New to View: Nov. 19
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Nov. 19, unless otherwise noted:
House of the Dragon: The Complete Second Season (4K Ultra HD)
Details: 2024, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment-HBO
Rated: Not rated, violence, language, sexual situations
The lowdown: Civil war is brewing in Westeros as the death of Queen Rhaenyra’s son, Luke, splits House Targaryen, with the queen and her Black Council considering their next move.
In King’s Landing, Aegon II sits on the Iron Throne, supported by his mother, Alicent, and the Green Council, all under the protection of the largest dragon in Westeros.
Most of the season deals with political machinations as both sides seek allies among the great houses in Westeros.
The unpredictable Daemon Targaryen, uncle and husband to Rhaenyra, creates more havoc when he covertly recruits two assassins to kill Aegon’s brother, Aemond, who was responsible for Luke’s death, but instead kill his infant son, Jaehaerys, further stoking the flames of war.
The second season features more dragons, but less action. Hardly any displays of grand battles are depicted and the episodes feature more talk and plots than action.
Technical aspects: 2160p ultra-high definition, 2.00:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos, 7.1 TrueHD and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include the eight-part featurette, “The House That Dragons Built,” an overview of season two that includes cast and crew interviews and a primer to keep track of the various great houses of Westeros and who is related or allied to whom.
Speak No Evil: Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2024, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: R, strong violence, language, sexual content, drug use
The lowdown: This psychological horror feature centers on the Daltons, an American family on vacation Italy, who meet a charming British couple and their son.
In London, the Daltons, Ben (Scott McNairy), Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Agnes (Alix West Lefler), receive an invitation from Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), the British couple, to stay the weekend at their remote farmhouse in Devon.
They agree. At first things go smoothly, but then strange incidents and the passive-aggressive behavior of their hosts begin to unnerve them.
Soon, the Daltons are trying to flee and fighting for their lives. The thriller earned an 83 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French and Spanish 7.1 Dolby digital plus and English 2.0 Dolby digital DVS; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include a featurette in which cast members describe the methods they used to embody their roles; a featurette on the psychology of navigating social spaces, discomfort and the movie’s horror elements; a behind-the-scenes look at the farmhouse and its production design; and a commentary track with writer-director James Watkins.
Reagan (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Details: 2024, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, violent content, smoking
The lowdown: Dennis Quaid stars as the 40th president in this biopic that admittedly shows admiration for the man, but ultimately comes across as a greatest hits compendium that is shallow and with little substance.
Reagan’s career from second-string lead actor at Warner Bros. studios to his failed marriage to Jane Wyman to his successful remarriage to Nancy Reagan and his rise in politics is covered. The movie is artificial; a celebration of the man, rather than an exploration of who he was or what shaped his viewpoints.
The movie is told from the point of view of a former KGB agent, played by Jon Voight.
Penelope Ann Miller portrays Nancy Reagan, Mena Suvari plays Wyman and Kevin Dillon appears as Warner Bros. studio head Jack L. Warner.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital and English descriptive audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital and English descriptive audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
“The Complete Thin Man Collection” (Blu-ray)
Release date: Oct. 29
Details: 1934-47, Warner Archive Collection-Allied Vaughn
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: William Powell began his film career in 1922 as a minor villain in John Barrymore’s “Sherlock Holmes.”
For the next several years, he was usually cast in villainous and supporting roles in many Paramount Pictures productions, including “Beau Geste” (1927), “When Knighthood Was in Flower” (1922) and “The Last Command” (1928), in which he played a vengeful film director.
With the advent of sound, Powell portrayed private detective Philo Vance in four films at Paramount, before signing with Warner Bros., where he starred in detective and romantic films.
He then joined MGM where, in 1934, Powell was cast as Nick Charles and teamed with Myrna Loy for the first of their six “Thin Man” movies.
Loy also had begun in silent films, playing “exotic” types in bit parts and supporting roles. In her early sound films, she continued her portrayal of exotic, non-American women in such movies as “Thirteen Women” and “The Mask of Fu Manchu,” starring Boris Karloff, in which she played the evil doctor’s daughter.
