation of female prisoners and concentration camp inmates as a device for stimulation. (Think "The Night Porter" without the redeeming factors.) Perhaps the most notorious of the Nazisploitation films was the infamous "Ilsa: She Wolf of the S.S." , a twisted and sickening exercise in cinematic offensiveness that should result in your crossing anyone you know who enjoyed it off your list of house guests (click here for review). "The Cut-Throats" is not a Nazisploitation film in that regard. Yes, there are women who are constantly groped but in this case the females are willing and mostly prone to doing some groping themselves. The movie was directed by one John Hayes, who apparently has a cult following for his Ed Wood-like ability to see his dream projects through despite a lack of funding or resources. This admirable quality is on display in "The Cut-Throats" from the very first frames. 

The film opens on a bizarre note: a painted backdrop of a cowboy over which we hear someone warbling an old-fashioned western song. (The score is by Jamie Mendoza-Nava, who went on to compose music for other more notable "B" movies.) At first I thought I had accidentally put on some old John Ford film with the Sons of the Pioneers singing over the opening credits. Hayes's decision to open the movie with this song never makes sense in the course of what follows beyond a brief opening scene of a G.I. using a lasso. We are then introduced to the no-name cast as we see an American colonel recruit a handful of men to accompany him on a dangerous mission to infiltrate a remote German outpost and capture important documents and battle plans. What the G.I.s don't realize is that they are being duped into helping him secure possession of a chest of priceless jewels that is being hidden inside the German HQ. When the men infiltrate the compound, they quickly dispatch the German soldiers, only to find that the place is actually a bordello. The sexy females on site quickly switch allegiance and put on a bizarre stage performance consisting of singing and dancing in costume(!) Things heat up pretty quickly from that point with the G.I.s understandably lowering their resistance and bedding the young women. In one of the film's few attempts to provide some outright humor, one G.I. of German ancestry finds he is sexually stimulated by making love on a bed draped in Swastika sheets while listening to records of Hitler's speeches. Once the corrupt colonel intimidates a prostitute into showing him the hidden treasure, he considers his own men to be expendable. He uses a skirmish with a passing German motorcade as a cover to murder his own men. The film's climax finds him going mano-a-mano with a surviving German colonel as they duel over who gets possession of the jewels. (Ironically, the plot device of corrupt Americans and corrupt German soldiers vying for a fortune in stolen treasure bares a similarity to the finale of "Kelly's Heroes", which was produced the same year.)

"The Cut-Throats" is such a mess that it boggles the mind to imagine that even drive-ins or grindhouse cinemas would have shown it back in the day. However, the sexual revolution in film was a new phenomenon so any outlet horny male viewers had to ogle naked women on screen was probably assured of some financial success. The movie was clearly not made for the Noel Coward crowd. The film has an abundance of guilty pleasures, not the least of which is the fact that the film is set in "Germany". I use quotation marks because it appears this is a Germany from an alternate dimension, unless in my travels I somehow missed the nation's desert areas, where the action takes place. Then we have the main location, the German military compound which is clearly a modern housing unit that is either being constructed or deconstructed. With  the house boasting a modern American facade and an empty in-ground swimming pool, one is tempted to suspect that director Hayes simply appropriated an abandoned property for the few days it probably took to film this epic. The premise is like staging a WWII action film on the same sets where "Leave It To Beaver" was shot. The editing process looks like it was achieved with a chainsaw, with abrupt cuts in abundance. There is virtually no character development beyond the most simplistic characteristics afforded the principals. Hayes did manage to find the budget for some period G.I. uniforms and weapons, as well as few German WWII-era vehicles (though one of them seems to be adorned with the Afrika Corps symbol even though the fighting is supposed to be taking place in Germany.) For cult movie purists, about the only recognizable face....well, not exactly face....I became aware of is that of Uschi Digard, whose legendary assets figure into a ludicrous sequence in which she plays the secretary to the German colonel. Upon hearing that the war is officially over, she doffs her uniform and seduces the German's young adjutant by going starkers and serving him a bottle of wine in a unique manner- by first pouring it over her trademark natural assets. The scene is representative of the entire goofy atmosphere of the production. The sex scenes feature full female nudity but never go into hardcore territory. A somewhat kinky aspect involves a scene in which two G.I's are engaging in a threesome with one of the prostitutes. One of the G.I.'s gets so carried away that he begins to caress his friend. Seeing gay sex on screen, even if played for laughs, was rather groundbreaking for 1969.  Another amusing aspect of the film is the fact that some of the G.I.s and German soldiers sport hair styles that make them look like they were auditioning for The Grateful Dead. 

"The Cut-Throats" will appeal only to those dedicated retro movie lovers who revel in "D" level (or in this case "double D" level) obscurities such as this. I personally enjoyed watching this train wreck of an indie film and have some grudging respect for the people involved. Back in the pre-video camera era, it was an expensive and cumbersome task to bring even a slight venture like this to reality. The Vinegar Syndrome transfer is excellent on all levels. The packaging features what I presume is the original one-sheet movie poster art which is appropriately awful. There is also an original trailer that features a narrator who seems to be doing a poor Orson Welles imitation in relating the action as though he were the voice of God. A selection of still photos are also included but they are censored with bikini tops drawn on the women so that they could be displayed in neighborhood theaters.

"The Cut-Throats" DVD is limited to only 1,500 copies.  

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BY ERNIE MAGNOTTA

While working at the Tromaville Health Club in 1984, goodhearted, 98lb. weakling Melvin “The Mop Boy” was tricked into wearing a pink tutu and teased unmercifully until he fell from a two-story window and landed in a vat of nuclear waste. The toxic chemicals changed little Melvin, transforming him into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength. Melvin became The Toxic Avenger, the first superhero from New Jersey!

Written and Directed by the great Lloyd Kaufman (and co-directed by his partner-in-slime, Michael Herz), The Toxic Avenger, which is a thoroughly entertaining and unique combination of the superhero genre, raunchy and over-the-top comedy, as well as full-on horror movie-type gore, not only became an instant hit, but singlehandedly built Troma films (Toxie is the company’s mascot much like Spider-man is to Marvel Comics). The Toxic Avenger character became so popular that, over the years, fans were treated to Tromatic goodies such as Toxie comic books, action figures, a children’s cartoon series (Toxic Crusaders) and even a musical; not to mention three hilarious sequels (with a fourth on the way). The first sequel, also written by Kaufman, and, again, directed by Lloyd and Herz, appeared in 1989.

Thanks to Toxie’s past heroics, The Toxic Avenger Part II begins with the little people of Tromaville living in peace and harmony. That is, until the evil chemical corporation Apocalypse Inc. comes to town and blows up the local home for the blind which, incidentally, happens to be where Toxie (played by Ron Fazio and John Altamura) is working, along with his blind girlfriend, Claire (singer/musician/artist/poet/filmmaker Phoebe Legere). After Toxie mops up the floor with the corporation’s top henchman, the evil Chairman (Rick Collins from Sgt. Kabukiman, N.Y.P.D.) and his partner Miss Malfaire (Class of Nuke ‘Em High 2’s Lisa Gaye) devise a diabolical plan to rid Tromaville of the Toxic Avenger once and for all. They convince Toxie to travel to Tokyo in order to locate his long-lost father, Big Mac (Rikiya Yasuoka from Black Rain). Not only will Toxie’s absence allow Apocalypse Inc. to take over Tromaville hassle-free, but, while he’s in Japan, Miss Malfaire and the evil Chairman will order their Tokyo contacts to use state-of-the-art Japanese technology in order to rid Toxie of the Troma-tons within his body which not only give him his superhuman size and strength, but also act up whenever he’s in the presence of evil. Will the oblivious monster-hero figure stop the evil corporation from taking over both Tromaville and Japan or will Apocalypse Inc. reign supreme?

I first saw this film in 1989 at a (sadly) now defunct grindhouse theater on New York’s famed 42^nd street. I was a bit disappointed as I felt that the sequel didn’t live up to the greatness of the original. Over 25 years later, I still feel that it doesn’t come close to the original film, but I do find it a lot more entertaining than I did back then (probably because this is the Director’s Cut and not the chopped up, R-rated version I saw on its original release). Like the first film, it’s still a wild combo of super heroics, raunchy, over-the-top comedy and excessive gore, and the movie barely stops to catch its breath during the 109-minute running time. The larger-than-life acting is a real joy to watch too. In particular, Lisa Gaye (who studied under Strasberg) and Phoebe Legere both shine in their insane roles and these two lovely ladies prove to be extremely gifted comic actors. Also, for those who enjoy seeing stars before they hit the big time, the incredibly talented Michael Jai White (Tyson, Spawn, Black Dynamite) makes his film debut as an evil, yet humorous henchman.

Although, the film runs a bit too long and isn’t as focused as the original, The Toxic Avenger Part II is loaded with enjoyably campy humor and wonderfully comic bookish situations, characters & performances as well as insane (in a good way) direction. It also contains a fun, Heavy Metal Toxie song and the classic theme of good vs. evil.

If you’re a true-blue Tromaniac, you’ll be happy to know that Lloyd Kaufman and the terrific Troma team have put together a lovely remastered, Troma-rrific HD transfer presented in its original 1:85:1 aspect ratio. The region free Blu-ray/DVD is also packed with a ton of special features (most of which have been carried over from previous releases). Along with the original theatrical trailer, we also get trailers for the remaining three Toxic Avenger films as well as several other Troma classics like Troma’s War and Return to Nuke ‘Em High: Volumes 1 & 2; not to mention the featurette: The American Cinematheque Honors 40 Years of Troma, two humorous, retro features: At Home with Toxie and Toxie on Japanese T.V., a brief interview with Lisa Gaye who happily discusses her association with the fiercely independent company, a brand new introduction by the King of Troma himself, Lloyd Kaufman, as well as a retro DVD intro and, last, but certainly not least, a full-length, hilarious and informative audio commentary from writer/director Kaufman, who discusses a plethora of interesting subjects such as filming in New York, New Jersey and Tokyo as well as his many battles with the MPAA. My only complaint here is that the commentary is out of sync, as Lloyd seems to be six minutes ahead of the visuals. Other than that, it’s over four hours of toxic goodness, so if you’re a Troma fanatic, a lover of Toxie or just enjoy off-the-wall insanity, this Blu-ray is an absolute must.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

In the humble opinion of this writer, Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" is the best American movie of the 1990s; a virtually perfect witches brew of violence, betrayal, misguided loyalties and a so-called "code of honor" practiced by a select group of criminals who fancied themselves no worse than your average working stiff. The production, which grabs the viewer from that early, amazing tracking shot that goes inside the Copacabana,  boasts some of the finest acting ever seen in any film, with yeomen work by Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino and, most notably, Joe Pesci in an Oscar-winning performance. Add to that some of the best casting ever seen in relation to supporting roles and you have a classic for the ages. 

Appropriately, Warner Home Entertainment has released a special 25th anniversary commemorative Blu-ray edition of the film. As outlined below in the official press release, the Blu-ray carries over all previously-released material from other special editions and provides a new documentary produced by Brett Ratner that features most of the principals (and others unrelated to the film) extolling Scorsese's achievement. One cautionary note: despite being referenced in the press release, neither Jack Nicholson -who starred in Scorsese's "The Departed"- or Joe Pesci appear in the new documentary. Nevertheless, add this to your "must-have" list.  

On May 5, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will release GoodFellas on 2-Disc Blu-ray featuring a new documentary with interviews from Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta and more, and a 36-page photo book exploring the film’s far-reaching influence. The book also includes a letter written by Martin Scorsese.

The 25th Anniversary Blu-ray release of GoodFellas, cited by film critic Roger Ebert as “the best mob movie ever,” has been remastered from a 4k scan of the original camera negative, supervised by Martin Scorsese. The Blu-ray release also includes Digital HD with UltraViolet and will be available for $34.99 SRP. Fans can also own GoodFellas on Digital HD via purchase from digital retailers.

GoodFellas explores the criminal life like no other movie. Following the rise and fall of a trio of gangsters over 30 years, it’s an electrifying, fact-inspired tale of living – and dying. Based on the true-life best seller “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi, the film earned six Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director and was named 1990’s ‘Best Film’ by the New York, Los Angeles and National Society of Film Critics. In 2000, GoodFellas was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress.

Scorsese was awarded the Silver Lion Award for Best Director in Venice. Robert De Niro received wide recognition for his performance as veteran criminal Jimmy “The Gent” Conway, and Joe Pesci, as the volatile Tommy DeVito, walked off with the Best Supporting Actor Oscar®. Academy Award® nominees Lorraine Bracco, Ray Liotta and Paul Sorvino also turned in electrifying performances.

SPECIAL FEATURES will include all previously released special features along with:

· ALL-NEW Documentary includes interview with the Director, cast and some of your all-time favorite movie gangsters! – Join some of Martin Scorsese’s greatest gangsters – Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Jack Nicholson and Joe Pesci – to discover what it’s like to work for perhaps the greatest gangster director of them all.

ROSSELINI MISCELLANEA by Howard Hughes

The BFI has released a three-disc Blu-ray set of Robert Rossellini’s celebrated ‘War Trilogy’. The three films, Rome, Open City (1945), Paisà (1946) and Germany Year Zero (1948) are among the jewels in neorealism’s crown. Set in Italy during the German Occupation and its aftermath, the first two films depict Italy wartorn and almost on the brink of capitulation, while the third looks at a post-war Germany shattered by the conflict.

Rossellini had made three fascist propaganda films during the war: The White Navy (1941 – detailing hospital ships), A Pilot Returns (1942 – the air force) and Man of the Cross (1943 – the Eastern Front). But in the immediate post-war period his War Trilogy told a very different story of the conflict, often from a civilian perspective. The Allies invaded Italy, first in Sicily in July 1943 and later the mainland in September of that year. As the liberators fought their way northward, the Germans exacted terrible revenge on their one-time allies.

