Author: Tom Stockman

Boris Karloff in FRANKENSTEIN Screening at Webster University This Thursday – ‘Grave Tales’


“Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive… It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE!”

The ‘Grave Tales’ Horror film series continues at Webster University Thursday January 31st with a screening of the groundbreaking horror classic FRANKENSTEIN (1931) starring Boris Karloff. The screening will be at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The movie starts at 7:30. A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE. Look for more coverage of the  ‘Grave Tales’ Horror film series here at We Are Movie Geeks in the coming weeks.


Dr. Henry Frankenstein, played by Colin Clive, and his assistant Fritz, portrayed by Dwight Frye, stalk the graveyards at night. They dig up the fresh corpses of the recently deceased in order to fulfill a mad scientist’s dream. They seek to give life to a dead, stitch-quilted chimera of a man. In their quest to play God they create something “…The Modern Prometheus” author, Mary Shelley describes as “supremely frightful.” After all “any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the creator of the world” would be a terrifying marvel.  Boris Karloff’s version of the Frankenstein Monster doesn’t kill because he has the brain of a murderer but due to his childlike ignorance. The Monster does not understand the consequences of his actions.


FRANKENSTEIN was even more successful than DRACULA, also from 1931 (and last week’s ‘Grave Tales’ film), and ushered in the “Golden Age” of horror. Though it owes more to the Peggy Webling stage play than  Shelley’s novel, this film certainly gave horror the boost it needed to become a cornerstone genre..Director James Whale would go on to display his genius in three more horror films for Universal, THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE INVISIBLE MAN< and THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Whale never wanted to be dubbed a “horror director,” but these are his most famous works and allfour have stood the test of time. There would be many sequels to FRANKENSTEIN, even after Karloff abandoned the role after the third film. Karloff became a star after the release of Frankenstein, and had to have back surgery from the rigors of the makeup and costume. FRANKENSTEIN is a true classic and one that no horror fan can go without seeing.

dmission is:

$7 for the general public
$6 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$5 for Webster University staff and faculty

Free for Webster students with proper I.D.

Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.

Takashi Miike’s AUDITION Available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video February 12th


Takashi Miike’s AUDITION will be available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video February 12th


One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit at the turn of the century to a chorus of awards and praise. The film would catapult Miike to the international scene and pave the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and The Happiness of the Katakuris.

Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet, 24-year-old woman, who is immediately responsive to his charms. But soon things take a very dark and twisted turn as we find that Asami isn t what she seems to be…


Pulling the audience into a story that will lead to one of the most harrowing climaxes in cinema history, Miike twists and turns us through delirious editing and shocking visuals for one of the most depraved nightmares of all time!


Special Edition Contents

  • Brand new 2K restoriation of original vault elements
  • Original 5.1 Dolby Surround Audio
  • Optional English subtitles
  • Audio commentary with director Takashi Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan
  • Brand new commentary by Miike biographer Tom Mes examining the film and its source novel
  • Introduction by Miike
  • Ties that Bind A brand new interview with Takashi Miike
  • Interviews with stars Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ren Osugi
  • Damaged Romance: An appreciation by Japanese cinema historian Tony Rayns
  • Trailers
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin
  • FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anton Bitel

 

Willem Dafoe in AT ETERNITY’S GATE Arrives on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand February 12th


Experience Willem Dafoe’s award-winning (Best Actor, Venice Film Festival) and Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated performance (Best Actor, Motion Picture ) as the legendary Vincent van Gogh when the acclaimed Certified Fresh™ on Rotten Tomatoes At Eternity’s Gate arrives on Digital January 29 and on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital), DVD, and On Demand February 12 from Lionsgate.

Experience Willem Dafoe’s award-winning (Best Actor, Venice Film Festival) and Golden Globe-nominated performance (Best Actor, Motion Picture – Drama) as the legendary Vincent van Gogh when the acclaimed Certified Fresh™ on Rotten Tomatoes At Eternity’s Gate arrives on Digital January 29 and on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital), DVD, and On Demand February 12 from Lionsgate. Starring alongside Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express, The Florida Project, The Grand Budapest Hotel) is an all-star cast including Primetime Emmy® nominee Rupert Friend (Outstanding Guest Actor, TV’s “Homeland,” 2013; also known for A Simple Favor, The Death of Stalin), Mads Mikkelsen (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Dr. Strange, TV’s “Hannibal”), and Golden Globe® winner Oscar Isaac (Best Actor – Limited Series/Movie, TV’s “Show Me a Hero,” 2015; also known for Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens). This “unbridled portrait of the painful but productive final years in the life of Vincent van Gogh” (David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter) is not a biopic, but rather a stunning depiction of Van Gogh’s final years. Directed by Golden Globe® winner and Oscar® nominee Julian Schnabel (Both: Best Director, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, 2007), At Eternity’s Gate is a truly unique and astounding vision.

