New to View: March 17

By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, March 17, unless otherwise noted: Richard Jewell (Blu-ray + digital) Details: 2019, Warner Home Entertainment Rated: R, language, sexual references, bloody images The lowdown: A subconscious irony gnaws at you while watching the new Clint Eastwood-directed movie, “Richard Jewell.” Here’s the veteran actor who is most associated with playing the lone-wolf cop, most notably in “Dirty Harry” and its sequels, who chafed at the rules and procedures that his character believed molly-coddled criminals and tied law enforcement’s hands. But, as with most of us, time and experience change our perspectives as we grow older. And, so it seems with Eastwood. In “Richard Jewell,” it is the FBI who rushes to judgment believing it was Richard Jewell — the security guard who discovered an explosive device in Centennial Park during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta — who planted the bomb. Eastwood’s criticism isn’t overt; it is done is subtle ways — the method in which Jewell is profiled and immediately becomes the focus of the investigation; the manner in which his identity is leaked to the press; and the media frenzy, which the FBI does not attempt to quell, that makes Jewell’s life a living hell. As in his 2011 biopic, “J. Edgar,” Eastwood is again showcasing a wariness about “big-government” law enforcement and its potential for abusing power. All that said, “Richard Jewell,” even at 129 minutes, is a no-frills drama about an individual thrust into the limelight and how that is quickly transformed into a harsh glare of the spotlight. Paul Walter Hauser, who costarred as the dim-witted Klansman, Ivanhoe in Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” stars as Jewell. Hauser’s Jewell is like a real-life caricature of Kevin James’ “Paul Blart, Mall Cop.” Jewell is heavy set with a round, jowly face and small eyes that, at first glance, emits a vibe that belies his intelligence. He also talks softly and deliberately, which further hides his true nature. Hauser’s performance is excellent. His transformation from hero to victim to finding his voice makes you root for him, despite knowing the outcome. Eastwood clearly is sympathetic toward Jewell. Smartly, he does not overplay his hand. He portrays the FBI as more shortsighted and the media as overly aggressive. He keeps the story simple and moving forward on a straight line, warning that a combination of police wanting to solve a big case quickly and a media hungry for scoops and headlines can be a fearsome combination that can swallow an individual whole without a second thought. Critics were mostly positive about the film, awarding it a 76 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The Bllu-ray’s visual and audio transfers are crisp and solid, with no distractions or flaws. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and English 5.1 Dolby digital descriptive audio, French and Spanish; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus options include a making of featurette and a documentary on the real story of Richard Jewell.

Spies in Disguise (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Release date: March 10 Details: 2019, Fox Home Entertainment Rated: PG, action, violence, rude humor The lowdown: An animated feature aimed at kids about super-spy Lance Sterling (voiced by Will Smith) and scientist Walter Beckett (voiced by Tom Holland), who must team up to save the world. One wrinkle is that when Walter tries to devise the ultimate disguise for Lance, he transfer the suave agent into a pigeon. The movie has entertaining and funny moments that will appeal to younger audiences. The film also utilizes the vocal talents of Rashida Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Reba McEntire and Rachel Brosnahan. At Rottentomatoes.com, the film was awarded a 75 percent fresh rating. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital, English 5.1 descriptive audio and French and Spanish 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Supplemental options include a super-secret spy mode featurette, a behind-the-scenes look at Blue Sky Studios, a guide to the movie’s top-secret gadgets and music videos.

“Universal Horror Collection Volume 4” (Blu-ray) Details: 1937-46, Scream Factory Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Four more features from the Universal Pictures’ vault fills out this newest collection. For the most part, the films are more science-fiction oriented than horror, though elements of the latter run through them all. The set includes “Night Key” (1937) starring Boris Karloff and Jean Rogers (who portrayed Dale Arden in the first two “Flash Gordon” serials). The story centers on an inventor whose new burglar alarm system is stolen and eventually used by gangsters. The movie was directed by character actor Lloyd Corrigan. “Night Monster” (1942) features Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwill in an old-mansion horror outing about a strange creature stalking the grounds late at night. Ralph Morgan plays the reclusive and crippled owner of the mansion with Atwill one of three doctors who botched operations put Morgan in a wheelchair. Lugosi has a thankless role as the family’s mysterious butler. The movie’s a nice programmer. “The Climax” (1944) stars Karloff and Susanna Foster in a big-budget — for Universal — color feature that tries to duplicate the atmosphere of the studio’s 1943 remake of “The Phantom of the Opera,” which costarred Foster. The movie even uses the same sets as “Phantom.” The story revolves around a physician, Karloff, at the Vienna Opera House who becomes obsessed with the company’s new soprano, Foster, just as he did 10 years earlier with another singer. The final movie in the set is “House of Horrors” (1946), a 66-minute B-movie about a frustrated artist who uses a fiend to kill critics. The fiend, named The Creeper, was played by Rondo Hatton, whose unusual facial features were the result of acromegaly. Hatton had played a character called “The Hoxton Creeper” in the 1944 Sherlock Holmes movie “The Pearl of Death.” These movies are not on par with the classic Universal horror features of the 1930s, but they are fun and entertaining. Their digital transfers look very good. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; Engliish 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include commentary tracks on all four movies.

