Streaming services may be in the news for a variety of reasons (not all positive), but, thankfully, the physical disc — comfortably still the best way to collect favourite films – remains in rude health, with some cherishable current items and a host in the works. In our continuing (and diligent) quest to record as many Blu-ray commentaries as we can, Kim Newman and I have just contributed to a beautiful-looking new 4K disc of the best British gangster film ever made: Mike Hodges’ GET CARTER (with a matchless Michael Caine), coming in a splendid new Blu-ray from BFI. Kim and I made an effort to come up with insights that had not appeared previously; it will be up to you as to decide whether or not we have done so.
Another commentary that Kim Newman and I recorded was for Sergio Sollima’s tough Italian poliziotescho, REVOLVER, with Oliver Reed and Fabio Testi, coming from Eureka. This new 4K restoration does full justice to another film that has been difficult to see for some time – and it’s hard to imagine it looking and sounding better than this. Still with crime thrillers, Kino Lorber has a new collection of vintage classics, FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA VI, which collects a variety of hard-to-see thrillers by key directors.
The always-reliable Blu-ray company Arrow has a very tempting set with FASSBINDER VOLUME 1 containing some of the late German director’s most striking and innovative films, and another four Claude Chabrol films in a new set TWISTING THE KNIFE (I’m involved in the commentaries).
We’ve been working on a variety of new Blu-rays films directed by Britain’s premier cult horror director Pete Walker, in the company of Walker’s ex-screenwriter, the inimitable David MacGillivray (whose stories of the films’ making are customarily priceless). One Pete Walker film we did not cover is HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS (Fabulous Films), the director’s last film, with its copper-bottomed cast of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and John Carradine (not to mention the wonderful Sheila Keith, Walker’s go-to actress). Admittedly, more time is spent with a charmless Desi Arnaz, but there is enough of the legendary horror stars make the film worthwhile for horror fans.
Among the forthcoming 4K sets, there will be a warm welcome for the ALFRED HITCHCOCK CLASSICS COLLECTION VOLUME 2 from Universal – perhaps not as welcome as that for volume 1, as the earlier set collected the most sought-after classics, including Psycho, Vertigo and The Birds. Volume 2, however, does have Hitchcock’s own favourite among his films, Shadow of a Doubt and it will be good to see his controversial late masterpiece Marnie in a spruced-up 4K edition.
And did I mention NETWORK? Some very interesting things coming from the company, which I’ve worked on. It’s good to keep busy!
