by Bryan Theiss

This week’s new arrivals include movies from Poland, Germany, Georgia, Italy, Ireland and Hong Kong, a masterpiece of sports documentary, an exciting new horror anthology series, three Barbara Stanwyck classics, two movies directed by Basil Dearden, two by Vittorio De Sica, two by Claude Chabrol, fourteen (!) discs worth of legendary exploitation director Al Adamson’s movies from a limited edition box set, and much more! You can rent them all from our pickup window or via rent-by-mail.

ACCIDENT (1967)

Dirk Bogarde stars in a melodrama about an Oxford professor recounting the circumstances of meeting a student who was killed in a car crash. The second of three collaborations between director Joseph Losey and playwright Harold Pinter (the others were The Servant and The Go-Between). With new commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger.

(Blu-Ray)

AND THEN WE DANCED (2019)

Georgian film about an intense rivalry and attraction between two male dancers competing for a spot on the National Georgian Ensemble.

(DVD)

BEYOND THERAPY (1987)

Jeff Goldblum, Julie Hagerty and Christopher Guest head the ensemble cast in his Robert Altman comedy based on a hit Broadway play. New HD master.

(Blu-Ray)

BLACK HEAT / DYNAMITE BROTHERS

This is disc 10 of Severin’s limited edition Al Adamson: The Masterpiece Collection box set. We made all the discs into separate rentals so you don’t have to watch all 31 movies in one rental period (though you’re free to rent all 14 discs at once if you’re up to the challenge). This disc is a double feature of blaxploitation films starring Timothy Brown; in one of them he’s teamed with Hong Kong kung fu star Alan Tang. Includes partial archival producer commentary, alternate title sequences and TV spots.

(Blu-Ray)

BLACK SAMURAI / DEATH DIMENSION

Disc 12 from the Al Adamson box set is a pair of vehicles for the great African-American martial arts star Jim Kelly (Enter the Dragon, Black Belt Jones).

(Blu-Ray)

BLAZING STEWARDESSES / NAUGHTY STEWARDESSES

Disc 8 of the Al Adamson box set – I think you get what the theme is. Includes archival producer commentary, TV and radio spots, alternate title sequences, Fly Girls: The Stewardess as Lifestyle Icon in The Golden Age of Exploitation, and more.

(Blu-Ray)

BLOOD & FLESH: THE REEL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON / FEMALE BUNCH

Disc 1 of the Al Adamson box set includes a feature length documentary about the wild life and murder of the prolific schlock director, plus 1969’s The Female Bunch, his movie about man-hating female criminals, actually filmed on the Spahn Ranch while the Manson Family were living there. Includes outtakes and extended scenes.

(Blu-Ray)

BLOOD STALKERS (1976)

HD remaster of a gory drive-in classic about a creature stalking vacationers in the Everglades. Includes commentary by director Robert W. Morgan, a retrospective documentary, unproduced screenplay and more.

(Blu-Ray)

BLOODTIDE (1982)

James Earl Jones plays a treasure hunter who accidentally awakens an ancient sea monster on a Greek island. Co-written by Nico Mastorakis (Island of Death, Hired to Kill). This Arrow special edition includes a new 4K restoration, commentary with director Richard Jefferies and new interview with Mastorakis.

(Blu-Ray)

THE BRIDE WORE BOOTS (1946)

In this romantic comedy, Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Cummings play a couple on the verge of divorce because she loves horses and he hates them. Also starring a young Natalie Wood.

(Blu-Ray)

BRIGHTON ROCK (1948)

Hermoine Baddeley plays a woman trying to find out the truth about her journalist friend’s death when she falls for a hoodlum (Richard Attenborough), not knowing he’s the guy who did it! Kino Lorber’s release includes a new commentary by film historian Tim Lucas.

(We previously got this on Blu-Ray and now added a DVD.)

