Hi Bryan Here….
So many AWESOME releases in October. I have been far behind but I will get caught up to this week in the next few hours. So let us jump right in and get to all the goodies. Some of the must own blu-rays include ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Jackie Brown’, ‘Lion King’, plus some other goodies. As usual, in this article, you will get some info about the disc and the extras that come with the movie as well as a personal opinion about the movie and a link to purchase the film over at AMAZON where you can save quite a bit of money, and it will give a small percentage kick back to this site so we can continue bringing you excellent stories and sales.
Enjoy and Here We Go!!
THE BAD SEED (BLURAY)
Can evil be inherited? That’s the question posed by Maxwell Anderson in his stage play The Bad Seed. This 1956 film adaptation stars many actors from the Broadway version, including Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Henry Jones and Eileen Heckart. Young McCormack plays Rhoda, a too-good-to-be-true grade schooler who occasionally exhibits a vicious streak whenever things don’t turn out her way. During a picnic, one of Rhoda’s schoolmates is drowned; the victim is a boy who’d won a penmanship medal that Rhoda had coveted. Nancy Kelly, the girl’s mother, slowly comes to the horrible conclusion that Rhoda was responsible for the boy’s death–a suspicion fueled by the discovery that Kelly, who was adopted as an infant, is the daughter of a convicted murderess. Meanwhile, a moronic handyman (Henry Jones) accidentally tumbles to Rhoda’s secret, whereupon he is “accidentally” burned to death. Realizing that Rhoda must be stopped before she can kill again, and reasoning that the authorities would never believe the truth, Kelly tries to put the girl to sleep permanently with barbituates, then shoots herself. The play’s ironic ending–the mother dies, while the unsuspected Rhoda lives on–is sacrificed for a “divine retribution” finale in the film, with Rhoda being punished by a convenient bolt of lightning. This alteration is acceptable, but director Mervin LeRoy further gilds the lily with an asinine closing-credits sequence wherein Nancy Kelly throws Patty McCormack over her knee and administers a spanking! The 1985 TV movie remake of The Bad Seed retains the play’s original ending, but all in all is not half as entertaining as the 1956 version (its hokey denouement notwithstanding). McCormack later starred in Max Allan Collins’ unofficial 1995 sequel Mommy.
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BEAUTIFUL BOY (BLURAY)
Bill (Michael Sheen) and Kate (Maria Bello) hopelessly try to find some hint of an explanation after finding out that their only son committed a mass shooting at his university before taking his own life. They struggle numbly through the funeral, the media onslaught, and the awkward pity from relatives and friends. Their already strained marriage is tested as they realize all they have left with each other is their shared grief and confusion-and the unfortunate legacy of their son. This life-altering event forces Bill and Kate to face their feelings of guilt, rage, blame, self-discovery -and ultimately hope- so that they can finally see each other and their chance for happiness again with clear eyes.
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BOCCACCIO ’70 (BLURAY)
Released in the US by 20th Century-Fox, Boccaccio ’70 is a compendium of short subjects directed by three of Italy’s top filmmakers. Each story is written in the style of the famed Italian essayist Boccaccio, albeit told in contemporary terms. First up is “The Raffle”, written by Cesare Zavattini and directed by Vittorio De Sica: Sophia Loren (wife of Boccaccio ’70 producer Carlo Ponti) plays the sexy operator of a shooting gallery, who offers herself as first prize to the best shot. In “The Job”, written by Suso Cecchi D’Amico and directed by Luchino Visconti, Romy Schneider carries a torch for her philandering boss Tomas Milian. The final segment is “The Temptation of Dr. Antonio”, directed by Federico Fellini and scripted by Fellini, Ennio Flaiano and Tullio Pinelli; in this one, Anita Ekberg is an image on a poster who comes to life for the benefit of a drooling middle-aged professor (Peppino De Filippo). A fourth episode, “Renzo and Luciana”, directed by Mario Monicelli, was cut from U.S. release.
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CREAM: ROYAL ALBERT HALL 2005 (BLURAY)
In May of 2005 Cream returned to London’s Royal Albert Hall-to the same stage where they had completed what was thought to be their final performance in 1968. It was one of the most eagerly anticipated, hard-to-get tickets in rock history. With the exception of a brief reunion set at their 1993 induction into the Rock and roll Hall of Fame, Cream had not played together in nearly four decades. This DVD documents Cream’s momentous London shows. Performances from each of the four nights are featured and much more. Also included are alternate performances and interviews with Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, and Eric Clapton. Cream formed in 1966 and disbanded in 1968. The band were a prolific and thrilling live act and toured incessantly in their short but remarkable history.Track Listings: I’m So Glad, Spoonful, Outside Woman Blues, Pressed Rat & Warthog, Sleepy Time Time, N.S.U., Badge, Politician, Sweet Wine, Rollin’ & Tumblin’, Stormy Monday, Deserted Cities of the Heart, Born Under a Bad Sign, We’re Going Wrong, Crossroads, Sitting on Top of the World, White Room, Toad, Sunshine of Your Love, Spoonful (Alternate Takes), Sleepy Time Time (Alternate Takes), Badge (Alternate Takes), Sweet Wine (Alternate Takes), Rollin’ & Tumblin’, We’re Going Wrong, White Room, Sunshine of Your Love
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DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW:30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION (BLURAY)
Director Frank De Felitta’s Dark Night of the Scarecrow tells of a mentally handicapped young man (Larry Drake of Darkman and Dr. Giggles villainy) wrongfully accused of assaulting a young girl in a rural farm community. Veteran character actor Charles Durning leads a lynch mob of locals to hunt down the gentle simpleton, who attempts to disguise himself as the scarecrow in his mother’s field, only to get gunned down in cold blood by the mob. The murderous rednecks get away with murdering an innocent man by putting a pitchfork in his dead hands and claiming they killed him in self defense — that is, until the night someone dressed as that scarecrow begins picking them off one-by-one with that very same pitchfork.