Julian Schnabel’s At Eternity’s Gate is a journey inside the world and mind of a person who, despite skepticism, ridicule, and illness, created some of the world’s most beloved and stunning works of art. This is not a forensic biography, but rather scenes based on Vincent van Gogh’s letters, common agreement about events in his life that present as facts, hearsay, and moments that are just plain invented.

The At Eternity’s Gate Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital special features include an audio commentary with director Julian Schnabel and cowriter and coeditor Louise Kugelberg, and three featurettes — “Made by a Painter,” “Channeling Van Gogh,” “Vision of Van Gogh” — taking the viewer beyond the screen to uncover the mastery behind this incredible film.  The At Eternity’s Gate Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.

 

BLU-RAY / DIGITAL / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “Made by a Painter” Featurette
  • “Channeling Van Gogh” Featurette
  • “Vision of Van Gogh” Featurette
  • Audio Commentary with Director Julian Schnabel and Cowriter and Coeditor Louise Kugelberg

STAN AND OLLIE – Review


STAN AND OLLIE is a moving love letter to beloved comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (portrayed by Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly). The film focuses on the dynamics of the duo’s 1953 comeback tour through the music halls of England, which took place amid Ollie’s deteriorating health. With the exception of a look at the filming of  WAY OUT WEST, one of Laurel and Hardy’s most beloved comedies, director Jon Baird and screenwriter Jeff Pope resist the temptation to show too many re-creations of old movies and imitators of old stars. Fortunately for fans of the pair, that tour featured re-creations of many of their routines, songs and gags and there is plenty on screen to enjoy.

STAND AND OLLIE is one of the great human dramas of Hollywood, though little of it actually takes place in tinseltown.  There’s a 15-minute opening set there in 1937, the peak of Laurel and Hardy’s popularity. They’re introduced arguing money with producer Hal Roach (Danny Huston in a brief role), who runs the studio they’re contracted to. This is followed by an eye-popping single take where the pair talk about their financial mess, wives and divorces, and gambling problems, all while taking a long walk from their dressing room across the sound stages to film the ‘Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia‘ musical number for WAY OUT WEST. It’s a glorious shot with extras in Egyptians outfits and dancing beauties wandering by while the sets are being prepared around them. The pair has a falling out when Stan walks away from Roach after his contract has expired and Ollie teams up with Harry Langdon for a film, making Stan feel somewhat betrayed. Fast forward 16 years to 1953 where Laurel and Hardy are in their early 60s and beginning a comeback stage tour in the UK. The tour has been booked by British producer Bernard Delfont (Rufus Jones) and while at first they’re performing in near-empty theaters due to poor marketing, business begins to pick up. The aging stars are hoping that being back in the public will help them raise money for one more film, an ambitious comedy version of Robin Hood, but first there are long-held resentments to be resolved.

Coogan and Reilly are inspired choices to play Laurel and Hardy, two very different men who hold both grudges and genuine affection for each other, . With the help of some seamless make-up and prosthetics, they are astonishing representations of the great comedy team and the actors’ chemistry that makes for some special entertainment.  John C. Reilly especially immerses himself in the role of Oliver Hardy, conjuring convincing pain, desire, and regret in the character. Though Stan’s life at this point had less drama and tragedy, Steve Coogan keeps up with his costar at every step in a trickier role. Where Ollie was just naturally funny, the script makes clear that Stan was the smarter business man, as well as the genius behind their lines and staging. There are also juicy roles for Nina Arianda and Shirley Henderson as Ida and Lucille, Laurel and Hardy’s wives. The two women, who have little in common besides their loyalty to their husbands, are an entertaining duo unto themselves. Henderson is anxious and fragile as the dedicated Lucille, while Arianda is priceless as the strong-willed, hard-drinking Russian actress who loves to name-drop her small roles in previous films.

The single most memorable sequence in STAN AND OLLIE is Ollie’s fantasy of how that Robin Hood movie (which was never made) might have turned out. In that dream, filmed on color, Stan and Ollie are young and vibrant again, a nice touch. Like GODS AND MONSTERS and ED WOOD, STAN AND OLLIE is a warm and clever look at the Hollywood that made Hollywood. I learned quite a bit about this seminal comedy pair, and I came away from it moved and happy. STAN AND OLLIE is a great movie, one of the 2018’s best.

