New to View: March 9
A mostly fictionalized biopic of a legendary tenor and a documentary about an acclaimed Supreme Court Justice headline the latest releases for home viewing.
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, March 9, unless otherwise noted:
The Great Caruso (Blu-ray)
Details: 1951, Warner Archive Collection
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This highly fictionalized “biography” of legendary tenor Enrico Caruso starred another legendary tenor, Mario Lanza, who was a popular star at MGM in the late 1940s through most of the 1950s.
Lanza’s voice is the true star of the movie, with the details of Caruso’s life taking a back seat to Lanza, as Caruso, performing several well-known operatic arias.
The movie costars Ann Blyth as Caruso’s life. Here, too, movie romance trumps real life.
Still, “The Great Caruso” marked the pinnacle of Lanza’s movie career and, despite its wandering into fiction, remains an entertaining and musically satisfying feature.
The release is a made-on-demand Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and can be ordered at www.warnerarchive.com 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’ miss: The major extra is a documentary about Lanza.
Ruth: Justice Ginsburg in Her Own Words (DVD)
Details: 2019, Virgil Films-Kino Lorber
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A documentary that looks at the life and career of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Using her own words, the movie explores the challenges she faced in her legal career — breaking barriers to gain entrance to a men’s club that discouraged or dismissed women in the legal profession.
The film, produced a year before Ginsburg’s death, does not cover that much new ground. Its impact lies in her observations about herself and the law.
The movie is one that can be shown in classrooms to give students an appreciation of this larger-than-life judicial giant.
Technical aspects: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital surround; English closed-captioned subtitles.
Crazy Samurai: 400 vs. 1 (Blu-ray)
Release date: March 2
Details: 2020, Well Go USA Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This Japanese feature revolves around legendary, real-life swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, who is well known in his native country.
The movie really has no plot. It’s notoriety rests on its film technique. Supposedly director Yuji Shimomura, who filmed the movie’s title duel in a single 77-minute take.
That speaks for more actor Tak Sakaguichi’s stamina as Musashi and director Shimomura cinematic prowess than it does for the story.
Whether this battle was actually filmed in a single 77 minutes or was given that illusion through artful editing is something you will have to decide when watching the movie.
However it was filmed, martial arts and fans of Japanese cinema will be impressed by this production.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16x9 enhanced) widescreen picture; Japanese 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (Blu-ray)
Details: 1974, Kino Lorber
Rated: R, violence, language
The lowdown: Sam Peckinpaugh cowrote the story and directed this ultraviolent tale of lowlifes and greed starring Warren Oates.
Oates plays Bennie, a piano player a bartender in a small Mexican town. He is recruited by two bounty hunters to help them track down Alfredo Garcia, who has a $1 million price on his head for impregnating the daughter of a powerful land baron.
In their hunt for Garcia, they leave a trail of dead bodies in their wake.
Unbeknownst to the bounty hunters, however, is the tidbit that Bennie’s prostitute girlfriend knows that Garcia is dead and where the body is buried.
Gig Young and Helmut Dantine play the bounty hunters. The cast also includes Isela Vega as Bennie’s girlfriend, as well as Robert Webber and Emilio Fernandez as the land baron.
The film features some explosive action and offers a dim view of people and their motivations.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include two commentary tracks and a “Trailers From Hell” look at the movie.
The Choirboys (Blu-ray)
Details: 1977, Kino Lorber
Rated: R, violence, language, sexual situations
The lowdown: Robert Aldrich directed this raunchy adaptation of former policeman Joseph Wambaugh’s novel about a group of LAPD cops who, after their shifts, meet in a park to unwind, gripe about their jobs, get drunk, chase women, and play practical jokes on each other.
The book was more serious than the movie, which screenwriter Christopher Knopf reworked into a violent black comedy.
The movie is not one of Aldrich’s stronger efforts, though he had a solid cast to work with, including Charles Durning, Louis Gossett Jr., Perry King, James Woods, Tim McIntire, Randy Quaid, Clyde Kusatsu, Stephen Macht, Don Stroud, Burt Young, Robert Weber and Vic Tayback.
Critics were split on the film, giving it a 44 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: An interview with Don Stroud and a commentary track comprise the main bonus options.
Mafia Inc. (DVD)
Details: 2020, Film Movement
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This Canadian crime drama, set in 1994, tells of Montreal Mafia boss Frank Paterno who hopes to legitimize his operations by investing $180 million in an Italian bridge project.
However, he must first recover the money from his Greek creditor. He entrusts that mission to his young protégé, Vincent.
Instead, Vincent executes a plan to smuggle millions in drugs out of Venezuela, with his violent tactics sparking a war between two criminal families.
The movie, though filled with tension and intrigue, lacks the flamboyance of a “Godfather” or a “Goodfellas.”
