New to View: Sept. 26
By Bob Bloom
The following Blu-rays and DVDs are being released on Tuesday, Sept. 26, unless otherwise noted:
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (BD)
Details: 1978, Shout! Factory
Rated: PG
The lowdown: Attempting to link a songs from the classic Beatles’ album to a coherent story is ridiculous — and, unfortunately, so is this movie.
The people who would truly enjoy the film are fans of either the Beatles or the Bee Gees, who acting abilities are better left undescribed.
Despite the music and a cast that includes Peter Frampton as Bill Shears, George Burns, Steve Martin and Earth, Wind & Fire, the film is a great disappointment.
Listening to the Beatles original album is a much more pleasant experience.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and stereo; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: The major bonus component is a commentary track.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 40th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet)
Release date: Sept. 19
Details: 1977, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: PG, action, language, adult themes
The lowdown: This 40th anniversary re-release of the Steven Spielberg sci-fi classic features three version so the movie, the 1977 theatrical, 1980 special edition and 1997 director’s cut.
The story of a regular guy, lineman Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfus) has thrilled audiences for decades.
The movie remains a positive story of man’s first encounter with visitors from “out there.” A memorable score by the great John Williams adds to the movie’s emotional resonance.
“Close Encounters” is a timeless feature that continues to resonate in a world that lately seems on the brink of cutting its own throat.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English and French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, English, Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Croatian, Czech, Dutch, French, Greek, Hungarian, Icelandic, Korean, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Thai and Turkish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include new interviews with Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and Denis Villeneuve, who talk about the legacy and impact of the movie; Spielberg’s home movies and outtakes; a making of documentary; a “Steven Spielberg: 30 Years of Close Encounters” featurette, a 1977 “Watch the Skies” featurette; deleted scene; storyboard comparisons; and a photo gallery.
Shameless: The Complete Seventh Season (Blu-ray)
Details: 2016, Warner Home Video
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The seventh season of this Showtime series continues through 12 episodes to follow the Gallagher family of Chicago.
William H. Macy is the single, alcoholic father of this dysfunctional family, each of whom face their own challenges in work and in life.
Among the storylines are Macy’s Frank Gallagher waking from a month-long coma after being thrown into the Chicago River and realizing no one came looking for him at the hospital.
The six Gallagher children struggle with such issues as making important decisions at work, rehab struggles, relationship issues and the pressure of being a single teen mom.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH and French subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include A featurette on Frank’s politics, deleted scenes and a featurette on growing up shameless.
2:22 (Blu-ray)
Details: 2017, Magnolia Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, violence, sexual situations
The lowdown: This movie, which seems to have received a limited release — only eight reviews were posted at Rottentomatoes.com — centers on an air traffic controller who is paralyzed for a crucial moment at work by a blinding flash of light at 2:22 p.m.
The incident nearly caused a midair collision, and the controller is suspended.
The controller, Dylan, begins to notice a repetitious series of sounds and events every day at the same time.
Also involved in all of this is a young woman. Everything culminates at Grand Central Station.
The film fails to live up to its intriguing premise.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Supplemental options include featurettes on the story and character, a behind-the-scenes look at working with the director and actors and creating Grand Central Station.
Porky Pig 101 (DVD-R)
Release date: Sept. 19
Details: 1935-43, Warner Archive Collection
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Animation fans will go daffy over this five-disc set featuring 101 Porky Pig cartoons — 99 in black-and-white and two in Technicolor — from the Warner Bros. archives.
The cartoons range from Porky’s introduction in 1935’s “I Haven’t Got a Hat” to “Porky Pig’s Feat” in 1943.
One of the many advantages of this set is that the cartoons are in chronological order, so you can see how Porky changed over the years.
In some of these shorts, Porky is joined by Daffy Duck and other Warner cartoon favorites.
The set is a made-on-demand DVD-R release from the Warner Archive Collection and can be found at www.wbshop.com/warnerarchive or other online retailers.
