Welcome Back to SALEM'S LOT

SALEM’S LOT (DVD)

1979 / 183 min

Warner Bros

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

I remember feeling tempered anticipation for this miniseries, which first aired on CBS back in the late ‘70s. As a horror fan who recently discovered Stephen King, I devoured the novel it's adapted from just a few months before. However, television was a lot different back then and I knew there was no way certain aspects of the novel would ever make it to the boob tube. 

Sure enough, Salem’s Lot was reasonably faithful to the book storywise, but certainly de-fanged (no pun intended) and sanitized to meet broadcast standards. It also didn’t help that its biggest star at the time, David Soul, was still TV’s “Hutch” to most of us and certainly wasn’t who I pictured as the protagonist (he plays him like Hutch, too). Still, I enjoyed the show for what it was, and Trilogy of Terror notwithstanding, this was about as scary as TV horror ever really got in the ‘70s.

The story is typical King, with author Ben Mears (Soul) returning to his hometown to write about an old house with a dark past that terrified him as a boy. But the big local news is the opening of a classy new antique shop, run by newcomer Richard Striker (James Mason) and his partner, Kurt Barlow, whose impending arrival is highly anticipated. In reality, Barlow is actually a vampire, with Striker as his servant preparing for his arrival. Soon after, people begin dying or go missing. But of course, they don’t remain dead for long. 

Looks like someone needs to cut back on the caffeine.

Revisiting Salem’s Lot decades later was kinda fun. It certainly looks, sounds and plays like a made-for-TV movie of the era, including frequent fades-to-black for commercial breaks. I’d forgotten how much the first half unfolds more like a nighttime soap than a horror film, with subplots involving unfaithful spouses and jealous boyfriends. But along the way, director Tobe Hooper does manage to build an increasingly creepy atmosphere (even as we suspect his hands were somewhat tied by television restrictions).

The cast is loaded with familiar faces, some who’d go on to bigger things (like Bonnie Bedelia), others who’ve been around forever. It wasn’t until re-watching it this time that I realized Elisha Cook Jr. and Marie Windsor once played together as husband and wife in the classic heist film, The Killing. They’re married in this one, too, but certainly get along better. Overall, the performances are perfunctory, save for Mason, who’s wonderfully sinister and steals the entire movie.

Salem’s Lot looks a bit quaint these days, though there’s a lot of nostalgic fun to be found here. It’s probably nowhere near as scary as you remember it, but story remains engaging and, if nothing else, it’s still better than the two subsequent attempts to remake it. Now back in print, this is a re-issue of a previously released DVD. Except for a trailer for the theatrical version, no additional bonus material is included, nor has the picture or sound been upgraded.

WARFARE Gets Real

WARFARE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 95 min

A24 Films

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Bradley Driver😸

Warfare tells a true story, as co-written and co-directed by a guy who was there. In 2006, Ray Mendoza was part of a Navy SEAL team deployed in Ramadi, Iraq. Ordered to support U.S. Marines, they commandeer a two-story house in the middle of town, which provides an optimum vantage point to keep surveillance on some suspicious locals. 

After a grenade is thrown into the house, injuring one of them, a brief firefight breaks out. During the lull, they realize they need to evacuate him and call in a CASEVAC. When it finally arrives, a few soldiers assist the injured man outside while other provide cover. However, the vehicle is suddenly bombed by the enemy. A few are killed and two others are seriously injured. The remaining soldiers retreat back into the house, dragging their screaming comrades out of harm’s way…for now.

Meanwhile, enemy fighters begin closing in. The remainder of the story focuses on the team’s efforts to get the hell out of there as soon as possible, especially since the two soldiers’ injuries are dire. But with other U.S. troops and SEAL teams dealing with conflicts of their own, getting two more CASEVACs to their location is easier said than done.

I haven’t actually named any of the characters. Of course they have names, but that’s literally the extent of any characterization provided for them. This isn’t about characters. It isn’t even really about a historical battle, nor the war they’re fighting. Comparatively speaking, the conflict depicted here would probably be considered a skirmish. However, Warfare is unlike any war movie I’ve ever seen. 

DoorDash has arrived.

