BRIEF REMEMBRANCES OF THE RECENTLY RELEASED
VOL. 103
JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (2025)- INVASION, U.S.A. (1952) -- GET CARTER (1971) - THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUND SHOW: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (1958-1961) - EMERGENCY! THE COMPLETE SERIES (1972-1979)
Label: Universal Pictures
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: PG-13
Duration: 2 Hours 13 Minutes
Audio: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1) with Optional English Subtitles
Video: HDR10 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (2.39:1), 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1)
Director: Gareth Edwards
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein
The 7th entry in the Jurassic franchise is directed by Gareth Edwards, which has me excited, I remember watching his debut film Monsters and thinking this guy need to do some big-budget creature features, and low and behold he ended up helming Godzilla reboot, and now a Jurassic World re-boot! this time around ParkerGenix pharmaceutical exec Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend, Asteroid City) contracts covert extraction team run by Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson, Ghost World) to travel to an abandoned island research facility where dinosaurs that were genetically altered dinosaurs that were deemed too weird for the original Jurassic Park were left behind, tasked with teaming-up with paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis to collect DNA from three grant species of dinos to create a new heart disease super-drug. The species include the aquatic Mosasaurus, terrestrial Titanosaurus, and avian Quetzalcoatlus, so we get dinos by land, sea and air. Zora's team includes Duncan (Mahershala Ali, Predators), LeClerc (Bechir Sylvain), Nina (Philippine Velge), and Bobby (Ed Skrein), with exec Krieb along for the ride.Along the way they rescue a family whose boat was shipwrecked by the Mosasaurus they're after, and dino-action ensues. I have forgotten pretty much everything about the Jurassic World film with Chris Pratt, I remember them being action-packed, fun and at times over bloated and dumb as a box of rocks, but, y'know, a fun enough trop of popcorn munchers that when right into my eyeholes and the memory of which immediately evaporated. Thanks to the participation of director Gareth Edwards and original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp I went into this with a fare bit of anticipation, and I was not disappointed. The flick is gorgeously crafted, lot of exciting set pieces and dino action, the cast is pretty great, and the nods back to the original film were fun, I didn;t even mind the pretty heavy handed Jaws homage, of the fact that we get a deformed six-limbed "Distortus rex" that felt like they were turning this into an Alien film for a bit. This is easily the most excited I've been for a Jurassic sequel maybe ever, it delivered the goods at the cinema and re-watching the 4K UHD was a blast. It look and sounds fantastic with a handsome HDR10 color-grad and Dolby Atmos audio, and a solid set of extras that explore the making of the film. We also get an embossed slipcover and a digital copy of the film.
Special Features:
- Alternate Opening (1:39)
- Deleted Scenes: Raptors (1:21), Mutadon Attack (2:53)
- Jurassic World Rebirth: Hatching A New Era: The World Evolves (6:57), Off the Deep End (9:56), Trekking Through Thailand (9:03), Rex in the Rapids (8:14), Don't Look Down (10:15), Mini-Mart Mayhem (11:50)
- Gag Reel (1:52)
- Meet Dolores (3:57)
- Munched: Becoming Dino Food (5:34)
- A Day at Skywalker Sound (10:24)
- Hunting for Easter Eggs (6:25)
- Audio Commentary With Director Gareth Edwards, Production Designer James Clyne, and First Assistant Director Jack Ravenscroft
- Audio Commentary With Director Gareth Edwards, Editor Jabez Olssen, and Visual Effects Supervisor David Vickery
