What’s THE POINT?

THE POINT (1971)

Featuring the voices of Ringo Starr, Mike Lookinland, Paul Frees (yay!), June Foray, Lennie Weinrib, Joan Gerber. Directed by Fred Wolf (75 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM MVD VISUAL

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😸

Isn’t it weird how just one seemingly insignificant song, sound or image can unlock the file cabinet where most of your childhood is stored?

The Point is one of those dusty old files I forgot about, at-least until I hit play and the jazzy Macmillan Films intro preceded the title – complete with the pops & scratches I remembered from old educational films my elementary school teacher spooled through a rickety projector. Then there’s director Fred Wolf’s animation, cruder than the Schoolhouse Rock shorts of the same era, but just as uniquely recognizable (especially for those of us who recall Mr. Owl’s Tootsie Pop commercial).

However, it was Harry Nilsson’s insanely catchy little ditty, “Me and My Arrow,” that threw the memory file wide open. I suddenly recalled when and where I first heard the song and saw The Point, which premiered as an ABC Movie of the Week and therefore has a bit of historic significance. Christmas season notwithstanding, cartoons were a rarity during prime time in 1971, to say nothing of a weird, psychedelic, feature-length musical. Thank God LSD wasn’t part of a kid's nutritious breakfast back then.

"Hey, Arrow...I think the meds are kickin' in."

Five decades on, nostalgia is the primary appeal of this new Blu-ray, a fitting part of MVD’s Rewind Collection. Despite the charming story and timely themes, The Point is undoubtedly a product of its era and unlikely to wow your children (or their children). As such, the generous amount of supplementary material included is boomer-friendly and arguably more interesting than the film itself, definitely putting the its relevance in context, especially regarding singer-songwriter (and producer) Harry Nilsson, who created the concept album which inspired it. In fact, The Point is one of his few film projects that ever saw the light of day.

Videophiles should be aware that not all of the film could be completely restored to its original condition, meaning the ravages of time are occasionally noticeable. But for those of a certain age who don’t care about such trifles, The Point is a wonderfully weird trip down memory lane, an assessment which certainly applies to the bonus features as well.

EXTRA KIBBLES

"NILSSON ON SCREEN” - The best of the bonus features, this hour-long documentary is a series of interviews with biographer Alyn Shipton and people who worked with Nilsson. It focuses on Nilsson’s entire career in film and television, including a lot of unfinished projects (too bad no footage from them is included).

"THE KID’S GOT A POINT” - Interview with Mike Lookinland, who voiced Oblio, but best-known to boomers as Bobby Brady.

"THAT OLD GUY WROTE THE POINT” - Interview with co-writer Norm Lenzer, who hated the Rock Man character (and I don’t blame him).

"EVERYBODY’S GOT A POINT” - Kiefo Nilsson (Harry’s kid) and Bobby Halvorson discuss adapting and performing The Point for modern audiences.

"THE MAKING OF THE POINT” - A four-part featurette.

CLAYMATION SEQUENCE – This supposedly inspired the film, though I’m hard-pressed to see how.

MINI POSTER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

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

HUDSON HAWK: Vanity, Thy Name is Bruce

HUDSON HAWK (1991)

Starring Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, Richard E. Grant, Sandra Bernhard, Donald Burton, David Caruso. Directed by Michael Lehmann. (100 min).

ON BLU-RAY FROM

MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Tiger the Terrible😾

One of the 90’s more notorious flops, Hudson Hawk was essentially a Bruce Willis vanity project, and an expensive one at that. After two Die Hard films, he had a lot of clout and took full advantage of it, co-writing the so-called story and instilling it with an fun-loving, irreverent tone that reflected his off-screen persona.

Though not the ego-driven dumpster fire it’s reputed to be, Hudson Hawk was massively disappointing at the time and revisiting it years later didn’t change my opinion. It remains a supremely schizophrenic film, striving to be a crime caper, whimsical comedy, slapstick farce, action film and sometimes even a musical. All those elements are liberally tossed into a pot yet never quite congeal, despite vigorous stirring. Still, Willis would later whore-out his name in far worse movies, wouldn’t he? In this one, at least he still seems to care.

Bruce meets his critics.

Sincerity is the one thing Hudson Hawk has going for it...and that's fine up to a point. Willis and the cast truly appear to be having a lot of fun, which is occasionally infectious. It’s hard not to watch the congenial interaction between Eddie Hawkins (Willis) and “Five-Tone” Mussina (Danny Aiello) without a smile on your face. On the other hand, the film too often descends into juvenile slapstick that seems to belong in another movie, as do some embarrassingly over-the-top performances...such as a truly obnoxious Sandra Bernhard (who was never very funny to begin with). And when the actual plot does rear its ugly head now and again, it feels more like an intrusion.

Three decades later, Hudson Hawk is no Last Action Hero (a similarly pricey disaster that enjoyed a bit of reassessment over the years). It’s a film with a few fine moments, but not enough to make one appreciate it any more than they did back then. Anybody who loved or hated it in 1991 will likely love or hate it now. If you’re among the former, you probably already have this on DVD, which came with bonus features that aren’t included on the Blu-ray. So the only reason to double-dip would be for the retro slipcase. 

