DAY OF THE DEAD: BLOODLINE (2017) (Blu-ray Review)

DAY OF THE DEAD: BLOODLINE (2017) 

Label: Lionsgate

Region Code: A

Rating: R

Duration: 91 Minutes 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA Surround 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1)

Director: Hèctor Hernández Vicens          

Cast: Johnathon Schaech, Sophie Skelton, Jeff Gum, Marcus Canco

Synopsis: Fear goes viral in this terrifying retelling of George A. Romero’s zombie horror classic. Five years after an epidemic nearly wiped out the world’s population, Dr. Zoe Parker lives in an underground bunker among a small group of military personnel and survivalists, working on a cure while fighting armies of the undead. When a dangerous patient from Zoe’s past infiltrates the bunker, he just might hold the key to saving humanity . . . or ending it.

To my knowledge this is the third sequel/reboot version of the George A. Romero classic, first we had Day of the Dead 2: Contagion (2005), a sequel of sorts I remember nothing about whatsoever, and the more memorable (but by no means better) Day of the Dead (2008) directed by Steve Miner (Friday the 13th Part II), a truly disastrous cash-in that took a foul dump on Romero's original, having nothing to do with it. This re-imagining comes to us from the same producing team who brought us the 2008 cash-in, a movie featuring vomit-spewing and gravity defying ceiling crawling undead, and while this one in my opinion is an easier watch than the 2008 film it does also feature some minor zombie vomit-spew, but at least has some faint echoes of Romero's original, but it's still a pale imitation that's poorly executed. 

The film opens amidst a frenzied outbreak of the undead on the city streets, flesh is being torn, there's a mix of practical gore and ill-advised digital blood spatter, just a few minutes into it we are then moved four hours back in time, to a hospital to learn how the outbreak started. It's a jarring and pointless time shift to a hospital where med student Zoe (Sophie Skelton) is found diagnosing the cause of death of a cadaver. While on her rounds she must treat a creeper-patient named Max (Johnathon Schaech) who has an unhealthy obsession with the attractive med student, leering at her like a tom cat on the prowl, making suggestive comments and revealing to her how he's carved her name into his forearm. He's tolerated because he has some rare form of antibody coursing through his veins, something that proves to be of note later in the film. Afterward Zoe attends an office party where she is attacked by Max who tries to rape her in the morgue, but he's stopped when a re-animated cadaver takes a bit out of him, in the ensuing chaos most of the hospital staff are attacked and infected and Zoe somehow manages to escape. Now the movies flashes forward five years, Zoe is now part of a team of survivors comprised of scientists like herself and soldiers, from his point the film sort of falls into the familiar Romero framework as the scientist and soldiers are at odds with each other. When med supplies run low at the compound Zoe organizes a trip back to the hospital she originated from to gather much needed medical supplies. There she encounters the semi-undead Max, who for some reason has stayed at the same hospital for five years waiting for hos obsession's return!?! Apparently his the antibodies in his blood have allowed him o remain semi-sentient - he's not a total brain-dead zombies, but he's still a pervy creeper with eye for Zoe.

The supply party comes under attack and in the chaos to escape Max hitches a ride under one of the Humvees Cape Fear-style back to the compound, unnoticed he makes his way inside the military base where he proceeds to infiltrate the A/C duct work, waiting for his moment to pounce on poor Zoe. Max is clearly this film's version of Bud from the original film, a rape-y zombies creep who's weirdness carries over to infected version, the whole rape-y zombie thing is the oddest part of the film in my opinion, though I will say that I think Schaech's performance as Maz is arguably the sole highlight of the whole film. While I didn't care for the pervy aspect of his character I did like his physical performance and the make-up effects, at one point he flashes a strange joker grin that I thought was pretty cool.

For her part Skelton as Zoe is supposed to be the Dr. Sarah Bowman analog to the original, but I found her performance weak, and she's not alone, everyone here with the exception of Schaech, come across real weak. As far as character analog's go we also have Marcus Canco as Zoe's love interest Baca who is clearly modelled after the original's Miguel, though he doesn't suffer from shell-shock of the Romero character, and in place of Joe Pilato's Capt. Rhodes we have 

Miguel (Jeff Gum), again a pale imitation with none of the charisma and maniacal threat of Romero's character. Notably missing is any sort of Dr. "Frankestein" and his gruesome experiments on the undead,  one of the highlights of the original film, the character has been sort of folded into the Zoe character, but there's no real series of grotesque lab experiments, just a lot of scene of Max chained to a wall that recall the original film, but I just cannot say enough how this is a warmed over and anemic retread of the original - this film is DOA. 

The special effects are decent at times but uneven, there's some great practical gore, flesh being torn from the living by the undead, but there's also an over abundance of digital blood splatter - a lot of it, and while I can forgive this in small doses it's way overused here - this is a Romero remake, it deserves the real-deal special effects, the original featured some amazing work from Tom Savini, they should have at least gone all-out for the real gore. 

     

Audio/Video: Day of the Dead: Bloodline (2017) arrives on Blu-ray from Lionsgate in 1080p HD framed in 2.35:1 widescreen, it looks quite good, it's a modern digital production and doesn't suffer from any sort of transfer-deficit. The English DTS-HD MA surround 5.1 audio mix us fine, not overly active in the surrounds, but everything is crisp and well-mixed, the score from composer Frederik Wiedmann (The Hills Run Red) coming through strong, optional English subtitles are included.

Extras on the disc include a making of featurette and a Ulatraviolet/Vudu digital copy of the film. This single-disc release comes housed in a standard Blu-ray keepcase with an o-card (slipcover) featuring the same artwork, the disc itself featuring another image of Max the zombie alongside some other undead, it's really a shame that the film doesn't live up to the artwork - the key art for this one is simple but creepy and atmospheric. 