ROME,OPEN CITY

Set in the winter of 1943-44, Rome, Open City depicts the hunt for Giorgio Manfredi (Marcell Pagliero), a resistance leader in Rome. Another member of the resistance, Francesco (Francesco Grandjacquet), is due to marry widow Pina (Anna Magnani), but on their wedding day the Gestapo and Italian fascists raid their apartment block. Later SS Major Bergmann (Harry Feist) captures Manfredi and also orders the execution of a priest, Don Pietro Pellegrini (Aldo Fabrizi), who has aided the resistance. Rome, Open City is a powerful film about the German occupation, made on location and with a strong sense of authenticity. The ‘Open City’ epithet is a reference to Rome being declared an ‘open city’ on 14 August 1943, meaning that the defenders had abandoned all efforts to protect the city. This tactic was intended to safeguard the civilian population and the historical landmarks from street fighting and aerial bombing (Paris had made the same declaration in 1940, as did Brussels and Oslo). Rome, Open City headlines Anna Magnani’s star-making role and established Rossellini on the international stage as a leading light of the neorealist movement. Mangani’s death scene, outside her house in Via Raimondo Montecuccoli in Rome, is among the most famous moments in international cinema. The BFI’s release is a newly-remastered presentation of the film. Also included on the disc is Children of Open City (2005, 51 mins) a documentary about the making of the film with Vito Annicchiarico (who played Pina’s son in the film), and an illustrated booklet by Jonathan Rosenbaum and Paul Fairclough.

PAISÀ

Paisà, my personal favourite of the trilogy, is perhaps Rossellini’s greatest film. Here the grit and sorrow of neorealism combines with newsreel combat footage to moving effect. The six-episode film is set during the Allied campaign to liberate Italy. It begins in Sicily in 1943 and concludes in the Po Delta in the winter of 1944. In the first episode, Carmela (Carmela Sazio), a young Sicilian woman, acts as a guide to a GI patrol on a nighttime patrol. When GI Joe (Robert Van Loon) attempts to show her a photo of his sister, he strikes a light and a German sniper kills him. Later the GI’s think Carmela is responsible for Joe’s death. Episode two is set in Naples. Orphaned street urchin Pasquale (Alfonso Pasca) steals the boots off drunken American military policeman Joe (Dots Johnson). Later the MP meets Pasquale again and when he sees Pasquale’s squalid living conditions and those of other Neapolitan civilians, he realises why the orphan needs to steal boots. In Rome following the Anzio landings, Sherman tank crewman Fred (Gar Moore) hitches up with a prostitute. He drunkenly remembers that six months ago, on his first arrival in Rome, he met a wonderful Roman girl called Francesca. He is too drunk to realise that the woman he is with is Francesca, who has been compelled to become a ‘working girl’ to avoid starvation. The film continues with an episode set during the German retreat north through Tuscan. In Florence, British nurse Harriet (Harriet White) and Massimo (Enzo Tarascio) attempt to cross the River Arno: she to contact her lover, Guido Lombardi who is now heroic partisan leader Lupo (Wolf), he to see his wife and child whose house is caught up in the fighting. Traversing rooftops and rubble, and avoiding fascist snipers and patrols, they make contact with partisans in the German occupied zone. In the next story, at the Gothic Line three US chaplains – Captain Bill Martin (William Tubbs), Captain Feldman (Elmer Feldman) and Captain Jones (Newell Jones) – seek shelter in a Franciscan monastery in the Apennines. The chaplains give the monks Hershey bars and their supplies of tinned food, but the monks’ attitudes change when they discover that two of the chaplains are not of the ‘true faith’, but are Jewish and Protestant. In the final episode, anti-fascist partisans and American OSS operatives fight the Germans in the Po Delta, south of Venice. This episode is the most actionful and climaxes with a battle between the partisans and German gunboats on the delta. Paisà depicts the stark reality of war and its wider impact on society in a way that makes Hollywood and British war films of the period look inauthentic in comparison. The BFI’s presentation of Paisà includes Into the Future (2009), a 30-minute visual essay on the War Trilogy by film scholar Tag Gallagher, and an illustrated booklet written by Gallagher.

GERMANY YEAR ZERO

Germany Year Zero (1948) was set and filmed in Berlin in the aftermath of Germany’s defeat. The film follows a German family, the Köhlers. The father (Ernst Pittschau), a widower, is infirm: the victim of a weak heart and poor diet. His daughter Eva (Ingetraud Hinze) works at night as a prostitute and his eldest son Karl-Heinz, an ex-soldier, is in hiding and fears being carted off to a prison camp. The film’s principal protagonists, the Köhlers’ youngest son Edmund (Edmund Meschke), falls in with gangs of petty thieves and street kid urchins, and hawks wares on the street for his old schoolteacher, Mr Henning (Erich Gühne). Rossellini’s documentary-like style and good performances ensure the degradation of post-war life in ruined Berlin is palpable. Piles of real Berlin masonry, as photographed by Robert Juillard, are the haunting backdrop to the story. The BFI edition is a restored print and includes a booklet with writing on Rossellini by Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, Jonathan Rosenbaum and Paul Fairclough. The disk also features Rossellini’s 1948 film, L’amore: Due storie d’amore, a two-part film starring Anna Magnani, which runs 77 minutes. The first part, A Human Voice, is a screen adaptation of Jean Cocteau’s La Voix humaine while the second, The Miracle, was based on a story by Federico Fellini, who was also the film’s assistant director and appears in the film as a shepherd.

The three films are available on Blu-ray as a limited edition numbered boxed set or as individual DVDs. The extras are comprehensive and enlightening. These are superb presentations of three key Italian films and as a set are essential purchases for anyone interested in post-war world cinema.

Blu-ray product details:

RRP: £49.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1193 Certificate 12

Variously in Italian, German and English language, with optional English subtitles/ 301 mins / BD50 x3 / 1080p / 24 fps / PCM mono audio (48k/24-bit) / Region B/2

All three films are in 1.33:1 screen ratio

Individual DVD releases RRP £19.99 Region 2

All text © Howard Hughes 2015

Howard Hughes is the author of Cinema Italiano: The Complete Guide from Classics to Cult and When Eagles Dared: The Filmgoers’ History of World War II, both published by I.B. Tauris.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

CELEBRATE FRANK SINATRA’S 100TH BIRTHDAY WITH

FRANK SINATRA: 5 FILM COLLECTION

MARCH 31 ON DIGITAL HD AND MAY 5 ON BLU-RAYTM FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

First time on Blu-ray and Digital HD for Anchors Aweigh, On the Town And Robin and the 7 Hoods

3. Anchors Aweigh (1945)

4. Till The Clouds Roll By (1946)

5. Kissing Bandit, The (1948)

6. On the Town (1949)

7. Guys and Dolls (1955)

8. Tender Trap, The (1955)

9. The Man with The Golden Arm (1955)

10. High Society (1956)

11. Some Came Running (1958)

12. Never So Few (1959) – first time on Digital HD 13. Ocean's 11 (1960)

14. Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)

15. None But The Brave (1965)

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE BLU-RAY SET, TO BE RELEASED MAY 5

BY LEE PFEIFFER

The feature film version of the landmark WWII TV documentary series "Victory at Sea" has been remastered and released by Film Chest. The original  NBC TV series consisted of 26 half-hour episodes that were broadcast between 1952-1953. The show was one of the most acclaimed from the early days of television and was honored with Emmy awards and a Peabody award. Given the abundance of videos and documentaries about WWII that have been released and telecast over the decades, you have to put yourself in the mindset of how revolutionary this show was in 1952. Until then, the men who fought WWII could only see periodic glimpses of the conflict in abbreviated newsreels that were shown prior to the main feature in movie houses. "Victory at Sea" represented the first time most Americans got to see the war in all of its ugliness. With the conflict over, the Pentagon was more liberal about showing the extent of Allied deaths and casualties, something that was initially deemed to be bad for public morale especially in the early days of the war when the tide was certainly against the Western democracies. Imperial Japan controlled huge areas of Asia and only England stood between Hitler's complete domination of Europe. America's entry in the war was unintended due to the attack on Pearl Harbor. While Americans sympathized with the British, the USA was primarily an isolationist country until December 7, 1941. The first six months of the nation's involvement in the war was anything but promising. Seemingly every day brought a major defeat to the Americans and British in the Pacific. With the Battle of Midway in 1942, however, the tide turned with a major defeat of the supposedly invincible Japanese fleet.  Still, government censors continued to restrict images of dead and wounded soldiers, 'lest they serve enemy propaganda purposes. By the time "Victory at Sea" aired, the war was an unpleasant, if recent, memory. Now the truth could be told and shown. Make no mistake, the series was definitely propaganda. The half-hour running time of every episode didn't leave much time for in-depth examination of the war and the giant figures who dominated that era. Nuances were few and there  were scant examinations of questionable military strategies of the Allies.  Still, the show was unique in the sense that it presented the war from the standpoint of the average soldier and sailor, not the top brass. Because of this, the average veteran of the conflict could identify with the remarkable footage that was shown in every episode.

In 1954, a feature film condensation of footage from the episodes was released theatrically. The film is an achievement of impressive editing by Issac Kleinerman, who is also credited as director. Wading through seemingly endless miles of footage, Kleinerman managed to compile a reasonably representative depiction of the conflict. The film does not attempt to be a comprehensive examination of the causes of the war. One should keep in mind that the film was released only a decade after the conflict so no one needed to be schooled in primal reasons the world went to war for the second time in the century. The film includes sobering footage of casualties and heartbreaking scenes of maimed soldiers crying in agony. It remains very moving to view these scenes and realize the sacrifices that were made to save the world from tyranny. Most of the film accentuates the naval aspect of war but there are also scenes depicting the horrors of the concentration camps and the horrendous attempts to conduct warfare in the midst of jungles filled with enemy troops as well as insidious natural dangers. Although Victory At Sea accentuates the American experience, it pays homage to all the Allied troops and takes special pains to honor the sacrifice and courage of the British military and civilian population, both of which showed almost surrealistic courage throughout the ordeal. Some of the footage shown in the documentary is clearly based on re-enactments. There are some shots that are just too incredible to have been shot in real time. Others, such as U.S. sailors lounging around Pearl Harbor right before the attack seem to have been staged for dramatic intensity. Nevertheless, the vast majority of footage is real- and you will emerge from the experience with  much respect for the cameramen who put their lives on the line to shoot it.

Actor Alexander Scourby's masterful narration adds immeasurably from the experience, as does the now classic musical score by Richard Rodgers (yes, that Richard Rodgers.) In fact, Rodgers' score, conducted by Robert Russell Bennett,  proved to be so popular that it resulted in the release of  several "Victory at Sea" soundtrack albums based on the TV series. 

This release of "Victory at Sea" has  plenty of artifacts and splotches on the film but this is due to the age of the raw materials it has been mastered from. Anyone interested in the study of WWII will want to add this to their collection.  

CLICK HERE TO ORDER 

BY LEE PFEIFFER

Vinegar Syndrome has released a limited edition (1,500 units) dual format edition of the 1978 adult movie hit "Pretty Peaches" by director Alex deRenzy, who was perhaps the most prolific director the medium had ever seen. deRenzy didn't crank out cheapo grind house movies. Instead, he tried to incorporate relatively high production values, often shooting in outdoor locations. He also had an eye for attracting some of the most exotic actresses of the era. "Pretty Peaches" is one of deRenzy's most notable achievements. The movie introduced Desiree Costeau, who would go on to be a legendary name in erotic cinema. deRenzy made hardcore movies with some substance and style and this title is no exception. The plot finds the title character, Peaches (Costeau), an amiable but air-headed young beauty,  racing along in her jeep  in a hurry to get to Virginia City, Nevada, in the hopes of attending her father's civil wedding ceremony to his second wife, a young black woman with an insatiable sexual appetite. Peaches arrives just in the nick of time for the ceremony but after making some small talk with her father, she speeds off again in her jeep en route to San Francisco. Along the way, her jeep goes off the road and she is knocked unconscious. Two young men race to her assistance but, upon examining the scantily-clad Peaches, become sexually aroused. One of them goes so far as to violate her while she is still unconscious. When she finally awakes, she has complete amnesia. The men use this to their advantage by convincing her that they own the jeep and offer her a ride to San Francisco, where they coincidentally share an apartment. Peaches goes along but is troubled by the fact that she can't recall her name or anything about her background. While in the big city she tries to find professional help but ends up receiving treatment from a mad, sex-crazed doctor  whose "therapy" consists of inducing enemas! She doesn't fare much better when she applies for a job as an exotic dancer and ends up being violated by a gang of lesbians. Peaches is also uncomfortable living with her two male companions, who have a steady stream of loose women over to the apartment who they bed down without any regard for privacy concerns. Ultimately, she meets a handsome, kindly psychiatrist who offers to help her if she drops by his house that evening. Naturally, this offer isn't what it seems, either, and Peaches ends up in a major orgy where her memory is jolted back in an unpleasant way when she sees her own father (!) participating in the goings-on.

"Pretty Peaches" is very much from the school of 1970s erotica that blended slapstick comedy with hardcore sex. As the title character, Desiree Costeau is quite a find- at least in terms of her physical qualifications. She also gives an amusing performance, though it's doubtful Katharine Hepburn lost much sleep about her entry into the acting profession. The film is populated with other mainstays of the adult film industry of that time period including John Leslie, Joey Silvera and Paul Thomas. Juliet Anderson (aka "Aunt Peg") also makes her screen debut in this flick playing an assertive maid who ends up in a threesome with Peaches' dad and his new bride. Director deRenzy has good instincts when it comes to turning down the comedy elements when the action gets hot and he does provide some genuinely erotic sequences- but in the aggregate, the film will probably appeal most to those who like to mix laughs with their salacious cinematic thrills.

