Free Kittens' HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE!

FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE has teamed up with various studios to present a holiday guide of gift ideas for that special cinephile in your litter. Check out some of the purr-fect presents below, sure to please even the most finicky feline film fan.

UNIVERSAL'S ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIALS 

Give the perfect gift this holiday season with the limited edition, collectible steelbook featuring five Christmas classics and bonus content exploring their iconic animation. 'Tis the season to enjoy the timeless holiday classics in The Original Christmas Specials Collection featuring five unforgettable stories. Produced by Rankin/Bass, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin' To Town and The Little Drummer Boy feature iconic "Animagic" stop-motion animation and Frosty the Snowman and Cricket on the Hearth are beautifully animated. Starring the iconic voice talents of Fred Astaire, Jimmy Durante, Mickey Rooney, Danny Thomas, Burl Ives and many more, these favorites also feature some of the most beloved songs of the holiday season and are sure to entertain audiences of all ages for generations to come!

TCM VINTAGE MOVIE POSTERS

Turner Classic Movies announces a hand-selected collection of authentic vintage theatrical and advertising posters, all original and rated for quality. Spanning the decades from classic to contemporary Hollywood, this unique movie poster collection is thoughtfully curated by TCM for devoted collectors and casual fans alike.

MSRP: Varies by product

Link: https://shop.tcm.com/posters/b238036?az=18-19666

DARK CITY: THE LOST WORLD OF FILM NOIR (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Eddie Muller

This revised and expanded edition of Eddie Muller's Dark City is a film noir lover's bible, taking readers on a tour of the urban landscape of the grim and gritty genre in a definitive, highly illustrated volume.

MSRP: $30.00

Link: https://shop.tcm.com/dark-city/9780762498970

THE ESSENTIAL DIRECTORS: THE ART AND INFLUENCE OF CINEMA’S MOST CELEBRATED FILMMAKERS by Sloan De Forest

For well over a century, those who create motion pictures have touched our hearts and souls; they have transported and transformed our minds, intoxicated and entranced our senses. One artist's vision is the single most prominent force behind the scenes: the director. The Essential Directors illuminates the unseen forces behind some of the most notable screen triumphs from the aesthetic peak of silent cinema through the New Hollywood of the 1970s. Considering each artist's influence on the medium, cultural impact, and degree of achievement, Turner Classic Movies presents a compendium of Hollywood's most influential filmmakers, with profiles offering history and insight on the filmmaker's narrative style, unique touches, contributions to the medium, key films, and distinctive movie moments to watch for. The work of these game-changing artists is illustrated throughout by more than 200 full-color and black-and-white photographs.

MSRP: $25.99

Link: https://shop.tcm.com/essential-directors/9780762498932

TCM BLACK AND WHITE COFFEE MUGS

Take after your favorite TCM personality with one of the official TCM mugs. Enjoy a cup or two of your favorite hot beverage and share your love of all things classic.

MSRP: ($18.99 - $25.99)

Link: https://shop.tcm.com/tcm-studio-mug-black/762184841106

https://shop.tcm.com/tcm-studio-mug-white/762184841205 

MIDDLE EARTH ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION 4K, Blu-ray & Digital

The set will feature theatrical and extended versions of all six films on 4K Blu-ray, newly remastered Blu-ray editions, and exclusive special features*, which have not yet been officially detailed by the studio. A 64-page illustrated booklet and seven travel poster art cards are also included. The Ultimate Collector's Edition includes the theatrical and extended versions of the six films from New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures in 4K Blu-ray with HDR – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Available November 26.

MAD MAX ANTHOLOGY 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Digital HD

The Mad Max Anthology, featuring 1979’s acclaimed post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max, 1981’s Mad Max The Road Warrior, 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and 2015’s Mad Max Fury Road will be released together on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital HD on November 23. Additionally Mad Max The Road Warrior and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome will also be available individually in 4K, joining Mad Max and Mad Max Fury Road which are already available in 4K. Mad Max (1979) was directed by Miller from a screenplay by Miller & James McCausland and a story by Miller and Byron Kennedy.  The film was produced by Kennedy and stars Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky. Mad Max The Road Warrior (1981) was directed by Miller and written by Miller, Terry Hayes & Brian Hannant.  It was produced by Kennedy and stars Gibson as Max, Bruce Spence as the Gyro Captain, Mike Preston as Pappagallo, Max Phipps as Toadie, Vernon Wells as Wez. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) was co-directed by Miller and George Ogilvie and written by Miller and Terry Hayes.  It was produced by Miller and stars Gibson as Max, Tina Turner as Auntie Entity. Mad Max Fury Road (2015) was directed by Miller and written by Miller, Brendan McCarthy & Nico Lathouris.  The film stars Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky, Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa, Nicholas Hoult as Nux.

