By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, July 14, unless otherwise noted:
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (Blu-ray) Details: 1941, Kino Lorber Studio Classics Rated: Not rated The lowdown: W.C. Fields basically plays himself in this surreal and eccentric comedy about moviemaking. The movie, directed by Edward Cline, was written by Fields using one of his numerous pseudonyms, Otis Criblecoblis. In the feature, Fields, with his niece, Gloria (Gloria Jean), pitches his far-fetched script for a picture to the head of Esoteric Pictures, Inc., played by the wonderful Franklin Pangborn. Among his movie’s ideas, is having his hero, Fields, jump out of a plane, drop 2,000 feet from a cliff, and wooing the formidable Margaret Dumont. The movie has no actual plot; it’s simply a series of routines cobbled together by Fields. The supporting cast also includes Leon Errol, Anne Nagel, Butch and Buddy, Mona Barrie and Susan Miller. If you are a fan of Fields, then this new release is a must-add to your film collection. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English DTS audio; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a vintage documentary, “Wayne and Shuster Take an Affectionate Look at W.C. Fields,” and a commentary track with film historian Eddy Von Mueller.
Straight Shooting (Blu-ray) Details: 1917, Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated The lowdown: This silent Western is of immense historical value for a couple of aspects: first, it marked the first feature directed by the legendary John Ford (here billed as Jack Ford) and it showcased Harry Carey and his character, Cheyenne Harry, a role he had played before and would continue to play for several years. In this outing, Harry is a hired gun for rancher Thunder Flint (Duke Lee), sent to intimidate kindly farmer Sweetwater Sims so Flint can get his land. But Harry has a change of heart after getting to know Sims’ family. A range war erupts with Flint organizing a siege of Sims’ property, where he is opposed by Harry and other farmers. Both Ford and Carey went on for decades to appear in and make landmark Western features. This one, though, is a thrilling collaboration between two master craftsmen. The film includes a musical score by Michael Gatt. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture. Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track by film historian Joseph McBride, author of “Searching for John Ford: A Life,” a fragment of Ford’s 1920 movies, “Hitchin’ Posts,” a video essay by film critic Tag Gallagher and a booklet essay by Gallagher.
Strike Up the Band (Blu-ray) Release date: June 23 Details: 1940, Warner Archive Collection Rated: Not rated The lowdown: “Strike Up the Band” is the second of four buoyant teen-age musicals that teamed the dynamic duo of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland The story is simplicity itself: Rooney’s Jimmy Collins and Garland’s Mary Holden are talented high school students eager for successful musical careers. Jimmy is a bandleader and drummer, while Mary is a singer, pining away for Jimmy, who is too obsessed with starting a career that he is unaware of her feelings. Their chances come when bandleader Paul Whiteman, playing himself, sponsors a competition for high school bands with a $500 prize for the winner. After many ups and downs, Jimmy, Mary and the rest of the gang, wow ‘em at the competition. The film contains some rousing musical numbers, but at two hours, feels too long and padded. Still, if you enjoy Rooney and Garland, then this release will not disappoint you. This is a made-on-demand Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and can be found at www.wb.com/warnerarchive or other online retailers. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 (4x3) full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Supplemental offerings include an option for song selections from the movie, an introduction to the film by Rooney; a Pete Smith comedy short, “Romeo in Rhythm,” a musical-laden animated short, a stereo version of “Do the La Conga” and a Lux Radio Theater broadcast with Garland and Rooney.
The Paleface (Blu-ray) Details: 1948, Kino Lorber Studio Classics Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Comedians and Westerns go together like bacon and eggs. Funnymen such as Buster Keaton, W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy and the Marx brothers, all made cinematic forays into those wide open spaces. One of the most memorable of this genre is Bob Hope’s “The Paleface.” Hope portrays his usual brash, but cowardly, character whose false bravado usually gets himself involved in dangerous situations that scare him silly. Here, he portrays “Painless” Peter Potter, a correspondence school dentist eking out a meager living. Jane Russell plays Calamity Jane, who is working undercover for the government to ferret out a gag of gunrunners. To maintain her cover, Calamity meets and marries Potter, without revealing to him her true identity. When Calamity gets into trouble, Potter must find the courage to save her. The movie was one of Hope’s most popular, winning an Academy Award for the song, “Buttons and Bows.” The cast also includes “King Kong’s” Robert Armstrong as the main heavy. Four years later, Hope and Russell reunited for a sequel, “Son of Paleface,” that also featured Roy Rogers and Trigger. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track, a 1945 Hope “Command Performance” radio broadcast and a featurette on Hope entertaining the troops.