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INVASION, U.S.A. (1952) / ROCKET ATTACK U.S.A. (1960)
2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray
INVASION, U.S.A. (1952)
Label: Film Masters
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: TV PG
Duration: 73 Minutes 21 Seconds
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.37:1)
Director: Alfred E. Green
Cast: Gerald Mohr, Peggie Castle, Dan O'Herlihy
ROCKET ATTACK U.S.A. (1960)
Label: Film Masters
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: TV PG
Duration: 63 Minutes 37 Seconds
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.37:1) or 1080p HD (1.85:1)
Director: Alfred E. Green
Cast: Gerald Mohr, Peggie Castle, Dan O'Herlihy
Film Masters offer-up a Cold War-era Red Scare double feature on Blu-ray with Invasion, U.S.A. (1952) and Rocket Attack U.S.A. (1960), the real gem here is the first pic wherein a group of Americans that have gathered at a New York bar when they discover that their country is under a Soviet invasion! With the end seemingly night they depart the bar and attempt to return home, but their journey;s are fraught with Cold War dread and paranoia, and oftentimes death, as the Russians drop atom bombs on Hoover damn and NYC! This is notable for some decent scenes of destruction, an interesting cast of stereotypes, and the presence of actor Dan O’Herlihy (Halloween III: The Season of the Witch, as a mysterious visitor at the bar. It zips by, has plenty of action and a surprising visceral edge, plus a real wild finale, and of course lots of pinko commies, even a couple of secret ones. The second half of the bill is certainly lesser, but still manages to drum up some decent red scare moments and paranoia, but is hampered by the overabundance of grainy WWII and Korean War stock war footage and some poor writing and acting that makes it seem downright silly by comparison to the first film. I did find it interesting that while the enemy invaders seem to be Soviet they are never named. Film Masters really do it up right with the extras, which is not unusual, but always appreciated. We get a new Audio Commentary on Invasion U.S.A. by Jason A. Ney, an Audio Commentary on Rocket Attack U.S.A. by C. Courtney Joyner and Mark Legan, two new featurettes produced by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures that reflect on the career of Gerald Mohr via his son of Gerald Mohr, plus a look back at the Hollywood vs. communism. That's not all though, we get a banger collection of Atomic-era Shorts Collection, as well as a re-cut trailers, stills gallery, and a MST3L episode for Rocket Attack U.S.A, plus a 24-Page Illustrated Booklet with writing by Toby Roan and Don Stradley.
Special Features:
Disc 1:
- Audio Commentary on Invasion U.S.A. by Jason A. Ney
- Re-cut Trailer for Invasion U.S.A (1:33)
- A Matter of Minutes: Remembering Gerald Mohr - New documentary from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures with Tony Mohr, son of Gerald Mohr (18:00)
- Better Dead Than Red: Hollywood vs. Communism in the 1950's - New documentary from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures (36:05)
- Atomic-era Shorts Collection Pt. 1: A is for Atom (14:43), A New Look at the H Bomb (10:14), About Fallout (23:35), Stay Strong, Stay Safe (22:34), Atomic Alert (Elementary Version) (10:38), Fallout (14:13)
- And a Voice Shall Be Heard (1951) Short Film (21:33)
- Stills Gallery (2:15)
Disc 2:
- Audio Commentary on Rocket Attack U.S.A. by C. Courtney Joyner and Mark Legan
- Re-cut Trailer for Rocket Attack U.S.A (1.29)
- MST3K Episode of Rocket Attack U.S.A (97:35)
- Atomic-era Shorts Collection Pt. 2: Our Cities Must Fight (8:46), Warning Red (13:50)
- 24-Page Illustrated Booklet with writing by Toby Roan and Don Stradley
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GET CARTER (1971)
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Label: Warner Archive