Special Features: 

-“Day of the Dead: Bloodline: Reviving Horror” Featurette

I'm not opposed to re-imaginings of beloved films, Romero's movies in particular have three very good remakes, his seminal infected film The Crazies has a great remake I would argue usurps the original, and Tom Savini (with a Romero script) did justice to the 90's update of Night of the Living Dead. I'm not even opposed to a drastically altered remake, Zach Snyder's Dawn of the Dead is a in-name-only remake, but I love it, even though they went for fast-moving zombies. I prefer the shambling variety of the undead, I just think them creepier to their running counterparts, but I'll go along with fast-moving undead and the infected from time to time - it's not a deal breaker. However, Day of the Dead: Bloodline is ill-advised and poorly executed cash-in, this is not a recommend, but maybe it's worth a watch once it comes to Netflix and Amazon Prime for the morbidly curious.

BLUE COLLAR (1978) (Indicator Blu-ray Review)

BLUE COLLAR (1978)
Limited Blu-ray Edition (UK Blu-ray premiere)

Label: Indicator

Region Code: Region-B Locked 

Rating: 18

Duration: 114 Minutes 

Audio: English LPCM Mono 1.0 with Optional English Subtitles

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: Paul Schrader

Cast: Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, Ed Begley Jr., Harry Bellaver, George Memmoli 

Blue Collar (1978) is the directorial debut of screenwriter Paul Schrader (Hardcore, Taxi Driver), a suitably cynical factory union, working-man story of three Detroit auto workers employed at a car factory working on the assembly line in various capacities, they put in a grueling day of labor at the plant but each man struggles to make ends meet at home. The trio are made up of two black characters; Zeke Brown (Richard Pryor, See No Evil, Hear No Evil) and Smokey James (Yaphet Kotto, Alien) and a white Polish guy Jerry Bartowski (Harvey Keitel, Two Evil Eyes), all of whom owe money to various people. Jerry cannot afford his daughter's much needed braces despite having a second job pumping gas, Zeke owes money to the IRS and Smokey is an ex-com in deep with a loan shark. One night while partying with whores and doing lines of coke the trio come up with a plan to rob the factory's union, who they've been unhappy with for quite a while. Pryor's character is particularly venomous about the union, at one union gathering he declares "plant is short for plantation!", which doesn't win him any favors with the union's crooked rep, played by Lane Smith (Dark Night of the Scarecrow).

The burglary doesn't score much cash but Pryor's character Zeke snags a ledger containing all the dirty secrets of the union, they're even more crooked than they knew!  While Zeke attempts to leverage the ledger for a better lot at the plant he puts himself and his buddies in a lot of danger, as the union is tied into the mob and things don't quite go as planned, causing the group's loyalties to drift, even when one of them is killed in a staged "workplace accident", a brutal suffocation scene inside a paint room.

The movie is a true slice of working class cinema, the Detroit factory scenes are gritty and sweaty, the characters are honest and wear there colors on their sleeves, and the film which starts as a bit of a factory comedy of sorts, including a fun forklift attack on a thieving beverage machine, turns dark and very cynical, especially when the close knit group's loyalties are tested and betrayed, with the corporate bosses pitting the men against each other. The film has a real downer ending as two friends devolve into racism and hatred for one another, finding themselves venomously divided by the opposing sides of the American dream.
 
Audio/Video: Blue Collar arrives on region-B locked  Blu-ray from Indicator in 1080p HD widescreen (1.85:1) looking great, there's a nice natural layer of film grain, the image is nicely sharp without artificial sharpening and colors look accurate, Indicator have yet to fail me with their Blu-ray transfers. Likewise the audio is solid, the LPCM Mono handles dialogue, effects and the Jack Nietzsche score very nicely, in addition to soundtrack cuts from Lynyrd Skynyrd, the awesome Howlin' Wolf, and Ike and Tina Turner, optional English subtitles are provided. 

Extras include an audio commentary from writer-director Paul Schrader and author Maitland McDonagh, plus a 1982 BFI Masterclass with director Paul Schrader which can be played like an audio commentary along with the film.  We also get an archival interview with Schrader, in both the original 21-minute broadcast version with an introduction, and the longer 58-minute version with a newly recorded introduction by Tony Rayns. Next up, an appreciation by Director/Actor Keith Gordon (John Carpenter's Christine), a Trailer's from Hell commentary by Josh Olson, the theatrical trailer, plus an image gallery. Retail versions (this was a check disc only version sent for review from Indicator) will include a 40-page booklet with a new essay by Brad Stevens, archival interviews with director Paul Schrader, and film credits, which I believe is only included in the initial limited edition run of 3000 copies.     

Special Features:
- Audio commentary with writer-director Paul Schrader and author Maitland McDonagh
- Paul Schrader BFI Masterclass (1982, 106 mins): the filmmaker presents a fascinating summary of the many issues and ideas he explores in his screenwriting class, recorded at the National Film Theatre, London
- 'Visions’: Interview with Paul Schrader (1982): archival interview, presented in two versions – the broadcast cut with its original Tony Rayns introduction (21 mins), and the complete interview rushes with a newly recorded introduction by Tony Rayns (58 mins)
- Keith Gordon on ‘Blue Collar’ (2018, 12 mins): a new filmed appreciation by
the filmmaker and actor
- Trailers' From Hell Trailer Commentary with Josh Olson (3 min)
- Original theatrical trailer
- Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
- New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Limited edition exclusive 40-page booklet with a new essay by Brad Stevens, archival interviews with director Paul Schrader, and film credits
- UK premiere on Blu-ray
- Limited Edition of 3,000 copies

This was a first time watch for me, like all of the January titles from Indicator, and it's a keeper, a real hidden gem of working-class cinema! Blue Collar certainly gets under the skin of the blue collar workers of the film, picking away at what makes them tick, their frustrations, and how they are manipulated by the corporate big wigs, eventually turning on each other revealing their own prejudices in the process, it's a powerful film, and one that is particularly resonant and poignant in the current socio-political climate, sadly. We have such a great cast here, the film anchored by the talents of Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, and Yaphet Kotto, all are great, but Pryor's performance was the most surprising, a rare dramatic performance and is a career highlight that needs more recognition, definitely an under seen slice of Americana. 

