DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of July 17th, 2023

DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of July 17th, 2023
http://www.dvdbeaver.com

THIS WEEK's RELEASES: John Frankenheimer, Jean-Luc Godard in 4K, Abel Gance, John Cassavetes, more Martin Scorsese in 4K, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Henry Hathaway, Jack Smight, Robert Altman, Vadim Perelman, Budd Boetticher in 4K UHD, William Friedkin in 4K UHD...
THIS WEEK's CALENDAR UPDATES (NEW!): Nicolas Roeg in 4K, Mario Bava in 4K, more Orson Welles in 4K, more Brian De Palma in 4K, Jesús Franco, Oliver Stone in 4K, more Dario Argento in 4K, Katsuhito Ishii, Bo Widerberg, Wesley Ruggles, Robert Wise, Raoul Walsh, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Sam Peckinpah, Christopher Nolan, Film Noir Collections, Ida Lupino, Audie Murphy, René Clément, , Ernst Lubitsch, William Wyler, Paul Schrader, Louis Malle, Sydney Pollack, Jacques Deray, Rob Reiner in 4K, Black Emanuelle, Count Yorga, Fatal Femmes, Craig Brewer, Irwin Allen, Spielberg's first....
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: iconic westerns and Pasta westerns, sexy Neo Noir, a second adaptation of Nicholas Ray's They Live By Night by Altman, somebody has to take out the trash - may as well be the world's greatest assassin, a Nazi thinks he's learning Farsi...
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of July 17th, 2023 (Recommended titles have "**")

