Hey folks, Harry here… Man – there’s some great titles this week – lots of good Halloween stuff hitting Blu Ray! And just great films in general. As always the titles and boxes are clickable to the Amazon page where you can learn more – or – you can purchase the item, which results in a small percentage of the purchase going to support this continuing column. Here ya go – lots of great stuff…

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (Blu Ray)

Easily one of the greatest Fantasy films of all time – and here it is with a beautiful Blu-Ray treatment and filled to the brim with extras. I opened the box this came in, instantly unwrapped it and had it in my Blu Ray player faster than any release I’ve ever received. 7th Voyage and Harryhausen specifically… Well, they’re a code word for a certain age of film fan. Technically, I should be a bit young for the Harryhausen collective, but I caught the last wave… Seeing Golden Voyage, Eye of the Tiger and Clash of the Titans all on the first run. And love them all. But my parents and all of their friends were Harryhausen junkies and they passed that on in spades. For that group, knowing the incantation you say when you rub the genie’s lamp… that must be a part of permanent memory, but for extra credit, knowing the Promise of Freedom that was written on the interior of the genie’s lamp… Early nursery rhyme for me.

The only flaw with the film is the grain of the film stock, which was the best they had at the time, but it isn’t as tight a grain as many are used to. The sound is stunning and the extras are wonderful. In particular – I love the commentary. This is a great release. However, don’t click the above link just yet…

RAY HARRYHAUSEN COLLECTION ( 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH / EARTH VS FLYING SAUCERS / IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA / 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD ) BLU-RAY!!!

Because why buy one great Harryhausen film, when you can purchase 4 at a savings? That’s right, you get those great flying saucers, Ymir, that 5 armed Octopus that attacked San Francisco – and the creatures of Sinbad’s seventh voyage. Now – 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD was always in stunning Technicolor, but the other 3 films were in glorious Black & White. They still are, but there’s also the option of watching them in Ray Harryhausen supervised color saturation. Having seen the films… approximately infinite amounts of time in Black & White, I checked the colorized versions… You can really tell that Ray’s color aesthetic is at play. – I’m cool with this – only because I have the option of seeing it in its original look. As Ray says, had they had the money to do color, they would have. But they have the decency to give us the original. Each disc is loaded with extras. This is the best value for you Blu Ray Harryhausen fans!

RAY HARRYHAUSEN GIFT SET

For those of you without the wonders of Blu Ray exhibition – here’s how to pick up 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH, EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS and IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA. Not only do you get those wonderful films, but you get a great YMIR to cuddle with! Ain’t that sweet?

SLEEPING BEAUTY (2 Disc Blu Ray)

You know… I get all the Disney Blu Rays early. Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana… good stuff too, like the NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN releases. But do I get a chance to tell you how breathtakingly awesome the new release of SLEEPING BEAUTY is? Sadly, no. I am going out tomorrow to discover the inevitable wonders that await all of us that pick up Disney’s first Platinum Edition Blu Ray. There’s 2 Blu Ray discs of content, plus a bonus DVD of SLEEPING BEAUTY – that’ll play in all your DVD devices. Other than that, don’t know a thing.

THE SIMPSONS – 11th Season

You know whether or not you’re interested in the 11th Season of the SIMPSONS – fact is, it’s one of the great television series live action or animated – and that’s just a simple reality. This was the season where FUTURAMA mined much of the talent behind the Simpsons. However, instead of dying – the show got its second wind and it’s currently on its 19th season. God, can that be right? Eeek, it's actually on its 20th season - a fifth of a century. Fuck. That's a lot of drawings.

30 ROCK: Season 2

I got sent this box set and had no real intention of watching any of them. However, the recent brilliant performance of Tina Fey as Sarah Palin has made me curious to check this show out. She’d lost me with BABY MAMA, but these recent days… had me completely reconsider, and the word has been incredibly strong on this show since it came out. I’m gonna give it a shot.

