THE POOP SCOOP: Classics & New Classics

👽ALIEN: ROMULUS Available on Digital Now and Coming to 4K, Blu-ray and DVD 12/3 from 20th Century Studios.

The legendary Alien franchise gives birth to an all-new terrifying sci-fi horror thriller when 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus arrives to digital retailers (Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) on October 15 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on December 3. Alien: Romulus is the start of a new chapter with a brand-new story unlike any other Alien movie that came before it, featuring all-new creatures and characters that are “tense enough to grab you by the throat” (Owen Gleiberman, Variety). Fans can delve deeper into the Alien franchise with all-new exclusive bonus features, including featurettes with filmmakers Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott, behind the scenes content, and alternate and extended scenes. The 4K UHD will be available in a collectible limited edition SteelBook with custom artwork and packaging.

🤖THE WILD ROBOT on Digital NOW and on 4K UHD and Blu-ray 12/3 from Universal.

Continuing to bring families together in theaters, DreamWorks Animation’s THE WILD ROBOT arrives exclusively on digital platforms to own or rent tomorrow, October 15, 2024, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. It will also be available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray on December 3, 2024. Own THE WILD ROBOT with never-before-seen extras when you purchase from participating retailers nationwide including Apple TV, Fandango, Xfinity, Cox Microsoft, and Movies Anywhere. THE WILD ROBOT is an epic adventure staring Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o as Roz, a robot that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must adapt to the harsh surroundings. Gradually Roz starts building relationships with the animals on the island, including a clever fox voiced by Pedro Pascal, and becomes the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling named Brightbill voiced by Kit Connor. THE WILD ROBOT is a powerful story about self-discovery, a thrilling examination of the bridge between technology and nature, and a moving exploration of what it means to be alive and connected to all living things.

😺ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION on 4K and Digital 11/26 from Universal.

From one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema comes the all-new ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION, releasing on 4K Ultra HD disc and Digital on November 26, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. This must-own collection consists of some of the most unforgettable and groundbreaking films of all time including Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds. In partnership with Warner Bros. and Paramount Home Entertainment, the collection features the newly released 4K Ultra HD remasters of North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief. It’s the very first time you can own all six films together on 4K Ultra HD disc and includes digital codes. The premium book style-packaging consists of rare photos, bios, trivia, and original cover art by renowned artist Tristan Eaton. It features over 15 hours of revealing bonus features including Psycho Uncut (the extended version of the movie originally seen in theaters), audio interviews with Alfred Hitchcock, behind-the-scenes featurettes, rare production photographs, creative storyboards, insightful feature commentaries, and so much more! 

🎄Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS 70th Anniversary on 4K Ultra HD November 5 from Paramount.

A dazzling and delightful holiday treat, Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen in a joyous showbiz story filled with song and dance and featuring the timeless music and lyrics of legendary composer and songwriter Irving Berlin whose artistry defined American popular songs for much of the 20th century. WHITE CHRISTMAS premiered on October 14, 1954, and was the first film to be released in Paramount’s widescreen format, VistaVision, which played a pivotal role in shaping the future of cinematic technology and laid the groundwork for IMAX. In anticipation of its 70th anniversary, WHITE CHRISTMAS was lovingly restored from the original VistaVision negative and looks more vibrant than ever for home viewing in 4K Ultra HD.  This limited release includes the film on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc, a second Blu-ray Disc with the film, including a sing-along option, as well as extensive legacy bonus content, and access to a Digital copy of the film, packaged in a collectible slipcover based on the original theatrical poster. 

🙀Silent Horror Classic, THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI, Coming to 4K UHD + Blu-ray October 22 from Kino Lorber.

In 1920, one brilliant movie jolted the postwar masses and catapulted the German Expressionist film movement into history. That movie was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a plunge into the mind of insanity that severs all ties with the rational world. Director Robert Wiene and a team of visionary designers crafted a nightmare realm in which light, shadow and substance are abstracted, a world in which a demented doctor and a carnival sleepwalker perpetrate a series of ghastly murders in a small community. On October 22, 2024, Kino Lorber releases the authoritative edition of the original 1920 horror classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, available in a meticulous 4K restoration by the F.W. Murnau Stiftung, with a new orchestral score by Emmy-winning composer Jeff Beal, which had its premiere performance at Carnegie Hall on June 3, 2024. This edition also features the 2014 orchestral score (4K and Blu-ray), and a score by Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky (Blu-ray). Special features include in the documentary Caligari: How Horror Came to the Cinema, a restoration demonstration, and audio commentary by composer Jeff Beal.