Technical aspects: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; French, English and Italian 5.1 Dolby digital; English and closed-captioned subtitles.
Little Fugitive: The Collected Films of Morris Engel & Ruth Orkin (Blu-ray)
Details: 1953-68, Kino Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin were pioneer New York-based independent filmmakers whose works influenced other like-minded artists as Francois Truffaut.
This three-disc set features a quartet of Engel and Orkin’s feature movies — “Little Fugitive” (1953), “Lovers and Lollipops” (1956), “Weddings and Babies” (1958) and the newly restored “I Need a Ride to California” (1968).
“Little Fugitive” is about a young boy who fears that he shot his older brother, who is only faking.
The boy runs away to Coney Island and earns money by returning soda bottles for their deposits.
“Lovers and Lollipops” centers on the romance between a widowed New York model and a visiting engineer.
“Weddings and Babies” tells of a struggling photographer trying to make enough money so he can marry his fiancée, who believes he is purposely delaying their wedding.
“I Need a Ride to California” is a counterculture feature about a group hippies in Greenwich Village and the girl exploring her relationships with men while she seeks direction in life.
Film buffs who enjoy indie cinema will embrace these movies for their originality and spirit.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture (“Little Fugitive” and “Lovers and Lollipops”), 1.66:1 picture (“Weddings and Babies”) and 1.37:1 full-screen picture (“I Need a Ride to California”); English LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles on “Lovers and Lollipops,” “Weddings and Babies” and “I Need a Ride to California.”
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a commentary track by Engel on “Little Fugitive”; documentaries on Engel and Orkin by their daughter, Mary; three short films by Engel; three television commercials by Engel; Engel’s home movies; and a television interview with Orkin.
Yalda, A Night for Forgiveness (DVD)
Details: 2020, Film Movement
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: An Iranian import about Maryam, a young woman condemned to death for murdering her husband.
Maryam is in a television studio along with Mona, the daughter of the deceased man.
On this variety show, Maryam is supposed to beg Mona for forgiveness. If Mona accepts, Maryam lives; if not, she will be executed.
Millions are riveted to their TV sets on the night of Yalda, the Persian celebration of the winter solstice, to learn Maryam’s fate.
The movie is a clever critique of Sharia law and a government built on theocracy.
Technical aspects: 1.85:1 widescreen picture; Persian 2.0 Dolby digital; English subtitles and closed captioning.
Don’t miss: The main extra is “Tattoo,” a short Iranian film about a young woman who tries to renew her driver’s license and comes under police scrutiny because of her tattoo.
The Don Is Dead (Blu-ray)
Details: 1973, Kino Lorber
Rated: R, violence, language, sexual situations
The lowdown: Two-time Academy Award-winner Anthony Quinn stars in this dime-store potboiler produced to cash in on “The Godfather” crazy.
The movie, while lacking in originality and adequately directed by Richard Fleischer, does feature a decent supporting cast, including Frederic Forrest, Robert Forster, Al Lettieri, Angel Tompkins, Charles Cioffi, Louis Zorich, Ina Balin, Abe Vigoda and Joe Santos.
The story revolves around a mob war that breaks out after the death of the reigning Don.
Three families fight for power. Like all mob movies, the plot involves betrayals and lots of bloodshed.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: A commentary track is the main extra.
Other titles are being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Adverse (DVD & digital & VOD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Blood Brothers: Civil War (DVD & dig) (Indican Pictures)
Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan (DVD & VOD) (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
Ip Man: Kung Fu Master (Blu-ray & DVD & VOD) (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
Vanguard (Blu-ray + digital & DVD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
FOR KIDS
On-Gaku: Our Sound (Blu-ray & DVD & digital) (Shout! Factory-GKids)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Crucified (Uncork’d Entertainment)
The Dead of Night (Shout! Studios)
Eddie (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
News of the World (Universal Studios Home Entertainment)
The Winter Lake (Epic Pictures)
The Bridge: Season 2 (Sundance Now, March 11)
Playing for Keeps: Season 2, Episode 2 (Sundance Now, March 11)
Come True (IFC Midnight, March 12)
Dark Web: Cicada 3301 (Lionsgate Home Entertainment, March 12)
Know Fear (Terror Films, March 12)
Yes Day (www.netflix.com/YesDay) (Netflix, March 12)
A Discovery of Witches: Season 2, Episode 10 (Sundance Now, March 13)
Bloodlands: Episode 1 (Acorn TV, March 15)
In Deep: Series 1 (Acorn TV, March 15)
Law & Order UK: Series 4 & 5 (Acorn TV, March 15)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Sundance Now, March 15)
Narcissister: Organ Player (Sundance Now, March 15)
Quo Vadis, Aida? (Neon, March 15)
The Source Family (Sundance Now, March 15)
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, 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.
