An unbelievable, unforgivable disco turkey that boasts head-turning production numbers (you’ll never think of “YMCA” the same way again), “Can’t Stop” has remained a cult favorite due to its inanity, but with good reason: the widescreen trappings, cast, and the scale of this Allan Carr production are on a higher level than comparable genre exercises like “Thank God It’s Friday,” with the plot and performances matching the overall level of crazy Walker was aspiring for.
Unfortunately for Carr, EMI (which produced the film) and Lew Grade’s Associated Film Distribution (which released it), “Can’t Stop The Music” was a box-office wipeout that came too late to the party. By the time of its 1980 release, disco was well on the way out the door, and this faux story about the formation of the Village People managed to sell some LPs but not nearly enough tickets to prevent it from dooming both the film as well as AFD and EMI’s film division.
“Can’t Stop The Music” looks and sounds snazzy via this dynamic 4K (2.35) SDR presentation, though it’s not a night/day enhancement over the previous Shout BD. Colors and details are fine though one can’t help but wonder how much “pop” HDR might’ve added to the image (and those costumes!). Audio options come in the same 5.1/2.0 tracks as the out of print Shout release, either doing a serviceable job conveying the film’s pleasingly wide stereophonic mix; that said there’s more bass in the 5.1 but slightly more clarity in the 2.0.
Extras are carried over from Shout’s disc, including a chatty commentary from veteran comedy writer Bruce Vilanch and Carr documentarian Jeffrey Schwarz which lays out the charms of the film and its behind-the-scenes struggle, while a lengthy interview with the Village People’s resident cowboy, Randy Jones, should be of chief interest to fans as it covers the group’s evolution and not just the film’s production. Kino’s UHD also includes a full run of trailers and TV spots, and is dedicated to the late Lee Gambin, whose voice adorns a new commentary track the label recorded here alongside Village People authority DJ Maynard.
NIGHTMARE BEACH 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (91 mins., 1988, Not Rated; Kino Lorber): Utterly ridiculous and quite entertaining 1988 Italian-made slasher brought Euro-exploitation auteur Umberto Lenzi (aka “Harry Kirkpatrick”) over to the U.S. for the tale of a motorcycle-riding madman dispensing Spring Breakers in south Florida. The death sequences are so over-the-top that the film isn’t overly gory, while the light plot from Lenzi and Vittorio Rambaldi offers Preppies and gangs getting into it, much to the consternation of cop John Saxon and medical examiner Michael Parks.
Kino Lorber’s stellar looking 4K UHD (1.85) follows their 2019 Blu-Ray, licensed through Studio Canal and reprised here in its full 4K glory (SDR). The English audio is clear across both 2.0/5.1 tracks (rechanneled mono) with Italian mixes also available and extras including a subtitled interview with composer Claudio Simonetti, a commentary from Samm Deighan, and the trailer.
If you’re looking for fun in the sun, some absurd deaths and a good time, “Nightmare Beach” is fast-moving and displays a surprisingly light touch given Lenzi’s prior works. A guilty pleasure!
TURBULENCE 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (100 mins., 1997, R; Kino Lorber): Off-the-charts silly thriller is set on a doomed flight where serial killer Ray Liotta manages to get out of his shackles and cause trouble for stewardess Lauren Holly and others on a cross-country trek from NYC to LA on Christmas Eve – and with a storm in-coming!
Rysher Entertainment didn’t have the best track record during their run of ‘90s theatrical features, rolling the dice not once but twice on Holly as a leading lady – a period of time that extended from “Dumb & Dumber” to, well, this movie. She’s completely unconvincing as an action heroine while the insane script by Jonathan Brett is overplayed by a cast giving bombastic performances under the direction of TV (and Disney) vet Robert Butler. At no point does “Turbulence” develop even the bare minimum “suspension of disbelief” standard the audience needs to effectively invest in the material. However, I won’t argue the movie doesn’t provide some (unintended) amusement, and is worth a gander for Liotta’s performance – likewise coming near the end of his above-the-title validity.