The Vinegar Syndrome transfer is just about perfect, having been remastered from a 35mm source print. Chances are the film looks better today than it did on the big screen. The release contains some special features including three trailers for other deRenzy films and an interview with film historian Ted Mcilvenna, who knew deRenzy since the 1960s. Mcilvenna was a social activist in San Francisco who was fighting for sexual freedom and crusaded against the archaic laws in Britain that criminalized homosexuality until 1967. he relates how deRenzy was so prolific in his work that he once discovered 19 completed feature films in his archive that the director had not gotten around to editing. There is also a rare interview with deRenzy himself, shot on VHS tape shortly before his death in 2001. Vinegar Syndrome believes this is the only known filmed interview with deRenzy. 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER AND TO VIEW TRAILER

BY DEAN BRIERLY

Japanese actor Ken Takakura, iconic leading man in countless yakuza and action films, died at 83 of lymphoma on November 10 in Tokyo. He had long since achieved legendary status in Japan with his portrayals of brooding samurai, gangsters and hit men. The characters he portrayed were usually on the wrong side of the law but adhered to a chivalric code of honor that, while not reflective of reality, nevertheless struck a deep chord among Japanese filmgoers of the 1960s. Takakura was most familiar to American audiences for his roles in The Yakuza (1975), directed by Sydney Pollack and co-starring Robert Mitchum; Black Rain (1989), with Michael Douglas; and Mr. Baseball (1992), with Tom Selleck. In each of these he more than held his own against his high-powered American co-stars.

Born Goichi Oda in Nakama, Fukuoka, Takakura was witness to real-life yakuza street clashes during his formative years, which may have informed his acting choices when he began to incarnate yakuza in his movies. Ironically, he originally aspired to a managerial position at Toei studios, but a spur-of-the-moment decision to attend an audition led to his becoming an actor, with his first performance coming in 1956 in Lightning Karate Blow.

Takakura was a competent if middling headliner in dozens of films over the next few years until his performance in The Walls of Abashiri Prison (1965) suddenly thrust him into the front ranks of Japanese leading men. As one of two escaped prisoners handcuffed together and on the run in desolate, snow-filled Hokkaido (an obvious homage to 1958’s The Defiant Ones), Takakura’s anti-hero persona finally resonated with the public. The film was so successful that Toei eventually churned out 18 Abashiri pictures, all starring Takakura. He simultaneously appeared in several other long-running series, including nine Brutal Tales of Chivalry films and 11 installments of Tales of Japanese Chivalry.

The thematic template in these movies invariably skewed to a standard formula and audience expectations, with Takakura playing an honorable yakuza, often just released from prison, who found himself protecting weaker, innocent characters from the depredations of dishonorable gangsters. If these films held few surprises on the narrative level, they usually delivered potent depictions of violence, ill-fated love, stoic machismo and a satisfyingly unhappy end for the hero. Such cinematic fare was Takakura’s meal ticket throughout the decade.

However, as the 1960s made way for the 1970s, a meaner, more cynical and considerably more violent style of yakuza film took hold, spearheaded by director Kinji Fukasaku and budding action superstar Bunta Sugawara. There was no longer room for the kind of honorable gangsters Takakura portrayed in his trademark ninkyo, or chivalrous, yakuza pictures. But if he was no longer top dog, the actor was still a big draw, his charisma supremely intact. While Takakura still made action films—like the stunning Golgo 13 (1973), in which he played a badass hit man plying his trade in Iran—he also starred in other types of roles, including an-convict gone straight in the romantic drama The Yellow Handkerchief (1977) and, in the latter part of his career, an aging station manager in Railroad Man (1999).

"New Prison Walls of Abashiri".

Takakura made more than 200 films during his life. Among his essential titles are Wolves, Pigs and Men (1964), directed by the great Kinji Fukasaku; An Outlaw (1964); The Walls of Abashiri Prison (1965-1972); Brutal Tales of Chivalry (1965-1972); Tales of Japanese Chivalry (1964-1971); Theater of Life 1 and 2 (1968); Yakuza’s Tale (1969); Golgo 13 (1973); several of the Red Peony Gambler series (1968-1972), starring genre icon Junko Fuji; and many more.

On and off screen, Takakura upheld traditional Japanese values and masculinity in the face of Japan’s increasing materialism and westernization. For that he was revered by his countrymen across political, class and age spectrums. Humble and self-effacing, Takakura possessed a shrewd insight into his box office popularity. In a 2013 interview he stated, “I think that the reason the general public identified with the roles I played was that they were struck by my stance as a man who unrelentingly stands up to absurd injustices. It wasn’t just that I was just going off to a sword fight, but that my character was willing to sacrifice himself in order to protect the people important to him.”

(For those interested in exploring Takakura’s filmography, the best place to start is www.japanesesamuraidvd.com, which has more than 40 of his films for sale, all of them subtitled and most of them remastered.)

Intrada has released both of Jerry Goldsmith's superb soundtracks for "Our Man Flint" and "In Like Flint" in a CD set. The albums were available on vinyl when the films were originally released in 1966/1967. The new remastered recordings are enhanced when compared to any previous CD releases. Below is the official blurb from the Screen Archives site.

Finally! Two great sixties albums by Jerry Goldsmith make their debut on CD, mastered from the recently discovered original 20th Century-Fox stereo album session masters! Preserved in pristine condition in the vast UMG vaults, Our Man Flint and In Like Flint were short but exciting LPs that came out in 1966 & 1967 respectively. Both movies featured James Coburn as secret agent Derek Flint. Daniel Mann directs the former, Gordon Douglas directs the latter. Not to be confused with the Varese Sarabande release of soundtrack highlights, this Intrada CD offers both classic original albums exactly as Goldsmith recorded them, in crisp stereo with vivid orchestral color. Cool action, tuneful adventure and one of the composer's most famous themes all have their say. Included are authentic reproductions of both Bob Peak album jackets, classics in their own right, presented in our flipper-style CD cover. Choose your own favorite! These two albums have been amongst the most requested for CD release in our label's history. Wait no more, they're yours to spin! Jerry Goldsmith conducts both scores. Intrada Special Collection release available while quantities and interest remain! -INTRADA

OUR MAN FLINT
01. Our Man Flint (1:46) 02. Never Mind, You'd Love It (2:09) 03. It's Gotta Be A World's Record (2:20) 04. Man Does Not Live By Bread Alone (2:16) 05. Take Some Risks, Mr. Flint? (1:40) 06. Tell Me More About That Volcano (2:44) 07. You're A Foolish Man, Mr. Flint (1:46) 08. In Like Flint (1:57) 09. Doing As The Romans Did (2:11) 10. Galaxy A Go-Go! -Or- Live It To Flint (2:15) 11. All I Have To Do Is Take A Bite Of Your Apple? (2:13) 12. Stall! Stall! Flint's Alive (2:01)
Total Time: 25:57

IN LIKE FLINT
13. Where The Bad Guys Are Gals ("In Like Flint" Theme) (2:38) 14. Ladies Will Kindly Remove Their Hats (2:45) 15. Lost In Space (2:36) 16. Odin, Dva, Tri, Kick! (3:07) 17. No Rest For The Weary (2:27) 18. Your Zowie Face (Vocal) (2:34) 19. Mince And Cook Until Tender (2:33) 20. Ahh, Yer Father's Bob-Lip (2:20) 21. Who Was That Lady… ? (2:11) 22. Westward Ho-o-o! (5:37)
Lyrics By Leslie Bricusse
Total Time: 29:14

Total Disc Time: 55:20

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM SCREEN ARCHIVES

UPDATED

THIS SET SHIPS ON NOVEMBER 11! REMEMBER, THE BLU-RAY SET IS A LIMITED EDITION. ORDER NOW! 

"Batman", the classic 1960s TV series, is finally coming to home video after years of legal complications. Warner Home Video will release on Blu-ray and DVD on November 11. 

The set will contain all 120 remastered episodes of the the three seasons the show ran and will contain a Batcave full of extras. Among them: a Hotwheels replica of the Batmobile, a letter from Adam West and photos derived from his personal scrapbook and replicas of vintage trading cards. 

For more, including a promotional preview, click here. 

Click here to order Blu-ray limited edition.

Click here to order standard DVD set.  

BY FRED BLOSSER

Ambrose Bierce defined “misfortune” as “the kind of fortune that never misses.”  By that measure, Damiano Damiani’s A-budget Spaghetti Western “A Genius, Two Companions, and an Idiot” (“Un Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo”) (1975), starring Terence Hill, was one of the all-time grand slams of jinxed cinema. Damiani’s negative was stolen during post-production and the film had to be reassembled from alternate takes. The movie was ultimately disowned by its producer, Sergio Leone, who regretted selecting Damiani as the director. In Germany and Sweden, the title was changed to “Nobody Is the Greatest” in an attempt to market the film as a sequel to Tonino Valerii’s popular “My Name Is Nobody” (1973), also produced by Leone and starring Hill. Lacking an American star for marquee value and released in the twilight of the Spaghetti era, the picture never played in U.S. theaters.

Paralleling the relative obscurity of the movie itself, Ennio Morricone’s musical score is the least known of his eight scores for films directed or produced by Leone. There was a soundtrack release on vinyl by CBS-Sugar in Italy in 1975 (with a charming old-timey-style cover photo of stars Terence Hill, Miou-Miou, and Robert Charlebois as their scruffy characters Joe Thanks, Lucy, and Steam Engine Bill), but no American edition. For newer Morricone collectors who have had to pay high prices for the CBS-Sugar vinyl and other now-out-of-print foreign editions -- and for those of us who are fond of Damiani’s sadly underrated and neglected movie -- Quartet Records has done the enormous service of releasing the 1975 soundtrack on a new limited-edition CD. Remastered from the first-generation master tapes, the disc sounds terrific.

“Un Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo” may be Morricone’s most eclectic Spaghetti Western score, a mixture of old and new styles. Some of the 13 tracks employ familiar motifs from his scores for earlier Spaghettis by Leone and others. For example, “Cavalcata . . . per Elisa” is an energetic chase theme carried by Edda Dell’Orso’s familiar, soaring vocals. As part of the tune, Morricone samples Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” as he did in his showdown theme in Sergio Sollima’s “La Resa dei Conti”/”The Big Gundown” (1966). “Ansie dell’Oro” revisits the American-style orchestral sound that Morricone favored in early Spaghettis like Duccio Tessari’s “Una Pistola per Ringo”/”A Pistol for Ringo” (1965), when Italian-made cowboy films tried to sneak into the U.S. market as American B-pictures. In that sense, intentionally or not, the track bookends Morricone’s amazing decade-long run of iconic Spaghetti scores.

Other tracks, which actually anchor the score as the film’s signature themes, continued Morricone’s move in the ABBA era toward a lighter, Europop-inflected style first introduced in his title track for “My Name Is Nobody.” “Un Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo,” the title tune that might also be called “Joe Thanks’ Theme,” sounds a bit like the “Nobody” theme, but more bubblegum in flavor. “Pepper Chewing-Gum,” the theme for Robert Charlebois’ hard-luck con man Steam Engine Bill, incorporates a farting bassoon that brings to mind the jokey frog croaks in “March of the Beggars” from Leone’s “Giu La Testa”/”Duck You Sucker” (1971), but it’s lighter and bouncier than the earlier tune. The romantic theme “Quando Arriva L’Amore,” which is reprised later in the film as “Dolore e Gioia,” is one of Morricone’s loveliest compositions. And it’s the one that you’re the most apt to replay in your mind after you listen to the CD, fittingly so since it underscores the movie’s most striking aspect, the sometimes wistful, sometimes slapstick romantic triangle of Joe, Lucy, and Bill.

Also included in the Quartet Records‘ two-fer, and also remastered from first-generation tapes, is Morricone’s score for Sergio Corbucci’s “Sonny & Jed”/”La Banda J. & S. -- Cronaca Criminale del Far West” (1972), a lesser work by the maestro. But for fans, lesser Morricone is still golden, and this is another hard-to-find soundtrack. The standout among the seven tracks is the title theme “Sonny,” which sounds a little like “Cheyenne’s Theme” from “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1969). The Quartet Records CD includes an informative, generously illustrated souvenir booklet by Randall D. Larson, and is limited to 500 copies.

“Un Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo”/”Sonny & Jed” can be ordered from Quartet Records HERE http://www.quartetrecords.com/un-genio-due-compari-un-pollo.html or from Screen Archives Entertainment HERE http://www1.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=27870

BY LEE PFEIFFER

Vinegar Syndrome, the DVD label that specializes in rescuing obscure cult movies from oblivion, has released another grindhouse triple feature of 1970s erotica. All three features, contained on two DVDs,  are hardcore and all recall period of time when, in order to see such fare, you had to sheepishly pay to enter a porn theater, hoping that anyone of influence in your life who might see you would be sitting in the audience themselves. Watching these oldies but goodies today, one is impressed by the fact that, even within the limited boundaries of the meager production values, some real attempts were made to tell legitimate stories. In that respect, the X rated feature films differed from the "loops", which merely consisted of ten minute reels in which everyone had to get down to business as quickly as possible.

The first film in this triple feature is "Cry for Cindy", which starred Amber Hunt, a pouty, baby-faced beauty who evidently made a bit of a splash when the film was made in 1976 (it begins with a placard thanking Hustler publisher Larry Flint for bringing his top centerfold to the attention of producers.) Hunt plays Cindy, a young woman who is living the high life in L.A. She drives an expensive car, lives in a luxurious apartment and even gets to fly private planes. However, the down side is that all of this is financed by her career as a high end hooker. The film delves into her psychological dilemma: she's addicted to her lifestyle but is increasingly appalled at how she earns it. She is used and abused by a brutal pimp who reminds her that he can toss her out into the street on a whim. Consequently, she becomes his personal sex slave. Her two best friends are more accepting of their fate as hookers. In a flashback sequence, we see how Cindy started as an innocent hair stylist who was helping to finance her boyfriend's way through medical school. Faced with insurmountable debt, she is lured into the life of a hooker without ever divulging this to her lover, who thinks she is suddenly earning big money by modelling. Cindy never warms to going to bed with unattractive men but learns to be the best in her profession, thus making herself a valuable commodity. As the story progresses, however, she becomes more depressed, leading to a rather somber and unexpected development. "Cry for Cindy" is quite ambitious in many respects: it shows a feminine point of view towards sexual exploitation, admittedly even while the actresses are sexually exploiting themselves. The script is literate and interesting and - dare I say it?- the acting is impressive for this genre. The sex scenes leave nothing to the imagination and are erotically filmed and the production values are fairly high, with numerous location sequences and even an original love song written for the opening credits. The film ranks high among the grindhouse sex flicks of the era. (The DVD set also contains a more mainstream, soft-core cut of the film).  

