Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

SOMEWHERE IN TIME

DIRECTOR: JEANNOT SZWARC | SCREENPLAY: RICHARD MATHESON | STARRING: CHRISTOPHER REEVE, JANE SEYMOUR, CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER | RELEASE DATE: APRIL 8TH

It is June 27, 1912. You are lying in your bed in the Grand Hotel and it is 6pm on the evening of June 27, 1912. Your mind accepts this absolutely. 6pm on June 27, 1912. Elise McKenna is in this hotel at this very moment…

While these words may not sound like the most romantic recital in cinematic history, they absolutely are. Spoken by 1980s playwright Richard Collier (Reeve) in an attempt to send himself back in time, the mantra is filled with more angst, love and pain than most actors are able to imbue in a full 90 minute performance. His words not only transport him, but also us as an audience with him, almost 70 years into the past to a time where promising actress, Elise McKenna (Seymore) is getting ready to perform, completely unaware that she’s about to meet a man out of time that will change her life forever.

In so many ways, Somewhere in Time is the epitome of a cinematic love story. It is literally saturated in romance, from John Barry’s timeless and lip-quivering score, through the intoxicating performances from Reeve and Seymore and the heart-wrenching story from the king of fantasy storytelling, Richard Matheson. Funny, smart, touching and, did we mention romantic? Somewhere in Time is a masterclass in acting, writing and emotive cinema. Required viewing.

It’s lovely to see the film finally get a Blu-ray release – the sharp, if a little grainy transfer is a step up from the DVD copies we’ve had until now – and nice to see some new material available. ‘Timing it Right – Cutting Together Somewhere in Time’ hosts a conversation with Film Editor, Jeff Gourson on his time working on the project, while ‘A Place in Time’ allows everyone’s favourite kookie film critic Kim Newman to expound on the film’s background and influences. No more a learned film historian could you hope for to provide insight into this, tracing the story’s inception all the way back beyond Mattheson’s book Bid Time Return. Finally, ‘A Romantic Rendezvous’ fills us in on any details the more learned inclusions may have missed.

While it’s great to see new material, it’s undoubtedly a missed opportunity not to include the previously released Director’s Commentary (remember them?) with director Jeannot Szwarc as well as the DVD Collector’s Edition documentary ‘Back to Somewhere in Time’. A film that is so beloved, and with such a rich history is definitely deserving of a release that truly covers every aspect its production and the following that it’s had afterwards. Even the film’s Fan Club got a feature on the last release. Sadly not here.

THE RING COLLECTION

It takes something truly special to launch a slew of impersonators and wannabes, but Hideo Nakata’s Ring most certainly did that back in 1998. Now, the ever-great guys and gals at Arrow Video have given the original Ring a swanky new 4K remaster and put it together with its sequels for what’s dubbed The Ring Collection.

You likely know all about Ring and its follow-ups, for that ’98 effort is largely credited with propelling J-Horror to the status of global phenomenon. All you needed was a pale, straggly girl with bad hair and twitchy movements to garner instant success, right? Not quite, for so many post-Ring movies used that formula and instead served up utter dross. But not Ring. No, Ring was and is a masterpiece.

To loosely brush over the plot, Nakata’s 1998 film saw a mysterious video tape (ask your parents, kids) that would kill whomever viewed it. Well, the tape didn’t technically kill people; it was the eerie figure of Sadako emerging from the TV screen when said tape was played that would be responsible for the body count. Of course, there was a little more to it than simply a creepy figure stepping into your living room, with an equally chilling origin to all of this.

As mentioned, that original Ring movie is rightly viewed as a horror classic, and – despite the concept of VHS itself maybe being slightly dated to newer audiences now watching the movie for the fist time – the picture still stands up as a truly masterful terror tale. The sequels? Well, first up was the disappointing Spiral; then the “actually, this is the real sequel” Ring 2 again impressed; and the original franchise then came to a so-so conclusion and delved fully into the origins of things with Ring 0.