“Turbulence” was remastered by Paramount sporting a 4K scan (2.35) of the OCN that features Dolby Vision HDR support, resulting in one of Kino Lorber’s best UHD releases of the year visually, boasting ample detail and color; on the audio side, the 5.1/2.0 DTS MA soundtracks sport a by-the-numbers Shirley Walker score. Extras include a commentary by Butler, the trailer and radio/TV spots; a Blu-Ray (the movie’s first) is also included.
Also making its first appearance on home video since the VHS era is another film from Robert Butler: UNDERGROUND ACES (95 mins., 1981, PG; Kino Lorber), a would-be comedy involving a group of wacky characters who engage in misadventures parking cars underneath a Beverly Hills hotel. “Car Wash” might’ve been the model for this Filmways production, and the cast offers a goofy assortment of TV stars including “Battlestar Galactica”’s Dirk Benedict, “Welcome Back Kotter”’’s Robert Hegyes, and Frank “The Riddler” Gorshin; you also get a young Melanie Griffith, Audrey Landers, Jerry Orbach, T.K. Carter, Michael Winslow, and Ernie Hudson for good measure. Alas the movie is a labored affair that just isn’t funny, moving along at a quick pace but with little outside its cast to distinguish it. MGM’s 2K remaster (1.85, mono) looks good in Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray, with the soundtrack sporting a forgettable Commodores title track.
NARROW MARGIN 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (97 mins., 1990, R; Kino Lorber): Peter Hyams’ 1990 remake of the 1952 RKO thriller “The Narrow Margin” looks the part, offering a terrific cast and crisp action sequences, but ultimately succumbs to Hyams’ own script, which regrettably is one of his weakest.
In the midst of his prolific run of ‘80s/early ‘90s features, Gene Hackman plays an L.A. Deputy District Attorney attempting to put a mob boss behind bars. He finds the perfect outlet in Anne Archer, whose blind date (J.T. Walsh) turns out to be a mob attorney who’s rubbed out while Archer is watching. Alas, the mafia soon wants Archer dead, forcing Hackman – questioning even the motives of his own superiors – to take Archer on a speeding train through the Canadian Rockies.
A Carolco production that died at the box-office in September 1990, “Narrow Margin” boasts Hyams’ trademark use of widescreen and features a litany of superb character actors in support, from James B. Sikking (as a mob assassin) to M. Emmet Walsh and Harris Yulin. The director’s lensing of the train sequences is effective but the character element of the picture severely lags; Hyams’ dialogue could occasionally come off as heavy-handed and much of the interplay between Hackman and Archer is strained. The quips between all the characters, in fact, mostly come off as contrived, and ultimately there’s not much chemistry developed between the two leads, which the movie desperately needs for the audience to make an emotional investment in its outcome.
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD includes a SDR 4K transfer (2.35, 5.1/2.0 DTS MA) that offers fine detail and warm colors. Extras include an older Hyams commentary, a new commentary with Peter Tonguette, a few vintage EPK materials (brief cast interviews, featurette) and trailers. The Blu-Ray is also on-hand.
NO WAY OUT 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (114 mins., 1987, R; Kino Lorber): While a solid box-office hit back in the summer of ’87, “No Way Out” was never one of my favorite late ’80s thrillers. Still, this Orion release remains a favorite today for its steamy limo sex sequence between Kevin Costner and Sean Young – back when Sean’s cinematic appearances didn’t instantly have “Direct to Video” written all over them. This political-cum-spy thriller with a groaner of a twist ending offers Gene Hackman in one of his many performances in this genre during the time (making a prolific amount of movies for Orion especially), along with a stilted Costner essaying a naval commander sent to find a killer that doesn’t exist after Hackman’s mistress (guess who?) is killed by Hackman in a fit of rage. Maurice Jarre’s drab suspense-synth score is just about serviceable and director Roger Donaldson would go on to film other, better B-thrillers, but it’s the physical interplay between Costner and Young that made this movie famous, and it’s worth a look since all the true excitement occurs in the first 30 minutes. After that, the movie settles into a convoluted thriller formula that becomes increasingly unbelievable as it rolls along.