THE THREE STOOGES COLLECTION, Vol 4: 1943-1945

This set has the last of the great Curly shorts, his health went down the gutter after 1945 – and sadly you could actually tell, but here – here he’s great. In particular on this set, my faves deal with WWII - There’s just something about wartime stooge antics that gets me. I can’t wait to collect all of these, they’ve done a great job with each of these volumes.

THE HAPPENING

This is an embarrassingly awful bad movie. So bad, that it is unintentionally hilarious. I really can’t believe how bad this movie is. Seriously. What The Fuck Happened? It’s unbelievably inept. View with this knowledge and you might get some enjoyment out of it.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – The Fifth TV Season

This is when Mission Impossible got groovy as hell. Some folks hate it. As the series became quite different, but – I love Lesley Ann Warren and Sam Elliott… I love the theme ‘change’ - I love the gadgets and the series was never better or more fun. Great season!

ROBOT CHICKEN: Season Three

Here’s another 20 hilarious episodes of ROBOT CHICKEN! I don’t know, maybe it is just that I’m a Stop Motion junkie, but I love this series to death. But frankly, I never can remember when Robot Chicken is on, so these season sets are a life saver!

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (Blu Ray)

One of the greatest comedies ever, especially for those of us that love the Universal Monster Series! Can you here “Putting on the Ritz” and not think of this film? We lost Peter Boyle – which sucked awfully bad – his Monster was bliss. In fact everything about this movie is bliss – and it is gorgeous in BluRay. This is when the apes in the peanut gallery, begin to bitch about why watch a Black & White film in Blu Ray – and you have to explain how whether or not a film has color, it has a massive difference in resolution that is every bit as obviously seen when witnessed at 1080p. But the real jewel is that this isn’t merely a parody film, it is THE PARODY FILM. The incompetents behind every fly buzzing turd of a parody film of the last 15 years… they miss the entire point. You still have to tell a story, made up of characters and build the humor from there. Then, within that – play with the genre lovingly – and that’s exactly what they did here. The film is beyond great. Fantastic BluRay. Must Own!

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

Oh – here’s one of the GREAT ones! I was led to this film quite early in life, as I love PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE and my dad let me know that Swan was a satire of someone named Dorian Gray – shortly thereafter, he recorded it off of TBS and I got my first dose of Oscar Wilde’s brilliant story – This film is truly great – it won an Oscar for Cinematography and frankly, anyone with the slightest neuron firing would have given George Sanders an Oscar for his role. Seriously – he’s brilliant. Also worthy of greatness is an impossibly young and hot Angela Lansbury. The film has been a long time in coming to DVD, let’s hope it doesn’t take much longer for it to hit Blu Ray.

BEETLEJUICE (20th Anniversary) Blu Ray

I love having this film in Blu Ray – but dammit, the only extras are 3 episodes of the animated series? I like the animated series, but this is a 20th Anniversary edition… where’s the commentary by Burton? Where’s the documentary or behind the scenes features. That said – it’s a great film in a great format, but it isn’t nearly the disc this film deserves or that we do.

YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN

I literally just got finished watching this. Right before I put in my Blu Ray of SWEENEY TODD. I figured two absurdist hair salon films in a row would make for a good night. I’d heard nothing but terrible things about YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN – but ya know what – I couldn’t help myself – I laughed and enjoyed the film. It’s all about leaving the conflict of Israel and the West Bank to pursue your dreams, instead of mindless eye for an eye bloodshed. I know, this is a serious issue – but it is mindless insanity for many of us. The idea of Adam Sandler and John Turturro playing Israeli and Palestinian Super Heroes/Villains depending whose side you’re on… is funny. The humor is crude. Nearly everything surrounds his cock – and I’m sure this will turn off a lot, but frankly… Having been familiar with SHAMPOO and the alleged sexual prowess of many great Hair Salon magnates… I kinda felt it was in keeping with the story. And besides… the hackeysack with a cat sequences kinda rule.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (Blu Ray)

I absolutely love Neil Jordan’s adaptation of Anne Rice’s INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. I love Stan Winston’s subtle brilliant work on this film. I love Tom, Brad & Kristen…. And the evil of Rea. I love Elliot Goldenthal’s score – and the sumptious art direction and photography. Every aspect of this film is outstanding, and I love every bit of it. I’ll always regret that Neil didn’t return with Tom for the follow-up. Sadness. But this is a wonderful goth telling worth owning, especially in this format. I haven’t seen or heard the film this well since the theater!

