Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

1931's "The Front Page" was added to the National Film Registry in 2010, securing its place in cinema history and its preservation for future generations to enjoy. It's easy to see why the feature was picked, presenting a sharp, incisive look at journalism of the day, finding its depiction of sensationalism and the lure of personal corruption still resonate in 2015. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Michael Ritchie maintained a special interest in movies about sports. Not many of them were great (there was one masterpiece in 1976's "The Bad News Bears"), but they all retained a shaggy personality that inspected the minutiae of teamwork and the power of the individual. 1992's "Diggstown" (titled "Midnight Sting" on the Blu-ray) isn't explicitly a boxing picture, but it carries the weight of a production that understands the stamina and mental acuity of the sport, working to make the ring encounters hit as hard as the twists and turns of this con man story. Although it's ultimately a tale of trickery and revenge, "Diggstown" is most comfortable throwing punches, communicating exhaustion with confidence as the rest of the shenanigans remain diverting, but tonally unbalanced. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With director Jess Franco, subtlety isn't a priority. Either is polish, leaving 1972's "The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein" just one of many in the filmmaker's oeuvre that comes up short in the artistry department as the production races to capture as much insanity as possible before the disturbingly prolific Franco is off to his next endeavor. While the promise of a cracked take on Mary Shelley's iconic source material is there for the taking, "The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein" falls short of horror goals, emerging as a "Manos"-style thriller with unrealized ideas and troubling storytelling deficiencies. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"He Ran All the Way" is a crime picture (adapted from a book by Sam Ross), but it finds a special position of paranoia to keep tensions taut. Hit with political troubles during its initial 1951 release due to Red Scare interest with screenwriters Dalton Trumbo and Hugo Butler, and star John Garfield, the feature emerges today as a fascinating look at claustrophobic intimidation, using guns and chases to provide entrance into a disquieting psychological thriller, supported by wonderful performances and an atypical sense of escalation for the moviemaking era. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Somewhere over the rainbow, there's a little girl awaiting shock treatment.

The fantasyland of Oz, as brought to world by author L. Frank Baum, is many things. But to most audiences, Oz is only one thing: a 1939 classic film starring Judy Garland. Attempting to recapture the magic of "The Wizard of Oz," many sequels and knockoffs have failed to achieve the same level of wonder, whimsy, and song. 1985's "Return to Oz" offers a teasing title that hints at a revival of Technicolor awe, but it's a very different picture, taking a creative route that doesn't welcome musical numbers and one-liners. It's a stark, grim adventure that boldly returns to Baum for inspiration while trying to remain as far away from "The Wizard of Oz" as possible. Although certain elements of the feature miss their mark, "Return to Oz" is ambitious, daring, and delivers incredible technical achievements, offsetting initial disappointment and confusion by generating its own mood and dramatic objectives. Instead of amazement, it's foreboding and periodically scary, subverting expectations in the best possible way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When we last saw the Toxic Avenger, he saved Japan and Tromaville from Apocalypse Inc., using his monster gifts to protect the innocent from pollution and corporate abuse. True to form, Troma Entertainment isn't about to let their cash-cow take a rest, reviving the "superhero from New Jersey" for 1989's "The Toxic Avenger: Part III – The Last Temptation of Toxie," a sequel that basically admits defeat from the opening act. Loud and cheaply made, the continuation of the saga tries to sustain irreverence and gore, utilizing Troma's silly sense of humor to fuel yet another round of one-liners and lethargic battles. The creative tank is clearly out of gas for this follow-up, but that doesn't stop directors Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz from trying to staple together a continuation made out of random ideas and footage from "The Toxic Avenger: Part II." Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Although it doesn't seem to be created as a sequel to a television series that ran in the early 1950s, "Foreign Intrigue" isn't one to pause and wait around for its audience. Diving headfirst into acts of secrecy and betrayal, the 1957 feature isn't covering new ground in the detective genre, with star Robert Mitchum looking unchallenged as he works through a routine of sleuthing, seduction, and attitude, this time sending him around Europe to gather clues. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Zone Troopers" is an imaginative idea in search of a proper budget. It's a B-movie from 1985 (co-produced by Charles Band), telling the story of an alien invasion during World War II, but instead of expanse, battling ships, and masses of military men charging into battle, the feature is mostly contained to modest forest settings, working with only a handful of cast members. Co-writer/director Danny Bilson is skilled enough to secure a few highlights along the journey, playing enthusiastically with war film formula and archetype, but he doesn't have enough money to bring his eerie vision to life. Instead of non-stop thrills and chills, "Zone Troopers" is deliberate, often static, trying to milk its inviting premise as much as it can before the audience gradually becomes aware that instead of unleashing sci-fi mayhem, the feature is primarily contained to crusty banter and periodic action. The effort certainly isn't "War of the Worlds." Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1972's "Prime Cut" is an efficient actioner with enough surges in oddity to keep it compelling. The feature is directed by Michael Ritchie and was released mere weeks after his breakthrough work on "The Candidate," displaying the helmer's gift with realism and satire, and his way with armed men and personal vendettas. I'm not convinced that "Prime Cut" is a lost classic, but it does reach a higher consciousness than most bruisers, investing in unsettling behavior to keep its routine plot interesting. It also helps to have leading actors in Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman, who trade death stares and punches as the big city goes up against the heartland in this periodically surprising exercise in distanced exploitation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It doesn't take a detective to figure out which decade gave birth to "Cherry 2000." It's a film about the hunt for a replacement sex robot, offering a post-apocalyptic setting that favors pastel outfits, RPGs and Uzis, and displays futuristic cars that drive on three wheels. The feature doesn't hide its production era very well, but it remains an engaging romp around the shattered society formula, with director Steve De Jarnatt ("Miracle Mile") using imaginative designs and a taste for stuntwork to bring "Cherry 2000" to life, despite an iffy premise that doesn't initially suggest a slam-bang actioner to come. There's encouraging personality to the movie, which isn't encumbered by a minimal budget, working out its own version of mayhem in the Nevada desert, with enough chases, shoot-outs, and explosions to keep the effort alert and, at times, wildly entertaining. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Two goofy actors such as James Belushi and John Ritter seem like a natural fit for a buddy comedy. 1987's "Real Men" pairs the men as opposites on the run, giving them time to create idiosyncratic character business and engage in physical antics that play to their individual strengths, creating a playground for silly business to take shape. Writer/director Dennis Feldman (who scripted "Species" and "The Golden Child") has rough ideas for humor, action, and oddity, but no real game plan to pull anything off. "Real Men" is an awkward misfire that's determined to be entertaining, but frequently carries on with its shoelaces tied together, wasting time on deadly banter and scripted inanity while Belushi and Ritter struggle to locate consistent performances. It's loud and madcap, but the feature is weirdly sloppy, resembling a movie that was torn apart and built up again in the editing room, leaving only remnants of ideas, not entire scenes. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Cover art for 1955's "Big House, U.S.A." displays five prison tough guys, with stars Broderick Crawford, Ralph Meeker, and Charles Bronson captured in menacing poses to sell the feature as a hardened prison drama. And yet, the titular location is only a minor part of the overall narrative, with John C. Higgins's screenplay establishing a wider scope of crime and intimidation. Surprisingly, "Big House U.S.A." is a kidnapping saga that winds through multiple locations as it details the saga of Jerry "Iceman" Barker (Meeker), an unrepentant ghoul responsible for the missing child of a wealthy businessman. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Although it isn't a comedy, 1974's "Madhouse" does show surprising life as a satire of film industry cruelty and genre expectation, employing stars Vincent Price and Peter Cushing to play around with their legacies in horror entertainment. Perhaps a more skilled take on insanity and insecurity was meant for "Madhouse," with the picture coming up short in terms of dramatic potential and chills. However, for those in the mood to watch icons interact with their professional past, the feature is satisfying and well performed. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1955's "Storm Fear" is introduced as a tale of isolation, but soon surveys unusual intimacies. Scripted by Horton Foote (adapting a book by Clinton Seeley) and directed by Cornel Wilde, the feature holds attention through tremendous characterization, working through the paranoia and neuroses of a tattered family as they're forced to survive together in a remote location. It's a classic setting for domestic hostilities, but the production manages to unearth intriguing areas of discomfort, allowing "Storm Fear" to overcome its slightly hammy execution and land a few emotional punches. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1970's "Monte Walsh" is a special creation that surveys the end of the west, and how such a gradual event influenced a generation of men raised on the back of a horse. Starring Lee Marvin and Jack Palance, the picture represents the directorial debut for William A. Fraker, the gifted cinematographer who visually defined such efforts as "Rosemary's Baby" and "1941." In "Monte Walsh," Fraker looks to prove himself as a storyteller, and his handle on the roller coaster tone of the feature shows immediate skill, while his time with the actors delivers unusual emotional depth for the traditionally leathered genre. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It's hard to imagine the topic of Ayn Rand being explored without alienating most of the viewing public. A controversial figure, the best-selling author and philosopher carries an enormous amount of political baggage, making any production interested in covering her life immediately suspect. 1997's "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life" lives up to its title, delivering a moderately in-depth discussion of the writer's life and times, with emphasis on her psychological make-up as she set out to change the world with her unique perspective on individualism. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1974's "Spasmo" is a film about madness, and it successfully makes the viewer feel insane while watching it. Directed by Umberto Lenzi, the feature delves into acts murder and paranoia, with lines of reality blurred in a manner that reflects the characters and their concerns, and also the era in which the movie was made, finding sexuality head-spinningly random and motivations more of a puzzle than just pure cinematic escalation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"The Unwanted" is inspired by "Carmilla," an 1872 Irish novella about vampirism that predated Bram Stoker's "Dracula." A brew of lesbianism and domestic dysfunction, the picture is certainly ambitious, with director Bret Wood cranking up the Southern Gothic atmosphere to the best of his ability, filling the feature with smoke, shadows, and bloodletting. Unfortunately, "The Unwanted" can't shed its amateurish execution, with stiff performances trying to make sense of a confused screenplay, while editing woes and budgetary restraints tend to muzzle anything of worth in the effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While writer/director/star Mel Brooks achieved his greatest career successes in the world of genre spoofs, he initially made his mark with original ideas and adaptations, including "The Producers" and "The Twelve Chairs." With efforts such as "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein" cementing his name as the go-to guy for cinematic replication with a side of silliness, Brooks returned to his first love with 1991's "Life Stinks," his first new idea after two decades of box office successes. Perhaps the vacation should've lasted longer. Although designed with Brooks's usual manic spirit and timing, "Life Stinks" is a feature that just doesn't work, no matter how hard it emphasizes punchlines or slaps around actors. It's an unpleasant, unfunny comedy that attempts to make light of the dire subject of homelessness, with Brooks somehow believing that gags concerning alcoholism and mental illness are enough to generate a level of social awareness that could justify the wince-inducing screenplay. Brooks has made his share of stinkers, but this picture is his worst, dragged to a full stop by uncharacteristic lifelessness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In America during the 1950s, serial killer Ed Gein became nightmare fuel for the nation when his horrific crimes were discovered. A seemingly mild man who murdered and skinned his victims, often wearing the peeled flesh, Gein's abominable acts of brutality launched a fascination with such severe mental disorder, inspiring numerous books and articles on the man, while his legacy was reshaped to fit the needs of the film industry, with productions such as "Psycho" and "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" taking beats from the criminal's life to inspire cinematic extremes. 1974's "Deranged" is one of the first features to really examine Gein's disease and simple-minded butchery. While it's hardly a thoughtful psychological examination looking to uncover the fiend's motivations, it does manage to convey the intensity of his existence, with star Roberts Blossom contributing fine work as the Gein stand-in, grounding the horror with unexpected dramatic sincerity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com