A new 4K master from the OCN (1.85) graces Kino Lorber’s UHD along with 5.1 and original 2.0 DTS MA audio options. The Dolby Vision HDR and fresh scan make for an appreciable upgrade on the old MGM master last seen in a Shout Blu release. Extras include a new commentary with Steve Mitchell and Richard Brewer plus an archival commentary by Donaldson. The accompanying Blu-Ray, also derived from the new 4K remaster, features an interview with the director.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (80 mins., 1956; Kino Lorber): Uneven new 4K edition of Don Siegel’s mid ‘50s sci-fi classic brings to the table a Dolby Vision HDR presentation of the movie’s original Superscope widescreen edition, while adding a 1.85 formatted alternate presentation that fans should welcome.
Siegel’s masterful piece of paranoia, adapted from Jack Finney’s story, served as a flexible allegory for whatever messaging the viewer brings to it (the loss of self; a commentary on communism, or McCarthyism), and has been released on multiple formats by as many labels. On Blu-Ray, Olive’s 2015 release remains the standout, but Kino Lorber’s UHD attempts to placate both 4K owners with its Dolby Vision HDR grading as well as a 1.85 framing not as “tight” as the Superscope 2:1 presentation.
The results are a bit of a mixed bag, from the image looking a little on the darker side of things, to details in the UHD that are mired by erratic encoding. The Dolby Vision presentation is certainly workable, but the enhancements over watching the movie’s brighter 1080p Blu-Ray rendition (especially the Olive disc) are debatable. Kino’s UHD also lacks the stereo “Percepta” sound from the Olive release, while including no less than four commentaries, two of which are new to this release: one from Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson, the other by Jason A. Ney. Carried over are two additional commentaries: an archival chat with stars Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter alongside Joe Dante, plus one from historian Richard Harland Smith – along with selected featurettes. These include a talk with Dante and Larry Cohen (“The Fear Is Real”); a retrospective of producer Walter Wanger; and “The Stranger In Your Lover’s Eyes” featurette.
ROCKY: THE ULTIMATE KNOCKOUT COLLECTION 4K UHD (MGM/Warner): Following last year’s UHD box-set of the first four “Rocky” films, MGM and Warner are back with a much more satisfying revisit of Sylvester Stallone’s franchise. This one adds “Rocky V” and “Rocky Balboa” in 4K, both for the first time, while offering assorted fixes to the first four UHDs they previously issued.
Since I’ve previously covered all of these films at one time or another (and most viewers are, by and large, more than familiar with them), here’s a quick synopsis of what you’ll find in this set:
The first ROCKY (119 mins., 1976, PG) is still the undisputed big draw here, debuting a 4K-mastered transfer of the Best Picture Oscar winner. This 4K presentation (1.85) was first seen in a 2014 Blu-Ray that, itself, was a substantially more detailed and satisfying presentation than an earlier, MPEG-2 encoded Blu-Ray issued early in the format. Here, the 4K transfer on UHD, graced with HDR10, looks pleasingly “filmic” and impressive. This new pressing also includes the correct theatrical mono audio (the original UHD’s mono was a fold down of the 5.1 track which features some new effects/alternately edited music cues).
ROCKY II (119 mins., 1979, PG) continued the story of Stallone’s Italian Stallion in a somewhat long-winded but generally satisfying sequel (the first half of which takes forever to get through). Again, the 4K transfer with HDR10 (1.85) is quite excellent and the audio is thankfully correct here – the previous UHD pressing offered it at a notably lower pitch than it should’ve been across both English audio tracks.
ROCKY III (99 mins., 1982, PG) was another massive smash for Stallone at the box-office, though its shortened running time emphasized montages and boxing action over character (a problem “Rocky IV” would magnify further). This fan-favorite outing is thankfully unblemished by audio problems (at least on the English mixes) in terms of its 5.1 track while the HDR10 UHD transfer (1.85) is dynamite.
