Rest in Peace, Albert Finney

Albert Finney (1936-2019)

PEPPERMINT SODA and the Matinee Mistake

Starring Eloenore Klarwein, Odile Michel, Anouk Ferjac, Michel Puterflam, Yves Renier. Directed by Diane Kurys. (1977/101 min).

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM

COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Review by Mr. Paws😽

This was the first foreign language film I ever saw. Not on purpose, mind you. No 13-year-old would ever consciously go to a movie that required them to read.

My parents needed to do some kid-free errands downtown (it was Christmas season) and offered to drop me off at the movies while they shopped. Mom checked the newspaper and found something called Peppermint Soda, which was rated PG with an ad featuring two kids roughly my age. I guess she assumed it was a family comedy or period piece like American Graffiti. Since the theater showing it (the now defunct 5th Avenue Cinema) was only a block from where they'd be shopping, she thought it'd fit the bill. I was cool with being dropped off, since spending afternoons alone at the movies was my favorite thing in the world (still is, though I mostly do it at home these days).

What none of us realized was the 5th Avenue Cinema was essentially an art-house that specialized in foreign and independent films. I was aghast to discover Peppermint Soda was a French film with subtitles. But it was too late to run screaming to the box office for my money back. Mom and Dad had already taken off. So I reluctantly sank into my seat and prepared for two hours of sheer boredom, a feeling initially exacerbated when the film was shaping up to be about two sisters from a broken home who attend an all-girls' school.

Village of the Damned II: The Puberty Years.

But as I learned that afternoon, you kinda forget you're reading subtitles if a  movie's any good. Peppermint Soda didn't exactly rock my world - nor does it 40 years later - but I found it surprisingly engaging, particularly when it focused on Anne (Eleonore Klarwein), the younger of the two Weber sisters. Maybe because she was my age with a similar penchant for getting into trouble. And like a lot of us in adolescence, she's unable to explain what compels some of her questionable actions...they just seem like a good idea at the time. The film was also my first eye-opening introduction to certain "female" issues that just weren't discussed in the company I kept. Less interesting was Frederique, Anne's older sister and occasional mentor (though she isn't always an exemplary role model). Her increasing activism wasn't anything I could relate to, and even today, the character simply doesn't feel quite as authentic as Anne.

The film's episodic structure works in fits and starts, a series of vignettes that make up the girls' tumultuous school year, both in and out of the classroom. Sometimes it's funny, revealing and thought-provoking. But just as often, the narrative is dramatically-slight and meandering, occasionally dedicating too much screen time to subplots that aren't so interesting. Still, for a low-key, subtitled film with no car chases, spaceships or fart jokes, I found it an agreeable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Revisiting Peppermint Soda four decades later, I was able to appreciate the more bittersweet, autobiographical aspects of the film, courtesy of writer-director Diane Kurys. And as a middle school teacher in the real world, I may not relate to Anne like I once did, though I do interact with kids exactly like her on a daily basis. My issues with the pacing and some of its superfluous story elements haven't changed, but as a coming-of-age story, the film remains quietly charming.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEW - With Directer Diana Kurys

INTERVIEW - With Actor Eloenore Klarwein

FEATURETTE - "A Meeting with Yves Simon" (the film's composer)

SCRAPBOOK

FRENCH RESTORATION TRAILER

2018 RE-RELEASE TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.

THE POOP SCOOP (2/6): Kitten Klassics Edition

VISIT SHOUT FACTORY

EARTHQUAKE - COLLECTOR'S EDITION on Blu-ray 5/21

Including a new transfer of the extended television version with over 35 minutes of added footage! Charlton Heston leads an all-star cast in an epic film about ordinary citizens who must come together in the face of an unstoppable natural disaster! When the most catastrophic earthquake of all time rips through Southern California, it levels Los Angeles and sends shockwaves through the lives of all who live there. Now strangers must become saviors as the city struggles to get to its feet before the next terrifying aftershock hits! Also starring Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Lorne Greene, Victoria Principal, Geneviève Bujold and Richard Roundtree, Earthquake combines outstanding performances with Academy Award-winning sound and groundbreaking special effects.