In the briefest sense, that’s the films themselves brushed over, then. What you’re likely here for, though, is what else The Ring Collection offers up. First up, the new 4K transfer works wonderfully in bringing a freshness to proceedings, with the delicate downtime of the narrative feeling just as vital and important as the terrors that lurk just around the corner. Despite adding a new crispness to the action, the 4K sheen doesn’t make things too glossy or take away the gritty, natural feel that we all so dearly love.

Elsewhere, there really is a ridiculous amount of special features and bonus material included in this new release. Arguably the pick of the bunch, we have the hugely impressive The Ring Legacy featurette in which the franchise is explored in an engaging, entertaining manner with a mixture of talking heads and footage from the franchise nicely meshed together. Similarly, the look at Hideo Nakata’s career gives a fascinating insight into the mindset of a horror master. Then there’s Jasper Sharp’s all-new video essay that, while massively detailed and informative, does become maybe a tad draining when you find yourself sitting through 37 minutes of one person dryly narrating a history of Asian ghost tales and the eerie origins of J-Horror.

Taking all of this into account, The Ring Collection is a fantastic set for horror hounds; one excellent movie, one dire sequel, one great sequel, one mixed bag of a finale, and enough bonus material to keep you busy throughout those times when the thought of Sadako’s eerie presence keeps you awake at night.

Special Features: New audio commentaries on Ring and Ring 0 / The Ring Legacy featurette / A Vicious Circle interview on the career of Hideo Nakata / Spooks, Sights and Videotape video essay / The Psychology of Fear interview with Koji Suzuki / Behind-the-scenes featurette on Ring 0 / Ring 0 deleted scenes / Sadako’s Video / Trailers / Limited edition 60-page booklet

THE RING COLLECTION / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: HIDEO NAKATA, JOJI IIDA, NORIO TSURUTA / SCREENPLAY: HIROSHI TAKAHASHI, JOJI IIDA / STARRING: NANAKO MATSUSHIMA, HIROYUKI SANADA, MIKI NAKATANI, RIKIYA OTAKA, YUKIE NAKAMA / RELEASE DATE: MARCH 18TH

BEAST OF YELLOW NIGHT (1971)

Filipino horror is often overlooked or dismissed as badly made low budget rubbish. Those who say that have clearly only ever watched the trailers or seen stills from the films, as any connoisseur of exploitation films will tell you, there’s so much to enjoy.

Langdon (Ashley) is a reprehensible character, who is lost in the woods while escaping during World War II. It’s there he comes across Satan himself (a stocky and unlikely Diaz), who offers to save his life if he becomes his servant. He’s a bad boy anyway, so what’s he got to lose? Well, he doesn’t realise that for the next few decades he has to keep inhabiting other bodies and wreaking havoc along the way. That is until he’s in the body of a chap named Phil. Langdon decides to take control of his destiny again. Big mistake, as it causes him to change into a porridge-faced murderous creature.

Eddie Romero’s Beast of Yellow Night might not be as well-known as his ‘Blood Island’ trilogy, but it’s certainly worth seeking out, particularly in VCI’s dual format release. Scanned in 2K from the original negative, it looks stunning. Colours pop and the night-time scenes are actually watchable now compared to previous versions. It was also the first film made by Roger Corman’s New World Pictures strand, which gives it more sheen (not to mention gratuitous exploitation) than it perhaps would have had as a movie financed solely in the Philippines.

Although the cheesiness of the visuals and story might provoke more laughs than chills, there is much more going on here. There’s a dichotomy of good and evil in Langdon that opens up some interesting angles to the concept, in a similar way that Universal’s Wolf Man Larry Talbot was tormented by his metamorphosis, so is Ashley’s character.

The release also contains a decent array of extras. It’s mostly made up of talking head footage, but certainly interesting to fans of Filipino cinema. One section focuses on star John Ashley and features contributions from his widow and high profile fans/friends such as Fred Olen Ray, while another has interview sections with much of the talent involved in the making of the film, including the director (taken from the 2010 documentary Machete Maidens Unleashed!). Like the film itself, while these are not really essential, they are very entertaining. If you have the patience for schlocky seventies horror, this should be right up your street.