ROCKY IV (91 mins., 1985, PG) found Rocky battling Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago in a 91-minute movie that looks, sounds, and plays like an extended music video from the heyday of MTV. The montages are pulse-pounding and it helps that the soundtrack is filled with memorable tunes, but dramatically, “Rocky IV” is the most superficial of the entire series, in spite of its box-office success. The HDR10 transfer is again superb and the 5.1 track is just fine, the mix doing justice to the lone series score not written by Bill Conti, as Stallone had tapped Vince DiCola, fresh off “Transformers: The Movie,” to write a more electronic – yet no less tuneful – underscore (note the previous UHD contained a slightly “misframed” scene that’s been adjusted back here to 1.85 from 1.78).
Stallone tried to address some of the fourth movie’s issues by recutting the picture in 2022 as ROCKY VS. DRAGO (94 mins., PG-13), that version debuting on streaming and likewise included here. There are some nice added character bits yet a few humorous asides have been trimmed – and what’s worse, Stallone cropped the entire movie to 2.35, with the cinematography feeling uncomfortably (and understandably) cramped as a result.
ROCKY V (104 mins., 1990, PG-13) attempted to bring Philadelphia’s favorite boxer back to his roots with a character-intensive story, penned by Stallone but directed (for the first time since the original picture) by John G. Avildsen. The movie doesn’t entirely work – and notably petered out at the box-office – but it still has its moments, along with a lovely Alan Menken-penned end credit song, “Measure of a Man,” performed by Elton John and effectively set to a montage of stills from previous series entries. Despite a much longer workprint that’s circulated online for years, “Rocky V” is only contained here in its theatrical version in another good-looking Dolby Vision HDR (1.85) presentation and 5.1/2.0 DTS MA sound.
ROCKY BALBOA (102 mins., 2006, PG) triumphantly brought Stallone’s most beloved character back to the screen in a moving, poignant story written and directed by the star himself. You can read my thoughts on the theatrical version here, and Warner’s UHD pairs that version with a new Director’s Cut (116 mins.) that premieres in this set. While most of the new material is scene extensions and arguably not integral to the material, the movie doesn't play as abruptly and flows more smoothly in this longer cut. Fans should appreciate it particularly, even if the compression and encoding of the 4K on this UHD (1.85, 5.1) is inferior to the other releases in this set, lacking expected levels of enhanced detail.
Warner’s UHD box-set is housed in a slipcase and also includes Digital HD copies plus a bonus disc featuring some – though not all – of “Rocky”’s previous bonus features (notably absent is the feature-length doc on the making of the first film). Despite the uneven transfer quality on “Rocky Balboa” especially, this is, overall, a superior effort to the first “Rocky” UHD set, correcting most of its shortcomings. Recommended this time with just a few reservations.
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS 4K UHD/Blu-Ray Steelbook (134 mins., 2013, PG-13; Sony): Exciting, suspenseful account of an American tanker, the Maersk Alabama, and its captain, Richard Phillips (a terrific Tom Hanks performance), after it’s taken over by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean debuts on 4K UHD at long last.
This searing thriller – adapted by Billy Ray from Phillips and Stephan Talty’s account of the event that made headlines around the world in 2009 – is one of director Paul Greengrass’ best films, detailing the escalating tension between the Somalis and their captain (excellently portrayed by Barkhad Abdi) as the emaciated pirates try to exact a ransom from their captives. Crisply edited and atmospherically shot by Barry Ackroyd, “Captain Phillips” is top-flight Hollywood filmmaking, anchored by Hanks’ performance and Greengrass’ involving direction.
Sony’s 4K UHD premieres “Captain Phillips” in a tip-top 4K presentation (2.40) with Dolby Vision HDR that improves upon its prior Blu-Ray with fine details and contrasts. Visually the film is marked by authentic filming on a Maersk tanker in Malta — there’s no CGI green-screening here – and the movie benefits enormously – that’s a real ship, that’s a real ocean, and the film’s authenticity is amped up as a result. The Dolby Atmos audio is effectively engineered while still spotlighting the movie’s weakest element – a cliched music score credited to Henry Jackman that reportedly had been rewritten by Hans Zimmer and numerous others.
A commentary with Greengrass and a comprehensive, hour-long “Capturing Captain Phillips” Making Of documentary (offering news footage of the actual event and interviews with the cast and crew plus Phillips himself) are carried over in Sony’s Steelbook package plus the earlier Blu-Ray and a Digital HD code.