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 111 Minutes 37 Minutes
Audio: English DTS HD-MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: Dolby Vision HDR10 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.85:1), 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Mike Hodges
Cast: Michael Caine, Ian Hendry, Britt Ekland, Terence Rigby, John Bindon, John Osborne, Ian Hendry,, Glynn Edwards, Burke and Hare, Petra Markham, George Sewell,, Tony Beckley
Brit gangster flick Get Carter (1971) is centered around vicious London mob enforcer Jack Carter (Michael Caine, The Ipcress File), who works gangsters for Fletcher brothers, Gerald and Sid (Terence Rigby, The Dogs of War, John Bindon, Quadrophenia). After the death of his brother, supposedly a drunk driving accident, he travels from London to his hometown of Newcastle to attend his brother's funeral, but he suspect that his brother's death was not an accident and sets out to to get to the bottom of it before he returns to London. He's been warned by the Fletchers not to ruffle any feathers in Newcastle as they have business dealings with the local crime boss Cyril Kinnear (John Osborne, Flash Gordon). However, once Carter arrives in Newcastle he gets a whiff of deceit and cover-up from the get-go, old acquaintances Eric Paice (Ian Hendry, Repulsion) and Albert Swift (Glynn Edwards, Burke and Hare) are shifty when questioned, and when he starts looking into things he discovers that his brothers teen daughter Doreen (Petra Markham, Fragment of Fear) has been tainted by the local porno underground, and when Carter finds this out he goes full-on cold-blooded Terminator on everyone involved, with the his employer the Fletchers sending fellow London enforcers Con McCarthy (George Sewell, The Vengeance of She) and Peter the Dutchman (Tony Beckley, The Lost Continent), to retrieve him before he kicks-up a hornet's nest in Newcastle. this an an all-timer terrific gangster flick, it's grim and gritty, chock full of action, and gorgeous women, including Britt Eklund (The Wicker Man) as one of the Fletcher brother's girlfriend's that Carter is having an affair with, as well as Glenda (Geraldine Moffat, From Russia with Love), whom he falls into bed with while in Newcastle. Carter is such a steely and vicious presence, friends and lovers who have wronged him all taste his vengeance, even innocent bystanders get the wrath of our anti-hero without him so much as flinching, but his disturbance of Newcastle's underworld has not gone unnoticed and their will be consequences. The film was remade just a year later as the blaxploitation film starring Bernie Casey, Hitman (1972), which also worth checking out, and there's 2000 remake with Stallone, which I've never seen. The new 4k UHD from Warner Archive is a stunner, revived with Dolby Vision/Atmos upgrades, the image is gorgeously textured, the gloomy industrial coastal area have never look better or rendered with more precision and clarity, you can feel the chill in the air when you watch it. We get not only all the extras from WB's previous Blu-ray, but most of the extras from the BFI's 2022 4K UHD release as well, which are all terrific, making this 4K upgrade all the more desirable.
Special Features:
- Vintage audio commentary by Michael Caine, Director Mike Hodges & Cinematographer Wolfgang Suschinsky
- 2022 introduction by Michael Caine (2:30)
- 2022 Audio commentary with Kim Newman & Barry Forshaw
- Mike Hodges in Conversation (61:12)
- The Sound of Roy Budd (Get Carter composer) (17:07)
- Don't Trust Boys: Petra Markham reflects on her career & her role in Get Carter
- Klinger on Klinger: Tony Klinger discusses the career of his father, Michael Klinger, Producer of Get Carter (24:09)
- 1971 Theatrical Trailer (2:41)
- 1971 New Castle Introduction by Michael Caine (0:46)
- 1971 Music-Influenced Roy Budd Trailer (3:41)
- 2022 BFI Rerelease Trailer (1:31).