BURDEN (2018)

The true story of a bigot (Garrett Hedlund) who rises through the KKK and then leaves it all behind with the help of a reverend (Forest Whitaker). Also starring Tom Wilkinson, Andrea Riseborough, Tess Harper, Crystal Fox and Usher Raymond.

(DVD)

CANYON PASSAGE (1946)

Jacques Tourneur (Cat People, Out of the Past) directed this Technicolor adventure taking place in 1850s Oregon territory. The cast includes Dana Andrews, Susan Hayward, Lloyd Bridges and Hoagy Carmichael, who sings four songs. With commentary by film historian Toby Roan.

(Blu-Ray)

CAPER OF THE GOLDEN BULLS (1967)

Heist film about a jewel robbery staged during the running of the bulls in Pamplona. New 4K master with commentary by film historian Philipa Berry.

(DVD)

THE CAPTIVE HEART (1946)

Michael Redgrave stars as an escapee from a concentration camp who takes on the identity of a British soldier, only to be sent to a German P.O.W. camp. Directed by Basil Dearden (Dead of Night).

(Blu-Ray)

CARNIVAL MAGIC / LOST

Disc 14 in the Al Adamson box set includes his last completed features, a bizarro family film about a talking chimp named Alexander the Great and one about a little girl lost in the wild in Utah. Includes producer commentary, outtakes, promo for unproduced Adamson kids film The Happy Hobo, and a Carnival Magic appreciation by Lars Nilsen and personal friend of Scarecrow Video Zack Carlson.

(Blu-Ray)

CENTER STAGE (1991)

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung star in Stanley Kwan’s biopic of 1930s Chinese movie star Yuan Ling-yu.

(Blu-Ray)

CINDERELLA 2000 / SUNSET COVE / NURSE SHERRI

Disc 13 of the Al Adamson box set brings together a poor man’s Barbarella, a beach movie and a horror movie about a nurse possessed by an evil spirit. Includes interview with producer Tony DiDio, partial producer commentary, trailer and radio spots, and selected Adamson-directed scenes of Dr. Dracula.

(Blu-Ray)

CORPUS CHRISTI (2019)

After converting to Christianity in a Warsaw prison, a young ex-con is mistaken for a priest, and inspires many in the community, while raising suspicions among others. Includes a making-of featurette and director Jan Komasa’s short film Nice To See You. “[A]n engrossing exploration of faith, second chances and the possibility of atonement,” writes Allan Hunter of Screen Daily.

(DVD)

CREEPSHOW: SEASON 1

FX legend Greg Nicotero produced this TV revival of the George Romero/Stephen King EC-Comics-inspired horror anthology. Directors include Nicotero, John Harrison (Creepshow 2), Rob Schrab, David Bruckner, Roxanne Benjamin and Tom Savini, with stories by King, David J. Schow, Joe R. Lansdale, Joe Hill and others. Guest stars include Tobin Bell, Adrienne Barbeau, Giancarlo Esposito and David Arquette.

(DVD)

THE CRIMINAL (1960)

Director Joseph Losey’s hard boiled noir about an underworld kingpin and his ordeal in prison after a racetrack heist. Also known as Concrete Jungle, it was advertised as “The Toughest Picture Ever Made in Britain!” New 4K restoration with commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger.

(Blu-Ray)

DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY (1934)

Frederic March stars as The Grim Reaper, taking a three-day break from his job to live as a mortal, learn about life, etc. With audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger.

(Blu-Ray)

DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN / BRAIN OF BLOOD

Disc 6 of the Al Adamson box set brings in a couple famous monsters and an oozing skull. Includes interviews, archival producer commentary, interview with Forry Ackerman, radio spots and more.

(Blu-Ray)

ESCAPE FROM L.A. (1996)(COLLECTOR’S EDITION)

Maybe John Carpenter’s satirical action sequel, in which Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken navigates a post-earthquake California inhabited by Stacy Keach, Steve Buscemi, Bruce Campbell, Pam Grier and surfing Peter Fonda, will get its proper appreciation now that Scream Factory finally added it to their colleciton. New 4K transfer and interviews with Keach, Campbell, Peter Jason, George Corraface and effects artists Jim McPherson and David Jones.