Ted Geoghegan's MOHAWK Trailer and Poster Debut!

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF WE ARE STILL HERE COMES

MOHAWK
2017, 92 minutes, color

Coming to select theaters March 2nd, 2018
Also on VOD / HD Digital

Starring Kaniehtiio Horn (Hemlock Grove), Justin Rain (Fear the Walking Dead), and Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks: The Return) along with Noah Segan (Looper), Jonathan Huber (WWE Superstar Luke Harper), Robert Longstreet (I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore), and Sheri Foster (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

www.mohawkmovie.com 

OFFICIAL TRAILER DEBUT 

After its hit festival run, Dark Sky Films is proud to announce the theatrical release of Ted Geoghegan's MOHAWK on March 2, with a simultaneous VOD and HD Digital release. MOHAWK is a no-holds-barred action-thriller marking the second team-up between writer-director Ted Geoghegan, producer Travis Stevens, cinematographer Karim Hussain and Dark Sky Films after their award-winning 2015 horror hit, We Are Still Here.

After one of her tribe sets an American camp ablaze, a young Mohawk warrior finds herself pursued by a contingent of military renegades set on revenge. Fleeing deep into the woods they call home, Oak and Calvin, along with their British companion Joshua, must now fight back against the bloodthirsty Colonel Holt and his soldiers - using every resource both real and supernatural that the winding forest can offer.

Praised as "gripping" and "a wild ride" by Indiewire, and "realistic and very personal" by The Hollywood Reporter, MOHAWK unfolds over the course of one bloody day during The War of 1812. Birth. Movies. Death. Says, "[Mohawk] does a fine job of reminding us that sometimes the truest horror is that of our own history." and RogerEbert.com called the film "A searing genre hybrid."

MOHAWK stars Kaniehtiio Horn (Hemlock Grove), Justin Rain (Fear the Walking Dead), and Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks: The Return) along with Ezra Buzzington (Justified, The Middle), and including Ian Colletti ("Arseface" from AMC's Preacher) and Jonathan Huber, WWE Superstar Luke Harper making his big screen debut.

Produced by Dark Sky Films, the producers and distributors of We Are Still Here as well as House of the Devil, Stake Land, Hatchet 2 + 3, and many more, and Snowfort Pictures (Cheap Thrills, We Are Still Here, Starry Eyes) this is The Last of the Mohicans meets The Last House on the Left.

Director: Ted Geoghegan
Producers: Travis Stevens and Greg Newman
Writers: Ted Geoghegan and Grady Hendrix
Starring: Kaniehtiio Horn (Hemlock Grove), Ezra Buzzington (Justified, The Middle), Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks: The Return), Justin Rain (Fear the Walking Dead), Ian Colletti ("Arseface" from AMC's Preacher), Noah Segan (Looper), Jonathan Huber (WWE Superstar Luke Harper), Robert Longstreet (I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore), and Sheri Foster (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

MOHAWK will play theatrical engagements at the following theaters:
Nitehawk Cinema, Brooklyn, NY
Laemmle Music Hall, Los Angeles, CA
The Palace Theater, Syracuse, NY
Alamo Drafthouse Omaha, Omaha, NE
Capitol Theater, Cleveland, OH
Charlotte Film Society, Charlotte, NC
PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA
Gateway, Columbus, OH
Coolidge Corner, Boston, MA

@darkskyfilms
www.darkskyfilms.com
www.mohawkmovie.com

Steven Soderbergh's UNSANE Official Trailer and Poster

Fingerprint Releasing and Bleecker Street will release Steven Soderbergh's psychological thriller UNSANE in theaters nationwide March 23rd, 2018 Directed by Steven Soderbergh Written by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer Starring Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharoah, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins, and Amy Irving A young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution where she is confronted by her greatest fear--but is it real or is it a product of her delusion? Rated R  Genre: Thriller

Synapse Films to release their 4K restoration of Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA (1977) on single and 2-disc non-Steelbook editions on March 13th

Jessica Harper (PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, PENNIES FROM HEAVEN) stars in this horrific tale of a young student who uncovers dark and horrific secrets within the walls of a famous German dance academy.

Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA comes to home video from Synapse Films in an exclusive new 4K restoration from the original uncut, uncensored 35mm Italian camera negative with the original 4.0 English surround sound mix, for the first time EVER! Painstakingly restored over the past three years, Synapse Films has created the ultimate special edition of this horror classic with the supervision and approval of the film's Director of Photography, Luciano Tovoli. 

SUSPIRIA (1977)

2-Disc Special Edition

Label: Synapse Films
Release Date: March 13th 2018
Duration: 98 minutes
Region Code: A

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1)

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 4.0 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Jessica Harper, Joan Bennett, Alida Valli, Udo Kier, Barbara Magnolfi, Stefania Casini

Special Features:
- A new 4K restoration of the original uncut, uncensored Italian 35mm camera negative exclusively done by Synapse Films, with color correction supervised and approved by SUSPIRIA Director of Photography, Luciano Tovoli.
- Original 4.0 1977 English language LCRS sound mix not heard since the theatrical release in 1977, presented in high-resolution DTS-HD MA 96kHz/24-bit audio, with newly-translated removable English SDH subtitles.
- Italian 5.1 surround mix, with removable English subtitle translation.
- Two audio commentaries by authors and Argento scholars, Derek Botelho, David Del Valle and Troy Howarth
- Do You Know Anything About Witches? - 30 minute SUSPIRIA visual essay written, edited and narrated by Michael Mackenzie.
- Suzy in Nazi Germany - Featurette on the German locations from SUSPIRIA.
- A Sigh from the Depths: 40 Years of SUSPIRIA - All-new anniversary retrospective on the making of the film and its influence on cinema.
- Olga's Story - Interview with star Barbara Magnolfi.
- Original theatrical trailers, TV spots and radio spots.
- "International Classics" English "Breathing Letters" opening credit sequence from U.S. release.
- Alternate All-English opening and closing credits sequences, playable via seamless branching.
- Reversible Cover Art created by Joel Robinson.