 

VISIT KINO LORBER

KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS on Blu-ray 3/26

Television legend William Shatner (TV's Star Trek, T.J. Hooker and Boston Legal) stars as vet "Rack" Hansen in this cult classic about an Arizona town infested with a horde of arachnids that turn on the humans. After livestock belonging to Rack's friend Walter Colby (Woody Strode, The Italian Connection. The Ravagers, The Professionals) Fall victim to a spider attack, entomologist Diane Ashley (Tiffany Bolling, Wild Party) arrives and tries to help Rack deal with the crisis. But with the big county fast approaching, Mayor Connors (Roy Engel, The Man from Planet X) refuses to let them quarantine the Colby's ranch. Soon the remaining residents of the town must barricade themselves to stave off the eight-legged invaders in the ultimate man vs. arachnid showdown! 

 

VISIT SONY PICTURES

THE KARATE KID celebrates its 35th Anniversary on 4K Ultra HD 4/16

Fully restored in 4K from the original camera negative, THE KARATE KID will play on movie screens nationwide on Sunday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 2. Following its big-screen return, THE KARATE KID will debut on 4K Ultra HD, including a newly mixed Dolby Atmos audio track as well as the original stereo and 5.1 audio mixes. THE KARATE KID 4K UHD release also includes “Remembering The Karate Kid,” an all-new anniversary featurette with reflections on the film from Ralph Macchio (The Outsiders) William Zabka (Hot Tub Time Machine) and Martin Kove (Rambo: First Blood Part II).

 

VISIT SHOUT FACTORY

QUATERMASS AND THE PIT on Blu-ray 5/14

Hobbs End, Knightsbridge, London. While working on a new subway tunnel for the London Underground, a group of construction workers uncover a strangely shaped skull. Nearby, another discovery: a large, mysterious and impenetrable metal object. Initially mistaken for an unexploded bomb, the object and its strange power turn out to be far more horrific than anybody could have possibly imagined. Is it of this earth? Could it be the ancestral link to mankind's evolution? Or could it be an ancient link to the unleashing of the ultimate evil? There's only one man capable of unravelling the clues, and his name is Professor Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir), a man of science who thrives on the dark mysteries of the world. Written by legendary screenwriter Nigel Kneale, Quatermass And The Pit is a seminal British sci-fi classic. For its U.S. release by 20th Century Fox, the film was retitled Five Million Years To Earth.

HOSTEL/HOSTEL PART II: New Reduced Rates!

HOSTEL

Starring Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Eythor Gudjonsson, Jennifer Lim, Barbara Nedeljakova, Jana Kaderabkova, Jan Vlasak, Rick Hoffman. Directed by Eli Roth. (2005/94 min). 
HOSTEL PART II 
Starring Lauren German, Bijou Phillips, Heather Matarazzo, Jordan Ladd, Vera Jordanova, Roger Bart, Richard Burgi, Milan Knazko, Jay Hernandez. Directed by Eli Roth. (2007/95 min). 

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY/DVD COMBO FROM
MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Whether Eli Roth likes it or not, he'll probably always be considered the godfather of the subgenre cheekily known as torture porn. He didn't invent it, of course, but his gleefully-nasty Hostel films arguably dragged it kicking and screaming from the basement. Roth has since moved on and branched out (sort of), while mainstream horror retreated back to the safety of reboots and franchises for thrill-seeking mallrats.

During the subgenre's brief moment in the sun, Hostel was the most influential, the sick standard by which all others were compared. It also remains the most notorious, due to being regularly exemplified by detractors as representing everything ugly about modern horror. Such is its legacy, dubious as it may be.