**52 Pick-Up** [Blu-ray] (John Frankenheimer, 1986) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: Greed! Extortion! Revenge! Based on the explosive bestseller by the great American crime writer, Elmore Leonard (Out of Sight), and with top-notch direction by legendary filmmaker John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin), 52 Pick-Up evokes the chilling reminder that if you have a lot, you have a lot to lose. Life is good for Los Angeles entrepreneur Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider, The Seven-Ups, Jaws)—great business, beautiful home and gorgeous wife (Ann-Margret, Viva Las Vegas, Carnal Knowledge). Just when Harry thinks he’ll land a seat on the city council, his life suddenly spins out of control when a trio of pornographers, led by the ruthless Alan Raimy (John Glover, Masquerade), shows up with a videotape of Harry in bed with his mistress (Kelly Preston, The Experts). And when Harry goes on the offensive and tries to pit one blackmailer against the other, the tension mounts—as does the possibility of murder. The stacked cast also features Vanity (Neon City), Clarence Williams III (Reindeer Games) and Doug McClure (At the Earth’s Core).
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**Audie Murphy Collection II** [Blu-ray] - Sierra (1950), Kansas City Raiders (1950), Destroy (1954) - Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: This collection features three western 1950s classics starring screen legend Audie Murphy...
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**Blonde Ice** [Blu-ray] (Jack Bernhard, 1948) Classicflix
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Society columnist Claire Cummings (Leslie Brooks) may have lawfully wed wealthy businessman Carl Hanneman (John Holland), but it’s obvious that she’s still carrying a torch for her ex-boyfriend and fellow newspaper colleague Les Burns (Robert Paige). Problems arise when Carl learns that his wife still has feelings for her old flame, and he declares his intention to divorce Claire and cut her off without a dime.
When Carl turns up dead, Claire’s tight alibi throws the police off her scent and allows her to rekindle her romance with Les, despite his (and his co-workers’) suspicion that she may be responsible for her husband’s murder. Incapable of warmth or gratitude, Claire soon steps out on Les and sets her sights on another rich conquest (Michael Whalen) who, odds are, doesn’t have long to live.
With striking good-looks and acting chops that rise well above the film’s B-noir pedigree, Leslie Brooks brings to life one of the most calculating and cold-hearted femme fatales in classic film history in her portrayal as Claire in Blonde Ice. Robert Paige and Michael Whalen co-star with solid support provided by James Griffith (in his film debut), Walter Sande, Emory Parnell, John Holland, Selmer Jackson, Mildred Coles, David Leonard and Russ Vincent (who later married Brooks in 1950—a union that lasted until his death in 2001).
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**Breathless [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Jean-Luc Godard, 1960) Criterion
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: There was before Breathless, and there was after Breathless. Jean-Luc Godard burst onto the film scene in 1960 with this jazzy, free-form, and sexy homage to the American film genres that inspired him as a writer for Cahiers du cinéma. With its lack of polish, surplus of attitude, anything-goes crime narrative, and effervescent young stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, Breathless helped launch the French New Wave and ensured that cinema would never be the same.
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**End of the World** [Blu-ray] (Abel Gance, 1931) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: End of the World (La Fin du Monde, 1931) is legendary director Abel Gance’s (Napoleon) first sound film, and France’s first all-talking feature. It is a multi-million-dollar super-production depicting an approaching apocalypse, presented in a 2K restoration from Gaumont. Following the discovery of a comet heading straight for the Earth, a scientist, helped by his brother, manages to unify all the nations of the world and have a Universal Republic proclaimed.
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**Gallivant** [Blu-ray] (Andrew Kotting, 1996) RB UK BFI
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: To gallivant, is, according to its dictionary definition 'to wander about, seeking pleasure or diversion', and this is just what artist turned filmmaker Andrew Kötting set out to do on this zig-zagging 6,000 mile trip around Britain's coastline.
Part home movie, part road movie, Kötting's riveting and eccentric film stars his 85-year-old grandmother Gladys - opinionated, bursting with anecdotes and contradictory reminiscences – and his eight-year-old daughter Eden. As the journey begins, the two are practically strangers, but by the end, 'Little Eden' and 'Big Granny' have struck up a warm bond, a relationship lent added poignancy by the fact that Eden has Joubert Syndrome, a condition that affects her speech and movement so she communicates through sign language.
