My Top Five Blu-rays of 2025

 

The end of another year, and I still don't have a region free player, or a 4K player for that matter. I guess you people need to step your game up and send me one, right??

Even with just a no-frills Blu-ray machine, I still managed to spend far too much valuable cash on physical media (as I always do). Looking back on what I bought in 2025, one thing that stood out was how many silent movies I purchased. That either shows how weird I really am, or how I think so little of 21st Century entertainment that I'd rather sit around and watch things made around 100 years ago. 

There certainly isn't anything on this list that could be considered mainstream....and I need to point out that if a couple titles I have already pre-ordered were released when they were originally announced to, this list would be very different. 

1. (A tie!) TERROR IN THE FOG--THE WALLACE KRIMI and MABUSE LIVES! from Eureka 

Two incredible box sets which combined feature over a dozen German Krimi films, all fully restored and presented in their original running times and aspect ratios. Each set is filled with relevant extras, enabling the viewer to know as much as possible about the likes of Edgar Wallace, Bryan Edgar Wallace, and Dr. Mabuse. I sincerely hope Eureka has more rare Krimi treats in store for the future. 

3. LAUREL & HARDY: YEAR THREE from Flicker Alley

Flicker Alley's first two L & H sets made my best-of-year lists in '23 and '24, and YEAR THREE definitely deserves the honors as well. Fine restorations of classic Stan & Ollie, along with plenty of expert historical detail that should meet the standards of any major film geeks. 

4. FRANKENSTEIN'S BLOODY TERROR from Kino 

Euro Gothic legend Paul Naschy's horror debut is presented here in all its 3-D glory, and Kino set things up so that even if you don't own a 3-D player, you can still experience the depth of a werewolf. (The standard version of the movie is included as well.) Plenty of extras with this too. 

5. GERMAN SILENT RARITIES FROM DIRECTOR HENRIK GALEEN from Deaf Crocodile 

The main importance of this set is that it presents two very needed restorations of two very important German expressionist titles: the 1926 version of THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE with Conrad Veidt and Werner Krauss, and the 1928 version of ALRAUNE with Brigitte Helm and Paul Wegener. 
                 

THE WHITE SPIDER

 

THE WHITE SPIDER (original title DIE WEISSE SPINNE) is a 1963 German Krimi that appears to be part of the Edgar Wallace series of crime thriller adaptations. It stars Joachim Fuchsberger and Karin Dor, the First Couple of Krimi, and it was directed by Harald Reinl, an Edgar Wallace veteran. It has a black & white noir look, a weird jazzy music score by Peter Thomas, and it's set in London and the story involves Scotland Yard. 

It is not based on anything written by Edgar Wallace, however--its story is based on the writings of mystery author Louis Weinert-Wilson. THE WHITE SPIDER is in fact part of a small series of films based on Weinert-Wilson's works, a group of films that are basically Edgar Wallace Krimi imitations. (The first film in this series was THE CARPET OF HORROR, a movie I wrote a blog post on a few years ago.) THE WHITE SPIDER might be an imitation, but it holds up as a very good Krimi in its own right. 

A gambling addict is killed in a car accident. His widow, Muriel Irvine (Karin Dor) finds out that her husband's life was insured for a large sum of money. Similar deaths have also incurred recently, with the men also heavily insured and also connected to a secret gambling club. Scotland Yard takes an interest in the case. The late Irvine's lucky charm was a glass white spider, and as Muriel tries to discover whether her husband was murdered or committed suicide, similar trinkets start popping up all over, as do more dead bodies. A mysterious ex-con (Joachim Fuchsberger) worms his way into Muriel's problems, while the widow herself comes under suspicion of the death of her husband. 

THE WHITE SPIDER has plenty of plot machinations to pay attention to, such as the gambling club, a murder-for-hire organization (called "The White Spider" of course), and a society dedicated to reforming ex-convicts. There's also a main villain that is a master of disguise, and who also kills those in his way by strangling them with a trick lasso made of wire. On top of that, the inspector that Scotland Yard has called in to handle the case hides his identity by sitting in the dark in his office while flanked by spotlights shining out at his visitors, much like Dr. Mabuse would. (I do have to say that it's quite easy to figure out the identity of the main villain and the inspector.) 

The insurance subplot, a society of reformers, and a villain with multiple identities easily calls to mind DARK EYES OF LONDON, probably the most famous Edgar Wallace story of them all. THE WHITE SPIDER in fact resembles a lot of other Krimis, but that is the reason why it was made in the first place. It's an entertaining movie, perfect for late night viewing, and while the plot twists are not very surprising, it's fun to watch how the story works itself out. 

Among the supporting cast are plenty of Krimi veterans such as Werner Peters, Dieter Eppler, and Chris Howland. You certainly don't believe that this story is really taking place in London, but I've seen so many Krimis by now that I just go ahead and accept the situation. Dor as always is an appealing heroine, and Fuchsberger is as usual the stalwart hero, although there are times when his attempted romancing of Dor gets a bit annoying. Fuchsberger and Dor could have played these roles in their sleep by this time, but the important thing is that they don't. 

I viewed THE WHITE SPIDER on YouTube, and it was a version that was dubbed in English but was not in widescreen (it appeared to have been put together for American television). THE WHITE SPIDER is another of the many Krimis that still need to be put out on official home video in a fully restored version. 

LAUREL & HARDY: YEAR THREE On Blu-ray From Flicker Alley

 

For the third year in a row, Flicker Alley has released a magnificent set of rare and restored material featuring the legendary comedy team of Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy. LAUREL & HARDY: YEAR THREE covers the duo's short films made for the Hal Roach Studios in 1929. 

By 1929, the rough edges of the Laurel & Hardy pairing had been smoothed out, and the team has become what we all know and love. 1929 also saw the Roach Studios transitioning to sound, a technical achievement that if anything made the duo more popular. Most of the shorts presented on this two-disc region free set are silent, but L & H's first sound film, UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE, is included (and fully restored to boot). UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE shows that Stan & Ollie (and the Roach writers and directors) had few problems adjusting to the new technology--a number of gags included in the short are audio-oriented. 

This set contains 9 short films, including 2 bonus sound shorts and plenty of extras. Among the many highlights are LIBERTY, in which L & H wind up on an unfinished skyscraper, and BIG BUSINESS, where the duo's meddling attempts at selling a Christmas tree to James Finlayson result in a manic, destructive free-for-all. 

DOUBLE WHOOPEE is notable for an appearance by a 17 year old Jean Harlow, who suffers a  major wardrobe mishap. (Harlow also has cameo roles in two other movies in this set.) Speaking of wardrobe mishaps, UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE features Thelma Todd's first encounter with Stan & Ollie, and it's very easy to figure out what happens to her. 

Each short film in this set has multiple music tracks, with some of them having the option of the original Vitaphone audio. The shorts also have greatly informative audio commentaries by either Randy Skretvedt and Richard W. Bann, and extensive still galleries. There's also a dubbed version of DOUBLE WHOOPEE, created by Chuck McCann in 1970, and a silent version of UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE. 

Other extras include a 16mm excerpt from MGM's THE HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929, which has Laurel & Hardy in a skit with Jack Benny, and a fragment of the Spanish version of BERTH MARKS. There's also extremely rare footage of L & H that was filmed for a 1930 MGM sales convention. 

As with the other two Laurel & Hardy sets from Flicker Alley, Year Three contains a 32 page illustrated booklet with extensive info on all the shorts and extras, an article by Leonard Maltin, and an essay by Richard W. Bann and Serge Bromberg detailing the various issues involved with restoring the Laurel & Hardy shorts made during their early period as a comedy team. 

I can't give enough praise to this set, or to the other two L & H sets released by Flicker Alley. The shorts are still entertaining nearly 100 years on, and the wealth of historical material is incredibly fascinating, especially to classic film geeks. I can't even fathom the amount of work that went into these Laurel & Hardy sets, but I'm quite thankful to Flicker Alley for putting them together. I believe this might be the final Flicker Alley Laurel & Hardy set, but as far as I'm concerned, they can go on to make Year Four, Year Five, Year Six, and on and on......