"Touch Me" is another attempt to combine a literate script with hardcore sex. Filmed in 1971, the low-budget production is set in an institute where various young people have assembled to discuss and try to resolve their sexual issues. The setting is the private home of the doctor who administers the therapies, which seems to be an opening for low-brow comedy. Yet, the script plays it straight, offering fully developed characterizations and a cast that can actually act (even if the "doctor" is of the rather stiff, pre-"Airplane" Leslie Nielsen method school). The characters span such a spectrum of varying personalities with varying problems that you half expect to see Irwin Allen's name as producer. There's the guy who is insecure about his penis size. There's another guy who harbors rape fantasies. There's a bickering couple and a wife who is rather frigid- and of course, the prerequisite lesbian who feels compelled to get "cured" but ends up adding a few numbers  of straight women to her black book.  The sex here is more clinical-both cinematically and in a literal sense- as everyone learns to shed their inhibitions and express and enact their wildest fantasies. As with "Cry for Cindy", "Touch Me" is a very obvious attempt to present an erotic film that might be more appealing to female viewers. The dialogue is intelligent and the cast is talented enough to suspect some of them might have found legitimate success in the profession. 

Rounding out the triple feature is "Act of Confession", a 1972 film that starts out as ambitiously as the other two entries in the set. The film opens with a rather poignant overview of the miserable conditions most people lived in during the Middle Ages. A narrator points out how particularly rough it was for women, who were mostly consigned to a slave-life existence as the wife of a peasant. Consequently, many young women sought refuge in convents, not particularly because of religious conviction, but simply to escape the drudgery of back-breaking daily life on a farm. The premise is fine and one wishes the producers had stuck with simply providing a documentary about the Middle Ages. However, sex is the name of the game here and we are soon introduced to a young nun who develops some nasty habits in the convent, getting it on with the other sisters as well as the most fortunate priest and altar boy in Europe. In what is undoubtedly the most controversial sequence, she is seduced by Jesus Christ, so if you're still griping about that old Scorsese film, here's a new one you can protest. Unlike the other two films in this set, this entry is about as erotic as a catechism class, with a leading lady so lifeless that the sex scenes border on necrophilia.

Although the films credit aliases for their directors, the DVD sleeve indicates they were actually all helmed by one Anthony Spinelli, who apparently was a legend in the industry back in the day- and improbably, was the brother of noted character actor Jack Weston. Spinelli's work is several notches above the norm for this genre and Vinegar Syndrome presents crisp, clean remastered transfers. Whether these types of films appeal to you or not, they do offer an undeniable cinematic time capsule into an era when the industry was shaking off the constraints of repressive censorship that had dominated popular culture for the entire century. I'd call this an impressive package, but given the subject matter, it would sound too much like a stale joke. 

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

ROCKPORT, Mass. — Sept.  2, 2014 — For Immediate Release — Long-time film industry veteran Philip Elliott Hopkins announces the launch of The Film Detective, which restores and distributes broadcast-quality, digitally remastered, classic programming for television, DVD, Blu-ray, VOD and other digital platforms.

Hopkins plans to release 10-20 DVDs and Blu-rays each month – as well as syndicate worldwide through broadcast, VOD and all leading movie portals – beginning Sept. 4.

Additionally, the Massachusetts-based company plans to launch a classic movie subscription service on a VOD platform, featuring a veteran movie host, later in the fall (More details coming soon).

The Film Detective’s extensive library of more than 3,000 titles – which includes feature films, television programming, foreign imports, documentaries– are now being re-mastered for today’s new media.  All titles are transferred from original film elements and many will be restored in HD.  With original artwork available for most titles, all releases will be available worldwide with region-free DVD and Blu-ray release.

The initial slate of titles to be released include: A Bucket of Blood (1959), Angel and the Badman (1947), Beat the Devil (1953), Carnival of Souls (1962), D.O.A. (1950), Dementia 13 (1963), Dick Tracy’s Dilemma (1947), Go for Broke (1951), Kansas City Confidential (1952), Love Affair (1939), My Favorite Brunette (1947), My Man Godfrey (1936), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Nothing Sacred (1937), Salt of the Earth (1954), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Homes: Dressed to Kill (1946), Smash Up: The Story of a Woman (1947), The Big Lift (1950), The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962), The Inspector General (1949), The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954), The Red House (1947), The Stranger (1946) and The Terror (1963).

Hopkins entered home video entertainment in 1999 as vice president of Marango Films, an early home video distributor of classic movies. He co-founded Film Chest in 2002, supplying a broad array of broadcasters including Turner Classic Movies and American Movie Classics, and home video companies including VCI and Image Entertainment with classic films over the next 11 years.

Commented Hopkins, “I’m thrilled to be launching an exciting new initiative and look forward to bringing new life to many classics that deserve to be restored and remastered. Our goal is to build an extensive resource online for classic film enthusiasts and to develop a social media network to communicate with fans around the world.”

Visit us online at: www.TheFilmDetective.com

“WHERE PIES GO WHEN THEY DIE”

By Raymond Benson

Unless you’re too young to remember it, you’ll recall that Twin Peaks was a short-lived phenomenon on television in the year 1990. The frenzy lasted into 1991 but sadly fizzled out quickly due to the network’s (ABC) futzing around with time slots, days-of-the-week for airing, and unexplained hiatuses. What began as the number one show on television for several months somehow derailed during its underrated second season and lost its viewership. The program was cancelled, leaving the fans of the series with an unresolved cliffhanger that haunts us to this day.

David Lynch and Mark Frost were the men behind Twin Peaks. At the time, in the late 80s, Lynch was just coming off the success of his 1986 feature film, Blue Velvet, when he teamed up with TV veteran Frost to create a PG-rated show that explored many of the same themes as Velvet—only for a television audience. The fictional town of Twin Peaks, in Washington state, is gorgeous (those beautiful Douglas firs!), has a diner that serves the best pies in the world, and a seemingly “normal” population of families and mill workers. However, like in Blue Velvet, a dark underbelly exists beneath the safe exterior, one that is supernatural and evil.

The thrust of the show’s first season and half of the second season was solving the mystery of “who killed Laura Palmer?” Once that storyline was resolved, it was clear that the writers and creators weren’t sure where to go from there. The episodes did falter a bit mid-second-season, but for my money, they found their footing in the last quarter with the new storyline involving master criminal Windom Earle. The show was just building to a new dramatic peak (no pun intended) when the axe fell.

Lynch bounced back quickly, though, and made a feature film, released in 1992, entitled Twin Peaks—Fire Walk With Me. Not many people liked it, including the die-hard fans of the show (who had, in Star Trek fashion, begun letter-writing campaigns to the network with pleas to renew the show). What was wrong with the feature film? It lacked the quirky humor and most of the eccentric characters from the TV show and instead focused on the very sordid and tragic story of Laura Palmer’s final week of life before her murder. It also didn’t address the cliffhanger ending of the series—or did it? At any rate, the movie failed, and the Twin Peaks phenomenon was over.

However, the aforementioned die-hard fans formed fan clubs, an annual pilgrimage to the show’s locations in Washington state, and the cult grew over the last twenty-four years. It is now generally recognized that Twin Peaks was way ahead of its time and that it was the catalyst for the “episodic” television dramas that came after it—Northern Exposure, The X-Files, and pretty much everything else we watch today on cable channels. Twin Peaks showed the networks that audiences would stick with a storyline that developed over many episodes. It was a new way of doing things on television. The show was also groundbreaking in that it dared to take viewers into surrealistic territory—something that hadn’t been done since, say, 1968’s mini-series of The Prisoner. Twin Peaks also began the cult of water-cooler discussions the next day at work. “What did that mean?” “Who was that dancing dwarf?” “I think so-and-so killed Laura.” “No, I think whozit did.” And so on.

As the years went by, several releases of the show on VHS and later DVD exacerbated the confusion because the two-hour pilot episode (1:34 without commercials) was owned by a different company and was never issued in America. People were buying the two seasons without seeing the all-important, foundation-laying pilot (and still the best “episode” of the entire story). This was rectified in 2007 with the “Definitive Gold Box” DVD release that contained both complete seasons, remastered with bonus material (but not Fire Walk With Me). Additionally, over the years, it was learned that Lynch’s initial cut of Fire Walk With Me was nearly four hours long and it did contain scenes with the other characters from the town. The director had been forced to cut the movie down to a manageable 2:15 by contract, so he decided to just focus on Laura’s story. Fans have been howling for these “missing pieces” to be released, but the rights were tied up in legal and financial complexities.

Finally, we now have it all. These “missing pieces” have been assembled, remastered, and edited by Lynch himself to create a somewhat “new” Twin Peaks movie (called, of course, “The Missing Pieces”). This Holy Grail for Peaks fans, along with the gorgeously restored and digitally remastered Fire Walk With Me (first Blu-ray release in the USA) and the two television seasons with pilot, now comprise Twin Peaks—The Entire Mystery, a lavish box set that begs to be devoured with several slices of pie and some of that “damned good coffee.”

Watching “The Missing Pieces” emphasizes how much better Fire Walk With Me would have been had Lynch been allowed to release the longer version. It would have felt more like the television series. There are sequences that help explain a lot about the ending of the show, too. While Lynch elected to remain vague about FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper’s fate in the Black Lodge and his earthly body’s possession by BOB the Killer, there are clues in the “Missing Pieces” that at the very least address the situation.

The theatrical cut of Fire Walk With Me needs to be critically reassessed as well, now that we’ve seen many more David Lynch films of its ilk (Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire). It works best if you think of the picture as a horror film—which it is—and a very disturbing one at that. Sheryl Lee delivers a courageous and brilliant performance as Laura, far surpassing anything she did on the television series.

As for the two seasons of the show, Kyle MacLachlan is a revelation as Agent Cooper—this was the role the actor was born to play. Other standouts in the cast are Michael Ontkean, Ray Wise, Grace Zabriskie, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sherilyn Fenn, James Marshall, Dana Ashbrook, Madchen Amick, Eric Da Re, Everett McGill, and Jack Nance.

Other extras in the box set include new video interviews between Lynch and the Palmer family (Leland, Sarah, and Laura), and then the actors who portrayed them (Wise, Zabriskie, and Lee). Very effective stuff. There is a new Fire Walk With Me making-of documentary, a couple of documentaries ported over from the 2007 Gold box, the Blu-ray version of the “international” pilot, and some new collages of “atmospheres” from the show that combine imagery and music into short, themed vignettes.

Now, twenty-five years later, Twin Peaks—The Entire Mystery serves as a reminder that Lynch and Frost’s show was even more brilliant than it was first suggested, and that it needs to be rediscovered and re-evaluated. There is much to savor.

Don’t forget the pie and coffee.

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THE ULTIMATE SLUMBER PARTY

By Raymond Benson

There are certain films that capture the zeitgeist of an era, and The Big Chill is definitely one of them. If a movie like, say, Annie Hall, hits the nail on the head of urban relationships in the late 70s, then Chill embraces the Baby Boomers’ angst of adulthood in the early 80s—a time when the partying and discoing Carter years were undoubtedly over and we, in the USA, were solidly entrenched in Reagan’s world of hippies-turned-yuppies. The Big Chill is a love letter to the Baby Boomers, as it explores themes of regret over wasted opportunities, friendship and camaraderie, nostalgia, and the eternal question of what-happens-next.

Director and co-writer Kasdan, in a recent video interview (included as an extra on the disk), states that one of his influences for the picture was Jean Renoir’s 1939 classic, The Rules of the Game, which also dealt with an ensemble of characters coming together for a reunion at a country house. While the former film is bigger, more populated, and infinitely more complex than The Big Chill, one can definitely see the similarities. So-and-so has a history with whozit, but whozit is now married to you-know-who; whereas, you-know-who is really in love with so-and-so... and, well, you get the idea.

In The Big Chill, a group of close-knit friends from college reunite for the funeral of one of their own. Alex (who was played by Kevin Costner in flashback sequences that were ultimately edited out of the picture), was staying in Harold (Kevin Kline) and Sarah’s (Glenn Close) country home in South Carolina and committed suicide there. Alex apparently had an affair with Sarah (who is married to Harold). Vietnam vet and druggie Nick (William Hurt) once had a thing with hot-stuff but now-married Karen (JoBeth Williams), but Karen was really in love with hunky, now-TV-star Sam (Tom Berenger). Nerdy-and-socially-inept Michael (Jeff Goldblum) and smart-but-bitter Meg (Mary Kay Place) got it on in the past, but today Meg just wants to have a baby as a single mom and Michael is just, well, horny. But really, none of these histories make much difference on the story or unfolding of events during the weekend at the house. Over the course of the film’s 105 minutes, the characters laugh, fight, dance, expound philosophy, laugh some more, reflect on their lives, have sex (some of them do), and bond again with their “family.” Anyone who has gone to college can most likely relate.

Kevin Kline and Glenn Close

The intelligent script by Kasdan and Barbara Benedek was nominated for an Original Screenplay Oscar, and the film was nominated for Best Picture of ’83. Oddly, Glenn Close received the only acting nomination (Supporting Actress), whereas Goldblum, Place, and especially Hurt probably deserved nods as well (Goldblum certainly has the best lines!).

Then there’s the soundtrack, which is the ultimate Baby Boomer collection of rock and soul gems from the late 60s and early 70s—the period in which the characters were in college in Michigan. Isn’t it true that our favorite music is still what we heard in high school and college? In this case, there’s a lot of Motown, sprinkled with some Rolling Stones, Three Dog Night, Procol Harum, and other iconic pieces from the era. The music is as much a part of the film as is the characters. Perhaps it is a character.

The new, restored 4K digital film transfer, supervised by DP John Bailey and approved by Kasdan, looks terrific on Blu-ray. There’s an alternate remastered 5.1 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray disc. Extras include the aforementioned interview with Kasdan, a reunion roundtable discussion with the cast and some crew in 2013 (it’s interesting to note that none of the women in the cast bought into the plotline in which Sarah lets her husband Harold sleep with Meg as a favor), a documentary from 1998 on the making of the picture, deleted scenes (unfortunately, though, none with Costner), and the usual excellent essays in the enclosed booklet (one by Lena Dunham).

