RED LINE 7000: Days of Blunder

RED LINE 7000 (Blu-ray)

1965 / 110 min

FROM ARROW VIDEO

Review by Mr. Paws

Before the melodramatic motorporn of Grand Prix, there was the melodramatic motorporn of Red Line 7000, a story of three hunky NASCAR drivers and the women who love them (and sometimes hate to love them). The similarities, however, tend to end there.

Looking back at this one nearly 60 years later, it’s easy to see why James Cann became a star while most of the other cast didn’t (though if you look quickly, you’ll spot Teri Garr). As ace driver Matt Marsh, he displays twice the charisma - along with flashes of his trademark intensity - than either of his racing rivals, Ned Arp (John Robert Crawford) and Dan McCall (James Ward), who are both blond, blank-faced carbon copies of each other. 

And what are we to make of Howard Hawks? One of classic Hollywood’s greatest and versatile directors, he seems to be working below his pay grade here, cranking out something that looks and feels more like an Elvis movie…Spinout minus the songs. Actually, I take that back…there is one song, “Wildcat Jack,” which is cringingly awful and sang/rapped by Gail Hire as love interest/jazz club co-owner Holly McGregor (and where Garr appears as a back-up singer).

"How'd you get your hair to do that?"

Speaking of which…a lot of the movie takes place in a swanky jazz club, where all the stock car drivers (and their women) hang out between races, prompting me to suspect screenwriter George Kirby didn’t do much research. Though I think most of these guys would more-likely be tipping back beers in a dive, let’s not hold that against him. However, the dull romances and superficial conflicts that dominate the narrative are certainly Kirby’s fault.

1966’s Grand Prix was full of that stuff too, but when focused on the cars, races and drivers, not only did it look and sound authentic, the racing sequences were immersive and thrilling. Conversely, Red Line 7000 gives us grainy stock car racing footage interspersed with rear-projection shots of the actors pretending to drive. These sequences would also have you believe that a devastating crash happens every single lap.

In his first starring role (though he’s really part of an ensemble), James Caan makes the most of the opportunity. But technically and thematically, the rest of Red Line 7000 has aged far worse than other racing & romance movies from the same era. As one of Howard Hawks’ final films, this doesn’t rank among his best work.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

BRUCE KESSLER: MAN IN MOTION - 45 minute profile/interview with director and former race driver Bruce Kessler (who passed away just this year). He was a 2nd unit director on Red Line 7000.

2 VISUAL ESSAYS - A Modern Type of Woman, by film scholar Kat Ellinger, is about the three primary women characters; Gas, Gears, Girls, Guys & Death, by Howard S. Berger & Angela McEntee, discusses director Howard Hawks and Red Red 7000.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo, who's screenwriter George Kirgo’s daughter.

GALLERY - Promotional artwork and stills.

THE POOP SCOOP: Black & Chrome Edition

🚗FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA BLACK & CHROME EDITION and MAD MAX 5-FILM 4K COLLECTOR’S EDITION on Digital August 13, and 4K Ultra HD September 24 from Warner Bros Discovery.

George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which reveals the captivating, never-before-told origin of Furiosa and her unrelenting drive to find her way back home, will be released in a Black & Chrome Edition for purchase Digitally at home on August 13 and on 4K UHD on September 24. Black & Chrome Edition is a version of the theatrical film which has the color removed in favor of a black a chrome aesthetic. The Black & Chrome Edition will feature an introduction by director George Miller. The Mad Max 5-Film 4K Collector’s Edition will include 1979’s acclaimed post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max, 1981’s Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road and 2024’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. In addition to the 5 films, the Collector’s Edition also includes special features from the five films along with the Black & Chrome Editions of Mad Max: Fury Road and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

 

📼THE RING 4K Ultra HD and 4K SteelBook Coming October 15 from Paramount.

The Ring (2002) is the critically acclaimed, smash hit thriller David Ansen of Newsweek says "raises some serious goosebumps!" This cinematic thrill ride will keep you on the edge of your seat from the stunning opening to the astonishing conclusion! It begins as just another urban legend - the whispered tale of a nightmarish videotape that causes anyone who watches it to die seven days later. But when four teenagers all meet with mysterious deaths exactly one week after watching just such a tape, investigative reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) tracks down the video...and watches it. Now, the legend is coming true, the clock is ticking and Rachel has just seven days to unravel the mystery of The Ring. Directed by Gore Verbinski, The Ring also stars Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, and Jane Alexander. 