LADY OF BURLESQUE On Blu-ray From Film Masters

 

Film Masters saves another classic film from public domain purgatory with their Blu-ray release of 1943's LADY OF BURLESQUE, a musical-mystery comedy starring Barbara Stanwyck, with direction by William Wellman. 

LADY OF BURLESQUE was based on a novel written by stage star Gypsy Rose Lee entitled THE G-STRING MURDERS. What makes the movie stand out is its Pre-Code vibe. It feels like something made in the early 1930s--so much so that I'm surprised the film got made at all. What's even more surprising is that with all its tawdry B movie antics, two major Hollywood figures such as Stanwyck and Wellman were involved with it. 

Barbara Stanwyck was at the top of her profession in the 1940s, and one would think a project like this would be beneath her, but the actress dived into it wholeheartedly. Stanwyck plays Dixie Daisy, a headliner at a burlesque show playing at a building called the Old Opera House. Among the girls and the gags are a few murders, and Dixie, along with her burlesque cohorts, must find the killer before they become either suspects or victims themselves. 

LADY OF BURLESQUE has plenty of stage acts, but it also has a working-class edge to it. The showgirls performing at the Old Opera House are not fresh-faced innocent starlets--they're hard-boiled dames earning a living, and not exactly having the best of times doing so. Despite the gorgeous women and their outlandish costumes, there's not much glitz or glamour here. The showgirls are a cynical, sarcastic lot, and the audience at the Old Opera House seems to consist of lonely, middle-aged men. 

Stanwyck's Daisy is a no-nonsense trooper who isn't afraid of anyone, but she's also beautiful and talented. Stanwyck appears to be enjoying herself immensely, strutting about in some very skimpy fashions designed by Edith Head and engaging in a wild dance routine that involves splits and a cartwheel. Stanwyck really shows off her versatility in this picture, as does director Wellman. (Consider that Wellman's other picture released in 1943 was THE OX-BOW INCIDENT, a story as far removed from LADY OF BURLESQUE as could possibly be.) 

Film Masters states that this Blu-ray features a 4K scan of original 35mm elements, and the movie now looks fantastic, with a sharp black & white image that shows off the various showgirl costumes in particular. The sound quality is much improved as well. 

The Blu-ray is region free, and comes with a slipcover (see picture above) and a 10-page booklet, which contains an article by Susan King detailing the movie's production. The disc also has an original trailer and a fine new audio commentary by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry in which she gives out plenty of relevant detail on the cast and crew. She also compares the movie's script with Gypsy Rose Lee's novel, and she discusses the censorship problems the production ran into. 

LADY OF BURLESQUE could be found anywhere back in the discount VHS days, but this Film Masters Blu-ray is miles ahead of whatever presentations the movie used to have. It's a sassy, entertaining story with a few dark elements, and it contains one of Barbara Stanwyck's most unique performances. It's nice to see that LADY OF BURLESQUE finally gets the proper home video treatment courtesy of Film Masters. 

KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR

 

It's hard to fathom that Quentin Tarantino's KILL BILL Volumes One and Two were originally released over twenty years ago. Since then there's been all sorts of rumors about sequels, prequels, and unused footage. Now we get KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR, a special theatrical combined version of Volumes One and Two. 

This combined version runs a mammoth four hours and 35 minutes (thankfully there is an intermission). Tarantino and Lionsgate didn't just run the original films back to back--the story is edited into one long feature. 

There are a few changes to the original cuts. One major difference is that the massive swordfight sequence in the House of Blue Leaves is completely in color--in the original version it was mostly in black & white so Volume One could get an R rating. THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR is unrated--and I believe I noticed a few other added shots that featured extra gore and violence. The anime sequence detailing O-Ren's rise in the criminal world has been lengthened, and the scene at the beginning of Volume Two where Uma Thurman talks directly to the audience giving an account of her activities has been edited out--but for the most part the combined KILL BILL is basically the same as the original two films. 

The main question is whether combining the two KILL BILL films was worth it. The two films deal with one overall story line, but they are very different in tone. Volume One is a wild, over-the-top action flick where the viewer doesn't really know what is going on--Bill's face isn't even shown. Volume Two is darker, more introspective, more character driven, as Tarantino fills in the blanks, so to speak. The intermission comes right between the end of Volume One and the start of Volume Two, so the films are still separate, in a way. 

If you're one of the few people that actually read this blog, you'll know that I'm constantly complaining about how long 21st Century movies are. Sitting in a theater for nearly five hours is not something I'm inclined to do. (Did I sneak in multiple bags of food? You're damn right I did.) Having an intermission certainly helped, but I have to say that I wasn't bored or restless. I'm a fan of the KILL BILL movies to begin with, and Tarantino certainly put on a show with them. While watching THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR, it didn't feel to me that I was sitting around for an inordinate length of time. 

Having said that, I believe that KILL BILL works better when the story is split up into two features. Seeing them separately gives one a better appreciation for Tarantino's talents as a writer and director, Robert Richardson's brilliant cinematography, and Uma Thurman's performance (which in my mind doesn't get enough credit, considering all the things she and her character went through). 

THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR is worth seeing in a theater, if you've got five hours to spare, and if you're a fan of the original films to begin with. It's better than anything new showing right now, that's for sure. If you have never seen any of the KILL BILL features at all, I would recommend that you watch the original versions first. 

BEAU GESTE (1926) On Blu-ray From Artcraft Pictures

 

The most famous version of BEAU GESTE is the 1939 film starring Gary Cooper and directed by William Wellman. What most people don't know is that movie is a very close remake of a 1926 silent feature. I didn't really know anything about the original BEAU GESTE until I purchased this Blu-ray from Artcraft Pictures, a group that is in the process of restoring several silent films. The 1926 BEAU GESTE is an excellent film in its own right, and I will even venture to say that Ronald Colman, the star of the '26 version, is a better Beau Geste than Gary Cooper. 

The 1926 BEAU GESTE was restored under the supervision of Robert A. Harris and James Mockoski, and the result is an early screen epic that hopefully will garner more attention. The novel that the film was based on was a current bestseller when the original movie was being made, and while its story of three brothers going away and joining the French Foreign Legion in order to cover up a family scandal may come off as too sentimental in this day and age, the '26 version is an outstanding big-budget adventure. 

The man behind the 1926 BEAU GESTE was director Herbert Brenon, who had read its source novel and convinced Paramount Pictures to film it. The studio went to great expense and trouble to adapt the story, with an entire camp built in southeastern California near the border of Mexico in order to facilitate shooting the desert sequences. Herbert Brenon's direction wasn't as energetic as William Wellman's--the '26 version is over two hours long--but the final attack on a Legion fort by Arab tribesmen is still a knockout, especially when one realizes that what is going on in front of the camera was staged for real, without any tricks or special effects. 

As I've already stated, Ronald Colman is a fine, stately Beau Geste. (Even though this is a silent feature, I couldn't help but hear Colman's voice in my head saying his character's lines.) Colman's brothers are played by Ralph Forbes and Neil Hamilton. Noah Beery gets a juicy part with the role of the brutal sergeant commanding the fort, and like Brian Donlevy did in the '39 version, he makes the most of it. William Powell plays a weaselly, untrustworthy legionnaire named Boldini, a role very far removed from the actor's smooth leading men he would portray in the 1930s. The '26 BEAU GESTE shows how versatile an actor William Powell was. 

Artcraft Pictures has given the original BEAU GESTE a first-class Blu-ray presentation, with a special slipcover and a booklet that contains stills and a production history written by Frank Thompson. Thompson also provides a well-paced informative audio commentary that gives the listener all the details on the film that one could want. 

The music score attached to this restoration of the '26 BEAU GESTE was compiled by Rodney Sauer from original 1926 compositions, and it was performed by the Mount Alto Orchestra. The score, presented in 5.1 surround, fits the movie perfectly, and an extra on the disc has Sauer explain exactly why he chose certain sections of music. Sauer's talk will be fascinating for those who have an interest in movie music soundtracks. 

Other extras include a radio adaptation of BEAU GESTE by Orson Welles, a photo gallery (which shows that the cast and crew managed to have fun despite the remote location) and a short restoration video that provides the basics on how this version of the film was put together. This disc is Region Free. 

