Harry's Gauntlet: October 2020

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

New Release Tuesdays

We have not done this in awhile so let's get caught up on some of the noteworthy releases of lately.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow- Daily Planet intern Clark Kent takes learning-on-the-job to new extremes when Lobo and Parasite set their sights on Metropolis. This was a good flick as we get another how Superman got his start and it is a welcome entry in the DC animated universe.

Rob Zombie Trilogy- Rob Zombie is an interesting guy that does music and movies and is good at both and I enjoy most of his stuff. This horror trilogy what he is mostly known for cinematically as I like the first two a lot and the third left a little to be desired but with Sid Haig’s health declining Zombie had to almost re-write the entire movie as production was getting underway. So if it seems a little rushed, it was. I went to Targets all over town trying to score this exclusive and was not lucky so ordered it online. I am finding it harder to find titles at the store and I fear that may be a problem and an article for another time.

The Grey Fox- When an aging, but gentlemanly stagecoach robber is released from prison, he decides to go to Canada to become a train robber. I have never seen this but I have always remembered that cover. Just going by the synopsis this sounds like my kind of movie and will get this when Halloween season is over.

Elephant Man- A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication. I have been waiting a long time for a blu ray of this as this has been out of print for some time so it is about time.

Psycho- A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother. If you have not seen the mother of horror movies that is your problem. A couple of years a go a German blu ray was released and it stressed something like “Psycho Uncut: “The extended version of the movie as seen in theaters in 1960 is exactly as intended by Alfred Hitchcock and now available with additional footage for the first time.” This caught the attention of a lot of cinema geeks. Wasn’t the version we have been watching all these years the theatrical cut? Turns out is was not. Now do not get too excited, from what I have read it is mostly extended dialogue scenes. There is no bonus shower scenes, I think Hitchcock got exactly what he wanted there. I love this movie and have bought it more times than I can count and I have bought it again to add to the collection. The highest of recommendations.

Shivers- The residents of a suburban high-rise apartment building are being infected by a strain of parasites that turn them into mindless, sex-crazed fiends out to infect others by the slightest sexual contact. This is not my favorite Cronenberg film but I am glad this was released because there had been rumors earlier in the year that the Vestron Video series was ending. So pick this up so we can get more of these releases.

Uncommon Valor- Ten years after his son went M.I.A. in Vietnam, U.S. Marine retired Colonel Jason Rhodes assembles a private rescue team to find Americans held in P.O.W. camps in Laos. A very solid action flick from the director of First Blood. I am happy to see this on blu and boy do I miss Gene Hackman.

Death Wish 3- Architect/vigilante Paul Kersey arrives back in New York City and is forcibly recruited by a crooked police chief to fight street crime caused by a large gang terrorizing the neighborhoods. This is a Scorpion release and this is my favorite Death Wish movie as Chuck Bronson practically takes on all the gangs of New York even though it was filmed in London. If you have not seen this do yourself a favor, sit back and enjoy this masterpiece.

Batman: Death in the Family- In this very first interactive animated DC movie, you get to decide Jason Todd's fate. Based on one of the best Batman comics back in the early 90s where you got to call in and vote on the fate of Robin for the next issue. On this blu you get to see the same thing and see what happens to The Boy Wonder.

Tremors: Shriekers Island- Graboids are illegally taken to a new island resort by a rich playboy as a dangerous form of trophy hunting, and Burt Gummer steps up to save the day. I had never seen a Tremors sequel until recently as my son and I have watched them all so I had to pick this up to complete the series. I must admit I enjoyed these quite a bit and with the way this one ended I wonder if there will be more.

There is another big release coming but I am gonna save that for another day.