DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1941): Spencer Does Jack

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (Blu-ray Review)

1941 / 113 min

FROM WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Review by Mr. Paws😽

Of the umpteen adaptations of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the 1931 version starring Fredric March remains definitive (and arguably the scariest). However, this one - which followed a decade later - isn’t without interest, though some of its entertainment value does come at its own expense.

I remember reading somewhere that Spencer Tracy wasn’t particularly happy with his turn as the titular character(s). The role was certainly atypical of those he usually played, which showcased his effortless, naturalistic style. Though one can convincingly argue Tracy is indeed miscast, he’s still the main reason the film is worth seeing. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde provides the rare opportunity to see Tracy chew up the scenery, a performance which at-times approaches campiness. Without question, he goes all-in here, especially after transforming into the monstrous Mr. Hyde (aided by impressive make-up for the time).

Ingrid meets The Penguin.

In some ways, Tracy’s performance can be compared to Jack Nicholson’s in The Shining…bold, manic and undeniably entertaining, yet so overwhelming that it overshadows every other aspect of the film. And like Nicholson, Tracy’s Jekyll sometimes appears on the verge of losing his shit even before Mr. Hyde rears his ugly head. Fun to watch? Absolutely, but we feel more jazzed by the performance than unnerved by the character’s transformation.

Elsewhere, Lana Turner (as fiance Bea Emery) is required to do little but look pretty, though Ingrid Bergman nicely plays against-type as Ivy Pearson, the morally-questionable object of Jekyll’s suppressed lust and Hyde’s abuse. The film is seldom suspenseful and sometimes chuckleworthy, but the tone is occasionally enhanced by impressive production design and an evocative score by Franz Waxman. Still, this version of Dr. Jekyll and My. Hyde is mostly the Spencer Tracy show, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s not often you get to see a guy like him crank things up to 11. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

TRAILER

THE POOP SCOOP: Upcoming Kibbles!

😺ANGEL HEART Steelbook arrives on 4K Ultra HD 7/12 FROM Lionsgate

Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Sir Alan Parker (Mississippi Burning), Angel Heart features two-time Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro (The Godfather: Part II, Raging Bull), Primetime Emmy nominee Lisa Bonet (TV’s “The Cosby Show,” High Fidelity, Enemy of the State), Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Sin City, The Expendables), and Oscar and Primetime Emmy nominee Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Swimming Pool, Melancholia). Angel Heart will be available on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook. Mickey Rourke is Harry Angel, a down-and-out Brooklyn detective who is hired by the mysterious Louis Cyphre (Oscar winner Robert De Niro) to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite on an odyssey that will take Angel through the desperate streets of Harlem, the smoke-filled jazz clubs of New Orleans, and the swamps of Louisiana and its seedy underworld of voodoo in this cult thriller that is at once eerily thrilling, darkly sensual, and completely unforgettable.

😺THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT Arrives on Digital 6/7 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD on 6/21 from Lionsgate

Celebrate the world’s hero and prodigal movie star Nicolas Cage when The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent arrives on Digital June 7 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand June 21 from Lionsgate. The adrenaline-fueled comedy stars Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, with Primetime Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris, and Primetime Emmy Award and GRAMMY Award winner Tiffany Haddish. In this wildly entertaining, action-packed comedy, Nicolas Cage plays…Nick Cage! Creatively unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, the fictionalized version of Cage accepts a million-dollar offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous superfan (Pedro Pascal). Things take an unexpected turn when Cage is recruited by a CIA operative (Tiffany Haddish) and he must use his legendary acting skills, channeling his most iconic and beloved characters to become a real-life action hero.

 

😺RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK arrives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Steelbook 6/14 from Paramount

The epic search for the perfect Father’s Day gift ends on June 14, 2022 when Raiders of the Lost Ark arrives in a Limited-Edition 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Entertainment. Relive all the edge-of-your-seat excitement in director Steven Spielberg’s cinematic classic starring Harrison Ford as legendary hero Indiana Jones.  Also starring Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, and Alfred Molina, Raiders of the Lost Ark continues to delight audiences of all ages with its thrilling, globe-trotting adventure. Available individually on 4K Ultra HD for the first time, the Raiders of the Lost Ark SteelBook is the first of four planned limited-edition releases of each Indiana Jones movie.  Fans of the franchise can look forward to collecting Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on July 12, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on August 16, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on September 20. With exclusive packaging celebrating the iconic original theatrical artwork, these collectible releases are sure to be a hit with fans.  The films are presented in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision and HDR-10 for ultra-vivid picture quality and state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos audio. Each SteelBook also includes access to a digital copy of the corresponding movie, as well as a mini-poster reproduction.

