By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Dec. 1, unless otherwise noted: Chernobyl (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital) Details: 2019, Warner Home Entertainment-HBO Home Entertainment Rated: Not rated, disturbing images The lowdown: This HBO, five-part miniseries looks at one of the worst man-made nuclear accident in history; the massive explosion in 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union. The blast released radioactive material across Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, reaching as far as Scandinavia and Western Europe. The movie jumps between the government’s nearly inert reaction to the crisis, concentrating more of passing blame and downplaying the dangers of the disaster with the heroism, sacrifice and bravery of those on the scene who risked — and sometimes lost — their lives. Close to 50,000 people were at first evacuated, but as the airborne contamination spread, thousands more were forced to flee. Many died and, over the years, many more, especially children, contracted various forms of cancer. The series is a stark warning about the potential dangers if nuclear plants are not thoroughly staffed with highly-trained personnel. It also is a sad reminder of how governments are more interested in burying their own culpability than finding the truth or aiding those impacted by the accident. The cast is headed by Jared Harris, Emily Watson and Stellan Skarsgard. Technical aspects: 4K Ultra HD: 2160p, 200:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French and Spanish DTS digital surround; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 200:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French and Spanish DTS digital surround; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a look inside the episodes, a behind-the-scenes featurette with director Johan Renck, interviews with Harris, Skarsgard and Watson, a discussion of the real-life Chernobyl event, a short explaining the film’s climatic scene and a script-to-screen featurette.
Perry Mason: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray + digital) Details: 2020, Warner Home Entertainment-HBO Home Entertainment Rated: Not rated, graphic violence, nudity, sexual content The lowdown: This depiction of Erle Stanley Gardner’s iconic criminal defense attorney is closer to a series of movies made by Warner Bros. in the 1930s than the well-known television series that starred Raymond Burr. This eight-episode HBO series is an origin story, depicting how hard-drinking, haunted World War I veteran Perry Mason rises from investigator for attorney E.B. Jonathan (John Lithgow) to his first case as a defense attorney. We also see Mason interacting with Gardner creations and future Mason cohorts Della Street and Paul Drake. The season’s first season deals with the kidnapping and killing of a baby and the involvement of a church run by an Aimee Semple McPherson type, here called Sister Alice McKeegan (a wonderful Tatiana Maslany. Some sequences in these episodes are brutal and disturbing. Overall, the series is about Mason’s journey and his singular sense of justice. Matthew Rhys portrays Mason. Others in the cast include Juliet Rylance as Della Street, Chris Chalk as Paul Drake, Shea Whigham as Mason’s fellow investigator, Pete Strickland as well as Robert Patrick, Stephen Root, Gayle Rankin, Nate Corddry, Veronica Falcón, Lily Taylor, Jefferson Mays and Justin Kirk. I am instructed to let you know that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me a free copy of this Blu-ray to review and that the opinions I am sharing with you are my own and not those of the studio. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 200:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a look at the show’s characters, a conversation with executive producer Robert Downey Jr. and Rhys about Mason, another between Downey and his wife, co-executive producer Susan Downey, about the series and an “Under the Fedora” featurette.
Continental Divide (Blu-ray) Details: 1981, Kino Lorber Rated: PG, language, sexual situations, violence The lowdown: John Belushi was known for broad comedy — from his sketches as one of the original Not Ready for Prime-Time Players on “Saturday Night Live” to such movies as “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” “1941” and “The Blues Brothers.” “Continental Divide” was a change of pace for Belushi, a straight romantic comedy about Ernie Souchak (Belushi), a hard-hitting “Chicago Sun-Times” columnist and Nell Porter (Blair Brown), a famous ornithologist, who studies the habits of the endangered bald eagle high up in the Rocky Mountains. It’s hate at first sight when the brash Souchak and the reclusive, nature-loving Porter first meet. But gradually the animosity melts and love blooms. Obstacles, of course, arise, but since this is a rom-com, everyone lives happily ever after — sort of. The screenplay was written by Lawrence Kasdan and the film was directed by Michael Apted. The cast also includes Allen Goorwitz (also known as Allen Garfield), Val Avery and Tony Ganios. Belushi made one more movie before his untimely death in 1982. Technical aspects: 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles. Don’t miss: The main supplemental option is a commentary track.