If you’ve never seen The Big Chill, now’s the time to do it. And if you have, maybe it’s time for a reunion with old friends.

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

NETWORK has released its brand new trailer for the upcoming documentary Filmed In Supermarionation, featuring digitally remastered clips from the iconic 1960s shows. The film will be out in October 2014.

Directed and produced by Stephen La Riviere (The Story Of Upstairs Downstairs, We Were ‘The Champions’), Filmed In Supermarionation is the definitive documentary on the work of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and the iconic puppetry and animation technique they developed through the 1960s including Stingray, Captain Scarlet, and most famously, Thunderbirds.

The world premiere of Filmed In Supermarionation will take place on 30 September 2014 at the BFI Southbank.

Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLM-EZzPJOM

www.networkonair.com

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@networktweets #FiS

By Darren Allison, Cinema Retro Soundtrack Editor

Let’s face it, 1979 was a particularly bad year for the Concord. It was the year in which the ‘Airport’ franchise were about to deliver their latest offering in the shape of the quite awful Airport ’79 The Concord. However, Airport ’79 was beaten (by several months) to the screen by a cheesy little flick from Italy, Concord Affaire '79. Directed by Ruggero Deodato, Concord Affaire '79 is more an action thriller rather than the formulated disaster flick that we have come to know. Some commentators have argued that it is actually far better than its ‘Airport’ rival, and to be honest, I would probably side with that opinion. But let’s be clear from the start, neither film will ever be described as a classic…

Deodato’s film was not a big budgeted project, the film’s restraints are apparent – mainly through the use of stock footage of the British Airways supersonic ‘bird’ or the (less than seamless) shots of some average miniature models. But of course, that is half of the film’s 70s charm and its era defining identity stamp. Concord Affaire '79 separates itself from the typical disaster genre film right from the start, largely by having the plane crash in the first reel. There is no long laborious build up – this plane is down, crashing into the ocean off the coast of Martinique and leading us to believe there are no survivors. Of course, that’s not quite true, Jean Beneyton, the young French flight attendant played by Mimsy Farmer, does survive the crash. She is captured / rescued by the man responsible for the crash – Milland, played by Hollywood veteran Joseph Cotton. The film in fact boasts a string of established stars; Van Johnson plays Captain Scott, whilst Edmond Purdom played Danker, one of Milland's leading henchmen. Heading the cast is the ever enjoyable James Franciscus as Moses Brody, an American investigative reporter who decides to go to the Antilles in an attempt to rescue Jean Beneyton and uncover the story. From here on, it’s all rather good fun.

Stelvio Cipriani’s score for Concord Affaire '79 marks its debut release on CD. It’s only previous release was on vinyl LP consisting of 15 tracks and released in Japan on Polydor records. Whilst Cipriani sets an energetic pace with his opening main title Danger flight, there are also plenty of lush romantic cues. The score does however illustrate an age, due mainly to an overwhelming backbeat of Euro disco, an era which perhaps does not transfer too easily in today’s society. But of course, its style is very much of its time and still retains a certain retro charm. The composer cleverly based his score on variations of a single theme, which is hard to achieve unless in the hands of someone such as Cipriani. The central theme is used to good effect, sometimes melodic and rich or in the case of the underwater scenes there is an edgy dreamlike quality attached. But above all else, Cipriani uses Concord Affaire '79 to indulge himself deep into a world of synths and electronica, perhaps in reflection of the futuristic, supersonic era of the film’s narrative. Synth theme in particular is a long, almost operatic homage to a haunting electro heaven. However, Cipriani never seems to step too far over the line, and later adds more familiar analogue instrumentation (such as strings) to the synth sound and as a result, the blending works very well in deed.

Concord Affaire '79 is a curious, almost experimental score, yet Cipriani ultimately succeeds in making it work. But there are moments where one is left considering, if Cipriani perhaps deliberated over which route to take when composing this score. It is certainly an eclectic mix of styles, both in mood and in its instrumentation. For Cipriani collectors and soundtrack collectors in general, Concord Affaire '79 is well worth adding to your collection. Consisting of 27 tracks, (7 of which did not make it into the film), the CD is a huge improvement over the original album and its audio has been beautifully remastered. Chris’ Soundtrack Corner has demonstrated a full commitment to Cipriani’s work - with Concord being the composer’s Sixth title in their increasingly impressive catalogue. We can only hope there is more to come. 

http://www.soundtrackcorner.de/

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM OUR ORIGINAL POSTING OF JANUARY 6. THE BLU-RAY PACKAGING ART HAS BEEN ADDED AND THE TITLE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON. 

Good news for fans of William Friedkin's underrated 1977 classic Sorcerer: after years of false starts, the remastered film will now be available on Blu-ray through Warner Home Video. Check out the press release we've just received from them:

Burbank, Calif., January 6, 2014 – William Friedkin’s Sorcerer, the cult suspense thriller that has been largely overlooked since its 1977 release, has now been acquired and fully restored by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and will make its Blu-ray™ debut on April 22, 2014. The release, also available on DVD, will be packaged as a 40-page Blu-ray book filled with beautiful images from the film and excerpts from the book, “The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir.”

Sorcerer is derived from the same Georges Arnaud novel that inspired Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1953 French classic, The Wages of Fear. The film, made following the successes of Friedkin’s The French Connection and The Exorcist, tells the story of four men who, for various reasons, cannot return to their own countries and end up in a dismal South American town where an American oil company is seeking courageous drivers willing to haul nitroglycerin through 200 miles of treacherous terrain. The four displaced men have nothing to lose so they agree for a small payment of cash.

Roy Scheider (Jaws), Bruno Cremer (Under the Sun), Francisco Rabal (Dagon) and Amidou (Ronin) star in Sorcerer which Friedkin directed from a Walon Green (The Wild Bunch) screenplay. The haunting music was the first credit for Tangerine Dream, the German electronic experimental band who went on to provide many successful scores for such films as “Risky Business,” “VisionQuest” and “Catch Me if You Can.”

Over the years, awareness of the film has been steadily building as a result of Friedkin fan requests and newly-found praise from critics[1]. Then last year, the director was asked to introduce Sorcerer for its screening at the Venice 70^th International Film Festival where he was presented with the Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement.

In a recent L.A. Times interview, prior to the Venice Film Festival, Friedkin offered some theories as to why the film may have failed to achieve commercial success when it was initially released:

"The only known actor, who was not a major star, was Roy Scheider…and people didn't really understand the significance of the title [the name of one of the trucks] -- they thought it was a film similar to 'The Exorcist.’ [But most importantly], the film came out just after 'Star Wars,' a movie that became the template for the future of American film, which it basically still is.

“I have a great fondness for Sorcerer, more than any other film I’ve made.. Sorcerer is the one I hope to be remembered for and the one film that came closest to my vision.”

The film has been remastered by Warner Bros., under Friedkin’s supervision along with colorist Bryan McMahan who has worked with the director since 1994. "The new restoration makes the film appear as if it was just made. None of the essentials — the clothes, the hair — are dated in any way. It looks the way it looked to me when I looked through the lens of the camera," said Friedkin.

The restoration began with a 4K film resolution scan of the original 35mm camera negative. 

Ned Price, Chief Preservation Officer of Warner Bros. Technical Operations, who oversees restoration projects for the studio, said, “I was amazed at the brilliance of the original photography. Up to this point, I had only seen poor quality 35mm theatrical prints made from inferior subtitled dupe negatives. Working from the 4K scan allowed us to free up all the information contained in the original negatives.”

The soundtrack was restored from the original 35mm 4-track stereo masters which were in remarkably good condition and contained full dynamic range.

The new restoration allows audiences to appreciate the true visual and aural impact of this film.

[1] Among them: Peter Sobczynski,,eFilmCritic.Com; Brent Lang,,The Wrap; Nat Segaloff, Harvard Film Archive..

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By Darren Allison

Vocalion’s latest release from their continuing series of popular Geoff Love re-releases from the 70s is this pairing of a couple of glorious albums originally released by MFP Records, La musique de Michel Legrand (MFP 2M046-95030) and La musique d’ Ennio Morricone (MFP 2M046-94653) (both 1973). What made these two albums unusual was the fact that they were specifically produced for the European market. Later in 1975, both were issued in the UK as a 2-LP set - The Music of Michel Legrand and Ennio Morricone (EMI DUOS 1181). Legrand’s heartfelt melodies work perfectly for Geoff Love’s style of Orchestration. The Windmills of your Mind and The Summer of ’42 will of course always be considered among Legrand’s finest signature pieces. However, Love brings a genuine sense of warmth to these covers, satisfying the ear of the easy-listening enthusiasts without distracting too far from the much remembered originals. There is certainly plenty of material to cheer about; music from Lady Sings the Blues provides a rare opportunity to listen to Legrand’s wonderful melancholic score. The Happy Ending is a 1969 film that doesn’t perhaps conjure up too many memories, but chances are – you’ll instantly recognise ‘What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?’, a beautiful theme from the film that enjoys longevity much more than the film itself. The album is an impressive compilation and a joy from beginning to end.

The second half of the CD focuses on Ennio Morricone. As with the nature of Morricone’s compositions, they are dauntingly unique, and one can only imagine exhaling a sigh of tense disillusionment at the prospect of taking on the man’s work. However, Love handles the challenge well, kicking off proceedings with a very nice, haunting version of Harmonica’s theme from Once Upon a Time in the West. It is only when we reach the “Dollars Trilogy” that the album appears to suffer slightly. The renditions are not unlistenable - but they just seem to lose the boldness or weight of their unconventional instrumentation. Cymbals, rumbling trumpets and even flutes simply appear weak and lack in sustaining their vibrant punch. What is perhaps apparent to this listening experience is the absence of any wordless vocals, often provided by long term Morricone collaborator Edda Dell'Orso. That said, the epic nature of the CD’s closing track (from Once Upon a Time in the West), seems to manage very nicely indeed, but one can only wonder what Love might had achieved had he been afforded the luxury of a full choir. Overall, the album is a delight and very easy on the ears.

In regards to production values, La musique de Michel Legrand / La musique d’ Ennio Morricone (Vocalion CDLK 4509) retains Vocalion’s very high standards. Beautifully remastered by Michael J. Dutton from the original analogue tapes, the CD ensures that our ongoing trip down ‘MFP Lane’ continues to be an extremely happy experience. Long may it continue!

http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDLK4509

By Darren Allison

Our good friends at Vocalion Records have released three excellent CDs. First is the super score to Bernard Kowalski’s 1969 B-movie thriller STILETTO (Vocalion CDSML 8501). Starring Alex Cord in the lead role and with support from Britt Ekland, Patrick O’Neal, Joseph Wiseman and Roy Scheider, the film was based on the Harold Robbins novel of the same name. Whilst Stiletto was never going to be an Oscar contender, as so many of these great little thrillers proved, it did gather something of a cult following. More often than not, restricted budgets and tight schedules surprisingly lead to great production values, with artists and crews having to think instinctively on their feet and with little time to elaborate. Stiletto music by American composer Sid Ramin is a truly evocative score. Ramin’s work was often uncredited and as a result, perhaps never received the recognition he ultimately deserved. Stiletto certainly highlighted Ramin’s ability to score a dramatic action movie. Pulsating Hammond organ, pounding percussion and golden brass lines - certainly draw similarities to the work of leading composers of the day such as Lalo Schifrin and Roy Budd. The music implies a rich, Mediterranean vibe which captures the film’s international romanticism. Stiletto’s score is, without doubt, the film’s dominant feature - the enduring survivor.

Vocalion’s release marks the score’s debut on CD. As a direct re-issue of the original CBS LP (CBS Records S 70062), the music has been beautifully remastered by Michael J. Dutton from the Original Analogue tapes. Considering the low key nature of the movie, Oliver Lomax has provided a richly detailed booklet covering both the production of the film and its spectacular music. To their credit, Vocalion have also included a reversible cover containing the original LP artwork and the splendid British colour artwork (which always gets my vote). Vocalion have again proved that big things are often salvageable from relatively minor films, and their foresight can only be applauded.

http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDSML8501

By Lee Pfeiffer 

As Cinema Retro gets inundated with DVDs to review during the course of any given year, it's virtually impossible to keep up with all of them in a timely manner. Here are some notable titles you should be aware of:

Cabaret Blu-ray (Warner Home Video): Warner Home Video has inherited the rights to Bob Fosse's classic 1972 film adaptation of the stage production that, in turn, was based on Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories. The Blu-ray comes packaged in one of those irresistible hardback book formats that is loaded with wonderful photos from the movie. The movie itself holds up superbly even after 40 years. The decline of Germany's Weimar Republic amidst the rise of National Socialism in the 1930s is seen through the eyes of nightclub singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) and her constant companions (Michael York, Helmut Griem) . Fosse's decision to emphasize the sleaze elements of the Berlin of this era helped to elevate this to the status of one of the most intelligent musicals ever put on film- and Joel Grey's eerie Emcee serves as a thinly-veiled metaphor for for the moral destruction of a great nation. The set is packed with extras including recent and previously-released interviews with cast and crew members, a new documentary about the making of the film, an audio commentary track by author Stephen Tropiano, who wrote a book about the making of Cabaret and an original trailer. This title should be deemed as essential for any classic movie library.

Click here to order from Amazon.

I'M DICKENS, HE'S FENSTER COLLECTOR'S EDITION (Lightyear Video/TV Time Machine): This 1962 sitcom lasted but one season but remains one of the more intriguing programs of its era. The show had the misfortune of being up against the popular Mitch Miller program and Route 66. Ratings suffered initially and ABC decided to cancel the series. However, ratings began to climb as positive word of mouth and good reviews began to spread. Ironically, the series began to gain more viewers than its competition but by then the leading actors had moved on to other projects. The show languished in Bootleg Heaven with no official DVD release until this 16 episode set was unveiled last year by TV Time Machiine and Lightyear Video. It features half of the show's episodes, 16 in all, each beautifully remastered. The series presents John Astin and Marty Ingalls as best friends who are also business partners who own their own handyman service. Although many people call the show a lost classic, I find only moderately amusing. In fact, the show's demise resulted in John Astin going on to star in a true TV classic, The Addams Family and left its creator, Leonard Stern, free to work with Mel Brooks in developing Get Smart! Nevertheless, the show is a pleasurable experience on all levels with the two leads demonstrating the deft comedic timing that would lead them to greater stardom in the years to come. What is outstanding is the love and care that has been put into this set. They include audio commentaries by Astin and Ingles along with guest stars Yvonne Craig, Lee Meriwether, Dave Ketchum, Chris Korman (son of Harvey Korman) and Leonard Stern, who passed away shortly thereafter. There are also any number of featurettes about the series and a wealth of vintage network TV ads. In all, a truly superb presentation of a show that few people are even aware of. The video company is said to be hoping to raise enough funding to release the second half of the show's only season. 