PSYCHO (Universal Legacy Series)

Universal? Why is this and the other Hitchcock films you’ve released this Tuesday not in Blu Ray? These discs are exquisite – as are the extras. I mean – you have all the story boards by Saul Bass for the epic Shower Scene! Newsreel footage, posters, photos, behind the scenes photos, a commentary, a huge making of documentary, Interview material between Truffaut and Hitch and more. And all of this would be so much better in Blu Ray. I love having this disc, but you do realize that there’s a very large area of the market that will forego buying these discs, in lieu of putting them in their Netflix queue – and wait for the inevitable Blu release.

FEAST II: SLOPPY SECONDS

Aha! A Fantastic Fest 2008 graduate – already on DVD! How wonderful to be able to share so quickly. John Gulager’s follow up to his fun as fuck FEAST isn’t quite up to par with that film, but it’s really damn fun. Doesn’t make a terrible lot of sense and the characters don’t ever feel like real people, but the gore is over the top and the effects are never meant to be real, just real fun. It accomplishes that in spades.

REAR WINDOW (Universal Legacy Series)

This is my personal favorite of the Hitchcock films released by Universal today. I know I’m supposed to prefer VERTIGO, but dammit, VERTIGO doesn’t have the most perfect woman ever. Grace Kelly. Dear God. I’m so grateful that the woman I married reminds me on so many levels of Grace Kelly from REAR WINDOW. A girl that’s game for adventure, with the accompanying fashion accessories. Someone that knows tasty food and believes in good times and bad. Grace Kelly in this film is the PERFECT woman. Anyone that would go digging in a garden looking for a head. LOVE! LOVE! Like the PSYCHO disc, this is loaded, and just like that – this should be in Blu Ray!

VERTIGO (Universal Legacy Series)

VERTIGO is flat out brilliant. Layered cinematically, psychologically and sexually. The film is an onion of exquisite genetics. Easily Hitchcock’s most thoughtful work at nearly every stage. Jimmy Stewart’s best work and the same goes for Ms Novak. This is a remarkable edition. Two commentaries – one with the original Associate Producer and other folks – and the second commentary is a fascinating rumination on the title by none other than William Friedkin. You’ll love that commentary. The extras are exquisite – but this release just whets one’s appetite for the fuller Blu release.

TOUCH OF EVIL (50th Anniversary Edition)

Oh, I’m stiff for the inevitable Blu of this. This is an epic waiting to happen. Like that CLOSE ENCOUNTERS set – but on Standard Def – this release has the Restored Version that followed Welles’ wishes to the last letter. There’s the original Theatrical Cut. And now, they seem to have found the Test Screening print that was discovered in 1976 that had some of Welles’ original intent in place – albeit early. In addition there’s assloads of extras. Full on Documntaries on the original production, the restoration process… There’s 4 separate commentaries. Including one with Heston and Leigh. Then there’s a reproduction of Orson’s original memo – the famed 58 page document that lays out exactly what the film we have today is. Remarkable. Great great great release. Only missing the elements in 1080p.

SLACKER UPRISING

This piece disappointed me at multiple levels. Mainly that it feels slapped together to serve a vain glorious attempt at self-importance. I don’t mind Mike’s persona – when it is serving to tear apart the various piece of establishment that desperately needs ripping apart, but here… It feels a bit like a self-important stroke-fest. Don’t buy this – check it out for free online.