UNIVERSAL CLASSIC MONSTERS ICONS OF HORROR COLLECTION 4K, Blu-ray and Digital

From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection showcases four of the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man. Starring Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains in the roles that they made famous, these original films set the standard for a new horror genre with revolutionary makeup, mood-altering cinematography and groundbreaking special effects. Celebrate nine decades of your favorite monsters on 4k for the very first time with collectible packaging and hours of bonus features.

REMINISCENCE: Sci-Fi Film Noir

REMINISCENCE (Blu-ray Review)

2021 / 116 min

FROM WARNER BROS

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😽

#InPartnershipwithWB

If nothing else, Reminiscence looks incredible. Taking place in the near future, climate change has flooded coastal cities and the days are so sweltering that everyone’s forced to live more-or-less nocturnally. In addition to the obvious film noir aesthetics, this future dystopia is a triumph of production design, which is as visually impressive as the significantly more lauded Dune.

But depicting Miami as a waterlogged urban jungle has little to do with the actual story. Hugh Jackman plays Nick Bannister, a war veteran who makes a living with a machine that allows people to relive their memories. He becomes romantically involved with new client Mae (Rebecca Ferguson), a sultry lounge singer who mysteriously disappears a few months later.

To the chagrin of his beleaguered assistant, Watts (Thandiwe Newton), Nick becomes obsessed with finding Mae, repeatedly using the machine to search for clues to her whereabouts. Meanwhile, the police enlist his help to interrogate a suspect with connections to a New Orleans kingpin who deals a designer drug called Baca. When Mae shows up in one of those memories, Nick realizes she’s not the woman he thought she was. Mae might also be connected to the murder of one of his other clients, a young woman who was having an affair - and had a son with - the city’s most powerful land baron. 

Nick stumbles into the Ink & Paint Club.

There’s actually a lot more plot than a film like this really needs, compounded by too many antagonists, some who arrive pretty late in the film. Interest level rises and wanes with all the numerous story twists - some surprising, some not - but the film noir elements are wonderful. In addition to a dark, neon-lit atmosphere and narration straight out of a pulp novel, Jackman is effective as the cynical, streetwise protagonist who gets in over his head, while Ferguson makes a fetching femme fatale. But Newton gives the most earnest performance, serving as Nick’s moral compass. 

So while the narrative isn’t always compelling, the special effects, production design and homages to classic film noir hold our attention. Perhaps that’s not enough to warrant repeated viewings, but it’s certainly worth checking-out at least once. Reminiscence kind of came-and-went with little attention when first released, but here’s hoping it’ll be remembered come Oscar time, since its technical aspects deserve a few nods.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “Reminiscence Family Reunion” (many of the cast & crew also work on Westworld); “The Sunken Coast” (behind-the-scenes look at the set design)”; “Crafting a Memory”; “You're Going on a Journey” (interviews with various cast & crew).

MUSIC VIDEO - “Save My Love” by Lonr & Amber Mark

DIGITAL COPY

THE EMPEROR'S SWORD Slows Things Down

THE EMPEROR’S SWORD (Blu-ray Review)

2020 / 92 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Tiger the Terrible😾

I was roughly seven minutes into The Emperor’s Sword when I thought to myself, enough with the slow-motion, already! 

The opening action sequence is loaded with so much slow-motion - often pointlessly applied mid-shot - that it becomes distracting. Though somewhat relieved when the things settled down to focus on the story itself, I had an ominous suspicion that all of the action was going to be depicted like this.

Sure enough, every clashing sword, thrown punch, flying body and cautionary glance is an exercise in slow-motion overkill (frequently accompanied by terrible CGI). But the stylistic chest-thumping would be forgivable if the story and characters were at least engaging.

