SUPER FRIENDS: THE COMPLETE SERIES (1973-1985) (WBDHE Blu-ray Review)

SUPERFRIENDS: THE COMPLETE SERIES (1973 - 1985) 

Contains: 

SUPER FRIENDS (1973-1974, 1980-1983) 

THE ALL NEW SUPER FRIENDS HOUR (1977) 

CHALLENGE OF THE SUPER FRIENDS (1978)

THE WORLS GREATEST SUPER FRIENDS (1979)

SUPER FRIENDS: THE LEGENDAY SUPER POWERS SHOW (1984)

THE SUPER POWERS TEAM: GALACTIC GUARDIANS (1985) 

Label: Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment  

Region Code: A

Rating: Unrated 

Duration: 3142 Minutes 
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.33:1)

Produced by Hanna-Barbera the Super Friends was an animated TV series, featuring the Justice League of America, that ran from 1973 to 1985 on ABC Television as part the Saturday morning cartoon lineup, and I loved all all seven of the series iteration that aired as a kid. It was definitely the one of the shows that introduced me to comic book superheroes, well before I ever saw Superman: The Movie (1978) on TV, and probably around the time I was watching the live-action Wonder Woman (1975). The Amazing Spider-Man TV (1977), The Incredible Hulk (1977) TV series, as well as the one-off Marvel TV movies of Captain America (1979) and Doctor Strange (1978). The late-70's were actually a pretty fertile era for comic book properties on TV, even if in hindsight they were watered-down version of the comic books, which in the 70's were coming into their own with more mature storylines and character arcs. But when I was five years old watching these I didn't know that, heck, these were thrilling superhero adventures that sparked my imagination.

I clearly remembering waking up early and running to the kitchen in my pajamas to pour a sugary bowl of cereal sitting cross-legged in front of the old tube TV to watch Super Friends dutifully each Saturday morning. I love that we now have this massive collection that pulls all versions of the show together, remastered in HD with uncompressed audio, just wow! It's not a cheap set at the moment, it's currently about $120, but this is basically a nostalgic time machine that transported me back to my carefree days as a daydreaming adolescent, so it was worth it, I say. If it's a bit too steep for just wait a bit, I am sure it will come down in price, and you can pick it up at a price you can live with. 

The first iteration of the show was the Super Friends, which ran from 1973-1974, sixteen episodes than ran for one hour, the heroes features were Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, who were joined by their non super-powered pals Wendy, Marvin and their pooch Wonder Dog. We also got guest superheroes by way of  The Flash, Plastic Man, and Green Arrow. Re-watching these I can honestly say I did not remember the animation of the first couple of series being so awful, but again, I was five at the time, I was just happy to see heroes on my TV screen.

The second iteration was the 15-episode The All-New Super Friends Hour in 1977, featuring the same main cast of JLA-ers, plus the addition of the shape-shifting teens The Wonder Twins, along with their purple space-monkey Gleek, replacing the Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Pooch, which was  fair trade in my opinion. Guests this time around included Black Vulcan, Apache Chief. Hawkman, Hawkgirl

Rima the Jungle Girl, The Atom, Green Lantern, Samurai and The Flash. The villains were again mostly generic non-canon array of scientists, rampaging animals, ghosts, and monsters, though we do get an early appearance of Black Manta. 

The third iteration was the 16-episoide Challenge of the Superfriends, which feature two segments per episode with the same main cast of characters including the Wonder Twins and Gleek. This season brought things closer tot he comic book storylines, with the second segment of each episode introducing and continuing an arc of stories about the villains, the Legion of Doom who operate out of their swamp lair which looked suspiciously liked Darth Vader's helmet! This season we got a bumper crop of comics accurate villains; including  Lex Luthor, Solomon Grundy, Sinestro, Black Manta, The Cheetah, Giganta, The Scarecrow, The Toyman, The Riddler, Bizarro, Brainiac, 

Captain Cold, and Gorilla Grodd. The first segment was more of the supes battling an assortment of lame pirates, aliens and mad geniuses, with the exception of a couple of solid episodes, one features them battling Kryptonian supervillains who have escaped from the Phantom Zone, plus a pair of episodes that as a kid I found actually scary; those being "The Pied Piper from Space" wherein a UFO arrives on Earth and enslaves the children of the planet with a mysterious tune, and the vampire entry "Attack of the Vampire", with the JLA facing off against Dracula and his minions who turn people into vamps not by sucking their blood but by shooting laser-rays out of their eyes! Even re-watching these now I love the kiddie-friendly spooky atmosphere of these episodes, and the vampirized supes are cool looking. 

The longest running of the iteration of the show was Super Friends (1980-1983) which ran for three seasons. The episodes got shorter and they tacked on a repeat episode from earlier incarnations to flesh each episode out. The main cast was Aquaman, Batman, Robin, Superman and Wonder Woman, plus Wonder Twins Zan and Jayna, and Gleek. These episodes were a step back, and to for me did not have the appeal of Challenge of the Super Friends, the brief stories were pretty meh, and the guest stars were scaled back considerably, though we do get fleeting appearances from The Riddler, Gorilla Grodd,  Giganta, Lex Luthor, Sinestro and Solomon Grundy. Other more generic baddies include space mummies, alien bounty hunters, a cosmic barbarian, a giant mechanical cobra, underground dwelling lava men, and pirates and witches. 

Next up, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, a half hour episode format that crammed two stories into each episode, the main hero characters are  Superman

Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Black Vulcan, Apache Chief, Samurai, and El Dorado, plus we more or less lose the Wonder Twin and Gleek in favor of Firestorm, which worked aces for me. This season was very closely tied with Kenner's Super Powers Collection toy line, which I remember being hugely popular when I was a kid, but was too poor myself to ever get any, boo-hoo. Villains comes by way of Brainiac, Mirror Master, Lex Luthor, Mister Mxyzptlk, and the Dollmaker, plus a big one for me, we finally get Jack Kirby fourth world creations Darkseid, 

Kalibak, and DeSaad. This is a terrific season, the animation and character designs are at a high point, and the stories are pretty engaging and harken back tot he comic books. 

