Blu-ray

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Anton van Beek  |  Jul 08, 2013  |  0 comments

It may not be Mario Bava's most inspired film (to put it mildly), but that hasn't stopped Arrow from pulling out all the stops with this release. The Blu-ray offers a choice of three versions of the film - the original Italian cut, the export version of the same and the seven-minute shorter US edit - all handsomely restored and presented as AVC 1.74:1 1080p encodes. The LPCM 2.0 mono soundtracks are equally impressive. Arrow's typically satisfying selection of extra features include a commentary, trailers, a Bava at Work behind-the-scenes photo gallery and an interview with fellow Italian filmmaker Rugero Deodato.

Anton van Beek  |  Jul 07, 2013  |  0 comments

Considering the sizeable challenges the restoration team faced with Mario Bava's legendary horror anthology, this Blu-ray release of Black Sabbath is nothing short of miraculous. Both the Italian and US edits of the film boast wonderfully rich colour palettes and pleasingly natural levels of film grain throughout. The only extras on the HD platter are a chat-track and a fascinating featurette examining the differences between the two versions of the film. However, additional interviews and trailers can be found on the DVDs included in the set.

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 28, 2013  |  0 comments

The original Die Hard is one of the best action movies ever made, something which makes the utterly generic nature of this fourth sequel all the more harder to stomach. A Good Day to Die Hard isn't an absolute clanger – there are a couple of standout action scenes and the script is certainly no more stupid or poorly plotted than your typical Die Hard aspirant. But there's the rub: this isn't some Under Siege-style wannabe, it's a genuine Die Hard sequel and – rightly or wrongly – John McClane's legion of fans expect so much more.

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 20, 2013  |  0 comments

Kathryn Bigelow's cinematic re-telling of the C.I.A. investigation that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden arrived at cinema screens dogged by controversy – not least the claims that it legitimises the use of torture. If that's a debate that doesn't interest you, just focus on Zero Dark Thirty simply as a piece of entertainment, because this technically accomplished movie is one of the best we've seen all year.

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 18, 2013  |  0 comments

When a sniper kills five innocent people in Pittsburgh, it doesn't take long for the police to follow the evidence back to Iraq war veteran James Barr. But rather than admit his guilt or protest his innocence, Barr only wants one thing: to see a man called Jack Reacher.

Jean Nightingale  |  Jun 12, 2013  |  0 comments

Considering that the first time I ever encountered Quartet was seeing it mentioned on the back pages of the daily newspapers, where the main actors were advertising chair lifts and retirement complexes, I had to wonder if this latest film aimed at an older audience was really for me (while I may be a grandmother, I like to think there's still a very long way to go before I even contemplate the need for mechanical assistance in getting up a flight of stairs).

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 11, 2013  |  0 comments

Tobe Hooper's legendary Texas Chain Saw Massacre has spawned some pretty dreadful sequels and spin-offs in its time – but none quite as bad as this.

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 08, 2013  |  0 comments

The surrealist movies of filmmaker David Lynch are an acquired taste, but one that I took to decades ago. As such, I was thrilled when this six-disc boxset was announced. After all, what self-respecting fan would relish the opportunity to savour almost two-thirds of Lynch’s cinematic output (Eraserhead, Dune, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Lost Highway) on Blu-ray in one fell swoop?

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 06, 2013  |  0 comments

Tom Courtenay gives one of the defining performances in British cinema as the titular dreamer in Schlesinger's brilliant 1963 satire. This celebratory hi-def release is a rather more modest success than the film itself, with the monochrome AVC 2.35:1 1080p imagery lacking the sharpness and detailing that you might expect from a high-profile remaster of this type. Also present on the Blu-ray platter is a reasonable batch of extras including various interviews and a look at some early written material by Billy Liar author Keith Waterhouse.

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 05, 2013  |  0 comments

Joseph Losey's deliciously subversive masterpiece about class relations in '60s Britain has lost none of its impact over the last 40 years – despite the seismic sociological changes the country has undergone since. This wonderful Blu-ray release will hopefully bring the film wider recognition, with the immaculate AVC 1.66:1 1080p visuals (easily one of the best HD encodes in the StudioCanal Collection range) providing a sensational showcase for Losey's inventive direction. The disc also boasts fascinating extras – primarily interviews, both new and archival – including James Fox talking to Richard Ayoade. Unmissable.

Anton van Beek  |  Jun 01, 2013  |  0 comments

Jim Caviezel and Lost's Michael Emerson star in this fast-paced crime series from the mind of Jonathan (brother of Christopher) Nolan. Seamlessly blending the police procedural and conspiracy thriller with overt comic book concepts, it's a smart and action-packed crowd-pleaser that's found a huge fanbase on TV and (given this four-disc set's top-notch AV credentials) is sure to do the same on Blu-ray. The only real downside is the drab selection of extras: just a chat-track for the pilot episode, extended pilot, one brief featurette and an outtakes reel.

Anton van Beek  |  May 31, 2013  |  0 comments

Full Moon's catalogue of DTV horrors may be packed with guilty pleasures, but these initial entries in the company's 1990s vampire franchise are genuinely effective fright-flicks. Sadly, Subspecies' AVC encode is soft throughout, but things improve significantly with the sequel's sharp and detailed 1080p visuals (it also gets a 5.1 audio upgrade, unlike the first film). A handful of extras are shared across both discs, but they do get their own commentaries and archival Videozone promo featurettes.

Anton van Beek  |  May 31, 2013  |  0 comments

Having killed Hitler in 2009's Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino is rewriting history again in his latest film. Thankfully Django Unchained is a much better movie than his tricksy World War II flick.

Anton van Beek  |  May 31, 2013  |  0 comments

This is far from director Wes Craven's finest moment, but there are still some inventive horrors (and a completely nonsensical ending) lying in wait in this largely forgotten 1981 mash-up of religious chillers and psycho slashers. Arrow's AVC 1.78:1 1080p restoration is a little uneven, but still manages to be the best-looking treatment of the film we've seen.  An LPCM 2.0 soundtrack copes admirably with the limited material, and generous extras include a commentary by Craven, interviews, a trailer and even a couple of Easter Eggs. Old school!

Anton van Beek  |  May 30, 2013  |  0 comments

Given how poorly David Cronenberg's early films have been treated in the past, watching this HD outing for his 1981 sci-fi Scanners is a real eye-opener. It's hardly the most visually spectacular Blu-ray you'll ever see, but the AVC 1.78:1 1080p encode still exhibits a clarity and wealth of detail in the cinematography without resorting to artificial sharpening tricks. Indeed, the only complaint we have is the complete lack of input from Cronenberg himself in any of the disc's interview-based extra features.

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