March 25, 2021
March 24, 2021
THE BERMUDA DEPTHS: Childhood Revisited
1978 / 97 min
That romantic subplot is pretty boring, as are interminable scenes of Magnus coming to terms with a traumatic childhood, when his dad died while trying to prove the turtle’s existence. But once Eric (Weathers) drags Magnus onto the high seas for some snapper-slaying, The Bermuda Depths is a goofy good time. The lively final act is highly reminiscent of Jaws, with silly special effects and marvelous miniatures. But the piéce de résistance is the film’s constant tone, which is 100% serious.
From WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION
Review by Stinky the Destroyer😽
Ever have one of those moments when you vaguely recall a scene from a movie or TV show, but for the life of you, can’t remember the title or even what it was about?
For me, one such scene was of a sea monster towing a dead guy who got snared in his own harpoon tether while trying to bring the animal down. I always pictured it as a giant turtle, but the memory is a funny thing and a turtle is a ridiculous idea for a movie monster. Surely I was remembering it wrong.
But it turns out I wasn’t wrong!
After four decades of “dammit, what was that movie?”, this new Warner Archive Blu-ray scratched that itch. Originally produced for ABC in 1978, The Bermuda Depths is indeed about a titanic turtle lurking off the Bermuda coast. I’m also happy to report that, even though the premise is just as silly as it sounds, the movie is a nostalgic blast for anybody raised on the likes of Killdozer, Trilogy of Terror and scores of other pint-sized epics ABC cranked out during their Movie of the Week years.
Then there’s the added bonus of pre-Rocky Carl Weathers strutting around in shorty-shorts and developing Ahab-like tendencies, as well Burl Ives hamming-it-up before ultimately becoming turtle fodder. The movie needs them, too, because the actual star, Leigh McCloskey (who you might remember from absolutely nothing) can’t act his way out of a paper bag. This is also Connie Sellecca’s first big role, playing a sea siren who has a supernatural connection to the turtle and has been wooing Magnus (McClosky) since he was a kid.
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| When the meds kick in. |
Being an inarguable product of its time, the humble pleasures of The Bermuda Depths will probably be lost on anyone under 40. But for those of a certain age, watching it today is almost like digging around in your parents’ attic and rediscovering old toys you mostly forgot about. It’s human nature to put away childish things as we get older, but it’s still a kick to drag ‘em out once in a while.
EXTRA KIBBLES
1.85:1 VERSION - This is the aspect ratio of the theatrical version, which was released in Japan.
AUDIO COMMENTARY - By author Amanda Reyes and Lance Vaughn, who runs a pretty nifty nostalgia website called Kindertrauma.
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...
March 23, 2021
THE DAY OF THE BEAST: Horror, Humor and Heavy Metal
1995 / 104 min
The basic plot concerns an unhinged priest, Father Angel (Alex Angulo), who believes he has mathematically figured out when and where the Antichrist will arrive: Midnight on Christmas Eve, in Madrid. His batshit solution is to commit as many sins as possible in order to damn his own soul, confront Satan and prevent the apocalypse. The film’s opening montage sets the tone right away, where Angel is committing a variety of atrocities on his way to Madrid, some phenomenally cruel, that have us laughing in spite of ourselves.
These guys make an amusing - if somewhat inept - team of demon hunters and their race to find the Antichrist before midnight is as funny as it is suspenseful. Another particularly interesting aspect about the film is - like The Omen - you could easily argue that there’s actually nothing supernatural going on. Angel may simply be a delusional loon who manages to convince two others to join his unholy quest. Even the scenes where they see the devil himself can conceivably be attributed to the acid they ingested. Such an argument definitely warrants watching the film at-least twice.
FROM SEVERIN FILMS
Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😺
Among the coolest things about this gig is discovering overlooked gems that somehow escaped my radar, or directors who display a flair worth exploring further. Regarding the 1995 Spanish horror film, The Day of the Beast, both perks apply.
One thing is certain...I’ve never seen a movie quite like this, in any genre, let-alone horror. Director/co-writer Álex de la Iglesia could have easily taken his premise down a familiar path and would still have a decent film on his hands. He displays a unique visual style that’s both gritty and surreal. Additionally, he’s a good screenwriter and coaxes better performances from his cast than most films or this type usually get (or deserve).