KITTY CONSENSUS:

MEH...LIKE SHARING THE BED WITH THE DOG. 

Rest in Peace, Kevin Conway

Kevin Conway (1942-2020)

FIRST LOVE: Takashi's Bag o' Tricks

FIRST LOVE (2019)

Starring Masataka Kubota, Nao Omori, Shota Sometani, Sakurako Konishi, Becky, Seiyo Uchino, Takahiro Miura. Directed by Takashi Miike. (109 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

Have you ever gone on iMDB and seen just how prolific director Takashi Miike has been throughout his career? If he and Nick Cage ever hooked up, they could crank out a new movie every 10 minutes. Actually, Cage's career could probably use a little of Miike's help right now.

On this side of the ocean, Miike is arguably best-known for Audition and Ichi the Killer, establishing him as not-only prolific, but maybe a little nuts. First Love isn’t quite as bonkers as either, but stylistically similar to the latter. Though it contains plenty of bloody mayhem, particularly during the wild finale, there’s none of the sexual violence that sometimes made Ichi tough to endure.

Leo (Masatake Kubota) is a young boxer who comes to the ‘rescue’ of Monica (Sakurako Konishi) by punching the guy chasing her down the street. However, Monica is actually a drug-addicted prostitute and her pursuer is a crooked cop in-cahoots with local Yakuza gangster Kase (Shota Sometani), who plans to steal a drug shipment from his own bosses. Monica is set-up as their patsy in a ruse that also implicates the Chinese mob (who send a batch of their own assassins to find her). Naturally, the plan goes awry.

Feeling horny.

That’s the basic plot, which grows increasingly complex – some might say convoluted – as it unfolds. But the story ultimately boils down to a long, delirious chase with a variety of quirky, amusing characters trying to get their hands on the bag o’ drugs. Leo & Monica are just innocent young rubes caught in the melee, which leads to a violent, blood-soaked showdown in a hardware store.

Despite efforts to give them a bit of complexity, the somber young leads don’t resonate much. Considering his abundance of previous Yakuza action thrillers, Miike is obviously far more infatuated with the gangsters. As such, they’re interesting characters, some of whom are exaggerated and highly amusing, like Kase - who keeps inadvertently killing people - and a hitman simply known as One-Armed Wang. While a definite mean-streak runs throughout the film, its healthy sense of humor might even make the violence palatable enough for – dare I say it? - mainstream audiences.

The story seems a bit padded out at times. Bookending the action is a lot mundane character exposition and an unnecessarily protracted epilogue. In-between, however, is a fast, furious ballet of guns, fights, swords, squibs, dismemberments and beheadings. First Love probably isn’t destined to enjoy the cult status of Takashi Miike’s most audacious films, but it’s certainly stylish, exuberant and a lot of ridiculous fun.

EXTRA KIBBLES

ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION

TRAILERS

KITTY CONSENSUS:

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

Rest In Peace, Orson Bean

Orson Bean (1928-2020)

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS is in the House

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979)

Starring Charles Durning, Carol Kane, Tony Beckley, Colleen Dewhurst, Rachel Roberts, Ron O’Neal. Directed by Fred Walton. (97 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM

MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😽

When a Stranger Calls might be the quintessential addition to Mill Creek Entertainment’s ongoing Retro VHS series.

It was one of those movies that pretty-much everybody rented back then – even those who didn’t go-in for this sort of thing – mainly because of the classic opening sequence where babysitter Jill Johnson (Carol Kane) is terrorized by a mysterious caller who's already in the house. That ain’t really a spoiler, kids. “The killer is upstairs” has been an urban legend for decades, but mostly associated with When a Stranger Calls.

"Well, since you're already upstairs, how 'bout starting another load o' laundry?"

In fact, the entire first act is so masterfully crafted – and still thrilling today – that almost nobody remembers the rest of the film. For good reason, too, because the story jumps forward a few years and descends into a rambling, disjointed manhunt, with private dick John Clifford (Charles Durning) trying to track down escaped killer Curt Duncan (Tony Buckley). Things liven up a bit in the final act, but the film makes the near-fatal mistake of providing way too much exposition about Duncan, stripping away all the menace. Though well played by Buckley (who passed away shortly afterwards), Duncan’s kind of a pathetic, oily sleazebag.

Ultimately more of a low-watt thriller than a horror film, When a Stranger Calls has nevertheless earned a footnote in the genre’s history for the first 20 minutes alone, which proved to be influential on such directors as Wes Craven. 41 years and countless rip-offs/sequels/remakes later, the sequence still packs a punch. Shut the movie off right afterwards and you’ve got one of the greatest horror shorts of all time. 

KITTY CONSENSUS:

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

SHUTTER ISLAND (Steelbook): Marty's Movie Puzzle

SHUTTER ISLAND (2010) 10th Anniversary Edition

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max Von Sydow, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley, Ted Levine, Elias Koteas. Directed by Martin Scorsese. (138 min)

ON 4K ULTRA HD FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

Shutter Island is the closest Martin Scorsese has ever gotten to making a horror film (though one could make a decent argument for his remake of Cape Fear). Haunting, atmospheric and rife with unnerving imagery, it’s a wonderfully dark puzzle where the picture is only revealed once the last piece is in place.

