The release of the week is Dario Argento's stunning masterpiece DEEP RED. The film follows an English jazz pianist living in Rome who witnesses the brutal murder of a psychic. He soon partners with a reporter to track down clues and that is when the shit hits the horror switch and goes into macabre overdrive. This is a brilliant film with a reportedly excellent transfer by Blue Underground who give us both the censored English version and the uncut Italian version.
Here are the extras:
Interviews with Co-Writer/Director Dario Argento, Co-Writer Bernardino Zapponi and Goblin (Claudio Simonetti, Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli & Agostino Marangolo)
U.S. Trailer
Italian Trailer
Goblin Music Video - "Profondo Rosso" (2010)
Daemonia Music Video - "Profondo Rosso" (Directed by Sergio Stivaletti)
You can order this from TLA Video here: http://bit.ly/lbqFJ9
Shaw Borthers on Blu-ray is always reason to celebrate. The Venoms on Blu-ray is cause for a drunken riot, window smashing, and eventual arrest. Or you could save yourself the trouble and just buy this immediatly. Go on...we will wait...all set? Good.
You can pick this up from TLA Video here: http://bit.ly/jUbe6O
Yakuza films traditionally come in two flavors: Hyper-violent and careful study. Pale Flowers falls into the former catagory and follows a Yakuza member fresh out of the slammer as he slowly becomes involved with a gorgeous gambling addict who leads further down the criminal path. This is a really cool film that is oddly touching.
Here are the extras:
Interview(s): With director Masahiro Shinoda
Audio commentary: By film scholar Peter Grilli, coproducer of Music for the Movies: Toru Takemitsu (Selected scenes)
New essay by film critic Chuck Stephens
Original theatrical trailer
You can pick this up from TLA Video here: http://bit.ly/lIDUVf
Henri-Georges Clouzot's classic story of two women who devise a viscous plot of revenge. This is an interesting film that has had its plot mechanics hijacked so much that the original film has lost some of its punch. Not sure why, but the past few titles from Criterion have been lacking in the extra's and this one is no different.
Here is what you get:
New digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
Selected-scene commentary by French-film scholar Kelley Conway
New video interview with Serge Bromberg, codirector of Henri-Georges Clouzot’s, Inferno
New video interview with horror film expert Kim Newman
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty
You can pick this up from TLA Video here: http://bit.ly/l2JZuC
From the box: A minor quarrel escalates into a duel. A death creates a debt of honor. The demands of honor outweigh the demands of justice, and force friends to spill each other's blood. And the need for victory requires the sacrifice of honor.
I haven't seen this one before, but I am a sucker for revenge.
You can pick this up from TLA Video here: http://bit.ly/kwuHpn
Axl Foley is finally on Blu-ray. SNL put Murphy on the map. 48 HOURS bought him a house. BEVERLY HILLS COP gave him the world. THE NUTTY PROFESSOR gave him a monster paycheck and fucked his career. Though I have always liked how bat-shit crazy the second film is, this film is flawless.
You can pick this up from Amazon ere: http://amzn.to/jn1UtT
John Wayne took over the directing reigns from Michael Curtiz who was battling cancer but the film never feels like a tug-of-war between the director and icon. In fact, this is up there as one of my favorite Wane films. Plus, you get a dose of Lee Marvin.
You can pick this up from TLA Video here: http://bit.ly/lYdHdy
Jason Statham gets his Bronson on in THE MECHANIC remake.
You can pick this up from TLA Video here: http://bit.ly/jbG8tu
Anthony Hopkins works an exorcism in THE RITE.
You can pick this up from Amazon here: http://amzn.to/m2B9bi
That's it for this week kids. Next week we have a new PLATOON Blu-ray, SOLARIS from Criterion, THE GREAT DICTATOR from Criterion, LE MANS, PAPILLON, and FIGHTING MAD/MOVING VIOLATION Double Feature.
Here is to good watching, salute!
See you on forty deuce,
G