However, The Emperor’s Sword takes a narrative path we’ve seen plenty of times before. Meng Xue, the last surviving daughter of a Chinese general, is entrusted to keep his sword out of the hands of an evil emperor, Lord Zhao, who apparently needs it to rule all of China. But it’s never made clear what tactical advantage possessing the sword will give him, especially since he and his underlings don’t appear to have much problem mowing down anyone opposing them.

"Your hedges need trimming."

At first, we’re led to assume that Jillian - one of the ‘Seven Gentlemen’ who served under the former emperor - is the main protagonist, being that he rescues Meng Xue in the opening scene. But then he disappears for much of the middle act, where several other characters are introduced, some who assist Meng Xue, others trying to kill her and take the sword. While there’s eventually some interesting developments in the relationship between Jillan and Tian, another former ‘Gentleman’ now serving Zhao, most of the others come and go within a few scenes.

Considering the plot and characters are perfunctory, what’s really surprising is the frequent downtime between action scenes...lengthy stretches of symbolism and lyrical dialogue that seem manufactured to create an unwelcome sense of seriousness to the proceedings. The end result is a film that’s overly episodic and narratively choppy. Despite director Zhang Yingli’s attempts to punch things up with visual fireworks, the climactic showdown is hardly worth the patience required to endure such a convoluted plot.

The fight scenes are competent and decently choreographed, though certainly not dynamic enough to justify repeatedly lingering on them in slow-motion. In fact, I’d be willing to wager the entire film could’ve been a good ten minutes shorter by simply keeping the cameras rolling at normal speed. Since the story itself is nothing to write home about, it would sure save the viewer some time.

THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES: Part Character Study, Part Chainsaw Massacre

THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES (DVD Review)

2020 / 85 min

FROM MPI MEDIA GROUP

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😽

My wife used to read a lot of sci-fi & fantasy, and one time she mentioned an Anne McCaffrey story about these people who went to colonize another planet, where they’d chop down trees to use as lumber and firewood. However, it turned out the trees were the dominant sentient life-form in this world and soon brought the colonists to justice…

...or something like that. I could be remembering the story wrong. The point is it got me thinking how unnerving it would be if trees were indeed feeling, sentient beings. After everything humankind has subjected them to over the centuries, who’d blame them for going all Charles Bronson on us?

The documentary, The Hidden Life of Trees, suggests that very thing. Not that they’ll someday get even, but that trees have their own way of thinking, feeling, socializing, cooperative living and defending themselves. As suggested by forester Peter Wohlleben - on whose book the film is based - many of these facts and theories are interesting, even charming in how the voiceover narration personifies their behavior.

Gratuitous nudity.

However, much of the film is also about what we’re doing to them, inadvertently or otherwise. Not only that, Wohlleben insists even our efforts at reforestation are misguided, ultimately doing future generations of trees more harm than good. With our overall indifference to adopting the alternate methods he suggests, a sense of hopelessness permeates the film. And viewed in the context of trees as sentient creatures, the scenes of automated logging - performed by faceless robotic machines - flirt with being horrific. Talk about your chainsaw massacres!

It ain’t all doom and gloom, though. We meet the world’s oldest tree, which is nearly 10,000 years old. And when focusing on tree behavior - protecting each other, working cooperatively with other species, etc. - the film is pretty interesting, particularly the use of time-lapse photography. But with all due respect for Mr. Wohlleben and his noble efforts (no pun intended), he ain’t the most dynamic screen personality on Earth. The sequences where he’s giving presentations and guided tours are about as interesting as...well, watching trees grow.

Still, The Hidden Life of Trees is worthwhile and more visually interesting than one might think. It’s not always the most uplifting experience, which is perhaps part of the point. One thing is certain...you’ll think twice before indiscriminately trimming that big old spruce in your backyard.

You Gotta Try THE BEAST MUST DIE (1952)

THE BEAST MUST DIE (Blu-ray Review)

1952 / 104 min

FROM FLICKER ALLEY

Review by Mr. Paws😹

Not to be confused with the 1974 British horror film, The Beast Must Die is a crackling Argentinian crime thriller just waiting to be re-discovered by film noir fans.