SUSPIRIA (1977)
Single-Disc Blu-ray Version 

Label: Synapse Films
Release Date: March 13th 2018
Duration: 98 minutes
Region Code: A

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1)

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 4.0 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Jessica Harper, Joan Bennett, Alida Valli, Udo Kier, Barbara Magnolfi, Stefania Casini

Special Features:
- A new 4K restoration of the original uncut, uncensored Italian 35mm camera negative exclusively done by Synapse Films, with color correction supervised and approved by SUSPIRIA Director of Photography, Luciano Tovoli.
- Original 4.0 1977 English language LCRS sound mix not heard since the theatrical release in 1977, presented in high-resolution DTS-HD MA 96kHz/24-bit audio, with newly-translated removable English SDH subtitles.
- Italian 5.1 surround mix, with removable English subtitle translation.
- Two audio commentaries by authors and Argento scholars, Derek Botelho, David Del Valle and Troy Howarth.
- Alternate All-English opening and closing credits sequences, playable via seamless branching.

Synapse Films to release 'Path of Blood' (2016) an Animated Love Letter to the Gory Japanese Samurai Films on March 13th 2018

PATH OF BLOOD (2016)

Label: Synapse Films

Region Code: Region-FREE

Duration: 62 Minutes
Release Date: March 13th, 2018
Audio: DTS-HD MA Japanese 2.0 Stereo
Video: 1080p [HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Director: Eric Power
Starring: The voice talents of Kenji Kiuchi, Yoshi Okai, Shinya Wakao and Leo Shue Schuster

Synopsis
AN INCREDIBLE D.I.Y. ANIMATED SAMURAI EPIC SLICES ITS WAY ONTO BLU-RAY FROM SYNAPSE FILMS!

One of the most inspired (and inspiring) works of animation in recent memory, PATH OF BLOOD is a blood-spraying, sword-clanging, mind-blowing samurai epic made entirely inside the confines of one man’s kitchen. A testament to the power of personal artistic vision, every frame of PATH OF BLOOD resonates with the kind of singular artistry that only the rarest of DIY projects can offer. Synapse Films is proud to bring this one-of-a-kind slice of animated madness to blu-ray along with an array of bonus features that take you inside the mind of its visionary creator.

Japan, 1614. War is over. Samurai displaced through defeat or reform wander the countryside as Ronin, seeking work where they can find it. At the edge of a forgotten village lies a path leading deep into the mountains. It is rumored the brave few who make it down the path will be rewarded with a life of freedom and purpose. However, none who have entered the path have returned. When a lone samurai sets his course towards the Path of Blood, unknown danger and terror awaits. Will his great swordsmanship be enough to survive?

PATH OF BLOOD is the first animated film by Eric Power. Shot frame-by-frame in traditional paper stop motion (like the pilot episode of SOUTH PARK), the film boasts a unique visual style paired with a visceral tale of samurai, bandits, and deadly ninja. Many years in the making, this film is a love letter to the Japanese samurai genre, as well as a tribute to the ultra-violence of the LONE WOLF AND CUB series.

Special Features:
- “Making of PATH OF BLOOD” Featurette
- PATH OF BLOOD – The Original Short Film
- Original Promotional Trailer
- “Video Game” Inspired Trailer
- Image Gallery

Synapse Films Releasing 'Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary' the Definitive In-Depth Documentary on the Making of Pet Semataryon March 13th 2018

UNEARTHED AND UNTOLD: THE PATH TO PET SEMATARY (2015) 

Label: Synapse Films
Release Date: March 13th 2018
Duration: 97 minutes
Region Code: Region All

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround
Director: John Campopiano, Justin White
Cast: Denise Crosby, Dale Midkiff, Miko Hughes, Brad Greenquist

Synopsis: It's true that sometimes dead is better, but for two New England filmmakers, the story of Stephen King's PET SEMATARY was far too alluring to leave buried. That's why John Campopiano and Justin White spent nearly five years seeking to uncover the story - from book, to film, to cult status - amounting to the most comprehensive look at the horror classic ever produced.

UNEARTHED AND UNTOLD: THE PATH TO PET SEMATARY is both an in-depth independent documentary and celebration of King's classic tale of terror, told through the voices of cast and crew from the 1989 hit film, as well as locals in Maine - the place where it all started. In addition to first time ever interviews, tours of the many iconic locations used in the film and never-before-seen photographs and home video from the set, this film explores the impact PET SEMATARY has not only on horror fans, but scholars of Stephen King's work. Featuring interviews with director Mary Lambert, stars Denise Crosby, Dale Midkiff, Miko Hughes, Brad Greenquist, Andrew Hubatsek, Susan Blommaert, the Berdahl twins, Michael Lombard and MANY MORE!

Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with Creators John Campopiano and Justin White
- Podcast Commentary with Creators John Campopiano and Justin White
- Edited / Alternate Scenes
- Video Interview with Creators John Campopiano and Justin White
- "PET TALES - From the Cutting Room Floor" Featurette
- PET SEMATARY Location Photo Compilation
- Documentary Poster Art Concepts
- Rare On-Set Video Footage from Rhonda Carter
- Documentary Sizzle Reel
- Promotional Trailer
- Reversible Art Design by Alexandros Pyromallis

CHARLEY VARRICK (1973) (Indicator Blu-ray Review)

CHARLEY VARRICK (1973)
Limited Blu-ray Edition (Region B)

Label: Indicator 

Region Code: B

Rating: 18 

Duration: 111 Minutes 

Audio: English LPCM Mono 1.0 with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: Don Siegel

Cast: Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker, Felicia Farr, Andrew Robinson, Sheree North, John Vernon

Charley Varrick v(1973) was directed by the great Don Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), it's an action-packed crime thriller that somehow has managed to elude me for forty years! The movie stars the always great Walter Matthau (Grumpy Old Men) as the titular middle-aged bank-robber, a former aerial stuntman turned crop-duster/small time bank robber. The film starts off with Charley and his getaway-car driver wife Nadine (Jacqueline Scott, Empire of the Ants) pulling into the rural bank of sleepytown USA Tres Cruces, New Mexico. Once inside Charley and two men already on the inside pull out the guns and rob the place, in the process the cops are tipped off and one of the two accomplices in the bank are shot dead, the survivor is Harman Sullivan (Andrew Robinson, Dirty Harry), and the trio get in the car and make a run for it. During the escape Nadine is fatally wounded, and the high-speed race out of town involves several metal twisting car-crashes. In the aftermath Nadine dies from her wounds, leaving Charley and Harman to blow her corpse up in the getaway car in an effort to hide the evidence, they make their way back to their trailer park domicile to count the loot and are very surprised when the haul totals up to over three-quarter of a million dollars, way too much money to have been stashed away in a Podunk bank. 

The somewhat dim and greedy Harman is delighted by the windfall of cash but wiser Varrick is rightfully suspicious of it, believing that they have involved themselves in some dirty mob money, which is later verified when radio reports indicate the crooks got away with less than two grand in cash. Enter the bank president, the mob-connected Maynard Boyle (80's bad-man John Vernon, Curtains), now that he's on the line for the  stolen mob money he calls in mob clean-up guy Molly (Joe Don Baker, Joysticks) to sleuth the identity of the bank robbers and to get that money back where it belongs. Baker is great, he's cool and calm, a practiced torturer and very wily in his own right, charming and prone to violent outbursts, but he's got to contend with the quiet, disarming smarts of Varrick, which we learn will be no easy task.   

Walter Matthau seemed at first an unlikely candidate for the smooth criminal operator for this 70's crime-thriller, but I warmed up to him right away. He first appears onscreen made-up to look older, it was a bit off-putting, but he turns out to be a hard-edged character, not a flashy sort of guy, very even tempered and he wears his emotions close to the vest - he's hard to read, after his wife's sudden and unexpected death he doesn't seem to mourn much at all, but he gets it across that he did love her, but then he beds a stranger without much thought soon after. Sure, Varrick's likable, but that's not to say he's a great guy, he does some truly cold and despicable things throughout the movie, such as setting up his fool partner, but he's clever and makes for the perfect sort of 70's anti-hero for this economical and thrilling caper.  The cat and mouse game he embarks on with hitman Molly is endlessly entertaining, methodically setting up his exit strategy, all the while the movie never full-on explaining what the end-game is, but there are nods and nudges hinting at the plan, I respect the movie for not just hitting you over the head with it.

Audio/Video: Charley Varrick arrives on Blu-ray from the UK's Indicator in a region-B locked Blu-ray presenting the film in 1080p HD framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. The image is very strong, the source looks clean as cab be without any print damage and only some very minor white speckling. Grain is present and looks natural, colors are nicely saturated and look accurate - this looks wonderful. The sole audio optional is a LPCM Mono 1o with optional English subtitles, the track is clean and crisp, well-balanced, the score from Lalo Schifrin is A generic TV crime drama sounding, but it suits the movie, and I guess it isn't too surprising, at the time he was scoring loads of TV stuff. 

Onto the extras we get a 75-minute making of doc from 2015b produced by Fiction Factory, this features interviews with director Don Siegel’s son, Kristoffer Tabori, Howard A. Rodman, the son of one of the screenwriters, actors Andy Robinson and Jacqueline Scott, stunt driver Craig R. Baxley, and composer Lalo Schifrin. It's a great doc, if you're a fan of the film this one is loaded with great stories about the cast and crew and making of it. Also included are two audio lectures that ca be played like an audio commentary during the movie, the first is with Director Siegel from 1973, the second is with Matthau from 1988. The disc is finished up with a super 8 digest version of the film - I love it when these are included as extras, an image gallery and the theatrical trailer plus a Trailers from Hell trailer commentary from Josh Olson. 

This release also includes a 40-page booklet with a new essay by author and critic Richard Combs, Don Siegel on Charley Varrick, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits - this booklet is limited to the first run of 3000 copies.

Special Features:
- Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of ‘Charley Varrick’ - 2015 feature-length documentary containing interviews with actors Andy Robinson and Jacqueline Scott, stunt driver Craig R. Baxley and Siegel’s son, Kristoffer Tabori (75 mins)
- The John Player Lecture with Don Siegel: 1973 archival audio recording of an interview conducted by Tony Sloman at London’s National Film Theatre (75 min)
- The Guardian Lecture with Walter Matthau: 1988 archival audio recording of an interview conducted by Tony Sloman at London's National Film Theatre (89 min) 
- Super 8 Version: original 'Universal Eight' cut-down home cinema presentation (18 min) 
- Original theatrical trailer (2 min) 
- Trailers from Hell: Josh Olson and Howard Rodman trailer commentary (6 min)
- Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
- New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Limited edition exclusive 40-page booklet with a new essay by author and critic Richard Combs, Don Siegel on Charley Varrick, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
- UK premiere on Blu-ray
- Limited Edition of 3,000 copies

Charley Varrick (1973) is definitely a 'where have you been all my life?' sort of discovery for me, this is an instant top 20 film for me. Indicator give this classic crime thriller a wonderful presentation with some fantastic extras, if you haven't seen it you need to, get on it, this is a sorely under seen gem from the 70's, I have no problem placing it right up there with Chinatown (1974) and Night Moves (1975) - it's that good. 