Following a brief prologue, the entire story is presented in real time, and the obvious intention is to make the viewer feel like they’re right there with these men. As such, it succeeds brilliantly. The first act is almost lethargically uneventful, with snipers calmly keeping tabs on people across the street while others are more-or-less waiting around for something to happen. We get to know none of them personally. Hell, they barely even engage in any small talk. Nearly all of the film’s dialogue pertains to the situation, with a lot of military jargon, rapidly barked coordinates and radio chatter.

Then the film suddenly becomes chaotic and disorienting, exacerbated by the cinema verite style in which it's shot. Everything is up close & personal (including vivid bursts of violence) and the camera almost never stops moving. Dialogue, screaming and radio chatter frequently overlap each other, to the point the viewer isn’t always certain who is saying what. There are deceptively quiet respites from the mayhem here and there, but like these SEALs, the underlying tension keeps us from letting our guard down.

This is probably the closest most of us will ever get to experiencing what modern warfare is really like. The lack of characterization, dramatic flourishes and a music score makes everything look and sound even more authentic. Alex Garland co-directs with the same visceral blunt force he applied in Civil War, but this is obviously Ray Mendoza's film, the result of his and fellow SEALs’ recollection of that day.

There have been plenty of war movies that are more emotionally affecting, more incendiary, more thought provoking and certainly more spectacular. But Warfare is the first one I’ve ever seen where I felt like I was vicariously enduring what these guys did. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Courage Under Fire: The Making of Warfare is an excellent 28 minute behind-the-scenes doc featuring interviews with co-writer/directors Ray Mendoza & Alex Garland and most of the main cast.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By co-writer/directors Ray Mendoza & Alex Garland.

6 POSTCARDS - Featuring behind-the-scenes photos.

THUNDERBOLTS*: A Breath of Fresh Air

THUNDERBOLTS* (Digital)

2025 / 127 min

Marvel Studios

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Thunderbolts* is now available on Digital, and will be released on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD July 29.

At the very least, Thunderbolts* doesn’t hinge its entire narrative on events which occurred in previous Marvel films or TV shows. Its main protagonists are lesser known, previously introduced MCU characters, but the film does a decent job re-establishing them for newbies. So unlike Marvel’s recent attempts to extend its increasingly rote universe, this one actually works quite well as a stand-alone story.

It’s also pretty damn funny. I know that probably sticks in the craw of militant fanboys who take their superheroes way too seriously, but there’s a good reason Deadpool & Wolverine and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 have been among Marvel’s few recent financial bright spots. And like Guardians, the ample amount of humor throughout Thunderbolts* feels organic, mostly stemming from the characters’ distinctive personalities rather than an abundance of jokey one-liners. Ultimately, it’s the kind of Marvel movie one might recommended to those who profess to hate them (save for the DC emos still worshiping at the alter of Zack Snyder).

The story itself is perfunctory. Yelena (Florence Pugh) is a Black Widow assassin who regularly does dirty work for CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), as does John Walker (Wyatt Russell), who was once slated to be the next Captain America. Facing impeachment for her questionable experiments trying to create a super-human hero (called the Sentry project), Valentina instructs Yelena to go to Malaysia and destroy the lab containing all the evidence, while ordering Walker to kill Yelena, and ordering Ava Starr (aka Ghost, played by Hannah John-Kamen) to kill Walker. Instead, they discover an amnesiac young man named Bob, the result of Valentina’s experiment. Now she wants everyone but Bob dead.

"I told you if we parked here we'd get towed."

Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), now a rookie congressman, is trying to expose Valentina’s illegal activies, while Yelena’s estranged father, Alexei (aka Red Guardian, played by David Harbour) saves her, Walker and Ghost. All of them reluctantly (since they have no love for each other) team up to save Bob, though his emerging God-like powers, hastened by Valentina, prove too formidable. But really, the story is of secondary importance. What really matters here are the characters. Though most were introduced in other films, Thunderbolts* makes them engaging and likable…even Parker with all his cockiness. Their antagonistic relationships and bickering banter are often very funny, occasionally kind of touching.

Additionally, this is a surprisingly low-key affair for a Marvel movie. There’s still plenty of action, but comparatively speaking, it’s fairly grounded and never threatens to take over the entire film, not even during the climax. And even though these characters all have dark pasts (especially Bob, it turns out), the overall tone is breezy and fun, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. I especially liked the origins of the Thunderbolts name, as well as the story's amusing denouement.