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HORRIBLE BOSSES (BLURAY+DVD+DIGITAL COPY)
For Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day), the only thing that would make the daily grind more tolerable would be to grind their intolerable bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston) into dust. Quitting is not an option, so, with the benefit of a few-too-many drinks and some dubious advice from a hustling ex-con (Jamie Foxx), the three friends devise a convoluted and seemingly foolproof plan to rid themselves of their respective employers… permanently. There’s only one problem: even the best laid plans are only as foolproof as the brains behind them.
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THE FOUR FEATHERS (CRITERION COLLECTION BLURAY)
This was the first sound production of A.E.W. Mason’s classic adventure novel, which was brought to the screen three times in the silent era. Harry Faversham (John Clements) is the son of a military man who expects his son to follow in his footsteps on the fields of battle. Gen. Burroughs (C. Aubrey Smith), the father of Faversham’s sweetheart, Ethne (June Duprez), was also a hero in the Crimean War, and he often regales Harry with tales of his exploits under fire. However, Harry is not so sure he believes in the family’s tradition of military service and resigns his commission in 1898, shortly before his company is scheduled to head into the Sudan. Three of Faversham’s comrades in arms, Capt. John Durrance (Ralph Richardson), Lt. Peter Burroughs (Donald Gray), and Lt. Arthur Willoughby (Jack Allen), each present Harry with a white feather, symbolizing their belief that he is a coward; Ethne shares their belief, and gives him one as well. Disgusted with himself, Faversham disguises himself as a Sangali tribesman and travels to the Sudan so that he might be able to move behind enemy lines and serve the British forces as a scout and reconnaissance agent. When his former regiment is attacked, Faversham is able to lead Burroughs and Willoughby to safety, with the wounded Durrance not realizing that the Arab who saved his life was in fact the man that he accused of cowardice. The Four Feathers was a great critical and commercial success and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.
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JUDY MOODY AND THE NOT BUMMER SUMMER (BLURAY+DVD+DIGITAL COPY)
The kids will love this film. I have no doubt that after seeing this film, they will create their own lists and try to learn, be active, and have fun during the summer. Take your young ones to this. Then tell them about ‘Family Matters’ and show them Urkel. The film chronicles Judy Moody’s (Jordana Beatty) adventures in which she sets out to have the most thrilling summer of her life with the help of her little brother Stink (Parris Mosteller) and fun-loving Aunt Opal (Heather Graham). The script, penned by Kathy Waugh (Peep and the Big Wide World) and Megan McDonald, is based on the characters in McDonald’s popular children’s book series, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds and published by Candlewick Press.
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MANIAC COP (BLURAY)
Fucking Bruce Campbell!!!! Innocent people are brutally killed on the streets of New York by a uniformed police officer. A young cop, Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell, TV’s BURN NOTICE and The EVIL DEAD Trilogy) finds himself marked as the chief suspect after his wife is murdered. As Lieutenant Frank McCrae (Tom Atkins, DRIVE ANGRY and LETHAL WEAPON) investigates, the death toll rises and he suspects a mysterious police cover-up. This maniac cop must be stopped, but it might not be so easy. He seems inhuman, and ready to take on the entire police force, hell-bent on revenge! Restored and remastered from original vault materials by Synapse Films, MANIAC COP looks and sounds better than ever in this brand-new 2011 high-definition transfer, featuring newly remixed DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound! Long considered a classic of the horror genre, MANIAC COP was written and produced by Larry Cohen (IT’S ALIVE, PHONE BOOTH) and directed by William Lustig (MANIAC, VIGILANTE).
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TERRI (BLURAY)
A hit at the Sundance 2011 Film Festival, Terri is a moving and often funny film about the relationship between Terri, an oversized teen misfit, and the garrulous but well-meaning vice principal (John C. Reilly) who takes an interest in him. Terri is produced by the team behind Blue Valentine and Half Nelson, and directed by Azazel Jacobs (Momma’s Man).
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THE TREE OF LIFE (BLURAY+DVD+DIGITAL COPY)
This is the most important film of the year so far. I highly recommend you go to your favorite spot to watch films on the big screen to see this incredible piece of cinema. It answers the universal question of “Why?” Why are we all here?? What does it mean? And the answer simply is the creation of life. AMAZING. You will live this film rather than just watch it. A pure experience and journey. I’m in awe. From Terrence Malick, the acclaimed director of such classic films as Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line, The Tree of Life is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950’s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick’s signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life.
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– Exploring The Tree of Life
ZOOKEEPER (BLURAY+DVD)
Terrible fucking film. A group of zoo animals decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zoo keeper find love — without opting to leave his current job for something more illustrious.
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That’s it for the 2nd week of October.