The last iteration of the Super Friends was The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985), which had even better character design and more dramatic comic book inspired storylines, they really went out on a high point here. Heroes included Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman,  

Robin, Aquaman, Firestorm, Hawkman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Samurai, El Dorado and newbie Cyborg from the Teen Titans comics! The season is notable not only for the inclusion of the more dramatic storytelling, and Cyborg, but for having the first non-comics version of Batman's origins in the episode "The Fear", which is cool. Villains include  not only returners Lex Luthor, The Royal Flush Gan, Scarecrow, 

Brainiac, Mister Mxyzptlk and Bizarro and Bizarra!, but the return of Darkseid, Desaad and Kalibak, and the animated debuts of iconic comic book villains The Penguin and The Joker! The tone is much darker than previous iterations, the improved character designs looks terrific. 

Audio/Video: All 93-episodes arrive on Blu-ray from WBDHE in 10880p HD framed in the original 1.33:1 broadcast aspect ratio. These are nebulously advertised as "remastered", so I am unsure what the sources for these are but they are clean and vibrant looking, easily the best they have ever looked on home video, though I will say that like many of WB catalog titles not handled by the Warner Archive, it's been scrubbed of film grain quite aggressively. Overall it looks pretty sharp, though there are spots where it looks like some of the cell animation lines have been affected by the uniform DNR scrubbing, removing the film grain textures that we all grew up watching the show with. It's not ruinous, but I am of the opinion if the cell animation was captured on film it should have film grain, but I know some others or more forgiving of the "clean" look. I prefer otherwise, but i will also say the show's never looked better. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual-mono with optional English subtitles. The tracks are clean and sound great, the range and fidelity of the tracks won't wow anyone but the uncompressed audio handles the canned sound effects and voice acting quite well.  

The complete set of extras on this set are listed below, I do not own all the previous DVD editions so I cannot confirm exactly what might be missing, other than to say it does not carry-over the Character Bios and Audio Commentaries by Geoff Johns and Mark Waid on the episodes "Wanted: The Super Friends" and "History of Doom" from the Challenge of the Super Friends; The First Season 2-Disc DVD set that I own. 

The complete 93-episodes arrives on a 16-disc Blu-ray set housed inside an clear, high-capacity Epik Pak keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork. I would have appreciated a booklet or printing on the reverse side of the sleeve with an episode and special features listing, the disc themselves are labeled with only the series titles and disc numbers, but not the episodes or special features, which I found slightly annoying, it just feels lazy not to include an episode/extras guide for such a massive set. 

Special Features:

Disc 6: 

- One Dimensional Goodness: The Super Friends and the Good Old Days (14:33) 

- Origins of the Guest Stars (8:29) 

- The Wonder Twins Phenomenon (12:08)

DISC 8:

- The Ballad of Zan and Jayna (Wonder Twins Powers Activate) (4:08)

- Pajama-Rama: Super Friends Retrospective (11.55) 

Disc 15:

- Audio Commentaries on the following Episodes: "The Wrath of Brainiac", "No Honor Among Thieves", "The Mask of Mystery", "The Case of the Dreadful Dolls", & "The Royal Ruse"

- Evolution: New Heroes, Viler Villains, and Ethnic Additions (17:44)

- The Super Powers Collection: The Effect of the Toy Industry on The Super Friends (7:37) 

Disc: 16

- Super Friends Redux: Galactic Guardians (11:10) 

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KNUCKLES (2024) (4K UHD Review)

KNUCKLES (2024) 

Label: Paramount 

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: Unrated

Duration: 171 Minutes 56 Seconds

Audio: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1), Audio Descriptive Track, 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3 with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: Dolby Vision (HDR10) 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (2.39:1)

Director: Jeff Fowler, Ged Wright, Brandon Trost, Jorma Taccone, Carol Banker

Cast: Idris Elba, Adam Pally, Ben Schwartz, Edi Patterson, Colleen O'Shaughnessey

Knuckles (2024)is a six-episode mine-series that streamed on Paramount+, it's based on characters from Sonic the Hedgehog Sega video game, this being a spin-off story that takes place between the theatrical Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 films. I will say right up front I do not come to this series with much knowledge of the game franchise or characters as I have not played a Sonic game since the early 90s when it first hit the Sega Genesis gaming system, an even then I only played it a handful of times. I also have not watched either of the theatrical films. 

From what I gather Knuckles the Echidna (voiced by Idris Elba, Beast) is an alien warrior who at least appeared in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where he played a villain turned hero, and afterward is now stuck on Earth to fulfill a vow he made, where the over-serious warrior is having  hard time adjusting to our Earthly ways. Here he ends up teaming-up with inept local cop Wade Whipple (Adam Polly, Dirty Grandpa), whom I gathered also appeared in the previous Sonic film, to train him in the ways of the Echidna warrior to prepare him for a championship bowling tournament happening in Reno, Nevada, where he will face-off against his estranged father, the flamboyant "Pistol" Pete Whipple (Cary Elwes, The Princess Bride), who abandoned him as a child inside a T.J. Maxx department store to peruse his dreams of bowling glory. 

Also entering into he story are the nefarious character "The Buyer" (Rory McCann, Game of thrones) who has created powerful power gloves, weapons and an exo-suit powered by Knuckles quills who aims to drain Knuckles of all his power, sending his agents Mason (Scott Mescudi aka rapper Kid Cudi, X) and Willoughby (Ellie Taylor, Ted Lasso) to capture him, plus Wade's mother Wendy (Stockard 

Channing, Grease) and combative FBI agent sister Wanda (Edi Patterson, Violent Night), who get mixed up in the shenanigans. We also get appearances from Sonic (Ben Schwartz, Space Force) and Tails (Coleen O'Shaughnessey, Static Shock) but only very briefly during the opening set-up, plus Wade's former bowling team partner/bounty hunter Jack Sinclair (Julian Barratt, A Field in England) and the beloved Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) shows as the voice of the ghostly Pachacamac, the deceased elder of Knuckles' alien- tribe. 

How was it? To be honest this was never gonna be my cup of tea, for starters, as I said I am not familiar with the film this is spun-off from, and secondly, I am not the target audience. It looks fine, the goofy premise and characters are just fine, the show is handsomely put together, and some of the characters are quite big, exaggerated and fun, but again, not my cup of tea, but if you're Sonic fan, a gamer, someone who enjoys video game adaptations, and goofy kiddie friendly stuff there's probably a lot more here to love than I got out of it, after all, I'm just an old fart who was never a serious gamer. 