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The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Warner Archive): Director Tony Richardson's acclaimed 1962 film is the epitome of the British "kitchen sink drama", a genre that revolutionized film making in that country and reflected the concerns of the economically disenfranchised. Britain may have been on the winning side in WWII, but the financial repercussions of the conflict lingered for decades, resulting in a stagnant, class-driven society in which those on the bottom rungs found it very difficult to climb out of their impoverished situations. Consequently a generation of troubled youths emerged. Richardson's film poignantly shows the consequences of having young people come of age in a society that offers them little hope for advancement. Inevitably, many will take the wrong turn in life. The story follows a young man, Colin Smith (Tom Courtenay in a remarkable, star-making performance) as he is sent to a borstal, which is a juvenile corrections facility. Here, he finally finds something of value to center his attention on: his skills as a long distance runner. The facility's warden (Michael Redgrave) nurtures the young man until it becomes apparent that he is using him for his own personal aggrandizement. This leads to a suspense-laden, shocking conclusion centered around an all-important long distance race. Richardson's direction is flawless and the black and white cinematography only adds to the appropriately sullen look of the film. Superb supporting performances by all. (James Bond fans should keep an eye out for future 007 villain Joe Robinson as a track coach).  This film is a true classic of British cinema.

Click here to order from Warner Archive.

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (Shout! Factory): This is the complete American Masters PBS broadcast of a documentary that chronicles the remarkable life and career of Mel Brooks. As Brooks is very much alive and well, he is able to relate the highs and lows of his life as only he can relate them in his inimitable style. The 2013 shows finds Brooks reminiscing about working for Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows, where Brooks was considered to be too manic even by the likes of Caesar. He also relates funny anecdotes about his childhood and WWII experiences. Most of these stories have been told by Brooks for decades but his sheer exuberance and energy are infectious. The documentary by Robert Trachtenberg includes testimonials from such key comedic figures as Rob Reiner, Joan Rivers, Tracey Ullmann and Brooks' long-time collaborator Carl Reiner. The DVD also contains a number of out-takes from the PBS special. Well worth a viewing if you have any love for classic comedy.

Click here to order from Amazon. 

The Blue Hour/ One Naked Night/ Three in a Towel Triple Feature (Vinegar Syndrome): This is a triple feature of obscure retro erotica films. The main feature, The Blue Hour, is not really a sexploitation film in the traditional sense as it is far too pretentious in its attempt to emulate art house movie fare. The 1971 production begins with opening credits that take so long to unspool they almost need an intermission. It's a sign of how boring even a film that features an abundance of nudity can be. The story centers on a young Greek woman who is now living in America and married to a successful therapist/businessman. However, she is haunted by images of sexual atrocities that she has endured at various stages of her life including a confusing scenario in which she may have murdered a young Greek priest with whom she was romantically involved. The film boasts some exotic photography but it lumbers along to a completely abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion. The acting ranges from passable to atrocious. Far more interesting is One Naked Night, a 1965 B&W "quickie" that chronicles the exploits of another troubled young woman who moves from a small town to New York City. She ends up rooming with some party girls and is corrupted along the way leading to a conclusion that is rather shocking. The film is a virtual female version of Midnight Cowboy with mean ol' Manhattan proving to be a devil's playground of corruption for innocent young newcomers. The real appeal of the film is not the occasional flashes of nudity but the fact that it presents tantalizing glimpses of the Big Apple during the mid 1960s including Times Square, the infamous Playland arcade, the Latin Quarter and other hot spots of the era. There is also a quaint feel to even the sex sequences including a tender seduction of our heroine by a lesbian roommate, chain smoking swingers, stag movies shown on 16mm and guys who get dressed up in jackets and ties to attend orgies. The cast of unknowns tries hard but you are aware they are strictly amateur. Nevertheless, this is an entertaining look back at a bygone era when films such as this were deemed shocking. The final entry in the triple feature is titled Three in a Towel. Shot in 1969, it's basically a glorified home movie shot in color in various sections of San Francisco. The movie focuses on a young man's erotic dreams of being a sensual version of Walter Mitty and bedding many nubile young women. The film was obviously shot as a silent feature with narration and sound effects added later. It's a crude production played strictly for laughs and the sex is relegated to an abundance of female nude shots but the action never gets beyond soft core. A "highlight" of the film is a scene in which three hippie chicks eat a banana in a suggestive manner while groping each other. Bizarrely, the narrator uses Shakespearean quotes throughout....At least the filmmakers didn't take it all very seriously. The opening titles read a "A Miracle Production-- If It Turns Out to be a Good Movie, It's a Miracle!". The only other credit is "Produced by The Saint" but it seems pretty obvious we're not talking about Roger Moore here. The film is an utter waste of time aside from some interesting visuals of San Francisco in the late 1960s and ends up being about as erotic as a wet noodle. The transfers vary in quality based on the crude source materials but The Blue Hour has undergone a restoration process. In all, an interesting package of largely forgotten films that would otherwise have been lost to time. Their entertainment value is debatable but from a sociological standpoint, they may bring back some interesting memories if you lived through this era. There are no extras other than a trailer for Three in a Towel that promises a lot more sex than it actually delivers. 

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Nichols: The Complete Series (Warner Archives): The Warner Archives has released all 24 episodes of the little-seen TV series Nichols that starred James Garner. The show aired in 1971-72 but, despite Garner's star power, it was canceled after one season. Garner was just one of the Hollywood superstars who, by the 1970s, felt they should move to television. This was in direct contrast to the prevailing wisdom of the early days of TV in which it was regarded as a second rate medium for name actors to appear in. Among the other shows that failed in the 1970s were ones top-lined by the likes of Henry Fonda and James Stewart. Nichols presents Garner in his most popular on-screen alter-ego: a likable, laid-back anti-hero. Set in 1914, the pilot episode finds him as a career soldier in the U.S. cavalry who resigns due to his increasingly pacifist nature (an obvious nod to the anti-Vietnam War movement that was raging at the time). Nichols makes his way back to the small home town that bears his family name expecting to live a life of leisure. Instead, he finds his parents are dead and his estate has been swindled away by con men. The town has degenerated into a raucous place where a small group of corrupt citizens call the shot. Nichols is reluctantly enlisted to be the new sheriff and, a la Andy Griffith's Sheriff Taylor, he refuses to wear a gun and uses his wits to thwart his adversaries. The show boasts fine production values and some impressive cast members and guest stars (Margot Kidder is the love interest, playing a local saloon owner.) As with any TV series, the episodes vary in terms of quality, but watching Garner at this point in his career is certainly an entertaining way to pass some hours. Although audiences didn't warm to this show, they certainly didn't lose their affection for Garner, who went on to star in the smash hit series The Rockford Files a few years later. (That show's co-star, Stuart Margolin, also appears in Nichols.)  

Click here to order from the Warner Archive 

Wanted: Dead or Alive: The Complete Series (Mill Creek): The Mill Creek video company has repackaged and re-released Wanted: Dead or Alive: The Complete Series. The show made a star of young Steve McQueen, who played a bounty hunter in the old West. The series premiered in 1958 and ran for 94 30 minute episodes, all of which are presented in this collector's edition on multiple DVDs. McQueen shows the charisma and self-assured manner that would help elevate him to big screen superstardom a few years later. The show was also a training ground for upcoming directors, writers and other actors including Lee Van Cleef, Michael Landon, Warren Oates, James Coburn and DeForest Kelly. The writing and acting hold up extremely well, a reflection of an era when intelligent Westerns ruled the roost in terms of TV ratings. The boxed set also includes 4 colorized bonus episodes (which look surprisingly good), a photo gallery, some featurettes about various aspects of the show including McQueen's famed sawed-off shotgun that he carried in a holster and a digital reproduction of a comic book based on the show. There is also the complete public domain feature film The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery starring McQueen. In all, an outstanding value. 

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By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video has released a deluxe Blu-ray edition of director Oliver Stone's 1991 film JFK to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The movie was a lightning rod for controversy upon its initial release and film critics and historians still debate the film today. Stone, who has made clear he is a firm believer that in the theory that JFK's murder was part of a greater conspiracy plot, altered many key historical events in order to make these theories more convincing to audiences. Stone defended this decision as being within the realm of "artistic license" and claimed that, as a filmmaker, his primary goal was to make a compelling movie. His critics cited their belief that, to impressionable audience members, his powerful movie would be confused with established fact. No matter where you stand on the debate, virtually everyone agreed that the movie was a gripping, expertly-made  thriller. It earned 8 Oscar nominations, winning two. 

The Blu-ray boxed set is outstanding in terms of content and quality. The set presents Stone's "director's cut" of the film (the original theatrical cut is not included, having apparently been disowned by Stone), a feature length documentary titled Beyond JFK: A Question of Conspiracy, deleted/extended scenes and feature length commentary. There is also an episode of the TV series Olvier Stone's Untold History of the United States titled JFK: To the Brink that delves into the various foreign crisis the new President had to deal with. A theatrical trailer is also included. 

The set contains a separate DVD that has other excellent bonus programming including the 1963 feature film  P.T. 109 that recreates how Kennedy won his stripes as a WWII hero (Cliff Robertson plays JFK, having been personally chosen by the President for the role). The film is enjoyable enough in its own right but, aside from the Kennedy connection, it's basically a standard WWII adventure. Robert Culp and Ty Hardin co-star.  There is also a new feature length documentary titled JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later as well as the acclaimed vintage feature film documentary John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums which has been remastered for this release. There is a wealth of bonus collectibles including book of JFK quotations, reproduction of his inaugural address, reproduction of Kennedy campaign poser, 20 photos and correspondence fro te the JFK Presidential Library and a 44 page photo book. Nobody seems to excel at these "everything-but-the-kitchen sink" boxed sets like Warner Home Video does. Somebody over there deserves praise for their creative bonus collectibles that are included in so many of their boxed sets.

In all this is a magnificent release on every level.

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There are various other options for purchasing the Blu-ray aside from the boxed set,  as outlined below on the official official press release.  

BURBANK, Calif., August 21, 2013 – November 22, 2013 will mark 50 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will commemorate this tragic chapter in U.S. history by honoring one of our most influential presidents with the release of a new collection featuring the award-winning motion picture, JFK. Director Oliver Stone’s controversial highly-charged story surrounding the tragedy debuts November 12 as JFK 50 Year Commemorative Ultimate Collector’s Edition (JFK UCE) on Blu-ray™.

Stone’s film is considered one of the most provocative of our time. In addition to box-office success and critical acclaim, it captured eight Academy Award^®[i] nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor), winning two (Best Cinematography and Film Editing). It also won Stone a Best Director (Motion Picture, 1992) Golden Globe^® and ultimately played a major role in the national debate that lead to passage of the 1992 Assassination Materials Disclosure Act.

Stone directed from a screenplay he wrote with Zachary Sklar. The all-star cast includes Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, Sissy Spacek, Jack Lemmon, Joe Pesci, Donald Sutherland, Laurie Metcalf, John Candy, Walter Matthau, Sally Kirkland, and Edward Asner.

The JFK UCE includes the Director’s Cut with 17 additional minutes not seen in theaters and will feature three captivating documentaries – Oliver Stone’s JFK: To the Brink, the insightful look at the JFK presidency that was included in his 2012 Showtime Series, “The Untold History of the United States;” the brand-new JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later from filmmaker Robert Kline; and John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums, a documentary produced by George Stevens, Jr., and written and directed by Bruce Herschensohn, who also composed the music. The film was named one of the Ten Best Films of 1965 by the National Board of Review.

In addition, the JFK UCE includes the feature film drama, PT 109, about Kennedy’s World War II experiences as a skipper in the South Pacific. The JFK UCE also contains commemorative items from the Kennedy Presidential Library: collectible reproductions of family and presidential photos, a campaign poster from the 1960 presidential campaign, and a copy of Kennedy’s historic inaugural address. Lastly, there is a 32-page book of famous quotations, and a 44-page JFK movie photo book.

The JFK 50 Year Commemorative Ultimate Collector’s Edition will sell for $59.99 SRP. The documentaries JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later and John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums will also be available on DVD separately, for $5.94 and $11.97 SRP respectively. Untold History of the United States, containing JFK: To the Brink, will make its U.S. Blu-ray debut October 15.

Special Features:

• JFK: To The Brink – Chapter from Oliver Stone’s “Untold History of the United States”
• New Documentary -- JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later
• Remastered Documentary – John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums
• Feature film -- PT 109

• Behind the Story

• Commentary by Director Oliver Stone
• Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
• Multimedia Essays
• Assassination Update – The New Documents
• Meet Mr. X: The Personality and Thoughts of Fletcher Prouty
• Deleted/extended scenes with commentary by director Oliver Stone (production audio only)
• Theatrical trailer

About The UCE’s Special Features

JFK: To the Brink: This documentary is Chapter 6 from the powerful historical series “Untold History of the United States,” a ten-part Showtime Original Series, debuting on Blu-ray October 15 through WBHE. The in-depth, surprising, and totally riveting series, co-written by Stone with Peter Kuznick and Matt Graham, was directed and narrated by Stone. This one-hour segment sheds valuable additional insight into JFK’s presidency during the Bay of Pigs; on the brink of total war during the Cuban Missile Crisis; through early Vietnam; JFK's attempts at peace with Khrushchev; and finally the President’s assassination

JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later: 50 years after his assassination on November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy remains as vital and compelling as when he was first elected. This documentary reacquaints us with the first Irish-Catholic president and the youngest in U.S. history, presenting images and personalities frozen in time. From Kennedy's nomination to his election, from his inspiring inaugural address to the Bay of Pigs, from civil rights and racial struggles to space exploration, from the Berlin Wall appearance to his leadership during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy ranks among the great presidents in the history of the United States.