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**Gloria** [Blu-ray] (John Cassavetes, 1980) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: The brilliant Gena Rowlands (A Woman Under the Influence, Opening Night) gives an Oscar-nominated performance (Best Actress, 1980) as an ex-gun moll and showgirl suddenly forced to protect a six-year-old kid in Gloria. Pioneering director and Rowlands’ partner, John Cassavetes (Faces, Husbands), known for his unique approach to filmmaking, creates a powerful, tension-filled story. An accountant (Buck Henry, Heaven Can Wait) is in possession of a ledger which could put a number of mob bosses behind bars for a long time. Before he is killed, however, he manages to entrust the ledger and his son to a neighbor, Gloria, for protection. Gloria reluctantly takes the kid on the run while keeping the mob at bay, sometimes at the point of a gun. Finally, tired of running, she decides to confront them head on!
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Jun'ya Satô's "Golgo 13" Blu-ray - Ken Takakura @Eurekavideo
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Jun'ya Satô's Golgo 13 was the first live-action movie based on the long-running Japanese manga series of the same name by Takao Saito since 1968. Details on our protagonist are sketchy to say the least:
“Name: Duke Togo Nickname Golgo 13
Nationality: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black
Occupation: Sniper”.
Golgo 13 is contracted to kill worldwide crime syndicate leader Boss Goa, lynchpin of an organization trafficking in drugs, weapons... and murder. It has a bit of James Bond in it with a super-evil villain type. The character, Golgo 13, has neo-noirish anti-hero tropes. Somebody has to take out the trash - may as well be the world's greatest assassin. There is a nostalgia component here in Golgo 13. Gritty 70's crime stories striving for rough-hewed realism and it could be viewed as campy. I enjoyed Eureka's Blu-ray; the film - although it took a while to get established - informative commentary, interview and booklet. I think I'll be watching this again.
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**Hugo [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Martin Scorsese, 2011) Arrow US
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Academy Award-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese directs this audacious adaptation of Brian Selznick’s award winning novel, a magical, mysterious adventure and an exhilarating ode to cinema itself.
Hugo Cabret is an orphan, living secretly in the walls of a Paris train station, tending to the many clocks, stealing what he needs to survive and hiding from the ruthless station inspector. But his clandestine life and precious secrets are threatened when he is caught thieving by the bitter old man who runs a toy booth at the station, and Hugo’s world becomes enmeshed with that of the shop owner and his bookish granddaughter. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father are all connected to a place where dreams are made.
A heartfelt love letter to the magic of moving pictures, Hugo is a triumph of imaginative movie making and a gift for film-lovers everywhere. This epic Arrow Video edition marks the film’s debut on stunning 4K UHD and comes packed with a bounty of new extras.
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The Iron Prefect [Blu-ray] (Pasquale Squitieri, 1977) Radiance UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Based on the true story of the Iron Prefect, Cesare Mori, who was sent to Sicily for an Eliot Ness-The Untouchables style clean up of the mafia. Mori approaches organised crime on the island with uncompromising force even in the face of mass murders designed to scare him off. Pasquale Squitieri (The Climber) directs this stunning period piece which won the David di Donatello award for best film and features spaghetti western icon Giuliano Gemma brilliantly playing against type as the titular hero, winning him an award for his performance at the prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Alongside Gemma are the cream of international film from the period with co-stars Claudia Cardinale (The Day of the Owl) and Francisco Rabal (Sorcerer), the key surveyor of Italy’s civic cinema screenwriter Ugo Pirro (The Working Class Goes to Heaven) and legendary composer Ennio Morricone (Once Upon a Time in America).
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Katsuhito Ishii Collection [Blu-ray] - Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl (1998), Promise of August 8 (1995), PARTY 7 (2000), Sorasoi (2008), Hello Junichi (2014) and Norioka Workshop (2022) - RB UK Third Window
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: A limited edition 3 disc digipack bluray set of 6 films from Japanese director Katsuhito Ishii covering his work from his debut Promise of August in 1995 to his latest Norioka Workshop in 2022. Featuring new, director approved masters (sourced from their original negatives) of Shark Skin Man, Party 7 and Promise of August.
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Land of the Pharaohs [Blu-ray] (Howard Hawks, 1955) Warner Archive
US PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Director Howard Hawks, who worked brilliantly in virtually every genre, shows his mastery of the large-scale epic with this gigantic production filmed on location in Egypt. Thousands of extras (9,787 in one scene alone!), magnificently detailed sets (including the pyramid’s inner labyrinth, booby-trapped so no one can learn its secrets and live) and vast desert vistas fill the screen and astonish the eye. There are also human-scaled stories. Of the Pharoah (Jack Hawkins) who orders the pyramid as his tomb, dooming untold numbers to unending toil. Of the architect (James Robertson Justice) designing it to earn his people’s freedom. Of the slaves constructing it of blood and sinew. And a beautiful queen (Joan Collins) whose greed leads to murder- and a stunning revenge!
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**The Last of Us The Complete First Season**
Blu-ray US
4K UHD UK
4K Steelbook UK