While it may be one of Scorsese’s biggest box office hits, Shutter Island’s legacy is more akin to a cult film: seldom mentioned among his classics, yet held in very high regard by lovers of movie mindbenders. Unlike most of M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography, the film’s jaw-dropper of a twist ending is well earned and ultimately the main reason it remains worth repeated viewings (if nothing else, just to be reminded how each scene contributes to the puzzle).

Leo learns where babies come from.

I suspect most reading this are already familiar with the film, so recapping the story is probably redundant. But personally, after revisiting it for the first time in many years, I have to say it’s the final scene which now lingers with me the most. Somewhat overshadowed by the plot twist the first time I watched it, the scene depicts a level of grief over loss that’s almost unbearable. Despite the cinematic virtuosity on display in the rest of the film, this comparatively understated scene is Scorsese at his most emotionally bruising.

Shutter Island has now been given the 4K Ultra treatment. While the original Blu-ray featured an already impressive transfer, the overall picture here is even sharper, the colors richer. 4K makes some classics look like we’re watching a soap opera, but it’s pretty effective here. The sound quality, on the other hand, is the same as the Blu-ray (which is also included), as are the sparse bonus features. The whole package comes in a nicely designed Steelbook that’s aesthetically cooler than the original promotional artwork.

For Shutter Island’s 10^th Anniversary, some new additional supplemental material and a digital copy would have been nice. However, the 4K Ultra version is a must-own for videophiles and Steelbook collectors. It’s the same puzzle in a shiny new box, but what a box. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “Behind the Shutters”; “Into the Lighthouse”

BLU-RAY COPY

KITTY CONSENSUS:

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

Rest in Peace, Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas (1916-2020)

BLU-RAY GIVEAWAY: Takashi Miike's FIRST LOVE

FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE is giving away a Blu-ray copy of Takashi Miike’s FIRST LOVE, courtesy of WELL GO USA.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD 2/11

When a duplicitous scheme by the low-level yakuza, Kase (Shota Sometani) goes hilariously wrong, a terminally ill boxer, Leo (Masataka Kubota), and a disturbed drug addicted call girl, Monica (Sakurako Konishi), find themselves innocently caught in the crosshairs of two warring gangs. Over the course of the increasingly ludicrous night, the two fall passionately in love, while the hail of bullets and blood fall quietly in the background. From prolific auteur Takashi Miike, this noir-tinged, violent yakuza film, is Miike at his most fun and anarchic.

TO ENTER: Simply drop us a message at freekittensmovieguide@gmail.com.  

CONTEST ENDS 2/18.

TWO ON A GUILLOTINE is "Cannon" Fodder

TWO ON A GUILLOTINE (1964)

Starring Connie Stevens, Dean Jones, Cesar Romero, John Hoyt. Directed by William Conrad. (107 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM

WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😼

Those of a certain age might recall William Conrad as the original Marshall Dillon back when Gunsmoke was a radio drama. If you’re like me, he was Detective Frank Cannon, while the following generation probably remembers him as the D.A. in Jake and the Fatman. But I’ll bet few of us were aware he was also a prolific director.

Conrad mostly worked behind the camera on television, but helmed a few low-budget thrillers in the ‘60s, such as Two on a Guillotine. Relatively obscure, the film won’t make anyone forget Alfred Hitchcock – or even William Castle – but it has its moments.

The best ones are provided by Cesar Romero, who isn’t in the film nearly enough. Hamming it up as John Harley Duquesne, he’s a famous magician who accidentally beheads wife Melinda (Connie Stevens) during a guillotine trick. He dies 20 years later, but not before vowing to return. Following the mother of all open casket funerals, estranged daughter Cassie (also Stevens) inherits everything on the condition that she can stay full week in Dad’s creepy old mansion.

"Of course it comes with the house."

Echoing House on Haunted Hill, the place is loaded with a variety of terrors that frequently pop up in an apparent effort to scare her away. Slimy reporter Val Henderson (Dean Jones) insinuates himself on Cassie under the guise of a real estate agent, offering to investigate who’s behind it while – of course – falling in love with her.

We spend a lot more time watching Cassie succumb to Val’s charm and bad jokes than we really need to, especially a prolonged nightclub scene where they gaze intensely into each other’s eyes. Personally, I’ve never been able to take Connie Stevens seriously and perhaps my formative childhood years keep me from accepting Jones as anything but a gosh-darn Disney dad (I’m still trying to recover from his Mengelesque turn in Beethoven). But Romero comes to the rescue late in the story to bring things to an entertaining conclusion.

Two on a Guillotine isn’t all that original or particularly memorable and William Conrad more-or-less hung up his director’s hat soon after. Still, for an economically made little potboiler, the film sorta works if expectations are kept in-check (not that they’d be all that high to begin with). One could also pair it up with Three on a Meathook for a daffy double feature.

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.