5 of 5 Stars

Kevin Sorbo Stars in BERNIE THE DOLPHIN Coming to DVD February 5th

 
A heartwarming story about siblings and their passion to help sea life, Bernie the Dolphin arrives on DVD and Digital on February 5 from Lionsgate. The film is currently available On Demand.
The trailer look adorable:

In this family adventure starring Lola Sultan and Kevin Sorbo, two siblings befriend a dolphin and devise a clever plan to save the beach and protect sea life, including their new dolphin friend, Bernie. Also starring Patrick Muldoon and Logan Allen, the film is approved by the Dove Foundation for all ages, and “shows a lot of heart” (The Dove Foundation).
The Bernie the Dolphin DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $14.98 and includes a behind-the-scenes featurette.

The Trailer For Sam Elliott in THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT is Here! – in Theaters, VOD and Digital HD February 8th


RLJE Films will release THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT in theaters and on VOD and Digital HD on Feb. 8, 2019.

Written by Robert D. Krzykowski , who is making his directorial debut, the film stars Sam Elliott (A Star is Born, The Hero), Aidan Turner (“Poldark”), Ron Livingston (Office Space, Tully), Caitlin FitzGerald (“Masters of Sex”), Larry Miller (Pretty Woman) and Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood).

Just check out this crazy trailer:

Since WWII, Calvin Barr (Elliott) has lived with the secret that he was responsible for the assassination of Adolf Hitler. Now, decades later, the US government has called on him again for a new top-secret mission. Bigfoot has been living deep in the Canadian wilderness and is carrying a deadly plague that is now threatening to spread to the general population. Relying on the same skills that he honed during the war, Calvin must set out to save the free world yet again.

MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS Available on Blu-ray from Arrow Academy February 19th


MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS will be available on Blu-ray from Arrow Academy February 19th


After a promising start on Poverty Row quickies, Joseph H. Lewis (The Big Combo) made his first film at Columbia and established himself as a director to watch with this Gothic-tinged Hitchcockian breakout hit, which later proved so popular that Columbia promoted it to A-feature status.


The morning after Julia Ross (Nina Foch, Executive Suite) takes a job in London as secretary to wealthy widow Mrs Williamson Hughes (Dame May Whitty, The Lady Vanishes), she wakes up in a windswept Cornish mansion, having been drugged. Mrs Hughes and her volatile son, Ralph (George Macready, Gilda), attempt to gaslight Julia into believing she is Ralph s wife, Marion. Her belongings have been destroyed, the windows barred and the locals believe that she is mad. Will Julia be able to escape before she falls prey to the Hughes sinister charade? And what happened to the real Marion Hughes?


A briskly paced and brilliantly stylised mystery that grabs its audience from the start, My Name Is Julia Ross immediately cemented Lewis place in the noir pantheon, and anticipated the elaborate identity-based deceptions found in future classic thrillers like Alfred Hitchcock s Vertigo and Brian De Palma s Obsession.


SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:

  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
  • Original uncompressed mono PCM audio
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
  • Commentary by noir expert Alan K. Rode
  • Identity Crisis: Joseph H. Lewis at Columbia – The Nitrate Diva (Nora Fiore) provides the background and an analysis of the film
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Scott Saslow
  • FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and critic Adrian Martin

 

Emilio Estevez and Cuba Gooding, Jr. in JUDGEMENT NIGHT Now Available on Blu-ray from Warner Archives


“Attention, food shoppers. We have a special over at the frozen food department, dead meat!”


JUDGEMENT NIGHT (1993) is now available on Blu-ray from Warner Archives


Noted producer/director Stephen Hopkins (The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, 24, Predator 2) navigates this harrowing journey of four suburban men into the nightmarish neighborhood of Chicago’s crime-infested underworld. On their way to a boxing match, four young men (Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Stephen Dorff, Jeremy Piven) in a state-of-the-art RV take a wrong turn and witness a gang murder. Now, the killer’s boss (Denis Leary) cannot let them live, and starts hunting the friends down through Chicago’s meanest streets…  With a powerhouse cast this edge-of-your-seat thriller takes viewers on a life and death road-trip into terror. This ’90s cult action fan favorite comes roaring to life thanks to this crackling new rendition in 1080p HD. 16×9 Letterbox.