 

😺BOOMERANG Debuts on Blu-ray 6/28 from Paramount

Still beloved 30 years after its original release, BOOMERANG arrives for the first time ever on Blu-ray June 28, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Eddie Murphy’s portrayal of hotshot advertising executive Marcus Graham made BOOMERANG a hit when it was first released in theaters on July 1, 1992.  Featuring an all-star cast that includes Robin Givens, Halle Berry, David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Grace Jones, Geoffrey Holder, and Eartha Kitt, Chris Rock, John Witherspoon, Tisha Campbell, and Melvin Van Peebles, this celebrated comedy was ahead of its time in playfully challenging stereotypes. The movie’s hit soundtrack, featuring Babyface, Toni Braxton, and Boyz II Men, topped the Billboard charts and earned triple platinum status.

 

😺THE CONTRACTOR arrives on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD 6/7 from Paramount

Chris Pine stars in the action-packed thriller as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper, who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut-off from his pension. In debt, out of options and desperate to provide for his family, Harper contracts with a private underground military force. When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself hunted and on the run, caught in a dangerous conspiracy and fighting to stay alive long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him. Also starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs and Eddie Marsan.

OUTSIDE THE LAW: A Fight for Freedom Wrapped in a Gangster Film

OUTSIDE THE LAW (Blu-ray Review)

2010 / 139 min

FROM COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😺

Who doesn’t love a compelling gangster epic?

Outside the Law isn’t technically a gangster film, but it sure as hell plays like one, with a tone, aesthetic and narrative structure not unlike The Godfather (or more accurately, The Godfather, Part II). In fact, if watched with the sound off, one could easily assume it's depicting the rise of an organized crime family rather than Algerian freedom fighters.

In post-WWII Algeria, Said (Janel Debbouze), Messaoud (Roschdy Zem) and Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila) are three close-knit brothers whose lives get thrown into turmoil due to French occupation of the country. After their father’s murder (gunned down in the streets by French soldiers), Said flees to France with his mother, hoping to start a new life. Messaoud has-since joined the military and gets wounded fighting in Indochina. Abdelkader is sentenced to eight years in prison as part of the FLN (National Liberation Front), the group fighting for Algerian independence. 

When Abdelkader is released, he wastes little time forming an FLN resistance movement in France itself, recruiting Messaoud. As they make plans, gather loyalists and raise capital for their cause - often illegally - Said refuses to join the movement, having carved a niche as a pimp, nightclub owner and boxing promoter.

Dishpan hands.

Eventually, however, the rapidly growing organization operates more like the mafia, killing those who betray them. Abdelkader, in particular, becomes so single-minded in the cause that his ruthlessness resembles Michael Corleone’s. At one point, he even floats the idea of killing Said for being a traitor. Meanwhile, the French police - aware of the FLM’s presence - begin hunting for Abdelkader, killing some loyalists in the process. The FLM escalates the conflict by striking back violently, using what some would consider terrorist tactics.

The film garnered some controversy in France. Considering this is a French-Algerian co-production, it certainly paints the former in a negative light, depicting the police as cruel and vicious, almost sadistic. Politics aside, though, Outside the Law is an intense, gripping film when focused on the three brothers. Each changes considerably during the decade-or-so that the story takes place, not always for the better. We initially sympathize with them, but as the conflict escalates, what’s left Abdelkader’s humanity succumbs to his cause, while the constant killing - sometimes of innocent people - begins to weigh heavily on Messaoud (though that doesn’t stop him). Ironically, it’s Said - a criminal before all of this even started - who ends up as the most conflicted, thus earning most of the viewer’s empathy.

