Just a fast note with some interesting movie programs going on in the New Jersey & New York areas this weekend.
The historic Paramount Theatre in Middletown, New York, is hosting the Hoboken International Film Festival, which runs from 5/29 through 6/4. More information HERE
This historic Rahway Theatre at the Union County Performing Arts Center is hosting a screening of the silent film classic WINGS on Saturday, 5/30 with Bernie Anderson accompanying on the Rahway's Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ. Bernie is a terrific silent film accompanist so this show will be a treat. More information HERE
The Film Forum in New York City is featuring a new 4K digital restoration of Samuel Fuller's PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET through June 4. More information HERE
The Ramapo Film Festival at my old haunt, the historic Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, NY, continues this Saturday morning with a showing of Charlie Chaplin's CITY LIGHTS. More information HERE
The Landmark Loews Jersey in Jersey City has another of its theme weekends with Woody Allen's SLEEPER on Friday, 5/29 and STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN on Sunday, May 31. More information HERE
Welcome to Big Screen Classics, a blog devoted to discussions and reviews of classic and not-so-classic Hollywood movies on both the big screen and your home screen. Plus a whole lot more: movie soundtracks, home theater technology, and whatever else crosses my mind. Your comments are welcomed and encouraged. Your host - Pete Apruzzese. Please note that we are not affiliated with TCM's "Big Screen Classics" movie series or the Lafayette Theatre.
May 26, 2015
Happy Birthday: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price
Three of my favorite performers ever celebrate their birthdays this week:
Peter Cushing, born 5/26/1913 (died 8/11/1994)
Christopher Lee, born 5/27/1922
Vincent Price, born 5/27/1911 (died 10/25/1993)
Here's to you, gentlemen of horror.
May 24, 2015
May 22, 2015
Blu-ray Review: "Bunny Lake is Missing" from Twilight Time
Blu-ray specifications
Distributed By: Twilight Time
Video Resolution: 1080p high definition
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 widescreenAudio: DTS-HDMA 1.0 (mono)
Feature Running Time: 107 minutes
Blu-ray street date: 11/11/2014
srp: $29.95
Limited Edition of 3000 copies, still available as of 5/22/15 exclusively from Screen Archives Entertainment
Source: Reviewer purchased copy
"Bunny Lake is Missing", 1965, produced and directed by Otto Preminger, written by John Mortimer and Penelope Mortimer, based on the novel by Evelyn Piper, theatrically released by Columbia Pictures, black & white, 2.35:1 Panavision widescreen, 107 min., starring: Laurence Olivier, Carol Lynley, Keir Dullea, Noel Coward, Martita Hunt, Finlay Currie, The Zombies
Producer/director Otto Preminger was just coming off of several big productions - Exodus, The Cardinal, In Harm's Way - when he went to England to shoot Bunny Lake is Missing. In many ways it's a reversion to his earlier days when he was making stylish film noir thrillers such as Laura and The Fallen Angel. The central mystery in Bunny Lake (which, for obvious reasons, can't really be discussed here) is fascinating and just a little creepy. In fact the whole movie is creepy starting with the detached performance of Keir Dullea to the behavior of the worst neighbor of all time: Noel Coward's Wilson - a man with big touchy hands and threatening words. But probably the best example is a scene towards the climax set in a Doll Hospital (apparently a real place in London) where a kindly old man (Finlay Currie, from Ben-Hur and many other pictures) presides over a crowded shop full of disembodied and amputated dolls under repair. Skin-crawling stuff from Preminger and his writers.
May 20, 2015
"Houston, we've got a problem"
What's not shown is the iceberg of discs below this stack.
Too many discs...too little time.
Video Streaming Review: Warner Archive Instant
| 2016 NOTE: I'm leaving up this post because it was true at the time it was written. However, as noted in this subsequent posting: Bye_bye Warner Archive Instant, I have retracted my recommendation of the service. ---------  |
| Warner Archive Instant website home page |
In this post I'll be taking a critical look at the Warner Archive Instant Streaming Video-on-Demand service . For those of you who like to flip to the end of the book first I'll save you the trouble: this is the essential streaming service for classic film fans.
OK, I'm getting a little ahead of myself here. Perhaps I should take the time to explain just what it's all about.
WHAT IS IT? A monthly subscription video streaming service - similar to Netflix, but featuring only titles from the Warner Archive library. The biggest difference between Warner Archive Instant (I'll refer to it as WAI from here on) and other streaming services is that it focuses exclusively on classic titles from the 1920s through the 1980s that are part of the Warner library. You won't find "Harry Potter" here but you will find "Home from the Hill," "Dark of the Sun," "Night Nurse," "The Unholy Three," "The Bad and the Beautiful" and many more.
 |
| Roku Streaming Box |
WHY DO I NEED IT? Like to watch classic movies from the Warner stable of studios (Warner, MGM, RKO, Allied Artists, and many more)? Like to watch High Definition films that aren't available on Blu-ray? Want a choice of viewing over 500 different titles at any one time? Then you want Warner Archive Instant.
Now it's time for some further details, so please continue reading after the jump.
