The Plainsman is a 1936 American Western film about the legendary gunman Wild Bill Hickok (screen legend Gary Cooper, Unconquered, The General Died at Dawn) and his adventures with his lover Calamity Jane (Jean Arthur, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), Buffalo Bill Cody (James Ellison, The Undying Monster) and General George Custer (John Miljan, I…
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Blu-ray review (Kino Lorber)
Based on Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the most iconic pictures in our cinematic history. The first version was a 26-minute short French film from 1911. The 1923 silent classic starring Lon Chaney as Quasimodo followed and has been remade several times since then with various big-name actors…
Rififi in Paris Blu-ray review
Rififi In Paris aka The Upper Hand is a story about an experienced gold-smuggler Paul Berger “Paulo” (Jean Gabin, Moontide, The Sicilian Clan) and his partner Walter (Gert Frobe, Goldfinger) is at war with other gangsters who would like to be part of the gold-smuggling operation including a gang from America, led by Charles Binnaggio…
Theater of Blood Blu-ray review
Theater of Blood has been part of my cinematic life for decades, having owned a VHS and DVD release, plus the Blu-rays from Twilight Time and Arrow Video. Because the Twilight Time Blu-ray is long out of print, Kino Lorber decided to re-release it to those who prefer not to spend too much for their…
The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray review
Also known as Three Loves and The Woman Men Yearn For, The Woman One Longs For is a 1929 German tragic love story between two men and one woman, who happens to be the iconic Marlene Dietrich in one of her earliest roles. Even in these early roles, she has an incredible screen presence that…
13 Washington Square Blu-ray review
I hadn’t heard of 13 Washington Square until it was announced by Kino Lorber several months ago. The movie immediately caught my attention, not so much because of the cast, since none of them rang a bell at first, but due to its premise of a rich man marrying a middle-lower class woman which was…
Blu-ray Review – The Frenchman’s Garden – Mondo Macabro
I am sitting here having just watched the Paul Naschy directed/starring the Frenchman’s Garden. A film I could only have sat through on a bad bootleg just a few years ago. 10 years ago even I could only get a handful of Naschy’s more popular horror works on DVD, and now I could pull so…
Blu-ray Review – Deadlock – Subkultur
Review—Deadlock (Subkultur)Author: Palo SionopliaIn case you’re the sort of ne’er-do-well who only gives reviews the briefest of glances, I’m going to frontload the following: you need to purchase this release. I’m now going to spend the rest of this space telling you why.To most of us on the American side of the pond, director Roland…
Blu-ray Review – It’s Nothing Mama, Just A Game – Mondo Macabro
The influence of the Most Dangerous Games seem to have not strayed for from the world of EuroCult cinema in the 70’s. In the past Mondo Macabro themselves have released at least 2 films that I can think that have channeled the themes of the story, with last year’s release of Seven Women for Satan,…
Blu-ray Review – Killer’s Delight – Vinegar Syndrome
Review—Killer’s Delight (Vinegar Syndrome)Author: Palo SionopliaKiller’s Delight (aka The Dark Ride aka The Sport Killer) is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s an exploitation film dressed up as a police procedural, a would-be thriller that borrows heavily from the real-life drama of Ted Bundy’s initial capture and conviction. Released in 1978, the film can…