Reviewing films slightly off the beaten path
Shock Treatment is at once an effective thriller and a clever social commentary. Alain Delon and Annie Girardot are both great in their roles. The film benefits from lush cinematography by Jacques Robin. Severin Films have released the film on Blu-ray.
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan was the final film of the Paramount era. It has moments of greatness, and a unique visual style, but the finale is totally nonsensical. Shout! Factory has released the film in their deluxe box set!
Luigi Bazzoni’s film The Fifth Cord ranks as one of the greatest Giallo films ever made. Franco Nero is as cool as they come. The Arrow Video Blu-ray is essential viewing.
In X,Y, and Zee Elizabeth Taylor turns in a dynamite performance alongside Michael Caine and Susannah York. The video transfer on the Twilight Time Blu-ray looks fantastic.
Joe Versus the Volcano was a critically divisive film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Time has allowed the film to gain an audience. The Warner Archive Blu-ray looks and sounds fantastic.
The Beguiled is a fantastic Southern Gothic thriller starring Clint Eastwood. Directed by Don Siegel, this is one of Eastwoods best and most subversive films. Kino Lorber has given the film a new 2K scan.
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood is arguably the weakest of the original series produced by Paramount. That said, it did give the world Kane Hodder as Jason! The film has been released in the Shout! Factory Deluxe Box Set.
The Eiger Sanction is a high elevations espionage film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. The film has received a new scan for Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray release.
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is a cleverly written and well directed film from the great Billy Wilder. It ranks as one of the best Sherlock Holmes films. Kino Lorber brought the film to Blu-ray in 2014.
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives finally pushes the series into supernatural territory and makes Jason essentially invincible. The film also veers into the territory of horror comedy under the direction of Tom McLoughlin. It’s a fun film that is one of the least intense entries in the series.