Does Thunderbolts* rank among the best MCU films? No, but it’s certainly the most purely entertaining one in quite awhile. In a way, it’s not unlike a triumph-of-the-underdog sports movie: These guys are initially branded losers, but over the coarse of the story, they overcome personal individual shortcomings to find strength as a team, part of what makes it kind of a breath of fresh air.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Around the World and Back Again; Assembling a Team to Remember; All About Bob, Sentry and the Void.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Jake Schreier.

BLOOPERS - As usual, it’s mostly the cast clowning in up for the camera.

3 DELETED SCENES

THE BEAST TO DIE and a "Date" with Madness

THE BEAST TO DIE (Blu-ray)

1980 / 119 min

Radiance Films

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

Kunihiko Date (Yusaku Matsuda) is one maladjusted mofo. Japan's The Beast to Die opens with him beating a cop and stealing his gun. Then he robs a casino, killing a bunch of mobsters in the process. But Date isn’t a gangster or hitman himself. In fact, the film initially reveals little about him beyond a love for classical music and his penchant for watching hookers masturbate. Around others, he appears shy, even a bit introverted.

Still, he catches the eye of Reiko (Asami Kobayashi), an aspiring pianist who works as a bank teller. Having seen her in concert, Date appears equally infatuated, though he shuns her efforts to get to know him. Meanwhile, he engages in a lot of violent fuckery, eventually recruiting hot-headed waiter Endo (Kei Sato). After convincing Endo to kill his own girlfriend, Date plans a robbery of the very bank where Reiko works. 

It’s eventually revealed that Date's psychotic behavior is the result of his time as a combat photographer. So yeah, The Beast to Die serves-up yet-another variation of the unstable Vietnam vet, which more-or-less became an overused plot device shortly after Taxi Driver. But here’s the thing…despite his violent tendencies and disturbing worldview, at least Travis Bickle has something resembling a moral code (twisted as it might be). 

"This is decaf?"

Conversely, Date’s character is strictly defined by his actions, which is abject cruelty and killing without remorse while spouting nihilistic gobbledegook. Whereas Bickle’s internal conflict ultimately inspires a bit of empathy, The Beast to Die simply revels in its protagonist’s depraved behavior. The film certainly ventures to some dark places, but despite being wrapped in arty pretentions, it’s still just lurid exploitation, particularly during the rapey, blood-soaked final act.

The Beast to Die does have its admirers, and I can sort-of see why. The film is well directed and features a dedicated performance by Matsuda, probably best known to American audiences for his villainous role in Ridley Scott’s Black Rain (sadly, he passed away shortly after). But narratively, there’s no character arc or engaging examination of Date’s descent into madness. We’re just watching the actions of a unrepentant sociopath for two hours. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with director Toru Murakawa and co-screenwriter Shoichi Maruyama.

CRITICAL APPRECIATION - By author Jordan Harper

LOONEY TUNES PLATINUM COLLECTION VOLUMES 1 & 2: Back in Print

LOONEY TUNES PLATINUM COLLECTION, VOLUMES 1 & 2 (Blu-ray)

1930-1969 / Volume 1: 357 min / Volume 2: 365 min

Warner Bros

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😸

Looney Tunes are no strangers to home video in every format (save for 4K, which we don’t really need). Over the years, there have been some stellar collections, the best probably being the comprehensive six-volume Golden Collection DVD boxed sets. More recently, Warner Archive’s Collector’s Choice Blu-ray series served up interesting assortments of rarities and obscurities. Both series are must-owns for hardcore fans.

But hey, sometimes you just want the hits. While I like Kiss, I never felt compelled to own every album the band ever made. Whenever I’m in the mood to rock and roll all night and party every day, throwing their greatest hits album on the turntable does the job just fine. Similarly, the three volume Looney Tunes Platinum Collection mostly focuses on the undisputed classics starring Warner Bros’ most iconic characters. For the most bang-for-your-buck, it doesn’t get much better than this.

After being out of print for several years,Volumes One and Two are being re-issued on Blu-ray. The content and bonus features (of which there are a ton) are identical to the original releases, so if you have those, there’s no need to read any further. But if you missed your chance the first time around…

Each volume includes 50 shorts over two discs, and a third one packed with supplemental material and additional shorts (many of the latter focus on a particular director’s work outside of the Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies banner). If forced to choose, I’d say Volume One is the better of the two simply because there’s a greater emphasis on the work of Chuck Jones, who I personally think was responsible for most of the best cartoons (with considerable help from writer Michael Maltese, of course). 