COMMENTS: In 2003, a parasitic fungal infection ravages the planet, turning humans into violent creatures known as the Infected. Twenty years later, hardened survivor Joel (Pedro Pascal) is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) out of an oppressive quarantine zone in hopes of delivering her to the rebel Fireflies. But what should be a quick job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they traverse a desolate U.S. – while depending on each other’s unique skills for survival. Created, written, and executive produced by Emmy winner Craig Mazin (HBO’s Chernobyl) and Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, this riveting series brings the acclaimed video game to life, painting a grim vision of the future of humanity – and the lives of those who would risk everything to save it.
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**Man on the Roof** [Blu-ray] (Bo Widerberg, 1976) RB UK Radiance Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Police officer Stig Nyman is murdered by an unseen assailant brandishing a bayonet. His colleagues Beck, Rönn and Kollberg pick up the case quickly, keen to solve the crime on one of their own. Investigating Nyman and drawing up a list of potential suspects leads the team to discover he was a lousy cop who abused his power with a history of brutality. As their search draws closer they are caught unaware by a rooftop assassin with a sniper rifle, picking off every cop he can. The Man on the Roof was adapted from the novel by celebrated writers Sjöwall and Wahlöö, whose Martin Beck character has been realised in multiple films and recent TV series Beck. Influenced by The French Connection's gritty vérité style, celebrated director Bo Widerberg created an incredible spectacle here that would become legendary in Sweden and remains the greatest crime film from the heart of Scandi noir.
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**Michael** [Blu-ray] (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1924) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Danish film master Carl Theodor Dreyer's Michael is a mature and visually elegant period romance that remains one of the earliest and most compassionate overtly gay-themed films in movie history. Based upon Herman Bang's 1902 novel, Dreyer's Michael refashions the classical Greek myth of Jupiter and Ganymede into a love triangle between an aging artist, Zoret (director Benjamin Christensen), his protagonist Michael (Walter Slezak, Lifeboat) and Princess Zamikoff (Nora Gregor, Rules of the Game), an aristocratic femme fatale as entranced by Michael’s youthful beauty as Zoret is. Co-written by Fritz Lang’s wife and collaborator Thea von Harbou (M, Metropolis), this intimate and compelling film possesses a bold level of emotional detail and depicts the twilight of a male-male romance with unusual daring and subtlety.
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Nevada Smith [Blu-ray] (Henry Hathaway, 1966) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: The dynamic screen presence of Steve McQueen (Hell is for Heroes, The Great Escape, The Hunter) is in full force in one of the iconic star’s best and most memorable westerns—Nevada Smith. Born in the 1890s to a Native American mother and a white father during the California gold rush, Nevada Smith (McQueen) has his life turned upside down after he finds that his parents have been murdered by vicious killers. He becomes a lone gunslinger, blinded by his compulsion for revenge, and will stop at nothing to show the killers his own brand of justice. Produced and directed by western great Henry Hathaway (Rawhid, True Grit, Shoot Out), Nevada Smith surrounds McQueen with breathtaking landscapes (courtesy of cinematographer Lucien Ballard, The Wild Bunch) and standout supporting actors like Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy, Suzanne Pleshette, Raf Vallone, Janet Margolin, Howard Da Silva, Pat Hingle, Paul Fix, Gene Evans and Martin Landau.
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Number One with a Bullet [Blu-ray] (Jack Smight, 1987) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Billy Dee Williams (Nighthawks, Return of the Jedi) is Hazeltine, a smooth and sophisticated narcotics detective. Robert Carradine (The Long Riders, Revenge of the Nerds) is Barzak, Hazeltine’s hot-tempered and not-so-suave partner. Their humor hits as hard and fast as their fists, and they never miss in the lawless world of killer drugs. Then, suddenly, Hazeltine and Barzak are stopped cold. When a key witness escapes while in their custody, the partners are sentenced to the unthinkable—desk jobs. So Hazeltine and Barzak decide it’s time to take the law into their own hands. Their L.A. manhunt takes them from dark alleys and seedy nightclubs to luxurious mansions filled with every imaginable pleasure. And when they discover that their most deadly enemy may be another cop, they’d better find out who—and fast. Number One with a Bullet is an edge-of-your-seat adventure for every fan of action, suspense and comedy, from director Jack Smight (Harper), co-writer James Belushi (Red Heat) and legendary producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus (52 Pick-Up), with co-stars Valerie Bertinelli (C.H.O.M.P.S.), Peter Graves (TV’s Mission: Impossible) and Doris Roberts (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three).