SLINGSHOT Plots a Familiar Course

SLINGSHOT (Blu-ray)

2024 / 108 min

FROM DECAL RELEASING

Review by Princess Pepper😼

Here’s another sci-fi thriller that makes space look like an awful place, where losing your marbles is the biggest obstacle impeding a successful mission. As such, Slingshot ain’t bad, though it does evoke an increasing sense of deja vu.

John (Casey Affleck) is on a lengthy mission to Saturn’s moon, Titan, with two crewmates, Nash (Tomer Capone) and Captain Franks (Laurence Fishburne). Being increasingly put in and out of hypersleep begins to take a psychological toll. At first, Nash becomes increasingly unhinged, exacerbated when the ship suffers damage. Meanwhile, John has hallucinations of the girl he left behind, Zoe (Emily Beecham), and peppered throughout the narrative are numerous flashbacks of their relationship.

As Nash repeatedly undermines Frank’s authority by trying to convince John they should turn back and return to Earth, the Captain himself displays behavior that threatens them both. Presented from John’s point-of-view, Slingshot does a decent job depicting its characters’ struggles with sanity and whether or not John's experiences are real or an illusion, which sets up a few pretty good narrative curveballs during the second half. 

Casey politely endures another Event Horizon anecdote.

However, the mental impact of extended time in space has been explored in plenty of other movies, sometimes more authentically (Ad Astra), more sensationally (Pandorum) or more cerebrally (Solaris)...to the point where Slingshot’s inevitable twist ending is more of an expectation than a surprise. And while I understand their importance in terms of character development, the numerous flashback sequences grow intrusive and stall the momentum at times.

Other than that, Slingshot is a decent sci-fi thriller with some interesting bits of foreshadowing that become obvious with hindsight, perhaps making it worth watching a second time just to see how they contribute to the denouement. At no point does the film reinvent the wheel - or really even try - but it’s entertaining in the moment.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (4K): An Anniversary Worth Acknowledging

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (4K UHD)

1984 / 91 min

FROM WARNER BROS

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

We’re living in an era when it seems like damn-near any movie that achieved a notable amount of success eventually gets rewarded with an Anniversary Edition. But in this case, it’s an anniversary worth acknowledging…if for no other reason than to make those of us who recall seeing it in theaters feel really, really old.

Historically speaking, A Nightmare on Elm Street isn’t just another ‘80s horror movie. Not only did it put director Wes Craven on the map and make Robert Englund an household name (at least in horror circles), the film established then-fledgling New Line Cinema as a significant player in the movie business. Some might even argue - which a few actually do in one of the bonus features - that if not for Nightmare, New Line wouldn’t have eventually given us the Lord of the Rings films (though I’m not sure I agree with that statement).

But most importantly, it is arguably one of the most influential horror films ever made…certainly of its own decade. With all due respect to the likes of Friday the 13th (despite being released in 1980, it has more of a ‘70s aesthetic), the Nightmare franchise redefined how modern horror looked and sounded. This is especially true of the sequels, with their bigger budgets, slicker production values, more elaborate special effects and, of course, greater emphasis of turning its antagonist, Freddy Krueger, into a wise-cracking personality…practically an anti-hero.

"I sure hope you kept the receipt."

All these years later, though, the original remains the best in the entire series. Granted, some ‘80s trappings date it a bit - some clunky ‘teenage’ dialogue here and there - but the intelligent (for the genre) story, imaginative set-pieces and overall serious tone keep it engaging all these years later. Best of all, this features Freddy Krueger before he became horror’s Henny Youngman…mysterious, malevolent and menacing. A Nightmare on Elm Street may not be Wes Craven’s best film (the underrated Red Eye gets my vote), but it’s easily his most culturally significant. The National Film Registry thought so, too.

So it’s an anniversary worthy of a commemorative physical media release. This new disc features a 4K transfer of both the theatrical and unrated cuts, though the differences are almost negligible. Overall, it’s a very good visual upgrade, but the biggest improvement from previous editions is inclusion of the Dolby Atmos track (in addition to the original mono version). I suppose one could carp over the lack of new bonus material - especially for the anniversary of a landmark movie - but the archival features included are pretty substantial.

EXTRA KIBBLES

THEATRICAL & UNRATED VERSIONS

FEATURETTES - The House That Freddy Built is a look at New Line Cinema’s horror history, primarily its ‘08s output and largely focused on the Elm Street Series; Never Sleep Again: The Making of A Nightmare on Elm Street is an excellent 50-minute retrospective documentary; Night Terrors: The Origins of Wes Craven’s Nightmare features the late director discussing the real life inspiration for the film.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By writer-director Wes Craven, actors Heather Langenkamp & John Saxon, cinematographer Jacques Haitki. 2) By several members of the cast & crew, as well as historian David Del Valle.

FOCUS POINTS - Various behind-the-scenes segments and alternate takes of scenes.

3 ALTERNATE ENDINGS

DIGITAL COPY

PERRIER'S BOUNTY is a Career Footnote

PERRIER’S BOUNTY (Blu-ray)

2009 / 88 min

FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

Available ar www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😽

Now that a well-deserved Oscar win for Oppenheimer has undoubtedly increased overall awareness of Cillian Murphy, it’s inevitable there will also be renewed interest some of his earlier, more obscure films. In Perrier’s Bounty, a 2009 Irish black comedy, he’s endearing as a scruffy a low-life criminal, though the film is frequently stolen by his co-stars.

Michael McRea (Murphy) owes vicious gangster Darren Perrier (Brendan Gleeson) a lot of money. Despite last minute efforts, he’s unable to come up with it on time, even after teaming up with another local criminal, The Mutt (Liam Cunningham), for a quick score. When Perrier sends two thugs to break his legs, one of them is shot by Michael’s friend and neighbor, Brenda (Jodie Whittaker), who was contemplating suicide after being dumped by her philandering boyfriend.

The same night, Michael’s estranged father, Jim (Jim Broadbent) shows up and announces he’s dying. At first he says it’s cancer, but later claims the Grim Reaper himself warned him he’ll die when he goes to sleep. This leads to a running gag detailing Jim’s efforts to stay awake (eating ground coffee, snorting coke, etc.). Meanwhile, Perrier has put a bounty on both Michael and Brenda, which The Mutt also decides he wants to collect.

When you visit the park and all the swing-sets have been removed.

The ensemble cast is ultimately what makes Perrier’s Bounty worth checking out, with Gleeson and Broadbent being particular stand-outs. The screenplay and story have their moments, sometimes very clever ones, but save for the hilarious karmic death of one major character, the film is seldom all that funny. In fact, the underlying theme is actually kind of a downer.

Perrier’s Bounty might be worth seeking out for Cillian Murphy fans, though it’s probably destined to be just a footnote in his career. Essentially playing beleaguered straight-man to a collection of quirky characters, he’s done better films before and since, but overall, the film is certainly watchable.

CONFLICT is Aptly Named

CONFLICT (Blu-ray)

1945 / 86 min

WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Almost the entire success of 1945’s Conflict rests on Humphrey Bogart’s shoulders. Fortunately, he’s more than up to the challenge, turning in a brilliant performance as wife killer Richard Mason. While he’s always been great at playing morally questionable characters, this one doesn’t seem to get as much attention as some of his more iconic roles. 

Richard and wife Rose (Rose Hobart) have been married for five years, but as the opening scene demonstrates, they aren’t all that happy. An argument ends with him admitting he’s fallen in love with her younger sister, Evelyn (Alexis Smith). Rose doesn’t appear hurt, though, contemptuously belittling Richard for thinking Evelyn would be interested in a man his age. She also refuses to step aside. Still, they maintain a facade around family and friends, who think they’re the perfect couple.

Following a car crash that leaves him temporarily injured, Richard comes up with an elaborate plan to murder Rose, which goes off without a hitch. He reports her as missing, perfectly playing the role of a concerned husband while getting support from their family friend, Dr. Mark Hamilton (Sydney Greenstreet), and more significantly, Evelyn. 

Bogey tries out his new elevator shoes.

Meanwhile, personal belongings that Rose had when she was murdered start turning up (in the house, in a pawn shop), which Richard dutifully reports to police. In fact, he remains personally active in the ongoing investigation, insisting that whoever killed Rose is leaving these things for him to find.

Here’s where things get interesting, because at this point, we aren’t quite sure what’s going on in Richard’s head. Is he convincingly playing the role of a loving husband to avoid becoming a suspect? Has he blocked the entire crime from his memory and truly thinks someone else killed her? Are these occurrences (including mysterious phone calls and ‘seeing’ Evelyn on the street) a manifestation of his guilt? At various points, the viewer entertains all of these notions, mainly due to the remarkable complexity Bogart brings to his role, certainly reflecting the film’s title.

Only at the end does Conflict drop the ball, with an implausible and underwhelming climax that nearly sabotages the story. Until then, however, this is an entertaining psychological thriller, anchored by a terrific and underappreciated performance by Humphrey Bogart.

EXTRA KIBBLES

2 LOONEY TUNES SHORTS - Life with Feathers; Trap Happy Porky.

2 WARNER BROS SHORTS - Peeks at Hollywood; Are Animals Actors?

CONFLICT RADIO BROADCAST - From 1945, featuring Humphrey Bogart.

THE POOP SCOOP: Anniversary Edition

INTERSTELLAR Celebrates 10th Anniversary With Dec. 6th IMAX Limited Engagement. Tickets Going On Sale Nov. Collector's Edition 4K Ultra HD Set Releasing Dec. 10th from Paramount.

Academy Award-winning director Christopher Nolan’s landmark epic INTERSTELLAR celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and Paramount Pictures is marking the occasion with a 10th Anniversary IMAX Exclusive Limited Engagement on December 6, 2024, with tickets going on sale November 7.  In addition, a Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HD set will arrive on December 10, 2024. Fans can revisit INTERSTELLAR with the 10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, created with the participation and approval of Christopher Nolan.  This must-own, limited-edition set includes the iconic film on both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Disc, as well as a third Blu-ray with more than two hours of new and legacy bonus content that delves into the science of the film, its groundbreaking production, and a brand-new discussion of the film’s impact 10 years later.  The set also includes access to a Digital copy of the film, reproductions of five costume patches, five theatrical poster reproductions, and a never-before-seen storyboard sequence from the director’s archives. 

PULP FICTION Celebrates 30th Anniversary With A Return to Theaters In October & A New 4K Ultra Collector’s Edition December 3 from Paramount.

In 1994, writer-director Quentin Tarantino blew away audiences and critics with his brazenly brilliant tribute to hard-crime capers, PULP FICTION. 30 years later, the acclaimed and award-winning film continues to thrill new generations of fans with its infinitely quotable dialogue, superb cast, ingenious plot, and chart-topping soundtrack. In celebration of the cinematic masterpiece’s 30th anniversary, PULP FICTION will return to the big screen in October for special presentations featuring pristine new 35mm prints in select theatres across the U.S.  In addition, the film will be released on 4K Ultra HD in a 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition on December 3, 2024 from Paramount Home Entertainment. PULP FICTION will be presented on both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray in a new Limited-Edition set that also includes extensive legacy bonus content and access to a Digital copy of the film in a collectible premium slipcase, a new slipcover with pop-up artwork, lobby card reproductions, photography select sheet, and decals.

1982: THE GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER! On Blu-ray and DVD October 22 from MVD Rewind Collection.

MVD Rewind Collection is proud to present 1982: GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER! in its original, unedited feature length form for the first time! 1982: GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER! is an epic documentary about the greatest geek year in films,1982, featuring stars, directors, writers, producers and pop culture historians sharing their insights about such legendary movies as E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Blade Runner, John Carpenter's The Thing, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Poltergeist, Creepshow, Night Shift, The Dark Crystal, 48 Hours, First Blood, Tron, Conan The Barbarian, Cat People, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, The Road Warrior, and much, much more. Filled with exclusive interviews, rare behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive never-before-seen clips (including Henry Winkler's home movies from the set of Night Shift) in a fun, lively, no-holds-barred celebration of the legendary movie-going year of 1982. 

THE CROW arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 5 from Lionsgate.

Experience vengeance born from true love in The Crow, now on digital and arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 5 from Lionsgate. Based on the iconic graphic novel, The Crow tells the dark love story of Eric and Shelly, and the lengths one will go to for someone they love. Directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell), The Crow stars Bill Skarsgård (It), FKA twigs (award-winning singer-songwriter), and Danny Huston (“Yellowstone”). Skarsgård takes on the iconic role of The Crow in this modern reimagining of the original graphic novel by James O’Barr. Soulmates Eric and Shelly are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right. The Crow will be available as an exclusive SteelBook at Amazon and at Walmart – featuring limited-edition artwork unique to each retailer.