NARC Goes Old School

NARC (Blu-ray)

2002 / 104 min

FROM ARROW VIDEO

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Buttnugget😽

A somewhat forgotten film from the early 2000s, Narc strives for a gritty tone and aesthetic similar to famous crime thrillers of the 1970s. In that respect, it more-or-less succeeds. There are numerous scenes that echo the likes of The French Connection, The Seven Ups and Serpico.  

Unlike those classics, however, Narc doesn’t have a lot of meat on its bones, despite the urgent pace, slick editing and another enjoyable scenery-chewing performance by the late, great Ray Liotta (though his participation does factor into the movie’s overall predictability). But even though the plot is ultimately much ado about little, the overall movie remains watchable.

Jason Patric plays Nick Tellis, a disgraced undercover detective who lost his job following a botched drug bust that resulted in a pregnant woman getting shot and losing her baby. Eighteen months later, he’s offered a chance to be reinstated if he assists in investigating the murder of another undercover cop, Michael Calvess (Alan van Sprang). One caveat…he has to work with Calvess’ former partner, Henry Oak (Liotta), who’s since become a loose cannon. The department wants the killer found and case closed as quickly as possible.

Over the course of the investigation, the pair follow leads, roust & grill a variety of lowlifes and, of course, clash with each other. Interspersed throughout the narrative are scenes depicting the psychological toll the case has on Tellis and increasingly-estranged wife Audrey (Krista Bridges). Things take a dramatic turn when the investigation leads to two suspects who were there when Calvess was killed, casting doubt on what really happened that day.

Musical chairs turns real.

Narc features suitably seedy Detroit locations and sequences which convincingly reflect the dangers of the job. If nothing else, the film doesn't make being a cop look all that appealing. As such, some scenes carry considerable tension, especially during the final act. However, there isn’t actually all that much action, nor are there many surprises. We’ve seen the whole “troubled cop” schtick before and Patric (always a decent-but-aloof actor) doesn’t quite have the chops to make Tellis very compelling, not helped by a screenplay that doesn’t expand the character much beyond his past mistakes.

Liotta, on the other hand, gives yet another super-charged performance as Oak. However, his well-earned reputation for playing morally questionable characters sort of undermines the entire narrative. From the minute he shows up on screen, we suspect not all's right with Oak, simply because he’s played by Liotta. Still, he’s the best part of the movie and watching him tear-it-up compensates for the familiar, unremarkable plot.

For its Blu-ray debut, Arrow Video has put together a two-disc set with a nice 4K remaster of the film. The second disc is loaded with new and vintage extras, but not made available for review. 

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.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Joe Carnahan and editor John Gilroy.

INTRODUCTION - By director Joe Carnahan.

DISC TWO SUPPLEMENTS (not reviewed) - Shattering the Blue Line; Shooting Narc; If You Live Another Day; The Journey of the Costume; Making the Deal; The Visual Trip; The Friedkin Connection; Shooting Up; EPK Interviews; Image Gallery; Trailer.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET, MINI POSTER, REVERSIBLE COVER (not reviewed).

DEATHDREAM (4K): An Upgrade in More Ways Than One

DEATHDREAM (aka DEAD OF NIGHT) (4K UHD)

1974 / 88 min

FROM BLUE UNDERGROUND

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Everybody has to start somewhere. Take Bob Clark for instance. Like a lot of directors, he cut his teeth in the horror genre, his first effort being Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things. Muddy, meandering and a little amateurish, the movie nevertheless became a minor cult classic…largely because of the title, I suspect.

But Clark got better - real fast - with his next film, Deathdream. Once again collaborating with Dead Things partner-in-crime Alan Ormsby, Clark’s second horror film is a huge improvement in every way…it’s more atmospheric, has a better screenplay and is definitely darker in overall tone. Despite a low budget aesthetic that initially dampened my enthusiasm, it wasn’t too long before I was thinking, Hey, this is actually pretty good.

While not another grassroots classic on the level of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Deathdream maintains a creepy vibe throughout its running time. Much of that is due to a quietly menacing performance by Richard Backus as Andy, a soldier killed in Vietnam who returns from the dead and comes home. Taking a cue from “The Monkey’s Paw” (an acknowledged influence), Andy’s not quite his old self. In fact, he starts to violently murder people and uses their blood to sustain himself. 

"It's normal for boys your age to get those urges. Just close the door next time."