BEAST OF YELLOW NIGHT (1971) / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: EDDIE ROMERO / STARRING: JOHN ASHLEY, MARY CHARLOTTE WILCOX, LEOPOLDO SALCEDO, VIC DIAZ / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW (US)

HUMAN DESIRE (1954)

Human Desire (1954) is Fritz Lang’s version of the 1890 Émile Zola novel La bête humaine, though as film historian Tony Rayns highlights in the interview featurette that accompanies this release, it’s actually more a remake of an earlier Jean Renoir version of the story from 1938.

It adheres more closely to that film’s stripped-down plot as it follows train engineer Jeff (Ford), returned from the Korean War and back working on the rails. At the same time, drunken gambler and yard supervisor Carl (Crawford) has lost his job for talking back to his boss. He manipulates, threatens and beats his young wife, Vicki (Grahame), into using a contact of hers to get him his job back. When he becomes violently jealous it leads to murder. The abused, despairing Vicki gets close to Jeff and begins to plot with him a permanent way out of her miserable circumstances.

The territory is firmly film noir, with a cast of largely amoral characters slowly destroying each other over the course of the picture. Although that’s a standard for this type of film, it’s taken to comically absurd levels here, stacked as it is with people who seemingly have no redeeming features at all. That matters little if the story is compelling but sadly, Human Desire does not grip, although the central character of Vicki deserves a better film. It doesn’t help that performances are almost all overripe or underplayed. Despite this, it’s not a total bust and clips along at a solid pace, Lang’s direction never less than competent and Alfred Hayes’ script dropping in kernels of good dialogue. If you are someone who appreciates noirs, you’re likely to still find something to enjoy.

As for this disc, it’s not a particularly visually dynamic film but the presentation is mostly pleasingly sharp and with depth, occasional softness aside. As far as extras, alongside the theatrical trailer, the enjoyable interview with Rayns runs to just under half an hour and covers the background of Human Desire, Zola’s novel and the Renoir film and helps establish the context for placing Lang’s version. If you buy the disc, you’ll also get a 40-page collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film from Travis Crawford, Richard Combs and Adam Batty.

Should you wish to spend some time with unpleasant people who do bad things to each other, there’s better choices you can make. However, for those who follow Lang’s career or Ford or the other players, or are fans or students of film noir then this release is recommended for you.

HUMAN DESIRE (1954) / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: FRITZ LANG / SCREENPLAY: ALFRED HAYES / STARRING: GLENN FORD, GLORIA GRAHAME, BRODERICK CRAWFORD, EDGAR BUCHANAN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

REDCON-1

Following the outbreak of an incredibly evasive virus that turns human hosts into the walking dead (you know the drill), a team of international Special Forces soldiers are brought in to track down the scientist who brought about the impending zombie apocalypse. With this mission in mind, the team travel to various possible sites within the quarantine zone, encountering feral gangs, hapless survivors and swarms of the undead. But these aren’t your run-of-the-mill shuffling mouth-breathers, these zombies know kung fu. No, really.

There are some strong commercial ideas here and while the production value is a cut above for the film’s modest budget, director Chee Keong Cheung goes out of his way to attempt full Michael Bay ‘Hollywood’. As a result, it’s a bit like attempting to create the Mona Lisa with poster paints from Poundland. The cast and crew exude passion and it’s great to see the UK’s indie film world pull something like this off, but Cheung’s vision is misplaced, the script is a disjointed rambling mess and the cocaine-snorting, nunchuck-waving zombies themselves are crudely fleshed out and, as a result, laughable. Had the film taken itself a little less seriously (co-writer/star Mark Strange, I’m looking at you) this could have been the same kind of loveable genre romp as Dog Soldiers and the like. Instead, it’s just funny for all the wrong reasons and very much a missed opportunity.

