Recent Movie Purchases

[Raffine]

"SHIPPED TODAY"



The Oscar-nominated documentary about the life and music of Bernard Herrmann.
His first film score was CITIZEN KANE and his last was TAXI DRIVER. Not bad for a cantankerous kid from Brooklyn.

His next film would have been De Palma's CARRIE, but he died in his sleep on Christmas Eve 1975... the night he finished recording TAXI DRIVER.

[Kooshmeister]

Was at Wal-Mart today so I snagged Jeepers Creepers (hence my use of the screenshot from the film in the picture war) and Star Wars: A New Hope, the latter of which I hadn't seen in widescreen since the '97 Special Editions.

I'd say shame on me for waiting to grab the DVD for this long, but let's face it, prior to these discs all there was was the boxed set containing the second, just-for-DVD re-edit(s) of the films, where they tinkered with them even more than the '97 versions. These discs do contain those versions, too, but they also have the original, un-edited theatrical/home video versions, which is good.

Jeepers Creepers, meanwhile, is one I've been meaning to pick up for a while, ever since I saw it on TV and was impressed with it immensely. While at the checkout, the cashier lady even commented on how she'd liked it a lot when she saw it for the first time, and said something along the lines of how until Jeepers Creepers, she'd thought they'd quit making good horror movies. 

[Pilgermann]

Found this for about 5 bucks, brand new.  It has Klaus Kinski playing twins, one insane, one a victim, and it's loaded with extras.  It has two versions of the film, commentary, a promo show, picture galleries, and a couple other things I think.  I haven't seen it but it sounded pretty fun.  Anyone watch this before?

[Doc Daneeka]

I thought Jeepers Creepers was an okay flick, but a bit generic "monster movie" for my tastes.

My daddy found two St. Clair Entertainment packs at a yard sale yesterday, a "Fright Night" 3 DVD set with 3 Prices, 2 Lugosis (Including a condensed The Phantom Creeps), 1 Chaney Jr., a somewhat-decent transfer of the original Little Shop of Horrors, the famous Carnival of Souls, something called Nightmare castle, and maybe a few more. The second is a "Giant Monster" 3-DVD pack comprised mostly of old Gamera (missing only Guiron and Zigra), as well as The Giant Gila Monster, Warning from Space (I think), and Yonggary.

The cases for these DVDs can be really frustrating at times, the discs overlap, making the 3rd impossible to remove without taking out the second, which in this case is really hard to get out without making usettling "C-RACK"-ing sounds. As for the presentation, I find "best possible quality" to be a large exaggeration, but it's acceptable, 'tis a better presentation of Little Shop than I did have (And still have, for the double feature with a very skippy The Terror"), and the others are just as acceptable. The menus are pretty good, with parts of the soundtrack playing over each. All the disks have nifty featurettes on them which make for a quick distraction, though I haven't checked them all out yet.

He also found the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but I'm not as interested there.

[Pilgermann]

The second is a "Giant Monster" 3-DVD pack comprised mostly of old Gamera (missing only Guiron and Zigra), as well as The Giant Gila Monster, Warning from Space (I think), and Yonggary.

The cases for these DVDs can be really frustrating at times, the discs overlap, making the 3rd impossible to remove without taking out the second...

Speaking of Yongary, there's a really cool article about that movie at Sci-Fi Japan.  One of the new MGM Midnight Movies DVDs features it, and it's a nice cleaned up widescreen print.  What's interesting is that apparently there aren't any of the original Korean prints in existance.

http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2007/09/20/yongary-monster-from-the-deep-on-mgm-dvd/

Oh, and those overlapping DVDs are becoming alarmingly popular.  :(

[wtffilm]

Ordered the YONGARY: MONSTER FROM THE DEEP/KONGA double feature (couldn't care less about Konga, but the widescreen print of YONGARY is worth the price) and preordered the Retromedia release of PLANET OF DINOSAURS.

Kindest regards,

Kevin P.

[Evan]

Found this for about 5 bucks, brand new.  It has Klaus Kinski playing twins, one insane, one a victim, and it's loaded with extras.  It has two versions of the film, commentary, a promo show, picture galleries, and a couple other things I think.  I haven't seen it but it sounded pretty fun.  Anyone watch this before?

I have really meaining to see that. I would appreciate some feedback if you dont mind when finished viewing.

[Allhallowsday]

"SHIPPED TODAY"
The Oscar-nominated documentary about the life and music of Bernard Herrmann.
His first film score was CITIZEN KANE and his last was TAXI DRIVER. Not bad for a cantankerous kid from Brooklyn.
His next film would have been De Palma's CARRIE, but he died in his sleep on Christmas Eve 1975... the night he finished recording TAXI DRIVER.

Can't applaud you enough for being even more into Bernard Herrmann than I am!  Yes, thankfully he finished the magnificent score to TAXI DRIVER arguably his best... but I know you're like me, you love his scores for THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR or MYSTERIOUS ISLAND... 'course we can live without Wagner, but not without Herrmann's vision of Wagner (VERTIGO)... damn, I love that man's music.  I'm putting on TAXI DRIVER right now...