However, The Day of the Beast also happens to be funny as hell..on purpose. Some of the humor stems from Iglesia’s sheer audacity, uninhibited by the genre’s unwritten rules or the boundaries of good taste. For the most part, he’s willing to step right up to the line of common decency without really crossing it (though personally, I could have done without the rabbit scene). But in addition to the gonzo violence and pitch-black humor, there’s a bevy of hilarious dialogue and absurd comedy that sometimes approaches the level of farce (without ever turning stupid). What makes the film such a kick-in-the-ass is how seamlessly Iglesia brings these elements together.
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| "Speaking of beasts...ever thought about trading this thing in?" |
Angel manages to enlist the help of dimwitted record store employee Jose (Santiago Segura), a metalhead and self-proclaimed Satanist. Then the two of them break into the home of Professor Coven (Armando De Razza), the popular host of a phony occult TV show, and force him to assist in a ritual that will summon the Devil. That “ritual” is another comic highpoint; since these guys don’t have everything ritual requires, they substitute with what’s on-hand, such as Jose’s supply of LSD instead of hallucinogenic mushrooms. It also turns out Angel must go out and find himself a sacrificial virgin, since Coven’s hot, ditzy girlfriend, Susana (Maria Grazia Cucinotta) decidedly isn’t one.
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| Mrs. Bubble! |
Fast-moving, ferociously-violent and often hilarious, The Day of the Beast ain’t for everybody, but it’s easy to see why it has a fervent cult following. For newcomers like myself, the film is a great discovery and I look forward to checking-out some of Álex de la Iglesia’s other work. Severin Films has put together a great home video release that fans will surely get a kick out of. In addition to a decent transfer, the disc is loaded with interesting bonus features, the best being a feature-length documentary.
EXTRA KIBBLES
“HEIRS OF THE BEAST” - A great feature-length doc, not only about this film, but the emergence of Spanish horror during a time when the genre was largely disregarded.
“ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR” - Interview with director/co-writer Álex de la Iglesia.
“THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD” - Interview with actor Armando de Razza.
“BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” - Interview with Maria Grazia Cucinotta (a beauty indeed).
“SHOOTING THE BEAST” - Interview with cinematographer Flavio Martinez Labiano.
SHORT FILM - “Mirindas Asesinas,” directed by Álex de la Iglesia.
TRAILERS (also on the 4K disc)
4K UHD & BLU-RAY COPIES (most of the bonus features are on the Blu-ray only).
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEE-OW!
March 22, 2021
THE UNDOING: Hugh Grant's Big Purge
2020 / 332 min
While the narrative sometimes unfolds like a traditional mystery - briefly suggesting a few other suspects, including Grace - the question of Jonathan’s guilt often takes a backseat to possible reasons why he probably is. Although he’s destroyed their seemingly idyllic marriage, she still doesn’t believe he’s capable of murder. Jonathan, on the other hand, seems to think winning the trial will somehow mean he and his family will instantly put it all behind them...as if the affair, his lies and the murder never happened.
From WARNER BROS
Review by Carl, the Couch Potato😸
Jonathan Fraser is arguably the role Hugh Grant was born to play.
There’s a small part of his image which suggests he’s sort of a cad. By that, I mean he tends to infuse many of his characters - even the romantic leads - with subtle hints that those repressed mannerisms are a front and we shouldn’t completely trust them. By design or not, Grant exploits his image to-the-hilt in The Undoing, with a character whose mask conceals a dark soul, even from those closest to him. Maybe this is Hugh's way of finally purging that persona.
He’s easily the best part of this six-part limited series, which first aired on HBO last year. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like he’s really stretching himself. Outwardly, there isn’t a monumental difference between Jonathan Fraser and Daniel Cleaver, his character from Bridget Jones’s Diary. But when he’s accused of brutally murdering a young woman, cracks in the armor reveal a truly repugnant man. He still clings to his charming facade, though it now reeks of insincerity. Whether or not he is guilty of murder, we really grow to hate thIs guy.
Jonathan is an oncologist specializing in treating children with cancer while his wife, Grace (Nicole Kidman), is a successful psychologist. Their teenage son, Henry (Noah Jupe) goes to a prestigious private school that’s partially supported by high-end auctions run by a parent group (which Grace is part of). On the night of an auction, the newest member of the group, Elena (Matilda De Angelis) is bludgeoned to death in her art studio. Soon after, Jonathan disappears, supposedly to speak at a conference.