In 1934, she was cast as Nora Charles opposite Powell, and movie history was born.
The pair, who co-starred in 14 movies, played the breezy and loving Nick and Nora who, between drinks and dinner parties, solve murders that baffle the police.
The characters first appeared in Dashiell Hammett’s 1934 novel “The Thin Man.”
Another character who was popular was the Charles’ dog, Asta, who also displayed some comic moves.
The five sequels to “The Thin Man” were “After the Thin Man” (1936), “Another Thin Man” (1939), “Shadow of the Thin Man” (1941), “The Thin Man Goes Home” (1945) and “Song of the Thin Man” (1947).
Among the actors who appeared in the series were James Stewart, Maureen O’Sullivan, Otto Kruger, C. Aubrey Smith, Ruth Hussey, Donna Reed and Keenan Wynn. W.S. “Woody” Van Dyke directed the first four movies, with Richard Thorpe helming “The Thin Man Goes Home” and Edward Buzzell behind the camera for
“Song of the Thin Man.”
The movies are a splendid blend of mystery, comedy and romance — with the chemistry between Powell and Loy taking center stage.
Also, the thin man does not refer to Powell’s Nick Charles, it actually is the description of the murder victim in the initial movie.
The six-disc set can be found at www.movieZyng.com or other online sellers.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 (16×9 enhanced) full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Seven Chances / Sherlock Jr. (Blu-ray)
Details: 1924, 1925, Kino Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Buster Keaton’s comedy was a marvelous combination of acrobatic physical humor, deft handling of props and an outstanding understanding of the use of the motion picture camera and a firm grasp on the impact of editing.
All of these facets are on display in the two movies on this Blu-ray.
In “Seven Chances” (1925), Keaton portrays an eligible young bachelor who must marry by 7 p.m. in order to receive $7 million.
A newspaper announcement gets him more fiancées than he can handle, setting up one of the most surreal, biggest and funniest chases in film history, in which, while fleeing from hundreds of prospective brides, Keaton’s character dislodges some rocks, ranging in size from pebbles to six-foot boulders, that he had to scramble to dodge.
“Sherlock Jr.” (1924) spotlights Keaton’s mastery of film editing. The comedy has Keaton as a theater projectionist who dreams of being a private detective.
He has a girlfriend, but a rival steals the pocket-watch of the girl’s father, pawns it, then slips the ticket into the pocket of Keaton’s character.
The highlight of the movie occurs when the projectionist falls asleep and dreams of literally climbing into the screen to bring his fantasies to life.
The film’s physical comedy and stunts are superb, but it is the editing during the dream sequence in which the projectionist moves from setting to setting with split-second timing that is most memorable.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English intertitles and 5.1 and 2.0 musical scores for both movies by Robert Israel.
Don’t miss: Supplemental options include commentary tracks by film critic Adam Nayman on “Seven Chances” and Matt Singer on “Sherlock Jr.”; “A Brideless Groom,” a 1947 Three Stooges short that recycles the premise of “Seven Chances”; and a 1904 short film, “How a French Nobleman Got a Wife Through the New York Herald Personal Columns” by Edwin S. Porter.
One Two Three: Special Edition (Blu-ray)
Release date: Nov. 12
Details: 1961, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: James Cagney stars and Billy Wilder directed and, along with I.A.L. Diamond, wrote the screenplay for this hilarious Cold War comedy set in Berlin, while the city was still divided into occupied zones.
Cagney plays C.J. MacNamara, a Coca-Cola executive responsible for selling and promoting Coke in West Berlin, but hoping for a promotion.
His plans are complicated when he becomes responsible for his boss’s daughter, played by Pamela Tiffin, while her father is away on business.
Events go from bad to worse for MacNamara when he learns that the daughter has run off and gotten married to a fierce young communist.
MacNamara must now use all of his wits and pull to transform the young man into a suitable — and capitalist — son-in-law or risk losing his chance for advancement.
