AVOID - AVOID - AVOID - AVOID - AVOID - AVOID - AVOID - AVOID - AVOID - AVOID- AVOID - AVOID
Normally we start with a release of the week. This week though, we are starting with a consumer alert. AVOID the FROM DUSK TILL DAWN Blu-ray. It is complete shit. This film deserves much better than a cheaply produced disc that has a horrible color palette and none of the extras the Dimension Collectors Series DVD had (which included an awesome docuemntary on the making of the film called FULL TILT BOOGIE). This Blu-ray is fucking terrible. Avoid it at all costs.
You can find the Dimension Collectors Edition over at Amazon: http://amzn.to/kN4TFh
Now let's get down to business with the release of the week.
TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH is one of the first post-WW2 films to come out of Hollywood. It features one of the best performances in the career of Gregory Peck and is shown in leadership classes to this day. Peck plays Gen. Frank Savage, a tough-as-nails leader who takes over a squad of bomber pilots who are suffering from low morale and teaches them to fight through adversity, conflict, and heavy losses. This is an incredibly complex film that doesn't take a particular position on the war, but instead focuses on the impact of war on those that fight.
Here's what is on the Blu-ray:
Commentary with Historians Rudy Belmer, Jon Burlingame and Nick Redman
Featurette: Memories of Twelve O'Clock High
Featurette: WWII and the American Home Front
Featurette: Inspiring a Character - General Frank A. Armstrong
Featurette: The Pilots of the Eighth Air Force
You can pick this one up from Amazon here: http://amzn.to/lDldkd
This week, we get one of the best horror double features to come along in a while. From two legendary studios, Amicus Productions and Hammer Studios (our personal favorite). THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH form Hammer stars Christopher Lee who has a supporting role to Anton Diffring. THE SKULL is from Amicus and features Peter Cushing as the unfortunate buyer of the skull of the Marquis De Sade. THE SKULL is certainly the better of the two films but it's nice to see each of them on Blu-ray.
It's cool to see Jamie Lee Curtis back in the role that made her famous, but ultimately this film just didn't work for me. What made the first such a classic was that it was subtle. There were shots where Michael is just standing in the background. It was brooding, well paced, and the payoff was huge. We just don't get that here but still...probably end up grabbing this anyway.
You can get this from Amazon here: http://amzn.to/mBdq5B
STUDENT BODIES and JECKYLL AND HYDE TOGETHER AGAIN are not great films. STUDENT BODIES is a little better than the other but...there you go.
Also out this week
THE GREEN HORNET: http://amzn.to/lyssdv
THE DILEMMA: http://amzn.to/jtxk69
WHAT DREAMS MAY COME: http://amzn.to/kjFW1n
TAPS: http://amzn.to/lYaLVI
That's it for this week kids. Next week features the first release from Severin Films/InterVision Picture Corp: SLEDGEHAMMER, in addition to Criterion's SOMETHING WILD on Blu-ray, I SAW THE DEVIL, BLUE VALENTINE, BLOOD JUNKIE, and AC/DC LIVE AT RIVER PLATE.
Here's to good watching this week, salute!
See you on forty deuce,
G