However, there is no conference and Jonathan was fired from his hospital months ago. We later learn that, not only did he know Elena - treating her older son for cancer - they were having an affair and he’s the father of her baby daughter. Now the primary suspect, he’s eventually apprehended, turned-in by Grace when he shows up at their beach house. The ongoing investigation and subsequent trial become a media circus that disrupts everyone’s life, including Franklin Reinhardt's (Donald Sutherland), Grace’s wealthy father who posts Jonathan’s bail even though he suspects the man is guilty.
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| Hugh spots the buffet table. |
For the most part, it’s a compelling story, filled with well-timed revelations which take it in some unexpected directions. Most of the characters are well-realized and performed. As Grace, Kidman earns our empathy, even when her character makes some questionable decisions regarding her deteriorating relationship with Jonathan. Sutherland is also impressive, as usual, giving Reinhardt a touch of menace when protecting his daughter and grandson. But it’s definitely Grant’s show...and the more we know him, the more despicable he seems, especially since he’s still convinced he can charm his way back into his family’s good graces..
Gorgeously filmed and aesthetically cinematic - with great use of New York locations - my main quip might be the overall length. Each episode features just enough important turns to keep us engaged, especially episodes 2 & 3. However, there are moments that don’t always seem necessary, such as Grace’s numerous, inexplicably aggressive interrogations by a couple of callous cops. Additionally, the recurring subplot of Henry’s problems at school really only needed to be addressed once. Ultimately, this probably could have been trimmed by an hour without sacrificing anything really vital.
Or maybe the goal was to retain every aspect of the original novel, You Should Have Known. Though I haven’t read it, I walked away with the impression The Undoing followed it to the letter. At any rate, this miniseries is mostly pretty engaging, each episode concluding with a cliffhanger that compels us to keep going.
EXTRA KIBBLES
THE UNDOING REVELATIONS - Spread-out over both discs, these 11 promotional featurettes run 2-3 minutes each, focusing on all the major characters, as well as the climactic bridge scene.
“CREATING THE UNDOING”
“NICOLE KIDMAN AND HUGH GRANT INTRODUCE THE UNDOING” - The two stars appear to get along better than their characters do.
DIGITAL COPY
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...
March 20, 2021
Revisiting GODZILLA (2014) in 4K
2014 / 123 min
Two hours later, I came out of the theater with my ears ringing and a big dumb grin. Epic in every sense of the word, this was a Godzilla that finally did justice to the big lizard. Though completely serious in tone, the film was not only a visual and aural assault on the senses, it was the kind of grand entertainment you can really only experience in a theater.
From WARNER BROS
Review by Tiger the Terrible😸
In reviewing this 4K edition of Godzilla, it might be prudent to start with my experience seeing it in theaters.
Prior to 2014, everyone’s favorite ravenous reptile was in a slump. Japan was content to keep cranking out silly spectacles, while the lunkheaded 1998 American remake was Godzilla in-name-only, cashing-in on a familiar brand in an blatant attempt to out-stomp Jurassic Park.
So despite always having a soft spot for the big lug, when yet-another American remake was announced, all I could muster was cautious optimism. Of course I was going to see it, but was the new Godzilla going to be another daffy debacle? Admittedly, any premise involving city-smashing beasties is inherently ridiculous, so trying to get an audience onboard for a “serious” monster movie was always gonna be a tall order. But Godzilla turned out to be awesome, the first film since the 1954 original to more-to-less play it straight.
Godzilla begins somberly, even a bit depressing, during the set-up. It also takes its time; an hour passes before our scaly star first appears in all his 300-foot glory and he’s not even the first mega-monster to show up. Before that, the giant chrysalis of a MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) is discovered beneath a nuclear power plant in Japan. A MUTO is a prehistoric parasite that consumes radiation and resembles a giant version of the ‘bugs’ from Starship Troopers. The idiotic powers-that-be have been keeping its existence a secret for years in order to study it. Of course, it gets loose, otherwise there’d be no movie because the MUTO’s appearance is what lures Godzilla out of the ocean depths (yeah, the government knew about him, too, and even tried to kill him back in the 1950s).
I have to admit when I first heard that Godzilla's main storyline was a mega-monster battle, my anticipation deflated just a bit. Pitting Godzilla against an increasingly-ridiculous variety of foes was always the corniest part of those old films. Were they really gonna attempt to do the same thing in this century, only with better special effects and classier actors?