RUN LOLA RUN 4K UHD (80 mins., 1998, R; Sony): Tom Tykwer’s German action-thriller is 80 minutes of pulse-pounding filmmaking, following red-haired Lola (Franka Potente, later of the “Bourne” films) as she tries to help boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) from certain death after he loses a mobster’s cash stash and has only 20 minutes to replenish it. Tykwer’s movie definitely fits the “adrenaline rush” moniker so many contemporary films have applied to it, mixing a variety of filmmaking styles and a techno score (composed by Tykwer with Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil) brilliantly. It’s style over substance, but “Run Lola Run” became an international phenomenon for that very reason. Sony’s 4K UHD (1.85) boasts HDR10 and enhances Tykwer’s visuals appreciably, the new Dolby Atmos sound offering some overhead immersion and a few extras — including commentary from Tykwer and Potente, the “Still Running” featurette, and a music video — carried over from the Blu-Ray. All-new extras include a 40-minute retrospective Making Of and a fresh commentary by Tykwer and editor Mathilde Bonnefoy.
IF 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (104 mins., 2024, PG; Paramount): Highly agreeable family comedy finds actor/director John Krasinski shifting gears from “A Quiet Place” to this pleasant tale of a young girl (Cailey Fleming) who has the unique ability to see the IF’s (Imaginary Friends) of others — including adults unaware they’re still hanging around. Krasinski’s film is worthwhile for kids and adults looking for something more heartfelt and less frenetic than Hollywood’s typical family fare, even if his script is a bit maudlin and complicated by drama involving Fleming’s ailing father (Krasinski himself). Fortunately Ryan Reynolds as a goodhearted neighbor perks up the material and it ends on a satisfying note to boot. Paramount’s lovely 4K UHD (1.85) includes Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio along with a gag reel, behind-the-scenes featurettes and a Digital HD code.
CIVIL WAR 4K UHD/Blu-Ray (109 mins., 2024, R; Lionsgate): Alex Garland’s latest is a “hot button” look at an America torn apart by a fascist President (Nick Offerman) whose third term and abolition of “Democracy” has led to “separatist” uprisings throughout the country. Into the fray come press members Kirsten Dunst and Wagner Moura, who end up on a road trip to D.C., charting the state of the fractured union – and getting into some harrowing situations – along with a young, aspiring photographer (Cailee Spaeny) who has yet to experience the reality of war and a grizzled news vet (Stephen McKinley Henderson) who has.
Garland’s work as a visual stylist is on full display here, with the director and cinematographer Rob Hardy capturing the nightmarish scenario of their “Civil War” in a hugely compelling visceral manner. Few directors working today capture a setting as Garland does here, often employing wide shots of the Mid-Atlantic countryside where the picture mostly takes place and then moving into his characters and their plight. It’s an effective tactic that fully captures the epic nature of the picture and also the beauty of our country, making the horrors seen in the picture all the more disturbing.
Alas, Garland’s script isn’t nearly as well articulated, the movie losing steam in its final act while introducing abrupt shifts in its protagonists without any explanation. This especially pertains to Dunst’s grizzled photographer, whose resolution Garland backs into with disappointing predictability; ditto for the formulaic arc of Spaeny’s naive young character. Dunst does a convincing job here in spite of the script’s lack of development, but her role’s abrupt shift very late in the movie is a serious problem, while other performances seem likewise affected by an undernourished screenplay – Moura’s broad performance particularly. One moment his supposedly experienced reporter acts like a teenager out for a joyride, the next he seems absolutely shocked when they’re tormented by an unhinged soldier (an uncredited Jesse Plemons, Dunst’s husband, in the movie’s most heavy-handed sequence).
“Civil War” ultimately is a disappointment dramatically (and don’t bother looking for detail on what caused its apocalyptic premise to play out, as the movie’s more a road trip than a political screed), yet there’s no doubt the picture’s visuals and direction alone make for a highly compelling view.