 

WAMG Giveaway – Win JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN on Blu-ray


The beloved Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) returns as the much-loved accidental secret agent in the third installment of the hilarious, action-packed spy mission, Johnny English Strikes Again arriving on Digital January 8, 2019 and on Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand January 22, 2019 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Johnny English and his sidekick Bough are back in this hysterical comedy filled with even more action and more laughs for the whole family to enjoy. From one of Britain’s leading comedy directors David Kerr (Inside Number 9), the film boasts an all-star cast including Ben Miller (Paddington 2), Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace), Jake Lacy (Carol), and Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks).

Now you can win the JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has 2 copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie with Rowan Atkinson in it? (mine is THE TALL GUY!). It’s so easy!


When a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, the country’s only hope is called out of retirement. English’s new mission is his most critical to date: Dive head first into action to find the mastermind hacker. A man with few skills and analog methods, English must overcome the challenges of modern technology—or his newest mission will become the Secret Service’s last.


Loaded with over 30 minutes of exclusive bonus features, Johnny English Strikes Again on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital include an up-close look at the carefully selected film locations and detailed sets as well as Johnny’s notable collection of gadgets and cars, along with a breakdown of the extraordinary cast, diving deeper into the legacy of  everyone’s favorite hapless spy!


BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL:

  • The Comedy Genius Of Rowan Atkinson – A look at Rowan’s comedic talents – the meticulous attention to detail that is the hallmark of his work. Johnny English combines the best of Rowan – a skillful use of dialogue and slapstick.
  • The Johnny English Legacy – What has changed in the series this time around… for Johnny… and for the world? In this piece, we learn from the cast and film-makers how the character has evolved and what’s changed without changing the core of the incompetent agent we have come to know and love.
  • Virtual Reality Johnny English Style – Virtual reality might be everywhere, but no one does it quite like our intrepid agent English.
  • The Gadgets – Rowan leads us through his notable collection of gadgets as the team provides insights into their creation.
  • The Cars – Rowan is a well-known auto enthusiast, and had a big say in the choice of cars used in the film. Olga Kurylenko joins in on the fun and discusses her driving scenes including the differences between shooting for Johnny English 3 and Quantum of Solace.
  • Locations and Design – The movie may be all about the laughs, but the set designs and the locations are the real deal. From Johnny’s bedroom, to the MI7 and Prime Minister Offices, and Volta’s suite in the castle, every detail is carefully crafted. And nothing beats shooting on location – from the south of France to the streets of London, Agent English is well-traveled.
  • A Cast Of Characters – With a lead like Rowan Atkinson, the supporting cast has to be just a strong. We shine the spotlight on this veritable cast of characters:
  • Ben Miller as Bough
  • Olga Kurylenko as Ophelia
  • Emma Thompson as the Prime Minister
  • Michael Gambon as Agent 5
  • Charles Dance as Agent 7
  • Edward Fox as Agent 9
  • Feature Commentary with Director David Kerr

Paul Newman in THE PRIZE Available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive


Paul Newman in THE PRIZE is currently available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive. Ordering information can be found HERE

After unexpectedly winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, closet crime novelist Andrew Craig (Paul Newman) finds himself in Sweden to accept the award but is swept up into Cold War intrigue.More comfortable at the bar than at the abacus, affable souse Craig nonetheless sniffs a whiff of wrongdoing when Dr. Max Stratman (Edward G. Robinson), winner of the Physics prize, undergoes a mysterious personality change. A truly Hitchcockian thriller, with a screenplay penned by North by Northwest scribe Ernest Lehman, The Prize comes with fully realized characters, sweeping surprises and danger-filled denouement – not to mention the always delightful Elke Sommer and a masterful score by Jerry Goldsmith! This sweeping saga of espionage and suspense reveals a multitude of hidden delights on this pristine baby blue transfer in high definition.


Top writers, scientists and leaders converge annually on Stockholm to take part in the awarding of the prestigious Nobel Prizes. This year, however, some honorees will find the great event eclipsed by a greater challenge: staying alive. Paul Newman is up to his famed baby blues in danger and intrigue as Andrew Craig, a hard-drinking author and Nobel winner for literature. At first dismissive of the award and only interested in the cash it brings, Craig finds his writerly instincts and wit sharpened when he senses the physics prize winner (Edward G. Robinson) is an impostor. He sets out to expose the hoax, free-falling into a Cold War ploy of secrets, pursuits, subterfuge and assassins adapted for the screen (from Irving Wallace’s best seller) with spice and wit by Ernest Lehman (North by Northwest, Sweet Smell of Success).