But that’s not our initial impression. When sadistic, cold-blooded businessman Jorge Rattery (Guillermo Battaglia) claims he’s been poisoned just before dropping dead, we assume we’re in for a whodunit, especially since everyone in the room - except his mother - appears to have a good motive for murder. At first, the prime suspect is Felix Lane (Narciso Ibáñez Menta), a mystery writer whose diary reveals he was indeed planning to kill Jorge. But what are we to make of Jorge’s young stepson, seen hiding - and later destroying - the bottle containing the poison? 

It’s at this point the film turns into a tale of bitter revenge in the best noir tradition. The remaining narrative is presented in flashback. Felix’s son is killed in a hit & run and the police have no leads. So after a grieving period, Felix vows to find and kill the culprit on his own, a tall order since there are no witnesses. But eventually, he learns the passenger in the car is famous actress Linda Lawson (Laura Hidalgo) and insinuates himself into her life in hopes of learning the identity of the driver. When he finally does, Felix sets about earning Jorge’s trust, waiting for the opportunity to catch him off guard.

"The beast must...fly...cry...try? Damn, why is this so hard?"

By this time, the audience wants Jorge dead as badly as the rest of the cast. He really is a despicable bastard and especially abusive of his wife & stepson. Still, this is Felix’s story and we’re completely invested in his quest for revenge, made compelling by his patience and frequent diary entries (which were apparently a major part of the original novel). Menta plays the character perfectly, striking the right balance between level-headed stoicism and emotional vulnerability. And despite keeping Jorge’s dark secret for so long, Linda earns our sympathies since she’s also a victim of this lecherous monster’s abuse.

Though a few overwrought performances occasionally threaten to overwhelm certain scenes, The Beast Must Die is an overlooked gem. A great story, sharp direction and an antagonist we love to hate make this a must see. It’s been beautifully restored and Flicker Alley includes some nifty bonus features that provide important historical context. This is a film that definitely deserves to find a new audience, especially film noir lovers who think they’ve seen everything the genre has to offer.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTRODUCTION TO THE BEAST MUST DIE - TCM's film noir guru Eddie Muller offers some excellent background on this film.

INTERVIEW - A 30-minute conversation between historian Fernando Martin Peña and Daniel Viñoly, son of the film’s director, Roman Viñoly Barreto.

PROFILE OF ACTOR NARCISO IBANEZ MENTA - 4-minute appreciation by Fernando Martin Peña.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By autor Guido Segal.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Features an essay, “Legacy of the Beast,” by Eddie Muller, who discusses the original novel, its author and the film.

DVD COPY

THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIALS COLLECTION (SteelBook): A Holiday Binge-Fest

THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIALS COLLECTION (Blu-ray SteelBook Review)

1964-1970 / 205 min

FROM UNIVERSAL

Review by Carl, the Couch Potato😸

Since at least three of the classic Christmas specials featured in this set still air regularly during the holidays - numerous times - perhaps it’s difficult to develop any sense of fond nostalgia for them. On the other hand, unless you have kids, when was the last time you actually sat down to watch one? 

It ain’t like when we were little, with one shot at catching them each year, so we planned our schedules around the nights they aired. For us, gathering ‘round the giant living-room Magnavox to watch Rudolph, Frosty and Kris Kringle rang in the real start of the Christmas season...at least until we grew older and more jaded, leaving such childish trifles behind. But damn, if they didn’t continue to spark fond holiday memories, no matter how many years passed. 

So why not revisit them on your own time?

There’s something comforting about having five of Rankin/Bass’ holiday specials on disc, sort of a guarantee that they’ll never go away should networks do the unthinkable and retire them. Not only that, they’re uncut, commercial free and simply look better on Blu-ray. Additionally, the tactile pleasure of this cute, gift-worthy SteelBook is not unlike breaking out the old Dean Martin Christmas records every year, even though holiday tunes have been saturating the radio ever since Halloween ended.

Rudolph the Bad Breath Reindeer.

As for the content, Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town are the gems of the collection, but some might throw their hat in the ring for Frosty the Snowman. For the Debbie Downers, there’s The Little Drummer Boy, Rankin/Bass’ emotional scar-fest that ruined nearly as many childhoods as Bambi. Never airing as frequently as the others over the years, The Cricket on the Hearth is comparatively obscure and therefore not as nostalgically endearing. 