Still, both of Roth's films (forget Hostel Part III) have an undeniable visceral power that remains potently punishing today. Part of that is due to the wickedly audacious premise - a secret club in which wealthy patrons pay to torture tourists to death - but also because - love them or hate them - they are very well constructed. Both films follow a distinct narrative pattern: a deceptively-mundane first act, lulling the audience into a false sense of security, so when the blood spills and body parts fly, the sudden shift in tone is jarring.

"Take him."

Roth would rely on that pattern for several other films, including The Green Inferno and Aftershock (the latter of which he wrote but didn't direct), but it was most effective in Hostel. The opening 30 minutes of the first film are almost embarrassingly juvenile, a non-stop parade of gratuitous nudity, sex and partying in the company of three obnoxious douchebags. Then just when you think Porky's Goes to Amsterdam would've been a more accurate title, the sudden about-face into brutal, uninhibited sadism hits like a ton of bricks. What's more, that level of violent intensity is maintained throughout the rest of the film. We still don't like any of the main characters, but damn, nobody deserves that kind of torment.

Maybe because such a premise is most effective the first time, Roth was forced pour more creative effort into his characters for Hostel Part II. The young protagonists are women this time, who are far more fleshed out and likable (and as it turns out, not completely helpless). Screen time is shared by two American clients looking to assert their male dominance by killing hapless women. One of them (Richard Burgi, in a scenery-chewing performance) is such an arrogant, apathetic and hateful bastard that we're cheering against him from the get-go. While just as violent and gory as the original, the most disturbing - and intriguing - scenes are those which show how the Elite Hunting Club actually works. It's ultimately these elements that not only justify Hostel Part II's existence, they render it a more well-rounded film.

These films have been released on Blu-ray before, separately and packaged together. In fact, this is the second time Mill Creek Entertainment has released the unrated director's cuts as a single-disc double feature. The only difference this time is the cover art and an additional DVD copy. Unlike more comprehensive individual releases, no supplemental features are included, so there's no need for collectors to double-dip here. For others, like curious newcomers, it's a cheap way to grab two highly-influential horror films at once.

EXTRA KIBBLES

DVD COPY

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD (and cheap) SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

BAND VS. BRAND: What's in a Name?

Featuring David Ellefson, Jack Russell, Nik Turner, Dave Lombardo, Nicky Garrett, Frank Dimino, Marc Ferrari, Jean Beauvoir, Mike Varney, Gus G., Adam Parsons. Directed by Bob Nalbanian. (2018/92 min).

AVAILABLE ON DVD FROM

CLEOPATRA ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😸

I'll bet most of you reading this know who Iron Maiden is. Many of you may also be familiar with the band's emblematic logo and iconic mascot, Eddie, both of which have graced every single album cover since 1980, not to mention hundred-of-thousands of black t-shirts. But I'll bet almost none of you can name a single band member.

Such is the power of a brand name.

Band vs. Brand is an interesting new documentary about the importance - and profitability - of establishing music artists as a brand name, especially in this era when most can't make a living through music sales alone. Which is why aging bands with only one - or zero - original members can still pack concert venues with casual fans who don't know any better (and just want to hear the songs). Or in the case of the late Ronnie James Dio, former bandmates can tour behind a holographic image of their former employer (which is creepy as hell, if you ask me). Or how tribute bands can make a healthy living doing spot-on impressions of classic line-ups.

There's no such thing as too many records.

Based on those interviewed, the increased emphasis on brand names over the individuals involved appears especially prevalent in hard rock & heavy metal. Is this practice a cash grab? Perhaps, as a few industry figures suggest. Others - mostly artists whose glory days are behind them - defend their decisions to keep plugging away with a variety of hired guns. The film itself doesn't condemn or condone any of its subjects, wisely letting them state their case and letting the viewer judge for themselves.