New FebruaryTitles from Arrow Video US and Arrow Academy US via MVD Entertainment Group

Spread the love this February with ten new releases from the world of Arrow! Dive head first into the month with three new releases from Arrow Academy beginning with legendary French filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot. In 1964, backed with an unlimited budget from Columbia Pictures, Clouzot set out to film L'Enfer. From the start the production was beset from a number of severe problems. Ultimately the film was never finished, but in 2009 directors Serge Bromberg and Ruxandra Medrea pieced together what footage there was and detailed the film's problematic journey in the semi-documentary Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno. Shift gears from semi-documentary to pseudo-documentary with Federico Fellini's made-for-Italian-TV film, Orchestra Rehearsal. This satirical look at politics has a bickering orchestra in the role of a governing body. Like many of Fellini's films, Orchestra Rehearsal is just as relevant today as it was upon its initial release. The film is presented with a brand-new 2K restoration from the original film elements. For a deeper look at politics there's the pairing of director Jean-Luc Godard and filmic critic Jean-Pierre Gorin. The duo worked together to shake up cinema all while exposing political ideas. This stretch of filmmaking has come to be known as Godard's "radical years." Arrow Academy has collected five films that Godard and Gorin released together in one boxset - Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films, 1968-1971. Not to be outdone, Arrow Video has seven releases of their own starting with the Godfather of Gore, Herschell Gordon Lewis and his late 60's entry, The Gruesome Twosome. The work of Lewis isn't for everyone, but fans of the Godfather's macabre madness will surely appreciate this high definition presentation. Included as a nice little bonus is Lewis' foray into the world of vampires with A Taste of Blood. From the Godfather to Diamond Guys, Arrow Video will release Seijun Suzuki: The Early Years Vol 1. This boxset features five films from the B-movie maverick with a focus on youth. Fans of Suzuki's later work will certainly get a kick out of watching his career evolve of the course of these earlier films. Arrow Video will also be releasing the splatter classic Re-Animator. Adapted from a short story from fame horror author H.P. Lovecraft, this 80's film was responsible for making Stuart Gordon, Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton horror legends. Re-Animator is presented in an unrated 4K restoration and is loaded with special features. Keeping the icons coming, Arrow Video will release two films from the maestro Dario Argento - The Cat O' Nine Tails and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. The later film reinvented the 'giallo' and put Argento on the map. The former proved he was here to stay. Both films are presented with brand-new 4K restorations. Next up is Scalpel, a grisly film about a surgeon that isn't afraid of malpractice. Original known as False Face, Scalpel was the first film to be directed by future Blood Rage director John Grissmer, Robert Lansing stars as the doctor while daytime soap paragon Judith Chapman plays the deranged doctor's "patient." Bringing February to a close is Basket Case, the often intimated but never duplicated film about conjoined twins from the twisted mind of Frank Henenlotter. This film will still give you the creeps, but no, your mind is not playing tricks on you, Basketcase does come with a brand-new 4K restoration courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art. HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT'S INFERNO (2009) [Blu-ray] (2/6) In 1964, Henri-Georges Clouzot, the acclaimed director of thriller masterpieces Les Diaboliques and Wages of Fear, began work on his most ambitious film yet. Set in a beautiful lakeside resort in the Auvergne region of France, L'Enfer (Inferno) was to be a sun scorched elucidation on the dark depths of jealousy starring Romy Schneider as the harassed wife of a controlling hotel manager (Serge Reggiani). However, despite huge expectations, major studio backing and an unlimited budget, after three weeks the production collapsed under the weight of arguments, technical complications and illness. In this compelling, award-winning documentary Serge Bromberg and Ruxandra Medrea present Inferno's incredible expressionistic original rushes, screen tests, and on-location footage, whilst also reconstructing Clouzot's original vision, and shedding light on the ill-fated endeavor through interviews, dramatizations of un-filmed scenes, and Clouzot's own notes. FEATURES - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation - Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio - Optional English subtitles - Lucy Mazdon on Henri-Georges Clouzot, the French cinema expert and academic talks at length about the films of Clouzot and the troubled production of Inferno - They Saw Inferno, a featurette including unseen material, providing further insight into the production of Inferno - Filmed Introduction by Serge Bromberg - Interview with Serge Bromberg - Stills gallery - Original trailer - Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Twins of Evil FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Ginette Vincendeau SPECS * Production Year: 2009 * Running Time: 102 * Number of Discs: 1 * Language: French * Subtitles: English * Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 * SRP: $34.95 THE GRUESOME TWOSOME (1967) [Blu-ray] (2/6) OH, YES... OUR WIGS ARE MADE FROM GENUINE HUMAN HAIR... AND HOW! After dabbling in the unlikely world of children's entertainment with the likes of Jimmy, the Boy Wonder and The Magic Land of Mother Goose, in 1967 "Godfather of Gore" Herschell Gordon Lewis returned to genre he helped create with the delightfully depraved The Gruesome Twosome! The young women of a small-town American college have more than just split-ends to worry about... Down at the Little Wig Shop, the batty Mrs. Pringle and her socially-inept son Rodney are procuring only the finest heads of hair - by scalping the local co-eds! Can they be stopped before they clear the entire campus of luxuriant-haired ladies? Also including HG Lewis' Dracula-inspired vampire epic A Taste of Blood as a bonus feature, this is one Gruesome Twosome that's well worth flipping your wig over! FEATURES - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation - English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing - Bonus Feature! 