After watching this Blu-ray, I pulled out my DVD of the 1939 BEAU GESTE. The '39 version is almost a scene-by-scene remake of the '26 version, and while the '39 version has now become the one that most people know about, credit has to be given where credit is due. The 1926 BEAU GESTE was a major accomplishment, and so was Artcraft Pictures' restoration of it. This Blu-ray has plenty of material for film geeks to dive into, and I'll be looking forward to what Artcraft Pictures has in store for the future. 

MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM

 

MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM (1944) is a remake of Universal's THE SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM, which was actually a remake of a German film. Universal had already remade SECRET as THE MISSING GUEST in 1938. Confused? The real confusion is why such a standard mystery tale got reused so many times. 

What makes MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM different is that it is a mystery-musical comedy, although not a very effective one. 1940s Universal regular Anne Gwynne's family owns a rambling old house which contains "The Blue Room", the location where her father died under mysterious circumstances. A beau of Gwynne's decides to spend the night in the room, and come morning, the young man cannot be found. 

What follows are plenty of the expected old dark house-murder mystery elements, but this time they're enlivened by "The Jazzy Belles"--a singing & dancing group of starlets played by Grace McDonald, June Preisser, and Betty Kean. (Apparently the Andrews Sisters weren't available.) The ladies are actually the real stars of the picture (sadly Anne Gwynne doesn't get much to do). The Jazzy Belles have talent, but they come off as a minor league (and much less violent) version of the Three Stooges. 

Among the supporting cast are past-his-prime leading man Donald Cook, Regis Toomey as a no-nonsense police detective, and Ian Wolfe as (what else?) a butler. What's sorely missing in MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM is anyone on the Lugosi-Atwill-Zucco level. Most of the characters are very dull, and one of the usual Universal boogeymen would have livened things up considerably. The film was very generically directed by Leslie Goodwins. 

The musical numbers in this film are decent enough, but none of them really stick out. The always appealing Anne Gwynne gets a chance to perform a song....but she's dubbed. The solution to the mystery is so perfunctorily handled that one wonders why Universal even bothered to remake this story in the first place, and you'll also wonder why the Jazzy Belles got more screen time than Anne Gwynne did. MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM is one of the most obscure chillers of Universal's Golden Age, and after seeing it, you'll understand its status. 

CONFESSIONS OF AN OPIUM EATER

 

Produced and directed by low-budget exploitation maven Albert Zugsmith, this 1961 potboiler contains one of Vincent Price's most unusual roles (and that's saying a lot). Set in late 19th Century San Francisco, CONFESSIONS OF AN OPIUM EATER has Price as Gilbert de Quincey, a soldier of fortune who infiltrates the powerful Tong criminal empire to put an end to a smuggling ring that provides various young Asian women to be sold as slaves. 

The movie is in black & white, and at times it feels like an episode of THE WILD WILD WEST (though not as fun or entertaining). San Francisco's Chinatown is represented by a generic-looking backlot, while the action scenes are very underwhelming. It doesn't help that Vincent Price is totally miscast as a rugged adventurer--one would expect Price to be leading a group of human traffickers instead of fighting them. 

It appears that Albert Zugsmith assumed putting Price, who was already associated with the weird and the macabre, in a feature with such a notorious title would attract some attention. It also appears that Zugsmith put the film together as if it was an opium-fueled vision. The plot is confusing, the visuals are overly strange, and Price gets plenty of chances to intone some doom-laden Edgar Allan Poe-style voice-overs. The florid dialogue is filled with plenty of Charlie Chan-like aphorisms. Despite all the lurid intentions, CONFESSIONS winds up being nothing more than a big tease. If this film had been made about a decade later, with someone like Jess Franco at the helm, it probably wouldn't have been any better....but at least it would have been more interesting. 

Albert Glasser provides a wild music score that goes off in about a dozen different directions, and Angelo Rossitto has a cameo as a newspaper vendor (which is what he was when he wasn't acting), but there isn't much else that makes CONFESSIONS notable. The Tong organization that Price's character is battling is another one of those supposedly powerful criminal groups that gets overcome rather easily. Vincent Price fans might want to see this, just to see how he fares in such an atypical role, but it's quite noticeable that the actor is uncomfortable in it. CONFESSIONS OF AN OPIUM EATER is available on the Tubi streaming channel, but it is listed under the title SOULS FOR SALE. 

My Favorite Films Of The First Quarter Century

 

The fact that we are now a quarter way through the 21st Century already is rather disconcerting, but it gives me an excuse to make up another list. 

These are my favorite films from 2001 to the present. I base my choices on my own personal preferences--they have nothing to do with popularity, awards, box office, politics, trendiness, etc. I'm sure I've overlooked a few titles. It's not like I spent hours and hours doing research on this....it's merely meant to be entertaining. 

And yes, every so often I actually do watch movies made in the 21st Century.....and I usually wind up being more disappointed than inspired. The list is in no particular order. 

THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy 

KILL BILL (Volumes One and Two)

BATMAN BEGINS

ROGUE ONE

SHIN GODZILLA

GODZILLA MINUS ONE

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

CASINO ROYALE

WATCHMEN

PACIFIC RIM

BLADE RUNNER 2049

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

ENNIO

DUNKIRK

DUNE (Parts One and Two)

GANGS OF NEW YORK 

HELL'S ANGELS On Blu-ray From Criterion

 

The 1930 WWI aviation spectacular HELL'S ANGELS, produced and directed by the legendary Howard Hughes, gets the special-edition Criterion treatment. 

Most people today know about HELL'S ANGELS from watching Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic THE AVIATOR. But Scorsese's film only scratched the surface when it came to documenting the mammoth production history of Hughes' dream project. HELL'S ANGELS started out as a silent feature, but during the long shooting schedule Hughes reworked the story into a talkie, recast the leading female role, and even added in a color sequence. All the while, Hughes spent plenty of time (and money) on numerous flying stunts and sequences that had never been attempted before, and probably never will again. 

The result is a curious mix of incredible aerial feats and clunky dialogue scenes (with some excellent practical effects thrown in). The movie truly does soar when it takes to the air--but on the ground it betrays its early talkie origins. 

The two underwhelming leading men of HELL'S ANGELS are Ben Lyon and James Hall as brothers Monte and Roy, who join the British air force at the outbreak of the Great War. Monte (Lyon) is weak and irresponsible, while Roy (Hall) is a stuffed-shirt type. Lyon and Hall are not the most dynamic actors, and their characters are not very engaging. Both men get overshadowed by the very young Jean Harlow in her breakthrough role. Harlow is supposed to be playing an upper-class Englishwoman of the late teens, but she's really nothing more than sexy Roaring Twenties eye candy. Harlow has plenty of screen presence, but she's even more awkward in the dialogue sequences than Lyon and Hall are, and she doesn't actually have a lot of screen time. (Harlow was only 18 when she essayed this role, and Marian Marsh, who has a cameo as a girl trying to entice men to sign up for the war, was even younger than that.) 

Some may watch HELL'S ANGELS for Harlow, but it's the flying sequences that make this film memorable, with a nighttime attack on a zeppelin and a behind-the-lines bombing of a German ammunition dump. Howard Hughes was a technological innovator, and he was determined to use sound to make his film as cutting-edge as possible, but I think he would have been better off to have kept the audio of the planes & battles while going the silent route with the dialogue scenes. (James Whale, at the very beginning of his Hollywood career, worked on those dialogue scenes, but one gets the sense he wasn't able to do what he wanted with them, and he didn't like Jean Harlow at all.) 

Criterion presents HELL'S ANGELS in a "Magnascope" version, with most of the film in a standard 1.37:1 aspect ratio, while the action sequences are in 1.54:1. The movie is uncut, with certain scenes tinted and a special color sequence where one realizes Jean Harlow truly was a platinum blonde. 

