Category: Uncategorized

Die Hard 5, aka ‘A Good Reason to Quit Now’

June 13, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
Die Hard 5, aka ‘A Good Reason to Quit Now’

Review of that massive disappointment of 2013, A Good Day to Die Hard, plus some editorial blather.

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A Quartet of Western Soundtracks

June 13, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
A Quartet of Western Soundtracks

Just uploaded is a quartet of western soundtracks: Bert Shefter’s gem of an oater, The Tall Texan (Monstrous Movie Music), Elmer Bernstein’s The Shootist + The Sons of Katie Elder (La-La Land), and Jerry Goldsmith’s Bandolero! (LLL) and 100 Rifles (Film Score Monthly).

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The Strange, Wily Women of Ben Ames Williams

June 1, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
The Strange, Wily Women of Ben Ames Williams

Just uploaded are reviews of two film adaptations of Ben Ames Williams’ novels featuring morally challenged women – the blazing Technicolor noir Leave Her to Heaven (1945) , newly released by Twilight Time on Blu; and The Strange Woman, Edgar G. Ulmer’s 1946 film screaming for a restoration.

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Old Urbanism vs. New Urbanism in The Human Scale

May 30, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
Old Urbanism vs. New Urbanism in The Human Scale

The last review from Hot Docs 2013, Andreas Dalsgaard’s The Human Scale, is contrasted by a review of Patrick Demers and Joseph Hillel’s Regular or Super: Views on Mies van der Rohe (TVA Films), plus a modest Editor’s Blog on opposing urban philosophies.

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The Song of Bernadette, and some mild ranting

May 30, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
The Song of Bernadette, and some mild ranting

In addition to a lengthy Editor’s Blog [rant] on classic films on video, I’ve uploaded a review of Twilight Time’s new Blu-ray edition of Fox’ The Song of Bernadette, which features a clean transfer of the film that ostensibly launched Jennifer Jones’ career as a leading lady, and marked a high-point in Alfred Newman’s compositional career.

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Hot Docs 2013: Two by Rachel Boynton

May 22, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
Hot Docs 2013: Two by Rachel Boynton

Uploaded is the next-to-last review from Hot Docs 2013 – Rachel Boynton’s Big Men, about a small U.S. company’s efforts to maintain their interest in Ghana’s Jubilee Fields offshore oil reserve, plus a full review of the director’s first film, Our Brand is Crisis (KOCH / EOne), about American spin doctors managing a political candidate in Bolivia’s 2002 presidential elections.

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CanCon 101: Sexcula – “She’ll suck more than your blood!”

May 21, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
CanCon 101: Sexcula – “She’ll suck more than your blood!”

Yes, it’s true: the first and perhaps only hardcore film to enjoy the benefits of Canada’s tax shelter system during the heady seventies not only exists, but is available on DVD from Impulse Picttures / Synapse Films. I guess this means as taxpayers, we took part in Sexcula’s making, and I’m okay with that. Are you?

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Soundtrack Reviews: Video Game Scores

May 21, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
Soundtrack Reviews: Video Game Scores

Just uploaded are reviews of four video game soundtracks from 2013 and 2012: Bear McCreary’s Defiance (released on the composer’s new label, Sparks and Shadows), and from La-La Records we have Tyler Bates’ God of War: Ascension, Mark Mancina’s Sorcery, and Christopher Lennertz’ Starhawk.

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Soundtrack Reviews – Reissues & Premieres

May 14, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
Soundtrack Reviews – Reissues & Premieres

Reviews of John Barry’s previously unreleased First Love, an expanded release of James Newton’s Howard’s Grand Canyon, a remastered reissue of John Williams’ Jane Eyre (all from La-La Land Records), and the premiere release of Howard Blake’s S.O.S. Titanic (Silva Screen), plus my latest reviews in Rue Morgue magazine, and Peter Bogdanovich’s At Long Last Love appears as a pre-order on Amazon.com.

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Kirk Douglas’ Horror Triptych

May 12, 2013 | By | Add a Comment
Kirk Douglas’ Horror Triptych

Tough guy Kirk Douglas made horror films? Why yes, he did! Uploaded are the following as proof: Brian De Palma’s body-exploding silliness The Fury (Twilight Time) on Blu, Alberto De Martino’s Omen rip-off Holocaust 2000 (aka Rain of Fire, aka The Chosen), and Kirk Douglas as an all-singing / cycling / transformative hero / villain in the TV musical version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, circa 1973.

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