Given its indie status, the behind the scenes are bountiful and, damn it, really made me want to like the film more. Interviews with all of the cast and crew talk at length about the characters and Cheung’s ambitious vision. Everyone is here (bar writer Steve Horvath who, for some reason isn’t even mentioned) including the Sound Designer, Editor, Composer and DoP. What’s great is that, not only do they discuss their involvement with Redcon-1, but they also give advice to anyone else who wants to get into the film business. It’s a wonderful touch that really speaks to the community within independent film. There’s also a good look at the community that built up around the film’s production with the wealth of zombie players, some of which is tremendously touching. A zoom through some of the film’s appearances around the country at various events is fun, while a sit down with the movie’s military consultant is a fascinating insight into, not only the process, but soldier life in general.

Within the Deleted Scenes you’ll find plenty of unused footage of army versus zombies, including a few touching character scenes which, frankly the film could have done with a lot more of. Finally, Trailers and Idents and a Photo Gallery round off what is a great selection of bonus features.

All in all, a rare case of the added value being more compelling than the film it supports.

REDCON-1 / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: CHEE KEONG CHEUNG / SCREENPLAY: CHEE KEONG CHEUNG, STEVE HORVATH, MARK STRANGE / STARRING: ORIS ERHUERO, CARLOS GALLARDO, MARK STRANGE, KATARINA LEIGH WATERS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

SO DARK THE NIGHT (1946)

Joseph H. Lewis’ 1946 effort So Dark The Night.is another of the post-Second World War noir offerings that graced cinema screens from a director who had a reputation in B-movie works and helmed one of the all-time noir classics in Gun Crazy (1950).

A renowned Paris detective, Inspector Henri Cassin (Geray) takes a much-needed holiday from his law work in the French capital and arrives in a country village, where he falls in love with an innkeeper’s daughter, Nanette Michaud (Cheirai).

However, her long-term fiancé, Leon Achard (Paul Marion), is determined not to give up his prize when Henri and Nanette announce their engagement. Leon storms off into the surrounding countryside, followed by Nanette, but when the two of them don’t come home and are found strangled at a farmhouse and river, Cassin has to put aside his rest and recreation to pursue the case.

The film might suffer a little a bit in comparison to other works of the time and it isn’t one that will remain in the memory many of the genre, but this release will give it new found exposure. Characters are stock noir and stereotypical French and some of the dialogue is a little on the nose when trying to solve the mystery but there is a fairly neat pay-off twist at the end that elevates it to proper noir.

The cinematographer Burnett Guffney (Bonnie and Clyde) frames the story well and it’s atmospheric enough to hold the attention and will certainly appeal to fans of some of noir genre.

This Blu-ray edition also comes with an audio commentary and if you can get hold of one of the limited editions includes an illustrated Collector’s Booklet on the film by critic David Cairns.

One for true aficionados and noir fans.

SO DARK THE NIGHT (1946) / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: JOSEPH H. LEWIS / SCREENPLAY: MARTIN BERKELEY, DWIGHT V. BABCOCK / STARRING: STEVEN GERAY, MICHELINE CHEIREL, EUGENE BORDEN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS (1945)

Joseph H. Lewis’ Gothic noir My Name is Julia Ross is an agreeably striking example of the ‘woman in peril’ film. It’s a ruthlessly straight gaslighting plot but done with style by Lewis, well played by the main actors and made with atmosphere. In it, Julia Ross (Foch) is a young woman struggling to find a job in London who thinks she has visited every employment agency in the city, before discovering a new one that puts her onto a job that seems too good to be true. Of course, it is and her new employers, mother Mrs Hughes and her son Ralph, have their own plans for Ross. Trapped in a fortress-like house in Cornwall, Ross must keep her sanity whilst still finding a way to escape from the sinister widow and her few-sandwiches-short-of-a-picnic spawn.

