DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of July 3rd, 2023

DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of July 3rd, 2023
http://www.dvdbeaver.com

THIS WEEK's RELEASES: Summer doldrums; Peter Weir in 4K UHD, 50's Cinderella in 4K UHD, Leigh Whannell futuristic gem in 4K UHD!, Franco Nero trifecta comes to the UK, vigilante Skerritt, Mario Bava, Umberto Lenzi, Live-action Tintin double feature, Pietro Francisci sci-fi yarn...
THIS WEEK's CALENDAR UPDATES (REPEATED!): Akira Kurosawa in 4K UHD, Jean-Luc Godard in 4K UHD, Robin Hardy Wicker Man in 4K UHD, Ruben Östlund Collection, early Laurel & Hardy, Jean Renoir, Michael Apted, the Ormond Family, Michael Crichton, David Lynch, John Frankenheimer in 4K UHD X 2!, 4X Mr. Wong, Otto Preminger best Noir, Bionic couple TV series, John Cromwell, Vincent Sherman, Andrey Konchalovskiy, Howard Hawks in 4K UHD, John Sturges / Fred Zinnemann, Stanley Kramer, J. Lee Thompson, Mario Bava, Umberto Lenzi, more Dark Side noir, Abraham Polonsky, Fritz Lang, Audie Murphy, Abel Gance, John Cassavetes, Martin Scorsese in 4K UHD, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Ken Russell, William Friedkin in 4K UHD, Sidney Lumet, Italian westerns X 4, Anthony Mann / Laurence Harvey, Douglas Fairbanks double feature, Josef von Sternberg, John Farrow, Rouben Mamoulian, Pinky violence by Toei, Byron Haskin 4K UHD reboot, Wayne Wang, Bo Widerberg, Commedia all'italiana, Gregory's Girl in 4K UHD , more Jean Rollin from Indicator, Bogdanovich 1st makes a UK listing, double Bob Clark, Pete Walker 7 film boxset, evil Messiah by Radiance...
THIS WEEK'S REVIEWS: Noirs by Lang and Mann, Ladd does F. Scott, rare Raymond Griffith silent double feature, 60's Italy with aliens visiting earth, brief humanoid creatures, hints at an ecological catastrophe, and a new evolution of the species with its own awakened monolith! Tintin adventures with Gold and solving world hunger!...
Enjoy,
Gary

RELEASES the WEEK of July 3rd, 2023 (Recommended titles have "**")