His machinations involve Russians, Germans and bribery.
Cagney’s breathlessly paced performance is one of the best of his long and storied career. The movie, which earned an 88 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, also features Horst Buchholz, Arlene Francis, Howard St. John, Hanns Lothar and Lilo Pulver, with a fun cameo by Red Buttons.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with film historian Michael Schlesinger and featurettes with Wilder discussing the movie with Volker Schlöndorff and offering his views on politics related to the movie.
Play Misty for Me (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1971, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: R, violence, sexual situations, language
The lowdown: Clint Eastwood made his directorial debut in this psychological thriller about a popular radio disc jockey, Dave Garver (Eastwood), who repeatedly receives on-air phone requests from a sexy-voiced female fan to “play ‘Misty’ for me.”
The woman, Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter), later orchestrates a rendezvous with Garver at his favorite late-night hangout.
They begin a torrid affair, but Evelyn’s obsessive behavior forces Garver to end the relationship.
This sends Evelyn over the edge, creating terror for everyone in his life as Evelyn’s madness turns to violence.
Eastwood creates some suspenseful moments and a sense of terror, but he falters at some spots. Still, it marks a strong debut for the actor who became known for his sparse and no-frills approach behind the camera.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 1.85:1, widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track by screenwriter-producer Alan Spencer on the 4K disc, a second commentary by novelist and critic Tim Lucas on both discs, and, on the Blu-ray disc, an interview with co-star Donn Mills, a video essay by film historian Howard S. Berger, a look back at the movie, a featurette on Eastwood and his mentor, director Don Siegel, a photo montage of Eastwood in front of and behind the camera and a “Trailers From Hell” spot featuring the movie.
Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story (Blu-ray)
Details: 2024, Kino Lorber-Greenwich Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Noel Coward was a multi-talented entertainer: actor, playwright, director, singer and composer.
He wrote such plays as “Design for Living,” “Private Lives’ and “Blithe Spirit.” He wrote the screenplay for the World War II drama “In Which We Serve,” in which he also starred, and “Brief Encounter.”
Other movies in which he appeared included “Around the World in 80 Days,” “Our Man in Havana” and “Bunny Lake Is Missing.”
Plus, Coward composed more than 300 songs including “Mad About the Boy,” Mad Dogs and Englishmen” and “Mrs. Worthington.
As I said, Coward was a very versatile entertainer. He also had to keep his sexuality — he was gay — a secret.
This documentary looks at Coward’s life and career, from growing up in poverty to worldwide stardom and acclaim.
The movie, narrated by Alan Cumming and featuring Rupert Everett as the voice of Coward, includes interviews and recollections by Laurence Olivier, Frank Sinatra, Maggie Smith, Michael Caine and Lucille Ball.
This is an affectionate tribute to one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century.
Technical aspects: 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.
The Walking Dead (Blu-ray)
Release date: Oct. 29
Details: 1936, Warner Archive Collection-Allied Vaughn
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Boris Karloff stars in this science fiction-supernatural programmer directed by the legendary Michael Curtiz as John Ellman, who was framed for the murder of a judge and executed.
Elman, whose proof of innocence arrives shortly after his execution, is brought back from the dead by scientist Dr. Evan Beaumont (Edmund Gwenn) and his assistants, Jimmy (Warren Hull) and Nancy (Marguerite Churchill), using a mechanical device.
Once resurrected, Ellman has become an otherworldly individual who, with knowledge from beyond the grave, confronts the gangsters who caused his death.
Interestingly, he does not kill them directly, but simply seeks them out to find out why they had him killed.
Each of the four criminals dies a horrible death caused by their own guilt. While confronting the last two villains, Ellman is fatally shot and, at the same time, the final two are killed when their car runs off the road.
Beaumont, hurries to Ellman’s death bed, seeking insights on death. Ellman, though, tells him, “Leave the dead to their maker. The Lord our God is a jealous God,” before he expires.