To that end, Lionsgate’s 4K UHD (1.85) captures Garland’s aesthetic brilliantly with a flawless Dolby Vision HDR transfer layered with lifelike color and contrasts. This is one of the top transfers of the year to date on home video, with Dolby Atmos sound offering a wide dynamic range to match. Extras include a six-part Making Of and the trailer, plus the Blu-Ray and Digital HD code.
On Blu-Ray
COLUMBO: THE RETURN Blu-Ray (Kino Lorber): When Richard Levinson and William Link created the irascible detective Columbo, the duo carved out a classic TV protagonist who solved, to a certain extent, an issue surrounding so many murder-mysteries: what if the suspense involved in its stories wasn’t surrounding who did the crime, but rather how Columbo solved it. With mysteries that were better able to dive into the reasoning for a killer’s motives and backstory – instead of formulaic plots that were entirely reliant on the viewer guessing who the killer might be – “Columbo” set a new standard for the genre on television.
Smart writing and the brilliant, idiosyncratic performance of Peter Falk as Columbo created an instant classic, with the first few NBC seasons of the series – its finest – collected last year in Kino Lorber’s “Columbo: The 1970s,” a terrific Blu-Ray box sporting 4K remastered transfers and hours of the best television the major networks had to offer.
Now Kino Lorber is back with “Columbo: The Return” which is comprised of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s ABC revival of the series, one that ran throughout the decade with increasingly sporadic broadcasts before concluding in 2003.
The shows kick off here with the Season 8 (1989) opener COLUMBO GOES TO THE GUILLOTINE guest starring Anthony Andrews and Anthony Zerbe; MURDER, SMOKE AND SHADOWS co-starring Fisher Stevens; SEX AND THE MARRIED DETECTIVE with Lindsay Crouse; and GRAND DECEPTIONS featuring Robert Foxworth.
Season 9 (1989-90) episodes feature MURDER, A SELF PORTRAIT with Fionnula Flanagan; COLUMBO CRIES WOLF guest starring Diedre Hall; Arthur Hill and Patrick McGoohan in AGENDA FOR MURDER; REST IN PEACE, MRS. COLUMBO featuring Roscoe Lee Browne, Ian McShane and Helen Shaver; Nancy Walker, Dick Sargent and James Read in UNEASY LIES THE CROWN, written by Steven Bochco; and Andrew Stevens and Brenda Vaccaro in MURDER IN MALIBU.
COLUMBO GOES TO COLLEGE is one of the best episodes from what’s labeled Season 10 (1990-2003), though these shows actually extend out to the end of “Columbo”’s production. The latter episodes include George Hamilton in CAUTION: MURDER CAN BE HAZARDOUS FOR YOUR HEALTH (1991); Dabney Coleman and Little Richard popping up in COLUMBO AND THE MURDER OF A ROCK STAR (1991); and DEATH HITS THE JACKPOT (1991), featuring Rip Torn.
Many “Columbo” fans took issue with the adaptation of an Ed McBain story in NO TIME TO DIE (1992), which deviates from the traditional framework of the series though, on its own merits, is still fairly entertaining. A BIRD IN THE HAND… (1992) gets back to basics with Tyne Daly and Greg Evigan guest starring, while Falk himself wrote IT’S ALL IN THE GAME (1993) featuring Faye Dunaway.
William Shatner returns to “Columbo” with an entertaining guest starring turn in BUTTERFLY IN SHADES OF GREY (1994) before UNDERCOVER (1994) tries “something different” by again inserting Columbo into another Ed McBain story that’s outside the typical narrative framework of the series.
Falk returned a year later for STRANGE BEDFELLOWS (1995) and then a two-year hiatus took place before he would reprise his iconic role in A TRACE OF MURDER (1997). Similarly lengthy gaps occurred between episodes ASHES TO ASHES (1998) with Patrick McGoohan; MURDER WITH TOO MANY NOTES (2001), a disappointing episode co-written by McGoohan and Jeffrey Cava, about a Hollywood composer who commits murder; and the final episode of the series, COLUMBO LIKES THE NIGHTLIFE (2003), sporting a young Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”).