**Cinderella [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Wilfred Jackson, 1950) Disney UK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Experience Walt Disney’s beloved animated classic Cinderella in stunning 4k Ultra HD and totally immersive multi-dimensional sound for the very first time. Generation after generation has fallen in love with this iconic animated masterpiece which can now be enjoyed like never before. With kindness, dreams, and a bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, there’s no wish that can’t come true!
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**Cosa Nostra: Franco Nero in three Mafia Tales by Damiano Damiani** Blu-ray - Franco Nero / Claudia Cardinale @FilmsRadiance
The Day of the Owl aka Mafia (1968,) The Case is Closed, Forget It (1971) and How to Kill a Judge (1975)
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Radiance Films' Cosa Nostra: Franco Nero in three Mafia Tales by Damiano Damiani Blu-ray package is not adhering to a strict classification of 'Poliziotteschi' films (see our review of Arrow's Years Of Lead: Five Classic Italian Crime Thrillers 1973-1977 boxset) although they certainly do relate to polizia "police" and detective fiction crime - albeit they are more specifically Mafioso-topic focused. Damiano Damiani, part of the 'Group of Venice', has a style that has described him as "the most American of Italian directors" by Italian film critic Paolo Mereghetti and a "a bitter moralist hungry for old purity" by none other than Pier Paolo Pasolini (see Pasolini 101.) He made almost 40 features. The Day of the Owl aka Mafia is, debatably, the best film of the set (or The Case Is Closed, Forget It) and is based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Leonardo Sciascia, adapted for the screen by Damiani and Ugo Pirro and is the first in director Damiani's 'Mafia trilogy'. It has the appealing cast of Nero, gorgeous Claudia Cardinale, and, brief pivotal appearances by Lee J. Cobb. The Case Is Closed, Forget It is based on the novel Tante Sbarre (trad. "Many Bars"), written by Leros Pittoni and has Nero as an architect put in prison of traffic regulations. While incarcerated he sees the sad reality of life behind bars including corrupt staff + inmates, and an damaged judicial system manipulated by the pervasive Mafia. It's quite a good film on Italian prison life. How to Kill a Judge (The Murder of a Magistrate or Why Does One Kill a Magistrate?) is the final chapter in the Damiani's trilogy about mafia, after The Day of the Owl and Confessions of a Police Captain. The film centers on events that spark the murder of a judge who gets too friendly with the Mafia but the governing corrupt politicians induce cover-ups which expose a viscous circle to the societal malaise. Radiance Films' Blu-ray package of Cosa Nostra: Franco Nero in three Mafia Tales by Damiano Damiani Blu-ray package is wonderfully complete with accoutrements - each film has optional English DUBs, exhaustive supplements including modern Nero interviews, visual essay gold, and a 120-page book, plus HD presentations indicative of the theatrical appearance. Franco Nero fans will not be able to resist this set and the Italian crime-cinema here is top shelf. It's very strongly recommended! Wow - Radiance Films once again proves they are the 'real deal'. What great news for physical media personal archivists.
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**Lewis Teague's "Fighting Back"** Blu-ray - Tom Skerritt @ArrowFilmsVideo
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Lewis Teague's Fighting Back is more polished than your garden-variety vigilante themed action thriller. Teague (Cujo, Dirty O’Neil, The Jewel of the Nile) realizes the film well - perhaps overly ambitious - and Skerritt slides into the protagonist roll showing frustration, resolve and anger. Hurdles arise (political, spousal, a cop buddy as well as the black leader of a similar vigilante movement) and he overcomes - leading the citizens to regain their community park - not without some intense violence. I dunno, is it wrong to find satisfaction in these films? No, I guess it's not. There is also some gritty 80's nostalgia here and, luckily, the film gets an Arrow Blu-ray release - as they always do a wonderful job (a/v, extras, packaging etc.) I enjoyed this one and will be keeping it. Recommended!
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**Hatchet for the Honeymoon** [Blu-ray] (Mario Bava, 1970) RB UK 88 Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
COMMENTS: From director Mario Bava, the Godfather of Italian horror, comes Hatchet for the Honeymoon, a superlative early 70s slasher which places us and the erstwhile filmmaker back in the realm of the Gialli feature, a cinematic sub-genre he practically invented. With echoes of Psycho (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960), this unsettling production sees troubled protagonist John Harrington (Stephen Forsythe) turning to a life of serial killing. Refused a divorce by his uncaring wife, and haunted by childhood trauma John takes out his murderous frustrations on a string of would-be brides who innocently cross his path. Undoubtedly an influence on later movies like Maniac (1980), and a host of other chillers, this often-overlooked piece from one of Europe’s finest, is a smart, beautifully stylised, gory delight.
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**Hitcher in the Dark** [Blu-ray] (Umberto Lenzi, 1989) RB UK 88 Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Delivering an updated late 80s version of the classic Giallo or slasher movie, Umberto Lenzi (So Sweet, So Perverse, Eaten Alive, Cannibal Ferox) an alarmingly creepy tale of faltering sanity, and unhealthy obsession. Hitcher in the Dark, plunges us into the murky and nightmarish world of matriarch-obsessed serial killer Mark Glazer (Joe Balogh). Spending his evenings raping and murdering innocent female victims, he eventually comes across Daniella who bears a striking resemblance to his dead mother. Produced by legendary schlockmeister general Joe D’Amato and following in the bloody footsteps of Hatchett for the Honeymoon (1970), Maniac (1980) or Lenzi’s earlier work, Hitcher in the Dark takes us to hell and back in a seedily unpleasant, grisly Italian psychodrama.
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**Knife of Ice** [Blu-ray] (Umberto Lenzi, 1972) RB UK 88 Films
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: When the mute Martha Caldwell (Carroll Baker) discovers her famous cousin Jenny Ascot (Evelyn Stewart) has been brutally murdered, apparently by a strange man who had been stalking them, her world becomes one of nightmare and disturbing revelation. Directed by Italian legend Umberto Lenzi, (So Sweet, So Perverse, The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist, Cannibal Ferox) Knife of Ice (1972) is a quintessential piece of early 70s Gialli creepiness. Dreamlike, brutal and beautifully presented Lenzi’s movie delivers a wonderfully creative mystery replete with a typically European twist in the tail.
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**Pietro Francisci's "Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra)"** Blu-ray - Leonora Ruffo / Leontine Snell @rarovideousa @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Pietro Francisci's Star Pilot (2+5 Missione Hydra) is reminiscent of Planet of the Vampires, Wild Wild Planet and The Green Slime - having tremendous 'camp' value (look at the gal's costumes.) In an inside joke; Leonora Ruffo (Hercules vs. the Vampires), playing a stoic alien beauty, who was also in a number of fotoromanzi (Photo comics) has Leontine Snell's character, Luisa, sexily prancing around, defending them positively. Star Pilot moves at a brisk pace and is an ambitious science fiction tropes with aliens visiting earth, brief humanoid creatures, hints at an ecological catastrophe, and a new evolution of the species with its own awakened monolith. Some of the stock special-effects footage was from Japanese Toho Studio's Invasion of Astro-Monster and others. Wikipedia cites that "The English dub included references to "Star Fleet", "Star Fleet Command", "Warp Speed", and "Impulse Drive", as used in the Star Trek television series." I found it humorous that most reviewers have failed to identify the satire, which can totally shift the opinion of Star Pilot's entertainment value. I loved my viewing and am very happy with the Raro Video Blu-ray a/v and commentary. To each his own but this is a definite 'keeper' for me.
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"Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece" / "Tintin and the Blue Oranges" Blu-ray - Jean-Pierre Talbot @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: These Tintin films were based on characters from the comic book series The Adventures of Tintin, written and drawn by the Belgian artist Hergé (Georges Prosper Remi.) They were extremely popular in more than 70 languages with sales of more than 200 million copies. I had totally forgotten about Spielberg's 2011 film The Adventures of Tintin which utilized computer-animation to create the action-adventure movie. Although both films had the Belgian actor Jean-Pierre Talbot as Tintin (he really does look like the character) - I thought Mystery of the Golden Fleece was more true to the boyhood adventurous spirit of the original comic books, at least, as I remembered them. The Blue Oranges had less-desirable slapstick humor and lacked the atmospheric escapade charisma. The bare-bones Kino Blu-ray has value for these vintage live-action adaptations. They are fun and it is highly interesting to see the character portrayals, costumes and plots. Fans who fondly remember Hergé's work will get the most benefit.
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**The Truman Show [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Peter Weir, 1998) Paramount
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
COMMENTS: Funnyman Jim Carrey stars with Oscar nominees* Laura Linney and Ed Harris in The Truman Show, the dark comedy about a world-famous reality star who thinks he’s just an insurance agent. When this supposedly ordinary man discovers he’s spent his entire life on camera surrounded by paid actors rather than family and friends, he sets out to find a new and truthful existence… and along the way finds uproarious adventure. Named as one of Entertainment Weekly’s “100 Greatest Characters,” Carrey’s Truman Burbank is intriguing, emotional and laugh-out-loud funny. Nominated for three Oscars®†, this story about a man who’s on the air and unaware captivated audiences and critics alike.
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**Upgrade [4K UHD Blu-ray]** (Leigh Whannell, 2018) Shout! Factory
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
ALT-BEAVER Blu-ray REVIEW
COMMENTS:
In a near-future world, where technology controls everything, technophobe Grey Trace is the victim of a brutal mugging that leaves his wife dead and him paralyzed. A reclusive billionaire inventor offers him an experimental cure, an A.I. implant called STEM. Grey accepts and is immediately transformed into an unstoppable killing machine with enhanced strength and agility. Now it's payback time. This hugely successful collaboration between genre specialists Blumhouse and the creator of the Saw franchise has become an instant cyberpunk classic.
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LATEST CALENDAR UPDATES (CLICK TITLES FOR MORE INFORMATION):