LE DEUXIEME SOUFFLE – Criterion Collection

Jean-Pierre Melville. IMDB him. Seek out every film he has ever directed. You will be happy. Until I got this disc, I hadn’t seen it. Sure, I’m very familiar with Le Samourai, Sicilian Clan and Bob Le Flambeur and Army of Shadows… and I knew the title, I just didn’t have a way to see it till now – and isn’t that what Criterion does best. Beautiful transfer, filled with extras, as is usual – and then you get the film with the great Lino Ventura, who escaped prison and finds himself in the oh so tragic situation of “ONE LAST TIME” – sigh. The criminal lot. It’s like one last Pringle… it’s never the last – and if it is the last, it’s never satisfying. Isn’t that the rule? Great film.

THE SMURFS: SEASON ONE, VOL. TWO

Do you need motivation before you kill your family? Before you go on a kill crazy rampage? Try THE SMURFS. THEN – tell everyone, THE SMURFS made you do it. The SMURFS are evil, Gargamel was right. Kill Them All!

LE DOULOS – Criterion Collection

We’re back with the second Criterion of the day – this time tis Jean-Pierre Melville’s LE DOULOS with Jean-Paul Belmondo! You know that game on Davy Jones’ ship? The one that’s all about lying? Well, this is a French crime exploration of backstabbing as an art and purpose of being. Fan-fucking-tastic. As always – a great job with the extras by Criterion – and another that I hadn’t seen till the disc arrived. If you loved John Ford’s THE INFORMER, this is a similar and equally great film exploring that same material.

YOU’RE NOT ELECTED, CHARLIE BROWN

Not a great Peanuts special, however it dos contain greatness – just check out the Joe Cool sequence. It’s worth the mediocrity of the rest for just that. If you want to get your kid talking politics, this and that SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK ELECTION SET will kick start it all.

BODY HEAT (Blu Ray)

If you thought Kathleen Turner was hot as Jessica Rabbit, you haven’t seen anything yet! BODY HEAT is one of the darkest, sweatiest and sexiest Film Noirs ever made. Lawrence Kasdan knocked this sucker over the big green monster and the crowd went wild. BODY HEAT is a masterpiece and my favorite work of Hurt and Turner’s. The disc is loaded with features on the pre-production, the shooting, the scoring and release – along with vintage interviews with Turner and Hurt. GREAT FILM!

THE MUNSTERS: THE COMPLETE SERIES

I love that I have this. It feels so right to own in October. Like a rusty blood-caked razor and a cadaver, it warms the soul… if you had one in October, but we all know our souls won’t return till November 2nd. Till then, THE MUNSTERS will have to do. You get 12 single sided discs – LOTS of extras and you get the feature MUNSTER, GO HOME! And the early eighties THE MUNSTERS’ REVENGE. But here you go – all things MUNSTERous. Now if I could just get all the equipment in Grandpa’s Lab.

ALICE FAYE COLLECTION 2 (ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE / HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE / THE GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST / HELLO, FRISCO, HELLO / FOUR JILLS IN A JEEP)

I haven’t gotten to these discs yet, but the first Alice Faye Collection was wonderful. I’ve heard of HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE, THE GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST and HELLO FRISCO HELLO – and know them as being some of Faye’s best work. However, FOUR JILLS IN A JEEP and ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE – I know next to nothing about. But I’m going to look forward to exploring them.

WATERSHIP DOWN

One of my favorite animated films of all time. I saw this on initial release and it killed me. That evil rabbit fucked me up. The savage dog? The nightmares and visions and the mythology of rabbits. Fantastic! I love the artistry, when it is both realistic and stylized. The voice work, the sound design, the music… EVERYTHING. The disc has several special features – with interviews with the director and editor – not to mention animators. This is a great film.

CARRIE (Blu Ray)

I remember seeing this film as a child at the Drive In. I’ve always had a pobia of Graveyards – and while I had seen NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD many times before this film, there is no image of something coming out of a grave there. However, that martini in CARRIE. That shit fucked me up for life. I hate Graveyards. Won’t do it. In the back of my head, something truly fucked up is set to go down. De Palma’s CARRIE is exquisite and a great release for October in High Def! I’m picking it up in the morning, hopefully!

JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER

This is an old fashioned Latex Monster Movie and it’s goofy fun. I wouldn’t say it’s a great film… or even a very good one, but it is entertaining enough to be a relief from the CG mayhem we see with such regularity these days. But as fun as it is, it’s a beginning film – I hope to see everyone involved progress, cuz there is promise here. There’s some very good stuff at play. And Robert Englund is just fun!

THE OMEN COLLECTION (Blu Ray)

This set kinda pisses me off. Ok – I love that we have the original OMEN trilogy here. Especially the brilliant first film by Richard Donner – but the first disc of this set has that rancid piece of shit – OMEN 666. HORRIFYINGLY AWFUL! Truly one of the worst movies ever made – of the remake variety. FUCKING HORRIBLE. I don’t get Fox discs, sadly, I’d love to have this set, but I feel it is somehow wrong to pay for the set if somehow – some of the money is going to the fucking hacks behind that film. I’ll have to think about it. Ultimately, my love for the 3 will probably rule out.

THE VISITOR

What a remarkable film about the horrors of immigrant life in the wake of 9/11. Good people treated as criminals. People that just want a chance, like so many millions before them to make a go of it here in the United States. The film is about this man – a professor, an author whose life is just a passionless routine of non-life. He decides to head back to his flat in New York, only to discover a couple living there, under the assumption that they were paying rent to a righteous man – who leased it to them. Only – Walter Vale, the apartment owner was not involved. Just as he gets to know the Syrian and Senegalese couple – problems begin. It is torturous.

The Original FACES OF DEATH: 30th Anniversary Edition – Blu Ray

Not for the squeamish. This film is kinda evil. Strike that – it is evil. You will see human death, various animal death, animal on animal death, everything. I’ve only ever seen terrible resolution multi-generation copies of this movie. Watching it at 1080p… well, my wife is asleep right now – I’d never subject her to this. It is truly horrifying. It isn’t a plotted film, but a documentary – with a pathologist narrating all the death. It is really tough to take and isn’t for many – that said, if you’ve ever wanted to be flat out disgusted, FACES OF DEATH will do the job.

SPEED RACER: The Complete Classic Series Collection

If you missed the last collection that LIONSGATE put out – they’ve repackaged it all in a Mach 5 for ya, so if you held off, this is what you were waiting for. You’ll get all 52 episodes and a really groovy set case. It isn’t loaded with extras, just a few things, but really this is a great set for folks like me that didn’t get that earlier set. Go Go Speed Racer!

THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (Blu Ray)

Scary fucking movie. I love the original AMITYVILLE HORROR. James Brolin just scares the fuck out of me. As does that house. Probably more than any other film… next to PSYCHO… this is the scariest house ever. I hate and love that house. The idea of a house driving a man to the lengths that you see here… Man, that’s just screwed up. As awesome as Brolin and Margot Kidder are – I love Rod Steiger in this film. And it looks fantastic on Blu Ray!

JOHNNY CASH CHRISTMAS SPECIALS 1976-1979

At the rate we’re going as a society, this might be the only Cash this Christmas worth having. I haven’t received these discs, but I love Johnny Cash – and I love Christmas specials – and here you have not just Johnny, but folks like Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Steve Martin, Kris Kristofferson, Andy Kaufman, the whole Cash clan and many others. This just feels right… right?

JACK FROST (Deluxe Edition)

Dude – who doesn’t love having a great story told to you by a Groundhog named Pardon-Me-Pete as voiced by Buddy Hackett? Not just that, but you have Robert Morse as the voice of Jack Frost – which is just kinda creepy in a very happy way. I love the Rankin Bass specials and this one is no different.

OVERSEXED RUGSUCKERS FROM MARS

I know nothing of this film. But it could very well be my favorite title ever for the moment in which I included it on this list. How did I miss this in 1989?