“The Walking Dead” is a small gem that despite its supernatural elements, fits into Warner Bros. gangster milieu. The film costars Ricardo Cortez, Barton MacLane, Joseph Sawyer, Robert Strange, Henry O’Neill, Addison Richards, Joseph King, Paul Harvey and Eddie Acuff.
The Blu-ray can be purchased at www.movieZyng.com or other online sellers.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 (16×9 enhanced) full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include two commentary tracks, one by film historian-author Greg Mank and the other by film historian-author Alan K. Rode; a featurette, “Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You’ve Never Heard Of”; and two classic cartoons, “The Cat Came Back” and “Let It Be Me.”
The Return of Doctor X (Blu-ray)
Release date: Oct. 29
Details: 1939, Warner Archive Collection-Allied Vaughn
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Humphrey Bogart is usually associated with detective and mystery movies, but he did make one foray into horror as a vampire of sorts in “The Return of Doctor X.”
Bogart portrays Marshall Quesne, with a noticeable streak of white hair, who is really Dr. Maurice Xavier, who had been executed years earlier.
The movie’s two leads are Wayne Morris as reporter Walter Garrett and Dennis Morgan as Dr. Mike Rhodes who, after a series of murders in which the victims are drained of their Type One blood, consult Rhodes’ former mentor, hematologist Dr. Francis Flegg (Warner Bros. regular John Litel), where they also meet Quesne.
The reporters follow a hunch, open Xavier’s grave and find it empty. Flegg admits using his new scientific methods to bring Xavier back to life, using synthetic blood to keep him alive. But the blood cannot replace itself, so Quesne/Xavier must find people with the rare Type One that is used in the formula to keep him alive.
In the end, of course, Quesne/Xaiver is killed in the nick of time to save Rhodes’ girlfriend, nurse Joan Vance (Rosemary Lane).
The cast also includes Lya Lys, Huntz Hall, Charles Wilson, Olin Howland and Vera Lewis.
The Blu-ray is available at www.movieZyng.com or other Internet retailers.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 (16×9) full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with director Victor Sherman and author-film critic Dr. Steve Haberman and two classic cartoons, “Doggone Modern” and “Porky’s Hotel.”
A Simple Plan: Limited Edition (4K Ultra HD)
Details: 1998, Arrow Films
Rated: R, violence, language
The lowdown: Sam Raimi directed this thriller starring Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton and Brent Briscoe, all residents of a small Minnesota town whose lives are changed when they stumble upon a small plane buried in the snow.
Inside, they find a dead pilot and a duffel bag containing more than $4 million in cash.
Paxton’s Hank and his wife, Sarah (Bridget Fonda) have big dreams and a baby on the way. They feel stuck in their nowhere town. It’s the place where Hank and his sweet, naïve brother Jacob (Thornton) grew up.
For Hank, Jacob and Jacob’s friend, Lou (Briscoe), the discovery is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to catch the American dream. The crux is that they have to keep their discovery a secret.
Unfortunately, Hank quickly realizes that is harder said than done.
Events spiral, leading to betrayals and several killings in this Oscar-nominated adaptation by Scott B. Smith of his own book. Thornton received a nomination for best supporting actor.
The movie garnered a 90 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 2160p ultra-high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include two commentary tracks, one with critics Glenn Kenny and Farren Smith Nahme and the other with production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein and filmmaker Justin Beahm; interviews with cinematographer Alar Kivilo and cast members Becky Ann Baker and Chelcie Ross and on-set interviews with Paxton, Thornton, Fonda, Raimi and producer Jim Jacks; behind-the-scenes footage; and an illustrated collector’s booklet.
The Beast with Five Fingers (Blu-ray)
Release date: Oct. 29
Details: 1946, Warner Archive Collection-Allied Vaughn
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Warner Bros. was not known for producing horror films in the 1930s and ’40s, concentrating mostly on urban dramas and gangster films.
Even the few horror movies made by the studio had urban settings — “The Mystery of the Wax Museum,” “Dr. X” and “The Return of Doctor X.”