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O.C. and Stiggs [Blu-ray] (Robert Altman, 1985) Radiance UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: O.C. and Stiggs are a pair of sharp teens who carry out a vendetta against middle-class neighbour Mr. Schwab as his insurance company has cancelled O.C’s grandfather’s retirement policy. From characters created by Ted Mann and Tod Carroll of the National Lampoon (the magazine that ushered in the biggest comedy of the era in Animal House), Robert Altman brought O.C. and Stiggs to the screen, a blazing satire of 1980s America. A precursor to delinquent characters like Wayne and Garth and Beavis and Butthead the film has been described as “cooler than Ferris. As savage as Heathers” (Hunter Stephenson). Beautifully shot with visual anarchy to match its acerbic screenplay, O.C. and Stiggs features a sensational cast including Jane Curtin (Third Rock From the Sun), Paul Dooley (Sixteen Candles), Jon Cryer (Hot Shots!), Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet), Melvin Van Peebles (Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song) and others, presented on Blu-ray for the first time.
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**Vadim Perelman's "Persian Lessons"** Blu-ray - Nahuel Pérez Biscayart @CohenMediaGroup @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Vadim Perelman's Persian Lessons was partially inspired by the German writer Wolfgang Kohlhaase in his short story Erfindung einer Sprache. The 'faux' Farsi language used in Persian Lessons was fabricated by a Moscow State University Professor who based the vocabulary on the real documented names of Holocaust victims. I loved Perelman's House of Sand and Fog, and I quite liked Persian Lessons... and maybe his The Life Before Her Eyes less so. He is a director known for being selective in his project choices. The Cohen Media Group Blu-ray has the engaging film, if bare-bones is absolutely recommended.
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**"The Tall T"** (The Ranown Westerns: Five Films Directed by Budd Boetticher) 4K UHD - Randolph Scott @Criterion
US PURCHASE LINK (50% OFF)
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: My Boetticher adoration runs deep and I actually still own his leather satchel bag. I purchased it off eBay ... outbidding another chap named... Boetticher! It contains photos of the director with Martin Scorsese and also Budd's passports. I tried to sell it once but the other party backed-out. I love having it around.
Budd Boetticher once said: “I became a western director because they thought I looked like one and they thought I rode better than anyone else," said Boetticher later. "And I didn’t know anything about the west.” Criterion's 4K UHD release of The Ranown Westerns was a wonderful surprise to film fans. They are recognized, decades after there releases as pure and 'iconic' examples of the 'pioneering west' genre. Boetticher never got his deserved accolades during his career stating "I'm the only director in the world who ever went from a Rolls Royce to a bus." The Tall T had a fabulous supporting cast with Richard Boone (who appeared in over 50 films, many Westerns, including his starring role in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel), Henry Silva (The Manchurian Candidate and a oft-seen staple of international genre cinema), Maureen O'Sullivan ('Jane' in the Tarzan series of films) and Arthur Hunnicutt, - recognizable for his portrayal of wise, grizzled, western characters. These Ranown Westerns are some of the most re-watchable films that I own. Of course this set is recommended.
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**Robert Altman's "Thieves Like Us"** Blu-ray - Shelley Duvall / Keith Carradine @FilmsRadiance
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Robert Altman's Thieves Like Us was largely shot on location in Mississippi and uses may unprofessional actors as extras. It uses the same source novel, by Edward Anderson, as Nicholas Ray's 1948 classic Noir They Live by Night with Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell. The title comes from the statement by bank robber named T-Dub Masefeld (Bert Remsen) that bankers are 'thieves just like us.' The Radiance Blu-ray is easily the best edition available with superior a/v and a host of extras including the original Altman commentary and new video pieces, plus radio plays, original poster and limited edition booklet. Altman fans should buy with extreme confidence.
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**To Live and Die in L.A. [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (William Friedkin, 1985) Kino
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BEAVER Blu-ray COMPARISON
COMMENTS: William Petersen (Manhunter, TV’s CSI) and Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Mississippi Burning) face off in a deadly game of cat and mouse in this riveting action-thriller directed by cinema legend William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist, Sorcerer). Full of style and grit, this raw tale of corruption and revenge boasts one of the most harrowing car chases ever caught on film and a shockingly explosive ending. Federal agent Richard Chance (Petersen) has a score to settle, and he’s through playing by the rules. Whether that means blackmailing a beautiful parolee, disobeying direct orders or hurtling the wrong way down a crowded freeway, he vows to take down a murderous counterfeiter (Dafoe) by any means necessary. But as the stakes grow higher, will Chance’s dark obsession with vengeance destroy him? The ultimate ’80s neo-noir, To Live and Die in L.A. features John Pankow, Debra Feuer, John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel and Dean Stockwell, with cinematography by Robby Müller (Paris, Texas) that captures the City of Angels from the trendy elegance of Rodeo Drive to the seedy, neon glow of Hollywood.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES (CLICK TITLES FOR MORE INFORMATION):