The extras include a short program with Robert Legato, the FX supervisor on THE AVIATOR, who discusses the visuals of HELL'S ANGELS. Farran Smith Nehme narrates a concise and excellent half-hour mini-bio of Jean Harlow, while about five minutes of outtakes from the film are shown with commentary by Harlow biographer David Stenn (Howard Hughes himself appears in this footage). As usual with Criterion releases, this disc comes with a booklet essay. Written by Fred Kaplan, the author states that HELL'S ANGELS was much more cynical than the other WWI epics made up to that time. 

What is sorely missing on this HELL'S ANGELS Blu-ray is an audio commentary. The making of this film is at times more fascinating than what is actually in it. One can only wonder what the silent version of this film could have been, with Greta Nissen playing Harlow's part and Thelma Todd even making an appearance. Plenty of urban legends have sprung up over HELL'S ANGELS, but even with its mediocre talkie sequences the aerial scenes alone make it an amazing achievement from Howard Hughes, one of the most fascinating figures of the 20th Century. 

THE HOT HEIRESS

 

The main reason I watched this very strange and silly Pre-Code comedy is that Thelma Todd appears in it. Unfortunately Todd doesn't get much to do, as she plays the best friend of the leading lady. 

THE HOT HEIRESS refers to Juliette (Ona Munson), a young socialite who enjoys sleeping during the day in her swanky apartment. While she is doing this, a riveter working across the street named "Hap" Harrigan (Ben Lyon) ogles her through a window, and likes what he sees. A red-hot rivet happens to go through that window, and Hap comes to Juliette's rescue (a unique way of "meeting cute"). Juliette (inexplicably) falls for Hap, and as the two grow closer, they plan to be married. Their different social stations, and Juliette's family, are major barriers, but all comes out right in the end. 

THE HOT HEIRESS is proof that not all Pre-Codes are provocative and intriguing. It's a dopey story, blandly directed by one Clarence G. Badger (who I know nothing about). Ona Munson, the future Belle Watling of GONE WITH THE WIND, is cute enough, but her character isn't particularly interesting, and neither is Ben Lyon. One gets the feeling that rich Juliette is attracted to regular guy Hap mainly because she isn't supposed to. 

The rich girl--poor guy element of the plot is very predictable. The only thing that stands out about it this time is that Juliette at the end goes to great lengths to win Hap (usually it's the male that does that in a classic Hollywood movie instead of the female). There are a couple songs forced into the story that were written by Rodgers & Hart, but they don't make much of an impression. 

Ona Munson and Thelma Todd in THE HOT HEIRESS

Tom Dugan plays a fellow riveter, and Inez Courtney (who was a friend of Thelma Todd in real life) is her girl. The two of them are Hap's pals, and they make plenty of trouble for him as he tries to woo Juliette. Hap and his friends get invited to a ritzy party at Juliette's family manor, and, as expected, they act as lower class as possible. A very young Walter Pidgeon plays Juliette's snobby former beau, and the ubiquitous Holmes Herbert is Juliette's father. 

Other than seeing Juliette in her lingerie, and in a bathtub, there really aren't any Pre-Code type moments that stick out in THE HOT HEIRESS. Thelma Todd fans will be distinctly disappointed--she barely has any screen time, even though she still shows more charisma than most of the cast. 

ALRAUNE (1928) On Blu-ray From Deaf Crocodile

 

The 1928 German silent ALRAUNE is the beneficiary of a fine restoration and a proper Region A Blu-ray release due to the folks at Deaf Crocodile, as part of their Henrik Galeen set. 

Henrik Galeen was a writer, director, and actor during the Golden Age of German Expressionist cinema in the 1920s, and ALRAUNE is one of his more notable works. Galeen directed the movie and adapted the screenplay from a novel by Hanns Heinz Ewers. 

The story of ALRAUNE deals with Professor ten Brinken (Paul Wegener), who, through artificial insemination between a prostitute and a convicted murderer, creates a female he names "Alraune"--the German word for mandrake. The Professor adopts the girl, and sends her off to be raised in a convent. Alraune (Brigitte Helm) grows into a rebellious troublemaker, and she runs away from the convent to literally join a circus. She also inflames the passions of many men along the way. The Professor tracks her down, and takes her away to Italy, where the two of them live in luxury and comfort. It appears that Alraune will become an upper-class lady, but the jealous Professor refuses to let her marry a handsome nobleman. Alraune finds out about her bizarre background, and she proceeds to seduce the Professor and bring misfortune upon him. 

The novel on which ALRAUNE was based (and which I have not read) was considered one of the most scandalous ever written at the time, and while experts say the film doesn't live up to it, the adaptation is lurid enough as it is. The very idea of the Professor creating his own "being" through the use of such notorious means is rather cringe-inducing. It appears that the Professor is trying to discover if a person's makeup is influenced by heredity or environment, but there's also a strong hint that the middle-aged ten Brinken (who is played by an actor who has the demeanor of a mad scientist) wants Alraune all to himself. 

Brigitte Helm and Paul Wegener in the 1928 version of ALRAUNE

One can easily see why the men in this movie would be enraptured by Alraune--Brigitte Helm gives another of her eerily sexy vamp performances. Helm goes from mischievous girl to deadly seductress in a flash, and one never quite knows what her Alraune is going to do next. Helm once again shows off her captivating screen presence--the actress herself wasn't too keen on playing femme fatale roles, but she was brilliant when she did them. 

Due to my fascination with Brigitte Helm, I had watched the 1928 version of ALRAUNE on YouTube a couple times, but the versions available for viewing were in bad condition, and they had a number of scenes missing. Deaf Crocodile's restored version on this Blu-ray is a very sharp looking transfer with proper tinting and intertitles. Even though there is still a sequence missing (which is represented by a still photo and a text description) the Deaf Crocodile version runs about 130 minutes....and yes, there are times when the story drags a bit. When it came to directing, Henrik Galeen was no Fritz Lang. Galeen was more interested in mood and ambiance than in pace or rhythm, and ALRAUNE is at its most striking when Brigitte Helm is in full vamp mode. 

ALRAUNE receives its own disc in Deaf Crocodile's Henrik Galeen set, and the extras on it include a snippet of a German film called DANGEROUS PATHS, which has footage of Henrik Galeen as an actor (from this footage Galeen appears to have been a burly Edward Arnold-type). There is also an interview with Stefan Drossler of the Filmmuseum Munchen, who was instrumental in the restoration of ALRAUNE. The interview is with Deaf Crocodile's Dennis Bartok, and it is in two parts, with an overall running time of over 90 minutes. The first part Drossler spends most of the time talking about his film archival work, and it isn't until the second part that he discusses ALRAUNE and THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE, but not as much as one would think. Drossler does make a rather interesting statement that sometimes silent film restorations are overly good-looking. 

A new audio commentary is included, by silent film expert Jan-Christopher Horak. He gives out plenty of info about the film and the people involved in it, but Horak has a very dry delivery and at times it sounds as if he is reciting from a book report. 

This is a great release from Deaf Crocodile, mainly due to the fact that it gives Brigitte Helm a major showcase of her talents for English-speaking audiences. ALRAUNE will probably be a bit too weird for most, even for silent movie buffs, but Helm is definitely worth watching, and you get the bonus of the Golem himself, Paul Wegener. I'll be writing a blog post on the Deaf Crocodile version of the 1926 THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE in the future. 

GERMAN SILENT RARITIES FROM DIRECTOR HENRIK GALEEN On Blu-ray From Deaf Crocodile

 

A company known as Deaf Crocodile has released a two-disc Blu-ray set containing a pair of rare (and restored) cult German silent films directed by Henrik Galeen, the man who wrote the script for the original NOSFERATU. The two films are THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE (1926) and ALRAUNE (1928). 

Both films have been restored by the Filmmuseum Munchen in Germany, and they both feature brand new music scores. The films also have proper intertitles inserted, along with tinting and English subtitles. There are plenty of substandard versions of THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE and ALRAUNE online, but the presentations on this Blu-ray set run about 130 minutes each, and they are far better-looking. 

