New to View: April 14
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, April 14, unless otherwise noted:
Tih-Minh (Blu-ray)
Details: 1919, Kino Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: French director Louis Feuillade is known for his espionage serials such as “Les Vampires” and “Judex” as well as his “Fantômas” movies.
“Tie-Minh” was characterized by film historian Gilbert Adair as “the greatest, which is to say, the weirdest, most uncanny, most dreamlike” of Feuillade’s output.
This six-hour saga begins with adventure-seeker Jacques d’Athys (René Cresté) returning to Nice from Indochina with his fiancée, Tih-Minh (Mary Harald), and a cryptic book that provides clues to the location of a hidden treasure. D’Athys, aided by his whimsical manservant, Placide (Georges Biscot), races to unravel the mysteries of the book, while foiling various attempts by mercenaries, kidnappers and hypnotists, keen on robbing him of the treasure as well as using Tih-Minh as a bargaining chip in their dastardly schemes.
Adding to the suspense, the book also contains some sensitive government secrets wanted by enemies of France.
This “cinematic novel” is told in 12 episodes is complicated but with loads of tension and sophistication. At 383 minutes, “Tih-Minh” is interesting viewing.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture; French intertitles; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: The main extra consists of commentaries for eight chapters by novelist-critic Tim Lucas.
The Phantom (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1996, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: PG, action violence, language
The lowdown: The Phantom, created by Lee Falk, made his comic strip debut in February 1936 and continues strong to this day. “The Ghost Who Walks,” as The Phantom, is sometimes called, comes from a long line of men dedicated to fighting evil.
Billy Zane stars as The Phantom, whose real name is Kit Walker, in this film set in the 1930s.
The story revolves around The Phantom’s efforts to keep the three legendary skulls of Touganda from the clutches of the ruthless Xander Drax (Treat Williams, giving a hammy-like performance).
Most of the movie is set in Bengalla,, the domain of The Phantom, with some sequences taking place in New York City.
The movie is a straight action-adventure story with a few comic touches added.
The cast also includes Kristy Swanson as Diana Palmer, Kit’s former girlfriend (and future wife), Catherine Zeta-Jones as Sala, Drax’s pilot, James Remar as Quill, Drax’s main henchman and Patrick McGoohan as the spirit of Kit’s father, the 21st Phantom.
The movie, directed by Simon Wincer, closely adheres to the comic strip character.
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; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include a commentary track with Wincer, moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale, on both discs and, on the Blu-ray disc, interviews with Zane and composer David Newman.
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1985, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: PG-13, violence, language
The lowdown: Fred Ward stars as a New York City police officer who, after a bizarre mugging, regains consciousness to find he has a new face and a new identity.
His new name is Remo Williams and he is the number one recruit of a top-secret organization in this action-comedy.
The newly-named Remo is, understandably, upset with his new situation as he stumbles about under the strict training of Chiun (Joel Gray), an eccentric martial arts master. Chiun has Remo dodge bullets, brave very scary heights — including the top of the Statue of Liberty — and stop attackers with only his hands.
Remo finally becomes the ultimate criminal exterminator. His assignment is to face off against a corrupt millionaire and his army of henchmen. And this is where his real adventure truly begins.
The movie, directed by Guy Hamilton (“Goldfinger,” “Live and Let Die,” “Funeral in Berlin”) and costarring Wilford Brimley, J.A. Preston, Kate Mulgrew, George Coe, Charles Cioffi and Patrick Kilpatrick, was supposed to be, as the title implies, the first in a series of movies about Remo starring Ward.
However, low box-office returns and tepid reviews killed off Remo Williams before any villains could.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra-high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles; Blu-ray: 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 a new commentary track by film journalist Brandon Streussnig and a second commentary with producer Larry Spiegel and co-producer Judy Goldstein on both discs and, on the Blu-ray disc, an interview with Kilpatrick and featurettes on writing the movie, producing the movie, training Ward for his character, designing the movie and composing the movie’s score.
Death Ship (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1980, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: R, graphic violence, language
The lowdown: This horror outing, set aboard a possessed ship, may make you seasick.
An ocean liner filled with vacationing passengers, and a mysterious freighter collide. The handful of survivors escape to the sinister ship — unaware that it is possessed by the evil forces that once commanded it.
The ship is a killing machine and those who climbed aboard must now fight for their lives.
The cast includes George Kennedy, Richard Crenna, Nick Mancuso, Sally Ann Howes, Kate Reid and Saul Rubinek.
It seems the freighter was once a Nazi torture ship and the ghosts of its inmates and crew still haunt it.
After more deaths, the survivors escape in an old life raft while the ghost ship moves after a new target. Hopefully, when the survivors return to land, they will be smart enough to explain about the haunted vessel so it can be bombed or torpedoed to Hades.
“Death Ship,” directed by Alvin Rakoff, received generally negative reviews, so no sequels were produced. The set features the theatrical and extended cuts of the movie.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra-high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary by Paul Corupe of Comuxploitation.com and film historian Jason Pichonsky and a two by film historians Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson on the theatrical and extended cuts both discs; and, on the Blu-ray disc, a commentary by Rakoff, moderated by Jonathan Rigby; an isolated score for the extended cut by composer Ivor Slaney; a documentary about the movie featuring Kennedy, Mancuso, writer Jack Hill and Rakoff; a featurette with Katarina Severen of “Katarina’s Nightmare Theater”; and the short story script by Hill.
Other titles being released in the upcoming week include:
Becoming Led Zeppelin (4K Ultra HD) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
The Mole (Kino Film Collection-Apple TV-Prime Video)
Rise of the Conqueror (Well Go USA Entertainment)
Screams from the Tower (TLA Releasing)
Special Op: Rent-a-Cop (Cineverse)
Thinestra (Breaking Glass Pictures)
APRIL 15
Balls Up (Prime Video)
Imperfect Women: Episode 6 (Apple TV)
Margo’s Got Money Troubles: Episodes 1-3 (Apple TV)
The Testaments: Episode 4 (Hulu)
APRIL 16
Ajami (Kino Film Collection)
Dangerous Truth: Episodes 3 & 4 (Viaplay)
Double Stakes: Episode 5 (Viaplay)
East of Sweden (Viaplay)
Vanderpump Villa: Season 3 (Hulu)
APRIL 17
A Yard of Jackals (IndiePix Unlimited)
Assassin (Omnibus Entertainment)
Ballistic (Brainstorm Media)
Coma (Film Movement+)
For All Mankind: Season 5, Episode 4 (Apple TV)
Lourdes (Film Movement+)
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters: Season 2, Episode 8 (Apple TV)
Night Patrol (Shudder)
The Wolves Always Come at Night (Film Movement+)
Your Friends and Neighbors: Season 2, Episode 3 (Apple TV)
APRIIL 20
4X20: Quick Hits (Hulu)
The Napa Boys (Magnolia Pictures)
Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord: Episodes 5 & 6 (Disney+)
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 X @ReelBobBloom, on Facebook at ReelBob and on Bluesky at @bobbloom1948@bsky.social or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.