1967's A Taste of Blood - Introductions to the films by HG Lewis - Archive audio commentaries for both films by HG Lewis - Peaches Christ Flips Her Wig! - San Francisco performer Peaches Christ on The Gruesome Twosome - It Came from Florida - filmmaker Fred Olen Ray (Scalps, The Alien Dead) on Florida Filmmaking - HG Lewis vs. the Censors - HG Lewis discusses some of the pitfalls of the blood-and-guts business including local censorship and angry moviegoers - Trailers and radio spot - Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil SPECS * Production Year: 1967 * Running Time: 72 * Number of Discs: 1 * Language: English * Subtitles: English * Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 * SRP: $34.95 THE CAT O' NINE TAILS - LIMITED EDITION (1971) [Blu-ray + DVD] (2/13) Following the success of his debut feature, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, distributor Titanus tasked writer/director Dario Argento with delivering a follow-up in short order. The resulting film, granted a greatly enhanced budget and heralded in its US marketing campaign as "nine times more suspenseful" than its predecessor, was The Cat O' Nine Tails. When a break-in occurs at a secretive genetics institute, blind puzzle-maker Franco Arnò (Karl Malden, Patton, One-Eyed Jacks), who overheard an attempt to blackmail one of the institute's scientists shortly before the robbery, teams up with intrepid reporter Carlo Giordani (James Franciscus, Beneath the Planet of the Apes) to crack the case. But before long the bodies begin to pile up and the two amateur sleuths find their own lives imperilled in their search for the truth. And worse still, Lori (Cinzia De Carolis, Cannibal Apocalypse), Franco's young niece, may also be in the killer's sights. This second entry in the so-called "Animal Trilogy" found Argento further refining his distinctive style and cementing his reputation as the master of the giallo thriller. Co-starring Catherine Spaak (Il Sorpasso) and Rada Rassimov (Baron Blood), and featuring another nerve-jangling score by the great Ennio Morricone (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly), The Cat O' Nine Tails remains one of Argento's most suspenseful and underrated films. FEATURES - Presented from a brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations - Original mono Italian and English soundtracks (lossless on the Blu-ray Disc) - Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack - Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack - New audio commentary by critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman - New interviews with co-writer/director Dario Argento, co-writer Dardano Sacchetti, actress Cinzia De Carolis and production manager Angelo Iacono - Script pages for the lost original ending, translated into English for the first time - Original Italian and international theatrical trailers - Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Candice Tripp - Double-sided fold-out poster - 4 lobby card reproductions - Limited edition booklet illustrated by Matt Griffin, featuring an essay on the film by Dario Argento, and new writing by Barry Forshaw, Troy Howarth and Howard Hughes SPECS * Production Year: 1971 * Running Time: 112 * Number of Discs: 1 * Language: Italian, English * Subtitles: English * Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 * SRP: $49.95 ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL (1978) [Blu-ray] (2/13) Made in 1978 for Italian television, Orchestra Rehearsal is possibly Fellini's most satirical and overtly political film. An allegorical pseudo-documentary, the film depicts an Italian television crew's visit to a dilapidated auditorium (a converted 13th-century church) to meet an orchestra assembling to rehearse under the instruction of a tyrannical conductor. The TV crew interviews the various musicians who each speak lovingly about their chosen instruments. However, as petty squabbles break out amid the different factions of the ensemble, and the conductor berates his musicians, the meeting descends into anarchy and vandalism. A destructive crescendo ensues before the musicians regroup and play together once more in perfect harmony. Abounding with its director's trademark rich imagery and expressive style, Orchestra Rehearsal marks the last collaboration between Fellini and the legendary composer Nino Rota (due to the latter's death in 1979) who provides one of his most beautiful themes in the film's conclusion. FEATURES - Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements, produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation - Original 1.0 mono sound - Optional English subtitles - Richard Dyer on Nino Rota and Orchestra Rehearsal, the film scholar talks about the great composer and his last collaboration with Fellini - Orchestrating Discord, a visual essay on the film by Fellini biographer John Baxter - Gallery featuring rare poster and press material on the film from the Felliniana collection of Don Young - Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Adrian Martin SPECS * Production Year: 1978 * Running Time: 80 * Number of Discs: 1 * Language: Italian * Subtitles: English * Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 * SRP: $34.95 SEIJUN SUZUKI: THE EARLY YEARS VOL. 1 LIMITED EDITION [Blu-ray + DVD] (2/13) YOUTHS ON THE LOOSE AND REBELS WITHOUT CAUSES IN THE UNRULY SEISHUN EIGA YOUTH MOVIES OF JAPANESE ICONOCLAST SEIJUN SUZUKI Making their home-video debuts outside Japan, this diverse selection of Nikkatsu youth movies (seishun eiga) charts the evolving style of the B-movie maverick best known for the cult classics Tokyo Drifter (1966) and Branded to Kill (1967). The Boy Who Came Back (1958) marks the first appearances of "Nikkatsu Diamond Guys" and regular Suzuki collaborators Akira Kobayashi and Jo Shishido, with Kobayashi cast as the hot-headed hoodlum fresh out of reform school who struggles to make a clean break with his tearaway past.  The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass (1961) is a carnivalesque tale of a young student who hooks up with a down-at-heels travelling circus troupe.  