ALRAUNE is based on a notorious novel by Hanns Heinz Ewers. A haughty scientist (played by the Golem himself, Paul Wegener) uses artificial insemination between a prostitute and a executed murderer to create a dangerously seductive woman (Brigitte Helm). Needless to say, this woman, called Alraune, causes plenty of problems. THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE is actually a remake of a 1913 film which was also written by Hanns Heinz Ewers, and also starred Paul Wegener. The 1926 version stars Conrad Veidt as Balduin, a student who despairs over not being wealthy. A mysterious moneylender named Scapinelli (Werner Krauss) provides Balduin with a fortune--but in return, the student must give up his reflection. Balduin starts to live the good life, but his lost reflection comes back to haunt him. 

This limited-edition special version of the release comes in a slipcase that has original artwork for both films on each side (see pictures above). The disc case has a two-sided sleeve which features vintage artwork for each movie, and each title gets its own disc. 

Included in the limited edition is an 80-page illustrated booklet, which contains reprints of articles written in the 1920s by Henrik Galeen, Hanns Heinz Ewers, and various critics. It also has sketches on the very unusual personal lives of Galeen and Ewers, and discussions on both of the films in the set. 

The two discs are Region A, and they each have audio commentaries by Jan-Christopher Horak. Each disc also has a two-part interview with film archivist Stefan Drossler of the Filmmuseum Munchen, the man behind the restorations of ALRAUNE and THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE, and an excerpt from a 1924 German film called DANGEROUS PATHS, in which Henrik Galeen appeared as an actor. In the future I will be writing blog posts on each movie in this set, and I will go into greater detail about the extras. (A regular edition of this set is available from Deaf Crocodile.) 

This is the first time I've purchased anything from Deaf Crocodile, and I was suitably impressed with this set. I've been fascinated by German silent cinema since I first saw METROPOLIS decades ago, and this set is made for folks like me. It contains a lineup of German Expressionist All-Stars, and it features two films that desperately needed to be restored and given a major release on North American home video. I hope Deaf Crocodile has more German silent movie releases planned in the future--particularly anything that stars Brigitte Helm. This release gets my highest recommendation for silent movie buffs. 

Book Review: MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR

 

A few years ago I wrote a glowing review of a book titled WATERLOO--MAKING AN EPIC, a massive tome that dealt with the production of WATERLOO, a large-scale historical epic film released in 1970. The author, Simon Lewis, has now written another "making of" volume dealing with another big-budget high-end war movie--MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR, released in 1977. 

A BRIDGE TOO FAR was one of the very last expensive all-star blockbusters set during World War II. Producer Joseph E. Levine was determined to make a film based on historian Cornelius Ryan's expansive book detailing Operation Market Garden, the flawed 1944 plan to make a quick thrust into Germany by seizing a number of bridges behind enemy lines in Holland. Levine secured the services of esteemed actor-filmmaker Richard Attenborough to direct the project, and he also signed up 14 different international stars. The movie was filmed in the Netherlands during a very hot summer in 1976. 

Simon Lewis gives a complete look at the entire production of the film, detailing all of the integral aspects of it in a concise and effective manner. The author has plenty to cover, but he does it very well--even someone who is not a major film buff will understand and appreciate all the various steps taken to make a story that had numerous complicated and challenging elements to it. A BRIDGE TOO FAR was not an easy shoot by any means, and this book is at its best when it delves into the "grunt work" that happens behind the scenes. For all the famous actors and department heads, there are hundreds of regular folks doing their best to make a recreation of a controversial military event seem real, dramatic, and engaging. Lewis shines a spotlight on many of these folks. 

Lewis also provides plenty of detail about a group of young British actors who became known as the "A.P.A."--Attenborough's Private Army. This group was given some basic military training, and they filled out the roles of various background soldiers and even German troops during most of the scenes. 

The author does give insight into the major stars of the film, such as Sean Connery, Laurence Olivier, and Michael Caine, and there are a few gossipy anecdotes, but MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR isn't a celebrity-centered tell-all. The book's main themes are the collaborative (and often frustrating) aspects of big-budget film making, and the fine line between showing historical accuracy and making an entertaining and dramatic story. What made A BRIDGE TOO FAR different than most WWII films is that many of the top officers that were involved in Operation Market Garden were advisers on the set, and at times they disagreed with how events were staged. 

Another thing that makes A BRIDGE TOO FAR stick out from other WWII movies is that it details an operation that did not succeed. This may have affected how the movie was viewed by audiences and critics when it was released in 1977. The film made a decent amount of money, but it wasn't a box-office sensation, and for a while it wasn't looked upon as one of the better WWII epics. 

Lewis also examines the movie's reception during its original release, and he maintains that the film has managed to stand the test of time as a riveting and monumental production. I must admit that my appreciation for A BRIDGE TOO FAR has grown over the years. Some of the individual sequences are quite stunning, especially the recreation of the massive Allied paratroop drop. In an age of over-reliance on cartoonish CGI and over the top editing effects, Richard Attenboough's understated direction and the movie's top-notch practical effects and battle sequences go a long way. Simon Lewis makes the case with MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR that Joseph Lewis and Attenborough created a great WWII spectacular, and, in probably the best compliment I can give to the book, made me want to see the movie all over again. 

THE BLACK WATCH

 

THE BLACK WATCH (1929) is director John Ford's first sound feature. I was enticed to seek it out after reading about it in the book JOHN FORD AT WORK, which I wrote a blog post on a week ago. 

THE BLACK WATCH is an Imperial Britain adventure story, taking place in 1914. The Great War has just broken out, and Captain Donald King (Victor McLaglen) is looking forward to going to France with the rest of his Scottish regiment, the Black Watch. However, King is sent out on a secret mission to India (the captain grew up in that country, and is familiar with its ways and culture). King isn't happy about not being able to fight with his regiment, and it doesn't help that in order to cover up his assignment, he is to pose as a drunken wastrel. King's mission is to infiltrate a band of renegade tribesmen who have fallen under the spell of a mysterious and beautiful young woman named Yasmani (Myrna Loy). The tribesmen look upon Yasmani as a goddess. King and Yasmani fall for one another, but the soldier is sworn to do his duty, no matter what. 

The JOHN FORD AT WORK book points out how innovative Ford was at using sound in THE BLACK WATCH. In the first part of the film, we hear bagpipes playing, regimental songs being sung, soldiers marching past cheering crowds, background noise, and a Muslim call to prayer. All these various sounds come off very distinct and clear--it appears Ford (and Fox Studios) wanted the audience to experience and appreciate the audio right from the start. 

It is during the dialogue scenes that THE BLACK WATCH reveals its early talkie status. When characters start to talk to one another, the story comes to a screeching halt. Most of the dialogue is recited verrrryyyy slowly, and there are plenty of clunky line readings. According to multiple John Ford biographies, Fox Studios had Lumsden Hare, a British actor who plays an officer in the film, supervise a number of dialogue scenes, particularly those involving Victor McLaglen and Myrna Loy. John Ford had nothing to do with these scenes, and it shows--they are very stilted and awkward. 

Ford and his cinematographer, Joseph August, did provide many atmospheric and expressionistic shot compositions, and they gave Myrna Loy some very exquisite close-ups. If all the music and background & incidental noise had been left in, and the dialogue muted out, THE BLACK WATCH would have been much better. 

Putting aside the sound issues, the plot of THE BLACK WATCH has plenty of problems as well. Once Captain King gets to India and begins his mission, the story goes off into fantasyland, as King unconvincingly woos Yasmani, and joins up with her band. King is led to the band's stronghold, an underground temple that resembles something one would see in an Indiana Jones movie. The temple is filled with sword & gun wielding militants, yet King, and a few companions, are able to take them down. 

If that's hard to believe, it's even harder to accept that a large group of fanatical Muslim tribesmen would be under the sway of a young woman. And it's even harder to accept that King and Yasmani would be attracted to each other. Victor McLaglen isn't exactly a dashing romantic hero--he's more the guy who would be best friends with the dashing romantic hero. John Ford would later learn how to use McLaglen properly--here the actor doesn't get any comedic moments, and he's too stiff and formal. Myrna Loy plays one of the many foreign temptress roles she got stuck in before she achieved mainstream success, and while she's gorgeous, she speaks so slowly it's as if she's in some sort of trance. (She even whips out a crystal ball at one point, to show King what his regiment is going through in France.) During the climax Yasmani reveals that she is white....and that she's a direct descendant of Alexander the Great!! (Apparently this was done to make it "okay" that King and Yasmani could have a relationship.) This wild revelation doesn't help Yasmani's fate. 

