Blogs
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It’s a Netflix World. Hollywood is Just Living in It
Netflix added almost 10 million new subscribers in its most-recent fiscal period, nearly topping 150 million subscribers globally. The SVOD pioneer added 31 million subs in 2018. The sub growth ended – for the moment – naysayer illusions the SVOD giant had become a cash cow – economic short hand for a business generating plenty … Continue reading “It’s a Netflix World. Hollywood is Just Living in It”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘At the Drive-In’ and ‘The Whole Town’s Talking’
At the Drive-In MVD, Documentary, $19.95 DVD, NR.2017. Filmmaker Alexander Monelli’s At the Drive-In is such an affectionate doc about one community’s approach to cinemania that it has potential to become a fan favorite, though I suspect it already is one to those who’ve seen it. Extras: There are three voiceover commentaries, 17 minutes of … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘At the Drive-In’ and ‘The Whole Town’s Talking’”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘Wanda’ and ‘Phantom Lady’
Wanda Criterion, Drama, $29.95 DVD, $39.95 Blu-ray, ‘PG.’ Stars Barbara Loden, Michael Higgins. 1971. What stands out about Wanda, aside from the fact that scouting its locations could well have been the most depressing gig in the business, is the degree to which its narrative is still such a downbeat grabber despite all of its … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘Wanda’ and ‘Phantom Lady’”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘The Body Snatcher’ and ‘Road to Utopia’
The Body Snatcher Shout! Factory, Horror, $29.99 Blu-ray, NR. Stars Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Henry Daniell, Russell Wade. 1945. The Body Snatcher finds the young Robert Wise in his career breakout (or something close), adapting a Robert Louis Stevenson story into a 77-minute fan favorite that goes against certain expectations. Extras: Beyond 4K scanning, the … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘The Body Snatcher’ and ‘Road to Utopia’”
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It’s a Netflix World. Hollywood is Just Living in It
Netflix added almost 10 million new subscribers in its most-recent fiscal period, nearly topping 150 million subscribers globally. The SVOD pioneer added 31 million subs in 2018. The sub growth ended – for the moment – naysayer illusions the SVOD giant had become a cash cow – economic short hand for a business generating plenty … Continue reading “It’s a Netflix World. Hollywood is Just Living in It”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘At the Drive-In’ and ‘The Whole Town’s Talking’
At the Drive-In MVD, Documentary, $19.95 DVD, NR.2017. Filmmaker Alexander Monelli’s At the Drive-In is such an affectionate doc about one community’s approach to cinemania that it has potential to become a fan favorite, though I suspect it already is one to those who’ve seen it. Extras: There are three voiceover commentaries, 17 minutes of … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘At the Drive-In’ and ‘The Whole Town’s Talking’”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘Wanda’ and ‘Phantom Lady’
Wanda Criterion, Drama, $29.95 DVD, $39.95 Blu-ray, ‘PG.’ Stars Barbara Loden, Michael Higgins. 1971. What stands out about Wanda, aside from the fact that scouting its locations could well have been the most depressing gig in the business, is the degree to which its narrative is still such a downbeat grabber despite all of its … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘Wanda’ and ‘Phantom Lady’”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘The Body Snatcher’ and ‘Road to Utopia’
The Body Snatcher Shout! Factory, Horror, $29.99 Blu-ray, NR. Stars Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Henry Daniell, Russell Wade. 1945. The Body Snatcher finds the young Robert Wise in his career breakout (or something close), adapting a Robert Louis Stevenson story into a 77-minute fan favorite that goes against certain expectations. Extras: Beyond 4K scanning, the … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘The Body Snatcher’ and ‘Road to Utopia’”
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An Ode to Old Hollywood Upon Its Possible Demise
It was a curious juxtaposition March 22. I was touring the old locations — some of which still exist and are recognizable — of the early Laurel and Hardy films — films from the very beginning of the motion picture industry. For the Blu-ray, DVD and digital release of Sony’s Stan & Ollie about the … Continue reading “An Ode to Old Hollywood Upon Its Possible Demise”
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Disney+ Is a Safe-Cracker
Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger’s announcement that the studio would abandon its long-standing “vault” strategy for its upcoming subscription streaming service is perhaps one of the most shocking shifts in an industry rocked by change. At the March 7 shareholder meeting in St. Louis, he said that the studio would pull movies from its vault … Continue reading “Disney+ Is a Safe-Cracker”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘Detour’ and ‘Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?’
Detour Street Date 3/19/19 Criterion, Drama, $29.95 DVD, $39.95 Blu-ray, NR. Stars Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake. 1945. Seeing director Edgar G. Ulmer’s absorbing Detour after its restoration is an entirely fresh experience, though “fresh” is not necessarily how you feel after spending a blistering hour-and-a-quarter with its cast of mostly misfits. Extras: A … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘Detour’ and ‘Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?’”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘Year of the Dragon’ and ‘The Return of Frank James’
Year of the Dragon Available via Warner Archive Warner, Drama, $21.99 Blu-ray, ‘R.’ Stars Mickey Rourke, John Lon, Ariane. 1985. A handsome-plus howler whose saturated colors synch keenly with its Blu-ray presentation, the late Michael Cimino’s violent camp-fest Year of the Dragon remains an ideal culinary companion for the viewing demographic seeking just the right … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘Year of the Dragon’ and ‘The Return of Frank James’”
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Kevin Tsujihara: A Misplaced Asset at WarnerMedia
As the dust settles from WarnerMedia’s management shuffle, with former NBC Universal executive Bob Greenblatt assuming chairmanship of the media company’s entertainment unit, including budding over-the-top video – Kevin Tsujihara, chairman/CEO of Warner Bros., expanded his duties to include – consumer products? It’s an odd career move for Tsujihara, whose long history in digital content … Continue reading “Kevin Tsujihara: A Misplaced Asset at WarnerMedia”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘Desert Fury’ and ‘My Name Is Julia Ross’
Desert Fury Kino Lorber, Drama, $19.95 DVD, $29.95 Blu-ray, NR. Stars Lizbeth Scott, John Hodiak, Burt Lancaster, Wendell Corey, Mary Astor. 1947. The revisionist word has gotten around on this once critically drubbed Technicolor potboiler. The movie is heavier than it needs to be on people standing around and talking to each other, though, to … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘Desert Fury’ and ‘My Name Is Julia Ross’”