These later shows are, by and large, not nearly as cohesively entertaining as the earlier run of Columbo, yet there are some gems sprinkled into the mix and, even at their low point, Falk’s performance always keeps you invested. Universal remastered the episodes in 4K and they are presented here in 16:9 (1.78) AVC encoded transfers that are nicely detailed and encoded. An episode guide and newly commissioned artwork again by Tony Stella concludes Kino’s “Columbo” Blu-Ray retrospective.
Severin New Releases
DANZA MACABRA Volume Three Blu-Ray (Severin): A quartet of atmospheric Spanish horrors, produced during the early to mid ‘70s and the end of the Franco regime, are paid tribute in Severin’s Blu-Ray box-set – the third volume in their “Spanish Gothic Collection.”
Things kick off with NECROPHAGOUS (87 mins., 1971), the heartfelt story of a scientist whose experiments with human cells leads to his own demise – and, ultimately, his reanimation as a hulking creature. Miguel Madrid’s minor outing might have some appeal to those who might’ve experienced it on the Creature Double Feature but it’s pretty listless for what it is (1.85, English dub and Spanish audio with English subtitles).
CAKE OF BLOOD (90 mins., 1971) is a genre anthology that was never distributed outside of Spain (which speaks to its quality), though it does have decent scope lensing (2.35, Spanish with English subtitles), while CROSS OF THE DEVIL (97 mins., 1974) finds Hammer veteran John Gilling heading to Spain. This one profiles a British writer seeking answers after his sister is murdered by a cult; the script is by genre fave Paul Naschy, who later disavowed the final product after engaging in litigation to get credit for it (1.85, Spanish with English subtitles).
Also known as “Strange Love of the Vampires,” THE NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD (88 mins., 1975) caps the set with a moodier, more melancholy tone as a sick young woman is drawn to a vampiric count (1.85, English and Spanish dubs, the latter with English subtitles).
All four movies were newly scanned from their original negatives with over eight hours of extras included in Severin’s box-set. These include, on “Necrophagous,” commentary by Andy Marshall-Roberts, a remembrance by Maria Pilar Rafales, and an appreciation by Angel Sala; “Cake of Blood” carries commentary by Rod Barnett and Adrian Smith, interviews with Marisa Paredes, Jaime Chavarri and Jose Lifante, and another appreciation with Sala; “Cross of the Devil” boasts a Kim Newman/Barry Forshaw commentary, interview with Juan Jose Porto, an appreciation from Sala, and a video essay on Gustavo Adolfo Becquer’s legacy; and “Night of the Walking Dead” includes commentary by Kat Ellinger, Sala’s appreciation, a video essay on Spain’s Cinematic Vampires, and interviews with Juan Jose Porto and Jose Lifante.
A pair of rarely-screened Sherlock Holmes productions also grace Severin’s roster this month.
In his one and only performance as Sherlock Holmes, Christopher Lee gives an appropriately gruff performance – in keeping with what Lee felt was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original conception – in SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE (86 mins., 1962). This reunion of Lee with Hammer’s Terence Fisher, who had directed the star in the studio’s sole Holmes outing “Hound of the Baskervilles,” is a workmanlike affair, a German production shot across Europe and reportedly plagued by production issues that led to reshoots after the Doyle’s estate refused to clear some scenes. Neither Fisher nor Lee were apparently happy with the end result, but it’s a curio still worth checking out for Holmes fans and aficionados of Lee/Fisher and their collaborations around this time.
Severin’s first authorized U.S. disc release of the film offers a detailed 1080p (1.66) B&W transfer scanned in 2K from the German negative with extras including Tony Dalton’s interview with Terence Fisher, a featurette with Dalton on the director, the trailer, and a fun commentary with Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw.
Lee’s co-star in that 1959 “Baskervilles,” Peter Cushing, filled the role of Sherlock Holmes and would do so again in a 1968 BBC SHERLOCK HOLMES (308 mins.) series that many felt had been lost to the ravages of time. Thankfully, six surviving episodes from the color series did survive, and Severin has remastered them via BBC “tape protection masters” (1.33) in their new Blu-Ray. Included here are a two-part “Hound of the Baskervilles” plus “A Study in Scarlet,” “The Blue Carbuncle,” “The Boscombe Valley Mystery” and “The Sign of Four,” each with Nigel Stock playing opposite Cushing as Dr. Watson.