Info on THE BLACK WATCH states that John Wayne and Randolph Scott were extras in this film, but I didn't notice them, despite the fact that the version of the movie I viewed on YouTube was clear and sharp looking. 

John Ford fans will be more interested in seeing THE BLACK WATCH, especially with it being his first sound film. Viewing the movie one can see that it took Ford a bit before he achieved the proper rhythm for sound dialogue--but then again, that could be said for most film directors of the period. The story is reminiscent of better features such as THE FOUR FEATHERS and GUNGA DIN, but overall THE BLACK WATCH is basically a curio. 

THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH On Blu-ray From Vinegar Syndrome

 

I was seriously considering titling this post "What would you pay to see Hazel Court naked??", but I thought that would be in bad taste. It does have to be stated, however, that the main selling point of this new 4K/Blu-ray release of a Hammer movie that already has been the subject of multiple HD versions is the fact that it contains shots of Hazel Court topless, shots that were considered lost for years. These shots have had a legendary reputation among Hammer geeks, so much so they have overshadowed the actual film itself. 

There's more than just the topless shots in this new restoration--the fiery climax is extended a bit, giving more exposure to the extreme old-age makeup sported by lead character Georges Bonnet, an effect that I must say is underwhelming. 

Vinegar Syndrome presents two versions of THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH on this special release: an uncensored version and a "Continental" version with the topless shots (which are very brief). This release has two discs, a 4K and a Blu-ray, and each disc contains both versions, with the Blu-ray having all the extras. 

The disc case states that THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH has been scanned and restored from 35mm camera negatives, and even though I just own a Blu-ray player, I have to say that this is one of the best Hammer transfers I've seen. It's much more colorful and sharper than the Kino Blu-ray of the movie that came out a few years ago, and it proves that the real stars of the film are cinematographer Jack Asher and production designer Bernard Robinson. 

Unfortunately despite the magnificent visuals, and more of the lovely Hazel, the story is still too talky and static, and Anton Diffring as Georges Bonnet, a man who has scientifically discovered how to live forever, is cold and not very interesting. THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH was based on a play (something the extras for this release remind one over and over again), and it feels like a stage production instead of an all-out Hammer Gothic. 

Vinegar Syndrome has given this release some exclusive packaging, such as a special case and a disc case slipcover with movie-inspired artwork. 

The extras include a program in which English Gothic expert Jonathan Rigby talks about THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH for about a half hour (ironically Rigby also was on an extra for the Kino Blu-ray of this title). Rigby mentions how the movie was developed, and why it isn't as well-remembered as the other Hammer horrors. Another program has Vic Pratt discussing Terence Fisher, and he basically mentions the typical Fisher attributes: he was a modest man, he was an efficient filmmaker, he was more interested in substance rather than style, etc. Melanie Williams provides a mini-bio of actress Hazel Court, specifically pointing out that Court had been acting onscreen for almost a decade before she started working for Hammer, and that the British film industry didn't seem to know what to do with her. (By the way, with the latest releases of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, Court has been the beneficiary of two excellent restorations--she looks stunning in both of them.) 

There's also a very short interview with Hugh Harlow, who worked on the film as an assistant director, and he mainly states that he enjoyed the experience. An alternate censored ending is also included. 

This release also features a 40 page booklet, with three articles. Adrian Smith goes into the production history of the film, while Jon Dear's essay calls the film a "conceptual horror", while musing that Hammer might not have been the right company to make a version of this story. Finally Kieran Foster provides an appreciation of James Carreras, the high-living head of Hammer. One issue that I have with the booklet is that it has red lettering against all-black pages, and the text is not easy to read. 

A brand new audio commentary by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones is provided, and the two have a lively chat, discussing several facets about the movie, such as why Peter Cushing turned down the lead role, Jimmy Sangster's adaptation of the original story, and the acting careers of Anton Diffring and Hazel Court. 

Vinegar Syndrome's release of THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH is Region A. According to internet rumors the present-day Hammer is preparing their own release of this title. I assume that there is a rights issue that prevents Hammer from doing a home video release available for North America, much like the reason why there are American and English disc versions of the latest restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. 

I have to say that THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH is not one of my favorite Hammers, but having a great-looking HD presentation of the truly uncut version of the film is worth buying it again. Vinegar Syndrome deserves many kudos for this special edition. 

Pass The Marmalade......AGAIN

 

It was five years ago that the Warner Archive released a restored version of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN on Blu-ray, with a number of new extras. I wrote a blog post on it and at the time I thought it was the best-looking version of the film I had ever seen. 

Now, there's been another major restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and the present-day Hammer company has gone all out to promote it, with a special showing of the movie at the very theater in London at which it premiered in 1957 (more about that later). This restored CURSE is also the basis of a super-special 4K/Blu-ray set released by Hammer. 

Unfortunately due to rights issues those in North America are not allowed from even attempting to buy this limited edition set from Hammer (it is a Region B release). The Warner Archive has stepped up to produce a Region A version of the set, a three-disc release. 

The Warner Archive COF release doesn't have all the bells & whistles that the Hammer version does, but it does feature three different aspect ratios of the film, four audio commentaries, and various extras on each of the three discs. 

I'm sure the first thing those reading this are wondering is, "How does this restoration look??" I purchased the Blu-ray version (I don't have a 4K player), and I have to say that the movie looks much brighter....and the colors are very vivid, almost to the point where at certain times they look enhanced. 

It's a fine restoration, to be sure, but the main reason I bought this was due to the many new extras. Included in them are programs on Hammer legends such as screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, makeup artist Phil Leaky, and cinematographer Jack Asher, with rare audio of Leaky and Asher discussing their work (this audio was provided by Richard Klemensen). There's also a look at the costume design for THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, with an appearance by actor Melvyn Hayes (who played the young Baron Frankenstein). 

This release also has a fourteen minute-long image gallery, with plenty of photos even I have never seen. I do have an issue with the gallery--the stills go by so fast one only gets a second or so to view them. (I guess if the gallery had been slowed down a bit, it would last twenty+ minutes long.) 

My favorite of the new extras is a wonderful feature where Hammer historian Wayne Kinsey and actress Madeline Smith (THE VAMPIRE LOVERS) visit the seaside town of Whitstable, in Kent, England. Whitstable is where Peter Cushing lived for many years, and Kinsey and Smith discuss Cushing's life while stopping by a number of places that the legendary actor had a personal connection with. 

If you're a major Hammer fan like me, you've more than likely bought THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN several times over the years on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray......so should you buy it again?? I'm not the type of person to say "You have to own this if you are a REAL fan", because, in the real world, most people have bills to pay and families to take care of. I will say this is a worthy purchase--but the Warner Archive Blu-ray from 5 years ago is more than acceptable. 

I love the fact that the present-day Hammer is releasing all these jam-packed box sets, but let's face it, they're not cheap, and because they are produced in England, you're going to have to pay plenty when it comes to shipping & handling due to current events. And there's something else to consider--how many times can you buy the same movies over and over again?? There's already a few Hammer titles I've bought multiple times on Blu-ray, including a special version of a title that arrived at my house today, and which I'll be writing a blog post on soon. How many times have you heard or read, "This is the ultimate version of this film", only to find out a couple years later there's another release that supposedly is even better looking and has unearthed footage and/or brand new extras? 

I think the most important thing about this new COF Blu-ray is the fact that Warners and Hammer worked closely together to make it happen....and that may mean other Hammers that were released in the U.S. by Warners could be on the docket for super-special restorations and home video releases. I'm referring to Hammer titles such as THE MUMMY, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, and, of course, HORROR OF DRACULA. 

In a way, the films made by Hammer are like the supernatural creatures contained in them--you keep encountering them over and over again, and just when you believe you are done with them, they come back, stronger than ever. 

As for that recent London showing of the new restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, my great buddy Joshua Kennedy was in attendance--and he was Martine Beswicke's escort!! No Blu-ray extra can match that!!

DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE On Blu-ray From Kino

 

A few months ago Kino released on Blu-ray THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE, an early Seventies picture directed by Jess Franco that was the last gasp of German producer Artur Brauner's Dr. Mabuse film series. Now Kino has gifted us with DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE, a 1971 movie that is also directed by Franco, and is also a poor cousin of another group of films produced by Artur Brauner, this time a series of Bryan Edgar Wallace adaptations. 

Kino uses DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE as the title on this Blu-ray's disc case, but the title on the actual film is DER TODESRACHER VON SOHO (THE AVENGER OF SOHO). This movie is also known as THE CORPSE PACKS HIS BAGS. Whatever its moniker, the film is a remake of the very first entry in Artur Brauner's Krimi outings based on the works of Bryan Edgar Wallace (son of Edgar). The original DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE is not on Eureka's Bryan Edgar Wallace set, so I have not seen it....but I'm sure it's much better than the remake. 

The 1971 DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE has been called by some the last classic Krimi story, but for me it feels more like a typical weird Jess Franco flick than a German crime thriller. This DEATH is in color (in my opinion the best Krimis are in black & white), and while the main credits are set against footage of London, you don't believe for a second that this story takes place in England. (The movie was filmed in Spain.) The confusing plot involves a spate of murders where the victims are knifed in the back, and a suitcase packed with their belongings is found at the scene. A mod Scotland Yard detective (Franco regular Fred Williams) is on the case, but things get stranger and stranger, with elements such as a drug ring and a number of suspects who have secret identities. 

I wrote a blog post on THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE this summer, and much of what I said about that movie applies here. Franco and his cinematographer Manuel Merino provide plenty of unusual camera angles and shot compositions, but perhaps they should have spent more time on story construction and more effective editing--the plot gets more confusing as the movie goes along, and it feels as if a few scenes were cut out, or not even filmed to begin with. (It doesn't help that every time a victim is stabbed in the back by a thrown knife, a loud cartoon-like BBBWWWWOOONNNGGG!!! sound can be heard.) The story has a few of Jess Franco's traits, such as a nightclub scene with a exotic performer, multiple women being tied up and threatened with violence, and a remote hideout that happens to have a laboratory, but overall DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE is very low-key when compared to the rest of Franco's career. (Jess Franco himself has a very small role.) The poster image on the Blu-ray case is way more atmospheric than anything in the story. 

The cast includes a few Krimi veterans such as Horst Tappert, Barbara Rutting, and Seigfried Schurenberg, along with plenty of attractive women, but none of the characters really makes a mark on the viewer. Rolf Kuhn's peppy music score does remind one of the soundtracks for the classic Krimis of the 1960s. 

The disc case for DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE states that the movie is presented in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, but it's actually in 1.37:1. The visual quality is sharp and clear (this film looks way better than THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE). The credits are in German, along with the dialogue track, and English subtitles are provided. 

The only extra is a fine audio commentary by Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. Both men are Franco admirers, but even Troy admits that the plot doesn't make much sense. The duo do have great appreciation for Franco's visual style in this picture, and they give out plenty of info on the production and the many links most of the cast and crew have with Jess Franco's directorial career. 

I must admit if it wasn't for my recent interest in the Krimi genre overall I probably wouldn't have bought this Blu-ray. DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE doesn't have enough Jess Franco elements in it to make it a true Jess Franco outing, and it doesn't have enough of a Krimi sensibility to make it a proper Krimi. It's an odd picture overall.

Book Review: JOHN FORD AT WORK--Production Histories 1927-1939

 

I own a number of books concerning John Ford, and this one takes a different tack. Author Lea Jacobs uses official studio memoranda, early draft scripts, production histories, and personal correspondence to make a thorough and exhaustive analysis of how many of the films John Ford directed between 1927 and 1939 were put together. 

John Ford gave very few insights into his cinematic work, making some wonder if the great filmmaker just showed up on the set and made things up as he went along. Jacobs shows that despite Ford's individualistic nature, he worked alongside several producers, writers, technicians, and actors who helped bring his visions to the screen. 

The author doesn't just rely on the same old Ford anecdotes--she takes a deep, deep dive into the facts and figures of many of the movies the director made during the late silent--early sound period. There are multiple notes on every page of this volume, and Jacobs points out how Ford would adjust his style with each studio and cast & crew he worked with. 

Jacobs also examines several sequences from Ford's films, sometimes on a shot-by-shot basis. (This book is filled with dozens and dozens of screen grabs.) She even mentions how the development of various film stocks enabled Ford and his cinematographers to create more and more expressive visuals. 

Being a long-time Ford fan, what really got my attention in this book was the fact that the author put a spotlight on several of the director's films that have been barely touched upon by other Ford scholars--films such as THE BLACK WATCH, AIR MAIL, THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND, and WEE WILLIE WINKIE (which is usually considered as just a Shirley Temple feature). Jacobs also devotes a chapter to Ford's collaborations with Will Rogers. 

Once Jacobs gets to 1939 is when a couple of Ford's greatest works are analyzed: STAGECOACH and YOUNG MR. LINCOLN. Despite the fame of these features the author points out plenty of details that even a Ford admirer wouldn't notice. 

The title of this book is very apt, since the author barely mentions Ford's personal life during the period that it covers. This volume truly is all about Ford's work. If you are expecting a pleasant, easy read, and a bunch of stories about Ford being an ornery grouch, this book isn't for you. 

From my perspective I found JOHN FORD AT WORK to be fascinating. There's plenty of "inside baseball" knowledge here--maybe too much for some--but I thought the incredible amount of detail provided gave one an in-depth and at times revelatory account of how one of the greatest directors in movie history navigated the many changes happening in Hollywood during the late silent and early sound period, while still making a series of great features. There are times when JOHN FORD AT WORK feels like a textbook, but if you are a classic film buff this shouldn't bother you. This is a John Ford book that actually does print the facts rather than the legends. 

FOG ISLAND

 

This is a 1945 old dark house/suspense movie, made by the Poverty Row company PRC. The most notable thing about it is that it pairs the great British actors (and cult legends) Lionel Atwill and George Zucco, but unfortunately it doesn't give them all that much to do together. 

Atwill and Zucco had a lot in common (professionally at least). They both were about the same age, they both usually portrayed the same types of characters, and they both alternated between appearing in major productions and starring in low-budget horror films. They were both masters at upper-class villainy, and one would assume that FOG ISLAND would give them a chance to play off each other and really let rip. That doesn't come about, due to the fact that the movie overall is quite pedestrian. 

George Zucco plays disgraced financier Leo Grainer, who has just spent five years in prison. To escape unwanted attention, Grainer and his stepdaughter Gail (Sharon Douglas) live on a lonely castle located on the remote (and aptly named) Fog Island. Grainer is obsessed with getting revenge on the people that he believes set him up, sent him to prison, and possibly murdered his wife. He invites a group of his former associates (Lionel Atwill, Jerome Cowan, Veda Ann Borg, Ian Keith, and Jacqueline de Wit) to visit the island, knowing that they won't refuse because they all are convinced Grainer has hidden a bunch of loot about the place. When the shady crew arrives, Grainer has a special surprise set up for them--but the person who actually murdered his wife might upset all of his plans. 

The basic premise of FOG ISLAND seems promising--some have compared the movie's script to Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE--but this is a cheap PRC flick that probably was made in about a week. The entire story takes place in the "castle", which is made up of a bunch of generic sets. (It is stated that the castle was built by pirates, but this intriguing idea isn't developed.) Much of the suspense revolves around the characters constantly following each other around (it seems no one in this story ever thought about looking behind them). 

There's no comic relief role in FOG ISLAND, which could be a good thing, but all the other characters are so suspicious, untrustworthy and sarcastic that one isn't too worried about what happens to them. Leo Grainer may have a legitimate reason to seek revenge, but George Zucco plays him as if he was the main villain. Lionel Atwill is more reserved than usual, which will disappoint fans who want to see him at his dastardly best. What's more disappointing is that Atwill and Zucco barely exchange dialogue. 

