New to View: March 4

By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, March 4, unless otherwise noted:
Kraven the Hunter (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2024, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: R, bloody violence, language
The lowdown: The magic in superhero movies is fast fading — with last year being a prime example of uninspired features — “Madam Web” and “Joker: Folie à Deux” being prime examples.
Add to that list “Kraven the Hunter,” a violent, formulaic and leaden adaptation of another secondary character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is more pose than poise, lacking any charisma as Kraven who, powered by lion’s blood, battles bad guys.
The storyline is nearly nonexistent and continues the downward slide of the MCU. Even the addition of Russell Crowe as Kraven’s Russian-mobster father, and Ariana DeBose as Calypso, who has very little to add, cannot perk up the proceedings.
A vast majority of critics agreed, giving the film a mediocre 16 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English and French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital audio description tracks; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include deleted and extended scenes, a becoming Kraven featurette, a “Beast Mode: The Stunts of the Hunt” featurette, outtakes and bloopers, a look at the cast and a behind-the-scenes look at Kraven’s first hunt.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2025, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Rated: R, violence, language, drug use, sexual references
The lowdown: Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. return for a heist thriller in which Butler’s cop, Big Nick O’Brien, and Jackson Jr.’s crook, (Donnie), team up with the infamous Panther mafia to pull off a major robbery in the world’s largest diamond exchange.
The movie offers more of a buddy-film vibe than a caper feature as Nick begins to experience the good life that Donnie has to offer.
The caper is suspenseful and nonviolent and the chemistry between the characters nearly makes you ignore the plot holes.
The film earned a respectable 62 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra-high definition, 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos, English descriptive audio and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos, English descriptive audio and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a commentary track with director Christian Gudegast, producer Tucker Tooley, cinematographer Terry Stacey and editor Roberth Nordh; a featurette on plotting the movie; and deleted scenes.

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth (Blu-ray)
Details: 1988, Film Movement
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This landmark PBS series, one of the most popular in public television’s history, features mythologist and storyteller Joseph Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers exploring what enduring myths can tell us about our lives.
The two-disc set, features all six episodes of the series, in which Campbell and Moyers discuss how myths are clues to the spiritual core of human nature, while touching on such diverse topics as religion, folklore and pop culture.
The show’s six episodes are “The Hero’s Adventure,” “The Message of the Myth,” “The First Storytellers,” “Sacrifice and Bliss,” “Love and the Goddess” and “Masks of Eternity.”
Campbell’s writings were supposedly a major influence on filmmaker George Lucas and his development of his original “Star Wars” trilogy.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a two-part “Bill Moyers’ Journals” episodes entitled “Joseph Campbell: Myths to Live By,” “The Mythology of Star Wars” with Moyers and Lucas and a 24-page booklet featuring a rare essay by Campbell as well as additional reading materials from the Joseph Campbell Foundation.

Arabesque (Blu-ray)
Details: 1966, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren star in this story of international intrigue in which Peck’s Professor David Pollock, an expert in ancient Arab hieroglyphics, is convinced by the prime minister of a Middle Eastern country to infiltrate an organization run by a man named Beshraavi (Alan Badel), who is involved in a plot against the prime minister.
The official wants Pollock to decipher a hieroglyphics code, which details the plot.
When the hidden meaning is revealed, a chase ensues as Pollock and Beshraavi’s exotic but unpredictable companion, Yasmin Azir (Loren), find themselves in the middle of an assassination plot against the prime minister.
The movie, directed by Stanley Donen, is a lively mixture of drama, chases, action and romance, which earned a 74 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Supplemental materials include a commentary track with film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson and an archival featurette, “Music by Mancini,” with composer Henry Mancini and syndicated columnist Leonard Feather.

“Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXIV” (Blu-ray)
Details: 1950-57, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Three more film noir features that explore the underbelly of humanity are offered in this set.
First up is “Union Station” (1950) starring William Holden as a railroad police chief racing against time to capture a group of kidnappers holding a blind heiress for a $100,000 ransom.
The payoff point is Chicago’s Union Station.
The story begins when a sharp-eyed secretary grows suspicious of two men boarding her train. She is told to alert Lt. William Calhoun (Holden) who, at first, is skeptical than soon realizes they are the men involved in the kidnapping.
The cast also includes Barry Fitzgerald, Lyle Bettiger, Nancy Olson, Allene Roberts and Jan Sterling.
“Jennifer” (1953) stars Ida Lupino as Agnes Langley who gets a job as caretaker of an old mansion where the last occupant, the owner’s cousin, Jennifer, mysteriously disappeared.
Agnes soon begins to believe that Jennifer has been killed and that Jim Hollis (Howard Duff), the man who get Agnes the job and with whom she has fallen in love, is responsible.
One of the movie’s best attributes is the cinematography of the great James Wong Howe.
“The Crooked Circle” (1957) revolves around boxing. Young Tommy Kelly (John Smith) jumps into the world of prizefighting despite the warning of his ex-boxer brother who knows too well the criminal underpinnings of the sport.
Robert Armstrong plays the honest trainer who is handling Tommy, but the bad elements soon grab hold of the young man and try to get him to throw a fight.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture (“Union Station” and Jennifer”) and 2.35:1 (“The Crooked Circle”); English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include commentaries on “Union Station” by author-film historian Alan K. Rode, “Jennifer” by film historians Kat Ellinger and Martyn Conterio and “The Crooked Circle” by film historian-screenwriter Gary Gerani.

Dinosaur Valley Girls (Blu-ray)
Release date: Feb. 25
Details: 1996, Visual Vengeance
Rated: Unrated, nudity
The lowdown: Film-fan pioneer and author Don Glut directed this low-budget feature in which Hollywood action star Tony Markham (Jeff Rector) is transported back in time via a magic artifact to a prehistoric world of flesh-hungry dinosaurs, angry cavemen and, of course, a tribe of exotic, love-starved cavegirls.
Markham must use his modern-day machismo and karate moves to survive as well as woo the cavegirl of his dreams Hea-Thor (Denise Ames).
Stop-motion dinosaurs, music numbers, off-the-wall cameos and a bunch of dad jokes add to the movie’s silliness.
The cast also includes William Marshall, best known for his role as “Blacula,” with cameos by Forrest J.. Ackerman and Bill Warren.
This is an effort that perhaps would make Ed Wood proud — or blanch.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English 2.0 Dolby digital; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include a 2023 commentary with Glut and C. Courtney Joyner, an archival commentary with Glut and Joyner, an interview with Glut, a tour of Glut’s dinosaur home museum, a making of featurette, an alternate PG-13 version of the movie, deleted and alternate scenes, an actress auditions reel, a music video reel, “Jurassic Punk” music and lyrics, “Dinosaur Valley Girls” music and lyrics” and other quick featurettes.

Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid (DVD)
Details: 2024, Kino Lorber-Greenwich Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A documentary that looks at the career of Democratic strategist James Carville, from his masterminding Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential victory to his insurgent role in the 2024 presidential race.
Over the past 30 years, Carville has been one of the most influential voices in modern political history.
The movie examines his career, his marriage to Republican consultant Mary Matalin.
It offers a honest and unscripted behind-the-curtain look at politics and Carville’s role in its working.
Technical aspects: 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.

Crawlspace (Blu-ray)
Details: 1986, Kino Cult-Kino Lorber
Rated: R, violence
The lowdown: Klaus Kinski stars in this horror-thriller as the proprietor of a boardinghouse for women who keeps a close watch on his tenants.
Kinski’s Dr. Karl Gunther takes pride in keeping the establishment immaculate. He also enjoys spying on his residents through the crawlspaces in the building.
Once in a while Gunther kills on his tenets, so turnover is frequent.
Among the women in the house are sultry secretary Harriet (Barbara Whinnery) and studious Lori (Talia Balsam).
Gunther uses a tap, tap, tap sound to lure unsuspecting women to his torture chamber. The question is whether Harriet and/or Lori join his list of victims.
The film, written and directed by David Schmoeller, offers some suspenseful and unpredictable moments.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include “Please Kill Mr. Kinski,” a short film by Schmoeller; a commentary track with Schmoeller; a second commentary with film historian John Harrison; and an interview with makeup effects artist John Vulich.