Almost epic in scope, Outside the Law is - at its heart - a gangster saga chronicling the rise of a powerful family. Sweeping, violent and ultimately tragic, the only major difference is that a nation’s independence is at stake. Running nearly two-and-a-half hours, things could have been trimmed up a bit (the scenes involving the mother and Messaoud’s new family are a little meandering). But for the most part, this is a terrific film with a compelling story, dynamic characters and solid performances.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE - With interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

CAST INTERVIEWS

INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR RACHID BOUCHAREB

DELETED SCENES

TRAILER

GIRLS NITE OUT and the Undemanding '80s

GIRLS NITE OUT (aka The Scaremaker) (Blu-ray Review)

1982 / 97 min

FROM ARROW VIDEO

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

In the ‘80s, the easiest way to break into the movie business was to make a slasher film. Not only was there a huge demand in the wake of Friday the 13th and Halloween, they were cheap to make and easy to market. You didn’t need a big star or unique concept…just plenty of slicing & dicing, mostly of young people (the genre’s primary audience).

But for every Prom Night or My Bloody Valentine, there are films like Girls Nite Out, a barely released obscurity that never had a chance to earn a cult following. Not that it deserves one, mind you. Laughably derivative, there’s almost nothing to differentiate this one from countless other low budget slashers cranked out by would-be mini-moguls driven more by the prospect of profit than creativity (in this case, a couple of lawyers hoping to get a slice of the pie).

Still, Girls Nite Out is not without a bit of historic interest. It is so indicative of second-tier ‘80s slasher flicks that one gets a good feel for what was typically spoon-fed to undemanding teenagers at drive-ins and multiplexes (as well as filling the horror sections of video stores). In a way, the review you’re currently reading could apply to dozens of other cheap slasher films. On the other hand, those films don’t have Hal Holbrook showing up for a few days’ work and, according to the essay in this disc’s supplemental booklet, claiming the script was better than the one he read for The Fog.

There’s also cult heroine Rutanya Alda and hubby Richard Bright (Pacino’s right-hand man in The Godfather). But none of these familiar faces pop up that often. The main characters are a bunch of college kids - and I mean a bunch - lining up for slaughter by a guy in a bear suit. Typically, most of the victims are women, who are repeatedly called ‘bitch’ and ‘whore’ as they’re attacked (misogyny was an accusation often leveled at these films, an argument Girls Nite Out certainly can’t refute). None of the male characters serve any real purpose. They are either hunky douchebags, cringy comic relief or Holbrook earning a paycheck, but at no time do any of them significantly participate in the story. 

"Is that a salmon in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"

There is one unique element that may or may not have had an influence on horror films to come. The killer’s weapon of choice is a row of steak knives extending from one of the costume’s paws. Did this later inspire Wes Craven to endow his own Freddy Krueger with similar appendages? Okay, that’s probably a stretch, but the fact remains that Girls Nite Out did it first…and pretty effectively, I might add.

Elsewhere, the film takes a looong time to get going, the first half introducing so many characters that we have a difficult time keeping track of who’s who. The “wild” college party, in particular, is embarrassingly bad. Not only do the actors look too old for their roles, the characters are terribly written, as if penned by a middle-aged man who thinks he knows how young adults behave, but is ultimately clueless. But those aspects are also typical of most slasher films from the era.

One could compare Girls Nite Out and its ilk to the low-budget oaters of the ‘50s, prolifically cranked out to placate the demand for westerns. Not the content, obviously, but the rationale behind this and countless other slasher films. For Blu-ray, Arrow Video does its best to restore this one, though a pre-title card informs us that “no pre-print materials could be located,” which essentially means that some of the images are worn beyond repair. However, Arrow compensates with some terrific interviews featuring some of the primary cast. Their enthusiastic recollections and anecdotes are easily the best reason to check-out the disc, especially since most of them have no illusions over the quality of the finished product, but certainly had a good time making it.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - The best of the bonus features, these lengthy interviews with various cast members are wonderfully entertaining: “Staying Alive” (actor Julia Montgomery)”; “A Savage Mauling” (actor Laura Summer); “Along in the Dark” (actor Lois Robbins); “It Was a Party!” (actor Paul Christie); “Love & Death” (actors Lauren-Marie Taylor & John Didrichsen, who met while auditioning and got married after filming wrapped).

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By authors Justin Kerswell and Amanda Reyes.

ALTERNATE TITLE CARD - When it was released as The Scaremaker.

TRAILERS

REVERSIBLE COVER - Featuring new and original artwork.