July 17th, 2023

**Blonde Ice** (Jack Bernhard, 1948) Classicflix

**Gallivant** (Andrew Kotting, 1996) RB UK BFI

Katsuhito Ishii Collection - Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl (1998), Promise of August 8 (1995), PARTY 7 (2000), Sorasoi (2008), Hello Junichi (2014) and Norioka Workshop (2022) - RB UK Third Window

**Man on the Roof** (Bo Widerberg, 1976) RB UK Radiance Films
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July 24th, 2023

Broadway Melody (Harry Beaumont, 1929) Warner Archive

**Cimarron** (Wesley Ruggles, 1931) Warner Archive

Du Barry Was a Lady (Roy Del Ruth, 1943) Warner Archive

**The Fastest Gun Alive** (Russell Rouse, 1956) Warner Archive

**Helen of Troy** (Robert Wise, Raoul Walsh, 1956) Warner Archive

**The Last Time I Saw Paris** (Richard Brooks, 1954) Warner Archive
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July 31st, 2023

**The Big Lebowski 4K UHD** (Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, 1998) Universal Pictures
OUR REVIEW

**Cross of Iron** (Sam Peckinpah, 1977) RB UK Studiocanal
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

F/X / F/X2 (Robert Mandel, 1986 / Richard Franklin, 1991) Kino
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Following** (Christopher Nolan, 1998) RB UK 101 Films
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW
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August 7th, 2023