Never overfeed your pets.

Still, both sets provide a treasure trove of fun and history. What’s truly the best of the best is obviously subjective, but it’s hard to argue with what’s included. Volume One boasts such classics as Baseball Bugs, Rabbit of Seville, What’s Opera Doc?, The Scarlet Pumpernickel, Robin Hood Daffy, Duck Amuck, Scaredy Cat, Fast and Furry-ous and Duck Dodgers in the 24th ½ Century (if fact, every cartoon featuring Marvin the Martian is here). Most iconic characters have their moments in the spotlight, some more than others. For example, there’s plenty of Bugs, Daffy, Porky and Sylvester, while conversely, Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner and Foghorn Leghorn are comparatively underrepresented. Additionally, Volume One includes some of the greatest one-off shorts the studio ever made, such as One Froggy Evening, The Three Little Bops and From A to Z-Z-Z-Z.

Volume Two kicks off with Bugs’ official debut, A Wild Hare, then keeps the classics coming with Long-Haired Hare, Show Biz Bugs, Deduce You Say!, Porky in Wackyland (director Bob Clampett’s magnum opus), Canned Feud, The Foghorn Leghorn, Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning, Duck! Rabbit, Duck!, Dripalong Daffy and Birdy and the Beast. This sets also showcases several lesser-known Looney Tunes creations, such as A. Flea, Beaky (quite a lot of him, actually) and one of my favorite forgotten foes, Nasty Canasta. Speaking of antagonists, it’s interesting to note that Yosemite Sam is almost nowhere to be found in either collection.

Though they shouldn’t be considered comprehensive, both volumes of the Looney Tunes Platinum Collection are must-owns for those who want some of the greatest Warner Bros cartoons from the classic era. Supplemented by an outstanding - and exhaustive - batch of bonus features and historical obscurities, these are excellent re-issues. Don’t miss your opportunity this time around.

EXTRA KIBBLES

BEHIND THE TUNES - Discs one and two of each volume include short retrospective documentaries on certain cartoons (11 on Volume One, 8 on Volume 2), featuring interviews with contemporary animator, historians and a few surviving artists who worked on them.

AUDIO COMMENTARIES - Volume One features 24 commentaries for specific cartoons; Volume 2 has 16.

MUSIC-ONLY AUDIO TRACKS - For specific cartoons.

MUSIC & EFFECTS TRACKS - For specific cartoons.

VOCALS-ONLY TRACK - For The Three Little Bops.

Additional Volume One Kibbles:

A GREETING FROM CHUCK JONES

CHUCK JONES DOCUMENTARIES - Chuck Amuck: The Movie (the best one); Chuck Jones: Extremes and Inbetweens; Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood.

THE ANIMATED WORLD OF CHUCK JONES - Nine additional cartoon shorts.

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS - Pencil Test

BONUS CARTOONS - The Fright Before Christmas; Spaced Out Bunny; Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24th ½ Century; Another Froggy Evening; Marvin the Martian in the Third Dimension; From Hare to Eternity; Father of the Bird; Museum Scream. Most of these were made after Looney Tunes’ classic era.

Additional Volume Two Kibbles:

DOCUMENTARIES - King-Size Comedy: Tex Avery and the Looney Tunes Revolution; Tex Avery, the King of Cartoons; Friz on Film (Freleng, that is); Toonheads: The Lost Cartoons; Real American Zero: Private Snafu (more on him later).

THE WORLD OF LEON SCHLESINGER - Schlesinger was Looney tunes’ prolific producer, and these are a series of very rare old shorts, including 1930’s Sinkin’ in the Bathtub, the very first Warner Bros cartoon.

FRIZ AT MGM: CAPTAIN AND THE KIDS CARTOONS - Five of the shorts Friz Freleng did for MGM studios.

THE BEST OF THE REST OF TEX - 11 of the MGM shorts Tex Avery did for MGM.

PRIVATE SNAFU - Warner Bros did a series of black &white shorts intended just for U.S. soldiers. 8 of them are included here. The character himself was created by Frank Capra.

MR. HOOK - 3 cartoon shorts created for the U.S. Navy. More were made, but these were the ones produced by Warner Bros.