Teenage Yakuza (1962) stars Tamio Kawaji as the high-school vigilante protecting his community from the extortions of mobsters from a neighboring city. The Incorrigible (1963) and Born Under Crossed Stars (1965), both based on Toko Kon's novels about young love, represent Suzuki's first films set in the 1920s era later celebrated in his critically-regarded Taisho Trilogy. FEATURES - Limited Edition Dual Format Collection [3000 copies] - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation and Standard Definition DVD presentation - Optional English subtitles - New introduction to the films by critic Tony Rayns - 60-page illustrated collector's book featuring new writing by critics and author Jasper Sharp SPECS * Production Year: 1958-1965 * Running Time: 450 * Number of Discs: 4 * Language: Japanese * Subtitles: English * Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 * SRP: $69.95 RE-ANIMATOR (1985) [Blu-ray] and [DVD] (2/13) HERBERT WEST HAS A GOOD HEAD ON HIS SHOULDERS... AND ANOTHER ONE ON HIS DESK. One of the most wildly popular horror movies of all-time, Stuart Gordon's enduring splatter-comedy classic Re-Animator returns to Blu-ray in a stunning restoration packed with special features! When medical student Dean Cain advertises for a roommate, he soon finds one in the form of Dr. Herbert West. Initially a little eccentric, it some becomes clear that West entertains some seriously outlandish theories specifically, the possibility of re-animating the dead. It's not long before Dean finds himself under West's influence, and embroiled in a serious of ghoulish experiments which threaten to go wildly out of control. Based on H.P. Lovecraft's classic terror tale Herbert West Reanimator and featuring a standout performance from Jeffrey Combs as the deliciously deranged West, Re-Animator remains the ground-zero of 80s splatter mayhem and one of the genre's finest hours. FEATURES - Presented from a 4K restoration of the Unrated version - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation - Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing - Mono, Stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD MA Surround Audio Options - Isolated Score - Audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon and actors Graham Skipper and Jesse Merlin of Re-Animator: The Musical - Audio commentary with Stuart Gordon - Audio commentary with producer Brian Yuzna, actors Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Bruce Abbott and Robert Sampson - Re-Animator: Resurrectus - feature-length documentary on the making of the film, featuring extensive interviews with cast and crew - Interviews with director Stuart Gordon and producer Brian Yuzna, writer Dennis Paoli, composer Richard Band and former Fangoria editor Tony Timpone  - Music discussion with composer Richard Band - Barbara Crampton in Conversation - the Re-Animator star sits down with journalist Alan Jones for this career-spanning 2015 interview - The Catastrophe of Success: Stuart Gordon and The Organic Theater - director Stuart Gordon discusses his early theater roots and his continued commitment to the stage - Theater of Blood - Re-Animator: The Musical lyricist Mark Nutter on adapting the cult classic for musical theatre - Extended Scenes - Deleted Scene - Trailer & TV Spots - Still Gallery - Screenplay (BD-ROM Content) - Reversible sleeve with newly commissioned artwork by Justin Erickson SPECS * Production Year: 1985 * Running Time: 101 * Number of Discs: 1 * Language: English * Subtitles: English * Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 * SRP: $34.95 THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (1971) [Blu-ray] and [DVD] (2/13) In 1970, young first-time director Dario Argento (Deep Red, Suspiria) made his indelible mark on Italian cinema with The Bird with the Crystal Plumage - a film which redefined the 'giallo' genre of murder-mystery thrillers and catapulted him to international stardom. Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante, We Own the Night), an American writer living in Rome, inadvertently witnesses a brutal attack on a woman (Eva Renzi, Funeral in Berlin) in a modern art gallery. Powerless to help, he grows increasingly obsessed with the incident. Convinced that something he saw that night holds the key to identifying the maniac terrorizing Rome, he launches his own investigation parallel to that of the police, heedless of the danger to both himself and his girlfriend Giulia (Suzy Kendall, Spasmo). A staggeringly assured debut, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage establishes the key traits that would define Argento's filmography, including lavish visuals and a flare for wildly inventive, brutal scenes of violence. With sumptuous cinematography by Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now) and a seductive score by legendary composer Ennio Morricone (Once Upon a Time in the West), this landmark film has never looked or sounded better in this new, 4K-restored edition from Arrow Video! Blu-ray SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS - Presented from a brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative produced by Arrow Video exclusively for this release - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation - Original lossless mono Italian and English soundtracks - English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack - Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack - New audio commentary by Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films - The Power of Perception, a new visual essay on the cinema of Dario Argento by Alexanda Heller-Nicholas, author of Devil's Advocates: Suspiria and Rape-Revenge Films: A Critical Study - New analysis of the film by critic Kat Ellinger - New interview with writer/director Dario Argento  - New interview with actor Gildo Di Marco (Garullo the pimp) - Eva's Talking, an archival interview with actor Eva Renzi (Monica Ranieri) - Original Italian and international theatrical trailers - Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Candice Tripp SCALPEL (1985)   [Blu-ray] (2/20) HE LOST THE FACE OF THE WOMAN HE LOVED... SO HE GAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. US television staple Robert Lansing (Star Trek, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone) stars as a deranged surgeon in this twisty-turny psychological thriller from Blood Rage director John Grissmer. In Scalpel, Lansing plays Dr. Phillip Reynolds, a man whose daughter Heather (Judith Chapman, As the World Turns, General Hospital) has run away from home a year prior following the suspicious death of her boyfriend. When he happens across a young woman one night, her face beaten beyond recognition, the unhinged Reynolds sees his an opportunity to put his trusty scalpel to use - hatching a plan to "reconstruct" her face in the image of his missing daughter, and so claim her sizeable inheritance. Photographed by celebrated cinematographer Edward Lachman, who would go on to serve as DP on the likes of Erin Brockovich and The Virgin Suicides, Scalpel is an exemplary slice of Southern-fried gothic, finally rescued from VHS obscurity in this revelatory new Blu-ray edition from Arrow Video. FEATURES - Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation - Original Uncompressed Mono Audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing - Brand new audio commentary by film historian Richard Harland Smith - Brand new crew interviews - Original Theatrical Trailer - Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet with new writing on the film by Bill Ackerman SPECS * Production Year: 1977 * Running Time: 95 * Number of Discs: 1 * Language: English * Subtitles: English * Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 * SRP Blu-ray: $39.95