New to View: Jan. 7
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Jan. 7, unless otherwise noted:
Saturday Night (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2024, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: R, language, sexual references, drug use, nudity
The lowdown: “Saturday Night Live” has become a cultural institution. In fact, it has reached the point where longtime viewers, especially older ones who have been watching it religiously over the decades, have complained that it has grown stale and complacent — going for cheap laughs instead of the satiric blows it once landed regularly.
Be that as it may. Contemporary audiences, though, may be unaware of the excitement and furor the live from New York show with its cast of unknown Not Ready for Prime Time Players created when it debuted on Oct. 11, 1975.
Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” captures the behind-the-scenes backstage clashes of egos, chaos and turmoil of the 90 minutes preceding that first live broadcast.
The cast features Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris and Rachel Sennott as “SNL” writer Rosie Shuster.
And while the movie takes liberties with and dramatizes the facts surrounding that first night, the film is a time capsule of a groundbreaking series that has become a television milestone.
The cast also includes Willem Dafoe as an NBC executive, J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle, Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman and Matthew Rhys as George Carlin.
Despite some quibbles and flaws, enough critics enjoyed the film that it garnered a 79 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English and French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English and French 5.1 Dolby digital audio description tracks; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus features include a making of featurette, a commentary track with Reitman, super 8mm home videos from the set, a featurette on creating the cast and a quick look at creating the look of the movie.
Miracle Mile (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 31
Details: 1988, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: R, language, violence, sexual situations
The lowdown: Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham star in this romantic, doomsday thriller about musician Harry Washello (Edwards), who finally finds the girl of his dreams, waitress Julie Peters (Winningham), who reciprocates Harry’s feelings.
Unfortunately, before they even can go on a first date, Harry picks up a random pay phone call from a frantic soldier who warns of a nuclear attack on Los Angeles within the hour.
Hurrying, Harry finds Julie and together they do everything they can to escape the city.
Throughout, you wonder if the nightmarish scenario is true or some mistake, which keeps you glued to the proceedings. The film is quirky and aided by an energetic supporting cast, including John Agar and Mykelti Williamson.
The movie garnered a 94 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include, on the first disc, a commentary track with Los Angeles Literary Mavens Janet Fitch and Matthew Spector on the city as a character in the movie; a second commentary with the movie’s writer-director Steve De Jarnatt and film critic Walter Chaw; a commentary with De Jarnatt, cinematographer Thea van de Sande and production designer Chris Horne and, on the second disc, a 1978 short film noir by De Jarnatt, a two-part supporting cast reunion featurette, interviews with composer Paul Haslinger, Edwards and Winningham, a 16mm short film by De Jarnatt, an audio reading of two short stories by De Jarnatt, deleted scenes, bloopers, outtakes, rehearsal footage on refining the diner scene, several small pieces and short films related to the making of “Miracle Mile” as well as De Jarnatt’s early career, a photo montage tribute to the crew, cast and staff and an alternate diamond ending.
“Horrible History: Four Historical Epics by Chang Cheh”: Limited Edition (Blu-ray)
Release date: Dec. 10
Details: 1972-76, Eureka Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Chang Cheh is a legendary filmmaker in Hong Kong cinema history making nearly 100 movies during his long career at the Shaw Brothers Studio.
Many of his movies drew upon Chinese history for inspiration — many of them based on real people and events.
This two-disc set offers four of his best historical epics — “Marco Polo” (1975), “The Pirate” (1973), “Boxer Rebellion” (1976) and “Four Riders” (1972).
“Marco Polo” finds the famed Venetian explorer embroiled in a battle between the Mongol Empire and Chinese rebels in the 13th century. “The Pirate” focuses on infamous 19th century raider Cheung Po Tsai, who must evade agents of the Imperial Court while attempting to help the poor residents of a coastal village. A group of Chinese patriots use kung fu to protect their nation against invading forces at the turn of the 20th century in “Boxer Rebellion.” “Four Riders,” set during the Korean War,, finds a Chinese veteran of the war enlisting three comrades to help him escape the South Korean Military Police Command after he is falsely accused of murdering an American soldier.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; Mandarin LPCM monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Supplemental options include commentary tracks by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng and Asian Film Festival and martial arts and filmmaker Michael Worth, commentary tracks with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, an interview with Hong Kong cinema scholar Wayne Wong on “Boxer Rebellion,” a video essay on Chang Cheh’s historical films and a collector’s booklet.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Armor (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Dominoes (One Tree Entertainment)
JAN. 9
Exhibition (Kino Film Collection)
The Tree (Kino Film Collection)
JAN. 10
Birdeater (Dark Sky Films)
Get Away (Shudder)
Laws of Man (Saban Films)
Silo: Season 2, Episode 9 (Apple TV+)
Under the Open Sky (Film Movement Plus)
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.