The Cheat is a 1931 American pre-code drama film directed by George Abbott and starring screen legend Tallulah Bankhead, Irving Pichel and Harvey Stephens. This is the remake of the 1915 film directed by Cecile B. DeMille and is just as good. Elsa Carlyle (Tallulah Bankhead, Lifeboat) is a gambling addict and likes to…
The Tomb of Ligeia (Kino Lorber) Blu-ray review
Directed by the legendary Roger Corman, The Tomb of Ligeia is another classic horror film where he displays his master craftsmanship with what he can do on a limited budget with lavish set pieces and a small cast. The Tomb of Ligeia is based on the short story “Ligeia” by American author Edgar Allan Poe….
Nana Blu-ray review (Kino Lorber)
After his directorial debut of Whirlpool of Fate, legendary director Jean Renoir came back with his second offering, Nana from 1926. Nana stars the director’s wife Catherine Hessling as the title character, and is the story an actress without tact or morals. Nana is arrogant, vain, and admired by men because she’s so beautiful! She…
The Plainsman Blu-ray review
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…
No Time for Love Blu-ray review
Kino Lorber has been releasing a few movies on Blu-ray that are directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring screen legend Claudette Colbert (Arise, My Love). One of those films is the recent release of No Time for Love which the great actress is paired alongside another screen legend in Fred MacMurray (Double Indemnity) in one…