☃WIND RIVER arrives 9/10 on 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook from Lionsgate.

Wind River – written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, creator of the hit series “Yellowstone” – arrives September 10 on 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook from Lionsgate, exclusively at Walmart. The story of a murdered Native American girl, Wind River explores the tensions that arise when a rookie FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen, “WandaVision,” “Love & Death”) is sent to lead the investigation, aided by a game tracker (Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker, “Mayor of Kingstown”) with a haunted past. SYNOPSIS: After game tracker Cory Lambert (Renner) discovers a murdered Native American girl’s frozen body on federal land, rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Olsen) is sent to lead the investigation. As the ghosts of Cory’s past return to haunt him, Jane’s attempt to treat the case as a homicide is thwarted, and the two soon realize that what unites them – bringing the girl’s killer to  justice – isn’t an outcome sought by everyone in Wind River.

😺Jean-Luc Goddard’s Classic ALPHAVILLE on 4K Ultra HD August 27 from Kino Lorber.

From Jean-Luc Godard, the influential filmmaker behind the French New Wave classics, Breathless, Contempt, Band of Outsiders and Pierrot Le Fou, comes this futuristic noir masterpiece. American secret agent Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine, Attack of the Robots) is sent to the distant space city of Alphaville where he must find a missing person and kill the inventor of fascist computer Alpha 60. Anna Karina (The Nun) and Akim Tamiroff (Touch of Evil) co-star in this cockeyed fusion of science-fiction with pulp characters and surrealist poetry. Godard’s irreverent journey to the mysterious Alphaville remains one of the least conventional films of all time. Beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by Raoul Coutard (Jules and Jim, First Name: Carmen).

SEVERIN Does SHERLOCK

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE (Blu-ray) and

SHERLOCK HOLMES (Blu-ray)

FROM SEVERIN FILMS

Review by Mr. Paws😼

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation has never been a stranger to adaptation…from movies & TV shows to plays & stories written by other authors. Sherlock Holmes has been played by a variety of actors over the years to varying levels of effectiveness. Basil Rathbone, of course, remains the standard, though Nicol Williamson in The Seven-Percent Solution and John Neville in A Study in Terror weren’t slouches either.

Even horror legends Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing had a go at Holmes back in the 1960s, the former starring a movie, the latter taking over the role for a single season of a BBC series. Both of these obscurities were previously released by Severin Films as part of boxed sets dedicated to lesser-known films from each actor, but are now available separately.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE

1962 / 86 min

This German-Italian production features Christopher Lee as the titular detective. He squares off against his nemesis, Professor Moriarity, whom he suspects has mastermined the theft of a priceless necklace once worn by Cleopatra. 

Very loosely based on one of Doyle’s novel, The Valley of Fear, the film transplants Holmes into a modern day setting, which might strike the ire of purists. But what’s particularly off-putting is, despite its English star, both audio options on this disc (German & English) feature dubs by other actors, meaning Lee’s distinctive voice (a significant part of his legend) is missing, undermining efforts to make the character his own.

The film is efficiently directed by Hammer Films veteran Terrence Fisher and features decent production values. Ultimately, it is an interesting curio for Lee fans, but hardly an essential Sherlock Holmes adaptation.

EXTRA KIBBLES

ENGLISH & GERMAN DUBS

FEATURETTES - Tony Dalton Interviews Terrance Fisher; Tony Dalton on Terrance Fisher.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By film writers Kim Newman (who’s always worth listening to) and Barry Forshaw.

TRAILER

SHERLOCK HOLMES

1968 / 308 min

Taking a more traditional approach, BBC’s Sherlock Holmes first aired in 1965 with a different actor as the title character. Peter Cushing took over the role in 1968, but unlike Lee, he’d previously played Holmes in a film and had a better grasp of the character. He even resembles the detective as I always pictured him when reading the stories.

Much of the series has been lost by the cruelty of time and the six episodes on this disc are apparently all that’s left. Time hasn’t been particularly kind to these episodes either. Despite restoration, the video quality is sometimes pretty terrible, though overall, it sounds pretty good. 