WWII: A FILMED HISTORY

Are you a WWII junkie? I am. Read this:

“Many milestones in our history are recalled only through the written word, the still image, or an interpretation long after the events occurred. The classic documentary films in this set provide more than what we think happened or a stylized movie treatment of the war they are the war. These chronicles of World War II were created through the efforts of cameramen who risked their lives to capture history. They tell the story of the Japanese buildup in the Pacific; the rise of Adolf Hitler; the horror of the concentration camps; the bombs and destruction; the Allied wins and losses; the peace; and the cost of war. Many of these documentaries chosen by our film archivists are the work of Hollywood s most gifted film-makers Frank Capra, John Ford, John Huston, Garson Kanin, and William Wyler enlisted to create films for military and civilian audiences. Their work inspired the war effort at home and trained and motivated our nation s war effort abroad. They brought the war into perspective for Americans, leaving little doubt about our allies, our enemies, and our objectives. Whether these films appeal to your interest in history, film, political science, or sociology, they will provide a first hand examination of the events of World War II. --Les Waffen, Chief, Motion Picture, Sound and Video Branch, National Archives and Records Administration

24 COMPLETE DVDS Since 1935, the National Archives has been responsible for the acquisition, preservation, and public dissemination of the permanent records of the United States government. Now, for the first time, select materials from this national resource have been assembled to bring you the largest collection of WWII history in one complete box set featuring everything from historical newsreel footage to documentary featurettes lensed and narrated by some of Hollywood's greatest names. From America to Europe, from the air to the sea, experience a war that spanned the globe: Set #1: War in Europe Explores the Nazi ambition for world conquest, featuring historical pre-cursors, artillery and infantry attacks, the invasion Poland, and the horrific concentration camps. Set #2: War on the Homefront Takes you stateside to a time when gas rationing, food conservation, and the wartime efforts of civilian men and women occupied a nation. Features narration by James Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogart, as wells as the acting talents of Susan Hayward, Alan Ladd, James Cagney, Margaret O'Brien and more. Set #3: War in the Pacific Dramatic footage of U.S. Navy, Marine, and Army forces as they combat the Japanese military. Features amphibious landings, Kamikaze air attacks, post-war events, the surrender of Japan, and the Academy Award®-winning documentary from acclaimed Hollywood director John Ford. Set #4: Why We Fight A thought-provoking collection exploring the wartime involvement of Russia, China, Italy, the United States, and Germany. Featuring the Oscar®-nominated documentary narrated by Walter Huston and footage featuring Edward R. Murrow and President Roosevelt. TOTAL RUN TIME: APPROXIMATELY 26 HOURS “

Doesn’t this sound fantastic?

That’s all for this week, next week we’ll be taking in INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, The Ultimate MATRIX collection on Blu Ray, THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY’S TOMB, THE TWO FACES OF DR JEKYLL, SCREAM OF FEAR, THE GORGON, THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY 3rd Season, AMERICAN GANGSTER BluRay, REBECCA, MONGOL, POLTERGEIST BluRay, NOTORIOUS, CASINO Blu-Ray, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PREMIERE COLLECTION, CONSTANTINE BluRay, ROMANCING THE STONE BluRay, ONE TOUCH OF VENUS, EASTERN PROMISES BluRay, CHAPLIN, FIGHTER PILOT: OPERATION RED FLAG BluRay, DANCE OF THE DEAD, THE JEWEL OF THE NILE BluRay, HOLIDAY INN, SILVERHAWKS, THE NEW WORLD Extended Cut, THAT 70’S SHOW Complete Series, Hollywood Singing And Dancing: A Musical History, ARCH OF TRIUMPH, SPACE STATION/MISSION TO MIR BluRay, DRIVE-IN CULT CLASSICS 3, HALLOWEEN: 30th Anniversary Box Set, STUCK, THE LAST HOUSE IN THE WOODS, SHORT CUTS – Criterion, SWEET SIXTEEN – Director’s Cut, CAPRICORN ONE, ULTRAMAN: THE COMPLETE SERIES, THE SUBSTITUTE, MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS, LADY CHATTERLEY, GHOST HOUSE UNDERGROUND EIGHT FILM COLLECTION, KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE – Criterion, SHOGUN ASSASSIN: 5 Film Collector’s Set and much more! See you next Tuesday!