“The Beast with Five Fingers,” directed by Robert Florey, was an exception. It is set in a small town in Italy, centering on wheel-chair bound virtuoso pianist Francis Ingram (Victor Francen) and the members of his household, including his devoted secretary-astrologist Hilary Cummins (Peter Lorre), nurse Julie Holden (Andrea King), friend Bruce Conrad (Robert Alda, father of Alan) and nephew Donald Arlington (John Alvin).
Holden and Conrad are in love with Conrad wanting Holden to quit her job and return to America.
Cummins is against her leaving, telling Holden that taking care of Ingram will become his full-time job. When Cummins tells Ingram about Holden and Conrad, which leads to a fight between them with Ingram choking Cummins. Only Holden’s intervention ends the fight.
That night, Ingram falls down the stairs and breaks his neck. When his will is read, the rest of his family is shocked to learn that he left everything to Holden.
A series of murders ensues, starting with Ingram’s attorney, who tries to forge an “older” document that will benefit the family. A left hand with Ingram’s ring is supposedly the culprit.
But with Lorre in the cast it is easy to guess the real killer.
The Blu-ray can be found at www.movieZyng.com or other online sellers.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 (16×9 enhanced) full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Supplemental materials include a commentary track with author-film historian Dr. Steve Haberman and filmmaker-film historian Constantine Nasr and two classic cartoons, “The Foxy Duckling” and “The Gay Anties.”
The Eiger Sanction (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1975, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: R, violence, sexual content, language
The lowdown: Clint Eastwood stars in and directed this uneven espionage thriller set in the Swiss Alps about a retired agent who is forced back into the field to hunt a deadly double agent who killed his former comrade.
The film’s cinematography is more compelling than the meandering storyline.
The movie features a strong supporting cast including George Kennedy, Vonetta McGee and Jack Cassidy.
The plot has a few holes that never get resolved, and the movie is not one of Eastwood’s better directorial efforts.
He took the job because he owed Universal Pictures another picture and it allowed him to film overseas, away from studio interference.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra-high definition, 2:35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with author and film historian Justin Humphreys on the 4K disc, another with film critic Nick Pinkerton on both discs and, on the Blu-ray disc, an interview with cast member Reiner Schöne, an archival interview with singer-cast member Heidi Brühl, and a vintage eight-minute promotional reel.
Slap the Monster on Page One (Blu-ray)
Details: 1972, Radiance Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: An Italian movie that is a story media manipulation in which the editor of a right-wing newspaper, days before an election, uses the story of a young girl who was raped and murdered, to help the conservative candidates his paper supports.
The newspaper goes so far as to impede the police investigation of the crime.
The film is critical of Italian politics as well as politicians from the right and the left, who want to use the tragedy to serve their own ends.
This is a solid thriller that precedes by decades many of the media outlets of today that prefer their own viewpoints and agendas to relaying facts to the general public.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; Italian 2.0 LPCM monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include an archival interview with director Marco Bellocchio, interviews with critic-author Mario Sesti and filmmaker Alex Cox and a booklet.
Two Mules for Sister Sara (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1970, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: PG, violence, language
The lowdown: The teaming of Clint Eastwood and Shirley MacLaine set off fireworks in this Don Siegel-directed Western about a drifter and a nun who join forces with a band of Mexican revolutionaries who are fighting the French occupation of their nation during the time of Maximillian.
The group sets out to capture the enemy’s garrison. Along the way, a romance develops when Eastwood’s character discovers that MacLaine’s nun is not who she pretends to be.
A violent climax at the well-defended fort, plus another strong score by Ennio Morricone, add the movie’s enjoyment.
The story was by noted director Budd Boetticher, and the film continued to cement Eastwood’s rise as a superstar. The set features the international and domestic cuts of the movie.
Technical aspects: 2160p ultra-high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Supplemental materials, all on the 4K disc, include two commentary tracks, one with author-film historian Justin Humphreys, the other with filmmaker Alex Cox; a take on the Italian Western featurette; and a candid interview with Eastwood.
Tomie: Limited Edition (Blu-ray)
Details: 1999, Arrow Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A Japanese horror feature that tells the story of an evil high-school seductress who is recognizable by a beneath her left eye.