LIBERTY VALANCE Gets Shot in 4K

THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (4K UHD Review)

1962 / 123 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Including The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in the ongoing Paramount Presents series (#31, for those keeping count) is a no-brainer. Not only a big hit, it’s arguably the last great film directed by the legendary John Ford and pairs two Hollywood legends for the first time.

This release is also noteworthy for being the first Paramount Presents 4K UHD offering (along with a Blu-ray version). As such, the film looks and sounds good, though to be honest, I didn’t notice a huge difference between the Blu-ray and 4K discs. The overall image of the Blu-ray might even be more consistent. Still, both are an improvement over previous releases.

As for the film itself, I’m gonna commit potential blasphemy by saying The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has always been a bit overpraised. That’s not to say the film isn’t terrific entertainment. Anchored by one of the more compelling stories Ford has ever worked with, it’s loaded with great moments, from Lee Marvin’s ferocious performance as the hateful sadistic titular villain to the complex vulnerability Stewart instills in Ransom Stoddard, subjected to the brunt of Valance’s reign of terror until their classic stand-off. 

"Dine 'n' Dash? Who me?"

Somewhat deliberately paced, Ford methodically builds tension through the first two acts, raising the stakes with each conflict between Valance and Stoddard. However, sometimes the movie gets a little pokey, particularly when veering off to focus on secondary characters, some of which are too broadly rendered to invest in. That includes John Wayne as Tom Doniphon, who’s almost too stoic to be believable, even while trying to woo love-interest Hallie (Vera Miles). And let’s face it, as actors go, Wayne was never in the same class as Stewart, which is glaringly obvious when they share the screen.

Finally, the story goes on way longer than it needs to. Without providing spoilers, the primary conflict is resolved a full 20 minutes before the credits roll, then ties-up loose ends with a meandering coda. Granted, it’s to set-up a major plot revelation, but that could’ve been accomplished more concisely. In fact, a single shot recounting what really happened during the climactic gunfight might have had more dramatic impact, as opposed to Tom taking Ransom - and the viewer - aside to explain it all.

But that’s just me. For the most part, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance remains an entertaining late-career milestone for both Stewart and Wayne, while Ford reminds us he didn’t need color, big sets or the “wide open spaces” to put together a dark, compelling western (for budgetary reasons, it was filmed entirely on soundstages). This 2-disc set also includes more extensive bonus features than the usual Paramount Presents release, as well as outstanding packaging.

EXTRA KIBBLES

“THE SIZE OF LEGENDS: THE SOUL OF MYTH” - An excellent multi-chapter documentary.

“FILMMAKER FOCUS” - A regular feature in the Paramount Presents series, critic/historian Leonard Maltin discusses the film.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - Mostly by director Peter Bogdanovich, but also features archival comments by director John Ford and actor James Stewart.

SELECTED SCENE COMMENTARY - Intro by Dan Ford. Features archival interviews with director John Ford, actors James Stewart & Lee Marvin.

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

TRAILER

INFINITE (4K): A Reincarnated Rehash

INFINITE (4K UHD Review)

2021 / 106 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

Right off the bat, Infinite makes the near fatal narrative mistake of laying-out the entire premise during Mark Wahlberg’s introductory voiceover. 

That premise: There are hundreds of repeatedly-reincarnated people on Earth called Infinites, who fully remember all of their past lives, retaining their growing set of skills from one life to another. One group of them, the Believers, are sort of like guardians who use their abilities to try and improve the world. Conversely, the Nihilists - sick of living forever - are hellbent on destroying all life, thus ending their torment. 

However, Evan McCauley (Wahlberg) has mental issues which keep him from remembering anything, so he wonders why he’s such a skilled fighter and swordsman. Because of the opening exposition, the audience is already 100% certain he’s not-only a Believer, but a huge part of the film will likely focus on Evan discovering who he really is. In the meantime, he’s pursued by Bathurst (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a former friend from a previous life who’s now a Nihilist. Evan is rescued by a group of Believers who hope to jog his memory because it turns out he was once known as Treadway, who hid a device called the Egg, containing a virus that’ll wipe out all life on Earth. Needless to say, both sides want to retrieve the Egg for different reasons.

"Uh...what?"