Audio/Video: Knuckles (2024) arrives on 4K UHD from Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, the Dolby Vision (HDR10) enhanced image looks terrific. It's sharp and quite detailed, textures look phenomenal in the real world as do the digitally created characters. The colors are deeply saturated and vibrant, blacks are deep and layered, and contrast is on point, this is  fantastic looking UHD presentation. Likewise, the Dolby Atmos (True HD 7.1) audio is quite dynamic, there's great use of the surround and height channels, the low-end is impactful, music and sound effects are full-bodied, there's just not a flaw to be found. 

Extras include a 7-min Exclusive Gag Reel; 2-min Cast Featurette, 1-min Working With Knuckles; 1-min This Or That?, and 1-min Knuckles Impressions, featuring the cast attempting to do their best take on the character as voiced by Alba. Really just some breezy fluff-stuff, nothing very in-depth or interesting to be honest, the gag reel is the most entertaining of the bunch.  The single-disc UHD arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork, there is no digital copy included. 

Special Features: 

- Exclusive Gag Reel (7:30) 

- Cast Featurette (1:54)

- Working With Knuckles (1:03) 

- This Or That? (1:03) 

- Knuckles Impressions (1:04) 

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BOULEVARD NIGHTS (1979) (Warner Archive Blu-ray Review)

BOULEVARD NIGHTS (1979) 

Label: Warner Archive

Region Code: Region-Free

Rating: R

Duration: 102 Minutes 6 Seconds 
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: Michael Pressman 

Cast: Richard Yniguez, Danny De La Paz, Marta DuBois, Betty Carvalho, James Victor

L.A. street gang drama Boulevard Nights (1979) from director Michael Pressman (The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, Doctor Detroit) is a gritty drama about cholos living in a particular barrio of East L.A., focused on the lives of the  Avila brothers, the older Raymond Avila (Richard Yniguez, The Deadly Tower) who is an former cholo looking for a better life, about to marry his highschool sweetheart Shady ( Marta DuBois, Fear), but whose wayward kid brother Chuco (Danny De La Paz, Barbarosa) is still very much about the cholo lifestyle, hanging with a neighborhood gang, wasting his life huffing paint and angel-dust. In spite of their differences, the brothers are bound by strong family ties, and a unifying mother (Betty Carvalho, Stand and Deliver). Raymond attempts to set Chuco straight, getting him a job working at an upholstery shop owned by Gil (James Victor, Rolling Thunder), but the kid loves the street life and won't give it up, with Raymond finding himself dragged back into the gang life after Chuco's lifestyle leads to a personal tragedy. 

This is a film that just feels authentic from frame the opening scenes right up till the end, the L.A. neighborhood, the Mexican families homes and family get togethers, the rivalries between the warring gangs, it just doesn't have that Hollywood sheen to it, it feels lived-in and real, and that really sets it apart for me. It's a serious minded film that isn't looking to glamorize the gang lifestyle, but does fantastic work looking at it from the perspective of a Mexican-American family, with one brother out of the lifestyle and the other deeply entrenched, also offering a colorful portrait of a particular neighborhood and the myriad characters who populate it. At times it does get a bit too melodramatic for it's own good, and it's a tad formulaic, you can see where it's headed early on, but I thought overall it painted an affecting portrait of Chicano brothers on different paths that converge, and the authentic location shooting of this one does wonders for the film, it looks terrific and never feels staged, a terrific time capsule of this area of East L.A. at this time. 

Audio/Video: Boulevard Nights (1979) arrives on Blu-ray from Warner Archive, presented in 1080p HD widescreen (1.78:1), the new restoration looks terrific, particularly the L.A. nightlife sequences  on the titular boulevard, shot by cinematographer John Bailey (Cat People) we get terrific colors by way of period clothing, cool looking low-rider cars with slick looking paint jobs, the neon streets, its just a really terrific looking film and the Blu-ray looks phenomenal with intact grain and wonderful detail and textures. The sole audio option is English DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo with optional English subtitles. The track is clean and well-balanced. English and Spanish dialogue sounds great, as does the score buoyant score by Lalo  Schifrin (Class of 1984) and choice songs by The Mello-Kings, Mary Wells, Gene Chandler and Jr. Walker and the All Stars that capture the era's music. The only extras is the 3-min Theatrical Trailer, the single-disc release arrives in standard keep case with the original theatrical artwork. 

Special Features: 

- Original Theatrical Trailer (2:45) 

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CLOCKWATCHERS (1997) (Shout! Studios Blu-ray Review)

CLOCKWATCHERS (1997)

Label: Shout! Studios

Region Code: A

Rating: PG-13

Duration: 95 Minutes 44  Seconds 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1) 

Director: Jill Sprecher 

Cast: Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, Alanna Ubach, Helen FitzGerald,  Debra Jo Rupp, Stanley DeSantis, Bob Balaban, Jamie Kennedy, David James Elliott

Indie office drama-comedy Clockwatchers (1997), directed by Jill Sprecher (Thirteen Conversations About One Thing),  tells the tale of four women office temps who become fast friends while temping at a corporate credit company. We have timid new hire Iris (Toni Collette, Hereditary), the sarcastic Margaret (Parker Posey, Dazed & Confused), the man-crazy wanna-be actress Paula (Lisa Kudrow, The Unborn), and pampered Jane (Alanna Ubach, Waiting...) who seems to have an enviable life but whose fiancé seems like a douche-nozzle. The foursome start to hang out at their new corporate temp gig, bonding while also being segregated from the full-timers in what amounts to office apartheid, dreading their mundane jobs while also coveting the full-time positions that never seem to be posted of them to apply for. At a certain point they find themselves under suspicion when little knickknacks from around the office start going missing, which happens just after the arrival of a deceptively mousy new full-time office assistant Cleo (Helen FitzGerald). After the thefts start the already stifling atmosphere at the office gets even worse, and sadly the temp-friends sort of start turning on each other, falling apart as suspicion (and newly installed security cameras) seems to be turned towards them. 

We also get a terrific cast of supporting character actors that populate the office by way of Debra Jo Rupp (That 70's Show)  as the office manager Barbara, Stanley DeSantis (Ed Wood) as a guy who controls the office supplies and is tormented by Margaret on the regular, Bob Balaban (Best in Show) as the always-stressed manager Milton Lasky, Jamie Kennedy (Scream) as gossipy mail clerk Eddie, and Paul Dooley (Sixteen Candles) as Iris's salesman father Bud Chapman who is always trying to push her into a better job with some permanence, which in and of itself is not a bad idea, but she fights against it just the same, not wanting to become her father. 