Fittingly, there isn't a hell of a lot of actual music, though there are a few brief concert clips of some legendary artists. Ultimately, Band vs. Brand isn't about music, anyway. It's about how some have learned to adapt to the current state of the business with little more than a few old hits and a brand name behind them. In most cases, their story is more interesting than their music ever was.

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS 

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX: Smart Moves

Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, Elizabeth Debicki, Roger Davies, John Ortiz, Chris O'Dowd, Aksel Hennie, Zhang Ziyi. Directed by Julius Onah. (2018/101 min).

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM

PARAMOUNT

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Somewhat famously, Paramount sold The Cloverfield Paradox to Netflix rather than release it theatrically. Netflix paid more for the film than it actually cost to produce, meaning it turned a profit before anyone saw a single frame. Smart move.

Even more famously, Netflix aired a trailer during the Super Bowl, surprising the world by announcing the film would be available immediately after the game. Another smart move, since over three million viewers tuned-in during its first three days of streaming.

As it turns out, Paramount and Netflix did all of us a solid. When I saw the Super Bowl commercial, I was pleasantly surprised (and even more-so after the Eagles ended up winning the game). Having thoroughly enjoyed both Cloverfield and 10 Cloverfield Lane, I watched it right away. Since I wasn't required to get dressed and leave the house, I enjoyed The Cloverfield Paradox for what it was: a decent enough time killer, but easily the weakest film in this tenuously-linked franchise. Had the movie cost me 12 bucks in a theater, I'd have driven home feeling short-changed.

"You know...if there were two doctors on this ship, we'd have a pair o' docs."

In this one, there is a worldwide energy shortage. Onboard the Cloverfield, a massive orbiting space station, a small group of scientists attempt to fire-up the Shepard, a particle accelerator that, if successful, can provide unlimited energy for the entire planet. Instead, it causes a collision with an alternate universe, sending the laws of physics into chaos. Earth as they know it disappears, replaced by one on the verge of war. A mysterious new crew member suddenly appears, who claims to know them, while others fall victim to a variety of strange, deadly - and sometimes icky - events. Meanwhile, the world is suddenly under attack by giant monsters (presumably like the one that destroyed New York in the first film).

This space station is heavily armed.

Like 10 Cloverfield Lane, this one was originally conceived as a stand-alone film before being retooled as a Cloverfield movie, but connections to that so-called universe are ambiguous at-best. Anyone looking for answers to questions raised by 10 Cloverfield Lane's perplexing climax will be disappointed. To really get anything out of this, the viewer is better off ignoring the intrusive Earthbound segments and simply enjoy the basic story for what it is: an occasionally intriguing piece of sci-fi/horror not unlike Event Horizon or an extended Star Trek episode. And even though the plot doesn't bare a hell of a lot of scrutiny, there are enough creatively unnerving set-pieces to make it worth checking out.

The Cloverfield Paradox is now on Blu-ray, another smart move since not everyone has Netflix and some of us still prefer physical media (the film looks a hell of a lot better on disc than it ever did streaming). If you already have Netflix and felt the film was a post-game letdown, why are you still reading this?

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - "Things Are Not as They Appear: The Making of The Cloverfield Paradox"; "Shepard Team: The Cast"

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.

SUSPIRIA (2018): Comparing Apples and Oranges

Starring Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Lutz Ebersdorf (also Tilda Swinton), Mia Goth, Angela Winkler, Ingrid Caven, Elena Ivanova, Renee Soutendijk, Chloe Grace Moretz. Directed by Luca Guadagnino. (2018/152 min).

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM

LIONSGATE

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Long, arty, gruesome and maybe a little grandiose, Suspiria is certainly bold, to say nothing of polarizing. Aside from the basic plot, it has little in common with Dario Argento's 1977 classic, with a completely different aesthetic and tone. Whether or not one approves of what director Luca Guadagnino has done with the material, simply rehashing the original would have been pointless.