July 10th, 2023

**Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XV** - Man Afraid (1957), The Girl in the Kremlin (1957), The Tattered Dress (1957) - Kino

**Force of Evil** (Abraham Polonsky, 1948) Kino
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**Human Desire** (Fritz Lang, 1954) Kino
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
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July 17th, 2023

**52 Pick-Up** (John Frankenheimer, 1986) Kino
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**Audie Murphy Collection II** - Sierra (1950), Kansas City Raiders (1950), Destroy (1954) - Kino

**End of the World** (Abel Gance, 1931) Kino

**Gloria** (John Cassavetes, 1980) Kino
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**Hugo 4K UHD** (Martin Scorsese, 2011) Arrow US
BEAVER Blu-ray REVIEW

**Michael** (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1924) Kino

**Rio Bravo 4K UHD** (Howard Hawks, 1959) Allied Vaughn

**To Live and Die in L.A. 4K UHD** (William Friedkin, 1985) Kino
BEAVER Blu-ray COMPARISON
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July 24th, 2023

**The Anderson Tapes** (Sidney Lumet, 1971) Kino
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**Blood Money: Four Western Classics Vol. 2** - $10,000 Blood Money, Vengeance is Mine, Find a Place to Die, Matalo! (Kill Him) - Arrow UK

**A Dandy in Aspic** (Anthony Mann / Laurence Harvey, 1968) Kino
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (Bernard Girard, 1966) Kino

**A Douglas Fairbanks Double Feature: Robin Hood / The Black Pirate** - Kino

**Jet Pilot** (Josef von Sternberg, 1957) RB UK Indicator
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**Night Has a Thousand Eyes** (John Farrow, 1948) RB UK Indicator
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**The Song of Songs** (Rouben Mamoulian, 1933) RB UK Indicator
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**Terrifying Girls' High School: Animal Classmates** (Masahiro Shimura, 1973) Discotek Media

**Thunderbolt** (Josef von Sternberg, 1929) RB UK Indicator

The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (Harald Reinl, 1967) RB UK 88 Films

**The War of the Worlds 4K UHD** (Byron Haskin, 1953) Paramount
BEAVER REVIEW

You'll Like My Mother (Lamont Johnson, 1972) RB UK Final Cut Entertainment
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
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August 7th, 2023

**Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams [4K UHD]** (Akira Kurosawa, 1990) Criterion
BEAVER Blu-ray COMPARISON

**Ruben Östlund | A Curzon Collection** (The Guitar Mongoloid, Involuntary, Play, Force Majeure, The Square, Triangle of Sadness) RB UK Curzon Film
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August 14th, 2023

**Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart** (Wayne Wang, 1985) Criterion

**Laurel & Hardy: Year One, The Newly Restored 1927 Silents** - Flicker Alley
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August 21st, 2023

**Bo Widerberg’s New Swedish Cinema** (The Baby Carriage/Raven’s End/Elvira Madigan/Ådalen 31) Criterion

**Commedia all'italiana: Three Films by Dino Risi** (Il Sorpasso, Il Mattatore and Il Vedovo) - RB UK Radiance Films

**Gray Lady Down** (David Greene, 1978) RB UK Indicator
BEAVER REVIEW

**Gregory's Girl 4K UHD** (Bill Forsyth, 1980) UK BFI
BEAVER Blu-ray COMPARISON

**Jagged Edge** (Richard Marquand, 1985) RB UK Indicator
BEAVER REVIEW

**A Moment of Romance** (Benny Chan, 1990) Radiance Films UK

**The Night of the Hunted 4K UHD** (Jean Rollin, 1980) Indicator UK
4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
BLU-RAY PURCHASE LINK

**The Rape of the Vampire 4K UHD** (Jean Rollin, 1968) Indicator UK
4K UHD PURCHASE LINK
BLU-RAY PURCHASE LINK
ALT-BEAVER BLU-RAY REVIEW

**They Made Me a Fugitive** (Alberto Cavalcanti, 1947) RB UK Indicator
BEAVER REVIEW
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August 28th, 2023

**Drylongso** (Cauleen Smith, 1998) Criterion

The Spanish Dancer (Herbert Brenon, 1923) Kino
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September 4th, 2023