I saw this at the cinema, and ever since it has been one of my favorite comedies about working in an office, it's right up there with the slasher variant Office Killer (1997), Office Space (1999) and the underseen Haiku Tunnel (2001), all of which I hold in high regard. The comedy in this one is very subtle, it's smart and biting, it's obviously written by people who worked these sort of mundane and soulless office temp jobs at some point in their careers. I actually wouldn't even say it was a comedy, it's more of an office drama that has some biting humor throughout. It's very subtle about it, a lot of it coming from Parker Posey (Party Girl) as the bitterly sarcastic Margaret who not-so-quietly rages against the corporate machine from within, and who gets the films best line when she is terminated she says to Barbara  "You can't fire me! You don't even know my name!", and you can tell from the office mangers face that this is 100% true. This is later reaffirmed when Iris, on her last day of work, asks for a recommendation letter which she pre-typed for her manager (David James Elliott, TV's JAG) to sign, and he doesn't even notice that it's not her name on the letter.

The four actresses have wonderful chemistry together, their bonding scenes are terrific, the dissolution of the friendship made me sad as they slowly turned on each other and start to fracture what was a wonderful temp-friendship. The film is well-written and quite sharp, highlighting the existential dread and stifling minutia of working inside an office space where your sort of a disposable cog in the wheel with no permanency or agency, saturated by a gnawing despair that you can actually taste. I also appreciate the soul-crushing Muzak that that is piped into the office, punctuated by the ticking of the clock, the sterile office environs the authentically weird office politics put on display, it makes for a an authentic backdrop to this biting office tale. 

Audio/Video: Clockwatchers (1997) arrives on Blu-ray from Shout! Studios, presented in 1.78:1 widescreen. There's no information here about this being a new scan but it looks like an older HD master to me. Grain structures are anemic, and colors are slightly muted, but it's still quite a notable over the previous DVD release. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 20 stereo with optional English subtitles. The track is clean and well-balanced, as a mainly dialogue driven film the stereo track sounds perfectly fine. 

The disc is barebones with no extras whatsoever which is a shame. This is a fascinating film with a terrific cast, I would have loved to hear from the four stars or cowriter/director

Jill Sprecher and co-writer Karen Sprecher who clearly must have been temps at some point, and I would have enjoyed that.

Special Features: 

- None

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THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979) (SPHE Blu-ray Review)

THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979) 

Label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: PG 

Duration: 122 Minutes 33 Seconds 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo, 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: James Bridges 

Cast: Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, Wilford Brimley

I remember watching The China Syndrome (1979) on TV as a kid, it was probably my first real exposure to nuclear power and the threats that could/might accompany if something went wrong at a nuclear power facility, and I found quite frightening, and re-watching it today I must say its not any less frightening of a prospect, what with the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, which happened the same year this film was released, meltdown in 1986, and the more recent Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. In that way this film had aged frighteningly well, which is a scary thought. 

The fictional events here place in Southern California in the late-70s at the Ventana nuclear power plant just outside of Los Angeles where fluff-piece TV reporter Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda, Barbarella) and her cameraman Richard (Michael Douglass, War of the Roses) are inside the facility taping a piece for her nightly news broadcast. They are being given a tour by the plant manager Bill Gibson (James Hampton, Teen Wolf) when a small earthquake shakes the place up. The film crew secretly records the event, capturing shift supervisor Jack Godell (Jack Lemmon, Bell, Book and Candle) and his staff, including Ted (Wilford Brimley, The Thing), addressing what appears to be a near nuclear meltdown. Realizing that they have a stunning scoop on their hands Kimberly and Richard rush back tot he TV new station and prep for the breaking story, only to have it swept under the rug by station managers (Peter Donat, Mazes and Monsters and James Karen, The Return of the Living Dead) who fear a potential lawsuit. Both Kimberly and Richard is quite upset by this, but it's Richard who and steals the footage from the TV studio film lab, and heads to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearings happening nearby looking to expose the near-catastrophic nuclear accident. 

As you might expect the issue does not go away quietly, even Jack Godell, the plant's veteran engineer does some research and discovers faulty equipment at the plant, and realizing his life might very well be in danger after being followed by shady corporate enforcers, he takes drastic action; arming himself with a weapon he takes control of the power plant, demanding to be broadcast on live television by Kimberly and other local television stations to make sure that truth gets out to the public, before another accident with more drastic consequences occurs. 

This is a top-notch thriller with a wonderful cast, Lemmon is especially terrific, and it holds up. Nuclear power is still fraught with potential catastrophic accidents, and the this film really does a bang-up job driving that multi-faceted point home in a manner that is quite gripping, with a tense final sprint to the finish line that I thought was an absolute nail-biter.  

Audio/Video: The China Syndrome (1979) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in 1080p HD widescreen (1.85:1). Having never owned the previous Image Entertainment Blu-ray I cannot say if this a new scan or the same, but I thought it looked solid. Not definitive by any means, but a solid and presumably older HD master that is in great shape with pleasing color reproduction and solid black levels. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 2.0 and 5.1 Surround with optional English subtitles. This is a pretty talky thriller, don't expect a lot of bombast, but scenes at the nuclear power plant of alarms blaring and a  a car chase with a crash are impactful. There were no issues with audio hiss or distortion that I picked up on. 

We do get a couple of archival extras ported over from the previous 2005 special edition DVD release, these include the 28-min The China Syndrome: A Fusion of Talent, and 30-min The China Syndrome: Creating a Controversy, these featurettes feature interviews with producer/actor Michael Douglas, and actors Jane Fonda, James Karen, Peter Donat, plus executive producer Bruce Gilbert, plus 4-min Deleted Scenes, and a 2-min Theatrical Trailer. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork. 

Special Features: 

- The China Syndrome: A Fusion of Talent (27:39) 

- The China Syndrome: Creating a Controversy (29:33) 

- Deleted Scenes (3:56)

- Theatrical Trailer (2:02) 

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'The Blair Witch Project' is coming to Limited Edition Blu-ray Box on November 11th!