Though Andy’s father, Charles (John Marley), begins to suspect all ain’t right with the boy - especially after he strangles the family dog - his mother, Christine (Lynn Carlin) turns a blind eye and grows increasingly unhinged while protecting him. It’s also suggested that she was the catalyst for Andy’s resurrection in the first place. Meanwhile, Andy becomes progressively (regressively?) monstrous, slowly resembling the walking corpse he’s been since returning home, aided by pretty impressive make-up effects considering the budget.

In addition to sure-handed direction by Clark, Deathdream benefits from good performances by most of the cast (excepting a few distractingly bad supporting actors). Morley and Carlin are especially good as Andy’s parents. Their characters are not entirely sympathetic, but at least they earn our empathy. In addition to an engaging story, Ormsby uses the basic premise as an opportunity to inject a little social commentary on the Vietnam War.

Deathdream may not be a cult classic, but it’s arguably the best of Bob Clark’s early-career horror films. He would go on to bigger things, of course, but here is where his work started to get interesting. This 4K UHD from Blue Underground offers a considerable video upgrade from their previous Blu-ray release, along with a big batch of new and vintage bonus features (mostly the latter).   

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K & BLU-RAY COPIES

FEATURETTES - Notes for a Homecoming is a 20 minute interview with composer Carl Zitter; A Recollection with Star Anya Liffey and Writer/Make-Up Artist Alan Ormsby features the former couple looking back at making the film, as well as their careers leading up to it (arguably the best of the bonus features); Flying Down to Brooksville is an interview with production manager John ‘Bud’ Carlos; Tom Savini: The Early Years is a short interview with the make-up legend, who discusses how he started (Deathdream was the first film he worked on); Deathdreaming is an interview with Richard Backus; The First Andy is an interview with actor Gary Swanson, who obviously didn't get the job..

3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By critics Troy Howarth & Nathaniel Thompson; 2) By director Bob Clark; 3) by writer Alan Ormsby.

SCREEN TEST - Actor Gary Swanson, auditioning for the role of Andy. 

GALLERY - A big collection of promotional material, artwork, notes, photos, etc. 

ALTERNATE OPENING TITLES

TRAILER

REVERSIBLE COVER

The Best of PARAMOUNT PRESENTS (so far)

From the Frisky Staff of FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE😻

Beginning in 2020, Paramount Pictures began releasing selected titles on Blu-ray (and later 4K) as the Paramount Presents series. Consisting of films from the silent to the modern era, not only are they nicely restored, each comes with impressive slipcover packaging that features a replica of the film’s original one-sheet, as well as assorted new and vintage bonus features. Many classic titles have made their Blu-ray debuts as part of the series. 

As of this writing, Paramount Presents consists of 44 titles with more on the way this year…including Chinatown on 4K! Yay! Since Free Kittens Movie Guide has had the pleasure to review many of them, we've selected the 10 which make us purr the loudest (so far). 

10) ROMAN HOLIDAY (#9) - It goes without saying that Roman Holiday is a must-own for classic movie lovers and Paramount does right by the film with this Blu-ray (it has since been re-issued in 4K). In addition to the great transfer, there’s also a bigger batch of bonus features than any previous PP release at the time. Most are fairly short and not all of them are directly related to the film, but they’re enjoyable, especially the feature about screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, which succinctly summarizes what McCarthyism did to so many careers. 

9) LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL (#18) - Lauren Bacall once famously said, “It’s not an old movie if you haven’t seen it.” Though John Sturges has directed many classic westerns, 1959’s Last Train from Gun Hill is an overlooked, underappreciated gem...and brand new to me. With a plot similar to 3:10 to Yuma, Last Train from Gun Hill is exciting, fast-paced and culminates in a tension-filled climax…a terrific film made available on Blu-ray for the first time. There isn't much bonus material, but the film is beautifully restored and well worth rediscovering. 

8) 48 HRS (#19) - Not the first so-called “buddy” action-comedy, but it’s definitely the most influential. Of course, Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) and Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) aren’t quite buddies, but the quasi-antagonistic relationship between the two became a working blueprint for a slew of other films which dished-out equal amounts of wisecracks and gunplay. This one’s a little light on bonus features, but the film’s a modern classic and one of Murphy’s best (Nolte’s too, for that matter).