Commentaries are included on all episodes by Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw, with episodes optionally available with the “BBC Countdown Clock,” an illustrated Cushing audio interview with David Stuart Davies, and missing episode clips with commentary from Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons.
Also New From Arrow
Independent Greek director Nico Mastorakis’ wide filmography has been tapped for selected Arrow releases over the years, and now the label is back with a half-dozen collected Mastorakis efforts in their six-disc Blu-Ray box-set THE NICO MASTORAKIS COLLECTION.
These titles, presumably, wouldn’t have sold as well individually so their merits are understandably uneven, yet for fans of the director, there are some gems included herein. The set kicks off with Mom Adrienne Barbeau trying to find out the identity of strange Keir Dullea in THE TIME TRAVELER (105 mins., 1984), paired together with the labored, way overlong, light college espionage comedy SKY HIGH (109 mins., 1985). “Love Boat”’s Ted Lange toplines the more entertaining TERMINAL EXPOSURE (104 mins., 1987), arguably the set’s highlight with its Hans Zimmer score and '80s "West Coast" soft rock tunes, while GLITCH (90 mins., 1988) finds Nico again in a more lighthearted mood involving hapless thieves who get involved with the mob after trying to stage a house party in a Hollywood home belonging to a producer who owes the thugs a serious debt. Things wrap up with even lighter fare: Mastorakis attempting a karate comedy with NINJA ACADEMY (93 mins., 1989) and paying homage to Billy Wilder (the last time you’ll hear that comparison) with his 1992 feature THE NAKED TRUTH (103 mins.).
All six movies look stellar (1.85, 2.0/5.1 DTS MA) from HD masters provided by the director himself, with a couple of nice scores provided by Stanley Myers and/or a young Hans Zimmer. Extra features include interviews with the director on each movie, trailers, a booklet, and attractive, new artwork by Colin Murdoch.
Also new from Arrow is a reissue of one of Howard Hawks’ later films, RED LINE 7000 (110 mins., 1965), a dated curio from the early days of NASCAR starring a young James Caan as a driven stock car racer in an ensemble cast that (mostly) didn’t go anywhere. Still, if you fancy cool ‘60s cars, Hawks’ filmography (of which this is a minor but not totally uninteresting entry), or Caan, “Red Line 7000” is worth a look. Arrow’s Blu-Ray is the movie’s first BD since an out-of-print Kino Lorber release, sporting a 1080p (1.85, mono) catalog master and that disc’s Nick Redman/Julie Kirgo commentary. New extras include a conversation with AD Bruce Kessler; visual essays by Howard S. Berger and Kat Ellinger; and extensive still galleries.
THE LAST KUMITE Blu-Ray (105 mins., 2024, Not Rated; Capelight/MPI): Martial arts favorites Billy Blanks, Kurt McKinney, and Cynthia Rothrock appear in director Ross W. Clarkson’s homegrown indie throwback about a karate champ (Mathis Landwehr) who, in order to save his kidnapped daughter, has to engage in an underground fighting ring. Capelight’s Blu-Ray (1.78, 5.1 DTS MA) includes a number of extras, from behind-the-scenes interviews and a featurette to teasers and a music video.
BACK TO BLACK Blu-Ray (123 mins., 2024, R; Universal): Biopic of British songstress Amy Winehouse and her rise to fame fits comfortably with other recent films in the genre, following a traditional narrative framework despite its subject’s individuality. Marisa Abela does a good job as Winehouse, whose battles with substance abuse ultimately led to her premature, tragic end; it’s obviously not an upbeat picture but Sam Taylor-Johnson captures her artistic talents, as well as the heartbreak, in a workmanlike feature now on Blu-Ray. Universal’s BD (1.85, 7.1 DTS MA) includes two featurettes, a director commentary, and Digital HD code.
NEXT TIME: ONCE AROUND on Blu-Ray! Until then, don’t forget to drop in on the official Aisle Seat Message Boards and direct any emails to our email address. Cheers!