Most episodes are adaptations of Doyle’s novels as opposed to his short stories. The best ones here are probably the two-parter, The Hound of the Baskervilles (Cushing was also in the 1959 movie adaptation), and A Study in Scarlet (based in the very first Holmes novel). Though somewhat hampered by budget-conscious production, Cushing is enjoyable as Holmes, though co-star Nigel Stock is an occasional scene stealer as Dr. Watson.

EXTRA KIBBLES

BBC COUNTDOWN CLOCK OPTION - Literal countdown to the start of each episode.

AUDIO COMMENTARIES - For every episode. Kim Newman participates in all of them. He’s intermittently joined by authors Barry Forshaw & David Stuart Davies.

AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH PETER CUSHING

LOST SEGMENTS - Surviving clips from lost episodes.

Neither of these releases rank among the best Sherlock Holmes adaptations, nor are they gold stars on Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing’s lengthy resumes. But they might be of interest for completists, who’ll also probably appreciate the accompanying bonus features.

TERMINATOR: THE BEGINNING

EVEN SKYNET STARTED SMALL...

A PREQUEL BY FREE KITTENS

STING: No Space Needed For This Spider

STING (Blu-ray)

2024 / 92 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😼

Maybe I’m in the minority on this, but when it comes to horror movies, sometimes no explanation makes things just a little creepier. That fact that it’s simply happening is enough. When the dead rise up to attack the living, I don’t always need a plausible reason. 

Admit it…aren’t masked killers in slasher movies a little more terrifying without a motive? Weren’t the xenomorphs in the Alien franchise scarier when we knew less about them? And when it comes to spiders…do these eight-legged beasties require additional exposition to make us piss our pants?

Still, Sting explains-away its killer arachnid in the prologue. This is no ordinary spider, but a space spider that crashes through an apartment window inside a tiny meteor/egg. It’s a wholly unnecessary introduction to a creature that’s not only super-intelligent, but grows rapidly. Personally, I think presenting it as a simple freak of nature would have sufficed.

Other than that, Sting is a pretty decent killer critter feature that takes place entirely in a run-down apartment. Charlotte (Alyla Browne) is a 12-year-old who finds the spider while sneaking around through the vents. Naming it Sting, she puts it in a jar and feeds it whenever it “sings,” which is often. The more it eats, the faster it grows, and before long, the spider escapes the jar for bigger prey…including people.

John McClane was here.

The film then spends considerable time (maybe too much) introducing the supporting characters, including stepdad Ethan (Ryan Corr), a struggling comic artist who also maintains the building, and Charlotte’s mom, Heather (Penelope Mitchell). Others are basically one-note characters whose fates you’ll predict within seconds of their first appearance. Overall, the performances are satisfactory, though Jermaine Fowler steals the movie as a snarky exterminator. 

While Sting begins playfully, numerous scenes focused of Charlotte’s combative family dynamics tend to drag down the mood. But when focused on the creature’s hungry rampage, the movie is kind of a hoot. There are creative false scares and jolting real ones, along with some graphic nastiness punctuating attack scenes. As for the spider itself…I’ve yet to see CGI-created bugs that are very convincing and this movie’s no exception. But fortunately, Sting looks a lot cooler as it gets bigger because that’s when good ol’ practical effects take over…used sparingly but effectively.

Though the climax is clumsily foreshadowed way too early, it’s pretty exciting and comes to a satisfying conclusion. Pointless prologue notwithstanding, Sting is a well made, entertaining film that’s creepy without ever being truly terrifying. There are better movies featuring killer spiders, but this one’s far from the worst.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Creating the Monster; The Director; The Cast (titles are all self-explanatory.

TRAILER

SWINGERS Still Swings...Just A Little Differently

SWINGERS (Blu-ray)

1996 / 96 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Swingers is almost 30 years old. For some of you of a certain age, it’s become a nostalgic part of your youth. Now you know how this guy felt when The Breakfast Club turned thirty. But don’t fret too much…the passing of time has been much kinder to your movie. Swingers still swings, though a little differently these days.