(Blu-Ray)

FAIRYTALE (2017) 

Surreal Italian film about Mrs. Fairytale, a 1950s American housewife trapped in a cartoonish dream home. Includes behind-the-scenes featurette and outtakes.

(DVD)

FIVE BLOODY GRAVES / HALFWAY TO HELL

Disc 3 of the Al Adamson box set pairs a horror western with a regular western. With interviews, partial archival producer commentary, alternate title sequence and radio spots.

(Blu-Ray)

GIRLS FOR RENT / JESSI’S GIRLS / NURSES FOR SALE

Disc 9 of the Al Adamson box set features a triple feature of schlock. Girls For Rent was originally released under the even classier title I Spit On Your Corpse, and Nurses For Sale was a German movie called Captain Typhoon that Adamson added new footage into. Includes archival producer commentary, alternate title sequence, TV and radio spots.

(Blu-Ray)

A GOOD WOMAN IS HARD TO FIND (2019)

Sarah Bolger (In America) plays a widow raising two kids in Northern Ireland who attempts to turn the tables on a crime boss who targets her. Directed by Abner Pastoll (Road Games). “A Good Woman Is Hard To Find is a lean, mean, painfully real crime thriller that will make you cheer for Sarah and her ability to overcome the worst of humanity and come out the other end kicking all sorts of ass,” writes Rafael Motamayor of SlashFilm.

(DVD)

GREAT ALASKAN RACE (2019) 

“The amazing true story of Togo and Balto,” starring Treat Williams and Henry Thomas (as humans, not sled dogs, I think).

(DVD)

GREAT MAN’S LADY (1942)

Barbara Stanwyck plays a 109-year-old woman recounting her life of struggle with her city-founding husband (Joel McCrea) in this romantic western from director William Wellman (The Ox-Bow Incident). With commentary by film historian Dr. Eloise Ross.

(Blu-Ray)

HELL’S BLOODY DEVILS / THE FAKERS

Disc 5 of the Al Adamson box set is about an FBI agent (John Gabriel) trying to stop neo-Nazi counterfeiters backed by a biker gang. Includes alternate title sequence, archival producer commentary and an interview.

(Blu-Ray)

HORROR OF THE BLOOD MONSTERS / BLOOD OF DRACULA’S CASTLE

Disc 4 of the Al Adamson box set brings together a futuristic intergalactic vampire movie and a Dracula one featuring John Carradine (as the butler though, not Dracula). Blood of Dracula’s Castle is presented in both theatrical and television cuts. Includes partial audio commentary with expert Brian Albright and audio interview excerpt with Alex D’Arcy.

(Blu-Ray)

HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND (1960) (2 VERSIONS) 

Severin Films presents this German sexy-horror film in new remasters of both its uncut original version and the repackaged American one called It’s Hot in Paradise. Includes a documentary, an interview and alternate clothed scenes.

(We previously got a Blu-Ray and have now added a DVD.)

ICEMAN (1984)

John Lone plays a 40,000-year-old man found frozen in ice and revived by scientists Timothy Hutton and Lindsay Crouse. Also starring David Strathairn and Danny Glover and directed by Fred Schepisi (Six Degrees of Separation). With new commentaries by Schepisi and film historian Peter Tonguette.

(Blu-Ray)

INDISCRETION OF AN AMERICAN WIFE / TERMINAL STATION

Two cuts of the Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves) film about an American woman (Jennifer Jones) trying to break off her affair with an academic (Montgomery Clift) during a vacation to Italy. Terminal Station is De Sica’s original version, restored in 2K from the best surviving film elements. Indiscretion of an American Wife is producer David O. Selznick’s longer, drastically re-edited version.