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT 

Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set 

It redefined a genre and sent shockwaves through cinemas worldwide and now, 25 years on from its original release, horror phenomenon The Blair Witch Project, the seminal film that put found footage firmly on the map, returns with a meticulously crafted Limited Edition Blu-ray Box set from horror aficionados Second Sight Films.

The must-own box set arrives on 11 November 2024 and is presented in a stunning new rigid slipcase with new artwork by Timothy Pittides and comes complete with a 184-page hardback book with archive production materials, new essays and an additional book ‘Heather’s Journal’.

There will also be a Standard Edition Blu-ray release and both versions are packed with exclusive extras, including a brand new restoration from the Hi-8 videotapes and 16mm film elements, supervised and approved by directors Eduardo Sanchez (V/H/S/2, Yellowjackets) and Daniel Myrick (Triple 7, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2) and producers Greg Hale and Michael Monello, plus a brand new documentary, new commentary, previously unseen video footage, archival bonus material and more.

In 1994 three student filmmakers, Heather Donahue, Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard venture into 

the Black Hills Forest to uncover the truth behind the local legend of the Blair Witch. Armed with nothing 

but their cameras and curiosity, they disappear without a trace – until their footage was discovered one 

year later. 

What unfolds is an unrelenting descent into fear, as their last days are laid bare in what has become one 

of the most disturbing and influential found-footage films of all time.

Raw, relentless and eerily real, this visceral, nerve-shredding cinematic landmark taps into primal fears 

and changed the face of horror forever.

Experience this groundbreaking horror like never before… but beware The Blair Witch is watching you.

Special Features: 

-  A new Second Sight restoration from the Hi-8 videotapes and 16mm film elements, supervised and 

approved by the producers and directors

- Includes restored and remastered Original Theatrical Cut and Festival Cut plus original-release 

version

- New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson

- Directors' and producers' audio commentary

- The Blair Witch Documentary: a new feature-length Second Sight Films production

- Deleted scenes, including previously unseen video and 16mm footage

- The Blair Witch Project: Analogue Horror in a Digital World by Mike Muncer

- Curse of the Blair Witch

- Alternate Endings

- Cannes 1999: Archive directors’ interview

- Trailers

Limited Edition Contents: 

- Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Timothy Pittides

- 184-page hardback book with archive production materials and new essays by Stacey Abbott, Becky 

Darke, Adam Hart, Craig Ian Mann, Mary Beth McAndrews, Dr. Cecilia Sayad, Peter Turner and 

Heather Wixson 

- Heather’s Journal book

- Three collectors' art cards

Title: The Blair Witch Project Limited Edition Blu-ray Release Date: 11 November 2024 

Cat.No.: 2NDBR4233 Running Time: 81 mins

Cert: 15 Pre-order here: https://bit.ly/BlairWitchLtd

Region: B 

Title: The Blair Witch Project Standard Edition Blu-ray Release Date: 11 November 2024 

Cat.No.: 2NDBR4234 Running Time: 81 mins

Cert: 15 Pre-order here: https://bit.ly/BlairWitchBD

Region: B 

Check out Second Sight Films' website for new release info and for consumers to buy direct at www.secondsightfilms.co.uk

More from Second Sight: Twitter: @SecondSightFilm 

Instagram: secondsightfilmsofficial 

Facebook: SecondSightFilms 

50th Anniversary Chain Saw Box of Texas Chain Saw Massacre Arrives This October!

DARK SKY SELECTS ANNOUNCES THE LONG AWAITED

TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE

50th ANNIVERSARY CHAIN SAW EDITION

Limited Collector's Edition 4K UHD + Blu-ray + VHS

With Realistic Chainsaw Packaging

AVAILABLE THIS OCTOBER

Dark Sky Selects proudly presents The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary Chainsaw Edition. This multi-disc set will include the new 4K UHD edition of the film, a Blu-ray bonus disc containing new extra features, and an exclusive VHS release of the movie. The special edition collector’s set will be housed in a custom created box, which is a replica of the iconic chain saw from the film. Opening the chainsaw triggers the sound of Leatherface wielding the chainsaw in the film. Each box set will be numbered and only 5000 have been created.

This limited edition also features a newly designed 50th Anniversary O-card and brand-new bonus content, including The Merchandise of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Restoration of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary Chainsaw Edition will be available for $299.98 exclusively at darkskyselects.com

DISC 1: 4K UHD (FEATURE FILM)

BONUS: 

- 4 FEATURE COMMENTARIES: 1. Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper, Actor Gunnar Hansen, Cinematographer Daniel Pearl 2. Actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, and Paul A. Partain, and Production Designer Robert Burns 3. Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper 4. Cinematographer Daniel Pearl, Editor J. Larry Carroll and Sound Recordist Ted Nicolaou

DISC 2: BLU-RAY (FEATURE FILM)
BONUS: 4 FEATURE COMMENTARIES: 1. Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper, Actor Gunnar Hansen, Cinematographer Daniel Pearl 2. Actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, and Paul A. Partain, and Production Designer Robert Burns 3. Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper 4. Cinematographer Daniel Pearl, Editor J. Larry Carroll and Sound Recordist Ted Nicolaou

DISC 3: BLU-RAY BONUS FEATURES
- NEW The Merchandise of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
- NEW The Restoration of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
- Feature-Length Documentary: The Legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
- The Cinefamily Presents FRIEDKIN/HOOPER: A Conversation About The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Between William Friedkin and Tobe Hooper
- Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw
- A Tour of the TCSM House with Gunnar Hansen
- Off the Hook with Teri McMinn
- The Business of Chain Saw: An interview with Production Manager Ron Bozman Interview
- Deleted Scenes & Outtakes
- Grandpa’s Tales: An Interview with Actor John Dugan
- Cutting Chain Saw: An Interview with Editor J. Larry Carroll
- Blooper Reel
- Horrors Hallowed Grounds: TCSM
- Dr. W.E. Barnes Presents “Making Grandpa”
- Still Gallery
- Trailers
- TV Spots
- Radio Spots

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary Chainsaw Edition is the third of many iconic Dark Sky titles that will be available this year. Additional limited-edition releases of fan favorite films and merch will be announced throughout the year, which will only be available direct to consumer at DarkSkySelects.com.

