Snack-sized opinions from the frisky folks at Free Kittens...
SORCERER (4K/Blu-ray) - William Friedkin’s Sorcerer has been one of my favorite films since I was 13 and first caught it at the Southgate Quad as the bottom half of a double feature. Though initially a critical and box office failure, it’s now widely considered one of Friedkin’s best. Today, the film remains as darkly compelling as ever, and looks & sounds stunning in 4K. If that weren’t enough, this release includes the wonderful 2018 feature-length documentary, Friedkin Uncut. One of the best 4K discs of the year. (Criterion Collection).
THE BIKINI CARWASH COMPANY I & II (Blu-ray) - Before the days of the internet, mom & pop video stores usually had a back room where the porn was kept. Amorous young men still not old enough to venture through those curtains had to settle for stuff like this. The Bikini Carwash Company and its sequel are emblematic of the type of straight-to-video titillation available back then. With a title like that, the emphasis is obviously on boobs over brains. An archaic & cringeworthy product of its time. (MVD Rewind Collection)
THE TALE OF OIWA’S GHOST (Blu-ray) - This 1961 horror film is one of many adaptations of a legendary Japanese ghost story. It involves a sadistic, self-absorbed samurai who decides to off his ailing wife so he can marry into a wealthy family. Sort of confusing at first, a majority of the film is dedicated to establishing its main character as a conniving, hateful bastard. As such, the onscreen cruelty on display is morbidly compelling. The real horror, however, kicks in during the unnerving final act, which can be seen as the precursor to the J-horror phenomenon three decades later. (Radiance Films)
THE DREW CAREY SHOW: THE COMPLETE SERIES (DVD) - Well, it’s almost complete. Four episodes are actually missing, presumably due to rights to the music used in them. Other than that, all nine seasons are here, though I’d argue that the show lost most of its luster after six. Still, those early episodes remain extraordinarily funny, with Carey more than willing to share the spotlight with his equally funny co-stars. There ain’t much in the way of bells & whistles (just a 20 minute featurette), but it’s a must for fans. (Warner Bros)
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