(Blu-Ray)

INHERITANCE (2020) 

When the patriarch of a rich and powerful New York family (Patrick Warburton) suddenly dies, his daughter (Lily Collins) learns that he has a secret bunker where a stranger (Simon Pegg) says he’s been held in captivity for 30 years. That kind of complicated estate stuff is always a pain to clear up. Also starring Connie Nielsen and Chace Crawford.

(DVD)

INTERNES CAN’T TAKE MONEY (1937)

Barbara Stanwyck stars as an intern at the clinic of Dr. Kildare (Joel McCrea) who’s secretly trying to find her lost daughter, hidden from her by her late bank robber husband. With commentary by film historian Dr. Eloise Ross.

(Blu-Ray)

THE LAST SUPPER (2018)

A chamber play about a German-Jewish family and their friends coming together for dinner and increasingly tense conversation on the day Adolf Hitler came to power. Teresa Vena of Cineuropa writes, “There is no black-and-white separation of the characters into either victims or culprits; rather, it attempts to break down the specific and xenophobic motivations behind the opinions, beliefs and discussions revolving around National Socialist doctrines.”

(DVD)

THE LAST VALLEY (1971)

Michael Caine and Omar Sharif star in an epic about violence and love during the Thirty Years’ War, from writer/director James Clavell (Shogun). With commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson.

(Blu-Ray)

LET’S KILL UNCLE (1966)

William Castle (The Tingler)’s horror comedy about a 12-year-old orphan who inherits a fortune, so his crazy uncle traps him on an island and tries to kill him with sharks, hypnotism and poison mushrooms. New 2K master, interview with star Pat Cardi and commentary with film historians Kat Ellinger and Mike McPadden.

(We have a Blu-Ray of this and have just added a DVD.)

LINE OF DEMARCATION (1966)

Claude Chabrol (L’Enfer) thriller about the French Resistance (including Jean Seberg) in a small German-occupied mountain town trying to get escaped prisoners to the Free Zone. Brand new 4K transfer and commentary by film historian Samm Deighan.

(Blu-Ray)

THE LONG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL (1961)

Based on a play from the writer of Billy Liar, this is the story of a troop of British soldiers (including Laurence Harvey and Richard Harris) who lose radio contact during a jungle excursion, capture a Japanese scout, and argue about what to do. From the director of X the Unknown and Dunkirk.

(DVD and Blu-Ray)

THE MAN BETWEEN (1953)

Crime thriller set in post-WWII Berlin, directed by Carol Reed (The Third Man). Includes commentary by author Simon Abrams, interview with star Claire Bloom, the 44-minute documentary Carol Reed: A Gentle Eye, and a 42-minute 1967 audio interview with star James Mason.

(Blu-Ray)

MAN IN THE SHADOW (1957)

Orson Welles plays the land baron villain in this modern western from director Jack Arnold (The Creature From the Black Lagoon). New commentary by film historian Troy Howarth.

(Blu-Ray)

MEAN MOTHER / UNCLE TOM’S CABIN

Disc 11 of the Al Adamson box set includes the drive-in director’s only movie adapted from a controversial 1852 novel. Includes partial archival producer commentary, interview, TV and radio spots.

(Blu-Ray)

MURDER BY DECREE (1979)

When Scotland Yard fails, Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and Dr. Watson (James Mason) are recruited to stop Jack the Ripper! The supporting cast includes Donald Sutherland, David Hemmings and Genevieve Bujold, and it’s directed by Bob Clark (Black Christmas, Porky’s, A Christmas Story). New HD master with an old commentary by Clark and a new one by film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell.

(Blu-Ray)

THE NIGHT MY NUMBER CAME UP (1955) 

An overheard story about someone else’s dream and a series of bizarre events convince an air marshal (Michael Redgrave) that he’s destined to die in the flight he’s about to take to Tokyo. With new commentary by film historian Samm Deighan.