ABOUT DARK SKY SELECTS
Dark Sky Selects is committed to delivering a meticulously curated selection of high-quality, limited edition film releases and exclusive merchandise to the collector's market. As an extension of MPI Media Group and Dark Sky Films, Dark Sky Selects hails from nearly five decades of experience in genre films, as a specialty label dedicated to preserving the legacy of iconic titles like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and modern classics like The House of the Devil. Our mission is to provide premium, collector-focused products that honor our cinematic heritage and ensure its preservation for future generations.

BIG FAN (2009) (Shout! Studios Blu-ray Review)

BIG FAN (2009) 

Label: Shout! Studios

Region Code: A

Rating: R

Duration: 86 Minutes 

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

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)

Director: Robert Siegel 

Cast: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto, Gina Camarillo, Serafina Fiore 

In the Patton Oswalt (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) toxic sports-fan thriller/comedy Big Fan (2009), directed by Robert Siegel, the writer of The Wrestler, Oswalt plays Paul, the world's biggest New York Giants fan, a guy who compulsively phones into the Sports Dogg's radio talk show as "Paul from Staten Island" where he celebrates his team and chastises his rival, an equally rabid Philadelphia Eagles fan who goes by "Philadelphia Phil" (Michael Rapaport, TV's The War at Home). Paul lives with his mom and works as a parking garage attendant, his mother Theresa (Marcia Jean Kurtz, The Panic In Needle Park) regularly gets on him about getting a better job, comparing him to his injury-lawyer bother Jeff (Gino Cafarelli, Terrifier 2), which infuriates him. Paul only friend is Sal (Kevin Corrigan, Some Guy Who Kills People), and the two go to all the tailgate parties during the Giants home games, but as they cannot afford to get tickets, and watch the games from a TV in the parking lot on a tube TV connected to his car battery. 

One day Paul and Sal are grabbing pizza when they see Paul's favorite NYG player Quantrell Bishop (Jonathan Hamm) in Manhattan and follow him around, they force a meeting with him at a strip club where Paul mentions that he saw him earlier in the night in Manhattan, unaware that what he witnessed was a drug deal, resulting in Bishop beating the snot out of Paul who ends up in the hospital with severe cranial injuries. What follows is Paul dealing with the consequences of the attack, being pressed by a detective (Matt Servitto, The Sopranos) to press charges against the football player, but is unwilling to file lawsuit for the violent act perpetrated against him for fear of ruining his favorite team's season. His injury lawyer brother steps in and tries to bring suit on Paul's behalf, angering Paul who thinks that the lawsuit, meanwhile, Philadelphia Phil exposes Paul as Paul from Staten Island, embarrassing him for being beaten by his favorite player, sending Paul, who is mentally unravelling after the beating, on a mission to get back at Phi, resulting in Paul headed to Philly masquerading as an Eagles fan.   

Big Fan is a terrific dark comedy that examines the fanatical tribalism of sports fans, Oswalt delivers what I still feel is his best performance on screen, somehow actually making you feel sympathy for a character who is quite unlikable, showing us his bleak and sad life of an obsessed sports fan, it's quite an interesting character study wrapped up in a bitterly dark comedy, recommended.

Audio/Video: Big Fan (2009) arrives on Blu-ray from Shout! Studios in 1080p HD widescreen framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. It's a solid looking disc that improves in all the expected areas over the previous DVD. Audio on the disc is English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround with optional English subtitles. The track is mostly dialogue driven, delivering a well-balanced and modest sound stage without any hiss or distortion. 

Sadly there are no extras for Big Fan, I would have loved at least a Oswalt/Siegel commentary on this one, but alas, it's a barebones release. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork.

Special Features: 

- None

Buy it! 

Moviezyng - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order! 

Physical Media Land - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order! 

FRANK CAPRA AT COLUMBIA COLLECTION AVAILABLE ON 11/19

Celebrating 100 Years of Columbia Pictures And One of the Most Iconic Filmmakers of All Time

FRANK CAPRA AT COLUMBIA COLLECTION

20 Films Directed by Frank Capra from the Columbia Pictures Library

In a Limited Edition Gift Set November 19th

All 20 Films Presented on Blu-ray Disc With Nine of Those Films Also on 4K Ultra HD

Celebrate 100 years of Columbia Pictures and the work of iconic and award-winning filmmaker Frank Capra as Sony Pictures Home Entertainment proudly assembles 20 of his films, exclusively within the FRANK CAPRA AT COLUMBIA COLLECTION, available November 19. Each film is presented in high definition from original and existing elements, with nine films also presented in full 4K resolution!

From romantic pursuits to explosive action, from spectacular thrills to insightful social commentary, the FRANK CAPRA AT COLUMBIA collection features a wide variety of films that still feel fresh and timely today: the perfect collection of films for any mood or occasion! Then for fans of classic cinema, the scope of pre-code rarities to Best Picture-winning classics makes this set a must-own!

The 20 films in the FRANK CAPRA AT COLUMBIA COLLECTION represent Capra’s earlier work at the studio through to the more well-known award-winning blockbusters, with many films making their long-awaited disc debut! The discs are included within a coffee table-worthy sleek outer box that opens to showcase the films inside. The set also includes several new commentaries from film historians, hours of archival special features, and the full feature-length 2024 documentary, FRANK CAPRA: MR AMERICA!

In addition to the physical gift set, several Frank Capra classics will also be debuting at digital retailers this holiday season, including SO THIS IS LOVE, THE WAY OF THE STRONG, THAT CERTAIN THING, THE MIRACLE WOMAN and LADY FOR A DAY. These must-see films will be available for digital purchase or rental, alongside such favorites as IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, LOST HORIZON, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. FRANK CAPRA: MR AMERICA is also available now for digital rental or purchase.

SO THIS IS LOVE (1928)

Synopsis: Dress designer Jerry McGuire, (William Collier Jr.) is secretly in love with Hilda Jensen (Shirly Mason) who works at the delicatessen. But Hilda is in love with the self-admiring pugilist Spike Mullins (Johnnie Walker). Can Jerry summon up the courage to woo Hilda? And more importantly stand up to Spike? With all-new music score by Michael D. Mortilla.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Stereo Audio; Includes All-New Commentary with Film Historians Stan Taffel and Bryan Cooper

SO THIS IS LOVE has a run time of approximately 55 minutes and is not rated.