But ironically, this is when Godzilla becomes great, partially because it builds tension with a smart story, but mainly because our title creature is not presented as a hero ready to save humanity. In fact, Godzilla doesn’t give an damn about us. He’s just as destructive as the MUTOs; we’re all just collateral damage resulting from these creatures' hatred of each other. In a way, this makes Godzilla an anti-hero not unlike Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name. When these monsters finally start duking it out, I kept thinking this was everything Transformers should have been but wasn’t…rousing fun that proves you can make a huge, effects-laden blockbuster without dumbing it down for the booger-eaters in the crowd.
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| Godzilla forgets where he parked. |
This is all to say that the new 4K UHD comes closer to replicating Godzilla’s theatrical thrills than any previous DVD or Blu-ray. The film has always been visually dark, but the transfers of those releases rendered many sequences so murky that it was sometimes difficult to see what was going on. That’s no longer an issue here. Sure, a few scenes are so dimly lit that no home video upgrade is gonna help them. But the train sequence is now just as vivid as it was in theaters, the HALO jump is once-again eye-popping and the climactic clash of creatures regains its destructive clarity. I didn’t notice a huge audio difference between this and the Blu-ray, which was pretty sinus-clearing to begin with. But admittedly, I didn’t really test it out much because the family was sleeping and I didn’t want anyone startled-awake thinking we were under nuclear attack.
Though I’m still not completely sold on all the virtues of 4K, Godzilla definitely benefits from the upgrade. This release doesn’t feature any new supplementary material, content to include the same Blu-ray that had all the original bonus features. The sole reason to pick this one up would be the terrific transfer, which will be worth it for anyone who was wowed in theaters but underwhelmed at home. Cooler cover, too.
EXTRA KIBBLES (Blu-ray only)
MONARCH: DECLASSIFIED - 3 mock-documentaries related to Monarch and the creatures (“Operation: Lucky Dragon,” “”The MUTO File” and “The Godzilla Revelation.”
THE LEGENDARY GODZILLA (Actual Featurettes) - “Godzilla: Force of Nature” (a 19-minute encompassing doc with numerous interviews with cast & crew); “A Whole New Level of Destruction” (title tells all); “Into the Void: The HALO Jump” (for all the destructive mayhem, this is my favorite scene, which is highlighted here); “Ancient Enemy: The MUTOs” (creature design).
4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...
March 18, 2021
ICE COLD IN ALEX and the Tall Cool One
1958 / 130 min
FROM FILM MOVEMENT
Review by Mr. Paws😼
I gave up drinking years ago. While I don’t miss it all that much, there are still occasions when I’m hit by the overwhelming urge to crack open a cold one, generally after a well-timed commercial or particularly-effective movie scene to remind me of what I’m missing.
Without offering spoilers, I gotta say there’s a contextual scene in Ice Cold in Alex that makes a simple glass of lager look like the greatest gift God ever bestowed upon mankind. With all due respect to Cape Fear and The Guns of Navarone, it might be the coolest scene director J. Lee Thompson ever shot. Damn him for making me nearly fall off the wagon.
That tall glass of icy ambrosia isn’t a throwaway moment, either. It’s relevant to the narrative, as well as the film’s awkward title. In Africa during World War II, weary, alcoholic Captain Anson (John Mills), Sergeant-Major Tom Pugh (Harry Andrews) and two nurses are forced to drive an Ambulance across a massive, treacherous desert while avoiding German troops. Along the way, they acquire another passenger, Captain van der Poel (Anthony Quayle), who they soon suspect is a Nazi spy. However, Poel is also responsible for saving their lives more than once, so they’re reluctant to confront him.
The group must overcome many obstacles...enemy troops, heat, quicksand, dwindling supplies and their increasingly cranky truck, nicknamed Katy. The journey is sometimes gripping, with a few sequences which might even draw favorable comparisons to The Wages of Fear - such as the tension-filled ascent up a treacherous dune. Thompson and cinematographer Gilbert Taylor do a good job making the desert look endless, bleak and foreboding (starkly contrasting the beautiful bubbly brewski waiting at the end of the journey).
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| That beer earned a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor. |
But there are several stretches which aren’t very engaging, mostly when it focuses on the characters themselves. The performances are fine, but other than Anson’s drinking problem, we don’t learn enough about these people to become very invested. Additionally, the romantic subplot between Anson and Nurse Diana (Sylvia Sims) feels contrived (and considering the obvious age difference between the two, kind-of creepy).