John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums (1965): This documentary tribute to President Kennedy was named one of the Ten Best Films of the Year by the National Board of Review. Produced by George Stevens Jr. for the United States Information Agency (USIA), it was narrated by Gregory Peck, and written and directed by Bruce Herschensohn, who also composed the music. The film chronicles the thousand days of JFK’s presidency, featuring numerous clips from speeches and an intimate look at Kennedy family life. It was not originally intended for the general public; however, the quality was considered so outstanding that a special act of Congress allowed it to eventually be shown theatrically.

PT 109 (1963): Before Kennedy was president, he was a hero in World War II. Based on the book by Robert J. Donovan, this film stars Academy Award^®-winning actor Cliff Robertson (Best Actor in a Leading Role --Charly 1969) as Lieutenant Kennedy. While a young captain of a PT boat in the South Pacific, Kennedy lead his men in a daring rescue of American Marines stranded on a small island inside the area of Japanese control. On another mission, a Japanese destroyer sliced the small boat in half, and miles from the nearest island Kennedy proves himself a hero with his efforts to save his crew.

Also Available Individually

JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later (Documentary)

Pricing: $5.94 SRP

Run Time: 120 Mins.

Cat/UPC: 1000411226/ 883929346851

John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums (Documentary)

Pricing: $11.97 SRP

Run Time: 85 Mins.

Cat/UPC: 1000435145/ 883929371914

The Untold History of the United States (contains JFK: To the Brink)

Street Date: October 15, 2013

Order Due Date: September 10, 2013

Pricing: $49.99 SRP

Run Time: 801 mins

Catalog #: 1000420438

FremantleMedia

Home Entertainment

is proud

to announce

The World at War

40th Anniversary release

Available to buy

on DVD & Blu-ray

from 31st October 2013

“Spectacular series”

Director Oliver Stone

This ‘jewel in the nation’s crown’ is being re-released to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of its first broadcast which took place on 31st October 1973

The World at War is regarded by many to be one of the greatest documentary series of all time. This BAFTA and Emmy Award winning documentary series, which was first broadcast 40 years ago, was the first factual series of its kind to document the full history of World War II. The series was memorably narrated by legendary screen actor and stage icon

Sir Laurence Olivier.

The World at War has been inspiring film makers and historians for the past 40 years including such programmes as the BBC’s ‘Nazis a Warning from History’, produced by Laurence Reece, and more recently Oliver Stone’s ‘Untold History of the United States’ , both series creators’ laying claim to being inspired by The World at War.

Available now to buy from Amazon

Synopsis

The World at War was conceived and produced by Sir Jeremy Isaacs and was first broadcast on the ITV Network on the 31st October 1973. Making use of of rare black and white and colour film archive footage supplied by the Imperial War Museum, this 26 part documentary series investigates the events surrounding World War II and features interviews with major members of the Allied and Axis campaigns, including civilian eyewitnesses, enlisted men, officers, government advisors and politicians, to create what is widely agreed to be the definitive history of World War II and a landmark in British television history.

In 2010 the series went through a major digital restoration upgrade to HD - the archive film used in the series is the only World War II footage of its kind to be restored and remastered to HD 16.9 and 5.1 Sound.

Lord Olivier provided brilliant narration for the series.

DVD & Blu-ray Specifications

RRP: DVD Price: £79.99

RRP:  Blu-ray Price: £99.99

Certificate: E

Discs: DVD 11

Discs: Blu-ray 9

Running time: DVD 739mins

Running time: Blu-ray769mins

Catalogue No:   DVD FHEDWAR2

Catalogue No:   Blu-ray FHEBWAR2

Barcode: DVD 5030697017918

Barcode: Blu-ray 5030697017925

Region: 0 for both DVD & Blu-ray             

The World at War 40th Anniversary release is distributed by FremantleMedia Home Entertainment and is available from all good DVD

stockists online and in store from 31st October 2013.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Sony has released the original soundtrack to Robert Altman's 1970 anti-war comedy M*A*S*H as a burn-to-order title. The original vinyl version of the soundtrack, issued in conjunction with the film, was considered quite unique at the time because the bulk of the tracks consisted of dialogue from the film as opposed to composer Johnny Mandel's score. A criticism was that the original release only provided a truncated vocal version of the main theme, which is actually titled Suicide is Painless. In 1995, a remastered CD of the soundtrack was released with the full version of the song along with some bonus tracks and it is this version that has just been reissued by Sony. With the exception of the brilliant title theme, most of Mandel's amusing score is only heard in snippets, with the dialogue from the film still providing the basis for the content. It's rather odd to remember that in the pre-home video era, listening to dialogue from a film such as this was a rare treat. The success of the subsequent TV series has led many people to forget that there initially was an Oscar-nominated film that inspired the show. Thus, you can relive the zany wisecracks of the original Hawkeye and Trapper John (Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould) interacting with Hot Lips (Sally Kellerman), Frank Burns (Robert Duvall) and Radar (Gary Burghoff, the only cast member carried over from the film to the TV series). A third lead in the film was Duke Forrest, played by Tom Skerritt, but the character was not imported to the TV show, though he is present on the album. 

With the dialogue compromising the bulk of the soundtrack, you can at least revel in Suicide is Painless in its uncut glory. The song was deemed too controversial for TV so an instrumental version was used on the series. The brilliance of the lyrics resonate even today, as the gentle, seemingly benign folk song extols the joys of offing oneself. Shockingly, the lyrics were written by Robert Altman's 14 year-old son, though he did not receive a screen but is said to have made a fortune in royalties over the decades. 

The M*A*S*H  soundtrack is certainly an oddity, coming at a time when albums derived from hit films consisted entirely of music. However, if Altman broke the rules with his off-the-wall anti-Establishment gags, it seems only suitable that the soundtrack did the same. It's a great deal of fun to return to the days when audio snippets of your favorite films were as close as you could get to experiencing them, at least until cut-up, watered down versions would be released to television. 

Click here to order  

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Warner Home Video: 

BURBANK, Calif., August 6, 2013 — When he died in 1955 at the age of 24 in a car crash, James Dean was mourned by millions of fans throughout the world. Despite only making three films – all of them for Warner Bros. – Dean became one of Hollywood’s most spectacular stars, and 50 years later still remains an internationally compelling force, an iconic image, and a cult favorite of timeless fascination.

On November 5, Warner Home Video will debut East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant (a George Stevens production), remastered Blu-ray as the James Dean Ultimate Collector’s Edition – a limited and numbered six-disc set that boasts three feature-length documentaries about Dean’s life including James Dean Forever Young, narrated by Martin Sheen; American Masters James Dean Sense Memories and George Stevens: A Filmmaker’s Journey. Packaged in a double-wide gift set, the collection also contains a 48-page photo book with behind-the-scene images and rare insight into each film. The Ultimate Collector’s Edition will sell for $99.98 SRP; each film will also be available as a stand-alone Blu-ray book for $27.98 SRP each.

All three films were 4k restorations from original camera negatives at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging (MPI). Due to color fading, the original camera negatives could no longer yield an acceptable photochemical print.

For Rebel Without a Cause, the stereo soundtrack was reconstructed from the magnetic soundtrack stripes of Cinemascope release prints. The film’s restoration was done by Warner Bros. in collaboration with The Film Foundation. Restoration funding was provided by Warner Bros., Gucci and The Film Foundation.

Details of the James Dean Ultimate Collector’s Edition

East of Eden (1955)

Based on John Steinbeck’s novel and directed by Elia Kazan, East of Eden is the first of three major films that make up James Dean’s movie legacy. The idol-to-be plays Cal, a wayward Salinas, California youth who vies for the affection of his hardened father (Raymond Massey) with his favored brother Aron (Richard Davalos). Playing off the haunting sensitivity of Julie Harris, Dean’s performance earned one of the film’s four Academy Award^® nominations[i]. Among the movie’s stellar performers, Jo Van Fleet won the Oscar^® for Best Supporting Actress (1955).

Special Features:

• Commentary by Richard Schickel
• "Forever James Dean" [1987 Documentary]
• "East of Eden: Art in Search of Life"
• Screen Tests
• Richard Davalos" [Wardrobe Test]
• "James Dean and Richard Davalos" [Wardrobe Test]
• "James Dean, Richard Davalos and Julie Harris" [Wardrobe Test]
• "James Dean and Lois Smith" [Wardrobe Test]

• "Lois Smith" [Wardrobe Test]
• "James Dean and Jo Van Fleet" [Wardrobe Test]
• "Jo Van Fleet" [Wardrobe Test]
• "Costumes and Production Design" [Wardrobe Test]
• Deleted Scenes
• 3/9/1955 NYC Premier

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

In one of the most influential performances in movie history, Dean plays Jim Stark, the new kid in town whose loneliness, frustration and anger mirrored those of postwar teens – and still reverberates 50 years later. Natalie Wood (as Jim’s girl Judy) and Sal Mineo (as Jim’s tag-along pal Plato) were Academy Award^® nominees[ii] for their achingly true performances. Director Nicholas Ray was also an Oscar^® nominee for this landmark film which was released less than one month after Dean’s fatal car crash.

Special Features:

• Commentary By Douglas L. Rathgeb
• Documentary "James Dean Remembered" [1974 TV Special]
• Documentary "Rebel Without A Cause: Defiant Innocents"
• Dennis Hopper Interview NEW!
• Screen Tests
• Wardrobe Tests
• Deleted Scenes
• "Behind The Cameras: Natalie Wood"
• "Behind The Cameras: Jim Backus"
• "Behind The Cameras: James Dean"
• Theatrical Trailers

Giant (a George Stevens production) (1956)

Based on Edna Ferber’s best-selling family saga about a Texas family of ranchers and oilmen, Giant stars Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and Dennis Hopper. In his final film role, Dean stars as wrangler turned oil baron Jett Rink. Directed by the legendary George Stevens, this sprawling epic received ten Academy Award^® nominations[iii] including a Best Actor nod for Dean and earned Stevens a win for Directing (1956).

Special Features:

• Introduction by George Stevens Jr.
• Commentary by George Stevens Jr., Ivan Moffat and Stephen Farber
• “George Stevens: Filmmakers Who Knew Him"

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON AND SAVE $30- PLUS GET FREE SHIPPING!

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Warner Home Video:

Burbank, Calif. June 4, 2013 – Marking the 75^th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, Warner Bros. has produced a 3D remastered version of the film which will launch a comprehensive, cross-divisional campaign encompassing theatrical, home entertainment, consumer products and a number of promotional partnerships.

Kicking off the celebration, The Wizard of Oz 3D will be presented in the immersive IMAX^® 3D format and return to the big screen for an exclusive one-week engagement in IMAX^® theatres across North America beginning September 20, 2013.

“We couldn’t be happier to partner with IMAX® as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of this iconic film,” said Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “The Wizard of Oz IMAX^® 3D Experience is an integral part of our studio-wide anniversary initiative and we are excited to give fans the rare opportunity to see this stunning version on the big screen.”

“The Wizard of Oz is one of the most beloved films of all time and we are thrilled that our longtime partners at Warner Bros. have made IMAX^® a part of this exciting milestone event,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX^® Entertainment. “This film revolutionized the use of color and special effects in cinema, and we’re excited to add another ‘first’ – bringing this timeless classic to moviegoers through the power of The IMAX 3D Experience^® for the very first time.”

The IMAX^® release The Wizard of Oz will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX 3D Experience^® with proprietary IMAX DMR^® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX^®'s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Following the IMAX® theatrical release, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will release a limited and numbered The Wizard of Oz 75^th Anniversary Collector’s Edition on October 1, 2013, featuring the 3D version of the film and more.  

“Seventy-five years later, The Wizard of Oz continues its reign as a multi-generational favorite, with nearly 100 percent awareness among adults and more than 80 percent awareness among children,” said Jeff Baker, WBHE Executive Vice President and General Manager, Theatrical Catalog. “In this new 3D version, the film is bound to make history all over again—with both past and future fans.”

The Wizard of Oz 75^th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will debut as a five-disc set that will include Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and UltraViolet versions of the film; a new documentary, The Making of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; bonus features and premium collectibles ($105.43 SRP). Three more editions will be available separately: a two-disc 3D/Blu-ray ($35.99 SRP), a one-disc Blu-ray ($19.98 SRP) and a two-disc DVD ($16.95 SRP). All four will contain the new documentary and extra content.

SPECIAL FEATURES will include all previously released special features along with:

• ALL-NEW Documentary! The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz—This candid overview of how a troubled production overcame the odds to become an integral part of American culture features contributions from historians John Fricke and Sam Wasson, composers Stephen Schwartz and Marc Shaiman, critics Leonard Maltin and Michael Sragow, Bert Lahr’s son John as well as revealing interview clips with Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Buddy Ebsen, Margaret Hamilton and Mervyn LeRoy, among others.

• NEW! Exclusive Collectible Memorabilia —A collectible 75^th Anniversary journal; Sparkle RUBY SLIPPERSâ„¢ Globe; Noble Collection 3-piece enamel pin set, a Map of Oz and a 48-page hardcover book. Collection is limited and numbered.

The 3D conversion was a long and complex project which Warner Bros. initiated with a very high resolution (8k) scanning of the original Technicolor camera negative. The restored 2D image was then transformed by creating a depth-map of each frame to construct 3D imagery and determine distances from the viewer’s vantage point. This was followed by the long process (with the use of a rotoscope) to further refine viewer distances and fully layer shapes and objects.

“People have asked for years about The Wizard of Oz 3D conversion. My answer was always, ‘We’re not doing it until it’s perfect.’ And now it is,” said Ned Price, Warner Technical Operations’ Vice President of Mastering. “As a kid, I was so enthralled by this film. Watching it, you just want to enter the frame, enter the Land of Oz. This new version will allow you to do just that.”