THE WAY OF THE STRONG (1928)

Synopsis: Handsome Williams (Mitchell Lewis), a brutal bootlegger, falls for blind violinist, Nora (Alice Day). Handsome’s rivals recognize that she is his vulnerability--and target the innocent Nora as retribution. With all-new music score by Michael D. Mortilla

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Stereo Audio; Includes All-New Commentary with Film Historians Stan Taffel and Bryan Cooper

THE WAY OF THE STRONG has a run time of approximately 58 minutes and is not rated.

THAT CERTAIN THING (1928)

Synopsis: Viola Dana plays Molly, a poor girl who falls in love with A.B. Charles, Jr. (Ralph Graves), son of a millionaire restaurateur. When the son meets and impulsively marries Molly, his father cuts him off without a dime, but with Molly’s ingenuity and “that certain thing,” her prospects are better than ever. With all-new music score by Donald Sosin.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Stereo Audio

THAT CERTAIN THING has a run time of approximately 64 minutes and is not rated.

SUBMARINE (1928)

Synopsis: Columbia’s first film to be released with a synchronized score is a taut drama about a deep-sea diver's efforts (Jack Holt) to rescue the crew of a submarine lodged 400 feet underwater, with Ralph Graves, his best friend and rival, on board. Newly reconstructed score by Rodney Sauer, from original source materials, performed by the Mont Alto Orchestra.

Presented in 4K SDR on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio

SUBMARINE has a run time of approximately 103 minutes and is not rated.

THE YOUNGER GENERATION (1929)

Synopsis: In this moving drama, Jean Hersholt is a Jewish pushcart vendor whose ambitious son’s success allows him to move the family to a fancy uptown address where new tensions push father and son apart. Columbia Pictures first “talkie” contained limited dialog. Includes restored audio, including newly reconstructed score by Rodney Sauer, performed by the Mont Alto Orchestra.

Presented in 4K SDR on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio

THE YOUNGER GENERATION has a run time of approximately 83 minutes and is not rated.

FLIGHT (1929)

Synopsis: The second of three technological spectacles featuring Jack Holt and Ralph Graves as rivals in love despite a friendship forged as Marine Corps fliers in training and action.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes the Theatrical Trailer

FLIGHT has a run time of approximately 120 minutes and is not rated.

LADIES OF LEISURE (1930)

Synopsis: Kay (Barbara Stanwyck) is a wild party girl out to snare herself a rich suitor. Jerry (Ralph Graves) is a young man from an affluent family striving to become an artist. What starts out as a relationship of mutual convenience soon blossoms into love in this charming film.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes an Audio Commentary with Film Historian Jeremy Arnold

LADIES OF LEISURE has a run time of approximately 98 minutes and is not rated.

RAIN OR SHINE (1930)

Synopsis: Mary (Joan Peers) inherits her late father's financially floundering circus. With the help of her charismatic manager, Smiley Johnson (Joe Cook), they try to salvage the big top. Presented with an alternate version released without sync dialog, created for international audiences.

Both Domestic and International Versions of the Film Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes the “Frank Capra Finds a Place in the Sun with Michel Gondry” Featurette

RAIN OR SHINE has a run time of approximately 88 minutes and is not rated.

DIRIGIBLE (1931)

Synopsis: Adventure duo Jack Holt and Ralph Graves pair again as great rivals, but better friends challenging the elements and attempting to conquer the air and the South Pole.

Presented in 4K SDR on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio

DIRIGIBLE has a run time of approximately 100 minutes and is not rated.

THE MIRACLE WOMAN (1931)

Synopsis: Barbara Stanwyck shines as the daughter of an undervalued minister, who, grieving after her father's death, joins a fraudulent church as a preacher. David Manners, a blind ex-pilot, hears Stanwyck preaching and goes to her.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes the “Ron Howard on The Miracle Woman” Featurette

THE MIRACLE WOMAN has a run time of approximately 90 minutes and is not rated.

PLATINUM BLONDE (1931)

Synopsis: A wise-cracking newspaper reporter’s entanglement with a wealthy socialite (the glittering Jean Harlow) stirs the class prejudices of both her publicity-shy family and his ink-stained pals (including Loretta Young) in this fast-paced classic Capra comedy.

Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio

PLATINUM BLONDE has a run time of approximately 88 minutes and is not rated.

AMERICAN MADNESS (1932)

Synopsis: Walter Huston stars as an idealistic bank president dealing with the aftermath of a robbery. While rallying local businessmen to deposit funds to keep the bank afloat, he learns the truth about the loyalties of the people around him.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes an All-New Commentary with Film Historian Steven C. Smith Featuring Victoria Riskin, Plus Commentary with Frank Capra Jr. & Author Cathrine Kellison and the “Frank Capra Jr. Remembers...‘American Madness’” Featurette

AMERICAN MADNESS has a run time of approximately 76 minutes and is not rated.

THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN (1932)

Synopsis: Barbara Stanwyck plays an American missionary who reluctantly falls for the General who kidnaps her amid the Chinese Civil War.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes an All-New Commentary with Film Historian Kimberly Truhler, Plus the “Defining Capra's Early Style with Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard” Featurette

THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN has a run time of approximately 87 minutes and is not rated.

FORBIDDEN (1932)

Synopsis: In this pre-code romantic drama, Barbara Stanwyck stars as a staid librarian swept away by a charming married man (Adolph Menjou). When their affair produces a daughter, Menjou proposes an unconventional, heart-breaking solution.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes a Commentary with Author Jeanine Basinger

FORBIDDEN has a run time of approximately 85 minutes and is not rated.

LADY FOR A DAY (1933)

Synopsis: A gangster and his gal help his good luck charm, Apple Annie, a depression-era apple seller, convince her daughter’s future in-laws she’s a proper match.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio

LADY FOR A DAY has a run time of approximately 95 minutes and is not rated.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)

Synopsis: Winner of all 5 major 1934 Oscars®, including Best Picture! When a brash reporter (Clark Gable) meets a runaway heiress (Claudette Colbert), can love be far behind?

Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes an All-New Commentary with Film Historian Julie Kirgo, Plus Commentary by Frank Capra Jr., 2 Featurettes, Original Live Radio Broadcast and a Theatrical Trailer

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT has a run time of approximately 105 minutes and is not rated.

MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (1936)

Synopsis: Gary Cooper plays Longfellow Deeds, whose simple rural life is upended when he inherits his uncle's fortune. Jean Arthur is the cynical reporter tasked with exposing him for laughs (and circulation) but ends up overwhelmed by his honesty and decency.

Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes an All-New Commentary with Victorian Riskin and Steven C. Smith, Plus Commentary by Frank Capra Jr., Featurette, and a Theatrical Re-Release Trailer

MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN has a run time of approximately 116 minutes and is not rated.

LOST HORIZON (1937)

Synopsis: Ronald Colman and Jane Wyatt star in this unique journey to the enchanted paradise of Shangri-La, where time stands still.

Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes Commentary with Charles Champlin and Bob Gitt, Alternate Ending, 4 Featurettes, 5 Theatrical Teasers & Trailers

LOST HORIZON has a run time of approximately 133 minutes and is not rated.

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU (1938)

Synopsis: A man from a family of rich snobs becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family. Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Picture!

Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes Commentary with Frank Capra Jr. & Author Cathrine Kellison, Featurette and Theatrical Trailer

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU has a run time of approximately 126 minutes and is not rated.

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)

Synopsis: James Stewart takes on the powers-that-be in our nation's capital in Frank Capra's timeless classic. Nominated for eleven 1939 Oscars®, including Best Picture.

Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD disc and in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Mono Audio; Includes an All-New Commentary with Film Historian Julie Kirgo, Plus Commentary with Frank Capra Jr., 5 Featurettes, “Frank Capra’s American Dream” Documentary and Theatrical Trailers

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON has a run time of approximately 129 minutes and is not rated.

FRANK CAPRA: MR AMERICA (2024)

Synopsis: FRANK CAPRA: MR AMERICA tells the story of Frank Capra, a young immigrant who rose through the ranks of early Hollywood to become one of the Great American storytellers and one of the most successful and influential film directors of his generation. His iconic films, including IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, and IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, offered an inspiring vision of America where ideals win out, integrity triumphs, and ordinary people have their day. The documentary uses never-before-seen footage and audio tapes from Capra’s life to examine his career and relationship with America, offering a portrait of a complicated man whose tales of hope in difficult times still speak to audiences today. Written and Directed by Matthew Wells.

Presented in High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA Audio; Includes a Theatrical Trailer

FRANK CAPRA: MR AMERICA has a run time of approximately 92 minutes and is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, smoking and thematic elements.

LADYBUGS (1992) (Paramount Pictures MOD Blu-ray Review)

LADYBUGS (1992) 

Label: Paramount Pictures 

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: PG-13

Duration: 89 Minutes 40 Seconds 

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

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1) 

Director: Sidney J. Furie

Cast: Rodney Dangerfield, Jackee, Jonathan Brandis, Ilene Graff, Vinessa Shaw

In the kiddie sports-comedy Ladybugs (1992) beloved stands-up comic Rodney Dangerfield (Rover Dangerfield, Caddyshack)  plays Chester, a schlubby salesman looking to get a promotion at work, and to curry favor with his boss he offers to coach his daughter's soccer team the Ladybugs, with the boss in no unclear terms telling him the only way he will getting that promotion is to take the team to the championship at the end of the season. Of course Chester  has no coaching skills t speak of, but he does have determination, and he manages to rope his assistant Julie (TV's Sister, Sister) into helping him coach the team, and of course she has so soccer skills either. While the team  was a former championship-winning team their best players have left the team, with only one returning player from the previous season, and the prospects of turning this team into a champions and getting that coveted promotion at work does not look very promising. He ends up recruiting his girlfriend Bess (Ilene Graff, TV's Mr. Belvedere) jock son Matthew (the late Jonathan Brandis, Stephen King's It) to sport a blonde wig and dress in drag and play on the team as Martha, which he does to get close to Kimberly (Vinessa Shaw, The Hills Have Eyes '06), the boss's daughter's who he has a crush on. Of course bringing the kid onboard improves the team's performance, but it is not without it's problems, for starters his mother Bess is unaware of the sport-subterfuge, and balancing the two personalities at home and on the field proves comically difficult.  

I was in highschool when this came out and I was a huge fan of Dangerfield at the time, having grown up on Caddyshack and Back To School, not to mention his steady appearance son The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, but the trailers for this kiddie-friendly sports comedy looked way too kiddie for me to deign to see it at the cinema, and I never did catch up with it till now. It's about what I expected, the same old Dangerfield stand-up schtick recycled and shoehorned into a kid's flick about a misfit coach and a band of dreadful soccer players who turn out to be not-so-bad. This might have been advertised as too much of a kiddie flick, even in the early 90's the PG-13 rating was not as watered down as it would eventually become, the first couple of minutes features two utterances of the word "asshole", and it's got some odd sexual humor for a kid's flicks with some upskirt peeps and jokes about boners and Dangerfield's character being kicked out of a bar after being mistaken for a pedophile who dresses his girlfriend's son up in women's clothes, which s only half true. The film also has some fun but undercooked cameos from Nancy Parsons (Porky's), Blake Clark (TV's Home Improvement) and baseball hall-of-famer Tommy Lasorda as competing soccer coaches. 

If you're a fan of Dangerfield's patented self-deprecating, bug-eyed antics,  and casually misogynist humor there's probably enough here to recommend a watch of this sort of kiddie-friendly curio from his filmography, but as a film on its own it's pretty awful. It's also quite a curio in the career of director Sidney J. Furie whose career ranged from b-horror like Dr. Blood's Coffin to the classy spy-thriller The Ipcress File, onto later director-for-hire stuff like Ladybugs and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, he was a bit all over the place. 

Audio/Video: Ladybugs (1992) gets a not-pressed MOD Blu-ray release from Paramount presented in 1080p HD widescreen (1.78:1). This is likely the same dated transfer used for the 2010 Lionsgate Blu-ray, the source is in great shape, but colors seem slightly muted and contrast is not particularly dialed-in. The soft lensing doesn't offer a lot of razor sharp detail, but the grain field looks natural and textures are modestly pleasing. Skin tones tend to look a bit ruddy but otherwise not a terrible looking transfer, just dated. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo and 5.1 surround with optional English subtitles. The track is quite front heavy so the 5.1 option is completely unnecessary, but it does the job. The only extra is a fullframe Trailer for the film. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single sided sleeve of artwork. 

Special Features: 

- Trailer (1:46) 

Screenshots from the Paramount MOD Blu-ray:

Buy it! 

Amazon

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