Now it's time for some further details, so please continue reading after the jump.
May 15, 2015
Blu-ray review: X - The Man with the X-ray Eyes
Blu-ray specifications
Distributed By: Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Video Resolution: 1080p high definition
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 widescreen (theatrical 1.85)
Audio: DTS-HDMA 2.0 (mono)
Feature Running Time: 79 minutes
Blu-ray street date: 05/12/2015
srp: $29.95
Source: Reviewer purchased copy
("X" - The Man with the X-ray Eyes, 1963, directed by Roger Corman, written by Robert Dillon and Ray Russell, based on a story by Ray Russell, produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson, theatrically released by American International Pictures)
Well, there's certainly a lot of exclamations in that description.
Something strange happened on the way to the making of this film. The usually exploitative Roger Corman (director of films as diverse as "Attack of the Crab Monsters" and "Swamp Women") became far more ambitious around 1960 when he started working with more literate scripts (by such luminaries as Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont) for his series of films adapted from the works of Edgar Allan Poe, most starring Vincent Price. In the middle of all this Price and Poe, Corman found himself directing what would turn out to be a superior science fiction film, one that's nearly profound in its implications. While Corman's abilities as a filmmaker are generally strong he wasn't always known as a director with intellectual intentions but in the case of "X" he had a strong science fiction concept to visualize.
Running a tight 79 minutes, "X" benefits from a fully committed performance by Ray Milland (Academy Award winner for "The Lost Weekend" in 1945) as the doomed Dr. James Xavier. Other than the party scene where Xavier realizes he can see through everyone's clothing, the picture is generally free from comedy. It even achieves a certain melancholy feel in the final third, in particular the sequences set in the seedy carnival pier and when Xavier sets himself up in the slums to become a "healer" to the poor. While the special visual effects that are used to convey Xavier's new "sight" are not exactly state of the art, they are perfectly serviceable for the film and also contain few elements that certainly could have been influenced by the psychedelic drugs of the day. Corman regular Les Baxter is on-hand to contribute a strong music score. Note: the official on-screen title is "X" - the subtitle was only on the advertising and marketing.
Minted from a newly created (in 2014) HD transfer from MGM, Kino's Blu-ray of "X" is terrific. The picture quality (reproducing the original widescreen 1.85 theatrical ratio correctly) is solid, with only a few minor instances of dirt and debris cropping up - mostly in the optical effects and scene transitions - but never enough to detract from the film. Film grain appears to be well rendered with no visible artifacts that would indicate that overzealous digital processing was used. The two channel mono sound is flagged correctly to make capable audio processors automatically decode and route it properly to a single center channel speaker. Frequency extremes are somewhat limited, which is to be expected given the low budget nature of the film, and there is a trace of sound distortion in the early going that clears up. Overall, the transfer compares favorably to the excellent 35mm print I ran of this film back in 2013, so MGM must have quality elements on hand and did an excellent job preparing this master for Kino.
The Blu-ray has decent supply of extras on-hand: the theatrical trailer (and just what does "Filmed in Spectarama" mean, anyway?), a "Trailers from Hell" segment with Mick Garris, a spoiler-laden introduction from Joe Dante (to Kino's credit, there's a text screen warning the uninitiated to not watch it until after seeing the film), and two optional audio commentaries: one by Roger Corman (from MGM's DVD release in 2001) and a newly-recorded one by writer/publisher Tim Lucas. Also included is the rarely seen 5 minute prologue that was added to the initial TV prints to pad the short running time. Contrary to what's been in written in some reviews, the prologue was only for the television viewings and was not shown theatrically.
This Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics is Highly Recommended.
May 12, 2015
Blu-ray review: "Sharky's Machine"
(1981, directed by Burt Reynolds, written by Gerald Di Pego, based on the novel by William Diehl, Rated R)
Warner Home Video, Blu-ray release date 4/7/2015, $14.99 srp
Specs: 1.78 widescreen, DTS-HD Master 5.1 audio.
(Quick take review)
Excellent long-awaited Blu-ray from Warner of this action film favorite from 1981 that has been treated poorly in the past on video with non-widescreen releases and indifferent audio. This Blu-ray has a near-perfect picture (some excessive film grain is noted in some shots but is likely on the source) and a big, wide, booming surround audio track that bring this gritty story to life. Reynolds directs (arguably his best effort behind the camera) and stars (also his best hairpiece) and acquits himself well. Some unfortunate and forced comedy bits intrude a little (and did Burt direct Charles Durning by simply telling him to yell through every scene?) but are redeemed by a terrific jazz score and a great location shooting (in Atlanta and surrounding areas). Rachel Ward is beautiful and memorable as Dominoe and Henry Silva and Vittorio Gassman are properly sleazy villains; great supporting cast includes Bernie Casey, Brian Keith, Richard Libertini, and Earl Holliman. Highly recommended on Blu-ray, avoid the old DVD at all costs.
Source: Reviewer purchased copy. Portions of this review previously published on Amazon.
Back from the Dead
OK, it's time to bring this thing back from the dead. Watch for some mini Blu-ray movie and equipment reviews over the next week or two.
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