The only two "sympathetic" characters are Grainer's stepdaughter and the young son (John Whitney) of one of the invited guests, who passed away while Grainer was in prison. The son takes his father's place to resume a past relationship with Gail, but she treats him with disdain, while he keeps bugging the heck out of her. Their antics just get in the way of the plot, and Gail's sudden "I love this guy after all" turnaround is incredibly contrived. 

The best aspect of FOG ISLAND is Grainer's special surprise, which happens to be a secret room which is rigged to trap those inside while the space is flooded with water. Even this gimmick isn't presented properly--this is a movie that was shot as quickly and as frugally as possible, and the suspense that should come from it is frittered away by desultory shot choices and stale editing. FOG ISLAND was directed by Terry Morse, whose main claim to fame is that he oversaw the American version of the original 1954 GODZILLA. 

It's always great to see Lionel Atwill and George Zucco, especially in the same film, but FOG ISLAND doesn't take full advantage of two of the best character actors who worked during the Golden Age of Hollywood. 

EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC

 

This is a 1953 Japanese film, a World War II epic made by Toho Studios which focuses on Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, a man who is to Western eyes the most famous officer of the Imperial Navy. This movie is mentioned in the GODZILLA--THE FIRST 70 YEARS book, due to the fact that it was directed by Ishiro Honda, the filmmaker most associated with Japanese Giant Monster cinema. I discovered an uncut print of EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC, containing English subtitles, on the Internet Archive. 

The movie starts in the late 1930s, as Japan goes through numerous changes of political leadership. The departments of the Navy and Army are at odds with whether the country should enter into the Tripartite Pact, a treaty that would officially bind Japan with Germany and Italy. Admiral Yamamoto believes that if Japan signs onto the Pact, the country will soon be at war with the United States, a war he is sure will eventually ruin the Empire. Yamamoto does all he can to convince as many government and military officials as possible to avoid a major war, but he also feels that as a soldier, his duty is to fight for his country as hard and as long as he can. Yamamoto spearheads the plans behind the Pearl Harbor and Midway operations, but as the war goes on he doubts Japan will achieve any lasting success from it. The story ends with a disconsolate Yamamoto being shot down and killed while being transported in a plane over the Bougainville Islands in 1943. 

If you are an English-speaking WWII buff, watching EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC will be a fascinating experience. This is a movie with the viewpoint of the "other side", so to speak, and it shows how mainstream post-war Japan felt about famous battles such as Pearl Harbor, Midway, and the air war over Rabaul. EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC isn't a rousing war adventure, it is a somber, down-to-earth examination of a dignified military officer who does his duty to the fullest, even though he believes that his country is going down the wrong path. 

Denjiro Okochi plays Yamamoto. In this film the Admiral is portrayed as a thoughtful man of honor and intelligence, a man whose quiet stature makes him stand above and beyond his colleagues. We don't get to find out much about the Admiral himself--he doesn't seem to have any sort of personal life--and much of the time Yamamoto is shown sitting by himself in a darkened room, or strolling alone on a ship's deck at night, while ruminating upon the fate of his country. At times Yamamoto seems too good to be true (as is usual the real person was much more complicated). It seems that this film is using Yamamoto as a symbol for all those Japanese veterans and citizens who had great regret for the war and its aftermath. (Director Ishiro Honda himself served in WWII, and his experiences had a profound effect on his beliefs and the films he would make.) 

EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC uses plenty of actual military footage from WWII, and this is augmented by FX footage created by master technician Eiji Tsuburaya, who would work several times with Ishiro Honda on numerous Kaiju and science fiction films. Much of the FX seen here was actually created for other war features, but the editing between the various models and historical images is very well done. Ironically this movie has no footage whatsoever of American military personnel, and there are no major female roles. 

The supporting cast has two major names more associated with the films of Akira Kurosawa--Toshiro Mifune plays a fighter pilot, and Takashi Shimura has a cameo as a military official. During the Midway sequence one can spot Haruo Nakajima, the original Godzilla suit actor--he's the pilot with the back of his flight suit in flames as he climbs out of his plane. 

EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC is a well made war drama that is more reflective than grandiose. The movie doesn't try to blame any one person or group for how the War in the Pacific came about, and it also doesn't try to demonize the enemy. (It also doesn't mention the many war crimes committed by Japanese forces upon thousands of POWs and civilians.) It also shows how Ishiro Honda did much more than direct Godzilla--he was a fine filmmaker who worked on several types of stories. 

AIRPORT '77 On Blu-ray From Kino

 

If you are wondering why I would buy AIRPORT '77 on Blu-ray, well....it does have Jimmy Stewart and Christopher Lee. That's enough reason for me--but the film itself is actually a pretty good entry in the Disaster Genre cycle of films made in 1970s. 

The Disaster Genre in the Seventies was almost the equivalent to the comic book movies of the present day. The Disaster movies usually featured all-star casts, large-scale action sequences, and plots that got more and more ridiculous as more examples of the genre were made. The storyline of AIRPORT '77 is rather preposterous, but it is so well made and well acted that one buys into it, which is all that matters. 

A powerful millionaire (James Stewart) has bought his very own 747 jumbo jet, and he's had it tricked out with all sorts of gimmicks. The plane, filled with VIPs and valuable artwork, is en route to the millionaire's Florida retreat when it gets hijacked, but the culprits crash it into the ocean near the Bermuda Triangle. Due to the plane's special air-tight compartments, the passengers and crew are still alive, even though the jet is underwater. But their time--and their air--is running out, and the courageous captain (Jack Lemmon) is doing everything in his power to save the day. 

What really makes AIRPORT '77 work is the performances of Jack Lemmon and Darrin McGavin (who plays an aviation expert that is on the flight). The two actors are absolute pros who convince the viewer in the reality of what is happening. There is some cheese and some camp in this movie (it is an AIRPORT entry, after all), but for the most part it is tamped down. The entire affair of a 747 full of people underneath the Atlantic Ocean, the passengers and crew's attempts to survive, and the rescue efforts are edited superbly and wind up being quite suspenseful. 

The cast of well-known names includes Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Brenda Vaccaro, Lee Grant, and as mentioned, Christopher Lee. The two Lees play an unhappy married couple, with Grant causing all the trouble in their relationship. Most of the camp factor revolves around Grant's character, a woman so self-absorbed and embittered that when she gets punched in the face by Brenda Vaccaro, I felt like standing up and cheering. Christopher Lee does much better with his role as a dignified man of integrity who winds up being a hero--it's one of the actor's most unusual parts, and his fans will get a kick out of seeing him as a "normal" person (and participating in a dangerous underwater stunt). 

AIRPORT series regular George Kennedy also shows up, but he really doesn't have much to do. This movie also has plenty of familiar TV faces from the period, including Gil Gerard before he became Buck Rogers. As a matter of fact, the movie does have a TV-like feel at times--its director, Jerry Jameson, had a long career of working on several network shows. 

Speaking of television, when AIRPORT '77 made its American debut on that medium, it was with nearly over an hour of extra footage to make it a "special event". This added footage is not on this Blu-ray, and it appears that it's not available anywhere--I couldn't even find it on YouTube. I have to say that the theatrical version of the film runs a taut 114 minutes, and I don't think added footage would have made the story any better (it probably would have just bogged things down). It would have been nice to have this added footage on the disc, but I assume there must be some sort of rights issue. 

Kino's Blu-ray of AIRPORT '77 looks fine in its 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Surprisingly, the film's practical effects hold up rather well, even with the increased HD detail. Trailers for all the AIRPORT features all included. 

The main extra is a new audio commentary by Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff. I regret to say it is one I wasn't impressed with--the duo constantly interrupt one another, and their attempts at conversational humor fall flat. 

Kino has come out with new 4K and Blu-ray editions of the entire AIRPORT series. I must say that when it comes to the Disaster Genre, I'm not as big of a fan of it as others, but I do remember that when I was a kid these movies were huge events. I believe that I did watch AIRPORT '77 when I was very young, but I hadn't seen it since then. I popped in this Blu-ray expecting something cheesy and silly, but the overall story is very well done, and compared to the cartoonish popcorn movies of today, AIRPORT '77 almost feels like a docudrama.