- 2022 BFI Re-release Trailer
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THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUND SHOW - THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (1958-1961)
11-Disc Blu-ray Set
Label: Warner Archive
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 2175 Minutes
Audio: English DTS HD-MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Director: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
Cast: Daws Butler and Don Messick
Hannah-Barbera's favorite Southern hound dog gets the deluxe treatment from cinema saviors Warner Archive who continue to do excellent work restoring the Hannah-Barbera catalog, the latest being this comprehensive anthology of The Huckleberry Hound Show, collecting all 68-eposides of the original four season series. These have been meticulously restored from 4K scans of original 35mm negatives, or the best available elements. If you are unfamiliar Huckleberry Hound, everyone's favorite blue hound dog never looked better. The cool-blue canine is quite charming, introducing each episodes with his slow, Southern drawl, each episode featuring three segments, one with the title characters, voiced by Daws Butler, plus we got a Yogi Bear segment, which is a character this show debuted, the very Tom & Jerry-esque Pixie and Dixie, two mice always on the run from or getting the better of Mr. Jinks the cat. Later episodes replaced Yogi Bear with Hokey Wolf when Yogi proved so popular it spawned it's own series. The shows is still a delightful watch, the excellent voicework from Daws Butler and Don messick are all over these episodes, and watching these brought me back to being a kid sitting in front f the TV with a bowl full of cereal, and it looks terrific, the backgrounds and cell-animation are vibrant and bold, the preservation and restoration afforded this series is nothing short of wonderful, you can tell a lot of love went into these, they even include the bumpers and black and white commercials for Kellogg's brand cereals. The 11-disc set arrives in a side-loading slipcase, inside are three oversized keepcases housing the discs on flipper trays, so we don't' get any stacked discs, which is super-cool. We we also get some extras by way of a humorous and tongue-in-cheek look at the series "houndspeak, a tribute to voice legend Daws Butler, and a music video. This is a terrific set, I love the yellow logo on pink aesthetic of it, and appreciate WAC going all-in on the restoration and packaging. If you're a fan of the series, all things Hanna-Barbera, or just classic TV animation this Blu-ray set is an essential restoration of this pioneering animated series, highly recommended.
Special Features:
- Huckleberry Quotes: The Remix: Music Video Celebrating Memorable Hound quotes (2:21)
- Huckleberry Hound: A Linguistic Masterpiece: Houndspeak as Humorously Interpreted by a Linguistics Professor (5:30)
- The Legendary Sound of Daws Butler (12:42)
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Physical Media Land - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order!
EMERGENCY! THE COMPLETE SERIES
(1972-1979)
28-Disc Blu-ray Set
Label: Universal Studios
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 6642 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Cast: Kevin Tighe, Randolph Mantooth, Julie London, Joanna Kern, Linda Gray
Having been born I had memories of watching the ubiquitous Emergency television series, I was young and wouldn't say I was tuning in regularly, but my mom was a regular watcher and so I caught quite a few episodes just n in the background. The show was about a medical and rescue unit of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Squad 51, portraying a realistic look at the real-life drama of those who devote their lives to saving others. The stars were Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe, Escape to Witch Mountain) and John Gage (Randolph Mantooth), the dynamic duo who responded to emergency calls, and they were backed-up by a medical team, including Nurse Dixie McCall (Julie London, Nabonga) and doctors Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller) and Joe Early (Bobby Troup) at Rampart Hospital, The show came from producer Jack Webb (Dragnet), and was packed with tons cool rescues fraught with danger, we had exploding cars, rattlesnake bites, underwater rescues, and loads more, all of them supposedly pulled from real-life rescue log books, plus we get the station drama, camaraderie, and shenanigans, as a kid (and now while I am re-watching it) my favorite character was Chet (Tim Donnelly, The Toolbox Murders) who was a wisecracking smart-ass. Also, if you love watching old TV shows and spotting future stars this has plenty, be on the lookout for Melissa Gilbert, John Travolta, Kim Richards, Jamie Farr, Erik Estrada, and Nick Nolte. This new 28-disc Blu-ray sets looks and sounds terrific, collecting all six seasons, plus the six TV movies that followed after the cancellation, the only bonus content is the inclusion of the Adam-12 Crossover Episode "Lost and Found". This set arrives with a side-loading slipcase housing four keepcases, two seasons per keepcase, and the TV movies getting their own keepcase as well. There are no stacked discs, and no DVD-sized high-volume Epik Pak cases either, wso good on Universal for the excellent packaging. The reverse side of wrap feature an episode listing as well.
Special Features:
- Adam-12 Crossover Episode "Lost and Found"
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