(DVD)

OUT OF MY HEAD (2018) 

While trying to understand the severe migraines that plague her daughter, director Susanna Styron decided to make a documentary about it. She talks to many doctors and writer Joan Didion, learns about Lewis Carroll and Sigmund Freud, and takes us on a “kaleidoscopic journey, told through interviews, cinema verite, art and animation” exploring “the history, impact and raw emotion evoked by this unpredictable and confounding condition.” Includes bonus scenes and an educational version of the movie.

(DVD)

POOL OF LONDON (1951)

Basil Dearden’s film about two sailors caught up in a crime while on shore leave was filmed on location at London’s River Thames and features one of the first interracial relationships in British film history. Includes a new commentary by author Bryan Reesman, interview with star Earl Cameron and location featurette with film historian Richard Dacre.

(We previously got this on Blu-Ray and have now added a DVD.)

PSYCHO-A-GO-GO / FIEND WITH THE ELECTRONIC BRAIN / BLOOD OF GHASTLY HORROR

Disc 2 from the Al Adamson box set is three different films made out of one. Psycho-A-Go-Go is a thriller about a psychotic jewel thief stalking a mother and daughter in the woods, Fiend With the Electronic Brain is the re-edited version where Adamson added scenes with John Carradine as a mad scientist, and Blood of Ghastly Horror is another re-edit with still more scenes added. With trailers, alternate title sequence and archival producer commentary.

(Blu-Ray)

SATAN’S SADISTS / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN

Disc 7 in the Al Adamson box set presents two of the director’s biker movies. Includes archival producer commentaries, TV spots, radio spots, outtakes.

(Blu-Ray)

A SIMPLE WEDDING (2018) 

“A young Iranian-American woman goes to great lengths to appease her parents and their need to see her settled down.” Starring Tara Grammy, Christopher O’Shea, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rita Wilson and Maz Jobrani.

(DVD)

THE SOUND BARRIER (1953)

Kino Lorber presents the 2018 BFI restoration of David Lean’s classic aviation film starring Ralph Richardson. Includes a new commentary by film historian Peter Tonguette and a BFI archival interview with Lean.

(We previously got this on Blu-Ray and have now added a DVD.)

SOUND EUPHONIUM THE MOVIE – OUR PROMISE: A BRAND NEW DAY

Anime movie following up on a show based on a popular series of novels about the students of Kitauji High School Music Club. This one is about Kumiko in her second year, mentoring the concert band’s first year students.

(DVD and Blu-Ray)

SOUTH PARK SEASON 23

When this show started, Bill Clinton was president, Princess Diana was still alive, there was only one Harry Potter book, which hadn’t been published in the U.S. yet, and the movie Batman & Robin was in theaters. This season contains the 300th episode and makes jokes about the Trump administration, ICE detention centers, and the movie Joker.

(DVD)

SUPERGIRL: SEASON 4

“Reconnecting with her past caused Kara to realize that her true home is here on Earth, where big changes are taking place for her and all of her friends in National City – and also, it appears, for a doppelganger in Russia!”

(DVD)

THIRD LOVER (1962)

Another Claude Chabrol film, this time about writers in Germany fighting over a French woman. New 4K restoration and commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger.

(Blu-Ray)

TOKYO OLYMPIAD (1965) (CRITERION)

Director Kon Ichikawa’s influential documentary of the 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo is considered one of the best sports films ever made. New 4K restoration with 2001 commentary by film historian Peter Cowie, new introduction by Cowie, 80+ minutes of additional Tokyo Games footage, archival interviews with Ichikawa and new documentary about Ichikawa.

(DVD and Blu-Ray)

WOMAN TIMES SEVEN (1967)

Another Vittorio De Sica joint, this time a comedy with Shirley MacLaine starring in seven sexy stories set in Paris. The supporting cast includes Peter Sellers, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin and Anita Ekberg. With commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger.

(Blu-Ray)