Superman: Red Son (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital) Details: 2020, Warner Home Entertainment Rated: PG-13, violence, bloody images, suggestive material, language, thematic elements, smoking The lowdown: The latest title in the DC Universe movie series is based on the 2003 Elseworlds tale, which postulates what would have happened if the ship carrying the last son of Krypton had crash landed in the Stalinist Soviet Union of the Cold War era instead of rural Kansas. In this alternate reality, Superman leads a Communist campaign to advance the Soviet ideologies around the globe. Meanwhile, American scientist Lex Luthor devises a plan to combat and ultimately destroy this red menace. A game of cat-and-mouse ensues that will help determine the fate of the world. The animated feature’s voice cast include Jason Isaacs as Superman, Diedrich Bader as Lex Luthor, Amy Acker as Lois Lane, Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman, Phil Morris as James Olson, Paul Williams as Brainiac, Roger Craig Smith as Batman and Sasha Roiz as Hal Jordan. This is an interesting and entertaining adaptation that changes some of the plot points from the acclaimed comic-book miniseries. Technical aspects: 4K UHD: 2160 ultra high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include the animated short, “Phantom Stranger,” a look at the Cold War as told in the “Superman: Red Son” Elseworlds saga, two episodes from “Superman: Red Son” the motion comics and a sneak peek at the next DC Universe feature, “Justice League: Apokolips War.”

Abigail (Blu-ray) Details: 2019, Well Go USA Entertainment Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A fantasy film about a young girl who slowly comes to realize her true self and the powers that she possesses. The movie is eerily timely as it involves about a supposed pandemic and a population frightened reaction to it, despite government attempts to calm its people, while creating some draconic quarantine measures, including walling off the city involved in the illness. Abigail is 6 when her father is taken and supposedly executed. Ten years later, she sets out to discover the truth. The feature involves people with magical powers who have fled underground to avoid detection from the government. The production design seems to be inspired by Terry Gilliam’s “Brazil.” And while the film has an English-language track, it almost sounds as if some of the voices were dubbed. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 (16x9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.

Night Passage (Blu-ray) Release date: March 10 Details: 1957, Kino Lorber Studio Classics Rated: Not rated The lowdown: James Steward and Audie Murphy star as brothers on opposite sides of the law in this action-packed Western. Stewart plays Grant McLaine, a fired railroad troubleshooter, rehired to secretly carry a $10,000 payroll, from a gang that has continually been holding up trains. Murphy plays the Utica Kid, a gunfighter, who is riding with an outlaw band led by Dan Duryea’s Whitey Harbin. McLaine must choose between blood and his loyalty to the railroad company that formerly discarded him. In the final reel, the brothers finally come face-to-face, but do they meet as allies or adversaries? You will have to watch to learn the answer. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: A commentary track is the major bonus offering.

The Rare Breed (Blu-ray) Release date: March 10 Details: 1966, Kino Lorber Studio Classics Rated: Not rated The lowdown: James Stewart, Maureen O’Hara and Brian Keith star in this Andrew V. McLaglen-directed Western inspired by America’s acquisition of English Hereford cattle, which would eventually supplant Texas longhorns. The film, set in the 1880s, features O’Hara as Englishwoman Martha Price, who comes to the United States with her daughter, Hilary (Juliet Mills), to sell their prize Hereford bull at an auction. The bull is purchased by Bowen (Keith), and the women hire Stewart’s Burnett to help transport the animal to its new owner. On the journey, they face various dangers, including outlaws and stampedes. Great obstacles face them once they reach Bowen’s ranch. This action-packed film features some comic moments. It costars Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. and Jack Elam. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: A commentary track is the major bonus feature.

Verotika (Blu-ray + DVD + CD) Details: 2019, Cleopatra Entertainment Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A bloody horror anthology culled from rock star Glenn Danzig’s popular comic imprint. These stories are weird and disturbing, beginning with a tale about a woman with eyeballs for nipples. When she falls asleep, she conjures a giant, killer albino man-spider. The second story centers on a disfigured dancer who collects other women’s faces. The final segment is a variation of the legend of Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who bathed in the blood of virgins in order to remain youthful. The film is not for everyone’s tastes. The set also features a soundtrack CD with 10 tracks. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; DVD: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital.

Clay Pigeon (DVD) Details: 1971, MVD Visual Entertainment Rated: R, violence, language The lowdown: Joe Ryan (Tom Stern), a returning Vietnam veteran who believes he is living on borrowed time and only wants to be left alone, is forced by a CIA agent, played by Telly Savalas, to help take down a drug kingpin, played by Robert Vaughn. Ryan is named a big drug dealer by the CIA as a ploy to ferret out Vaughn, thus making Ryan a “clay pigeon.” The film’s cast also includes Burgess Meredith, Ivan Dixon and John Marley. Stern also directed and produced the movie. Technical aspects: 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English Dolby digital stereo.

Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: By Day’s End (DVD & VOD) (Breaking Glass Pictures) Crashing: The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray) (HBO Home Entertainment) Intrigo: Death of an Author (Blur-ray + digital) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment) Uncaged (DVD & digital & VOD) (4Digital Media) While You Live, Shine (IndiePix Films)

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD Cats (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) The Current War (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) Facing East (Uncork’d Entertainment) Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Lucasfilm-Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) The Thread (Sundance Now) Playing for Keeps: Episode 5 (Sundance Now, March 19) The Restaurant: Season 3, Episode 1 (Sundance Now, March 19) Blood: Series 2, Episode 4 (Acorn TV, March 23) Ida (Sundance Now, March 23) Lovejoy: Series 4 (Acorn TV, March 23) Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (Acorn TV, March 23) Murdoch Mysteries: Series 13, Episode 15 (Acorn TV, March 23) Torn Apart: Separated at the Border (HBO Home Entertainment, March 23)

Coming next week: 1917

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.