**Enter the Dragon 4K UHD** (Robert Clouse, 1973) UK Warner Bros
Blu-ray COMPARISON

**Film Noir Collection Vol. 3** - Calcutta (1946), In Ride the Pink Horse (1947), Outside the Law (1956) and The Female Animal (1958) - Arrow

A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (Tonino Valerii, 1972) RB UK Signal One
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Strangers in the House** (aka Les Inconnus dans la Maison) (Henri Decoin, 1942) Kino

**Outrage** (Ida Lupino, 1950) Kino
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August 14th, 2023

Audie Murphy Collection III (Hell bent Foir Leather, Posse From Hell, Showdown) Kino

**The Day and the Hour** (René Clément, 1963) Kino

The Doll / I Don't Want to Be a Man (Ernst Lubitsch) Kino

The English Surgeon (Geoffrey Smith, 2007) UK Second Run

**Is Paris Burning?** (René Clément, 1966) Kino

**Roman Holiday 4K UHD** (William Wyler, 1953) Paramount UK
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August 21st, 2023

**Coma** (Michael Crichton, 1978) Kino
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Hardcore** (Paul Schrader, 1979) Kino
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Pretty Baby** (Louis Malle, 1978) Kino

The Skyhawk (Chang-hwa Jeong, 1974) RB UK Eureka

**Three Into Two Won't Go** (Peter Hall, 1969) Kino
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August 28th, 2023

**Monk: The Complete First Season** - Kino

**Three Days of the Condor** (Sydney Pollack,1975) Kino
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Time Bandits 4K UHD** (Terry Gilliam, 1981) Arrow UK
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September 4th, 2023

Black Circle (Adrian Garcia Bogliano, 2018) Synapse Films

Borsalino (Jacques Deray, 1970) Arrow US

Night of the Comet 4K UHD (Thom Eberhardt, 1984) Shout! Factory

**The Princess Bride 4K UHD** (Rob Reiner, 1987) Criterion

The Sensual World of Black Emanualle Collector's Set (15 Discs, 24 Feature Films, 2 Soundtrack Compilation CDs, 40+ Hours of Special Features, 356-Page Book) Severin Films
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September 11th, 2023

Between Two Worlds (Emmanuel Carrère, 2021) Cohen Media

**The Count Yorga Collection** Count Yorga, Vampire, & The Return of Count Yorga - Arrow
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

Fatal Femmes: Neige (1981) + The Bitch (1984) Fun City

Flowers in the Attic (Jeffrey Bloom, 1987) Arrow US
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

**Hustle & Flow 4K UHD** (Craig Brewer, 2005) Paramount UK

**Irwin Allen: Master of Disaster Collection** (Flood! / Fire! / Beyond the Poseidon Adventure / Hanging by a Thread / When Time Ran Out... / Cave-In! / The Night the Bridge Fell Down) Shout! Factory

Magnum Cop (Poliziotto Senza Paura) (Stelvio Massi, 1978) Kino

The Pack (Robert Clouse, 1977) Shout! Factory

The Prodigal Son (Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, 1981) Arrow US

**Walkabout 4K UHD** (Nicolas Roeg, 1971) Criterion
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September 18th, 2023

**Blood and Black Lace** (Mario Bava, 1964) Arrow UK
4K UHD
Blu-ray
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

Brief Encounters (Kira Muratova, 1967) RB UK Studiocanal

The Dead Mother (Juanma Bajo Ulloa, 1993) Radiance Films
US Blu-ray
UK Blu-ray

Long Farewells (Kira Muratova, 1971) RB UK Studiocanal

**Scream and Scream Again** (Gordon Hessler, 1970) RB UK Radiance Films
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

She Shoots Straight (Corey Yuen, 1990) RB UK Eureka

**The Trial** (Orson Welles, 1962) Criterion
4K UHD
Blu-ray
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW
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September 25th, 2023

La Bamba (Luis Valdez, 1987) Criterion

**Carlito's Way 4K UHD** (Brian De Palma, 1993) Arrow US
US 4K UHD
UK 4K UHD

The Girl from Rio 4K UHD (Jesús Franco, 1969) Blue Underground

Lorenza Mazzetti Collection (The Country Doctor, K. Together, Together with Lorenza Mazzetti) RB BFI