Play It Cool: Limited Edition (Blu-ray)
Details: 1970, Arrow Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A semi-exploitation, erotic Japanese melodrama about Yumi (Mari Atsumi), a college student negotiating her way through the male-dominated world of Tokyo’s dangerous and seductive nightclub culture.
Yumi, a pretty fashion student, lives in a cramped home with her mother, Tomi (Akemi Negishi), and her loutish stepfather.
Tomi works at a local hostess bar, hoping for a better life for her daughter. When the stepfather forces himself on Yumi, Tomi takes action to protect her, landing herself in jail.
Yumi is left to fend for herself. She is taken in at her mother’s former workplace, where she finds herself fighting off the unwanted attentions of the men who swarm around her.
One day, though, she is rescued from a vicious gangster by a handsome young lawyer who seems to offer an escape from her life to a more polished world. Unfortunately, that turns out to be filled with similar dangers.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; Japanese LPCM monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with critic and Japanese cinema specialist Jasper Sharp and professor and Japanese literature specialist Anne McKnight; a video essay on the movie’s director Yasuzô Masamura and a booklet about the movie.

“Perils & Distress”: Endless Night and Picture Mommy Dead (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1966, 1972, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: “Picture Mommy Dead” (1966) is a thriller starring Don Ameche, Martha Hyer, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Susan Gordon.
Ameche plays Edward Shelley whose wealthy wife, played by Gabor, dies in a mysterious fire. Shelley later marries Francene (Hyer), the governess of his daughter, Susan (Gordon).
The greedy Francene realizes that if her husband and stepdaughter die, his estate goes to Anthony (Maxwell Reed), Shelley’s cousin and Francene’s former lover.
Who will survive? The movie, directed by Bert I. Gordon, costars Wendell Corey and Signe Hasso.
“Endless Night” (1972), based on an Agatha Christie novel, stars Hayley Mills as a wealthy heiress who moves into a magnificent dream house with her new husband, played by Hywel Bennett.
Murder ensues and, like many Christie works, abounds in darkness before the twisted climax.
Britt Ekland and Lois Maxwell costar in this psychological thriller that features a strong score by the legendary Bernard Herrmann.
Technical aspects: 2160p ultra-high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include commentary tracks on both movies with film historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson.

Ghost Cat Anzu (Blu-ray)
Details: 2024, GKids-Shout! Factory
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A fantasy about Karin, a tween who finds herself abandoned by her father in rural Japan. Living in a temple with her monk grandfather, she meets Anzu, a giant ghost cat and infamous loafer who is tasked with looking after her.
Karin is distrustful of Anzu, so she sabotages the odd jobs he does for the people of the town. She also befriends the local forest spirits. Trying to win Karin over, Anzu accidentally makes a deal with the devil and all Hell breaks loose.
This Japanese feature is a story of loss, grief and friendship. The movie was first filmed in live action, with the animation rotoscoped based on that footage.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; Japanese, English and French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.

Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance (Blu-ray & digital) (Well Go USA Entertainment)
Lake George (DVD & VOD) (Magnolia Home Entertainment)

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Between Borders (Mill Creek Entertainment)
Endless Night (Kino Lorber)
The Last Showgirl (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Paradise: Episode 8 (Hulu)
Wine Thief (One Tree Entertainment)
MARCH 5
Love You to Death (A Muerte): Episode 6 (Apple TV+)
Mystic Quest: Season 4, Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
Prime Target: Episode 8 (Apple TV+)
MARCH 6
Deli Boys (Hulu)
Identifying Features (Kino Film Collection)
Murina (Kino Film Collection)
Picture This (Prime Video)
MARCH 7
Bloat (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Guns of Redemption (Shout! Studios)
Severance: Season 2, Episode 8 (Apple TV+)
Silent Zone (Saban Films)
The Stress Is Killing Me (Freestyle Digital Media)
Surface: Season 2, Episode 3 (Apple TV+)

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.