7) BREAKDOWN (#26) - One Kurt Russell film that’s often criminally overlooked - featuring one of his best performances - is 1997’s Breakdown. It was a critical & box office success, but sort-of forgotten over the years and never released on Blu-ray until surprisingly included for the PP series. While its cultural impact pales in comparison to some of Paramount’s bonafide blockbusters from the ‘90s, Breakdown is one of the better action-thrillers of the decade and certainly worth rediscovering.

6) THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE 4K (#31) - Including The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in the PP series is a no-brainer. Not only a big hit, it’s arguably the last great film directed by the legendary John Ford and pairs two Hollywood legends for the first time. This release is also noteworthy for being the first PP 4K UHD offering (along with a Blu-ray version). This 2-disc set also includes extensive bonus features, as well as outstanding packaging.

5) A PLACE IN THE SUN (#22) - Having never seen it until it was released on Blu-ray for the first time, this one was a pleasant surprise. Despite a misleading ad campaign, the second half of A Place in the Sun has more narrative and aesthetic similarities to film noir than a love story of the ages, an entertainingly dark film about an irredeemable character. As one of the studio’s most critically lauded films of the ‘50s,it’s been given a great video/audio facelift and supplemented by interesting archival bonus features.

Pepper & Mr. Bonnie's Paws of Approval.

4) AIRPLANE! (#7) - Like an issue of MAD Magazine come-to-life, the non-stop parade of quotable dialogue, parody and gags-within-gags makes Airplane! infinitely re-watchable. We've been seeing its influence in countless parodies ever since, some good, some not-so-good and most downright shitty. 40 years later, Airplane! flies-high over all of them. Newly remastered, this disc also boasts great new bonus features. The Q&A session, in particular, will be of special interest to fans, where the ZAZ team offers all kinds of amusing anecdotes about the making of the film.

3) THE COURT JESTER (#13) - I was never much of a Danny Kaye fan, but must also confess I’ve only seen a small handful of his movies. However, The Court Jester turned out to be terrific fun. The story is a massive comedy of errors filled with plot twists, misunderstandings, clever wordplay, elaborate slapstick and the funniest sword fight this side of The Princess Bride. Kaye is the undisputed star and the fun he appears to be having is infectious. Though light on bonus features, the film is beautifully restored in all its VistaVision glory.

2) THE WAR OF THE WORLDS 4K/WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (#35) - This 2-disc set of The War of the Worlds and When Worlds Collide includes the one-sheet that was created to promote their re-release as a double feature back in the ‘70s. The 4K UHD transfer of War is a knockout and the Blu-ray debut of When is too tempting for any classic sci-fi fan to pass up. It’s almost as if Paramount had my childhood in-mind. Whether you grew up in the ‘50s or belatedly discovered them in the ‘70s, these films paired together are a nostalgic blast and the perfect double feature.

1) ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST 4K (#44) - Sergio Leone does with the western genre what only a few others have...raise it to a level of high art. He pays homage to virtually every western that ever mattered while consistently confounding the viewer's expectations. Another long-overdue 4K release (with an accompanying Blu-ray), the picture quality is quite good, while the DTS-HD Master Audio track sounds excellent. This one includes a new audio commentary, a brief appreciation by critic Leonard Maltin and slew of vintage bonus features.

AMERICAN SNIPER (4K): Super Cooper

AMERICAN SNIPER (4K UHD)

2014 / 132 min

FROM WARNER BROS / #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Stinky the Destroyer

Bradley Cooper is gonna win an Oscar someday. After all, the guy’s been nominated 12 times in the past 10 years, five for his acting. Regardless of one’s personal assessment of his talents, the Academy loves people like this…movie stars who are successful on both sides of the camera. Barring some kind of social media meltdown, he can’t possibly remain a bridesmaid forever.

After finally watching American Sniper for this 4K review, I think perhaps Mr. Cooper might have been robbed back in 2014 (when he was nominated for this role). More than any movie I’ve seen him in, this is where I felt he truly disappeared into the character. He is more convincing as legendary Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle than Eddie Redmayne was as Stephen Hawking.

It’s a performance that never feels like a performance, and Cooper is easily the main reason American Sniper remains a memorable film, which garnered some controversy (perhaps a little retroactive condemnation) over its accuracy and supposed oversimplification of the circumstances surrounding the Iraq War. I dunno...I had the impression that a simple guy in his position would see the war in black & white terms (if just to maintain his sanity). As such, Kyle is a fascinating character. 

Not just an expert marksman, Chris is also a Feng Shui legend.