Comparing the two is equally pointless. Where Argento's film is scary, loud and visually flamboyant, the new one, while never truly terrifying, is unnerving nonetheless. Presented in six acts (along with an epilogue), it initially seems as though Guadagnino and screenwriter David Kajganich are attempting to appeal more to the arthouse crowd than thrill-seekers. But looks are deceiving. True, Suspiria is very deliberately-paced, somewhat pretentious and arguably too long. However, the film is ultimately more haunting than anything Argento has ever conjured up.

Two ladies who could use a breath mint.

Part of the reason is the very atmosphere and pace some viewers will find so off-putting. Suspiria is unremittingly bleak, both visually and narratively. Deliberately devoid of the original's garish color contrasts and pulsing score, the music, production design and cinematography are reflective of the overall tone. Those elements help to instill slow-building dread, punctuated by well-timed scenes of nightmarish imagery and jarring violence. I can think of one death scene in particular that might repulse even the most jaded viewer...while comparatively bloodless, damn-near every other bodily fluid is spilled. Everything culminates in an over-the-top climax that - depending on the viewer's mood by this point - is either gloriously bonkers or ridiculously overblown. Or maybe both. Whatever the case, it's certainly memorable.

When Twister turns deadly.

Suspiria isn't without its issues, especially the epic length. Overlong by half-an-hour, the subplot involving Germany's political turmoil at the time - including an ongoing hostage situation perpetrated by Palestines - isn't really necessary. The film could have done-away with these scenes without significantly impacting the overall narrative. And while the performances are generally decent, Dakota Fanning isn't all that compelling in the lead role, American dancer Susie Bannon (though in her defense, the character wasn't very interesting in the original, either).

However, Tilda Swinton - in three distinctly different roles - is nothing less than extraordinary. If the Academy didn't have an inherent aversion to recognizing horror, she'd have an Oscar nomination. While simultaneously sympathetic and menacing as dance academy matriarch Madame Blanc, she shines as Dr. Klemperer, the widowed psychiatrist who begins to suspect nefarious doings behind a dancer's disappearance. This isn't mere stunt casting, though. Swinton is completely convincing as an aging male doctor (aided in no small part by impressive make-up and prosthetics).

Dario Argento himself didn't care for the film, saying it "betrayed the spirit of the original." Maybe that's true. I can easily see many horror fans - especially those who hold Argento dear to their hearts - absolutely hating it. Personally, I appreciated Guadagnino's ambitious - and audacious - approach to the material. It isn't better or worse. In another case of apples & oranges, it's a completely different animal that doesn't warrant comparisons. Besides, the last thing anyone needs is another remake that simply pumps up the volume on same old story. This version of Suspiria is a disturbing, one-of-a-kind experience in it's own right and highly recommended to adventurous viewers (with strong stomachs).

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - "The Making of Suspiria"; "The Secret Language of Dance"; "The Transformations of Suspiria." (this are all promotional featurettes running less than five minutes each). 

DIGITAL COPY

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS.

DOUBLE DRAGON: The Chairman to the Rescue

Starring Scott Wolf, Mark Dacascos, Alyssa Milano, Robert Patrick, Julia Nickson, Leon Russom, Kristina Wagner, George Hamilton, Vanna White. Directed by James Yukich. (1994/96 min).

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM

MVD REWIND COLLECTION

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

1994's Double Dragon is tacky, cheesy, badly acted and a strong contender for the most "80s" movie that never came out in that decade. From the cast of B-list actors to the prerequisite synthesizer soundtrack, it is, of course, a perfect film for MVD's ongoing Rewind Collection.

This Blu-ray release is also another instance where the bonus features are far more entertaining than the movie itself. MVD has really outdone themselves on this one. The vintage material is like stepping back in time, but the real jewel is a brand new, feature-length retrospective documentary. Revealing, comprehensive and sometimes very funny, it tells a compelling story in its own right, especially since the finished product wasn't quite what anyone had in-mind.