In support of the 75^th anniversary of the film, Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ extensive licensing program of more than 80 top-tier licensees will expand with new partnerships. Leading the way is master toy partner Jazwares, along with Mattel, Rubies, Lionel, Steiff, USAopoly, Thomas Kinkade, and many more that will be taking part in the celebration. Special commemorative anniversary product will be available across a wide array of categories including apparel, jewelry, collectibles, publishing, stationery and paper goods, toys and games, slot machines and personal care.

In addition, the Warner Bros. releases will be massively supported by a far-reaching promotional campaign encompassing numerous participants. National corporate partners include (to date) promotional activities with a Major National Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR), the debut of a giant hot-air balloon and balloonhead characters in the 87^th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade^®, as well as joint programs with Amtrak, Gourmet Trading Company, Langers Juice, QVC and Simon Malls®. In collaboration with the Ad Council and the National Highway TrafficSafety Administration, new child passenger safety Public Service Announcements (PSAs) featuring iconic elements from The Wizard of Oz film will be distributed and run in donated media nationally.

The Wizard of Oz themed competition will also be featured on an upcoming episode of Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars” to be aired later this year. 

By Todd Garbarini

James Cameron's The Terminator is a masterpiece of cinematic storytelling, conceived by Mr. Cameron while in Rome with a fever years earlier (the late director Robert Altman had a similar situation that led to the writing of my favorite film of his, Three Women, released in 1977). Shot in early 1984 for roughly $6M (the amount spent solely on the sound mix of the superb $90M sequel seven years later), this futuristic action powerhouse grabs the audience by the throat and takes us on a wild ride. Despite the inexorable pace – much like the titular villain’s nature – the film manages to come up for air and miraculously never feels over-the-top, long-winded or plodding.

The Terminator opened on Friday, October 26, 1984 and yours truly missed out on seeing it, electing to see the horror film greatest hits compilation Terror in the Aisles instead. I had to wait until the end of the school year eight months later to see the film in a classroom on VHS, the small-screen presentation diminishing none of the film’s raw emotional power to my teenage eyes, both of which were glued to the television. The film made Arnold Schwarzenegger a super star and was the surprise sleeper hit of the season, his depiction of a terrifying cyborg with a relentless mission it will stop at nothing to complete solidifying his place as an action icon. Two weeks later Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street was unleashed on unsuspecting moviegoers and cinema hasn't been the same since, introducing a child killer who invades teen-agers’ dreams in his attempts to murder them. The Terminator added “Come with me if you want to live.” and the oft-quoted “I’ll be back.” to the American lexicon and became as familiar as “May the Force be with you.” and “Go ahead. Make my day.” Nightmare, of course, contributed the creepy “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you…” children’s song.

Linda Hamilton shines as Sarah Connor, a 28 year-old diner waitress who unwittingly is targeted for termination by the Terminator after it travels from the future, determined to kill her so that her unborn son cannot rise against the machines. Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn in a terrific and underrated performance) is the human counterpart sent to intercept and destroy the Terminator so that Sarah may live. What makes the film so brilliant is not only the ideas it presents but how it conveys them to the audience. For the first thirty-five minutes, we are just as in the dark as Sarah (not knowing she’s about to be on the run for her life) and Kyle (since the Terminator looks human on the outside, he has to wait until it moves in on Sarah before he can strike) and are only given little bits of information until Kyle and the Terminator meet face to face at the TechNoir dance club (the shootout in this ultra-Eighties club, followed by the escape, are beautifully edited set pieces that set the tone for the rest of the film).

The film may be low-budget, but it honestly does not feel like it. The story is enthralling and completely believable. Mr. Biehn gives a performance just as compelling as Donald Pleasence did in Halloween (1978). Without his history, conviction and attempts to make those around him believe that what he is saying is true, Kyle Reese, the soldier from the future who comes across time to father John Connor with Sarah, would fall under the weight of the film. There is a level of plausibility to the story that is lacking from other films about the future, heightened by Stan Winston’s special effects work. The flashback battle scenes of the war in 2019 recall Mad Max (1979) and Mad Max 2 (1981) (retitled The Road Warrior for its 1982 US release). The Terminator is the boiler plate for future films about, well. The future!

Composer Brad Fiedel has created a magnificently menacing score, robotic and simplistic like the Terminator. Dick Miller provides a great cameo as a gun store clerk (I just noticed the store’s address as 14329 and its similarity to 14239, the address of the first Sarah Connor the Terminator kills from the phonebook listing – and I have seen the film many times over! Oh, the clarity of high definition!).

The Blu-ray, which was released at least twice before (once in a special version containing a hardcover book), comes with the same extras ported over from the previous editions:

· Behind the scenes – runes about 13 minutes

· Terminator: A Retrospective – runs just over 20 minutes and contains interviews from 1986 and 1992

· A collection of deleted scenes

I wish that this time around the disc included a running commentary with the director at the very least. This is a watershed film that rewrote the book on science fiction action films and it is deserving of more extras than the studios have lavished on it thus far. If you have not yet picked up the film on Blu-ray, this edition will do quite nicely.

The film has been remastered and looks as good as it is going to in 1080P.

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Screen Archives has released Jerry Fielding's Oscar-nominated score for Sam Peckinpah's 1969 classic The Wild Bunch as a 3-CD special edition with the complete score, remastered soundtrack album and collector's booklet. 

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Cinema Retro welcomes its latest contributor, David P. King, who will be reviewing avant garde DVDS. 

By David P. King

When American audiences first saw “Plot of Fear” (“E Tanta Paura”), they were likely surprised and a bit confused: surprised because the film is a suspenseful thriller of a higher quality than may be expected, and confused because the film was first released in English under the title “Bloody Peanuts” and contains a decent amount of blood, but a conspicuous absence of peanuts.

Italian Director Paolo Cavara’s 1976 thriller unfolds with a mystery killer targeting guests of a wild party where a prostitute had accidentally died years earlier.

Through a series of clues and cinematic flashbacks, Inspector Lomenzo (Michele Placido) begins to unravel who the killer is and why the targets have been chosen.

Along the way, he falls for the stunning model Jeanne (Corinne Clery), one of the guests of the fateful party.

Cinephiles will revel in seeing a pair of American character actors, Tom Skerritt and Eli Wallach in supporting roles.

Cavara spawned an entire genre of documentaries that titillated and shocked viewers with tales of exotic subcultures more than they informed with his 1962 film “A Dog’s World” (“Mondo Cane”). These “mondo” documentaries were often staged, exaggerated and fictional.

Cavara’s mondo influences can certainly be seen here: The inspector and his girlfriend talk openly of swinging, lesbian models make out during a photo shoot and guests of a secret society of animal lovers watch a surreal pornographic short cartoon (by Italian erotic cartoonist Gibba) with their pet chimp during a weekend orgy.

But at its heart, “Plot of Fear” is a thriller complete with more twists and surprises than pure shock value. Its cinematography is skilled, and it looks more like a major motion picture release than low-budget sleaze.

The remastered print for the Raro Video DVD is flawless. Bonus features include insightful commentary by Cavara’s son and interviews with the screenwriter Enrico Oldoini and Placido on the film’s lasting legacy.

While the ultimate reveal may be less than satisfactory and the film is prone to the quirks of the time period (women’s tops come off frequently with little in the way of exposition or reason), “Plot of Fear” manages to toe the line between shock, shlock and suspense masterfully, and is a pleasant addition to any collection of Italian films.

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By Lee Pfeiffer

Impulse Films has released two vintage erotic titles, Serena: An Adult Fairy Tale and Same Time Every Year. The most surprising element of both titles is that they are hard-core porn, but they are being accorded mainstream status through an aggressive promotional campaign by the DVD label, which is a division of Synapse Films. What is enjoyable about the Synapse catalog is the sheer diversity of their releases, ranging from classic and cult horror films to the notorious Nikkatsu Japanese soft-core titles (which are accorded Citizen Kane-like treatment, complete with extensive liner notes and poster reproductions.). These new titles don't get the same tender, loving care, but they are accorded "respectable" status nonetheless.

Serena: An Adult Fairy Tale- is a 1980 spin on the Cinderella legend, albeit of a kind that would have dear old Walt Disney spinning in his grave. Serena (played by an actress known as Serena), is a teenage sexpot who is sold into modern slavery by an evil stepfather. In her new "home", she is abused both sexually and psychologically. In between doing back-breaking housework, Serena is routinely called upon to satisfy her new mistress and her other female household guests. She's also used for sexual pleasure by a string of male visitors to the house. There isn't a social message being made here about the horrors of modern sex slavery, as Serena seems even more perturbed when she is left out of the action. The razor-thin "plot" finds the females of the house preparing for a big party for some hunky males (in this case, "grand ball" takes on an entirely different meaning.) Serena has been banished to her room as the other girls enjoy the orgy. She is visited by an equally sexy female supernatural presence who grants her wish to be able to attend the festivities. Presto! Serena suddenly appears at the party and predictably steals all the attention away from the egotistical women who have long mistreated her. Familiar faces from the era appear in the movie, including China Leigh and Jamie Gillis. Perhaps not coincidentally, the running time of the film is 69 minutes.

Same Time Every Year- was shot in 1981 and centers on an amusing scenario in which a group of male friends pretend each year that they must leave town for a business convention, leaving their wives back home. In fact, they are meeting their mistresses for wild sexual encounters. Meanwhile, the not-so-desperate housewives are all too happy to go along with the scenario, as it gives them an opportunity to get it on with a string of male and female lovers of their own. That's pretty much it. As with Serena, the movie was remastered from original 35mm film elements. (The opening and end titles show a lot of wear, but we have to remember these were not preserved in the Library of Congress) and, for the most part, quality is very good. The cast in this one includes the omnipresent China Leigh, Loni Sanders, Herschel Savage, Holly McCall and an impossibly svelte Ron Jeremy, before he indulged in the Marlon Brando dietary plan. There is also a credit for Boo, The Wonder Horse, but don't panic- the action never gets that kinky.

Both films are "directed" (so to speak) by one Fred J. Lincoln, whose apparent "legit" claim to fame is having appeared in Wes Craven's original Last House on the Left.  A look at his IMDB credits shows Mr. Lincoln must be the hardest working man in the porn industry, having cranked out many dozens of titles right up through today, including some with some name recognition such as Dallas Does Debbie the infamous 1970s flick The Defiance of Good that preceded the Traci Lords scandal when it was revealed that the movie's female lead, Jean Jennings, was under age.

I suppose that one's ability to wax nostalgic about porn movies very much depends upon your receptiveness to the genre itself, as well as the era in which you grew up.  Back in the pre-home video day, it was considered an upscale experience when a porn film was shot in 35mm. These "expensive" productions drew large audiences and sometimes played for years in the same theater. The quality still exceeds today's boring adult fare in the sense that, at least some degree of film making skill was required behind the camera. There are also some hints of production values, with occasional glimpses of opulent homes and settings. Probably the biggest difference between then and now is that the actors actually resembled real people in those days. There's an abundance of hair and sweat, but the cast members actually look real people, as opposed to the Botox and silicone-injected, indistinguishable robots who populate today's boring erotic videos.

There are no extras on the DVDs, which is too bad because it would be interesting to hear Fred J. Lincoln's insights on how the porn business has changed over the decades. Nevertheless, if you're not offended by these types of things, the Impulse releases will bring back some good (and naughty) memories.

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By Todd Garbarini

Poor Pretty Eddie is a bizarre concoction, the sort of movie that they just don't make anymore, and certainly not in the way in which this politically incorrect creation from 1974 was made. Released on DVD in 2006 with a fairly lousy and dark transfer, the film has been issued in a Blu-ray and DVD combo pack by the fine folks at HD Cinema Classics. Remastered in high definition by Film Chest, Inc. from a 35mm theatrical print, Poor Pretty Eddie concerns an African-American singer, Liz Weatherly (Leslie Uggams), who ends up stranded in the woods after her car breaks down and encounters a bizarre group of characters. Where is a cell phone when you need one? Due to the presence of the newly-built interstate (have you ever noticed how all of these characters’ ills are attributed to government highways?), the remote southern town that she stumbles across is on its last legs. It would be impossible to discuss this film without making a mention of John Boorman’s Deliverance made two years prior to it, and all of the backwoods redneck jokes that probably popped into the audiences’ minds while viewing the film.

Weatherly takes a room at an inn that is home to a group of show business wannabes, most notably Bertha (the always reliable nutcase Shelley Winters, fresh from her turns as Mrs. Armstrong, Auntie Roo and Helen Hill), Bertha’s lover Eddie (Michael Christian) who has patterned himself after Elvis and sees Bertha as his ticket to fame, Keno (Ted Cassidy) the handyman, and Sheriff Orville (Slim Pickens). Dub Taylor even shows up! The Charlie Williams Pinecrest Lodge in Athens, GA doubles as the inn (it was closed in early 2004) where 90% of the action was filmed. The film appears to have a look and feel that seems to almost be drug-induced, with a strange array of characters and big colors as part of the set design. It is an unpredictable hodgepodge of weirdness and must be seen to be believed.

Cinematographer David Worth provides a very interesting and entertaining commentary along with cult film historian Joe Rubin. Mr. Worth’s loquacity is matched only by his erudition of the film business, and for a film made nearly 40 years ago he speaks with tremendous flair and great recollection, despite his claims to the contrary. In the early 1970s, aspiring editors and directors generally cut their teeth in what was then known as the porn industry (now called the “adult film industry” – it has become more respectable I suppose!). They rarely had their names appear in the credits of such fair. Poor Pretty Eddie was no stranger to controversy, as it contains a rape scene involving Eddie and Liz; the scene juxtaposes images of dogs mating in slow motion. Make of that what you will!

The transfer is in high definition, although the print is not completely free of lines and scratches, particularly just after the head of the reel changes. This is a minor complaint, however.

In addition to the feature audio commentary, the package contains the following extras:

• - Theatrical Trailer
• - Production Stills
• - A historical essay
• - A neat postcard featuring the original poster art
• - A restoration demonstration

I personally love HD Cinema Classics. They package their films as a combo pak, which gives the viewer the opportunity to see that Blu-ray is definitely the way to go.

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