Moonage Daydream (Brett Morgen, 2022) Criterion
4K UHD
Blu-ray

**Natural Born Killers 4K UHD** (Oliver Stone, 1994) Shout! Factory

**Piccadilly** (Ewald André Dupont, 1929) Milestone Films

The Psycho Collection Limited Edition (Psycho, Psycho II, Psycho III and Psycho IV) Arrow
UK 4K UHD
UK Blu-ray

Storied of a Cloistered Nun (Domenico Paolella, 1973) Severin

**Tenebre 4K UHD** (Dario Argento, 1982) Synapse Films

**Touch of Evil 4K UHD** (Orson Welles, 1958) UK Masters of Cinema

**Universal Noir #2** (Lady on a Train, Time Out of Mind, Singapore, A Woman's Vengeance, An Act of Murder and The Lady Gambles) RB UK Indicator
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October 23rd, 2023

**The Horrible Dr Hichcock** (Riccardo Freda, 1962) RB UK Radiance Films
ALT-DVDBEAVER REVIEW

Visible Secret (Ann Hui, 2001) Radiance Films
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November 13th, 2023

**Duel 4K UHD** (Steven Spielberg, 1971) Universal UK
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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

**"The Tall T"** (The Ranown Westerns: Five Films Directed by Budd Boetticher) 4K UHD - Randolph Scott @Criterion
US PURCHASE LINK (50% OFF)
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: My Boetticher adoration runs deep and I actually still own his leather satchel bag. I purchased it off eBay ... outbidding another chap named... Boetticher! It contains photos of the director with Martin Scorsese and also Budd's passports. I tried to sell it once but the other party backed-out. I love having it around.
Budd Boetticher once said: “I became a western director because they thought I looked like one and they thought I rode better than anyone else," said Boetticher later. "And I didn’t know anything about the west.” Criterion's 4K UHD release of The Ranown Westerns was a wonderful surprise to film fans. They are recognized, decades after there releases as pure and 'iconic' examples of the 'pioneering west' genre. Boetticher never got his deserved accolades during his career stating "I'm the only director in the world who ever went from a Rolls Royce to a bus." The Tall T had a fabulous supporting cast with Richard Boone (who appeared in over 50 films, many Westerns, including his starring role in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel), Henry Silva (The Manchurian Candidate and a oft-seen staple of international genre cinema), Maureen O'Sullivan ('Jane' in the Tarzan series of films) and Arthur Hunnicutt, - recognizable for his portrayal of wise, grizzled, western characters. These Ranown Westerns are some of the most re-watchable films that I own. Of course this set is recommended.
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**Blood Money: Four Western Classics Vol. 2** Limited Edition Blu-ray Gianni Garko / Jeffrey Hunter @ArrowFilmsVideo
$10,000 Blood Money (1967), Vengeance is Mine (1967), Find a Place to Die (1968) and Matalo! (Kill Him) (1970)
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Deeply ensconced 'Pasta Western' genre flics directed by Romolo Guerrieri (The Sweet Body of Deborah,) Giovanni Fago (assistant director for, the likes, of Vittorio De Sica, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Lucio Fulci), Giuliano Carnimeo (The Case of the Bloody Iris) and Cesare Canevari (his films ranged to noir, Nazisploitation, Spaghetti Western, giallo and melodrama.) The stars include Gianni Garko (The Complete Sartana), Loredana Nusciak (Django), Claudio Camaso (A Bay of Blood), Claudie Lange (in a large number of Italian genre films), Jeffrey Hunter (Gun For a Coward), Pascale Petit (Four Times That Night), Lou Castel (Requiescant aka "Kill and Pray") and Ana María Mendoza. The films aren't at the level of Volume One but they are filled with machismo, genre-themed plots involving goldmine claims, outcast soldiers, gratuitous vengeful violence, a mysterious ghost town, a bounty hunter, beautiful pioneering gals and fulfilling a mother's dying wish. These are housed on individual Arrow Blu-rays with exceptional a/v plus commentaries, hours of impressive supplements, an illustrated collector’s booklet, poster and more. Hours of delightful Spaghetti western adventure infused with easily identifiable style. Absolutely recommended!
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**Vadim Perelman's "Persian Lessons"** Blu-ray - Nahuel Pérez Biscayart @CohenMediaGroup @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Vadim Perelman's Persian Lessons was partially inspired by the German writer Wolfgang Kohlhaase in his short story Erfindung einer Sprache. The 'faux' Farsi language used in Persian Lessons was fabricated by a Moscow State University Professor who based the vocabulary on the real documented names of Holocaust victims. I loved Perelman's House of Sand and Fog, and I quite liked Persian Lessons... and maybe his The Life Before Her Eyes less so. He is a director known for being selective in his project choices. The Cohen Media Group Blu-ray has the engaging film, if bare-bones is absolutely recommended.
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Jun'ya Satô's "Golgo 13" Blu-ray - Ken Takakura @Eurekavideo
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Jun'ya Satô's Golgo 13 was the first live-action movie based on the long-running Japanese manga series of the same name by Takao Saito since 1968. Details on our protagonist are sketchy to say the least:
“Name: Duke Togo Nickname Golgo 13
Nationality: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black
Occupation: Sniper”.
Golgo 13 is contracted to kill worldwide crime syndicate leader Boss Goa, lynchpin of an organization trafficking in drugs, weapons... and murder. It has a bit of James Bond in it with a super-evil villain type. The character, Golgo 13, has neo-noirish anti-hero tropes. Somebody has to take out the trash - may as well be the world's greatest assassin. There is a nostalgia component here in Golgo 13. Gritty 70's crime stories striving for rough-hewed realism and it could be viewed as campy. I enjoyed Eureka's Blu-ray; the film - although it took a while to get established - informative commentary, interview and booklet. I think I'll be watching this again.
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**Dennis Hopper's "The Hot Spot"** Blu-ray - Don Johnson @FilmsRadiance
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Radiance Films, in the UK, have transferred Dennis Hopper's Neo-Noir The Hot Spot to Blu-ray. Kino released the film on Blu-ray in 2021. This Radiance Films transfer is said to be a "2K restoration by Kino Lorber, overseen and approved by cinematographer Ueli Steiger". The HD presentations are very similar - the UK edition may be slightly brighter but many would be hard-pressed to identify the negligible disparity in-motion. It is, likewise, on a dual-layered disc with a very high bitrate. Radiance utilize a linear PCM 2.0 channel track - no surround bump option. My ears couldn't distinguish much difference. It, also, offers optional English (SDH) subtitles but the Radiance Blu-ray is Region 'B'-locked.
So, the differences are largely in the supplements. The UK version does not have the Reesman commentary but does repeat the interviews with Virginia Madsen (Fire With Fire) and highly recognizable actor William Sadler (The Shawshank Redemption, The Mist) recollecting the production. Radiance augment their extras with a brief archival interview with Dennis Hopper who discusses The Hot Spot, Nick Dawson on Dennis Hopper and The Hot Spot, a new (2023) interview with the editor of Dennis Hopper: Interviews, plus 20-minutes with Duane Swierczynski on Charles Williams’ source novel, the crime writer and expert looks at the adaptation and provides a background of the author. There are a number of trailers strung together. The Radiance Blu-ray package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and new artwork by Time Tomorrow and a limited edition booklet featuring new writing by critics Elena Lazic on the film; Leslie Byron Pitt on the erotic thriller genre and the film’s place within it; and an archival piece on the film featuring an interview with Hopper by RJ Smith.
Dennis Hopper's The Hot Spot is fabulous and sexy Neo-Noir. I loved every minute of it. There is a definite Noir homage vibe supported by Hopper and the excellent Radiance Blu-ray a/v that is also stacked with the new interviews and booklet. Wonderful stuff. Absolutely recommended!
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**Robert Altman's "Thieves Like Us"** Blu-ray - Shelley Duvall / Keith Carradine @FilmsRadiance
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR COMPARISON
COMMENTS: Robert Altman's Thieves Like Us was largely shot on location in Mississippi and uses may unprofessional actors as extras. It uses the same source novel, by Edward Anderson, as Nicholas Ray's 1948 classic Noir They Live by Night with Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell. The title comes from the statement by bank robber named T-Dub Masefeld (Bert Remsen) that bankers are 'thieves just like us.' The Radiance Blu-ray is easily the best edition available with superior a/v and a host of extras including the original Altman commentary and new video pieces, plus radio plays, original poster and limited edition booklet. Altman fans should buy with extreme confidence.
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DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of July 17th, 2023