There’s also some interesting bonus material, mostly related to Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer, though a lengthy retrospective doc offers a nifty look at Rankin/Bass’ legacy. One minor quip would be that the set is spread out over four discs. Collectively running just under three-and-a-half hours, these specials could easily fit on two discs without any drop in audio/video quality. Other than that, this blast from the past is a fun, festive binge-a-thon...except for The Little Drummer Boy, of course. I still haven’t fully recovered from that one.

EXTRA KIBBLES

“THE ANIMAGIC WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS” - Easily the best of the bonus features, this is a nostalgic 45-minute appreciation of Rankin/Bass’ unique history, featuring interviews with many contemporary animators and directors. 

“RESTORING THE PUPPETS OF RUDOLPH” - Four minute featurette.

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER ATTRACTION FILM - The show was remade as a minute film to be used in a 4D attraction at various theme parks. Interesting, but not as charming as the original.

“REIMAGINING RUDOLPH IN 4D” - Making-of featurette about the above-mentioned film.

“T.E.A.M. RUDOLPH AND THE REINDEER GAMES” - Video storybook.

FROSTY THE SNOWMAN ORIGINAL PENCIL TEST

AUDIO COMMENTARIES - For Frosty the Snowman & Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.

DIGITAL COPIES

AN ANGEL FOR SATAN: Bodacious Barbara

AN ANGEL FOR SATAN (Blu-ray Review)

1966 / 93 min

FROM SEVERIN FILMS

Review by Mr. Paws😸

Ah, Barbara Steele, the Sophia Loren of Italian horror…

Sure, she’s done lots of other stuff - on both sides of the pond - but it’s the classic and not-so-classic spaghetti scarefests that made her cinema’s go-to goth gal. That’s arguably because Steele was always more than just a scream queen. She was a scream queen with class.

An Angel for Satan may not rank up there with Black Sunday, but it’s an enjoyable slab of gothic horror with the lovely Ms. Steele as its centerpiece. She gets to flex her acting skills in a role that requires her to adopt two distinct personalities within the same character. The first is Harriet, the young heir to the Montebruno estate who has returned home to claim her inheritance. She’s also the striking image of an ancestor whose image was immortalized by a statue. The second personality is Belinda, the vengeful spirit of that ancestor’s insanely jealous cousin (and who died trying to destroy the statue).

When the statue is fished from a nearby lake and hunky artist Roberto (Anthony Steffen) is hired by Count Montebruno (Claudio Gora) to restore it, “Belinda” apparently awakens within Harriet. She also has a huge chip on her shoulder, exacting revenge by seducing and manipulating a variety of vulnerable male characters, who end up committing several atrocities, often with fatal results. The superstitious townspeople think it's part of the statue’s curse and believe Harriet is a witch. Meanwhile, Roberto falls in love with Harriet, but is befuddled by her nasty behavior whenever “Belinda” shows up.

Deeply offended.

Stylish and atmospheric with just a touch of eroticism, An Angel for Satan is never particularly scary, but the story, setting and characters are engaging. Overall, the cast manages to overcome some amusingly clunky dialogue with decent performances. However, Steele owns the movie, commanding our attention whenever she’s on-screen. There’s always been a haunting - almost intimidating - aspect to her beauty (which is probably why she did so many horror films). But in addition to being easy on the eyes, she’s more than up to the challenge of playing what’s essentially two characters, sometimes within a single scene. It’s really a remarkable performance and the highlight of this film. 

An Angel for Satan is relatively obscure compared to Italy’s gothic classics of the ‘60s, but it’s very well made and certainly worth checking out for those who hold the likes of Mario Bava in high esteem. In addition to a nice 2K restoration by Severin Films (with a good smattering of bonus features), we get Barbara at her most bodacious.

EXTRA KIBBLES

“THE DEVIL STATUE” - This is mostly an interview with actor Vassili Karis, who repeatedly declares how much he hates horror. He actually comes off as kind of a jerk.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By actor Barbara Steele and horror historian David Del Ville; 2) By author Kat Ellinger.

“BARBARA & HER FURS” - Interesting short film from 1967, featuring Barbara Steele.

2 TRAILERS