The film, of course, helped make stars out of Jon Favereau (who also wrote the screenplay), Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston and, despite a relatively small role, Heather Graham. It’s also the first notable film directed by Doug Liman, who’s since made some great action movies over the years. Just about everyone involved with Swingers would go on to bigger and things, so revisiting something from their salad days is an interesting experience…especially if you haven’t seen since 1996.

"Squirrel!"

Speaking of which, Swingers captures a moment in time in the lives of four LA buddies, all struggling actors, who go to parties, play 8-bit video games, frequent jazz nightclubs and try to help their friend, Mike (Favereau), get over his old girlfriend. With its iconic LA locations (some not around anymore), clever references to other movies and frequent use of swing music (which was enjoying renewed popularity at the time), the film has since evolved from something fresh & hip into more of a period piece…kinda like American Graffiti for young male Angelenos.

Because of its laid-back tone, congenial performances, witty dialogue and a killer soundtrack (one of the best of the 90s), Swingers is still enjoyable. Perhaps not as laugh-out-loud as one might remember it, but it’s consistently charming and the friendships between these guys, especially Mike and his more confident & outgoing pal, Trent (Vaughn), feel authentic. 

This is a re-issue of a previously released Blu-ray, with the same picture, sound, bonus features and pre-menu trailers (I almost forgot that Epix even existed).

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING IT IN HOLLYWOOD - This is a great 50-minute, multi-chapter documentary featuring many interviews with the main cast, director Doug Liman and others.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By director Doug Liman and editor Stephen Mirrione; 2) By Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau.

“SWINGBLADE” - Short film.

THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR - Unused footage.

Revisiting NORTH DALLAS FORTY

NORTH DALLAS FORTY (DVD)

1979 / 118 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😼

I hadn’t seen North Dallas Forty since I went with my parents to catch it back in ‘79. It was likely my dad’s idea, because he’s always been a sports guy and probably read the book by ex-footballer Peter Gent. Though I wasn’t yet the sports enthusiast Dad was, I certainly loved movies about sports.

There were three things I remember about the movie. One, it was the first film with a sex scene that I watched with my parents, which was sort of uncomfortable since Mom kept glancing over at me. I tried to act like it was no big deal, but at that age, naked women were astounding (they still are). Still, I doubt she knew beforehand that the movie had any grinding.

Second was Charles Durning as foul-mouthed assistant coach Johnson. Almost everything he said was loud, abusive and absolutely hilarious, such as “This is national TV, so don’t pick your nose or scratch your nuts.” But my favorite line occurred when a priest was leading a locker room prayer before the game, and Johnson interrupts with “Take off your fuckin’ hats!” I must have laughed for five minutes after that one.

Finally, Dad loved the movie because he hated the Dallas Cowboys. Though North Dallas Forty is based on a novel, it’s a thinly disguised account of author Peter Gent’s time with the team. Both the novel and film offer an incendiary look at the Cowboys and football as a business - the players being mere equipment - as well as plenty of off-field debauchery. 

Bodies by Bud.

Gent played wide receiver, just like the film’s protagonist, Phil Elliott (Nick Nolte). After the movie, Dad told be head coach B.A. Strother (G.D. Spradlin) represented Tom Landry, while quarterback and Elliott’s best friend Seth Maxwell (Mac Davis) was supposed to be Cowboys QB “Dandy” Don Meredith. I knew who those guys were because Dad rooted against them whenever they were on TV (which seemed like every Sunday, since they were supposedly “America’s Team”). 

Revisiting North Dallas Forty decades later, I still find Durning hilarious, but the rest of it isn’t as funny or uproarious as I remembered…not like The Longest Yard or Slap Shot anyway. And I could've sworn the film had more football scenes than it actually does. In fact, only one game is depicted, which doesn’t happen until the final act. The rest is mostly Elliott partying with teammates and clashing with coaches while trying to stay stitched-up and injected in order to keep playing.

But even back then, I knew the movie was supposed to be sort of a revealing expose on the realities of pro football and not your typical underdog sports flick. And I suppose it was pretty eye-opening at the time. North Dallas Forty is still enjoyable and probably remains topically relevant. However, the players’ drug use & treatment of women, as well the film’s depiction of teams & owners as corporate monsters, doesn’t really surprise us anymore.

This is a re-issue of a previous released DVD. There are no technical upgrades or additional bonus features.