Attack! (Blu-ray) Details: 1956, Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Robert Aldrich (“The Flight of the Phoenix, “Kiss Me Deadly,” “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” and “The Longest Yard”) directed this hard-hitting World War II drama about an infantry unit is disarray because of the cowardice of its commanding officer. Jack Palance, in one of his finest performances, stars as Lt. Joe Costa, who learns that his men died because their commander, Capt. Cooney (Eddie Albert), was too cowardly to join the fight. Costa issues a serious warning, telling the captain never to let it happen again. Of course, Cooney’s cowardice resurfaces, costing the lives of more men. The film is an indictment of military politics and unnecessary sacrifice. Supporting Palance and Albert are Lee Marvin, Buddy Ebsen, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Strauss and William Smithers. The movie is considered one of Aldrich’s top efforts. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Apache (Blu-ray) Details: 1954, Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Burt Lancaster stars as Massai, a warrior who, after the humiliating surrender of Geronimo, refuses to accept defeat. Massai continues fighting, but eventually is captured. Scheduled for transportation to Florida, Massai escapes and begins the long trek back to his homeland and the woman he loves, played by Jean Peters. The cast also includes John McIntire, Charles Bronson and John Dehner. The was produced by Lancaster and Harold Hecht’s Hecht-Lancaster Productions. This action-filled Western was one of the few that offered a sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Panic (Blu-ray) Details: 1982, Code Red-Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated, violence The lowdown: A scientist is horribly transformed into a monster after a bacterial experiment goes very wrong. Residents in the English village where the scientist lived and performed his work, begin to die off one-by-one. A police inspector and a sexy (of course) woman scientist work together to put an end to the deadly menace before the government steps in and, in typical bureaucratic overkill, wipes out the entire village. This Italian-made horror flick features an English audio track. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
D.C. Cab (Blu-ray) Details: 1983, Kino Lorber Rated: R, language The lowdown: Director Joel Schumacher, who never found a movie he could not screw up — remember “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Batman Forever” and “Batman and Robin” — helmed this comedy about a hapless group of cabbies working for a rundown cab company in Washington, D.C. The movie centers on Albert Hockenberry (Adam Baldwin) who wants to become a cabbie. Why he has no higher aspirations is never explored. He goes to work for his Uncle Howard (Max Gail) at his D.C. Cab Co., which features a group of rather eccentric drivers, including Mr. T as Samson and Gary Busey as Dell. Albert soon becomes involved in the case of a valuable violin, a kidnaping and some missing reward money. Other highlights include a raid on a topless club and a game of chicken with a train and appearances by some stand-up comedians. This is one of those scratch-your-head features that you ask yourself how it was greenlighted. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles. Don’t miss: A commentary track is the main extra.
The Barbarians (Blu-ray) Details: 1987, Scorpion Releasing-Kino Lorber Rated: R, violence The lowdown: Popular wrestlers the Barbarian Brothers star in this very bad fantasy as twin brothers kidnapped, along with their young queen mother, by an evil ruler, played by a hammy Richard Lynch. A loyal servant rescues one of the brothers, while the other grows up to serve the evil ruler. Of course, the brothers — unknown to each other — clash at first before uniting to set things rights. This is one of the Cannon International features that proliferated from the late 1960s through the mid-1990s. Some of the company’s productions were decent, but most were cheap, B-movie quality releases. “The Barbarians” falls into that latter category. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: Beast Mode (DVD & VOD) (Devilworks Pictures) Dune Drifter (DVD & digital & VOD) (4Digital Media) Evergreen (DVD & digital) (Indican Pictures) Intersection (DVD & VOD) (Breaking Glass Pictures) The Rental (Blu-ray) (IFC Midnight-Scream Factory) Still Life (Blu-ray & DVD) (Big World Pictures) Thirst (DVD & VOD) (Uncork’d Entertainment) Werewolf (Blu-ray & DVD & digital) (Indiecan Entertainment)
DIGIITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD 18 to Party (Giant Pictures) Backwoods (Gravitas Ventures)) Deathcember (Shout! Studios-Scream Factory) Doin’ My Drugs (Freestyle Digital Media) Pink Floyd: Delicate Sound of Thunder (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) The Virgin Suicides (Sundance Now) The Commons (Sundance Now, Dec. 3) Ham: A Musical Memoir (Global Digital Releasing, Dec. 3) Riviera: Season 3, Episode 5 (Sundance Now, Dec. 3) Ammonite (Neon, Dec. 4) Dear Santa (IFC Films, Dec. 4) Minor Premise (Utopia, Dec. 4) Sunny Side Up (Old Man Henry Productions, Dec. 4) A Suitable Boy: Episodes 1 & 2 (Acorn TV, Dec. 7) Hurdle (Sundance Now, Dec. 7) Who Are We Now (Sundance Now, Dec. 7)
Coming next week: Song Without a Name
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.