Had the viewer been allowed to discover what’s going on right-along with Evan, Infinite would have at least held a surprise or two. Instead, we simply watch the premise play itself out, with a lot of Matrix-style flash and action that might have been impressive 20 years ago, but is now perfunctory. Storywise, the hunt for the Egg isn’t all that interesting, nor are the people seeking it, most of whom are also similar to characters from The Matrix. As the film’s “Neo,” Wahlberg pretty much plays the same guy he always does…Mark Wahlberg, which ain’t necessarily a bad thing since he’s always been a reliable action hero. Ejiofor, on the other hand, is wasted as your standard-issue manic bad guy bent on destroying the world.

Breathlessly paced, Infinite features plenty of chases, fighting, gunplay and destruction, all presented with slick professionalism. But we’ve seen it all before, and because it spoon-feeds the entire premise almost immediately, there aren’t any real narrative surprises. That might make it a passable time-killer on Paramount+ (where Infinite first premiered), but I can’t imagine anyone ever being compelled to visit this forgettable film a second time.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “They Call Themselves Infinites” (features behind-the-scenes footage and interviews); “The Kinetic Action of Infinite” (mostly focuses on the opening scene); “Anatomy of a Scene- Police Station & Forest”; “Infinite Time” (SFX featurette).

DIGITAL COPY

The SOUTHGATE QUAD CINEMA

Since no full photo of the Southgate seems to exist, this is a rendering by the author as he remembers it from the mid-to-late 1970s.

A Recollection (and artist’s rendering) by D.M. ANDERSON🎬

The Southgate Quad Cinema opened in Milwaukie, Oregon in 1973. Boxy, puke colored and located off an expressway in the middle of an industrial area, it wasn't much to look at. But since it was mere minutes from my house (10 by car, 30 by bike), the Southgate is where I saw many of the films I grew up with (and remain personal favorites), including The Towering Inferno, Jaws, The Omen, Three Days of the Condor, Sorcerer, Black Sunday, Prophecy, The Gumball Rally, countless B-movies and the re-release of Star Wars.

My last visit was to see Star Trek: Insurrection in 1998. By then, the Southgate was weathered, run-down and archaic compared to the multiplexes that had sprung up all over town. It finally closed for good a few years later and was unceremoniously demolished shortly after…another childhood haunt now gone and forgotten. Except by me, of course. The Southgate was where I went on my first-ever date, mastered the art of theater-hopping and made movies a major part of my life. Theaters these days are bigger, louder and more comfortable, but sometimes I still miss that old place.

A magazine feature about the Southgate Quad Cinema, shortly after it first opened.

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW 2: Better Late Than Never?

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW 2 (Blu-ray Review)

2022 / 85 min

FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

For those unaware - like yours truly - Dark Night of the Scarecrow was a made-for-TV horror film that premiered on CBS in 1981. It had a fairly impressive cast as these things go, including Charles Durning, Larry Drake, Jocelyn Brando and Lane Smith. Though I've yet to see it - nor do I feel particularly compelled to - the film apparently developed something of a cult following over the years.

Four decades later, we’re getting a sequel (better late than never, I guess). The cast features no one you’ve likely heard of, but the original’s creator (J.D. Feigelson) is back, this time multitasking as director, writer and producer. Not quite a stand-alone story, he at-least makes certain Dark Night of the Scarecrow 2 still works on its own, only briefly alluding to the original film to explain how and why the titular creature exists.

Available for parties.

In this one, the scarecrow begins killing a variety of unsavory types, mostly those who pose a threat to Chris Rhymer (Amber Wedding) and her sullen son, Jeremy (Aiden Shurr), who’ve moved to a small town under the witness protection program to avoid the wrath of a mob boss. This means, of course, that the scarecrow is the hero of the film…and oddly endearing. In fact, whenever he puts on his ‘angry eyes,’ he’s actually kinda cute.

That’s probably not what horror lovers want to hear, but despite a lack of any real scares, the film isn’t without interest. While the performances are nothing to write home about, the story ain’t bad and it moves along briskly, featuring a couple of creatively shot - though fairly bloodless - death scenes. Considering the obviously limited budget, Dark Night of the Scarecrow 2 is pretty well assembled and, with a brief running time, doesn’t wear out its welcome. However, I suspect some fans of the first film might feel this (very) belated sequel was hardly worth the effort after so many years.

EXTRA KIBBLES

TRAILERS - For various VCI horror titles, including this one and the original (which actually sums up the film quite nicely, a plus for newbies).