[Raffine]

"SHIPPED TODAY"
The Oscar-nominated documentary about the life and music of Bernard Herrmann.
His first film score was CITIZEN KANE and his last was TAXI DRIVER. Not bad for a cantankerous kid from Brooklyn.
His next film would have been De Palma's CARRIE, but he died in his sleep on Christmas Eve 1975... the night he finished recording TAXI DRIVER.

Can't applaud you enough for being even more into Bernard Herrmann than I am!  Yes, thankfully he finished the magnificent score to TAXI DRIVER arguably his best... but I know you're like me, you love his scores for THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR or MYSTERIOUS ISLAND... 'course we can live without Wagner, but not without Herrmann's vision of Wagner (VERTIGO)... damn, I love that man's music.  I'm putting on TAXI DRIVER right now...

Yes, my life certainly has a score by Bernard Herrmann.   

I've very happy to say that after a couple of long dry years with very little new recordings of Herrmann's music we're about to be served a smorgasborg, including the release next month of the brand spanking new complete recording of MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. New, complete recordings of FARHENHEIT 451, 'Walking Distance' from The Twilight Zone, THE KENTUCKIAN, and WILLIAMSBURG: A PORTRAIT OF A PATRIOT (which he scored for the Williamsburg Historical Society in exchange for a piece of glass for an antique bookcase  ) are due out over the next few months. All are being recorded by theose patron saints of classic film music, John Morgan and Bill Stromberg.

In addition to the documentary, HANGOVER SQUARE (1945) is finally being released on DVD next month. It's all about insane composer Harvey Bone (Laird Cregar) and his piano concerto... music by Bernard Herrmann, naturally. 

I've posted this before, but here's a nifty preview. Stromberg conducting a rehearsal of "The Balloon" from MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. I love it when the camera pans across the orchestra to reveal four harps. Of course, Herrmann used nine harps for BENEATH THE 12 MILE REEF!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fuJOcfd04g

[Pilgermann]

I have really meaining to see that. I would appreciate some feedback if you dont mind when finished viewing.

I watched it earlier today (er, I guess it would be yesterday, now), and it was pretty entertaining.  I didn't watch The Bloody Dead, rather the original version Creature with the Blue Hand.  It's a murder mystery that gets pretty convoluted and it's sometime cheesy of course, but I liked it.  Kisnki plays twin brothers named David and Richard.  David escapes from a prison or asylum of some sort early in the film (thanks to a mysterious figure who gives him a key), and flees to his family's estate.  David was convicted of murder but claimed he was innocent.  From there various people are murdered by the Blue Hand, a hooded figure who uses a sort of gauntlet with metal blades that pop out.  I don't want to give away much but it goes back and forth between various people who become suspects.

There's a great and silly moment at the asylum where you get to see a few of the crazies.  One is a woman who was a striptease dancer and strips all day long, another a woman who regularly re-enacts the murder of her infant by using a doll.  Another funny bit involves a parrot who laughs when one fellow is stabbed.  The film also has a funky jazzy score that's pretty cool but sorta out of place at times.

The Bloody Dead is a recut version with new scenes (filmed in the 80's) that basically add extra blood 'n' guts.  I haven't watched that version yet but I'm sure it doesn't work as well.  By the way, the picture quality is pretty bad, and it's full screen, but I'd recommend buying it if one can find it cheap.

[Shadow]

Alligator
The Burning
The Running Man

[Mr_Vindictive]

- Am I the only one that hates this boxart?  I wish they would have kept the original.

[Allhallowsday]

Yes, my life certainly has a score by Bernard Herrmann.   

I've very happy to say that after a couple of long dry years with very little new recordings of Herrmann's music we're about to be served a smorgasborg, including the release next month of the brand spanking new complete recording of MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. New, complete recordings of FARHENHEIT 451, 'Walking Distance' from The Twilight Zone, THE KENTUCKIAN, and WILLIAMSBURG: A PORTRAIT OF A PATRIOT (which he scored for the Williamsburg Historical Society in exchange for a piece of glass for an antique bookcase  ) are due out over the next few months. All are being recorded by theose patron saints of classic film music, John Morgan and Bill Stromberg.

In addition to the documentary, HANGOVER SQUARE (1945) is finally being released on DVD next month. It's all about insane composer Harvey Bone (Laird Cregar) and his piano concerto... music by Bernard Herrmann, naturally. 

I've posted this before, but here's a nifty preview. Stromberg conducting a rehearsal of "The Balloon" from MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. I love it when the camera pans across the orchestra to reveal four harps. Of course, Herrmann used nine harps for BENEATH THE 12 MILE REEF!

Well, that clip was a treat for me; I have the original soundtrack recording for MYSTERIOUS ISLAND... Is it true that HERRMANN won the Academy Award only once for THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER?  How many times was he nominated?  It is only of historical interest to me, 'cause I tend to be skeptical about awards.  My quick research yielded unclear results.    
I'm listening to MYSTERIOUS ISLAND ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK RECORDING right now! 

[Joe the Destroyer]

Just ordered Terror Toons and Slither, both dirt cheap of course.

[Andrew]

Just ordered Terror Toons and Slither, both dirt cheap of course.

I have yet to see the first movie, but purchased "Slither" a little while back myself and actually wish I had bought it when it was at full price ($20, I think), just to support that kind of film.  It's a shame that the dumb SciFi films come out on DVD and they are $20, when they should start out at $10.