Sometimes meandering and a bit overlong, Ice Cold in Alex doesn’t rank among the best British war films from the same era, but its technical merits are solid and there are just enough genuinely suspenseful moments to make the pokier parts worth enduring (any film that confirms our worst childhood fears about quicksand can’t be all bad). And when all is said and done, don’t be surprised to find yourself reaching for a cold one, too.
NOTE: This disc is identical to the one included in Film Movement’s Their Finest Hour boxed set released last year, which consisted of five British WWII films from the same era.
EXTRA KIBBLES
STEVE CHIBNALL ON J. LEE THOMPSON - A profile about the director, mostly focusing on this film.
INTERVIEWS WITH SYLVIA SIMS - The best of the bonus features, this is a charming Q&A with the actress who played Diana.
INTERVIEW WITH MELANIE WILLIAMS - A discussion about the film.
“A VERY BRITISH WAR MOVIE” - An vintage extended clip from the making-of documentary.
JOHN MILLS HOME VIDEO FOOTAGE
KITTY CONSENSUS:
NOT BAD.
THE POOP SCOOP: Classics and Calamities Edition
Set in the phantasmagorical town of Raven's End, nothing is as it seems.... In THE MORTUARY COLLECTION, a misguided young girl takes refuge in a decrepit old mortuary. There she meets Montgomery Dark, an eccentric undertaker with more than a few skeletons in his closet. Montgomery chronicles the strange history of the town through a series of twisted tales, each more terrifying than the last, but the young girl's world is unhinged when she discovers that the final story...is her own. Written and directed by Ryan Spindell (“50 States of Fright,” The Babysitter Murders), THE MORTUARY COLLECTION stars Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Thor: Ragnarok), Caitlin Custer (“Teen Wolf,” “Swingtown”), Christine Kilmer (“Hollywood,” “Shameless”), and Jacob Elordi (The Kissing Booth franchise, “Euphoria”).
INDIANA JONES: 4 MOVIE COLLECTION on 4K Blu-ray 6/8
The cinematic classic that started it all—Raiders of the Lost Ark—celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, having first introduced audiences to the man with the hat on June 12, 1981. Forty years later, the legendary hero continues to captivate new generations of fans. Now, for the first time ever, all four films are available together on 4K Blu-ray with DOLBY VISION and HDR10 for ultra-vivid picture quality and state-of-the-art DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO. Each film has been meticulously remastered from 4K scans of the original negatives with extensive visual effects work done to ensure the most pristine and highest quality image. All picture work was approved by director Steven Spielberg. The INDIANA JONES 4-MOVIE COLLECTION includes a collectible booklet with behind-the-scenes images from all four films. Each film is presented on 4K Blu-ray Disc with original theatrical trailers and access to digital copies. The set also includes a Blu-ray with seven hours of previously released bonus content.
FUKUSHIMA 50 comes to Blu-ray & DVD on 4/13
Japan’s Tohoku Region: at a magnitude of 9.0, the strongest earthquake in the country’s history strikes, triggering a huge tsunami and carnage that would end up killing thousands of people and displacing many more. It mercilessly engulfs the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture, causing a crippling station blackout. Unable to be cooled, the nuclear reactors quickly turn into hydrogen bombs at the brink of explosion. If the power plant is abandoned, Japan’s destruction is assured. Facing a life or death situation, the power plant workers known as the “Fukushima 50”, including shift supervisor Izaki and plant manager Yoshida, remain on the site until the bitter end. As the world holds its breath, the Fukushima 50 fight for their hometown, their families, and the future of Japan.
RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD on 5/18
Raya and the Last Dragon takes us on an exciting, epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it's up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she'll learn that it'll take more than a dragon to save the world—it's going to take trust and teamwork as well. Raya and the Last Dragon features an outstanding voice cast, including Kelly Marie Tran as the voice of the intrepid warrior Raya; Awkwafina as the legendary dragon, Sisu; Gemma Chan as Raya's nemesis, Namaari; Daniel Dae Kim as Raya's visionary father, Benja; Sandra Oh as Namaari's powerful mother, Virana; Benedict Wong as Tong, a formidable giant; Izaac Wang as Boun, a 10-year-old entrepreneur; Thalia Tran as the mischievous toddler Little Noi; Alan Tudyk as Tuk Tuk, Raya's best friend and trusty steed; Lucille Soong as Dang Hu, the leader of the land of Talon; Patti Harrison as the chief of the Tail land; and Ross Butler as chief of the Spine land.
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