Blu-ray Review: The Spiral Road
Released in 1962 and based on a novel by Jan de Hertog, The Spinal Road stars Rock Hudson as Anton Drager, an egotistical young doctor in the 1930’s, who maneuvers his way to leprosy-ridden Indonesia to work under famed doctor Brits Jansen (Burl Ives). He must fulfill his contract: five years of service in return […]
Two-Minute Warning (Blu-ray)
Released in 1976, Two-Minute Warning tries to be a thriller, but falls back on the predictable characteristics of the popular but fading disaster genre of the era. Despite a cast that includes Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, Marilyn Hassett, David Janssen, Jack Klugman, Mitchell Ryan, Walter Pidgeon, Gena Rowlands, Brock Peters, David […]
A Child Is Waiting (Blu-ray)
Produced by Stanley Kramer (Inherit the Wind, Judgement at Nuremberg, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner), written by Abby Mann (Judgement at Nuremberg) and a rare studio effort from director John Cassavetes, A Child Is Waiting is a fascinating look at educating the mentally disabled in the early 1960’s. Stanley Kramer was well known for his […]
John Cassavetes: Five Films (Blu-ray)
John Cassavetes is considered by many the “father of American independent cinema.” Like any moniker, this can be debated, but Cassavetes was unquestionably nonconformist; an actor/writer/director that openly railed against set scripts, fancy crews and the Hollywood “star system.” His concern was exploring what people think and feel, through fierce introspection. Criterion has brought John […]
Blu-ray Review: The Notebook – Ultimate Collector’s Edition Gift Set
Generally speaking, romantic melodramas aren’t my cup of tea; I don’t read a lot of them and I usually wait for the Blu-ray release before seeing them in movie form. The Notebook was a bit different. Though I never read the best seller by Nicholas Sparks when it was published towards the end of 1996, […]
DVD Review: The Notebook – Limited Edition Giftset
Generally speaking, romantic melodramas aren’t my cup of tea; I don’t read a lot of them and I usually wait for the DVD before seeing them in movie form. The Notebook was a bit different. Though I never read the best seller by Nicholas Sparks, when it was published towards the end of 1996, it […]
Academy Honors Bette Davis
Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in association with the Film Department of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, will present “A Centennial Tribute to Bette Davis” on Thursday, May 1, at 8 p.m. in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Hosted by Robert Osborne, the program will honor […]