As explained in the fine accompanying interview with Nora Fiore (aka the Nitrate Diva), the film came at a time when WW2 had ended and women were being directed away from the jobs and independence that had marked the wartime years and back into traditional female roles. Ross’ history is alluded to and it’s clear that she is putting her own career and needs ahead of anything like marriage and children, at least for now. And so, when her captors try and force her into a life that is literally not hers, Ross kicks back and refuses to lose her identity. It’s a satisfying feature that builds to a conclusion that isn’t unexpected but along the way is never less than entertaining. Nina Foch is a captivating and compelling lead and the tale remains potent and relevant. It’s not the most essential of film noirs but nevertheless has much to enjoy, more so as a Gothically-inclined tale of abuse and survival.

As far as picture goes, the HD presentation here is generally of a very high standard. Some inevitable softness is evident, but vitally for a black and white film, the balance between light and shade is mostly excellent. There aren’t a huge number of extras but what is available is well worth your time. First, there’s a commentary from Alan K. Rode, a scholar of film noir. The feature with Fiore is great, exploring the context the film was made in, where it fits in Lewis’ filmography and its importance to both his development and to this particular type of thriller, and is a welcome and valuable addition. The trailer is also included and first pressings come with a booklet featuring writing by critic Adrian Martin. It’s a solid release and of most interest to fans of film noir. If that’s you, this comes recommended.

MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS (1945) / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: JOSEPH H. LEWIS / SCREENPLAY: MURIEL ROY BOLTON / STARRING: NINA FOCH, MAY WHITTY, GEORGE MACREADY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

SWEENEY 2 (1978)

After the success of both the series it was based on and the first film released to cinemas, it was no surprise a sequel to Sweeney! followed it only a short time later. Sweeney 2 works better as a film of the show than its predecessor did, eschewing for the most part the earlier film’s attempts at being more than an extended episode of the adventures of DI Jack Regan (Thaw) and DS George Carter (Waterman) and ignoring the political paranoia that fuelled it. Stripping things back to their core, it’s a more satisfying approach and manages to feel truer to the appeal of the series and at the same time expand upon it.

When Regan’s boss is sent down for corruption, his last professional request to Jack is for him to bring to an end the actions of a group of bank robbers, who have been hitting their targets hard across London. He’s up against it, however, because this is a highly professional gang. They don’t make mistakes and are ruthlessly violent to the extent they’ll even shoot their own injured members, but also puzzle Jack by leaving money behind in the getaway car. It’s going to be a challenge for him to nick them.
What unfolds is a frequently brutal cops and robbers thriller that is punctuated by bursts of bloody violence and left field humour. Thaw has room this time to give a performance and is ably assisted by Waterman and the likes of Denholm Elliot. It’s also well directed by Tom Clegg and a reminder that before handheld cameras spinning around became the standard for action sequences, an elegant approach could work just as well.

As with the first film, Sweeney 2 has also been remastered for this release from original film elements and is crisp and beautifully sharp here. There’s plenty of bloody action that pops from the screen as well as a trip to Malta for Regan and Carter that is bathed in sunshine, taking them away from the concrete harshness of ‘70s London. It’s certainly the best shape the film has ever been in for home release. As for extras, like with Network’s other recent British film releases we get the original trailer, PDF material and an image gallery. Again, it’s hardly an essential package with nothing to tempt the curious first timer but for anyone who enjoys the film and wants it in spiffy HD, it’s the way to go.
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WEENEY 2 (1978) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: TOM CLEGG / SCREENPLAY: TROY KENNEDY-MARTIN / STARRING: JOHN THAW, DENNIS WATERMAN, DENHOLM ELLIOT, KEN HUTCHINSON / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

SWEENEY! (1977)

When a television series is successful it’s not uncommon that attention turns to the idea of whether a transfer to cinema screens is possible. In the ‘70s, cop show The Sweeney was a smash hit and a source of controversy due to its level of violence and the behaviour of its hard-living ‘heroes’. At that time the public’s perception of police was no longer of the reassuring bobby on the beat (in something like Jack Warner in Dixon of Dock Green for example) but rather more a gang of thugs not too dissimilar to the criminals they were meant to put away. Of course, it was an easy idea to think this could play well in theatres, free from the restraints of television and considerations of content. At the same time, in the era of Watergate, the paranoid political thriller was at the height of its popularity. And so, Sweeney! (as it was rechristened) would try and marry the two together.