As for that finished product, Double Dragon was of the first films ever based on a video game, and if you think video game adaptations are bad now, this one might redefine the word for you.

But is it fun? Even at its own expense? Yeah, kind-of. If your childhood weekends were spent stalking the aisles of Blockbuster, you might have plucked this from the shelf on your way to the rental counter. As such, there's some nostalgic value here. It's always enjoyable to have a good chuckle at what used to pass for awesome when you were little.

"Scream 'Allez Cuisine' one more time and I'll snap your neck."

For everyone else, the fun will probably begin to wear off after about 30 minutes. One would think an unholy mash-up of martial arts movies, Escape from New York, The Karate Kid and Willy Wonka's chocolate factory couldn't miss. But while Double Dragon is certainly bad, it's not so ineptly made that it descends into so-bad-it's-good territory. Considering the budget, the movie is technically pretty competent. In a way, that ultimately makes it more of a chore to endure.

Furthermore, something kept gnawing at me while watching. One of the fighting Lee brothers, Mark Dacascos, looked really familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd seen him before. It wasn't until I checked iMDB that I discovered he went on to become "The Chairman" on Iron Chef (my favorite part of the show). I wonder how Mark would have reacted back then if he were told his greatest claim to fame would be screaming "Allez Cuisine!" at the beginning of every episode.

As for the rest of the cast, Robert Patrick and his hair come-off best, while Alyssa Milano demonstrates why Commando was the high-point of her movie career.

Whether or not one shares my assessment of the movie itself, I think anybody with an interest in the filmmaking process (including the business side) still might want to pick this one up. Double Dragon is an archaic and asinine product of its time, but the story behind it - told by those who lived it - is fascinating.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NEW: "THE MAKING OF DOUBLE DRAGON" - An extensive and hugely entertaining retrospective documentary, primarily featuring screenwriters Michael Davis & Peter Gould, but also includes interviews with co-stars Scott Wolf & Mark Dacascos and producer Don Murphy.

NEW: "DON MURPHY: PORTRAIT OF A PRODUCER" - A lengthy interview with one of the producers, who's refreshingly candid about how the film turned out.

VINTAGE FEATURETTES - Making-of and behind-the-scenes.

DOUBLE DRAGON PILOT EPISODE - The first episode from a 1995 animated series that, quite frankly, I didn't even know existed. Even cheesier than the film.

STORYBOARD GALLERY

PROMOTIONAL PHOTO GALLERIES

THEATRICAL, TV AND VHS TRAILERS

MINI POSTER

DVD COPY

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD...FOR THE BONUS FEATURES ALONE.

Rest in Peace, Dick Miller

Dick Miller (1928-2019)

Blu-ray Giveaway: SGT. WILL GARDNER

VIEW THE TRAILER

FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE is giving away a BLU-RAY COPY of Cinedigm's SGT. WILL GARDNER   to one lucky reader.

 

TO ENTER: Simply drop us a message  freekittensmovieguide@gmail.com. CONTEST ENDS 2/18.

SGT. Will Gardner tells the story of Iraq War veteran Will Gardner (Max Martini) who is suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) he sustained with his platoon while in combat. His injuries make it difficult for him to reintegrate into society. After a series of setbacks, he embarks on a spirited motorcycle journey across America with the goal of reuniting with his son. Along his journey, he tries to pick up the pieces of the life he's lost since returning from combat. His PTSD causes frequent flashbacks to the Iraq War which he survives by having frequent conversations with Sam (Omari Hardwick), his best friend and war buddy.

Martini, who also wrote and directed the film hopes this movie serves as a reminder and a call to action. In this spirit, his producing moniker, Mona Vista Productions, will donate a portion of the film’s proceeds to three charities that support veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), PTSD and veteran homelessness: Higher Ground, Warriors Heart and the Gary Sinise Foundation.

AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL NOW  AND ON BLU-RAY AND DVD FEBRUARY 19