Enter the Fat Dragon (Blu-ray) Details: 2020, Well Go USA Entertainment Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Donnie Yen stars in this action-comedy as a former super-buff cop whose bad snack-cake habit has caused him to put on the pounds and transformed him into a records clerk. An urgent request from an old colleague, Yen’s Fallon Zhu teams up with a wok-wielding restaurateur to solve a murder, allowing him a shot at regain his job and his girlfriend. This Chinese import mixes martial arts and laughs. Fans of Yen will enjoy it. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; Cantonese 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and LPCM monaural; English and Cantonese subtitles.
Kiss of the Vampire: Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray) Details: 1963, Scream Factory Rated: Not rated The lowdown: This Hammer film is a standalone — no Dracula in sight. The movie centers on a honeymooning couple who, stranded in a remote Bavarian forest, stumbles upon a family of vampires, led by Dr. Ravna. The cult kidnaps, Marianne, the new bride, and contrives to make it look as if her groom, Gerald, was traveling alone. Gerald’s only hope of rescuing Marianne, is the hard-drinking Doctor Zimmer, whose daughter was killed by the vampires. The cast features Clifford Evans as Zimmer, Noel Willman as Ravna, Edward de Souza as Gerald and Jennifer Daniel as Marianne. The Blu-ray also features the full-screen TV version of the movie, “Kiss of Evil,” which features additional scenes to fill out its running time. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.66:1 & 1.85:1 widescreen pictures; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include two commentary tracks on “Kiss of the Vampire” and one on “Kiss of Evil”; two segments of “The Men Who Made Hammer,” focusing on composer James Bernard and production designer Bernard Robinson; and the additional scenes from “Kiss of Evil.”
Legion of Super Heroes: The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Details: 2006-08, Warner Archive Collection Rated: Not rated The lowdown: This animated series is set in the 31st century in which a group of young heroes decide to band together, put aside their differences and defend the United Planets. Bouncing Boy, Brianiac 5, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad face several adventures in season one as they learn to work together for the greater good. Later, the Legion of Super Heroes travels back in time to convince teenager Clark Kent to join their band. Kent is inspired by these young people and thus begins his journey to become Superman. In season two, set in the 41st century, Superman and the Legion face their greatest adversary, Kell-El, the Superman of that century. The Blu-ray features all 26 episodes of the series, with a total running time of 579 minutes. The release is from the Warner Archive Collection and can be found at www.wb.com/warnerarchive or other online sellers. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus options include a featurette on the Legion and a commentary on the two-part series finale.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: The Carer (DVD) (Corinth Films) Coven (DVD & digital) (Uncork’d Entertainment) Nothing Stays the Same: The Story of the Saxon Pub (DVD & VOD) (MVD Visual Entertainment) The Runners (DVD & VOD) (Uncork’d Entertainment)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD Kaye Ballard: The Show Goes On (Abramorama, July 14, 15 & 17) The Bureau: Season 5, Episode 5 (Sundance Now, July 16) Fatal Affair (Netflix, July 16) The Secrets She Keeps: Episode 1 (Sundance Now, July 16) When the Dust Settles (First Look Media-Topic, July 16) Cursed (www.netflix.com/Cursed) (Netflix, July 17) Deany Bean Is Dead (Global Digital Releasing, July 17) Dirt Music (Samuel Goldwyn Films, July 17) Father Soldier Son (www.netflix.com/fathersoldierson) (Netflix, July 17) The Painted Bird (IFC Films, July 17) Two Ways to Go West (Global Digital Releasing, July 17) Mount Pleasant: Series 5 (Acorn TV, July 20) The Nest: Episode 3 (Acorn TV, July 20) Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s (Sundance Now, July 20) Trumbo (Sundance Now, July 20) The Yorkshire Vet: Series 6 (Acorn TV, July 20)
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. My movie reviews also can be found at Rottentomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.