The girl uses her bewitching kiss to drive men to madness.
The main character is Tsukiko, who is bothered by violent dreams as she struggles to remember long-suppressed memories following a teenage trauma with the help of psychiatrist Dr. Hosono.
Meanwhile, Harada, a detective, investigating the disappearance of a high school girl, discovers a long line of similar cases that can be traced back decades, with all of the victims going by the name of Tomie Kawakami, and all slaughtered and decapitated by jealous lovers before they reached womanhood.
At the same time, Tsukiko’s new neighbor seems to be harboring something nasty in his downstair apartment — and that something quickly begins to take on a dangerous form.
Are all these events connected? You will have to watch to discover the answer.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; Japanese 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus content includes a commentary track with critic and Japanese film expert Amber T., interviews with the film’s director Ataru Oikawa, actress Mami Nakamura and producer Mikhiko Hirata and a booklet.
Maniac: Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Picture: Volume 17 (Blu-ray)
Release date: Nov. 12
Details: 1934, Kino Classics-Something Weird
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Director Dwain Esper’s shocking and offensive exploitation movie still shocks after 90 years.
It is a deranged adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat,” disguised as an educational film about mental illness.
The movie is a fragmented mixture of title scrolls, stock footage and nudity, as well as a gruesome eyeball slashing scene inspired by “Un chien andalou.”
This is a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative and other 35mm elements preserved by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The feature is not for viewers with delicate sensibilities.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural.
Don’t miss: Extras include four true-crime shorts by Esper, a 1982 audio interview with Esper and screenwriter Hildagarde Stadie and a 1999 commentary track by author Bret Wood.
Prey for Rock & Roll (Blu-ray)
Details: 2003, Kino Lorber
Rated: R, language, drug use
The lowdown: Gina Gershon, Drea de Matteo, Lori Petty and Shelly Cole star in this musical drama about a female band struggling to make it into the big time while performing up and down Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip.
When success finally finds them, though, it turns their lives upside down.
The movie is based on Cheri Lovedog’s autobiographical play, is overly melodramatic at times as it examines the pitfalls and price of fame. Gershon’s performance is the centerpiece of this edgy, intense and engaging feature as she blends weariness and optimism and she climbs the musical ladder.
This raw and boisterous movie is spot on with the details of the rock ‘n’ roll experience.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: An archival interview with Gershon, promo and B-roll footage, a behind-the-scene Polaroid gallery, an interview with Lovedog, a commentary track by director Alex Steyenark and camera coverage of the musical finale comprise the extras.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Yoshiki: Under the Sky (Blu-ray & DVD & VOD) (Magnet Releasing-Magnolia Home Entertainment)
FOR KIDS
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock: Season 1 (Blu-ray & DVD) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (Shout! Studios)
Fancy Like Walter Hayes (Virgil Films)
Harrison’ Flowers (Kino Lorber-Apple TV+-Prime Video)
The Holiday Club (Tello Films)
Interior Chinatown (Hulu)
Lead and Copper (Vehicle City Films)
Street Trash (Cineverse)
NOV. 20
Bad Sisters: Season 2, Episode 3 (Apple TV+)
Midnight Family: Episode 10 (Apple TV+)
Shrinking: Season 2, Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
You Would Do It Too (Tú También lo Harías): Episode 5 (Apple TV+)
NOV. 21
Alien Romulus (Hulu)
The Atomic Cafe (Kino Film Collection)
Hieronymus Bosch: Touched by the Devil (Kino Film Collection)
NOV. 22
Armor (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Before: Episode 6 (Apple TV+)
Blitz (Apple TV+)
Bread & Roses (Apple TV+)
The Fix (Gravitas Ventures)
Jim Gaffigan: The Skinny (Hulu)
Rita (Shudder)
Silo: Season 2, Episode 2 (Apple TV+)
White Out (Saban Films)
Coming next week: The Shape of Water
The Critic
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, 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 at ReelBob or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.