John Thaw reprises his role as DI Jack Regan, with Dennis Waterman as sidekick DS George Carter. When a prostitute is murdered and her villain boyfriend decides to check into what happened, it kicks off a sequence of events that puts Regan’s career and his very life in serious danger and leads him to a truth that goes all the way to the British government. The end result is a very entertaining film that arguably doesn’t work fully as either The Sweeney or bleakly cynical thriller but is still very good fun. To try and cram in as much as possible it plays as a somewhat reductive version of both, and doesn’t give Thaw much to do other than bluster and huff as Regan, and relegates Waterman to bit player. That doesn’t really harm it too much however and from performances to production design and direction it’s a solid and enjoyable British thriller.

This new Blu-ray release has a restored HD picture and it’s generally sharp and shows off the hideous clothes and brutalist architecture with superb clarity. As far as extras on this release, it’s sad to say not much. There’s a trailer that furiously sells the movie as a soon-to-be classic, some PDF material and an image gallery that is certainly interesting, stuffed as it is with poster designs, lobby cards and other promotional material but hardly makes this release essential. Despite this, if you don’t own the film on any format, this is definitely the way to go for that lovely picture. Fans of the series or film or indeed anyone curious what all the fuss was about should pick this up.

SWEENEY! (1977) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: DAVID WICKES / SCREENPLAY: RANALD GRAHAM / STARRING: JOHN THAW, DENNIS WATERMAN, BARRY FOSTER, IAN BANNEN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE (1974)

Back in the ‘70s, Hammer Film Productions had a fair amount of success bringing to cinemas numerous versions of then-popular television sitcoms. Man About the House was the last of these and provided a big-screen adventure for the trio of Robin (O’Sullivan), Chrissy (Wilcox), and Jo (Thomsett) as well as their landlords George and Mildred (Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce). The setup of the film is broadly the same as the series as it finds chef Robin sharing a flat with Chrissy and Jo and – considering that mixed gender house shares weren’t a regular occurrence back then – the hilarious hijinks that ensue with them sharing an unconventional living space.

As it’s a film and not just an episode there needs to be a bigger focus and that’s provided here by a ruthless developer’s attempts to buy and demolish the row of houses the trio’s flat is part of. When they learn of the plan, Robin, Chrissy and Jo start plotting ways to save their home, from a petition through to food poisoning. Complicating their situation further is the fact George has his heart set on making the deal. Can Mildred help the three hip young things save the day? Well, you can probably figure that out.

It’s entirely predictable comedy but none the worse for it. Though there’s absolutely nothing compelling about the film, it’s inoffensive stuff (apart from a mercifully brief cameo from the stars of Love Thy Neighbour) that’s likely to please fans and convert no one else. The central cast is generally good and alongside that there are numerous famous faces, including the likes of Arthur Lowe and Spike Milligan, to hold the attention, but nobody here is doing their best work.

For this Blu-ray, those fans sadly will find nothing to get excited about. The extras are comprised simply of the trailer for the film, an image gallery and some PDF material. At least for a HD picture it is suitably clear and sharp, despite being soft in a few places. That’s not always a plus given that the film was made in a decade that could easily lay claim to be the one fashion truly set adrift. Some of the clothes here are genuinely unpleasant.

For anyone who likes the series this is a fine enough purchase but for anyone else we can’t particularly recommend a reason why you should pick this up.

MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE (1974) / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: JOHN ROBINS / SCREENPLAY: JOHNNIE MORTIMER, BRIAN COOKE / STARRING: RICHARD O’SULLIVAN, PAULA WILCOX, SALLY THOMSETT, BRIAN MURPHY, YOOTHA JOYCE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW