Blogs
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Mike’s Picks: “Murder, He Says” and “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project”
Murder, He Says Street Date 4/7/20 Kino Lorber, Comedy, $24.95 Blu-ray, NR. Stars Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, Marjorie Main, Jean Heather, Porter Hall. 1945. Fred MacMurray gives what may be the top comic performance of his long and still underrated career in Murder, He Says, a twisted Hollywood comedy that gets a 4K spiff-up for … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: “Murder, He Says” and “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project””
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Mr. ‘Disney’s’ Wild Ride
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride has been a mainstay at Disneyland since the amusement park opened in 1955. On March 23, 2020, at high noon Disney experienced a wild ride of a different kind: Wall Street. On that day at lunch time, Disney’s stock dropped to $81.57 per share, the media giant’s lowest stock valuation since … Continue reading “Mr. ‘Disney’s’ Wild Ride”
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A Message to Our Readers — Continuing Coverage In These Trying Times
The novel coronavirus has everyone on edge, and the immediate impact of the disease as well as any long-term economic ramifications remain unknown. With so much uncertainty, information is essential, and we at Media Play News are working hard to strike a balance between coverage of the pandemic as it affects our business and regular … Continue reading “A Message to Our Readers — Continuing Coverage In These Trying Times”
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Honoring Eddie — and Hollywood
Eddie Cunningham, in the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt, speaks softly and carries a big stick. Honored with Media Play News’ third annual Fast Toward Award, Cunningham is the consummate gentleman, both inside and outside of the workplace. Without exception, his employees say he’s a remarkable boss, even-tempered and empowering, encouraging them to do their best … Continue reading “Honoring Eddie — and Hollywood”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘Beau Brummell’ and ‘Canyon Passage’
Beau Brummell Available via Warner Archive Warner, Drama, $21.99 Blu-ray, NR. Stars Stewart Granger, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Ustinov, Robert Morley. 1954. A flop at the time, this superbly cast costume drama has picked up a cult following who should be pleased by the Blu-ray’s 4K scan off the original negative that pays off with such … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘Beau Brummell’ and ‘Canyon Passage’”
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Home Entertainment ‘Social Distancing’ — Boon or Double-Edged Sword?
With movie theaters shuttered and government officials calling on people not to congregate in groups larger than 10, home entertainment, including transactional VOD and packaged media, is getting a boost from consumers sequestered at home during the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Universal Pictures said it is releasing select theatrical titles concurrent with home entertainment … Continue reading “Home Entertainment ‘Social Distancing’ — Boon or Double-Edged Sword?”
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Streaming Services Have Home Field Advantage
With the increased calls for Americans to stay home during the coronavirus outbreak, many see home entertainment — especially streaming services — as a big winner. Indeed, consumers confined to their homes may give the industry a boost, but not all streaming services are equal. Netflix, which has pretty much maxed out its U.S. subscriptions, … Continue reading “Streaming Services Have Home Field Advantage”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘A Little Romance’ and ‘Salesman’
A Little Romance Available via Warner Archive Warner, Drama, $21.99 Blu-ray, ‘PG.’ Stars Laurence Olivier, Diane Lane, Thelonious Bernard, Sally Kellerman, Arthur Hill. 1979. It was spring of 1979 when 12-year-old Diane Lane made the cover of Time magazine back when that really meant something — ostensibly as part of a cover story on “Hollywood’s … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘A Little Romance’ and ‘Salesman’”
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The Night Sports Turned Off the Lights
The evening of March 11 seemed like any normal night for Disney-owned ESPN, with evening NBA telecasts between the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder, and Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans, respectively, rounding out a broadcast schedule that was preceded by the University of North Carolina playing Syracuse University in the ACC Tournament in … Continue reading “The Night Sports Turned Off the Lights”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘The Day of the Dolphin’ and ‘X … the Unknown’
The Day of the Dolphin Kino Lorber, Drama, $19.95 DVD, $29.95 Blu-ray, ‘PG.’ Stars George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Paul Sorvino, Fritz Weaver. 1973. When I first saw The Day of the Dolphin, my reaction was akin to that of so many other film folk in that we couldn’t quite figure out what the … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘The Day of the Dolphin’ and ‘X … the Unknown’”