Technical aspects: 1.37:1 (4×3) full-screen picture; English Dolby digital monaural.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include commentaries on 13 of the shorts by such notable animated and musical experts as Jerry Beck, Michael Barrier, Mark Kausler, Eddie Fitzgerald, Daniel Goldmark, John Kricfalusi, Martha Sigall and directors Frank Tashlin and Joe Dante.
L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties
Details: 2017, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Supernatural warriors do battle in this fantasy action-thriller that at times looks like an amalgamation of “The Chronicles and Narnia” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Genre fans will appreciate all the special effects in this tale about seven lords who wield amazing powers and share dominion over a world.
When one of the lords falls from grace, the others must combine all their magic to stop an great war that is ravaging the land and threatening the order of the entire universe.
Technical aspects: 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
The Devil’s Candy (Blu-ray)
Details: 2017, IFC Midnight-Scream Factory
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This is the one about the unsuspecting family that buys a house, unaware it has a grisly supernatural history.
Soon, dad Jesse, wife and daughter, are subjected to several demonic occurrences that culminate in the appearance of Ray, the house’s former resident, who is there to do the devil’s bidding.
A heavy-metal soundtrack, with music by Metallica, Slayer and Pantera, among others, is featured.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and stereo; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a behind—the-scenes featurette that showcases the visual effects, a commentary track, a short film and a music video.
Hype! Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray)
Release date: Sept. 29
Details: 1996, Shout! Factory
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This Shout Select edition looks at the underground music scene in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1990s, including the “grunge” movement.
The movie follows local bands that play for friends to Sub Pop Record’s exploitation of “the Seattle Sound” to Nirvana making it on the national stage.
The film looks at grunge going mainstream in fashion and the migration of wanna-be Seattle bands to the city.
The movie features performances by Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam and others.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and stereo.
Don’t miss: Extras include a “Hype! 20 Years After” featurette that includes new interviews with various band members, record producers and others, vintage interviews and performances, an animated short and a commentary track.
Broadway Babies (DVD-R)
Release date: Sept. 19
Details: 1929, Warner Archive Collection
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This early talkie covers a much-used storyline from the first years of sound features — that of the chorus girl pals who strive to move up in the world and meet either success or tragedy — depending on their billing in the movie.
In this case, the film centers on the “Broadway Musketeers,” a trio of best friends who strive to find Mr. Right among the speakeasies, rumrunners and gangsters of the era.
The movie stars Alice White, Sally Eilers and Marion Byron, who seek husbands who can afford the lifestyles they yearn.
White’s Delight falls for a poor, but honest, guy. After a fight, though, she hooks up with a mobster, played by the delightfully evil Fred Kohler.
Can Delight escape the gangster’s clutches to return to her true love? Only one way to find out.
This is a made-on-demand DVD from the Warner Archive Collection and can be found at www.wb.com/warnerarchive and other online dealers.
Technical aspects: 1.37:1 (4×3) full-screen picture; English Dolby digital monaural.
Other Blu-rays and DVDs being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Don’t Torture a Duckling (Blu-ray) (Arrow Video)
L.A. Confidential: 20th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) (Fox Home Entertainment)
The Legend of the Holy Drinker (Blu-ray) (Arrow Academy)
Dare to Drum (Kino Lorber, Sept. 19)
FOR KIDS
Kuu Kuu Harajuku: Super Kawaii (Shout! Kids)
DIGITAL DOWNLOADS and STREAMING
The House (Warner Home Video)
Lycan (MVD Visual)
Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season (HBO Home Entertainment, Sept. 25)
#FromJennifer (Section 5 Films, Sept. 28)
Missions: Season 1 (Shudder, Sept. 28)
Zombies (Broad Green Pictures, Sept. 29)
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer: 25th Anniversary Edition (Fox Home Entertainment, Oct. 2)
Coming next week: A Ghost Story
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
I am a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook. My movie reviews also can be found at Rottentomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.