Elsewhere, this may be director Clint Eastwood’s most successful film, but it doesn’t rank among his best. Sympathetic portrayal of its protagonist notwithstanding, American Sniper is narratively inconsistent and doesn’t adequately develop any other characters. The sequences depicting Kyle’s four tours in Iraq are tension-filled, punctuated by well-edited bursts of action and violence that put the viewer right there with Kyle and his buddies (though the special effects are occasionally lazy). Additionally, it’s during these scenes when Kyle appears the most morally conflicted by his role in the war, exemplified in a nerve-wracking moment where he targets an Iraqi boy with a rocket launcher aimed at an American armored truck.

Conversely, the stateside scenes featuring the psychological toll the war has taken on Kyle and his family are comparatively less involving, partially because his PTSD isn’t really explored in much depth, but also because none of the other characters, including Kyle’s wife Tara (Sienna Miller), are very engaging. I often had the impression these scenes were included more out of a sense of obligation than enthusiasm.

Still, American Sniper is worth watching for Cooper’s performance and the action scenes (and perhaps the now-notorious prop baby). The film has been given an outstanding 4K upgrade, with sharp color tones and a suitably earth-rattling Dolby Atmos audio track. The disc also includes a substantial amount of vintage bonus features, along with a couple of superfluous new ones.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - One Soldier’s Story: The Journey of American Sniper and The Making of American Sniper offer pretty detailed looks at preparation and production, each running about 30 minutes and featuring lots of interviews; Chris Kyle: The Man Behind the Legend is a bio on Kyle himself, narrated by Bradley Cooper; Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy - The Heart of a Hero is a “newish” feature focusing on the director’s films (but mostly this one); Navy SEALs: In War and Peace is also narrated by Cooper; Bringing the War Home: The Cost of Heroism focuses on compact-related PTSD; Guardian is a superfluous five-minute extra that offers nothing the others supplement don’t.

TRAILER

DIGITAL COPY

THE POOP SCOOP: Upcoming Kibbles!

👾GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE on Digital May 14, 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 11 from Warner Bros. Discovery.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own.  The epic new film delves further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humanity forever. Additionally, a 5-film collection celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Monsterverse will be available on 4K UHD disc this summer.  The 6-disc collector’s edition will include Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), along with a disc of special features including the new “Directors of the Monsterverse” featurette with Monsterverse directors Gareth Edwards, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Michael Doughtery and Adam Wingard.

 

😺THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE arrives on Electronic Sell-Through on 6/18 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD 6/25 from Lionsgate.

Based on the true story of the first special forces mission in history, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare arrives on Electronic Sell-Through on June 18 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD June 25 from Lionsgate. From Guy Ritchie and Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, this high-octane, history-changing story inspired author Ian Fleming to write the postwar James Bond spy novels. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare stars Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Til Schweiger, with Henry Golding and Cary Elwes . Directed and co-written by Ritchie, this action-comedy tells the incredible true story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming. The top secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks led by Gus March-Phillipps (Cavill), goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately, the task force’s audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern black ops warfare. 

🎸PURPLE RAIN Arrives on 4K Ultra HD June 25 from Warner Bros Discovery.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of its theatrical release, Purple Rain, the iconic 1984 film starring Prince in his film acting debut, will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital for the first time on June 25. It will be available to purchase from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango at Home and more. The film stars music icon Prince as The Kid, alongside Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day, Olga Karlatos and Clarence Williams III. It was directed by Albert Magnoli from a screenplay by Magnoli and William Blinn and was produced by Robert Cavallo, Joseph Ruffalo and Steven Fargnoli. Purple Rain won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score (Prince), the Grammy Award® for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special (Prince and the Revolution), and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Prince).

🙀George A. Romero’s DIARY OF THE DEAD Coming to SteelBook July 2 from Lionsgate.

George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead, the fifth installment in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead series of zombie films, arrives on Steelbook on July 2 from Lionsgate. A group of college film students record the pandemic rise of flesh-eating zombies while struggling for their own survival in this gruesome fright flick only available at Walmart on BD Steelbook. From legendary frightmaster George A. Romero comes “one of the most daring, hypnotic and absolutely vital horror films of the past decade” (Fangoria).  Romero continues his influential “Dead” series, this time focusing on a terrified group of college film students who record the pandemic rise of flesh-eating zombies while struggling for their own survival.  Intensely gruesome and relentlessly grisly – fueled by the director’s signature realistic special effects – Diary of the Dead is must-see horror that “is Romero at his finest” (Bloody Disgusting).