**The Wicker Man 4K UHD** (Robin Hardy, 1973) Studiocanal UK
4K UHD Steelbook PURCHASE LINK
BEAVER Blu-ray COMPARISON
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September 11th, 2023

**Gothic** (Ken Russell, 1986) RB UK BFI

**Partie de Campagne aka "A Day in the Country"** (Jean Renoir, 1946) RB UK BFI
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW

**Targets** [Blu-ray] (Peter Bogdanovich, 1968) BFI
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
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September 18th, 2023

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (Bob Clark, 1972) RB UK 101 Films

Deathdream (Bob Clark, 1974) RB UK 101 Films

The Flesh and Blood Show - The Horror Films of Pete Walker (7 Films) [Blu-ray] - Die Screaming, Marianne (1971), The Flesh and Blood Show (1972), House of Whipcord (1974), Frightmare (1974), House of Mortal Sin (1976) Schizo (1977) and The Comeback (1978) - RB UK 88 Films
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October 23rd, 2023

**Messiah of Evil** (Willard Huyck / Gloria Katz, 1974) RB UK Radiance Films
ALT-BEAVER REVIEW
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REVIEWS / COMPARISONS:

**Fritz Lang's "Clash by Night"** Blu-ray - Barbara Stanwyck / Robert Ryan
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Fritz Lang's Clash by Night was based on Clifford Odets' 1941 play and the titles was taken from a line in Matthew Arnold's 1851 poem "Dover Beach" with the film showing a lot of the fishing industry in Monterey, California. Clash by Night is notable as the first major film to credit Marilyn Monroe before the title (fourth billing.) It is two stories - separated by a year and while having enough Noir conventions to qualify as a cycle inclusion it's an anti-romance with dramatic, flawed, and often, cynical characters. It has a great cast with Barbara Stanwyck (who replaced Joan Crawford) as unsatisfy-able Mae, Robert Ryan brutally effective as the misogynist Earl, innocent cannery gal Marilyn and devoted Paul Douglas in one of his best roles. The actor squeezed a lot into his 52-years being married 5 times including to actresses Virginia Field (The Earth Dies Screaming) and Jan Sterling (Ace in the Hole.) I was pleased to see this via Warner Archive's improved Blu-ray a/v. Recommended for Noirish Lang, Stanwyck, Ryan and glimpses of early Monroe (during production scandalous nude calendar photos of Marilyn surfaced.)
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**Anthony Mann's "Border Incident"** Blu-ray - Ricardo Montalban
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Anthony Mann's Border Incident was a less typical Western, centering on the smuggling of Mexican migrant workers across the border to California, but having the charismatic shadowy noir cinematographer by Hungarian-German born, master, John Alton. He's notable for so many from the cycle including, The Big Combo (1955,) The Amazing Mr. X (1948) and Mann's He Walked by Night (1948) and Raw Deal (1948) among many others. His work helps define the film and genre. Anthony Mann 'cut his teeth' on many low budget film noirs with short shooting schedules (ex. 1947's Railroaded! was shot in ten days) eventually collaborating on eight iconic westerns with Jimmy Stewart including Winchester '73 (1950), The Naked Spur (1953), and The Man from Laramie (1955.) Ricardo Montalbán is very good here although oft remembered for the TV shows Fantasy Island, as Mr. Roarke, and Star Trek's dastardly villain, Khan Noonien Singh - a role he would recreate in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. His career spanned seven decades. Border Incident is an essential Noir, with 'procedural' cycle leanings, and has vast, desolate, landscapes embracing a rugged, less-forgiving, western genre effort. This bleakness advances the 'dark cinema' inclusion with desperation often at the crux of the character's anxieties. The Warner Archive Blu-ray has a very appreciative a/v bump and the older, but highly worthy, Polan commentary. It's a film that is still worthy of multiple spins. Absolutely recommended to digital librarians everywhere.
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**Elliott Nugent's "The Great Gatsby"** Blu-ray - Alan Ladd @imprint_films
US PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Elliott Nugent's (The Cat and the Canary) film version of The Great Gatsby was the second cinematic adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, after the, now-lost, 1926 silent version - making this the first sound adaptation. As Time Out says; "...the casting of Alan Ladd as Gatsby, so much more convincing as a man with a dark and mysterious past than one-dimensional glamour-puss Robert Redford". I concur. I enjoyed how Alan K. Rode makes the brief case for Noir conventions in the supplements (John F. Seitz cinematography.) I was very keen to see the 1949 The Great Gatsby on Imprint Blu-ray. Fans of the Ladd, a dark cinema mainstay, will want to see this. An imperfect image but I was thankful to see the film at all in 1080P. The extras are advanced and offer tremendous value from the commentary, hour-long documentary and Gatsby views by Sarah Churchill and Christina Newland. Absolutely recommended the right crowd. Wonderful.
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**"Raymond Griffith: The Silk Hat Comedian"** Blu-ray - Betty Compson @UndercrankProd @silentfilmmusic
Paths to Paradise (1925) You'd Be Surprised (1926)
US PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Undercrank Productions Raymond Griffith: The Silk Hat Comedian Blu-ray package is a must-own for Silent Era fans. Griffith is remarkable as being almost completely forgotten in today's niche of silent film's history, performers and their work. I enjoyed both films but maybe Paths to Paradise more despite the missing seventh reel. Betty Compson is delightful as a con-woman as a precursor to be a sneaky femme fatale. You'd Be Surprised has more broad comedy and the amusing mystery angle. Undercrank Productions is definitely a “collector’s brand” with most of their digital releases funded by silent era devotees (usually through Kickstarter.) This is a great package of a lesser-seen performer - the HD image looks sweet on Blu-ray and there is a educational video essay. Absolutely recommedned!
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"Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece" / "Tintin and the Blue Oranges" Blu-ray - Jean-Pierre Talbot @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: These Tintin films were based on characters from the comic book series The Adventures of Tintin, written and drawn by the Belgian artist Hergé (Georges Prosper Remi.) They were extremely popular in more than 70 languages with sales of more than 200 million copies. I had totally forgotten about Spielberg's 2011 film The Adventures of Tintin which utilized computer-animation to create the action-adventure movie. Although both films had the Belgian actor Jean-Pierre Talbot as Tintin (he really does look like the character) - I thought Mystery of the Golden Fleece was more true to the boyhood adventurous spirit of the original comic books, at least, as I remembered them. The Blue Oranges had less-desirable slapstick humor and lacked the atmospheric escapade charisma. The bare-bones Kino Blu-ray has value for these vintage live-action adaptations. They are fun and it is highly interesting to see the character portrayals, costumes and plots. Fans who fondly remember Hergé's work will get the most benefit.
___________________________________
**Pietro Francisci's "Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra)"** Blu-ray - Leonora Ruffo / Leontine Snell @rarovideousa @KinoLorber
US PURCHASE LINK
CANADIAN PURCHASE LINK
UK PURCHASE LINK
BONUS CAPTURES
OUR REVIEW
COMMENTS: Pietro Francisci's Star Pilot (2+5 Missione Hydra) is reminiscent of Planet of the Vampires, Wild Wild Planet and The Green Slime - having tremendous 'camp' value (look at the gal's costumes.) In an inside joke; Leonora Ruffo (Hercules vs. the Vampires), playing a stoic alien beauty, who was also in a number of fotoromanzi (Photo comics) has Leontine Snell's character, Luisa, sexily prancing around, defending them positively. Star Pilot moves at a brisk pace and is an ambitious science fiction tropes with aliens visiting earth, brief humanoid creatures, hints at an ecological catastrophe, and a new evolution of the species with its own awakened monolith. Some of the stock special-effects footage was from Japanese Toho Studio's Invasion of Astro-Monster and others. Wikipedia cites that "The English dub included references to "Star Fleet", "Star Fleet Command", "Warp Speed", and "Impulse Drive", as used in the Star Trek television series." I found it humorous that most reviewers have failed to identify the satire, which can totally shift the opinion of Star Pilot's entertainment value. I loved my viewing and am very happy with the Raro Video Blu-ray a/v and commentary. To each his own but this is a definite 'keeper' for me.
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DVDBeaver Newsletter for the Week of July 3rd, 2023